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At least 523 records · Page 29
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NASA NTRS1987

The Jeffcott equations in nonlinear rotordynamics

The Jeffcott equations are a system of coupled differential equations representing the behavior of a rotating shaft. This is a simple model which allows investigation of the basic dynamic behavior of rotating machinery. Nolinearities can be introduced by taking into consideration deadband, side force, and rubbing, among others. The properties of the solutions of the Jeffcott equations with deadband are studied. In particular, it is shown how bounds for the solution of these equations can be obtained from bounds for the solutions of the linearized equations. By studying the behavior of the Fourier transforms of the solutions, we are also able to predict the onset of destructive vibrations. These conclusions are verified by means of numerical solutions of the equations, and of power spectrum density (PSD) plots. This study offers insight into a possible detection method to determine pump stability margins during flight and hot fire tests, and was motivated by the need to explain a phenomenon observed in the development phase of the cryogenic pumps of the Space Shuttle, during hot fire ground testing; namely, the appearance of vibrations at frequencies that could not be accounted for by means of linear models.

Zalik, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Wind shear radar simulation

Viewgraphs used in a presentation on wind shear radar simulation are given. Information on a microburst model of radar reflectivity and wind velocity, radar pulse output, the calculation of radar return, microburst power spectrum, and simulation plans are given. A question and answer session is transcribed.

Britt, Charles L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The interaction of solar p-modes with a sunspot. II - Simple theoretical models

The interaction of solar p-modes with a sunspot magnetic flux tube is investigated theoretically by means of two simple models. An increase in horizontal wavelength between the nonmagnetic and magnetic regions, due to the different characteristic wave speeds in the two regions, explains the corresponding observed wavelength shift of powe in the umbral k-omega power spectrum. The variation of the transmission coefficient with wavenumber along the p-mode diagnostic curves, due to resonant transmission, is responsible for the observed selective filtering of the p-modes by the sunspot.

Abdelatif, Toufik E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Winds aloft statistical analysis in support of day of launch Shuttle systems evaluation

In connection with the development of the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS) for utilization by the Launch Systems Evaluation Advisory Team (LSEAT), requirements have been established to expand the pre-launch analysis of winds aloft for the Space Shuttle. Statistical analyses developed for the system include: comparison of pre-launch wind component profiles to wind component extremes at each altitude calculated from launch site historical data; conditional probability ellipses for wind vectors at a future time given the wind vector at an initial time; comparison of observed extreme wind shear and associated wind speed with launch site historical data utilizing the bivariate extreme value (Gumbel) distribution; estimation of extremes of wind speed or wind shear at a future time given the extremes of either variable at an initial time, utilizing the conditional extreme value distribution; power spectrum analysis for tracking wind perturbation energy in sequential pre-launch Jimsphere wind profiles.

Adelfang, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An observational study of MHD wave-induced density fluctuations upstream of the earth's bow shock

An investigation of plasma density fluctations upstream of the earth's bow shock and their association with MHD waves is reported. The normalized density fluctuation was 14 percent on a day when the plasma beta was less than unity and the waves were circularly polarized and of relatively low amplitude, and 17 percent on a day when the plasma beta was in excess of unity and the waves were elliptically polarized and of large fractional amplitude. On both days there was a feature of the density power spectrum at the MHD carrier wave frequency attributable to oblique propagation of the waves with propagation angles of a few degrees with respect to the mean field. Ponderomotive effects due to spatial gradient in the MHD wave energy density are proposed as responsible for a correlation betweeen density and transverse wave intensity on both days. Generation of density fluctuations by linear polarized MHD waves is not an important contributor to the observed density fluctuations.

Spangler, Steven↗
NASA NTRS1987

Whistler mode emissions in the Uranian radiation belts

Voyager 2 detected intense whistler mode emissions and fluxes of energetic electrons during the outbound pass through the region of auroral L shells. The observed energetic (E greater than 22 keV) electron distribution, a model warm (E less than 27.5 keV) electron distribution, and the cold plasma density profile deduced by Kurth et al. (1987) are used to calculate the ray path-integrated spatial amplification of whistlers which arrive at Voyager 2 from the magnetic equator. By matching the calculated amplification and the relative gains at different frequencies deduced from the observed whistler power spectrum, the pitch angle anisotropy parameters of the electron distributions are determined to within a fairly narrow range of values. The estimated bounce average pitch angle diffusion coefficient indicates that electrons are on strong diffusion over a wide range in energies. The electron precipitation energy flux is sufficient to produce the observed auroral light emissions.

Coroniti, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Moment constraints on physical models for quasi-periodic oscillations from Galactic X-ray sources

Shot-noise models provide a useful mathematical representation for some physical models for the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) recently observed from several bright Galactic bulge and burst X-ray sources. Expressions are calculated for the first three moments for several versions of QPO shot-noise models that have appeared in the literature. It is shown that measurement of the third moment, together with measurement of the mean intensity and the power spectrum, can provide model-dependent constraints on important parameters of QPO shot-noise models, including the fraction of the X-ray intensity in shots and the shot rate. Under certain condtitions, a complete solution for all the shot-model parameters is possible.

Elsner, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

VHF radar remote sensing of atmospheric parameters over Taiwan during the time period of Typhoon Wayne

The VHF radar located at the subtropical and low latitude observing site of Taiwan has been used to observe atmospheric parameters from the troposphere to the middle atmosphere during the time passage of Typhoon Wayne in August 1986. Time-dependent wind velocities with three-dimensional profiles have been plotted by processing the recorded data of the backscattered echo power and the Doppler spectral width of the signal returns from the VHF radar. Propagation characteristics of the gravity waves excited by the enhanced convective motions of Typhoon Wayne have been detected from the Fourier power spectrum analysis of the three-dimensional wind velocities from multiple beams of the VHF radar and their cross-correlation analysis. The density perturbations caused by the propagation of the gravity waves can be calculated from the VHF radar observations. The VHF radar can also be used to detect time-dependent vertical profiles of the liquid water content. The present study shows that the equivalent rainfall rate calculated from the VHF radar is in good agreement with the ground-based measurement of rainfall rate at the same area.

Hung, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Critical exponents and scaling relations for self-organized critical phenomena

Critical indices beta, gamma delta, nv, etc. are defined and calculated for self-organized critical phenomena. Scaling relations are derived and checked numerically. The order-parameter exponent beta describes the spontaneous current and the relaxation to the criticl point. The power spectrum has 'l/f' behavior with the exponent phi = nv x z, where z is the dynamical critical exponent.

Tang, Chao↗
NASA NTRS1988

A 2.2 second period in the 1984 August 5 gamma-ray burst

A time history and Fourier power spectrum are presented for the August 5, 1984 gamma-ray burst (GRB) observed with the SMM Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer and the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft. A significant complex feature of the event is identifiable in both data sets: a gradual ripple with a well-defined 2.2-sec period lasting for seven cycles, with a series of narrow spikes, which appear always on the ascending phase of the sinusoidal ripple. This event is unusual in both its temporal and spectral attributes: it exhibits coexistence of periodic and nonperiodic features, and it was also reported as the most intense GRB event observed with the SMM Gamma-Ray Spectrometer, extending up to 100 MeV.

Kouveliotou, C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Large-scale structure from cosmic-string loops in a baryon-dominated universe

The results are presented of a numerical simulation of the formation of large-scale structure in a universe with Omega(0) = 0.2 and h = 0.5 dominated by baryons in which cosmic strings provide the initial density perturbations. The numerical model yields a power spectrum. Nonlinear evolution confirms that the model can account for 700 km/s bulk flows and a strong cluster-cluster correlation, but does rather poorly on smaller scales. There is no visual 'filamentary' structure, and the two-point correlation has too steep a logarithmic slope. The value of G mu = 4 x 10 to the -6th is significantly lower than previous estimates for the value of G mu in baryon-dominated cosmic string models.

Melott, Adrian L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Models of QPOs in luminous low-mass X-ray binaries

Models of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in luminous X-ray sources and observational studies relevant to these models are reviewed. QPOs are found to belong to two or three distinct types defined by the spectral state of the source and the properties of the QPOs themselves. Models can be classified according to whether the magnetic field of the neutron star is or is not important and whether the QPOs are produced by luminosity oscillations or beaming. The weakness of the red noise component of the normal branch power spectrum and the discovery that the phase of horizontal branch oscillations and normal branch oscillations at higher energies lags that at lower energies are discussed. The implications of these observations for QPO models are presented. Several QPO models are assessed, including the boundary layer hot spot model, beat-frequency modulated accretion model, the beat-frequency modulated dissipation model, nonradial g-mode model, reflecting clumps model, and the oscillating obscuration model.

Lamb, F. K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Knox-Thompson images of 4 Vesta

Reconstructed images of the asteroid 4 Vesta reveal dark and bright patterns which can be followed across the disk as the asteroid rotates. Reasonable agreement is found with its visible light curve by assigning relative albedo 0 to the three darkest features, and relative albedo 2 to the three brightest features. From power-spectrum analysis of sets of images at two different epochs, Vesta's triaxial principal diameters, the orientation of its pole, and its rotational rate and sense are obtained. The images confirm the dominant role of surface structure, particularly the dark spots, in determining Vesta's light-curve signature.

Drummond, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Heat Flow and Magnetization in the Oceanic Lithosphere

Two aspects of the processing and interpretation of satellite measurements of the geomagnetic field are described. One deals with the extraction of the part of the geomagnetic field that originates from sources in the earth's atmosphere. The other investigates the possibility of using the thermal state of the oceanic lithosphere to further constrain modelling and interpretation of magnetic anomalies. It is shown that some of the magnetic signal in crustal anomaly maps can be an artifact of the mathematical algorithms that have been used to separate the crustal field from the observed data. Strong magnetic anomalies can be distorted but are probably real, but weak magnetic anomalies can arise from leakage of power from short wavelengths, and will also appear in anomaly maps as repetitions of the strong crustal anomaly. The distortion and the ghost anomalies follow the magnetic dip lines in a way that is similar to actual MAGSAT anomaly fields. This phenomenon will also affect the lower degree spherical harmonic terms in the power spectrum of the crustal field. A model of the magnetic properties of the oceanic crust that has been derived from direct measurements of the rock magnetic properties of oceanic rocks is presented. The average intensity of magnetization in the oceanic crust is not strong enough to explain magnetic anomalies observed over oceanic areas. This is the case for both near surface observations (ship and aeromagnetic data) and satellite altitude observations. It is shown that magnetic sources in the part of the upper mantle that is situated above the Curie isotherm, if sufficiently strong, can produce satellite magnetic anomalies that are comparable to MAGSAT data. The method developed for the study of depth to the Curie isotherm and magnetic anomalies can also be used in inverse modelling of satellite magnetic anomalies when the model is to be adjusted with an annihilator.

Hayling, Kjell Lennart↗
NASA NTRS1988

The discrete correlation function: A new method for analyzing unevenly sampled variability data

A method of measuring correlation functions without interpolating in the temporal domain, the discrete correlation function, is introduced. It provides an assumption-free representation of the correlation measured in the data, and allows meaningful error estimates. This method does not produce spurious correlations at zero lag due to correlated errors. It is shown that physical interpretation of active galactic nuclei cross-correlation functions requires knowledge of the input function's fluctuation power spectrum, involves model-dependence in the form of symmetry assumptions, and must take into account intrinsic scale bias. This technique was used to find a correlation in published IUE data for NGC 4151, which indicates that the broad C IV feature emanates from a shell 15 to 75 light-days in radius, assuming spherical symmetry.

Edelson, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The electromagnetic modeling of thin apertures using the finite-difference time-domain technique

A technique which computes transient electromagnetic responses of narrow apertures in complex conducting scatterers was implemented as an extension of previously developed Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) computer codes. Although these apertures are narrow with respect to the wavelengths contained within the power spectrum of excitation, this technique does not require significantly more computer resources to attain the increased resolution at the apertures. In the report, an analytical technique which utilizes Babinet's principle to model the apertures is developed, and an FDTD computer code which utilizes this technique is described.

Demarest, Kenneth R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Rotordynamic analysis of a bearing tester

The properties of the solutions of a system of four coupled nonlinear differential equations that model the behavior of the rotating shaft of a bearing tester are studied. In particular, it is shown how the bounds for the rotations of these equations can be obtained from bounds for the solutions of the linearized equations. By studying the behavior of the Fourier transforms of the solution, the approach to the stability boundary can also be predicted. These conclusions are verified by means of numerical solutions of the equations, and of power spectrum density (PSD) plots.

Zalik, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The GONG Site Survey

The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project is planning to place six observing stations around the world to observe the solar oscillations as continuously as possible. The procedures that are being used to select the six sites are described. Results of measurements of cloud cover obtained by networks of 6 (out of 10) radiometers show a duty cycle of over 93 percent, with the first diurnal sidelobe in the window power spectrum suppressed by a factor of 400. The results are in good agreement with the predictions of a computer model of the expected cloud cover at individual sites.

Hill, Frank↗