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At least 1,369 records · Page 76

Mean flow characteristics for the oblique impingement of an axisymmetric jet

The oblique impingement of an axisymmetric jet has been investigated. A summary of the data and the analytical interpretations of the dominant mechanisms which influence the flow are reported. The major characteristics of the shallow angle oblique jet impingement flow field are: (1) minimal dynamic spreading as revealed by the surface pressure field, (2) pronounced kinematic spreading as revealed by the jet flow velocity field, (3) a pronounced upstream shift of the stagnation point from the maximum pressure point, (4) the production of streamwise vorticity by the impingement process.

Foss, J. F.↗

Time delay occultation data of the Helios spacecrafts and preliminary analysis for probing the solar corona

S-band time delay measurements were collected from the spacecrafts Helios A and B during three solar occultations in 1975/76 within heliocentric distances of about 3 and 215 solar radii in terms of range, Doppler frequency shift, and electron content. A description is given concerning some characteristic features of the methods of measurement and data processing. Typical data sets are discussed to probe the electron density distribution near the sun (west and east limb as well) including the outer and extended corona. Steady-state and dynamical aspects of the solar corona are presented and compared with earth-bound K-coronagraph measurements. Using a weighted least squares estimation 3 parameters of an average coronal electron density profile are derived in a preliminary analysis to yield electron densities of about 130 billion; 100 million; 7 million/cu m at r?3; 65; 215 solar radii. Transient phenomena are discussed and a velocity of propagation v approximately 900 km/s for plasma ejecta from a solar flare is determined from an extraordinary set of Helios B electron content measurements on April 30/May 1, 1976.

Edenhofer, P.↗

A model for X-ray pulsar spectra

The transfer of X-rays through a hot, magnetized, scattering atmosphere is studied using a Monte Carlo technique. The process considered is Compton scattering, including cyclotron resonance scattering. Unlike previous work on the subject, the effects of frequency shifts, relativistic corrections, recoil, and polarization mode changes have been included. It is found that the emergent X-ray spectra harden toward the magnetic equator, are cut off at a frequency less than the fundamental cyclotron frequency, and depend on the magnetic field strength. The relevance of the results to observed pulsar spectra is indicated.

Pravdo, S. H.↗

Orbital atmospheric physics and dynamics

There are two ways of modeling the upper atmosphere. One is the empirical model that makes use of experimental data on means and excursions from the mean and fits the data in a self-consistent manner. The other approach is to deal directly with the physical processes. This is difficult since what is happening is extremely complex. Data measured using an interferometer to give Doppler shifts of airglow lines showed 300 to 800 m/sec winds with a complex structure in the upper region of the thermosphere at high latitudes. Ionospheric electric fields, strongly influenced by interaction with the solar wind, drive the ionized component and large neutral winds result due to momentum transfer between the charged particles and the neutrals. Frictional heating results from movement of ions through the neutrals, which also influences the compositional structure. These are examples of the complex interactions involved. The NCAR General Circulation Model (tropospheric) was adapted for use at thermospheric altitudes: the Thermospheric General Circulation Model (TGCM). The model makes use partly of primitive equations and partly of empirical data for some quantities such as electron density, magnetic field, and ion drift.

Roble, Raymond↗

Grid generation for the solution of partial differential equations

A general survey of grid generators is presented with a concern for understanding why grids are necessary, how they are applied, and how they are generated. After an examination of the need for meshes, the overall applications setting is established with a categorization of the various connectivity patterns. This is split between structured grids and unstructured meshes. Altogether, the categorization establishes the foundation upon which grid generation techniques are developed. The two primary categories are algebraic techniques and partial differential equation techniques. These are each split into basic parts, and accordingly are individually examined in some detail. In the process, the interrelations between the various parts are accented. From the established background in the primary techniques, consideration is shifted to the topic of interactive grid generation and then to adaptive meshes. The setting for adaptivity is established with a suitable means to monitor severe solution behavior. Adaptive grids are considered first and are followed by adaptive triangular meshes. Then the consideration shifts to the temporal coupling between grid generators and PDE-solvers. To conclude, a reflection upon the discussion, herein, is given.

Eiseman, Peter R.↗

Stress concentration around circular hole in a composite material specimen representative of the X-29A forward-swept wing aircraft

The theory of anisotropic elasticity was used to evaluate the anisotropic stress concentration factors of a composite laminated plate containing a small circular hole. This advanced composite material was used to manufacture the X-29A forward swept wing. Observe that the usual isotropic material stress concentration factor is three. However, for composite material, it was found that the anisotropic stress concentration factor is no longer constant, and that the locations of maximum tangential stress points could shift by changing the fiber orientation with respect to the loading axis. The analysis showed that through the lamination process, the stress concentration factor could be drastically reduced, and therefore the structural performance could be improved. Both the mixture rule approach and the constant strain approach were used to calculate the stress concentration factor. The results predicted by the mixture rule approach were about 20 percent deviate from the experimental data. However, the results predicted by the constant strain approach matched the testing data very well. This showed the importance of the inplane shear effect on the evaluation of stress concentration factor for the X-29A composite plate.

Yeh, Hsien-Yang↗

Temperature effect on stress concentration around circular hole in a composite material specimen representative of X-29A forward-swept wing aircraft

The theory of anisotropic elasticity was used to evaluate the anisotropic stress concentration factors of a composite laminated plate containing a small circular hole. This advanced composite was used to manufacture the X-29A forward-swept wing. It was found for composite material, that the anisotropic stress concentration is no longer a constant, and that the locations of maximum tangential stress points could shift by changing the fiber orientation with respect to the loading axis. The analysis showed that through the lamination process, the stress concentration factor could be reduced drastically, and therefore the structural performance could be improved. Both the mixture rule approach and the constant strain approach were used to calculate the stress concentration factor of room temperature. The results predicted by the mixture rule approach were about twenty percent deviate from the experimental data. However, the results predicted by the constant strain approach matched the testing data very well. This showed the importance of the inplane shear effect on the evaluation of the stress concentration factor for the X-29A composite plate.

Yeh, Hsien-Yang↗

Grid generation for the solution of partial differential equations

A general survey of grid generators is presented with a concern for understanding why grids are necessary, how they are applied, and how they are generated. After an examination of the need for meshes, the overall applications setting is established with a categorization of the various connectivity patterns. This is split between structured grids and unstructured meshes. Altogether, the categorization establishes the foundation upon which grid generation techniques are developed. The two primary categories are algebraic techniques and partial differential equation techniques. These are each split into basic parts, and accordingly are individually examined in some detail. In the process, the interrelations between the various parts are accented. From the established background in the primary techniques, consideration is shifted to the topic of interactive grid generation and then to adaptive meshes. The setting for adaptivity is established with a suitable means to monitor severe solution behavior. Adaptive grids are considered first and are followed by adaptive triangular meshes. Then the consideration shifts to the temporal coupling between grid generators and PDE-solvers. To conclude, a reflection upon the discussion, herein, is given.

Eiseman, Peter R.↗

Interpretation of Observations of Trans-Spectral Phenomena Acquired Using Hyperspectral Sensors Aboard a Remotely Operated Vehicle in Exuma Sound

Hyper-spectral (512-channel) optical data acquired during a relatively deep (102m) dive of our ROSEBUD Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in the clear waters of Exuma Sound, Bahamas provided the opportunity to investigate the trans-spectral shift of photonic energy (inelastic scattering) as a function of water depth. Results show a convolution of several spectral processes (e.g. absorption, scattering) involving water molecules, dissolved material and particulates as well as trans-spectral (inelastic) processes involving fluorescence by water molecules (Raman), dissolved material and chlorophyll. The spectral signatures of these convolved causes and effects allow deconvolution with a hyperspectral approach. Intrinsic to the convolution was the ability to position the vehicle at depths where Raman fluorescence dominated at red wavelengths. Results show that the calculated Raman absorption coefficients are generally consistent with historical values (i.e. 0.9 x 10(sup)-4 at 525 nm excitation) and that an angstrom exponent of 5 is more appropriate than the often cited value of 4.

Costello, D.↗

Supporting the Growing Needs of the GIS Industry

Visual Learning Systems, Inc. (VLS), of Missoula, Montana, has developed a commercial software application called Feature Analyst. Feature Analyst was conceived under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with NASA's Stennis Space Center, and through the Montana State University TechLink Center, an organization funded by NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense to link regional companies with Federal laboratories for joint research and technology transfer. The software provides a paradigm shift to automated feature extraction, as it utilizes spectral, spatial, temporal, and ancillary information to model the feature extraction process; presents the ability to remove clutter; incorporates advanced machine learning techniques to supply unparalleled levels of accuracy; and includes an exceedingly simple interface for feature extraction.

Source record↗

Genesis Noble Gas Measurements

The original thrust of our Genesis funding was to extend and refine the noble gas analytical capabilities of this laboratory to improve the precision and accuracy of noble gas measurements in order to optimize the scientific return from the Genesis Mission. This process involved both instrumental improvement (supplemented by a SRLIDAP instrument grant) and refinement of technique. The Genesis landing mishap shifted our emphasis to the irregular aluminum heat shield material from the flat collector wafers. This has required redesign of our laser extraction cells to accommodate the longer focal lengths required for laser extraction from non-flat surfaces. Extraction of noble gases from solid aluminum surfaces, rather than thin coatings on transparent substrates has required refinement of controlled-depth laser ablation techniques. Both of these bring new problems, both with potentially higher blanks form larger laser cells and the larger quantities of evaporated aluminum which can coat the sapphire entrance ports. This is mainly a problem for the heavy noble gases where larger extraction areas are required, necessitating the new aluminum vapor containment techniques described below. With the Genesis Mission came three new multiple multiplier noble gas mass spectrometers to this laboratory, one built solely by us (Supergnome-M), one built in collaboration with Nu-Instruments (Noblesse), and one built in collaboration with GVI (Helix). All of these have multiple multiplier detection sections with the Nu-Instruments using a pair of electrostatic quad lenses for isotope spacing and the other two using mechanically adjustable positions for the electron multipliers. The Supergnome-M and Noblesse are installed and running. The GVI instrument was delivered a year late (in March 2005) and is yet to be installed by GVI. As with all new instruments there were some initial development issues, some of which are still outstanding. The most serious of these are performance issues with the miniature channel electron multipliers. The delayed installation of Helix by the GVI is partly due to failure of the initial batch of Burle channel multipliers to perform as expected. A number of the channel multipliers designed for Noblesse by Burle have also failed upon baking. Burle has now refined the design of these and we have installed two of the new multipliers and are assessing their performance. The remaining multipliers Will be upgraded to the new design from Burle once we confirm that the problem has been fixed.

Hohenberg, Charles M.↗

Effects of thermal treatment on the Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films and fabrication of visible-blind and solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors

Highlights: • Single-phase wurtzite/cubic Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films were grown by RF magnetron sputtering technique. • We focus on the red-shift caused by annealing the Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films. • MSM-structured visible-blind and solar-blind UV photodetectors were fabricated. - Abstract: A series of single-phase Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films with different Mg contents were prepared on quartz substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technique using different MgZnO targets, and annealed under the atmospheric environment. The absorption edges of Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films can cover the whole near ultraviolet and even the whole solar-blind spectra range, and the solar-blind wurtzite/cubic Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O films have been realized successfully by the same method. In addition, the absorption edges of annealed films shift to a long wavelength, which is caused by the diffusion of Zn atoms gathering at the surface during the thermal treatment process. Finally, the truly solar-blind metal-semiconductor-metal structured photodetectors based on wurtzite Mg{sub 0.445}Zn{sub 0.555}O and cubic Mg{sub 0.728}Zn{sub 0.272}O films were fabricated. The corresponding peak responsivities are 17 mA/W at 275 nm and 0.53 mA/W at 250 nm under a 120 V bias, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Insights into Permafrost and Seasonal Active-Layer Dynamics from Ambient Seismic Noise Monitoring

Widespread permafrost thaw in response to changing climate conditions has the potential to dramatically impact ecosystems, infrastructure, and the global carbon budget. Ambient seismic noise techniques allow passive subsurface monitoring that could provide new insights into permafrost vulnerability and active–layer processes. Using nearly 2 years of continuous seismic data recorded near Fairbanks, Alaska, we measured relative velocity variations that showed a clear seasonal cycle reflecting active–layer freeze and thaw. Relative to January 2014, velocities increased up to 3% through late spring, decreased to –8% by late August, then gradually returned to the initial values by the following winter. Velocities responded rapidly (over ~2 to 7 days) to discrete hydrologic events and temperature forcing and indicated that spring snowmelt and infiltration events from summer rainfall were particularly influential in propagating thaw across the site. Velocity increases during the fall zero–curtain captured the re–freezing process and incremental ice formation. Looking across multiple frequency bands (3–30 Hz), negative relative velocities began at higher frequencies earlier in the summer then shifted lower when active–layer thaw deepened, suggesting a potential relationship between frequency and thaw depth; however, this response was dependent on interstation distance. Bayesian tomography returned 2–D time–lapse images identifying zones of greatest velocity reduction concentrated in the western side of the array, providing insight into the spatial variability of thaw progression, soil moisture, and drainage. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential of passive seismic monitoring as a new tool for studying site–scale active–layer and permafrost thaw processes at high temporal and spatial resolution.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Adaptive Sample Preparation and Target Fabrication for High-Throughput Materials Science

High-repetition-rate brilliant and coherent light sources are significantly increasing the rate at which scientific experiments can be performed. An investment in transformative technologies to make samples of condensed matter could enable a paradigm shift for that field or open new exciting frontiers in high-energy density science (HEDS). This will especially be true for dynamic materials in extremes research or HEDS, where the repetition rate for placing samples into extreme environments is increasing and the samples or targets are irreversibly destroyed in each experiment. Research teams that are able to implement solutions to all aspects of the experimental process and enable a paradigm of high-throughput science will have the greatest success and impact. There are two different directions for adaptive samples. One is research when the number of experiments can be greatly increased with increased volume, such as in high energy density science. The other is when flexibility and agility can aid Bayesian optimization computational methods and speed up the discovery process, as with materials science. Conducting a similar equation-of-state (EOS) experiment took three years on the OMEGA laser facility, compared to five days of shifts at the LCLS XFEL. New materials with improved properties have been found by guided optimization of experimental science. Adaptive sample preparation and target fabrication can create a tremendous return on scientific investment. High-throughput enabling precision science is also a desirable goal. To address these issues, we sought a diverse set of innovative participants who had ideas of how to achieve this paradigm shift. We invited 42 researchers from a variety of disciplines and fields to attend a workshop in College Station, Texas, May 14–16, 2019. Many of the participants had never been in the same room before, and most found it very exciting to hear about new and different research. The goal was twofold: to define the challenges, i.e., “what would we like to be able to do and why it is difficult to do so,” and to describe the progress, approaches and capabilities, as well as the vision, “what we could do if we had more support.”

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electronic Structures and Magnetic Properties of Transition Metal Doped CsPbI{sub 3} Perovskite Compounds by First-Principles Calculation

Transition metal doped cesium lead halide (CsPbI{sub 3}) perovskite compounds were studied for application in photovoltaic solar cells. Electronic structures, chemical shifts of {sup 207}Pb and {sup 127}I-NMR, vibration modes in infrared and Raman spectra of transition metals (Mn{sup 2+}, Fe{sup 2+} or Cu{sup 2+})-doped CsPbI{sub 3} perovskite compounds were studied by the first-principles calculation using density functional theory. The CsPb(Fe)I{sub 3} perovskite crystals had a slight perturbation of crystal field in the coordination structure. The electron density distribution was delocalized on the 5p orbital of I atom, the 3d orbital of Fe atom and the 6p orbital of Pb atom. The first excited process was based on ligand metal charge transfer from the 5p orbital on I atom to the 3d orbital of Fe atom. The chemical shifts of {sup 127}I-NMR were associated with the electron correlation of electron-nuclear spin interaction and nuclear quadrupole interactions based on electron field graduate. The asymmetric vibrations of Pb–I bonds stretching mode related to electron conductivity with scattering of the carrier diffusion as phonon effectiveness. The slight perturbation of the coordination structure in the CsPb(Fe)I{sub 3} perovskite crystal will improve the photovoltaic and optical properties.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Statistical Process Control and Capability Study on the Water Content Measurements in NASA Glenn's Icing Research Tunnel

The Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) at NASA Glenn Research Center follows the recommended practice for icing tunnel calibration outlined in SAE's ARP5905 document. The calibration team has followed the schedule of a full calibration every five years with a check calibration done every six months following. The liquid water content of the IRT has maintained stability within in the specifications presented to customers that the variation is within +/- 10% of the calibrated, target measurement. With recent measurements and instrumentation errors, a more thorough assessment of error source was desired. By constructing statistical process control charts, the ability to determine how the instrument varies in the short term, mid term, and long term was gained. The control charts offer a view of instrument error, facility error, or installation changes. It was discovered that there was a shift from target to mean baseline thus leading to the study of the overall capability indices of the liquid water content measuring instrument to perform within specifications defined in the IRT. This presentation describes data processing procedures for the Multi-Element Sensor in the IRT, including collision efficiency corrections, canonical correlation analysis, Chauvenet's Criterion for rejection of data, distribution check of data, and mean, median and mode for construction of control charts. Further data is presented to describe the repeatability of the IRT with the Multi-Element Sensor and the ability to maintain a stable process for the defined calibration schedule.

Timko, Emily N.↗

Multi-objective Bayesian alloy design using multi-task Gaussian processes

In design applications, correlations among material properties (such as the tendency for stronger materials to be less ductile) are often neglected. This approach is echoed in multi-objective optimization techniques which treat each performance characteristic as an independent objective, aiming to optimize scalar functions and find optimal Pareto fronts. However, this overlooks the statistical relationships between performance characteristics inherent in a material system. To address this, we propose the use of Bayesian optimization, a highly efficient black-box optimization algorithm known for constructing Gaussian processes (GPs) – uncorrelated surrogates - to model objective functions. Rather than evaluating multiple GPs for each objective function separately, we argue for a shift towards jointly modeling these objective functions, considering their statistical correlations. This integrated approach utilizes naturally occurring relationships among material properties, providing additional information to enhance the performance of the design framework. This requires the replacement of multiple independent GPs with a single multi-task GP, employing a correlation matrix to construct a multi-task kernel function, wherein each task corresponds to a single objective function. Here, we anticipate this refined methodology will better leverage material correlations, improving design optimization results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Observing Femtosecond Fragmentation Using Ultrafast X-ray-Induced Auger Spectra

Molecules often fragment after photoionization in the gas phase. Usually, this process can only be investigated spectroscopically as long as there exists electron correlation between the photofragments. Important parameters, like their kinetic energy after separation, cannot be investigated. We are reporting on a femtosecond time-resolved Auger electron spectroscopy study concerning the photofragmentation dynamics of thymine. We observe the appearance of clearly distinguishable signatures from thymine's neutral photofragment isocyanic acid. Furthermore, we observe a time-dependent shift of its spectrum, which we can attribute to the influence of the charged fragment on the Auger electron. This allows us to map our time-dependent dataset onto the fragmentation coordinate. The time dependence of the shift supports efficient transformation of the excess energy gained from photoionization into kinetic energy of the fragments. Our method is broadly applicable to the investigation of photofragmentation processes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗