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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Theory of the pulse response from a small antenna in a magnetized plasma

The electrostatic plasma response to a small pulsed antenna in a magnetic field is analyzed. The ringing of the plasma at three discrete frequencies--the upper-hybrid frequency and two resonance cone branch frequencies--is evidenced, and the amplitudes of these frequency responses is determined as a function of the characteristic plasma frequencies, the angle of observation with respect to the magnetic field, and the pulse length. Applications to plasma diagnostics are discussed. It is shown that the upper hybrid response and the response at either of the resonance cone branch frequencies is adequate information to determine the plasma density, and the magnetic field magnitude and angle.

Grabbe, Crockett L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Arcjet plasma plume effect on a microwave reflector antenna

The effect of plasma produced by an arc-jet thruster on the performance of on-board reflector antennas was investigated using a configuration in which the arc-jet plume is modeled as an inhomogeneous scatterer with a smoothly varying refractive index. On the basis of laws of geometrical optics, used to calculate the wave propagation, the trajectory, phase, amplitude, and polarization of the high-frequency ray field are computed numerically. The experiments performed to validate the calculated results experimentally are described.

Birkner, B. W.↗
NASA NTRS1967

Movable RF probe eliminates need for calibration in plasma accelerators

Movable RF antenna probe in plasma accelerators continuously maps the RF field both within and beyond the accelerator. It eliminates the need for installing probes in the accelerator walls. The moving RF probe can be used to map the RF electrical field under various accelerator conditions.

Miller, D. B.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling of convective cells, turbulence, and transport induced by a radio-frequency antenna in the tokamak boundary plasma

The edge turbulence model Hermes (Dudson et al 2017 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 59 05401) is set up for plasma boundary simulations with an radiofrequency (RF) antenna, using parameters characteristic of a tokamak edge. Cartesian slab geometry is used with thin plate limiters representing the ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) antenna side-wall limiters. Ad-hoc DC electric biasing of the limiters, motivated by calculations with VSim (Nieter et al 2004 J. Comput. Phys. 196 448), represents an induced RF sheath rectified potential in the plasma turbulence model. Flux-driven turbulence simulations demonstrate a realistic distribution of plasma profiles and fluctuations. There is a clear effect of the antenna sheath voltage leading to formation of convective cells; bias-induced convective transport flattens the scrape-off layer density profile and fluctuations penetrate into the shadow region of the limiters as the bias voltage increases. Turbulent transport for impurity ions is inferred by following ion trajectories in the simulated plasma turbulence fields, showing Bohm-like effective diffusion rates. All in all, the model elucidates the key physical phenomena governing the effects of ICRF-induced antenna biasing on the tokamak boundary plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2006

Thermal Challenge for Sun-Viewing Instruments on Solar Probe 3 R(sub s) from Sun

The Solar Probe science team at NASA GSFC is considering enhance science observations by adding the nadir viewing Plasma Spectrometer instrument and using heat shields to protect the Plasma Wave antennas to permit full extension at 3 R. The electrostatic mirror of the Plasma Spectrometer is thermally protected from the Sun by a miniature sunshield that consists of two carbon-carbon composite layers, and a much smaller carbon-carbon heat shield. The sun-viewing surface of the miniature sunshield has an Al2O3 thin film coating. The slope of the sunshield is minimized to the smallest possible extent so that it can still accommodate the elliptical electrostatic mirror. Two small MLI flaps minimize the heat radiation from the Plasma Spectrometer to the spacecraft bus. This design meets the thermal requirements. Each of the four Plasma Wave wire antennas is 5 m long, and thermally protected from the Sun by a sunshield. The sunshield consists of two carbon-carbon composite sheets. One sheet views the Sun, and one does not. The slope of most of the sun-viewing sheet is 23deg with the nadir axis. For mechanical reason, it gradually increases to 37.5deg at the tip. The exterior of the sun viewing surfaces has a thin film of Al2O3. The exterior of the shaded sheets has a thin film of vapor deposited rhodium. It minimizes the heat radiation to the spacecraft bus. A high temperature MLI blanket between the carbon-carbon sheets radiatively isolates them. The thermal design meets the temperature requirements, but exceeds the 20 W limit of heat radiation to the spacecraft bus by 20 W. Thermal options to reduce the heat radiation include reducing the alpha to epsilon ratio of the Al2O3 thin film and reducing the number of antennas to three. Testing in 2006 includes thermal model validation and materials testing. High temperature ovens and a high light intensity Vortex Lamp will be used.

Choi, Michael K.↗