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At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Energetic protons accelerated at corotating shocks - Pioneer 10 and 11 observations from 1 to 6 AU

Vector helium magnetometer and proton telescope data are used to examine the relationship between low energy proton increases and corotating interaction regions (CIRs). A general correlation is noted between the maximum CIR field intensity and the maximum proton count rate. The minimum proton flux, located between the two proton maxima, appears to be correlated with the maximum field strength of the CIR. The evidence presented strongly supports shock acceleration as the primary source of the 1-MeV protons. A schematic figure incorporating many of the features deduced in the present study is given to illustrate the relationship between energetic protons, forward and reverse shocks, and the interplanetary magnetic field structure. The predictions of various theories and mechanisms for interplanetary nucleon acceleration are discussed in light of the experimental results presented.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Shock acceleration of energetic particles in the heliosphere

The apparent distinction between 'V x B' and 'Fermi' mechanisms is clarified in a discussion of the theory of the shock acceleration of energetic particles which restricts attention to those cases where the energetic particles do not themselves influence the given shock structure. The theory is applied to the acceleration of energetic particles in corotating interaction regions (CIR) in the solar wind, where particles are accelerated at either the forward and reverse shocks which bound the CIR by being compressed between the shock fronts and magnetic irregularities upstream of the shocks, or by being compressed between upstream irregularities and those downstream from the shocks. The model is shown to account for the observed exponential spectra at the earth, observed spectra behavior with radial distance and radial intensity gradients, and differences in spectra intensity at the forward and reverse shocks. Energy spectra are also calculated for the shock acceleration of energetic particles in large solar flare events.

Lee, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Experimental study of surface pressures induced on a flat plate and a body of revolution by various dual jet configurations

The effect of the angle of a jet to a crossflow, the performance of dual jet configurations, and a jet injected from a body of revolution as opposed to a flat plate were investigated during experiments conducted in the 7x10 tunnel at NASA Ames at Velocities from 14.5 m/sec to 35.8 m/sec (47.6 to 117.4 ft/sec.). Pressure distributions are presented for single and dual jets over a range of velocity ratios from 2 to 10, spacings from 2 to 6 diameters and injection angles of 90, 75, 60, and 105 degrees. For the body of revolution tests, the ratio of the jet to body diameters was set as large (1/2) in order to be more representative of V/STOL aircraft applications. Flat plate tests involved dual jets both aligned and in side by side configurations. The effects of the various parameters and the differences between the axisymmetric and planar body geometrics on the nature, size, shape, and strength of the interaction regions on the body surfaces are shown. Some flowfield measurements are also presented, and it is shown that a simple analysis is capable of predicting the trajectories of the jets.

Schetz, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

EXOS-B/Siple station VLF wave-particle interaction experiments. I - General description and wave-particle correlations

The EXOS-B/Siple Station joint experiment on the triggering of VLF emissions by man-made signals causing some form of wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere is presented, and results concerning wave-particle correlations are reported. In situ measurements of both energetic electron flux and VLF waves were made near the meridian connecting Siple Station, Antarctica with Roberval, Quebec, Canada in campaigns during July through September, 1979 and December 1979 through January 1980 at times of VLF transmission from Siple. Strong observed signals were found to be well correlated with a pancake pitch angle distribution of 0.3 to 6.9-keV electrons, and to exhibit a positive linear growth rate. Artificially stimulated emissions were observed to be accompanied by large electron fluxes in all energy channels in the equatorial interaction region, although the measured pitch angle distribution was not highly anisotropic. Results may be interpreted by the amplification of Siple signals by the cyclotron instability due to high pitch angle anisotropy (pancake distribution) and the triggering of emissions in the presence of high electron fluxes with some anisotropy and a sufficiently strong signal.

Kimura, I.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Gamma ray lines from solar flares and cosmic transients

Gamma-ray line emission processes in solar flares and cosmic transients are reviewed and the implications of recent line observations are discussed. For solar flares, neutron, positron, and deexcitation line production is addressed, presenting results of new numerical calculations based on more detailed and accurate nuclear cross sections. The application of the theory is illustrated by considering the June 7, 1980 flare, and the structure of the interaction region is discussed. For gamma-ray bursts and transients, the processes of positron production and annihilation and nuclear line emission are emphasized. The possible origin of the gamma-ray lines observed in a longer duration transient which is a particularly strong gamma-ray line emitter is also considered.

Ramaty, R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Gain-enhanced free-electron laser with an electromagnetic pump field

The feasibility of enhancing the gain for the free electron laser (FEL) with an electromagnetic (EM) pump field has been considered. The enhancement is provided by reacceleration of the electrons in the interaction region by means of a static, axial electric field. A FEL utilizing a low energy electron beam and a wiggler magnet with a periodicity on the order of 1 cm would produce far infared (FIR) radiation with wavelengths on the order of a few hundred microns. The use of the FIR radiation as the pump field in a two-stage FEL is envisioned to obtain visible radiation with a low energy electron beam. A summary is provided regarding the theory and equations of motion for the EM-pumped FEL. The derived relations are applied to the second stage of such a two-stage FEL. The obtained equations have been incorporated into a computer code which has been used to calculate laser gain and energy conversion efficiency.

Hiddleston, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electron impact excitation from a 1 Delta g state of molecular oxygen

First measurements of electron impact excitation on the O2 a delta-one sub g metastable state to a higher bound state, pi-one sub u, is reported. The data were taken at an incident electron energy of 500 eV and scattering angles of 0 deg to 15 deg. A superelastic electron scattering experiment was performed on the pure oxygen target gas in order to establish the composition of the discharged oxygen and to confirm the existence of delta-one sub g molecules in the interaction region. The electron-impact energy loss spectrum obtained is shown. The electronic assignment of the upper state which produces the vibrational structure was determined to be pi-one sub u by examining the potential energy curves of O2 and applying the electric dipole selection rules. The relative line intensities were obtained and used to determine the Morse potential for the pi-one sub u state.

Khakoo, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Surface pressures induced on a flat plate with in-line and side-by-side dual jet configurations

A jet in a crossflow is of interest in numerous practical situations including jet-powered VTOL aircraft. Two aspects of the problem have received little prior study. First is the effect of the angle of the jet to the crossflow. Second is the performance of dual-jet configurations both in-line and side-by-side. The test plan for this work was designed to address these two aspects. The experiments were conducted in the 7 x 10 tunnel at NASA Ames at velocities from 14.5 - 35.8 m/sec (47.6 - 117.4 ft/sec.). Detailed pressure distributions are presented for single and dual jets over a range of velocity ratios from 3 to 8, spacings from 2 to 6 diameters and injection angles of 90, 75, and 105 degrees. The effects of the various parameters and the differences between the axisymmetric and flat plate geometries on the nature, size, shape, and strength of the interaction regions on the body surfaces are shown.

Schetz, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Temporal variations of the anomalous oxygen component

Data from the cosmic ray experiment on Voyagers 1 and 2 was used to examine anomalous oxygen in the time period from launch in 1977 to the end of 1981. Several time periods were found where large periodic (typically 26 day) temporal variations of the oxygen intensity between approximately 5 - 15 MeV/nuc are present. Variations in intensity by up to a factor of 10 are observed during these periods. Several characteristics of these variations indicate that they are not higher energy extensions of the low energy particle (approximately 1 MeV/nuc) increases found in many corotating interaction regions (CIR's). Many of these periodic temporal variations are correlated with similar, but much smaller, recurrent variations in the 75 MeV proton rate. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 counting rates were compared to estimate the local radial gradient for both the protons and the oxygen. The proton gradients during periods of both maximum and minumum fluxes are consistent with the overall positive radial gradients reported by others from Pioneer and near-Earth observations, supporting the view that these variations are due to local modulation of a source outside the radial range of project measurements. In contrast, the oxygen gradients during periods of maximum proton flux differ in sign from those during minimum proton fluxes, suggesting that the origin of the oxygen variations is different from that of the protons.

Cummings, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Evidence linking coronal mass ejections with interplanetary magnetic clouds

Using proxy data for the occurrence of those mass ejections from the solar corona which are directed earthward, we investigate the association between the post-1970 interplanetary magnetic clouds of Klein and Burlaga and coronal mass ejections. The evidence linking magnetic clouds following shocks with coronal mass ejections is striking; six of nine clouds observed at Earth were preceded an appropriate time earlier by meter-wave type II radio bursts indicative of coronal shock waves and coronal mass ejections occurring near central meridian. During the selected periods when no clouds were detected near Earth, the only type II bursts reported were associated with solar activity near the limbs. Where the proxy solar data to be sought are not so clearly suggested, that is, for clouds preceding interaction regions and clouds within cold magnetic enhancements, the evidence linking the clouds and coronal mass ejections is not as clear; proxy data usually suggest many candidate mass-ejection events for each cloud. Overall, the data are consistent with and support the hypothesis suggested by Klein and Burlaga that magnetic clouds observed with spacecraft at 1 AU are manifestations of solar coronal mass ejection transients.

Wilson, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Interplanetary flow systems associated with cosmic ray modulation in 1977 - 1980

The hydromagnetic flow configurations associated with cosmic ray modulation in 1977 to 1980 were determined using solar wind plasma and magnetic field data from Voyagers 1 and 2 and Helios 1. The modulation was related to two types of large scale systems of flows: one containing a number of transients such as shocks, post shock flows and magnetic clouds; the other consisting primarily of a series of quasi-stationary flows following interaction regions containing a stream interface and often bounded by a forward reverse shock pair. Each of the three major episodes of cosmic ray modulation was characterized by the passage of the system of transient flows. Plateaus in the cosmic ray intensity time profile were associated with the passage of systems of corotating streams.

Burlaga, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radar altimetry over sea ice

To study the sea-ice interactive region in the Bering and Greenland Seas a series of experimental compaigns, the Marginal Ice Zone Experiment (MIZEX) has been planned. A major objective of MIZEX is the development of a capability to relate the morphology and distribution of the sea ice to atmospheric and oceanographic parameters in an overall model. During the first part of the MIZEX, a 13.7 GHz microwave radar altimeter/scatterometer having a pulse length of 16 nanoseconds was flown over the Bering Sea Marginal ice zone. On the same aircraft were the NASA GSFC 19 GHz Electronically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR), scanning radiometers and an infrared, nadir pointing, temperature sounder. The altimeter/scatterometer was operated in nadir pointing and conically scanning modes to collect measurements of reflectivity and pulse shapes. These will be related to sea-ice classifications, ocean wave spectra and coincident microwave and infrared radiometric measurements and laser profilometer surface roughness estimates.

Powell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Long range coherence in free electron lasers

The simple free electron laser (FEL) design uses a static, periodic, transverse magnetic field to undulate relativistic electrons traveling along its axis. This allows coupling to a co-propagating optical wave and results in bunching to produce coherent radiation. The advantages of the FEL are continuous tunability, operation at wavelengths ranging from centimeters to angstroms, and high efficiency resulting from the fact that the interaction region only contains light, relativistic electrons, and a magnetic field. Theoretical concepts and operational principles are discussed.

Colson, W. B.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Implications of high-energy neutron observations from solar flares

The time-dependent flux of high-energy neutrons discovered from the solar flare of 1980 June 21 provides a new technique for determining the total number and energy spectrum of accelerated protons and nuclei at the sun. The implications of these observations on gamma-ray emission, relativistic electron spectrum and number, proton and electron energy contents, and the location of the interaction region are also examined.

Ramaty, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Solar wind disturbances caused by solar flares - Equatorial plane

The propagation of solar wind disturbances caused by single, double and six successive flares in the dipolar and quadrupolar patterns of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the associated solar wind flow is studied. This study is based on a kinematic and empirical method developed by Hakamada and Akasofu (1982). Each flare is characterized by six parameters (such as the highest speed flow, its extent and duration). The successive IMF patterns in the equatorial plane of the heliosphere during a time span of 0.5-60 days after flares are presented for a variety of flares. The solar wind speed and IMF magnitude are given as a function of distance along a radial line fixed in space and also as a function of time at several points fixed in space (simulating approximately space probe observations). Some of the results are qualitatively compared with recent space probe observations, demonstrating fair similarity with the observed time profiles of solar wind speed variations over a wide range of both distances (0-10 AU) and time spans (60 days). The method provides a first-order construction, temporal and spatial, of flare-induced shocks and their multiple interactions with each other, as well as with the corotating interaction regions.

Akasofu, S.-I.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Are interplanetary magnetic clouds manifestations of coronal transients at 1 AU?

Using proxy data for the occurrence of those mass ejections from the solar corona which are directed earthward, the association between the post-1970 interplanetary magnetic clouds of Klein and Burlaga (1982) and coronal mass ejections is investigated. The evidence linking magnetic clouds following shocks with coronal mass ejections is striking; six of nine clouds observed at earth were preceded an appropriate time earlier by meter-wave type II radio bursts indicative of coronal shock waves and coronal mass ejections occurring near central meridian. During the selected control periods when no clouds were detected near earth, the only type II bursts reported were associated with solar activity near the limbs. Where the proxy solar data to be sought are not so clearly suggested, that is, for clouds preceding interaction regions and clouds within cold magnetic enhancements, the evidence linking the clouds and coronal mass ejections is not as clear; proxy data usually suggest many candidate mass-ejection events for each cloud.

Wilson, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Interplanetary flow systems associated with cosmic ray modulation in 1977-1980

The hydromagnetic flow configurations associated with the cosmic ray modulation in 1977-1980 were determined using solar wind plasma and magnetic field data from Voyager 1 and 2 and Helios 1. The modulation was related to two types of large-scale systems of flows: one containing a number of transients such as shocks and postshock flows, the other consisting primarily of a series of quasi-stationary flows following interaction regions containing a stream interface and often bounded by a forward-reverse shock pair. Each of three major episodes of cosmic ray modulation was associated with the passage of a system of transient flows. Plateaus in the cosmic ray intensity-time profile were associated with the passage of systems of corotating streams.

Burlaga, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Neutron and gamma-ray signatures for particle acceleration in solar flares

The production of neutrons, 4 to 7 MeW nuclear gamma rays, positrons and pions resulting from the interaction of flare accelerated particles with the solar atmosphere was calculated. For the energy spectra of these particles the Bessel function predicted by stochastic acceleration and power laws which could result from acceleration at large-scale planar shocks was used, with the thick-target model. It is assumed that in the interaction region the accelerated particles are isotropic. The neutron-to-2.223 MeV photon conversion factors for various flare locations on the Sun are derived by averaging conversion factors over these spectra. Comparing calculations with data confirms that for most gamma-ray flares the bulk of the accelerated particles remain trapped at the Sun and that these particles have spectra similar to the spectra of flare particles observed in interplanetary space.

Ramaty, R.↗