External magnetic field effects in NO (B 2Pi), B 2Pi/a 4Pi coupling, and b 4Sigma(-) and a 4Pi level positions
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Occultation by a local elevation on the surface of constant magnetic field is proposed as a new interpretation for the unusual properties of Neptune high-latitude emission. Abrupt changes in intensity and polarization of this broadband smooth radio emission were observed as the Voyager 2 spacecraft passed near the north magnetic pole before closest approach. The observed sequence of cutoffs with polarization reversal would not occur during descent of the spacecraft through regular surfaces of increasing magnetic field. The sequence can be understood in terms of constant-frequency (constant-field) surfaces that are not only offset from the planet center but are locally highly distorted by an elevation that occults the outgoing extraordinary-mode beam. The required occulter is similar to the field enhancement observed directly by the magnetometer team when Voyager reached lower altitude farther to the west. Evidence is presented that the sources of the high-altitude emission are located near the longitude of the minimum-B anomaly associated with the dipole offset and that the local elevation of constant-B surfaces extends eastward from the longitude where it is directly measured by the magnetometer to the longitude where occultation of the remote radio source is observed. Together, the radio and magnetometer experiments indicate that the constant-frequency surfaces are distorted by an elevation that extends 0.3 rad in the longitudinal direction.
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By using the technique of Johnstone et al. (1991), the asymptotic wave spectrum induced by the pickup of interstellar ions in the heliosphere is derived. This approach is independent of quasi-linear theory. The asymptotic wave spectrum is calculated from the standard resonance condition by assuming that the asymptotic ion distribution is bispherical and by using conservation of energy. The calculation places no restriction on either the ratio of Alfven speed to solar wind flow speed or the particle pitch angle. Spectra for various geometries (relative orientations of the magnetic field and solar wind velocity) are calculated. Absolute upper limits to the expected wave enhancements are calculated. These upper limits are compared to the background fluctuation spectrum extrapolated from 0.87 AU, assuming a spectral index of -5/3 and radial dependences of -2 and -3. The heliocentric radial distances at which the peaks in the various geometry-dependent wave spectra are expected to be observable above the background are identified. Peaks due to pickup hydrogen at the proton gyrofrequency are found to be always stronger relative to the background in parallel than in perpendicular geometries. The parallel-geometry excitations consist only of sunward propagating waves. In perpendicular geometries a peak also occurs, this time near 0.1 of the proton gyrofrequency (corresponding to the peak calculated by Lee and Ip (1987)). However, the steep spectral dependence of the ambient wave field makes it unlikely that this peak will be observed inside 20 AU. A similar result holds for the case of pickup-helium induced excitation at the helium gyrofrequency. Inside 10 AU, peaks at these lower frequencies tend to be obscured by the steep frequency dependence (proportional to -5/3) of the ambient spectrum and then are only observable in parallel geometries.
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are thought to arise when an extremely relativistic outflow of particles from a massive explosion (the nature at which is still unclear) interacts with material surrounding the site of the explosion. Observations of the evolving changes in emission at many wavelengths allow us to investigate the origin of the photons, and so potentially determine the nature of the explosion. Here we report the results of gamma-ray, optical, infrared, submillimeter, millimeter and radio observations of the burst ORB990123 and its afterglow. Our interpretation of the data indicates that the initial and afterglow emissions are associated with three distinct regions in the fireball. The peak flux of the afterglow, one day after the burst, has a lower frequency than observed for other bursts; this explains the short-lived radio emission. We suggest that the differences between bursts reflect variations in the magnetic-field strength in the afterglow-emitting regions.
The second-order Zeeman shift in a 12-pole buffer-gas-cooled linear ion trap frequency standard is characterized.
Magnetic reconnection in the solar atmosphere is believed to be the driver of most solar explosive phenomena. Therefore, the topology of the coronal magnetic field is central to understanding the solar drivers of space weather. Of particular importance to space weather are the impulsive Solar Energetic particles that are associated with some CME/eruptive flare events. Observationally, the magnetic configuration of active regions where solar eruptions originate appears to agree with the standard eruptive flare model. According to this model, particles accelerated at the flare reconnection site should remain trapped in the corona and the ejected plasmoid. However, flare-accelerated particles frequently reach the Earth long before the CME does. We present a model that may account for the injection of energetic particles onto open magnetic flux tubes connecting to the Earth. Our model is based on the well-known 2.5D breakout topology, which has a coronal null point (null line) and a four-flux system. A key new addition, however, is that we include an isothermal solar wind with open-flux regions. Depending on the location of the open flux with respect to the null point, we find that the flare reconnection can consist of two distinct phases. At first, the flare reconnection involves only closed field, but if the eruption occurs close to the open field, we find a second phase involving interchange reconnection between open and closed. We argue that this second reconnection episode is responsible for the injection of flare-accelerated particles into the interplanetary medium. We will report on our recent work toward understanding how flare particles escape to the heliosphere. This work uses high-resolution 2.5D MHD numerical simulations performed with the Adaptively Refined MHD Solver (ARMS).
Stress-annealing (SA) is a novel secondary processing technique capable of significantly increasing magnetic anisotropy and controlling magnetic permeability in planar-cast amorphous precursor ribbons. In this technical memorandum, measures taken to improve the mechanical handling of brittle Fe-based ribbons are described for a custom SA system. This system was then used to process a series of Fe-based alloys (Fe-2Nb-2Mo-1Cu-15.5Si-7B at.%, Fe-5Co-3Ta-1Cu-16Si-6.5B at.%, and Fe-5Co-3Ta-1Cu-16.5Si-6B at.%) and the resulting magnetic properties were determined. The Fe-5Co-3Ta-1Cu-16.5Si-6B at.% alloy was found to be the most promising composition of the three in terms of surviving an optimized spool-to-spool continuous SA process under 90 MPa of tensile stress at 650 °C using a feed rate of 75.5 in/min, which equated to approximately 10 second anneal time. These optimally annealed ribbons exhibited flat hysteresis loops with a saturation magnetization of nearly 1.2 T, low magnetic coercivity (≈ 2 A m-1), and relative permeability of approximately 500.
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The Hanle effect is the modification by a local magnetic field of the polarization due to coherent scattering in spectral lines. It results from the precession of a classical oscillator about the magnetic field direction. The sophisticated quantum-mechanical treatment, which is required to compute the polarization parameters of scattered light, was developed. The main features of the Hanle effect concerning magnetic field measurements are: (1) a good sensitivity within the approximate range 0.1 B gamma rho to 10 B gamma rho where B gamma rho is the field strength yielding a Larmor period equal to the radiative lifetime, (2) there is no Hanle effect for field vectors parallel to the excitating beam, (3) the Hanle effect refers essentially to the linear polarization in a spectral line, (4) various points in the line profile are affected in the same way by change of linear polarization so that polarization parameters can be measured on the integrated line profile.
NASAs Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) 12.5 kW Technology Demonstration Unit-1 (TDU-1) Hall thruster has been the subject of extensive technology maturation in preparation for flight system development. Part of the technology maturation effort included experimental evaluation of the TDU-1 thruster with conducting and dielectric front pole cover materials in two different electrical configurations. A graphite front pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body electrically tied to cathode and an alumina front pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body floating were evaluated. Both configurations were also evaluated at different facility background pressure conditions to evaluate background pressure effects on thruster operation. Performance characterization tests found that higher thruster performance was attained with the graphite front pole cover configuration with the thruster electrically tied to cathode. A total thrust efficiency of 68 and a total specific impulse of 2,820 s was demonstrated at a discharge voltage of 600 V and a discharge power of 12.5 kW. Thruster stability regimes were characterized with respect to the thruster discharge current oscillations and with maps of the current-voltage-magnetic field (IVB). Analysis of TDU-1 discharge current waveforms found that lower normalized discharge current peak-to-peak and root mean square magnitudes were attained when the thruster was electrically floated with alumina front pole covers. Background pressure effects characterization tests indicated that the thruster performance and stability was mostly invariant to changes in the facility background pressure for vacuum chamber pressure below 110-5 Torr-Xe (for thruster flow rate above 8 mgs). Power spectral density analysis of the discharge current waveform showed that increasing the vacuum chamber background pressure resulted in a higher discharge current dominant frequency. Finally the IVB maps of the TDU-1 thruster taken at elevated magnetic fields indicated that the discharge current became more oscillatory with increased facility background pressure at lower thruster mass flow rates, where thruster operation at higher flow rates resulted in less change to the thrusters IVB characteristics.
The Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) is a 12.5 kW Hall thruster co-developed by NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. HERMeS incorporates magnetic shielding to eliminate discharge channel erosion in order to reach its design lifetime of 50 kh at specific impulses up to 3000 s. The capabilities of the HERMeS thruster technology transferred to Aerojet Rocketdyne under the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) program are described. HERMeS hardware testing is now focused at reducing risk and supporting the qualification of the AEPS thruster. These includes a series of progressively longer wear tests, plasma characterization and modeling supporting life qualification, magnetic field optimization, and environmental testing. Initial results from AEPS thruster testing show operation consistent with the HERMeS thrusters and steady-state operation has been achieved at 600 V, 12.5 kW.