Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “RADIAL DISTRIBUTION”

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.

At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Distributed memory approaches for robotic neural controllers

The suitability is explored of two varieties of distributed memory neutral networks as trainable controllers for a simulated robotics task. The task requires that two cameras observe an arbitrary target point in space. Coordinates of the target on the camera image planes are passed to a neural controller which must learn to solve the inverse kinematics of a manipulator with one revolute and two prismatic joints. Two new network designs are evaluated. The first, radial basis sparse distributed memory (RBSDM), approximates functional mappings as sums of multivariate gaussians centered around previously learned patterns. The second network types involved variations of Adaptive Vector Quantizers or Self Organizing Maps. In these networks, random N dimensional points are given local connectivities. They are then exposed to training patterns and readjust their locations based on a nearest neighbor rule. Both approaches are tested based on their ability to interpolate manipulator joint coordinates for simulated arm movement while simultaneously performing stereo fusion of the camera data. Comparisons are made with classical k-nearest neighbor pattern recognition techniques.

Jorgensen, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Distribution and motions of atomic hydrogen in lenticular galaxies. X - The blue S0 galaxy NGC 5102

Results of the mapping of the blue gas-rich S0 galaxy NGC 5102 in the 21-cm H I line with a spatial resolution of 34 x 37 arcsec (delta(alpha) x Delta(delta)) and a velocity resolution of 12 km/s are presented. The H I distribution has a pronounced central depression of 1.9 kpc radius, and most of the H I is concentrated in a 3.6 kpc wide ring with an average radius of 3.7 kpc, assuming a distance of 4 Mpc for NGC 5102. The maximum azimuthally averaged H I surface density in the ring is 1.4 solar mass/sq pc, comparable to that found in other S0 galaxies. The HI velocity field is quite regular, showing no evidence for large-scale deviations from circular rotation, and the H I is found to rotate in the plane of the stellar disk. Both the H I mass/blue luminosity ratio and the radial H I distribution are similar to those in early-type spirals. The H I may be an old disk or it may have been acquired through capture of a gas-rich smaller galaxy. The recent starburst in the nuclear region, which gave the galaxy its blue color, may have been caused by partial radial collapse of the gas disk, or by infall of a gas-rich dwarf galaxy.

Van Woerden, H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A numerical study of the temperature field in a cooled radial turbine rotor

The three dimensional temperature distribution in the cooled rotor of a radial inflow turbine is determined numerically using the finite element method. Through this approach, the complicated geometries of the hot rotor and coolant passage surfaces are handled easily, and the temperatures are determined without loss of accuracy at these convective boundaries. Different cooling techniques with given coolant to primary flow ratios are investigated, and the corresponding rotor temperature fields are presented for comparison.

Hamed, A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Determining stress states using dike swarms: The Lauma Dorsa example

Initial examination of the Magellan coverage of Venus has revealed between 150 and 300 large, radially lineated landforms distributed across the planet's surface. Where the lineaments have been examined in detail, the majority fail to exhibit signatures indicative of relief at or above the resolution of the radar; however, when the sense of topographic relief may be ascertained, the lineaments commonly appear as fissures or flat-floored trenches interpreted as graben. Individual lineaments can display graben, fissure, and zero relief behavior along their length, suggesting either that these differences are a function of the resolution of the radar, or that the morphological distinctions are real but somehow genetically linked. In many instances, radial lineaments exhibiting these characteristics are directly associated with surface volcanism, including flanking and terminal flows, superimposed shield domes and pit chains, and central, calderalike topographic lows. These observable characteristics, as well as theoretical studies and comparison with similar terrestrial features, have led to the working hypothesis that many of the radial fracture systems on Venus are the surface manifestation of subsurface dikes propagating laterally from a central magma source. If this interpretation is correct, studies of terrestrial dikes suggest that the lineament directions, with localized exceptions and barring subsequent deformation, should be perpendicular to the orientation of the least compressive stress at the time of their formation. To test this hypothesis, we briefly examine a radial fracture system (63.7 degrees N, 195 degrees E) located between two deformation belts in Vinmara Planitia, and verify that the lineaments to the east behave in the expected manner. We have also chosen this feature, however, because of its proximity to Lauma Dorsa to the west. On the basis of Venera 15/16 data, both compressional and extensional origins for this deformation belt have been proposed. By examining the stratigraphy and applying our interpretation that the fracture system is linked to the presence of subsurface dikes, we present an independent evaluation of the stress state associated with Lauma Dorsa, and thus contribute to the assessment of its origin.

Grosfils, Eric B.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Real time thermal imaging of high temperature semiconductor melts

A real time thermal imaging system with temperature resolution better than + or - 1 C and spatial resolution of better than 0.5 mm was developed and applied to the analysis of melt surface thermal field distributions in both Czochralski and liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) growth configurations. The melt is viewed in near normal incidence by a high resolution charge coupled device camera to which is attached a very narrow bandpass filter. The resulting image is digitized and processed using a pipelined pixel processor operating at an effective 40 million operations per second thus permitting real time high frequency spatial and temporal filtering of the high temperature scene. A multi-pixel averaging algorithm was developed which permits localized, low noise sensing of temperature variations at any location in the hot zone as a function of time. This signial is used to implement initial elements of a feedforward growth control scheme which is aimed at reducing disturbances to the melt caused by the batch nature of the growth process. The effect of magnetic melt stabilization on radial melt temperature distributions was measured using this technique. Problems associated with residual internal reflections and non-optimized path geometry are discussed.

Wargo, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The very soft X-ray emission of X-ray-faint early-type galaxies

A recent reanaylsis of Einstein data, and new ROSAT observations, have revealed the presence of at least two components in the X-ray spectra of X-ray faint early-type galaxies: a relatively hard component (kT greater than 1.5 keV), and a very soft component (kT approximately 0.2-0.3 keV). In this paper we address the problem of the nature of the very soft component and whether it can be due to a hot interstellar medium (ISM), or is most likely originated by the collective emission of very soft stellar sources. To this purpose, hydrodynamical evolutionary sequences for the secular behavior of gas flows in ellipticals have been performed, varying the Type Ia supernovae rate of explosion, and the dark matter amount and distribution. The results are compared with the observational X-ray data: the average Einstein spectrum for six X-ray faint early-type galaxies (among which are NGC 4365 and NGC 4697), and the spectrum obtained by the ROSAT pointed observation of NGC 4365. The very soft component could be entirely explained with a hot ISM only in galaxies such as NGC 4697, i.e., when the depth of the potential well-on which the average ISM temperature strongly depends-is quite shallow; in NGC 4365 a diffuse hot ISM would have a temperature larger than that of the very soft component, because of the deeper potential well. So, in NGC 4365 the softest contribution to the X-ray emission comes certainly from stellar sources. As stellar soft X-ray emitters, we consider late-type stellar coronae, supersoft sources such as those discovered by ROSAT in the Magellanic Clouds and M31, and RS CVn systems. All these candidates can be substantial contributors to the very soft emission, though none of them, taken separately, plausibly accounts entirely for its properties. We finally present a model for the X-ray emission of NGC 4365, to reproduce in detail the results of the ROSAT pointed observation, including the Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) spectrum and radial surface brightness distribution. The present data may suggest that the X-ray surface brightness is more extended than the optical profile. In this case, a straightforward explanation in terms of stellar sources could not be satisfactory. The available data can be better explained with three different contributions: a very soft component of stellar origin, a hard component from X-ray binaries, and an approximately 0.6 keV hot ISM. The latter can explain the extended X-ray surface brightness profile, if the galaxy has a dark-to-luminous mass ratio of 9, with the dark matter very broadly distributed, and a SN Ia explosive rate of approximately 0.6 the Tammann rate.

Pellegrini, S.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Experiments on the Flow of a Thin Liquid Film Over a Horizontal Stationary and Rotating Disk Surface

Experiments on characterization of thin liquid films flowing over stationary and rotating disk surfaces are described. The thin liquid film was created by introducing deionized water from a flow collar at the center of an aluminum disk with a known initial film thickness and uniform radial velocity. Radial film thickness distribution was measured using a non-intrusive laser light interface reflection technique that enabled the measurement of the instantaneous film thickness over a finite segment of the disk. Experiments were performed for a range of flow rates between 3.01pm and 15.01pm, corresponding to Reynolds numbers based on the liquid inlet gap height and velocity between 238 and 1,188. The angular speed of the disk was varied from 0 rpm to 300 rpm. When the disk was stationary, a circular hydraulic jump was present in the liquid film. The liquid-film thickness in the subcritical region (down-stream of the hydraulic jump) was an order of magnitude greater than that in the supercritical region (upstream of the hydraulic jump) which was of the order of 0.3 mm. As the Reynolds number increased, the hydraulic jump migrated toward the edge of the disk. In the case of rotation, the liquid-film thickness exhibited a maximum on the disk surface. The liquid-film inertia and friction influenced the inner region where the film thickness progressively increased. The outer region where the film thickness decreased was primarily affected by the centrifugal forces. A flow visualization study of the thin film was also performed to determine the characteristics of the waves on the free surface. At high rotational speeds, spiral waves were observed on the liquid film. It was also determined that the angle of the waves which form on the liquid surface was a function of the ratio of local radial to tangential velocity.

Ozar, B.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Singularity computations

An approach is described for singularity computations based on a numerical method for elastoplastic flow to delineate radial and angular distribution of field quantities and measure the intensity of the singularity. The method is applicable to problems in solid mechanics and lends itself to certain types of heat flow and fluid motion studies. Its use is not limited to linear, elastic, small strain, or two-dimensional situations.

Swedlow, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Model for interpreting Doppler broadened optical line emission measurements on axially symmetric plasma

A plasma model, previously developed to interpret neutral-particle analyzer measurements on E x B heating devices, is adapted to analyze Doppler broadened charge-exchange-neutral lines measured by an optical monochromator. Comparison of theoretical with experimental results indicates that azimuthal drift as well as cyclotron motion are quite influential in determining line shapes and widths, and thus important in temperature determination, even when the monochromator line of sight is intersecting the plasma axis of symmetry. At this central sighting position, however, results are quite insensitive to radial ion density distribution when time lag between the charge-exchange-excitation events and emission is neglected. Line shapes and widths obtained by sighting across chords of plasma at various distances from the plasma axis of symmetry indicate a strong dependence on time lag.

Englert, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Temporal and spatial variations of the interplanetary dust flux

The heliocentric radial and latitudinal distributions of both small and large meteoritic particles appear to demonstrate that these particles have largely derived from comets in short-period orbits. Asteroids are unlikely to be a major source for the dust. There appears to be a spatial density depletion near the orbit of the earth, indicating significant control by the earth over particles or source bodies that come near it. Although many short-term fluctuations of meteoritic activity are observed, the content of the overall interplanetary meteoritic complex has probably been stable to within a factor of 2 within approximately the last 10,000 yr. This conclusion, together with meteoroid impact-pit and solar-flare track data on lunar rocks, suggests that solar flare activity may have been much higher about 10,000 yr ago than the present average rate.

Zook, H. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Singularity computations

Direct descriptions of the structure of a singularity would describe the radial and angular distributions of the field quantities as explicitly as practicable along with some measure of the intensity of the singularity. This paper discusses such an approach based on recent development of numerical methods for elastoplastic flow. Attention is restricted to problems where one variable or set of variables is finite at the origin of the singularity but a second set is not.

Swedlow, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Efficiency degradation due to tracking errors for point focusing solar collectors

An important parameter in the design of point focusing solar collectors is the intercept factor which is a measure of efficiency and of energy available for use in the receiver. Using statistical methods, an expression of the expected value of the intercept factor is derived for various configurations and control law implementations. The analysis assumes that a radially symmetric flux distribution (not necessarily Gaussian) is generated at the focal plane due to the sun's finite image and various reflector errors. The time-varying tracking errors are assumed to be uniformly distributed within the threshold limits and allows the expected value calculation.

Hughes, R. O.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Primordial inhomogeneities in the expanding universe. I - Density and velocity distributions of galaxies in the vicinities of rich clusters

The density profiles and Hubble flow deviations in the vicinities of rich galaxy clusters are derived for a variety of models of initial density and velocity perturbations at the recombination epoch. The galaxy correlation function, measured with respect to the Abell clusters, is used to normalize the theoretical models. The angular scales of the required primordial inhomogeneities are calculated. It is found that the resulting density profiles around rich clusters are surprisingly insensitive to the shape of the initial perturbations and also to the cosmological density parameter, Omega. However, it is shown that the distribution of galaxy radial velocities can provide a possible means of deriving Omega.

Silk, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A determination of the current density in electron beams

Current gathering rotating probe techniques were used to examine the envelope shape and power density profile of electron beams used in electron beam welding devices. The electron power density contours which determine the shape of the weld vapor cavity, penetration, and local heat distribution were considered. A mathematical analysis consistent with a rotating probe technique necessary to determine the current density distribution (assumed symmetrically radial) in a cross-section of the beam is provided. An explanation of the experimental technique for obtaining data, a BASIC language computer program to determine the current density from the data, and a study indicating the level of confidence to be associated with results obtained are also provided. An example of the application of the analysis to some experimental electron beam data is included.

Beil, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The resolution of P Cygni's stellar wind

The 6 cm radio emission from P Cygni's stellar wind has been resolved using the Very Large Array. The wind is apparently spherically symmetric, and the radial surface brightness distribution agrees with that predicted by the constant velocity, isothermal wind model. The wind temperature is directly determined from the observations to be within 2000 K of 18,000, which is consistent with an effective temperature of 20,000 K for P Cygni. The technique makes it possible to study the adiabatic cooling of the wind, which should be important for most early-type stars but which cannot be recognized through its effects on the radio spectrum. To avoid systematically underestimating fluxes, it is essential to fit models directly to the (u-v) data when observing stellar winds with the VLA.

White, R. L.↗