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At least 1,621 records · Page 90
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Density fluctuations induced by nonlinear Alfven waves

The generation of plasma density fluctuations by nonlinear Alfven waves is considered. Of particular interest is the modification to the 'static approximation', describing the relationship between wave intensity and plasma density, when the Alfven wave packet is rapidly steepening. The study concentrates on a forced wave equation for the plasma density, which yields the static approximation in a select approximnation. An analytic solution to this equation is obtained for a reasonable model of a steeping wave packet. The principal results are: (1) the static approximation should give a surprisingly robust description of the coupling between Alfven wave intensity and plasma density; (2) departures of the plasma density perturbation from the static approximation result are determined by a parameter that is a simple function of the wave amplitude and plasma beta; (3) for rapidly evolving wave packets, the position of maximum density change is displaced from that of maximum wave intensity, and (4) the magnitude of the density fluctuation will not be much different than the static approximation estimate.

Spangler, Steven R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Examining Infrasound Propagation at High Spatial Resolution Using a Nodal Seismic Array

Infrasound—acoustic waves in the atmosphere below 20 Hz—is a useful monitoring tool. Topography and atmospheric structure strongly control infrasound propagation, and at common source–receiver distances neither of these effects can be ignored when quantitative source constraints are sought. Detailed spatial measurements of the infrasound wavefield would inform propagation models and improve source estimates. However, the “large-N” deployment strategy now well-known in seismology has not yet been realized for infrasound studies. Here, we use the 900-node seismic array from the 2014 Imaging Magma Under St. Helens (iMUSH) experiment as a proxy for a large-N infrasound network, by leveraging acoustic–seismic coupled arrivals. The active-source component of iMUSH consisted of 23 shallowly buried explosions around Mount Saint Helens volcano; these explosions produced epicentral infrasound recorded on the nodes. We find that the bulk presence of ground-coupled infrasound on the nodes is controlled by wind noise and source–receiver distance, with observed arrivals for eight explosions. Explosions with the most extensive coupling produce complex spatial waveform patterns across the array. These patterns are related to both topographic and atmospheric propagation effects, as well as spatially variable site (coupling) effects. We compare our observations to simple topographic diffraction and high-resolution wind advection models, and full-wave numerical simulations. We find strong spatial correlations between (a) coupled arrival strength and modeled topographic obstruction and (b) coupled arrival time and along-path winds. Our seismoacoustic analyses and results are applicable to other existing and future nodal seismic data sets and can expand the utility of such deployments.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1979

Nonlinear Landau damping in the ionosphere

A model which explains the nonresonant waves which produce the diffuse resonance observed near 3/2 f(H) by the Alouette and Isis topside sounders, where f(H) is the ambient electron cyclotron frequency, is presented. These waves are the result of plasma wave instabilities driven by anisotropic electron velocity distributions initiated by the high-power short-duration sounder pulse. Calculations of the nonlinear wave-particle coupling coefficients show that the diffuse resonance wave can be maintained by nonlinear Landau damping of the sounder-stimulated 2f(H) wave which is observed with a time duration longer than that of the diffuse resonance wave. The time duration of the diffuse resonance is determined by the transit time of the instability-generated and nonlinearly maintained diffuse resonance wave from the remote short-lived hot region back to the antenna. The model is consistent with the Alouette/Isis observations and it demonstrates the existence of nonlinear wave-particle interactions in the ionosphere.

Kiwamoto, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electrostatic wave observation during a space simulation beam-plasma discharge

ELF waves which were observed during beam-plasma discharge in the large vacuum chamber at Johnson Space Center are studied. Phase delays as a function of radius (obtained from cross-correlation measurements of density fluctuations) along with measurements of frequency and plasma potential, density, and temperature have been compared to a zero-order slab model of nonlocal azimuthal drift wave propagation. The inferred wave phase velocity in the plasma frame after Doppler correction is found to be near one half the electron diamagnetic drift velocity. Although the measurements presented do not uniquely define a propagation mode, a model of azimuthal drift wave propagation is found to be consistent with observations.

Walker, D. N.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Twisted bilayer graphene. I. Matrix elements, approximations, perturbation theory, and a k · p two-band model

We investigate the twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) model of Bistritzer and MacDonald (BM) [Bistritzer and MacDonald, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 108, 12233 (2011)] to obtain an analytic understanding of its energetics and wave functions needed for many-body calculations. We provide an approximation scheme for the wave functions of the BM model, which first elucidates why the BM K M -point centered original calculation containing only four plane waves provides a good analytical value for the first magic angle (θ M ≈ 1°). The approximation scheme also elucidates why most of the many-body matrix elements in the Coulomb Hamiltonian projected to the active bands can be neglected. By applying our approximation scheme at the first magic angle to a Γ M -point centered model of six plane waves, we analytically understand the reason for the small Γ M -point gap between the active and passive bands in the isotropic limit w 0 = w 1 . Furthermore, we analytically calculate the group velocities of the passive bands in the isotropic limit, and show that they are almost doubly degenerate, even away from the Γ M point, where no symmetry forces them to be. Furthermore, moving away from the Γ M and K M points, we provide an explicit analytical perturbative understanding as to why the TBG bands are flat at the first magic angle, despite the first magic angle is defined by only requiring a vanishing K M -point Dirac velocity. We derive analytically a connected “magic manifold” w 1 = $2\sqrt{1 + w^{2}_{0}}$ $-\sqrt{2 + 3w^2_0}$, on which the bands remain extremely flat as w 0 is tuned between the isotropic (w 0 = w 1 ) and chiral (w 0 = 0) limits. We analytically show why going away from the isotropic limit by making w 0 less (but not larger) than w 1 increases the Γ M -point gap between the active and the passive bands. Finally, by perturbation theory, we provide an analytic Γ M point k ∙ p two-band model that reproduces the TBG band structure and eigenstates within a certain w 0 , w 1 parameter range. Further refinement of this model are discussed, which suggest a possible faithful representation of the TBG bands by a two-band Γ M point k ∙ p model in the full w 0 , w 1 parameter range.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1984

Global excitation of wave phenomena in a dissipative multiconstituent medium. I - Transfer function of the earth's thermosphere. II - Impulsive perturbations in the earth's thermosphere

A transfer function approach is taken in constructing a spectral model of the acoustic-gravity wave response in a multiconstituent thermosphere. The model is then applied to describing the thermospheric response to various sources around the globe. Zonal spherical harmonics serve to model the horizontal variations in propagating waves which, when integrated with respect to height, generate a transfer function for a vertical source distribution in the thermosphere. Four wave components are characterized as resonance phenomena and are associated with magnetic activity and ionospheric disturbances. The waves are either trapped or propagate, the latter becoming significant when possessing frequencies above 3 cycles/day. The energy input is distributed by thermospheric winds. The disturbances decay slowly, mainly due to heat conduction and diffusion. Gravity waves appear abruptly and are connected to a sudden switching on or off of a source. Turn off of a source coincides with a reversal of the local atmospheric circulation.

Mayr, H. G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Report on the LLNL Global Full-waveform Inversion Workflow and Progress

LLNL has developed the SPiRaL global seismic tomography model based upon millions of body wave travel times and surface wave dispersion curves in the period range of 25-200 seconds (Simmons et al., 2021). The motivation to construct the SPiRaL model (which stands for S-, P-, Rayleigh, and Love waves) is based upon the guidance provided by a 3-D model workshop held in Berkeley in 2007 and documented in a paper by Zucca et al. (2009). It was concluded in Zucca et al. (2009) that a “practical and obtainable” model is one that predicts body wave travel times for event location while also predicting surface wave velocities for moment tensor estimation. We have largely followed that guidance which has led to the construction of SPiRaL. Looking forward, we now seek to improve the global model through full waveform inversion (FWI). This necessitates the development/customization of an efficient and flexible modeling workflow to automate the process using LLNL’s supercomputing platforms. This report briefly outlines the work that being performed at LLNL to develop the necessary tools and framework to update the SPiRaL global model with full waveform information.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions

A detailed analytic model is presented here to investigate the physics of burn propagation in inertially confined plasmas. The onset of ignition and burn propagation occurs when alpha heating of the hot spot causes rapid ablation of shell mass into the hot spot. This allows large energy gains to be achieved since most of the fuel mass is located in the shell. Here, we first present a comprehensive review of previous analytic models that have been used to describe the physics of hot-spot evolution and ignition; we then show that a proper description of a propagating burn wave requires a comprehensive model of hot spot and shell evolution that includes proper mass conservation in the shell, fusion reactivity, and fuel depletion. The analytic theory is in good agreement with detailed radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that predict the onset of burn propagation as occurring when the yield enhancement caused by alpha heating is between 15- and 25-fold, $f_α$ ~ 1.4, where $f_α$ = alpha energy deposited/hot-spot energy at bang time, and the hot-spot burnup fraction is approximately 2%. We show that the definition of ignition is not sensitive to the alpha-particle stopping power nor asymmetries provided that the absorbed fraction of alpha particles $θ_α$ is correctly accounted for. Finally, we use the results of 2-D simulations to show that even when $θ_α$ is small and unknown (as is true in hot spots with mid modes that have significant leakage of alpha particles into the surrounding cold bubbles), one can still relate the experimentally measureable parameter $\chi^{53}_α$ to the yield amplification and the burning-plasma parameter $Q^{\text{hs}}_α$ = alpha energy deposited/total input work delivered to the hot spot

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Wave-kinetic approach to zonal-flow dynamics: Recent advances

The basic physics of drift-wave turbulence and zonal flows has long been studied within the framework of the wave-kinetic theory. Recently, this framework has been reexamined from first principles, which has led to more accurate yet still tractable “improved” wave-kinetic equations. In particular, these equations reveal an important effect of the zonal-flow “curvature” (the second radial derivative of the flow velocity) on the dynamics and stability of drift waves and zonal flows. Here, we overview these recent findings and present a consolidated high-level picture of (mostly quasilinear) zonal-flow physics within reduced models of drift-wave turbulence.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1981

Multivalued velocity field model of turbulence

The considered study is based on new theoretical concepts regarding a post-instability model of a fluid discussed by Zak (1980). The model permits the completion of the governing equations of turbulence by introducing multivalued fields of velocities. Attention is given to the mechanism of energy dissipation, the characteristic wave propagation, a simplified model, the formation of turbulence around stagnation points, the formulation of boundary conditions, and the mechanism of turbulence formation. The mechanism of turbulence formation can be understood as propagation of initial discontinuities from the boundaries into a flow with the characteristic velocity which is defined by the normal (to the boundary) velocity components. These components emerge at the boundary as a result of jumps in the tangential components due to the continuity equation.

Zak, M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The effects of shock wave precursors ahead of hypersonic entry vehicles

A model has been developed to predict the magnitude and characteristics of the shock wave precursor ahead of a hypervelocity vehicle. This model includes both chemical and thermal nonequilibrium, utilizes detailed mass production rates for the photodissociation and photoionization reactions, and accounts for the effects of radiative absorption and emission on the individual internal energy modes of both atomic and diatomic species. Comparison of the present results with shock tube data indicates that the model is reasonably accurate. A series of test cases representing earth aerocapture return from Mars indicate that there is significant production of atoms, ions and electrons ahead of the shock front due to radiative absorption and that the precursor is characterized by an enhanced electron/electronic temperature and molecular ionization. However, the precursor has a negligible effect on the shock layer flow field.

Stanley, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The role of forced planetary waves in the annual cycle of the zonal mean circulation of the middle atmosphere

A severely truncated semispectral numerical model is used to simulate the annual cycle of the zonally averaged circulation in the middle atmosphere (16-96 km). The model includes only a single zonal harmonic wave component which interacts with the mean flow; the circulation is driven by diabatic heating and by a specified perturbation in the topography of the lower boundary, which is taken to be the 100 mb surface. A comparison of the annual cycle simulated by this model with the results of an analogous two-dimensional model indicates that planetary waves have relatively little influence on the zonal mean temperature profiles and on the solstice mean zonal winds at high latitudes. The primary effects of the forced waves are in decelerating the mean winds at low latitudes in the winter hemisphere to produce a region of weak westerlies, and in generating final warmings at the spring equinoxes.

Holton, J. R.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effects of EMIC Wave-Driven Proton Precipitation on the Ionosphere

In this report we investigate the proton precipitation caused by electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and its impact on the ionosphere with the self-consistent ring current-atmosphere interactions model (RAM-SCBE) coupled with an ionospheric particle transport model Global Airglow (GLOW). The EMIC wave diffusion process causes significant precipitation of tens of keV protons, particularly in the afternoon to midnight sector. These precipitating energetic protons further impact the ionosphere-thermosphere and contribute to the ionization in the E/F regions. The integrated auroral conductance is significantly enhanced in the dusk-to-midnight sector. Although the EMIC waves do not directly interact with the ring current electrons, after the EMIC wave scattering included in the model, remarkable changes are found in the global distribution of precipitating electron flux. This means that the addition of proton precipitation driven by EMIC waves results in feedback effects on the ring current electron dynamics through the circulation system. Validation is also conducted by comparing the simulated precipitation flux and ionospheric electron density with observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Self-gravitating gas flow in barred spiral galaxies

A series of two-dimensional numerical experiments is performed in order to test the response of an isothermal, self-gravitating gas disk to a uniformly rotating, barlike gravitational potential. The barlike potential is an equilibrium stellar model from the n-body calculations of Miller and Smith (1979). In the bar-dominated, central regions of the disk, a gas bar whose phase depends primarily on the location of principal resonances in the disk is formed. This response can be understood in terms of orbit-crowding effects. In the gas-dominated outer regions of the disk, two-armed trailing spiral waves are formed. The local pitch angle of these waves increases with increasing fractional gas mass. These self-gravitating gas waves are not self-sustaining. They are driven from the ends of equilibrium stellar bars, and their phase does not depend on the location of resonances in the disk. The relevance of these self-gravitating waves to observations and models of barred spiral galaxies is discussed. It is concluded that these waves and their associated ringlike structures may be consistent with the morphological distribution of gas features in barred spiral galaxies.

Huntley, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Molecular attenuation and phase dispersion between 40 and 140-GHz for path models from different altitudes

Radio wave propagation in the 40 to 140 GHz band through the first hundred kilometers of the atmosphere is strongly influenced by the microwave spectrum of oxygen (O2-MS). A unified treatment of molecular attenuation and phase dispersion is formulated. Results of molecular physics are translated into frequency, temperature, pressure, and magnetic field dependencies of a complex refractive index. The intensity distribution of the O2-MS undergoes several changes with increasing altitude. The influence of water vapor is discussed. Examples of computer plots are given as a function of altitude for homogeneous, zenith, and tangential path geometries. Molecular resonances of minor atmospheric gases are discussed briefly.

Liebe, H. J.↗