Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “gravity model”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

GPS detection of ionospheric perturbations following the January 17, 1994, northridge earthquake

Sources such as atmospheric or buried explosions and shallow earthquakes producing strong vertical ground displacements produce pressure waves that propagate at infrasonic speeds in the atmosphere. At ionospheric altitudes low frequency acoustic waves are coupled to ionispheric gravity waves and induce variations in the ionoispheric electron density. Global Positioning System (GPS) data recorded in Southern California were used to compute ionospheric electron content time series for several days preceding and following the January 17, 1994, M(sub w) = 6.7 Northridge earthquake. An anomalous signal beginning several minutes after the earthquake with time delays that increase with distance from the epicenter was observed. The signal frequency and phase velocity are consistent with results from numerical models of atmospheric-ionospheric acoustic-gravity waves excited by seismic sources as well as previous electromagnetic sounding results. It is believed that these perturbations are caused by the ionospheric response to the strong ground displacement associated with the Northridge earthquake.

Calais, Eric↗
NASA NTRS1992

Diskoseismology - Signatures of black hole accretion disks

General relativity requires the existence of a spectrum of oscillations which are trapped near the inner edge of accretion disks around black holes. We have developed a general formalism for analyzing the normal modes of such acoustic perturbations of arbitrary thin disk models, approximating the dominant relativistic effects via a modified Newtonian potential (these modes do not exist in Newtonian gravity). The eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies of a variety of disk models are found to fall in to two main classes, which are analogous to the p-modes and g-modes in the sun. In this work, we compute the eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies of isothermal disks. The (relatively small) rates of growth or damping of these oscillations due to gravitational radiation and parameterized models of viscosity are also computed.

Nowak, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2001

Numerical Study of Buoyancy and Different Diffusion Effects on the Structure and Dynamics of Triple Flames

Numerical simulations of 2-D triple flames under gravity force have been implemented to identify the effects of gravity on triple flame structure and propagation properties and to understand the mechanisms of instabilities resulting from both heat release and buoyancy effects. A wide range of gravity conditions, heat release, and mixing widths for a scalar mixing layer are computed for downward-propagating (in the same direction with the gravity vector) and upward-propagating (in the opposite direction of the gravity vector) triple flames. Results of numerical simulations show that gravity strongly affects the triple flame speed through its contribution to the overall flow field. A simple analytical model for the triple flame speed, which accounts for both buoyancy and heat release, is developed. Comparisons of the proposed model with the numerical results for a wide range of gravity, heat release and mixing width conditions, yield very good agreement. The analysis shows that under neutral diffusion, downward propagation reduces the triple flame speed, while upward propagation enhances it. For the former condition, a critical Froude number may be evaluated, which corresponds to a vanishing triple flame speed. Downward-propagating triple flames at relatively strong gravity effects have exhibited instabilities. These instabilities are generated without any artificial forcing of the flow. Instead disturbances are initiated by minute round-off errors in the numerical simulations, and subsequently amplified by instabilities. A linear stability analysis on mean profiles of stable triple flame configurations have been performed to identify the most amplified frequency in spatially developed flows. The eigenfunction equations obtained from the linearized disturbance equations are solved using the shooting method. The linear stability analysis yields reasonably good agreements with the observed frequencies of the unstable triple flames. The frequencies and amplitudes of disturbances increase with the magnitude of the gravity vector. Moreover, disturbances appear to be most amplified just downstream of the premixed branches. The effects of mixing width and differential diffusion are investigated and their roles on the flame stability are studied.

Chen, Jyh-Yuan↗
NASA NTRS1999

Flame Spread and Extinction in Partial-Gravity Environments

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of spreading flames under certain conditions, nearly all under the influence of normal Earth gravity. Recently, several investigators have studied some aspects of flame spread in purely forced flows in microgravity. However, very few have considered (especially experimentally) purely-buoyant flow influences, using gravity as a variable. In addition to the scientific interest in understanding how variable gravity affects flame spread in purely-buoyant flow, prospective human exploration of the Moon and Mars provides an incentive to obtain practical knowledge for use in fire-safety related engineering and mission operations in those partial-gravity environments. The purpose of this research effort is to conduct a focused experimental effort to observe the behavior of flames spreading both upward (concurrent flow) and downward (opposed flow) over thin fuels in partial-gravity environments, and to extend an existing numerical model of flame spread to predict flammability and flame spread behavior in these two regimes. A significant aspect of the experimental effort is to use a special device to improve the simulated partial-gravity environment achievable aboard reduced-gravity aircraft facilities.

K R Sacksteder↗
NASA NTRS2005

Satellite Gravity Drilling the Earth

Analysis of satellite-measured gravity and topography can provide crust-to-core mass variation models for new insi@t on the geologic evolution of the Earth. The internal structure of the Earth is mostly constrained by seismic observations and geochemical considerations. We suggest that these constraints may be augmented by gravity drilling that interprets satellite altitude free-air gravity observations for boundary undulations of the internal density layers related to mass flow. The approach involves separating the free-air anomalies into terrain-correlated and -decorrelated components based on the correlation spectrum between the anomalies and the gravity effects of the terrain. The terrain-decorrelated gravity anomalies are largely devoid of the long wavelength interfering effects of the terrain gravity and thus provide enhanced constraints for modeling mass variations of the mantle and core. For the Earth, subcrustal interpretations of the terrain-decorrelated anomalies are constrained by radially stratified densities inferred from seismic observations. These anomalies, with frequencies that clearly decrease as the density contrasts deepen, facilitate mapping mass flow patterns related to the thermodynamic state and evolution of the Earth's interior.

vonFrese, R. R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Venus Gravity: Global Field Results

The Pioneer Venus Orbiter has provided a vast amount of gravity data, since March 1979. High resolution results have revealed the high correlation between topography and gravity. These data were acquired at relatively low spacecraft altitudes (150 km) where atmospheric effects and high frequency variations were significant and modelling with global spherical harmonics was difficult. During 1982 data were acquired over a complete Venus rotation where the lowest altitudes were 1000 km or more, thus removing atmospherics and high frequency gravity effects. These data that have been reduced to produce a tenth degree and order spherical harmonic model of the global gravity field of Venus. The reduction technique used a least squares where 78 independent arcs of data were combined in a simultaneous inversion. The tenth degree and order gravity field solution has 117 parameters describing the spherical harmonic coefficients. This provides approximately 1800 km feature resolution. These coefficients are presented as a geoid map.

Mottinger, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Sources of Sodium in the Lunar Exosphere: Modeling Using Ground-Based Observations of Sodium Emission and Spacecraft Data of the Plasma

Observations of the equatorial lunar sodium emission are examined to quantify the effect of precipitating ions on source rates for the Moon's exospheric volatile species. Using a model of exospheric sodium transport under lunar gravity forces, the measured emission intensity is normalized to a constant lunar phase angle to minimize the effect of different viewing geometries. Daily averages of the solar Lyman alpha flux and ion flux are used as the input variables for photon-stimulated desorption (PSD) and ion sputtering, respectively, while impact vaporization due to the micrometeoritic influx is assumed constant. Additionally, a proxy term proportional to both the Lyman alpha and to the ion flux is introduced to assess the importance of ion-enhanced diffusion and/or chemical sputtering. The combination of particle transport and constrained regression models demonstrates that, assuming sputtering yields that are typical of protons incident on lunar soils, the primary effect of ion impact on the surface of the Moon is not direct sputtering but rather an enhancement of the PSD efficiency. It is inferred that the ion-induced effects must double the PSD efficiency for flux typical of the solar wind at 1 AU. The enhancement in relative efficiency of PSD due to the bombardment of the lunar surface by the plasma sheet ions during passages through the Earth's magnetotail is shown to be approximately two times higher than when it is due to solar wind ions. This leads to the conclusion that the priming of the surface is more efficiently carried out by the energetic plasma sheet ions.

Sarantos, Menelaos↗
NASA NTRS1987

Investigation of lunar crustal structure and isostasy

The lunar mascon basins have strongly free air gravity anomalies, generally exceeding 100 milligals at an elevation of 100 km. The source of the anomalies is a combination of mantle uplift beneath the impact basins and subsequent infilling by high-density mare basalts. The relative contribution of these two components is still somewhat uncertain, although it is generally accepted that the amount of mantle uplift greatly exceeds the thickness of the basalts. Extensive studies have been carried out of the crustal structure of mare basins, based on gravity data, and their tectonic evolution, based on compressive and extensional tectonic features. The present study endeavored to develop a unified, self-consistent model of the lunar crust and lithosphere incorporating both gravity and tectonic constraints.

Thurber, Clifford H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Long period nodal motion of sun synchronous orbits

An approximative model is formulated for assessing these perturbations that significantly affect long term modal motion of sun synchronous orbits. Computer simulations with several independent computer programs consider zonal and tesseral gravitational harmonics, third body gravitational disturbances induced by the sun and the moon, and atmospheric drag. A pendulum model consisting of evenzonal harmonics through order 4 and solar gravity dominated nodal motion approximation. This pendulum motion results from solar gravity inducing an inclination oscillation which couples into the nodal precession induced by the earth's oblateness. The pendulum model correlated well with simulations observed flight data.

Duck, K. I.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Detached Bridgman Growth of Germanium and Germanium-Silicon Alloy Crystals

Earth based experiments on the science of detached crystal growth are being conducted on germanium and germanium-silicon alloys (2at% Si average composition) in preparation for a series of experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to differentiate among proposed mechanisms contributing to detachment. Sessile drop measurements were first carried out for a large number of substrates made of potential ampoule materials to determine the contact angles and the surface tension as a function of temperature and composition. The process atmosphere and duration of the experiment (for some cases) were also found to have significant influence on the wetting angle. Growth experiments have used pyrolytic boron nitride (pBN) and fused silica ampoules with the majority of the detached results occurring predictably in the pBN. The contact angles were 173 deg (Ge) and 165 deg (GeSi) for pBN. For fused silica, the contact angle decreases to an equilibrium value with duration of measurement ranging from 150 to 117 deg (Ge), 129 to 100 deg (GeSi). Forming gas (Ar + 2% H2) and vacuum have been used in the growth ampoules. With gas in the ampoule, a variation of the temperature profile during growth has been used to control the pressure difference between the top of the melt and the volume below the melt caused by detachment of the growing crystal. The stability of detachment has been modeled and substantial insight has been gained into the reasons that detachment has most often been observed in reduced gravity but nonetheless has occurred randomly even there. An empirical model for the conditions necessary to achieve sufficient stability to maintain detached growth for extended periods has been developed and will be presented. Methods for determining the nature and extent of detachment include profilometry and optical and electron microscopy. This surface study is the subject of another presentation at this Congress. Results in this presentation will show that we have established the effects of different ampoule materials, temperature profiles, pressure differences, and silicon concentrations and that samples that are nearly completely detached can be grown repeatedly.

Szofran, F. R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Models and molecular approaches to assessing the effects of the microgravity environment on vertebrate development

The extent to which gravity, and especially the lack thereof, can affect normal development in higher organisms is poorly understood. Underlying this question is the assumption that normal development depends on the embryo's ability to maintain a programmed temporal and spatial coordination of morphogenetic events. There are several reports documenting the apparently normal development of several vertebrate species, including mammals, under conditions of exposure to space flight during various periods of the development process. Evidence to the contrary also exists and it is therefore likely that some alterations in morphology do occur in a microgravity environment. Although subsequent development may appear overtly normal, more subtle abnormalities result. In all studies, the evaluation is restricted by the few numbers of specimens that can be examined and the relatively insensitive techniques for assessing potentially subtle effects. In the present discussion, we summarize some observations of mammalian development made in microgravity and consider which stages might be expected to be differentially sensitive to altered gravity conditions. While we emphasize mammalian development, we discuss the suitability of another model system for examining such effects in a cross-species context. Furthermore, we consider recent developments in our understanding of the molecular genetic program regulating embryogenesis that could serve as markers for assessing perturbations of development.

Cosmos 1129 Project↗
NASA NTRS1992

Gravity effects on cellulose assembly

The effect of microgravity on cellulose synthesis using the model system of Acetobacter xylinum was the subject of recent investigations using The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Reduced Gravity Laboratory, a modified KC-135 aircraft designed to produce 20 sec of microgravity during the top of a parabolic dive. Approximately 40 parabolas were executed per mission, and a period of 2 x g was integral to the pullout phase of each parabola. Cellulose biosynthesis was initiated on agar surfaces, liquid growth medium, and buffered glucose during parabolic flight and terminated with 2.0% sodium azide or 50.0% ethanol. While careful ground and in-flight controls indicated normal, compact ribbons of microbial cellulose, data from five different flights consistently showed that during progression into the parabola regime, the cellulose ribbons became splayed. This observation suggests that some element of the parabola (the 20 sec microgravity phase, the 20 sec 2 x g phase, or a combination of both) was responsible for this effect. Presumably the cellulose I alpha crystalline polymorph normally is produced under strain, and the microgravity/hypergravity combination may relieve this stress to produce splayed ribbons. An in-flight video microscopy analysis of bacterial motions during a parabolic series demonstrated that the bacteria continue to synthesize cellulose during all phases of the parabolic series. Thus, the splaying may be a reflection of a more subtle alteration such as reduction of intermicrofibrillar hydrogen bonding. Long-term microgravity exposures during spaceflight will be necessary to fully understand the cellulose alterations from the short-term microgravity experiments.

manned↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Impacts of Dry Dynamic Cores on Asymmetric Hurricane Intensification

The fundamental pathways for tropical cyclone (TC) intensification are explored by considering axisymmetric and asymmetric impulsive thermal perturbations to balanced, TC-like vortices using the dynamic cores of three different nonlinear numerical models. Attempts at reproducing the results of previous work, which used the community WRF Model, revealed a discrepancy with the impacts of purely asymmetric thermal forcing. The current study finds that thermal asymmetries can have an important, largely positive role on the vortex intensification, whereas other studies find that asymmetric impacts are negligible. Analysis of the spectral energetics of each numerical model indicates that the vortex response to asymmetric thermal perturbations is significantly damped in WRF relative to the other models. Spectral kinetic energy budgets show that this anomalous damping is primarily due to the increased removal of kinetic energy from the vertical divergence of the vertical pressure flux, which is related to the flux of inertia-gravity wave energy. The increased kinetic energy in the other two models is shown to originate around the scales of the heating and propagate upscale with time from nonlinear effects. For very large thermal amplitudes (50 K), the anomalous removal of kinetic energy due to inertia-gravity wave activity is much smaller, resulting in good agreement between models. The results of this paper indicate that the numerical treatment of small-scale processes that project strongly onto inertia-gravity wave energy can lead to significant differences in asymmetric TC intensification. Sensitivity tests with different time integration schemes suggest that diffusion entering into the implicit solution procedure is partly responsible for the anomalous damping of energy.

Guimond, Stephen R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinematic principles of primate rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex. II. Gravity-dependent modulation of primary eye position

The kinematic constraints of three-dimensional eye positions were investigated in rhesus monkeys during passive head and body rotations relative to gravity. We studied fast and slow phase components of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) elicited by constant-velocity yaw rotations and sinusoidal oscillations about an earth-horizontal axis. We found that the spatial orientation of both fast and slow phase eye positions could be described locally by a planar surface with torsional variation of <2.0 +/- 0.4 degrees (displacement planes) that systematically rotated and/or shifted relative to Listing's plane. In supine/prone positions, displacement planes pitched forward/backward; in left/right ear-down positions, displacement planes were parallel shifted along the positive/negative torsional axis. Dynamically changing primary eye positions were computed from displacement planes. Torsional and vertical components of primary eye position modulated as a sinusoidal function of head orientation in space. The torsional component was maximal in ear-down positions and approximately zero in supine/prone orientations. The opposite was observed for the vertical component. Modulation of the horizontal component of primary eye position exhibited a more complex dependence. In contrast to the torsional component, which was relatively independent of rotational speed, modulation of the vertical and horizontal components of primary position depended strongly on the speed of head rotation (i.e., on the frequency of oscillation of the gravity vector component): the faster the head rotated relative to gravity, the larger was the modulation. Corresponding results were obtained when a model based on a sinusoidal dependence of instantaneous displacement planes (and primary eye position) on head orientation relative to gravity was fitted to VOR fast phase positions. When VOR fast phase positions were expressed relative to primary eye position estimated from the model fits, they were confined approximately to a single plane with a small torsional standard deviation ( approximately 1.4-2.6 degrees). This reduced torsional variation was in contrast to the large torsional spread (well >10-15 degrees ) of fast phase positions when expressed relative to Listing's plane. We conclude that primary eye position depends dynamically on head orientation relative to space rather than being fixed to the head. It defines a gravity-dependent coordinate system relative to which the torsional variability of eye positions is minimized even when the head is moved passively and vestibulo-ocular reflexes are evoked. In this general sense, Listing's law is preserved with respect to an otolith-controlled reference system that is defined dynamically by gravity.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
NASA NTRS1991

Lithospheric extension near Lake Mead, Nevada - A model for ductile flow in the lower crust

Small variations in gravity anomalies and topographic elevation observed in areas that have undergone highly variable amounts of upper crustal thinning can be satisfactorily explained by ductile flow of lower crustal material under the proper conditions. The boundary between the unextended Colorado Plateau and a strongly extended domain in the Basin and Range Province in the Lake Mead (Nevada) region is examined. Finite element modeling of Newtonian flow and power law creep shows that flow over the length scale of the eastern Basin and Range (500) km or more) corresponding to upper crustal extension by a factor of 1.4-3 over 10 million years requires effective viscosities less than 10 to the 18th - 10 to the 20th Pa s for ductile channels 10-25 km thick. Modeling suggests that these effective viscosities may be sustained by lower crustal material deforming at laboratory-derived power law creep rates. The longer-scale flow may require elevated crustal temperatures (more than 700 C), depending on the composition and material properties assumed. Under the boundary conditions assumed in this study the linear viscous flow models yield a satisfactory approximation to deformation by power law creep. This work suggests that flow in the lower crust may be a viable mechanism for producing small variations in total crustal thickness between strongly extended and less extended regions, and thereby explaining the relative uniformity in gravity and topography between such regions.

Kruse, Sarah↗
NASA NTRS1987

Numerical modelling of cryogenic propellant behavior in low-G

A partial survey is presented of recent research, sponsored by the NASA Lewis Research Center, into the computational modelling of cryogenic propellant behavior in a low gravity environment. This presentation is intended to provide insight into some of the specific problems being studied and into how these studies are part of an integrated plan to develop predictive capabilities. A brief description of the computational models developed to analyze jet induced mixing in cryogenic propellant tankage is presented along with representative results. Similar information is presented for a recent examination of on-orbit self-pressurization. A study of propellant reorientation has recently been initiated and preliminary results are included. The presentation concludes with a list of ongoing efforts and projected goals.

Hochstein, John I.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Regional Deformation Studies with GRACE and GPS

GRACE data indicate large seasonal variations in gravity that have been shown to be to be related to climate-driven fluxes of surface water. Seasonal redistribution of surface mass deforms the Earth, and our previous study using GRACE data demonstrate that annual radial deformations of +/-13 mm in the region of Amazon River Basin were observed by both GRACE and ten GPS sites in the region. For the GRACE determinations, we estimate in a least-squares solution for each Stokes coefficient parameters that represent the amplitudes of the annual variation. We then filter these parameters based on a statistical test that uses the scatter of the postfit residuals. We demonstrate by comparison to the GPS amplitudes that this method is more accurate, for this region, than Gaussian smoothing. Our model for the temporal behavior of the gravity coefficients includes a rate term, and although the time series are noisy, the glacial isostatic adjustment signal over Hudson s Bay can be observed. .

Davis, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Testing Special Relativity at High Energies with Astrophysical Sources

Since the group of Lorentz boosts is unbounded, there is a question as to whether Lorentz invariance (LI) holds to infinitely short distances. However, special and general relativity may break down at the Planck scale. Various quantum gravity scenarios such as loop quantum gravity, as well as some forms of string theory and extra dimension models may imply Lorentz violation (LV) at ultrahigh energies. The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), to be launched in mid-December, will measure the spectra of distant extragalactic sources of high energy gamma-rays, particularly active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. GLAST can look for energy-dependent gamma-ray propagation effects from such sources as a signal of Lorentz invariance violation. These sources may also exhibit the high energy cutoffs predicted to be the result of intergalactic annihilation interactions with low energy photons having a flux level as determined by various astronomical observations. With LV the threshold for such interactions can be significantly raised, changing the predicted absorption turnover in the observed spectrum of the sources. Stecker and Glashow have shown that the existence such absorption features in the spectra of extragalactic sources puts constraints on LV. Such constraints have important implications for some quantum gravity and large extra dimension models. Future spaceborne detectors dedicated to measuring gamma-ray polarization can look for birefringence effects as a possible signal of loop quantum gravity. A very small LV may also result in the modification or elimination of the GZK effect, thus modifying the spectrum of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. This possibility can be explored with ground-based arrays such as Auger or with a space based detector system such as the proposed OWL satellite mission.

Stecker, F. W.↗