Effects of Tip Dihedral on Lateral Stability and Control Characteristics as Determined by Tests of a Dynamic Wind Model in the Langley Free-flight Tunnel
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Early studies of mare basalts from the Apollo 15 site established that two distinct groups are represented: the olivine-normative basalts (ONB) and the quartz-normative basalts (QNB). The ONB and QNB suites are distinguished petrographically by their phenocryst assemblages (the ONB's are olivine-phyric, the QNB's are generally pyroxene-phyric) and chemically by their major element compositions: the QNB's are higher in SiO2 and MgO/FeO, and lower in FeO and TiO2 than ONB's with similar MgO contents. Experimental data show that the QNB suite is derived from a more magnesian, olivine-normative parent magma, a conclusion which is supported by the recent discovery of high-SiO2 olivine-normative basalt clasts in breccia 15498. The high-SiO2 ONB's fall on olivine control lines with primitive QNB's, and least-squares mixing calculations are consistent with the high-SiO2 ONB's being parental to the more evolved QNB suite. These high-SiO2 ONB's are included as part of the 'QNB suite'. Our major element modeling results also are consistent with the conclusions of earlier studies which showed that the ONB and QNB suites cannot be related to one another by low pressure crystal fractionation. The combination of high Mg#, high SiO2, and low TiO2 in the QNB suite precludes a relationship to the ONB suite by simple removal of liquidus minerals (olivine and pigeonite). Despite these significant differences in petrography and major element composition, both groups have nearly identical trace element concentrations and chondrite-normalized abundance patterns. The major question to be addressed by any petrogenetic model for Apollo 15 mare basalts is how to form mare basalt suites with distinctly different major element characteristics but nearly identical trace element compositions. The similarity in trace element concentrations imply compositionally similar source regions and similar percent melting, but these conclusions are not easily reconciled with the observed differences in major element compositions, which require sources with distinct mineralogies or large differences in percent melt.
The initial substorm interval to be studied has been selected to be the magnetic storm of June 4, 1991, and following. The CRRES electric and magnetic field data has been processed. We have added DMSP ion drift and energetic particle data and further refined the CRRES data for intercomparison. The DMSP data increase the frequency of monitoring of the temporal response of the penetration electric fields to every 100 min. Energy is seen to flow between the ionosphere and magnetosphere at low L values during the main phase of the magnetic storm in the form of field-aligned Poynting flux. This indicates electrodynamic coupling of the regions with Alfven waves. The first comparisons of the data with outputs of the Rice Magnetospheric Specification Model (MSM) were made. Both positive and negative correlation were seen as might be expected. Differences were especially evident in the time constants of the processes. Comparisons with the more physically self-consistent Rice Convection Model (RCM) with both electric fields and particle data are in progress to suggest physical constraints for our understanding of the phenomena.
Significant progress has been made on the analysis of the June, 1991 storm. We have completed the analysis of the CRRES and DMSP data sets. We have been able to follow the evolution during the storm of the inner edge of the electric field patterns in the dusk sector and its relation to electron boundaries, ion boundaries and the ring current. Whereas the CRRES data provide radial cuts out through the plasmasphere every I 0 hours, DMSP provides snapshots every orbit of the potential and particle boundaries. Electric field and energetic particle measurements from CRRES and ion drifts and energetic particle measurements from DMSP provide the principal data sets. The combined data set provides high resolution definition of the boundary motions over the phases of the storm. L shell differences between the DMSP and CRRES particle boundaries are easily explained by inflation of the dusk sector by the ring current. The electric field boundaries are typically associated with the ion boundary and the inner edge of the ring current except during rapid increases in the cross-polar cap potential. A significant fraction of the dusk cell potential is found inside the plasmasheet electron inner edge. Twice during the storm this potential exceeded 60 kV. A paper (copy attached) has been prepared (Burke et al., 1998) and submitted to JGR. An invited paper will be presented by Burke at the spring AGU meeting. An abstract has also been submitted to the COSPAR meeting for presentation by Maynard. New simulations have been carried out with the Rice Convection Model for the magnetic storm of June 4-5, 1991, and comparisons have been made with CRRES and DMSP data.
Instruments on the Galileo probe measured composition, cloud properties, thermal structure. winds, radiative energy balance, and electrical properties of the Jovian atmosphere. As expected the probe results confirm some expectations about Jupiter's atmosphere, refute others, and raise new questions which still remain unanswered. This talk will concentrate on those aspects of the probe observations which either raised new questions or remain unresolved. The Galileo probe observations of composition and clouds provided some of the biggest surprises of the mission. Helium abundance measured by the probe differed significantly from the remote sensing derivations from Voyager. discrepancy between the Voyager helium abundance determinations for Jupiter and the Galileo probe value have now led to a considerably increased helium determination for Saturn. Global abundance of N in the form of ammonia was observed to be supersolar by approximately the same factor as carbon, in contrast to expectations that C/N would be significantly larger than solar. This has implications for the formation and evolution of Jupiter. The cloud structure was not what was generally anticipated, even though most previous remote sensing results below the uppermost cloud referred to 5 micron hot spots, local regions with reduced cloud opacity. The Galileo probe descended in one of these hot spots. Only a tenuous, presumed ammonium hydrosulfide, cloud was detected, and no significant water cloud or super-solar water abundance was measured. The mixing ratios as a function of depth for the condensibles ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and water, exhibited no apparent correlation with either condensation levels or with each other, an observation that is still a puzzle, although there are now dynamical models of hot spots which show promise in being able to explain such behavior. Probe tracked zonal winds show that wind magnitude increases with depth to pressures of about 4 bars, with the winds extending to at least as deep as the probe made measurements, 22 bars. Models of hot spot dynamics raise the possibility that the variation with depth of the probe measured zonal winds between 0.4 and 4 bars reflect the dynamics of the hot spot rather than the global wind pattern. Galileo upper atmosphere measurements established that there is a sharp temperature rise with altitude between about 350 and 800 km above the 1 bar pressure level, with the upper atmosphere reaching, temperatures near 900 K. The energy sources for this upper atmosphere heating are not clearly established, but various mechanisms have been proposed. These and other aspects of the Galileo probe data will be discussed.
The dynamics of an ensemble of linear disturbances in boundary-layer flows at various Reynolds numbers is studied through an analysis of the transport equations for the mean disturbance kinetic energy and energy dissipation rate. Effects of adverse and favorable pressure-gradients on the disturbance dynamics are also included in the analysis. Unlike the fully turbulent regime where nonlinear phase scrambling of the fluctuations affects the flow field even in proximity to the wall, the early stage transition regime fluctuations studied here are influenced across the boundary layer by the solid boundary. In addition, the dominating dynamics in the disturbance kinetic energy equation is governed by the energy production, pressure-transport and viscous diffusion - also in contrast to the fully turbulent regime. For the disturbance dissipation rate, a dynamic balance exists between the destruction and diffusion of dissipation.
Instruments on the Galileo probe measured composition, cloud properties, thermal structure, winds, radiative energy balance, and electrical properties of the Jovian atmosphere. As expected the probe results confirm some expectations about Jupiter's atmosphere, refute others, and raise new questions which still remain unanswered. This talk will concentrate on those aspects of the probe observations which either raised new questions or remain unresolved. The Galileo probe observations of composition and clouds provided some of the biggest surprises of the mission. Helium abundance measured by the probe differed significantly from the remote sensing derivations from Voyager. Discrepancy between the Voyager helium abundance determinations for Jupiter and the Galileo probe value have now led to a considerably increased helium determination for Saturn. Global abundance of N in the form of ammonia was observed to be super-solar by approximately the same factor as carbon, in contrast to expectations that C/N would be significantly larger than solar. This has implications for the formation and evolution of Jupiter. The cloud structure was not what was generally anticipated, even though most previous remote sensing results below the uppermost cloud referred to 5 micron hot spots, local regions with reduced cloud opacity. The Galileo probe descended in one of these hot spots. Only a tenuous, presumed ammomium hydrosulfide, cloud was detected, and no significant water cloud or super-solar water abundance was measured. The mixing ratios as a function of depth for the condensibles ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and water, exhibited no apparent correlation with either condensation levels or with each other, an observation that is still a puzzle, although there are now dynamical models of hot spots which show promise in being able to explain such behavior. Probe tracked zonal winds show that wind magnitude increases with depth to pressures of about 4 bars, with the winds extending to at least as deep as the probe made measurements, 22 bars. Models of hot spot dynamics raise the possibility that the variation with depth of the probe measured zonal winds between 0.4 and 4 bars reflect the dynamics of the hot spot rather than the global wind pattern. Galileo upper atmosphere measurements established that there is a sharp temperature rise with altitude between about 350 and 800 km above the 1 bar pressure level, with the upper atmosphere reaching temperatures near 900 K. The energy sources for this upper atmosphere heating are not clearly established, but various mechanisms have been proposed. These and other aspects of the Galileo probe data will be discussed.
A differential equation model of vegetative growth of the soya bean plant (Glycine max (L.) Merrill cv. Ransom') was developed to account for plant growth in a phytotron system under variation of root temperature and nitrogen concentration in nutrient solution. The model was tested by comparing model outputs with data from four different experiments. Model predictions agreed fairly well with measured plant performance over a wide range of root temperatures and over a range of nitrogen concentrations in nutrient solution between 0.5 and 10.0 mmol NO3- in the phytotron environment. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the model was most sensitive to changes in parameters relating to carbohydrate concentration in the plant and nitrogen uptake rate.
The Thermo-Mechanical systems branch at the Glenn Research Center focuses a large amount time on Stirling engines. These engines will be used on missions where solar power is inefficient, especially in deep space. I work with Tim Regan and Ed Lewandowski who are currently developing and validating a mathematical model for the Stirling engines. This model incorporates all aspects of the system including, mechanical, electrical and thermodynamic components. Modeling is done through Simplorer, a program capable of running simulations of the model. Once created and then proven to be accurate, a model is used for developing new ideas for engine design. My largest specific project involves varying key parameters in the model and quantifying the results. This can all be done relatively trouble-free with the help of Simplorer. Once the model is complete, Simplorer will do all the necessary calculations. The more complicated part of this project is determining which parameters to vary. Finding key parameters depends on the potential for a value to be independently altered in the design. For example, a change in one dimension may lead to a proportional change to the rest of the model, and no real progress is made. Also, the ability for a changed value to have a substantial impact on the outputs of the system is important. Results will be condensed into graphs and tables with the purpose of better communication and understanding of the data. With the changing of these parameters, a more optimal design can be created without having to purchase or build any models. Also, hours and hours of results can be simulated in minutes. In the long run, using mathematical models can save time and money. Along with this project, I have many other smaller assignments throughout the summer. My main goal is to assist in the processes of model development, validation and testing.
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Several proteins involved in the response to DNA double strand breaks (DSB) form microscopically visible nuclear domains, or foci, after exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiation-induced foci (RIF) are believed to be located where DNA damage is induced. To test this assumption, we analyzed the spatial distribution of 53BP1, phosphorylated ATM and gammaH2AX RIF in cells irradiated with high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. Since energy is randomly deposited along high-LET particle paths, RIF along these paths should also be randomly distributed. The probability to induce DSB can be derived from DNA fragment data measured experimentally by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. We used this probability in Monte Carlo simulations to predict DSB locations in synthetic nuclei geometrically described by a complete set of human chromosomes, taking into account microscope optics from real experiments. As expected, simulations produced DNA-weighted random (Poisson) distributions. In contrast, the distributions of RIF obtained as early as 5 min after exposure to high LET (1 GeV/amu Fe) were non-random. This deviation from the expected DNA-weighted random pattern can be further characterized by relative DNA image measurements. This novel imaging approach shows that RIF were located preferentially at the interface between high and low DNA density regions, and were more frequent in regions with lower density DNA than predicted. This deviation from random behavior was more pronounced within the first 5 min following irradiation for phosphorylated ATM RIF, while gammaH2AX and 53BP1 RIF showed very pronounced deviation up to 30 min after exposure. These data suggest the existence of repair centers in mammalian epithelial cells. These centers would be nuclear sub-domains where DNA lesions would be collected for more efficient repair.
The film shows three spin tunnel tests of a 1/20 scale model of the Gemini capsule. In the first test, the capsule spins freely. In tests 2 and 3, a drogue parachute is attached to the capsule.
The International Space Station (ISS) attitude control is provided by two means: The Russian Segment uses thrusters and the U.S. Segment uses double-gimbaled control moment gyroscopes (CMG). CMGs are used as momentum exchange devices, providing non propulsive attitude control for the vehicle. The CMGs are very important for the ISS program because, first, they save propellant - which needs to be transferred to the Station in special cargo vehicles - and, second, they provide the microgravity environment on the Station - which is necessary for scientific experiments planned for the ISS mission. Since 2002, when one of the CMG on the ISS failed, all CMGs are closely monitored. High gimbal rates, vibration spikes, unusual variations of spin motor current and bearing temperatures are of great concern, since these parameters are the CMG health indicators. The telemetry analysis of these and some other CMG parameters is used to determine constrains and make changes to the CMGs operation on board. These CMG limitations, in turn, may limit the ISS attitude control capabilities and may be critical to ISS operation. Therefore, it is important to know whether the CMG parameter is nominal or out of family, and why. The goal of this project is to analyze an important CMG parameter - spin motor current. Some operational decisions are made now based on the spin motor current signatures. The spin motor current depends on gimbal rates, ISS rates, and spin bearing friction. The spin bearing friction in turn depends on the bearing temperatures, wheel rates, normal load - which is a function of gimbal and wheel rates - lubrication, etc. The first task of this project is to create a spin motor current mathematical model based on CMG dynamics model and the current knowledge on bearing friction in microgravity.
An extrasolar planet sculpts the famous debris dish around Fomalhaut; probably many other debris disks contain planets that we could locate if only we could better recognize their signatures in the dust that surrounds them. I will describe the latest 3-D models of debris dish dynamics / models that include planets, grain-grain collisions and even ISM-disk interactions. I will show why all these ingredients are needed to explain disk images--and what the images are telling us about planet formation.
NASA prefers to land the space shuttle at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). When weather conditions violate Flight Rules at KSC, NASA will usually divert the shuttle landing to Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in Southern California. But forecasting surface winds at EAFB is a challenge for the Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) forecasters due to the complex terrain that surrounds EAFB, One particular phenomena identified by SMG is that makes it difficult to forecast the EAFB surface winds is called "wind cycling". This occurs when wind speeds and directions oscillate among towers near the EAFB runway leading to a challenging deorbit bum forecast for shuttle landings. The large-scale numerical weather prediction models cannot properly resolve the wind field due to their coarse horizontal resolutions, so a properly tuned high-resolution mesoscale model is needed. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model meets this requirement. The AMU assessed the different WRF model options to determine which configuration best predicted surface wind speed and direction at EAFB, To do so, the AMU compared the WRF model performance using two hot start initializations with the Advanced Research WRF and Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical cores and compared model performance while varying the physics options.
We present observational data for Comet 9P/Tempel 1 taken from 1997 through 2010 in an international collaboration in support of the Deep Impact and Stardust-NExT missions. The data were obtained to characterize the nucleus prior to the Deep Impact 2005 encounter, and to enable us to understand the rotation state in order to make a time of arrival adjustment in February 2010 that would allow us to image at least 25% of the nucleus seen by the Deep Impact spacecraft to better than 80 m/pixel, and to image the crater made during the encounter, if possible. In total, approx.500 whole or partial nights were allocated to this project at 14 observatories worldwide, utilizing 25 telescopes. Seventy percent of these nights yielded useful data. The data were used to determine the linear phase coefficient for the comet in the R-band to be 0.045 +/- 0.001 mag/deg from 1deg to 16deg. Cometary activity was observed to begin inbound near r approx. 4.0 AU and the activity ended near r approx. 4.6 AU as seen from the heliocentric secular light curves, water-sublimation models and from dust dynamical modeling. The light curve exhibits a significant pre- and post-perihelion brightness and activity asymmetry. There was a secular decrease in activity between the 2000 and 2005 perihelion passages of approx. 20%. The post-perihelion light curve cannot be easily explained by a simple decrease in solar insolation or observing geometry. CN emission was detected in the comet at 2.43 AU pre-perihelion, and by r = 2.24 AU emission from C2 and C3 were evident. In December 2004 the production rate of CN increased from 1.8 x 10(exp 23) mol/s to Q(sub CN) = 2.75 x 10(exp 23) mol/s in early January 2005 and 9.3 x 10(exp 24) mol/s on June 6, 2005 at r = 1.53 AU.