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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.
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Derivative approximation techniques for recursive signal detection, using computer program for solving optimum and suboptimum processes signal to noise ratio in effectiveness evaluation
Approximate photocount statistics for superposition of coherent and chaotic radiation of Gaussian, triangular, square and Lorentzian shaped spectra
Analytic approximations in closed form for curves of growth of Doppler-Lorentz broadened lines, considering radiative transport in nonisotropic gases
Viscous convergent-divergent nozzle flow slender channel approximation, discussing nozzle geometry, Reynolds number and wall temperature effects
Approximate root locus method in S plane for sampled data systems, mapping constant frequency and constant damping ratio loci onto W plane
Approximation analysis for laminar two dimensional boundary layer behind plane shock wave moving over infinite flat plate
Reentry glider approximate optimal atmospheric entry trajectories for maximizing function of terminal velocity, altitude, flight path and heading angle under terminal nonlinear constraints
Human operator models parameter estimation by stochastic approximation, considering continuous and sampled data models
Glauber and Vainshtein approximations for cross sections of 1s-2p excitation during inelastic electron-atomic hydrogen scattering
Heisenberg ferromagnet magnetic and thermodynamic properties in random phase approximation, determining magnetization and susceptibility with Green function theory
Approximate solution for position and strength of shock waves about cones in steady supersonic flow
The accuracies of three approximate formulas were tested by comparison with special cases for which accurate results could be found. The Wannier free flight theory was found to be superior, and can be extended to yield a formula without further adjustable constants that gives an exact result at low electric fields and good results at medium and high fields. It is applicable for any ion neutral force law and mass ratio.
Computer programs for flow fields around planetary entry vehicles require real-gas equilibrium thermodynamic properties in a simple form which can be evaluated quickly. To fill this need, polynomial approximations were found for thermodynamic properties of air and model planetary atmospheres. A coefficient-averaging technique was used for curve fitting in lieu of the usual least-squares method. The polynomials consist of terms up to the ninth degree in each of two variables (essentially pressure and density) including all cross terms. Four of these polynomials can be joined to cover, for example, a range of about 1000 to 11000 K and 0.00001 to 1 atmosphere (1 atm = 1.0133 x 100,000 N/m sq) for a given thermodynamic property. Relative errors of less than 1 percent are found over most of the applicable range.
An analytic approximation is illustrated to Stromgren's solution for H II regions which permits explicit exhibition of the effects of internal dust on the ionization structure. Far infrared observations of H II regions are accounted for in terms of true absorption by internal dust of a significant fraction of the Lyman continuum photons.
Proposal of a new concept of model testing which makes use of imperfect models and is based on the heuristic argument of representing the error states in a multidimensional Euclidean space when the errors in the modeling parameter are sufficiently small. By a separation of these errors into positive and negative groups, and from a consideration of the error paths in the hyperspaces, it is shown that the global effect of these errors may be evaluated with a good degree of approximation. Conditions under which the procedure would yield satisfactory results are discussed. To test the usefulness of the theory a computer experiment was conducted for the prediction of both transient and steady state thermal behavior of a hypothetical spacecraft using perfect, as well as imperfect, models.
A numerical technique is presented that determines the minimum-weight thickness distribution for a one-dimensional, simply supported panel subjected to a parallel supersonic flow on one side. An aeroelastic eigenvalue, which characterizes flutter speed, is held constant. The governing differential equations are approximated by sets of difference equations adjoined to the weight function via a penalty function. A conjugate gradient method then solves the resulting sequence of unconstrained minimization problems. Numerical results are obtained without imposing a minimum thickness constraint; the effect of constant inplane tensile and compressive stresses is also investigated.
Consideration of the autocorrelation function of a zero-mean stationary random process. The techniques are applicable to processes with nonzero mean provided the mean is estimated first and subtracted. Two recursive techniques are proposed, both of which are based on the method of stochastic approximation and assume a functional form for the correlation function that depends on a number of parameters that are recursively estimated from successive records. One technique uses a standard point estimator of the correlation function to provide estimates of the parameters that minimize the mean-square error between the point estimates and the parametric function. The other technique provides estimates of the parameters that maximize a likelihood function relating the parameters of the function to the random process. Examples are presented.
The approximate formulas considered include relations based on the Wannier free-flight theory, the Kihara medium-field expansion, and the Frost-Patterson interpolation formulas. A few accurate theoretical results are available for testing the foregoing formulas. Cases concerning high fields, intermediate fields, and resonant charge transfer are examined. It is found that of the formulas tested, the one based on the Wannier free-flight theory is the most flexible, since it can be used for all fields and all ion-neutral force laws and mass ratios.