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At least 955 records · Page 53

Experimental studies on thermodynamic effects of developed cavitation

A method for predicting thermodynamic effects of cavitation (changes in cavity pressure relative to stream vapor pressure) is presented. The prediction method accounts for changes in liquid, liquid temperature, flow velocity, and body scale. Both theoretical and experimental studies used in formulating the method are discussed. The prediction method provided good agreement between predicted and experimental results for geometrically scaled venturis handling four different liquids of widely diverse physical properties. Use of the method requires geometric similarity of the body and cavitated region and a known reference cavity-pressure depression at one operating condition.

Ruggeri, R. S.↗

Morphometric characteristics of particles of regolith returned by Luna 16 automatic station

A study was made of the shape of regolith particles in the 0.5 to 1.0 mm fraction; two parameters were calculated for this fraction: (1) Sphericity -- the ratio of the projection area of a particle to the area of the minimum circumscribed circle; and (2) the ratio of the perimeter of the projection of the particle to the perimeter of a circle having the same width. For comparison, this technique was used in studying geometrical figures and terrestrial formations: sands, slags of present day volcanoes, and crushed basalt. It was established that regolith particles are shaped from the following groups: spherules; breccias and fragments; slags and sinters. Regolith differs sharply from ordinary homogeneous terrestrial formations in the diversity of particle shapes, associated with their polygenicity. Fragments of crushed basalt are less regular than fragments of basalt from regolith.

Florenskiy, P. V.↗

Silicate spherules in sample of regolith returned by Lunar 16 automatic station

The content of spherical fused particles in Sea of Fertility regolith increases with decrease in particle size and varies from 1 to 2 percent in the relatively coarse fractions to 3 to 4 percent in the fine fractions. Among the spherical formations was noted a wide diversity of shapes, and the most common are particles that are similar in shape to a regular sphere, which indicates the acquisition of shape in the liquid phase under the action of surface tension. As to color, the most common are the black and dark colored particles. No regularities of any kind were noted in the distribution of spherical particles by core zones. The considerable difference of the granulometric characteristics of the spherical particles and the regolith as a whole indicates that the formation of regolith particles and the spherules included in its composition occurred as the result of different, even though possibly simultaneous, processes.

Ivanov, A. V.↗

Metallographic study of metallic fragment of lunar surface material

A high precision investigation of a metallic fragment from the lunar material returned by the Soviet Luna 16 automatic station revealed three characteristic temperature intervals with different kinetics of solid solution decomposition. The following were found in the structure of the iron-nickel-cobalt alloy: (1) delta-phase and alpha-ferrite of diffusional, displacement origin in the grain boundary and acicular forms; and (2) martensite of isothermal and athermal nature, acicular, lamellar, massive, and dendritic. The diversity of the shapes of structural constituents is associated with the effect on their formation of elastic distortions and various mechanisms of deformation relaxation processes.

Mints, R. I.↗

A model and predictive scale of passenger ride discomfort

A model to define the interrelationship of the various factors (vibratory and nonvibratory) important to passenger comfort, in realistic transport vehicle vibration environments was developed. The model represents: (1) a framework for the investigation of comfort within diverse transportation vehicles; (2) a mechanism for the development of a scale of comfort; (3) a mechanism through which design criteria can be obtained for improving the rideability of current and future transportation vehicles; and (4) a tool for obtaining information for the maximization of passenger ride quality, based upon sociological and psychological information. The application of the model is based upon the computational steps necessary for derivation of the comfort scale. The emphasis within the scale is upon the summation of comfort units; the summation being obtained through the use of appropriately determined factors, both within and between axes.

Dempsey, T. K.↗

Social cost considerations and legal constraints in implementing modular integrated utility systems

Social costs associated with the design, demonstration, and implementation of the Modular Integrated Utility System are considered including the social climate of communities, leadership patterns, conflicts and cleavages, specific developmental values, MIUS utility goal assessment, and the suitability of certian alternative options for use in a program of implementation. General considerations are discussed in the field of socio-technological planning. These include guidelines for understanding the conflict and diversity; some relevant goal choices and ideas useful to planners of the MIUS facility.

Lede, N. W.↗

Study of time-lapse processing for dynamic hydrologic conditions

The usefulness of dynamic display techniques in exploiting the repetitive nature of ERTS imagery was investigated. A specially designed Electronic Satellite Image Analysis Console (ESIAC) was developed and employed to process data for seven ERTS principal investigators studying dynamic hydrological conditions for diverse applications. These applications include measurement of snowfield extent and sediment plumes from estuary discharge, Playa Lake inventory, and monitoring of phreatophyte and other vegetation changes. The ESIAC provides facilities for storing registered image sequences in a magnetic video disc memory for subsequent recall, enhancement, and animated display in monochrome or color. The most unique feature of the system is the capability to time lapse the imagery and analytic displays of the imagery. Data products included quantitative measurements of distances and areas, binary thematic maps based on monospectral or multispectral decisions, radiance profiles, and movie loops. Applications of animation for uses other than creating time-lapse sequences are identified. Input to the ESIAC can be either digital or via photographic transparencies.

Serebreny, S. M.↗

Automated thematic mapping and change detection of ERTS-A images

The author has identified the following significant results. In the first part of the investigation, spatial and spectral features were developed which were employed to automatically recognize terrain features through a clustering algorithm. In this part of the investigation, the size of the cell which is the number of digital picture elements used for computing the spatial and spectral features was varied. It was determined that the accuracy of terrain recognition decreases slowly as the cell size is reduced and coincides with increased cluster diffuseness. It was also proven that a cell size of 17 x 17 pixels when used with the clustering algorithm results in high recognition rates for major terrain classes. ERTS-1 data from five diverse geographic regions of the United States were processed through the clustering algorithm with 17 x 17 pixel cells. Simple land use maps were produced and the average terrain recognition accuracy was 82 percent.

Gramenopoulos, N.↗

The influence of polarization on millimeter wave propagation through rain

The limitations which precipitation depolarization will place on future millimeter wave earth-satellite communications systems employing orthogonal-polarization frequency sharing was studied and the possibility of improving the fade resistance of such systems either through polarization diversity operation or by the choice of the polarization(s) least subject to attenuation was examined. Efforts were confined largely to ground-based communications systems investigated during a twenty-seven month period. Plans to extend the theoretical results to satellite systems are discussed.

Bostian, C. W.↗

Curriculum for modern aeronautics

Methods for improving the university training of aeronautical engineering students are discussed. Specific topics considered are: (1) the kind of students which should be developed through aeronautical engineering education, (2) to what extent should aerospace engineering be prepared for diversity and change, (3) to what extent should theory be emphasized as compared with practical engineering and design, and (4) a suggestion for NASA/Industry/University collaboration.

Roberts, L.↗

ATS-6 millimeter wavelength propagation experiment

The fixed 20/30 GHz ground terminal is described in detail; it is being used for path diversity measurements in the ATS-6 millimeter wavelength propagation experiment. The current status and summary of operations are reviewed.

Hodge, D. B.↗

Land use maps of the Tanana and Purcell Mountain areas, Alaska, based on Earth Resources Technology Satellite imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS imagery in photographic format was used to make land use maps of two areas of special interest to native corporations under terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Land selections are to be made in these areas, and the maps should facilitate decisions because of their comprehensive presentation of resource distribution information. The ERTS images enabled mapping broadly-defined land use classes in large areas in a comparatively short time. Some aerial photography was used to identify colors and shades of gray on the various images. The 14 mapped land use categories are identified according to the classification system under development by the U.S. Geological Survey. These maps exemplify a series of about a dozen diverse Alaskan areas. The principal resource depicted is vegetation, and clearly shown are vegetation units of special importance, including stands possibly containing trees of commercial grade and stands constituting wildlife habitat.

Anderson, J. H.↗

Investigation of an inverted meniscus heat pipe wick concept

A wicking concept is described for efficient evaporation of heat pipe working fluids under diverse conditions. It embodies the high heat transfer coefficient of the circumferential groove while retaining the circumferential fluid transport capability of a thick porous wick or screen. Experimental tests are described which substantiate the efficacy of the evaporation technique for a circumferentially-grooved heat pipe charged alternately with ammonia and R-ll (CCl3F). With ammonia, heat transfer coefficients in the range of 2 to 2.7 W/sq cm K were measured at heat flux densities up to 20 W/sq cm while, with R-ll, a heat transfer coefficient of l.0 W/sq cm K was measured with flux densities up to 5 W/sq cm. Heat transfer coefficients and flux densities were unusually high compared to literature data for other nonboiling evaporative surfaces.

Saaski, E. W.↗

Twenty and thirty GHz millimeter wave experiments with the ATS-6 satellite

The ATS-6 millimeter wave experiment, provided the first direct measurements of 20 and 30 GHz earth-space links from an orbiting satellite. Studies at eleven locations in the continental United States were directed at an evaluation of rain attenuation effects, scintillations, depolarization, site diversity, coherence bandwidth, and analog and digital communications techniques. In addition to direct measurements on the 20 and 30 GHz links, methods of attenuation prediction with radars, rain gages, and radiometers were developed and compared with the directly measured attenuation. Initial data results of the ATS-6 millimeter wave experiment from the major participating organizations are presented.

Ippolito, L. J.↗

Tracking performance under time sharing conditions with a digit processing task: A feedback control theory analysis

A one dimensional compensatory tracking task and a digit processing reaction time task were combined in a three phase experiment designed to investigate tracking performance in time sharing. Adaptive techniques, elaborate feedback devices, and on line standardization procedures were used to adjust task difficulty to the ability of each individual subject and manipulate time sharing demands. Feedback control analysis techniques were employed in the description of tracking performance. The experimental results show that when the dynamics of a system are constrained, in such a manner that man machine system stability is no longer a major concern of the operator, he tends to adopt a first order control describing function, even with tracking systems of higher order. Attention diversion to a concurrent task leads to an increase in remnant level, or nonlinear power. This decrease in linearity is reflected both in the output magnitude spectra of the subjects, and in the linear fit of the amplitude ratio functions.

Gopher, D.↗

Small scale thematic mapping - A case for radar imagery

Small scale thematic maps (1:250,000 and smaller) of physical and cultural phenomena manifested on the landscape are a major concern to scientists and investigators in diverse disciplines. A strip of K-band radar imagery consisting of a traverse from eastern Minnesota to northern Utah was employed to evaluate the potential of radar imagery for small scale land use mapping. In the course of this investigation, it was discovered that certain borders derived from radar imagery were compatible with borders found on the nonland use thematic maps used for comparison. Specifically, numerous borders and regions of small scale maps of landforms, soils, vegetation, and geology are found to be similar to the radar land use regions. Although far from conclusive it appears that radar imagery can be employed in the small scale mapping of landforms and possibly for mapping physiognomic or economic vegetation.

Henderson, F. M.↗

New capabilities for the Wallops Island SPANDAR

Systems incorporated into the SPANDAR to increase spatial resolution and data processing capabilities are described. They include a minicomputer that performs real-time formatting of video data, rapid antenna scan control, and control of a digital integrator; a frequency diversity technique for faster accumulation of independent video samples; the on-line calibration system for insertion of high and low calibration signals during every PRF interval; and utilization of a large capacity, high speed computer. The resultant data will be used to create statistical thunderstorm models for designing microwave communications systems.

Kropfli, R. A.↗

A flight research program to develop airborne systems for improved terminal area operations

The research program considered is concerned with the solution of operational problems for the approximate time period from 1980 to 2000. The problems are related to safety, weather effects, congestion, energy conservation, noise, atmospheric pollution, and the loss in productivity caused by delays, diversions, and schedule stretchouts. The terminal configured vehicle (TCV) program is to develop advanced flight-control capability. The various aspects of the TCV program are discussed, giving attention to avionics equipment, the piloted simulator, terminal-area environment simulation, the Wallops research facility, flight procedures, displays and human factors, flight activities, and questions of vortex-wake reduction and tracking.

Reeder, J. P.↗