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At least 649 records · Page 36

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NASA NTRS1975

Strong scintillations in astrophysics. III - The fluctuations in intensity

Fluctuations in intensity due to wave propagation in a wide range of turbulent media, are discussed on the basis of a previously developed theory of strong scintillations. An asymptotic analytic solution to the fourth-moment equation is presented, and its range of validity is discussed. Various parameters characterizing the intensity fluctuations, such as scintillation index and correlation scale, are expressed in terms of turbulence parameters for both Gaussian and power-law irregularity spectra as well as for thick and thin turbulent media.

Lee, L. C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Two-component model for cosmic-ray fluctuations at neutron monitor energies

A formal model for the fluctuations of the cosmic-ray intensity near earth is presented. For frequencies exceeding 5 x 10 to the -6 Hz, the fluctuations are due to field-aligned-anisotropy induced interplanetary 'scintillations' of cosmic rays, while for lower frequencies the effects of non-field-aligned anisotropies dominate. Cross-correlations between neutron monitor counting rates and the interplanetary magnetic field components are presented which support the model.

Jokipii, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Noise reduction from the redesign of a fan stage to minimize stator lift fluctuations

An existing fan stage, redesigned to reduce stator lift fluctuations, was acoustically tested for reduced noise generation. The lift fluctuations on the stator were reduced by increasing the stator chord, adjusting incidence angles, and by adjusting the rotor velocity diagrams. The experiments showed significantly reduced broadband noise levels in the middle to high frequencies. Blade passage tone power was not reduced, but decreases in the harmonics were observed. Aerodynamic improvements in both performance and efficiency were obtained.

Dittmar, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Effects of stream-associated fluctuations upon the radial variation of average solar-wind parameters

The effects of nonlinear fluctuations due to solar wind streams upon radial gradients of average solar wind parameters are computed, using a numerical MHD model for both spherically symmetric time dependent and corotating equatorial flow approximations. Significant effects of correlations are found between fluctuations upon the gradients of azimuthal magnetic fields, radial velocity, density and azimuthal velocity. Between 400 to 900 solar radii stream interactions have transferred the major portion of the angular momentum flux to the magnetic field; at even greater distances the plasma again carries the bulk of the angular momentum flux. The average azimuthal component of the magnetic field may decrease as much as 10% faster than the Archimedean spiral out to 6 AU due to stream interactions, but this result is dependent upon inner boundary conditions.

Goldstein, B. E.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Noise of fan designed to reduce stator lift fluctuations

An existing fan stage was redesigned to reduce stator lift fluctuations and was acoustically tested at three nozzle sizes for reduced noise generation. The lift fluctuations on the stator were reduced by increasing the stator cord, adjusting incidence angles, and adjusting the rotor velocity diagrams. Broadband noise levels were signficantly reduced in the middle to high frequencies. Blade passage tone sound power was not lessened, but decreases in the harmonics were observed. Aerodynamic improvements in both performance and efficiency were obtained.

Dittmar, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Measurements of surface-pressure and wake-flow fluctuations in the flow field of a whitcomb supercritical airfoil

Measurements of surface pressure and wake flow fluctuations were made as part of a transonic wind tunnel investigation into the nature of a supercritical airfoil flow field. Emphasis was on a range of high subsonic Mach numbers and moderate lift coefficients corresponding to the development of drag divergence and buffeting. Fluctuation data were analyzed statistically for intensity, frequency content, and spatial coherence. Variations in these parameters were correlated with changes in the mean airfoil flow field.

Roos, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Measurements of large-scale density fluctuations in the solar wind using dual-frequency phase scintillations

It is demonstrated that phase-difference scintillations measured with a coherent dual-frequency radio system such as that on Mariner 10 can be used to study the structure of density fluctuations in the solar wind covering a wider range of scale sizes than has ever been possible before. The Mariner 10 observations at solar elongations of 11.5 and 12.6 deg show that the density spectrum in the frequency range from 0.0001 to 0.5 Hz, which corresponds to the spatial wavenumber range of 2 millionths to 0.001 inverse km if the solar wind velocity is assumed to be 350 km/s, is approximately power-law and close to Kolmogorov (spectral index of 11/3). The results are consistent with direct spacecraft observations near earth and provide strong evidence that the density fluctuations are produced by turbulence. The potential and benefits of future extensive measurements are also discussed.

Woo, R.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Fluctuation spectra in the NASA Lewis bumpy-torus plasma

The electrostatic potential fluctuation spectrum in the NASA Lewis bumpy-torus plasma was studied with capacitive probes in the low pressure (high impedance) mode and in the high pressure (low impedance) mode. Under different operating conditions, the plasma exhibited electrostatic potential fluctuations (1) at a set of discrete frequencies, (2) at a continuum of frequencies, and (3) as incoherent high-frequency turbulence. The frequencies and azimuthal wave numbers were determined from digitally implemented autopower and cross-power spectra. The azimuthal dispersion characteristics of the unstable waves were examined by varying the electrode voltage, the polarity of the voltage, and the neutral background density at a constant magnetic field strength.

Singh, C. M.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Remote sensing of sea state by analysis of backscattered microwave phase fluctuations

The relative phase of a normally incident microwave signal scattered off the sea surface is a random function of space and time. The statistics of these random phase fluctuations contain information about the wave-height statistics. This study demonstrates that the wave-height spectra can be deduced directly in terms of the spectra of the phase fluctuations without recourse to inversion techniques even when surface roughness exceeds many wavelengths of the incident signal. In the particular case of a nadir-directed satellite-mounted microwave source operating in the backscatter mode, the wave-height and phase spatial spectra are proportional with a constant proportionality of (2k0) squared, where k0 is the wavenumber of the scattered signal.

Clifford, S. F.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Thermal response to ozone fluctuations of the stratosphere

Correlations between stratospheric meteorological parameters and ozone amount are examined in terms of radiation absorption by ozone. Fluctuations of ozone concentration at subtropic latitudes in summer are analyzed on the assumption that local temperature is governed entirely by radiative equilibrium. The analysis suggests that the fluctuations of mean monthly temperature and ozone are not only correlated, but also follow the order-of-magnitude values expected if ozone heating dominates the temperatures. Most direct control of ozone on temperature exists in the lowest parts of the stratosphere.

Stanulonis, S. F.↗

NASA NTRS1979

The source of electrostatic fluctuations in the solar-wind

Solar wind electron and ion distribution functions measured simultaneously with or close to times of intense electrostatic fluctuations are subjected to a linear Vlasov stability analysis. Although all distributions tested were found to be stable, the analysis suggests that the ion beam instability is the most likely source of the fluctuations.

Lemons, D. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Turbulent density fluctuations in a subsonic and transonic free jet using crossed-beam schlieren techniques

Scalar density fluctuations were measured nonintrusively in the shear layer of a 5.08-cm (2-in.) cold air jet using a crossed-beam schlieren method. Two statistics, covariance and three-dimensional spectrum function, were estimated for an exit Mach number range of 0.3 to 0.97. The density fluctuation intensity, integral scale, and eddy convection speed were calculated and compared to available data where possible. Spectra were found to change significantly in shape becoming less peaked between 3 and 9 jet diameters downstream from the orifice, but they consistently exhibited a -5/3 power law decay at 3, 6, and 9 diameters for frequencies above the peak.

Martin, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Pressure fluctuations on the surface of a cylinder in uniform flow

The problem of determining the pressure fluctuations induced on the surface of a cylinder by the fluctuating wake behind it is formulated. A formal solution relating the unsteady surface pressure field to the velocity field in the wake is derived and used to obtain general results independent of cylinder shape and Reynolds number. The case of the circular cylinder is then examined in detail.

Ayoub, A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Fluctuations in the microwave background at large angular scale

The measurements of fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background are shown to be consistent with the first order anisotropy at the level of about one part in a thousand and the limits of about one part in three thousand for fluctuations on any other scale. It is suggested that the first order anisotropy is due to the motion of the solar system relative to the radiation. This interpretation is evidence supporting the Cosmological Principle. The observed isotropy of the cosmic microwave background contradicts the concept of an indefinite hierarchy of clustering in the universe.

Smoot, G. F.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Interstellar polarization in an irregularly fluctuating medium

The interstellar polarization of starlight for an irregularly fluctuating medium is analyzed statistically. A general formulation is presented for the case in which the propagation distance s is larger than the coherence scale of the fluctuations. One specific result for randomly changing field direction is that the linear polarization saturates at a value which can be much less than unity, in agreement with observations.

Nee, S. F.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Space-time metrical fluctuations induced by cosmic turbulence

For a stochastic stress-energy tensor associated with cosmic turbulence, it is observed that Einstein's equations imply fluctuations in the space-time metric tensor. Such metrical fluctuations are shown to engender modified values for the average effective proper density and total pressure and thus to alter the solutions to the Friedman equations.

Rosen, G.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Measurements of temperature and pressure fluctuations in the T prime 2 cryogenic wind tunnel

Cold wire measurement of temperature fluctuations were made in a DERAT T'2 induction powered cryogenic wind tunnel for 2 types of liquid nitrogen injectors. Thermal turbulence measured in the tranquilization chamber depends to a great extent on the injector used; for fine spray of nitrogen drops, this level of turbulence seemed completely acceptable. Fluctuations in static pressure taken from the walls of the vein by Kulite sensors showed that there was no increase in aerodynamic noise during cryogenic gusts.

Blanchard, A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Study of the fluctuations in the cosmic X-ray background

The emerging picture indicates that neither the total cosmic X-ray background (CXB) flux nor the fluctuations are completely dominated by any single class of sources. Quasars clearly contribute a substantial fraction of the total flux while galaxy cluster X-ray sources and galactic nuclear activity also make nonnegligible contributions. It appears that from the large angular scale CXB galaxy correlations that no class of relatively low liminosity X-ray sources associated with galaxies can play a major role in supplying the total flux. The origin of the fluctuations looks more complex. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the NGP-SGP difference and some other features of the CXB map are associated with the local anisotropy in the galactic distribution (the local supercluster). It also appears reasonable to some suppose that at least some large angular structures in the CXB are due to emission from hot galactic halo gs.

Turner, E. L.↗