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At least 1,189 records · Page 66

The Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey. XII. Optically Dark H i Clouds in the Leo I Group

Using data from the Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey, we report the discovery of five H i clouds in the Leo I group without detected optical counterparts. Three of the clouds are found midway between M96 and M95, one is only from the southeast side of the well-known Leo Ring, and the fifth is relatively isolated. H i masses range from 2.6 × 10 6 M ⊙ to 9.0 × 10 6 M ⊙ , and velocity widths (W50) range from 16 to 42 km s -1 . Although a tidal origin is the most obvious explanation, this formation mechanism faces several challenges. For the most isolated cloud, the difficulties are its distance from neighboring galaxies and the lack of any signs of disturbance in the H i disks of those systems. Some of the clouds also appear to follow the baryonic Tully–Fisher relation between mass and velocity width for normal, stable galaxies, which is not expected if they are tidal in origin. Three clouds are found between M96 and M95 that have no optical counterparts but have otherwise similar properties and locations to the optically detected galaxy LeG 13. While overall we favor a tidal debris scenario to explain the clouds, we cannot rule out a primordial origin. If the clouds were produced in the same event that gave rise to the Leo Ring, they may provide important constraints on any model attempting to explain that structure.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

RADIO DIAGNOSTICS OF ELECTRON ACCELERATION SITES DURING THE ERUPTION OF A FLUX ROPE IN THE SOLAR CORONA

Electron acceleration in the solar corona is often associated with flares and the eruption of twisted magnetic structures known as flux ropes. However, the locations and mechanisms of such particle acceleration during the flare and eruption are still subject to much investigation. Observing the exact sites of particle acceleration can help confirm how the flare and eruption are initiated and how they evolve. Here we use the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly to analyze a flare and erupting flux rope on 2014 April 18, while observations from the Nançay Radio Astronomy Facility allow us to diagnose the sites of electron acceleration during the eruption. Our analysis shows evidence of a pre-formed flux rope that slowly rises and becomes destabilized at the time of a C-class flare, plasma jet, and the escape of ≳75 keV electrons from the rope center into the corona. As the eruption proceeds, continued acceleration of electrons with energies of ∼5 keV occurs above the flux rope for a period over 5 minutes. At the flare peak, one site of electron acceleration is located close to the flare site, while another is driven by the erupting flux rope into the corona at speeds of up to 400 km s{sup −1}. Energetic electrons then fill the erupting volume, eventually allowing the flux rope legs to be clearly imaged from radio sources at 150–445 MHz. Following the analysis of Joshi et al. (2015), we conclude that the sites of energetic electrons are consistent with flux rope eruption via a tether cutting or flux cancellation scenario inside a magnetic fan-spine structure. In total, our radio observations allow us to better understand the evolution of a flux rope eruption and its associated electron acceleration sites, from eruption initiation to propagation into the corona.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Observation of a Short Period Quasi-periodic Pulsation in Solar X-Ray, Microwave, and EUV Emissions

This paper presents the multiwavelength analysis of a 13 s quasi-periodic pulsation (QPP) observed in hard X-ray (12–300 keV) and microwave (4.9–34 GHz) emissions during a C-class flare that occurred on 2015 September 21. Atmospheric Image Assembly (AIA) 304 and 171 Å images show an emerging loop/flux tube (L1) moving radially outward, which interacts with the preexisting structures within the active region (AR). The QPP was observed during the expansion of and rising motion of L1. The Nobeyama Radioheliograph microwave images in 17/34 GHz channels reveal a single radio source that was co-spatial with a neighboring loop (L2). In addition, using AIA 304 Å images, we detected intensity oscillations in the legs of L2 with a period of about 26 s. A similar oscillation period was observed in the GOES soft X-ray flux derivative. This oscillation period seems to increase with time. We suggest that the observed QPP is most likely generated by the interaction between L2 and L3 observed in the AIA hot channels (131 and 94 Å). The merging speed of loops L2 and L3 was ∼35 km s{sup −1}. L1 was destroyed possibly by its interaction with preexisting structures in the AR, and produced a cool jet with the speed of ∼106–118 km s{sup −1} associated with a narrow CME (∼770 km s{sup −1}). Another mechanism of the QPP in terms of a sausage oscillation of the loop (L2) is also possible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Vortex and Sink Flows in Eruptive Flares as a Model for Coronal Implosions

Eruptive flares are sudden releases of magnetic energy that involve many phenomena, several of which can be explained by the standard 2D flare model and its realizations in 3D. We analyze a 3D magnetohydrodynamics simulation, in the framework of this model, that naturally explains the contraction of coronal loops in the proximity of the flare sites, as well as the inflow toward the region above the cusp-shaped loops. We find that two vorticity arcs located along the flanks of the erupting magnetic flux rope are generated as soon as the eruption begins. The magnetic arcades above the flux rope legs are then subjected to expansion, rotation, or contraction depending on which part of the vortex flow advects them. In addition to the vortices, an inward-directed magnetic pressure gradient exists in the current sheet below the magnetic flux rope. It results in the formation of a sink that is maintained by reconnection. We conclude that coronal loop apparent implosions observed during eruptive flares are the result of hydromagnetic effects related to the generation of vortex and sink flows when a flux rope moves in a magnetized environment.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Sunward-propagating Solar Energetic Electrons inside Multiple Interplanetary Flux Ropes

On 2013 December 2 and 3, the SEPT and STE instruments on board STEREO-A observed two solar energetic electron events with unusual sunward-directed fluxes. Both events occurred during a time interval showing typical signatures of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). The electron timing and anisotropies, combined with extreme-ultraviolet solar imaging and radio wave spectral observations, are used to confirm the solar origin and the injection times of the energetic electrons. The solar source of the ICME is investigated using remote-sensing observations and a three-dimensional reconstruction technique. In situ plasma and magnetic field data combined with energetic electron observations and a flux-rope model are used to determine the ICME magnetic topology and the interplanetary electron propagation path from the Sun to 1 au. Two consecutive flux ropes crossed the STEREO-A location and each electron event occurred inside a different flux rope. In both cases, the electrons traveled from the solar source to 1 au along the longest legs of the flux ropes still connected to the Sun. During the December 2 event, energetic electrons propagated along the magnetic field, while during the December 3 event they were propagating against the field. As found by previous studies, the energetic electron propagation times are consistent with a low number of field line rotations N < 5 of the flux rope between the Sun and 1 au. The flux rope model used in this work suggests an even lower number of rotations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

MHD Simulations of the Eruption of Coronal Flux Ropes under Coronal Streamers

Using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, we investigate the eruption of coronal flux ropes underlying coronal streamers and the development of a prominence eruption. We initialize a quasi-steady solution of a coronal helmet streamer, into which we impose at the lower boundary the slow emergence of a part of a twisted magnetic torus. As a result, a quasi-equilibrium flux rope is built up under the streamer. With varying streamer sizes and different lengths and total twists of the flux rope that emerges, we found different scenarios for the evolution from quasi-equilibrium to eruption. In the cases with a broad streamer, the flux rope remains well confined until there is sufficient twist such that it first develops the kink instability and evolves through a sequence of kinked, confined states with increasing height until it eventually develops a “hernia-like” ejective eruption. For significantly twisted flux ropes, prominence condensations form in the dips of the twisted field lines due to runaway radiative cooling. Once formed, the prominence-carrying field becomes significantly non-force-free due to the weight of the prominence, despite having low plasma β . As the flux rope erupts, the prominence erupts, showing substantial draining along the legs of the erupting flux rope. The prominence may not show a kinked morphology even though the flux rope becomes kinked. On the other hand, in the case with a narrow streamer, the flux rope with less than one wind of twist can erupt via the onset of the torus instability.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Structure and Dynamics of Cool Flare Loops Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

Flare loops were well observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph ( IRIS ) during the gradual phase of two solar flares on 2014 March 29 and 2015 June 22. Cool flare loops are visible in various spectral lines formed at chromospheric and transition-region temperatures and exhibit large downflows which correspond to the standard scenario. The principal aim of this work is to analyze the structure and dynamics of cool flare loops observed in Mg ii lines. Synthetic profiles of the Mg ii h line are computed using the classical cloud model and assuming a uniform background intensity. In this paper, we study novel IRIS NUV observations of such loops in Mg ii h and k lines and also show the behavior of hotter lines detected in the FUV channel. We obtained the spatial evolution of the velocities: near the loop top, the flow velocities are small and they are increasing toward the loop legs. Moreover, from slit-jaw image (SJI) movies, we observe some plasma upflows into the loops, which are also detectable in Mg ii spectra. The brightness of the loops systematically decreases with increasing flow velocity, and we ascribe this to the effect of Doppler dimming, which works for Mg ii lines. Emission profiles of Mg ii were found to be extremely broad, and we explain this through the large unresolved non-thermal motions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

OSCILLATION OF CURRENT SHEETS IN THE WAKE OF A FLUX ROPE ERUPTION OBSERVED BY THE SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY

An erupting flux rope (FR) draws its overlying coronal loops upward, causing a coronal mass ejection. The legs of the overlying loops with opposite polarities are driven together. Current sheets (CSs) form, and magnetic reconnection, producing underneath flare arcades, occurs in the CSs. Employing Solar Dynamic Observatory /Atmospheric Imaging Assembly images, we study a FR eruption on 2015 April 23, and for the first time report the oscillation of CSs underneath the erupting FR. The FR is observed in all AIA extreme-ultraviolet passbands, indicating that it has both hot and warm components. Several bright CSs, connecting the erupting FR and the underneath flare arcades, are observed only in hotter AIA channels, e.g., 131 and 94 Å. Using the differential emission measure (EM) analysis, we find that both the temperature and the EM of CSs temporally increase rapidly, reach the peaks, and then decrease slowly. A significant delay between the increases of the temperature and the EM is detected. The temperature, EM, and density spatially decrease along the CSs with increasing heights. For a well-developed CS, the temperature (EM) decreases from 9.6 MK (8 × 10{sup 28} cm{sup −5}) to 6.2 MK (5 × 10{sup 27} cm{sup −5}) in 52 Mm. Along the CSs, dark supra-arcade downflows (SADs) are observed, and one of them separates a CS into two. While flowing sunward, the speeds of the SADs decrease. The CSs oscillate with a period of 11 minutes, an amplitude of 1.5 Mm, and a phase speed of 200 ± 30 km s{sup −1}. One of the oscillations lasts for more than 2 hr. These oscillations represent fast-propagating magnetoacoustic kink waves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

30-kW All-SiC Inverter with 3D-Printed Air-Cooled Heatsinks for Plug-In and Full Electric Vehicle Applications

This paper presents the design and development of a 30-kW 3D printed based air-cooled silicon carbide (SiC) inverter for electric vehicle application. Specifically, an all-SiC air-cooled power module is designed, aiming at reduced thermal resistance for high temperature and high power density operation. The module assembly incorporates three major parts: an optimized 3D printed heat sink, a SiC MOSFET phase leg module, and a two-channel gate driver. The electrical and thermal performance of the power module is evaluated through double pulse test and continuous operation. Based on the air-cooled power module, a three-phase half-bridge voltage source inverter with 3D-printed air duct is built and tested to further verify the performance of the power module.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

A novel approach for characterizing the variability in mass–dimension relationships: results from MC3E

Abstract. Mass–dimension (m–D) relationships determining bulkmicrophysical properties such as total water content (TWC) and radarreflectivity factor (Z) from particle size distributions are used in bothnumerical models and remote sensing retrievals. The a and b coefficientsrepresenting m=aD b relationships, however, can vary significantlydepending on meteorological conditions, particle habits, the definition ofparticle maximum dimension, the probes used to obtain the data, techniquesused to process the cloud probe data, and other unknown reasons. Thus,considering a range of a,b coefficients may be more applicable for use innumerical models and remote sensing retrievals. Microphysical data collectedby two-dimensional optical array probes (OAPs) installed on the University ofNorth Dakota (UND) Citation aircraft during the Mid-latitude Continental ConvectiveClouds Experiment (MC3E) were used in conjunction with TWC data from aNevzorov probe and ground-based S-band radar data to determine a and busing a technique that minimizes the chi-square difference between the TWC andZ derived from the OAPs and those directly measured by a TWC probe andradar. All a and b values within a specified tolerance were regarded as equallyplausible solutions. Of the 16 near-constant-temperature flight legs analyzedduring the 25 April, 20 May, and 23 May 2011 events, the derived surfaces ofsolutions on the first 2 days where the aircraft-sampled stratiform cloudhad a larger range in a and b for lower temperature environments thatcorrespond to less variability in N(D), TWC, and Z for a flight leg.Because different regions of the storm were sampled on 23 May, differences inthe variability in N(D), TWC, and Z influenced the distribution ofchi-square values in the (a,b) phase space and the specified tolerance in away that yielded 2.8 times fewer plausible solutions compared to the flightlegs on the other dates. These findings show the importance of representingthe variability in a,b coefficients for numerical modeling and remotesensing studies, rather than assuming fixed values, as well as the need tofurther explore how these surfaces depend on environmental conditions inclouds containing ice hydrometeors.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

rp (a1)

For ship-based deployments, some instruments require actively stabilized platforms to compensate for the ship's motion, especially rotations around the long axis of the ship (roll), short axis (pitch), and, for some instruments, vertical axis (yaw). ARM currently employs two types of stabilized platforms: one electrically controlled for lighter instruments that includes yaw control (dubbed RPY for Roll, Pitch, Yaw) and one hydraulic platform with three independently controlled legs for heavier instruments, like the Marine W-Band ARM Cloud Radar (MWACR), (dubbed RPH for Roll, Pitch, Heave [vertical translational motion]). For a comprehensive report on the purpose, characteristics, and functionality of the RPH hydraulic stabilized platform, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Roll, Pitch, and Heave (RPH) Stabilization Platform: Design and Evaluation. For further details of the platform's electronics, configuration, and performance evaluation, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Stabilization Platform: Control Strategy and Implementation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

rphcontrol (a1)

For ship-based deployments, some instruments require actively stabilized platforms to compensate for the ship's motion, especially rotations around the long axis of the ship (roll), short axis (pitch), and, for some instruments, vertical axis (yaw). ARM currently employs two types of stabilized platforms: one electrically controlled for lighter instruments that includes yaw control (dubbed RPY for Roll, Pitch, Yaw) and one hydraulic platform with three independently controlled legs for heavier instruments, like the Marine W-Band ARM Cloud Radar (MWACR), (dubbed RPH for Roll, Pitch, Heave [vertical translational motion]). For a comprehensive report on the purpose, characteristics, and functionality of the RPH hydraulic stabilized platform, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Roll, Pitch, and Heave (RPH) Stabilization Platform: Design and Evaluation. For further details of the platform's electronics, configuration, and performance evaluation, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Stabilization Platform: Control Strategy and Implementation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

rphtilt (a1)

For ship-based deployments, some instruments require actively stabilized platforms to compensate for the ship's motion, especially rotations around the long axis of the ship (roll), short axis (pitch), and, for some instruments, vertical axis (yaw). ARM currently employs two types of stabilized platforms: one electrically controlled for lighter instruments that includes yaw control (dubbed RPY for Roll, Pitch, Yaw) and one hydraulic platform with three independently controlled legs for heavier instruments, like the Marine W-Band ARM Cloud Radar (MWACR), (dubbed RPH for Roll, Pitch, Heave [vertical translational motion]). For a comprehensive report on the purpose, characteristics, and functionality of the RPH hydraulic stabilized platform, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Roll, Pitch, and Heave (RPH) Stabilization Platform: Design and Evaluation. For further details of the platform's electronics, configuration, and performance evaluation, see this Report on the Second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2) Stabilization Platform: Control Strategy and Implementation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Investigation of HTS Twisted Stacked-Tape Cable (TSTC) Conductor for High-Field, High-Current Fusion Magnets

The critical currents of a twisted single-tape were measured at 4.2 K in fields up to 17 T. It was confirmed that the critical current of a twisted-tape was similar to that of a flat tape in c-axis fields. Based on the single-tape critical-currents, a 40-tape (4-mm width) twisted stacked-tape cable (TSTC) conductor was experimentally evaluated at fields up to 17 T at 4.2 K. It was found that the Lorentz load degradation of the TSTC conductor was negligible at the end of a cyclic test. The TSTC cabling method has been considered to be suitable for developing a high-field high-current REBCO conductor for magnet applications as well as power transmission cables. A method to fabricate the inner legs of a D-shape toroidal field coil using a TSTC conductor has been discussed. This method allows the conductor to properly resist the transverse Lorentz load and mitigate ac loss issues by adopting a parallel-HTS-tape flat cable configuration where necessary.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Simple circuit provides adjustable voltage with linear temperature variation

A bridge circuit giving an adjustable output voltage that varies linearly with temperature is formed with temperature compensating diodes in one leg. A resistor voltage divider adjusts to temperature range across the bridge. The circuit is satisfactory over the temperature range of minus 20 degrees centigrade to plus 80 degrees centigrade.

Moede, L. W.↗

Coaxial capacitor used to determine fluid density

Sensing device measures directly the density of compressible fluid existing simultaneously in both liquid and gaseous phases. The device is comprised of a capacitor connected as one leg of a bridge circuit, a power source, and an indicator calibrated to indicate density as a direct measurement.

Atkisson, E. A.↗