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NASA NTRS1997

Investigation of Boundary Layer Development in Multi-Stage Low Pressure

A review of recent literature has been made in the areas of unsteady measurement in turbomachinery and LP turbine design. This has included a detailed review of methods for extracting quantitative shear stress data from surface mounted hot-film arrays. Research goals were identified on the basis of the literature survey and following interaction with the GE and NASA contracts. Progress has also been made in the detailed planning of the research program. An array of hot-film sensors has been mounted at mid-span on a second stage nozzle blade ready for installation in the current turbine buildup. A new technique of applying the hot-film array using double sided adhesive is being tested. The temperature in the vicinity of the hot-films will be monitored using a thermocouple attached to the blade pressure surface. This will increase the accuracy of the data reduction process compared with the methods applied by Halstead et at. (1995) and others. Data obtained from this first set of sensors, along with data from the hot-wire investigation will help to determine the best locations for surface hot-film instrumentation for subsequent builds of the turbine. Other LSRT instrumentation issues which have been addressed include calibration of the torque measurement system and procurement of custom design hot-wire sensors required to compensate for the slope flow path. Preliminary attempts at modeling the boundary layer transition process have been completed. A steady, coupled viscous-inviscid flow solver (the MISES code of Drela and Youngren) was used to calculate the steady-flow boundary layer transition location.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1992

Near-optimal energy transitions for energy-state trajectories of hypersonic aircraft

A problem of the instantaneous energy transition that occurs in energy-state approximation is considered. The transitions are modeled as a sequence of two load-factor bounded paths (either climb-dive or dive-climb). The boundary-layer equations associated with the energy-state dynamic model are analyzed to determine the precise location of the transition.

Ardema, M. D.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Motions of the cloud medium behind large scale galactic shocks

Mechanisms of decelerating the cloud medium in the large-scale galactic shock are studied. It is shown that the process of cloud-cloud collisions, which results in diffusive momentum transport and hence gives rise to the turbulent viscosity, is very effective in slowing down the cloud medium so that the postshock velocity of the intercloud medium can be matched within a short distance behind the shock front. The drag force exerted by the slow-moving intercloud medium alone is simply not enough to effectively decelerate the cloud medium in the shock. By the use of the results of Shu et al (1972), the internal structure of the shock of the cloud medium is analyzed by including turbulent viscous effects. The thickness of the shock is found to be on the order of 100 pc if the turbulent viscosity is taken proportional to the mean free path of the cloud-cloud collisions. The phase transition takes place in an even thinner layer on the order of 10 pc immediately after the viscous shock front of the intercloud medium.

Yuan, C.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Geophysical Retrievals and Cloud Analyses from Merged Airborne Radiometer Datasets Covering 10–684 GHz

Airborne microwave radiometers provide insight about numerous aspects of Earth’s atmosphere and yield critical validation datasets for spaceborne radiometers. Three radiometers that are important to NASA’s airborne remote-sensing arsenal include: the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR), covering 10–85 GHz; the Conical Scanning Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSMIR), covering 50–183 GHz; and the Compact Scanning Submillimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSSIR), covering 170–684 GHz. The NASA field campaigns of interest to this study include: the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx) in 2014, the Olympic Mountains Experiment and Radar Definition Experiment (OLYMPEX/RADEX) in 2015–2016, the Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) in 2020–2023, and the Airborne Lightning Observatory for FEGS and TGFs (ALOFT) in 2023. To provide a more comprehensive perspective on clouds and precipitation observed during these airborne field campaigns, AMPR data were merged spatiotemporally with CoSMIR data for IPHEx, OLYMPEX/RADEX, and IMPACTS (2020 and 2022), while considering differences in instrument characteristics and operations, providing brightness temperature (Tb) values from 10–183 GHz in a common background grid throughout each flight. AMPR and CoSSIR data were similarly merged for IMPACTS (2023) and ALOFT, providing a common background grid with Tb values covering 10–684 GHz throughout each flight. These merged Tb data were employed in geophysical retrievals using the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM), an Eddington radiative transfer model, and a one-dimensional variational (1DVAR) inversion method. Retrievals of cloud liquid water path were of primary interest. This presentation will include an overview of the methods for the radiometer data mergers, the radiative transfer methods, the geophysical retrievals, and detailed results from examining trends in Tb and cloud liquid water path in clouds, precipitation, and cloud-to-precipitation transition zones.

Corey G Amiot↗

NASA NTRS1984

Dynamic compression and volatile release of carbonates

Particle velocity profiles upon shock compression and isentropic releases were measured for polycrystalline calcite. The Solenhofen limestone release paths lie, close to the Hugoniot. Calcite 3 to 2 transition, upon release, was observed, but rarefaction shocks were not detected. The equation of state is used to predict the fraction of material devolatilized upon isentropic release as a function of shock pressure. The effect of ambient partial pressure of CO2 on the calculations is demonstrated and considered in models of atmospheric evolution by impact induced mineral devolatilization. The radiative characteristics of shocked calcite indicate that localization of thermal energy occurs under shock compression. Shock entropy calculations result in a minimum estimate of 90% devolatilization upon complete release from 10 GPa. Isentropic release paths from calculated continuum Hugoniot temperatures cross into the CaO (solid) + CO2 (vapor) field at improbably low pressures. It is found that release paths from measured shock temperatures cross into the melt plus vapor field at pressures greater than .5 GPa, which suggests that devolatilization is initiated at the shear banding sites.

Tyburczy, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Dynamic compression and volatile release of carbonates

Particle velocity profiles upon shock compression and isentropic releases were measured for polycrystalline calcite. The Solenhofen limestone release paths lie close to the Hugoniot. Calcite 3 to 2 transition, upon release was observed, but rarefaction shocks were not detected. The equation of state is used to predict the fraction of material devolatilized upon isentropic release as a function of shock pressure. The effect of ambient partial pressure of CO2 on the calculations is demonstrated and considered in models of atmospheric evolution by impact induced mineral devolatilization. The radiative characteristics of shocked calcite indicate that localization of thermal energy occurs under shock compression. Shock entropy calculations result in a minimum estimate of 90 percent devolatilization upon complete release from 10 GPa. Isentropic release paths from calculated continuum Hugoniot temperatures cross into the CaO (solid) + CO2 (vapor) field at improbably low pressures. It is found that release paths from measured shock temperatures cross into the melt plus vapor field at pressures greater than .5 GPa, which suggests that devolatilization is initiated at the shear banding sites.

Tyburczy, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Neural Architectures for Control

The cerebellar model articulated controller (CMAC) neural architectures are shown to be viable for the purposes of real-time learning and control. Software tools for the exploration of CMAC performance are developed for three hardware platforms, the MacIntosh, the IBM PC, and the SUN workstation. All algorithm development was done using the C programming language. These software tools were then used to implement an adaptive critic neuro-control design that learns in real-time how to back up a trailer truck. The truck backer-upper experiment is a standard performance measure in the neural network literature, but previously the training of the controllers was done off-line. With the CMAC neural architectures, it was possible to train the neuro-controllers on-line in real-time on a MS-DOS PC 386. CMAC neural architectures are also used in conjunction with a hierarchical planning approach to find collision-free paths over 2-D analog valued obstacle fields. The method constructs a coarse resolution version of the original problem and then finds the corresponding coarse optimal path using multipass dynamic programming. CMAC artificial neural architectures are used to estimate the analog transition costs that dynamic programming requires. The CMAC architectures are trained in real-time for each obstacle field presented. The coarse optimal path is then used as a baseline for the construction of a fine scale optimal path through the original obstacle array. These results are a very good indication of the potential power of the neural architectures in control design. In order to reach as wide an audience as possible, we have run a seminar on neuro-control that has met once per week since 20 May 1991. This seminar has thoroughly discussed the CMAC architecture, relevant portions of classical control, back propagation through time, and adaptive critic designs.

Peterson, James K.↗

NASA NTRS1980

The estimation of the propagation delay through the troposphere from microwave radiometer data

The uncertainity in propagation delay estimates is due primarily to tropospheric water, the total amount and vertical distribution of which is variable. Because water vapor both delays and attenuates microwave signals, the propagation delay, or wet path length, can be estimated from the microwave brightness temperature near the 22.235 GHz transition of water vapor. The data from a total of 240 radiosonde launches taken simultaneously were analyzed. Estimates of brightness temperature at 19 and 22 GHz and wet path length were made from these data. The wet path length in the zenith direction could be estimated from the surface water vapor density to an accuracy of 5 cm for the summer data and 2 cm for winter data. Using the brightness temperatures, the wet path could be estimated to an accuracy of 0.3 cm. Two dual frequency radiometers were refurbished in order to test these techniques. These radiometers were capable of measuring the difference in the brightness temperature at 30 deg elevation angle and at the zenith to an accuracy of about 1 K. In August 1975, 45 radiosondes were launched over an 11 day period. Brightness temperature measurements were made simultaneously at 19 and 22 GHz with the radiometers. The rms error for the estimation of wet path length from surface meteorological parameters was 3.2 cm, and from the radiometer brightness temperatures, 1.5 cm.

Moran, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Numerical experiments on stability and transition in plane channel flow

Various secondary and tertiary instabilities in plane channael flow are explored via time-dependent numerical simulations using the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Comparisons are made between transitional flows at Reynolds numbers 1500, 5000, and 8000. The lambda vortex, detached shear layer, and inverted vortex regions are identified, and the origin of the latter is explained. The laminar breakdown of the Re = 1500 flow is computed with high resolution, and the nature of its ensuing hairpin eddies is clarified by numerical particle paths. The potential of center-mode, rather than wall-mode transitions is proposed, and the resulting flow structure is described.

Zang, Thomas A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Description of quantum noise by a Langevin equation

General features of the quantum noise problem expressed as the equations of motion for a particle coupled to a set of oscillators are investigated analytically. Account is taken of the properties of the companion oscillators by formulating quantum statistical correlation Langevin equations (QSLE). The frequency of the oscillators is then retained as a natural cut-off for the quantum noise. The QSLE is further extended to encompass the particle trajectory and is bounded by initial and final states of the oscillator. The states are expressed as the probability of existence at the moment of particle collision that takes the oscillator into a final state. Two noise sources then exist: a statistical uncertainty of the initial state and the quantum dynamical uncertainty associated with a transition from the initial to final state. Feynman's path-integral formulation is used to characterize the functional of the particle trajectory, which slows the particle. It is shown that the energy loss may be attributed to friction, which satisfies energy conservation laws.

Metiu, H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Observables for anticipating tornadogenesis in mesocyclones

We seek to identify an observable for anticipating tornadogenesis in mesocyclones, because such tornadoes are characterized by particularly long life, long and wide path, and high wind speed. We associate tornadogenesis with the transition from a one-cell vortex to a two-cell vortex. In such a transition, 'insertion' of a virtually nonrotating, slowly recirculating core displaces that high-swirl-speed air which is rapidly ascending along a moist-adiabatic locus of thermodynamic states, to an annulus at small but finite distance from the axis of rotation. Such a transition, on a vastly larger lateral scale, is known to characterize intensification of a tropical storm to a typhoon. We examine analytically a quasisteady axisymmetric model of a four-part vortex structure consisting of a bulk potential vortex, near-ground inflow layer, 'eyewall', and 'eye'. We inquire whether such a four-part intense vortex, formed in convectively unstably stratified air, is self-sustaining. In particular, we inquire whether the vertical profile of the angular momentum at the periphery is a discriminant for identifying self-sustaining vortices.

Carrier, G.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Piloted Evaluation of an Integrated Methodology for Propulsion and Airframe Control Design

An integrated methodology for propulsion and airframe control has been developed and evaluated for a Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft using a fixed base flight simulator at NASA Lewis Research Center. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using a STOVL aircraft model, a full nonlinear turbofan engine model, simulated cockpit and displays, and pilot effectors. The paper provides a brief description of the simulation models, the flight simulation environment, the displays and symbology, the integrated control design, and the piloted tasks used for control design evaluation. In the simulation, the pilots successfully completed typical transition phase tasks such as combined constant deceleration with flight path tracking, and constant acceleration wave-off maneuvers. The pilot comments of the integrated system performance and the display symbology are discussed and analyzed to identify potential areas of improvement.

Bright, Michelle M.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Hot-Electron Far-Infrared Direct Detector

A new approach is proposed to improve the sensitivity of direct-detection bolometers at millimeter, submillimeter and far-infrared wavelengths. The idea is to adjust a speed of the thermal relaxation of hot-electrons in a nanometer size normal metal or super-conductive transition edge bolometer by controlling the elastic electron mean free path. If the bolometer contacts are made of a superconductor with high critical temperature (Nb, Pb etc.) then the thermal diffusion into the contacts is absent because of the Andreev's reflection and the electron-phonon relaxation is the only mechanism for heat removal. The relaxation rate should behave as T(sup 4)l at subkelvin temperatures (l is the electron elastic mean free path) and can be reduced by factor of 10-100 by decreasing l. Then an antenna- or waveguide-coupled bolometer with a time constant about 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) s at T approximately equals 0.1-0.3 K will exhibit photon-noise limited performance in millimeter and submillimeter range. The choice of the bolometer material is a tradeoff between a low electron heat capacity and fabrication. A state-of-the-art bolometer currently offers NEP = 10(exp -17) W(Square root of (Hz)) at 100 mK along with a approximately equals 2 msec time constant. The bolometer we propose will have a figure-of-merit, NEP(square root (r)), which is 10(exp 3) times smaller. This will allow for a tremendous increase in speed which will have a significant impact for observational mapping applications. Alternatively, the bolometer could operate at higher temperature with still superior sensitivity. This device can significantly increase a science return and reduce the cost for future observational missions. This research was performed by the Center for Space Microelectronics Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, and was sponsored by NASA, Office of Space Science.

Karasik, B. S.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Hot-electron Direct Detector for Radioastronomy

A new approach is proposed to improve the sensitivity of direct-detection bolometers. The idea is to adjust a speed of the thermal relaxation of hot-electrons in a nanometer size normal metal or superconductive transition edge bolometer by controlling the elastic electron mean free path. If the bolometer contacts are made of a superconductor with high critical temperature then the thermal diffusion into the contacts is absent because of the Andreev's reflection and the electron-phonon relaxation is the only mechanism for heat removal. The relaxation rate should behave as 7(exp 4)l at subkelvin temperatures (l is the electron elastic mean free path) and can be reduced by factor of 10 - 100 by decreasing l. Then an antenna- or waveguide-coupled bolometer with a time constant approx. 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) S at T approx. = 0.1 - 0.3 K will exhibit photon-noise limited performance in millimeter and subn-millimeter range. The bolometer will have a figure-of-merit NEk square root of tau approx. = 10(exp -22) 10(exp -21) W/Hz at 100 mK which is 10(exp 3) times smaller than that of a state-of-the-art bolometer. This will allow for a tremendous increase in speed which will have a significant impact for observational mapping applications. Alternatively, the bolometer could operate at higher temperature with still superior sensitivity This research was performed by the Center for Space Microelectronics Technology, JPL, California Institute of Technology, under the contract for NASA.

Karasik, B. S.↗

NASA NTRS2021

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). V. A Sub-Neptune Transiting a Young Star in a Newly Discovered 250 Myr Association

The detection and characterization of young planetary systems offer a direct path to study the processes that shape planet evolution. We report on the discovery of a sub-Neptune-sized planet orbiting the young star HD 110082 (TOI-1098). Transit events we initially detected during TESS Cycle 1 are validated with time-series photometry from Spitzer. High-contrast imaging and high-resolution, optical spectra are also obtained to characterize the stellar host and confirm the planetary nature of the transits. The host star is a late-F dwarf (M⁎ = 1.2Mꙩ) with a low-mass, M dwarf binary companion (M⁎ = 0.26Mꙩ) separated by nearly one arcminute (∼6200 au). Based on its rapid rotation and Lithium absorption, HD 110082 is young, but is not a member of any known group of young stars (despite proximity to the Octans association). To measure the age of the system, we search for coeval, phase-space neighbors and compile a sample of candidate siblings to compare with the empirical sequences of young clusters and to apply quantitative age-dating techniques. In doing so, we find that HD 110082 resides in a new young stellar association we designate MELANGE-1, with an age of 250(+50, -70) Myr. Jointly modeling the TESS and Spitzer light curves, we measure a planetary orbital period of 10.1827 days and radius of R(p) = 3.2 ± 0.1Rꚛ. HD 110082 b’s radius falls in the largest 12% of field-age systems with similar host-star mass and orbital period. This finding supports previous studies indicating that young planets have larger radii than their field-age counterparts.

TESS↗

NASA NTRS2021

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). V. A Sub-Neptune Transiting a Young Star in a Newly Discovered 250 Myr Association

The detection and characterization of young planetary systems offer a direct path to study the processes that shape planet evolution. We report on the discovery of a sub-Neptune-sized planet orbiting the young star HD 110082(TOI-1098). Transit events we initially detected during TESS Cycle 1 are validated with time-series photometry from Spitzer. High-contrast imaging and high-resolution, optical spectra are also obtained to characterize the stellar host and confirm the planetary nature of the transits. The host star is a late-F dwarf(Må=1.2Me)with a low-mass,M dwarf binary companion(Må=0.26Me)separated by nearly one arc minute(∼6200 au). Based on its rapid rotation and Lithium absorption, HD 110082 is young, but is not a member of any known group of young stars(despite proximity to the Octans association). To measure the age of the system, we search for coeval, phase-space neighbors and compile a sample of candidate siblings to compare with the empirical sequences of young clusters and to apply quantitative age-dating techniques. In doing so, we find that HD 110082 resides in a new young stellar association we designate MELANGE-1, with an age of -+ 2507050 Myr. Jointly modeling the TESS and Spitzer light curves, we measure a planetary orbital period of 10.1827 days and radius of Rp=3.2±0.1R⊕. HD 110082 b’s radius falls in the largest 12% of field age systems with similar host-star mass and orbital period. This finding supports previous studies indicating that young planets have larger radii than their field-age counterparts

Benjamin M. Tofflemire↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of the BOLT II Roughness Experiment for Flight

BOLT II is a sounding rocket research project with the goal of studying hypersonic boundary layer transition and turbulence. The BOLT II research vehicle is based on a three-dimensional geometry (a slightly longer version of BOLT) with concave surfaces and swept leading edges that provides two separate and distinct, also redundant, flow paths for conducting measurements. One side of BOLT II is dedicated to smooth surface transition and turbulence, to better study the natural instability processes, while the other has been assigned to study forced transition and turbulence using discrete roughness trips. The present paper is intended to document the primary drivers and decisions made leading up to finalizing the roughness side experiment for the BOLT II flight.

Hypersonic↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of the BOLT II Roughness Experiment for Flight

hypersonic↗