Nonlinear Upshift of Trapped Electron Mode Critical Density Gradient: Simulation and Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, D. R.

2012-10-01

A new nonlinear critical density gradient for pure trapped electron mode (TEM) turbulence increases strongly with collisionality, saturating at several times the linear threshold. The nonlinear TEM threshold appears to limit the density gradient in new experiments subjecting Alcator C-Mod internal transport barriers to modulated radio-frequency heating. Gyrokinetic simulations show the nonlinear upshift of the TEM critical density gradient is associated with long-lived zonal flow dominated states [1]. This introduces a strong temperature dependence that allows external RF heating to control TEM turbulent transport. During pulsed on-axis heating of ITB discharges, core electron temperature modulations of 50% were produced. Bursts of line-integrated density fluctuations, observed on phase contrast imaging, closely follow modulations of core electron temperature inside the ITB foot. Multiple edge fluctuation measurements show the edge response to modulated heating is out of phase with the core response. A new limit cycle stability diagram shows the density gradient appears to be clamped during on-axis heating by the nonlinear TEM critical density gradient, rather than by the much lower linear threshold. Fluctuation wavelength spectra will be quantitatively compared with nonlinear TRINITY/GS2 gyrokinetic transport simulations, using an improved synthetic diagnostic. In related work, we are implementing the first gyrokinetic exact linearized Fokker Planck collision operator [2]. Initial results show short wavelength TEMs are fully stabilized by finite-gyroradius collisional effects for realistic collisionalities. The nonlinear TEM threshold and its collisionality dependence may impact predictions of density peaking based on quasilinear theory, which excludes zonal flows.[4pt] In collaboration with M. Churchill, A. Dominguez, C. L. Fiore, Y. Podpaly, M. L. Reinke, J. Rice, J. L. Terry, N. Tsujii, M. A. Barnes, I. Bespamyatnov, R. Granetz, M. Greenwald, A. Hubbard, J. W. Hughes, M. Landreman, B. Li, Y. Ma, P. Phillips, M. Porkolab, W. Rowan, S. Wolfe, and S. Wukitch.[4pt] [1] D. R. Ernst et al., Proc. 21st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Chengdu, China, paper IAEA-CN-149/TH/1-3 (2006). http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/FEC200/th1-3.pdf[0pt] [2] B. Li and D.R. Ernst, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 195002 (2011).

Dynamics of bulk electron heating and ionization in solid density plasmas driven by ultra-short relativistic laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, L. G., E-mail: lingen.huang@hzdr.de; Kluge, T.; Cowan, T. E.

The dynamics of bulk heating and ionization is investigated both in simulations and theory, which determines the crucial plasma parameters such as plasma temperature and density in ultra-short relativistic laser-solid target interactions. During laser-plasma interactions, the solid density plasma absorbs a fraction of laser energy and converts it into kinetic energy of electrons. A portion of the electrons with relativistic kinetic energy goes through the solid density plasma and transfers energy into the bulk electrons, which results in bulk electron heating. The bulk electron heating is finally translated into the processes of bulk collisional ionization inside the solid target. Amore » simple model based on the Ohmic heating mechanism indicates that the local and temporal profile of bulk return current is essential to determine the temporal evolution of bulk electron temperature. A series of particle-in-cell simulations showing the local heating model is robust in the cases of target with a preplasma and without a preplasma. Predicting the bulk electron heating is then benefit for understanding the collisional ionization dynamics inside the solid targets. The connection of the heating and ionization inside the solid target is further studied using Thomas-Fermi model.« less

Magnetic Reconnection Processes Involving Modes Propagating in the Ion Diamagnetic Velocity Direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buratti, P.; Coppi, B.; Pucella, G.; Zhou, T.

2013-10-01

Experiments in weakly collisional plasma regimes, (e.g. neutral beam heated plasmas in the H-regime), measuring the Doppler shift associated with the plasma local rotation, have shown that the toroidal mode phase velocity vph in the frame with Er = 0 is in the direction of the ion diamagnetic velocity. For ohmically heated plasmas, with higher collisionalities, vph in the laboratory frame is in the direction of the electron diamagnetic velocity, but plasma rotation is reversed as well, and vph, in the Er = 0 frame, is in the ion diamagnetic velocity direction. Theoretically, two classes of reconnecting modes should emerge: drift-tearing modes and ``inductive modes'' that depend on the effects of a finite plasma inductivity. The former modes, with vph in the direction of the electron diamagnetic velocity, require the pre-excitation of a different kind of mode in order to become unstable in weakly collisional regimes. The second kind of modes has a growth rate associated with the relevant finite ion viscosity. A comprehensive theory is presented. Sponsored in part by the US DOE.

Self-consistent discharge growing model of helicon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isayama, Shogo; Hada, Tohru; Shinohara, Shunjiro; Tanikawa, Takao

2015-11-01

Helicon plasma is a high-density and low-temperature plasma generated by the electromagnetic (Helicon) wave excited in the plasma. It is thought to be useful for various applications including electric thrusters. Physics of helicon plasma production involves such fundamental processes as the wave propagation (dispersion relation), collisional and non-collisional wave damping, plasma heating, ionization/recombination of neutral particles, and modification of the dispersion relation by newly ionized plasma. There remain a number of unsolved physical issues such as, how the Helicon and the TG modes influence the plasma density, electron temperature and their spatial profiles. While the Helicon mode is absorbed in the bulk plasma, the TG mode is mostly absorbed near the edge of the plasma. The local power deposition in the helicon plasma is mostly balanced by collisional loss. This local power balance can give rise to the inhomogeneous electron temperature profile that leads to time evolution of density profile and dispersion relation. In our study, we construct a self-consistent model of the discharge evolution that includes the wave excitation, electron heat transfer, and diffusion of charged particles.

Magnetic flux and heat losses by diffusive, advective, and Nernst effects in MagLIF-like plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velikovich, A. L., E-mail: sasha.velikovich@nrl.navy.mil; Giuliani, J. L., E-mail: sasha.velikovich@nrl.navy.mil; Zalesak, S. T.

2014-12-15

The MagLIF approach to inertial confinement fusion involves subsonic/isobaric compression and heating of a DT plasma with frozen-in magnetic flux by a heavy cylindrical liner. The losses of heat and magnetic flux from the plasma to the liner are thereby determined by plasma advection and gradient-driven transport processes, such as thermal conductivity, magnetic field diffusion and thermomagnetic effects. Theoretical analysis based on obtaining exact self-similar solutions of the classical collisional Braginskii's plasma transport equations in one dimension demonstrates that the heat loss from the hot plasma to the cold liner is dominated by the transverse heat conduction and advection, andmore » the corresponding loss of magnetic flux is dominated by advection and the Nernst effect. For a large electron Hall parameter ω{sub e}τ{sub e} effective diffusion coefficients determining the losses of heat and magnetic flux are both shown to decrease with ω{sub e}τ{sub e} as does the Bohm diffusion coefficient, which is commonly associated with low collisionality and two-dimensional transport. This family of exact solutions can be used for verification of codes that model the MagLIF plasma dynamics.« less

Astrophysical Gyrokinetics: Kinetic and Fluid Turbulent Cascades in Magnetized Weakly Collisional Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schekochihin, A. A.; Cowley, S. C.; Dorland, W.; Hammett, G. W.; Howes, G. G.; Quataert, E.; Tatsuno, T.

2009-05-01

This paper presents a theoretical framework for understanding plasma turbulence in astrophysical plasmas. It is motivated by observations of electromagnetic and density fluctuations in the solar wind, interstellar medium and galaxy clusters, as well as by models of particle heating in accretion disks. All of these plasmas and many others have turbulent motions at weakly collisional and collisionless scales. The paper focuses on turbulence in a strong mean magnetic field. The key assumptions are that the turbulent fluctuations are small compared to the mean field, spatially anisotropic with respect to it and that their frequency is low compared to the ion cyclotron frequency. The turbulence is assumed to be forced at some system-specific outer scale. The energy injected at this scale has to be dissipated into heat, which ultimately cannot be accomplished without collisions. A kinetic cascade develops that brings the energy to collisional scales both in space and velocity. The nature of the kinetic cascade in various scale ranges depends on the physics of plasma fluctuations that exist there. There are four special scales that separate physically distinct regimes: the electron and ion gyroscales, the mean free path and the electron diffusion scale. In each of the scale ranges separated by these scales, the fully kinetic problem is systematically reduced to a more physically transparent and computationally tractable system of equations, which are derived in a rigorous way. In the "inertial range" above the ion gyroscale, the kinetic cascade separates into two parts: a cascade of Alfvénic fluctuations and a passive cascade of density and magnetic-field-strength fluctuations. The former are governed by the reduced magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) equations at both the collisional and collisionless scales; the latter obey a linear kinetic equation along the (moving) field lines associated with the Alfvénic component (in the collisional limit, these compressive fluctuations become the slow and entropy modes of the conventional MHD). In the "dissipation range" below ion gyroscale, there are again two cascades: the kinetic-Alfvén-wave (KAW) cascade governed by two fluid-like electron reduced magnetohydrodynamic (ERMHD) equations and a passive cascade of ion entropy fluctuations both in space and velocity. The latter cascade brings the energy of the inertial-range fluctuations that was Landau-damped at the ion gyroscale to collisional scales in the phase space and leads to ion heating. The KAW energy is similarly damped at the electron gyroscale and converted into electron heat. Kolmogorov-style scaling relations are derived for all of these cascades. The relationship between the theoretical models proposed in this paper and astrophysical applications and observations is discussed in detail.

Birth, life, and demise of the Andean-syn-collisional Gissar arc: Late Paleozoic tectono-magmatic-metamorphic evolution of the southwestern Tian Shan, Tajikistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worthington, James R.; Kapp, Paul; Minaev, Vladislav; Chapman, James B.; Mazdab, Frank K.; Ducea, Mihai N.; Oimahmadov, Ilhomjon; Gadoev, Mustafo

2017-10-01

The amalgamation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt in the southwestern Tian Shan in Tajikistan is represented by tectono-magmatic-metamorphic processes that accompanied late Paleozoic ocean closure and collision between the Karakum-Tarim and Kazakh-Kyrgyz terranes. Integrated U-Pb geochronology, thermobarometry, pseudosection modeling, and Hf geochemistry constrain the timing and petro-tectonic nature of these processes. The Gissar batholith and the Garm massif represent an eastward, along-strike increase in paleodepth from upper-batholith ( 21-7 km) to arc-root ( 36-19 km) levels of the Andean-syn-collisional Gissar arc, which developed from 323-288 Ma in two stages: (i) Andean, I-type granitoid magmatism from 323-306 Ma due to northward subduction of the Gissar back-arc ocean basin under the Gissar microcontinent, which was immediately followed by (ii) syn-collisional, I-S-type granitoid magmatism in the Gissar batholith and the Garm massif from 304-288 Ma due to northward subduction/underthrusting of Karakum marginal-continental crust under the Gissar microcontinent. A rapid isotopic pull-up from 288-286 Ma signals the onset of juvenile, alkaline-syenitic, post-collisional magmatism by 280 Ma, which was driven by delamination of the Gissar arclogite root and consequent convective asthenospheric upwelling. Whereas M-HT/LP prograde metamorphism in the Garm massif (650-750°C/6-7 kbar) from 310-288 Ma was associated with subduction-magma inundation and crustal thickening, HT/LP heating and decompression to peak-metamorphic temperatures ( 800-820°C/6-4 kbar) at 288 ± 6 Ma was driven by the transmission of a post-collisional, mantle-derived heat wave through the Garm-massif crust.

Linking the micro and macro: L-H transition dynamics and threshold physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malkov, M. A., E-mail: mmalkov@ucsd.edu; Diamond, P. H.; Miki, K.

2015-03-15

The links between the microscopic dynamics and macroscopic threshold physics of the L → H transition are elucidated. Emphasis is placed on understanding the physics of power threshold scalings, and especially on understanding the minimum in the power threshold as a function of density P{sub thr} (n). By extending a numerical 1D model to evolve both electron and ion temperatures, including collisional coupling, we find that the decrease in P{sub thr} (n) along the low-density branch is due to the combination of an increase in collisional electron-to-ion energy transfer and an increase in the heating fraction coupled to the ions.more » Both processes strengthen the edge diamagnetic electric field needed to lock in the mean electric field shear for the L→H transition. The increase in P{sub thr} (n) along the high-density branch is due to the increase with ion collisionality of damping of turbulence-driven shear flows. Turbulence driven shear flows are needed to trigger the transition by extracting energy from the turbulence. Thus, we identify the critical transition physics components of the separatrix ion heat flux and the zonal flow excitation. The model reveals a power threshold minimum in density scans as a crossover between the threshold decrease supported by an increase in heat fraction received by ions (directly or indirectly, from electrons) and a threshold increase, supported by the rise in shear flow damping. The electron/ion heating mix emerges as important to the transition, in that it, together with electron-ion coupling, regulates the edge diamagnetic electric field shear. The importance of possible collisionless electron-ion heat transfer processes is explained.« less

Kinetic model for the collisionless sheath of a collisional plasma

DOE PAGES

Tang, Xian-Zhu; Guo, Zehua

2016-08-04

Collisional plasmas typically have mean-free-path still much greater than the Debye length, so the sheath is mostly collisionless. Once the plasma density, temperature, and flow are specified at the sheath entrance, the profile variation of electron and ion density, temperature, flow speed, and conductive heat fluxes inside the sheath is set by collisionless dynamics, and can be predicted by an analytical kinetic model distribution. Finally, these predictions are contrasted in this paper with direct kinetic simulations, showing good agreement.

Inhibition of electron thermal conduction by electromagnetic instabilities. [in stellar coronas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levinson, Amir; Eichler, David

1992-01-01

Heat flux inhibition by electromagnetic instabilities in a hot magnetized plasma is investigated. Low-frequency electromagnetic waves become unstable due to anisotropy of the electron distribution function. The chaotic magnetic field thus generated scatters the electrons with a specific effective mean free path. Saturation of the instability due to wave-wave interaction, nonlinear scattering, wave propagation, and collisional damping is considered. The effective mean free path is found self-consistently, using a simple model to estimate saturation level and scattering, and is shown to decrease with the temperature gradient length. The results, limited to the assumptions of the model, are applied to astrophysical systems. For some interstellar clouds the instability is found to be important. Collisional damping stabilizes the plasma, and the heat conduction can be dominated by superthermal electrons.

Diode laser measurements of linestrength and temperature-dependent lineshape parameters of H2O-, CO2-, and N2-perturbed H2O transitions near 2474 and 2482 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenstein, Christopher S.; Jeffries, Jay B.; Hanson, Ronald K.

2013-11-01

Absorption lineshapes for two unresolved H2O doublets near 4029.52 and 4041.92 cm-1 were measured at high-resolution in a heated static cell using two distributed-feedback diode lasers. Measurements were acquired for H2O, CO2, and N2 perturbers over a temperature and pressure range of 650-1325 K and 2-760 Torr, respectively. Strong collisional narrowing effects were observed in CO2 and N2, but not in pure H2O. The Galatry profile was used to infer collisional-broadening and -narrowing coefficients and their respective temperature dependence for CO2 and N2 perturbers. The collisional-broadening and -narrowing coefficients for CO2 perturbers were found to decrease with increasing temperature in a similar manner. For N2 perturbers, the collisional-broadening coefficients increased with temperature while the collisional-narrowing coefficients decreased with increasing temperature. Self-broadening coefficients were inferred from Voigt profile fits and are compared with HITEMP 2010. The linestrengths of 17 H2O transitions are also reported.

Observation of Electron Bernstein Wave Heating in the RFP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seltzman, Andrew; Anderson, Jay; Goetz, John; Forest, Cary

2017-10-01

The first observation of RF heating in a reversed field pinch (RFP) using the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) has been demonstrated on MST. Efficient mode conversion of an outboard-launched X mode wave at 5.5 GHz leads to Doppler-shifted resonant absorption (ωrf = nωce-k||v||) for a broad range (n =1-7) of harmonics. The dynamics of EBW-heated electrons are measured using a spatial distribution of solid targets with diametrically opposed x-ray detectors. EBW heating produces a clear supra-thermal electron tail in MST. Radial deposition of the EBW is controlled with |B|and is measured using the HXR flux emitted from an insertable probe. In the thick-shelled MST RFP, the radial accessibility of EBW is limited to r/a >0.8 ( 10cm) by magnetic field error induced by the porthole necessary for the antenna. Experimental measurements show EBW propagation inward through a stochastic magnetic field. EBW-heated test electrons are used as a direct probe of edge (r/a >0.9) radial transport, showing a modest transition from `standard' to reduced-tearing RFP operation. Electron loss is too fast for collisional effects and implies a large non-collisional radial diffusivity. EBW heating has been demonstrated in reduced magnetic stochasticity plasmas with β = 15-20%. Work supported by USDOE.

Multi-fluid Approach to High-frequency Waves in Plasmas. III. Nonlinear Regime and Plasma Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Gómez, David; Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume

2018-03-01

The multi-fluid modeling of high-frequency waves in partially ionized plasmas has shown that the behavior of magnetohydrodynamic waves in the linear regime is heavily influenced by the collisional interaction between the different species that form the plasma. Here, we go beyond linear theory and study large-amplitude waves in partially ionized plasmas using a nonlinear multi-fluid code. It is known that in fully ionized plasmas, nonlinear Alfvén waves generate density and pressure perturbations. Those nonlinear effects are more pronounced for standing oscillations than for propagating waves. By means of numerical simulations and analytical approximations, we examine how the collisional interaction between ions and neutrals affects the nonlinear evolution. The friction due to collisions dissipates a fraction of the wave energy, which is transformed into heat and consequently raises the temperature of the plasma. As an application, we investigate frictional heating in a plasma with physical conditions akin to those in a quiescent solar prominence.

How plasmas dissipate: cascade and the production of internal energy and entropy in weakly collisional plasma turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthaeus, W. H.; Yang, Y.; Servidio, S.; Parashar, T.; Chasapis, A.; Roytershteyn, V.

2017-12-01

Turbulence cascade transfers energy from large scale to small scale but what happens once kinetic scales are reached? In a collisional medium, viscosity and resistivity remove fluctuation energy in favor of heat. In the weakly collisional solar wind, (or corona, m-sheath, etc.), the sequence of events must be different. Heating occurs, but through what mechanisms? In standard approaches, dissipation occurs though linear wave modes or instabilities and one seeks to identify them. A complementary view is that cascade leads to several channels of energy conversion, interchange and spatial rearrangement that collectively leads to production of internal energy. Channels may be described using compressible MHD & multispecies Vlasov Maxwell formulations. Key steps are: Conservative rearrangement of energy in space; Parallel incompressible and compressible cascades - conservative rearrangment in scale; electromagnetic work on particles that drives flows, both macroscopic and microscopic; and pressure-stress interactions, both compressive and shear-like, that produces internal energy. Examples given from MHD, PIC simulations and MMS observations. A more subtle issue is how entropy is related to this degeneration (or, "dissipation") of macroscopic, fluid-scale fluctuations. We discuss this in terms of Boltzmann and thermodynamic entropies, and velocity space effects of collisions.

The origin of N III lambda 990 and C III lambda 977 emission in AGN narrow-line region gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, J. W.; Ferland, G. J.; Pradhan, A. K.

1995-01-01

We discuss implications of Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) detections of C III lambda 977 and N III lambda 990 emission from the narrow-line region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068. In their discovery paper Kriss et al. showed that the unexpectedly great strength of these lines implies that the emitting gas must be shock-heated if the lines are collisionally excited. Here we investigate other processes which excite these lines in photoionization equilibrium. Recombination, mainly dielectronic, and continuum fluorescence are strong contributors to the line. The resulting intensities are sensitive to the velocity field of the emitting gas and require that the turbulence be of the same order of magnitude as the observed line width. We propose optical observations that will decide whether the gas is collisionally or radiatively heated.

The Origin of NIII λ990 and CIII λ977 Emission in NGC 1068

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Jason W.; Ferland, Gary J.

1994-12-01

We discuss implications of HUT detections of C III λ977 and N III λ990 emission from the Narrow Lined Region (NLR) of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068. In their discovery paper Kriss et al. (1992, ApJ, 394, L37) showed that unexpectedly great strength of these lines implies that the emitting gas must be shock heated if the lines are collisionally excited. Here we investigate other processes which excite these lines in photoionization equilibrium. Recombination, mainly dielectronic, and continuum fluorescence, are strong contributors to the line. The resulting intensities are sensitive to the velocity field of the emitting gas, and require that the turbulence be the same order of magnitude as the observed line width. We propose optical observations that will decide whether the gas is collisionally or radiatively heated.

Thrust Slip Rates as a Control on the Presence and Spatial Distribution of High Metamorphic Heating Rates in Collisional Systems: The "Hot Iron" Model Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thigpen, R.; Ashley, K. T.; Law, R. D.; Mako, C. A.

2017-12-01

In natural systems, two key observations indicate that major strain discontinuities such as faults and shear zones should play a fundamental role in orogenic thermal evolution: (1) Large faults and shear zones often separate components of the composite orogen that have experienced broadly different thermal and deformational histories, and (2) quantitative metamorphic and diffusional studies indicate that heating rates are much faster and the duration of peak conditions much shorter in natural collisional systems than those predicted by numerical continuum deformation models. Because heat transfer processes such as conduction usually operate at much slower time scales than rates of other tectonic processes, thermal evolution is often transient and thus can be strongly influenced by tectonic disturbances that occur at rates much faster than thermal relaxation. Here, we use coupled thermal-mechanical finite element models of thrust faults to explore how fault slip rate may fundamentally influence the thermal evolution of individual footwall and hanging wall thrust slices. The model geometry involves a single crustal-scale thrust with a dip of 25° that is translated up the ramp at average velocities of 20, 35, and 50 km Myr-1, interpreted to represent average to relatively high slip rates observed in many collisional systems. Boundary conditions include crustal radioactive heat production, basal mantle heat flow, and surface erosion rates that are a function of thrust rate and subsequent topography generation. In the models, translation of the hanging wall along the crustal-scale detachment results in erosion, exhumation, and retrograde metamorphism of the emerging hanging wall topography and coeval burial, `hot iron' heating, and prograde metamorphism of the thrust footwall. Thrust slip rates of 20, 35, and 50 km Myr-1 yield maximum footwall heating rates ranging from 55-90° C Myr-1 and maximum hanging wall cooling rates of 138-303° C Myr-1. These relatively rapid heating rates explain, in part, the presence of chemical diffusion profiles in metamorphic minerals that are indicative of high heating rates. Additionally, the relatively high cooling rates explain preservation of chemical zoning, as rapid cooling prevents diffusive profiles from being substantially modified during exhumation.

Analysis of a multi-machine database on divertor heat fluxesa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, M. A.; Elder, D.; Gray, T. K.; LaBombard, B.; Lasnier, C. J.; Leonard, A. W.; Maingi, R.; Osborne, T. H.; Stangeby, P. C.; Terry, J. L.; Watkins, J.

2012-05-01

A coordinated effort to measure divertor heat flux characteristics in fully attached, similarly shaped H-mode plasmas on C-Mod, DIII-D, and NSTX was carried out in 2010 in order to construct a predictive scaling relation applicable to next step devices including ITER, FNSF, and DEMO. Few published scaling laws are available and those that have been published were obtained under widely varying conditions and divertor geometries, leading to conflicting predictions for this critically important quantity. This study was designed to overcome these deficiencies. Analysis of the combined data set reveals that the primary dependence of the parallel heat flux width is robustly inverse with Ip, which all three tokamaks independently demonstrate. An improved Thomson scattering system on DIII-D has yielded very accurate scrape off layer (SOL) profile measurements from which tests of parallel transport models have been made. It is found that a flux-limited model agrees best with the data at all collisionalities, while a Spitzer resistivity model agrees at higher collisionality where it is more valid. The SOL profile measurements and divertor heat flux scaling are consistent with a heuristic drift based model as well as a critical gradient model.

SELF-ORGANIZATION OF RECONNECTING PLASMAS TO MARGINAL COLLISIONALITY IN THE SOLAR CORONA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Imada, S.; Zweibel, E. G.

We explore the suggestions by Uzdensky and Cassak et al. that coronal loops heated by magnetic reconnection should self-organize to a state of marginal collisionality. We discuss their model of coronal loop dynamics with a one-dimensional hydrodynamic calculation. We assume that many current sheets are present, with a distribution of thicknesses, but that only current sheets thinner than the ion skin depth can rapidly reconnect. This assumption naturally causes a density-dependent heating rate which is actively regulated by the plasma. We report nine numerical simulation results of coronal loop hydrodynamics in which the absolute values of the heating rates aremore » different but their density dependences are the same. We find two regimes of behavior, depending on the amplitude of the heating rate. In the case that the amplitude of heating is below a threshold value, the loop is in stable equilibrium. Typically, the upper and less dense part of a coronal loop is collisionlessly heated and conductively cooled. When the amplitude of heating is above the threshold, the conductive flux to the lower atmosphere required to balance collisionless heating drives an evaporative flow which quenches fast reconnection, ultimately cooling and draining the loop until the cycle begins again. The key elements of this cycle are gravity and the density dependence of the heating function. Some additional factors are present, including pressure-driven flows from the loop top, which carry a large enthalpy flux and play an important role in reducing the density. We find that on average the density of the system is close to the marginally collisionless value.« less

Detection prospects for GeV neutrinos from collisionally heated gamma-ray bursts with IceCube/DeepCore.

PubMed

Bartos, I; Beloborodov, A M; Hurley, K; Márka, S

2013-06-14

Jet reheating via nuclear collisions has recently been proposed as the main mechanism for gamma-ray burst (GRB) emission. In addition to producing the observed gamma rays, collisional heating must generate 10-100 GeV neutrinos, implying a close relation between the neutrino and gamma-ray luminosities. We exploit this theoretical relation to make predictions for possible GRB detections by IceCube + DeepCore. To estimate the expected neutrino signal, we use the largest sample of bursts observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment in 1991-2000. GRB neutrinos could have been detected if IceCube + DeepCore operated at that time. Detection of 10-100 GeV neutrinos would have significant implications, shedding light on the composition of GRB jets and their Lorentz factors. This could be an important target in designing future upgrades of the IceCube + DeepCore observatory.

Ion heat transport in improved confinement MST plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Zichuan; Nornberg, Mark; den Hartog, Daniel J.; Kumar, Santhosh; Anderson, Jay K.

2016-10-01

Ion power balance in improved confinement (PPCD) plasmas in MST is dominated by electron collisional heating balanced by charge exchange transport. Neoclassical effects on ions in the RFP are inherently small and PPCD plasmas have reduced turbulence and stochasticity. Thus PPCD plasmas provide a good starting point for a transport model developed to account for collisional equilibration between species, classical conductive energy transport, and energy loss due to charge exchange collisions. This model also allows a possible noncollisional anomalous term to be isolated for study, and correlations between residual magnetic fluctuations during PPCD plasmas and anomalous heating and transport will be investigated. Recent modeling with DEGAS2 Monte Carlo neutral simulation suggests higher core neutral temperature than previously estimated with more simplistic assumptions. However, the working model does not fully account for the electron density increase in the core during PPCD, which is higher than expected from classical particle transport, and neutral and impurity ionization. Other possible mechanisms are considered and analyzed, including more complex impurity charge-state balance and pinch effects. Work supported by the US DOE. DEGAS2 is provided by PPPL.

Electromagnetic eigenmodes of collisional and collisionless plasmas and their stability to stimulated Brillouin scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Vishwa Bandhu; Tripathi, V. K.

2007-02-01

Nonlinear electromagnetic eigenmodes of collisional and collisionless plasmas, when the temporal extent of the modes is longer than the ambipolar diffusion time, have been investigated. The nonlinearity in a collisionless plasma arises through ponderomotive force, whereas in collisional plasmas Ohmic nonlinearity prevails. The mode structure in both cases, representing a balance between the nonlinearity-induced self-convergence and diffraction-induced divergence, closely resembles Gaussian form. The spot size of the mode decreases with the increasing axial amplitude of the laser, attains a minimum, and then rises very gradually. The modes are susceptible to stimulated Brillouin backscattering. The growth rate of the Brillouin process initially increases with mode amplitude, attains a maximum, and then decreases. The reduction in the growth rate is caused by strong electron evacuation from the axial region by the ponderomotive force and thermal pressure gradient force created by nonuniform Ohmic heating.

A Thermal Model for the Differentiation of Asteroid 4 Vesta, Based on Radiogenic and Collisional Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Amitabha

A finite element code has been developed to study the thermal history of asteroid 4 Vesta. This is the first attempt to model the thermal history of a differentiated asteroid, from accretion through core and crust formation and subsequent cooling until geochemical closure is attained. Previous thermal models were simpler formulations aimed at explaining metamorphism and aqueous alteration in unmelted asteroids. The results of the simulation are consistent with chronological measurements of cumulate and noncumulate eucrites, meteorites belonging to the HED suite, believed to have been derived from 4 Vesta. The work solves major problems with the hypothesis of heating by decay of 26Al, an extinct radionuclide, believed to be a plausible heat source in the early solar system. The simulation draws a model chronology of Vesta and predicts the time interval of accretion at 2.85 Myrs, the absolute times (with respect to CAI formation) of core formation at 4.58 Myrs, crust formation at 6.58 Myrs and geochemical closure on Vesta at ~100 Myrs. It is concluded that neither collisional heating nor heating due to the radioactive decay of 60Fe caused any perceptible difference in the whole-body thermal history of Vesta. Further, the thermal model suggested that the olivine-rich spot observed on Vesta may not be excavated mantle material, but may be unmelted near-surface material that escaped the asteroid's differentiation history.

Magnetic flux and heat losses by diffusive, advective, and Nernst effects in magnetized liner inertial fusion-like plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velikovich, A. L.; Giuliani, J. L.; Zalesak, S. T.

The magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) approach to inertial confinement fusion [Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010); Cuneo et al., IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 40, 3222 (2012)] involves subsonic/isobaric compression and heating of a deuterium-tritium plasma with frozen-in magnetic flux by a heavy cylindrical liner. The losses of heat and magnetic flux from the plasma to the liner are thereby determined by plasma advection and gradient-driven transport processes, such as thermal conductivity, magnetic field diffusion, and thermomagnetic effects. Theoretical analysis based on obtaining exact self-similar solutions of the classical collisional Braginskii's plasma transport equations in one dimension demonstratesmore » that the heat loss from the hot compressed magnetized plasma to the cold liner is dominated by transverse heat conduction and advection, and the corresponding loss of magnetic flux is dominated by advection and the Nernst effect. For a large electron Hall parameter (ω{sub e}τ{sub e}≫1), the effective diffusion coefficients determining the losses of heat and magnetic flux to the liner wall are both shown to decrease with ω{sub e}τ{sub e} as does the Bohm diffusion coefficient cT/(16eB), which is commonly associated with low collisionality and two-dimensional transport. We demonstrate how this family of exact solutions can be used for verification of codes that model the MagLIF plasma dynamics.« less

Collisional erosion and the non-chondritic composition of the terrestrial planets.

PubMed

O'Neill, Hugh St C; Palme, Herbert

2008-11-28

The compositional variations among the chondrites inform us about cosmochemical fractionation processes during condensation and aggregation of solid matter from the solar nebula. These fractionations include: (i) variable Mg-Si-RLE ratios (RLE: refractory lithophile element), (ii) depletions in elements more volatile than Mg, (iii) a cosmochemical metal-silicate fractionation, and (iv) variations in oxidation state. Moon- to Mars-sized planetary bodies, formed by rapid accretion of chondrite-like planetesimals in local feeding zones within 106 years, may exhibit some of these chemical variations. However, the next stage of planetary accretion is the growth of the terrestrial planets from approximately 102 embryos sourced across wide heliocentric distances, involving energetic collisions, in which material may be lost from a growing planet as well as gained. While this may result in averaging out of the 'chondritic' fractionations, it introduces two non-chondritic chemical fractionation processes: post-nebular volatilization and preferential collisional erosion. In the latter, geochemically enriched crust formed previously is preferentially lost. That post-nebular volatilization was widespread is demonstrated by the non-chondritic Mn/Na ratio in all the small, differentiated, rocky bodies for which we have basaltic samples, including the Moon and Mars. The bulk silicate Earth (BSE) has chondritic Mn/Na, but shows several other compositional features in its pattern of depletion of volatile elements suggestive of non-chondritic fractionation. The whole-Earth Fe/Mg ratio is 2.1+/-0.1, significantly greater than the solar ratio of 1.9+/-0.1, implying net collisional erosion of approximately 10 per cent silicate relative to metal during the Earth's accretion. If this collisional erosion preferentially removed differentiated crust, the assumption of chondritic ratios among all RLEs in the BSE would not be valid, with the BSE depleted in elements according to their geochemical incompatibility. In the extreme case, the Earth would only have half the chondritic abundances of the highly incompatible, heat-producing elements Th, U and K. Such an Earth model resolves several geochemical paradoxes: the depleted mantle occupies the whole mantle, is completely outgassed in (40)Ar and produces the observed (4)He flux through the ocean basins. But the lower radiogenic heat production exacerbates the discrepancy with heat loss.

MULTICOMPONENT THEORY OF BUOYANCY INSTABILITIES IN ASTROPHYSICAL PLASMA OBJECTS: THE CASE OF MAGNETIC FIELD PERPENDICULAR TO GRAVITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nekrasov, Anatoly K.; Shadmehri, Mohsen, E-mail: anatoli.nekrassov@t-online.d, E-mail: mshadmehri@thphys.nuim.i

2010-12-01

We develop a general theory of buoyancy instabilities in the electron-ion plasma with the electron heat flux based not upon magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, but using a multicomponent plasma approach in which the momentum equation is solved for each species. We investigate the geometry in which the background magnetic field is perpendicular to the gravity and stratification. General expressions for the perturbed velocities are given without any simplifications. Collisions between electrons and ions are taken into account in the momentum equations in a general form, permitting us to consider both weakly and strongly collisional objects. However, the electron heat flux ismore » assumed to be directed along the magnetic field, which implies a weakly collisional case. Using simplifications justified for an investigation of buoyancy instabilities with electron thermal flux, we derive simple dispersion relations for both collisionless and collisional cases for arbitrary directions of the wave vector. Our dispersion relations considerably differ from that obtained in the MHD framework and conditions of instability are similar to Schwarzschild's criterion. This difference is connected with simplified assumptions used in the MHD analysis of buoyancy instabilities and with the role of the longitudinal electric field perturbation which is not captured by the ideal MHD equations. The results obtained can be applied to clusters of galaxies and other astrophysical objects.« less

Linear tearing mode stability equations for a low collisionality toroidal plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connor, J. W.; Hastie, R. J.; Helander, P.

2009-01-01

Tearing mode stability is normally analysed using MHD or two-fluid Braginskii plasma models. However for present, or future, large hot tokamaks like JET or ITER the collisionality is such as to place them in the banana regime. Here we develop a linear stability theory for the resonant layer physics appropriate to such a regime. The outcome is a set of 'fluid' equations whose coefficients encapsulate all neoclassical physics: the neoclassical Ohm's law, enhanced ion inertia, cross-field transport of particles, heat and momentum all play a role. While earlier treatments have also addressed this type of neoclassical physics we differ in incorporating the more physically relevant 'semi-collisional fluid' regime previously considered in cylindrical geometry; semi-collisional effects tend to screen the resonant surface from the perturbed magnetic field, preventing reconnection. Furthermore we also include thermal physics, which may modify the results. While this electron description is of wide relevance and validity, the fluid treatment of the ions requires the ion banana orbit width to be less than the semi-collisional electron layer. This limits the application of the present theory to low magnetic shear—however, this is highly relevant to the sawtooth instability—or to colder ions. The outcome of the calculation is a set of one-dimensional radial differential equations of rather high order. However, various simplifications that reduce the computational task of solving these are discussed. In the collisional regime, when the set reduces to a single second-order differential equation, the theory extends previous work by Hahm et al (1988 Phys. Fluids 31 3709) to include diamagnetic-type effects arising from plasma gradients, both in Ohm's law and the ion inertia term of the vorticity equation. The more relevant semi-collisional regime pertaining to JET or ITER, is described by a pair of second-order differential equations, extending the cylindrical equations of Drake et al (1983 Phys. Fluids 26 2509) to toroidal geometry.

Particle transport in low-collisionality H-mode plasmas on DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Mordijck, Saskia; Wang, Xin; Doyle, Edward J.; ...

2015-10-05

In this article we show that changing from an ion temperature gradient (ITG) to trapped electron mode (TEM) dominant turbulence regime (based on linear gyrokinetic simulations) results experimentally in a strong density pump-out (defined as a reduction in line-averaged density) in low collisionality, low power H-mode plasmas. We vary the turbulence drive by changing the heating from pre-dominantly ion heatedusing neutral beam injection to electron heated using electron cyclotron heating, which changes the T e/T i ratio and the temperature gradients. Perturbed gas puff experiments show an increase in transport outside ρ = 0.6, through a strong increase in themore » perturbed diffusion coefficient and a decrease in the inward pinch. Linear gyrokinetic simulations with TGLF show an increase in the particle flux outside the mid-radius. In conjunction an increase in intermediate-scale length density fluctuations is observed, which indicates an increase in turbulence intensity at typical TEM wavelengths. However, although the experimental changes in particle transport agree with a change from ITG to TEM turbulence regimes, we do not observe a reduction in the core rotation at mid-radius, nor a rotation reversal.« less

Thermalization of Heavy Ions in the Solar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, Patrick J.; Kasper, Justin C.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.; Raines, Jim M.; Shearer, Paul; Gilbert, Jason

2015-10-01

Observations of velocity distribution functions from the Advanced Composition Explorer/Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer heavy ion composition instrument are used to calculate ratios of kinetic temperature and Coulomb collisional interactions of an unprecedented 50 ion species in the solar wind. These ions cover a mass per charge range of 1-5.5 amu/e and were collected in the time range of 1998-2011. We report the first calculation of the Coulomb thermalization rate between each of the heavy ion (A > 4 amu) species present in the solar wind along with protons (H+) and alpha particles (He2+). From these rates, we find that protons are the dominant source of Coulomb collisional thermalization for heavy ions in the solar wind and use this fact to calculate a collisional age for those heavy ion populations. The heavy ion thermal properties are well organized by this collisional age, but we find that the temperature of all heavy ions does not simply approach that of protons as Coulomb collisions become more important. We show that He2+ and C6+ follow a monotonic decay toward equal temperatures with protons with increasing collisional age, but O6+ shows a noted deviation from this monotonic decay. Furthermore, we show that the deviation from monotonic decay for O6+ occurs in solar wind of all origins, as determined by its Fe/O ratio. The observed differences in heavy ion temperature behavior point toward a local heating mechanism that favors ions depending on their charge and mass.

Foreland-forearc collisional granitoid and mafic magmatism caused by lower-plate lithospheric slab breakoff: The Acadian of Maine, and other orogens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoonmaker, A.; Kidd, W.S.F.; Bradley, D.C.

2005-01-01

During collisional convergence, failure in extension of the lithosphere of the lower plate due to slab pull will reduce the thickness or completely remove lower-plate lithosphere and cause decompression melting of the asthenospheric mantle; magmas from this source may subsequently provide enough heat for substantial partial melting of crustal rocks under or beyond the toe of the collisional accretionary system. In central Maine, United States, this type of magmatism is first apparent in the Early Devonian West Branch Volcanics and equivalent mafic volcanics, in the slightly younger voluminous mafic/silicic magmatic event of the Moxie Gabbro-Katahdin batholith and related ignimbrite volcanism, and in other Early Devonian granitic plutons. Similar lower-plate collisional sequences with mafic and related silicic magmatism probably caused by slab breakoff are seen in the Miocene-Holocene Papuan orogen, and the Hercynian-Alleghenian belt. Magmatism of this type is significant because it gives evidence in those examples of whole-lithosphere extension. We infer that normal fault systems in outer trench slopes of collisional orogens in general, and possibly those of oceanic subduction zones, may not be primarily due to flexural bending, but are also driven by whole-lithosphere extension due to slab pull. The Maine Acadian example suggests that slab failure and this type of magmatism may be promoted by pre-existing large margin-parallel faults in the lower plate. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Local thermodynamic equilibrium in rapidly heated high energy density plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aslanyan, V.; Tallents, G. J.

Emission spectra and the dynamics of high energy density plasmas created by optical and Free Electron Lasers (FELs) depend on the populations of atomic levels. Calculations of plasma emission and ionization may be simplified by assuming Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE), where populations are given by the Saha-Boltzmann equation. LTE can be achieved at high densities when collisional processes are much more significant than radiative processes, but may not be valid if plasma conditions change rapidly. A collisional-radiative model has been used to calculate the times taken by carbon and iron plasmas to reach LTE at varying densities and heating rates.more » The effect of different energy deposition methods, as well as Ionization Potential Depression are explored. This work shows regimes in rapidly changing plasmas, such as those created by optical lasers and FELs, where the use of LTE is justified, because timescales for plasma changes are significantly longer than the times needed to achieve an LTE ionization balance.« less

Relativistic high-current electron-beam stopping-power characterization in solids and plasmas: collisional versus resistive effects.

PubMed

Vauzour, B; Santos, J J; Debayle, A; Hulin, S; Schlenvoigt, H-P; Vaisseau, X; Batani, D; Baton, S D; Honrubia, J J; Nicolaï, Ph; Beg, F N; Benocci, R; Chawla, S; Coury, M; Dorchies, F; Fourment, C; d'Humières, E; Jarrot, L C; McKenna, P; Rhee, Y J; Tikhonchuk, V T; Volpe, L; Yahia, V

2012-12-21

We present experimental and numerical results on intense-laser-pulse-produced fast electron beams transport through aluminum samples, either solid or compressed and heated by laser-induced planar shock propagation. Thanks to absolute K(α) yield measurements and its very good agreement with results from numerical simulations, we quantify the collisional and resistive fast electron stopping powers: for electron current densities of ≈ 8 × 10(10) A/cm(2) they reach 1.5 keV/μm and 0.8 keV/μm, respectively. For higher current densities up to 10(12)A/cm(2), numerical simulations show resistive and collisional energy losses at comparable levels. Analytical estimations predict the resistive stopping power will be kept on the level of 1 keV/μm for electron current densities of 10(14)A/cm(2), representative of the full-scale conditions in the fast ignition of inertially confined fusion targets.

PHOTOCHEMICAL HEATING OF DENSE MOLECULAR GAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Glassgold, A. E.; Najita, J. R.

2015-09-10

Photochemical heating is analyzed with an emphasis on the heating generated by chemical reactions initiated by the products of photodissociation and photoionization. The immediate products are slowed down by collisions with the ambient gas and then heat the gas. In addition to this direct process, heating is also produced by the subsequent chemical reactions initiated by these products. Some of this chemical heating comes from the kinetic energy of the reaction products and the rest from collisional de-excitation of the product atoms and molecules. In considering dense gas dominated by molecular hydrogen, we find that the chemical heating is sometimesmore » as large, if not much larger than, the direct heating. In very dense gas, the total photochemical heating approaches 10 eV per photodissociation (or photoionization), competitive with other ways of heating molecular gas.« less

Resolving electrical conductivities from collisionally damped plasmons in isochorically heated warm dense aluminum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sperling, P.; Fletcher, L. B.; Chung, H. -K.

2016-03-29

We measure the highly-resolved inelastic x-ray scattering spectrum of isochorically ultrafast heated aluminum. In the x-ray forward scattering spectra the electron temperature could be measured from the down- and upshifted plasmon, where the electron density of ne = 1:8 1023 cm 3 is known a priori. We have studied the plasmon damping by applying electron-particle collision models beyond the Born approximation determining the electrical conductivity of warm dense aluminum.

Global electrostatic potential structures of merging flux tubes in TS-U torus plasma merging experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawada, Asuka; Hatano, Hironori; Akimitsu, Moe; Cao, Qinghong; Yamasaki, Kotaro; Tanabe, Hiroshi; Ono, Yasushi; TS-Group Team

2017-10-01

We have been investigating 2D potential profile of global merging tokamaks to solve high-power heating of magnetic reconnection in TS-3 and TS-3U (ST, FRC:R =0.2m, 1985-, 2017-) and TS-4 (ST, FRC:R =0.5m, 2000-), UTST (ST:R =0.45m, 2008-) and MAST (ST:R = 0.9m, 2000-) devices. These experiments made clear that the electrostatic potential well is formed not only in the downstream area of magnetic reconnection but also in the whole common (reconnected) flux area of two merging flux tubes: tokamak plasmas. This fact suggests that the ion acceleration/heating occurs in much wider region than the reconnection downstream. We studied how the potential structure depends on key reconnection parameters:guide toroidal field and plasma collisionality. We found the polarity of the guide toroidal field determines those of potential hills and wells, indicating their formation is affected by the Hall effect. The peak value of the electrostatic potential well decreased with gas pressure increasing, suggesting plasma collisionality suppresses the Hall effect. The relationship between the electrostatic potential structure and anomalous ion heating is being studied as a possible cause for the high-power heating of fast magnetic reconnection. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 15H05750, 15K14279 and 17H04863.

Heating in short-pulse laser-driven cone-capped wire targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, R. J.; Wei, M.; King, J.; Beg, F.; Stephens, R. B.

2007-11-01

The 2-D implicit hybrid simulation code e-PLAS has been used to study heating in cone-capped copper wire targets. The code e-PLAS tracks collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) electrons traversing background plasma of collisional Eulerian cold electron and ion fluids. It computes E- and B-fields by the Implicit Moment Method [1,2]. In recent experiments [3] at the Vulcan laser facility, sub- picosecond laser pulses at 1.06 μm, and 4.0 x 10^20 W/cm^2 intensity were focused into thin-walled (˜10 μm) cones attached to copper wires. The wire diameter was varied from 10-40 μm with a typical length of 1 mm. We characterize heating of the wires as a function of their diameters and length, and relate modifications of this heating to changes in the assumed laser-generated hot electron spectrum and directivity. As in recent nail experiments [4], the cones can serve as reservoirs for hot electrons, diverting them from passage down the wires. [1] R. J. Mason, and C. Cranfill, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. PS-14, 45 (1986). [2] R. J. Mason, J. Comp. Phys. 71, 429 (1987). [3] J. King et al., to be submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.. [4] R. J. Mason, M. Wei, F. Beg, R. Stephens, and C. Snell, in Proc. of ICOPS07, Albuquerque, NM, June 17-22, 2007, Talk 7D4.

Beyond Hydrodynamic Modeling of AGN Heating in Galaxy Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hsiang-Yi Karen

Clusters of galaxies hold a unique position in hierarchical structure formation - they are both powerful cosmological probes and excellent astrophysical laboratories. Accurate modeling of the cluster properties is crucial for reducing systematic uncertainties in cluster cosmology. However, theoretical modeling of the intracluster medium (ICM) has long suffered from the "cooling-flow problem" - clusters with short central times or cool cores (CCs) are predicted to host massive inflows of gas that are not observed. Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) is by far the most promising heating mechanism to counteract radiative cooling. Recent hydrodynamic simulations have made remarkable progress reproducing properties of the CCs. However, there remain two major questions that cannot be probed using purely hydrodynamic models: (1) what are the roles of cosmic rays (CRs)? (2) how is the existing picture altered when the ICM is modeled as weakly collisional plasma? We propose to move beyond limitations of pure hydrodynamics and progress toward a complete understanding of how AGN jet-inflated bubbles interact with their surroundings and provide heat to the ICM. Our objectives include: (1) understand how CR-dominated bubbles heat the ICM; (2) understand bubble evolution and sound-wave dissipation in the ICM with different assumptions of plasma properties, e.g., collisionality of the ICM, with or without anisotropic transport processes; (3) Develop a subgrid model of AGN heating that can be adopted in cosmological simulations based on state-of-the-art isolated simulations. We will use a combination of analytical calculations and idealized simulations to advance our understanding of each individual physical process. We will then perform the first three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of self-regulated AGN feedback with relevant CR and anisotropic transport processes in order to quantify the amount and distribution of heating from the AGN. Our proposed work will elucidate the poorly understood CR and anisotropic transport processes in the weakly collisional ICM and shed light on the long-standing mystery of AGN heating in CC clusters. Our investigation, which incorporates plasma effects into fluid models and provides physical foundation for cosmological simulations, will serve as an important bridge between physics on both micro and macro scales. This study will enable robust modeling of the radio-mode feedback of AGN in cosmological simulations of cluster and galaxy formation. It will also directly impact observational studies of clusters including NASA missions such as Chandra, XMM-Newton, Astro-H/Hitomi, Fermi, HST, and Planck.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tracy, Patrick J.; Kasper, Justin C.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.

Observations of velocity distribution functions from the Advanced Composition Explorer/Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer heavy ion composition instrument are used to calculate ratios of kinetic temperature and Coulomb collisional interactions of an unprecedented 50 ion species in the solar wind. These ions cover a mass per charge range of 1–5.5 amu/e and were collected in the time range of 1998–2011. We report the first calculation of the Coulomb thermalization rate between each of the heavy ion (A > 4 amu) species present in the solar wind along with protons (H{sup +}) and alpha particles (He{sup 2+}). From these rates, wemore » find that protons are the dominant source of Coulomb collisional thermalization for heavy ions in the solar wind and use this fact to calculate a collisional age for those heavy ion populations. The heavy ion thermal properties are well organized by this collisional age, but we find that the temperature of all heavy ions does not simply approach that of protons as Coulomb collisions become more important. We show that He{sup 2+} and C{sup 6+} follow a monotonic decay toward equal temperatures with protons with increasing collisional age, but O{sup 6+} shows a noted deviation from this monotonic decay. Furthermore, we show that the deviation from monotonic decay for O{sup 6+} occurs in solar wind of all origins, as determined by its Fe/O ratio. The observed differences in heavy ion temperature behavior point toward a local heating mechanism that favors ions depending on their charge and mass.« less

Penecontemporaneous metamorphism, fragmentation, and reassembly of ordinary chondrite parent bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grimm, R. E.

1985-01-01

The thermal histories of ordinary chondrites and the canonical internal heating or onion shell models, which predict an inverse relation between the petrologic type of chondrites and the metallographic cooling rate, are reviewed. The thermal and accretional requirements of the 'metamorphosed planetesimal' model proposed by Scott and Rajan (1981) are analyzed, and an alternative model consistent with the metallographic cooling rate constraints is suggested in which ordinary chondrite parent bodies are collisionally fragmented and then rapidly reassembled before metamorphic heat has been dissipated.

The structure of high-temperature solar flare plasma in non-thermal flare models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emslie, A. G.

1985-01-01

Analytic differential emission measure distributions have been derived for coronal plasma in flare loops heated both by collisions of high-energy suprathermal electrons with background plasma, and by ohmic heating by the beam-normalizing return current. For low densities, reverse current heating predominates, while for higher densities collisional heating predominates. There is thus a minimum peak temperature in an electron-heated loop. In contrast to previous approximate analyses, it is found that a stable reverse current can dominate the heating rate in a flare loop, especially in the low corona. Two 'scaling laws' are found which relate the peak temperature in the loop to the suprathermal electron flux. These laws are testable observationally and constitute a new diagnostic procedure for examining modes of energy transport in flaring loops.

Electron Information in Single- and Dual-Frequency Capacitive Discharges at Atmospheric Pressure.

PubMed

Park, Sanghoo; Choe, Wonho; Moon, Se Youn; Shi, Jian Jun

2018-05-14

Determining the electron properties of weakly ionized gases, particularly in a high electron-neutral collisional condition, is a nontrivial task; thus, the mechanisms underlying the electron characteristics and electron heating structure in radio-frequency (rf) collisional discharges remain unclear. Here, we report the electrical characteristics and electron information in single-frequency (4.52 MHz and 13.56 MHz) and dual-frequency (a combination of 4.52 MHz and 13.56 MHz) capacitive discharges within the abnormal α-mode regime at atmospheric pressure. A continuum radiation-based electron diagnostic method is employed to estimate the electron density (n e ) and temperature (T e ). Our experimental observations reveal that time-averaged n e (7.7-14 × 10 11  cm -3 ) and T e (1.75-2.5 eV) can be independently controlled in dual-frequency discharge, whereas such control is nontrivial in single-frequency discharge, which shows a linear increase in n e and little to no change in T e with increases in the rf input power. Furthermore, the two-dimensional spatiotemporal evolution of neutral bremsstrahlung and associated electron heating structures is demonstrated. These results reveal that a symmetric structure in electron heating becomes asymmetric (via a local suppression of electron temperature) as two-frequency power is simultaneously introduced.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vahala, G.; Tracy, E.

During the past year, the authors have concentrated on (1) divertor physics, (2) thermo-lattice Boltzmann (TLBE) approach to turbulence, and (3) phase space techniques in gyro-resonance problems in collaboration with Dieter Sigmar (MIT), Sergei Krasheninnikov (MIT), Linda Vahala (ODU), Joseph Morrison (AS and M/NASA-Langley), Pavol Pavlo and Josef Preinhaelter (institute of Plasma Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences) and Allan Kaufman (LBL/U.C.Berkeley). Using a 2-equation compressible closure model with a 2D mean flow, the authors are investigating the effects of 3D neutral turbulence on reducing the heat load to the divertor plate by various toroidal cavity geometries. These studies are beingmore » extended to examine 3D mean flows. Thermal Lattice Boltzmann (TLBE) methods are being investigated to handle 3D turbulent flows in nontrivial geometries. It is planned to couple the TLBE collisional regime to the weakly collisional regime and so be able to tackle divertor physics. In the application of phase space techniques to minority-ion RF heating, resonance heating is treated as a multi-stage process. A generalization of the Case-van Kampen analysis is presented for multi-dimensional non-uniform plasmas. Effects such as particle trapping and the ray propagation dynamics in tokamak geometry can now be handled using Weyl calculus.« less

Highly Resolved Measurements of a Developing Strong Collisional Plasma Shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinderknecht, Hans G.; Park, H.-S.; Ross, J. S.; Amendt, P. A.; Higginson, D. P.; Wilks, S. C.; Haberberger, D.; Katz, J.; Froula, D. H.; Hoffman, N. M.; Kagan, G.; Keenan, B. D.; Vold, E. L.

2018-03-01

The structure of a strong collisional shock front forming in a plasma is directly probed for the first time in laser-driven gas-jet experiments. Thomson scattering of a 526.5 nm probe beam was used to diagnose temperature and ion velocity distribution in a strong shock (M ˜11 ) propagating through a low-density (ρ ˜0.01 mg /cc ) plasma composed of hydrogen. A forward-streaming population of ions traveling in excess of the shock velocity was observed to heat and slow down on an unmoving, unshocked population of cold protons, until ultimately the populations merge and begin to thermalize. Instabilities are observed during the merging, indicating a uniquely plasma-phase process in shock front formation.

Second harmonic generation of q-Gaussian laser beam in preformed collisional plasma channel with nonlinear absorption

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Naveen, E-mail: naveens222@rediffmail.com; Singh, Arvinder, E-mail: arvinder6@lycos.com; Singh, Navpreet, E-mail: navpreet.nit@gmail.com

2015-11-15

This paper presents a scheme for second harmonic generation of an intense q-Gaussian laser beam in a preformed parabolic plasma channel, where collisional nonlinearity is operative with nonlinear absorption. Due to nonuniform irradiance of intensity along the wavefront of the laser beam, nonuniform Ohmic heating of plasma electrons takes place. Due to this nonuniform heating of plasma, the laser beam gets self-focused and produces strong density gradients in the transverse direction. The generated density gradients excite an electron plasma wave at pump frequency that interacts with the pump beam to produce its second harmonics. The formulation is based on amore » numerical solution of the nonlinear Schrodinger wave equation in WKB approximation followed by moment theory approach. A second order nonlinear differential equation governing the propagation dynamics of the laser beam with distance of propagation has been obtained and is solved numerically by Runge Kutta fourth order technique. The effect of nonlinear absorption on self-focusing of the laser beam and conversion efficiency of its second harmonics has been investigated.« less

Laser collisional induced fluorescence electron density measurements as a function of ring bias and the onset of anode spot formation in a ring cusp magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthur, N. A.; Foster, J. E.; Barnat, E. V.

2018-05-01

Two-dimensional electron density measurements are made in a magnetic ring cusp discharge using laser collisional induced fluorescence. The magnet rings are isolated from the anode structure such that they can be biased independently in order to modulate electron flows through the magnetic cusps. Electron density images are captured as a function of bias voltage in order to assess the effects of current flow through the cusp on the spatial extent of the cusp. We anticipated that for a fixed current density being funneled through the magnetic cusp, the leak width would necessarily increase. Unexpectedly, the leak width, as measured by LCIF images, does not increase. This suggests that the current density is not constant, and that possibly either electrons are being heated or additional ionization events are occurring within the cusp. Spatially resolving electron temperature would be needed to determine if electrons are being heated within the cusp. We also observe breakdown of the anode magnetosheath and formation of anode spots at high bias voltage.

Nonlinear resistivity for magnetohydrodynamical models

DOE PAGES

Lingam, M.; Hirvijoki, E.; Pfefferlé, D.; ...

2017-04-20

A new formulation of the plasma resistivity that stems from the collisional momentum-transfer rate between electrons and ions is presented. The resistivity computed herein is shown to depend not only on the temperature and density but also on all other polynomial velocity-space moments of the distribution function, such as the pressure tensor and heat flux vector. The full expression for the collisional momentum-transfer rate is determined and is used to formulate the nonlinear anisotropic resistivity. The new formalism recovers the Spitzer resistivity, as well as the concept of thermal force if the heat flux is assumed to be proportional tomore » a temperature gradient. Furthermore, if the pressure tensor is related to viscous stress, the latter enters the expression for the resistivity. The relative importance of the nonlinear term(s) with respect to the well-established electron inertia and Hall terms is also examined. Lastly, the subtle implications of the nonlinear resistivity, and its dependence on the fluid variables, are discussed in the context of magnetized plasma environments and phenomena such as magnetic reconnection.« less

Parameter dependence of ELM loss reduction by magnetic perturbations at low pedestal density and collisionality in ASDEX upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leuthold, N.; Suttrop, W.; Fischer, R.; Kappatou, A.; Kirk, A.; McDermott, R.; Mlynek, A.; Valovič, M.; Willensdorfer, M.; the ASDEX Upgrade Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

2017-05-01

ELM mitigation by magnetic perturbations is studied at low pedestal collisionalities down to ITER-like values ({ν }{e,{PED}}* =0.1) in ASDEX Upgrade. A comprehensive database of ELM energy losses for varying plasma density, heating power, edge safety factor and magnetic perturbation structure has been assembled to investigate parameter dependencies of ELM mitigation. It is found that magnetic perturbations with a toroidal mode number n = 2 can reduce the ELM energy loss normalized to the energy stored in the plasma pedestal from about 30% to less than 5%, i.e. by a factor of six, below an electron pedestal collisionality of {ν }{e,{PED}}* =0.4. At this level of ELM mitigation a significant reduction of the pedestal pressure and, therefore, global plasma confinement occurs. This pedestal pressure reduction is mostly due to a reduction of plasma density, the so-called ‘pump-out’ effect. Refueling by neutral beams and in particular by pellet injection is possible and can re-establish confinement, however, the ELM energy loss increases as well with increasing density.

Ultrafast collisional ion heating by electrostatic shocks.

PubMed

Turrell, A E; Sherlock, M; Rose, S J

2015-11-13

High-intensity lasers can be used to generate shockwaves, which have found applications in nuclear fusion, proton imaging, cancer therapies and materials science. Collisionless electrostatic shocks are one type of shockwave widely studied for applications involving ion acceleration. Here we show a novel mechanism for collisionless electrostatic shocks to heat small amounts of solid density matter to temperatures of ∼keV in tens of femtoseconds. Unusually, electrons play no direct role in the heating and it is the ions that determine the heating rate. Ions are heated due to an interplay between the electric field of the shock, the local density increase during the passage of the shock and collisions between different species of ion. In simulations, these factors combine to produce rapid, localized heating of the lighter ion species. Although the heated volume is modest, this would be one of the fastest heating mechanisms discovered if demonstrated in the laboratory.

Numerical models of the magmatic processes induced by slab breakoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeburn, Rebecca; Bouilhol, Pierre; Maunder, Ben; Magni, Valentina; van Hunen, Jeroen

2017-11-01

After the onset of continental collision, magmatism often persists for tens of millions of years, albeit with a different composition, in reduced volumes, and with a more episodic nature and more widespread spatial distribution, compared to normal arc magmatism. Kinematic modelling studies have suggested that slab breakoff can account for this post-collisional magmatism through the formation of a slab window and subsequent heating of the overriding plate and decompression melting of upwelling asthenosphere, particularly if breakoff occurs at depths shallower than the overriding plate. To constrain the nature of any melting and the geodynamic conditions required, we numerically model the collision of two continental plates following a period of oceanic subduction. A thermodynamic database is used to determine the (de)hydration reactions and occurrence of melt throughout this process. We investigate melting conditions within a parameter space designed to generate a wide range of breakoff depths, timings and collisional styles. Under most circumstances, slab breakoff occurs deeper than the depth extent of the overriding plate; too deep to generate any decompressional melting of dry upwelling asthenosphere or thermal perturbation within the overriding plate. Even if slab breakoff is very shallow, the hot mantle inflow into the slab window is not sustained long enough to sufficiently heat the hydrated overriding plate to cause significant magmatism. Instead, for relatively fast, shallow breakoff we observe melting of asthenosphere above the detached slab through the release of water from the tip of the heating detached slab. Melting of the subducted continental crust during necking and breakoff is a more common feature and may be a more reliable indicator of the occurrence of breakoff. We suggest that magmatism from slab breakoff alone is unable to explain several of the characteristics of post-collisional magmatism, and that additional geodynamical processes need to be considered when interpreting magmatic observations.

Electron Heating and Acceleration from High Amplitude Driven Alfvén Waves in the LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auerbach, David; Carter, Troy; Brugman, Brian

2006-10-01

High amplitude (δB/B ˜1 %) shear Alfvén waves are generated in the Large Plasma Device Upgrade (LAPD) at UCLA, and elevated electron temperatures and high energy electrons are observed using triple probes and Langmuir current traces. The Poynting flux of the observed waves is calculated, and wave power is compared to estimates of power input required to cause the observed heating. Theoretical calculations of power transfer from wave to plasma due to Landau damping and collisional heating are also presented and compared to experimental measurements. Heating by antenna near field effects is also being explored. The density and potential structures of these waves are explored using interferometer and triple probe measurements. Applications to Auroral generation and plasma heating are discussed.

Particle model for nonlocal heat transport in fusion plasmas.

PubMed

Bufferand, H; Ciraolo, G; Ghendrih, Ph; Lepri, S; Livi, R

2013-02-01

We present a simple stochastic, one-dimensional model for heat transfer in weakly collisional media as fusion plasmas. Energies of plasma particles are treated as lattice random variables interacting with a rate inversely proportional to their energy schematizing a screened Coulomb interaction. We consider both the equilibrium (microcanonical) and nonequilibrium case in which the system is in contact with heat baths at different temperatures. The model exhibits a characteristic length of thermalization that can be associated with an interaction mean free path and one observes a transition from ballistic to diffusive regime depending on the average energy of the system. A mean-field expression for heat flux is deduced from system heat transport properties. Finally, it is shown that the nonequilibrium steady state is characterized by long-range correlations.

Time-resolved K α spectroscopy measurements of hot-electron equilibration dynamics in thin-foil solid targets: collisional and collective effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilson, P. M.; Solodov, A. A.; Davies, J. R.; Theobald, W.; Mileham, C.; Stoeckl, C.; Begishev, I. A.; Zuegel, J. D.; Froula, D. H.; Betti, R.; Meyerhofer, D. D.

2015-11-01

Time-resolved K α spectroscopy measurements from high-intensity laser interactions with thin-foil solid targets are reviewed. Thin Cu foils were irradiated with 1-10 J, 1 ps pulses at focused intensities from 1018 to 1019 W cm-2. The experimental data show K α -emission pulse widths from 3 to 6 ps, increasing with laser intensity. The time-resolved K α -emission data are compared to a hot-electron transport and K α -production model that includes collisional electron-energy coupling, resistive heating, and electromagnetic field effects. The experimental data show good agreement with the model when a reduced ponderomotive scaling is used to describe the initial mean hot-electron energy over the relevant intensity range.

Quasi-stellar objects in the intergalactic medium: Source for the cosmic X-ray background

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sherman, R.D.

1980-06-15

QSOs are regarded as sources of both electromagnetic radiation and ejected matter that heat and ionize a dense intergalactic medium (IGM). Using current estimates of QSO luminosity, number density, evolution, and spectral index, we study three viable models: the diffuse cosmic X-ray background is (1) due entirely to thermal Bremsstrahlung of the IGM, (2) completely supplied by QSO X-radiation, (3) or a combination of both. The upper limits on an IGM fractional density with respect to closure are ..cap omega..=0.26, 0.24, and 0.21 for pure collisional, photo/collisional mixture, and pure photoionization, respectively. These calculations give emission spectra, Compton distortion ofmore » the cosmic microwave background, and optical depths to distant OSOs for comparison with relevant data.« less

Highly Resolved Measurements of a Developing Strong Collisional Plasma Shock

DOE PAGES

Rinderknecht, Hans G.; Park, H. -S.; Ross, J. S.; ...

2018-03-02

In this paper, the structure of a strong collisional shock front forming in a plasma is directly probed for the first time in laser-driven gas-jet experiments. Thomson scattering of a 526.5 nm probe beam was used to diagnose temperature and ion velocity distribution in a strong shock (more » $$M{\\sim}11$$) propagating through a low-density ($${\\rho}{\\sim}0.01\\text{ }\\text{ }\\mathrm{mg}/\\mathrm{cc}$$) plasma composed of hydrogen. A forward-streaming population of ions traveling in excess of the shock velocity was observed to heat and slow down on an unmoving, unshocked population of cold protons, until ultimately the populations merge and begin to thermalize. Finally, instabilities are observed during the merging, indicating a uniquely plasma-phase process in shock front formation.« less

Highly Resolved Measurements of a Developing Strong Collisional Plasma Shock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rinderknecht, Hans G.; Park, H. -S.; Ross, J. S.

In this paper, the structure of a strong collisional shock front forming in a plasma is directly probed for the first time in laser-driven gas-jet experiments. Thomson scattering of a 526.5 nm probe beam was used to diagnose temperature and ion velocity distribution in a strong shock (more » $$M{\\sim}11$$) propagating through a low-density ($${\\rho}{\\sim}0.01\\text{ }\\text{ }\\mathrm{mg}/\\mathrm{cc}$$) plasma composed of hydrogen. A forward-streaming population of ions traveling in excess of the shock velocity was observed to heat and slow down on an unmoving, unshocked population of cold protons, until ultimately the populations merge and begin to thermalize. Finally, instabilities are observed during the merging, indicating a uniquely plasma-phase process in shock front formation.« less

Nonequilibrium shock-heated nitrogen flows using a rovibrational state-to-state method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panesi, M.; Munafò, A.; Magin, T. E.; Jaffe, R. L.

2014-07-01

A rovibrational collisional model is developed to study the internal energy excitation and dissociation processes behind a strong shock wave in a nitrogen flow. The reaction rate coefficients are obtained from the ab initio database of the NASA Ames Research Center. The master equation is coupled with a one-dimensional flow solver to study the nonequilibrium phenomena encountered in the gas during a hyperbolic reentry into Earth's atmosphere. The analysis of the populations of the rovibrational levels demonstrates how rotational and vibrational relaxation proceed at the same rate. This contrasts with the common misconception that translational and rotational relaxation occur concurrently. A significant part of the relaxation process occurs in non-quasi-steady-state conditions. Exchange processes are found to have a significant impact on the relaxation of the gas, while predissociation has a negligible effect. The results obtained by means of the full rovibrational collisional model are used to assess the validity of reduced order models (vibrational collisional and multitemperature) which are based on the same kinetic database. It is found that thermalization and dissociation are drastically overestimated by the reduced order models. The reasons of the failure differ in the two cases. In the vibrational collisional model the overestimation of the dissociation is a consequence of the assumption of equilibrium between the rotational energy and the translational energy. The multitemperature model fails to predict the correct thermochemical relaxation due to the failure of the quasi-steady-state assumption, used to derive the phenomenological rate coefficient for dissociation.

Shock Structure: Application to the heliospheric termination shock and an interstellar shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafavi, P.; Zank, G. P.

2017-12-01

The structure of parallel and perpendicular shocks is often mediated by energetic particles. Here we describe shock structure when mediated by energetic particle heat flux and viscosity. We present a general theoretical model of shock mediation, which is then applied to Voyager 2 observations of the heliospheric termination shock (HTS) and Voyage 1 observations of a shock in very local interstellar medium (VLISM). Voyager 2 observations showed that the downstream HTS flow remained supersonic with respect to the thermal gas [Richardson et al., 2008]. Thus the thermal gas remains cold through the HTS and does not provide the dissipation to account for the deceleration of the supersonic solar wind. We show that PUIs are the primary dissipation mechanism and gain most of the solar wind kinetic energy in crossing the HTS. The interstellar shock observed by Voyager 1 [Burlaga et al., 2013] was extremely broad and so far there no theoretical explanation has been provided that describes the VLISM shock structure. Using the Chandrasekhar function, we show that the VLISM is collisional with respect to the thermal plasma and that electron and proton collisional mean free paths are very small. Thus, thermal collisionality should determine the structure of VLISM shocks. PUIs outside the heliosphere are generated by secondary charge exchange and contribute a very small pressure. Since PUIs and the dissipation associated with them cannot mediate the shock observed in the VLISM, we suggest that the thickness of the shock observed in the VLISM is due to collisional thermal gas dissipation.

Observation of collisionless heating of low energy electrons in low pressure inductively coupled argon plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Min-Hyong; Lee, Hyo-Chang; Chung, Chin-Wook

2008-12-01

Collisionless heating of low energy electrons was observed in low pressure argon rf-biased inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) by measurement of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF). When only capacitive power (bias) was supplied, the EEDF in the discharge was a bi-Maxwellian distribution with two electron groups. It was found that the low energy electrons were heated up significantly even with a little inductive power (<20 W) even when the discharge was in E mode. Due to the low gas pressure and low temperature of low energy electrons (close to the energy of the Ramsauer minimum), the collisional heating of low energy electrons appears to be negligible. Therefore, this effective heating of the low energy electrons showed a direct experimental evidence of the collisionless heating by inductive field. The significant heating of low energy electrons in E mode indicates that collisionless heating in the skin layer is an important electron heating mechanism of low pressure ICP even when the discharge is in E mode.

What is the surface temperature of a solid irradiated by a Petawatt laser?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemp, A. J.; Divol, L.

2016-09-01

When a solid target is irradiated by a Petawatt laser pulse, its surface is heated to tens of millions of degrees within a few femtoseconds, facilitating a diffusive heat wave and the acceleration of electrons to MeV energies into the target. Using numerically converged collisional particle-in-cell simulations, we observe a competition between two surface heating mechanisms-inverse bremsstrahlung in solid density on the one hand and electron scattering on turbulent electric fields on the other. Collisionless heating effectively dominates above the relativistic intensity threshold. Our numerical results show that a high-contrast 40 fs, f/5 laser pulse with 1 J energy will heat the skin layer to 5 keV, and the inside of the target over several microns deep to bulk temperatures in the range of 10-100 eV at solid density.

BUOYANCY INSTABILITIES IN A WEAKLY COLLISIONAL INTRACLUSTER MEDIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kunz, Matthew W.; Stone, James M.; Bogdanovic, Tamara

2012-08-01

The intracluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters is a weakly collisional plasma in which the transport of heat and momentum occurs primarily along magnetic-field lines. Anisotropic heat conduction allows convective instabilities to be driven by temperature gradients of either sign: the magnetothermal instability (MTI) in the outskirts of clusters and the heat-flux buoyancy-driven instability (HBI) in their cooling cores. We employ the Athena magnetohydrodynamic code to investigate the nonlinear evolution of these instabilities, self-consistently including the effects of anisotropic viscosity (i.e., Braginskii pressure anisotropy), anisotropic conduction, and radiative cooling. We find that, in all but the innermost regions of cool-coremore » clusters, anisotropic viscosity significantly impairs the ability of the HBI to reorient magnetic-field lines orthogonal to the temperature gradient. Thus, while radio-mode feedback appears necessary in the central few Multiplication-Sign 10 kpc, heat conduction may be capable of offsetting radiative losses throughout most of a cool core over a significant fraction of the Hubble time. Magnetically aligned cold filaments are then able to form by local thermal instability. Viscous dissipation during cold filament formation produces accompanying hot filaments, which can be searched for in deep Chandra observations of cool-core clusters. In the case of MTI, anisotropic viscosity leads to a nonlinear state with a folded magnetic field structure in which field-line curvature and field strength are anti-correlated. These results demonstrate that, if the HBI and MTI are relevant for shaping the properties of the ICM, one must self-consistently include anisotropic viscosity in order to obtain even qualitatively correct results.« less

Analytic Methods for Predicting Significant Multi-Quanta Effects in Collisional Molecular Energy Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bieniek, Ronald J.

1996-01-01

Collision-induced transitions can significantly affect molecular vibrational-rotational populations and energy transfer in atmospheres and gaseous systems. This, in turn. can strongly influence convective heat transfer through dissociation and recombination of diatomics. and radiative heat transfer due to strong vibrational coupling. It is necessary to know state-to-state rates to predict engine performance and aerothermodynamic behavior of hypersonic flows, to analyze diagnostic radiative data obtained from experimental test facilities, and to design heat shields and other thermal protective systems. Furthermore, transfer rates between vibrational and translational modes can strongly influence energy flow in various 'disturbed' environments, particularly where the vibrational and translational temperatures are not equilibrated.

Protein Structural Studies by Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Spectrometry: A Critical Look at Electrospray Sources and Calibration Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yu; Vahidi, Siavash; Sowole, Modupeola A.; Konermann, Lars

2016-01-01

The question whether electrosprayed protein ions retain solution-like conformations continues to be a matter of debate. One way to address this issue involves comparisons of collision cross sections (Ω) measured by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) with Ω values calculated for candidate structures. Many investigations in this area employ traveling wave IMS (TWIMS). It is often implied that nanoESI is more conducive for the retention of solution structure than regular ESI. Focusing on ubiquitin, cytochrome c, myoglobin, and hemoglobin, we demonstrate that Ω values and collisional unfolding profiles are virtually indistinguishable under both conditions. These findings suggest that gas-phase structures and ion internal energies are independent of the type of electrospray source. We also note that TWIMS calibration can be challenging because differences in the extent of collisional activation relative to drift tube reference data may lead to ambiguous peak assignments. It is demonstrated that this problem can be circumvented by employing collisionally heated calibrant ions. Overall, our data are consistent with the view that exposure of native proteins to electrospray conditions can generate kinetically trapped ions that retain solution-like structures on the millisecond time scale of TWIMS experiments.

Analysis of metallic impurity density profiles in low collisionality Joint European Torus H-mode and L-mode plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puiatti, M. E.; Valisa, M.; Angioni, C.; Garzotti, L.; Mantica, P.; Mattioli, M.; Carraro, L.; Coffey, I.; Sozzi, C.

2006-04-01

This paper describes the behavior of nickel in low confinement (L-mode) and high confinement (H-mode) Joint European Torus (JET) discharges [P. J. Lomas, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 31, 1481 (1989)] characterized by the application of radio-frequency (rf) power heating and featuring ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) relevant collisionality. The impurity transport is analyzed on the basis of perturbative experiments (laser blow off injection) and is compared with electron heat and deuterium transport. In the JET plasmas analyzed here, ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) is applied either in mode conversion (MC) to heat the electrons or in minority heating (MH) to heat the ions. The two heating schemes have systematically different effects on nickel transport, yielding flat or slightly hollow nickel density profiles in the case of ICRH in MC and peaked nickel density profiles in the case of rf applied in MH. Accordingly, both diffusion coefficients and pinch velocities of nickel are found to be systematically different. Linear gyrokinetic calculations by means of the code GS2 [M. Kotschenreuther, G. Rewoldt, and W.M. Tang, Comput. Phys. Commun. 88, 128 (1995)] provide a possible explanation of such different behavior by exploring the effects produced by the different microinstabilities present in these plasmas. In particular, trapped electron modes driven by the stronger electron temperature gradients measured in the MC cases, although subdominant, produce a contribution to the impurity pinch directed outwards that is qualitatively in agreement with the pinch reversal found in the experiment. Particle and heat diffusivities appear to be decoupled in MH shots, with χe and DD≫DNi, and are instead quite similar in the MC ones. In the latter case, nickel transport appears to be driven by the same turbulence that drives the electron heat transport and is sensitive to the value of the electron temperature gradient length. These findings give ground to the idea that in ITER it should be possible to find conditions in which the risk of accumulation of metals such as nickel can be contained.

First Simulations of a Collisional Two-Stream Instability in the Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppenheim, Meers; Dimant, Yakov; Madsen, Chad Allen; Fontenla, Juan

2014-06-01

Observations and modeling shows that immediately above the temperature minimum in the solar atmosphere, a steep rise from below 4,000 K to over 6,000K occurs. Recent papers show that a collisional two-stream plasma instability called the Farley-Buneman Instability can develop at the altitudes where this increase occurs. This instability may play an important role in transferring energy from turbulent neutral flows originating in the photosphere to the mid-chromosphere in the form of heat. Plasma turbulence resulting from this instability could account for some or most of this intense chromospheric heating. This paper presents a set of simulations showing the development and evolution of the Farley-Buneman Instability (FBI) applicable to the chromosphere. It compares these results with the better-understood ionospheric FBI. It examines the linear behavior and the dependence of growth rates for a range of altitudes and driving flows. It also presents the first study of FBI driven plasma nonlinearities and turbulence in the chromosphere. This research should help us evaluate the FBI as a mechanism to convert neutral flow and turbulence energy into electron thermal energy in the quiet Sun.

Self-focusing and defocusing of Gaussian laser beams in collisional underdense magnetized plasmas with considering the nonlinear ohmic heating and ponderomotive force effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ettehadi Abari, Mehdi; Sedaghat, Mahsa; Shokri, Babak, E-mail: b-shokri@sbu.ac.ir

2015-10-15

The propagation characteristics of a Gaussian laser beam in collisional magnetized plasma are investigated by considering the ponderomotive and ohmic heating nonlinearities. Here, by taking into account the effect of the external magnetic field, the second order differential equation of the dimensionless beam width parameter is solved numerically. Furthermore, the nonlinear dielectric permittivity of the mentioned plasma medium in the paraxial approximation and its dependence on the propagation characteristics of the Gaussian laser pulse is obtained, and its variation in terms of the dimensionless plasma length is analyzed at different initial normalized plasma and cyclotron frequencies. The results show thatmore » the dimensionless beam width parameter is strongly affected by the initial plasma frequency, magnetic strength, and laser pulse intensity. Furthermore, it is found that there exists a certain intensity value below which the laser pulse tends to self focus, while the beam diverges above of this value. In addition, the results confirm that, by increasing the plasma and cyclotron frequencies (plasma density and magnetic strength), the self-focusing effect can occur intensively.« less

Simulations of the Mg II K and Ca II 8542 Lines From an Alfvén Wave-Heated Flare Chromosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, Graham S.; Fletcher, Lyndsay; Russell, Alexander J. B.; Allred, Joel C.

2016-01-01

We use radiation hydrodynamic simulations to examine two models of solar flare chromospheric heating: Alfven wave dissipation and electron beam collisional losses. Both mechanisms are capable of strong chromospheric heating, and we show that the distinctive atmospheric evolution in the mid-to-upper chromosphere results in Mg II k-line emission that should be observably different between wave-heated and beam-heated simulations. We also present Ca II 8542 A profiles that are formed slightly deeper in the chromosphere. The Mg II k-line profiles from our wave-heated simulation are quite different from those from a beam-heated model and are more consistent with Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph observations. The predicted differences between the Ca II 8542 A in the two models are small. We conclude that careful observational and theoretical study of lines formed in the mid-to-upper chromosphere holds genuine promise for distinguishing between competing models for chromospheric heating inflares.

Time-resolved K α spectroscopy measurements of hot-electron equilibration dynamics in thin-foil solid targets: Collisional and collective effects

DOE PAGES

Nilson, P. M.; Solodov, A. A.; Davies, J. R.; ...

2015-09-25

Time-resolved K α spectroscopy measurements from high-intensity laser interactions with thin-foil solid targets are reviewed. Thin Cu foils were irradiated with 1- to 10-J, 1-ps pulses at focused intensities from 10 18 to 10 19 W/cm 2. The experimental data show K α-emission pulse widths from 3 to 6 ps, increasing with laser intensity. The time-resolved K α-emission data are compared to a hot-electron transport and K α-production model that includes collisional electron-energy coupling, resistive heating, and electromagnetic field effects. The experimental data show good agreement with the model when a reduced ponderomotive scaling is used to describe the initialmore » mean hot-electron energy over the relevant intensity range.« less

Heating rates in collisionally opaque alkali-metal atom traps: Role of secondary collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beijerinck, H. C. W.

2000-12-01

Grazing collisions with background gas are the major cause of trap loss and trap heating in atom traps. To first order, these effects do not depend on the trap density. In collisionally opaque trapped atom clouds, however, scattered atoms with an energy E larger than the effective trap depth Eeff, which are destined to escape from the atom cloud, will have a finite probability for a secondary collision. This results in a contribution to the heating rate that depends on the column density of the trapped atoms, i.e., the product of density and characteristic size of the trap. For alkali-metal atom traps, secondary collisions are quite important due to the strong long-range interaction with like atoms. We derive a simple analytical expression for the secondary heating rate, showing a dependency proportional to E1/2eff. When extrapolating to a vanishing column density, only primary collisions with the background gas will contribute to the heating rate. This contribution is rather small, due to the weak long-range interaction of the usual background gas species in an ultrahigh-vacuum system-He, Ne, or Ar-with the trapped alkali-metal atoms. We conclude that the transition between trap-loss collisions and heating collisions is determined by a cutoff energy 200 μK<=Eeff<=400 μK, much smaller than the actual trap depth E in most magnetic traps. Atoms with an energy Eeff

Hydrodynamic Models for Multicomponent Plasmas with Collisional-Radiative Kinetics

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

16, 17]. The plasma, typically created by electric discharges , can deposit heat locally in the vicinity the flame, which quickly raises the gas...the corona layer of laser produced plasmas (LPP). Secondly, the self-consistent coupling of the plasma with the field gives rise to particle...excited species and reaction radicals; 7 n ncr solid transport layer (overdense) corona layer (underdense) temperature density shock wave ablation

Antiparticle cloud temperatures for antihydrogen experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianconi, A.; Charlton, M.; Lodi Rizzini, E.; Mascagna, V.; Venturelli, L.

2017-07-01

A simple rate-equation description of the heating and cooling of antiparticle clouds under conditions typical of those found in antihydrogen formation experiments is developed and analyzed. We include single-particle collisional, radiative, and cloud expansion effects and, from the modeling calculations, identify typical cooling phenomena and trends and relate these to the underlying physics. Some general rules of thumb of use to experimenters are derived.

Collisional transfer of population and orientation in sodium potassium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, Christopher Matthew

Collisional spectral satellite lines have been identified in recent optical-optical double resonance (OODR) excitation spectra of the NaK molecule. These satellite lines represent both a transfer of population, and a partial preservation of angular momentum orientation, to a rotational level adjacent to the one directly excited by the pump laser beam. A rate equation model was used to study the intensities of these satellite lines as a function of argon pressure and heat pipe oven temperature, in order to separate the collisional effects of argon and potassium atoms (being the most populous species in the vapor by an order of magnitude over the third most populous). Using a fit of this rate equation model to the data, it was found that collisions between NaK and potassium are more likely to transfer population and destroy orientation than argon collisions, and also more likely to transfer population to rotational levels higher in energy than the one being pumped (i.e. a propensity for positive Delta J collisions). Also, collisions between NaK and argon atoms show a propensity toward even-numbered changes in J. In addition to the above study, an analysis of collisional line broadening and velocity-changes in J-changing collisions was performed, showing potassium has a higher line broadening rate coefficient, as well as a smaller velocity change in J-changing collisions, than argon. A program was also written in Fortran 90/95 which solves the density matrix equations of motion in steady state for a coupled system of 3 (or 4) energy levels with their constituent degenerate magnetic sublevels. The solution to these equations yields the populations of each sublevel in steady state, as well as the laser-induced coherences between each sublevel (which are needed to model the polarization spectroscopy lineshape precisely). Development of an appropriate theoretical model for collisional transfer will yield a more rigorous study of the problem than the empirical rate equation model used in the analysis of our experiment.

Polarization of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal due to electron pressure anisotropy in galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khabibullin, I.; Komarov, S.; Churazov, E.; Schekochihin, A.

2018-02-01

We describe polarization of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect associated with electron pressure anisotropy likely present in the intracluster medium (ICM). The ICM is an astrophysical example of a weakly collisional plasma where the Larmor frequencies of charged particles greatly exceed their collision frequencies. This permits formation of pressure anisotropies, driven by evolving magnetic fields via adiabatic invariance, or by heat fluxes. SZ polarization arises in the process of Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons off the thermal ICM electrons due to the difference in the characteristic thermal velocities of the electrons along two mutually orthogonal directions in the sky plane. The signal scales linearly with the optical depth of the region containing large-scale correlated anisotropy, and with the degree of anisotropy itself. It has the same spectral dependence as the polarization induced by cluster motion with respect to the CMB frame (kinematic SZ effect polarization), but can be distinguished by its spatial pattern. For the illustrative case of a galaxy cluster with a cold front, where electron transport is mediated by Coulomb collisions, we estimate the CMB polarization degree at the level of 10-8 (˜10 nK). An increase of the effective electron collisionality due to plasma instabilities will reduce the effect. Such polarization, therefore, may be an independent probe of the electron collisionality in the ICM, which is one of the key properties of a high-β weakly collisional plasma from the point of view of both astrophysics and plasma theory.

D region disturbances caused by electromagnetic pulses from lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Juan V.; Inan, Umran S.; Bell, Timothy F.

1992-01-01

Attention is given to a simple formulation of the propagation and absorption in a magnetized collisional plasma of EM pulses from lightning which describes the effect of discharge orientation and radiated electric field on the structure and magnitude of heating and secondary ionization in the D region. Radiation from most lightning discharges can heat substantially, but only the most intense (not less than 20 V/m) are likely to cause ionization enhancements not less than 10 percent of the ambient in a single ionization cycle. This dependence on the radiated electric field is modified by the discharge radiation pattern: a horizontal cloud discharge tends to cause larger heating and ionizaton maxima while a vertical return stroke causes disturbances of a larger horizontal extent.

Laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Mamta; Gupta, D. N., E-mail: dngupta@physics.du.ac.in

We present theory and numerical analysis which demonstrate laser-pulse compression in a collisional plasma under the weak-relativistic ponderomotive nonlinearity. Plasma equilibrium density is modified due to the ohmic heating of electrons, the collisions, and the weak relativistic-ponderomotive force during the interaction of a laser pulse with plasmas. First, within one-dimensional analysis, the longitudinal self-compression mechanism is discussed. Three-dimensional analysis (spatiotemporal) of laser pulse propagation is also investigated by coupling the self-compression with the self-focusing. In the regime in which the laser becomes self-focused due to the weak relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearity, we provide results for enhanced pulse compression. The results show thatmore » the matched interplay between self-focusing and self-compression can improve significantly the temporal profile of the compressed pulse. Enhanced pulse compression can be achieved by optimizing and selecting the parameters such as collision frequency, ion-temperature, and laser intensity.« less

Retrograde spins of near-Earth asteroids from the Yarkovsky effect.

PubMed

La Spina, A; Paolicchi, P; Kryszczyńska, A; Pravec, P

2004-03-25

Dynamical resonances in the asteroid belt are the gateway for the production of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). To generate the observed number of NEAs, however, requires the injection of many asteroids into those resonant regions. Collisional processes have long been claimed as a possible source, but difficulties with that idea have led to the suggestion that orbital drift arising from the Yarkovsky effect dominates the injection process. (The Yarkovsky effect is a force arising from differential heating-the 'afternoon' side of an asteroid is warmer than the 'morning' side.) The two models predict different rotational properties of NEAs: the usual collisional theories are consistent with a nearly isotropic distribution of rotation vectors, whereas the 'Yarkovsky model' predicts an excess of retrograde rotations. Here we report that the spin vectors of NEAs show a strong and statistically significant excess of retrograde rotations, quantitatively consistent with the theoretical expectations of the Yarkovsky model.

Collisional and Dynamical Evolution of Planetary Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weidenschilling, Stuart J.

2004-01-01

Senior Scientst S. J. Weidenschilling presents his final administrative report in the research program entitled "Collisional and Dynamical Evolution of Planetary Systems," on which he was the Principal Investigator. This research program produced the following publications: 1) "Jumping Jupiters" in binary star systems. F. Marzari, S. J. Weidenschilling, M. Barbieri and V. Granata. Astrophys. J., in press, 2005; 2) Formation of the cores of the outer planets. To appear in "The Outer Planets" (R. Kallenbach, ED), ISSI Conference Proceedings (Space Sci. Rev.), in press, 2005; 3) Accretion dynamics and timescales: Relation to chondrites. S. J. Weidenschilling and J. Cuzzi. In Meteorites and the Early Solar System LI (D. Lauretta et al., Eds.), Univ. of Arizona Press, 2005; 4) Asteroidal heating and thermal stratification of the asteroid belt. A. Ghosh, S. J.Weidenschilling, H. Y. McSween, Jr. and A. Rubin. In Meteorites and the Early Solar System I1 (D. Lauretta et al., Eds.), Univ. of Arizona Press, 2005.

Commissioning and Plans for the NSTX-U Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Masayuki; NSTX-U Team

2016-10-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment - Upgrade (NSTX-U) has started its first year of plasma operations after the successful completion of the CD-4 milestones. The unique operating regimes of NSTX-U can contribute to several important issues in the physics of burning plasmas to optimize the performance of ITER. The major mission of NSTX-U is also to develop the physics and technology basis for an ST-based Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF). The new center stack will provide toroidal field of 1 Tesla at a major radius of 0.93 m which should enable a plasma current of up to 2 mega-Amp for 5 sec. A much more tangential 2nd NBI system, with 2-3 times higher current drive efficiency compared to the 1st NBI system, is installed. NSTX-U is designed to attain the 100% non-inductive operation needed for a compact FNSF design. With higher fields and heating powers of 14 MW, the NSTX-U plasma collisionality will be reduced by a factor of 3-6 to help explore the trend in transport towards the low collisionality FNSF regime. If the favorable trends observed on NSTX holds at low collisionality, high fusion neutron fluences could be achievable in very compact ST devices.

Resonant and Secular Families of the Kuiper Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, E. I.; Lovering, J. R.; Millis, R. L.; Buie, M. W.; Wasserman, L. H.; Meech, K. J.

2003-06-01

We review ongoing efforts to identify occupants of mean-motion resonances (MMRs) and collisional families in the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. Direct integrations of trajectories of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) reveal the 1:1 (Trojan), 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 (Plutino), 5:3, 7:4, 9:5, 2:1 (Twotino), and 5:2 MMRs to be inhabited. Apart from the Trojan, resonant KBOs typically have large orbital eccentricities and inclinations. The observed pattern of resonance occupation is consistent with resonant capture and adiabatic excitation by a migratory Neptune; however, the dynamically cold initial conditions prior to resonance sweeping that are typically assumed by migration simulations are probably inadequate. Given the dynamically hot residents of the 5:2 MMR and the substantial inclinations observed in all exterior MMRs, a fraction of the primordial belt was likely dynamically pre-heated prior to resonance sweeping. A pre-heated population may have arisen as Neptune gravitationally scattered objects into trans-Neptunian space. The spatial distribution of Twotinos offers a unique diagnostic of Neptune's migration history. The Neptunian Trojan population may rival the Jovian Trojan population, and the former's existence is argued to rule out violent orbital histories for Neptune. Finally, lowest-order secular theory is applied to several hundred non-resonant KBOs with well-measured orbits to update proposals of collisional families. No convincing family is detected.

Transition from Collisional to Collisionless Regimes in Interpenetrating Plasma Flows on the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Ross, J. S.; Higginson, D. P.; Ryutov, D.; ...

2017-05-05

A study of the transition from collisional to collisionless plasma flows has been carried out at the National Ignition Facility using high Mach number (M > 4) counterstreaming plasmas. In these experiments, CD-CD and CD-CH planar foils separated by 6–10 mm are irradiated with laser energies of 250 kJ per foil, generating ~1000 km/s plasma flows. Varying the foil separation distance scales the ion density and average bulk velocity and, therefore, the ion-ion Coulomb mean free path, at the interaction region at the midplane. The characteristics of the flow interaction have been inferred from the neutrons and protons generated bymore » deuteron-deuteron interactions and by x-ray emission from the hot, interpenetrating, and interacting plasmas. A localized burst of neutrons and bright x-ray emission near the midpoint of the counterstreaming flows was observed, suggesting strong heating and the initial stages of shock formation. As the separation of the CD-CH foils increases we observe enhanced neutron production compared to particle-in-cell simulations that include Coulomb collisions, but do not include collective collisionless plasma instabilities. Here, the observed plasma heating and enhanced neutron production is consistent with the initial stages of collisionless shock formation, mediated by the Weibel filamentation instability.« less

Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: processes and rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotko, W.

Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling describes the interaction between the collisionless plasma of the magnetosphere and the ionized and neutral collisional gases of the ionosphere and thermosphere. This coupling introduces feedback and scale interactivity in the form of a time-variable mass flux, electron energy flux and Poynting flux flowing between the two regions. Although delineation of an MI coupling region is somewhat ambiguous, at mid and high latitudes it may be considered as the region of the topside ionosphere and low-altitude magnetosphere where electromagnetic energy is converted to plasma beams and heat via collisionless dissipation processes. Above this region the magnetically guided transmission of electromagnetic power from distant magnetospheric dynamos encounters only weak attenuation. The ionospheric region below it is dominated by ionization processes and collisional cross-field transport and current closure. This tutorial will use observations, models and theory to characterize three major issues in MI coupling: (1) the production of plasma beams and heat in the coupling region; (2) the acceleration of ions leading to massive outflows; and (3) the length and time scale dependence of electromagnetic energy deposition at low altitude. Our success in identifying many of the key processes is offset by a lack of quantitative understanding of the factors controlling the rates of energy deposition and of the production of particle energy and mass fluxes.

WDM production with intense relativistic electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coleman, Josh; Andrews, Heather; Klasky, Mark; Colgan, James; Burris-Mog, Trevor; Creveling, Dan; Miller, Craig; Welch, Dale; Berninger, Mike

2016-10-01

The production of warm dense matter (WDM) through collisional heating with intense relativistic electrons is underway. A 100-ns-long monochromatic bunch of electrons with energies of 19.1-19.8 MeV and currents of 0.2-1.7 kA is used to heat 100- μm-thick foils with Z <29. The principal objective of these experiments is to develop a controlled method of measuring the equation of state with particle beams and benchmark numerical models. Measurements indicate the formation of a warm dense plasma near the end of the pulse, which is on the order of the beam size. These plasmas expand 5 mm in the first microsecond and slow down to <0.5 mm/ μs over the next 10 μs. These plasmas also produce both emitted and absorbed spectra amongst a continuum for Ti, Fe, and Cu. Cu-I spectra is dominated by stark broadening, indicating a cool plasma with ne >1018 cm-3. At these densities our plasma is collisionally dominated making it possible to spectrally model the density and temperature in LTE. Preliminary density gradient measurements will also be presented indicating the spatial extent of the solid density cutoff. This work was supported by the National Nuclear Se- curity Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Transition from Collisional to Collisionless Regimes in Interpenetrating Plasma Flows on the National Ignition Facility.

PubMed

Ross, J S; Higginson, D P; Ryutov, D; Fiuza, F; Hatarik, R; Huntington, C M; Kalantar, D H; Link, A; Pollock, B B; Remington, B A; Rinderknecht, H G; Swadling, G F; Turnbull, D P; Weber, S; Wilks, S; Froula, D H; Rosenberg, M J; Morita, T; Sakawa, Y; Takabe, H; Drake, R P; Kuranz, C; Gregori, G; Meinecke, J; Levy, M C; Koenig, M; Spitkovsky, A; Petrasso, R D; Li, C K; Sio, H; Lahmann, B; Zylstra, A B; Park, H-S

2017-05-05

A study of the transition from collisional to collisionless plasma flows has been carried out at the National Ignition Facility using high Mach number (M>4) counterstreaming plasmas. In these experiments, CD-CD and CD-CH planar foils separated by 6-10 mm are irradiated with laser energies of 250 kJ per foil, generating ∼1000  km/s plasma flows. Varying the foil separation distance scales the ion density and average bulk velocity and, therefore, the ion-ion Coulomb mean free path, at the interaction region at the midplane. The characteristics of the flow interaction have been inferred from the neutrons and protons generated by deuteron-deuteron interactions and by x-ray emission from the hot, interpenetrating, and interacting plasmas. A localized burst of neutrons and bright x-ray emission near the midpoint of the counterstreaming flows was observed, suggesting strong heating and the initial stages of shock formation. As the separation of the CD-CH foils increases we observe enhanced neutron production compared to particle-in-cell simulations that include Coulomb collisions, but do not include collective collisionless plasma instabilities. The observed plasma heating and enhanced neutron production is consistent with the initial stages of collisionless shock formation, mediated by the Weibel filamentation instability.

Dust-gas Interactions in Dusty X-ray Emitting Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli

2006-01-01

Dusty shocked plasmas cool primarily by infrared emission from dust that is collisionally heated by the ambient hot gas. The infrared emission provides therefore an excellent diagnostic of the conditions (density and temperature) of the shocked gas. In this review I will discuss the physical processes in these plasmas, with a particular emphasis on recent infrared observations of the interaction between the blast wave of SN1987a and its equatorial ring.

What is the surface temperature of a solid irradiated by a Petawatt laser?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemp, Andreas; Divol, Laurent

2016-10-01

When a solid target is irradiated by a Petawatt laser pulse, its surface is heated to tens of millions of degrees within a few femtoseconds, facilitating a diffusive heat wave and the acceleration of electrons to MeV energies into the target. Using numerically converged collisional particle-in-cell simulations, we observe a competition between two surface heating mechanisms - inverse bremsstrahlung in solid density on one hand, and electrons scattering on turbulent electric fields on the other. Collision-less heating effectively dominates above the relativistic intensity threshold. Our numerical results show that a high-contrast 40fs, f/5 laser pulse with 1J energy will heat the skin layer to 5keV, and the inside of the target over several microns deep to a bulk temperature of 100s eV at solid density. Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

"Snowflake" divertor configuration in NSTX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soukhanovskii, V. A.; Ahn, J.-W.; Bell, R. E.; Gates, D. A.; Gerhardt, S.; Kaita, R.; Kolemen, E.; Kugel, H. W.; Leblanc, B. P.; Maingi, R.; Maqueda, R.; McLean, A.; Menard, J. E.; Mueller, D. M.; Paul, S. F.; Raman, R.; Roquemore, A. L.; Ryutov, D. D.; Scott, H. A.

2011-08-01

Steady-state handling of divertor heat flux is a critical issue for present and future conventional and spherical tokamaks with compact high power density divertors. A novel "snowflake" divertor (SFD) configuration that takes advantage of magnetic properties of a second-order poloidal null has been predicted to have a larger plasma-wetted area and a larger divertor volume, in comparison with a standard first-order poloidal X-point divertor configuration. The SFD was obtained in 0.8 MA, 4-6 MW NBI-heated H-mode discharges in NSTX using two divertor magnetic coils. The SFD led to a partial detachment of the outer strike point even in low-collisionality scrape-off layer plasma obtained with lithium coatings in NSTX. Significant divertor peak heat flux reduction and impurity screening have been achieved simultaneously with good core confinement and MHD properties.

DESPOTIC - a new software library to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Mark R.

2014-01-01

I describe DESPOTIC, a code to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds. DESPOTIC represents such clouds using a one-zone model, and can calculate line luminosities, line cooling rates, and in restricted cases line profiles using an escape probability formalism. It also includes approximate treatments of the dominant heating, cooling and chemical processes for the cold interstellar medium, including cosmic ray and X-ray heating, grain photoelectric heating, heating of the dust by infrared and ultraviolet radiation, thermal cooling of the dust, collisional energy exchange between dust and gas, and a simple network for carbon chemistry. Based on these heating, cooling and chemical rates, DESPOTIC can calculate clouds' equilibrium gas and dust temperatures, equilibrium carbon chemical state and time-dependent thermal and chemical evolution. The software is intended to allow rapid and interactive calculation of clouds' characteristic temperatures, identification of their dominant heating and cooling mechanisms and prediction of their observable spectra across a wide range of interstellar environments. DESPOTIC is implemented as a PYTHON package, and is released under the GNU General Public License.

Production of high-density highly-ionized helicon plasmas in the ProtoMPEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caneses, J. F.; Kafle, N.; Showers, M.; Goulding, R. H.; Biewer, T. M.; Caughman, J. B. O.; Bigelow, T.; Rapp, J.

2017-10-01

High-density (2-6e19 m-3) Deuterium helicon plasmas in the ProtoMPEX have been produced that successfully use differential pumping to produce neutral gas pressures suitable for testing the RF electron and ion heating concepts. To minimize collisional losses when heating electrons and ions, plasmas with very low neutral gas content (<< 0.1 Pa) in the heating sections are required. This requirement is typically not compatible with the neutral gas pressures (1-2 Pa) commonly used in high-density light-ion helicon sources. By using skimmers, a suitable gas injection scheme and long duration discharges (>0.3 s), high-density plasmas with very low neutral gas pressures (<< 0.1 Pa) in the RF heating sections have been produced. Measurements indicate the presence of a highly-ionized plasma column and that discharges lasting at least 0.3 s are required to significantly reduce the neutral gas pressure in the RF heating sections to levels suitable for investigating electron/ion RF heating concepts in this linear configuration. This work was supported by the US. D.O.E. contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Heating and background plasma modification associated with large amplitude kinetic Alfv'en wave launch in LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, T. A.; Auerbach, D. W.; Brugman, B. T.

2007-11-01

Large amplitude kinetic Alfv'en waves (δB/B ˜1% > k/k) are generated in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA using loop antennas. Substantial electron heating is observed, localized to the wave current channels. The Poynting flux associated with the Alfv'en waves is substantial and the observed heating may be at least in part due to collisional and Landau damping of these waves. However, heating by antenna near inductive electric fields may also be responsible for the observations. A discussion of both possibilities will be presented, including measurements of near fields of the antenna. The heating structures the background plasma and results in the excitation of drift-Alfv'en waves. These drift waves then interact with the incident Alfv'en wave, causing sideband generation which results in a nearly broadband state at high wave power. This process may represent an alternate mechanism by which unidirectional kinetic Alfv'en waves can nonlinearly generate a turbulent spectrum. In addition to electron heating, evidence for background density modification and electron acceleration is observed and will be presented.

Exploring the Diffuse X-ray Emission of Supernova Remnant Kesteven 69 with XMM-Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Kyoung-Ae; Hui, Chung Yue

2013-06-01

We have investigated the X-ray emission from the shock-heated plasma of the Galactic supernova remnant Kesteven 69 with XMM-Newton. Assuming the plasma is at collisional ionization equilibrium, a plasma temperature and a column absorption are found to be kT ~ 0.62 keV and NH ~ 2.85 ×10^22 cm-2 respectively by imaging spectroscopy. Together with the deduced emission measure, we place constraints on its Sedov parameters.

Advanced tokamak investigations in full-tungsten ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bock, A.; Doerk, H.; Fischer, R.; Rittich, D.; Stober, J.; Burckhart, A.; Fable, E.; Geiger, B.; Mlynek, A.; Reich, M.; Zohm, H.; ASDEX Upgrade Team

2018-05-01

The appropriate tailoring of the q-profile is the key to accessing Advanced Tokamak (AT) scenarios, which are of great benefit to future all-metal fusion power plants. Such scenarios depend on low collisionality ν* which permits efficient external current drive and high amounts of intrinsic bootstrap current. At constant pressure, lowering of the electron density ne leads to a strong decrease in the collisionality with increasing electron temperature ν* ˜ Te-3 . Simultaneously, the conditions for low ne also benefit impurity accumulation. This paper reports on how radiative collapses due to central W accumulation were overcome by improved understanding of the changes to recycling and pumping, substantially expanded ECRH capacities for both heating and current drive, and a new solid W divertor capable of withstanding the power loads at low ne. Furthermore, it reports on various improvements to the reliability of the q-profile reconstruction. A candidate steady state scenario for ITER/DEMO (q95 = 5.3, βN = 2.7, fbs > 40%) is presented. The ion temperature profiles are steeper than predicted by TGLF, but nonlinear electromagnetic gyro-kinetic analyses with GENE including fast particle effects matched the experimental heat fluxes. A fully non-inductive scenario at higher q95 = 7.1 for current drive model validation is also discussed. The results show that non-inductive operation is principally compatible with full-metal machines.

Origin of pegmatites and fluids at Ponta Negra (RJ, Brazil) during late- to post-collisional stages of the Gondwana Assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongiolo, Everton Marques; Renac, Christophe; Piza, Patricia d'Almeida de Toledo; Schmitt, Renata da Silva; Mexias, André Sampaio

2016-01-01

The Ponta Negra Pegmatites (PNP), part of a pegmatitic province in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, crop out along an intensely deformed, medium- to high-grade metamorphic area that is proximal to a crustal-scale thrust zone developed during the Brasiliano/Pan-African Orogeny. Fieldwork shows that the pegmatites formed in two distinct stages: (i) syn-collisional leucosome veins (Group I) conformable with the tectonic foliation of the gneissic host rocks and (ii) late- to post-collisional dykes (Group II) that cross-cut the same tectonic foliation at a high angle. In this paper, we use geochemistry of whole-rock and mineral separates (alkali-feldspar and biotite), fluid inclusion microthermometry and stable isotopic (δ18O, δD, δ13C) determinations on minerals (quartz, alkali-feldspar, biotite and magnetite) and fluid inclusions to provide insights into the composition of the pegmatite-forming melts, associated fluids, and their geotectonic significance. U-Pb SHRIMP dating of the Cajú syenogranite was performed to evaluate and compare the timing of magmatic events along the Cabo Frio Tectonic Domain as this is the closest post-collisional pluton to the studied pegmatites. The calculated temperature for the Group I syn-collisional veins (740 °C) is similar to previous estimates for the peak metamorphic conditions in the study area. Variations in the temperature of the Group II pegmatite dykes obtained from stable isotopes (380 to 720 °C), and microthermometric data from primary fluid inclusions with traces of N2 (Th = 280 to 360 °C), may reflect the thermodynamics of the pegmatite crystallization, exsolution textures and isotopic exchange. The composition of fluids in equilibrium within the pegmatite dykes consists of magmatic and metamorphic components. The minimum pressures calculated for the emplacement of the pegmatites are equivalent to a shallow crustal depth between 1.7 and 3.5 km, which corresponds to the exhumation of the orogen since the emplacement of the pegmatites. A linear trend of decreasing CO2 content and δ13CCO2 is consistent with mixtures between (i) carbon derived from organic matter or volatilization of skarns and (ii) inorganic carbon (carbonate). Based on the data obtained, we propose that the pegmatites of Ponta Negra are close to an LCT-type geochemical signature (highly peraluminous magmas with normative corundum), and originated by partial melting of the metasedimentary Palmital succession at depth, during the waning stages of the Búzios Orogeny. The primary melts of the PNP cross-cut both the Neoproterozoic supracrustals and the Paleoproterozoic orthogneissic basement during its ascent and emplacement at higher crustal levels. Variable melt sources explain the slight differences in geochemical compositions among the studied rocks within the metasedimentary succession, which probably include Mn-bearing exhalites, as well as differentiation processes. The 454 ± 5 Ma U-Pb (zircon) age of the Cajú syenogranite overlaps previous geochronological data of 440 ± 11 Ma obtained on a pegmatite dyke at Ponta Negra, bracketing and extending the time interval for the Gondwana assembly collapse magmatism in the region. The heat that triggered this magmatic event could still be a consequence of the collisional orogeny, increasing contents of heat-producing elements, or, a large intraplate extension that followed the Gondwana amalgamation and initiated the formation of Paleozoic basins.

A Study of Alfven Wave Propagation and Heating the Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, J.; Song, P.

2013-12-01

Alfven wave propagation, reflection and heating of the solar atmosphere are studied for a one-dimensional solar atmosphere by self-consistently solving plasma and neutral fluid equations and Maxwell's equations with incorporation of the Hall effect, strong electron-neutral, electron-ion, and ion-neutral collisions. The governing equations are very stiff because of the strong coupling between the charged and neutral fluids. We have developed a numerical model based on an implicit backward difference formula (BDF2) of second order accuracy both in time and space to overcome the stiffness. A non-reflecting boundary condition is applied to the top boundary of the simulation domain so that the wave reflection within the domain due to the density gradient can be unambiguously determined. It is shown that the Alfven waves are partially reflected throughout the chromosphere. The reflection is increasingly stronger at higher altitudes and the strongest reflection occurs at the transition region. The waves are damped in the lower chromosphere dominantly through Joule dissipation due to electron collisions with neutrals and ions. The heating resulting from the wave damping is strong enough to balance the radiation energy loss for the quiet chromosphere. The collisional dissipation of the Alfven waves in the weakly collisional corona is negligible. The heating rates are larger for weaker background magnetic fields. In addition, higher frequency waves are subject to heavier damping. There is an upper cutoff frequency, depending on the background magnetic field, above which the waves are completely damped. At the frequencies below which the waves are not strongly damped, the waves may be strongly reflected at the transition region. The reflected waves interacting with the upward propagating waves may produce power at their double frequencies, which leads to more damping. Due to the reflection and damping, the energy flux of the waves transmitted to the corona is one order of magnitude smaller than that of the driving source.

Part 1: Aspects of lithospheric evolution on Venus. Part 2: Thermal and collisional histories of chondrite parent bodies. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grimm, Robert E.

1988-01-01

The geological evolution of distinctly different kinds of solar system objects is addressed. Venus has been observed over the past decade by orbital radars on both American and Soviet spacecraft. These surface measurements provide clues to the structure and evolution of the lithosphere. The parent bodies of chondritic meteorites, thought to resemble asteroids, represent the other end of the size spectrum of terrestrial objects. Their early thermal and collisional histories may be constrained by the chemical and textural record preserved in meteorite samples. Impact craters on Venus have been observed by the Soviet Venera 15/16 spacecraft. A formalism is presented by which the size-frequency distribution of impact craters may be used to estimate upper bounds on the mean global rates of volcanic resurfacing and lithospheric recycling on that planet over the past several hundred million years. The impact crater density reported from Venera observations, if valid for the entire Venus surface, indicates a mean volcanic flux no greater than 2 cu km/y, corresponding to a maximum average rate of resurfacing of about 4 km/b.y. For the lowest estimated mean crater retention age of the surface of Venus imaged by Venera 15/16, the rate of lithospheric recycling on Venus does not exceed 1.5 sq km/y. Ordinary chondrite meteorites show textural and chemical patterns indicative of varying intensities of thermal metamorphism. The conventional onion-shell model, which envisions highly metamorphosed material in the core and less intensely heated rocks near the surface, predicts an inverse relation between peak temperature and cooking rate, but none has been observed. A metamorphosed-planetesimal model is devised to explain this discrepancy, whereby heating occurs in planetesimals a few kilometers in radius which then accrete to form 100-km-radius parent bodies. Cooling rates are then randomly controlled by burial depth. Thermal and collisional constraints are examined, and the model is found to be applicable only to highly insulating Al-26-rich planetesimals that remain closely aggregated upon accretion. An alternative model is presented, in which onion-shell parent bodies are collisionally fragmented during metamorphism and then gravitationally reassembled. If reassembly times are short, then cooling rates would be determined by burial depth in the reaccreted parent body. This model, unlike previous ones, can explain both coherent and incoherent cooling of Breccia clasts by collisions during or after metamorphism, respectively.

Simulation study of core heating properties for recent FIREX-I experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johzaki, Tomoyuki; Kai, Yusuke; Endo, Takuma; Nagatomo, Hideo; Sunahara, Atsushi; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Taguchi, Toshihiro; Fujioka, Shinsuke; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Azechi, Hiroshi; Firex Project Team

2016-10-01

The demonstration of efficient core heating is the main purpose of FIREX-I project, where Au cone-attached solid ball CD target is used. For the guiding of fast electron beam generated by relativistic laser plasma interactions, the kilo-Tesla-class longitudinal magnetic field is applied by a capacitor-coil target and kJ-class ns-durration high power laser. In addition, to reduce the collisional effect (energy loss and scattering of fast electrons) during propagation in the Au cone tip, we introduced opened-tip cone (tipless cone). To evaluate the core heating properties, we carried out the integrated simulations, which shows the enhancement of core heating efficiency due to the magnetic guiding and opened-tip cone by a factor of three. These simulation results will be shown and be compared with the experimental results. JSPS KAKENHI (26400532, 15H03758, 16H02245, 15K21767), NIFS Collaboration Research program (NIFS12KUGK05, NIFS14KNSS054), and FIREX project.

Storage rings for spin-polarized hydrogen

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, D.; Lovelace, R.V.E.; Lee, D.

1989-11-01

A strong-focusing storage ring is proposed for the long-term magnetic confinement of a collisional gas of neutral spin-polarized hydrogen atoms in the Za{l arrow} and Zb{l arrow} hyperfine states. The trap uses the interaction of the magnetic moments of the gas atoms with a static magnetic field. Laser cooling and evaporative cooling can be utilized to enhance the confinement and to offset the influence of viscous heating. An important application of the trap is to the attainment of Bose--Einstein condensation.

Nonlinear penetration of whistler pulses into collisional plasmas via conductivity modifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urrutia, J. M.; Stenzel, R. L.

1991-01-01

A strong electromagnetic impulse (about 0.2 microsec) with central frequency in the whistler-wave regime is applied to a large laboratory plasma dominated by Coulomb collisions. Local electron heating at the antenna and transport along B0 create a channel of high conductivity along which the whistler pulse penetrates with little damping. Because of its rapid temporal evolution, this new form of modulational instability does not involve ducting by density gradients which require ion time scales to develop.

Heating of Porous Icy Dust Aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sirono, Sin-iti

At the beginning of planetary formation, highly porous dust aggregates are formed through coagulation of dust grains. Outside the snowline, the main component of an aggregate is H{sub 2}O ice. Because H{sub 2}O ice is formed in amorphous form, its thermal conductivity is extremely small. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of an icy dust aggregate is low. There is a possibility of heating inside an aggregate owing to the decay of radionuclides. It is shown that the temperature increases substantially inside an aggregate, leading to crystallization of amorphous ice. During the crystallization, the temperature further increases sufficiently to continue sintering. Themore » mechanical properties of icy dust aggregates change, and the collisional evolution of dust aggregates is affected by the sintering.« less

Is the Eagle Nebula powered by a hidden supernova remnant ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulanger, Francois

2008-10-01

Spitzer observations of the Eagle nebula (M16) reveal the presence of a large (8 pc diameter) shell of dust heated to anomalously high temperatures. Modeling of dust excitation shows that the shell emission cannot be powered by the cluster UV radiation but that it can be accounted for by collisionally heated dust in a young (a few 1000 yrs) supernova remnant. We have re-analyzed deep Chandra observations that show diffuse emission consistent with this hypothesis, but also with galactic ridge emission. We propose a 50 ksec XMM observation to probe the spatial extent of the diffuse X-ray emission beyond the Spitzer shell. Absence of emission outside of this shell will strongly support the supernova remnant interpretation

Spatially Localized Particle Energization by Landau Damping in Current Sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, G. G.; Klein, K. G.; McCubbin, A. J.

2017-12-01

Understanding the mechanisms of particle energization through the removal of energy from turbulent fluctuations in heliospheric plasmas is a grand challenge problem in heliophysics. Under the weakly collisional conditions typical of heliospheric plasma, kinetic mechanisms must be responsible for this energization, but the nature of those mechanisms remains elusive. In recent years, the spatial localization of plasma heating near current sheets in the solar wind and numerical simulations has gained much attention. Here we show, using the innovative and new field-particle correlation technique, that the spatially localized particle energization occurring in a nonlinear gyrokinetic simulation has the velocity space signature of Landau damping, suggesting that this well-known collisionless damping mechanism indeed actively leads to spatially localized heating in the vicinity of current sheets.

Transport, noise, and conservation properties in gyrokinetic plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, Thomas

2005-10-01

The relationship between various transport properties (such as particle and heat flux, entropy production, heating, and collisional dissipation) [1] is examined in electrostatic gyrokinetic simulations of ITG modes in simple geometry. The effect of the parallel velocity nonlinearity on the achievement of steady-state solutions and the transport properties of these solutions is examined; the effects of nonadiabatic electrons are also considered. We also examine the effectiveness of the electromagnetic split-weight scheme [2] in reducing the noise and improving the conservation properties (energy, momentum, particle number, etc.) of gyrokinetic plasmas. [1] W. W. Lee and W. M. Tang, Phys. Fluids 31, 612 (1988). [2] W. W. Lee, J. L. V. Lewandowski, T. S. Hahm, and Z.Lin, Phys. Plasmas 8, 4435 (2001).

Post-collisional magmatism in the central East African Orogen: The Maevarano Suite of north Madagascar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodenough, K. M.; Thomas, R. J.; De Waele, B.; Key, R. M.; Schofield, D. I.; Bauer, W.; Tucker, R. D.; Rafahatelo, J.-M.; Rabarimanana, M.; Ralison, A. V.; Randriamananjara, T.

2010-04-01

Late tectonic, post-collisional granite suites are a feature of many parts of the Late Neoproterozoic to Cambrian East African Orogen (EAO), where they are generally attributed to late extensional collapse of the orogen, accompanied by high heat flow and asthenospheric uprise. The Maevarano Suite comprises voluminous plutons which were emplaced in some of the tectonostratigraphic terranes of northern Madagascar, in the central part of the EAO, following collision and assembly during a major orogeny at ca. 550 Ma. The suite comprises three main magmatic phases: a minor early phase of foliated gabbros, quartz diorites, and granodiorites; a main phase of large batholiths of porphyritic granitoids and charnockites; and a late phase of small-scale plutons and sheets of monzonite, syenite, leucogranite and microgranite. The main phase intrusions tend to be massive, but with variably foliated margins. New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon data show that the whole suite was emplaced between ca. 537 and 522 Ma. Geochemically, all the rocks of the suite are enriched in the LILE, especially K, and the LREE, but are relatively depleted in Nb, Ta and the HREE. These characteristics are typical of post-collisional granitoids in the EAO and many other orogenic belts. It is proposed that the Maevarano Suite magmas were derived by melting of sub-continental lithospheric mantle that had been enriched in the LILE during earlier subduction events. The melting occurred during lithospheric delamination, which was associated with extensional collapse of the East African Orogen.

First Test of Long-Range Collisional Drag via Plasma Wave Damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affolter, Matthew

2017-10-01

In magnetized plasmas, the rate of particle collisions is enhanced over classical predictions when the cyclotron radius rc is less than the Debye length λD. Classical theories describe local velocity scattering collisions with impact parameters ρ

Overview of physics results from the conclusive operation of the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabbagh, S. A.; Ahn, J.-W.; Allain, J.; Andre, R.; Balbaky, A.; Bastasz, R.; Battaglia, D.; Bell, M.; Bell, R.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Belova, E.; Berkery, J.; Betti, R.; Bialek, J.; Bigelow, T.; Bitter, M.; Boedo, J.; Bonoli, P.; Boozer, A.; Bortolon, A.; Boyle, D.; Brennan, D.; Breslau, J.; Buttery, R.; Canik, J.; Caravelli, G.; Chang, C.; Crocker, N.; Darrow, D.; Davis, B.; Delgado-Aparicio, L.; Diallo, A.; Ding, S.; D'Ippolito, D.; Domier, C.; Dorland, W.; Ethier, S.; Evans, T.; Ferron, J.; Finkenthal, M.; Foley, J.; Fonck, R.; Frazin, R.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G.; Gates, D.; Gerhardt, S.; Glasser, A.; Gorelenkov, N.; Gray, T.; Guo, Y.; Guttenfelder, W.; Hahm, T.; Harvey, R.; Hassanein, A.; Heidbrink, W.; Hill, K.; Hirooka, Y.; Hooper, E. B.; Hosea, J.; Humphreys, D.; Indireshkumar, K.; Jaeger, F.; Jarboe, T.; Jardin, S.; Jaworski, M.; Kaita, R.; Kallman, J.; Katsuro-Hopkins, O.; Kaye, S.; Kessel, C.; Kim, J.; Kolemen, E.; Kramer, G.; Krasheninnikov, S.; Kubota, S.; Kugel, H.; La Haye, R. J.; Lao, L.; LeBlanc, B.; Lee, W.; Lee, K.; Leuer, J.; Levinton, F.; Liang, Y.; Liu, D.; Lore, J.; Luhmann, N., Jr.; Maingi, R.; Majeski, R.; Manickam, J.; Mansfield, D.; Maqueda, R.; Mazzucato, E.; McLean, A.; McCune, D.; McGeehan, B.; McKee, G.; Medley, S.; Meier, E.; Menard, J.; Menon, M.; Meyer, H.; Mikkelsen, D.; Miloshevsky, G.; Mueller, D.; Munsat, T.; Myra, J.; Nelson, B.; Nishino, N.; Nygren, R.; Ono, M.; Osborne, T.; Park, H.; Park, J.; Park, Y. S.; Paul, S.; Peebles, W.; Penaflor, B.; Perkins, R. J.; Phillips, C.; Pigarov, A.; Podesta, M.; Preinhaelter, J.; Raman, R.; Ren, Y.; Rewoldt, G.; Rognlien, T.; Ross, P.; Rowley, C.; Ruskov, E.; Russell, D.; Ruzic, D.; Ryan, P.; Schaffer, M.; Schuster, E.; Scotti, F.; Shaing, K.; Shevchenko, V.; Shinohara, K.; Sizyuk, V.; Skinner, C. H.; Smirnov, A.; Smith, D.; Snyder, P.; Solomon, W.; Sontag, A.; Soukhanovskii, V.; Stoltzfus-Dueck, T.; Stotler, D.; Stratton, B.; Stutman, D.; Takahashi, H.; Takase, Y.; Tamura, N.; Tang, X.; Taylor, G.; Taylor, C.; Tritz, K.; Tsarouhas, D.; Umansky, M.; Urban, J.; Untergberg, E.; Walker, M.; Wampler, W.; Wang, W.; Whaley, J.; White, R.; Wilgen, J.; Wilson, R.; Wong, K. L.; Wright, J.; Xia, Z.; Youchison, D.; Yu, G.; Yuh, H.; Zakharov, L.; Zemlyanov, D.; Zimmer, G.; Zweben, S. J.

2013-10-01

Research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment, NSTX, targets physics understanding needed for extrapolation to a steady-state ST Fusion Nuclear Science Facility, pilot plant, or DEMO. The unique ST operational space is leveraged to test physics theories for next-step tokamak operation, including ITER. Present research also examines implications for the coming device upgrade, NSTX-U. An energy confinement time, τE, scaling unified for varied wall conditions exhibits a strong improvement of BTτE with decreased electron collisionality, accentuated by lithium (Li) wall conditioning. This result is consistent with nonlinear microtearing simulations that match the experimental electron diffusivity quantitatively and predict reduced electron heat transport at lower collisionality. Beam-emission spectroscopy measurements in the steep gradient region of the pedestal indicate the poloidal correlation length of turbulence of about ten ion gyroradii increases at higher electron density gradient and lower Ti gradient, consistent with turbulence caused by trapped electron instabilities. Density fluctuations in the pedestal top region indicate ion-scale microturbulence compatible with ion temperature gradient and/or kinetic ballooning mode instabilities. Plasma characteristics change nearly continuously with increasing Li evaporation and edge localized modes (ELMs) stabilize due to edge density gradient alteration. Global mode stability studies show stabilizing resonant kinetic effects are enhanced at lower collisionality, but in stark contrast have almost no dependence on collisionality when the plasma is off-resonance. Combined resistive wall mode radial and poloidal field sensor feedback was used to control n = 1 perturbations and improve stability. The disruption probability due to unstable resistive wall modes (RWMs) was surprisingly reduced at very high βN/li > 10 consistent with low frequency magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy measurements of mode stability. Greater instability seen at intermediate βN is consistent with decreased kinetic RWM stabilization. A model-based RWM state-space controller produced long-pulse discharges exceeding βN = 6.4 and βN/li = 13. Precursor analysis shows 96.3% of disruptions can be predicted with 10 ms warning and a false positive rate of only 2.8%. Disruption halo currents rotate toroidally and can have significant toroidal asymmetry. Global kinks cause measured fast ion redistribution, with full-orbit calculations showing redistribution from the core outward and towards V∥/V = 1 where destabilizing compressional Alfvén eigenmode resonances are expected. Applied 3D fields altered global Alfvén eigenmode characteristics. High-harmonic fast-wave (HHFW) power couples to field lines across the entire width of the scrape-off layer, showing the importance of the inclusion of this phenomenon in designing future RF systems. The snowflake divertor configuration enhanced by radiative detachment showed large reductions in both steady-state and ELM heat fluxes (ELMing peak values down from 19 MW m-2 to less than 1.5 MW m-2). Toroidal asymmetry of heat deposition was observed during ELMs or by 3D fields. The heating power required for accessing H-mode decreased by 30% as the triangularity was decreased by moving the X-point to larger radius, consistent with calculations of the dependence of E × B shear in the edge region on ion heat flux and X-point radius. Co-axial helicity injection reduced the inductive start-up flux, with plasmas ramped to 1 MA requiring 35% less inductive flux. Non-inductive current fraction (NICF) up to 65% is reached experimentally with neutral beam injection at plasma current Ip = 0.7 MA and between 70-100% with HHFW application at Ip = 0.3 MA. NSTX-U scenario development calculations project 100% NICF for a large range of 0.6 < Ip(MA) < 1.35.

Magnetic-flutter-induced pedestal plasma transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callen, J. D.; Hegna, C. C.; Cole, A. J.

2013-11-01

Plasma toroidal rotation can limit reconnection of externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields δB on rational magnetic flux surfaces. Hence it causes the induced radial perturbations δBρ to be small there, thereby inhibiting magnetic island formation and stochasticity at the top of pedestals in high (H-mode) confinement tokamak plasmas. However, the δBρs induced by RMPs increase away from rational surfaces and are shown to induce significant sinusoidal radial motion (flutter) of magnetic field lines with a radial extent that varies linearly with δBρ and inversely with distance from the rational surface because of the magnetic shear. This produces a radial electron thermal diffusivity that is (1/2)(δBρ/B0)2 times a kinetically derived, electron-collision-induced, magnetic-shear-reduced, effective parallel electron thermal diffusivity in the absence of magnetic stochasticity. These low collisionality flutter-induced transport processes and thin magnetic island effects are shown to be highly peaked in the vicinity of rational surfaces at the top of low collisionality pedestals. However, the smaller but finite level of magnetic-flutter-induced electron heat transport midway between rational surfaces is the primary factor that determines the electron temperature difference between rational surfaces at the pedestal top. The magnetic-flutter-induced non-ambipolar electron density transport can be large enough to push the plasma toward an electron density transport root. Requiring ambipolar density transport is shown to determine the radial electric field, the plasma toroidal rotation (via radial force balance), a reduced electron thermal diffusivity and increased ambipolar density transport in the pedestal. At high collisionality the various flutter effects are less strongly peaked at rational surfaces and generally less significant. They are thus less likely to exhibit flutter-induced resonant behaviour and transition toward an electron transport root. Magnetic-flutter-induced plasma transport processes provide a new paradigm for developing an understanding of how RMPs modify the pedestal structure to stabilize peeling-ballooning modes and thereby suppress edge localized modes in low collisionality tokamak H-mode plasmas.

Micrometer-sized Water Ice Particles for Planetary Science Experiments: Influence of Surface Structure on Collisional Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaertner, Sabrina; Gundlach, Bastian; Headen, Thomas F.; Ratte, Judy; Oesert, Joachim; Gorb, Stanislav N.; Youngs, Tristan G. A.; Bowron, Daniel T.; Blum, Jürgen; Fraser, Helen

2018-06-01

Models and observations suggest that particle aggregation at and beyond the snowline is aided by water ice. As icy particles play such a crucial role in the earliest stages of planet formation, many laboratory studies have exploited their collisional properties across a wide range of parameters (particle size, impact velocity, temperature T, and pressure P).However, not all of these parameters have always been varied systematically, leading to apparently contradictory results on collision outcomes. Previous experiments only agreed that a temperature dependence set in above ≈210 K. Open questions remain as to what extent the structural properties of the particles themselves dictate collision outcomes. The P–T gradients in protoplanetary disks mean that the ices are constantly processed, undergoing phase changes between different solid phases and the gas phase. To understand how effectively collision experiments reproduce protoplanetary disk conditions, environmental impacts on particle structure need to be investigated.We characterized the bulk and surface structure of icy particles used in collision experiments, exploiting the unique capabilities of the NIMROD neutron scattering instrument. Varying temperature at a constant pressure of around 30 mbar, we studied structural alterations to determine which of the observed properties matches the temperature dependencies observed in collisional behaviour.Our icy grains are formed under liquid nitrogen and heated from 103 to 247 K. As a result, they undergo changes in the crystalline ice-phase, sublimation, sintering and surface pre-melting. An increase in the thickness of the diffuse surface layer from ≈10 to ≈30 Å (≈2.5 to 12 bilayers) suggests increased molecular mobility at temperatures above ≈210 K.Because none of the other changes ties in with the temperature trends in collisional outcomes, we conclude that the diffuse interface plays a key role in collision experiments at these temperatures. Consequently, the P–T environment may have a larger influence on collision outcomes than previously thought.

SOL and Edge Flows in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boedo, J. A.; Degrassie, J. S.; Grierson, B. A.; Rudakov, D. A.

2015-11-01

Recent measurements at DIII-D edge plasmas at the outer midplane show that, in the absence of external torque, the edge and near-SOL plasma flow is largely dominated by the intrinsic source of rotation most likely due to thermal ion loss. We also show that when NBI heating is present, the core momentum competes with the edge intrinsic momentum and can overwhelm it, in short, NBI-heated discharges at high power tend to determine edge and near SOL flows. Experiments performed in the DIII-D tokamak with OH heated, ECH-heated and NBI-heated discharges are diagnosed for core plasma flow with CER and edge/SOL plasma flow with Mach probes. We have changed the amount of NBI, OH and ECH heating while scanning the discharge collisionality. We have compared the experimental measurements to two complementary thermal ion loss theories that explain most of the observed features, including a scaling with Ti. One theory considers passing and trapped particles that are lost via a loss cone purely due to drifts and the other considers turbulence-enhanced loss of passing particles. Work supported by the US DOE under DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-FG02-07ER54917 and DE-AC02-09CH111466.

Understanding non-equilibrium collisional and expansion effects in the solar wind with Parker Solar Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korreck, K. E.; Klein, K. G.; Maruca, B.; Alterman, B. L.

2017-12-01

The evolution of the solar wind from the corona to the Earth and throughout the heliosphere is a complex interplay between local micro kinetics and large scale expansion effects. These processes in the solar wind need to be separated in order to understand and distinguish the dominant mechanism for heating and acceleration of the solar wind. With the upcoming launch in 2018 of Parker Solar Probe and the launch of Solar Orbiter after, addressing the local and global phenomena will be enabled with in situ measurements. Parker Solar Probe will go closer to the Sun than any previous mission enabling the ability to examine the solar wind at an early expansion age. This work examines the predictions for what will be seen inside of the 0.25 AU (54 solar radii) where Parker Solar Probe will take measurements and lays the groundwork for disentangling the expansion and collisional effects. In addition, methods of thermal plasma data analysis to determine the stability of the plasma in the Parker Solar Probe measurements will be discussed.

Coulomb thermal properties and stability of the Io plasma torus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbosa, D. D.; Coroniti, F. V.; Eviatar, A.

1983-01-01

Coulomb collisional energy exchange rates are computed for a model of the Io plasma torus consisting of newly created pickup ions, a background of thermally degraded intermediary ions, and a population of cooler electrons. The electrons are collisionally heated by both the pickup ions and background ions and are cooled by electron impact excitation of plasma ions which radiate in the EUV. It is found that a relative concentration of S III pickup ions forbidden S III/electrons = 0.1 with a temperature of 340 eV can deliver energy to the electrons at a rate of 3 x 10 to the -13th erg/cu cm per sec, sufficient to power the EUV emissions in the Io torus. The model predicts a background ion temperature Ti of about 53 eV and an electron temperature Te of about 5.5 eV on the basis of steady-state energy balance relations at Coulomb rates. The model also predicts electron temperature fluctuations at the 30 percent level on a time scale of less than 11 hours, consistent with recent observations of this phenomenon.

Energy transfer, pressure tensor, and heating of kinetic plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yan; Matthaeus, William H.; Parashar, Tulasi N.; Haggerty, Colby C.; Roytershteyn, Vadim; Daughton, William; Wan, Minping; Shi, Yipeng; Chen, Shiyi

2017-07-01

Kinetic plasma turbulence cascade spans multiple scales ranging from macroscopic fluid flow to sub-electron scales. Mechanisms that dissipate large scale energy, terminate the inertial range cascade, and convert kinetic energy into heat are hotly debated. Here, we revisit these puzzles using fully kinetic simulation. By performing scale-dependent spatial filtering on the Vlasov equation, we extract information at prescribed scales and introduce several energy transfer functions. This approach allows highly inhomogeneous energy cascade to be quantified as it proceeds down to kinetic scales. The pressure work, - ( P . ∇ ) . u , can trigger a channel of the energy conversion between fluid flow and random motions, which contains a collision-free generalization of the viscous dissipation in collisional fluid. Both the energy transfer and the pressure work are strongly correlated with velocity gradients.

Containerless high temperature property measurements by atomic fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiffman, R. A.; Walker, C. A.

1984-01-01

Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques for containerless study of high temperature processes and material properties was studied. Gas jet and electromagnetic levitation and electromagnetic and laser heating techniques are used with LIF in earth-based containerless high temperature experiments. Included are the development of an apparatus and its use in the studies of (1) chemical reactions on Al2O3, molybdenum, tungsten and LaB6 specimens, (2) methods for noncontact specimen temperature measurement, (3) levitation jet properties and (4) radiative lifetime and collisional energy transfer rates for electronically excited atoms.

Characterization of Arcjet Flows Using Laser-Induced Fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bamford, Douglas J.; O'Keefe, Anthony; Babikian, Dikran S.; Stewart, David A.; Strawa, Anthony W.

1995-01-01

A sensor based on laser-induced fluorescence has been installed at the 20-MW NASA Ames Aerodynamic Heating Facility. The sensor has provided new, quantitative, real-time information about properties of the arcjet flow in the highly dissociated, partially ionized, nonequilibrium regime. Number densities of atomic oxygen, flow velocities, heavy particle translational temperatures, and collisional quenching rates have been measured. These results have been used to test and refine computational models of the arcjet flow. The calculated number densities, translational temperatures, and flow velocities are in moderately good agreement with experiment

Clocking Femtosecond Collisional Dynamics via Resonant X-Ray Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Berg, Q. Y.; Fernandez-Tello, E. V.; Burian, T.; Chalupský, J.; Chung, H.-K.; Ciricosta, O.; Dakovski, G. L.; Hájková, V.; Hollebon, P.; Juha, L.; Krzywinski, J.; Lee, R. W.; Minitti, M. P.; Preston, T. R.; de la Varga, A. G.; Vozda, V.; Zastrau, U.; Wark, J. S.; Velarde, P.; Vinko, S. M.

2018-02-01

Electron-ion collisional dynamics is of fundamental importance in determining plasma transport properties, nonequilibrium plasma evolution, and electron damage in diffraction imaging applications using bright x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs). Here we describe the first experimental measurements of ultrafast electron impact collisional ionization dynamics using resonant core-hole spectroscopy in a solid-density magnesium plasma, created and diagnosed with the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray FEL. By resonantly pumping the 1 s →2 p transition in highly charged ions within an optically thin plasma, we have measured how off-resonance charge states are populated via collisional processes on femtosecond time scales. We present a collisional cross section model that matches our results and demonstrates how the cross sections are enhanced by dense-plasma effects including continuum lowering. Nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium collisional radiative simulations show excellent agreement with the experimental results and provide new insight on collisional ionization and three-body-recombination processes in the dense-plasma regime.

Clocking Femtosecond Collisional Dynamics via Resonant X-Ray Spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

van den Berg, Q. Y.; Fernandez-Tello, E. V.; Burian, T.; ...

2018-02-01

Electron-ion collisional dynamics is of fundamental importance in determining plasma transport properties, nonequilibrium plasma evolution, and electron damage in diffraction imaging applications using bright x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs). Here in this paper, we describe the first experimental measurements of ultrafast electron impact collisional ionization dynamics using resonant core-hole spectroscopy in a solid-density magnesium plasma, created and diagnosed with the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray FEL. By resonantly pumping the 1s → 2p transition in highly charged ions within an optically thin plasma, we have measured how off-resonance charge states are populated via collisional processes on femtosecond time scales. We presentmore » a collisional cross section model that matches our results and demonstrates how the cross sections are enhanced by dense-plasma effects including continuum lowering. Nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium collisional radiative simulations show excellent agreement with the experimental results and provide new insight on collisional ionization and three-body-recombination processes in the dense-plasma regime.« less

Divertor sheath power studies in DIII-D using fixed Langmuir probes and three-dimensional modeling of tile heat flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donovan, D.; Nygren, R.; Buchenauer, D.; Watkins, J.; Rudakov, D.; Leonard, A.; Wong, C. P. C.; Makowski, M.

2014-04-01

Experimental results are presented from the three-Langmuir probe (LP) diagnostic head of the divertor material evaluation system (DiMES) on DIII-D that confirm the size of the projected current collection area of the LPs, which is essential for properly measuring ion saturation current density (Jsat) and the sheath power transmission factor (SPTF). Also using the 3-LP DiMES head, the hypothesis that collisional effects on plasma density occurring in the magnetic sheath of the tile are responsible for a lower than expected SPTF is tested and deemed not to have a significant impact on the SPTF. Three-dimensional thermal modeling of wall tiles is presented that accounts for lateral heat conduction, temperature dependence of tile material properties and radiative heat loss from the tile surface. This modeling was developed to be used in the analysis of temperature profiles of the divertor embedded thermocouple (TC) array to obtain more accurate interpretations of TC temperature profiles to infer divertor surface heat flux than have previously been accomplished using more basic one-dimensional methods.

Reverse Current in Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. W., III

1978-01-01

An idealized steady state model of a stream of energetic electrons neutralized by a reverse current in the pre-flare solar plasma was developed. These calculations indicate that, in some cases, a significant fraction of the beam energy may be dissipated by the reverse current. Joule heating by the reverse current is a more effective mechanism for heating the plasma than collisional losses from the energetic electrons because the Ohmic losses are caused by thermal electrons in the reverse current which have much shorter mean free paths than the energetic electrons. The heating due to reverse currents is calculated for two injected energetic electron fluxes. For the smaller injected flux, the temperature of the coronal plasma is raised by about a factor of two. The larger flux causes the reverse current drift velocity to exceed the critical velocity for the onset of ion cyclotron turbulence, producing anomalous resistivity and an order of magnitude increase in the temperature. The heating is so rapid that the lack of ionization equilibrium may produce a soft X-ray and EUV pulse from the corona.

Dynamic divertor control using resonant mixed toroidal harmonic magnetic fields during ELM suppression in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, M.; Sun, Y.; Paz-Soldan, C.; Nazikian, R.; Gu, S.; Liu, Y. Q.; Abrams, T.; Bykov, I.; Cui, L.; Evans, T.; Garofalo, A.; Guo, W.; Gong, X.; Lasnier, C.; Logan, N. C.; Makowski, M.; Orlov, D.; Wang, H. H.

2018-05-01

Experiments using Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs), with a rotating n = 2 toroidal harmonic combined with a stationary n = 3 toroidal harmonic, have validated predictions that divertor heat and particle flux can be dynamically controlled while maintaining Edge Localized Mode (ELM) suppression in the DIII-D tokamak. Here, n is the toroidal mode number. ELM suppression over one full cycle of a rotating n = 2 RMP that was mixed with a static n = 3 RMP field has been achieved. Prominent heat flux splitting on the outer divertor has been observed during ELM suppression by RMPs in low collisionality regime in DIII-D. Strong changes in the three dimensional heat and particle flux footprint in the divertor were observed during the application of the mixed toroidal harmonic magnetic perturbations. These results agree well with modeling of the edge magnetic field structure using the TOP2D code, which takes into account the plasma response from the MARS-F code. These results expand the potential effectiveness of the RMP ELM suppression technique for the simultaneous control of divertor heat and particle load required in ITER.

Fast Heating of Imploded Core with Counterbeam Configuration.

PubMed

Mori, Y; Nishimura, Y; Hanayama, R; Nakayama, S; Ishii, K; Kitagawa, Y; Sekine, T; Sato, N; Kurita, T; Kawashima, T; Kan, H; Komeda, O; Nishi, T; Azuma, H; Hioki, T; Motohiro, T; Sunahara, A; Sentoku, Y; Miura, E

2016-07-29

A tailored-pulse-imploded core with a diameter of 70  μm is flashed by counterirradiating 110 fs, 7 TW laser pulses. Photon emission (>40  eV) from the core exceeds the emission from the imploded core by 6 times, even though the heating pulse energies are only one seventh of the implosion energy. The coupling efficiency from the heating laser to the core using counterirradiation is 14% from the enhancement of photon emission. Neutrons are also produced by counterpropagating fast deuterons accelerated by the photon pressure of the heating pulses. A collisional two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation reveals that the collisionless two counterpropagating fast-electron currents induce mega-Gauss magnetic filaments in the center of the core due to the Weibel instability. The counterpropagating fast-electron currents are absolutely unstable and independent of the core density and resistivity. Fast electrons with energy below a few MeV are trapped by these filaments in the core region, inducing an additional coupling. This might lead to the observed bright photon emissions.

Determining energy balance in the flaring chromosphere from oxygen V line ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, D. R.; Fletcher, L.; Labrosse, N.

2015-12-01

Context. The impulsive phase of solar flares is a time of rapid energy deposition and heating in the lower solar atmosphere, leading to changes in the temperature and density structure of the region. Aims: We use an O v density diagnostic formed from the λ192 /λ248 line ratio, provided by the Hinode/EIS instrument, to determine the density of flare footpoint plasma at O v formation temperatures of ~2.5 × 105 K, giving a constraint on the properties of the heated transition region. Methods: Hinode/EIS rasters from 2 small flare events in December 2007 were used. Raster images were co-aligned to identify and establish the footpoint pixels, multiple-component Gaussian line fitting of the spectra was carried out to isolate the density diagnostic pair, and the density was calculated for several footpoint areas. The assumptions of equilibrium ionisation and optically-thin radiation for the O v lines used were assessed and found to be acceptable. For one of the events, properties of the electron distribution were deduced from earlier RHESSI hard X-ray observations. These were used to calculate the plasma heating rate delivered by an electron beam for 2 semi-empirical atmospheres under collisional thick-target assumptions. The radiative loss rate for this plasma was also calculated for comparison with possible energy input mechanisms. Results: Electron number densities of up to 1011.9 cm-3 were measured during the flare impulsive phase using the O v λ192 /λ248 diagnostic ratio. The heating rate delivered by an electron beam was found to exceed the radiative losses at this density, corresponding to a height of 450 km, and when assuming a completely ionised target atmosphere far exceed the losses but at a height of 1450-1600 km. A chromospheric thickness of 70-700 km was found to be required to balance a conductive input to the O v-emitting region with radiative losses. Conclusions: Electron densities have been observed in footpoint sources at transition region temperatures, comparable to previous results but with improved spatial information. The observed densities can be explained by heating of the chromosphere by collisional electrons, with O v formed at heights of 450-1600 km above the photosphere, depending on the atmospheric ionisation fraction.

Plasma Instabilities in the Context of Current Helium Sedimentation Models: Dynamical Implications for the ICM in Galaxy Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berlok, Thomas; Pessah, Martin E.

2015-11-01

Understanding whether Helium can sediment to the core of galaxy clusters is important for a number of problems in cosmology and astrophysics. All current models addressing this question are one-dimensional and do not account for the fact that magnetic fields can effectively channel ions and electrons, leading to anisotropic transport of momentum, heat, and particle diffusion in the weakly collisional intracluster medium (ICM). This anisotropy can lead to a wide variety of instabilities, which could be relevant for understanding the dynamics of heterogeneous media. In this paper, we consider the radial temperature and composition profiles as obtained from a state-of-the-art Helium sedimentation model and analyze its stability properties. We find that the associated radial profiles are unstable to different kinds of instabilities depending on the magnetic field orientation at all radii. The fastest growing modes are usually related to generalizations of the magnetothermal instability (MTI) and the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instability which operate in heterogeneous media. We find that the effect of sedimentation is to increase (decrease) the predicted growth rates in the inner (outer) cluster region. The unstable modes grow quickly compared to the sedimentation timescale. This suggests that the composition gradients as inferred from sedimentation models, which do not fully account for the anisotropic character of the weakly collisional environment, might not be very robust. Our results emphasize the subtleties involved in understanding the gas dynamics of the ICM and argue for the need of a comprehensive approach to address the issue of Helium sedimentation beyond current models.

PLASMA INSTABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT HELIUM SEDIMENTATION MODELS: DYNAMICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ICM IN GALAXY CLUSTERS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berlok, Thomas; Pessah, Martin E., E-mail: berlok@nbi.dk, E-mail: mpessah@nbi.dk

2015-11-01

Understanding whether Helium can sediment to the core of galaxy clusters is important for a number of problems in cosmology and astrophysics. All current models addressing this question are one-dimensional and do not account for the fact that magnetic fields can effectively channel ions and electrons, leading to anisotropic transport of momentum, heat, and particle diffusion in the weakly collisional intracluster medium (ICM). This anisotropy can lead to a wide variety of instabilities, which could be relevant for understanding the dynamics of heterogeneous media. In this paper, we consider the radial temperature and composition profiles as obtained from a state-of-the-artmore » Helium sedimentation model and analyze its stability properties. We find that the associated radial profiles are unstable to different kinds of instabilities depending on the magnetic field orientation at all radii. The fastest growing modes are usually related to generalizations of the magnetothermal instability (MTI) and the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instability which operate in heterogeneous media. We find that the effect of sedimentation is to increase (decrease) the predicted growth rates in the inner (outer) cluster region. The unstable modes grow quickly compared to the sedimentation timescale. This suggests that the composition gradients as inferred from sedimentation models, which do not fully account for the anisotropic character of the weakly collisional environment, might not be very robust. Our results emphasize the subtleties involved in understanding the gas dynamics of the ICM and argue for the need of a comprehensive approach to address the issue of Helium sedimentation beyond current models.« less

Computer simulation of the Farley-Buneman instability and anomalous electron heating in the auroral ionosphere

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Machida, S.; Goertz, C.K.

1988-09-01

We study the nonlinear saturation of the Farley-Buneman instability in a collisional plasma by a 2 1/2 dimensional electrostatic particle simulation which includes inelastic and elastic collisions of electrons and elastic collision of ions with neutrals. In our simulation, a uniform convection electric field is applied externally so that the relative velocity between the electrons and ions is greater than the ion sound speed and destabilizes the instability. We find a nonlinear frequency shift from higher to lower frequencies and diffusion of the wave spectrum in two dimensional wave number space. We are especially interested in finding whether the saturatedmore » wave turbulence can account for the anomalous heating rates observed in the polar ionosphere by Schlegel and St.-Maurice (1981). We find that the dominant mechanism for electron heating is due to an enhanced effective electron collision frequency and hence enhanced resistive heating as suggested by Primdahl (1986) and Robinson (1986) and not due to the heating of electrons by the electric field of the waves parallel to the magnetic field. For the ionospheric conditions discussed by Schlegel and St.-Maurice (1981) we find an anomalous heating rate of about 4 x 10/sup -7/ W/m/sup 3/. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988« less

Measurement of heat pump processes induced by laser radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbuny, M.; Henningsen, T.

1983-01-01

A series of experiments was performed in which a suitably tuned CO2 laser, frequency doubled by a Tl3AsSe37 crystal, was brought into resonance with a P-line or two R-lines in the fundamental vibration spectrum of CO. Cooling or heating produced by absorption in CO was measured in a gas-thermometer arrangement. P-line cooling and R-line heating could be demonstrated, measured, and compared. The experiments were continued with CO mixed with N2 added in partial pressures from 9 to 200 Torr. It was found that an efficient collisional resonance energy transfer from CO to N2 existed which increased the cooling effects by one to two orders of magnitude over those in pure CO. Temperature reductions in the order of tens of degrees Kelvin were obtained by a single pulse in the core of the irradiated volume. These measurements followed predicted values rather closely, and it is expected that increase of pulse energies and durations will enhance the heat pump effects. The experiments confirm the feasibility of quasi-isentropic engines which convert laser power into work without the need for heat rejection. Of more immediate potential interest is the possibility of remotely powered heat pumps for cryogenic use, such applications are discussed to the extent possible at the present stage.

Collisional Shift and Broadening of Iodine Spectral Lines in Air Near 543 nm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fletcher, D. G.; McDaniel, J. C.

1995-01-01

The collisional processes that influence the absorption of monochromatic light by iodine in air have been investigated. Measurements were made in both a static cell and an underexpanded jet flow over the range of properties encountered in typical compressible-flow aerodynamic applications. Experimentally measured values of the collisional shift and broadening coefficients were 0.058 +/- 0.004 and 0.53 +/- 0.010 GHz K(exp 0.7)/torr, respectively. The measured shift value showed reasonable agreement with theoretical calculations based on Lindholm-Foley collisional theory for a simple dispersive potential. The measured collisional broadening showed less favorable agreement with the calculated value.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chhiber, R; Usmanov, AV; Matthaeus, WH

Simple estimates of the number of Coulomb collisions experienced by the interplanetary plasma to the point of observation, i.e., the “collisional age”, can be usefully employed in the study of non-thermal features of the solar wind. Usually these estimates are based on local plasma properties at the point of observation. Here we improve the method of estimation of the collisional age by employing solutions obtained from global three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations. This enables evaluation of the complete analytical expression for the collisional age without using approximations. The improved estimation of the collisional timescale is compared with turbulence and expansion timescales tomore » assess the relative importance of collisions. The collisional age computed using the approximate formula employed in previous work is compared with the improved simulation-based calculations to examine the validity of the simplified formula. We also develop an analytical expression for the evaluation of the collisional age and we find good agreement between the numerical and analytical results. Finally, we briefly discuss the implications for an improved estimation of collisionality along spacecraft trajectories, including Solar Probe Plus.« less

Upper Hybrid Effects in Artificial Ionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, K.; Eliasson, B. E.

2014-12-01

A most fascinating result of recent ionospheric experiments has been the discovery of artificial ionization by Pedersen et al. (GRL, 37, L02106, 2010). The Artificial Ionospheric Layers (AIL) were the result of F-region O-mode HF irradiation using the HAARP ionospheric heater operating at 3.6 MW power. As demonstrated by Eliasson et al. (JGR, 117, A10321, 2012) the physics controlling the observed phenomenon and its threshold can be summarized as: " Collisional ionization due to high energy (~ 20 eV) electron tails generated by the interaction of strong Langmuir turbulence with plasma heated at the upper hybrid resonance and transported at the reflection height". The objective of the current presentation is to explore the role of the upper hybrid heating in the formation of AIL and its implications to future experiments involving HF heaters operating in middle and equatorial latitudes.

Core/corona modeling of diode-imploded annular loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terry, R. E.; Guillory, J. U.

1980-11-01

The effects of a tenuous exterior plasma corona with anomalous resistivity on the compression and heating of a hollow, collisional aluminum z-pinch plasma are predicted by a one-dimensional code. As the interior ("core") plasma is imploded by its axial current, the energy exchange between core and corona determines the current partition. Under the conditions of rapid core heating and compression, the increase in coronal current provides a trade-off between radial acceleration and compression, which reduces the implosion forces and softens the pitch. Combined with a heuristic account of energy and momentum transport in the strongly coupled core plasma and an approximate radiative loss calculation including Al line, recombination and Bremsstrahlung emission, the current model can provide a reasonably accurate description of imploding annular plasma loads that remain azimuthally symmetric. The implications for optimization of generator load coupling are examined.

Unraveling resistive versus collisional contributions to relativistic electron beam stopping power in cold-solid and in warm-dense plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vauzour, B.; Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, UMR 7639, 91761 Palaiseau; Debayle, A.

2014-03-15

We present results on laser-driven relativistic electron beam propagation through aluminum samples, which are either solid and cold or compressed and heated by laser-induced shock. A full numerical description of fast electron generation and transport is found to reproduce the experimental absolute K{sub α} yield and spot size measurements for varying target thicknesses, and to sequentially quantify the collisional and resistive electron stopping powers. The results demonstrate that both stopping mechanisms are enhanced in compressed Al samples and are attributed to the increase in the medium density and resistivity, respectively. For the achieved time- and space-averaged electronic current density, 〈j{submore » h}〉∼8×10{sup 10} A/cm{sup 2} in the samples, the collisional and resistive stopping powers in warm and compressed Al are estimated to be 1.5 keV/μm and 0.8 keV/μm, respectively. By contrast, for cold and solid Al, the corresponding estimated values are 1.1 keV/μm and 0.6 keV/μm. Prospective numerical simulations involving higher j{sub h} show that the resistive stopping power can reach the same level as the collisional one. In addition to the effects of compression, the effect of the transient behavior of the resistivity of Al during relativistic electron beam transport becomes progressively more dominant, and for a significantly high current density, j{sub h}∼10{sup 12} A/cm{sup 2}, cancels the difference in the electron resistive stopping power (or the total stopping power in units of areal density) between solid and compressed samples. Analytical calculations extend the analysis up to j{sub h}=10{sup 14} A/cm{sup 2} (representative of the full-scale fast ignition scenario of inertial confinement fusion), where a very rapid transition to the Spitzer resistivity regime saturates the resistive stopping power, averaged over the electron beam duration, to values of ∼1 keV/μm.« less

Theory of "laser distillation" of enantiomers: purification of a racemic mixture of randomly oriented dimethylallene in a collisional environment.

PubMed

Gerbasi, David; Shapiro, Moshe; Brumer, Paul

2006-02-21

Enantiomeric control of 1,3 dimethylallene in a collisional environment is examined. Specifically, our previous "laser distillation" scenario wherein three perpendicular linearly polarized light fields are applied to excite a set of vib-rotational eigenstates of a randomly oriented sample is considered. The addition of internal conversion, dissociation, decoherence, and collisional relaxation mimics experimental conditions and molecular decay processes. Of greatest relevance is internal conversion which, in the case of dimethylallene, is followed by molecular dissociation. For various rates of internal conversion, enantiomeric control is maintained in this scenario by a delicate balance between collisional relaxation of excited dimethylallene that enhances control and collisional dephasing, which diminishes control.

Impact of the pedestal plasma density on dynamics of edge localized mode crashes and energy loss scaling

DOE PAGES

Xu, X. Q.; Ma, J. F.; Li, G. Q.

2014-12-29

The latest BOUT++ studies show an emerging understanding of dynamics of edge localized mode(ELM) crashes and the consistent collisionality scaling of ELMenergy losses with the world multi-tokamak database. A series of BOUT++ simulations are conducted to investigate the scaling characteristics of the ELMenergy losses vs collisionality via a density scan. Moreover, the linear results demonstrate that as the pedestal collisionality decreases, the growth rate of the peeling-ballooning modes decreases for high n but increases for low n (1 < n < 5), therefore the width of the growth rate spectrum γ(n) becomes narrower and the peak growth shifts to lowermore » n. For nonlinear BOUT++ simulations show a two-stage process of ELM crash evolution of (i) initial bursts of pressure blob and void creation and (ii) inward void propagation. The inward void propagation stirs the top of pedestal plasma and yields an increasing ELM size with decreasing collisionality after a series of micro-bursts. The pedestal plasma density plays a major role in determining the ELMenergy loss through its effect on the edge bootstrap current and ion diamagnetic stabilization. Finally, the critical trend emerges as a transition (1) linearly from ballooning-dominated states at high collisionality to peeling-dominated states at low collisionality with decreasing density and (2) nonlinearly from turbulence spreading dynamics at high collisionality into avalanche-like dynamics at low collisionality.« less

Infrared emission from the supernova remnant Puppis A: Dust and gas parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arendt, Richard G.; Dwek, Eli; Petre, R

1989-01-01

The infrared (IR) spectra of collisionally heated dust at several regions across the supernova remnant (SNR) Puppis A were modelled. Through the comparison of the actual and model spectra, the possible range of gas density and temperature within these areas was narrowed down. From the models, information on the minimum and maximum dust grain sizes and the amount of sputtering which has occurred was found. Finally the mass of gas and dust, the IR luminosity, the effective thickness, and the length of time since the dust was swept up by the SNR were derived for these regions.

The origin of chondrules at jovian resonances

PubMed

Weidenschilling; Marzari; Hood

1998-01-30

Isotopic dating indicates that chondrules were produced a few million years after the solar nebula formed. This timing is incompatible with dynamical lifetimes of small particles in the nebula and short time scales for the formation of planetesimals. Temporal and dynamical constraints can be reconciled if chondrules were produced by heating of debris from disrupted first-generation planetesimals. Jovian resonances can excite planetesimal eccentricities enough to cause collisional disruption and melting of dust by bow shocks in the nebular gas. The ages of chondrules may indicate the times of Jupiter's formation and dissipation of gas from the asteroidal region.

Sheath energy transmission in a collisional plasma with collisionless sheath

DOE PAGES

Tang, Xian-Zhu; Guo, Zehua

2015-10-16

Sheath energy transmission governs the plasma energy exhaust onto a material surface. The ion channel is dominated by convection, but the electron channel has a significant thermal conduction component, which is dominated by the Knudsen layer effect in the presence of an absorbing wall. First-principle kinetic simulations also reveal a robustly supersonic sheath entry flow. The ion sheath energy transmission and the sheath potential are accurately predicted by a sheath model of truncated bi-Maxwellian electron distribution. The electron energy transmission is further enhanced by a parallel heat flux of the perpendicular degrees of freedom.

Plasma ignition thresholds in UV laser ablation plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, P.; Dyer, P. E.; Key, P. H.; Snelling, H. V.

Ultraviolet (UV) laser thresholds for plasma ignition on solid targets predicted from electron-neutral collisional heating are generally much higher than those observed experimentally. This inconsistency was reconciled by Rosen, et al. [2], who showed that excited-state photoionization played a key role in long-pulse UV laser breakdown. Here we develop a related model but with emphasis on pulses of 10 ns duration. Experimental results are also reported for titanium, copper, silicon, and ferulic acid targets in vacuum, irradiated with combinations of the XeF, KrF, and ArF lasers for comparison with predictions.

Asymptotic solution of Fokker-Planck equation for plasma in Paul traps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shah, Kushal

2010-05-15

An exact analytic solution of the Vlasov equation for the plasma distribution in a Paul trap is known to be a Maxwellian and thus, immune to collisions under the assumption of infinitely fast relaxation [K. Shah and H. S. Ramachandran, Phys. Plasmas 15, 062303 (2008)]. In this paper, it is shown that even for a more realistic situation of finite time relaxation, solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation lead to an equilibrium solution of the form of a Maxwellian with oscillatory temperature. This shows that the rf heating observed in Paul traps cannot be caused due to collisional effects alone.

Test of bootstrap current models using high- β p EAST-demonstration plasmas on DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Ren, Qilong; Lao, Lang L.; Garofalo, Andrea M.; ...

2015-01-12

Magnetic measurements together with kinetic profile and motional Stark effect measurements are used in full kinetic equilibrium reconstructions to test the Sauter and NEO bootstrap current models in a DIII-D high-more » $${{\\beta}_{\\text{p}}}$$ EAST-demonstration experiment. This aims at developing on DIII-D a high bootstrap current scenario to be extended on EAST for a demonstration of true steady-state at high performance and uses EAST-similar operational conditions: plasma shape, plasma current, toroidal magnetic field, total heating power and current ramp-up rate. It is found that the large edge bootstrap current in these high-$${{\\beta}_{\\text{p}}}$$ plasmas allows the use of magnetic measurements to clearly distinguish the two bootstrap current models. In these high collisionality and high-$${{\\beta}_{\\text{p}}}$$ plasmas, the Sauter model overpredicts the peak of the edge current density by about 30%, while the first-principle kinetic NEO model is in close agreement with the edge current density of the reconstructed equilibrium. Furthermore, these results are consistent with recent work showing that the Sauter model largely overestimates the edge bootstrap current at high collisionality.« less

Observations of Intrinsic Rotation Reversal Hysteresis in Alcator C-Mod Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Norman; Rice, John; White, Anne; Baek, Seung; Chilenski, Mark; Creely, Alexander; Ennever, Paul; Hubbard, Amanda; Hughes, Jerry; Irby, Jim; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Pablo; Reinke, Matthew; Diamond, Patrick; Alcator C-Mod Team

2016-10-01

Intrinsic core toroidal rotation in Alcator C-Mod L-mode plasmas has been observed to spontaneously reverse direction when the normalized collisionality ν*, evaluated at the profile minimum, passes through a critical value around 0.4. In Ohmic plasmas, the low density linear Ohmic confinement regime exhibits co-current toroidal rotation, and the higher density saturated Ohmic confinement regime exhibits counter-current rotation. The reversal manifests a hysteresis loop in ν*, where the critical collisionalities for the forward and reverse transitions differ by 10-15%. There appears to be memory associated with the rotation state, since reversals which do not begin from fully saturated rotation states do not manifest this hysteresis. In addition, high-k PCI fluctuation ``wings'' (kθρs up to 1) at low density and high current appear only in the co-current rotation state, while density peaking and ``non-local'' heat transport behavior do not appear to change significantly with the rotation state. Results from fluctuation measurements and preliminary transport and stability analyses will also be presented. This work is supported by the US DOE under Grant DE-FC02-99ER54512 (C-Mod).

Energy Confinement Recovery in Low Collisionality ITER Shape Plasmas with Applied Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, L.; Grierson, B.; Logan, N.; Nazikian, R.

2016-10-01

Application of RMPs to low collisionality (ν*e < 0.4) ITER shape plasmas on DIII-D leads to a rapid reduction in stored energy due to density pumpout that is sometimes followed by a gradual recovery in the plasma stored energy. Understanding this confinement recovery is essential to optimize the confinement of RMP plasmas in present and future devices such as ITER. Transport modeling using TRANSP+TGLF indicates that the core a/LTi is stiff in these plasmas while the ion temperature gradient is much less stiff in the pedestal region. The reduction in the edge density during pumpout leads to an increase in the core ion temperature predicted by TGLF based on experimental data. This is correlated to the increase in the normalized ion heat flux. Transport stiffness in the core combined with an increase in the edge a/LTi results in an increase of the plasma stored energy, consistent with experimental observations. For plasmas where the edge density is controlled using deuterium gas puffs, the effect of the RMP on ion thermal confinement is significantly reduced. Work supported by US DOE Grant DE-FC02-04ER54698 and DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Solution Dependence of the Collisional Activation of Ubiquitin [M+7H]7+ Ions

PubMed Central

Shi, Huilin; Atlasevich, Natalya; Merenbloom, Samuel I.; Clemmer, David E.

2014-01-01

The solution dependence of gas-phase unfolding for ubiquitin [M+7H]7+ ions has been studied by ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Different acidic water:methanol solutions are used to favor the native (N), more helical (A), or unfolded (U) solution states of ubiquitin. Unfolding of gas-phase ubiquitin ions is achieved by collisional heating and newly formed structures are examined by IMS. With an activation voltage of 100 V, a selected distribution of compact structures unfolds, forming three resolvable elongated states (E1-E3). The relative populations of these elongated structures depend strongly on the solution composition. Activation of compact ions from aqueous solutions known to favor N-state ubiquitin produces mostly the E1 type elongated state, whereas, activation of compact ions from methanol containing solutions that populate A-state ubiquitin favors the E3 elongated state. Presumably, this difference arises because of differences in precursor ion structures emerging from solution. Thus, it appears that information about solution populations can be retained after ionization, selection, and activation to produce the elongated states. These data as well as others are discussed. PMID:24658799

What sets the minimum tokamak scrape-off layer width?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joseph, Ilon

2016-10-01

The heat flux width of the tokamak scrape-off layer is on the order of the poloidal ion gyroradius, but the ``heuristic drift'' physics model is still not completely understood. In the absence of anomalous transport, neoclassical transport sets the minimum width. For plateau collisionality, the ion temperature width is set by qρi , while the electron temperature width scales as the geometric mean q(ρeρi) 1 / 2 and is close to qρi in magnitude. The width is enhanced because electrons are confined by the sheath potential and have a much longer time to radially diffuse before escaping to the wall. In the Pfirsch-Schluter regime, collisional diffusion increases the width by the factor (qR / λ) 1 / 2 where qR is the connection length and λ is the mean free path. This qualitatively agrees with the observed transition in the scaling law for detached plasmas. The radial width of the SOL electric field is determined by Spitzer parallel and ``neoclassical'' radial electric conductivity and has a similar scaling to that for thermal transport. Prepared under US DOE contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Understanding the Impact of Return-Current Losses on the X-Ray Emission from Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, Gordon D.

2012-01-01

I obtain and examine the implications of one-dimensional analytic solutions for return-current losses on an initially power-law distribution of energetic electrons with a sharp low-energy cutoff in flare plasma with classical (collisional) resistivity. These solutions show, for example, that return-current losses are not sensitive to plasma density, but are sensitive to plasma temperature and the low energy cutoff of the injected nonthermal electron distribution. A characteristic distance from the electron injection site, x(sub rc), is derived. At distances less than x(sub rc) the electron flux density is not reduced by return-current losses, but plasma heating can be substantial in this region, in the upper, coronal part of the flare loop. Before the electrons reach the collisional thick-target region of the flare loop, an injected power-law electron distribution with a low-energy cutoff maintains that structure, but with a flat energy distribution below the cutoff energy, which is now determined by the total potential drop experienced by the electrons. Modifications due to the presence of collisional losses are discussed. I compare these results with earlier analytical results and with more recent numerical simulations. Emslie's 1980 conjecture that there is a maximum integrated X-ray source brightness on the order of 10(exp -15) photons per square centimeter per second per square centimeter is examined. I find that this is not actually a maximum brightness and its value is parameter dependent, but it is nevertheless a valuable benchmark for identifying return-current losses in hard X-ray spectra. I discuss an observational approach to identifying return-current losses in flare data, including identification of a return-current "bump" in X-ray light curves at low photon energies.

Universal collisional activation ion trap mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

McLuckey, S.A.; Goeringer, D.E.; Glish, G.L.

1993-04-27

A universal collisional activation ion trap comprises an ion trapping means containing a bath gas and having connected thereto a noise signal generator. A method of operating a universal collisional activation ion trap comprises the steps of: providing an ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a bath gas; and, generating a noise signal within the ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a substance that, when acted upon by the noise signal, undergoes collisional activation to form product ions.

Universal collisional activation ion trap mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

McLuckey, Scott A.; Goeringer, Douglas E.; Glish, Gary L.

1993-01-01

A universal collisional activation ion trap comprises an ion trapping means containing a bath gas and having connected thereto a noise signal generator. A method of operating a universal collisional activation ion trap comprises the steps of: providing an ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a bath gas; and, generating a noise signal within the ion trapping means; introducing into the ion trapping means a substance that, when acted upon by the noise signal, undergoes collisional activation to form product ions.

Collisional plateaus. [in earth and Venus lithospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, P.; Burke, K.

1985-01-01

Aspects of the geology of collisional plateaus formed by the thickening of continental crust are briefly reviewed. The history of studies of collisional plateaus is summarized, and igneous activity in collisional plateaus is discussed. Isostatic considerations pertaining to these plateaus are addressed, developing models of isostatic support of topography which illustrate the importance of compressional tectonics in the creation of high altitude plateaus. Possible analogous environments on Venus are considered. Finally, the paradox of extension associated with compression in the plateaus is discussed.

Transition in Electron Physics of Magnetic Reconnection in Weakly Collisional Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, A.; Roytershteyn, V.; Karimabadi, H.; Daughton, W. S.; Egedal, J.; Forest, C.

2013-12-01

Using self-consistent fully kinetic simulations with a Monte-Carlo treatment of the Coulomb collision operator, we explore the transition between collisional and kinetic regimes of magnetic reconnection in high-Lundquist-number current sheets. Recent research in collisionless reconnection has shown that electron kinetic physics plays a key role in the evolution. Large-scale electron current sheets may form, leading to secondary island formation and turbulent flux rope interactions in 3D. The new collisional simulations demonstrate how increasing collisionality modifies or eliminates these electron structures in the kinetic regimes. Additional basic questions that are addressed include how the reconnection rate and the release of magnetic energy into electrons and ions vary with collisionality. The numerical study provides insight into reconnection in dense regions of the solar corona, the solar wind, and upcoming laboratory experiments at MRX (Princeton) and MPDX (UW-Madison). The implications of these results for studies of turbulence dissipation in weakly collisional plasmas are discussed.

Measurements of long-range enhanced collisional velocity drag through plasma wave damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affolter, M.; Anderegg, F.; Dubin, D. H. E.; Driscoll, C. F.

2018-05-01

We present damping measurements of axial plasma waves in magnetized, multispecies ion plasmas. At high temperatures T ≳ 10-2 eV, collisionless Landau damping dominates, whereas, at lower temperatures T ≲ 10-2 eV, the damping arises from interspecies collisional drag, which is dependent on the plasma composition and scales roughly as T-3 /2 . This drag damping is proportional to the rate of parallel collisional slowing, and is found to exceed classical predictions of collisional drag damping by as much as an order of magnitude, but agrees with a new collision theory that includes long-range collisions. Centrifugal mass separation and collisional locking of the species occur at ultra-low temperatures T ≲ 10-3 eV, which reduce the drag damping from the T-3 /2 collisional scaling. These mechanisms are investigated by measuring the damping of higher frequency axial modes, and by measuring the damping in plasmas with a non-equilibrium species profile.

FAC: Flexible Atomic Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Ming Feng

2018-02-01

FAC calculates various atomic radiative and collisional processes, including radiative transition rates, collisional excitation and ionization by electron impact, energy levels, photoionization, and autoionization, and their inverse processes radiative recombination and dielectronic capture. The package also includes a collisional radiative model to construct synthetic spectra for plasmas under different physical conditions.

Joule heating and runaway electron acceleration in a solar flare

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, Gordon D.; Kundu, Mukul R.; Kane, Sharad R.

1989-01-01

The hard and soft x ray and microwave emissions from a solar flare (May 14, 1980) were analyzed and interpreted in terms of Joule heating and runaway electron acceleration in one or more current sheets. It is found that all three emissions can be generated with sub-Dreicer electric fields. The soft x ray emitting plasma can only be heated by a single current sheet if the resistivity in the sheet is well above the classical, collisional resistivity of 10(exp 7) K, 10(exp 11)/cu cm plasma. If the hard x ray emission is from thermal electrons, anomalous resistivity or densities exceeding 3 x 10(exp 12)/cu cm are required. If the hard x ray emission is from nonthermal electrons, the emissions can be produced with classical resistivity in the current sheets if the heating rate is approximately 4 times greater than that deduced from the soft x ray data (with a density of 10(exp 10)/cu cm in the soft x ray emitting region), if there are at least 10(exp 4) current sheets, and if the plasma properties in the sheets are characteristic of the superhot plasma observed in some flares by Lin et al., and with Hinotori. Most of the released energy goes directly into bulk heating, rather than accelerated particles.

A high density field reversed configuration (FRC) target for magnetized target fusion: First internal profile measurements of a high density FRC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Intrator, T.; Zhang, S. Y.; Degnan, J. H.; Furno, I.; Grabowski, C.; Hsu, S. C.; Ruden, E. L.; Sanchez, P. G.; Taccetti, J. M.; Tuszewski, M.; Waganaar, W. J.; Wurden, G. A.

2004-05-01

Magnetized target fusion (MTF) is a potentially low cost path to fusion, intermediate in plasma regime between magnetic and inertial fusion energy. It requires compression of a magnetized target plasma and consequent heating to fusion relevant conditions inside a converging flux conserver. To demonstrate the physics basis for MTF, a field reversed configuration (FRC) target plasma has been chosen that will ultimately be compressed within an imploding metal liner. The required FRC will need large density, and this regime is being explored by the FRX-L (FRC-Liner) experiment. All theta pinch formed FRCs have some shock heating during formation, but FRX-L depends further on large ohmic heating from magnetic flux annihilation to heat the high density (2-5×1022m-3), plasma to a temperature of Te+Ti≈500 eV. At the field null, anomalous resistivity is typically invoked to characterize the resistive like flux dissipation process. The first resistivity estimate for a high density collisional FRC is shown here. The flux dissipation process is both a key issue for MTF and an important underlying physics question.

Diagnostics of electron-heated solar flare models. III - Effects of tapered loop geometry and preheating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emslie, A. G.; Li, Peng; Mariska, John T.

1992-01-01

A series of hydrodynamic numerical simulations of nonthermal electron-heated solar flare atmospheres and their corresponding soft X-ray Ca XIX emission-line profiles, under the conditions of tapered flare loop geometry and/or a preheated atmosphere, is presented. The degree of tapering is parameterized by the magnetic mirror ratio, while the preheated atmosphere is parameterized by the initial upper chromospheric pressure. In a tapered flare loop, it is found that the upward motion of evaporated material is faster compared with the case where the flare loop is uniform. This is due to the diverging nozzle seen by the upflowing material. In the case where the flare atmosphere is preheated and the flare geometry is uniform, the response of the atmosphere to the electron collisional heating is slow. The upward velocity of the hydrodynamic gas is reduced due not only to the large coronal column depth, but also to the increased inertia of the overlying material. It is concluded that the only possible electron-heated scenario in which the predicted Ca XIX line profiles agree with the BCS observations is when the impulsive flare starts in a preheated dense corona.

The effect of the inductive electric field on ion poloidal rotation in all collisionality regimes for the primary ions in tokamaks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pan Chengkang; Wang Shaojie; Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031

2007-11-15

The expression for the poloidal rotation velocity of the primary ions that is caused by the parallel inductive electric field in tokamaks and valid in all collisionality regimes is derived via the Hirshman-Sigmar moment approach. Also the expression of the collisional impurity ions poloidal rotation velocity that is caused by the parallel inductive electric field in tokamaks is derived. The poloidal rotation velocities of the primary ions and the impurity ions are sensitive to the primary ion collisionality parameter and the impurity strength parameter. The poloidal rotation velocities of the primary ions and the impurity ions decrease with the primarymore » ion collisionality parameter and decrease with the impurity strength parameter.« less

The linear tearing instability in three dimensional, toroidal gyro-kinetic simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hornsby, W. A., E-mail: william.hornsby@ipp.mpg.de; Migliano, P.; Buchholz, R.

2015-02-15

Linear gyro-kinetic simulations of the classical tearing mode in three-dimensional toroidal geometry were performed using the global gyro-kinetic turbulence code, GKW. The results were benchmarked against a cylindrical ideal MHD and analytical theory calculations. The stability, growth rate, and frequency of the mode were investigated by varying the current profile, collisionality, and the pressure gradients. Both collisionless and semi-collisional tearing modes were found with a smooth transition between the two. A residual, finite, rotation frequency of the mode even in the absence of a pressure gradient is observed, which is attributed to toroidal finite Larmor-radius effects. When a pressure gradientmore » is present at low collisionality, the mode rotates at the expected electron diamagnetic frequency. However, the island rotation reverses direction at high collisionality. The growth rate is found to follow a η{sup 1∕7} scaling with collisional resistivity in the semi-collisional regime, closely following the semi-collisional scaling found by Fitzpatrick. The stability of the mode closely follows the stability analysis as performed by Hastie et al. using the same current and safety factor profiles but for cylindrical geometry, however, here a modification due to toroidal coupling and pressure effects is seen.« less

Overdense microwave plasma heating in the CNT stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, K. C.; Diaz-Pacheco, R. R.; Köhn, A.; Volpe, F. A.; Wei, Y.

2018-02-01

Overdense plasmas have been attained with 2.45 GHz microwave heating in the low-field, low-aspect-ratio CNT stellarator. Densities higher than four times the ordinary (O) mode cutoff density were measured with 8 kW of power injected in the O-mode and, alternatively, with 6.5 kW in the extraordinary (X) mode. The temperature profiles peak at the plasma edge. This was ascribed to collisional damping of the X-mode at the upper hybrid resonant layer. The X-mode reaches that location by tunneling, mode-conversions or after polarization-scrambling reflections off the wall and in-vessel coils, regardless of the initial launch being in O- or X-mode. This interpretation was confirmed by full-wave numerical simulations. Also, as the CNT plasma is not completely ionized at these low microwave power levels, electron density was shown to increase with power. A dependence on magnetic field strength was also observed, for O-mode launch.

ToF-SIMS characterization of robust window material for use in diode pumped alkali lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Aaron; Turner, David; Fairchild, Steven; Rice, Christopher; Pitz, Gregory

2018-03-01

Developments in diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) systems have been impeded because of the catastrophic failure of laser windows. The window's failure is caused by localized laser-induced heating of window material. This heating is believed to occur due to increases in absorption on or near the surface of the window. This increase is believed to be caused by either adsorption of carbon-based soot from the collisional gas or by the diffusion of rubidium into the bulk material. The work presented here will focus on the diffusion of Rb into the bulk window materials and will strive to identify a superior material to use as windows. The results of this research indicate that aluminum oxynitride (ALON), sapphire, MgAl2O4 (spinel), and ZrO2 are resistant to alkali-induced changes in optical properties.

Energy Dissipation and Phase-Space Dynamics in Eulerian Vlasov-Maxwell Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenbarge, Jason; Juno, James; Hakim, Ammar

2017-10-01

Turbulence in a magnetized plasma is a primary mechanism responsible for transforming energy at large injection scales into small-scale motions, which are ultimately dissipated as heat in systems such as the solar corona, wind, and other astrophysical objects. At large scales, the turbulence is well described by fluid models of the plasma; however, understanding the processes responsible for heating a weakly collisional plasma such as the solar wind requires a kinetic description. We present a fully kinetic Eulerian Vlasov-Maxwell study of turbulence using the Gkeyll simulation framework, including studies of the cascade of energy in phase space and formation and dissipation of coherent structures. We also leverage the recently developed field-particle correlations to diagnose the dominant sources of dissipation and compare the results of the field-particle correlation to other dissipation measures. NSF SHINE AGS-1622306 and DOE DE-AC02-09CH11466.

The effect of beam-driven return current instability on solar hard X-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cromwell, D.; Mcquillan, P.; Brown, J. C.

1986-01-01

The problem of electrostatic wave generation by a return current driven by a small area electron beam during solar hard X-ray bursts is discussed. The marginal stability method is used to solve numerically the electron and ion heating equations for a prescribed beam current evolution. When ion-acoustic waves are considered, the method appears satisfactory and, following an initial phase of Coulomb resistivity in which T sub e/T sub i rise, predicts a rapid heating of substantial plasma volumes by anomalous ohmic dissipation. This hot plasma emits so much thermal bremsstrahlung that, contrary to previous expectations, the unstable beam-plasma system actually emits more hard X-rays than does the beam in the purely collisional thick target regime relevant to larger injection areas. Inclusion of ion-cyclotron waves results in ion-acoustic wave onset at lower T sub e/T sub i and a marginal stability treatment yields unphysical results.

Application of electron closures in extended MHD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Held, Eric; Adair, Brett; Taylor, Trevor

2017-10-01

Rigorous closure of the extended MHD equations in plasma fluid codes includes the effects of electron heat conduction along perturbed magnetic fields and contributions of the electron collisional friction and stress to the extended Ohms law. In this work we discuss application of a continuum numerical solution to the Chapman-Enskog-like electron drift kinetic equation using the NIMROD code. The implementation is a tightly-coupled fluid/kinetic system that carefully addresses time-centering in the advance of the fluid variables with their kinetically-computed closures. Comparisons of spatial accuracy, computational efficiency and required velocity space resolution are presented for applications involving growing magnetic islands in cylindrical and toroidal geometry. The reduction in parallel heat conduction due to particle trapping in toroidal geometry is emphasized. Work supported by DOE under Grant Nos. DE-FC02-08ER54973 and DE-FG02-04ER54746.

Progress toward commissioning and plasma operation in NSTX-U

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, M.; Chrzanowski, J.; Dudek, L.; Gerhardt, S.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Kaita, R.; Menard, J. E.; Perry, E.; Stevenson, T.; Strykowsky, R.; Titus, P.; von Halle, A.; Williams, M.; Atnafu, N. D.; Blanchard, W.; Cropper, M.; Diallo, A.; Gates, D. A.; Ellis, R.; Erickson, K.; Hosea, J.; Hatcher, R.; Jurczynski, S. Z.; Kaye, S.; Labik, G.; Lawson, J.; LeBlanc, B.; Maingi, R.; Neumeyer, C.; Raman, R.; Raftopoulos, S.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Roquemore, A. L.; Sabbagh, S. A.; Sichta, P.; Schneider, H.; Smith, M.; Stratton, B.; Soukhanovskii, V.; Taylor, G.; Tresemer, K.; Zolfaghari, A.; The NSTX-U Team

2015-07-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) is the most powerful spherical torus facility at PPPL, Princeton USA. The major mission of NSTX-U is to develop the physics basis for an ST-based Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF). The ST-based FNSF has the promise of achieving the high neutron fluence needed for reactor component testing with relatively modest tritium consumption. At the same time, the unique operating regimes of NSTX-U can contribute to several important issues in the physics of burning plasmas to optimize the performance of ITER. NSTX-U further aims to determine the attractiveness of the compact ST for addressing key research needs on the path toward a fusion demonstration power plant (DEMO). The upgrade will nearly double the toroidal magnetic field BT to 1 T at a major radius of R0 = 0.93 m, plasma current Ip to 2 MA and neutral beam injection (NBI) heating power to 14 MW. The anticipated plasma performance enhancement is a quadrupling of the plasma stored energy and near doubling of the plasma confinement time, which would result in a 5-10 fold increase in the fusion performance parameter nτ T. A much more tangential 2nd NBI system, with 2-3 times higher current drive efficiency compared to the 1st NBI system, is installed to attain the 100% non-inductive operation needed for a compact FNSF design. With higher fields and heating powers, the NSTX-U plasma collisionality will be reduced by a factor of 3-6 to help explore the favourable trend in transport towards the low collisionality FNSF regime. The NSTX-U first plasma is planned for the Summer of 2015, at which time the transition to plasma operations will occur.

THE INNER COMA OF COMET C/2012 S1 (ISON) AT 0.53 AU AND 0.35 AU FROM THE SUN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonev, Boncho P.; Villanueva, Geronimo L.; Paganini, Lucas

2014-11-20

Using long-slit spectroscopy at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, we extracted H{sub 2}O production rates and spatial profiles of gas rotational temperature and molecular column abundance in comet C/2012 S1 ISON, observed at heliocentric distances of 0.53 and 0.35 AU. These measurements uniquely probed the physical environment in the inner collisional coma of this comet during its first (and last) approach to the Sun since being emplaced in the Oort Cloud some 4.5 billion years ago. Our observations revealed a comet evolving on various timescales, both over hours and days. At 0.35 AU, ISON showed a considerable decrease in water production ratemore » in less than 2 hr, likely declining from a major outburst. Our measured temperature spatial distributions reflect the competition between the processes that cause heating and cooling in the coma, and also provide insight about the prevalent mechanism(s) of releasing gas-phase H{sub 2}O. The observed temperatures suggest that the comet was likely ejecting icy material continuously, which sublimated in the coma and heated the ambient gas, augmenting fast H-atoms produced by H{sub 2}O photolysis. ISON adds to the very limited sample of comets for which spatial-spectral studies of water temperatures have been conducted. These studies are now feasible and can be extended to comets having a variety of gas production rates. Continued synergy of such observations with both space missions like Rosetta and with physical models is strongly encouraged in order to gain a deeper understanding of the processes in the inner collisional zone of the cometary coma.« less

Experimental evidence for short-pulse laser heating of solid-density target to high bulk temperatures.

PubMed

Soloviev, A; Burdonov, K; Chen, S N; Eremeev, A; Korzhimanov, A; Pokrovskiy, G V; Pikuz, T A; Revet, G; Sladkov, A; Ginzburg, V; Khazanov, E; Kuzmin, A; Osmanov, R; Shaikin, I; Shaykin, A; Yakovlev, I; Pikuz, S; Starodubtsev, M; Fuchs, J

2017-09-22

Heating efficiently solid-density, or even compressed, matter has been a long-sought goal in order to allow investigation of the properties of such state of matter of interest for various domains, e.g. astrophysics. High-power lasers, pinches, and more recently Free-Electron-Lasers (FELs) have been used in this respect. Here we show that by using the high-power, high-contrast "PEARL" laser (Institute of Applied Physics-Russian Academy of Science, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) delivering 7.5 J in a 60 fs laser pulse, such coupling can be efficiently obtained, resulting in heating of a slab of solid-density Al of 0.8 µm thickness at a temperature of 300 eV, and with minimal density gradients. The characterization of the target heating is achieved combining X-ray spectrometry and measurement of the protons accelerated from the Al slab. The measured heating conditions are consistent with a three-temperatures model that simulates resistive and collisional heating of the bulk induced by the hot electrons. Such effective laser energy deposition is achieved owing to the intrinsic high contrast of the laser which results from the Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification technology it is based on, allowing to attain high target temperatures in a very compact manner, e.g. in comparison with large-scale FEL facilities.

ROLE OF MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH AND NUMERICAL RESOLUTION IN SIMULATIONS OF THE HEAT-FLUX-DRIVEN BUOYANCY INSTABILITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avara, Mark J.; Reynolds, Christopher S.; Bogdanovic, Tamara, E-mail: mavara@astro.umd.edu, E-mail: chris@astro.umd.edu, E-mail: tamarab@gatech.edu

2013-08-20

The role played by magnetic fields in the intracluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters is complex. The weakly collisional nature of the ICM leads to thermal conduction that is channeled along field lines. This anisotropic heat conduction profoundly changes the instabilities of the ICM atmosphere, with convective stabilities being driven by temperature gradients of either sign. Here, we employ the Athena magnetohydrodynamic code to investigate the local non-linear behavior of the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instability (HBI) relevant in the cores of cooling-core clusters where the temperature increases with radius. We study a grid of two-dimensional simulations that span a large rangemore » of initial magnetic field strengths and numerical resolutions. For very weak initial fields, we recover the previously known result that the HBI wraps the field in the horizontal direction, thereby shutting off the heat flux. However, we find that simulations that begin with intermediate initial field strengths have a qualitatively different behavior, forming HBI-stable filaments that resist field-line wrapping and enable sustained vertical conductive heat flux at a level of 10%-25% of the Spitzer value. While astrophysical conclusions regarding the role of conduction in cooling cores require detailed global models, our local study proves that systems dominated by the HBI do not necessarily quench the conductive heat flux.« less

Collisional damping rates for plasma waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tigik, S. F.; Ziebell, L. F.; Yoon, P. H.

2016-06-01

The distinction between the plasma dynamics dominated by collisional transport versus collective processes has never been rigorously addressed until recently. A recent paper [P. H. Yoon et al., Phys. Rev. E 93, 033203 (2016)] formulates for the first time, a unified kinetic theory in which collective processes and collisional dynamics are systematically incorporated from first principles. One of the outcomes of such a formalism is the rigorous derivation of collisional damping rates for Langmuir and ion-acoustic waves, which can be contrasted to the heuristic customary approach. However, the results are given only in formal mathematical expressions. The present brief communication numerically evaluates the rigorous collisional damping rates by considering the case of plasma particles with Maxwellian velocity distribution function so as to assess the consequence of the rigorous formalism in a quantitative manner. Comparison with the heuristic ("Spitzer") formula shows that the accurate damping rates are much lower in magnitude than the conventional expression, which implies that the traditional approach over-estimates the importance of attenuation of plasma waves by collisional relaxation process. Such a finding may have a wide applicability ranging from laboratory to space and astrophysical plasmas.

Effects of Ion Magnetization on the Farley–Buneman Instability in the Solar Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Alex C.; Dimant, Yakov S.; Oppenheim, Meers M.; Fontenla, Juan M.

2018-04-01

Intense heating in the quiet-Sun chromosphere raises the temperature from 4000 to 6500 K but, despite decades of study, the underlying mechanism remains a mystery. This study continues to explore the possibility that the Farley–Buneman instability contributes to chromospheric heating. This instability occurs in weakly ionized collisional plasmas in which electrons are magnetized, but ions are not. A mixture of metal ions generate the plasma density in the coolest parts of the chromosphere; while some ions are weakly magnetized, others are demagnetized by neutral collisions. This paper incorporates the effects of multiple, arbitrarily magnetized species of ions to the theory of the Farley–Buneman instability and examines the ramifications on instability in the chromosphere. The inclusion of magnetized ions introduces new restrictions on the regions in which the instability can occur in the chromosphere—in fact, it confines the instability to the regions in which heating is observed. For a magnetic field of 30 G, the minimum ambient electric field capable of driving the instability is 13.5 V/m at the temperature minimum.

Edge-localized-modes in tokamaksa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonard, A. W.

2014-09-01

Edge-localized-modes (ELMs) are a ubiquitous feature of H-mode in tokamaks. When gradients in the H-mode transport barrier grow to exceed the MHD stability limit the ELM instability grows explosively, rapidly transporting energy and particles onto open field lines and material surfaces. Though ELMs provide additional particle and impurity transport through the H-mode transport barrier, enabling steady operation, the resulting heat flux transients to plasma facing surfaces project to large amplitude in future low collisionality burning plasma tokamaks. Measurements of the ELM heat flux deposition onto material surfaces in the divertor and main chamber indicate significant broadening compared to inter-ELM heat flux, with a timescale for energy deposition that is consistent with sonic ion flow and numerical simulation. Comprehensive ELM simulation is highlighting the important physics processes of ELM transport including parallel transport due to magnetic reconnection and turbulence resulting from collapse of the H-mode transport barrier. Encouraging prospects for ELM control and/or suppression in future tokamaks include intrinsic modes of ELM free operation, ELM triggering with frequent small pellet injection and the application of 3D magnetic fields.

Intra-jet shocks in two counter-streaming, weakly collisional plasma jets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryutov, D. D.; Kugland, N. L.; Park, H.-S.

2012-07-15

Counterstreaming laser-generated plasma jets can serve as a test-bed for the studies of a variety of astrophysical phenomena, including collisionless shock waves. In the latter problem, the jet's parameters have to be chosen in such a way as to make the collisions between the particles of one jet with the particles of the other jet very rare. This can be achieved by making the jet velocities high and the Coulomb cross-sections correspondingly low. On the other hand, the intra-jet collisions for high-Mach-number jets can still be very frequent, as they are determined by the much lower thermal velocities of themore » particles of each jet. This paper describes some peculiar properties of intra-jet hydrodynamics in such a setting: the steepening of smooth perturbations and shock formation affected by the presence of the 'stiff' opposite flow; the role of a rapid electron heating in shock formation; ion heating by the intrajet shock. The latter effect can cause rapid ion heating which is consistent with recent counterstreaming jet experiments by Ross et al.[Phys. Plasmas 19, 056501 (2012)].« less

Non-local Lateral electron heat transport from one or more hot spots.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matte, Jean-Pierre; Alouani-Bibi, Fathallah

2000-10-01

Fokker-Planck simulations of collisional absorption and transport in long scale length, preformed, underdense plasmas heated by intense and narrow laser hot spots, as in certain recent LANL experiments [1], are presented. The temperature profiles compared with those obtained from flux limited or delocalized heat flow models. For the former, the temperature peaks can be matched only if a very low flux limiter is used, and even then, the scale length of the temperature profile is always overestimated. The electron distribution function will be characterized, and compared to the "DLM" shape, exp(-(v/u)^m), [2] and the best fit for m will be compared to older formulas for uniform plasmas [2]. Hydrodynamic effects are also addressed with simulations which include ion motion; both with and without the ponderomotive force. The enhancement of sound velocity due to the "DLM" shape [3] inside the hot spot will be quantified. [1] J.A. Cobble et al., Phys. Plasmas, 7, 323 (2000) [2] J.P. Matte et al., Plasma Phys. and Contr. Fusion, 30, 1665, (1988) [3] B. B. Afeyan et al., PRL 81, 2322 (1998).

Collisional evolution - an analytical study for the non steady-state mass distribution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira Martins, R.

1999-05-01

To study the collisional evolution of asteroidal groups one can use an analytical solution for the self-similar collision cascades. This solution is suitable to study the steady-state mass distribution of the collisional fragmentation. However, out of the steady-state conditions, this solution is not satisfactory for some values of the collisional parameters. In fact, for some values for the exponent of the mass distribution power law of an asteroidal group and its relation to the exponent of the function which describes "how rocks break" the author arrives at singular points for the equation which describes the collisional evolution. These singularities appear since some approximations are usually made in the laborious evaluation of many integrals that appear in the analytical calculations. They concern the cutoff for the smallest and the largest bodies. These singularities set some restrictions to the study of the analytical solution for the collisional equation. To overcome these singularities the author performed an algebraic computation considering the smallest and the largest bodies and he obtained the analytical expressions for the integrals that describe the collisional evolution without restriction on the parameters. However, the new distribution is more sensitive to the values of the collisional parameters. In particular the steady-state solution for the differential mass distribution has exponents slightly different from 11/6 for the usual parameters in the asteroid belt. The sensitivity of this distribution with respect to the parameters is analyzed for the usual values in the asteroidal groups. With an expression for the mass distribution without singularities, one can evaluate also its time evolution. The author arrives at an analytical expression given by a power series of terms constituted by a small parameter multiplied by the mass to an exponent, which depends on the initial power law distribution. This expression is a formal solution for the equation which describes the collisional evolution.

Drift and separation in collisionality gradients

DOE PAGES

Ochs, I. E.; Rax, J. M.; Gueroult, R.; ...

2017-07-20

Here we identify a single-particle drift resulting from collisional interactions with a background species, in the presence of a collisionality gradient and background net flow. We also analyze this drift in different limits, showing how it reduces to the well known impurity pinch for high-Zi impurities. We find that in the low-temperature, singly ionized limit, the magnitude of the drift becomes mass-dependent and energy-dependent. Furthermore, by solving for the resulting diffusion-advection motion, we propose a mass-separation scheme that takes advantage of this drift, and analyze the separative capability as a function of collisionally dissipated energy.

Drift and separation in collisionality gradients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ochs, I. E.; Rax, J. M.; Gueroult, R.

Here we identify a single-particle drift resulting from collisional interactions with a background species, in the presence of a collisionality gradient and background net flow. We also analyze this drift in different limits, showing how it reduces to the well known impurity pinch for high-Zi impurities. We find that in the low-temperature, singly ionized limit, the magnitude of the drift becomes mass-dependent and energy-dependent. Furthermore, by solving for the resulting diffusion-advection motion, we propose a mass-separation scheme that takes advantage of this drift, and analyze the separative capability as a function of collisionally dissipated energy.

Collisional heating as the origin of filament emission in galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferland, G. J.; Fabian, A. C.; Hatch, N. A.; Johnstone, R. M.; Porter, R. L.; van Hoof, P. A. M.; Williams, R. J. R.

2009-02-01

It has long been known that photoionization, whether by starlight or other sources, has difficulty in accounting for the observed spectra of the optical filaments that often surround central galaxies in large clusters. This paper builds on the first of this series in which we examined whether heating by energetic particles or dissipative magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave can account for the observations. The first paper focused on the molecular regions which produce strong H2 and CO lines. Here we extend the calculations to include atomic and low-ionization regions. Two major improvements to the previous calculations have been made. The model of the hydrogen atom, along with all elements of the H-like iso-electronic sequence, is now fully nl-resolved. This allows us to predict the hydrogen emission-line spectrum including excitation by suprathermal secondary electrons and thermal electrons or nuclei. We show how the predicted HI spectrum differs from the pure-recombination case. The second update is to the rates for H0-H2 inelastic collisions. We now use the values computed by Wrathmall et al. The rates are often much larger and allow the ro-vibrational H2 level populations to achieve a thermal distribution at substantially lower densities than previously thought. We calculate the chemistry, ionization, temperature, gas pressure and emission-line spectrum for a wide range of gas densities and collisional heating rates. We assume that the filaments are magnetically confined. The gas is free to move along field lines so that the gas pressure is equal to that of the surrounding hot gas. A mix of clouds, some being dense and cold and others hot and tenuous, can exist. The observed spectrum will be the integrated emission from clouds with different densities and temperatures but the same pressure P/k = nT. We assume that the gas filling factor is given by a power law in density. The power-law index, the only free parameter in this theory, is set by matching the observed intensities of infrared H2 lines relative to optical HI lines. We conclude that the filaments are heated by ionizing particles, either conducted in from surrounding regions or produced in situ by processes related to MHD waves. Contains material © British Crown copyright 2008/MoD. E-mail: gjferland@gmail.com

Evidence against a chondritic Earth.

PubMed

Campbell, Ian H; O'Neill, Hugh St C

2012-03-28

The (142)Nd/(144)Nd ratio of the Earth is greater than the solar ratio as inferred from chondritic meteorites, which challenges a fundamental assumption of modern geochemistry--that the composition of the silicate Earth is 'chondritic', meaning that it has refractory element ratios identical to those found in chondrites. The popular explanation for this and other paradoxes of mantle geochemistry, a hidden layer deep in the mantle enriched in incompatible elements, is inconsistent with the heat flux carried by mantle plumes. Either the matter from which the Earth formed was not chondritic, or the Earth has lost matter by collisional erosion in the later stages of planet formation.

Rate constants for chemical reactions in high-temperature nonequilibrium air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, R. L.

1986-01-01

In the nonequilibrium atmospheric chemistry regime that will be encountered by the proposed Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Vehicle in the upper atmosphere, where air density is too low for thermal and chemical equilibrium to be maintained, the detailed high temperature air chemistry plays a critical role in defining radiative and convective heating loads. Although vibrational and electronic temperatures remain low (less than 15,000 K), rotational and translational temperatures may reach 50,000 K. Attention is presently given to the effects of multiple temperatures on the magnitudes of various chemical reaction rate constants, for the cases of both bimolecular exchange reactions and collisional excitation and dissociation reactions.

Impurity transport and bulk ion flow in a mixed collisionality stellarator plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newton, S. L.; Helander, P.; Mollén, A.; Smith, H. M.

2017-10-01

The accumulation of impurities in the core of magnetically confined plasmas, resulting from standard collisional transport mechanisms, is a known threat to their performance as fusion energy sources. Whilst the axisymmetric tokamak systems have been shown to benefit from the effect of temperature screening, that is an outward flux of impurities driven by the temperature gradient, impurity accumulation in stellarators was thought to be inevitable, driven robustly by the inward pointing electric field characteristic of hot fusion plasmas. We have shown in Helander et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 118, 2017a, 155002) that such screening can in principle also appear in stellarators, in the experimentally relevant mixed collisionality regime, where a highly collisional impurity species is present in a low collisionality bulk plasma. Details of the analytic calculation are presented here, along with the effect of the impurity on the bulk ion flow, which will ultimately affect the bulk contribution to the bootstrap current.

Energetically consistent collisional gyrokinetics

DOE PAGES

Burby, J. W.; Brizard, A. J.; Qin, H.

2015-10-30

Here, we present a formulation of collisional gyrokinetic theory with exact conservation laws for energy and canonical toroidal momentum. Collisions are accounted for by a nonlinear gyrokinetic Landau operator. Gyroaveraging and linearization do not destroy the operator's conservation properties. Just as in ordinary kinetic theory, the conservation laws for collisional gyrokinetic theory are selected by the limiting collisionless gyrokinetic theory. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Polarization of fast particle beams by collisional pumping

DOEpatents

Stearns, J. Warren; Kaplan, Selig N.; Pyle, Robert V.; Anderson, L. Wilmer; Ruby, Lawrence; Schlachter, Alfred S.

1988-01-01

Method and apparatus for highly polarizing a fast beam of particles by collisional pumping, including generating a fast beam of particles, and also generating a thick electron-spin-polarized medium positioned as a target for the beam. The target is made sufficiently thick to allow the beam to interact with the medium to produce collisional pumping whereby the beam becomes highly polarized.

Effect of polarization force on the Jeans instability in collisional dusty plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, ABBASI; M, R. RASHIDIAN VAZIRI

2018-03-01

The Jeans instability in collisional dusty plasmas has been analytically investigated by considering the polarization force effect. Instabilities due to dust-neutral and ion-neutral drags can occur in electrostatic waves of collisional dusty plasmas with self-gravitating particles. In this study, the effect of gravitational force on heavy dust particles is considered in tandem with both the polarization and electrostatic forces. The theoretical framework has been developed and the dispersion relation and instability growth rate have been derived, assuming the plane wave approximation. The derived instability growth rate shows that, in collisional dusty plasmas, the Jeans instability strongly depends on the magnitude of the polarization force.

In-situ Plasma Analysis of Ion Kinetics in the Solar Wind and Hermean Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, Patrick J.

The heating of the solar wind and its interaction with the unique planetary magnetosphere of Mercury is the primary focus of this work. The first aspect of this study focused on the heavy ion population of the solar wind (A > 4 amu), and how well the signature of the heating process responsible for creating the solar wind is preserved in this heavy ion population. We found that this signature in the heavy ion population is primarily erased (thermalized) via Coulomb collisional interactions with solar wind protons. The heavy ions observed in collisionally young solar wind reveal a clear, stable dependence on mass, along with non-thermal heating that is not in agreement with current predictions based on turbulent transport and kinetic dissipation. Due to its weak magnetic dipole, the solar wind can impinge on the surface of Mercury, one of the processes contributing to the desorption of neutrals and, through ionization, ions that make up the planet's exosphere. Differentiating between surface mechanisms and analyzing magnetospheric plasma dynamics requires the quantification of a variety of ion species. A detailed forward model and a robust statistical method were created to identify new ion signatures in the measurement space of the FIPS instrument, formerly orbiting Mercury onboard the MESSENGER spacecraft. The recovery of new heavy ions species, including Al, Ne, Si, and Mg, along with tentative recoveries of S, Ar, K, and C, enable in depth studies of the plasma dynamics in the Hermean magnetosphere. The interaction of the solar wind with the bow shock of the Hermean magnetosphere leads to the creation of a foreshock region. New tools and methods were created to enable the analysis of the diffuse and Field Aligned Beam (FAB) populations in unique parameter regime of the Hermean foreshock. One result suggests that the energization process for the observed FABs can be explained by Shock Drift Acceleration, and not limited by the small spatial size of Mercury's bow shock. Analysis of diffuse populations shows that a connection time limited diffusive shock acceleration is likely responsible for the behavior of the observed energy distributions.

Evolution of a Gaussian laser beam in warm collisional magnetoplasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jafari, M. J.; Jafari Milani, M. R., E-mail: mrj.milani@gmail.com; Niknam, A. R.

2016-07-15

In this paper, the spatial evolution of an intense circularly polarized Gaussian laser beam propagated through a warm plasma is investigated, taking into account the ponderomotive force, Ohmic heating, external magnetic field, and collisional effects. Using the momentum transfer and energy equations, both modified electron temperature and electron density in plasma are obtained. By introducing the complex dielectric permittivity of warm magnetized plasma and using the complex eikonal function, coupled differential equations for beam width parameter are established and solved numerically. The effects of polarization state of laser and magnetic field on the laser spot size evolution are studied. Itmore » is observed that in case of the right-handed polarization, an increase in the value of external magnetic field causes an increase in the strength of the self-focusing, especially in the higher values, and consequently, the self-focusing occurs in shorter distance of propagation. Moreover, the results demonstrate the existence of laser intensity and electron temperature ranges where self-focusing can occur, while the beam diverges outside of these regions; meanwhile, in these intervals, there exists a turning point for each of intensity and temperature in which the self-focusing process has its strongest strength. Finally, it is found that the self-focusing effect can be enhanced by increasing the plasma frequency (plasma density).« less

Effect of Radiation on Chromospheric Magnetic Reconnection: Reactive and Collisional Multi-fluid Simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarez Laguna, A.; Poedts, S.; Lani, A.

We study magnetic reconnection under chromospheric conditions in five different ionization levels from 0.5% to 50% using a self-consistent two-fluid (ions + neutrals) model that accounts for compressibility, collisional effects, chemical inequilibrium, and anisotropic heat conduction. Results with and without radiation are compared, using two models for the radiative losses: an optically thin radiation loss function, and an approximation of the radiative losses of a plasma with photospheric abundances. The results without radiation show that reconnection occurs faster for the weakly ionized cases as a result of the effect of ambipolar diffusion and fast recombination. The tearing mode instability appearsmore » earlier in the low ionized cases and grows rapidly. We find that radiative losses have a stronger effect than was found in previous results as the cooling changes the plasma pressure and the concentration of ions inside the current sheet. This affects the ambipolar diffusion and the chemical equilibrium, resulting in thin current sheets and enhanced reconnection. The results quantify this complex nonlinear interaction by showing that a strong cooling produces faster reconnections than have been found in models without radiation. The results accounting for radiation show timescales and outflows comparable to spicules and chromospheric jets.« less

Syn-collisional felsic magmatism and continental crust growth: A case study from the North Qilian Orogenic Belt at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shuo; Niu, Yaoling; Xue, Qiqi

2018-05-01

The abundant syn-collisional granitoids produced and preserved at the northern Tibetan Plateau margin provide a prime case for studying the felsic magmatism as well as continental crust growth in response to continental collision. Here we present the results from a systematic study of the syn-collisional granitoids and their mafic magmatic enclaves (MMEs) in the Laohushan (LHS) and Machangshan (MCS) plutons from the North Qilian Orogenic Belt (NQOB). Two types of MMEs from the LHS pluton exhibit identical crystallization age ( 430 Ma) and bulk-rock isotopic compositions to their host granitoids, indicating their genetic link. The phase equilibrium constraints and pressure estimates for amphiboles from the LHS pluton together with the whole rock data suggest that the two types of MMEs represent two evolution products of the same hydrous andesitic magmas. In combination with the data on NQOB syn-collisional granitoids elsewhere, we suggest that the syn-collisional granitoids in the NQOB are material evidence of melting of ocean crust and sediment. The remarkable compositional similarity between the LHS granitoids and the model bulk continental crust in terms of major elements, trace elements, and some key element ratios indicates that the syn-collisional magmatism in the NQOB contributes to net continental crust growth, and that the way of continental crust growth in the Phanerozoic through syn-collisional felsic magmatism (production and preservation) is a straightforward process without the need of petrologically and physically complex processes.

A Generalized Electron Heat Flow Relation and its Connection to the Thermal Force and the Solar Wind Parallel Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scudder, J. D.

2017-12-01

Enroute to a new formulation of the heat law for the solar wind plasma the role of the invariably neglected, but omnipresent, thermal force for the multi-fluid physics of the corona and solar wind expansion will be discussed. This force (a) controls the size of the collisional ion electron energy exchange, favoring the thermal vs supra thermal electrons; (b) occurs whenever heat flux occurs; (c) remains after the electron and ion fluids come to a no slip, zero parallel current, equilibrium; (d) enhances the equilibrium parallel electric field; but (e) has a size that is theoretically independent of the electron collision frequency - allowing its importance to persist far up into the corona where collisions are invariably ignored in first approximation. The constituent parts of the thermal force allow the derivation of a new generalized electron heat flow relation that will be presented. It depends on the separate field aligned divergences of electron and ion pressures and the gradients of the ion gravitational potential and parallel flow energies and is based upon a multi-component electron distribution function. The new terms in this heat law explicitly incorporate the astrophysical context of gradients, acceleration and external forces that make demands on the parallel electric field and quasi-neutrality; essentially all of these effects are missing in traditional formulations.

A Hybrid Model for Multiscale Laser Plasma Simulations with Detailed Collisional Physics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-15

Validation against experimental data •Nonequilibrium radiation transport: coupling with a collisional-radiative model •Inelastic collisions in a MF...for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited. PA# 17383 Collisional Radiative (CR) Overview Updates • Investigated Quasi -Steady-State • Investigated...Techniques Quasi Stead-State (QSS) • Assumes fast kinetics between states within an ion distribution • Assumes longer diffusion/decay times than

Polarization of fast particle beams by collisional pumping

DOEpatents

Stearns, J.W.; Kaplan, S.N.; Pyle, R.V.; Anderson, L.W.; Schlachter, A.S.; Ruby, L.

1984-10-19

The invention relates to method and apparatus for polarizing a fast beam of particles by collisional pumping, including generating a fast beam of particles, and generating a thick electron-spin-polarized medium positioned as a target for said beam, said medium being sufficiently thick to allow said beam to interact with said medium to produce collisional pumping whereby said particle beam becomes highly polarized.

Collisional damping of the geodesic acoustic mode with toroidal rotation. I. Viscous damping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gong, Xueyu; Xie, Baoyi; Chen, You

2016-03-15

With the dispersion relation derived for the geodesic acoustic mode in toroidally rotating tokamak plasmas using the fluid model, the effect of the toroidal rotation on the collisional viscous damping of the geodesic acoustic mode is investigated. It is found that the collisional viscous damping of the geodesic acoustic mode has weak increase with respect to the toroidal Mach number.

Electron Energetics in the Martian Dayside Ionosphere: Model Comparisons with MAVEN Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakai, Shotaro; Andersson, Laila; Cravens, Thomas E.; Mitchell, David L.; Mazelle, Christian; Rahmati, Ali; Fowler, Christopher M.; Bougher, Stephen W.; Thiemann, Edward M. B.; Epavier, Francis G.;

Ionization heating in rare-gas clusters under intense XUV laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arbeiter, Mathias; Fennel, Thomas

The interaction of intense extreme ultraviolet (XUV) laser pulses ({lambda}=32 nm, I=10{sup 11}-10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2}) with small rare-gas clusters (Ar{sub 147}) is studied by quasiclassical molecular dynamics simulations. Our analysis supports a very general picture of the charging and heating dynamics in finite samples under short-wavelength radiation that is of relevance for several applications of free-electron lasers. First, up to a certain photon flux, ionization proceeds as a series of direct photoemission events producing a jellium-like cluster potential and a characteristic plateau in the photoelectron spectrum as observed in Bostedt et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 133401 (2008)]. Second,more » beyond the onset of photoelectron trapping, nanoplasma formation leads to evaporative electron emission with a characteristic thermal tail in the electron spectrum. A detailed analysis of this transition is presented. Third, in contrast to the behavior in the infrared or low vacuum ultraviolet range, the nanoplasma energy capture proceeds via ionization heating, i.e., inner photoionization of localized electrons, whereas collisional heating of conduction electrons is negligible up to high laser intensities. A direct consequence of the latter is a surprising evolution of the mean energy of emitted electrons as function of laser intensity.« less

Multi-scale transport in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating and projection to ITER

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grierson, B. A.; Staebler, G. M.; Solomon, W. M.

Multi-scale fluctuations measured by turbulence diagnostics spanning long and short wavelength spatial scales impact energy confinement and the scale-lengths of plasma kinetic profiles in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating. Contrasting discharge phases with ECH + neutral beam injection (NBI) and NBI only at similar rotation reveal higher energy confinement and lower fluctuations when only NBI heating is used. Modeling of the core transport with TGYRO using the TGLF turbulent transport model and NEO neoclassical transport reproduces the experimental profile changes upon application of direct electron heating and indicates that multi-scale transport mechanisms are responsible for changesmore » in the temperature and density profiles. Intermediate and high-k fluctuations appear responsible for the enhanced electron thermal flux, and intermediate-k electron modes produce an inward particle pinch that increases the inverse density scale length. Projection to ITER is performed with TGLF and indicates a density profile that has a finite scale length due to intermediate-k electron modes at low collisionality and increases the fusion gain. Finally, for a range of E×B shear, the dominant mechanism that increases fusion performance is suppression of outward low-k particle flux and increased density peaking.« less

Multi-scale transport in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating and projection to ITER

DOE PAGES

Grierson, B. A.; Staebler, G. M.; Solomon, W. M.; ...

2018-02-01

Multi-scale fluctuations measured by turbulence diagnostics spanning long and short wavelength spatial scales impact energy confinement and the scale-lengths of plasma kinetic profiles in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating. Contrasting discharge phases with ECH + neutral beam injection (NBI) and NBI only at similar rotation reveal higher energy confinement and lower fluctuations when only NBI heating is used. Modeling of the core transport with TGYRO using the TGLF turbulent transport model and NEO neoclassical transport reproduces the experimental profile changes upon application of direct electron heating and indicates that multi-scale transport mechanisms are responsible for changesmore » in the temperature and density profiles. Intermediate and high-k fluctuations appear responsible for the enhanced electron thermal flux, and intermediate-k electron modes produce an inward particle pinch that increases the inverse density scale length. Projection to ITER is performed with TGLF and indicates a density profile that has a finite scale length due to intermediate-k electron modes at low collisionality and increases the fusion gain. Finally, for a range of E×B shear, the dominant mechanism that increases fusion performance is suppression of outward low-k particle flux and increased density peaking.« less

Multi-scale transport in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating and projection to ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grierson, B. A.; Staebler, G. M.; Solomon, W. M.; McKee, G. R.; Holland, C.; Austin, M.; Marinoni, A.; Schmitz, L.; Pinsker, R. I.; DIII-D Team

2018-02-01

Multi-scale fluctuations measured by turbulence diagnostics spanning long and short wavelength spatial scales impact energy confinement and the scale-lengths of plasma kinetic profiles in the DIII-D ITER baseline scenario with direct electron heating. Contrasting discharge phases with ECH + neutral beam injection (NBI) and NBI only at similar rotation reveal higher energy confinement and lower fluctuations when only NBI heating is used. Modeling of the core transport with TGYRO using the TGLF turbulent transport model and NEO neoclassical transport reproduces the experimental profile changes upon application of direct electron heating and indicates that multi-scale transport mechanisms are responsible for changes in the temperature and density profiles. Intermediate and high-k fluctuations appear responsible for the enhanced electron thermal flux, and intermediate-k electron modes produce an inward particle pinch that increases the inverse density scale length. Projection to ITER is performed with TGLF and indicates a density profile that has a finite scale length due to intermediate-k electron modes at low collisionality and increases the fusion gain. For a range of E × B shear, the dominant mechanism that increases fusion performance is suppression of outward low-k particle flux and increased density peaking.

Direct Heating of a Laser-Imploded Core by Ultraintense Laser-Driven Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Y.; Mori, Y.; Komeda, O.; Ishii, K.; Hanayama, R.; Fujita, K.; Okihara, S.; Sekine, T.; Satoh, N.; Kurita, T.; Takagi, M.; Watari, T.; Kawashima, T.; Kan, H.; Nishimura, Y.; Sunahara, A.; Sentoku, Y.; Nakamura, N.; Kondo, T.; Fujine, M.; Azuma, H.; Motohiro, T.; Hioki, T.; Kakeno, M.; Miura, E.; Arikawa, Y.; Nagai, T.; Abe, Y.; Ozaki, S.; Noda, A.

2015-05-01

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D (d ,n )He 3 -reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5 ×108 n /4 π sr . Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6 ×107 n /4 π sr , raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g /cm3 in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g /cm3 ); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

Direct heating of a laser-imploded core by ultraintense laser-driven ions.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Y; Mori, Y; Komeda, O; Ishii, K; Hanayama, R; Fujita, K; Okihara, S; Sekine, T; Satoh, N; Kurita, T; Takagi, M; Watari, T; Kawashima, T; Kan, H; Nishimura, Y; Sunahara, A; Sentoku, Y; Nakamura, N; Kondo, T; Fujine, M; Azuma, H; Motohiro, T; Hioki, T; Kakeno, M; Miura, E; Arikawa, Y; Nagai, T; Abe, Y; Ozaki, S; Noda, A

2015-05-15

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D(d,n)^{3}He-reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5×10^{8} n/4π sr. Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6×10^{7} n/4π sr, raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g/cm^{3} in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g/cm^{3}); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

Hybrid-PIC modeling of laser-plasma interactions and hot electron generation in gold hohlraum walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoma, C.; Welch, D. R.; Clark, R. E.; Rose, D. V.; Golovkin, I. E.

2017-06-01

The walls of the hohlraum used in experiments at the national ignition facility are heated by laser beams with intensities ˜ 10 15 W/cm2, a wavelength of ˜ 1 / 3 μm, and pulse lengths on the order of a ns, with collisional absorption believed to be the primary heating mechanism. X-rays generated by the hot ablated plasma at the gold walls are then used to implode a target in the hohlraum interior. In addition to the collisional absorption of laser energy at the walls, non-linear laser-plasma interactions (LPI), such as stimulated Raman scattering and two plasmon decay, are believed to generate a population of supra-thermal electrons which, if present in the hohlraum, can have a deleterious effect on target implosion. We describe results of hohlraum modeling using a hybrid particle-in-cell code. To enable this work, new particle-based algorithms for a multiple-ion magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) treatment, and a particle-based ray-tracing model were developed. The use of such hybrid methods relaxes the requirement to resolve the laser wavelength, and allows for relatively large-scale hohlraum simulations with a reasonable number of cells. But the non-linear effects which are believed to be the cause of hot electron generation can only be captured by fully kinetic simulations with good resolution of the laser wavelength. For this reason, we employ a two-tiered approach to hohlraum modeling. Large-scale simulations of the collisional absorption process can be conducted using the fast quasi-neutral MHD algorithm with fluid particle species. From these simulations, we can observe the time evolution of the hohlraum walls and characterize the density and temperature profiles. From these results, we can transition to smaller-scale highly resolved simulations using traditional kinetic particle-in-cell methods, from which we can fully model all of the non-linear laser-plasma interactions, as well as assess the details of the electron distribution function. We find that vacuum hohlraums should be stable to both two plasmon decay and stimulated Raman scattering instabilities for intensities ≤ 10 15 W/cm2. In gas-filled hohlraums, shocks may be induced in the blowoff gold plasma, which leads to more complex density and temperatures profiles. The resulting effect on LPI stability depends strongly on the details of the profile, and it is possible for the gas-filled hohlraum to become unstable to two plasmon decay at 1015 W/cm2 if the quarter-critical surface reaches temperatures exceeding 1 keV.

Interrelated structures of the transport shock and collisional relaxation layer in a multitemperature, multilevel ionized gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vinolo, A. R.; Clarke, J. H.

1973-01-01

The gas dynamic structures of the transport shock and the downstream collisional relaxation layer are evaluated for partially ionized monatomic gases. Elastic and inelastic collisional nonequilibrium effects are taken into consideration. In the microscopic model of the atom, three electronic levels are accounted for. By using an asymptotic technique, the shock morphology is found on a continuum flow basis. This procedure gives two distinct layers in which the nonequilibrium effects to be considered are different. A transport shock appears as the inner solution to an outer collisional relaxation layer. The results show four main interesting points: (1) on structuring the transport shock, ionization and excitation rates must be included in the formulation, since the flow is not frozen with respect to the population of the different electronic levels; (2) an electron temperature precursor appears at the beginning of the transport shock; (3) the collisional layer is rationally reduced to quadrature for special initial conditions, which (4) are obtained from new Rankine-Hugoniot relations for the inner shock.

DBCC Software as Database for Collisional Cross-Sections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moroz, Daniel; Moroz, Paul

2014-10-01

Interactions of species, such as atoms, radicals, molecules, electrons, and photons, in plasmas used for materials processing could be very complex, and many of them could be described in terms of collisional cross-sections. Researchers involved in plasma simulations must select reasonable cross-sections for collisional processes for implementing them into their simulation codes to be able to correctly simulate plasmas. However, collisional cross-section data are difficult to obtain, and, for some collisional processes, the cross-sections are still not known. Data on collisional cross-sections can be obtained from numerous sources including numerical calculations, experiments, journal articles, conference proceedings, scientific reports, various universities' websites, national labs and centers specifically devoted to collecting data on cross-sections. The cross-sections data received from different sources could be partial, corresponding to limited energy ranges, or could even not be in agreement. The DBCC software package was designed to help researchers in collecting, comparing, and selecting cross-sections, some of which could be constructed from others or chosen as defaults. This is important as different researchers may place trust in different cross-sections or in different sources. We will discuss the details of DBCC and demonstrate how it works and why it is beneficial to researchers working on plasma simulations.

Eulerian simulations of collisional effects on electrostatic plasma waves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pezzi, Oreste; Valentini, Francesco; Perrone, Denise

2013-09-15

The problem of collisions in a plasma is a wide subject with a huge historical literature. In fact, the description of realistic plasmas is a tough problem to attack, both from the theoretical and the numerical point of view. In this paper, a Eulerian time-splitting algorithm for the study of the propagation of electrostatic waves in collisional plasmas is presented. Collisions are modeled through one-dimensional operators of the Fokker-Planck type, both in linear and nonlinear forms. The accuracy of the numerical code is discussed by comparing the numerical results to the analytical predictions obtained in some limit cases when tryingmore » to evaluate the effects of collisions in the phenomenon of wave plasma echo and collisional dissipation of Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal waves. Particular attention is devoted to the study of the nonlinear Dougherty collisional operator, recently used to describe the collisional dissipation of electron plasma waves in a pure electron plasma column [M. W. Anderson and T. M. O'Neil, Phys. Plasmas 14, 112110 (2007)]. Finally, for the study of collisional plasmas, a recipe to set the simulation parameters in order to prevent the filamentation problem can be provided, by exploiting the property of velocity diffusion operators to smooth out small velocity scales.« less

Heat flux modeling using ion drift effects in DIII-D H-mode plasmas with resonant magnetic perturbations

DOE PAGES

Wingen, Andreas; Schmitz, Oliver; Evans, Todd E.; ...

2014-01-01

The heat flux patterns measured in low-collisionality DIII-D H-mode plasmas strongly deviate from simultaneously measured CII emission patterns, used as indicator of particle flux, during applied resonant magnetic perturbations. While the CII emission clearly shows typical striations, which are similar to magnetic footprint patterns obtained from vacuum field line tracing, the heat flux is usually dominated by one large peak at the strike point position. The vacuum approximation, which only considers applied magnetic fields and neglects plasma response and plasma effects, cannot explain the shape of the observed heat flux pattern. One possible explanation is the effect of particle drifts.more » This is included in the field line equations and the results are discussed with reference to the measurement. Electrons and ions show di fferent drift motions at thermal energy levels in a guiding center approximation. While electrons hardly deviate from the field lines, ions can drift several centimetres away from field line flux surfaces. A model is presented in which an ion heat flux, based on the ion drift motion from various kinetic energies as they contribute to a thermal Maxwellian distribution, is calculated. The simulated heat flux is directly compared to measurements with a varying edge safety factor q95. This analysis provides evidence for the dominate e ect of high-energy ions in carrying heat from the plasma inside the separatrix to the target. High-energy ions are deposited close to the unperturbed strike line while low-energy ions can travel into the striated magnetic topology.« less

Impact splash chondrule formation during planetesimal recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenberg, Tim; Golabek, Gregor J.; Dullemond, Cornelis P.; Schönbächler, Maria; Gerya, Taras V.; Meyer, Michael R.

2018-03-01

Chondrules, mm-sized igneous-textured spherules, are the dominant bulk silicate constituent of chondritic meteorites and originate from highly energetic, local processes during the first million years after the birth of the Sun. So far, an astrophysically consistent chondrule formation scenario explaining major chemical, isotopic and textural features, in particular Fe,Ni metal abundances, bulk Fe/Mg ratios and intra-chondrite chemical and isotopic diversity, remains elusive. Here, we examine the prospect of forming chondrules from impact splashes among planetesimals heated by radioactive decay of short-lived radionuclides using thermomechanical models of their interior evolution. We show that intensely melted planetesimals with interior magma oceans became rapidly chemically equilibrated and physically differentiated. Therefore, collisional interactions among such bodies would have resulted in chondrule-like but basaltic spherules, which are not observed in the meteoritic record. This inconsistency with the expected dynamical interactions hints at an incomplete understanding of the planetary growth regime during the lifetime of the solar protoplanetary disk. To resolve this conundrum, we examine how the observed chemical and isotopic features of chondrules constrain the dynamical environment of accreting chondrite parent bodies by interpreting the meteoritic record as an impact-generated proxy of early solar system planetesimals that underwent repeated collision and reaccretion cycles. Using a coupled evolution-collision model we demonstrate that the vast majority of collisional debris feeding the asteroid main belt must be derived from planetesimals which were partially molten at maximum. Therefore, the precursors of chondrite parent bodies either formed primarily small, from sub-canonical aluminum-26 reservoirs, or collisional destruction mechanisms were efficient enough to shatter planetesimals before they reached the magma ocean phase. Finally, we outline the window in parameter space for which chondrule formation from planetesimal collisions can be reconciled with the meteoritic record and how our results can be used to further constrain early solar system dynamics.

Phase mixing versus nonlinear advection in drift-kinetic plasma turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schekochihin, A. A.; Parker, J. T.; Highcock, E. G.; Dellar, P. J.; Dorland, W.; Hammett, G. W.

2016-04-01

> A scaling theory of long-wavelength electrostatic turbulence in a magnetised, weakly collisional plasma (e.g. drift-wave turbulence driven by ion temperature gradients) is proposed, with account taken both of the nonlinear advection of the perturbed particle distribution by fluctuating flows and of its phase mixing, which is caused by the streaming of the particles along the mean magnetic field and, in a linear problem, would lead to Landau damping. It is found that it is possible to construct a consistent theory in which very little free energy leaks into high velocity moments of the distribution function, rendering the turbulent cascade in the energetically relevant part of the wavenumber space essentially fluid-like. The velocity-space spectra of free energy expressed in terms of Hermite-moment orders are steep power laws and so the free-energy content of the phase space does not diverge at infinitesimal collisionality (while it does for a linear problem); collisional heating due to long-wavelength perturbations vanishes in this limit (also in contrast with the linear problem, in which it occurs at the finite rate equal to the Landau damping rate). The ability of the free energy to stay in the low velocity moments of the distribution function is facilitated by the `anti-phase-mixing' effect, whose presence in the nonlinear system is due to the stochastic version of the plasma echo (the advecting velocity couples the phase-mixing and anti-phase-mixing perturbations). The partitioning of the wavenumber space between the (energetically dominant) region where this is the case and the region where linear phase mixing wins its competition with nonlinear advection is governed by the `critical balance' between linear and nonlinear time scales (which for high Hermite moments splits into two thresholds, one demarcating the wavenumber region where phase mixing predominates, the other where plasma echo does).

A Laboratory Impact Study of Simulated Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Eileen V.; Davis, Donald R.; Giblin, Ian

1999-11-01

This paper reports on a series of laboratory impact experiments designed to provide basic data on how simulated Edgeworth-Kuiper belt objects (EKOs) fragment in an impact event. In September-October 1997 we carried out 20 low-velocity airgun shots at the Ames Vertical Gun Range into porous and homogeneous ice spheres using aluminum, fractured ice, and solid ice projectiles. We found that the porous ice targets behaved as strongly as solid ice in collision. Energy is apparently well dissipated by the void spaces within the target, such that these fragile ice structures respond as if they were strong in impacts. Therefore, it would appear that if EKOs are porous, they are not collisionally weak. Also, our data show that collisional outcomes for low-velocity impacts into ice targets depend on the type of projectile used as well as the properties of the target. We observed that the degree of fragmentation for a given type of target increases as the strength of the projectile increases. Aluminum projectiles are far more damaging to the target at the same collisional energy than are solid ice projectiles, which, in turn, are more damaging than fractured ice projectiles. One possible explanation for this behavior is the variable depth of penetration of the projectile for the different cases—stronger projectiles penetrate more deeply and couple more energy into the target than do weak projectiles. Based on this, if we assume that there has not been significant heating or differentiation in the Edgeworth-Kuiper (E-K) belt, the most applicable impact strength for the low-velocity E-K belt collisions is likely to be that derived from similar target/projectile materials impacting each other. The laboratory data from this analysis indicate that a value for impact strength>5×10 5 erg/cm 3 is appropriate for porous ice targets impacted with solid/porous ice projectiles.

Kinetic response of ionospheric ions to onset of auroral electric fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Y. T.; Kan, J. R.

1981-01-01

By examining the exact analytic solution of a kinetic model of collisional interaction of ionospheric ions with atmospheric neutrals in the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook approximation, we show that the onset of intense auroral electric fields in the topside ionosphere can produce the following kinetic effects: (1) heat the bulk ionospheric ions to approximately 2 eV, thus driving them up to higher altitudes where they can be subjected to collisionless plasma processes; (2) produce a non-Maxwellian superthermal tail in the distribution function; and (3) cause the ion distribution function to be anisotropic with respect to the magnetic field with the perpendicular average thermal energy exceeding the parallel thermal energy.

The Enskog Equation for Confined Elastic Hard Spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynar, P.; García de Soria, M. I.; Brey, J. Javier

2018-03-01

A kinetic equation for a system of elastic hard spheres or disks confined by a hard wall of arbitrary shape is derived. It is a generalization of the modified Enskog equation in which the effects of the confinement are taken into account and it is supposed to be valid up to moderate densities. From the equation, balance equations for the hydrodynamic fields are derived, identifying the collisional transfer contributions to the pressure tensor and heat flux. A Lyapunov functional, H[f], is identified. For any solution of the kinetic equation, H decays monotonically in time until the system reaches the inhomogeneous equilibrium distribution, that is a Maxwellian distribution with a density field consistent with equilibrium statistical mechanics.

Kinetic response of ionospheric ions to onset of auroral electric fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Y. T.; Kan, J. R.

1981-01-01

Examination of the exact analytic solution of a kinetic model of collisional interaction of ionospheric fions with atmospheric neutrals in the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook approximation, shows that the onset of intense auroral electric fields in the topside ionosphere can produce the following kinetic effects: (1) heat the bulk ionospheric ions to approximately 2 eV, thus driving them up to higher altitudes where they can be subjected to collisionless plasma processes; (2) produce a nonMaxwellian superthermal tail in the distribution function; and (3) cause the ion distribution function to be anisotropic with respect to the magnetic field with the perpendicular average thermal energy exceeding the parallel thermal energy.

Spectroscopy of X-ray Photoionized Plasmas in the Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liedahl, Duane A.; Loisel, Guillaume; Bailey, James E.; Nagayama, Taisuke; Hansen, Stephanie B.; Rochau, Gregory; Fontes, Christopher J.; Mancini, Roberto; Kallman, Timothy R.

2018-06-01

The physical processes operating in astrophysical plasmas --- heating, cooling, ionization, recombination, level population kinetics, and radiation transport --- are all accessible to observation in the laboratory. What distinguishes X-ray photoionized plasmas from the more common case of high-temperature collisionally-ionized plasmas is the elevated level of importance of the radiation/matter interaction. The advent of laboratory facilities with the capability to generate high-powered X-ray sources has provided the means by which to study this interaction, which is also fundamental to active galactic nuclei and other accretion-powered objects. We discuss recent and ongoing experiments, with an emphasis on X-ray spectroscopic measurements of silicon plasmas obtained at the Sandia Z Pulsed Power Facility.

Non-inductive current driven by Alfvén waves in solar coronal loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfimov, A. G.; de Azevedo, C. A.; de Assis, A. S.

1996-08-01

It has been shown that Alfvén waves can drive non-inductive current in solar coronal loops via collisional or collisionless damping. Assuming that all the coronal-loop density of dissipated wave power (W= 10-3 erg cm-3 s-1), which is necessary to keep the plasma hot, is due to Alfvén wave electron heating, we have estimated the axial current density driven by Alfvén waves to be ≈ 103 105 statA cm-2. This current can indeed support the quasi-stationary equilibrium and stability of coronal loops and create the poloidal magnetic field up to B θ≈1-5 G.

Spitzer Observations of Dust Destruction in the Puppis A Supernova Remnant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arendt, Richard G.; Dwek, Eli,; Blair, William P.; Ghavamian, Parviz; Long, Knox S.

2010-01-01

Imaging and spectral observations of the Puppis A supernova remnant (SNR) with the Spitzer Space Telescope confirm that its IR emission is dominated by the thermal continuum emission of swept-up interstellar dust which is collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas of the SNR. Line emission is too weak to affect the fluxes measured in broadband observations, and is poorly correlated with the IR or X-ray emission. Modeling of spectra from regions both in the SNR and in the associated ISM show that the ubiquitous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of the ISM are destroyed within the SNR, along with nearly 25% of the mass of graphite and silicate dust grains.

THE FLOW AROUND A COSMIC STRING. I. HYDRODYNAMIC SOLUTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beresnyak, Andrey; Nordita, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, SE-10691

2015-05-10

Cosmic strings are linear topological defects which are hypothesized to be produced during inflation. Most searches for strings have relied on the string’s lensing of background galaxies or the cosmic microwave background. In this paper, I obtained a solution for the supersonic flow of collisional gas past the cosmic string which has two planar shocks with a shock compression ratio that depends on the angle defect of the string and its speed. The shocks result in the compression and heating of the gas and, given favorable conditions, particle acceleration. Gas heating and over-density in an unusual wedge shape can bemore » detected by observing the Hi line at high redshifts. Particle acceleration can occur in the present-day universe when the string crosses the hot gas contained in galaxy clusters and, since the consequences of such a collision persist for cosmological timescales, could be located by looking at unusual large-scale radio sources situated on a single spatial plane.« less

Investigating the Spectroscopic Variability of Magentically Active M Dwarfs In SDSS.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventura, Jean-Paul; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Cruz, Kelle; Rice, Emily; Cid, Aurora

2018-01-01

Magnetic activity, a wide range of observable phenomena produced in the outer atmospheres of stars is, currently, not well understood for M dwarfs. In higher mass stars, magnetic activity is powered by a dynamo process involving the differential rotation of a star’s inner regions. This process generates a magnetic field, heats up regions in the chromosphere and produces Hα emission line radiation from collisional excitation. Using spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), I compare Hα emission line strengths for a subsample of 12,000 photometric variability selected M dwarfs from Pan-STARRS1 with those of a known non-variable sample. Presumably, the photometric variability originates from the occurrence of star spots at the stellar surface, which are the result of an intense magnetic field and associated chromospheric heating. We proceed with this work in order to test whether the photometric variability of the sample correlates with chromospheric Hα emission features. If not, we explore alternate reasons for that photometric variability (e.g. binarity or transiting planetary companions)

SOL Thermal Instability due to Radial Blob Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ippolito, D. A.

2005-10-01

C-Mod datafootnotetextM. Greenwald, Plasma Phys. Contr. Fusion 44, R27 (2002). suggests a density limit when rapid perpendicular convection dominates SOL heat transport. This is supported by a recent analysisfootnotetextD.A. Russell et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 265001 (2004). of BOUT code turbulence simulations, which shows that rapid outwards convection of plasma by turbulent blobs is enhanced when the X-point collisionality is large, resulting in a synergistic effect between blob convection and X-point cooling. This work motivates the present analysis of SOL thermal equilibrium and instability including an RX-regime modelfootnotetextJ.R. Myra and D.A. D'Ippolito, Lodestar Report LRC-05-105 (2005). of blob particle and heat transport. Two-point (midplane, X-point) SOL thermal equilibrium and stability models are considered including both two-field (T) and four-field (n,T) treatments. The conditions under which loss of thermal equilibrium or thermal instabilities occur are established, and relations to the C-Mod data are described.

Short-term collisional evolution of a disc perturbed by a giant-planet embryo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charnoz, S.; Thébault, P.; Brahic, A.

2001-07-01

A simple numerical model has been developed to study the evolution of a disc of planetesimals under mutual inelastic collisions in the potential field of a central body and of an embedded giant-planet embryo. Masses for the latter range from 0.5 to 300 Earth masses. A mass of 15 Moplus is typical of the solid-core model for the formation of giant planets. The initially cold disc consists of a few thousand particles. Those initially present between one and three Hill radii from the perturber's orbit are transferred to very eccentric orbits causing violent collisions throughout the disc. The perturbation propagates far from the perturber, like a heat transfer: a 15 Moplus perturber orbiting at 5.2 a.u. heats up the disc from 2.3 to at least 11 a.u. from the central body in a few 105 to 106 years. Relative velocities are typically increased by a factor of 10 to 100. The extent of the heated region increases with the protoplanet's mass while the propagation timescale decreases. The resulting radial mixing has potential applications for the origin of the Asteroid Belt, in particular for the radial distribution of the asteroid's spectroscopic families.

Extension of the operational regime of the LHD towards a deuterium experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeiri, Y.; Morisaki, T.; Osakabe, M.; Yokoyama, M.; Sakakibara, S.; Takahashi, H.; Nakamura, Y.; Oishi, T.; Motojima, G.; Murakami, S.; Ito, K.; Ejiri, A.; Imagawa, S.; Inagaki, S.; Isobe, M.; Kubo, S.; Masamune, S.; Mito, T.; Murakami, I.; Nagaoka, K.; Nagasaki, K.; Nishimura, K.; Sakamoto, M.; Sakamoto, R.; Shimozuma, T.; Shinohara, K.; Sugama, H.; Watanabe, K. Y.; Ahn, J. W.; Akata, N.; Akiyama, T.; Ashikawa, N.; Baldzuhn, J.; Bando, T.; Bernard, E.; Castejón, F.; Chikaraishi, H.; Emoto, M.; Evans, T.; Ezumi, N.; Fujii, K.; Funaba, H.; Goto, M.; Goto, T.; Gradic, D.; Gunsu, Y.; Hamaguchi, S.; Hasegawa, H.; Hayashi, Y.; Hidalgo, C.; Higashiguchi, T.; Hirooka, Y.; Hishinuma, Y.; Horiuchi, R.; Ichiguchi, K.; Ida, K.; Ido, T.; Igami, H.; Ikeda, K.; Ishiguro, S.; Ishizaki, R.; Ishizawa, A.; Ito, A.; Ito, Y.; Iwamoto, A.; Kamio, S.; Kamiya, K.; Kaneko, O.; Kanno, R.; Kasahara, H.; Kato, D.; Kato, T.; Kawahata, K.; Kawamura, G.; Kisaki, M.; Kitajima, S.; Ko, W. H.; Kobayashi, M.; Kobayashi, S.; Kobayashi, T.; Koga, K.; Kohyama, A.; Kumazawa, R.; Lee, J. H.; López-Bruna, D.; Makino, R.; Masuzaki, S.; Matsumoto, Y.; Matsuura, H.; Mitarai, O.; Miura, H.; Miyazawa, J.; Mizuguchi, N.; Moon, C.; Morita, S.; Moritaka, T.; Mukai, K.; Muroga, T.; Muto, S.; Mutoh, T.; Nagasaka, T.; Nagayama, Y.; Nakajima, N.; Nakamura, Y.; Nakanishi, H.; Nakano, H.; Nakata, M.; Narushima, Y.; Nishijima, D.; Nishimura, A.; Nishimura, S.; Nishitani, T.; Nishiura, M.; Nobuta, Y.; Noto, H.; Nunami, M.; Obana, T.; Ogawa, K.; Ohdachi, S.; Ohno, M.; Ohno, N.; Ohtani, H.; Okamoto, M.; Oya, Y.; Ozaki, T.; Peterson, B. J.; Preynas, M.; Sagara, S.; Saito, K.; Sakaue, H.; Sanpei, A.; Satake, S.; Sato, M.; Saze, T.; Schmitz, O.; Seki, R.; Seki, T.; Sharov, I.; Shimizu, A.; Shiratani, M.; Shoji, M.; Skinner, C.; Soga, R.; Stange, T.; Suzuki, C.; Suzuki, Y.; Takada, S.; Takahata, K.; Takayama, A.; Takayama, S.; Takemura, Y.; Takeuchi, Y.; Tamura, H.; Tamura, N.; Tanaka, H.; Tanaka, K.; Tanaka, M.; Tanaka, T.; Tanaka, Y.; Toda, S.; Todo, Y.; Toi, K.; Toida, M.; Tokitani, M.; Tokuzawa, T.; Tsuchiya, H.; Tsujimura, T.; Tsumori, K.; Usami, S.; Velasco, J. L.; Wang, H.; Watanabe, T.-H.; Watanabe, T.; Yagi, J.; Yajima, M.; Yamada, H.; Yamada, I.; Yamagishi, O.; Yamaguchi, N.; Yamamoto, Y.; Yanagi, N.; Yasuhara, R.; Yatsuka, E.; Yoshida, N.; Yoshinuma, M.; Yoshimura, S.; Yoshimura, Y.

2017-10-01

As the finalization of a hydrogen experiment towards the deuterium phase, the exploration of the best performance of hydrogen plasma was intensively performed in the large helical device. High ion and electron temperatures, T i and T e, of more than 6 keV were simultaneously achieved by superimposing high-power electron cyclotron resonance heating onneutral beam injection (NBI) heated plasma. Although flattening of the ion temperature profile in the core region was observed during the discharges, one could avoid degradation by increasing the electron density. Another key parameter to present plasma performance is an averaged beta value ≤ft< β \\right> . The high ≤ft< β \\right> regime around 4% was extended to an order of magnitude lower than the earlier collisional regime. Impurity behaviour in hydrogen discharges with NBI heating was also classified with a wide range of edge plasma parameters. The existence of a no impurity accumulation regime, where the high performance plasma is maintained with high power heating  >10 MW, was identified. Wide parameter scan experiments suggest that the toroidal rotation and the turbulence are the candidates for expelling impurities from the core region.

Pressure-anisotropy-induced nonlinearities in the kinetic magnetorotational instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squire, J.; Quataert, E.; Kunz, M. W.

2017-12-01

In collisionless and weakly collisional plasmas, such as hot accretion flows onto compact objects, the magnetorotational instability (MRI) can differ significantly from the standard (collisional) MRI. In particular, pressure anisotropy with respect to the local magnetic-field direction can both change the linear MRI dispersion relation and cause nonlinear modifications to the mode structure and growth rate, even when the field and flow perturbations are very small. This work studies these pressure-anisotropy-induced nonlinearities in the weakly nonlinear, high-ion-beta regime, before the MRI saturates into strong turbulence. Our goal is to better understand how the saturation of the MRI in a low-collisionality plasma might differ from that in the collisional regime. We focus on two key effects: (i) the direct impact of self-induced pressure-anisotropy nonlinearities on the evolution of an MRI mode, and (ii) the influence of pressure anisotropy on the `parasitic instabilities' that are suspected to cause the mode to break up into turbulence. Our main conclusions are: (i) The mirror instability regulates the pressure anisotropy in such a way that the linear MRI in a collisionless plasma is an approximate nonlinear solution once the mode amplitude becomes larger than the background field (just as in magnetohyrodynamics). This implies that differences between the collisionless and collisional MRI become unimportant at large amplitudes. (ii) The break up of large-amplitude MRI modes into turbulence via parasitic instabilities is similar in collisionless and collisional plasmas. Together, these conclusions suggest that the route to magnetorotational turbulence in a collisionless plasma may well be similar to that in a collisional plasma, as suggested by recent kinetic simulations. As a supplement to these findings, we offer guidance for the design of future kinetic simulations of magnetorotational turbulence.

The effect of collisionality and diamagnetism on the plasma dynamo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ji, H.; Yagi, Y.; Hattori, K.

1995-04-28

Fluctuation-induced dynamo forces are measured over a wide range of electron collisionality in the edge of TPE-1RM20 Reversed-Field Pinch (RFP). In the collisionless region the Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) dynamo alone can sustain the parallel current, while in the collisional region a new dynamo mechanism resulting from the fluctuations in the electron diamagnetic drift becomes dominant. A comprehensive picture of the RFP dynamo emerges by combining with earlier results from MST and REPUTE RFPs.

Complexity Reduction of Collisional-Radiative Kinetics for Atomic Plasma

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-23

through collisional and radiative interactions .4–6 The most accurate treatment for these non- equilibrium plasmas requires a state-to-state approach,7–13...CR system versus time, during con- stant-Te plasma evolution from a low -temperature ASDF and low electron number density; as excitation and...Collisional-radiative model in air for earth re-entry problems,” Phys. Plasmas 13, 043502 (2006). 9C. O. Laux, L. Pierrot, and R. J. Gessman, “State-to

The effect of external magnetic field on the bremsstrahlung nonlinear absorption mechanism in the interaction of high intensity short laser pulse with collisional underdense plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sedaghat, M.; Ettehadi-Abari, M.; Shokri, B., E-mail: b-shokri@sbu.ac.ir

2015-03-15

Laser absorption in the interaction between ultra-intense femtosecond laser and solid density plasma is studied theoretically here in the intensity range Iλ{sup 2}≃10{sup 14}−10{sup 16}Wcm{sup −2}μm{sup 2}. The collisional effect is found to be significant when the incident laser intensity is less than 10{sup 16}Wcm{sup −2}μm{sup 2}. In the current work, the propagation of a high frequency electromagnetic wave, for underdense collisional plasma in the presence of an external magnetic field is investigated. It is shown that, by considering the effect of the ponderomotive force in collisional magnetized plasmas, the increase of laser pulse intensity leads to steepening of themore » electron density profile and the electron bunches of plasma makes narrower. Moreover, it is found that the wavelength of electric and magnetic fields oscillations increases by increasing the external magnetic field and the density distribution of electrons also grows in comparison with the unmagnetized collisional plasma. Furthermore, the spatial damping rate of laser energy and the nonlinear bremsstrahlung absorption coefficient are obtained in the collisional regime of magnetized plasma. The other remarkable result is that by increasing the external magnetic field in this case, the absorption coefficient increases strongly.« less

Collisional transport across the magnetic field in drift-fluid models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Madsen, J., E-mail: jmad@fysik.dtu.dk; Naulin, V.; Nielsen, A. H.

2016-03-15

Drift ordered fluid models are widely applied in studies of low-frequency turbulence in the edge and scrape-off layer regions of magnetically confined plasmas. Here, we show how collisional transport across the magnetic field is self-consistently incorporated into drift-fluid models without altering the drift-fluid energy integral. We demonstrate that the inclusion of collisional transport in drift-fluid models gives rise to diffusion of particle density, momentum, and pressures in drift-fluid turbulence models and, thereby, obviates the customary use of artificial diffusion in turbulence simulations. We further derive a computationally efficient, two-dimensional model, which can be time integrated for several turbulence de-correlation timesmore » using only limited computational resources. The model describes interchange turbulence in a two-dimensional plane perpendicular to the magnetic field located at the outboard midplane of a tokamak. The model domain has two regions modeling open and closed field lines. The model employs a computational expedient model for collisional transport. Numerical simulations show good agreement between the full and the simplified model for collisional transport.« less

Gyrokinetic-water-bag modeling of low-frequency instabilities in a laboratory magnetized plasma column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gravier, E.; Klein, R.; Morel, P.; Besse, N.; Bertrand, P.

2008-12-01

A new model is presented, named collisional-gyro-water-bag (CGWB), which describes the collisional drift waves and ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) instabilities in a plasma column. This model is based on the kinetic gyro-water-bag approach recently developed [P. Morel et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 112109 (2007)] to investigate ion-temperature-gradient modes. In CGWB electron-neutral collisions have been introduced and are now taken into account. The model has been validated by comparing CGWB linear analysis with other models previously proposed and experimental results as well. Kinetic effects on collisional drift waves are investigated, resulting in a less effective growth rate, and the transition from collisional drift waves to ITG instability depending on the ion temperature gradient is studied.

An observationally-driven kinetic approach to coronal heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moraitis, K.; Toutountzi, A.; Isliker, H.; Georgoulis, M.; Vlahos, L.; Chintzoglou, G.

2016-11-01

Aims: Coronal heating through the explosive release of magnetic energy remains an open problem in solar physics. Recent hydrodynamical models attempt an investigation by placing swarms of "nanoflares" at random sites and times in modeled one-dimensional coronal loops. We investigate the problem in three dimensions, using extrapolated coronal magnetic fields of observed solar active regions. Methods: We applied a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation above an observed photospheric magnetogram of NOAA active region (AR) 11 158. We then determined the locations, energy contents, and volumes of "unstable" areas, namely areas prone to releasing magnetic energy due to locally accumulated electric current density. Statistical distributions of these volumes and their fractal dimension are inferred, investigating also their dependence on spatial resolution. Further adopting a simple resistivity model, we inferred the properties of the fractally distributed electric fields in these volumes. Next, we monitored the evolution of 105 particles (electrons and ions) obeying an initial Maxwellian distribution with a temperature of 10 eV, by following their trajectories and energization when subjected to the resulting electric fields. For computational convenience, the length element of the magnetic-field extrapolation is 1 arcsec, or 725 km, much coarser than the particles' collisional mean free path in the low corona (0.1-1 km). Results: The presence of collisions traps the bulk of the plasma around the unstable volumes, or current sheets (UCS), with only a tail of the distribution gaining substantial energy. Assuming that the distance between UCS is similar to the collisional mean free path we find that the low active-region corona is heated to 100-200 eV, corresponding to temperatures exceeding 2 MK, within tens of seconds for electrons and thousands of seconds for ions. Conclusions: Fractally distributed, nanoflare-triggening fragmented UCS in the active-region corona can heat electrons and ions with minor enhancements of the local resistivity. This statistical result is independent from the nature of the extrapolation and the spatial resolution of the modeled active-region corona. This finding should be coupled with a complete plasma treatment to determine whether a quasi-steady temperature similar to that of the ambient corona can be maintained, either via a kinetic or via a hybrid, kinetic and fluid, plasma treatment. The finding can also be extended to the quiet solar corona, provided that the currently undetected nanoflares are frequent enough to account for the lower (compared to active regions) energy losses in this case.

Effects of plasma flows on particle diffusion in stochastic magnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlad, M.; Spineanu, F.; Misguich, J.H.

1996-07-01

The study of collisional test particle diffusion in stochastic magnetic fields is extended to include the effects of the macroscopic flows of the plasma (drifts). We show that a substantial amplification of the diffusion coefficient can be obtained. This effect is produced by the combined action of the parallel collisional velocity and of the average drifts. The perpendicular collisional velocity influences the effective diffusion only in the limit of small average drifts. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

Kinetic modeling of x-ray laser-driven solid Al plasmas via particle-in-cell simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royle, R.; Sentoku, Y.; Mancini, R. C.; Paraschiv, I.; Johzaki, T.

2017-06-01

Solid-density plasmas driven by intense x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) radiation are seeded by sources of nonthermal photoelectrons and Auger electrons that ionize and heat the target via collisions. Simulation codes that are commonly used to model such plasmas, such as collisional-radiative (CR) codes, typically assume a Maxwellian distribution and thus instantaneous thermalization of the source electrons. In this study, we present a detailed description and initial applications of a collisional particle-in-cell code, picls, that has been extended with a self-consistent radiation transport model and Monte Carlo models for photoionization and K L L Auger ionization, enabling the fully kinetic simulation of XFEL-driven plasmas. The code is used to simulate two experiments previously performed at the Linac Coherent Light Source investigating XFEL-driven solid-density Al plasmas. It is shown that picls-simulated pulse transmissions using the Ecker-Kröll continuum-lowering model agree much better with measurements than do simulations using the Stewart-Pyatt model. Good quantitative agreement is also found between the time-dependent picls results and those of analogous simulations by the CR code scfly, which was used in the analysis of the experiments to accurately reproduce the observed K α emissions and pulse transmissions. Finally, it is shown that the effects of the nonthermal electrons are negligible for the conditions of the particular experiments under investigation.

Collisional stripping of planetary crusts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Philip J.; Leinhardt, Zoë M.; Elliott, Tim; Stewart, Sarah T.; Walter, Michael J.

2018-02-01

Geochemical studies of planetary accretion and evolution have invoked various degrees of collisional erosion to explain differences in bulk composition between planets and chondrites. Here we undertake a full, dynamical evaluation of 'crustal stripping' during accretion and its key geochemical consequences. Crusts are expected to contain a significant fraction of planetary budgets of incompatible elements, which include the major heat producing nuclides. We present smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of collisions between differentiated rocky planetesimals and planetary embryos. We find that the crust is preferentially lost relative to the mantle during impacts, and we have developed a scaling law based on these simulations that approximates the mass of crust that remains in the largest remnant. Using this scaling law and a recent set of N-body simulations of terrestrial planet formation, we have estimated the maximum effect of crustal stripping on incompatible element abundances during the accretion of planetary embryos. We find that on average approximately one third of the initial crust is stripped from embryos as they accrete, which leads to a reduction of ∼20% in the budgets of the heat producing elements if the stripped crust does not reaccrete. Erosion of crusts can lead to non-chondritic ratios of incompatible elements, but the magnitude of this effect depends sensitively on the details of the crust-forming melting process on the planetesimals. The Lu/Hf system is fractionated for a wide range of crustal formation scenarios. Using eucrites (the products of planetesimal silicate melting, thought to represent the crust of Vesta) as a guide to the Lu/Hf of planetesimal crust partially lost during accretion, we predict the Earth could evolve to a superchondritic 176Hf/177Hf (3-5 parts per ten thousand) at present day. Such values are in keeping with compositional estimates of the bulk Earth. Stripping of planetary crusts during accretion can lead to detectable changes in bulk composition of lithophile elements, but the fractionation is relatively subtle, and sensitive to the efficiency of reaccretion.

Collision-Induced Dissociation of Electrosprayed Protein Complexes: An All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Model with Mobile Protons.

PubMed

Popa, Vlad; Trecroce, Danielle A; McAllister, Robert G; Konermann, Lars

2016-06-16

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has become an indispensable technique for examining noncovalent protein complexes. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of these multiply protonated gaseous ions usually culminates in ejection of a single subunit with a disproportionately large amount of charge. Experiments suggest that this process involves subunit unfolding prior to separation from the residual complex, as well as H(+) migration onto the unravelling chain. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are a promising avenue for gaining detailed insights into these CID events. Unfortunately, typical MD algorithms do not allow for mobile protons. Here we address this limitation by implementing a strategy that combines atomistic force fields (such as OPLS/AA and CHARMM36) with a proton hopping algorithm, focusing on the tetrameric complexes transthyretin and streptavidin. Protons are redistributed over all acidic and basic sites in 20 ps intervals, subject to an energy function that reflects electrostatic interactions and proton affinities. Our simulations predict that nativelike conformers at the onset of collisional heating contain multiple salt bridges. Collisional heating initially causes subtle structural changes that lead to a gradual decline of these zwitterionic patterns. Many of the MD runs show gradual unfolding of a single subunit in conjunction with H(+) migration, culminating in subunit separation from the complex. However, there are also instances where two or more chains start to unfold simultaneously, giving rise to charge competition. The scission point where the "winning" subunit separates from the complex can be attained for different degrees of unfolding, giving rise to product ions in various charge states. The simulated product ion distributions are in close agreement with experimental CID data. Proton enrichment in the departing subunit is driven by charge-charge repulsion, but the combination of salt bridge depletion, charge migration, and proton affinity causes surprising compensation effects among the various energy terms. It appears that this work provides the most detailed account to date of the mechanism whereby noncovalent protein complexes disassemble during CID.

On RF heating of inhomogeneous collisional plasma under ion-cyclotron resonance conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Timofeev, A. V., E-mail: Timofeev-AV@nrcki.ru

2015-11-15

During ion-cyclotron resonance (ICR) heating of plasma by the magnetic beach method, as well as in some other versions of ICR heating, it is necessary to excite Alfvén oscillations. In this case, it is difficult to avoid the phenomenon of the Alfvén resonance, in which Alfvén oscillations transform into lower hybrid oscillations. The latter efficiently interact with electrons, due to which most of the deposited RF energy is spent on electron (rather than ion) heating. The Alfvén resonance takes place due to plasma inhomogeneity across the external magnetic field. Therefore, it could be expected that variations in the plasma densitymore » profile would substantially affect the efficiency of the interaction of RF fields with charged particles. However, the results obtained for different plasma density profiles proved to be nearly the same. In the present work, a plasma is considered the parameters of which correspond to those planned in future ICR plasma heating experiments on the PS-1 facility at the Kurchatov Institute. When analyzing the interaction of RF fields with charged particles, both the collisionless resonance interaction and the interaction caused by Coulomb collisions are taken into account, because, in those experiments, the Coulomb collision frequency will be comparable with the frequency of the heating field. Antennas used for ICR heating excite RF oscillations with a wide spectrum of wavenumbers along the magnetic field. After averaging over the spectrum, the absorbed RF energy calculated with allowance for collisions turns out to be close to that absorbed in collisionless plasma, the energy fraction absorbed by electrons being substantially larger than that absorbed by ions.« less

Solar flare model atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawley, Suzanne L.; Fisher, George H.

1993-01-01

Solar flare model atmospheres computed under the assumption of energetic equilibrium in the chromosphere are presented. The models use a static, one-dimensional plane parallel geometry and are designed within a physically self-consistent coronal loop. Assumed flare heating mechanisms include collisions from a flux of non-thermal electrons and x-ray heating of the chromosphere by the corona. The heating by energetic electrons accounts explicitly for variations of the ionized fraction with depth in the atmosphere. X-ray heating of the chromosphere by the corona incorporates a flare loop geometry by approximating distant portions of the loop with a series of point sources, while treating the loop leg closest to the chromospheric footpoint in the plane-parallel approximation. Coronal flare heating leads to increased heat conduction, chromospheric evaporation and subsequent changes in coronal pressure; these effects are included self-consistently in the models. Cooling in the chromosphere is computed in detail for the important optically thick HI, CaII and MgII transitions using the non-LTE prescription in the program MULTI. Hydrogen ionization rates from x-ray photo-ionization and collisional ionization by non-thermal electrons are included explicitly in the rate equations. The models are computed in the 'impulsive' and 'equilibrium' limits, and in a set of intermediate 'evolving' states. The impulsive atmospheres have the density distribution frozen in pre-flare configuration, while the equilibrium models assume the entire atmosphere is in hydrostatic and energetic equilibrium. The evolving atmospheres represent intermediate stages where hydrostatic equilibrium has been established in the chromosphere and corona, but the corona is not yet in energetic equilibrium with the flare heating source. Thus, for example, chromospheric evaporation is still in the process of occurring.

Role of density gradient driven trapped electron mode turbulence in the H-mode inner core with electron heating

DOE PAGES

Ernst, D. R.; Burrell, K. H.; Guttenfelder, W.; ...

2016-05-10

In a series of DIII-D [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42 614 (2002)] low torque quiescent H-mode experiments show that density gradient driven TEM (DGTEM) turbulence dominates the inner core of H-Mode plasmas during strong electron cyclotron heating (ECH). By adding 3.4 MW ECH doubles T e/T i from 0.5 to 1.0, which halves the linear DGTEM critical density gradient, locally reducing density peaking, while transport in all channels displays extreme stiffness in the density gradient. This then suggests fusion -heating may degrade inner core confinement in H-Mode plasmas with moderate density peaking and low collisionality, with equal electron andmore » ion temperatures, key conditions expected in burning plasmas. Gyrokinetic simulations using GYRO [J. Candy and R. E. Waltz, J. Comp. Phys. 186 545 (2003)] (and GENE [F. Jenko et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 1904 (2000)]) closely match not only particle, energy, and momentum fluxes, but also density fluctuation spectra from Doppler Backscattering (DBS), with and without ECH. Inner core DBS density fluctuations display discrete frequencies with adjacent toroidal mode numbers, which we identify as DGTEMs. GS2 [W. Dorland et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85 5579 (2000)] predictions show the DGTEM can be suppressed, to avoid degradation with electron heating, by broadening the current density profile to attain q 0 > q min > 1.« less

Full wave simulations of fast wave efficiency and power losses in the scrape-off layer of tokamak plasmas in mid/high harmonic and minority heating regimes

DOE PAGES

Bertelli, N.; Jaeger, E. F.; Hosea, J. C.; ...

2015-12-17

Here, several experiments on different machines and in different fast wave (FW) heating regimes, such as hydrogen minority heating and high harmonic fast waves (HHFW), have found strong interaction between radio-frequency (RF) waves and the scrape-off layer (SOL) region. This paper examines the propagation and the power loss in the SOL by using the full wave code AORSA, in which the edge plasma beyond the last closed flux surface (LCFS) is included in the solution domain and a collisional damping parameter is used as a proxy to represent the real, and most likely nonlinear, damping processes. 2D and 3D AORSAmore » results for the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) have shown a strong transition to higher SOL power losses (driven by the RF field) when the FW cut-off is removed from in front of the antenna by increasing the edge density. Here, full wave simulations have been extended for 'conventional' tokamaks with higher aspect ratios, such as the DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod, and EAST devices. DIII-D results in HHFW regime show similar behavior found in NSTX and NSTX-U, consistent with previous DIII-D experimental observations. In contrast, a different behavior has been found for C-Mod and EAST, which operate in the minority heating regime.« less

Interrelated structures of the transport shock and collisional relaxation layer in a multitemperature, multilevel ionized gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vinolo, A. R.; Clarke, J. H.

1972-01-01

The gas dynamic structures of the transport shock and the downstream collisional relaxation layer are evaluated for partially ionized monatomic gases. Elastic and inelastic collisional nonequilibrium effects are taken into consideration. Three electronic levels are accounted for in the microscopic model of the atom. Nonequilibrium processes with respect to population of levels and species plus temperature are considered. By using an asymptotic technique the shock morphology is found on a continuum flow basis. The asymptotic procedure gives two distinct layers in which the nonequilibrium effects to be considered are different. A transport shock appears as the inner solution to an outer collisional relaxation layer in which the gas reaches local equilibrium. A family of numerical examples is displayed for different flow regimes. Argon and helium models are used in these examples.

Table-top two-color soft X-ray laser by means of Ni-like plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoudnia, Leili; Ruiz-Lopez, Mabel; Bleiner, Davide

2016-04-01

Laser-produced Ni-like plasmas are known as active media for extreme ultraviolet lasing, with the flexibility to two-color lasing. Two-color laser generation is very complex at accelerator facilities. In this work, plasma lasing at the 3d94d1(J = 0) → 3d94p1(J = 1) (collisional-pumping process) and the 3d94f1(J = 1) → 3d94d1(J = 1) (photo-pumping process) transitions is studied experimentally and computationally. Several key characteristics of collisional- and photo-pumping laser, such as divergence, pointing stability, and intensity have been investigated. The measurements showed different pulse characteristics for the two lasing processes affected by plasma inhomogeneity in temperature and density. Analytical expressions of these characteristics for both collisional- and photo-pumping are derived. It is found that the plasma that maximizes the photo-pumping lasing is 20% hotter and 70% denser than the plasma that optimizes the collisional-pumping lasing. The gain of collisional pumping is ≈4 times higher than the gain for the photo-pumping. The gain lifetime is a factor of ≈5.2 larger for the monopole-pumping. Similarly, the gain thickness is a factor of ≈1.8 larger. It is also found that the gain build-up time for collisional- and photo-pumping is 0.7 ps and 0.9 ps, respectively, whereas the build-up length-scale is 11.5 μm and 6.3 μm, respectively.

Comparison of continuous and discontinuous collisional bumpers: Dimensionally scaled impact experiments into single wire meshes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoerz, Friedrich; Cintala, Mark; See, Thomas; Bernhard, Ronald; Cardenas, Frank; Davidson, William; Haynes, Jerry

1992-01-01

An experimental inquiry into the utility of discontinuous bumpers was conducted to investigate the collisional outcomes of impacts into single grid-like targets and to compare the results with more traditional bumper designs that employ continuous sheet stock. We performed some 35 experiments using 6.3 and 3.2 mm diameter spherical soda-lime glass projectiles at low velocities (less than 2.5 km/s) and 13 at velocities between 5 and 6 km/s, using 3.2 mm spheres only. The thrust of the experiments related to the characterization of collisional fragments as a function of target thickness or areal shield mass of both bumper designs. The primary product of these experiments was witness plates that record the resulting population of collisional fragments. Substantial interpretive and predictive insights into bumper performance were obtained. All qualitative observations (on the witness plates) and detailed measurements of displaced masses seem simply and consistently related only to bumper mass available for interaction with the impactor. This renders the grid bumper into the superior shield design. These findings present evidence that discontinuous bumpers are a viable concept for collisional shields, possibly superior to continuous geometries.

An Efficient Statistical Method to Compute Molecular Collisional Rate Coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loreau, Jérôme; Lique, François; Faure, Alexandre

2018-01-01

Our knowledge about the “cold” universe often relies on molecular spectra. A general property of such spectra is that the energy level populations are rarely at local thermodynamic equilibrium. Solving the radiative transfer thus requires the availability of collisional rate coefficients with the main colliding partners over the temperature range ∼10–1000 K. These rate coefficients are notoriously difficult to measure and expensive to compute. In particular, very few reliable collisional data exist for inelastic collisions involving reactive radicals or ions. In this Letter, we explore the use of a fast quantum statistical method to determine molecular collisional excitation rate coefficients. The method is benchmarked against accurate (but costly) rigid-rotor close-coupling calculations. For collisions proceeding through the formation of a strongly bound complex, the method is found to be highly satisfactory up to room temperature. Its accuracy decreases with decreasing potential well depth and with increasing temperature, as expected. This new method opens the way to the determination of accurate inelastic collisional data involving key reactive species such as {{{H}}}3+, H2O+, and H3O+ for which exact quantum calculations are currently not feasible.

The limits of the Bohm criterion in collisional plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valentini, H.-B.; Kaiser, D.

2015-05-15

The sheath formation within a low-pressure collisional plasma is analysed by means of a two-fluid model. The Bohm criterion takes into account the effects of the electric field and the inertia of the ions. Numerical results yield that these effects contribute to the space charge formation, only, if the collisionality is lower than a relatively small threshold. It follows that a lower and an upper limit of the drift speed of the ions exist where the effects treated by Bohm can form a sheath. This interval becomes narrower as the collisionality increases and vanishes at the mentioned threshold. Above themore » threshold, the sheath is mainly created by collisions and the ionisation. Under these conditions, the sheath formation cannot be described by means of Bohm like criteria. In a few references, a so-called upper limit of the Bohm criterion is stated for collisional plasmas where the momentum equation of the ions is taken into account, only. However, the present paper shows that this limit results in an unrealistically steep increase of the space charge density towards the wall, and, therefore, it yields no useful limit of the Bohm velocity.« less

A non-linear theory of the parallel firehose and gyrothermal instabilities in a weakly collisional plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosin, M. S.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Rincon, F.; Cowley, S. C.

2011-05-01

Weakly collisional magnetized cosmic plasmas have a dynamical tendency to develop pressure anisotropies with respect to the local direction of the magnetic field. These anisotropies trigger plasma instabilities at scales just above the ion Larmor radius ρi and much below the mean free path λmfp. They have growth rates of a fraction of the ion cyclotron frequency, which is much faster than either the global dynamics or even local turbulence. Despite their microscopic nature, these instabilities dramatically modify the transport properties and, therefore, the macroscopic dynamics of the plasma. The non-linear evolution of these instabilities is expected to drive pressure anisotropies towards marginal stability values, controlled by the plasma beta βi. Here this non-linear evolution is worked out in an ab initio kinetic calculation for the simplest analytically tractable example - the parallel (k⊥= 0) firehose instability in a high-beta plasma. An asymptotic theory is constructed, based on a particular physical ordering and leading to a closed non-linear equation for the firehose turbulence. In the non-linear regime, both the analytical theory and the numerical solution predict secular (∝t) growth of magnetic fluctuations. The fluctuations develop a k-3∥ spectrum, extending from scales somewhat larger than ρi to the maximum scale that grows secularly with time (∝t1/2); the relative pressure anisotropy (p⊥-p∥)/p∥ tends to the marginal value -2/βi. The marginal state is achieved via changes in the magnetic field, not particle scattering. When a parallel ion heat flux is present, the parallel firehose mutates into the new gyrothermal instability (GTI), which continues to exist up to firehose-stable values of pressure anisotropy, which can be positive and are limited by the magnitude of the ion heat flux. The non-linear evolution of the GTI also features secular growth of magnetic fluctuations, but the fluctuation spectrum is eventually dominated by modes around a maximal scale ˜ρilT/λmfp, where lT is the scale of the parallel temperature variation. Implications for momentum and heat transport are speculated about. This study is motivated by our interest in the dynamics of galaxy cluster plasmas (which are used as the main astrophysical example), but its relevance to solar wind and accretion flow plasmas is also briefly discussed.

Jeans stability in collisional quantum dusty magnetoplasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jamil, M.; Asif, M.; Mir, Zahid

2014-09-15

Jeans instability is examined in detail in uniform dusty magnetoplasmas taking care of collisional and non-zero finite thermal effects in addition to the quantum characteristics arising through the Bohm potential and the Fermi degenerate pressure using the quantum hydrodynamic model of plasmas. It is found that the presence of the dust-lower-hybrid wave, collisional effects of plasma species, thermal effects of electrons, and the quantum mechanical effects of electrons have significance over the Jeans instability. Here, we have pointed out a new class of dissipative instability in quantum plasma regime.

SMACK: A New Algorithm for Modeling Collisions and Dynamics of Planetesimals in Debris Disks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nesvold, Erika Rose; Kuchner, Marc J.; Rein, Hanno; Pan, Margaret

2013-01-01

We present the Superparticle Model/Algorithm for Collisions in Kuiper belts and debris disks (SMACK), a new method for simultaneously modeling, in 3-D, the collisional and dynamical evolution of planetesimals in a debris disk with planets. SMACK can simulate azimuthal asymmetries and how these asymmetries evolve over time. We show that SMACK is stable to numerical viscosity and numerical heating over 10(exp 7) yr, and that it can reproduce analytic models of disk evolution. We use SMACK to model the evolution of a debris ring containing a planet on an eccentric orbit. Differential precession creates a spiral structure as the ring evolves, but collisions subsequently break up the spiral, leaving a narrower eccentric ring.

The extreme ultraviolet emissions of solar flares - A comparison between OSO-6 spectroheliograph observations and SFDs.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donnelly, R. F.; Wood, A. T., Jr.; Noyes, R. W.

1973-01-01

The time structure and intensity of OSO-6 observations of EUV bursts were studied in relation to the corresponding 10-1030 A enhancements deduced from SFD data. Impulsive EUV emissions from lines normally emitted from either the chromosphere or from the chromosphere-corona transition region rise simultaneously with the 10-1030 A flash, to within the time resolution of the OSO-6 observations. Mg X 625 A also showed concurrent impulsive emissions and a close intensity relation to the 10-1030 A enhancement. The observational results are consistent with the hypothesis that most of the EUV radiation is being produced thermally in a region of chromospheric density, which is being heated by collisional losses of nonthermal electrons.

Increasing Ubiquitin Ion Resistance to Unfolding in the Gas Phase Using Chloride Adduction: Preserving More "Native-Like" Conformations Despite Collisional Activation.

PubMed

Wagner, Nicole D; Kim, Doyong; Russell, David H

2016-06-07

Electrospray ionization (ESI) of ubiquitin from acidified (0.1%) aqueous solution produces abundant ubiquitin-chloride adduct ions, [M + nH + xCl]((n - x)+), that upon mild heating react via elimination of neutral HCl. Ion mobility collision cross section (CCS) measurements show that ubiquitin ions retaining chloride adducts exhibit CCS values similar to those of the "native-state" of the protein. Coupled with results from recent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for the evolution of a salt-containing electrospray droplet, this study provides a more complete picture for how the presence of salts affects the evolution of protein conformers in the final stages of dehydration of the ESI process and within the instrument.

Modeling plasma heating by ns laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colonna, Gianpiero; Laricchiuta, Annarita; Pietanza, Lucia Daniela

2018-03-01

The transition to breakdown of a weakly ionized gas, considering inverse bremsstrahlung, has been investigated using a state-to-state self-consistent model for gas discharges, mimicking a ns laser pulse. The paper is focused on the role of the initial ionization on the plasma formation. The results give the hint that some anomalous behaviors, such as signal enhancement by metal nanoparticles, can be attributed to this feature. This approach has been applied to hydrogen gas regarded as a simplified model for LIBS plasmas, as a full kinetic scheme is available, including the collisional-radiative model for atoms and molecules. The model allows the influence of different parameters to be investigated, such as the initial electron molar fraction, on the ionization growth.

Collisional evolution - an analytical study for the nonsteady-state mass distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins, R. Vieira

1999-05-01

To study the collisional evolution of asteroidal groups we can use an analytical solutionfor the self-similar collision cascades. This solution is suitable to study the steady-state massdistribution of the collisional fragmentation. However, out of the steady-state conditions, thissolution is not satisfactory for some values of the collisional parameters. In fact, for some valuesfor the exponent of the mass distribution power law of an asteroidal group and its relation to theexponent of the function which describes how rocks break we arrive at singular points for theequation which describes the collisional evolution. These singularities appear since someapproximations are usually made in the laborious evaluation of many integrals that appear in theanalytical calculations. They concern the cutoff for the smallest and the largest bodies. Thesesingularities set some restrictions to the study of the analytical solution for the collisionalequation. To overcome these singularities we performed an algebraic computationconsidering the smallest and the largest bodies and we obtained the analytical expressions for theintegrals that describe the collisional evolution without restriction on the parameters. However,the new distribution is more sensitive to the values of the collisional parameters. In particular thesteady-state solution for the differential mass distribution has exponents slightly different from11⧸6 for the usual parameters in the Asteroid Belt. The sensitivity of this distribution with respectto the parameters is analyzed for the usual values in the asteroidal groups. With anexpression for the mass distribution without singularities, we can evaluate also its time evolution.We arrive at an analytical expression given by a power series of terms constituted by a smallparameter multiplied by the mass to an exponent, which depends on the initial power lawdistribution. This expression is a formal solution for the equation which describes the collisionalevolution. Furthermore, the first-order term for this solution is the time rate of the distribution atthe initial time. In particular the solution shows the fundamental importance played by theexponent of the power law initial condition in the evolution of the system.

Rotational level-dependent collisional broadening and line shift of the A2Sigma(+)-X2Pi (1,0) band of OH in hydrogen-air combustion gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, W. J.; Allen, M. G.; Davis, S. J.

1993-01-01

Measurements of the collisional broadening and line shift of the (1,0) band of the A2Sigma(+)-X2Pi system of OH are reported in atmospheric pressure hydrogen-air combustion gases. The measurements were made using a single-mode, narrow linewidth, frequency-doubled ring dye laser operating near 283 nm. The OH was generated in the combustion gases of a flat flame H2-air burner. Collisional broadening parameters for equilibrium mixtures of H2, O2, H2O, and N2 were obtained spanning a range of fuel/air equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 1.6 and temperatures from 1500 to 2050 K. Measurements were obtained spanning rotational quantum numbers from 4.5 to 16.5. The collision induced frequency shift was determined to be 0.1 that of the collisional broadening.

An experimental study of OH(A2Σ+) + H2: Electronic quenching, rotational energy transfer, and collisional depolarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brouard, M.; Lawlor, J.; McCrudden, G.; Perkins, T.; Seamons, S. A.; Stevenson, P.; Chadwick, H.; Aoiz, F. J.

2017-06-01

Zeeman quantum beat spectroscopy has been used to determine the thermal (300 K) rate constants for electronic quenching, rotational energy transfer, and collisional depolarization of OH(A2Σ+) by H2. Cross sections for both the collisional disorientation and collisional disalignment of the angular momentum in the OH(A2Σ+) radical are reported. The experimental results for OH(A2Σ+) + H2 are compared to previous work on the OH(A2Σ+) + He and Ar systems. Further comparisons are also made to the OH(A2Σ+) + Kr system, which has been shown to display significant non-adiabatic dynamics. The OH(A2Σ+) + H2 experimental data reveal that collisions that survive the electronic quenching process are highly depolarizing, reflecting the deep potential energy wells that exist on the excited electronic state surface.

Radiative and collisional jet energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma at the BNL relativistic heavy ion collider.

PubMed

Qin, Guang-You; Ruppert, Jörg; Gale, Charles; Jeon, Sangyong; Moore, Guy D; Mustafa, Munshi G

2008-02-22

We calculate and compare bremsstrahlung and collisional energy loss of hard partons traversing a quark-gluon plasma. Our treatment of both processes is complete at leading order in the coupling and accounts for the probabilistic nature of the jet energy loss. We find that the nuclear modification factor R(AA) for neutral pi(0) production in heavy ion collisions is sensitive to the inclusion of collisional and radiative energy loss contributions while the averaged energy loss only slightly increases if collisional energy loss is included for parent parton energies E>T. These results are important for the understanding of jet quenching in Au+Au collisions at 200A GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Comparison with data is performed applying the energy loss calculation to a relativistic ideal (3+1)-dimensional hydrodynamic description of the thermalized medium formed at RHIC.

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, Auna L., E-mail: mosera@fusion.gat.com; Hsu, Scott C., E-mail: scotthsu@lanl.gov

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease in the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional andmore » the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

Ion mobility studies of carbohydrates as group I adducts: isomer specific collisional cross section dependence on metal ion radius.

PubMed

Huang, Yuting; Dodds, Eric D

2013-10-15

Carbohydrates play numerous critical roles in biological systems. Characterization of oligosaccharide structures is essential to a complete understanding of their functions in biological processes; nevertheless, their structural determination remains challenging in part due to isomerism. Ion mobility spectrometry provides the means to resolve gas phase ions on the basis of their shape-to-charge ratios, thus providing significant potential for separation and differentiation of carbohydrate isomers. Here, we report on the determination of collisional cross sections for four groups of isomeric carbohydrates (including five isomeric disaccharides, four isomeric trisaccharides, two isomeric pentasaccharides, and two isomeric hexasaccharides) as their group I metal ion adducts (i.e., [M + Li](+), [M + Na](+), [M + K](+), [M + Rb](+), and [M + Cs](+)). In all, 65 collisional cross sections were measured, the great majority of which have not been previously reported. As anticipated, the collisional cross sections of the carbohydrate metal ion adducts generally increase with increasing metal ion radius; however, the collisional cross sections were found to scale with the group I cation size in isomer specific manners. Such measurements are of substantial analytical value, as they illustrate how the selection of charge carrier influences carbohydrate ion mobility determinations. For example, certain pairs of isomeric carbohydrates assume unique collisional cross sections upon binding one metal ion, but not another. On the whole, these data suggest a role for the charge carrier as a probe of carbohydrate structure and thus have significant implications for the continued development and application of ion mobility spectrometry for the distinction and resolution of isomeric carbohydrates.

Intrusive rocks of the Wadi Hamad Area, North Eastern Desert, Egypt: Change of magma composition with maturity of Neoproterozoic continental island arc and the role of collisional plutonism in the differentiation of arc crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basta, Fawzy F.; Maurice, Ayman E.; Bakhit, Bottros R.; Azer, Mokhles K.; El-Sobky, Atef F.

2017-09-01

The igneous rocks of the Wadi Hamad area are exposed in the northernmost segment of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). These rocks represent part of crustal section of Neoproterozoic continental island arc which is intruded by late to post-collisional alkali feldspar granites. The subduction-related intrusives comprise earlier gabbro-diorites and later granodiorites-granites. Subduction setting of these intrusives is indicated by medium- to high-K calc-alkaline affinity, Ta-Nb troughs on the spider diagrams and pyroxene and biotite compositions similar to those crystallized from arc magmas. The collisional alkali feldspar granites have high-K highly fractionated calc-alkaline nature and their spider diagrams almost devoid of Ta-Nb troughs. The earlier subduction gabbro-diorites have lower alkalis, LREE, Nb, Zr and Hf values compared with the later subduction granodiorites-granites, which display more LILE-enriched spider diagrams with shallower Ta-Nb troughs, reflecting variation of magma composition with arc evolution. The later subduction granitoids were generated by lower degree of partial melting of mantle wedge and contain higher arc crustal component compared with the earlier subduction gabbro-diorites. The highly silicic alkali feldspar granites represent extensively evolved melts derived from partial melting of intermediate arc crustal sources during the collisional stage. Re-melting of arc crustal sources during the collisional stage results in geochemical differentiation of the continental arc crust and the silicic collisional plutonism drives the composition of its upper part towards that of mature continental crust.

Multi-fluid Modeling of Magnetosonic Wave Propagation in the Solar Chromosphere: Effects of Impact Ionization and Radiative Recombination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maneva, Yana G.; Laguna, Alejandro Alvarez; Poedts, Stefaan

2017-02-20

In order to study chromospheric magnetosonic wave propagation including, for the first time, the effects of ion–neutral interactions in the partially ionized solar chromosphere, we have developed a new multi-fluid computational model accounting for ionization and recombination reactions in gravitationally stratified magnetized collisional media. The two-fluid model used in our 2D numerical simulations treats neutrals as a separate fluid and considers charged species (electrons and ions) within the resistive MHD approach with Coulomb collisions and anisotropic heat flux determined by Braginskiis transport coefficients. The electromagnetic fields are evolved according to the full Maxwell equations and the solenoidality of the magneticmore » field is enforced with a hyperbolic divergence-cleaning scheme. The initial density and temperature profiles are similar to VAL III chromospheric model in which dynamical, thermal, and chemical equilibrium are considered to ensure comparison to existing MHD models and avoid artificial numerical heating. In this initial setup we include simple homogeneous flux tube magnetic field configuration and an external photospheric velocity driver to simulate the propagation of MHD waves in the partially ionized reactive chromosphere. In particular, we investigate the loss of chemical equilibrium and the plasma heating related to the steepening of fast magnetosonic wave fronts in the gravitationally stratified medium.« less

Sintering of highly porous silica-particle samples: analogues of early Solar-System aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppe, T.

2003-07-01

I describe a new method to make particle layers which consist of SiO 2 spheres with 0.78 μm radius. The layers were produced by sedimentation of aggregates which had grown in ballistic particle collisions, and the layers had a porosity of 0.95. They were used for experiments on sintering, i.e., the samples were heated in an oven at varying temperatures and heating durations, and the samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Based on the change of particle diameter, surface diffusion sintering and viscous flow are identified as important transformation mechanisms. The first effect dominated at the start of restructuring and the latter at higher temperatures. The neck growth of adjacent particles was fitted to a surface diffusion sintering model and predicts neck radii as a heating temperature and duration function. Between the temperature range of neck formation and of melting, further restructuring occurred which lead to dissolution of particulate structure and to densification and which resulted in a porous object consisting of straight elongated substructures which connected kinks of higher material density. The thermal transformation is important for the change of strength, collisional behavior, light-scattering properties, and thermal conductivity with relevance to dust aggregates, planetesimals, comets, interplanetary dust particles, and regolith-covered celestial bodies.

Dipolar DC Collisional Activation in a "Stretched" 3-D Ion Trap: The Effect of Higher Order Fields on rf-Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, Boone M.; McLuckey, Scott A.

2012-04-01

Applying dipolar DC (DDC) to the end-cap electrodes of a 3-D ion trap operated with a bath gas at roughly 1 mTorr gives rise to `rf-heating' and can result in collision-induced dissociation (CID). This approach to ion trap CID differs from the conventional single-frequency resonance excitation approach in that it does not rely on tuning a supplementary frequency to coincide with the fundamental secular frequeny of the precursor ion of interest. Simulations using the program ITSIM 5.0 indicate that application of DDC physically displaces ions solely in the axial (inter end-cap) dimension whereupon ion acceleration occurs via power absorption from the drive rf. Experimental data shows that the degree of rf-heating in a stretched 3-D ion trap is not dependent solely on the ratio of the dipolar DC voltage/radio frequency (rf) amplitude, as a model based on a pure quadrupole field suggests. Rather, ion temperatures are shown to increase as the absolute values of the dipolar DC and rf amplitude both decrease. Simulations indicate that the presence of higher order multi-pole fields underlies this unexpected behavior. These findings have important implications for the use of DDC as a broad-band activation approach in multi-pole traps.

Microwave Assisted Helicon Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKee, John; Caron, David; Jemiolo, Andrew; Scime, Earl

2017-10-01

The use of two (or more) rf sources at different frequencies is a common technique in the plasma processing industry to control ion energy characteristics separately from plasma generation. A similar approach is presented here with the focus on modifying the electron population in argon and helium plasmas. The plasma is generated by a helicon source at a frequency f0 = 13.56 MHz. Microwaves of frequency f1 = 2.45 GHz are then injected into the helicon source chamber perpendicular to the background magnetic field. The microwaves damp on the electrons via X-mode Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) at the upper hybrid resonance, providing additional energy input into the electrons. The effects of this secondary-source heating on electron density, temperature, and energy distribution function are examined and compared to helicon-only single source plasmas as well as numeric models suggesting that the heating is not evenly distributed. Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) is used to examine the impact of the energetic tail of the electron distribution on ion and neutral species via collisional excitation. Large enhancements of neutral spectral lines are observed in both Ar and He. While small enhancement of ion lines is seen in Ar, ion lines not normally present in He are observed during microwave injection. U.S. National Science Foundation Grant No. PHY-1360278.

New steady-state quiescent high-confinement plasma in an experimental advanced superconducting tokamak.

PubMed

Hu, J S; Sun, Z; Guo, H Y; Li, J G; Wan, B N; Wang, H Q; Ding, S Y; Xu, G S; Liang, Y F; Mansfield, D K; Maingi, R; Zou, X L; Wang, L; Ren, J; Zuo, G Z; Zhang, L; Duan, Y M; Shi, T H; Hu, L Q

2015-02-06

A critical challenge facing the basic long-pulse high-confinement operation scenario (H mode) for ITER is to control a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability, known as the edge localized mode (ELM), which leads to cyclical high peak heat and particle fluxes at the plasma facing components. A breakthrough is made in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in achieving a new steady-state H mode without the presence of ELMs for a duration exceeding hundreds of energy confinement times, by using a novel technique of continuous real-time injection of a lithium (Li) aerosol into the edge plasma. The steady-state ELM-free H mode is accompanied by a strong edge coherent MHD mode (ECM) at a frequency of 35-40 kHz with a poloidal wavelength of 10.2 cm in the ion diamagnetic drift direction, providing continuous heat and particle exhaust, thus preventing the transient heat deposition on plasma facing components and impurity accumulation in the confined plasma. It is truly remarkable that Li injection appears to promote the growth of the ECM, owing to the increase in Li concentration and hence collisionality at the edge, as predicted by GYRO simulations. This new steady-state ELM-free H-mode regime, enabled by real-time Li injection, may open a new avenue for next-step fusion development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brodrick, Jonathan P.; Kingham, R. J.; Marinak, M. M.

Three models for nonlocal electron thermal transport are here compared against Vlasov-Fokker-Planck (VFP) codes to assess their accuracy in situations relevant to both inertial fusion hohlraums and tokamak scrape-off layers. The models tested are (i) a moment-based approach using an eigenvector integral closure (EIC) originally developed by Ji, Held, and Sovinec [Phys. Plasmas 16, 022312 (2009)]; (ii) the non-Fourier Landau-fluid (NFLF) model of Dimits, Joseph, and Umansky [Phys. Plasmas 21, 055907 (2014)]; and (iii) Schurtz, Nicolaï, and Busquet’s [Phys. Plasmas 7, 4238 (2000)] multigroup diffusion model (SNB). We find that while the EIC and NFLF models accurately predict the dampingmore » rate of a small-amplitude temperature perturbation (within 10% at moderate collisionalities), they overestimate the peak heat flow by as much as 35% and do not predict preheat in the more relevant case where there is a large temperature difference. The SNB model, however, agrees better with VFP results for the latter problem if care is taken with the definition of the mean free path. Additionally, we present for the first time a comparison of the SNB model against a VFP code for a hohlraum-relevant problem with inhomogeneous ionisation and show that the model overestimates the heat flow in the helium gas-fill by a factor of ~2 despite predicting the peak heat flux to within 16%.« less

Thomson scattering diagnostics of thermal plasmas: Laser heating of electrons and the existence of local thermodynamic equilibrium.

PubMed

Murphy, A B

2004-01-01

A number of assessments of electron temperatures in atmospheric-pressure arc plasmas using Thomson scattering of laser light have recently been published. However, in this method, the electron temperature is perturbed due to strong heating of the electrons by the incident laser beam. This heating was taken into account by measuring the electron temperature as a function of the laser pulse energy, and linearly extrapolating the results to zero pulse energy to obtain an unperturbed electron temperature. In the present paper, calculations show that the laser heating process has a highly nonlinear dependence on laser power, and that the usual linear extrapolation leads to an overestimate of the electron temperature, typically by 5000 K. The nonlinearity occurs due to the strong dependence on electron temperature of the absorption of laser energy and of the collisional and radiative cooling of the heated electrons. There are further problems in deriving accurate electron temperatures from laser scattering due to necessary averages that have to be made over the duration of the laser pulse and over the finite volume from which laser light is scattered. These problems are particularly acute in measurements in which the laser beam is defocused in order to minimize laser heating; this can lead to the derivation of electron temperatures that are significantly greater than those existing anywhere in the scattering volume. It was concluded from the earlier Thomson scattering measurements that there were significant deviations from equilibrium between the electron and heavy-particle temperatures at the center of arc plasmas of industrial interest. The present calculations indicate that such deviations are only of the order of 1000 K in 20 000 K, so that the usual approximation that arc plasmas are approximately in local thermodynamic equilibrium still applies.

Collisional Ion and Electron Scale Gyrokinetic Simulations in the Tokamak Pedestal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belli, E. A.; Candy, J.; Snyder, P. B.

2016-10-01

A new gyrokinetic solver, CGYRO, has been developed for precise studies of high collisionality regimes, such as the H-mode pedestal and L-mode edge. Building on GYRO and NEO, CGYRO uses the same velocity-space coordinates as NEO to optimize the accuracy of the collision dynamics and allow for advanced operators beyond the standard Lorentz pitch-angle scattering model. These advanced operators include energy diffusion and finite-FLR collisional effects. The code is optimized for multiscale (coupled electron and ion turbulence scales) simulations, employing a new spatial discretization and array distribution scheme that targets scalability on next-generation (exascale) HPC systems. In this work, CGYRO is used to study the complex spectrum of modes in the pedestal region. The onset of the linear KBM with full collisional effects is assessed to develop an improved KBM/RBM model for EPED. The analysis is extended to high k to explore the role of electron-scale (ETG-range) physics. Comparisons with new analytic collisional theories are made. Inclusion of sonic toroidal rotation (including full centrifugal effects) for studies including heavy wall impurities is also reported. Work supported in part by the US DOE under DE-FC02-06ER54873 and DE-FC02-08ER54963.

Direct heating of a laser-imploded core using ultraintense laser LFEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Y.; Mori, Y.; Ishii, K.; Hanayama, R.; Nishimura, Y.; Okihara, S.; Nakayama, S.; Sekine, T.; Takagi, M.; Watari, T.; Satoh, N.; Kawashima, T.; Komeda, O.; Hioki, T.; Motohiro, T.; Azuma, H.; Sunahara, A.; Sentoku, Y.; Arikawa, Y.; Abe, Y.; Miura, E.; Ozaki, T.

2017-07-01

A CD shell was preimploded by two counter-propagating green beams from the GEKKO laser system GXII (based at the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University), forming a dense core. The core was predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by the laser for fast-ignition-fusion experiment, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser, that is illuminated perpendicularly to the GXII axis. Consequently, we observed the D(d, n)3 He-reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) at a yield of 5× {{10}8} n/4π sr. The beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collided with the core plasma. Whereas the hot electrons heated the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposited their energies locally in the core. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with a yield of 6× {{10}7} n/4π sr, raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. The shell-implosion dynamics (including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions) can be explained by the one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D. Meanwhile, the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions were well-predicted by the two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high-gain fusion.

High fusion performance at high T i/ T e in JET-ILW baseline plasmas with high NBI heating power and low gas puffing

DOE PAGES

Kim, Hyun-Tae; Sips, A. C. C.; Romanelli, M.; ...

2018-02-01

This article presents the transport analysis of high density baseline discharges in the 2016 experimental campaign of the Joint European Torus with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW), where a significant increase in the deuterium–deuterium (D–D) fusion neutron rate (~2.8 × 10 16 s -1) was achieved with stable high neutral beam injection (NBI) powers of up to 28 MW and low gas puffing. Increase in T i exceeding T e were produced for the first time in baseline discharges despite the high electron density; this enabled a significant increase in the thermal fusion reaction rate. As a result, the new achievedmore » record in fusion performance was much higher than the previous record in the same heating power baseline discharges, where T i = T e. In addition to the decreases in collisionality and the increases in ion heating fraction in the discharges with high NBI power, T i > T e can also be attributed to positive feedback between the high T i/T e ratio and stabilisation of the turbulent heat flux resulting from the ion temperature gradient driven mode. The high T i/T e ratio was correlated with high rotation frequency. Among the discharges with identical beam heating power, higher rotation frequencies were observed when particle fuelling was provided by low gas puffing and pellet injection. Lastly, this reveals that particle fuelling played a key role for achieving high T i/T e, and the improved fusion performance.« less

High fusion performance at high T i/ T e in JET-ILW baseline plasmas with high NBI heating power and low gas puffing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Hyun-Tae; Sips, A. C. C.; Romanelli, M.

This article presents the transport analysis of high density baseline discharges in the 2016 experimental campaign of the Joint European Torus with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW), where a significant increase in the deuterium–deuterium (D–D) fusion neutron rate (~2.8 × 10 16 s -1) was achieved with stable high neutral beam injection (NBI) powers of up to 28 MW and low gas puffing. Increase in T i exceeding T e were produced for the first time in baseline discharges despite the high electron density; this enabled a significant increase in the thermal fusion reaction rate. As a result, the new achievedmore » record in fusion performance was much higher than the previous record in the same heating power baseline discharges, where T i = T e. In addition to the decreases in collisionality and the increases in ion heating fraction in the discharges with high NBI power, T i > T e can also be attributed to positive feedback between the high T i/T e ratio and stabilisation of the turbulent heat flux resulting from the ion temperature gradient driven mode. The high T i/T e ratio was correlated with high rotation frequency. Among the discharges with identical beam heating power, higher rotation frequencies were observed when particle fuelling was provided by low gas puffing and pellet injection. Lastly, this reveals that particle fuelling played a key role for achieving high T i/T e, and the improved fusion performance.« less

High fusion performance at high T i/T e in JET-ILW baseline plasmas with high NBI heating power and low gas puffing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyun-Tae; Sips, A. C. C.; Romanelli, M.; Challis, C. D.; Rimini, F.; Garzotti, L.; Lerche, E.; Buchanan, J.; Yuan, X.; Kaye, S.; contributors, JET

2018-03-01

This paper presents the transport analysis of high density baseline discharges in the 2016 experimental campaign of the Joint European Torus with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW), where a significant increase in the deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion neutron rate (~2.8  ×  1016 s-1) was achieved with stable high neutral beam injection (NBI) powers of up to 28 MW and low gas puffing. Increase in T i exceeding T e were produced for the first time in baseline discharges despite the high electron density; this enabled a significant increase in the thermal fusion reaction rate. As a result, the new achieved record in fusion performance was much higher than the previous record in the same heating power baseline discharges, where T i  =  T e. In addition to the decreases in collisionality and the increases in ion heating fraction in the discharges with high NBI power, T i  >  T e can also be attributed to positive feedback between the high T i/T e ratio and stabilisation of the turbulent heat flux resulting from the ion temperature gradient driven mode. The high T i/T e ratio was correlated with high rotation frequency. Among the discharges with identical beam heating power, higher rotation frequencies were observed when particle fuelling was provided by low gas puffing and pellet injection. This reveals that particle fuelling played a key role for achieving high T i/T e, and the improved fusion performance.

A cloud collision model for water maser excitation.

PubMed

Tarter, J C; Welch, W J

1986-06-01

High-velocity collisions between small, dense, neutral clouds or between a dense cloud and a dense shell can provide the energy source required to excite H2O maser emission. The radiative precursor from the surface of the collisional shock front rapidly diffuses through the cloud, heating the dust grains but leaving the H2 molecules cool. Transient maser emission occurs as the conditions for the Goldreich and Kwan "hot-dust cold-gas" maser pump scheme are realized locally within the cloud. In time the local maser action quenches due to the heating of the H2 molecules by collisions against the grains. Although this model cannot explain the very long-lived steady maser features, it is quite successful in explaining a number of the observed properties of the high-velocity features in such sources as Orion, W51, and W49. In particular, it provides a natural explanation for the rapid time variations, the narrow line widths, juxtaposition of high- and low-velocity features, and the short lifetimes which are frequently observed for the so-called high-velocity maser "bullets" thought to be accelerated by strong stellar winds.

Identifying microturbulence regimes in a TCV discharge making use of physical constraints on particle and heat fluxes

DOE PAGES

Mariani, Alberto; Brunner, S.; Dominski, J.; ...

2018-01-17

Reducing the uncertainty on physical input parameters derived from experimental measurements is essential towards improving the reliability of gyrokinetic turbulence simulations. This can be achieved by introducing physical constraints. Amongst them, the zero particle flux condition is considered here. A first attempt is also made to match as well the experimental ion/electron heat flux ratio. This procedure is applied to the analysis of a particular Tokamak à Configuration Variable discharge. A detailed reconstruction of the zero particle flux hyper-surface in the multi-dimensional physical parameter space at fixed time of the discharge is presented, including the effect of carbon as themore » main impurity. Both collisionless and collisional regimes are considered. Hyper-surface points within the experimental error bars are found. In conclusion, the analysis is done performing gyrokinetic simulations with the local version of the GENE code, computing the fluxes with a Quasi-Linear (QL) model and validating the QL results with non-linear simulations in a subset of cases.« less

Compact configurations within small evolving groups of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamon, G. A.

Small virialized groups of galaxies are evolved with a gravitational N-body code, where the galaxies and a diffuse background are treated as single particles, but with mass and luminosity profiles attached, which enbles the estimation of parameters such as internal energies, half-mass radii, and the softened potential energies of interaction. The numerical treatment includes mergers, collisional stripping, tidal limitation by the mean-field of the background (evaluated using a combination of instantaneous and impulsive formulations), galaxy heating from collisons, and background heating from dynamical friction. The groups start out either as dense as appear the groups in Hickson's (1982) catalog, or as loose as appear those in Turner and Gott's (1976a) catalog, and they are simulated many times (usually 20) with different initial positions and velocities. Dense groups of galaxies with massive dark haloes coalesce into a single galaxy and lose their compact group appearance in approximately 3 group half-mass crossing times, while dense groups of galaxies without massive haloes survive the merger instability for 15 half-mass crossing times (in a more massive background to keep the same total group mass).

Edge-localized-modes in tokamaks

DOE PAGES

Leonard, Anthony W.

2014-09-11

Edge-localized-modes (ELMs) are a ubiquitous feature of H-mode in tokamaks. When gradients in the H-mode transport barrier grow to exceed the MHD stability limit the ELM instability grows explosively rapidly transporting energy and particles onto open field lines and material surfaces. Though ELMs provide additional particle and impurity transport through the H-mode transport barrier, enabling steady operation, the resulting heat flux transients to plasma facing surfaces project to large amplitude in future low collisionality burning plasma tokamaks. Measurements of the ELM heat flux deposition onto material surfaces in the divertor and main chamber indicate significant broadening compared to inter-ELM heatmore » flux, with a timescale for energy deposition that is consistent with sonic ion flow and numerical simulation. Comprehensive ELM simulation is highlighting the important physics processes of ELM transport including parallel transport due to magnetic reconnection and turbulence resulting from collapse of the H-mode transport barrier. As a result, encouraging prospects for ELM control and/or suppression in future tokamaks include intrinsic modes of ELM free operation, ELM triggering with frequent small pellet injection and the application of 3D magnetic fields.« less

Non-linear effects and thermoelectric efficiency of quantum dot-based single-electron transistors.

PubMed

Talbo, Vincent; Saint-Martin, Jérôme; Retailleau, Sylvie; Dollfus, Philippe

2017-11-01

By means of advanced numerical simulation, the thermoelectric properties of a Si-quantum dot-based single-electron transistor operating in sequential tunneling regime are investigated in terms of figure of merit, efficiency and power. By taking into account the phonon-induced collisional broadening of energy levels in the quantum dot, both heat and electrical currents are computed in a voltage range beyond the linear response. Using our homemade code consisting in a 3D Poisson-Schrödinger solver and the resolution of the Master equation, the Seebeck coefficient at low bias voltage appears to be material independent and nearly independent on the level broadening, which makes this device promising for metrology applications as a nanoscale standard of Seebeck coefficient. Besides, at higher voltage bias, the non-linear characteristics of the heat current are shown to be related to the multi-level effects. Finally, when considering only the electronic contribution to the thermal conductance, the single-electron transistor operating in generator regime is shown to exhibit very good efficiency at maximum power.

MMS observation of energy conversion and collisionless plasma dissipation channels in the turbulent magnetosheath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parashar, T.; Yang, Y.; Chasapis, A.; Matthaeus, W. H.

2017-12-01

High resolution Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) plasma and magnetic field data obtained in the inhomogeneous turbulent magnetosheath directly reveals the exchanges of energy between electromagnetic, flow and random kinetic energy. The parameters that quantify these exchanges are based on standard manipulations of the collisionless Vlasov model of plasma dynamics [1], without appeal to viscous or other closures. No analysis of heat transport or heat conduction is carried out. Several intervals of burst mode data in the magnetosheath are considered. Time series of the work done by the electromagnetic field, and the pressure-stress interaction enable description of the pathways to dissipation in this low collisionality plasma. Using these examples we demonstrate that the pressure-stress interaction provides important information not readily revealed in other diagnostics concerning the physical processes that are observed. This method does not require any specific mechanism for its application such as reconnection or a selected mode, although with increased experience it will be useful in distinguishing among proposed possibilities. [1] Y. Yang et al, Phys. Plasmas 24, 072306 (2017); doi: 10.1063/1.4990421.

Pressure–temperature evolution of primordial solar system solids during impact-induced compaction

PubMed Central

Bland, P. A.; Collins, G. S.; Davison, T. M.; Abreu, N. M.; Ciesla, F. J.; Muxworthy, A. R.; Moore, J.

2014-01-01

Prior to becoming chondritic meteorites, primordial solids were a poorly consolidated mix of mm-scale igneous inclusions (chondrules) and high-porosity sub-μm dust (matrix). We used high-resolution numerical simulations to track the effect of impact-induced compaction on these materials. Here we show that impact velocities as low as 1.5 km s−1 were capable of heating the matrix to >1,000 K, with pressure–temperature varying by >10 GPa and >1,000 K over ~100 μm. Chondrules were unaffected, acting as heat-sinks: matrix temperature excursions were brief. As impact-induced compaction was a primary and ubiquitous process, our new understanding of its effects requires that key aspects of the chondrite record be re-evaluated: palaeomagnetism, petrography and variability in shock level across meteorite groups. Our data suggest a lithification mechanism for meteorites, and provide a ‘speed limit’ constraint on major compressive impacts that is inconsistent with recent models of solar system orbital architecture that require an early, rapid phase of main-belt collisional evolution. PMID:25465283

Identifying microturbulence regimes in a TCV discharge making use of physical constraints on particle and heat fluxes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mariani, Alberto; Brunner, S.; Dominski, J.

Reducing the uncertainty on physical input parameters derived from experimental measurements is essential towards improving the reliability of gyrokinetic turbulence simulations. This can be achieved by introducing physical constraints. Amongst them, the zero particle flux condition is considered here. A first attempt is also made to match as well the experimental ion/electron heat flux ratio. This procedure is applied to the analysis of a particular Tokamak à Configuration Variable discharge. A detailed reconstruction of the zero particle flux hyper-surface in the multi-dimensional physical parameter space at fixed time of the discharge is presented, including the effect of carbon as themore » main impurity. Both collisionless and collisional regimes are considered. Hyper-surface points within the experimental error bars are found. In conclusion, the analysis is done performing gyrokinetic simulations with the local version of the GENE code, computing the fluxes with a Quasi-Linear (QL) model and validating the QL results with non-linear simulations in a subset of cases.« less

Compositional Variation in Large-Diameter Low-Albedo asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilas, F.; Jarvis, K. S.; Thibault, C. A.; Sawyer, S. R.

2000-12-01

Age dating of meteorites indicates that the Solar System was subjected to a major heating event 4.5 Gyr ago. Models of the effects of heating by electromagnetic induction or decay of short-lived radionuclides combined with models of the early collisional history of the Solar System after Jupiter's formation indicate that asteroids observed today can be divided into two groups by diameter. Those asteroids having diameters greater than 100 km were mixed by multiple collisions but remain as gravitationally bound rubble piles. Asteroids with diameters less than 100 km should show more compositional diversity. Vilas and Sykes (1996, Icarus, 124) have shown using ECAS photometry that this compositional difference exists. The larger diameter group should be individually homogenous, with spectral differences showing the combined effects of a primordial compositional gradient in the asteroid belt with thermal metamorphism. We address the significance of 36 rotationally-resolved spectra of larger-diameter low-albedo asteroids of the C class (and subclasses B, F, G) and P class in the visible and Near-IR spectral regions. This work was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy program.

Soft X-ray Spectrometer for Characterization of Electron Beam Driven WDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramey, Nicholas; Coleman, Joshua; Perry, John

2017-10-01

A preliminary design study is being performed on a soft X-ray spectrometer to measure K-shell spectra emitted by a warm dense plasma generated by an intense, relativistic electron beam interacting with a thin, low-Z metal foil. A 100-ns-long electron pulse with a beam current of 1.7 kA and energy of 19.8 MeV deposits energy into the thin metal foil heating it to a warm dense plasma. The collisional ionization of the target by the electron beam produces an anisotropic angular distribution of K-shell radiation and a continuum of both scattered electrons and Bremsstrahlung up to the beam energy of 19.8 MeV. A proof-of-principle Bragg-type spectrometer has been built to measure the Ti K- α and K- β lines. The goal of the spectrometer is to measure the temperature and density of this warm dense plasma for the first time with this heating technique. This work was supported by the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Modeling the Plasmasphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, Dennis L

1998-01-01

The plasmasphere has often been considered one of the more boring regions in the magnetosphere. Its low energy plasma doesn't begin to compete against the free sources of energy available in the ring current, auroral zone, or plasma sheet. Its best known feature is its relatively highly density, archived as a result of prolonged accumulation of ionospheric outflow onto corotating flux tubes. On second look, however, the plasmasphere can be found to exhibit a remarkable influence on its more energetic cousins and display convection behavior indicative of physical processes acting throughout the magnetosphere for which we have no explanation. Plasmaspheric plasma densities and composition of heavy ions are particularly sensitive to heating by processes active in the ionosphere and all along field lines. Wave propagation and instabilities, collisional losses in the ring current, and heat transport from superthermal electrons are all equally sensitive to dense, heavy plasmaspheric densities and density gradients. It is in this context that we seek to characterize plasmaspheric populations using event based, empirical, and physical modeling methods. The modeling approaches, the challenges, and some of the results of these efforts will be presented.

Research on heating, instabilities, turbulence and RF emission from electric field dominated plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, J. R.; Alexeff, Igor

1989-07-01

This contract has supported four research programs: (1) a program of research on plasma turbulence; (2) a program of research on plasma heating by collisional magnetic pumping; (3) a research program on the Orbitron submillimeter maser; and (4) the initial phase of a program on plasma cloaking of military targets for protection against radar and directed microwave energy weapons. Progress in these areas is documented in the text of this final report and in the twenty archival publications included in the appendices to this report. In addition to the above four research areas, work was continued on plasma diagnostic development, and the development of new state-of-the-art data analysis and reduction methods, including software development for online reduction of Langmuir probe, capacitive probe, and other diagnostic information. Also being developed is the capability to analyze electrostatic potential fluctuations by the methods of nonlinear dynamics. An important part of the research program was the training of graduate and undergraduate research assistants in state-of-the-art methods in the fields of high temperature plasma physics, plasma diagnostics, communications, and related areas.

Compositional study of asteroids in the Erigone collisional family using visible spectroscopy at the 10.4m GTC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morate, David; de León, Julia; De Prá, Mário; Licandro, Javier; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Campins, Humberto; Pinilla-Alonso, Noemí; Alí-Lagoa, Víctor

2015-11-01

Asteroid families are formed by the fragments produced by the disruption of a common parent body (Bendjoya & Zappalà 2002). Primitive asteroids in the solar system are believed to have undergone less thermal processing than the S-complex asteroids. Thus, study of primitive asteroid families provides information about the solar system formation period. The Erigone collisional family, together with other three families (Polana, Clarissa and Sulamitis), are believed to be the origin of the two primitive Near-Earth asteroids that are the main targets of the NASA’s OSIRIS-REx ((101955) Bennu) and JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 ((162173) 1999 JU3) missions (Campins et al. 2010; Campins et al. 2013; Lauretta et al. 2010; Tsuda et al. 2013). These spacecrafts will visit the asteroids, and a sample of their surface material will be returned to Earth. Understanding of the families that are considered potential sources will enhance the scientific return of the missions. The main goal of the work presented here is to characterize the Erigone collisional family. Asteroid (163) Erigone has been classified as a primitive object (Bus 1999; Bus & Binzel 2002), and we expect the members of this family to be consistent with the spectral type of the parent body. We have obtained visible spectra (0.5-0.9 μm) for 101 members of the Erigone family, using the OSIRIS instrument at the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias. We performed a taxonomical classification of these asteroids, finding that the number of primitive objects in our sample is in agreement with the hypothesis of a common parent body. In addition, we have found a significant fraction of asteroids in our sample that present evidences of aqueous alteration. Study of aqueous alterations is important, as it can give information on the heating processes of the early Solar System, and for the associated astrobiological implications (it has been suggested that the Earth’s present water supply was brought here by asteroids, instead of comets, in opposition to previous explanations (Morbidelli et al. 2000).

Collisional transfer of population and orientation in NaK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, C. M.; Ashman, S.; Bai, J.; Beser, B.; Ahmed, E. H.; Lyyra, A. M.; Huennekens, J.

2011-05-01

Collisional satellite lines with |ΔJ| ≤ 58 have been identified in recent polarization spectroscopy V-type optical-optical double resonance (OODR) excitation spectra of the Rb2 molecule [H. Salami et al., Phys. Rev. A 80, 022515 (2009)]. Observation of these satellite lines clearly requires a transfer of population from the rotational level directly excited by the pump laser to a neighboring level in a collision of the molecule with an atomic perturber. However to be observed in polarization spectroscopy, the collision must also partially preserve the angular momentum orientation, which is at least somewhat surprising given the extremely large values of ΔJ that were observed. In the present work, we used the two-step OODR fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy techniques to obtain quantitative information on the transfer of population and orientation in rotationally inelastic collisions of the NaK molecules prepared in the 2(A)1Σ+(v' = 16, J' = 30) rovibrational level with argon and potassium perturbers. A rate equation model was used to study the intensities of these satellite lines as a function of argon pressure and heat pipe oven temperature, in order to separate the collisional effects of argon and potassium atoms. Using a fit of this rate equation model to the data, we found that collisions of NaK molecules with potassium atoms are more likely to transfer population and destroy orientation than collisions with argon atoms. Collisions with argon atoms show a strong propensity for population transfer with ΔJ = even. Conversely, collisions with potassium atoms do not show this ΔJ = even propensity, but do show a propensity for ΔJ = positive compared to ΔJ = negative, for this particular initial state. The density matrix equations of motion have also been solved numerically in order to test the approximations used in the rate equation model and to calculate fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy line shapes. In addition, we have measured rate coefficients for broadening of NaK 31Π ← 2(A)1Σ+spectral lines due to collisions with argon and potassium atoms. Additional broadening, due to velocity changes occurring in rotationally inelastic collisions, has also been observed.

Collisional transfer of population and orientation in NaK.

PubMed

Wolfe, C M; Ashman, S; Bai, J; Beser, B; Ahmed, E H; Lyyra, A M; Huennekens, J

2011-05-07

Collisional satellite lines with |ΔJ| ≤ 58 have been identified in recent polarization spectroscopy V-type optical-optical double resonance (OODR) excitation spectra of the Rb(2) molecule [H. Salami et al., Phys. Rev. A 80, 022515 (2009)]. Observation of these satellite lines clearly requires a transfer of population from the rotational level directly excited by the pump laser to a neighboring level in a collision of the molecule with an atomic perturber. However to be observed in polarization spectroscopy, the collision must also partially preserve the angular momentum orientation, which is at least somewhat surprising given the extremely large values of ΔJ that were observed. In the present work, we used the two-step OODR fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy techniques to obtain quantitative information on the transfer of population and orientation in rotationally inelastic collisions of the NaK molecules prepared in the 2(A)(1)Σ(+)(v' = 16, J' = 30) rovibrational level with argon and potassium perturbers. A rate equation model was used to study the intensities of these satellite lines as a function of argon pressure and heat pipe oven temperature, in order to separate the collisional effects of argon and potassium atoms. Using a fit of this rate equation model to the data, we found that collisions of NaK molecules with potassium atoms are more likely to transfer population and destroy orientation than collisions with argon atoms. Collisions with argon atoms show a strong propensity for population transfer with ΔJ = even. Conversely, collisions with potassium atoms do not show this ΔJ = even propensity, but do show a propensity for ΔJ = positive compared to ΔJ = negative, for this particular initial state. The density matrix equations of motion have also been solved numerically in order to test the approximations used in the rate equation model and to calculate fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy line shapes. In addition, we have measured rate coefficients for broadening of NaK 3(1)Π ← 2(A)(1)Σ(+)spectral lines due to collisions with argon and potassium atoms. Additional broadening, due to velocity changes occurring in rotationally inelastic collisions, has also been observed.

Detection of two intervening Ne viii absorbers probing warm gas at z ˜ 0.6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachat, Sachin; Narayanan, Anand; Khaire, Vikram; Savage, Blair D.; Muzahid, Sowgat; Wakker, Bart P.

2017-10-01

We report on the detection of two Ne viii absorbers, at z = 0.619 07 and 0.570 52 in the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectrum of background quasars SDSS J080908.13 + 461925.6 and SBS 1122 + 594, respectively. The Ne viii 770 line is at ˜3σ significance. In both instances, the Ne viii is found to be tracing gas with T ≳ 105 K, predominantly collisionally ionized, with moderate densities of n_{H} ≲ 10^{-4} cm-3, sub-solar metallicities and total hydrogen column densities of N(H) ≳ 1019 cm-2. In the z = 0.619 07 absorber, the low, intermediate ions and O VI are consistent with origin in photoionized gas, with the O VI potentially having some contribution from the warm collisional phase traced by Ne viii. The z = 0.570 52 system has H I absorption in at least three kinematically distinct components, with one of them having b({H I}) = 49 {± } 11 km s-1. The intermediate-ionization lines, O VI and Ne viii, are coincident in velocity with this component. Their different line widths suggest warm temperatures of T = (0.5-1.5) × 105 K. Both absorbers are residing in regions where there are several luminous (≳L★) galaxies. The absorber at z = 0.570 52 is within the virial radius of a 2.6L★ galaxy, possibly associated with shock-heated circumgalactic material.

Table-top two-color soft X-ray laser by means of Ni-like plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masoudnia, Leili; Ruiz-Lopez, Mabel; Bleiner, Davide, E-mail: davide.bleiner@empa.ch

2016-04-15

Laser-produced Ni-like plasmas are known as active media for extreme ultraviolet lasing, with the flexibility to two-color lasing. Two-color laser generation is very complex at accelerator facilities. In this work, plasma lasing at the 3d{sup 9}4d{sup 1}(J = 0) → 3d{sup 9}4p{sup 1}(J = 1) (collisional-pumping process) and the 3d{sup 9}4f{sup 1}(J = 1) → 3d{sup 9}4d{sup 1}(J = 1) (photo-pumping process) transitions is studied experimentally and computationally. Several key characteristics of collisional- and photo-pumping laser, such as divergence, pointing stability, and intensity have been investigated. The measurements showed different pulse characteristics for the two lasing processes affected by plasma inhomogeneity in temperature and density. Analytical expressions of these characteristicsmore » for both collisional- and photo-pumping are derived. It is found that the plasma that maximizes the photo-pumping lasing is 20% hotter and 70% denser than the plasma that optimizes the collisional-pumping lasing. The gain of collisional pumping is ≈4 times higher than the gain for the photo-pumping. The gain lifetime is a factor of ≈5.2 larger for the monopole-pumping. Similarly, the gain thickness is a factor of ≈1.8 larger. It is also found that the gain build-up time for collisional- and photo-pumping is 0.7 ps and 0.9 ps, respectively, whereas the build-up length-scale is 11.5 μm and 6.3 μm, respectively.« less

Exact collisional moments for plasma fluid theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfefferlé, D.; Hirvijoki, E.; Lingam, M.

2017-04-01

The velocity-space moments of the often troublesome nonlinear Landau collision operator are expressed exactly in terms of multi-index Hermite-polynomial moments of distribution functions. The collisional moments are shown to be generated by derivatives of two well-known functions, namely, the Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd-Trubnikov potentials for a Gaussian distribution. The resulting formula has a nonlinear dependency on the relative mean flow of the colliding species normalised to the root-mean-square of the corresponding thermal velocities and a bilinear dependency on densities and higher-order velocity moments of the distribution functions, with no restriction on temperature, flow, or mass ratio of the species. The result can be applied to both the classic transport theory of plasmas that relies on the Chapman-Enskog method, as well as to derive collisional fluid equations that follow Grad's moment approach. As an illustrative example, we provide the collisional ten-moment equations with exact conservation laws for momentum- and energy-transfer rates.

Exact collisional moments for plasma fluid theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfefferle, David; Hirvijoki, Eero; Lingam, Manasvi

2017-10-01

The velocity-space moments of the often troublesome nonlinear Landau collision operator are expressed exactly in terms of multi-index Hermite-polynomial moments of the distribution functions. The collisional moments are shown to be generated by derivatives of two well-known functions, namely the Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd-Trubnikov potentials for a Gaussian distribution. The resulting formula has a nonlinear dependency on the relative mean flow of the colliding species normalised to the root-mean-square of the corresponding thermal velocities, and a bilinear dependency on densities and higher-order velocity moments of the distribution functions, with no restriction on temperature, flow or mass ratio of the species. The result can be applied to both the classic transport theory of plasmas, that relies on the Chapman-Enskog method, as well as to deriving collisional fluid equations that follow Grad's moment approach. As an illustrative example, we provide the collisional ten-moment equations with exact conservation laws for momentum- and energy-transfer rate.

Exact collisional moments for plasma fluid theories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pfefferlé, D.; Hirvijoki, E.; Lingam, M.

The velocity-space moments of the often troublesome nonlinear Landau collision operator are expressed exactly in terms of multi-index Hermite-polynomial moments of distribution functions. The collisional moments are shown to be generated by derivatives of two well-known functions, namely, the Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd-Trubnikov potentials for a Gaussian distribution. The resulting formula has a nonlinear dependency on the relative mean flow of the colliding species normalised to the root-mean-square of the corresponding thermal velocities and a bilinear dependency on densities and higher-order velocity moments of the distribution functions, with no restriction on temperature, flow, or mass ratio of the species. The result can bemore » applied to both the classic transport theory of plasmas that relies on the Chapman-Enskog method, as well as to derive collisional fluid equations that follow Grad's moment approach. As an illustrative example, we provide the collisional ten-moment equations with exact conservation laws for momentum-and energy-transfer rates.« less

Exact collisional moments for plasma fluid theories

DOE PAGES

Pfefferlé, D.; Hirvijoki, E.; Lingam, M.

2017-04-01

The velocity-space moments of the often troublesome nonlinear Landau collision operator are expressed exactly in terms of multi-index Hermite-polynomial moments of distribution functions. The collisional moments are shown to be generated by derivatives of two well-known functions, namely, the Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd-Trubnikov potentials for a Gaussian distribution. The resulting formula has a nonlinear dependency on the relative mean flow of the colliding species normalised to the root-mean-square of the corresponding thermal velocities and a bilinear dependency on densities and higher-order velocity moments of the distribution functions, with no restriction on temperature, flow, or mass ratio of the species. The result can bemore » applied to both the classic transport theory of plasmas that relies on the Chapman-Enskog method, as well as to derive collisional fluid equations that follow Grad's moment approach. As an illustrative example, we provide the collisional ten-moment equations with exact conservation laws for momentum-and energy-transfer rates.« less

Anisotropic hydrodynamics with a scalar collisional kernel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almaalol, Dekrayat; Strickland, Michael

2018-04-01

Prior studies of nonequilibrium dynamics using anisotropic hydrodynamics have used the relativistic Anderson-Witting scattering kernel or some variant thereof. In this paper, we make the first study of the impact of using a more realistic scattering kernel. For this purpose, we consider a conformal system undergoing transversally homogenous and boost-invariant Bjorken expansion and take the collisional kernel to be given by the leading order 2 ↔2 scattering kernel in scalar λ ϕ4 . We consider both classical and quantum statistics to assess the impact of Bose enhancement on the dynamics. We also determine the anisotropic nonequilibrium attractor of a system subject to this collisional kernel. We find that, when the near-equilibrium relaxation-times in the Anderson-Witting and scalar collisional kernels are matched, the scalar kernel results in a higher degree of momentum-space anisotropy during the system's evolution, given the same initial conditions. Additionally, we find that taking into account Bose enhancement further increases the dynamically generated momentum-space anisotropy.

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets a)

DOE PAGES

Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C.

2015-05-01

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions [A. L. Moser & S. C. Hsu, Phys. Plasmas, submitted (2014)]. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease inmore » the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional and the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugama, H.; Nunami, M.; Department of Fusion Science, SOKENDAI

Effects of collisions on conservation laws for toroidal plasmas are investigated based on the gyrokinetic field theory. Associating the collisional system with a corresponding collisionless system at a given time such that the two systems have the same distribution functions and electromagnetic fields instantaneously, it is shown how the collisionless conservation laws derived from Noether's theorem are modified by the collision term. Effects of the external source term added into the gyrokinetic equation can be formulated similarly with the collisional effects. Particle, energy, and toroidal momentum balance equations including collisional and turbulent transport fluxes are systematically derived using a novelmore » gyrokinetic collision operator, by which the collisional change rates of energy and canonical toroidal angular momentum per unit volume in the gyrocenter space can be given in the conservative forms. The ensemble-averaged transport equations of particles, energy, and toroidal momentum given in the present work are shown to include classical, neoclassical, and turbulent transport fluxes which agree with those derived from conventional recursive formulations.« less

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets a)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C.

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions [A. L. Moser & S. C. Hsu, Phys. Plasmas, submitted (2014)]. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease inmore » the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional and the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

Rare-gas-cluster explosions under irradiation by intense short XUV pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffmann, K.; Murphy, B.; Kandadai, N.

High-intensity, extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) femtosecond interactions with large rare-gas clusters of xenon and argon have been studied at a wavelength of 38 nm. Pulses of XUV radiation with nJ energy are produced by high-order harmonic conversion from a 35-fs, near-infrared, terawatt laser. Mass resolved ion spectra show charge states up to Xe{sup 8+} and Ar{sup 4+}. Kinetic-energy measurements of ions and electrons indicate that a nanoplasma is formed and a hydrodynamic cluster explosion ensues after heating by the short wavelength pulse. It appears that the observed charge states and electron temperatures are consistent with sequential, single-photon ionization and collisional ionization ofmore » ions that have had their ionization potential depressed by plasma continuum lowering in the cluster nanoplasma.« less

A dynamical context for the origin of Phobos and Deimos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Bradley M. S.

2018-04-01

We show that a model in which Mars grows near Earth and Venus but is then scattered out of the terrestrial region yields a natural pathway to explain the low masses of the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. In this scenario, the last giant impact experienced by Mars is followed by an extended period (tens to hundreds of Myr) of close passages by other planetary embryos. These close passages perturb and dynamically heat any system of forming satellites left over by the giant impact and can substantially reduce the mass in the satellite system (sometimes to zero). The close passage of massive perturbing bodies also offers the opportunity to capture small objects by three-body scattering. Both mechanisms lead to low-mass moon systems with a substantially collisional history.

Center of Excellence in Theoretical Geoplasma Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-31

of the Balescu -Lenard-Poisson ecluations for collisional plasmas were reported by J.R. Jasperse of the Geophysics Directorate. Discussions at the...the Chairperson: W. Burke (AFGL) 15:00 - 16:30 1. "Solutions of the linearized Balescu -Lenard-Poisson Equations for a Weakly-Collisional Plasma: Some

Center of Excellence in Theoretical Geoplasma Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-10

iii) First results of closed-form solutions of the3 Balescu -Lenard-Poisson equations for collisional plasmas were reported I REPORT November 10, 1989...Basu, "Solutions of the Linearized Balescu -Lenard-Poisson Equations for a Weakly-Collisional Plasma: Some New Results". [511 American Geophysical Union

Anomalous transport in the H-mode pedestal of Alcator C-Mod discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankin, A. Y.; Hughes, J. W.; Greenwald, M. J.; Kritz, A. H.; Rafiq, T.

2017-02-01

Anomalous transport in the H-mode pedestal region of five Alcator C-Mod discharges, representing a collisionality scan is analyzed. The understanding of anomalous transport in the pedestal region is important for the development of a comprehensive model for the H-mode pedestal slope. In this research, a possible role of the drift resistive inertial ballooning modes (Rafiq et al 2010 Phys. Plasmas 17 082511) in the edge of Alcator C-Mod discharges is analyzed. The stability analysis, carried out using the TRANSP code, indicates that the DRIBM modes are strongly unstable in Alcator C-Mod discharges with large electron collisionality. An improved interpretive analysis of H-mode pedestal experimental data is carried out utilizing the additive flux minimization technique (Pankin et al 2013 Phys. Plasmas 20 102501) together with the guiding-center neoclassical kinetic XGC0 code. The neoclassical and neutral physics are simulated in the XGC0 code and the anomalous fluxes are computed using the additive flux minimization technique. The anomalous fluxes are reconstructed and compared with each other for the collisionality scan Alcator C-Mod discharges. It is found that the electron thermal anomalous diffusivities at the pedestal top increase with the electron collisionality. This dependence can also point to the drift resistive inertial ballooning modes as the modes that drive the anomalous transport in the plasma edge of highly collisional discharges.

Regional metamorphism at extreme conditions: Implications for orogeny at convergent plate margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yong-Fei; Chen, Ren-Xu

2017-09-01

Regional metamorphism at extreme conditions refers either to Alpine-type metamorphism at low geothermal gradients of <10 °C/km, or to Buchan-type metamorphism at high geothermal gradients of >30 °C/km. Extreme pressures refer to those above the polymorphic transition of quartz to coesite, so that ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite-facies metamorphism occurs at mantle depths of >80 km. Extreme temperatures refer to those higher than 900 °C at crustal depths of ≤80 km, so that ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) granulite-facies metamorphism occurs at medium to high pressures. While crustal subduction at the low geothermal gradients results in blueschist-eclogite facies series without arc volcanism, heating of the thinned orogenic lithosphere brings about the high geothermal gradients for amphibolite-granulite facies series with abundant magmatism. Therefore, UHP metamorphic rocks result from cold lithospheric subduction to the mantle depths, whereas UHT metamorphic rocks are produced by hot underplating of the asthenospheric mantle at the crustal depths. Active continental rifting is developed on the thinned lithosphere in response to asthenospheric upwelling, and this tectonism is suggested as a feasible mechanism for regional granulite-facies metamorphism, with the maximum temperature depending on the extent to which the mantle lithosphere is thinned prior to the rifting. While lithospheric compression is associated with subduction metamorphism in accretionary and collisional orogens, the thinned orogenic lithosphere undergoes extension due to the asthenospheric upwelling to result in orogen-parallel rifting metamorphism and magmatism. Thus, the rifting metamorphism provides a complement to the subduction metamorphism and its operation marks the asthenospheric heating of the orogenic lithosphere. Because of the partial melting and melt extraction of the lower continental crust, contemporaneous granite-migmatite-granulite associations may serve as a petrological indicator of rifting orogeny that is superimposed on precedingly accretionary and collisional orogens. The UHT metamorphic rocks have occurred since the Archean, suggesting that the hot underplating has operated very early in the Earth's history. In contrast, the UHP metamorphic rocks primarily occur in the Phanerozoic, indicating that the thermal regime of many subduction zones has changed since the Neoproterozoic for the cold subduction.

Terahertz generation by beating two Langmuir waves in a warm and collisional plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Qiao, Xin; Cheng, Li-Hong

2015-09-15

Terahertz (THz) radiation generated by beating of two Langmuir waves in a warm and collisional plasma is discussed theoretically. The critical angle between the two Langmuir waves and the critical wave-length (wave vector) of Langmuir waves for generating THz radiation are obtained analytically. Furthermore, the maximum radiation energy is obtained. We find that the critical angle, the critical wave-length, and the generated radiation energy strongly depend on plasma temperature and wave-length of the Langmuir waves. That is, the THz radiation generated by beating of two Langmuir waves in a warm and collisional plasma can be controlled by adjusting the plasmamore » temperature and the Langmuir wave-length.« less

Experimental observation of strong coupling effects on the dispersion of dust acoustic waves in a plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandyopadhyay, P.; Prasad, G.; Sen, A.; Kaw, P. K.

2007-09-01

The dispersion properties of low frequency dust acoustic waves in the strong coupling regime are investigated experimentally in an argon plasma embedded with a mixture of kaolin and MnO2 dust particles. The neutral pressure is varied over a wide range to change the collisional properties of the dusty plasma. In the low collisional regime the turnover of the dispersion curve at higher wave numbers and the resultant region of ∂ω/∂k<0 are identified as signatures of dust dust correlations. In the high collisional regime dust neutral collisions produce a similar effect and prevent an unambiguous identification of strong coupling effects.

Generation and Sustainment of Plasma Rotation by ICRF Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, F. W.

2000-10-01

When tokamak plasmas are heated by the fundamental minority ion-cyclotron process, they are observed to rotate toroidally, even though this heating process introduces negligable angular momentum. This work proposes and evaluates a physics mechanism which resolves this apparent conflict. The argument has two elements. First, it is assumed that angular momentum transport is governed by a diffusion equation with a v_tor = 0 boundary condition at the plasma surface and a torque-density source. When the source consists of separated regions of positive and negative torque density, a finite central rotation velocity results, even though the volume integrated torque density - the angular momentum input - vanishes. Secondly, ions energized by the ICRF process can generate separated regions of positive and negative torque density. Heating increases their banana widths which leads to radial energetic-particle transport that must be balanced by neutralizing radial currents and a j_rB_pR torque density in the bulk plasma. Additional, comparable torque density results from collisional transfer of mechanical angular momentum from energetic particles to the bulk plasma and particle loss through banana particles impacting the wall. Monte-Carlo calculations utilizing the ORBIT code evaluate all sources of torque density and rigorously assure that no net angular momentum is introduced. Two models of ICRF heating, diffusive and instantaneous, give similar results. When the resonance location is on the LFS, the calculated rotation has the magnitude, profile, and co-current sense of Alcator C-Mod observations. For HFS resonance locations, the model predicts counter-current rotation. Scans of rotational profiles vs. resonance location, initial energy, particle loss, pitch, and qm will be presented as will the location of the velocity shear layer its scaling to a reactor.

Combined Modeling of Acceleration, Transport, and Hydrodynamic Response in Solar Flares. 1; The Numerical Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Wei; Petrosian, Vahe; Mariska, John T.

2009-01-01

Acceleration and transport of high-energy particles and fluid dynamics of atmospheric plasma are interrelated aspects of solar flares, but for convenience and simplicity they were artificially separated in the past. We present here self consistently combined Fokker-Planck modeling of particles and hydrodynamic simulation of flare plasma. Energetic electrons are modeled with the Stanford unified code of acceleration, transport, and radiation, while plasma is modeled with the Naval Research Laboratory flux tube code. We calculated the collisional heating rate directly from the particle transport code, which is more accurate than those in previous studies based on approximate analytical solutions. We repeated the simulation of Mariska et al. with an injection of power law, downward-beamed electrons using the new heating rate. For this case, a -10% difference was found from their old result. We also used a more realistic spectrum of injected electrons provided by the stochastic acceleration model, which has a smooth transition from a quasi-thermal background at low energies to a non thermal tail at high energies. The inclusion of low-energy electrons results in relatively more heating in the corona (versus chromosphere) and thus a larger downward heat conduction flux. The interplay of electron heating, conduction, and radiative loss leads to stronger chromospheric evaporation than obtained in previous studies, which had a deficit in low-energy electrons due to an arbitrarily assumed low-energy cutoff. The energy and spatial distributions of energetic electrons and bremsstrahlung photons bear signatures of the changing density distribution caused by chromospheric evaporation. In particular, the density jump at the evaporation front gives rise to enhanced emission, which, in principle, can be imaged by X-ray telescopes. This model can be applied to investigate a variety of high-energy processes in solar, space, and astrophysical plasmas.

Nonequilibrium radiation and dissociation of CO molecules in shock-heated flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macdonald, R. L.; Munafò, A.; Johnston, C. O.; Panesi, M.

2016-08-01

This work addresses the study of the behavior of the excited electronic states of CO molecules in the nonequilibrium relaxation zone behind a normal shock for a CO2-N2 mixture representative of the Mars atmosphere. The hybrid state-to-state (StS) model developed accounts for thermal nonequilibrium between the translational energy mode of the gas and the vibrational energy mode of individual molecules. The electronic states of CO molecules are treated as separate species, allowing for non-Boltzmann distributions of their populations. The StS model is coupled with a nonequilibrium radiation solver, hpc-rad, allowing for the calculation of the radiation signature from the molecular and atomic species in the gas. This study focuses on the radiation from the fourth positive system of CO, which dominates the radiation heating on the forebody for higher speed Mars entry applications. In the rapidly dissociating regime behind strong shock waves, the population of the ground electronic state of CO [ CO(X 1Σ )], departs from Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions, owing to the efficient collisional excitation to the electronically excited CO(A 1Π ) state. In general the assumption of the equilibrium between electronic and vibration fails when the excitation of electronic states is driven by heavy particles. The comparison of the radiation heating predictions obtained using the conventional quasi-steady-state (QSS) approach and the physics-based StS approach revealed differences in radiative heating predictions of up to 50%. These results demonstrate that the choice of nonequilibrium model can have a significant impact on radiative heating simulations, and more importantly, they cast serious doubts on the validity of the QSS assumption for the condition of interest to this work.

Collisional and dynamic evolution of dust from the asteroid belt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gustafson, Bo A. S.; Gruen, Eberhard; Dermott, Stanley F.; Durda, Daniel D.

1992-01-01

The size and spatial distribution of collisional debris from main belt asteroids is modeled over a 10 million year period. The model dust and meteoroid particles spiral toward the Sun under the action of Poynting-Robertson drag and grind down as they collide with a static background of field particles.

Collisional-radiative modeling of tungsten at temperatures of 1200–2400 eV

DOE PAGES

Colgan, James; Fontes, Christopher; Zhang, Honglin; ...

2015-04-30

We discuss new collisional-radiative modeling calculations of tungsten at moderate temperatures of 1200 to 2400 eV. Such plasma conditions are relevant to ongoing experimental work at ASDEX Upgrade and are expected to be relevant for ITER. Our calculations are made using the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) collisional-radiative modeling ATOMIC code. These calculations formed part of a submission to the recent NLTE-8 workshop that was held in November 2013. This series of workshops provides a forum for detailed comparison of plasma and spectral quantities from NLTE collisional-radiative modeling codes. We focus on the LANL ATOMIC calculations for tungsten that weremore » submitted to the NLTE-8 workshop and discuss different models that were constructed to predict the tungsten emission. In particular, we discuss comparisons between semi-relativistic configuration-average and fully relativistic configuration-average calculations. As a result, we also present semi-relativistic calculations that include fine-structure detail, and discuss the difficult problem of ensuring completeness with respect to the number of configurations included in a CR calculation.« less

Gyrokinetics with Advanced Collision Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belli, E. A.; Candy, J.

2014-10-01

For gyrokinetic studies in the pedestal region, collisions are expected to play a more critical role than in the core and there is concern that more advanced collision operators, as well as numerical methods optimized for the strong collisionality regime, are needed. For this purpose, a new gyrokinetic solver CGYRO has been developed for precise studies of high collisionality regimes. Building on GYRO and NEO, CGYRO uses the NEO pitch angle and energy velocity-space coordinate system to optimize the accuracy of the collision dynamics, particularly for multi-species collisions and including energy diffusion. With implementation of the reduced Hirshman-Sigmar collision operator with full cross-species coupling, CGYRO recovers linear ITG growth rates and the collisional GAM test at moderate collision frequency. Methods to improve the behavior in the collisionless regime, particularly for the trapped/passing particle boundary physics for kinetic electrons, are studied. Extensions to advanced model operators with finite-k⊥ corrections, e.g., the Sugama operator, and the impact of high collisionality on linear gyrokinetic stability in the edge are explored. Work supported by the US DOE under DE-FG02-95ER54309.

Measurements of [C I] Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliversen, R. J.; Doane, N.; Scherb, F.; Harris, W. M.; Morgenthaler, J. P.

2002-12-01

We present quantitative measurements of cometary [C I] 9850 Å emission obtained during observations of comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) in 1997 March and April. The observations were carried out using a high-resolution (λ/Δλ~40,000) Fabry-Pérot/CCD spectrometer at the McMath-Pierce Solar telescope on Kitt Peak. This forbidden line, the carbon analog of [O I] 6300 Å, is emitted in the radiative decay of C(1D) atoms. In the absence of other sources and sinks, [C I] 9850 Å emission can be used as a direct tracer of CO photodissociation in comets. However, in Hale-Bopp's large, dense coma, other processes, such as collisional excitation of ground-state C(3P), dissociative recombination of CO+, and collisional dissociation of CO and CO2 may produce significant amounts of C(1D). The long C(1D) radiative lifetime (~4000 s) makes collisional deexcitation (quenching) the primary loss mechanism in the inner coma. Thus, a detailed, self-consistent global model of collisional and photochemical interactions is necessary to fully account for [C I] 9850 Å emission in comet Hale-Bopp.

Relative Heating of Heavy Ions Observed at 1 AU with ACE/SWICS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, P.; Kasper, J. C.; Zurbuchen, T.; Raines, J. M.; Gilbert, J. A.

2015-12-01

Heavy ions (Z>4) observed near 1 AU, especially in fast solar wind, tend to have thermal speeds that are approximately equal, indicative of a mass proportional temperature. The fact that these heavy ions have similar thermal speeds implies that they have very different temperatures, and furthermore, that they are far from thermal equilibrium. By comparing the observed heavy ion temperatures amongst species with different mass and charge values we can critically evaluate heating theories for the solar wind. Utilizing improved data processing techniques, results from the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) onboard the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) are used to analyze the thermal properties of the heavy ion population at 1 AU. We have shown in previous work that Coulomb Collisional relaxation has a significant effect on these heavy ion populations, and now we investigate how Coulomb Collisions effect the observed temperature ratios of different heavy ion species. We observe that the heavy ion to proton temperature ratio scales with the mass and charge values of species analyzed. These dependencies are compared to current heating theories to determine which best explains the observations. The results of this work are valuable for comparison with coronal spectroscopic observations of ion temperatures, existing solar wind observations at different distances from the Sun, and for predictions of the environment to be encountered by Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter.

Electron density and gas density measurements in a millimeter-wave discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schaub, S. C., E-mail: sschaub@mit.edu; Hummelt, J. S.; Guss, W. C.

2016-08-15

Electron density and neutral gas density have been measured in a non-equilibrium air breakdown plasma using optical emission spectroscopy and two-dimensional laser interferometry, respectively. A plasma was created with a focused high frequency microwave beam in air. Experiments were run with 110 GHz and 124.5 GHz microwaves at powers up to 1.2 MW. Microwave pulses were 3 μs long at 110 GHz and 2.2 μs long at 124.5 GHz. Electron density was measured over a pressure range of 25 to 700 Torr as the input microwave power was varied. Electron density was found to be close to the critical density, where the collisional plasma frequency is equal tomore » the microwave frequency, over the pressure range studied and to vary weakly with input power. Neutral gas density was measured over a pressure range from 150 to 750 Torr at power levels high above the threshold for initiating breakdown. The two-dimensional structure of the neutral gas density was resolved. Intense, localized heating was found to occur hundreds of nanoseconds after visible plasma formed. This heating led to neutral gas density reductions of greater than 80% where peak plasma densities occurred. Spatial structure and temporal dynamics of gas heating at atmospheric pressure were found to agree well with published numerical simulations.« less

Testing nonlocal models of electron thermal conduction for magnetic and inertial confinement fusion applications

DOE PAGES

Brodrick, Jonathan P.; Kingham, R. J.; Marinak, M. M.; ...

2017-09-06

Three models for nonlocal electron thermal transport are here compared against Vlasov-Fokker-Planck (VFP) codes to assess their accuracy in situations relevant to both inertial fusion hohlraums and tokamak scrape-off layers. The models tested are (i) a moment-based approach using an eigenvector integral closure (EIC) originally developed by Ji, Held, and Sovinec [Phys. Plasmas 16, 022312 (2009)]; (ii) the non-Fourier Landau-fluid (NFLF) model of Dimits, Joseph, and Umansky [Phys. Plasmas 21, 055907 (2014)]; and (iii) Schurtz, Nicolaï, and Busquet’s [Phys. Plasmas 7, 4238 (2000)] multigroup diffusion model (SNB). We find that while the EIC and NFLF models accurately predict the dampingmore » rate of a small-amplitude temperature perturbation (within 10% at moderate collisionalities), they overestimate the peak heat flow by as much as 35% and do not predict preheat in the more relevant case where there is a large temperature difference. The SNB model, however, agrees better with VFP results for the latter problem if care is taken with the definition of the mean free path. Additionally, we present for the first time a comparison of the SNB model against a VFP code for a hohlraum-relevant problem with inhomogeneous ionisation and show that the model overestimates the heat flow in the helium gas-fill by a factor of ~2 despite predicting the peak heat flux to within 16%.« less

Compositional Variegation of Large-Diameter Low-Albedo Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilas, F.; Jarvis, K. S.; Anz-Meador, T. D.; Thibault, C. A.; Sawyer, S. R.; Fitzsimmons, A.

1997-07-01

Asteroids showing signs of aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism in visible/near IR spectroscopy and photometry (C, G, F, B, and P classes) ranging from 0.37 - 0.90mu m dominate the asteroid population at heliocentric distances of 2.6 - 3.5 AU. Age dating of meteorites indicates that the Solar System was subjected to a major heating event 4.5 Gyr ago. Recent meteoritic research has produced evidence of a carbonaceous chondrite subjected to two separate aqueous alteration events with a metamorphic heating inbetween (Krot et al., 1997, submitted). Models of the effects of heating by electromagnetic induction or decay of short-lived radionuclides combined with models of the early collisional history of the Solar System after Jupiter's formation indicate that asteroids observed today can be divided into two groups by diameter. Those asteroids having diameters greater than 100 km were mixed by multiple collisions but remain as gravitationally bound rubble piles. Asteroids with diameters less than 100 km should show more compositional diversity. Vilas and Sykes (1996, Icarus, v. 124, 483) have shown using ECAS photometry that this compositional difference exists. Those asteroids having diameters greater than 100 km should be individually homogeneous, with spectral differences showing the combined effects of a primordial compositional gradient in the asteroid belt with thermal metamorphism. We address the significance of spatially-resolved spectra of 42 asteroids to the collective origin of these asteroids.

A Finite-Orbit-Width Fokker-Planck solver for modeling of energetic particle interactions with waves, with application to Helicons in ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrov, Yuri V.; Harvey, R. W.

2017-10-01

The bounce-average (BA) finite-difference Fokker-Planck (FP) code CQL3D [1,2] now includes the essential physics to describe the RF heating of Finite-Orbit-Width (FOW) ions in tokamaks. The FP equation is reformulated in terms of Constants-Of-Motion coordinates, which we select to be particle speed, pitch angle, and major radius on the equatorial plane thus obtaining the distribution function directly at this location. Full-orbit, low collisionality neoclassical radial transport emerges from averaging the local friction and diffusion coefficients along guiding center orbits. Similarly, the BA of local quasilinear RF diffusion terms gives rise to additional radial transport. The local RF electric field components needed for the BA operator are usually obtained by a ray-tracing code, such as GENRAY, or in conjunction with full-wave codes. As a new, practical application, the CQL3D-FOW version is used for simulation of alpha-particle heating by high-harmonic waves in ITER. Coupling of high harmonic or helicon fast waves power to electrons is a promising current drive (CD) scenario for high beta plasmas. However, the efficiency of current drive can be diminished by parasitic channeling of RF power into fast ions, such as alphas, through finite Larmor-radius effects. We investigate possibilities to reduce the fast ion heating in CD scenarios.

TEMPEST simulations of the plasma transport in a single-null tokamak geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, X. Q.; Bodi, K.; Cohen, R. H.; Krasheninnikov, S.; Rognlien, T. D.

2010-06-01

We present edge kinetic ion transport simulations of tokamak plasmas in magnetic divertor geometry using the fully nonlinear (full-f) continuum code TEMPEST. Besides neoclassical transport, a term for divergence of anomalous kinetic radial flux is added to mock up the effect of turbulent transport. To study the relative roles of neoclassical and anomalous transport, TEMPEST simulations were carried out for plasma transport and flow dynamics in a single-null tokamak geometry, including the pedestal region that extends across the separatrix into the scrape-off layer and private flux region. A series of TEMPEST simulations were conducted to investigate the transition of midplane pedestal heat flux and flow from the neoclassical to the turbulent limit and the transition of divertor heat flux and flow from the kinetic to the fluid regime via an anomalous transport scan and a density scan. The TEMPEST simulation results demonstrate that turbulent transport (as modelled by large diffusion) plays a similar role to collisional decorrelation of particle orbits and that the large turbulent transport (large diffusion) leads to an apparent Maxwellianization of the particle distribution. We also show the transition of parallel heat flux and flow at the entrance to the divertor plates from the fluid to the kinetic regime. For an absorbing divertor plate boundary condition, a non-half-Maxwellian is found due to the balance between upstream radial anomalous transport and energetic ion endloss.

Testing nonlocal models of electron thermal conduction for magnetic and inertial confinement fusion applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodrick, J. P.; Kingham, R. J.; Marinak, M. M.; Patel, M. V.; Chankin, A. V.; Omotani, J. T.; Umansky, M. V.; Del Sorbo, D.; Dudson, B.; Parker, J. T.; Kerbel, G. D.; Sherlock, M.; Ridgers, C. P.

2017-09-01

Three models for nonlocal electron thermal transport are here compared against Vlasov-Fokker-Planck (VFP) codes to assess their accuracy in situations relevant to both inertial fusion hohlraums and tokamak scrape-off layers. The models tested are (i) a moment-based approach using an eigenvector integral closure (EIC) originally developed by Ji, Held, and Sovinec [Phys. Plasmas 16, 022312 (2009)]; (ii) the non-Fourier Landau-fluid (NFLF) model of Dimits, Joseph, and Umansky [Phys. Plasmas 21, 055907 (2014)]; and (iii) Schurtz, Nicolaï, and Busquet's [Phys. Plasmas 7, 4238 (2000)] multigroup diffusion model (SNB). We find that while the EIC and NFLF models accurately predict the damping rate of a small-amplitude temperature perturbation (within 10% at moderate collisionalities), they overestimate the peak heat flow by as much as 35% and do not predict preheat in the more relevant case where there is a large temperature difference. The SNB model, however, agrees better with VFP results for the latter problem if care is taken with the definition of the mean free path. Additionally, we present for the first time a comparison of the SNB model against a VFP code for a hohlraum-relevant problem with inhomogeneous ionisation and show that the model overestimates the heat flow in the helium gas-fill by a factor of ˜2 despite predicting the peak heat flux to within 16%.

Supernova Remnants As Laboratories For Determining The Properties Of Ejecta Dust And The Processing Of Dust Grains In Shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwek, Eli; Temim, Tea

Recent infrared satellites, such as the Spitzer, Herschel, and WISE, have obtained a wealth of spectral and broadband data on the infrared (IR) emission from dust in supernova remnants (SNRs). Supernovae (SNe) are important producers of newly condensed dust during the early free-expansion phase of their evolution, and the dominant destroyers of dust during the subsequent remnant phase of their evolution. The infrared observations hold the key for determining their role in the origin and evolution of dust in the universe. We propose to model the composition, abundance, and size distribution of the dust in select Galactic and Magellanic Cloud remnants. As explained in detail below, the remnants were selected for the availability of IR and X-ray observations. All selected remnants have Spitzer IRS spectral data in the 5-35 μm regions which allow us to determine the effect of grain processing in the shock. Some have spectral maps that allow the distinction between the IR emission from SN-condensed and swept up circumstellar and interstellar dust. All remnants have also been covered by Spitzer, Herschel, and WISE imaging, and have existing X-ray Chandra and/or XMM observations. The dust in some remnants is radiatively-heated by a pulsar wind nebula, and in others collisionally- heated by shocked X-ray or line emitting gas. We will use physical models to calculate the radiative and collisional heating of SNR dust, the equilibrium or fluctuating dust temperatures, and the resulting IR emission for various dust compositions and size distributions. Specific examples of Cas A, SN1987A, the Crab Nebula, and Puppis A, are discussed in detail to illustrate our modeling approach. Our study will be the first comprehensive and physical analysis of a large sample of SNRs in different evolutionary states and different astrophysical environments. They will cover a wide range of interactions between the dust grains and their surroundings, including the radioactively- powered and/or shocked SN ejecta, hard X-rays and EUV radiation fields, and shocked circumstel- lar/interstellar gas. Our study will shed light on the evolution of dust grains from their explosive formation sites, through their violent injection into the ISM, and ultimate demise or survival as they travel through a network of interstellar shock waves. It will constitute a major advance in our understanding of the origin and evolution of dust in the Milky Way, in galaxies in general, and especially in the early universe.

LIDT-DD: A new hybrid model to understand debris discs observations - The case of massive collisions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kral, Q.; Thébault, P.; Augereau, J.-C.; Boccaletti, A.; Charnoz, S.

2014-12-01

LIDT-DD is a new hybrid model coupling the collisional and dynamical evolution in debris discs in a self-consistent way. It has been developed in a way that allows to treat a large number of different astrophysical cases where collisions and dynamics have an important role. This interplay was often totally neglected in previous studies whereas, even for the simplest configurations, the real physics of debris discs imposes strong constraints and interactions between dynamics and collisions. After presenting the LIDT-DD model, we will describe the evolution of violent stochastic collisional events with this model. These massive impacts have been invoked as a possible explanation for some debris discs displaying pronounced azimuthal asymmetries or having a luminosity excess exceeding that expected for systems at collisional steady-state. So far, no thorough modelling of the consequences of such stochastic events has been carried out, mainly because of the extreme numerical challenge of coupling the dynamical and collisional evolution of the released dust. We follow the collisional and dynamical evolution of dust released after the breakup of a Ceres-sized body at 6 AU from its central star. We investigate the duration, magnitude and spatial structure of the signature left by such a violent event, as well as its observational detectability. We use the GRaTer package to estimate the system's luminosity at different wavelengths and derive synthetic images for the SPHERE/VLT and MIRI/JWST instruments.

Leucogranites of the Teton Range, Wyoming: A record of Archean collisional orogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frost, Carol D.; Swapp, Susan M.; Frost, B. Ronald; Finley-Blasi, Lee; Fitz-Gerald, D. Braden

2016-07-01

Leucogranitic rocks formed by crustal melting are a prominent feature of collisional orogens of all ages. This study describes leucogranitic gneisses associated with an Archean collisional orogeny preserved in the Teton Range of northwestern Wyoming, USA. These leucogneisses formed at 2.68 Ga, and initial Nd isotopic compositions suggest they are derived from relatively juvenile sources. Two distinct groups of leucogneisses, both trondhjemitic, are identified on the basis of field relations, petrology, and geochemistry. The Webb Canyon gneiss forms large, sheet-like bodies of hornblende biotite trondhjemite and granodiorite. This gneiss is silica-rich (SiO2 = 70-80%), strongly ferroan, comparatively low in alumina, and is characterized by high Zr and Y, low Sr, and high REE contents that define ;seagull;-shaped REE patterns. The Bitch Creek gneiss forms small sills, dikes, and plutons of biotite trondhjemite. Silica, Zr, Y, and REE are lower and alumina and Sr are higher than in the Webb Canyon gneiss. These differences reflect different melting conditions: the Webb Canyon gneiss formed by dehydration melting in which amphibole and quartz breaks down, accounting for the low alumina, high FeO, high silica content and observed trace element characteristics. The Bitch Creek gneiss formed by H2O-excess melting in which plagioclase breaks down leaving an amphibole-rich restite, producing magmas higher in alumina and Sr and lower in FeO and HREE. Both melt mechanisms are expected in collisional environments: dehydration melting accompanies gravitational collapse and tectonic extension of dramatically thickened crust, and water-excess melting may occur when collision places a relatively cool, hydrous lower plate beneath a hotter upper plate. The Archean leucogranitic gneisses of the Teton Range are calcic trondhjemites and granodiorites whereas younger collisional leucogranites typically are true granites. The difference in leucogranite composition reflects the geochemically immature Archean crust that partially melted in the Teton Range compared to the more geochemically evolved rocks typically involved in younger collisional orogens.

From pebbles to dust: experiments to observe low-velocity collisional outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dove, A.; Jorges, J.; Colwell, J. E.

2015-12-01

Particle size evolution in planetary ring systems can be driven by collisions at relatively low velocities (<1 m/s) occurring between objects with a range of sizes from very fine dust to decimeter-sized objects. In these complex systems, collisions between centimeter-sized objects may result in particle growth by accretion, rebounding, or erosive processes that result in the production of additional smaller particles. The outcomes of these collisions are dependent on factors such as collisional energy, particle size, and particle morphology. Numerical simulations are limited by a need to understand these collisional parameters over a range of conditions. We present the results of a sequence of laboratory experiments designed to explore collisions over a range of these parameters. We are able to observe low-velocity collisions by conducting experiments in vacuum chambers in our 0.8-sec drop tower apparatus. Initial experiments utilize a variety of impacting spheres, including glass, Teflon, aluminum, stainless steel, and brass. These spheres are either used in their natural state or are "mantled" - coated with a few-mm thick layer of a cohesive powder. A high-speed, high-resolution video camera is used to record the motion of the colliding bodies. These videos are then processed and we track the particles to determine impactor speeds before and after collision and the collisional outcome; in the case of the mantled impactors, we can assess how much of the powder was released in the collision. We also determine how the coefficient of restitution varies as a function of material type, morphology, and impact velocity. Impact velocities range from about 20-60 cm/s, and we observe that mantling of particles significantly reduces their coefficients of restitution. These results will contribute to an empirical model of collisional outcomes that can help refine our understanding of dusty ring system collisional evolution.

Analytic model of a magnetically insulated transmission line with collisional flow electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stygar, W. A.; Wagoner, T. C.; Ives, H. C.; Corcoran, P. A.; Cuneo, M. E.; Douglas, J. W.; Gilliland, T. L.; Mazarakis, M. G.; Ramirez, J. J.; Seamen, J. F.; Seidel, D. B.; Spielman, R. B.

2006-09-01

We have developed a relativistic-fluid model of the flow-electron plasma in a steady-state one-dimensional magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL). The model assumes that the electrons are collisional and, as a result, drift toward the anode. The model predicts that in the limit of fully developed collisional flow, the relation between the voltage Va, anode current Ia, cathode current Ik, and geometric impedance Z0 of a 1D planar MITL can be expressed as Va=IaZ0h(χ), where h(χ)≡[(χ+1)/4(χ-1)]1/2-ln⁡⌊χ+(χ2-1)1/2⌋/2χ(χ-1) and χ≡Ia/Ik. The relation is valid when Va≳1MV. In the minimally insulated limit, the anode current Ia,min⁡=1.78Va/Z0, the electron-flow current If,min⁡=1.25Va/Z0, and the flow impedance Zf,min⁡=0.588Z0. {The electron-flow current If≡Ia-Ik. Following Mendel and Rosenthal [Phys. Plasmas 2, 1332 (1995)PHPAEN1070-664X10.1063/1.871345], we define the flow impedance Zf as Va/(Ia2-Ik2)1/2.} In the well-insulated limit (i.e., when Ia≫Ia,min⁡), the electron-flow current If=9Va2/8IaZ02 and the flow impedance Zf=2Z0/3. Similar results are obtained for a 1D collisional MITL with coaxial cylindrical electrodes, when the inner conductor is at a negative potential with respect to the outer, and Z0≲40Ω. We compare the predictions of the collisional model to those of several MITL models that assume the flow electrons are collisionless. We find that at given values of Va and Z0, collisions can significantly increase both Ia,min⁡ and If,min⁡ above the values predicted by the collisionless models, and decrease Zf,min⁡. When Ia≫Ia,min⁡, we find that, at given values of Va, Z0, and Ia, collisions can significantly increase If and decrease Zf. Since the steady-state collisional model is valid only when the drift of electrons toward the anode has had sufficient time to establish fully developed collisional flow, and collisionless models assume there is no net electron drift toward the anode, we expect these two types of models to provide theoretical bounds on Ia, If, and Zf.

Early Permian intrusions of the Alai range: Understanding tectonic settings of Hercynian post-collisional magmatism in the South Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopelko, D.; Wilde, S. A.; Seltmann, R.; Romer, R. L.; Biske, Yu. S.

2018-03-01

We present geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope data as well as the results of single grain U-Pb zircon dating for ten granitoid and alkaline intrusions of the Alai segment of Kyrgyz South Tien Shan (STS). The intrusions comprise four geochemically contrasting series or suites, including (1) I-type and (2) shoshonitic granitoids, (3) peraluminous granitoids including S-type leucogranites and (4) alkaline rocks and carbonatites, closely associated in space. New geochronological data indicate that these diverse magmatic series of the Alai segment formed in a post-collisional setting. Five single grain U-Pb zircon ages in the range 287-281 Ma, in combination with published ages, define the main post-collisional magmatic pulse at 290-280 Ma, which is similar to ages of post-collisional intrusions elsewhere in the STS. An age of 287 ± 4 Ma, obtained for peraluminous graniodiorite of the Liayliak massif, emplaced in amphibolite-facies metamorphic rocks of the Zeravshan-Alai block, is indistinguishable from ca. 290 Ma age of peraluminous granitoids emplaced coevally with Barrovian-type metamorphism in the Garm block, located ca. 40 km south-west of the research area. The Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic compositions of the studied intrusions are consistent with the reworking of crustal material with 1.6-1.1 Ga average crustal residence times, indicating the formation of the Alai segment on a continental basement with Mesoproterozoic or older crust. The pattern of post-collisional magmatism in the Alai segment, characterized by emplacement of I-type and shoshoninitic granitoids in combination with coeval Barrovian-type metamorphism, is markedly different from the pattern of post-collisional magmatism in the adjacent Kokshaal segment of the STS with predominant A-type granitoids that formed on a former passive margin of the Tarim Craton. We suggest that during the middle-late Carboniferous the Alai segment probably comprised a microcontinent with Precambrian basement located between the Turkestan Ocean to the north and an inferred oceanic basin to the south, where the evidence of supra-subduction magmatism was largely destroyed by subsequent tectonic processes. In this scenario, after collision, the position of the Alai microcontinent between two major sutures enabled delamination of its lithospheric mantle, which resulted in production of diverse post-collisional magmatic series by interaction of ascending asthenospheric material with lithospheric mantle and various crustal protoliths.

Generation of post-collisional normal calc-alkaline and adakitic granites in the Tongbai orogen, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wen-Xiang; Zhu, Liu-Qin; Wang, Hao; Wu, Yuan-Bao

2018-01-01

Post-collisional granites are generally generated by partial melting of continental crust during orogenic extension. The occurrence of normal calc-alkaline granites following adakitic granites in a collisional orogen is frequently supposed as a sign of tectonic regime transition from compression to extension, which has been debated yet. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of zircon U-Pb ages, Hf-O isotopes, as well as whole-rock major and trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopes, for Tongbai and Jigongshan post-collisional granitic plutons in the Tongbai orogen. Zircon U-Pb dating yields intrusion ages of ca. 140 and 135 Ma for the Tongbai and Jigongshan plutons, respectively, suggesting they are post-collisional granites. These granites are high-K calc-alkaline series, metaluminous to weakly peraluminous with A/CNK ratios of 0.85-1.08. The Tongbai gneissic granites are normal calc-alkaline granite, having variable SiO2 (61.93-76.74 wt%) and Sr/Y (2.9-38.9) and (La/Yb)N (1.7-30.1) ratios with variably negative Eu anomalies (0.41-0.92). They have relatively high initial Sr isotope ratios of 0.707571 to 0.710317, and low εNd(t) (- 15.74 to - 11.09) and εHf(t) (- 17.6 to - 16.9) values. Their Nd and Hf model ages range from 2.2 to 1.8 Ga and 2.3 to 2.2 Ga. On the contrary, the Jigongshan granites show higher SiO2 (66.56-72.11 wt%) and Sr/Y (30.1-182.0) and (La/Yb)N (27.4-91.4) ratios with insignificant Eu anomalies (0.73-1.00), belonging to adakitic granite. They have Isr = 0.707843-0.708366, εNd(t) = - 19.83 to - 17.59, and εHf(t) = - 26.0 to - 23.5. Their Nd and Hf model ages vary from ca. 2.5 to 2.4 Ga and ca. 2.8 to 2.6 Ga. The Tongbai and Jigongshan granites are characterized by mantle-like zircon δ18O values (5.17-5.46‰). These geochemical features suggest that the Tongbai and Jigongshan granites were derived from partial melting of Paleoproterozoic and Archean continental crust, respectively. Fractional crystallization affected the geochemical compositions of the Tongbai gneissic granites, while the compositions of the Jigongshan granites were mainly controlled by partial melting. The adakitic signatures of the Jigongshan granites were either inherited from their source or ascribed to more garnet in their residues. The voluminous post-collisional granites might form by the collapse of the thickened Tongbai orogenic root. The normal Tongbai gneissic granites occurred slightly earlier than the Jigongshan adakitic granites in the Tongbai orogen, suggesting that it is not a mandate to sign the tectonic transition from adakitic to normal calc-alkaline granites in post-collisional settings. Therefore, this study provides another example supporting the burst of voluminous post-collisional granites with different compositions as a consequence of the collapse of the thickened orogenic roots of collisional orogens.

A prospectus on kinetic heliophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, Gregory G.

2017-05-01

Under the low density and high temperature conditions typical of heliospheric plasmas, the macroscopic evolution of the heliosphere is strongly affected by the kinetic plasma physics governing fundamental microphysical mechanisms. Kinetic turbulence, collisionless magnetic reconnection, particle acceleration, and kinetic instabilities are four poorly understood, grand-challenge problems that lie at the new frontier of kinetic heliophysics. The increasing availability of high cadence and high phase-space resolution measurements of particle velocity distributions by current and upcoming spacecraft missions and of massively parallel nonlinear kinetic simulations of weakly collisional heliospheric plasmas provides the opportunity to transform our understanding of these kinetic mechanisms through the full utilization of the information contained in the particle velocity distributions. Several major considerations for future investigations of kinetic heliophysics are examined. Turbulent dissipation followed by particle heating is highlighted as an inherently two-step process in weakly collisional plasmas, distinct from the more familiar case in fluid theory. Concerted efforts must be made to tackle the big-data challenge of visualizing the high-dimensional (3D-3V) phase space of kinetic plasma theory through physics-based reductions. Furthermore, the development of innovative analysis methods that utilize full velocity-space measurements, such as the field-particle correlation technique, will enable us to gain deeper insight into these four grand-challenge problems of kinetic heliophysics. A systems approach to tackle the multi-scale problem of heliophysics through a rigorous connection between the kinetic physics at microscales and the self-consistent evolution of the heliosphere at macroscales will propel the field of kinetic heliophysics into the future.

Modeling Transport of Relativistic Electrons through Warm-Dense Matter Using Collisional PIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, J.; McGuffey, C.; Yabuuchi, T.; Wei, Ms; Beg, F.; Mori, Wb

2017-10-01

In electron transport experiments performed on the OMEGA EP laser system, a relativistic electron beam was created by focusing a high intensity (eA /me c > 1) laser onto a gold (Au) foil. Behind the Au foil was a layer of plastic (CH) foam, with an initial density of 200mg /cm3 . Before the high intensity laser was switched on, this foam was either left unperturbed; or it was shocked using a lower intensity laser (eA /me c 10-4) with beam path perpendicular to the high intensity laser, which left the CH layer in a warm dense matter (WDM) state with temperature of 40 eV and density of 30mg /cm3 . The electron beam was imaged by observing the k- α signal from a copper foil on the far side from the Au. The result was that transport was decreased by an order of magnitude in the WDM compared to the cold foam. We have modeled this experiment using the PIC code OSIRIS, with also a Monte Carlo Coulomb collision package. Our simulations indicate that the main cause of the differences in transport is a collimating magnetic field in the higher density, cold foam, created by collisional resistivity. The plasma density of the Au layer, difficult to model fully in PIC, appears to effect the heat capacity and therefore temperature and resistivity of the target. The authors acknowledge the support of the Department of Energy under contract DE-NA 0001833 and the National Science Foundation under contract ACI 1339893.

A prospectus on kinetic heliophysics

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Under the low density and high temperature conditions typical of heliospheric plasmas, the macroscopic evolution of the heliosphere is strongly affected by the kinetic plasma physics governing fundamental microphysical mechanisms. Kinetic turbulence, collisionless magnetic reconnection, particle acceleration, and kinetic instabilities are four poorly understood, grand-challenge problems that lie at the new frontier of kinetic heliophysics. The increasing availability of high cadence and high phase-space resolution measurements of particle velocity distributions by current and upcoming spacecraft missions and of massively parallel nonlinear kinetic simulations of weakly collisional heliospheric plasmas provides the opportunity to transform our understanding of these kinetic mechanisms through the full utilization of the information contained in the particle velocity distributions. Several major considerations for future investigations of kinetic heliophysics are examined. Turbulent dissipation followed by particle heating is highlighted as an inherently two-step process in weakly collisional plasmas, distinct from the more familiar case in fluid theory. Concerted efforts must be made to tackle the big-data challenge of visualizing the high-dimensional (3D-3V) phase space of kinetic plasma theory through physics-based reductions. Furthermore, the development of innovative analysis methods that utilize full velocity-space measurements, such as the field-particle correlation technique, will enable us to gain deeper insight into these four grand-challenge problems of kinetic heliophysics. A systems approach to tackle the multi-scale problem of heliophysics through a rigorous connection between the kinetic physics at microscales and the self-consistent evolution of the heliosphere at macroscales will propel the field of kinetic heliophysics into the future. PMID:29104421

How Closely Related Are Conformations of Protein Ions Sampled by IM-MS to Native Solution Structures?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shu-Hua; Russell, David H.

2015-09-01

Here, we critically evaluate the effects of changes in the ion internal energy (Eint) on ion-neutral collision cross sections (CCS) of ions of two structurally diverse proteins, specifically the [M + 6H]6+ ion of ubiquitin (ubq6+), the [M + 5H]5+ ion of the intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) apo-metallothionein-2A (MT), and its partially- and fully-metalated isoform, the [CdiMT]5+ ion. The ion-neutral CCS for ions formed by "native-state" ESI show a strong dependence on Eint. Collisional activation is used to increase Eint prior to the ions entering and within the traveling wave (TW) ion mobility analyzer. Comparisons of experimental CCSs with those generated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for solution-phase ions and solvent-free ions as a function of temperature provide new insights about conformational preferences and retention of solution conformations. The Eint-dependent CCSs, which reveal increased conformational diversity of the ion population, are discussed in terms of folding/unfolding of solvent-free ions. For example, ubiquitin ions that have low internal energies retain native-like conformations, whereas ions that are heated by collisional activation possess higher internal energies and yield a broader range of CCS owing to increased conformational diversity due to losses of secondary and tertiary structures. In contrast, the CCS profile for the IDP apoMT is consistent with kinetic trapping of an ion population composed of a wide range of conformers, and as the Eint is increased, these structurally labile conformers unfold to an elongated conformation.

Micrometer-sized Water Ice Particles for Planetary Science Experiments: Influence of Surface Structure on Collisional Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gärtner, S.; Gundlach, B.; Headen, T. F.; Ratte, J.; Oesert, J.; Gorb, S. N.; Youngs, T. G. A.; Bowron, D. T.; Blum, J.; Fraser, H. J.

2017-10-01

Models and observations suggest that ice-particle aggregation at and beyond the snowline dominates the earliest stages of planet formation, which therefore is subject to many laboratory studies. However, the pressure-temperature gradients in protoplanetary disks mean that the ices are constantly processed, undergoing phase changes between different solid phases and the gas phase. Open questions remain as to whether the properties of the icy particles themselves dictate collision outcomes and therefore how effectively collision experiments reproduce conditions in protoplanetary environments. Previous experiments often yielded apparently contradictory results on collision outcomes, only agreeing in a temperature dependence setting in above ≈210 K. By exploiting the unique capabilities of the NIMROD neutron scattering instrument, we characterized the bulk and surface structure of icy particles used in collision experiments, and studied how these structures alter as a function of temperature at a constant pressure of around 30 mbar. Our icy grains, formed under liquid nitrogen, undergo changes in the crystalline ice-phase, sublimation, sintering and surface pre-melting as they are heated from 103 to 247 K. An increase in the thickness of the diffuse surface layer from ≈10 to ≈30 Å (≈2.5 to 12 bilayers) proves increased molecular mobility at temperatures above ≈210 K. Because none of the other changes tie-in with the temperature trends in collisional outcomes, we conclude that the surface pre-melting phenomenon plays a key role in collision experiments at these temperatures. Consequently, the pressure-temperature environment, may have a larger influence on collision outcomes than previously thought.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song, P.

A model of the solar chromosphere that consists of two fundamentally different regions, a lower region and an upper region, is proposed. The lower region is covered mostly by weak locally closed magnetic field and small network areas of extremely strong, locally open field. The field in the upper region is relatively uniform and locally open, connecting to the corona. The chromosphere is heated by strong collisional damping of Alfvén waves, which are driven by turbulent motions below the photosphere. The heating rate depends on the field strength, wave power from the photosphere, and altitude in the chromosphere. The wavesmore » in the internetwork area are mostly damped in the lower region, supporting radiation in the lower chromosphere. The waves in the network area, carrying more Poynting flux, are only weakly damped in the lower region. They propagate into the upper region. As the thermal pressure decreases with height, the network field expands to form the magnetic canopy where the damping of the waves from the network area supports radiation in the whole upper region. Because of the vertical stratification and horizontally nonuniform distribution of the magnetic field and heating, one circulation cell is formed in each of the upper and lower regions. The two circulation cells distort the magnetic field and reinforce the funnel-canopy-shaped magnetic geometry. The model is based on classical processes and is semi-quantitative. The estimates are constrained according to observational knowledge. No anomalous process is invoked or needed. Overall, the heating mechanism is able to damp 50% of the total wave energy.« less

Current-limited electron beam injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stenzel, R. L.

1977-01-01

The injection of an electron beam into a weakly collisional, magnetized background plasma was investigated experimentally. The injected beam was energetic and cold, the background plasma was initially isothermal. Beam and plasma dimensions were so large that the system was considered unbounded. The temporal and spatial evolution of the beam-plasma system was dominated by collective effects. High-frequency electrostatic instabilities rapidly thermalized the beam and heated the background electrons. The injected beam current was balanced by a return current consisting of background electrons drifting toward the beam source. The drift between electrons and ions gave rise to an ion acoustic instability which developed into strong three-dimensional turbulence. It was shown that the injected beam current was limited by the return current which is approximately given by the electron saturation current. Non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions were observed.

Dynamic properties of ionospheric plasma turbulence driven by high-power high-frequency radiowaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grach, S. M.; Sergeev, E. N.; Mishin, E. V.; Shindin, A. V.

2016-11-01

A review is given of the current state-of-the-art of experimental studies and the theoretical understanding of nonlinear phenomena that occur in the ionospheric F-layer irradiated by high-power high-frequency ground-based transmitters. The main focus is on the dynamic features of high-frequency turbulence (plasma waves) and low-frequency turbulence (density irregularities of various scales) that have been studied in experiments at the Sura and HAARP heating facilities operated in temporal and frequency regimes specially designed with consideration of the characteristic properties of nonlinear processes in the perturbed ionosphere using modern radio receivers and optical instruments. Experimental results are compared with theoretical turbulence models for a magnetized collisional plasma in a high-frequency electromagnetic field, allowing the identification of the processes responsible for the observed features of artificial ionospheric turbulence.

Radiation energy receiver for laser and solar propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rault, D. F. G.; Hertzberg, A.

1983-01-01

The concept of remotely heating a rocket propellant with a high intensity radiant energy flux is especially attractive due to its high specific impulse and large payload mass capabilities. In this paper, a radiation receiver-thruster which is especially suited to the particular thermodynamic and spectral characteristics of highly concentrated solar energy is proposed. In this receiver, radiant energy is volumetrically absorbed within a hydrogen gas seeded with alkali metal vapors. The alkali atoms and molecules absorb the radiant flux and, subsequently, transfer their internal excitation to hydrogen molecules through collisional quenching. It is shown that such a radiation receiver would outperform a blackbody cavity type receiver in both efficiency and maximum operating temperatures. A solar rocket equipped with such a receiver-thruster would deliver thrusts of several hundred newtons at a specific impulse of 1000 seconds.

Temperature relaxation in supernova remnants, revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Itoh, H.

1984-01-01

Some supernova remnants are expanding into a partially neutral medium. The neutral atoms which are engulfed by the fast blast shock are collisionally ionized to eject low-energy secondary electrons. Calculations are conducted of the temperature relaxation through Coulomb collisions among the secondary electrons, the shocked electrons, and the ions, assuming that the three species have Maxwellian velocity distributions. The results are applied to a self-similar blast wave. If the efficiency of collisionless electron heating at the shock front is high in young remnants such as Tycho, the secondary electrons may be much cooler than both the shocked electrons and the ions. In this case, the emergent X-ray continuum spectrum will have a two-temperature, or a power-law, appearance. This effect may have been observed in the bright rim of the remnant of SN 1006.

Simulation of Plasma Transport in a Toroidal Annulus with TEMPEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Z.

2005-10-01

TEMPEST is an edge gyro-kinetic continuum code currently under development at LLNL to study boundary plasma transport over a region extending from inside the H-mode pedestal across the separatrix to the divertor plates. Here we report simulation results from the 4D (θ, ψ, E, μ) TEMPEST, for benchmark purpose, in an annulus region immediately inside the separatrix of a large aspect ratio, circular cross-section tokamak. Besides the normal poloidal trapping regions, there are radial inaccessible regions at a fixed poloid angle, energy and magnetic moment due to the radial variation of the B field. To handle such cases, a fifth-order WENO differencing scheme is used in the radial direction. The particle and heat transport coefficients are obtained for different collisional regimes and compared with the neo-classical transport theory.

Conservative Bin-to-Bin Fractional Collisions

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-28

BIN FRACTIONAL COLLISIONS Robert Martin ERC INC., SPACECRAFT PROPULSION BRANCH AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CA USA 30th...IMPORTANCE OF COLLISION PHYSICS Important Collisions in Spacecraft Propulsion : Discharge and Breakdown in FRC Collisional Radiative Cooling/Ionization...UNLIMITED; PA #16326 3 / 18 IMPORTANCE OF COLLISION PHYSICS Important Collisions in Spacecraft Propulsion : Discharge and Breakdown in FRC Collisional

Kinetic water-bag model of global collisional drift waves and ion temperature gradient instabilities in cylindrical geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gravier, E.; Plaut, E.

2013-04-01

Collisional drift waves and ion temperature gradient (ITG) instabilities are studied using a linear water-bag kinetic model [P. Morel et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 112109 (2007)]. An efficient spectral method, already validated in the case of drift waves instabilities [E. Gravier et al., Eur. Phys. J. D 67, 7 (2013)], allows a fast solving of the global linear problem in cylindrical geometry. The comparison between the linear ITG instability properties thus computed and the ones given by the COLUMBIA experiment [R. G. Greaves et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 34, 1253 (1992)] shows a qualitative agreement. Moreover, the transition between collisional drift waves and ITG instabilities is studied theoretically as a function of the ion temperature profile.

Collisional dependence of Alfvén mode saturation in tokamaks

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Muni; White, Roscoe

2016-10-26

Saturation of Alfvén modes driven unstable by a distribution of high energy particles as a function of collisionality is investigated with a guiding center code, using numerical eigenfunctions produced by linear theory and numerical high energy particle distributions. The most important resonance is found and it is shown that when the resonance domain is bounded, not allowing particles to collisionlessly escape, the saturation amplitude is given by the balance of the resonance mixing time with the time for nearby particles to collisionally diffuse across the resonance width. Finally, saturation amplitudes are in agreement with theoretical predictions as long as themore » mode amplitude is not so large that it produces stochastic loss from the resonance domain.« less

Collisional dependence of Alfvén mode saturation in tokamaks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Muni; White, Roscoe

Saturation of Alfvén modes driven unstable by a distribution of high energy particles as a function of collisionality is investigated with a guiding center code, using numerical eigenfunctions produced by linear theory and numerical high energy particle distributions. The most important resonance is found and it is shown that when the resonance domain is bounded, not allowing particles to collisionlessly escape, the saturation amplitude is given by the balance of the resonance mixing time with the time for nearby particles to collisionally diffuse across the resonance width. Finally, saturation amplitudes are in agreement with theoretical predictions as long as themore » mode amplitude is not so large that it produces stochastic loss from the resonance domain.« less

Method to estimate the electron temperature and neutral density in a plasma from spectroscopic measurements using argon atom and ion collisional-radiative models.

PubMed

Sciamma, Ella M; Bengtson, Roger D; Rowan, W L; Keesee, Amy; Lee, Charles A; Berisford, Dan; Lee, Kevin; Gentle, K W

2008-10-01

We present a method to infer the electron temperature in argon plasmas using a collisional-radiative model for argon ions and measurements of electron density to interpret absolutely calibrated spectroscopic measurements of argon ion (Ar II) line intensities. The neutral density, and hence the degree of ionization of this plasma, can then be estimated using argon atom (Ar I) line intensities and a collisional-radiative model for argon atoms. This method has been tested for plasmas generated on two different devices at the University of Texas at Austin: the helicon experiment and the helimak experiment. We present results that show good correlation with other measurements in the plasma.

Dissipation of ionospheric irregularities by wave-particle and collisional interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernhardt, P. A.; Pongratz, M. B.; Gray, S. P.; Thomsen, M. F.

1982-01-01

The nonlinear dissipation of plasma irregularities aligned parallel to an ambient magnetic field is studied numerically using a model which employs both wave-particle and collisional diffusion. A wave-particle diffusion coefficient derived from a local theory of the universal drift instability is used. This coefficient is effective in regions of nonzero plasma gradients and produces triangular-shaped irregularities with spectra which vary as f to the -4th, where f is the spatial frequency. Collisional diffusion acts rapidly on the vertices of the irregularities to reduce their amplitude. The simultaneous action of the two dissipative processes is more efficient than collisions acting alone. In this model, wave-particle diffusion mimics the forward cascade process of wave-wave coupling.

The Structure of Shocks in the Very Local Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafavi, P.; Zank, G. P.

2018-02-01

The Voyager 1 magnetometer has detected several shock waves in the very local interstellar medium (VLISM). Interplanetary shock waves can be transmitted across the heliopause (HP) into the VLISM. The first in situ shock observed by Voyager 1 inside the VLISM was remarkably broad and had properties different than those of shocks inside the heliosphere. We present a model of the 2012 VLISM shock, which was observed to be a weak, quasi-perpendicular, low magnetosonic Mach number, low beta, and subcritical shock. Although the heliosphere is a collisionless environment, we show that the VLISM is collisional with respect to the thermal plasma, and that the thermal collisions introduce dissipative terms such as heat conduction and viscosity. The structure of the VLISM shock is determined by thermal proton–proton collisions. VLISM pickup ions (PUIs) do not introduce a significant pressure or dissipation through the shock transition, meaning that the VLISM shock is not mediated by PUIs but only by the thermal gas and magnetic field. Therefore, VLISM shocks are controlled by particle collisions and not by wave–particle interactions. We find that the weak VLISM shock is very broad with a thickness of about 0.12 au, corresponding to the characteristic thermal heat conduction scale length.

Disruption mitigation and avoidance at ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maraschek, M.; Pautasso, G.; Esposito, B.; Granucci, G.; Stober, J.; Treutterer, W.

2009-11-01

Disruptions are a major concern for tokamaks and in particular for ITER. They cause high heat loads during the thermal quench and high mechanical forces during the subsequent current quench. The generation and loss of runaway electrons (highly accelerated electrons carrying large fractions of the plasma current) can produce damage to the vessel structures. Therefore, schemes are implemented in present tokamaks to mitigate or to even avoid them. Mitigation has been proven to be effective through the injection of noble gases causing a reduction of the thermal heat load by radiation and a reduction of the mechanical forces. In addition 25% of the required density for the collisional suppression of runaways in ITER has been reached. For the trigger of the noble gas injection a locked mode detector is routinely used at ASDEX Upgrade. An extension to more complex precursors is planed. A different approach has been used for disruption avoidance by injecting ECRH triggered by the loop voltage increase before the disruption. The avoidance of an ongoing density limit disruption has been achieved when the ECRH is deposited at resonant surfaces where MHD modes, such as the m=2/n=1, occur. Present schemes for the mitigation and eventually avoidance of disruptions will be discussed.

Laser machining of explosives

DOEpatents

Perry, Michael D.; Stuart, Brent C.; Banks, Paul S.; Myers, Booth R.; Sefcik, Joseph A.

2000-01-01

The invention consists of a method for machining (cutting, drilling, sculpting) of explosives (e.g., TNT, TATB, PETN, RDX, etc.). By using pulses of a duration in the range of 5 femtoseconds to 50 picoseconds, extremely precise and rapid machining can be achieved with essentially no heat or shock affected zone. In this method, material is removed by a nonthermal mechanism. A combination of multiphoton and collisional ionization creates a critical density plasma in a time scale much shorter than electron kinetic energy is transferred to the lattice. The resulting plasma is far from thermal equilibrium. The material is in essence converted from its initial solid-state directly into a fully ionized plasma on a time scale too short for thermal equilibrium to be established with the lattice. As a result, there is negligible heat conduction beyond the region removed resulting in negligible thermal stress or shock to the material beyond a few microns from the laser machined surface. Hydrodynamic expansion of the plasma eliminates the need for any ancillary techniques to remove material and produces extremely high quality machined surfaces. There is no detonation or deflagration of the explosive in the process and the material which is removed is rendered inert.

Tar Production from Biomass Pyrolysis in a Fluidized Bed Reactor: A Novel Turbulent Multiphase Flow Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellan, J.; Lathouwers, D.

2000-01-01

A novel multiphase flow model is presented for describing the pyrolysis of biomass in a 'bubbling' fluidized bed reactor. The mixture of biomass and sand in a gaseous flow is conceptualized as a particulate phase composed of two classes interacting with the carrier gaseous flow. The solid biomass is composed of three initial species: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. From each of these initial species, two new solid species originate during pyrolysis: an 'active' species and a char, thus totaling seven solid-biomass species. The gas phase is composed of the original carrier gas (steam), tar and gas; the last two species originate from the volumetric pyrolysis reaction. The conservation equations are derived from the Boltzmann equations through ensemble averaging. Stresses in the gaseous phase are the sum of the Newtonian and Reynolds (turbulent) contributions. The particulate phase stresses are the sum of collisional and Reynolds contributions. Heat transfer between phases, and heat transfer between classes in the particulate phase is modeled, the last resulting from collisions between sand and biomass. Closure of the equations must be performed by modeling the Reynolds stresses for both phases. The results of a simplified version (first step) of the model are presented.

Partnership for Edge Physics Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kritz, Arnold H.; Rafiq, Tariq

A major goal of our participation in the Edge Physics Simulation project has been to contribute to the understanding of the self-organization of tokamak turbulence fluctuations resulting in the formation of a staircase structure in the ion temperature. A second important goal is to demonstrate how small scale turbulence in plasmas self-organizes with dynamically driven quasi-stationary flow shear. These goals have been accomplished through the analyses of the statistical properties of XGC1 flux driven Gyrokinetic electrostatic ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence simulation data in which neutrals are included. The ITG turbulence data, and in particular fluctuation data, were obtained frommore » a massively parallel flux-driven gyrokinetic full-f particle-in-cell simulation of a DIII-D like equilibrium. Below some the findings are summarized. It was observed that the emergence of staircase structure is related to the variations in the normalized temperature gradient length (R/LT) and the poloidal flow shear. Average turbulence intensity is found to be large in the vicinity of minima in R/LTi, where ITG growth is expected to be lower. The distributions of the occurrences of potential fluctuation are found to be Gaussian away from the staircase-step locations, but they are found to be non-Gaussian in the vicinity of staircase-step locations. The results of analytically derived expressions for the distribution of the occurrences of turbulence intensity and intensity flux were compared with the corresponding quantities computed using XGC1 simulation data and good agreement is found. The derived expressions predicts inward and outward propagation of turbulence intensity flux in an intermittent fashion. The outward propagation of turbulence intensity flux occurs at staircase-step locations and is related to the change in poloidal flow velocity shear and to the change in the ion temperature gradient. The standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis for turbulence quantities were computed and found to be large in the vicinity of the staircase-step structures. Large values of skewness and kurtosis can be explained by a temporary opening and closing of the structure which allows turbulence intensity events to propagate. The staircase patterns may reduce the ion heat transport and a manipulation of these patterns may be used to optimize heat transport in tokamaks. An additional objective of the research in support of the Edge Physics Simulation initiative has been to improve the understanding of scrape-off layer thermal transport. In planning experiments and designing future tokamaks, it is important to understand the physical effects that contribute to divertor heat-load fluxes. The research accomplished will contribute to developing new models for the scrape-off layer region. The XGC0 code was used to compute the heat fluxes and the heat-load width in the outer divertor plates of C-Mod and DIII-D tokamaks. It was observed that the width of the XGC0 neoclassical heat-load was approximately inversely proportional to the total plasma current. Anomalous transport in the H-mode pedestal region of five Alcator C-Mod discharges, representing a collisionality scan, was analyzed. The understanding of anomalous transport in the pedestal region is important for the development of a comprehensive model for the H-mode pedestal slope. It was found that the electron thermal anomalous diffusivities at the pedestal top increase with the electron collisionality. This dependence can point to the DRIBM as the modes that drive the anomalous transport in the plasma edge of highly collisional discharges. The effects of plasma shaping on the H-mode pedestal structure was also investigated. The differences in the predicted H-mode pedestal width and height for the DIII-D discharges with different elongation and triangularities were discussed. For the discharges with higher elongation, it was found that the gradients of the plasma profiles in the H-mode pedestal reach semi-steady states. In these simulations, the pedestal slowly continued to evolve to higher pedestal pressures and bootstrap currents until the peeling ballooning stability conditions were satisfied. The discharges with lower elongation do not reach the semi-steady state, and ELM crashes were triggered at earlier times. The plasma elongation was found to have a stronger stabilizing effect than the plasma triangularity. For the discharges with lower elongation and lower triangularity, the ELM frequency was large, and the H-mode pedestal evolves rapidly. It was found that the temperature of neutrals in the scrape-off-layer region can affect the dynamics of the H-mode pedestal buildup. However, the final pedestal profiles were nearly independent of the neutral temperature. The elongation and triangularity affected the pedestal widths of plasma density and electron temperature profiles differently. This study illustrated a new mechanism for controlling the pedestal bootstrap current and the pedestal stability.« less

A collisional-radiative model of iron vapour in a thermal arc plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeva, M.; Uhrlandt, D.; Murphy, A. B.

2017-06-01

A collisional-radiative model for the ground state and fifty effective excited levels of atomic iron, and one level for singly-ionized iron, is set up for technological plasmas. Attention is focused on the population of excited states of atomic iron as a result of excitation, de-excitation, ionization, recombination and spontaneous emission. Effective rate coefficients for ionization and recombination, required in non-equilibrium plasma transport models, are also obtained. The collisional-radiative model is applied to a thermal arc plasma. Input parameters for the collisional-radiative model are provided by a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a gas-metal welding arc, in which local thermodynamic equilibrium is assumed and the treatment of the transport of metal vapour is based on combined diffusion coefficients. The results clearly identify the conditions in the arc, under which the atomic state distribution satisfies the Boltzmann distribution, with an excitation temperature equal to the plasma temperature. These conditions are met in the central part of the arc, even though a local temperature minimum occurs here. This provides assurance that diagnostic methods based on local thermodynamic equilibrium, in particular those of optical emission spectroscopy, are reliable here. In contrast, deviations from the equilibrium atomic-state distribution are obtained in the near-electrode and arc fringe regions. As a consequence, the temperatures determined from the ratio of line intensities and number densities obtained from the emission coefficient in these regions are questionable. In this situation, the collisional-radiative model can be used as a diagnostic tool to assist in the interpretation of spectroscopic measurements.

Rotational relaxation of fluoromethane molecules in low-temperature collisions with buffer-gas helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingjia; Xu, Liang; Yin, Yanning; Xu, Supeng; Xia, Yong; Yin, Jianping

2016-06-01

We propose a method to study the rotational relaxation of polar molecules [here taking fluoromethane (CH3F ) as an example] in collisions with 3.5 K buffer-gas helium (He) atoms by using an electrostatic guiding technique. The dependence of the guiding signal of CH3F on the injected He flux and the dependence of the guiding efficiency of CH3F on its rotational temperature are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. By comparing the experimental and simulated results, we find that the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled CH3F molecules can reach to about 5.48 and 0.60 K, respectively, and the ratio between the translational and average rotational collisional cross sections of CH3F -He is γ =σt/σr=36.49 ±6.15 . In addition, the slowing, cooling, and boosting effects of the molecular beam with different injected He fluxes are also observed and their forming conditions are investigated in some detail. Our study shows that our proposed method can not only be used to measure the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled molecules, but also to measure the ratio of the translational collisional cross section to the average rotational collisional cross section, and even to measure the average rotational collisional cross section when the translational collisional cross section is measured by fitting the lifetime of molecule signal to get a numerical solution from the diffusion equation of buffer-gas He atoms in the cell.

COLLISIONAL EVOLUTION OF ULTRA-WIDE TRANS-NEPTUNIAN BINARIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Alex H.; Kavelaars, J. J., E-mail: alexhp@uvic.ca

2012-01-10

The widely separated, near-equal mass binaries hosted by the cold classical Kuiper Belt are delicately bound and subject to disruption by many perturbing processes. We use analytical arguments and numerical simulations to determine their collisional lifetimes given various impactor size distributions and include the effects of mass loss and multiple impacts over the lifetime of each system. These collisional lifetimes constrain the population of small (R {approx}> 1 km) objects currently residing in the Kuiper Belt and confirm that the size distribution slope at small size cannot be excessively steep-likely q {approx}< 3.5. We track mutual semimajor axis, inclination, andmore » eccentricity evolution through our simulations and show that it is unlikely that the wide binary population represents an evolved tail of the primordially tight binary population. We find that if the wide binaries are a collisionally eroded population, their primordial mutual orbit planes must have preferred to lie in the plane of the solar system. Finally, we find that current limits on the size distribution at small radii remain high enough that the prospect of detecting dust-producing collisions in real time in the Kuiper Belt with future optical surveys is feasible.« less

The rotational excitation of HF by H

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desrousseaux, Benjamin; Lique, François

2018-06-01

The HF molecule is a key tracer of molecular hydrogen in diffuse interstellar medium (ISM). Accurate modelling of the HF abundance in such media requires one to model its excitation by both radiation and collisions. In diffuse ISM, the dominant collisional partners are atomic and molecular hydrogen. We report quantum time-independent calculations of collisional cross-sections and rate coefficients for the rotational excitation of HF by H. The reactive hydrogen exchange channels are taken into account in the scattering calculations. For the first time, HF-H rate coefficients are provided for temperature ranging from 10 to 500 K. The strongest collision-induced rotational HF transitions are those with Δj = 1, and the order of magnitude of the new HF-H rate coefficients is similar to that of the HF-H2 ones previously computed. As a first application, we simulate the excitation of HF by both H and H2 in typical diffuse ISM. We show that, depending on the rotational transition, hydrogen atoms increase or decrease the simulated excitation temperatures compared to collisional excitation only due to H2 molecules. Such results suggest that the new HF-H collisional data have to be used for properly modelling the abundance of HF in diffuse ISM.

H2-broadening, shifting and mixing coefficients of the doublets in the ν2 and ν4 bands of PH3 at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Jamel; Blanquet, Ghislain; Lepère, Muriel; Younes, Rached ben

2018-05-01

The broadening, shifting and mixing coefficients of the doublet spectral lines in the ν2 and ν4 bands of PH3 perturbed by H2 have been determined at room temperature. Indeed, the collisional spectroscopic parameters: intensities, line widths, line shifts and line mixing parameters, are all grouped together in the collisional relaxation matrix. To analyse the collisional process and physical effects on spectra of phosphine (PH3), we have used the measurements carried out using a tunable diode-laser spectrometer in the ν2 and ν4 bands of PH3 perturbed by hydrogen (H2) at room temperature. The recorded spectra are fitted by the Voigt profile and the speed-dependent uncorrelated hard collision model of Rautian and Sobelman. These profiles are developed in the studies of isolated lines and are modified to account for the line mixing effects in the overlapping lines. The line widths, line shifts and line mixing parameters are given for six A1 and A2 doublet lines with quantum numbers K = 3n, (n = 1, 2, …) and overlapped by collisional broadening at pressures of less than 50 mbar.

Collisionality and temperature dependence of the edge main-ion co-current rotation profile feature on DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haskey, Shaun; Grierson, Brian; Ashourvan, Arash; Battaglia, Devon; Chrystal, Colin; Burrell, Keith; Groebner, Richard; Degrassie, John; Stagner, Luke; Stoltzfus-Dueck, Timothy; Pablant, Novimir

2017-10-01

A new edge main-ion (D+) CER system and upgraded edge impurity system are revealing clear differences between the main-ion and dominant impurity (C6+) toroidal rotation from the pedestal top to the scrape off layer on DIII-D with implications for intrinsic rotation studies. A peaked co-current edge toroidal rotation is observed for the main ion species near the outboard midplane separatrix with values up to 140 km/s for low collisionality QH modes. In lower power (PNBI = 0.8MW) H-modes the edge rotation is still present but reduced to 50km/s. D+ and C6+ toroidal rotation differences are presented for a variety of scenarios covering a significant range of edge collisionality and Ti. Observations are compared with predictions from several models including collisionless ion orbit loss calculations and more complete modeling using the XGC0 code, which also predicts 140km/s edge rotation for low collisionality QH mode cases. Work supported by the U.S. DOE under DE-AC02-09CH11466, No. DE-FC02-04ER54698, and DE-FC02-95ER54309.

Measurements of [C I] 9850 A Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliversen, R. J.; Doane, N.; Scherb, F.; Harris, W. M.; Morgenthaler, J. P.

2002-01-01

We present quantitative measurements of cometary [C I] 9850 A, emission obtained during observations of comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) in 1997 March and April. The observations were carried out using a high-resolution (lambda/Delta lambda approx. 40,000) Fabry-Perot/CCD spectrometer at the McMath-Pierce solar telescope on Kitt Peak. This forbidden line, the carbon analog of [O I] 6300 A, is emitted in the radiative decay of C(1D) atoms. In the absence of other sources and sinks, [C I] 9850 A emission may be used as a direct tracer of CO photodissociation in comets. However, in Hale-Bopp's large, dense coma, other processes, such as collisional excitation of ground-state C(3P), dissociative recombination of CO+, and collisional dissociation of CO and CO2 may produce significant amounts of C(1D). The long C(1D) radiative lifetime (approx. 4000 s) makes collisional de-excitation (quenching) the primary loss mechanism in the inner coma. Thus, a detailed, self-consistent global model of collisional and photochemical interactions is necessary to fully account for [C I] 9850 A emission in comet Hale-Bopp.

Formation of bi-lobed 67P/C-G-like shapes by sub-catastrophic collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jutzi, Martin; Benz, Willy

2016-10-01

Small bodies with a bi-lobe shape such as comet 67P/C-G have been argued to form as the result of low velocity (v ≈ vesc) collisional mergers of similar-sized bodies very early on in the history of the solar system [1]. However, the recent analysis of the subsequent collisional survival of the global structure and shape of comet 67P/C-G strongly suggests that such a structure will not survive until today [2]. Hence, the comet must have acquired its present characteristics as a result of a collision occurring at later time when the relative velocities between small bodies are much higher (v >> vesc).One possible scenario would be that 67P/C-G-like bi-lobe structures form as the result of collisional disruptions of larger parent bodies [3]. Whether the internal properties of such larger parent bodies, the timing of such a collision, and the subsequent survival of the shape produced is compatible with observations will remain to be seen.Here, we propose a scenario in which the final bi-lobe shapes result from low-energy, sub-catastrophic impacts. We start with bodies of about the same mass as comet 67P/C-G, which are rotating and are slightly elongated (i.e., with properties which are consistent with the outcome of the disruptions of larger bodies). We use a SPH shock physics code to model the impacts, the subsequent re-accumulation of material and the reconfiguration into a stable final shape. Our modelling results suggest that these kind of collisions result in "splitting" events which frequently lead to formation of bi-lobe 67P/C-G-like shapes.The frequency of such small-scale impact events is consistent with a young (less than 1 Gy) age of the shape of comet 67P/C-G [2]. Equally important, the probability for such a shape-forming event to take place without a subsequent shape-destroying event occurring until today is reasonably high.Although the collisions considered in this work can alter the global shape, their respective energy is small enough not to lead to any substantial global-scale heating or compaction, consistent with the observed primordial characteristics of comets.[1] Jutzi&Asphaug, 2015, Science 348. [2] Jutzi et al., submitted. [3] Schwartz et al., in prep.

Planetary geology: Impact processes on asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, C. R.; Davis, D. R.; Greenberg, R.; Weidenschilling, S. J.

1982-01-01

The fundamental geological and geophysical properties of asteroids were studied by theoretical and simulation studies of their collisional evolution. Numerical simulations incorporating realistic physical models were developed to study the collisional evolution of hypothetical asteroid populations over the age of the solar system. Ideas and models are constrained by the observed distributions of sizes, shapes, and spin rates in the asteroid belt, by properties of Hirayama families, and by experimental studies of cratering and collisional phenomena. It is suggested that many asteroids are gravitationally-bound "rubble piles.' Those that rotate rapidly may have nonspherical quasi-equilibrium shapes, such as ellipsoids or binaries. Through comparison of models with astronomical data, physical properties of these asteroids (including bulk density) are determined, and physical processes that have operated in the solar system in primordial and subsequent epochs are studied.

Modern gyrokinetic formulation of collisional and turbulent transport in toroidally rotating plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugama, H.

2017-12-01

Collisional and turbulent transport processes in toroidal plasmas with large toroidal flows on the order of the ion thermal velocity are formulated based on the modern gyrokinetic theory. Governing equations for background and turbulent electromagnetic fields and gyrocenter distribution functions are derived from the Lagrangian variational principle with effects of collisions and external sources taken into account. Noether's theorem modified for collisional systems and the collision operator given in terms of Poisson brackets are applied to derivation of the particle, energy, and toroidal momentum balance equations in the conservative forms which are desirable properties for long-time global transport simulation. The resultant balance equations are shown to include the classical, neoclassical, and turbulent transport fluxes which agree with those obtained from the conventional recursive formulations.

Collisional excitation of HC3N by para- and ortho-H2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faure, Alexandre; Lique, François; Wiesenfeld, Laurent

2016-08-01

New calculations for rotational excitation of cyanoacetylene by collisions with hydrogen molecules are performed to include the lowest 38 rotational levels of HC3N and kinetic temperatures to 300 K. Calculations are based on the interaction potential of Wernli et al. whose accuracy is checked against spectroscopic measurements of the HC3N-H2 complex. The quantum coupled-channel approach is employed and complemented by quasi-classical trajectory calculations. Rate coefficients for ortho-H2 are provided for the first time. Hyperfine resolved rate coefficients are also deduced. Collisional propensity rules are discussed and comparisons between quantum and classical rate coefficients are presented. This collisional data should prove useful in interpreting HC3N observations in the cold and warm ISM, as well as in protoplanetary discs.

Collisional dynamics of perturbed particle disks in the solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, W. W.; Stewart, G. R.

1987-01-01

Investigations of the collisional evolution of particulate disks subject to the gravitational perturbation of a more massive particle orbiting within the disk are underway. Both numerical N-body simulations using a novel collision algorithm and analytical kinetic theory are being employed to extend our understanding of perturbed disks in planetary rings and during the formation of the solar system. Particular problems proposed for investigation are: (1) The development and testing of general criteria for a small moonlet to clear a gap and produce observable morphological features in planetary rings; (2) The development of detailed models of collisional damping of the wavy edges observed on the Encke division of Saturn's A ring; and (3) The determination of the extent of runaway growth of the few largest planetesimals during the early stages of planetary accretion.

Kinetic water-bag model of global collisional drift waves and ion temperature gradient instabilities in cylindrical geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gravier, E.; Plaut, E.

2013-04-15

Collisional drift waves and ion temperature gradient (ITG) instabilities are studied using a linear water-bag kinetic model [P. Morel et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 112109 (2007)]. An efficient spectral method, already validated in the case of drift waves instabilities [E. Gravier et al., Eur. Phys. J. D 67, 7 (2013)], allows a fast solving of the global linear problem in cylindrical geometry. The comparison between the linear ITG instability properties thus computed and the ones given by the COLUMBIA experiment [R. G. Greaves et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 34, 1253 (1992)] shows a qualitative agreement. Moreover, the transition betweenmore » collisional drift waves and ITG instabilities is studied theoretically as a function of the ion temperature profile.« less

The tectonic evolution of the Irtysh tectonic belt: New zircon U-Pb ages of arc-related and collisional granitoids in the Kalaxiangar tectonic belt, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Tao; Klemd, Reiner; Gao, Jun; Xiang, Peng; Xu, Xing-Wang; You, Jun; Wang, Xin-Shui; Wu, Chu; Li, Hao; Ke, Qiang

2017-02-01

Precise geochronological constraints of the Irtysh tectonic belt situated between the Saur Island Arc and the Altay Terrane are crucial to a better understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Recently, we discovered repeatedly deformed arc-related and collisional granitoids in the Kalaxiangar tectonic belt (KTB), which is located in the eastern part of the Irtysh tectonic belt. In this study, we report new whole-rock geochemical, zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic data of the arc-related and collisional granitoids. Our data reveal that 1) arc-related granodioritic porphyries formed at ca. 382-374 Ma. Recrystallized zircon grains from a (ultra-)mylonitic granodiorite of the Laoshankou zone in the southern KTB display a U-Pb age of ca. 360 Ma; 2) syn-collisional granodioritic porphyries, which distribute along faults and parallel to the cleavage, were emplaced at ca. 367-356 Ma, with εHf(t) values varying from + 7.8 to + 14.2 and Hf model ages from 873 to 459 Ma; 3) a post-collisional A-type granodioritic porphyry, which crosscuts the NW-NNW trending schistosity of the metasedimentary country rocks at a low angle, has an age of ca. 324-320 Ma, while the εHf(t) values range from + 7.6 to + 14.4 with Hf model ages from 850 to 416 Ma; 4) post-collisional strike-slip A-type granite dykes, exposed along strike-slip faults, gave ages between 287 and 279 Ma, whereas the εHf(t) values range from + 4.9 to + 12.7 and the Hf model ages from 995 to 500 Ma; and 5) A-type biotite granite dykes, which intruded along conjugate tension joints, have ages of 274-271 Ma, and εHf(t) values from + 1.5 to + 13.2 with Hf model ages from 1196 to 454 Ma. Consequently, we propose that the collision between the Saur Island Arc and the Altay Terrane occurred in the Early Carboniferous (ca. 367-356 Ma) and the subsequent post-collisional tectonic process continued to the Late Carboniferous (ca. 324-320 Ma). It is further suggested that the Irtysh tectonic belt underwent large-scale strike-slip deformation during the mid-Permian between 287 and 279 Ma. The termination of the Irtysh tectonic belt orogeny is thought to have also occurred during the mid-Permian between 274 and 271 Ma.

A Hybrid Model for Multiscale Laser Plasma Simulations with Detailed Collisional Physics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-23

the effects of inelastic collisions on the Multi-Fluid description of plasmas. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Electric propulsion; plasma; collisional...modeling as well as the effects of inelastic collisions on the Multi-Fluid description of plasmas. This work has been recognized in two workshop...encountered during simulation was to define when breakdown occurred during the simulation and correlating the results to the experimentally determined

Signatures of massive collisions in debris discs. A self-consistent numerical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kral, Q.; Thébault, P.; Augereau, J.-C.; Boccaletti, A.; Charnoz, S.

2015-01-01

Context. Violent stochastic collisional events have been invoked as a possible explanation for some debris discs displaying pronounced azimuthal asymmetries or having a luminosity excess exceeding that expected for systems at collisional steady-state. So far, no thorough modelling of the consequences of such stochastic events has been carried out, mainly because of the extreme numerical challenge of coupling the dynamical and collisional evolution of the released dust. Aims: We perform the first fully self-consistent modelling of the aftermath of massive breakups in debris discs. We follow the collisional and dynamical evolution of dust released after the breakup of a Ceres-sized body at 6 AU from its central star. We investigate the duration, magnitude, and spatial structure of the signature left by such a violent event, as well as its observational detectability. Methods: We use the recently developed LIDT-DD code, which handles the coupled collisional and dynamical evolution of debris discs. The main focus is placed on the complex interplay between destructive collisions, Keplerian dynamics, and radiation pressure forces. We use the GRaTer package to estimate the system's luminosity at different wavelengths. Results: The breakup of a Ceres-sized body at 6 AU creates an asymmetric dust disc that is homogenized by the coupled action of collisions and dynamics on a timescale of a few 105 years. After a transient period where it is very steep, the particle size distribution in the system relaxes to a collisional steady-state law after ~104 years. The luminosity excess in the breakup's aftermath should be detectable by mid-IR photometry, from a 30 pc distance, over a period of ~106 years that exceeds the duration of the asymmetric phase of the disc (a few 105 years). As for the asymmetric structures, we derive synthetic images for the VLT/SPHERE and JWST/MIRI instruments, showing that they should be clearly visible and resolved from a 10 pc distance. Images at 1.6 μm (marginally), 11.4, and 15.5 μm show the inner disc structures, while 23 μm images display the outer disc asymmetries.

Physical Processing of Cometary Nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weissman, Paul R.; Stern, S. Alan

1997-01-01

Cometary nuclei preserve a cosmo-chemical record of conditions and processes in the primordial solar nebula, and possibly even the interstellar medium. However, that record is not perfectly preserved over the age of the solar system due to a variety of physical processes which act to modify cometary surfaces and interiors. Possible structural and/or internal processes include: collisional accretion, disruption, and reassembly during formation; internal heating by long and short-lived radionuclides; amorphous to crystalline phase transitions, and thermal stresses. Identified surface modification processes include: irradiation by galactic cosmic rays, solar protons, UV photons, and the Sun's T Tauri stage mass outflow; heating by passing stars and nearby supernovae; gardening by debris impacts; the accretion of interstellar dust and gas and accompanying erosion by hypervelocity dust impacts and sputtering; and solar heating with accompanying crust formation. These modification processes must be taken into account in both the planning and the interpretation of the results of a Comet Nucleus Sample Return Mission. Sampling of nuclei should be done at as great a depth below the surface crust as technically feasible, and at vents or fissures leading to exposed volatiles at depth. Samples of the expected cometary crust and near-surface layers also need to be returned for analysis to achieve a better understanding of the effects of these physical processes. We stress that comets are still likely less modified dm any other solar system bodies, but the degree of modification can vary greatly from one comet to the next.

Ion cyclotron resonance heating for tungsten control in various JET H-mode scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goniche, M.; Dumont, R. J.; Bobkov, V.; Buratti, P.; Brezinsek, S.; Challis, C.; Colas, L.; Czarnecka, A.; Drewelow, P.; Fedorczak, N.; Garcia, J.; Giroud, C.; Graham, M.; Graves, J. P.; Hobirk, J.; Jacquet, P.; Lerche, E.; Mantica, P.; Monakhov, I.; Monier-Garbet, P.; Nave, M. F. F.; Noble, C.; Nunes, I.; Pütterich, T.; Rimini, F.; Sertoli, M.; Valisa, M.; Van Eester, D.; Contributors, JET

2017-05-01

Ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) in the hydrogen minority scheme provides central ion heating and acts favorably on the core tungsten transport. Full wave modeling shows that, at medium power level (4 MW), after collisional redistribution, the ratio of power transferred to the ions and the electrons vary little with the minority (hydrogen) concentration n H/n e but the high-Z impurity screening provided by the fast ions temperature increases with the concentration. The power radiated by tungsten in the core of the JET discharges has been analyzed on a large database covering the 2013-2014 campaign. In the baseline scenario with moderate plasma current (I p = 2.5 MA) ICRH modifies efficiently tungsten transport to avoid its accumulation in the plasma centre and, when the ICRH power is increased, the tungsten radiation peaking evolves as predicted by the neo-classical theory. At higher current (3-4 MA), tungsten accumulation can be only avoided with 5 MW of ICRH power with high gas injection rate. For discharges in the hybrid scenario, the strong initial peaking of the density leads to strong tungsten accumulation. When this initial density peaking is slightly reduced, with an ICRH power in excess of 4 MW,very low tungsten concentration in the core (˜10-5) is maintained for 3 s. MHD activity plays a key role in tungsten transport and modulation of the tungsten radiation during a sawtooth cycle is correlated to the fishbone activity triggered by the fast ion pressure gradient.

TEMPEST Simulations of the Plasma Transport in a Single-Null Tokamak Geometry

DOE PAGES

X. Q. Xu; Bodi, K.; Cohen, R. H.; ...

2010-05-28

We present edge kinetic ion transport simulations of tokamak plasmas in magnetic divertor geometry using the fully nonlinear (full-f) continuum code TEMPEST. Besides neoclassical transport, a term for divergence of anomalous kinetic radial flux is added to mock up the effect of turbulent transport. In order to study the relative roles of neoclassical and anomalous transport, TEMPEST simulations were carried out for plasma transport and flow dynamics in a single-null tokamak geometry, including the pedestal region that extends across the separatrix into the scrape-off layer and private flux region. In a series of TEMPEST simulations were conducted to investigate themore » transition of midplane pedestal heat flux and flow from the neoclassical to the turbulent limit and the transition of divertor heat flux and flow from the kinetic to the fluid regime via an anomalous transport scan and a density scan. The TEMPEST simulation results demonstrate that turbulent transport (as modelled by large diffusion) plays a similar role to collisional decorrelation of particle orbits and that the large turbulent transport (large diffusion) leads to an apparent Maxwellianization of the particle distribution. Moreover, we show the transition of parallel heat flux and flow at the entrance to the divertor plates from the fluid to the kinetic regime. For an absorbing divertor plate boundary condition, a non-half-Maxwellian is found due to the balance between upstream radial anomalous transport and energetic ion endloss.« less

TEMPEST Simulations of the Plasma Transport in a Single-Null Tokamak Geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

X. Q. Xu; Bodi, K.; Cohen, R. H.

We present edge kinetic ion transport simulations of tokamak plasmas in magnetic divertor geometry using the fully nonlinear (full-f) continuum code TEMPEST. Besides neoclassical transport, a term for divergence of anomalous kinetic radial flux is added to mock up the effect of turbulent transport. In order to study the relative roles of neoclassical and anomalous transport, TEMPEST simulations were carried out for plasma transport and flow dynamics in a single-null tokamak geometry, including the pedestal region that extends across the separatrix into the scrape-off layer and private flux region. In a series of TEMPEST simulations were conducted to investigate themore » transition of midplane pedestal heat flux and flow from the neoclassical to the turbulent limit and the transition of divertor heat flux and flow from the kinetic to the fluid regime via an anomalous transport scan and a density scan. The TEMPEST simulation results demonstrate that turbulent transport (as modelled by large diffusion) plays a similar role to collisional decorrelation of particle orbits and that the large turbulent transport (large diffusion) leads to an apparent Maxwellianization of the particle distribution. Moreover, we show the transition of parallel heat flux and flow at the entrance to the divertor plates from the fluid to the kinetic regime. For an absorbing divertor plate boundary condition, a non-half-Maxwellian is found due to the balance between upstream radial anomalous transport and energetic ion endloss.« less

PIC Modeling of Argon Plasma Flow in MNX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Samuel; Sefkow, Adam

2007-11-01

A linear helicon-heated plasma device - the Magnetic Nozzle Experiment (MNX) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory - is used for studies of the formation of strong electrostatic double layers near mechanical and magnetic apertures and the acceleration of plasma ions into supersonic directed beams. In order to characterize the role of the aperture and its involvement with ion acceleration, detailed particle-in-cell simulations are employed to study the effects of the surrounding boundary geometry on the plasma dynamics near the aperture region, within which the transition from a collisional to collisionless regime occurs. The presence of a small superthermal electron population is examined, and the model includes a background neutral population which can be ionized by energetic electrons. By self-consistently evaluating the temporal evolution of the plasma in the vicinity of the aperture, the formation mechanism of the double layer is investigated.

Time-dependent Cooling in Photoionized Plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gnat, Orly, E-mail: orlyg@phys.huji.ac.il

I explore the thermal evolution and ionization states in gas cooling from an initially hot state in the presence of external photoionizing radiation. I compute the equilibrium and nonequilibrium cooling efficiencies, heating rates, and ion fractions for low-density gas cooling while exposed to the ionizing metagalactic background radiation at various redshifts ( z = 0 − 3), for a range of temperatures (10{sup 8}–10{sup 4} K), densities (10{sup −7}–10{sup 3} cm{sup −3}), and metallicities (10{sup −3}–2 times solar). The results indicate the existence of a threshold ionization parameter, above which the cooling efficiencies are very close to those in photoionization equilibriummore » (so that departures from equilibrium may be neglected), and below which the cooling efficiencies resemble those in collisional time-dependent gas cooling with no external radiation (and are thus independent of density).« less

An Anomaly in the Inglis-Teller Limits of the C VI Lyman and Balmer Series in Laser-Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elton, R.; Iglesias, E.; Griem, H.; Weaver, J.; Pien, G.; Mancini, R.

2002-11-01

Soft x-ray spectra from thin carbon layers heated by the OMEGA and NIKE lasers have been obtained with both spherical and planar targets, respectively, using a flat-field grazing incidence spectrograph equipped with a gated microchannel plate for temporal resolution. In both experiments, late-time (recombining) hydrogenic C VI spectra show an n-to-1 Lyman spectral series blending with the continuum at n=4, contrary to n=9 in the n-to-2 Balmer series. It appears unlikely that plasma inhomogeneities are the sole cause of this anomaly, given the difference in the experimental configurations. Other explanations for the line-to-continuum merging (other than the usual Stark-broadened Inglis-Teller effect) under consideration include non-thermal Doppler broadening, deviations from statistical sublevel population distributions, and opacity effects. Collisional-radiative and hydrodynamic modeling, including cascades, is employed to further understand this phenomenon.

A double-layer based model of ion confinement in electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

PubMed

Mascali, D; Neri, L; Celona, L; Castro, G; Torrisi, G; Gammino, S; Sorbello, G; Ciavola, G

2014-02-01

The paper proposes a new model of ion confinement in ECRIS, which can be easily generalized to any magnetic configuration characterized by closed magnetic surfaces. Traditionally, ion confinement in B-min configurations is ascribed to a negative potential dip due to superhot electrons, adiabatically confined by the magneto-static field. However, kinetic simulations including RF heating affected by cavity modes structures indicate that high energy electrons populate just a thin slab overlapping the ECR layer, while their density drops down of more than one order of magnitude outside. Ions, instead, diffuse across the electron layer due to their high collisionality. This is the proper physical condition to establish a double-layer (DL) configuration which self-consistently originates a potential barrier; this "barrier" confines the ions inside the plasma core surrounded by the ECR surface. The paper will describe a simplified ion confinement model based on plasma density non-homogeneity and DL formation.

The collisional drift mode in a partially ionized plasma. [in the F region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, M. K.; Kennel, C. F.

1974-01-01

The structure of the drift instability was examined in several density regimes. Let sub e be the total electron mean free path, k sub z the wave-vector component along the magnetic field, and the ratio of perpendicular ion diffusion to parallel electron streaming rates. At low densities (k sub z lambda 1) the drift mode is isothermal and should be treated kineticly. In the finite heat conduction regime square root of m/M k sub z Lambda sub 1) the drift instability threshold is reduced at low densities and increased at high densities as compared to the isothermal threshold. Finally, in the energy transfer limit (k sub z kambda sub e square root of m/M) the drift instability behaves adiabatically in a fully ionized plasma and isothermally in a partially ionized plasma for an ion-neutral to Coulomb collision frequency ratio.

Alpha particle effects in burning tokamak plasmas: overview and specific examples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sigmar, D.J.

1986-07-01

Using the total power balance of an ignited tokamak plasma as a guideline, a range of alpha driven effects is surveyed regarding their impact on achieving and maintaining fusion burn. Specific examples of MHD and kinetic modes and multi species transport dynamics are discussed, including the possible interaction of these categories of effects. This power balance approach rather than a straightforward enumeration of possible effects serves to reveal their non-linear dependence and the ensuing fragility of our understanding of the approach to and maintenance of ignition. Specific examples are given of the interaction between ..cap alpha..-power driven sawtoothing and idealmore » MHD stability, and direct ..cap alpha..-effects on MHD modes including kinetic corrections. Anomalous ion heat transport and central impurity peaking mechanisms and anomalous and collisional ..cap alpha..-transport including the ambipolar electric field are discussed.« less

Transport and discrete particle noise in gyrokinetic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, Thomas; Lee, W. W.

2006-10-01

We present results from our recent investigations regarding the effects of discrete particle noise on the long-time behavior and transport properties of gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations. It is found that the amplitude of nonlinearly saturated drift waves is unaffected by discreteness-induced noise in plasmas whose behavior is dominated by a single mode in the saturated state. We further show that the scaling of this noise amplitude with particle count is correctly predicted by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, even though the drift waves have driven the plasma from thermal equilibrium. As well, we find that the long-term behavior of the saturated system is unaffected by discreteness-induced noise even when multiple modes are included. Additional work utilizing a code with both total-f and δf capabilities is also presented, as part of our efforts to better understand the long- time balance between entropy production, collisional dissipation, and particle/heat flux in gyrokinetic plasmas.

Formation of the Oort Cloud: Coupling Dynamical and Collisional Evolutions of Cometesimals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charnoz, S.; Morbidelli, A.

2002-09-01

Cometesimals are thought to be born in the region of Giant Planets region and were subsequently ejected to the Oort Cloud by gravitational scattering. Some recent works (Stern & Weisman, 2001 Nature 409) have emphasized that during this phase of violent ejection, random velocities among cometesimals become so high that the majority of kilometer-sized comets might have been destroyed by multiple violent collisions before they reach the Oort Cloud, resulting in a low mass Oort Cloud. We present a new approach which allows to couple dynamical and collisional evolutions. This study focuses on cometesimals starting from the Jupiter-Saturn region. We find that the rapid depletion of the disk, due to the gravitational-scattering exerted by the giant planets, prevents a large fraction of cometesimals from rapid collisional destruction. These conclusions support the classical scenario of Oort Cloud formation.

The radial gradients and collisional properties of solar wind electrons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.

1978-01-01

The plasma electron detector on Mariner 10 is used to obtain measurements of electron density and temperature in the interplanetary medium between heliocentric distances of 0.85 and 0.45 AU. The observations show quantitatively that the core of the electron distribution function can be described as collisional at least for radial distances within 1 AU, since with a very few well-marked exceptions associated with high-speed streams, the Coulomb collisional momentum relaxation length is less than the density scale height at all times and all radial distances at which data were obtained. It is found that the Coulomb energy exchange collisions between the core and the (test) halo population are negligible. The power law exponent of the core temperature is about -0.3, whereas the halo temperature is almost independent of heliocentric distance.

The slow collisional E×B ion drift characterized as the major instability mechanism of a poorly magnetized plasma column with an inward-directed radial electric field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pierre, Thiéry

2016-04-15

The low-frequency instability of a cylindrical poorly magnetized plasma with an inward-directed radial electric field is studied changing the gas pressure and the ion cyclotron frequency. The unstable frequency always decreases when the gas pressure is increased indicating collisional effects. At a fixed pressure, the unstable frequency increases with the magnetic field when the B-field is low and decreases at larger magnetic field strength. We find that the transition between these two regimes is obtained when the ion cyclotron frequency equals the ion-neutrals collision frequency. This is in agreement with the theory of the slow-ion drift instability induced by themore » collisional slowing of the electric ion drift [A. Simon, Phys. Fluids 6, 382 (1963)].« less

Evidence for an oscillating soliton/vortex ring by density engineering of a Bose-Einstein condensate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shomroni, I.; Lahoud, E.; Levy, S.; Steinhauer, J.

2009-03-01

When two Bose-Einstein condensates collide with high collisional energy, the celebrated matter-wave interference pattern appears. For lower collisional energies, the repulsive interaction energy becomes significant, and the interference pattern evolves into an array of grey solitons. But the lowest collisional energies, producing a single pair of solitons, have not been probed so far. Here, we report on experiments using density engineering on the healing length scale to produce such a pair of solitons. We see evidence that the solitons evolve periodically between vortex rings and solitons. The stable, periodic evolution is in sharp contrast to the behaviour seen in previous experiments in which the solitons decay irreversibly into vortex rings through the so-called snake instability. The evolution can be understood in terms of conservation of mass and energy in a narrow condensate.

Radiative Heating Methodology for the Huygens Probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Christopher O.; Hollis, Brian R.; Sutton, Kenneth

2007-01-01

The radiative heating environment for the Huygens probe near peak heating conditions for Titan entry is investigated in this paper. The task of calculating the radiation-coupled flowfield, accounting for non-Boltzmann and non-optically thin radiation, is simplified to a rapid yet accurate calculation. This is achieved by using the viscous-shock layer (VSL) technique for the stagnation-line flowfield calculation and a modified smeared rotational band (SRB) model for the radiation calculation. These two methods provide a computationally efficient alternative to a Navier-Stokes flowfield and line-by-line radiation calculation. The results of the VSL technique are shown to provide an excellent comparison with the Navier-Stokes results of previous studies. It is shown that a conventional SRB approach is inadequate for the partially optically-thick conditions present in the Huygens shock-layer around the peak heating trajectory points. A simple modification is proposed to the SRB model that improves its accuracy in these partially optically-thick conditions. This modified approach, labeled herein as SRBC, is compared throughout this study with a detailed line-by-line (LBL) calculation and is shown to compare within 5% in all cases. The SRBC method requires many orders-of-magnitude less computational time than the LBL method, which makes it ideal for coupling to the flowfield. The application of a collisional-radiative (CR) model for determining the population of the CN electronic states, which govern the radiation for Huygens entry, is discussed and applied. The non-local absorption term in the CR model is formulated in terms of an escape factor, which is then curve-fit with temperature. Although the curve-fit is an approximation, it is shown to compare well with the exact escape factor calculation, which requires a computationally intensive iteration procedure.

Radiation Hydrodynamics Simulations of Photoevaporation of Protoplanetary Disks by Ultraviolet Radiation: Metallicity Dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakatani, Riouhei; Hosokawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Naoki; Nomura, Hideko; Kuiper, Rolf

2018-04-01

Protoplanetary disks are thought to have lifetimes of several million yr in the solar neighborhood, but recent observations suggest that the disk lifetimes are shorter in a low-metallicity environment. We perform a suite of radiation hydrodynamics simulations of photoevaporating protoplanetary disks to study their long-term evolution of ∼10,000 yr and the metallicity dependence of mass-loss rates. Our simulations follow hydrodynamics, extreme and far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiative transfer, and nonequilibrium chemistry in a self-consistent manner. Dust-grain temperatures are also calculated consistently by solving the radiative transfer of the stellar irradiation and grain (re-)emission. We vary the disk metallicity over a wide range of {10}-4 {Z}ȯ ≤slant Z≤slant 10 {Z}ȯ . The photoevaporation rate is lower with higher metallicity in the range of {10}-1 {Z}ȯ ≲ Z≲ 10 {Z}ȯ , because dust shielding effectively prevents FUV photons from penetrating and heating the dense regions of the disk. The photoevaporation rate sharply declines at even lower metallicities in {10}-2 {Z}ȯ ≲ Z≲ {10}-1 {Z}ȯ , because FUV photoelectric heating becomes less effective than dust–gas collisional cooling. The temperature in the neutral region decreases, and photoevaporative flows are excited only in an outer region of the disk. At {10}-4 {Z}ȯ ≤slant Z≲ {10}-2 {Z}ȯ , H I photoionization heating acts as a dominant gas heating process and drives photoevaporative flows with a roughly constant rate. The typical disk lifetime is shorter at Z = 0.3 {Z}ȯ than at Z={Z}ȯ , being consistent with recent observations of the extreme outer galaxy.

Morphological Studies of Rising Equatorial Spread F Bubbles

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-01

depletions. In the present paper , we wish to discuss equatorial Spread F bubble shapes and vertical rise rates within the context of the collisional...simulation results are needed to ascertain which model fits best. All of the models described in this paper , based on collisional Rayleigh-Taylor type...Analysis of Barium Clouds - Semi-Annual Technical Report, RADC-TR-72-103, Vol. I, Avco Everett Reserach Laboratory, Everett, Mass., January 1972

Collisional excitation of interstellar methyl cyanide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Sheldon

1986-01-01

Theoretical calculations are used to determine the collisional excitation rates of methyl cyanide under interstellar molecular cloud conditions. The required Q(L,M) as a function of kinetic temperature were determined by averaging fixed energy IOS (infinite order sudden) results over appropriate Boltzmann distributions of collision energies. At a kinetic temperature of 40 K, rates within a K ladder were found to be accurate to generally better than about 30 percent.

GEO Collisional Risk Assessment Based on Analysis of NASA-WISE Data and Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-18

GEO Collisional Risk Assessment Based on Analysis of NASA -WISE Data and Modeling Jeremy Murray Krezan1, Samantha Howard1, Phan D. Dao1, Derek...Surka2 1AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate,2Applied Technology Associates Incorporated From December 2009 through 2011 the NASA Wide-Field Infrared...of known debris. The NASA -WISE GEO belt debris population adds potentially thousands previously uncataloged objects. This paper describes

Modeling the ponderomotive interaction of high-power laser beams with collisional plasma: the FDTD-based approach.

PubMed

Lin, Zhili; Chen, Xudong; Ding, Panfeng; Qiu, Weibin; Pu, Jixiong

2017-04-03

The ponderomotive interaction of high-power laser beams with collisional plasma is modeled in the nonrelativistic regime and is simulated using the powerful finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for the first time in literature. The nonlinear and dissipative dielectric constant function of the collisional plasma is deduced that takes the ponderomotive effect into account and is implemented in the discrete framework of FDTD algorithms. Maclaurin series expansion approach is applied for implementing the obtained physical model and the time average of the square of light field is extracted by numerically evaluating an integral identity based on the composite trapezoidal rule for numerical integration. Two numerical examples corresponding to two different types of laser beams, Gaussian beam and vortex Laguerre-Gaussian beam, propagating in collisional plasma, are presented for specified laser and plasma parameters to verify the validity of the proposed FDTD-based approach. Simulation results show the anticipated self-focusing and attenuation phenomena of laser beams and the deformation of the spatial density distributions of electron plasma along the beam propagation path. Due to the flexibility of FDTD method in light beam excitation and accurate complex material modeling, the proposed approach has a wide application prospect in the study of the complex laser-plasma interactions in a small scale.

PTF11kx: A Type Ia Supernova with Hydrogen Emission Persisting after 3.5 Years

DOE PAGES

Graham, M. L.; Harris, C. E.; Fox, O. D.; ...

2017-07-11

The optical transient PTF11kx exhibited both the characteristic spectral features of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the signature of ejecta interacting with circumstellar material (CSM) containing hydrogen, indicating the presence of a nondegenerate companion. In this paper, we present an optical spectrum at 1342 days after peak from Keck Observatory, in which the broad component of Hα emission persists with a similar profile as in early-time observations. We also present Spitzer IRAC detections obtained 1237 and 1818 days after peak, and an upper limit from Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet imaging at 2133 days. We interpret our late-time observations inmore » the context of published results—and reinterpret the early-time observations—in order to constrain the CSM's physical parameters and to compare to theoretical predictions for recurrent-nova systems. We find that the CSM's radial extent may be several times the distance between the star and the CSM's inner edge, and that the CSM column density may be two orders of magnitude lower than previous estimates. We show that the Hα luminosity decline is similar to other SNe with CSM interaction and demonstrate how our infrared photometry is evidence for newly formed, collisionally heated dust. We create a model for PTF11kx's late-time CSM interaction and find that X-ray reprocessing by photoionization and recombination cannot reproduce the observed Hα luminosity, suggesting that the X-rays are thermalized and that Hα radiates from collisional excitation. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of our results regarding the progenitor scenario and the geometric properties of the CSM for the PTF11kx system.« less

Transport in a toroidally confined pure electron plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crooks, S.M.; ONeil, T.M.

1996-07-01

O{close_quote}Neil and Smith [T.M. O{close_quote}Neil and R.A. Smith, Phys. Plasmas {bold 1}, 8 (1994)] have argued that a pure electron plasma can be confined stably in a toroidal magnetic field configuration. This paper shows that the toroidal curvature of the magnetic field of necessity causes slow cross-field transport. The transport mechanism is similar to magnetic pumping and may be understood by considering a single flux tube of plasma. As the flux tube of plasma undergoes poloidal {ital E}{bold {times}}{ital B} drift rotation about the center of the plasma, the length of the flux tube and the magnetic field strength withinmore » the flux tube oscillate, and this produces corresponding oscillations in {ital T}{sub {parallel}} and {ital T}{sub {perpendicular}}. The collisional relaxation of {ital T}{sub {parallel}} toward {ital T}{sub {perpendicular}} produces a slow dissipation of electrostatic energy into heat and a consequent expansion (cross-field transport) of the plasma. In the limit where the cross section of the plasma is nearly circular the radial particle flux is given by {Gamma}{sub {ital r}}=1/2{nu}{sub {perpendicular},{parallel}}{ital T}({ital r}/{rho}{sub 0}){sup 2}{ital n}/({minus}{ital e}{partial_derivative}{Phi}/{partial_derivative}{ital r}), where {nu}{sub {perpendicular},{parallel}} is the collisional equipartition rate, {rho}{sub 0} is the major radius at the center of the plasma, and {ital r} is the minor radius measured from the center of the plasma. The transport flux is first calculated using this simple physical picture and then is calculated by solving the drift-kinetic Boltzmann equation. This latter calculation is not limited to a plasma with a circular cross section. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Multiphase gas in quasar absorption-line systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giroux, Mark L.; Sutherland, Ralph S.; Shull, J. Michael

1994-01-01

In the standard model for H I Lyman-limit (LL) quasar absorption-line systems, the absorbing matter is galactic disk and halo gas, heated and photoionized by the metagalactic radiation field produced by active galaxies. In recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations (Reimers et al. 1992; Vogel & Reimers 1993; Reimers & Vogel 1993) of LL systems along the line of sight to the quasar HS 1700+6416, surprisingly high He I/H I ratios and a wide distribution of column densities of C, N, and O ions are deduced from extreme ultraviolet absorption lines. We show that these observations are incompatible with photoionization equilibrium by a single metagalactic ionizing background. We argue that these quasar absorption systems possess a multiphase interstellar medium similar to that of our Galaxy, in which extended hot, collisionally ionized gas is responsible for some or all of the high ionization stages of heavy elements. From the He/H ratios we obtain -4.0 less than or = log U less than or = -3.0, while the CNO ions are consistent with hot gas in collisional ionization equilibrium at log T = 5.3 and (O/H) = -1.6. The supernova rate necessary to produce these heavy elements and maintain the hot-gas energy budget of approximately 10(exp 41.5) ergs/s is approximately 10(exp -2)/yr, similar to that which maintains the 'three-phase' interstellar medium in our own Galaxy. As a consequence of the change in interpretation from photoionized gas to a multiphase medium, the derived heavy-element abundances (e.g., O/C) of these systems are open to question owing to substantial ionization corrections for unseen C V in the hot phase. The metal-line ratios may also lead to erroneous diagnostics of the shape of the metagalactic ionizaing spectrum and the ionizing parameter of the absorbers.

Generalized fluid theory including non-Maxwellian kinetic effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Izacard, Olivier

The results obtained by the plasma physics community for the validation and the prediction of turbulence and transport in magnetized plasmas come mainly from the use of very central processing unit (CPU)-consuming particle-in-cell or (gyro)kinetic codes which naturally include non-Maxwellian kinetic effects. To date, fluid codes are not considered to be relevant for the description of these kinetic effects. Here, after revisiting the limitations of the current fluid theory developed in the 19th century, we generalize the fluid theory including kinetic effects such as non-Maxwellian super-thermal tails with as few fluid equations as possible. The collisionless and collisional fluid closuresmore » from the nonlinear Landau Fokker–Planck collision operator are shown for an arbitrary collisionality. Indeed, the first fluid models associated with two examples of collisionless fluid closures are obtained by assuming an analytic non-Maxwellian distribution function. One of the main differences with the literature is our analytic representation of the distribution function in the velocity phase space with as few hidden variables as possible thanks to the use of non-orthogonal basis sets. These new non-Maxwellian fluid equations could initiate the next generation of fluid codes including kinetic effects and can be expanded to other scientific disciplines such as astrophysics, condensed matter or hydrodynamics. As a validation test, we perform a numerical simulation based on a minimal reduced INMDF fluid model. The result of this test is the discovery of the origin of particle and heat diffusion. The diffusion is due to the competition between a growing INMDF on short time scales due to spatial gradients and the thermalization on longer time scales. Here, the results shown here could provide the insights to break some of the unsolved puzzles of turbulence.« less

Generalized fluid theory including non-Maxwellian kinetic effects

DOE PAGES

Izacard, Olivier

2017-03-29

The results obtained by the plasma physics community for the validation and the prediction of turbulence and transport in magnetized plasmas come mainly from the use of very central processing unit (CPU)-consuming particle-in-cell or (gyro)kinetic codes which naturally include non-Maxwellian kinetic effects. To date, fluid codes are not considered to be relevant for the description of these kinetic effects. Here, after revisiting the limitations of the current fluid theory developed in the 19th century, we generalize the fluid theory including kinetic effects such as non-Maxwellian super-thermal tails with as few fluid equations as possible. The collisionless and collisional fluid closuresmore » from the nonlinear Landau Fokker–Planck collision operator are shown for an arbitrary collisionality. Indeed, the first fluid models associated with two examples of collisionless fluid closures are obtained by assuming an analytic non-Maxwellian distribution function. One of the main differences with the literature is our analytic representation of the distribution function in the velocity phase space with as few hidden variables as possible thanks to the use of non-orthogonal basis sets. These new non-Maxwellian fluid equations could initiate the next generation of fluid codes including kinetic effects and can be expanded to other scientific disciplines such as astrophysics, condensed matter or hydrodynamics. As a validation test, we perform a numerical simulation based on a minimal reduced INMDF fluid model. The result of this test is the discovery of the origin of particle and heat diffusion. The diffusion is due to the competition between a growing INMDF on short time scales due to spatial gradients and the thermalization on longer time scales. Here, the results shown here could provide the insights to break some of the unsolved puzzles of turbulence.« less

ETD in a traveling wave ion guide at tuned Z-spray ion source conditions allows for site-specific hydrogen/deuterium exchange measurements.

PubMed

Rand, Kasper D; Pringle, Steven D; Morris, Michael; Engen, John R; Brown, Jeffery M

2011-10-01

The recent application of electron transfer dissociation (ETD) to measure the hydrogen exchange of proteins in solution at single-residue resolution (HX-ETD) paves the way for mass spectrometry-based analyses of biomolecular structure at an unprecedented level of detail. The approach requires that activation of polypeptide ions prior to ETD is minimal so as to prevent undesirable gas-phase randomization of the deuterium label from solution (i.e., hydrogen scrambling). Here we explore the use of ETD in a traveling wave ion guide of a quadrupole-time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer with a "Z-spray" type ion source, to measure the deuterium content of individual residues in peptides. We systematically identify key parameters of the Z-spray ion source that contribute to collisional activation and define conditions that allow ETD experiments to be performed in the traveling wave ion guide without gas-phase hydrogen scrambling. We show that ETD and supplemental collisional activation in a subsequent traveling wave ion guide allows for improved extraction of residue-specific deuterium contents in peptides with low charge. Our results demonstrate the feasibility, and illustrate the advantages of performing HX-ETD experiments on a high-resolution Q-TOF instrument equipped with traveling wave ion guides. Determination of parameters of the Z-spray ion source that contribute to ion heating are similarly pertinent to a growing number of MS applications that also rely on an energetically gentle transfer of ions into the gas-phase, such as the analysis of biomolecular structure by native mass spectrometry in combination with gas-phase ion-ion/ion-neutral reactions or ion mobility spectrometry. © American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 2011

PTF11kx: A Type Ia Supernova with Hydrogen Emission Persisting after 3.5 Years

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Graham, M. L.; Harris, C. E.; Fox, O. D.

The optical transient PTF11kx exhibited both the characteristic spectral features of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and the signature of ejecta interacting with circumstellar material (CSM) containing hydrogen, indicating the presence of a nondegenerate companion. In this paper, we present an optical spectrum at 1342 days after peak from Keck Observatory, in which the broad component of Hα emission persists with a similar profile as in early-time observations. We also present Spitzer IRAC detections obtained 1237 and 1818 days after peak, and an upper limit from Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet imaging at 2133 days. We interpret our late-time observations inmore » the context of published results—and reinterpret the early-time observations—in order to constrain the CSM's physical parameters and to compare to theoretical predictions for recurrent-nova systems. We find that the CSM's radial extent may be several times the distance between the star and the CSM's inner edge, and that the CSM column density may be two orders of magnitude lower than previous estimates. We show that the Hα luminosity decline is similar to other SNe with CSM interaction and demonstrate how our infrared photometry is evidence for newly formed, collisionally heated dust. We create a model for PTF11kx's late-time CSM interaction and find that X-ray reprocessing by photoionization and recombination cannot reproduce the observed Hα luminosity, suggesting that the X-rays are thermalized and that Hα radiates from collisional excitation. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of our results regarding the progenitor scenario and the geometric properties of the CSM for the PTF11kx system.« less

ON HELIUM MIXING IN QUASI-GLOBAL SIMULATIONS OF THE INTRACLUSTER MEDIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berlok, Thomas; Pessah, Martin E., E-mail: berlok@nbi.dk, E-mail: mpessah@nbi.dk

The assumption of a spatially uniform helium distribution in the intracluster medium (ICM) can lead to biases in the estimates of key cluster parameters if composition gradients are present. The helium concentration profile in galaxy clusters is unfortunately not directly observable. Current models addressing the putative sedimentation are one-dimensional and parametrize the presence of magnetic fields in a crude way, ignoring the weakly collisional, magnetized nature of the medium. When these effects are considered, a wide variety of instabilities can play an important role in the plasma dynamics. In a series of recent papers, we have developed the local, linearmore » theory of these instabilities and addressed their nonlinear development with a modified version of Athena. Here, we extend our study by developing a quasi-global approach that we use to simulate the mixing of helium as induced by generalizations of the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instability (HBI) and the magnetothermal instability, which feed off thermal and composition gradients. In the inner region of the ICM, mixing can occur over a few gigayears, after which the average magnetic field inclination angle is ∼30°–50°, resulting in an averaged Spitzer parameter higher by about 20% than the value obtained in homogeneous simulations. In the cluster outskirts the instabilities are rather inefficient, due to the shallow gradients. This suggests that composition gradients in cluster cores might be shallower than one-dimensional models predict. More quantitative statements demand more refined models that can incorporate the physics driving the sedimentation process and simultaneously account for the weakly collisional nature of the plasma.« less

Micrometer-sized Water Ice Particles for Planetary Science Experiments: Influence of Surface Structure on Collisional Properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gärtner, S.; Fraser, H. J.; Gundlach, B.

Models and observations suggest that ice-particle aggregation at and beyond the snowline dominates the earliest stages of planet formation, which therefore is subject to many laboratory studies. However, the pressure–temperature gradients in protoplanetary disks mean that the ices are constantly processed, undergoing phase changes between different solid phases and the gas phase. Open questions remain as to whether the properties of the icy particles themselves dictate collision outcomes and therefore how effectively collision experiments reproduce conditions in protoplanetary environments. Previous experiments often yielded apparently contradictory results on collision outcomes, only agreeing in a temperature dependence setting in above ≈210 K.more » By exploiting the unique capabilities of the NIMROD neutron scattering instrument, we characterized the bulk and surface structure of icy particles used in collision experiments, and studied how these structures alter as a function of temperature at a constant pressure of around 30 mbar. Our icy grains, formed under liquid nitrogen, undergo changes in the crystalline ice-phase, sublimation, sintering and surface pre-melting as they are heated from 103 to 247 K. An increase in the thickness of the diffuse surface layer from ≈10 to ≈30 Å (≈2.5 to 12 bilayers) proves increased molecular mobility at temperatures above ≈210 K. Because none of the other changes tie-in with the temperature trends in collisional outcomes, we conclude that the surface pre-melting phenomenon plays a key role in collision experiments at these temperatures. Consequently, the pressure–temperature environment, may have a larger influence on collision outcomes than previously thought.« less

Heating of the Interstellar Diffuse Ionized Gas via the Dissipation of Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minter, Anthony H.; Spangler, Steven R.

1997-08-01

We have recently published observations that specify most of the turbulent and mean plasma characteristics for a region of the sky containing the interstellar diffuse ionized gas (DIG). These observations have provided virtually all of the information necessary to calculate the heating rate from dissipation of turbulence. We have calculated the turbulent dissipation heating rate employing two models for the interstellar turbulence. The first is a customary modeling as a superposition of magnetohydrodynamic waves. The second is a fluid-turbulence-like model based on the ideas of Higdon. This represents the first time that such calculations have been carried out with full and specific interstellar turbulence parameters. The wave model of interstellar turbulence encounters the severe difficulty that plausible estimates of heating by Landau damping exceed the radiative cooling capacity of the interstellar DIG by 3-4 orders of magnitude. Clearly interstellar turbulence does not behave like an ensemble of obliquely propagating fast magnetosonic waves. The heating rate due to two other wave dissipation mechanisms, ion-neutral collisional damping and the parametric decay instability, are comparable to the cooling capacity of the diffuse ionized medium. We find that the fluid-like turbulence model is an acceptable and realistic model of the turbulence in the interstellar medium once the effects of ion-neutral collisions are included in the model. This statement is contingent on an assumption that the dissipation of such turbulence because of Landau damping is several orders of magnitude less than that from an ensemble of obliquely propagating magnetosonic waves with the same energy density. Arguments as to why this may be the case are made in the paper. Rough parity between the turbulent heating rate and the radiative cooling rate in the DIG also depends on the hydrogen ionization fraction being in excess of 90% or on a model-dependent lower limit to the heating rate being approximately valid. We conclude that the dissipation of turbulence is capable of providing a substantial and perhaps major contribution to the energy budget of the diffuse ionized medium.

Geospeedometry in the inverted metamorphic gradient of the Nestos Thrust Zone in central Rhodope (Northern Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cioldi, Stefania; Moulas, Evangelos; Burg, Jean-Pierre

2015-04-01

Thrust tectonics and inverted metamorphic gradients are major consequences of large and likely fast movements of crustal segments in compressional environments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the tectonic setting and the timescale of inverted metamorphic zonations related to crustal-scale thrusting. The aim is to contribute understanding the link between mechanical and thermal evolution of major thrust zones and to clarify the nature and the origin of orogenic heat. The Rhodope metamorphic complex (Northern Greece) is interpreted as a part of the Alpine-Himalaya orogenic belt and represents a collisional system with an association of both large-scale thrusting and pervasive exhumation tectonics. The Nestos Shear Zone overprints the suture boundary with a NNE-dipping pile of schists displaying inverted isograds. The inverted metamorphic zones start from chlorite-muscovite grade at the bottom and reach kyanite-sillimanite grades with migmatites in the upper structural levels. In order to reconstruct the thermo-tectonic evolution of inverted metamorphic zonation, reliable geochronological data are essential. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology with step-heating technique on white mica from micaschists provided a temporal resolution with the potential to characterize shearing. 40Ar/39Ar dating across the Nestos Shear Zone yields Late Eocene-Early Oligocene (40-30 Ma) cooling (~400-350° C) ages, which correspond to local thermo-deformation episodes linked to late and post-orogenic intrusions. U-Pb Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon geochronology on leucosomes from migmatitic orthogneisses were considered to estimate the age of peak metamorphic conditions, contemporaneous with anatexis. U-Pb ages of zircon rims specify regional partial melting during the Early Cretaceous (160-120 Ma). This is in disagreement with previous assertions, which argued that the formation of leucosomes in this region is Late Eocene (42-35 Ma) and implied multiple subductions and multiple metamorphic cycles during orogeny. Garnet geospeedometry considers the kinetic response of minerals and allowed estimating the absolute time-dependent thermal evolution by diffusive element profiles in garnet. Inverse-fitting numerical model considering Fractionation and Diffusion in GarnEt (FRIDGE) calculates garnet composition profiles by introducing P-T-t paths and bulk-rock composition of a specific sample. Preliminary results of Fe-Mg - Ca - Mn garnet fractionation-diffusion modelling indicate very short timescale (between 2 and 5 Ma) for peak metamorphic conditions in the Rhodope collisional system.

The extent of aqueous alteration in C-class asteroids, and the survival of presolar isotopic signatures in chondrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.

2011-05-01

Several sample return missions are being planned by different space agencies for in situ sampling of undifferentiated bodies. Such missions wish to bring back to Earth pristine samples from C-class asteroids and comets to obtain clues on solar system formation conditions. A careful selection of targeted areas is required as many C-class asteroids and periodic comets have been subjected to collisional and space weathering processing since their formation. Their surfaces have been reworked by impacts as pointed out by the brecciated nature of many chondrites arrived to Earth, exhibiting different levels of thermal and aqueous alteration. It is not surprising that pristine chondrites can be considered quite rare in meteorite collections because they were naturally sampled in collisions, but several groups of carbonaceous chondrites contain a few members with promising unaltered properties. The CI and CM groups suffered extensive aqueous alteration [1], but for the most part escaped thermal metamorphism (only a few CMs evidence heating temperature over several hundred K). Both chondrite groups are water-rich, containing secondary minerals as consequence of the pervasive alteration of their primary mineral phases [2]. CO, CV, and CR chondrite groups suffered much less severe aqueous alteration, but some CRs are moderately aqueously altered. All five groups are good candidates to find unequilibrated materials between samples unaffected by aqueous alteration or metamorphism. The water was incorporated during accretion, and was released as consequence of shock after impact compaction, and/or by mild radiogenic heating. Primary minerals were transformed by water into secondary ones. Water soaking the bodies participated in chemical homogenization of the different components [1]. Hydrothermal alteration and collisional metamorphism changed the abundances of isotopically distinguishable presolar silicates [3]. Additional instruments in the landers to identify aqueous alteration signatures could help to get samples unbiased by parent body processes. Future work in this regard could be essential to successfully getting back to Earth samples to unveil the conditions in which the solar system formed. REF: [1] Trigo-Rodriguez J.M. & Blum J. 2009. Plan. Space Sci.57,243; [2] Rubin et al. (2007) GCA 71,2361; [3] Trigo-Rodriguez J.M. & Blum J. (2009). Pub.Ast.Soc.Aust.26,289

Collisional-Radiative Modeling of Free-Burning Arc Plasma in Argon

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

temeratures of electrons and heavy particles was demonstrated. The plasma chemistry is important but yet just one element of the complex arc...description. Therefore, the present work is aimed at the analysis of the plasma chemistry in a way that the model enables a deeper look into the polulations... PLASMA CHEMISTRY The present study aims at analyzing the collisional and radiative processes in argon with a view toward application to non

Ion acoustic solitons in magnetized collisional non-thermal dusty plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultana, S.

2018-05-01

The oblique propagation of ion-acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) is considered, in a magnetized non-thermal collisional dusty plasma, composed of non-Maxwelian κ-distributed electrons, inertial ions, and stationary dust. The reductive perturbation approach is adopted to derive the damped Korteweg de-Vries (dKdV) equation, and the dissipative oblique ion-acoustic wave properties are investigated in terms of different key plasma parameters via the numerical solution of the dKdV equation. The collisional effect, describing the ion-neutral collision in the plasma, is taken into account, and seen to influence the dynamics of IASWs significantly. The basic features of IASWs are observed to modify, and the polarity of the wave is seen to change due to the variation of dust to that of ion number density and also due to the variation of the supethermality index κ in the considered plasma system.

Parallel Transport with Sheath and Collisional Effects in Global Electrostatic Turbulent Transport in FRCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Jian; Lau, Calvin; Kuley, Animesh; Lin, Zhihong; Fulton, Daniel; Tajima, Toshiki; Tri Alpha Energy, Inc. Team

2017-10-01

Collisional and turbulent transport in a field reversed configuration (FRC) is studied in global particle simulation by using GTC (gyrokinetic toroidal code). The global FRC geometry is incorporated in GTC by using a field-aligned mesh in cylindrical coordinates, which enables global simulation coupling core and scrape-off layer (SOL) across the separatrix. Furthermore, fully kinetic ions are implemented in GTC to treat magnetic-null point in FRC core. Both global simulation coupling core and SOL regions and independent SOL region simulation have been carried out to study turbulence. In this work, the ``logical sheath boundary condition'' is implemented to study parallel transport in the SOL. This method helps to relax time and spatial steps without resolving electron plasma frequency and Debye length, which enables turbulent transports simulation with sheath effects. We will study collisional and turbulent SOL parallel transport with mirror geometry and sheath boundary condition in C2-W divertor.

Anti-screening optically allowed and forbidden collisional excitations in nonthermal astrophysical plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Woo-Pyo; Jung, Young-Dae, E-mail: ydjung@hanyang.ac.kr

2014-08-01

The influence of nonthermal shielding on the optically allowed and forbidden anti-screening channels for ion-ion collisional excitations is investigated in astrophysical Lorentzian plasmas. The semiclassical trajectory method and effective interaction Hamiltonian are employed to obtain the transition amplitudes, differential cross-sections, and momentum transfer-dependent effective projectile charges for the optically allowed and forbidden excitation channels as functions of the impact parameter, collision energy, Debye radius, and spectral index of nonthermal astrophysical plasmas. It is found that the nonthermal effect suppresses the ion-ion collisional excitation probability in astrophysical Lorentzian plasmas. Additionally, the influence of nonthermal shielding on the optically allowed transition ismore » found to be more significant than that on the optically forbidden transition. The variations of the nonthermal shielding effects on the optically allowed and forbidden anti-screening channels in astrophysical nonthermal plasmas are also discussed.« less

Hydrogen atom scrambling in selectively labeled anionic peptides upon collisional activation by MALDI tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Bache, Nicolai; Rand, Kasper D; Roepstorff, Peter; Ploug, Michael; Jørgensen, Thomas J D

2008-12-01

We have previously shown that peptide amide hydrogens undergo extensive intramolecular migration (i.e., complete hydrogen scrambling) upon collisional activation of protonated peptides (Jørgensen et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 2785-2793). The occurrence of hydrogen scrambling enforces severe limitations on the application of gas-phase fragmentation as a convenient method to obtain information about the site-specific deuterium uptake for proteins and peptides in solution. To investigate whether deprotonated peptides exhibit a lower level of scrambling relative to their protonated counterparts, we have now measured the level of hydrogen scrambling in a deprotonated, selectively labeled peptide using MALDI tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Our results conclusively show that hydrogen scrambling is prevalent in the deprotonated peptide upon collisional activation. The amide hydrogens ((1)H/(2)H) have migrated extensively in the anionic peptide, thereby erasing the original regioselective deuteration pattern obtained in solution.

Ambient tremors in a collisional orogenic belt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chuang, Lindsay Yuling; Chen, Kate Huihsuan; Wech, Aaron G.; Byrne, Timothy; Peng, Wei

2014-01-01

Deep-seated tectonic tremors have been regarded as an observation tied to interconnected fluids at depth, which have been well documented in worldwide subduction zones and transform faults but not in a collisional mountain belt. In this study we explore the general features of collisional tremors in Taiwan and discuss the possible generation mechanism. In the 4 year data, we find 231 ambient tremor episodes with durations ranging from 5 to 30 min. In addition to a coseismic slip-induced stress change from nearby major earthquake, increased tremor rate is also highly correlated with the active, normal faulting earthquake swarms at the shallower depth. Both the tremor and earthquake swarm activities are confined in a small, area where the high attenuation, high thermal anomaly, the boundary between high and low resistivity, and localized veins on the surfaces distributed, suggesting the involvement of fluids from metamorphic dehydration within the orogen.

The effect of catastrophic collisional fragmentation and diffuse medium accretion on a computational interstellar dust system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liffman, Kurt

1990-01-01

The effects of catastrophic collisional fragmentation and diffuse medium accretion on a the interstellar dust system are computed using a Monte Carlo computer model. The Monte Carlo code has as its basis an analytic solution of the bulk chemical evolution of a two-phase interstellar medium, described by Liffman and Clayton (1989). The model is subjected to numerous different interstellar processes as it transfers from one interstellar phase to another. Collisional fragmentation was found to be the dominant physical process that shapes the size spectrum of interstellar dust. It was found that, in the diffuse cloud phase, 90 percent of the refractory material is locked up in the dust grains, primarily due to accretion in the molecular medium. This result is consistent with the observed depletions of silicon. Depletions were found to be affected only slightly by diffuse cloud accretion.

The radial electric field dynamics in the neoclassical plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Novakovskii, S.V.; Liu, C.S.; Sagdeev, R.Z.

1997-12-01

A numerical simulation and analytical theory of the radial electric field dynamics in low collisional tokamak plasmas are presented. An initial value code {open_quotes}ELECTRIC{close_quotes} has been developed to solve the ion drift kinetic equation with a full collisional operator in the Hirshman{endash}Sigmar{endash}Clarke form together with the Maxwell equations. Different scenarios of relaxation of the radial electric field toward the steady-state in response to sudden and adiabatic changes of the equilibrium temperature gradient are presented. It is shown, that while the relaxation is usually accompanied by the geodesic acoustic oscillations, during the adiabatic change these oscillations are suppressed and only themore » magnetic pumping remains. Both the collisional damping and the Landau resonance interaction are shown to be important relaxation mechanisms. Scalings of the relaxation rates versus basic plasma parameters are presented. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Behavior of collisional sheath in electronegative plasma with q-nonextensive electron distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgohain, Dima Rani; Saharia, K.

2018-03-01

Electronegative plasma sheath is addressed in a collisional unmagnetized plasma consisting of q-nonextensive electrons, Boltzmann distributed negative ions and cold fluid positive ions. Considering the positive ion-neutral collisions and ignoring the effects of ionization and collisions between negative species and positive ions (neutrals), a modified Bohm sheath criterion and hence floating potential are derived by using multifluid model. Using the modified Bohm sheath criterion, the sheath characteristics such as spatial profiles of density, potential and net space charge density have been numerically investigated. It is found that increasing values of q-nonextensivity, electronegativity and collisionality lead to a decrease of the sheath thickness and an increase of the sheath potential and the net space charge density. With increasing values of the electron temperature to negative ion temperature ratio, the sheath thickness increases and the sheath potential as well as the net space charge density in the sheath region decreases.

Nonextensive statistics and skin depth of transverse wave in collisional plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hashemzadeh, M., E-mail: hashemzade@gmail.com

Skin depth of transverse wave in a collisional plasma is studied taking into account the nonextensive electron distribution function. Considering the kinetic theory for charge particles and using the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook collision model, a generalized transverse dielectric permittivity is obtained. The transverse dispersion relation in different frequency ranges is investigated. Obtaining the imaginary part of the wave vector from the dispersion relation, the skin depth for these frequency ranges is also achieved. Profiles of the skin depth show that by increasing the q parameter, the penetration depth decreases. In addition, the skin depth increases by increasing the electron temperature. Finally, itmore » is found that in the high frequency range and high electron temperature, the penetration depth decreases by increasing the collision frequency. In contrast, by increasing the collision frequency in a highly collisional frequency range, the skin depth of transverse wave increases.« less

A Circum-terrestrial Compositional Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, C. R.; Greenberg, R.

1985-01-01

A major question about the moon is its under abundance of iron. It is the purpose of this research to understand whether a metal-silicate fractionation of heliocentrically orbiting bodies can be achieved through collisional interactions with a circum-terrestrial swarm. Rates of diffusion are investigated and the mutual collisional destruction within the population is examined. The interactions of these differentiated planetesimals and their collisional products (both silicate mantle fragments and iron cores) with a swarm of Earth orbiting lunesimals (perhaps ejecta from the Earth) of km scale, totaling a mass of order 0.1 lunar mass, extending out 10 or 20 Earth radii are considered. It is found that such a small near Earth population of lunesimals can filter out silicate rich material, while passing iron cores, and form a moon composed partly of terrestrial material, but more substantially of the captured silicate rich portions of the planetesimals.

Thermal Boundary Layer Effects on Line-of-Sight Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) Gas Concentration Measurements.

PubMed

Qu, Zhechao; Werhahn, Olav; Ebert, Volker

2018-06-01

The effects of thermal boundary layers on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) measurement results must be quantified when using the line-of-sight (LOS) TDLAS under conditions with spatial temperature gradient. In this paper, a new methodology based on spectral simulation is presented quantifying the LOS TDLAS measurement deviation under conditions with thermal boundary layers. The effects of different temperature gradients and thermal boundary layer thickness on spectral collisional widths and gas concentration measurements are quantified. A CO 2 TDLAS spectrometer, which has two gas cells to generate the spatial temperature gradients, was employed to validate the simulation results. The measured deviations and LOS averaged collisional widths are in very good agreement with the simulated results for conditions with different temperature gradients. We demonstrate quantification of thermal boundary layers' thickness with proposed method by exploitation of the LOS averaged the collisional width of the path-integrated spectrum.

Collisional entanglement fidelities in quantum plasmas including strong quantum recoil and oscillation effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Myoung-Jae; Jung, Young-Dae

2017-10-01

The quantum recoil and oscillation effects on the entanglement fidelity and the electron-exchange function for the electron-ion collision are investigated in a semiconductor plasma by using the partial wave analysis and effective interaction potential in strong quantum recoil regime. The magnitude of the electron-exchange function is found to increase as the collision energy increases, but it decreases with an increase in the exchange parameter. It is also found that the collisional entanglement fidelity in strong quantum recoil plasmas is enhanced by the quantum-mechanical and shielding effects. The collisional entanglement fidelity in a semiconductor plasma is also enhanced by the collective plasmon oscillation and electron-exchange effect. However, the electron-exchange effect on the fidelity ratio function is reduced as the plasmon energy increases. Moreover, the electron-exchange influence on the fidelity ratio function is found to increase as the Fermi energy in the semiconductor plasma increases.

Coupling dynamical and collisional evolution of small bodies:. an application to the early ejection of planetesimals from the Jupiter-Saturn region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charnoz, Sébastien; Morbidelli, Alessandro

2003-11-01

We present a new algorithm designed to compute the collisional erosion of a population of small bodies undergoing a complex and rapid dynamical evolution induced by strong gravitational perturbations. Usual particle-in-a-box models have been extensively and successfully used to study the evolution of asteroids or KBOs. However, they cannot track the evolution of small bodies in rapid dynamical evolution, due to their oversimplified description of the dynamics. Our code is based on both (1) a direct simulation of the dynamical evolution which is used to compute local encounter rates and (2) a classical fragmentation model. Such a code may be used to track the erosional evolution of the planetesimal disk under the action of newly formed giant-planets, a passing star or a population of massive planetary-embryos. We present here an application to a problem related to the formation of the Oort cloud. The usually accepted formation scenario is that planetesimals, originally formed in the giant planet region, have been transported to the Oort cloud by gravitational scattering. However, it has been suggested that, during the initial transport phase, the mutual large encounter velocities might have induced a rapid and intense collisional evolution of the planetesimal population, potentially causing a significant reduction of the Oort cloud formation process. This mechanism is explored with our new algorithm. Because the advantages of our new approach are better highlighted for a population undergoing a violent dynamical evolution, we concentrate in this paper on the planetesimals originally in the Jupiter-Saturn region, although it is known that they are only minor contributors to the final Oort cloud population. A wide range of parameters is explored (mass of the particle disk, initial size-distribution, material strength): depending upon the assumed parameter values, we find that from 15 to 90% of the mass contained in bodies larger than 1 km survives the collisional process; for our preferred choice of the parameters this fraction is ˜70%. It is also found that the majority of planetesimals larger than 1-10 km are pristine, and not fragments. We show also that collisional damping may not prevent planetesimals from being ejected to the outer Solar System. Thus, although the collisional activity is high during the scattering by Jupiter and Saturn, collisional grinding does not lower by orders of magnitude the mass contained in bodies larger than 1 km, originally in the Jupiter-Saturn region. These conclusions seem to support the classical collisionless scenario of Oort cloud formation, at least for the Jupiter-Saturn region.

COMBINED MODELING OF ACCELERATION, TRANSPORT, AND HYDRODYNAMIC RESPONSE IN SOLAR FLARES. I. THE NUMERICAL MODEL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu Wei; Petrosian, Vahe; Mariska, John T.

2009-09-10

Acceleration and transport of high-energy particles and fluid dynamics of atmospheric plasma are interrelated aspects of solar flares, but for convenience and simplicity they were artificially separated in the past. We present here self-consistently combined Fokker-Planck modeling of particles and hydrodynamic simulation of flare plasma. Energetic electrons are modeled with the Stanford unified code of acceleration, transport, and radiation, while plasma is modeled with the Naval Research Laboratory flux tube code. We calculated the collisional heating rate directly from the particle transport code, which is more accurate than those in previous studies based on approximate analytical solutions. We repeated themore » simulation of Mariska et al. with an injection of power law, downward-beamed electrons using the new heating rate. For this case, a {approx}10% difference was found from their old result. We also used a more realistic spectrum of injected electrons provided by the stochastic acceleration model, which has a smooth transition from a quasi-thermal background at low energies to a nonthermal tail at high energies. The inclusion of low-energy electrons results in relatively more heating in the corona (versus chromosphere) and thus a larger downward heat conduction flux. The interplay of electron heating, conduction, and radiative loss leads to stronger chromospheric evaporation than obtained in previous studies, which had a deficit in low-energy electrons due to an arbitrarily assumed low-energy cutoff. The energy and spatial distributions of energetic electrons and bremsstrahlung photons bear signatures of the changing density distribution caused by chromospheric evaporation. In particular, the density jump at the evaporation front gives rise to enhanced emission, which, in principle, can be imaged by X-ray telescopes. This model can be applied to investigate a variety of high-energy processes in solar, space, and astrophysical plasmas.« less

The Chandra HRC View of the Subarcsecond Structures in the Nuclear Region of NGC 1068

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Junfeng; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Karovska, Margarita; Elvis, Martin; Risaliti, Guido

2012-09-01

We have obtained a high spatial resolution X-ray image of the nucleus of NGC 1068 using the High Resolution Camera (HRC-I) on board the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which provides an unprecedented view of the innermost 1 arcsec radius region of this galaxy. The HRC image resolves the narrow-line region into X-ray emission clumps matching bright emission-line clouds in the HST [OIII] λ5007 images and allows comparison with subarcsecond-scale radio jet for the first time. Two distinct X-ray knots are revealed at 1.3-1.4 arcsec northeast and southwest of the nucleus. Based on the combined X-ray, [O III], and radio continuum morphology, we identify the locations of intense radio jet-cloud interaction. The [O III] to soft X-ray ratios show that some of these clouds are strongly affected by shock heating, whereas in other locations the jet simply thrusts through with no signs of strong interaction. This is further strengthened by the presence of a kT ~ 1 keV collisionally ionized component in the ACIS spectrum of a shock-heated cloud HST-G. We estimate that the kinematic luminosity of the jet-driven shocks is 6 × 1038 erg s-1, a negligible fraction (10-4) of the estimated total jet power.

Molecular line emission models of Herbig-Haro objects. II - HCO(+) emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfire, Mark G.; Koenigl, Arieh

1993-01-01

We present time-dependent models of the chemistry and temperature of interstellar molecular gas clumps that are exposed to the radiation from propagating stellar-jet shocks. The X-ray, EUV, and FUV radiation from the shock initiates ion chemistry and also heats the gas in the clumps. Using representative parameters, we show that, on the shock transit time between the clumps, the abundances of the ionized molecular species that are produced in the clumps can exceed the values determined from steady state models by several orders of magnitude. Collisional excitation by the heated gas can lead to measurable line emission from several ionized species; as in previous investigations of X-ray-irradiated molecular gas, we find that electron impacts contribute significantly to this process. We apply these results to the interpretation of the HCO(+) line emission that has already been detected in several Herbig-Haro objects. We demonstrate that this picture provides a natural explanation of the fact that the line intensity typically peaks ahead of the associated shock, as well as of the reported low line-center velocities and narrow line widths. We tabulate several diagnostic line intensities of HCO(+) and other molecular species that may be used to infer the physical conditions in the emitting gas.

Imaging Magnetospheric Boundries at Ionospheric Heights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgardner, J.; Nottingham, D.; Wroten, J.; Mendillo, M.

2001-12-01

Stable auroral red (SAR) arcs are excited by a downward heat flux within a narrow range of fluxtubes that define the plasmapause-ring current interaction region. Ambient F-region electrons near and above the peak height (300-500 km) are heated and collisionally excite atomic oxygen to the O(1D) state, thereby emitting 6300 A photons. At the same time, the diffuse aurora at 6300 A is excited by the precipitation of plasma sheet electrons into the lower thermosphere, exciting O(1D) to emit near 200 km. An all-sky imaging system operating at a sub-auroral site (e.g., at Millstone Hill) can readily record the SAR arc centroid location and the equatorial edge of the diffuse aurora in the same 6300 A image. We have analyzed 75 such cases showing where both stuctures occur in the ionosphere and then conducted field-line mapping to define the L-shell domains of origin in the equatorial plane of the inner magnetosphere (L ~ 2.5 - 4). To within the measurement and mapping accuracies, both boundaries coincide, i.e., the inner edge of the plasma sheet essentially falls along the plasmapause. Since the O(1D) 6300 A emission corresponds to ~2 ev of excitation by magnetospheric processes, this technique defines ELENA (Extremely Low Energetic Neutral Atom) imaging of magnetospheric structures.

Evaluation of new collision-pair selection models in DSMC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhlaghi, Hassan; Roohi, Ehsan

2017-10-01

The current paper investigates new collision-pair selection procedures in a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Collision partner selection based on the random procedure from nearest neighbor particles and deterministic selection of nearest neighbor particles have already been introduced as schemes that provide accurate results in a wide range of problems. In the current research, new collision-pair selections based on the time spacing and direction of the relative movement of particles are introduced and evaluated. Comparisons between the new and existing algorithms are made considering appropriate test cases including fluctuations in homogeneous gas, 2D equilibrium flow, and Fourier flow problem. Distribution functions for number of particles and collisions in cell, velocity components, and collisional parameters (collision separation, time spacing, relative velocity, and the angle between relative movements of particles) are investigated and compared with existing analytical relations for each model. The capability of each model in the prediction of the heat flux in the Fourier problem at different cell numbers, numbers of particles, and time steps is examined. For new and existing collision-pair selection schemes, the effect of an alternative formula for the number of collision-pair selections and avoiding repetitive collisions are investigated via the prediction of the Fourier heat flux. The simulation results demonstrate the advantages and weaknesses of each model in different test cases.

Parallel heat transport in integrable and chaotic magnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del-Castillo-Negrete, Diego B; Chacon, Luis

2012-01-01

The study of transport in magnetized plasmas is a problem of fundamental interest in controlled fusion, space plasmas, and astrophysics research. Three issues make this problem particularly chal- lenging: (i) The extreme anisotropy between the parallel (i.e., along the magnetic field), , and the perpendicular, , conductivities ( / may exceed 1010 in fusion plasmas); (ii) Magnetic field lines chaos which in general complicates (and may preclude) the construction of magnetic field line coordinates; and (iii) Nonlocal parallel transport in the limit of small collisionality. Motivated by these issues, we present a Lagrangian Green s function method to solve themore » local and non-local parallel transport equation applicable to integrable and chaotic magnetic fields in arbitrary geom- etry. The method avoids by construction the numerical pollution issues of grid-based algorithms. The potential of the approach is demonstrated with nontrivial applications to integrable (magnetic island chain), weakly chaotic (devil s staircase), and fully chaotic magnetic field configurations. For the latter, numerical solutions of the parallel heat transport equation show that the effective radial transport, with local and non-local closures, is non-diffusive, thus casting doubts on the appropriateness of the applicability of quasilinear diffusion descriptions. General conditions for the existence of non-diffusive, multivalued flux-gradient relations in the temperature evolution are derived.« less

Physical Processes for Driving Ionospheric Outflows in Global Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas Earle; Strangeway, Robert J.

2009-01-01

We review and assess the importance of processes thought to drive ionospheric outflows, linking them as appropriate to the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field, and to the spatial and temporal distribution of their magnetospheric internal responses. These begin with the diffuse effects of photoionization and thermal equilibrium of the ionospheric topside, enhancing Jeans' escape, with ambipolar diffusion and acceleration. Auroral outflows begin with dayside reconnexion and resultant field-aligned currents and driven convection. These produce plasmaspheric plumes, collisional heating and wave-particle interactions, centrifugal acceleration, and auroral acceleration by parallel electric fields, including enhanced ambipolar fields from electron heating by precipitating particles. Observations and simulations show that solar wind energy dissipation into the atmosphere is concentrated by the geomagnetic field into auroral regions with an amplification factor of 10-100, enhancing heavy species plasma and gas escape from gravity, and providing more current carrying capacity. Internal plasmas thus enable electromagnetic driving via coupling to the plasma, neutral gas and by extension, the entire body " We assess the Importance of each of these processes in terms of local escape flux production as well as global outflow, and suggest methods for their implementation within multispecies global simulation codes. We complete 'he survey with an assessment of outstanding obstacles to this objective.

Molecular rotational line profiles from oxygen-rich red giant winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justtanont, K.; Skinner, C. J.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

1994-01-01

We have developed a radiative transfer model of the dust and gas envelopes around late-type stars. The gas kinetic temperature for each star is calculated by solving equations of motion and the energy balance simultaneously. The main processes include viscous heating and adiabatic and radiative cooling. Heating is dominated by viscosity as the grains stream outward through the gas, with some contribution in oxygen-rich stars by near-IR pumping of H2O followed by collisional de-excitation in the inner envelope. For O-rich stars, rotational H2O cooling is a dominant mechanism in the middle part of the envelope, with CO cooling being less significant. We have applied our model to three well-studied oxygen-rich red giant stars. The three stars cover a wide range of mass-loss rates, and hence they have different temperature structures. The derived temperature structures are used in calculating CO line profiles for these objects. Comparison of the dust and gas mass-loss rates suggests that mass-loss rates are not constant during the asymptotic giant branch phase. In particular, the results show that the low CO 1-0 antenna temperatures of OH/IR stars reflect an earlier phase of much lower mass-loss rate.

Bootstrap Current for the Edge Pedestal Plasma in a Diverted Tokamak Geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koh, S.; Chang, C. S.; Ku, S.

The edge bootstrap current plays a critical role in the equilibrium and stability of the steep edge pedestal plasma. The pedestal plasma has an unconventional and difficult neoclassical property, as compared with the core plasma. It has a narrow passing particle region in velocity space that can be easily modified or destroyed by Coulomb collisions. At the same time, the edge pedestal plasma has steep pressure and electrostatic potential gradients whose scale-lengths are comparable with the ion banana width, and includes a magnetic separatrix surface, across which the topological properties of the magnetic field and particle orbits change abruptly. Amore » driftkinetic particle code XGC0, equipped with a mass-momentum-energy conserving collision operator, is used to study the edge bootstrap current in a realistic diverted magnetic field geometry with a self-consistent radial electric field. When the edge electrons are in the weakly collisional banana regime, surprisingly, the present kinetic simulation confirms that the existing analytic expressions [represented by O. Sauter et al. , Phys. Plasmas 6 , 2834 (1999)] are still valid in this unconventional region, except in a thin radial layer in contact with the magnetic separatrix. The agreement arises from the dominance of the electron contribution to the bootstrap current compared with ion contribution and from a reasonable separation of the trapped-passing dynamics without a strong collisional mixing. However, when the pedestal electrons are in plateau-collisional regime, there is significant deviation of numerical results from the existing analytic formulas, mainly due to large effective collisionality of the passing and the boundary layer trapped particles in edge region. In a conventional aspect ratio tokamak, the edge bootstrap current from kinetic simulation can be significantly less than that from the Sauter formula if the electron collisionality is high. On the other hand, when the aspect ratio is close to unity, the collisional edge bootstrap current can be significantly greater than that from the Sauter formula. Rapid toroidal rotation of the magnetic field lines at the high field side of a tight aspect-ratio tokamak is believed to be the cause of the different behavior. A new analytic fitting formula, as a simple modification to the Sauter formula, is obtained to bring the analytic expression to a better agreement with the edge kinetic simulation results« less

Bootstrap current for the edge pedestal plasma in a diverted tokamak geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koh, S.; Choe, W.; Chang, C. S.

The edge bootstrap current plays a critical role in the equilibrium and stability of the steep edge pedestal plasma. The pedestal plasma has an unconventional and difficult neoclassical property, as compared with the core plasma. It has a narrow passing particle region in velocity space that can be easily modified or destroyed by Coulomb collisions. At the same time, the edge pedestal plasma has steep pressure and electrostatic potential gradients whose scale-lengths are comparable with the ion banana width, and includes a magnetic separatrix surface, across which the topological properties of the magnetic field and particle orbits change abruptly. Amore » drift-kinetic particle code XGC0, equipped with a mass-momentum-energy conserving collision operator, is used to study the edge bootstrap current in a realistic diverted magnetic field geometry with a self-consistent radial electric field. When the edge electrons are in the weakly collisional banana regime, surprisingly, the present kinetic simulation confirms that the existing analytic expressions [represented by O. Sauter et al., Phys. Plasmas 6, 2834 (1999)] are still valid in this unconventional region, except in a thin radial layer in contact with the magnetic separatrix. The agreement arises from the dominance of the electron contribution to the bootstrap current compared with ion contribution and from a reasonable separation of the trapped-passing dynamics without a strong collisional mixing. However, when the pedestal electrons are in plateau-collisional regime, there is significant deviation of numerical results from the existing analytic formulas, mainly due to large effective collisionality of the passing and the boundary layer trapped particles in edge region. In a conventional aspect ratio tokamak, the edge bootstrap current from kinetic simulation can be significantly less than that from the Sauter formula if the electron collisionality is high. On the other hand, when the aspect ratio is close to unity, the collisional edge bootstrap current can be significantly greater than that from the Sauter formula. Rapid toroidal rotation of the magnetic field lines at the high field side of a tight aspect-ratio tokamak is believed to be the cause of the different behavior. A new analytic fitting formula, as a simple modification to the Sauter formula, is obtained to bring the analytic expression to a better agreement with the edge kinetic simulation results.« less

Molecular spectroscopy and collisional excitation. [in astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S.

1975-01-01

The paper examines the basic principles underlying the molecular transitions responsible for interstellar molecular spectra. The energy levels of molecules are discussed in detail with special attention given to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, the electronic Hamiltonian, and the parameters of vibrational and rotational energy. The probabilities for radiative and collisional transitions are calculated. A brief review of techniques for molecular spectroscopy is presented along with methods used to determine collision cross sections on both an experimental and a theoretical basis.

Verlet scheme non-conservativeness for simulation of spherical particles collisional dynamics and method of its compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Andrei V.; Smirnov, Petr G.

2018-05-01

Simulation of collisional dynamics of a large ensemble of monodisperse particles by the method of discrete elements is considered. Verle scheme is used for integration of the equations of motion. Non-conservativeness of the finite-difference scheme is discovered depending on the time step, which is equivalent to a pure-numerical energy source appearance in the process of collision. Compensation method for the source is proposed and tested.

Modeling the Collisional-Plastic Stress Transition for Bin Discharge of Granular Material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pannala, Sreekanth; Daw, C Stuart; FINNEY, Charles E A

2009-01-01

We propose a heuristic model for the transition between collisional and frictional/plastic stresses in the flow of granular material. Our approach is based on a physically motivated, nonlinear blending function that produces a weighted average of the limiting stresses, depending on the local void fraction in the flow field. Previously published stress models are utilized to describe the behavior in the collisional (Lun et al., 1984) and quasi-static limits (Schaeffer, 1987 and Syamlal et al., 1993). Sigmoidal and hyperbolic tangent functions are used to mimic the observed smooth yet rapid transition between the collisional and plastic stress zones. We implementmore » our stress transition model in an opensource multiphase flow solver, MFIX (Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges, www.mfix.org) and demonstrate its application to a standard bin discharge problem. The model s effectiveness is illustrated by comparing computational predictions to the experimentally derived Beverloo correlation. With the correct choice of function parameters, the model predicts bin discharge rates within the error margins of the Beverloo correlation and is more accurate than one of the alternative granular stress models proposed in the literature. Although a second granular stress model in the literature is also reasonably consistent with the Beverloo correlation, we propose that our alternative blending function is likely to be more adaptable to situations with more complex solids properties (e.g., sticky solids).« less

From Kuiper Belt to Comet: The Shapes of the Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewitt, D.; Sheppard, S.; Fernandez, Y.

2003-05-01

It is widely believed that escaped objects from the Kuiper Belt are the source of both the Centaurs and the nuclei of the Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs). If the JFC nuclei are produced by collisional breakup of parent objects in the Kuiper Belt, then it is reasonable to expect that their shape distribution should be consistent with those of fragments produced in disintegrative laboratory experiments, or with the small main-belt asteroids (which are produced collisionally). We test this idea using a sample of eleven well-observed cometary nuclei. Our main result is that the nuclei are, on average, much more elongated than either the collisionally produced small main-belt asteroids or the fragments created in laboratory impact experiments. Several interpretations of this systematic shape difference are possible (including the obvious one that the JFC nuclei are not, after all, produced collisionally in the Kuiper Belt). Our preferred explanation, however, is that the asphericities of the nuclei have been modified by one or more processes of mass loss. An implication of this interpretation is that the JFC nuclei in our sample are highly evolved, having lost a major part of their original mass. In turn, this implies that the angular momenta of the nuclei are also non-primordial: the JFC nuclei are highly physically evolved objects. We will discuss the evidence supporting these conclusions. This work has been recently published in Astronomical Journal, 125, 3366-3377 (2003).

Analysing the geothermal state of the ICDP COSC-1 well bore, Central Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löwe, R.; Pascal, C.; Renner, J.

2017-12-01

In 2014 the first well of the ICDP project "Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC)" was drilled to 2495.8 m (MD) near Åre in Central Sweden. The well penetrates the Seve Nappe complex, a result of subduction/exhumation processes during the collision of Baltica and Laurentia 400 Ma. To gain detailed understanding of the geothermal state of fossil mountain belts and cratonic areas, it is necessary to study present-day heat transfer in the Earth's crust in appropriate deep wells. Heat transfer in the crust is governed by heat conduction and hydrothermal convection. The primary aims of our study are to determine which heat transfer mechanisms dominate in the study area around COSC-1 and how much heat flows to the surface. Permeability was determined for selected samples for various confining pressures using an oscillatory pore pressure method. The determined values range from 5.8 10-19 to 1.3 10-22 m2 and an empirical permeability-pressure trend was derived. Our results imply that convection plays a negligible role for heat transfer in the study area. A modified "Ångström" device was used to determine thermal diffusivity (α) from transient (oscillatory) temperature signals. It was tested on selected COSC-1 cores in an inter-laboratory round robin involving five international research organisations. Determination of specific heat capacity, density, and α for the 105 core samples, allowed us to calculate thermal conductivity (λ). In addition, we conducted measurements to assess the anisotropy of λ and α and their temperature dependencies. For the first 2000 m λ amounts to 2.8±0.4 W/(m.K) on average and increases to 4.1±1 W/(m.K) in the lowermost section of the well. Average heat generation, as derived from spectral gamma ray logs, is as low as 0.8 µW/m3. Three temperature logs were measured about one week, one month, and one year after drilling, with the latest log measured close to thermal equilibrium below 1500 m depth. Based on the logs an uncorrected average thermal gradient of 21°C/km is advanced. Experimental results provide the input for 3D numerical modelling to predict the geothermal regime of the study area.

The Geomorphology of Comet Churymov-Gerasimenko As Revealed By Rosetta/Osiris: Implicationsfor Past Collisional Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchi, S.; A'Hearn, M. F.; Barbieri, C.; Barucci, M. A.; Besse, S.; Cremonese, G.; Ip, W. H.; Keller, H. U.; Koschny, D.; Kuhrt, E.; Lamy, P. L.; Marzari, F.; Massironi, M.; Pajola, M.; Rickman, H.; Rodrigo, R.; Sierks, H.; Snodgrass, C.; Thomas, N.; Vincent, J. B.

2014-12-01

In this paper we present the major geomorphological features of comet Churymov-Gerasimenko (C-G), with emphasis on those that may have formed through collisional processes. The C-G nucleus has been imaged with the Rosetta/OSIRIS camera system at varying spatial resolution. At the moment of this writing the maximum spatial resolution achieved is ~20 meter per pixel, and it will improve to reach the unprecedented centimeter-scale in November 2014. This resolution should allow us to identify and characterize pits, lineaments and blocks that could be the result of collisional evolution. Indeed, C-G has spent some 1000 years on orbits crossing the main asteroid belt, and a much longer time in the outer solar system. Collisions may have, therefore, shaped the morphology of the nucleus in various ways. Previously imaged Jupiter Family Comets (e.g., Tempel 1) show significant numbers of pits and lineaments, some of which could be due to collisions. Additional proposed formation mechanisms are related to cometary activity processes, such as volatile outgassing.In addition to small scale features, the overall shape of C-G could also provide insights into the role of collisional processes. A striking feature is that C-G's shape is that of a contact binary. Similar shapes have been observed on rocky asteroids (e.g., Itokawa) and are generally interpreted as an indication of their rubble pile nature. A possibility is that C-G underwent similar processes, and therefore it may be constituted by reaccumulated fragments ejected from a larger precursor. An alternative view is that the current shape is the result of inhomogeneous outgassing activity, which may have dug a ~1-km deep trench responsible for the apparent contact binary shape.The role of the various proposed formation mechanisms (collisional vs outgassing) for both small scale and global features will be investigated and their implications for the evolution of C-G will be discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, M.; Manchester, W. B.; Holst, B. van der

We perform and analyze the results of a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the fast coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred on 2011 March 7. The simulation is made using the newly developed Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM), which describes the background solar wind starting from the upper chromosphere and extends to 24 R {sub ⊙}. Coupling AWSoM to an inner heliosphere model with the Space Weather Modeling Framework extends the total domain beyond the orbit of Earth. Physical processes included in the model are multi-species thermodynamics, electron heat conduction (both collisional and collisionless formulations), optically thin radiative cooling, and Alfvén-wavemore » turbulence that accelerates and heats the solar wind. The Alfvén-wave description is physically self-consistent, including non-Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin reflection and physics-based apportioning of turbulent dissipative heating to both electrons and protons. Within this model, we initiate the CME by using the Gibson-Low analytical flux rope model and follow its evolution for days, in which time it propagates beyond STEREO A . A detailed comparison study is performed using remote as well as in situ observations. Although the flux rope structure is not compared directly due to lack of relevant ejecta observation at 1 au in this event, our results show that the new model can reproduce many of the observed features near the Sun (e.g., CME-driven extreme ultraviolet [EUV] waves, deflection of the flux rope from the coronal hole, “double-front” in the white light images) and in the heliosphere (e.g., shock propagation direction, shock properties at STEREO A ).« less

Understanding Solar Coronal Heating through Atomic and Plasma Physics Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Daniel Wolf; Arthanayaka, Thusitha; Bose, Sayak; Hahn, Michael; Beiersdorfer, Peter; Brown, Gregory V.; Gekelman, Walter; Vincena, Steve

2017-08-01

Recent solar observations suggest that the Sun's corona is heated by Alfven waves that dissipate at unexpectedly low heights in the corona. These observations raise a number of questions. Among them are the problems of accurately quantifying the energy flux of the waves and that of describing the physical mechanism that leads to the wave damping. We are performing laboratory experiments to address both of these issues.The energy flux depends on the electron density, which can be measured spectroscopically. However, spectroscopic density diagnostics have large uncertainties, because they depend sensitively on atomic collisional excitation, de-excitation, and radiative transition rates for multiple atomic levels. Essentially all of these data come from theory and have not been experimentally validated. We are conducting laboratory experiments using the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that will provide accurate empirical calibrations for spectroscopic density diagnostics and which will also help to guide theoretical calculations.The observed rapid wave dissipation is likely due to inhomogeneities in the plasma that drive flows and currents at small length scales where energy can be more efficiently dissipated. This may take place through gradients in the Alfvén speed along the magnetic field, which causes wave reflection and generates turbulence. Alternatively, gradients in the Alfvén speed across the field can lead to dissipation through phase-mixing. Using the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at the University of California Los Angeles, we are studying both of these dissipation mechanisms in the laboratory in order to understand their potential roles in coronal heating.

Understanding Solar Coronal Heating through Atomic and Plasma Physics Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Daniel Wolf; Arthanayaka, Thusitha; Beiersdorfer, Peter; Brown, Gregory V.; Gekelman, Walter; Hahn, Michael; Vincena, Steve

2017-06-01

Recent solar observations suggest that the Sun's corona is heated by Alfven waves that dissipate at unexpectedly low heights in the corona. These observations raise a number of questions. Among them are the problems of accurately quantifying the energy flux of the waves and that of describing the physical mechanism that leads to the wave damping. We are performing laboratory experiments to address both of these issues.The energy flux depends on the electron density, which can be measured spectroscopically. However, spectroscopic density diagnostics have large uncertainties, because they depend sensitively on atomic collisional excitation, de-excitation, and radiative transition rates for multiple atomic levels. Essentially all of these data come from theory and have not been experimentally validated. We are conducting laboratory experiments using the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that will provide accurate empirical calibrations for spectroscopic density diagnostics and which will also help to guide theoretical calculations.The observed rapid wave dissipation is likely due to inhomogeneities in the plasma that drive flows and currents at small length scales where energy can be more efficiently dissipated. This may take place through gradients in the Alfven speed along the magnetic field, which causes wave reflection and generates turbulence. Alternatively, gradients in the Alfven speed across the field can lead to dissipation through phase-mixing. Using the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at the University of California Los Angeles, we are studying both of these dissipation mechanisms in the laboratory in order to understand their potential roles in coronal heating.

Predissociation and collisional depopulation of the Cs/sub 2/(E) state

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Z.; Huennekens, J.

1984-11-15

We report here an experimental study of depopulation mechanisms of the Cs/sub 2/(E) state. By combining ratios of atomic to molecular fluorescence with E state lifetimes obtained by the phase shift technique, all studied as a function of Cs density, we were able to obtain absolute values for predissociation, radiative, and collisional depopulation rates as well as the total quenching rates for the Cs/sub 2/(E) state. The results are discussed in relation to those of other experiments.

Two-Color Resonant Four-Wave Mixing Spectroscopy: New Perspectives for Direct Studies of Collisional State-to-State Transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Settersten, T. B.; Radi, P. P.; Kouzov, A. P.

2008-10-01

The two-color resonant four-wave mixing (TC-RFWM) is advertised as a unique spectroscopic device enabling one to directly measure the collisional state-to-state transfer characteristics (rates and correlation times). In contrast to the laser-induced fluorescence, these characteristics are phase-sensitive and open wider opportunities to study the rotational relaxation processes. Further perspectives are offered by the recently recorded collision-induced picosecond TC-RFWM signals of OH. Their quantitative interpretation is now under development.

The nature of the evolution of galaxies by mergers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterjee, Tapan K.

1993-01-01

The merger theory for the formation of elliptical galaxies is examined by conducting a dynamical study of the expected frequency of merging galaxies on the basis of the collisional theory, using galaxy models without halos. The expected merger rates obtained on the basis of the collisional theory fall about a magnitude below the observational value in the present epoch. In the light of current observational evidence and the results obtained, a marked regularity in the formation of ellipticals is indicated, followed by secular evolution by mergers.

Collisional Histories of Comets and Trojan Asteroids: Insights from Forsterite and Enstatite Impact Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lederer. S. M.; Jensen, E. A.; Wooden, D. H.; Lindsay, S. S.; Smith, D. C.; Cintala, M. J.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Keller, L. P.

2012-01-01

Impacts into forsterite and orthoenstatite at speeds typically encountered by comets demonstrate that shock imparted by collisions is detectable in the infrared signatures of their dust. The spectral signatures can be traced to physical alterations in their crystalline structures, as observed in TEM imaging and modeled using a dipole approximation. These results yield tantalizing insights into the collisional history of our solar system, as well as the history of individual comets and Trojan asteroids.

LIDT-DD: A New Self-Consistent Debris Disc Model Including Radiation Pressure and Coupling Dynamical and Collisional Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kral, Q.; Thebault, P.; Charnoz, S.

2014-01-01

The first attempt at developing a fully self-consistent code coupling dynamics and collisions to study debris discs (Kral et al. 2013) is presented. So far, these two crucial mechanisms were studied separately, with N-body and statistical collisional codes respectively, because of stringent computational constraints. We present a new model named LIDT-DD which is able to follow over long timescales the coupled evolution of dynamics (including radiation forces) and collisions in a self-consistent way.

The electromagnetic interchange mode in a partially ionized collisional plasma. [spread F region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, M. K.; Kennel, C. F.

1974-01-01

A collisional electromagnetic dispersion relation is derived from two-fluid theory for the interchange mode coupled to the Alfven, acoustic, drift and entropy modes in a partially ionized plasma. The fundamental electromagnetic nature of the interchange model is noted; coupling to the intermediate Alfven mode is strongly stabilizing for finite k sub z. Both ion viscous and ion-neutral stabilization are included, and it was found that collisions destroy the ion finite Larmor radius cutoff at short perpendicular wavelengths.

Collisional rate coefficients of C3H2 and the determination of physical conditions in molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avery, L. W.; Green, Sheldon

1989-01-01

Collisional excitation rates for C3H2, calculated using the coupled states approximation at temperatures of 10-30 K, are presented. C3H2 produces a number of spectral line pairs whose members are close together in frequency but arise from levels with different excitation energies. The rates are used in statistical equilibrium calculations to illustrate the excitation properties and density-dependent behavior of various C3H2 line ratios.

Collisional and dynamical processes in moon and planet formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The collisional and dynamical processes in moon and planet formation are discussed. A hydrodynamic code of collision calculations, the orbital element changes due to gravitational scattering, a validation of the mass shifting algorithm, a theory of rotations, and the origin of asteroids are studied. A numerical model of planet growth is discussed and a methodology to evaluate the rate at which megaregolith increases its depth as a function of total accumulate number of impacts on an initially smooth, coherent surface is described.

Properties of Highly Rotationally Excited H2 in Photodissociation Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummings, Sally Jane; Wan, Yier; Stancil, Phillip C.; Yang, Benhui H.; Zhang, Ziwei

2018-06-01

H2 is the dominant molecular species in the vast majority of interstellar environments and it plays a crucial role as a radiative coolant. In photodissociation regions, it is one of the primary emitters in the near to mid-infrared which are due to lines originating from highly excited rotational levels. However, collisional data for rotational levels j>10 are sparse, particularly for H2-H2 collisions. Utilizing new calculations for para-H2 and ortho-H2 collisional rate coefficients with H2 for j as high as 30, we investigate the effects of the new results in standard PDR models with the spectral simulation package Cloudy. We also perform Cloudy models of the Orion Bar and use Radex to explore rotational line ratio diagnostics. The resulting dataset of H2 collisional data should find wide application to other molecular environments. This work was support by Hubble Space Telescope grant HST-AR-13899.001-A and NASA grants NNX15AI61G and NNX16AF09G.

Optimal electric potential profile in a collisional magnetized thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fruchtman, Amnon; Makrinich, Gennady

2016-10-01

A major figure of merit in propulsion in general and in electric propulsion in particular is the thrust per unit of deposited power, the ratio of thrust over power. We have recently demonstrated experimentally and theoretically that for a fixed deposited power in the ions, the momentum delivered by the electric force is larger if the accelerated ions collide with neutrals during the acceleration. As expected, the higher thrust for given power is achieved for a collisional plasma at the expense of a lower thrust per unit mass flow rate. Operation in the collisional regime can be advantageous for certain space missions. We analyze a Hall thruster configuration in which the flow is only weakly ionized but there are frequent ion-neutral collisions. With a variational method we seek an electric potential profile that maximizes thrust over power. We then examine what radial magnetic field profile should determine such a potential profile. Supported by the Israel Science Foundation Grant 765/11.

Collisional perturbation of radio-frequency E1 transitions in an atomic beam of dysprosium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cingoez, A.; Lapierre, Alain; Nguyen, A.-T.

2005-12-15

We have studied collisional perturbations of radio-frequency (rf) electric-dipole (E1) transitions between the nearly degenerate opposite-parity levels in atomic dysprosium (Dy) in the presence of 10 to 80 {mu}Torr of H{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, He, Ar, Ne, Kr, and Xe. Collisional broadening and shift of the resonance, as well as the attenuation of the signal amplitude are observed to be proportional to the foreign-gas density with the exception of H{sub 2} and Ne, for which no shifts were observed. Corresponding rates and cross sections are presented. In addition, rates and cross sections for O{sub 2} are extracted from measurements usingmore » air as foreign gas. The primary motivation for this study is the need for accurate determination of the shift rates, which are needed in a laboratory search for the temporal variation of the fine-structure constant [A. T. Nguyen, D. Budker, S. K. Lamoreaux, and J. R. Torgerson, Phys. Rev. A 69, 22105 (2004)].« less

NLTE opacity calculations: C-Si and C-Ge mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarrah, W.; Benredjem, D.; Pain, J.-C.; Dubau, J.

2017-09-01

The opacity is an important issue in the knowledge of the radiative properties of ICF and astrophysical plasmas. We present the opacity of dopants (silicon, germanium) embedded in the ablator of some ICF capsules. In recent works, Hill and Rose calculated the opacity of silicon in LTE and non-LTE plasmas, while Minguez and co-workers focused on the opacity of carbon. We have used the Cowan code to calculate the atomic structure of carbon, silicon and germanium in various ionic stages. The cross-sections of atomic processes (collisional excitation, collisional ionization) are obtained by fitting the values given by the code FAC to the Van Regemorter-like formulas of Sampson and Zhang. A corrected Gaunt factor is then obtained. A collisional-radiative code was developed in order to obtain the ionic populations, the level populations and the opacity. Line broadening and line shift are taken into account. The ionization potential depression is included in our calculations. The effect of a radiation field on the opacity is examined.

Collisional tests and an extension of the TEMPEST continuum gyrokinetic code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, R. H.; Dorr, M.; Hittinger, J.; Kerbel, G.; Nevins, W. M.; Rognlien, T.; Xiong, Z.; Xu, X. Q.

2006-04-01

An important requirement of a kinetic code for edge plasmas is the ability to accurately treat the effect of colllisions over a broad range of collisionalities. To test the interaction of collisions and parallel streaming, TEMPEST has been compared with published analytic and numerical (Monte Carlo, bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck) results for endloss of particles confined by combined electrostatic and magnetic wells. Good agreement is found over a wide range of collisionality, confining potential and mirror ratio, and the required velocity space resolution is modest. We also describe progress toward extension of (4-dimensional) TEMPEST into a ``kinetic edge transport code'' (a kinetic counterpart of UEDGE). The extension includes averaging of the gyrokinetic equations over fast timescales and approximating the averaged quadratic terms by diffusion terms which respect the boundaries of inaccessable regions in phase space. F. Najmabadi, R.W. Conn and R.H. Cohen, Nucl. Fusion 24, 75 (1984); T.D. Rognlien and T.A. Cutler, Nucl. Fusion 20, 1003 (1980).

Reduction of collisional-radiative models for transient, atomic plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrantes, Richard June; Karagozian, Ann; Bilyeu, David; Le, Hai

2017-10-01

Interactions between plasmas and any radiation field, whether by lasers or plasma emissions, introduce many computational challenges. One of these computational challenges involves resolving the atomic physics, which can influence other physical phenomena in the radiated system. In this work, a collisional-radiative (CR) model with reduction capabilities is developed to capture the atomic physics at a reduced computational cost. Although the model is made with any element in mind, the model is currently supplemented by LANL's argon database, which includes the relevant collisional and radiative processes for all of the ionic stages. Using the detailed data set as the true solution, reduction mechanisms in the form of Boltzmann grouping, uniform grouping, and quasi-steady-state (QSS), are implemented to compare against the true solution. Effects on the transient plasma stemming from the grouping methods are compared. Distribution A: Approved for public release; unlimited distribution, PA (Public Affairs) Clearance Number 17449. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Grant Number 17RQCOR463 (Dr. Jason Marshall).

Collisional Processing of Olivine and Pyroxene in Cometary Dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lederer, S. M.; Cintala, M. J.; Olney, R. D.; Keller, L. P.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Zolensky, M.

2008-01-01

According to the nebular theory of solar-system formation, collisions between bodies occurred frequently early in the solar system s history and continue at a lower rate even today. Collisions have reworked the surface compositions and structures of cometary nuclei, though to an unknown degree. The majority of the collisional history of a typical Jupiter-family comet takes place while it resides in the Kuiper Belt. Impacts occur on the surfaces of small bodies over a large range of velocities by impactors of all sizes, but typical encounter speeds within the Kuiper Belt are 1.5 to 2.0 km/s[1]. Durda and Stern suggest that the interiors of most cometary nuclei with diameters <5 km have been heavily damaged by collisions [2]. They estimate that over a period of 3.5 Gy, a nucleus with a diameter of 2 km and an orbit between 35-45 AU will experience 90-300 collisions with objects greater than 8 m in diameter. In this same time interval, collisions between a typical Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) 200 km in diameter and objects with d > 8 m would rework up to one-third of that TNO s surface. In fact, it has been proposed that most short-period comets from the Kuiper Belt (90%) are collisional fragments from larger TNOs - not primordial objects themselves [3] - and that most short-period comets from the Kuiper Belt will be collisionally processed both on their surfaces as well as in their interiors.

Some aspects of the role of rift inheritance on Alpine-type orogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tugend, Julie; Manatschal, Gianreto; Mohn, Geoffroy; Chevrot, Sébastien

2017-04-01

Processes commonly recognized as fundamental for the formation of collisional orogens include oceanic subduction, arc-continent and continent-continent collision. As collisional belts result from the closure of oceanic basins and subsequent inversion of former rifted margins, their formation and evolution may also in theory be closely interlinked with the initial architecture of the former rifted margins. This assumption is indeed more likely to be applicable in the case of Alpine-type orogens, mainly controlled by mechanical processes and mostly devoid of arc-related magmatism. More and more studies from present-day magma-poor rifted margins illustrate the complex evolution of hyperextended domains (i.e. severely thinned continental crust (<10 km) and/or exhumed serpentinized mantle with relatively minor magmatic additions) between unequivocal continental and oceanic domains. In this contribution, we compare the deep structure of the Pyrenean and Alpine belts to discuss some aspects of the relative role of rift-inherited hyperextension and collisional processes in building Alpine-type orogens. The Pyrenees and Western to Central Alps respectively result from the inversion of a Late Jurassic to Mid Cretaceous and an Early to Middle Jurassic rift system eventually floored by hyperextended crust, exhumed mantle and/or proto-oceanic crust. In spite of uncertainties on the initial width of the hyperextended and proto-oceanic domains, the rift-related pre-collisional architecture of the Alps shows many similarities with that proposed for the Pyrenees. Remnants of these domains occur in the internal parts of both orogens, but they are largely affected by orogeny-related deformation and show a HP-LT to HT-MP metamorphic overprint in the Alps as a result of a polyphase deformation history. Yet, recent high-resolution tomographic images across the Pyrenees (PYROPE) and the Alps (CIFALPS) reveal a surprisingly comparable present-day overall crustal and lithospheric structure. Based on the comparison between the two orogens we discuss: (1) the nature and depth of decoupling levels inherited from hyperextension; (2) the implications for restorations and interpretations of orogenic roots (former hyperextended domains vs. lower crust only); and (3) the nature and major role of buttresses in controlling the final stage of collisional processes. Eventually, we discuss the variability of the role of rift-inheritance in building Alpine-type orogens. The Pyrenees seem to represent one extreme, where rift-inheritance is important at different stages of collisional processes. In contrast, in the Alps the role of rift-inheritance is subtler, likely because of its more complex and polyphase compressional deformation history.

Ion mobility studies of PdC{sub n}{sup +} clusters: Where are the fullerenes?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shelimov, K.B.; Jarrold, M.F.

1995-12-14

Gas-phase ion mobility measurements have been used to study the structures and isomerization of PdC{sub n}{sup +} (n = 10-60) clusters. Non-fullerene isomers of PdC{sub n}{sup +} clusters are similar to those of C{sub n}{sup +} and MC{sub n}{sup +} (M = La and Nb) clusters, and include metal-containing mono- and bicyclic rings and graphite sheets. Neither endohedral nor nonendohedral PdC{sub n} {sup +} fullerene isomers are detected. When collisionally heated, PdC{sub n}{sup +} clusters efficiently convert into fullerenes, but the exothermicity of this process results in the loss of the Pd atom and the formation of a pure carbonmore » cluster cation. PdC{sub n}{sup +} bicyclic rings with an odd number of carbon atoms efficiently isomerize into monocyclic rings, while no evidence is found for this isomerization process for bicyclic rings with an even number of carbon atoms. 18 refs., 4 figs.« less

Ion separation effects in mixed-species ablators for inertial-confinement-fusion implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amendt, Peter; Bellei, Claudio; Ross, J. Steven; Salmonson, Jay

2015-02-01

Recent efforts to demonstrate significant self-heating of the fuel and eventual ignition at the National Ignition Facility make use of plastic (CH) ablators [O. A. Hurricane et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056314 (2014), 10.1063/1.4874330]. Mainline simulation techniques for modeling CH capsule implosions treat the ablator as an average-atom fluid and neglect potential species separation phenomena. The mass-ablation process for a mixture is shown to lead to the potential for species separation, parasitic energy loss according to thermodynamic arguments, and reduced rocket efficiency. A generalized plasma barometric formula for a multispecies concentration gradient that includes collisionality and steady flows in spherical geometry is presented. A model based on plasma expansion into a vacuum is used to interpret reported experimental evidence for ablator species separation in an inertial-confinement-fusion target [J. S. Ross et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10E323 (2012)]. The possibility of "runaway" hydrogen ions in the thermoelectric field of the ablation front is conjectured.

The Alfvénic nature of energy transfer mediation in localized, strongly nonlinear Alfvén wavepacket collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verniero, J. L.; Howes, G. G.

2018-02-01

In space and astrophysical plasmas, violent events or instabilities inject energy into turbulent motions at large scales. Nonlinear interactions among the turbulent fluctuations drive a cascade of energy to small perpendicular scales at which the energy is ultimately converted into plasma heat. Previous work with the incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations has shown that this turbulent energy cascade is driven by the nonlinear interaction between counterpropagating Alfvén waves - also known as Alfvén wave collisions. Direct numerical simulations of weakly collisional plasma turbulence enables deeper insight into the nature of the nonlinear interactions underlying the turbulent cascade of energy. In this paper, we directly compare four cases: both periodic and localized Alfvén wave collisions in the weakly and strongly nonlinear limits. Our results reveal that in the more realistic case of localized Alfvén wave collisions (rather than the periodic case), all nonlinearly generated fluctuations are Alfvén waves, which mediates nonlinear energy transfer to smaller perpendicular scales.

Observation of strong amplification at 8.8 nm in the TCE scheme by a table-top pumping system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawachi, Tetsuya; Tanaka, Momoko; Sasaki, Akira; Kishimoto, Maki; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Yasuike, Kazuhito; Hasegawa, Noboru; Kilpio, Alexander V.; Lu, Peixiang; Tai, Renzhong

2002-11-01

We observed strong amplification of the transition of 4d 4p, J = 0 1 (the transition from (3d3/2, 4d3/2)0 to (3d3/2, 4p1/2)1) of the Ni-like lanthanum (La) ions at a wavelength of 8.8 nm pumped by a compact CPA Nd:Glass laser light at a wavelength of 1.053 mum with a pumping energy of 18 J. The experimental gain coefficient and the achieved gain-length product was 14.5 cm-1 and 7.7, respectively. In this experiment, the pumping laser pulse consisted of a pre-pulse with a duration of 200 ps and a 7ps-duration main pulse, separated by 250 ps. A hydrodynamics simulation coupled with a collisional-radiative model showed that the present experimental condition generated a pre-formed plasma with small volume and made it possible by the main pulse to heat the high density region effectively.

Hydrogen line ratios in Seyfert galaxies and low redshift quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kriss, G. R.

1984-01-01

New observations of the Lymal alpha radiation/hydrogen alpha radiation ratio in a set of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei and an archival study of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) observations of Lymal alpha low redshift quasars and Seyfert galaxies have been used to form a large sample for studying the influence of soft X-rays on the enhancement of Balmer emission in the broad line region. In common models of broad line clouds, the Balmer lines are formed deep in the interior, largely by collisional excitation. Heating within the clouds is provided by soft X-ray radiation, while Lymal alpha is formed mainly by recombination after photoionization. The ratio Lymal alpha/Halpha is expected to depend weakly on the ratio of ionizing ultraviolet luminosity to X-ray luminosity (L sub UV/l sub x). If the Lymal alpha luminosity is used as a measure of L sub UV' a weak dependence of Lymal/H alpha on the X-ray luminosity is found similar to previous results.

Ar-Ar and I-Xe Ages of Caddo County and Thermal History of IAB Iron Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogard, Donald D.; Garrison, Daniel H.; Takeda, Hiroshi

2005-01-01

Inclusions in IAB iron meteorites include non-chondritic silicate and those with more primitive chondritic silicate composition. Coarse-grained gabbroic material rich in plagioclase and diopside occurs in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite and represents a new type of chemically differentiated, extra-terrestrial, andesitic silicate. Other parts of Caddo contain mostly andesitic material. Caddo thus exhibits petrologic characteristics of parent body metamorphism of a chondrite-like parent and inhomogeneous segregation of melts. Proposed IAB formation models include parent body partial melting and fractional crystallization or incomplete differentiation due to internal heat sources, and impact/induced melting and mixing. Benedix et al. prefer a hybrid model whereby the IAB parent body largely melted, then underwent collisional breakup, partial mixing of phases, and reassembly. Most reported 129I- Xe-129 ages of IABs are greater than 4.56 Gyr and a few are greater than or = 4.567 Gyr. These oldest ages exceed the 4.567 Gyr Pb-Pb age of Ca, Al-rich inclusions in primitive meteorites,

Ion separation effects in mixed-species ablators for inertial-confinement-fusion implosions.

PubMed

Amendt, Peter; Bellei, Claudio; Ross, J Steven; Salmonson, Jay

2015-02-01

Recent efforts to demonstrate significant self-heating of the fuel and eventual ignition at the National Ignition Facility make use of plastic (CH) ablators [O. A. Hurricane et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056314 (2014)]. Mainline simulation techniques for modeling CH capsule implosions treat the ablator as an average-atom fluid and neglect potential species separation phenomena. The mass-ablation process for a mixture is shown to lead to the potential for species separation, parasitic energy loss according to thermodynamic arguments, and reduced rocket efficiency. A generalized plasma barometric formula for a multispecies concentration gradient that includes collisionality and steady flows in spherical geometry is presented. A model based on plasma expansion into a vacuum is used to interpret reported experimental evidence for ablator species separation in an inertial-confinement-fusion target [J. S. Ross et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10E323 (2012)]. The possibility of "runaway" hydrogen ions in the thermoelectric field of the ablation front is conjectured.

Extended adiabatic blast waves and a model of the soft X-ray background. [interstellar matter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, D. P.; Anderson, P. R.

1981-01-01

An analytical approximation is generated which follows the development of an adiabatic spherical blast wave in a homogeneous ambient medium of finite pressure. An analytical approximation is also presented for the electron temperature distribution resulting from coulomb collisional heating. The dynamical, thermal, ionization, and spectral structures are calculated for blast waves of energy E sub 0 = 5 x 10 to the 50th power ergs in a hot low-density interstellar environment. A formula is presented for estimating the luminosity evolution of such explosions. The B and C bands of the soft X-ray background, it is shown, are reproduced by such a model explosion if the ambient density is about .000004 cm, the blast radius is roughly 100 pc, and the solar system is located inside the shocked region. Evolution in a pre-existing cavity with a strong density gradient may, it is suggested, remove both the M band and OVI discrepancies.

Modeling of Cluster-Induced Turbulence in Particle-Laden Channel Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Michael; Capecelatro, Jesse; Kong, Bo; Fox, Rodney; Desjardins, Olivier

2017-11-01

A phenomenon often observed in gas-solid flows is the formation of mesoscale clusters of particles due to the relative motion between the solid and fluid phases that is sustained through the dampening of collisional particle motion from interphase momentum coupling inside these clusters. The formation of such sustained clusters, leading to cluster-induced turbulence (CIT), can have a significant impact in industrial processes, particularly in regards to mixing, reaction progress, and heat transfer. Both Euler-Lagrange (EL) and Euler-Euler anisotropic Gaussian (EE-AG) approaches are used in this work to perform mesoscale simulations of CIT in fully developed gas-particle channel flow. The results from these simulations are applied in the development of a two-phase Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model to capture the wall-normal flow characteristics in a less computationally expensive manner. Parameters such as mass loading, particle size, and gas velocity are varied to examine their respective impact on cluster formation and turbulence statistics. Acknowledging support from the NSF (AN:1437865).

A macroscopic plasma Lagrangian and its application to wave interactions and resonances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peng, Y. K. M.

1974-01-01

The derivation of a macroscopic plasma Lagrangian is considered, along with its application to the description of nonlinear three-wave interaction in a homogeneous plasma and linear resonance oscillations in a inhomogeneous plasma. One approach to obtain the Lagrangian is via the inverse problem of the calculus of variations for arbitrary first and second order quasilinear partial differential systems. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the given equations to be Euler-Lagrange equations of a Lagrangian are obtained. These conditions are then used to determine the transformations that convert some classes of non-Euler-Lagrange equations to Euler-Lagrange equation form. The Lagrangians for a linear resistive transmission line and a linear warm collisional plasma are derived as examples. Using energy considerations, the correct macroscopic plasma Lagrangian is shown to differ from the velocity-integrated low Lagrangian by a macroscopic potential energy that equals twice the particle thermal kinetic energy plus the energy lost by heat conduction.

Gyrokinetic simulation of ITG modes in a three-mode coupling model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, Thomas G.; Lee, W. W.

2004-11-01

A three-mode coupling model of ITG modes with adiabatic electrons is studied both analytically and numerically in 2-dimensional slab geometry using the gyrokinetic formalism. It can be shown analytically that the (quasilinear) saturation amplitude of the waves in the system should be enhanced by the inclusion of the parallel velocity nonlinearity in the governing gyrokinetic equation. The effect of this (frequently neglected) nonlinearity on the steady-state transport properties of the plasma is studied numerically using standard gyrokinetic particle simulation techniques. The balance [1] between various steady-state transport properties of the model (particle and heat flux, entropy production, and collisional dissipation) is examined. Effects resulting from the inclusion of nonadiabatic electrons in the model are also considered numerically, making use of the gyrokinetic split-weight scheme [2] in the simulations. [1] W. W. Lee and W. M. Tang, Phys. Fluids 31, 612 (1988). [2] I. Manuilskiy and W. W. Lee, Phys. Plasmas 7, 1381 (2000).

Double Molecular Photoswitch Driven by Light and Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bull, James N.; Scholz, Michael S.; Carrascosa, Eduardo; da Silva, Gabriel; Bieske, Evan J.

2018-06-01

The shapes of many molecules can be transformed by light or heat. Here we investigate collision- and photon-induced interconversions of E E , E Z , and Z Z isomers of the isolated Congo red (CR) dianion, a double molecular switch containing two - N ═ N - azo groups, each of which can have the E or Z configuration. We find that collisional activation of CR dianions drives a one-way Z Z →E Z →E E cascade towards the lowest-energy isomer, whereas the absorption of a single photon over the 270-600 nm range can switch either azo group from E to Z or Z to E , driving the CR dianion to lower- or higher-energy forms. The experimental results, which are interpreted with the aid of calculated statistical isomerization rates, indicate that photoisomerization of CR in the gas phase involves a passage through conical intersection seams linking the excited and ground state potential energy surfaces rather than through isomerization on the ground state potential energy surface following internal conversion.

Les granitoïdes hercyniens post-collisionnels du Maroc oriental : une province magmatique calco-alcaline à shoshonitiqueThe post-collisional Hercynian granitoids from eastern Morocco: a calc-alkaline to shoshonitic magmatic province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Hadi, Hassan; Tahiri, Abdelfatah; Reddad, Aicha

2003-11-01

The post-collisional Hercynian granitoids crop out in the easternmost part of the Moroccan Hercynian belt. Petrographical and geochemical studies show a composition similarity in the various granitoids. The granitoids belong to per-aluminous and metaluminous magmatic associations. They have evolved according to a scheme similar to high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic associations. To cite this article: H. El Hadi et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).

A collisional model for the formation of ripples in early-type disk galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallin, John F.; Struck-Marcell, Curtis

1988-01-01

Restricted three-body calculations of high-inclination low-impact-parameter encounters between a disk galaxy and its companion are used to demonstrate that the shell-like ripples noted in a number of disk galaxies are also collisional artifacts. It is suggested that some of the ripples may be the results of internal oscillations following such encounters. It is assumed that the target is an early-type disk with a sufficiently low gas fraction that recent star formation does not dominate the appearance of the disturbed disk.

Decoherence and Collisional Frequency Shifts of Trapped Bosons and Fermions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibble, Kurt; LNE-SYRTE, Observatoire de Paris, 75014 Paris

2009-09-11

We perform exact calculations of collisional frequency shifts for several fermions or bosons using a singlet and triplet basis for pairs of particles. The 'factor of 2 controversy' for bosons becomes clear - the factor is always 2. Decoherence is described by singlet states and they are unaffected by spatially uniform clock fields. Spatial variations are critical, especially for fermions which were previously thought to be immune to collision shifts. The spatial variations lead to decoherence and a novel frequency shift that is not proportional to the partial density of internal states.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Atomic data for X-ray lines of FeVIII and FeIX (O'Dwyer+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Dwyer, B.; Del Zanna, G.; Badnell, N. R.; Mason, H. E.; Storey, P. J.

2012-04-01

The distorted wave extension of the autostructure code has been used to calculate energy levels, radiative transition probabilities and collisional excitation rates of Fe VIII and Fe IX up to n=6 for Fe IX and n=7 for Fe VIII. We have compared some of the data with previous calculations, finding overall agreement for radiative transition rates, but interesting differences for some collisional data. ************************************************************************** * * * Sorry, but the author(s) never supplied the tabular material * * announced in the paper * * * **************************************************************************

Recent Theoretical Studies On Excitation and Recombination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pradhan, Anil K.

2000-01-01

New advances in the theoretical treatment of atomic processes in plasmas are described. These enable not only an integrated, unified, and self-consistent treatment of important radiative and collisional processes, but also large-scale computation of atomic data with high accuracy. An extension of the R-matrix work, from excitation and photoionization to electron-ion recombination, includes a unified method that subsumes both the radiative and the di-electronic recombination processes in an ab initio manner. The extensive collisional calculations for iron and iron-peak elements under the Iron Project are also discussed.

Experiments and scaling laws for catastrophic collisions. [of asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fujiwara, A.; Cerroni, P.; Davis, D.; Ryan, E.; Di Martino, M.

1989-01-01

The existing data on shattering impacts are reviewed using natural silicate, ice, and cement-mortar targets. A comprehensive data base containing the most important parameters describing these experiments was prepared. The collisional energy needed to shatter consolidated homogeneous targets and the ensuing fragment size distributions have been well studied experimentally. However, major gaps exist in the data on fragment velocity and rotational distributions, as well as collisional energy partitioning for these targets. Current scaling laws lead to predicted outcomes of asteroid collisions that are inconsistent with interpretations of astronomical data.

Transport and Dynamics in Toroidal Fusion Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schnack, Dalton D

2006-05-16

This document reports the successful completion of the OFES Theory Milestone for FY2005, namely, Perform parametric studies to better understand the edge physics regimes of laboratory experiments. Simulate at increased resolution (up to 20 toroidal modes), with density evolution, late into the nonlinear phase and compare results from different types of edge modes. Simulate a single case including a study of heat deposition on nearby material walls. The linear stability properties and nonlinear evolution of Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) in tokamak plasmas are investigated through numerical computation. Data from the DIII-D device at General Atomics (http://fusion.gat.com/diii-d/) is used for themore » magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibria, but edge parameters are varied to reveal important physical effects. The equilibrium with very low magnetic shear produces an unstable spectrum that is somewhat insensitive to dissipation coefficient values. Here, linear growth rates from the non-ideal NIMROD code (http://nimrodteam.org) agree reasonably well with ideal, i.e. non-dissipative, results from the GATO global linear stability code at low toroidal mode number (n) and with ideal results from the ELITE edge linear stability code at moderate to high toroidal mode number. Linear studies with a more realistic sequence of MHD equilibria (based on DIII-D discharge 86166) produce more significant discrepancies between the ideal and non-ideal calculations. The maximum growth rate for the ideal computations occurs at toroidal mode index n=10, whereas growth rates in the non-ideal computations continue to increase with n unless strong anisotropic thermal conduction is included. Recent modeling advances allow drift effects associated with the Hall electric field and gyroviscosity to be considered. A stabilizing effect can be observed in the preliminary results, but while the distortion in mode structure is readily apparent at n=40, the growth rate is only 13% less than the non-ideal MHD result. Computations performed with a non-local kinetic closure for parallel electron thermal conduction that is valid over all collisionality regimes identify thermal diffusivity ratios of {chi}{sub ||}/{chi}{sub {perpendicular}} ~ 10{sup 7} - 10{sup 8} as appropriate when using collisional heat flux modeling for these modes. Adding significant parallel viscosity proves to have little effect. Nonlinear ELM computations solve the resistive MHD model with toroidal resolution 0{<=}n{<=}21, including anisotropic thermal conduction, temperature-dependent resistivity, and number density evolution. The computations are based on a realistic equilibrium with high pedestal temperature from the linear study. When the simulated ELM grows to appreciable amplitude, ribbon-like thermal structures extend from the separatrix to the wall as the spectrum broadens about a peak at n=13. Analysis of the results finds the heat flux on the wall to be very nonuniform with greatest intensity occurring in spots on the top and bottom of the chamber. Net thermal energy loss occurs on a time-scale of 100 {micro}s, and the instantaneous loss rate exceeds 1 GW.« less

The Atmospheric Response to High Nonthermal Electron Beam Fluxes in Solar Flares. I. Modeling the Brightest NUV Footpoints in the X1 Solar Flare of 2014 March 29

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kowalski, Adam F.; Allred, Joel C.; Daw, Adrian

2017-02-10

The 2014 March 29 X1 solar flare (SOL20140329T17:48) produced bright continuum emission in the far- and near-ultraviolet (NUV) and highly asymmetric chromospheric emission lines, providing long-sought constraints on the heating mechanisms of the lower atmosphere in solar flares. We analyze the continuum and emission line data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) of the brightest flaring magnetic footpoints in this flare. We compare the NUV spectra of the brightest pixels to new radiative-hydrodynamic predictions calculated with the RADYN code using constraints on a nonthermal electron beam inferred from the collisional thick-target modeling of hard X-ray data from Reuven Ramatymore » High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager . We show that the atmospheric response to a high beam flux density satisfactorily achieves the observed continuum brightness in the NUV. The NUV continuum emission in this flare is consistent with hydrogen (Balmer) recombination radiation that originates from low optical depth in a dense chromospheric condensation and from the stationary beam-heated layers just below the condensation. A model producing two flaring regions (a condensation and stationary layers) in the lower atmosphere is also consistent with the asymmetric Fe ii chromospheric emission line profiles observed in the impulsive phase.« less

Classical Accreting Pulsars with NICER

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.

2014-01-01

Soft excesses are very common center dot Lx > 1038 erg/s - reprocessing by optically thick material at the inner edge of the accretion disk center dot Lx < 1036 erg/s - photoionized or collisionally heated diffuse gas or thermal emission from the NS surface center dot Lx 1037 erg/s - either or both types of emission center dot NICER observations of soft excesses in bright X-ray pulsars combined with reflection modeling will constrain the ionization state, metalicity and dynamics of the inner edge of the magnetically truncated accretion disk Reflection models of an accretion disk for a hard power law - Strong soft excess below 3 keV from hot X-ray heated disk - For weakly ionized case: strong recombination lines - Are we seeing changes in the disk ionization in 4U1626-26? 13 years of weekly monitoring with RXTE PCA center dot Revealed an unexpectedly large population of Be/X-ray binaries compared to the Milky Way center dot Plotted luminosities are typical of "normal" outbursts (once per orbit) center dot The SMC provides an excellent opportunity to study a homogenous population of HMXBs with low interstellar absorption for accretion disk studies. Monitoring with NICER will enable studies of accretion disk physics in X-ray pulsars center dot The SMC provides a potential homogeneous low-absorption population for this study center dot NICER monitoring and TOO observations will also provide measurements of spinfrequencies, QPOs, pulsed fluxes, and energy spectra.

The cause and source of melting for the most recent volcanism in Tibet: A combined geochemical and geophysical perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Feixiang; Prytulak, Julie; Xu, Jiandong; Wei, Wei; Hammond, James O. S.; Zhao, Bo

2017-09-01

We investigate the youngest volcanic activity on the Tibetan Plateau by combining observations from petrologic, geochemical and seismic tomography studies. Recent (from 2.80 Ma to present) post-collisional potassium-rich lavas from the Ashikule Volcanic Basin (AVB) in northwestern Tibet are characterised by remarkably enriched light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREE), and enriched large ion lithophile element (LILE) relative to high field strength elements (HFSE). Strontium and neodymium isotopic compositions are surprisingly restricted, and show little evidence for mixing or crustal contamination, despite the thick crust upon which they are erupted. Geochemical characteristics indicate a homogeneous source, highly enriched in trace elements, which is most consistent with derivation from long-lived subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). P-wave anisotropy tomography documents a gap between the north-subducting Indian slab and south-subducting Tarim slab directly beneath the AVB. We propose that volcanism in northwestern Tibet is associated with the progressive closure of this gap, during which shear heating of the SCLM can generate localised melting, with deep-seated faults providing a mechanism for erupted lavas to escape large-scale crustal contamination and fractionation in magma reservoirs. Thus, shear heating may provide an explanation for the restricted range of radiogenic isotope compositions from a SCLM source that should be, by its nature, heterogeneous on a large scale.

Compositional Homogeneity of CM Parent Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernazza, P.; Marsset, M.; Beck, P.; Binzel, R. P.; Birlan, M.; Cloutis, E. A.; DeMeo, F. E.; Dumas, C.; Hiroi, T.

2016-09-01

CM chondrites are the most common type of hydrated meteorites, making up ˜1.5% of all falls. Whereas most CM chondrites experienced only low-temperature (˜0°C-120°C) aqueous alteration, the existence of a small fraction of CM chondrites that suffered both hydration and heating complicates our understanding of the early thermal evolution of the CM parent body(ies). Here, we provide new constraints on the collisional and thermal history of CM-like bodies from a comparison between newly acquired spectral measurements of main-belt Ch/Cgh-type asteroids (70 objects) and existing laboratory spectral measurements of CM chondrites. It first appears that the spectral variation observed among CM-like bodies is essentially due to variations in the average regolith grain size. Second, the spectral properties of the vast majority (unheated) of CM chondrites resemble both the surfaces and the interiors of CM-like bodies, implying a “low” temperature (<300°C) thermal evolution of the CM parent body(ies). It follows that an impact origin is the likely explanation for the existence of heated CM chondrites. Finally, similarly to S-type asteroids and (2) Pallas, the surfaces of large (D > 100 km)—supposedly primordial—Ch/Cgh-type main-belt asteroids likely expose the interiors of the primordial CM parent bodies, a possible consequence of impacts by small asteroids (D < 10 km) in the early solar system.

Multi-device studies of pedestal physics and confinement in the I-mode regime

DOE PAGES

Hubbard, A. E.; Osborne, T.; Ryter, F.; ...

2016-07-05

This paper describes joint ITPA studies of the I-mode regime, which features an edge thermal barrier together with L-mode-like particle and impurity transport and no Edge Localized Modes (ELMs). The regime has been demonstrated on the Alcator C-Mod, ASDEX Upgrade and DIII-D tokamaks, over a wide range of device parameters and pedestal conditions. Dimensionless parameters at the pedestal show overlap across devices and extend to low collisionality. When they are matched, pedestal temperature profiles are also similar. Pedestals are stable to peeling ballooning modes, consistent with lack of ELMs. Access to Imode is independent of heating method (neutral beam injection,more » Ion Cyclotron and/or Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating). Normalized energy confinement H 98,y2 ≥ 1 has been achieved for a range of 3 ≤ q 95 ≤ 4.9 and scales favourably with power. Changes in turbulence in the pedestal region accompany the transition from L-mode to I-mode. The L-I threshold increases with plasma density and current, and with device size, but has a weak dependence on toroidal magnetic field B T. The upper limit of power for I-modes, which is set by I-H transitions, increases with B T and the power range is largest on Alcator C-Mod at B > 5 T. Finally, issues for extrapolation to ITER and other future fusion devices are discussed.« less

Thermodynamic Study on Plasma Expansion along a Divergent Magnetic Field.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunchao; Charles, Christine; Boswell, Rod

2016-01-15

Thermodynamic properties are revisited for electrons that are governed by nonlocal electron energy probability functions in a plasma of low collisionality. Measurements in a laboratory helicon double layer experiment have shown that the effective electron temperature and density show a polytropic correlation with an index of γ_{e}=1.17±0.02 along the divergent magnetic field, implying a nearly isothermal plasma (γ_{e}=1) with heat being brought into the system. However, the evolution of electrons along the divergent magnetic field is essentially an adiabatic process, which should have a γ_{e}=5/3. The reason for this apparent contradiction is that the nearly collisionless plasma is very far from local thermodynamic equilibrium and the electrons behave nonlocally. The corresponding effective electron enthalpy has a conservation relation with the potential energy, which verifies that there is no heat transferred into the system during the electron evolution. The electrons are shown in nonlocal momentum equilibrium under the electric field and the gradient of the effective electron pressure. The convective momentum of ions, which can be assumed as a cold species, is determined by the effective electron pressure and the effective electron enthalpy is shown to be the source for ion acceleration. For these nearly collisionless plasmas, the use of traditional thermodynamic concepts can lead to very erroneous conclusions regarding the thermal conductivity.

Precipitation of energetic neutral atoms and induced non-thermal escape fluxes from the Martian atmosphere

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewkow, N. R.; Kharchenko, V.

2014-08-01

The precipitation of energetic neutral atoms, produced through charge exchange collisions between solar wind ions and thermal atmospheric gases, is investigated for the Martian atmosphere. Connections between parameters of precipitating fast ions and resulting escape fluxes, altitude-dependent energy distributions of fast atoms and their coefficients of reflection from the Mars atmosphere, are established using accurate cross sections in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Distributions of secondary hot (SH) atoms and molecules, induced by precipitating particles, have been obtained and applied for computations of the non-thermal escape fluxes. A new collisional database on accurate energy-angular-dependent cross sections, required for description of themore » energy-momentum transfer in collisions of precipitating particles and production of non-thermal atmospheric atoms and molecules, is reported with analytic fitting equations. Three-dimensional MC simulations with accurate energy-angular-dependent cross sections have been carried out to track large ensembles of energetic atoms in a time-dependent manner as they propagate into the Martian atmosphere and transfer their energy to the ambient atoms and molecules. Results of the MC simulations on the energy-deposition altitude profiles, reflection coefficients, and time-dependent atmospheric heating, obtained for the isotropic hard sphere and anisotropic quantum cross sections, are compared. Atmospheric heating rates, thermalization depths, altitude profiles of production rates, energy distributions of SH atoms and molecules, and induced escape fluxes have been determined.« less

The Atmospheric Response to High Nonthermal Electron Beam Fluxes in Solar Flares. I. Modeling the Brightest NUV Footpoints in the X1 Solar Flare of 2014 March 29

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kowalski, Adam F.; Allred, Joel C.; Daw, Adrian N.; Cauzzi, Gianna; Carlsson, Mats

2017-01-01

The 2014 March 29 X1 solar flare (SOL20140329T17:48) produced bright continuum emission in the far- and near-ultraviolet (NUV) and highly asymmetric chromospheric emission lines, providing long-sought constraints on the heating mechanisms of the lower atmosphere in solar flares. We analyze the continuum and emission line data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) of the brightest flaring magnetic footpoints in this flare. We compare the NUV spectra of the brightest pixels to new radiative-hydrodynamic predictions calculated with the RADYN code using constraints on a nonthermal electron beam inferred from the collisional thick-target modeling of hard X-ray data from Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager. We show that the atmospheric response to a high beam flux density satisfactorily achieves the observed continuum brightness in the NUV. The NUV continuum emission in this flare is consistent with hydrogen (Balmer) recombination radiation that originates from low optical depth in a dense chromospheric condensation and from the stationary beam-heated layers just below the condensation. A model producing two flaring regions (a condensation and stationary layers) in the lower atmosphere is also consistent with the asymmetric Fe II chromospheric emission line profiles observed in the impulsive phase.

CO2 concentration and temperature sensor for combustion gases using diode-laser absorption near 2.7 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farooq, A.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2008-03-01

A new tunable diode-laser sensor based on CO2 absorption near 2.7 μm is developed for high-resolution absorption measurements of CO2 concentration and temperature. The sensor probes the R(28) and P(70) transitions of the ν1+ν3 combination band of CO2 that has stronger absorption line-strengths than the bands near 1.5 μm and 2.0 μm used previously to sense CO2 in combustion gases. The increased absorption strength of transitions in this new wavelength range provides greatly enhanced sensitivity and the potential for accurate measurements in combustion gases with short optical path lengths. Simulated high-temperature spectra are surveyed to find candidate CO2 transitions isolated from water vapor interference. Measurements of line-strength, line position, and collisional broadening parameters are carried out for candidate CO2 transitions in a heated static cell as a function of temperature and compared to literature values. The accuracy of a fixed-wavelength CO2 absorption sensor is determined via measurement of known temperature and CO2 mole fraction in a static cell and shock-tube. Absorption measurements of CO2 are then made in a laboratory flat-flame burner and in ignition experiments of shock-heated n-heptane/O2/argon mixtures to illustrate the potential of this sensor for combustion and reacting-flow applications.

Observing Organic Molecules in Interstellar Gases: Non Equilibrium Excitation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiesenfeld, Laurent; Faure, Alexandre; Remijan, Anthony; Szalewicz, Krzysztof

2014-06-01

In order to observe quantitatively organic molecules in interstellar gas, it is necessary to understand the relative importance of photonic and collisional excitations. In order to do so, collisional excitation transfer rates have to be computed. We undertook several such studies, in particular for H_2CO and HCOOCH_3. Both species are observed in many astrochemical environments, including star-forming regions. We found that those two molecules behave in their low-lying rotational levels in an opposite way. For cis methyl-formate, a non-equilibrium radiative transfer treatment of rotational lines is performed, using a new set of theoretical collisional rate coefficients. These coefficients have been computed in the temperature range 5 to 30 K by combining coupled-channel scattering calculations with a high accuracy potential energy surface for HCOOCH_3 -- He. The results are compared to observations toward the Sagittarius B2(N) molecular cloud. A total of 2080 low-lying transitions of methyl formate, with upper levels below 25 K, were treated. These lines are found to probe a cold (30 K), moderately dense (n ˜ 104 cm-3) interstellar gas. In addition, our calculations indicate that all detected emission lines with a frequency below 30 GHz are collisionally pumped weak masers amplifying the background of Sgr B2(N). This result demonstrates the generality of the inversion mechanism for the low-lying transitions of methyl formate. For formaldehyde, we performed a similar non-equilibrium treatment, with H_2 as the collisional partner, thanks to the accurate H_2CO - H_2 potential energy surface . We found very different energy transfer rates for collisions with para-H_2 (J=0) and ortho-H_2 (J=1). The well-known absorption against the cosmological background of the 111→ 101 line is shown to depend critically on the difference of behaviour between para and ortho-H_2, for a wide range of H_2 density. We thank the CNRS-PCMI French national program for continuous support and the CHESS Herschel KP program for travel supports. Discussions with C. Ceccarelli, P. Hily-Blant and S. Maret are acknowledged.

Basins in ARC-continental collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Busby, Cathy; Azor, Antonio

2012-01-01

Arc-continent collisions occur commonly in the plate-tectonic cycle and result in rapidly formed and rapidly collapsing orogens, often spanning just 5-15 My. Growth of continental masses through arc-continent collision is widely thought to be a major process governing the structural and geochemical evolution of the continental crust over geologic time. Collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with passive continental margins (a situation in which the arc, on the upper plate, faces the continent) involve a substantially different geometry than collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with active continental margins (a situation requiring more than one convergence zone and in which the arc, on the lower plate, backs into the continent), with variable preservation potential for basins in each case. Substantial differences also occur between trench and forearc evolution in tectonically erosive versus tectonically accreting margins, both before and after collision. We examine the evolution of trenches, trench-slope basins, forearc basins, intra-arc basins, and backarc basins during arc-continent collision. The preservation potential of trench-slope basins is low; in collision they are rapidly uplifted and eroded, and at erosive margins they are progressively destroyed by subduction erosion. Post-collisional preservation of trench sediment and trench-slope basins is biased toward margins that were tectonically accreting for a substantial length of time before collision. Forearc basins in erosive margins are usually floored by strong lithosphere and may survive collision with a passive margin, sometimes continuing sedimentation throughout collision and orogeny. The low flexural rigidity of intra-arc basins makes them deep and, if preserved, potentially long records of arc and collisional tectonism. Backarc basins, in contrast, are typically subducted and their sediment either lost or preserved only as fragments in melange sequences. A substantial proportion of the sediment derived from collisional orogenesis ends up in the foreland basin that forms as a result of collision, and may be preserved largely undeformed. Compared to continent-continent collisional foreland basins, arc-continent collisional foreland basins are short-lived and may undergo partial inversion after collision as a new, active continental margin forms outboard of the collision zone and the orogen whose load forms the basin collapses in extension.

The Collisional Evolution of the Main Asteroid Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottke, W. F.; Brož, M.; O'Brien, D. P.; Campo Bagatin, A.; Morbidelli, A.; Marchi, S.

Collisional and dynamical models of the main asteroid belt allow us to glean insights into planetesimal- and planet-formation scenarios as well as how the main belt reached its current state. Here we discuss many of the processes affecting asteroidal evolution and the constraints that can be used to test collisional model results. We argue the main belt's wavy size-frequency distribution for diameter D < 100-km asteroids is increasingly a byproduct of comminution as one goes to smaller sizes, with its shape a fossil-like remnant of a violent early epoch. Most D > 100-km asteroids, however, are primordial, with their physical properties set by planetesimal formation and accretion processes. The main-belt size distribution as a whole has evolved into a collisional steady state, and it has possibly been in that state for billions of years. Asteroid families provide a critical historical record of main-belt collisions. The heavily depleted and largely dispersed "ghost families," however, may hold the key to understanding what happened in the primordial days of the main belt. New asteroidal fragments are steadily created by both collisions and mass shedding events via YORP spinup processes. A fraction of this population, in the form of D < 30 km fragments, go on to escape the main belt via the Yarkovsky/YORP effects and gravitational resonances, thereby creating a quasi-steady-state population of planet-crossing and near-Earth asteroids. These populations go on to bombard all inner solar system worlds. By carefully interpreting the cratering records they produce, it is possible to constrain how portions of the main-belt population have evolved with time.

Excited level populations and excitation kinetics of nonequilibrium ionizing argon discharge plasma of atmospheric pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akatsuka, Hiroshi

2009-04-15

Population densities of excited states of argon atoms are theoretically examined for ionizing argon plasma in a state of nonequilibrium under atmospheric pressure from the viewpoint of elementary processes with collisional radiative model. The dependence of excited state populations on the electron and gas temperatures is discussed. Two electron density regimes are found, which are distinguished by the population and depopulation mechanisms for the excited states in problem. When the electron impact excitation frequency for the population or depopulation is lower than the atomic impact one, the electron density of the plasma is considered as low to estimate the populationmore » and depopulation processes. Some remarkable characteristics of population and depopulation mechanisms are found for the low electron density atmospheric plasma, where thermal relaxation by atomic collisions becomes the predominant process within the group of close-energy states in the ionizing plasma of atmospheric pressure, and the excitation temperature is almost the same as the gas temperature. In addition to the collisional relaxation by argon atoms, electron impact excitation from the ground state is also an essential population mechanism. The ratios of population density of the levels pairs, between which exists a large energy gap, include information on the electron collisional kinetics. For high electron density, the effect of atomic collisional relaxation becomes weak. For this case, the excitation mechanism is explained as electron impact ladderlike excitation similar to low-pressure ionizing plasma, since the electron collision becomes the dominant process for the population and depopulation kinetics.« less

Electron-Driven Processes: From Single Collision Experiments to High-Pressure Discharge Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Kurt

2001-10-01

Plasmas are complex systems which consist of various groups of interacting particles (neutral atoms and molecules in their ground states and in excite states, electrons, and positive and negative ions). In principle, one needs to understand and describe all interactions between these particles in order to model the properties of the plasma and to predict its behavior. However, two-body interactions are often the only processes of relevance and only a subset of all possible collisional interactions are important. The focus of this talk is on collisional and radiative processes in low-temperature plasmas, both at low and high pressures. We will limit the discussion (i) to ionization and dissociation processes in molecular low-pressure plasmas and (ii) to collisional and radiative processes in high-pressure plasmas in rare gases and mixtures of rare gases and N2, O2, and H2. Electron-impact dissociation processes can be divided into dissociative excitation and dissociation into neutral ground-state fragments. Neutral molecular dissociation has only recently received attention from experimentalists and theorists because of the serious difficulties associated with the investigation of these processes. Collisional and radiative processes in high-pressure plasmas provide a fertile environment to the study of interactions that go beyond binary collisions involving ground-state species. Step-wise processes and three-body collisions begin to dominate the behavior of such plasmas. We will discuss examples of such processes as they relate to high-pressure rare gas discharge plasmas. Work supported by NSF, DOE, DARPA, NASA, and ABA Inc.

How sand grains stop a high speed intruder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behringer, Robert

When a speeding intruder impacts on a granular material, it comes rapidly to rest after penetrating only a modest distance. Empirical dynamical models, dating to the 19th century (if not earlier), describe the drag on the intruder in terms of two types of depth-dependent forces: one a static force, which also includes gravity, and the other a collisional force proportional to the square of the instantaneous speed of the intruder. What processes occur in the material to so quickly decelerate the intruder? We address this question through experiments and simulations (work of Lou Kondic and collaborators). We first probe the granular response using quasi-two-dimensional granular materials consisting of photoelastic discs. When such a particle experiences a force, it appears bright under cross-polarized illumination. High speed video reveals dynamic force transmission into the material along force chains that form in response to the intruder motion. These chains are nearly normal to the intruder surface, implying that collisional rather than frictional forces dominate the momentum transfer from intruder to grains. These observations allow the formation of a collision-based model that correctly captures the collisional drag force for both 2D and 3D intruders of a variety of shapes. This talk will develop a collisional picture of impact, and also explore the change in the system response as the impact speed increases. Experimental collaborators include Abe Clark, Cacey Stevens Bester, and Alec Petersen. This work supported by DTRA, NSF Grant DMR1206351, NASA Grant NNX15AD38G, and the William M. Keck Foundation.

Tibet and Beyond: Magmatic Records from CIA (Caucasus-Iran-Anatolia) and Southern Tibet with Implications for Asian Orogeny and Continental Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Sun-Lin

2016-04-01

This study, based on an ongoing joint research project "Tibet and Beyond", presents a synthesis of principal magmatic records from the CIA (Caucasus-Iran-Anatolia) and Tibet-Himalaya orogens resulting from the continental collisions of Arabia and India, respectively, with Eurasia. In both orogens, through this and other recent studies, the temporal and spatial variations in magmatism pre-, syn- and post-dating the collisions can now be much better defined, thus improving our understanding of collision zone magmatism that appears to have evolved with changes in the lithospheric structures over time and space by collisional processes. The two "collisional" Tethyan orogens were preceded by accretionary orogenic processes, which not only had produced a substantial amount of juvenile continental crust but also fulfill the "orogenic cycle" that evolved from an accretionary into a collisional system. Geochemical data reveal that in contrast to generating vast portions of juvenile crust in the early, accretionary stages of orogenic development, crustal recycling plays a more important role in the later, collisional stages. The latter, as exemplified in SE Turkey and southern Tibet, involves addition of older continental crust material back into the mantle, which subsequently melted and caused compositional transformation of the juvenile crust produced in the accretionary stages. Similar features are observed in young volcanic rocks from eastern Taiwan, the northern Luzon arc complex and part of the active subduction/accretion/collision system in Southeast Asia that may evolve one day to resemble the eastern Tethyan and central Asian orogenic belts by collision with the advancing Australian continent.

Damping of Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal modes in collisional plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valentini, Francesco

2008-02-15

In this paper, the effect of Coulomb collisions on the stability of Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) modes [I. B. Bernstein, J. M. Greene, and M. D. Krukal, Phys. Rev. 108, 546 (1957)] is analyzed by comparing the numerical results of collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with the theoretical predictions by Zakharov and Karpman [V. E. Zakharov and V. I. Karpman, Sov. Phys. JETP 16, 351 (1963)], for the collisional damping of nonlinear plasma waves. In the absence of collisions, BGK modes are undamped nonlinear electrostatic oscillations, solutions of the Vlasov-Poisson equations; in these structures nonlinearity manifests as the formation of a plateau inmore » the resonant region of the particle distribution function, due to trapping of resonant particles, thus preventing linear Landau damping. When particle-particle Coulomb collisions are effective, this plateau is smoothed out since collisions drive the velocity distribution towards the Maxwellian shape, thus destroying the BGK structure. As shown by Zakharov and Karpman in 1963, under certain assumptions, an exponential time decay with constant damping rate is predicted for the electric field amplitude and a linear dependence of the damping rate on the collision frequency is found. In this paper, the theory by Zakharov and Karpman is revisited and the effects of collisions on the stability of BGK modes and on the long time evolution of nonlinear Landau damping are numerically investigated. The numerical results are obtained through a collisional PIC code that reproduces a physical phenomenology also observed in recent experiments with trapped pure electron plasmas.« less

Fully kinetic simulations of magnetic reconnction in semi-collisional plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daughton, William S; Roytershteyn, Vadim S; Albright, Brian J

2009-01-01

The influence of Coulomb collisions on the dynamics of magnetic reconnection is examined using fully kinetic simulations with a Monte-Carlo treatment of the Fokker-Planck collision operator. This powerful first-principles approach offers a bridge between kinetic and fluid regimes, which may prove useful for understanding the applicability of various fluid models. In order to lay the necessary groundwork, the collision algorithm is first carefully bench marked for a homogeneous plasma against theoretical predictions for beam-plasma interactions and electrical resistivity. Next, the collisional decay of a current layer is examined as a function of guide field, allowing direct comparisons with transport theorymore » for the parallel and perpendicular resistivity as well as the thermoelectric force. Finally, the transition between collisional and collision less reconnection is examined in neutral sheet geometry. For modest Lundquist numbers S {approx}< 1000, a distinct transition is observed when the thickness of the Sweet-Parker layers falls below the ion inertia length {delta}{sub sp} {approx}< d,. At higher Lundquist number, deviations from the Sweet-Parker scaling are observed due to the growth of plasmoids (secondary-islands) within the elongated resistive layer. In certain cases, this instability leads to the onset of fast reconnection sooner than expected from {delta}{sub sp} {approx} d, condition. After the transition to fast reconnection, elongated electron current layers are formed which are unstable to the formation of new plasmoids. The structure and time-dependence of the electron diffusion region in these semi-collisional regimes is profoundly different than reported in two-fluid simulations.« less

Chromosphere to 1 AU Simulation of the 2011 March 7th Event: A Comprehensive Study of Coronal Mass Ejection Propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, M.; Manchester, W. B.; van der Holst, B.; Sokolov, I.; Tóth, G.; Vourlidas, A.; de Koning, C. A.; Gombosi, T. I.

2017-01-01

We perform and analyze the results of a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the fast coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred on 2011 March 7. The simulation is made using the newly developed Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM), which describes the background solar wind starting from the upper chromosphere and extends to 24 R⊙. Coupling AWSoM to an inner heliosphere model with the Space Weather Modeling Framework extends the total domain beyond the orbit of Earth. Physical processes included in the model are multi-species thermodynamics, electron heat conduction (both collisional and collisionless formulations), optically thin radiative cooling, and Alfvén-wave turbulence that accelerates and heats the solar wind. The Alfvén-wave description is physically self-consistent, including non-Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin reflection and physics-based apportioning of turbulent dissipative heating to both electrons and protons. Within this model, we initiate the CME by using the Gibson-Low analytical flux rope model and follow its evolution for days, in which time it propagates beyond STEREO A. A detailed comparison study is performed using remote as well as in situ observations. Although the flux rope structure is not compared directly due to lack of relevant ejecta observation at 1 au in this event, our results show that the new model can reproduce many of the observed features near the Sun (e.g., CME-driven extreme ultraviolet [EUV] waves, deflection of the flux rope from the coronal hole, “double-front” in the white light images) and in the heliosphere (e.g., shock propagation direction, shock properties at STEREO A).

Regarding the optimization of O1-mode ECRH and the feasibility of EBW startup on NSTX-U

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, N. A.; Poli, F. M.

2018-06-01

Recently published scenarios for fully non-inductive startup and operation on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) (Menard et al 2012 Nucl. Fusion 52 083015) show Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) as an important component in preparing a target plasma for efficient High Harmonic Fast Wave and Neutral Beam heating. The modeling of the propagation and absorption of EC waves in the evolving plasma is required to define the most effective window of operation, and to optimize the launcher geometry for maximal heating and current drive during this window. Here, we extend a previous optimization of O1-mode ECRH on NSTX-U to account for the full time-dependent performance of the ECRH using simulations performed with TRANSP. We find that the evolution of the density profile has a prominent role in the optimization by defining the time window of operation, which in certain cases may be a more important metric to compare launcher performance than the average power absorption. This feature cannot be captured by analysis on static profiles, and should be accounted for when optimizing ECRH on any device that operates near the cutoff density. Additionally, the utility of the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in driving current and generating closed flux surfaces in the early startup phase has been demonstrated on a number of devices. Using standalone GENRAY simulations, we find that efficient EBW current drive is possible on NSTX-U if the injection angle is shifted below the midplane and aimed towards the top half of the vacuum vessel. However, collisional damping of the EBW is projected to be significant, in some cases accounting for up to 97% of the absorbed EBW power.

Regarding the optimization of O1-mode ECRH and the feasibility of EBW startup on NSTX-U

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopez, Nicolas; Poli, Francesca M.

Recently published scenarios for fully non-inductive startup and operation on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) [Menard J et al 2012 Nucl. Fusion 52 083015] show Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) as an important component in preparing a target plasma for efficient High Harmonic Fast Wave and Neutral Beam heating. The modelling of the propagation and absorption of EC waves in the evolving plasma is required to define the most effective window of operation, and to optimize the launcher geometry for maximal heating and current drive during this window. Here in this paper, we extend a previous optimization ofmore » O1-mode ECRH on NSTX-U to account for the full time-dependent performance of the ECRH using simulations performed with TRANSP. We find that the evolution of the density profile has a prominent role in the optimization by defining the time window of operation, which in certain cases may be a more important metric to compare launcher performance than the average power absorption. This feature cannot be captured by analysis on static profiles, and should be accounted for when optimizing ECRH on any device that operates near the cutoff density. Additionally, the utility of the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in driving current and generating closed flux surfaces in the early startup phase has been demonstrated on a number of devices. Using standalone GENRAY simulations, we find that efficient EBW current drive is possible on NSTX-U if the injection angle is shifted below the midplane and aimed towards the top half of the vacuum vessel. However, collisional damping of the EBW is projected to be significant, in some cases accounting for up to 97\\% of the absorbed EBW power.« less

Regarding the optimization of O1-mode ECRH and the feasibility of EBW startup on NSTX-U

DOE PAGES

Lopez, Nicolas; Poli, Francesca M.

2018-03-29

Recently published scenarios for fully non-inductive startup and operation on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) [Menard J et al 2012 Nucl. Fusion 52 083015] show Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) as an important component in preparing a target plasma for efficient High Harmonic Fast Wave and Neutral Beam heating. The modelling of the propagation and absorption of EC waves in the evolving plasma is required to define the most effective window of operation, and to optimize the launcher geometry for maximal heating and current drive during this window. Here in this paper, we extend a previous optimization ofmore » O1-mode ECRH on NSTX-U to account for the full time-dependent performance of the ECRH using simulations performed with TRANSP. We find that the evolution of the density profile has a prominent role in the optimization by defining the time window of operation, which in certain cases may be a more important metric to compare launcher performance than the average power absorption. This feature cannot be captured by analysis on static profiles, and should be accounted for when optimizing ECRH on any device that operates near the cutoff density. Additionally, the utility of the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in driving current and generating closed flux surfaces in the early startup phase has been demonstrated on a number of devices. Using standalone GENRAY simulations, we find that efficient EBW current drive is possible on NSTX-U if the injection angle is shifted below the midplane and aimed towards the top half of the vacuum vessel. However, collisional damping of the EBW is projected to be significant, in some cases accounting for up to 97\\% of the absorbed EBW power.« less

Shear Alfven Wave Injection in the Magnetosphere by Ionospheric Modifications in the Absence of Electrojet Currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, K.; Eliasson, B.; Shao, X.; Labenski, J.; Chang, C.

2011-12-01

A new concept of generating ionospheric currents in the ULF/ELF range with modulated HF heating using ground-based transmitters even in the absence of electrojet currents is presented. The new concept relies on using HF heating of the F-region to modulate the electron temperature and has been given the name Ionospheric Current Drive (ICD). In ICD, the pressure gradient associated with anomalous or collisional F-region electron heating drives a local diamagnetic current that acts as an antenna to inject mainly Magneto-Sonic (MS) waves in the ionospheric plasma. The electric field associated with the MS wave drives Hall currents when it reaches the E region of the ionosphere. The Hall currents act as a secondary antenna that inject waves in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide (EIW) below and shear Alfven waves or EMIC waves upwards towards the conjugate regions. The paper presents: (i) Theoretical results using a cold Hall MHD model to study ICD and the generation of ULF/ELF waves by the modulation of the electron pressure at the F2-region with an intense HF electromagnetic wave. The model solves equations governing the dynamics of the shear Alfven and magnetosonic modes, of the damped modes in the diffusive Pedersen layer, and of the weakly damped helicon wave mode in the Hall-dominated E-region. The model incorporates realistic profile of the ionospheric conductivities and magnetic field configuration. We use the model to simulate propagation and dynamics of the low-frequency waves and their injection into the magnetosphere from the HAARP and Arecibo ionospheric heaters. (ii) Proof of principle experiments using the HAARP ionospheric heater in conjunction with measurements by the DEMETER satellite This work is supported by ONR MURI grant and DARPA BRIOCHE Program

Integrated modelling framework for short pulse high energy density physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sircombe, N. J.; Hughes, S. J.; Ramsay, M. G.

2016-03-01

Modelling experimental campaigns on the Orion laser at AWE, and developing a viable point-design for fast ignition (FI), calls for a multi-scale approach; a complete description of the problem would require an extensive range of physics which cannot realistically be included in a single code. For modelling the laser-plasma interaction (LPI) we need a fine mesh which can capture the dispersion of electromagnetic waves, and a kinetic model for each plasma species. In the dense material of the bulk target, away from the LPI region, collisional physics dominates. The transport of hot particles generated by the action of the laser is dependent on their slowing and stopping in the dense material and their need to draw a return current. These effects will heat the target, which in turn influences transport. On longer timescales, the hydrodynamic response of the target will begin to play a role as the pressure generated from isochoric heating begins to take effect. Recent effort at AWE [1] has focussed on the development of an integrated code suite based on: the particle in cell code EPOCH, to model LPI; the Monte-Carlo electron transport code THOR, to model the onward transport of hot electrons; and the radiation hydrodynamics code CORVUS, to model the hydrodynamic response of the target. We outline the methodology adopted, elucidate on the advantages of a robustly integrated code suite compared to a single code approach, demonstrate the integrated code suite's application to modelling the heating of buried layers on Orion, and assess the potential of such experiments for the validation of modelling capability in advance of more ambitious HEDP experiments, as a step towards a predictive modelling capability for FI.

The Russian effort in establishing large atomic and molecular databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Presnyakov, Leonid P.

1998-07-01

The database activities in Russia have been developed in connection with UV and soft X-ray spectroscopic studies of extraterrestrial and laboratory (magnetically confined and laser-produced) plasmas. Two forms of database production are used: i) a set of computer programs to calculate radiative and collisional data for the general atom or ion, and ii) development of numeric database systems with the data stored in the computer. The first form is preferable for collisional data. At the Lebedev Physical Institute, an appropriate set of the codes has been developed. It includes all electronic processes at collision energies from the threshold up to the relativistic limit. The ion -atom (and -ion) collisional data are calculated with the methods developed recently. The program for the calculations of the level populations and line intensities is used for spectrical diagnostics of transparent plasmas. The second form of database production is widely used at the Institute of Physico-Technical Measurements (VNIIFTRI), and the Troitsk Center: the Institute of Spectroscopy and TRINITI. The main results obtained at the centers above are reviewed. Plans for future developments jointly with international collaborations are discussed.

Laser induced fluorescence in nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges for CO2 conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, L. M.; Gatti, N.; Dilecce, G.; Scotoni, M.; Tosi, P.

2018-01-01

A CO2 nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharge (NRP) is a harsh environment for laser induced fluorescence (LIF) diagnostics. The difficulties arise from it being a strongly collisional system in which the gas composition, pressure and temperature, have quick and strong variations. The relevant diagnostic problems are described and illustrated through the application of LIF to the measurement of the OH radical in three different discharge configurations, with gas mixtures containing CO2 + H2O. These range from a dielectric barrier NRP with He buffer gas, a less hostile case in which absolute OH density measurement is possible, to an NRP in CO2+H2O, where the full set of drawbacks is at work. In the last case, the OH density measurement is not possible with laser pulses and detector time resolution in the ns time scale. Nevertheless, it is shown that with a proper knowledge of the collisional rate constants involved in the LIF process, a collisional energy transfer-LIF methodology is still applicable to deduce the gas composition from the analysis of LIF spectra.

Collisional depopulation of He(n /sup 1/P) (4< or =n< or =13) in thermal collisions with He(1 /sup 1/S)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pendleton, W.R. Jr.; Larsson, M.; Mannfors, B.

1983-12-01

Total collisional depopulation rates for He(n /sup 1/P) (4< or =n< or =13) in thermal collisions with He(1 /sup 1/S) have been measured using the transient-decay method. Related loss cross sections increase in proportion to n/sup 4/ in the limited range 4< or =n< or =6, reach a maximum of 2600 +- 600 A/sup 2/ at n = 10, and decrease approximately in proportion to n/sup -2.5/ for 11< or =n< or =13. The measurements were found to be inconsistent with a strong ''selection rule,'' ..delta..L = 2, for the He(n /sup 1/P)-He collisions. A model in which ..delta..L formore » the collision is largely unrestricted provides a satisfactory interpretation of the observations, in agreement with recent l-mixing studies of atomic Rydberg levels. The experimental cross sections compare favorably with values calculated using an approximate scaling formula for collisional l mixing and, for n>10, with predictions based on a simple perturbation treatment in the weak-collision approximation.« less

Chandra Observations of Comet 2P/Encke 2003: First Detection of a Collisionally Thin, Fast Solar Wind Charge Exchange System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lisse, C. M.; Christian, D. J.; Deneri, K.; Wolk, S. J.; Bodewits, D.; Hoekstra, R.; Combi, M. R.; Makinen, T.; Dryer, M.; Fry, C. D.;

Atomic and molecular data for spacecraft re-entry plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celiberto, R.; Armenise, I.; Cacciatore, M.; Capitelli, M.; Esposito, F.; Gamallo, P.; Janev, R. K.; Laganà, A.; Laporta, V.; Laricchiuta, A.; Lombardi, A.; Rutigliano, M.; Sayós, R.; Tennyson, J.; Wadehra, J. M.

2016-06-01

The modeling of atmospheric gas, interacting with the space vehicles in re-entry conditions in planetary exploration missions, requires a large set of scattering data for all those elementary processes occurring in the system. A fundamental aspect of re-entry problems is represented by the strong non-equilibrium conditions met in the atmospheric plasma close to the surface of the thermal shield, where numerous interconnected relaxation processes determine the evolution of the gaseous system towards equilibrium conditions. A central role is played by the vibrational exchanges of energy, so that collisional processes involving vibrationally excited molecules assume a particular importance. In the present paper, theoretical calculations of complete sets of vibrationally state-resolved cross sections and rate coefficients are reviewed, focusing on the relevant classes of collisional processes: resonant and non-resonant electron-impact excitation of molecules, atom-diatom and molecule-molecule collisions as well as gas-surface interaction. In particular, collisional processes involving atomic and molecular species, relevant to Earth (N2, O2, NO), Mars (CO2, CO, N2) and Jupiter (H2, He) atmospheres are considered.

Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments

DOE PAGES

Rosenberg, M.  J.; Li, C.  K.; Fox, W.; ...

2015-05-20

An evolution of magnetic reconnection behavior, from fast jets to the slowing of reconnection and the establishment of a stable current sheet, has been observed in strongly-driven, β ≲ 20 laser-produced plasma experiments. This process has been inferred to occur alongside a slowing of plasma inflows carrying the oppositely-directed magnetic fields as well as the evolution of plasma conditions from collisionless to collisional. High-resolution proton radiography has revealed unprecedented detail of the forced interaction of magnetic fields and super-Alfvénic electron jets (V jet~ 20V A) ejected from the reconnection region, indicating that two-fluid or collisionless magnetic reconnection occurs early inmore » time. The absence of jets and the persistence of strong, stable magnetic fields at late times indicates that the reconnection process slows down, while plasma flows stagnate and plasma conditions evolve to a cooler, denser, more collisional state. These results demonstrate that powerful initial plasma flows are not sufficient to force a complete reconnection of magnetic fields, even in the strongly-driven regime.« less

Study of the effect of collisionality and cooling on the interactions of counter-streaming plasma flows as a function of wire material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Gilbert; Valenzuela, Julio; Aybar, Nicholas; Conti, Fabio; Beg, Farhat

2017-10-01

We report on the effects wire material on collisionality and radiative cooling on the interactions of counter-streaming plasma jets produced by conical wire arrays on the 200 kA GenASIS driver. In these interactions, mean free path (λmfp) scales with jet velocity (vjet4),atomic mass (A2), and ionization (Z*-4), while cooling scales with atomic mass. By changing the material of the jets one can create slowly cooling, weakly collisional regimes using C, Al, or Cu, or strongly cooled, effectively collisionless plasmas using Mo or W. The former produced smooth shocks soon after the jets collide (near the peak current of 150 ns) that grew in size over time. Interactions of the latter produced multiple structures of a different shape, at a later time ( 300 ns) that dissipated rapidly compared to the lower Z materials. We will report on the scaleability of these different materials to astrophysical phenomena. This work was partially supported by the Department of Energy Grant Number DE-SC0014493.

Fine-structure-resolution for Rovibrational Excitation of CN Due to H2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrd, Nat; Yang, Benhui H.; Stancil, Phillip C.

2018-06-01

Diatomic molecules can be readily excited in interstellar environments exposed to intense UV radiation, such as the inner rim of a protoplanetary disk. Non-thermal populations of excited rovibrational levels can result, for example, following decay from electronically excited states to the electronic ground state. Competition between radiative decay and collisional processes, mostly due to H2, determine the resulting rovibrational emission spectrum. For CN, and other open-shell molecules, the resulting spectrum will be complicated due to fine-structure splitting of the rotational levels. In some cases, fine-structure resolution has been previously computed for rotational transitions in atom- or diatom-diatom collisional processes. Here we present the first fine-structure resolution for vibrational deexcitation for CN colliding with H2. The collisional cross sections were computed using a 6D potential energy surface with a full close-coupling approach. Fine-structure resolution is obtained by adopting an angular momentum recoupling scheme to transform the scattering matrices to a recoupled basis. Here we present low-energy calculations for the v=1 to 0 transition.This work was supported by NASA Grant NNX16AF09G.

Collisional effects on the numerical recurrence in Vlasov-Poisson simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pezzi, Oreste; Valentini, Francesco; Camporeale, Enrico

The initial state recurrence in numerical simulations of the Vlasov-Poisson system is a well-known phenomenon. Here, we study the effect on recurrence of artificial collisions modeled through the Lenard-Bernstein operator [A. Lenard and I. B. Bernstein, Phys. Rev. 112, 1456–1459 (1958)]. By decomposing the linear Vlasov-Poisson system in the Fourier-Hermite space, the recurrence problem is investigated in the linear regime of the damping of a Langmuir wave and of the onset of the bump-on-tail instability. The analysis is then confirmed and extended to the nonlinear regime through an Eulerian collisional Vlasov-Poisson code. It is found that, despite being routinely used,more » an artificial collisionality is not a viable way of preventing recurrence in numerical simulations without compromising the kinetic nature of the solution. Moreover, it is shown how numerical effects associated to the generation of fine velocity scales can modify the physical features of the system evolution even in nonlinear regime. This means that filamentation-like phenomena, usually associated with low amplitude fluctuations contexts, can play a role even in nonlinear regime.« less