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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

On the transport of ions released in the magnetotail by the AMPTE-IRM satellite

The Ba and Li ions releasd into the magnetotail in spring 1985 by the AMPTE-IRM satellite were not observed subsequently in the inner magnetosphere with the AMPTE-CCE satellite. These results were studied by using a Monte Carlo code to compute the transport of the ions. For each release several hundred ion guiding-center trajectories were computed under simulated magnetospheric conditions, using the Tsyganenko-Usmanov (1982) magnetic-field model and the Millstone Hill convection-electric-field model (Oliver et al., 1983). The corotation and convection electric fields were mapped to altitudes above the ionosphere, assuming the magnetic-field lines to be equipotentials. The initial conditions of the ions, at the times at which the ions were picked up by the electric field, were estimated by taking into consideration the release conditions and the early-time collective effects. The results indicate that the Ba(+) ions were not observed because the CCE satellite was not along the drift paths of the ions, and the Li(+) ions were not observed because their fluxes at the satellite were too low.

Cladis, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Observations of filamentary field-aligned current coupling between the magnetospheric boundary layer and the ionosphere

A distinct class of dayside high-latitude magnetic pulsations can be identified from the spatial characteristics of the disturbance field. These pulsations exhibit traveling radial patterns such as would result from moving filaments of field-aligned current interacting with the ionosphere to produce cells of Hall current and vortexlike plasma flow. Time intervals containing a series of continuous multiple vortices are investigated here. The vortices occur on the boundary between sunward and antisunward ionospheric plasma convection. Low altitude DMSP satellite particle measurements indicate that the vortices are on magnetic field lines which map to the inner edge of the magnetospheric low latitude boundary layer. No repetitive solar wind disturbance (e.g., pressure variations) appears to be associated with the events, suggesting that the vortices are related to a local magnetospheric instability. No strong correlation between interplanetary field conditions and the detection of vortices is found.

Clauer, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The quiet time polar cap - DE 1 observations and conceptual model

A conceptual merging model of the magnetosphere is developed which explains DE-1 observations on polar cap plasmas and waves made during a quiet period with a northward IMF when multiple adjacent regions of sunward and antisunward convection were observed. The model involves dayside merging both at high latitudes on open field lines (the usual northward IMF merging) and at lower latitudes on closed field lines. The ratio between the merged flux produced by the high-latitude merging to that produced by the lower-latitude merging increases as the IMF becomes more northward.

Burch, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Sensitivity of Precipitation Processes to Microphysics and Resolution in a Cloud-resolving Model

The Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model is used to examine the impact of various microphysical schemes, and vertical and horizontal resolution on the development, intensity and rainfall associated with mesoscale convective systems, idealized hurricanes and an ensemble of clouds. The model variables include horizontal and vertical velocities, potential temperature, perturbation pressure, turbulent kinetic energy, and mixing ratios of all water phases (vapor, liquid, and ice). The major characteristics of the GCE model are the explicit representation of warm rain and ice microphysical processes, and their complex interactions with solar and infrared radiative transfer processes. For idealized hurricane, an axisymmetric version of the GCE model was developed and used successfully to simulate the tropical cyclogenesis process using both a Rankin vortex and saturated air within a specified radius as initial conditions. For mesoscale convective systems, the 3-D version of the GCE model was used to simulate squall lines that developed in the western Pacific, South China Sea, eastern Atlantic, South America and central US. For the cloud ensemble, the GCE model was integrated for several days in order to have a good sampling of cloud statistics.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS2003

Sensitivity of Precipitation Processes to Microphysics and Resolution in a Cloud-Resolving Model

The Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model is used to examine the impact of various microphysical schemes, and vertical and horizontal resolution on the development, intensity and rainfall associated with mesoscale convective systems, idealized hurricanes and an ensemble of clouds. The model variables include horizontal and vertical velocities, potential temperature, perturbation pressure, turbulent kinetic energy, and mixing ratios of all water phases (vapor, liquid, and ice). The major characteristics of the GCE model are the explicit representation of warm rain and ice microphysical processes, and their complex interactions with solar and infrared radiative transfer processes, and with surface processes. For idealized hurricane, an axisymmetric version of the GCE model was developed and used successfully to simulate the tropical cyclogenesis process using both a Rankin vortex and saturated air within a specified radius as initial conditions. For mesoscale convective systems, the 3-D version of the GCE model was used to simulate squall lines that developed in the western Pacific, eastern Atlantic and central US. For the cloud ensemble, the GCE model was integrated for several days in order to have good sampling of cloud statistics. In this paper, the sensitivities of hurricane intensity to various microphysical processes and model grid resolution will be examined.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS1973

Magnetospheric mapping with quantitative geomagnetic field models

The Mead-Fairfield geomagnetic field models were used to trace field lines between the outer magnetosphere and the earth's surface. The results are presented in terms of ground latitude and local time contours projected to the equatorial plane and into the geomagnetic tail. With these contours various observations can be mapped along field lines between high and low altitudes. Low altitudes observations of the polar cap boundary, the polar cusp, the energetic electron trapping boundary and the sunward convection region are projected to the equatorial plane and compared with the results of the model and with each other. The results provide quantitative support to the earlier suggestions that the trapping boundary is associated with the last closed field line in the sunward hemisphere, the polar cusp is associated with the region of the last closed field line, and the polar cap projects to the geomagnetic tail and has a low latitude boundary corresponding to the last closed field line.

Fairfield, D. H.↗
DOE OSTI2025

EVALUATION OF OPERATION TEMPERATURES UNDER NATURAL CONVECTION HELIUM FLOW IN A CONFINED CAVITY

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is a high-power accelerator-based pulsed neutron source led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to achieve high fluxes of neutrons for scientific experiments. Active and passive cooling of the systems and parts forming the SNS have been considered to warrant the safe operation of the facility. The diverse cooling systems make use of conjugated heat transfer mechanisms to provide a stable operation temperature for all components in the machine. Thermal power deposited into stainless-steel piping lines due to particle radiation may reach values of up to 1.2 W/cc in the regions located closer to the center of the lower IRP. These energy deposition levels, in not actively cooled components, such as the transfer-line-outer-vacuum-layer may increase the temperature of the component beyond design requirement limitations. The evaluation of the operation temperatures for the former components relies in the assumption that a low-pressure helium atmosphere provides enough heat removal capacity based on natural convection phenomena. In this work, the evaluation of steady state temperatures in components such as the CMS transfer lines has been evaluated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), analytical correlations and experimental measurements. The companion experiments were conducted in a closed helium system at pressures varying from 1.1 to 1.5 bar. A copper rod was affixed horizontally between viewing windows and heated at constant power, and measurements were made of both the rod temperature and ambient temperature via a system fiberoptic distributed temperature sensors and RTDs. It was found that the measured heat transfer coefficients agree well with the predictions of Churchill and Chu correlations across the range of cases considered. Additionally, the ambient helium volume above the rod was imaged via background oriented schlieren (BOS), and these data was used to determine the line-averaged density gradients in this region. These gradients were compared to simulation data to validate the predictions of natural convection simulations.

Dominguez-Ontiveros, Elvis [ORNL] (ORCID:000000018↗
DOE OSTI2025

An Observational Evaluation of RKW Theory over the U.S. Southern Great Plains

The theory of Rotunno et al. (“RKW” theory) addresses the behavior of squall-line cold pools in vertically sheared flows. It predicts that, within a given thermodynamic environment, a balance between baroclinic vorticity generation by the cold pool and low-level environmental vertical wind shear induces an upright updraft along the gust front that maximizes the initiation of new convective cells. Although this theory has been evaluated numerically, its applicability to observed systems remains unclear and is limited by a lack of critical measurements, including high-frequency thermodynamic and wind profiles across the gust front. Herein, observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (ARM-SGP) observatory near Lamont, Oklahoma, are used to evaluate RKW theory for 10 well-observed squall lines over a 11-yr period. For this evaluation, RKW parameters including cold-pool intensity (c), low-level ambient, line-normal vertical shear (ΔV n ), subcloud and cloud-layer updraft tilts, and multiple measures of system intensity are estimated. Furthermore, the c estimates rely on thermodynamic retrievals from the Atmosphere Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), which are uncertain but verify reasonably well against independent observations. As predicted by the theory, for c/ΔV n ≥ 1, c/ΔV n correlates positively with updraft tilt and negatively with system intensity, but these results are not always statistically significant and are also sensitive to the method by which ΔV n is evaluated. Specifically, ΔV n evaluations that extend above the cold-pool top yield greater consistency with RKW predictions. Also, some measures of intensity correlate more strongly with standard moist instability metrics than with RKW parameters.

Cold pools↗
NASA NTRS1986

Quantitative modeling of the 'convection surge' mechanism of ion acceleration

To explore the properties of the 'convection surge' mechanism postulated by Quinn and Southwood (1982), a quantitative computer model of the mechanism is constructed. The model incorporates the dipolarization of the field line shapes as well as the results of recent transient electric field measurements by the AST-6 satellite. The computer model numerically integrates the equations of motion of ensembles of ions populating a single flux tube that goes through the convection surge or 'dipolarization' transformation. The numerical results confirm that the mechanism easily generates the bounce-phase-bunched ion distributions in question, and show that the convection surge can generate dramatically field-aligned ion distributions. It is hypothesized that the convection surge mechanism is fundamentally associated with the processes responsible for transporting tail ion populations to the geosynchronous regions of the earth's magnetosphere.

Mauk, B. H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Metal opacities and convective core overshooting in Population I stars

New stellar opacities computed by Rogers and Iglesias are found to lead to revised evolutionary models for stars of intermediate-to-high mass that show remarkably close agreement with observed stars, under otherwise standard physical assumptions. Most or all of the earlier discrepancies, except for the problem of predicted apsidal motion constants that are perhaps still too large, appear to have been resolved by using these new opacities with their increased metal line contribution. Thus, the implied interior metallicity of massive stars in the solar neighborhood now becomes 'normal'. Furthermore, the effective distance of convective overshooting beyond the classical convective core boundary is confirmed to be small and probably less than 0.2 times the local pressure scale height.

Stothers, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Energization in regions of CIRs unconnected to shocks are probably not the result of cross-field transport

Corotating energetic ion populations (CEIPs) associated with the forward and reverse shocks of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) are observed in CIRs at places where models say are magnetically unconnected to either shock. Such disconnections between CEIPs and shocks are common and have been documented with data from Pioneers 10 and 11 and confirmed with data from Ulysses. They pose a problem for models that account for these CEIPs in terms of ion energization at the shocks followed by ion propagation along field lines. Two possible resolutions to this problem have been suggested: diffusion of the ions across field lines and extension of the ion energization process to regions beyond the shock waves. Here we quantitatively examine the first of these possibilities. We give the Green's function solution to the convection-diffusion equation applied to idealized CIR geometry, with a source at the reverse shock -- the main producer of CEIPs. Two kinds of diffusion are considered: resonant diffusion and stochastic field line diffusion. We find that for resonant diffusion the computed ratio is many orders of magnitudes below the observed ratio. For stochastic field line diffusion, the computed ratio approximately equals the observed ratio if a diffusion coefficient appropriate to the free solar wind is used. It is several orders of magnitude below the observed ratio, however, if a diffusion coefficient appropriate to CIRs is used. We conclude that cross-field diffusion probably does not account for the presence of energetic ions in regions of CIRs that are magnetically unconnected to its shock waves. We suggest that the alternative possibility -- the energetic ions in regions magnetically unconnected to shocks result from an acceleration process that is independent of shocks -- be pursued to the point where quantitative tests can be performed.

Intriligator, Devrie S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Multiple-Wavelength Metal/Halide Laser

Single device produces multiple lasing lines. Laser capable of producing many lasing lines has several reservoirs of halide lasant mixed with chlorides of copper, manganese and iron. Convection-control technique possible to rapidly change from one metal halide to another at maximum energy.

Nerheim, N. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Exit of boundary layer plasma from the distant magnetotail

It is pointed out that the boundary layer plasma must somehow leave the magnetospheric system. It is proposed that the boundary layers on the dawn and dusk flanks are continued into the far magnetotail, becoming joined together far downstream, still on closed magnetic field lines. Within the combined layer there would be a dusk to dawn electric field for antisunward convection (as is the case for the boundary layers on the dawn and dusk flanks nearer to the earth). It is suggested that the boundary layer flow is so massive that the flow itself can generate the right electric field for continued flow. Most of the plasma in the mantle over the polar caps would also be convected out in a similar manner, rather feeding the plasma sheet. There would be a stagnation point inside the magnetotail, with any boundary or mantle plasma diffusing earthward of this point becoming the plasma sheet. It is deduced that no steady state solution is possible.

Heikkila, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Structure and Rotation of the Solar Interior: Initial Results from the MDI Medium-L Program

The medium-l program of the Michelson Doppler Imager instrument on board SOHO provides continuous observations of oscillation modes of angular degree, l, from 0 to approximately 300. The data for the program are partly processed on board because only about 3% of MDI observations can be transmitted continuously to the ground. The on-board data processing, the main component of which is Gaussian-weighted binning, has been optimized to reduce the negative influence of spatial aliasing of the high-degree oscillation modes. The data processing is completed in a data analysis pipeline at the SOI Stanford Support Center to determine the mean multiplet frequencies and splitting coefficients. The initial results show that the noise in the medium-l oscillation power spectrum is substantially lower than in ground-based measurements. This enables us to detect lower amplitude modes and, thus, to extend the range of measured mode frequencies. This is important for inferring the Sun's internal structure and rotation. The MDI observations also reveal the asymmetry of oscillation spectral lines. The line asymmetries agree with the theory of mode excitation by acoustic sources localized in the upper convective boundary layer. The sound-speed profile inferred from the mean frequencies gives evidence for a sharp variation at the edge of the energy-generating core. The results also confirm the previous finding by the GONG (Gough et al., 1996) that, in a thin layer just beneath the convection zone, helium appears to be less abundant than predicted by theory. Inverting the multiplet frequency splittings from MDI, we detect significant rotational shear in this thin layer. This layer is likely to be the place where the solar dynamo operates. In order to understand how the Sun works, it is extremely important to observe the evolution of this transition layer throughout the 11-year activity cycle.

Kosovichev, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The Applied Meteorology Unit: Nineteen Years Successfully Transitioning Research into Operations for America's Space Program

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) provides technology transition and technique development to improve operational weather support to the Space Shuttle and the entire American space program. The AMU is funded and managed by NASA and operated by a contractor that provides five meteorologists with a diverse mix of advanced degrees, operational experience, and associated skills including data processing, statistics, and the development of graphical user interfaces. The AMU's primary customers are the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, the National Weather Service Spaceflight Meteorology Group at NASA Johnson Space Center, and the National Weather Service Melbourne FL Forecast Office. The AMU has transitioned research into operations for nineteen years and worked on a wide range of topics, including new forecasting techniques for lightning probability, synoptic peak winds,.convective winds, and summer severe weather; satellite tools to predict anvil cloud trajectories and evaluate camera line of sight for Space Shuttle launch; optimized radar scan strategies; evaluated and implemented local numerical models; evaluated weather sensors; and many more. The AMU has completed 113 projects with 5 more scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. During this rich history, the AMU and its customers have learned many lessons on how to effectively transition research into operations. Some of these lessons learned include collocating with the operational customer and periodically visiting geographically separated customers, operator submitted projects, consensus tasking process, use of operator primary advocates for each project, customer AMU liaisons with experience in both operations and research, flexibility in adapting the project plan based on lessons learned during the project, and incorporating training and other transition assistance into the project plans. Operator involvement has been critical to the AMU's remarkable success and many awards from NASA, the National Weather Association, and two citations from the Navy's Center of Excellence for Best Manufacturing Practices. This paper will present the AMU's proven methods and explain how they may be applied by other organizations to effectively transition research into operations.

Madura, John T.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Morphology and Luminescence Properties of Transition Metal Doped Zinc Selenide Crystals

Zinc selenide is an excellent matrix material to dope with rare-earth and transition metal to achieve mid-infrared luminescence to develop high power lasers. The luminescence, morphology and refractive index is significantly affected by the doping and defects generated due to size and valency of dopants, concentration, growth process and convection during the growth. The aim of the study is to investigate effect of point and line defects generated due to low doping of iron and chromium on the emission and morphology of the zinc selenide. Luminescence and morphological properties of large iron and chromium doped zinc selenide single crystals were studied to evaluate the effect of extremely low residual impurities and defects associated with the doping process. The emission properties following both short wavelength (i.e., ultraviolet; 350 – 370 nm) excitation and longer wavelength (i.e., near infrared; 850 – 870 nm) excitation were characterized. Luminescence emission bands were identified in both doped crystals. In addition to the primary emission bands, satellite peaks and intra-center transitions were also observed. Due to local population defects associated with the residual impurities (ppm to ppb) in the Fe-ZnSe and Cr-ZnSe crystals, peak emission wavelengths were observed to shift. Raman studies using 266 and 532 – nm excitation revealed different positions of longitudinal and transverse peaks for Fe-ZnSe and Cr-ZnSe crystals, associated with different levels of defects due to the different ion sizes. The emission bands were found to decrease in intensity due to recombination of residual impurity co-dopants and complex defects generated during growth and fabrication. Cryogenic temperature analyses revealed a very clean emission band due to freezing of some of the point and line defects. An emission band observed at 980 nm for both crystals at room temperature as well as cryogenic temperatures indicates a vibronic peak in ZnSe. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the local morphology support the conclusion that small crystallites in doped crystals are also present.

Zinc selenide↗
NASA NTRS2006

The Dryline on 22 May 2002 during IHOP_2002: Convective-Scale Measurements at the Profiling Site

A detailed analysis of the structure of a double dryline observed over the Oklahoma panhandle during the first International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) convective initiation (CI) mission on 22 May 2002 is presented. A unique and unprecedented set of high temporal and spatial resolution measurements of water vapor mixing ratio, wind, and boundary layer structure parameters were acquired using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scanning Raman lidar (SRL), the Goddard Lidar Observatory for Winds (GLOW), and the Holographic Airborne Rotating Lidar Instrument Experiment (HARLIE), respectively. These measurements are combined with the vertical velocity measurements derived from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Multiple Antenna Profiler Radar (MAPR) and radar structure function from the high-resolution University of Massachusetts frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar to reveal the evolution and structure of the late afternoon double-dryline boundary layer. The eastern dryline advanced and then retreated over the Homestead profiling site in the Oklahoma panhandle, providing conditions ripe for a detailed observation of the small-scale variability within the boundary layer and the dryline. In situ aircraft data, dropsonde and radiosonde data, along with NCAR S-band dual-polarization Doppler radar (S-Pol) measurements, are also used to provide the larger-scale picture of the double-dryline environment. Moisture and temperature jumps of about 3 g kg(sup -1) and 1 -2 K, respectively, were observed across the eastern radar fine line (dryline), more than the moisture jumps (1-2 g kg(sup -1)) observed across the western radar fine line (secondary dryline). Most updraft plumes observed were located on the moist side of the eastern dryline with vertical velocities exceeding 3 m s(sup -1) and variable horizontal widths of 2-5 km, although some were as wide as 7-8 km. These updrafts were up to 1.5 g kg(sup -1) moister than the surrounding environment. Although models suggested deep convection over the Oklahoma panhandle and several cloud lines were observed near the dryline, the dryline itself did not initiate any storms over the intensive observation region (IOR). Possible reasons for this lack of convection are discussed. Strong capping inversion and moisture detrainment between the lifting condensation level and the level of free convection related to an overriding drier air, together with the relatively small near-surface moisture values (less than 10 g kg(sup -1)), were detrimental to CI in this case.

Demoz, Belay↗