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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 1,225 records · Page 68
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DOE OSTI2016

QUANTIFYING THE TOPOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF A MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE ASSOCIATED WITH MULTI-FLARE ACTIVITIES

Magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) play an important role in solar activities. The quantitative assessment of the topology of an MFR and its evolution is crucial for a better understanding of the relationship between the MFR and associated activities. In this paper, we investigate the magnetic field of active region (AR) 12017 from 2014 March 28–29, during which time 12 flares were triggered by intermittent eruptions of a filament (either successful or confined). Using vector magnetic field data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory , we calculate the magnetic energy and helicity injection in the AR, and extrapolate the 3D magnetic field with a nonlinear force-free field model. From the extrapolations, we find an MFR that is cospatial with the filament. We further determine the configuration of this MFR from the closed quasi-separatrix layer (QSL) around it. Then, we calculate the twist number and the magnetic helicity for the field lines composing the MFR. The results show that the closed QSL structure surrounding the MFR becomes smaller as a consequence of flare occurrence. We also find that the flares in our sample are mainly triggered by kink instability. Moreover, the twist number varies more sensitively than other parameters with the occurrence of flares.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

NARROWBAND GYROSYNCHROTRON BURSTS: PROBING ELECTRON ACCELERATION IN SOLAR FLARES

Recently, in a few case studies we demonstrated that gyrosynchrotron microwave emission can be detected directly from the acceleration region when the trapped electron component is insignificant. For the statistical study reported here, we have identified events with steep (narrowband) microwave spectra that do not show a significant trapped component and, at the same time, show evidence of source uniformity, which simplifies the data analysis greatly. Initially, we identified a subset of more than 20 radio bursts with such narrow spectra, having low- and high-frequency spectral indices larger than three in absolute value. A steep low-frequency spectrum implies that the emission is nonthermal (for optically thick thermal emission, the spectral index cannot be steeper than two), and the source is reasonably dense and uniform. A steep high-frequency spectrum implies that no significant electron trapping occurs, otherwise a progressive spectral flattening would be observed. Roughly half of these radio bursts have RHESSI data, which allow for detailed, joint diagnostics of the source parameters and evolution. Based on an analysis of radio-to-X-ray spatial relationships, timing, and spectral fits, we conclude that the microwave emission in these narrowband bursts originates directly from the acceleration regions, which have a relatively strong magnetic field, high density, and low temperature. In contrast, the thermal X-ray emission comes from a distinct loop with a smaller magnetic field, lower density, but higher temperature. Therefore, these flares likely occurred due to interaction between two (or more) magnetic loops.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

CALCULATING ROTATING HYDRODYNAMIC AND MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC WAVES TO UNDERSTAND MAGNETIC EFFECTS ON DYNAMICAL TIDES

To understand magnetic effects on dynamical tides, we study the rotating magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow driven by harmonic forcing. The linear responses are analytically derived in a periodic box under the local WKB approximation. Both the kinetic and Ohmic dissipations at the resonant frequencies are calculated, and the various parameters are investigated. Although magnetic pressure may be negligible compared to thermal pressure, the magnetic field can be important for the first-order perturbation, e.g., dynamical tides. It is found that the magnetic field splits the resonant frequency, namely the rotating hydrodynamic flow has only one resonant frequency, but the rotating MHD flow has two, one positive and the other negative. In the weak field regime the dissipations are asymmetric around the two resonant frequencies and this asymmetry is more striking with a weaker magnetic field. It is also found that both the kinetic and Ohmic dissipations at the resonant frequencies are inversely proportional to the Ekman number and the square of the wavenumber. The dissipation at the resonant frequency on small scales is almost equal to the dissipation at the non-resonant frequencies, namely the resonance takes its effect on the dissipation at intermediate length scales. Moreover, the waves with phase propagation that is perpendicular to the magnetic field are much more damped. It is also interesting to find that the frequency-averaged dissipation is constant. This result suggests that in compact objects, magnetic effects on tidal dissipation should be considered.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

TWO REGIMES OF INTERACTION OF A HOT JUPITER’S ESCAPING ATMOSPHERE WITH THE STELLAR WIND AND GENERATION OF ENERGIZED ATOMIC HYDROGEN CORONA

The interaction of escaping the upper atmosphere of a hydrogen-rich non-magnetized analog of HD 209458b with a stellar wind (SW) of its host G-type star at different orbital distances is simulated with a 2D axisymmetric multi-fluid hydrodynamic (HD) model. A realistic Sun-like spectrum of X-ray and ultraviolet radiation, which ionizes and heats the planetary atmosphere, together with hydrogen photochemistry, as well as stellar-planetary tidal interaction are taken into account to generate self-consistently an atmospheric HD outflow. Two different regimes of the planetary and SW interaction have been modeled. These are: (1) the “ captured by the star ” regime, when the tidal force and pressure gradient drive the planetary material beyond the Roche lobe toward the star, and (2) the “ blown by the wind ” regime, when sufficiently strong SW confines the escaping planetary atmosphere and channels it into the tail. The model simulates in detail the HD interaction between the planetary atoms, protons and the SW, as well as the production of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) around the planet due to charge exchange between planetary atoms and stellar protons. The revealed location and shape of the ENA cloud, either as a paraboloid shell between the ionopause and bowshock (for the “ blown by the wind ” regime), or a turbulent layer at the contact boundary between the planetary stream and SW (for the “ captured by the star ” regime) are of importance for the interpretation of Ly α absorption features in exoplanetary transit spectra and characterization of the plasma environments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF LONG-TERM INFRARED VARIABILITY AMONG YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN CHAMAELEON I

Infrared variability is common among young stellar objects, with surveys finding daily to weekly fluctuations of a few tenths of a magnitude. Space-based observations can produce highly sampled infrared light curves, but are often limited to total baselines of about 1 month due to the orientation of the spacecraft. Here we present observations of the Chameleon I cluster, whose low declination makes it observable by the Spitzer Space Telescope over a 200-day period. We observe 30 young stellar objects with a daily cadence to better sample variability on timescales of months. We find that such variability is common, occurring in ∼80% of the detected cluster members. The change in [3.6]–[4.5] color over 200 days for many of the sources falls between that expected for extinction and fluctuations in disk emission. With our high cadence and long baseline we can derive power spectral density curves covering two orders of magnitude in frequency and find significant power at low frequencies, up to the boundaries of our 200-day survey. Such long timescales are difficult to explain with variations driven by the interaction between the disk and stellar magnetic field, which has a dynamical timescale of days to weeks. The most likely explanation is either structural or temperature fluctuations spread throughout the inner ∼0.5 au of the disk, suggesting that the intrinsic dust structure is highly dynamic.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

A New Two-fluid Radiation-hydrodynamical Model for X-Ray Pulsar Accretion Columns

Previous research centered on the hydrodynamics in X-ray pulsar accretion columns has largely focused on the single-fluid model, in which the super-Eddington luminosity inside the column decelerates the flow to rest at the stellar surface. This type of model has been relatively successful in describing the overall properties of the accretion flows, but it does not account for the possible dynamical effect of the gas pressure. On the other hand, the most successful radiative transport models for pulsars generally do not include a rigorous treatment of the dynamical structure of the column, instead assuming an ad hoc velocity profile. In this paper, we explore the structure of X-ray pulsar accretion columns using a new, self-consistent, “two-fluid” model, which incorporates the dynamical effect of the gas and radiation pressures, the dipole variation of the magnetic field, the thermodynamic effect of all of the relevant coupling and cooling processes, and a rigorous set of physical boundary conditions. The model has six free parameters, which we vary in order to approximately fit the phase-averaged spectra in Her X-1, Cen X-3, and LMC X-4. In this paper, we focus on the dynamical results, which shed new light on the surface magnetic field strength, the inclination of the magnetic field axis relative to the rotation axis, the relative importance of gas and radiation pressures, and the radial variation of the ion, electron, and inverse-Compton temperatures. The results obtained for the X-ray spectra are presented in a separate paper.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Listing of 502 Times When the Ulysses Magnetic Fields Instrument Observed Waves Due to Newborn Interstellar Pickup Protons

In two earlier publications we analyzed 502 intervals of magnetic waves excited by newborn interstellar pickup protons that were observed by the Ulysses spacecraft. Due to the considerable effort required in identifying these events, we provide a list of the times for the 502 wave event intervals previously identified. In the process, we provide a brief description of how the waves were found and what their properties are. We also remind the reader of the conditions that permit the waves to reach observable levels and explain why the waves are not seen more often.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Association of Supergranule Mean Scales with Solar Cycle Strengths and Total Solar Irradiance

We analyze the long-term behavior of the supergranule scale parameter, in active regions (ARs) and quiet regions (QRs), using the Kodaikanal digitized data archive. This database provides century-long daily full disk observations of the Sun in Ca ii K wavelengths. In this paper, we study the distributions of the supergranular scales, over the whole data duration, which show identical shape in these two regimes. We found that the AR mean scale values are always higher than that of the QR for every solar cycle. The mean scale values are highly correlated with the sunspot number cycle amplitude and also with total solar irradiance (TSI) variations. Such a correlation establishes the cycle-wise mean scale as a potential calibrator for the historical data reconstructions. We also see an upward trend in the mean scales, as has already been reported in TSI. This may provide new input for climate forcing models. These results also give us insight into the different evolutionary scenarios of the supergranules in the presence of strong (AR) and weak (QR) magnetic fields.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Alfvén Wave Turbulence as a Coronal Heating Mechanism: Simultaneously Predicting the Heating Rate and the Wave-induced Emission Line Broadening

We test the predictions of the Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM), a global wave-driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the solar atmosphere, against high-resolution spectra emitted by the quiescent off-disk solar corona. AWSoM incorporates Alfvén wave propagation and dissipation in both closed and open magnetic field lines; turbulent dissipation is the only heating mechanism. We examine whether this mechanism is consistent with observations of coronal EUV emission by combining model results with the CHIANTI atomic database to create synthetic line-of-sight spectra, where spectral line widths depend on thermal and wave-related ion motions. This is the first time wave-induced line broadening is calculated from a global model with a realistic magnetic field. We used high-resolution SUMER observations above the solar west limb between 1.04 and 1.34 R {sub ⊙} at the equator, taken in 1996 November. We obtained an AWSoM steady-state solution for the corresponding period using a synoptic magnetogram. The 3D solution revealed a pseudo-streamer structure transversing the SUMER line of sight, which contributes significantly to the emission; the modeled electron temperature and density in the pseudo-streamer are consistent with those observed. The synthetic line widths and the total line fluxes are consistent with the observations for five different ions. Further, line widths that include the contribution from the wave-induced ion motions improve the correspondence with observed spectra for all ions. We conclude that the turbulent dissipation assumed in the AWSoM model is a viable candidate for explaining coronal heating, as it is consistent with several independent measured quantities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

On the Relation between the In Situ Properties and the Coronal Sources of the Solar Wind

We categorize the types of solar wind using a new classification scheme based on the location of the wind’s coronal source regions in the solar atmosphere and near-solar heliosphere. We first trace the solar wind measured by ACE/SWEPAM and SWICS from 1998 to 2011 at 1 au back to a 2.5R{sub s} solar surface using ballistic mapping at constant proton speed; then we map them back to their magnetic footpoints on the 1R{sub s} solar surface via the potential field source surface (PFSS) model. Coronal structures are identified using a classification scheme based on the pixel brightness in the SOHO or STEREO EUV Carrington images. The angular distances between each mapped solar wind footpoint to the different coronal structure pixels are calculated and used as a criterion to identify the type of solar wind source region. Depending on the proximity of the solar wind footpoints to a given coronal or heliospheric structure, we classify the solar wind into six types: active region (AR), AR-boundary, quiet Sun (QS), coronal hole (CH), CH-boundary, and helmet-streamer associated wind. The in situ properties of these six types of solar winds are then examined and compared, and their solar cycle dependences are also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Direct Effect of Toroidal Magnetic Fields on Stellar Oscillations: An Analytical Expression for the General Matrix Element

Where is the solar dynamo located and what is its modus operandi? These are still open questions in solar physics. Helio- and asteroseismology can help answer them by enabling us to study solar and stellar internal structures through global oscillations. The properties of solar and stellar acoustic modes are changing with the level of magnetic activity. However, until now, the inference on subsurface magnetic fields with seismic measures has been very limited. The aim of this paper is to develop a formalism to calculate the effect of large-scale toroidal magnetic fields on solar and stellar global oscillation eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies. If the Lorentz force is added to the equilibrium equation of motion, stellar eigenmodes can couple. In quasi-degenerate perturbation theory, this coupling, also known as the direct effect, can be quantified by the general matrix element. We present the analytical expression of the matrix element for a superposition of subsurface zonal toroidal magnetic field configurations. The matrix element is important for forward calculations of perturbed solar and stellar eigenfunctions and frequency perturbations. The results presented here will help to ascertain solar and stellar large-scale subsurface magnetic fields, and their geometric configuration, strength, and change over the course of activity cycles.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fluid Mixing during Phase Separation in Crystallizing White Dwarfs

Abstract Accurate models of cooling white dwarfs must treat the energy released as their cores crystallize. This phase transition slows the cooling by releasing latent heat and also gravitational energy, which results from phase separation: liquid C is released from the solid C/O core, driving an outward carbon flux. The Gaia color–magnitude diagram provides striking confirmation of this theory by revealing a mass-dependent overdensity of white dwarfs, indicating slowed cooling at the expected location. However, the observed overdensity is enhanced relative to the models. Additionally, it is associated with increased magnetism, suggesting a link between crystallization and magnetic field generation. Recent works aimed at explaining an enhanced cooling delay and magnetic field generation employ a uniform mixing prescription that assumes large-scale turbulent motions; we show here that these calculations are not self-consistent. We also show that thermohaline mixing is most likely efficient enough to provide the required chemical redistribution during C/O phase separation, and that the resulting velocities and mixing lengths are much smaller than previous estimates. These reduced fluid motions cannot generate measurable magnetic fields, suggesting any link with crystallization needs to invoke a separate mechanism. Finally, this mixing alters the chemical profiles, which in turn affects the frequencies of the pulsation modes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

STELLAR DYNAMOS AND CYCLES FROM NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF CONVECTION

We present a series of kinematic axisymmetric mean-field αΩ dynamo models applicable to solar-type stars, for 20 distinct combinations of rotation rates and luminosities. The internal differential rotation and kinetic helicity profiles required to calculate source terms in these dynamo models are extracted from a corresponding series of global three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of solar/stellar convection, so that the resulting dynamo models end up involving only one free parameter, namely, the turbulent magnetic diffusivity in the convecting layers. Even though the αΩ dynamo solutions exhibit a broad range of morphologies, and sometimes even double cycles, these models manage to reproduce relatively well the observationally inferred relationship between cycle period and rotation rate. On the other hand, they fail in capturing the observed increase of magnetic activity levels with rotation rate. This failure is due to our use of a simple algebraic α-quenching formula as the sole amplitude-limiting nonlinearity. This suggests that α-quenching is not the primary mechanism setting the amplitude of stellar magnetic cycles, with magnetic reaction on large-scale flows emerging as the more likely candidate. This inference is coherent with analyses of various recent global magnetohydrodynamical simulations of solar/stellar convection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Dependence of the IR–Radio Correlation on the Metallicity

We have compiled a sample of 26 metal-poor galaxies with 12 + log(O/H) < 8.1 with both infrared continuum and 1.4 GHz radio continuum data. By comparing to galaxies at higher metallicity, we have investigated the IR–radio relationship’s dependence on metallicity at the 24, 70, 100, and 160 μm bands, as well as the integrated FIR luminosity. It is found that metal-poor galaxies have on average lower q{sub IR} than metal-rich ones, with larger offsets at longer IR wavelengths, from −0.06 dex in q{sub 24μm} to −0.6 dex in q{sub 160μm}. The q{sub IR} of all galaxies as a whole at 160 μm show positive trends with the metallicity and IR-to-FUV ratio and negative trends with the IR color, while those at lower IR wavelengths show weaker correlations. We propose a mechanism that invokes the combined effects of low obscured-SFR-to-total-SFR fraction and warm dust temperature at low metallicity to interpret the above behavior of q{sub IR}, with the former reducing the IR radiation and the latter further reducing the IR emission at longer IR wavelengths. Other mechanisms that are related to the radio emission, including the enhanced magnetic field strength and increased thermal radio contribution, are unable to reconcile the IR-wavelength-dependent differences of q{sub IR} between metal-poor and metal-rich galaxies. In contrast to q{sub IR}, the mean total-SFR-to-radio ratio of metal-poor galaxies is the same as that for metal-rich galaxies, indicating the 1.4 GHz radio emission is still an effective tracer of SFRs at low metallicity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

TWO-STAGE FRAGMENTATION FOR CLUSTER FORMATION: ANALYTICAL MODEL AND OBSERVATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Linear analysis of the formation of protostellar cores in planar magnetic interstellar clouds shows that molecular clouds exhibit a preferred length scale for collapse that depends on the mass-to-flux ratio and neutral-ion collision time within the cloud. We extend this linear analysis to the context of clustered star formation. By combining the results of the linear analysis with a realistic ionization profile for the cloud, we find that a molecular cloud may evolve through two fragmentation events in the evolution toward the formation of stars. Our model suggests that the initial fragmentation into clumps occurs for a transcritical cloud on parsec scales while the second fragmentation can occur for transcritical and supercritical cores on subparsec scales. Comparison of our results with several star-forming regions (Perseus, Taurus, Pipe Nebula) shows support for a two-stage fragmentation model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Beam Energy Scan a Case for the Chiral Magnetic Effect in Au-Au Collisions

The Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME) is predicted for Au-Au collisions at RHIC. However, many backgrounds can give signals that make the measurement hard to interpret. The STAR experiment has made measurements at different collisions energy ranging from √(s NN )=7.7 GeV to 62.4 GeV. In the analysis that is presented we show that the CME turns on with energy and is not present in central collisions where the induced magnetic is small.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Planck intermediate results: XXXIII. Signature of the magnetic field geometry of interstellar filaments in dust polarization maps

Planck observations at 353 GHz provide the first fully sampled maps of the polarized dust emission towards interstellar filaments and their backgrounds (i.e., the emission observed in the surroundings of the filaments). The data allow us to determine the intrinsic polarization properties of the filaments and therefore to provide insight into the structure of their magnetic field (B). In this paper, we present the polarization maps of three nearby (several parsecs long) star-forming filaments of moderate column density (N H about 10 22 cm -2 ): Musca, B211, and L1506. These three filaments are detected above the background in dust total and polarized emission. We use the spatial information to separate Stokes I, Q, and U of the filaments from those of their backgrounds, an essential step in measuring the intrinsic polarization fraction (p) and angle (ψ) of each emission component. We find that the polarization angles in the three filaments (ψ fil ) are coherent along their lengths and not the same as in their backgrounds (ψ bg ). The differences between ψ fil and ψ bg are 12° and 54° for Musca and L1506, respectively, and only 6° in the case of B211. These differences forMusca and L1506 are larger than the dispersions of ψ, both along the filaments and in their backgrounds. The observed changes of ψ are direct evidence of variations of the orientation of the plane of the sky (POS) projection of the magnetic field. As in previous studies, we find a decrease of several per cent in p with N H from the backgrounds to the crest of the filaments. We show that the bulk of the drop in p within the filaments cannot be explained by random fluctuations of the orientation of the magnetic field because they are too small (σ ψ < 10°). We recognize the degeneracy between the dust alignment efficiency (by, e.g., radiative torques) and the structure of the B-field in causing variations in p, but we argue that the decrease in p from the backgrounds to the filaments results in part from depolarization associated with the 3D structure of the B-field: both its orientation in the POS and with respect to the POS. We do not resolve the inner structure of the filaments, but at the smallest scales accessible with Planck (~0.2 pc), the observed changes of ψ and p hold information on the magnetic field structure within filaments. Finally, they show that both the mean field and its fluctuations in the filaments are different from those of their backgrounds, which points to a coupling between the matter and the B-field in the filament formation process.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetic pair creation transparency in gamma-ray pulsars

Magnetic pair creation, γ → e {sup +} e {sup –}, has been at the core of radio pulsar paradigms and central to polar cap models of gamma-ray pulsars for over three decades. The Fermi gamma-ray pulsar population now exceeds 140 sources and has defined an important part of Fermi's science legacy, providing rich information for the interpretation of young energetic pulsars and old millisecond pulsars. Among the population characteristics well established is the common occurrence of exponential turnovers in their spectra in the 1-10 GeV range. These turnovers are too gradual to arise from magnetic pair creation in the strong magnetic fields of pulsar inner magnetospheres. By demanding insignificant photon attenuation precipitated by such single-photon pair creation, the energies of these turnovers for Fermi pulsars can be used to compute lower bounds for the typical altitude of GeV band emission. This paper explores such pair transparency constraints below the turnover energy and updates earlier altitude bound determinations that have been deployed in various Fermi pulsar papers. For low altitude emission locales, general relativistic influences are found to be important, increasing cumulative opacity, shortening the photon attenuation lengths, and also reducing the maximum energy that permits escape of photons from a neutron star magnetosphere. Rotational aberration influences are also explored, and are found to be small at low altitudes, except near the magnetic pole. The analysis presented in this paper clearly demonstrates that including near-threshold physics in the pair creation rate is essential to deriving accurate attenuation lengths and escape energies. The altitude bounds are typically in the range of 2-7 stellar radii for the young Fermi pulsar population, and provide key information on the emission altitude in radio quiet pulsars that do not possess double-peaked pulse profiles. The bound for the Crab pulsar is at a much higher altitude, with the putative detection by MAGIC out to 350-400 GeV implying a lower bound of 310 km to the emission region, i.e., approximately 20% of the light cylinder radius. These results are also extended to the super-critical field domain, where it is found that emission in neurton stars originating below around 10 stellar radii will not appear in the Fermi-LAT band.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗