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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Modulation of low-energy cosmic rays

The relation between the diffusion coefficient of cosmic rays in the solar wind and the power spectrum of interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations, established in recent theories, is tested directly for low energy protons (below 80 MeV). In addition, an attempt is made to determine whether the particles are scattered by magnetic field discontinuities or by fluctuations between discontinuities. Predictions of a perturbation solution of the Fokker-Planck equation are compared with observations of the cosmic ray radial gradient. It is found that at energies between 40 and 80 MeV, galactic cosmic ray protons respond to changes in the predicted diffusion coefficients (i.e., the relationship under consideration holds at these low energies). The relation between changes in the proton flux and modulation parameters is best when the contribution of discontinuities is subtracted, which means that scattering is caused by fluctuations between discontinuities. There appears to be no distinct relation between changes in the modulation parameters and changes in the intensity of 20 to 40 MeV protons.

Sari, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Magnetic Field Amplification in the Thin X-Ray Rims of SN 1006

Several young supernova remnants, including SN 1006, emit synchrotron X-rays in narrow filaments, hereafter thin rims, along their periphery. The widths of these rims imply 50–100 μG fields in the region immediately behind the shock, far larger than expected for the interstellar medium compressed by unmodified shocks, assuming electron radiative losses limit rim widths. However, magnetic field damping could also produce thin rims. Here we review the literature on rim width calculations, summarizing the case for magnetic field amplification. We extend these calculations to include an arbitrary power-law dependence of the diffusion coefficient on energy, D ∝ Eμ. Loss-limited rim widths should shrink with increasing photon energy, while magnetic-damping models predict widths almost independent of photon energy. We use these results to analyze Chandra observations of SN 1006, in particular the southwest limb. We parameterize the FWHM in terms of energy as FWHM ∝ EmE γ. Filament widths in SN 1006 decrease with energy; mE ∼ −0.3 to −0.8, implying magnetic field amplification by factors of 10–50, above the factor of four expected in strong unmodified shocks. For SN 1006, the rapid shrinkage rules out magnetic damping models. It also favors short mean free paths (small diffusion coefficients) and strong dependence of D on energy (μ ≥ 1).

MAGNETIC FIELD AMPLIFICATION IN THE THIN X-RAY RIM↗
NASA NTRS1984

Use of the Burton-prim-slichter Equation at High Growth Rates

The following must be assumed in order to derive the classic Burton-Prim-Slichter equation for segregation during crystal growth: isobaric, isothermal, isopotential or uncharged species, binary, planar interface, steady state, constant diffusion coefficient in fluid, no diffusion in crystal, no lateral convection within fluid film at interface with complete mixing beyond (stagnant film model), and either density, total concentration or partial molar volumes constant in the fluid phase. In addition, the effective distribution coefficient and the interfacial distribution coefficient must be defined properly. The velocity in the equation is the growth rate times a factor correcting for the difference in volumetric properties between crystal and fluid. The stagnant film thickness is found to be a function of freezing rate, with the precise functionality depending on the type of stirring occurring in the growth fluid.

Wilcox, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Vertical constituent transport in the mesosphere

Ground-based microwave spectroscopy measurements of mesospheric CO and H2O vertical mixing ratio profiles are used to infer vertical mixing rates in the upper mesosphere. The CO and H2O data consistently imply vertical eddy diffusion coefficients in the 70- to 85-km region of 100,000-200,000 sq cm/s during spring through summer at midlatidues. Although chemical acceleration of vertical transport is substantial for O and O3, below the mesopause, the divergences of their associated fluxes are modest, with at most a factor of 2 effect on the concentrations of O and O3 for measured variability in gravity wave activity. Comparison of Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) O3 data with model results reinforces the conclusions of slow vertical mixing in the upper mesosphere as a consequence of the reduced HO(x) catalytic loss of odd oxygen. The changes in chemical rate constants recommended by Rusch and Eckman (1985), in conjunction with slow vertical mixing, yield good agreement with SME O3 data. The slow vertical mixing deduced in this study is consistent with upper limits obtained from studies of the mesospheric heat budget and could be construed as evidence for an advectively controlled mesosphere. A comparison of the vertical eddy diffusion coefficients for momentum stresses, constituent transport, and heat transport suggests that the eddy Prandtl number must be of order 10.

Strobel, Darrell F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Atmospheric Effects of HSCT Emissions Simulated by a 3-Wave Interactive Model

An interactive model which couples a semi-spectral dynamical model, a radiative transfer code and a two-dimensional chemistry transport model (2-D CTM), is used to assess the atmospheric effects of the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) engine emissions. The residual mean meridional circulation, the zonal-mean temperature and the eddy diffusion coefficients are calculated using zonal means and three longest zonal waves of dynamical variables integrated in the semi-spectral dynamical model. They are used in the 2-D CTM to simulate the distribution of trace gases in the atmosphere. The simulated ozone is sent to the radiative transfer code to calculate the heating rates, which drive the dynamics. This radiative coupling connects the dynamical and photochemical processes and creates feedback when the atmosphere is perturbed. It is found that in most areas the ozone depletion caused by HSCT emissions calculated using the 3-wave model has the features similar to, but with significantly larger magnitude than that calculated by the AER 2-D CTM with prescribed transport parameters and temperature. The difference is mostly due to the differences in the circulation in the two models. The radiative feedback effects are investigated by comparing the ozone depletion calculated with the baseline dynamics and with the dynamics perturbed by the HSCT emissions. The feedback through changes in the residual mean meridional circulation and the eddy diffusion coefficients has moderate effects on the simulated ozone depletion. It reduced the ozone depletion by 20-30% in northern mid and high-latitudes. However, the feedback through changes in the zonal- mean temperature is negligible.

Shia, R.-L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Improvement of the second- and third-moment modeling of turbulence: A study of Reynolds-stress closure model

Four parts of the Reynolds-stress closure modeling are reported: (1) improvement of the k and epsilon equaitons; (2) development of the third-moment transport equation; (3) formulation of the diffusion coefficient of the momentum equation by using the algebraic-stress model of turbulence; and (4) the application of the Reynolds-stress model to a heat exchanger problem. It was demonstrated that the third-moment transport model improved the prediction of the triple-velocity products in the recirculating and reattaching flow regions in comparison with the existing algebraic models for the triple-velocity products. Optimum values for empirical coefficients are obtained for the prediction of the backward-facing step flows. A functional expression is derived for the coefficient of the momentum diffusion by employing the algebraic-stress model. The second-moment closure is applied to a heat transfer problem. The computations for the flow in a corrugated-wall channel show that the second-moment closure improves the prediction of the heat transfer rates by 30% over the k - epsilon model.

Amano, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Proton gyroresonance with parallel waves in a low-beta solar flare plasma

We consider the gyroresonant interaction of protons with parallel electromagnetic plasma waves. These waves have either right- or left-hand circular polarization and include as a subset Alfven and whistler waves. We identify three comoving gyroresonances, which can lead to divergences in the Fokker-Planck coefficients. Taking into account thermal damping, we calculate the Fokker-Planck coefficient along with momentum diffusion coefficient D(p) and the mean-free path. Resulting acceleration time scales are compared with solar flare observations.

Steinacker, Juergen↗
NASA NTRS1967

A study of a sorption process.

Sorption process for determining sticking probability of molecules on surface of sorbents, diffusion coefficient of molecules through sorbents and adsorption isotherms

DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT↗
NASA NTRS2000

Reduced xenon diffusion for quantitative lung study--the role of SF(6)

The large diffusion coefficients of gases result in significant spin motion during the application of gradient pulses that typically last a few milliseconds in most NMR experiments. In restricted environments, such as the lung, this rapid gas diffusion can lead to violations of the narrow pulse approximation, a basic assumption of the standard Stejskal-Tanner NMR method of diffusion measurement. We therefore investigated the effect of a common, biologically inert buffer gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)), on (129)Xe NMR and diffusion. We found that the contribution of SF(6) to (129)Xe T(1) relaxation in a 1:1 xenon/oxygen mixture is negligible up to 2 bar of SF(6) at standard temperature. We also measured the contribution of SF(6) gas to (129)Xe T(2) relaxation, and found it to scale inversely with pressure, with this contribution approximately equal to 1 s for 1 bar SF(6) pressure and standard temperature. Finally, we found the coefficient of (129)Xe diffusion through SF(6) to be approximately 4.6 x 10(-6) m(2)s(-1) for 1 bar pressure of SF(6) and standard temperature, which is only 1.2 times smaller than the (129)Xe self diffusion coefficient for 1 bar (129)Xe pressure and standard temperature. From these measurements we conclude that SF(6) will not sufficiently reduce (129)Xe diffusion to allow accurate surface-area/volume ratio measurements in human alveoli using time-dependent gas diffusion NMR.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1977

Kinetics data for diffusion of outgas species from RTV 560

A detailed analytical and experimental study was made of the outgassing behavior of RTV 560 silicone rubber. The four outgas species which predominate in the temperature range of 285 K to 425 K were separately identified. The initial concentration of these species in the parent material and their bulk volatilities were determined. The diffusion coefficients and activation energy for diffusion of the two major species were deduced from outgassing rate data. It is shown that by using these data in a diffusion theory model, the outgassing rates of these major species can be predicted for arbitrary geometry and any temperature within the range studied.

Liu, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A perturbation approach to cosmic ray transients in interplanetary space

A perturbation approach is used to model the linear response of the cosmic ray distribution as a function of perturbations in the solar wind transport parameters. The analytical technique permits examination of the effects of the different solar wind parameters, i.e., velocity, drift velocity and the diffusion tensor, which are additive. Cosmic ray changes in the solar wind are neglected. Variations in the diffusion coefficient and the convection-diffusion equation are applied to describing Forbush decreases and the 11-yr solar cycle variations. The treatment is limited to energies above 100 MeV, yet is considered valid enough to have identified a hysteresis effect in the 11-yr variation, wherein high-energy particles lead low-energy particles to a magnitude that increases with increasing heliocentric distance within the inner heliosphere. The calculations also indicate that the Forbush decreases are a cumulative effect of precipitous precursors accompanied by slow recoveries from travelling solar wind perturbations.

Chih, P. P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of diffusion and particle drift descriptions of radial transport in the earth's inner magnetosphere

The paper compares two approaches for describing the radial motion of charged particles in the equatorial plane of the earth's magnetosphere: the radial diffusion and the guiding-center drift. For this purpose, a time-dependent observation-based model electrostatic field is computed for the August 1990 storm event, and this field is used to (1) calculate the guiding-center drift of a ring of monoenergetic test particles and (2) compute the specific radial diffusion coefficient and solve the relevant diffusion equation. Generally, only fair agreement was found between the guiding-center and the diffusion calculation approaches. The best agreement could be obtained for the case of a series of small storms rather than for one substantial storm.

Riley, Pete↗