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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 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Thermal expansion mismatch and plasticity in thermal barrier coating

The basic objective of this investigation is the quantitative determination of stress states in a model thermal barrier coating (TBC) as it cools in the air to 600 C from an assumed stress-free state at 700 C. This model is intended to represent a thin plasma-sprayed zirconia-yttria ceramic layer with a nickel chromium-aluminum-yttrium bond coat on a cylindrical substrate made of nickel-based superalloys typically found in gas turbines.

Chang, George C.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Oblique propagation of ion acoustic soliton-cnoidal waves in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma with superthermal electrons

The oblique propagation of ion-acoustic soliton-cnoidal waves in a magnetized electron-positron-ion plasma with superthermal electrons is studied. Linear dispersion relations of the fast and slow ion-acoustic modes are discussed under the weak and strong magnetic field situations. By means of the reductive perturbation approach, Korteweg-de Vries equations governing ion-acoustic waves of fast and slow modes are derived, respectively. Explicit interacting soliton-cnoidal wave solutions are obtained by the generalized truncated Painlevé expansion. It is found that every peak of a cnoidal wave elastically interacts with a usual soliton except for some phase shifts. The influence of the electron superthermality, positron concentration, and magnetic field obliqueness on the soliton-cnoidal wave are investigated in detail.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Time-dependent modeling of gamma-ray flares in blazar PKS1510–089

Here we present a new approach for constraining luminous blazars, incorporating fully time-dependent and self-consistent modeling of bright γ-ray flares of PKS 1510–089, resolved with Fermi-LAT, in the framework of the internal shock scenario. The results of our modeling imply the location of the γ-ray flaring zone to be outside of the broad-line region, namely around ≃0.3 pc from the core for a free-expanding jet with the opening angle Γ θ{sub jet}≃1 (where Γ is the jet bulk Lorentz factor), up to ≃3 pc for a collimated outflow with Γ θ{sub jet}≃0.1. Moreover, under the Γ θ{sub jet}≃1 condition, our modeling indicates the maximum efficiency of the jet production during the flares, with the total jet energy flux strongly dominated by protons and exceeding the available accretion power in the source. This is in contrast to the quiescence states of the blazar, characterized by lower jet kinetic power and an approximate energy equipartition between different plasma constituents. We demostrate how strictly simultaneous observations of flaring PKS 1510–089 at optical, X-ray, and GeV photon energies, on hourly timescales, augmented by extensive simulations as presented in this paper, may help to impose further precise constraints on the magnetization and opening angle of the emitting region. In addition, our detailed modeling implies that a non-uniformity of the Doppler factor across the jet, caused by the radial expansion of the outflow, may lead to a pronounced time distortion in the observed γ-ray light curves, resulting, in particular, in asymmetric flux profiles with substantially extended decay phases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of higher-order multipole moments on the Stark line shape

Spectral line shapes are sensitive to plasma conditions and are often used to diagnose electron density of laboratory plasmas as well as astrophysical plasmas. Stark line-shape models take into account the perturbation of the radiator’s energy structure due to the Coulomb interaction with the surrounding charged particles. Solving this Coulomb interaction is challenging and is commonly approximated via a multipole expansion. Yet, most models include only up to the second term of the expansion (the dipole term). While there have been studies on the higher-order terms due to one of the species (i.e. either ions or electrons), there is no model that includes the terms beyond dipole from both species. Here, we investigate the importance of the higher-order multipole terms from both species on the Hβ line shape. First, we find that it is important to include higher order terms consistently from both ions and electrons to reproduce measured line-shape asymmetry. Next, we study the line shape convergence with the higher-order terms at 1017, 1018, and 1019 e/cc. We discover that the line shape calculated with the dipole-only approximation becomes inaccurate as density increases. It is necessary to include only up to the third (quadrupole) term to compute the line-shape accurately within 2%. Since most existing models include only the dipole terms, the densities inferred with such models are in question. Finally, we investigate the impact of neglecting the quadrupole terms on density diagnostics. We find that the model without the quadrupole term slightly underestimates the density, and the discrepancy becomes as large as 12% at high densities. Although the case of study is limited to Hβ , we expect similar impact on other lines.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1972

Observed relationships between electric fields and auroral particle precipitation

Simultaneous electric field and plasma observations with the low altitude, polar orbiting satellite Injun (Hawkeye) 5 provided a comprehensive survey of convection electric fields and their association with magnetospheric plasma phenomena. The most prominent features of the convection electric fields are reversals located at high magnetic latitudes, with generally anti sunward convection poleward convection equatorward of the electric field reversal location. The electric field reversal is interpreted as the boundary between open and closed magnetic field lines. To investigate the electric field and plasma interrelationships during a polar magnetic substorm, a series of passes obtained prior to and during a substrom is presented. Large, anti sunward convection velocities were detected over the polar cap several tens of minutes before the onset of the expansive phase of the substrom. These convection velocities gradually decreased during the decay phase of the substrom. Measurements of enhanced anti sunward flow over the polar cap region are generally consistent with concepts of the origin of substroms.

Gurnett, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The expansion of magnetic clouds

Magnetic clouds are a carefully defined subclass of all interplanetary signatures of coronal mass ejections whose geometry is thought to be that of a cylinder embedded in a plane. It has been found that the total magnetic pressure inside the clouds is higher than the ion pressure outside, and that the clouds are expanding at 1 AU at about half the local Alfven speed. The geometry of the clouds is such that even though the magnetic pressure inside is larger than the total pressure outside, expansion will not occur because the pressure is balanced by magnetic tension - the pinch effect. The evidence for expansion of clouds at 1 AU is nevertheless quite strong so another reason for its existence must be found. It is demonstrated that the observations can be reproduced by taking into account the effects of geometrical distortion of the low plasma beta clouds as they move away from the Sun.

Suess, Steven T.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Electron temperature and density relationships in coronal mass ejections

We examine 10 coronal mass ejections from the in-ecliptic portion of the Ulysses mission. Five of these CMEs are magnetic clouds. In each case we observe an inverse relationship between electron temperature and density. For protons this relationship is less clear. Earlier work has shown a similar inverse relationship for electrons inside magnetic clouds and interpreted it to mean that the polytropic index governing the expansion of electrons is less than unity. This requires electrons to be heated as the CME expands. We offer an alternative view that the inverse relationship between electron temperature and density is caused by more rapid cooling of the denser plasma through collisions. More rapid cooling of denser plasma has been shown for 1 AU measurements in the solar wind. As evidence for this hypothesis we show that the denser plasma inside the CMEs tends to be more isotropic indicating a different history of collisions for the dense plasma. Thus, although the electron temperature inside CMEs consistently shows an inverse correlation with the density, this is not an indication of the polytropic index of the plasma but instead supports the idea of collisional modification of the electrons during their transit from the sun.

Hammond, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

First Lunar Wake Passage of ARTEMIS: Discrimination of Wake Effects and Solar Wind Fluctuations by 3D Hybrid Simulations

The spacecraft P1 of the new ARTEMIS (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun) mission passed the lunar wake for the first time on February 13, 2010. We present magnetic field and plasma data of this event and results of 3D hybrid simulations. As the solar wind magnetic field was highly dynamic during the passage, a simulation with stationary solar wind input cannot distinguish whether distortions were caused by these solar wind variations or by the lunar wake; therefore, a dynamic real-time simulation of the flyby has been performed. The input values of this simulation are taken from NASA OMNI data and adapted to the P1 data, resulting in a good agreement between simulation and measurements. Combined with the stationary simulation showing non-transient lunar wake structures, a separation of solar wind and wake effects is achieved. An anisotropy in the magnitude of the plasma bulk flow velocity caused by a non-vanishing magnetic field component parallel to the solar wind flow and perturbations created by counterstreaming ions in the lunar wake are observed in data and simulations. The simulations help to interpret the data granting us the opportunity to examine the entire lunar plasma environment and, thus, extending the possibilities of measurements alone: A comparison of a simulation cross section to theoretical predictions of MHD wave propagation shows that all three basic MHD modes are present in the lunar wake and that their expansion governs the lunar wake refilling process.

Wiehle, S.↗
DOE OSTI2016

DERIVING THE PROPERTIES OF CORONAL PRESSURE FRONTS IN 3D: APPLICATION TO THE 2012 MAY 17 GROUND LEVEL ENHANCEMENT

We study the link between an expanding coronal shock and the energetic particles measured near Earth during the ground level enhancement of 2012 May 17. We developed a new technique based on multipoint imaging to triangulate the three-dimensional (3D) expansion of the shock forming in the corona. It uses images from three vantage points by mapping the outermost extent of the coronal region perturbed by the pressure front. We derive for the first time the 3D velocity vector and the distribution of Mach numbers, M {sub FM}, of the entire front as a function of time. Our approach uses magnetic field reconstructions of the coronal field, full magnetohydrodynamic simulations and imaging inversion techniques. We find that the highest M {sub FM} values appear near the coronal neutral line within a few minutes of the coronal mass ejection onset; this neutral line is usually associated with the source of the heliospheric current and plasma sheet. We illustrate the variability of the shock speed, shock geometry, and Mach number along different modeled magnetic field lines. Despite the level of uncertainty in deriving the shock Mach numbers, all employed reconstruction techniques show that the release time of GeV particles occurs when the coronal shock becomes super-critical ( M {sub FM} > 3). Combining in situ measurements with heliospheric imagery, we also demonstrate that magnetic connectivity between the accelerator (the coronal shock of 2012 May 17) and the near-Earth environment is established via a magnetic cloud that erupted from the same active region roughly five days earlier.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Angular ion species distribution in droplet-based laser-produced plasmas

The angular distribution of the ion species generated from a laser irradiated droplet target is measured. The employed instrument was an electrostatic energy analyzer with differential pumping. Singly and doubly charged ions were detected at an argon ambient gas pressure of 2 × 10{sup −2} mbar. The amount of Sn{sup +} and Sn{sup 2+} and their kinetic energy is measured from 45° to 120° from the laser axis. Sn{sup +} expands approximately isotropically, and Sn{sup 2+} expansion is peaked towards the incoming laser radiation. The singly charged ion kinetic energy is close to constant over the measurement range, while it decreases by around 30% for Sn{sup 2+}. A calibrated model of the ion expansion that includes recombinations correctly predicts the mean ion charge distribution. The model is able to qualitatively estimate the influence of the laser wavelength on the mean ion charge distribution. The results show a more pronounced isotropic distribution for shorter wavelengths, and a more forward-peaked distribution for longer wavelengths. The ion charge distribution expected without the ambient gas is estimated through the measured ion kinetic energy. The presence of the ambient gas results in a decrease of the mean ion charge state and a decrease in angular anisotropy.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1994

Growth-phase thinning of the near-Earth current sheet during the CDAW 6 substorm

The thinning of the near-Earth current sheet during the growth phase of the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) 6 magnetospheric substorm is studied. The expansion onset of the substorm occurred at 1054 UT, March 22, 1979. During the growth phase, two spacecraft, International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE) 1 and ISEE 2, were within the current sheet approximately 13 R(sub E) from the Earth and obtained simultaneous high-resolution magnetic data at two points in the current sheet. Plasma data were also provided by the ISEE spacecraft and solar wind data by IMP 8. To facilitate the analysis, the GSM magnetic field data are transformed to a 'neutral sheet coordinate system' in which the new x axis is parallel to the average magnetic field above and below the neutral sheet and the new y axis lies in the GSM equatorial plane. A model based on the assumption that the current sheet is a time-invariant structure fails to predict neutral sheet crossing times. Consequently, the Harris sheet model, which allows one to remove the restriction of time invariancy, is used instead. It is found that during the growth phase, a model parameter corresponding to the thickness of the current sheet decreased exponentially from about 5 R(sub E) to 1 R(sub E) with a time constant of about 14 min. In addition, the ISEE 1 and ISEE 2 neutral sheet crossings after expansion onset indicate that the neutral sheet was moving upward at 7 km/s relative to the spacecraft. Since both crossings occurred in approximately 80 s, the current sheet thickness is estimated to be about 500 km. These results demonstrate that the near-Earth current sheet undergoes dramatic thinning during the substorm growth phase and expansion onset.

Sanny, Jeff↗
DOE OSTI2016

SOLAR WIND COLLISIONAL AGE FROM A GLOBAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS SIMULATION

Simple estimates of the number of Coulomb collisions experienced by the interplanetary plasma to the point of observation, i.e., the “collisional age”, can be usefully employed in the study of non-thermal features of the solar wind. Usually these estimates are based on local plasma properties at the point of observation. Here we improve the method of estimation of the collisional age by employing solutions obtained from global three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations. This enables evaluation of the complete analytical expression for the collisional age without using approximations. The improved estimation of the collisional timescale is compared with turbulence and expansion timescales to assess the relative importance of collisions. The collisional age computed using the approximate formula employed in previous work is compared with the improved simulation-based calculations to examine the validity of the simplified formula. We also develop an analytical expression for the evaluation of the collisional age and we find good agreement between the numerical and analytical results. Finally, we briefly discuss the implications for an improved estimation of collisionality along spacecraft trajectories, including Solar Probe Plus.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hydrodynamic conditions in laser irradiated buried layer experiments

The calculation of open shell ionization level and radiative properties of materials in Non-Local Thermal Equilibrium (NLTE) is currently still a major challenge for any atomic model. The predictions of various NLTE atomic codes at these conditions still differ significantly. In recent years, a new buried layer platform was developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This platform is used to measure ionization distribution and emission of open L-shell, mid-Z ions and open M-shell, high-Z ions at NLTE conditions that are relevant in many laser plasma applications. These experiments offer a unique chance for benchmarking the atomic models. In order to perform these experiments, a uniform well characterized plasma source is required. In this work, we present one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional simulations of the experimental platform. These simulations were used for both the design and the analysis of the experiments. The simulations demonstrate the different phases of hydrodynamic evolution of the target and identify the time windows in which uniform conditions can be achieved. A 1D expansion of the target was found to be adequate to describe the target's evolution for most of the experiment duration. The fast 1D simulations were compared with recent experimental results from the Omega laser facility. The sensitivity of the results to several modeling parameters such as the electron flux limiter and laser resonant absorption is reported.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Evaluation of electrical conductivity and equations of state of non-ideal plasma through microsecond timescale underwater electrical wire explosion

Experimental and simulation results of underwater electrical Cu, Al, and W wire explosions in the microsecond timescale are presented. It was shown that the electrical conductivity results for Cu and Al agree well with modified Lee-More and quantum molecular dynamic models for temperatures above 10 kK. The equation of state (EOS) values based on SESAME tables for Cu and Al were slightly modified for intermediate temperatures in order to obtain fitting between experimental and simulated exploding wire radial expansion. Also, it was shown that the electrical conductivity results and the EOS evaluation differ significantly from the results obtained in nanosecond timescale experiments. Finally, it was found that underwater electrical W wire explosion is characterized by the appearance of non-uniformities along the z-axis of the wire. This phenomena adds uncertainty to the possibility of applying this type of experiments for evaluation of the electrical conductivity and EOS of W.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Plasma-Material Interface Development for Future Spherical Tokamak-based Devices in NSTX.

The divertor plasma-material interface (PMI) must be able to withstand steady-state heat fluxes up to 10 MW/m{sup 2} (a limit imposed by the present day divertor material and engineering constraints) with minimal material erosion, as well as to provide impurity control and ion density pumping capabilities. In spherical tokamaks (STs), the compact divertor geometry and the requirement of low core electron collisionality n*{sub e} at n{sub e} < 0.5-0.7 n{sub G} (where n{sub G} is the Greenwald density) for increased neutral beam current drive efficiency impose much greater demands on divertor and first-wall particle and heat flux mitigation solutions. In NSTX, divertor heat flux mitigation and impurity control with an innovative 'snowflake' divertor configuration and ion density pumping by evaporated lithium wall and divertor coatings are studied. Lithium coatings have enabled ion density reduction up to 50% in NSTX through the reduction of wall and divertor recycling rates. The 'snowflake' divertor configuration was obtained in NSTX in 0.8-1 MA 4-6 MW NBI-heated H-mode lithium-assisted discharges using three divertor coils. The snowflake divertor formation was always accompanied by a partial detachment of the outer strike point with an up to 50% increase in divertor radiation from intrinsic carbon, the peak divertor heat flux reduction from 3-6 MW/m{sup 2} to 0.5-1 MW/m{sup 2}, and a significant increase in divertor volume recombination. High core confinement was maintained with the snowflake divertor, evidenced by the t{sub E}, W{sub MHD} and the H98(y,2) factors similar to those of the standard divertor discharges. Core carbon concentration and radiated power were reduced by 30-70%, apparently as a result of reduced divertor physical and chemical sputtering in the snowflake divertor and ELMs. In the SFD discharges, the MHD stability of the H-mode pedestal region was altered leading to the re-appearance of medium size (DW/W = 5-10%), Type I, ELMs otherwise suppressed due to lithium conditioning. Fast divertor measurements showed that impulsive particle and heat fluxes due to the ELMs were significantly dissipated in the high magnetic flux expansion region of the snowflake divertor. The snowflake divertor configuration is being combined in experiments with extrinsic deuterium or impurity gas puffing for increased dissipative divertor power losses, additional upper divertor nulls for increased power sharing between the upper and the lower divertors, and lithium coated plasma facing components for large area ion pumping. These efforts are aimed at the development of an integrated PMI for future ST-based devices for fusion development applications.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quantum algorithm for the linear Vlasov equation with collisions

The Vlasov equation is a nonlinear partial differential equation that provides a first-principles description of the dynamics of plasmas. Its linear limit is routinely used in plasma physics to investigate plasma oscillations and stability. In this paper, we present a quantum algorithm that simulates the linearized Vlasov equation with and without collisions, in the one-dimensional electrostatic limit. Rather than solving this equation in its native spatial and velocity phase space, we adopt an efficient representation in the dual space yielded by a Fourier-Hermite expansion. For a given simulation time, the Fourier-Hermite representation is exponentially more compact, thus yielding a classical algorithm that can match the performance of a previously proposed quantum algorithm for this problem. Further, this representation results in a system of linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) which can be solved with well-developed quantum algorithms: a Hamiltonian simulation in the collisionless case, and quantum ODE solvers in the collisional case. In particular, we demonstrate that a quadratic speedup in system size is attainable.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗