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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Non-linear interaction of a detonation/vorticity wave

The interaction of an oblique, overdriven detonation wave with a vorticity disturbance is investigated by a direct two-dimensional numerical simulation using a multi-domain, finite-difference solution of the compressible Euler equations. The results are compared to those of linear theory, which predict that the effect of exothermicity on the interaction is relatively small except possibly near a critical angle where linear theory no longer holds. It is found that the steady-state computational results agree with the results of linear theory. However, for cases with incident angle near the critical angle, moderate disturbance amplitudes, and/or sudden transient encounter with a disturbance, the effects of exothermicity are more pronounced than predicted by linear theory. Finally, it is found that linear theory correctly determines the critical angle.

Lasseigne, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Wave-Particle Interactions As a Driving Mechanism for the Solar Wind

Our research has been focusing on a highly experimentally relevant issue: intermittency of the fluctuating fields in outflowing plasmas. We have contributed to both the theoretical and experimental research of the topic. In particular, we have developed a theoretical model and data analyzing programs to examine the issue of intermittency in space plasma outflows, including the solar wind. As fluctuating electric fields in the solar wind are likely to provide a heating and acceleration mechanism for the ions, our studies of the intermittency in turbulence in space plasma outflows help us toward achieving the goal of comparing major physical mechanisms that contribute to the driving of the fast solar wind. Our new theoretical model extends the utilities of our global hybrid model, which has allowed us to follow the kinetic evolution of the particle distributions along an inhomogeneous field line while the particles are subjected to various physical mechanisms. The physical effects that were considered in the global hybrid model included wave-particle interactions, an ambipolar electric field that was consistent with the particle distributions themselves, and Coulomb collisions. With an earlier version of the global hybrid model, we examined the overall impact on the solar wind flow due to the combination of these physical effects. In particular, we studied the combined effects of two major mechanisms that had been proposed as the drivers of the fast solar wind: (1) velocity filtration effect due to suprathermal electrons; (2) ion cyclotron resonance. Since the approval of this research grant, we have updated the model such that the effects due to these two driving mechanisms can be examined separately, thereby allowing us to compare their contributions to the acceleration of the solar wind. In the next section, we shall demonstrate that the velocity filtration effect is rather insignificant in comparison with that due to ion cyclotron resonance.

Wagner, William J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

On the Origin of Whistler Mode Radiation in the Plasmasphere

The origin of whistler mode radiation in the plasmasphere is examined from three years of plasma wave observations from the Dynamics Explorer and three years from the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) spacecraft. These data are used to construct plasma wave intensity maps of whistler mode radiation in the plasmasphere. The highest average intensities of the radiation in the wave maps show source locations and/or sites of wave amplification. Each type of emission is classified based on its magnetic latitude and longitude rather than any spectral feature. Equatorial electromagnetic (EM) emissions (approx. 30-330 Hz), plasmaspheric hiss (approx. 330 Hz - 3.3 kHz), chorus (approx. 2 kHz - 6 kHz), and VLF transmitters (approx. 10-50 kHz) are the main types of waves that are clearly delineated in the plasma wave maps. Observations of the equatorial EM emissions show that the most intense region is on or near the magnetic equator in the afternoon sector and that during times of negative B(sub z) (interplanetary magnetic field),the maximum intensity moves from L values of 3 to less than 2. These observations are consistent with the origin of this emission being particle-wave interactions in or near the magnetic equator. Plasmaspheric hiss shows high intensity at high latitudes and low altitudes (L shells from 2 to 4) and in the magnetic equator over L values from 2 to 3 in the early afternoon sector. The longitudinal distribution of the hiss intensity (excluding the enhancement at the equator) is similar to the distribution of lightning: stronger over continents than over the ocean, stronger in the summer than winter, and stronger on the dayside than nightside. These observations strongly support lightning as the dominant source for plasmaspheric hiss, which through particle-wave interactions, maintains the slot region in the radiation belts. The enhancement of hiss at the magnetic equator is consistent with particle-wave interactions. The chorus emissions are most intense on the morning side as previously reported. At frequencies from approx. 10-50 kHz VLF transmitters dominate the spectrum. The maximum intensity of the VLF transmitters is in the late evening or early morning with enhancements all along L shells from 1.8 to 3.

Green, James L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Nonlinear interaction of a detonation/vorticity wave

The interaction of an oblique, over driven detonation wave with a vorticity disturbance is investigated by a direct two-dimensional numerical simulation using a multi-domain, finite-difference solution of the compressible Euler equations. The results are compared to those of linear theory, which predict that the effect of exothermicity on the interaction is relatively small except possibly near a critical angle where linear theory no longer holds. It is found that the steady-state computational results agree with the results of linear theory. However, for cases with incident angle near the critical angle, moderate disturbance amplitudes, and/or sudden transient encounter with a disturbance, the effects of exothermicity are more pronounced than predicted by linear theory. Finally, it is found that linear theory correctly determines the critical angle.

Lasseigne, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ion pickup by the solar wind via wave-particle interactions

Ion pickup by the solar wind is a topic of current interest. In situ observations and theoretical studies establish a fairly good understanding of the physics of the ion-pickup process. In a weakly turbulent solar wind, hydromagnetic waves that are either intrinsic or excited by the newborn ions can lead to pitch-angle diffusion which can be approximately described by the quasi-linear theory with or without incorporating the resonance-broadening mechanism due to weak turbulence. According to the weak turbulence theory, the pickup ions do not form a complete spherical shell distribution in the time-asymptotic state unless the wave field is sufficiently strong. In some cases the ions only possess a partial or incomplete shell. When the solar wind is highly turbulent, direct interaction between the wave fields and the newborn ions can result in rapid pitch-angle scattering leading to swift formation of a spherical shell distribution on the time scale of an ion gyro-period.

Yoon, Peter H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Wave particle interactions in the foot of the Saturnian bow shock

Voyager 1 plasma wave data show that the quasi-perpendicular, supercritical bow shock of Saturn exhibits the same plasma wave phenomenology observed near Jupiter. Using a quasi-linear model developed for the Jovian bow shock, it is shown that plasma waves at Saturn can generate a significant portion of the totalelectron temperature jump measured across the shock. In this respect, Saturn's bow shock more closely resembles Jupiter's than the earth's, where plasma waves contribute negligibly to the total electron temperature jump.

Moses, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

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.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Pasma Wave Characteristics of the Jovian Magnetopause Boundary Layer: Can Wave-Particle Interactions Cause the Jovian Aurora?

The full Jovian magnetopause boundary layer (BL) plasma wave spectra from 10(sup -3) to 10(sup 3) Hz, have been measured for the first time...The B'/E' ration does not have a f(sup -1) dependency, so it was suggested that the waves are a mixture of whistler mode electromagnetic emissions and electrostatic waves.

jovian magnetosphere Jupiter Jovian magnetopause E↗
NASA NTRS1990

TS - Dean interactions in curved channel flow

A weakly nonlinear theory is developed to study the interaction of TS waves and Dean vortices in curved channel flow. The prediction obtained from the theory agree well with results obtained from direct numerical simulations of curved channel flow, especially for low amplitude disturbances. At low Reynolds numbers the wave interaction is generally stabilizing to both disturbances, though as the Reynolds number increases, many linearly unstable TS waves are further destabilized by the presence of Dean vortices.

Singer, Bart A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Phase-bunching and other non-linear processes occurring in gyroresonant wave-particle interactions

Consideration of the movement of individual electrons in a magnetized plasma in which a monochromatic wave is propagating in the whistler mode. Simple expressions are derived which give the displacement of the electrons as a function of time, the phase angle that their velocity vector makes with the magnetic component of the wave, their pitch angle, and energy changes. A useful formula is obtained which gives the velocity range over which particles remain trapped inside the wave, as a function of the wave intensity and of the initial phase angle of the particle. It is shown that even strictly resonant particles can escape from the wave when their initial phase angle is very small. From the derived expressions, it is possible to compute the phase-bunching effect which occurs approximately at one trapping wavelength behind the leading edge of the interaction region.

Gendrin, R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mach and Reynolds Number Effects on a Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interaction

The present investigation was undertaken as part of a continuing experimental/numerical program to evaluate and improve turbulence models for use in Navier-Stokes (N-S) codes. The normal shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction is a good test for such computations because it contains strong adverse pressure gradients and the possibility of local flow separation. Since constraints must be included in any computational scheme, methods employing the N-S equations are attractive because simultaneous treatment of both the viscous and inviscid flowfields is possible. The evolution of N-S codes is based primarily upon the development of models for the turbulence terms in these equations.

Mateer, G. G.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Banded Structures in Electron Pitch Angle Diffusion Coefficients from Resonant Wave Particle Interactions

Electron pitch angle (D (alpha)) and momentum (D(pp)) diffusion coefficients have been calculated due to resonant interactions with electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) and whistler mode chorus waves. Calculations have been performed at two spatial locations L = 4.6 and 6.8 for electron energies 10 keV. Landau (n = 0) resonance and cyclotron harmonic resonances n = +/-1, +/-2,...+/-5 have been included in the calculations. It is found that diffusion coefficient versus pitch angle (alpha) profiles show large dips and oscillations or banded structures. The structures are more pronounced for ECH and lower band chorus (LBC) and particularly at location 4.6. Calculations of diffusion coefficients have also been performed for individual resonances. It is noticed that the main contribution of ECH waves in pitch angle diffusion coefficient is due to resonances n = +1 and n = +2. A major contribution to momentum diffusion coefficients appears from n = +2. However, the banded structures in D alpha and Dpp coefficients appear only in the profile of diffusion coefficients for n = +2. The contribution of other resonances to diffusion coefficients is found to be, in general, quite small or even negligible. For LBC and upper band chorus waves, the banded structures appear only in Landau resonance. The Dpp diffusion coefficient for ECH waves is one to two orders smaller than D alpha coefficients. For chorus waves, Dpp coefficients are about an order of magnitude smaller than D alpha coefficients for the case n does not = 0. In case of Landau resonance, the values of Dpp coefficient are generally larger than the values of D alpha coefficients particularly at lower energies. As an aid to the interpretation of results, we have also determined the resonant frequencies. For ECH waves, resonant frequencies have been estimated for wave normal angle 89 deg and harmonic resonances n = +1, +2, and +3, whereas for whistler mode waves, the frequencies have been calculated for angle 10 deg and Landau resonance. Further, in ECH waves, the banded structures appear for electron energies (is) greater than1 keV, and for whistler mode chorus waves, structures appear for energies greater than 2 keV at L = 4.6 and above 200 eV for L = 6.8. The results obtained in the present work will be helpful in the study of diffusion curves and will have important consequences for diffuse aurora and pancake distributions.

diffusion↗
NASA NTRS2018

Instability Wave–Streak Interactions in a High Mach Number Boundary Layer at Flight Conditions

The interaction of stationary streaks undergoing nonmodal growth with modally unstable instability waves in a hypersonic boundary-layer flow is studied using numerical computations. The geometry and flow conditions are selected to match a relevant trajectory location from the ascent phase of the HIFiRE-1 flight experiment; namely, a 7 degree half-angle, circular cone with 2.5 mm nose radius, freestream Mach number equal to 5.30, unit Reynolds number equal to 13.42 m -1 , and wall-to-adiabatic temperature ratio of approximately 0.35 over most of the vehicle. This paper investigates the nonlinear evolution of initially linear optimal disturbances that evolve into finite-amplitude streaks, followed by an analysis of the modal instability characteristics of the perturbed, streaky boundary-layer flow. The investigation is performed with stationary direct numerical simulations (DNS) and plane-marching parabolized stability equations (PSE), in conjunction with partial-differential-equation-based planar eigenvalue analysis. The overall effect of streaks is to reduce the peak amplification factors of instability waves, indicating a possible downstream shift in the onset of laminar-turbulent transition. The present study confirms previous findings that the mean flow distortion of the nonlinear streak perturbation reduces the amplification rates of the Mack-mode instability. More importantly, however, the present results demonstrate that the spanwise varying component of the streak can produce a larger effect on the Mack-mode amplification. The study with selected azimuthal wavenumbers for the stationary streaks reveals that a wavenumber of approximately 1.4 times larger than the optimal wavenumber is more effective in stabilizing the planar Mack-mode instabilities. In the absence of unstable first-mode waves for the present cold-wall condition, transition onset is expected to be delayed until the peak streak amplitude increases to nearly 35 percent of the freestream velocity, when intrinsic instabilities of the boundary-layer streaks begin to dominate the transition process. For streak amplitudes below that limit a significant net stabilization is achieved, yielding a potential transition delay that can exceed 100 percent of the length of the laminar region in the uncontrolled case.

Boundary layer stability↗
NASA NTRS1985

Recent research on magnetospheric wave-particle interactions

Highlights of recent Stanford University VLF research in the Antarctic include new observations of wave-induced particle precipitation and controlled experiments on nonlinear wave growth phenomena. Higher-than-expected levels of burst precipitation have been discovered inside the plasmasphere, near L = 2, using subionospheric signal perturbations called 'Trimpi events'. Studies of burst precipitation have been extended to the region poleward of the plasmapause using the Siple transmitter signal as a waveguide probe. Experiments on the 'coherent wave instability', using the amplitude and frequency modulation capability of the new Siple transmitter, have produced exciting new results. Examples are: (1) better definition of the power threshold for the stimulation of temporal wave growth, (2) generation of strong sidebands by unamplified 'beat' waves and (3) generation of chorus-like elements within a band of simulated hiss. Using a new digital processing technique developed at Stanford, new features of the phase behavior of growing waves have been found. Opportunities for extending these experiments are discussed.

Helliwell, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Simulation of glancing shock wave and boundary layer interaction

Shock waves generated by sharp fins, glancing across a laminar boundary layer growing over a flat plate, are simulated numerically. Several basic issues concerning the resultant three-dimensional flow separation are studied. Using the same number of grid points, different grid spacings are employed to investigate the effects of grid resolution on the origin of the line of separation. Various shock strengths (generated by different fin angles) are used to study the so-called separated and unseparated boundary layer and to establish the existence or absence of the secondary separation. The usual interpretations of the flow field from previous studies and new interpretations arising from the present simulation are discussed.

Hung, Ching-Mao↗