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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Low-energy ion acceleration at quasi-perpendicular shocks: Transverse diffusion

The problem of ion injection and acceleration at quasi perpendicular shocks has been the subject of some debate over the past two decades. It is widely known that these shocks efficiently accelerate particles that are well in the high-energy tail of the distribution. However, the issue of injection, or the acceleration of low-energy ions, has yet to reach a consensus. The fundamental issue is whether there is enough diffusion normal to the magnetic field for the particles to remain near the shock. Since transverse diffusion is a physical process that is not well understood in space plasmas, this is an important, and difficult issue to address. In this report, we will investigate the ion injection problem by performing test particle orbit integrations using synthesized turbulent fields. These fields are fully three-dimensional so that transverse diffusion is possible (cross-field diffusion is not possible in geometries where the electromagnetic fields are less than three dimensional). The synthesized fields are produced by superimposing a three-dimensional wave field on a background field. For completeness, we will compare the results from this model with the more well-established theories, such as the diffusive approximation and scatter-free shock drift acceleration. We will also compare these results with other numerical simulation techniques such as the well known hybrid simulation, and other test-particle calculations in which the shock fields are specified to have less than three dimensions. We will also discuss some recent relevant observations and how these compare with our results.

Giacalone, J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Fluid Physics in a Fluctuating Acceleration Environment

We summarize several aspects of an ongoing investigation of the effects that stochastic residual accelerations (g-jitter) onboard spacecraft can have on experiments conducted in a microgravity environment. The residual acceleration field is modeled as a narrow band noise, characterized by three independent parameters: intensity (g(exp 2)), dominant angular frequency Omega, and characteristic correlation time tau. Realistic values for these parameters are obtained from an analysis of acceleration data corresponding to the SL-J mission, as recorded by the SAMS instruments. We then use the model to address the random motion of a solid particle suspended in an incompressible fluid subjected to such random accelerations. As an extension, the effect of jitter on coarsening of a solid-liquid mixture is briefly discussed, and corrections to diffusion controlled coarsening evaluated. We conclude that jitter will not be significant in the experiment 'Coarsening of solid-liquid mixtures' to be conducted in microgravity. Finally, modifications to the location of onset of instability in systems driven by a random force are discussed by extending the standard reduction to the center manifold to the stochastic case. Results pertaining to time-modulated oscillatory convection are briefly discussed.

Thomson, J. Ross↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ion Acceleration and Transport in Solar Flares

The purpose of the work proposed for this grant was to develop a promising model for ion acceleration in impulsive solar flares. Solar flares are among the most energetic and interesting phenomena in the solar system, releasing up to 10(exp 32) ergs of energy over timescales ranging from a few tens of seconds to a few tens of minutes. Much of this energy appears as energetic electrons and ions, which produce a wide range of observable radiations. These radiations, in turn, are valuable diagnostics of the acceleration mechanism, the identification of which is the fundamental goal of solar flare research. The specific mechanism we proposed to investigate was based on cascading Alfven waves, the essence of which was as follows: During the primary flare energy release, it is widely believed that magnetic free energy is made available through the large-scale restructuring of the flare magnetic field. Any perturbation of a magnetic field will lead to the formation of MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD) waves of wavelength comparable to the initial scale of the perturbation. Since the scalesize of a flare energy release region will likely be 10(exp 8)-10(exp 9) cm, the MHD waves will be of very long wavelength. However, it is well known that wave steepening will lead to a cascade of wave energy to smaller wavelengths. Now, MHD waves consist of two specific modes-the Alfven wave and the fast mode wave, and it is the Alfven wave which can interact with the ambient ions and accelerate them via cyclotron resonance. As the Alfven waves cascade to smaller wavenumbers, they can resonate with ions of progressively lower energy, until they eventually (actually, this is less than approx. 1 s) can resonate with ions in the thermal distribution. These ions are then energized out of the thermal background and, since lower-frequency waves are already present as a result of the cascading, to relativistic energies. Hence, cascading Alfven waves naturally accelerate ions from thermal to relativistic energies in one step with one basic mechanism.

Miller, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Theory of an Electromagnetic Mass Accelerator for Achieving Hypervelocities

It is shown that for any electromagnetic accelerator which employs an electromagnetic force for driving the projectile and uses the projectile as the heat sink for the energy dissipated in it by ohmic heating, the maximum velocity attainable without melting is a function of the mass of the projectile. Therefore, for hypervelocities a large projectile mass is required and thus a power supply of very large capacity is necessary. It is shown that the only means for reducing the power requirement is maximizing the gradient of the mutual inductance. In the scheme of the sliding-coil accelerator investigated herein, the gradient of the mutual inductance is continuously maintained at a high value. It is also shown that for minimum length of the accelerator, the current must be kept constant despite the rise in induced voltage during acceleration. The use of a capacitor bank as an energy source with the condition that the current be kept constant is investigated. Experiments at low velocities are described.

Thom, Karlheinz↗
NASA NTRS1960

A Flight Evaluation of an Airborne Physiological Instrumentation System, Including Preliminary Results Under Conditions of Varying Accelerations

A physiological instrumentation system capable of recording the electrocardiogram, pulse rate, respiration rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures during flight has been developed. This instrumentation system was designed for use during control studies at varied levels of acceleration in order to monitor the well-being of the pilot and at the same time to obtain data for study of the relationships between his various physiological functions and his performance capability. Flights, made in a T-33 aircraft, demonstrated the ability of the system to obtain the desired physiological data in flight. The data obtained in these flights, although limited in nature, indicate a slowing of the pulse rate under the subgravity conditions of brief duration. There appeared to be a proportional nearly in-phase relationship between pulse rate and acceleration. A decrease in diastolic blood pressure together with an increase in pulse pressure was noted during subgravity conditions and an elevation of the diastolic pressure together with a decrease in pulse pressure du-ring increased accelerations. No change worthy of note was seen in the records of the systolic blood pressure, the respiration rate, or the electrocardiogram over the range of acceleration studied (0 to 3 g).

Smedal, Harald A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

NASA's Microgravity Fluid Physics Program: Tolerability to Residual Accelerations

An overview of the NASA microgravity fluid physics program is presented. The necessary quality of a reduced-gravity environment in terms of tolerable residual acceleration or g levels is a concern that is inevitably raised for each new microgravity experiment. Methodologies have been reported in the literature that provide guidance in obtaining reasonable estimates of residual acceleration sensitivity for a broad range of fluid physics phenomena. Furthermore, a relatively large and growing database of microgravity experiments that have successfully been performed in terrestrial reduced gravity facilities and orbiting platforms exists. Similarity of experimental conditions and hardware, in some cases, lead to new experiments adopting prior experiments g-requirements. Rationale applied to other experiments can, in principle, be a valuable guide to assist new Principal Investigators, PIs, in determining the residual acceleration tolerability of their flight experiments. The availability of g-requirements rationale from prior (mu)g experiments is discussed. An example of establishing g tolerability requirements is demonstrated, using a current microgravity fluid physics flight experiment. The Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) which is currently manifested on the US Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) will provide opportunities for fluid physics and combustion experiments throughout the life of the ISS. Although the FCF is not intended to accommodate all fluid physics experiments, it is expected to meet the science requirements of approximately 80% of the new PIs that enter the microgravity fluid physics program. The residual acceleration requirements for the FCF fluid physics experiments are based on a set of fourteen reference fluid physics experiments which are discussed.

Skarda, J. Raymond↗
NASA NTRS1998

Radio to Gamma-Ray Emission from Shell-Type Supernova Remnants: Predictions from Non-Linear Shock Acceleration Models

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are widely believed to be the principal source of galactic cosmic rays, produced by diffusive shock acceleration in the environs of the remnant's expanding blast wave. Such energetic particles can produce gamma-rays and lower energy photons via interactions with the ambient plasma. The recently reported observation of TeV gamma-rays from SN1006 by the CANGAROO Collaboration, combined with the fact that several unidentified EGRET sources have been associated with known radio/optical/X-ray-emitting remnants, provides powerful motivation for studying gamma-ray emission from SNRs. In this paper, we present results from a Monte Carlo simulation of non-linear shock structure and acceleration coupled with photon emission in shell-like SNRs. These non-linearities are a by-product of the dynamical influence of the accelerated cosmic rays on the shocked plasma and result in distributions of cosmic rays which deviate from pure power-laws. Such deviations are crucial to acceleration efficiency considerations and impact photon intensities and spectral shapes at all energies, producing GeV/TeV intensity ratios that are quite different from test particle predictions.

Baring, Matthew G.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Ion Acceleration in Solar Flares

Solar flares are among the most energetic and interesting phenomena in the Solar system, releasing up to 1032 ergs of energy on timescales of several tens of seconds to several tens of minutes. Much of this energy is in the form of suprathermal electrons and ions, which remain trapped at the Sun and produce a wide variety of radiations, as well as escape into interplanetary space, where they can be directly observed. The radiation from trapped particles consists in general of (1) continuum emission; (2) narrow gamma-ray nuclear deexcitation lines; and (3) high-energy neutrons observed in space or by ground-based neutron monitors. The particles that escape into space consist of both electrons and ions, which often have compositions quite different than that of the ambient solar atmosphere. Flares thus present many diagnostics of the particle acceleration mechanism(s), the identification of which is the ultimate goal of flare research. Moreover, flares in fact offer the only opportunity in astrophysics to study the simultaneous energization of both electrons and ions. Hopefully, an understanding of flares with their wealth of diagnostic data will lead to a better understanding of particle acceleration at other sites in the Universe. It is now generally accepted that flares are roughly divided into two classes: impulsive and gradual. Gradual events are large, occur high in the corona, have long-duration soft and hard X-rays and gamma rays, are electron poor, are associated with Type II radio emission and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and produce energetic ions with coronal abundance ratios. Impulsive events are more compact, occur lower in the corona, produce short-duration radiation, and exhibit dramatic abundance enhancements in the energetic ions. Their He-3/He-4 ratio is - 1, which is a huge increase over the coronal value of about 5 x 10(exp -4), and they also posses smaller but still significant enhancements of Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe relative to He-4, C, N, and O. Specifically, above about 1 MeV nucleon(exp -1), the ratio of Fe to O is about 8 times larger than in the corona or in gradual flares, while the ratio of Ne, Mg, and Si to O is about 3 times higher; He-4, C, N, and 0 are not enchanced with respect to each other. In addition to these elemental enhancements, Ne and Mg have isotopic enhancements as well. The general scenario that has emerged from these (and other) observations is that energetic particles in gradual events are accelerated by a CME-driven shock, while those particles in impulsive events are accelerated by another mechanism(s).

Miller, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Exercise Training During +Gz Acceleration

The overall purpose is to study the effect of passive (without exercise) and active (with exercise) +Gz (head-to-foot) acceleration training, using a short-arm (1.9m radius) centrifuge, on post- training maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max, work capacity) and 70 deg head-up tilt (orthostatic) tolerance in ambulatory subjects to test the hypothesis that (a) both passive and active acceleration training will improve post-training tilt-tolerance, and (b) there will be no difference in tilt-tolerance between passive and active exercise acceleration training because increased hydrostatic and blood pressures, rather than increased muscular metabolism, will provide the major adaptive stimulus. The purpose of the pilot study was to test the hypothesis that there would be no significant difference in the metabolic responses (oxygen uptake, heart rate, pulmonary ventilation, or respiratory exchange ratio) during supine exercise with moderate +Gz acceleration.

Greenleaf, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Energy-Dependent Ionization States of Shock-Accelerated Particles in the Solar Corona

We examine the range of possible energy dependence of the ionization states of ions that are shock-accelerated from the ambient plasma of the solar corona. If acceleration begins in a region of moderate density, sufficiently low in the corona, ions above about 0.1 MeV/amu approach an equilibrium charge state that depends primarily upon their speed and only weakly on the plasma temperature. We suggest that the large variations of the charge states with energy for ions such as Si and Fe observed in the 1997 November 6 event are consistent with stripping in moderately dense coronal. plasma during shock acceleration. In the large solar-particle events studied previously, acceleration occurs sufficiently high in the corona that even Fe ions up to 600 MeV/amu are not stripped of electrons.

Reames, Donald V.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Testing of a Loop Heat Pipe Subjected to Variable Accelerating Forces

This paper presents viewgraphs of the functionality of a loop heat pipe that was subjected to variable accelerating forces. The topics include: 1) Summary of LHP (Loop Heat Pipe) Design Parameters; 2) Picture of the LHP; 3) Schematic of Test Setup; 4) Test Configurations; 5) Test Profiles; 6) Overview of Test Results; 7) Start-up; 8) Typical Start-up without Temperature Overshoot; 9) Start-up with a Large Temperature Overshoot; 10) LHP Operation Under Stationary Condition; 11) LHP Operation Under Continuous Acceleration; 12) LHP Operation Under Periodic Acceleration; 13) Effects of Acceleration on Temperature Oscillation and Hysteresis; 14) Temperature Oscillation/Hysteresis vs Spin Rate; and 15) Summary.

Ku, Jentung↗
NASA NTRS2000

Nonlinear Shock Acceleration and Photon Emission in Supernova Remnants

We have extended a simple model of nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration (Berezhko & Ellison 1999: Ellison &, Berezhko 1999a) to include the injection and acceleration of electrons and the production of photons from bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, inverse Compton, and pion-decay processes. We argue that, the results of this model, which is simpler to use than more elaborate ones, offer a significant improvement, over test-particle, power-law spectra which are often used in astrophysical applications of diffusive shock acceleration. With an evolutionary supernova remnant (SNR) model to obtain shock parameters as functions of ambient interstellar medium parameters and time, we predict broad-band continuum photon emission from supernova remnants in general, and SN1006 in particular, showing that our results compare well with the more complete time-dependent and spherically symmetric nonlinear model of Berezhko, Ksenofontov, & Petukhov (1999a). We discuss the implications nonlinear shock acceleration has for X-ray line emission, and use our model to describe how ambient conditions determine the TeV/radio flux ratio, an important parameter for gamma-ray observations of radio SNRs.

Ellison, Donald C.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Vacuum Plasma Spray Forming of Tungsten Lorentz Force Accelerator Components

The Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS) Laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a fabrication technique using the VPS process to form anode sections for a Lorentz force accelerator from tungsten. Lorentz force accelerators are an attractive form of electric propulsion that provides continuous, high-efficiency propulsion at useful power levels for such applications as orbit transfers or deep space missions. The VPS process is used to deposit refractory metals such as tungsten onto a graphite mandrel of the desired shape. Because tungsten is reactive at high temperatures, it is thermally sprayed in an inert environment where the plasma gun melts and accelerates the metal powder onto the mandrel. A three-axis robot inside the chamber controls the motion of the plasma spray torch. A graphite mandrel acts as a male mold, forming the required contour and dimensions of the inside surface of the anode. This paper describes the processing techniques, design considerations, and process development associated with the VPS forming of the Lorentz force accelerator.

Zimmerman, Frank R.↗
NASA NTRS2001

The FAST (FRC Acceleration Space Thruster) Experiment

The Field Reverse Configuration (FRC) is a magnetized plasmoid that has been developed for use in magnetic confinement fusion. Several of its properties suggest that it may also be useful as a thruster for in-space propulsion. The FRC is a compact toroid that has only poloidal field, and is characterized by a high plasma beta = (P)/(B (sup 2) /2Mu0), the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic field pressure, so that it makes efficient use of magnetic field to confine a plasma. In an FRC thruster, plasmoids would be repetitively formed and accelerated to high velocity; velocities of = 250 km/s (Isp = 25,000s) have already been achieved in fusion experiments. The FRC is inductively formed and accelerated, and so is not subject to the problem of electrode erosion. As the plasmoid may be accelerated over an extended length, it can in principle be made very efficient. And the achievable jet powers should be scalable to the MW range. A 10 kW thruster experiment - FAST (FRC Acceleration Space Thruster) has just started at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The design of FAST and the status of construction and operation will be presented.

Martin, Adam↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fluid Physics Under a Stochastic Acceleration Field

The research summarized in this report has involved a combined theoretical and computational study of fluid flow that results from the random acceleration environment present onboard space orbiters, also known as g-jitter. We have focused on a statistical description of the observed g-jitter, on the flows that such an acceleration field can induce in a number of experimental configurations of interest, and on extending previously developed methodology to boundary layer flows. Narrow band noise has been shown to describe many of the features of acceleration data collected during space missions. The scale of baroclinically induced flows when the driving acceleration is random is not given by the Rayleigh number. Spatially uniform g-jitter induces additional hydrodynamic forces among suspended particles in incompressible fluids. Stochastic modulation of the control parameter shifts the location of the onset of an oscillatory instability. Random vibration of solid boundaries leads to separation of boundary layers. Steady streaming ahead of a modulated solid-melt interface enhances solute transport, and modifies the stability boundaries of a planar front.

Vinals, Jorge↗
NASA NTRS2001

Exploration of Solar Wind Acceleration Region Using Interplanetary Scintillation of Water Vapor Maser Source and Quasars

Single-station observations of interplanetary scintillation UPS) at three microwave frequencies 2, 8, and 22GHz, were carried out between 1989 and 1998 using a large (34-micro farad) radio telescope at the Kashima Space Research Center of the Communications Research Laboratory. The aim of these observations was to explore the near-sun solar wind, which is the key region for the study of the solar wind acceleration mechanism. Strong quasars, 3C279 and 3C273B, were used for the Kashima IPS observations at 2 and 8GHz, and a water-vapor maser source, IRC20431, was used for the IPS observations at 22GHz. Solar wind speeds derived from Kashima IPS data suggest that the solar wind acceleration takes place at radial distances between 10 and 30 solar radii (Rs) from the sun. The properties of the turbulence spectrum (e.g. anisotropy, spectral index, inner scale) inferred from the Kashima data were found to change systematically in the solar wind acceleration region. While the solar wind in the maximum phase appears to be dominated by the slow wind, fast and rarefied winds associated with the coronal holes were found to develop significantly at high latitudes as the solar activity declined. Nevertheless, the Kashima data suggests that the location of the acceleration region is stable throughout the solar cycle.

Tokumaru, Munetoshi↗
NASA NTRS2001

Exploration of Solar Wind Acceleration Region Using Interplanetary Scintillation of Water Vapor Maser Source and Quasars

Single-station observations of interplanetary scintillation (IPS) at three microwave frequencies; 2 GHz, 8 GHz and 22 GHz have been carried out between 1989 and 1998 using a large (34 m farad) radio telescope at the Kashima Space Research Center of the Communications Research Laboratory. The aim of these observations is to explore the near-sun solar wind, which is the key region for the study of the solar wind acceleration mechanism. Strong quasars; 3C279 and 3C273B were used for Kashima IPS observations at 2 GHz and 8 GHz, and a water vapor maser source, IRC20431 was used for the IPS observations at 22 GHz. Solar wind velocities derived from Kashima IPS data suggest that the solar wind acceleration takes place at radial distances between 10 and 30 solar radii (R(sub s)) from the sun. Properties of the turbulence spectrum (e.g. anisotropy, spectral index, inner scale) inferred from Kashima data are found to change systematically in the solar wind acceleration region. While the solar wind in the maximum phase appears to be dominated by the slow wind, fast and rarefied winds associated with coronal holes are found to develop significantly at high latitudes as the solar activity declines. Nevertheless, Kashima data suggests that the location of the acceleration region is stable throughout the solar cycle.

Tokumaru, Munetoshi↗
NASA NTRS2002

Accelerated Near-Threshold Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of an Aluminum Powder Metallurgy Alloy

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) research conducted in the near threshold regime has identified a room temperature creep crack growth damage mechanism for a fine grain powder metallurgy (PM) aluminum alloy (8009). At very low DK, an abrupt acceleration in room temperature FCG rate occurs at high stress ratio (R = Kmin/Kmax). The near threshold accelerated FCG rates are exacerbated by increased levels of Kmax (Kmax less than 0.4 KIC). Detailed fractographic analysis correlates accelerated FCG with the formation of crack-tip process zone micro-void damage. Experimental results show that the near threshold and Kmax influenced accelerated crack growth is time and temperature dependent.

Piascik, Robert S.↗