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Results for “polarization interaction”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1961

Collision Integrals for a Modified Stockmayer Potential

Collision integrals were calculated for the modified Stockmayer potential E(r) = 4 epsilon [(sigma/r)(exp 12) - (sigma/r)(exp 6) - delta(sigma/r)(exp 3)], which may be applied to polar molecules. It was assumed that the colliding molecules maintain their same relative orientation during the encounter. Calculations of the integrals were made for a large reduced temperature range and for a range of delta from 0 to 10. The results agree with other work on non-polar interactions (delta = 0). However for polar interactions the only previously published calculations have been found to be in error and do not agree with this work. Assuming that the molecules interact as alined dipoles of maximum attraction, values for sigma, epsilon, and delta were determined for various polar molecules by a least squares fit of experimental viscosity data. Satisfactory results were obtained for slightly polar molecules, but not for more highly polar molecules such as NH3 or H2O. Therefore, it appears that the assumed model of molecules interacting at all times as alined dipoles of maximum attraction is not satisfactory for estimating trans- port properties of polar molecules.

Itean, Engene C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Use of operational analyses to study the dynamics of troposphere-stratosphere interactions in polar regions

Operational analyses produced by large weather centers have been used in the past to monitor various aspects of the general circulation as well as address dynamical questions. For a number years researchers have been monitoring National Meteorological Center (NMC) analyses at 100 millibars because it is the level from which stratospheric analyses are built. In particular, they closely examined the pressure-work term at that level which is an important parameter related to the forcing of the stratosphere by the troposphere. Rapid fluctuations typically seen in this quanity during the months of July-November, and similarly noted by Randel et al., (1987) may raise some concern about the quality of the analyses. Researchers investigated the behavior of the term mainly responsible for these variations, namely the eddy flux of heat, and furthermore have corroborated the presence of these variations in contemporaneous analyses produced by the European Centre for Medium Range Forecasts (ECMWF). Researchers demonstrated that fluctuations in standing eddy heat fluxes, related to the forcing of the stratosphere by the troposphere, agree in two largely independent meteorological analyses. Researchers believe, that these fluctuations are mostly real.

Salstein, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Cellular polarity and interactions in plant graviperception

Presented are results of studies on the mechanisms of gravitropic sensing in higher and lower plants. Gravitropic roots of the aquatic angiosperm, Limnobium, were found to have sedimented amyloplasts in their elongation zone but not in their rootcap; nuclei were found to sediment in the elongation zone as well. Another study attempted to understand how plastid sedimentation occurs in vertical Ceratodon cells and how this sedimentation is regulated. To determine whether the cytoskeleton restricts plastid sedimentation, the effects of amiprophos-methyl (APM) and cytochalasin (CD) on plastid position were qualified. Results suggest that microtubules restrict the sedimentation of plastids along the length of the cell and that microtubules are load-bearing for all the plastids in the apical cell, demonstrating the importance of the cytoskeleton in maintaining organelle position and cell organization against the force of gravity. Physcomitrella and Funaria were also studied. Results suggest that gravitropism may be relatively common in moss protonemata and reinforce the idea that amyloplast mass functions in gravitropic sensing.

Sack, Fred D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Elastic scattering and rotational excitation of a polyatomic molecule by electron impact - Acetylene

Differential, integral, momentum transfer, and partial cross sections have been calculated for elastic scattering and rotational excitation of C2H2 by 10-eV electrons. The effective potential includes static, exchange, and polarization interactions calculated by the INDOX/1s method and the semiclassical exchange approximation with adiabatic polarization at large electron-molecule distances. The scattering is treated by well converged rotational close coupling using the centrifugal dominant scheme to select the channels included and including up to 32 coupled channels for a given total angular momentum. The calculated integral cross sections for pure elastic scattering and rotation excitation are 54.5 and 41.4 a(0)squared, respectively. These are much larger than the values (34.4 and 18.6 a(0)squared) previously (Onda and Truhlar, 1979) calculated for the isoelectronic molecule N2, at this energy. This illustrates how the greater spatial extent of C2H2 greatly increases the cross sections for pure elastic and rotationally inelastic scattering.

Thirumalai, D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Validation and applications of the POLAR code

The Potentials of Large Objects in the Auroral Region (POLAR) code was written to model the charging of large spacecraft by auroral electrons in low polar orbit. It has also proven to be a powerful tool for analysis of active and voltage-plasma interactions. POLAR combines 3-D object definition, direct solution to Poisson's equation, space charge transport, and surface charge computation. Physical effects treated by POLAR include the plasma wake and ram, the geomagnetic field, ionization, sheath and barrier formation, and photo and secondary electron generation and transport. Polar development is complete and it is now available to the aerospace community. The methodology of POLAR is reviewed but concentration is on the applications of POLAR to physical problems and observations with the intent of demonstrating both the code's capabilities, and its limitations. These applications include the Space Shuttle, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites, sounding rockets, plasma chamber experiments, and things not yet flown.

Cooke, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Upper-Limit Charge Exchange Cross Sections for Mercury(+) on Molybdenum and Cesium(+) on Aluminum

Upper-limit charge exchange cross sections are calculated for Hg(+) on Mo and Cs(+) on Al. The cross sections are calculated from the polarization interaction at low ion energies (1 to 500 eV) and by assuming favorable curve crossings with a hard-core reaction radius at higher energies (500 eV to 10 keV). The cross sections for Hg(+) on Mo becomes greater than corresponding Hg Hg(+) resonance values at ion energies below 2 eV, whereas the Cs(+) Al values remain considerably lower than the Cs(+)Cs resonance value at all ion energies. It is also shown that charge exchange of slow Hg(+) with Mo may be important for spacecraft with electron bombardment thrusters.

Dugan, J. V., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The effect of wave-particle interactions on the polar wind: Preliminary results

A Monte Carlo simulation was developed in order to study the effects of wave-particle interactions (WPI) on the plasma outflow in the polar wind. The simulation also considered the other mechanisms included in the `classical' polar wind studies such as gravity, the polarization electrostatic field, and the divergence of geomagnetic field lines. Although the plasma consisted of electrons, H(+) and O(+) ions, we emphasized the behavior of H(+) in this preliminary study. The ion distribution function, as well as the profiles of its moments (density, drift velocity, temperatures, etc.) were found for different levels of WPI, that is, for different values of normalized diffusion rates in the velocity space (normalized D(sub perpendicular) H(+)). We found that as the WPI strength increases: (1) the ion drift velocity increases and its density decreases; (2) the perpendicular temperature T(sub perpendicular) (H(+)) increases; (3) the parallel temperature T(sub parallel) (H(+)) first decreases and then increases due to the balance between the parallel adiabatic cooling and the transfer of the energy from the perpendicular to the parallel direction; and (4) the temperature anisotropy ((T(sub parallel) (H(+))/T(sub perpendicular) (H(+)) is reduced and even reversed in some cases. For strong WPI (normalized D(sub perpendicular) (H(+) much greater than 1), the ion distribution function shows weak conic features at high altitudes.

Barakat, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Polar Cap Disturbances: Mesosphere and Thermosphere-Ionosphere Response to Solar-Terrestrial Interactions

The Polar Cap is the Upper-Atmosphere cum Mag-netosphere region which is enclosed by the poleward boundary of the Auroral Oval and is threaded by open geomagnetic tield lines. In this region, there is normally a steady precipition (Polar "drizzle") of low energy (w 300eV) electrons that excite optical emissions from the ionosphere. At times, enhanced ionization patches are formed near the Dayside Cusp regions that drift across the Polar Cap towards the Night Sector of the Auroral Oval. Discrete auroral arcs and auroras formed during Solar Magnetic Cloud (SMC)/Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) events are also observed in the Polar Cap. Spectrophotometric observations of all these Polar Cap phenomena provide a measure of the average energy as well a energy flux of the electrons precipitating in the Polar Cap region during these disturbances. Such measurements also point to modulations of the Polar Cap Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere (MLT) air density and temperature by zonally symmetric tides whose Hough functions peak in the Polar region. MLT cooling during Stratospheric Warming events and their relation to Polar Vortex and associated Gravity wave activities are also observed at the Polar Cap sites.

Sivjee, G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The effect of wave-particle interactions on the polar winds O(+)

The escape of the polar wind plasma is an important element in the ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. Both theory and observations indicate that the wave-particle interactions (WPI) play a significant role in the dynamics of ion outflow along open geomagnetic field lines. A Monte Carlo simulation was developed in order to include the effect of the WPI in addition to the factors that are traditionally included in the 'classical' polar wind (i.e. gravity, electrostatic field, and divergence of geomagnetic field lines). The ion distribution function (f(sub j)), as well as the profiles of its moments (density, drift velocity, temperature, etc.) were found for different levels of WPI, that is, for different values of the normalized diffusion rate in the velocity space (D(tilde) (sub j perpendicular). Although the model included O(=), H(+) and eletrons, we presented only the results related to the O(+) ion. We found that (1) both the density and drift velocity of O(+) increased with the WPI strength, and consequently, the O(+) escape flux was enhanced by a factor of up to 10(exp 5), (2) The O(+) ions could be energized up to a few electron volts; (3) for moderate and high levels of WPI D(tilde) (sub perpendicular) (O(+) greater than (tilde) 1, the distribution function f(O(+)) displayed very pronounced conic features at altitudes around 3 R(sub e). Finally, the interplay between the downward body force, the upward mirror force, and the perpendicular heating resulted in the formation of the 'pressure cooker' effect. This phenomena explained some interesting features of our solution, such as, the peak in the O(=) temperature, and the formation of 'ears' and conics for f(O(+)) around 2.5 R(sub e).

Barakat, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ice-atmosphere interactions in the polar oceans

Sea ice forms a major reservoir in the global water cycle and both polar regions undergo a large seasonal variation in their sea ice cover. The extent of this sea ice cover is a function of both dynamic and thermodynamic interactions with the atmosphere and ocean. These sea ice atmospheric interactions are examined in terms of the atmospheric controls on ice cover, and the resulting feedbacks to the climate system. The role of sea ice in global climate change is determined. The relationship between sea ice and the synoptic scale atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic is examined. This region is chosen for more detailed study because the project involves land ice and there is a focus on Greenland and because there have been several previous international field programs in the region and more are planned.

Crane, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1987

Interactions between the polar ionosphere and thermosphere

The temperature, composition and circulation of the ionosphere and thermosphere in the polar regions are closely coupled and display a marked variation with altitude, latitude, longitude, universal time, season, solar cycle, and geomagnetic activity. To a large degree, this variation is a consequence of the effect that magnetospheric electric fields, particle precipitation, and heat flows have on the ionosphere-thermosphere system. These magnetospheric processes act to produce ionospheric hot spots, plasma blobs, localized ionization troughs, extended tongues of ionization and ion composition changes. These ionospheric features then affect the thermosphere because of ion-neutral momentum and energy coupling. The resulting interactions act to modify the thermospheric circulation, composition, and temperature, and this, in turn, affects the ionosphere. However, there are significant time delays associated with the various interactions. These and other results are reviewed.

Schunk, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A 3-D computational model for solar wind/magnetosphere interactions - Prediction of polar flattening of Jupiter and Saturn magnetospheres

The development of a computational model for determining the solution of the gasdynamic portion of the gasdynamic convected magnetic field model for solar wind flow past three-dimensional magnetoionopauses of nonaxisymmetric shape is described. Results are presented for the shape of the bow wave and the flow properties in magnetosheaths of polar flattened magnetopauses representative of Jupiter and Saturn. Through a parametric study in which the amount of polar flattening is varied, a quantitative determination is obtained of the degree of flattening at both Jupiter and Saturn. These new three-dimensional results are shown to be in good agreement with observations, and account for most of the differences between the observations and the axisymmetric model results.

Stahara, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Spacecraft-plasma interaction codes: NASCAP/GEO, NASCAP/LEO, POLAR, DynaPAC, and EPSAT

Development of a computer code to simulate interactions between the surfaces of a geometrically complex spacecraft and the space plasma environment involves: (1) defining the relevant physical phenomena and formulating them in appropriate levels of approximation; (2) defining a representation for the 3-D space external to the spacecraft and a means for defining the spacecraft surface geometry and embedding it in the surrounding space; (3) packaging the code so that it is easy and practical to use, interpret, and present the results; and (4) validating the code by continual comparison with theoretical models, ground test data, and spaceflight experiments. The physical content, geometrical capabilities, and application of five S-CUBED developed spacecraft plasma interaction codes are discussed. The NASA Charging Analyzer Program/geosynchronous earth orbit (NASCAP/GEO) is used to illustrate the role of electrostatic barrier formation in daylight spacecraft charging. NASCAP/low Earth orbit (LEO) applications to the CHARGE-2 and Space Power Experiment Aboard Rockets (SPEAR)-1 rocket payloads are shown. DynaPAC application to the SPEAR-2 rocket payloads is described. Environment Power System Analysis Tool (EPSAT) is illustrated by application to Tethered Satellite System 1 (TSS-1), SPEAR-3, and Sundance. A detailed description and application of the Potentials of Large Objects in the Auroral Region (POLAR) Code are presented.

Mandell, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Fourier transform infrared studies of the interaction of HCl with model polar stratospheric cloud films

Heterogeneous reactions involving hydrochloric acid adsorbed on the surfaces of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are postulated to contribute to polar ozone loss. Using FTIR spectroscopy to probe the condensed phase, we have examined the interaction of HCl with ice and nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) films representative of types II and I PSCs, respectively. For HCl pressures in the range of 10 exp -7 to 10 exp -5 Torr, our FTIR studies show that a small amount of crystalline HCl-6H2O formed on or in ice at 155 K. However, for higher HCl pressures, we observed that the entire film of ice rapidly converted into an amorphous 4:1 H2O:HCl mixture. From HCl-uptake experiments with P(HCl) = 8 x 10 exp -7 Torr, we estimate roughly that the diffusion coefficient of HCl in ice is around 2 x 10 exp -12 sq cm/s at 158 K. For higher temperatures more closely approximating those found in the stratosphere, we were unable to detect bulk HCl uptake by ice. Indirect evidence suggests that HCl adsorption onto the surface of model PSC films inhibited the evaporation of both ice and NAT by 3-5 K.

Koehler, Birgit G.↗