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At least 937 records · Page 52

Calibration of a universal indicated turbulence system

Theoretical and experimental work on a Universal Indicated Turbulence Meter is described. A mathematical transfer function from turbulence input to output indication was developed. A random ergodic process and a Gaussian turbulence distribution were assumed. A calibration technique based on this transfer function was developed. The computer contains a variable gain amplifier to make the system output independent of average velocity. The range over which this independence holds was determined. An optimum dynamic response was obtained for the tubulation between the system pitot tube and pressure transducer by making dynamic response measurements for orifices of various lengths and diameters at the source end.

Chapin, W. G.↗

Frequency band justifications for passive sensors, 1 to 10 GHz

Remote sensor systems operating in the microwave region of the frequency spectrum provide information unobtainable with basic imaging techniques such as photography, television, or multispectral imaging. The frequency allocation requirements for passive microwave sensors used in the earth exploration satellite and space research services are presented for: (1) agriculture, forestry, and range resources; (2) land use survey and mapping: (3) water resources; (4) weather and climate; (5) environmental quality; and (6) marine resources, estuarine and oceans. Because measurements are required simultaneously in multiple frequency bands to adequately determine values of some phenomena, the relationships between frequency bands are discussed. The various measurement accuracies, dynamic range, resolutions and frequency needs are examined. A band-by-band summary of requirements, unique aspects, and sharing analyses of the required frequency bands is included.

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Stiffness and damping of elastomeric O-ring bearing mounts

A test rig to measure the dynamic stiffness and damping of elastomer O rings was described. Test results for stiffness and loss coefficient in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1000 Hz are presented. Results are given for three different materials, for five temperatures, for three amplitudes, for five values of squeeze for three values of stretch for three values of cross-section diameter and for three values of groove width. All test data points were plotted. In addition, trend summary plots were presented which compare the effect of material, temperature, amplitude, squeeze, stretch, cross-section diameter, and groove width. O ring deflections under a static load for different material were presented; and effective static stiffness values were compared with dynamic values.

Smalley, A. J.↗

Interplanetary approach optical navigation with applications

The use of optical data from onboard television cameras for the navigation of interplanetary spacecraft during the planet approach phase is investigated. Three optical data types were studied: the planet limb with auxiliary celestial references, the satellite-star, and the planet-star two-camera methods. Analysis and modelling issues related to the nature and information content of the optical methods were examined. Dynamic and measurement system modelling, data sequence design, measurement extraction, model estimation and orbit determination, as relating optical navigation, are discussed, and the various error sources were analyzed. The methodology developed was applied to the Mariner 9 and the Viking Mars missions. Navigation accuracies were evaluated at the control and knowledge points, with particular emphasis devoted to the combined use of radio and optical data. A parametric probability analysis technique was developed to evaluate navigation performance as a function of system reliabilities.

Jerath, N.↗

Investigation of steady and fluctuating pressures associated with the transonic buffeting and wing rock of a one-seventh scale model of the F-5A aircraft

A wind tunnel test of a 1/7 scale F-5A model is described. The pressure, force, and dynamic response measurements during buffet and wing rock are evaluated. Effects of Mach number, angle of attack, sideslip angle, and control surface settings were investigated. The mean and fluctuating static pressure data are presented and correlated with some corresponding flight test data of a F-5A aircraft. Details of the instrumentation and the specially designed support system which allowed the model to oscillate in roll to simulate wing rock are also described. A limit cycle mechanism causing wing rock was identified from this study, and this mechanism is presented.

Hwang, C.↗

A new two-dimensional oscillating wing apparatus for unsteady aerodynamics research

An apparatus for experimental research into unsteady transonic flows is described. The apparatus, as installed in the NASA-Ames 11 by 11 Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel, can impart full two-degree-of-freedom motions at reduced frequencies to 0.3, oscillatory amplitudes to tn-2 degs, mean angles to 12 degs, Mach numbers to 1.4 and Reynolds numbers to 12x10. The test wing is fully instrumented for dynamic waveform measurements and the data can be acquired, processed, and displayed in real-time with a new computational data acquisition system. Following a description of the apparatus, sample data from a recently completed test program is presented.

Davis, S. S.↗

Digital system for dynamic turbine engine blade displacement measurements

An instrumentation concept for measuring blade tip displacements which employs optical probes and an array of micro-computers is presented. The system represents a hitherto unknown instrumentation capability for the acquisition and direct digitization of deflection data concurrently from all of the blade tips of an operational engine rotor undergoing flutter or forced vibration. System measurements are made using optical transducers which are fixed to the case. Measurements made in this way are the equivalent of those obtained by placing three surface-normal displacement transducers at three positions on each blade of an operational rotor.

Kiraly, L. J.↗

Digital system for dynamic turbine engine blade displacement measurements

The paper presents a technique for measuring blade tip displacements which employs optical probes and an array of microcomputers. A system directly digitizing a minimum of a 2048-point time-deflection history for each of the three measurement locations on each blade is described.

Kiraly, L. J.↗

A frequency and timing subsystem for the ORION mobile unit

A mobile surveying instrument in support of the crustal dynamics program measures the length and direction of the distance between sites on the Earth's surface using VLBI techniques operating at microwave frequencies and extragalactic radio sources. The frequency and timing subsystem uses as a frequency standard the hydrogen maser. An important part of the subsystem is a sophisticated automatic system to monitor frequency stability and accumulated clock error.

Clements, P. A.↗

Effects of AP size distribution on the pressure-coupled response function

Progress in theoretical and experimental research to determine effects of AP size distribution on the pressure-coupled response function is presented. The theoretical model was based upon a preferred frequency mechanism in which ordered fluctuations in the propellant formulation, dependent upon the heterogeneity, contributed to the response. Experiments to charaterize and relate the heterogeneity to response function behavior consisted of scanning electron microscope studies and measurements of dynamic burning at constant pressure. The concept, differences between ideal models and real propellants, and results thus far obtained are discussed.

Cohen, N. S.↗

An evaluation of an ICCD imager of dynamic range expansion technique and application of insitu procedures for life-time extension

Research toward practical implementation of the Intensified Charge Coupled Device (ICCD) as a photon-counting array detector for astronomy is reported. The first area of concentration was to determine the rate and extent of the lifetime limiting damage to the CCD caused by the impact of high energy electrons, and to find whether various methods of annealing the damage were productive. The second effort was to determine the performance of the ICCD in a photon-counting mode to produce extended dynamic range measurements. There are two main effects that appear as the practical results of the electron damage to the CCD. One is an increase in the leakage current, i.e., the normal thermal generation of charge carriers in the silicon that provides a background dark signal that adds to the light produced image. In an undamaged CCD, the leakage current is usually fairly uniform across the photosensitive area of the silicon chip, with the exception of various bright pixels which have an anomalous leakage current well above the overall level.

Currie, D. G.↗

A closed-loop principal component analysis of a tetrahedral truss

A tetrahedral truss, representative of a fairly broad class of large space structures, is considered. A method, measuring the dynamical importance of each elastic mode when the structure is under feedback control, is presented. The main conclusion is that the closed-loop importance of each vibration mode depends on the robustness requirements. Also, there appears to be a conflict between precise control of a given node of the structure and stability margin, these two requirements leading to contradictory classifications of the modes by order of importance.

Jonckheere, E. A.↗

Space Shuttle propulsion parameter estimation using optimal estimation techniques, volume 1

The mathematical developments and their computer program implementation for the Space Shuttle propulsion parameter estimation project are summarized. The estimation approach chosen is the extended Kalman filtering with a modified Bryson-Frazier smoother. Its use here is motivated by the objective of obtaining better estimates than those available from filtering and to eliminate the lag associated with filtering. The estimation technique uses as the dynamical process the six degree equations-of-motion resulting in twelve state vector elements. In addition to these are mass and solid propellant burn depth as the ""system'' state elements. The ""parameter'' state elements can include aerodynamic coefficient, inertia, center-of-gravity, atmospheric wind, etc. deviations from referenced values. Propulsion parameter state elements have been included not as options just discussed but as the main parameter states to be estimated. The mathematical developments were completed for all these parameters. Since the systems dynamics and measurement processes are non-linear functions of the states, the mathematical developments are taken up almost entirely by the linearization of these equations as required by the estimation algorithms.

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Techniques for avoiding discrimination errors in the dynamic sampling of condensable vapors

In the mass spectrometric sampling of dynamic systems, measurements of the relative concentrations of condensable and noncondensable vapors can be significantly distorted if some subtle, but important, instrumental factors are overlooked. Even with in situ measurements, the condensables are readily lost to the container walls, and the noncondensables can persist within the vacuum chamber and yield a disproportionately high output signal. Where single pulses of vapor are sampled this source of error is avoided by gating either the mass spectrometer ""on'' or the data acquisition instrumentation ""on'' only during the very brief time-window when the initial vapor cloud emanating directly from the vapor source passes through the ionizer. Instrumentation for these techniques is detailed and its effectiveness is demonstrated by comparing gated and nongated spectra obtained from the pulsed-laser vaporization of several materials.

Lincoln, K. A.↗

Recent modifications and calibration of the Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel

Modifications to the Langley Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel are presented and a calibration of the mean flow parameters in the test section is provided. Also included are the operational capability of the tunnel and typical test results for both single-element and multi-element airfoils. Modifications to the facility consisted of the following: replacement of the original cooling coils and antiturbulence screens and addition of a tunnel-shell heating system, a two dimensional model-support and force-balance system, a sidewall boundary layer control system, a remote-controlled survey apparatus, and a new data acquisition system. A calibration of the mean flow parameters in the test section was conducted over the complete operational range of the tunnel. The calibration included dynamic-pressure measurements, Mach number distributions, flow-angularity measurements, boundary-layer characteristics, and total-pressure profiles. In addition, test-section turbulence measurements made after the tunnel modifications have been included with these calibration data to show a comparison of existing turbulence levels with data obtained for the facility in 1941 with the original screen installation.

Mcghee, R. J.↗

Geodynamics: Introduction and Background

An overview is given of the field of geodynamics and its major scientific questions. The NASA geodynamics program is described as well as its status and accomplishments projected by 1988. Federal coordination and international cooperation in monitoring tectonic plate motion, polar motion, and Earth rotation are mentioned. The development of a GPS receiver for civilian geodesy and results obtained using satellite laser ranging and very long baseline interferometry in measuring crustal dynamics, global dynamics, and the geopotential field are reported.

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Ames Research Center Life Sciences Payload Project for Spacelab Mission 3

The Research Animal Holding Facility, developed to support rodent and squirrel monkey animal husbandry in the Spacelab environment, is to be tested during the Spacelab Mission 3 flight. The configuration and function of the payload hardware elements, the assembly and test program, the operational rationale, and the scientific approach of this mission are examined. Topics covered include animal life support systems, the squirrel monkey restraint, the camera-mirror system, the dynamic environment measurement system, the biotelemetry system, and the ground support equipment. Consideration is also given to animal pretests, loading the animals during their 12 hour light cycle, and animal early recovery after landing. This mission will be the first time that relatively large samples of monkeys and rats will be flown in space and also cared for and observed by man.

Callahan, P. X.↗