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At least 1,405 records · Page 78

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NASA NTRS1985

On heat conduction in multicomponent, non-Maxwellian spherically symmetric solar wind plasmas

A generalized expression for the steady-state heat flux in multicomponent, moderately non-Maxwellian spherically symmetric plasmas is presented and discussed. The work was motivated by the inability of the simple, Fourier-type formula for the thermal conductivity to explain the observed correlations in the solar wind. The results hold for situations not far from local thermodynamic equilibrium. The generalized expression includes not only correlations that have been observed but also correlations not sought for previously.

Cuperman, S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Laplace-transform technique for deriving thermodynamic equations from the classical microcanonical ensemble

A direct and convenient method is presented for deriving expressions which equate any thermodynamic state function to averages of specific dynamical functions and their fluctuations over the classical microcanonical distribution. Specific expressions are obtained for a variety of thermodynamic quantities. The effect of various entropy definitions on the results are assessed, and the latter are compared to previous work in the literature. The derived formulas are applied to the analysis of molecular-dynamics computer simulations.

Pearson, E. M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

On the possibility of critical radius measurements in the homogeneous crystal nucleation of glass

The potential of determining the liquid-crystal surface tension during crystal nucleation in inorganic glasses without measuring the nucleation rate is examined analytically. Attention is focused on the feasibility of measuring the critical radius of the crystal nuclei as a function of temperature in order to obtain the surface tension values. Two approximate expressions are defined for the upper and lower bounds of the bulk free energy of crystallization per unit volume. The expressions, when used for a validated approximation for the critical radius, show that the critical radius is a function of the undercooling and the molar volume. The minimum undercooling necessary for detecting homogeneous crystal nucleation is then calculated, which yields an upper limit to the critical radius in the range 10-15 A. Since the size range is too small for detection, the critical radius is not a useful measure for crystal nucleation studies.

Weinberg, M. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Wide-range weight functions for the strip with a single edge crack

A closed form expression for the weight function for a strip with a single edge crack is presented. The expression is valid for relative crack lengths from zero to unity. It is based on the assumption that the shape of an opened edge crack can be approximated by a conic section. The results agree well with published values for weight functions, stress intensity factors, and crack mouth opening displacements.

Orange, T. W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The effect of material heterogeneity and random loading on the mechanics of fatigue crack growth

This paper reviews experimental work on the influence of variable amplitude or random loads on the mechanics and micromechanisms of fatigue crack growth. Implications are discussed in terms of the crack driving force, local plasticity, crack closure, crack blunting, and microstructure. Due to heterogeneity in the material's microstructure, the crack growth rate varies with crack tip position. Using the weakest link theory, an expression for crack growth rate is obtained as the expectation of a random variable. This expression is used to predict the crack growth rates for aluminum alloys, a titanium alloy, and a nickel steel in the mid-range region. It is observed, using the present theory, that the crack growth rate obeys the power law for small stress intensity factor range, and that the power is a function of a material constant.

Srivatsan, T. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Shear characterization of unidirectional composites with the off-axis tension test

The influence of end constraints on accurate determination of the intralaminar shear modulus G(12) from an off-axis tension test is examined both analytically and experimentally. The Pagano-Halpin (1968) model is employed to illustrate that, when the effect of end constraints is properly considered, the exact expression for G(12) is obtained. When the effect of end constraints is neglected, expressions for the apparent shear modulus G(12)-asterisk and apparent Young's modulus Exx-asterisk are obtained. Numerical comparison for various off-axis configurations and aspect ratios is carried out using typical material properties for graphite/polyimide unidirectional composites. It is demonstrated that the end-constraint effect influences accurate determination of G(12) more adversely than it affects the laminate Young's modulus E(xx) in the low off-axis range. Experimental results obtained from off-axis tests on unidirectional graphite/polyimide specimens confirm the above. Based on the presented analytical and experimental evidence, the 45-deg off-axis coupon is proposed for the determination of the intralaminar shear modulus G(12).

Pindera, M.-J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Adiabatic theory in regions of strong field gradients

The theory for the generalized first invariant for adiabatic motion of charged particles in regions where there are large gradients in magnetic or electric fields is developed. The general condition for an invariant to exist in such regions is that the potential well in which the particle oscillates change its shape slowly as the particle drifts. It is shown how the Kruskal (1962) procedure can be applied to obtain expressions for the invariant and for drift velocities that are asymptotic in a smallness parameter epsilon. The procedure is illustrated by obtaining the invariant and drift velocities for particles traversing a perpendicular shock, and the generalized invariant is compared with the magnetic moment, and the drift orbits with the actual orbits, for a particular case. In contrast to the magnetic moment, the generalized first invariant is better for large gyroradii (large kinetic energies) than for small gyroradii. Expressions for the invariant when an electrostatic potential jump is imposed across the perpendicular shock, and when the particle traverses a rotational shear layer with a small normal component of the magnetic field are given.

Whipple, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The effects of syntactic complexity on the human-computer interaction

Three divided-attention experiments were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a syntactic analysis of the primary task of editing flight route-way-point information. For all editing conditions, a formal syntactic expression was developed for the operator's interaction with the computer. In terms of the syntactic expression, four measures of syntactic were examined. Increased syntactic complexity did increase the time to train operators, but once the operators were trained, syntactic complexity did not influence the divided-attention performance. However, the number of memory retrievals required of the operator significantly accounted for the variation in the accuracy, workload, and task completion time found on the different editing tasks under attention-sharing conditions.

Chechile, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Bounding solutions of geometrically nonlinear viscoelastic problems

Integral transform techniques, such as the Laplace transform, provide simple and direct methods for solving viscoelastic problems formulated within a context of linear material response and using linear measures for deformation. Application of the transform operator reduces the governing linear integro-differential equations to a set of algebraic relations between the transforms of the unknown functions, the viscoelastic operators, and the initial and boundary conditions. Inversion either directly or through the use of the appropriate convolution theorem, provides the time domain response once the unknown functions have been expressed in terms of sums, products or ratios of known transforms. When exact inversion is not possible approximate techniques may provide accurate results. The overall problem becomes substantially more complex when nonlinear effects must be included. Situations where a linear material constitutive law can still be productively employed but where the magnitude of the resulting time dependent deformations warrants the use of a nonlinear kinematic analysis are considered. The governing equations will be nonlinear integro-differential equations for this class of problems. Thus traditional as well as approximate techniques, such as cited above, cannot be employed since the transform of a nonlinear function is not explicitly expressible.

Stubstad, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the flight dynamics of aeroelastic vehicles

The nonlinear equations of motion for an elasic airplane are developed from first principles. Lagrange's Equation and the Principle of Virtual Work are used to generate the equations of motion and strip theory is then employed to obtain closed form integral expressions for the generalized forces. The inertial coupling is minimized by appropriate choice of the body reference axes and by making use of free vibration modes of the body. In addition, particular attention is paid to the simplifying assumptions used during the development of the equations of motion. A unique aspect of this modeling process is that since the generalized aerodynamic forces are determined from closed form, analytic expressions, this method can be used to gain insight into the effects of parameter variations not easily obtained from numerical models. A numerical example is also presented in which the modeling method is applied to a representative elastic aircraft. The model is used to address the effects of aerodynamic coupling which occurs between the rigid body degrees of freedom and the elastic degrees of freedom. Finally, model simplification is addressed and two methods are evaluated. The resulting frequency responses are compared.

Schmidt, D. K.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Methods for computing comet core temperatures

The temperature profile within the comet nucleus provides the key to an understanding of the history of the volatiles within a comet. Certain difficulties arise in connection with current cometary temperature models. It is shown that the constraint of zero net heat flow can be used to derive general analytical expressions which will allow for the determination of comet core temperature for a spherically symmetric comet, taking into account information about the surface temperature and the thermal conductivity. The obtained results are compared with the expression for comet core temperatures considered by Klinger (1981). Attention is given to analytical results, an example case, and numerical models. The formalization developed makes it possible to determine the core temperature on the basis of the numerical models of the surface temperature.

Mckay, C. P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The development of an environmental disturbance model for large space structures after the onset of thermal shock

Expressions for the temperature response across a thin large space structure during and immediately following the onset of thermal shock are obtained as a function of the properties of the material and the solar incidence angle. The thermal gradients induced due to solar radiation heating result in thermal deformation. From the temperature gradient information, expressions are developed for the time history of the thermally induced deflections based on the thermoelastic relationships. The effect of the variation of the solar incidence angle and the variation of the emissivity of the surface is considered. From the deflection time history, a model of the disturbance moments is developed and evaluated for different solar incidence angles.

Hamsath, N.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Maximum lift/drag ratio of flat plates with bluntness and skin friction at hypersonic speeds

Newtonian theory is used to derive a simple expression for the maximum lift/drag ratio of flat plates with bluntness and skin friction at hypersonic speeds. The bluntness drag is assumed to be independent of angle of attack. Because the effect of skin friction is of second order over the angle of attack range for maximum lift/drag ratio, it was assumed constant. As an example, the expression is applied to the Space Shuttle.

Tauber, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Application of shuttle imaging radar to geologic mapping

Images from the Shuttle Imaging Radar - B (SIR-B) experiment covering the area of the Panamint Mountains, Death Valley, California, were examined in the field and in the laboratory to determine their usefulness as aids for geologic mapping. The covered area includes the region around Wildrose Canyon where rocks ranging in age from Precambrian to Cenozoic form a moderately rugged portion of the Panamint Mountains, including sharp ridges, broad alluviated upland valleys, and fault-bounded grabens. The results of the study indicate that the available SIR-B images of this area primarily illustrate variations in topography, except in the broadly alluviated areas of Panamint Valley and Death Valley where deposits of differing reflectivity can be recognized. Within the mountainous portion of the region, three textures can be discerned, each representing a different mode of topographic expression related to the erosion characteristics of the underlying bedrock. Regions of Precambrian bedrock have smooth slopes and sharp ridges with a low density of gullies. Tertiary monolithologic breccias have smooth, steep slopes with an intermediate density of gullies with rounded ridges. Tertiary fanglomerates have steep rugged slopes with numerous steep-sided gullies and knife-sharp ridges. The three topographic types reflect the consistancy and relative susceptibility to erosion of the bedrock; the three types can readily be recognized on topographic maps. At present, it has not been possible to distinguish on the SIR-B image of the mountainous terrain the type of bedrock, independent of the topographic expression.

Labotka, T. C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Propagation of sound waves in tubes of noncircular cross section

Plane-acoustic-wave propagation in small tubes with a cross section in the shape of a flattened oval is described. Theoretical descriptions of a plane wave propagating in a tube with circular cross section and between a pair of infinite parallel plates, including viscous and thermal damping, are expressed in similar form. For a wide range of useful duct sizes, the propagation constant (whose real and imaginary parts are the amplitude attenuation rate and the wave number, respectively) is very nearly the same function of frequency for both cases if the radius of the circular tube is the same as the distance between the parallel plates. This suggests that either a circular-cross-section model or a flat-plate model can be used to calculate wave propagation in flat-oval tubing, or any other shape tubing, if its size is expressed in terms of an equivalent radius, given by g = 2 x (cross-sectional area)/(length of perimeter). Measurements of the frequency response of two sections of flat-oval tubing agree with calculations based on this idea. Flat-plate formulas are derived, the use of transmission-line matrices for calculations of plane waves in compound systems of ducts is described, and examples of computer programs written to carry out the calculations are shown.

Richards, W. B.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Effects of the oceans on polar motion: Extended investigations

A method was found for expressing the tide current velocities in terms of the tide height (with all variables expanded in spherical harmonics). All time equations were then combined into a single, nondifferential matrix equation involving only the unknown tide height. The pole tide was constrained so that no tidewater flows across continental boundaries. The constraint was derived for the case of turbulent oceans; with the tide velocities expressed in terms of the tide height. The two matrix equations were combined. Simple matrix inversion then yielded the constrained solution. Programs to construct and invert the matrix equations were written. Preliminary results were obtained and are discussed.

Dickman, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Development of improved gravity field estimates using existing altimeter data

The formulation of a Fourier series and geographic representation expressions for orbit error were reported. Addition activities include the study of undulation errors in the Lagrangian formulation, and the development and testing of all the necessary software for the above expression. Additionally, the matrix formulations that led to the formation of observed equations and covariance propagation were developed.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1986

Computation of turbulent boundary layer flows with an algebraic stress turbulence model

An algebraic stress turbulence model is presented, characterized by the following: (1) the eddy viscosity expression is derived from the Reynolds stress turbulence model; (2) the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate equation is improved by including a production range time scale; and (3) the diffusion coefficients for turbulence equations are adjusted so that the kinetic energy profile extends further into the free stream region found in most experimental data. The turbulent flow equations were solved using a finite element method. Examples include: fully developed channel flow, fully developed pipe flow, flat plate boundary layer flow, plane jet exhausting into a moving stream, circular jet exhausting into a moving stream, and wall jet flow. Computational results compare favorably with experimental data for most of the examples considered. Significantly improved results were obtained for the plane jet flow, the circular jet flow, and the wall jet flow; whereas the remainder are comparable to those obtained by finite difference methods using the standard kappa-epsilon turbulence model. The latter seems to be promising with further improvement of the expression for the eddy viscosity coefficient.

Kim, Sang-Wook↗