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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.

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At least 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Three-dimensional compressible convection at low Prandtl numbers

Numerical simulations are used to study fully compressible thermal convection at large Rayleigh numbers. Results are presented from a sequence of three-dimensional simulations that reveal a transition from gradually-evolving laminar convection to nearly turbulent convection as the Prandtl number is reduced from a value of unity to one-tenth. The convective flows form irregular cellular patterns near the upper surface, possesing a network of fast downflow at cell peripheries and gentler upflow at cell centers. At greater depths the curving sheets of downflow collapse into plumes which may twist and possess substantial vertical vorticity. For the lowest Prandtl number, the convection near the bottom of the layer appears to be turbulent, yet the rapidly varying small-scale flow structure there is accompanied by more ordered sites of wavering upflow, with the latter able to penetrate all the way to the upper boundary. Thus a significant component of the flow is able to extend over multiple density scale heights, in contrast to what is argued in formulating mixing-length models for stellar convection. Results are also shown from two-dimensional simulations carried out with very high spatial resolution, which reveal that supersonic convection with fluttering shock systems can be realized.

Toomre, Juri↗
NASA NTRS1991

Wanted: Lunar detectives to unravel the mysteries of the Moon! Crime to be solved: Mass extinctions on the Moon by meteorite impact!

The criteria and clues for identifying meteorite contamination are outlined to aid in the quest for more knowledge regarding the evolution of the Moon and the early Earth. The Warren and Wasson seven criteria for establishing the pristine nature of highland rocks are presented. Other topics covered include iron/nickel metals, monomict nature, and lunar glasses. The major conclusion is that pristinity should not be the primary consideration in the study of lunar rocks. The most important criterion to establish is whether or not the lunar sample contains more than one lunar rock type. Even if a sample is non-pristine, as long as only one lunar rock type is present, petrogenetic interpretation can still be carried out.

Neal, Clive R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Design, fabrication, and tests of a metallic shell tile thermal protection system for space transportation

A thermal protection tile for earth-to-orbit transports is described. The tiles consist of a rigid external shell filled with a flexible insulation. The tiles tend to be thicker than the current Shuttle rigidized silica tiles for the same entry heat load but are projected to be more durable and lighter. The tiles were thermally tested for several simulated entry trajectories.

Macconochie, Ian O.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Accessibility of near-Earth asteroids, 1990

Previous research which analyzed the accessibility of all known near-Earth asteroids is updated. Since then, many new near-Earth asteroids have been discovered, and 1928 DB, the most accessible asteroid at that time, has been recovered. Many of these recently discovered near-Earth asteroids have promising orbital characteristics. In addition to accessibility (as defined by minimum global delta v), ideal rendezvous opportunities are identified.

Hulkower, Neal D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Science network resources: Distributed systems

The Master Directory, which is overview information about whole data sets, is outlined. The data system environment is depicted. The question is explored of what is a prototype international directory including purpose and features. Advantages of on-line directories are listed. Interconnected directory assumptions are given. A description of given of DIF (Directory Interchange Format), which is an exchange file for directory information, along with information content of DIF and directories. The directory population status is given in a percentage viewgraph. The present and future directory interconnections status at GSFC is also listed.

Cline, Neal↗
NASA NTRS1990

Satellite Servicer System flight demonstration program

The major hardware elements, demonstration objectives, and technical approaches, as well as existing and developing technologies for applicability to the Satellite Servicer System (SSSFD) program are presented. In a project to develop the capability of servicing satellites in remote locations, NASA and SDI have planned a series of flights to demonstrate autonomous rendezvous and docking, supervised autonomous fluid transfer, and supervised autonomous orbital replacement unit exchange. Program objectives, design reference mission, and flight demonstrations are described. The expanded capability demonstrated by the SSSFD program will provide alternatives to excessive dependence on ground operations personnel and training, increase the reach into unique space environments, and decrease the costs of managing and operating space assets.

Moore, James S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Navier-Stokes computations about complex configurations including a complete F-16 aircraft

Transonic Navier-Stokes (TNS) code solutions gathered from the literature for three-dimensional geometries, including two different wings and a complete F-16A aircraft, are presently discussed. The TNS codes use a zonal grid approach whose number of zones vary from four to 54. The Euler equations are solved in zones away from no-slip surfaces, and the thin-layer TNS equations are solved in all zones immediately adjacent to no-slip surfaces. In the case of 'corner' zones possessing no-slip boundary conditions on two different surfaces, a thin-layer formulation along both directions is employed. Employing these features, a zonal construction with the requisite set of boundary conditions can be devised for almost any application.

Holst, Terry L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

High-resolution, far-infrared observations of NGC 2071

The far-IR emission of the visible reflection nebula NGC 2071 has been resolved at both 50 and 100 microns along several directions. The observations reveal an extended, roughly spherical source with an average source diameter of about 12 arcsec or 4700 AU at 50 microns and about 16 arcsec or 6200 AU at 100 microns. The source is modeled using a radiative transport code to match scans of the source and previous photometry. The luminosity of the source is 520 solar at a distance of 390 pc. The optical depth at 100 microns is 0.20, implying a mass of 1.2-10 solar within a radius of 5900 AU. The density gradient is in good agreement with theoretical models for infalling envelopes around protostars and in reasonable agreement with other observational determinations.

Butner, Harold M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A fast upwind solver for the Euler equations on three-dimensional unstructured meshes

An upwind scheme is presented for solving the three-dimensional Euler equations on unstructured tetrahedral meshes. Spatial discretization is accomplished by a cell-centered finite-volume formulation using flux-difference splitting. Higher-order differences are formed by a novel cell reconstruction process which results in computational times per cell comparable to those of structured codes. The approach yields highly resolved solutions in regions of smooth flow while avoiding oscillations across shocks without explicit limiting. Solutions are advanced in time by a 3-stage Runge-Kutta time-stepping scheme with convergence accelerated to steady state by local time stepping and implicit residual smoothing. Solutions are presented for a range of configurations in the transonic speed regime to demonstrate code accuracy, speed, and robustness. The results include an assessment of grid sensitivity and convergence acceleration by mesh sequencing.

Frink, Neal T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) results

This paper presents an overview of the initial observations of the Long Duration Exposure Facility and the 57 onboard experiments which were retrieved from space on January 12, 1990, during the Space Shuttle STS Mission 32. The facility and the 57 science, technology, and applications experiments had remained in space for almost 6 years. The initial and the continuing observations of this retrieved hardware have provided, and will continue to provide for a number of years in the future, a wealth of basic science data on the environments of near-earth space and a unique opportunity to observe and study long duration synergistic effects of these space environments on a large array of typical spacecraft materials and systems.

Kinard, William H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Numerical algorithm comparison for the accurate and efficient computation of high-incidence vortical flow

Computations from two Navier-Stokes codes, NSS and F3D, are presented for a tangent-ogive-cylinder body at high angle of attack. Features of this steady flow include a pair of primary vortices on the leeward side of the body as well as secondary vortices. The topological and physical plausibility of this vortical structure is discussed. The accuracy of these codes are assessed by comparison of the numerical solutions with experimental data. The effects of turbulence model, numerical dissipation, and grid refinement are presented. The overall efficiency of these codes are also assessed by examining their convergence rates, computational time per time step, and maximum allowable time step for time-accurate computations. Overall, the numerical results from both codes compared equally well with experimental data, however, the NSS code was found to be significantly more efficient than the F3D code.

Chaderjian, Neal M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Holographic interferometry at the NASA-Ames Hypervelocity Free-Flight Aerodynamic Facility

A laser holographic interferometer has been designed and developed to improve flow visualization for models in free-flight at high velocities and low freestream static pressures. Of special interest is the flow structure due to high-temperature effects in the post-shock region of models traveling at hypervelocity. A dual-plate technique with a double-pass, Michelson-type configuration has been incorporated in an existing hypervelocity ballistic range. Holograms of 5-deg blunt conical models traveling at 5 km/sec in air at a freestream static pressure of 0.08 atm have been made. Finite- and infinite-fringe interferograms were reconstructed from the holograms and provided qualitative flowfield results. In addition, a digital scanning technique was also used to produce a 'synthetic' infinite-fringe interferogram from the analysis of an experimental finite-fringe interferogram. A 'synthetic' infinite-fringe interferogram shows detail in the wake region not found in the experimental interferograms.

Tam, Tim C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Gamma-Ray Observatory - The next great observatory in space

The Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO) which is part of NASA's Great Observatories space program is presented. The GRO is equipped with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (which detects low-energy gamma-ray photons from 20 keV to 600 keV and locates sources of gamma-ray bursts), the Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (which detects celestial gamma rays from 100 keV to 10 MeV and identifies the elements producing these rays by measuring the ray's spectra and time variability), the Imaging Compton Telescope (which images gamma rays with energies from 1 to 30 MeV created when cosmic rays interact with interstellar matter), and the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (which detects high-energy photons associated with the most energetic processes occurring in nature). After the energies of photons from each source are classified, the gamma-ray mechanisms can be modelled. Nuclei, radioactive isotopes, and nuclear reactions can be identified, and the physical conditions at the radiation's source can also be modelled. From these models, theories can be developed about the creation of elements in the explosion and collapse of giant stars, the acceleration of charged particles to velocities approaching the speed of light, and the destruction of matter and antimatter.

Neal, Valerie↗
NASA NTRS1990

Numerical simulation of high-incidence flow over the F-18 aircraft

Navier-Stokes solutions have been obtained using the Chimera overset grid scheme for flow over the wing, fuselage, and wing leading-edge extension (LEX) of the F-18 aircraft at high incidence. Solutions are also presented for flow over the fuselage forebody at high angles of attack. The solutions are for turbulent flows at high-Reynolds number flight-test conditions, and are compared with available qualitative and quantitative experimental data. Comparisons of predicted surface flow patterns, off-surface flow visualizations, and surface-pressure distributions are in good agreement with flight-test data. The ability of the numerical method to predict the bursting of the LEX vortex as it encounters the adverse pressure gradient field of the wing is demonstrated.

Cummings, Russell M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A 2.2 micron survey in the L1630 molecular cloud

A 2.2 micron survey of a significant portion of the L1630 molecular cloud was carried out using the NOAO infrared array camera on the Kitt Peak 1.3 m telescope. This survey is estimated to be complete to 13th magnitude at K, which corresponds to a main-sequence star of about 0.6 solar mass. Therefore this survey has provided a sensitive census of the young stellar objects within this molecular cloud. As a result, 912 sources having m(K) less than 13.0 have been detected. It is estimated that 50 percent of these sources are associated with the molecular cloud. These sources are not distributed uniformly throughout the surveyed region but rather appear grouped or clustered. In fact, four embedded infrared clusters were identified. These clusters contain at least 58 percent but possibly as much as 96 percent of the total number of sources associated with this molecular cloud suggesting that the dominant mode of star formation in this region is in clusters.

Lada, Elizabeth A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Polarization model applied to Uranian radio emission

The total power and the degree of circular polarization as measured by the Planetary Radio Astronomy experiments on the Voyager spacecraft are modeled. For a source near the electron cyclotron frequency, the degree of circular polarization is determined by the angle between the wave vector and the field. It is shown that the observed strong circular polarization of Uranian smooth low-frequency (SLF) can be modeled as emission that is beamed along the direction of the magnetic field in a filled cone. The main observational constraints of SLF emission from Uranus are met by conjugate sources at about 21 deg from the magnetic equator.

Sawyer, C. B.↗