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At least 937 records · Page 52

Analysis of Oxygen Spectral Lines in the 1.27 Micron Band for the ASCENDS Mission

The ASCENDS mission requires simultaneous laser remote sensing of CO2 and O2 in order to convert CO2 column number densities to average column CO2 mixing ratios (XCO2). As such, the CO2 column number density and the O2 column number density will be utilized to derive the average XCO2 column. NASA Langley Research Center, working with its partners, is developing O2 lidar technology in the 1.26-1.27- m band for surface pressure measurements. The O2 model optical depth calculation is very sensitive to knowledge of the transmitted wavelengths and to the choice of Voigt input parameters. Modeling using the HITRAN database is being carried out to establish the evolution of candidate O2 absorption lines as a function of atmospheric parameters such as altitude, temperature, and pressure. Preliminary results indicate limitations of the Voigt profile and the need to utilize more advanced models which take into account line mixing, line narrowing, and speed dependence. In this paper, we evaluate alternative lineshape models to establish the optimum lineshapes which better account for the variability of individual O2 absorption lines at various atmospheric conditions. The combination of our modeling efforts with accurate laboratory measurements is anticipated to aid in achieving the desired CO2 mixing ratio measurement accuracy requirement of for the ASCENDS mission.

Pliutau, Denis↗

Rotary balance data for a single-engine agricultural airplane configuration for an angle-of-attack range of 8 deg to 90 deg

Aerodynamic characteristics obtained in a helical flow environment utilizing a rotary balance located in the Langley spin tunnel are presented in plotted form for a 1/10 scale single engine agricultural airplane model. The configurations tested include the basic airplane, various wing leading edge and wing tip devices, elevator, aileron, and rudder control settings, and other modifications. Data are presented without analysis for an angle of attack range of 8 deg to 90 deg, and clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations covering a spin coefficient range from 0 to .9.

Mulcay, W. J.↗

Summary of theoretical considerations and wind tunnel tests of an aerodynamic spoiler for stall proofing a general aviation airplane

An airplane stall proofing system utilizing a spoiler was investigated for application on a low wing airplane representative of typical general aviation aircraft. Tests of the full scale airplane were conducted in the NASA Langley 30 x 60 foot full scale wind tunnel. The test velocity was 86 feet per second, corresponding to a Reynolds number of 2.20 million. The stall proofing capability of the spoiler is shown and a theoretical approach to the design of the spoiler and analysis of the spoiler's contribution to the airplane's trim and longitudinal stability is verified. Controlled spoiler deployment in a narrow angle of attack range, 4 degrees, immediately preceding the stall angle will stall proof the airplane. The results also show some of the limitations of flight tests to determine spoiler deployment rate for good handling qualities.

Chevalier, H. L.↗

An experimental and analytical investigation of the effect of spanwise curvature on wing flutter at Mach number of 0.7

An experimental and analytical study was conducted at Mach 0.7 to investigate the effects of spanwise curvature on flutter. Two series of rectangular planform wings of aspect ration 1.5 and curvature ranging from zero (uncurved) to 1.04/ft were flutter tested in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). One series consisted of models with a NACA 65 A010 airfoil section and the other of flat plate cross section models. Flutter analyses were conducted for correlation with the experimental results by using structural finite element methods to perform vibration analysis and two aerodynamic theories to obtain unsteady aerodynamic load calculations. The experimental results showed that for one series of models the flutter dynamic pressure increased significantly with curvature while for the other series of models the flutter dynamic pressure decreased with curvature. The flutter analyses, which generally predicted the experimental results, indicated that the difference in behavior of the two series of models was primarily due to differences in their structural properties.

Rivera, Jose A., Jr.↗

Reynolds number and cowl position effects for a generic sidewall compression scramjet inlet at Mach 10 - A computational and experimental investigation

Reynolds number and cowl position effects on the internal shock structure and the resulting performance of a generic three-dimensional sidewall compression scramjet inlet with a leading edge sweep of 45 degrees at Mach 10 have been examined both computationally and experimentally. Prior to the experiment, a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code was adapted to perform preliminary parametric studies leading to the design of the present configuration. Following this design phase, the code was then utilized as an analysis tool to provide a better understanding of the flow field and the experimental static pressure data for the final experimental configuration. The wind tunnel model possessed 240 static pressure orifices distributed on the forebody plane, sidewalls, and cowl and was tested in the NASA Langley 31 Inch Mach 10 Tunnel.

Holland, Scott D.↗

Proceedings of the Non-Linear Aero Prediction Requirements Workshop

The purpose of the Non-Linear Aero Prediction Requirements Workshop, held at NASA Langley Research Center on 8-9 Dec. 1993, was to identify and articulate requirements for non-linear aero prediction capabilities during conceptual/preliminary design. The attendees included engineers from industry, government, and academia in a variety of aerospace disciplines, such as advanced design, aerodynamic performance analysis, aero methods development, flight controls, and experimental and theoretical aerodynamics. Presentations by industry and government organizations were followed by panel discussions. This report contains copies of the presentations and the results of the panel discussions.

Logan, Michael J.↗

Reynolds Number and Cowl Position Effects for a Generic Sidewall Compression Scramjet Inlet at Mach 10: A Computational and Experimental Investigation

Reynolds number and cowl position effects on the internal shock structure and the resulting performance of a generic three-dimensional sidewall compression scramjet inlet with a leading edge sweep of 45 degrees at Mach 10 have been examined both computationally and experimentally. Prior to the experiment, a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code was adapted to perform preliminary parametric studies leading to the design of the present configuration. Following this design phase, the code was then utilized as an analysis tool to provide a better understanding of the flow field and the experimental static pressure data for the final experimental configuration. The wind tunnel model possessed 240 static pressure orifices distributed on the forebody plane, sidewalls, and cowl and was tested in the NASA Langley 31 Inch Mach 10 Tunnel.

Holland, Scott D.↗

An Overview of the CERES Radiation and Validation Experiment (CRAVE)

The Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) experiment is one of the highest priority scientific satellite instruments developed for NASA’s Earth Observing System. The CERES Radiation and Validation Experiment (CRAVE) provides continuous world-class surface longwave and shortwave radiation measurements and validation of CERES and other satellite products. CRAVE consists of three sites (two active and one legacy). The legacy site was the CERES Ocean Validation Experiment, or COVE, located at Chesapeake Light Station (36.90 N, 75.71 W), 25 km off the coast of southeastern Virginia, USA. COVE was active from 2000-2016 but was deactivated due to structural concerns. The deactivation of COVE interrupted a rare long-term ocean/water scene dataset in the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN), the gold standard for surface radiation measurements. Shortly after the closure of COVE, Granite Island (46.72 N, 87.41 W), a new water site, was discovered and has been active since the summer of 2018. Granite Island is privately owned, located in Lake Superior, approximately 20 km north of Marquette, Michigan, USA, and 10 km to the nearest land point. The other CRAVE site is in Hampton, Virginia, USA, at Nasa Langley Research Center (37.10 N, 76.38 W), a land scene, and has been operating since December 2014. We will describe CRAVE and its importance, the uniqueness of each site and site logistics, participating networks and measurements made for radiometric, aerosol, meteorological and water skin temperature analysis. CRAVE measurements detecting smoke originating from Canadian wildfires with aerosol optical depths well over 2 and first results from a shortwave calibration round robin experiment will also be presented.

Bryan Fabbri↗

A Validated Task Analysis of the Single Pilot Operations Concept

The current day flight deck operational environment consists of a two-person Captain/First Officer crew. A concept of operations (ConOps) to reduce the commercial cockpit to a single pilot from the current two pilot crew is termed Single Pilot Operations (SPO). This concept has been under study by researchers in the Flight Deck Display Research Laboratory (FDDRL) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames (Johnson, Comerford, Lachter, Battiste, Feary, and Mogford, 2012) and researchers from Langley Research Centers (Schutte et al., 2007). Transitioning from a two pilot crew to a single pilot crew will undoubtedly require changes in operational procedures, crew coordination, use of automation, and in how the roles and responsibilities of the flight deck and ATC are conceptualized in order to maintain the high levels of safety expected of the US National Airspace System. These modifications will affect the roles and the subsequent tasks that are required of the various operators in the NextGen environment. The current report outlines the process taken to identify and document the tasks required by the crew according to a number of operational scenarios studied by the FDDRL between the years 2012-2014. A baseline task decomposition has been refined to represent the tasks consistent with a new set of entities, tasks, roles, and responsibilities being explored by the FDDRL as the move is made towards SPO. Information from Subject Matter Expert interviews, participation in FDDRL experimental design meetings, and study observation was used to populate and refine task sets that were developed as part of the SPO task analyses. The task analysis is based upon the proposed ConOps for the third FDDRL SPO study. This experiment possessed nine different entities operating in six scenarios using a variety of SPO-related automation and procedural activities required to guide safe and efficient aircraft operations. The task analysis presents the roles and responsibilities in a manner that can facilitate testing future scenarios. Measures of task count and workload were defined and analyzed to assess the impact of transitioning to a SPO environment.

task analysis↗

Nonlinear structural crash dynamics analyses

Presented in this paper are the results of three nonlinear computer programs, KRASH, ACTION and DYCAST used to analyze the dynamic response of a twin-engine, low-wing airplane section subjected to a 8.38 m/s (27.5 ft/s) vertical impact velocity crash condition. This impact condition simulates the vertical sink rate in a shallow aircraft landing or takeoff accident. The three distinct analysis techniques for nonlinear dynamic response of aircraft structures are briefly examined and compared versus each other and the experimental data. The report contains brief descriptions of the three computer programs, the respective aircraft section mathematical models, pertinent data from the experimental test performed at NASA Langley, and a comparison of the analyses versus test results. Cost and accuracy comparisons between the three analyses are made to illustrate the possible uses of the different nonlinear programs and their future potential.

Hayduk, R. J.↗

Langley rotorcraft structural dynamics program: Background, status, accomplishments, plans

Excessive vibration is the most common technical problem to arise as a show stopper in the development of a new rotorcraft. Vibration predictions have not been relied on by the industry during design because of deficiencies in finite element dynamic analyses. A rotorcraft structural dynamics program aimed at meeting the industry's long-term needs in this key technical area was implemented at Langley in 1984. The subject program is a cooperative effort involving NASA, the Army, academia, and the helicopter industry in a series of generic research activities directed at establishing the critical elements of the technology base needed for development of a superior finite element dynamics design analysis capability in the U.S. helicopter industry. An executive overview of the background, status, accomplishments, and future direction of this program is presented.

Kvaternik, Raymond G.↗

Aeroservoelastic and Flight Dynamics Analysis Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

This document in large part is based on the Masters Thesis of Cole Stephens. The document encompasses a variety of technical and practical issues involved when using the STARS codes for Aeroservoelastic analysis of vehicles. The document covers in great detail a number of technical issues and step-by-step details involved in the simulation of a system where aerodynamics, structures and controls are tightly coupled. Comparisons are made to a benchmark experimental program conducted at NASA Langley. One of the significant advantages of the methodology detailed is that as a result of the technique used to accelerate the CFD-based simulation, a systems model is produced which is very useful for developing the control law strategy, and subsequent high-speed simulations.

Arena, Andrew S., Jr.↗

Program of Research in Flight Dynamics in The George Washington University at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

The program objectives were defined in the original proposal entitled 'Program of Research in Flight Dynamics in the JIAFS at NASA Langley Research Center' which was originated March 20, 1975, and yearly renewals of the research program dated December 1, 1998 to December 31, 2002. The program included three major topics: 1) Improvement of existing methods and development of new methods for flight and wind tunnel data analysis based on system identification methodology; 2) Application of these methods to flight and wind tunnel data obtained from advanced aircraft; 3) Modeling and control of aircraft. The principal investigator of the program was Dr. Vladislav Klein, Professor Emeritus at The George Washington University, DC. Seven Graduate Research Scholar Assistants (GRSA) participated in the program. The results of the research conducted during four years of the total co-operative period were published in 2 NASA Technical Reports, 3 thesis and 3 papers. The list of these publications is included.

Klein, Vladislav↗

Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of Integrally-Stiffened Al-2139 Panel with Curved Stiffeners

A curvilinear stiffened panel was designed, manufactured, and tested in the Combined Load Test Fixture at NASA Langley Research Center. The panel is representative of a large wing engine pylon rib and was optimized for minimum mass subjected to three combined load cases. The optimization included constraints on web buckling, material yielding, crippling or local stiffener failure, and damage tolerance using a new analysis tool named EBF3PanelOpt. Testing was performed for the critical combined compression-shear loading configuration. The panel was loaded beyond initial buckling, and strains and out-of-plane displacements were extracted from a total of 20 strain gages and 6 linear variable displacement transducers. The VIC-3D system was utilized to obtain full field displacements/strains in the stiffened side of the panel. The experimental data were compared with the strains and out-of-plane deflections from a high fidelity nonlinear finite element analysis. The experimental data were also compared with linear elastic finite element results of the panel/test-fixture assembly. Overall, the panel buckled very near to the predicted load in the web regions.

Havens, David↗

Spaceborne Remote Sensing of Aerosol Type: Global Distribution, Model Evaluation and Translation into Chemical Speciation

It is essential to evaluate and refine aerosol classification methods applied to passive satellite remote sensing. We have developed an aerosol classification algorithm (called Specified Clustering and Mahalanobis Classification, SCMC) that assigns an aerosol type to multi-parameter retrievals by spaceborne, airborne or ground-based passive remote sensing instruments [1]. The aerosol types identified by our scheme are pure dust, polluted dust, urban-industrialdeveloped economy, urban-industrialdeveloping economy, dark biomass smoke, light biomass smoke and pure marine. We apply the SCMC method to inversions from the ground-based AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET [2]) and retrievals from the space-borne Polarization and Directionality of Earths Reflectances instrument (POLDER, [3]). The POLDER retrievals that we use differ from the standard POLDER retrievals [4] as they make full use of multi-angle, multispectral polarimetric data [5]. We analyze agreement in the aerosol types inferred from both AERONET and POLDER and evaluate GEOS-Chem [6] simulations over the globe. Finally, we use in-situ observations from the SEAC4RS airborne field experiment to bridge the gap between remote sensing-inferred qualitative SCMC aerosol types and their corresponding quantitative chemical speciation. We apply the SCMC method to airborne in-situ observations from the NASA Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE, [7]) and the Differential Aerosol Sizing and Hygroscopicity Spectrometer Probe (DASH-SP, [8]) instruments; we then relate each coarsely defined SCMC type to a sum of percentage of individual aerosol species, using in-situ observations from the Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS, [9]), the Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosol (SAGA, [10]), and the High - Resolution Time - of - Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR ToF AMS, [11]).

airborne↗

Mars Sample Return, Sample Retrieval Lander, Reaction Control System Jet Interaction Supersonic Wind Tunnel Test Overview with CFD Predictions

NASA's Mars Sample Return campaign will be launching several missions over the next decade that will work together to return rock samples from Mars back to Earth. The Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) will deliver the Mars Ascent Vehicle and fetch rover to the surface of Mars in 2006. Rock samples collected by the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, landing in early 2021, will be loaded on the the ascent vehicle to be launched into Mars orbit for retrieval by yet another spacecraft. The Sample Retrieval Lander will be a blunt entry capsule similar to past Mars entry vehicles like Mars Science Laboratory and Viking. The vehicle will fly a guided entry, using a small lift vector produced by a non-zero trim angle of attack to eliminate downrange and crossrange position errors at the point of parachute deploy. This energy and heading management is achieved with a reaction control system (RCS) that directs the bank angle of the vehicle and also minimizes unwanted capsule dynamics. The reaction control system and control design is based on the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020 RCS systems. However, due to packaging constraints, the backshell of this new entry vehicle has a different geometry than those earlier designs. To certify the RCS system for flight the project must characterize the jet plume interactions with the capsule backshell that could impair or significantly augment the RCS control authority. This characterization will be done through a combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and wind tunnel test. Two candidate arrangements of the RCS jets have been identified for the SRL vehicle and are currently under evaluation before final selection. The aero/RCS plume interactions of these candidate configurations have been measured in a supersonic wind tunnel test in NASA Langley's Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The test was conducted in the fall of 2020 and data is currently being reduced. An overview of the candidate RCS configurations are presented here with an overview of the wind tunnel model design, jet scaling and scaled nozzle design, and the test matrix. Preliminary CFD runs are presented with an assessment of the predicted plumes and their interaction with the wake flow of the vehicle. The predicted effects of the model sting is provided as well. This high fidelity wind tunnel test is being conducted much earlier in the SRL project than would normally be done. The test was funded as part of a CFD evaluation task funded by NASA's Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Project. The objective of the evaluation task was to compare the ability of CFD to predict complex flows with data that can be measured in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. RCS Jet interactions were selected as a type of complex flow that is important to NASA missions. In addition to providing useful data to the SRL project, there was added emphasis on quantifying the accuracy of the CFD predictions and wind tunnel test data. An overview of the uncertainty quantification methodologies for computational and experimental portions of this test is presented.

blunt body↗

Atmospheric Composition Forecast Model Evaluation Using Ozone Measurements Collected by the Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar

The Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL) is a mobile ground based lidar system based at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia. Between 2022 and 2024, LMOL collected over 2500 hours of ozone measurements for a range of different atmospheric conditions, including calm days, stratospheric intrusions, surface frontal passages, and long-range transported wildfire smoke plumes. Here, the data is used to evaluate the forecast accuracy of NASA’s Global GEOS Composition Forecasting (GEOS-CF) model. GEOS-CF makes daily three-dimensional forecasts of trace gases and aerosol species. Overall, for calm periods, the forecast model predicts lower tropospheric ozone at NASA Langley with reasonable accuracy (within 20%). The model best predicts the timing and extent of stratospheric intrusions but often vary in the magnitude of the ozone mixing ratio. Among the other types of atmospheric conditions, there is more variability in the model forecasts. Based on this analysis, model forecasts are utilized to determine future data acquisition opportunities with the goal of providing feedback to the modeling teams, thereby enabling them to better understand the model biases and improve the model forecasts of ozone during these different atmospheric conditions.

Daniel B Phoenix↗

Computational Modeling of Two Mars Powered Descent Vehicle Concepts Tested in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

Future human Mars missions will require powered descent starting at supersonic conditions, something which has never been done before at Mars. Computational powered descent flowfield simulations have been completed at full-scale Mars conditions, but the available ground test data are not suitable for calibrating computational uncertainties for aerodynamic interference on proposed Mars descent vehicles. Testing was conducted in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel in order to investigate the aerodynamic interference of sub-scale versions of two Mars powered descent vehicle concepts at supersonic Mach numbers (2.4 and 3.5): a model based on a blunt hypersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (HIAD) and the second representing a more slender rigid vehicle with body flaps (CobraMRV). This paper covers computational flowfield predictions completed at wind tunnel conditions and comparisons to the test data. On the blowing HIAD models, the time-averaged pressure inboard of the nozzles was generally well-predicted, especially if the nozzles are canted outward, when the nozzles are located further from the nose. At intermediate CobraMRV thrust coefficients, CFD pressures are more accurately predicted than they are for the HIAD models, largely due to the nozzle locations and pointing directions. Overall, the CFD pressure coefficients were predicted within 0.2 of the steady pressure measurements for all blowing models, with smaller discrepancies at higher HIAD thrust, and larger discrepancies at lower HIAD CobraMRV thrust. All HIAD models were predicted to have a gradually decreasing axial force coefficient as the total thrust increases, in agreement with available pressure sensitive paint data. On models with canted nozzles or with nozzles further from the nose, the force coefficient was slightly higher for a given thrust. On the CobraMRV model, the CFD also shows consistent results between solvers and follows trends revealed in the data; the aerodynamic force coefficient remains near the non-blowing value at a tunnel Mach number of 2.4 regardless of thrust, and increases above that level at a Mach number of 3.5, consistent with the discrete pressure data. CFD analysis at tunnel and flight conditions will continue as flight system designs concepts mature.

Supersonic Retropropulsion↗