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At least 487 records · Page 27

Specification for wide channel bandwidth one-inch video tape

Standards and controls are established for the procurement of wide channel bandwidth one inch video magnetic recording tapes for Very Long Base Interferometer (VLBI) system applications. The Magnetic Tape Certification Facility (MTCF) currently maintains three specifications for the Quality Products List (QPL) and acceptance testing of magnetic tapes. NASA-TM-79724 is used for the QPL and acceptance testing of new analog tapes; NASA-TM-80599 is used for QPL and acceptance testing of new digital tapes; and NASA-TM-100702 is used for the QPL and acceptance testing of new IBM/IBM compatible 3480 magnetic tape cartridges. This specification will be used for the QPL and acceptance testing of new wide channel bandwidth one inch video magnetic recording tapes. The one inch video tapes used by the Jet Propulsion Lab., the Deep Space Network and the Haystack Observatory will be covered by this specification. These NASA stations will use the video tapes for their VLBI system applications. The VLBI system is used for the tracking of quasars and the support of interplanetary exploration.

Perry, Jimmy L.↗

Nonlinear Waves in Magnetized Accretion Disks

Time-dependent accretion for a magnetized disk can exhibit short timescale outbursts of high-power jets associated with bursts of disk radiation. The burst of energy in jets can produce outward propagating disturbances in preexisting (+/- z) jet flows. the disturbances are strong and can be expected to steepen and form strong shock waves. The strong linear polarization (up to approximately 30%) and large polarization position angle changes (90 deg and more) seen in the optical outbursts of some quasars clearly indicate synchrotron radiation, and this component of the radiation is probably associated with the burst in jet energy in the present model.

Lovelace, R. V. E.↗

Lunar Prospector Orbit Determination Uncertainties Using the High Resolution Lunar Gravity Models

The Lunar Prospector (LP) mission began on January 6, 1998, when the LP spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The objectives of the mission were to determine whether water ice exists at the lunar poles, generate a global compositional map of the lunar surface, detect lunar outgassing, and improve knowledge of the lunar magnetic and gravity fields. Orbit determination of LP performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is conducted as part of the principal science investigation of the lunar gravity field. This paper will describe the JPL effort in support of the LP Gravity Investigation. This support includes high precision orbit determination, gravity model validation, and data editing. A description of the mission and its trajectory will be provided first, followed by a discussion of the orbit determination estimation procedure and models. Accuracies will be examined in terms of orbit-to-orbit solution differences, as a function of oblateness model truncation, and inclination in the plane-of-sky. Long term predictions for several gravity fields will be compared to the reconstructed orbits to demonstrate the accuracy of the orbit determination and oblateness fields developed by the Principal Gravity Investigator.

Carranza, Eric↗

Robotic Stripping

UltraStrip Systems, Inc.'s M-200 removes paint from the hulls of ships faster than traditional grit-blasting methods. And, it does so without producing toxic airborne particles common to traditional methods. The M-2000 magnetically attaches itself to the hull of the ship. Its water jets generate 40,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, blasting away paint down to the ships steel substrate. The only by product is water and dried paint chips and these are captured by a vacuum system so no toxic residue can escape. It was built out of a partnership between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Robotics Engineering Consortium.

Source record↗

Potential origin of the state-dependent high-energy tail in the black hole microquasar Cygnus X-1 as seen with INTEGRAL

Context. 0.1–10 MeV observations of the black hole microquasar Cygnus X-1 have shown the presence of a spectral feature in the form of a power law in addition to the standard black body (0.1–10 keV) and Comptonization (10–200 keV) components observed by INTEGRAL in several black-hole X-ray binaries. This so-called “high-energy tail” was recently shown to be strong in the hard spectral state of Cygnus X-1, and, in this system, has been interpreted as the high-energy part of the emission from a compact jet. Aims. This result was nevertheless obtained from a data set largely dominated by hard state observations. In the soft state, only upper limits on the presence and hence the potential parameters of a high-energy tail could be derived. Using an extended data set, we aim to obtain better constraints on the properties of this spectral component in both states. Methods. We make use of data obtained from about 15 years of observations with the INTEGRAL satellite. The data set is separated into the different states and we analyze stacked state-resolved spectra obtained from the X-ray monitors, the gamma-ray imager, and the gamma-ray spectrometer (SPI) onboard. Results. A high-energy component is detected in both states, confirming its earlier detection in the hard state and its suspected presence in the soft state with INTEGRAL, as seen in a much smaller SPI data set. We first characterize the high-energy tail components in the two states through a model-independent, phenomenological analysis. We then apply physical models based on hybrid Comptonization (eqpair and belm). The spectra are well modeled in all cases, with a similar goodness of the fits. While in the semi-phenomenological approach the high-energy tail has similar indices in both states, the fits with the physical models seem to indicate slightly different properties. Based on this approach, we discuss the potential origins of the high-energy components in both the soft and hard states, and favor an interpretation where the high-energy component is due to a compact jet in the hard state and hybrid Comptonization in either a magnetized or nonmagnetized corona in the soft state.

accretion↗

The 18–19 March 2022 Series of 3He-Rich Events Observed By Solar Orbiter at 0.36 Au Compared With EUV, X-Ray, and Radio Observations

Context. During the first close perihelion pass of Solar Orbiter, a series of impulsive 3He-rich solar particle events was observed on 18–19 March 2022 from a distance of 0.36 au. In addition to the energetic particle, radio, and X-ray data from Solar Orbiter, the events were observed in radio and/or extreme ultraviolet by STEREO-A, SDO, Wind, and Parker Solar Probe. Aims. Observations of the event series along with remote sensing of flaring and radio emission with only small timing delays due to the close distance allow the association with energetic particles to be determined with much higher accuracy than previously possible from 1 au. Methods. By comparing the onsets of type-III bursts with the arrival of electrons of tens of keV at Solar Orbiter only a few minutes later, it can be seen that, overall, each of the more intense type-III bursts was associated with an electron and ion injection. Extreme ultraviolet data show that the times of the type-III bursts coincide with emission from a small (approximately Earth-sized) loop to the west of a nearby active region. Results. The energetic particle spectra and abundances show typical properties of impulsive 3He-rich flares and, when combined with the remote sensing observations, establish that the particle-accelerating mechanism in this series of events operates near the solar surface in association with magnetic loops, and in the absence of other phenomena such as jets and small coronal mass ejections.

acceleration of particles↗

Why S, Not X, Marks the Spot for CME/Flare Eruptions

For any major CME/flare eruption: I. The field that erupts is an arcade in which the interior is greatly sheared and twisted. Most of the free magnetic energy to be released: a) Is in the shear and twist of the interior field. b) Is Not due to a big current sheet. The eruption is unleashed by reconnection at a growing current sheet. The current sheet is still little when the reconnection turns on. The unleashed eruption then makes the current sheet much bigger by building it up faster than the reconnection can tear it down. II. Most X-ray jets work the opposite way: a) Tapped free energy is in the field of a pre-jet current sheet. b) Current sheet built by small arcade emerging into ambient field. c) Current sheet still much smaller than the arcade when reconnection turns on and tears it down, producing a jet. III. These rules reflect the low-beta condition in the eruptive magnetic field

Moore, Ronald L.↗

Can Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilites of Jet-Like Structures and Plumes Cause Solar Wind Fluctuations at 1 AU?

The long high-latitude sampling of Ulysses provides the opportunity to study fine structures. At latitudes poleward of about -60 degrees the solar wind had fluctuations in velocity gradients which were attributed to "microstreams." The data also suggested fluctuations characterized by magnetic plus thermal pressure balance structures ('PBS'). At higher frequencies, MHD turbulence was observed and found to be less evolved than it is in the ecliptic but essentially independent of heliographic latitude. It is argued here that microstreams, PBS, and MHD turbulence could all be the remnants of mixing due to shear instabilities associated with plumes and other filamentary structures ("jets") in coronal holes. To show this, we simulate a plume-like jet in the presence of an ambient magnetic field. We find that the presence of the ambient field reduces the growth rate of the instability, but the shear between a jet and its ambient still becomes unstable to the MHD Kelvin-Helmholtz instability when the shear speed is larger than the largest local magnetosonic speed, a condition probably satisfied for plumes.

Parhi, S.↗

Computational general relativistic force-free electrodynamics: I. Multi-coordinate implementation and testing

General relativistic force-free electrodynamics is one possible plasma-limit employed to analyze energetic outflows in which strong magnetic fields are dominant over all inertial phenomena. The amazing images of black hole (BH) shadows from the Galactic Center and the M87 galaxy provide a first direct glimpse into the physics of accretion flows in the most extreme environments of the universe. The efficient extraction of energy in the form of collimated outflows or jets from a rotating BH is directly linked to the topology of the surrounding magnetic field. We aim at providing a tool to numerically model the dynamics of such fields in magnetospheres around compact objects, such as BHs and neutron stars. To do so, we probe their role in the formation of high energy phenomena such as magnetar flares and the highly variable teraelectronvolt emission of some active galactic nuclei. In this work, we present numerical strategies capable of modeling fully dynamical force-free magnetospheres of compact astrophysical objects. Here, we provide implementation details and extensive testing of our implementation of general relativistic force-free electrodynamics in Cartesian and spherical coordinates using the infrastructure of the E INSTEIN T OOLKIT . The employed hyperbolic/parabolic cleaning of numerical errors with full general relativistic compatibility allows for fast advection of numerical errors in dynamical spacetimes. Such fast advection of divergence errors significantly improves the stability of the general relativistic force-free electrodynamics modeling of BH magnetospheres.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Faster ablative Kelvin–Helmholtz instability growth in a magnetic field

Shear flows along a plasma interface will quickly grow unstable due to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. If there is a concurrent temperature gradient across the interface, higher modes are stabilized by the thermal diffusion. These ablative effects must be considered in, for example, jet features in inertial confinement fusion hot-spots, or plasma plumes in young supernovae. We show that magnetization of the plasma can greatly affect the instability, even if magnetic pressure is small. This is because electrons are localized by their gyromotion, reducing the heat flux and material ablation. We use a two-dimensional numerical extended-magnetohydrodynamics approach to assess this effect for dense fusion conditions. In comparison with the unmagnetized case, self-generated Biermann fields make only a minor difference to growth rates. However, simulations with a large 50 kT external field found that the growth rate of the least stable mode increased by 40%. In conclusion, this has implications for mix processes in Z-pinches and magnetized inertial confinement fusion concepts.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

EVIDENCE OF POSTERUPTION RECONNECTION ASSOCIATED WITH CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS IN THE SOLAR WIND

Using a coupled 2.5-dimensional, time-dependent MHD model of the solar corona and inner heliosphere, we have simulated the eruption and evolution of a coronal mass ejection containing a flux rope all the way from the Sun to 1 AU. Although idealized, we find that the simulation reproduces many generic features of magnetic clouds. In this paper we report on a new, intriguing aspect of these comparisons. Specifically, the results suggest that jetted outflow, driven by posteruptive reconnection underneath the flux rope, occurs and may remain intact out to 1 AU and beyond. We present an example of a magnetic cloud with precisely these signatures and show that the velocity perturbations are consistent with reconnection outflow. We suggest that other velocity and/or density enhancements observed trailing magnetic clouds may be signatures of such reconnection and, in some cases, may not be associated with prominence material, as has previously been suggested.

Riley, Pete↗

Solar Dynamics Observatory and Hinode Observations of a Blowout Jet in a Coronal Hole

A blowout jet occurred within the south coronal hole on 9 February 2011 at 09:00 UT and was observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and X-Ray Telescope (XRT) onboard the Hinode spacecraft during coronal-hole monitoring performed as part of Hinode Operations Program No. 177. Images from AIA show expanding hot and cold loops from a small bright point with plasma ejected in a curtain up to 30 Mm wide. The initial intensity front of the jet had a projected velocity of 200 km/s, and the line-of-sight (LOS) velocities measured by EIS are between 100 and 250 km/s. The LOS velocities increased along the jet, implying that an acceleration mechanism operates within the body of the jet. The jet plasma had a density of 2.7×10(exp 8) /cu.cm and a temperature of 1.4 MK. During the event a number of bright kernels were seen at the base of the bright point. The kernels have sizes of ≈ 1000 km, are variable in brightness, and have lifetimes of 1 - 15 minutes. An XRT filter ratio yields temperatures of 1.5 - 3.0 MK for the kernels. The bright point existed for at least ten hours, but disappeared within two hours after the jet, which lasted for 30 minutes. HMI data reveal converging photospheric flows at the location of the bright point, and the mixed-polarity magnetic flux canceled over a period of four hours on either side of the jet.

Spectral line↗

Simulations of vertical displacement oscillatory modes and global Alfvén Eigenmodes in JET geometry

Vertical Displacement Oscillatory Modes (VDOM), with frequency in the Alfvén range, are natural modes of oscillation of magnetically confined laboratory plasmas with elongated cross-section. These axisymmetric modes arise from the interaction between the plasma current, which is in equilibrium with currents flowing in external coils, and perturbed currents induced on a nearby conducting wall. The restoring force exerted by these perturbed currents on the vertical motion of the plasma column leads to its oscillatory behavior. An analytic model for VDOM was proposed based on an idealized 'straight tokamak' equilibrium with uniform equilibrium current density. This article introduces the first numerical simulations of VDOM in a realistic JET tokamak configuration, using the extended-MHD code NIMROD and drawing comparisons with Global Alfvén Eigenmodes (GAE). The results show qualitative agreement with analytic predictions regarding mode frequency and radial structure, supporting the identification of VDOM as a fundamental oscillation mode in tokamak plasmas. VDOM and GAE are modeled in a representative JET discharge, where axisymmetric perturbations with toroidal mode number n = 0 driven unstable by fast ions were observed. The two modes are examined separately using a forced oscillator within the NIMROD code, which enables a comparison of their characteristics and helps identify the experimentally observed mode possibly as a GAE.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Time Variations of Cosmic-Ray Helium Isotopes with BESS-Polar I

The Balloon-borne Experiment with a Superconducting Spectrometer (BESS) is configured with a solenoidal superconducting magnet and a suite of precision particle detectors, including time-of-flight hodoscopes based on plastic scintillators, a silica-aerogel Cherenkov detector, and a high resolution tracking system with a central jet-type drift chamber. The charges of incident particles are determined from energy losses in the scintillators. Their magnetic rigidities (momentum/charge) are measured by reconstructing each particle trajectory in the magnetic field, and their velocities are obtained by using the time-of-flight system. Together, these measurements can accurately identify helium isotopes among the incoming cosmic-ray helium nuclei up to energies in the GeV per nucleon region. The BESS-Polar I instrument flew for 8.5 days over Antarctica from December 13th to December 21st, 2004. Its long-duration flight and large geometric acceptance allow the time variations of isotopic fluxes to be studied for the first time. The time variations of helium isotope fluxes are presented here for rigidities from 1.2 to 2.5 GV and results are compared to previously reported proton data and neutron monitor data.

Cosmic-ray flux time variations↗

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations of outflows from accretion disks

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations have been made of the formation of outflows from a Keplerian disk threaded by a magnetic field. The disk is treated as a boundary condition, where matter is ejected with Keplerian azimuthal speed and poloidal speed less than the slow magnetosonic velocity, and where boundary conditions on the magnetic field correspond to a highly conducting disk. Initially, the space above the disk, the corona, is filled with high specific entropy plasma in thermal equilibrium in the gravitational potential of the central object. The initial magnetic field is poloidal and is represented by a superposition of monopoles located below the plane of the disk. The rotation of the disk twists the initial poloidal magnetic field, and this twist propagates into the corona pushing and collimating matter into jetlike outflow in a cylindrical region. Matter outflowing from the disk flows and accelerates in the z-direction owing to both the magnetic and pressure gradient forces. The flow accelerates through the slow magnetosonic and Alfven surfaces and at larger distances through the fast magnetosonic surface. The flow velocity of the jet is approximately parallel to the z-axis, and the collimation results from the pinching force of the toroidal magnetic field. For a nonrotating disk no collimation is observed.

Ustyugova, G. V.↗

Can Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities of Jet-Like Structures and Plumes Cause Solar Wind Fluctuations at 1AU

During its south polar passage in 1994, Ulysses sampled the solar wind emerging from the south polar coronal hole. In analysing these data two types of density fluctuations lasting a few hours have been reported, one characterized by fluctuations in velocity gradients ("microstreams") and the other by magnetic plus thermal-pressure balance structures ("PBS"). Microstreams were both temporal and spatial in nature. At higher frequencies, MHD turbulence was observed and found to be less evolved than in the ecliptic, but essentially independent of heliographic latitude. It is argued here that microstreams, PBS, and MHD turbulence could all be the remnant of shears associated with plumes and other filamentary structures ("jets") which have been reported to exist in coronal holes. The shear between a jet and its ambient can become unstable to the MHD Kelvin-Helmholtz ("KH') instability at 5-10 solar radius and the propagating instability can cause fluctuations like those seen by Ulysses. This motivates us to simulate coronal jets using a 3D MHD ZEUS code. The first 2D results have just started to come and are promising. To study the KH instability the jet is perturbed at the boundary with a linear amplitude and fixed frequency. The jet seems to pass through various distinct phases, one of which Is apparently dominated by KH instabilities. These instabilities drive oblique shocks into the jet as the turbulent eddies contact the jet surface. It is known that KH instabilities and internal shock waves are partially suppressed by magnetic field tension. Hence, in simulating far along the jet the Instability is expected to produce Alfvenic fluctuations like those seen near 1 AU.

Parhi, Shyamsundar↗

Roles of non-axisymmetric perturbations in free drift vertical displacement events on EAST

Abstract The safe operation of most tokamaks, especially the large ones, relies on the feedback control of vertical displacement events (VDEs). However, most of these feedback control systems are based on axisymmetric VDE models. In this study, we use NIMROD simulations to study the role of non-axisymmetric perturbations in free drift vertical displacement events on EAST. The high- n modes in the non-axisymmetric VDE grow first, which drives the formation of high- n magnetic island chains. Subsequently, the magnetic island chains grow and overlap with each other, leading to the destruction of the magnetic flux surface, which induces a minor disruption and accelerates the start of the following major disruption. The magnetic island and the stochastic magnetic field allow the toroidally non-axisymmetric poloidal plasma current to jet towards the hoop force direction, forming finger-like and filamentary structures. Such a plasma current non-axisymmetry strongly depends on the anisotropy in the thermal transport coefficients.

Physics↗

Final Report DE-SC0020432 PI: Frank, Adam

This goal of this proposal was a focused study to understand multi‐dimensional Colliding Magnetized Radiative Plasma flows (or CMRPs) relevant to basic plasma physics and jets in the context of stellar evolution astrophysics.

Frank, Adam↗