Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “structural evolution”

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 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Study of the Source Regions of Coronal Mass Ejections Using Yohkoh SXT Data

The scientific objective of the program was to better understand how CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections) are initiated at the sun by examining structures on the disk which are related to the origins of CMEs. CMEs represent important disruptions of large-scale structures of closed magnetic fields in the corona, and result in significant disturbances of the interplanetary medium and near-Earth space. The program pertained to NASA's objectives of understanding the physics of solar activity and the structured and evolution of the corona, and the results are being applied to understanding CMEs currently being observed by SOHO near the sun and by WIND and Ulysses in the heliosphere. Three general areas of research were pursued in the program. One was to use Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT) images of eruptive events visible against the solar disk to examine the coronal structures and the boundaries of the large-scale magnetic fields considered to be involved in coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The second area involved a survey and study of SXT X-ray arcade events which exhibit dimming, or the possible depletion of coronal material above and possibly before onset of the bright long-duration event (LDE). Finally, we studied the SXT data during periods when white light CMEs were observed the HAO Mauna Loa K-coronameter and, conversely, we examined the white light data during periods when expanding X-ray loops were observed at the limb.

Webb, David F.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Diagnostic Comparison of Meteorological Analyses during the 2002 Antarctic Winter

Several meteorological datasets, including U.K. Met Office (MetO), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and NASA's Goddard Earth Observation System (GEOS-4) analyses, are being used in studies of the 2002 Southern Hemisphere (SH) stratospheric winter and Antarctic major warming. Diagnostics are compared to assess how these studies may be affected by the meteorological data used. While the overall structure and evolution of temperatures, winds, and wave diagnostics in the different analyses provide a consistent picture of the large-scale dynamics of the SH 2002 winter, several significant differences may affect detailed studies. The NCEP-NCAR reanalysis (REAN) and NCEP-Department of Energy (DOE) reanalysis-2 (REAN-2) datasets are not recommended for detailed studies, especially those related to polar processing, because of lower-stratospheric temperature biases that result in underestimates of polar processing potential, and because their winds and wave diagnostics show increasing differences from other analyses between similar to 30 and 10 hPa (their top level). Southern Hemisphere polar stratospheric temperatures in the ECMWF 40-Yr Re-analysis (ERA-40) show unrealistic vertical structure, so this long-term reanalysis is also unsuited for quantitative studies. The NCEP/Climate Prediction Center (CPC) objective analyses give an inferior representation of the upper-stratospheric vortex. Polar vortex transport barriers are similar in all analyses, but there is large variation in the amount, patterns, and timing of mixing, even among the operational assimilated datasets (ECMWF, MetO, and GEOS-4). The higher-resolution GEOS-4 and ECMWF assimilations provide significantly better representation of filamentation and small-scale structure than the other analyses, even when fields gridded at reduced resolution are studied. The choice of which analysis to use is most critical for detailed transport studies (including polar process modeling) and studies involving synoptic evolution in the upper stratosphere. The operational assimilated datasets are better suited for most applications than the NCEP/CPC objective analyses and the reanalysis datasets.

stratosphere↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Seasonal Snow-Cover Change on the Observed and Simulated State of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer in a High-Altitude Mountain Valley

The structure and evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) under clear-sky fair weather conditions over mountainous terrain is dominated by the diurnal cycle of the surface energy balance and thus strongly depends on surface snow cover. We use data from three passive ground-based infrared spectrometers deployed in the East River Valley in Colorado's Rocky Mountains to investigate the response of the thermal ABL structure to changes in surface energy balance during the seasonal transition from low to high snow cover. Temperature profiles were retrieved from the infrared radiances using the optimal estimation physical retrieval Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation. A nocturnal surface inversion formed in the valley during clear-sky days, which was subsequently mixed out during daytime with the development of a convective boundary layer when snow cover was low. Over high snow cover, a very shallow convective boundary layer formed, above which the inversion persisted through the daytime hours. We compare these observations to NOAA's operational High-Resolution-Rapid-Refresh model and find large warm biases on clear-sky days resulting from the model's inability to form strong nocturnal inversions and to maintain the stable stratification in the valley during daytime when there was snow on the ground. We suggest several factors contributing to the large model errors. These are (a) the inability of the model to represent well-developed thermally driven flows likely due to the too coarse horizontal grid spacing (3 km), (b) too much convective mixing during daytime, and (c) too strong vertical coupling between the valley atmosphere and the free troposphere.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for interacting galaxy clusters from SDSS DR-17 employing optimized friends-of-friends algorithm and multimessenger tracers

ABSTRACT In the theoretical framework of hierarchical structure formation, galaxy clusters evolve through continuous accretion and mergers of substructures. Cosmological simulations have revealed the best picture of the universe as a 3D filamentary network of dark-matter distribution called the cosmic web. Galaxy clusters are found to form at the nodes of this network and are the regions of high merging activity. Such mergers being highly energetic, contain a wealth of information about the dynamical evolution of structures in the Universe. Observational validation of this scenario needs a colossal effort to identify numerous events from all-sky surveys. Therefore, such efforts are sparse in literature and tend to focus on individual systems. In this work, we present an improved search algorithm for identifying interacting galaxy clusters and have successfully produced a comprehensive list of systems from SDSS DR-17. By proposing a set of physically motivated criteria, we classified these interacting clusters into two broad classes, ‘merging’ and ‘pre-merging/postmerging’ systems. Interestingly, as predicted by simulations, we found that most cases show cluster interaction along the prominent cosmic filaments of galaxy distribution (i.e. the proxy for dark matter filaments), with the most violent ones at their nodes. Moreover, we traced the imprint of interactions through multiband signatures, such as diffuse cluster emissions in radio or X-rays. Although we could not find direct evidence of diffuse emission from connecting filaments and ridges; our catalogue of interacting clusters will ease locating such faintest emissions as data from sensitive telescopes such as eROSITA or SKA, becomes accessible.

Oak, Tejas↗
NASA NTRS1985

The physics of comets

This volume of the 'Fundamentals of Cosmic Physics' is concerned with the physics of comets. Aspects regarding the nucleus are discussed, taking into account observations, radius and albedo, mass, rotation, splitting and disruption, the temperature and sublimation of the cometary nucleus, the chemical composition, the electrostatic charging of the cometary nucleus, and the structure and evolution of the cometary nucleus. Other topics explored are related to the atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind, the plasma tail, and the dust tail. Attention is given to excitation mechanisms, atmospheric abundances and production rates, chemical models of the inner coma, collisional processes and the multifluid approach, radiative transfer, the ionization processes, models of the inner layer, the outer coma, acceleration mechanisms in the plasma tail, the structure of the plasma tail, the cometary magnetosphere, dust grain orbits, gas-dust interaction in the inner coma, and the nature of the cometary dust.

Mendis, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Doppler Measurements of the Suns Meridional Flow

Doppler velocity data obtained with the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) instruments in Tucson from 1992 August through 1995 April were analyzed to determine the structure and evolution of the Sun's meridional flow. Individual measurements of the flow were derived from line-of-sight velocity images averaged over 17 minutes to remove the p-mode oscillation signal. Typical flow velocities are poleward at approximately 20 m/s, but the results suggest that episodes may occur with much stronger flows. Such variations may help to explain some of the many disparate reports on the strength and structure of the Sun's meridional flow.

Hathaway, David H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Observations and theory of the AMPTE magnetotail barium releases

The barium releases in the magnetotail during the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers (AMPTE) operation were monitored by ground-based imagers and by instruments on the Ion Release Module. After each release, the data show the formation of a structured diamagnetic cavity. The cavity grows until the dynamic pressure of the expanding ions balances the magnetic pressure on its surface. The magnetic field inside the cavity is zero. The barium ions collect on the surface of the cavity, producing a shell. Plasma irregularities form along magnetic field lines draped over the surface of the cavity. The scale size of the irregularities is nearly equal to the thickness of the shell. The evolution and structuring of the diamagnetic cavity are modeled using magnetohydrodynamics theory.

Bernhardt, P. A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Boreal Summer Madden–Julian Oscillation and Moist Convective Morphology over the Maritime Continent

Abstract While the boreal summer Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is commonly defined as a planetary-scale disturbance, the convective elements that constitute its cloud dipole exhibit pronounced variability in their morphology. We therefore investigate the relationship between the intraseasonal cloud anomaly of the MJO and the convective elements that populate its interior by simulating a boreal summer MJO event over the Maritime Continent using a cloud-resolving model. A progressive relationship between convective cell morphology and the MJO within the convectively enhanced region of the MJO was identified and characterized as follows: anomalously long-lasting cells in the initial phases, followed by an increased number of cells in the intermediate phases, progressing into more expansive cells in the terminal phases. A progressive relationship does not seem to exist within the convectively suppressed region of the MJO within the simulated domain, however. Within the convectively enhanced region of the MJO, the progressive relationship is partially explained by the evolution of bulk atmospheric characteristics, such as instability and wind shear. Positive midlevel moisture anomalies coincide with anomalously long-lasting convective cells, which is hypothesized to further cascade into an increase in convective cell volume, although variability in the number of convective cells seems to be related to an unidentified variable. This intraseasonal relationship between convective cell morphology and the boreal summer MJO within the Maritime Continent may have broader implications for the large-scale structure and evolution of the MJO, related to both convective moistening and cloud-radiative feedbacks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Stability of Radiatively Cooling Jets. 2: Nonlinear Evolution

We use two-dimensional time-dependent hydrodynamical simulations to follow the growth of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability in cooling jets into the nonlinear regime. We focus primarily on asymmetric modes that give rise to transverse displacements of the jet beam. A variety of Mach numbers and two different cooling curves are studied. The growth rates of waves in the linear regime measured from the numerical simulations are in excellent agreement with the predictions of the linear stability analysis presented in the first paper in this series. In the nonlinear regime, the simulations show that asymmetric modes of the K-H instability can affect the structure and evolution of cooling jets in a number of ways. We find that jets in which the growth rate of the sinusoidal surface wave has a maximum at a so-called resonant frequency can be dominated by large-amplitude sinusoidal oscillations near this frequency. Eventually, growth of this wave can disrupt the jet. On the other hand, nonlinear body waves tend to produce low-amplitude wiggles in the shape of the jet but can result in strong shocks in the jet beam. In cooling jets, these shocks can produce dense knots and filaments of cooling gas within the jet. Ripples in the surface of the jet beam caused by both surface and body waves generate oblique shock "spurs" driven into the ambient gas. Our simulations show these shock "spurs" can accelerate ambient gas at large distances from the jet beam to low velocities, which represents a new mechanism by which low-velocity bipolar outflows may be driven by high-velocity jets. Rapid entrainment and acceleration of ambient gas may also occur if the jet is disrupted. For parameters typical of protostellar jets, the frequency at which K-H growth is a maximum (or highest frequency to which the entire jet can respond dynamically) will be associated with perturbations with a period of - 200 yr. Higher frequency (shorter period) perturbations excite waves associated with body modes that produce internal shocks and only small-amplitude wiggles within the jet. The fact that most observed systems show no evidence for large-amplitude sinusoidal oscillation leading to disruption is indicative that the perturbation frequencies are generally large, consistent with the suggestion that pro- tostellar jets arise from the inner regions (r less than 1 AU) of accretion disks.

Stone, James M.↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Neutron Star Zoo

Neutron stars are a very diverse population, both in their observational and their physical properties. They prefer to radiate most of their energy at X-ray and gamma-ray wavelengths. But whether their emission is powered by rotation, accretion, heat, magnetic fields or nuclear reactions, they are all different species of the same animal whose magnetic field evolution and interior composition remain a mystery. This article will broadly review the properties of inhabitants of the neutron star zoo, with emphasis on their high-energy emission. XXX Neutron stars are found in a wide variety of sources, displaying an amazing array of behavior. They can be isolated or in binary systems, accreting, heating, cooling, spinning down, spinning up, pulsing, flaring and bursting. The one property that seems to determine their behavior most strongly is their magnetic field strength, structure and evolution. The hot polar caps, bursts and flares of magnetars are likely due to the rapid decay and twisting of their superstrong magnetic fields, whose very existence requires some kind of early dynamo activity. The intermediate-strength magnetic fields of RPPs determines their spin-down behavior and radiation properties. However, the overlap of the magnetar and RPP populations is not understood at present. Why don't high-field RPPs burst or flare? Why don't lower-field magnetars sometimes behave more like RPPs? INS may be old magnetars whose high fields have decayed, but they do not account for the existence of younger RPPs with magnetar-strength fields. Not only the strength of the magnetic field but also its configuration may be important in making a NS a magnetar or a RPP. Magnetic field decay is a critical link between other NS populations as well. "Decay" of the magnetic field is necessary for normal RPPs to evolve into MSPs through accretion and spin up in LMXBs. Some kind of accretion-driven field reduction is the most likely mechanism, but it is controversial since it is not clear how effective it is or on what timescale a buried field might re-emerge. One piece of evidence in favor of accretion-driven field reduction is the fact that NSs in LMXBs, which are older systems (> 108 yr), have mostly low fields and NSs in HMXBs, which are younger systems (107 − 108 yr), have higher fields. This may be an indication that accretion-driven field reduction or decay has not had enough time to operate in HMXBs but has in LMXBs. However, there does not seem to be any evidence of decaying fields in either the LMXB or HMXB populations; e.g. smaller magnetic fields in older systems. On the other hand, CCOs are very young so if they acquired their low fields through mass fallback accretion, the field submergence would have had to operate on much faster timescales than it apparently does in LMXBs. But as we continue to find new species in the NS zoo, one of these may someday be the "Rosetta Stone" that will give us the clues for solving these puzzles.

Zoo↗
NASA NTRS2008

Comparative In Situ Measurements of Plasma Instabilities in the Equatorial and Auroral Electrojets

This presentation provides a comparison of in situ measurements of plasma instabilities gathered by rocket-borne probes in the equatorial and auroral electrojets. Specifically, using detailed measurements of the DC electric fields, current density, and plasma number density within the unstable daytime equatorial electrojet from Brazil (Guara Campaign) and in the auroral electrojet from Sweden (ERRIS Campaign), we present comparative observations and general conclusions regarding the observed physical properties of Farley-Buneman two-stream waves and large scale, gradient drift waves. The two stream observations reveal coherent-like waves propagating near the E x B direction but at reduced speeds (nearer to the presumed acoustic velocity) with wavelengths of approximately 5-10m in both the equatorial and auroral electrojet, as measured using the spaced-receiver technique. The auroral electrojet data generally shows extensions to shorter wavelengths, in concert with the fact that these waves are driven harder. With respect to gradient-drift driven waves, observations of this instability are much more pronounced in the equatorial electrojet, given the more favorable geometry for growth provided by the vertical gradient and horizontal magnetic field lines. We present new analysis of Guara rocket observations of electric field and plasma density data that reveal considerable structuring in the middle and lower portion of the electrojet (90-105 km) where the ambient plasma density gradient is unstable. Although the electric field amplitudes are largest (approximately 10-15 mV/m) in the zonal direction, considerable structure (approximately 5-10 mV/m) is also observed in the vertical electric field component as well, implying that the dominant large scale waves involve significant vertical interaction and coupling within the narrow altitude range where they are observed. Furthermore, a detailed examination of the phase of the waveforms show that on some, but not all occasions, locally enhanced eastward fields are associated with locally enhanced upwards (polarization) electric fields. The measurements are discussed in terms of theories involving the non-linear evolution and structuring of plasma waves.

Pfaff, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Model-Based Fatigue Prognosis of Fiber-Reinforced Laminates Exhibiting Concurrent Damage Mechanisms

Prognostics of large composite structures is a topic of increasing interest in the field of structural health monitoring for aerospace, civil, and mechanical systems. Along with recent advancements in real-time structural health data acquisition and processing for damage detection and characterization, model-based stochastic methods for life prediction are showing promising results in the literature. Among various model-based approaches, particle-filtering algorithms are particularly capable in coping with uncertainties associated with the process. These include uncertainties about information on the damage extent and the inherent uncertainties of the damage propagation process. Some efforts have shown successful applications of particle filtering-based frameworks for predicting the matrix crack evolution and structural stiffness degradation caused by repetitive fatigue loads. Effects of other damage modes such as delamination, however, are not incorporated in these works. It is well established that delamination and matrix cracks not only co-exist in most laminate structures during the fatigue degradation process but also affect each other's progression. Furthermore, delamination significantly alters the stress-state in the laminates and accelerates the material degradation leading to catastrophic failure. Therefore, the work presented herein proposes a particle filtering-based framework for predicting a structure's remaining useful life with consideration of multiple co-existing damage-mechanisms. The framework uses an energy-based model from the composite modeling literature. The multiple damage-mode model has been shown to suitably estimate the energy release rate of cross-ply laminates as affected by matrix cracks and delamination modes. The model is also able to estimate the reduction in stiffness of the damaged laminate. This information is then used in the algorithms for life prediction capabilities. First, a brief summary of the energy-based damage model is provided. Then, the paper describes how the model is embedded within the prognostic framework and how the prognostics performance is assessed using observations from run-to-failure experiments

Prognostics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multiple-platform and multiple-Doppler radar observations of a supercell thunderstorm in South America during RELAMPAGO

On 10 November 2018, during the RELAMPAGO field campaign in Argentina, South America, a thunderstorm with supercell characteristics was observed by an array of mobile observing instruments, including three Doppler on Wheels (DOW) radars. This is believed to be the first such storm ever sampled by multiple Doppler radars in South America, and one of perhaps two such sets of observations in the Southern Hemisphere. The observational strategies employed within the Córdoba Province on 10 November are described, as also is the evolution of the initial deep convective clouds through their organization into a supercell. In contrast to the archetypal supercell, the updraft rotation in this storm was rather short lived (~20 min), as also was the occurrence of damaging hail, causing us to question whether this indeed was indeed a supercell. However, additional data collected within the Córdoba Province provide us with evidence of other storms with this behavior, which appears to be attributable in part to effects of the local terrain. Thus, the structure and evolution of this storm documented during RELAMPAGO may be typical in this region.

Trapp, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1995

The shape of spectral lines: The importance of the far wings

Spectroscopy, the study of the interaction of radiation and matter, provides most of the information we have gleaned about the composition, structure, and evolution of the universe. As is well known, by measuring the frequencies of spectral lines in absorption or emission, one can uniquely infer the presence of atoms or molecules as well as their physical state and environment (e.g., solid or gaseous, neutral or ionized, moving or stationary, etc.). Furthermore, by studying the intensities of these lines, one can determine the abundance (i.e., number of a particular species per unit volume). Although less well known, the shape of the spectral lines, in particular, the structure of the far wings, plays a very important role in many important atmospheric phenomena such as the greenhouse effect or the absorption of harmful ultraviolet radiation. Although first measured more than 50 years ago, the anomalous absorption of radiation by water vapor in the earth's atmosphere was postulated to be due to far wings of allowed lines. However, only within the past few years has a quantitative verification of this hypothesis been possible through the development of an accurate theoretical description of the shape of self-broadened water lines. During the summer, work has been done on improving this theory and in comparing the results to other theories valid near the center of the lines. The relevance of this work to measurements of greenhouse gases, of earth-based measurements of the 3 K cosmic background radiation, of satellite-based measurements of the atmospheres of the earth and other planets, and other similar problems will be discussed briefly.

Tipping, Richard↗
DOE OSTI2026

Solid state 59 Co NMR study of a Np(VII) compound

Np(VII) compounds with [Co(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ cations were synthesized and structurally examined using powder X-ray diffraction. Multiple phases were observed, consisting of octahedral [Co(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ cations, discrete tetragonal bipyramidal [NpO 4 (OH) 2 ] 3− anions, and waters of hydration. Electric field gradient tensors at Co sites were measured by solid state 59 Co nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and compared with theoretical calculations. The relative contributions of the chemical shift and electric field tensors to the NMR lineshape were determined by recording spectra at field strengths of 7.04 and 11.74 Tesla. Further, the evolution of structure and morphology as a function of sample age and the effects on NMR spectral parameters has also been investigated. These results demonstrate the use of NMR at multiple fields to expand understanding of the stability and electronic structure of high valent neptunium compounds.

heptavalent neptunium↗
NASA NTRS1985

Report of the Workshop on Geologic Applications of Remote Sensing to the Study of Sedimentary Basins

The Workshop on Geologic Applications of Remote Sensing to the Study of Sedimentary Basins, held January 10 to 11, 1985 in Lakewood, Colorado, involved 43 geologists from industry, government, and academia. Disciplines represented ranged from vertebrate paleontology to geophysical modeling of continents. Deliberations focused on geologic problems related to the formation, stratigraphy, structure, and evolution of foreland basins in general, and to the Wind River/Bighorn Basin area of Wyoming in particular. Geological problems in the Wind River/Bighorn basin area that should be studied using state-of-the-art remote sensing methods were identified. These include: (1) establishing the stratigraphic sequence and mapping, correlating, and analyzing lithofacies of basin-filling strata in order to refine the chronology of basin sedimentation, and (2) mapping volcanic units, fracture patterns in basement rocks, and Tertiary-Holocene landforms in searches for surface manifestations of concealed structures in order to refine models of basin tectonics. Conventional geologic, topographic, geophysical, and borehole data should be utilized in these studies. Remote sensing methods developed in the Wind River/Bighorn Basin area should be applied in other basins.

Lang, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Martian Polar Vortices: Comparison of Reanalyses

The structure and evolution of the Martian polar vortices is examined using two recently available reanalysis systems: version 1.0 of the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) and a preliminary version of the Ensemble Mars Atmosphere Reanalysis System (EMARS). There is quantitative agreement between the reanalyses in the lower atmosphere, where Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data are assimilated, but there are differences at higher altitudes reflecting differences in the free-running general circulation model simulations used in the two reanalyses. The reanalyses show similar potential vorticity (PV) structure of the vortices: There is near-uniform small PV equatorward of the core of the westerly jet, steep meridional PV gradients on the polar side of the jet core, and a maximum of PV located off of the pole. In maps of 30 sol mean PV, there is a near-continuous elliptical ring of high PV with roughly constant shape and longitudinal orientation from fall to spring. However, the shape and orientation of the vortex varies on daily time scales, and there is not a continuous ring of PV but rather a series of smaller scale coherent regions of high PV. The PV structure of the Martian polar vortices is, as has been reported before, very different from that of Earth's stratospheric polar vortices, but there are similarities with Earth's tropospheric vortices which also occur at the edge of the Hadley Cell, and have near-uniform small PV equatorward of the jet, and a large increase of PV poleward of the jet due to increased stratification.

Waugh, D. W.↗