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At least 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

The quasi-linear relaxation of thick-target electron beams in solar flares

The effects of quasi-linear interactions on thick-target electron beams in the solar corona are investigated. Coulomb collisions produce regions of positive gradient in electron distributions which are initially monotonic decreasing functions of energy. In the resulting two-stream instability, energy and momentum are transferred from electrons to Langmuir waves and the region of positive slope in the electron distribution is replaced by a plateau. In the corona, the timescale for this quasi-linear relaxation is very short compared to the collision time. It is therefore possible to model the effects of quasi-linear relaxation by replacing any region of positive slop in the distribution by a plateau at each time step, in such a way as to conserve particle number. The X-ray bremsstrahlung and collisional heating rate produced by a relaxed beam are evaluated. Although the analysis is strictly steady state, it is relevant to the theoretical interpretation of hard X-ray bursts with durations of the order of a few seconds (i.e., the majority of such bursts).

Mcclements, K. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Construction of a multilayered X-ray telescope for solar coronal studies from space

The construction and testing of soft x-ray Ritchey-Chretien aplanatic telescope which is to be flown on a NASA sounding rocket in 1986 for very high resolution studies of the solar corona are discussed. Goals include figuring, polishing and measuring the mirror surfaces to tolerances exceding the 5000 A wavelength diffraction limit while achieving a superpolished surface finish, and the development of a structural design to withstand the rigors of the launch. Multilayer coatings are used to achieve usable reflectivity in the soft X-ray regime, and the design goal is for spatial resolution of 1/4 sec. Future applications are discussed.

Golub, L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The over-the-limb hard X-ray events

Over-the-limb hard X-ray events offer a uniquely direct view of the hard X-ray emission from the solar corona during a major flare. Limb occultation at angles greater than about 10 deg (an arbitrary definition of this class of events) excludes any confusion with brighter chromospheric sources. Published observations of seven over-the-limb events, beginning with the prototype flare of March 30, 1969, are reviewed. The hard X-ray spectra appear to fall into two classes: hard events, with power-law index of about 2.0; and soft events, with power-law index about 5.4. This tendency towards bimodality is only significant at the 90-percent confidence level due to the smallness of the number of events observed to date. If borne out by future data, the bimodality would suggest the existence of two different acceleration mechanisms.

Hudson, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Was the eclipse comet of 1893 a disconnected coronal transient?

The comet-like feature obsereved in the solar corona by the Lick Observatory eclipse expedition to Chile in 1893 bears an interesting resemblance to the disconnection coronal transient reported by Illing and Hundhausen. Reports of possibly-related limb activity are reviewed to see whether a pre-discovery observation of a relatively rare type of coronal mass ejection was mis-interpreted. The goal of this study is to learn more about the morphology of mass ejections by examining observations that extend down to the low corona of a disconnection event.

Cliver, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The measured performance of a grazing incidence relay optics telescope for solar X-ray astronomy

The design, fabrication, and test performance of a grazing-incidence diverging magnifier (GIDM) for use in high-resolution X-ray imaging of the solar corona are described. The GIDM, designed to be mounted in front of the focus of a 30.48-cm Wolter-Schwarzschild primary, is an Ni-coated Be hyperboloid-hyperboloid structure of principal diameter 3.15 cm; the two components are mounted on a central steel plate which acts as a support and spacer. The combined instrument has overall length 1.9 m, effective focal length 5.4 m, and plate scale 26.0 micron/arcsec. In point- and line-source measurements in an 89.5-m vacuum test facility, the on-axis resolution is shown to be equal to that of the primary alone. The field of view for 1-arcsec resolution is limited to 1.25 arcmin in radius, but the effective-area limitation is less significant when CCD detectors of high quantum efficiency are used instead of film.

Moses, Dan↗
NASA NTRS1987

The scattering of Alfven waves by density fluctuations

The propagation of an Alfven wave packet through a medium containing time-dependent random density fluctuations is considered. The Alfven wave interaction with these density irregularities causes the transfer of wave power to both shear (Alfvenic) and compressive (magnetosonic) disturbances. The latter are dissipated and heat the plasma. The Alfven wave decay rate is computed in the limit of short-wavelength density fluctuations, the results are applied to the solar corona and interstellar medium.

Li, He-Sheng↗
NASA NTRS1988

Simplified solution of diffraction from a Lyot system

This paper presents a derivation of a simplified analytical solution of diffraction from a Lyot (1939) system designed for observation of the solar corona outside of eclipses. Applying the theorem of Papoulis (1986) to simplify the calculations, a simplified solution is derived which is found to be in reasonable agreement with the exact solution. The simplified solution suffices for the preliminary evaluation of the amount of diffraction reduction needed to meet certain system requirements and also serves as a guideline for further apodization.

Wang, Yaujen↗
NASA NTRS1988

Turbulent reconnection

The reconnection rate in the presence of tearing mode turbulence is calculated. Tearing modes can produce turbulence in three-dimensional sheared magnetic fields. They produce a turbulent anomalous electron viscosity or hyperresistivity. Using quasi-linear and direct interaction approximations, the scaling of the hyperresistivity with magnetic perturbation strength and other parameters is estimated. This yields a reconnection rate, or inflow Mach number M, scaling as delta B, the ratio of rms magnetic fluctuations to mean magnetic field. This can greatly exceed the Sweet-Parker rate. The rate of heating of the current sheet is also large and can be many orders of magnitude larger than in a Sweet-Parker current sheet. Hyperresistivity produced by tearing mode turbulence may explain both fast reconnection and the heating of the solar corona.

Strauss, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Dynamical evolution of a solar coronal magnetic field arcade

Calculations of the long-term dynamical evolution of a solar coronal magnetic field arcade which is subjected to shearing photospheric flows are presented. The evolution is obtained by numerical solution of a subset of the resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations. For a simplified model of the bipolar magnetic field observed in the solar corona, it is found that photospheric flow produces a slow evolution of the magnetic field, with a buildup of magnetic energy. For certain photospheric shear profiles, the field configuration produced is linearly unstable to an ideal magnetohydrodynamic mode when the shear exceeds a critical value. The nonlinear evolution of this instability shows the spontaneous formation of current sheets. Reconnection of the magnetic field produces a rapid release of magnetic energy. The major fraction of the energy is dissipated resistively, while a small fraction is converted into kinetic energy of an ejected plasmoid. The relevance of these results to two-ribbon flares is discussed.

Mikic, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Helical magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and the coronal heating problem

Numerical simulations are used to investigate the relaxation of an unconfined, helically turbulent, fully three-dimensional magnetofluid, with conditions similar to those which are thought to result in the heating of the solar corona. In these simulations, the system evolves through a succession of force free states. After a relatively quiescent period of Ohmic decay, a phase of accelerated magnetic energy dissipation occurs. Some magnetic energy is transformed into kinetic energy, and the magnitude of entrophy created is a nontrival fraction of the mean square electric current. Concentrated vorticity structures are seen to play almost as important a role as electric current sheets in the heating process. Coincident with this accelerated dissipation process, a reorganization of the magnetic fields occurs, with transfer of magnetic energy to both shorter and longer wavelength modes than are initially present. The ratio of the magnetic field to the electric current density, alpha does not in general tend to assume a constant value in the force free regions during the evolution of the magnetofluid.

Dahlburg, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Cluster and SOHO - A joint endeavor by ESA and NASA to address problems in solar, heliospheric, and space plasma physics

The NASA/ESA Solar-Terrestrial Science Program, which consists of the four-spacecraft cluster mission and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), is examined. It is expected that the SOHO spacecraft will be launched in 1995 to study solar interior structure and the physical processes associated with the solar corona. The SOHO design, operation, data, and ground segment are discussed. The Cluster mission is designed to study small-scale structures in the earth's plasma environment. The Soviet Union is expected to contribute two additional spacecraft, which will be similar to Cluster in instrumentation and design. The capabilities, mission strategy, spacecraft design, payload, and ground segment of Cluster are discussed.

Schmidt, Rudolf↗
NASA NTRS1988

Optical scattering and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds, and climatic implications

The optical and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds are derived from ground-based polarization lidar, shortwave radiation flux, and solar corona measurements of two approximately 0.75 km deep cirrus located near the tropopause. The first cloud produced no visual manifestations under excellent viewing conditions, and the second appeared to be a persistent aircraft contrail that was generally visible except in the zenith direction. Average lidar linear depolarization ratios and volume backscatter coefficients for the two clouds were 0.19 and 0.35, and 0.6x10 to the -3 and 1.4x10 to the -3 /km sr, respectively. It is estimated that the zenith-subvisual cirrus contained ice crystals of 25 micron effective diameter at a mean concentration of 25/l and ice mass content of 0.2 mg/cu m. The threshold cloud optical thickness for visual-versus-invisible cirrus, derived from both broadband shortwave flux and 0.694 micrometer lidar data, is found to be tau sub c approx equal 0.03. Such tau values are comparable to those of 5 to 10 km deep stratospheric aerosol clouds of volcanic origin and polar stratospheric clouds, which are episodic in nature. Hence, we conclude that if these clouds are a fairly common feature of the upper troposphere, as recent SAGE satellite measurements would suggest, then the impact of natural and contrail subvisual cirrus on the planet's radiation balance may be relatively significant.

Sassen, Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS1988

Scientific tradeoffs in pinhole/occulter facility accommodation

The Pinhole/Occulter Facility (P/OF) consists of state-of-the-art instruments for the study of particle acceleration in the solar corona, and uses a large structure to obtain very high angular resolution. P/OF has been studied in the past as an attached payload for the Space Shuttle, and has been the subject of study by a NASA Science Working Group (P/OFSWG). Appendix A lists various technical studies and reports carried out under the auspices of P/OFSWG and the Program Development Office of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Under the rationalization of NASA flight opportunities following the Challenger disaster, and the beginning of the Space Station Freedom program, the sortie-mode deployment of P/OF seemed less efficient and desirable. Thus, NASA decided to reconsider P/OF for deployment on the Space Station Freedom. The technical studies for this deployment continue at the present and will evolve as our knowledge of Space Station architecture and capabilities increase. MSFC contracted with Teledyne Brown Engineering for these technical studies.

Hudson, Hugh S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Dissipation of Alfven waves in solar coronal arches

The physical mechanism by which mechanical energy is delivered to and absorbed by the solar corona is discussed. A set of MHD equations for analyzing the slow evolution of the magnetic field and the fast time of Alfven waves is presented. Alfven wave dissipation is treated. It is shown that the slow motion of the feet of coronal arches leads to irregular magnetic fields and that Alfven waves propagating in the irregular magnetic structure are dissipated through filamentation of the wave packet that generates short scales necessary for efficient dissipation.

Sudan, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Thermal instability of a radiative and resistive coronal plasma

Thermal instability is believed to determine the evolution and formation of cool structures in the solar atmosphere such as the transition region and prominences (or filaments). The linear modes that arise in a sheared, force-free, magnetic field due to thermal instability are studied numerically. Previous studies have considered separately modes that arise due to the effects of radiation, compression, anisotropic thermal conduction, and ohmic heating. Here the results of such studies are integrated, first by presenting simple arguments that illustrate the essential physics of ideal, sheared-field, condensation modes, and second by showing numerically how finite resistivity affects the condensational instability in parameter regimes applicable to the solar corona.

Sparks, L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Implications of Liouville's theorem on the apparent brightness temperatures of solar radio bursts

Liouville's radiation theorem is discussed with respect to its consequences for the propagation of radio waves from the actual to the apparent sources in the solar corona. It is shown that the observed solid angle and apparent area of the source are compatible with the theorem only if the apparent source corresponds to the envelope of subsources with a small filling factor (f). The brightness temperature of the actual source is found to be greater than that of the apparent source by 1/f.

Melrose, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Optical scattering and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds, and climatic implications

The optical and microphysical properties of subvisual cirrus clouds are derived from ground-based polarization lidar, shortwave radiation flux, and solar corona measurements of two approximately 0.75 km deep cirrus located near the tropopause. The first cloud produced no visual manifestations under excellent viewing conditions, and the second appeared to be a persistent aircraft contrail that was generally visible except in the zenith direction. Average lidar linear depolarization ratios and volume backscatter coefficients for the two clouds were 0.19 and 0.35, and 0.6 x 10 to the -3 and 1.4 x 10 to the -3 /km sr, respectively. It is estimated that the zenith-subvisual cirrus contained ice crystals of 25-micron effective diameter at a mean concentration of 25/1 and ice mass content of 0.2 mg/cu m. The threshold cloud optical thickness for visual-versus-invisible cirrus, derived from both broadband shortwave flux and 0.694 micrometer lidar data, is found to be tau sub c approx equal 0.03. Such tau values are comparable to those of 5 to 10 km deep stratospheric aerosol clouds of volcanic origin and polar stratospheric clouds, which are episodic in nature. Hence, we conclude that if these clouds are a fairly common feature of the upper troposphere, as recent SAGE satellite measurements would suggest, then the impact of natural and contrail subvisual cirrus on the planet's radiation balance may be relatively significant.

Sassen, Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS1989

The abundance of N-14 at the cosmic-ray source - A study using new fragmentation cross sections

The abundance of N-14 at the Galactic cosmic ray source was examined using new fragmentation cross sections measured by the University of New Hampshire group for 12 different source nuclei (ranging from C-12 to Ni-58) which cover about 70 percent of all cosmic-ray nuclei arriving at earth. A new cross-section program was used to estimate unmeasured cross sections. These cross sections were then incorporated into a Galactic propagation program to calculate the interstellar production of B and N. Results indicate that atomic selection effects alone cannot explain adequately the observed depletion of N-14 relative to O-16 in the cosmic-ray source with respect to the solar corona, indicating that some part of this depletion must have a nuclear/nucleosynthetic origin.

Gupta, M.↗