Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “data conditioning”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 757 records · Page 42

Shuttle orbiter boundary layer transition at flight and wind tunnel conditions

Hypersonic boundary layer transition data obtained on the windward centerline of the Shuttle orbiter during entry for the first five flights are presented and analyzed. Because the orbiter surface is composed of a large number of thermal protection tiles, the transition data include the effects of distributed roughness arising from tile misalignment and gaps. These data are used as a benchmark for assessing and improving the accuracy of boundary layer transition predictions based on correlations of wind tunnel data taken on both aerodynamically rough and smooth orbiter surfaces. By comparing these two data bases, the relative importance of tunnel free stream noise and surface roughness on orbiter boundary layer transition correlation parameters can be assessed. This assessment indicates that accurate predications of transition times can be made for the orbiter at hypersonic flight conditions by using roughness dominated wind tunnel data. Specifically, times of transition onset and completion is accurately predicted using a correlation based on critical and effective values of a roughness Reynolds number previously derived from wind tunnel data.

Goodrich, W. D.↗

Structural dynamics research in a full-scale transport aircraft crash test

A remotely piloted air-to-ground crash test of a full-scale transport aircraft was conducted for the first time for two purposes: (1) to demonstrate performance of an antimisting fuel additive in suppressing fire in a crash environment, and (2) to obtain structural dynamics data under crash conditions for comparison with analytical predictions. The test, called the Controlled Impact Demonstration (CID), was sponsored by FAA and NASA with cooperation of industry, the Department of Defense, and the British and French governments. The test aircraft was a Boeing 720 jet transport. The aircraft impacted a dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the structural aspects of the CID. The fuselage section tests and the CID itself are described. Structural response data from these tests are presented and discussed. Nonlinear analytical modeling efforts are described, and comparisons between analytical results and experimental results are presented.

Mccomb, H. G., Jr.↗

Meteorological applications of the Nimbus 4 temperature-humidity infrared radiometer, 6.7 micron channel data.

Midtropospheric circulation features under essentially clear sky conditions have been noted in the data of the 6.7-micron channel of the Nimbus 4 temperature-humidity infrared radiometer (THIR), while at the same time these features were undetected by the 11.5-micron channel of the same instrument. The characteristic response of the 6.7-micron channel to atmospheric water vapor emission is primarily from the 250-mb (10.5 km) to 500-mb (5.5 km) levels with a peak contribution at 350 mb (8 km). Dry and moist patterns seen in the 6.7-micron data on Feb. 21, 1971, have been integrated into a 400-mb moisture analysis over the United States. This analysis provided more detailed and timely information than was conventionally available about the advection of dry air aloft prior to development of the Mississippi Tornado of February 1971.

Allison, L. J.↗

Analytic prediction of airplane equilibrium spin characteristics

The nonlinear equations of motion are solved algebraically for conditions for which an airplane is in an equilibrium spin. Constrained minimization techniques are employed in obtaining the solution. Linear characteristics of the airplane about the equilibrium points are also presented and their significance in identifying the stability characteristics of the equilibrium points is discussed. Computer time requirements are small making the method appear potentially applicable in airplane design. Results are obtained for several configurations and are compared with other analytic-numerical methods employed in spin prediction. Correlation with experimental results is discussed for one configuration for which a rather extensive data base was available. A need is indicated for higher Reynolds number data taken under conditions which more accurately simulate a spin.

Adams, W. M., Jr.↗

Techniques in Assessing Random Uncertainty of Wind Tunnel Replicate Test Data

The preferred method to determine the random uncertainty of variables of interest during wind tunnel tests is by direct analysis of replicate data. However, current information is limited to analysis of a single replicate set condition that does not consider data covariance. This paper provides additional information on considerations for quantifying random uncertainty including the evaluation and correction of replicate data covariance, the selection of replicate set conditions for the test, and the interpolation of random uncertainty at other than replicate set conditions. The analysis and techniques are supported by data from a conventional aircraft configuration test at the Oran Nicks Low-Speed Wind Tunnel and an ASME nozzle flow characterization at the Propulsion Systems Laboratory.

Uncertainty↗

Infrared sensors and systems for enhanced vision/autonomous landing applications

There exists a large body of data spanning more than two decades, regarding the ability of infrared imagers to 'see' through fog, i.e., in Category III weather conditions. Much of this data is anecdotal, highly specialized, and/or proprietary. In order to determine the efficacy and cost effectiveness of these sensors under a variety of climatic/weather conditions, there is a need for systematic data spanning a significant range of slant-path scenarios. These data should include simultaneous video recordings at visible, midwave (3-5 microns), and longwave (8-12 microns) wavelengths, with airborne weather pods that include the capability of determining the fog droplet size distributions. Existing data tend to show that infrared is more effective than would be expected from analysis and modeling. It is particularly more effective for inland (radiation) fog as compared to coastal (advection) fog, although both of these archetypes are oversimplifications. In addition, as would be expected from droplet size vs wavelength considerations, longwave outperforms midwave, in many cases by very substantial margins. Longwave also benefits from the higher level of available thermal energy at ambient temperatures. The principal attraction of midwave sensors is that staring focal plane technology is available at attractive cost-performance levels. However, longwave technology such as that developed at FLIR Systems, Inc. (FSI), has achieved high performance in small, economical, reliable imagers utilizing serial-parallel scanning techniques. In addition, FSI has developed dual-waveband systems particularly suited for enhanced vision flight testing. These systems include a substantial, embedded processing capability which can perform video-rate image enhancement and multisensor fusion. This is achieved with proprietary algorithms and includes such operations as real-time histograms, convolutions, and fast Fourier transforms.

Kerr, J. Richard↗

Data archaeology at ICES

This paper provides a brief overview of the function of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), both past and present, in particular in the context of its interest in compiling oceanographic data sets. Details are provided of the procedures it adopted to ensure adequate internationally collaborative marine investigations during the first part of the century, such as how it provided a forum for action by its member states, how it coordinated and published the results of scientific programs, and how it provided a foundation, through scientists employed in the ICES Office, for the establishment of the original oceanographic marine databases and associated products, and the scientific interpretation of the results. The growth and expansion of this area of ICES activity is then traced, taking into account the changing conditions for oceanographic data management resulting from the establishment of the National Data Centres, as well as the World Data Centres for Oceanography, which were created to meet the needs of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). Finally, there is a discussion of the way in which the very existence of ICES has proved to be a valuable source of old data, some of which have not yet been digitized, but which can be readily retrieved because they have been very carefully documented throughout the years. Lessons from this activity are noted, and suggestions are made on how the past experiences of ICES can be utilized to ensure the availability of marine data to present and future generations of scientists.

Dooley, Harry D.↗

Shuttle entry performance and stability and control derivatives extraction from flight measurement data

Flight data taken from three Shuttle Space Transportation System flights (STS-1, 2, and 3) during entry are analyzed to determine the shuttle performance and aerodynamic characteristics. Correlations of the performance coefficients and the stability and control derivatives with preflight predictions are presented over the hypersonic speed range from Mach 2 to 25. In addition, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the onboard Reaction Control System (RCS) is given and an effort is made to independently quantify the combined impingement and flow-field interaction effects on the spacecraft rolling moment. Comparisons of stability and control derivatives extracted for the same flight conditions, but using data from different onboard sensors are also made. Results obtained using the same flight data, but different computer software are also shown.

Compton, H. R.↗

Fluctuations and massive separation in three-dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

Shock-wave unsteadiness was observed in rapidly compressed supersonic turbulent boundary layer flows with significant separation. A Mach 2.85 shock-wave/turbulent boundary layer flow was set up over a series of cylinder-flare bodies in the High Reynolds Number Channel 1. The transition from fully attached to fully separated flow was studied using axisymmetric flares with increasing compression angles. In the second phase, the 30 deg flare was inclined relative to the cylinder axis, so that the effect on a separated flow of increasing 3 dimensionality could be observed. Two 3-D separated cases are examined. A simple conditional sampling technique is applied to the data to group them according to an associated shock position. Mean velocities and turbulent kinetic energies, computed from the conditionally samples data, are compared to those from the unsorted data and to computed values. Three basic questions were addressed: can conditional sampling be used to provide snapshots of the flow; are averaged turbulence quantities dominated by the bimodal nature of the interaction; and is the shock unsteadiness really important to computational accuracy.

Kussoy, M. I.↗

Fluctuations and massive separation in three-dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

Shock-wave unsteadiness was observed in rapidly compressed supersonic turbulent boundary layer flows with significant separation. A Mach 2.85 shock-wave/turbulent boundary layer flow was set up over a series of cylinder-flare bodies in the High Reynolds Number Channel 1. The transition from fully attached to fully separated flow was studied using axisymmetric flares with increasing compression angles. In the second phase, the 30-deg flare was inclined relative to the cylinder axis, so that the effect on a separated flow of increasing three-dimensionality could be observed. Two 3-D separated cases are examined. A simple conditional sampling technique is applied to the data to group them according to an associated shock position. Mean velocities and turbulent kinetic energies, computed from the conditionally sampled data, are compared to those from the unsorted data and to computed values. Three basic questions were addressed: can conditional sampling be used to provide snapshots of the flow; are averaged turbulence quantities dominated by the bimodal nature of the interaction; and is the shock unsteadiness really important to computational accuracy.

Kussoy, M. I.↗

Influence of Microgravity on Bacterial Pathogen Virulence and Immune Cell Function—Relevance for Infectious Disease Risk During Spaceflight

Spaceflight has measurable impacts on astronaut immune profiles as well as the virulence patterns of bacterial pathogens. Data with respect to human immunity indicate diminished T and NK cell function, altered cytokine profiles, persistent inflammation, and latent herpesvirus reactivation. Furthermore, evaluation of International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers gives evidence of compromised immunity, including atypical allergy, infectious disease, and dermatitis. Data with respect to certain human bacterial pathogens suggest modified virulence that may be enhanced. It is therefore critical to examine this interaction of immune dysregulation and increased microbial virulence and whether it might synergistically increase the risk of infectious disease to crew members. The goal of this study is to use modeled microgravity to study the impact of medically significant ISS bacteria that may have altered virulence on the immune response of the host. This study consists of two primary aims to assess this relationship. First, immune cells will be collected from healthy test subjects and cultured in static or in modeled microgravity conditions together with either control pathogens or with microgravity conditioned pathogens that were grown in bioreactors. Second, immune cells will be collected from astronauts before, during, and after flight and co-cultured with the control or the microgravity conditioned bacteria. Three pathogens were selected for this investigation: Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Burkholderia cepacia . Previously, the optimal cell to bacteria ratios that produce the greatest immune cell responses have been derived for these three bacteria. Cellular activation, as determined by the induction of cell surface activation markers and cytokine profiles, will be measured. Interactions between cells and bacteria will be assessed using fluorescent and electron microscopy techniques. This study will provide critical information to help understand how microgravity alters microbial virulence and the associated infectious disease risk to crewmembers during spaceflight missions. Over the past year, the Immunology and Microbiology laboratories at NASA Johnson Space Center have collaborated to process the astronaut subject samples to complete the last year of the flight portion of this study. This included the completion of four astronaut subjects full mission sampling sets. Sample processing included innate and adaptive cell flow cytometry as well as analysis of cytokine concentrations in the supernatant. The ground control segment of the study will take place during FY25 which involves parallel infections run under static and clinostat conditions. The acquired data sets over this 3-year study are now being analyzed to provide a comprehensive set of results and conclusions that will contribute to a more effective risk assessment for astronauts during spaceflight regarding this host-pathogen context.

Immunology↗

Theoretical evaluation of high speed aerodynamics for arrow wing configurations

A limited study in the use of theoretical methods to calculate the high speed aerodynamics of arrow wing supersonic cruise configurations was conducted. The study consisted of correlations with existing wind tunnel data at Mach numbers from 0.8 to 2.7, using theoretical methods to extrapolate the wind tunnel data to full scale flight conditions, and presentation of a typical supersonic data package for an advanced supersonic transport application prepared using the theoretical methods. A brief description of the methods and their application was given. In general, all three methods had excellent correlation with wind tunnel data at supersonic speeds for drag and lift characteristics and fair to poor agreement with pitching moment characteristics. The VORLAX program had excellent correlation with wind tunnel data at subsonic speeds for lift and pitching moment characteristics and fair agreement in drag characteristics.

Dollyhigh, S. M.↗

A survey on initial results of the Helios plasma experiment

The reported results are mainly based on data obtained during the first part of the Helios-1 mission. The sun was very quiet during the considered period. The data are, therefore, representative for comparatively stationary conditions in the solar corona. Data obtained concerning the protons were evaluated by means of a special computer routine. The significance of the data is discussed, taking into account the status of the corona and the interplanetary plasma during the considered part of the Helios-1 mission, fast stream structures in the region between 0.3 and 1 AU, radial gradients of fast and slow solar wind, and the separation of proton double streams and alpha-particles. Attention is also given to the 'strahl' in the electron distribution, differences between fast streams and slow plasma on the basis of the observed electron distributions, and radial gradients in the case of solar wind electron parameters.

Rosenbauer, H.↗

Experimental clean combustor program: Phase 3: Turbulence measurement addendum

Airflow turbulence parameters were measured in the high pressure, high temperature flow stream leaving the compressor of an operating gas turbine engine. A water cooled hot film turbulence probe was used to determine the turbulence intensity and length scale in the compressor exit flow stream of the CF6-50 engine. Data were obtained only at idle operating conditions. At engine power levels above idle conditions, durability problems and erratic data readings were encountered with the turbulence measurement probes. Turbulence measurements were made at three radial immersions at a point 15.5 cm downstream of the compressor outlet guide vanes in the compressor exit diffuser. The passage height at this point is 5.54 cm. Data reduction was accomplished with a time-data fast Fourier transform (FFT) system. This system finds the power spectral density distribution (PSD) of a large number of data samples using a direct Fourier transform algorithm and finds the autocorrelation parameter for these data by doing an FFT analysis of the PSD curves for a series of time delay intervals.

Taylor, J. R.↗

New interpretations of shock-associated noise with and without screech

Anomalous trends in present convergent nozzle (Mach 1) shock associated noise analyses and predictions, with particular emphasis on the roles of screech and jet temperature, are discussed. Experimentally measured values of shock associated noise are used to reassess data trends, including both frequency and sound pressure level. The data used includes model-scale nozzles, varying in nominal diameter from 5 cm to 13 cm, and full scale engine nozzles up to 48 cm. All data were obtained at static conditions. From this reassessment of the measured data, new empirical methods for the prediction of shock associated noise are developed. Separate procedures are presented for screech free and screech contaminated shock associated noise. In the present approach, shock associated noise spectra are developed from considerations that include the peak sound pressure level and its frequency, the low frequency sound pressure level slope, and the high frequency sound pressure level slope or roll-off; the latter is shown to vary with directivity angle.

Vonglahn, U.↗

New interpretations of shock-associated noise with and without screech

Anomalous trends in present convergent nozzle (Mach 1) shock-associated noise analyses and predictions, with particular emphasis on the roles of screech and jet temperature, are discussed. Experimentally measured values of shock-associated noise are used to reassess data trends, including both frequency and sound pressure level. The data used includes model-scale nozzles, varying in nominal diameter from 5 cm to 13 cm, and full-scale engine nozzles up to 48 cm. All data were obtained at static conditions. From this reassessment of the measured data, new empirical methods for the prediction of shock-associated noise are developed. Separate procedures are presented for screech-free and screech-contaminated shock-associated noise. In the present approach, shock-associated noise spectra are developed from considerations that include the peak sound pressure level and its frequency, the low frequency sound pressure level slope, and the high frequency sound pressure level slope or roll-off; the latter is shown to vary with directivity angle.

Von Glahn, U.↗

Signal Conditioning Amplifier and Recorder (SCAmpR)

The Signal Conditioning Amplifier and Recorder (SCAmpR) system is presented. The topics include: 1) System Description; 2) Universal Signal Conditioning Amplifier (USCA); 3) Advanced Data Acquisition System (ADAS); and 4) Signal Conditioning Amplifier and Recorder (SCAmpR). This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

Medelius, Pedro J.↗

Recent Climate Variability in Antarctica from Satellite-derived Temperature Data

Recent Antarctic climate variability on month-to-month to interannual time scales is assessed through joint analysis of surface temperatures from satellite thermal infrared observations (T(sub IR)) and passive microwave brightness temperatures (T(sub B)). Although Tw data are limited to clear-sky conditions and T(sub B) data are a product of the temperature and emissivity of the upper approx. 1m of snow, the two data sets share significant covariance. This covariance is largely explained by three empirical modes, which illustrate the spatial and temporal variability of Antarctic surface temperatures. T(sub B) variations are damped compared to TIR variations, as determined by the period of the temperature forcing and the microwave emission depth; however, microwave emissivity does not vary significantly in time. Comparison of the temperature modes with Southern Hemisphere (SH) 500-hPa geopotential height anomalies demonstrates that Antarctic temperature anomalies are predominantly controlled by the principal patterns of SH atmospheric circulation. The leading surface temperature mode strongly correlates with the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) in geopotential height. The second temperature mode reflects the combined influences of the zonal wavenumber-3 and Pacific South American (PSA) patterns in 500-hPa height on month-to-month timescales. ENSO variability projects onto this mode on interannual timescales, but is not by itself a good predictor of Antarctic temperature anomalies. The third temperature mode explains winter warming trends, which may be caused by blocking events, over a large region of the East Antarctic plateau. These results help to place recent climate changes in the context of Antarctica's background climate variability and will aid in the interpretation of ice core paleoclimate records.

Schneider, David P.↗