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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 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1932

Influence of several factors on ignition lag in a compression-ignition engine

This investigation was made to determine the influence of fuel quality, injection advance angle, injection valve-opening pressure, inlet-air pressure, compression ratio, and engine speed on the time lag of auto-ignition of a Diesel fuel oil in a single-cylinder compression-ignition engine as obtained from an analysis of indicator diagrams. Three cam-operated fuel-injection pumps, two pumps cams, and an automatic injection valve with two different nozzles were used. Ignition lag was considered to be the interval between the start of injection of the fuel as determined with a Stroborama and the start of effective combustion as determined from the indicator diagram, the latter being the point where 4.0 x 10(exp-6) pound of fuel had been effectively burned. For this particular engine and fuel it was found that: (1) for a constant start and the same rate of fuel injection up the point of cut-off, a variation in fuel quantity from 1.2 x 10(exp-4) to 4.1 x 10(exp-4) pound per cycle has no appreciable effect on the ignition lag; (2) injection advance angle increases or decreases the lag according to whether density, temperature, or turbulence has the controlling influence; (3) increase in valve-opening pressure slightly increases the lag; and (4) increase of inlet-air pressure, compression ratio, and engine speed reduces the lag.

Gerrish, Harold C↗
NASA NTRS2016

Supplement: The Rate of Binary Black Hole Mergers Inferred from Advanced LIGO Observations Surrounding GW150914

This article provides supplemental information for a Letter reporting the rate of (BBH) coalescences inferred from 16 days of coincident Advanced LIGO observations surrounding the transient (GW) signal GW150914. In that work wereported various rate estimates whose 90% confidence intervals fell in the range 2600 Gpc(exp -3) yr(exp -1). Here we givedetails on our method and computations, including information about our search pipelines, a derivation of ourlikelihood function for the analysis, a description of the astrophysical search trigger distribution expected frommerging BBHs, details on our computational methods, a description of the effects and our model for calibrationuncertainty, and an analytic method for estimating our detector sensitivity, which is calibrated to our measurements.

gravitational waves – stars: black holes↗
NASA NTRS1977

Computerized X-ray reconstruction tomography in stereometric analysis of cardiovascular dynamics

A computerized technique is proposed for obtaining cross-sectional images of the dynamic spatial distribution of X-ray attenuation covering the entire anatomic extent of the thorax and its contents in living dogs with a resolution of 1 mm and at time intervals of 1/60 sec. Use is made of an X-ray imaging chain which is a new high-performance video-fluoroscopic system, unique in its design and construction and called SSDSR for single source dynamic spatial reconstructor. This dynamic spatial reconstruction system is shown to provide the temporally and spatially coherent multiple cross sections required to obtain the full three-dimensional anatomic and simultaneous hemodynamic information necessary for detailed quantitative analyses of regional cardiopulmonary and vascular functions in both basic investigations of animals and clinical diagnostic applications to patients. Numerous photographs supplement the text.

Robb, R. A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Natural Variability on the Use of Standard Deviation to Represent Measurement Uncertainties in Atmospheric Composition Studies

Measurement uncertainty is defined as a “non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a measurand”. It is most common that the uncertainties of GAW hourly measurements, such as greenhouse gas measurements, are reported as standard deviations derived from individual sampling at a higher time resolution (e.g., 1 min). In contrast, the uncertainties of GAW measurements of reactive gases and aerosol properties are reported in percentiles covering the same probability. A quick look at hourly CO 2 data from Cape Grim, Australia yielded some interesting findings: the hourly standard deviation is, on average, more than a factor of 10 higher for the measurements under non-background conditions (over 50% observations), while the difference in average CO 2 amount fraction was less than 2 ppm. The dramatic contrast cannot be explained by the difference in measurement uncertainties, but can largely be attributed the natural variability, or episodic ambient CO 2 variation reflecting changes in meteorological conditions or emissions. These initial findings motivated a more in-depth analysis of the ground-based measurements of trace gases and aerosol properties. This analysis will be using continuous 1 min ground site observations to construct time averaged statistical indicators to evaluate whether the standard deviation is adequate to represent the dispersion, especially under marked influence by natural variability. The suitability of this representation can be determined by examining the difference between the standard deviation and percentiles encompassing the same probability. We will examine time intervals of 1 hour, 3 hours, and 24 hours, with the latter time intervals chosen to match those commonly used in model assessments. We will also investigate how natural variability can alter the probability distribution of the measurands and how adequate the quadrature propagation of uncertainties is under these conditions. The results will include several trace gases (e.g., CO 2 , CO, O 3 , and NO 2 ) with a range of measurement techniques (e.g., PANDORA, in situ), atmospheric lifetimes, and aerosol properties (e.g. scattering coefficient). The findings from this analysis should provide some useful feedback on the best practices for uncertainty reporting.

Measurement Uncertainty↗
NASA NTRS1994

A preliminary analysis of low frequency pressure oscillations in hybrid rocket motors

Past research with hybrid rockets has suggested that certain motor operating conditions are conducive to the formation of pressure oscillations, or flow instabilities, within the motor combustion chamber. These combustion-related vibrations or pressure oscillations may be encountered in virtually any type of rocket motor and typically fall into three frequency ranges: low frequency oscillations (0-300 Hz); intermediate frequency oscillations (400-1000 Hz); and high frequency oscillations (greater than 1000 Hz). In general, combustion instability is characterized by organized pressure oscillations occurring at well-defined intervals with pressure peaks that may maintain themselves, grow, or die out. Usually, such peaks exceed +/- 5% of the mean chamber pressure. For hybrid motors, these oscillations have been observed to grow to a limiting amplitude which may be dependent on factors such as fuel characteristics, oxidizer injector characteristics, average chamber pressure, oxidizer mass flux, combustion chamber length, and grain geometry. The approach taken in the present analysis is to develop a modified chamber length, L, instability theory which accounts for the relationship between pressure and oxidizer to fuel concentration ratio in the motor.

Jenkins, Rhonald M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Solar activity prediction

A statistical study of formulas for predicting the sunspot number several years in advance is reported. By using a data lineup with cycle maxima coinciding, and by using multiple and nonlinear predictors, a new formula which gives better error estimates than former formulas derived from the work of McNish and Lincoln is obtained. A statistical analysis is conducted to determine which of several mathematical expressions best describes the relationship between 10.7 cm solar flux and Zurich sunspot numbers. Attention is given to the autocorrelation of the observations, and confidence intervals for the derived relationships are presented. The accuracy of predicting a value of 10.7 cm solar flux from a predicted sunspot number is dicussed.

Slutz, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A variational technique for smoothing flight-test and accident data

The problem of determining aircraft motions along a trajectory is solved using a variational algorithm that generates unmeasured states and forcing functions, and estimates instrument bias and scale-factor errors. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear fixed-interval smoothing problem, and is solved as a sequence of linear two-point boundary value problems, using a sweep method. The algorithm has been implemented for use in flight-test and accident analysis. Aircraft motions are assumed to be governed by a six-degree-of-freedom kinematic model; forcing functions consist of body accelerations and winds, and the measurement model includes aerodynamic and radar data. Examples of the determination of aircraft motions from typical flight-test and accident data are presented.

Bach, R. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A method for developing design diagrams for ceramic and glass materials using fatigue data

The service lifetime of glass and ceramic materials can be expressed as a plot of time-to-failure versus applied stress whose plot is parametric in percent probability of failure. This type of plot is called a design diagram. Confidence interval estimates for such plots depend on the type of test that is used to generate the data, on assumptions made concerning the statistical distribution of the test results, and on the type of analysis used. This report outlines the development of design diagrams for glass and ceramic materials in engineering terms using static or dynamic fatigue tests, assuming either no particular statistical distribution of test results or a Weibull distribution and using either median value or homologous ratio analysis of the test results.

Heslin, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Spatial gradients in the heliospheric magnetic field - Pioneer 11 observations between 1 AU and 24 AU, and over solar cycle 21

The large-scale temporal behavior and spatial gradients in the heliospheric magnetic field were investigated using magnetic field observations by Pioneer 11 and ISEE 3/ICE satellites, including observations out to a radial distance of 24 AU and over a time interval that includes the recent solar minimum. It was found that, to first order, the gradients in the magnetic field magnitude and in the azimutal component agree well with the Parker (1958) model. The analysis of the Pioneer data confirms previous reports of a magnetic field flux deficit of about 1 percent/AU, so that at 20 AU the relative deficit is of the order of 20 percent. It is argued that most of the magnetic field deficit is in the radial gradient.

Winterhalter, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS1992

Search for deterministic pulse trends in gamma ray burst temporal profiles

Most cosmic gamma-ray burst temporal profiles appear to be comprised of several individual pulses, many of which overlap. It is advantageous to deconvolve the temporal structures into their constituent pulses, and thereby investigate the shape, intensity and temporal distributions of the pulses as a function of energy. Such fundamental pulse descriptors would provide constraints for theoretical modeling of the burst emission process, such as indications of source size, optical depth and geometry, as a function of time. We have developed a deconvolution algorithm which treats sequences of pulse shapes that change deterministically. The algorithm, a generalization of autoregressive techniques, has been applied to a few bright bursts observed by BATSE. Results indicate that, even within short intervals, constituent pulses are not self-similarly shaped, nor do pulse shapes evolve in a simple manner throughout a burst. Hence, the direction of our future work on pulse deconvolution will focus on analysis methods which allow pulse shape to vary.

Norris, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

First assessment of GPS-based reduced dynamic orbit determination on TOPEX/Poseidon

The reduced dynamic Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking technique has been applied for the first time as part of the GPS experiment on TOPEX/Poseidon. This technique employs local geometric position corrections to reduce orbit errors caused by the mismodeling of satellite forces. Results for a 29-day interval in early 1993 are evaluated through postfit residuals and formal errors, comparison with GPS and laser/DORIS dynamic solutions, comparisons on 6-hr overlaps of adjacent 30-hr data arcs, altimetry closure and crossover analysis. Reduced dynamic orbits yield slightly better crossover agreement than other techniques and appear to be accurate in altitude to about 3 cm RMS.

Yunck, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A Variational Technique for Smoothing Flight-Test and Accident Data

The problem of determining aircraft motions along a trajectory is solved using a variational algorithm that generates unmeasured states and forcing functions, and estimates instrument bias and scale-factor errors. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear fixed-interval smoothing problem, and is solved as a sequence or linear two-point boundary value problems, using a sweep method. The algorithm has been implemented for use in flight-test and accident analysis. Aircraft motions are assumed to be governed by a six-degree-of-freedom kinematic model; forcing functions consist of body accelerations and winds, and the measurement model includes aerodynamic and radar data. Examples of the determination of aircraft motions from typical flight-test and accident data are presented.

Bach, Ralph E. , Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Gender Differences in Baroreflex Sensitivity after Bed Rest

Two potential contributing factors to post-spaceflight orthostatic intolerance are decreases in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and sympathetic nervous system response. The purpose of this study was to examine the shape of the BRS curve and sympathetic response to a wide range of blood pressures (BP) before and during 6 head-down bed rest (BR). METHODS: Normal volunteers were tested one day before BR (20M, 1 0F) and near BR days 30 (20M, 10F), 60 (16M, 8F), and 90 (1 0M, 5F). BP was pharmacologically manipulated by 10-min infusions of phenylephrine (PE) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at 3 increasing concentrations with a 20-min rest between PE and SNP. Electrocardiogram and continuous finger blood pressure were recorded. A blood sample was drawn at the end of each infusion to measure plasma norepinephrine levels. The spontaneous baroreflex slope (SBS), a measure of BRS, was calculated as the slope of a sequence of 3 or more beats in which the systolic BP (SBP) and following R-R interval (RR) both increased or decreased. The data included saturated responses at the upper but not the lower end of the BP range. Mean response curves were constructed using second-order mixed model analysis. Results are based on term significance in the models. RESULTS RR: RR was lower during BR than pre BR (p<0.001). Pre BR males were modeled by a linear RR response to SBP (p=0.000) while females had a quadratic response which saturated at high SBP (p=0.019). By day 30, both genders were modeled by a linear response; compared to males, females had an attenuated (lower slope) RR response to changes in SBP (p=0.031). SBS: SBS vs SBP analysis showed a lower SBS during BR (p<0.001) when compared to pre BR. Females had a higher SBS than males pre BR (p=0.006). Females exhibited saturating SBS at higher SBP (p=0.016) on day 30, while males were modeled by a linear SBS response to SBP (p=0.035). NE: Females had different NE response to diastolic BP than males pre BR (p=0.035) and on day 30 (p=0.005). CONCLUSION: NE, RR and SBS responses to BP are affected by gender and BR. Not only do gender and BR baseline differences exist, but gender and BR also influence the slope and saturation of the BRS curves. Attenuated and saturating RR and SBS responses, as well as differences in baseline values, may contribute to the higher rates of orthostatic intolerance in women and after bed rest.

Arzeno, Natalia M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Statistical Aspects of North Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones During the Weather Satellite Era, 1960-2013: Part 1

A tropical cyclone is described as a warm-core, nonfrontal, synoptic-scale system that originates over tropical or subtropical waters, having organized deep convection and closed surface wind circulation (counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere) about a well defined center. When its sustained wind speed equals 34-63 kt, it is called a tropical (or subtropical) storm and is given a name (i.e., alternating male and female names, beginning in 1979); when its sustained wind speed equals 64-95 kt, it is called a hurricane (at least in the Eastern Pacific and North Atlantic basin); and when its sustained wind speed equals 96 kt or higher, it is called an intense or major hurricane (i.e., categories 3-5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale). Although tropical cyclones have been reported and described since the voyages of Columbus, a detailed record of their occurrences extends only from 1851 to the present, with the most reliable portion extending only from about 1945 to the present, owing to the use of near-continuous routine reconnaissance aircraft monitoring flights and the use of satellite imagery (beginning in 1960; see Davis). Even so, the record may still be incomplete, possibly missing at least one tropical cyclone per yearly hurricane season, especially prior to the use of continuous satellite monitoring. In fact, often an unnamed tropical cyclone is included in the year-end listing of events at the conclusion of the season, following post-season analysis (e.g., as happened in 2011 and 2013, each having one unnamed event). In this two-part Technical Publication (TP), statistical aspects of the North Atlantic basin tropical cyclones are examined for the interval 1960-2013, the weather satellite era. Part 1 examines some 25 parameters of tropical cyclones (e.g., frequencies, peak wind speed (PWS), accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), etc.), while part 2 examines the relationship of these parameters against specific climate-related factors. These studies are a continuation of nearly two decades of previous tropical cyclone-related investigations.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Satellite-Based Assessment of Grassland Conversion and Related Fire Disturbance in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Spruce beetle-induced (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby)) mortality on the Kenai Peninsula has heightened local wildfire risk as canopy loss facilitates the conversion from bare to fire-prone grassland. We collected images from NASA satellite-based Earth observations to visualize land cover succession at roughly five-year intervals following a severe, mid-1990's beetle infestation to the present. We classified these data by vegetation cover type to quantify grassland encroachment patterns over time. Raster band math provided a change detection analysis on the land cover classifications. Results indicate the highest wildfire risk is linked to herbaceous and black spruce land cover types, The resulting land cover change image will give the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (KENWR) ecologists a better understanding of where forests have converted to grassland since the 1990s. These classifications provided a foundation for us to integrate digital elevation models (DEMs), temperature, and historical fire data into a model using Python for assessing and mapping changes in wildfire risk. Spatial representations of this risk will contribute to a better understanding of ecological trajectories of beetle-affected landscapes, thereby informing management decisions at KENWR.

Risk modeling↗
NASA NTRS2018

HZETRN Radiation Transport Validation Using Balloon-Based Experimental Data

The deterministic radiation transport code HZETRN (High charge (Z) and Energy TRaNsport) was developed by NASA to study the effects of cosmic radiation on astronauts and instrumentation shielded by various materials. This work presents an analysis of computed differential flux from HZETRN compared with measurement data from three balloon-based experiments over a range of atmospheric depths, particle types, and energies. Model uncertainties were quantified using an interval-based validation metric that takes into account measurement uncertainty both in the flux and the energy at which it was measured. Average uncertainty metrics were computed for the entire dataset as well as subsets of the measurements (by experiment, particle type, energy, etc.) to reveal any specific trends of systematic over- or under-prediction by HZETRN. The distribution of individual model uncertainties was also investigated to study the range and dispersion of errors beyond just single scalar and interval metrics. The differential fluxes from HZETRN were generally well-correlated with balloon-based measurements; the median relative model difference across the entire dataset was determined to be 30%. The distribution of model uncertainties, however, revealed that the range of errors was relatively broad, with approximately 30% of the uncertainties exceeding ± 40%. The distribution also indicated that HZETRN systematically under-predicts the measurement dataset as a whole, with approximately 80% of the relative uncertainties having negative values. Instances of systematic bias for subsets of the data were also observed, including a significant underestimation of alpha particles and protons for energies below 2.5 GeV/u. Muons were found to be systematically over-predicted at atmospheric depths deeper than 50 g/cm(sup 2) but under-predicted for shallower depths. Furthermore, a systematic under-prediction of alpha particles and protons was observed below the geomagnetic cutoff, suggesting that improvements to the light ion production cross sections in HZETRN should be investigated.

James E Warner↗
NASA NTRS1994

Development of a composite repair and the associated inspection intervals for the F-111C stiffener runout region

This paper presents an overview of the structural aspects of the design and development of a local reinforcement designed to lower the stresses in a region of the F-111C wing fitting which is prone to cracking. The stress analysis, with particular emphasis on the use of a unified constitutive model for the cyclic inelastic response of the structure, representative specimen testing, thermal analysis and full scale static testing of this design are summarized.

Jones, R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The effects of spaceflight on open-loop and closed-loop postural control mechanisms: human neurovestibular studies on SLS-2

Stabilogram-diffusion analysis was used to examine how prolonged periods in microgravity affect the open-loop and closed-loop postural control mechanisms. It was hypothesized that following spaceflight: (1) the effective stochastic activity of the open-loop postural control schemes in astronauts is increased; (2) the effective stochastic activity and uncorrelated behavior, respectively, of the closed-loop postural control mechanisms in astronauts are increased; and (3) astronauts utilized open-loop postural controls schemes for shorter time intervals and smaller displacements. Four crew members and two alternates from the 14-day Spacelab Life Sciences 2 Mission were included in the study. Each subject was tested under eyes-open, quiet-standing conditions on multiple preflight and postflight days. The subjects' center-of-pressure trajectories were measured with a force platform and analyzed according to stabilogram-diffusion analysis. It was found that the effective stochastic activity of the open-loop postural control schemes in three of the four crew members was increased following spaceflight. This result is interpreted as an indication that there may be in-flight adaptations to higher-level descending postural control pathways, e.g., a postflight increase in the tonic activation of postural muscles. This change may also be the consequence of a compensatory (e.g., "stiffening") postural control strategy that is adopted by astronauts to account for general feeling of postflight unsteadiness. The crew members, as a group, did not exhibit any consistent preflight/postflight differences in the steady-state behavior of their closed-loop postural control mechanisms or in the functional interaction of their open-loop and closed-loop postural control mechanisms. These results are interpreted as indications that although there may be in-flight adaptations to the vestibular system and/or proprioceptive system, input from the visual system can compensate for such changes during undisturbed stance.

NASA Program Flight↗