Miniature piezoelectric transducers for broadband noise measurements.
Miniature piezoelectric ceramic transducer for broad band wall pressure fluctuation measurements, noting frequency response and calibration
Hennen, H. A.↗
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Results for “fluctuations response”
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Aircraft wake flow effect and horizontal tail buffet
As part of a program to investigate the fluctuating pressure distribution and response behavior of a fighter aircraft in transonic maneuver, an F-5A scale model has previously been tested in an 11-ft transonic wind tunnel. The model, with a number of static and dynamic pressure transducers imbedded in the lifting surfaces was tested at various angles of attack up to 16 deg. In this paper, test results of particular interest to wake flow and horizontal tail buffet are described. It is shown that the dynamic pressure data on the tail surface at the specified flight conditions serve to determine the local dynamic loads. They also influence the control performance of the aircraft under maneuver conditions where buffet is encountered. The data presented demonstrate a number of contributing factors that affect the tail dynamic pressures in the transonic regime.
Hwang, C.↗
Simulation studies of the influence of sea-surface temperature anomalies on the Sahelian circulation and rainfall
An investigation was conducted to find out if sea surface temperature (SST) - African rainfall relationships could be simulated in a global climate model (GCM). If indeed that were possible, researchers generated useful diagnostics that can enable them to understand the physical mechanisms which lead to rainfall fluctuations over Africa in response to sea surface temperature anomalies over global ocean.
Sud, Y. C.↗
Possible Role for Tectonics in the Evolving Stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet
The history of the Greenland Ice Sheet has been influenced by the geodynamic response to ice sheet fluctuations, and this interaction may help explain past deglaciations under modest climate forcing. We hypothesize that when the Iceland hot spot passed beneath north‐central Greenland, it thinned the lithosphere and left anomalous heat likely with partially melted rock; however, it did not break through the crust to supply voluminous flood basalts. Subsequent Plio‐Pleistocene glacial‐interglacial cycles caused large and rapidly migrating stresses, driving dike formation and other processes that shifted melted rock toward the surface. The resulting increase in surface geothermal flux favored a thinner, faster‐responding ice sheet that was more prone to deglaciation. If this hypothesis of control through changes in geothermal flux is correct, then the long‐term (10 (sup 5) to 10 (sup 6) years) trend now is toward lower geothermal flux, but with higher‐frequency (less than or equal to 10( sup 4) to 10 (sup 5) years) oscillations linked to glacial‐interglacial cycles. Whether the geothermal flux is increasing or decreasing now is not known but is of societal relevance due to its possible impact on ice flow. We infer that projections of the future of the ice sheet and its effect on sea level must integrate geologic and geophysical data as well as glaciological, atmospheric, oceanic, and paleoclimatic information.
Greenland Ice Sheet↗
Development and evaluation of a new method for predicting aircraft buffet response
The buffet prediction method uses rigid wind tunnel model fluctuating pressure data to form a buffet forcing function. The response is then calculated with a mathematical dynamic model of the airplane developed for gust response analysis. By including the extremes of phasing and contribution of symmetric and antisymmetric airplane responses, the upper and lower bounds are established for buffet response. F-111A flight test data show good agreement with predicted bounds for a variety of flight conditions.
Cunningham, A. M., Jr.↗
Wind-tunnel investigation of surface-pressure fluctuations associated with aircraft buffet
Fluctuating pressures and forces that cause aircraft buffeting have been measured on a semispan rigid-wing model of a typical variable-sweep fighter-type aircraft at transonic speeds. The rms spectral and spatial correlation characteristics of wing fluctuating pressures, fluctuating pressure summations, and structural responses are presented and discussed for a Mach number of 0.85, wing sweep angles of 26 and 72 deg, and angles of attack up to 12 deg. The fluctuating pressure characteristics beneath wing shock waves and leading-edge vortices and in regions of attached and separated flows are presented. Results indicate that: (1) the mean and fluctuating static pressure characteristics are related; (2) a circulation oscillation exists for attached flow conditions below buffet onset; and (3) a significant coupling exists between the wing shock-wave oscillation and the wing first torsional mode when shock-induced separation is present.
Riddle, D. W.↗
Application of solar max ACRIM data to analyze solar-driven climatic variability on Earth
Terrestrial climatic effects associated with solar variability have been proposed for at least a century, but could not be assessed quantitatively owing to observational uncertainities in solar flux variations. Measurements from 1980 to 1984 by the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM), capable of resolving fluctuations above the sensible atmosphere less than 0.1% of the solar constant, permit direct albeit preliminary assessments of solar forcing effects on global temperatures during this period. The global temperature response to ACRIM-measured fluctuations was computed from 1980 to 1985 using the NYU transient climate model including thermal inertia effects of the world ocean; and compared the results with observations of recent temperature trends. Monthly mean ACRIM-driven global surface temperature fluctuations computed with the climate model are an order of magnitude smaller, of order 0.01 C. In constrast, global mean surface temperature observations indicate an approx. 0.1 C increase during this period. Solar variability is therefore likely to have been a minor factor in global climate change during this period compared with variations in atmospheric albedo, greenhouse gases and internal self-inducedoscillations. It was not possible to extend the applicability of the measured flux variations to longer periods since a possible correlation of luminosity with solar annual activity is not supported by statistical analysis. The continuous monitoring of solar flux by satellite-based instruments over timescales of 20 years or more comparable to timescales for thermal relaxation of the oceans and of the solar cycle itself is needed to resolve the question of long-term solar variation effects on climate.
Hoffert, M. I.↗
Microvascular responses to body tilt in cutaneous maximus muscle of conscious rats
We investigated microvascular responses to head-up tilt (HUT) and head-down tilt (HDT) in striated muscle of conscious male rats. To observe the microcirculation in the cutaneous maximus muscle, a transparent polycarbonate chamber was implanted aseptically into a skin fold created between the shoulders. Rats were trained to sit quietly during HUT and HDT while positioned on a horizontal microscope that rotated in the sagittal plane. At 4-5 days after surgery, arteriole and venule diameters were recorded using videomicroscopy while the rat experienced 10 min each (in random order) of HUT or HDT at 20 deg or 40 deg separated by 2-h rest periods. HUT had no affect on microvessel diameter; 20 deg HDT had little affect. In response to 40 deg HDT, 'large' arterioles constricted by 18 +/- 2% and 'small' arterioles dilated by 21 +/- 3%; this difference suggested variation in mechanisms controlling arteriolar responses. Venules exhibited a larger fluctuation in diameter during 40 deg HDT compared with other body positions, suggesting that venomotor activity may be induced with sufficient fluid shift or change in central venous pressure. These observations illustrate a viable model for studying microvascular responses to gravitational stress in conscious rats.
Puri, Rohit K.↗
Ultra-Stable Superconducting-Maser Oscillator
Unprecedented stability of frequency in superconducting, triple-cavity ruby maser oscillator achieved by incorporation of amplitude-control subsystem. New design enhances ultra-stable measurements of time by reducing fluctuations to 2 X 10 to negative 19th power routinely, and to as little as 10 to negative 20th power in exceptional cases. Currents induced in superconducting pickup coil by changes in magnetic field in ruby. Currents from coil fed to superconducting quantum-interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, output used to generate control signal for electronically variable attenuator. Attenuator varies pump-signal amplitude in response to magnetic-field fluctuations in ruby. Very high feedback-loop gain used for sensitivity of control and adequate compensation of fluctuations.
Strayer, Donald M.↗
Comparison of hot-wire measurement techniques in a Mach 3 pilot quiet tunnel
Disturbance measurements were made in the free stream of a small Mach 3 quiet tunnel using constant-current and constant-temperature anemometers (CCA and CTA). Data from the two types of instruments are compared in terms of frequency response and normalized rms levels of mass flow fluctuations. The mode-diagram analysis of the CCA data produces reliable results because the frequency response is consistent for a wide range of overheat ratios. However, the mode-diagram results for the CTA data cannot be used due to the rapidly decreasing frequency response with decreasing overheat ratio. Only the mass flow fluctuations at high overheat ratio can be obtained with the CTA system, and they can be as much as 50 percent higher than those from the CCA system. Possible reasons for these measurement differences between the two systems are considered.
Chen, F.-J.↗
A study of the unsteadiness of crossing shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions
The unsteadiness of crossing shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions at a nominal Mach number of 3 was examined by measuring wall pressure fluctuations using multiple, high frequency response, pressure transducers. The unsteadiness in the initial part of the interaction for all the interactions is similar to that of single fin interaction as studied by Tran and Bogdonoff (1987). However, for stronger interactions, flow downstream of the inviscid shock crossing position has a significant unsteady characteristic. In this unsteady region of the interaction, mean surface pressure rises significantly over the value obtained from the inviscid shock approximation. The energy spectrum of the fluctuating pressure signal shows a significant increase in the energy level at the higher frequencies.
Poddar, K.↗
Excitation, response, and fatigue life estimation methods for the structural design of externally blown flaps
Means for predicting the fluctuating pressures acting on externally blown flap surfaces are developed on the basis of generalizations derived from non-dimensionalized empirical data. Approaches for estimation of the fatigue lives of skin-stringer and honeycomb-core sandwich flap structures are derived from vibration response analyses and panel fatigue data. Approximate expressions for fluctuating pressures, structural response, and fatigue life are combined to reveal the important parametric dependences. The two-dimensional equations of motion of multi-element flap systems are derived in general form, so that they can be specialized readily for any particular system. An introduction is presented of an approach to characterizing the excitation pressures and structural responses which makes use of space-time spectral concepts and promises to provide useful insights, as well as experimental and analytical savings.
Ungar, E. E.↗
Unsteady design-point flow phenomena in transonic compressors
High-frequency response probes which had previously been used exclusively in the MIT Blowndown Facility were successfully employed in two conventional steady state axial flow compressor facilities to investigate the unsteady flowfields of highly loaded transonic compressors at design point operation. Laser anemometry measurements taken simultaneously with the high response data were also analyzed. The time averaged high response data of static and total pressure agreed quite well with the conventional steady state instrumentation except for flow angle which showed a large spread in values at all radii regardless of the type of instrumentation used. In addition, the time resolved measurements confirmed earlier test results obtained in the MIT Blowdown Facility for the same compressor. The results of these tests have further revealed that the flowfields of highly loaded transonic compressors are heavily influenced by unsteady flow phenomena. The high response measurements exhibited large variations in the blade to blade flow and in the blade passage flow. The observed unsteadiness in the blade wakes is explained in terms of the rotor blades' shed vorticity in periodic vortex streets. The wakes were modeled as two-dimensional vortex streets with finite size cores. The model fit the data quite well as it was able to reproduce the average wake shape and bi-modal probability density distributions seen in the laser anemometry data. The presence of vortex streets in the blade wakes also explains the large blade to blade fluctuations seen by the high response probes which is simply due to the intermittent sampling of the vortex street as it is swept past a stationary probe.
Gertz, J. B.↗
Anisotropy and minimum variance directions of solar wind fluctuations in the outer heliosphere
Voyager 2 magnetic field and plasma data are examined over time intervals of 1 to 12 hours in the heliospheric range of 1 to 10 AU to study the evolution of the anisotropy of solar wind fluctuations. Consistent with previous results, the directions of minimum variance vectors of magnetic fluctuations are found to be close to the mean magnetic field direction with an increasing component along the field at larger scales. At large radial distances there is more spread in the minimum variance directions than at smaller radial distances. The power in smaller-scale fluctuations in the magnetic field components perpendicular to the local mean field B(0) is in the ratio of about 5:1 near 1 AU at the scale of 1 hour but decreases to about 3:1 further out. No evidence for selective enhancement of out-of-the-ecliptic components of fluctuations is found. In contrast to results for field fluctuations, analysis of velocity fluctuations shows that the minimum variance direction systematically remains more radially oriented and becomes increasingly less oriented along B(0) with increasing heliocentric distance. The velocity fluctuations are generally more isotropic than the magnetic fluctuations. The observations cannot be explained by a superposed wave picture, and thus are consistent with the view that nonlinear turbulent evolution is responsible for the anisotropy in the fluctuations.
Klein, Larry W.↗
The 26-day oscillation observed in the satellite sea surface temperature measurements in the equatorial western Indian Ocean
A 26-d oscillation in SST data is observed in the western Indian Ocean, from 52 to 60 deg E and in the vicinity of the equator. The SST data used in this study are obtained from the NOAA 9 satellite and are for the years 1987 and 1988. This fluctuation of SST at a period near 26-d is found to be antisymmetric about the equator and is trapped within the equatorial waveguide latitude; furthermore, the variance decreases at a faster rate toward the equator than poleward. These characteristics are consistent with the latitudinal structure for the mixed Rossby-gravity (or Yanai) waves as predicted from linear wave theory. The temporal variation of this 26-d oscillation is most energetic during the summer season (July to September), with maximum values of 0.4 C and 0.8 C found during August of 1987 and 1988, respectively. This observation agrees with temporal variation of Yanai waves inferred from drifting buoy observations and numerical studies of the Indian Ocean. Thus it is concluded that the Yanai wave is responsible for the 26-d fluctuation observed in the SST data in this region.
Tsai, Pedro T. H.↗
New anemometer has fast response, measures dynamic pressure directly
A simple anemometer having a fast response to high frequency wind fluctuations by direct measurement of two drag-force components in orthogonal planes is described. It may be used to determine wind profiles to extensive heights and would be helpful in takeoff and landing of light planes.
Lynch, J. W.↗
Influence of convection on eutectic microstructure
When the MnBi-Bi eutectic is directionally solidified, it forms fibers of MnBi in a matrix of bismuth. When the material solidified in space at rates of 30 and 50 cm/hr, the average fiber spacing lambda was about one half of the value obtained in cases in which the same material solidified on earth. Neither an altered temperature gradient nor a fluctuating freezing rate are apparently responsible for the change in lambda, and the possibility is studied that natural convection increases lambda on earth by perturbing the compositional field in the melt ahead of the growing solid. A theoretical analysis is conducted along with some experiments. On the basis of the theoretical results for lamellar growth, it is concluded that the spacing lambda increases with increasing stirring, especially at small freezing rates. The experiments indicate that at low growth rates the cross-sectional area of the MnBi blades increases with increased stirring and with decreased growth rate.
Baskaran, V.↗
Monte Carlo modeling of large-scale ion-conic generation
Cyclotron resonance with observed electric field fluctuations is demonstrated to be responsible for production of the oxygen ion conics that are observed by the Dynamics Explorer 1 satellite in the central plasma sheet region of the earth's auroral zone. The ion velocity distribution is described by a quasi-linear diffusion equation which is solved using the Monte Carlo technique. The acceleration produced by the observed wave spectrum agrees well with the ion observations, in both form and magnitude.
Retterer, J. M.↗