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At least 145 records · Page 8

Plasma Waves Observed in the Cusp Turbulent Boundary Layer: An Analysis of High Time Resolution Wave and Particle Measurements from the Polar Spacecraft

The boundary layer located in the cusp and adjacent to the magnetopause is a region that is quite turbulent and abundant with waves. The Polar spacecraft's orbit and sophisticated instrumentation are ideal for studying this region of space. Our analysis of the waveform data obtained in this turbulent boundary layer shows broadband magnetic noise extending up to a few kilohertz (but less than the electron cyclotron frequency); sinusoidal bursts (a few tenths of a second) of whistler mode waves at around a few tens of hertz, a few hundreds of hertz, and just below the electron cyclotron frequency; and bipolar pulses, interpreted as electron phase-space holes. In addition, bursts of electron cyclotron harmonic waves are occasionally observed with magnetic components. We show evidence of broadband electrostatic bursts covering a range of approx. 3 to approx. 25 kHz (near but less than the plasma frequency) occurring in packets modulated at the frequency of some of the whistler mode waves. On the basis of high time resolution particle data from the Polar HYDRA instrument, we show that these bursts are consistent with generation by the resistive medium instability. The most likely source of the whistler mode waves is the magnetic reconnection site closest to the spacecraft, since the waves are observed propagating both toward and away from the Earth, are bursty, which is often the case with reconnection, and do not fit on the theoretical cold plasma dispersion relation curve.

Pickett, J. S.↗

The grape cluster, metal particle 63344,1

The grape cluster metal particle 63344,1 found in lunar coarse fines is examined using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron microprobe, and an optical microscope. This metal particle is approximately 0.5 cm in its largest dimension and consists of hundreds of metallic globules welded together to form a structure somewhat like a bunch of grapes. Electron microprobe analysis for Fe, Ni, Co, P, and S in the metal was carried out using wavelength dispersive detectors. No primary solidification structure is observed in the globules, and the particle is slow cooled from the solidification temperature (nearly 1300 C) taking days to probably months to reach 600 C. Two mechanisms for the formation of globules are proposed. One mechanism involves the primary impact of an iron meteorite which produces a metallic liquid and vapor phase. The second mechanism involves the formation of a liquid pool of metal after impact of an iron meteorite projectile followed by a secondary impact in the liquid metal pool.

Goldstein, J. I.↗

Bubble trajectories in rotating drops

The investigation summarized in this paper describes recent normal gravity experiments involving the behavior of compound drops in rotating flows and in particular, the subsequent migration of the less dense phase (air bubble) toward the rotation axis. The data are compared to two models. The first was developed to predict the trajectory of a fluid particle in an infinitely large drop in the presence of both gravitational and rotational fields at the limit of quasi-steady creeping flow. The second predicts the trajectory of a fluid particle in a compound drop in the presence of a rotational field and at the limit of creeping flow. Gravity has not yet been incorporated into this second model.

Brone, D.↗

Measurements of Turbulence Attenuation by a Dilute Dispersion of Solid Particles in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

This research addresses turbulent gas flows laden with fine solid particles at sufficiently large mass loading that strong two-way coupling occurs. By two-way coupling we mean that the particle motion is governed largely by the flow, while the particles affect the gas-phase mean flow and the turbulence properties. Our main interest is in understanding how the particles affect the turbulence. Computational techniques have been developed which can accurately predict flows carrying particles that are much smaller than the smallest scales of turbulence. Also, advanced computational techniques and burgeoning computer resources make it feasible to fully resolve very large particles moving through turbulent flows. However, flows with particle diameters of the same order as the Kolmogorov scale of the turbulence are notoriously difficult to predict. Some simple flows show strong turbulence attenuation with reductions in the turbulent kinetic energy by up to a factor of five. On the other hand, some seemingly similar flows show almost no modification. No model has been proposed that allows prediction of when the strong attenuation will occur. Unfortunately, many technological and natural two-phase flows fall into this regime, so there is a strong need for new physical understanding and modeling capability. Our objective is to study the simplest possible turbulent particle-laden flow, namely homogeneous, isotropic turbulence with a uniform dispersion of monodisperse particles. We chose such a simple flow for two reasons. First, the simplicity allows us to probe the interaction in more detail and offers analytical simplicity in interpreting the results. Secondly, this flow can be addressed by numerical simulation, and many research groups are already working on calculating the flow. Our detailed data can help guide some of these efforts. By using microgravity, we can further simplify the flow to the case of no mean velocity for either the turbulence or the particles. In fact the addition of gravity as a variable parameter may help us to better understand the physics of turbulence attenuation. The experiments are conducted in a turbulence chamber capable of producing stationary or decaying isotropic turbulence with nearly zero mean flow and Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers up to nearly 500. The chamber is a 410 mm cubic box with the corners cut off to make it approximately spherical. Synthetic jet turbulence generators are mounted in each of the eight corners of the box. Each generator consists of a loudspeaker forcing a plenum and producing a pulsed jet through a 20 mm diameter orifice. These synthetic jets are directed into ejector tubes pointing towards the chamber center. The ejector tubes increase the jet mass flow and decrease the velocity. The jets then pass through a turbulence grid. Each of the eight loudspeakers is forced with a random phase and frequency. The resulting turbulence is highly Isotropic and matches typical behavior of grid turbulence. Measurements of both phases are acquired using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The gas is seeded with approximately 1 micron diameter seeding particles while the solid phase is typically 150 micron diameter spherical glass particles. A double-pulsed YAG laser and a Kodak ES-1.0 10-bit PIV camera provide the PIV images. Custom software is used to separate the images into individual images containing either gas-phase tracers or large particles. Modern high-resolution PIV algorithms are then used to calculate the velocity field. A large set of image pairs are acquired for each case, then the results are averaged both spatially and over the ensemble of acquired images. The entire apparatus is mounted in two racks which are carried aboard NASA's KC-135 Flying Microgravity Laboratory. The rack containing the turbulence chamber, the laser head, and the camera floats freely in the airplane cabin (constrained by competent NASA personnel) to minimize g-jitter.

Eaton, John↗

Tracking and data system support for the Pioneer project. Volume 1: Pioneer 10-prelaunch planning through second trajectory correction, 4 December 1969 - 1 April 1972

The tracking and data system support of the launch, near-earth, and deep space phases of the Pioneer 10 mission, which sent a Pioneer spacecraft into a flyby of Jupiter that would eventually allow the spacecraft to escape the solar system is discussed. The support through the spacecraft's second trajectory correction is reported. During this period, scientific instruments aboard the spacecraft registered information relative to interplanetary particles and fields, and radiometric data generated by the network continued to improve knowledge of the celestial mechanics of the solar system. In addition to network support activity detail, network performance and special support activities are covered.

Siegmeth, A. J.↗

Auroral, Polar Cap, and Polar Cusp Modeling and Data Analysis for the IMAGE Mission and LENA Instrument

One of the chief mysteries in the LENA perigee pass data is the lack of an apparent auroral oval in the images. Another is that in some cases ENA are seen from any direction near the Earth regardless of the latitude of the spacecraft. These facts lead one to ask a fundamental question: Is the instrument responding to ENA primarily? One possible way to get out of the "ambiguity" of the data is to assume that at least part of the signal is produced by something other than ENA. The two main candidates for this "something else" are UV light and energetic charged particles. UV light could only effect the instrument when its fan shaped aperture points toward the source. The most intense of which will be the sun, with day glow being the second strongest and the auroral zone, the third. We can rule out UV light as a prime source of counts in the perigee pass data for the following reasons: 1) The perigee pass signal is different in form and much stronger than the sun pulse signal seen just before or just after perigee; 2) There is no indication of the auroral zone, which would produce at least two peaks in the counts versus spin phase curve; 3) Mike Colliers' analysis of the sun pulse signal shows that it varies with the flux of the solar wind and not with variations in the solar UV flux. Charge particles that enter the aperture of the instrument and produce counts would show up when the instrument looks in the direction from which they come. In all of the data I am analyzing voltages were being applied to the collimators so that most charged particles should have been excluded from the instrument but this effect could still show up where the flux of energetic particles is high enough. The most likely place would be in the auroral zone where energetic electrons and protons precipitate. If these particles are producing counts then they should be seen when the instrument looks in and near the zenith direction. In nearly all of the perigee passes the zenith direction is devoid of counts.

Wilson, Gordon R.↗

Acoustoelastic constants in dilute two-phase alloys

Acoustoelastic constants are calculated for two-phase alloys containing dilute concentrations of precipitates in a solid-solution matrix, on the basis of a model in which the precipitates are represented as a dilute elastic suspension of spherical particle inclusions in an infinite matrix. The longitudinal propagation velocity in the alloy is thereby obtained in terms of the precipitates' concentration and the elastic moduli of the two phases. Results are presented which indicate that the acoustoelastic constant of longitudinal waves in a dilute two-phase alloy varies linearly with the concentration of second-phase precipitates, in agreement with recent measurements in aluminum and steel alloys where the acoustoelastic constants changed linearly with the second phase's volume fraction.

Salama, K.↗

Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project: The Critical Components to Simulate Cirrus Initiation Explicitly - Phase 1

The Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project, a project of the GCSS (GEWEX Cloud System Studies) Working Group on Cirrus Cloud Systems, involves the systematic comparison of current models of ice crystal nucleation and growth for specified, typical, cirrus cloud environments. In Phase I of the project reported here, simulated cirrus cloud microphysical properties are compared for situations of "warm" (40 C) and "cold" (-60 C) cirrus, both subject to updrafts of 4, 20 and 100 centimeters per second. Five models participated. The various models employ explicit microphysical schemes wherein the size distribution of each class of particles (aerosols and ice crystals) is resolved into bins or treated separately. Simulations are made including both the homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanisms. A single initial aerosol population of sulfuric acid particles is prescribed for all simulations. To isolate the treatment of the homogeneous freezing (of haze droplets) nucleation process, the heterogeneous nucleation mechanism is disabled for a second parallel set of simulations. Qualitative agreement is found for the homogeneous-nucleation- only simulations, e.g., the number density of nucleated ice crystals increases with the strength of the prescribed updraft. However, significant quantitative differences are found. Detailed analysis reveals that the homogeneous nucleation rate, haze particle solution concentration, and water vapor uptake rate by ice crystal growth (particularly as controlled by the deposition coefficient) are critical components that lead to differences in predicted microphysics. Systematic bias exists between results based on a modified classical theory approach and models using an effective freezing temperature approach to the treatment of nucleation. Each approach is constrained by critical freezing data from laboratory studies, but each includes assumptions that can only be justified by further laboratory research. Consequently, it is not yet clear if the two approaches can be made consistent. Large haze particles may deviate considerably from equilibrium size in moderate to strong updrafts (20-100 centimeters per second) at -60 C when the commonly invoked equilibrium assumption is lifted. The resulting difference in particle-size- dependent solution concentration of haze particles may significantly affect the ice particle formation rate during the initial nucleation interval. The uptake rate for water vapor excess by ice crystals is another key component regulating the total number of nucleated ice crystals. This rate, the product of particle number concentration and ice crystal diffusional growth rate, which is particularly sensitive to the deposition coefficient when ice particles are small, modulates the peak particle formation rate achieved in an air parcel and the duration of the active nucleation time period. The effects of heterogeneous nucleation are most pronounced in weak updraft situations. Vapor competition by the heterogeneously nucleated ice crystals may limit the achieved ice supersaturation and thus suppresses the contribution of homogeneous nucleation. Correspondingly, ice crystal number density is markedly reduced. Definitive laboratory and atmospheric benchmark data are needed for the heterogeneous nucleation process. Inter-model differences are correspondingly greater than in the case of the homogeneous nucleation process acting alone.

Lin, Ruei-Fong↗

Direction sensitive laser velocimeter

A laser velocimeter is described which determines the direction of movement of particles. A laser produces a transmitted beam that illuminates the volume under investigation. The backscattered light is divided into two equal intensity beams. A first part of a sample of the transmitted beam is mixed with one of the two equal intensity beams and applied to a first photodetector. A second part of the sample is phase shifted by 90 deg, mixed with the other of the two equal intensity beams and applied to a second photodetector. The output of the first photodetector is phase shifted by 90 deg and then multiplied with the output of the second photodetector to produce a signal indicative of direction of movement.

Franke, J. M.↗

Physical characterization of asteroid surfaces from photometric analysis

The feasibility of using photometric models like Hapke's (1981, 1984, 1986) equation for deriving physical properties of asteroids from photometric observations is discussed. Using data for Ceres and Vesta, it is shown that the incomplete phase-angle coverage limits the reliable determination of Hapke's photometric parameters from asteroid disk-integrated phase curves (the second limitation is the nonsphericity of many asteroids). However, within this limitations, certain trends among asteroids can be compared. It is shown that there is a general similarity among the Hapke's parameters other than the h parameter, which characterizes the width of the opposition surge in terms of soil structure (porosity, particle-size distribution, and the rate of compaction with depth), derived for similar objects, e.g., average C asteroids and Ceres, and average S asteroids, 1982 Apollo, and Vesta.

Helfenstein, P.↗

Internal Flow Simulation of Enhanced Performance Solid Rocket Booster for the Space Transportation System

An enhanced performance solid rocket booster concept for the space shuttle system has been proposed. The concept booster will have strong commonality with the existing, proven, reliable four-segment Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM) with individual component design (nozzle, insulator, etc.) optimized for a five-segment configuration. Increased performance is desirable to further enhance safety/reliability and/or increase payload capability. Performance increase will be achieved by adding a fifth propellant segment to the current four-segment booster and opening the throat to accommodate the increased mass flow while maintaining current pressure levels. One development concept under consideration is the static test of a "standard" RSRM with a fifth propellant segment inserted and appropriate minimum motor modifications. Feasibility studies are being conducted to assess the potential for any significant departure in component performance/loading from the well-characterized RSRM. An area of concern is the aft motor (submerged nozzle inlet, aft dome, etc.) where the altered internal flow resulting from the performance enhancing features (25% increase in mass flow rate, higher Mach numbers, modified subsonic nozzle contour) may result in increased component erosion and char. To assess this issue and to define the minimum design changes required to successfully static test a fifth segment RSRM engineering test motor, internal flow studies have been initiated. Internal aero-thermal environments were quantified in terms of conventional convective heating and discrete phase alumina particle impact/concentration and accretion calculations via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. Two sets of comparative CFD simulations of the RSRM and the five-segment (IBM) concept motor were conducted with CFD commercial code FLUENT. The first simulation involved a two-dimensional axi-symmetric model of the full motor, initial grain RSRM. The second set of analyses included three-dimensional models of the RSRM and FSM aft motors with four-degree vectored nozzles.

Ahmad, Rashid A.↗

The Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project

The cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project involves the systematic comparison of current models of ice crystal nucleation and growth for specified, typical, cirrus cloud environments. In Phase 1 of the project reported here, simulated cirrus cloud microphysical properties are compared for situations of "warm" (-40 C) and "cold" (-60 C) cirrus subject to updrafts of 4, 20 and 100 centimeters per second, respectively. Five models are participating in the project. These models employ explicit microphysical schemes wherein the size distribution of each class of particles (aerosols and ice crystals) is resolved into bins. Simulations are made including both homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanisms. A single initial aerosol population of sulfuric acid particles is prescribed for all simulations. To isolate the treatment of the homogeneous freezing (of haze drops) nucleation process, the heterogeneous nucleation mechanism is disabled for a second parallel set of simulations. Qualitative agreement is found amongst the models for the homogeneous-nucleation-only simulations, e.g., the number density of nucleated ice crystals increases with the strength of the prescribed updraft. However, non-negligible quantitative differences are found. Systematic bias exists between results of a model based on a modified classical theory approach and models using an effective freezing temperature approach to the treatment of nucleation. Each approach is constrained by critical freezing data from laboratory studies. This information is necessary, but not sufficient, to construct consistent formulae for the two approaches. Large haze particles may deviate considerably from equilibrium size in moderate to strong updrafts (20-100 centimeters per second) at -60 C when the commonly invoked equilibrium assumption is lifted. The resulting difference in particle-size-dependent solution concentration of haze particles may significantly affect the ice nucleation rate during the initial nucleation interval. The uptake rate for water vapor excess by ice crystals is another key component regulating the total number of nucleated ice crystals. This rate, the product of ice number concentration and ice crystal diffusional growth rate, partially controls the peak nucleation rate achieved in an air parcel and the duration of the active nucleation time period.

Lin, Ruei-Fong↗

Recent Advances in the LEWICE Icing Model

This paper will describe two recent modifications to the Glenn ICE software. First, a capability for modeling ice crystals and mixed phase icing has been modified based on recent experimental data. Modifications have been made to the ice particle bouncing and erosion model. This capability has been added as part of a larger effort to model ice crystal ingestion in aircraft engines. Comparisons have been made to ice crystal ice accretions performed in the NRC Research Altitude Test Facility (RATFac). Second, modifications were made to the run back model based on data and observations from thermal scaling tests performed in the NRC Altitude Icing Tunnel.

fluid dynamics↗

Toughening mechanisms in elastomer-modified epoxies. I - Mechanical studies. II - Microscopy studies

Tensile dilatometry at constant displacement rates is presently used to ascertain whether voiding, crazing or shear banding are the deformation mechanisms at work in the toughening of brittle epoxies through the addition of an elastomeric phase. The results obtained for epoxies toughened by various levels of several types of carbonyl-terminated butadiene nitrile liquid rubber indicate that, at low strain rates, the rubber particles simply enhance shear deformation; at sufficiently high strain rates, the particles cavitate and promote further shear deformation. Examinations of these materials are conducted by means of SEM, TEM, and optical microscopy in the second part of this study. Toughening is hypothesized to involve cavitation's relieving of triaxial tension at the crack tip, as well as shear band formation, which creates a plastic zone.

Yee, A. F.↗

Variability of Lidar-Derived Particle Properties Over West Africa Due to Changes in Absorption: Towards an Understanding

Measurements performed in western Africa (Senegal) during the SHADOW field campaign are analyzed to show that spectral dependence of the imaginary part of the complex refractive index (CRI) of dust can be revealed by lidar-measured particle parameters. Observations in April 2015 provide good opportunity for such study, because, due to high optical depth of the dust, exceeding 0.5, the extinction coefficient could be derived from lidar measurements with high accuracy and the contribution of other aerosol types, such as biomass burning, was negligible. For instance, in the second half of April 2015, AERONET observations demonstrated a temporal decrease in the imaginary part of the CRI at 440 nm from approximately 0.0045 to 0.0025. This decrease is in line with a change in the relationship between the lidar ratios (the extinction-to-backscattering ratio) at 355 and 532 nm (S(355) and S(532)). For instance in the first half of April, S(355)∕S(532) is as high as 1.5 and the backscatter Angstrom exponent, A(β), is as low as −0.75, while after 15 April S(355)/S(532)=1.0 and A(β) is close to zero. The aerosol depolarization ratio δ(532) for the whole of April exceeded 30 % in the height range considered, implying that no other aerosol, except dust, occurred. The performed modeling confirmed that the observed S(355)∕S(532) and Aβ values match the spectrally dependent imaginary part of the refractive index as can be expected for mineral dust containing iron oxides. The second phase of the SHADOW campaign was focused on evaluation of the lidar ratio of smoke and estimates of its dependence on relative humidity (RH). For five studied smoke episodes the lidar ratio increases from 44±5 to 66±7 sr at 532 nm and from 62±6 to 80±8 sr at 355 nm, when RH varied from 25 % to 85 %. Performed numerical simulations demonstrate that observed ratio S(355)∕S(532), exceeding 1.0 in the smoke plumes, can indicate an increase in the imaginary part of the smoke particles in the ultraviolet (UV) range.

Lidar-Derived Particle Properties↗

Real-Time X-Ray Transmission Microscopy for Fundamental Studies Solidification

High resolution real-time X-ray Transmission Microscopy, XTM, has been applied to obtain information fundamental to solidification of optically opaque metallic systems. We have previously reported the measurement of solute profile in the liquid, phase growth, and detailed solid-liquid interfacial morphology of aluminum based alloys with exposure times less than 2 seconds. Recent advances in XTM furnace design have provided an increase in real-time magnification (during solidification) for the XTM from 4OX to 16OX. The increased magnification has enabled for the first time the XTM imaging of real-time growth of fibers and particles with diameters of 5 micrometers. We have applied this system to study of the kinetics of formation and morphological evolution of secondary fibers and particles in Al-Bi monotectic alloys to observe a previously unreported velocity dependent thermo-capillary depletion mechanism for Bi rich liquid which can penetrate many fiber diameters into the solid-liquid interface. In this talk we will discuss application of the XTM to the study the fundamentals of monotectic and eutectic solidification, the enhancement of XTM data with precise solid liquid interfacial temperature and thermal gradient measurement techniques, and the application of this technology to the study of the fundamentals of solidification in microgravity,

Curreri, Peter A.↗

Investigation of Next-Generation Earth Radiation Budget Radiometry

The current effort addresses two issues important to the research conducted by the Thermal Radiation Group at Virginia Tech. The first research topic involves the development of a method which can properly model the diffraction of radiation as it enters an instrument aperture. The second topic involves the study of a potential next-generation space-borne radiometric instrument concept. Presented are multiple modeling efforts to describe the diffraction of monochromatic radiant energy passing through an aperture for use in the Monte-Carlo ray-trace environment. Described in detail is a deterministic model based upon Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and the particle theory of light. This method is applicable to either Fraunhofer or Fresnel diffraction situations, but is incapable of predicting the secondary fringes in a diffraction pattern. Also presented is a second diffraction model, based on the Huygens-Fresnel principle with a correcting obliquity factor. This model is useful for predicting Fraunhofer diffraction, and can predict the secondary fringes because it keeps track of phase. NASA is planning for the next-generation of instruments to follow CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System), an instrument which measures components of the Earth's radiant energy budget in three spectral bands. A potential next-generation concept involves modification of the current CERES instrument to measure in a larger number of wavelength bands. This increased spectral partitioning would be achieved by the addition of filters and detectors to the current CERES geometry. The capacity of the CERES telescope to serve for this purpose is addressed in this thesis.

Coffey, Katherine L.↗

Macrovoid Defect Growth during Evaporative Casting of Polymeric Membranes

Macrovoid (MV) formation is a significant problem in evaporatively cast polymeric membranes. MVs are large, elongated or teardrop-shaped pores (~10-50 micron) that can impair membrane structural integrity. Although MVs have been extensively studied, there is no general agreement on the mechanisms governing MV growth. Recently, our research group has formulated the solutocapillary convection (SC) hypothesis, which contends that MV growth involves three principal forces: a Marangoni force generated by surface tension gradients within the MV interface, a viscous drag force, and a gravitationally induced body force. Two sets of complementary experiments were conducted to test the SC hypothesis. Ground-based videomicroscopy flow-visualization (VMFV) was utilized to measure the flow velocities at the MV-casting solution interface and deep within the casting solution. The measurements were performed with casting solutions containing 10 wt% cellulose acetate (CA), 30 wt% H2O, 60 wt% acetone, and 200- ppm TiO2 particles for flow visualization, and the surface tension was controlled by surfactant addition. Qualitatively, the experiments indicated that MV growth occurs in three distinct phases: (1) a very rapid initial growth period, (2) a much slower growth phase, and (3) absorption of selected MVs into the expanding demixed region. The presence of tracer particles inside the MVs suggests the presence of a convective flow, which transfers the particles from the bulk solution to the MV interior. Although the VMFV experiments did not establish any surfactant effect on the interfacial velocities, a statistically significant effect on the MV number density was observed. In the second set of experiments, membranes were cast aboard a KC-135 aircraft under 0-g and 2-g conditions. Despite careful attention to the design and fabrication of the membrane casting apparatus (MCA), several problems were encountered, the most significant of which was the contamination of the casting solution by the activated carbon particles used for solvent absorption.

Greenberg, A. R.↗