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At least 811 records · Page 45

Lateral control system design for VTOL landing on a DD963 in high sea states

The problem of designing lateral control systems for the safe landing of VTOL aircraft on small ships is addressed. A ship model is derived. The issues of estimation and prediction of ship motions are discussed, using optimal linear linear estimation techniques. The roll motion is the most important of the lateral motions, and it is found that it can be predicted for up to 10 seconds in perfect conditions. The automatic landing of the VTOL aircraft is considered, and a lateral controller, defined as a ship motion tracker, is designed, using optimal control techniqes. The tradeoffs between the tracking errors and the control authority are obtained. The important couplings between the lateral motions and controls are demonstrated, and it is shown that the adverse couplings between the sway and the roll motion at the landing pad are significant constraints in the tracking of the lateral ship motions. The robustness of the control system, including the optimal estimator, is studied, using the singular values analysis. Through a robustification procedure, a robust control system is obtained, and the usefulness of the singular values to define stability margins that take into account general types of unstructured modelling errors is demonstrated. The minimal destabilizing perturbations indicated by the singular values analysis are interpreted and related to the multivariable Nyquist diagrams.

Bodson, M.↗

Geostrophic adjustment in a shallow-water numerical model as it relates to thermospheric dynamics

The theory of geostrophic adjustment and its application to the dynamics of the high latitude thermosphere have been discussed in previous papers based on a linearized treatment of the fluid dynamical equations. However, a linearized treatment is only valid for small Rossby numbers given by Ro = V/fL, where V is the wind speed, f is the local value of the Coriolis parameter, and L is a characteristic horizontal scale for the flow. For typical values in the auroral zone, the approximation is not reasonable for wind speeds greater than 25 m/s or so. A shallow-water (one layer) model was developed that includes the spherical geometry and full nonlinear dynamics in the momentum equations in order to isolate the effects of the nonlinearities on the adjustment process. A belt of accelerated winds between 60 deg and 70 deg latitude was used as the initial condition. The adjustment process was found to proceed as expected from the linear formulation, but that an asymmetry between the response for an eastward and westward flow results from the nonlineawr curvature (centrifugal) terms. In general, the amplitude of an eastward flowing wind will be less after adjustment than a westward wind. For instance, if the initial wind velocity is 300 m/s, the linearized theory predicts a final wind speed of 240 m/s, regardless of the flow direction. However, the nonlinear curvature terms modify the response and produce a final wind speed of only 200 m/s for an initial eastward wind and a final wind speed of almost 300 m/s for an initial westward flow direction. Also, less gravity wave energy is produced by the adjustment of the westward flow than by the adjustment of the eastward flow. The implications are that the response of the thermosphere should be significantly different on the dawn and dusk sides of the auroral oval. Larger flow velocities would be expected on the dusk side since the plasma will accelerate the flow in a westward direction in that sector.

Larsen, M. F.↗

A model of the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature climatology

A model for the climatological mean sea surface temperature (SST) of the tropical Pacific Ocean is developed. The upper ocean response is computed using a time dependent, linear, reduced gravity model, with the addition of a constant depth frictional surface layer. The full three-dimensional temperature equation and a surface heat flux parameterization that requires specification of only wind speed and total cloud cover are used to evaluate the SST. Specification of atmospheric parameters, such as air temperature and humidity, over which the ocean has direct influence, is avoided. The model simulates the major features of the observed tropical Pacific SST. The seasonal evolution of these features is generally captured by the model. Analysis of the results demonstrates the control the ocean has over the surface heat flux from ocean to atmosphere and the crucial role that dynamics play in determining the mean SST in the equatorial Pacific. The sensitivity of the model to perturbations in the surface heat flux, cloud cover specification, diffusivity, and mixed layer depth is discussed.

Seager, Richard↗

Load Diffusion in Composite and Smart Structures

The research carried out here builds on our previous NASA supported research on the general topic of edge effects and load diffusion in composite structures. Further fundamental solid mechanics studies were carried out to provide a basis for assessing the complicated modeling necessary for the multi-functional large scale structures used by NASA. An understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of load diffusion in composite subcomponents is essential in developing primary composite structures. Some specific problems recently considered were those of end effects in smart materials and structures, study of the stress response of pressurized linear piezoelectric cylinders for both static and steady rotating configurations, an analysis of the effect of pre-stressing and pre-polarization on the decay of end effects in piezoelectric solids and investigation of constitutive models for hardening rubber-like materials. Our goal in the study of load diffusion is the development of readily applicable results for the decay lengths in terms of non-dimensional material and geometric parameters. Analytical models of load diffusion behavior are extremely valuable in building an intuitive base for developing refined modeling strategies and assessing results from finite element analyses.

Horgan, Cornelius O.↗

Finite elements of nonlinear continua.

The finite element method is extended to a broad class of practical nonlinear problems, treating both theory and applications from a general and unifying point of view. The thermomechanical principles of continuous media and the properties of the finite element method are outlined, and are brought together to produce discrete physical models of nonlinear continua. The mathematical properties of the models are analyzed, and the numerical solution of the equations governing the discrete models is examined. The application of the models to nonlinear problems in finite elasticity, viscoelasticity, heat conduction, and thermoviscoelasticity is discussed. Other specific topics include the topological properties of finite element models, applications to linear and nonlinear boundary value problems, convergence, continuum thermodynamics, finite elasticity, solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations, and discrete models of the nonlinear thermomechanical behavior of dissipative media.

Oden, J. T.↗

A dynamic analysis of the motion of a low-wing general aviation aircraft about its calculated equilibrium flat spin mode

The properties of the flat spin mode of a general aviation configuration have been studied through analysis of rotary balance data, numerical simulation, and analytical study of the equilibrium state. The equilibrium state is predicted well from rotary balance data. The variations of yawing moment and pitching moment as functions of sideslip have been shown to be of great importance in obtaining accurate modeling. These dependencies are not presently available with sufficient accuracy from previous tests or theories. The stability of the flat spin mode has been examined extensively using numerical linearization, classical perturbation methods, and reduced order modeling. The stability exhibited by the time histories and the eigenvalue analyses is shown to be strongly dependent on certain static cross derivatives and more so on the dynamic derivatives. Explicit stability criteria are obtained from the reduced order models.

Tischler, M. B.↗

Satellite estimates of ocean-air heat fluxes during cold air outbreaks

A method for estimating the heat and moisture fluxes of coastal waters using the cloud free path, the sea surface temperature, and the saturation water vapor mixing ratio is presented. Generalized nomograms for the surface sensible and latent heat fluxes are developed using the Stage and Businger (1981) mixed-layer model. The fluxes are found to be slightly dependent on wind speed. The results are found to be applicable to any path within the cloud-free region, with heat fluxes obtainable by multiplication of the mean heating by the mean wind speed in the boundary layer. Higher stability causes lowered heating. It is shown that the latent heat flux is linear. Applications of the method to lake-effect snowstorms and for verification of boundary-layer models are indicated.

Chou, S.-H.↗

Collisionless electrostatic interchange instabilities

The linear Vlasov dispersion equation for electrostatic plasma instabilities driven by gravity and weak density gradients perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field is derived and solved numerically. Two interchange instabilities emerge: the well-known fluid mode at long wavelengths and a kinetic model at wavelengths short compared with the ion gyroradius. The properties of both instabilities are studied, as well as the effects of gravity on the universal and lower-hybrid density drift instabilities. The results show that the kinetic interchange generally has a larger growth rate than the fluid interchange instability, indicating that, whenever the latter is present in a collisionless plasma, the former may also be found.

Gray, S. P.↗

A method of predicting quasi-steady aerodynamics for flutter analysis of high speed vehicles using steady CFD calculations

High speed linear aerodynamic theories like piston theory and Newtonian impact theory are relatively inexpensive to use for flutter analysis. These theories have limited areas of applicability depending on the configuration and the flow conditions. In addition, these theories lack the ability to capture viscous, shock and real gas effects. CFD methods can model all of these effects accurately, but the unsteady calculations required for flutter are expensive and often impractical. This paper describes a method for using steady CFD calculations to approximate the generalized aerodynamic forces for a flutter analysis. Example two-and three-dimensional aerodynamic force calculations are provided. In addition, a flutter analysis of a NASP-type wing will be discussed.

Scott, Robert C.↗

GCM simulations of intraseasonal variability in the Pacific/North American region

General circulation model (GCM) simulations of low-frequency variability with time scales of 20 to 70 days are analyzed for the Pacific sector during boreal winter. The GCM's leading mode in the upper-tropospheric zonal wind is associated with fluctuations of the East Asian jet; this mode resembles, in both structure and amplitude, the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern found in the observations on these time scales. In both the model and observations, the PNA anomaly is characterized by: (1) a linear balance in the upper-tropospheric vorticity budget with no significant Rossby wave source in the tropics, (2) a barotropic conversion of kinetic energy from the time mean Pacific jet, and (3) a north/south displacement of the Pacific storm track. In the GCM, the latter is associated with synoptic eddy heat flux and latent heat anomalies that appear to contribute to a strong lower-tropospheric source of wave activity over the North Pacific. This is in contrast to the observations, which show only a weak source of wave activity in this region.

Schubert, Siegfried↗

A method of predicting quasi-steady aerodynamics for flutter analysis of high speed vehicles using steady CFD calculations

High speed linear aerodynamic theories like piston theory and Newtonian impact theory are relatively inexpensive to use for flutter analysis. These theories have limited areas of applicability depending on the configuration and the flow conditions. In addition, these theories lack the ability to capture viscous, shock, and real gas effects. CFD methods can model all of these effects accurately, but the unsteady calculations required for flutter are expensive and often impractical. This paper describes a method for using steady CFD calculations to approximate the generalized aerodynamic forces for a flutter analysis. Example two-and three-dimensional aerodynamic force calculations are provided. In addition, a flutter analysis of a NASP-type wing will be discussed.

Scott, Robert C.↗

Parallel 3D Multi-Stage Simulation of a Turbofan Engine

A 3D multistage simulation of each component of a modern GE Turbofan engine has been made. An axisymmetric view of this engine is presented in the document. This includes a fan, booster rig, high pressure compressor rig, high pressure turbine rig and a low pressure turbine rig. In the near future, all components will be run in a single calculation for a solution of 49 blade rows. The simulation exploits the use of parallel computations by using two levels of parallelism. Each blade row is run in parallel and each blade row grid is decomposed into several domains and run in parallel. 20 processors are used for the 4 blade row analysis. The average passage approach developed by John Adamczyk at NASA Lewis Research Center has been further developed and parallelized. This is APNASA Version A. It is a Navier-Stokes solver using a 4-stage explicit Runge-Kutta time marching scheme with variable time steps and residual smoothing for convergence acceleration. It has an implicit K-E turbulence model which uses an ADI solver to factor the matrix. Between 50 and 100 explicit time steps are solved before a blade row body force is calculated and exchanged with the other blade rows. This outer iteration has been coined a "flip." Efforts have been made to make the solver linearly scaleable with the number of blade rows. Enough flips are run (between 50 and 200) so the solution in the entire machine is not changing. The K-E equations are generally solved every other explicit time step. One of the key requirements in the development of the parallel code was to make the parallel solution exactly (bit for bit) match the serial solution. This has helped isolate many small parallel bugs and guarantee the parallelization was done correctly. The domain decomposition is done only in the axial direction since the number of points axially is much larger than the other two directions. This code uses MPI for message passing. The parallel speed up of the solver portion (no 1/0 or body force calculation) for a grid which has 227 points axially.

Turner, Mark G.↗

Analytical Model of the Nonlinear Dynamics of Cantilever Tip-Sample Surface Interactions for Various Acoustic-Atomic Force Microscopies

A comprehensive analytical model of the interaction of the cantilever tip of the atomic force microscope (AFM) with the sample surface is developed that accounts for the nonlinearity of the tip-surface interaction force. The interaction is modeled as a nonlinear spring coupled at opposite ends to linear springs representing cantilever and sample surface oscillators. The model leads to a pair of coupled nonlinear differential equations that are solved analytically using a standard iteration procedure. Solutions are obtained for the phase and amplitude signals generated by various acoustic-atomic force microscope (A-AFM) techniques including force modulation microscopy, atomic force acoustic microscopy, ultrasonic force microscopy, heterodyne force microscopy, resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscopy (RDF-AFUM), and the commonly used intermittent contact mode (TappingMode) generally available on AFMs. The solutions are used to obtain a quantitative measure of image contrast resulting from variations in the Young modulus of the sample for the amplitude and phase images generated by the A-AFM techniques. Application of the model to RDF-AFUM and intermittent soft contact phase images of LaRC-cp2 polyimide polymer is discussed. The model predicts variations in the Young modulus of the material of 24 percent from the RDF-AFUM image and 18 percent from the intermittent soft contact image. Both predictions are in good agreement with the literature value of 21 percent obtained from independent, macroscopic measurements of sheet polymer material.

Cantrell, John H., Jr.↗

Modeling Study of Mesospheric Planetary Waves: Genesis and Characteristics

In preparation for the measurements from the TIMED mission and coordinated ground based observations, we discuss results for the planetary waves (PWs) that appear in our Numerical Spectral Model (NSM). The present model accounts for a tropospheric heat source in the zonal mean (m = 0), which reproduces qualitatively the observed zonal jets near the tropopause and the accompanying reversal in the latitudinal temperature variations. We discuss the PWs that are solely generated internally, i.e., without the explicit excitation sources related to tropospheric convection or topography. Our analysis shows that PWs are not produced when the zonally averaged heat source into the atmosphere is artificially suppressed, and that the PWs generally are significantly weaker when the tropospheric source is not applied. Instabilities associated with the zonal mean temperature, pressure and wind fields, which still need to be explored, are exciting PWs that have amplitudes in the mesosphere comparable to those observed. Three classes of PWs are generated in the NSM. (1) Rossby waves, (2) Rossby gravity waves propagating westward at low latitudes, and (3) Eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves. A survey of the PWs reveals that the largest wind amplitudes tend to occur below 80 km in the winter hemisphere, but above that altitude they occur in the summer hemisphere where the amplitudes can approach 50 meters per second. It is shown that the non-migrating tides in the mesosphere, generated by non-linear coupling between migrating tides and PWs, are significantly larger for the model with the tropospheric heat source.

Mayr, H. G.↗

Structural anomalies in undoped Gallium Arsenide observed in high resolution diffraction imaging with monochromatic synchrotron radiation

Novel, streak-like disruption features restricted to the plane of diffraction have recently been observed in images obtained by synchrotron radiation diffraction from undoped, semi-insulating gallium arsenide crystals. These features were identified as ensembles of very thin platelets or interfaces lying in (110) planes, and a structural model consisting of antiphase domain boundaries was proposed. We report here the other principal features observed in high resolution monochromatic synchrotron radiation diffraction images: (quasi) cellular structure; linear, very low-angle subgrain boundaries in (110) directions, and surface stripes in a (110) direction. In addition, we report systematic differences in the acceptance angle for images involving various diffraction vectors. When these observations are considered together, a unifying picture emerges. The presence of ensembles of thin (110) antiphase platelet regions or boundaries is generally consistent not only with the streak-like diffraction features but with the other features reported here as well. For the formation of such regions we propose two mechanisms, operating in parallel, that appear to be consistent with the various defect features observed by a variety of techniques.

Steiner, B.↗

Structural anomalies in undoped gallium arsenide observed in high-resolution diffraction imaging with monochromatic synchrotron radiation

Novel, streak-like disruption features restricted to the plane of diffraction have recently been observed in images obtained by synchrotron radiation diffraction from undoped, semi-insulating gallium arsenide crystals. These features were identified as ensembles of very thin platelets or interfaces lying in (110) planes, and a structural model consisting of antiphase domain boundaries was proposed. We report here the other principal features observed in high resolution monochromatic synchrotron radiation diffraction images: (quasi) cellular structure; linear, very low-angle subgrain boundaries in (110) directions, and surface stripes in a (110) direction. In addition, we report systematic differences in the acceptance angle for images involving various diffraction vectors. When these observations are considered together, a unifying picture emerges. The presence of ensembles of thin (110) antiphase platelet regions or boundaries is generally consistent not only with the streak-like diffraction features but with the other features reported here as well. For the formation of such regions we propose two mechanisms, operating in parallel, that appear to be consistent with the various defect features observed by a variety of techniques.

Steiner, B.↗

Advantages of Measuring the Q Stokes Parameter in Addition to the Total Radiance I in the Detection of Absorbing Aerosols: a Proof of Concept Using Vector Radiative Transfer, Neural Networks, and Optimal Estimation

A simple but novel study was conducted to investigate whether an imager-type spectroradiometer instrument like MODIS, currently flying on board the Aqua and Terra satellites, or MERIS, which flew on board Envisat, could detect absorbing aerosols if they could measure the Q Stokes parameter in addition to the total radiance I, that is if they could also measure the linear polarization of the light. Accurate radiative transfer calculations were used to train a fast neural network forward model, which together with a simple statistical optimal estimation scheme was used to retrieve three aerosol parameters: aerosol optical depth, fraction of absorbing aerosols, and aerosol location. The aerosols were assumed to be located either between 0 and 2 km or between 2 and 4 km in the Earth’s atmosphere. From simulated data it was found that by itself the total radiance I was generally insufficient to retrieve all three aerosol parameters, but that together with the Q Stokes component it was possible to reliably retrieve values of aerosol optical depth, fraction, and location.

Stamnes, Snorre↗

CFD zonal modeling of leading-edge ice effects for a complete aircraft

A simplified, uncoupled zonal procedure was utilized to assess the capability of numerically simulating icing effects on a Boeing 727-200 aircraft. The computational approach combines potential flow, plus boundary layer simulations by VSAERO for the un-iced aircraft forces and moments, with Navier-Stokes simulations by ARC3D for the incremental forces and moments due to iced components. These are compared with wind tunnel longitudinal force and moment data. Although the computational results compared favorably with the test data in the linear angle of attack range, it is clear that for general aircraft icing calculations, a multiblock Navier-Stokes code will be required for the viscous component of this zonal method.

Summa, J. M.↗