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At least 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Progress of research to identify rotating thunderstorms using satellite imagery

The possibility of detecting potentially tornadic thunderstorm cells from geosynchronous satelite imagery is determined. During the life of the contract, we examined eight tornado outbreak cases which had a total of 124 individual thunderstorm cells, 37 of which were tornadic.These 37 cells produced a total of 119 tornadoes. The outflow characteristics of all the cells were measured. Through the use of a 2-D flow field model, we were able to simulate the downstream developmemt of an anvil cloud plume which was emitted by the storm updraft at or near the tropopause. We used two parameters to characterize the anvil plume behavior: its speed of downstream propagation (U max) and the clockwise deviation of the centerline of the anvil plume from the storm relative ambient wind at the anvil plume outflow level (MDA). U max was the maximum U-component of the anvil wind parameter required to successfully maintain an envelope of translating particles at the tip of the expanding anvil cloud. MDA was the measured deviation angle acquired from McIDAS, between the storm relative ambient wind direction and the storm relative anvil plume outflow direction; tha latter being manipulated by controlling a tangential wind component to force the envelope of particles to maintain their position of surrounding the expanding outflow cloud.

Anderson, Charles E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

P-T-t path for the Archean Pikwitonei Granulite Domain and Cross Lake Subprovince, Manitoba, Canada

The rationale was outlined for constructing pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) paths by using U-Pb dating of garnet produced in thermobarometrically sensitive reactions. In an example from the Pikwitonei granulites of the Northwestern Superior Province of the Canadian Shield, garnets were formed at 2744-2742 Ma, 2700-2689 Ma, and 2605-2590 Ma, the latter events coinciding with times recorded by U-Pb zircon systems. Garnet grew during metamorphism at 6.5 kbar, 630 to 750 C and later at 7.2 to 7.5 kbar, 800 C; the later metamorphism apparently did not exceed the U-Pb closure temperature. The resultant P-T-t path is counterclockwise, with late isobaric cooling, interpreted to result from magmatic heating at an Andean margin.

Mezger, K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The weight distribution and randomness of linear codes

Finding the weight distributions of block codes is a problem of theoretical and practical interest. Yet the weight distributions of most block codes are still unknown except for a few classes of block codes. Here, by using the inclusion and exclusion principle, an explicit formula is derived which enumerates the complete weight distribution of an (n,k,d) linear code using a partially known weight distribution. This expression is analogous to the Pless power-moment identities - a system of equations relating the weight distribution of a linear code to the weight distribution of its dual code. Also, an approximate formula for the weight distribution of most linear (n,k,d) codes is derived. It is shown that for a given linear (n,k,d) code over GF(q), the ratio of the number of codewords of weight u to the number of words of weight u approaches the constant Q = q(-)(n-k) as u becomes large. A relationship between the randomness of a linear block code and the minimum distance of its dual code is given, and it is shown that most linear block codes with rigid algebraic and combinatorial structure also display certain random properties which make them similar to random codes with no structure at all.

Cheung, K.-M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An adaptive pseudo-spectral method for reaction diffusion problems

The spectral interpolation error was considered for both the Chebyshev pseudo-spectral and Galerkin approximations. A family of functionals I sub r (u), with the property that the maximum norm of the error is bounded by I sub r (u)/J sub r, where r is an integer and J is the degree of the polynomial approximation, was developed. These functionals are used in the adaptive procedure whereby the problem is dynamically transformed to minimize I sub r (u). The number of collocation points is then chosen to maintain a prescribed error bound. The method is illustrated by various examples from combustion problems in one and two dimensions.

Bayliss, A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Rhenium-osmium and samarium-neodymium isotopic systematics of the Stillwater complex

The role of magma mixing in the formation of strategic platinum-group element ore deposits is examined using isotopic data from the Stillwater Complex, Montana. Nd and Os isotopic data show that the intrusion formed from at least two distinct magmas: ultramafic (U-type) affinity magmas and anorthositic (A-type) affinity magmas. The U-type magmas formed from a lithospheric mantle source containing recycled crustal materials and the A-type magmas originated either by crustal contamination of basaltic magmas or by partial melting of basalt in the lower crust. The results also suggest that the platinum-group element ore deposits were derived from A-type magmas which were injected into the U-type magma chamber at several stages during the development of the ultramafic series.

Lambert, David D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

On the bonding in Mn2(+)

Qualitative calculations are presented on the Mn2(+) ion. These yield a 12Sigma(g)(+) ground state, in agreement with experiment, in which the 3d electrons are ferromagnetically coupled. The 2Sigma(u)(+) state of Mu2(+) is found to lie 0.44 eV higher in energy; the 3d electrons on each center are high-spin coupled, but the interatomic coupling is antiferromagnetic. The large splitting between the 12Sigma(g)(+) and 2Sigma(u)(+) states is shown to be due to the intraatomic 4s-3d exchange energy, which is an order of magnitude larger than the weak interatomic 3d-3d interaction. The Mn2(+) ion is compared and contrasted with the Mn2 neutral species, where the analogous 11Sigma(u)(+) and 1Sigma(g)(+) states are reversed in order, but almost degenerate.

Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cyclotron maser and plasma wave growth in magnetic loops

Cyclotron maser and plasma wave growth which results from electrons accelerated in magnetic loops are studied. The evolution of the accelerated electron distribution is determined by solving the kinetic equation including Coulomb collisions and magnetic convergence. It is found that for modest values of the column depth of the loop the growth rates of instabilities are significantly reduced and that the reduction is much larger for the cyclotron modes than for the plasma wave modes. The large decrease in the growth rate with column depth suggests that solar coronal densities must be much lower than commonly accepted in order for the cyclotron maser to operate. The density depletion has to be similar to that which occurs during auroral kilometric radiation events in the magnetosphere. The resulting distributions are much more complicated than the idealized distributions used in many theoretical studies, but the fastest growing mode can still simply be determined by the ratio of electron plasma to gyrofrequency, U=omega(sub p)/Omega(sub e). However, the dominant modes are different than for the idealized situations with growth of the z-mode largest for U approximately less than 0.5, and second harmonic x-mode (s=2) or fundamental o-mode (s=1) the dominant modes for 0.5 approximately less than U approximately less than 1. The electron distributions typically contain more than one inverted feature which could give rise to wave growth. It is shown that this can result in simultaneous amplification of more than one mode with each mode driven by a different feature and can be observed, for example, by differences in the rise times of the right and left circularly polarized components of the associated spike bursts.

Hamilton, Russell J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Comment on predissociation of O2 in the B state

Theoretical models and experimental data on the predissociation of O2 in the B state are analyzed, with a focus on the results reported by Wodtke et al. (1988). Absorption cross sections in the (11,0) Schumann-Runge band of O2 at 79 K (Yoshino et al., 1987) are matched to curves synthesized from lower fine-structure components for 5Pi(u) and 3Pi(u) predissociative mechanisms. It is concluded that the 3Pi(u) predominance proposed by Wodtke et al. is not justified by the data. In a reply by Wodtke and Huwel, the need for further studies to clarify the apparent discrepancies between absorption and emission spectroscopy is indicated.

Freeman, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

TASKILLAN - A simulation to predict the validity of multiple resource models of aviation workload

The extent to which flight simulation models of increasing complexity are successful in predicting pilot performance was investigated using four models of increasing sophistication addressed by the TASKILLAN (for task skill analysis) computer-generated helicopter simulation. At the simplest level of complexity was the total task model (Model T), followed by the demand model (Model D), the undifferentiated capacity model (Model U), and, ultimately, by the multiple resources model (Model M), which is at the highest level of sophistication addressed by the TASKILLAN project. It was found that the correlations between variables were higher with the two more sophisticated models (U and M), which impose a penalty for increased difficulty in time-sharing. The performance prediction was best with the Model U, while the best predictors of subjective measures were models D and M.

Larish, Inge A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The effects of vacuum polarization on thermonuclear reaction rates

Added to the pure Coulomb potential, the contribution from vacuum polarization increases the barrier, reducing the wave function (u) for reacting nuclei within the range of nuclear forces. The cross section and reaction rate are then reduced accordingly by a factor proportional to u squared. The effect is treated by evaluating the vacuum polarization potential as a small correction to the Coulomb term, then computing u in a WKB formulation. The calculation is done analytically employing the small r power-series expansion for the Uehling potential to express the final result in terms of convenient parameters. At a temperature of 1.4 x 10 to the 7th K the (negative) correction is 1.3 percent for the fundamental fusion process p + p yields d + e(+) + nu.

Gould, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Temperature dependence of the anisotropy in magnetic relaxation in YBa2Cu3O(7-x) thin films

The relaxation of diamagnetic magnetization in the c-axis-aligned YBa2Cu3O(7-x) thin film is studied as a function of orientation and temperature in the range of 5-50 K at H = 0.2 T. The magnetization M(T,H) in the orientations H parallel to c and H perpendicular to c and at all the temperatures is found to decrease logarithmically with time t. The activation energy for the movement of flux lines U is found to be 30-110 meV in the range 5-50 K. For H parallel c, U increases continuously with T, whereas for H perpendicular c, U has two apparent maxima: at T = 10 K and T greater than 50 K. These results are discussed in terms of the thermally activated flux motion model.

Vitta, Satish↗
NASA NTRS1991

Orbital station-keeping for multiple spacecraft interferometry

This paper presents a three-satellite station-keeping strategy that is applicable to very long (1-100 km) baseline optical interferometry in space using the 'free-flyer' approach. The relative positions of the satellites in an arbitrarily oriented inertial coordinate system are described parametrically, and the continuous thrust vectors required to follow the paths are derived. The paths, which are constrained to be in the U-V plane of an astronomical source (a plane perpendicular to the direction of the source), are always chosen to maximize the use of gravity gradient forces and minimize the use of thrusting which can easily be provided by ion thrusters. Two different thrust programs are presented. One allows the interferometer to take data over an elliptic-shaped area of the U-V plane of arbitrary size for astronomical sources in any direction except close to the orbit plane of the system. The second thrust program reorients the U-V plane from one arbitrary source direction to another.

Decou, Anthony B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Penetrative convection - Parametrized expression for the growth rates

The equations determining the linear growth rate omega characterizing a convectively unstable fluid with Rayleigh number R(u) bounded below by an impenetrable free boundary and above by a convectively stable fluid with Rayleigh number R(s), are solved numerically. Using the analytical Rayleigh-Benard growth rate omega (RB) as a convenient functional form, it is possible to fit the numerical values for omega if the vertical wave number k(z) = n(pi) and the Rayleigh number R(RB) are taken to be functions of R(s), R(u), and the horizontal wave number k-perpendicular rather than n = integer as in the Rayleigh-Benard case. In addition, contrary to Rayleigh-Benard convection, in which the critical Rayleigh number is fixed, it is found that R super (cr) sub u is variable in the presence of a stable layer, (i.e., it depends on R(s)).

Savolainen, V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Whole Earth Telescope observations of V471 Tauri - The nature of the white dwarf variations

Time-series photometric observations of the binary star V471 Tauri were conducted using the Whole Earth Telescope observing network. The purpose was to determine the mechanism responsible for causing the 555 and 277 s periodic luminosity variations exhibited by the white dwarf in this binary. Previous observers have proposed that either g-mode pulsations or rotation of an accreting magnetic white dwarf could cause the variations, but were unable to decide which was the correct model. The present observations have answered this question. Learning the cause of the white dwarf variations has been possible because of the discovery of a periodic signal at 562 s in the Johnson U-band flux of the binary. By identifying this signal as reprocessed radiation and using its phase to infer the phase of the shorter wavelength radiation which produces it, made it possible to compare the phase of the 555 s U-band variations to the phase of the X-ray variations. It was found that U-band maximum coincides with X-ray minimum. From this result it was concluded that the magnetic rotator model accurately describes the variations observed, but that models involving g-mode pulsations do not.

Clemens, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

High performance etchant for thinning p(+)-InP and its application to p(+)n InP solar cell fabrication

An etchant, namely (o-H3PO4)u: (HNO3)v: (H2O2)t: (H2O)1-(u+v+t) is developed for thinning, after contacting, the p(+) emitter layer of p(+)n InP structures made by thermal diffusion. Varying u, v, and t, reproducible etch rates of 5 to 110 nm/min are obtained. After thinning the 0.6- to 2.5-micron thick p(+) InP layer down to 60-250 nm, specular surfaces are obtained at up to 80 nm/min etch rate. Due to its intrinsic qualities the resisual P-rich oxide after thinning the emitter layer provides surface passivation of p(+) InP surfaces and can also serve as a first-layer AR coating.

Faur, Maria↗
NASA NTRS1993

A hierarchical structure for representing and learning fuzzy rules

Yager provides an example in which the flat representation of fuzzy if-then rules leads to unsatisfactory results. Consider a rule base consisting to two rules: if U is 12 the V is 29; if U is (10-15) the V is (25-30). If U = 12 we would get V is G where G = (25-30). The application of the defuzzification process leads to a selection of V = 27.5. Thus we see that the very specific instruction was not followed. The problem with the technique used is that the most specific information was swamped by the less specific information. In this paper we shall provide for a new structure for the representation of fuzzy if-then rules. The representational form introduced here is called a Hierarchical Prioritized Structure (HPS) representation. Most importantly in addition to overcoming the problem illustrated in the previous example this HPS representation has an inherent capability to emulate the learning of general rules and provides a reasonable accurate cognitive mapping of how human beings store information.

Yager, Ronald R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Propagation velocity of perturbations in turbulent channel flow

A database obtained from direct numerical simulation of a turbulent channel flow is analyzed to extract the streamwise component of the propagation velocity V of velocity, vorticity, and pressure fluctuations from their space-time correlations. A surprising result is that V is approximately the same as the local mean velocity for most of the channel, except for the near-wall region. For y(+) less than 15, V is virtually constant, implying that perturbations of all flow variables propagate like waves near the wall. In this region V is 55 percent of the centerline velocity Uc for velocity and vorticity perturbations and 75 percent of U sub c for pressure perturbations. This is equal to U at y(+) = 15 for velocity and vorticity perturbations, and equal to U at y(+) = 20 for pressure perturbations, indicating that the dynamics of the nearwall turbulence is controlled by turbulence structures present near y(+) about 15-20. Scale dependence of V is also examined by analyzing the bandpass-filtered flow fields. This paper contains comprehensive documentation on the propagation velocities, which should prove useful in the evaluation of Taylor's hypothesis.

Kim, John↗
NASA NTRS1993

Ultraviolet-excess selection of the counterpart to a globular cluster X-ray burster - Hubble Space Telescope images of the core of NGC 6712

Using the Planetary Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope, we have obtained high spatial resolution, multicolor images and photometry of the core of the globular cluster NGC 6712. A comparison of our blue and ultraviolet images unambiguously reveals a faint (B = 21), UV-excess object, 'star S', within the Einstein error box for the bursting X-ray source X1850-086. The unusual color of star S is immediately apparent even in a cursory visual comparison of the images, and is more quantitatively (U-B of about -1) confirmed via photometry. A variety of different candidate optical counterparts to the X-ray source have previously been suggested from ground-based work, but our images indicate that star S is almost certainly the only viable candidate brighter than U = 21. Compared with the mean values for low mass X-ray binaries in the field, star S has a typical (U-B) color, and a moderate-to-high X-ray-to-optical luminosity ratio, but its luminosity (MB = 5) is about 4 mag fainter than average.

Anderson, Scott F.↗