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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Sodium Lidar-observed Strong Inertia-gravity Wave Activities in the Mesopause Region over Fort Collins, Colorado (41 deg N, 105 deg W)

In December 2004, the Colorado State University sodium lidar system at Fort Collins, Colorado (41 deg N, 105 deg W), conducted an approximately 80-hour continuous campaign for the simultaneous observations of mesopause region sodium density, temperature, and zonal and meridional winds. This data set reveals the significant inertia-gravity wave activities with a period of approximately 18 hours, which are strong in both wind components since UT day 338 (second day of the campaign), and weak in temperature and sodium density. The considerable variability of wave activities was observed with both wind amplitudes growing up to approximately 40 m/s at 95-100 km in day 339 and then decreasing dramatically in day 340. We also found that the sodium density wave perturbation is correlated in phase with temperature perturbation below 90 km, and approximately 180 deg out of phase above. Applying the linear wave theory, we estimated the wave horizontal propagation direction, horizontal wavelength, and apparent horizontal phase speed to be approximately 25 deg south of west, approximately 1800 +/- 150 km, and approximately 28 +/- 2 m/s, respectively of wave intrinsic period, intrinsic phase speed, and vertical wavelength were also estimated. While the onset of enhanced inertia-gravity wave amplitude in the night of 338 was observed to be in coincidence with short-period gravity wave breaking via convective instability, the decrease of inertia-gravity wave amplitude after noon of day 339 was also observed to coincide with the development of atmospheric dynamical instability layers with downward phase progression clearly correlated with the 18-hour inertia-gravity wave, suggesting likely breaking of this inertia-gravity wave via dynamical (shear) instability.

mesopause region↗
NASA NTRS1995

The modulational instability for the TDNLS equations for weakly nonlinear dispersive MHD waves

In this paper we study the modulational instability for the TDNLS equations derived by Hada (1993) and Brio, Hunter, and Johnson to describe the propagation of weakly nonlinear dispersive MHD waves in beta approximately 1 plasmas. We employ Whitham's averaged Lagrangian method to study the modulational instability. This complements studies of the modulational instability by Hada (1993) and Hollweg (1994), who did not use the averaged Lagrangian approach.

Webb, G. M.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Drift-wave stability in the field-reversed configuration

Gyrokinetic simulations of C-2-like field-reversed configuration (FRC) find that electrostatic drift-waves are locally stable in the core. The stabilization mechanisms include finite Larmor radius effects, magnetic well (negative grad-B), and fast electron short circuit effects. In the scrape-off layer (SOL), collisionless electrostatic drift-waves in the ion-to-electron-scale are destabilized by electron temperature gradients due to the resonance with locally barely trapped electrons. Collisions can suppress this instability, but a collisional drift-wave instability still exists at realistic pressure gradients. Simulation results are in qualitative agreement with C-2 FRC experiments. In particular, the lack of ion-scale instability in the core is not inconsistent with experimental measurements of a fluctuation spectrum showing a depression at ion-scales. Here, the pressure gradient thresholds for the SOL instability from simulations are also consistent with the critical gradient behavior observed in experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

On the multistream approach of relativistic Weibel instability. II. Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal-type waves in magnetic trapping

The stationary state with magnetically trapped particles is investigated at the saturation of the relativistic Weibel instability, within the “multiring” model in a Hamiltonian framework. The multistream model and its multiring extension have been developed in Paper I, under the assumption that the generalized canonical momentum is conserved in the perpendicular direction. One dimensional relativistic Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal waves with deeply trapped particles are addressed using similar mathematical formalism developed by Lontano et al.[Phys. Plasmas 9, 2562 (2002); Phys. Plasmas 10, 639 (2003)] using several streams and in the presence of both electrostatic and magnetic trapping mechanisms.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2019

Evidence for Oscillating Two-Stream Instability and Spatial Collapse of Langmuir Waves in a Solar Type II Radio Burst

We present the high time resolution in situ observations of Langmuir waves, likely excited by an electron beam accelerated by a coronal-mass ejection-driven super-critical quasi-perpendicular interplanetary shock into its upstream solar wind, which happens to be the source region of a solar type II radio burst. We show that (1) these waves occur as coherent localized magnetic-field-aligned, one-dimensional wave packets with durations of a few milliseconds and with peak intensities well in excess of the threshold for strong turbulence processes, (2) they provide what is believed to be the first evidence for: (a) the oscillating two-stream instability (OTSI) L(sub 1) + L(sub 2) S/⟶ U + D, where L(sub 1) and L(sub 2), U and D, and S are the pump Langmuir waves, up- and down-shifted side bands, and ion sound waves, respectively, (b) a three-wave interaction U + D ⟶ T(sub 2f(sub pe)), where T(sub 2f(sub pe)) is the second harmonic electromagnetic wave, (3) they satisfy the threshold condition for formation of collapsing solitons, and (4) they are accompanied by their ponderomotive force induced density cavities with δn(sub p)/n(sub e) > δn(sub b)/n(sub e), where δn(sub p)/n(sub e) is the level of ponderomotive force induced density fluctuations and δn(sub b)/n(sub e) is that of the ambient fluctuations. These findings strongly suggest that the observed wave packets provide evidence for the collapsing solitons formed as a result of OTSI. The implication is that the strong turbulence processes probably play very important roles in excitation of type II radio emissions as well as in stabilization of shock-accelerated electron beams.

Sun radio radiation↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new tool for analyzing microinstabilities in space plasmas modeled by a generalized Lorentzian (kappa) distribution

The modified plasma dispersion function Z* sub kappa (xi) based on the generalized Lorentzian distribution, which was introduced by Summers and Thorne (1991), is used to analyze three classical problems of plasma physics. These include the Landau damping of Langmuir waves, the ion acoustic instability in a current-carrying plasma, and the cyclotron resonant instability of electromagnetic R mode waves propagating parallel to an ambient magnetic field. It was found that, in each case, the results for a generalized Lorentzian plasma can differ significantly from those for a Maxwellian plasma. It is suggested that previous calculations based on a Maxwellian plasma distribution function Z(xi) have to be reexamined.

Summers, Danny↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Proton-Cyclotron Wave Storm Generated by Unstable Proton Distribution Functions in the Solar Wind

We use audification of 0.092 seconds cadence magnetometer data from the Wind spacecraft to identify waves with amplitudes greater than 0.1 nanoteslas near the ion gyrofrequency (approximately 0.1 hertz) with duration longer than 1 hour during 2008. We present one of the most common types of event for a case study and find it to be a proton-cyclotron wave storm, coinciding with highly radial magnetic field and a suprathermal proton beam close in density to the core distribution itself. Using linear Vlasov analysis, we conclude that the long-duration, large-amplitude waves are generated by the instability of the proton distribution function. The origin of the beam is unknown, but the radial field period is found in the trailing edge of a fast solar wind stream and resembles other events thought to be caused by magnetic field footpoint motion or interchange reconnection between coronal holes and closed field lines in the corona.

instabilities - plasmas↗
DOE OSTI2017

Rossby waves in the magnetic fluid dynamics of a rotating plasma in the shallow-water approximation

We have studied rotating magnetohydrodynamic flows of a thin layer of astrophysical plasma with a free boundary in the β-plane. Nonlinear interactions of the Rossby waves have been analyzed in the shallow-water approximation based on the averaging of the initial equations of the magnetic fluid dynamics of the plasma over the depth. The shallow-water magnetohydrodynamic equations have been generalized to the case of a plasma layer in an external vertical magnetic field. We have considered two types of the flow, viz., the flow in an external vertical magnetic field and the flow in the presence of a horizontal magnetic field. Qualitative analysis of the dispersion curves shows the presence of three-wave nonlinear interactions of the magnetic Rossby waves in both cases. In the particular case of zero external magnetic field, the wave dynamics in the layer of a plasma is analogous to the wave dynamics in a neutral fluid. The asymptotic method of multiscale expansions has been used for deriving the nonlinear equations of interaction in an external vertical magnetic field for slowly varying amplitudes, which describe three-wave interactions in a vertical external magnetic field as well as three-wave interactions of waves in a horizontal magnetic field. It is shown that decay instabilities and parametric wave amplification mechanisms exist in each case under investigation. The instability increments and the parametric gain coefficients have been determined for the relevant processes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1979

Nonlinear stability of solar type III radio bursts. II - Application to observations near 1 AU

A set of rate equations including strong turbulence effects and anomalous resistivity are solved using parameters which model several solar type III bursts. Analysis of these bursts has led to quantitative comparisons between several of the observed phenomena and the theory. Through use of an analytic model for the time evolution of the energetic electron exciter, it is found that the exciter distributions observed at 1 AU are unstable to the excitation of the linear bump-in-tail instability, amplifying Langmuir waves above the threshold for the oscillating two-stream instability (OTSI). The OTSI and the attendant anomalous resistivity produce a rapid spectral transfer of Langmuir waves to short wavelengths, out of resonance with the electron exciter. In addition, the various parameters needed to model the bursts are extrapolated inside 1 AU with similar results. Finally, reabsorption of the Langmuir waves by the beam is shown to be unimportant in all cases, even at 0.1 AU.

Goldstein, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Effect of Compliant Walls on Secondary Instabilities in Boundary-Layer Transition

For aerodynamic and hydrodynamic vehicles, it is highly desirable to reduce drag and noise levels. A reduction in drag leads to fuel savings. In particular for submersible vehicles, a decrease in noise levels inhibits detection. A suggested means to obtain these reduction goals is by delaying the transition from laminar to turbulent flow in external boundary layers. For hydrodynamic applications, a passive device which shows promise for transition delays is the compliant coating. In previous studies with a simple mechanical model representing the compliant wall, coatings were found that provided transition delays as predicted from the semi-empirical e(sup n) method. Those studies were concerned with the linear stage of transition where the instability of concern is referred to as the primary instability. For the flat-plate boundary layer, the Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave is the primary instability. In one of those studies, it was shown that three-dimensional (3-D) primary instabilities, or oblique waves, could dominate transition over the coatings considered. From the primary instability, the stretching and tilting of vorticity in the shear flow leads to a secondary instability mechanism. This has been theoretical described by Herbert based on Floquet theory. In the present study, Herbert's theory is used to predict the development of secondary instabilities over isotropic and non-isotropic compliant walls. Since oblique waves may be dominant over compliant walls, a secondary theory extention is made to allow for these 3-D primary instabilities. The effect of variations in primary amplitude, spanwise wavenumber, and Reynolds number on the secondary instabilities are examined. As in the rigid wall case, over compliant walls the subharmonic mode of secondary instability dominates for low-amplitude primary disturbances. Both isotropic and non-isotropic compliant walls lead to reduced secondary growth rates compared to the rigid wall results. For high frequencies, the non-isotropic wall suppresses the amplification of the secondary instabilities, while instabilities over the isotropic wall may grow with an explosive rate similar to the rigid wall results. For the more important lower frequencies, both isotropic and non-isotropic compliant walls suppress the amplification of secondary instabilities compared to the rigid wall results. The twofold major discovery and demonstration of the present investigation are: (1) the use of passive devices, such as compliant walls, can lead to significant reductions in the secondary instability growth rates and amplification; (2) suppressing the primary growth rates and subsequent amplification enable delays in the growth of the explosive secondary instability mechanism.

Joslin, Ronald D.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Multi-dimensional instability of obliquely propagating ion acoustic solitary waves in electron-positron-ion superthermal magnetoplasmas

The solitary structures of multi–dimensional ion-acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) have been considered in magnetoplasmas consisting of electron-positron-ion with high-energy (superthermal) electrons and positrons are investigated. Using a reductive perturbation method, a nonlinear Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation is derived. The multi-dimensional instability of obliquely propagating (with respect to the external magnetic field) IASWs has been studied by the small-k (long wavelength plane wave) expansion perturbation method. The instability condition and the growth rate of the instability have been derived. It is shown that the instability criterion and their growth rate depend on the parameter measuring the superthermality, the ion gyrofrequency, the unperturbed positrons-to-ions density ratio, the direction cosine, and the ion-to-electron temperature ratio. Clearly, the study of our model under consideration is helpful for explaining the propagation and the instability of IASWs in space observations of magnetoplasmas with superthermal electrons and positrons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1991

Spatial Direct Numerical Simulation of Boundary-Layer Transition Mechanisms: Validation of PSE Theory

A study of instabilities in incompressible boundary-layer flow on a flat plate is conducted by spatial direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the Navier-Stokes equations. Here, the DNS results are used to critically evaluate the results obtained using parabolized stability equations (PSE) theory and to study mechanisms associated with breakdown from laminar to turbulent flow. Three test cases are considered: two-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting wave propagation, subharmonic instability breakdown, and oblique-wave break-down. The instability modes predicted by PSE theory are in good quantitative agreement with the DNS results, except a small discrepancy is evident in the mean-flow distortion component of the 2-D test problem. This discrepancy is attributed to far-field boundary- condition differences. Both DNS and PSE theory results show several modal discrepancies when compared with the experiments of subharmonic breakdown. Computations that allow for a small adverse pressure gradient in the basic flow and a variation of the disturbance frequency result in better agreement with the experiments.

Joslin, R. D.↗
DOE OSTI2013

General formulation for magnetohydrodynamic wave propagation, fire-hose, and mirror instabilities in Harris-type current sheets

Harris-type current sheets with the magnetic field model of B-vector=B{sub x}(z)x-caret+B{sub y}(z)y-caret have many important applications to space, astrophysical, and laboratory plasmas for which the temperature or pressure usually exhibits the gyrotropic form of p{r_reversible}=p{sub Parallel-To }b-caretb-caret+p{sub Up-Tack }(I{r_reversible}-b-caretb-caret). Here, p{sub Parallel-To} and p{sub Up-Tack} are, respectively, to be the pressure component along and perpendicular to the local magnetic field, b-caret=B-vector/B. This study presents the general formulation for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave propagation, fire-hose, and mirror instabilities in general Harris-type current sheets. The wave equations are expressed in terms of the four MHD characteristic speeds of fast, intermediate, slow, and cusp waves, and in the local (k{sub Parallel-To },k{sub Up-Tack },z) coordinates. Here, k{sub Parallel-To} and k{sub Up-Tack} are, respectively, to be the wave vector along and perpendicular to the local magnetic field. The parameter regimes for the existence of discrete and resonant modes are identified, which may become unstable at the local fire-hose and mirror instability thresholds. Numerical solutions for discrete eigenmodes are shown for stable and unstable cases. The results have important implications for the anomalous heating and stability of thin current sheets.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ion streaming instabilities with application to collisionless shock wave structure

The electromagnetic dispersion relation for two counterstreaming ion beams of arbitrary relative strength flowing parallel to a dc magnetic field is derived. The beams flow through a stationary electron background and the dispersion relation in the fluid approximation is unaffected by the electron thermal pressure. The dispersion relation is solved with a zero net current condition applied and the regions of instability in the k-U space (U is the relative velocity between the two ion beams) are presented. The parameters are then chosen to be applicable for parallel shocks. It was found that unstable waves with zero group velocity in the shock frame can exist near the leading edge of the shock for upstream Alfven Mach numbers greater than 5.5. It is suggested that this mechanism could generate sufficient turbulence within the shock layer to scatter the incoming ions and create the required dissipation for intermediate strength shocks.

Golden, K. I.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Nonlinear interaction between two electrostatic harmonics in a plasma

The problem of harmonic and subharmonic generation of electrostatic waves in a general collisionless plasma is treated using coupled-mode theory based on two time scales. A novel feature is that one of the two interacting waves may be a negative-energy wave. Since the model describing the medium need not be specified, only a general linear and nonlinear conductivity or an equivalent description is required. Just by invoking wave-energy conservation, the coupled-mode equations are obtained in such a way that unequivocal conclusions can be drawn. When both waves have positive energy, they exchange part of it in a periodic fashion, provided that both have some energy initially. If initially all the energy is in the fundamental, all of it will eventually end up (irreversibly) in the second harmonic. If all the energy is in the harmonic initially, no generation of the fundamental (or subharmonic) will take place. If one of the two waves is a negative-energy wave, an explosive instability develops, regardless of initial values. For comparable conditions, the instability time depends on whether the negative-energy wave is in the fundamental or in the upper harmonic.

Verheest, F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

On the instability of Goertler vortices to nonlinear travelling waves

Recent theoretical work by Hall and Seddougui (1989) has shown that strongly nonlinear, high wavenumber Goertler vortices developing within a boundary layer flow are susceptible to a secondary instability which takes the form of travelling waves confined to a thin region centered at the outer edge of the vortex. The case is considered in which the secondary mode could be satisfactorily described by a linear stability theory and herein the objective is to extend this investigation of Hall and Seddougui (1989) into the nonlinear regime. It was found that at this stage not only does the secondary mode become nonlinear but it also interacts with itself so as to modify the governing equations for the primary Goertler vortex. In this case then, the vortex and the travelling wave drive each other and, indeed, the whole flow structure is described by an infinite set of coupled, nonlinear differential equations. A Stuart-Watson type of weakly nonlinear analysis of these equations is undertaken and concluded, in particular, that on this basis there exist stable flow configurations in which the travelling mode is of finite amplitude. Implications of the findings for practical situations are discussed and it is shown that the theoretical conclusions drawn here are in good qualitative agreement with available experimental observations.

Seddougui, Sharon O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ion streaming instabilities with application to collisionless shock wave structure

The electromagnetic dispersion relation for two counterstreaming ion beams of arbitrary relative strength flowing parallel to a dc magnetic field is derived. The beams flow through a stationary electron background and the dispersion relation in the fluid approximation is unaffected by the electron thermal pressure. Magnetic effects on the ion beams are included, but the electrons are treated as a magnetized fluid. The dispersion relation is solved with a zero net current condition applied and the regions of instability in the k-U space (U is the relative velocity between the two ion beams) are presented. These results are extensions of Kovner's analysis for weak beams. The parameters are then chosen to be applicable for parallel shocks. It is found that unstable waves with zero group velocity in the shock frame can exist near the leading edge of the shock for upstream Alfven Mach numbers greater than 5.5.

Golden, K. I.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Secondary instability in boundary-layer flows

The stability of a secondary Tollmien-Schlichting wave, whose wavenumber and frequency are nearly one half those of a fundamental Tollmien-Schlichting instability wave is analyzed using the method of multiple scales. Under these conditions, the fundamental wave acts as a parametric exciter for the secondary wave. The results show that the amplitude of the fundamental wave must exceed a critical value to trigger this parametric instability. This value is proportional to a detuning parameter which is the real part of k - 2K, where k and K are the wavenumbers of the fundamental and its subharmonic, respectively. For Blasius flow, the critical amplitude is approximately 29% of the mean flow, and hence many other secondary instabilities take place before this parametric instability becomes significant. For other flows where the detuning parameter is small, such as free-shear layer flows, the critical amplitude can be small, thus the parametric instability might play a greater role.

Nayfeh, A. H.↗