Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “plasma wave propagation”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves observed near the oxygen cyclotron frequency by ISEE 1 and 2

The first results of observations of ion cyclotron waves by the elliptically orbiting ISEE 1 and 2 pair of spacecraft are reported. The most intense waves (8 nT) were observed in the outer plasmasphere where convection drift velocities were largest and the Alfven velocity was a minimum. Wave polarization is predominantly left-handed with propagation almost parallel to the ambient magnetic field, and the spectral slot and polarization reversal predicted by cold plasma propagation theory are identified in the wave data. Computations of the experimental wave spectra during the passage through the plasmapause show that the spectral slots relate to the local plasma parameters, possibly suggesting an ion cyclotron wave growth source near the spacecraft. A regular wave packet structure seen over the first 30 min of the event is attributed to the modulation of this energy source by the Pc 5 waves seen at the same time.

Fraser, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

An impedance analysis of double-stream interaction in semiconductors

The electromagnetic waves propagating through a drifting semiconductor plasma are studied from a macroscopic point of view in terms of double-stream interaction. The possible existing waves (helicon waves, longitudinal waves, ordinary waves, and pseudolongitudinal waves) which depend upon the orientation of the dc external magnetic field are derived. A powerful impedance concept is introduced to investigate the wave behavior of longitudinal (space charge) waves or pseudolongitudinal waves in a semiconductor plasma. The impedances due to one- and two-carrier stream interactions were calculated theoretically.

Chen, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Performance of an ion-cyclotron-wave plasma apparatus operated in the radiofrequency sustained mode

An experimental study has been made of an ion-cyclotron-wave apparatus operated in the RF-sustained mode, that is, a mode in which the Stix RF coil both propagates the waves and maintains the plasma. Problems associated with this method of operation are presented. Some factors that are important to the coupling of RF power are noted. In general, the wave propagation and wave damping data agree with theory. Some irregularities in wave fields are observed. Maximum ion temperature is 870 eV at a density of five times 10 to the 12th power cu cm and RF power of 90 kW. Coupling efficiency is 70 percent.

Swett, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Operating features of an ion-cyclotron-wave plasma apparatus running in the RF-sustained mode

An experimental study has been made of an ion-cyclotron-wave apparatus operated in the RF-sustained mode. This is a mode in which the Stix RF coil both propagates the waves and maintains the plasma. Problems associated with this method of operation are presented. Some factors that are important to the coupling of RF power are noted. In general, the wave-propagation and wave-damping data agree with theory. Some irregularities in wave fields are observed. Maximum ion temperature is 870 eV at a density of 5 times 10 to the 12th power per cubic centimeter and RF power of 90 kW. Coupling efficiency is 70 percent.

Swett, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Microscopic Lagrangian description of warm plasmas. IV - Macroscopic approximation

The averaged-Lagrangian method is applied to linear wave propagation and nonlinear three-wave interaction in a warm magnetoplasma, in the macroscopic approximation. The microscopic Lagrangian treated by Kim and Crawford (1977) and by Galloway and Crawford (1977) is first expanded to third order in perturbation. Velocity integration is then carried out, before applying Hamilton's principle to obtain a general description of wave propagation and coupling. The results are specialized to the case of interaction between two electron plasma waves and an Alfven wave. The method is shown to be more powerful than the alternative possibility of working from the beginning with a macroscopic Lagrangian density.

Kim, H.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Measurement of the Plasma Density Using the Intensification of z-Mode Waves at the Electron Plasma Frequency

A new method is proposed for measuring the number density of a plasma using spectral measurements of plasma wave. The method is based on predictions that the ratio electric to magnetic fields and the electric intensity is significantly enhanced in a narrow frequency band without the electron plasma frequency for z-mode waves propagating at small angles to the back-ground magnetic field in cold relatively strongly magnetized plasmas. The method is applied to emissions observed in space over Earth's polar cap, allowing identification of the plasma frequency and the mode consistent with the data available. This method should be useful for other cold, strongly magnetized plasmas in space and in the laboratory.

Cairns, Iver H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The ion cyclotron dispersion relation in a proton-alpha solar wind

Solutions to the WKB warm plasma dispersion relation are investigated for the case of a proton-alpha plasma, to determine when parallel ion cyclotron waves can propagate at the alpha particle gyrofrequency. Examples are given of the behavior of the dispersion curves in this resonant regime, for several types of plasma states that are appropriate to the fast solar wind. It is found that while ion cyclotron waves can propagate at the alpha particle gyrofrequency for a bounded set of plasma parameters, use of the correct dispersion relation will probably make resonant cyclotron acceleration of solar wind plasma particles less feasible as a mechanism for the generation of the observed preferential effects.

Isenberg, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The excitation of plasma waves by a current source moving in a magnetized plasma - Two-dimensional propagation

The steady motion of a large conducting body in a magnetized plasma has been shown to create a spatial structure of charges and currents in the plasma which propagate without attenuation along the magnetic field direction (the label 'Alfven wings' has been given to this structure because of its resemblance to the wings of a biplane). It has been found that the Alfven wing structure breaks up into individual Fourier components which propagate away from the source at an angle slightly greater with respect to the magnetic field than the alignment of the original structure. This process depends on wave frequency. A given frequency is lost from the Alfven wing structure at a distance which varies as 1/omega-cubed. The amplitude of these traveling waves decreases at a rate which is inversely proportional to the square root of the distance from the source.

Rasmussen, Craig E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Whistler mode waves in the Jovian magnetosheath

During the Ulysses flyby of Jupiter in February 1992, the spacecraft traversed the Jovian magnetosheath for a few hours during the inbound pass and for aa few days during the outbound pass. Burstlike electomagnetic waves at frequencies of approximately 0.1-0.4 of the local electron cyclotron frequency have been observed by the Unified Radio and Plasma Wave (URAP) experiement. The waves were more often observed in the regions which were probably the outer or the middle magnetosheath, especially near the bow shock, and rarely seen in the magnetosphere/magnetosheath boundary layer. The propagation angles of the waves are estimated by comparing the measurements of the wave electric and magnetic fields in the spacecraft spin plane with the corresponding values calculated using the cold plasma dispersion relation under local field and plasma conditions. It is found that the waves propagate obliquely with wave angles between approximately 30 deg and 50 deg. These waves are likely to be the whistler mode waves which are excited by suprathermal electrons with a few hundred eV and a slight anisotropy (T(sub perp)/T(sub parallel) approximately 1.1-1.5). They are probably similar in nature to the lion roars observed in the Earth's magnetosheath. Signature of coupling between the mirror and the whistler mode have also been observed. The plasma conditions which favor the excitation of the whistler mode instability during the wave events exists as observed by the plasma experiement of Ulysses.

Lin, Naiguo↗
NASA NTRS1974

Plasma sheet at lunar distance during magnetospheric substorms

Evidence is described from the charged particle lunar environment experiment (CPLEE) to support the thesis that the plasma sheet thins at the onset of a substorm and expands during substorm recovery in the region of X ranging from -60 to -15 earth radii. A comparison of substorm data from Vela 6A and CPLEE suggests that thinning does not occur simultaneously throughout the region but propagates as a 'thinning' wave as plasma is ejected from the near-earth region of the tail.

Rich, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1962

Landau Damping of Transverse Waves in the Exosphere by Fast Particle Fluxes

We have investigated the Landau damping of transverse waves propagating in the thermal exospheric plasma, by fast particle fluxes which also exist in these regions. The most intense non-thermal fluxes so far detected are those of the auroral producing electrons and protons measured by McIlwain. We find that these fluxes may considerably damp the propagation of whistler modes through some regions. The damping of hydromagnetic waves in the exosphere by this mechanism is negligible.

LANDAU DAMPING↗
NASA NTRS1977

Stimulated plasma waves in the ionosphere

The reported discussion is concerned with longitudinal waves associated with electron motions. These waves are easily stimulated in the ionosphere by rocket- and satellite-borne RF sounders. Most of the observations of stimulated plasma waves in the ionosphere are based on ionograms obtained from the sounders carried on board five satellites, including Explorer 20, Alouette 1 and 2, and ISIS 1 and 2. The majority of the observations can be explained by considering the propagation of the sounder-stimulated plasma waves. Attention is given to aspects of plasma wave dispersion, linear phenomena, plasma wave instabilities and nonlinear phenomena, unexplained phenomena, diagnostic applications, geophysical and astrophysical applications, and a number of experiments planned for the future.

Benson, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Observation and theory of Pc 5 waves with harmonically related transverse and compressional components

The properties of 23 magnetic pulsation events observed by the AMPTE CCE spacecraft are studied. These events are selected on the basis of the field magnitude which oscillated at the second harmonic of a simultaneously present transverse oscillation. The events have a second harmonic period of 80-600 s (roughly the Pc 5 range), are observed in cluster in the dawn (0300-0800 magnetic local time, MLT) and dusk (1600-2100 MLT) sectors, and are localized near the magnetic equator. Although the azimuthal wave number estimated from an ion finite Larmor radius effect, is generally large (about 50), there is a marked difference between the events observed in the dawn and dusk sectors. In the dawn sector the waves have low frequencies (1-5 mHz), indicate left-hand polarization with respect to the ambient magnetic field, and propagate eastward with respect to the spacecraft. In the dusk sector the waves have high frequencies (5-15 mHz), indicate right-hand polarization, and propagate westward. It is suggested that the waves are all westward propagating in the plasma rest frame and that local-time-dependent Doppler shift is the reason for the local time dependence of the wave properties.

Takahashi, K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Observations of ion cyclotron waves near synchronous orbit and on the ground

Ion cyclotron waves (ICWs) generated in the magnetosphere by the ion cyclotron instability of 10-100 keV protons are now known to be the origin of short-period (0.1-5 Hz) electromagnetic field oscillations observed by synchronous spacecraft and on the earth's surface. Observations of the various wave characteristics, including spectral and polarization properties, that lead to the identification of generation and propagation mechaniisms, and regions in the magnetosphere are described with reference to ATS-6, GEOS, and ground-based wave data and interpreted using cold plasma propagation theory. The presence of heavy ions (O/+/, He/+/) dramatically modifies ICW magnetospheric propagation characteristics giving rise to spectral slots and polarization reversals. These properties may be used in plasma diagnostics. Finally satellite-ground correlations and techniques for determining the magnetospheric source position of ICWs not seen at synchronous orbit but observed on the ground as structured Pc1 pulsations are considered.

Fraser, B. J.↗