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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Simulating of magnetic reconnection in solar flares

Magnetic reconnection is an astrophysical process where neighboring magnetic field lines running anti-parallel are reconfigured. Observations of solar flares are what pushed for serious research regarding magnetic reconnection as it seemed to be the underlying mechanism. The reconfiguration of the field lines results in an explosive release of energy as magnetic field energy is converted into plasma kinetic and thermal energies. Our work begins with Athena++, an astrophysical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation code, and an existing magnetic reconnection setup.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evolution of Urca Pairs in the Crusts of Highly Magnetized Neutron Stars

Abstract We report on the effects of strong magnetic fields on neutrino emission in the modified Urca process. We show that the effect of Landau levels on the various Urca pairs affects the neutrino emission spectrum and leads to an angular asymmetry in the neutrino emission. For low magnetic fields, the Landau levels have almost no effect on the cooling. However, as the field strength increases, the electron chemical potential increases resulting in a lower density at which Urca pairs can exist. For intermediate field strength, there is an interesting interference between the Landau level distribution and the Fermi distribution. For high enough field strength, the entire electron energy spectrum is eventually confined to a single Landau level producing dramatic spikes in the emission spectrum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Nonlocal Magneto-curvature Instability in a Differentially Rotating Disk

A global mode is shown to be unstable to nonaxisymmetric perturbations in a differentially rotating Keplerian disk containing either vertical or azimuthal magnetic fields. In an unstratified cylindrical disk model, using both global eigenvalue stability analysis and linear global initial-value simulations, it is demonstrated that this instability dominates at strong magnetic fields where local standard magnetorotational instability (MRI) becomes stable. Unlike the standard MRI mode, which is concentrated in the high flow shear region, these distinct global modes (with low azimuthal mode numbers) are extended in the global domain and are Alfvén-continuum-driven unstable modes. As its mode structure and relative dominance over MRI are inherently determined by the global spatial curvature as well as the flow shear in the presence of a magnetic field, we call it the magneto-curvature (magneto-spatial-curvature) instability. Consistent with the linear analysis, as the field strength is increased in the nonlinear simulations, a transition from MRI-driven turbulence to a state dominated by global nonaxisymmetric modes is obtained. This global instability could therefore be a source of nonlinear transport in accretion disks at a higher magnetic field than predicted by local models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Collaborative Research: Explosive reconnection in relativistic magnetically-dominated plasmas

Magnetic fields can be the dominant component of astrophysical plasmas, so that the magnetic energy density might exceed even the rest-mass energy density of matter. In this extreme (and largely unexplored) regime the magnetic field controls the overall plasma evolution, dissipation, and acceleration of non-thermal particles. This plasma regime, applicable to a variety of astrophysical sources --- magnetars, pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), jets of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) and Gamma-Ray Bursters (GRBs) --- is dramatically different from laboratory plasmas, the magnetospheres of planets, and the interplanetary plasma. Relativistic astrophysical sources then provide an unique opportunity to study the fundamental plasma physics of magnetically-dominated plasmas; a novel and quickly evolving field of theoretical research which, by investigating energy conversion and particle energization processes in plasmas, is of vital importance to the Fusion Energy Sciences DoE program.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Solitary Magnetic Structures at Quasi–Parallel Collisionless Shocks: Formation

Solitary magnetic structures known as SLAMS (short large-amplitude magnetic structures) have been considered as essential elements of collisionless shocks with quasi-parallel geometries. Yet the physics underlying their formation remains an open question. In this paper, we use measurements from the magnetospheric multiscale mission combined with fully kinetic simulations to study the formation of SLAMS. We find that gyro-resonance between solar wind ions and right-hand circularly polarized electromagnetic waves results in magnetic field amplification. Gyro-trapping by the growing magnetic field builds up the plasma density that further enhances the current and field. The solitary nature of SLAMS stems from a beat-like magnetic field envelope where the maximum sets the initial location for nonlinear growth. Our results present a conceptual advance on SLAMS, and may shed new light on the open question of magnetic field amplification at astrophysical shocks.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2005

Spatial Correlation of Solar-Wind Turbulence from Two-Point Measurements

Interplanetary turbulence, the best studied case of low frequency plasma turbulence, is the only directly quantified instance of astrophysical turbulence. Here, magnetic field correlation analysis, using for the first time only proper two-point, single time measurements, provides a key step in unraveling the space-time structure of interplanetary turbulence. Simultaneous magnetic field data from the Wind, ACE, and Cluster spacecraft are analyzed to determine the correlation (outer) scale, and the Taylor microscale near Earth's orbit.

Matthaeus, W. H.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Disentangling the Entangled Linkages of Magnetic Helicity

Magnetic helicity, H, measures magnetic linkages in a volume. The early theoretical development of helicity focused on magnetically closed systems in V bounded by ∂V. For magnetically closed systems, V ∈ R -3 = V + V∗, no magnetic flux threads the boundary, n̂ · B|∂V = 0. Berger & Field (1984) and Finn & Antonsen (1985) extended the definition of helicity to relative helicity, H, for magnetically open systems where magnetic flux may thread the boundary. Berger (1999, 2003) expressed this relative helicity as two gauge invariant terms that describe the self helicity of magnetic field that closes inside V and the mutual helicity between the magnetic field that threads the boundary ∂V and the magnetic field that closes inside V. The total magnetic field that permeates V entangles magnetic fields that are produced by current sources J in V with magnetic fields that are produced by current sources J∗ in V∗. Building on this fact, we extend Berger’s expressions for relative magnetic helicity to eight gauge invariant quantities that simultaneously characterize both of these self and mutual helicities and attribute their origins to currents J in V and/or J∗ in V∗, thereby disentangling the domain of origin for these entangled linkages. We arrange these eight terms into novel expressions for internal and external helicity (self) and internal-external helicity (mutual) based on their domain of origin. The implications of these linkages for interpreting magnetic energy is discussed and new boundary observables are proposed for tracking the evolution of the field that threads the boundary.

Analytical mathematics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Time-domain Modulation of HD 189733 Activities by Its Planet

Star–planet interaction can be studied by analyzing exoplanetary orbit and stellar rotation modulations of the transit emissions from exoplanetary systems. Here we carry out a time-domain analysis of the multiband activities of the HD 189733 star–planet system observed in X-ray, atomic lines, and broadband spectra reported in the literature. We find that the number of activities occuring at beat angles (of the planetary orbit and the stellar rotation) concentrating on a sector with a width of 108° are significantly larger than expected from a uniform distribution of activities, which indicates the existence of a major stellar active magnetic field region. The concentration of activities in this active magnetic field region shows their possible origins from the magnetic field interaction between HD 189733 and its close planet HD 189733 b.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electrodynamic coupling in magnetically confined X-ray plasmas of astrophysical origin

Explicitly magnetic field-independent relationships that quantitatively connect the thermodynamic state of the confined beta-less-than-one X-ray plasma to the confining magnetic loop characteristics and the stressing velocity at beta greater than about one are presented. The derived relations fall into two categories: (1) diffuse heating resulting from efficient transport of energy throughout the magnetic loop volume, and (2) isolated heating within the electrodynamic dissipation shell. For each of these cases the Joule dissipation, shear viscous dissipation, and compressional dissipation are considered. Each of these models is characterized by three thermodynamic scalings that are parametrized by the magnetic loop properties and by the stressing velocity. Eliminating the magnetic field intermediary from these relations and normalizing the inverse aspect ratio and the magnetic expansion factor with respect to solar conditions results in a single, unique velocity scaling law for each model.

Ionson, J. A.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Whence the Interstellar Magnetic Field Shaping the Heliosphere?

Measurements of starlight polarized by aligned interstellar dust grains are used to probe the relation between the orientation of the ambient interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) and the ISMF traced by the ribbons of energetic neutral atoms discovered by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer spacecraft. We utilize polarization data, many acquired specifically for this study, to trace the configuration of the ISMF within 40 pc. A statistical analysis yields a best-fit ISMF orientation, B magpol , aligned with Galactic coordinates ℓ = 42°, b = 49°. Further analysis shows the ISMF is more orderly for "downfield" stars located over 90° from Bmagpol. The data subset of downfield stars yields an orientation for the nearby ISMF at ecliptic coordinates λ, β ≈ 219° ± 15°, 43° ± 9° (Galactic coordinates l, b ≈ 40°, 56°, ±17°). This best-fit ISMF orientation from polarization data is close to the field direction obtained from ribbon models. This agreement suggests that the ISMF shaping the heliosphere belongs to an extended ordered magnetic field. Extended filamentary structures are found throughout the sky. A previously discovered filament traversing the heliosphere nose region, "Filament A," extends over 300° of the sky, and crosses the upwind direction of interstellar dust flowing into the heliosphere. Filament A overlaps the locations of the Voyager kilohertz emissions, three quasar intraday variables, cosmic microwave background (CMB) components, and the inflow direction of interstellar grains sampled by Ulysses and Galileo. These features are likely located in the upstream outer heliosheath where ISMF drapes over the heliosphere, suggesting Filament A coincides with a dusty magnetized plasma. A filament 55° long is aligned with a possible shock interface between local interstellar clouds. A dark spot in the CMB is seen within 5° of the filament and within 10° of the downfield ISMF direction. Two large magnetic arcs are centered on the directions of the heliotail. The overlap between CMB components and the aligned dust grains forming Filament A indicates the configuration of dust entrained in the ISMF interacting with the heliosphere provides a measurable foreground to the CMB.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1994

Intensity-dependent circular polarization and circumstellar magnetic fields from the observation of SiO masers

A new aspect of the propagation of astrophysical maser radiation in the presence of a magnetic field is described in which circular polarization is created. The resulting antisymmetric spectral line profile for this circular polarization resembles that produced by the ordinary Zeeman effect when the Zeeman splittings are much less than the spectral line breadth. It is caused by the change, with increasing maser intensity, in the axis of symmetry for the molecular quantum states from a direction that is parallel to the magnetic field to a direction that is parallel to the direction of propagation. When the maser is radiatively saturated, and the rate for stimulated emission is within an order of magnitude of the Zeeman splitting in frequency units, this 'intensity-dependent circular polarization' is greater than that due to the ordinary Zeeman effect by factors as large as 1000. The circular polarization that is observed in the spectra of circumstellar SiO (J = 1-0) masers associated with late-type giants and supergiants may then be caused by magnetic fields as weak as about 10 mG. With the standard Zeeman interpretation of the observations, magnetic fields of 10-100 G are indicated. The lower fields are similar to the limits obtained from the observation of the 22 GHz water masers which are typically somewhat further from the central star. The observed tendency for the fractional linear polarization of SiO masers to increase with increasing angular momentum of the molecular state is shown to be a likely result of anisotropic pumping. Errors are identified that invalidate a recent conflicting claim in the literature about the basic theory of maser polarization in the regime that is relevant here.

Nedoluha, Gerald E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic Field Reconstruction for a Realistic Multi-Point, Multi-Scale Spacecraft Observatory

Future in situ space plasma investigations will likely involve spatially distributed observatories comprised of multiple spacecraft, beyond the four and five spacecraft configurations currently in operation. Inferring the magnetic field structure across the observatory, and not simply at the observation points, is a necessary step towards characterizing fundamental plasma processes using these unique multi-point, multi-scale data sets. We propose improvements upon the classic first-order reconstruction method, as well as a second-order method, utilizing magnetometer measurements from a realistic nine-spacecraft observatory. The improved first-order method, which averages over select ensembles of four spacecraft, reconstructs the magnetic field associated with simple current sheets and numerical simulations of turbulence accurately over larger volumes compared to second-order methods or first-order methods using a single regular tetrahedron. Using this averaging method on data sets with fewer than nine measurement points, the volume of accurate reconstruction compared to a known magnetic vector field improves approximately linearly with the number of measurement points.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Progress on Cosmological Magnetic Fields

A variety of observations impose upper limits at the nano Gauss level on magnetic fields that are coherent on inter-galactic scales while blazar observations indicate a lower bound $\sim 10^{-16}$ Gauss. Such magnetic fields can play an important astrophysical role, for example at cosmic recombination and during structure formation, and also provide crucial information for particle physics in the early universe. Magnetic fields with significant energy density could have been produced at the electroweak phase transition. The evolution and survival of magnetic fields produced on sub-horizon scales in the early universe, however, depends on the magnetic helicity which is related to violation of symmetries in fundamental particle interactions. In conclusion, the generation of magnetic helicity requires new CP violating interactions that can be tested by accelerator experiments via decay channels of the Higgs particle.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Validation of magnetized gas-jet experiments to investigate the effects of an external magnetic field on laser-plasma instabilities

Laser-plasma instabilities (LPI) play a detrimental role in energy coupling to the target in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The recent development of applied strong magnetic fields for use in ICF and laboratory astrophysics experiments has opened opportunities to investigate the role of external magnetic fields on LPIs. Recent numerical studies have shown that stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) can be mitigated by external magnetic fields in the kinetic regime of the instability and warrant systematic experimental studies to validate modelling. To this end, we design experiments at the OMEGA-EP laser facility to investigate the effect of an external perpendicular B-field of 5–30 T on the backscattered light spectrum from a gas-jet target. We present measurements from a proof-of-principle experiment, where the backward-SRS (BSRS) is in the kinetic regime, for which the magnetization is expected to produce the greatest effects on instability growth. New simulations motivated by this experiment are used to inform the proposal of an upgraded experimental design. Our simulation predictions show that the new design is suited to experimentally demonstrating BSRS mitigation by an external magnetic field, despite the magnetization effects on the hydrodynamics, as well as the inherent temporal and spatial variations in plasma conditions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Critical magnetic Reynolds number of the turbulent dynamo in collisionless plasmas

The intracluster medium of galaxy clusters is an extremely hot and diffuse, nearly collisionless plasma, which hosts dynamically important magnetic fields of ~μG strength. Seed magnetic fields of much weaker strength of astrophysical or primordial origin can be present in the intracluster medium. In collisional plasmas, which can be approximated in the magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) limit, the turbulent dynamo mechanism can amplify weak seed fields to strong dynamical levels efficiently by converting turbulent kinetic energy into magnetic energy. However, the viability of this mechanism in weakly collisional or completely collisionless plasma is much less understood. In this study, we explore the properties of the collisionless turbulent dynamo using three-dimensional hybrid-kinetic particle-in-cell simulations. We explore the properties of the collisionless turbulent dynamo in the kinematic regime for different values of the magnetic Reynolds number, Rm, initial magnetic-to-kinetic energy ratio, (E mag /E kin ) i , and initial Larmor ratio, (r Larmor /L box ) i , i.e. the ratio of the Larmor radius to the size of the turbulent system. We find that in the ‘un-magnetized’ regime, (r Larmor /L box ) i > 1, the critical magnetic Reynolds number for the dynamo action Rm crit ≈ 107 ± 3. In the ‘magnetized’ regime, (r Larmor /L box ) i ≲ 1, we find a marginally higher Rm crit = 124 ± 8. We find that the growth rate of the magnetic energy does not depend on the strength of the seed magnetic field when the initial magnetization is fixed. We also study the distribution and evolution of the pressure anisotropy in the collisionless plasma and compare our results with the MHD turbulent dynamo.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulating ‘Two Ribbon’ Type Solar Flares [Slides]

The underlying mechanism in solar flares in a process known as magnetic reconnection. This astrophysical process is when magnetic field lines, running anti-parallel, break and reconnect. The change in configuration of field lines results in an explosive release of energy as the leftover magnetic energy is converted to kinetic and thermal energies. In this project, we are using an astrophysical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation code known as Athena++ with a reconnection problem generator file created by Li et al. 2018. Our current research is to successfully implement a radiative cooling term into the MHD equations as it could have important physical effects on the plasma. We use Klimchuk et al. 2008 and SPEX_DM as our chosen cooling functions. The results from the SPEX_DM function show there is a condensation forming that we had predicted but had not seen before with our simulation code. We will continue to analyze the SPEX_DM function and potentially implement thermal conduction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulations of radiatively cooled magnetic reconnection driven by pulsed power

Magnetic reconnection is an important process in astrophysical environments, as it reconfigures magnetic field topology and converts magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energy. In extreme astrophysical systems, such as black hole coronae and pulsar magnetospheres, radiative cooling modifies the energy partition by radiating away internal energy, which can lead to the radiative collapse of the reconnection layer. In this paper, we perform two- and three-dimensional simulations to model the MARZ (Magnetic Reconnection on Z) experiments, which are designed to access cooling rates in the laboratory necessary to investigate reconnection in a previously unexplored radiatively cooled regime. These simulations are performed in GORGON, an Eulerian two-temperature resistive magnetohydrodynamic code, which models the experimental geometry comprising two exploding wire arrays driven by 20 MA of current on the Z machine (Sandia National Laboratories). Radiative losses are implemented using non-local thermodynamic equilibrium tables computed using the atomic code Spk, and we probe the effects of radiation transport by implementing both a local radiation loss model and P 1/3 multi-group radiation transport. The load produces highly collisional, super-Alfvénic (Alfvén Mach number M A ≈ 1.5), supersonic (Sonic Mach number M S ≈ 4–5) strongly driven plasma flows which generate an elongated reconnection layer (Aspect Ratio L/δ≈100 , Lundquist number S L ≈ 400). The reconnection layer undergoes radiative collapse when the radiative losses exceed the rates of ohmic and compressional heating (cooling rate/hydrodynamic transit rate = τ$^{–1}_{cool}$/τ$^{–1}_{H}$ ≈100); this generates a cold strongly compressed current sheet, leading to an accelerated reconnection rate, consistent with theoretical predictions. Lastly, the current sheet is also unstable to the plasmoid instability, but the magnetic islands are extinguished by strong radiative cooling before ejection from the layer.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗