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At least 1,117 records · Page 62
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

On the Variability of the Solar Integral Radiation Constituents

The results of spectral analysis of series of observations of the equatorial and polar diameters, as well as of series of satellite observations of the S sub O variations during 1975 to 1987 presented in papers by Laclare (1987), Delache (1988) and Delache et al. (1988) confirm with confidence the presence of an 11-year modulation in the Sun's radiation and diameter, and consequently, in the effective temperature of the photosphere. The same conclusion has been drawn with regard to the 1000th and 320th daily periodicities. In combination with the results of other research, several obvious conclusions can be drawn from the data presented. The 76-year variation in the period from 1967 to 1987 is not revealed in the data of observations; the data of the middle series will doubtless be made more precise after the facsimile from the initial information is obtained. The basic and comparable contributions to the radius variability yield the 11- and 22-year variations. The presence can easily be seen of harmonics with periods of 2 and 4 years; the 4-year period is revealed up to 1979 only, and the 2-year one, after 1980 only. This is possibly due to the combined contribution of the 11- and 22-year variations (to be more precise, 10.8 and 21.2 years) forming a certain mean 16-year periodicity. In this case, the 4- and 2-year variations can be regarded as the 4th and 8th harmonics of such a mean variation. Measurements of the horizontal diameter made at Greenwich Observatory have not lost their significance for the analysis of phenomena on the Sun, since they contain data having precision characteristics conforming to the level of the latest ground-based diameter measurements.

Nikolsky, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Polar motion and earth tides from Beacon Explorer C

Seventeen months of laser tracking of the Beacon Explorer C spacecraft by a Goddard Space Flight Center laser system were analyzed. The amplitude and phase of the solid-earth and ocean-tide perturbations of the orbit and the variation in latitude of the tracking station were determined. From an analysis of the orbital inclination obtained from 6 hour data spans the tidal perturbations of the orbit were found to have a magnitude equivalent to a second degree Love number, k sub 2, of 0.245 with a phase lag of about 3.2 degrees. These numbers are in complete agreement with values obtained previously from a much shorter data span, although k sub 2, is lower than the value derived from seismic data. This discrepancy is probably due to the influence of the oceans on the satellite result. After removing the tidal perturbations the residuals in inclination were of order 0.04 arcseconds. This implies that the variation in latitude of the station was being determined during the 17 months period with an rms deviation of about 1.4 meters with respect to the smoothed Bureau International de l'Heure values.

Kolenkiewicz, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Parametric Model of Shoulder Articulation for Virtual Assessment of Space Suit Fit

Shoulder injury is one of the most severe risks that have the potential to impair crewmembers' performance and health in long duration space flight. Overall, 64% of crewmembers experience shoulder pain after extra-vehicular training in a space suit, and 14% of symptomatic crewmembers require surgical repair (Williams & Johnson, 2003). Suboptimal suit fit, in particular at the shoulder region, has been identified as one of the predominant risk factors. However, traditional suit fit assessments and laser scans represent only a single person's data, and thus may not be generalized across wide variations of body shapes and poses. The aim of this work is to develop a software tool based on a statistical analysis of a large dataset of crewmember body shapes. This tool can accurately predict the skin deformation and shape variations for any body size and shoulder pose for a target population, from which the geometry can be exported and evaluated against suit models in commercial CAD software. A preliminary software tool was developed by statistically analyzing 150 body shapes matched with body dimension ranges specified in the Human-Systems Integration Requirements of NASA ("baseline model"). Further, the baseline model was incorporated with shoulder joint articulation ("articulation model"), using additional subjects scanned in a variety of shoulder poses across a pre-specified range of motion. Scan data was cleaned and aligned using body landmarks. The skin deformation patterns were dimensionally reduced and the co-variation with shoulder angles was analyzed. A software tool is currently in development and will be presented in the final proceeding. This tool would allow suit engineers to parametrically generate body shapes in strategically targeted anthropometry dimensions and shoulder poses. This would also enable virtual fit assessments, with which the contact volume and clearance between the suit and body surface can be predictively quantified at reduced time and cost.

Kim, K. Han↗
NASA NTRS1972

Evaluation of Skylab IB sensitivity to on-pad winds with turbulence

Computer simulation was performed to estimate displacements and bending moments experienced by the SKYLAB 1B vehicle on the launch pad due to atmospheric winds. The vehicle was assumed to be a beam-like structure represented by a finite number of generalized coordinates. Wind flow across the vehicle was treated as a nonhomogeneous, stationary random process. Response computations were performed by the assumption of simple strip theory and application of generalized harmonic analysis. Displacement and bending moment statistics were obtained for six vehicle propellant loading conditions and four representative reference wind profile and turbulence levels. Means, variances and probability distributions are presented graphically for each case. A separate analysis was performed to indicate the influence of wind gradient variations on vehicle response statistics.

Coffin, T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Space shuttle auxiliary propulsion system design study. Phase C and E report: Storable propellants, RCS/OMS/APU integration study

Auxiliary propulsion concepts for application to the space shuttle are compared. Both monopropellant and bipropellant earth storable reaction control systems were evaluated. The fundamental concepts evaluated were: (1) monopropellant and bipropellant systems installed integrally within the vehicle, (2) fuel systems installed modularly in nose and wing tip pods, and (3) fuel systems installed modularly in nose and fuselage pods. Numerous design variations within these three concepts were evaluated. The system design analysis and methods for implementing each of the concepts are reported.

Anglim, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Parametric description of thermospheric ion composition results.

Results of an attempt to accumulate an ion composition data base for an international reference ionosphere (IRI) with the aid of polar-orbiting satellites. A progress report is presented on the preparation of the results from the Bennett RF ion spectrometer experiment on Ogo 4 and 6 using the most extensive set of thermospheric ion composition data yet available. An example of the pole-to-pole distributions of all ions detected by the spectrometer on Ogo 6 is given which shows considerable structure resulting from both altitude and latitude variations. Also, an example is given of the type of analysis made possible by the combined scope of the Ogo ion composition data base and the IRI statistical sorting routine.

Taylor, H. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ten deg off-axis tensile test for intralaminar shear characterization of fiber composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite element analysis were used to determine theoretically the stress-strain variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10 deg plane. Strain gages were used to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.

Chamis, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

10-deg off-axis test for shear properties in fiber composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10-deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite-element analysis were used to determine theoretically the stress-strain variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10-deg plane. Strain gages were employed to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10-deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization, and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.

Chamis, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Hydromagnetic wavelike phenomena from Helios time delay measurements by remote sensing

A survey of the electron content measurements during solar occultations of the Helios A and B spacecraft is presented, and a spectral analysis using the method of maximum entropy is discussed. Typical variations measured are on the order of 0.1-1.8 x 10 to the 18th/sq m, while typical values for the rate of change are 0.7-50 x 10 to the 13th per sq m per sec. Numerical results in agreement with findings from Helios radio science, reveal a fundamental period of about 70 minutes superimposed by minor spectral peaks corresponding to shorter time periods such as 35 and 25 minutes. In addition, the periodicities observed in electron content are discussed in terms of fast hydromagnetic waves excited by nonlinear Alfven waves via coupling terms before crossing the Helios ray path. It is noted that for the first time experimental evidence is presented that hydromagnetic waves may actually be propagating from the solar corona into the interplanetary medium.

Edenhofer, P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Preliminary investigation of acoustic oscillations in an H2-O2 fired Hall generator

Burner pressure oscillations and interelectrode voltage oscillations measured in an open-cycle supersonic flow Hall generator are presented. The ionized gas for the channel was supplied by seeding the approximately 1 lb/sec of hydrogen-oxygen combustion products with cesium. Since both the burner and the channel were located within magnetic fields exceeding 4 Tesla during operation, an infinite probe pressure measurement technique was used to measure burner pressure oscillations. Calibration of the burner pressure transducer using a resonance tube technique is presented. Evidence is presented for the existence of the first longitudinal mode of oscillations (5000 Hz) within the burner. Interelectrode voltage oscillations were simultaneously measured at two separate axial stations. The magnitude change and the phase shift between the two signals was interpreted as a decaying magnetoacoustic wave driven by the burner that propagates at local gas plus sonic velocities. The amplitude of the electrical voltage oscillations at the start of the power producing region of the channel varied with the magnetic field. This variation is compared with the results of a simple perturbation analysis. Arguments are presented for using an unsteady model for analyzing wave processes in channels.

Phillips, B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Estimation of trends

The application of statistical methods to recorded ozone measurements. The effects of a long term depletion of ozone at magnitudes predicted by the NAS is harmful to most forms of life. Empirical prewhitening filters the derivation of which is independent of the underlying physical mechanisms were analyzed. Statistical analysis performs a checks and balances effort. Time series filters variations into systematic and random parts, errors are uncorrelated, and significant phase lag dependencies are identified. The use of time series modeling to enhance the capability of detecting trends is discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1981

Helicopter vibration suppression using simple pendulum absorbers on the rotor blade

A design procedure is presented for the installation of simple pendulums on the blades of a helicopter rotor to suppress the root reactions. The procedure consists of a frequency response analysis for a hingeless rotor blade excited by a harmonic variation of spanwise airload distributions during forward flight, as well as a concentrated load at the tip. The structural modeling of the blade provides for elastic degrees of freedom in flap and lead-lag bending plus torsion. Simple flap and lead-lag pendulums are considered individually. Using a rational order scheme, the general nonlinear equations of motion are linearized. A quasi-steady aerodynamic representation is used in the formation of the airloads. The solution of the system equations derives from their representation as a transfer matrix. The results include the effect of pendulum tuning on the minimization of the hub reactions.

Hamouda, M.-N. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Io - The near-infrared monitoring program, 1979-1981

The results of a program to monitor the brightness of Io in the near infrared are reported. While Io's 2.2 micron flux can be explained very well by conventional albedo analysis, at 3.8 and 4.8 microns Io has large intrinsic variations presumably associated with volcanism. At the latter two wavelengths, Io appears brighter and more active on its trailing hemisphere. These wavelengths also have possibly significant terms at the Jupiter corotational periods of 13 and 6.5 hr. These are particularly significant for observations of the trailing hemisphere and have a marked peak when Io is in the active sector. The data also show that the variability occurs in outbursts. Eight of these were observed and four were studied, deriving color temperatures near 700 K which decayed to about 300 K after several hours. It is argued that the apparent peak and the significance of the corotational terms may be fortuitous.

Lindwall, D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Neutral interstellar gas in the lower galactic halo

The optical interstellar absorption lines of Ti II, Ca II, Na I, and the 21 cm emission line of H I were observed at high resolution and high detection sensitivity toward none pairs of nearly aligned distant halo stars and foreground disk stars with well determined distances. Analysis of the column densities, velocities, and the directly determined variation of the titanium abundances with z-distance leads to a general picture of the neutral interstellar material in the lower galactic halo. Two types of gas with distinct distribution, kinematics, and abundances are found, a thick, low velocity disk (type I) extending from the plane to well beyond the thin disk of OB stars, and a high velocity, much less strongly depleted gas (type II) observed only at high z-distances, which constitutes at least 24 percent of the mass of the halo gas. The implications of this model for the observed neutral gas are discussed both in terms of the possible origins of the observed gas and in its comparison with quasi stellar object absorption lines. Previously announced in STAR as N82-29246

Albert, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Transient cosmic ray increase associated with a geomagnetic storm

On the basis of worldwide network data of cosmic ray nucleonic components, the transient cosmic ray increase due to the depression of cosmic ray cutoff rigidity during a severe geomagnetic storm was investigated in terms of the longitudinal dependence. Multiple correlation analysis among isotropic and diurnal terms of cosmic ray intensity variations and Dst term of the geomagnetic field is applied to each of various station's data. It is shown that the amplitude of the transient cosmic ray increase associated with Dst depends on the local time of the station, and that its maximum phase is found in the evening sector. This fact is consistent with the theoretical estimation based on the azimuthally asymmetric ring current model for the magnetic DS field.

Kudo, S.↗