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At least 109 records · Page 6

Propulsion-Airframe Integration for Conceptual Redesign of a Low-Boom Supersonic Transport

A low-boom supersonic transport was generated in a previous low-boom multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) study that used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) off-body pressure to compute the undertrack sonic boom ground signature and calibrated low-fidelity aerodynamics analyses to compute the mission performance metrics. This low-boom aircraft, referred to as the Mach 1.7 40-PAX concept, can carry 40 passengers for a low-boom overland mission with cruise Mach 1.7 for the airport pairs over the continental US and has the potential to achieve an undertrack sonic boom ground noise level below 70 perceived level of decibels at the start of overland cruise (SOC). The engine for the Mach 1.7 40-PAX concept was designed using the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) for the mission analysis and modeled as a flow-through nacelle for CFD-based sonic boom analysis. To understand how the engine plume affects the undertrack ground signature, the Mach 1.7 40-PAX concept is redesigned in this paper after replacing the flow-through nacelles by CFD engines for sonic boom analysis using aeropropulsive CFD simulation. A process is developed for approximation of the NPSS engine at SOC by a CFD engine for aeropropulsive CFD simulation. The generated CFD engine has the identical nozzle boundary conditions and approximately the same mass flow and thrust as those of the NPSS engine at SOC. Then, the outer mold line of the configuration with the CFD engines is redesigned to approximately restore the low-boom characteristics of the Mach 1.7 40-PAX concept at SOC. Finally, the CFD simulation data for the redesigned concept with the CFD engines is used to calibrate the low-fidelity aerodynamic analyses for mission analysis of this concept. The cyclic dependency of the involved disciplinary analyses is resolved using an iteration method for a consistent coupling of the mission analysis, NPSS engine analysis, and low-boom redesign using the aeropropulsive CFD simulation. This low-boom redesign study is used as an example to demonstrate how the propulsion-airframe integration could be implemented for conceptual design of supersonic transports that satisfy both the low-boom and mission performance requirements.

Low-boom supersonic transport↗

The outer R Aquarii nebula - Comparison of 6 centimeter radio continuum and Balmer line emission

The 6 cm radio continuum structure of the R Aquarii outer nebula is compared with CCD imagery of H-alpha and H-beta line emission. It is shown that the 6 cm VLA imagery is morphologically similar and quantitatively related spatially to Balmer line imagery. There is negligible interstellar or circumstellar absorption along the line of sight to the outer nebula. The 6 cm structure of the outer nebula is consistent with thermal bremsstrahlung emission by a hot, optically thin gas. Spectra of the outer R Aquarii nebula are suggestive of shock-wave heating. The approximate equality of mass loss and radiative cooling suggests that the system's wind is probably enough to power the outer nebula and may account for its long-term persistence.

Hollis, J. M.↗

Evolution of recurrent solar wind structures between 14 AU and the termination shock

The solar wind conditions observed from Voyager 2 at approximately 14 AU are extrapolated to the region of the outer heliosphere bounded by the termination shock, using an MHD simulation model. Results from two simulation studies are presented for two sets of nearly recurrent solar wind interaction regions, with initial conditions generated from plasma and magnetic field data observed on March 1984 at 13.8 AU, and on November 1984 at 15.4, respectively. Each simulation describes an idealized recurrent solar wind structure in the supersonic region of the outer heliosphere out to the termination shock far beyond the present reaches of the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft. It is shown that a collision between the forward shock and the reverse shock occurs approximately every 40 AU. When a forward shock interacts with the termination shock, the latter is weakened and moves outward; the termination shock is strengthened and moves inward when a reverse shock interacts with it.

Whang, Y. C.↗

Multilayer ceramic oxide solid electrolyte for fuel cells and electrolysis cells

A unitary layered ceramic structure is disclosed which comprises co-sintered layers. The co-sintered structure comprises a sintered central layer of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) which is about 8 mole percent yttria and having a density of at least about 95% of theoretical, and sintered outer layers of strontium lanthanum manganite (LSM) having the approximate molecular composition La.sub.0.8 Sr.sub.0.2 MnO.sub.3, having a density from about 50 to about 60% of theoretical, and having interconnected porosity from about 40 to 50% with an interconnected pore diameter from about one micron to about five microns. The sintered central layer is sandwiched by and bonded and sintered to the outer layers and is essentially free of significant amounts of manganese. A process for making the unitary composition-of-matter is also disclosed which involves tape casting a LSM tape and then on top thereof casting a YSZ tape. The process comprises presintering LSM powder at 1250.degree. F., crushing the presintered commercially available LSM powder, forming a slurry with the crushed LSM, a binder and solvent, tape casting the slurry and allowing the slurry to air dry. A mixture of commercially available submicron size particle YSZ powder is milled with a dispersant and solvent to disperse the YSZ particles thereby forming a dispersed YSZ slurry. The YSZ slurry is then tape cast on the dried LSM tape. If desired, a third layer of LSM can be cast on top of the dried YSZ layer. After drying the composite LSM/YSZ and LSM/YSZ/LSM tapes are fired at 1300.degree. C. No migration of manganese into the YSZ layer was observed with scanning electron microscope/edax in the sintered multilayer tape.

Schroeder, James E.↗

Multilayer ceramic oxide solid electrolyte for fuel cells and electrolysis cells and method for fabrication thereof

An unitary layered ceramic structure is disclosed which comprises co-sintered layers. The co-sintered structure comprises a sintered central layer of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) which is about 8 mole percent yttria and having a density of at least about 95% of theoretical, and sintered outer layers of strontium lanthanum manganite (LSM) having the approximate molecular composition La.sub.0.8 Sr.sub.0.2 MnO.sub.3, having a density from about 50 to about 60% of theoretical, and having interconnected porosity from about 40 to 50% with an interconnected pore diameter from about one micron to about five microns. The sintered central layer is sandwiched by and bonded and sintered to the outer layers and is essentially free of significant amounts of manganese. A process for making the unitary composition-of-matter is also disclosed which involves tape casting a LSM tape and then on top thereof casting a YSZ tape. The process comprises presintering LSM powder at 1250.degree. F., crushing the presintered commercially available LSM powder, forming a slurry with the crushed LSM, a binder and solvent, tape casting the slurry and allowing the slurry to air dry. A mixture of commercially available submicron size particle YSZ powder is milled with a dispersant and solvent to disperse the YSZ particles thereby forming a dispersed YSZ slurry. The YSZ slurry is then tape cast on the dried LSM tape. If desired, a third layer of LSM can be cast on top of the dried YSZ layer. After drying the composite LSM/YSZ and LSM/YSZ/LSM tapes are fired at 1300.degree. C. No migration of manganese into the YSZ layer was observed with scanning electron microscope/edax in the sintered multilayer tape.

Schroeder, James E.↗

On the instability of flow in a streamwise corner

The linear stability of an incompressible laminar flow in the blending boundary layer between the boundary layer in a 90 deg streamwise corner and a Blasius boundary layer well away from the corner is examined using a locally parallel flow approximation. It is shown that the influence of the outer boundary conditions associated with oblique modes of disturbances which are anti-symmetric about the bisector plane have a profound effect on the stability of the flow. As a result, in good agreement with observation, the critical streamwise Reynolds number, associated with a spanwise location is significantly reduced as the corner is approached, being R(sub Cr) = 60 approximately for spanwise distance of z* = 6x*R(sup -1) from the corner compared with R(sub Cr) = 322 approximately for z* = 20x*R(sup -1), where x* measures downstream distance from the leading edges. At R = 600, the growth rate of the most amplified mode of disturbance at the former location is over six times greater than that at the latter; the corresponding wave angle at the two locations is respectively 44 deg and 5 deg, approximately.

Dhanak, Manhar R.↗

The detection of X rays from Jupiter

X rays in the energy band 0.2-3.0 keV have been detected coming from both polar regions of Jupiter. The observations were made in 1979 and 1981 by using the imaging proportional counter and high resolution imaging detectors on the Einstein X-ray astronomy satellite. The measured flux density of approximately 0.0006/sq cm-sec at earth corresponds to an X ray luminosity of approximately 4 x 10 to the 9th W in the 0.2- to 3.0-keV energy band. The energy spectrum of the X rays is extremely soft and can be characterized by a power law with an exponent of approximately 2.3. Detector energy resolution is insufficient to distinguish a soft line spectrum from a continuum. However, the shape of the response and the observed X ray power indicate that the source of this auroral emission is not electron bremsstrahlung as on the earth, but is most probably line emission from O and S ions with energies between 0.03 and 4.0 MeV/nucleon precipitating from the outer boundary of the Io plasma torus at L approximately 8.

Metzger, A. E.↗

Pioneer 10 observations of the solar wind and its interaction with Jupiter - Plasma electron results

Typical plasma electron spectra obtained during transversal of the Jovian magnetosheath are discussed. Data from the outer magnetosphere show an enhanced energy tail between approximately 50 eV and 200 eV, indicating heating of the solar wind electrons across the Jovian bow shock. Transversal of the inner magnetosphere produced data implying even higher electron temperatures. Results are consistent with ion observations of a high Mach number bow shock and magnetosheath flow field. They are consistent with a contraction of the Jovian magnetosphere resulting from an increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure similar to, but on a larger scale than that observed in the case of the earth's bow shock.

Intriligator, D. S.↗

Crack border stress and displacement equations revisited

It is more or less accepted in fracture mechanics that the elastic stress and displacements very near to the tip of a plane line crack can be approximated with sufficient accuracy, for all geometries and outer boundary loading conditions, by a one-parameter representation, i.e., strictly in terms of the stress intensity factors KI and/or KII. It is shown here that this presumption which appears to be reasonable on face value, quantitatively speaking, is nevertheless unacceptable as a general proposition. The reason lies with the quite arbitrary practice of omitting the second term of the series representation for the stresses, a contribution which is independent of distance from the crack tip. It is not difficult to show by way of specific examples how such omission can lead to error of serious qualitative nature in the prediction of stress and displacement related quantities of interest.

Eftis, J.↗

Multiple ring structures and the problem of correlation between lunar basins

Comparison of multi-ringed, mare-filled basins on the nearside of the moon indicates that a simple one-to-one correspondence of all rings between lunar basins does not exist. The only rings which can be correlated reasonably well between such basins are concentric systems of mare ridges and basin rims, and the frequently cited square-root-of-2 spacing relationship does not correctly describe their spacing. It is concluded that the Cordillera is the rim of the Orientale Basin and is equivalent to the 1340 km diameter ring of the Imbrium Basin and the rims of the other mare-filled basins. The area between the Rook and Cordillera rings is believed equivalent to the marginal shelf areas of the more completely mare-filled basins. A circular arc approximately 520 km diameter located just inside the outer Rook Ring would have been the most likely site for formation of a concentric system of mare ridges, had filling of the Orientale Basin been complete.

Brennan, W. J.↗

Induced charging of shuttle orbiter by high electron-beam currents

Emission of high-current electron beams that was proposed for some Spacelab payloads required substantial return currents to the orbiter skin in order to neutralize the beam charge. Since the outer skin of the vehicle was covered with approximately 1200 sq m of thermal insulation which has the dielectric quality of air and an electrical conductivity that was estimated by NASA at 10 to the -9 power to 10 to the -10 power mhos/m, considerable transient charging and local potential differences were anticipated across the insulation. The theory for induced charging of spacecraft due to operation of electron guns was only developed for spherical metal vehicles and constant emission currents, which were not directly applicable to the orbiter situation. Field-aligned collection of electron return current from the ambient ionosphere at orbiter altitudes provides up to approximately 150 mA on the conducting surfaces and approximately 2.4 A on the dielectric thermal insulation. Local ionization of the neutral atmosphere by energetic electron bombardment or electrical breakdown may provide somewhat more return current.

Liemohn, H. B.↗

A model of the planetary nebula NGC 2392 determined from velocity observations

High-resolution slit spectra are combined with published photometric and velocity data to develop a model of the double-ring planetary nebula NGC 2392. The inner ring is due to an incomplete, prolate spheroid shell with most of the material concentrated near the minor axis circumference. The spheroid is seen almost pole-on, open at the sharp ends, and the formal velocity of expansion (93 km/s) at the ends is a record high for planetary nebulae. The outer ring is a nearly round spheroid of approximately 16 km/s expansion velocity and a different tilt angle than the inner shell. It is surrounded by rapidly expanding material with velocities of at least 75 km/s. A high-velocity stream of material is formed at the open ends of the inner shell and is accelerated by the central star's stellar wind to velocities of at least + or - 190 km/s, providing the first direct evidence for the kinematic role of a strong stellar wind. The inner shell age is approximately 800 yr, arguing that the shell material was preferentially ejected from the equator of the parent star, in contradiction with the usual predictions of theory.

Odell, C. R.↗

UIT: Ultraviolet surface photometry of the spiral galaxy M74 (NGC 628)

Ultraviolet photometry, obtained from Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) images at 1520 A (far-UV; magnitudes m(152)) and 2490 A (near-UV; magnitudes m(249)), of the spiral galaxy M74 (NGC 628) is compared with H-alpha, R, V, and B surface photometry and with models. M74's surface brightness profiles have a central peak with an exponential falloff; the exponential scale lengths of the profiles increase with decreasing wavelength for the broad-band images. The slope of the continuum-subtracted H-alpha profile is intermediate between those of far-UV and near-UV profiles, consistent with the related origins of H-alpha and UV emission in extreme Population I material. M74's color profiles all become bluer with increasing radius. The (m(152) - m(249)) color as measured by UIT averages near 0.0 (the color of an A0 star) over the central 20 sec radius and decreases from approximately -0.2 to approximately -0.4 from 20 sec to 200 sec. The spiral arms are the dominant component of the surface photometry colors; interarm regions are slightly redder. In the UV, M74's nuclear region resembles its disk/spiral arm material in colors and morphology, unlike galaxies such as M81. No UV 'bulge' is apparent. The m(152) - m(249) colors and models of M74's central region clearly demonstrate that there is no significant population of O or B stars present in the central 10 sec. M74's UV morphology and (m(152) - m(249)) color profiles are similar to those of M33, although M74 is approximately 0.5 mag redder. M81 has a smooth UV bulge which is much redder than the nuclear regions of M74 and M33. M74 is approximately 0.4 mag bluer than M81 in its outer disk, although M81 has bright UV sources only in spiral arms more than 5 kpc from its center. We investigate possible explanations for the color profiles of the galaxies and the differences among the galaxies: abundances; reddening due to internal dust; interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) variations, and the history of formation of the dominant generations of stars. Abundance and IMF variations do not produce large enough m(152) - m(249) or UV - V color differences. Comparing model UV/optical colors with those of M74 shows that M74's disk has undergone significant star formation over the past 500 Myr, and that either the star-formation history or the extinction varies systematically across M74's disk. Comparison of M74, M33, and M81 (UV - V) colors shows that M74 colors range from the bluest of M33's colors to the bluest of M81's. The failure of reddening models to cover the range of colors, and the known abundance range in such material, leads to the conclusion that star-formation history varies significantly as a function of radius in these galaxies, and that such variation is required to explain the range of colors observed in M74, M33, and M81.

Cornett, Robert H.↗

Suzaku Detection of Diffuse Hard X-Ray Emission Outside Vela X

Vela X is a large, 3 deg x 2 deg, radio-emitting pulsar wind nebula (PWN) powered by the Vela pulsar in the Vela supernova remnant. Using four Suzaku/XIS observations pointed just outside Vela X, we find hard X-ray emission extending throughout the fields of view. The hard X-ray spectra are well represented by a power-law. The photon index is measured to be constant at Gamma approximates 2.4, similar to that of the southern outer part of Vela X. The power-law flux decreases with increasing distance from the pulsar. These properties lead us to propose that the hard X-ray emission is associated with the Vela PWN. The larger X-ray extension found in this work strongly suggests that distinct populations relativistic electrons form the X-ray PWN and Vela X, as was recently inferred from multiwavelength spectral modeling of Vela X.

Katsuda, Satoru↗

THE DESIGN OF RADIAL HONEYCOMB LATTICES FOR IMPACT ENERGY ABSORPTION IN RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS PACKAGES

In this research we present a variation on the corrugation technique of honeycomb lattices, for cylindrical honeycombs, making them much easier to design for impact energy absorption in radioactive materials packages. This variation, termed radial honeycomb lattices, eliminates the residual strain and saddle effect. The use of honeycomb lattices provides advantages over the typically used foams. While foams are effective at absorbing impact energy, they can burn, their material properties are difficult to control, they can degrade over time, and procurement of raw materials can be dependent on timing of manufacturer batch runs. While the weaknesses of foam are strengths for honeycomb lattices, lattices have a different set of problems. Typically, when cylindrical honeycomb lattices are manufactured, they are manufactured flat, wrapped around a mandrel of the desired radius, and then brazed. This approach introduces residual strains, resulting in the saddle effect, which limits both the radial thickness and cylinder length. The radial honeycomb lattice approach presented here makes the design of thicker and longer cylinder honeycombs possible. To address these issues, we propose a honeycomb lattice which changes in cross-section from the inner to the outer radius of the cylinder. This causes the lattice to automatically wrap into a cylinder as it exits the corrugating gears. The theoretically bounding case, of a square cross-section at the inner radius, transitioning through a hexagon, to a diamond cross-section at the outer radius, results in a maximum thickness of approximately 41% of the inner radius. Full mathematical derivations, implemented in computer code, allow for the design of an entire radial honeycomb lattice, including the corrugating gears. To accomplish this only the radial thickness, inner cross-section shape, cell size, and nominal gear radius need to be specified, making the design of these lattices very efficient. Radial honeycomb lattice prototypes have demonstrated that the honeycomb does indeed wrap into a cylinder as intended, without the saddle effect, and can therefore be used to create thick-walled cylinders of any length. These design improvements make cylindrical honeycomb lattices much more accessible as a design element for radioactive materials packages

Johnson, William R. [Savannah River National Labor↗

Formation of Large Regular Satellites of Giant Planets in an Extended Gaseous Nebula: Satellite Migration And Survival - 2

Using an optically thick inner disk and an extended, optically thin outer disk as described in Mosqueira and Estrada, we compute the torque as a function of position in the subnebula, and show that although the torque exerted on the satellite is generally negative, which leads to inward migration as expected, there are regions of the disk where the torque is positive. For our model these regions of positive torque correspond roughly to the locations of Callisto and Iapetus. Though the outer location of zero torque depends on the (unknown) size of the transition region between the inner and outer disks, the result that Saturn's is found much farther out (at approximately 3r(sub c, sup S) where r(sub c, sup S) is Saturn's centrifugal radius) than Jupiter's (at approximately 2r(sub c, sup J), where r(sub c, sup J) is Jupiter's centrifugal radius) is mostly due to Saturn's less massive outer disk, and larger Hill radius. For a satellite to survive in the disk the timescale of satellite migration must be longer than the timescale for gas dissipation. For large satellites (approximately 1000 km) migration is dominated by the gas torque. We consider the possibility that the feedback reaction of the gas disk caused by the redistribution of gas surface density around satellites with masses larger than the inertial mass causes a large drop in the drift velocity of such objects, thus improving the likelihood that they will be left stranded following gas dissipation. We adapt the inviscid inertial mass criterion to include gas drag, and m-dependent non-local deposition of angular momentum.

Mosqueira, I.↗

Rocket Lab Venus - Enabling Low-Cost Interplanetary Missions

Rocket Lab’s mission to Venus [1], launching in January 2025, aims to demonstrate that small launch vehicles, such as Electron, and high-energy small spacecraft, such as Photon, can enable a new paradigm of regular, low-cost interplanetary missions. The Electron launch vehicle will deliver the Photon spacecraft carrying the entry probe into low earth orbit, at which point Photon will take over and put both itself and the attached probe on an Earth-Venus transfer trajectory, with assistance from a Lunar flyby. The primary science objective of the mission is to sample the Venusian cloud layers between atitudes of 45 and 60 km above the surface with an autofluorescing nephelometer. The ~1kg scientific instrument will be carried by a small ~17 kg direct entry probe which will separate from the Photon spacecraft approximately 30 minutes prior to atmospheric entry. The probe outer mould line is a scaled down version of the Deep Space 2 probes [2]. NASA’s newly developed 3D Woven Carbon Phenolic, a derivative of the Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET) material [3], is an enabling technology for this mission, and it will comprise the probe forebody heat shield.The probe will communicate directly back to the Earth during its descent via a small on-board radio frequency (RF) antenna. The hyperbolic Venus encounter will see the probe enter the Venusia atmosphere at approximately 11 km/s with an entry flight path angle (EFPA) of about 10°. This relatively low entry angle was selected to increase the duration of the descent phase, reduce the peak deceleration, and reduce the sensitivity of the nominal entry environments to navigational errors. For reference, the Pioneer Venus probes entered at EFPAs varying from about 25° to 70°, resulting in peak decelerations between around 220 and 450 g’s and peak stagnation point heat fluxes ranging from about 40 to 75 MW/m2 [4]. In comparison, the Rocket Lab Venus probe will experience a lower preak deceleration of around 60 g’s and a lower peak stagnation point heat flux of about 15 MW/m2, at the cost of a greater total heat load and correspondingly higher thermal protection system (TPS) mass fraction. This paper recounts the development history of the TPS for the Rocket Lab Venus probe, with a focus on the unique requirements of the mission. In particular, the effect on the TPS design of the mission’s tight budget, short development timeline, slim mass and RF link margins, and mild but long duration entry heating. Rocket Lab’s initial investigations into a ‘hybrid’ TPS [5] based on a scaled version of the Pioneer Venus full-density carbon phenolic forebody shield, and the abandonment of this approach in favour of NASA’s 3D Woven Carbon Phenolic is presented. Additionally, the leveraging of previous testing under the HEEET project at higher conditions and the associated TPS margining strategy that was adopted to avoid the need for extensive mission-specific arc jet testing is discussed. Finally, this paper concludes with a brief consideration of the feasibility of a future low-cost aerocapture technology demonstrator mission based on the 2025 Rocket Lab Venus mission and entry probe.

Lyle Campbell↗

Far-infrared emission, gas, and ultraluminous HII regions in M101

We have made deconvolved maps of M101 in each of the 4 IRAS bands using a new maximum-entropy based model for reconstructing distributions with correlated structure on multiple scales. This new deconvolution procedure, developed by Weir (1992, J.Opt.Soc.Am., submitted), is superior to other maximum entropy-based techniques for several reasons. For our purposes, an important advantage is that it has less artifacts and greatly reduced systematic biases compared with the 'HiRes' maps of M101 produced by Aumann, Fowler, and Melnyk (1990, AJ, 99, 1674), thus it is accurate enough to perform aperture photometry. The deconvolved maps have a maximum resolution of approximately 30 sec, sufficient to resolve the brightest HII complexes and much of the spiral structure. The new maps and our comparison of the far-infrared, gas, and optical distributions are being written up in Kenney, Weir & Scoville (1992, in preparation). The quality of the reconstructed far-infrared maps is good enough for us to carry out most of the analyses outlined in the original proposal. From a ratio of the 60 micron and 100 micron maps, we have found that the ultraluminous HII complexes in the outer galaxy have the hottest dust temperatures with T approximately 50-60 K, which is twice as hot as most of the disk. Their extraordinary luminosity in the far-infrared is due to a relatively small amount of dust being heated to high temperatures, rather than a large concentration of dust and gas. A map of the dust opacity at 60 microns shows good overall agreement with a map of cold gas (HI+H2), indicating that throughout most of the galaxy only approximately 20 percent of the dust is warm enough to be detected by IRAS. The ultraluminous HII complexes have a high luminosity-to-gas mass ratio, independent of whether the far-infrared or the H-alpha emission line is used to measure the luminosity, which implies that gas is being converted into high mass stars more rapidly in these complexes compared to other locations in the disk.

Kenney, J. D. P.↗