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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Particle motion in the tail current sheet

Theory of particle motion in current sheets is reviewed. For small, approximately constant normal magnetic field, Bz, particles oscillate about the current sheet and 'live' within the sheet for one-half gyroperiod based on Bz. This lifetime replaces the mean collision time in the Lorentzian conductivity and thus gives rise to the concept of an inertial (or gyro-) conductivity. A substorm model by Coroniti utilizes this conductivity to allow reconnection to proceed without anomalous processes, due to wave-particle interactions. Chaotic particle orbits may at times be important to the dynamics, depending on parameters such as particle energy, current sheet thickness, and field line curvature. A current sheet model with neutral line predicts a ridge structure and asymmetries in the distribution function. Ion distributions near the plasma sheet boundary layer, during the CDAW 6 interval, are consistent with the model predictions. In recent studies by Mitchell et al. and Williams et al., the major current carriers during the growth phase of a substorm were found to be adiabatic electrons not more than 1 keV, but just before a current disruption event, the tail current was mainly carried by energetic ions undergoing current sheet oscillation.

Speiser, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Escape of sulfur and oxygen from Io

Charged particle sputtering is reexamined as a mechanism for escape of sulfur and oxygen from Io. Corotating ions and energetic ions are considered, using the best available determinations of ion fluxes and sputtering yields. It is unclear whether molecular SO2 is the dominant escaping neutral from Io or whether atomic O and S are dominant, but the Voyager detection of SO2(+) in the cold torus implies the presence of molecular SO2 there. Thin atmosphere models encounter serious difficulty in achieving adequate sulfur and oxygen escape rates, but they are not yet ruled out. Ionization and dissociation of SO2 in a sputter corona can dominate direct escape. In thick atmosphere models the neutral escape rates can be much higher, but the oxygen escape rate tends to be too high relative to the sulfur escape rate unless diffusive separation in the atmosphere is limited, perhaps by rapid mixing.

Cheng, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

ISEE 3 observations during the CDAW 8 intervals - Case studies of the distant geomagnetic tail covering a wide range of geomagnetic activity

Observations made by the ISEE 3 spacecraft in the distant geomagnetic tail during the eight CDAW 8 intervals are discussed, along with their relation to concurrent geomagnetic activity. This extensive multiinstrument case study of distant tail data covers a wide range of geomagnetic conditions from extended intervals of magnetic quiet with isolated substorms to prolonged periods of intense disturbance. Plasmoids are observed in the distant tail following disturbance enhancements, the time of their appearance being generally consistent with disconnection from the near-earth region at the time of the enhancement. Their structure is entirely consistent with the neutral line model. However, not all enhancements in geomagnetic activity result in the observation of plasmoids. In particular, the CDAW 8 data suggest that, during extended intervals of strong activity, a continuous neutral line may reside in the near-earth tail and some disturbance enhancements may then relate to an increase in the reconnection rate at a preexisting neutral line, rather than to new neutral line and plasmoid formation.

Richardson, I. G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The Environment-Power System Analysis Tool development program

The Environment Power System Analysis Tool (EPSAT) is being developed to provide engineers with the ability to assess the effects of a broad range of environmental interactions on space power systems. A unique user-interface-data-dictionary code architecture oversees a collection of existing and future environmental modeling codes (e.g., neutral density) and physical interaction models (e.g., sheath ionization). The user-interface presents the engineer with tables, graphs, and plots which, under supervision of the data dictionary, are automatically updated in response to parameter change. EPSAT thus provides the engineer with a comprehensive and responsive environmental assessment tool and the scientist with a framework into which new environmental or physical models can be easily incorporated.

Jongeward, Gary A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Composition/Structure/Dynamics of comet and planetary satellite atmospheres

This research program addresses two cases of tenuous planetary atmospheres: comets and Io. The comet atmospheric research seeks to analyze a set of spatial profiles of CN in comet Halley taken in a 7.4-day period in April 1986; to apply a new dust coma model to various observations; and to analyze observations of the inner hydrogen coma, which can be optically thick to the resonance scattering of Lyman-alpha radiation, with the newly developed approach that combines a spherical radiative transfer model with our Monte Carlo H coma model. The Io research seeks to understand the atmospheric escape from Io with a hybrid-kinetic model for neutral gases and plasma given methods and algorithms developed for the study of neutral gas cometary atmospheres and the earth's polar wind and plasmasphere. Progress is reported on cometary Hydrogen Lyman-alpha studies; time-series analysis of cometary spatial profiles; model analysis of the dust comae of comets; and a global kinetic atmospheric model of Io.

Combi, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Modeling of the coupled magnetospheric and neutral wind dynamos

This report summarizes the progress made in the first year of NASA Grant No. NAGW-3508 entitled 'Modeling of the Coupled Magnetospheric and Neutral Wind Dynamos.' The approach taken has been to impose magnetospheric boundary conditions with either pure voltage or current characteristics and solve the neutral wind dynamo equation under these conditions. The imposed boundary conditions determine whether the neutral wind dynamo will contribute to the high-latitude current system or the electric potential. The semi-annual technical report, dated December 15, 1993, provides further detail describing the scientific and numerical approach of the project. The numerical development has progressed and the dynamo solution for the case when the magnetosphere acts as a voltage source has been evaluated completely using spectral techniques. The simulation provides the field-aligned current distribution at high latitudes due to the neutral wind dynamo. A number of geophysical conditions can be simulated to evaluate the importance of the neutral wind dynamo contribution to the field-aligned current system. On average, field-aligned currents generated by the neutral wind dynamo contributed as much as 30 percent to the large-scale field-aligned current system driven by the magnetosphere. A term analysis of the high-latitude neutral wind dynamo equation describing the field aligned current distribution has also been developed to illustrate the important contributing factors involved in the process. The case describing the neutral dynamo response for a magnetosphere acting as a pure current generator requires the existing spectral code to be extended to a pseudo-spectral method and is currently under development.

Thayer, Jeffrey P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Fluid model of plasma outside a hollow cathode neutralizer

The present study analyzes the capability of a fluid model of electron transport to explain observed properties of the external plasma of a hollow cathode neutralizer used to neutralize beams emerging from ion thrusters. Calculations reported here show that when the effective collision frequency in such a model is near the plasma frequency, the resulting electric potential and electron temperature variations are in qualitative agreement with values measured in the plume mode of the hollow cathode. Both theory and experiment show strong variations of temperature and potential within a few centimeters of the cathode orifice.

Parks, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Energetic particle beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer following substorm expansion - Simultaneous near-earth and distant tail observations

Simultaneous observations of ions and electron beams in the near-earth and deep magnetotail following the onset of substorm are analyzed in terms of the substorm neutral line model. The observations were collected on March 20, 1983 with ISSE 1 and 3. Energy fluxes and intensity-time profiles of protons and electrons are studied. The data reveal that the reconnection at the near-earth neutral line produces ions and electrons for the plasma sheet boundary layer. The maximum electric potential along the neutral line is evaluated.

Scholer, M.↗
NASA NTRS1953

Investigation of the Spinning and Tumbling Characteristics of a 1/25-Scale Model of the Lockheed XFV-1 Airplane in the Langley 20-Foot Free-Spinning Tunnel

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel on a l/23-scale model of the Lockheed XFV-1 airplane to determine the effects of control setting and movement upon the erect-spin and recovery characteristics for a range of airplane loading conditions. A windmilling propeller was simulated on the model for some of the tests. The investigation included determination of the size of tail parachute required for emergency recovery from demonstration spins. The tumbling tendencies of the model were also investigated. The results indicated that any erect or inverted spin obtained on the airplane will be satisfactorily terminated if recovery is attempted by full rudder reversal accompanied by simultaneous lateral and longitudinal movement of the stick to neutral, The model test results showed that an 11.5-foot flat-type tail parachute (drag coefficient approximately 0.73) with a 27.5-foot towline will be effective as an emergency spin-recovery device during demonstration spins of the airplane. The model results also indicate that the airplane will not tumble for any.loading condition indicated possible.

Lee, Henry A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Structure of coronal neutral sheets

A qualitative model for the structure of the neutral sheet lying along the axis of coronal streamers is developed. The internal topology of the sheet is that of extremely thin magnetic tongues greatly distended outward by the solar wind expansion inside the sheet. Due to finite conductivity effects, expansion is taking place across the field lines but is retarded relative to the external flow by the reverse jxB force. The sheet thickness is determined by three considerations: the electrical conductivity that specifies the magnitude of the gradients in field strength, the expansion velocity that stretches the field lines outward decreasing the sheet thickness, and finally, the lateral pressure balance that limits the approach of the oppositely directed external field toward the neutral plane. If sigma is the electrical conductivity, the sheet thickness is shown to be proportional to sigma-1/3. For an electron conductivity evaluated perpendicular to the internal field in the sheet, the thickness is of the order of 100 km in the inner corona and 10,000 km at 1 AU. Microturbulence and instabilities are expected to yield dimensions greater than these theoretical values since these effects tend to reduce the effective conductivity.

Pneuman, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The neutral oxygen spectrum. 1: Collisionally excited level populations and line intensities under optically thin conditions

This is the first paper in a projected program to produce quantitative information on the spectrum of the neutral oxygen atom under a variety of excitation conditions. Radiative rates and effective collision strengths are assembled from the recent literature where available, or are calculated for as yet untreated transitions using the University College superstructure/distorted-wave computer package, to produce a complete set of atomic data for a 13 hybrid level model of neutral oxygen. Level populations and relative intensities for 28 allowed, inter-combination, and forbidden oxygen lines are computed, under optically thin conditions, for the electron density range 4.0 less than log N(sub e) less than 12.0 and the electron temperature values T(sub e) = 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 K. Preliminary applications to observed intercombination/allowed and forbidden/allowed line ratios are discussed.

Bhatia, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Corotation lag of Saturn's magnetosphere - Global ionospheric conductivities revisited

In view of the recent publication of Eviatar and Richardson (1986), who have calculated the Pedersen conductance of Saturn's ionosphere to be much smaller than previous estimates, the Pedersen conductance is recalculated using the same neutral atmosphere model as these authors. The results confirm the earlier estimates that the ionospheric Pedersen conductance of Saturn's ionosphere ranges from 0.3 to 17 mho near the terminator as a function of latitude. The source of discrepancy appears to be the inclusion by Eviatar and Richardson of ion density into the ion-neutral collision frequency term, which is incorrect. Contrary to the conclusion of Eviatar and Richardson, Saturn's ionospheric Pedersen conductance is high enough to impose nearly perfect corotation between the ionosphere and the magnetosphere.

Cheng, Andrew F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Cometary atmospheres: Modeling the spatial distribution of observed neutral radicals

Progress during the second year of a program of research on the modeling of the spatial distributions of cometary radicals is discussed herein in several major areas. New scale length laws for cometary C2 and CN were determined which explain that the previously-held apparent drop of the C2/CN ratio for large heliocentric distances does not exist and that there is no systematic variation. Monte Carlo particle trajectory model (MCPTM) analysis of sunward and anti-sunward brightness profiles of cometary C2 was completed. This analysis implies a lifetime of 31,000 seconds for the C2 parent and an ejection speed for C2 of approximately 0.5 km/sec upon dissociation from the parent. A systematic reanalysis of published C3 and OH data was begun. Preliminary results find a heliocentric distance dependence for C3 scale lengths with a much larger variation than for C2 and CN. Scale lengths for OH are generally somewhat larger than currently accepted values. The MCPTM was updated to include the coma temperature. Finally, the collaborative effort with the University of Arizona programs has yielded some preliminary CCD images of Comet P/Halley.

Combi, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Effects of interstellar particles upon the interplanetary magnetic field

The flow of interstellar neutral particles into the interplanetary medium and their subsequent ionization in the presence of the electromagnetic field of the solar wind can cause a loss of field angular momentum by the solar wind. One effect of this loss of field angular momentum is a significant unwinding of the spiral field. This effect is evaluated using simple models for neutral density and ion production. For a free-stream interstellar medium with a neutral hydrogen density of 1 per cubic centimeter and a velocity relative to the sun of 10 to 20 km per second, the spiral angle at the orbit of Jupiter will be less than its nominal value of 45 deg at the orbit of the earth.

Coleman, P. J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2005

XMM-Newton Spectroscopy of the X-ray Detected Broad Absorption Line QSO CSO 755

We present the results from XMM-Newton observations of the highly optically polarized broad absorption line quasar (BALQSO) CSO 755. By analyzing its X-ray spectrum with a total of approximately 3000 photons we find that this source has an X-ray continuum of "typical" radio-quiet quasars, with a photon index of Gamma=1.83, and a rather flat (X-ray bright) intrinsic optical-to-X-ray spectral slope of alpha_ox=- 1.51. The source shows evidence for intrinsic absorption, and fitting the spectrum with a neutral-absorption model gives a column density of N_H approximately 1.2x10^22 cm^{-2}; this is among the lowest X-ray columns measured for BALQSOs. We do not detect, with high significance, any other absorption features in the X-ray spectrum. Upper limits we place on the rest-frame equivalent width of a neutral (ionized) Fe K-alpha line, less than =180 eV (less than =120 eV), and on the Compton-reflection component parameter, R less than =0.2, suggest that most of the X-rays from the source are directly observed rather than being scattered or reflected; this is also supported by the relatively flat intrinsic alpha ox we measure. The possibility that most of the X-ray flux is scattered due to the high level of UV-optical polarization is ruled out. Considering data for 46 BALQSOs from the literature, including CSO 755, we have found that the UV-optical continuum polarization level of BALQSOs is not correlated with any of their X-ray properties. A lack of significant short-term and long-term X-ray flux variations in the source may be attributed to a large black-hole mass in CSO 755. We note that another luminous BALQSO, PG 2112+059, has both similar shallow C IV BALs and moderate X-ray absorption.

Brandt, Niel↗
NASA NTRS1987

Simultaneous observations of the near-earth and distant geomagnetic tail during a substorm by ISEE-1, ISEE-3 and geostationary spacecraft

The structure of the geomagnetic tail during a substorm is investigated by combining plasma, magnetic field, and energetic particle data from the ISEE-3 spacecraft in the deep tail with similar near-earth observations from ISEE-1 and geostationary spacecraft. The observations can be interpreted in terms of the neutral-line model of substorms and indicate the formation of a closed-loop field region (plasmoid) following substorm onset, which is ejected down the tail. The plasmoid is observed to have a double-loop field strucure. This may be the result of a second substorm onset occurring about 25 min after the first, producing a further near-earth neutral line and closed field loop. During the substorm recovery phase, the substorm neutral line moves tailward to beyond 130 earth radii from earth by some 3 h after substorm onset.

Richardson, I. G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Theory of beat-resonant coupling of electrostatic modes

A general expression is derived for the beat-resonant coupling electrostatic modes in a Vlasov plasma. The result for the coupling of two modes has a simple structure: the appropriate momentum gradient of the equilibrium particle distribution is weighted by a positive coupling coefficient and averaged over the resonance surface in momentum space. The contributions of all the resonance surfaces are then summed. This basic structure had been previously exhibited only for specific homogeneous plasma models. The present theory, which unifies and greatly simplifies these individual treatments, is based on a variational formulation of the Vlasov-Poisson equations. Using Lie transforms, the variational principle is reexpressed in oscillation-center variables, and then the nonlinear wave dynamics are obtained from the independent variations of the wave phase and the wave amplitude. The power of the method is then applied to a strongly magnetized, strongly inhomogeneous, non-neutral plasma model.

Crawford, John David↗
NASA NTRS1990

Neutral winds derived from IRI parameters and from the HWM87 wind model for the SUNDIAL campaign of September, 1986

Meridional neutral winds derived from the height of the maximum ionization of the F2-layer are compared with values from results of the HWM87 empirical neutral wind model. The time period considered in this study is the SUNDIAL-2 campaign, September 21 through October 5, 1986. Winds have been derived from measurements by a global network of ionosondes, as well as from similar quantities generated by the International Reference Ionosphere. Global wind patterns from the three sources are similar. Differences tend to be the result of local or transient phenomena that are either too rapid to be described by the order of harmonics of the empirical models, or are the result of temporal changes not reproduced by models based on average conditions.

Miller, K. L.↗