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NASA NTRS1974

Spoke wavenumbers and mode transitions in NASA-Lewis bumpy torus

Waveforms of fluctuations of plasma potential, resulting from rotating electron and ion charge concentrations, have been observed in the Lewis bumpy torus. Since these fluctuations are thought to be spoke rotations in the direction of the E x B drift, measuring the direction of spoke rotation should determine the direction of the electric fields over much of the plasma surface. Since inward pointing electric fields should enhance confinement of the hot ions in this device, knowledge of the direction of the spoke rotation could give valuable information on the mechanism of plasma confinement and radial transport. A Langmuir probe was inserted into the plasma to measure the floating potential of the plasma; hence the direction of the electric field could be checked another way.

Gerdin, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Early time interaction of lithium ions with the solar wind in the AMPTE mission

The early time interaction of an artifically injected lithium cloud with the solar wind is simulated with a one-dimensional hybrid code. Simulation results indicate that the lithium cloud presents an obstacle to the solar wind flow, forming a shock-like interaction region. Several notable features are found: (1) The magnetic field is enhanced up to a factor of about 6, followed by a magnetic cavity downstream. (2) Solar wind ions are slowed down inside the lithium cloud, with substantial upstream reflection. (3) Most of the lithium ions gradually pick up the velocity of the solar wind and move downstream. (4) Intense and short-wavelength electric fields exist ahead of the interaction region. (5) Strong electron heating occurs within the lithium cloud. (6) The convection electric field in the solar wind is modulated in the interaction region. The simulation results are in remarkable agreement with in situ spacecraft measurements made during lithium releases in the solar wind by the AMPTE (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers) Program.

Lui, A. T. Y.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Early results from ISEE-A electric field measurements

In the solar wind and in middle latitude regions of the magnetosphere, spacecraft sheath fields obscure the ambient field under low plasma flux conditions such that valid measurements are confined to periods of moderately intense flux. Initial results show: (1) that the DC electric field is enhanced by roughly a factor of two in a narrow region at the front, increasing B, edge of the bow shock, (2) that scale lengths for large changes in E at the subsolar magnetopause are considerably shorter than scale lengths associated with the magnetic structure of the magnetopause, and (3) that the transverse distribution of B-aligned E-fields between the outer magnetosphere and ionospheric levels must be highly complex to account for the random turbulent appearance of the magnetospheric fields and the lack of corresponding time-space variations at ionospheric levels. Spike-like, non-oscillatory, fields lasting less than 0.2 seconds are occasionally seen at the bow shock and at the magnetopause and also intermittently appear in magnetosheath and plasma sheet regions under highly variable field conditions.

Heppner, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Temporal Stability of Surface Roughness Effects on Radar Based Soil Moisture Retrieval During the Corn Growth Cycle

A representative soil surface roughness parameterization needed for the retrieval of soil moisture from active microwave satellite observation is difficult to obtain through either in-situ measurements or remote sensing-based inversion techniques. Typically, for the retrieval of soil moisture, temporal variations in surface roughness are assumed to be negligible. Although previous investigations have suggested that this assumption might be reasonable for natural vegetation covers (Moran et al. 2002, Thoma et al. 2006), insitu measurements over plowed agricultural fields (Callens et al. 2006) have shown that the soil surface roughness can change considerably over time. This paper reports on the temporal stability of surface roughness effects on radar observations and soil moisture retrieved from these radar observations collected once a week during a corn growth cycle (May 10th - October 2002). The data set employed was collected during the Optimizing Production Inputs for Economic and Environmental Enhancement (OPE3) field campaign covering this 2002 corn growth cycle and consists of dual-polarized (HH and VV) L-band (1.6 GHz) acquired at view angles of 15, 35, and 55 degrees. Cross-polarized L baud radar data were also collected as part of this experiment, but are not used in the analysis reported on here. After accounting for vegetation effects on radar observations, time-invariant optimum roughness parameters were determined using the Integral Equation Method (IEM) and radar observations acquired over bare soil and cropped conditions (the complete radar data set includes entire corn growth cycle). The optimum roughness parameters, soil moisture retrieval uncertainty, temporal distribution of retrieval errors and its relationship with the weather conditions (e.g. rainfall and wind speed) have been analyzed. It is shown that over the corn growth cycle, temporal roughness variations due to weathering by rain are responsible for almost 50% of soil moisture retrieval uncertainty depending on the sensing configuration. The effects of surface roughness variations are found to be smallest for observations acquired at a view angle of 55 degrees and HH polarization. A possible explanation for this result is that at 55 degrees and HH polarization the effect of vertical surface height changes on the observed radar response are limited because the microwaves travel parallel to the incident plane and as a result will not interact directly with vertically oriented soil structures.

Joseph, A.T.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Mirroring of fast solar flare electrons on a downstream corotating interaction region

We discuss an example of confinement of fast solar electrons by a discrete solar wind-interplanetary magnetic field structure on February 22, 1991. The structure is about 190,000 km in width and is clearly defined by changes in the direction of the magnetic field at the Ulysses spacecraft. This structure carries electrons moving toward the Sun as well as away from the Sun. A loss cone in the angular distribution of the fast electrons shows that mirroring, presumably magnetic, takes place downstream from the spacecraft. Following passage of this narrow structure, the return flux vanishes for 21 min after which time the mirroring resumes and persists for several hours. We identify the enhanced magnetic field region lying downstream from the Ulysses spacecraft that is responsible for the mirroring to be a corotating stream interaction region. Backstreaming suprathermal electron measurements by the Los Alamos National Laboratory plasma experiment on the Ulysses spacecraft support this interpretation.

Anderson, K. A.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Predicting Global Ground Geoelectric Field With Coupled Geospace and Three-Dimensional Geomagnetic Induction Models

We forecast the global effects of space weather on the geoelectric and geomagnetic fields using a novel combination of methods. We use a realistic three-dimensional (3-D) model of Earth's electrical conductivity and a realistic representation of magnetospheric and ionospheric current systems. Our scheme involves the following steps: (1) We run a global magnetohydrodynamic model of the magnetosphere coupled to an electrostatic model of the ionosphere. (2) We calculate a global time series of the ground magnetic field resulting from the ionospheric, field-aligned, and magnetospheric currents of the global magnetohydrodynamic model. (3) We approximate this external field by an equivalent source current flowing in a thin shell above Earth. (4) We calculate a global time series of geoelectric and geomagnetic fields from the equivalent current and a 3-D conductivity model of Earth that also takes into account the coast effect due to large horizontal conductivity gradient. We verify our implementation by comparing the results against known analytic and numeric solutions, and then apply our scheme to the geomagnetic storm of 14 and 15 December 2006. In particular, we show that accounting for 3-D structure of Earth's conductivity results in significantly enhanced geoelectric field at large lateral gradients of conductivity, especially in coastal regions, both at middle and high latitudes. In the studied geomagnetic storm the largest values of 3-D geoelectric field are detected at high latitudes reaching 2.5 volts per kilometer and the 3-D effect extends inland by a few hundred kilometers.

Honkonen, I.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Dynamic and static initialization of a mesoscale model using VAS satellite data

Various combinations of temperature and moisture data from the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS), conventional radiosonde data, and National Meteorological Center (NMC) global analysis, were used in a successive-correction type of objective-analysis procedure to produce analyses for 1200 GMT. The NMC global analyses served as the first-guess field for all of the objective analysis procedures. The first-guess field was enhanced by radiosonde data alone, VAS data alone, both radiosonde and VAS data, or by neither data source. In addition, two objective analyses were used in a dynamic initialization: one included only radiosonde data and the other used both radiosonde and VAS data. The dependence of 12 hour forecast skill on data type and the methods by which the data were used in the analysis/initialization were then investigated. This was done by comparison of forecast and observed fields, of sea-level pressure, temperature, wind, moisture, and accumulated precipitation. The use of VAS data in the initial conditions had a slight positive impact upon forecast temperature and moisture but a negative impact upon forecast wind. This was true for both the static and dynamic initialization experiments. Precipitation forecasts from all of the model simulations were nearly the same.

Beauchamp, James G.↗

NASA NTRS2022

High-energy Photon Opacity in the Twisted Magnetospheres of Magnetars

Magnetars are neutron stars characterized by strong surface magnetic fields generally exceeding the quantum critical value of 44.1 TG. High-energy photons propagating in their magnetospheres can be attenuated by QED processes like photon splitting and magnetic pair creation. In this paper, we compute the opacities due to photon splitting and pair creation by photons emitted anywhere in the magnetosphere of a magnetar. Axisymmetric, twisted dipole field configurations embedded in the Schwarzschild metric are treated. The paper computes the maximum energies for photon transparency that permit propagation to infinity in curved spacetime. Special emphasis is given to cases where photons are generated along magnetic field loops and/or in polar regions; these cases directly relate to resonant inverse Compton scattering models for the hard X-ray emission from magnetars and Comptonized soft gamma-ray emission from giant flares. We find that increases in magnetospheric twists raise or lower photon opacities, depending on both the emission locale and the competition between field-line straightening and field strength enhancement. Consequently, given the implicit spectral transparency of hard X-ray bursts and persistent "tail" emission of magnetars, photon splitting considerations constrain their emission region locales and the twist angle of the magnetosphere; these constraints can be probed by future soft gamma-ray telescopes such as COSI and AMEGO. The inclusion of twists generally increases the opaque volume of pair creation by photons above its threshold, except when photons are emitted in polar regions and approximately parallel to the field.

radiation mechanisms: non-thermal↗

NASA NTRS1994

Solar activity and coronal mass ejections on the western hemisphere of the Sun in mid-August 1989: Association with interplanetary observations at the ICE and IMP 8 spacecraft

During the 10-day period from August 12 to 21, 1989, a sequence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) was observed above the west limb of the Sun by the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) coronagraph. Most of these CMEs apparently originated in the vicinity of one particularly active region during its passage from near central meridian to behind the west limb of the Sun. We present observations made at 1 AU during this period by the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) (formerly International Sun Earth Explorer-3 (ISEE 3)) and Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP 8) spacecraft which were separated by approximately 75 deg in heliolongitude. Following CMEs on August 12 associated with solar events at approximately W40 deg, IMP 8 (in Earth orbit) detected a strong shock followed by signatures in magnetic field, solar wind plasma, and energetic ion data which suggest that CME-related material ('ejecta') forming the shock driver engulfed the spacecraft. This spacecraft only observed weak shocks, and no ejecta, from later CMEs originating further west of the spacecraft. In contrast ICE, off the west limb at approximately W75 deg, observed the shock from the W40 deg event but failed to encounter the shock driver, whereas clear ejecta signatures were observed following events further west, closer to the spacecraft heliolongitude. The disappearance of these signatures (which include bidirectional energetic ion flows, bidirectional solar wind heat fluxes, quiet, enhanced magnetic fields and anomalously cool plasma) at IMP 8 and their emergence at ICE as the solar source region moved westward supports the association of such signatures with ejecta related to CMEs. The dual-spacecraft observations are also consistent with the conclusion of Richardson and Cane (1993) that ejecta at 1 AU typically extend approximately 50 degs in longitude from the solar source. Some plausible associations between particular intervals of ejecta signatures at ICE and individual CMEs are made. However, these associations are complicated by the large number of CMEs present, by intermittent ICE data coverage, and by uncertainties in the ejecta propagation speeds to the spacecraft.

Richardson, I. G.↗

NASA NTRS1965

Scattering of a test-particle by enhanced plasma fluctuations.

Scattering of test particle by enhanced electric field fluctuations in plamsa containing nonthermal electrons

WAVE SCATTERING↗

NASA NTRS1972

Magnetospheric substorms.

A proposed model of the substorm growth phase describes a gradual development of internal magnetospheric convection driven by enhanced field-line reconnection at the front-side magnetopause. The observed increased tail magnetic field, inward motion of the tail current system, and inward displacement of the plasma sheet inner edge are shown to follow from a line-tied inward motion of the dayside magnetopause and a slow development of magnetospheric convection. Resulting changes in the nightside auroral oval ionosphere lead to the formation of the auroral electrojet which is the ground signature (magnetically) of substorm breakup.

Coroniti, F. V.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Input guide for computer programs to generate thermodynamic data for air and Freon CF4

FORTRAN computer programs were developed to calculate the thermodynamic properties of Freon 14 and air for isentropic expansion from given plenum conditions. Thermodynamic properties for air are calculated with equations derived from the Beattie-Bridgeman nonstandard equation of state and, for Freon 14, with equations derived from the Redlich-Quang nonstandard equation of state. These two gases are used in scale model testing of model rocket nozzle flow fields which requires simulation of the prototype plume shape with a cold flow test approach. Utility of the computer programs for use in analytical prediction of flow fields is enhanced by arranging card or tape output of the data in a format compatible with a method-of-characteristics computer program.

Tevepaugh, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A hollow cathode hydrogen ion source

Sovey, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Evidence for interplanetary acceleration of nucleons in corotating interaction regions

Simultaneous measurements of protons and helium in the energy range 0.5-2 MeV per nucleon on IMP-8 (at 1 AU) and Pioneer-10 and Pioneer-11 (between 1 and 8 AU) have revealed a correlation which develops beyond about 2.5 AU between the positions of double peaks in recurring proton intensity increases and the leading and trailing edges of recurring regions of fast solar wind streams and enhanced magnetic field. From these correlations and the study of energy spectra and the proton-to-helium abundance ratios, it is concluded that there is local acceleration of nucleons, probably near the boundary regions where shocks are observed, even if the nucleons are injected initially at the sun.

Barnes, C. W.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Modulation of Jovian electron intensity in interplanetary space by corotating interaction regions

Large-scale intensity variations of Jovian electrons in the energy range from 3 to 6 MeV persisting for several days were observed with instrumentation on the Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 spacecraft out to several AU from Jupiter along the pre- and post-planetary encounter trajectories. The corotating interaction regions (CIRs), found by Smith and Wolfe (1976) on these missions to be approximately 25-day recurring regions of enhanced magnetic fields bounded by jumps in solar-wind velocity and frequently shocks, are shown to be impenetrable 'barriers' for the Jovian electrons propagating in the interplanetary medium. Thus, the principal electron-intensity variations are due to the modulating effects of CIRs and are not due to either variations in escape rate of electrons from the magnetosphere or interplanetary electron acceleration. The implications for electron observations at the orbit of earth are discussed.

Conlon, T. F.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A hollow cathode hydrogen ion source

High current density ion sources have been used to heat plasmas in controlled thermonuclear reaction experiments. High beam currents imply relatively high emission currents from cathodes which have generally taken the form of tungsten filaments. This paper describes a hydrogen ion source which was primarily developed to assess the emission current capability and design requirements for hollow cathodes for application in neutral injection devices. The hydrogen source produced ions by electron bombardment via a single hollow cathode. Source design followed mercury ion thruster technology, using a weak magnetic field to enhance ionization efficiency. A 1.3-cm-diam hollow cathode using a low work function material dispenser performed satisfactorily over a discharge current range of 10-90 A. Cylindrical probe measurements taken without ion extraction indicate maximum ion number densities on the order of 10 trillion/cu cm. Discharge durations ranged from 30 sec to continuous operation. Tests with beam extraction at 2.5 keV and 30 A discharge current yield average ion beam current densities of 0.1 A/sq cm over a 5-cm extraction diameter. Results of this study can be used to supply the baseline information needed to scale hollow cathodes for operation at discharge currents of hundreds of amperes using distributed cathodes.

Sovey, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Critical currents in A-15 structure Nb3Al converted from cold-worked bcc structure

The paper considers critical currents in A-15 structure Nb3Al converted from a cold-worked bcc structure. Nb3Al prepared in the ductile phase by quenching and mechanical working followed by conversion to the A-15 structure could carry currents above 10 to the 9th power A/sq m in fields near 20 T. These critical currents are comparable to those of Nb3Ge and V3Ga which are closest competing materials for use in high fields; further enhancement of the critical current is possible if thermal treatments are optimized.

Woollam, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Sensors for Precise Tracking

Sun-sensor optical system uses four pairs of pentaprisms to simplify alinement and reduce mechanical-stability requirements. Cross-shaped windows in field stop enhance sensitivity of signal detectors to changes in angular position. Two virtual images viewed by telescopes mark position and orientation of occulter panel. Reflector vertex, point source and corresponding virtual image are all equally spaced along a straight line.

Zehnpfenning, T. F.↗