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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Physics of the interaction of the solar wind with the ionosphere of Venus - Flow/field models

Venus deflects incident solar wind by means of thermal and magnetic pressure, both of which are produced by ionospheric currents that are in turn driven by pressure gradients and electric fields induced in the ionosphere by the flowing magnetized solar wind plasma. The ionospheric currents connect across the ionopause into the ionosheath region, and close on, and behind, the bow shock. The computed ionospheric plasma velocity distribution is found to be spatially asymmetric, with the fastest flow velocities lying perpendicular to the ionospheric magnetic fields. Computations also indicate that the ionosphere is susceptible to an MHD shear instability whose extent and location is a function of external solar wind conditions. The present Venus ionosphere model compares well with in situ Pioneer Venus Orbiter observations.

Cloutier, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Electrodynamics and plasma processes in the ionosphere

The paper examines the advances achieved between 1983 and 1986 on understanding ionospheric electrodynamics and associated plasma processes, including an assessment of the roles of the E- and F-region neutral winds in providing the large-scale electric field in the ionosphere, as well as of the influence of electric fields of magnetospheric origin on the motion and distribution of plasma. Studies of the factors affecting the creation and evolution of plasma structure with many different scale sizes are discussed. Consideration is also given to the ground-based and in situ techniques used in these studies.

Heelis, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The hot plasma environment and floating potentials of an electron-beam-emitting rocket in the ionosphere

The plasma environment surrounding the Echo III accelerator payload is examined with an extensive array of particle sensors. Suprathermal electrons are produced isotropically around the payload during the gun firings and decay away in approximately 32 ms. The largest directional intensities of this component are observed at the higher altitudes. Quick echo electrons are also observed to produce suprathermal electrons when they encounter the payload. The hot electrons surrounding the accelerator payload during gun injections bring sufficient charge to the payload to neutralize it provided the loss of charge by secondary production on the payload skin is small. Since the hot population exists for tens of milliseconds after the gun turnoff, it results in driving the payload up to 4 volts negative during this time. Quick echo electrons creating suprathermal electrons around the payload also drive the payload to a few volts negative.

Arnoldy, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Electron content of the ionosphere and the plasma sphere on the basis of ATS-6-Data, NNSS-data, and ionograms

The reported investigation takes into account data obtained with the aid of the geostationary satellite ATS-6, the satellites of the U.S. navy navigation system (NNSS) at an altitude between 900 and 1200 km, and the satellites ISIS 1 and ISIS 2. The altitude range between ground and ATS-6 is divided into two regions, including the 'ionosphere', involving the region with an upper limit of 2000 km, and the 'plasma sphere', involving the region above an altitude of 2000 km. Data concerning the electron content obtained from different sources are compared, taking into account discrepancies between ionogram-derived values and values computed on the basis of satellite measurements. Attention is also given to the vertical electron content of the ionosphere on the basis of a combination of data obtained with the aid of the ATS-6 and the NNSS.

Leitinger, R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Theory of plasma contactors used in the ionosphere

The use of plasma contactors has been proposed as a means of enhancing the current flow through an electrodynamic tether. A simple isothermal spherical model of the plasma cloud around a contactor is outlined for a plasma contactor which is biased positively with respect to the ambient plasma and hence collects electrons. It is shown that for significant current amplification to occur, the plasma cloud must be turbulent. The amount of current amplification is obtained as a function of the ion current through the contactor. For ion currents of several amperes amplification factors of 2-6 can be obtained for potential drops in the range 100-500 V. For smaller ion currents, much larger amplification factors can be obtained.

Hastings, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Behavior of thermal plasma in the ionosphere and magnetosphere

Models of ion flow in the topside ionosphere were developed. These models took both H(+) and O(+) into account and permitted various parameter studies to be made affecting H(+) escape in polar winds. Extensive computer programs were written to display the measured electron density profiles in ways useful to geophysical analysis. The relationship between the location of the plasmapause as it is found in the equatorial plane and the location of the ionospheric trough was also investigated.

Banks, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The interaction of flowing plasmas with planetary ionospheres - A Titan-Venus comparison

Voyager I data from the moon Titan's wake are employed to model the external flow direction and, in comparison with magnetotail observations of Venus, show that the magnetic field may change in response to the presence of flux tubes. The Titan magnetic field was measured at distances as close as 2.7 Titan radii, showing final, unperturbed fields directly southward, while a northern lobe was observed which pointed away from Titan. The central portion of the pattern was displaced radially toward Saturn relative to the direction of corotation. Pioneer Venus orbiter data have shown that Venus, like Titan, is a nonmagnetic body, and both objects have displayed a two-lobe wake field with oppositely oriented fields separated by a neutral sheet and lowered field magnitudes on flux tubes near the dayside ionospheres. It is suggested that the asymmetries in the wake structure are due to coupling of different regions of the wakes with the dayside or nightside ionosphere.

Kivelson, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Numberical simulation of the effects of radially injected barium plasma in the ionosphere

The morphology of the ion cloud in the radial shaped charge barium injection was studied. The shape of the ion cloud that remains after the explosive products and neutral barium clears away was examined. The ion cloud which has the configuration of a rimless wagon wheel is shown. The major features are the 2.5 km radius black hole in the center of the cloud, the surrounding ring of barium ion and the spokes of barium ionization radiating away from the center. The cloud shows no evolution after it emerges from the neutral debris and it is concluded that it is formed within 5 seconds of the event. A numerical model is used to calculate the motion of ions and electrons subject to the electrostatic and lorenz forces.

Swift, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Can the Plasmaspheric Plume Significantly Contribute to Magnetosheath Densities?

Intervals of strong magnetospheric convection electric fields can result in the removal of large portions of the outer plasmasphere and its transport to the vicinity of the magnetopause. Of growing interest is the disposition of that plasma and its possible influence on the processes operating in the regions contributed to by this dense thermal plasma of ionospheric origin. Plasmaspheric plasma may recirculate within the outer magnetosphere through the flanks to become part of the plasmasheet, be entrained on reconnected magnetic field lines drawn anti-sunward over the polar cap, or be lost into the magnetosheath flow and into the solar wind. Of interest here is whether it is reasonable to anticipate that the plume material is sufficient to contribute substantially to magnetosheath densities at the magnetopause where it could influence reconnection between the interplanetary and terrestrial magnetic fields. We present the results of model simulations of plasmaspheric plume and magnetosheath plasmas in the context of several storm-time event periods. Plume and magnetosheath densities are compared as a function of location and storm phase. The short answer is, "yes", but not always and not at all locations. The full answer will be presented.

Gallagher, Dennis↗
NASA NTRS1993

Coupling of magnetopause-boundary layer to the polar ionosphere

The plasma dynamics in the low-latitude boundary layer and its coupling to the polar ionosphere under boundary conditions at the magnetopause are investigated. In the presence of a driven plasma flow along the magnetopause, the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability can develop, leading to the formation and growth of plasma vortices in the boundary layer. The finite ionospheric conductivity leads to the decay of these vortices. The competing effect of the formation and decay of vortices leads to the formation of strong vortices only in a limited region. Several enhanced field-aligned power density regions associated with the boundary layer vortices and the upward field-aligned current (FAC) filaments can be found along the postnoon auroral oval. These enhanced field-aligned power density regions may account for the observed auroral bright spots.

Wei, C. Q.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Spacelab-2 plasma depletion experiments for ionospheric and radio astronomical studies

The Spacelab-2 Plasma Depletion Experiments were a series of studies to examine Shuttle-induced perturbations in the ionosphere and their application to ground-based radio astronomy. The Space Shuttle Challenger fired its orbital maneuvering subsystem engines, releasing large amounts of exhaust molecules that caused the electrons and ions in earth's upper atmosphere to chemically recombine, thereby creating so-called 'ionospheric holes'. Two burns conducted over New England produced ionospheric peak depletions ranging from 25 to 50 percent, affected the ionosphere over a 200-kilometer altitude range, and covered 1 to 2 deg of latitude. Optical emissions associated with the hole spanned an area of several hundred thousand square kilometers. A third burn was conducted over a low-frequency radio observatory in Hobart, Australia, to create an 'artificial window' for ground-based observations at frequencies normally below the natural ionospheric cutoff (penetration) frequency. The Hobart experiment succeeded in making high-resolution observations at 1.7 megahertz through the induced ionospheric hole.

Mendillo, M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Strong IMF By-Related Plasma Convection in the Ionosphere and Cusp Field-Aligned Currents Under Northward IMF Conditions

We present in this paper an investigation of IMF-By related plasma convection and cusp field-aligned currents using FAST data and AMIE model during a prolonged interval with large positive IMF By and northward Bz conditions (By/Bz much greater than 1). Using the FAST single trajectory observations to validate the global convection patterns at key times and key locations, we have demonstrated that the AMIE procedure provides a reasonably good description of plasma circulations in the ionosphere during this interval. Our results show that the plasma convection in the ionosphere is consistent with the anti-parallel merging model. When the IMF has a strongly positive By component under northward conditions, we find that the global plasma convection forms two cells oriented nearly along the Sun-earth line in the ionosphere. In the northern hemisphere, the dayside cell has clockwise convection mainly circulating within the polar cap on open field lines. A second cell with counterclockwise convection is located in the nightside circulating across the polar cap boundary, The observed two-cell convection pattern appears to be driven by the reconnection along the anti-parallel merging lines poleward of the cusp extending toward the dusk side when IMF By/Bz much greater than 1. The magnetic tension force on the newly reconnected field lines drives the plasma to move from dusk to dawn in the polar cusp region near the polar cap boundary. The field-aligned currents in the cusp region flow downward into the ionosphere. The return field-aligned currents extend into the polar cap in the center of the dayside convection cell. The field-aligned currents are closed through the Peterson currents in the ionosphere, which flow poleward from the polar cap boundary along the electric field direction.

Le, G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Contribution of low-energy ionospheric protons to the plasma sheet

The magnetospheric transport of low-energy ionospheric ions is examined by means of three-dimensional particle codes. Emphasis is placed on the behavior of polar wind and cleft originating protons. It is demonstrated that, via nonadiabatic motion inside the neutral sheet, these ions can significantly contribute to the populations of the plasma sheet. The importance of this contribution is found to depend critically upon the dynamics of particles originating from the highest latitudes, as these possibly have access to the distant tail. Hence it is shown that polar wind H(+) expelled into the magnetosphere at very low energies (in the electron volt range) preferentially feed the plasma sheet during quiet times, experiencing accelerations up to several kiloelectron volts upon return into the inner magnetosphere. In contrast, during disturbed times, the intensifying magnetospheric convection confines this population to low L shells where it travels in a nearly adiabatic manner. As for the protons originating from the cleft fountain, the simulations reveal that they can be transported up to the vicinity of the distant neutral line in the nightside sector. Via interaction with the neutral sheet, these ionospheric ions are rapidly raised to the characteristic plasma sheet energy range. The density levels contributed by these populations are quite substantial when compared to those measured in situ. These simulations establish an active role of low-energy ionospheric ions in the overall magnetospheric dynamics.

Delcourt, D. C.↗