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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 55 records · Page 3

Flow properties of the solar wind obtained from white light data, Ulysses observations and a two-fluid model

Using the empirical constraints provided by observations in the inner corona and in interplanetary space. we derive the flow properties of the solar wind using a two fluid model. Density and scale height temperatures are derived from White Light coronagraph observations on SPARTAN 201-1 and at Mauna Loa, from 1.16 to 5.5 R, in the two polar coronal holes on 11-12 Apr. 1993. Interplanetary measurements of the flow speed and proton mass flux are taken from the Ulysses south polar passage. By comparing the results of the model computations that fit the empirical constraints in the two coronal hole regions, we show how the effects of the line of sight influence the empirical inferences and subsequently the corresponding numerical results.

Habbal, Shadia Rifai↗

Time-dependent simulation of oblique MHD cosmic-ray shocks using the two-fluid model

Using a new, second-order accurate numerical method we present dynamical simulations of oblique MHD cosmic-ray (CR)-modified plane shock evolution. Most of the calculations are done with a two-fluid model for diffusive shock acceleration, but we provide also comparisons between a typical shock computed that way against calculations carried out using the more complete, momentum-dependent, diffusion-advection equation. We also illustrate a test showing that these simulations evolve to dynamical equilibria consistent with previously published steady state analytic calculations for such shocks. In order to improve understanding of the dynamical role of magnetic fields in shocks modified by CR pressure we have explored for time asymptotic states the parameter space of upstream fast mode Mach number, M(sub f), and plasma beta. We compile the results into maps of dynamical steady state CR acceleration efficiency, epsilon(sub c). We have run simulations using constant, and nonisotropic, obliquity (and hence spatially) dependent forms of the diffusion coefficient kappa. Comparison of the results shows that while the final steady states achieved are the same in each case, the history of CR-MHD shocks can be strongly modified by variations in kappa and, therefore, in the acceleration timescale. Also, the coupling of CR and MHD in low beta, oblique shocks substantially influences the transient density spike that forms in strongly CR-modified shocks. We find that inside the density spike a MHD slow mode wave can be generated that eventually steepens into a shock. A strong layer develops within the density spike, driven by MHD stresses. We conjecture that currents in the shear layer could, in nonplanar flows, results in enhanced particle accretion through drift acceleration.

Frank, Adam↗

Establishing criteria for the transition from kinetic to fluid modeling in hollow cathode analysis

Hollow cathodes for plasma switch applications are investigated via 2D3V particle-in-cell simulations of the channel and plume region. The kinetic nature of the plasma within the channel is dependent on the thermalization rate of electrons, emitted from the insert. When Coulomb collisions occur at a much greater rate than ionization or excitation collisions, the electron energy distribution function rapidly relaxes to a Maxwellian and the plasma within the channel can be described accurately via a fluid model. In contrast, if inelastic processes are much faster than Coulomb collisions, then the electron energy distribution function in the channel exhibits a notable high-energy tail, and a kinetic treatment is required. This criterion is applied to hollow cathodes from the literature, revealing that a fluid approach is suitable for most electric propulsion applications, whereas a kinetic treatment can be more critical to accurate modeling of plasma switches.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Two-fluid model of rf current condensation in magnetic islands

The stabilization of tearing modes with rf waves is subject to a nonlinear effect, termed rf current condensation, that has the potential to greatly enhance and localize current driven within magnetic islands. Here we extend previous investigations of this effect with a two fluid model that captures the balance of diffusive and thermal equilibration processes within the island. We show that the effective power and resulting strength of the condensation effect can be greatly enhanced by avoiding collisional heat loss to the ions. The relative impact of collisions on the overall power balance within the island depends on the ratio of the characteristic diffusion timescale and the electron–ion equilibration time, rather than the latter alone. Although relative heat loss to ions increases with island size, the heating efficiency does as well. In particular, we show that the latter safely dominates for large deposition profiles, as is typically the case for lower hybrid current drive. This supports the possibility of passive stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes without the precise aiming of the rf waves required for electron cyclotron current drive stabilization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Two-fluid models of turbulence

The defects of turbulence models are summarized and the importance of so-called nongradient diffusion in turbulent fluxes is discussed. The mathematical theory of the flow of two interpenetrating continua is reviewed, and the mathematical formulation of the two fluid model is outlined. Results from plane wake, axisymmetric jet, and combustion studies are shown.

Spalding, D. B.↗

Data-driven, multi-moment fluid modeling of Landau damping

Deriving governing equations of complex physical systems based on first principles can be quite challenging when there are certain unknown terms and hidden physical mechanisms in the systems. In this work, we apply a deep learning architecture to learn fluid partial differential equations (PDEs) of a plasma system based on the data acquired from a fully kinetic model. Here, the learned multi-moment fluid PDEs are demonstrated to incorporate kinetic effect such as Landau damping. Based on the learned fluid closure, the data-driven, multi-moment fluid modeling can well reproduce all the physical quantities derived from the fully kinetic model. The calculated damping rate of Landau damping is consistent with both the fully kinetic simulation and the linear theory. The data-driven fluid modeling of PDEs for complex physical systems may be applied to improve the fluid closure and reduce the computational cost of multi-scale modeling of global systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Radial drift of plasma blobs in a toroidal magnetic field with fully kinetic and reduced fluid models

In curved magnetic geometries, field-aligned regions of enhanced plasma pressure and density, termed ‘blobs,’ move as coherent filaments across the magnetic field lines. Coherent blobs account for a significant fraction of transport at the edges of magnetic fusion experiments and arise in naturally-occurring space plasmas. This work examines the dynamics of blobs with a fully kinetic electromagnetic particle-in-cell code and with a drift-reduced fluid code. In low-beta regimes with moderate blob speeds, good agreement is found in the maximum blob velocity between the two simulation schemes and simple analytical estimates. The fully kinetic code demonstrates that blob speeds saturate near the initial sound speed, which is a regime outside the validity of the reduced fluid model.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Radial drift of plasma blobs in a toroidal magnetic field with fully kinetic and reduced fluid models

Abstract In curved magnetic geometries, field-aligned regions of enhanced plasma pressure and density, termed ‘blobs,’ move as coherent filaments across the magnetic field lines. Coherent blobs account for a significant fraction of transport at the edges of magnetic fusion experiments and arise in naturally-occurring space plasmas. This work examines the dynamics of blobs with a fully kinetic electromagnetic particle-in-cell code and with a drift-reduced fluid code. In low-beta regimes with moderate blob speeds, good agreement is found in the maximum blob velocity between the two simulation schemes and simple analytical estimates. The fully kinetic code demonstrates that blob speeds saturate near the initial sound speed, which is a regime outside the validity of the reduced fluid model.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Numerical investigation of fluid models with full electron and proton thermal conduction equations for the quiet solar wind

The effect of using full equations (rather than Fourier law expressions) for the electron and proton thermal conductivities in conjunction with community, momentum, and temperature equations for the description of spherically symmetric quiet solar wind states is investigated numerically. For this purpose a time-dependent method is used, and steady state solutions in both subsonic and supersonic regimes between the sun and 5 AU are obtained and presented. The consequences for one-fluid and two-fluid models for the solar wind are summarized and discussed.

Cuperman, S.↗

Interaction of the solar wind with interstellar neutral hydrogen - Three-fluid model

It is commonly assumed in models of the solar wind-interstellar neutral hydrogen interaction that the ionized interstellar particles are quickly assimilated into the solar wind proton population and 'become indistinguishable' from the original solar wind. This assumption leads to the prediction that the solar wind proton temperature should increase with radius in the outer heliosphere. This temperature increase has not been observed. It is pointed out that assimilation of the interstellar particles to the point of indistinguishability takes place on the very long Coulomb collision time scale, and is not expected to occur within the heliosphere. Results are presented of a three-fluid model of the solar wind which consists of comoving thermal populations of protons of solar origin, protons produced by ionization of interstellar hydrogen, and electrons. The steady-state results yield a solar wind with a 'core' proton distribution which cools adiabatically, and a 'halo' of interstellar pickup protons which is maintained near 10 to the 7th K by the energy input of continued ionization and pickup. Such a distribution will not be observed to manifest the temperature increase at large heliocentric distances which is predicted from a one-fluid analysis. Further time-dependent calculations show a strong correlation between the densities of the solar wind and the interstellar pickup protons. It is suggested that the interstellar pickup population may be observable by the Voyager plasma instruments in low resolution mode during periods of high solar wind density and low solar wind temperature.

Isenberg, P. A.↗

Thermo-Fluid Modeling Framework for Supercomputing Digital Twins: Part 2, Automated Cooling Models

The development of digital twins for the purpose of improving the energy efficiency of supercomputing facilities is a non-trivial endeavor that is complicated by the difficulty of creating physics-based thermo-fluid cooling system models (CSMs). Within ExaDigit---an open-source framework for liquid-cooled supercomputing digital twins---a thermo-fluid modeling framework is being developed. This effort has been segmented into two with two companion papers describing each portion of the overall effort. Part 1 focuses on the development of a cooling system library in Dymola for the Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory {\cite{Kumar2024}. Part 2, this paper, describes an effort to create a template-based auto-generation methodology for CSMs, called \textit{AutoCSM}. In this paper, an overview of the initial AutoCSM architecture and workflow is provided, along with a practical example using the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility's (OLCF) Frontier supercomputer CSM. AutoCSM will (1) improve ExaDigiT's user accessibility by providing a flexible workflow for modularizing the creation of the CSM system and control logic, (2) decrease the development time of CSMs, and (3) standardize the method for incorporating CSMs into the ExaDigiT framework.

Greenwood, Scott↗

Ten-moment fluid model for low-temperature magnetized plasmas

In this paper, a one-dimensional 10-moment multi-fluid plasma model is developed and applied to low-temperature magnetized plasmas. The 10-moment model solves for six anisotropic pressure terms, in addition to density and three components of fluid momentum, which allows the model to capture finite kinetic effects. The results are benchmarked against a 5-moment model, which assumes that the gas constituents follow a Maxwellian velocity distribution function (VDF), and a particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision model that allows for arbitrary non-Maxwellian VDFs. The models are compared in a one-dimensional, low-temperature, partially magnetized plasma test case. The 10-moment results accurately reproduce the anisotropic temperature profile in low-temperature magnetized plasmas, where shear gradients exist due to the E×B drift. We discuss the mechanisms by which the anisotropic pressure can be generated in low-temperature magnetized plasmas. In addition, the importance of a self-consistent heat flux closure to the 10-moment model is studied, showing consistency with other models only when the assumptions of the underlying model are met. The 10-moment model allows for study of electron inertia effects and non-Maxwellian VDFs without the need for kinetic methods that are more computationally expensive.

Kuldinow, Derek Amur (ORCID:0000000319730196)↗

Massively parallel axisymmetric fluid model for streamer discharges

A highly parallelizable fluid plasma simulation tool based upon the first-order drift-diffusion equations is discussed. Atmospheric pressure plasmas have densities and gradients that require small element sizes in order to accurately simulate the plasm resulting in computational meshes on the order of millions to tens of millions of elements for realistic size plasma reactors. To enable simulations of this nature, parallel computing is required and must be optimized for the particular problem. Here, a finite-volume, electrostatic drift-diffusion implementation for low-temperature plasma is discussed. The implementation is built upon the Message Passing Interface (MPI) library in C++ using Object Oriented Programming. The underlying numerical method is outlined in detail and benchmarked against simple streamer formation from other streamer codes. Electron densities, electric field, and propagation speeds are compared with the reference case and show good agreement. Convergence studies are also performed showing a minimal space step of approximately 4 μm required to reduce relative error to below 1% during early streamer simulation times and even finer space steps are required for longer times. Additionally, strong and weak scaling of the implementation are studied and demonstrate the excellent performance behavior of the implementation up to 100 million elements on 1024 processors. Lastly, different advection schemes are compared for the simple streamer problem to analyze the influence of numerical diffusion on the resulting quantities of interest.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗