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At least 379 records · Page 21
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NASA NTRS1975

Numerical solutions for inviscid supersonic corner flows

Analytical solutions for inviscid supersonic corner flows are virtually nonexistent due to the complexity of the interference geometry. In view of this, numerical solutions for compressive-compressive and expansive-compressive corner flows are obtained. The governing equations are written in strong conservation-law form and are solved iteratively in nonorthogonal conical coordinates by use of a second-order, shock-capturing, finite-difference technique. The computed wave structure and surface pressure distributions are compared with high Reynolds number (Re greater than 2,500,000 ft) experimental data. The results clearly show that the wave structure in the corner is dominated by the inviscid field.

Shankar, V. S. V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Numerical solutions for supersonic corner flow

Analytical solutions for inviscid supersonic corner flows are virtually nonexistent due to the complexity of the interference geometry. In view of this, numerical solutions for swept-compressive and swept-expansive corner flows are obtained. The governing equations are written in strong conservation-law form and are solved iteratively in nonorthogonal conical coordinates by use of a second-order, shock-capturing, finite-difference technique. The computed wave structure and surface pressure distributions are compared with high Reynolds number experimental data and show very good agreement. The results clearly show that supersonic corner flow at reasonably high Reynolds numbers including the effect of sweep is dominated by the inviscid field.

Shankar, V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A generalized hyperbolic marching method for chemically reacting 3-D supersonic flow using a splitting technique

A generalized hyperbolic marching method employing a nonorthogonal coordinate system and using a split differencing scheme for calculating steady supersonic flow over aerodynamic shapes is presented. It is a second-order-accurate mixed explicit-implicit procedure that solves the inviscid adiabatic and nondiffusive equations for chemically reacting flow in integral conservation-law form. The relationship between the integral and differential forms of the equations are examined and the relative merits of each discussed. The method admits initial Cauchy data situated on any arbitrary surface and integrates them forward along a general curvilinear coordinate, distorting and deforming the surface as it advances. The chemical kinetics term is split from the convective terms which are themselves dimensionally split, thereby freeing the fluid operators from the restricted step-size imposed by the chemical reactions and increasing the computational efficiency. The accuracy of this splitting technique is analyzed, a sufficient stability criterion is established, and comparisons are made with another method.

Rizzi, A. W.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A fast semidirect method for computing transonic aerodynamic flows

A fast, semidirect, iterative computational method, previously introduced for finite-difference solution of subsonic and slightly supercritical flow over airfoils, is extended both to apply to strongly supercritical conditions and to include full second-order accuracy in computing inviscid flows over airfoils. The nonlinear small-disturbance equations are solved iteratively by a direct, linear, elliptic solver. General, fully conservative, type-dependent difference equations are formulated, including parabolic- and shock-point transition operators that provide consistency with the integral conservation laws. These equations specialize to either first-order or to fully second-order-accurate equations. Various free parameters are evaluated for rapid convergence of the first-order scheme. Resulting pressure distributions and computing times are compared with the improved Murman-Cole line-relaxation method.

Martin, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Gravitational theories with nonzero divergence of the energy-momentum tensor

Assuming that the divergence of the energy-momentum tensor is nonzero leads to a class of theories with consistent field equations and gauge conditions as well as compatibility with the Newtonian limit of the conservation laws. Both the Einstein and the Brans-Dicke theories are used as models, but the extension to other viable theories such as vector-metric and two-metric theories is possible. One particularly interesting theory emerges that agrees with the ordinary Brans-Dicke theory except for the post-Newtonian parameter zeta sub 2, which predicts nonconservation of total momentum. Unfortunately, no accurate experimental limits for this parameter are known. It thus remains for future experiments in lunar-laser ranging to test this theory.

Smalley, L. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Finite elements and fluid dynamics

Difficulties concerning a use of the finite element method in the solution of the nonlinear equations of fluid dynamics are partly related to various 'hidden' instabilities which often arise in fluid calculations. The instabilities are typically due to boundary effects or nonlinearities. It is shown that in certain cases these instabilities can be avoided if certain conservation laws are satisfied, and that the latter are often intimately related to finite elements.

Fix, G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

On the equations governing the axisymmetric perturbations of the Kerr black hole

It is shown how Teukolsky's equation, governing the perturbations of the Kerr black hole, can be reduced, in the axisymmetric case, to a one-dimensional wave equation with four possible potentials. The potentials are implicitly dependent on the frequency; and besides, depending on circumstances, they can be complex. In all cases (i.e. whether or not the potentials are real or complex), the problem of the reflexion and the transmission of gravitational waves by the potential barriers can be formulated, consistently, with the known conservation laws. It is further shown that all four potentials lead to the same reflexion and transmission coefficients.

Chandrasekhar, S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A BBGKY framework for fluid turbulence

A framework is presented for a systematic kinetic theory of turbulence originating from the Liouville equation for the Fourier coefficients of fluid variables. The real and imaginary parts of these Fourier coefficients play the role that particle coordinates (positions and momenta) play in the BBGKY theory. The basic relations of the problem are the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions with zero viscosity, with the probability distributions of Fourier coefficients rather than moments being the basic variables of the theory. A kinetic equation is derived and shown to possess a number of requirements that any reasonable kinetic equation must have: conservation laws, positive-definite spectral densities, and an H-theorem. The major lack in the theory is any reliable information on the relaxation predicted by the complicated linear operator H. Closure of the hierarchy is achieved by the hypothesis that the five-coefficient correlation function is negligible. Problems associated with inclusion of viscosity and external driving forces are discussed.

Montgomery, D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Computation of the inviscid supersonic flow over an external axial corner

A second-order finite-difference procedure is used to evaluate the inviscid supersonic flowfield surrounding an external axial corner composed of swept planar compression surfaces and representing the inlets on existing high-speed aircraft. The governing partial differential equations in conservation-law form are hyperbolic with respect to the axial coordinate and are solved iteratively by means of MacCormack's algorithm. The procedure treats both the peripheral shock wave and vortical singularities as discontinuities. Numerical results are presented for two parametric studies regarding the effects on the flowfield of varying the free-stream Mach number and the leading edge sweep of the horizontal wedge. Results of parametric Mach number study agree with the Mach number independence principle in that as the Mach number increases, such characteristics as shock shape, cross-flow sonic line location, and vortical singularity position approach an asymptote.

Kutler, P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Hybrid finite element methods

The purpose of this paper is to show how Lagrange multipliers can be used with finite elements to achieve a number of desirable properties in the underlying approximation. For elliptic boundary value problems, variational principles can be developed in which all boundary conditions are natural. In fluid flow problems, one can endow the approximations with physically essential conservation laws.

Fix, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Diffraction of a shock wave by a compression corner. I - Regular reflection

The unsteady, two-dimensional flowfield resulting from the interaction of a moving planar shock wave with a compression corner is determined using a second-order, discontinuity-fitting, finite-difference approach. The time-dependent Euler equations are transformed to normalize the distance between the body and peripheral shock and to include the existing self-similar property of the flow. The resulting set of partial differential equations in conservation-law form is then solved in a time-dependent fashion using MacCormack's scheme. The vortical singularity, which lies on the body surface, and the single reflected shock are both treated as discontinuities in the numerical procedure. The results of the numerical simulation compare quite favorably with existing experimental interferograms and yield better flowfield resolution than previous first-order, shock-capturing, numerical solutions.

Kutler, P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Implicit finite-difference procedures for the computation of vortex wakes

Implicit finite-difference procedures for the primitive form of the incompressible Navier-Stokes and the compressible Euler equations are used to compute vortex wake flows. The partial differential equations in strong conservation-law form are transformed to cluster grid points in regions with large changes in vorticity. In addition to clustering, fourth-order accurate, spatial difference operators are used to help resolve the flow-field gradients. The use of implicit time-differencing permits large time steps to be taken since temporal variations are typically small. Computational efficiency is achieved by approximate factorization. Both two-dimensional and preliminary three-dimensional calculations are described and qualitatively compared with existing experimental data.

Steger, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Anisotropic parametrized post-Newtonian gravitational metric field

The anisotropic generalization of the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) gravitational metric field is made for the case of theories with energy and momentum conservation laws. Such an anisotropic metric field will generally result in two-tensor or bimetric theories of gravity in an anisotropic universe. New anisotropic 3 x 3 spatial PPN matrices are introduced into the general metric expansion. Earth gravimeter measurements strongly restrict some anisotropies, while anisotropic inertial and gravitational mass for celestial bodies result from other combinations of the PPN matrices.

Nordtvedt, K., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Diffraction of a shock wave by a compression corner. II - Single Mach reflection

The two-dimensional time-dependent Euler equations which govern the flow field resulting from the interaction of a planar shock with a compression corner are solved for initial conditions which result in single Mach reflection of the incident planar shock. The Euler equations are first transformed to include the self-similarity of the flow field. A second transformation is employed to normalize the distances between the ramp and the reflected shock and between the wall and the Mach stem. The resulting equations in strong conservation-law form are solved using a second-order discontinuity-fitting finite-difference approach. The results are compared with experimental interferograms and existing first-order shock-capturing numerical solutions.

Shankar, V.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Theory of fracture mechanics based upon plasticity

A theory of fracture mechanics is formulated on the foundation of continuum mechanics. Fracture surface is introduced as an unknown quantity and is incorporated into boundary and initial conditions. Surface energy is included in the global form of energy conservation law and the dissipative mechanism is formulated into constitutive equations which indicate the thermodynamic irreversibility and the irreversibility of fracture process as well.

Lee, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A solution to the Navier-Stokes equations based upon the Newton Kantorovich method

An implicit finite difference scheme based on the Newton-Kantorovich technique was developed for the numerical solution of the nonsteady, incompressible, two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in conservation-law form. The algorithm was second-order-time accurate, noniterative with regard to the nonlinear terms in the vorticity transport equation except at the earliest few time steps, and spatially factored. Numerical results were obtained with the technique for a circular cylinder at Reynolds number 15. Results indicate that the technique is in excellent agreement with other numerical techniques for all geometries and Reynolds numbers investigated, and indicates a potential for significant reduction in computation time over current iterative techniques.

Davis, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Scale-covariant theory of gravitation and astrophysical applications

A scale-covariant theory of gravitation is presented which is characterized by a set of equations that are complete only after a choice of the scale function is made. Special attention is given to gauge conditions and units which allow gravitational phenomena to be described in atomic units. The generalized gravitational-field equations are derived by performing a direct scale transformation, by extending Riemannian geometry to Weyl geometry through the introduction of the notion of cotensors, and from a variation principle. Modified conservation laws are provided, a set of dynamical equations is obtained, and astrophysical consequences are considered. The theory is applied to examine certain homogeneous cosmological solutions, perihelion shifts, light deflections, secular variations of planetary orbital elements, stellar structure equations for a star in quasi-static equilibrium, and the past thermal history of earth. The possible relation of the scale-covariant theory to gauge field theories and their predictions of cosmological constants is discussed.

Canuto, V.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Internal wave solitons

Attention is given to the Benjamin-Ono equation for waves within a stratified fluid, i.e., internal waves. Numerical computations indicate soliton-like behavior since solitary waves pass through each other upon collision. In addition, two and three Lorentzian solitons are noted to pass through one another. An initial Lorentzian having an amplitude larger than soliton amplitude is observed to decay into solitons. The velocities of these solitons may be predicted by conservation laws. Future work will be directed toward determining exact solutions.

Meiss, J. D.↗