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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
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NASA NTRS1995

The Decline of Jupiter's 13-cm Synchrotron Radio Emission During the Year Following the SL-9 Impacts

Measurements of Jupiter's microwave radio emission from 1990 through August 1995 are reported and analyzed to study the rate of decay in the synchrotron radiation following the dramatic increase observed in July 1994 during the week of impacts by fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. The observations were made at 2295 MHz as part of the NASA-JPL Jupiter Patrol, a long-term radio astronomy monitoring program begun in 1971. Data from 34-meter and 70-meter antennas at the NASA's Deep Space Communication Complex at Goldstone, CA are used to estimate slope and curvature of plausible 'baselines' for Jupiter's non-thermal flux density over the five-year interval. These 'baseline' estimates are then used to derive decay times for the outburst emission related to the SL-9 impacts.

Jupiter SL-9↗
NASA NTRS2007

Energetic Correlation Between Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

We find a strong correlation between the kinetic energies (KEs) of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the radiated energies of the associated solar flares for the events that occurred during the period of intense solar activity between 18 October and 08 November 2003. CME start times, speeds, mass and KEs were taken from Gopalswamy et al. (2005), who used SOHO/LASCO observations. The GOES observations of the associated flares were analyzed to find the peak soft X-ray (SXR) flux, the radiated energy in SXRs (L(sub sxR)), and the radiated energy from the emitting plasma across all wavelengths (L(sub hot)). RHESSI observations were also used to find the energy in non-thermal electrons, ions, and the plasma thermal energy for some events. For two events, SORCE/TIM observations of the total solar irradiance during a flare were also available to give the total radiated flare energy (L(sub total)).W e find that the total flare energies of the larger events are of the same order of magnitude as the CME KE with a stronger correlation than has been found in the past for other time intervals.

Dennis, Brian R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Correlated Flare and CME Energies for the October/November 2003 Events

We find a strong correlation between the kinetic energies (KEs) of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the radiated energies of the associated solar flares for the events that occurred during the period of intense solar activity between 18 October and 08 November 2003. CME start times, speeds, mass, and KEs were taken from Gopalswamy et al. (2005), who used SOHO/LASCO observations. The GOES observations of the associated flares were analyzed to find the peak SXR flux, the radiated energy in SXRs (L(sub sxr)), and the radiated energy from the SXR emitting plasma across all wavelengths (L(sub hot)). RHESSI observations were also used to find the energy in non-thermal electrons, ions, and the plasma thermal energy for some events. For two events, SORCE/TIM observations of the total solar irradiance during a flare were also available to give the total radiated flare energy (L(sub total)). We find that the total flare energies of the larger events are of the same order of magnitude as the CME KE with a stronger correlation than has been found in the past for other time intervals. The following rule-of-thumb (good to an order of magnitude for the larger events} can be used to relate flare and CME energies: CME KE ~ l(sub total) ~ 10 L(sub hot) ~ 100 L(sub SXR).

Dennis, Brian R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Energy Deposition Processes in Titan's Upper Atmosphere

Most of Titan's atmospheric organic and nitrogen chemistry, aerosol formation, and atmospheric loss are driven from external energy sources such as Solar UV, Saturn's magnetosphere, solar wind and galactic cosmic rays. The Solar UV tends to dominate the energy input at lower altitudes of approximately 1100 km but which can extend down to approximately 400 km, while the plasma interaction from Saturn's magnetosphere, Saturn's magnetosheath or solar wind are more important at higher altitudes of approximately 1400 km, but the heavy ion plasma [O(+)] of approximately 2 keV and energetic ions [H(+)] of approximately 30 keV or higher from Saturn's magnetosphere can penetrate below 950km. Cosmic rays with energies of greater than 1 GeV can penetrate much deeper into Titan's atmosphere with most of its energy deposited at approximately 100 km altitude. The haze layer tends to dominate between 100 km and 300 km. The induced magnetic field from Titan's interaction with the external plasma can be very complex and will tend to channel the flow of energy into Titan's upper atmosphere. Cassini observations combined with advanced hybrid simulations of the plasma interaction with Titan's upper atmosphere show significant changes in the character of the interaction with Saturn local time at Titan's orbit where the magnetosphere displays large and systematic changes with local time. The external solar wind can also drive sub-storms within the magnetosphere which can then modify the magnetospheric interaction with Titan. Another important parameter is solar zenith angle (SZA) with respect to the co-rotation direction of the magnetospheric flow. Titan's interaction can contribute to atmospheric loss via pickup ion loss, scavenging of Titan's ionospheric plasma, loss of ionospheric plasma down its induced magnetotail via an ionospheric wind, and non-thermal loss of the atmosphere via heating and sputtering induced by the bombardment of magnetospheric keV ions and electrons. This energy input evidently drives the large positive and negative ions observed below approximately 1100 km altitude with ion masses exceeding 10,000 daltons. We refer to these ions as seed particles for the aerosols observed below 300 km altitude. These seed particles can be formed, for example, from the polymerization of acetylene (C2H2) and benzene (C6H6) molecules in Titan's upper atmosphere to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and/or fullerenes (C60). In the case of fullerenes, which are hollow spherical carbon shells, magnetospheric keV [O(+)] ions can become trapped inside the fullerenes and eventually find themselves inside the aerosols as free oxygen. The aerosols are then expected to fall to Titan's surface as polymerized hydrocarbons with trapped free oxygen where unknown surface chemistry can take place.

Sittler, Edward C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Modeling Variability of Plasma Conditions in the Io Torus

Telescopic observations an in situ measurements of the Io plasma torus show the density, temperature and composition to vary over time, sometimes up to a factor of 2. While previous models of the physical and chemical processes in the Io plasma torus have reasonably modeled the conditions of the Voyager 1 era, their authors have not addressed the observed variability nor explored the sensitivity of torus conditions to input parameters. In this paper we present a homogeneous torus model parameterized by five variables (transport timescale, neutral source strength, ratio of oxygen sulfur to atoms in the source, fraction of superthermal electrons, temperature of these hot electrons). The model incorporates the most recent data for ionization, recombination, charge exchange and radiative energy losses for the major torus species (S, S(sup +), S(sup ++), S(sup +++), O, O(sup +), O(sup ++). We solve equations of conservation of mass and energy to find equilibrium conditions for a set of input parameters. We compare model plasma conditions with those observed by Voyager 1 Voyager 2, and Cassini. Furthermore, we explore the sensitivity of torus conditions to each parameter. We find that (1) torus conditions are distinctly different for the Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and Cassini eras, (2) unique torus input parameters for any given era are poorly constrained given the wide range of solution space that is consistent with the range of observed torus conditions, (3) ion composition is highly sensitive to the specification of a non-thermal electron distribution, (4) neutral O/S source ratio is highly variable with model values ranging between 1.7 for Cassini to 4.0 for Voyager 1 conditions, (5) transport times range between 23 days for Voyager 2 to 50 days for Voyager 1 and Cassini, (6) neutral source strengths range between 7 to 30 x 10(sup -4) cm (sup -3) s(sup -1) which corresponds to a net production of 0.4 to 1.3 tons/s for a torus volume of 1.4 x 10(sup 31) cm(sup 3), or 38 R(sub j)(sup 3).

Delamere, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Atmospheric Dynamics of Alpha Tau (K5 III) -- Clues to Understanding the Magnetic Dynamo

Using HST/GHRS, HST/STIS and FUSE archival data for (alpha) Tau and the CHIANTI spectroscopic code, we have derived line shifts, volumetric emission measures, and plasma density estimates, and calculated filling factors for a number of UV lines forming between 10,000 K and 300,000 K in the outer atmosphere of this red giant star. The data suggest the presence of low-temperature extended regions and high-temperature compact regions, associated with magnetically open and closed structures in the stellar atmosphere, respectively. The signatures of UV lines from Alpha Tau can be consistently understood via a model of upward-traveling Alfven waves in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere. These wakes cause non-thermal broadening in UV lines due to unresolved wave motions and downward plasma motions in compact magnetic loops heated by resonant .4lf\en wave heating. We discuss implications of this interpretation for understanding the nature of magnetic dynamos operating in late-type giants.

Carpenter Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Atmospheric Dynamics of alpha Tau (K5 III) - Clues to Understanding the Magnetic Dynamo in Late-Type Giant Stars

Using HST/GHRS, HST/STIS and FUSE archival data for alpha Tau and the CHIANTI spectroscopic code, we have derived line shifts, volumetric emission measures, and plasma density estimates, and calculated filling factors for a number of UV lines forming between 10,000 K and 300,000 K in the outer atmosphere of this red giant star. The data suggest the presence of low-temperature extended regions and high-temperature compact regions, associated with magnetically open and closed structures in the stellar atmosphere, respectively. The signatures of UV lines from alpha Tau can be consistently understood via a model of upward-traveling Alfven waves in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere. These waves cause non-thermal broadening in UV lines due to unresolved wave motions and downward plasma motions in compact magnetic loops heated by resonant Alfven wave heating.

Carpenter, Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Multi-wavelength Observations and Modelling of a Solar Flare

Aims: The aim of this work is to investigate the dynamic behavior of a C-class solar flare through the evolution of temperature, emission measure, energy loss and velocity. In particular, the variation of these properties with time are studied using multi-wavelength observations in combination with a recently developed 0-D hydrodynamic model. Methods: The temperature and emission measure evolution were studied using several instruments covering a wide range of temperatures - the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI, >5 MK), GOES-12 (5- 30 MK), the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE 171 A, 1 MK) and the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS, 0.03-8 MK). The temperature and emission measure were analysed through the systematic cooling of flare plasma through the response functions of these instruments. These parameters were then investigated using the Enthalpy Based Thermal Evolution of Loops model (EBTEL). The Doppler shifts at both flare footpoints were analysed using five emission lines seen by CDS. Results: The flare began with clear evidence for pre-flare heating. Upflows of approx.90 km/s and low level emission, both observed in Fe XIX before the main impulsive phase were explained by pre-flare gentle chromospheric evaporation. During the main impulsive phase, the flare plasma was heated to a temperature of >13 MK in approximately 10 minutes. Explosive chromospheric evaporation was observed, driving upflows of approx.80 km/s in Fe XIX and simultaneous downflows of approx.20 km/s in He I and O v. At the peak of the Rare, conduction modelled by EBTEL was found to be the dominant loss mechanism, working efficiently to both lower the temperatures and drive gentle chromospheric evaporation. As the temperature fell below approx.8 MK, radiation became the dominant loss mechanism. During the final stages of the decay phase, downflowing plasma was observed at the footpoints in He I, O v and Mg x at velocities of up to approx.40 km/s, suggesting loop draining occurred. Conclusions. This is the first extensive study of the evolution of flare plasma using both spectroscopic and broad-band instruments in conjunction with a comprehensive hydrodynamic model. The flare began with pre-flare heating and then evolved following the predictions of the standard flare model. Detailed analysis of the plasma heating mechanisms was carried out and the heating function most consistent with observations was found to be Gaussian in shape. The simulations suggested that both direct heating and heating by a non-thermal beam played significant roles in this event.

Raftery, Claire L.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Atmospheric Dynamics of alpha Tau (K5 III) - Clues to Understanding the Magnetic Dynamo in Late-Type Giant Stars

Using HST/GHRS, HST/STIS and FUSE archival data for alpha Tau and the CHIANTI spectroscopic code, we have derived line shifts, volumetric emission measures, and plasma density estimates, and calculated filling factors for a number of UV lines forming between 10,000 K and 300,000 K in the outer atmosphere of this red giant star. The data suggest the presence of low-temperature extended regions and high-temperature compact regions, associated with magnetically open and closed structures in the stellar atmosphere, respectively. The signatures of UV lines from alpha Tau can be consistently understood via a model of upward-traveling Alfven waves in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere. These waves cause non-thermal broadening in UV lines due to unresolved wave motions and downward plasma motions in compact magnetic loops heated by resonant Alfven wave heating.

Carpenter, Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Monitoring the Black Hole Binary GRS 1758-258 with INTEGRAL and RXTE

The microquasar GRS 1758-258 is one of only three persistent black hole binaries that spend most of their time in the hard spectral state, the other two being Cyg X-l and 1E 1741.7-2942. It therefore provides the rare opportunity for an extensive long term study of this important black hole state which is associated with strong variability and radio jet emission. INTEGRAL has been monitoring the source since the first Galactic Center Deep Exposure season in spring 2003 during two 2-3 months long Galactic Center viewing epochs each year, amounting to 11 epochs including spring of 2008. With the exception of the last epoch quasi-simultaneous RXTE monitoring observations are available as well. Here we present an analysis of the epoch averaged broad band spectra which display considerable long term variability, most notably the occurrence of two soft/off states, extreme examples for the hysteretic behavior of black hole binaries. The hard source spectrum and long exposures allow us to extend the analysis for several epochs to approximately 800 keV using PICsIT data and address the question of the presence of a non-thermal Comptonization component.

Pottschmidt, Katja↗
NASA NTRS2007

Tracing the Jet Contribution to the Mid-IR over the 2005 Outburst of GRO J1655-40 via Broadband Spectral Modeling

We present new results from a multi-wavelength (radio/infrared/optical/X-ray) study of the black hole Xray binary GRO 51655-40 during its 2005 outburst. We detected, for the first time, mid-infrared emission at 24 micron from the compact jet of a black hole X-ray binary during its hard state, when the source shows emission from a radio compact jet, as well as a strong non-thermal hard X-ray component. These detections strongly constrain the optically thick part of the synchrotron spectrum of the compact jet, which is consistent with it being flat over 4 orders of magnitude in frequency. Moreover, using this unprecedented coverage, and especially thanks to the new Spitzer observations, we can test broadband disk and jet models during the hard state. Two of the hard-state broadband spectra are reasonably well fitted using a jet model with parameters that overall are similar to those previously found for Cyg X-1 and GX 339-4. Differences are also present; most notably, the jet power in GRO J1655-40 appears to be a factor of at least approximately 3-5 higher (depending on the distance) than those of Cyg X-1 and GX-339-4 at comparable disk luminosities. Furthermore, a few discrepancies between the model and the data, previously not found for the other two black hole systems for which there was no mid-IR/IR and optical coverage, are evident, and will help to constrain and refine theoretical models.

Migliari, S.↗
NASA NTRS2010

MCNP Simulations of Measurement of Insulation Compaction in the Cryogenic Rocket Fuel Tanks at Kennedy Space Center by Fast/Thermal Neutron Techniques

MCNP simulations have been run to evaluate the feasibility of using a combination of fast and thermal neutrons as a nondestructive method to measure of the compaction of the perlite insulation in the liquid hydrogen and oxygen cryogenic storage tanks at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Perlite is a feldspathic volcanic rock made up of the major elements Si, AI, Na, K and 0 along with some water. When heated it expands from four to twenty times its original volume which makes it very useful for thermal insulation. The cryogenic tanks at Kennedy Space Center are spherical with outer diameters of 69-70 feet and lined with a layer of expanded perlite with thicknesses on the order of 120 cm. There is evidence that some of the perlite has compacted over time since the tanks were built 1965, affecting the thermal properties and possibly also the structural integrity of the tanks. With commercially available portable neutron generators it is possible to produce simultaneously fluxes of neutrons in two energy ranges: fast (14 Me V) and thermal (25 me V). The two energy ranges produce complementary information. Fast neutrons produce gamma rays by inelastic scattering, which is sensitive to Fe and O. Thermal neutrons produce gamma rays by prompt gamma neutron activation (PGNA) and this is sensitive to Si, Al, Na, K and H. The compaction of the perlite can be measured by the change in gamma ray signal strength which is proportional to the atomic number densities of the constituent elements. The MCNP simulations were made to determine the magnitude of this change. The tank wall was approximated by a I-dimensional slab geometry with an 11/16" outer carbon steel wall, an inner stainless wall and 120 cm thick perlite zone. Runs were made for cases with expanded perlite, compacted perlite or with various void fractions. Runs were also made to simulate the effect of adding a moderator. Tallies were made for decay-time analysis from t=0 to 10 ms; total detected gamma-rays; detected gamma-rays from thermal neutron reactions d. detected gamma-rays from non-thermal neutron reactions and total detected gamma-rays as a function of depth into the annulus volume. These indicated a number of possible independent metrics of perlite compaction. For example the count rate for perlite elements increased from 3600 to 8500 cps for an increase in perlite density from 6 lbs/lcf to 16.5 lbs/cf. Thus the MCNP simulations have confirmed the feasibility of using neutron methods to map the compaction of perlite in the walls of the cryogenic tanks.

Livingston, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Mechanisms of Ionospheric Mass Escape

The dependence of ionospheric O+ escape flux on electromagnetic energy flux and electron precipitation into the ionosphere is derived for a hypothetical ambipolar pick-up process, powered the relative motion of plasmas and neutral upper atmosphere, and by electron precipitation, at heights where the ions are magnetized but influenced by photo-ionization, collisions with gas atoms, ambipolar and centrifugal acceleration. Ion pick-up by the convection electric field produces "ring-beam" or toroidal velocity distributions, as inferred from direct plasma measurements, from observations of the associated waves, and from the spectra of incoherent radar echoes. Ring-beams are unstable to plasma wave growth, resulting in rapid relaxation via transverse velocity diffusion, into transversely accelerated ion populations. Ion escape is substantially facilitated by the ambipolar potential, but is only weakly affected by centrifugal acceleration. If, as cited simulations suggest, ion ring beams relax into non-thermal velocity distributions with characteristic speed equal to the local ion-neutral flow speed, a generalized "Jeans escape" calculation shows that the escape flux of ionospheric O+ increases with Poynting flux and with precipitating electron density in rough agreement with observations.

Moore, T. E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Next-Generation Hard X-ray Missions: SuperHERO and HEROIX

High-energy X-ray observations have transformed our understanding of astrophysical systems where non-thermal processes dominate, from shock-accelerated particles in supernova remnants to relativistic jets and hot coronae in active galactic nuclei. NuSTAR’s pioneering focusing images of the hard X-ray sky have demonstrated the immense scientific potential of this band, while also highlighting how limited angular resolution constrains our ability to fully characterize complex physical processes in faint extended sources and resolving faint sources in crowded sky regions. In this presentation, I will discuss a pathway to overcome these challenges through NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s replicated NiCo full-shell X-ray mirror technology. Specifically, I will discuss the SuperHERO hard X-ray telescope to achieve better than 10-arcsecond half-power diameter (HPD) angular resolution on a balloon flight observing the Crab Nebula, and the High EneRgy Observatory for Imaging X-rays (HEROIX) Medium-Class Mission concept to achieve an integrated effective area of 570 cm2 at 30 keV with 5 arcsec HPD angular resolution.

AGN↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SuperHERO X-ray Telescope Balloon Mission

The SuperHERO hard X-ray telescope will observe extended sources at unprecedented imaging resolution, revealing the origins of non-thermal emission in extreme astrophysical environments. Employing NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s replicated NiCo full-shell X-ray mirror technology to achieve better than 10-arcsecond half-power diameter (HPD) angular resolution on a balloon platform, SuperHERO consists of seven identical, co-aligned telescopes with a combined effective area of 45 cm² at 30 keV. SuperHERO was selected in the APRA 2023 call as a five-year mission, with an inaugural two-day flight scheduled from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, in the fall of 2028. For its initial target, SuperHERO will observe the Crab pulsar wind nebula, localizing hard X-ray emission. Mission development is currently underway, with updates and status to be provided in this presentation.

Nick Thomas↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The HEROIX Broadband X-Ray Space Telescope Mission Concept

The High EneRgy Observatory for Imaging X-rays (HEROIX) Medium-Class Mission concept envisions a next-generation broadband X-ray observatory designed to meet the astrophysics community’s need for high-angular-resolution studies of the Cosmic X-ray Background. Building on the science legacy of NASA’s NuSTAR mission and more than 30 years of advances in replicated NiCo shell technology at NASA Marshall, HEROIX proposes a space observatory comprising four co-aligned telescopes achieving 5 arcsecond half-power diameter (HPD) angular resolution. This capability, approached by the resolution demonstrated in the FOXSI-4 sounding rocket mission and under development through the SuperHERO balloon mission, will be extended to energies up to 80 keV through multilayer coatings. Marshall’s inhouse precision optics manufacturing enables an integrated effective area of 380 cm² at 30 keV, which, combined with high-resolution optics, opens new windows into extreme astrophysical non-thermal processes.

Nick Thomas↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High EneRgy Observatory for Imaging X-rays (HEROIX) Mission Concept

The High EneRgy Observatory for Imaging X-rays (HEROIX) is a next-generation broadband X-ray space telescope concept under development as a Medium-Class Explorer mission. Building on more than three decades of replicated NiCo shell technology at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, HEROIX will deliver 5 arcsecond half-power-diameter imaging resolution in the hard X-ray band. The observatory will incorporate four co-aligned telescopes with advanced multilayer coatings, extending the bandpass into the hard X-ray regime and providing an integrated effective area of 380 cm² at 30 keV. A suite of focal plane detectors will enable imaging capability throughout its 1–80 keV bandpass. This combination of angular resolution and high-energy coverage will open new windows into non-thermal processes in extreme astrophysical environments. HEROIXwill deliver transformative science, advancing the astrophysics community’s understanding of supernova physics, the X-ray binary population of the Galactic Center, accretion-driven galaxy evolution, and the origin of the Cosmic X-ray Background.

Nick Thomas↗