Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “forcing fields”

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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

The Bastille Day Magnetic Clouds and Upstream Shocks: Near Earth Interplanetary Observations

The energetic charged particle, interplanetary magnetic field, and plasma characteristics of the 'Bastille Day' shock and ejecta/magnetic cloud events at 1 AU occurring over the days 14-16 July 2000 are described. Profiles of MeV (WIND/LEMT) energetic ions help to organize the overall sequence of events from the solar source to 1 AU. Stressed are analyses of an outstanding magnetic cloud (MC2) starting late on 15 July and its upstream shock about 4 hours earlier in WIND magnetic field and plasma data. Also analyzed is a less certain, but likely, magnetic cloud (MC1) occurring early on 15 July; this was separated from MC2 by its upstream shock and many heliospheric current sheet (HCS) crossings. Other HCS crossings occurred throughout the 3-day period. Overall this dramatic series of interplanetary events caused a large multi-phase magnetic storm with min Dst lower than -300 nT. The very fast solar wind speed (greater than or equal to 1100 km/s) in and around the front of MC2 (for near average densities) was responsible for a very high solar wind ram pressure driving in the front of the magnetosphere to geocentric distances estimated to be as low as approx. 5 R(sub E), much lower than the geosynchronous orbit radius. This was consistent with magnetic field observations from two GOES satellites which indicated they were in the magnetosheath for extended times. A static force free field model is used to fit the two magnetic cloud profiles providing estimates of the clouds' physical and geometrical properties. MC2 was much larger than MCI, but their axes were nearly antiparallel, and their magnetic fields had the same left-handed helicity. MC2's axis and its upstream shock normal were very close to being perpendicular to each other, as might be expected if the cloud were driving the shock at the time of observation. The estimated axial magnetic flux carried by MC2 was 52 x 10(exp 20) Mx, which is about 5 times the typical magnetic flux estimated for other magnetic clouds in the WIND data over its first 4 years and is 17 times the flux of MC1. This large flux is due to both the strong axially-directed field of MC2 (46.8 nT on the axis) and the large radius (R(sub 0) = 0.189 AU) of the flux tube. MC2's average speed is consistent with the expected transit time from a halo-CME to which it is apparently related.

Lepping, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

On the field configuration in magnetic clouds

Interplanetary magnetic clouds are represented by cylindrically symmetric equilibrium solutions of the MHD equations. The radial magnetic pressure gradient of the force free field is balanced by the curvature stress. The field inside is essentially parallel to the cylinder axis, far outside it is oriented in azimuthal direction. These configurations therefore differ from the nonselfconsistent model where the field lines are tightly wound even near the axis.

Goldstein, H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Equilibrium of magnetic fields with arbitrary interweaving of the lines of force. I - Discontinuities in the torsion

Consideration is given to the static force-free equilibrium of a magnetic field in which all of the lines of force connect without knotting between parallel planes. The field is formed by continuous deformation from an initial uniform field, and is conventiently described in terms of the scalar function psi, which is the stream function for the incompressible wrapping and interweaving of the lines of force. Local compression and expansion of the lines of force is described in terms of the scalar function Phi. Equilibrium in the field requires satisfaction of two independent equations which cannot be accomplished without the full freedom of both psi and Phi. It is shown that discontinuities in the torsional characteristics of the lines occur when psi is predetermined by an arbitrary pattern. Discontinuities in the winding pattern of the lines can lead to discontinuities in the associated current sheets.

Parker, E. N.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The magnetic mirror force in plasma fluid models

In the past decade, there have been several attempts to include the magnetic mirror force in the equation of motion for a plasma in a fluid formalism. In the process, some confusion has been evident regarding when and how this should be done. This problem has been addressed in the literature, but these treatments appear to have been forgotten or misunderstood. The mathematical arguments are summarized so that the physical consequences are readily perceived. It is shown that for an isotropic plasma fluid, in the direction parallel or anti-parallel to a magnetic field, the forces associated with a diverging magnetic field cancel out. Only for anisotropies in the fluid properties does the diverging field influence the plasma dynamics.

Comfort, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Interaction Forces Between Multiple Bodies in a Magnetic Field

Some of the results from experiments to determine the interaction forces between multiple bodies in a magnetic field are presented in this paper. It is shown how the force values and the force directions depend on the configuration of the bodies, their relative positions to each other, and the vector of the primary magnetic field. A number of efficient new automatic loading and assembly machines, as well as manipulators and robots, have been created based on the relationship between bodies and magnetic fields. A few of these patented magnetic devices are presented. The concepts involved open a new way to design universal grippers for robot and other kinds of mechanisms for the manipulation of objects. Some of these concepts can be used for space applications.

Joffe, Benjamin↗
NASA NTRS1994

Excitation of neutron star normal modes during binary inspiral

As a compact binary inspirals due to the emission of gravitational waves, its orbital period decreases continuously down to approximately 1 ms, its value at coalescence. During the last part of the inspiral, the two stars are close together, and their tidal interactions become strong. Neutron stars have many normal modes (core g-modes, crustal discontinuity modes, shear modes, etc.) whose periods lie in the range (approximately several ms) swept by the orbital period. Some of these modes are resonantly excited by the tidal force. The amount of energy a mode absorbs is proportional to the square of the overlap integral between its displacement field and the tidal force field. For all modes of interest, this overlap is poor, resulting in relatively weak excitation. For the best case, the absorbed energy is only a small fraction (approximately 10(exp -6)) of the orbital energy, so the orbital phase shift is too weak to be detected by observations of the gravitational wave signal emitted by the inspiraling binary. However, with displacement amplitudes of excited quadrupole modes ranging up to 0.5% of the stellar radius, the possibility of a detectable electromagnetic signature cannot be dismissed. Both the periods of the modes and the energy they absorb depend quite strongly on the internal structure of the star. Their observation could shed light on the correct high-density equation of state.

Reisenegger, Andreas↗
NASA NTRS1983

Theory of quadrupolar sunspots and the active region of August, 1972

It is pointed out that energy is stored when the force-free magnetic field in an active region departs from a potential field, the departure manifesting itself as a shear in the field. When the field untwists, energy will immediately be released to produce flares. On the basis of this idea, an analytical solution of the equation of a force-free field is derived under the assumption of a constant force-free factor, and expressions are found for seven important quantities for quadrupole sunspots. These are the magnetic energy of the twisted field, the magnetic energy of the potential field, the extractable free energy (delta M), the magnetic flux, the total current, the force-free factor and the field decay factor. The quantities are expressed in terms of three observables: the field intensity, the twist angle and the distance between two spots of the same polarity. The expression for delta M may have applicability in solar prediction work. For the active region of August 1972, delta M is found to be up to 6 x 10 to the 32nd erg, which is sufficient to supply the energy of the observed flare activity.

Chang, H.-M.↗
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 NTRS1973

Hydrostatic equilibrium of hydromagnetic fields.

The condition for a hydromagnetic field to be in hydrostatic equilibrium is discussed. It is shown that if the topology of the wrapping pattern of lines of force of a non-force-free field around each other changes along the field, then the configuration cannot be in hydrostatic equilibrium. A general discussion is given, and several special cases are worked out to illustrate the general equilibrium requirement.

Yu, G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Parametric study of an acoustic levitation system

The performance of an acoustic levitation system designed for the containerless processing of materials and consisting of a St. Clair generator and a reflector arranged in a six-axis configuration, is examined in order to define critical parameters of high-temperature systems and limitations of earth-based devices. The fields and forces along the axis of the system are measured and the forces are plotted versus body volume. It is found that for a range of shapes and sizes the levitation force is roughly proportional to body volume until the characteristic 'diameter' reaches a value of about lambda/2. A significant (i.e., factor of four) enhancement in the levitation force is obtained by curving the faces of the driver and reflector. In addition, the behavior of liquid materials in the acoustic fields is studied, and the radius at which the deformation of a levitated drop occurs is calculated.

Oran, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Magnetic fine structure of solar coronal loops

A numerical simulation of the effect of a random photospheric flow on the magnetic structure of a coronal loop is presented. An initially uniform field embedded in a perfectly conducting plasma is assumed, extending between two flat parallel plates representing the solar photosphere at both ends of the loop. The field is perturbed by a sequence of randomly phased, sinusoidal flow patterns applied at one of the boundary plates, and the corresponding sequence of force-free fields is determined. It is found that the electric currents generated by these flows develop a fine structure on a scale significantly smaller than the wavelength of the velocity patterns. This suggests that magnetic energy is transferred to smaller scale via a cascade process.

Van Ballegooijen, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Critical currents in sputtered copper molybdenum sulphide

Critical currents in a sputtered Chevrel-phase copper molybdenum sulfide have been measured at 4.2 K as a function of applied magnetic field. Self-field critical-current values up to 10 to the 9th A/sq m were found, decreasing to 10 to the 8th A/sq m at 3 T. Graphs of pinning forces versus field were found to be independent of field direction, and the pinning mechanism is sample independent. Critical-current densities for sputtered lead molybdenum sulphide are estimated to be about 10 to the 8th A/sq m at 26 T based on a scaling law for pinning.

Alterovitz, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Statistical Analysis of Torus and Kink Instabilities in Solar Eruptions

A recent laboratory experiment of ideal magnetohydrodynamic instabilities revealed four distinct eruption regimes readily distinguished by the torus instability (TI) and helical kink instability (KI) parameters. To establish its observational counterpart, we collected 38 solar flares (stronger than GOES-class M5 in general) that took place within 45° of disk center during 2011–2017, 26 of which are associated with a halo or partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME; i.e., ejective events), while the others are CME-less (i.e., confined events). This is a complete sample of solar events satisfying our selection criteria detailed in the paper. For each event, we calculate a decay index n of the potential strapping field above the magnetic flux rope (MFR) in and around the flaring magnetic polarity inversion line (a TI parameter) and the unsigned twist number T(sub w) of the nonlinear force-free field lines forming the same MFR (a KI parameter). We then construct an n–T(sub w) diagram to investigate how the eruptiveness depends on these parameters. We find that (1) T(sub w) appears to play little role in discriminating between confined and ejective events; (2) the events with n ≳ 0.8 are all ejective, and all confined events have n ≲ 0.8. However, n ≳ 0.8 is not a necessary condition for eruption because some events with n ≲ 0.8 also erupted. In addition, we investigate the MFR’s geometrical parameters, apex height, and distance between footpoints, as a possible factors for the eruptiveness. We briefly discuss the difference of the present result for solar eruptions with that of the laboratory result in terms of the role played by magnetic reconnection.

Solar activity↗
NASA NTRS1990

The dynamo of the diurnal tide and its effect on the thermospheric circulation

A theoretical multiconstituent model (including O, N2, and O2) which describes the interactions between neutral winds, dynamo electric fields, and ion drifts is used to interpret observations that revealed a dominance of the fundamental diurnal tide in the upper thermosphere and at equatorial latitudes, and its effect on the thermospheric circulation. The model is shown to reproduce reasonably well the magnitudes of the neutral winds, ion drift velocities, and the ratio between the two. A solution for the neutral winds in which the dynamo electric field is forced to zero shows that the dynamo-induced ion drift is very important in accelerating the neutral atmosphere at higher altitudes. The dynamo interaction primarily affects the curl component of the field; its effect on the temperature and density perturbations is small.

Mayr, H. G.↗