Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “MAGNETIC FORMING”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2

Measurements of Beam Coupling in the Marshall Magnetic Mirror Device

Experimental investigations of the coupling of an electron beam into a magnetically confined plasma have been undertaken at the Marshall Space Flight Center using the Marshall Magnetic Mirror (M3) system. The M3 system is composed of the following: two magnet coils; a cylindrical vacuum vessel; microwave source; and electron beam source. The magnet coils, which form the magnetic mirror, have an inner diameter of 25.4 cm and an outer diameter of 50.8 cm. The coils are composed of 9 coil segments with 33 turns in each segment. Each coil segment is connected in series. To create the target plasma, a 2 kW microwave source (2.45 gHz) is coupled into the vacuum chamber via waveguide. The electron beam source is a hollow cathode device created by the EPL Corporation. The hollow cathode is capable of producing a 50 amp beam with a pulse length of 1 second. It is also capable of continuous operation at 5 amps. The hollow cathode is mounted on one end of the cylindrical vacuum vessel 24 cm outside of a magnet coil. A current sensor is placed in the hollow cathode keeper bias circuit to measure emission current.

Schneider, T. A.↗

The overall structure and evolution of active regions

The evolutionary characteristics and structure of the magnetic fields and atmospheric phenomena associated with the development of a solar magnetic region are discussed. Bipolar magnetic regions are introduced as the source of all solar magnetic fields, formed as bundles of magnetic flux rise to and break through the solar surface and spread throughout the photosphere, chromosphere and corona. The photospheric magnetic region is shown to be characterized by bipolar flux regions of various sizes emerging rapidly for a few days, then expanding and decreasing in flux for several months and fragmenting. Sunspots and faculae are considered as tracers of the magnetic regions in the upper photosphere or lower chromosphere, while chromospheric tracers include arch filaments, field transition arches, long chromospheric threads, disk filaments and dark fibrils in chromospheric lines. The transition region and lower corona exhibit a multithermal plasma distribution, with low-temperature plasmas confined to the footprints and legs of magnetic field lines and high-temperature plasmas originating in loops or systems of unresolved loops. The bipolar magnetic region is also shown to interact with its surroundings to produce an interconnected field line pattern.

Sheeley, N. R., Jr.↗

Current sheets in the solar corona

Coronal magnetic fields are twisted up by motion of their footpoints in the photosphere. When the twist exceeds a critical amount, kink-ballooning instabilities occur. These instabilities are studied numerically, in long, thin, axially bounded magnetic fields. Nonlinearly, the three-dimensional kinking motion compresses magnetic flux, forming a current sheet. Magnetic energy can be dissipated at a rate orders of magnitude greater than without the current sheets. The energy of footpoint motion can then go into coronal heating, via Ohmic dissipation in the current sheets.

Strauss, H. R.↗

Application of ceramic superconductors in high speed turbines

A turbine system was modified to adapt melt textured YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) (YBCO) with high energy permanent magnets to form a hybrid superconducting magnetic bearing (HSMB). The HSMB/turbine prototype has achieved a static axial thrust capacity exceeding 41 N/sq cm (60 psi) and a radial magnetic stiffness of 7 N/mm in a field cooled state at 77 K. A comparison was made between different configurations of magnets and superconductor for radial stability, axial instability, and force hystereses. This systematic study lead to a greater understanding of the interactions between YBCO and high energy permanent magnets to define design parameters for high rotational devices using the HSMB design.

Mcmichael, C. K.↗

Magnetic circuit for hall effect plasma accelerator

A Hall effect plasma accelerator includes inner and outer electromagnets, circumferentially surrounding the inner electromagnet along a thruster centerline axis and separated therefrom, inner and outer magnetic conductors, in physical connection with their respective inner and outer electromagnets, with the inner magnetic conductor having a mostly circular shape and the outer magnetic conductor having a mostly annular shape, a discharge chamber, located between the inner and outer magnetic conductors, a magnetically conducting back plate, in magnetic contact with the inner and outer magnetic conductors, and a combined anode electrode/gaseous propellant distributor, located at a bottom portion of the discharge chamber. The inner and outer electromagnets, the inner and outer magnetic conductors and the magnetically conducting back plate form a magnetic circuit that produces a magnetic field that is largely axial and radially symmetric with respect to the thruster centerline.

Manzella, David H.↗

Partial Arc Curvilinear Direct Drive Servomotor

A partial arc servomotor assembly having a curvilinear U-channel with two parallel rare earth permanent magnet plates facing each other and a pivoted ironless three phase coil armature winding moves between the plates. An encoder read head is fixed to a mounting plate above the coil armature winding and a curvilinear encoder scale is curved to be co-axis with the curvilinear U-channel permanent magnet track formed by the permanent magnet plates. Driven by a set of miniaturized power electronics devices closely looped with a positioning feedback encoder, the angular position and velocity of the pivoted payload is programmable and precisely controlled.

Sun, Xiuhong↗

Magnetic fields in star-forming regions - Observations

We review the observational aspects of magnetic fields in dense, star-forming regions. First we discuss ways to observe the field. These include direct methods, which consist of the measurement of both linear and circular polarization of spectral line and continuum radiation; and indirect methods, consisting of the angular distribution of H2O masers on the sky and the measurement of ambipolar diffusion. Next we discuss selected observational results, focusing on detailed discussions of a small number of points rather than a generalized discussion that covers the waterfront. We discuss the Orion/BN-KL region in detail, both on the small and large scales. Next we discuss the derivation of the complete magnetic vector, including both the systematic and fluctuating component, from a large sample of Zeeman and linear polarization measurements for the L204 dark cloud. We examine the virial theorem as it applies to dark clouds in general and one dark cloud, Barnard 1, in particular. We critically discuss the numerous claims for alignment of cloud structural features with the plane-of-the-sky component of the magnetic field, and find that many of these have not been definitively established.

Heiles, Carl↗

Magnetic canopies and models of the solar chromosphere

Magnetic canopies are the topologies formed by magnetic field lines as they spread from compact, nearly vertical concentrations of flux in the low photosphere into the large-scale organization of the corona and heliosphere. Analytical techniques for inferring the base-heights of canopies from magnetographic data are reviewed together with observational evidence that much of the sun is covered by canopies which lie two or more pressure scale heights below the level which is traditionally inferred from thin flux tube models. Implications of these results for modeling the structure and energetics of the chromosphere are discussed, and it is argued that future models should be based upon both spectroscopic and polarimetric data. Recent improvements in magnetostatic model atmospheres are reviewed, and new observational data, including C IV Doppler-grams from the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission, are considered. Directions for future research in MHD modeling of canopies, in simulating spectrographic and polarimetric data from such models, and in observational programs are discussed.

Jones, H. P.↗

Magnetic-Island Contraction and Particle Acceleration in Simulated Eruptive Solar Flares

The mechanism that accelerates particles to the energies required to produce the observed high-energy impulsive emission in solar flares is not well understood. Drake et al. proposed a mechanism for accelerating electrons in contracting magnetic islands formed by kinetic reconnection in multi-layered current sheets (CSs). We apply these ideas to sunward-moving flux ropes (2.5D magnetic islands) formed during fast reconnection in a simulated eruptive flare. A simple analytic model is used to calculate the energy gain of particles orbiting the field lines of the contracting magnetic islands in our ultrahigh-resolution 2.5D numerical simulation. We find that the estimated energy gains in a single island range up to a factor of five. This is higher than that found by Drake et al. for islands in the terrestrial magnetosphere and at the heliopause, due to strong plasma compression that occurs at the flare CS. In order to increase their energy by two orders of magnitude and plausibly account for the observed high-energy flare emission, the electrons must visit multiple contracting islands. This mechanism should produce sporadic emission because island formation is intermittent. Moreover, a large number of particles could be accelerated in each magneto hydro dynamic-scale island, which may explain the inferred rates of energetic-electron production in flares. We conclude that island contraction in the flare CS is a promising candidate for electron acceleration in solar eruptions.

Guidoni, S. E.↗

Magnetic field and remanent magnetization effects of basin-forming impacts on the moon

Maps of the distribution of lunar surface magnetic fields produced by the electron reflection method have shown that the largest observed concentrations of lunar crustal magnetization occur antipodal (diametrically opposite) to four relatively young large impact basins: Imbrium, Orientale, Serenitatis, and Crisium. A model is proposed here for the formation of these magnetization concentrations (or 'magcons') in which the partially ionized vapor cloud produced in a hypervelocity (greater than 10 km/s) basin-forming impact expands around the moon forcing a preexisting ambient magnetic field to be concentrated for a brief (less than 1 day) time period in the antipodal zone. Acquisition of magnetic remanence during the period of compressed field amplification may occur by one of several mechanisms, such as shock remanence by impact of solid secondaries ejected from the basin-forming event. The model implies that basin-forming impacts have played a major role in determining the large-scale distribution of crustal magnetization detectable from lunar orbit.

Hood, L. L.↗

ROSAT detection of diffuse hot gas in the edge-on galaxy NGC 4631

ROSAT observation is presented of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4631, a nearby Sc/SBd galaxy best known for its extended radio halo. Because of the low foreground Galactic X-ray-absorbing gas column density, N(sub H) approximately 1.4 x 10(exp 20)cm(exp -2), this observation is sensitive to gas of temperature greater than or equal to a few times 10(exp 5) K. A soft (approximately 0.25 keV) X-ray radiation out to more than 8 kpc above the midplane of the galaxy was detected. The strongest X-ray emission in the halo is above the central disk, a region of about 3 kpc radius which shows high star formation activity. The X-ray emission in the halo is bordered by two extended filaments of radio continuum emission. Diffuse X-ray emission from hot gas in the galaxy's disk was found. The spectrum of the radiation can be characterized by a thermal plasma with a temperature of 3 x 10(exp 6) K and a radiative cooling rate of approximately 8 x 10(exp 39) ergs s(exp -1). This rate is only a few percent of the estimated supernova energy release in the interstellar medium of the galaxy. Analysis of the X-ray spectrum shows evidence for the presence of a cooler (several times 10(exp 5) K) halo gas component that could consume a much larger fraction of the supernova energy. Strong evidence was found for disk/halo interaction. Hot gas apparently blows out from supershells in the galaxy's disk at a rate of approximately 1 solar mass yr(exp -1). This outflow of hot gas drags magnetic field lines up in the halo and forms a magnetized gaseous halo. If the magnetic field lines are still anchored to the disk gas at large disk radii, the outflowing gas may be confined high above the disk by magnetic pressure. A strong X-ray source which coincides spatially with an H I supershell has been identified. However, the source is likely an extremely luminous X-ray binary with L(sub chi)(0.1 - 2 keV) approximately 5 x 10(exp 39) ergs s(exp -1), which makes it a stellar mass black hole candidate.

Wang, Q. David↗

ROSAT detection of diffuse hot gas in the edge-on galaxy NGC 4631

We present our ROSAT observation of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4631, a nearby Sc/SBd galaxy best known for its extended radio halo. Because of the low foreground Galactic X-ray-absorbing gas column density, N(sub HI) approximately = 1.4 x 10(exp 20)/sq cm, this observation is sensitive to gas of temperature greater than or approximately = a few x 10(exp 5) K. We detected soft (approximately 0.25 keV) X-ray radiation out to more than 8 kpc above the midplane of the galaxy. The stongest X-ray emission in the halo is above the central disk, a region of about 3 kpc radius which shows high star formation activity. The X-ray emission in the halo is bordered by two extended filaments of radio continuum emission. We also found diffuse X-ray emission from hot gas in the galaxy's disk. The spectrum of the radiation can be characterized by a thermal plasma with a temperature of 3 x 10(exp 6) K and a radiative cooling rate of approximately 8 x 10(exp 39) ergs/sec. This rate is only a few percent of the estimated supernova energy release in the interstellar medium of the galaxy. Analysis of the X-ray spectrum shows evidence for the presence of a cooler (several times 10(exp 5) K) halo gas component that could consume a much larger fraction of the supernova energy. We found strong evidence for disk/halo interaction. Hot gas apparently blows out from supershells in the galaxy's disk at a rate of approximately 1 solar mass/yr. This outflow of hot gas drags magnetic field lines up in the halo and forms a magnetized gaseous halo. If the magnetic field lines are still anchored to the disk gas at large disk radii, the outflowing gas may be confined high above the disk by magnetic pressure. We have identified a strong X-ray source which coincides spatially with an H I supershell. However, the source is likely an extremely luminous X-ray binary with L(sub x)(0.1-2 keV) approximately = 5 x 10(exp 39) ergs/sec, which makes it a stellar mass black hole candidate.

Wang, Q. Daniel↗

Characteristics of Mini-Magnetospheres Formed by Paleo-Magnetic Fields of Mars

The intensely and non-uniformly magnetized crustal sources generate an effective large-scale magnetic field. In the Southern hemisphere the strongest crustal fields lead to the formation of large-scale mini-magnetospheres. In the Northern hemisphere, the crustal fields are rather weak and there are only isolated mini-magnetospheres. Re-connection with the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) occurs in many localized regions. This may occur not only in cusp-like structures above nearly vertical field anomalies but also in halos extending several hundreds of kilometers from these sources. Re-connection will permit solar wind (SW) and more energetic particles to precipitate into and heat the neutral atmosphere. Electron density profiles of the ionosphere of Mars derived from radio occultation data obtained by the Radio Science Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) experiment are concentrated in the near polar regions. The effective scale-height of the neutral atmosphere density in the vicinity of the ionization peak has been derived for each of the profiles studied. The effective scale-heights have been compared with the crustal magnetic fields measured by the MGS Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer (MAG/ER) experiment. A significant difference between the large-scale mini-magnetospheres and regions outside of them has been found. The neutral atmosphere is cooler inside the large-scale mini-magnetospheres. It appears that outside of the cusps the strong crustal magnetic fields prevent additional heating of the neutral atmosphere by direct interaction of the SW. The scale-height of the neutral atmosphere density derived from the experiment with the MGS Accelerometer has been compared with MAG/ER data. The scale-height was found to be usually larger than mean value near the boundaries of potential mini-magnetospheres and around cusps . It may indicate that the paleo-magnetic/IMF field re-connection is characteristic of the mini-magnetospheres at Mars.

N F Ness↗

Analytic Method to Estimate Particle Acceleration in Flux Ropes

The mechanism that accelerates particles to the energies required to produce the observed high-energy emission in solar flares is not well understood. Drake et al. (2006) proposed a kinetic mechanism for accelerating electrons in contracting magnetic islands formed by reconnection. In this model, particles that gyrate around magnetic field lines transit from island to island, increasing their energy by Fermi acceleration in those islands that are contracting. Based on these ideas, we present an analytic model to estimate the energy gain of particles orbiting around field lines inside a flux rope (2.5D magnetic island). We calculate the change in the velocity of the particles as the flux rope evolves in time. The method assumes a simple profile for the magnetic field of the evolving island; it can be applied to any case where flux ropes are formed. In our case, the flux-rope evolution is obtained from our recent high-resolution, compressible 2.5D MHD simulations of breakout eruptive flares. The simulations allow us to resolve in detail the generation and evolution of large-scale flux ropes as a result of sporadic and patchy reconnection in the flare current sheet. Our results show that the initial energy of particles can be increased by 2-5 times in a typical contracting island, before the island reconnects with the underlying arcade. Therefore, particles need to transit only from 3-7 islands to increase their energies by two orders of magnitude. These macroscopic regions, filled with a large number of particles, may explain the large observed rates of energetic electron production in flares. We conclude that this mechanism is a promising candidate for electron acceleration in flares, but further research is needed to extend our results to 3D flare conditions.

Energetic particle acceleration↗

A microgravity isolation mount

The design and preliminary testing of a system for isolating microgravity sensitive payloads from spacecraft vibrational and impulsive disturbances is discussed. The Microgravity Isolation Mount (MGIM) concept consists of a platform which floats almost freely within a limited volume inside the spacecraft, but which is constrained to follow the spacecraft in the long term by means of very weak springs. The springs are realized magnetically and form part of a six degree of freedom active magnetic suspension system. The latter operates without any physical contact between the spacecraft and the platform itself. Power and data transfer is also performed by contactless means. Specifications are given for the expected level of input disturbances and the tolerable level of platform acceleration. The structural configuration of the mount is discussed and the design of the principal elements, i.e., actuators, sensors, control loops and power/data transfer devices are described. Finally, the construction of a hardware model that is being used to verify the predicted performance of the MGIM is described.

Jones, D. I.↗