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At least 19 records

Rarefaction shock in the near wake

Laboratory experiments and fluid theory find a stationary rarefaction shock in the near wake of an electrically grounded obstacle placed in a steady state, supersonic plasma flow. The shock is only found when two electron temperatures, differing by at least an order of magnitude, are present. These shocks are analogous to rarefaction shocks in plasma free expansions.

Diebold, D.↗

Condensation of water vapor in rarefaction waves. I - Homogeneous nucleation

A detailed theoretical investigation has been made of the condensation of water vapor/carrier gas mixtures in the nonstationary rarefaction wave generated in a shock tube. It is assumed that condensation takes place by homogeneous nucleation. The equations of motion together with the nucleation rate and the droplet growth equations were solved numerically by the method of characteristics and Lax's method of implicit artificial viscosity. It is found that, for the case considered, the condensation wave formed by the collapse of the metastable nonequilibrium state is followed by a shock wave generated by the intersection of characteristics of the same family. The expansion is practically isentropic up to the onset of condensation. The condensation front accelerates in the x,t plane. The results of the computations for a chosen case of water vapor/nitrogen mixture are presented by plotting variations of pressure, nucleation rate, number density of critical clusters, and condensate mass-fraction along three particle paths. Some consideration is given to homogeneous condensation experiments conducted in a shock tube. Although a direct comparison of the present theoretical work and these experiments is not possible, several worthwhile interpretative features have resulted nevertheless.

Sislian, J. P.↗

Development of separation due to interaction between a shock wave and a turbulent boundary layer perturbed by rarefaction waves

The interaction of a turbulent boundary layer with rarefaction and shock waves in flows past inclined steps was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiments were carried out in supersonic wind tunnels with test sections of 0.6 x 0.6 m and 0.2 x 0.2 m, with adiabatic conditions on the surface model. Based on detailed measurements of pressure fields, velocity, and surface friction, combined with results of optical visualization and analysis of limiting flow lines, three characteristic flow regimes are identified. These are (1) nonseparated flow at small step angles, (2) formation of a local separation zone with a free separation point at moderate step angles, and (3) formation of a large-scale separated flow with a fixed separation point at sufficiently large step angles. The quantitative gasdynamic schemes and surface pressure distributions for these flow regimes are shown for Mach 2.85.

Zheltovodov, A. A.↗

Rarefaction effects on Galileo probe aerodynamics

Solutions of aerodynamic characteristics are presented for the Galileo Probe entering Jupiter's hydrogen-helium atmosphere at a nominal relative velocity of 47.4 km/s. Focus is on predicting the aerodynamic drag coefficient during the transitional flow regime using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Accuracy of the probe's drag coefficient directly impacts the inferred atmospheric properties that are being extracted from the deceleration measurements made by onboard accelerometers as part of the Atmospheric Structure Experiment. The range of rarefaction considered in the present study extends from the free molecular limit to continuum conditions. Comparisons made with previous calculations and experimental measurements show the present results for drag to merge well with Navier-Stokes and experimental results for the least rarefied conditions considered.

Moss, James N.↗

Influence of degree of ambient medium rarefaction on deformation of copper and aluminum

The influence of high vacuum 1 x 10 to the minus 9th power torr on the plastic deformation of copper and aluminum was studied. When stretching polycrystalline aluminum and copper specimens in vacuum, it was found that the deformation at failure increases and the ultimate strength decreases. Deformation in vacuum is accompanied by the evolution of hydrogen. For copper, gas evolution is observed only at failure, while for aluminum hydrogen evolution takes place in the initial stage and the gas evolution peaks correspond to small steps on the deformation curve.

Lyubarskiy, I. M.↗

Life and death in the microcirculation: a role for angiotensin II

OBJECTIVE: Angiotensin II (ANGII) plays a critical role in the maintenance of the microcirculation and in the anatomical loss of microvessels (rarefaction) that occurs in low renin forms of hypertension and in animals fed a high-salt diet. Elevations in sodium intake can trigger a series of hemodynamic and hormonal responses culminating in a substantial rarefaction of small arterioles and capillaries in both normal and reduced renal mass hypertensive rats. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry, Northern blot, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of microdissected blood vessels were used to localize ANGII receptors in the microcirculation. Chronic infusion of ANGII and other physiologic and pharmacologic manipulations of the reninangiotensin system in rats was combined with morphologic and mathematical analysis of the network architecture. RESULTS: We have shown that rarefaction of the microcirculation can cause an increase in total peripheral resistance, reduced tissue perfusion, decreased oxygen delivery, and impaired organ function. Although the mechanisms by which this occurs are not well understood, a number of key observations point to a role for the renin-angiotensin system in this effect. First, ANGII infused systemically at subpressor levels, or locally into the skeletal muscle interstitium, can induce significant microvessel growth. Second, localization of ANGII receptor proteins by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting and RNA localization by RT-PCR confirm the presence of AT1 receptors, which are growth-stimulatory, and AT2 receptors, which are growth-inhibitory in the microcirculation. Third, maintenance of ANGII at normal levels during periods of hypertension or high-salt diet completely eliminates rarefaction. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that ANGII acting through AT1- and AT2-receptor mechanisms modulate vessel density during high-salt diet and hypertension.

Review↗

Interaction between perpendicular magnetohydrodynamic shocks

A general analysis is made of the collision and merging of perpendicular shocks as well as the interaction between a shock and a tangential discontinuity. It is found that two head-on shocks diminish both in strength after collisions and a tangential discontinuity forms between them. The property of the discontinuity depends on the relative strength of the two shocks. No discontinuity occurs if the shocks are equal in strength. The emerging of two shocks propagating in the same direction results in a strong shock followed by a tangential discontinuity and a reverse wave. The reverse wave is a rarefaction wave if one or both of the shocks are strong. If the shocks are both weak, a critical adiabatic index (CAI) exists. The reverse wave is a rarefaction wave if the wavelength is less than the CAI and a shock exists if the wavelength is greater than the CAI. As a wake shock enters from a medium of higher wave impedance into that of lower wave impedance, the reflected wave is a rarefaction wave and the total pressure ratio decreases and the velocity jump increases after the shock passes through the border.

Hu, Y. Q.↗

Double Layers in Expanding Plasmas and Their Relevance to the Auroral Plasma Processes

When a dense plasma consisting of a cold and a sufficiently warm electron population expands, a rarefaction shock forms. In the expansion of the polar wind in the magnetosphere, it has been previously shown that when a sufficiently warm electron population also exists, in addition to the usual cold ionospheric one, a discontinuity forms in the electrostatic potential distribution along the magnetic field lines. Despite the lack of spatial resolution and the assumption of quasi-neutrality in the polar wind models, such discontinuities have been called double layers (DLs). Recently similar discontinuities have been invoked to partly explain the auroral acceleration of electrons and ions in the upward current region. By means of one-dimensional Vlasov simulations of expanding plasmas, for the first time we make here the connection between (i) the rarefaction shocks, (ii) the discontinuities in the potential distributions, and (iii) DLs. We show that when plasmas expand from opposite directions into a deep density cavity with a potential drop across it and when the plasma on the high-potential side contains two electron populations, the temporal evolution of the potential and the plasma. distribution generates evolving multiple double layers with an extended density cavity between them. One of the DLs is the rarefaction-shock (RFS) and it forms by the reflections of the cold electrons coming from the high-potential side; it supports a part of the potential drop approximately determined by the hot electron temperature.

Singh, Nagendra↗

Double Layers in Expanding Plasmas and Their Relevance to the Auroral Plasma Processes

When a dense plasma consisting of a cold and a sufficiently warm electron population expands, a rarefaction shock forms [Bezzerides et al., 1978]. In the expansion of the polar wind in the magnetosphere, it has been previously shown that when a sufficiently warm electron population also exists, in addition to the usual cold ionospheric one, a discontinuity forms in the electrostatic potential distribution along the magnetic field lines [Barakat and Schunk, 1984]. Despite the lack of spatial resolution and the assumption of quasi-neutrality in the polar wind models, such discontinuities have been called double layers (DLs). Recently similar discontinuities have been invoked to partly explain the auroral acceleration of electrons and ions in the upward current region [Ergun et al., 2000]. By means of one-dimensional Vlasov simulations of expanding plasmas, for the first time we make here the connection between (1) the rarefaction shocks, (2) the discontinuities in the potential distributions, and (3) DLs. We show that when plasmas expand from opposite directions into a deep density cavity with a potential drop across it and when the plasma on the high-potential side contains hot and cold electron populations, the temporal evolution of the potential and the plasma distribution generates evolving multiple double layers with an ,extended density cavity between them. One of the DLs is the rarefaction-shock (RFS) and it forms by the reflections of the cold electrons coming from the high-potential side; it supports a part of the potential drop approximately determined by the hot electron temperature. The other DLs evolve from charge separations arising either from reflection of ions coming from the low-potential side or stemming from plasma instabilities; they support the rest of the potential drop. The instabilities forming these additional double layers involve electron-ion (e-i) Buneman or ion-ion (i-i) two-stream interactions. The electron-electron two-stream interactions on the high-potential side of the RFS generate electron-acoustic waves, which evolve into electron phase-space holes. The ion population originating from the low-potential side and trapped by the RFS is energized by the e-i and i-i instabilities and it eventually precipitates into the high-potential plasma along with an electron beam. Applications of these findings to the auroral plasma physics are discussed.

Singh, Nagendra↗

CMEs and Low Density Events in the Solar Wind

From time to time the density of the Solar Wind falls below unity for a day or so. Despite studies of these events, their cause has not been established. In the solar wind there are frequent rarefactions but these are much shallower than the ones we are discussing here. In particular any role that CMEs might play in forming more extreme rarefactions is not clear . We discuss 9 cases of extreme events, leading to sub-alfvenic flow and well observed by Wind, which occurred between 1999 and 2002, and look for corresponding CME events in the LASCO cotalog. The catalog gives a fitted speed , good out to 20 Rs ,as well as a speed lower down in the corona, and this is used to distinguish between a CME and an ICME. We find one of the events ,which was simulated by Usmanov et al.,cannot be associated with an ICME. The other eight events can plausibly be associated with fast ICMEs, identified by the prescence of bi-streaming electrons also seen by Wind SWE, and by other phenomena The implications of these observations are discussed but do not seem to be conclusive as to the cause of the extreme rarefactions.

Ogilvie, K. W.↗

High Reynolds number experimental data for forebody axial force.

Brief review of the operational principle and capability of the high-Reynolds-number wind tunnel developed over the last few years. Its test medium is stored in a Ludwieg tube and held there by means of a diaphragm. When the diaphragm is broken, a rearward-facing centered rarefaction fan propagates upstream through the test section and nozzle into the supply tube, and the useful run time is bounded by the reflected rarefaction wave and the starting shock wave caused by choking at the nozzle. The operating problems center around the ability of model and sting support systems to withstand the loads and to meet the instrumentation requirements. Evaluation tests have shown that satisfactory force and moment measurements can be obtained in this facility.

Davis, J. W.↗

External tank laminar and rarefied aeroheating

A practical method has been developed for calculation of laminar and rarefied aerodynamic heating to the external tank of the Space Shuttle during the ascent phase of flight. A modification of laminar boundary theory is used as the basis for the heating relation. This relation is used in conjunction with a correlation for surface pressures to obtain undisturbed aerodynamic heating. Interference effects on the external tank due to the orbiter are correlated using the rarefaction parameter which was developed as part of the heating relation. The effects of rarefaction on the undisturbed and interference heating are illustrated with test data.

Engel, C. D.↗

Spiky ion acoustic waves in collisionless auroral plasma

A theory of spiky electric fields in 'inverted V' precipitation regions is elaborated and compared with recent spacecraft observations of solitary waves and double layers. A prediction from the theory is that the electric fields propagate along the magnetic field as perturbed ion acoustic solitons that intensify by exchanging momentum with reflected particles. The solitons have minimum scale lengths of approximately 100 m and maximum electric potential and field amplitudes of 1-10 V and 1-10 mV/m. They propagate at the local ion acoustic speed and are Doppler-shifted by the drift speed of upward flowing cold ions. Both rarefactive and compressive solitons with, respectively, negative and positive electric potentials are possible. It is noted that upward propagating compressive modes intensify when the upward flow of ionospheric ions exceeds approximately 10 times the local ion acoustic speed. The kinematic and dynamic properties of rarefactive solitons are found to be consistent with recent observations.

Lotko, W.↗