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At least 1,171 records · Page 65

Prediction of impact force and duration during low velocity impact on circular composite laminates

Two simple and improved models--energy-balance and spring-mass--were developed to calculate impact force and duration during low velocity impact of circular composite plates. Both models include the contact deformation of the plate and the impactor as well as bending, transverse shear, and membrane deformations of the plate. The plate was transversely isotropic graphite/epoxy composite laminate and the impactor was a steel sphere. Calculated impact forces from the two analyses agreed with each other. The analyses were verified by comparing the results with reported test data.

Shivakumar, K. N.↗

Prediction of impact force and duration due to low-velocity impact on circular composite laminates

Two simple and improved models - energy-balance and spring-mass - were developed to calculate impact force and duration during low velocity impact of circular composite plates. Both models include the contact deformation of the plate and the impactor as well as bending, transverse shear, and membrane deformations of the plate. The plate was transversely isotropic graphite/epoxy composite laminate and the impactor was a steel sphere. Calculated impact forces from the two analyses agreed with each other. The analyses were verified by comparing the results with reported test data.

Shivakumar, K. N.↗

The measurement of boundary layers on a compressor blade in cascade. III - Pressure surface boundary layers and the near wake

A one-component laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) has been used to measure the two-dimensional periodic flow field about a double circular arc, compressor blade in cascade. Eleven boundary layer profiles were taken on both the pressure and suction surfaces of the blade, and two profiles were taken in the near wake. In this part of the study, the detailed LDV studies are described. The measurements indicate that the onset of transition occurs near 60 percent chord. The lack of a logarithmic region in the data measured at 97.9 percent chord indicates that transition is not complete. The thin laminar boundary layers near the leading edge led to some measurement problems, characterized by large turbulence intensities, in using the LDV.

Deutsch, Steven↗

An investigation of some mechanical and thermal properties of lunar simulant materials heated at 2.45 GHz

Lunar simulant material was fabricated to simulate Apollo 11, Apollo 15, and Apollo 16 soils. The approximate compositions which these soils simulate are given. Samples of each soil simulate were fabricated into right circular cylinders, placed into a microwave reaction cavity, and heated using 2.45 GHz radiation to a particular processing temperature at which it was held for a prescribed length of time. Examples are given of two microwave heating programs for these simulant samples. Upon completion of thermal processing, each sample had its top and bottom surfaces polished. A technique was employed which looks at hardness data to determine the fracture toughness of a material and then relates this to thermal shock resistance. Some advantages of this technique are its low cost for analysis and thermal shock resistance as a function of initial sample orientation in the microwave field can be determined. Samples were prepared for testing and results are expected. At the same time, other samples are currently being investigated using scanning electron microscopy to determine their microstructures.

Meek, T. T.↗

Project MEDSAT: The design of a remote sensing platform for malaria research and control

Project MEDSAT was proposed with the specific goal of designing a satellite to remotely sense pertinent information useful in establishing strategies to control malaria. The 340 kg MEDSAT satellite is to be inserted into circular earth orbit aboard the Pegasus Air-Launched Space Booster at an inclination of 21 degrees and an altitude of 473 km. It is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar and a visible thermal/infrared sensor to remotely sense conditions at the target area of Chiapas, Mexico. The orbit is designed so that MEDSAT will pass over the target site twice each day. The data from each scan will be downlinked to Hawaii for processing, resulting in maps indicating areas of high malaria risk. These will be distributed to health officials at the target site. A relatively inexpensive launch by Pegasus and a design using mainly proven, off-the-shelf technology permit a low mission cost, while innovations in the satellite controls and the scientific instruments allow a fairly complex mission.

Source record↗

The estimation of material and patch parameters in a PDE-based circular plate model

The estimation of material and patch parameters for a system involving a circular plate, to which piezoceramic patches are bonded, is considered. A partial differential equation (PDE) model for the thin circular plate is used with the passive and active contributions form the patches included in the internal and external bending moments. This model contains piecewise constant parameters describing the density, flexural rigidity, Poisson ratio, and Kelvin-Voigt damping for the system as well as patch constants and a coefficient for viscous air damping. Examples demonstrating the estimation of these parameters with experimental acceleration data and a variety of inputs to the experimental plate are presented. By using a physically-derived PDE model to describe the system, parameter sets consistent across experiments are obtained, even when phenomena such as damping due to electric circuits affect the system dynamics.

Banks, H. T.↗

Potential Mars 2001 Sites Coincident with Magnetic Anomalies

Of the areas that meet the engineering criteria for MSP 01, only two are coincident with magnetic anomalies measured by the MAG/ER instrument on MGS. Area A is centered on about 10 deg S, 202 deg W and extends from about 7.5 deg S to 15 S. This area is associated with three bands of magnetic anomalies, two with positive values surrounding an area with negative values. Area B corresponds with a circular high positive magnetic anomaly and is centered at 13.5 deg S, 166 deg W. In addition to magnetic anomalies, the proposed sites have other attributes that make then attractive from of standpoint of meeting the objectives of the Mars Program. The landing site candidates meet the engineering requirements outlined on the Mars '01 landing site page htip://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/2001/landingsite. These are (source of data in parentheses): latitude between 3 deg N and 12 deg S, rock abundance between 5-10% (IRTM), fine-component thermal inertia > 4 cgs units (IRTM), topography < 2.5 km (MOLA). There are three exceptions: 1) Area B contains sites that lie up to about 15 deg S, 2) some sites are considered that have rock abundance values of 3-13%. 3) High resolution Viking coverage may not be available. These exceptions will be noted.

Gilmore, M. S.↗

Dynamic Measurement of Temperature, Velocity, and Density in Hot Jets Using Rayleigh Scattering

A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique is utilized to measure gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded gas flows at sampling rates up to 10 kHz, providing fluctuation information up to 5 kHz based on the Nyquist theorem. A high-power continuous-wave laser beam is focused at a point in an air flow field and Rayleigh scattered light is collected and fiber-optically transmitted to a Fabry-Perot interferometer for spectral analysis. Photomultiplier tubes operated in the photon counting mode allow high-frequency sampling of the total signal level and the circular interference pattern to provide dynamic density, temperature, and velocity measurements. Mean and root mean square velocity, temperature, and density, as well as power spectral density calculations, are presented for measurements in a hydrogen-combustor heated jet facility with a 50.8-mm diameter nozzle at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The Rayleigh measurements are compared with particle image velocimetry data and computational fluid dynamics predictions. This technique is aimed at aeronautics research related to identifying noise sources in free jets, as well as applications in supersonic and hypersonic flows where measurement of flow properties, including mass flux, is required in the presence of shocks and ionization occurrence.

Mielke, Amy F.↗

X-ray Polarization Detection of Cassiopeia A with IXPE

We report on a ∼5σ detection of polarized 3–6 keV X-ray emission from the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The overall polarization degree of 1.8% ± 0.3% is detected by summing over a large region, assuming circular symmetry for the polarization vectors. The measurements imply an average polarization degree for the synchrotron component of ∼2.5%, and close to 5% for the X-ray synchrotron-dominated forward shock region. These numbers are based on an assessment of the thermal and nonthermal radiation contributions, for which we used a detailed spatial-spectral model based on Chandra X-ray data. A pixel-by-pixel search for polarization provides a few tentative detections from discrete regions at the ∼ 3σ confidence level. Given the number of pixels, the significance is insufficient to claim a detection for individual pixels, but implies considerable turbulence on scales smaller than the angular resolution. Cas A's X-ray continuum emission is dominated by synchrotron radiation from regions within ≲1017 cm of the forward and reverse shocks. We find that (i) the measured polarization angle corresponds to a radially oriented magnetic field, similar to what has been inferred from radio observations; (ii) the X-ray polarization degree is lower than in the radio band (∼5%). Since shock compression should impose a tangential magnetic-field structure, the IXPE results imply that magnetic fields are reoriented within ∼1017 cm of the shock. If the magnetic-field alignment is due to locally enhanced acceleration near quasi-parallel shocks, the preferred X-ray polarization angle suggests a size of 3 × 1016 cm for cells with radial magnetic fields.

Polarimetry↗

Mineralogical Analysis of Calcium-Aluminum-Rich Inclusions Provides Insight Into Post-Formation Processes

Introduction: Calcium-aluminum inclusions (CAIs) are cm- to mm-sized intergrowths of refractory phases found in chondritic meteorites [1]. Their mineral compositions closely match the compositions of the solids thought to condense from an extremely hot (>1500K) gas with a bulk solar composition [2-4], suggesting that CAIs were the earliest solids within the Solar System [2-4]. These inclusions provide invaluable insights into the conditions and dynamics of the early Solar System. CAIs must be transported from their formation region near the protosun to the chondrite parent-body accretion region. The nature of their journey could affect how, when, and where the secondary processes recorded in these CAIs occurred [4]. Did these secondary processes occur in the solar nebula or during accretion with the parent body, or both? How were the CAIs affected by varying thermochemical processes? To better answer these questions, we have undertaken an in-depth, textural study of the secondary alteration of select CAI samples. Methods: We chose three CAIs that experienced a range of post-formation processing to gain better understanding of secondary alteration based on previous preliminary examination [5]. Representative CAIs were chosen from NWA 5508 (CV3), NWA 12772 (CV3), and Coolidge (CL4) carbonaceous chondrites. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques for detailed chemical, mineralogical, and textural analysis of the CAIs. Backscattered electron (BSE) images and X-ray elemental maps were taken of Coolidge and NWA 5508 using the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Phenom SEM. The JEOL 7900F SEM at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) was used to obtain energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) chemical maps of all samples. High resolution EBSD analysis identified the mineral phases and textures, providing key information on their nature. Based on the SEM and EBSD data, minerals of interest were selected for quantitative chemical electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) using the JEOL JXA-8530F at NASA JSC. Results and Discussion: The EDS maps show that the NWA 5508 and NWA 12772 CAIs designated “Saguaro” and “Hoopoe” respectively [5] are enriched in calcium while the Coolidge CAI designated “Cottonwood” is aluminum and magnesium rich. Saguaro. A ~1.5cm diameter igneous Type B CAI with a rounded shape. The dominant phases are melilite, spinel, and Al-Ti pyroxene with minor anorthite. Spinel is subhedral and occurs in clusters. Some of these clusters have a circular geometry which encloses other minerals, known as a palisade structure [6] (Fig. 1). Some palisades form near perfect circles while others are more irregular in shape. Melilite in Saguaro ranges in size from coarse (>250m) to fine-grained (5-7m) and forms intergrown laths. A third of the melilite grains exhibit simple twinning about their <001> axis. The spinel palisades and twinned melilite in Saguaro suggest an igneous history, and the lack of secondary minerals suggests minimal aqueous alteration. At some point in time after the initial condensation of the minerals and formation of the inclusion, the sample was remelted and quickly solidified. The formation of the palisades is still heavily debated. One hypothesis is that the palisades are the rims of smaller CAIs that accreted early on, essentially acting as xenoliths within the larger CAIs [7]. Another hypothesis suggests an igneous origin for palisade structures [6-8] wherein the melt traps gas bubbles, and the spinel nucleates on the surface of this bubble. Based on the WDS spot analyses of 41 melilite grains using EPMA, the data suggest that the composition inside and outside the palisades is nearly identical. This finding indicates that these palisades are likely not exogenous but rather formed from melt-vapor reactions. Our results are consistent with studies by Simon and Grossman,1997 [6] and Zhang et al. (2019) [8]. Hoopoe. A ~0.5cm compact Type A CAI with an irregular shape. The dominant mineral phases are melilite, spinel, and hibonite with minor amounts of anorthite, augite, and perovskite. The melilite ranges in size from ~500 to 50µm. The larger melilite grains have simple twinning along the <001> axis like melilite in Saguaro. Melilite in Hoopoe exhibits crystal-plastic strain with misorientation dominantly about the <010> and <110> axes. Spinel shows subhedral to euhedral morphology and appears in clusters. Hibonite grains are similar to spinel in habit and size but show more plastic strain. The two minerals are often found together with one appearing to replace the other. Perovskite appears in fine grained recrystallized regions alongside fine augite and spinel. The abundant strain and deformation features in the melilite and hibonite suggest that Hoopoe experienced shock. This shock could have occurred in the nebula [9] or from an impact of another body on the parent body asteroid. The appearance of fine-grained (<10m) areas of augite, perovskite, and spinel in the dominantly coarse-grained inclusion suggest recrystallization, possibly due to the sudden increase in pressure and temperature. Cottonwood. This ~0.5cm CAI exhibits distinct mineralogy and textures suggesting a high degree of alteration. It is irregular in shape. The dominant mineral phases are spinel and anorthite with minor amounts of augite and rutile. The two main texture types can be seen in Fig. 2. The first type consists of coarse euhedral to subhedral spinel and anorthite. The second includes fine grained spinel, anorthite, rutile, and iron sulfides. Within these fine-grained regions, the anorthite grains are clustered into domains exhibiting the same crystallographic orientation. Rutile exclusively occurs with fine anorthite indicating a potential relationship between the two. Cottonwood has a clear and unbroken Wark-Lovering [10] rim (Fig. 2) on one side that consists of a sequence of spinel followed by anorthite and an outer layer of augite. The abundance of the fine-grained regions containing iron oxides and iron sulfides, secondary phases such as rutile, and oriented anorthite grains is evidence for recrystallization associated with a high degree of thermal metamorphism. The EPMA analyses on both coarse- and fine-grained spinel show that the fine spinel grains are more enriched in Cr (1-2 wt. %) than their coarse counterparts (0.1-0.5 wt. %). The data suggest thermal metamorphism drove chemical exchange of the previously refractory inclusion, introducing chromium and iron as well as sulfur, which is moderately volatile. Conclusions: The three CAIs analyzed record distinct secondary nebular and parent body processes. Saguaro melted in the nebula as seen by the twinned melilite and spinel palisades. Hoopoe experienced intense shock which deformed its melilite and recrystallized perovskite, augite, and spinel in fine-grained regions. Cottonwood shows evidence of recrystallization and chemical changes consistent with thermal metamorphism occurring after accretion into the parent-body.

V E Burnette↗

A study of a plume induced separation shock wave, including effects of periodic plume unsteadiness

A wind tunnel investigation was conducted to study the flow field in which separation is caused by an expanding plume, with emphasis on effects associated with periodic unsteadiness in the plume. The separation shock was photographed with high speed motion pictures, from which mean shock position and excursion data were reported. Pressure fluctuations were measured beneath the separation shock. A response of the separation shock to plume periodic unsteadiness was identified, and the magnitude of a corresponding transfer function was defined. Small harmonic effects in plume response to periodic unsteadiness were noted. The stabilizing effect of a lateral surface protuberance near the separation shock wave was investigated. The protuberance configuration was a lateral circular cylinder, and various diameters, all less than the boundary layer thickness, were employed.

Doughty, J. O.↗

Boundary-layer separation on isolated boattail nozzles

An angle of attack of 0 deg was investigated in the Langley 16 foot transonic tunnel at free-stream Mach numbers from 0.40 to 0.95 to study the phenomenon of separated flow on a series of circular-arc afterbodies. Both high-pressure air and solid circular cylinders with the cylinder diameter equal to the nozzle-exit diameter were used to simulate jet exhausts. The results indicate that boundary-layer separation is most extensive on steep boattails at high Mach numbers. The jet total-pressure ratio changes (jet total pressure to free-stream static pressure) affected the extent of separation very little; however, comparison of the separation data obtained by using the two jet-simulation techniques indicate that entrainment associated with the presence of a jet had a significant effect on the extent of separation. The solid-simulator separation data were also used to evaluate the predictions of eight separation criteria.

Abeyounis, W. K.↗

Acoustic scattering by circular cylinders of various aspect ratios

The effects of acoustic scattering on the useful frequency range of pressure gradient microphones were investigated experimentally between ka values of 0.407 and 4.232 using two circular cylindrical models (L/D = 0.5 and 0.25) having a 25 cm outside diameter. Small condenser microphones, attached to preamplifiers by flexible connectors, were installed from inside the cylindrical bodies, and flush mounted on the exterior surface of the cylinders. A 38 cm diameter woofer in a large speaker enclosure was used as the sound source. Surface pressure augmentation and phase differences were computed from measured data for various sound wave incidence angles. Results are graphically compared with theoretical predictions supplied by NASA for ka = 0.407, 2.288, and 4.232. All other results are tabulated in the appendices. With minor exceptions, the experimentally determined pressure augmentations agreed within 0.75 dB with theoretical predictions. The agreement for relative phase angles was within 5 percent without any exceptions. Scattering parameter variations with ka and L/D ratio, as computed from experimental data, are also presented.

Maciulaitis, A.↗

Solar Maximum Mission

The paper considers the objectives of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), and describes its spacecraft, the scientific planning, the observing program, and the guest investigator programs. The SMM observatory will be injected into a circular orbit with an altitude of 574 km and it is designed for a minimum of one year of operational life; its observing program is directed at the physics of solar flares, and includes studies of thermalization, the nature of electron acceleration, the flare energy budget, and the flare decay. Finally, the SMM Guest Investigator program is discussed, including ground-based synoptic and atomic data investigations and SMM data interpretation.

Bohlin, J. D.↗

Interstellar circular polarization and the dielectric nature of dust grains

The implications of the observed relationship between the wavelength dependence of interstellar circular and linear polarization were reexamined. Mie theory calculations for grains with various optical constants demonstrate that any population of grains which matches the observed wavelength dependence of linear polarization also yields the correct cross-over wavelength of circular polarization. The coincidence of the peak wavelength of linear polarization and the cross-over of circular polarization is therefore independent of the optical constants of the grains and cannot be used as a critical constraint on grain properties. The observed relationship instead reflects a more fundamental connection between linear and circular polarization which was derived from the Kramers-Kronig relations by Shapiro (1975). Numerical results fully support Shapiro's conclusions and demonstrate that the apparent upper limit on the visual absorptivity of polarizing grains deduced from earlier Mie theory calculations (Martin, 1972) was spurious and resulted from a violation of the Kramers-Kronig relations in the assumed optical constants of the particles. The Kramers-Kronig interpretation of circular polarization can be used to place constraints on linear polarization outside the wavelength range in which it was observed. This approach was used to show that the peak observed in the visual is likely to be the only significant feature in the linear polarization curve, which therefore appears to be well approximated at all wavelengths by the Serkowski formula. A synthesis of available laboratory data was used to analyze the properties of dielectric core-mantel grains as the source of visual extinction and polarization.

Chlewicki, Grzegorz↗

The Globalstar mobile satellite system for worldwide personal communications

Loral Aerospace Corporation along with Qualcomm Inc. have developed a satellite system which offers global mobile voice and data services to and from handheld and mobile user terminals with omni-directional antennas. By combining the use of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites with existing terrestrial communications systems and innovative, highly efficient spread spectrum techniques, the Globalstar system provides users with low-cost, reliable communications throughout the world. The Globalstar space segment consists of a constellation of 48 LEO satellites in circular orbits with 750 NM (1389 km) altitude. Each satellite communicates with the mobile users via the satellite-user links and with gateway stations. The gateway stations handle the interface between the Globalstar network and the OSTN/PLMN systems. Globalstar transceivers are similar to currently proposed digital cellular telephones in size and have a serial number that will allow the end user to make and receive calls from or to that device anywhere in the world. The Globalstar system is designed to operate as a complement to existing local, long-distance, public, private and specialized telecommunications networks. Service is primarily designed to serve the rural and thin route communications needs of consumers, government users, and private networks.

Wiedeman, Robert A.↗

Evolutionary Design of an X-Band Antenna for NASA's Space Technology 5 Mission

We present an evolved X-band antenna design and flight prototype currently on schedule to be deployed on NASA s Space Technology 5 spacecraft in 2004. The mission consists of three small satellites that wall take science measurements in Earth s magnetosphere. The antenna was evolved to meet a challenging set of mission requirements, most notably the combination of wide beamwidth for a circularly-polarized wave and wide bandwidth. Two genetic algorithms were used: one allowed branching an the antenna arms and the other did not. The highest performance antennas from both algorithms were fabricated and tested. A handdesigned antenna was produced by the contractor responsible for the design and build of the mission antennas. The hand-designed antenna is a quadrifilar helix, and we present performance data for comparison to the evolved antennas. As of this writing, one of our evolved antenna prototypes is undergoing flight qualification testing. If successful, the resulting antenna would represent the first evolved hardware in space, and the first deployed evolved antenna.

Lohn, Jason D.↗

Morphology of a Hot Coronal Cavity Core as Observed by Hinode/XRT

We follow a coronal cavity that was observed by Hinode/XRT during the summer of 2008. This cavity has a persistent area of relatively bright X-ray emission in its center. We use multifilter data from XRT to study the thermal emission from this cavity, and find that the bright center is hotter than the surrounding cavity plasma with temperatures of about 1.6 MK. We follow the morphology of this hot feature as the cavity structure rotates over the limb during the several days between July 19 - 23 2008. We find that the hot structure at first looks fairly circular, then appears to expand and elongate, and then shrinks again to a compact circular shape. We interpret this apparent change in shape as being due to the morphology of the filament channel associated with the cavity, and the change in viewing angle as the structure rotates over the limb of the Sun.

Reeves, K. K.↗