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At least 703 records · Page 39

An Analytical Solution of Radiative Transfer in the Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean System with Rough Surface

Using the efficient discrete-ordinate method, we present an analytical solution for radiative transfer in the coupled atmosphere-ocean system with rough air-water interface. The theoretical formulations of the radiative transfer equation and solution are described. The effects of surface roughness on radiation field in the atmosphere and ocean are studied and compared with measurements. The results show that ocean surface roughness has significant effects on the upwelling radiation in the atmosphere and the downwelling radiation in the ocean. As wind speed increases, the angular domain of sunglint broadens, the surface albedo decreases, and the transmission to ocean increases. The downward radiance field in the upper ocean is highly anisotropic, but this anisotropy decreases rapidly as surface wind increases and as depth in ocean increases. The effects of surface roughness on radiation also depend greatly on both wavelength and angle of incidence (i.e., solar elevation); these effects are significantly smaller throughout the spectrum at high sun. The model-observation discrepancies may indicate that the Cox-Munk surface roughness model is not sufficient for high wind conditions.

Jin, Zhonghai↗

Multi-disciplinary coupling effects for integrated design of propulsion systems

Effective computational simulation procedures are described for modeling the inherent multi-disciplinary interactions which govern the accurate response of propulsion systems. Results are presented for propulsion system responses including multi-disciplinary coupling effects using coupled multi-discipline thermal, structural, and acoustic tailoring; an integrated system of multi-disciplinary simulators; coupled material behavior/fabrication process tailoring; sensitivities using a probabilistic simulator; and coupled materials, structures, fracture, and probabilistic behavior simulator. The results demonstrate that superior designs can be achieved if the analysis/tailoring methods account for the multi-disciplinary coupling effects. The coupling across disciplines can be used to develop an integrated coupled multi-discipline numerical propulsion system simulator.

Chamis, C. C.↗

General-Purpose Time-Accurate Adaptive-Grid Method

Adaptive-grid method provides for generation of time-accurate grids used to solve wide variety of problems numerically. Intended use in computation of compressible flows. Part of solution method including algebraic grid-movement scheme; algorithm solving, by use of explicit numerical-integration scheme, Euler equations of unsteady flow; and temporal coupling routine utilizing grid-prediction/correction method to link dynamic grid with Euler-equation-solving algorithm. Improves ability to adapt grid to multiple features of solution and involves use of coarse grid in prediction stage of temporal coupling reducing central-processing-unit cost of obtaining new grid.

Bockelie, Michael J.↗

Ab Initio and Improved Empirical Potentials for the Calculation of the Anharmonic Vibrational States and Intramolecular Mode Coupling of N-Methylacetamide

The second-order Moller-Plesset ab initio electronic structure method is used to compute points for the anharmonic mode-coupled potential energy surface of N-methylacetamide (NMA) in the trans(sub ct) configuration, including all degrees of freedom. The vibrational states and the spectroscopy are directly computed from this potential surface using the Correlation Corrected Vibrational Self-Consistent Field (CC-VSCF) method. The results are compared with CC-VSCF calculations using both the standard and improved empirical Amber-like force fields and available low temperature experimental matrix data. Analysis of our calculated spectroscopic results show that: (1) The excellent agreement between the ab initio CC-VSCF calculated frequencies and the experimental data suggest that the computed anharmonic potentials for N-methylacetamide are of a very high quality; (2) For most transitions, the vibrational frequencies obtained from the ab initio CC-VSCF method are superior to those obtained using the empirical CC-VSCF methods, when compared with experimental data. However, the improved empirical force field yields better agreement with the experimental frequencies as compared with a standard AMBER-type force field; (3) The empirical force field in particular overestimates anharmonic couplings for the amide-2 mode, the methyl asymmetric bending modes, the out-of-plane methyl bending modes, and the methyl distortions; (4) Disagreement between the ab initio and empirical anharmonic couplings is greater than the disagreement between the frequencies, and thus the anharmonic part of the empirical potential seems to be less accurate than the harmonic contribution;and (5) Both the empirical and ab initio CC-VSCF calculations predict a negligible anharmonic coupling between the amide-1 and other internal modes. The implication of this is that the intramolecular energy flow between the amide-1 and the other internal modes may be smaller than anticipated. These results may have important implications for the anharmonic force fields of peptides, for which N-methylacetamide is a model.

Gregurick, Susan K.↗

Progress in the prediction of unsteady heat transfer on turbines blades

Progress toward developing a general method for predicting unsteady heat transfer on turbine blades subject to blade-passing frequencies and Reynolds numbers relevant to the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is discussed. The method employs an invisid/viscous interactive procedure which has been tested extensively for steady subsonic and transonic external airfoil problems. One such example is shown. The agreement with experimental data and with Navier-Stokes calculations yields confidence in the method. The technique is extended to account for wake generated unsteadiness. The flow reversals around the stagnation point caused by the nonuniform onset velocity are accounted for by using the Characteristic Box scheme developed by Cebeci and Stewartson. The coupling between the inviscid and viscous methods is achieved by using a special procedure, which, with a novel inverse finite-difference boundary-layer method, allows the calculations to be performed for a wide range of flow conditions, including separation. Preliminary results are presented for the stagnation region of turbine blades for both laminar and turbulent flows. A laminar model problem corresponding to a flow on a circular cylinder which experiences the periodic passing of wakes from turbine blades is presented to demonstrate the ability of the method to calculate flow reversals around the stagnation region.

Cebeci, T.↗

Maintaining an expert system for the Hubble Space Telescope ground support

The transformation portion of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Proposal Entry Processor System converts astronomer-oriented description of a scientific observing program into a detailed description of the parameters needed for planning and scheduling. The transformation system is one of a very few rulebased expert systems that has ever entered an operational phase. The day to day operations of the system and its rulebase are no longer the responsibility of the original developer. As a result, software engineering properties of the rulebased approach become more important. Maintenance issues associated with the coupling of rules within a rulebased system are discussed and a method is offered for partitioning a rulebase so that the amount of knowledge needed to modify the rulebase is minimized. This method is also used to develop a measure of the coupling strength of the rulebase.

Lindenmayer, Kelly↗

Application of DOT-MORSE coupling to the analysis of three-dimensional SNAP shielding problems

The use of discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo techniques to solve radiation transport problems is discussed. A general discussion of two possible coupling schemes is given for the two methods. The calculation of the reactor radiation scattered from a docked service and command module is used as an example of coupling discrete ordinates (DOT) and Monte Carlo (MORSE) calculations.

Straker, E. A.↗

Data Assimilation Into a Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Model: Application to the 1997-1998 El Nino

As part of JPL's ocean data assimilation effort to study ocean circulation and seasonal-interannual climate variability, sea level anomaly observed by TOPEX altimeter, together with sea surface temperature and wind stress data, are assimilated into a simple coupled ocean atmosphere model of the tropical Pacific. Model-data consistency is examined. Impact of the assimilation (as initialization) on El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasts is evaluated. The coupled model consists of a shallow water component with two baroclinic modes, an Ekman shear layer, a simplified mixed-layer temperature equation, and a statistical atmosphere based on dominant correlations between historical surface temperature and wind stress anomaly data. The adjoins method is used to fit the coupled model to the data over various six-month periods from late 1996 to early 1998 by optimally adjusting the initial state, model parameters, and basis functions of the statistical atmosphere. On average, the coupled model can be fitted to the data to approximately within the data and representation errors (5 cm, 0.5 C, and 10 sq m/sq m for sea level, surface temperature, and pseudo wind stress anomalies, respectively). The estimated fields resemble observed spatio-temporal structure reasonably well. Hindcasts/forecasts of the 1997/1998 El Nino initialized from forced estimated ocean states and parameters are much more realistic than those simply initialized from ocean states (see figure below). In particular, the ability of the model to produce significant warming beyond the initial state is dramatically improved. Parameter estimation, which compensates for some model errors, is found to be important to obtaining better fits of the model to data and to improving forecasts.

Lee, Tong↗

Concepts for a theoretical and experimental study of lifting rotor random loads and vibrations. Phase 5B: Analysis of gust alleviation methods and rotor dynamic stability

The effects of various gust alleviation methods on the random blade response in flapping were studied analytically, assuming a rigid rotor support. The analytical model assumes rigid flapping blades with elastic root restraints. Linearized equations which are approximately valid at low lift conditions were used. Because of the interblade coupling from the feedback devices, the method of multiblade generalized coordinates was most convenient and was extended to include coning, differential coning, and warping of the rotor. The numerical examples cover the dynamic stability characteristics as affected by feedback gains of three- to six-bladed rotors. The number of blades had large effects on stability limits and modal time functions at these limits. The random flapping response of the blades to atmospheric turbulence was determined at 1.6 rotor advance ratio using feedback gains below the stability limit. The most effective reduction of the flapping response per unit gain was achieved with a rotor coning angle feedback.

Hohenemser, K. H.↗

An evaluation of a coupled microstructural approach for the analysis of functionally graded composites via the finite-element method

A comparison is presented between the predictions of the finite-element analysis and a recently developed higher-order theory for functionally graded materials subjected to a thorough-thickness temperature gradient. In contrast to existing micromechanical theories that utilize classical (i.e., uncoupled) homogenization schemes to calculate micro-level and macro-level stress and displacement fields in materials with uniform or nonuniform fiber spacing (i.e., functionally graded materials), the new theory explicitly couples the microstructural details with the macrostructure of the composite. Previous thermo-elastic analysis has demonstrated that such coupling is necessary when: the temperature gradient is large with respect to the dimension of the reinforcement; the characteristic dimension of the reinforcement is large relative to the global dimensions of the composite and the number of reinforcing fibers or inclusions is small. In these circumstances, the standard micromechanical analyses based on the concept of the representative volume element used to determine average composite properties produce questionable results. The comparison between the predictions of the finite-element method and the higher-order theory presented herein establish the theory's accuracy in predicting thermal and stress fields within composites with a finite number of fibers in the thickness direction subjected to a thorough-thickness thermal gradient.

Pindera, Marek-Jerzy↗

Three-dimensional elastic stress and displacement analysis of finite geometry solids containing cracks

The line method of analysis is applied to the Navier-Cauchy equations of elastic equilibrium to calculate the displacement fields in finite geometry bars containing central, surface, and double-edge cracks under extensionally applied uniform loading. The application of this method to these equations leads to coupled sets of simultaneous ordinary differential equations whose solutions are obtained along sets of lines in a discretized region. Normal stresses and the stress intensity factor variation along the crack periphery are calculated using the obtained displacement field. The reported results demonstrate the usefulness of this method in calculating stress intensity factors for commonly encountered crack geometries in finite solids.

Kring, J.↗

Three-dimensional elastic stress and displacement analysis of finite geometry solids containing cracks

The line method of analysis is applied to the Navier-Cauchy equations of elastic equilibrium to calculate the displacement fields in finite geometry bars containing central, surface, and double-edge cracks under extensionally applied uniform loading. The application of this method to these equations leads to coupled sets of simultaneous ordinary differential equations whose solutions are obtained along sets of lines in a discretized region. Normal stresses and the stress intensity factor variation along the crack periphery are calculated using the obtained displacement field. The reported results demonstrate the usefulness of this method in calculating stress intensity factors for commonly encountered crack geometries in finite solids.

Kring, J.↗

On the accuracy of the pseudocompressibility method in solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

The method of pseudocompressibility is tested for its accuracy in solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. An implicit, finite difference computer code is used to solve the equations in a three-dimensional, curvilinear coordinate system. The code employs artificial compressibiity for solving the pressure field, coupled with an implicit, approximate factorization scheme. This coupling is known as the pseudocompressibility method and introduces pressure waves of finite speed into the fluid medium that would otherwise have an infinite sound speed. The waves die out as the solution converges, and the steady state solution approaches a divergence-free condition. These waves, however, limit the time accuracy of the computations. The effects of these waves are analysed and criteria are set for choosing the pseudocompressibility parameter that governs the pressure wave speed; test cases are presented that verify these criteria. The code is tested by computing laminar flow over a two-dimensional, backward-facing step and over a two-dimensional, impulsively started circular cylinder.

Rogers, S. E.↗

The effect of acceleration versus displacement methods on steady-state boundary forces

This study describes the acceleration and displacement methods for use in the recovery of coupled system boundary forces. A simple two degree of freedom system has been used for illustration. The effect of the choice of method for use with indeterminate or over-constrained boundaries has been investigated. It has specifically looked at results from a simple two dimensional beam problem using both methods. Much work has been done on the effect of Craig-Bampton modal truncation system displacements and forces, however, little work has been done on system level modal truncation. The findings of this study indicate that the effect of this system level truncation is significant. This may be particularly true for the 35 Hz system cutoff frequency that is required by the space shuttle. From this study's findings, recommendations for areas of study with space shuttle payload systems are made.

Mcghee, D. S.↗

Integrating Kinetic Effects into Global Models for Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection is the most striking example of how the coupling between global and kinetic scales can lead to fast energy release. Explosive solar activity, such as coronal mass ejections and flares for example, is widely believed to be due to the release of magnetic energy stored on global scales by magnetic reconnection operating on kinetic scales. Understanding how processes couple across spatial scales is one of the most difficult challenges in all of physics, and is undoubtedly the main obstacle to developing predictive models for the Sun's activity. Consequently, the NASA Living With a Star Program selected a Focused Science Team to attack the problem of cross-scale coupling in reconnection. In this talk I will present some of the results of the Team and review our latest theories and methods for modeling the global-local coupling in solar reconnection.

Antiochos, S. K.↗

Background Error Covariance Estimation using Information from a Single Model Trajectory with Application to Ocean Data Assimilation into the GEOS-5 Coupled Model

An attractive property of ensemble data assimilation methods is that they provide flow dependent background error covariance estimates which can be used to update fields of observed variables as well as fields of unobserved model variables. Two methods to estimate background error covariances are introduced which share the above property with ensemble data assimilation methods but do not involve the integration of multiple model trajectories. Instead, all the necessary covariance information is obtained from a single model integration. The Space Adaptive Forecast error Estimation (SAFE) algorithm estimates error covariances from the spatial distribution of model variables within a single state vector. The Flow Adaptive error Statistics from a Time series (FAST) method constructs an ensemble sampled from a moving window along a model trajectory. SAFE and FAST are applied to the assimilation of Argo temperature profiles into version 4.1 of the Modular Ocean Model (MOM4.1) coupled to the GEOS-5 atmospheric model and to the CICE sea ice model. The results are validated against unassimilated Argo salinity data. They show that SAFE and FAST are competitive with the ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) used by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) to produce its ocean analysis. Because of their reduced cost, SAFE and FAST hold promise for high-resolution data assimilation applications.

Data Assimilation↗