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NASA NTRS1982

Numerical experimentation on spherically symmetric one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic /MHD/ wave propagation

Radial propagation of one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves are analyzed numerically on the basis of the Implicit-Continuous-Fluid-Eulerian (ICE) scheme. Accuracy of the numerical method and other properties are tested through the study of MHD wave propagation. The three different modes of MHD waves (i.e., fast-, slow- and Alfven (transverse) mode) are generated by applying physically consistent boundary perturbations derived from MHD compatibility relations. It is shown that the resulting flow following these waves depend upon the relative configurations of the initial magnetic field and boundary perturbations.

Han, S. M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Nonlinear evolution of slow waves in the solar wind

It is shown by numerical simulation using a hybrid code that comparison of the nonlinear steepening rate, calculated from fluid theory, with the linear collisionless damping rate defines reasonably well the parameters for which fast and slow MHD waves should steepen. The results indicate that, whereas fast modes should ordinarly steepen, steepened slow waves should occur rarely in the solar wind near 1 AU.

Hada, T.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Wave generation and particle transport in the plasma sheet and boundary layer

The one and two ion beam instability was considered as a possible explanation for the observations of broadband electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet region of the geomagnetic tail. When only hot streaming plasma sheet boundary layer ions were present, no broadband waves were excited. Cold, streaming ionospheric ions can generate electrostatic broadband waves propagating in the slow beam-acoustic mode, but the growth rates of the waves were significantly enhanced when warm boundary layer ions were presented. (Both the slow and fast beam-acoustic modes can be excited, depending on the relative ion drift.) This mode predicted that the wave intensity of the broadband noise should peak in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). Observations of less intense electrostatic waves in the lobes and plasma sheet were likely a result of the absence of warm ion beams or large ion temperatures, respectively, which resulted in smaller growth rates. The model dependence of the ion beam instability has also been studied. For cold and warm ions streaming in the same direction, researchers found wave growth peaked for wave normal angles theta = 0 deg. and wave frequencies approx. 0.1 x the electron plasma frequency. However, for anti-parallel streaming cold and warm ions, wave growth peaks near theta = 90 deg. and wave frequencies were an order of magnitude smaller.

Dusenbery, P. B.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The generation of electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet boundary layer

The one and two ion beam instability is considered as a possible explanation for the observations of broadband electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet region of the geomagnetic tail. When only hot streaming plasma sheet boundary layer ions are present, no broadband waves are excited. Cold, streaming ionospheric ions can generate electrostatic broadband waves propagating in the slow beam acoustic mode, but the growth rates of the waves are significantly enhanced when hot boundary layer ions are present. (Both the slow and fast beam acoustic modes can be excited, depending on the relative ion drift.) This model predicts that the wave intensity of the broad band noise should peak in the plasma sheet boundary layer. Observations of less intense electrostatic waves in the lobes and plasma sheet are likely a result of the absence of hot ion beams or large ion temperatures, respectively, which result in smaller growth rates. The ion beam instability may play an important role in the formation of the central plasma sheet.

Dusenbery, P. B.↗

NASA NTRS1994

The possible role of MHD waves in heating the solar corona

The possible role of waves in the heating of the solar corona has been investigated. A general dispersion relation has been derived for waves propagating in a homogeneous plasma subject to dissipation by viscosity and thermal conduction. The dissipation mechanisms have been incorporated self-consistently into the equations, and no assumptions about the strength of the damping have been made. Solutions of the sixth-order dispersion relation provide information on how the damping of both slow and fast mode waves depends upon the plasma density, temperature, field strength, and angle of propagation relative to the background magnetic field. We provide a detailed comparison to the standard approach, which is to solve for the wave quantities in the absence of dissipation and then to use these quantities in expressions for the heating due to viscosity and thermal conduction.

Porter, Lisa J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Magnetohydrodynamics of atmospheric transients. II - Two-dimensional numerical results for a model solar corona

A systematic study of dynamic response of the inner solar corona is made within the context of two-dimensional, time-dependent plane hydromagnetics. The governing equations are written in r-phi coordinates (i.e., in the solar equatorial plane), and numerical solutions are obtained by introducing an impulsive temperature enhancement within a rectangular region (i.e., 'box') in an initially isothermal corona in magnetohydrostatic equilibrium. Effects of the magnetic field configuration are illustrated for initially open (radial) and closed (azimuthal) magnetic fields by comparison with the nonmagnetic response. The channeling or blocking effects by the magnetic fields on the mass motion of solar plasma as the consequence of the evolution of fast and slow mode MHD shock waves are demonstrated. Some physically significant applications of the results, useful for the interpretation of observations, are discussed. It is noted, for example, that coronal transients observed in white light probably occur within essentially radial field topologies.

Wu, S. T.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Observations of magnetic fields on late-type stars

The 'Robinson' method for measuring magnetic fields on solarand late-type stars is reviewed. The results of such measurements for a sample of 29 G and K main-sequence stars are presented. The area covering-factors of magnetic regions are greater in the K dwarfs than in the G dwarfs, but no spectral-type dependence is found for the field strengths, contrary to expectations of some flux-tube models. The dependence of Ca II H and K emission on magnetic fields and T(eff) is consistent with theoretical expections for 'slow-mode' mhd wave-generation rates, but inconsistent with those of other mhd modes. Coronal soft X-ray fluxes correlate well with the magnetic fields, and it is argued that Alfven waves are the likely energy-transport mechanism. Surface magnetic fluxes vary with rotation as V(0.5-1.0 rot) depending on spectral type.

Marcy, G. W.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Electromagnetic ion/ion cyclotron instability at slow shocks

The linear and nonlinear properties of the obliquely propagating electromagnetic ion/ion cyclotron instability are investigated. The instability is driven by the relative, field-aligned streaming of two ion beams and can exist at a lower velocity threshold than the more commonly studied, parallel propagating electromagnetic ion beam instabilities. It is shown that the instability plays an important role in the formation of, dissipation at, and waves upstream of slow mode shocks. Possible application of this instability to ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer is also briefly discussed.

Winske, D.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Effects of the Kelvin-Helmholtz surface instability on supersonic jets

An exact numerical calculation is provided for of linear growth and phase velocity of Kelvin-Helmholtz unstable wave modes on a supersonic jet of cylindrical cross section. An expression for the maximally unstable wavenumber of each wave mode is found. Provided a sharp velocity discontinuity exists all wave modes are unstable. A combination of rapid jet expansion and velocity shear across a jet can effectively stabilize all wave modes. The more likely case of slow jet expansion and of velocity shear at the jet surface allows wave modes with maximally unstable wavelength longer than or on the order of the jet radius to grow. The relative energy in different wave modes and effect on the jet is investigated. Energy input into a jet resulting from surface instability is discussed.

Hardee, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Effects of the Kelvin-Helmholtz surface instability on supersonic jets

Hardee, P. E.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Measuring Temperature-Dependent Propagating Disturbances in Coronal Fan Loops Using Multiple SDO-AIA Channels and Surfing Transform Technique

A set of co-aligned high resolution images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is used to investigate propagating disturbances (PDs) in warm fan loops at the periphery of a non-flaring active region NOAA AR 11082. To measure PD speeds at multiple coronal temperatures, a new data analysis methodology is proposed enabling quantitative description of sub visual coronal motions with low signal-to-noise ratios of the order of 0.1. The technique operates with a set of one-dimensional surfing signals extracted from position-timeplots of several AIA channels through a modified version of Radon transform. The signals are used to evaluate a two-dimensional power spectral density distribution in the frequency - velocity space which exhibits a resonance in the presence of quasi-periodic PDs. By applying this analysis to the same fan loop structures observed in several AIA channels, we found that the traveling velocity of PDs increases with the temperature of the coronal plasma following the square root dependence predicted for the slow mode magneto-acoustic wave which seems to be the dominating wave mode in the studied loop structures. This result extends recent observations by Kiddie et al. (2012) to a more general class of fan loop systems not associated with sunspots and demonstrating consistent slow mode activity in up to four AIA channels.

Solar Corona↗

NASA NTRS1988

Unmagnetized diffusion for azimuthally symmetric wave and particle distributions

The quasi-linear diffusion of particles from resonant interactions with a spectrum of electrostatic waves is investigated theoretically, extending results obtained for no magnetic field and for strong magnetic fields to cases where the ambient magnetic field which organizes azimuthally symmetric wave and particle distributions does not have to be taken into consideration in evaluating the local interaction. The derivation of the governing equations is explained, and numerical results are presented in extensive graphs and characterized in detail. Slow-mode ion-acoustic waves are shown to be unstable under the plasma conditions studied, and the dependence of resonant-ion diffusion rates with pitch angle, speed, and the distribution of wave energy in wavenumber space is explored. The implications of the present findings for theoretical models of the earth bow shock and plasma-sheet boundary layer are indicated.

Dusenbery, P. B.↗

NASA NTRS1995

The Sources of Bz Fluctuations within CIRs: Magnetic Storms During the Descending Phase of the Solar Cycle

This presentation examines the magnetic field fluctuations within Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) detected by Ulysses at mid- and low-latitudes. CIRs are formed by the interaction of high-speed streams flowing from the polar coronal hole with slow-speed streams. Several wave modes are identified, and the effectiveness of these waves causing magnetic storms at Earth will be discussed.

Space Physics Magnetic Storms Solar Cycles Sun↗

NASA NTRS1993

A Search of Large Amplitude Waves in Slow Shock in the Distant Tail and an Examination of Wave Turbulence in the Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer

Two fluid simulations predict that switch-off slow shocks should have large amplitude left-hand wave trains downstream of the shock. Recent simulations show that this feature depends on specific plasma parameters, such as Much number and ratio of electron-to-ion temperature. In this study we carefully examine all distant tail crossings using ISEE-3 field and plasma data. We seek large amplitude rotational waves and compare to shock parameters. We also investigate right-hand waves associated with ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer. We examine the role of those back-streaming ions from slow shocks in wave generation. Wave mode cascade and parametric decay in these regions also will be studied.

Ho, C. M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Waves in low-beta plasmas - Slow shocks

Results from wave theory and numerical simulation of the nonlinear MHD equations are used to study the response of a conducting fluid containing an embedded magnetic field with beta less than 1 to the sudden injection of material along the field lines. It is shown that the injection produces slow shocks with configurations which are concave toward the ejecta driver. Fast-mode waves which have not steepened into the shock precede the slow shock and alter the ambient medium. When beta equals 0.1, the fast mode becomes a transverse wave for parallel propagation, while the slow wave approaches a longitudinal, or sound, wave.

Steinolfson, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Slow Magnetosonic Waves and Fast Flows in Active Region Loops

Recent extreme ultraviolet spectroscopic observations indicate that slow magnetosonic waves are present in active region (AR) loops. Some of the spectral data were also interpreted as evidence of fast (approx 100-300 km/s) quasiperiodic flows. We have performed three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) modeling of a bipolar AR that contains impulsively generated waves and flows in coronal loops. The model AR is initiated with a dipole magnetic field and gravitationally stratified density, with an upflow-driven steadily or periodically in localized regions at the footpoints of magnetic loops. The resulting flows along the magnetic field lines of the AR produce higher density loops compared to the surrounding plasma by injection of material into the flux tubes and the establishment of siphon flow.We find that the impulsive onset of flows with subsonic speeds result in the excitation of damped slow magnetosonic waves that propagate along the loops and coupled nonlinearly driven fast-mode waves. The phase speed of the slow magnetosonic waves is close to the coronal sound speed. When the amplitude of the driving pulses is increased we find that slow shock-like wave trains are produced. When the upflows are driven periodically, undamped oscillations are produced with periods determined by the periodicity of the upflows. Based on the results of the 3D MHD model we suggest that the observed slow magnetosonic waves and persistent upflows may be produced by the same impulsive events at the bases of ARs.

Magnetohydrodynamics-Sun Activity↗

NASA NTRS2012

Receptivity of Hypersonic Boundary Layers to Distributed Roughness and Acoustic Disturbances

Boundary-layer receptivity and stability of Mach 6 flow over smooth and rough 7 half-angle sharp-tipped cones are numerically investigated. The receptivity of the boundary layer to slow acoustic disturbances, fast acoustic disturbances, and vortical disturbances are considered. The effects of two-dimensional isolated and distributed roughness on the receptivity and stability are also simulated. The results show that the instability waves are generated in the leading edge region and that the boundary layer is much more receptive to slow acoustic waves than to the fast waves. Vortical disturbances also generate unstable second modes, however the receptivity coefficients are smaller than that of the slow acoustic wave. An isolated two-dimensional roughness element of height h/delta =1/4 did not produce any difference in the receptivity or in the stability of the boundary layer. Distributed roughness elements produced a small decrease in the receptivity coefficient and also stabilized the boundary layer by small amounts.

Balakumar, Ponnampalam↗

NASA NTRS2009

Traveling-Wave Maser for 32 GHz

The figure depicts a traveling-wave ruby maser that has been designed (though not yet implemented in hardware) to serve as a low-noise amplifier for reception of weak radio signals in the frequency band of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz. The design offers significant improvements over previous designs of 32-GHz traveling-wave masers. In addition, relative to prior designs of 32-GHz amplifiers based on high-electron-mobility transistors, this design affords higher immunity to radio-frequency interference and lower equivalent input noise temperature. In addition to the basic frequency-band and low-noise requirements, the initial design problem included a requirement for capability of operation in a closed-cycle helium refrigerator at a temperature .4 K and a requirement that the design be mechanically simplified, relative to prior designs, in order to minimize the cost of fabrication and assembly. Previous attempts to build 32- GHz traveling-wave masers involved the use of metallic slow-wave structures comprising coupled transverse electromagnetic (TEM)-mode resonators that were subject to very tight tolerances and, hence, were expensive to fabricate and assemble. Impedance matching for coupling signals into and out of these earlier masers was very difficult. A key feature of the design is a slow-wave structure, the metallic portions of which would be mechanically relatively simple in that, unlike in prior slow-wave structures, there would be no internal metal steps, irises, or posts. The metallic portions of the slow-wave structure would consist only of two rectangular metal waveguide arms. The arms would contain sections filled with the active material (ruby) alternating with evanescent-wave sections. This structure would be transparent in both the signal-frequency band (the aforementioned range of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz) and the pump-frequency band (65.75 to 66.75 GHz), and would impose large slowing factors in both frequency bands. Resonant ferrite isolators would be placed in the evanescent-wave sections to provide reverse loss needed to suppress reverse propagation of power at the signal frequency. This design is expected to afford a large gain-bandwidth product at the signal frequency and efficient coupling of the pump power into the paramagnetic spin resonances of the ruby sections. The more efficiently the pump power could be thus coupled, the more efficiently it could be utilized and the heat load on the refrigerator correspondingly reduced.

Shell, James↗