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At least 145 records · Page 8

Polarimetric signatures of sea ice. 1: Theoretical model

Physical, structral, and electromagnetic properties and interrelating processes in sea ice are used to develop a composite model for polarimetric backscattering signatures of sea ice. Physical properties of sea ice constituents such as ice, brine, air, and salt are presented in terms of their effects on electromagnetic wave interactions. Sea ice structure and geometry of scatterers are related to wave propagation, attenuation, and scattering. Temperature and salinity, which are determining factors for the thermodynamic phase distribution in sea ice, are consistently used to derive both effective permittivities and polarimetric scattering coefficients. Polarmetric signatures of sea ice depend on crystal sizes and brine volumes, which are affected by ice growth rates. Desalination by brine expulsion, drainage, or other mechanisms modifies wave penetration and scattering. Sea ice signatures are further complicated by surface conditions such as rough interfaces, hummocks, snow cover, brine skim, or slush layer. Based on the same set of geophysical parameters characterizing sea ice, a composite model is developed to calculate effective permittivities and backscattering covariance matrices at microwave frequencies to interpretation of sea ice polarimetric signatures.

Nghiem, S. V.↗

A creep model for metallic composites based on matrix testing: Application to Kanthal composites

An anisotropic creep model is formulated for metallic composites with strong fibers and low to moderate fiber volume percent (less than 40 percent). The idealization admits no creep in the local fiber direction and assumes equal creep strength in longitudinal and transverse shear. Identification of the matrix behavior with that of the isotropic limit of the theory permits characterization of the composite through uniaxial creep tests on the matrix material. Constant and step-wise creep tests are required as a data base. The model provides an upper bound on the transverse creep strength of a composite having strong fibers embedded in a particular matrix material. Comparison of the measured transverse strength with the upper bound gives an assessment of the integrity of the composite. Application is made to a Kanthal composite, a model high-temperature composite system. Predictions are made of the creep response of fiber reinforced Kanthal tubes under interior pressure.

Binienda, W. K.↗

Thermoplastic matrix composite processing model

The effects the processing parameters pressure, temperature, and time have on the quality of continuous graphite fiber reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites were quantitatively accessed by defining the extent to which intimate contact and bond formation has occurred at successive ply interfaces. Two models are presented predicting the extents to which the ply interfaces have achieved intimate contact and cohesive strength. The models are based on experimental observation of compression molded laminates and neat resin conditions, respectively. Identified as the mechanism explaining the phenomenon by which the plies bond to themselves is the theory of autohesion (or self diffusion). Theoretical predictions from the Reptation Theory between autohesive strength and contact time are used to explain the effects of the processing parameters on the observed experimental strengths. The application of a time-temperature relationship for autohesive strength predictions is evaluated. A viscoelastic compression molding model of a tow was developed to explain the phenomenon by which the prepreg ply interfaces develop intimate contact.

Dara, P. H.↗

Variations in thermospheric composition - A model based on mass spectrometer and satellite drag data

The seasonal-latitudinal and the diurnal variations of composition observed by mass spectrometers on the Ogo 6 satellite are represented by two simple empirical formulas. The formulas are of a very general nature and predict the behavior of these variations at all heights and for all levels of solar activity; they yield a satisfactory representation of the corresponding variations in total density, as derived from satellite drag. It is suggested that a seasonal variation of hydrogen may explain the abnormally low hydrogen densities at high northern latitudes in July 1964.

Jacchia, L. G.↗

Automated composite ellipsoid modelling for high frequency GTD analysis

The preliminary results of a scheme currently being developed to fit a composite ellipsoid to the fuselage of a helicopter in the vicinity of the antenna location are discussed under the assumption that the antenna is mounted on the fuselage. The parameters of the close-fit composite ellipsoid would then be utilized as inputs into NEWAIR3, a code programmed in FORTRAN 77 for high frequency Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD) Analysis of the radiation of airborne antennas.

Sze, K. Y.↗

Polarimetric Signatures of Sea Ice: Theoretical Model - Part 1

Physical, structural, and electromagnetic properties and interrelating processes in sea ice are used to develop a composite model for polarimetric backscattering signatures of sea ice. Physical properties of sea ice constituents such as ice, brine, air, and salt are presented in terms of their effects on electromagnetic wave interactions. Sea ice structure and geometry of scatterers are related to wave propagation, attenuation, and scattering. Temperature and salinity, which are determining factors for the thermodynamic phase distribution in sea ice, are consistently used to derive both effective permittivities and polarimetric scattering coefficients. Polarimetric signatures of sea ice depend on crystal sizes and brine volumes, which are affected by ice growth rates. Desalination by brine expulsion, drainage, or other mechanisms modifies wave penetration and scattering. Sea ice signatures are further complicated by surface conditions such as rough interfaces, hummocks, snow cover, brine skim, or slush layer. Based on the same set of geophysical parameters characterizing sea ice, a composite model is developed to calculate effective permittivities and backscattering covariance matrices at microwave frequencies for interpretation of sea ice polarimetric signatures.

Nghiem, S. V.↗

Variations in thermospheric composition: A model based on mass-spectrometer and satellite-drag data

The seasonal-latitudinal and the diurnal variations of composition observed by mass spectrometers on the OGO 6 satellite are represented by two simple empirical formulae, each of which uses only one numerical parameter. The formulae are of a very general nature and predict the behavior of these variations at all heights and for all levels of solar activity; they yield a satisfactory representation of the corresponding variations in total density as derived from satellite drag. It is suggested that a seasonal variation of hydrogen might explain the abnormally low hydrogen densities at high northern latitudes in July 1964.

Jacchia, L. G.↗

Atmospheric Composition Forecast Model Evaluation Using Ozone Measurements Collected by the Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar

The Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL) is a mobile ground based lidar system based at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia. Between 2022 and 2024, LMOL collected over 2500 hours of ozone measurements for a range of different atmospheric conditions, including calm days, stratospheric intrusions, surface frontal passages, and long-range transported wildfire smoke plumes. Here, the data is used to evaluate the forecast accuracy of NASA’s Global GEOS Composition Forecasting (GEOS-CF) model. GEOS-CF makes daily three-dimensional forecasts of trace gases and aerosol species. Overall, for calm periods, the forecast model predicts lower tropospheric ozone at NASA Langley with reasonable accuracy (within 20%). The model best predicts the timing and extent of stratospheric intrusions but often vary in the magnitude of the ozone mixing ratio. Among the other types of atmospheric conditions, there is more variability in the model forecasts. Based on this analysis, model forecasts are utilized to determine future data acquisition opportunities with the goal of providing feedback to the modeling teams, thereby enabling them to better understand the model biases and improve the model forecasts of ozone during these different atmospheric conditions.

Daniel B Phoenix↗

Composite Structure Modeling and Analysis of Advanced Aircraft Fuselage Concepts

NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project and the Boeing Company are collabrating to advance the unitized damage arresting composite airframe technology with application to the Hybrid-Wing-Body (HWB) aircraft. The testing of a HWB fuselage section with Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) construction is presently being conducted at NASA Langley. Based on lessons learned from previous HWB structural design studies, improved finite-element models (FEM) of the HWB multi-bay and bulkhead assembly are developed to evaluate the performance of the PRSEUS construction. In order to assess the comparative weight reduction benefits of the PRSEUS technology, conventional cylindrical skin-stringer-frame models of a cylindrical and a double-bubble section fuselage concepts are developed. Stress analysis with design cabin-pressure load and scenario based case studies are conducted for design improvement in each case. Alternate analysis with stitched composite hat-stringers and C-frames are also presented, in addition to the foam-core sandwich frame and pultruded rod-stringer construction. The FEM structural stress, strain and weights are computed and compared for relative weight/strength benefit assessment. The structural analysis and specific weight comparison of these stitched composite advanced aircraft fuselage concepts demonstrated that the pressurized HWB fuselage section assembly can be structurally as efficient as the conventional cylindrical fuselage section with composite stringer-frame and PRSEUS construction, and significantly better than the conventional aluminum construction and the double-bubble section concept.

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek↗

Formulation and evaluation of an analytical model for composite box-beams

A direct method for determining the effective elastic stiffnesses and deformation behavior of composite box-beam (BB) structures is developed analytically, validated, and demonstrated. The BB walls are modeled as orthotropic-ply laminated plates, so that the elastic properties vary both through the thickness and around the BB contour; deformation is described in terms of extension, bending, twisting, shearing, and torsion-related out-of-plane warping. Numerical results for several BB configurations are presented in tables and graphs and compared with experimental data and FEM computations (Stemple and Lee, 1989): good general agreement is obtained for cross-ply, antisymmetric, and symmetric layups, except for symmetric layups with ply orientation angles theta greater than 30 deg. Both out-of-plane warping and transverse shear coupling are found to have significant effects on BB elastic response.

Smith, Edward C.↗

Reply

While Hegg et al. (1993) accepts the criticism of Anderson et al. (1994) in principle, this involves the adoption of an aerosol composition model and the model that they propose to reconcile these observations with the assertion of Charlson et al. (1992) does not agree with many observations, particularly those made over the North Atlantic Ocean. Although the use of a gain factor (i.e. the partial derivative of aerosol mass with respect to the sulfate ion), proposed by Anderson et al., may be valid for particular cases where a proposed composition model really reflects the actual aerosol composition, this procedure is considered questionable in general. The use of sulfate as a tracer for nonsulfate aerosol mass is questionable, because in the present authors' data set, sulfate averaged only about 26% of the dry aerosol mass. The ammonium mass associated with sulfate mass is not analogous to that betwen the oxygen mass and sulfur mass in the sulfate ion. Strong chemical bonds are present between sulfur and oxygen in sulfate, whereas ammonium and sulfate in haze droplets are ions in solution that may or may not be associated with one another. Thus, there is no reason to assume that sulfate will act as a reliable tracer of ammonium mass. Hegg et al. expresses the view that their approach used for estimating sulfate light scattering efficiency is appropriate for the current level of understanding of atmospheric aerosols.

Hegg, Dean A.↗

Simultaneous elastic and photoelastic calibration of birefringent orthotropic model materials

Transmission photoelastic analysis of composite models has been shown in recent years to be a viable stress analysis method for composite structures. However, difficulties in the fabrication of the model materials require the development of efficient mechanical and optical calibration procedures. In this paper, the methods for measuring elastic and photoelastic constants of composites are briefly reviewed. Then a new method, utilizing a relatively small calibration specimen, is described. In this method, electrical resistance strain gauges are mounted at selected points of a half-plane model and photoelastic measurements and strain readings are simultaneously taken. The data are processed by a least-squares procedure to yield the elastic and photoelastic constants. Comparison of results obtained by the proposed method with the results from conventional tests shows good agreement.

Prabhakaran, R.↗

A Compositional Relevance Model for Adaptive Information Retrieval

There is a growing need for rapid and effective access to information in large electronic documentation systems. Access can be facilitated if information relevant in the current problem solving context can be automatically supplied to the user. This includes information relevant to particular user profiles, tasks being performed, and problems being solved. However most of this knowledge on contextual relevance is not found within the contents of documents, and current hypermedia tools do not provide any easy mechanism to let users add this knowledge to their documents. We propose a compositional relevance network to automatically acquire the context in which previous information was found relevant. The model records information on the relevance of references based on user feedback for specific queries and contexts. It also generalizes such information to derive relevant references for similar queries and contexts. This model lets users filter information by context of relevance, build personalized views of documents over time, and share their views with other users. It also applies to any type of multimedia information. Compared to other approaches, it is less costly and doesn't require any a priori statistical computation, nor an extended training period. It is currently being implemented into the Computer Integrated Documentation system which enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework.

Mathe, Nathalie↗

Field lines and magnetic surfaces in a two-component slab/2D model of interplanetary magnetic fluctuations

A two-component model for the spectrum of interplanetary magnetic fluctuations was proposed on the basis of ISEE observations, and has found an intriguing level of application in other solar wind studies. The model fluctuations consist of a fraction of 'slab' fluctuations, varying only in the direction parallel to the locally uniform mean magnetic field B(0) and a complement of 2D (two-dimensional) fluctuations that vary in the directions transverse to B(0). We have developed an spectral method computational algorithm for computing the magnetic flux surfaces (flux tubes) associated with the composite model, based upon a precise analogy with equations for ideal transport of a passive scalar in planar two dimensional geometry. Visualization of various composite models will be presented, including the 80 percent 2D/ 20 percent slab model with delta B/B(0) approximately equals 1 and a minus 5/3 spectral law, that is thought to approximately represent a snapshot of solar wind turbulence. Characteristically, the visualizations show that flux tubes, even when defined as regular on some plane, shred and disperse rapidly as they are viewed along the parallel direction. This diffusive process, which generalizes the standard picture of field line random walk, will be discussed in detail. Evidently, the traditional picture that flux tubes randomize like strands of spaghetti with a uniform tangle along the axial direction is in need of modification.

Matthaeus, W. H.↗

Thermospheric temperature, density, and composition: New models

The models essentially consist of two parts: the basic static models, which give temperature and density profiles for the relevant atmospheric constituents for any specified exospheric temperature, and a set of formulae to compute the exospheric temperature and the expected deviations from the static models as a result of all the recognized types of thermospheric variation. For the basic static models, tables are given for heights from 90 to 2,500 km and for exospheric temperatures from 500 to 2600 K. In the formulae for the variations, an attempt has been made to represent the changes in composition observed by mass spectrometers on the OGO 6 and ESRO 4 satellites.

Jacchia, L. G.↗

Nondimensional impact models for composite laminates

The equations governing the problem of low-velocity impact of a simply supported rectangular laminated plate are nondimensionalized such that the problem is defined in terms of five dimensionless parameters. A parametric study using the Graeco-Latin Factorial Plan is performed. Semi-empirical formulas for maximum impact force, impact duration, and maximum back surface strains are obtained. It is found that some of the simple impact models provide the bounds for the case of impact on a finite extent plate.

Sankar, B. V.↗

The mass transfer rate in X1916-053 - It is driven by gravitational radiation?

A 50-minute period for a binary system harboring an X-ray burster would allow several alternatives for the mass-giving secondary, including an H-shell burning-plus-He degenerate core composite model. The burst properties of X1916-053 are presently used to argue against the He degenerate as well as the He main sequence solutions and to estimate whether, for any of the other solutions, the mass transfer rate could be consistent with that expected from gravitational radiation (GR). Within an uncertainty of a factor of 2, the transfer rate for the composite model solution is consistent with gravitational radiation, but enhancement by other mechanisms should be investigated.

Swank, J. H.↗

Micromechanical models for textile composites

Numerical and analytical micromechanical models are presented to predict the thermoelastic behavior of a textile composite. In the numerical model, the unit-cell is discretized with finite elements, and periodic boundary conditions are imposed between opposite faces of the unit-cell. For a thin textile composite, stress gradients effects through the thickness are demonstrated. The consequent difference in the stiffness and strength behavior of thick and thin composites are discussed. The numerical model is implemented to predict 3-D thermo-elastic constants for a thick textile composite, and the plate thermo-mechanical properties for a thin textile composite. The numerical model is extended to compute the thermal residual microstresses due to processing to predict the composite failure envelopes. An analytical model - Selective Averaging Method (SAM) - is proposed, which is based on a judicious combination of stiffness and compliance averaging to estimate the 3-D elastic constants. Both the models are tested and verified for several examples by comparing the stiffness properties with elasticity solutions and available results.

Sankar, Bhavani V.↗