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At least 379 records · Page 21

Micromechanics of Dipolar Chains Using Optical Tweezers

Here we present our initial study of the micromechanical properties of dipolar chains and columns in a magnetorheological (MR) suspension. Using dual-trap optical tweezers, we are able to directly measure the deformation of the dipolar chains parallel and perpendicular to the applied magnetic field. We observe the field dependence of the mechanical properties such as resistance to deformation, chain reorganization, and rupturing of the chains. These forms of energy dissipation are important for understanding and tuning the yield stress and rheological behavior of an MR suspension.

Furst, Eric M.↗

Coherent population trapping and spin relaxation of a silicon vacancy center in diamond at millikelvin temperatures

Here, we report experimental studies of coherent population trapping (CPT) and spin relaxation in a temperature range 4 K–100 mK in a silicon vacancy (SiV) center subject to a transverse magnetic field. The spin linewidth, which is determined by spin dephasing, is extracted from power dependent CPT linewidths. Near and below 1 K, phonon-induced spin dephasing becomes negligible compared with that induced by the spin bath of naturally abundant 13 C atoms. The temperature dependence of the spin dephasing rates agrees with the theoretical expectation that phonon-induced spin dephasing arises primarily from orbital relaxation induced by first order electron-phonon interactions. A nearly 100-fold increase in spin lifetime is observed when the temperature is lowered from 4 K to slightly below 1 K, indicating that two-phonon spin-flip transitions play an essential role in the spin relaxation of SiV ground states.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The magnetosphere of Jupiter as observed with Pioneer 10. I - Instrument and principal findings

Description of the first in situ observations of energetic electrons of energy greater than 0.06 MeV in the magnetosphere of Jupiter during November-December 1973. The outer magnetosphere has the form of a thin disklike quasi-trapping region extending from about 20 to over 100 Jovian radii. This magnetodisk is confined near the magnetic equatorial plane and has approximate axial symmetry about the magnetic axis of the planet. The observations inside a radial distance of 12 Jovian radii are well organized by a centered dipolar model of the planet's magnetic field with a tilt of 9.5 plus or minus 0.5 deg to the rotational axis and with pole at a system III longitude of 230 plus or minus 3 deg. Absolute omnidirectional intensities of electrons within the stable trapping region inside 20 Jovian radii are given for five energy ranges greater than 0.06, 0.55, 5.0, 21, and 31 MeV.

Van Allen, J. A.↗

Determining the solar-flare photospheric scale height from SMM gamma-ray measurements

A connected series of Monte Carlo programs was developed to make systematic calculations of the energy, temporal and angular dependences of the gamma-ray line and neutron emission resulting from such accelerated ion interactions. Comparing the results of these calculations with the Solar Maximum Mission/Gamma Ray Spectrometer (SMM/GRS) measurements of gamma-ray line and neutron fluxes, the total number and energy spectrum of the flare-accelerated ions trapped on magnetic loops at the Sun were determined and the angular distribution, pitch angle scattering, and mirroring of the ions on loop fields were constrained. Comparing the calculations with measurements of the time dependence of the neutron capture line emission, a determination of the He-3/H ratio in the photosphere was also made. The diagnostic capabilities of the SMM/GRS measurements were extended by developing a new technique to directly determine the effective photospheric scale height in solar flares from the neutron capture gamma-ray line measurements, and critically test current atmospheric models in the flare region.

Lingenfelter, Richard E.↗

Radio-Frequency Plasma Cleaning of a Penning Malmberg Trap

Radio-frequency-generated plasma has been demonstrated to be a promising means of cleaning the interior surfaces of a Penning-Malmberg trap that is used in experiments on the confinement of antimatter. {Such a trap was reported in Modified Penning-Malmberg Trap for Storing Antiprotons (MFS-31780), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 3 (March 2005), page 66.} Cleaning of the interior surfaces is necessary to minimize numbers of contaminant atoms and molecules, which reduce confinement times by engaging in matter/antimatter-annihilation reactions with confined antimatter particles. A modified Penning-Malmberg trap like the one described in the cited prior article includes several collinear ring electrodes (some of which are segmented) inside a tubular vacuum chamber, as illustrated in Figure 1. During operation of the trap, a small cloud of charged antiparticles (e.g., antiprotons or positrons) is confined to a spheroidal central region by means of a magnetic field in combination with DC and radiofrequency (RF) electric fields applied via the electrodes. In the present developmental method of cleaning by use of RF-generated plasma, one evacuates the vacuum chamber, backfills the chamber with hydrogen at a suitable low pressure, and uses an RF-signal generator and baluns to apply RF voltages to the ring electrodes. Each ring is excited in the polarity opposite that of the adjacent ring. The electric field generated by the RF signal creates a discharge in the low-pressure gas. The RF power and gas pressure are adjusted so that the plasma generated in the discharge (see Figure 2) physically and chemically attacks any solid, liquid, and gaseous contaminant layers on the electrode surfaces. The products of the physical and chemical cleaning reactions are gaseous and are removed by the vacuum pumps.

Sims, William Herbert, III↗

Trapped particle absorption by the Ring of Jupiter

The interaction of trapped radiation with the ring of Jupiter is investigated. Because it is an identical problem, the rings of Saturn and Uranus are also examined. Data from the Pioneer II encounter, deductions for some of the properties of the rings of Jupiter and Saturn. Over a dozen Jupiter magnetic field models are available in a program that integrates the adiabatic invariants to compute B and L. This program is to label our UCSD Pioneer II encounter data with the most satisfactory of these models. The expected effects of absorbing material on the trapped radiation are studied to obtain the loss rate as a function of ring properties. Analysis of the particle diffusion problem rounds out the theoretical end of the ring absorption problem. Other projects include identification of decay products for energetic particle albedo off the rings and moons of Saturn and a search for flux transfer events at the Jovian magnetopause.

Fillius, W.↗

Energetic helium particles trapped in the magnetosphere

High energy (approximately 40-100 MeV/nucleon) geomagnetically trapped helium nuclei have been measured, for the first time, by the ONR-604 instrument during the 1990/1991 Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) mission. The helium events observed at L less than 2.3 have a pitch angle distribution peaking perpendicular to the local magnetic field and are contained in peaks located at L = 1.2 and 1.9. The events in each peak can be characterized by power law energy spectra with indices of 10.0 +/- 0.7 for L = 1.9-2.3 and 6.8 +/- 1.0 for L = 1.15-1.3, before the large storm of 24 March 1991. CRRES was active during solar maximum when the anomalous component is excluded from the inner heliosphere, making it unlikely that the observed events derived from the anomalous component. The trapped helium counting rates decrease gradually with time indicating that these high energy ions were not injected by flares during the 1990/91 mission. Flare injection prior to mid-1990 may account for the highest energy particles, while solar wind injection during magnetic storms and subsequent acceleration could account for the helium at lower energies.

Chen, Jiasheng↗

Dynamics of the penetration boundaries of solar protons during a strong magnetic storm

The variations in the equatorial penetration boundary of solar protons with E sub p = 0.9 to 8.0 MeV during a strong magnetic storm of April 3 to 5, were analyzed. The dynamics of this boundary is compared with the dynamics of the outer trapping boundary of electrons with E sub e = - 0.3 to 0.6 MeV. The solar-proton penetration and the structure of the real magnetic field are studied. The unique data on the thin structure of development of a magnetospheric substorm were obtained for the first time.

Glukhov, G. A.↗

SAMPEX special pointing mode

A new pointing mode has been developed for the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) spacecraft. This pointing mode orients the instrument boresights perpendicular to the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field in regions of low field strength and parallel to the field lines in regions of high field strength, to allow better characterization of heavy ions trapped by the field. The new mode uses magnetometer signals and is algorithmically simpler than the previous control mode, but it requires increased momentum wheel activity. It was conceived, designed, tested, coded, uplinked to the spacecraft, and activated in less than seven months.

Markley, F. Landis↗

Dose rate, dose-equivalent rate, and quality factor in SLS-1

A tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) sensitive to the lineal energy range of 0.26-300 keV micrometer-1 was flown on STS-40 (39 degrees x 278 km x 296 km) inside the Spacelab. This instrument was previously flown on STS-31 but was modified to provide a finer resolution at lower lineal energies to better map the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) protons. The instrument was turned on 6 June 1991, and operated for 7470 min (124.5 h). The flight duration was characterized by a very large number of X-ray solar flares and enhanced magnetic field fluctuations; however, no significant dose from the solar particles was measured at the location of this instrument. The flight data can be separated into trapped and galactic cosmic radiation parts. The dose rate, dose-equivalent rate and quality factor for trapped radiation were 4.21 +/- 0.03 mrad day-1, 7.72 +/- 0.05 mrem day-1, and 1.83 +/- 0.1, respectively. The dose rate, dose-equivalent rate, and quality factor for galactic cosmic radiation were 5.34 +/- 0.03 mrad day-1, 14.63 +/- 0.06 mrem day-1, and 2.74 +/- 0.1, respectively. The overall quality factor for the flight was 2.38. The dose from the GCR is higher than from SAA protons because of the high inclination and low altitude of this flight. The AP8MAX model of the trapped radiation gives a dose rate of 2.43 mrad day-1 and a quality factor of 1.77. The CREME solar maximum model of galactic cosmic radiation gives a dose rate of 2.54 mrad day-1 and a quality factor of 2.91. Thus the AP8MAX model underestimates the dose by a factor of 1.8 whereas the CREME model leads to an underestimation of the dose by a factor of 2. A comparison of the LET spectra using the AP8MAX model and galactic cosmic radiation transport codes shows only a qualitative agreement.

NASA Discipline Number 00-00↗

The 2- to 12-min quasi-periodic variation of 50- to 1000-keV trapped electron fluxes

It was previously shown that trapped electron fluxes of energies in the range from 50 keV to 1 MeV observed in the afternoon magnetosphere during substorms frequently undergo periodic variations. High-resolution electron spectrometer data indicate that these electron variations are periodic in the range of about 2-12 min, correlated with magnetic field variations, organized by the local magnetic field, and dependent on pitch angle. The observations suggest that the electron variations are adiabatic. The study derives quantitative adiabatic expressions of particle flux variations in a model geomagnetic field perturbation to show that the observational features are consistent with effects arising from adiabatic modulation of trapped particle fluxes.

Lin, C. S.↗

Convection electric field effects on outer radiation belt electron precipitation

A model is presented for the possible diurnal modulation of outer radiation belt electron precipitation by considering the effect of the convection electric field on geomagnetically trapped electrons. The modulation flux is the flux due to electrons in the drift loss cone, i.e., those which drift into the bounce loss cone. The electron flux in the drift loss cone is related to the time allowable for diffusion from the stably trapped population to the drift loss cone for precipitation at a specific geographic location. This time, which is termed the maximum L-shell lifetime, is obtained by computing electron trajectories, using a realistic magnetic field model and a simple model for the electric field. The maximum L-shell lifetimes are taken to be the times between successive entries into the bounce loss cone. Conservation of the first two adiabatic invariants, as electrons are slowly energized by the convection electric field, leads to variations in pitch angle, maximum L-shell lifetimes, and, consequently, to changes in the electron flux in the drift loss cone. These results are compared with observations of precipitating electrons made with sounding rocket payloads.

Gelpi, C.↗

Two-Scale Ion Meandering Caused by the Polarization Electric Field During Asymmetric Reconnection

Ion velocity distribution functions (VDFs) from a particle-in-cell simulation of asymmetric reconnection are investigated to reveal a two-scale structure of the ion diffusion region (IDR). Ions bouncing in the inner IDR are trapped mainly by the electric field normal to the current sheet (N direction), while those reaching the outer IDR are turned back mainly by the magnetic force. The resulting inner layer VDFs have counter-streaming populations along N with decreasing counter-streaming speeds away from the midplane while maintaining the out-of-plane speed, and the outer layer VDFs exhibit crescent shapes toward the out-of-plane direction. Observations of the above VDF features and the normal electric fields provide evidence for the two-scale meandering motion.

Wang, Shan↗

Measurements of trapped protons and cosmic rays from recent shuttle flights

We have flown two new charged particle detectors in five recent Shuttle flights. In this paper we report on the dose rate, equivalent dose rate, and radiation quality factor for trapped protons and cosmic radiation separately. A comparison of the integral Linear Energy Transfer (LET) spectra with recent transport code calculations show significant disagreement. Using the calculated dose rate from the omni-directional AP8MAX model with IGRF reference magnetic field epoch 1970, and observed dose rate as a function of (averaged over all geographic latitude) and longitude, we have determined the westward drift of the South Atlantic anomaly. We have also studied the east-west effect, and observed a 'second' radiation belt. A comparison of the galactic cosmic radiation lineal energy transfer spectra with model calculations shows disagreement comparable to those of the trapped protons.

Badhwar, G. D.↗

Radio Frequency Trap for Containment of Plasmas in Antimatter Propulsion Systems Using Rotating Wall Electric Fields

A containment apparatus for containing a cloud of charged particles comprises a cylindrical vacuum chamber having a longitudinal axis. Within the vacuum chamber is a containment region. A magnetic field is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vacuum chamber. The magnetic field is time invariant and uniform in strength over the containment region. An electric field is also aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vacuum chamber and the magnetic field. The electric field is time invariant, and forms a potential well over the containment region. One or more means are disposed around the cloud of particles for inducing a rotating electric field internal to the vacuum chamber. The rotating electric field imparts energy to the charged particles within the containment region and compress the cloud of particles. The means disposed around the outer surface of the vacuum chamber for inducing a rotating electric field are four or more segments forming a segmented ring, the segments conforming to the outer surface of the vacuum chamber. Each of the segments is energized by a separate alternating voltage. The sum of the voltages imposed on each segment establishes the rotating field. When four segments form a ring, the rotating field is obtained by a signal generator applying a sinusoidal signal phase delayed by 90,180 and 270 degrees in sequence to the four segments.

Sims, William Herbert, III↗

Locating the magnetospheric ring current

Protons are studied in the global depression of the earth's horizontal magnetic field. It is shown that 10 to 100 keV protons dominate ring current energetics in two preferred regions of cyclotron instability, which serve as stable trapping boundaries for ring current protons. The only apparent means of removing this stably trapped belt of particles are considered to be by charge exchange interactions, or by outward expansion of the plasmapause to erode the ring current. Both of these processes require about two days, which is the characteristic decay period of the main phase depression. Questions whose answers are necessary to formulate a quantitative theory of geomagnetic storms which relates main phase depression to solar wind parameters are included.

Thorne, R. M.↗

Upper bound on the equilibrium concentration of atomic H in solid H2

A phenomenological rate process theory has been developed for the production, storage and recombination of atomic H free radicals in a tritium-impregnated solid H2 at temperatures in the range of about 0.1 to 4 K. In this paper it is shown that the theory requires a stringent upper bound on the equilibrium concentration of trapped atomic H, namely that it cannot exceed about 0.125%, even if the temperature is reduced to an arbitrary low value and a very strong magnetic field is applied to the tritium-impregnated H2 solid.

Rosen, G.↗