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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2020

The influence of packing structure and interparticle forces on ultrasound transmission in granular media

Ultrasound propagation through externally stressed, disordered granular materials was experimentally and numerically investigated. Experiments employed piezoelectric transducers to excite and detect longitudinal ultrasound waves of various frequencies traveling through randomly packed sapphire spheres subjected to uniaxial compression. The experiments featured in situ X-ray tomography and diffraction measurements of contact fabric, particle kinematics, average per-particle stress tensors, and interparticle forces. The experimentally measured packing configuration and inferred interparticle forces at different sample stresses were used to construct spring networks characterized by Hessian and damping matrices. The ultrasound responses of these network were simulated to investigate the origins of wave velocity, acoustic paths, dispersion, and attenuation. Results revealed that both packing structure and interparticle force heterogeneity played an important role in controlling wave velocity and dispersion, while packing structure alone quantitatively explained most of the observed wave attenuation. This research provides insight into time- and frequency-domain features of wave propagation in randomly packed granular materials, shedding light on the fundamental mechanisms controlling wave velocities, dispersion, and attenuation in such systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1990

Intense ionospheric electric and magnetic field pulses generated by lightning

Electric and magnetic field measurements have been made in the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm and an optical detector onboard the same rocket yielded an excellent time base for the study of waves radiated into space from the discharge. In addition to detection of intense, but generally well understood whistler mode waves, very unusual electric and magnetic field pulses preceded the 1-10 kHz component of the radiated signal. These pulses lasted several ms and had a significant electric field component parallel to the magnetic field. No known propagating wave mode has this polarization nor a signal propagation velocity as high as those measured here. This study investigated and rejected an explanation based on an anomalous skin depth effect. Although only a hypothesis at this time, a more promising explanation involving the generation of the pulse via a nonlinear decay of whistler mode waves in the frequency range 10-80 kHz is being investigated.

Kelley, M. C.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Characterization of blast waves induced by femtosecond laser irradiation in solid targets

Blast waves have been produced in solid target by irradiation with short-pulse high-intensity lasers. The mechanism of production relies on energy deposition from the hot electrons produced by laser–matter interaction, producing a steep temperature gradient inside the target. Hot electrons also produce preheating of the material ahead of the blast wave and expansion of the target rear side, which results in a complex blast wave propagation dynamic. Several diagnostics have been used to characterize the hot electron source, the induced preheating and the velocity of the blast wave. Results are compared to numerical simulations. These show how blast wave pressure is initially very large (more than 100 Mbar), but it decreases very rapidly during propagation.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2023

Investigations of nonlinear polarization transfer between obliquely intersecting beams

Electromagnetic waves propagating through plasma can interact nonlinearly through a variety of different mechanisms. The excitation of a plasma beat wave (ions or electrons) can create a refractive index modulation that changes the dispersion of the interacting beams. Alternatively, high-intensity beams can enter the regime where relativistic nonlinearities influence the propagation dynamics. In recent studies [ Opt. Express 29 , 1162 ( 2021 ) OPEXFF 1094-4087 10.1364/OE.413064 ], it was proposed that two beams propagating along the same axis can exchange their polarization state due to nonlinear interaction. Here we present a numerical analysis of two laser beams intersecting in a nonlinear medium at varying angles. Polarization transfer is observed as predicted by analytical theory for a range of angles. For small angles, it is found that filamentation of the interacting beams becomes important. Analytical estimates of the filamentation threshold are presented, and good agreement is found with the simulation data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1993

A multiple-mode three-dimensional model of VLF propagation in the earth-ionosphere waveguide in the presence of localized D region disturbances

Transient localized D region disturbances, such as those associated with lightning discharges, affect the characteristics of VLF waves propagating in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. In particular, both phase and amplitude changes in the subionospheric signal can be observed at receiving sites as a result of the wave scattering that takes place in the disturbed region. In the present paper we present a multiple-mode three-dimensional model of VLF propagation in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide in the presence of localized D region disturbances. The model takes into account great circle (GC) propagation paths with realistic ground and ionospheric conductivity changes that result in mode conversion along the path. It is assumed that conductivity changes transverse to the GC paths are negligible except in the vicinity of the D region disturbance and that mode coupling is negligible within the disturbed region. This new model is applied to experimental observations and is found to be in general agreement. The diagnostics potential of the model for characterizing energetic particle precipitation events is discussed.

Poulsen, William L.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Challenges and Potential of Waveform Modeling for Crustal Scale Predictions

Waveform modeling is crucial to improving our understanding of observed seismograms. Forward simulation of wavefields provides quantitative methods of testing interactions between complicated source functions and the propagation medium. Here, we discuss three experiments designed to improve under standing of high frequency seismic wave propagation. First, we compare observed and predicted travel times of crustal phases for a set of real observed earthquakes with calculations and synthetic seismograms. Second, we estimate the frequency content of a series of nearly co-located earthquakes of varying magnitude for which we have a relatively well- known 1D velocity model. Third, we apply stochastic perturbations on top of a 3D tomographic model and qualitatively assess how those variations map to differences in the seismograms. While different in scope and aim, these three vignettes illustrate the current state of crustal scale waveform modeling and the potential for future studies to better constrain the structure of the crust.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1972

Solitary waves in concentrated vortices.

A nonlinear integrodifferential equation governing finite amplitude wave propagation on concentrated vortices is solved numerically. The solution to the Cauchy problem shows a solitary wave development qualitatively similar to solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation. A perturbation solution of the stationary form of the evolution equation confirms the unsteady calculation.

Leibovich, S.↗

NASA NTRS1973

The relativistic dynamics of a point charge in the field of a plane electromagnetic wave traveling in the direction of a uniform static magnetic field

The motion of a charged particle in electromagnetic fields of various geometric configurations and arising from a variety of sources is of intrinsic interest in electromagnetic theory. The particular configuration consisting of a plane wave propagating in the presence of a static uniform magnetic field whose direction is parallel to the wave normal is examined. The analysis presented here is treated within the context of classical electromagnetic theory. A numerical solution - at least to the approximate Lorentz-Dirac equation - is obtained.

Mitchell, T. P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Energetic particles in space

A review is presented of observations of suprathermal particles in the interplanetary medium along with new data on low energy particles from experiments aboard the ISEE spacecraft. Energy spectra of protons in the near earth atmosphere are plotted in the rest frame of the solar wind noting that at energies above 10 to the 9th eV, the galactic cosmic ray electron component has an unattenuated access into the heliosphere. Solar transient events such as flares accelerate and release energetic particles into the interplanetary medium; flare particle fluxes generate shock waves propagating past 1 AU following the event. It is concluded that the energy spectra for shock wave accelerations show a characteristic shape in accordance with the power law with a rapid steepening at high energies.

Lin, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Reflection of electromagnetic waves at a biaxial-isotropic interface

The reflection of electromagnetic waves at a plane boundary between isotropic and biaxial media has been investigated using the kDB approach. The general case has been considered in which the principal dielectric axes of the biaxial medium are oriented at an arbitrary angle to the normal of the plane boundary. In general, two characteristic waves propagate in the biaxial medium, leading to coupling of vertical and horizontal polarizations in the reflected waves. Some special cases are illustrated. The results have applications to problems in remote sensing and integrated optics.

Njoku, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Electromagnetic propagation in PEC and absorbing curved S-ducts

A finite-element Galerkin formulation has been developed to study transverse magnetic (TM) wave propagation in 2-D S-curved ducts with both perfectly conducting and absorbing walls. The reflection and transmission at the entrances and the exits of the curved ducts are determined by coupling the finite-element solutions in the curved ducts to the eigenfunctions of an infinite, uniform, perfectly conducting duct. Example solutions are presented for a double mitred and S-ducts of various lengths. The length of the S-duct is found to significantly effect the reflective characteristics of the duct. Also, the effect of curvature on an absorbing duct is illustrated.

Baumeister, Kenneth J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Parametric instabilities of large amplitude Alfven waves with obliquely propagating sidebands

This paper presents a brief report on properties of the parametric decay and modulational, filamentation, and magnetoacoustic instabilities of a large amplitude, circularly polarized Alfven wave. We allow the daughter and sideband waves to propagate at an arbitrary angle to the background magnetic field so that the electrostatic and electromagnetic characteristics of these waves are coupled. We investigate the dependance of these instabilities on dispersion, plasma/beta, pump wave amplitude, and propagation angle. Analytical and numerical results are compared with numerical simulations to investigate the full nonlinear evolution of these instabilities.

Vinas, A. F.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Real-time imaging of acoustic waves in bulk materials with X-ray microscopy

The dynamics of lattice vibrations govern many material processes, such as acoustic wave propagation, displacive phase transitions, and ballistic thermal transport. The maximum velocity of these processes and their effects is determined by the speed of sound, which therefore defines the temporal resolution (picoseconds) needed to resolve these phenomena on their characteristic length scales (nanometers). Here, we present an X-ray microscope capable of imaging acoustic waves with subpicosecond resolution within mm-sized crystals. We directly visualize the generation, propagation, branching, and energy dissipation of longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves in diamond, demonstrating how mechanical energy thermalizes from picosecond to microsecond timescales. Bulk characterization techniques capable of resolving this level of structural detail have previously been available on millisecond time scales—orders of magnitude too slow to capture these fundamental phenomena in solid-state physics and geoscience. As such, the reported results provide broad insights into the interaction of acoustic waves with the structure of materials, and the availability of ultrafast time-resolved dark-field X-ray microscopy opens a vista of new opportunities for 3D imaging of materials dynamics on their intrinsic submicrosecond time scales.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1977

The generation of sound by vorticity waves in swirling duct flows

Swirling flow in an axisymmetric duct can support vorticity waves propagating parallel to the axis of the duct. When the cross-sectional area of the duct changes a portion of the wave energy is scattered into secondary vorticity and sound waves. Thus the swirling flow in the jet pipe of an aeroengine provides a mechanism whereby disturbances produced by unsteady combustion or turbine blading can be propagated along the pipe and subsequently scattered into aerodynamic sound. In this paper a linearized model of this process is examined for low Mach number swirling flow in a duct of infinite extent. It is shown that the amplitude of the scattered acoustic pressure waves is proportional to the product of the characteristic swirl velocity and the perturbation velocity of the vorticity wave. The sound produced in this way may therefore be of more significance than that generated by vorticity fluctuations in the absence of swirl, for which the acoustic pressure is proportional to the square of the perturbation velocity. The results of the analysis are discussed in relation to the problem of excess jet noise.

Howe, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Weakly relativistic dispersion of Bernstein waves

Weakly relativistic effects on the dispersion of Bernstein waves are investigated for waves propagating nearly perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field in a Maxwellian plasma. Attention is focused on those large-wave-vector branches that are either weakly damped or join continuously onto weakly damped branches since these are the modes of most interest in applications. The transition between dispersion at perpendicular and oblique propagation is examined and major weakly relativistic effects can dominate even in low-temperature plasmas. A number of simple analytic criteria are obtained which delimit the ranges of harmonic number and propagation angle within which various types of weakly damped Bernstein modes can exist.

Robinson, P. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Mesoscale waves as a probe of Jupiter's deep atmosphere

Search of the Voyager images of Jupiter reveals a class of mesoscale waves occurring near the extrema of the zonal velocity profile between latitudes 30 deg S and 30 deg N. The average horizontal wavelength is 300 km, compared to an atmospheric scale height of 20 km; the standard deviation about the mean is only 20 percent. The alignment of most wave trains is nearly zonal, i.e., wave crests are north-south. A typical wave packet is 20 wave crests in length and 1300 km wide. Modeling shows that the waves propagate in a duct below the ammonia condensation level (the visible clouds). For selection of one dominant mode, the Richardson number in the duct must be of order unity; this is the first quantitative determination that has ever been made of the stability of Jupiter's atmosphere below its clouds. The duct is topped by a trapping layer, the ammonia clouds, where the Richardson number is less than 0.25. Meridional trapping of the wave packets is due to the shear in the zonal wind. It is speculated that the period of the waves is diurnal and that they do not propagate poleward of latitudes + or - 30 deg because the Coriolis frequency exceeds the duct Brunt frequency. The waves might be excited by diurnal variations of moist convective activity in the ammonia clouds.

Flasar, F. M.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Detonation propagation for shock-driven, subsonic and supersonic confiner flow

In this work, we study the compressible flow dynamics of two-dimensional, steady detonation wave propagation in a high explosive (HE) confined by aluminium (Al) or stainless steel (SS), outside of which is an air layer. We examine how the thickness of the confinement affects the subsonic detonation driving zone structure (DDZ) and the detonation speed (D 0 ), demonstrating a strong dependence on whether the oblique shock-driven flow in the confiner is supersonic, as for SS, or subsonic, as for Al. A characteristic path analysis is used to examine the information flow from the material boundaries through the supersonic flow regions in both the HE and confiner that can impact the sonic surfaces bounding the subsonic flow regions. It is shown that the nature of gas-dynamic wave reflection off the SS–air or Al–air boundary can significantly influence the DDZ and D 0 .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Visualization of hydraulic fracture using physics-informed clustering to process ultrasonic shear waves

Ultrasonic transmission is sensitive to the spatial variation in mechanical properties of materials due to the presence of cracks/fractures. Wave propagation through fractured media introduces changes in the frequency content, travel time and transmission coefficient of the wave. A workflow based on physics-informed unsupervised learning is developed to process the transmitted ultrasonic-shear waveforms to non-invasively visualize the geomechanical alterations due to hydraulic fracturing. Novelty of the work involves the assignment of both statistically consistent and physically consistent clusters to the measurements of shear waveforms acquired across the one axial and two frontal planes. Physically consistent/relevant information is incorporated by considering the travel time of the peak of spectral energy and transmission coefficient of the transmitted waveform. The proposed workflow generates maps of geomechanical alterations across the frontal and axial planes of the sample. The outputs of the workflow are in good agreement with independent techniques viz. acoustic emission and X-ray computed tomography. Finally, the proposed workflow can be adapted for improved fracture characterization in the subsurface when processing sonic-logging, cross-wellbore seismic or surface seismic waveform data.

42 ENGINEERING↗