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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Disruption of coronal magnetic field arcades

The ideal and resistive properties of isolated large-scale coronal magnetic arcades are studied using axisymmetric solutions of the time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations in spherical geometry. We examine how flares and coronal mass ejections may be initiated by sudden disruptions of the magnetic field. The evolution of coronal arcades in response to applied shearing photospheric flows indicates that disruptive behavior can occur beyond a critical shear. The disruption can be traced to ideal MHD magnetic nonequilibrium. The magnetic field expands outward in a process that opens the field lines and produces a tangential discontinuity in the magnetic field. In the presence of plasma resistivity, the resulting current sheet is the site of rapid reconnection, leading to an impulsive release of magnetic energy, fast flows, and the ejection of a plasmoid. We relate these results to previous studies of force-free fields and to the properties of the open-field configuration. We show that the field lines in an arcade are forced open when the magnetic energy approaches (but is still below) the open-field energy, creating a partially open field in which most of the field lines extend away from the solar surface. Preliminary application of this model to helmet streamers indicates that it is relevant to the initiation of coronal mass ejections.

Mikic, Zoran↗
NASA NTRS2010

Interlaminar Stresses by Refined Beam Theories and the Sinc Method Based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative

Computation of interlaminar stresses from the higher-order shear and normal deformable beam theory and the refined zigzag theory was performed using the Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative. The Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative was proposed as an efficient method for determining through-the-thickness variations of interlaminar stresses from one- and two-dimensional analysis by integration of the equilibrium equations of three-dimensional elasticity. However, the use of traditional equivalent single layer theories often results in inaccuracies near the boundaries and when the lamina have extremely large differences in material properties. Interlaminar stresses in symmetric cross-ply laminated beams were obtained by solving the higher-order shear and normal deformable beam theory and the refined zigzag theory with the Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative. Interlaminar stresses and bending stresses from the present approach were compared with a detailed finite element solution obtained by ABAQUS/Standard. The results illustrate the ease with which the Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative can be used to obtain the through-the-thickness distributions of interlaminar stresses from the beam theories. Moreover, the results indicate that the refined zigzag theory is a substantial improvement over the Timoshenko beam theory due to the piecewise continuous displacement field which more accurately represents interlaminar discontinuities in the strain field. The higher-order shear and normal deformable beam theory more accurately captures the interlaminar stresses at the ends of the beam because it allows transverse normal strain. However, the continuous nature of the displacement field requires a large number of monomial terms before the interlaminar stresses are computed as accurately as the refined zigzag theory.

Slemp, Wesley C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A mechanism for magnetospheric substorms

Energy-principle analysis performed on two-dimensional, self-consistent solutions for magnetospheric convection indicates that the magnetosphere is unstable to isobaric (yet still frozen-in) fluctuations of plasma-sheet flux tubes. Normally, pdV work associated with compression maintains stability of the inward/outward oscillating normal mode. However, if Earth's ionosphere can provide sufficient mass flux, isobaric expansion of flux tubes can occur. The growth of a field-aligned potential drop in the near-Earth, midnight portion of the plasma sheet, associated with upward field-aligned currents responsible for the Harang discontinuity, redistributes plasma along field lines in a manner that destabilizes the normal mode. The growth of this unstable mode results in an out-of-equilibrium situation near the inner edge. When this occurs over a downtail extent comparable to the half-thickness of the plasma sheet, collapse ensues and forces thinning of the plasma sheet whereby conditions favorable to reconnection occur. This scenario for substorm onset is consistent with observed upward fluxes of ions, parallel potential drops, and observations of substorm onset. These observations include near Earth onset, pseudobreakups, the substorm current wedge, and local variations of plasma-sheet thickness.

Erickson, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A nonsingular model of the open magnetosphere

We present a modified version of the Toffoletto and Hill (1989) open magnetosphere model that incorporates a tail-like interconection field with a discontinuity 10 represent the slow-mode expansion fan that defines the high-latitude tail magnetopause. (The interconnection field is defined as the perturbation on an initially closed magnetosphere model to make it open.) The expansion fan controls the open field line region in the tail, and the intersection of the fan with the tail current sheet is, by design, the x line. The new interconnection field allows greater control of the tail field structure; in particular, it enables us to eliminate the nightside mapping singularity that occurs in previous models when the interplanetary magnetic field is nonsouthward. Also, in contrast to earlier models, the far tail x line extends farther downstream on the flanks than in the center of the tail, consistent with observations.

Toffoletto, F. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of Jamaican lineaments visible in Seasat-SAR imagery

Three digitally correlated Seasat SAR frames of Jamaica are used to examine the fault-related topography of the island. The major fault-controlled lineaments visible in the imagery are described, and some generalizations are made with respect to the recent tectonics of Jamaica. It is suggested that: (1) the island of Jamaica may represent the original position of a bend or discontinuity in the northern Caribbean Plate boundary; (2) the present tectonic regime may indicate the complex modification of a regional stress field at a discontinuity in an otherwise linear shear zone; (3) the island represents a tectonically maintained mass excess; and (4) the observed rapid uplift along the island's north coast may be related to compression-induced reverse faulting.

Dixon, T. H.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Magnetosheath Reconnection Before Magnetopause Reconnection Driven by Interplanetary Tangential Discontinuity: A Three‐Dimensional Global Hybrid Simulation With Oblique Interplanetary Magnetic Field

Abstract Terrestrial dayside dynamics associated with a southward turning, oblique interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) carried by an interplanetary tangential discontinuity (TD) is investigated by performing a three‐dimensional global‐scale hybrid simulation systematically for cases in which the incoming solar wind TD possesses various magnetic field rotation angles ΔΦ = 90° to 180° and half widths w = 2 d i 0 to w = 30 d i 0 , where d i 0 is the ion inertial length in the solar wind. Overall, the TD is compressed while being transmitted into the magnetosheath, with different compression processes downstream of the quasi‐parallel (Q‐||) and quasi‐perpendicular (Q‐ ⊥ ) shocks. It is found that magnetosheath reconnection may take place downstream of both the Q‐|| and Q‐ ⊥ shocks due to interaction of the directional TD with the bow shock and magnetopause, but the existence of magnetosheath reconnection depends on w and ΔΦ . Magnetosheath flux ropes are formed through three‐dimensional patchy reconnection in the thinned current sheet, with a longer rope lengths under a larger ΔΦ . There exists a dawn‐dusk asymmetry in the spatial extent of the flux ropes, which becomes more significant as ΔΦ decreases. When ΔΦ decreases to 90° , no reconnection flux ropes are found. Magnetopause reconnection is initiated when the magnetic fluxes with a southward turning IMF (on the sunward side) reach the magnetopause, and the magnetopause flux ropes can be mixed with the magnetosheath ones. Our simulation demonstrates that the effects of a southward turning of the IMF may not be a simple field direction change that leads to reconnection only at the magnetopause.

Guo, Zhifang↗
NASA NTRS1976

Interplanetary boundary layers at 1 AU

The structure and nature of discontinuities in the interplanetary magnetic field at 1 AU in the period March 18, 1971 to April 9, 1971, is determined by using high-resolution magnetic field measurements from Explorer 34. The discontinuities that were selected for this analysis occurred under a variety of interplanetary conditions at an average rate of 0.5/hr. This set does not include all discontinuities that were present, but the sample is large and it is probably representative. Both tangential and rotational discontinuities were identified, the ratio of TD's to RD's being approximately 3 to 1. Tangential discontinuities were observed every day, even among Alfvenic fluctuations. The structure of most of the boundary layers was simple and ordered, i.e., the magnetic field usually changed smoothly and monotonically from one side of the boundary layer to the other.

Burlaga, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS2020

A Study of a Magnetic Cloud Propagating through Large-Amplitude Alfvén Waves

We discuss Wind observations of a long and slow magnetic cloud (MC) propagating through large-amplitude Alfvén waves (LAAWs). The MC axis has a strong component along GSE X, as also confirmed by a Grad-Shafranov reconstruction. It is overtaking the solar wind at a speed roughly equal to the upstream Alfvén speed, leading to a weak shock wave âLij17 hrs. ahead. We give evidence to show that the nominal sheath region is populated by LAAWs: (i) a well-defined deHoffman-Teller frame in which there is excellent correlation between the field and flow vectors, (ii) constant field and total pressure, and (iii) an Alfvén ratio (i.e. ratio of kinetic-to-magnetic energy of the fluctuations) near unity at frequencies much lower than the ion cyclotron frequency in the spacecraft frame. In the region where the LAAWs approach the MCâAZs front boundary there are field and flow discontinuities. At the first, magnetic reconnection is taking place, as deduced from a stress balance test (Walen test). This severs connection of some field lines to the Sun and the solar wind strahl disappears. There follows a aLij2-hour interval where the magnetic field strength is diminished while pressure balance is maintained. Here the bi-directionality of the suprathermal electron flows is intermittently disrupted. This interval ends with a slow expansion fan downstream of which there is a dropout of halo electrons just inside the front boundary of the MC. This study illustrates an untypical case of a slow MC interacting with LAWWs in the slow solar wind.

C. J. Farrugia↗
NASA NTRS1991

FDTD modeling of thin impedance sheets

Thin sheets of resistive or dielectric material are commonly encountered in radar cross section calculations. Analysis of such sheets is simplified by using sheet impedances. It is shown that sheet impedances can be modeled easily and accurately using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods. These sheets are characterized by a discontinuity in the tangential magnetic field on either side of the sheet but no discontinuity in tangential electric field. This continuity, or single valued behavior of the electric field, allows the sheet current to be expressed in terms of an impedance multiplying this electric field.

Luebbers, Raymond↗
NASA NTRS1992

A variational method for finite element stress recovery: Applications in one-dimension

It is well-known that stresses (and strains) calculated by a displacement-based finite element analysis are generally not as accurate as the displacements. In addition, the calculated stress field is typically discontinuous at element interfaces. Because the stresses are typically of more interest than the displacements, several procedures have been proposed to obtain a smooth stress field, given the finite element stresses, and to improve the accuracy. Hinton and Irons introduced global least squares smoothing of discrete data defined on a plane using a finite element formulation. Tessler and co-workers recently developed a conceptually similar formulation for smoothing of two-dimensional data based on a discrete least square approximation with a penalty constraint. The penalty constraint results in a stress field which is C(exp 1)-continuous, a result not previously obtained. The approach requires additional, 'smoothing' finite element analysis and for their two-dimensional application, they used a conforming C(exp 0)-continuous triangular finite element based on a conforming plate element. This paper presents the results of a detailed investigation into the application of Tessler's smoothing procedure to the smoothing of finite element stresses from one-dimensional problems. Although the one-dimensional formulation has some practical applicability, such as in truss, beam, axisymmetric mechanics, and one-dimensional heat conduction, the primary motivation for developing the one-dimensional smoothing case is to explore the characteristics of the general smoothing strategy. In particular, it is used to describe the behavior of the method and to explore the suitability of criteria proposed for the smoothing analysis. Prior to presenting numerical results, the variational formulation of the smoothing strategy is presented and a criterion for the smoothing analysis is described.

Riggs, H. Ronald↗
NASA NTRS1977

Interplanetary current sheets at 1 AU

The structure and nature of 'discontinuities' in the interplanetary magnetic field at 1 AU in the period from March 18 to April 9, 1971, is determined by using high-resolution magnetic-field measurements from Explorer 43. The discontinuities that were selected for this analysis occurred under a variety of interplanetary conditions at an average rate of 0.5/hour. Both tangential and rotational discontinuities were identified. Tangential discontinuities were observed every day, even among Alfvenic fluctuations. In particular, on one day during which Alfvenic fluctuations were intense and persistent in a high-speed stream, tangential discontinuities (TD's) were seen throughout the day at an average rate of 0.5/hour; rotational discontinuities (RD's) were also observed during this day at a higher than usual rate, the ratio of TD's to RD's being approximately one. The structure of most of the current sheets was simple and ordered; i.e., the magnetic field usually changed smoothly and monotonically from one side of the current sheet to the other. The thickness distributions of the TD's and RD's with very smooth current sheets were similar. The average thickness of the RD's was 1200 km (13 proton Larmor radii), and the average thickness of the TD's was 1300 km (12 proton Larmor radii).

Burlaga, L. F.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Formation of magnetic discontinuities through viscous relaxation

According to Parker's magnetostatic theorem, tangential discontinuities in magnetic field, or current sheets (CSs), are generally unavoidable in an equilibrium magnetofluid with infinite electrical conductivity and complex magnetic topology. These CSs are due to a failure of a magnetic field in achieving force-balance everywhere and preserving its topology while remaining in a spatially continuous state. A recent work [Kumar, Bhattacharyya, and Smolarkiewicz, Phys. Plasmas 20, 112903 (2013)] demonstrated this CS formation utilizing numerical simulations in terms of the vector magnetic field. The magnetohydrodynamic simulations presented here complement the above work by demonstrating CS formation by employing a novel approach of describing the magnetofluid evolution in terms of magnetic flux surfaces instead of the vector magnetic field. The magnetic flux surfaces being the possible sites on which CSs develop, this approach provides a direct visualization of the CS formation, helpful in understanding the governing dynamics. The simulations confirm development of tangential discontinuities through a favorable contortion of magnetic flux surfaces, as the magnetofluid undergoes a topology-preserving viscous relaxation from an initial non-equilibrium state with twisted magnetic field. A crucial finding of this work is in its demonstration of CS formation at spatial locations away from the magnetic nulls.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1979

Interplanetary magnetic fields

The paper reviews the following studies on interplanetary magnetic fields: (1) the relation of the interplanetary field to the sun and to solar-wind streams; (2) radial gradients in the solar wind and interplanetary field; (3) shocks, hydromagnetic waves and discontinuities; (4) variations of interplanetary field parameters over the solar cycle; (5) the relation between the interplanetary field and the terrestrial magnetosphere; (6) the internal dynamics of the magnetic field and solar wind plasma; and (7) the transport, acceleration, and modulation of energetic particles, including cosmic rays. It is noted that further studies will relate to the complex relations between the interplanetary field and solar structure.

Smith, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Parameter Dependencies of Early-Stage Tangential Discontinuity-Driven Foreshock Bubbles in Local Hybrid Simulations

Foreshock bubbles (FBs) are significant foreshock transients that can accelerate particles and disturb the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. In the kinetic formation model, foreshock ions interact with the discontinuity by performing partial gyrations to generate currents that change the magnetic field topology around the discontinuity. However, how different foreshock ion properties affect the growth of the field variations is not well understood. Therefore, we use 2-D local hybrid simulations to study the effects of different foreshock ion distributions and properties on the growth of tangential discontinuity (TD)-driven FBs. We discover that for a gyrophase-bunched distribution with an initial phase where the guiding center is on the other side of the TD, the foreshock ions gyrate together across the TD, causing more foreshock ions to cross the TD and leading to a faster expansion of the structure than for a Maxwellian distribution. A ring distribution also yields higher expansion speeds because of the higher projected velocity into the new perpendicular direction. For Maxwellian distributions, there are positive and linear correlations of the FB expansion speeds with the initial foreshock ion densities, thermal speeds, parallel speeds, and sine of the TD magnetic shear angles. These parameter dependencies grow in strength as the structures evolve with time. The foreshock ion distributions and properties that lead to stronger currents produce more significant magnetic field variations and higher expansion speeds. Our study helps quantify the formation and expansion of FBs to forecast their space weather effects and contribution to shock acceleration.

Andrew Vu↗
DOE OSTI2019

Estimation of Errors in Stress Distributions Computed in Finite Element Simulations of Polycrystals

The accuracy of the stresses predicted from crystal plasticity-based finite element formulation depends on estimation and control of the errors associated with the discretization. In the current work, the errors in the stress distribution are estimated in virtual polycrystalline samples of α-phase titanium (hexagonal close-packed phase of Ti–6Al– 4 V). To estimate the error, the stress field, which does not possess inter-element continuity, is smoothed over a grain using an L 2 projection, thereby providing continuous stress distributions with inter-element continuity. The differences between the continuous (smooth) and discontinuous (raw) stress fields are calculated at individual Gauss quadrature points and used to estimate errors for corresponding elements and grains. Error estimations are performed for a Voronoi-tessellated microstructure, an equiaxed microstructure, and two microstructures with varying grain sizes for tensile loading extending into the fully plastic regime (≈ 5% extension). Magnitudes of the errors are found to depend on microstructural characteristics, particularly the shape and size of grains. Samples having variations in grain size or having less spherical grains exhibited higher errors than samples with uniformly sized, equiaxed grains, with the size variations having a more pronounced effect. In conclusion, errors correlate with proximity to grain boundaries at small (elastic) strains and with deformation-induced features (deformation bands) at large strains.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1973

Identification of interplanetary tangential and rotational discontinuities.

Discontinuities in the interplanetary magnetic field detected by the Mariner 5 magnetometer have been analyzed to distinguish tangential and rotational discontinuities. The method used was based on finding the field component normal to the plane of the discontinuities that vanishes for tangential discontinuities and is nonzero for rotational discontinuities. Slightly less than one half of the 118 discontinuities analyzed could not be classified because neither the normal component nor the changes in field magnitude were statistically significant owing to errors in the field measurements and in finding the normal direction. The 44 rotational discontinuities that were finally identified did not exhibit changes in field magnitude in excess of 20%.-

Smith, E. J.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Polarization rotation associated critical phenomena in epitaxial PbTiO{sub 3} thin films near room temperature

Strain-driven and temperature-driven monoclinic-orthorhombic phase transition in epitaxial PbTiO{sub 3} exhibit similar behavior under electric field, i.e., polarization discontinuity is reduced at the first-order ferroelectric-ferroelectric transition whose latent heat vanishes at a critical point. Due to critical phenomena the energy barrier for polarization rotation significantly diminishes, and hence thermodynamic response functions tend to diverge in the induced monoclinic states. Phenomenological calculations show that dielectric and piezoelectric properties are highly tunable by in-plane strain and electric field, and large electromechanical response may occur in epitaxial PbTiO{sub 3} thin films at room temperature. Phenomenological calculations show that large electrocaloric responsivity can also be expected at room temperature by manipulating the phase transition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS2009

Shock Structure and Magnetic Fields Generation Associated with Relativistic Jets Unmagnetized Pair Plasma

Using 3D and 2D particle-in-cell simulations we investigate a shock structure, magnetic field generation, and particle acceleration associated with an unmagnetized relativistic electron-positron jet propagating into an unmagnetized pair plasma. The simulations use long computational grids which allow to study the formation and dynamics of the system in a spatial and temporal way. We find for the first time a relativistic shock system comparable to a predicted magnetohydrodynamic shock structure consisting of leading and trailing shocks separated by a contact discontinuity. Strong electromagnetic fields resulting from the Weibel two-stream instability are generated in the trailing shock where jet matter is thermalized and decelerated. We analyze the formation and nonlinear development through saturation and dissipation of those fields and associated particle acceleration. In the AGN context the trailing shock corresponds to the jet shock at the head of a relativistic astrophysical jet. In the GRB context this trailing shock can be identified with the bow shock driven by relativistic ejecta. The strong electromagnetic field region in the trailing shock provides the emission site for the hot spot at the leading edge of AGN jets and for afterglow emission from GRBs.

Niemiec, J.↗