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NASA NTRS2019

Negative Mass in Contemporary Physics, and Its Application to Propulsion

As first analyzed by Hermann Bondi in 1957, matter with negative mass is consistent with the structure of Einstein's general theory of Relativity. Although initially the concept was considered just a theoretical curiosity, negative mass, or "exotic matter," is now incorporated into the body of mainstream physics in a number of forms. Negative mass has a number of rather non-intuitive properties, which, as first noted by Bondi, and then later commented on by Forward (1990), Landis (1991), and others, results in possible applications for propulsion requiring little, or possibly no, expenditure of fuel. As pointed out by Morris and Thorne (1988) and others, negative mass (or, more strictly, a violation of the null energy condition) is also a requirement for any proposed faster than light travel. This paper presents the basic theory of negative mass, the ways by which it can manifest in contemporary physical theory, and the counterintuitive properties that result, including possible uses for interstellar propulsion. Although negative mass has moved from a theoretical curiosity to a concept fundamental to the contemporary understanding of physics, it is still not clear whether bulk negative mass can be manufactured, or if it is limited to only appearing at the cosmological scale (e.g., “dark energy:) or in the quantum (e.g., Casimir vacuum) limit. If it can be manufactured, the propulsion applications would be significant.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Bounded energy states in homogeneous turbulent shear flow: An alternative view

The equilibrium structure of homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated from a theoretical standpoint. Existing turbulence models, in apparent agreement with physical and numerical experiments, predict an unbounded exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; only the anisotropy tensor and turbulent time scale reach a structural equilibrium. It is shown that if vortex stretching is accounted for in the dissipation rate transport equation, then there can exist equilibrium solutions, with bounded energy states, where the turbulence production is balanced by its dissipation. Illustrative calculations are present for a k-epsilon model modified to account for vortex stretching. The calculations indicate an initial exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate for elapsed times that are as large as those considered in any of the previously conducted physical or numerical experiments on homogeneous shear flow. However, vortex stretching eventually takes over and forces a production-equals-dissipation equilibrium with bounded energy states. The validity of this result is further supported by an independent theoretical argument. It is concluded that the generally accepted structural equilibrium for homogeneous shear flow with unbounded component energies is in need of re-examination.

Bernard, Peter S.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Doubly-Shadowed Regions in Lunar Polar Craters: Hydrogen Accumulation in the Presence of Recursive Plasma Wakes

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) of the Moon have been identified as unique environments of extreme cold and comprise a natural cold trap for sequestering volatiles [Paige et al. 2010]. The diverse chemical composition of the LCROSS impact plume provided evidence for a volatile-rich and chemically-complex PSR environment [Cola prete et al. 2010, Schultz et al. 2010]. Additionally, the polar electrostatic environment is highly complex, with the possibility of strong, localized electric fields that divert solar wind ions directly into polar cold traps [Farrell et al. 2010, Zimmerman et al. 2011]. Thus, regional plasma physics processes couple directly with volatile sequestration. In the present work, kinetic simulations show that recursive plasma wake structure arises in the presence of step-like topographic features (Le. doubly-shadowed craters). Combining the plasma code with a numerical sputtering model demonstrates that solar wind protons can be either a hydrogen source via implantation or a volatile loss mechanism via sputtering, depending on properties of the regolith and solar wind. The present model provides a novel theoretical pathway toward understanding the lunar surface/solar wind physical and chemical interactions for complex topography near the poles.

Zimmerman, Michael I.↗
NASA NTRS2011

TPSAS-NF1676L-13036-DND

Light ion improvements to the nuclear fragmentation model NUCFRG are reported. Improvements include the replacement of the simple light ion production model with a light ion coalescence model and an improved electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) formalism. Prior versions of the model provide reasonable overall agreement with measured data; however, those versions lack a physics-based description for coalescence and EMD. The NUCFRG3 model has improved theoretical descriptions of these mechanisms and offers additional benefits. Previous work established the improved EMD formalism to be more accurate than the predecessor. The predictive capability of NUCFRG has been improved and strengthened by the light ion physics-based changes. Based on increased capability and better theoretical grounding of NUCFRG3, it is recommended that it replace NUCFRG2 for space radiation assessments and other applications.

A Adamczyk↗
NASA NTRS1979

Convective and morphological instability in vapor crystal growth

Theoretical and experimental work on the fluid dynamics of physical vapor transport is reported. It is shown that diffusion in viscous interaction with container walls leads to concentration gradients normal to the main transport direction. Consequently any convection threshold is removed. This coupling with convective instabilities makes the theoretical interpretation of earthbound (anisotropic) morphological stability studies on vapor-solid interfaces intractable. Hence low-gravity experiments are suggested that will allow for the establishment of morphological stability criteria under diffusion controlled conditions.

Rosenberger, F.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Essays on the History of Rocketry and Astronautics: Proceedings of the Third through the Sixth History Symposia of the International Academy of Astronautics, Volume 1

This two volume publication presents the proceedings of the third through sixth history symposia of the International Academy of Astronautics. Thirty-nine papers are divided into four categories: (1) Early Solid Propellant Rocketry; (2) Rocketry and Astronautics: Concepts, Theory, and Analyses after 1880; (3) The Development of Liquid and Solid Propellant Rockets from 1880 to 1945; and (4) Rocketry and Astronautics after 1945. Categories 1 and 2 will be found in volume 1 and the remainder in volume 2. Among other diciplines, Rocketry and Astronautics encompasses the physical and engineering sciences including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, vibration theory, structural mechanics, and celestial mechanics. Papers presented in these two volumes range from those of empirical experimenters who used the time-honored cut and try methods to scientists wielding theoretical principles. The work traces the coupling of the physical and engineering sciences, industrial advances, and state support that produced the awesome progress in rocketry and astronautics for the most part within living memory. The proceedings of the four symposia present in these two volumes contain information on the work of leading investigators and their associates carried out in the first two-thirds of the twentieth century.

R Cargill Hall↗
NASA NTRS1987

Theory and observations of cometary ionospheres

The basic physical and chemical processes responsible for the makeup of cometary ionospheres are discussed in the framework of relevant in situ measurements on the Halley and Giacobini-Zinner comets, as well as recent theoretical models of cometary ionospheres. Special attention is given to physical processes responsible for the formation of the contact surface (CS), which is that surface where the magnetic field becomes zero or extremely small and which separates the field-free ionosphere and the magnetized plasma on the outside. Results of in situ observations indicate that the plasma just outside the CS is just as ionospheric in nature as the 'classical' ionospheric plasma residing within this surface. An expression for the magnetic field in this region is derived.

Cravens, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Theoretical investigations of plasma processes in the ion bombardment thruster

A physical model for a thruster discharge was developed, consisting of a spatially diverging plasma sustained electrically between a small ring cathode and a larger ring anode in a cylindrical chamber with an axial magnetic field. The associated boundary-value problem for the coupled partial differential equations with mixed boundary conditions, which describe the electric potential and the plasma velocity fields, was solved in closed form. By means of quantum-mechanical perturbation theory, a formula for the number S(E) of atoms sputtered on the average by an ion of energy E was derived from first principles. The boundary-value problem describing the diffusion of the sputtered atoms through the surrounding rarefied electron-ion plasma to the system surfaces of ion propulsion systems was formulated and treated analytically. It is shown that outer boundary-value problems of this type lead to a complex integral equation, which requires numerical resolution.

Wilhelm, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Determination of Coronal Magnetic Fields from Vector Magnetograms

During the course of the present contract we developed an 'evolutionary technique' for the determination of force-free coronal magnetic fields from vector magnetograph observations. The method can successfully generate nonlinear force- free fields (with non-constant-a) that match vector magnetograms. We demonstrated that it is possible to determine coronal magnetic fields from photospheric measurements, and we applied it to vector magnetograms of active regions. We have also studied theoretical models of coronal fields that lead to disruptions. Specifically, we have demonstrated that the determination of force-free fields from exact boundary data is a well-posed mathematical problem, by verifying that the computed coronal field agrees with an analytic force-free field when boundary data for the analytic field are used; demonstrated that it is possible to determine active-region coronal magnetic fields from photospheric measurements, by computing the coronal field above active region 5747 on 20 October 1989, AR6919 on 15 November 1991, and AR7260 on 18 August 1992, from data taken with the Stokes Polarimeter at Mees Solar Observatory, University of Hawaii; started to analyze active region 7201 on 19 June 1992 using measurements made with the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter at NSO/Sac Peak; investigated the effects of imperfections in the photospheric data on the computed coronal magnetic field; documented the coronal field structure of AR5747 and compared it to the morphology of footpoint emission in a flare, showing that the 'high- pressure' H-alpha footpoints are connected by coronal field lines; shown that the variation of magnetic field strength along current-carrying field lines is significantly different from the variation in a potential field, and that the resulting near-constant area of elementary flux tubes is consistent with observations; begun to develop realistic models of coronal fields which can be used to study flare trigger mechanisms; demonstrated that magnetic nonequilibrium can disrupt sheared coronal arcades, and that helmet streamers can disrupt, leading to coronal mass ejections. Our model has significantly extended the realism with which the coronal magnetic field can be inferred from actual observations. In a subsequent contract awarded by NASA, we have continued to apply and improve the evolutionary technique, to study the physical properties of active regions, and to develop theoretical models of magnetic fields.

Mikic, Zoran↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effects of highly intermittent magnetic fields and plasma flows on solar wind dynamics

Filamentary magnetic fields and intermittent mass flows with highly variant physical parameters as observed in coronal holes provide, from a theoretical point of view, natural conditions for strongly nonlinear dynamics. The presence of sheared mass flows along fine scale magnetic structures results in strong nonlinear instability, most important of which is the explosive instability. We specify the physical conditions for several different manifestations of the onset of explosive instability and its further evolution: (1) fully developed explosive instability - explosive release of the energy; (2) shock formation - stabilization of instability by small scale spatial inhomogeneities leads to formation of subsequent shocks having a number of peculiarities that is determined by the interplay of thermal and viscous losses (for example, in predominance of thermal losses the isothermal jump occurs); and (3) solitary waves - stabilization of explosive instability by nonlinear dispersion effect leads to formation of a 'gas' of solitons which are later either damped away with characteristic time and energy input or evolve to solitons with explosively growing amplitudes. Each scenario is completely determined by the physical parameters of the medium, thus producing a quite uneven distribution of energy in a coronal hole and, respectively, an uneven outward propagation of the energy flux.

Ryutova, M.↗
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 NTRS1964

Probability Functions for Random Responses: Prediction of Peaks, Fatigue Damage, and Catastrophic Failures

This report reviews a number of theoretical matters in random process theory which can be applied to physical problems such as predicting peaks, structural fatigue damage, and catastrophic structural failures. The presentation emphasizes the basic assumptions which are involved, and discusses how to properly interpret the theoretical results. Various engineering examples are given as illustrations.

FATIGUE↗
NASA NTRS1982

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of the nova-like variable V3885 Sagittarii /= CD -42 deg 14462/

Low-dispersion long and short wavelength IUE spectra of the nova-like system V3885 Sgr were obtained on 1979 August 24 UT. The UV spectrum exhibits strong, high-temperature absorption lines of C III, C IV, He II, N IV, N V, and Si IV which all have relatively large negative velocities of 600-1000 km/s at their line centers. The C IV (1550 A) features shows a P Cygni-type profile with a blueshifted absorption line; the presence of the P Cygni-type feature strongly suggests a significant mass outflow from the system in the form of a hot stellar wind. The observed continuum fluxes are fitted with theoretical accretion disk model fluxes, and a tentative physical interpretation of the observed spectral properties is presented.

Guinan, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Studies in electron phenomena in MOS structures: The pulsed C-V method

The pulse hysteresis capacitance voltage (C-V) provides a straight forward technique for measuring the change of various charges in MOS structures and a tool for investigating the kinetics of various electron phenomena is developed and described. The method can be used for measuring the energy distribution and kinetics of surface states with the resolution of about 1/5 x 10 to the -9 power cm eV. Some transients in an MOS structure, particularly, the thermal generation of minority charge carriers via surface states and the relaxation of minority charge carriers supplied from the inversion layer outside the MOS structure are theoretically investigated. Analytical expressions which clearly present the physics of those electron phenomena are derived.

Kaplan, G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Observational evidence for chromospheric footpoint penetration of nonthermal electrons during two well-observed flares

Recent advances have enabled simultaneous H-alpha and X-ray observations with substantially improved spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution. In this paper a study is conducted of two events observed as part of a coordinated observing program between the Solar Maximum Mission and Sacramento Peak Observatory: the flares of 1456 UT, 7 May 1980 and 1522 UT, 24 June 1980. Using recently developed physical models of static flare chromospheres, and corresponding theoretical H-alpha line profiles, effects of intense nonthermal electron heating can be distinguished from those of high conduction and pressure from the overlying flare corona. Both flares show the signature of intense chromospheric heating by fast electrons, temporally correlated with X-ray light curves at E greater than 27keV, and spatially associated with X-ray emission sites at E greater than 16 keV. Interpreting the H-alpha line profile observations using the theoretical H-alpha line profiles, values of the thick-target input power contained in nonthermal electrons that are observationally indistinguishable (within a factor of 2-3) from those inferred from the X-ray data are inferred. Although these events are small, the energy flux values are large: of order 10 to the 11th ergs per sq cm per s above 20 keV.

Canfield, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Vacuum ultraviolet studies of electron impact of helium Excitation of He n1P0 Rydberg series and ionization-excitation of He(+) nl Rydberg series

The cross sections for the He I 1s2 1S-1snp 1P0 series have been measured using a relative flow method, with the absolute scale fixed by the H Ly-alpha dissociative excitation cross section standard. The results are compared with those obtained using a relative cross section data analysis by modified Born approximation, and good agreement is found. Cross sections for the ionization-excitation of the He II 121.51 nm and He II 164.04 nm transmissions have been measured, and the results strongly suggest that theoretical calculations of the reactions differ fundamentally from physical reality. The failure of the theory to describe experimental results stems from the neglect in the theory of electron correlation effects between the two orbital electrons.

Shemansky, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The stellar wind velocity function for red supergiants determined in eclipsing binaries

The potential for direct measurement of the acceleration of stellar winds from the supergiant component of Zeta Aurigae-type binary stars is discussed. The aberration angle of the interaction shock cone centered on the hot star provides a measure of the velocity of the cool star wind at the orbit of the secondary. This is confirmed by direct observations of stellar wind (P Cygni) line profile variations. This velocity is generally smaller than the final (terminal) velocity of the wind, deduced from the P Cygni line profiles. The contrast between these results and previously published supergiant wind models is discussed. The implication on the physics of energy source dissipation predicted in the theoretical models is considered.

Ahmad, Imad A.↗