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At least 145 records · Page 8

Radio to Gamma-Ray Emission from Shell-Type Supernova Remnants: Predictions from Non-Linear Shock Acceleration Models

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are widely believed to be the principal source of galactic cosmic rays, produced by diffusive shock acceleration in the environs of the remnant's expanding blast wave. Such energetic particles can produce gamma-rays and lower energy photons via interactions with the ambient plasma. The recently reported observation of TeV gamma-rays from SN1006 by the CANGAROO Collaboration, combined with the fact that several unidentified EGRET sources have been associated with known radio/optical/X-ray-emitting remnants, provides powerful motivation for studying gamma-ray emission from SNRs. In this paper, we present results from a Monte Carlo simulation of non-linear shock structure and acceleration coupled with photon emission in shell-like SNRs. These non-linearities are a by-product of the dynamical influence of the accelerated cosmic rays on the shocked plasma and result in distributions of cosmic rays which deviate from pure power-laws. Such deviations are crucial to acceleration efficiency considerations and impact photon intensities and spectral shapes at all energies, producing GeV/TeV intensity ratios that are quite different from test particle predictions.

Baring, Matthew G.↗

Formations Near the Libration Points: Design Strategies Using Natural and Non-Natural Arcs

Space based observatory and interferometry missions, such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), Stellar Imager, and MAXIM, have sparked great interest in multi-spacecraft formation flight in the vicinity of the Sun-Earth/Moon (SEM) libration points. The initial phase of this research considered the formation keeping problem from the perspective of continuous control as applied to non-natural formations. In the present study, closer inspection of the flow, corresponding to the stable and center manifolds near the reference orbit, reveals some interesting natural relative motions as well as some discrete control strategies for deployment. A hybrid control strategy is also employed that combines both the natural formation dynamics with non-natural motions via input feedback linearization techniques.

Howell, K. C.↗

A Fiber-Optic Aircraft Lightning Current Measurement Sensor

A fiber-optic current sensor based on the Faraday Effect is developed for aircraft installations. It can measure total lightning current amplitudes and waveforms, including continuing current. Additional benefits include being small, lightweight, non-conducting, safe from electromagnetic interference, and free of hysteresis and saturation. The Faraday Effect causes light polarization to rotate in presence of magnetic field in the direction of light propagation. Measuring the total induced light polarization change yields the total current enclosed. The system operates at 1310nm laser wavelength and can measure approximately 300 A - 300 kA, a 60 dB range. A reflective polarimetric scheme is used, where the light polarization change is measured after a round-trip propagation through the fiber. A two-detector setup measures the two orthogonal polarizations for noise subtraction and improved dynamic range. The current response curve is non-linear and requires a simple spline-fit correction. Effects of high current were achieved in laboratory using combinations of multiple fiber and wire loops. Good result comparisons against reference sensors were achieved up to 300 kA. Accurate measurements on a simulated aircraft fuselage and an internal structure illustrate capabilities that maybe difficult with traditional sensors. Also tested at a commercial lightning test facility from 20 kA to 200 kA, accuracy within 3-10% was achieved even with non-optimum setups.

Nguyen, Truong X.↗

A Reduced-frequency Approach for Calculating Dynamic Derivatives

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is increasingly being used to both augment and create an aerodynamic performance database for aircraft configurations. This aerodynamic database contains the response of the aircraft to varying flight conditions and control surface deflections. The current work presents a novel method for calculating dynamic stability derivatives which reduces the computational cost over traditional unsteady CFD approaches by an order of magnitude, while still being applicable to arbitrarily complex geometries over a wide range of flow regimes. The primary thesis of this work is that the response to a forced motion can often be represented with a small, predictable number of frequency components without loss of accuracy. By resolving only those frequencies of interest, the computational effort is significantly reduced so that the routine calculation of dynamic derivatives becomes practical. The current implementation uses this same non-linear, frequency-domain approach and extends the application to the 3-D Euler equations. The current work uses a Cartesian, embedded-boundary method to automate the generation of dynamic stability derivatives.

Murman, Scott M.↗

Determination of anionic surfactants during wastewater recycling process by ion pair chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection

A direct approach utilizing ion pairing reversed-phase chromatography coupled with suppressed conductivity detection was developed to monitor biodegradation of anionic surfactants during wastewater recycling through hydroponic plant growth systems and fixed-film bioreactors. Samples of hydroponic nutrient solution and bioreactor effluent with high concentrations (up to 120 mS electrical conductance) of inorganic ions can be analyzed without pretreatment or interference. The presence of non-ionic surfactants did not significantly affect the analysis. Dynamic linear ranges for tested surfactants [Igepon TC-42, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and sodium alkyl (C10-C16) ether sulfate] were 2 to approximately 500, 1 to approximately 500, 2.5 to approximately 550 and 3.0 to approximately 630 microg/ml, respectively.

NASA Program Advanced Human Support Technology↗

Dynamic Weakening (Extinction) of Simple Hydrocarbon-air Counterflow Diffusion Flames by Oscillatory Inflows

This study of laminar non-premixed HC-air flames used an Oscillatory-input Opposed Jet Burner (OOJB) system developed from a previously well-characterized 7.2-mm Pyrex-nozzle OJB system. Over 600 dynamic Flame Strength (FS) measurements were obtained on unanchored (free-floating) laminar Counterflow Diffusion Flames (CFDF's). Flames were stabilized using plug inflows having steady-plus-sinusoidal axial velocities of varied magnitude, frequency, f, up to 1600 Hz, and phase angle from 0 (most data) to 360 degrees. Dynamic FS is defined as the maximum average air input velocity (U(sub air), at nozzle exit) a CFDF can sustain before strain-induced extinction occurs due to prescribed oscillatory peak-to-peak velocity inputs superimposed on steady inputs. Initially, dynamic flame extinction data were obtained at low f, and were supported by 25-120 Hz Hot-Wire cold-flow velocity data at nozzle exits. Later, expanded extinction data were supported by 4-1600 Hz Probe Microphone (PM) pk/pk P data at nozzle exits. The PM data were first obtained without flows, and later with cold stagnating flows, which better represent speaker-diaphragm dynamics during runs. The PM approach enabled characterizations of Dynamic Flame Weakening (DFW) of CFDF's from 8 to 1600 Hz. DFW was defined as % decrease in FS per Pascal of pk/pk P oscillation, namely, DFW = - 100 d(U(sub air) / U(sub air),0Hz) / d(pkpk P). The linear normalization with respect to acoustic pressure magnitude (and steady state (SS) FS) led to a DFW unaffected by strong internal resonances. For the C2H4/N2-air system, from 8 to 20 Hz, DFW is constant at 8.52 plus or minus 0.20 (% weakening)/Pa. This reflects a quasi-steady flame response to an acoustically induced dU(sub air)/dP. Also, it is surprisingly independent of C2H4/N2 mole fraction due to normalization by SS FS. From 20 to approximately 150 Hz, the C2H4/N2 air-flames weakened progressively less, with an inflection at approximately 70 Hz, and became asymptotically insensitive (DFW approximately 0) at approximately 300 Hz, which continued to 1600 Hz. The DFW of CH4-air flames followed a similar pattern, but showed much greater weakening than C2H4/N2-air flames; i.e., the quasi-steady DFW (8 to approximately 15 Hz) was 44.3 %/Pa, or approximately 5x larger, even though the 0 Hz (SS) FS was only 3.0 x smaller. The quasi-steady DFW's of C3H8-air and C2H6-air were intermediate at 34.8 and 20.9 %Pa, respectively. The DFW profiles of all four fuels, at various frequencies, correlated well but non-linearly with respective SS FS's. Notably, the DFW profile for C3H8 air fell more rapidly in the range greater than 15 to 60 Hz, compared with the 1- and 2-carbon fuels. This may indicate a shift in chemical kinetics, and/or O2 transport to a flame that moved closer to the fuel-side. In conclusion, Dynamic Flame Weakening limits appear significant and unique for each fuel, and correlate closely, but non-linearly, with Steady-State Flame Strengths at any given frequency. For reasons unknown, the dynamic flames didn't weaken more at intermediate frequencies (e.g., at 20-50 Hz) than they did at low frequencies (less than 15 Hz), where quasi-steady weakening appears to dominate. Quasi-steady flame weakening ostensibly represents a transient input strain rate maximum that just exceeds the steady-state strain-rate-limited extinction limit for a few cycles. Clearly, further detailed mechanistic understanding is needed in the fall-off region.

Pellett, G.↗

Active Combustion Control for Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines-Experimental Results for an Advanced, Low-Emissions Combustor Prototype

Lean combustion concepts for aircraft engine combustors are prone to combustion instabilities. Mitigation of instabilities is an enabling technology for these low-emissions combustors. NASA Glenn Research Center s prior activity has demonstrated active control to suppress a high-frequency combustion instability in a combustor rig designed to emulate an actual aircraft engine instability experience with a conventional, rich-front-end combustor. The current effort is developing further understanding of the problem specifically as applied to future lean-burning, very low-emissions combustors. A prototype advanced, low-emissions aircraft engine combustor with a combustion instability has been identified and previous work has characterized the dynamic behavior of that combustor prototype. The combustor exhibits thermoacoustic instabilities that are related to increasing fuel flow and that potentially prevent full-power operation. A simplified, non-linear oscillator model and a more physics-based sectored 1-D dynamic model have been developed to capture the combustor prototype s instability behavior. Utilizing these models, the NASA Adaptive Sliding Phasor Average Control (ASPAC) instability control method has been updated for the low-emissions combustor prototype. Active combustion instability suppression using the ASPAC control method has been demonstrated experimentally with this combustor prototype in a NASA combustion test cell operating at engine pressures, temperatures, and flows. A high-frequency fuel valve was utilized to perturb the combustor fuel flow. Successful instability suppression was shown using a dynamic pressure sensor in the combustor for controller feedback. Instability control was also shown with a pressure feedback sensor in the lower temperature region upstream of the combustor. It was also demonstrated that the controller can prevent the instability from occurring while combustor operation was transitioning from a stable, low-power condition to a normally unstable high-power condition, thus enabling the high-power condition.

DeLaat, John C.↗

Truncated ARQ Statistical Link Analysis for Dynamic Links

The future deep space links are migrating towards higher frequency bands such as Ka band and optical. These links are susceptible to non Gaussian and non linear effects such as atmospheric turbulence, scintillation, antenna mis-pointing, jitter, etc. These dynamic links thus will experience various degrees of fading loss, and some of these link disruptions cannot be effectively mitigated by forward error correction coding and/or interleaving. One effective way to ensure reliable communication is by using Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) protocol, where the receiver acknowledges to the transmitter whether or not a data unit is successfully received. If a data unit is not successfully received (such as after a pre-set time-out), the transmitter would then re-transmit the lost data unit to the receiver. In a previous paper, we derived a statistical link analysis method of finding the optimal operating Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and estimating the latency of an ARQ scheme. In a more recent paper, we demonstrated the above method using the SNR distribution constructed from the Ka-band (32 GHz) flight data. To simplify the discussion, we considered the academic approach that the ARQ scheme allows for an infinite number of retransmissions. In this paper, we consider the more practical case of a truncated ARQ scheme, where there is a limit on the number of retransmissions. We derive the error probability, the optimal SNR setting, and the latency statistics of the correctly received frames of the truncated ARQ schemes. We first discuss the truncated ARQ link analysis principles using the Gaussian assumption for SNR distribution with a large variance. Next, we demonstrate the statistical truncated ARQ link analysis using the SNR distribution constructed from the Ka-band flight data. The results in this paper can be applied in the design of reliable communication systems such as the Consultative Committee for Space Data System (CCSDS) File Transfer Protocol (CFTP) and the Delay Tolerant Network (DTN).

Morabito, David↗

Non-linear resonances in the forced responses of plates. I - Symmetric responses of circular plates

The dynamic analogue of the von Karman equations is used to study the symmetric response of a circular plate to a harmonic excitation when the frequency of the excitation is near one of the natural frequencies. It is shown that, in general, when there is no internal resonance (i.e., the natural frequencies are not commensurable), only the mode having a frequency near that of the excitation is strongly excited (i.e., is needed to represent the response in the first approximation). A clamped, circular plate is used as a numerical example to show that, when there is an internal resonance, more than one of the modes involved in this resonance can be strongly excited; moreover, when more than one mode is strongly excited, the lower modes can dominate the response, even when the frequency of the excitation is near that of the highest mode. This possibility was not revealed by any of the earlier studies which were based on the same governing equations.

Sridhar, S.↗

The Role of Gravity Waves in Modulating Atmospheric Tides

We discuss results for the diurnal and semidiurnal tides obtained from our 3-D, time dependent numerical spectral model (NMS), extending from the ground up into the thermosphere, which incorporates Hines' Doppler spread parameterization of small scale gravity waves (GW). In the DSP, GW momentum (and energy) are conserved as the waves modulate the background flow and are filtered by the flow.As a consequence, the GW interaction tightly couples the dynamic components of the middle atmosphere with strong non-linear interactions between mean zonal circulation, tides and planetary waves to produce complicated patterns of variability much like those observed. The major conclusions are: (1) Since GW momentum is deposited in the altitude regime of increasing winds, the amplitude of the diurnal tide is amplified and its vertical wavelength is reduced at altitudes between 80 and 120 km. Wave filtering by the mean zonal circulation (with peak velocities during solstice) causes the GW flux to peak during equinox, and this produces a large semi-annual variation in the tide that has been observed on UARS. (2) Without the diurnal tide, the semidiurnal tide would also be modulated in this way. But the diurnal tide filters out the GW preferentially during equinox, so that the semidiurnal tide, at higher altitudes, tends to peak during solstice. (3) Under the influence of GW, the tides are modulated also significantly by planetary waves, with periods between 2 and 30 days, which are generated preferentially during solstice in part due to baroclinic instability.

Mayr, H. G.↗

Wave-Particle Energy Exchange Directly Observed in a Kinetic Alfven-Branch Wave

Alfven waves are fundamental plasma wave modes that permeate the universe. At small kinetic scales they provide a critical mechanism for the transfer of energy between electromagnetic fields and charged particles. These waves are important not only in planetary magnetospheres, heliospheres, and astrophysical systems, but also in laboratory plasma experiments and fusion reactors. Through measurement of charged particles and electromagnetic fields with NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, we utilize Earths magnetosphere as a plasma physics laboratory. Here we confirm the conservative energy exchange between the electromagnetic field fluctuations and the charged particles that comprise an undamped kinetic Alfven wave. Electrons confined between adjacent wave peaks may have contributed to saturation of damping effects via non-linear particle trapping. The investigation of these detailed wave dynamics has been unexplored territory in experimental plasma physics and is only recently enabled by high-resolution MMS observations.

magnetohydrodynamic↗

Dynamics and control of coherent structures in the turbulent wall layer: An overview

We expand the velocity field in the vicinity of the wall in empirical eigenfunctions obtained from experiment. Truncating our system and using Galerkin projection, we obtain a closed set of non-linear ordinary differential equations with ten degrees of freedom. We find a rich dynamical behavior, including in particular a heteroclinic attracting orbit giving rise to intermittency. The intermittent jump from one attracting point to the other resembles in many respects the bursts observed in experiments. Specifically, the time between jumps and the duration of the jumps, is approximately that observed in a burst; the jump begins with the formation of a narrowed and intensified updraft, like the ejection phase of a burst, and is followed by a gentle, diffuse downdraft like the sweep phase of a burst. The magnitude of the Reynolds stress spike produced during a burst is limited by our truncation. The behavior is quite robust, much of it being due to the symmetries present (Aubry's group has examined dimensions up to 128 with persistence of the global behavior). We have examined eigenvalues and coefficients obtained from experiment, and from exact simulation, which differ in magnitude. Similar behavior is obtained in both cases; in the latter case, the heteroclinic orbits connect limit cycles instead of fixed points, corresponding to cross-stream waving of the streamwise rolls. The bifurcation diagram remains structurally similar, but somewhat distorted. The role of the pressure term is made clear - it triggers the intermittent jumps, which otherwise would occur at longer and longer intervals, as the system trajectory is attracted closer and closer to the heteroclinic cycle. The pressure term results in the jumps occurring at essentially random times, and the magnitude of the signal determines the average timing. Stretching of the wall region shows that the model is consistent with observations of polymer drag reduction. Change of the third order coefficients, corresponding to acceleration or deceleration of the mean flow, changes the heteroclinic cycles from attracting to repelling, increasing or decreasing the stability, in agreement with observations. The existence of fixed points is an artifact introduced by the projection; however, a decoupled model still displays the rich dynamics. Numerous assumptions made in Aubry et al. (1988) can now be proved exactly. Feeding back eigenfuncitons with the proper phase can delay the bursting, (the heteroclinic jump to the other fixed point), decreasing the drag. It is also possible to speed up the bursting, increasing mixing to control separation. Our approach is optimal for short time tracking in control.

Berkooz, Gal↗

Relaxation and Preconditioning for High Order Discontinuous Galerkin Methods with Applications to Aeroacoustics and High Speed Flows

This project is about the investigation of the development of the discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods, for general geometry and triangulations, for solving convection dominated problems, with applications to aeroacoustics. Other related issues in high order WENO finite difference and finite volume methods have also been investigated. methods are two classes of high order, high resolution methods suitable for convection dominated simulations with possible discontinuous or sharp gradient solutions. In [18], we first review these two classes of methods, pointing out their similarities and differences in algorithm formulation, theoretical properties, implementation issues, applicability, and relative advantages. We then present some quantitative comparisons of the third order finite volume WENO methods and discontinuous Galerkin methods for a series of test problems to assess their relative merits in accuracy and CPU timing. In [3], we review the development of the Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods for non-linear convection-dominated problems. These robust and accurate methods have made their way into the main stream of computational fluid dynamics and are quickly finding use in a wide variety of applications. They combine a special class of Runge-Kutta time discretizations, that allows the method to be non-linearly stable regardless of its accuracy, with a finite element space discretization by discontinuous approximations, that incorporates the ideas of numerical fluxes and slope limiters coined during the remarkable development of the high-resolution finite difference and finite volume schemes. The resulting RKDG methods are stable, high-order accurate, and highly parallelizable schemes that can easily handle complicated geometries and boundary conditions. We review the theoretical and algorithmic aspects of these methods and show several applications including nonlinear conservation laws, the compressible and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, and Hamilton-Jacobi-like equations.

Shu, Chi-Wang↗

Relativistic cosmic ray spectra in the full non-linear theory of shock acceleration

The non-linear theory of shock acceleration was generalized to include wave dynamics. In the limit of rapid wave damping, it is found that a finite ave velocity tempers the acceleration of high Mach number shocks and limits the maximum compression ratio even when energy loss is important. For a given spectrum, the efficiency of relativistic particle production is essentially independent of v sub Ph. For the three families shown, the percentage of kinetic energy flux going into relativistic particles is (1) 72%, 2) 44%, and (3) 26% (this includes the energy loss at the upper energy cuttoff). Even small v sub ph, typical of the HISM, produce quasi-universal spectra that depend only weakly on the acoustic Mach number. These spectra should be close enough to e(-2) to satisfy cosmic ray source requirements.

Eichler, D.↗

Relativistic cosmic-ray spectra in the fully nonlinear theory of shock acceleration

The non-linear theory of shock acceleration was generalized to include wave dynamics. In the limit of rapid wave damping, it is found that a finite wave velocity tempers the acceleration of high Mach number shocks and limits the maximum compression ratio even when energy loss is important. For a given spectrum, the efficiency of relativistic particle production is essentially independent of v sub Ph. For the three families shown, the percentage of kinetic energy flux going into relativistic particles is (1) 72 percent, (2) 44 percent, and (3) 26 percent (this includes the energy loss at the upper energy cutoff). Even small v sub ph, typical of the HISM, produce quasi-universal spectra that depend only weakly on the acoustic Mach number. These spectra should be close enough to e(-2) to satisfy cosmic ray source requirements.

Ellison, D. C.↗

The Avoidance of Saturation Limits in Magnetic Bearing Systems During Transient Excitation

When a transient event, such as mass loss, occurs in a rotor/magnetic bearing system, optimal vibration control forces may exceed bearing capabilities. This will be inevitable when the mass loss is sufficiently large and a conditionally unstable dynamic system could result if the bearing characteristic become non-linear. This paper provides a controller design procedure to suppress, where possible, bearing force demands below saturation levels while maintaining vibration control. It utilizes H(sub infinity) optimization with appropriate input and output weightings. Simulation of transient behavior following mass loss from a flexible rotor is used to demonstrate the avoidance of conditional instability. A compromise between transient control force and vibration levels was achieved.

Rutland, Neil K.↗

Initial Assessment of a Variable-Camber Continuous Trailing-Edge Flap System on a Rigid Wing for Drag Reduction in Subsonic Cruise

In this paper, we describe an initial optimization study of a Variable-Camber Continuous Trailing-Edge Flap (VCCTEF) system. The VCCTEF provides a light-weight control system for aircraft with long flexible wings, providing efficient high-lift capability for takeoff and landing, and greater efficiency with reduced drag at cruising flight by considering the effects of aeroelastic wing deformations in the control law. The VCCTEF system is comprised of a large number of distributed and individually-actuatable control surfaces that are constrained in movement relative to neighboring surfaces, and are non-trivially coupled through structural aeroelastic dynamics. Minimzation of drag results in a constrained, coupled, non-linear optimization over a high-dimension search space. In this paper, we describe the modeling, analysis, and optimization of the VCCTEF system control inputs for minimum drag in cruise. The purpose of this initial study is to quantify the expected benefits of the system concept. The scope of this analysis is limited to consideration of a rigid wing without structural flexibility in a steady-state cruise condition at various fuel weights. For analysis, we developed an optimization engine that couples geometric synthesis with vortex-lattice analysis to automate the optimization procedure. In this paper, we present and describe the VCCTEF system concept, optimization approach and tools, run-time performance, and results of the optimization at 20%, 50%, and 80% fuel load. This initial limited-scope study finds the VCCTEF system can potentially gain nearly 10% reduction in cruise drag, provides greater drag savings at lower operating weight, and efficiency is negatively impacted by the severity of relative constraints between control surfaces.

trailing edge flaps↗

Time Dependence of Collision Probabilities During Satellite Conjunctions

The NASA Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) team has recently implemented updated software to calculate the probability of collision (P (sub c)) for Earth-orbiting satellites. The algorithm can employ complex dynamical models for orbital motion, and account for the effects of non-linear trajectories as well as both position and velocity uncertainties. This “3D P (sub c)” method entails computing a 3-dimensional numerical integral for each estimated probability. Our analysis indicates that the 3D method provides several new insights over the traditional “2D P (sub c)” method, even when approximating the orbital motion using the relatively simple Keplerian two-body dynamical model. First, the formulation provides the means to estimate variations in the time derivative of the collision probability, or the probability rate, R (sub c). For close-proximity satellites, such as those orbiting in formations or clusters, R (sub c) variations can show multiple peaks that repeat or blend with one another, providing insight into the ongoing temporal distribution of risk. For single, isolated conjunctions, R (sub c) analysis provides the means to identify and bound the times of peak collision risk. Additionally, analysis of multiple actual archived conjunctions demonstrates that the commonly used “2D P (sub c)” approximation can occasionally provide inaccurate estimates. These include cases in which the 2D method yields negligibly small probabilities (e.g., P (sub c)) is greater than 10 (sup -10)), but the 3D estimates are sufficiently large to prompt increased monitoring or collision mitigation (e.g., P (sub c) is greater than or equal to 10 (sup -5)). Finally, the archive analysis indicates that a relatively efficient calculation can be used to identify which conjunctions will have negligibly small probabilities. This small-P (sub c) screening test can significantly speed the overall risk analysis computation for large numbers of conjunctions.

Hall, Doyle T.↗