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At least 1,225 records · Page 68

Deceleration of the solar wind in the earth's foreshock region - Isee 2 and Imp 8 observations

The deceleration of the solar wind in the region of the interplanetary space filled by ions backstreaming from the earth's bow shock and associated waves is studied using a two-spacecraft technique. This deceleration depends on the solar wind bulk velocity; at low velocities (below 300 km/s) the velocity decrease is about 5 km/s, while at higher velocities (above 400 km/s) the decrease may be as large as 30 km/s. The energy balance shows that the kinetic energy loss far exceeds the thermal energy which is possibly gained by the solar wind; therefore at least part of this energy must go into waves and/or into the backstreaming ions.

Bonifazi, C.↗

Forest wind regimes and their implications on cross-canopy coupling

An analysis of wind regimes across forests of varying density and height is presented. The hockey stick-like dependence of the friction velocity on the mean advective wind speed is used to determine the threshold between the weak-wind and the strong-wind regime for the entire canopy. Such thresholds are compared across four different sites. The height dependence of thresholds within the canopy is inverted compared to the one above grassland sites. This can be understood by extending the accepted interpretation for weak-wind thresholds from grassland sites to forested sites. Even for large fluctuations above the canopy, the fluctuations of the vertical wind velocity in the subcanopy remain small during weak-wind situations. Correspondingly, in the strong-wind regime, turbulence in the subcanopy remains strong in spite of reduced above-canopy turbulence. This fact suggests that previously used methods for determining the degree of coupling across the canopy layer based upon the ratio of the vertical wind variance between the above-canopy and subcanopy may prove erroneous. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of mechanisms generating subcanopy turbulence other than above-canopy turbulent transport and shear. The transport of mass and energy between the subcanopy and above-canopy layers is significantly reduced during the weak-wind regime. In particular, the vertical turbulent transport is reduced by more than one order of magnitude. This suggests a decoupling of the subcanopy layer during weak-wind situations and allows for the accumulation of carbon dioxide originating from soil respiration in the subcanopy layer during the weak-wind regime.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Wind Power Plant Prediction by Using Neural Networks

This paper introduces a method of short-term wind power prediction for a wind power plant by training neural networks based on historical data of wind speed and wind direction. The model proposed is shown to achieve a high accuracy with respect to the measured data.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Forward flight effects on EBF noise

Forward flight effects on local mean velocity and turbulence velocity profiles, surface pressure spectra, and far field acoustic pressure spectra were measured for a simple externally blown flap (EBF). Both upper-surface-blowing and under-the-wing configurations were tested. Ratio of acoustic wind tunnel velocity to nozzle exhaust velocity was varied from 0 to 3/8 in steps of 1/8. A method was determined for predicting forward flight effects on surface-radiated noise. This noise is decreased in amplitude and shifted to higher frequency relative to data obtained at zero flight speed. Predictions are validated by comparisons with published NASA, Boeing, and Lockheed data.

Fink, M. R.↗

A theory of local and global processes which affect solar wind electrons. I - The origin of typical 1 AU velocity distribution functions - Steady state theory

A kinetic theory for the velocity distribution of solar wind electrons which illustrates the global and local properties of the solar wind expansion is proposed. By means of the Boltzmann equation with the Krook collision operator accounting for Coulomb collisions, it is found that Coulomb collisions determine the population and shape of the electron distribution function in both the thermal and suprathermal energy regimes. For suprathermal electrons, the cumulative effects of Coulomb interactions are shown to take place on the scale of the heliosphere itself, whereas the Coulomb interactions of thermal electrons occur on a local scale near the point of observation (1 AU). The bifurcation of the electron distribution between thermal and suprathermal electrons is localized to the deep solar corona (1 to 10 solar radii).

Scudder, J. D.↗

Stellar winds in binary X-ray systems

It is thought that accretion from a strong stellar wind by a compact object may be responsible for the X-ray emission from binary systems containing a massive early-type primary. To investigate the effect of X-ray heating and ionization on the mass transfer process in systems of this type, an idealized model is constructed for the flow of a radiation-driven wind in the presence of an X-ray source of specified luminosity, L sub x. It is noted that for low values of L sub x, X-ray photoionization gives rise to additional ions having spectral lines with wavelengths situated near the peak of the primary continuum flux distribution. As a consequence, the radiation force acting on the gas increases in relation to its value in the absence of X-rays, and the wind is accelerated to higher velocities. As L sub x is increased, the degree of ionization of the wind increases, and the magnitude of the radiation force is diminished in comparison with the case in which L sub x = 0. This reduction leads at first to a decrease in the wind velocity and ultimately (for L sub x sufficiently large) to the termination of radiatively driven mass loss.

Macgregor, K. B.↗

Satellite-tracked cumulus velocities

The research indicates that extreme caution must be exercised in converting cloud velocities into winds. The motion of fair-weather cumuli obtained by tracking their shadows over Springfield, Missouri revealed that the standard deviation in the individual cloud motion is several times the tracking error. The motion of over-ocean cumuli near Barbados clearly indicated the complicated nature of cumulus velocities. Analysis of whole-sky images obtained near Tampa, Florida failed to show significant continuity and stability of cumulus plumes, less than 0.3 mile in diameter. Cumulus turrets with 0.3 to 2 mile in size appear to be the best target to infer the mean wind within the subcloud layers. Cumulus or stratocumulus cells consisting of x number of turrets do not always move with wind. The addition and deletion of turrets belonging to a specific cell appear to be the cause of the erratic motion of a tracer cell. It may by concluded that the accuracy of wind estimates is unlikely to be better than 2m/sec unless the physical and dynamical characteristics of cumulus motion is futher investigated.

Fujita, T. T.↗

Optically relevant turbulence parameters in the Marine boundary layer

Shipboard measurements of temperature and velocity fluctuations were performed to determine optical propagation properties of the marine boundary layer. Empirical expressions describing the temperature structure parameter in terms of the Richardson Number overland were used to analyze data obtained for open ocean conditions. Likewise, profiles of mean wind and velocity fluctuation spectra derived from shipboard observations were utilized to calculate associated boundary layer turbulence parameters. In general, there are considerable differences between the open-ocean results of this study and previously determined overland results.

Davidson, K. L.↗

Thermal iron ions in high speed solar wind streams. II - Temperatures and bulk velocities

Mitchel and Roelof (1980) reported the detection of iron in high speed solar wind flows using the small, but finite sensitivity of solid state detectors to Fe ions in the low energy (50-200 keV protons) L1 channel of the NOAA/JHU energetic particle experiment (EPE). In the current investigation, the EPE response is modeled to a convected Maxwellian to obtain the thermal velocity, flow angle, and bulk velocity of the iron distribution. It is assumed that the iron bulk flow velocity can be represented as a vector sum of the hydrogen bulk velocity and an interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) aligned velocity increment. It is found that the velocity increment is smaller than the local Alfven speed in magnitude, and that the iron thermal velocity is comparable with or greater than the proton thermal velocity, with the 'thermal' velocity defined as the square root of 2kT/m.

Mitchell, D. G.↗

Winds and the underlying physical parameters of hot stars - An observational approach

The predicted values of wind terminal velocity calculated using the formalism of Kudritzki et al. (1989) are compared with observed values for 4 OB binaries with well determined component masses, radii, and temperatures. The aim is to derive the value of the force multiplier parameter alpha appropriate to the winds from these stars.

Corcoran, M. F.↗

Probing the solar wind with radio measurements of the second moment field

The dependence of spectral broadening on anisotropic electron-density irregularities and velocity fluctuations in the solar wind is investigated on the basis of results for a second moment mutual coherence function obtained by a parabolic-equation method. It is found that although anisotropic irregularities and wind-velocity fluctuations decrease the bandwidth of the spectrum relative to that for isotropic irregularities and no velocity fluctuations, the shape of the spectrum remains unchanged. Examination of the frequency dependence and shape of a computed angular spectrum indicates that the electron-density spectrum is consistent with a power law having a spectral index close to the value appropriate for the Kolmogorov spectrum. It is proposed that multiple-station observations of some total field be employed to measure the solar wind.

Woo, R.↗

Wind energy potential analysis in Al-Fattaih-Darnah

In this paper the wind energy potential in Al-Fattaih-Darnah, Libya, had been studied. Wind energy is very attractive because it can provide a clean and renewable energy. Due mostly to the uncertainty caused by the chaotic characteristics of wind near the earth’s surface, wind energy characteristic need to be investigated carefully in order to get consistent power generation. This investigation was based on one year wind data measured in 2003. As a result of the analysis, wind speed profile and wind energy potential have been developed. The wind energy potential of the location is looked very promising to generate electricity. The annual wind speed of the site is 8.21 m/s and the wind speed carrying maximum energy is 7.97 m/s. The annual power density of the site is classified into class 3. The Polaris P50-500 wind turbine can produce 768.39 M Wh/year and has capacity factor of 17.54%.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Solar wind magnetic fluctuations and electron non-thermal temperature anisotropy: survey of Wind-SWE-VEIS observations

The solar wind electron velocity distribution function (eVDF) exhibits a variety of non-thermal features that deviate from thermal equilibrium. These deviations from equilibrium provide a local source for electromagnetic fluctuation emissions, including the commonly observed electron whistler-cyclotron and firehose instabilities. We present a systematic analysis of Wind-SWE-VEIS observations of solar wind electron plasma and associated Wind-MFI observed magnetic fluctuations. For the first time using the full solar wind electron distribution and its moments, without separation of the various electron components, we show clear evidence that the temperature anisotropy threshold of the parallel electron cyclotron anisotropic instability bounds solar wind electrons during slow solar wind periods. We also demonstrate that during periods of slow solar wind, collisions—while infrequent—are the dominant mechanism by which solar wind electrons are constrained, leading to isotropization. During fast solar wind periods, magnetic fluctuations and solar wind anisotropies are enhanced above the parallel whistler anisotropic threshold boundary and collisional effects are significantly reduced. Preliminary calculations further show that the oblique electron whistler mirror anisotropic instability bounds both the slow and fast solar wind. Regardless of speed, the solar wind electron thermal anisotropy appears globally bounded by the parallel electron firehose instability for anisotropies T{sub e⊥}/T{sub e||}<1. Our results indicate that collisions, while infrequent, play a necessary role in regulating the solar wind eVDFs. In striking contrast to solar wind ions, solar wind electron plasma, when considered globally as a single eVDF, is only marginally stable with respect to parallel propagating instabilities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Magnetic storm effects on the tropical ultraviolet airglow

Ogo 4 measurements of the UV equatorial airglow made during a period which included a major magnetic storm are analyzed and used as an indicator of wind direction and velocity as well as ExB drift magnitude and phase. Some features of the airglow intensity and distribution are explained in terms of storm-induced changes in vertical drift velocity, neutral composition, or both. The observations are shown to be consistent with an eastward neutral wind that transports ionization from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere while raising the F layer in the South and lowering it in the North. Theoretical modeling of the low-latitude F-region ionosphere indicates that an eastward wind with velocity approaching 300 m/s at 2100 LT can qualitatively produce the observed hemispheric asymmetries in airglow emission rates.

Gerard, J.-C.↗

Modeling of UH-60A Hub Accelerations with Neural Networks

Neural network relationships between the full-scale, flight test hub accelerations and the corresponding three N/rev pilot floor vibration components (vertical, lateral, and longitudinal) are studied. The present quantitative effort on the UH-60A Black Hawk hub accelerations considers the lateral and longitudinal vibrations. An earlier study had considered the vertical vibration. The NASA/Army UH-60A Airloads Program flight test database is used. A physics based "maneuver-effect-factor (MEF)", derived using the roll-angle and the pitch-rate, is used. Fundamentally, the lateral vibration data show high vibration levels (up to 0.3 g's) at low airspeeds (for example, during landing flares) and at high airspeeds (for example, during turns). The results show that the advance ratio and the gross weight together can predict the vertical and the longitudinal vibration. However, the advance ratio and the gross weight together cannot predict the lateral vibration. The hub accelerations and the advance ratio can be used to satisfactorily predict the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal vibration. The present study shows that neural network based representations of all three UH-60A pilot floor vibration components (vertical, lateral, and longitudinal) can be obtained using the hub accelerations along with the gross weight and the advance ratio. The hub accelerations are clearly a factor in determining the pilot vibration. The present conclusions potentially allow for the identification of neural network relationships between the experimental hub accelerations obtained from wind tunnel testing and the experimental pilot vibration data obtained from flight testing. A successful establishment of the above neural network based link between the wind tunnel hub accelerations and the flight test vibration data can increase the value of wind tunnel testing.

UH-60A AIRCRAFT↗