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NASA NTRS1959

Factors Affecting the Plasticity of Sodium Chloride, Lithium Fluoride, and Magnesium Oxide Single Crystals

A study was made of the relative magnitude of the effects of various factors on the ductility of single crystals of sodium chloride (NaCl), lithium fluoride (LiF), and magnesium oxide (MgO). Specimen treatments included water-polishing, varying cleavage rate, annealing, quenching, X-irradiation, surface coating, aging, and combinations of some of these treatments. The mechanical behavior of the crystals was studied in flexure and in compression, the latter study being performed at both constant strain rate and constant load. Etch-pit studies were carried out to provide some pertinent information on the results of pretreatment on the dislocation concentration and distribution in the vicinity of the surface. The load deformation curves for these ionic single crystals show an initial region of very low slope which proved to be due to anelastic deformation. The extent of initial anelastic deformation is modified by specimen pretreatment in a way that suggests that this deformation is the result of expansion of cleaved-in dislocation loops, which can contract on the removal of the stress. The effects of the various pretreatments on the load and deflection at fracture are in accord with the prediction one might make with regard to their effect on the nucleation of fatal surface cracks. For NaCl, increases in ductility are always accompanied by increases in strength. The creep constants for NaCl are a function of treatments which affect the bulk structure but are not a function of treatments which only affect the surface.

Stearns, Carl A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Lifing of Engine Components

The successful development of advanced aerospace engines depends greatly on the capabilities of high performance materials and structures. Advanced materials, such as nickel based single crystal alloys, metal foam, advanced copper alloys, and ceramics matrix composites, have been engineered to provide higher engine temperature and stress capabilities. Thermal barrier coatings have been developed to improve component durability and fuel efficiency, by reducing the substrate hot wall metal temperature and protecting against oxidation and blanching. However, these coatings are prone to oxidation and delamination failures. In order to implement the use of these materials in advanced engines, it is necessary to understand and model the evolution of damage of the metal substrate as well as the coating under actual engine conditions. The models and the understanding of material behavior are utilized in the development of a life prediction methodology for hot section components. The research activities were focused on determining the stress and strain fields in an engine environment under combined thermo-mechanical loads to develop life prediction methodologies consistent with the observed damage formation of the coating and the substrates.

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NASA NTRS2003

A Liquid-Liquid Transition in an Undercooled Ti-Zr-Ni Liquid

If crystallization can be avoided, liquids enter a metastable (undercooled) state below their equilibrium liquidus temperatures, TI, finally freezing into a glass below a characteristic temperature called the glass transition temperature, T,. In rare cases, the undercooled liquid may undergo a liquid-liquid phase transition (liquid polymorphism) before entering the glassy state. This has been suggested from experimental studies of HzO and Si4. Such phase transitions have been predicted in some stable liquids, i.e. above TI at atmospheric pressure, for Si02 and BeF;, but these have not been verified experimentally. They have been observed in liquids of P7, Sis and C9, but only under high pressure. All of these transitions are driven by an anomalous density change, i.e. change in local structure, with temperature or pressure. In this letter we present the first experimental evidence for a phase transition in a low viscosity liquid that is not driven by an anomalous density change, but by an approach to a constant configuration state. A maximum in the specific heat at constant pressure, similar to what is normally observed near T,, is reported here for undercooled low viscosity liquids of quasicrystal- forming Ti-Zr-Ni alloys. that includes cooperativity, by incorporating a temperature dependent excitation energy fits the data well, signaling a phase transition.

Lee, G. W.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Thermophysical and Optical Properties of Semiconducting Ga2Te3 Melt

The majority of bulk semiconductor single crystals are presently grown from their melts. The thermophysical and optical properties of the melts provide a fundamental understanding of the melt structure and can be used to optimize the growth conditions to obtain higher quality crystals. In this paper, we report several thermophysical and optical properties for Ga2Te3 melts, such as electrical conductivity, viscosity, and optical transmission for temperatures ranging from the melting point up to approximately 990 C. The conductivity and viscosity of the melts are determined using the transient torque technique. The optical transmission of the melts is measured between the wavelengths of 300 and 2000 nm by an dual beam reversed-optics spectrophotometer. The measured properties are in good agreement with the published data. The conductivities indicate that the Ga2Te3 melt is semiconductor-like. The anomalous behavior in the measured properties are used as an indication of a structural transformation in the Ga2Te3 melt and discussed in terms of Eyring's and Bachinskii's predicted behaviors for homogeneous melts.

Li, Chao↗

NASA NTRS2002

Surface Composition of NiPd Alloys

Surface segregation in Ni-Pd alloys has been studied using the BFS method for alloys. Not only does the method predict an oscillatory segregation profile but it also indicates that the number of Pd-enriched surface planes can vary as a function of orientation. The segregation profiles were computed as a function of temperature, crystal face, and composition. Pd enrichment of the first layer is observed in (111) and (100) surfaces, and enrichment of the top two layers occurs for (110) surfaces. In all cases, the segregation profile shows oscillations that are actually related to weak ordering tendencies in the bulk. An atom-by-atom analysis was performed to identify the competing mechanisms leading to the observed surface behaviors. Large-scale atomistic simulations were also performed to investigate the temperature dependence of the segregation profiles as well as for analysis of the bulk structures. Finally, the observed surface behaviors are discussed in relation to the bulk phase structure of Ni-Pd alloys, which exhibit a tendency to weakly order.

Noebe, Ronald D.↗

NASA NTRS2007

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2007

Topics include: Noise-Canceling Helmet Audio System; Program Analyzes Spacecraft/Ground Radio Links; Two-Way Communication Using RFID Equipment and Techniques; Six-Message Electromechanical Display System; Scanning Terahertz Heterodyne Imaging Systems; Master Clock and Time-Signal-Distribution System; Synchronous Phase-Resolving Flash Range Imaging; Integrated Radial Probe Transition From MMIC to Waveguide; Bar-Code System for a Microbiological Laboratory; MMIC Amplifier Produces Gain of 10 dB at 235 GHz; Mapping Nearby Terrain in 3D by Use of a Grid of Laser Spots; Digital Beam Deflectors Based Partly on Liquid Crystals; Narrow-Band WGM Optical Filters With Tunable FSRs; Better Finite-Element Analysis of Composite Shell Structures; Computing Spacecraft-Pointing Vectors for Limb Tracking; Enhanced Master Controller Unit Tester; Rover Graphical Simulator; Increasing Durability of Flame-Sprayed Strain Gauges; Multifunctional, High-Temperature Nanocomposites; Multilayer Impregnated Fibrous Thermal Insulation Tiles; Radiation-Shielding Polymer/Soil Composites; Film/Adhesive Processing Module for Fiber-Placement Processing of Composites; Fabrication of Submillimeter Axisymmetric Optical Components; Electrochemical Disposal of Hydrazines in Water; Statistical Model of Evaporating Multicomponent Fuel Drops; Resistively Heated SiC Nozzle for Generating Molecular Beams; Compact Packaging of Photonic Millimeter-Wave Receiver; Diffractive Combiner of Single-Mode Pump Laser-Diode Beams; Wide-Band, High-Quantum-Efficiency Photodetector; A Robustly Stabilizing Model Predictive Control Algorithm; Modeling Evaporation of Drops of Different Kerosenes; Development of Vapor-Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal System; Several Developments in Space Tethers; Design Concept for a Nuclear Reactor-Powered Mars Rover; Formation-Initialization Algorithm for N Spacecraft; and DNSs of Multicomponent Gaseous and Drop-Laden Mixing Layers Achieving Transition to Turbulence.

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NASA NTRS1996

Properties of Single Crystalline Semiconducting CoSb3

A study of the thermoelectric properties of the skutterudite compound CoSb3 was carried out on single crystals grown by the Bridgman gradient freeze technique. p- and n-type samples were obtained over a wide range of carrier concentration. Undoped As-grown crystals show p-type conductivity while n-type samples were obtained by addition of Te or Pd. Samples were characterized by x-ray diffractometry, electron microprobe analysis, and density measurements. The physical properties of CoSb3 such as linear thermal expansion coefficient, sound velocity, and Debye temperature were also determined and are presented. Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and Hall effect measurements were performed between room temperature and about 900 K. Exceptionally high Hall mobilities were obtained on p-type samples with a maximum room-temperature Hall mobility of 3300 sq cm/V.s at a carrier concentration of 1 x 10(exp 17)/cc. The results of the transport property measurements are discussed and are in agreement with some recent predictions based on band structure calculations. The potential of CoSb3 for thermoelectric applications is evaluated.

Caillat, T.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Materials Science Experiments on the International Space Station

The Performance Goal for NASA's Microgravity Materials Science Program reads "Use microgravity to establish and improve quantitative and predictive relationships between the structure, processing and properties of materials." The advent of the International Space Station will open up a new era in Materials Science Research including the ability to perform long term and frequent experiments in microgravity. As indicated the objective is to gain a greater understanding of issues of materials science in an environment in which the force of gravity can be effectively switched off. Thus gravity related issues of convection, buoyancy and hydrostatic forces can be reduced and the science behind the structure/processing/properties relationship can more easily be understood. The specific areas of research covered within the program are (1) the study of Nucleation and Metastable States, (2) Prediction and Control of Microstructure (including pattern formation and morphological stability), (3) Phase Separation and Interfacial Stability, (4) Transport Phenomena (including process modeling and thermophysical properties measurement), and (5) Crystal Growth, and Defect Generation and Control. All classes of materials, including metals and alloys, glasses and ceramics, polymers, electronic materials (including organic and inorganic single crystals), aerogels and nanostructures, are included in these areas. The principal experimental equipment available to the materials scientist on the International Space Station (ISS) will be the Materials Science Research Facility (MSRF). Each of these systems will be accommodated in a single ISS rack, which can operate autonomously, will accommodate telescience operations, and will provide real time data to the ground. Eventual plans call for three MSRF racks, the first of which will be shared with the European Space Agency (ESA). Under international agreements, ESA and other partners will provide some of the equipment, while NASA covers launch and integration costs. The MSRF facilities will include modular components, which can be exchanged to provide inserts specifically matched to the engineering requirements of the particular Principal Investigator. To defray costs and avoid duplication of engineering effort NASA is also pursuing the possibility of using facilities provided by international partners. By this means it is anticipated that all of the types of research outlined in the previous paragraph can be done on the ISS.

Gillies, Donald C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Simulation of MEMS for the Next Generation Space Telescope

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing optical micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) components for potential application in Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) science instruments. In this work, we present an overview of the electro-mechanical simulation of three MEMS components for NGST, which include a reflective micro-mirror array and transmissive microshutter array for aperture control for a near infrared (NIR) multi-object spectrometer and a large aperture MEMS Fabry-Perot tunable filter for a NIR wide field camera. In all cases the device must operate at cryogenic temperatures with low power consumption and low, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible, voltages. The goal of our simulation efforts is to adequately predict both the performance and the reliability of the devices during ground handling, launch, and operation to prevent failures late in the development process and during flight. This goal requires detailed modeling and validation of complex electro-thermal-mechanical interactions and very large non-linear deformations, often involving surface contact. Various parameters such as spatial dimensions and device response are often difficult to measure reliably at these small scales. In addition, these devices are fabricated from a wide variety of materials including surface micro-machined aluminum, reactive ion etched (RIE) silicon nitride, and deep reactive ion etched (DRIE) bulk single crystal silicon. The above broad set of conditions combine to be a formidable challenge for space flight qualification analysis. These simulations represent NASA/GSFC's first attempts at implementing a comprehensive strategy to address complex MEMS structures.

Mott, Brent↗

NASA NTRS1998

Microstructural Development of Directionally Solidified Hg(1-x)Zn(x)Se Alloys

Hg(1-x)Zn(x)Se alloys have been studied as an alternative to HgCdTe for the detection of electromagnetic radiation, because the shorter ZnSe and HgSe bonds were predicted to improve lattice stability. Previous studies showed that optical properties were stable with time and that the microhardness was higher than for HgTe based alloys. However, for this material to be commercially viable, compositional variations must be reduced, and the distribution of defects induced by the growth process must be understood. The basic structural properties of bulk materials were characterized, and dislocation etch pit densities were measured to determine whether the addition of Zn to the HgSe lattice reduced the potential for dislocation formation. Hg(0.9)Zn(0.1)Se alloys were directionally solidified using a modified Bridgman-Stockbarger method and in an applied magnetic field. Radial compositional variations were greatly reduced when solidification occurred in an applied magnetic field. The combination of a convex liquid-solid interface shape and a method for reduced wetting produced boules that were a single crystal after reaching full diameter. Observed surface features indicated ampoule wetting could be eliminated using a graphite getter. Microstructural characteristics were greatly improved over HgCdTe alloys, In six boules, a total of only one twin was observed, and no inclusions were found. A method for polishing and producing dislocation etch pits was developed for these alloys, revealing dislocation etch pit densities one to two orders of magnitude less than HgTe based alloys. A kink in the thermal profile during processing of one boule generated more dislocations than did lattice mismatch due to compositional variations. The results of this investigation indicate this alloy has improved microstructural properties and resistance to dislocation formation compared with similar II-VI alloys, and should be further investigated for the detection of electromagnetic radiation.

Cobb, S. D.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Relationship Between Iron Valence States of Serpentine in CM Chondrites and Their Aqueous Alteration Degrees

The 0.6-0.7 micron absorption band observed for C-type asteroids is caused by the presence of Fe(3+) in phyllosilicates . Because Fe-bearing phyllosilicates, especially serpentine, are the most dominant product of aqueous alteration in the most abundant carbonaceous chondrites, CM chondrites, it is important to understand the crystal chemistry of serpentine in CM chondrites to better understand spectral features of C-type asteroids. CM chondrites show variable degrees of aqueous alteration, which should be related to iron valences in serpentine. It is predicted that the Fe(3+)/Sum of (Fe) ratios of serpentine in CM chondrites decrease as alteration proceeds by Si and Fe(3+) substitutions from end-member cronstedtite to serpentine, which should be apparent in the absorption intensity of the 0.6-0.7 micron band from C-type asteroids. In fact, the JAXA Hayabusa 2 target (C-type asteroid: 1993 JU3) exhibits heterogeneous spectral features (0.7 micron absorption band disappears by rotation). From these points of view, we have analyzed iron valences of matrix serpentine in several CM chondrites which span the entire observed range of aqueous alteration using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (SR-XANES). In this abstract we discuss the relationship between obtained Fe(3+)/Sum of (Fe) ratios and alteration degrees by adding new data to our previous studies

Mikouchi, T.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Obtaining cryogenic molecular transport data for analysis

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has a primary mirror, made of 18 segments, and a secondary mirror (SM) that are used to direct the light of desired targets. While on orbit, the secondary mirror assembly (SMA) was stowed for approximately 10 days and was subject to molecular contamination outgassing from the cavity of the secondary mirror support structure (SMSS) in-board hinge (IBH) which contains cables, motors, resolvers, and coatings. The main concern during this period before SMA deployment is the accumulation of ice due to the lack of a heater on the SMA. The temperature differentials between the IBH surfaces and SMA could cause redistribution of contaminants. To address this concern, single layer insulation (SLI) was used to create adequate venting and path redirection of outgassing from the IBH. Two separate thermal vacuum tests were performed to quantify this contamination: one Z307 ASTM E 1559 materials test of the radiator paint used on the motor of the IBH and a separate test on a primary mirror backplane assembly (PMBA) qualification engineering test unit (ETU) of the IBH. These tests approximately followed the predicted SMA pre-deployment thermal environment. To quantify source rates in case of a leak, the motor and resolver sides were separated and quartz crystal microbalances (QCM) were used to measure the deposition of water. The SLI redesign and implementation and outgassing measurements to understand leak effects from the IBH were essential to mitigate the deposition of contamination on the SMA.

James Webb Space Telescope, contamination, cleanro↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Obtaining Cryogenic Molecular Transport Data for Analysis

James Webb Space Telescope↗

NASA NTRS1983

EBIC investigation of hydrogenation of crystal defects in EFG solar silicon ribbons

Changes in the contrast and resolution of defect structures in 205 Ohm-cm EFG polysilicon ribbon subjected to annealing and hydrogenation treatments were observed in a JEOL 733 Superprobe scanning electron microscope, using electron beam induced current (EBIC) collected at an A1 Schottky barrier. The Schottky barrier was formed by evaporation of A1 onto the cleaned and polished surface of the ribbon material. Measurement of beam energy, beam current, and the current induced in the Schottky diode enabled observations to be quantified. Exposure to hydrogen plasma increased charge collection efficiency. However, no simple causal relationship between the hydrogenation and charge collection efficiency could be inferred, because the collection efficiency also displayed an unexpected thermal dependence. Good quality intermediate-magnification (1000X-5400X) EBIC micrographs of several specific defect structures were obtained. Comparison of grown-in and stress-induced dislocations after annealing in vacuum at 500 C revealed that stress-induced dislocations are hydrogenated to a much greater degree than grown-in dislocations. The theoretical approximations used to predict EBIC contrast and resolution may not be entirely adequate to describe them under high beam energy and low beam current conditions.

Sullivan, T.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Temperature Distribution Within a Defect-Free Silicon Carbide Diode Predicted by a Computational Model

Most solid-state electronic devices diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits are based on silicon. Although this material works well for many applications, its properties limit its ability to function under extreme high-temperature or high-power operating conditions. Silicon carbide (SiC), with its desirable physical properties, could someday replace silicon for these types of applications. A major roadblock to realizing this potential is the quality of SiC material that can currently be produced. Semiconductors require very uniform, high-quality material, and commercially available SiC tends to suffer from defects in the crystalline structure that have largely been eliminated in silicon. In some power circuits, these defects can focus energy into an extremely small area, leading to overheating that can damage the device. In an effort to better understand the way that these defects affect the electrical performance and reliability of an SiC device in a power circuit, the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field began an in-house three-dimensional computational modeling effort. The goal is to predict the temperature distributions within a SiC diode structure subjected to the various transient overvoltage breakdown stresses that occur in power management circuits. A commercial computational fluid dynamics computer program (FLUENT-Fluent, Inc., Lebanon, New Hampshire) was used to build a model of a defect-free SiC diode and generate a computational mesh. A typical breakdown power density was applied over 0.5 msec in a heated layer at the junction between the p-type SiC and n-type SiC, and the temperature distribution throughout the diode was then calculated. The peak temperature extracted from the computational model agreed well (within 6 percent) with previous first-order calculations of the maximum expected temperature at the end of the breakdown pulse. This level of agreement is excellent for a model of this type and indicates that three-dimensional computational modeling can provide useful predictions for this class of problem. The model is now being extended to include the effects of crystal defects. The model will provide unique insights into how high the temperature rises in the vicinity of the defects in a diode at various power densities and pulse durations. This information also will help researchers in understanding and designing SiC devices for safe and reliable operation in high-power circuits.

Kuczmarski, Maria A.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Evaluation of Mixed-Phase Microphysics Within Winter Storms Using Field Data and In Situ Observations

Snow prediction within models is sensitive to the snow densities, habits, and degree of riming within the BMPs. Improving these BMPs is a crucial step toward improving both weather forecasting and climate predictions. Several microphysical schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model down to 1.33-km grid spacing are evaluated using aircraft, radar, and ground in situ data from the Global Precipitation Mission Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) experiment over southern Ontario, as well as a few years (12 winter storms) of surface measurements of riming, crystal habit, snow density, and radar measurements at Stony Brook, NY (SBNY on north shore of Long Island) during the 2009-2012 winter seasons. Surface microphysical measurements at SBNY were taken every 15 to 30 minutes using a stereo microscope and camera, and snow depth and snow density were also recorded. During these storms, a vertically-pointing Ku band radar was used to observe the vertical evolution of reflectivity and Doppler vertical velocities. The GCPex presentation will focus on verification using aircraft spirals through warm frontal snow band event on 18 February 2012. All the BMPs realistically simulated the structure of the band and the vertical distribution of snow/ice aloft, except the SBU-YLIN overpredicted slightly and Thompson (THOM) underpredicted somewhat. The Morrison (MORR) scheme produced the best slope size distribution for snow, while the Stony Brook (SBU) underpredicted and the THOM slightly overpredicted. Those schemes that have the slope intercept a function of temperature (SBU and WSM6) tended to perform better for that parameter than others, especially the fixed intercept in Goddard. Overall, the spread among BMPs was smaller than in other studies, likely because there was limited riming with the band. For the 15 cases at SBNY, which include moderate and heavy riming events, the non-spherical snow assumption (THOM and SBU-YLIN) simulated a more realistic distribution of reflectivity than spherical snow assumptions in the WSM6 and MORR schemes. The MORR, WSM6, and SBU schemes are comparable to the observed velocity distribution in light and moderate riming periods. The THOM is approx. 0.25 m/s too slow with its velocity distribution in these periods. In heavier riming, the vertical Doppler velocities in the WSM6, THOM, and MORR schemes were approx. 0.25 m/s too slow, while the SBU was 0.25 to 0.5 m/s too fast because of some excessive cloud water issues.

Colle, Brian A.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Partitioning of Ni, Co and V between Spinel-Structured Oxides and Silicate Melts: Importance of Spinel Composition

Partitioning of Ni, Co and V between Cr-rich spinels and basaltic melt has been studied experimentally between 1150 and 1325 C, and at controlled oxygen fugacity from the Co-CoO buffer to slightly above the hematite magnetite buffer. These new results, together with new Ni, Co and V analyses of experimental run products from Leeman [Leeman, W.P., 1974. Experimental determination of the partitioning of divalent cations between olivine and basaltic liquid, Pt. II. PhD thesis, Univ. Oregon, 231 - 337.], show that experimentally determined spinel melt partition coefficients (D) are dependent upon temperature (T), oxygen fugacity (fO2) and spinel composition. In particular, partition coefficients determined on doped systems are higher than those in natural (undoped) systems, perhaps due to changing activity coefficients over the composition range defined by the experimental data. Using our new results and published runs (n =85), we obtain a multilinear regression equation that predicts experimental D(V) values as a function of T, fO2, concentration of V in melt and spinel composition. This equation allows prediction of D(V) spinel/melt values for natural mafic liquids at relevant crystallization conditions. Similarly, D(Ni) and D(Co) values can be inferred from our experiments at redox conditions approaching the QFM buffer, temperatures of 1150 to 1250 C and spinel composition (early Cr-bearing and later Ti-magnetite) appropriate for basic magma differentiation. When coupled with major element modelling of liquid lines of descent, these values (D(Ni) sp/melt=10 and D(Co) sp/melt=5) closely reproduce the compositional variation observed in komatiite, mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), ocean island basalt (OIB) and basalt to rhyolite suites.

Righter, K.↗

NASA NTRS2004

External and Internal Reconnection in Two Filament-Carrying Magnetic-Cavity Solar Eruptions

We observe two near-limb solar filament eruptions, one of 2000 February 26 and the other of 2002 January 4. For both we use 195 A Fe XII images from the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) and magnetograms from the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), both of which are on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). For the earlier event we also use soft X-ray telescope (SXT), hard X-ray telescope (HXT), and Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) data from the Yohkoh satellite, and hard X-ray data from the BATSE experiment on the Compton Gamma Ra.v Observatory (CGRO). Both events occur in quadrupolar magnetic regions, and both have coronal features that we infer belong to the same magnetic cavity structures as the filaments. In both cases, the cavity and filament first rise slowly at approx.10 km/s prior to eruption and then accelerate to approx.100 km/s during the eruption, although the slow-rise movement for the higher altitude cavity elements is clearer in the later event. We estimate that both filaments and both cavities contain masses of approx.10(exp 14)-10(exp 15) and approx.10(exp 15)-10(exp 16) g, respectively. We consider whether two specific magnetic reconnection-based models for eruption onset, the "tether cutting" and the "breakout" models, are consistent with our observations. In the earlier event, soft X-rays from SXT show an intensity increase during the 12 minute interval over which fast eruption begins, which is consistent with tether- cutting-model predictions. Substantial hard X-rays, however, do not occur until after fast eruption is underway, and so this is a constraint the tether-cutting model must satisfy. During the same 12 minute interval over which fast eruption begins, there are brightenings and topological changes in the corona indicative of high-altitude reconnection early in the eruption, and this is consistent with breakout predictions. In both eruptions, the state of the overlying loops at the time of onset of the fast-rise phase of the corresponding filament can be compared with expectations from the breakout model, thereby setting constraints that the breakout model must meet. Our findings are consistent with both runaway tether-cutting-type reconnection and fast breakout-type reconnection, occurring early in the fast phase of the February eruption and with both types of reconnection being important in unleashing the explosion, but we are not able to say which, if either, type of reconnection actually triggered the fast phase. In any case, we have found specific constraints that either model, or any other model, must satisfy if correct.

Sterling, Alphonse C.↗