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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 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

High mass resolution, high angular acceptance time-of-flight mass spectroscopy for planetary missions under the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program (PIDDP)

This final report covers three years and several phases of work in which instrumentation for the Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program (PIDDP) were successfully developed. There were two main thrusts to this research: (1) to develop and test methods for electrostatically scanning detector field-of-views, and (2) to improve the mass resolution of plasma mass spectrometers to M/delta M approximately 25, their field-of-view (FOV) to 360 degrees, and their E-range to cover approximately 1 eV to 50 keV. Prototypes of two different approaches to electrostatic scanning were built and tested. The Isochronous time-of-flight (TOF) and the linear electric field 3D TOF devices were examined.

Young, David T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Electron velocity distributions and plasma waves associated with the injection of an electron beam into the ionosphere

An electron beam was injected into earth's ionosphere on August 1, 1985, during the flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger as part of the objectives of the Spacelab 2 mission. In the wake of the Space Shuttle a magnetically aligned sheet of electrons returning from the direction of propagation of the beam was detected with the free-flying Plasma Diagnostics Package. The thickness of this sheet of returning electrons was about 20 m. Large intensifications of broadband electrostatic noise were also observed within this sheet of electrons. A numerical simulation of the interaction of the electron beam with the ambient ionospheric plasmas is employed to show that the electron beam excites electron plasma oscillations and that it is possible for the ion acoustic instability to provide a returning flux of hot electrons by means of quasi-linear diffusion.

Frank, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Oblique Instability of Quasi-Parallel Whistler Waves in the Presence of Cold and Warm Electron Populations

Whistler waves propagating nearly parallel to the ambient magnetic field experience a nonlinear instability due to transverse currents when the background plasma has a population of sufficiently low energy electrons. Intriguingly, this nonlinear process may generate oblique electrostatic waves, including whistlers near the resonance cone with properties resembling oblique chorus waves in the Earth’s magnetosphere. Focusing on the generation of oblique whistlers, earlier analysis of the instability is extended here to the case where low-energy background plasma consists of both a “cold” population with energy of a few eV and a “warm” electron component with energy of the order of 100 eV. This is motivated by spacecraft observations in the Earth’s magnetosphere where oblique chorus waves were shown to interact resonantly with the warm electrons. The main new results are: 1) the instability producing oblique electrostatic waves is sensitive to the shape of the electron distribution at low energies. In the whistler range of frequencies, two distinct peaks in the growth rate are typically present for the model considered: a peak associated with the warm electron population at relatively low wavenumbers and a peak associated with the cold electron population at relatively high wavenumbers; 2) overall, the instability producing oblique whistler waves near the resonance cone persists (with a reduced growth rate) even in the cases where the temperature of the cold population is relatively high, including cases where cold population is absent and only the warm population is included; 3) particle-in-cell simulations show that the instability leads to heating of the background plasma and formation of characteristic plateau and beam features in the parallel electron distribution function in the range of energies resonant with the instability. The plateau/beam features have been previously detected in spacecraft observations of oblique chorus waves. However, they have been attributed to external sources and have been proposed to be the mechanism generating oblique chorus. In the present scenario, the causality link is reversed and the instability generating oblique whistler waves is shown to be a possible mechanism for formation of the plateau and beam features.

Vadim Roytershteyn↗
NASA NTRS1979

Auroral magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: A brief topical review

Auroral arcs result from the acceleration and precipitation of magnetospheric plasma in narrow regions characterized by strong electric fields both perpendicular and parallel to the earth's magnetic field. The various mechanisms that were proposed for the origin of such strong electric fields are often complementary Such mechanisms include: (1) electrostatic double layers; (2) double reverse shock; (3) anomalous resistivity; (4) magnetic mirroring of hot plasma; and (5) mapping of the magnetospheric-convection electric field through an auroral discontinuity.

Chiu, Y. T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The effect of environmental plasma interactions on the performance of the solar sail system

Interaction between the solar sail and the natural plasma environment were examined for deleterious impacts upon the operation of the sail and its associated payload. Electrostatic charging of the sail in the solar wind and in near earth environment were examined. Deployment problems were studied. An analysis of electromechanical oscillations coupling the sail to the natural plasma was performed. As a result of these studies, it was concluded that none of these effects will have a significant negative impact upon the sail operation. The natural environment will be significantly perturbed and this will preclude measurements of electric and magnetic fields from an attached payload.

Douglas, M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Kubo conductivity of a strongly magnetized two-dimensional plasma.

The Kubo formula is used to evaluate the bulk electrical conductivity of a two-dimensional guiding-center plasma in a strong dc magnetic field. The particles interact only electrostatically. An ?anomalous' electrical conductivity is derived for this system, which parallels a recent result of Taylor and McNamara for the coefficient of spatial diffusion.

Montgomery, D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Voyager spacecraft radio observations of Jupiter - Initial cruise results

Low frequency (below 1326 kHz) observations of Jupiter obtained from November, 1977 through June, 1978 by the radio astronomy receivers carried by the two Voyager spacecraft are reported and compared with a large body of higher-frequency ground-based observations. Although the morphology of hectometric wavelength (HOM) emissions strongly resembles that of decametric (DAM) wavelength radio noise, they display opposite polarization. DAM emissions are strongly modulated by Io, whereas HOM emissions exhibit little or no influence from any satellite and appear to be modulated by the rotation phase of the planet. Several single-source models could possibly account for these results, including a model assuming emission at two well-separated frequencies above and below the local electron plasma frequency and the model proposed by Barbosa (1976) in which electrostatic waves at twice the upper hybrid frequency couple to both the ordinary and extraordinary electromagnetic modes. However, neither of these is entirely satisfactory.

Kaiser, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ultrarelativistic electromagnetic pulses in plasmas

The physical processes of a linearly polarized electromagnetic pulse of highly relativistic amplitude in an underdense plasma accelerating particles to very high energies are studied through computer simulation. An electron-positron plasma is considered first. The maximum momenta achieved scale as the square of the wave amplitude. This acceleration stops when the bulk of the wave energy is converted to particle energy. The pulse leaves behind as a wake a vacuum region whose length scales as the amplitude of the wave. The results can be explained in terms of a snow plow or piston-like action of the radiation on the plasma. When a mass ratio other than unity is chosen and electrostatic effects begin to play a role, first the ion energy increases faster than the electron energy and then the electron energy catches up later, eventually reaching the same value.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Plasma waves near the magnetopause

Plasma waves associated with the magnetosphere from the magnetosheath to the outer magnetosphere are investigated to obtain a clear definition of the boundaries and regions, to characterize the waves observed in these regions, to determine which wave modes are present, and to determine their origin. Emphasis is on high time resolution data and a comparison between measurements by different antenna systems. It is shown that the magnetosheath flux transfer events, the magnetopause current layer, the outer magnetosphere, and the boundary layer can be identified by their magnetic field and plasma wave characteristics, as well as by their plasma and energetic particle signatures. The plasma wave characteristics in the current layer and in the boundary layer are very similar to the features in the flux transfer events, and upon entry into their outer magnetosphere, the plasma wave spectra are dominated by intense electromagnetic chorus bursts and electrostatic emissions.

Anderson, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Transverse acceleration of ions on auroral field lines

This paper examines transverse ion heating on auroral field lines associated with current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron waves theoretically and by numerical simulations. The auroral plasma is assumed to consist of drifting electrons and stationary hydrogen and oxygen ions. Depending on the ratio of the electron drift speed to the thermal speed and the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen concentrations, preferential heating of either hydrogen or oxygen ions can take place. It is found that unless the oxygen ions are a minority species, oxygen transverse heating generally exceeds that of hydrogen ions. Theory and numerical simulations are in good agreement.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

First plasma wave observations at Neptune

The Voyager 2 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar plasma waves during the encounter with Neptune, including electron plasma oscillations in the solar wind upstream of the bow shock, electrostatic turbulence at the bow shock, and chorus, hiss, electron cyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance waves in the inner magnetosphere. Low-frequency radio emissions, believed to be generated by mode conversion from the upper hybrid resonance emissions, were also observed propagating outward in a disklike beam along the magnetic equatorial plane. At the two ring plane crossings many small micrometer-sized dust particles were detected striking the spacecraft. The maximum impact rates were about 280 impacts per second at the inbound ring plane crossing, and about 110 impacts per second at the outbound ring plane crossing. Most of the particles are concentrated in a dense disk, about 1000 kilometers thick, centered on the equatorial plane. However, a broader more tenuous distribution also extends many tends of thousands of kilometers from the equatorial plane, including over the northern polar region.

Gurnett, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Polarization of the impulsive signals observed in the nightside ionosphere of Venus

The impulsive plasma wave bursts detected by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter electric field detector in the nightside ionosphere of Venus have been attributed to atmospheric lightning. However, it has also been argued that the wave bursts are generated locally by plasma instabilities. The waves associated with local instabilities are most probably electrostatic in nature, while lightning-generated waves should be whistler mode waves, at least at the lowest frequencies. It is shown that for typical ionospheric parameters the whistler mode wave electric field should be polarized predominantly perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field. It is shown that the 100-Hz waves are polarized perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field provided the data are restricted to those intervals in which the magnetic field is sufficiently far from horizontal to allow vertical propagation within the whistler mode resonance cone. The 100-Hz waves detected outside of the resonance cone are polarized parallel to the magnetic field, as are the waves at higher frequency. The waves consequently fall into two classes: whistler mode waves which are most likely due to atmospheric lightning, and a mode that is polarized parallel to the ambient field. This latter mode may be analogous to the anomalous parallel polarized wave fields detected in the terrestrial ionosphere above thunderstorms.

Strangeway, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

'Skidding' of the CRRES G-9 barium release

A simulation study and experimental data of the CRRES G-9 ionospheric barium release are presented. The simulation study is based on a 2D electrostatic code that incorporates time-dependent coupling to the background plasma. It is shown that the densest portion of the barium ion cloud 'skids' about 15 km within the first three seconds following the release, consistent with the optical data analyses.

Huba, J. D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Dione: A Pathfinder Mission for Understanding the Iono-sphere-Thermosphere Responses to Magnetospheric Forcing

Dione is a NASA small satellite prototype for future constellations that in different configurations will provide global and localized measurements of Ionosphere-Thermosphere responses to Magnetospheric energy input in a variety of scales, enabling their better forecast and prediction. This is done with a comprehensive sensor package which includes four instruments: a miniaturized fluxgate magnetometer providing magnetic field measurements with two sensor heads, an ion sensor that measures vector plasma drifts and deduce the in-situ electric fields, an electrostatic analyzer that measures precipitating electrons and up-going secondary electrons, and a neutral mass spectrometer measuring total neutral density and composition. Dione is 3-axis stabilized in a circular low-earth (400-600 km), high-inclination orbit, traversing the auroral precipitation and high latitude currents in every orbit. This paper focuses on the mission-level architecture, but provides contextual information on the science objectives, instruments, and space-craft.

Jaime Esper↗
NASA NTRS2007

Slot-Antenna/Permanent-Magnet Device for Generating Plasma

A device that includes a rectangular-waveguide/slot-antenna structure and permanent magnets has been devised as a means of generating a substantially uniform plasma over a relatively large area, using relatively low input power and a low gas flow rate. The device utilizes electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) excited by microwave power to efficiently generate plasma in a manner that is completely electrodeless in the sense that, in principle, there is no electrical contact between the plasma and the antenna. Plasmas generated by devices like this one are suitable for use as sources of ions and/or electrons for diverse material-processing applications (e.g., etching or deposition) and for ion thrusters. The absence of plasma/electrode contact essentially prevents plasma-induced erosion of the antenna, thereby also helping to minimize contamination of the plasma and of objects exposed to the plasma. Consequently, the operational lifetime of the rectangular-waveguide/ slot-antenna structure is long and the lifetime of the plasma source is limited by the lifetime of the associated charged-particle-extraction grid (if used) or the lifetime of the microwave power source. The device includes a series of matched radiating slot pairs that are distributed along the length of a plasma-source discharge chamber (see figure). This arrangement enables the production of plasma in a distributed fashion, thereby giving rise to a uniform plasma profile. A uniform plasma profile is necessary for uniformity in any electron- or ion-extraction electrostatic optics. The slotted configuration of the waveguide/ antenna structure makes the device scalable to larger areas and higher powers. All that is needed for scaling up is the attachment of additional matched radiating slots along the length of the discharge chamber. If it is desired to make the power per slot remain constant in scaling up, then the input microwave power must be increased accordingly. Unlike in prior ECR microwave plasma-generating devices, there is no need for an insulating window on the antenna. Such windows are sources of contamination and gradually become ineffective as they become coated with erosion products over time. These characteristics relegate prior ECR microwave plasma-generating devices to non-ion beam, non-deposition plasma applications. In contrast, the lack of need for an insulating window in the present device makes it possible to use the device in both ion-beam (including deposition) and electron-beam applications. The device is designed so that ECR takes place above each slot and the gradient of the magnetic field at each slot is enough to prevent backflow of plasma.

Foster, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Explorer 45 wave observations during the large magnetic storm of August 4-5, 1972

The magnetospheric compression associated with the very large magnetic storm of August 4-5, 1972, provided an opportunity for Explorer 45 to observe plasma waves in the magnetosphere and the magnetosheath during extremely disturbed conditions. Electrostatic noise bursts were observed near the plasmapause in electric-field channels from 35 Hz to 5.62 kHz. In the outer magnetosphere, electric-field noise bands apparently harmonically related to the electron gyrofrequency with components as low as 3 kHz and as high as 50 kHz were observed. The electric field of the fundamental was perpendicular to the magnetic-field vector. A mechanism including the electron cyclotron instability may generate the noise band. Hiss of 100-1000 Hz was observed in the outer magnetosphere. The electromagnetic hiss was generally weak and was observed in the magnetic wide-band data only when it was strong. In the magnetosheath broad band, incoherent noise (hiss) was observed from 1 Hz to 100 kHz. This magnetosheath hiss was the strongest phenomenon observed by the plasma-wave detectors during the lifetime of Explorer 45. The highest intensities of magnetosheath hiss occurred at the magnetopause. Its broad-band nature suggests that magnetosheath hiss was generated locally. Broad-band noise bursts and short bursts of chorus were also observed in the magnetosheath.

Taylor, W. W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Alternative approaches to plasma confinement

The paper discusses 20 plasma confinement schemes each representing an alternative to the tokamak fusion reactor. Attention is given to: (1) tokamak-like devices (TORMAC, Topolotron, and the Extrap concept), (2) stellarator-like devices (Torsatron and twisted-coil stellarators), (3) mirror machines (Astron and reversed-field devices, the 2XII B experiment, laser-heated solenoids, the LITE experiment, the Kaktus-Surmac concept), (4) bumpy tori (hot electron bumpy torus, toroidal minimum-B configurations), (5) electrostatically assisted confinement (electrostatically stuffed cusps and mirrors, electrostatically assisted toroidal confinement), (6) the Migma concept, and (7) wall-confined plasmas. The plasma parameters of the devices are presented and the advantages and disadvantages of each are listed.

Roth, J. R.↗