Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “MAGNETIC COMPRESSION”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 559 records · Page 31

Toward Interpreting the IBEX Ribbon with Mirror Diffusion in Interstellar Turbulent Magnetic Fields

We investigate the role of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence measured by Voyager in the very local interstellar medium (VLISM) in modeling the Interstellar Boundary Explorer ribbon. We demonstrate that the mirroring by compressible modes of MHD turbulence dominates over that by the mean magnetic field. Based on the new mirror diffusion mechanism identified by Lazarian & Xu for particles with large pitch angles in MHD turbulence, we find that the mirror diffusion can both confine pickup ions and preserve their initial pitch angles, and thus it accounts for the enhanced intensity of energetic neutral atoms that return to the heliosphere. The ribbon width is determined by both the range of pitch angles for effective turbulent mirroring and the field line wandering induced by Alfvénic modes. It in turn provides a constraint on the amplitude of magnetic fluctuations of fast modes. The field line wandering also affects the coherence of the ribbon structure across the sky. By extrapolating the magnetic energy spectrum measured by Voyager, we find that the injection scale of the turbulence in the VLISM must be less than ~500 au for the ribbon structure to be coherent.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

SCATTER-DOMINATED INTERPLANETARY TRANSPORT OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES IN LARGE GRADUAL EVENTS AND THE FORMATION OF DOUBLE POWER-LAW DIFFERENTIAL FLUENCE SPECTRA OF GROUND-LEVEL EVENTS DURING SOLAR CYCLE 23

The effects of scatter-dominated interplanetary transport on the spectral properties of the differential fluence of large gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events are investigated analytically. The model assumes for simplicity radial constant solar wind and radial magnetic field. The radial diffusion coefficient is calculated with quasilinear theory by assuming a spectrum of Alfvén waves propagating parallel to the magnetic field. Cross-field transport is neglected. The model takes into consideration several essential features of gradual event transport: nearly isotropic ion distributions, adiabatic deceleration in a divergent solar wind, and particle radial scattering mean free paths increasing with energy. Assuming an impulsive and spherically symmetric injection of SEPs with a power-law spectrum near the Sun, the predicted differential fluence spectrum exhibits at 1 AU three distinctive power laws for different energy domains. The model naturally reproduces the spectral features of the double power-law proton differential fluence spectra that tend to be observed in extremely large SEP events. We select nine western ground-level events (GLEs) out of the 16 GLEs during Solar Cycle 23 and fit the observed double power-law spectra to the analytical predictions. The compression ratio of the accelerating shock wave, the power-law index of the ambient wave intensity, and the proton radial scattering mean free path are determined for the nine GLEs. The derived parameters are generally in agreement with the characteristic values expected for large gradual SEP events.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Delamination and Buckling Analysis of a Laminated Component in a High-speed Permanent Magnet Motor

High-speed permanent magnet (PM) machines are widely used because of their high-power density and high efficiency. The high rotation speed also inevitably subjects the PMs to high centrifugal load, which might damage them due to their inherent mechanical vulnerability, such as a much lower tensile strength than the compressive strength. To robustly transfer the torque from the magnet to the shaft, the outer diameter of the laminated rotor core is larger than the inner diameter of the rotor frame to ensure tight contact while working at 20,000 rpm. Motor manufacturing requires the shrink-fit method to assemble the rotor frame and rotor core. However, after the shrink-fit assembly, unexpected local delamination and buckling are observed on the rotor core part. Utilizing finite element simulation, we study the internal stress of assembling these two parts at the provided interference. Simulation results indicate the reasons for the delamination and buckling of the rotor core part and provide suggestions for improving the assembly.

Lin, Lianshan↗

Three-dimensional nonlinear ideal MHD equilibria with field-aligned incompressible and compressible flows

The equilibrium properties of three-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) are investigated. Incompressible and compressible flows are considered. The governing equations are taken in a steady state such that the magnetic field is parallel to the plasma flow. Equations of stationary equilibrium for both of incompressible and compressible MHD flows are derived and described in a mathematical mode. For incompressible MHD flows, Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic flows with constant and variable magnetofluid density are investigated. For Alfvénic incompressible flows, the general three-dimensional solutions are determined with the aid of two potential functions of the velocity field. For non-Alfvénic incompressible flows, the stationary equilibrium equations are reduced to two differential constraints on the potential functions, flow velocity, magnetofluid density, and the static pressure. Some examples which may be of some relevance to axisymmetric confinement systems are presented. For compressible MHD flows, equations of the stationary equilibrium are derived with the aid of a single potential function of the velocity field. The existence of three-dimensional solutions for these MHD flows is investigated. Several classes of three-dimensional exact solutions for several cases of nonlinear equilibrium equations are presented.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Generation Mechanisms of Quasi-parallel and Quasi-circular Flare Ribbons in a Confined Flare

We analyze a confined multiple-ribbon M2.1 flare (SOL2015-01-29T11:42) that originated from a fan-spine coronal magnetic field configuration, within active region NOAA 12268. The observed ribbons form in two steps. First, two primary ribbons form at the main flare site, followed by the formation of secondary ribbons at remote locations. We observe a number of plasma flows at extreme-ultraviolet temperatures during the early phase of the flare (as early as 15 minutes before the onset) propagating toward the formation site of the secondary ribbons. The secondary ribbon formation is co-temporal with the arrival of the pre-flare generated plasma flows. The primary ribbons are co-spatial with Ramaty High Energy Spectroscopic Imager ( RHESSI ) hard X-ray sources, whereas no enhanced X-ray emission is detected at the secondary ribbon sites. The (E)UV emission, associated with the secondary ribbons, peaks ∼1 minute after the last RHESSI hard X-ray enhancement. A nonlinear force-free model of the coronal magnetic field reveals that the secondary flare ribbons are not directly connected to the primary ribbons, but to regions nearby. Detailed analysis suggests that the secondary brightenings are produced due to dissipation of kinetic energy of the plasma flows (heating due to compression), and not due to non-thermal particles accelerated by magnetic reconnection, as is the case for the primary ribbons.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Compression of the Hermaean magnetosphere by the solar wind

The decrease of the volume of the dayside Hermaean magnetosphere with an increase in solar wind pressure is investigated, taking into account the effects of a conducting planetary core. A two-layer conductivity model is used to simulate the metallic core and outer silicate mantle of Mercury, and the magnetic field of the magnetosphere is modelled by a pure planet-centered axial dipole, the magnetopause current system by a pure axial dipole on the Mercury-sun line and the tail field by a semiinfinite current sheet. Results confirm the compression of the magnetic field and the increase in magnetic field pressures under most increased solar wind pressures in the presence of a planetary core, allowing a direct impact of the solar wind on the Hermaean surface to occur only 0.2% of the time.

Suess, S. T.↗

Spectral properties of three-dimensional Anderson model

The three-dimensional Anderson model represents a paradigmatic model to understand the Anderson localization transition. In this work we first review some key results obtained for this model in the past 50 years, and then study its properties from the perspective of modern numerical approaches. Our main focus is on the quantitative comparison between the level sensitivity statistics and the level statistics. While the former studies the sensitivity of Hamiltonian eigenlevels upon inserting a magnetic flux, the latter studies the properties of unperturbed eigenlevels. We define two versions of dimensionless conductance, the first corresponding to the width of the level curvature distribution relative to the mean level spacing, and the second corresponding to the ratio of the Heisenberg time and the Thouless time obtained from the spectral form factor. We show that both conductances look remarkably similar around the localization transition, in particular, they predict a nearly identical critical point consistent with other well-established measures of the transition. We then study some further properties of those quantities: for level curvatures, we discuss particular similarities and differences between the width of the level curvature distribution and the characteristic energy studied by Edwards and Thouless (1972) in their pioneering work, in which the hopping at one lattice edge is changed from periodic to antiperiodic boundary conditions. In the context of the spectral form factor, we show that at the critical point it enters a broad time-independent regime, in which its value is consistent with the level compressibility obtained from the level variance. Finally, we test the scaling solution of the average level spacing ratio in the crossover regime using the cost function minimization approach introduced recently in Šuntajs et al. (2020). The latter approach seeks for the optimal scaling solution in the vicinity of the crossing point, while at the same time it allows for the crossing point to drift due to finite-size corrections. We find that the extracted transition point and the scaling coefficient agree with those from the literature to high numerical accuracy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Vorticity, shocks, and magnetic fields in subsonic, ICM-like turbulence

We analyze data from high resolution simulations of the generation of compressible, MHD turbulence with properties chosen to resemble conditions in galaxy clusters. In particular, the flow is driven to have turbulence Mach number M{sub t}∼1/2 in an isothermal medium with an initially very weak, uniform seed magnetic field (β=P{sub g}/P{sub B}=10{sup 6}). Since cluster turbulence is likely to result from a mix of sheared (solenoidal) and compressive forcing processes, we examine the distinct turbulence properties for both cases. In one set of simulations velocity forcing is entirely solenoidal (∇⋅δu=0), while in the other it is entirely compressive (∇×δu=0). Both cases develop a mixture of solenoidal and compressive turbulent motions, since each generates the other. The development of compressive turbulent motions leads to shocks, even when the turbulence is solenoidally forced and subsonic. Shocks, in turn, produce and amplify vorticity, which is especially important in compressively forced turbulence. To clarify those processes we include a pair of appendices that look in detail at vorticity evolution in association with shocks. From our simulation analyses we find that magnetic fields amplified to near saturation levels in predominantly solenoidal turbulence can actually enhance vorticity on small scales by concentrating and stabilizing shear. The properties, evolution rates, and relative contributions of the kinetic and magnetic turbulent elements depend strongly on the character of the forcing. Specifically, shocks are stronger, but vorticity evolution and magnetic field amplification are slower and weaker when the turbulence is compressively forced. We identify a simple relation to estimate characteristic shock strengths in terms of the turbulence Mach number and the character of the forcing. Our results will be helpful in understanding flow motions in galaxy clusters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Prompt acceleration of magnetospheric electrons to ultrarelativistic energies by the 17 March 2015 interplanetary shock

Trapped electrons in Earth's outer Van Allen radiation belt are influenced profoundly by solar phenomena such as high-speed solar wind streams, coronal mass ejections (CME), and interplanetary (IP) shocks. In particular, strong IP shocks compress the magnetosphere suddenly and result in rapid energization of electrons within minutes. It is believed that the electric fields induced by the rapid change in the geomagnetic field are responsible for the energization. During the latter part of March 2015, a CME impact led to the most powerful geomagnetic storm (minimum Dst = -223 nT at 17 March, 23 UT) observed not only during the Van Allen Probe era but also the entire preceding decade. Magnetospheric response in the outer radiation belt eventually resulted in elevated levels of energized electrons. The CME itself was preceded by a strong IP shock whose immediate effects vis-a-vis electron energization were observed by sensors on board the Van Allen Probes. The comprehensive and high-quality data from the Van Allen Probes enable the determination of the location of the electron injection, timescales, and spectral aspects of the energized electrons. The observations clearly show that ultrarelativistic electrons with energies E > 6 MeV were injected deep into the magnetosphere at L ≈ 3 within about 2 min of the shock impact. However, electrons in the energy range of ≈250 keV to ≈900 keV showed no immediate response to the IP shock. Finally, electric and magnetic fields resulting from the shock-driven compression complete the comprehensive set of observations that provide a full description of the near-instantaneous electron energization.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Prompt Acceleration of Magnetospheric Electrons to Ultrarelativistic Energies by the 17 March 2015 Interplanetary Shock

Trapped electrons in Earth's outer Van Allen radiation belt are influenced profoundly by solar phenomena such as high-speed solar wind streams, coronal mass ejections (CME), and interplanetary (IP) shocks. In particular, strong IP shocks compress the magnetosphere suddenly and result in rapid energization of electrons within minutes. It is believed that the electric fields induced by the rapid change in the geomagnetic field are responsible for the energization. During the latter part of March 2015, a CME impact led to the most powerful geomagnetic storm (minimum Dst = −223 nT at 17 March, 23 UT) observed not only during the Van Allen Probe era but also the entire preceding decade. Magnetospheric response in the outer radiation belt eventually resulted in elevated levels of energized electrons. The CME itself was preceded by a strong IP shock whose immediate effects vis-a-vis electron energization were observed by sensors on board the Van Allen Probes. The comprehensive and high-quality data from the Van Allen Probes enable the determination of the location of the electron injection, timescales, and spectral aspects of the energized electrons. The observations clearly show that ultrarelativistic electrons with energies E greater than 6 MeV were injected deep into the magnetosphere at L approximately equals 3 within about 2 min of the shock impact. However, electrons in the energy range of approximately equals 250 keV to approximately equals 900 keV showed no immediate response to the IP shock. Electric and magnetic fields resulting from the shock-driven compression complete the comprehensive set of observations that provide a full description of the near-instantaneous electron energization.

radiation belts↗

Probing the tunability of magnetism with external pressure in metastable Sr 2 NiIrO 6 double perovskite

In Sr 2 NiIrO 6 long-range Ir-Ir antiferromagnetic exchange interactions have been reported to overcome the ferromagnetic Ni-Ir interactions hampering the otherwise expected ferromagnetic behavior. Prompted by this, a combination of x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction at high pressure is used here to investigate the interplay between the magnetic structure of the Ir sublattice and lattice degrees of freedom. In this work, the compression of Sr 2 NiIrO 6 drives an unexpected nonmonotonic change of the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra: The intensity first decreases in the 0- to 18-GPa range, then shows an increase in the 18- to 30-GPa range and again decreases for higher pressures. The XMCD intensity, a measure of the net magnetization in the Ir sublattice, however, is found to remain very low in the whole pressure range so the observed changes do not correspond with a transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic order. The evolution of the XMCD is better explained in terms of a weakening/strengthening of the long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) IrIr interaction between ferromagnetic planes associated with the reduction of the lattice parameters. In particular, a correlation can be established between the evolution of the b/a ratio and the weakening/strengthening of the AFM interaction.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Versatile strain-tuning of modulated long-period magnetic structures

In this paper, we report a detailed small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) study of the skyrmion lattice phase of MnSi under compressive and tensile strain. In particular, we demonstrate that tensile strain applied to the skyrmion lattice plane, perpendicular to the magnetic field, acts to destabilize the skyrmion lattice phase. Finally, this experiment was enabled by our development of a versatile strain cell, unique in its ability to select the application of either tensile or compressive strain in-situ by using two independent helium-actuated copper pressure transducers, whose design has been optimized for magnetic SANS on modulated long-period magnetic structures and vortex lattices, and is compact enough to fit in common sample environments such as cryostats and superconducting magnets.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Reconnection in Compressible Plasmas: Extended Conversion Region

The classical Sweet-Parker approach to steady-state magnetic reconnection is extended into the regime of large resistivity (small magnetic Reynolds or Lundquist number) when the aspect ratio between the outflow and inflow scale, delta = d/L, approaches unity. In a previous paper the vicinity of the dissipation site ("diffusion region") was investigated. In this paper, the approach is extended to cover larger sites, in which the energy transfer and conversion is not confined to the diffusion region. Consistent with the results of Paper I, we find that increasing aspect ratio delta is associated with increasing compression, increasing reconnect ion rate for low Beta, but slightly decreasing rate for higher Beta, decreasing outflow speed, and increasing outflow magnetic field. These trends are stronger for lower Beta. Deviations from the traditional Sweet-Parker limit delta approaches 0 become significant for R(sub m) approx < 10, where R(sub m) is the magnetic Reynolds number (Lundquist number) based on the half-thickness of the current layer responsible for the Ohmic dissipation. They are also more significant for small gamma, that is, for increasing compressibility. In contrast to the results of Paper I, but consistent with earlier results for delta much < 1,nu(sub A) we find that in this limit the outflow speed is given by the Alfven speed nu(sub A) in the inflow region and the energy conversion is given by an even split of Poynting flux into enthalpy flux and bulk kinetic energy flux. However, with increasing delta the conversion to enthalpy flux becomes more and more dominant.

Birn, J.↗

Novel pre-alloyed powder processing of modified alnico 8: Correlation of microstructure and magnetic properties

Progress is reviewed on development of an improved near-final bulk magnet fabrication process for alnico 8, as a non-rare earth permanent magnet with promise for sufficient energy density and coercivity for electric drive motors. This study showed that alnico bulk magnets in near-final shape can be made by simple compression molding from spherical high purity gas atomized pre-alloyed powder. Dwell time at peak sintering temperature (1250 °C) greatly affected grain size of the resulting magnet alloys. This microstructure transformation was demonstrated to be useful for gaining partially aligned magnetic properties and boosting energy product. While a route to increased coercivity was not identified by these experiments, manufacturability of bulk alnico magnet alloys in near-final shapes was demonstrated, permitting further processing and alloy modification experiments that can target higher coercivity and better control of grain anisotropy during grain growth.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

MHD surface waves in high- and low-beta plasmas. I - Normal-mode solutions

Since the first paper by Barston (1964) on electrostatic oscillations in inhomogeneous cold plasmas, it has been commonly accepted that all finite layers with a continuous profile in pressure, density and magnetic field cannot support normal surface waves but instead the waves always decay through phase mixing (also called resonant absorption). The problem is reanalyzed by studying a compressible current sheet of a general structure with rotation of the magnetic field included. All inhomogeneous layers considered in the high-beta plasma limit do not support normal modes. However, in the limit of a low-beta plasma there are some cases when normal-mode solutions are recovered. The latter means that the process of resonant absorption is not common for all inhomogeneous layers.

Musielak, Z. E.↗

Evolution of magnetic flux ropes associated with flux transfer events and interplanetary magnetic clouds

Spacecraft observations suggest that flux transfer events and interplanetary magnetic clouds may be associated with magnetic flux ropes which are magnetic flux tubes containing helical magnetic field lines. In the magnetic flux ropes, the azimuthal magnetic field is superposed on the axial field. The time evolution of a localized magnetic flux rope is studied. A two-dimensional compressible MHD simulation code with a cylindrical symmetry is developed to study the wave modes associated with the evolution of flux ropes. It is found that in the initial phase both the fast magnetosonic wave and the Alfven wave are developed in the flux rope. After this initial phase, the Alfven wave becomes the dominant wave mode for the evolution of the magnetic flux rope and the radial expansion velocity of the flux rope is found to be negligible. Numerical results further show that even for a large initial azimuthal component of the magnetic field, the propagation velocity along the axial direction of the flux rope remains the Alfven velocity. It is also found that the localized magnetic flux rope tends to evolve into two separate magnetic ropes propagating in opposite directions. The simulation results are used to study the evolution of magnetic flux ropes associated with flux transfer events observed at the earth's dayside magnetopause and magnetic clouds in the interplanetary space.

Wei, C. Q.↗

Magnetic Bearings Would Increase Pump Efficiency

Active feedback applied to bearings windings compensate for unbalanced forces. Helical-screw rotation compresses and transports gas charges, which subject shafts to forces tend to displace them from their equilibrium positions. Magnetic bearings restore shafts to equilibrium, lowering friction and increasing efficiency.

Studer, P. A.↗

Electron dynamics in a plasma focus

Results are presented of a numerical integration of the three-dimensional relativistic equations of motion of electrons subject to given electric and magnetic fields deduced from experiments. Fields due to two different models are investigated. For the first model, the fields are those due to a circular distribution of axial current filaments. As the current filaments collapse toward the axis, large azimuthal magnetic and axial electric fields are induced. These fields effectively heat the electrons to a temperature of approximately 8 keV and accelerate electrons within the radius of the filaments to high axial velocities. Similar results are obtained for the current-reduction phase of focus formation. For the second model, the fields are those due to a uniform current distribution. Both the current-reduction and the compression phases were studied. These is little heating or acceleration of electrons during the compression phase because the electrons are tied to the magnetic field. However, during the current-reduction phase, electrons near the axis are accelerated toward the center electrode and reach energies of 100 keV. A criterion is obtained which limits the runaway electron current to about 400 A.

Hohl, F.↗