SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “magnetized jet”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 631 records · Page 35

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2024

Assessing the impact of alpha particles on thermal confinement in JET D-T plasmas through global GENE-Tango simulations

The capability of the global, electromagnetic gyrokinetic GENE code interfaced with the transport Tango solver is exploited to address the impact of fusion alpha particles (in their dual role of fast particles and heating source) on plasma profiles and performance at JET in the discharges with the highest quasi-stationary peak fusion power during the DTE2 experimental campaigns. Employing radially global nonlinear electromagnetic GENE-Tango simulations, we compare results with/without alpha particles and alpha heating. Our findings reveal that alpha particles have a negligible impact on turbulent transport, with GENE-Tango converging to similar plasma profiles regardless of their inclusion as a kinetic species in GENE. On the other hand, alpha heating is found to contribute to the peaking of the electron temperature profiles, leading to a 1 keV drop on the on-axis electron temperature when alpha heating is neglected in Tango. The minimal impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in this JET discharge–despite this being the shot with the highest fusion output–is attributed to the low content of fusion alpha in this discharge. To assess the potential impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in regimes with higher alpha particle density, as expected in ITER and fusion reactors, we artificially increased the alpha particle concentration to levels expected for ITER. By performing global nonlinear GENE standalone simulations, we found that increasing the alpha particle density beyond five times the nominal value lead to significant overall turbulence destabilization. These results demonstrate that an increased alpha particle concentration can significantly impact transport properties under simulated JET experimental conditions. However, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to ITER due to the substantial differences in parameters such as plasma size, magnetic field, plasma current, and thermal pressure.

energetic particles↗

DOE OSTI2026

Ring Asymmetry and Spin in M87*

Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) images of the supermassive black hole M87* depict an asymmetric ring of emission. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) models of M87* and its accretion disk predict that the amplitude and location of the ring’s peak brightness asymmetry should fluctuate due to turbulence in the source plasma. We compare the observed distribution of brightness asymmetry amplitudes to the simulated distribution in GRMHD models, across varying black hole spin a * . We show that, for strongly magnetized (MAD) models, three epochs of EHT data marginally disfavor ∣a * ∣ ≲ 0.2. This is consistent with the Blandford–Znajek model for M87’s jet, which predicts that M87* should have nonzero spin. We show quantitatively how future observations could improve spin constraints and discuss how improved spin constraints could distinguish between differing jet-launching mechanisms and black hole growth scenarios.

Bernshteyn, Vadim [Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Cha↗

NASA NTRS2001

Progress In Magnetized Target Fusion Driven by Plasma Liners

Thio, Francis Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Magnetized Target Fusion Driven by Plasma Liners

Magnetized target fusion (MTF) attempts to combine the favorable attributes of magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) for energy confinement with the attributes of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) for efficient compression heating and wall-free containment of the fusing plasma. It uses a material liner to compress and contain a magnetized plasma. For practical applications, standoff drivers to deliver the imploding momentum flux to the target plasma remotely are required. Spherically converging plasma jets have been proposed as standoff drivers for this purpose. The concept involves the dynamic formation of a spherical plasma liner by the merging of plasma jets, and the use of the liner so formed to compress a spheromak or a field reversed configuration (FRC). For the successful implementation of the scheme, plasma jets of the requisite momentum flux density need to be produced. Their transport over sufficiently large distances (a few meters) needs to be assured. When they collide and merge into a liner, relative differences in velocity, density and temperature of the jets could give rise to instabilities in the development of the liner. Variation in the jet properties must be controlled to ensure that the growth rate of the instabilities are not significant over the time scale of the liner formation before engaging with the target plasma. On impact with the target plasma, some plasma interpenetration might occur between the liner and the target. The operating parameter space needs to be identified to ensure that a reasonably robust and conducting contact surface is formed between the liner and the target. A mismatch in the "impedance" between the liner and the target plasma could give rise to undesirable shock heating of the liner leading to increased entropy (thermal losses) in the liner. Any irregularities in the liner will accentuate the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities during the compression of the target plasma by the liner.

Thio, Y. C. Francis↗

NASA NTRS2001

Magnetized Target Fusion Driven by Plasma Liners

For practical applications of magnetized target fusion, standoff drivers to deliver the imploding momentum flux to the target plasma remotely are required. Quasi-spherically converging plasma jets have been proposed as standoff drivers for this purpose. The concept involves the dynamic formation of a quasi-spherical plasma liner by the merging of plasma jets, and the use of the liner so formed to compress a spheromak or a field reversed configuration (FRC). Theoretical analysis and computer modeling of the concept are presented. It is shown that, with the appropriate choice of the flow parameters in the liner and the target, the impact between the liner and the target plasma can be made to be shockless in the liner or to generate at most a very weak shock in the liner. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Thio, Y. C. Francis↗

NASA NTRS2014

The Link Between Shocks, Turbulence, and Magnetic Reconnection in Collisionless Plasmas

Global hybrid (electron fluid, kinetic ions) and fully kinetic simulations of the magnetosphere have been used to show surprising interconnection between shocks, turbulence and magnetic reconnection. In particular collisionless shocks with their reflected ions that can get upstream before retransmission can generate previously unforeseen phenomena in the post shocked flows: (i) formation of reconnecting current sheets and magnetic islands with sizes up to tens of ion inertial length. (ii) Generation of large scale low frequency electromagnetic waves that are compressed and amplified as they cross the shock. These 'wavefronts' maintain their integrity for tens of ion cyclotron times but eventually disrupt and dissipate their energy. (iii) Rippling of the shock front, which can in turn lead to formation of fast collimated jets extending to hundreds of ion inertial lengths downstream of the shock. The jets, which have high dynamical pressure, 'stir' the downstream region, creating large scale disturbances such as vortices, sunward flows, and can trigger flux ropes along the magnetopause. This phenomenology closes the loop between shocks, turbulence and magnetic reconnection in ways previously unrealized. These interconnections appear generic for the collisionless plasmas typical of space, and are expected even at planar shocks, although they will also occur at curved shocks as occur at planets or around ejecta.

MAGNETOSPHERE↗

NASA NTRS1992

Magnetic Lens For Plasma Engine

Low-field electromagnet coils placed downstream of plasma engine, polarized oppositely to higher-field but smaller radius coil in nozzle of engine, reduces divergence of plasma jet, thereby increasing efficiency of engine. Concept tested by computer simulation based on simplified mathematical model of plasma, engine, and coils.

Sercel, Joel C.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Experimental studies of plasma-antenna coupling with the JET Alfvén Eigenmode Active Diagnostic

Here, this paper presents a dedicated study of plasma-antenna (PA) coupling with the Alfvén Eigenmode Active Diagnostic (AEAD) in JET. Stable AEs and their resonant frequencies f, damping rates γ < 0, and toroidal mode numbers n are measured for various PA separations and limiter versus X-point magnetic configurations. Two stable AEs are observed to be resonantly excited at distinct low and high frequencies in limiter plasmas. The values of f and n do not vary with PA separation. However, |γ| increases with PA separation for the low-f, but not high-f, mode, yet this may be due to slightly different edge conditions. The high-f AE is detected throughout the transition from limiter to X-point configuration, though its damping rate increases; the low-f mode, on the other hand, becomes unidentifiable. The linear, resistive MHD code CASTOR is used to simulate the frequency scan of an AEAD-like external antenna. For the limiter pulses, the high-f mode is determined to be an n = 0 GAE, while the low-f mode is likely an n = 2 TAE. During the transition from limiter to X-point configuration, CASTOR indicates that n = 1 and 2 EAEs are excited in the edge gap. These results extend previous experimental studies in JET and Alcator C-Mod; validate the computational work performed by Dvornova et al; and provide guidance for the optimization of PA coupling in upcoming JET energetic particle experiments, for which the AEAD will aim to identify the contribution of alpha particles to AE drive during the DT campaign.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Role of Kinetic Instabilities and Waves in Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection converts magnetic field energy into particle energy by breaking and reconnecting magnetic field lines. Magnetic reconnection is a kinetic process that generates a wide variety of kinetic waves via wave-particle interactions. Kinetic waves have been proposed to play an important role in magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasmas by, for example, contributing to anomalous resistivity and diffusion, particle heating, and transfer of energy between different particle populations. These waves range from below the ion cyclotron frequency to above the electron plasma frequency and from ion kinetic scales down to electron Debye length scales. This review aims to describe the progress made in understanding the relationship between magnetic reconnection and kinetic waves. We focus on the waves in different parts of the reconnection region, namely, the diffusion region, separatrices, outflow regions, and jet fronts. Particular emphasis is placed on the recent observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft and numerical simulations, which have substantially increased the understanding of the interplay between kinetic waves and reconnection. Some of the ongoing questions related to waves and reconnection are discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1988

Mass loss from rapidly rotating magnetic protostars

It is proposed that bipolar outflows from young stellar objects originate from a protostar rotating at breakup at its equator because it is being spun up by an adjoining accretion disk. Mass outflow at an appreciable fraction of the infall rate from a surrounding molecular cloud core onto the star and disk can be driven centrifugally if the protostar has a sufficiently strong magnetic field. The expansion of the flow toward the rotational poles may provide a collimation mechanism for focusing an ordinary stellar wind into optical jets.

Shu, Frank H.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Transition to turbulence in solar surges

Transition to turbulence in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) tearing jets has been invoked as a mechanism underlying some of the complex behavior observed in solar surges, including deceleration of the upflowing plasma and temporal correlations with types I and III radio bursts. In this paper we investigate a possible mechanism for this transition: three-dimensional secondary instabilities on two-dimensional saturated states. We find through linear analysis that these MHD configurations -- in particular, the tearing jet -- are secondarily unstable, with the dominant energy transfer from the one-dimensional field into the 3-dimensional fields. Using nonlinear simulations, we also investigate the system evolution after the secondary modes attain finite amplitude. When the tearing jet transitions to turbulence, the total kinetic energy drops rapidly corresponding to the deceleration of the jet. The electric field grows rapidly as the primary mode saturates and the three-dimensional secondary mode develops, and then decays quickly as the tearing jet becomes turbulent, providing a possible explanation for the finite duration of the associated meter-wave bursts. The electric field decays as the magnetic and velocity fields both decay. The system is dominated at late times by spanwise modes, which strongly resemble the magnetic field-aligned filamentary flows characteristic of many surges.

Dahlburg, Russell B.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Plasma Liner Development for MTF Applications: A Status Report

An experimental plasma gun for Magnetic Target Fusion (MTF) applications under development at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is described. This gun has been tested experimentally and plasma jet velocities of approximately 50 km/sec have been obtained. The plasma jet structure has been photographed with 10 ns exposure times to reveal a stable and repeatable plasma structure. Data for velocity profile information has been obtained using light pipes embedded in the gun walls to record the plasma transit at various barrel locations. A high speed triggering system has been developed and tested as a means of reducing the gun "jitter". This jitter has been characterized and future work for second generation "ultra-low jitter" gun development is identified.

Eskridge, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS2007

First X-ray Observations of the Young Pulsar J1357-6429

The first short Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of the young and energetic pulsar J1357-6429 provided strong indications of a tail-like pulsar-wind nebula associated with this object, as well as strong pulsations of its X-ray flux with a pulsed fraction above 40% and a thermal component dominating at lower photon energies (below 2 keV). The elongated nebular is very compact in size. about 1" x 1.5" and might be interpreted as a pulsar jet. The thermal radiation is most plausibly emitted from the entire neutron star surface of an effective temperature about 1 MK covered with a magnetized hydrogen atmosphere At higher energies the pulsar's emission is of a nonthermal (magnetospheric) origin, with a power-law spectrum of a photon index Gamma approx. equals 1.1. This makes the X-ray properties of PSR J1357-6429 very similar to those of the youngest pulsars J1119-6127 and Vela with a detected thermal radiation.

Zavlin, Vyacheslav E.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Fluid signatures of rotational discontinuities at Earth's magnetopause

Fluid signatures in the MHD approximation at rotational discontinuities (RD) of finite width called rotational shear layers (RSL) are examined for general flow and magnetic geometries. Analytical and geometrical arguments illustrate that the fluid speed can either go up or down across an RSL for a fixed normal mass flux. The speed profile may or may not be monotonic depending on the boundary conditions. The flow velocity may or may not be field aligned or ""jetting'' as a result of traversing the RSL. In general, significant ""convection'' is expected in the layer. The observable signatures of (MHD) RSL's depend on 7 (boundary condition) parameters are (1) the mass density, (2 to 5) the incident normal and transverse components of the magnetic field and fluid velocity, (6) the angle epsilon between the incident tangential flow velocity and tangential magnetic field, and (7) the size of the magnetic angular rotation implemented by the layer delta phi.

Scudder, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Fluid signatures of rotational discontinuities at the earth's magnetopause

Fluid signatures in the MHD approximation at rotational discontinuities (RD) of finite width called rotational shear layers (RSL) are examined for general flow and magnetic geometries. Analytical and geometrical arguments illustrate that the fluid speed can either go up or down across an RSL for a fixed normal mass flux. The speed profile may or may not be monotonic depending on the boundary conditions. The flow velocity may or may not be field aligned or 'jetting' as a result of traversing the RSL. In general, significant 'convection' is expected in the layer. The observable signatures of (MHD) RSL's depend on 7 (boundary condition) parameters are (1) the mass density, (2 to 5) the incident normal and transverse components of the magnetic field and fluid velocity, (6) the angle epsilon between the incident tangential flow velocity and tangential magnetic field, and (7) the size of the magnetic angular rotation implemented by the layer delta phi.

Scudder, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Intrinsic Differences in the Inner Jets of High and Low Optically Polarized Radio Quasars

We have conducted a high-resolution polarization study with the VLBA at 22 and 43 GHz to look for differences in the parsec-scale magnetic field structures of 18 high- and low-optically polarized, compact radio-loud quasars (HPQs and LPRQs, respectively).

VLBI polarization quasars magnetic fields shock wa↗

NASA NTRS1992

Testing the AGN paradigm; Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Topical Astrophysics Conference, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Oct. 14-16, 1991

The present volume on testing the AGN paradigm discusses black holes, accretion disks, high-energy continuum jets, AGN geometry, and the broad-line region. Attention is given to the search for black holes in galaxy nuclei, the structure of M32 at red wavelengths, testing the AGN paradigm for the Milky Way, and relativistic fluid flows in the magnetized Schwarzschild spacetime. Topics addressed include orbital models for the periodic X-ray flares of NGC 6814, observational evidence for thin AGN disks, X-ray Fe line studies, and the role of the UV bump in line emission. Also discussed are signatures of black hole accretion disks, rapid variability in AGN and accretion disk hot spots, relativistic jets in AGN, and the radiation field in astrophysical jets.

Holt, Stephen S.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Experimental studies of plasma-antenna coupling with the JET Alfven Eigenmode Active Diagnostic

This paper presents a dedicated study of plasma-antenna (PA) coupling with the Alfven Eigenmode Active Diagnostic (AEAD) in JET. Stable AEs and their resonant frequencies f, damping rates gamma < 0, and toroidal mode numbers n are measured for various PA separations and limiter versus X-point magnetic configurations. Two stable AEs are observed to be resonantly excited at distinct low and high frequencies in limiter plasmas. The values of f and n do not vary with PA separation. However, |gamma| increases with PA separation for the low-f, but not high-f, mode, yet this may be due to slightly different edge conditions. The high-f AE is detected throughout the transition from limiter to X-point configuration, though its damping rate increases; the low-f mode, on the other hand, becomes unidentifiable. The linear resistive MHD code CASTOR is used to simulate the frequency scan of an AEAD-like external antenna. For the limiter pulses, the high-f mode is determined to be an n = 0 GAE, while the low-f mode is likely an n = 2 TAE. During the transition from limiter to X-point configuration, CASTOR indicates that n = 1 and 2 EAEs are excited in the edge gap. These results extend previous experimental studies in JET and Alcator C-Mod; validate the computational work performed by Dvornova et al 2020 Phys. Plasmas 27 012507; and provide guidance for the optimization of PA coupling in upcoming JET energetic particle experiments, for which the AEAD will aim to identify the contribution of alpha particles to AE drive during the DT campaign.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗