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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

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NASA NTRS1989

Distortion effects in spacecraft observations of MHD toroidal standing waves - Theory and observations

This paper considers the distortion effect of the simultaneous occurrence of locally resonant toroidal pulsations over a range of L shells on the interpretation of spacecraft observations of these waves. A theoretical model is developed which yields quantitative predictions of the phase shear effect that causes a shift from the true pulsation frequency measured from a spacecraft moving radially across L shells. Calculations with this model indicate that, due to this effect, the AMPTE/CCE satellite should observe 8-30 percent lower frequencies on outbound passes than on inbound passes. A comparison of fundamental mode frequency measurements made on 10 inbound and 9 outbound passes of the AMPTE/CCE satellite in the morning sector confirms the predictions of the model.

Anderson, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

CFD propels NASP propulsion progress

The most complex aerothermodynamics encountered in the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) propulsion system are associated with the fuel-mixing and combustion-reaction flows of its combustor section; adequate CFD tools must be developed to model shock-wave systems, turbulent hydrogen/air mixing, flow separation, and combustion. Improvements to existing CFD codes have involved extension from two dimensions to three, as well as the addition of finite-rate hydrogen-air chemistry. A novel CFD code for the treatment of reacting flows throughout the NASP, designated GASP, uses the most advanced upwind-differencing technology.

Povinelli, Louis A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Why fast solar wind originates from slowly expanding coronal flux tubes

Empirical studies indicate that the solar wind speed at earth is inversely correlated with the divergence rate of the coronal magnetic field. It is shown that this result is consistent with simple wind acceleration models involving Alfven waves, provided that the wave energy flux at the coronal base is taken to be roughly constant within open field regions.

Wang, Y.-M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Low frequency propagation in the earth's magnetosphere

Using a model to simulate wave propagation, estimates were obtained on the effect of the earth's magnetosphere on the imaging potential of the Low-Frequency Space Array mission for observations above the ionosphere at frequencies below about 10 MHz. Results of this simulation show that, for imaging at 1.5 MHz, large orbital radii will be required. It is concluded that successful imaging from within the plasmasphere may depend upon the feasibility of correction schemes.

Dennison, Brian↗

NASA NTRS1992

Constraints on cosmic ray propagation in the galaxy

The goal was to derive a more detailed picture of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the interstellar medium and its effects on cosmic ray propagation. To do so, radio astronomical observations (scattering and Faraday rotation) were combined with knowledge of solar system spacecraft observations of MHD turbulence, simulations of wave propagation, and modeling of the galactic distribution to improve the knowledge. A more sophisticated model was developed for the galactic distribution of electron density turbulence. Faraday rotation measure data was analyzed to constrain magnetic field fluctuations in the ISM. VLBI observations were acquired of compact sources behind the supernova remnant CTA1. Simple calculations were made about the energies of the turbulence assuming a direct link between electron density and magnetic field variations. A simulation is outlined of cosmic ray propagation through the galaxy using the above results.

Cordes, James M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Airborne Sodium and Rayleigh Lidar Observations from ALOHA-90

Airborne Na and Rayleigh lidar observations from the Airborne Lidar and Observations of Hawaiian Airglow Campaign (ALOHA-90) campaign are described. We present gravity wave vertical and horizontal wave number spectra from the upper stratosphere and the upper mesosphere. Also, we document the occurrence of a large amplitude short horizontal scale quasi-monochromatic gravity wave event and discuss the implications of the event in light of recently developed gravity wave horizontal wave number spectra models. Finally, we discuss observations of sporadic Na layer events.

Hostetler, Chris A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Mechanical energy flow models of rods and beams

It has been proposed that the flow of mechanical energy through a structural/acoustic system may be modeled in a manner similar to that of flow of thermal energy/in a heat conduction problem. If this hypothesis is true, it would result in relatively efficient numerical models of structure-borne energy in large built-up structures. Fewer parameters are required to approximate the energy solution than are required to model the characteristic wave behavior of structural vibration by using traditional displacement formulations. The energy flow hypothesis is tested in this investigation for both longitudinal vibration in rods and transverse flexural vibrations of beams. The rod is shown to behave approximately according to the thermal energy flow analogy. However, the beam solutions behave significantly differently than predicted by the thermal analogy unless locally-space-averaged energy and power are considered. Several techniques for coupling dissimilar rods and beams are also discussed. Illustrations of the solution accuracy of the methods are included.

Wohlever, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Response of the dipole magnetosphere to pressure pulses

The response of the magnetosphere to pressure pulses at the magnetopause has been studied using a three-dimensional model of ULF waves in a dipole geometry. Pressure pulses at the magnetosphere directly excite compressional waves, which then convert to shear mode Alfven waves due to inhomogeneity. The behavior of the system depends on the frequency of the source at the magnetopause, with vortex structure tending to form on field lines resonant with the source frequency. The perturbations between the vortices are skewed toward noon, in agreement with observations.

Lysak, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Turbulence modeling in shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions

The research performed was an experimental program to help develop turbulence models for shock wave boundary layer interactions. The measurements were taken in a Mach 3, 16 deg compression corner interaction, at a unit Reynolds number of 63 x 10(exp 6)/m. The data consisted of heat transfer data taken upstream and downstream of the interaction, hot wire measurements of the instantaneous temperature and velocity fluctuations to verify the Strong Reynolds Analogy, and single- and double-pulsed Rayleigh scattering images to study the development of the instantaneous shock/turbulence interaction.

Smits, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The noise from supersonic elliptic jets

This paper presents calculations of the noise radiated by a supersonic elliptic jet. The large scale structures in the jet, that are the predominant source of noise in the downstream direction, are modeled as instability waves. The evolution of the instability waves is determined by a local, linear, inviscid analysis. An expression is derived for the acoustic field outside the jet and the far field directivity associated with each instability wave. Calculations are performed for a Mach 1.5 elliptic jet with aspect ratio 2:1 and a Mach 2.0 elliptic jet with aspect ratio 2:1 and a Mach 2.0 elliptic jet with aspect ratio 3:1. The mean flow development is taken from experimental results. Comparisons are made with far field acoustic measurements.

Morris, Philip J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Satellite altimeter measurements of surface wind

Recent analyses of wind speed measurements by the Geosat altimeter showed that the radar cross section is affected by oceanographic factors, particularly by the degree of sea development, which are not directly accounted for in the geophysical model functions (GMF). In the present work, two new GMFs which account for the effects of the actual degree of sea development are proposed. Along with the radar cross section, these models use significant wave height information. One particular version is recommended for applications in oceanographic and climate studies where wind speed (or wind stress) data have to be binned (i.e., averaged over time and/or space intervals). The accuracy of this GMF (overall bias of 0.1 m/s and rms error of about 1.6 m/s) is higher than the accuracy of commonly employed GMFs, while the wave-age-related trend is reduced to a geophysically insignificant level. Finally, the wind speed histograms for the collocated data set are derived and compared with the ground truth data as well as with the histograms yielded by presently known GMFs. It is also shown that the accuracy of altimeter measurements could be increased even further if some additional information on the wave field were available from independent sources (e.g., the dominant wavelength from synthetic aperture radar images).

Glazman, Roman E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Comment on 'Comparison of observed and calculated implanted ion distributions outside Comet Halley's bow shock' by T. I. Gombosi, M. Neugebauer, A. D. Johnstone, A. J. Coates, and D. E. Huddleston

It is argued that the formulation used by Gombosi (1991) does not distinguish between two fundamental types of resonant interactions (those between cometary pickup ions and LF electromagnetic waves). Two problems arise from using their overly simplified expressions. The wave polarization of the solar wind Alfven wave is not purely right-handed, and values from alpha sub com and alpha sub sw are not well known, nor are the 'polarizations' of the 'backward'-going waves in either case. Gombosi et al. discuss the antisunward vs the sunward propagating solar wind Alfven wave, and assume a reasonable value of 0.2 for alpha sub sw. However, alpha sub com is totally unknown. It is concluded that a more correct analysis of wave polarization can lead to significant changes in the formulation and results from Gombosi et al. In his reply Gombosi argues that his simplified wave-particle interaction model is consistent with Giotto observations and plasma kinetic simulations and it leads to a reasonable approximation of the implanted ion transport coefficients. The more complicated approach suggested by Tsurutani & Thorne (1993) requires the introduction of several ad hoc parameters and it does not lead to any change of the energy diffusion coefficient.

Tsurutani, Bruce T.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Waves and mesoscale features in the marginal ice zone

Ocean-ice interaction processes in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) by waves and mesoscale features, such as upwelling and eddies, are studied using ERS-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery and wave-ice interaction models. Satellite observations of mesoscale features can play a crucial role in ocean-ice interaction study.

Liu, Antony K.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Compressibility effects on rotor forces in the leakage path between a shrouded pump impeller and its housing

A modified approach to Childs' previous work on fluid-structure interaction forces in the leakage path between an impeller shroud and its housing is presented in this paper. Three governing equations consisting of continuity, path-momentum, and circumferential-momentum equations were developed to describe the leakage path inside a pump impeller. Radial displacement perturbations were used to solve for radial and circumferential force coefficients. In addition, impeller-discharge pressure disturbances were used to obtain pressure oscillation responses due to precessing impeller pressure wave pattern. Childs' model was modified from an incompressible model to a compressible barotropic-fluid model (the density of the working fluid is a function of the pressure and a constant temperature only). Results obtained from this model yielded interaction forces for radial and circumferential force coefficients. Radial and circumferential forces define reaction forces within the impeller leakage path. An acoustic model for the same leakage path was also developed. The convective, Coriolis, and centrifugal acceleration terms are removed from the compressible model to obtain the acoustics model. A solution due to impeller discharge pressure disturbances model was also developed for the compressible and acoustics models. The results from these modifications are used to determine what effects additional perturbation terms in the compressible model have on the acoustic model. The results show that the additional fluid mechanics terms in the compressible model cause resonances (peaks) in the force coefficient response curves. However, these peaks only occurred at high values of inlet circumferential velocity ratios greater than 0.7. The peak pressure oscillation was shown to occur at the wearing ring seal. Introduction of impeller discharge disturbances with n = 11 diametral nodes showed that maximum peak pressure oscillations occurred at nondimensional precession frequencies of f = 6.4 and f = 7.8 for this particular pump. Bolleter's results suggest that for peak pressure oscillations to occur at the wearing ring seal, the nondimensional excitation frequency should be on the order of f = 2.182 for n = 11. The resonances found in this research do not match the excitation frequencies predicted by Bolleter. At the predicted peak excitation frequencies given by Bolleter, the compressible model shows an attenuation of the pressure oscillations at the seal exit. The compressibility of the fluid does not have a significant influence on the model at low values of nondimensional excitation frequency. At high values of nondimensional frequency, the effects of compressibility become more significant. For the acoustic analysis, the convective, Coriolis, and centrifugal acceleration terms do affect the results to a limited extent for precession excitation and to a large extent for a pressure excitation when the fluid operates at relatively high Mach numbers.

Cao, Nhai The↗

NASA NTRS1994

Numerical simulation of receptivity and transition in a boundary layer on a flat plate with a suction hole

A Navier-Stokes solver has been modified to allow for unsteady boundary conditions to be imposed at the inflow boundary. Because the streamwise derivatives are discretized with three-point compact differences, there is no need for special treatment of the points adjacent to the inflow boundary, provided that all necessary derivatives are properly specified at the boundary points. The unsteady boundary conditions can be obtained from a previous computation, from a solution of the parabolized stability equations (PSE), or from an analytical exact or approximate solution of the Navier-Stokes equations, e.g. an asymptotic expansion solution to model a sound wave interacting with the boundary layer.

Fasel, Hermann F.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Magnetospheric space plasma investigations

A time dependent semi-kinetic model that includes self collisions and ion-neutral collisions and chemistry was developed. Light ion outflow in the polar cap transition region was modeled and compared with data results. A model study of wave heating of O+ ions in the topside transition region was carried out using a code which does local calculations that include ion-neutral and Coulomb self collisions as well as production and loss of O+. Another project is a statistical study of hydrogen spin curve characteristics in the polar cap. A statistical study of the latitudinal distribution of core plasmas along the L=4.6 field line using DE-1/RIMS data was completed. A short paper on dual spacecraft estimates of ion temperature profiles and heat flows in the plasmasphere ionosphere system was prepared. An automated processing code was used to process RIMS data from 1981 to 1984.

Comfort, Richard H.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Spray combustion stability

The central purpose of this project is the improvement of liquid-fueled rocket motor design technology in order to assist the establishment of economical commercial access to space through the development of engines with enhanced performance and reliability. Specific research effort in the project is focused on spray physics and associated combustion instability phenomena. Results garnered from this work will contribute to the development of new computational tools for design of stable liquid propellant rocket engines. The specific objectives of the research effort include identifying and evaluating physical submodels which pertain to spray combustion stability with the idea of enhancing or refining existing submodels with a more comprehensive approach. In particular, any refinements to the spray combustion physical submodels which are achieved during the project will be channeled back to Rocketdyne for incorporation in their ARICC liquid rocket combustor code as second generation improvements. Also, as the ARICC code forms the basis or future CFD development, some effort is devoted to an evaluation of the code's capability for modeling oscillating pressure waves within the combustor.

Liang, Pak-Yan↗

NASA NTRS1993

Fan Noise Prediction System Development: Source/Radiation Field Coupling and Workstation Conversion for the Acoustic Radiation Code

The Acoustic Radiation Code (ARC) is a finite element program used on the IBM mainframe to predict far-field acoustic radiation from a turbofan engine inlet. In this report, requirements for developers of internal aerodynamic codes regarding use of their program output an input for the ARC are discussed. More specifically, the particular input needed from the Bolt, Beranek and Newman/Pratt and Whitney (turbofan source noise generation) Code (BBN/PWC) is described. In a separate analysis, a method of coupling the source and radiation models, that recognizes waves crossing the interface in both directions, has been derived. A preliminary version of the coupled code has been developed and used for initial evaluation of coupling issues. Results thus far have shown that reflection from the inlet is sufficient to indicate that full coupling of the source and radiation fields is needed for accurate noise predictions ' Also, for this contract, the ARC has been modified for use on the Sun and Silicon Graphics Iris UNIX workstations. Changes and additions involved in this effort are described in an appendix.

Meyer, H. D.↗