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At least 73 records · Page 4

X-wing noise data acquisition program

The X-wing circulation controlled rotor system model was tested for hover performance. During these performance tests, noise data from 12 microphones was recorded on magnetic tape for subsequent data reduction. The rotor system was operated at 4 tip speeds ranging from 529 to 650 ft./sec. (404 to 497 rpm), collective angles of attack fro 0 deg to 8.5 deg (maximum), and blade pressure ratios from 1.0 (no blowing) to a maximum of 2.1. The 12 microphones included 11 in the far field, and one in the transmission area. Following completion of the rotor and subsystem noise measurements, sound field calibration measurements were made of both the rotor 'bowl' and the loudspeaker system used in the 'bowl' calibration measurements. The location of 10 far field microphones was measured by a surveyor. Additionally, detailed tape logs were prepared for the six reels of tape used for the program.

Healy, G. J.

A high resolution UV spectrograph for sounding rocket measurement of planetary emission line profiles

We have constructed a high resolution imaging spectrograph for use as a payload in a sounding rocket experiment. The spectrograph employs a modified Ebert-Fastie design using a LiF predispersing prism and a replica of the E1 echelle grating developed for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. The spectrograph is used as a focal plane instrument of the Jupiter Telescope, a Cassegrain telescope constructed exclusively for use as a sounding rocket payload. The telescope and spectrograph were launched from the White Sands Missile Range on May 4, 1991 to observe the H Ly-alpha line profile spatially resolved across the disk of Jupiter in the north-south and east-west directions, and to measure the H Ly-alpha emission line profile from interplanetary hydrogen associated with the local interstellar medium.

Harris, Walter

Method for predicting impulsive noise generated by wind turbine rotors

Large wind turbines can generate both broad band and impulsive noises. These noises can be controlled by proper choice of rotor design parameters such as rotor location with respect to the supporting tower, tower geometry and tip speed. A method was developed to calculate the impulsive noise generated when the wind turbine blade experiences air forces that are periodic functions of the rotational frequency. This phenomenon can occur when the blades operate in the wake of the support tower and the nonuniform velocity field near the ground due to wind shear. Results from this method were compared with measured sound spectra taken at locations of one to two rotor diameters from the DOE/NASA Mod-1 wind turbine. The calculated spectra generally agreed with the measured data in both the amplitude of the predominant harmonics and the roll of rate with frequency. Measured sound pressure levels far from the Mod-1 (15 rotor diameters), however, were higher than predicted. Simultaneous measurements in the near and far field indicated that the propagation effects could enhance the sound levels by more than 10 dB above that expected by spherical dispersion. These propagation effects are believed to be due to terrain and atmospheric characteristics of the Mod-1 site.

Viterna, L. A.

Meteorological effects on long-range outdoor sound propagation

Measurements of sound propagation over distances up to 1000 m were carried out with an impulse sound source offering reproducible, short time signals. Temperature and wind speed at several heights were monitored simultaneously; the meteorological data are used to determine the sound speed gradients according to the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The sound speed profile is compared to a corresponding prediction, gained through the measured travel time difference between direct and ground reflected pulse (which depends on the sound speed gradient). Positive sound speed gradients cause bending of the sound rays towards the ground yielding enhanced sound pressure levels. The measured meteorological effects on sound propagation are discussed and illustrated by ray tracing methods.

Klug, Helmut

Measurement of sound emitted by flying projectiles with aeroacoustic sources

Training projectiles with axisymmetric ring cavities that produce intense tones in an airstream were shot in a straight-line trajectory. A ground-based microphone was used to obtain the angular distribution of sound intensity produced from the flying projectile. Data reduction required calculation of Doppler and attenuation factors. Also, the directional sensitivity of the ground-mounted microphone was measured and used in the data reduction. A rapid angular variation of sound intensity produced from the projectile was found that can be used to plot an intensity contour map on the ground. A full-scale field test confirmed the validity of the aeroacoustic concept of producing a relatively intense whistle from the projectile, and the usefulness of short-range flight tests that yield acoustic data free of uncertainties associated with diffraction, reflection, and refraction at jet boundaries in free-jet tests.

Cho, Y. I.

Studies of soundings and imaging measurements from geostationary satellites

Soundings and imaging measurements obtained from geostationary satellites for the period 1 Nov. 1972 to 31 Jan. 1973 are reported. The subjects discussed are: (1) investigation of meteorological data processing techniques, (2) sun glitter, (3) cloud growth rate, and (4) comparative studies in satellite stability.

Suomi, V. E.

Studies of soundings and imagings measurements from geostationary satellites

Soundings and imaging measurements from geostationary satellites are presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) meteorological data processing techniques, (2) sun glitter, (3) cloud growth rate study, satellite stability characteristics, and (4) high resolution optics. The use of perturbation technique to obtain the motion of sensors aboard a satellite is described. The most conditions, and measurement errors. Several performance evaluation parameters are proposed.

Suomi, V. E.

Satellite sound broadcast propagation studies and measurements

Satellite Sound Broadcasting is an attractive satellite application. Before regulatory decisions can be made in 1992, the propagation effects encountered have to be characterized. The Electrical Engineering Research Laboratory has nearly completed a system which will allow amplitude measurements to be made over 10 MHz bandwidths in the 800 to 1800 MHz frequency range. The system uses transmission from a transportable tower, and reception inside buildings or in the shadow of trees or utility poles. The goal is to derive propagation models for use by systems engineers who are about to design satellite broadcast systems. The advance of fiber-optics technology has helped to focus future development of satellite services into areas where satellites are uniquely competitive. One of these preferred satellite applications is the broadcasting of high-quality sound for stationary or mobile reception by listeners using low-cost, consumer-grade receivers. Before such services can be provided, however, the political hurdles of spectrum allocation have to be surmounted and the technical questions of standardization for world-wide compatibility have to be resolved. In order to arrive at an optimal system design, efficient in the use of our scarce spectral resources, affordable both to the broadcaster and the listener, and providing predictable performance, the propagation effects to which the service is subjected have to be characterized. Consequently, the objective of the research project is to make basic propagation measurements for direct Satellite Sound Broadcasting Service (SSBS). The data obtained should allow the development of propagation models to be used by communications engineers designing the operational systems. Such models shall describe the effects of shadowing and multipath propagation on SSBS receivers operating in a specified environment, such as inside commercial or residential buildings of various construction and also in the shadow of trees or utility poles as might be encountered by transporting or mobile listeners.

Vogel, Wolfhard J.

Assessment of Weld Microstructure Through Sound Velocity Measurements for Power Plant Applications

Here, this research study employed an immersion-based micro-resolution ultrasonic velocity measurement technique (MUVT) to evaluate Grade 91 (9Cr-1Mo-V) steel welds. This process utilized a 20 MHz focused ultrasonic beam with a spot size of 250 µm, a 6 µm laser vibrometer spot size for detection, and an automated 3-axis raster scanner to accurately collect ultrasonic velocity data from two Grade 91 steel welds fabricated using cold metal transfer (CMT) and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) processes. By analyzing the MUVT data, the Poisson’s ratio (υ) and modulus of elasticity (E), which are important mechanical properties for weldments, were calculated. The correlation between mechanical properties and ultrasonic velocity was examined. The results indicated that longitudinal ultrasonic velocity could effectively identify base metal, heat-affected zone (HAZ), and weld metal areas, showing a strong correlation with hardness. In particular, the distinctive V-shaped dip in velocity and hardness data across the HAZ areas of both samples highlighted changes in the microstructure of creep strength–enhanced ferritic steel welds. Importantly, the immersion-based MUVT demonstrated high accuracy in small sections of the weld, surpassing the conventional contact ultrasonic testing method in spatial resolution detection.

arc welding

The resolution of temporal and spatial variations in auroral particle measurements from sounding rockets

The problems involved in the resolution of the temporal/spatial ambiguity in sounding rocket observations are discussed with reference to an experiment involving a mother-daughter rocket combination, together with a flashing light beacon on the rocket and television cameras on the ground. The ambiguity was successfully removed, enabling a proper interpretation of the observations of precipitating low energy electrons to be made.

Johnstone, A. D.

Radiated sound field measurements from an annular flow duct facility

A series of measured radiated field patterns correlated with defined in-duct conditions is presented, along with a second series of radiation measurements for multiple mode propagation, with individual mode amplitudes and phases at duct termination as well as with angular positions of higher-order stationary duct modes relative to the plane of the radiated field measurement. Though incomplete, these experimental data should prove useful for comparisons with theoretical predictions in testing analytical procedures and prediction techniques.

Plumblee, H. E.

Ultra sound absorption measurements in rock samples at low temperatures

A new technique, comparable with the reverberation method in room acoustics, is described. It allows Q-measurements at rock samples of arbitrary shape in the frequency range of 50 to 600 kHz in vacuum (.1 mtorr) and at low temperatures (+20 to -180 C). The method was developed in particular to investigate rock samples under lunar conditions. Ultrasound absorption has been measured at volcanics, breccia, gabbros, feldspar and quartz of different grain size and texture yielding the following results: evacuation raises Q mainly through lowering the humidity in the rock. In a dry compact rock, the effect of evacuation is small. With decreasing temperature, Q generally increases. Between +20 and -30 C, Q does not change much. With further decrease of temperature in many cases distinct anomalies appear, where Q becomes frequency dependent.

Herminghaus, C.

Measurement of sound absorption in the air

The large temperature gradient in each section of the resonance tube resulting from the liquid nitrogen coolant necessitated a design modification to the cooling system. A timer and four solenoid valves were installed so that the coolant flow can be reversed periodically. The hardware and software for controlling the analog to digital converter and conversion rate were completed, and the system is operational. A duty cycle control circit was implemented so that on the sixteenth conversion a relay shuts off the vibration exciter used to generate the sound wave. Thus the starting point of each decay curve is exactly known. This information is necessary for evaluating the g digital decay information. The data acquisition and digital decay evaluation programs are described.

Meredith, R.

Active vehicle charging measurements in sounding rocket and space shuttle orbiter environments at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) altitude

It was concluded that for electron beam emission up to 100mA, vehicle charging is not a significant problem with the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Similarly, sounding rocket payloads have no serious charging problems up to this level of beam current, provided that the maximum amount of the rocket skin is available to collect ionospheric electrons from the LEO altitude range. However, sounding rockets are marginal in their collecting area capability and other effects may occur to balance the beam current when operated at lower altitudes during the night.

Raitt, W. J.

Sounding rocket measurement of the absolute solar EUV flux utilizing a silicon photodiode

A newly developed stable and high quantum efficiency silicon photodiode was used to obtain an accurate measurement of the integrated absolute magnitude of the solar extreme UV photon flux in the spectral region between 50 and 800 A. The adjusted daily 10.7-cm solar radio flux and sunspot number were 168.4 and 121, respectively. The unattenuated absolute value of the solar EUV flux at 1 AU in the specified wavelength region was 6.81 x 10 to the 10th photons/sq cm per s. Based on a nominal probable error of 7 percent for National Institute of Standards and Technology detector efficiency measurements in the 50- to 500-A region (5 percent on longer wavelength measurements between 500 and 1216 A), and based on experimental errors associated with the present rocket instrumentation and analysis, a conservative total error estimate of about 14 percent is assigned to the absolute integral solar flux obtained.

Ogawa, H. S.

Sounding rocket measurements of suprathermal ion acceleration

Transverse ion acceleration has been observed at rocket altitudes between 500 and 1000 km due to (1) the injection of 100-200 eV argon plasma; (2) auroral electron precipitation; and (3) the injection of electromagnetic waves. Field-aligned currents necessary to neutralize the plasma injection payloads and naturally occurring in the aurora could be responsible for the ions observed in (1) and (2) above. Associated with the aurora, both bulk heating and tail heating are observed, sometimes simultaneously. In this case, either different masses are accelerated or different mechanisms are responsible. The bulk heating is closely correlated with the aurora structure while tail heating is not so well correlated. Recent high-time-resolution rocket ion data have revealed that the transverse acceleration process is of very short duration (about 100 ms) and occurs in a very limited volume (a few hundred kilometers along B and on the order of the ion gyrodiameter across B). Such impulse acceleration events are correlated with waves near the lower hybrid resonance.

Arnoldy, Roger L.

Sound-Level Measurements of a Light Airplane Modified to Reduce Noise Reaching the Ground

An Army liaison-type airplane, representative of personal airplanes in the 150 to 200 horsepower class, has been modified to reduce propeller and engine noise according to known principles of airplane-noise reduction. Noise-level measurements demonstrate that, with reference to an observer on the ground, a noisy airplane of this class can be made quiet -- perhaps more quiet than necessary. In order to avoid extreme and unnecessary modifications, acceptable noise levels must be determined.

Vogeley, A W