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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Integral Twist Actuation of Helicopter Rotor Blades for Vibration Reduction

Active integral twist control for vibration reduction of helicopter rotors during forward flight is investigated. The twist deformation is obtained using embedded anisotropic piezocomposite actuators. An analytical framework is developed to examine integrally-twisted blades and their aeroelastic response during different flight conditions: frequency domain analysis for hover, and time domain analysis for forward flight. Both stem from the same three-dimensional electroelastic beam formulation with geometrical-exactness, and axe coupled with a finite-state dynamic inflow aerodynamics model. A prototype Active Twist Rotor blade was designed with this framework using Active Fiber Composites as the actuator. The ATR prototype blade was successfully tested under non-rotating conditions. Hover testing was conducted to evaluate structural integrity and dynamic response. In both conditions, a very good correlation was obtained against the analysis. Finally, a four-bladed ATR system is built and tested to demonstrate its concept in forward flight. This experiment was conducted at NASA Langley T~ansonic Dynamics Tunnel and represents the first-of-a-kind Mach-scaled fully-active-twist rotor system to undergo forward flight test. In parallel, the impact upon the fixed- and rotating-system loads is estimated by the analysis. While discrepancies are found in the amplitude of the loads under actuation, the predicted trend of load variation with respect to its control phase correlates well. It was also shown, both experimentally and numerically, that the ATR blade design has the potential for hub vibratory load reduction of up to 90% using individual blade control actuation. Using the numerical framework, system identification is performed to estimate the harmonic transfer functions. The linear time-periodic system can be represented by a linear time-invariant system under the three modes of blade actuation: collective, longitudinal cyclic, and lateral cyclic. A vibration minimizing controller is designed based on this result, which implements classical disturbance rejection algorithm with some modifications. The controller is simulated numerically, and more than 90% of the 4P hub vibratory load is eliminated. By accomplishing the experimental and analytical steps described in this thesis, the present concept is found to be a viable candidate for future generation low-vibration helicopters. Also, the analytical framework is shown to be very appropriate for exploring active blade designs, aeroelastic behavior prediction, and as simulation tool for closed-loop controllers.

Shin, SangJoon↗
NASA NTRS1992

Is Ishtar Terra a thickened basaltic crust?

The mountain belts of Ishtar Terra and the surrounding tesserae are interpreted as compressional regions. The gravity and surface topography of western Ishtar Terra suggest a thick crust of 60-110 km that results from crustal thickening through tectonic processes. Underthrusting was proposed for the regions along Danu Montes and Itzpapalotl Tessera. Crustal thickening was suggested for the entire Ishtar Terra. In this study, three lithospheric models with total thicknesses of 40.75 and 120 km and initial crustal thicknesses of 3.9 and 18 km are examined. These models could be produced by partial melting and chemical differentiation in the upper mantle of a colder, an Earth-like, and a hotter Venus having temperatures of respectively 1300 C, 1400 C, and 1500 C at the base of their thermal boundary layers associated with mantle convection. The effects of basalt-granulite-eclogite transformation (BGET) on the surface topography of a thickening basaltic crust is investigated adopting the experimental phase diagram and density variations through the phase transformation.

Arkani-Hamed, Jafar↗
NASA NTRS1995

Preliminary analysis of University of North Dakota aircraft data from the FIRE Cirrus IFO-2

The stated goals of the First ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) Regional Experiment (FIRE) are 'to promote the development of improved cloud and radiation parameterization for use in climate models, and to provide for assessment and improvement of ISCCP projects'. FIRE Phase 2 has focused on the formation, maintenance and dissipation of cirrus and marine stratocumulus cloud systems. These objectives have been approached through a combination of modeling, extended-time observations and intensive field observation (IFO) periods. The work under this grant was associated with the FIRE Cirrus IFO 2. This field measurement program was conducted to obtain observations of cirrus cloud systems on a range of scales from the synoptic to the microscale, utilizing simultaneous measurements from a variety of ground-based, satellite and airborne platforms. By combining these remote and in situ measurements a more complete picture of cirrus systems can be obtained. The role of the University of North Dakota in Phase 2 was three-fold: to collect in situ microphysical data during the Cirrus IFO 2; to process and archive these data; and to collaborate in analyses of IFO data. This report will summarize the activities and findings of the work performed under this grant; detailed description of the data sets available and of the analyses are contained in the Semi-annual Status Reports submitted to NASA.

Poellot, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Corona, Jet, and Relativistic Line Models for Suzaku/RXTE/Chandra-HETG Observations of the Cygnus X-1 Hard State

Using Suzaku and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), we have conducted a series of four simultaneous observations of the galactic black hole candidate Cyg X-1 in what were historically faint and spectrally hard "low states". Additionally, all of these observations occurred near superior conjunction with our line of sight to the X-ray source passing through the dense phases of the "focused wind" from the mass donating secondary. One of our observations was also simultaneous with observations by the Chandra-High Energy Transmission Grating (HETG). These latter spectra are crucial for revealing the ionized absorption due to the secondary s focused wind. Such absorption is present and must be accounted for in all four spectra. These simultaneous data give an unprecedented view of the 0.8-300 keV spectrum of Cyg X-1, and hence bear upon both corona and X-ray emitting jet models of black hole hard states. Three models fit the spectra well: coronae with thermal or mixed thermal/non-thermal electron populations, and jets. All three models require a soft component that we fit with a low temperature disk spectrum with an inner radius of only a few tens of GM/c2. All three models also agree that the known spectral break at 10 keV is not solely due to the presence of reflection, but each gives a different underlying explanation for the augmentation of this break. Thus whereas all three models require that there is a relativistically broadened Fe line, the strength and inner radius of such a line is dependent upon the specific model, thus making premature line-based estimates of the black hole spin in the Cyg X-1 system. We look at the relativistic line in detail, accounting for the narrow Fe emission and ionized absorption detected by HETG. Although the specific relativistic parameters of the line are continuum-dependent, none of the broad line fits allow for an inner disk radius that is > 40 GM/c(sup 2).

Nowak, Michael A.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Thermal Design and Analysis of an ISS Science Payload - SAGE III on ISS

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III (SAGE III) instrument is the fifth in a series of instruments developed for monitoring aerosols and gaseous constituents in the stratosphere and troposphere. SAGE III will be launched in the SpaceX Dragon vehicle in 2017 and mounted to an external stowage platform on the International Space Station (ISS) to begin its three-year mission. The SAGE III thermal team at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) worked with ISS thermal engineers to ensure that SAGE III, as an ISS payload, would meet requirements specific to ISS and the Dragon vehicle. This document presents an overview of the SAGE III thermal design and analysis efforts, focusing on aspects that are relevant for future ISS payload developers. This includes development of detailed and reduced Thermal Desktop (TD) models integrated with the ISS and launch vehicle models, definition of analysis cases necessary to verify thermal requirements considering all mission phases from launch through installation and operation on-orbit, and challenges associated with thermal hardware selection including heaters, multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets, and thermal tapes.

Liles, Kaitlin, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS2008

A Three-Dimensional Analytic Model for the Scattering of a Spherical Bush

Advanced climate models require a more realistic description of canopy radiation with reasonable computational efficiency. This paper develops the mathematics of scattering from a spherical object conceptualized to be a spherical bush to provide a building block that helps to address this need of climate models. It is composed of a homogeneous distribution of individual smaller objects that scatter isotropically. In the limit of small optical depth, incident radiation will scatter isotropically as the sum of that scattered by all the individual scatterers, but at large optical depth the radiation leaving the spherical bush in a given direction is reduced by mutual shadowing of the smaller objects. In the single scattering limit, the scattering phase function and so the albedo are obtained by simple but accurate analytic expressions derived from analytic integration and numerical evaluation. Except in the limit of thin canopies, the scattering and hence albedos are qualitatively and quantitatively different than those derived from 1-D modeling.

Dickinson, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Electron dynamics in a plasma focus

Results are presented of a numerical integration of the three-dimensional relativistic equations of motion of electrons subject to given electric and magnetic fields deduced from experiments. Fields due to two different models are investigated. For the first model, the fields are those due to a circular distribution of axial current filaments. As the current filaments collapse toward the axis, large azimuthal magnetic and axial electric fields are induced. These fields effectively heat the electrons to a temperature of approximately 8 keV and accelerate electrons within the radius of the filaments to high axial velocities. Similar results are obtained for the current-reduction phase of focus formation. For the second model, the fields are those due to a uniform current distribution. Both the current-reduction and the compression phases were studied. These is little heating or acceleration of electrons during the compression phase because the electrons are tied to the magnetic field. However, during the current-reduction phase, electrons near the axis are accelerated toward the center electrode and reach energies of 100 keV. A criterion is obtained which limits the runaway electron current to about 400 A.

Hohl, F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

X-ray pulsar spectroscopy - Observational prospects

Three experimental concepts have been suggested to advance the study of X-ray pulsar spectroscopy. They are: (1) a higher bit rate for pulse phase spectroscopy; (2) an emphasis on the 10 keV 'pulsar surface' emission, and (3) an improved resolution to understand the nature of broadened iron lines in pulsars. It is shown that for conventional X-ray spectroscopy at least 5 KB/s are needed to substantially improve pulse phase spectroscopy; the broadened iron line emission in the pulsar spectra will require improved spectral resolution at 6.7 keV to discriminate among the models for this emission. It is concluded that this work will elucidate the physics of neutron star surface and circumstellar X-ray emission.

Pravdo, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Statistical mechanics of light elements at high pressure. V Three-dimensional Thomas-Fermi-Dirac theory

A numerical technique for solving the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac (TED) equation in three dimensions, for an array of ions obeying periodic boundary conditions, is presented. The technique is then used to calculate deviations from ideal mixing for an alloy of hydrogen and helium at zero temperature and high presures. Results are compared with alternative models which apply perturbation theory to calculation of the electron distribution, based upon the assumption of weak response of the electron gas to the ions. The TFD theory, which permits strong electron response, always predicts smaller deviations from ideal mixing than would be predicted by perturbation theory. The results indicate that predicted phase separation curves for hydrogen-helium alloys under conditions prevailing in the metallic zones of Jupiter and Saturn are very model dependent.

Macfarlane, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Cluster analysis of multiple planetary flow regimes

A modified cluster analysis method was developed to identify spatial patterns of planetary flow regimes, and to study transitions between them. This method was applied first to a simple deterministic model and second to Northern Hemisphere (NH) 500 mb data. The dynamical model is governed by the fully-nonlinear, equivalent-barotropic vorticity equation on the sphere. Clusters of point in the model's phase space are associated with either a few persistent or with many transient events. Two stationary clusters have patterns similar to unstable stationary model solutions, zonal, or blocked. Transient clusters of wave trains serve as way stations between the stationary ones. For the NH data, cluster analysis was performed in the subspace of the first seven empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). Stationary clusters are found in the low-frequency band of more than 10 days, and transient clusters in the bandpass frequency window between 2.5 and 6 days. In the low-frequency band three pairs of clusters determine, respectively, EOFs 1, 2, and 3. They exhibit well-known regional features, such as blocking, the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern and wave trains. Both model and low-pass data show strong bimodality. Clusters in the bandpass window show wave-train patterns in the two jet exit regions. They are related, as in the model, to transitions between stationary clusters.

Mo, Kingtse↗
NASA NTRS1990

The extreme ultraviolet explorer

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) mission, currently scheduled for launch in September 1991, is described. The primary purpose of the mission is to survey the celestial sphere for astronomical sources of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. The survey will be accomplished with the use of three EUV telescopes, each sensitive to a different segment of the EUV band. A fourth telescope will perform a high sensitivity search of a limited sample of the sky in the shortest wavelength bands. The all sky survey will be carried out in the first six months of the mission and will be made in four bands, or colors. The second phase of the mission, conducted entirely by guest observers selected by NASA, will be devoted to spectroscopic observations of EUV sources. The performance of the instrument components is described. An end to end model of the mission, from a stellar source to the resulting scientific data, was constructed. Hypothetical data from astronomical sources processed through this model are shown.

Bowyer, Stuart↗
NASA NTRS1996

Numerical Modeling of Spray Combustion with an Unstructured-Grid Method

The present unstructured-grid method follows strictly the basic finite volume forms of the conservation laws of the governing equations for the entire flow domain. High-order spatially accurate formulation has been employed for the numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. A two-equation k-epsilon turbulence model is also incorporated in the unstructured-grid solver. The convergence of the resulted linear algebraic equation is accelerated with preconditioned Conjugate Gradient method. A statistical spray combustion model has been incorporated into the present unstructured-grid solver. In this model, spray is represented by discrete particles, rather than by continuous distributions. A finite number of computational particles are used to predict a sample of total population of particles. Particle trajectories are integrated using their momentum and motion equations and particles exchange mass, momentum and energy with the gas within the computational cell in which they are located. The interaction calculations are performed simultaneously and eliminate global iteration for the two-phase momentum exchange. A transient spray flame in a high pressure combustion chamber is predicted and then the solution of liquid-fuel combusting flow with a rotating cup atomizer is presented and compared with the experimental data. The major conclusion of this investigation is that the unstructured-grid method can be employed to study very complicated flow fields of turbulent spray combustion. Grid adaptation can be easily achieved in any flow domain such as droplet evaporation and combustion zone. Future applications of the present model can be found in the full three-dimensional study of flow fields of gas turbine and liquid propulsion engine combustion chambers with multi-injectors.

Shang, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

A Burst Mode, Ultrahigh Temperature UF4 Vapor Core Reactor Rankine Cycle Space Power System Concept

Static and dynamic neutronic analyses have been performed on an innovative burst mode (100's of MW output for a few thousand seconds) Ulvahigh Temperature Vapor Core Reactor (UTVR) space nuclear power system. The NVTR employs multiple, neutronically-coupled fissioning cores and operates on a direct, closed Rankine cycle using a disk Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generater for energy conversion. The UTVR includes two types of fissioning core regions: (1) the central Ultrahigh Temperature Vapor Core (UTVC) which contains a vapor mixture of highly enriched UF4 fuel and a metal fluoride working fluid and (2) the UF4 boiler column cores located in the BeO moderator/reflector region. The gaseous nature of the fuel the fact that the fuel is circulating, the multiple coupled fissioning cores, and the use of a two phase fissioning fuel lead to unique static and dynamic neutronic characteristics. Static neutronic analysis was conducted using two-dimensional S sub n, transport theory calculations and three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport theory calculations. Circulating-fuel, coupled-core point reactor kinetics equations were used for analyzing the dynamic behavior of the UTVR. In addition to including reactivity feedback phenomena associated with the individual fissioning cores, the effects of core-to-core neutronic and mass flow coupling between the UTVC and the surrounding boiler cores were also included in the dynamic model The dynamic analysis of the UTVR reveals the existence of some very effectlve inherent reactivity feedback effects that are capable of quickly stabilizing this system, within a few seconds, even when large positive reactivity insertions are imposed. If the UTVC vapor fuel density feedback is suppressed, the UTVR is still inherently stable because of the boiler core liquid-fuel volume feedback; in contrast, suppression of the vapor fuel density feedback in 'conventional" gas core cavity reactors causes them to become inherently unstable. Due to the strength of the negative reactivity feedback in the UTVR, it is found that external reactivity insertions alone are inadequate for bringing about significant power level changes during normal reactor operations. Additional methods of reactivity control such as variations in the gaseous fuel mass flow rate, are needed to achieve the desired power level oontrol.

Dugan, E. T.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Thermal Performance of LANDSAT-7 ETM+ Instruments During First Year in Flight

Landsat-7 was successfully launched into orbit on April 15, 1999. After devoting three months to the t bakeout and cool-down of the radiative cooler, and on- t orbit checkout, the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) began the normal imaging phase of the mission in mid-July 1999. This paper presents the thermal performance of the ETM+ from mid-July 1999 to mid-May 2000. The flight temperatures are compared to the yellow temperature limits, and worst cold case and worst hot case flight temperature predictions in the 15-orbit mission design profile. The flight temperature predictions were generated by a thermal model, which was correlated to the observatory thermal balance test data. The yellow temperature limits were derived from the flight temperature predictions, plus some margins. The yellow limits work well in flight, so that only several minor changes to them were needed. Overall, the flight temperatures and flight temperature predictions have good agreement. Based on the ETM+ thermal vacuum qualification test, new limits on the imaging time are proposed to increase the average duty cycle, and to resolve the problems experienced by the Mission Operation Team.

Choi, Michael K.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Innovative Research Program: Supershields for Gamma-Ray Astronomy

The supershield project evaluated the importance of novel shield configurations for suppressing neutron induced background in new classes of gamma-ray detectors such as CZT. The basic concept was to use a two-part shield. The outer shield material heavily moderates the incoming neutron spectrum. This moderated neutron beam is then more easily absorbed by the inner material, which is an efficient neutron absorber. This approach is, in principle, more efficient than that in previous attempts to make neutron shields. These previous attempts involved biatomic, monlithic shields (eg. LiH) in which the shield consisted of a single material but with two types of atoms - one for moderating and one for absorbing. The problem with this type of monolithic shield is that moderating neutrons, without the efficient absorption of them, leads to the leakage into the detector of neutrons with a low energy component (approx. 10-100 KeV). These energy neutrons are particularly problematic for many types of detectors. The project was roughly divided into phases. In the first phase we attempted to carefully define the neutron source function incident on any space instrument. This is essential since the design of any shield depends on the shape of the incident neutron spectrum. We found that approximations commonly used in gamma-ray astronomy for photon background is inadequate. In addition, we found that secondary neutrons produced in any passive shield, and dominated by inelastic neutron scattering, are far more important than background due to neutron activation. The second phase of our work involved design of supershield geometries (one and three dimensional) in order to compare different shield configurations and materials for their effectiveness as neutron shields. Moreover we wanted to compare these supershields with previous neutron shields to confirm the performance differences between the supershield (two material) and monolithic (one material) designs and to understand the physics origins of these differences more clearly. The third phase of the supershield program involved the benchmarking of the supershield designs through direct experimental verification. This required fabricating various supershields and exposing them to beams of neutrons to directly characterize their performance. With explicit verification that our modeling procedures can be used with confidence, we are now in a position to design shields for realistic space geometries. Using the supershield modeling capacity developed as part of this program we are attempting to evaluate their utility for a specific proposed mission--the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST). It is anticipated that this experiment, which is limited by internal background at high energies, might benefit from a neutron shield.

Hailey, Charles J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Three-Dimensional Analysis and Modeling of a Wankel Engine

A new computer code, AGNI-3D, has been developed for the modeling of combustion, spray, and flow properties in a stratified-charge rotary engine (SCRE). The mathematical and numerical details of the new code are described by the first author in a separate NASA publication. The solution procedure is based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach where the unsteady, three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for a perfect gas-mixture with variable properties are solved in generalized, Eulerian coordinates on a moving grid by making use of an implicit finite-volume, Steger-Warming flux vector splitting scheme. The liquid-phase equations are solved in Lagrangian coordinates. The engine configuration studied was similar to existing rotary engine flow-visualization and hot-firing test rigs. The results of limited test cases indicate a good degree of qualitative agreement between the predicted and measured pressures. It is conjectured that the impulsive nature of the torque generated by the observed pressure nonuniformity may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the excessive wear of the timing gears observed during the early stages of the rotary combustion engine (RCE) development. It was identified that the turbulence intensities near top-dead-center were dominated by the compression process and only slightly influenced by the intake and exhaust processes. Slow mixing resulting from small turbulence intensities within the rotor pocket and also from a lack of formation of any significant recirculation regions within the rotor pocket were identified as the major factors leading to incomplete combustion. Detailed flowfield results during exhaust and intake, fuel injection, fuel vaporization, combustion, mixing and expansion processes are also presented. The numerical procedure is very efficient as it takes 7 to 10 CPU hours on a CRAY Y-MP for one entire engine cycle when the computations are performed over a 31 x16 x 20 grid.

Raju, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

How the Emitted Size Distribution and Mixing State of Feldspar Affect Ice Nucleating Particles in a Global Model

The effect of aerosol particles on ice nucleation and, in turn, the formation of ice and mixed phase clouds is recognized as one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate prediction. We apply an improved dust mineral specific aerosol module in the NASA GISS Earth System ModelE, which takes into account soil aggregates and their fragmentation at emission as well as the emission of large particles. We calculate ice nucleating particle concentrations from K-feldspar abundance for an active site parameterization for a range of activation temperatures and external and internal mixing assumption. We find that the globally averaged INP concentration is reduced by a factor of two to three, compared to a simple assumption on the size distribution of emitted dust minerals. The decrease can amount to a factor of five in some geographical regions. The results vary little between external and internal mixing and different activation temperatures, except for the coldest temperatures. In the sectional size distribution, the size range 24 micrometer contributes the largest INP number.

Perlwitz, Jan P.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preliminary results of fisheries investigation associated with Skylab-3

The purpose of the 15-month investigation now in the analysis phase is to establish the feasibility of utilizing remotely sensed data acquired from aircraft and satellite platforms to provide information concerning the distribution and abundance of oceanic gamefish. Data from the test area, jointly acquired by private and professional fishermen and NASA and NOAA/NMFS elements, in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico has made possible the identification of significant environmental parameters for white marlin. Predictive models based on catch data and surface truth information have been developed and have demonstrated potential for reducing search significantly by identifying areas which have a high probability of being productive. Three of the parameters utilized by the model, chlorophyll-a, sea surface temperature and turbidity have been inferred from aircraft sensor data.

Savastano, K.↗