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At least 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Middle and high latitude Southern Hemispheric oscillations on the 35-60 day time scale

The low-frequency geopotential height fluctuations in the Southern Hemisphere were examined on the basis of one-point correlation maps. Results indicate that the 35-60 day fluctuations in the Southern-Hemisphere geopotential heights exhibit wavetrainlike characteristics. Correlations between a midlatitude reference point and tropical microwave temperature data were found to be weak, suggesting that the midlatitude wavetrain is not strongly coupled to the Madden and Julian (1971) 40-50 day oscillation.

Graves, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Discrete wave packets upstream from the earth and comets

Discrete wave packets are nearly monochromatic waves lasting several wave cycles which are frequently found on the leading edge of steepened low-frequency waves or shocklets upstream from the earth's bow shock. They apparently are whistler-mode waves which are generated as the shocklets steepen. These shocklets are blown back across the spacecraft so that the structure is observed in reverse order. Similarly appearing waves are present at comet Giacobini-Zinner. To determine if these waves are the same as those observed at earth a detailed comparison of the properties of the two sets of waves was undertaken. The waves have very similar amplitudes, durations, and directions of propagation.

Le, G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

NbN/MgO/NbN edge-geometry tunnel junctions

The fabrication and low-frequency testing of the first edge-geometry NbN/MgO/NbN superconducting tunnel junctions are reported. The use of an edge geometry allows very small junction areas to be obtained, while the all-NbN electrodes permit operation at 8-10 K with a potential maximum operating frequency above 1 THz. Edge definition in the base NbN film was accomplished utilizing Ar ion milling with an Al2O3 milling mask, followed by a lower energy ion cleaning step. This process has produced all-refractory-material tunnel junctions with areas as small as 0.1 sq micron, resistance-area products less than 21 ohm sq micron, and subgap to normal state resistance ratios larger than 18.

Hunt, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High-resolution microwave spectra of solar bursts

A phenomenological and statistical study of flares observed in total power with the frequency-agile interferometer at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory during several months of high solar activity in 1981 is reported. Roughly 80 percent of the events have a complex spectrum consisting of more than one spectral component, implying that the microwave radiation of a burst usually does not come from a single homogeneous source. The presence of more than one component can lead to significant errors when data with low spectral resolution are used to determine the low-side spectral index. The low-frequency slope of a single spectra component is often steeper than expected, and the peak frequency stays nearly constant throughout a microwave event.

Stahli, M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Plasma and field properties of suprathermal electron bursts

Plasma and field observations obtained by the Dynamics Explorer satellites during a suprathermal burst event on October 8, 1981, are presented. Because of a correlation between the bursts and low-frequency (less than 1 kHz) electric field wave power, it is suggested that the electrons in the bursts are produced by interaction with the waves. It is found that the waves may be generated in regions of strong upward current and may be propagated perpendicular to the field line to produce accelerated electrons outside the region of wave generation.

Robinson, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Simultaneous detection of separation and transition in surface shear layers

Flush-mounted hot-film gages have proved effective in detecting boundary-layer transition and in measuring skin friction but with limited success in detecting laminar separation and reattachment. The development of multielement micro hot-film sensors, and the recent discovery of the phase reversal phenomena associated with low-frequency dynamic shear stress signals across regions of laminar separation and turbulent reattachment, have made it possible to simultaneously and unambiguously detect these surface shear layer characteristics. Experiments were conducted on different airfoils at speeds ranging from low subsonic to transonic speeds to establish the technique for incompressible and compressible flow applications. The multielement dynamic shear stress sensor technique was successfully used to detect laminar separation, turbulent reattachment, as well as, shock induced laminar and turbulent separation.

Mangalam, Siva M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A lunar far-side very low frequency array

Papers were presented to consider very low frequency (VLF) radio astronomical observations from the moon. In part 1, the environment in which a lunar VLF radio array would function is described. Part 2 is a review of previous and proposed low-frequency observatories. The science that could be conducted with a lunar VLF array is described in part 3. The design of a lunar VLF array and site selection criteria are considered, respectively, in parts 4 and 5. Part 6 is a proposal for precursor lunar VLF observations. Finally, part 7 is a summary and statement of conclusions, with suggestions for future science and engineering studies. The workshop concluded with a general consensus on the scientific goals and preliminary design for a lunar VLF array.

Burns, Jack O.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Review and analysis of the DNW/Model 360 rotor acoustic data base

A comprehensive model rotor aeroacoustic data base was collected in a large anechoic wind tunnel in 1986. Twenty-six microphones were positioned around the azimuth to collect acoustic data for approximately 150 different test conditions. A dynamically scaled, blade-pressure-instrumented model of the forward rotor of the BH360 helicopter simultaneously provided blade pressures for correlation with the acoustic data. High-speed impulsive noise, blade-vortex interaction noise, low-frequency noise, and broadband noise were all captured in this extensive data base. Trends are presentes for each noise source, with important parametric variations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce this data base and illustrate its potential for predictive code validation.

Zinner, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A PC-based interactive imaging system designed for Insat data analysis and monsoon studies

A PC-based interactive image processing system to analyze Indian Geosynchronous Satellite (Insat) data has been developed for Asian monsoon studies. The system, known as a Microbased Image Display and Graphics Enhancement Tool (MIDGET), is designed as a workstation terminal in a supercomputer environment. The MIDGET system is described and the analysis procedures used with the system are discussed. The applications of the MIDGET system include monitoring monsoon evolution and the behavior of organized tropical storms, the analysis of low-frequency intraseasonal oscillations, diagnostic studies of cloudiness, retrieval of monsoon precipitation, and statistical prediction of monsoon cloud bands associated with intraseasonal fluctuations of monsoon rainfall.

Smith, Eric A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

First plasma wave observations at Neptune

The Voyager 2 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar plasma waves during the encounter with Neptune, including electron plasma oscillations in the solar wind upstream of the bow shock, electrostatic turbulence at the bow shock, and chorus, hiss, electron cyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance waves in the inner magnetosphere. Low-frequency radio emissions, believed to be generated by mode conversion from the upper hybrid resonance emissions, were also observed propagating outward in a disklike beam along the magnetic equatorial plane. At the two ring plane crossings many small micrometer-sized dust particles were detected striking the spacecraft. The maximum impact rates were about 280 impacts per second at the inbound ring plane crossing, and about 110 impacts per second at the outbound ring plane crossing. Most of the particles are concentrated in a dense disk, about 1000 kilometers thick, centered on the equatorial plane. However, a broader more tenuous distribution also extends many tends of thousands of kilometers from the equatorial plane, including over the northern polar region.

Gurnett, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Whistler wave bursts upstream of the Uranian bow shock

Observations of magnetic field wave bursts upstream of the Uranian bow shock are reported which were recorded prior to the inbound shock crossing. Three wave types are identified. One exhibits a broad spectral enhancement from a few millihertz to about 50 mHz and is seen from 17 to 10 hr prior to the inbound shock crossing. It is argued that these waves are whistler waves that have propagated upstream from the shock. A second wave type has a spacecraft frame frequency between 20 and 40 mHz, is seen only within or immediately upstream of the shock pedestal, is right-hand polarized in the spacecraft frame, and has a typical burst duration of 90 s. The third wave type has a spacecraft frame frequency of about 0.15 Hz, is seen exclusively within the shock pedestal, is left-hand polarized in the spacecraft frame, and has a burst duration lasting up to 4 min. It is argued that the low-frequency bursts are whistler waves with phase speed comparable to, but in excess of, the solar wind speed.

Smith, Charles W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Wave propagation effects of broadband electrostatic noise in the magnetotail

An analysis of the wave and particle data from ISEE 1 for 1978 yielded several examples of crossings between the lobe and the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) which exhibited the signatures predicted by the theoretical analysis of the generation of broadband electrostatic noise (BEN) by ion beam instabilities. These signatures are a gradual rise in the upper frequency of BEN as the spacecraft approaches the plasma boundary layer, and a very rapid rise in the upper frequency near the crossing into the PSBL from the lobe. Several examples of crossings are presented that exhibit both signatures, as well as a case of crossings in which the gradual frequency rise signature is absent but the rapid rise is present. This case exhibits a BEN in the range expected for the low-frequency ion-ion two-stream and the high-frequency Buneman instability.

Grabbe, Crockett↗
NASA NTRS1989

The low magnetic field properties of superconducting bulk yttrium barium copper oxide - Sintered versus partially melted material

A comparison of the low magnetic field properties of sintered (990 C) and partially melted samples (1050 C) has been performed. Changes in the microstructure produced by recrystallization from the melt result in a significant increase in flux pinning at 77 K. Low-frequency (10-100 Hz), low-ac magnetic-field (0.01-9.0 Oe) ac susceptibility data show that gross changes in the loss component accompany the observed changes in microstructure. The effects of applied dc magnetic fields (10-220 Oe) on the ac responses of these microstructures have also been probed.

Hein, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

NDE of Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor field joint

One of the most critical areas for inspection in the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motors is the bond between the steel case and rubber insulation in the region of the field joints. The tang-and-clevis geometry of the field joints is sufficiently complex to prohibit the use of resonance-based techniques. One approach we are investigating is to interrogate the steel-insulation bondline in the tang and clevis regions using surface-travelling waves. A low-frequency contact surface wave transmitting array transducer is under development at our laboratory for this purpose. The array is placed in acoustic contact with the steel and surface waves are launched on the inside surface or the clevis leg which propagate along the steel-insulation interface. As these surface waves propagate along the bonded surface, the magnitude of the ultrasonic energy leaking into the steel is monitored on the outer surface of the case. Our working hypothesis is that the magnitude of energy received at the outer surface of the case is dependent upon the integrity of the case-insulation bond, with less attenuation for propagation along a disbond due to imperfect acoustic coupling between the steel and rubber. Measurements on test specimens indicate a linear relationship between received signal amplitude and the length of good bend between the transmitter and receiver, suggesting the validity of this working hypothesis.

Patrick H. Johnston↗
NASA NTRS1983

Improved fabrication techniques for infrared bolometers

Techniques are described for producing improved infrared bolometers from doped germanium. Ion implantation and sputter metalization have been used to make ohmic electrical contacts to Ge:Ga chips. This method results in a high yield of small monolithic bolometers with very little low-frequency noise. When one of these chips is used as the thermometric element of a composite bolometer, it must be bonded to a dielectric substrate. The thermal resistance of the conventional epoxy bond has been measured and found to be undesirably large. A procedure for soldering the chip to a metalized portion of the substrate is described which reduced this resistance. The contribution of the metal film absorber to the heat capacity of a composite bolometer has been measured. The heat capacity of a NiCr absorber at 1.3 K can dominate the bolometer performance. A Bi absorber has significantly lower heat capacity. A low temperature blackbody calibrator has been built to measure the optical responsivity of bolometers. A composite bolometer system with a throughput of approx. 0.1 sr sq cm was constructed using the new techniques. In negligible background it has an optical NEP of 3.6 10((exp -15) W/sq root of Hz at 1.0 K with a time constant of 20 ms. The noise in this bolometer is white above 2.5 Hz and is somewhat below the value predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium theory. It is in agreement with calculations based on a recent nonequilibrium theory.

Lange, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1948

Transonic-flutter Investigation of Wings Attached to Two Low-acceleration Rocket-propelled Vehicles

Two low-acceleration transonic-flutter vehicles were launched and flown. The first carried two test wings, one of which fluttered at M = 0.92 at a frequency of 61.4 cycles per second. The reference flutter speed determined from two-dimensional theory for an unswept wing in incompressible flow is conservative when compared to the experimental flutter speed. The second vehicle carried two test wings, one of which failed at M = 0.71 because of low-frequency divergent oscillation. Since this failure was not caused by conventional flexure-torsion flutter, no comparison with a reference flutter speed can be made.

MISSILES, SPECIFIC TYPES↗
NASA NTRS1961

Balancing Vanguard Satellites

The Vanguard satellites and component parts were balanced within the specified limits by using a Gisholt Type-S balancer in combination with a portable International Research and Development vibration analyzer and filter, with low-frequency pickups. Equipment and procedures used for balancing are described; and the determination of residual imbalance is accomplished by two methods: calculation, and graphical interpretation. Between-the-bearings balancing is recommended for future balancing of payloads.

Simkovich, A.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Analysis of of Injection-Velocity Effects on Rocket Motor Dynamics and Stability

A concept of combustion time lag that includes dependency on injection velocity is introduced. The concept is used in the formulation of chamber transfer functions and in an analysis of low-frequency combustion instability. Theoretical frequency responses and stability boundaries are compared with those obtained when the injection-velocity effect on the time lag to be an important consideration, in the theory of chamber dynamics and combustion instability

Hurrell, Herbert G.↗