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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 325 records · Page 18
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NASA NTRS1979

Position and shape of the Venus bow shock - Pioneer Venus Orbiter observations

Magnetometer data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter is used to examine the position and shape of this planet's bow shock. Utilizing crossings identified on 86 occasions during the first 65 orbits a mean shock surface is defined for sun-Venus-satellite angles of 60-110 deg. Both the shock shape and variance in location are found to be very similar to the terrestrial case for the range in SVS angle considered. However, while the spread in shock positions at the earth is due predominantly to the magnetopause location varying in response to solar wind dynamic pressure, ionopause altitude variations can have little effect on total obstacle radius. Thus, the Cytherean shock is sometimes observed much closer to or farther from the planet than previously predicted by gasdynamic theory applied to the deflection of flow about a blunt body which acts neither as source nor sink for any portion of the flow.

Slavin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A radiative bow shock wave (?) driven by nuclear ejecta in a Seyfert galaxy

New VLA maps at 2 cm of the 13-arcsec-scale linear radio source in the center of NGC 1068 are described. The northeast lobe shows a limb-brightened conical morphology, very sharp 'leading' edges, and a magnetic field running parallel to these edges. The spectral index between 2 and 6 cm in these line-brightened regions is near 1.0. The northeast subpeak has a very steep radio spectrum between 18 and 2 cm which is attributed to inverse Compton losses of the relativistic electrons on the infrared photons. The spectral indices in the southwest lobe lie in the range 0.9-1.5 except in its northern parts, where a much larger index is found. The northeast lobe radio emission could arise in either the cocoon of old jet material which has passed through the internal shock in the ejecta and blown out to either side, or in interstellar material compressed by a bow shock wave driven into the galactic ISM.

Wilson, Andrew S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Plasma waves in the range of the lower hybrid frequency - ISEE 1 and 2 observations at the earth's bow shock

This report presents a characterization of plasma wave noise in the range of the lower hybrid frequency associated with 65 crossings of earth's bow shock observed by the ISEE 1 and 2 satellites. Wave growth generally becomes detectable at the upstream edge of the shock foot, increases at the upstream edge of the shock ramp, peaks within the ramp, and then quickly decays to steady downstream values. The upstream extent of the noise is on the same order as that of specularly reflected gyrating ions. Similar profiles were observed in subcritical and supercritical shocks, and no special behavior was associated with the first critical Mach number. Spectra in the foot and ramp were similar in shape, although the noise was 1 to 2 orders of magnitude more intense in the shock ramps than in the feet. Electric field intensities are positively correlated with solar wind speed and inversely related to electron beta and Mach number. Magnetic components are positively correlated with Mach number and beta. The results are generally consistent with suggestions that the noise consists of lower hybrid waves driven by reflected gyrating ions in the foot, and by additional instabilities, such as the cross-field current, in the shock ramp.

Mellott, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Weak, quasiparallel profiles of earth's bow shock - A comparison between numerical simulations and ISEE 3 observations on the far flank

Over 200 crossings of the distant downwind flanks of earth's magnetosonic bow shock by ISEE 3 included many cases of weak, or low Mach number, quasi-parallel shocks. A consistent feature of the magnetic field profiles was the presence of large amplitude, near periodic to irregular transverse oscillations downstream from even the weakest Q-parallel shocks. Large downstream perturbations with whistler-like features similar to those of the observations appear in 1D simulations when the Alfven Mach number M(A) is greater than 2.5 but not when M(A) = 2.1. The observed cases with downstream waves also occurred when M(A) is greater than about 2.5, suggesting the importance of the Alfven as opposed to magnetosonic Mach number in determining the signature of weak, Q-parallel shocks.

Greenstadt, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Composition and energy spectra of low energy ions observed upstream of the earth's bow shock on ISEE-1

The characteristics of eleven locally accelerated particle events in the energy range from 30 to 125 keV/Q observed upstream of the earth's bow shock have been determined, including composition, energy spectra, and intensity versus time profiles. The measurements were made with the Ultra Low Energy Charge Analyzer sensor on ISEE-1. The composition in these events is similar to that of the solar wind, with a He to proton ratio of 8% and a CNO to He ratio of 6%. The composition is reasonably constant only when evaluated at equal energy per charge. The energy spectra cannot be adequately fit by a single power law in energy; an exponential or Maxwellian in energy per charge gives a satisfactory representation of the spectra. The time-intensity profiles of these upstream events show an inverse velocity dispersion, which may provide clues to the responsible acceleration mechanism.

Ipavich, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Cyclotron drift instability in the bow shock.

It is argued that the cyclotron drift instability (coupled ion waves and electron Bernstein modes) can explain many structural features of the weak electrostatic turbulence observed in bow shock magnetic-field gradients and thus that it provides a more attractive speculation than the ion acoustic or Buneman instabilities previously suggested as weak turbulence sources.

Wu, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A numerical determination of the bow shock wave in transonic axisymmetric flow about blunt bodies

A numerical method was developed for calculating axisymmetric transonic (M greater than 1) flow about a blunt body; the bow shock wave location was investigated. A Rankine-Hugoniot jump was applied at the shock while relaxation on the isentropic equation of motion was used between shock and body. The shock wave is adjusted by a Newton type iteration scheme. Results are given for a sphere in the Mach number range 1.62 down to 1.02.

Jones, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Plasma waves excited in the upstream region by density gradient of energetic-particle streams associated with the earth's bow shock

The present study is concerned with the excitation of plasma waves at the boundaries of the streams of energetic particles which are associated with the earth's bow shock. The analysis was motivated by observational results acquired with the ISEE spacecraft (Parks et al., 1981). It is shown theoretically that the density gradient of energetic ions can only excite ion waves, whereas that of energetic electrons can excite both ion waves and Langmuir waves. This conclusion appears to be consistent with observations.

Wu, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Field-aligned ion beams upstream of the earth's bow shock Evidence for a magnetosheath source

High time resolution ISEE-1 and -2 observations of upstream field-aligned ion beams at several crossings of the earth's bow shock indicate that some beams are due to high energy magnetosheath particles leaking through the shock into the upstream region. The distribution immediately downstream of these oblique shocks consists of a 'core' of directly transmitted, slightly heated ions, plus a crescent-shaped, high-velocity distribution, centered roughly on the magnetic field in the direction toward the upstream region, with a fairly well defined low velocity cutoff.

Thomsen, M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A theory for the radiation at the third to fifth harmonics of the plasma frequency upstream from the earth's bow shock

A theory involving the process L + T' - T is proposed for the observed third to fifth harmonics of the plasma frequency observed upstream from the earth's bow shock. The conditions for which the theory may explain the observed radiation are determined, and the viability of the theory is discussed. The theory is found to require L waves with temperature between about 10 to the 21st and 10 to the 22nd K in the source regions to account for the levels and number of harmonics of the observed radiation. Such L wave temperatures are theoretically possible in the foreshock, but are not consistent with the most intense observed L waves.

Cairns, Iver H.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of Turbulent Magnetic and Electron Velocity Fluctuations in Earth's Magnetosheath Downstream of a Quasi-Parallel Bow Shock

We present statistical single-spacecraft observations of magnetic and electron velocity fluctuations in Earth's magnetosheath, likely in the vicinity of the magnetopause, downstream of a bow shock immersed in quasi-parallel interplanetary magnetic field conditions, a situation conducive to plasma turbulence in the downstream flow. These fluctuations exhibit scale-dependent behavior, wherein histograms of their Partial Variance of Increments (PVIB or PVIV(sub e)) demonstrate highly non-Gaussian forms at small scales and are reasonably well-described by kappa distributions, albeit with fitted values of the kappa parameter only slightly larger than 1.5, exemplifying their power law nature at large values of PVI. At larger scales, the PVI histograms lose their non-Gaussian nature and are well described by both Gaussian and kappa distributions with large values of the kappa parameter. The PVI histograms furthermore exhibit kurtosis that increases with decreasing scale, a characteristic that is much more prominent in the magnetic fluctuations than in the electron velocity fluctuations. This feature that is not yet explained. In both cases, the results are characteristic of turbulent intermittency.

Pollock, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Generation of High-frequency Whistler Waves in the Earth's Quasi-Perpendicular Bow Shock

We use observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft to identify a free energy source for high-frequency whistler waves in the Earth's quasi-perpendicular bow shock. In the considered measurements, whistlers propagate both parallel and antiparallel to the background magnetic field B0 with frequencies around 100 Hz (0.15 fce, where fce is the electron cyclotron frequency) and amplitudes between 0.1 and 1 nT. Their growth can be attributed to localized pitch angle anisotropy in the electron velocity distribution function that cannot be precisely described by macroscopic parameters like heat flux or temperature anisotropy. However, the presence of heat flux along −B0 does create preferential conditions for the high-frequency whistler waves that propagate in this direction. These waves are directed partially toward the shock, meaning they can scatter electrons that are streaming from the shock. This prolongs the time the electrons spend in the shock transition region and thereby promotes electron energization.

Brent Page↗
NASA NTRS1983

Backstreaming ions from oblique earth bow shocks

One-dimensional, hybrid (particle ions, fluid electrons) numerical simulations of oblique shock structure are used to analyze the mechanism by which solar wind ions can be reflected off the earth's bow shock front and escape upstream. It is shown that no backstreaming ions are produced in the simulation over 50-90 degrees of theta(nB), the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field and the shock normal. Backstreaming ions are emitted for theta(nB) of 45 degrees or less, with characteristics in reasonable agreement with those of observed reflected ion streams. The simulated shock structure becomes rather turbulent as theta(nB) decreases from 45 to 30 degrees. Analysis of the backstreaming ion trajectories shows that all backstreaming ions are originally specularly reflected. The oblique shock structure and effects such as whistler formation and ion heating are discussed.

Leroy, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

ISEE studies of the quasi-parallel bow shock

ISEE-1 and-2 plasma and magnetic field observations are used to examine several encounters with brief magnetic pulsations in the quasi-parallel region of the earth's bow shock. The two-spacecraft timing of the magnetic field signature is examined to see if the pulsation encounters are nested (as for back and forth motion of the shock over the spacecraft) or simply time-shifted (as for a structure convected anti-sunward across the spacecraft). Examples of both types of signatures are found, some within minutes of each other, suggesting that at least some pulsations probably originate from the growth and steepening of upstream waves but may eventually be able to stand in the upstream flow, perhaps becoming part of the shock surface itself. The possibility that some of the pulsations may simply be brief encounters with the moving shock is also not ruled out.

Thomsen, M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Acceleration of energetic ions at the earth's bow shock

A simple analytical solution is presented which incorporates many of the processes believed to be important in the acceleration of the 'diffuse' component of energetic ions at the earth's bow shock, and which can account for many of the characteristics observed for these events. The solution can account for the observed spectral shape, the observed spatial dependence of the intensity, and the observed magnitude and spatial dependence of the anisotropy.

Lee, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Measurement of the potential drop across the earth's collisionless bow shock

The normal component of the dc electric field measured on ISEE-1 ordinarily exhibits an enhancement of a few mV/m over both upstream and downstream values at the earth's bow shock. Using the measured relative velocity between the shock and the spacecraft (from the ISEE-1/2 time delay in the magnetometer data), it is possible to transform the observed E enhancement to a potential drop (delta phi). For a subcritical shock the potential drop is found to be very close to the measured change of particle kinetic energy (delta phi, approximately 280 V on day 330, 1977), whereas for a supercritical shock the potential drop is only a fraction of the measured change of kinetic energy (delta phi, approximately 140 V on day 324, 1977).

Formisano, V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Evolution of ion distributions across the nearly perpendicular bow shock - Specularly and non-specularly reflected-gyrating ions

Data from ISEE 1 and 2 spacecraft were used to study the evolution of the ion distributions in the perpendicular terrestrial bow shock. The plasma data were taken during passage of the spacecraft downstream of and through the shock. Solar wind ions had velocities ranging from Mach 2-12.4, and reflected ions featured a relative density of 1-3 percent of the solar wind density at Mach 2 to 15-25 percent at Mach 8-12. Computer simulations have indicated that the ions provide essential dissipation at the shock and gyrate about the magnetic field lines in the plasma rest frame at a speed twice that of the normal incident solar wind flow. The ion density decreases by up to two orders of magnitude at the forward end of the foot of the shock profile, suggesting that the ions are reflected by the shock specularly, and may enhance downstream ion thermalization.

Sckopke, N.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The variation of protons, alpha particles, and the magnetic field across the bow shock of Comet Halley

Data from the Ion Mass Spectrometer and the magnetometer on the Giotto spacecraft are used to examine the structure of the inbound crossing of the Comet Halley bow shock on March 13, 1986. It is found that the velocity decrease, the field strength increase, and the heating of picked up cometary protons occurred over a broad region corresponding to several heavy-ion gyroradii. The solar-wind protons and alphas, on the other hand, were compressed and heated at a narrow structure on the leading edge of the broad shock region.

Neugebauer, M.↗