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At least 1,279 records · Page 71

Performance improvement of delta wings at subsonic speeds due to vortex flaps

Subsonic wind tunnel tests were conducted to determine performance improvements possible from the use of leading edge vortex flaps (LEVF) on delta wings. Various flap sizes and deflection angles were examined and lift-to-drag ratio improvements of up to 40% were found at moderate angles of attack on 60 deg and 75 deg swept wings. The LEVF is concluded to be effective in moving the wing's leading edge vortex onto the flaps, tilting the vortex-induced force vector forward to produce a thrust or reduce the wing's drag while maintaining attached flow and lift on the wing's upper surface.

Marchman, J. F., III↗

Leading edge flap system for aircraft control augmentation

Traditional roll control systems such as ailerons, elevons or spoilers are least effective at high angles of attack due to boundary layer separation over the wing. This invention uses independently deployed leading edge flaps on the upper surfaces of vortex stabilized wings to shift the center of lift outboard. A rolling moment is created that is used to control roll in flight at high angles of attack. The effectiveness of the rolling moment increases linearly with angle of attack. No adverse yaw effects are induced. In an alternate mode of operation, both leading edge flaps are deployed together at cruise speeds to create a very effective airbrake without appreciable modification in pitching moment. Little trim change is required.

Rao, D. M.↗

Program LRCDM2: Improved aerodynamic prediction program for supersonic canard-tail missiles with axisymmetric bodies

Program LRCDM2 was developed for supersonic missiles with axisymmetric bodies and up to two finned sections. Predicted are pressure distributions and loads acting on a complete configuration including effects of body separated flow vorticity and fin-edge vortices. The computer program is based on supersonic panelling and line singularity methods coupled with vortex tracking theory. Effects of afterbody shed vorticity on the afterbody and tail-fin pressure distributions can be optionally treated by companion program BDYSHD. Preliminary versions of combined shock expansion/linear theory and Newtonian/linear theory have been implemented as optional pressure calculation methods to extend the Mach number and angle-of-attack ranges of applicability into the nonlinear supersonic flow regime. Comparisons between program results and experimental data are given for a triform tail-finned configuration and for a canard controlled configuration with a long afterbody for Mach numbers up to 2.5. Initial tests of the nonlinear/linear theory approaches show good agreement for pressures acting on a rectangular wing and a delta wing with attached shocks for Mach numbers up to 4.6 and angles of attack up to 20 degrees.

Dillenius, Marnix F. E.↗

Summary of Rocket-Model Tests at Zero Lift of the Northrop MX-775B Missile Configuration from Mach Numbers of 0.9 to 1.8

Flight tests were conducted between Mach numbers of 0.9 and 1.8 over a Reynolds number range of 9(exp 6) to 30(exp 6) to determine the zero-lift drag and some rolling-effectiveness characteristics of the Northrop MX -775B missile with small and large body. The MX-775B is a proposed long range, supersonic, ground-to-ground missile having an arrow wing with 67.5 degree leading-edge sweep, 15 deg trailing-edge sweep, and a modified NACA 0004 airfoil section. The configuration has no horizontal tail but has wing trailing-edge elevons which serve a dual purpose as elevators and ailerons. The ratio of body frontal area to wing plan-form area is 0.0127 for the small-body configuration and 0.0330 for the large-body configuration. Five 1/4-scale models were flown permitting determination of the drag coefficient for the basic small-body configuration, the incremental drag due to the large body, the incremental drag resulting from a blunt wing trailing edge, the wing-plus-interference drag, and some rolling-effectiveness data. Results indicated that the MX-775B has low supersonic zero-lift drag, the maximum zero-lift drag coefficients being respectively 0.0125 and 0.0155 at a Mach number of M = 1803 for the small- and large-body configurations. The effect of a blunt wing trailing edge, obtained by cutting off 10 percent of the wing chord, was to increase the zero-lift drag by 13 to 21 percent. Wing-plus-interference drag accounted for 78 percent of the total drag at M = 0.9 and 70 percent at M = 195 for the small-body configuration. The ailerons produced positive rolling effectiveness for the wing stiffness of the test models and the dynamic pressures of the test.

Arbic, Richard G.↗

Propeller modulation effects on a scanning beam microwave landing system

An investigation to assess the modulation effects on microwave signals transmitted through rotating propeller blades. Interruption of the antenna line-of-sight signal by the rotating propeller causes a variation of path loss, which produces essentially an amplitude modulation of the received signal. This interruption or blockage effect is generally only partial because of edge diffraction around the particular interfering propeller blade. Signals reflected from the rotating propeller will also cause Doppler frequency shifts to be present in the received signals. A scanning beam microwave landing system (MLS) known as MODILS (modular instrument landing system) was used to process the received signals for display. The effects of propeller modulation were studied by varying the following parameters: (1) spacing between propeller and receiving antenna, (2) propeller dimensions, (3) propeller speed (rpm), (4) number of propeller blades, (5) system data rate, (6) receiver response time, and (7) receiver antenna aperture.

Pope, J. M.↗

Quasiparticle self-consistent $GW$ energy band calculations for $\mathrm{Ge_3N_4}$ phases

Quasiparticle self-consistent GW (G Green's function, W screened Coulomb interaction) band structure calculations are presented for the α, β, and γ phases of Ge 3 N 4 . The GW corrections to the gap are substantial and the gaps are found to be 3.85, 3.86, and 3.56 eV for α, β, γ respectively, at the experimental lattice constants. Only the β phase has a direct gap. The α and β phases, which are closely related to each other in crystal structure, are consequently also found to have rather similar band structures. Nonetheless, some significant differences are found near the valence band maximum, which are related to the different interlayer interactions in the c direction. In the cubic spinel phase, the conduction band minima of s and p character are found close to each other. Effective masses are calculated for the relevant valence and conduction band edges and for the cubic case analyzed in terms of the Kohn-Luttinger effective Hamiltonian. Finally, the optical response functions from direct interband transitions are calculated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Further Developments in Modeling Creep Effects Within Structural SiC/SiC Components

Anticipating the implementation of advanced SiC/SiC composites into turbine section components of future aero-propulsion engines, the primary objective of this on-going study is to develop physics-based analytical and finite-element modeling tools to predict the effects of constituent creep on SiC/SiC component service life. A second objective is to understand how to possibly manipulate constituent materials and processes in order to minimize these effects. Focusing on SiC/SiC components experiencing through-thickness stress gradients (e.g., airfoil leading edge), prior NASA creep modeling studies showed that detrimental residual stress effects can develop globally within the component walls which can increase the risk of matrix cracking. These studies assumed that the SiC/SiC composites behaved as isotropic viscoelastic continuum materials with creep behavior that was linear and symmetric with stress and that the creep parameters could be obtained from creep data as experimentally measured in-plane in the fiber direction of advanced thin-walled 2D SiC/SiC panels. The present study expands on those prior efforts by including constituent behavior with non-linear stress dependencies in order to predict such key creep-related SiC/SiC properties as time-dependent matrix stress, constituent creep and content effects on composite creep rates and rupture times, and stresses on fiber and matrix during and after creep.

Lang, Jerry↗

Fracture analysis of transverse crack-tip and free-edge delamination in laminated composites

A shear deformation model including hygrothermal effects is developed for the analysis of local delaminations originating from transverse cracks in 90-deg plies located in and around the laminate midplane. A sublaminate approach is used and the model is applied to (+/- 25/90n)s T300/934 graphite/epoxy laminates for n values between 0.5 and 8, along with previously developed edge-delamination shear-deformation models. Critical loads and delamination modes are identified and compared with experimental results. Hygrothermal effects are included in all the models to make the comparisons realistic.

Armanios, Erian A.↗

Performance of an Achromatic Focal Plane Mask for Exoplanet Imaging Coronagraphy

Coronagraph technology combined with wavefront control is close to achieving the contrast and inner working angle requirements in the lab necessary to observe the faint signal of an Earth-like exoplanet in monochromatic light. An important remaining technological challenge is to achieve high contrast in broadband light. Coronagraph bandwidth is largely limited by chromaticity of the focal plane mask, which is responsible for blocking the stellar PSF. The size of a stellar PSF scales linearly with wavelength; ideally, the size of the focal plane mask would also scale with wavelength. A conventional hard-edge focal plane mask has a fixed size, normally sized for the longest wavelength in the observational band to avoid starlight leakage. The conventional mask is oversized for shorter wavelengths and blocks useful discovery space. Recently we presented a solution to the size chromaticity challenge with a focal plane mask designed to scale its effective size with wavelength. In this paper, we analyze performance of the achromatic size-scaling focal plane mask within a Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) coronagraph. We present results from wavefront control around the achromatic focal plane mask, and demonstrate the size-scaling effect of the mask with wavelength. The edge of the dark zone, and therefore the inner working angle of the coronagraph, scale with wavelength. The achromatic mask enables operation in a wider band of wavelengths compared with a conventional hard-edge occulter.

Focal Plane Mask↗

Investigation of Vortex Flaps and Other Flow Control Devices on Generic High-Speed Civil Transport Planforms

A parametric cranked delta planform study has been conducted in the Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel with the following objectives: (1) to evaluate the vortex flap design methodology for cranked delta wings, (2) to determine the influence of leading-edge sweep and the outboard wing on vortex flap effectiveness, (3) to evaluate novel flow control concepts, and (4) to validate unstructured grid Euler computer code predictions with modeled vortex and trailing-edge flaps. Two families of cranked delta planforms were investigated. One family had constant aspect ratio, while the other had a constant nondimensional semispan location of the leading-edge break. The inboard leading-edge sweep of the planforms was varied between 68 deg., 71 deg., and 74 deg., while outboard leading-edge sweep was varied between 48 deg. and 61 deg. Vortex flaps for the different planforms were designed by an analytical vortex flap design method. The results indicate that the effectiveness of the vortex flaps was only slightly influenced by the variations in the parametric planforms. The unstructured grid Euler computer code was successfully used to model the configurations with vortex flaps. The vortex trap concept was successfully demonstrated.

Kjerstad, Kevin J.↗

Subsonic aerodynamic characteristics of interacting lifting surfaces with separated flow around sharp edges predicted by a vortex-lattice method

Because the potential flow suction along the leading and side edges of a planform can be used to determine both leading- and side-edge vortex lift, the present investigation was undertaken to apply the vortex-lattice method to computing side-edge suction force for isolated or interacting planforms. Although there is a small effect of bound vortex sweep on the computation of the side-edge suction force, the results obtained for a number of different isolated planforms produced acceptable agreement with results obtained from a method employing continuous induced-velocity distributions. By using the method outlined, better agreement between theory and experiment was noted for a wing in the presence of a canard than was previously obtained.

Lamar, J. E.↗

Force Tests of the Boeing XB-47 Full-Scale Empennage in the Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel

A wind-tunnel investigation of the Boeing XB-47 full-scale empennage was conducted to provide, prior to flight tests, data required on the effectiveness of the elevator and rudder. The XB-47 airplane is a jet-propelled medium bomber having wing and tail surfaces swept back 35 degrees. The investigation included tests of the effectiveness of the elevator with normal straight sides, with a buldged trailing edge, and with a modified hinge-line gap and tests of the effectiveness of the rudder with a normal straight-sided tab and with a bulged tab.

Hunton, Lynn W.↗

Recent advances in the solution of three-dimensional flow over wings with leading edge vortex separation

Recent advances in a panel method for the solution of three-dimensional flow about wing and wing-body combinations with leading-edge vortex separation are presented. These advances were achieved as part of an ultimately successful assault on two shortcomings of the method, namely convergence failures in seemingly random cases, and overprediction of lift coefficient for high aspect-ratio wings. Advances include the implementation of improved panel numerics for the purpose of eliminating the highly non-linear effects of ring vortices around doublet panel edges, and the development of a least squares procedure for damping vortex sheet geometry update instabilities. A variety of cases generated by the computer program implementing the method are presented. These cases are of two types. The first type consists of numerical studies, which verify the underlying mathematical assumptions of the method and moreover show that the results are strongly invariant with respect to such user dependent input as wing panel layout, initial sheet shape, sheet rollup, etc. The second type consists of cases run for the purpose of comparing computed results with experimental data, and these comparisons verify the underlying physical assumptions made by the method.

Johnson, F. T.↗

M-Edge Spectroscopy of Transition Metals: Principles, Advances, and Applications

M-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), which probes 3p→3d transitions in first-row transition metals, provides detailed insights into oxidation states, spin-states, and local electronic structure with high element and orbital specificity. Operating in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) region, this technique provides sharp multiplet-resolved features with high sensitivity to ligand field and covalency effects. Compared to K- and L-edge XAS, M-edge spectra exhibit significantly narrower full widths at half maximum (typically 0.3–0.5 eV versus >1 eV at the L-edge and >1.5–2 eV at the K-edge), owing to longer 3p core-hole lifetimes. M-edge measurements are also more surface-sensitive due to the lower photon energy range, making them particularly well-suited for probing thin films, interfaces, and surface-bound species. The advent of tabletop high-harmonic generation (HHG) sources has enabled femtosecond time-resolved M-edge measurements, allowing direct observation of ultrafast photoinduced processes such as charge transfer and spin crossover dynamics. This review presents an overview of the fundamental principles, experimental advances, and current theoretical approaches for interpreting M-edge spectra. We further discuss a range of applications in catalysis, materials science, and coordination chemistry, highlighting the technique’s growing impact and potential for future studies.

M-edge XANES↗

Flight and full-scale wind-tunnel comparison of pressure distributions from an F-18 aircraft at high angles of attack

Pressure distributions were obtained at nearly identical fuselage stations and wing chord butt lines in flight on the F-18 HARV at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and in the NASA Ames Research Center's 80 by 120 ft wind tunnel on a full-scale F/A-18 aircraft. The static pressures were measured at the identical five stations on the forebody, three stations on the left and right leading-edge extensions, and three spanwise stations on the wing. Comparisons of the flight and wind-tunnel pressure distributions were made at alpha = 30 deg, 45 deg, and 60 deg/59 deg. In general, very good agreement was found. Minor differences were noted at the forebody at alpha = 45 deg and 60 deg in the magnitude of the vortex footprints and a Mach number effect was noted at the leading-edge extension at alpha = 30 deg. The inboard leading edge flap data from the wind tunnel at alpha = 59 deg showed a suction peak that did not appear in the flight data. This was the result of a vortex from the corner of the leading edge flap whose path was altered by the lack of an engine simulation in the wind tunnel.

David F Fisher↗

Aeroelastic loads prediction for an arrow wing. Task 3: Evaluation of the Boeing three-dimensional leading-edge vortex code

Two separated flow computer programs and a semiempirical method for incorporating the experimentally measured separated flow effects into a linear aeroelastic analysis were evaluated. The three dimensional leading edge vortex (LEV) code is evaluated. This code is an improved panel method for three dimensional inviscid flow over a wing with leading edge vortex separation. The governing equations are the linear flow differential equation with nonlinear boundary conditions. The solution is iterative; the position as well as the strength of the vortex is determined. Cases for both full and partial span vortices were executed. The predicted pressures are good and adequately reflect changes in configuration.

Manro, M. E.↗

A quantitative study of unsteady compressible flow on an oscillating airfoil

Detailed interferometric measurements of the flow near the leading edge of an oscillating airfoil offer the first detailed experimental quantification of the locally compressible flow field that surrounds an oscillating airfoil at moderate subsonic Mach numbers. Interferograms obtained by a specially adapted real-time point-diffraction interferometry technique have revealed significant characteristics of this complex, and very rapidly varying, locally supersonic flow. Instantaneous pressure distributions determined from these interferograms document the effect of unsteadiness on the leading-edge flow environment.

Carr, L. W.↗

Proximity Effects and Topological Spin Currents in van der Waals Heterostructures (Final Report)

The major goal of this grant has been to study spin-polarized topological edge states. The original proposal was focused specifically on those of the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect, which was proposed to be realizable via a (simultaneous) magnetic and spin-orbit proximity effect in graphene. En route to realizing the QAH effect, the goal was also to study the newly-discovered 2D magnetic insulators, which have finally been isolated in the single-to-few atomic layers from compounds whose bulk properties have known since the 1970s, and the extent to which magnetic effects could be seen in graphene via proximity coupling. Since the original proposal, the scope of the work has expanded to include study of the topological edge states of the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect and how they are modified by proximity effects and in twisted bilayers. The broader scientific context of the experiments in this proposal is to understand the physical mechanisms behind proximity effects in van der Waals heterostructures. Perhaps the ultimate scientific and technological goal of realizing topological states through proximity effects is the creation of Majorana zero modes in solid-state devices, which has been identified as a major priority in condensed-matter physics and quantum information because of the potential use of Majorana zero modes in topological quantum computing. Van der Waals materials offer advantages in this area because of the diversity of materials that can potentially be used and the unique device architectures that are possible using the van der Waals assembly techniques.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗