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At least 703 records · Page 39

Relaxation to photochemical equilibrium of charged species within displaced air parcels in the D-region

The effects of the relaxation to photochemical equilibrium are investigated for the electrons and NO(+) ions in the upper D-region and for the electrons and several species of positive and negative ions present in the lower D-region. In the upper D-region the photochemical model includes electrons, nitric oxide, and NO(+). A self-consisting model of the equilibrium concentrations is developed for the lower D-region, which includes electrons, nitric oxide, O2(-), heavy negative and positive ions, and the oxygen species O, O3, and O2(1 delta g). At altitudes of 75 and 80 km the time dependence of the oxygen species has a significant effect on the equilibration of the electron and O2(-) concentrations. The relaxation to photochemical equilibrium proceeds by five e-folding time scales in the lower D-region, where the time required for final equilibration due to recombination is very long.

Hill, R. J.↗

The displacement field associated with line forces in a cracked orthotropic body

An explicit result is presented for the two-dimensional Green function for an orthotropic body containing a crack along an orthotropic plane and with its tip in an orthotropic direction. A formal solution and a numerical program for its calculation are presented for a crack on a plane rotated about an orthotropic direction. The use of such Green functions to couple a finite element mesh to a surrounding elastic continuum, thereby shortening finite element calculations for composite bodies with macroscopic orthotropic symmetry, is discussed.

Gehlen, P. C.↗

Modified displacement gage for cryogenic testing

Modification of double-cantilever-beam resistance strain gage makes boiling of hydrogen on gage arms less of problem. Modified gages are encapsulated nickel/chromium alloy, and bridge-excitation voltage is reduced from 10 to 1.5 volts. Sensitivity is 1.0 millivolt per inch with 1.5 volt excitation.

Pierce, W. S.↗

An overview of NASA research on positive displacement general-aviation engines

The research and technology program related to improved and advanced general aviation engines is described. Current research is directed at the near-term improvement of conventional air-cooled spark-ignition piston engines and at future alternative engine systems based on all-new spark-ignition piston engines, lightweight diesels, and rotary combustion engines that show potential for meeting program goals in the midterm and long-term future. The conventional piston engine activities involve efforts on applying existing technology to improve fuel economy, investigation of key processes to permit leaner operation and reduce drag, and the development of cost effective technology to permit flight at high-altitudes where fuel economy and safety are improved. The advanced engine concepts activities include engine conceptual design studies and enabling technology efforts on the critical or key technology items.

Kempke, E. E., Jr.↗

Investigation of tidal displacements of the Earth's surface by laser ranging to GEOS-3

An analysis of laser ranging data from three stations was carried out in an attempt to measure the geometric Earth tide. Two different approaches to the problem were investigated. The dynamic method computes pass to pass apparent movements in stations height relative to short arcs fitted to several passes of data from the same station by the program GEODYNE. The quasi-geometric method reduces the dependence on unmodelled satellite dynamics to a knowledge of only the radial position of the satellite by considering two station simultaneous ranging at the precise time that the satellite passes through the plane defined by two stations and the center of mass of the Earth.

Bower, D. R.↗

Displacement of plasma protein and conduction velocity in rats under action of acceleration forces and hypokinesia

The permeability of capillary vessels was investigated in order to determine if acceleration alone or following prolonged hypokinesia would induce changes in the vascular wall leading to the penetration by l-albumins and/or proteins with larger molecules. In rats undergoing action of +5 Gz accelerations, no increase in vascular permeability, as tested with the use of (Cr-5k)-globulin, was demostrated. In rats immobilized for 4 weeks before centrifugation, rather weak migration of (Cr-51)-globulin from the vessels was observed. Immobilization resulted also in lowering of conduction velocity in the sciatic nerve.

Baranski, S.↗

Measurements of displacement around holes in composite plates subjected to quasi-static compression

Attempts to develop a whole-field, high sensitivity optical technque for measurement of load induced changes of thickness of composite plates are described. Graphite-epoxy plates of quasi-isotropic layup were used as test specimens. Changes of thickness of three plates, each with a central hole of different size, were measured as a function of applied compressive loads. The first test specimen showed localized zones where no holographic fringes were present, surrounded by zones of low fringe contrast. This was thought to be a result of localized motion or creep. Subsequent tests with an increased time interval between specimen loading and holographic exposure demonstrated no localized zones of absent fringes. No plausible explanation for radical differences in the quality of fringe patterns was found, although the use of specimens having a high quality mirrorized surface provided superior change of thickness patterns. Recommendations for further investigations and changes in test procedure are presented.

Duke, J. C., Jr.↗

Evaluation of an electro-optic remote displacement measuring system

An instrumentation system to provide a noncontact method for measurement of target positions was evaluated. The system employs two electro-optic camera units which give stereo information for use in determining three dimensional target locations. Specially developed, infrared sensitive photodetectors are used in the cameras to sense radiation from light emitting diode targets. Up to 30 of these targets can be monitored with a sampling rate of 312 Hz per target. An important part of the system is a minicomputer which is used to collect the camera data, sort it, make corrections for distortions in the electro-optic system, and perform the necesssary coordinate transformations. If target motions are restricted to locations in a plane which is perpendicular to a camera's optical axis, the system can be used with just one camera. Calibrations performed in this mode characterize accuracies in single camera operation. This information is also useful in determination of single camera contributions to total system errors. For this reason the system was tested in both the single camera and two camera (stereo) modes of operation.

Monteith, J. H.↗

Lunar highland crustal models based on iron concentrations - Isostasy and center-of-mass displacement

Data is introduced on the iron concentrations of the lunar surface which have been refined by means of convolution corrections to restore the spatial resolution and contrast lost by the omnidirectional spectrometer. This refined iron data is synthesized with other orbital seismic, and lunar sample data to derive highland crustal density and thickness, and isostasy and lunar centers of mass models are examined in light of this new information. A model is developed by which highland crustal density is calculated for each highland region from orbital observations of Fe, Mg and Ti concentrations. The results of this model are presented numerically and graphically for 35 highland and two non-highland regions. Density and thickness results are then applied to two long-standing lunar problems: (1) the nature of highland isostasy, which is shown to be controlled by crustal thickness rather than density, and (2) the separation of the moon's mass and figure centers, which is shown to be due to the crustal thickness difference between the lunar near and far sides.

Haines, E. L.↗

Tilt from a head-inverted position produces displacement of visual subjective vertical in the opposite direction

Observers who lie supine with their heads inverted report large (up to 60 deg) tilt of a light line in an otherwise dark room when their heads and/or bodies are tilted. Most observers report that visual subjective vertical is tilted in the direction opposite to the head/body tilt. The results can be interpreted by employing a model developed by Mittelstaedt (1983), which suggests that visual subjective vertical is derived from a gravity vector transduced by vestibular and somesthetic receptors combined with 'idiotropic vectors' that represent the orientation of the observer's own head and body axes.

Parker, D. E.↗

Vertical displacement of the mid-tropospheric water vapor boundary in the tropics derived from the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) 6.7-micron channel

A technique for locating areas of upward or downward motion of the upper boundary of the midtropospheric water-vapor envelope over tropical oceans on the basis of GOES Visible/IR Spin-Scan Radiometer (VISSR) Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) 6.7-micron brightness temperatures is developed and demonstrated. The technique employs an analogy to the method developed by Schoeberl and Krueger (1983) for the bottom of the ozone layer and depends on the relationship investigated by Chesters and Uccellini (1982) between 6.7-micron brightness temperature and the pressure of the water-vapor upper boundary. The results of analysis of VAS data for the North Atlantic (20-40 deg N and 35-75 deg W) on September 5-7, 1982, are presented in maps which are shown to be physically consistent and in agreement with conventional upper-air measurements. Refinement of the method to account for horizontal advection and diffusion is suggested.

Stout, J.↗

Explanation of the inward displacement of Io's hot plasma torus and consequences for sputtering sources

Radial profiles of the ion density and flux-tube content in the Io torus have peak values inside Io's orbit, even though Io is the effective source of these ions. Formation of an inward peak constrains either the velocity distributions or source regions of sputtered neutrals. A further constraint is that the ionization of neutrals on trapped trajectories that return to Io's surface must be limited. A dominant sulphur source is most easily reconciled with these constraints.

Linker, J. A.↗

Modeling of the surface static displacements and fault plane slip for the 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake

Three-dimensional finite element modeling techniques are used to synthesize geodetic and seismological results for 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake. The strategy pursued consists of two principal steps. In the first step, the seismologically-derived coseismic fault slip is taken as a function of position in the fault plane and is applied directly to the three-dimensional dislocation model. In the second step, a physical model of stresses and constitutive parameters is perturbed so as to reproduce the observed fault slip. Hence, the principal features of the coseismic slip pattern are explained by a stress-driven fault model in which: (1) a spatially unresolved asperity is found equivalent to a stress drop of 18 MPa averaged over an area of 15 sq km, and (2) driving stress is essentially absent on the fault segment overlapping the 1940 earthquake rupture zone.

Slade, M. A.↗

Fiber-Optic Lateral-Displacement Sensor

Proposed fiber-optic sensor monitors axial position of shaft or bearing in turbomachine. Device senses position of non-magnetic as well as magnetic material and calibrates before assembly in machine. More compact. Concept extends to measure rotational speed of shaft.

Roschak, Edmund J.↗