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At least 739 records · Page 41

Beat, modulational, and decay instabilities of a circularly polarized Alfven wave

A circulary polarized low-frequency electomagnetic pump wave propoagating along an ambient magnetic field is known to be unstable to the growth of several parallel-propagating parametric instabilties. If ion-cyclotron effects are retained in a two-fluid description, the dispersion relation is a sixth-order polynomial. We present a series of new analytical approximations to this dispersion relation. We emphasize new results for the beat instability that occurs as an interaction of the forward prpagating upper sideband with the backward propagating lower sideband. The nature of the beat instabitlity depends on beta = (v(sub sound)/v(sub A)(exp 2) and on the sense of polarization of the pump wave. The beat and decay instabilities can occur together if the pump is left-handed (i.e., ion resonant) and if beta is less than or approximately 1, but they cannot occur together if the pump is right-handed. For a left-handed pump the beat mode is the only instability if beta is greater than or approximately 1. If the pump is right-handed and beta is greater than or approximately 1, then the beat instability exists only when the pump amplitude exceeds a threshold value, and the beat will be the only instability if the pump amplitude is large enough to stabilize the modulational instability. If the pump is left-handed and beta is less than or approximately 1, then the beat mode is stabilized when the pump amplitude becomes sufficiently large. The beat instability primarily produces a forward propagating transverse wave in the upper sideband. Thus if beta is greater than or approximately 1, the instabilities considered here do not produce the backward propagating waves which are thought to affect turbulence and the evolution of cross helicity in the solar wind. New analytical results are presented also for the decay and modulational instabilites when beta is approximately equal to 1.

Hollweg, Joseph V.↗

Acoustic sources in the low Mach number turbulent boundary layer

The sources of sound production in a low Mach number turbulent boundary layer are examined. The sources are shown to be quadrupole in nature and to result from supersonically convecting wave-number components of the fluctuating Reynolds' normal stresses. The primary Tollmien-Schlichting instability of the boundary layer is found to radiate no sound. Analysis of various vortical phenomena suggests that the primary source is the process of formation of horseshoe vortices, with viscous sublayer bursts a possible secondary source.

Hardin, Jay C.↗

Ion resonances and ELF wave production by an electron beam injected into the ionosphere - ECHO 6

Two effects observed with electron antennas ejected from a sounding rocket launched into the ionosphere in March 1983 carrying electron beam guns are discussed. The sensor packages were ejected and travelled parallel to the vehicle trajectory. Electric potentials were measured between the single probes and a plasma diagnostic package while the gun injected electrons into the ionosphere in perpendicular and parallel 1 kHz directions. Signal pulses over the dc-1250 kHz range were detected. A kHz gun frequency caused a signal that decreased by two orders of magnitude between 45-90 m from the beam field line. However, the signal was detectable at 1 mV/m at 120 m, supporting earlier data that indicated that pulsed electron beams can cause ELF waves in space. Beam injection parallel to the magnetic field produced an 840 Hz resonance that could be quenched by activation of a transverse beam.

Winckler, J. R.↗

Binary stellar winds

Stellar winds from a binary star will interact with each other along a contact discontinuity. We discuss qualitatively the geometry of the flow and field resulting from this interaction in the simplest case where the stars and winds are identical. We consider the shape of the critical surface (defined as the surface where the flow speed is equal to the sound speed) as a function of stellar separation and the role of shock waves in the flow field. The effect of stellar spin and magnetic sectors on the field configuration is given. The relative roles of mass loss and magnetic torque in the evolution of orbital parameters are discussed.

Siscoe, G. L.↗

Binary stellar winds

Stellar winds from a binary star pair will interact with each other along a contact discontinuity. We discuss qualitatively the geometry of the flow and field resulting from this interaction in the simplest case where the stars and winds are identical. We consider the shape of the critical surface (defined as the surface where the flow speed is equal to the sound speed) as a function of stellar separation and the role of shock waves in the flow field. The effect of stellar spin and magnetic sectors on the field configuration is given. The relative roles of mass loss and magnetic torque in the evolution of orbital parameters is discussed.

Siscoe, G. L.↗

Drop dynamics in space

Experiments to study the dynamics of liquid drops are being planned to be performed in the weightless environment of Spacelab. The liquids will range from superfluid helium through ordinary liquid to molten metals and glasses. The experiments will be conducted in a chamber now being developed which utilizes the forces and torques produced by acoustic waves excited within the chamber. None of the currently available facilities (drop towers, sounding rockets, or zero-g aircraft flights) can provide a sustained weightless environment, since the resulting zero-g periods are from 3 sec to 5 min. Spaceflight, however, will provide weightlessness for periods of one week, or more, allowing truly laboratory-like experiments to be conducted on free liquid drops and bubbles. In this paper we discuss both the drop dynamics experiments proposed for Spacelab and the acoustic chamber: its operation and current testing for these and other experiments.

Wang, T. G.↗

A method of weighted residuals with trigonometric basis functions for sound transmission in circular ducts

The method of weighted residuals (MWR) in the form of a modified Galerkin method with trigonometric basis functions is used to compute the transmission of sound in an axisymmetric duct. The method is used to generate the axial wave number for uniform ducts. These are compared with exact solutions generated by a formal eigenvalue routine in the hard-wall case and a Runge-Kutta integration eigenvalue scheme in the soft-wall case. The method is applicable to both flow and no-flow cases.

Vo, P. T.↗

Visualization of quasi-periodic unsteady flows

A self-synchronizing schlieren flow visualization technique has been developed to study unsteady periodic flows which may result from aeroelastic effects. The technique allows the experimentalist to stroboscopically 'freeze' the streak line pattern at any phase in one period of the motion by driving the schlieren light source with an electronically processed synchronizing signal that is derived by measuring a periodic flow variable with a convenient sensor. Results for the visualization of the near-wake behind an oscillating airfoil at low speeds which show an ordered series of discrete vortices and a curious short-wave-length wake disturbance are examined. Results are also presented for edge tone sound generation.

Kadlec, R. A.↗

On convergence of computation of chemically reacting flows

The computational problems associated with high-temperature flows undergoing finite-rate ionization reactions is investigated. The conservation equations governing chemical species and vibrational and electron energies are solved simultaneously with those for overall mass, momentum, and energy for a one-dimensional subsonic flow, through a constant-area duct, originating behind a normal shock wave, using an implicit time-marching technique. Boundary conditions are imposed in the form of characteristic wave variables accounting for the effects of chemical reactions on the speed of sound. Converging solutions are obtained for cases in which chemical reactions are weak, but difficulty is encountered in other cases. The cause of the difficulty is investigated and shown to be the sharp pressure disturbances produced by such reactions.

Park, C.↗

Leak detection utilizing analog binaural (VLSI) techniques

A detection method and system utilizing silicon models of the traveling wave structure of the human cochlea to spatially and temporally locate a specific sound source in the presence of high noise pandemonium. The detection system combines two-dimensional stereausis representations, which are output by at least three VLSI binaural hearing chips, to generate a three-dimensional stereausis representation including both binaural and spectral information which is then used to locate the sound source.

Hartley, Frank T.↗

Implementation of the NASA High Intensity Modal Impedance Tube

This paper provides a description of the High Intensity Modal Impedance Tube (HIMIT) and its use for the evaluation of acoustic liners. Tests conducted with two liners, one linear and one nonlinear, are used to evaluate the suitability of the HIMIT for evaluation at frequencies up to 6 kHz and sound pressure levels up to 155 dB. Two impedance eduction methods are used, one suitable for plane wave frequencies and the other applicable over the full frequency range. These educed impedances are compared against those computed with an impedance prediction method and against those educed with another zero-flow test rig. These results confirm that the HIMIT can be used with confidence for the evaluation of acoustic liners over these frequency and sound pressure level ranges.

impedance↗

The effect of a row of Helmholtz resonators on the turbulence in a boundary layer

Detailed acoustic measurements were made of the resonator's response as the free stream speed was varied from 30 mph to 155 mph. The average sound pressure level (SPL) and peak frequency response clearly show the existence of strong tuning between the boundary layer and the resonator for the Helmholtz (f sub 0) mode as well as for the first standing wave (f sub 1) mode. The narrow speed range for tuning and the gap between the strong tuning for the Helmholtz mode and the first standing wave mode is evident. The frequency at which the peak SPL response occurred at each speed is given. The peak response for the Helmholtz mode occurred at a free stream velocity of 26 m/s (at which RE sub theta = 6,560) with a resonant frequency of 570 Hz and a sound pressure level of 141 dB. The peak response for the first standing wave occurs at the maximum wind tunnel speed of 70 m/s (at which Re sub theta = 14,900) Hz with a resonant frequency of 1,890 Hz and a sound pressure level of 154 dB. At resonance the microphones do not maintain a constant SPL, but rather the latter fluctuates in a seemingly random fashion. The values presented here are time averaged rms values. Of interest was the occurrence of phase locking between adjacent resonators witha phase lag of 180 deg. This report covers the period from 5 May to 30 September on the subject project.

Panton, R. L.↗

Convection and Easterly Wave Structure Observed in the Eastern Pacific Warm-Pool during EPIC-2001

During September-October 2001, the East Pacific Investigation of Climate Processes in the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere System (EPIC-2001) ITCZ field campaign focused on studies of deep convection in the warm-pool region of the East Pacific. In addition to the TAO mooring array, observational platforms deployed during the field phase included the NOAA ship RN Ronald H. Brown, the NSF ship RN Horizon, and the NOAA P-3 and NCAR C-130 aircraft. This study combines C-band Doppler radar, rawinsonde, and surface heat flux data collected aboard the RN Brown to describe ITCZ convective structure and rainfall statistics in the eastern Pacific as a function of 3-5 day easterly wave phase. Three distinct easterly wave passages occurred during EPIC-2001. Wind and thermodynamic data reveal that the wave trough axes exhibited positively correlated U and V winds and a slight westward phase tilt with height. A relatively strong (weak) northeasterly deep tropospheric shear followed the trough (ridge) axis. Temperature and humidity perturbations exhibited mid-to upper level cooling (warming) and drying (moistening) in the northerly (trough and southerly) phase. At low levels warming (cooling) occurred in the northerly (southerly) phase with little change in the relative humidity, though mixed layer mixing ratios were larger during the northerly phase. When composited, radar, sounding, lightning and surface heat flux observations suggest the following systematic behavior as a function of wave phase: approximately zero to one quarter wavelength ahead of (behind) the wave trough in northerly (southerly) flow, larger (smaller) CAPE, lower (higher) CIN, weaker (stronger) tropospheric shear, higher (lower) conditional mean rain rates, higher (lower) lightning flash densities, and more (less) robust convective vertical structure occurred. Latent and sensible heat fluxes reached a minimum in the northerly phase and then increased through the trough, reaching a peak during the ridge phase (leading the peak in CAPE). From a radar echo coverage perspective, larger areas of light rain and slightly larger (10%) area averaged rain rates occurred in the vicinity of, and just behind, the trough axes in southerly flow. Importantly, the transition in convective structure observed across the trough axis when considered with the relatively small change in area mean rain rates suggests the presence of a transition in the vertical structure of diabatic heating across the easterly waves examined. The inferred transition in heating structure is supported by radar diagnosed divergence profiles that exhibit convective (stratiform) characteristics ahead of (behind) the trough.

Peterson, Walter A.↗

Further Progress in Noise Source Identification in High Speed Jets via Causality Principle

To locate noise sources in high-speed jets, the sound pressure fluctuations p/, measured at far field locations, were correlated with each of density p, axial velocity u, radial velocity v, puu and pvv fluctuations measured from various points in fully expanded, unheated plumes of Mach number 0.95, 1.4 and 1.8. The velocity and density fluctuations were measured simultaneously using a recently developed, non-intrusive, point measurement technique based on molecular Rayleigh scattering (Seasholtz, Panda, and Elam, AIAA Paper 2002-0827). The technique uses a continuous wave, narrow line-width laser, Fabry-Perot interferometer and photon counting electronics. The far field sound pressure fluctuations at 30 to the jet axis provided the highest correlation coefficients with all flow variables. The correlation coefficients decreased sharply with increased microphone polar angle, and beyond about 60 all correlation mostly fell below the experimental noise floor. Among all correlations < puu; p/> showed the highest values. Interestingly, , in all respects, were very similar to . The and correlations with 90deg microphone fell below the noise floor. By moving the laser probe at various locations in the jet it was found that the strongest noise source lies downstream of the end of the potential core and extends many diameters beyond. Correlation measurement from the lip shear layer showed a Mach number dependency. While significant correlations were measured in Mach 1.8 jet, values were mostly below the noise floor for subsonic Mach 0.95 jet. Various additional analyses showed that fluctuations from large organized structures mostly contributed to the measured correlation, while that from small scale structures fell below the noise floor.

Panda, J.↗

Distorted-wave born approximation calculations for turbulence scattering in an upward-refracting atmosphere

Weiner and Keast observed that in an upward-refracting atmosphere, the relative sound pressure level versus range follows a characteristic 'step' function. The observed step function has recently been predicted qualitatively and quantitatively by including the effects of small-scale turbulence in a parabolic equation (PE) calculation. (Gilbert et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 87, 2428-2437 (1990)). The PE results to single-scattering calculations based on the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) are compared. The purpose is to obtain a better understanding of the physical mechanisms that produce the step-function. The PE calculations and DWBA calculations are compared to each other and to the data of Weiner and Keast for upwind propagation (strong upward refraction) and crosswind propagation (weak upward refraction) at frequencies of 424 Hz and 848 Hz. The DWBA calculations, which include only single scattering from turbulence, agree with the PE calculations and with the data in all cases except for upwind propagation at 848 Hz. Consequently, it appears that in all cases except one, the observed step function can be understood in terms of single scattering from an upward-refracted 'skywave' into the refractive shadow zone. For upwind propagation at 848 Hz, the DWBA calculation gives levels in the shadow zone that are much below both the PE and the data.

Gilbert, Kenneth E.↗

Numerical evaluation of propeller noise including nonlinear effects

Propeller noise in the acoustic near field is presently determined through the integration of the pressure-time history in the tangential direction of a numerically generated flowfield around a propfan of SR-3 type, including the shock wave system in the vicinity of the propeller tip. This acoustic analysis yields overall sound pressure levels, and the associated frequency spectra, as a function of observer location.

Korkan, K. D.↗

On the tidal interaction between protoplanets and the primordial solar nebula. II - Self-consistent nonlinear interaction

A method to analyze the full nonlinear response and physical processes associated with the tidal interaction between a binary system and a thin disk in the steady state is presented. Using this approach, density wave propagation, induced by tidal interaction, may be studied for a wide range of sound speeds and viscosities. The effect of self-gravity may also be incorporated. The results of several calculations relevant to the tidal interaction between a protoplanet and the primordial solar nebula are also presented.

Lin, D. N. C.↗