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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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NASA NTRS1978

One-dimensional inhomogeneous Vlasov equilibria

Bernstein, Greene, and Kruskal (1957) showed how, given the electrostatic potential as a function of position, the entire distribution function for ions, and the distribution function for untrapped electrons in a one-dimensional two-species Vlasov plasma, one could determine the distribution function for the trapped electrons as the solution of an Abel integral equation. This result is generalized by replacing the statements about the distribution functions with the specification of the velocity-space distribution functions of both species at a single position in the plasma. Limiting cases are shown to correspond to the earlier treatment, and the applicability of the theory to experiment is discussed.

Crownfield, F. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic electron temperature anisotropy instabilities

This paper considers electromagnetic Vlasov instabilities driven by electron temperature anisotropies in a homogeneous, nonrelativistic magnetized plasma. Numerical solutions of the full linear dispersion equation for bi-Maxwellian distribution functions and instabilities propagating parallel to the magnetic field are presented. Parametric dependences of the maximum growth rates of the electron fire hose and whistler anisotropy instabilities are given.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The mirror and ion cyclotron anisotropy instabilities

The linear dispersion equation for fully electromagnetic waves and instabilities at arbitrary directions of propagation relative to a background magnetic field B(0) in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma is solved numerically for bi-Maxwellian particle distributions. For isotropic plasmas the dispersion and damping of the three modes below the proton cyclotron frequency are studied as functions of Beta(i) and T(e)/T(i). The transport ratios of helicity, cross-helicity, Alfven ratio, compressibility, and parallel compressibility are defined. Under the condition that the proton temperature perpendicular to B(0) is greater than the parallel temperature, the growth rates and transport ratios of the mirror instability and the ion cyclotron anisotropy instability are examined and compared. Both the proton parallel compressibility and the proton Alfven ratio are significantly different for the two growing modes.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Numerical simulations of plasma double layers

The results of analytical studies of quasi-static electric fields along geomagnetic field lines are discussed. The calculations were targeted at the structure, generation mechanisms and stability parameters. The field consists of two oppositely charged layers, either weakly or strongly charged, with an electric field between. Existence conditions are defined for the double layer field and balancing requirements are explored. Details of the simulation techniques, i.e., particle in cell and Vlasov simulations, for studying the double layer are outlined, noting that both periodic and quasi-periodic simulations are used. Solutions to Poisson's equation for fixed and floating point boundary conditions are generated. Finally, attention is also given to oblique and two-dimensional magnetic double layers.

Goertz, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The ion-ion acoustic instability

This paper considers the linear theory of ion-acoustic-like instabilities in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma with two ion components, a less dense beam and a more dense core, with a relative drift velocity. Numerical solutions of the full electrostatic dispersion equation are presented, and the properties of the ion-ion acoustic instability are studied in detail. At relatively cold beam temperatures, the instability is fluid-like, but it becomes a beam resonant kinetic instability as the beam temperature becomes of the order of the core temperature; if the mode is unstable, its threshold lies well below the threshold of the electron-ion acoustic instability. An electron temperature anisotropy enhances the instability, and at sufficiently large beam-core relative drift speeds, electron magnetization can either detract from or enhance the instability.

Gary, S. Peter↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic electron beam instabilities - Hot, isotropic beams

This paper considers the linear theory of electromagnetic instabilities driven by an electron beam in a homogeneous, nonrelativistic, Vlasov plasma. The beam is relatively hot, isotropic in its own frame, and streams parallel or antiparallel to a magnetic field B. Numerical solutions of the full dispersion equation for propagation parallel or antiparallel to B are presented, and the linear properties of the whistler heat flux and electron beam firehose instabilities are exhibited and compared. Under a broad range of parmameters the former mode has the lower beam speed threshold, and the larger maximum growth rate. In addition, it is demonstrated that, for a sufficiently large relative beam density, relative beam temperature, and plasma beta the whistler heat flux instability has a much lower beam speed threshold than the electrostatic electron beam instability. The application of these instabilities to first-order Fermi acceleration of electrons at space plasma shocks is discussed.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic ion beam instabilities - Hot beams at interplanetary shocks

This paper considers Vlasov instabilities driven by a very hot ion beam streaming parallel to a magnetic field. The linear theory of electromagnetic instabilities driven by such a beam in a homogeneous, collisionless, nonrelativistic plasma is used. Numerical solutions of the full linear dispersion equation for bi-Maxwellian distribution functions are presented. If the thermal speed of the beam is greater than its drift speed, the two dominant modes are the right-hand and left-hand resonant ion beam instabilities. The parametric dependencies of the threshold drift speeds and growth rates for both modes are presented. In particular, the thresholds are shown to be sensitive functions of the beam temperature anisotropies. Arguments are presented that these two modes are driven by the suprathermal ion component at interplanetary shocks, and that the growth of these modes is sufficient to account for the amplitudes of MHD-like waves observed at such shocks.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1951

Basic Differential Equations in General Theory of Elastic Shells

The shell shall be considered as a three-dimensional continuous medium; for the coordinate surface, the middle surface of the shell shall be assumed parallel to the bounding surfaces. Let alpha and beta be the curvilinear orthogonal coordinates of this surface, coinciding with the lines of principal curvatures, and gamma the distance along the normal from the point (alpha,beta) of the coordinate surface to any point (alpha,beta,gamma) of the shell.

Vlasov, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Properties of Magnetic Reconnection and FTEs on the Dayside Magnetopause With and Without Positive IMF Bx Component During Southward IMF

This paper describes properties and behavior of magnetic reconnection and flux transfer events (FTEs) on the dayside magnetopause using the global hybrid-Vlasov code Vlasiator. We investigate two simulation runs with and without a sunward (positive) B(sub x) component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) when the IMF is southward. The runs are two-dimensional in real space in the noon-midnight meridional (polar) plane and three-dimensional in velocity space. Solar wind input parameters are identical in the two simulations with the exception that the IMF is purely southward in one but tilted 45° toward the Sun in the other. In the purely southward case (i.e., without B(sub x) the magnitude of the magnetosheath magnetic field component tangential to the magnetopause is larger than in the run with a sunward tilt. This is because the shock normal is perpendicular to the IMF at the equatorial plane, whereas in the other run the shock configuration is oblique and a smaller fraction of the total IMF strength is compressed at the shock crossing. Hence, the measured average and maximum reconnection rate are larger in the purely southward run. The run with tilted IMF also exhibits a north-south asymmetry in the tangential magnetic field caused by the different angle between the IMF and the bow shock normal north and south of the equator. Greater north-south asymmetries are seen in the FTE occurrence rate, size, and velocity as well; FTEs moving toward the Southern Hemisphere are larger in size and observed less frequently than FTEs in the Northern Hemisphere.

Hoilijoki, S.↗