Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Sang, Yeming

Publications and source records attributed to Sang, Yeming.

Long-term evolution of crustal neutron star magnetic fields

We have derived an analytic solution to the asymptotic behavior of dipolar magnetic fields that are generated in the crusts of neutron stars. We show that if the conductivity is due to impurity scattering, as expected for late stages of evolution, the surface field strength at the magnetic pole declines with the power law B(sub p) approximately = (t/t(sub 0))(exp -2/3). The results are shown to be qualitatively consistent with detailed numerical calculations. These latter results are consistent with some recent analyses of pulsar statistics and the magnetic fields of several binary pulsars with white dwarf companions whose ages have been determined. The dependence of the surface magnetic field on spin period of the pulsar is derived.

Urpin, V. A.↗

Energetic helium particles trapped in the magnetosphere

High energy (approximately 40-100 MeV/nucleon) geomagnetically trapped helium nuclei have been measured, for the first time, by the ONR-604 instrument during the 1990/1991 Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) mission. The helium events observed at L less than 2.3 have a pitch angle distribution peaking perpendicular to the local magnetic field and are contained in peaks located at L = 1.2 and 1.9. The events in each peak can be characterized by power law energy spectra with indices of 10.0 +/- 0.7 for L = 1.9-2.3 and 6.8 +/- 1.0 for L = 1.15-1.3, before the large storm of 24 March 1991. CRRES was active during solar maximum when the anomalous component is excluded from the inner heliosphere, making it unlikely that the observed events derived from the anomalous component. The trapped helium counting rates decrease gradually with time indicating that these high energy ions were not injected by flares during the 1990/91 mission. Flare injection prior to mid-1990 may account for the highest energy particles, while solar wind injection during magnetic storms and subsequent acceleration could account for the helium at lower energies.

Chen, Jiasheng↗