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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 613 records · Page 34
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NASA NTRS1984

Characteristics of plasmoidlike structures in the distant magnetotail

A statistical analysis is presented of energetic particle burst events in the distant geomagnetic tail which have the particle characteristics of plasmoids as described by Hanes et al. (1984) and Scholer et al. (1984). The average velocities of the plasmoids are more or less evenly distributed between about 300 km/s and about 1000 km/s, with a mean value of about 600 km/s. Most plasmoids have a length between about 50 and 100 earth radii, with a mean value of about 80 earth radii. The proton energy spectra are always steeper than power law. The proton differential intensity at 30 keV varies between 100 and 1000 protons/sq cm/s/sr/keV, with an average value of about 500 protons/sq cm/s/sr/keV. This value is about one order of magnitude smaller than typical values in the near-earth plasma sheet.

Scholer, M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Downstream properties of magnetic flux transfer events

Attention is given to the downstream evolution of the field line tubes known as 'flux transfer events' (FTEs), whose magnetic field and plasma properties are distinct from those of the nearby unmerged magnetosheath and magnetosphere field lines. After the FTE has moved 200 earth radii down the tail, its drained portion reaches 25 earth radii radially outward from the tail boundary. It is suggested that most multiple crossings of the tail boundary observed by spacecraft are encounters with tailward-moving FTEs, thereby explaining both the behavior of boundary normals during multiple crossings and how the sign of the IMF causes the observed dawn-dusk asymmetries in the thickness of the magnetotail boundary layer.

Sibeck, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The stability of the oscillation motion of charged grains in the Saturnian ring system

A perturbation approach for the gravitoelectrodynamic forces encountered in the corotating plasma environment of Saturn is used to determine the stability of charged grains, given a random initial velocity. Attention is given to the implications of the Northrop and Hill (1982) and Mendis et al. (1982) results for the formation of the Saturnian ring system, and it is suggested that the marginal z stability radius at 1.5245 Saturn radii for Kepler-launched particles is due to an erosion process with ejecta of the order 0.05-0.5 microns, rather than that of the previously suggested plasma. The diffuseness of the Saturnian rings beyond the F ring is also explained in terms of instability, while a new critical radius for r instability is suggestd for the optical depth feature at 1.72 Saturn radii. The F ring is analyzed in detail.

Xu, R.-L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The space orientation of stars

Stellar rotation periods recently determined from short-term variations in Ca II H and K emission-line flux associated with starspot activity can be combined with both rotational spectral-line-broadening velocity measurements and independent measurements of stellar radii to give the inclination of the star's rotation axis to the line of sight. Assuming that the limits of distribution of sunspots on the sun apply similarly to solar-type stars, interferometric measurements of stellar radii in Ca II H and K flux may be performed to determine the clock-like, on-the-plane-of-the-sky orientation as well. Various stellar-radius measuring techniques are discussed, and photon limits on the measurability of this latter parameter are derived for Ca II H and K speckle interferometry. The accuracy with which the space orientation of stars can be determined is discussed in the context of existing data as well as photon limits. The importance of determining the space orientation of stars is then discussed, with emphasis on its important application to the present search for extrasolar planetary systems.

Doyle, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A model for GCR-particle fluxes in stony meteorites and production rates of cosmogenic nuclides

A model is presented for the differential fluxes of galactic-cosmic-ray (GCR) particles with energies above 1 MeV inside any spherical stony meteorite as a function of the meteorite's radius and the sample's depth. This model is based on the Reedy-Arnold equations for the energy-dependent fluxes of GCR particles in the moon and is an extension of flux parameters that were derived for several meteorites of various sizes. This flux is used to calculate the production rates of many cosmogenic nuclides as a function of radius and depth. The peak production rates for most nuclides made by the reactions and energetic GCR particles occur near the centers of meteorites with radii of 40 to 70 g/cm (2). Although the model has some limitations, it reproduces well the basic trends for the depth-dependent production of cosmogenic nuclides in stony meteorites of various radii. These production profiles agree fairly well with measurments of cosmogenic nuclides in meteorites. Some of these production profiles are different than those calculated by others. The chemical dependence of the production rates for several nuclides varies with size and depth.

Reedy, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

On the source region of flux transfer events

An examination has been conducted of the region of occurrence of flux transfer events for three distinct orientations of the interplanetary magnetic field: nearly horizontal in the solar magnetospheric equator, diagonally southward at 45 deg to the magnetospheric equator and nearly due south. For horizontal IMF conditions the FTE's occur in a horizontal band about + or - 6 earth radii wide. For diagonally southward IMF conditions, the FTE's occur in a diagonal swath about + or - 6 earth radii wide passing through the subsolar point. For duskward but nearly due southward IMF conditions, the observations reveal FTE's throughout the northern morning quadrant. These observations are consistent with a near equatorial source for flux transfer events and hence with component merging and not anti-parallel merging. These observations also help understand the energetic ion anisotropies seen in these events.

Russell, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

ISEE 3 magnetic field observations in the magnetotail Implications for reconnection

Early results are presented from an analysis of magnetometer measurements made during the first two tail passes of ISEE-3. ISEE-3 explored the magnetotail to a distance of 220 earth radii during its first two tail orbits. The field strength in the lobes and the Bz component in the plasma sheet decreased systematically with distance. The frequency of occurrence of negative Bz increased with distance. The observations suggest the existence of an x-type neutral line located on average near 200 earth radii. In addition to the systematic variations with distance, three types of transient events were recorded. The first (encountered on more than 30 occasions) is a discrete magnetic structure which Hones has identified as tailward moving plasmoids produced by reconnection within the tail. The second type of event seems to be a peripheral encounter with the plasmoids making up the first type. The third type, unlike the y-aligned plasmoids, have x-aligned axes; they have the characteristics of magnetic flux ropes lying parallel to the tail.

Siscoe, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Radial diffusion in magnetodiscs

The orbits of charged particles in magnetodiscs are considered. The bounce motion is assumed adiabatic except for transits of a small equatorial region of weak magnetic field strength and high field curvature. Previous theory and modeling have shown that particles scatter randomly in pitch angle with each passage through the equator. A peaked distribution thus diffuses in pitch angle on the time scale of many bounces. It is argued in this paper that spatial diffusion is a further consequence when the magnetodisc has a longitudinal asymmetry. A general expression for DLL, the diffusion of equatorial crossing radii, is derived. DLL is evaluated explicitly for ions in Jupiter's 20-35 radii magnetodisc, assumed to be represented by Connerney et al.'s (1982) Voyager model plus a small image dipole asymmetry. Rates are energy, species, and space dependent but can average as much as a few tenths of a planetary radius per bounce period.

Birmingham, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Neutron capture production rates of cosmogenic 60Co, 59Ni and 36Cl in stony meteorites

Results for neutron flux calculations in stony meteoroids (of various radii and compositions) and production rates for Cl-36, Ni-59, and Co-60 are reported. The Ni-59/Co-60 ratio is nearly constant with depth in most meteorites: this effect is consistent with the neutron flux and capture cross section properties. The shape of the neutron flux energy spectrum, varies little with depth in a meteorite. The size of the parent meteorite can be determined from one of its fragments, using the Ni-59/Co-60 ratios, if the parent meteorite was less than 75 g/cm(2) in radius. If the parent meteorite was larger, a lower limit on the size of the parent meteorite can be determined from a fragment. In C3 chondrites this is not possible. In stony meteorites with R less than 50 g/cm(2) the calculated Co-60 production rates (mass less than 4 kg), are below 1 atom/min g-Co. The highest Co-60 production rates occur in stony meteorites with radius about 250 g/cm(2) (1.4 m across). In meteorites with radii greater than 400 g/cm(2), the maximum Co-60 production rate occurs at a depth of about 175 g/cm(2) in L-chondrite, 125 g/cm(2) in C3 chrondrite, and 190 g/cm(2) in aubrites.

Spergel, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

IUE observations of phase-dependent variations in WN + O systems

IUE observations of six WN + O Wolf-Rayet (W-R) systems are reported. The periodic variations in five of the systems are shown to result primarily from selective atmospheric eclipses of the O star continuum by the W-R wind. An optical depth distribution of the form tau inversely proportional to radius is suggested for radii greater than 14 solar radii. Phase-dependent variations in the C IV 1550 absorption components in V444 Cyg, HD 90657, and HD 211853 are interpreted as wind-wind collision effects.

Koenigsberger, G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The optical structure of X-ray globular clusters

CTIO 4-m prime-focus plates of eight globular clusters containing bright X-ray sources have been obtained. Plates in several colors (principally U and B) of each cluster have been digitized. A maximum symmetry method for determining the center of a globular cluster image is described and applied to each cluster in order to determine the cluster center with an accuracy of above 1.0 arc sec. Surface brightness profiles have been derived for seven clusters and fitted with King (1966, 1980) models to yield core radii within about 10 percent. These determinations of the cluster centers and core radii are sufficiently accurate to allow Grindlay et al. (1984) to statistically measure the mass of the globular cluster X-ray sources. Two clusters (NGC 6624 and M15) show significant excesses of light in their cores over the best-fit King model, in agreement with the results of Djorgovski and King (1984). The significance of these excesses, as well as the lack of any dependence of globular cluster structural parameters on color, is discussed.

Hertz, P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Energetic neutral atoms (E approximately 50 keV) from the ring current - IMP 7/8 and ISEE 1

Energetic neutral atoms (ENA), emitted from the magnetosphere with energies of about 50 keV, have been measured with solid state detectors on the IMP 7/8 and ISEE 1 spacecraft; they are produced when singly charged trapped ions collide with the exosphere neutral hydrogen geocorona and the energetic ions are neutralized by charge exchange. ENA observations during the recovery phase of two moderate geomagnetic storms are analyzed: November 22-23, 1973, from IMP 8 at 33 earth radii and December 17, 1977, from ISEE 1 at 20 earth radii.

Roelof, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Gyrating and intermediate ion distributions upstream from the earth's bow shock

Study of ISEE 2 fast plasma data reveals that many suprathermal ion events that in previous studies would have been identified as intermediate ion events are actually gyrating ion events. Of 190 apparently intermediate ion events selected on the basis of their signature in energy-time spectrograms, half are actually found to be gyrating ion events. Using a model bow shock, the shock geometries and spacecraft locations for the observed gyrating and intermediate ion events are compared and found to be quite similar. Both gyrating and intermediate ion events are found to be associated with upstream MHD-like wave activity. Most gyrating ion events are associated with large-amplitude, monochromatic, weakly compressive waves, whereas many intermediate ion events are associated with smaller-amplitude, nonmonochromatic, weakly compressive waves. Some intermediate ion events are found to have no associated waves. Detailed study of the gyrating ion distributions reveals that the distributions are typically gyrotropic within about 4 earth radii of the bow shock, whereas at larger distances (up to about 10 earth radii) upstream from the shock the distributions are frequently 'gyrophase bunched'. In light of these observational characteristics, it is concluded that gyrating ion distributions are most likely generated both through coherent wave disruption of field-aligned beams and through reflection of solar wind ions off the shock.

Fuselier, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Dwarf nova burst asymmetry and the physics of accretion disks

Far-ultraviolet observations of a burst of SS Cyg obtained with the Voyager spacecraft are presented along with optical observations. Representative V band and far-UV light curves are computed based on a thermal instability model, and the dependence of the far-UV delay and the shape of the outburst on the location in the disk where the outburst starts is examined. The results show that burst initiated at large radii produce asymmetric light curves for which the far-UV flux lags the optical flux by about half a day, as observed. For bursts starting at smaller radii, the delay is smaller and the outburst is more rounded and symmetric. For both burst types, the delay with respect to the optical is longer for larger accretion disks and at shorter wavelengths. The physical processes that will promote burst initiation in the outer disk are discussed, emphasizing that this can occur in principle with no modulation of the mass transfer rate from the companion.

Cannizzo, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Accretion disks and periodic outbursts of active galactic nuclei

The local thermal stability of accretion disks around supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei is examined. Such disks are unstable at radii where the surface temperature is several thousand degrees. Supermassive disks therefore should undergo limit-cycle outbursts similar to those believed to occur in dwarf novae. Operating on a time scale of about 10,000 to 10 million yr and at radii of about 10 to the 15th to 10 to the 16th cm, this mechanism will result in alternating periods of higher and lower accretion rate onto the black hole and, consequently, higher and lower luminosity. Quasi-periodic outbursts on this time scale may be recorded in the structure of extended radio sources, a possible example being 4C 29.47. For accretion rates greater than 0.1 solar masses/yr, the situation is complicated by instabilities caused by self-gravitation and by the dominance of radiation pressure and electron scattering opacity.

Lin, D. N. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A statistical study of plasma sheet dynamics using ISEE 1 and 2 energetic particle flux data

Plasma sheet dynamics during substorms are studied by analyzing 461 cases of transient dropout events of the 1.5 and 6-keV particle fluxes detected by ISEE 1 and 2 satellites. The instruments for detecting low- and high-energy particles are described. The spatial distribution of flux dropout events, and the events' relationship to magnetospheric activity level are examined. Substorm events without observed flux dropout events are investigated. The data reveal that the flux dropout distribution is isotropic, between 12-23 earth radii, and is present in the entire nightside plasma sheet; and the substorms without flux dropout are more frequent near earth and magnetospheric flanks. It is observed that tailward of 12 earth radii the flux dropout events and substorms without flux dropout are similar. The Chao et al. (1977) MHD rarefaction wave propagation model and the Hones (1973, 1980) near-tail, X-type magnetic neutral line formation model are discussed and compared to the experimental data. It is noted that neither model explains the plasma sheet dynamics observed.

Dandouras, J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Triple interactions involving close binaries in globular clusters

The interaction of a circularized tidal binary system with a third star is studied statistically through the results of about 70,000 numerical scattering experiments. The stars involved are taken to be identical polytropes, with radii equal to one-third of the initial binary separation. The effects of nonzero stellar radii are included by calculating an approximation to the energy dissipated by tidal interactions and estimating the energy lost through physical collisions. These are then used to modify the interaction cross sections obtained in the point-mass approximation. It is found that, for a wide range of assumptions about the details of the triple interactions and the stars' structure, the net rate at which tidal binaries heat the stellar system is substantially reduced (by as much as a factor of 20) below that obtained when the binaries are treated simply as point masses. The most likely outcome of a triple encounter is the coalescence of two, or all three, of the stars involved.

Mcmillan, S. L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Theory of Ostwald ripening in a two-component system

When a two-component system is cooled below the minimum temperature for its stability, it separates into two or more immiscible phases. The initial nucleation produces grains (if solid) or droplets (if liquid) of one of the phases dispersed in the other. The dynamics by which these nuclei proceed toward equilibrium is called Ostwald ripening. The dynamics of growth of the droplets depends upon the following factors: (1) The solubility of the droplet depends upon its radius and the interfacial energy between it and the surrounding (continuous) phase. There is a critical radius determined by the supersaturation in the continuous phase. Droplets with radii smaller than critical dissolve, while droplets with radii larger grow. (2) The droplets concentrate one component and reject the other. The rate at which this occurs is assumed to be determined by the interdiffusion of the two components in the continuous phase. (3) The Ostwald ripening is constrained by conservation of mass; e.g., the amount of materials in the droplet phase plus the remaining supersaturation in the continuous phase must equal the supersaturation available at the start. (4) There is a distribution of droplet sizes associated with a mean droplet radius, which grows continuously with time. This distribution function satisfies a continuity equation, which is solved asymptotically by a similarity transformation method.

Baird, J. K.↗