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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.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Internal Structure of the Central Garlock Fault Zone From Ridgecrest Aftershocks Recorded by Dense Linear Seismic Arrays

Abstract We provide high‐resolution seismic imaging of the central Garlock fault using data recorded by two dense seismic arrays that cross the Ridgecrest rupture zone (B4) and the Garlock fault (A5). Analyses of fault zone head waves and P ‐wave delay times at array A5 show that the Garlock fault is a sharp bimaterial interface with P waves traveling ∼5% faster in the northern crustal block. The across‐fault velocity contrast agrees with regional tomography models and generates clear P ‐wave reflections in waveforms recorded by array B4. Kirchhoff migration of the reflected waves indicates a near‐vertical fault between 2 and 6 km depth. The P ‐wave delay times imply a ∼300‐m‐wide transition zone near the Garlock fault surface trace beneath array A5, offset to the side with faster velocities. The results provide important constraints for derivations of earthquake properties, simulations of ruptures and ground motion, and future imaging studies associated with the Garlock fault.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1992

Reflection of interannual Rossby waves at the maritime western boundary of the tropical Pacific

The Geosat altimetric sea level time sequences taken between November 1986 and August 1989 are examined for the evidence of interannual Rossby waves reflecting at the maritime western boundary of the tropical Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere. The analyses applied to the observations are similar to those used by White et al. (1990) but are extended to include an interpretation in terms of the linear theory of Rossby wave reflection. It is shown that the amplitude of the first-mode Rossby wave (i.e., mode 2) accounts for 70-80 percent of the Kelvin wave amplitude, and the second symmetric Rossby wave mode explains another 20-30 percent. The results are consistent with theoretical estimates of Rossby mode contributions to the reflected Kevin wave obtained by Kessler (1991).

White, Warren B.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Meteorological Conditions in Urban Sites in Knoxville, USA. 2023

This 2023 dataset, which contains four csv files, reports hourly air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, incident short wave, reflected short wave, incident long wave, emitted long wave, net radiation, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) data measured in urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The sites include Cumberland Estates Park (CEP), Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED), West Hills (WHP), and Victor Ashe Park (VAP). Air temperature, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation data were obtained from a METER ATMOS 41 All-in-One Weather Station (Pullman, Washington, USA). Incident and emitted radiation (shortwave and longwave) measurements were made using an Apogee (Logan, Utah, USA) net radiometer (Model SN-500-SS). The SQ-521 Full-Spectrum Quantum sensor (Apogee Instruments, Inc) recorded the PAR. The measurement data for CEP, SEEED, and VAP started on July 1, 2023, while WHP started on August 26, 2023. All measurement ended on December 31, 2023. This work is a part of a larger study which investigates the impact of soil moisture and plant evapotranspiration on ambient temperature and relative humidity in several city parks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Salvador, Christian [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283287777↗
DOE OSTI2026

Meteorological Conditions in Urban Sites in Knoxville, USA. 2025

This 2025 dataset, which contains five csv files, reports hourly air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, incident short wave, reflected short wave, incident long wave, emitted long wave, net radiation, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) data measured in urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The sites include Cumberland Estates Park (CEP), Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED), West Hills Park (WHP), West View Park (WVP), and Victor Ashe Park (VAP). Air temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation data were obtained from a METER ATMOS 41 All-in-One Weather Station (Pullman, Washington, USA). Incident and emitted radiation (shortwave and longwave) measurements were made using an Apogee (Logan, Utah, USA) net radiometer (Model SN-500-SS). The SQ-521 Full-Spectrum Quantum sensor (Apogee Instruments, Inc) recorded the PAR. The measurement data for all the sites started on January 1, 2025. and all measurement ended on December 31, 2025. This work is a part of a larger study which investigates the impact of soil moisture and plant evapotranspiration on ambient temperature and relative humidity in several city parks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Salvador, Christian [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283287777↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simulation Analysis of Geometry and Material Effects for Dropkinson Bar

The reported research is motivated by the need to address a key issue affecting the Dropkinson bar apparatus. This unresolved issue is the interference of the stress wave reflected from the bar-beam boundary with the measurement of the stress-strain response of a material tested in the apparatus. The purpose of the wave beam that is currently connected to the bar is to dissipate the stress wave, but the portion of the wave reflected from the bar-beam boundary is still significant. First, we focused on understanding which parameters affect the reflected wave's arrival time at a strain gauge. Specifically, we used finite-element numerical simulations with the Sierra/SM module to study the effects of various bar-beam connection fixities, alternative wave beam materials, and alternative geometries of the Dropkinson bar system based on a monolithic design. The conclusion of this study is that a partial reflection always occurs at the bar-beam boundary (or, for a monolithic design, at a point where the bar geometry changes). Therefore, given a fixed total length of the bar, it is impossible to increase the reflected wave's arrival time by any significant amount. After reaching this conclusion, we focused instead on trying to minimize the energy of the reflected stress wave circulating up and down through the bar over a relatively long period of time (10 ms). Once again, we used numerical simulations with the Sierra/SM module to investigate the effects of various bar-beam connection fixities, alternative wave beam materials, and parameters of an asymmetric monolithic design of the bar-and-beam system. This study demonstrated that various parameters can significantly affect the energy of the wave reflections, with the difference between best and worst configurations being about one order of magnitude in terms of energy. Based on the obtained results, we conclude with concrete takeaways for Dropkinson bar users and propose potential directions for future research and optimization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1990

Reflection of annual Rossby waves at the maritime western boundary of the tropical Pacific

Results are presented of an examination of altimetric sea level time series from the first 17 months of the Geosat Geodetic Mission. The examination provides the first direct evidence of the Rossby wave reflection process operating in both hemispheres at the maritime western boundary of the tropical Pacific, in regard to annual Rossby activity. It is demonstrated that the Philippines in the Northern Hemisphere and the Solomon, the Bismarck, and the New Guinea islands in the Southern Hemisphere reflected the incident baroclinic Rossby wave activity of the one-year period, generating equatorial Kelvin wave activity that emanated from the maritime western boundary of the tropical Pacific, conducting the annual baroclinic signal along the equator into the eastern equatorial Pacific.

White, Warren B.↗
DOE OSTI2016

NONLINEAR REFLECTION PROCESS OF LINEARLY POLARIZED, BROADBAND ALFVÉN WAVES IN THE FAST SOLAR WIND

Using one-dimensional numerical simulations, we study the elementary process of Alfvén wave reflection in a uniform medium, including nonlinear effects. In the linear regime, Alfvén wave reflection is triggered only by the inhomogeneity of the medium, whereas in the nonlinear regime, it can occur via nonlinear wave–wave interactions. Such nonlinear reflection (backscattering) is typified by decay instability. In most studies of decay instabilities, the initial condition has been a circularly polarized Alfvén wave. In this study we consider a linearly polarized Alfvén wave, which drives density fluctuations by its magnetic pressure force. For generality, we also assume a broadband wave with a red-noise spectrum. In the data analysis, we decompose the fluctuations into characteristic variables using local eigenvectors, thus revealing the behaviors of the individual modes. Different from the circular-polarization case, we find that the wave steepening produces a new energy channel from the parent Alfvén wave to the backscattered one. Such nonlinear reflection explains the observed increasing energy ratio of the sunward to the anti-sunward Alfvénic fluctuations in the solar wind with distance against the dynamical alignment effect.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1957

Reflection and Refraction of Acoustic Waves by a Shock Wave

The presence of sound waves in one or the other of the fluid regions on either side of a shock wave is made apparent, in the region under superpressure, by acoustic waves (reflected or refracted according to whether the incident waves lie in the region of superpressure or of subpressure) and by thermal waves. The characteristics of these waves are calculated for a plane, progressive, and uniform incident wave. In the case of refraction, the refracted acoustic wave can, according to the incidence, be plane, progressive, and uniform or take the form of an 'accompanying wave' which remains attached to the front of the shock while sliding parallel to it. In all cases, geometrical constructions permit determination of the kinematic characteristics of the reflected or refractive acoustic waves. The dynamic relationships show that the amplitude of the reflected wave is always less than that of the incident wave. The amplitude of the refracted wave, whatever its type, may in certain cases be greater than that of the incident wave.

Brillouin, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Heating of solar coronal holes by reflected Alfven waves

As a continuation of the work of Moore et al. (1991), who found evidence that coronal holes are heated by Alfven waves that are reflected back down within the coronal holes, this paper shows that to demonstrate this evidence, it is only necessary to consider a subset of the Moore et al. models, namely, those having radial magnetic field. Using these models, it is shown that the Alfven velocity is not constant in the atmosphere of coronal holes, but changes with height (or radius), causing downward reflection of all upward Alfven waves of sufficiently long wavelength (or period).

Moore, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Laboratory Scale Testing of Ignition Overpressure for Space Vehicle Launch Pad Environments

A scale model of a NASA representative space vehicle is used to develop a refined estimate of the transient pressure loads that are expected to form at the base of the vehicle in the event of a vapor cloud explosion. Flammable vapor clouds are known to form prior to engine startup due to the significant amount of unburned hydrogen that is ejected from the combustion chamber. In the event of a vapor cloud explosion, the vehicle and payload must be able to withstand the resulting overpressure waves. The study comprises an array of pressure sensors located along the base heat shield of the scale model space vehicle as well as the interior wall and throat plug plane of the solid rocket booster. A spark source generator is used to simulate the overpressure wave produced by a vapor cloud explosion while measurements are acquired with and without the effect of a mobile launcher. Time- resolved schlieren images of the simulated vapor cloud explosion reveal the path and impact of both the initial wave and several reflected waves on the various components at the base of the space vehicle. In some instances, the reflected waves superpose to create waves that are higher in amplitude than the initial overpressure wave. A time frequency analysis of the pressure waveforms measured inside the solid rocket booster reveal a ring down tone corresponding to a standing wave that is four times the length of the nozzle.

Tinney, Charles E.↗