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At least 811 records · Page 45

Tropospheric circulation and interplanetary magnetic sector boundaries followed by MeV proton streams

The MeV proton streams which Svestka et al. (1976) connected with certain sector boundary transits appear to select boundary transits associated with unusually active solar wind conditions. Changes in tropospheric circulation linked to the proton boundary transits were larger than those linked to other boundary transits observed during the same interval. This investigation of sector boundary transits also sheds light on the relationship between changes in solar wind velocity, density and magnetic field and terrestrial changes in the vorticity area index, geomagnetic activity, and cosmic ray flux at earth.

Wilcox, J. M.↗

Lorentz scattering of interplanetary dust

Charged dust grains in a turbulent magnetic field will see a Lorentz force due to the convection of the solar magnetic field past them at the solar wind velocity. Since the sign of this magnetic field is randomly varying, the direction of the force will be random, and the net effect will be to randomly scatter the orbital elements of these particles. The square roots of the mean square change in semimajor axis, inclination, and eccentricity are determined as a function of the particles' original orbital elements. Particles 3 microns in radius and smaller will have their motions strongly perturbed or dominated by Lorentz scattering. This scattering will have an effect comparable to, or greater than, the Poynting-Robertson effect on these particles for time scales comparable to their Poynting-Robertson lifetimes.

Consolmagno, G.↗

Thermal contrast in the atmosphere of Venus - Initial appraisal from Pioneer Venus probe data

The altitude profiles of temperature and pressure were measured during the descent of four Pioneer Venus probes, showing small contrasts below the clouds, but significant differences within the clouds at altitudes from 45 to 61 km. Measurements of pressure differences were found to be consistent with the cyclostrophic balance of zonal winds ranging from 110 to 150 m/sec at 60 km and from 43 to 77 m/sec at 40 km. The clouds were 10 to 20 K warmer than the extended profiles of the lower atmosphere and the middle cloud is convectively unstable. Both phenomena are due to thermal radiation from below. Meridional wind velocities were studied, concluding that significant planetary scale non-axisymmetric motions were present at latitudes below 30 degrees. This result was consistent with the day-night pressure difference. Indications of flow oscillations in the lower atmosphere were noted and the inference of wave motions in the lower atmosphere was supported by analysis of oscillations in the Doppler residuals.

Seiff, A.↗

Some techniques for reducing the tower shadow of the DOE/NASA mod-0 wind turbine tower

Wind speed profile measurements to measure the effect of a wind turbine tower on the wind velocity are presented. Measurements were made in the wake of scale models of the tower and in the wake of certain full scale components to determine the magnitude of the speed reduction (tower shadow). Shadow abatement techniques tested on the towers included the removal of diagonals, replacement of diagonals and horizontals with round cross section members, installation of elliptical shapes on horizontal members, installation of airfoils on vertical members, and application of surface roughness to vertical members.

Burley, R. R.↗

WTG Energy Systems' Rotor: Steel at 80 Feet

The design, specifications, and performance of the 80 foot diameter fixed pitch rotor operating on the MP1-200 wind turbine generator installed as part of the Island of Cuttyhunk's electric power utility grid system are described. This synchronous generating system rated 200 kilowatts at 28 mph wind velocity, and produces constant 60 Hz, 480 VAC current at +/- 1 percent accuracy throughout the machine's operating range. Future R & D requirements and suggestions are included with cost data.

Barrows, R. E.↗

High resolution vertical profiles of wind, temperature and humidity obtained by computer processing and digital filtering of radiosonde and radar tracking data from the ITCZ experiment of 1977

Results are presented from computer processing and digital filtering of radiosonde and radar tracking data obtained during the ITCZ experiment when coordinated measurements were taken daily over a 16 day period across the Panama Canal Zone. The temperature relative humidity and wind velocity profiles are discussed.

Danielson, E. F.↗

High pressure gas laser technology for atmospheric remote sensing

The development of a fixed frequency chirp-free and highly stable intense pulsed laser made for Doppler wind velocity measurements with accurate ranging is described. Energy extraction from a high pressure CO2 laser at a tunable single mode frequency is also examined.

Javan, A.↗

Analytical investigation of fan tone noise due to ingested atmospheric turbulence

The atmospheric turbulence involved in the fan noise generation is evaluated with an existing model for the atmospheric turbulence and an extended version of an existing model concerned with the effects of a flow contraction on convected turbulence. Fan tone noise due to ingested atmospheric turbulence is evaluated with existing fan noise models. The results indicate that the difference in fan narrowband noise due to atmospheric turbulence between static and flight landing approach conditions is in the order of 30 dB. It is concluded that fan noise due to atmospheric turbulence is insignificant in flight conditions for the fans used in the current high bypass ratio engines. The difference in fan narrowband noise between the two conditions is primarily due to the low intensity of the turbulence involved in fan noise generation in flight conditions. Fan noise due to atmospheric turbulence in static conditions should be reduced below the flight fan broadband noise levels which is best achieved with a reduction in the intensity of the fan inflow turbulence. Such a reduction can be obtained with the use of an inflow control device, low wind velocities, small surface roughness in the test stand environment, and large engine axis height above the ground. Peak sound power levels for fan tone noise due to ingested turbulence occur for transverse integral scales in the order of 25% of the rotor blade spacing in the fan tip region.

Ganz, U. W.↗

Morphology and distribution of common 'sand' dunes on Mars - Comparison with the earth

A comparative study of Martian and terrestrial dunes was made based on Viking Orbiter pictures and aerial pictures of terrestrial deserts. The morphological similarity between the Martian dunes and terrestrial crescentic dunes implies that the dynamics of dune formation are similar on the two planets, despite Martian constraints on dune formation that include much higher velocity winds required to move 'sand' in saltation, the possible inhibition of sand movement by absorbed water vapor, the seasonal 'snow' cover in the north circumpolar erg, and a probably sparse sand supply. The absence of longitudinal dunes and the restriction of massive crescentic dunes to a few sites on Mars suggests that Mars may have a long eolian history in which much of the sand suitable for saltation has already been transported to the north polar erg and crater floor fields.

Breed, C. S.↗

Clumpy molecular clouds - A dynamic model self-consistently regulated by T Tauri star formation

A model is proposed which can account for the longevity, energetics, and dynamical structure of dark molecular clouds. Recent observations of a high space density of T Tauri stars in some dark clouds provide the basis for the assertion that high-velocity winds from these low mass pre-main-sequence stars provide a continuous dynamic input into molecular clouds. It is postulated that as clumps are driven above the Jeans mass, both by coalescence and the enhancement of ram pressure through continuing acceleration by protostellar winds, collapse is followed by the formation of low-mass stars that generate additional protostellar winds. Finally, it is found that star formation occurs on a relatively slow time scale, comparable to the cloud lifetime

Norman, C.↗

A sensitivity model for energy consumption in buildings. Part 1: Effect of exterior environment

A simple analytical model is developed for the simulation of seasonal heating and cooling loads of any class of buildings to complement available computerized techniques which make hourly, daily, and monthly calculations. An expression for the annual energy utilization index, which is a common measure of rating buildings having the same functional utilization, is derived to include about 30 parameters for both building interior and exterior environments. The sensitivity of a general class building to either controlled or uncontrolled weather parameters is examined. A hypothetical office type building, located at the Goldstone Space Communication Complex, Goldstone, California, is selected as an example for the numerical sensitivity evaluations. Several expressions of variations in local outside air temperature, pressure, solar radiation, and wind velocity are presented.

Lansing, F. L.↗

Proposed three-phase modeling of Be stars from combined UV and visual observations

Far ultraviolet observations of the behavior of wind velocity and superionization values as a function of the phase of the (Be, B shell, B normal) pattern established by visual observations for gamma Cas and 59 Cyg are translated into a crude atmospheric model for the Be phase and several kinds of mass flux variability across the three phases.

Doazan, V.↗

Ionospheric theory

The effects of the atmospheric dynamics on the ionosphere and neutral chemistry of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere were studied. Effects of vertically propagating planetary waves on NO densities in the 70 to 120 km altitude region were investigated. A time dependent model was developed to calculate the transport of NO due to planetary wave induced winds. These transports are sensitive to the planetary wave forcing used at the lower boundary, as well as to the structure of the zonal mean basic state. Fluxes and transport of NO are calculated for the months of January and February, using a separate basic state and boundary forcing for each month. The zonal mean wind profile for the months of January and February were inferred from NMC data. A major stratospheric warming occurred near the end of the month of February. The large planetary wave amplitude and reduction in zonal mean wind velocities due to this warming are reflected in the February average boundary forcing and zonal mean state.

Source record↗

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and the variation of geomagnetic pulsation activity

It is shown that the observed local time variation of dayside geomagnetic micropulsations is consistent with the Kelvin-Helmholtz generation mechanism operating at the magnetopause. The variation of the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field and the magnetopause around the magnetosphere causes variations in the magnetosheath magnetic field, which in turn lead to local time variations in micropulsation amplitudes. Morning sector pulsations are expected to be larger than afternoon sector pulsations. Furthermore, large-amplitude pulsations are expected to be more frequently observed when the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field and the solar wind velocity in front of the bow shock is small.

Lee, L. C.↗

A very rapid turning of the plasma-tail axis of comet Bradfield 19791 on 1980 February 6

Schmidt camera photographs of comet Bradfield 19791 obtained at the Joint Observatory for Cometary Research (JOCR) indicate that a rapid change took place in the comet's plasma tail on 1980 February 6. On that date, a sequence of photographs spanning 27.5 minutes shows a 10 deg shift occurring in the plasma-tail axis between the first and last exposures. The speed of this tail-turning event greatly exceeds that of any other known event and even exceeds turning rates for individual tail streamers. An interpretation based on the windsock theory of plasma tails is that the comet entered a region of rapidly changing solar-wind flow direction. While the search for an associated solar-wind event from near-earth spacecraft observations is a future activity, the present analysis shows that a 50 km/s change in the polar component of the solar-wind velocity, from about 30 km/s northward to about 20 km/s southward, would have produced the 10 deg shift in the tail axis.

Brandt, J. C.↗

Design, analysis, and test verification of advanced encapsulation systems

Thermal, optical, structural, and electrical isolation analyses are decribed. Major factors in the design of terrestrial photovoltaic modules are discussed. Mechanical defects in the different layers of an encapsulation system, it was found, would strongly influence the minimum pottant thickness required for electrical isolation. Structural, optical, and electrical properties, a literature survey indicated, are hevily influenced by the presence of moisture. These items, identified as technology voids, are discussed. Analyses were based upon a 1.2 meter square module using 10.2 cm (4-inch) square cells placed 1.3 mm apart as shown in Figure 2-2. Sizing of the structural support member of a module was determined for a uniform, normal pressure load of 50 psf, corresponding to the pressure difference generated between the front and back surface of a module by a 100 mph wind. Thermal and optical calculations were performed for a wind velocity of 1 meter/sec parallel to the ground and for module tilt (relative to the local horizontal) of 37 deg. Placement of a module in a typical array field is illustrated.

Garcia, A.↗

Sound measurements and observations of the MOD-OA wind turbine generator

Sound measurements are reported for a wind velocity of about 5 m/s and a power output of about 70 kW. Both broadband and narrowband data were obtained for a range of distances and azimuth angles from the machine. Both discrete frequency and broadband components were identified. Loading harmonics at multiples of the blade passage frequency and electrical generator harmonics at multiples of the shaft speed dominated the spectrum below 100 Hz. The 10,000 Hz peak is believed to be of mechanical origin in the nacelle and the other arises from blade aerodynamic sources. Aural detection distances of about 525 m upwind and 850 downwind were observed.

Shepherd, K. P.↗