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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 NTRS1974

SAS-2 observations of celestial diffuse gamma radiation above 30 MeV

The small astronomy satellite, SAS-2, used a 32-deck magnetic core digitized spark chamber to study gamma rays with energies above 30 MeV. Data for four regions of the sky away from the galactic plane were analyzed. These regions show a finite, diffuse flux of gamma rays with a steep energy spectrum, and the flux is uniform over all the regions. Represented by a power law, the differential energy spectrum shows an index of 2.5 + or - 0.4. The steep SAS-2 spectrum and the lower energy data are reasonably consistent with a neutral pion gamma-ray spectrum which was red-shifted (such as that proposed by some cosmological theories). It is concluded that the diffuse celestial gamma ray spectrum observed presents the possibility of cosmological studies and possible evidence for a residual cosmic ray density, and supports the galactic superclusters of matter and antimatter remaining from baryon-symmetric big bang.

Thompson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Temperature Scale of Central Stars Planetary Nebulae

The goal of this project was to gain new insight into both the true temperatures of the central stars of planetary nebulae and their evolutionary histories. The temperature scale of the hottest central stars of planetary nebulae is poorly known. The temperature diagnostics available at visible wavelengths are not useful for these very hot stars, or suffer from as-yet unresolved systematic uncertainties. However, the combination of FUSE FUV spectra and HST NUV spectra allows precise temperature determinations by utilizing ionization balances of C III, C IV and O V, O VI lines. The sample comprises hot hydrogen-rich central stars covering the hottest phase of post-AGB evolution (T_eff greater than 70,000K). The spectra were analyzed with fully metal line blanketed NLTE model atmospheres in order to determine T_eff, surface gravity, and chemical composition. In addition to the temperature scale, the spectra help address the question of metal abundances at the surface of these stars. Depending on the particular star, the metal abundances are either dominated by ongoing diffusion processes or they originate from dredge-up phases during previous AGB evolution. The sample was selected so as to include objects that were expected to exhibit both processes, in order to assess their relative importance and to gain insight into the evolutionary history of the stars. The objects that show qualitatively a metal abundance pattern which points at dredge-up phases, can be used to quantitatively check against abundance predictions of stellar evolution theory. The other objects, where gravitational diffusion and radiative acceleration determine the photospheric metal abundances, will be used to check our NLTE models which for the first time include diffusion processes self-consistently.

Kruk, Jeffry↗
NASA NTRS1995

Putting quasilinear theory to the test: A comparison of analytical theory with results from a trajectory code

Parallel and perpendicular diffusion coefficients were computed numerically by following particle orbits in a simulated magnetic field. The simulated field was chosen to have delta B/B(sub o) small, so as to provide a test of quasilinear theory in a regime where the theory should be most accurate. The simulation space is large enough to contain many magnetic field correlation lengths, so that effects of field line random walk can be studied. After presenting results for parallel diffusion, we will focus on two controversial issues relating to perpendicular diffusion: (1) Do quasilinear descriptions of perpendicular diffusion retain any validity for particles whose Larmor radius is smaller than a correlation length? (2) Does field line random walk lead to particle diffusion in the usual sense, or does it produce 'compound' diffusion for which particles spread out proportionally to t(exp 1/4) instead of t(exp 1/2)?

Bieber, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Composition dependence of ion transport coefficients in gas mixtures

A simple momentum-transfer theory for the composition dependence of ion mobilities and diffusion coefficients in gas mixtures at arbitrary field strengths is corrected, extended, and compared with a similar theory based on momentum and energy transfer, and with results based on direct solution of the Boltzmann equation by Kihara's method. Final equations are recommended for predicting composition dependences, given only results on ion mobilities and diffusion coefficients in the pure component gases.

Whealton, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The effect of eddy distribution on momentum and heat transfer near the wall in turbulent pipe flow

A study was conducted to determine the effect of eddy distribution on momentum and heat transfer near the wall in turbulent pipe flow. The buffer zone was of particular interest in that it is perhaps the most complicated and least understood region in the turbulent flow field. Six eddy diffusivity relationships are directly compared on their ability to predict mean velocity and temperature distributions in turbulent air flow through a cylindrical, smooth-walled pipe with uniform heat transfer. Turbulent flow theory and the development of the eddy diffusivity relationships are briefly reviewed. Velocity and temperature distributions derived from the eddy diffusivity relationships are compared to experimental data for fully-developed pipe flow in turbulent air at a Prandtl number of 0.73 and Reynolds numbers ranging from 8100 to 25 000.

Zurawski, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Composition dependence of ion-transport coefficients in gas mixtures

Simple momentum-transfer theory for the composition dependence of ion mobilities and diffusion coefficients in gas mixtures at arbitrary field strengths is corrected and extended, and compared with a similar theory based on momentum and energy transfer, and with results based on direct solution of the Boltzmann equation by Kihara's method. Final equations are recommended for predicting composition dependences, given only results on ion mobilities and diffusion coefficients in the pure component gases.

Whealton, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Dendritic growth in the presence of convection

The motion of the freezing front between a dendritic crystal and a supercooled liquid is studied using an interface evolution equation derived from a boundary integral transformation of the transient convective-diffusion equation. A new steady-state theory is introduced that incorporates the effects of convection in dendritic growth. It is shown that in the absence of capillary effects the shape of the crystal-melt interface is a paraboloid of revolution, similar to that found in situations where diffusion is the sole heat transfer mechanism. A relation between the supercooling, the product of the tip velocity and tip radius, and the strength of the flow is derived which reduces to the well-known Ivantsov theory in the absence of convection. A non-linear interface-tracking algorithm is developed and used to study the temporal and spatial evolution of the dendritic interface. The important role of capillarity and convection on the interface dynamics is established and the response of the interface to finite amplitude disturbances is examined for the first time. Tip splitting is identified as the dominant destabilization mechanism in the limit of zero surface tension. Finite surface tension leads to interface stabilization, irrespective of the magnitude and structure of the external perturbations. Finally, convection significantly decreases the magnitude of the freezing velocity.

Beaghton, Pantelis John↗
NASA NTRS2006

Particle Demagnetization in Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection

The dissipation mechanism of magnetic reconnection remains a subject of intense scientific interest. On one hand, one set of recent studies have shown that particle inertia-based processes, which include thermal and bulk inertial effects, provide the reconnection electric field in the diffusion region. In this presentation, we present analytical theory results, as well as 2.5 and three-dimensional PIC simulations of guide field magnetic reconnection. We will show that diffusion region scale sizes in moderate and large guide field cases are determined by electron Larmor radii, and that analytical estimates of diffusion region dimensions need to include description of the heat flux tensor. The dominant electron dissipation process appears to be based on thermal electron inertia, expressed through nongyrotropic electron pressure tensors. We will argue that this process remains viable in three dimensions by means of a detailed comparison of high resolution particle-in-cell simulations.

Hesse, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2012

Fermi Large Area Telescope Observations of the Supernova Remnant GS.7-0.1

We present a detailed analysis of the GeV gamma-ray emission toward the supernova remnant (SNR) G8.7-0.1 with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. An investigation of the relationship among G8.7-0.1 and the TeV unidentified source HESS J1804-216 provides us with an important clue on diffusion process of cosmic rays if particle acceleration operates in the SNR. The GeV gamma-ray emission is extended with most of the emission in positional coincidence with the SNR G8.7-0.1 and a lesser part located outside the western boundary of G8.7-0.1. The region of the gamma-ray emission overlaps spatially-connected molecular clouds, implying a physical connection for the gamma-ray structure. The total gamma-ray spectrum measured with LAT from 200 MeV-100 GeV can be described by a broken power-law function with a break of 2.4 +/- 0.6 (stat) +/- 1.2 (sys) GeV, and photon indices of2.10 +/- 0.06 (stat) +/- 0.10 (sys) below the break and 2.70 +/- 0.12 (stat) +/- 0.14 (sys) above the break. Given the spatial association among the gamma rays, the radio emission ofG8.7-0.1, and the molecular clouds, the decay of pions produced by particles accelerated in the SNR and hitting the molecular clouds naturally explains the GeV gamma-ray spectrum. We also find that the GeV morphology is not well represented by the TeV emission from HESS Jl804-2l6 and that the spectrum in the Ge V band is not consistent with the extrapolation of the TeV gamma-ray spectrum. The spectral index of the TeV emission is consistent with the particle spectral index predicted by a theory that assumes energy-dependent diffusion of particles accelerated in an SNR. We discuss the possibility that the TeV-spectrum originates from the interaction of particles accelerated in G8.7-0.l with molecular clouds, and we constrain the diffusion coefficient of the particles.

Ferrara, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Fermi Large Area Telescope Observations of the Supernova Remnant GS.7-0.1

We present a detailed analysis of the GeV gamma-ray emission toward the supernova remnant (SNR) G8.7-0.1 with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. An investigation of the relationship among G8.7-0.l and the TeV unidentified source HESS J1804-216 provides us with an important clue on diffusion process of cosmic rays if particle acceleration operates in the SNR. The GeV gamma-ray emission is extended with most of the emission in positional coincidence with the SNR G8.7-0.l and a lesser part located outside the western boundary of G8.7-0.l. The region of the gamma-ray emission overlaps spatially-connected molecular clouds, implying a physical connection for the gamma-ray structure. The total gamma-ray spectrum measured with LAT from 200 MeV-100 GeV can be described by a broken power-law function with a break of 2.4 +/- 0.6 (stat) +/- 1.2 (sys) GeV, and photon indices of 2.10 +/- 0.06 (stat) +/- 0.10 (sys) below the break and 2.70 +/- 0.12 (stat) +/- 0.l4 (sys) above the break. Given the spatial association among the gamma rays, the radio emission of G8.7-0.1, and the molecular clouds, the decay of 1IoS produced by particles accelerated in the SNR and hitting the molecular clouds naturally explains the GeV gamma-ray spectrum. We also find that the GeV morphology is not well represented by the TeV emission from HESS J1804-216 and that the spectrum in the GeV band is not consistent with the extrapolation of the TeV gamma-ray spectrum. The spectral index of the TeV emission is consistent with the particle spectral index predicted by a theory that assumes energy-dependent diffusion of particles accelerated in an SNR. We discuss the possibility that the TeV spectrum originates from the interaction of particles accelerated in G8.7-0.1 with molecular clouds, and we constrain the diffusion coefficient of the particles.

Ajello, M.↗
NASA NTRS2006

How Does Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection Work in the Presence of a Guide Magnetic Field?

The dissipation mechanism of guide field magnetic reconnection remains a subject of intense scientific interest. On one hand, one set of recent studies have shown that particle inertia-based processes, which include thermal and bulk inertial effects, provide the reconnection electric field in the diffusion region. On the other hand, a second set of studies emphasizes the role of wave-particle interactions in providing anomalous resistivity in the diffusion region. In this presentation, we present analytical theory results, as well as 2.5 and three-dimensional PIC simulations of guide-field magnetic reconnection. We will show that diffusion region scale sizes in moderate and large guide field cases are determined by electron Larmor radii, and that analytical estimates of diffusion region dimensions need to include description of the heat flux tensor. The dominant electron dissipation process appears to be based on thermal electron inertia, expressed through nongyrotropic electron pressure tensors. We will argue that this process remains viable in three dimensions by means of a detailed comparison of high resolution particle-in-cell simulations.

Hesse, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1971

Interaction of fast particles with intergalactic matter.

A discussion is given of the relaxation of power-law cosmic-ray spectra in the intergalactic medium. The theoretical time-dependent spectra obtained are used to calculate the nonthermal radiation produced by bremsstrahlung of subcosmic-ray electrons colliding with ambient protons of the intergalactic gas. A comparison is made between the theory and the observations of the diffuse X-ray and gamma-ray background. The calculated cosmic-ray proton spectra are applied to a computation of the heating of the intergalactic medium, and the resulting thermal bremsstrahlung radiation is compared with the suprathermal proton bremsstrahlung flux. We conclude that nonthermal bremsstrahlung is unlikely to be an important contributor to the isotropic X- and gamma-ray background. However, cosmic-ray heating can provide a plausible heat source for maintaining a hot intergalactic gas, especially when evolutionary effects are included in the distribution of cosmic-ray sources.

Arons, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Estimation of atmospheric species concentrations from remote sensing data

The atmospheric species concentration distribution-estimation problem that arises from the measurement configuration of remote sensing, which involves a field of view that moves across the region, is solved by means of the partial differential equation for atmospheric diffusion and the Wiener-Hopf theory. A numerical study is also undertaken for the estimation of concentration distribution downwind of a hypothetical, continuous ground-level source of pollutants.

Omatu, S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Mirror instability and the origin of morningside auroral structure

Auroral optical imagery shows marked differences between auroral features of the evening and morning sectors: The separation between diffuse and discrete auroras in the evening sector is not distinct in the morning sector, which is dominated by auroral patches and multiple banded structures aligned along some direction. Plasma distribution function signatures also show marked differences: downward electron beams and inverted-V signatures prefer the evening sector, while the electron spectra on the morning sector are similar to the diffuse aurora. We have constructed a theory of morningside auroras consistent with these features. The theory is based on modulation of the growth rates of electron cyclotron waves by the mirror instability, which is in turn driven by inward-convected ions that have become anisotropic. This modulation produces alternating bands of enhanced and reduced electron precipitation which approximate the observed multiple auroral bands and patches of the morning sector.

Chiu, Y. T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The interaction of atomic oxygen with thin copper films

A source of thermal, ground-state atomic oxygen has been used to expose thin copper films at a flux of 1.4 x 10 exp 17 atoms/sq cm s for times up to 50 min for each of five temperatures between 140 and 200 C. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy was used to characterize the oxide formed during exposure. The observations are consistent with the oxide phase Cu2O. The time dependence and the temperature dependence of the oxide layer thickness can be described using oxide film growth theory based on rate limitation by diffusion. Within the time and temperature ranges of this study, the growth of the oxide layers is well described by the equation L(T,t) = 3.6 x 10 to 8th exp(- 1.1/2k sub B T)t exp 1/2, where L,T, and t are measured in angstroms, degrees Kelvin, and minutes, respectively. The deduced activation energy is 1.10 +/- 0.15 eV, with the attendant oxidation rate being greater than that for the corresponding reaction in molecular oxygen.

Gibson, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Theory of grain alignment in molecular clouds

Research accomplishments are presented and include the following: (1) mathematical theory of grain alignment; (2) super-paramagnetic alignment of molecular cloud grains; and (3) theory of grain alignment by ambipolar diffusion.

Roberge, Wayne G.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Particle injection and the structure of energetic-particle-modified shocks

A macroscopic 'self-consistent' nonlinear two-fluid model is developed for energetic-particle-modeled shocks. The model incorporates particle exchange between a thermal gas and an energetic population via a 'thermal leakage' mechanism. In the model, injection is regarded as a process whereby particles in the cooler thermal core of a total particle distribution are energized sufficiently to cross a 'momentum boundary' into the wings of the distribution. Particles in the wings are identified as 'energetic particles' or 'cosmic rays' and are assumed to propagate according to the diffusive transport equation of cosmic ray theory. Thermal particles are energized either as a result of adiabatic compression in a decelerating flow or directly via anomalous heating within a subshock. It is shown that the nature and model of particle injection directly affects the nature and dynamics of the shock, and hence the efficiency of particle acceleration, and that the shock itself regulates particle injection dynamically.

Zank, G. P.↗