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At least 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Stellar perturbations of the cometary cloud

The paper demonstrates that the Oort cloud radius is 100,000 AU, the mean 'thermal' velocity in the cloud is about 110 m/s, and the resulting perihelion distribution in the planetary region is uniform with the number based on the radius of the circle within which the comets are falling. Stars passing through the Oort cloud during the history of the solar system have ejcted a minimum of the initial population and randomized the orbits of the remaining comets leaving little record of their initial state.

Weissman, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Optimal transfer between close near-circular orbits

A nonlinear analysis is carried out for the optimal transfer between close near-circular noncoplanar orbits with no limit on time. The degeneracy of the linear analyses of Marec and Edelbaum is, thereby, removed and with the aid of a generalized Jacobi test, it is established that the minimum-impulse transfer requires, at most, three impulses. A field of extremals is generated in an orbit element space starting with the initial state and anticipated adjoint variables and integrating these variables by using the optimal thrust control law that maximizes the variational Hamiltonian. The nonoptimality of any four-impulse strategy is determined numerically by observing the reflection of every extremal from either an envelope (conjugate point test) or a switching surface on or before the application of the fourth impulse. This test is carried out in Regions I, II, and III of Marec, as well as the special transition region of Breakwell near the boundary of Region III.

Kechichian, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Fuel optimal maneuvers for spacecraft with fixed thrusters

Several mathematical models, including a minimum integral square criterion problem, were used for the qualitative investigation of fuel optimal maneuvers for spacecraft with fixed thrusters. The solutions consist of intervals of "full thrust" and "coast" indicating that thrusters do not need to be designed as "throttleable" for fuel optimal performance. For the primary model considered, singular solutions occur only if the optimal solution is "pure translation". "Time optimal" singular solutions can be found which consist of intervals of "coast" and "full thrust". The shape of the optimal fuel consumption curve as a function of flight time was found to depend on whether or not the initial state is in the region admitting singular solutions. Comparisons of fuel optimal maneuvers in deep space with those relative to a point in circular orbit indicate that qualitative differences in the solutions can occur. Computation of fuel consumption for certain "pure translation" cases indicates that considerable savings in fuel can result from the fuel optimal maneuvers.

Carter, T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Numerical integration of the satellites of the outer planets

The formulation of a numerical integration program, used to construct ephemerides for satellites of the outer planets, is described. The equations of motion are derived, including (1) n massive integrated satellites, (2) m massive perturbing planets, (3) J2, J4 oblateness coefficients of the primary and each satellite, and (4) a barycentric coordinate system. Variational equations are also found: (1) 6n initial states and n masses of the integrated satellites, (2) J2, J4 of the primary planet, (3) the mass of the system, and (4) right ascension and declination of the pole. The formulation was used to construct the satellite ephemerides of Saturn for the Voyager mission.

Peters, C. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Collapse models for dark interstellar clouds

Properties of self-consistent numerical hydrodynamic models are compared with observed properties of several dark clouds. The results are consistent with the view that these clouds are undergoing gravitational collapse. The clouds appear to have evolved from similar initial states and to have ages comparable to their free-fall times. Derived cloud masses range between 10 and 1000 solar masses, correlating with cloud size. The models reproduce observed cloud-to-cloud variations in the (C-13)O abundance, and they offer additional evidence that the (C-13)O abundance varies within individual clouds.

Villere, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Volcanism and igneous processes in small icy satellites

Evidence for the production of endogenic processes of the small Saturnian satellites by igneous activity of low melting point NH3-H2O magma heated radiogenically is presented. An initial state of the inner satellites is modeled as a homogeneous mixture of particulate silicates and ices. Conductive transport is assumed to have either combined with heat capacity in a mixture of crystalline phases, or to have been reduced by the presence of dust, defects, vitreous or amorphous phases, and clathrates. The extent to which a eutectic melt could form is calculated in terms of the volume percentage of melt, with all heating above 175 K going toward overcoming the latent heat of the eutectic mix. Mimas and Enceladus were treated as free from radiogenic heat sources, which were significant for Tethys, Dione, Rhea, and Iapetus. The migrations of inner materials to form surface structures and seal off the interiors of the moons are described.

Stevenson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A numerical experiment on the equilibrium and stability of a rotating galactic bar

A self-consistent, three-dimensional numerical experiment is performed on an N-body system whose initial state is a realization of a certain theoretical model of a rotating triaxial galaxy. The model is a stellar-dynamical counterpart of a uniformly rotating polytrope of index equal to 0.5. The aim of the experiment is to study the equilibrium of the system and, in particular, to test its stability. The experimental system behaves in the mean like a realization of the theoretical model for at least seven crossing times. The principal departure of the system from equilibrium is an oscillation which is identified as a radial pulsation. There is no indication in its behavior that the system is unstable with respect to anu mode with an e-folding time shorter than or of the order of two crossing times. Certain changes that occur in the state of the system are interpreted, with the aid of the theoretical model, as secular changes which result from a slight failure of our numerical methods to conserve the mass, energy, and angular momentum of the system; these effects are small enough that they do not vitiate the experiment on a dynamical time scale.

Miller, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The effect of model resolution and satellite sounding data on GLAS model forecasts

The effect of horizontal model resolution on satellite data impact has been studied for two versions of the GLAS second-order general circulation model: the C-model with a 4-deg latitude by 5-deg longitude resolution and the F-model with a 2.5-deg latitude and 3-deg longitude resolution. It is found that the 48-72 h forecast skill of the GLAS model was significantly improved by the increased resolution. Initial state differences between the SAT and NOSAT cycles using the F-model were on the average smaller than the corresponding differences with the C-model. However, the F-model cycle differences exhibited a smaller scale structure and, in some cases, larger gradients.

Atlas, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

On identifiability of flexible structure parameters

This report investigates the identifiability of modal parameters of flexible structures. Expressions are derived for Cramer-Rao lower bounds for the modal parameters, that is, frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes or slopes. The optimal initial state, which maximizes the trace of the Fisher information matrix in the absence of persistent input, is obtained. The concepts discussed are applied to a finite-element model of the 122 meter hoop/column antenna. The numerical results show that the identifiability of the structural frequencies is excellent, followed by that of the damping ratios and the mode-slopes.

Joshi, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Numerical studies of major and minor stratospheric warmings caused by orographic forcing

A primitive equation spectral model using spherical harmonics is formulated to study dynamic interactions between the troposphere and stratosphere in association with sudden stratospheric warmings. Using sigma coordinates for five tropospheric layers and log-pressure coordinates for 26 stratospheric and mesospheric layers, separate model equations for each system are combined to form single matrix governing equations. The gradual introduction of large scale topography to balanced initial states representative of observed mean winter conditions in the Northern Hemisphere is used for the generation of planetary waves during 40-day time integrations. Results of these integrations indicate that stratospheric warmings can be simulated by this orographic forcing and that mean momentum flux divergence due to zonal mean motion appears to be an essential mechanism of these simulated sudden warmings. It was found that the strength of the polar night jet can be a determining factor whether a warming becomes 'major' or 'minor'.

Koermer, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Improved turbulence models based on large eddy simulation of homogeneous, incompressible turbulent flows

The physical bases of large eddy simulation and subgrid modeling are studied. A subgrid scale similarity model is developed that can account for system rotation. Large eddy simulations of homogeneous shear flows with system rotation were carried out. Apparently contradictory experimental results were explained. The main effect of rotation is to increase the transverse length scales in the rotation direction, and thereby decrease the rates of dissipation. Experimental results are shown to be affected by conditions at the turbulence producing grid, which make the initial states a function of the rotation rate. A two equation model is proposed that accounts for effects of rotation and shows good agreement with experimental results. In addition, a Reynolds stress model is developed that represents the turbulence structure of homogeneous shear flows very well and can account also for the effects of system rotation.

Bardino, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Performance of the Lester battery charger in electric vehicles

Tests are performed on an improved battery charger. The primary purpose of the testing is to develop test methodologies for battery charger evaluation. Tests are developed to characterize the charger in terms of its charge algorithm and to assess the effects of battery initial state of charge and temperature on charger and battery efficiency. Tests show this charger to be a considerable improvement in the state of the art for electric vehicle chargers.

Vivian, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Time scales for the decay of induced large-scale magnetic fields in the Venus ionosphere

Observations made with the aid of a magnetometer on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter have shown large-scale horizontal magnetic fields in the dayside ionosphere of Venus. According to Cloutier and Daniell (1981), the observed magnetic structures may be quasi-steady features produced by an ionospheric current system driven by solar wind interaction. Russell et al. (1983) have suggested that the altitude profiles of the horizontal field on different orbits exhibit a pattern which can be interpreted as phases in the temporal evolution of an initial state in which the ionosphere was permeated with magnetosheath-like fields. The present investigation is concerned with the argument in favor of a temporal versus spatial explanation for some of the observed field structure. A calculation indicates that the diffusion time for ionospheric fields is long enough to justify attributing the observed fields to the 'memory' of the Venus ionosphere in certain regions.

Luhmann, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design of the hybrid automated reliability predictor

The design of the Hybrid Automated Reliability Predictor (HARP), now under development at Duke University, is presented. The HARP approach to reliability prediction is characterized by a decomposition of the overall model into fault-occurrence and fault-handling sub-models. The fault-occurrence model is a non-homogeneous Markov chain which is solved analytically, while the fault-handling model is a Petri Net which is simulated. HARP provides automated analysis of sensitivity to uncertainties in the input parameters and in the initial state specifications. It then produces a predicted reliability band as a function of mission time, as well as estimates of the improvement (narrowing of the band) to be gained by a specified amount of reduction in uncertainty.

Geist, R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Multiple parent bodies of ordinary chondrites

Thermal histories of chondrite parent bodies are calculated from an initial state with material in a powder-like form, taking into account the effect of consolidation state on thermal conductivity. The very low thermal conductivity of the starting materials makes it possible for a small body with a radius of less than 100 km to be heated by several hundred degrees even if long-lived radioactive elements in chondritic abundances are the only source of heat. The maximum temperature is determined primarily by the temperature at which sintering of the constituent materials occurs. The thermal state of the interior of a chondrite parent body after sintering has begun is nearly isothermal. Near the surface, however, where the material is unconsolidated and the thermal conductivity is much lower, the thermal gradient is quite large. This result contradicts the conventional 'onion-shell' model of chondrite parent bodies. But because the internal temperature is almost constant through the whole body, it supports a 'multiple-parent bodies' model, according to which each petrologic type of chondrite comes from a different parent body.

Yomogida, K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Some New Mathematical Methods for Variational Objective Analysis

New and/or improved variational methods for simultaneously combining forecast, heterogeneous observational data, a priori climatology, and physics to obtain improved estimates of the initial state of the atmosphere for the purpose of numerical weather prediction are developed. Cross validated spline methods are applied to atmospheric data for the purpose of improved description and analysis of atmospheric phenomena such as the tropopause and frontal boundary surfaces.

Wahba, G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Experiments on the Assimilation of Patches of Data Using a Barotropic Model

Experiments were performed to examine the impact of adopting various procedures in the assimilation of patches of data during the progress of a numerical forecast. A barotropic model described by Takacs and Balgovind, 1983 is used for the experiments. The model is global and its discretization is similar to the GLA Fourth Order GCM. The effect of orography is included in the model. The experiments are of an identical twin kind. The nature run starts from global fields of wind (u and v) and height (h) at 300 mb. They are real data of January, 1979 OOZ which were interpolated from the adjacent sigma levels of the GLA GCM and then balanced by the bounded derivative method. From this initial state a 6 day forecast is performed. At intervals of 3 hours this information is saved over sectors of 60 width in longitude, from the south pole to the north pole, to simulate data coverage and observational frequency of a polar orbiting satellite.

Semazzi, F. H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Dynamic Considerations for Control of Closed Life Support Systems

Reliability of closed life support systems depend on their ability to continue supplying the crew's needs during perturbations and equipment failures. The dynamic considerations interact with the basic static design through the sizing of storages, the specification of excess capacities in processors, and the choice of system initial state. A very simple system flow model was used to examine the possibilities for system failures even when there is sufficient storage to buffer the immediate effects of the perturbation. Two control schemes are shown which have different dynamic consequences in response to component failures.

Babcock, P. S.↗