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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 1,261 records · Page 70

High frequency plasma generators for ion thruster applications

Two concepts for high frequency discharge ion thrusters are described. Both sources are designed for use with 30 cm grid sets and argon propellant and utilize multi-cusp permanent magnet geometries for plasma confinement. The RF induction source is a conventional design representing a synthesis of the RIT and multi-cusp concepts. The preliminary data (without system optimization) indicate a discharge efficiency comparable to that obtained in 30 cm hollow cathode multi-cusp argon thrusters. The electron cyclotron heating source is electrodeless and exhibits plasma characteristics which should lead to greatly reduced discharge chamber and screen sputter rates with the optimization of the magnetic fields, microwave frequency, and feed configuration.

Divergilio, W. F.↗

A study of electron density profiles in relation to ionization sources and ground-based radio wave absorption measurements, part 2

The D-region ion production functions are used to calculate the relationship between radio wave absorption and the flux level of X-rays in the 1-8A wavelength band. In order to bring this calculation into agreement with the empirically established relationship, it was found necessary to reduce by, a factor of about 5, the Meira nitric oxide densities below 90 km.

Gnanalingam, S.↗

A Co-Investigator Proposal for the Cornell University CAPER Rocket: Cleft Accelerated Plasma Experiment Rocket

The objectives are: 1) To support the Cornell wave instruments in a study of dayside ion outflow. 2) In conjunction with the U. of Alaska ground optical data, a prime objective was to measure the topside Cusp ion spectra responsible for dayside proton aurora. If such a correlative measurement could be made, then monitoring of this cusp precipitation from the ground could be routinely achieved. The nature of Cusp ions has and will continue to provide information about dayside magnetic reconnection. 3) A third objective was to study the dayside microburst electron precipitation from the BPS/CPS population. The Scifer rocket flight showed a bursty electron population at 1000 km altitude correlated closely with pulsation ground aurora on closed field lines. The frequency of this pulsating aurora is about 1 Hz. Ground pulsation measurements have recorded dayside bursts of Pc1 waves which could very well be the source of the electrons responsible for the pulsating aurora. In support of the Caper flight, UNH provided ground induction antennas to measure the equatorial Pc1 waves that might be dumping trapped electrons from the Central Plasma Sheet population. The Caper flight was launched on the last day of the window and all the Cornell and UNH instrumentation worked perfectly. Unfortunately the rocket trajectory flew very far to the west of the ground site at Longyearbyen missing conjugacy by several hundred kilometers. This meant the intended aurora was not crossed and all the ground experiments were far from being near the foot print of the rocket ruling out correlative science. The "miss" was primarily due to a decision during the countdown by the Andoya Rocket Range to move the azimuth of the rocket to the west to avoid Norwegian fishing boats at the splash point of the first two stages, and to make matters worse, the dispersion of the fourth stage of the rocket added entirely in this direction. Although no publications have resulted from the UNH data up to this point, a joint publication with the U. of Alaska group using both the Scifer and Caper data is in preparation. The data will continue to be worked on. There is interest in the Caper data as evidence by two recent papers presented at the "Low Latitude Boundary Layer Chapman Conference" held in New Orleans, Louisiana in April 2001.

Arnoldy, Roger L.↗

Visualization of Local Conductance in MoS 2 /WSe 2 Heterostructure Transistors

The vertical stacking of van der Waals (vdW) materials presents a new degree of freedom to the research of two-dimensional (2D) systems. The interlayer coupling strongly influences the band structure of the heterostructures, resulting in novel properties that can be utilized for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Based on microwave microscopy studies, we report quantitative electrical imaging on gated molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 )/tungsten diselenide (WSe 2 ) heterostructure devices, which exhibit an intriguing antiambipolar effect in their transfer characteristics. Interestingly, in the region with significant source-drain current, electrons in the n-type MoS 2 and holes in the p-type WSe 2 segments are nearly balanced, whereas the heterostructure area is depleted of mobile charges. The spatial evolution of local conductance can be ascribed to the lateral band bending and formation of depletion regions along the line of MoS 2 -heterostructure-WSe 2 . Our work vividly illustrates the microscopic origin of novel transport behaviors, which is important for the vibrant field of vdW heterojunction research.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A compact time-of-flight mass spectrometer for ion source characterization

A compact time-of-flight mass spectrometer with overall dimension of about 413 × 250 × 414 mm based on orthogonal injection and angle reflection has been developed for ion source characterization. Configuration and principle of the time-of-flight mass spectrometer are introduced in this paper. The mass resolution is optimized to be about 1690 (FWHM), and the ion energy detection range is tested to be between about 3 and 163 eV with the help of electron impact ion source. High mass resolution and compact configuration make this spectrometer useful to provide a valuable diagnostic for ion spectra fundamental research and study the mass to charge composition of plasma with wide range of parameters.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Performance on the low charge state laser ion source in BNL

On March 2014, a Laser Ion Source (LIS) was commissioned which delivers high-brightness, low-charge-state heavy ions for the hadron accelerator complex in Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Since then, the LIS has provided many heavy ion species successfully. The low-charge-state (mostly singly charged) beams are injected to the Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), where ions are then highly ionized to fit to the following accelerator’s Q/M acceptance, like Au 32+ . Recently we upgraded the LIS to be able to provide two different beams into EBIS on a pulse-to-pulse basis. Now the LIS is simultaneously providing beams for both the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL).

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

New reflections on hard X-ray photon-in/photon-out spectroscopy

Analysis of the electronic structure and local coordination of an element is an important aspect in the study of the chemical and physical properties of materials. This is particularly relevant at the nanoscale where new phases of matter may emerge below a critical size. X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) at synchrotron radiation sources and free electron lasers has enriched the field of X-ray spectroscopy. Additionally, the spectroscopic techniques derived from the combination of X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy (XAS–XES), such as resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and high energy resolution fluorescence detected (HERFD) XAS, are an ideal tool for the study of nanomaterials. New installations and beamline upgrades now often include wavelength dispersive instruments for the analysis of the emitted X-rays. With the growing use of XAS–XES, scientists are learning about the possibilities and pitfalls. We discuss some experimental aspects, assess the feasibility of measuring weak fluorescence lines in dilute, radiation sensitive samples, and present new experimental approaches for studying magnetic properties of colloidal nanoparticles directly in the liquid phase.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

The importance of shear on the collective charge transport in CDWs revealed by an XFEL source

Charge transport in materials has an impact on a wide range of devices based on semiconductor, battery, or superconductor technology. Charge transport in sliding charge density waves (CDW) differs from all others in that the atomic lattice is directly involved in the transport process. To obtain an overall picture of the structural changes associated to the collective transport, the large coherent x-ray beam generated by an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) source was used. The CDW phase can be retrieved over the entire sample from diffracted intensities using a genetic algorithm. For currents below threshold, increasing shear deformation is observed in the central part of the sample while longitudinal deformation appears above threshold when shear relaxes. Shear thus precedes longitudinal deformation, with relaxation of one leading to the appearance of the other. Moreover, strain accumulates on surface steps in the sliding regime, demonstrating the strong pinning character of these surface discontinuities. The sliding process of nanometric CDW involves macroscopic sample dimensions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Characteristics of nonthermal electrons accelerated during the flash phase of small solar flares

Observations of impulsive hard X-rays and other flash phase emissions from small solar flares are analyzed in order to determine the characteristics of energetic electrons accelerated during the flash phase. The electron spectrum and its time variation are deduced from a model of the X-ray source in which the electron injection is continuous, and the electron energy loss is primarily due to collisions with the ambient plasma and escape into the corona. The instantaneous electron spectrum in the X-ray source, as well as the acceleration spectrum, are found to be nonthermal. The observations are consistent with a flare model having the following properties: (1) the acceleration region is located in the lower corona where the ion density is less than 10 to the 9th power per cubic centimeter, (2) the total kinetic energy of the nonthermal electron is approximately 10 percent of the total flare energy, so that the efficiency of the acceleration process is very high, (3) the nonthermal electrons (and protons) provide energy for all flash phase emissions, (4) the acceleration is a continuous process with a time constant less than 1 second, or a continuous series of impulses each lasting less than 1 second and a total duration of approximately 100 seconds, (5) the electron spectrum continuously hardens during the increasing phase of the X-ray burst and softens during the decreasing phase and, (6) the more energetic flares to not necessarily produce a harder electron spectrum.

Kane, S. R.↗

The electron foreshock

An overview of the observations of backstreaming electrons in the foreshock and the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain their properties will be presented. A primary characteristic of observed foreshock electrons is that their velocity distributions are spatially structured in a systematic way depending on distance from the magnetic field line which is tangent to the shock. There are two interrelated aspects to explaining the structure of velocity distributions in the foreshock, one involving the acceleration mechanism and the other, propagation from the source to the observing point. First, the source distribution of electrons energized by the shock must be determined along the shock surface. Proposed acceleration mechanisms include magnetic mirroring of incoming solar wind particles and mechanisms involving transmission of particles through the shock. Secondly, the kinematics of observable electrons streaming away from a curved shock with an initial parallel velocity and a downstream perpendicular velocity component due to the motional electric field must be determined. This is the context in which the observations and their explanations will be reviewed.

Fitzenreiter, R. J.↗