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At least 181 records · Page 10

Heating of the solar chromosphere and corona. I - Generalized inhomogeneous wave equation for magnetoacoustic motions

The generalized inhomogeneous wave equation that governs magnetoacoustic, vortical, and thermal motions in compressible fluids and that is applicable to the problem of heating of the solar chromosphere and corona is obtained. The effects of kinematic and bulk viscosity, heat conduction, Joule dissipation, and magnetic diffusivity are included. Under the usual assumptions, the generalized wave equation reduces to the well-known equations of Lighthill, Kulsrud, Phillips, and others. The major problems encountered in applying Lighthill's (1952) mechanism to sound generation in turbulent media are reviewed for both the subsonic and supersonic cases.

Anand, S. P. S.↗

Liquid-hydrogen boiloff reliquifier

Device uses Joule-Thomson expansion and pressure-relief cooling of compressed and cooled boiloff hydrogen to condense portion of gas. System could be used with cryogens such as helium, nitrogen, and oxygen.

Howard, F. S.↗

Velocity and temperature distributions of coal-slag layers on magnetohydrodynamic generators walls

Approximate analytical expressions are derived for the velocity and temperature distributions in steady state coal slag deposits flowing over MHD generator walls. Effects of slag condensation and Joule heating are included in the analysis. The transport conditions and the slag temperature at the slag-gas interface are taken to be known parameters in the formulation. They are assumed to have been predetermined either experimentally or from the slag properties and the gas dynamic calculations of the free stream flow. The analysis assumes a power law velocity profile for the slag and accounts for the coupling between the energy and momentum conservation equations. Comparisons are made with the more exact numerical solutions to verify the accuracy of the results.

Pian, C. C. P.↗

Preliminary studies of autoignition and flashback in a premixing-prevaporizing flame tube using Jet-A fuel at lean equivalence ratios

Lean equivalence ratios from 0.3 to 0.7 were observed. Combustor inlet air pressures were varied from 0.54 to 2.5 MPa, combustor inlet air temperatures from 550 to 700 K, and reference velocities from 8 to 35 meters per second. Autoignition delay times ranged from 15 to 100 milliseconds and varied inversely with pressure. The Arrhenius activation energy was 41,840 joules per mole. Temperature rise data were obtained in a long premixing-prevaporizing tube at a pressure of 0.56 MPa. Preflame temperature rise data were a function of equivalence ratio, inlet air temperature, and tube residence time. Significant temperature rise occurred above temperatures of 760 K, with autoignition occurring at 775 K for equivalence ratios greater than 0.47. The reactions were similar to cool-flame phenomena. Flashback velocities were measured at temperatures of 610 and 700 K, pressure of 0.56 MPa, and equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 1. Flashback velocities varied from 30 to 65 meters per second.

Marek, C. J.↗

NOx production in lightning

The rate of odd nitrogen (NOx) production by electrical discharge through air was theoretically and experimentally estimated to be about 60,000 trillion NOx molecules per joule. The theoretical treatment employed a cylindrical shock-wave solution to calculate the rate of NOx production in high temperature reactions. The limits obtained were experimentally verified by subjecting a regulated air flow to electrical discharges followed by a measurement of NOx production using chemiluminescence. These measurements also indicated that water vapor content has no detectable effect on the NOx production rate. The results imply that lightning is a significant source of NOx, producing about 30-40 megatons NOx-N per year and possibly accounting for as much as 50% of the total atmospheric NOx source.

Chameides, W. L.↗

Reduction of liquid hydrogen boiloff: Optimal reliquefaction system design and cost study

The refrigeration cycles investigated are referred to as Joule-Thomson cycles because they depend on the J-T effect to produce the low temperatures. Two basic competitive refrigeration cycles were evaluated. The first vents a portion of cold H2 gas to achieve the required precooling; the second uses LN2 for precooling. Both open loop and closed loop cycles were evaluated as well as combinations of venting to supplement the LN2 precooling. All cycles use a H2 compressor to achieve the desired high pressure (1325 psig). The heat compression was removed by cooling water. The high pressure H2 gas was cooled in counter flow heat exchangers by flowing cold H2 to the compressor. Further cooling was achieved for cycles using LN2 by passing H2 vapors through a LN2 heat exchanger. Finally, the high pressure H2 gas was expanded through a J-T valve where a portion of H2 was liquefied. The low pressure H2 gas flow back through the heat exchangers to the compressor is that portion not liquefied and makes up hydrogen gas from the dewar.

Source record↗

Reverse Current in Solar Flares

An idealized steady state model of a stream of energetic electrons neutralized by a reverse current in the pre-flare solar plasma was developed. These calculations indicate that, in some cases, a significant fraction of the beam energy may be dissipated by the reverse current. Joule heating by the reverse current is a more effective mechanism for heating the plasma than collisional losses from the energetic electrons because the Ohmic losses are caused by thermal electrons in the reverse current which have much shorter mean free paths than the energetic electrons. The heating due to reverse currents is calculated for two injected energetic electron fluxes. For the smaller injected flux, the temperature of the coronal plasma is raised by about a factor of two. The larger flux causes the reverse current drift velocity to exceed the critical velocity for the onset of ion cyclotron turbulence, producing anomalous resistivity and an order of magnitude increase in the temperature. The heating is so rapid that the lack of ionization equilibrium may produce a soft X-ray and EUV pulse from the corona.

Knight, J. W., III↗

Nuclear gamma rays from stellar flares

Solar flare observations are consistent with the phenomenological description that a loop of magnetic flux is convected to the surface of the star and twisted. The resulting inductive current parallel to the field is dissipated at an enhanced rate throughout the field volume by current limiting instabilities. The steady state balance between joule heating and thermal conduction along the field lines of force to the denser, cooler surface establishes a temperature distribution. The expansion of heated and ionized surface layers leads to a pressure balance and hence predictable density and X-ray emission measure. The current limitation instabilities result observationally in the parallel current being transferred to run-away ions that reach a kinetic energy of some finite fraction of the inductive potential drop. The nuclear excitation gamma rays produced by such a run-away ion current are calculated for a white dwarf flare.

Colgate, S. A.↗

Magnetospheric substorms

The generation of magnetospheric substorms as a magnetospheric response to a rectangular wave of a component of the interplanetary magnetic field is discussed. The development and decay of auroral substorms (the only visible manifestations of magnetic substorms) are described with reference to auroral particle precipitation, joule heat dissipation, and ring current injection. Various models of substorm phenomena are reviewed, including: (1) the conversion of magnetotail magnetic energy, (2) hot plasma injection from the plasma sheet into the Van Allen belt and ring current formation, (3) field-aligned currents and the auroral electrojet, and (4) the nature of interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations.

Akasofu, S.-I.↗

Momentum source signatures in thermospheric neutral composition

Perturbations in the structure of the neutral atmosphere were measured in narrow latitude bands near the dayside polar cusp by mass spectrometers aboard the S3-1 and Esro 4 satellites. The disturbances are characterized by an in-phase variation of both the lighter and the heavier species. They are observed to occur in latitude bands of about 5-10 deg extent in the altitude region of 200 km during periods of increased geomagnetic activity. It is suggested that thermospheric winds driven by momentum sources associated with ion convection are the predominant cause for these disturbances. The narrow structure features associated with the momentum source are superimposed on the thermospheric changes caused by Joule heating. Both effects may be present simultaneously, resulting in a complex response pattern of the neutral gas composition in the thermosphere.

Trinks, H.↗

A study of geomagnetic storms

The interplanetary energy flux is estimated on the basis of the Poynting flux and its variations with the rate of energy dissipation in terms of: (1) the ring-current particle injection, (2) Joule dissipation in the ionosphere, and (3) auroral particle injection for 15 major geomagnetic storms. A relationship, in terms of the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field vector and the magnetospheric field vector, is defined by which the growth of geomagnetic storms is closely associated with the Poynting flux. It is found that the energy flux that enters the magnetosphere is dissipated through intramagnetospheric substorm processes. Geomagnetic storm phenomena represent the combined influence of such effects.

Perreault, P.↗

Fe/+/ ions in the high latitude F-region

Ion mass-spectrometer measurements on Atmosphere Explorer C orbits from December 1974 to December 1976 were surveyed poleward of + or - 30 deg for instances in which the Fe(+) number density exceeded the spectrometer threshold sensitivity of 30/cu cm. The occurrences of Fe(+) within the altitude range covered by the orbit, 220 to 320 km, revealed a distinct pattern apparently associated with regions of upward plasma transport. At night a band of such events occurred between 50 and 60 deg invariant latitude, which typically corresponded to the location of the main ionospheric trough. In this region large upward ion drifts due to the drag of an equatorward-blowing neutral wind are expected. The Fe(+) band extends past 0600 MLT to about 1100 MLT during the summer, but is not observed in the afternoon. The dayside distributions possibly result from the upward drifts of F-region ions detected by backscatter techniques after dawn during summer. At higher latitudes patches of Fe(+) were detected in regions where strong plasma drifts often prevail and hence where poleward E x B drift motions and atmospheric expansion through Joule heating can lift the ions upwards.

Grebowsky, J. M.↗

Energy and mass transport in the thermosphere

Examples illustrating the effects of large scale energy and mass transport in the thermosphere discussed include: (1) The seasonal variations reveal temperature, composition, and ionospheric anomalies involving energy exchange between the thermosphere and mesosphere. (2) The midnight temperature maximum in the thermosphere is interpreted as a signature of tidal waves emanating from the mesosphere and momentum coupling associated with ion drag. (3) The ionospheric storm in the F region illustrates the intricate effects of large scale atmospheric winds driven by magnetospheric energization processes. (4) Atmospheric signatures of Joule heating and electric field momentum coupling are markedly different.

Mayr, H. G.↗

Magnetic field studies at Jupiter by Voyager 1: Preliminary results

Results obtained by the Goddard Space Flight Center magnetometers on Voyager 1 concerning the large scale configuration of the Jovian bow shock and magnetopause, and the magnetic field in both the inner and outer magnetosphere are highlighted. There is evidence that a magnetic tail extending away from the planet on the nightside is formed by the solar wind-Jovian field interaction. This is much like Earth's magnetosphere but is a new configuration for Jupiter's magnetosphere not previously considered from earlier Pioneer data. Magnetic field perturbations associated with intense electrical currents (approximately 5 x 10 to the 6th power amps) flowing near or in the magnetic flux tube linking Jupiter with the satellite Io and induced by the relative motion between Io and the co-rotating Jovian magnetosphere are analyzed and interpreted. These currents may be an important source of heating the ionosphere and interior of Io through Joule dissipation.

Ness, N. F.↗

Recycling isoelectric focusing with computer controlled data acquisition system

Isoelectric focusing is a high-resolution technique for separating and purifying large peptides, proteins, and other biomolecules. The apparatus described in the present paper constitutes a new approach to fluid stabilization and increased throughput. Stabilization is achieved by flowing the process fluid uniformly through an array of closely spaced filter elements oriented parallel both to the electrodes and the direction of the flow. This seems to overcome the major difficulties of parabolic flow and electroosmosis at the walls, while limiting the convection to chamber compartments defined by adjacent spacers. Increased throughput is achieved by recirculating the process fluid through external heat exchange reservoirs, where the Joule heat is dissipated.

Egen, N. B.↗

Effect of variable energy input on nitrogen fixation in instantaneous linear discharges

The reported analysis implies that the number of molecules of NO produced per joule of discharge varies with input energy. The calculations assume a cylindrical symmetry but the results are consistent with equivalent calculations using spherical symmetry. If NO yield does vary with input energy, extrapolation of laboratory experiments using small sparks is not as straightforward as has previously been assumed. Calculated curves for the yield of NO as a function of discharge energy are presented and are compared with experimental values and other theoretical values.

Chameides, W. L.↗

Magnetic field studies at Jupiter by Voyager 1 - Preliminary results

Results obtained by the Goddard Space Flight Center magnetometers on Voyager 1 are described. These results concern the large-scale configuration of the Jovian bow shock and magnetopause, and the magnetic field in both the inner and outer magnetosphere. There is evidence that a magnetic tail extending away from the planet on the nightside is formed by the solar wind-Jovian field interaction. This is much like earth's magnetosphere but is a new configuration for Jupiter's magnetosphere not previously considered from earlier Pioneer data. The analysis and interpretation of magnetic field perturbations associated with intense electrical currents (approximately 5 million amperes) flowing near or in the magnetic flux tube linking Jupiter with the satellite Io and induced by the relative motion between Io and the corotating Jovian magnetosphere are reported. These currents may be an important source of heating the ionosphere and interior of Io through Joule dissipation.

Ness, N. F.↗

Thermal structure and energy influx to the day- and nightside Venus ionosphere

The thermal structure of and energy influx to the dayside and nightside Venus ionosphere are discussed, based on data obtained by the Pioneer Venus spacecraft. Where the dayside ionosphere appears relatively constant in total ion concentration, ion and electron temperatures and ion composition below the ionopause, retarding potential analyzer measurements confirm the presence of strong spatial and temporal variations in nightside ion concentration. Ion temperatures on the nightside above 225 km are found to be larger by a factor of two or more than on the dayside, and comparable to electron temperatures on the day and night sides. Models of dayside and nightside ion temperatures consistent with observations require the heat input of 0.003 erg/sq cm sec and 0.005 erg/sq cm sec, respectively, to the ion gas to raise the ion temperature above that of the neutral gas, presumably by means of Joule heating.

Knudsen, W. C.↗