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At least 451 records · Page 25

Multigrid methods for flow transition in three-dimensional boundary layers with surface roughness

The efficient multilevel adaptive method has been successfully applied to perform direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flow transition in 3-D channels and 3-D boundary layers with 2-D and 3-D isolated and distributed roughness in a curvilinear coordinate system. A fourth-order finite difference technique on stretched and staggered grids, a fully-implicit time marching scheme, a semi-coarsening multigrid method associated with line distributive relaxation scheme, and an improved outflow boundary-condition treatment, which needs only a very short buffer domain to damp all order-one wave reflections, are developed. These approaches make the multigrid DNS code very accurate and efficient. This allows us not only to be able to do spatial DNS for the 3-D channel and flat plate at low computational costs, but also to do spatial DNS for transition in the 3-D boundary layer with 3-D single and multiple roughness elements, which would have extremely high computational costs with conventional methods. Numerical results show good agreement with the linear stability theory, the secondary instability theory, and a number of laboratory experiments. The contribution of isolated and distributed roughness to transition is analyzed.

Liu, Chaoqun↗

Model for radial dependence of frequency distributions for energy imparted in nanometer volumes from HZE particles

This paper develops a deterministic model of frequency distributions for energy imparted (total energy deposition) in small volumes similar to DNA molecules from high-energy ions of interest for space radiation protection and cancer therapy. Frequency distributions for energy imparted are useful for considering radiation quality and for modeling biological damage produced by ionizing radiation. For high-energy ions, secondary electron (delta-ray) tracks originating from a primary ion track make dominant contributions to energy deposition events in small volumes. Our method uses the distribution of electrons produced about an ion's path and incorporates results from Monte Carlo simulation of electron tracks to predict frequency distributions for ions, including their dependence on radial distance. The contribution from primary ion events is treated using an impact parameter formalism of spatially restricted linear energy transfer (LET) and energy-transfer straggling. We validate our model by comparing it directly to results from Monte Carlo simulations for proton and alpha-particle tracks. We show for the first time frequency distributions of energy imparted in DNA structures by several high-energy ions such as cosmic-ray iron ions. Our comparison with results from Monte Carlo simulations at low energies indicates the accuracy of the method.

Non-NASA Center↗

The Use of Langmuir Probes in Non-Maxwellian Space Plasmas

Disturbance of the Maxwellian plasma may occur in the vicinity of a spacecraft due to photoemission, interactions between the spacecraft and thermospheric gases, or electron emissions from other devices on the spacecraft. Significant non-maxwellian plasma distributions may also occur in nature as a mixture of ionospheric and magnetospheric plasmas or secondaries produced by photoionization in the thermosphere or auroral precipitation. The general formulas for current collection (volt-ampere curves) by planar, cylindrical, and spherical Langmuir probes in isotropic and anisotropic non-maxwellian plasmas are examined. Examples are given of how one may identify and remove the non-maxwellian components in the Langmuir probe current to permit the ionospheric parameters to be determined. Theoretical volt-ampere curves presented for typical examples of non-maxwellian distributions include: two-temperature plasmas and a thermal plasma with an energetic electron beam. If the non-ionospheric electrons are Maxwellian at a temperature distinct from that of the ionosphere electrons, the volt-ampere curves can be fitted directly to obtain the temperatures and densities of both electron components without resorting to differenting the current. For an arbitrary isotropic distribution, the current for retarded particles is shown to be identical for the three geometries. For anisotropic distributions, the three probe geometries are not equally suited for measuring the ionospheric electron temperature and density or for determining the distribution function in the presence of non-maxwellian back-round electrons.

Hoegy, Walter R.↗

Spatiotemporal distribution of chemical signatures exhibited by Myxococcus xanthus in response to metabolic conditions

Myxococcus xanthus is a common soil bacterium with a complex life cycle, which is known for production of secondary metabolites. However, little is known about the effects of nutrient availability on M. xanthus metabolite production. In this study, we utilize confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) to examine the spatiotemporal distribution of chemical signatures secreted by M. xanthus and their response to varied nutrient availability. Here, ten distinct spectral features are observed by CRM from M. xanthus grown on nutrient-rich medium. However, when M. xanthus is constrained to grow under nutrient-limited conditions, by starving it of casitone, it develops fruiting bodies, and the accompanying Raman microspectra are dramatically altered. The reduced metabolic state engendered by the absence of casitone in the medium is associated with reduced, or completely eliminated, features at 1140 cm –1 , 1560 cm –1 , and 1648 cm –1 . In their place, a feature at 1537 cm –1 is observed, this feature being tentatively assigned to a transitional phase important for cellular adaptation to varying environmental conditions. In addition, correlating principal component analysis heat maps with optical images illustrates how fruiting bodies in the center co-exist with motile cells at the colony edge. While the metabolites responsible for these Raman features are not completely identified, three M. xanthus peaks at 1004, 1151, and 1510 cm –1 are consistent with the production of lycopene. Thus, a combination of CRM imaging and PCA enables the spatial mapping of spectral signatures of secreted factors from M. xanthus and their correlation with metabolic conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Secondary antiproton production in relativistic plasmas

Angular and energy spectra of bremsstrahlung have been calculated from anisotropic electron distributions in solar flares. Results have been compared to observations of gamma-ray limb-brightening and the data on the variation of the gamma-ray spectrum with flare position on the sun.

Dermer, C. D.↗

Concurrent file operations in a high performance FORTRAN

Distributed memory multiprocessor systems can provide the computing power necessary for large scale scientific applications. A critical performance issue for a number of these applications is the efficient transfer of data to secondary storage. Recently several research groups have proposed FORTRAN language extensions for exploiting the data parallelism of such scientific codes on distributed memory architectures. However, few of these high performance FORTRAN's provide appropriate constructs for controlling the use of the parallel I/O capabilities of modern multiprocessing machines. In this paper, we propose constructs to specify I/O operations for distributed data structures in the context of Vienna Fortran. These operations can be used by the programmer to provide information which can help the compiler and runtime environment make the most efficient use of the I/O subsystem.

Brezany, Peter↗

Rapid transition from primary to secondary crust building on the Moon explained by mantle overturn

Geochronology indicates a rapid transition (tens of Myrs) from primary to secondary crust building on the Moon. The processes responsible for initiating secondary magmatism, however, remain in debate. Here we test the hypothesis that the earliest secondary crust (Mg-suite) formed as a direct consequence of density-driven mantle overturn, and advance 3D mantle convection models to quantify the resulting extent of lower mantle melting. Our modeling demonstrates that overturn of thin ilmenite-bearing cumulates ≤ 100 km triggers a rapid and short-lived episode of lower mantle melting which explains the key volume, geochronological, and spatial characteristics of early secondary crust building without contributions from other energy sources, namely KREEP (potassium, rare earth elements, phosphorus, radiogenic U, Th). Observations of globally distributed Mg-suite eliminate degree-1 overturn scenarios. We propose that gravitational instabilities in magma ocean cumulate piles are major driving forces for the onset of mantle convection and secondary crust building on differentiated bodies.

Moon↗

Corrosion of rebar in concrete. Part II: Literature survey and statistical analysis of existing data on chloride threshold

The literature is reviewed with respect to defining, measuring, and interpreting the chloride threshold (CT). CT was defined with a strong fundamental basis in the Point Defect Model. which also dictates the nature of the statistical analysis of surveyed CT values. A database of CT for various primary and secondary independent variables has been established. Statistical analyses reveal that CT is lognormally distributed, in accordance with the PDM, with most probable values being 0.85, 0.69, and 1.19 for %total Cl/cem, %free Cl/cem, and [Cl - ]/[OH - ], respectively. The breakdown and corrosion potentials follow normal distributions with means of 0.056 and -0.322 V SCE , respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hot electrons between cold walls

We consider electron cooling in a collisionless plasma slab between two cold and freely emitting walls. Numerical calculations suggest a counterintuitive behavior of this system: the cooling rate slows down and eventually stops, leaving the system with a significant fraction of its initial thermal energy. Analytical treatment within the Vlasov–Poisson model reveals a set of steady-states with a two-component distribution of electrons: the primary electrons trapped within the potential wells and the secondary electrons forming the counterstreaming beams. We show that such steady-states are linearly stable with respect to one-dimensional perturbations. Establishment of a particular steady-state depends on initial conditions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Time and space resolved diagnostics for plasma thermal-chemical instability of fuel oxidation in nanosecond plasma discharges

Here, an instability in a nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma occurring in methane–oxygen–argon mixtures is experimentally observed and measured by 1D time-resolved in situ electric field measurements. This instability, which seems to be created by the positive feedback between plasma kinetics and plasma-assisted low temperature fuel oxidation, is studied using electric field induced second harmonic generation and direct ICCD imaging. The rapid formation of streamers from an originally uniform discharge appears to be caused by the chemical kinetics of plasma-assisted low temperature methane oxidation, which may be resulting in a new type of plasma instability: a thermal-chemical instability. The results also revealed that the occurrence of this possible thermal-chemical instability in a reactive flow drastically changes the plasma properties by forming multiple secondary discharges and possibly leads to micron-sized non-uniform electric distributions. Single shot uncalibrated measurements of the electric field of the micron sized streamers appears to show much greater strengths than the average electric field. Furthermore, one-dimensional data analysis shows the positive feedback loop between the streamers and the low temperature plasma assisted oxidation chemistry in the plasma thermal-chemical instability. The present finding advances the understanding plasma instability growth and provides a new way to control plasma uniformity in plasma-assisted combustion and plasma fuel reforming.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Population genomics and history of speciation reveal fishery management gaps in two related redfish species ( Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus )

Abstract Understanding the processes shaping population structure and reproductive isolation of marine organisms can improve their management and conservation. Using genomic markers combined with estimation of individual ancestries, assignment tests, spatial ecology, and demographic modeling, we (i) characterized the contemporary population structure, (ii) assessed the influence of space, fishing depth, and sampling years on contemporary distribution, and (iii) reconstructed the speciation history of two cryptic redfish species, Sebastes mentella and S. fasciatus . We genotyped 860 individuals in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean using 24,603 filtered single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our results confirmed the clear genetic distinctiveness of the two species and identified three ecotypes within S. mentella and five populations in S. fasciatus . Multivariate analyses highlighted the influence of spatial distribution and depth on the overall genomic variation, while demographic modeling revealed that secondary contact models best explained inter‐ and intragenomic divergence. These species, ecotypes, and populations can be considered as a rare and wide continuum of genomic divergence in the marine environment. This acquired knowledge pertaining to the evolutionary processes driving population divergence and reproductive isolation will help optimizing the assessment of demographic units and possibly to refine fishery management units.

Benestan, Laura M.↗

Evidence of the Involvement of a Cyclase Gene in the Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A in Aspergillus carbonarius

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a well-known mycotoxin with wide distribution in food and feed. Fungal genome sequencing has great utility for identifying secondary metabolites gene clusters for known and novel compounds. A comparative analysis of the OTA-biosynthetic cluster in A. steynii, A. westerdijkiae, A. niger, A. carbonarius, and P. nordicum has revealed a high synteny in OTA cluster organization in five structural genes (otaA, otaB, ota, otaR1, and otaD). Moreover, a recent detailed comparative genome analysis of Aspergilli OTA producers led to the identification of a cyclase gene, otaY, located in the OTA cluster between the otaA and otaB genes, encoding for a predicted protein with high similarity to SnoaLs domain. These proteins have been shown to catalyze ring closure steps in the biosynthesis of polyketide antibiotics produced in Streptomyces. In the present study, we demonstrated an upregulation of the cyclase gene in A. carbonarius under OTA permissive conditions, consistent with the expression trends of the other OTA cluster genes and their role in OTA biosynthesis by complete gene deletion. Our results pointed out the involvement of a cyclase gene in OTA biosynthetic pathway for the first time. They represent a step forward in the understanding of the molecular basis of OTA biosynthesis in A. carbonarius.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Flight experiments with a slender cone at angle of attack

The three-dimensional leeward separation about a 5 deg semi-angle cone at an 11 deg angle of attack was investigated in flight, in the wind tunnel, and by numerical computations. The test conditions were Mach numbers of 0.6, 1.5, and 1.8 at Reynolds numbers between 7 and 10 million based on free-stream conditions and a 30-inch wetted length or surface. The surface conditions measured included mean static and fluctuating pressures; skin friction magnitudes and separation line positions were obtained using obstacle blocks. The mean static pressures from flight and wind tunnel were in good agreement. The computed results gave the same distributions, but were slightly more positive in magnitude. The experimentally measured primary and secondary separation line locations compared closely with computed results. There were substantial differences in level and in trend between the surface root-mean-square pressure fluctuations obtained in flight and in the wind tunnel, due, it is thought, to a relatively high acoustic disturbance level in the tunnel compared with the quiescent conditions in flight.

Peake, D. J.↗

A computational study of saddle point separation and horseshoe vortex system

Incompressible flow around a cylinder-end wall junction has been simulated by solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions. The equations, cast in generalized curvilinear coordinates, are solved in time as a hyperbolic system by adding a pressure term in the continuity equation and are marched to a steady state. Various physical quantities associated with the saddle point of separation and the horseshoe vortex system are calculated. Computational and experimental results are generally consistent. The skin friction and the pressure distribution on the end wall are consistent with the physics of the problem. Secondary flows both in front of the cylinder and behind it are predicted that are in qualitative agreement with flow visualization results. The calculations also indicate a strongly nonuniform pressure loading along the length of the cylinder. A new mechanism for the existence of the recirculation bubbles behind the cylinder-end wall with relatively low ratio of cylinder height to the approaching boundary layer thickness is observed which is markedly different from its two-dimensional counterpart.

Kaul, U. K.↗

Space power systems - 'Spacecraft 2000'

The program 'Spacecraft 2000' has the objective to identify critical, high-payoff, potential spacecraft technologies, taking into account the formulation, advocation, and the management of the requisite technology development programs. This program represents a joint NASA-industry program. The technology areas addressed by 'Spacecraft 2000' are related to spacecraft power/energy storage, thermal control/thermal management, power management and distribution, autonomous operation-control, on-board system integration, spacecraft environmental interactions, secondary propulsion, communications technologies, a total system response approach, and system-subsystem technology verification. The expected benefits of a development of advanced technologies include decreased spacecraft bus system weights, decreased mission costs, increased reliability/lifetimes, and increased operational flexibility.

Faymon, K. A.↗

Tropical cyclone-upper atmospheric interaction as inferred from satellite total ozone observations

The Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) was used to map the distribution of total ozone in and around western Atlantic tropical cyclones from 1979 to 1982. It was found that the TOMS-observed total ozone distribution within the subtropics during the tropical cyclone season correlated well with the tropopause topography, similar to earlier middle-latitudinal observations. This relationship made it possible to use TOMS to monitor the propagation of upper-tropospheric subtropical transient waves and the mutual adjustment between the tropical cyclone and the upper-tropospheric waves during their interaction. These total ozone patterns reflected the three-dimensional upper-tropospheric transport processes that were conducive for storm intensification and weakening. It was also found from satellite observations and numerical model simulations that modification of the environmental distribution of total ozone by the tropical cyclones was primarily caused by the secondary circulation associated with the tropical cyclone's outflow jet and the intrusion of stratospheric air in the eyes of tropical cyclones.

Rodgers, Edward B.↗

Flight, Wind Tunnel, and Numerical Experiments with a Slender Cone at Incidence

The three-dimensional leeward separation about a 5-deg semi-angle cone of 11 deg angle of incidence was Investigated in night, in the wind tunnel, and by numerical computations. The test conditions were Mach numbers of 0.6, 1.5, and 1.8 at Reynolds numbers between 7 and 10 million based on freestream conditions and a 76.2-cm (30-in.) length of surface. The surface pressure conditions measured included those of fluctuating and mean static, as well as recovery pressures generated by obstacle blocks to provide skin friction and separation-line locations. The mean static pressures from flight and wind tunnel were in reasonably good agreement. The computed results gave the same distributions, but were slightly more positive in magnitude. The experimentally measured primary and secondary separation line locations compared closely with computed results. There were substantial differences In level between the surface root-mean-square pressure fluctuations obtained in night and in the wind tunnel, due, It Is thought, to a relatively high acoustic disturbance level in the tunnel compared with the quiescent atmospheric conditions in night.

Peake, David J.↗

Flight, Wind-Tunnel, and Computational Fluid Dynamics Comparison for Cranked Arrow Wing (F-16XL-1) at Subsonic and Transonic Speeds

Geometrical, flight, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and wind-tunnel studies for the F-16XL-1 airplane are summarized over a wide range of test conditions. Details are as follows: (1) For geometry, the upper surface of the airplane and the numerical surface description compare reasonably well. (2) For flight, CFD, and wind-tunnel surface pressures, the comparisons are generally good at low angles of attack at both subsonic and transonic speeds, however, local differences are present. In addition, the shock location at transonic speeds from wind-tunnel pressure contours is near the aileron hinge line and generally is in correlative agreement with flight results. (3) For boundary layers, flight profiles were predicted reasonably well for attached flow and underneath the primary vortex but not for the secondary vortex. Flight data indicate the presence of an interaction of the secondary vortex system and the boundary layer and the boundary-layer measurements show the secondary vortex located more outboard than predicted. (4) Predicted and measured skin friction distributions showed qualitative agreement for a two vortex system. (5) Web-based data-extraction and computational-graphical tools have proven useful in expediting the preceding comparisons. (6) Data fusion has produced insightful results for a variety of visualization-based data sets.

John E Lamar↗