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At least 145 records · Page 8

Applications of spectral methods to turbulent magnetofluids in space and fusion research

Recent and potential applications of spectral method computation to incompressible, dissipative magnetohydrodynamics are surveyed. Linear stability problems for one dimensional, quasi-equilibria are approachable through a close analogue of the Orr-Sommerfeld equation. It is likely that for Reynolds-like numbers above certain as-yet-undetermined thresholds, all magnetofluids are turbulent. Four recent effects in MHD turbulence are remarked upon, as they have displayed themselves in spectral method computations: (1) inverse cascades; (2) small-scale intermittent dissipative structures; (3) selective decays of ideal global invariants relative to each other; and (4) anisotropy induced by a mean dc magnetic field. Two more conjectured applications are suggested. All the turbulent processes discussed are sometimes involved in current carrying confined fusion magnetoplasmas and in space plasmas.

Montgomery, D.↗

Intense Source of Polarized Hydrogen Atoms

Atoms produced by radio-frequency dissociation of hydrogen molecules sorted according to their hyperfine states in improved polarized hydrogen source. By use of combination of dc magnetic fields, atoms of upper hyperfine ground level selected in numbers greater than those of undesired F = O state. Source built with permanent magnets or electromagnets. Principal utility is source of polarized hydrogen for masers or experimental studies.

Maleki, L.↗

Residual stress characterization with an ultrasonic/magnetic technique

A potentially useful new technique for residual stress characterization in ferromagnetic material is described. The unique feature of this technique is the measurement of small changes in ultrasonic wave velocity by the application of external dc magnetic field in the material under various stress conditions. It was found, in steel, that the fractional change in the natural velocity Delta W/W of waves propagating along the external field direction is affected by the uniaxial stress applied in the same axis. External compression lowers the slope of the Delta W/W curve in the low field region, while external tension generally does the opposite. For most cases, the slope in this region falls below zero under external compression. The result of measurements in specimens with residual stress shows exactly the same tendency.

Namkung, M.↗

Residual stress measurements in carbon steel

External dc magnetic field-induced changes in natural velocity of Rayleigh surface waves were measured in steel specimens under various stress conditions. The low field slopes of curves representing the fractional changes of natural velocity were proved to provide correct stress information in steels with different metallurgical properties. The slopes of curves under uniaxial compression, exceeding about one third of the yield stress, fell below zero in all the specimens when magnetized along the stress axis. The slopes under tension varied among different steels but remained positive in any circumstances. The stress effect was observed for both applied and residual stress. A physical interpretation of these results is given based on the stress-induced domain structure changes and the delta epsilon effect. Most importantly, it is found that the influence of detailed metallurgical properties cause only secondary effects on the obtained stress information.

Heyman, J. S.↗

Nonresonant interaction of heavy ions with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves

The motion of a heavy ion in the presence of an intense ultralow-frequency electromagnetic wave propagating along the dc magnetic field is analyzed. Starting from the basic equations of motion and from their associated two invariants, the heavy ion velocity-space trajectories are drawn. It is shown that after a certain time, particles whose initial phase angles are randomly distributed tend to bunch together, provided that the wave intensity b-sub-1 is sufficiently large. The importance of these results for the interpretation of the recently observed acceleration of singly charged He ions in conjunction with the occurrence of large-amplitude ion cyclotron waves in the equatorial magnetosphere is discussed.

Berchem, J.↗

The resolved layer of a collisionless, high beta, supercritical, quasi-perpendicular shock wave. I - Rankine-Hugoniot geometry, currents, and stationarity

Data collected by the ISEE dual-spacecraft mission (on November 7, 1977) on a slowly moving, supercritical, high-beta, quasi-perpendicular bow shock are presented, and the local geometry, spatial scales, and stationarity of this shock wave are assessed in a self-consistent Rankine-Hugoniot-constrained frame of reference. Included are spatial profiles of the ac and dc magnetic and electric fields, electron and proton fluid velocities, current densities, electron and proton number densities, temperatures, pressures, and partial densities of the reflected protons. The observed layer profile is shown to be nearly phase standing and one-dimensional in a Rankine-Hugoniot frame, empirically determined by the magnetofluid parameters outside the layer proper.

Scudder, J. D.↗

Minimum dissipation rates in magnetohydrodynamics

Minimum dissipation rate states are explored for a current-carrying channel of magnetofluid, supported by a dc magnetic field and driven by an applied electric field. The minimization is carried out subject to the constraints of constant axial (toroidal) magnetic flux and constant time-averaged rate of supply of magnetic helicity. The solutions of the resulting Euler-Lagrange equations are sensitive to boundary conditions on the current density j. One set of boundary conditions on j leads to the same consequences as Taylor's 'minimum-energy' theory. A different set leads to significantly different consequences, including a departure from the 'force-free' magnetic profile and a toroidal component of current density that does not reverse at the wall when the toroidal magnetic field reverses.

Montgomery, David↗

Plastic superconductor bearings any size, any shape, 77 k and up

Friction free bearings at 77 k or higher are possible using the high T(sub c) copper oxide ceramic superconductors. The conventional method for making such bearings is to use a sintered ceramic monolith. This puts great restraints on size, shape and postforming machining. The material is hard and abrasive. It's possible to grind up ceramic superconductors and suspend the granules in a suitable matrix. Mechanical properties improve and are largely dependent on the binder. The Meissner effect is confined to individual grains containing electron vortices. Tracks, rails, levitation areas and bearings can be made this way with conventional plastic molding and extruding machines or by painting. The parts are easily machined. The sacrifice is in bulk electrical conductivity. A percolating wick feel for LN2 can be used to cool remote superconductors and large areas quite effectively. A hollow spheroid or cylinder of superconductor material can be molded with the internal surfaces shielded by the Meissner effect. It might be thought of as the dc magnetic analogue of the Faraday cage and the inside can be called the Meissner space. It's selective. The ac fields are transmitted with minor attenuation. Particle size and distribution have a profound effect on final magnetic and electrical characteristics.

Reick, Franklin G.↗

A helically distorted MHD flux rope model

A flux rope model is proposed which has a variable degree of helical distortion from axisymmetry. The basis for this suggestion is a series of numerical and analytical investigations of magnetohydrodynamic states which result when an axial electric current is directed down on dc magnetic field. The helically distorted states involve a flow velocity and seem to be favored because of their lower rate of energy dissipation. Emphasis is on the magnetometer and particle energy analyzer traces that might be characteristic of such flux ropes. It is shown that even a fractionally small helical distortion may considerably alter the traces in minimum-variance coordinates. In short, what may be fairly common MHD processes can render a flux rope almost unrecognizable under standard diagnostics, even if the departures from axisymmetry are not great.

Theobald, Michael L.↗

Plastic superconductor bearings any size-any shape: 77 K and up

'Friction free' bearings at 77 K or higher are possible using the high T(sub c) copper oxide ceramic superconductors. The conventional method for making such bearings is to use a sintered ceramic monolith. This puts great restraints on size, shape, and postforming machining. The material is hard and abrasive. It is possible to grind up ceramic superconductors and suspend the granules in a suitable matrix. Mechanical properties improve and are largely dependent on the binder. The Meissner effect is confined to individual grains containing electron vortices. Tracks, rails, levitation areas, and bearings can be made this way with conventional plastic molding and extruding machines or by painting. The parts are easily machined. The sacrifice is in bulk electrical conductivity. A percolating wick feed for LN2 is used to cool remote superconductors and large areas quite effectively. A hollow spheroid or cylinder of superconductor material is molded with the internal surfaces shielded by the Meissner effect. It can be thought of as the DC magnetic analog of the Faraday cage and the inside is the 'Meissner space'. It is selective. The AC fields are transmitted with minor attenuation. Particle size and distribution have a profound effect on final magnetic and electrical characteristics.

Reick, Franklin G.↗

ULF turbulence in the Neptunian polar cusp

Results of a spectral analysis of the ULF wave turbulence in the Neptunian polar cusp are presented. The activity is characterized as broadbanded, extending up to a maximum frequency of about 0.5 Hz, and having maximum wave amplitudes as large as 6 percent of the dc magnetic field. Activity in the cusp region was particularly intense at its frontside and backside, associated with the magnetopause and cusp/magnetosphere boundaries, respectively. The turbulence, particularly that above f(ci), is tentatively identified as whistler mode. It is argued that such whistler mode turbulence should resonate with electrons having energies in the tens of kiloelectron volts. Observations indicate a very strong correlation of the ULF turbulence with the energetic electrons between 22 and 35 keV measured by Voyager's low-energy charged particle experiment. A vigorous interaction between the two is inferred. ULF wave turbulence in the cusp may represent a significant but not complete power source for the magnetosphere.

Farrell, W. M.↗

Electromagnetic compatibility characterization of a BAe Stirling-cycle cryocooler for space application

This paper describes the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurements of an 80-K Stirling-cycle cooler. The measurements, performed in the JPL EMC test facility, include dc magnetic field characterization, radiated magnetic and electric field emissions, and conducted emissions on the internal lines between the cooler electronics and the cooler. The measurements conform to both the MILSTD-461C specifications as well as to the specifications for the NASA Earth Observing System.

Johnson, Dean L.↗

Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filters

The present calculations of the performance of Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filters (FADOF) on IR transitions indicate that such filters may furnish high transmission, narrow-pass bandwidth, and low equivalent noise bandwidth under optimum operating conditions. A FADOF consists of an atomic vapor cell between crossed polarizers that are subject to a dc magnetic field along the optical path; when linearly polarized light travels along the direction of the magnetic field through the dispersive atomic vapor, a polarization rotation occurs. If FADOF conditions are suitably adjusted, a maximum transmission with very narrow bandwidth is obtained.

Shay, T. M.↗

Electron cyclotron wave generation by relativistic electrons

We show that an energetic electron distribution which has a temperature anisotropy (T perpendicular to b is greater than T parallel to b), or which is gyrating about a DC magnetic field, can generate electron cyclotron waves with frequencies below the electron cyclotron frequency. Relativistic effects are included in solving the dispersion equation and are shown to be quantitatively important. The basic idea of the mechanism is the coupling of the beam mode to slow waves. The unstable electron cyclotron waves are predominantly electromagnetic and right-hand polarized. For a low-density plasma in which the electron plasma frequency is less than the electron cyclotron frequency, the excited waves can have frequencies above or below the electron plasma frequency, depending upon the parameters of the energetic electron distribution. This instability may account for observed Z mode waves in the polar magnetosphere of the Earth and other planets.

Wong, H. K.↗

Advanced Intelligent System Application to Load Forecasting and Control for Hybrid Electric Bus

The primary motivation for this research emanates from providing a decision support system to the electric bus operators in the municipal and urban localities which will guide the operators to maintain an optimal compromise among the noise level, pollution level, fuel usage etc. This study is backed up by our previous studies on study of battery characteristics, permanent magnet DC motor studies and electric traction motor size studies completed in the first year. The operator of the Hybrid Electric Car must determine optimal power management schedule to meet a given load demand for different weather and road conditions. The decision support system for the bus operator comprises three sub-tasks viz. forecast of the electrical load for the route to be traversed divided into specified time periods (few minutes); deriving an optimal 'plan' or 'preschedule' based on the load forecast for the entire time-horizon (i.e., for all time periods) ahead of time; and finally employing corrective control action to monitor and modify the optimal plan in real-time. A fully connected artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed for forecasting the kW requirement for hybrid electric bus based on inputs like climatic conditions, passenger load, road inclination, etc. The ANN model is trained using back-propagation algorithm employing improved optimization techniques like projected Lagrangian technique. The pre-scheduler is based on a Goal-Programming (GP) optimization model with noise, pollution and fuel usage as the three objectives. GP has the capability of analyzing the trade-off among the conflicting objectives and arriving at the optimal activity levels, e.g., throttle settings. The corrective control action or the third sub-task is formulated as an optimal control model with inputs from the real-time data base as well as the GP model to minimize the error (or deviation) from the optimal plan. These three activities linked with the ANN forecaster proving the output to the GP model which in turn produces the pre-schedule of the optimal control model. Some preliminary results based on a hypothetical test case will be presented for the load forecasting module. The computer codes for the three modules will be made available fe adoption by bus operating agencies. Sample results will be provided using these models. The software will be a useful tool for supporting the control systems for the Electric Bus project of NASA.

Momoh, James↗

(abstract) All Epitaxial Edge-geometry SNS Devices with Doped PBCO and YBCO Normal Layers

We will present our results on tapered-edge-geometry SNS weak link fabricated from c-axis oriented base-, counterelectrode and normal layers using a variety of processing conditions. To date, we have employed a variety of different normal materials (Co-doped YBCO, Y-doped PBCO, Ca-doped PBCO). We have been examining the junction fabrication process in detail and we will present our methods. In particular, we have been examining both epitaxial and non-epitaxial milling mask overlayers and we will present a comparison of both methods. These devices behave similar to the expectations of the resisively shunted junction model and conventional SNS proximity effect models but with some differences which will be discussed. We will present the detailed systematics of our junctions including device parameters versus temperature, rf and dc magnetic response for the various processing conditions.

epitaxial doped PBCO YBCO junction fabrication mil↗

Magnetometer Based on the Opto-Electronic Oscillator

We theoretically propose and discuss properties of two schemes of an all-optical self-oscillating magnetometer based on an opto-electronic oscillator stabilized with an atomic vapor cell. Proof of the principle DC magnetic field measurements characterized with 2 x 10(exp -7) G sensitivity and 1 - 1000 mG dynamic range in one of the schemes are demonstrated.

magnetometer↗

TEMHD Effects on Solidification Under Microgravity Conditions

An unexplored potential exists to control microstructure evolution through the use of external DC magnetic fields. Thermoelectric currents form during solidification and interact with this external field to drive microscopic fluid dynamics within the inter-dendritic region. The convective heat and mass transport can lead to profound changes on the dendritic structure. In this paper the effect of high magnetic fields is demonstrated through the use of both 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional numerical models. The results show that the application of a magnetic field causes significant disruption to the dendritic morphology. Investigation into the underlying mechanism gives initial indicators of how external magnetic fields can either lead to unexpected growth behaviour, or alternatively can be used to control the evolution of microstructure in undercooled melts as encountered in levitated droplet solidification.

Kao, Andrew↗