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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Diamagnetic boundary layers - A kinetic theory

A kinetic theory is presented for boundary layers associated with MHD tangential 'discontinuities' in a collisionless magnetized plasma, such as those observed in the solar wind. The theory consists of finding self-consistent solutions of Vlasov's equation and Maxwell's equation for stationary one-dimensional boundary layers separating two Maxwellian plasma states. Layers in which the current is carried by electrons are found to have a thickness of the order of a few electron gyroradii, but the drift speed of the current-carrying electrons is found to exceed the Alfven speed, and accordingly such layers are not stable. Several types of layers in which the current is carried by protons are discussed; in particular, cases are considered in which the magnetic-field intensity, direction, or both, changed across the layer. In every case, the thickness was of the order of a few proton gyroradii, and the field changed smoothly, although the characteristics depended somewhat on the boundary conditions. The drift speed was always less than the Alfven speed, consistent with stability of such structures. These results are consistent with observations of boundary layers in the solar wind near 1 AU.

Lemaire, J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Nonlinear Alfven waves in high-speed solar wind streams

A nonlinear proton distribution function that is an exact stationary solution of the nonlinear Vlasov equation and Maxwell's equations and which supports a single nonlinear transverse Alfven (ion cyclotron) wave that is circularly polarized and nondispersive is proposed for most of the observations during high-speed solar wind streams. This nonlinear distribution removes the strong Alfven wave instability, inconsistent with the persistence of the observed proton distribution functions in high-speed streams, found by the linear stability analysis. Model temperature anisotropies and drift velocities of the two spatially inhomogeneous bi-Maxwellian components are consistent with typical proton velocity distributions measured in high-speed streams at 1 AU. Two derived relations for each of the wave number and the phase velocity of the wave are obeyed within experimental uncertainties by two typical proton measurements. Our model also predicts that the alpha particle bulk flow velocity exceeds the proton particle bulk flow velocity, as is observed.

Abraham-Shrauner, B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Scattering from a moving spherical particle by two crossed coherent plane waves

The Mie scattering properties of a homogeneous, isotropic spherical particle, moving at a constant velocity and illuminated by two intersecting coherent plane waves having the same polarization direction, have been analyzed based upon an exact solution to Maxwell's equations. The solutions are in a form suitable for the calculation of the time varying scattered signal integrated across a detector aperture of variable size that is centered on either the forward or backward scattering direction. This problem is of importance in defining the scattered signal in a cross beam laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). Results obtained from calculating the integrated scattered signal indicate a strong dependence upon the following physical parameters: particle size, index of refraction, cross beam angle, and collection solid angle.

Chu, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Some optical and kinetic properties of the nearby interstellar gas

A model for resonant scattering of sunlight by the nearby interstellar gas is developed which takes into account the modification of a Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution by a central force. While the formalism applies to both hydrogen and helium, the latter is emphasized. Theoretical line profiles and integrated emission rates for helium are compared with those of approximate models and with existing observations. As a result of this analysis, an upward revision of the bulk flow velocity of interstellar helium relative to the solar system, previously deduced from He 584-A observations, is required. Velocities of 15-20 km/s, temperatures of the order of 5000-10,000 K, and densities of the order of 0.008-0.02 per cu cm are sufficient to explain the (helium) observations. However, higher-precision measurements are required in order to place more stringent limits on the gas parameters. Calculations of the flux of interstellar helium atoms impinging on earth's upper atmosphere show that the resulting impact ionization is small compared with terrestrial processes.

Meier, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Structure of current sheets in magnetic holes at 1 AU

Current density profiles in several types of interplanetary magnetic holes were calculated assuming that the currents flow in planar sheets and that the magnetic field varies only in the direction normal to the sheet. The planarity was verified in four holes which were observed by two suitably spaced spacecraft. The structure of the current sheets ranges from very simple in some holes to very complex in others. The observed structures are found to be qualitatively consistent with models based on self-consistent solutions of Vlasov's equation and Maxwell's equations. Examples of complex, irregular magnetic holes are also presented, and they are shown to contain multiple, current sheets in which currents flow parallel to one another.

Fitzenreiter, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Interplanetary magnetic holes: Theory

Magnetic holes in the interplanetary medium are explained as stationary, non-propagating, equilibrium structures in which there are field-aligned enhancements of the plasma density and/or temperature. Magnetic anti-holes are considered to be associated with depressions in the plasma pressure. In this model, the observed changes in the magnetic field intensity and direction are due to diamagnetic currents that are carried by ions which drift in a sheath as the result of gradients in the magnetic field and in the plasma pressure within the sheath. The thickness of the sheaths considered is approximately a few ion Larmor radii. An electric field is normal to the magnetic field in the sheath. Solutions of Vlasov's equation and Maxwell's equations are presented which account for several types of magnetic holes, including null-sheets, that were observed.

Burlaga, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A model for microwave intensity propagation in an inhomogeneous medium

A combined analytic and phenomenological approach, utilizing Maxwell's equations in the Born approximation with radiative transfer theory, is used to describe the propagation of microwave intensity in a scattering medium characterized by three-dimensional random fluctuations in refractive index, as well as nonrandom variations in permittivity, temperature, and loss. This approach yields microwave intensities as a function of polarization, direction, and position. Numerical techniques are presented to solve the transport equations, which include cases of spatially varying coefficients, and highly peaked phase functions. Some computed results illustrating the behavior of microwave intensity in various media are presented. Included are the angular and frequency spectra of thermal emission from semi-infinite media, and the diffuse transmission and reflection response of a scattering layer. The effects of scatterer geometry and scale sizes; correlation function; and gradients in temperature, loss, and scattering parameters are also demonstrated. This model should be particularly useful in interpreting active and passive remote sensing data.

Fisher, A. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Microscopic Lagrangian description of warm plasmas. I - Linear wave propagation. II - Nonlinear wave interactions

It is pointed out that the conventional iterative analysis of nonlinear plasma wave phenomena, which involves a direct use of Maxwell's equations and the equations describing the particle dynamics, leads to formidable theoretical and algebraic complexities, especially for warm plasmas. As an effective alternative, the Lagrangian method may be applied. It is shown how this method may be used in the microscopic description of small-signal wave propagation and in the study of nonlinear wave interactions. The linear theory is developed for an infinite, homogeneous, collisionless, warm magnetoplasma. A summary is presented of a perturbation expansion scheme described by Galloway and Kim (1971), and Lagrangians to third order in perturbation are considered. Attention is given to the averaged-Lagrangian density, the action-transfer and coupled-mode equations, and the general solution of the coupled-mode equations.

Kim, H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The coupling of Alfven and compressional waves

The article studies the hydromagnetic wave propagation characteristics in a mixture of cold and hot plasma in the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Electron and ion distribution functions with a temperature anisotropy and a density gradient are used to obtain the dispersion equation by solving the Vlasov equation and Maxwell equations. From the solutions of the dispersion equation we find that the Alfven waves can couple to unstable drift mirror waves under certain conditions. The polarization of the coupled waves is studied for varying parameters of temperature anisotropy and the cold to hot density ratio. From detailed comparison of the theoretical results with the low-frequency wave properties observed in the magnetosphere we propose that the storm-associated magnetic field oscillations with periods of 100-600 s might be caused by the coupling of Alfven waves and the unstable drift mirror waves.

Lin, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Investigations of lubricant rheology as applied to elastohydrodynamic lubrication

Measurements of lubricant shear rheological behavior in the amorphous solid region and near the liquid-solid transition are reported. Elastic, plastic and viscous behavior was observed. A shear rheological model based on primary laboratory data is proposed for concentrated contact lubrication. The model is a Maxwell model modified with a limiting shear stress. Three material properties are required: low shear stress viscosity, limiting elastic shear modulus, and the limiting shear stress the material can withstand. All three are functions of temperature and pressure. In applying the model to EHD contacts the predicted response possesses the characteristics expected from several experiments reported in the literature.

Bair, S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Surface temperatures and glassy state investigations in tribology, part 2

Measurements of lubricant shear rheological behavior in the amorphous solid region and near the liquid solid transition are reported. Elastic, plastic and viscous behavior was observed. The maximum yield shear stress (limiting shear stress) is a function of temperature and pressure and is believed to be the property which determines the maximum traction in elastohydrodynamic contacts such as traction drives. A shear rheological model based on primary laboratory data is proposed for concentrated contact lubrication. The model is Maxwell model modified with a limiting shear stress. Three material properties are required: low shear stress viscosity, limiting elastic shear modulus, and the limiting shear stress the material can withstand. All three are functions of temperature and pressure.

Bair, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Impact cratering calculations. Part 1: Early time results

Early time two dimensional finite difference calculations of laboratory scale hypervelocity impact of 0.3 g spherical 2024 aluminum projectiles into homogeneous plasticene clay targets were performed. Analysis of resulting material motions showed that energy and momentum were coupled quickly from the aluminum projectile to the target material. In the process of coupling, some of the plasticene clay target was vaporized while the projectile become severely deformed. The velocity flow field developed within the target was shown to have features similar to those found in calculations of near surface explosion cratering. Specific application of Maxwell's analytic Z-Model showed that this model can be used to describe the early time flow fields resulting from the impact cratering calculations as well, provided the flow field centers are located beneath the target surface and most of the projectile momentum is dissipated before the model is applied.

Thomsen, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Interplanetary magnetic holes - Theory

Magnetic holes in the interplanetary medium are explained as stationary nonpropagating equilibrium structures in which there are field-aligned enhancements of the plasma density and/or temperature. Magnetic antiholes are considered to be associated with depressions in the plasma pressure. In this model the observed changes in the magnetic field intensity and direction are due to diamagnetic currents that are carried by ions which drift in a sheath as the result of gradients in the magnetic field and in the plasma pressure within the sheath. The thickness of the sheaths that we consider is approximately a few ion Larmor radii. An electric field is normal to the magnetic field in the sheath. Solutions of Vlasov's equation and Maxwell's equations are presented which account for several types of magnetic holes, including 'null sheets,' that have been observed.

Burlaga, L. F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Monte Carlo solution of Boltzmann equation for a simple model of highly nonequilibrium diatomic gases - Translational rotational energy relaxation

Theoretical results pertaining to internally excited translational-rotational energy relaxation in a spatially uniform diatomic gas far removed from solid boundaries are obtained by solving the Boltzmann equation by means of the Monte Carlo direct simulation method. The analysis is based on calculations involving three different types of initial conditions: equilibrium, nonequilibrium-equipartition (i.e., equipartition is satisfied, but the distributions are perturbed), and nonequilibrium-nonequipartition (i.e., both equipartition and the distributions are perturbed). Results of monatomic-gas simulations are also included to facilitate comparisons with the coupled translational-rotational relaxation simulations, and some simulations for a normal shock-wave structure are briefly examined. The results show that: (1) single-step transitions are the significant mechanisms of intermodal energy transfer; (2) translational-rotational transitions are coupled most efficiently for low-lying states of rotationally excited molecules and least efficiently for highly rotationally excited molecules; and (3) relaxation occurs via a successive set of distributions that are not Maxwell-Boltzmann (nonlocal Maxwellian).

Yoshikawa, K. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

ISEE observations of flux transfer events at the dayside magnetopause

Magnetic field measurements from the ISEE 1 and 2 spacecraft are examined in the vicinity of the magnetopause near local noon on a typical pass when the magnetosheath field is southward. The data clearly show evidence for patchy impulsive reconnection. The flux transfer rate for these events is at least of the order of 1-2 times 10 to the 12th Maxwells per second, and possibly greater. This rate is similar to rates deduced for magnetopause erosion events. Not only are these observations relevant to the substorm process, but the impulsive nature of the flux transfer events leads to boundary oscillations that could also be the source of long period magnetic pulsations in the outer magnetosphere.

Russell, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A rheological model for elastohydrodynamic contacts based on primary laboratory data

A shear rheological model based on primary laboratory data is proposed for concentrated contact lubrication. The model is a Maxwell model modified with a limiting shear stress. Three material properties are required: Low shear stress viscosity, limiting elastic shear modulus, and the limiting shear stress the material can withstand. All three are functions of temperature and pressure. In applying the model to EHD contacts the predicted response possesses the characteristics expected from several experiments reported in the literature and, in one specific case where direct comparison could be made, good numerical agreement is shown.

Bair, S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Ion extraction from a plasma

An experimental investigation of the physical processes governing ion extraction from a plasma is presented. The screen hole plasma sheath of a multiaperture ion accelerator system is defined by equipotential plots for a variety of accelerator system geometries and operating conditions. A sheath thickness of at least fifteen Debye lengths is shown to be typical. The electron density variation within the sheath satisfies a Maxwell Boltzmann density distribution at an effective electron temperature dependent on the discharge plasma primary to Maxwellian electron density ratio. Plasma ion flow up to and through the sheath is predominately one dimensional and the ions enter the sheath with a modified Bohm velocity. Low values of the screen grid thickness to screen hole diameter ratio give good ion focusing and high extracted ion currents because of the effect of screen webbing on ion focusing.

Aston, G.↗