SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “perturbation analysis”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,081 records · Page 60

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1983

Self-regulating galaxy formation. Part 1: HII disk and Lyman alpha pressure

Assuming a simple but physically based prototype for behavior of interstellar material during formation of a disk galaxy, coupled with the lowest order description of infall, a scenario is developed for self-regulated disk galaxy formation. Radiation pressure, particularly that of Lyman depha (from fluorescence conversion Lyman continuum), is an essential component, maintaining an inflated disk and stopping infall when only a small fraction of the overall perturbation has joined the disk. The resulting galaxies consist of a two dimensional family whose typical scales and surface density are expressable in terms of fundamental constants. The model leads naturally to galaxies with a rich circumgalactic environment and flat rotation curves (but is weak in its analysis of the subsequent evolution of halo material).

Cox, D. P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The Comet Halley dust and gas environment

Quantitative descriptions of environments near the nucleus of comet P/Halley have been developed to support spacecraft and mission design for the flyby encounters in March, 1986. To summarize these models as they exist just before the encounters, the relevant data from prior Halley apparitions and from recent cometary research are reviewed. Orbital elements, visual magnitudes, and parameter values and analysis for the nucleus, gas and dust are combined to predict Halley's position, production rates, gas and dust distributions, and electromagnetic radiation field for the current perihelion passage. The predicted numerical results have been useful for estimating likely spacecraft effects, such as impact damage and attitude perturbations. Sample applications are cited, including design of a dust shield for spacecraft structure, and threshold and dynamic range selection for flight experiments. It is expected that the comet's activity may be more irregular than these smoothly varying models predict, and that comparison with the flyby data will be instructive.

Divine, N.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Chromosome aberrations induced by high-LET radiations

Measurements of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes are currently the most sensitive and reliable indicator of radiation exposure that can be used for biological dosimetry. This technique has been implemented recently to study radiation exposures incurred by astronauts during space flight, where a significant proportion of the dose is delivered by high-LET particle exposure. Traditional methods for the assessing of cytogenetic damage in mitotic cells collected at one time point after exposure may not be suitable for measuring high-LET radiation effects due to the drastic cell cycle perturbations and interphase cell death induced by this type of exposure. In this manuscript we review the recent advances in methodology used to study high-LET induced cytogenetic effects and evaluate the use of chemically-induced Premature Chromosome Condensation (PCC) as an alternative to metaphase analysis. Published data on the cytogenetic effects of in vitro exposures of high-LET radiation is reviewed, along with biodosimetry results from astronauts after short or long space missions.

ISS Project↗

NASA NTRS2007

Measuring a Precise Ultra-Lightweight Spaceflight Mirror on Earth: The Analysis of the SHARPI PM Mirror Figure Data during Mirror Processing at GSFC

The SHARPI (Solar High Angular Resolution Photometric Imager) primary mirror is a 5kg, 0.5m paraboloid, diffraction limited at FUV wavelengths when placed in a 0-G environment. The ULE sandwich honeycomb mirror and the attached mount pads were delivered by ITT (then Kodak) in 2003 to NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). At GSFC, we accepted, coated, mounted, and vibration tested this mirror in preparation for flight on the PICTURES (Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment) mission. At each step, the integrated analysis of interferometer data and FEA models was essential to quantify the 0-G mirror figure. This task required separating nanometer sized variations from hundreds of nanometers of gravity induced distortion. The ability to isolate such features allowed in-situ monitoring of mirror figure, diagnosis of perturbations, and remediation of process errors. In this paper, we describe the technical approach used to achieve these measurements and overcome the various difficulties maintaining UV diffraction-limited performance with this aggressively lightweighted mirror.

Antonille, Scott↗

NASA NTRS1994

Acoustic instability driven by cosmic-ray streaming

We study the linear stability of compressional waves in a medium through which cosmic rays stream at the Alfven speed due to strong coupling with Alfven waves. Acoustic waves can be driven unstable by the cosmic-ray drift, provided that the streaming speed is sufficiently large compared to the thermal sound speed. Two effects can cause instability: (1) the heating of the thermal gas due to the damping of Alfven waves driven unstable by cosmic-ray streaming; and (2) phase shifts in the cosmic-ray pressure perturbation caused by the combination of cosmic-ray streaming and diffusion. The instability does not depend on the magnitude of the background cosmic-ray pressure gradient, and occurs whether or not cosmic-ray diffusion is important relative to streaming. When the cosmic-ray pressure is small compared to the gas pressure, or cosmic-ray diffusion is strong, the instability manifests itself as a weak overstability of slow magnetosonic waves. Larger cosmic-ray pressure gives rise to new hybrid modes, which can be strongly unstable in the limits of both weak and strong cosmic-ray diffusion and in the presence of thermal conduction. Parts of our analysis parallel earlier work by McKenzie & Webb (which were brought to our attention after this paper was accepted for publication), but our treatment of diffusive effects, thermal conduction, and nonlinearities represent significant extensions. Although the linear growth rate of instability is independent of the background cosmic-ray pressure gradient, the onset of nonlinear eff ects does depend on absolute value of DEL (vector differential operator) P(sub c). At the onset of nonlinearity the fractional amplitude of cosmic-ray pressure perturbations is delta P(sub C)/P(sub C) approximately (kL) (exp -1) much less than 1, where k is the wavenumber and L is the pressure scale height of the unperturbed cosmic rays. We speculate that the instability may lead to a mode of cosmic-ray transport in which plateaus of uniform cosmic-ray pressure are separated by either laminar or turbulent jumps in which the thermal gas is subject to intense heating.

Begelman, Mitchell C.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Specimen analysis of Skylab, M553 experiment, flight specimens, phase C.

Skylab 2 flight samples were analyzed to study containerless solidification and the effects of weightlessness on the process. A record of solute redistribution processes and of solidification terracing is reported. The solute redistribution process was highly localized, and low index, crystallographic system were suggested. Samples demonstrated that under reduced pressure and gravity conditions the anticipated solid/liquid solidification process was perturbed and superseded by solid/liquid/gas reactions during melting and solidification.

Larson, D. J., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Aerodynamic sound generation due to vortex-aerofoil interaction. Part 2: Analysis of the acoustic field

The Lighthill method was the basic procedure used to analyze the sound field associated with a vortex of modified strength interacting with an airfoil. A free vortex interacting with an airfoil in uniform motion was modeled in order to determine the sound field due to all the acoustic sources, not only on the airfoil surfaces (dipoles), but also the ones distributed on the perturbed flow field (quadrupoles) due to the vortex-airfoil interaction. Because inviscid flow is assumed in the study of the interaction, the quadrupoles considered in the perturbed flow field are entirely due to an unsteady flow field. The effects of airfoil thickness on the second radiation are examined by using a symmetric Joukowski airfoil for the vortex-airfoil interaction. Sound radiation in a plane, far field simplification, and computation of the sound field are discussed.

Parasarathy, R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Entrainment in electrohydrodynamic heat pipes

A theoretical analysis for predicting the onset of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is reported. The model for the analysis is described, and the derived stability criterion are given. It is concluded that surface tension plays a role in the entrainment limit of electro hydrodynamic heat pipes. The surface of the liquid in an EHD flow structure is open, with no restriction placed on the wavenumbers of perturbations.

Jones, T. B.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Backscattering from a Gaussian distributed, perfectly conducting, rough surface

The problem of scattering by random surfaces possessing many scales of roughness is analyzed. The approach is applicable to bistatic scattering from dielectric surfaces, however, this specific analysis is restricted to backscattering from a perfectly conducting surface in order to more clearly illustrate the method. The surface is assumed to be Gaussian distributed so that the surface height can be split into large and small scale components, relative to the electromagnetic wavelength. A first order perturbation approach is employed wherein the scattering solution for the large scale structure is perturbed by the small scale diffraction effects. The scattering from the large scale structure is treated via geometrical optics techniques. The effect of the large scale surface structure is shown to be equivalent to a convolution in k-space of the height spectrum with the following: the shadowing function, a polarization and surface slope dependent function, and a Gaussian factor resulting from the unperturbed geometrical optics solution. This solution provides a continuous transition between the near normal incidence geometrical optics and wide angle Bragg scattering results.

Brown, G. S.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Numerical prediction of wall temperatures for near-critical para-hydrogen in turbulent upflow inside vertical tubes

Presented herein is a method of including density fluctuations in the equations of turbulent transport. Results of a numerical analysis indicate that the method may be used to predict heat transfer for the case of near-critical para-hydrogen in turbulent upflow inside vertical tubes. Wall temperatures, heat transfer coefficients, and velocities obtained by coupling the equations of turbulent momentum and heat transfer with a perturbed equation of state show good agreement with experiment for inlet reduced pressures of 1.28-5.83.

Bellmore, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A polarisation correlation study of the excitation of the H2 d3Piu (v1 = 0, N1 = 1) level by electron impact

Full details are given of an experiment in which the three normalized Stokes' parameters characterizing the decay of the electron impact excited d3Piu (v1 = 0, N1 = 1) rotational level of H2 were determined in an electron-photon coincidence experiment at 25 eV impact energy and over the angular range of 20-60 deg. An analysis shows how these parameters are related to the state multipoles characterizing the excited state. The rather low degree of coherence which was observed is consistent with various depolarizing effects, namely the averaging over magnetic sublevels which occurred in both the excitation and decay channels and also the perturbations due to fine and hyperfine structure relaxations.

Mcconkey, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A survey of the cosmic ray diurnal variation during 1973-1979. I - Persistence of solar diurnal variation. II - Application of diffusion-convection model to diurnal anisotropy data

An analysis of data obtained with the vertical underground muon telescope at Embudo, NM shows that the solar diurnal variation in cosmic ray intensity is a persistent phenomenon over the 1973-1979 period. Assuming that the daily fluctuations in the amplitude and phase of the diurnal variation are random perturbations about the mean vector, the relative magnitude of the random component is determined. In the second part, the Diffusion-Convection model of cosmic ray transport is applied to high rigidity particles detected at the earth in order to deduce the behavior of the heliospheric transport parameters between 1973 and 1979. It is suggested that the diurnal variation observed at Embudo during 1979 may require a contribution from the charged particle drifts.

Riker, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Nonmigrating diurnal tides in the equatorial middle atmosphere

Data from the Nimbus-7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) are used to extend the analysis of diurnal tides in the middle atmosphere to include the zonally symmetric and eastward propagating components. These modes show vertical and meridional structures that are generally consistent with the predictions of linear tidal theory. The zonal and meridional wind fields are calculated from the tidal temperatures. Diurnal perturbations in LIMS temperature and derived winds agree well with equinoctial model calculations. Comparisons with day-night differences of radiosonde temperature and rocket winds show qualitative agreement in vertical structure and amplitude. The zonally symmetric and eastward migrating tidal components show a higher degree of temporal variability than the sun-synchronous component. These modes at times contribute substantially to the diurnal signal in wind and temperature, with combined amplitudes equal to or in excess of the amplitude of the main migrating diurnal tide. The observed vertical phase variations suggest that their forcing may originate below the stratosphere.

Lieberman, Ruth S.↗

NASA NTRS1995

On the origin of 1/f spectrum of magnetic fluctuations in the solar wind

Spacecraft measurements show that the spectrum of magnetic fluctuations in the solar wind can be divided into low- and high frequency parts. The low and high frequency parts are approximately self-similar (follow a power-law) but with different spectral exponents. (There is, in addition, a very low frequency range in which the spectrum is dominated by structures coming directly from the Sun and it is not self-similar.) For the wind coming from the south polar hole the boundary between the low- and high frequency parts is at about 1 hour near 1 AU. The observed exponent of the low-frequency part is approximately -1 . The high frequency spectrum is steeper with an exponent of about -5/3 . The high frequency spectrum is commonly believed to be the result of non-linear interactions of magnetic and velocity perturbations which lead to a turbulent cascade. However, for the low frequency fluctuations, the site of origin (on the Sun, in the solar corona or in the solar wind?) and mechanism of generation remain basically unknown. In this paper we consider the origin of the 1/f spectrum. The analysis of Ulysses data is compared with analysis of Helios data and the results are used to confront possible models of origin of the spectrum.

Ruzmaikin, A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Uncertainty propagation in a stratospheric model. I - Development of a concise stratospheric model. II - Monte Carlo analysis of imprecisions due to reaction rates

The paper discusses the development of a concise stratospheric model which uses iteration to obtain coupling between interacting species. The one-dimensional, steady-state, diurnally-averaged model generates diffusion equations with appropriate sources and sinks for species odd oxygen, H2O, H2, CO, N2O, odd nitrogen, CH4, CH3Cl, CCl4, CF2Cl2, CFCl3, and odd chlorine. The model evaluates steady-state perturbations caused by injections of chlorine and NO(x) and may be used to predict ozone depletion. The model is used in a Monte Carlo study of the propagation of reaction-rate imprecisions by calculating an ozone perturbation caused by the addition of chlorine. Since the model is sensitive to only 10 of the more than 50 reaction rates considered, only about 1000 Monte Carlo cases are required to span the space of possible results.

Rundel, R. D.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Spectral and polarization analysis of micropulsations observed at ATS-1

Results are reported for an analysis of low frequency oscillations in the earth's magnetic field as observed at the synchronous orbit by the magnetometer experiment on board ATS 1. Oscillations in the range .002 f .02 H3 for the period Dec. 1966 through Dec. 1967 were studied. The analysis combines a detailed, computer-processed, spectral analysis of selected events with a less detailed manual analysis of all events in the two year time interval from Dec. 1966 to Dec. 1968. The computer analysis revealed that a given event is often characterized by a dominat, narrow, spectral peak whose associated oscillations are almost entirely limited to a plane, together with several minor peaks. Dynamic spectral analyses revealed that minor spectral peaks appear as short isolated bursts. The sense of rotation of the perturbation vector tends to change from right-handed elliptical at the beginning of a burst to left-handed elliptical at the end. The major axis of the polarization ellipse is inclined by typically 30 deg east of radial.

Morris, W.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Methods studies toward simplified rotor-body dynamics, part 1

This report is directed to the problem of developing an adequate but not overly complex linear flight dynamics analytical model of a rotorcraft to study stability, control, gust and random turbulence responses. Since the conventional flight dynamics analysis using quasisteady rotor derivatives is adequate for the long period modes like the phugoid mode, only short time responses are considered here, where rotor-body coupling is of importance. Thus the body motion consists of pitch, roll and vertical motion, omitting linear longitudinal and lateral and yaw perturbations. Five analytical models of varying degree of sophistication are applied to a hypothetical hingeless compound helicopter operating up to .8 rotor advance ratio. Stability and response data are obtained for the basic helicopter and for the vehicle with two simple control feedback systems.

Hohenemser, K. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Monte Carlo analysis of inaccuracies in estimated aircraft parameters caused by unmodeled flight instrumentation errors

An output error estimation algorithm was used to evaluate the effects of both static and dynamic instrumentation errors on the estimation of aircraft stability and control parameters. A Monte Carlo error analysis, using simulated cruise flight data, was performed for a high-performance military aircraft, a large commercial transport, and a small general aviation aircraft. The results indicate that unmodeled instrumentation errors can cause inaccuracies in the estimated parameters which are comparable to their nominal values. However, the corresponding perturbations to the estimated output response trajectories and characteristics equation pole locations appear to be relatively small. Control input errors and dynamic lags were found to be in the most significant of the error sources evaluated.

Hodge, W. F.↗