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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Spectral structure of tropospheric vertical temperature profiles over Cape Kennedy, Florida.

Recent Jimsphere/Jimsonde measurements of tropospheric temperature profile spectra in the wavelength band from 50 to 2000 meters above the atmospheric boundary layer, taken over Cape Kennedy, Florida, are summarized. The results suggest that the spectra can be represented in the nondimensional form (omega sub g/sigma sub w)phi(k)/sigma sub T squared = S(K), where phi(k) is the temperature profile spectrum at wave number k, omega sub g is the Brunt-Vasala frequency, sigma sub w and sigma sub T denote the standard deviations of the vertical velocity and temperature profiles, and S is a universal function of nondimensional wave number K = k sigma sub w/omega sub g.

Fichtl, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Airborne profiling of ice thickness using a short pulse radar

The acquisition and interpretation of ice thickness data from a mobile platform has for some time been a goal of the remote sensing community. Such data, once obtainable, is of value in monitoring the changes in ice thickness over large areas, and in mapping the potential hazards to traffic in shipping lanes. Measurements made from a helicopter-borne ice thickness profiler of ice in Lake Superior, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair river as part of NASA's program to develop an ice information system are described. The profiler described is a high resolution, non-imaging, short pulse radar, operating at a carrier frequency of 2.7 GHz. The system can resolve reflective surfaces separated by as little as 10 cm. and permits measurement of the distance between resolvable surfaces with an accuracy of about 1 cm. Data samples are given for measurements both in a static (helicopter hovering), and a traverse mode. Ground truth measurements taken by an ice auger team traveling with the helicopter are compared with the remotely sensed data and the accuracy of the profiler is discussed based on these measurements.

Vickers, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

High resolution system for upper air (troposphere) wind and temperature profile measurements

The Jimsphere/Jimsonde system is described and some possible applications of the system for air-sea interface measurements are presented. As space vehicles became larger and more sophisticated, an improved method for obtaining wind profile data had to be found. To satisfy this need the FPS-16 radar/Jimsphere system was developed. The Jimsphere is an aluminized mylar spherical balloon, two meters in diameter. The balloon is under superpressure, and is tracked with a high precision radar system. The development of this detailed wind profile system was started in 1963, and the present design was established in 1964. To improve the system, a program was initiated in 1965 to obtain high resolution temperature data simultaneously with the wind profile data.

Camp, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Line profiles and turbulence generated by acoustic waves in the solar chromosphere. II - Contours of the Ca II and Mg II K lines

Making use of the time-averaged absorption profiles derived by Oster and Ulmschneider, non-LTE line formation in the context of a two-level atom is investigated for an isothermal atmosphere and for the Ca II and Mg II K lines in the solar chromosphere as represented by the Harvard-Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere. Source functions and emergent line profiles are computed for a variety of assumptions concerning the acoustically broadened profiles and the solar velocity fields.

Shine, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A new measurement of the Hercules X-1 X-ray pulse profile

Report on measurements of a triple-peaked 1.24-sec pulse profile in a 1-minute rocket-borne exposure to Her X-1, in contrast to the double-peaked profiles expected from models which maximize the X-ray emission at the magnetic equator of an accreting neutron star. The profile exhibits statistically significant energy dependence, with the emission greater than about 12 keV having narrower peaks which appear to lag (by approximately 5% of the pulse period) the corresponding peaks at lower energies. Approximately one-third of the total emission from the source is nonpulsed.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Optimal rocket thrust profile shaping using third degree spline function interpolation

Optimal solid-rocket thrust profiles for the parallel-burn, solid-rocket-assisted space shuttle are investigated. Solid-rocket thrust profiles are simulated by using third-degree spline functions, with the values of the thrust ordinates defined as parameters. The profiles are optimized parametrically, using the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell penalty function method, by minimizing propellant weight subject to state and control inequality constraints and to terminal boundary conditions. This study shows that optimizing a control variable parametrically by using third-degree spline function interpolation allows the control to be shaped so that inequality constraints are strictly adhered to and all corners are eliminated. The absence of corners, which is realistic in nature, makes this method attractive from the viewpoint of solid rocket grain design.

Johnson, I. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A new measurement of the Her X-1 X-ray pulse profile

A triple peaked 1.24 sec. pulse profile in a 1-minute rocket borne exposure to Her X-1 was measured, in contrast to the doublepeaked profiles expected from models which maximize the X ray emission at the magnetic equator of an accreting neutron star. The profile exhibits statistically significant energy dependence, with the emission approximately greater than 12 keV having narrower peaks which lag (by approximately 5% of the pulse period) the corresponding peaks at lower energies. Approximately one third of the total emission from the source is nonpulsed.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effect of thermal profile on cyclic flaw growth in aluminum

Surface flawed and single edge notch tension specimens of 2219-T851 and -T87 aluminum were tested to determine static fracture characteristics and base line (constant amplitude, constant temperature) cyclic flaw growth behavior. Subsequent testing was then conducted in which flawed specimens were subjected to a thermal profile in which the applied stress was varied simultaneously with the temperature. The profile used represents a simplified space shuttle orbiter load/temperature flight cycle. Test temperatures included the range from 144K (-200 F) up to 450K (350 F). The measured flaw growth rates obtained from the thermal profile tests were then compared with rates predicted by assuming linear cumulative damage of base line rates.

Engstrom, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Elevation profiles of the moon

Five MHz radar data obtained from the Apollo 17 mission are used to determine elevation profiles of the moon. A change in range of one quarter of a wavelength (15 m for the 5 MHz radar) changes the round-trip radar range one half wavelength or 180 deg, thus allowing determination of the relative surface profile or slope with a high degree of precision. The technique of deriving the range or altimetry measurement from the range-Doppler data record on film yields a better understanding of the range accuracy. The presence of fade intervals can be observed directly and their effect on the profile measurement reduced to a minimum. The maria used to generate the center of maria are Western Procellarum, Serenitatis, and Crisium. The location of the center of mare relative to the center of figure and center of mass is identified.

Brown, W. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

High-resolution system for tropospheric wind and temperature profile measurements

This paper briefly describes the Jimsphere/Jimsonde system and presents some possible applications of the system. As space vehicles became larger and more sophisticated, an improved method for obtaining wind-profile data had to be found. To satisfy this need, the FPS-16 radar/Jimsphere system was developed. The Jimsphere is an aluminized mylar spherical balloon 2 m in diameter. The balloon is under superpressure and is tracked with a high-precision radar system. The development of this detailed wind-profile system was started in 1963, and the present design was established in 1964. To improve the system, a program was initiated in 1965 to obtain high-resolution temperature data simultaneously with the wind-profile data.

Camp, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A wall-wake velocity profile for turbulent compressible boundary layers with heat transfer

A modified form of the wall-wake profile which is applicable to flows with heat transfer is presented. The modified profile takes into account the effect of a turbulent Prandtl number; it was found to provide a good representation of the experimental data from several sources. The C sub f values which are determined by a least squares fit of the profile to the data agree well with values which were measured by the floating element technique.

Sun, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Computer simulation of an aircraft-based differential absorption and scattering system for retrieval of SO2 vertical profiles

The feasibility of using the differential absorption and scattering technique from aircraft altitudes for remotely measuring the vertical distribution of SO2 was studied via a computer simulation. Particular care was taken in this simulation to use system parameters (i.e., laser energy, telescope size, etc.) which can be accommodated on an aircraft and can be realized with commercially available technology. The vertical molecular and aerosol profiles were chosen to simulate the types of profiles which might be experienced over a large city. Results are presented on the retrieval of the assumed SO2 profile which show the effects of systematic errors due to interfering gases and aerosols, as well as random errors due to shot noise in the return signal, detector and background noise, and instrument-generated noise.

Hoell, J. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

On the interpretation of FE 2 emission profiles in Seyfert galaxies and QSOs

High-resolution spectral scans of several QSOs and Seyfert galaxies show broad Balmer lines and permitted Fe II lines in emission. It is suggested that a careful comparison of the Fe II and Balmer profiles may distinguish between the different proposed mechanisms for broadening of the lines. In particular, if the Fe II profile is much narrower that the hydrogen profile, the suprathermal particle mechanism is most likely presented.

Ptak, R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

An analysis of Saturn's methane 3 nu /3/ band profiles in terms of an inhomogeneous atmosphere

Observed profiles of the R branch of Saturn's CH4 3 nu (3) band are compared with synthetic profiles computed from inhomogeneous models which are consistent with Saturn's H2 quadrupole-line equivalent widths. A C/H ratio approximately three times the solar value and a CH4 abundance of about 100 m am are found. Scattering plays a significant role in the formation of manifold profiles below a depth where the H2 abundance is 20-30 km am.

Macy, W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Velocity and temperature profiles in near-critical nitrogen flowing past a horizontal flat plate

Boundary layer velocity and temperature profiles were measured for nitrogen near its thermodynamic critical point flowing past a horizontal flat plate. The results were compared measurements made for vertically upward flow. The boundary layer temperatures ranged from below to above the thermodynamic critical temperature. For wall temperatures below the thermodynamic critical temperature there was little variation between the velocity and temperature profiles in three orientations. In all three orientations the point of crossing into the critical temperature region is marked by a significant flattening of the velocity and temperature profiles and also a decrease in heat transfer coefficient.

Simoneau, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Atmospheric temperature profiles derived through the inversion of a system of first order differential equations

Generation of vertical temperatures profiles from remotely sensed atmospheric radiance data is described as an analogous communications system. The radiative transport characteristics of the atmosphere encodes the continuous temperature profile into an 'n' element vector where 'n' is the number of channels in the satellite instrument. The temperature profile is a message transmitted from station A to station B and the link is the satellite instrument. At station B the decoder reproduces a continuous function which is the best estimate of the message encoded at station A. It is shown that the decoder must operate in a tuned mode where the parameters used in the encoder precisely determine the decoder parameters, and that the characteristics of the total message block must be given by a set of decoder constraints

Gatlin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Effect of ambient temperature on the thermal profile of the human forearm, hand, and fingers

Forearm, hand, and finger skin temperatures were measured on the right and left sides of seven resting men. The purpose was to determine the bilateral symmetry of these segmental temperature profiles at ambient temperatures from 10 to 45 C. Thermistors placed on the right and left forearms, hands, and index fingers were used to monitor the subjects until equilibration was reached at each ambient temperature. Additionally, thermal profiles of both hands were measured with copper-constantan thermocouples. During one experimental condition (23 C ambient), rectal, ear canal, and 24 skin temperatures were measured on each subject. Average body and average skin temperatures are given for each subject at the 23 C ambient condition. Detailed thermal profiles are also presented for the dorsal, ventral, and circumferential left forearm, hand, and finger skin temperatures at 23 C ambient. No significant differences were found between the mean skin temperatures of the right and left contralateral segments at any of the selected ambient temperatures.

Montgomery, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The embedded feature model for the interpretation of chromospheric contrast profiles

Contrast profiles obtained from chromospheric filtergrams and spectra of bright and dark mottles have to date been interpreted almost exclusively in terms of Becker's cloud model. Here we demonstrate the failure of this model to account in a physically consistent way for the observed contrasts. As an alternative, we introduce an embedded-feature model, restricting our discussion in this paper to stationary features. Our model is then characterized by three independent parameters: the density of absorbing atoms, the geometrical depth, and the profile of the absorption coefficient. An analytic approximation to the contrast resulting from such a model reproduces well the observed behavior of all types of contrast profiles.

Steinitz, R.↗