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At least 1,225 records · Page 68

Influence of fatigue crack wake length and state of stress on crack closure

The location of crack closure with respect to crack wake and specimen thickness under different loading conditions was determined. The rate of increase of K sub CL in the crack wake was found to be significantly higher for plasticity induced closure in comparison to roughness induced closure. Roughness induced closure was uniform throughout the thickness of the specimen while plasticity induced closure levels were 50 percent higher in the near surface region than in the midthickness. The influence of state of stress on low-high load interaction effects was also examined. Load interaction effects differed depending upon the state of stress and were explained in terms of delta K sub eff.

Telesman, J.↗

Interpretation of coronal synoptic observations

Three-dimensional reconstruction techniques used to determine coronal density distributions from synoptic data are complicated and time consuming to employ. Current techniques also assume time invariant structures and thus mix both temporal and spatial variations present in the coronal data. The observed distribution of polarized brightness, pB, and brightness, B, of coronal features observed either at eclipses or with coronagraphs depends upon both the three-dimensional distribution of electron density within the structure and the location of the feature with respect to the plane-of-the-sky. By theoretically studying the signature of various coronal structures as they would appear during a limb transit, it is possible to recognize these patterns in real synoptic data as well as estimate temporal evolutionary effects.

Munro, R. H.↗

Summary of results of NASA F-15 flight research program

NASA conducted a multidisciplinary flight research program on the F-15 airplane. The program began in 1976 when two preproduction airplanes were obtained from the U.S. Air Force. Major projects involved stability and control, handling qualities, propulsion, aerodynamics, propulsion controls, and integrated propulsion-flight controls. Several government agencies and aerospace contractors were involved. In excess of 330 flights were flown, and over 85 papers and reports were published. This document describes the overall program, the projects, and the key results. The F-15 was demonstrated to be an excellent flight research vehicle, producing high-quality results.

Burcham, F. W., Jr.↗

Separation bubble behavior for a NACA 23009 airfoil

Results are reported of experiments with smoke-wire flow visualization applied to characterizing the conditions conducive to formation of a separation bubble on an airfoil in low Re flow. An airfoil was used which spanned the test channel of the wind tunnel designed for low turbulence and noise. A wire coated with mineral oil was stretched across the channel upstream of the airfoil and heated. The smoke it gave off was flash-illuminated and photographed with ASA 3000 film. Extending the airfoil over the entire section yielded photographs that gave an essentially two-dimensional perspective. Angles of attack from 0-10 deg were investigated at Re of 33,000, 66,000, 100,000 and 133,000. Sample photographs illustrate the usefulness of the technique and apparatus in the flow regimes examined, particularly when used in conjunction with pressure tap data from the airfoil surface.

Fisher, S. S.↗

Lightning strikes to a NASA airplane penetrating thunderstorms at low altitudes

The NASA Storm Hazards program was dedicated during the 1984 storm season to a study of lightning strikes on an instrumented F-106B aircraft, during penetrations of thunderstorms at altitudes lower than the 6-8 km center of lightning flash density. These altitudes coincide with the negative charge region of thunderstorms. An analysis of the correlation between the UHF band radar data obtained and TV images of lightning strikes indicates that, with a known aircraft position relative to the radar, the lightning channel motion can be adequately interpreted on the basis of radar echo evolution.

Mazur, V.↗

Thermionic reactors for space nuclear power

Thermionic reactor designs for a variety of space power applications spanning the range from 5 kWe to 3 MWe are described. In all of these reactors, nuclear heat is converted directly to electrical energy in thermionic fuel elements (TFEs). A circulating reactor coolant carries heat from the core of TFEs directly to a heat rejection radiator system. The recent design of a thermionic reactor to meet the SP-100 requirements is emphasized. Design studies of reactors at other power levels show that the same TFE can be used over a broad range in power, and that design modifications can extend the range to many megawatts. The design of the SP-100 TFE is similar to that of TFEs operated successfully in test reactors, but with design improvements to extend the operating lifetime to seven years.

Homeyer, W. G.↗

Cloud particle effects on laminar flow in the NASA LEFT program - Preliminary results

Laminar flow offers the promise of significant fuel savings on future commercial transport aircraft, but laminar flow can be lost while encountering clouds or haze at cruise conditions. To quantify the effect of cloud particles on laminar flow during typical airline operating conditions, and evaluate candidate cloud particle detection instrument concepts for future laminar flow aircraft, two types of cloud particle detectors are being flown aboard a NASA JetStar aircraft in the Leading Edge Flight Test (LEFT) program. The instrumentation is described, and preliminary results and conclusions are presented.

Davis, R. E.↗

Structure of terrestrial impact craters from SIR-B radar data - Preliminary results

The structure in and around the Charlevoix and Deep Bay impact craters was analyzed by comparing SIR-B radar image lineament maps with maps derived from Landsat data and aerial photography. Relationships revealed include the discovery in the Deep Bay lineament distribution of a mode, of slightly different location and size to that determined by aerial photography, which correlates with the regional glacial trend. The Deep Bay regional glacial trend displays a much more prominent signature in the aerial photography than in the radar data, confirming the influence of radar look direction on the interpretation of lineament distribution and orientation. Effects from the impact event are noted in the radar images of both craters, with lineaments of one km or less appearing to be associated with the rim structure.

Fisher, P. C.↗

Summary of results of NASA F-15 flight research program

NASA conducted a multidisciplinary flight research program on the F-15 airplane. The program began in 1976 when two preproduction airplanes were obtained from the U.S. Air Force. Major projects involved stability and control, handling qualities, propulsion, aerodynamics, propulsion controls, and integrated propulsion-flight controls. Several government agencies and aerospace contractors were involved. In excess of 330 flights were flown, and over 85 papers and reports were published. This document describes the overall program, the projects, and the key results. The F-15 was demonstrated to be an excellent flight research vehicle, producing high-quality results.

Burcham, F. W., Jr.↗

NASA storm hazards research in lightning strikes to aircraft

The lightning strike condition data gathered in the 1980-1984 period are presented, together with the lightning attachment point analysis for the NASA F-106B research aircraft are presented. The analysis of the experienced 637 direct lightning strikes shows that the highest strike rates (2.1 strikes/min and 13 strikes/penetration) occurred at altitudes between 38,000 and 40,000 ft. The regions of highest risk for an aircraft to experience a direct lightning strike were the areas of thunderstorms where the ambient temperature was colder than -40 C and where the relative turbulence and precipitation intensities were characterized as negligible to light. The presence and location of lightning, therefore, did not necessarily indicate the presence and location of hazardous precipitation and turbulence. The total onboard data show that the lightning attachment patterns on this aircraft fall into four general categories, although the 1984 data suggest that the entire surface of the F-106B may be susceptible to lightning attachment.

Fisher, B. D.↗

A new approach to non-invasive oxygenated mixed venous PCO(sub)2

A clinically practical technique was developed to calculate mixed venous CO2 partial pressure for the calculation of cardiac output by the Fick technique. The Fick principle states that the cardiac output is equal to the CO2 production divided by the arterio-venous CO2 content difference of the pulmonary vessels. A review of the principles involved in the various techniques used to estimate venous CO2 partial pressure is presented.

Fisher, Joseph A.↗

Proof-mass actuator placement strategies for regulation of flexure during the SCOLE slew

An analysis was performed in order to find the best placement for proof-mass actuators and to determine the importance of placement, i.e., what is the sensitivity of beam flexure to actuator placement. The analysis was performed by using the NASTRAN finite element model for a flexible beam with 21 grid points on beam, by using the nonlinear DISCOS simulation of 20 deg slew and the use of a closed-loop linear quadratic regulator (lqr). Some conclusions reached are: (1) proof-mass actuators can reduce flexure amplitude and damp oscillations; (2) amplitude of deformations during slew is relatively insensitive to placement of actuators; (3) damping factor of oscillations is sensitive to actuator placement; and (4) the degree of controllability method indicates most effective placement for actuators.

Fisher, Shalom (mike)↗

Intercomparison of numerical models of flaring coronal loops

The proposed Benchmark Problem consists of an infinitesimal magnetic flux tube containing a low-beta plasma. The field strength is assumed to be so large that the plasma can move only along the flux tube, whose shape remains invariant with time (i.e., the fluid motion is essentially one-dimensional). The flux tube cross section is taken to be constant over its entire length. In planar view the flux tube has a semi-circular shape, symmetric about its midpoint s = s sub max and intersecting the chromosphere-corona interface (CCI) perpendicularly at each foot point. The arc length from the loop apex to the CCI is 10,000 km. The flux tube extends an additional 2000 km below the CCI to include the chromosphere, which initially has a uniform temperature of 8000 K. The temperature at the top of the loop was fixed initially at 2 X 1 million K. The plasma is assumed to be a perfect gas (gamma = 5/3), consisting of pure hydrogen which is considered to be fully ionized at all temperatures. For simplicity, moreover, the electron and ion temperatures are taken to be everywhere equal at all times (corresponding to an artificially enhanced electron-ion collisional coupling). While there was more-or-less unanimous agreement as to certain global properties of the system behavior (peak temperature reached, thermal-wave time scales, etc.), no two groups could claim satisfactory accord when a more detailed comparison of solutions was attempted.

Kopp, R. A.↗

The influence of free-stream turbulence on separation of turbulent boundary layers in incompressible, two-dimensional flow

Experiments were conducted to determine if free-stream turbulence scale affects separation of turbulent boundary layers. In consideration of possible interrelation between scale and intensity of turbulence, the latter characteristic also was varied and its role was evaluated. Flow over a 2-dimensional airfoil in a subsonic wind tunnel was studied with the aid of hot-wire anemometry, liquid-film flow visualization, a Preston tube, and static pressure measurements. Profiles of velocity, relative turbulence intensity, and integral scale in the boundary layer were measured. Detachment boundary was determined for various angles of attack and free-stream turbulence. The free-stream turbulence intensity and scale were found to spread into the entire turbulent boundary layer, but the effect decreased as the airfoil surface was approached. When the changes in stream turbulence were such that the boundary layer velocity profiles were unchanged, detachment location was not significantly affected by the variations of intensity and scale. Pressure distribution remained the key factor in determining detachment location.

Potter, J. Leith↗

Summary of NASA storm hazards lightning research, 1980-1985

Lightning swept-flash attachment patterns and the associated flight conditions were recorded from 1980-1985 during 1378 thunderstorm penetrations and 690 direct strikes with a NASA F-106B research airplane. The individual lightning attachment spots, along with crew comments and onboard photographic data have been used to identify lightning swept-flash attachment patterns and the orientations of the lightning channels with respect to the airplane. The altitudes, ambient temperatures, and the relative turbulence and precipitation levels at which the strikes occurred also are summarized and discussed, with an emphasis on the differences between high and low altitude strikes.

Fisher, B. D.↗

Joint thunderstorm operations using the NASA F-106B and FAATC/AFWAL Convair 580 airplanes

During the 1985 thunderstorm season, three joint thunderstorm research flights were conducted within 100 n.mi. of NASA Langley by the NASA Storm Hazards F-106B and the FAA/USAF CV-580 research airplanes with ground-based weather radar measurements by NASA Wallops. This paper discusses the thunderstorm penetration capabilities of each airplane and the techniques used to safely place the two airplanes into the same thunderstorm cell for collection of correlated EM data. It is concluded that joint thunderstorm research operations of two aircraft with significantly dissimilar thunderstorm penetration capabilities are counterproductive to both airplanes.

Fisher, B. D.↗