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At least 1,405 records · Page 78
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Studies of aircraft wake chemistry and dispersion

Use of aerospace technology to study aircraft wakes is reviewed. It is shown how aerospace vehicles can be used to provide data for increased understanding of the atmosphere and of aircraft exhaust trails where knowledge is inadequate to evaluate fully the potential impact of the engine emissions. Models of aircraft near-field exhaust wakes are characterized by jet, vortex, and dispersion regimes. Wake growth in the jet regime is self-determined and rapid, whereas further spreading is inhibited in the vortex regime because of circulating vortex motion. Wake diffusion in the dispersion regime is initially influenced by aircraft induced turbulence but is dominated later by small-scale atmospheric turbulence. Computed fluid mechanical results show the importance of effects such as wake buoyancy, wind shear, turbulence, and traffic corridor exhaust buildup on dispersion of the wake. In the jet regime the exhaust characteristics and thermochemistry serve to illustrate initial chemical changes involving potential pollutant species.

Poppoff, I. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Fatigue crack propagation and cyclic deformation at a crack tip

The fatigue crack propagation relation da/dN = f(R) Delta K squared can be derived with three assumptions: small-scale yielding, material homogeneity, and that crack tip stresses and strains are not strongly affected by plate thickness. The function f(R) is a constant at a given stress ratio, R. The effects of plate thickness and stress ratio on crack tip deformation and fatigue crack growth in 2024-T351 aluminum alloy were studied. High Delta K level in a thin specimen causes crack tip necking. Necking is more pronounced at high stress ratio. Necking causes high maximum strain near a crack tip and fast crack growth rate.

Kang, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

High resolution interferometry of the sun at 3.7 cm wavelength

The results of interferometric solar observations at a wavelength of 3.7 cm with effective resolutions of 7 and 15 sec are discussed. Observations have shown that a small-scale quasi-periodic component was present in solar radio emission from the entire solar disk and that this component contained a circularly polarized fraction of less than 10%. The theory of gyroradiation and gyro-resonant absorption is applied in the interpretation of the S-component of solar radio emission.

Lang, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Aerodynamic and acoustic performance of ejectors for engine-under-the-wing concepts

Subsonic thrust augmentation, exhaust plume velocity contours and acoustic characteristics of a small-scale, 6-tube mixer nozzle with ejector were obtained with and without a wing. Thrust augmentation up to 30 percent was achieved. Aerodynamic results showed that at a given location, greater downstream velocities are obtained with an ejector than with the baseline nozzle. Ejectors reduce high frequency noise; however, low-frequency noise amplification also occurs. Acoustic reflections off the wing increase the noise level to a ground observer. With an ejector, the acoustic benefits of forward velocity may be significantly reduced compared with the baseline nozzle.

Von Glahn, U.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Numerical and experimental studies of the natural convection within a horizontal cylinder

Numerical solutions are obtained for the quasi-compressible Navier-Stokes equations governing the time-dependent natural convection within a horizontal cylinder. The early flow development and wall heat transfer are obtained after a uniformly cold wall is imposed as a boundary condition on the cylinder. Results are also obtained for a time-varying cold wall as a boundary condition with windward explicit differencing used for the numerical solutions. The viscous truncation error associated with this scheme is controlled so that first-order accuracy is maintained in time and space. Experiments within a small-scale instrumented horizontal cylinder revealed the time development of the temperature distribution across the boundary layer as well as the decay of wall heat transfer with time. Agreement between temperature distributions obtained experimentally and numerically was generally good. The time decay of the dimensionless ratio of the Nusselt number to the one-fourth power of the Grashof number is found both numerically and experimentally, and good agreement is obtained between these two results over most of the cylinder wall.

Stewart, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The micrometeoroid complex and evolution of the lunar regolith

The interaction of the micrometeoroid complex with the lunar surface is evidenced by numerous glass-lined microcraters on virtually every lunar surface exposed to space. Such craters range in size from less than .1 micron to approximately 2 sq cm diameter. Using small scale laboratory cratering experiments for calibration, the observed crater-sized frequency distributions may be converted into micrometeoroid mass distributions. These lunar mass distributions are in essential agreement with satellite data. Some physical properties of micrometeoroids may be deduced by comparing lunar crater geometries with those obtained in laboratory experiments. The proponderance of circular outlines of lunar microcraters necessitates equidimensional, if not spherical, micrometeoroids.

Hoerz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Fast response vanes for sensing flow patterns in helicopter rotor environment

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted on four small-scale flow-direction vanes for the determination of aerodynamic response. The tests were further extended to include a standard sized low-inertia vane currently employed in aircraft flight testing. The four test vanes had different aspect ratios and were about 35 percent of the surface area of the standard vane. The test results indicate satisfactory damping and frequency response for all vanes tested and compare favorably with the standard design.

Barna, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Theoretical studies on tone noise from a ducted fan rotor

The method of computing radiated noise from a ducted rotor due to inflow distortion and turbulence are examined. Analytical investigations include an appropriate description of sources, the cut-off conditions imposed on the modal propagation of the pressure waves in the annular duct, and reflections at the upstream end of the duct. Far field sound pressure levels at blade passing frequency due to acoustic radiation from a small scale low speed fan are computed. Theoretical predictions are in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements.

Rao, C. V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Forward velocity effects on under-the-wing externally blown flap noise

Noise tests were conducted with small-scale models of externally blown-flap powered-lift systems that were subjected to simulated takeoff and landing free-stream velocities by placing the nozzle-wing models in a free jet. The nozzle configurations consisted of a conical and an 8-tube mixer nozzle. The results show that the free-stream velocity attenuates the noise from the various configurations, with the amount of attenuation depending on the flap setting. More attenuation was obtained with a flap setting of 20 degrees than with a flap setting of 60 degrees. The dynamic effect on the total attenuation caused by aircraft motion is also discussed.

Goodykoontz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Arctic and subarctic environmental analyses utilizing ERTS-1 imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery provides a means of distinguishing and monitoring estuarine surface water circulation patterns and changes in the relative sediment load of discharging rivers on a regional basis. Physical boundaries mapped from ERTS-1 imagery in combination with ground truth obtained from existing small scale maps and other sources resulted in improved and more detailed maps of permafrost terrain and vegetation for the same area. Snowpack cover within a research watershed has been analyzed and compared to ground data. Large river icings along the proposed Alaska pipeline route from Prudhoe Bay to the Brooks Range have been monitored. Sea ice deformation and drift northeast of Point Barrow, Alaska have been measured during a four day period in March and shore-fast ice accumulation and ablation along the west coast of Alaska have been mapped for the spring and early summer seasons.

Anderson, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A feasibility study for measuring stratospheric turbulence using metrac positioning system

The feasibility of obtaining measurements of Lagrangian turbulence at stratospheric altitudes is demonstrated by using the METRAC System to track constant-level balloons. The basis for current estimates of diffusion coefficients are reviewed and it is pointed out that insufficient data is available upon which to base reliable estimates of vertical diffusion coefficients. It is concluded that diffusion coefficients could be directly obtained from Lagrangian turbulence measurements. The METRAC balloon tracking system is shown to possess the necessary precision in order to resolve the response of constant-level balloons to turbulence at stratospheric altitudes. A small sample of data recorded from a tropospheric tetroon flight tracked by the METRAC System is analyzed to obtain estimates of small-scale three-dimensional diffusion coefficients. It is recommended that this technique be employed to establish a climatology of diffusion coefficients and to ascertain the variation of these coefficients with altitude, season, and latitude.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A study of atmospheric effects on pattern recognition devices

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery can be applied in the broadscale assessment of forest resources as a supplement to aerial photography and field survey. There was no application to inventory of crop and pasture diseases mainly because of poor quality and low resolution, and unreliability of image acquisition. Inventory of soil erosion was satisfactory in humid eastern New South Wales, but not in semi-arid areas. Patterns of snow cover, areas of water in natural and artificial water bodies, extent of bushfires, and location of coastal mobile sand bodies were readily apparent. ERTS-1 imagery was judged to be a valuable addition to conventional techniques of regional small scale geological mapping. ERTS data was successfully used to map flooding and flood progression. The imagery was found suitable for mapping at 1:1,000,000 scale both on the mainland and in Antarctica, but did not meet accuracy specifications for 1:250,000 mapping.

Thomson, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Faults on Skylab imagery of the Salton Trough area, Southern California

The author has identified the following significant results. Large segments of the major high angle faults in the Salton Trough area are readily identifiable in Skylab images. Along active faults, distinctive topographic features such as scarps and offset drainage, and vegetation differences due to ground water blockage in alluvium are visible. Other fault-controlled features along inactive as well as active faults visible in Skylab photography include straight mountain fronts, linear valleys, and lithologic differences producing contrasting tone, color or texture. A northwestern extension of a fault in the San Andreas set, is postulated by the regional alignment of possible fault-controlled features. The suspected fault is covered by Holocene deposits, principally windblown sand. A northwest trending tonal change in cultivated fields across Mexicali Valley is visible on Skylab photos. Surface evidence for faulting was not observed; however, the linear may be caused by differences in soil conditions along an extension of a segment of the San Jacinto fault zone. No evidence of faulting could be found along linears which appear as possible extensions of the Substation and Victory Pass faults, demonstrating that the interpretation of linears as faults in small scale photography must be corroborated by field investigations.

Merifield, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Prediction of Externally Blown Flap Noise and Turbomachinery Strut Noise

Methods were developed for predicting externally blown flap (EBF) noise and turbomachinery strut noise. Noise radiated by under-the-wing and upper-surface-blowing EBF configurations is calculated as a sum of lift dipole noise, trailing edge noise, and jet quadrupole noise. Resulting predictions of amplitudes and spectra generally were in good agreement with data from small-scale models. These data cover a range of exhaust velocity, flap deflection, exhaust nozzle position, exhaust nozzle shape, and ratio of exhaust nozzle diameter to wing chord. A semi-empirical method for predicting dipole noise radiation from a strut with incident turbulence was in good agreement with data. Leading-edge regions made of perforated plate backed by a bulk acoustic absorber achieved up to 7 db reduction of strut noise caused by incident turbulence at high frequencies. Radial turbulence in a turbofan exit duct was found to have a relatively high level associated with the mean velocity defect in the rotor blade wakes. Use of these turbulence spectra and a dipole noise radiation equation gave general prediction of measured aft-radiated sound power caused by a splitter ring in a full-scale fan exit duct.

Fink, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Multidisciplinary geoscientific experiments in central Europe

The author has identified the following significant results. Studies were carried out in the fields of geology-pedology, coastal dynamics, geodesy-cartography, geography, and data processing. In geology-pedology, a comparison of ERTS image studies with extensive ground data led to a better understanding of the relationship between vegetation, soil, bedrock, and other geologic features. Findings in linear tectonics gave better insight in orogeny and ore deposit development for prospecting. Coastal studies proved the value of ERTS images for the updating of nautical charts, as well as small scale topographic maps. A plotter for large scale high speed image generation from CCT was developed.

Bannert, D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effect of small ionospheric irregularities on radio wave absorption

The ionospheric absorption of a radio wave caused by small-scale irregularities with a gaussian autocorrelation function is calculated for various values of the linear scale height, the radio frequency, the scale size of the irregularities, and the mean-square fractional electron density fluctuations. The absorption is due to scattering of the radio wave into plasma oscillations by the irregularities. It is concluded that the absorption due to such irregularities with a mean-square fractional electron density deviation greater than about 0.000001 exceeds the normal collisional height-integrated absorption. Absorption of this type could play a significant part in heating experiments or in an ionosphere containing naturally occurring irregularities.

Chen, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Forward velocity effects on under-the-wing externally blown flap noise

Noise tests were conducted with small-scale models of externally blown-flap powered-lift systems that were subjected to simulated takeoff and landing free-stream velocities by placing the nozzle-wing models in a free jet. The nozzle configurations consisted of a conical and an 8-tube mixer nozzle. The results showed that the free-stream velocity attenuated the noise from the various configurations with the amount of attenuation depending on the flap setting. More attenuation was obtained with a flap setting of 20 deg than with a flap setting of 60 deg. The dynamic effect on the total attenuation caused by aircraft motion is also discussed.

Goodykoontz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Thermal instability in supernova shells

Thermal instability in the radiative-cooling region behind a shock will cause upstream density fluctuations to collapse into thin sheets aligned parallel to the shock front. A linearized calculation demonstrates the development of this instability. Thermal conduction suppresses the development of small-scale perturbations. Estimates of the scale sizes for the fully developed condensations agree roughly with the scale sizes of fine structure observed in supernova shells such as the Cygnus Loop.

Mccray, R.↗