SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
A method is proposed for classifying estimation problems based on the Lie algebra generated by the operators which appear in the conditional density equation. A natural class of automorphisms of this algebra is examined and a systematic method of generating equivalent problems is developed. Finally, a new class of nonlinear filtering problems with essentially nonlinear filtering equations are presented.
Exact relations are derived for a simple bond-snapping model of fracture and numerical results from a previous work are presented. A lattice model with a nonlinear cohesive force law is then considered. In both cases, the results confirm the equivalence of the microscopic and macroscopic Griffith conditions. The Griffith stress intensity is to be identified with the quiescent stress intensity.
Violation of the equivalence principle by the weak interaction is tested. Any variation of the weak interaction coupling constant with gravitational potential, i.e., a spatial variation of the fundamental constants is investigated. The level of sensitivity required for such a measurement is estimated on the basis of the size of a change in the gravitational potential which is accessible. The alpha particle spectrum is analyzed, and the counting rate was improved by a factor of approximately 100.
Long wavelength anomalies in the total magnetic field measured field measured by MAGSAT over the United States and adjacent areas are inverted to an equivalent layer crustal magnetization distribution. The model is based on an equal area dipole grid at the Earth's surface. Model resolution having physical significance, is about 220 km for MAGSAT data in the elevation range 300-500 km. The magnetization contours correlate well with large-scale tectonic provinces.
Rig tests of a can-type combustor were performed to demonstrate two advanced ground power engine combustor concepts: steam cooled rich-burn combustor primary zones for enhanced durability; and variable combustor geometry for three stage combustion equivalence ratio control. Both concepts proved to be highly successful in achieving their desired objectives. The steam cooling reduced peak liner temperatures to less than 800 K. This offers the potential of both long life and reduced use of strategic materials for liner fabrication. Three degrees of variable geometry were successfully implemented to control airflow distribution within the combustor. One was a variable blade angle axial flow air swirler to control primary airflow while the other two consisted of rotating bands to control secondary and tertiary or dilution air flow.
A small-signal model of a semiconductor laser is extended to include the effects of intrinsic noise by adding current and voltage noise sources. The current noise source represents the shot noise of carrier recombination, while the voltage noise source represents the random process of simulated emission. The usefulness of the noise equivalent circuit is demonstrated by calculating the modulation and noise characteristics of a current-driven diode as a function of bias current and frequency.
Long wavelength anomalies in the total magnetic field measured by Magsat over the United States and adjacent areas are inverted to an equivalent layer crustal magnetization distribution. The model is based on an equal area dipole grid at the earth's surface. Model resolution, defined as the closest dipole spacing giving a resolution having physical significance, is about 220 km for Magsat data in the elevation range 300-500 km. The magnetization contours correlate well with large-scale tectonic provinces.
Long wavelength magnetic anomalies measured by the Pogo series satellites at altitudes 400-700 km over the United States and adjacent areas are inverted to an equivalent layer magnetization model based on an equal area dipole source array at the earth's surface. Minimum source spacing giving a stable solution and a physically meaningful magnetization distribution is 300 km, and a scheme is presented for effectively sampling the distribution on a grid twice as fine. The model expresses lateral variation in the vertical integral of magnetization and is a starting point for models of lateral variation in the form of the magnetization-depth curve in the magnetic crust. The magnetization model contours correlate with large-scale tectonic features, and in the western part of the country, probably reflect Curie isotherm undulations.
An iterative least squares estimation algorithm with the capability for including a priori statistical information was implemented to recover multiple magnetic dipole models of the Earth's main magnetic field. The dipoles are fixed to a specified radius at or below the core-mantle boundary and centered on equal area blocks. The algorithm can solve for dipole magnitudes only (fixed orientations), or allow full freedom of orientation and solve for vector components. External field parameters and observatory anomaly biases can also be estimated simultaneously. Time dependence is modeled using first time derivatives for dipole vector components. Single-epoch and time dependent dipole models are derived using MAGSAT and observatory annul means data. Equivalent spherical harmonic representation are computed in closed form from the dipole models and compared with truncated spherical harmonic models estimated in the standard way from the same data sets. In particular, a 21 deg spatial resolution model based on 93 dipoles was computed based on observatory annual means data and a selected MAGSAT data set and was compared with candidate IGRF 1975 models and their 1980 secular variation.
Clamped circular graphite/epoxy plates (25.4, 38.1, and 50.8 mm radii) with an 8-ply quasi-isotropic layup were analyzed for static-equivalent impact loads using the minimum-total-potential-energy method and the von Karman strain-displacement equations. A step-by-step incremental transverse displacement procedure was used to calculate plate load and ply stresses. The ply failure region was calculated using the Tsai-Wu criterion. The corresponding failure modes (splitting and fiber failure) were determined using the maximum stress criteria. The first-failure mode was splitting and initiated first in the bottom ply. The splitting-failure thresholds were relatively low and tended to be lower for larger plates than for small plates. The splitting-damage region in each ply was elongated in its fiber direction; the bottom ply had the largest damage region. The calculated damage region for the 25.4-mm-radius plate agreed with limited static test results from the literature.
A possible explanation of why the advanced solutions of Maxwell's equations are not observed in nature is by way of absorption by an opaque universe. As Davies has shown, the ever expanding, general relativistic cosmological models fail to provide the needed absorption. The absorption mechanism calling for an interplay between local physics and cosmology, is usually developed adopting the strong equivalence principle, SEP, which precludes such interplay. It is shown that complete absorption of electromagnetic radiation by ionized intergalactic plasma is obtained provided a violation of the SEP, of the order of the Hubble's constant, is allowed to occur. The same degree of violation was previously found to be compatible with a large body of observational data.
The consequences of a supposed violation of the strong equivalence principle (SEP) for photons are analyzed theoretically and investigated using published observational data on the age of stars and globular clusters, the past temperature of the earth, the 3-K black-body radiation, and big-bang nucleosynthesis. It is shown that the photon number is unaffected by an SEP violation, which influences only massive particles. The observational data are found to be compatible with an SEP violation of the order of the Hubble constant during the matter-dominated era, while not demanding such a violation. More direct-measurement studies, based on data such as those from the Viking program, are proposed.
A test of the Einstein equivalence principle (EEP) was performed by carrying out a 'null' gravitational red-shift experiment. The experiment compared the rates of a pair of hydrogen maser clocks with those of a set of three superconducting-cavity stabilized oscillator clocks as a function of the solar gravitational potential. If EEP were not valid, the relative rates could vary with potential. During the experiment, the solar potential in the laboratory varied approximately linearly at 3 parts in 10 to the 12th per day because of the earth's orbital motion, and diurnally with an amplitude of 3 parts in 10 to the 13th because of the earth's rotation. An upper limit on the relative frequency variation of 1.7 parts in 100 of the external potential was set. The accuracy was limited by the frequency stability of the clocks and by unmodeled environmental effects. The result is consistent with the EEP at the 2 percent level. The experiment can also be viewed as setting a limit on a possible spatial variation of the fine-structure constant.
Planetary range data offer the most promising means to test the validity of the Strong Equivalence Principle (SEP). Analytical expressions for the perturbation in the 'range' expected from an SEP violation predicted by the 'variation-of-G' method and by the 'two-times' approach are derived and compared. The dominant term in both expressions is quadratic in time. Analysis of existing range data should allow a determination of the coefficient of this term with a one-standard-deviation uncertainty of about 1 part in 100 billion/yr.
The pulsating elastic spherical shell is investigated in detail. A possible equivalent circuit is shown to contain two capacitors, two inductors, a transmission line, and an ideal transformer.
The overall goal of achieving improved life cycle management of aircraft engine, gas turbine components is a major industry thrust. Low cycle fatigue (LCF) crack initiation prediction, an important element of life cycle management as traditionally applied, may be overly conservative in estimating total cyclic life capability. Consequently, there is increasing pressure to improve predictive methods both for crack initiation and for subsequent crack propagation. The utility of equivalent damage concepts for application to hot section components of aircraft engines was studied. Specifically, the topics examined were mean stress, cumulative damage, and multiaxiality. Other factors inherently linked to this study were the basic formulation of damage parameters at elevated temperatures and the fact that hot section components experience severe temperature fluctuations throughout their service lifetime.
A formula for the determination of equivalent model geometry with two variables measured at the interface is derived, based on two dimensional subsonic flow. This predicted model profile is a reasonable initial estimate for transonic flow as long as the sonic region does not reach the interface. A general formula is given in two forms. One is in terms of complex variable functions and the other is an integral equation. The complex-function formula has the advantage of using analytic expressions. The integral equation form requires a numerical solution after assuming the model geometry as a polynomial function. Examples are given to illustrate the application of the formulas.
A listing of terms employed in the fiel of space exploration is provided along with Spanish language equivalents. Definitions of the terms are provided in English.