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At least 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1939

Determination of the Profile Drag of an Airplane Wing in Flight at High Reynolds Numbers

Flight tests were made to determine the profile-drag coefficients of a portion of the original wing surface of an all-metal airplane and of a portion of the wing made aerodynamically smooth and more nearly fair than the original section. The wing section was approximately the NACA 2414.5. The tests were carried out over a range of airplane speeds giving a maximum Reynolds number of 15,000,000. Tests were also carried out to locate the point of transition from laminar to turbulent boundary layer and to determine the velocity distribution along the upper surface of the wing. The profile-drag coefficients of the original and of the smooth wing portions at a Reynolds number of 15,000,000 were 0.0102 and 0.0068, respectively; i.e., the surface irregularities on the original wing increased the profile-drag coefficient 50 percent above that of the smooth wing.

Bicknell, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1944

Effect of Helicopter Performance of Modifications in Profile-Drag Characteristics of Rotor-Blade Airfoil Sections

Rough conventional, smooth conventional, and laminar-flow or low-drag sections were tested. The items covered are rotor thrust for fixed power in hovering, range and endurance at cruising speed, and power required at high-forward speed. Calculations indicated that a smooth conventional section gives marked performance gains. Smaller gains are obtainable by using a low-drag section. At high speeds or loads the low-drag section is inferior to the smooth conventional section.

Gustafson, F.B.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Uniform hydrogen fuel layers for inertial fusion targets by microgravity

A critical concern in the fabrication of targets for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is ensuring that the hydrogenic (D(sub 2) or DT) fuel layer maintains spherical symmetry. Solid layered targets have structural integrity, but lack the needed surface smoothness. Liquid targets are inherently smooth, but suffer from gravitationally induced sagging. One method to reduce the effective gravitational field environment is freefall insertion into the target chamber. Another method to counterbalance field gravitational force is to use an applied magnetic field combined with a gradient field to induce a magnetic dipole force on the liquid fuel layer. Based on time dependent calculations of the dynamics of the liquid fuel layer in microgravity environments, we show that it may be possible to produce a liquid layered ICF target that satisfies both smoothness and symmetry requirements.

Parks, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Introduction to multigrid methods

These notes were written for an introductory course on the application of multigrid methods to elliptic and hyperbolic partial differential equations for engineers, physicists and applied mathematicians. The use of more advanced mathematical tools, such as functional analysis, is avoided. The course is intended to be accessible to a wide audience of users of computational methods. We restrict ourselves to finite volume and finite difference discretization. The basic principles are given. Smoothing methods and Fourier smoothing analysis are reviewed. The fundamental multigrid algorithm is studied. The smoothing and coarse grid approximation properties are discussed. Multigrid schedules and structured programming of multigrid algorithms are treated. Robustness and efficiency are considered.

Wesseling, P.↗
NASA NTRS1995

qSmoothed particle interpolation

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) discretization techniques are generalized to develop a method, smoothed particle interpolation (SPI), for solving initial value problems of systems of a nonhydrodynamical nature. Under this approach, SPH is viewed as strickly as interpolation scheme and, as such, suitable for solving general hyperbolic and parabolic equations. The SPI method is tested on (1) the wave equation with inhomogenous sound speed and (2) Burger's equation. The efficiency of SPI is studied by comparing SPI solutions to those obtained with standard finite-difference methods. It is shown that the power of SPI arises when the smoothing particles are free to move.

Laguna, Pablo↗
NASA NTRS1995

Chromospheric variations in main-sequence stars

The fluxes in passbands 0.1 nm wide and centered on the Ca II H and K emission cores have been monitored in 111 stars of spectral type F2-M2 on or near the main sequence in a continuation of an observing program started by O. C. Wilson. Most of the measurements began in 1966, with observations scheduled monthly until 1980, when observations were schedueld sevral times per week. The records, with a long-term precision of about 1.5%, display fluctuations that can be idntified with variations on timescales similar to the 11 yr cycle of solar activity as well as axial rotation, and the growth and decay of emitting regions. We present the records of chromospheric emission and general conclusions about variations in surface magnetic activity on timescales greater than 1 yr but less than a few decades. The results for stars of spectral type G0-K5 V indicate a pattern of change in rotation and chromospheric activity on an evolutionary timescale, in which (1) young stars exhibit high average levels of activity, rapid rotation rates, no Maunder minimum phase and rarely display a smooth, cyclic variation; (2) stars of intermediate age (approximately 1-2 Gyr for 1 solar mass) have moderate levels of activity and rotation rates, and occasional smooth cycles; and (3) stars as old as the Sun and older have slower rotation rates, lower activity levels and smooth cycles with occasional Maunder minimum-phases.

Baliunas, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Neptune radio emission in dipole and multipole magnetic fields

We study Neptune's smooth radio emission in two ways: we simulate the observations and we then consider the radio effects of Neptune's magnetic multipoles. A procedure to deduce the characteristics of radio sources observed by the Planetary Radio Astronomy experiment minimizes limiting assumptions and maximizes use of the data, including quantitative measurement of circular polarization. Study of specific sources simulates time variation of intensity and apparent polarization of their integrated emission over an extended time period. The method is applied to Neptune smooth recurrent emission (SRE). Time series are modeled with both broad and beamed emission patterns, and at two frequencies which exhibit different time variation of polarization. These dipole-based results are overturned by consideration of more complex models of Neptune's magnetic field. Any smooth emission from the anticipated auroral radio source is weak and briefly observed. Dominant SRE originates complex fields at midlatitude. Possible SRE source locations overlap that of 'high-latitude' emission (HLE) between +(out) and -(in) quadrupoles. This is the first identification of multipolar magnetic structure with a major source of planetary radio emission.

Sawyer, C. B.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Quadrature-Free Implementation of the Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Hyperbolic Equations

A discontinuous Galerkin formulation that avoids the use of discrete quadrature formulas is described and applied to linear and nonlinear test problems in one and two space dimensions. This approach requires less computational time and storage than conventional implementations but preserves the compactness and robustness inherent to the discontinuous Galerkin method. Test problems include both linear and nonlinear one-dimensional scalar advection of botH smooth and discontinuous initial value problems, two-dimensional scalar advection of smooth initial value problems discretized by using unstructured grids with varying degrees of smoothness and regularity, and two-dimensional linear Euler solutions on unstructured grids.

Atkins, H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Acceleration on Heat Transfer in the Turbulent Boundary Layer

The objective of this research was to experimentally investigate the combined effects of freestream acceleration and surface roughness on heat transfer and fluid flow in the turbulent boundary layer. The experiments included a variety of flow conditions ranging from aerodynamically smooth to transitionally rough to fully rough boundary layers with accelerations ranging from moderate to moderately strong. The test surfaces used were a smooth-wall test surface and two rough-wall surfaces which were roughened with 1.27 mm diameter hemispheres spaced 2 and 4 base diameters apart in a staggered array. The measurements consisted of Stanton number distributions, mean temperature profiles, skin friction distributions, mean velocity profiles, turbulence intensity profiles, and Reynolds stress profiles. The Stanton numbers for the rough-wall experiments increased with acceleration. For aerodynamically smooth and transitionally rough boundary layers, the effect of roughness is not seen immediately at the beginning of the accelerated region as it is for fully rough boundary layers; however, as the boundery layer thins under acceleration, the surface becomes relatively rougher resulting in a sharp increase in Stanton number.

Chakroun, Walid M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

On the Importance of Cycle Minimum in Sunspot Cycle Prediction

The characteristics of the minima between sunspot cycles are found to provide important information for predicting the amplitude and timing of the following cycle. For example, the time of the occurrence of sunspot minimum sets the length of the previous cycle, which is correlated by the amplitude-period effect to the amplitude of the next cycle, with cycles of shorter (longer) than average length usually being followed by cycles of larger (smaller) than average size (true for 16 of 21 sunspot cycles). Likewise, the size of the minimum at cycle onset is correlated with the size of the cycle's maximum amplitude, with cycles of larger (smaller) than average size minima usually being associated with larger (smaller) than average size maxima (true for 16 of 22 sunspot cycles). Also, it was found that the size of the previous cycle's minimum and maximum relates to the size of the following cycle's minimum and maximum with an even-odd cycle number dependency. The latter effect suggests that cycle 23 will have a minimum and maximum amplitude probably larger than average in size (in particular, minimum smoothed sunspot number Rm = 12.3 +/- 7.5 and maximum smoothed sunspot number RM = 198.8 +/- 36.5, at the 95-percent level of confidence), further suggesting (by the Waldmeier effect) that it will have a faster than average rise to maximum (fast-rising cycles have ascent durations of about 41 +/- 7 months). Thus, if, as expected, onset for cycle 23 will be December 1996 +/- 3 months, based on smoothed sunspot number, then the length of cycle 22 will be about 123 +/- 3 months, inferring that it is a short-period cycle and that cycle 23 maximum amplitude probably will be larger than average in size (from the amplitude-period effect), having an RM of about 133 +/- 39 (based on the usual +/- 30 percent spread that has been seen between observed and predicted values), with maximum amplitude occurrence likely sometime between July 1999 and October 2000.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Space-Related Applications of Intelligent Control: Which Algorithm to Choose? (Theoretical Analysis of the Problem)

For a space mission to be successful it is vitally important to have a good control strategy. For example, with the Space Shuttle it is necessary to guarantee the success and smoothness of docking, the smoothness and fuel efficiency of trajectory control, etc. For an automated planetary mission it is important to control the spacecraft's trajectory, and after that, to control the planetary rover so that it would be operable for the longest possible period of time. In many complicated control situations, traditional methods of control theory are difficult or even impossible to apply. In general, in uncertain situations, where no routine methods are directly applicable, we must rely on the creativity and skill of the human operators. In order to simulate these experts, an intelligent control methodology must be developed. The research objectives of this project were: to analyze existing control techniques; to find out which of these techniques is the best with respect to the basic optimality criteria (stability, smoothness, robustness); and, if for some problems, none of the existing techniques is satisfactory, to design new, better intelligent control techniques.

Kreinovich, Vladik↗
NASA NTRS1997

Exploratory Investigation of Forebody Strakes for Yaw Control of a Generic Fighter with a Symmetric 60 deg Half-Angle Chine Forebody

Forebody strakes were tested in a low-speed wind tunnel to determine their effectiveness producing yaw control on a generic fighter model with a symmetric 60 deg half-angle chine forebody. Previous studies conducted using smooth, conventionally shaped forebodies show that forebody strakes provide increased levels of yaw control at angles of attack where conventional rudders are ineffective. The chine forebody shape was chosen for this study because chine forebodies can be designed with lower radar cross section (RCS) values than smooth forebody shapes. Because the chine edges of the forebody would fix the point of flow separation, it was unknown if any effectiveness achieved could be modulated as was successfully done on the smooth forebody shapes. The results show that use of forebody strakes on a chine forebody produce high levels of yaw control, and when combined with the rudder effectiveness, significant yaw control is available for a large range of angles of attack. The strake effectiveness was very dependent on radial location. Very small strakes placed at the tip of the forebody were nearly as effective as very long strakes. An axial translation scheme provided almost linear increments of control effectiveness.

Ross, Holly M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Volcanic Constructs on Ganymede and Enceladus: Topographic Evidence from Stereo Images and Photoclinometry

The morphology of volcanic features on Ganymede differs significantly from that on the terrestrial planets. Few if any major volcanic landforms, such as thick flows or shield volcanoes, have been identified to date. Using new stereo Voyager images, we have searched Ganymede for relief-generating volcanic constructs. We observed seven major types of volcanic structures, including several not previously recognized. The oldest are broad flat-topped domes partially filling many older craters in dark terrain. Similar domes occur on Enceladus. Together with smooth dark deposits, these domes indicate that the volcanic history of the dark terrain is complex. Bright terrain covers vast areas, although the style of emplacement remains unclear. Smooth bright materials embay and flood older terrains, and may have been emplaced as low- viscosity fluids. Associated with smooth bright material are a number of scalloped-shaped, semi- enclosed scarps that cut into preexisting terrain. In planform these structures resemble terrestrial calderas. The youngest volcanic materials identified are a series of small flows that may have flooded the floor of the multiring impact structure Gilgamesh, forming a broad dome, The identification of volcanic constructs up to I km thick is the first evidence for extrusion of moderate-to-high viscosity material on Ganymede. Viscosity and yield strength estimates for these materials span several orders of magnitude, indicating that volcanic materials on Ganymede have a range of compositions and/or were extruded under a wide range of conditions and/or eruptive styles.

Schenk, Paul M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Global Stratigraphy of Venus: Analysis of a Random Sample of Thirty-Six Test Areas

The age relations between 36 impact craters with dark paraboloids and other geologic units and structures at these localities have been studied through photogeologic analysis of Magellan SAR images of the surface of Venus. Geologic settings in all 36 sites, about 1000 x 1000 km each, could be characterized using only 10 different terrain units and six types of structures. These units and structures form a major stratigraphic and geologic sequence (from oldest to youngest): (1) tessera terrain; (2) densely fractured terrains associated with coronae and in the form of remnants among plains; (3) fractured and ridged plains and ridge belts; (4) plains with wrinkle ridges; (5) ridges associated with coronae annulae and ridges of arachnoid annulae which are contemporary with wrinkle ridges of the ridged plains; (6) smooth and lobate plains; (7) fractures of coronae annulae, and fractures not related to coronae annulae, which disrupt ridged and smooth plains; (8) rift-associated fractures; and (9) craters with associated dark paraboloids, which represent the youngest 1O% of the Venus impact crater population (Campbell et al.), and are on top of all volcanic and tectonic units except the youngest episodes of rift-associated fracturing and volcanism; surficial streaks and patches are approximately contemporary with dark-paraboloid craters. Mapping of such units and structures in 36 randomly distributed large regions (each approximately 10(exp 6) sq km) shows evidence for a distinctive regional and global stratigraphic and geologic sequence. On the basis of this sequence we have developed a model that illustrates several major themes in the history of Venus. Most of the history of Venus (that of its first 80% or so) is not preserved in the surface geomorphological record. The major deformation associated with tessera formation in the period sometime between 0.5-1.0 b.y. ago (Ivanov and Basilevsky) is the earliest event detected. In the terminal stages of tessera fon-nation, extensive parallel linear graben swarms representing a change in the style of deformation from shortening to extension were formed on the tessera and on some volcanic plains that were emplaced just after, and perhaps also during the latter stages of the major compressional phase of tessera emplacement. Our stratigraphic analyses suggest that following tessera formation, extensive volcanic flooding resurfaced at least 85% of the planet in the form of the presently-ridged and fractured plains. Several lines of evidence favor a high flux in the post-tessera period but we have no independent evidence for the absolute duration of ridged plains emplacement. During this time, the net state of stress in the lithosphere apparently changed from extensional to compressional, first in the form of extensive ridge belt development, followed by the formation of extensive wrinkle ridges on the flow units. Subsequently, there occurred local emplacement of smooth and lobate plains units which are presently essentially undefortned. The major events in the latest 10% of the presently preserved history of Venus (less than 50 m.y. ago) are continued rifting and some associated volcanism, and the redistribution of eolian material largely derived from impact crater deposits.

Basilevsky, Alexander T.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Hydrodynamic Impact-Load Alleviation with a Penetrating Hydro-Ski

A penetrating hydro-ski was mounted below a model tested previously in the study reported in NACA Technical Note 4401, and a series of impacts were made in the Langley impact basin to determine load alleviation with this type of hydro-ski. The hydro-ski was designed to penetrate through seaway irregularities with a minimum of drag and with small impact loads. The penetrating hydro-ski was small (beam-loading coefficient of 111) and of a streamline shape with the bottom designed for flush retraction into the main model. A series of impacts at fixed trim angles of 8, 16, and 30 deg were made in smooth water and at a fixed trim angle of 8 deg in rough water. The loads and motions of the model were recorded, and photographic observations of the flow and cavities generated in the water by the penetrating hydro-ski were made. The data are presented and the maximum impact loads and maximum drafts of the model with the penetrating hydro-ski are compared with those of the model obtained without the penetrating hydro-ski. Maximum load reductions of 30 to 70 percent in smooth water and of 50 to 80 percent in rough water are indicated. Cavity and flow generation by the penetrating hydro-ski are discussed, and it is indicated that the penetrating hydro-ski moved smoothly through the water and generated deep cavities which are shown by stereophotographs.

Edge, Philip M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Combinations of Earth Orientation Measurements: SPACE94, COMB94, and POLE94

A Kalman filter has been used to combine independent measurements of the Earth's orientation taken by the space-geodetic observing techniques of lunar laser ranging, satellite laser ranging, very long baseline interferometry, and the Global Positioning System. Prior to their combination, the data series were adjusted to have the same bias and rate, the stated uncertainties of the measurements were adjusted, and data points considered to be outliers were deleted. The resulting combination, SPACE94, consists of smoothed, interpolated polar motion and UT1-UTC values spanning October 6, 1976, to January 27, 1995, at 1-day intervals. The Kalman filter was then used to combine the space-geodetic series comprising SPACE94 with two different, independent series of Earth orientation measurements taken by the technique of optical astrometry. Prior to their combination with SPACE94, the bias, rate and annual term of the optical astrometric series were corrected, the stated uncertainties of the measurements were adjusted, and data points considered to be outliers were deleted. The adjusted optical astrometric series were then combined with SPACE94 in two steps: (1) the Bureau International de l'Heure (BIH) optical astrometric series was combined with SPACE94 to form COMB94, a combined series of smoothed, interpolated polar motion and UT1-UTC values spanning January 20, 1962, to January 27, 1995, at 5-day intervals, and (2) the International Latitude Service (ILS) optical astrometric series was combined with COMB94 to form POLE94, a combined series of smoothed, interpolated polar motion values spanning January 20, 1900, to January 21, 1995, at 30.4375-day intervals.

Gross, Richard S.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Cloud 3D Effects Evidenced in Landsat Power Spectra and Autocorrelation Functions

An analysis of nadir reflectivity Fourier spatial power spectra and autocorrelation functions at solar wavelengths and for cloudy conditions has been carried out. The data come from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) observations, while Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are used to aid the interpretation of the Landsat results. We show that radiative processes produce consistent signatures on power spectra and autocorrelation functions. The former take a variety of forms not shown or explained in previous observational studies. We demonstrate that the TM spectra can potentially be affected by both radiative "roughening" at intermediate scales (approx. 1 -5 km), being more prevalent at large solar zenith angles, and the already documented radiative "smoothing" at small scales (less than 1 km). These processes are wavelength dependent, as shown by systematic differences between conservative (for cloud droplets) TM band 4 (approx. 0.8 microns) and absorbing band 7 (approx. 2.2 microns): band 7 exhibits more roughening and less smoothing. This is confirmed quantitatively by comparing least-squared fitted power spectral slopes for the two bands. It is also corroborated by a slower decrease with distance of autocorrelation function values for band 4 compared to band 7. The appearance of roughening at large solar zenith angles is a result of side illumination and shadowing and adds an additional complexity to the power spectra. MC spectra are useful in illustrating that scale invariant optical depth fields can produce complex power spectra that take a variety of shapes under different conditions. We show that radiative roughening increases with the decrease of single scattering albedo and with the increase of solar zenith angle (as in the observations). For high Sun there is also a clear shift of the radiative smoothing scale to smaller values as droplet absorption increases. The shape of the power spectrum is sensitive to the magnitude and type of cloud top height variability, with the spectral signatures of decorrelation between reflectance and optical depth at large scales becoming stronger as the magnitude of cloud top variations increase. Finally, the usefulness of power spectral analysis in evaluating the skill of novel optical depth retrieval techniques in removing 3D radiative effects is demonstrated. New techniques using inverse Non-local Independent Pixel Approximation (NIPA) and Normalized Difference of Nadir Reflectivity (NDNR) yield optical depth fields which better match the scale-by-scale variability of the true optical depth field.

Oreopoulos, Lazaros↗
NASA NTRS1999

Improving Pixel Level Cloud Optical Property Retrieval using Monte Carlo Simulations

The accurate pixel-by-pixel retrieval of cloud optical properties from space is influenced by radiative smoothing due to high order photon scattering and radiative roughening due to low order scattering events. Both are caused by cloud heterogeneity and the three-dimensional nature of radiative transfer and can be studied with the aid of computer simulations. We use Monte Carlo simulations on variable 1-D and 2-D model cloud fields to seek for dependencies of smoothing and roughening phenomena on single scattering albedo, solar zenith angle, and cloud characteristics. The results are discussed in the context of high resolution satellite (such as Landsat) retrieval applications. The current work extends the investigation on the inverse NIPA (Non-local Independent Pixel Approximation) as a tool for removing smoothing and improving retrievals of cloud optical depth. This is accomplished by: (1) Delineating the limits of NIPA applicability; (2) Exploring NIPA parameter dependences on cloud macrostructural features, such as mean cloud optical depth and geometrical thickness, degree of extinction and cloud top height variability. We also compare parameter values from empirical and theoretical considerations; (3) Examining the differences between applying NIPA on radiation quantities vs direct application on optical properties; (4) Studying the radiation budget importance of the NIPA corrections as a function of scale. Finally, we discuss fundamental adjustments that need to be considered for successful radiance inversion at non-conservative wavelengths and oblique Sun angles. These adjustments are necessary to remove roughening signatures which become more prominent with increasing absorption and solar zenith angle.

Oreopoulos, Lazaros↗