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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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Comparison of the intensities of He, C + O, and Fe + Ni cosmic ray nuclei as measured on balloon flights in Canada and Argentina at several energy levels between about 1 and 50 GeV per nucleon. A re-analysis of previous data and those of Juliusson et al. (1972) and Smith et al. (in the press) is carried out. The differences in the spectra of these nuclei are discussed.
An isoluminous method of processing and viewing multispectral lunar imagery was developed in an effort to enhance the very subtle color variations seen on the lunar surface. The new technique normalizes the achromatic shades of gray to a common value and displays any small spectral reflectivity shifts as vivid colors. The primary advantage of the isoluminous method is its ability to present two objects (having the same spectral distribution) as the exact same color on the viewer screen regardless of any brightness difference which may exist between the two.
High-power wavelength-tunable coherent radiation has been produced by generating the difference frequency between the output from a tunable narrow-linewidth ruby-pumped infrared dye laser and a Q-switched ruby laser in a proustite crystal. Peak infrared powers in the kilowatt range and wavelength tunability from 3.20 to 5.65 microns have been achieved. The experimentally determined infrared power tuning curves are compared to those predicted by theory for interacting Gaussian light beams.
The observational modes of Geometric Satellite Geodesy are discussed. The geometrical analysis of the problem yielded a regression model for the adjustment of the observations along with a suitable and convenient metric for the least-squares criterion. The determinantal loci (critical configurations) for range networks are analyzed. An attempt is made to apply elements of the theory of variants for this purpose. The use of continuously measured range differences for loci determination is proposed.
A finite-difference procedure for computing the turbulent, swirling, compressible flow in axisymmetric ducts is described. Arbitrary distributions of heat and mass transfer at the boundaries can be treated, and the effects of struts, inlet guide vanes, and flow straightening vanes can be calculated. The calculation procedure is programmed in FORTRAN 4 and has operated successfully on the UNIVAC 1108, IBM 360, and CDC 6600 computers. The analysis which forms the basis of the procedure, a detailed description of the computer program, and the input/output formats are presented. The results of sample calculations performed with the computer program are compared with experimental data.
An investigation of three finite difference methods and their responses to the insertion of simulated satellite data is presented. A simple-one-level barotropic model is used as the forecast model, while the Mintz-Arakawa two-layer model is used to furnish the initial field, the verification fields, and the simulated satellite data. The schemes tested are the Shuman, the Matsuno-TASU, and an implicit scheme devised by McPherson. Results indicate that the schemes react to inserted data as they would react to unfiltered initial fields. Schemes which contain significant implicit viscosity are capable of damping the high frequency oscillations which occur after insertions, but such schemes may cause a loss of information. Schemes which contain less damping capability produce shock waves which damage the forecasts. It is also found that insertion of winds along with temperature data improves the forecast considerably.
An investigation was conducted at the aircraft landing loads and traction facility to study the braking and cornering characteristics, including the drag-force and cornering-force friction coefficients, of 30 by 11.5-14.5, type VIII aircraft tires with five different tread patterns. Test data were obtained on dry, damp, and flooded runway surfaces over a range of yaw angles from 0 deg to 12 deg at ground speeds from 5 knots to 100 knots. The results of this investigation indicate that a tread pattern consisting of transverse cuts across the entire width of the tread slightly improved the tire traction performance on wet surfaces. The braking and cornering capability of the tires was degraded by thin-film lubrication and tire hydroplaning effects on the wet runway surfaces. The braking capability of the tires decreased when the yaw angle was increased.
Considerations are given concerning the interpretation of the results of two types of cosmochronological dating in order to examine the validity of the conclusions inferred from these results that the time intervals between the formation of various meteorite samples are very great. It is theorized that the isotopic differences between Angra dos Reis and other basaltic achondrites may be due to real fluctuations between the relative abundances of s-process and r-process nucleosynthesis products at a level delta about 0.001.
An analytical study of the unsteady wave interaction of a shock wave overtaking a previously initiated shock tube flow has been conducted for a real gas by solving a finite-difference representation of the one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. This analysis has been used to determine the effect on the available test time of opening the secondary diaphragm in the expansion-tube operating cycle prior to the arrival of the incident shock wave. Special emphasis is placed on determining expansion-tube test-time limitations resulting from a nonuniform entropy distribution occurring during the early test-gas flow due to the varying Mach number of the incident shock wave as it traverses the expansion fan caused by the preopening process. Time distributions of velocity, temperature, pressure, and entropy at various distances from the diaphragm are presented as a function of the time required to open the diaphragm.
Rapid iterative (or semidirect) computation methods are developed for the finite-difference solution of the nonlinear equations of subsonic and transonic aerodynamics. At each iteration, a fast, direct elliptic algorithm solves the entire computation field. In an application to subsonic flow over a lifting airfoil, the full nonlinear stream-function equation is solved. Finally, a direct Cauchy-Riemann solver is used for the nonlinear transonic small-disturbance equations for a biconvex airfoil. At M = 0.7, t/c = 0.1 (subcritical), three iterations on a 39 x 32 mesh (totaling 2.45 sec on an IBM 360/67 computer) obtain convergence within 0.1%. A slightly supercritical case requires seven iterations (6.75 sec) for convergence within 1%.
Multistep methods for solving differential equations based on numerical integration formulas or numerical differentiation formulas (for stiff equations) require special provision for changing the stepsize. New algorithms are given which make the use of modified divided differences an attractive way to carry out the change in stepsize for such methods. Error estimation and some of the important factors in stepsize selection and the selection of integration order are also considered.
The nu sub 2 fundamental band of CHD3, centered near 2143/cm, was recorded at a resolution of 0.015-0.25/cm. Analysis of ground state combination differences yielded well-determined values for the ground state molecular parameters for CHD3. These parameters were used in the determination of the alpha and beta molecular parameters for nu sub 2.
Due to considerable difficulties of calculating L, B-coordinates, several simplified methods are currently used. The relative errors in L, B-coordinates calculated by approximate methods are given. It is suggested that different methods be used to calculate L, B-coordinates in the solution of various problems.
A finite difference formulation is presented for thermal wave propagation resulting from periodic heat sources. The numerical technique can handle complex problems that might result from variable thermal diffusivity, such as heat flow in the earth with ice and snow layers. In the numerical analysis, the continuous temperature field is represented by a series of grid points at which the temperature is separated into real and imaginary terms. Computer routines previously developed for acoustic wave propagation are utilized in the solution for the temperatures. The calculation procedure is illustrated for the case of thermal wave propagation in a uniform property semi-infinite medium.
The theory of Massera and Schaeffer relating the existence of unique almost periodic solutions of an inhomogeneous linear equation to an exponential dichotomy for the homogeneous equation was completely extended to discretizations by a strongly stable difference scheme. In addition it is shown that the almost periodic sequence solution will converge to the differential equation solution. The preceding theory was applied to a class of exponentially stable partial differential equations to which one can apply the Hille-Yoshida theorem. It is possible to prove the existence of unique almost periodic solutions of the inhomogeneous equation (which can be approximated by almost periodic sequences) which are the solutions to appropriate discretizations. Two methods of discretizations are discussed: the strongly stable scheme and the Lax-Wendroff scheme.
The evolution of a completely excited system of N two-level atoms, distributed over a large region and interacting with all modes of radiation field, is studied. The distinction between r-conserving (RC) and r-nonconserving (RNC) processes is emphasized. Considering the number of photons emitted as the discrete independent variable, the evolution is described by a partial difference equation. Numerical solution of this equation shows the transition from RNC dominance at the beginning to RC dominance later. This is also a transition from incoherent to coherent emission of radiation.
A procedure is described for determining the noise equivalent difference temperature for infrared electro-optical instruments. The instrumentation required, proper measurements, and methods of calculation are included.
The interlaminar stresses induced in a layered laminate that is bent into a cylindrical surface are studied. The laminate is modeled as a continuum, and the resulting elasticity equations are solved using the finite difference method. The report sets forth the mathematical framework, presents some preliminary results, and provides a listing and explanation of the computer program. Significant among the results are apparent symmetry relationships that will reduce the numerical size of certain problems and an interlaminar stress behavior having a sharp rise at the free edges.