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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Chemical and biological structure and transport of a cool filament associated with a jet-eddy system of northern California in July 1986 (OPTOMA21)

The distributions of nutrient, pigment, bio-optical, and physical variables were mapped in a jet-eddy system off Point Reyes and Point Arena, California, from July 7 to 19, 1986, in order to describe the 3D variability of the filament and its relation to the nutrient and phytoplankton distributions offshore, to examine the interaction between the filament and coastal water, and to estimate the transport of nutrients and phytoplankton by the jet system. Several cool filaments were distinguishable at distances of more than 35-50 km from the coast in satellite imagery during this period. The juxtaposition of these features as well as the presence of an offshore anticyclone and a cyclone south of the filament anchored to the coast at Point Arena led to complex patterns in all variables, aided by the apparent alongshore variability in the source of upwelled water. This structure has implications for the fluxes of organic material in the region and is probably significant in organizing the interactions among different trophic levels within the system.

Jones, Burton H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A microflare-related activation of a filament observed in H-alpha and C IV lines

A filament in active region AR 2717 was observed in two lines formed at different temperatures (H-alpha at 10 exp 4 K and C IV at 10 exp 5 K) with the multichannel-double-pass (MSDP) spectrograph and the ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter (UVSP). The partial disparition brusque (DB) of the filament as observed in H-alpha was due to the heating of a filament section in the vicinity of a bright point. A propagating disturbance followed this event. A detailed analysis of C IV rasters shows that this disturbance was not a passive perturbation, but was itself triggering active phenomena at various locations along its path, resulting in energy releases. It is suggested that this propagation of brightness was due to fast successive reconnections between fine looplike structures of the filament.

Schmieder, B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field

Thermal instability driven by optically thin radiation in the corona is believed to initiate the formation of solar filaments. The fact that filaments are observed generally to separate regions of opposite, line-of-sight, magnetic polarity in the differentially rotating photosphere suggests that filament formation requires the presence of a highly sheared magnetic field. The coupled energetics and dynamics of the most important condensation modes, those due to perpendicular thermal conduction at short wavelengths are discussed. Linear structure in the sheared field and their growth rates is described, and 2D, nonlinear, MHD simulations of the evolution of these modes in a force-free field are conducted. The simulations achieve the fine thermal structures, minimum temperatures and maximum densities characteristic of observed solar filaments.

Van Hoven, Gerard↗
NASA NTRS1993

Compressive behavior of undulations in filament-wound composites

The compressive performance of a filament-wound cylinder can be severely degraded by unavoidable fiber curvatures due to the presence of crossover bands. These crossover bands contain fiber undulations which influence the compressive strength, stiffness, and associated failure mechanisms of a filament-wound structure. The primary objectives of this study were to identify failure mechanisms and measure the compressive strength and stiffness of test specimens which model the microundulations. Compressive tests were conducted on flat-panel coupons which were developed to model the mechanics of large-scale fiber undulation regions in filament-wound composite cylinders. The primary effect of the undulation regions within a filament-wound structure is to initiate failure. Depending on the overall laminate configuration, the failure process includes various combinations of failure mechanisms, such as delaminations, matrix splitting and/or fiber fracture. These failure mechanisms are aggravated by the presence of large deformations caused by the reduction in local compressive stiffness and the introduction of complex material couplings due to the fiber undulation. Furthermore, the adjacent layers have been shown to strongly influence the compressive strength, stiffness, and associated failure mechanisms by weakening or reinforcing the laminate.

Jensen, David W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Impact damage in filament wound composite bottles

Increasingly, composite materials are being used in advanced structural applications because of the significant weight savings they offer when compared to more traditional engineering materials. The higher cost of composites must be offset by the increased performance that results from reduced structural weight if these new materials are to be used effectively. At present, there is considerable interest in fabricating solid rocket motor cases out of composite materials, and capitalizing on the reduced structural weight to increase rocket performance. However, one of the difficulties that arises when composite materials are used is that composites can develop significant amounts of internal damage during low velocity impacts. Such low velocity impacts may be encountered in routine handling of a structural component like a rocket motor case. The ability to assess the reduction in structural integrity of composite motor cases that experience accidental impacts is essential if composite rocket motor cases are to be certified for manned flight. While experimental studies of the post-impact performance of filament wound composite motor cases haven been proven performed (2,3), scaling impact data from small specimens to full scale structures has proven difficult. If such a scaling methodology is to be achieved, an increased understanding of the damage processes which influence residual strength is required. The study described herein was part of an ongoing investigation of damage development and reduction of tensile strength in filament wound composites subjected to low velocity impacts. The present study, which focused on documenting the damage that develops in filament wound composites as a result of such impacts, included two distinct tasks. The first task was to experimentally assess impact damage in small, filament wound pressure bottles using x-ray radiography. The second task was to study the feasibility of using digital image processing techniques to assist in determining the 3-D distribution of damage from stereo x-ray pairs.

Highsmith, Alton L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Onset of the Magnetic Explosion in Filament-Eruption Flares and CMEs

We present three-dimensional sketches of the magnetic field before and during filament eruptions in flares and coronal mass ejections. Before the eruption, the overall magnetic field is a closed bipole in which the core field (the field rooted along the bipole's neutral line in the photospheric magnetic flux) is strongly sheared and has oppositely curved "elbows" that bulge out from the opposite ends of the neutral line. This core-field sigmoid runs under and is pressed down in the middle by the rest of the field in the bipole, the less-sheared envelope field rooted outside the core field (as in the model of Antiochos, Dahlburg, & Klimchuk 1994, ApJ, 420, L4 1). A filament of chromospheric-temperature plasma is often held in the core field over the neutral line. In a filament eruption, the core field undergoes an explosive eruption, the frozen-in filament plasma providing a visible tracer of the erupting field. The core-field explosion may be either confined (as in some flares) or ejective (as in CMEs that begin together with the onset of a long-duration two-ribbon flare). We present examples of each of these two kind of events as observed in sequences of coronal X-ray images from the Yohkoh SXT, and consider (1) how the explosion begins, and (2) whether confined eruptions begin in basically the same way as ejective eruptions.

Moore, Ronald L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Onset of the Magnetic Explosion in Filament-Eruption Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections: Single-Bipole Events

We present three-dimensional sketches of die magnetic field before and during filament eruptions in flares and coronal mass ejections. Before the eruption, the overall magnetic field is a closed bipole in which the core field (the field rooted along the bipole's neutral line in the photospheric magnetic flux) is strongly sheared and has oppositely curved "elbows" that bulge out from the opposite ends of the neutral line. This core-field sigmoid runs under and is pressed down in the middle by the rest of the field in the bipole, the less-sheared envelope field rooted outside the core field (as in the model of Antiochos, Dahlburg, & Klimchuk. A filament of chromospheric-temperature plasma is often held in the core field over the neutral line. In a filament eruption, the core field undergoes an explosive eruption, the frozen-in filament plasma providing a visible tracer of the erupting field. The core-field explosion may be either confined (as in some flares) or ejective (as in CMEs that begin together with the onset of a long-duration two-ribbon flare). We present examples of each of these two kind of events as observed in sequences of coronal X-ray images from the Yohkoh SXT, and consider (1) how the explosion begins, and (2) whether confined eruptions begin in basically the same way as ejective eruptions.

Moore, Ron L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Excitation of the E2 and W1 "Arched" Filaments Near the Galactic Center as Deduced from Far-Infrared Spectroscopy

We present measurements of the far-infrared (FIR) fine structure lines [S III] (33 microns), [Si II] (35 microns), [O III] (51, 88 microns), [O I] (63 microns) and [C II] (158 microns) and the adjacent continua along a scan crossing the E2 and W1 thermal radio filaments in the Galactic center 'Arc'. The deduced electron density and excitation vary along the scan by less than factors of two and three, respectively. The properties of the two filaments are similar: the line and continuum fluxes peak at the radio ridge, and the ridge/off-ridge contrast is greatest for the FIR continuum and ionized lines, lower for the single dish radio measurements (Sofue et al. 1986), and smallest for the low excitation lines. The spatial coincidence of the FIR and radio peaks demonstrates that any excitation mechanism for the radio continuum filaments must also account for the FIR line and continuum emission. The FIR luminosity of approx. 3 x 10(exp 5) Solar Luminosity per beam, and the association of [O III] emission with the filaments poses difficulties for shock and MHD models. Photoionization of molecular cloud edges by a random distribution of stars is the most likely excitation mechanism among those proposed. The continuum and the low excitation line fluxes are consistent with an origin in photodissociated molecular material adjacent to the photoionized gas.

Colgan, Sean W.J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Association of a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototrophic bacterium inside bundles of Microcoleus chthonoplastes in hypersaline cyanobacterial mats

An unidentified filamentous purple bacterium, probably belonging to a new genus or even a new family, is found in close association with the filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes in a hypersaline pond at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and in Solar Lake, Sinai, Egypt. This organism is a gliding, segmented trichome, 0.8-0.9 micrometer wide. It contains intracytoplasmic stacked lamellae which are perpendicular and obliquely oriented to the cell wall, similar to those described for the purple sulfur bacteria Ectothiorhodospira. These bacteria are found inside the cyanobacterial bundle, enclosed by the cyanobacterial sheath. Detailed transmission electron microscopical analyses carried out in horizontal sections of the upper 1.5 mm of the cyanobacterial mat show this cyanobacterial-purple bacterial association at depths of 300-1200 micrometers, corresponding to the zone below that of maximal oxygenic photosynthesis. Sharp gradients of oxygen and sulfide are established during the day at this microzone in the two cyanobacterial mats studied. The close association, the distribution pattern of this association and preliminary physiological experiments suggest a co-metabolism of sulfur by the two-membered community. This probable new genus of purple bacteria may also grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by the cyanobacterium. Since the chemical gradients in the entire photic zone fluctuate widely in a diurnal cycle, both types of metabolism probably take place. During the morning and afternoon, sulfide migrates up to the photic zone allowing photoautotrophic metabolism with sulfide as the electron donor. During the day the photic zone is highly oxygenated and the purple bacteria may either use oxidized species of sulfur such as elemental sulfur and thiosulfate in the photoautotrophic mode or grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by M. chthonoplastes. The new type of filamentous purple sulfur bacteria is not available yet in pure culture, and its taxonomical position cannot be fully established. This organism is suggested to be a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototroph.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS2006

Initiation of the Slow-Rise and Fast-Rise Phases of an Erupting Solar Filament by Localized Emerging Magnetic Field via Microflaring

EUV data from EIT show that a filament of 2001 February 28 underwent a slow-rise phase lasting about 6 hrs, before rapidly erupting in a fast-rise phase. Concurrent images in soft X-rays (SXRs) from Yohkoh/SXT show that a series of three microflares, prominent in SXT images but weak in EIT approx.195 Ang EUV images, occurred near one end of the filament. The first and last microflares occurred respectively in conjunction with the start of the slow-rise phase and the start of the fast-rise phase, and the second microflare corresponded to a kink in the filament trajectory. Beginning within 10 hours of the start of the slow rise, new magnetic flux emerged at the location of the microflaring. This localized new flux emergence and the resulting microflares, consistent with reconnection between the emerging field and the sheared sigmoid core magnetic field holding the filament, apparently caused the slow rise of this field and the transition to explosive eruption. For the first time in such detail, the observations show this direct action of localized emerging flux in the progressive destabilization of a sheared core field in the onset of a coronal mass ejection (CME). Similar processes may have occurred in other recently-studied events, NASA supported this work through NASA SR&T and SEC GI grants.

Sterling, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

[Ti II] and [Ni II] Emission from the Strontium Filament of eta Carinae

We study the nature of the [Ti II] and [Ni II] emission from the so-called strontium filament found in the ejecta of eta Carinae. To this purpose we employ multilevel models of the Ti II and Ni II systems which are used to investigate the physical condition of the filament and the excitation mechanisms of the observed lines. For the Ti II ion, for which no atomic data was previously available, we carry out ab initio calculations of radiative transition rates and electron impact excitation rate coefficients. It is found that the observed spectrum is consistent with the lines being excited in a mostly neutral region with electron density of the order of 10(exp 7) cm(exp -3) and a temperature around 6000 K. In analyzing three observations with different slit orientations recorded between March 2000 and November 2001 we find line ratios that change among various observations, in a way consistent with changes of up to an order of magnitude in the strength of the continuum radiation field. These changes result from different samplings of the extended filament, due to the different slit orientations used for each observation, and yield clues on the spatial extent and optical depth of the filament. The observed emission indicates a large Ti/Ni abundance ratio relative to solar abundances. It is suggested that the observed high Ti/Ni ratio in gas is caused dust-gas fractionation processes and does not reflect the absolute Ti/Ni ratio in the ejecta of eta Carinae. The condensation chemistry shows that if dust condensed in a sequence of layers according to decreasing temperature and increasing distance from the central star, the most refractory dust could be selectively affected by photoevaporation. Thus, Ti would be released back to the gas and the Ti/Ni ratio in the gas would increase to the observed super-solar ratio.

Bautista, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Combined Hinode, STEREO, and TRACE Observations of a Solar Filament Eruption: Evidence for Destabilization by Flux-Cancelation Tether Cutting

We present observations from Hinode, STEREO, and TRACE of a solar filament eruption and flare that occurred on 2007 March 2. Data from the two new satellites, combined with the TRACE observations, give us fresh insights into the eruption onset process. HINODE/XRT shows soft X-ray (SXR) activity beginning approximately 30 minutes prior to ignition of bright flare loops. STEREO andTRACE images show that the filament underwent relatively slow motions coinciding with the pre-eruption SXR brightenings, and it underwent rapid eruptive motions beginning near the time of flare onset. Concurrent HINODE/SOT magnetograms showed substantial flux cancelation under the filament at the site of the pre-eruption SXR activity. From these observations we infer that progressive tether-cutting reconnection driven by photospheric convection caused the slow rise of the filament and led to its eruption. NASA supported this work through a NASA Heliosphysics GI grant.

Sterling, Alphonse C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hinode Observations of the Onset Stage of a Solar Filament Eruption

We use Hinode X-Ray Telescope (XRT) and Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) filtergraph (FG) Stokes-V magnetogram observations, to study the early onset of a solar eruption that includes an erupting filament that we observe in TRACE EUV images. The filament undergoes a slow rise for about 20 min prior to its fast eruption and strong soft X-ray flaring, and the new Hinode data elucidate the physical processes occurring during the slow-rise period. Magnetic flux cancellation occurs along the neutral line of the filament, beginning several hours before eruption. During the slow-rise phase, a soft X-ray (SXR) sigmoid forms from apparent reconnection low in the sheared core field traced by the filament, and there is a low-level intensity peak in both EUV and SXRs at the start of the slow rise.

Sterling, Alphonse C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Method for fabricating ceramic filaments and high density tape casting method

An apparatus and method is disclosed for fabricating mats of ceramic material comprising preparing a slurry of ceramic particles in a binder/solvent, charging the slurry into a vessel, forcing the slurry from the vessel into spinneret nozzles, discharging the slurry from the nozzles into the path of airjets to enhance the sinuous character of the slurry exudate and to dry it, collecting the filaments on a moving belt so that the filaments overlap each other thereby forming a mat, curing the binder therein, compressing and sintering the mat to form a sintered mat, and crushing the sintered mat to produce filament shaped fragments. A process is also disclosed for producing a tape of densely packed, bonded ceramic particles comprising forming a slurry of ceramic particles and a binder/solvent, applying the slurry to a rotating internal molding surface, applying a large centrifugal force to the slurry to compress it and force excess binder/solvent from the particles, evaporating solvent and curing the binder thereby forming layers of bonded ceramic particles and cured binder, and separating the binder layer from the layer of particles. Multilayers of ceramic particles are cast in an analogous manner on top of previously formed layers. When all of the desired layers have been cast the tape is fired to produce a sintered tape. For example, a three-layer tape is produced having outer layers of highly compressed filament shaped fragments of strontium doped lanthanum (LSM) particles and a center layer of yttria stabilized zicronia (YSZ) particles.

Collins, Jr., Earl R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Filament Eruption Onset

We have been investigating filament eruptions in recent years. Use filament eruptions as markers of the coronal field evolution. Data from SoHO, Yohkoh, TRACE, Hinode, and other sources. We and others have observed: (1)Filaments often show slow rise, followed by fast rise, (2) Brightenings, preflares, microflares during slow rise (3) Magnetic evolution in hours prior to eruption onset. We investigated What do Hinode and SDO show for filament eruptions?

Sterling, Alphonse C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Additive Manufacturing of Multifunctional Components Using High Density Carbon Nanotube Yarn Filaments

Additive manufacturing allows for design freedom and part complexity not currently attainable using traditional manufacturing technologies. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), for example, can yield novel component geometries and functionalities because the method provides a high level of control over material placement and processing conditions. This is achievable by extrusion of a preprocessed filament feedstock material along a predetermined path. However if fabrication of a multifunctional part relies only on conventional filament materials, it will require a different material for each unique functionality printed into the part. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an attractive material for many applications due to their high specific strength as well as good electrical and thermal conductivity. The presence of this set of properties in a single material presents an opportunity to use one material to achieve multifunctionality in an additively manufactured part. This paper describes a recently developed method for processing continuous CNT yarn filaments into three-dimensional articles, and summarizes the mechanical, electrical, and sensing performance of the components fabricated in this way.

Gardner, John M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

A Breakout Model for Solar Coronal Jets with Filaments

Recent observations have revealed that many solar coronal jets involve the eruption of miniature versions of large-scale filaments. Such ''mini-filaments'' are observed to form along the polarity inversion lines of strong, magnetically bipolar regions embedded in open (or distantly closing) unipolar field. During the generation of the jet, the filament becomes unstable and erupts. Recently we described a model for these mini-filament jets, in which the well-known magnetic-breakout mechanism for large-scale coronal mass ejections is extended to these smaller events. In this work we use 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations to study in detail three realizations of the model. We show that the breakout-jet generation mechanism is robust and that different realizations of the model can explain different observational features. The results are discussed in relation to recent observations and previous jet models.

Sun: magnetic fields↗
NASA NTRS2018

Transient Fine-Scale Brightenings, Flows and Flux Cancellation in the Cool Arch Filament System Observed with HiC2.1

Solar active regions (ARs) contain the brightest and hottest coronal EUV (Extreme Ultra-Violet) loops - the core of an AR is typically the brightest structure inside the AR. In the present work we report fine-scale transient brightenings and flows in the coolest loops (the counterpart of chromospheric arch filament systems long observed in H-alpha filtergrams of bipolar emerging flux regions) seen in the core of an AR observed in 172 angstroms by Hi-C2.1 (High Resolution Coronal Imager, version 2.1). Some of these are rooted, at one of their feet, in mixed-polarity field in the photosphere. We complement the 5-min Hi-C2.1 data with SDO/AIA/HMI (Solar Dynamics Observatory / Atmospheric Imaging Assembly / Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager) and IRIS SJ (Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph Slit-Jaw) images and spectral data, and examine fine-scale events, flows and their photospheric magnetic field. We find counter streaming flows in the arch filament system, similar to that long observed in filaments. There are scattered fine-scale brightening events. Most, if not all, of these brightenings are at sites of converging opposite-polarity magnetic flux (implying flux cancellation, sometimes resulting from flux emergence). The fine-scale flows stem from some of the brightenings. Flux cancellation at these sites apparently results in fine-scale explosions that drive the counter streaming flows. In the IRIS spectra, we look for evidence of upflows from brightenings at ends of loops of the arch filament system.

Tiwari, Sanjiv K.↗