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At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Preshock region acceleration of implanted cometary H(+) and O(+)

A self-consistent, three-fluid model of plasma transport and implanted ion acceleration in the unshocked solar wind is presented. The solar wind plasma is depleted by charge exchange with the expanding cometary exosphere, while implanted protons and heavy ions are produced by photoionization and charge transfer and lost by charge exchange. A generalized transport equation describing convection, adiabatic and diffusive velocity change, and the appropriate production terms is used to describe the evolution of the two cometary ion components, while the moments of the Boltzmann equation are used to calculate the solar wind density and pressure. The flow velocity is obtained self-consistently by combining the conservation equations of the three ion species. The results imply that second-order Fermi acceleration can explain the implanted spectra observed in the unshocked solar wind. Comparison of measured and calculated distribution indicates that spatial diffusion of implanted ions probably plays an important role in forming the energetic particle environment in the shock vicinity.

Gombosi, Tamas I.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Modeling scalar flux and the energy and dissipation equations

Closure models derived from the Two-Scale Direct-Interaction Approximation were compared with data from direct simulations of turbulence. Attention was restricted to anisotropic scalar diffusion models, models for the energy dissipation equation, and models for energy diffusion.

Yoshizawa, A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Diffusion, Fluxes, Friction Forces, and Joule Heating in Two-Temperature Multicomponent Magnetohydrodynamics

The relationship between Joule heating, diffusion fluxes, and friction forces has been studied for both total and electron thermal energy equations, using general expressions for multicomponent diffusion in two-temperature plasmas with the velocity dependent Lorentz force acting on charged species in a magnetic field. It is shown that the derivation of Joule heating terms requires both diffusion fluxes and friction between species which represents the resistance experienced by the species moving at different relative velocities. It is also shown that the familiar Joule heating term in the electron thermal energy equation includes artificial effects produced by switching the convective velocity from the species velocity to the mass-weighted velocity, and thus should not be ignored even when there is no net energy dissipation.

Chang, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A computational method for subsonic compressible flow in diffusers

Integral methods are used to model subsonic flow in planar diffusers operating with or without stall. Turbulent boundary layers are computed with a lag-entrainment method employing new correlations for shape factor and skin friction, which are based on a Coles-Van Driest velocity profile. The inviscid flow is modeled as one dimensional and is easily coupled with the boundary layer method to yield equations that can be solved by integrating in the downstream direction. Analysis of the equations describing flow in a diffuser shows that the boundary layer separation singularity may not be eliminated by viscous-inviscid interaction; a modified interaction scheme is used to guarantee a non-singular equation set. The nature of this singularity offers an explanation for the apparent universality of asymmetric stall in planar diffusers. Results for several flows demonstrate the accuracy and range of applicability of the method.

Childs, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Flux-limited diffusion in hydrodynamics

The radiation transport equation, correct to order v/c, is used to derive a flux limiter valid in high-velocity hydrodynamic flows. In the limit v = 0 the widely used result of Levermore and Pomraning (LP) (1982) is recovered. In the case of homologous flow (v varies as R) the LP result remains valid, but in the presence of shock waves and other nonhomologous flows differences may be large. We calculate the Eddington factors, which are significantly altered, and discuss the importance of having them possess the correct form in the presence of a shock wave, e.g., on the neutrino transport during the formation of a supernova.

Cooperstein, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effects of free stream turbulence intensity and integral length scale on heat transfer from a circular cylinder in crossflow

A model has been proposed for the momentum eddy diffusivity induced by free stream turbulence intensity and integral length scale. The eddy diffusivity model is applied to a cylinder situated in a uniform crossflow in the presence of free stream turbulence. Numerical solution of the governing momentum and energy equations with the proposed eddy diffusivity model yielded results for the skin friction coefficient and the Nusselt number. The numerical predictions of the present work are compared with experimental data and the agreement between the two is seen to be very good.

Gorla, R. S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Effects of a parallel electric field and the geomagnetic field in the topside ionosphere on auroral and photoelectron energy distributions

The consequences of electric field acceleration and an inhomogeneous magnetic field on auroral electron energy distributions in the topside ionosphere are investigated. The one-dimensional, steady state electron transport equation includes elastic and inelastic collisions, an inhomogeneous magnetic field, and a field-aligned electric field. The case of a self-consistent polarization electric field is considered first. The self-consistent field is derived by solving the continuity equation for all ions of importance, including diffusion of O(+) and H(+), and the electron and ion energy equations to derive the electron and ion temperatures. The system of coupled electron transport, continuity, and energy equations is solved numerically. Recognizing observations of parallel electric fields of larger magnitude than the baseline case of the polarization field, the effect of two model fields on the electron distribution function is investigated. In one case the field is increased from the polarization field magnitude at 300 km to a maximum at the upper boundary of 800 km, and in another case a uniform field is added to the polarization field. Substantial perturbations of the low energy portion of the electron flux are produced: an upward directed electric field accelerates the downward directed flux of low-energy secondary electrons and decelerates the upward directed component. Above about 400 km the inhomogeneous magnetic field produces anisotropies in the angular distribution of the electron flux. The effects of the perturbed energy distributions on auroral spectral emission features are noted.

Min, Q.-L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Effects of a Parallel Electric Field and the Geomagnetic Field in the Topside Ionosphere on Auroral and Photoelectron Energy Distributions

The consequences of electric field acceleration and an inhomogencous magnetic field on auroral electron energy distributions in the topside ionosphere are investigated. The one- dimensional, steady state electron transport equation includes elastic and inelastic collisions, an inhomogencous magnetic field, and a field-aligned electric field. The case of a self-consistent polarization electric field is considered first. The self-consistent field is derived by solving the continuity equation for all ions of importance, including diffusion of 0(+) and H(+), and the electron and ion energy equations to derive the electron and ion temperatures. The system of coupled electron transport, continuity, and energy equations is solved numerically. Recognizing observations of parallel electric fields of larger magnitude than the baseline case of the polarization field, the effect of two model fields on the electron distribution function in investigated. In one case the field is increased from the polarization field magnitude at 300 km to a maximum at the upper boundary of 800 km, and in another case a uniform field is added to the polarization field. Substantial perturbations of the low energy portion of the electron flux are produced: an upward directed electric field accelerates the downward directed flux of low-energy secondary electrons and decelerates the upward directed component. Above about 400 km the inhomogencous magnetic field produces anisotropies in the angular distribution of the electron flux. The effects of the perturbed energy distributions on auroral spectral emission features are noted.

Min, Q.-L.↗
NASA NTRS1970

The dynamics of oceanic fronts. Part 1: The Gulf Stream

The establishment and maintenance of the mean hydrographic properties of large scale density fronts in the upper ocean is considered. The dynamics is studied by posing an initial value problem starting with a near surface discharge of buoyant water with a prescribed density deficit into an ambient stationary fluid of uniform density. The full time dependent diffusion and Navier-Stokes equations for a constant Coriolis parameter are used in this study. Scaling analysis reveals three independent length scales of the problem, namely a radius of deformation or inertial length scale, Lo, a buoyance length scale, ho, and a diffusive length scale, hv. Two basic dimensionless parameters are then formed from these length scales, the thermal (or more precisely, the densimetric) Rossby number, Ro = Lo/ho and the Ekman number, E = hv/ho. The governing equations are then suitably scaled and the resulting normalized equations are shown to depend on E alone for problems of oceanic interest. Under this scaling, the solutions are similar for all Ro. It is also shown that 1/Ro is a measure of the frontal slope. The governing equations are solved numerically and the scaling analysis is confirmed. The solution indicates that an equilibrium state is established. The front can then be rendered stationary by a barotropic current from a larger scale along-front pressure gradient. In that quasisteady state, and for small values of E, the main thermocline and the inclined isopycnics forming the front have evolved, together with the along-front jet. Conservation of potential vorticity is also obtained in the light water pool. The surface jet exhibits anticyclonic shear in the light water pool and cyclonic shear across the front.

Kao, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Galactic civilizations - Population dynamics and interstellar diffusion

A model is developed of the interstellar diffusion of galactic civilizations which takes into account the population dynamics of such civilizations. The problem is formulated in terms of potential theory, with a family of nonlinear partial differential and difference equations specifying population growth and diffusion for an organism with advantageous genes that undergoes random dispersal while increasing in population locally, and a population at zero population growth. In the case of nonlinear diffusion with growth and saturation, it is found that the colonization wavefront from the nearest independently arisen galactic civilization can have reached the earth only if its lifetime exceeds 2.6 million years, or 20 million years if discretization can be neglected. For zero population growth, the corresponding lifetime is 13 billion years. It is concluded that the earth is uncolonized not because interstellar spacefaring civilizations are rare, but because there are too many worlds to be colonized in the plausible colonization lifetime of nearby civilizations, and that there exist no very old galactic civilizations with a consistent policy of the conquest of inhabited worlds.

Newman, W. I.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Stagnation point heat transfer augmentation due to free stream turbulence

A model has been proposed for the momentum eddy diffusivity induced by free stream turbulence intensity and integral length scale. The eddy diffusivity model is applied to the stagnation point of a cylinder situated in a uniform crossflow in the presence of free stream turbulence. A numerical solution of the governing momentum and energy equations with the proposed eddy diffusivity model yielded results for the skin friction coefficient and the Nusselt number. The numerical predictions of the present work are compared with experimental data and the agreement between the two is seen to be very good.

Gorla, R. S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The effects of diffusion on population gratings and the stability of ring lasers

The effects of diffusion on the coupling between counterpropagating modes in a two-level medium are studied in the rate equation limit. It is shown that diffusion can greatly decrease saturation gratings in low-pressure gases. Among many other effects which rely on spatial hole burning, this can alter the stability of bidirectional solutions of the third-order Lamb equation model of a ring laser.

Lawandy, N. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Simulation of 2-dimensional viscous flow through cascades using a semi-elliptic analysis and hybrid C-H grids

A semi-elliptic formulation, termed the interacting parabolized Navier-Stokes (IPNS) formulation, is developed for the analysis of a class of subsonic viscous flows for which streamwise diffusion is neglible but which are significantly influenced by upstream interactions. The IPNS equations are obtained from the Navier-Stokes equations by dropping the streamwise viscous-diffusion terms but retaining upstream influence via the streamwise pressure-gradient. A two-step alternating-direction-explicit numerical scheme is developed to solve these equations. The quasi-linearization and discretization of the equations are carefully examined so that no artificial viscosity is added externally to the scheme. Also, solutions to compressible as well as nearly compressible flows are obtained without any modification either in the analysis or in the solution process. The procedure is applied to constricted channels and cascade passages formed by airfoils of various shapes. These geometries are represented using numerically generated curilinear boundary-oriented coordinates forming an H-grid. A hybrid C-H grid, more appropriate for cascade of airfoils with rounded leading edges, was also developed. Satisfactory results are obtained for flows through cascades of Joukowski airfoils.

Ramamurti, R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Simultaneous Measurements of Noncommuting Observables: Positive Transformations and Instrumental Lie Groups

We formulate a general program for describing and analyzing continuous, differential weak, simultaneous measurements of noncommuting observables, which focuses on describing the measuring instrument autonomously, without states. The Kraus operators of such measuring processes are time-ordered products of fundamental differential positive transformations, which generate nonunitary transformation groups that we call instrumental Lie groups. The temporal evolution of the instrument is equivalent to the diffusion of a Kraus-operator distribution function, defined relative to the invariant measure of the instrumental Lie group. This diffusion can be analyzed using Wiener path integration, stochastic differential equations, or a Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equation. This way of considering instrument evolution we call the Instrument Manifold Program. We relate the Instrument Manifold Program to state-based stochastic master equations. We then explain how the Instrument Manifold Program can be used to describe instrument evolution in terms of a universal cover that we call the universal instrumental Lie group, which is independent not just of states, but also of Hilbert space. The universal instrument is generically infinite dimensional, in which case the instrument’s evolution is chaotic. Special simultaneous measurements have a finite-dimensional universal instrument, in which case the instrument is considered principal, and it can be analyzed within the differential geometry of the universal instrumental Lie group. Principal instruments belong at the foundation of quantum mechanics. We consider the three most fundamental examples: measurement of a single observable, position and momentum, and the three components of angular momentum. As these measurements are performed continuously, they converge to strong simultaneous measurements. For a single observable, this results in the standard decay of coherence between inequivalent irreducible representations. For the latter two cases, it leads to a collapse within each irreducible representation onto the classical or spherical phase space, with the phase space located at the boundary of these instrumental Lie groups.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1985

Radial diffusion in magnetodiscs

The orbits of charged particles in magnetodiscs are considered. The bounce motion is assumed adiabatic except for transits of a small equatorial region of weak magnetic field strength and high field curvature. Previous theory and modeling have shown that particles scatter randomly in pitch angle with each passage through the equator. A peaked distribution thus diffuses in pitch angle on the time scale of many bounces. It is argued in this paper that spatial diffusion is a further consequence when the magnetodisc has a longitudinal asymmetry. A general expression for DLL, the diffusion of equatorial crossing radii, is derived. DLL is evaluated explicitly for ions in Jupiter's 20-35 radii magnetodisc, assumed to be represented by Connerney et al.'s (1982) Voyager model plus a small image dipole asymmetry. Rates are energy, species, and space dependent but can average as much as a few tenths of a planetary radius per bounce period.

Birmingham, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A transport equation for the scalar dissipation in reacting flows with variable density: First results

Although the different regimes of premixed combustion are not well defined, most of the recent developments in turbulent combustion modeling are led in the so-called flamelet regime. The goal of these models is to give a realistic expression to the mean reaction rate (w). Several methods can be used to estimate (w). Bray and coworkers (Libby & Bray 1980, Bray 1985, Bray & Libby 1986) express the instantaneous reaction rate by means of a flamelet library and a frequency which describes the local interaction between the laminar flamelets and the turbulent flowfield. In another way, the mean reaction rate can be directly connected to the flame surface density (Sigma). This quantity can be given by the transport equation of the coherent flame model initially proposed by Marble & Broadwell 1977 and developed elsewhere. The mean reaction rate, (w), can also be estimated thanks to the evolution of an arbitrary scalar field G(x, t) = G(sub O) which represents the flame sheet. G(x, t) is obtained from the G-equation proposed by Williams 1985, Kerstein et al. 1988 and Peters 1993. Another possibility proposed in a recent study by Mantel & Borghi 1991, where a transport equation for the mean dissipation rate (epsilon(sub c)) of the progress variable c is used to determine (w). In their model, Mantel & Borghi 1991 considered a medium with constant density and constant diffusivity in the determination of the transport equation for (epsilon(sub c)). A comparison of different flamelet models made by Duclos et al. 1993 shows the realistic behavior of this model even in the case of constant density. Our objective in this present report is to present preliminary results on the study of this equation in the case of variable density and variable diffusivity. Assumptions of constant pressure and a Lewis number equal to unity allow us to significantly simplify the equation. A systematic order of magnitude analysis based on adequate scale relations is performed on each term of the equation. As in the case of constant density and constant diffusivity, the effects of stretching of the scalar field by the turbulent strain field, of local curvature, and of chemical reactions are predominant. In this preliminary work, we suggest closure models for certain terms, which will be validated after comparisons with DNS data.

Mantel, T.↗