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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

A comparison of coronal and interplanetary current sheet inclinations

The HAO white light K-coronameter observations show that the inclination of the heliospheric current sheet at the base of the corona can be both large (nearly vertical with respect to the solar equator) or small during Cararington rotations 1660 - 1666 and even on a single solar rotation. Voyager 1 and 2 magnetic field observations of crossing of the heliospheric current sheet at distances from the sun of 1.4 and 2.8 AU. Two cases are considered, one in which the corresponding coronameter data indicate a nearly vertical (north-south) current sheet and another in which a nearly horizontal, near equatorial current sheet is indicated. For the crossings of the vertical current sheet, a variance analysis based on hour averages of the magnetic field data gave a minimum variance direction consistent with a steep inclination. The horizontal current sheet was observed by Voyager as a region of mixed polarity and low speeds lasting several days, consistent with multiple crossings of a horizontal but irregular and fluctuating current sheet at 1.4 AU. However, variance analysis of individual current sheet crossings in this interval using 1.92 see averages did not give minimum variance directions consistent with a horizontal current sheet. Previously announced in STAR as N83-31566

Behannon, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Penetration of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field B(sub y) into Earth's Plasma Sheet

There has been considerable recent interest in the relationship between the cross-tail magnetic field component B(sub y) and tail dynamics. The purpose of this paper is to give an overall description of the penetration of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(sub y) into the near-Earth plasma sheet. We show that plasma sheet B(sub y) may be generated by the differential shear motion of field lines and enhanced by flux tube compression. The latter mechanism leads to a B(sub y) analogue of the pressure-balance inconsistency as flux tubes move from the far tail toward the Earth. The growth of B(sub y), however, may be limited by the dawn-dusk asymmetry in the shear velocity as a result of plasma sheet tilting. B(sub y) penetration into the plasma sheet implies field-aligned currents flowing between hemispheres. These currents together with the IMF B(sub y) related mantle field-aligned currents effectively shield the lobe from the IMF B(sub y).

Hau, L.-N.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Local time variations of particle flux produced by an electrostatic field in the magnetosphere

The local time variations of particle distributions, which can be produced by the sudden enhancement of a cross-tail electric field, are examined by using adiabatic theory. The strong coupling between acceleration, inward motion, and east-west drift is emphasized. The model is used to interpret recent measurements of delay times of newly accelerated electrons at different local times at geostationary orbit. Observations of the asymmetric storm time 'ring current' are interpreted in terms of the model without invoking particle loss.

Kivelson, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Investigations of spectral separability of small grains, early season wheat detection, and multicrop inventory planning

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT data from seven 5 by 6 segments having crop type information were analyzed to determine the potential for spectral separation of spring wheat from other small grains as an alternative to the primary LACIE procedure for estimating spring wheat acreage. Within segment field-center, classification accuracies for spring wheat vs. barley tended to be best in mid-July when crop color changes were in progress. When correlations were made for differences in atmospheric haze, data from several segments could be aggregated, and results that approached within segment accuracies were obtained for selected dates. LACIE field measurement spectral reflectance data provided information on both wheat development patterns and the importance of various agronomic factors on wheat reflectance, the most important being availability of soil moisture. To investigate early season detection for winter wheat, reflectance of developing wheat patterns was simulated through reflectance modeling and was analyzed along with field measured reflectance from a Kansas site. The green component development of the wheat field was analyzed as a function of data throughout the season. A selected threshold was not crossed by all fields until mid-April. These reflectance data were shown to be consistent actual LANDSAT data.

Nalepka, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The dependence of zenith angle of the strength of 3-meter equatorial electrojet irregularities

Radar measurements in Peru were used to deduce the zenith angle dependence of the scattering cross section of plasma irregularities generated by instabilities in the equatorial electrojet. The irregularities probed by the 50 MHz Jicamarca radar had a wavelength of 3m. The cross section for the type 2 irregularities was isotropic in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field, while the cross section for the stronger type 1 irregularities varied with zenith angle at a rate of approximately 0.3 dB/degree; the horizontally traveling waves were more than 100 times stronger than those traveling vertically.

Ierkic, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Observations of a transverse magnetic field perturbation at two altitudes on the equatorward edge of the magnetospheric cusp

On January 28, 1990, the Dynamic Explorer 1 (DE-1) and Akebono satellites crossed a magnetic field structure at the equatorward edge of the polar cusp at altitudes od 22,000 and 5000 km, respectively, within 6 min of each other. Locally measured plasma particles and fields and magnetometer data from a ground station near the foot of the magnetic field line are more consistent with an interpretation of the structure as that of a standing Alfven wave than that of a quasi-steady field-aligned current sheet. We discuss the observations supporting this conclusion and other related observations of field-aligned currents, Alfven waves, and ion energization near the equatorward edge of the cusp. These observations suggest that Alfven waves are commonly present near the equatorward edge of the cusp.

Peterson, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Microspacecraft and Earth observation: Electrical Field (ELF) measurement project

There is a need for an inexpensive, extensive, long-lasting global electric field measurement system (ELF). The primary performance driver of this mission is the need to measure the attitude of each spacecraft in the Earth's electric field very accurately. In addition, it is necessary to know the electric charge generated by the satellite as it crosses the magnetic field lines (E equals V times B). In order to achieve the desired global coverage, a constellation of about 50 satellites in at least 18 different orbits will be used. To reduce the cost of each satellite, off-the-shelf, proven technology will be used whenever possible. Researchers have set a limit of $500,000 per satellite. Researchers expect the program cost, including the deployment of the entire constellation, to be less than $100 million. The minimum projected mission life is five years.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

A statistical survey of the central plasma sheet

We present a statistical analysis of the ion plasma properties and magnetic field of the central plasma sheet at distances from 10 to 23 R(sub E) from the Earth. This study incorporates International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE) 1 plasma sheet samples accumulated with the University of Iowa Lepedea plasma analyzer during 1979. Our study of the bulk properties of the ion plasma shows that there is relatively little change as a result of increasing geomagnetic activity. The main macroscopic effect is an increase in plasma temperature. When the transverse profile of the plasma sheet is examined, it is clear that this increase in temperature occurs preferentially at high latitudes. The magnetic field shows an increase in magnitude in the vicinity of the neutral sheet periods of high geomagnetic activity. The radial profiles of the density, temperature, plasma, and magnetic pressures show a gradient in total energy density in the plasma sheet. The convective velocities are systematically directed earthward, and there is a bias toward positive V(sub y) on the duskside of the magnetotail. We infer that particle motion can be attributed to a pressure gradient, combined with steady state convective electric fields. We compute the convective electric fields from our measured bulk velocities, arriving at a pattern similar to that observed at low altitudes. The cross-tail electric field E(sub y) is dominant near the neutral sheet region, but at high latitudes E(sub z) is a major component. Our results suggest that the plasma sheet boundary layer, rather than the central plasma sheet, is a region of diverging electric fields. The picture of the plasma sheet that emerges from our study is that of a stable reservoir of hot plasma in which thermodynamic, rather than dynamic, processes is important.

Huang, C. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Energetic particles of the outer regions of planetary magnetospheres

High energy particles, with energies above those attainable by adiabatic or steady-state electric field acceleration, have been observed in and around the outer regions of planetary magnetospheres. Acceleration by large amplitude sporadic cross-tail electric fields over an order of magnitude greater than steady-state convection fields is proposed as a source of these particles. It is suggested that such explosive electric fields will occur intermittently in the vicinity of the tail neutral line in the expansive phase of substorms. Laboratory and satellite evidence are used to estimate this electric potential for substorms at earth; values of 500 kilovolts to 2 megavolts are calculated, in agreement with particle observations. It is further suggested that these particles, which have been accelerated in the night side magnetosphere, drift to the dayside on closed field lines, and under certain interplanetary conditions can escape to regions upstream of the bow shock.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A nonlinear theory for spinning anisotropic beams using restrained warping functions

A geometrically nonlinear theory is developed for spinning anisotropic beams having arbitrary cross sections. An assumed displacement field is developed using the standard 3D kinematics relations to describe the global beam behavior supplemented with an additional field that represents the local deformation within the cross section and warping out of the cross section plane. It is assumed that the magnitude of this additional field is directly proportional to the local stress resultants. In order to take into account the effects of boundary conditions, a restraining function is introduced. This function plays the role of reducing the amount of free warping deformation throughout the field due to the restraint of the cross section(s) at the end(s) of the beam, e.g., in the case of a cantilever beam. Using a developed ordering scheme, the nonlinear strains are calculated to the third order. The FEM is developed using the weak form variational formulation. Preliminary interesting numerical results have been obtained that indicate the role of the restraining function in the case of a cantilever beam with circular cross section. These results are for the cases of a tip displacement (static) and free vibration studies for both isotropic and anisotropic materials with varied fiber orientations.

Ie, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Energetic Neutral Atom Precipitation (ENAP)

The Energetic Neutral Atom Precipitation experiment is scheduled to be flown on the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS 1) NASA mission. The objective of this experiment is to measure very faint emissions at nighttime arising from fluxes of energetic neutral atoms in the thermosphere. These energetic atoms have energies ranging up to about 50 keV, and arise from ions of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen trapped in the inner magnetosphere. Some of these ions become neutralized in charge exchange reactions with neutral hydrogen in the hydrogen geocorona that extends through the region. The ions are trapped on magnetic field lines which cross the equatorial plane at 2 to 6 earth radii distance, and they mirror at a range of heights on these field lines, extending down to the thermosphere at 500 km altitude. The ATLAS 1 measurements will not be of the neutral atoms themselves but of the optical emission produced by those on trajectories that intersect the thermosphere. The ENAP measurements are to be made using the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) which is being flown on the ATLAS mission primarily for daytime spectral observations, and the ENAP measurements will all be nighttime measurements because of the faintness of the emissions and the relatively low level of magnetic activity expected.

Tinsley, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

MSG-7: Atmospheric Penetration of Solar Radiation in the Range of Schumann-runge Bands

There have been major efforts in measuring extraterrestrial solar irradiance for use in atmospheric studies. The quantity of immediate relevance to theoretical studies is the number of photons which reach a given altitude in the middle atmosphere. Current models compute the attenuated radiation field but the cross sections available for the major absorbers, O2 and O3, often come from experiments that are now quite old. Balloon measurements show some significant differences between the predicted and observed ultraviolet radiation field between 30 and 40 km. The wavelength region to be studied includes Lyman alpha plus the range 175 nm to the visible. Specific topics to be addressed are as follows: (1) the cross sections of the major absorbers, O2 and O3 including the Schumann-Runge bands as a subset; (2) comparison of the in situ measurements of the attenuated radiation field with calculations; and (3) the relevance of the scattered and reflected radiation fields for middle atmospheric processes.

Frederick, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2010

ST5 Observations of the Imbalance of Region 1 and 2 Field-Aligned Currents and its Implication to the Cross-Polar Cap Pedersen Currents

In this study, we use the in-situ magnetic field observations from Space Technology 5 mission to quantify the imbalance of Region 1 (R1) and Region 2 (R2) currents. During the three-month duration of the ST5 mission, geomagnetic conditions range from quiet to moderately active. We find that the R1 current intensity is consistently stronger than the R2 current intensity both for the dawnside and the duskside large-scale field-aligned current system. The net currents flowing into (out of) the ionosphere in the dawnside (duskside) are in the order of 5% of the total R1 currents. We also find that the net currents flowing into or out of the ionosphere are controlled by the solar windmagnetosphere interaction in the same way as the field-aligned currents themselves are. Since the net currents due to the imbalance of the R1 and R2 currents require that their closure currents flow across the polar cap from dawn to dusk as Pedersen currents, our results indicate that the total amount of the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents is in the order of approximately 0.1 MA. This study, although with a very limited dataset, is one of the first attempts to quantify the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents. Given the importance of the Joule heating due to Pedersen currents to the high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics, quantifying the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents and associated Joule heating is needed for developing models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

Le, Guan↗
NASA NTRS2011

ST5 Observations of the Imbalance of Region 1 and 2 Field-Aligned Currents and Its Implication to the Cross-Polar Cap Pedersen Currents

In this study, we use the in-situ magnetic field observations from Space Technology 5 mission to quantify the imbalance of Region 1 (R1) and Region 2 (R2) currents. During the three-month duration of the ST5 mission, geomagnetic conditions range from quiet to moderately active. We find that the R1 current intensity is consistently stronger than the R2 current intensity both for the dawnside and the duskside large-scale field-aligned current system. The net currents flowing into (out of) the ionosphere in the dawnside (duskside) are in the order of 5% of the total R1 currents. We also find that the net currents flowing into or out of the ionosphere are controlled by the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction in the same way as the field-aligned currents themselves are. Since the net currents due to the imbalance of the R1 and R2 currents require that their closure currents flow across the polar cap from dawn to dusk as Pedersen currents, our results indicate that the total amount of the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents is in the order of ~ 0.1 MA. This study, although with a very limited dataset, is one of the first attempts to quantify the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents. Given the importance of the Joule heating due to Pedersen currents to the high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics, quantifying the cross-polar cap Pedersen currents and associated Joule heating is needed for developing models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

Le, Guan↗
NASA NTRS1995

A simple test of the induced nature of the Martian tail

The cross flow direction of the interplanetary magnetic field is strongly correlated with the cross flow direction several hours earlier and later. This correlation allows a simple test of the nature of the magnetic field in the Martian magnetotail. If the magnetotail is entirely induced, then the cross tail direction of the magnetic field should be along the direction of the cross flow component just upstream of the bow shock. We find that these directions of the tail field and the implementary magnetic field are so highly correlated that any intrinsic magnetic field of Mars must make at most a small contribution to the magnetotail. We estimate an upper limit to the magnetic moment of Mars to be about 4 x 10(exp 11) T(cu m).

Russell, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Electron dynamics and potential jump across slow mode shocks

In the de Hoffmann-Teller reference frame, the cross-shock electric field is simply the thermoelectric field responsible for preserving charge neutrality. As such, it gives information regarding the heating and dissipation occurring within the shock. The total cross-shock potential can be determined by integrating a weighted electron pressure gradient through the shock, but this requires knowledge of the density and temperature profiles. Here, a recently proposed alternative approach relying on particle dynamics is exploited to provide an independent estimate of this potential. Both determinations are applied to slow mode shocks which form the plasma sheet boundary in the deep geomagnetic tail as observed by ISEE 3. The two methods correlate well. There is no indication of the expected transition from resistive to viscous shocks, although the highest Mach number shocks show the highest potentials. The implications of these results for the electron dissipation mechanisms and turbulence at the shock are discussed.

Schwartz, Steven J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Analysis of the flow field generated near an aircraft engine operating in reverse thrust

A computer solution is developed to the exhaust gas reingestion problem for aircraft operating in the reverse thrust mode on a crosswind-free runway. The computer program determines the location of the inlet flow pattern, whether the exhaust efflux lies within the inlet flow pattern or not, and if so, the approximate time before the reversed flow reaches the engine inlet. The program is written so that the user is free to select discrete runway speeds or to study the entire aircraft deceleration process for both the far field and cross-ingestion problems. While developed with STOL applications in mind, the solution is equally applicable to conventional designs. The inlet and reversed jet flow fields involved in the problem are assumed to be noninteracting. The nacelle model used in determining the inlet flow field is generated using an iterative solution to the Neuman problem from potential flow theory while the reversed jet flow field is adapted using an empirical correlation from the literature. Sample results obtained using the program are included.

Ledwith, W. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Two encounters with the flank low-latitude boundary layer - Further evidence for closed field topology and investigation of the internal structure

The structure of the flank low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) is examined through differential energy spectra and particle angular anisotropies for traversals of the dawn flank (December 19, 1977) and dusk flank (July 7, 1978) during periods of predominantly northward magnetosheath field orientation. Spectra are presented that were obtained from combined ISEE 1 low-energy-proton and electron-differential-energy-analyzer and medium-energy-particle-instrument data extending over the 200-eV/q to 2-MeV energy range for the plasma sheet, stagnation region, outer LLBL, and magnetosheath regions. The stagnation region and the outer LLBL are each a mixture of plasma-sheet and magnetosheath populations, but the stagnation region contains a relatively higher fraction of plasma sheet particles, consistent with its placement earthward of the outer LLBL. Evidence for energization of thermal electrons appears during the dusk flank crossing. Bidirectional field-aligned ion distributions are observed with typically 5-to-1 enhancement of the flux along the magnetic field during certain portions of the dusk flank crossing.

Traver, D. P.↗