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At least 55 records · Page 3

Scaling arguments for a plasma experiment relevant to an interplanetary coronal mass ejection

We present the design of a plasma experiment scaled to be relevant to an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) traveling from the Sun to the Earth. The experiment would launch a compact torus of plasma (the scaled analog of the coronal mass ejected by the Sun) into a magnetized background plasma (the scaled analog of the interplanetary medium, the diffuse magnetized plasma that fills the Solar System). We present the complete process of scaling the ICME system to a laboratory experiment: beginning with the ICME features that we aim to replicate with a laboratory experiment, explaining how these desired features are translated into specific design constraints, and presenting a set of experimental parameters that meet those constraints. We find that the experiment would be possible with plasma conditions typically achieved in large-scale facilities such as the Big Red Ball at the University of Wisconsin or the LArge Plasma Device at the University of California, Los Angeles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Self-Assembly and Phase Separation for Transport: A brief argument for the continued exploration of liquid crystal flows and electrodeposition in micro-gravity

Phase separation, interfacial tension gradients, and molecular self-assembly are all phenomena frequently observed when manipulating soft condensed matter systems on Earth. Depending on the system these processes can also be quite predictable. For instance, on Earth water droplets placed on hydrophobic surfaces will have contact angles > 90° with limited spread, contrary to their wetting behavior on hydrophilic surfaces. However, in an environment that is in a constant state of free-fall, where the gravitational field is reduced by 10%, such as on the International Space Station (ISS), buoyancy and its effect on fluid convection also become negligible. Fluid flow and phase behavior become less predictable. Thus, continuing the prior example, even if water droplets still remain in contact with a surface in microgravity (µg), the interface between the air and droplets will still remain significantly curved, appearing almost as if they were placed over completely nonwetting surfaces (Fig. 1a). Moreover, the negligible opposing buoyant force would also mean that if immiscible liquid droplets of a less dense character, or air bubbles even (Fig. 1b), were to be suspended within a larger water drop, these immiscible droplets or air bubbles would not migrate toward any one direction unless either artificially propelled by an external force or internal reaction inducing flow.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

User-Defined Types as Task Parameters and Arguments in FleCSI

FleCSI is a C++ framework for writing multi-physics simulations. FleCSI abstracts away complicated backends, enabling high performance while eliminating the need for users to directly manage memory and execution. This is done via FleCSI’s data and execution model.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Arguments and evidence concerning non-cosmological redshifts - A partial summary

Theories which imply an unconventional interpretation of the redshifts are examined, taking into account a new theory of cosmology reported by Segal, scenarios in which the redshifts do not arise from the expansion, and studies concerning a possible existence of systematic effects in the distribution of redshifts. Attention is given to rapidly varying QSOs and BL Lac objects, VLBI studies of a number of QSOs and related objects, and physical associations between objects with very different redshifts. It appears that observational evidence concerning these physical associations is the strongest evidence that objects with large noncosmological redshift components exist. On the other hand, there are a number of cases of QSOs close to galaxies at the same redshifts.

Burbidge, G.↗

The evolution of arguments regarding the existence of field-aligned currents

The present understanding of Birkeland (magnetically-field-aligned) currents was not obtained by a direct, logical course. The story is rather more complex. Starting at the end of the 19th century, the Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland laid out a compelling case, supported by both theory and experiment, for the existence of field-aligned currents that cause both the aurora and polar geomagnetic disturbances. Sydney Chapman, the British geophysicist, became the acknowledged leader and opinion maker in the field in the decades following Birkeland's death. Chapman proposed, in contradistinction to Birkeland's ideas, equivalent currents that were restricted to flow in the ionosphere with no vertical or field-aligned components. Birkeland's ideas may have faded completely if it had not been for Hannes Alfven, who became involved well after Chapman's ideas gained predominance. Alfven kept insisting that Birkeland's current system made more sense because field-aligned currents were required to drive most of the ionospheric currents. The author became personally involved when Zmuda et al. (1966) submitted to the Journal of Geophysical Research a paper reporting satellite data showing magnetic disturbances above the ionosphere that were consistent with field-aligned Birkeland currents, but which they did not interpret as being due to such currents.

Dessler, A. J.↗

Arguments for fundamental emission by the parametric process L yields T + S in interplanetary type III bursts

Observations of low frequency ion acoustic-like waves associated with Langmuir waves present during interplanetary Type 3 bursts are used to study plasma emission mechanisms and wave processes involving ion acoustic waves. It is shown that the observed wave frequency characteristics are consistent with the processes L yields T + S (where L = Langmuir waves, T = electromagnetic waves, S = ion acoustic waves) and L yields L' + S proceeding. The usual incoherent (random phase) version of the process L yields T + S cannot explain the observed wave production time scale. The clumpy nature of the observed Langmuir waves is vital to the theory of IP Type 3 bursts. The incoherent process L yields T + S may encounter difficulties explaining the observed Type 3 brightness temperatures when Langmuir wave clumps are incorporated into the theory. The parametric process L yields T + S may be the important emission process for the fundamental radiation of interplanetary Type 3 bursts.

Cairns, I. H.↗

Canonical solution of the two critical argument problem

The solution by Sessin and Ferraz-Mello (1984) of the Hori auxiliary system for the motion of two planets with periods nearly commensurate in the ratio 2:1 is considerably simplified by the introduction of canonical variables. An analogous canonical transformation simplifies the elliptic restricted problem.

Wisdom, J.↗

Is there a weak mixed polarity background field? Theoretical arguments

A number of processes associated with the formation of active regions produce 'U-loops': fluxtubes having two ends at the photosphere but otherwise still embedded in the convection zone. The mass trapped on the field lines of such loops makes them behave in a qualitatively different way from the 'omega-loops' that form active regions. It is shown that U-loops will disperse though the convection zone and form a weak (down to a few gauss) field that covers a significant fraction of the solar surface. This field is tentatively identified with the inner-network fields observed at Kitt Peak and Big Bear. The process by which these fields escape through the surface is described; a remarkable property is that it can make active region fields apparently disappear in situ. The mixed polarity moving magnetic features near sunspots are interpreted as a locally intense form of this disappearance by escape of U-loops.

Spruit, H. C.↗

Observations of R Coronae Borealis stars in decline - Empirical arguments for dust formation near the stellar surface

We present new IUE observations which monitor the spectroscopic evolution of RY Sgr through a deep decline. These data, along with other IUE, visible, and infrared observations of declines in RY Sgr, R CrB, and V854 Cen, are considered in an attempt to understand the dust formation process and the source of the narrow- and broad-line emission seen during declines. Spectroscopic, photometric, and polarimetric data covering 10 declines of these stars have been analyzed. The evolution of the UV emission spectrum is similar to that found in the visible. Previous models of dust formation assume that dust forms around 20 stellar radii, where gas ejected from the star is cool enough to condense. However, the spectral evolution, and the dispersal times of dust implied by the light curve are consistent with dust forming within a few stellar radii and moving outward due to radiation pressure. The expanding dust cloud eclipses the photosphere and parts of the emission line region, causing the observed spectral evolution.

Clayton, Geoffrey C.↗

The bromine content of micrometeorites - Arguments for stratospheric contamination

Bromine-salt nanocrystals are associated with a porous chondritic micrometeorite (W7029E5) that was collected in the lower stratosphere. These salt nanocrystals occur together with volcanic Na and K salt nanocrystals embedded in sulfuric acid droplets that were originally adhered to the particle. These materials were concentrated during hexane rinsing as part of routine curation procedures at the NASA Johnson Space Center Cosmic Dust Curatorial Facility. This observation is fortuitous to the extent that the concentration of nanocrystals and sulfuric acid is an experimental artifact of curation. If bromine is a stratospheric contaminant due to surface adsorption, there should be a positive linear relationship between the mass-normalized residence time and bromine content of individual micrometeorites. I show that the predicted correlation exists using a new model to calculate the stratospheric residence time of individual nonspherical micrometeorites in the slow-settling Wilson-Huang regime of the stratosphere.

Rietmeijer, Frans J. M.↗

Eclipse timings of the low-mass X-ray binary EXO 0748-676: Statistical arguments against orbital period changes

EXO 0748-676, an eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary, is one of only about four or five low-mass X-ray binaries for which orbital period evolution has been reported. We observed a single eclipse egress with ROSAT . The time of this egress is consistent with the apparent increase in P(sub orb) previously reported on the basis of EXOSAT and Ginga observations. Standard analysis, in which O-C (observed minus calculated) timing residuals are examined for deviations from a constant period, implicitly assume that the only uncertainty in each residual is measurement error and that these errors are independent. We argue that the variable eclipse durations and profiles observed in EXO 0748-676 imply that there is an additional source of uncertainty in timing measurements, that this uncertainty is intrinsic to the binary system, and that it is correlated from observation to observation with a variance which increases as a function of the number of binary cycles between observations. This intrinsic variability gives rise to spurious trends in O-C residuals which are misinterpreted as changes in the orbital period. We describe several statistics tests which can be used to test for the presence of intrinsic variability. We apply those statistical tests which are suitable to the EXO 0748-676 observations. The apparent changes in the orbital period of EXO 0748-676 can be completely accounted for by intrinsic variability with an rms variability of approximately 0.35 s per orbital cycle. The variability appears to be correlated from cycle-to-cycle on timescales of less than 1 yr. We suggest that the intrinsic variability is related to slow changes in either the source's X-ray luminosity or the structure of the companion star's atmosphere. We note that several other X-ray binaries and cataclysmic variables have previously reported orbital period changes which may also be due to intrinsic variability rather than orbital period evolution.

Hertz, Paul↗