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At least 127 records · Page 7

Stochastic mixing of protons from chaotic orbits in the nightside geomagnetosphere

The stochastic mixing of protons in the energy range from 1 to 30 keV in the nightside magnetosphere is studied by calculating the local divergence rate of neighboring orbits and the two-time velocity correlation function. The rate of divergence of neighboring bundles of trajectories is shown to have large bursts with average separation times of order 1 minute per e-folding during the crossing of the central plasma sheet in the region beyond -50 Re. For the Tsyganenko magnetosphere the net amount of orbit divergence is 15 to 20 e-foldings in one hour. The velocity correlations are shown to decay as power laws r-m with a distribution of m values. These results indicate that for short time (less than 1 hour) there is reversibility and memory for the protons but for longer times there is no memory for protons in the nightside magnetosphere.

Horton, W.↗

Transport from chaotic orbits in the geomagnetic tail

The rapid change in direction and magnitude of the magnetic field vector in crossing the quasi-neutral sheet in the geomagnetic tail leads to deterministic Hamiltonian chaos. The finite correlation times in the single particle orbits due to the continuum of orbital frequencies leads to well-defined collisionless transport coefficients. The transport coefficients are derived for plasma trapped in the quasi-neutral sheet.

Horton, W.↗

Generation of magnetic fields by chaotic fluid convection - The fast dynamo problem

In the kinematic fast dynamo problem, the underlying nonlinear dynamics of the flow play a critical role in the behavior of a dynamo field. It is presently noted that the two important facets of the problem are the approximately lognormal distribution of vector lengths, and the presence of partial cancellation. It is suggested that these features may be reflected in the magnetic fields observed on the sun.

Finn, John M.↗

Regular and Chaotic Quantum Dynamics of Two-Level Atoms in a Selfconsistent Radiation Field

Dynamics of two-level atoms interacting with their own radiation field in a single-mode high-quality resonator is considered. The dynamical system consists of two second-order differential equations, one for the atomic SU(2) dynamical-group parameter and another for the field strength. With the help of the maximal Lyapunov exponent for this set, we numerically investigate transitions from regularity to deterministic quantum chaos in such a simple model. Increasing the collective coupling constant b is identical with 8(pi)N(sub 0)(d(exp 2))/hw, we observed for initially unexcited atoms a usual sharp transition to chaos at b(sub c) approx. equal to 1. If we take the dimensionless individual Rabi frequency a = Omega/2w as a control parameter, then a sequence of order-to-chaos transitions has been observed starting with the critical value a(sub c) approx. equal to 0.25 at the same initial conditions.

Konkov, L. E.↗

Gamma Ray Emission from Chaotic Winds of Massive Stars

The purpose of this proposal was to search for gamma-ray emission from the winds of hot, massive stars. According to our theoretical calculations, shocks in the winds of massive stars accelerate particles to high energies. The high-energy particles emit synchrotron radio emission (observed by ground-based radio telescopes) and high-energy gamma-ray emission that we predicted should be detectable by the EGRET instrument on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory between 100 MeV and a few GeV. We obtained EGRET from phases 1, 2, and 3 of the Cygnus OB2 association, a cluster of massive, young stars, to search for this gamma-ray emission. The data products and analysis show a source consistent with the position of Cyg OB2 with approximately the predicted count rate and spectrum.

White, Richard L.↗

Is the normal heartbeat chaotic or homeostatic?

Limits to the usefulness of homeostasis as a guiding physiological principle are revealed by new mechanisms derived from study of nonlinear systems that generate a type of variability called chaos. Loss of complex physiological variability may occur in certain pathological conditions including heart rate dynamics before sudden death and with aging.

NASA Program Space Physiology and Countermeasures↗

Chaotic Time Series Analysis Method Developed for Stall Precursor Identification in High-Speed Compressors

A new technique for rotating stall precursor identification in high-speed compressors has been developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. This pseudo correlation integral method uses a mathematical algorithm based on chaos theory to identify nonlinear dynamic changes in the compressor. Through a study of four various configurations of a high-speed compressor stage, a multistage compressor rig, and an axi-centrifugal engine test, this algorithm, using only a single pressure sensor, has consistently predicted the onset of rotating stall.

Source record↗

The Chaotic Light Curves of Accreting Black Holes

We present model light curves for accreting Black Hole Candidates (BHC) based on a recently developed model of these sources. According to this model, the observed light curves and aperiodic variability of BHC are due to a series of soft photon injections at random (Poisson) intervals and the stochastic nature of the Comptonization process in converting these soft photons to the observed high energy radiation. The additional assumption of our model is that the Comptonization process takes place in an extended but non-uniform hot plasma corona surrounding the compact object. We compute the corresponding Power Spectral Densities (PSD), autocorrelation functions, time skewness of the light curves and time lags between the light curves of the sources at different photon energies and compare our results to observation. Our model reproduces the observed light curves well, in that it provides good fits to their overall morphology (as manifest by the autocorrelation and time skewness) and also to their PSDs and time lags, by producing most of the variability power at time scales 2 a few seconds, while at the same time allowing for shots of a few msec in duration, in accordance with observation. We suggest that refinement of this type of model along with spectral and phase lag information can be used to probe the structure of this class of high energy sources.

Kazanas, Demosthenes↗

Spreadsheets in Team X: Preserving Order in an Inherently Chaotic Environment

JPL is NASA's prime center for deep space missions. In response to the need to reduce the cost and time to complete early concept studies and proposals JPL created the first concurrent engineering team in the aerospace industry: Team X. Started in 1995, Team X has carried out over 800 studies, dramatically reducing the time and cost involved, and has been the model for other concurrent engineering teams both within NASA and throughout the larger aerospace community. Since its inception, the software backbone of this highly successful design team - engaged in examining some of NASA's cutting edge concepts - has been the unassuming spreadsheet. Over the years the Team X spreadsheet-based tools have evolved from simple standalone engineering models into a networked spreadsheet intensive system with real time parameter updating. Recent new capabilities include stochastic cost estimation and a graphical drag and drop block diagram that automatically populates the related spreadsheet parameters of cost, mass and power. This paper describes how the spreadsheet functions within Team X: its history, architecture, current capabilities, enabling strengths and persistent weaknesses. In addition, the verification methods and institutional oversight that have evolved as the Team X products became increasingly critical to Laboratory success are also discussed.

concurrent engineering↗

The Chaotic Long-Term X-Ray Variability of 4U 1705-44

The low-mass X-ray binary 4U1705-44 exhibits dramatic long-term X-ray time variability with a time-scale of several hundred days. The All-SkyMonitor (ASM) aboard the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the Japanese Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) aboard the International Space Station together have continuously observed the source from 1995 December through 2014 May. The combined ASM-MAXI data provide a continuous time series over 50 times the length of the time-scale of interest. Topological analysis can help us identify 'fingerprints' in the phase space of a system unique to its equations of motion. The Birman-Williams theorem postulates that if such fingerprints are the same between two systems, then their equations of motion must be closely related. The phase-space embedding of the source light curve shows a strong resemblance to the double-welled non-linear Duffing oscillator. We explore a range of parameters for which the Duffing oscillator closely mirrors the time evolution of 4U1705-44. We extract low period, unstable periodic orbits from the 4U1705-44 and Duffing time series and compare their topological information. The Duffing and 4U1705-44 topological properties are identical, providing strong evidence that they share the same underlying template. This suggests that we can look to the Duffing equation to help guide the development of a physical model to describe the long-term X-ray variability of this and other similarly behaved X-ray binary systems.

Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE)↗

Exploration of Spatial Chaotic Orbits Using Isolating Neighborhoods

Isolating blocks and isolating neighborhoods have previously been used to compute periodic and quasiperiodic orbits around the collinear libration points in the circular restricted three-body problem. Isolating neighborhoods may be used to further explore the boundary between the Lissajous and quasihalo orbits at en- ergies where the halo orbits have bifurcated from the Lyapunov orbits. A method to compute trajectories that are forward and backward asymptotic to the libration point invariant set using very small velocity corrections is developed here. The method is then used to compute representative trajectories within this region and characterize their behavior.

Lo, Martin W.↗