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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Overlapping double potential wells in a single optical microtube cavity with vernier-scale-like tuning effect

Spatially and temporally overlapping double potential wells are realized in a hybrid optical microtube cavity due to the coexistence of an aggregate of luminescent quantum dots embedded in the tube wall and the cone-shaped tube's geometry. The double potential wells produce two independent sets of optical modes with different sets of mode numbers, indicating phase velocity separation for the modes overlapping at the same frequency. The overlapping mode position can be tuned by modifying the tube cavity, where these mode sets shift with different magnitudes, allowing for a vernier-scale-like tuning effect.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

Self-modulation of long electron beams in plasma at PITZ

The Photo Injector Test facility at DESY, Zeuthen site (PITZ), offers the unique possibility to study and demonstrate the self-modulation of long electron bunches in plasma. A set of numerical simulations with the particle-in-cell code OSIRIS has been carried out for a better understanding of the process. Of particular interest is the measurement of the energy modulation induced to the beam itself by means of the generated wakefields in plasma. It will reflect the key properties of the accelerating electric fields such as their magnitude and their phase velocity, both of significant importance in the design of experiments relying on this technique.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Landau damping effects on dust-acoustic solitary waves in a dusty negative-ion plasma

The nonlinear theory of dust-acoustic waves (DAWs) with Landau damping is studied in an unmagnetized dusty negative-ion plasma in the extreme conditions when the free electrons are absent. The cold massive charged dusts are described by fluid equations, whereas the two-species of ions (positive and negative) are described by the kinetic Vlasov equations. A Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation with Landau damping, governing the dynamics of weakly nonlinear and weakly dispersive DAWs, is derived following Ott and Sudan [Phys. Fluids 12, 2388 (1969)]. It is shown that for some typical laboratory and space plasmas, the Landau damping (and the nonlinear) effects are more pronounced than the finite Debye length (dispersive) effects for which the KdV soliton theory is not applicable to DAWs in dusty pair-ion plasmas. The properties of the linear phase velocity, solitary wave amplitudes (in presence and absence of the Landau damping) as well as the Landau damping rate are studied with the effects of the positive ion to dust density ratio (μ{sub pd}) as well as the ratios of positive to negative ion temperatures (σ) and masses (m)

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

PROPAGATION AND STABILITY OF SUPERLUMINAL WAVES IN PULSAR WINDS

Nonlinear electromagnetic waves with superluminal phase velocity can propagate in the winds around isolated pulsars, and around some pulsars in binary systems. Using a short-wavelength approximation, we find and analyze an integrable system of equations that govern their evolution in spherical geometry. A confined mode is identified that stagnates to finite pressure at large radius and can form a precursor to the termination shock. Using a simplified criterion, we find this mode is stable for most isolated pulsars, but may be unstable if the external pressure is high, such as in the pulsar wind nebulae in starburst galaxies and in W44. Pulsar winds in eccentric binary systems, such as PSR 1259-63, may go through phases with stable and unstable electromagnetic precursors, as well as phases in which the density is too high for these modes to propagate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Properties of Noise Cross-Correlation Functions Obtained from a Distributed Acoustic Sensing Array at Garner Valley, California

A field test that was conducted at Garner Valley, California, on 11 and 12 September 2013 using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) to sense ground vibrations provided a continuous overnight record of ambient noise. Furthermore, the energy of ambient noise was concentrated between 5 and 25 Hz, which falls into the typical traffic noise frequency band. A standard procedure (Bensen et al., 2007) was adopted to calculate noise cross-correlation functions (NCFs) for 1-min intervals. The 1-min-long NCFs were stacked using the time–frequency domain phase-weighted-stacking method, which significantly improves signal quality. The obtained NCFs were asymmetrical, which was a result of the nonuniform distributed noise sources. A precursor appeared on NCFs along one segment, which was traced to a strong localized noise source or a scatterer at a nearby road intersection. NCF for the radial component of two surface accelerometers along a DAS profile gave similar results to those from DAS channels. Here, we calculated the phase velocity dispersion from DAS NCFs using the multichannel analysis of surface waves technique, and the result agrees with active-source results. We then conclude that ambient noise sources and the high spatial sampling of DAS can provide the same subsurface information as traditional active-source methods.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Collisionless microinstabilities in stellarators. I. Analytical theory of trapped-particle modes

This is the first in a series of papers about collisionless, electrostatic micro-instabilities in stellarators, with an emphasis on trapped-particle modes. It is found that, in so-called maximum-J configurations, trapped-particle instabilities are absent in large regions of parameter space. Quasi-isodynamic stellarators have this property (approximately), and the theory predicts that trapped electrons are stabilizing to all eigenmodes with frequencies below the electron bounce frequency. The physical reason is that the bounce-averaged curvature is favorable for all orbits, and that trapped electrons precess in the direction opposite to that in which drift waves propagate, thus precluding wave-particle resonance. These considerations only depend on the electrostatic energy balance and are independent of all geometric properties of the magnetic field other than the maximum-J condition. However, if the aspect ratio is large and the instability phase velocity differs greatly from the electron and ion thermal speeds, it is possible to derive a variational form for the frequency showing that stability prevails in a yet larger part of parameter space than what follows from the energy argument. Collisionless trapped-electron modes should therefore be more stable in quasi-isodynamic stellarators than in tokamaks.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Theory of correlation effects in dusty plasmas

A theory of correlation effects in dusty plasmas based on a suitably augmented Debye Huckel approximation is proposed. A model which takes into account the confinement of the dust within the plasma (by external fields) is considered. The dispersion relation of compressional modes with correlation effects is obtained. Results show that strong coupling effects may be subdominant even when Γ ≫ 1. Thus, in the limit Γ→0 and/or κ → ∞, one obtains the weakly coupled dust thermal mode. In the range of values of Γ ≫ 1, the strong coupling effects scale with κ instead of Γ; increasing Γ increases the dust acoustic waves phase velocity C{sub DAW} in this regime. In the limit Γ≫1,κ≪1, one obtains the weakly coupled dust acoustic wave. Only in the limit Γ≫1,κ≥1, one obtains strong coupling effects, e.g., the dust lattice waves (κ=a/λ{sub d}, a is the mean particle distance and λ{sub d} is the Debye length). Observations from a number of experiments are explained.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Magneto-thermal reconnection of significance to space and astrophysics

Magnetic reconnection processes that can be excited in collisionless plasma regimes are of interest to space and astrophysics to the extent that the layers in which reconnection takes place are not rendered unrealistically small by their unfavorable dependence on relevant macroscopic distances. The equations describing new modes producing magnetic reconnection over relatively small but significant distances, unlike tearing types of mode, even when dealing with large macroscopic scale lengths, are given. The considered modes are associated with a finite electron temperature gradient and have a phase velocity in the direction of the electron diamagnetic velocity that can reverse to the opposite direction as relevant parameters are varied over a relatively wide range. The electron temperature perturbation has a primary role in the relevant theory. In particular, when referring to regimes in which the longitudinal (to the magnetic field) electron thermal conductivity is relatively large, the electron temperature perturbation becomes singular if the ratio of the transverse to the longitudinal electron thermal conductivity becomes negligible.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

On the Theory of Acoustic Sounding of Tubular Channels Containing Depressurization Portions

A study is made of the evolution of pressure perturbations that propagate in a tubular channel filled with liquid or gas and having a damaged portion in the form of fairly large slots when their hydraulic resistance is minor. For this purpose, the authors have adopted a mathematical model taking account of viscous friction and of the transfer of heat in a thin layer of the liquid (or the gas) near the wall. Based on this model, dispersion relations have been obtained for the processes of propagation and reflection of harmonic waves from the damaged portion. An analysis has been made of the dependences of the phase velocity, the attenuation factor, and also the coefficients of reflection and transmission on the circular frequency, the physical properties of the liquid or the gas, and also the size of damage. The authors have presented results illustrating the dynamics of pulsed signals as a function of the distance to the damaged portion from the inlet cross section of the channel, the damage scale, and of the form of the medium (liquid or a gas) in the channel.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Laser beat wave resonant terahertz generation in a magnetized plasma channel

Resonant excitation of terahertz (THz) radiation by nonlinear mixing of two lasers in a ripple-free self created plasma channel is investigated. The channel has a transverse static magnetic field and supports a THz X-mode with phase velocity close to the speed of light in vacuum when the frequency of the mode is close to plasma frequency on the channel axis and its value decreases with the intensity of lasers. The THz is resonantly driven by the laser beat wave ponderomotive force. The THz amplitude scales almost three half power of the intensity of lasers as the width of the THz eigen mode shrinks with laser intensity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

On degenerate models of cosmic inflation

In this article we discuss the role of current and future CMB measurements in pinning down the model of inflation responsible for the generation of primordial curvature perturbations. By considering a parameterization of the effective field theory of inflation with a modified dispersion relation arising from heavy fields, we derive the dependence of cosmological observables on the scale of heavy physics Λ{sub UV}. Specifically, we show how the f{sub NL} non-linearity parameters are related to the phase velocity of curvature perturbations at horizon exit, which is parameterized by Λ{sub UV}. BICEP2 and PLANCK findings are shown to be consistent with a value Λ{sub UV} ∼ Λ{sub GUT}. However, we find a degeneracy in the parameter space of inflationary models that can only be resolved with a detailed knowledge of the shape of the non-Gaussian bispectrum.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Excitation of surface modes by electron beam in semi-bounded quantum plasma

The excitation of the TM surface modes due to the interaction of electron beam with a semi-bounded quantum magnetized plasma is investigated. The generated current and the perturbed densities of the electron beam and plasma are obtained. The wave equation that describes the excited fields has been solved to obtain the dispersion relation for these modes. It is found that the quantum effects play important role for frequencies less and bigger than plasma frequency such that the phase velocity of modes increases with increasing the quantum effects compared to the classical case. It has also been displayed that in the absence of external magnetic field, the surface modes appear in the all regions of the wavelength while they have been only excited for high wavenumber in the presence of the magnetic field. Besides, it has been shown that the dispersion curves of the modes depend essentially on the density ratio of beam and plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

A robust method for handling low density regions in hybrid simulations for collisionless plasmas

A robust method to handle vacuum and near vacuum regions in hybrid simulations for space and astrophysical plasmas is presented. The conventional hybrid simulation model dealing with kinetic ions and a massless charge-neutralizing electron fluid is known to be susceptible to numerical instability due to divergence of the whistler-mode wave dispersion, as well as division-by-density operation in regions of low density. Consequently, a pure vacuum region is not allowed to exist in the simulation domain unless some ad hoc technique is used. To resolve this difficulty, an alternative way to introduce finite electron inertia effect is proposed. Contrary to the conventional method, the proposed one introduces a correction to the electric field rather than the magnetic field. It is shown that the generalized Ohm's law correctly reduces to Laplace's equation in a vacuum which therefore does not involve any numerical problems. In addition, a variable ion-to-electron mass ratio is introduced to reduce the phase velocity of high frequency whistler waves at low density regions so that the stability condition is always satisfied. It is demonstrated that the proposed model is able to handle near vacuum regions generated as a result of nonlinear self-consistent development of the system, as well as pure vacuum regions set up at the initial condition, without losing the advantages of the standard hybrid code.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

An overmoded relativistic backward wave oscillator with efficient dual-mode operation

A dual-mode operation mechanism in an overmoded relativistic backward wave oscillator is presented. The electron beam interacts with the −1st space harmonic of TM{sub 01} mode synchronously in the slow wave structure. Then the backward propagating TM{sub 01} mode is converted to the forward propagating TM{sub 02} mode. As the phase velocity of the volume harmonic of TM{sub 02} mode is about twice that of the surface harmonic of TM{sub 01} mode, the TM{sub 02} mode also plays an important role in the high-power microwave generation. Particle-in-cell simulation shows that an efficiency of 48% and a significant improvement of the power capacity have been obtained.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nonlinear extraordinary wave in dense plasma

Conditions for the propagation of a slow extraordinary wave in dense magnetized plasma are found. A solution to the set of relativistic hydrodynamic equations and Maxwell’s equations under the plasma resonance conditions, when the phase velocity of the nonlinear wave is equal to the speed of light, is obtained. The deviation of the wave frequency from the resonance frequency is accompanied by nonlinear longitudinal-transverse oscillations. It is shown that, in this case, the solution to the set of self-consistent equations obtained by averaging the initial equations over the period of high-frequency oscillations has the form of an envelope soliton. The possibility of excitation of a nonlinear wave in plasma by an external electromagnetic pulse is confirmed by numerical simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Parametric decay of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in relativistic plasma

Parametric instability of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in plasma preheated to a relativistic temperature is considered. A set of self-similar nonlinear differential equations taking into account the electron “thermal” mass is derived and investigated. Small perturbations of the parameters of the heated plasma are analyzed in the linear approximation by using the dispersion relation determining the phase velocities of the fast and slow extraordinary waves. In contrast to cold plasma, the evanescence zone in the frequency range above the electron upper hybrid frequency vanishes and the asymptotes of both branches converge. Theoretical analysis of the set of nonlinear equations shows that the growth rate of decay instability increases with increasing initial temperature of plasma electrons. This result is qualitatively confirmed by numerical simulations of plasma heating by a laser pulse injected from vacuum.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Surface Plasmon-Polaritons and Transverse Spin Angular Momentum at the Boundary of a Hyperbolic Metamaterial with an Arbitrarily Oriented Optic Axis

The features of plasmon-polaritons excited at the boundary of a hyperbolic metamaterial and a dielectric are studied in the case where the optic axis is oriented at an angle to the interface. It is shown that in the metamaterial the phase velocity of the plasmon-polariton is directed at a certain angle to the boundary. The possibility is established and the conditions are determined for localization of plasmon-polaritons at the boundary of both type I and type II hyperbolic metamaterials. A surface plasmon-polariton localized at the interface of an isotropic dielectric and a hyperbolic metamaterial is shown to have transverse spin of a magnitude that depends on the wavelength of the exciting radiation, the orientation of the optic axis, and the dielectric properties of the adjoining media.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗