I just finished reading the autobiography of D. C. Wilcox. He wrote a number of books that were published through his own company. One of the most popular is on fluid dynamics. A less known book is on turbulence modeling. He was famous for a particular two-equation turbulence model in the form of $k-\omega$. It …
Continue reading “An Improbable Life by D.C. Wilcox, and the $k-\omega$ Model”
I was able to find additional interesting pictures for my page on Tsien. One is with Adolf Busemann, father of swept wings and German / NASA Langley Scientist. Others are interesting like his home in Beijing. I’m currently reviewing a biography, and will make a note when finisihed.
Appearing next month in the NASA Alumni Newsletter. Walking on the Washington, D.C. Mall is an inspiring experience for all citizens. One might be inspired by the many memories and great institutions of our American people. Nestled as one of the most visited museums of the world is the National Air and Space Museum, just …
Continue reading “National Air and Space Museum’s Journey Toward 2025”
Diogenes, when once questioned about his curious act of wandering the city in broad daylight with a lamp, replied, “I am looking for an honest man.” (Plutarch, Life of Alexander, XIV.1-5). Honesty in scientific and mathematical research is central to human progress. Recently, a series of disturbing events have changed the academic community. The President …
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Interview with Professor Teller, June 1996.
The AMS this month has a wonderful article on Euclid’s work and journey through the east. The famous mathematical text ‘Euclid’s Elements’ has a long and fascinating translation history in China. In the early 1600s, Italian priest Matteo Ricci brought a copy to China and collaborated with scholar Xu Guangqi to translate the first six …
Graduate Student Garrison S. Osborne and Steven A. E. MillerUniversity of Florida Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Well before the loss of Columbia, the NASA Office of Technology Assessment wrote, “Shuttle reliability is uncertain, but has been estimated to range between 97 and 99 percent. If the Shuttle reliability is 98 percent, there would …
Continue reading “Reflection on Twenty Years Since the Loss of Columbia”
Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want …
Abstract: One now famous analytical solution for shock waves was developed by Dr. Theodore Meyer within his Ph.D. dissertation under advisement of Professor Ludwig Prandtl. The original solution relies on analysis via control volume of the equations of motion. This approach has limited future development of analytical solutions for more complex flow-fields. In this presentation, …
Continue reading “APS Presentation – Alternative Analytical Solution for Planar Oblique Shock Waves”
