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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.

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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Quasilinear Analysis in the Source Region of Jovian Hectometric Emission Associated With Upward Electron Beams

Abstract Intense upward electron beams were measured by the Juno JADE instrument in the northern hemisphere, low‐latitude auroral zone source region. In this study we report on how these electron beams interact with plasma near and within the Jovian hectometric (HOM) emission (1 MHz 5 MHz) source region. Within the source region large upward loss cones are observed in the northern polar region at radial distances of 2Rj, magnetic latitude of . Intense, narrow electron beams ( 3 keV) are then observed, but within one second wave‐particle scattering is observed, filling the loss cone to energies 50 keV. These energies persist for several seconds before fading, leaving an empty loss cone again. The loss cone provides a free‐energy source for HOM emission resulting from the cyclotron maser instability. We use quasilinear analysis to examine the generation of HOM and the dynamics of wave‐particle interaction of the electron beams with HOM, and the generation via Landau interaction of whistler mode emission. The dynamic spectrum of the HOM emission generated by the loss‐cone electrons as well as that of the low‐frequency whistler‐mode waves generated by the up‐going electron beam can be constructed by quasilinear theory, which compare well with observation. The saturated state of the energetic electron velocity distribution function constructed via quasilinear theory also compare reasonably with observation.

Yoon, P. H. [Institute for Physical Science and Te↗
DOE OSTI2015

Probing the gamma-ray emission from HESS J1834–087 using H.E.S.S. and Fermi LAT observations

Aims. Previous observations with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) have revealed an extended very-high-energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) γ-ray source, HESS J1834-087, coincident with the supernova remnant (SNR) W41. The origin of the γ-ray emission was investigated in more detail with the H.E.S.S. array and the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Methods. For this research, the γ-ray data provided by 61 h of observations with H.E.S.S., and four years with the Fermi LAT were analyzed, covering over five decades in energy from 1.8 GeV up to 30 TeV. The morphology and spectrum of the TeV and GeV sources were studied and multiwavelength data were used to investigate the origin of the γ-ray emission toward W41. Results. The TeV source can be modeled with a sum of two components: one point-like and one significantly extended (σ TeV = 0.17° ± 0.01°), both centered on SNR W41 and exhibiting spectra described by a power law with index Γ TeV ≃ 2.6. The GeV source detected with Fermi LAT is extended (σ GeV = 0.15° ± 0.03°) and morphologically matches the VHE emission. Its spectrum can be described by a power-law model with an index Γ GeV = 2.15 ± 0.12 and smoothly joins the spectrum of the whole TeV source. A break appears in the γ-ray spectra around 100 GeV. No pulsations were found in the GeV range. Conclusions. Two main scenarios are proposed to explain the observed emission: a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) or the interaction of SNR W41 with an associated molecular cloud. X-ray observations suggest the presence of a point-like source (a pulsar candidate) near the center of the remnant and nonthermal X-ray diffuse emission that could arise from the possibly associated PWN. The PWN scenario is supported by the compatible positions of the TeV and GeV sources with the putative pulsar. However, the spectral energy distribution from radio to γ-rays is reproduced by a one-zone leptonic model only if an excess of low-energy electrons is injected following a Maxwellian distribution by a pulsar with a high spin-down power (>1037 erg s-1). This additional low-energy component is not needed if we consider that the point-like TeV source is unrelated to the extended GeV and TeV sources. Finally, the interacting SNR scenario is supported by the spatial coincidence between the γ-ray sources, the detection of OH (1720 MHz) maser lines, and the hadronic modeling.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Amplification of ion acoustic wave in an inhomogeneous plasma through nonlinear wave-particle interaction with drift wave turbulence

A study on the amplification of ion acoustic wave in an inhomogeneous plasma has been made on the basis of a nonlinear wave-particle interaction process called plasma maser effect. The drift wave instability, which is a universal phenomenon of an inhomogeneous confined plasma system, is found to be strongly in phase relation with thermal particles and may transfer its wave energy nonlinearly through a modulated field to ion acoustic wave. Considering a Maxwellian distribution function model for inhomogeneous plasmas under the standard local approximation, we have estimated the growth rate for ion acoustic wave, which is obtained by using the nonlinear dispersion relation. It has been found that amplification of ion acoustic wave is possible at the expense of drift wave turbulent energy. This result may be particularly important for stability of various drift modes in magnetically confined plasma as well as for transport of momentum and energy in such inhomogeneous systems.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

The many faces of shear Alfven waves

One of the fundamental waves in magnetized plasmas is the shear Alfven wave. This wave is responsible for rearranging current systems and, in fact all low frequency currents in magnetized plasmas are shear waves. It has become apparent that Alfven waves are important in a wide variety of physical environments. Shear waves of various forms have been a topic of experimental research for more than fifteen years in the large plasma device (LAPD) at UCLA. The waves were first studied in both the kinetic and inertial regimes when excited by fluctuating currents with transverse dimension on the order of the collisionless skin depth. Theory and experiment on wave propagation in these regimes is presented, and the morphology of the wave is illustrated to be dependent on the generation mechanism. Three-dimensional currents associated with the waves have been mapped. The ion motion, which closes the current across the magnetic field, has been studied using laser induced fluorescence. The wave propagation in inhomogeneous magnetic fields and density gradients is presented as well as effects of collisions and reflections from boundaries. Reflections may result in Alfvenic field line resonances and in the right conditions maser action. The waves occur spontaneously on temperature and density gradients as hybrids with drift waves. These have been seen to affect cross-field heat and plasma transport. Although the waves are easily launched with antennas, they may also be generated by secondary processes, such as Cherenkov radiation. This is the case when intense shear Alfven waves in a background magnetoplasma are produced by an exploding laser-produced plasma. Time varying magnetic flux ropes can be considered to be low frequency shear waves. Studies of the interaction of multiple ropes and the link between magnetic field line reconnection and rope dynamics are revealed. This manuscript gives us an overview of the major results from these experiments and provides a modern prospective for the earlier studies of shear Alfven waves.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Abraham Szöke [Abraham Szoke - Physics Today Obituary]

Abraham Szöke, who did groundbreaking work in quantum optics, laser fusion, high-energy-density (HED) physics, and x-ray crystallography, died from complications of lymphoma on 26 January 2017. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on 1 December 1929, Szöke was an excellent student in mathematics and science who placed near the top of the famous Eötvös mathematics competition. He survived the Holocaust, and in 1949 he escaped from Communist Hungary and emigrated to Israel. He earned his doctorate in physics, with Saul Meiboom and William Low as his advisers, in 1962 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As part of his thesis, he made the first measurement demonstrating the effect of radiation damping on nuclear magnetic resonance and its relation to transient maser action; that effect had been predicted a few years earlier by Nicolaas Bloembergen and Robert Pound.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

TESTING THE GLOBAL STAR FORMATION RELATION: AN HCO{sup +} (3-2) MAPPING STUDY OF RED MSX SOURCES IN THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY

We present an analysis of the relation between the star formation rate (SFR) and mass of dense gas in Galactic clumps and nearby galaxies. Using the bolometric luminosity as a measure of SFR and the molecular line luminosity of HCO{sup +} (3-2) as a measure of dense gas mass, we find that the relation between SFR and M{sub dense} is approximately linear. This is similar to published results derived using HCN (1-0) as a dense gas tracer. HCO{sup +} (3-2) and HCN (1-0) have similar conditions for excitation. Our work includes 16 Galactic clumps that are in both the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey and the Red MSX Source Survey, 27 water maser sources from the literature, and the aforementioned HCN (1-0) data. Our results agree qualitatively with predictions of recent theoretical models which state that the nature of the relation should depend on how the critical density of the tracer compares with the mean density of the gas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Examining the infrared variable star population discovered in the Small Magellanic Cloud using the SAGE-SMC survey

We present our study on the infrared variability of point sources in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We use the data from the Spitzer Space Telescope Legacy Program “Surveying the Agents of Galaxy Evolution in the Tidally Stripped, Low Metallicity Small Magellanic Cloud” (SAGE-SMC) and the “Spitzer Survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud” (S{sup 3}MC) survey, over three different epochs, separated by several months to 3 years. Variability in the thermal infrared is identified using a combination of Spitzer’s InfraRed Array Camera 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 μm bands, and the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer 24 μm band. An error-weighted flux difference between each pair of three epochs (“variability index”) is used to assess the variability of each source. A visual source inspection is used to validate the photometry and image quality. Out of ∼2 million sources in the SAGE-SMC catalog, 814 meet our variability criteria. We matched the list of variable star candidates to the catalogs of SMC sources classified with other methods, available in the literature. Carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars make up the majority (61%) of our variable sources, with about a third of all of our sources being classified as extreme AGB stars. We find a small, but significant population of oxygen-rich (O-rich) AGB (8.6%), Red Supergiant (2.8%), and Red Giant Branch (<1%) stars. Other matches to the literature include Cepheid variable stars (8.6%), early type stars (2.8%), Young-stellar objects (5.8%), and background galaxies (1.2%). We found a candidate OH maser star, SSTISAGE1C J005212.88-730852.8, which is a variable O-rich AGB star, and would be the first OH/IR star in the SMC, if confirmed. We measured the infrared variability of a rare RV Tau variable (a post-AGB star) that has recently left the AGB phase. 59 variable stars from our list remain unclassified.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

A STRING OF RADIO EMISSION ASSOCIATED WITH IRAS 16562-3959: A COLLIMATED JET EMANATING FROM A LUMINOUS MASSIVE YOUNG STELLAR OBJECT

We report the discovery, made using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, of a remarkable string of radio emission toward IRAS 16562-3959, a luminous infrared source with a bolometric luminosity of 7.0 x 10{sup 4} L{sub sun}. The radio emission arises from a compact, bright central component, two inner lobes which are separated by about 7'' and symmetrically offset from the central source, and two outer lobes which are separated by about 45''. The emission from the central object has a spectral index between 1.4 and 8.6 GHz of 0.85 {+-} 0.15, consistent with free-free emission from a thermal jet. The radio emission from the lobes has spectral indices in the range characteristic of thermal emission. We suggest that the emission from the lobes arises in shocks resulting from the interaction of a collimated wind with the surrounding medium. The radio string is located within a massive dense molecular core, and is associated with extended green emission (Spitzer three-color), Herbig-Haro-type emission (2MASS K{sub s} band), and OH maser sites-all phenomena readily observed toward sites of massive star formation. We conclude that the massive core hosts a high-mass star in an early stage of evolution in which it is undergoing the ejection of a powerful collimated stellar wind, showing that jets found in the formation of low-mass stars are also produced in high-mass stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

VLBA DETERMINATION OF THE DISTANCE TO NEARBY STAR-FORMING REGIONS. VI. THE DISTANCE TO THE YOUNG STELLAR OBJECT HW 9 IN CEPHEUS A

Using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), we have observed the radio continuum emission from the young stellar object HW 9 in the Cepheus A star-forming region at 10 epochs between 2007 February and 2009 November. Due to its strong radio variability, the source was detected at only four of the ten epochs. From these observations, the trigonometric parallax of HW 9 was determined to be {pi} = 1.43 {+-} 0.07 mas, in excellent agreement with a recent independent determination by Moscadelli et al. of the trigonometric parallax of a methanol maser associated with the nearby young stellar source HW 2 ({pi} = 1.43 {+-} 0.08 mas). This concordance in results, obtained in one case from continuum and in the other from line observations, confirms the reliability of VLBA trigonometric parallax measurements. By combining the two results, we constrain the distance to Cepheus A to be 700{sup +31}-{sub 28} pc, an uncertainty of 3.5%.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

METHANOL AS A TRACER OF FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS

The methanol molecule CH{sub 3}OH has a complex microwave spectrum with a large number of very strong lines. This spectrum includes purely rotational transitions as well as transitions with contributions of the internal degree of freedom associated with the hindered rotation of the OH group. The latter takes place due to the tunneling of hydrogen through the potential barriers between three equivalent potential minima. Such transitions are highly sensitive to changes in the electron-to-proton mass ratio, {mu} = m{sub e}/m{sub p}, and have different responses to {mu}-variations. The highest sensitivity is found for the mixed rotation-tunneling transitions at low frequencies. Observing methanol lines provides more stringent limits on the hypothetical variation of {mu} than ammonia observation with the same velocity resolution. We show that the best-quality radio astronomical data on methanol maser lines constrain the variability of {mu} in the Milky Way at the level of |{Delta}{mu}/{mu}| < 28 x 10{sup -9} (1{sigma}) which is in line with the previously obtained ammonia result, |{Delta}{mu}/{mu}| < 29 x 10{sup -9} (1{sigma}). This estimate can be further improved if the rest frequencies of the CH{sub 3}OH microwave lines will be measured more accurately.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

PERIODIC RADIO EMISSION FROM THE M7 DWARF 2MASS J13142039+1320011: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MAGNETIC FIELD TOPOLOGY

We present multi-epoch radio and optical observations of the M7 dwarf 2MASS J13142039+1320011. We detect a {approx}1 mJy source at 1.43, 4.86, 8.46, and 22.5 GHz, making it the most luminous radio emission over the widest frequency range detected from an ultracool dwarf to date. A 10 hr Very Large Array observation reveals that the radio emission varies sinusoidally with a period of 3.89 {+-} 0.05 hr, and an amplitude of {approx}30% at 4.86 GHz and {approx}20% at 8.46 GHz. The periodicity is also seen in circular polarization, where at 4.86 GHz the polarization reverses helicity from left- to right-handed in phase with the total intensity. An archival detection in the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters survey indicates that the radio emission has been stable for at least a decade. We also detect periodic photometric variability in several optical filters with a period of 3.79 hr and measure a rotation velocity of vsin i = 45 {+-} 5 km s{sup -1}, in good agreement with the radio and optical periods. The subtle difference in radio and optical periods may be due to differential rotation, with {Delta}{Omega} {approx} 1 rad day{sup -1} between the equation and poles. The period and rotation velocity allow us to place a lower limit on the radius of the source of {approx}> 0.13R{sub sun}, about 30% larger than theoretical expectations. The properties of the radio emission can be explained with a simple model of a magnetic dipole misaligned relative to the stellar rotation axis, with the sinusoidal variations and helicity reversal due to the rotation of the magnetic poles relative to our line of sight. The long-term stability of the radio emission indicates that the magnetic field (and hence the dynamo) is stable on a much longer timescale than the convective turnover time of {approx}0.2 yr. If the radio emission is due to gyrosynchrotron emission the inferred magnetic field strength is {approx}0.1 kG, while the electron cyclotron maser process requires a field of at least 8 kG.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

THE SOLAR DECIMETRIC SPIKE BURST OF 2006 DECEMBER 6: POSSIBLE EVIDENCE FOR FIELD-ALIGNED POTENTIAL DROPS IN POST-ERUPTION LOOPS

A 1.4 GHz solar radio burst associated with a 3B/X6 eruptive flare on 2006 December 6 had the highest peak flux density ({approx}10{sup 6} sfu) of any event yet recorded at this frequency. The decimetric event characteristics during the brightest emission phase (numerous intense, short-lived, narrow-band bursts that overlapped to form a continuous spectrum) suggest electron cyclotron maser (ECM) emission. The peak 1.4 GHz emission did not occur during the flare impulsive phase but rather {approx}45 minutes later, in association with post-eruption loop activity seen in H{alpha} and by the Hinode EUV Imaging Spectrometer. During the Waves/LASCO era, three other delayed bursts with peak intensities >10{sup 5} sfu in the 1.0-1.6 GHz (L-band) frequency range have been reported that appear to have characteristics similar to the December 6 burst. In each of these three cases, high-frequency type IV bursts were reported in a range from {approx}150 to {approx}1500 MHz. Assuming a common ECM emission mechanism across this frequency range implies a broad span of source heights in the associated post-eruption loop systems. Difficulties with an ECM interpretation for these events include the generation of the lower frequency component of the type IVs and the long-standing problem of escape of the ECM emission from the loops. Magnetic-field-aligned potential drops, analogous to those observed for Earth's auroral kilometric radiation, could plausibly remove both of these objections to ECM emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO FORMATION SCENARIOS OF BURSTY RADIO EMISSION FROM ULTRACOOL DWARFS

Recently, a number of ultracool dwarfs have been found to produce periodic radio bursts with high brightness temperature and polarization degree; the emission properties are similar to the auroral radio emissions of the magnetized planets of the solar system. We simulate the dynamic spectra of radio emission from ultracool dwarfs. The emission is assumed to be generated due to the electron-cyclotron maser instability. We consider two source models: the emission caused by interaction with a satellite and the emission from a narrow sector of active longitudes; the stellar magnetic field is modeled by a tilted dipole. We have found that for the dwarf TVLM 513-46546, the model of the satellite-induced emission is inconsistent with observations. On the other hand, the model of emission from an active sector is able to reproduce qualitatively the main features of the radio light curves of this dwarf; the magnetic dipole seems to be highly tilted (by about 60 Degree-Sign ) with respect to the rotation axis.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

LOOKING FOR A PULSE: A SEARCH FOR ROTATIONALLY MODULATED RADIO EMISSION FROM THE HOT JUPITER, {tau} BOOeTIS b

Hot Jupiters have been proposed as a likely population of low-frequency radio sources due to electron cyclotron maser emission of similar nature to that detected from the auroral regions of magnetized solar system planets. Such emission will likely be confined to specific ranges of orbital/rotational phase due to a narrowly beamed radiation pattern. We report on GMRT 150 MHz radio observations of the hot Jupiter {tau} Booetis b, consisting of 40 hr carefully scheduled to maximize coverage of the planet's 79.5 hr orbital/rotational period in an effort to detect such rotationally modulated emission. The resulting image is the deepest yet published at these frequencies and leads to a 3{sigma} upper limit on the flux density from the planet of 1.2 mJy, two orders of magnitude lower than predictions derived from scaling laws based on solar system planetary radio emission. This represents the most stringent upper limits for both quiescent and rotationally modulated radio emission from a hot Jupiter yet achieved and suggests that either (1) the magnetic dipole moment of {tau} Booetis b is insufficient to generate the surface field strengths of >50 G required for detection at 150 MHz or (2) Earth lies outside the beaming pattern of the radio emission from the planet.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Solar type III radio bursts modulated by homochromous Alfvén waves

Solar type III radio bursts and their production mechanisms have been intensively studied in both theory and observation and are believed to be the most important signatures of electron acceleration in active regions. Recently, Wu et al. proposed that the electron-cyclotron maser emission (ECME) driven by an energetic electron beam could be responsible for producing type III bursts and pointed out that turbulent Alfvén waves can greatly influence the basic process of ECME via the oscillation of these electrons in the wave fields. This paper investigates effects of homochromous Alfvén waves (HAWs) on ECME driven by electron beams. Our results show that the growth rate of the O-mode wave will be significantly modulated by HAWs. We also discuss possible application to the formation of fine structures in type III bursts, such as so-called solar type IIIb radio bursts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Submillimeter recombination lines in dust-obscured starbursts and active galactic nuclei

We examine the use of submillimeter (submm) recombination lines of H, He, and He{sup +} to probe the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) luminosity of starbursts (SBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We find that the submm recombination lines of H, He, and He{sup +} are in fact extremely reliable and quantitative probes of the EUV continuum at 13.6 eV to above 54.6 eV. At submm wavelengths, the recombination lines originate from low energy levels (n = 20-50). The maser amplification, which poses significant problems for quantitative interpretation of the higher n, radio frequency recombination lines, is insignificant. Lastly, at submm wavelengths, the dust extinction is minimal. The submm line luminosities are therefore directly proportional to the emission measures (EM{sub ION} = n{sub e} × n {sub ion} × volume) of their ionized regions. We also find that the expected line fluxes are detectable with ALMA and can be imaged at ∼0.''1 resolution in low redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies. Imaging of the H I lines will provide accurate spatial and kinematic mapping of the star formation distribution in low-z IR-luminous galaxies, and the relative fluxes of the H I and He II recombination lines will strongly constrain the relative contributions of SBs and AGNs to the luminosity. The H I lines should also provide an avenue to constraining the submm dust extinction curve.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

A model for radio emission from solar coronal shocks

Solar coronal shocks are very common phenomena in the solar atmosphere and are believed to be the drivers of solar type II radio bursts. However, the microphysical nature of these emissions is still an open question. This paper proposes that electron cyclotron maser (ECM) emission is responsible for the generation of radiation from the coronal shocks. In the present model, an energetic ion beam accelerated by the shock first excites the Alfvén wave (AW), then the excited AW leads to the formation of a density-depleted duct along the foreshock boundary of the shock. In this density-depleted duct, the energetic electron beam produced via the shock acceleration can effectively excite radio emission by ECM instability. Our results show that this model may potentially be applied to solar type II radio bursts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Detection of exomoons through observation of radio emissions

In the Jupiter-Io system, the moon's motion produces currents along the field lines that connect it to Jupiter's polar regions. The currents generate and modulate radio emissions along their paths via the electron-cyclotron maser instability. Based on this process, we suggest that such modulation of planetary radio emissions may reveal the presence of exomoons around giant planets in exoplanetary systems. A model explaining the modulation mechanism in the Jupiter-Io system is extrapolated and used to define criteria for exomoon detectability. A cautiously optimistic scenario of the possible detection of such exomoons around Epsilon Eridani b and Gliese 876 b is provided.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗