SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
It is contended that the existence of particles with arbitrarily long correlation times invalidates the condition necessary for the applicability of standard perturbation techniques in cosmic ray transport theory. It is also argued that Klimas and Sandri's (1971) conclusion about a non-Markovian time development of the particle distribution is unwarranted.
A theory on the origin of cosmic rays is presented. Specifically, magellanic clouds and the galactic center were investigated as possible cosmic ray sources.
The various processes that lead to gamma-ray line emission and the possible astrophysical sources of such emission are reviewed. The processes of nuclear excitation, radiative capture, positron annihilation, and cyclotron radiation, which may produce gamma-ray line emission from such diverse sources as the interstellar medium, novas, supernovas, pulsars, accreting compact objects, the galactic nucleus and the nuclei of active galaxies are considered. The significance of the relative intensities, widths, and frequency shifts of the lines are also discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding those gamma-ray lines that have already been observed from astrophysical sources.
Theories of the X-ray background are analyzed. Starburst and probably hard X-ray binary models can be dismissed on the basis of exorbitant energy requirements while the hot diffuse intergalactic medium fails to reproduce the residual spectrum. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) models are only viable if there is a class of AGN which puts out the bulk of its energy in the hard X-rays.
Steady state cosmic-ray shock models are investigated here in the light of observations of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. The predicted downstream temperature is derived for each model. The Cygnus Loop data and the application of the models to them, including wave dissipation, are presented. Heating rate and ionization fraction structures are provided along with an estimate of the cosmic-ray diffusion coefficient. It is found that the model of Voelk, Drury, and McKenzie (1984), in which the plasma waves are generated by the streaming instability of the cosmic rays and are dissipated into the gas, can be made consistent with some observed characteristics of the Cygnus Loop shocks. The model is used to deduce upstream densities and shock velocities and, compared to the usual pure gas shock interpretation, it is found that lower densities and approximately three times higher velocities are required.
A theory for the pitch-angle scattering of cosmic rays in a turbulent magnetic field can be derived from first principles by applying both the quasi-linear and adiabatic approximations to the master equation for the ensemble averaged distribution function. A proof of the failure of these approximations, taken together, is given. Some predictions of the quasi-linear theory, are given. New wave-like propagation modes have been discovered.
It has been found that the computed values of the mean free path for pitch angle scattering of low rigidity cosmic rays computed from weak turbulence theory are systematically larger than the values inferred from analyses of solar particle events. Reasons for this discrepancy are considered, taking into account components of the spectral tensor of the magnetic field fluctuations which can contribute to pitch angle scattering. The contributions of the additional terms can be estimated from the interplanetary magnetic field. It is shown that these additional contributions can be significant. A description is given of a formalism which includes the possibility that the field magnitude is constant. The formalism provides a formal basis for the heuristic arguments made by Goldstein (1980).
A theoretical formalism is described for understanding coherent x-ray reflectivity (CXR) from the surface of a semi-infinite crystal having a variable surface topography, described by the height profile ℎ(𝑥,𝑦). The surface topography is imaged as a complex “effective density,” obtained from the phasing and inversion of the coherent x-ray reflectivity data, measured through a rocking scan centered at a vertical momentum transfer 𝑄$^{0}_{𝑧}$ and a vertical range Δ𝑄 𝑧 . The formalism predicts that the effective density has an amplitude with a maximum located at the surface height for each position within the surface plane. The phase of the effective density has a lateral variation that is controlled by the surface height and a vertical variation that reflects a combination of the interfacial structure and specific choice of measurement conditions. This understanding enables direct observation of nanometer-scale interfacial topography, i.e., ℎ(𝑥,𝑦)𝑐 𝑠 (where 𝑐 𝑠 is the vertical substrate lattice parameter) with Å-scale sensitivity to surface height. Numerical simulations illustrate and confirm the theoretical results. These results show how the interpretation of the interfacial density phase obtained by CXR data inversion (i.e., surface topography with respect to a flat surface) is conceptually similar to that previously known for Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) measurements of isolated nanoparticles (i.e., lattice displacements with respect to an ideal crystal lattice). This suggests that CXR can be thought of as a form of dark field imaging with respect to the bright field BCDI approach. An implication of these results is that interfacial imaging may bypass some of the significant challenges associated with BCDI imaging of multiple particles having different orientations.
The method for calculating the pitch angle diffusion coefficient is investigated for cosmic rays in a static random magnetic field, using the resonance integral method. The pitch angle diffusion coefficient may be derived from the Vlasov equation via ensemble averaging.
It is shown that Earl's (1973) eigenvalue sum for the cosmic-ray spatial diffusion coefficient parallel to the mean magnetic field is precisely equivalent to the time integral of the particle-velocity correlation function parallel to the mean field. A derivation due to Kubo (1957) is applied to cosmic-ray pitch-angle scattering, and it is proven that all nine components of the cosmic-ray diffusion tensor can be expressed as integrals over the velocity correlation function. A pitch-angle correlation function is derived, and the effect of long-wavelength turbulence on the velocity correlation function and spatial diffusion coefficients is examined. Application of the velocity-correlation method to a realistic case involving both pitch-angle scattering and appreciable fluctuation in the direction of the local field indicates that long-wavelength turbulence in the local field reduces the parallel diffusion coefficient and places an upper limit on the ratio of the perpendicular to parallel diffusion coefficients.
Transmission of an arbitrarily polarized plane wave by an arbitrarily oriented spheroid in the short-wavelength limit is considered in the context of ray theory. The transmitted electric field is added to the diffracted plus reflected ray-theory electric field that was previously derived to obtain an approximation to the far-zone scattered intensity in the forward hemisphere. Two different types of cross-polarization effects are found. These are: (a) a rotation of the polarization state of the transmitted rays from when they are referenced with respect to their entrance into the spheroid to when they are referenced with respect to their exit from it and (b) a rotation of the polarization state of the transmitted rays when they are referenced with respect to the polarization state of the diffracted plus reflected rays.
Critical assessment of two versions of a procedure for calculating the pitch angle diffusion coefficient for cosmic rays in a static random magnetic field using the 'resonance integral' method of Hasselmann and Wiberenz (1968) and Jokipii (1972). One of these versions is shown to represent the physics of the situation more accurately than the other.
Accomplishments this reporting period include: 1. derived, programmed, checked, and tested the Mie light scattering theory formulas for the radiation trapping force for both the on-axis and off-axis geometry of the trapping beam plus trapped spherical particle; 2. verified that the computed radiation trapping force for a freely propagating focused Gaussian laser beam incident on a spherical particle agrees with previous published calculations; 3. compared the small particle size and large particle size limits of the Mie calculation with the results of Rayleigh scattering theory and ray scattering theory, respectively and verified that the comparison is correct for Rayleigh scattering theory but found that ray theory omits an important light scattering effect included in the Mie theory treatment; 4. generalized the calculation of the radiation trapping force on a spherical particle in the on-axis geometry from a freely propagating focused Gaussian laser beam to the realistic situation of a Gaussian beam truncated and focused by a high numerical aperture oil-immersion microscope objective lens and aberrated by the interface between the microscope cover slip and the liquid-filled sample volume; and 5. compared the calculated radiation trapping force for this geometry with the results of previously published experiments and found that the agreement is better than when using previously developed theories.
A number of recent lines of evidence point towards the presence of hot, outflowing plasma from the central regions of compact Galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources. Additionally, it has long been noted that many of these sources exhibit an "excess" continuum component, above approx. 10 keV, usually attributed to Compton Reflection from a static medium. Motivated by these facts, as well as by recent observational constraints on the Compton reflection models - specifically apparently discrepant variability timescales for line and continuum components in some cases - we consider possible of effects of out-flowing plasma on the high-energy continuum spectra of accretion powered compact objects. We present a general formulation for photon downscattering diffusion which includes recoil and Comptonization effects due to divergence of the flow. We then develop an analytical theory for the spectral formation in such systems that allows us to derive formulae for the emergent spectrum. Finally we perform the analytical model fitting on several Galactic X-ray binaries. Objects which have been modeled with high-covering-fraction Compton reflectors, such as GS1353-64 are included in our analysis. In addition, Cyg X-3, is which is widely believed to be characterized by dense circumstellar winds with temperature of order 10(exp 6) K, provides an interesting test case. Data from INTEGRAL and RXTE covering the approx. 3 - 300 keV range are used in our analysis. We further consider the possibility that the widely noted distortion of the power-law continuum above 10 keV may in some cases be explained by these spectral softening effects.
An argument is presented, which casts doubt on our ability to choose an appropriate magnetic field ensemble for computing the average behavior of cosmic ray particles. An alternate procedure, using time-averages rather than ensemble-averages, is presented.
We have investigated a new approach to deriving a diffusion equation for charged particles in a static, random magnetic field. Our method incorporates essential effects of the magnetic fluctuations in the lowest order particle orbits. Significant corrections to the usual quasilinear diffusion coefficient for cosmic rays with pitch angles near 90 deg are a consequence. Monte Carlo results bear out the validity of our theory.
Three forms of the high-frequency asymptotic Green's function for Lilley's equation are reviewed and compared to the exact solution over wide range of Strouhal numbers. The asymmetric approximation, which applies to sources away form the jet axis, and the quasi-symmetric approximation, which is arrived at by making a near-axis source assumption, are both obtained for parallel round jets from a formal Fourier-transform solution. The ray-theory solution, which is the only high-frequency approximation that can be applied to more general mean flows, follows from a WKB ansatz and is shown to be closely related to the asymmetric approximation. The comparisons show that the best overall prediction of the exact Green's function is given by the asymmetric approximation which remains accurate down to a Strouhal number of 1/2. The close relationship between the asymmetric and ray-theory approximations suggests that the high-frequency asymptotic Green's function for more general mean flows would be similarly successful.
An approach is presented for deriving a diffusion equation for charged particles in a static, random magnetic field. The approach differs from the usual, quasi-linear one, in that particle orbits in the average field are replaced by particle orbits in a partially averaged field. In this way the fluctuating component of the field significantly modifies the particle orbits in those cases where the orbits in the average field are unrealistic. The method permits the calculation of a finite value for the pitch angle diffusion coefficient for particles with a pitch angle of 90 rather than the divergent or ambiguous results obtained by quasi-linear theories. Results of the approach are compared with results of computer simulations using Monte Carlo techniques.