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At least 649 records · Page 36

Ordinary mode radio emission from Uranus

On Jan. 24, 1986, during the inbound trajectory to Uranus, the planetary radio astronomy instrument on Voyager 2 detected left-hand-polarized emission for several hours at frequencies near 200 kHz. Unlike the dominant source observed on the nightside of the planet, only a single episode of this inbound emission was seen, and the emission was extremely weak. Generating less than 500 kW, it is probably the weakest freely propagating planetary radio emission thus far observed by Voyager. This weak emission is associated with a source region in the vicinity of the north (dayside) magnetic pole of Uranus, where magnetic-field lines point approximately in the direction of the spacecraft when the emission is observed. Therefore the wave normal angle relative to B is probably less than 90 deg in the generation region. It is concluded that direct wave generation in the magnetoionic ordinary mode is most likely. The source location for this emission is consistent with a region magnetically conjugate to the dominant nightside source, which is located in the vicinity of the south magnetic pole. The ordinary mode emission is discussed in the context of the electron-cyclotron maser mechanism.

Desch, M. D.↗

The Production of Jets From Magnetized Accretion Disks: Simulation of the Blandford-Payne Mechanism

We have used massively parallel supercomputer simulations to perform an extensive study of a plausible mechanism for producing the jets seen in extragalactic radio sources - acceleration and collimation by coronal magnetic fields in an accretion disk orbiting a central black hole. We find that such disks can propel jets for a wide range of coronal conditions. The terminal jet velocity is a strong function of the magnetic field equatorial component. Acceleration and collimation are produced by a tight azimuthal field coil generated in the corona, rather than by a stiff poloidal field extending to large distances. The jets are pressure-confined when the external medium pressure is high, but magnetically- confined when it is low.

Blandford-Payne Mechanism↗

Oxygen vacancies in niobium pentoxide as a source of two-level system losses in superconducting niobium

Two-level systems (TLS) have long been a catch-all explanation for RF loss and quantum decoherence in superconducting devices. In our study, the first to directly link TLS losses to a specific physical mechanism, we demonstrate that oxygen vacancies in the naturally formed Nb₂O₅ on oxidized niobium are a major driver of such dissipation. We performed sequential in situ vacuum-baking treatments on niobium superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities and used time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to reveal a nonmonotonic evolution in cavity quality factor (Q₀). This behavior correlates with the interplay of Nb₂O₅ vacancy generation and oxide-thickness dissolution. We localize this effect to the oxide itself and present the insignificant role of diffused interstitial oxygen in the underlying Nb by regrowing the oxide via wet oxidation, revealing a mitigation of aggravated TLS losses. We hypothesize that such vacancies in the pentoxide serve as magnetic impurities and are a source of TLS-driven rf loss. Although our measurements center on 3-D SRF cavities, the insights gained here have significant implications for mitigating decoherence in 2-D superconducting qubits.

Bafia, Daniel P. [Fermilab]↗

Using a Magnetic Flux Transport Model to Predict the Solar Cycle

We present the results of an investigation into the use of a magnetic flux transport model to predict the amplitude of future solar cycles. Recently Dikpati, de Toma, & Gilman (2006) showed how their dynamo model could be used to accurately predict the amplitudes of the last eight solar cycles and offered a prediction for the next solar cycle - a large amplitude cycle. Cameron & Schussler (2007) found that they could reproduce this predictive skill with a simple 1-dimensional surface flux transport model - provided they used the same parameters and data as Dikpati, de Toma, & Gilman. However, when they tried incorporating the data in what they argued was a more realistic manner, they found that the predictive skill dropped dramatically. We have written our own code for examining this problem and have incorporated updated and corrected data for the source terms - the emergence of magnetic flux in active regions. We present both the model itself and our results from it - in particular our tests of its effectiveness at predicting solar cycles.

Lyatskaya, S.↗

Mathematical theory of cylindrical isothermal blast waves in a magnetic field

An analysis is conducted regarding the properties of cylindrically symmetric self-similar blast waves propagating away from a line source into a medium whose density and magnetic field (with components in both the phi and z directions) both vary as r to the -(omega) power (with omega less than 1) ahead of the blast wave. The main results of the analysis can be divided into two classes, related to a zero azimuthal field and a zero longitudinal field. In the case of the zero longitudinal field it is found that there are no physically acceptable solutions with continuous postshock variations of flow speed and gas density.

Lerche, I.↗

Status and new features of the topography beamline 1-BM after the Advanced Photon Source upgrade

The beamline 1-BM of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a bending-magnet beamline with an effective X-ray beam size of ~100×4 mm2, has relatively comprehensive synchrotron topography and rocking curve imaging capabilities for characterization of crystals (particularly wide-bandgap semiconductors SiC, AlN, GaN, Ga2O3 etc). It is equipped with a white-beam topography stage for imaging large wafers up to 8 inches. It also has a double-crystal setup, of which the second stage can be used for monochromatic-beam topography. The first stage has different beam conditioners in the grazing-incidence geometry that can expand the vertical beam size from 4 to ~100 mm for double-crystal rocking curve imaging when it is combined with the second stage. Recently APS has been upgraded to a modern 4th-generation light source, and 1-BM has been recommissioned to its normal operation for general users with better performance. The upgraded APS leads to new features at 1-BM. The much smaller source size and higher X-ray coherence significantly improve the image resolution and contrast. The higher flux and brightness of the new source reduce exposure time, which mitigates the mechanical drifting and vibration issues. Here the main capabilities and status of 1-BM together with these new features are introduced.

X-ray topography↗

Standing hydromagnetic waves in the Io plasma torus - Voyager 1 observations

An attempt to analyze Voyager 1 magnetic field data for the existence of any ultralow-frequency hydromagnetic waves in the Io plasma torus is presented. The coincidence between the increase in wave activity and the entry into the Io plasma torus is in support of treating the torus as a low Alfven velocity region and thus as a hydromagnetic waveguide. A first theoretical treatment of hydromagnetic wave propagation within the torus suggests that decoupling of toroidal and poloidal type oscillations can occur under the condition of axisymmetry of the wave field. Numerical calculations of the fundamental mode toroidal and first harmonic poloidal eigenperiods for a model Jovian magnetosphere give values quite in agreement with the observed periods. Observations of nearly axisymmetric, decoupled toroidal and poloidal mode eigenoscillations of the Io plasma torus suggest a large-scale source mechanism for the detected magnetic field fluctuations.

Glassmeier, K.-H.↗

Oxygen Vacancies in Niobium Pentoxide as a Source of Two-Level System Losses in Superconducting Niobium

We identify a major source of quantum decoherence in three-dimensional superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) resonators and two-dimensional transmon qubits composed of oxidized niobium: oxygen vacancies in the niobium pentoxide, which drive two-level system (TLS) losses. By probing the effect of sequential in situ vacuum-baking treatments on the rf performance of bulk Nb SRF resonators and on the oxide structure of a representative Nb sample using TOF SIMS, we find a nonmonotonic evolution of cavity quality factor Q0, which correlates with the interplay of Nb2O5 vacancy generation and oxide-thickness reduction. We localize this effect to the oxide itself and present the insignificant role of diffused interstitial oxygen in the underlying Nb by regrowing the oxide via wet oxidation, which reveals a mitigation of aggravated TLS losses. We hypothesize that such vacancies in the pentoxide serve as magnetic impurities and are a source of TLS-driven rf loss.

Bafia, Daniel P. [Fermilab]↗

On large-scale dynamos with stable stratification and the application to stellar radiative zones

Our understanding of large-scale magnetic fields in stellar radiative zones remains fragmented and incomplete. Such magnetic fields, which must be produced by some form of dynamo mechanism, are thought to dominate angular-momentum transport, making them crucial to stellar evolution. A major difficulty is the effect of stable stratification, which generally suppresses dynamo action. We explore the effects of stable stratification on mean-field dynamo theory with a particular focus on a non-helical large-scale dynamo (LSD) mechanism known as the magnetic shear-current effect. We find that the mechanism is robust to increasing stable stratification as long as the original requirements for its operation are met: a source of shear and non-helical magnetic fluctuations (e.g. from a small-scale dynamo). Both are plausibly sourced in the presence of differential rotation. Our idealized direct numerical simulations, supported by mean-field theory, demonstrate the generation of near equipartition large-scale toroidal fields. Additionally, a scan over magnetic Reynolds number shows no change in the growth or saturation of the LSD, providing good numerical evidence of a dynamo mechanism resilient to catastrophic quenching, which has been an issue for helical dynamos. These properties – the absence of catastrophic quenching and robustness to stable stratification – make the mechanism a plausible candidate for generating in situ large-scale magnetic fields in stellar radiative zones.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Oxygen vacancies in niobium pentoxide as a source of two-level system losses in superconducting niobium

We identify a major source of quantum decoherence in three-dimensional superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) resonators and two-dimensional transmon qubits composed of oxidized niobium: oxygen vacancies in the niobium pentoxide, which drive two-level system (TLS) losses. By probing the effect of sequential in situ vacuum-baking treatments on the rf performance of bulk Nb SRF resonators and on the oxide structure of a representative Nb sample using TOF SIMS, we find a nonmonotonic evolution of cavity quality factor Q 0 , which correlates with the interplay of Nb 2 O 5 vacancy generation and oxide-thickness reduction. We localize this effect to the oxide itself and present the insignificant role of diffused interstitial oxygen in the underlying Nb by regrowing the oxide via wet oxidation, which reveals a mitigation of aggravated TLS losses. We hypothesize that such vacancies in the pentoxide serve as magnetic impurities and are a source of TLS-driven rf loss.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Modeling of particle transport, neutrals and radiation in magnetically-confined plasmas with Aurora

In this work, we present Aurora, an open-source package for particle transport, neutrals and radiation modeling in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas. Aurora's modern multi-language interface enables simulations of 1.5D impurity transport within high-performance computing frameworks, particularly for the inference of particle transport coefficients. A user-friendly Python library allows simple interaction with atomic rates from the Atomic Data and Atomic Structure database as well as other sources. This enables a range of radiation predictions, both for power balance and spectroscopic analysis. We discuss here the superstaging approximation for complex ions, as a way to group charge states and reduce computational cost, demonstrating its wide applicability within the Aurora forward model and beyond. Aurora also facilitates neutral particle analysis, both from experimental spectroscopic data and other simulation codes. Leveraging Aurora's capabilities to interface SOLPS-ITER results, we demonstrate that charge exchange is unlikely to affect the total radiated power from the ITER core during high performance operation. Finally, we describe the ImpRad module in the one modeling framework for integrated task framework, developed to enable experimental analysis and transport inferences on multiple devices using Aurora.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

H0538 + 608 - A bright AM Herculis-type X-ray source

The discovery of an AM Herculis-type magnetic variable, an accreting binary system that contains a magnetic white dwarf and a late-type companion, is reported. The proposed optical counterpart to the detected X-ray source exhibits all the optical emission characteristics of its class: circular polarization, strongly modulated brightness variations, intense flickering on time scales of seconds, historical 'low states', and intense emission lines, including very strong lines of He II. The modulations in the polarization and the photometric magnitude suggest an orbital period of 3.1 + or -0.2 hr.

Remillard, R. A.↗

Magnetic Signature of the Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin: Character, Origin, and Age

A new magnetic map of the Moon, based on Lunar Prospector (LP) magnetometer observations, sheds light on the origin of the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA), the largest and oldest of the recognized lunar basins. A set of WNW-trending linear to arcuate magnetic features, evident in both the radial and scalar observations, covers much of a 1000 km wide region centered on the NW portion of SPA. The source bodies are not at the surface because the magnetic features show no first-order correspondence to any surface topographic or structural feature. Patchy mare basalts of possible late Imbrianage are emplaced within SPA and are inferred to have been emplaced through dikes, directly from mantle sources. We infer that the magnetic features represent dike swarms that served as feeders for these mare basalts, as evident from the location of the Thomson/ Mare Ingenii, Van de Graaff, and Leeuwenhoek mare basalts on the two largest magnetic features in the region. Modeling suggests that the dike zone is between 25 and 50 km wide at the surface, and dike magnetization contrasts are in the range of 0.2 A/m. We theorize that the basaltic dikes were emplaced in the lunar crust when a long-lived dynamo was active. Based on pressure, temperature, and stress conditions prevalent in the lunar crust, dikes are expected to be a dominantly subsurface phenomenon, consistent with the observations reported here.

South Pole-Aitken↗

Room-Temperature, Current-Induced Magnetization Self-Switching in A Van Der Waals Ferromagnet

2D layered materials with broken inversion symmetry are being extensively pursued as spin source layers to realize high-efficiency magnetic switching. Such low-symmetry layered systems are, however, scarce. In addition, most layered magnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy show a low Curie temperature. Here, in this study, the experimental observation of spin–orbit torque magnetization self-switching at room temperature in a layered polar ferromagnetic metal, Fe 2.5 Co 2.5 GeTe 2 is reported. The spin–orbit torque is generated from the broken inversion symmetry along the c-axis of the crystal. These results provide a direct pathway toward applicable 2D spintronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Comparative study of x ray and microwave emissions during solar flares

The work supported by the grant consisted of two projects. The first project involved making detailed case studies of two flares using SMM data in conjunction with ground based observations. The first flare occurred at 1454 UT on June 20, 1989 and involved the eruption of a prominence near the limb. In the study we used data from many wavelength regimes including the radio, H-alpha, hard X-rays, and soft X-rays. We used a full gyrosynchrotron code to model the apparent presence of a 1.4 GHz source early in the flare that was in the form of a large coronal loop. The model results lead us to conclude that the initial acceleration occurs in small, dense loops which also produced the flare's hard X-ray emission. We also found evidence that a source at 1.4 GHz later in the event was due to second harmonic plasma emission. This source was adjacent to a leg of the prominence and comes from a dense column of material in the magnetic structure supporting the prominence. Finally, we investigated a source of microwaves and soft X-rays, occurring approximately 10 min after the hard X-ray peak, and calculate a lower limit for the density of the source. The second flare that was studied occurred at 2156 UT on June 20, 1989 and was observed with the VLA and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) Frequency Agile Array. We have developed a gyrosynchrotron model of the sources at flare peak using a new gyrosynchrotron approximation which is valid at very low harmonics of the gyrofrequency. We found that the accelerated particle densities of the sources decreased much more with radius from the source center than had been supposed in previous work, while the magnetic field varied less. We also used the available data to analyze a highly polarized source which appeared late in the flare. The second project involved compiling a statistical base for the relative timing of the hard X-ray peak, the turbulent and blue-shift velocities inferred from soft X-ray line emissions observed by SMM and the microwave peak as determined from ground-based observations. This timing was then used to aid the testing of newly developed global models for flares that incorporate the global magnetic topology as well as the electron dynamics that are responsible for the hard X-rays and microwaves.

Winglee, Robert M.↗

Reduction of Marine Magnetic Data for Modeling the Main Field of the Earth

The marine data set archived at the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) consists of shipborne surveys conducted by various institutes worldwide. This data set spans four decades (1953, 1958, 1960-1987), and contains almost 13 million total intensity observations. These are often less than 1 km apart. These typically measure seafloor spreading anomalies with amplitudes of several hundred nanotesla (nT) which, since they originate in the crust, interfere with main field modeling. The source for these short wavelength features are confined within the magnetic crust (i.e., sources above the Curie isotherm). The main field, on the other hand, is of much longer wavelengths and originates within the earth's core. It is desirable to extract the long wavelength information from the marine data set for use in modeling the main field. This can be accomplished by averaging the data along the track. In addition, those data which are measured during periods of magnetic disturbance can be identified and eliminated. Thus, it should be possible to create a data set which has worldwide data distribution, spans several decades, is not contaminated with short wavelengths of the crustal field or with magnetic storm noise, and which is limited enough in size to be manageable for the main field modeling. The along track filtering described above has proved to be an effective means of condensing large numbers of shipborne magnetic data into a manageable and meaningful data set for main field modeling. Its simplicity and ability to adequately handle varying spatial and sampling constraints has outweighed consideration of more sophisticated approaches. This filtering technique also provides the benefits of smoothing out short wavelength crustal anomalies, discarding data recorded during magnetically noisy periods, and assigning reasonable error estimates to be used in the least square modeling. A useful data set now exists which spans 1953-1987.

Baldwin, R. T.↗

Stimulated excitation of thermal diffusion waves in a magnetized plasma pressure filament

Results are presented from basic heat transport experiments using a magnetized electron temperature filament that behaves as a thermal resonator. Using a small cathode source, low energy electrons are injected along the magnetic field into the afterglow of a pre-existing plasma forming a hot electron filament embedded in a colder plasma. A series of low amplitude, sinusoidal perturbations are added to the cathode discharge bias that creates an oscillating heat source capable of driving large amplitude electron temperature oscillations. Langmuir probes are used to measure the amplitude and phase of the thermal wave field over a wide range of driver frequencies. The results are used to verify the excitation of thermal waves, confirm the presence of thermal resonances, and demonstrate the diagnostic potential of thermal waves through measurement of the parallel thermal diffusivity.

Karbashewski, S. (ORCID:000000034988492X)↗

An X-ray investigation of the unusual supernova remnant CTB 80

The X-ray properties of SNR CTB 80 (G68.8 + 2.8) are discussed based on both low- and high-resolution images from the Einstein satellite. The X-ray maps show a point source coinciding with the region of maximum radio emission. Diffuse X-ray emission is evident mainly along the radio lobe extending about 8 arcmin east of the point source and aligned with the projected magnetic field lines. The observed X-ray luminosity is 3.2 x 10 to the 34th ergs/s with 1.0 x 10 to the 3th ergs/s from the point source (assuming a distance of 3 kpc). There is also faint, diffuse, X-ray emission south of the point source, where radio emission is absent. The unusual radio and X-ray morphologies are interpreted as a result of relativistic jets energized by the central object, and the possible association of CTB 80 with SN 1408 as recorded by Chinese observers is discussed.

Wang, Z. R.↗