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At least 793 records · Page 44
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NASA NTRS1986

Electromagnetic dissociation effects in galactic heavy-ion fragmentation

Methods for calculating cross sections for the breakup of galactic heavy ions by the Coulomb fields of the interacting nuclei are presented. By using the Weizsacker-Williams method of virtual quanta, estimates of electromagnetic dissociation cross sections for a variety of reactions applicable to galactic cosmic ray shielding studies are presented and compared with other predictions and with available experimental data.

Norbury, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Automation of electromagnetic compatability (EMC) test facilities

Efforts to automate electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center are discussed. The present facility is used to accomplish a battery of nine standard tests (with limited variations) deigned to certify EMC of Shuttle payload equipment. Prior to this project, some EMC tests were partially automated, but others were performed manually. Software was developed to integrate all testing by means of a desk-top computer-controller. Near real-time data reduction and onboard graphics capabilities permit immediate assessment of test results. Provisions for disk storage of test data permit computer production of the test engineer's certification report. Software flexibility permits variation in the tests procedure, the ability to examine more closely those frequency bands which indicate compatibility problems, and the capability to incorporate additional test procedures.

Harrison, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Asymptotic high frequency analysis of the electromagnetic backscattering from an inlet model consisting of piecewise linearly tapered sections

Electromagnetic backscattering from an open ended three dimensional inlet model is analyzed and computed patterns are compared with results of experimental measurements. The model is comprised of two sections. The first section consists of a linearly tapered waveguide with a rectangular opening at one end and the other end is connected to the second section which is a uniform rectangular waveguide with a planar perfectly conducting termination. The model is electrically large so that many propagating modes are excited. The method of analysis contains conventional aperture integration and modal techniques combined with high frequency techniques, which employ concepts such as modal rays, geometrical theory of diffraction and equivalent currents. For the cases considered, it is shown that only a few of the many propagating modes contribute appreciably to the backscattered field. These modes are selected according to their modal ray angle directions.

Altintas, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

On the convergence of an iterative formulation of the electromagnetic scattering from an infinite grating of thin wires

Contraction theory is applied to an iterative formulation of electromagnetic scattering from periodic structures and a computational method for insuring convergence is developed. A short history of spectral (or k-space) formulation is presented with an emphasis on application to periodic surfaces. The mathematical background for formulating an iterative equation is covered using straightforward single variable examples including an extension to vector spaces. To insure a convergent solution of the iterative equation, a process called the contraction corrector method is developed. Convergence properties of previously presented iterative solutions to one-dimensional problems are examined utilizing contraction theory and the general conditions for achieving a convergent solution are explored. The contraction corrector method is then applied to several scattering problems including an infinite grating of thin wires with the solution data compared to previous works.

Brand, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A high frequency analysis of electromagnetic plane wave scattering by perfectly-conducting semi-infinite parallel plate and rectangular waveguides with absorber coated inner walls

An approximate but sufficiently accurate high frequency solution which combines the uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) and the aperture integration (AI) method is developed for analyzing the problem of electromagnetic (EM) plane wave scattering by an open-ended, perfectly-conducting, semi-infinite hollow rectangular waveguide (or duct) with a thin, uniform layer of lossy or absorbing material on its inner wall, and with a planar termination inside. In addition, a high frequency solution for the EM scattering by a two dimensional (2-D), semi-infinite parallel plate waveguide with a absorber coating on the inner walls is also developed as a first step before analyzing the open-ended semi-infinite three dimensional (3-D) rectangular waveguide geometry. The total field scattered by the semi-infinite waveguide consists firstly of the fields scattered from the edges of the aperture at the open-end, and secondly of the fields which are coupled into the waveguide from the open-end and then reflected back from the interior termination to radiate out of the open-end. The first contribution to the scattered field can be found directly via the UTD ray method. The second contribution is found via the AI method which employs rays to describe the fields in the aperture that arrive there after reflecting from the interior termination. It is assumed that the direction of the incident plane wave and the direction of observation lie well inside the forward half space tht exists outside the half space containing the semi-infinite waveguide geometry. Also, the medium exterior to the waveguide is assumed to be free space.

Noh, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic hot ion beam instabilities - Quasi-linear theory and simulation

This paper considers the quasi-linear theory of the right- and left-hand resonant electromagnetic instabilities driven by a hot ion beam streaming parallel to a magnetic field in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma. Using the single-mode approximation, the time evolutions of important parameters are obtained to show that for the range of parameters considered, reduction of the beam speed and formation of temperature anisotropies are the most significant factors in the quasi-linear stabilization process. Combining both instabilities in a quasi-linear study is found to produce a roughly equal mixture of both polarizations and relatively isotropic conditions for tenuous beam densities and low initial beam drift speeds. Computer simulations are used to compare with the quasi-linear results. The simulations justify the single-mode assumption, verify that quasi-linear changes are the means of saturation for the parameter range of concern, and check the nonlinear evolution of the system when both modes are present.

Rogers, B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic electron beam instabilities - Hot, isotropic beams

This paper considers the linear theory of electromagnetic instabilities driven by an electron beam in a homogeneous, nonrelativistic, Vlasov plasma. The beam is relatively hot, isotropic in its own frame, and streams parallel or antiparallel to a magnetic field B. Numerical solutions of the full dispersion equation for propagation parallel or antiparallel to B are presented, and the linear properties of the whistler heat flux and electron beam firehose instabilities are exhibited and compared. Under a broad range of parmameters the former mode has the lower beam speed threshold, and the larger maximum growth rate. In addition, it is demonstrated that, for a sufficiently large relative beam density, relative beam temperature, and plasma beta the whistler heat flux instability has a much lower beam speed threshold than the electrostatic electron beam instability. The application of these instabilities to first-order Fermi acceleration of electrons at space plasma shocks is discussed.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Nonresonant interaction of heavy ions with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves

The motion of a heavy ion in the presence of an intense ultralow-frequency electromagnetic wave propagating along the dc magnetic field is analyzed. Starting from the basic equations of motion and from their associated two invariants, the heavy ion velocity-space trajectories are drawn. It is shown that after a certain time, particles whose initial phase angles are randomly distributed tend to bunch together, provided that the wave intensity b-sub-1 is sufficiently large. The importance of these results for the interpretation of the recently observed acceleration of singly charged He ions in conjunction with the occurrence of large-amplitude ion cyclotron waves in the equatorial magnetosphere is discussed.

Berchem, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic ion beam instabilities. II

The results of Gary et al. (1984) on the properties of the right-hand resonant and nonresonant electromagnetic ion beam instabilities for relatively cool beam temperatures are extended. In particular, the parametric dependence of the real frequency at maximum growth of these modes is examined. It is demonstrated that the right-hand resonant ion beam instability can have maximum growth at frequencies near the ion-cyclotron frequency if the beam main component relative drift speed is about twice the Alfven speed and at least one of two conditions holds: that the ion beta or the beam main component relative temperature are sufficiently small, or the perpendicular-to-parallel beam temperature ratio is sufficiently large. These results support the identification of the right-hand resonant instability as the source of the large amplitude magnetic fluctuations observed upstream of slow shocks in the earth's magnetotail.

Gary, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The application of contraction theory to an iterative formulation of electromagnetic scattering

Contraction theory is applied to an iterative formulation of electromagnetic scattering from periodic structures and a computational method for insuring convergence is developed. A short history of spectral (or k-space) formulation is presented with an emphasis on application to periodic surfaces. To insure a convergent solution of the iterative equation, a process called the contraction corrector method is developed. Convergence properties of previously presented iterative solutions to one-dimensional problems are examined utilizing contraction theory and the general conditions for achieving a convergent solution are explored. The contraction corrector method is then applied to several scattering problems including an infinite grating of thin wires with the solution data compared to previous works.

Brand, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electromagnetic wave scattering in a two-layer anisotropic random medium

For electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering in an anisotropic random medium, the Dyson equation for the mean field and the Bethe-Salpeter equation for the correlation or the covariance of the field were derived. With the random permittivity expressed in a general anisotropic form, the bilocal and the nonlinear approximations are employed to solve the Dyson equation, and the ladder approximation to solve the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The mean dyadic Green's function for a two-layer anisotropic random medium with arbitrary three-dimensional correlation functions has been investigated with the zeroth-order solutions to the Dyson equation under the nonlinear approximation. The effective propagation constants are calculated for the four characteristic waves associated with the coherent vector fields, propagating in an anisotropic random-medium layer, which are the ordinary and extraordinary waves with upward- and downward-propagating vectors.

Lee, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Low-frequency electromagnetic waves driven by gyrotropic gyrating ion beams

The origin of left- and right-hand-polarized low-frequency waves in space plasmas is analyzed. It has been shown that a gyrotropic gyrating ion beam, a ring in velocity space, can excite electromagnetic modes in the plasma near the beam gyrofrequency. It excites left-hand-polarized shear Alfven waves and their harmonics via the coupling of Alfven modes with the beam modes. It can also excite right-hand-polarized fast-mode magnetosonic waves and their harmonics as well. The excitation is possible for beam ions heavier than the plasma ions. The growth rate varies as one-third power of the beam density and decreases with the angle of wave propagation with respect to the ambient magnetic field. The nonlocality has a stabilizing effect on the instability. The predicted values of the wave frequencies compare reasonably well with those observed in satellite data.

Sharma, O. P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Characterization of shallow ocean sediments using the airborne electromagnetic method

Experimental airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey data collected in Cape Cod Bay are used to derive continuous profiles of water depth, electrical depth, water conductivity, and bottom sediment conductivity. Through a few well-known empirical relationships, the conductivities are used, in turn, to derive density, porosity, sound speed, and acoustic reflectivity of the ocean bottom. A commercially available Dighem III AEM system was used for the survey without any significant modification. The helicopter-borne system operated at 385 and 7200 Hz; both were in a horizontal coplanar configuration. The interpreted profiles show good agreement with available ground truth data. Where no such data are available, the results appear to be very reasonable. Compared with the shipborne electrode array method, the AEM method can determine the necessary parameters at a much higher speed with a better lateral resolution over a wide range of water depths from 0 to perhaps 100 m. The bottom sediment conductivity that can be measured by the AEM method is closely related to physical properties of sediments, such as porosity, density, sound speed, and, indirectly, sediment types that might carry broad implications for various offshore activities.

Won, I. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The development of the 15-Meter Hoop Column deployable antenna system with structural and electromagnetic performance results

This paper presents the technical results obtained during the development and engineering tests of a 15-Meter Hoop Column deployable antenna system. An important element of the 15-meter antenna program was the structural tests and the characterization of the surface accuracy of the deployed mesh surface. The overall system performance of the 15-meter antenna was obtained during radio frequency tests conducted in the Martin Marietta Near Field Test Laboratory in Denver, CO. The near field tests verified the electromagnetic performance of the structure which exhibited a surface accuracy of 0.061 in (RMS). Radio frequency tests were conducted at 2.3, 4.3, 7.7, and 11.6 GHz. The experiment and analytical results obtained through the 15-meter antenna program will provide new opportunities for the application of large space antennas for future missions.

Campbell, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electromagnetic angular momentum transport in Saturn's rings

It is shown here that submicrometer dust particles sporadically elevated above Saturn's ring are subject to electromagnetic forces which will reduce their angular momentum inside synchronous orbit and increase it outside. When the dust is reabsorbed by the ring the angular momentum of the ring is decreased (increased) inside (outside) of synchronous orbit. For the case of the spokes in Saturn's B-ring it is estimated that the timescale for transporting ring material due to this angular momentum coupling effect is comparable to the viscous transport time or even smaller. It is suggested that the minimum in the optical depth of the B-ring at synchronous orbit is due to this effect.

Goertz, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electromagnetic scattering theory

Electromagnetic scattering theory is discussed with emphasis on the general stochastic variational principle (SVP) and its applications. The stochastic version of the Schwinger-type variational principle is presented, and explicit expressions for its integrals are considered. Results are summarized for scalar wave scattering from a classic rough-surface model and for vector wave scattering from a random dielectric-body model. Also considered are the selection of trial functions and the variational improvement of the Kirchhoff short-wave approximation appropriate to large size-parameters. Other applications of vector field theory discussed include a general vision theory and the analysis of hydromagnetism induced by ocean motion across the geomagnetic field. Levitational force-torque in the magnetic suspension of the disturbance compensation system (DISCOS), now deployed in NOVA satellites, is also analyzed using the developed theory.

Bird, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Low frequency acoustic and electromagnetic scattering

This paper deals with two classes of problems arising from acoustics and electromagnetics scattering in the low frequency stations. The first class of problem is solving Helmholtz equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions on an arbitrary two dimensional body while the second one is an interior-exterior interface problem with Helmholtz equation in the exterior. Low frequency analysis show that there are two intermediate problems which solve the above problems accurate to 0(k/2/ log k) where k is the frequency. These solutions greatly differ from the zero frequency approximations. For the Dirichlet problem numerical examples are shown to verify the theoretical estimates.

Hariharan, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electromagnetic braking for Mars spacecraft

Aerobraking concepts are being studied to improve performance and cost effectiveness of propulsion systems for Mars landers and Mars interplanetary spacecraft. Access to megawatt power levels (nuclear power coupled to high-storage inductive or capacitive devices) on a manned Mars interplanetary spacecraft may make feasible electromagnetic braking and lift modulation techniques which were previously impractical. Using pulsed microwave and magnetic field technology, potential plasmadynamic braking and hydromagnetic lift modulation techniques have been identified. Entry corridor modulation to reduce loads and heating, to reduce vertical descent rates, and to expand horizontal and lateral landing ranges are possible benefits. In-depth studies are needed to identify specific design concepts for feasibility assessments. Standing wave/plasma sheath interaction techniques appear to be promising. The techniques may require some tailoring of spacecraft external structures and materials. In addition, rapid response guidance and control systems may require the use of structurally embedded sensors coupled to expert systems or to artificial intelligence systems.

Holt, A. C.↗