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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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At least 199 records · Page 11

Microcomputerized electric field meter diagnostic and calibration system

A computerized field meter calibration system which includes an apparatus for testing the calibration of field meters normally utilized for measuring electromagnetic field potentials is described. A reference voltage is applied to the field meter for causing signals to be produced on the output terminals thereof. A bank of relays is provided for selectively connecting output terminals of the field meter to a multiplexer by means of a digital voltmeter and an oscilloscope. A frequency-shift-keyed receiver is also connected to one of the terminals of the field meter for transmitting and converting a frequency shift keyed signal to a digital signal which is, subsequently, applied to the multiplexer.

Holley, L. D.↗

A kinetic study of solar wind mass loading and cometary bow shocks

The kinetic processes associated with solar wind mass loading due to pickup of cometary ions, and the formation of cometary bow shocks were investigated numerically using a hybrid simulation code described by Leroy et al. (1981), in which solar wind protons and heavy cometary ions are treated kinetically, but the electrons are treated as a massless fluid. It was found that the solar wind decelaration and pickup of cometary ions take place through both the macroscopic electromagnetic fields embedded in the solar wind and the microscopic field associated with low-frequency electromagnetic waves that are generated by the unstable velocity distribution function of the cometary ions. The results of the main simulation runs at various cone angles are described and compared with the recent observations of comets Giacobini-Zinner and Halley.

Omidi, N.↗

Geographical Variations In Measured Lightning Fields

Brief report describes continuing program of measurements to determine variations, caused by local terrain, in vertical electric fields radiated by distant lightning. Lightning electromagnetic field increased or decreased with respect to nominal value, depending on slope of local terrain, extent of local vegitation, and distances, sizes, and shapes of nearby structures.

Maier, Launa↗

Quadratic squeezing: An overview

The amplitude of the electric field of a mode of the electromagnetic field is not a fixed quantity: there are always quantum mechanical fluctuations. The amplitude, having both a magnitude and a phase, is a complex number and is described by the mode annihilation operator a. It is also possible to characterize the amplitude by its real and imaginary parts which correspond to the Hermitian and anti-Hermitian parts of a, X sub 1 = 1/2(a(sup +) + a) and X sub 2 = i/2(a(sup +) - a), respectively. These operators do not commute and, as a result, obey the uncertainty relation (h = 1) delta X sub 1(delta X sub 2) greater than or = 1/4. From this relation we see that the amplitude fluctuates within an 'error box' in the complex plane whose area is at least 1/4. Coherent states, among them the vacuum state, are minimum uncertainty states with delta X sub 1 = delta X sub 2 = 1/2. A squeezed state, squeezed in the X sub 1 direction, has the property that delta X sub 1 is less than 1/2. A squeezed state need not be a minimum uncertainty state, but those that are can be obtained by applying the squeeze operator.

Hillery, M.↗

The relativistic dynamics of a point charge in the field of a plane electromagnetic wave traveling in the direction of a uniform static magnetic field

The motion of a charged particle in electromagnetic fields of various geometric configurations and arising from a variety of sources is of intrinsic interest in electromagnetic theory. The particular configuration consisting of a plane wave propagating in the presence of a static uniform magnetic field whose direction is parallel to the wave normal is examined. The analysis presented here is treated within the context of classical electromagnetic theory. A numerical solution - at least to the approximate Lorentz-Dirac equation - is obtained.

Mitchell, T. P.↗

3-D Deformable Grid Electomagnetic PIC for Parallel Computers

We have developed a three-dimensional non-orthogonal grid electromagnetic PIC code for parallel supercomputers. The numerical formulation is based on hexahedral cells which are logically connected cubic cells but distorted to body-fit complex geometries in physical space. An outstanding area of research is to improve the accuracy of the electromagnetic field solve on distorted meshes.

3D deformable non-orthogonal grid code PIC codes p↗

Evaluation of a method to shield a welding electron beam from magnetic interference

It is known that electron beams are easily deflected by magnetic and electrostatic fields. Therefore, to prevent weld defects, stray electromagnetic fields are avoided in electron beam welding chambers if at all possible. The successful results of tests conducted at MSFC to evaluate a simple magnetic shield made from steel tubing are reported. Tests indicate that this shield was up to 85 percent effective in reducing magnetic effects on the electron beam of a welding machine. In addition, residual magnetic fields within the shield were so nearly uniform that the net effect on the beam alignment was negligible. It is concluded that the shield, with the addition of a tungsten liner, could be used in production welding.

Wall, W. A.↗

Containerless Atomic-Fluorescence Property Measurements

Report describes studies conducted to establish and verify use of laser-induced fluorescence in monitoring and controlling high-temperature containerless processes. Specimens levitated by gas jets or electromagnetic fields and heated by laser beams or electromagnetic induction while being irradiated and detected by fluorescence technique. Makes quantitative and qualitative comparisons among three new methods of temperature measurement; all rely on laser-induced fluorescence. One method gas-density thermometry with seed gas. Other two methods involve measurements of velocities of evaporating atoms or of population ratios of different electronic states.

Nordine, P.↗

A VLSI Processor Engine to Support Calculation of the Vector Wave Equation

The development of a VLSI processor engine tailored to support computation of the near-field vector wave equation (VWE) is presented. Calculation of the near field is essential for evaluation of the electromagnetic fields generated by a complex radiating structure. The processor engine presented is optimized such that it takes advantage of the extensive parallelism inherent in the computational algorithm. The utilization of very large scale integration (VLSI) circuit technology and a customized reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture support development of a system of these processor engines, each of which is capable of performing the VWE algorithm calculation. By taking maximum advantage of the parallelism present in the calculation and dividing the problem among an array of these processor engines, the calculation can be computed in a realistic time frame.

J W Degroat↗

Computing Radiation From Multiple-Circular-Aperture Antennas

Mutual Coupling Program for Circular Waveguide-fed Aperture Array (CWG) computer program developed to calculate electromagnetic interactions among elements of antenna arrays with circular apertures with specified distributions of electromagnetic fields in apertures. Distributions assumed superpositions of electromagnetic modes existing in circular waveguide. Various external media included to provide flexibility of use; for example, flexibility to determine effects of dielectric covers upon impedances of aperture-type antennas. Written in VAX FORTRAN for DEC VAX-series computers running VMS (LAR-15236) and IBM PC-series and compatible computers running MS-DOS (LAR-15226).

Bailey, M. C.↗

Research in particles and fields

The astrophysical aspects of cosmic radiation and the radiation and electromagnetic field environment of the Earth and other planets are investigated. Energetic particle and photon detector systems flown on spacecraft and balloons are used. Galactic, solar, interplanetary, and planetary energetic particles and plasmas are also studied with emphasis on precision measurements with high resolution in charge, mass, and energy.

Vogt, R. E.↗

Particle Acceleration by Dense Impulsive Structures Moving in Ambient Magnetospheric Plasma. 3-D Hybrid Kinetic Modeling and MMS Observations

High resolution observations of dense plasma impulsive structures moving through an ambient background magnetospheric flows were captured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. The observations show particle heating and acceleration, shock-like wave formation, and whistler wave excitation inside the interface between the dense impulsive plasma structures and the ambient plasma. A multiscale hybrid kinetic simulation provides an explanation of the observed wave-particle interactions with the assumption that the dense plasma structures may be represented by plasma clouds which are formed at the magnetopause layer due to reconnection processes. Plain Language Summary: Dense, impulsive plasma structures moving through a background plasma were captured by the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. The observations show that the dense structures can generate strong perturbations in the electromagnetic field and shock-like waves. Interactions between these electromagnetic waves and the particles results in particle acceleration. 3-D hybrid kinetic modeling (particle description for ions and fluid description for electrons) was used to investigate the plasma physics of the observed structures. It was assumed that the plasma clouds were formed by magnetic field reconnection inside the magnetopause, which is the interface between the solar wind particles and the cold low-density magnetospheric plasma. The work helps us understand the plasma environment at the interface between the Earth and solar wind, near planetary moons, within astrophysical explosions, and possibly at the interface between the solar wind and local interstellar medium.

A. S. Lipatov↗

Low-energy ion acceleration at quasi-perpendicular shocks: Transverse diffusion

The problem of ion injection and acceleration at quasi perpendicular shocks has been the subject of some debate over the past two decades. It is widely known that these shocks efficiently accelerate particles that are well in the high-energy tail of the distribution. However, the issue of injection, or the acceleration of low-energy ions, has yet to reach a consensus. The fundamental issue is whether there is enough diffusion normal to the magnetic field for the particles to remain near the shock. Since transverse diffusion is a physical process that is not well understood in space plasmas, this is an important, and difficult issue to address. In this report, we will investigate the ion injection problem by performing test particle orbit integrations using synthesized turbulent fields. These fields are fully three-dimensional so that transverse diffusion is possible (cross-field diffusion is not possible in geometries where the electromagnetic fields are less than three dimensional). The synthesized fields are produced by superimposing a three-dimensional wave field on a background field. For completeness, we will compare the results from this model with the more well-established theories, such as the diffusive approximation and scatter-free shock drift acceleration. We will also compare these results with other numerical simulation techniques such as the well known hybrid simulation, and other test-particle calculations in which the shock fields are specified to have less than three dimensions. We will also discuss some recent relevant observations and how these compare with our results.

Giacalone, J.↗