Engineering topics

Liang, Edison

Publications and source records attributed to Liang, Edison.

13 records

DOE OSTI2021

Dense Pair and Gamma-Ray Creation Using Ultra-Intense Lasers (Final Technical Report)

Lasers with intensity >1.4x10 18 W.cm -2 irradiating solid targets couple 10-50% of its energy to “hot electrons” near the critical surface, with temperature kT > mc 2 . When these hot electrons impact high-Z target ions (e.g. Au, Pt), they emit copious bremsstrahlung gamma-rays and create e + e - pairs via the Trident process. For targets thicker than ~0.1mm, the gamma-rays create secondary pairs via the Bethe-Heitler processes. The concept of using lasers to create pairs was first studied by Shearer et al (1973). Motivated by the rapid advance of short-pulse ultra-intense lasers based on chirped-pulse amplification, Liang (1994) first proposed irradiating solid Au targets with laser intensity ≥10 20 W.cm -2 to create dense e + e - pairs. Using particle-in-cell (PIC, Birdsall and Langdon, 1991) simulations, Liang et al (1998, 2002) estimated that high-energy PW lasers can in principle achieve ultra-high in-situ pair densities. Subsequent studies supported this idea and found that for gold foils thicker than ~50 μm, the pair yield is dominated by the Bethe-Heitler (BH, Heitler 1954) process. Cowan et al (1999, 2000) using the LLNL Nova PW-laser to irradiate 125μm gold foils first observed pair creation, followed by Chen et al (2009) who demonstrated copious BH pair creation using the Titan, Omega-EP and Orion lasers. However, the emerging e + /e - ratio of these experiments was ≤ few %, and the pair density was only 10 13 /cc so that the pair jet transverse size R(~mm) was < pair skin depth c/ω + (=8πn+e 2 /m) 1/2 ). This was insufficient to qualify as a bona fide ”pair plasma”.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Relativistic Shear Boundary Layer and the Gamma-Ray Emission of GW170817

We present an analysis of the radiation characteristics of kinetic shear boundary layers created by relativistic plasma jets. Using a model of electromagnetic field data based on particle-in-cell simulations of an electron–ion plasma, we solve the motion of individual test electrons and compute their instantaneous radiated power and peak frequency. By analyzing a large number of test electrons in this manner, we find two distinct electron populations present around the shear boundary layer. The most highly radiative electrons execute looping motion due to crossed electric and magnetic fields as they are accelerated along the bulk flow of the jet, and eventually cross the shear boundary interface at steep angles. Electrons that never cross the shear boundary interface radiate much less energy as a group. Summing over all of the highly radiative electrons, we compute the distribution of the total radiated energy as a function of the angle relative to the bulk flow. Furthermore, this result has important potential implications for the observed radiation output of short gamma-ray bursts viewed at large angles from the jet axis, such as the neutron star merger event GW170817/GRB 170817A.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Time-step dependent force interpolation scheme for suppressing numerical Cherenkov instability in relativistic particle-in-cell simulations

The WT scheme, a piecewise polynomial force interpolation scheme with time-step dependency, is proposed in this paper for relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The WT scheme removes the lowest order numerical Cherenkov instability (NCI) growth rate for arbitrary time steps allowed by the Courant condition. While NCI from higher order resonances is still present, the numerical tests show that for smaller time steps, the numerical instability grows much slower than using the optimal time step found in previous studies. The WT scheme is efficient for improving the quality and flexibility of relativistic PIC simulations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Modeling hydrodynamics, magnetic fields, and synthetic radiographs for high-energy-density plasma flows in shock-shear targets

Three-dimensional FLASH radiation-magnetohydrodynamics (radiation-MHD) modeling is carried out to study the hydrodynamics and magnetic fields in the shock-shear derived platform. Here, simulations indicate that fields of tens of Tesla can be generated via the Biermann battery effect due to vortices and mix in the counterpropagating shock-induced shear layer. Synthetic proton radiography simulations using MPRAD and synthetic X-ray image simulations using SPECT3D are carried out to predict the observable features in the diagnostics. Quantifying the effects of magnetic fields in inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density plasmas represents frontier research that has far-reaching implications in basic and applied sciences.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Numerical simulation of magnetized jet creation using a hollow ring of laser beams

Three dimensional FLASH magneto-hydrodynamic modeling is carried out to interpret the OMEGA laser experiments of strongly magnetized, highly collimated jets driven by a ring of 20 OMEGA beams. The predicted optical Thomson scattering spectra and proton images are in good agreement with a subset of the experimental data. Here, magnetic fields generated via the Biermann battery term are amplified at the boundary between the core and the surrounding of the jet. The simulation predicts multiple axially aligned magnetic flux ropes with an alternating poloidal component. Future applications of the hollow ring configuration in laboratory astrophysics are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2017

Relativistic Shear Flow between Electron–Ion and Electron–Positron Plasmas and Astrophysical Applications

We present particle-in-cell simulation results of relativistic shear boundary layers between electron–ion and electron–positron plasmas and discuss their potential applications to astrophysics. Specifically, we find that in the case of a fast electron–positron spine surrounded by a slow-moving or stationary electron–ion sheath, lepton acceleration proceeds in a highly anisotropic manner due to electromagnetic fields created at the shear interface. While the highest-energy leptons still produce a beaming pattern (as seen in the quasi-stationary frame of the sheath) of order 1/Γ, where Γ is the bulk Lorentz factor of the spine, for lower-energy particles, the beaming is much less pronounced. This is in stark contrast to the case of pure electron–ion shear layers, in which anisotropic particle acceleration leads to significantly narrower beaming patterns than 1/Γ for the highest-energy particles. In either case, shear-layer acceleration is expected to produce strongly angle-dependent lepton (hence, emanating radiation) spectra, with a significantly harder spectrum in the forward direction than viewed from larger off-axis angles, much beyond the regular Doppler boosting effect from a co-moving isotropic lepton distribution. This may solve the problem of the need for high (and apparently arbitrarily chosen) minimum Lorentz factors of radiating electrons, often plaguing current blazar and GRB jet modeling efforts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2014

EFFECTS OF DUST FEEDBACK ON VORTICES IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

We carried out two-dimensional, high-resolution simulations to study the effect of dust feedback on the evolution of vortices induced by massive planets in protoplanetary disks. Various initial dust to gas disk surface density ratios (0.001-0.01) and dust particle sizes (Stokes number 4 × 10{sup –4}-0.16) are considered. We found that while dust particles migrate inward, vortices are very effective at collecting them. When dust density becomes comparable to gas density within the vortex, a dynamical instability is excited and it alters the coherent vorticity pattern and destroys the vortex. This dust feedback effect is stronger with a higher initial dust/gas density ratio and larger dust grain. Consequently, we found that the disk vortex lifetime can be reduced up to a factor of 10. We discuss the implications of our findings on the survivability of vortices in protoplanetary disks and planet formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

RELATIVISTIC POSITRON-ELECTRON-ION SHEAR FLOWS AND APPLICATION TO GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

We present particle-in-cell simulation results of relativistic shear flows for hybrid positron-electron-ion plasmas and compare to those for pure e {sup +} e {sup –} and pure e {sup –} ion plasmas. Among the three types of relativistic shear flows, we find that only hybrid shear flow is able to energize the electrons to form a high-energy spectral peak plus a hard power law tail. Such electron spectra are needed to model the observational properties of gamma-ray bursts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

Final Report for DOE Grant Number DE-SC0001481

This report covers research activities, major results and publications supported by DE-SC-000-1481. This project was funded by the DOE OFES-NNSA HEDLP program. It was a joint research program between Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin. The physics of relativistic plasmas was investigated in the context of ultra-intense laser irradiation of high-Z solid targets. Laser experiments using the Texas Petawatt Laser were performed in the summers of 2011, 2012 and 2013. Numerical simulations of laser-plasma interactions were performed using Monte Carlo and Particle-in-Cell codes to design and support these experiments. Astrophysical applications of these results were also investigated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2013

MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATION AND PARTICLE ENERGIZATION AT RELATIVISTIC SHEAR BOUNDARIES IN COLLISIONLESS ELECTRON-POSITRON PLASMAS

Using particle-in-cell simulations, we study the kinetic physics of relativistic shear flow in collisionless electron-positron (e+e-) plasmas. We find efficient magnetic field generation and particle energization at the shear boundary, driven by streaming instabilities across the shear interface and sustained by the shear flow. Nonthermal, anisotropic high-energy particles are accelerated across field lines to produce a power-law tail turning over just below the shear Lorentz factor. These results have important implications for the dissipation and radiation of jets in blazars and gamma-ray bursts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

Collisionless Shocks Experiments Using NIF

The goal of this project is to explore the feasibility of using NIF to create laboratory platforms to study relativistic and non-relativistic collisionless shocks in the laboratory, and to study the scalability and relevance of such laboratory experiments to astrophysical shocks. This is a very broad topic. During the past 12 months, we made major advances in at least one area: development of a capable, flexible, robust platform for the study of nonrelativistic collisionless shocks using NIF. Hence this report will focus on these results. Study of viable platforms for relativistic collisionless shocks is ongoing. Some preliminary concepts will be discussed here in this Report.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1992

Gamma-ray bursts and neutron star field decay

Assuming a Galactic origin of gamma-ray bursts, we use pulsar data to calculate the spatial distribution of neutron stars and determine the sampling depths of current detectors. Based on these distance limits, we calculate the corresponding age distribution of Galactic neutron stars and apply an exponential field decay model to test whether the observed high incidence rate of cyclotron lines is consistent with suggested field decay time scales of order 10 exp 7 years. We find that the properties of the observed population of gamma-ray bursts are inconsistent with the idea that bursts originate at arbitrary times on neutron stars whose fields decay on time scales shorter than about 10 exp 9 years. Possible interpretations of this inconsistency are discussed.

Hartmann, Dieter↗

NASA NTRS1987

Physics issues of gamma ray burst emissions

The critical physics issues in the interpretation of gamma-ray-burst spectra are reviewed. An attempt is made to define the emission-region parameter space satisfying the maximum number of observational and theoretical constraints. Also discussed are the physical mechanisms responsible for the bursts that are most consistent with the above parameter space.

Liang, Edison↗