Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “cold plasma”

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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Electron Bombardment on Dione: Surface Compositional Effects and Temperature Abnormalities

Saturn’s icy moons are composed primarily of water ice with minor other “contaminants,” such as CO2 ice, and a dark component thought to be organics, hematite and/or metallic Fe [1]. The space weathering process of electron bombardment is expected to be particularly important on the surfaces of Saturn’s inner moons (Mimas, Tethys, Dione, and Rhea), as they orbit within Saturn’s inner magnetosphere. Terrains exhibiting thermal anomalies (i.e., colder temperatures in the day and warmer temperatures at night than surrounding areas) correspond to regions of high energy electron bombardment [2; 3; 4; 5]. Energetic electrons impact the surfaces, sintering ice grains together, and this process becomes more effective for increasing particle energies [6]. Solar UV radiation, cosmic rays, dust in-fall, and cold plasma particles trapped in Saturn’s magnetic field also play an important role in altering the nature and the structure of the native surface ices by the implantation of contaminants, ionization, sputtering, and dissociation of water ice molecules [7]. Additionally, CO2 could be sourced from irradiation of dark organic material [8]. Many of these surface alterations are observable in Cassini’s Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) spectra [9]. We used similar methodologies as have been employed in previous works [e.g., 10] to derive surface temperatures from Cassini’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS), which helped to isolate areas where space weathering due to electron bombardment is more predominant. The subtle changes in VIMS spectra were investigated using machine learning techniques. We present here our results for Dione. [1] Clark, R. N., et al. (2012) Icarus, 218, 831–860 [2] Howett, C. J. A., et al. (2020) Icarus, 113745 [3] Nordheim, T. A., et al. (2017) Icarus, 286, 56-68 [4] Paranicas, C., et al. (2012) Planetary and Space Science, 61, 60–65 [5] Paranicas, C., et al. (2014) Icarus, 234, 155–161 [6] Schaible, M. J., et al. (2016) Icarus, 0, 1–13 [7] Baragiola, R. A., et al., (2013) Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol. 356. Springer [8] Mennella, V., et al. (2006) The Astrophysical Journal, 643(2), 923 [9] Scipioni, F., et al. (2017) Icarus, 290, 183-200 [10] Howett, C. J. A., et al. (2014) Icarus, 241, 239-247

C L Young↗
NASA NTRS2017

Thermophysical Properties of Cold and Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Cu-Cr-X Alloys, NiAl and NiCrAlY Coatings: Electrical and Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Diffusivity, and Total Hemispherical Emissivity - Part 1

This two-part paper reports the thermophysical properties of several cold and vacuum plasma sprayed monolithic Cu and Ni-based alloy coatings. Part I presents the electrical and thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and total hemispherical emissivity data while Part II reports the specific heat capacity data for these coatings. Metallic copper alloys, stoichiometric NiAl and NiCrAlY coatings were fabricated by either the cold sprayed or the vacuum plasma spray deposition processes for thermal property measurements between 77 and 1223 K. The temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivities, thermal diffusivities, electrical conductivities and total hemispherical emissivities of these cold and vacuum sprayed monolithic coatings are reported in this paper. The electrical and thermal conductivity data correlate reasonably well for Cu-8%Cr-1%Al, Cu-23%Cr-5%Al and NiAl in accordance with the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law although a better fit is obtained using the Smith-Palmer relationship. The Lorentz numbers determined from the WF law are close to the theoretical value.

Raj, S. V.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Young's Moduli of Cold and Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Metallic Coatings

Monolithic metallic copper alloy and NiCrAlY coatings were fabricated by either the cold spray (CS) or the vacuum plasma spray (VPS) deposition processes. Dynamic elastic modulus property measurements were conducted on these monolithic coating specimens between 300 K and 1273 K using the impulse excitation technique. The Young's moduli decreased almost linearly with increasing temperature at all temperatures except in the case of the CS Cu-23%Cr-5%Al and VPS NiCrAlY, where deviations from linearity were observed above a critical temperature. It was observed that the Young's moduli for VPS Cu-8%Cr were larger than literature data compiled for Cu. The addition of 1%Al to Cu- 8%Cr significantly increased its Young's modulus by 12 to 17% presumably due to a solid solution effect. Comparisons of the Young s moduli data between two different measurements on the same CS Cu- 23%Cr-5%Al specimen revealed that the values measured in the first run were about 10% higher than those in the second run. It is suggested that this observation is due to annealing of the initial cold work microstructure resulting form the cold spray deposition process.

Raj, S. V.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Whistler modulational instability.

Derivation of the modulational instability characteristics of whistlers in cold and hot plasmas. The cold-plasma analysis considers both ion motion and relativistic effects; the unstable band, with a growth rate proportional to (B/B sub zero)squared, is contiguous to Omega sub e/4 and, depending on the plasma density, lies above or below that frequency (Omega sub e is the electron cyclotron frequency of the static magnetic field; B and B sub zero are the whistler and static magnetic fields). In hot plasmas, stability occurs between Omega sub e/4 and Omega prime (less than Omega sub e), with Omega prime depending mainly on the mean energy and anisotropy of the energetic electron population; the complementary unstable band has a growth rate proportional to (B/B sub zero) to the 1/2 power. The relevance of the instability to whistlers in the magnetosphere is discussed.

Brinca, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Possible in situ detection of K(2+) in the Jovian magnetosphere

During the Voyager 1 and 2 encounters with Jupiter in 1979 the positive ion composition of the cold thermal plasma in the Jovian plasma sheet and cold Io torus could be obtained when the plasma Mach number in the spacecraft rest frame was sufficiently large. Clear indication of an ionic species with a mass-to-charge ratio between 16 (O(+) and/or S(2+)) and 23 Na(+) is present in two spectra were acquired during apparent crossings of the plasma sheet in the middle magnetosphere. One interpretation is that the most likely identification of the ion is K(2+), even though there is no evidence in the data for K(+). Such an ion presence would be consistent with reports of neutral potassium associated with the Jovian system and originating at Io as well as with the identification of an ion with a similar mass-to-charge ratio at higher energies in the Ulysses data. An alternative interpretation is that the ion is a singly ionized molecular species associated with water products sputtered from Europa, a scenario which may also be consistent with the Ulysses data. However, other species present in the data and the low temperature favor the Iogenic potassium hypothesis.

Mcnutt, Ralph L, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Plasma observations near Jupiter - Initial results from Voyager 1

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magnetopause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energy/charge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios equal to 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Bridge, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Formation of Electrostatic Potential Drops in the Auroral Zone

In order to examine the self-consistent formation of large-scale quasi-static parallel electric fields in the auroral zone on a micro/meso scale, a particle in cell simulation has been developed. The code resolves electron Debye length scales so that electron micro-processes are included and a variable grid scheme is used such that the overall length scale of the simulation is of the order of an Earth radii along the magnetic field. The simulation is electrostatic and includes the magnetic mirror force, as well as two types of plasmas, a cold dense ionospheric plasma and a warm tenuous magnetospheric plasma. In order to study the formation of parallel electric fields in the auroral zone, different magnetospheric ion and electron inflow boundary conditions are used to drive the system. It has been found that for conditions in the primary (upward) current region an upward directed quasi-static electric field can form across the system due to magnetic mirroring of the magnetospheric ions and electrons at different altitudes. For conditions in the return (downward) current region it is shown that a quasi-static parallel electric field in the opposite sense of that in the primary current region is formed, i.e., the parallel electric field is directed earthward. The conditions for how these different electric fields can be formed are discussed using satellite observations and numerical simulations.

Schriver, D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

On the applicability of relativistic dispersion to auroral zone electron distributions

An examination is made to identify appropriate times to include weakly relativistic wave dispersion in calculations of auroral zone electron distributions. Two dispersion relations are examined. First, solutions are found for a ring distribution of particles around a cold ambient plasma. The solutions are found only for modes near the electron gyrofrequency. A trapped mode which is decoupled from the freely propagating R-X mode of cold plasmas is found to be the most unstable mode. Wave dispersion is examined with a spherically symmetric Dory-Guest-Harris (DGH) distribution, which describes a shell distribution that has a peak momentum larger than the thermal spread. The trapped mode is again found to be the most unstable. The analysis indicates it is beneficial to include relativistic effects whenever calculating auroral plasma distributions, and that a simple model will have sufficient accuracy.

Strangeway, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Amplification of electromagnetic waves by a ring-beam distribution of moderately relativistic electrons

The possibility of a new mechanism for the excitation of unstable modes in cold background plasmas is indicated in this paper. These beam-cyclotron modes are excited by the presence of the ring-beam distribution of suprathermal electrons. The usual eigenmode excitation of a cold plasma is reviewed, and the new type of instability is examined using a single-harmonic approximation and multiharmonic treatment.

Shi, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Large-Scale Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) Experiments

Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) is an innovative plasma propulsion system that has the potential to propel spacecraft at unprecedented speeds of 50 to 80 km/s, with a low power requirement of approx. 1 kW per 100 kg of payload and -1 kg of neutral gas [fuel] consumption per day of acceleration. Acceleration periods from several days to a few months are envisioned. High specific impulse and efficiency are achieved through coupling of the spacecraft to the 400 km/s. solar wind through an artificial magnetosphere. The mini-magnetosphere or inflated magnetic bubble is produced by the injection of cold dense plasma into a spacecraft-generated magnetic field envelope. Magnetic bubble inflation is driven by electromagnetic processes thereby avoiding the material and deployment problems faced by mechanical solar sail designs. Here, we present the theoretical design of M2P2 as well as initial results from experimental testing of an M2P2 prototype demonstrating: 1) inflation of the dipole magnetic field geometry through the internal injection of cold plasma; and 2) deflection of and artificial solar wind by the prototype M2P2 system. In addition, we present plans for direct laboratory measurement of thrust imparted to a prototype M2P2 by an artificial solar wind during the summer of 2001.

Winglee, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Large-Scale Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) Experiments

Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) is an innovative plasma propulsion system that has the potential to propel spacecraft at unprecedented speeds of 50 to 80 km per second with a low-power requirement of approx. 1 kW per 100 kg of payload and approx. 1 kg of neutral gas [fuel] consumption per day of acceleration. Acceleration periods from several days to a few months are envisioned. High specific impulse and efficiency are achieved through coupling of the spacecraft to the 400 km per second solar wind through an artificial magnetosphere. The mini-magnetosphere or inflated magnetic bubble is produced by the injection of cold dense plasma into a spacecraft-generated magnetic field envelope. Magnetic bubble inflation is driven by electromagnetic processes thereby avoiding the material and deployment problems faced by mechanical solar sail designs, Here, we present the theoretical design of M2P2 as well as initial results from experimental testing of an M2P2 prototype demonstrating: 1) inflation of the dipole magnetic field geometry through the internal injection of cold plasma; and 2) deflection of and artificial solar wind by the prototype M2P2 system. In addition, we present plans for direct laboratory measurement of thrust imparted to a prototype M2P2 by an artificial solar wind during the summer of 2001.

Winglee, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Stationary electrostatic solitary waves in the auroral plasma

Time-stationary fluid equations are used to describe electrostatic solitons in an auroral plasma of cold ionospheric and hot plasma sheet particles. A one-dimensional fluid analysis of the four component model auroral plasma indicates that at least two different, weakly damped, small amplitude electrostatic solitons can propagate along the geomagnetic field. The slower of the two is a generalization of an ion-acoustic solitary wave in a multi-component plasma, and ion inertia is negligible for the faster mode which is supported by the two electron components and resembles a clump of shielded negative space charge convected by the drifting plasma sheet electrons. Some expected features of the large amplitude properties are indicated qualitatively, and an analogy is considered between the theory of ion-acoustic shocks and a theory of double layers.

Lotko, W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Broadband electrostatic waves as a consequence of magnetotail reconnection

One and two-dimensional particle stimulations are used to study ion beam driven instabilities within the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) and the consequences these instabilities have in terms of plasma heating. It shown that when cold lobe plasma convects into the PSBL and interacts with the ion beams, two wave modes can be driven unstable, the electron acoustic and ion-ion two stream instabilities; these waves heat the cold electrons and cold ions close to plasma sheet temperatures.

Ashour-Abdalla, Maha↗