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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 955 records · Page 53
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Ion beam releases at rocket altitudes

NASA Flight 29.015 was the third in a series of flights to study the electrodynamics of man-produced ion beams in the ionosphere. Much like an earlier flight (Moore at al., 1982 and 1983; Kaufman et al., 1985), plasma releases perpendicular to the earth's B field result in ions being measured, often at reduced energies, several hundred meters from the source along the magnetic field. Releases at 200-eV energy parallel to B, however, result in over-200-eV ions measured above the source. In addition, parallel ion releases result in two additional populations of ions seen near 90-deg pitch angle; one near the energy of the generator, and the other at considerably lower energy. The energization of parallel ions could result from the same process by which electrons were accelerated to the generator payload as measured on an earlier flight, presumably due to blockage of natural field-aligned currents by gun-related wave turbulence. This turbulence is also undoubtedly inherent in the mechanism by which a parallel beam of ions creates a perpendicular component.

Pollock, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A comprehensive model of ion diffusion and charge exchange in the cold Io torus

A comprehensive analytic model of radial diffusion in the cold Io torus is developed. The model involves a generalized molecular cloud theory of SO2 and its dissociation fragments SO, O2, S, and O, which are formed at a relatively large rate by solar UV photodissociation of SO2. The key component of the new theory is SO, which can react with S(+) through a near-resonant charge exchange process that is exothermic. This provides a mechanism for the rapid depletion of singly ionized sulfur in the cold torus and can account for the large decrease in the total flux tube content inward of Io's orbit. The model is used to demonstrate quantitatively the effects of radial diffusion in a charge exchange environment that acts as a combined source and sink for ions in various charge states. A detailed quantitative explanation for the O(2+) component of the cold torus is given, and insight is derived into the workings of the so-called plasma 'ribbon'.

Barbosa, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Fine structure of low-energy H(+) in the nightside auroral region

Low-energy H(+) data with 6-s resolution from the retarding ion mass spectrometer instrument on Dynamics Explorer (DE) 1 have been analyzed to reveal the fine structure at middle altitudes of the nightside auroral region. A new method for deconvolving the energy-integrated count rate in the spin plane of the satellite has been used to derive the two-dimensional phase space density. A detailed analysis reveals an alternating conic-beam-conic pattern with the observed conics correlated with large earthward currents in the auroral region. The strong downward current (larger than 1 microamperes per sq m (equivalent value at ionosphere)) provides a free energy source for the perpendicular ion heating, that generates the ion conics with energies from several eV to tens of eV. The bowl shape distribution of the low-energy H(+) is caused by the extended perpendicular heating. The strong correlation between conics and large downward currents suggests that the current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron wave is an appropriate candidate for the transverse heating mechanism.

Liu, Chao↗
NASA NTRS1993

Near-specular reflection of ions at quasi-parallel shocks

One-dimensional hybrid simulations and a semianalytical model of the shock front are employed to investigate the source regions in the incident ion phase space of reflected and transmitted ions, the relative importance of the electric and magnetic forces in the reflection of incident ions, and how these characteristics change in time. The phase space origin of reflected particles and the fraction of incident ions that reflect are found to depend on the electromagnetic field structure of the shock front at the time the ions encounter it. The reflection fraction is maximized when the electric field along the shock normal (Ex) and the noncoplanar magnetic field (By) are at their maximum values. When Ex and By are large, the reflection process produces a beam that is cooler, more dense, and closer to specular than when they are small.

Mckean, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Multiwavelength Study of the Bright X-ray Source Population in the Interacting Galaxies NGC 5774/NGC 5775

The X-ray source population in the field of the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 5774/5775 is reported. A total of 49 discrete sources are detected, including 12 ultraluminous X-ray source candidates with lum inosities above 10(exp 39)erg/s in the 0.5 - 8.0 keV X-ray band. Several of these latter are transient X-ray sources that fall below detect ion levels in one of two X-ray observations spaced 15 months apart. X-ray source positions are mapped onto optical and radio images to sear ch for potential counterparts. Eleven sources have optically-bright c ounterparts. Optical colors are used to differentiate these sources, which are mostly located outside the optical extent of the interacting galaxies, as potential globular clusters (3 sources) and quasars (5) . Follow-up optical spectroscopy confirms two of the latter are background quasars.

Ghosh, Kajal K.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Neutralization of ion beam by electron injection: Accumulation of cold electrons

Ion beam charge neutralization by electron injection is a complex kinetic process. Recent experiments show that the resulting self-potential of the ion beam after neutralization by plasma is much lower than the temperature of plasma electrons [Stepanov et al., Phys. Plasmas 23, 043113 (2016)], indicating that kinetic effects are important and may affect the neutralization of the ion beam. We performed a numerical study of the charge neutralization process of an ion beam making use of a two-dimensional electrostatic particle-in-cell code. The results show that the process of charge neutralization by electron injection is composed of two stages. During the first stage, the self-potential of the beam is higher than the temperature of injected electrons (T e /e) and all injected electrons are captured by the ion beam. During the second stage, hot electrons escape from the ion beam and the beam self-potential (φ) decreases because cold electrons slowly accumulate resulting in the beam self-potential φ to become much lower than Te/e in agreement with previous experimental observations at Princeton Advanced Teststand. We also determined that the resulting φ scales as φ~√T e , in agreement with previous experimental observations from Gabovich's group. In addition, the results show that the transverse position of the electron source has a great impact on ion beam neutralization. A slight shift of the electron source as relevant to the ion thrusters leads to a large increase in the beam self-potential because of an increase in potential energy of injected electrons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Drift-cyclotron loss-cone instability in 3-D simulations of a sloshing-ion simple mirror

The kinetic stability of collisionless, sloshing beam-ion (45° pitch angle) plasma is studied in a three-dimensional (3-D) simple magnetic mirror, mimicking the Wisconsin high-temperature superconductor axisymmetric mirror experiment. The collisional Fokker–Planck code CQL3D-m provides a slowing-down beam-ion distribution to initialize the kinetic-ion/fluid-electron code Hybrid-VPIC, which then simulates free plasma decay without external heating or fuelling. Over 1 – 10 μs, drift-cyclotron loss-cone (DCLC) modes grow and saturate in amplitude. The DCLC scatters ions to a marginally stable distribution with gas-dynamic rather than classical-mirror confinement. Sloshing ions can trap cool (low-energy) ions in an electrostatic potential well to stabilize DCLC, but DCLC itself does not scatter sloshing beam-ions into the said well. Instead, cool ions must come from external sources such as charge-exchange collisions with a low-density neutral population. Manually adding cool ∼1keV ions improves beam-ion confinement several-fold in Hybrid-VPIC simulations, which qualitatively corroborates prior measurements from real mirror devices with sloshing ions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1975

Ionospheric effects of X-ray source Scorpius XR-1

A simple two-ion model was employed to evaluate the ionospheric effects of various nocturnal ionization sources. The model was used to calculate the decay of the electron number density at 90 km with and without illumination by Scorpius XR-1 X rays. Reflection parameters for the determination of the effect of cosmic x-ray sources on radio wave propagation were also obtained. The results obtained in the investigation do not support the proposal made by Anathakrishnan and Ramanathan (1969) that the X-ray source in Scorpius XR-1 affects the nighttime lower ionosphere of the earth.

Poppoff, I. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The source of electrostatic fluctuations in the solar-wind

Solar wind electron and ion distribution functions measured simultaneously with or close to times of intense electrostatic fluctuations are subjected to a linear Vlasov stability analysis. Although all distributions tested were found to be stable, the analysis suggests that the ion beam instability is the most likely source of the fluctuations.

Lemons, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Plasma IMS Composition Measurements for Europa, Ganymede, and the Jovian System

NASA and ESA are now planning a reduced version of the joint Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM), potentially including a radically descoped Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) but still with magnetometer and plasma instruments. Similar field and plasma instrumentation would also reside on ESA's Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter (JGO), which conceivably could carry out multiple flybys of Europa before entering orbit at Ganymede. We are developing the 3D Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) designed to measure both major and minor ion species within the high radiation environment of Jupiter's magnetosphere and the icy Galilean moons. The IMS covers the energy range from 10 eV to 30 keY, wide field-of-view (FOV) capability and 10-60 sec time resolution for major ions. This instrument has two main goals: 1) measure the plasma interaction between Europa and Jupiter's magnetosphere and 2) infer the global surface composition to trace elemental and significant isotopic levels; these goals are also applicable for in-situ measurements at Ganymede and Callisto, and remotely everywhere via the iogenic plasma for 10. The first goal supports the magnetometer (MAG) measurements, primarily directed at detection of Europa's sub-surface ocean, while the second goal gives information about transfer of material between the Galilean moons, e.g. mainly from 10 to the other moons, and further allows detection of oceanic materials emergent to the moon surfaces from subsurface layers putatively including salt water oceans. Outgassed exospheric materials are probed by the IMS by measuring pickup ions accelerated up to spacecraft altitudes of approximately 100-200 km in electric fields extending through the local magnetospheric environment and moon exosphere to the surface. Our 3D hybrid kinetic model of the moon-magnetosphere interaction is used to construct a global model of electric and magnetic fields for tracing of pickup ion trajectories back to the sources at approximate surface resolution of 100 km. We show that Europa's exospheric ionosphere is dominated by pickup ions with energies of 100-1000 eV. We also expect field aligned polar ion outflows driven by ionospheric electrons via the polarization electric field at Europa; the IMS will observe such outflows and thus sample the ionosphere below spacecraft orbit altitude approximately 100 km. Based on previous Ganymede studies, we also comment on IMS applications to a Ganymede orbiter. The IMS and the Europa interaction model are respectively being developed with support from NASA's Astrobiology Instrument Development (ASTID) and Outer Planets Research (OPR) programs.

Sittler, E. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Plasma IMS Composition Measurements for Europa, Ganymede, and the Jovian Systems

NASA and ESA are now planning a reduced version of the joint Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM), potentially including a radically descoped Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) but still with magnetometer and plasma instruments. Similar field and plasma instrumentation would also reside on ESA's Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter (JGO), which conceivably could carry out multiple flybys of Europa before entering orbit at Ganymede. We are developing the 3D Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) designed to measure both major and minor ion species within the high radiation environment of Jupiter s magnetosphere and the icy Galilean moons. The IMS covers the energy range from 10 eV to 30 keV, wide field-ofview (FOV) capability and 10-60 sec time resolution for major ions. This instrument has two main goals: 1) measure the plasma interaction between Europa and Jupiter s magnetosphere and 2) infer the global surface composition to trace elemental and significant isotopic levels; these goals are also applicable for in-situ measurements at Ganymede and Callisto, and remotely everywhere via the iogenic plasma for Io. The first goal supports the magnetometer (MAG) measurements, primarily directed at detection of Europa's sub-surface ocean, while the second goal gives information about transfer of material between the Galilean moons, e.g. mainly from Io to the other moons, and further allows detection of oceanic materials emergent to the moon surfaces from subsurface layers putatively including salt water oceans. Outgassed exospheric materials are probed by the IMS by measuring pickup ions accelerated up to spacecraft altitudes of approximately 100-200 km in electric fields extending through the local magnetospheric environment and moon exosphere to the surface. Our 3D hybrid kinetic model of the moon-magnetosphere interaction is used to construct a global model of electric and magnetic fields for tracing of pickup ion trajectories back to the sources at approximate surface resolution of 100 km. We show that Europa's exospheric ionosphere is dominated by pickup ions with energies of 100-1000 eV. We also expect field aligned polar ion outflows driven by ionospheric electrons via the polarization electric field at Europa; the IMS will observe such outflows and thus sample the ionosphere below spacecraft orbit altitude approximately 100 km. Based on previous Ganymede studies, we also comment on IMS applications to a Ganymede orbiter. The IMS and the Europa interaction model are respectively being developed with support from NASA's Astrobiology Instrument Development (ASTID) and Outer Planets Research (OPR) programs.

Sittler, E.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Progress with applications of three-ion ICRF scenarios for fusion research: A review

The viability of magnetic confinement fusion as an energy source depends on achieving the high ion temperatures required for D-T fusion. Among the available techniques, plasma heating with waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) is a prominent method for bulk ion heating in fusion plasmas. Furthermore, a detailed understanding of the non-linear physics of alpha heating and the complex impact of MeV-range fast ions on plasma dynamics becomes progressively more important. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments with the three-ion ICRF scenarios on Alcator C-Mod, ASDEX Upgrade and JET tokamaks. The results demonstrate the flexibility of these novel scenarios for heating bulk ions in D-T ≈ 50%-50% plasmas and efficient generation of MeV-range fast ions in multi-ion species plasmas. In conclusion, several key results relevant for ITER and future fusion reactors are highlighted.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Linkage Between Electro-Chemical Mechanical Instabilities in Battery Materials

Battery chemistry must be diversified to achieve a sustainable energy landscape by effectively utilizing renewable energy sources. Alkali metal-ion, all-solid-state, metal–air batteries, and multivalent batteries offer unique cost, safety, raw material abundance, energy, and power density solutions. However, realizing these “beyond Li-ion batteries” must uncover their working principles and performance & property relationships. In this aspect, mitigating chemo-mechanical instabilities in the structure and surface of the electrodes plays a crucial role in their performance. Unfortunately, the coupling between electrochemical and mechanical interactions is often poorly understood due to a lack of operando characterization. Here, this review article explains the working principles of curvature measurement and digital image correlation for measuring stress and strain generations in battery materials. We provided specific examples of how these operando mechanical measurements shed light on instabilities in alkali metal ion electrodes, solid electrolytes, Li-O 2 batteries, and aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Operando mechanical measurements offer an effective way to map changes in the physical fingerprint of the battery materials, therefore providing crucial information to elucidate instabilities in battery materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Carbonation dynamics of hydrated alite revealed by electron microscopy

CO 2 sequestration in concrete is crucial to relieve the environmental burden, while the carbonation mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we explored the carbonation dynamics of alite hydrates through electron microscopy. We discovered that calcite is the main phase of carbonate crystals throughout the entire carbonation period in the alite system. Further, the shape evolution of calcite crystals was captured: spindle carbonates initially formed on C-S-H substrate and then transformed into rhombohedrons; Intermediate states such as polyhedral particles and layered rhomboids were also observed. Based on our quantitative calculations, the growth rate of calcite particles was determined approximately 0.2 μm/day, which may be affected by the relative concentration between calcium ions and CO 2 source. A direct relation between the microstructure and mechanical properties of calcite was uncovered using atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, we found that the morphology development of calcite crystals during carbonation may be explained by the surface energy variation of different facets. This work suggests a unique approach to track carbonation kinetics and provides new opportunities to unveil underlying carbonation mechanisms at the nanoscale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

First-Principles Surface Characterization and Water Adsorption of Fe 3 P Schreibersite

We report the meteoritic mineral schreibersite, e.g., Fe 3 P, is a proposed abiotic source of phosphorus for phosphate ion (PO 4 – ) production, needed for nucleobases, phospholipids, and other life building materials. Schreibersite could have acted as both a source of elemental phosphorus and as a catalyst, and the hostile conditions on early Earth could have accelerated its degradation in different environments. Here, we present results from quantum calculations of bulk schreibersite and of its low Miller index surfaces. We also investigate water surface adsorption and identify possible dissociation pathways on the most stable facet. Our calculations provide useful chemical insights into schreibersite interactions in aqueous environments, paving the way for further detailed investigation on more reactive surfaces. Our results help provide a “bottom-up” understanding for phosphorylated organic synthesis on the primitive planet and its role in producing life building molecules.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pedestal main ion particle transport inference through gas puff modulation with experimental source measurements

Abstract Transport in the DIII-D high confinement mode (H-mode) pedestal is investigated through a periodic edge gas puff modulation (GPM) which perturbs the deuterium density and source profiles. By using absolutely calibrated experimental edge ionization profile measurements, radial profiles of diffusion ( D ) and convection ( v ) are calculated into the pedestal region without depending on modeling the edge ionization source. An analytic approach with closed-form expressions for the D and v profiles and a more advanced Bayesian approach show evidence of an inward particle convection on the order of 1 m s −1 extending to normalized poloidal flux ( Ψ N ) of 0.98. Meanwhile, diffusion reaches a minimum value of ( 0.03 ± 0.02 ) m 2 s −1 in the pedestal region. Notably, the Bayesian approach, which utilizes the Aurora 1.5 D forward model inside the IMPRAD OMFIT module, provides radially resolved transport profiles with associated uncertainty without requiring an explicit form for the perturbation to the density profile or source. The combination of experimental ionization measurements and Bayesian inference provides an enhanced robust framework for investigating edge particle transport coefficients to experimentally test transport physics in order to improve predictive capabilities in the tokamak edge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗