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Results for “plasma confinement”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Expansion of solar-terrestrial low-beta plasmoid

A magnetized plasma system confined inside a finite volume may expand (or contract) when its surrounding pressure changes. In this paper, two possible expanding processes of a low-beta plasmoid are discussed: (1) linear expansion and (2) expansion with fixed footpoints of field lines. The constant-zeta expansion, discussed in this paper, may maintain a low-beta plasmoid in a nearly force-free state during the expanding process. This simple model is applied to the magnetic clouds observed in the interplanetary space. The estimated scale size and expanding speed of the magnetic cloud are found to be in reasonable agreement with the observation. The energy conversion process is investigated: the free 'magnetic potential energy' stored in a magnetized system, which is pressed by external pressure, may be released to accelerate the plasma. The concept of a 'magnetic burst' is briefly discussed.

Yang, Wei-Hong↗
NASA NTRS1979

X-ray line emission from Capella

X-ray emission line components from Mg, Si, S and Fe were unambiguously detected from Capella with the Solid-State Spectrometer onboard the Einstein Observatory. The X-ray spectrum is inconsistent with an isothermal corona, and requires components between 6,000,000 K and at least 24,000,000 K for an adequate fit. An inhomogeneous corona in which the X-ray emitting plasma is confined to magnetically-contained loops appears to be reconcilable with all of the experimental evidence.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

X-ray line emission from Capella

X-ray emission-line components from Mg, Si, S, and Fe are unambiguously detected from Capella with the solid-state spectrometer onboard the Einstein Observatory. The X-ray spectrum is inconsistent with an isothermal corona, and requires components between 6-million K and at least 24-million K for an adequate fit. An inhomogeneous corona in which the X-ray emitting plasma is confined to magnetically contained loops appears to be reconcilable with all of the experimental evidence.

Holt, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A comparison of the height distributions of solar flare hard X-rays in thick target and thermal models

The height structure of hard X-ray bremsstrahlung emission in solar flares is computed for two different models of bremsstrahlung production: emission from a descending beam of nonthermal electrons, and thermal emission from a coronally confined hot plasma. It is shown how these models give rise to hard X-ray spatial distributions which are distinguishable by current instrumentation, and that, therefore, the models may be distinguished by such spatially resolved hard X-ray measurements.

Emslie, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Tearing instability in an anisotropic neutral sheet

A study is made of the collisionless tearing-mode stability properties of a field-reversed plasma layer whose temperature distribution is anisotropic. The plasma is confined by its self magnetic field with no external field. A kinetic description is used for both ions and electrons. The effects of the axis-crossing and nonaxis-crossing orbits are discussed. It is found that the conventional technique of matching the inner and outer asymptotic solutions at the electron inner-region is inadequate for the anisotropic case. An intermediate region in which the axis-crossing ion orbits are important is identified. The eigenvalue equation is solved using both analytic approximations and numerical methods to obtain the eigenmode structure and the linear dispersion relation. Previously announced in STAR as N84-14920

Chen, J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Extended performance technology study 30-cm thruster

The extended performance technology study was an investigation of advanced discharge chambers and thruster components that were designed to operate under conditions which result in an increase in the thrust and thrust to power ratio of the state of the art J-series thruster. The high level of performance was achieved by a discharge chamber that employs a ring cusp magnetic confinement arrangement and a three grid ion extraction assembly. It is shown that the ring cusp magnetic field geometry confines the plasma to the volume immediately adjacent to the ion extraction assembly. A high emission current hollow cathode that demonstrated operation at an emission current as high as J sub E = 40 A, and measurements which show the breakdown voltage of individual sections of the J-series propellant flow electrical isolator is about 340 V per section are investigated.

Beattie, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The X-ray spectra and the rotation-activity connection of RS CVN binaries

Results from a survey of RS CVn binaries which were observed with the Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) on board the Einstein Observatory are presented. Spectral analyses of the IPC pulse height spectra show that the coronae of RS CVn binaries always contain hot gas with temperatures 10 million K, similar to active late-type main sequence stars, and that at least 2 temperature components are necessary to account for the higher quality IPC spectra (when absorption is unimportant). It is argued that these bimodal temperature distributions indicate true distributions of emission measure vs temperature that are continuous (just as is the case for magnetically-confined coronal plasma loops observed on the Sun). It is shown that none of the derivable X-ray characteristics of RS CVn binaries depend on rotation period, implying that claims of period-activity relationships in RS CVn binaries are unfounded.

Majer, P.↗
NASA NTRS1986

X-ray spectra and the rotation-activity connection of RS Canum Venaticorum binaries

Results are presented from a survey of RS CVn binaries which were observed with the imaging proportional counter (IPC) on board the Einstein Observatory. Spectral analyses of the IPC pulse height spectra show that the coronae of RS CVn binaries always contain hot gas with temperatures in excess of 10 to the 7th K, similar to active late-type main-sequence stars, and that at least two temperature components are necessary to account for the higher quality IPC spectra (when absorption is unimportant). It is argued that these bimodal temperature distributions found by the IPC are indicative of true distributions of emission measure versus temperature that are continuous (just as is the case of magnetically confined coronal plasma loops observed on the sun). It is further shown that none of the derivable X-ray characteristics of RS CVn binaries depend on rotation period, implying that previous claims of period-activity relationships in RS CVn binaries were unfounded.

Majer, P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Surface energy from order parameter profile: At the QCD phase transition

The order parameter profile between coexisting confined and plasma regions at the quantum chromodynamic (QCD) phase transition is constructed. The dimensionless combination of the surface energy (Sigma) and the correlation length (Zeta) is estimated to be Sigma Zeta 3 approximately equals 0.8.

Frei, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Characterization of GaAlAs optical waveguide heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Multiple-layer GaAlAs optical waveguide heterostructures have been grown by MBE. These samples were designed to operate at 840 nm with negligible coupling of guided light to the absorbing GaAs substrate. The Al concentration was 13 percent for the guiding layer and was 16 percent for the cladding layers. The process for growing waveguide layers was calibrated primarily by high-energy electron diffraction, with the optical quality confirmed by photoluminescence measurements. Channel waveguide structures having widths of 5 microns were etched in a low-pressure magnetically confined multipolar plasma reactor. The resulting waveguide structures were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, ellipsometry, AES, and optical-waveguide loss measurements.

Radens, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Multiple-wavelength analysis of energy release during a solar flare - Thermal and nonthermal electron populations

Collaborative solar investigations by Tufts University and the Observatoire de Paris have resulted in simultaneous radio observations with the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Nancay Radioheliograph (NR), comparisons of this radio data with X-ray observations, and theoretical interpretations of the dominant radiation mechanisms during a weak impulsive solar flare observed on May 28, 1988. The VLA has mapped the flaring structures at time intervals of 3.3 s, showing that the preflash and flash-phase components of the impulsive emission originate in spatially separated sources. The 20.7 cm preflash source is ascribed to thermal gyroresonance emission from coronal loops with typical magnetic field strengths of up to 270 G; this emission is associated with heating and exhibits no detectable hard X-ray radiation above 30 keV. The flash-phase 20.7 cm source and the hard X-ray emission are attributed to nonthermal electrons in the coronal and chromospheric portions of a magnetic loop. The combination of imaging observations at 20.7 and 91.6 cm excludes emission from a confined hot plasma during the flash phase.

Willson, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Anti-Matter Propulsion for Space. (Latest citations from the Aerospace Database)

The bibliography contains citations concerning techniques for the efficient production, long-term storage and effective utilization of antimatter for space propulsion. Inertial confinement fusion (ICF), magnetic mirror fusion, and liquid-propellant thermal antimatter fusion propulsion are some of the technologies discussed. Radiation shields, cryogenic confinement of plasma and single-stage-to-orbit vehicles are also cited. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

ANTIPROTONS↗
NASA NTRS2012

On the Weak-Wind Problem in Massive Stars: X-Ray Spectra Reveal a Massive Hot Wind in mu Columbae

Mu Columbae is a prototypical weak-wind O star for which we have obtained a high-resolution X-ray spectrum with the Chandra LETG/ACIS instrument and a low-resolution spectrum with Suzaku. This allows us, for the first time, to investigate the role of X-rays on the wind structure in a bona fide weak-wind system and to determine whether there actually is a massive hot wind. The X-ray emission measure indicates that the outflow is an order of magnitude greater than that derived from UV lines and is commensurate with the nominal wind-luminosity relationship for O stars. Therefore, the "weak-wind problem"--identified from cool wind UV/optical spectra--is largely resolved by accounting for the hot wind seen in X-rays. From X-ray line profiles, Doppler shifts, and relative strengths, we find that this weak-wind star is typical of other late O dwarfs. The X-ray spectra do not suggest a magnetically confined plasma-the spectrum is soft and lines are broadened; Suzaku spectra confirm the lack of emission above 2 keV. Nor do the relative line shifts and widths suggest any wind decoupling by ions. The He-like triplets indicate that the bulk of the X-ray emission is formed rather close to the star, within five stellar radii. Our results challenge the idea that some OB stars are "weak-wind" stars that deviate from the standard wind-luminosity relationship. The wind is not weak, but it is hot and its bulk is only detectable in X-rays.

Weak-wind↗
NASA NTRS1980

Two component X-ray emission from RS CVn binaries

A summary of results from the solid state spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory for 7 RS CVn binaries is presented. The spectra of all require two emission components, evidenced by line emission characteristic of plasma at 4 to 8 x 10 to the 6th power and bremsstrahlung characteristic of 20 to 100 x 10 to the 6th power K. The data are interpreted in terms of magnetic coronal loops similar to those seen on the Sun, although with different characteristic parameters. The emission regions could be defined by separate magnetic structures. For pressure less than approximately 10 dynes/sq cm the low temperature plasma would be confined within the stellar radii, while the high temperature plasma would, for the synchronous close binaries, fill the binary orbits. However, for loop pressures exceeding 100 dynes/sq cm, the high temperature components would also be confined to within the stellar radii, in loops covering only small fractions of the stellar surfaces. While the radio properties and the occurrence of X-ray flares suggest the larger emission regions, the observations of time variations leave the ambiguity unresolved.

Swank, J. H.↗