Engineering topics

Phillips, Daniel R.

Publications and source records attributed to Phillips, Daniel R..

9 records

DOE OSTI2023

Final-state interactions and spin structure in E 1 breakup of Li 11 in halo effective field theory

In this work, we calculate the E1 breakup of the 2n halo nucleus 11 Li in halo effective field theory (Halo EFT) at leading order. In Halo EFT, 11 Li is treated as a three-body system of a 9 Li core and two neutrons. We present a detailed investigation of final-state interactions (FSIs) in the neutron-neutron (nn) and neutron-core (nc) channels. We employ Møller operators to formulate an expansion scheme that satisfies the non-energy-weighted cluster sum rule and successively includes higher-order terms in the multiple-scattering series for the FSI. Computing the E1 strength up to third order in this scheme, we observe apparent convergence and good agreement with experiment. The neutron-neutron FSI is by far the most important contribution and largely determines the maximum value of the E1 distribution. However, inclusion of nc FSI does shift the peak position to slightly lower energies. Moreover, we investigate the sensitivity of the E1 response to the spin structure of the neutron- 9 Li interaction. We contrast results for an interaction that is the same in the spin-1 and spin-2 channels with one that is only operative in the spin-2 channel, and find that good agreement with experimental data is only obtained if the interaction is present in both spin channels. The latter case is shown to be equivalent to a calculation in which the spin of 9 Li is neglected.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Towards precise and accurate calculations of neutrinoless double-beta decay

We present the results of a National Science Foundation Project Scoping Workshop, the purpose of which was to assess the current status of calculations for the nuclear matrix elements governing neutrinoless double-beta decay and determine if more work on them is required. After reviewing important recent progress in the application of effective field theory, lattice quantum chromodynamics, and ab initio nuclear-structure theory to double-beta decay, we discuss the state of the art in nuclear-physics uncertainty quantification and then construct a roadmap for work in all these areas to fully complement the increasingly sensitive experiments in operation and under development. The roadmap includes specific projects in theoretical and computational physics as well as the use of Bayesian methods to quantify both intra- and inter-model uncertainties. Here, the goal of this ambitious program is a set of accurate and precise matrix elements, in all nuclei of interest to experimentalists, delivered together with carefully assessed uncertainties. Such calculations will allow crisp conclusions from the observation or non-observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay, no matter what new physics is at play.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Nuclear Forces for Precision Nuclear Physics: A Collection of Perspectives

This is a collection of perspective pieces contributed by the participants of the Institute for Nuclear Theory’s Program on Nuclear Physics for Precision Nuclear Physics which was held virtually from April 19 to May 7, 2021. The collection represents the reflections of a vibrant and engaged community of researchers on the status of theoretical research in low-energy nuclear physics, the challenges ahead, and new ideas and strategies to make progress in nuclear structure and reaction physics, effective field theory, lattice QCD, quantum information, and quantum computing. Please note the contributed pieces solely reflect the perspectives of the respective authors and do not represent the viewpoints of the Institute for Nuclear theory or the organizers of the program.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Performing Bayesian Analyses With AZURE2 Using BRICK: An Application to the 7 Be System

Phenomenological R-matrix has been a standard framework for the evaluation of resolved resonance cross section data in nuclear physics for many years. It is a powerful method for comparing different types of experimental nuclear data and combining the results of many different experimental measurements in order to gain a better estimation of the true underlying cross sections. Yet a practical challenge has always been the estimation of the uncertainty on both the cross sections at the energies of interest and the fit parameters, which can take the form of standard level parameters. Frequentist (χ 2 -based) estimation has been the norm. In this work, a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler, emcee, has been implemented for the R-matrix code AZURE2, creating the Bayesian R-matrix Inference Code Kit (BRICK). Bayesian uncertainty estimation has then been carried out for a simultaneous R-matrix fit of the 3 He (α,γ) 7 Be and 3 He (α,α) 3 He reactions in order to gain further insight into the fitting of capture and scattering data. Both data sets constrain the values of the bound state α-particle asymptotic normalization coefficients in 7 Be. The analysis highlights the need for low-energy scattering data with well-documented uncertainty information and shows how misleading results can be obtained in its absence.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Effective field theory analysis of 3 He–α scattering data

We treat low-energy 3 He–α elastic scattering in an effective field theory (EFT) that exploits the separation of scales in this reaction. We compute the amplitude up to next-to-next-to-leading order, developing a hierarchy of the effective-range parameters (ERPs) that contribute at various orders. We use the resulting formalism to analyse data for recent measurements at center-of-mass energies of 0.38–3.12 MeV using the scattering of nuclei in inverse kinematics (SONIK) gas target at TRIUMF as well as older data in this energy regime. We employ a likelihood function that incorporates the theoretical uncertainty due to truncation of the EFT and use Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling to obtain the resulting posterior probability distribution. We find that the inclusion of a small amount of data on the analysing power A y is crucial to determine the sign of the p-wave splitting in such an analysis. Here, the combination of A y and SONIK data constrains all ERPs up to O(p 4 ) in both s- and p-waves quite well. The asymptotic normalisation coefficients and s-wave scattering length are consistent with a recent EFT analysis of the capture reaction 3 He(α, γ) 7 Be.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

What Hath Weinberg Wrought? Reflections on What Weinberg’s Papers on ‘Nuclear Forces from Chiral Lagrangians’ did and did not Accomplish

Here, I discuss selected legacies of Weinberg's application of chiral Lagrangians to nuclear physics: (1) the use of the chiral expansion to organize the interaction of pions and photons with a nucleus; (2) the much-debated question of why and how the potential derived from a chiral Lagrangian should be inserted in the Schrodinger equation; (3) the emergence of "pionless EFT" as a tool for diagnosing universal correlations that are present in quantum few-body systems of very different sizes, and, perhaps most important of all, (4) an epistemological shift in what is expected of a nuclear-physics calculation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

How Bayesian methods can improve R -matrix analyses of data: The example of the d t reaction

The 3 H(d, n) 4 He reaction is of significant interest in nuclear astrophysics and nuclear applications. It is an important, early step in big-bang nucleosynthesis and a key process in nuclear fusion reactors. We use one- and two-level R-matrix approximations to analyze data on the cross section for this reaction at center-of-mass energies below 215 keV. We critically examine the data sets using a Bayesian statistical model that allows for both common-mode and additional point-to-point un- certainties. We use Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling to evaluate this R-matrix-plus-statistical model and find two-level R-matrix results that are stable with respect to variations in the channel radii. The S factor at 40 keV evaluates to 25.36(19) MeV b (68% credibility interval). We discuss our Bayesian analysis in detail and provide guidance for future applications of Bayesian methods to R-matrix analyses. We also discuss possible paths to further reduction of the S-factor uncertainty.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

International Workshop on Next Generation Gamma-Ray Source

A workshop on The Next Generation Gamma-Ray Sources , sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Physics at the Department of Energy, was held November 17--19, 2016 in Bethesda, Maryland. The goals of the workshop were to identify basic and applied research opportunities at the frontiers of nuclear physics that would be made possible by the beam capabilities of an advanced laser Compton beam facility. To anchor the scientific vision to realistically achievable beam specifications using proven technologies, the workshop brought together experts in the fields of electron accelerators, lasers, and optics to examine the technical options for achieving the beam specifications required by the most compelling parts of the proposed research programs. An international assembly of participants included current and prospective $\gamma$-ray beam users, accelerator and light-source physicists, and federal agency program managers. Sessions were organized to foster interactions between the beam users and facility developers, allowing for information sharing and mutual feedback between the two groups. The workshop findings and recommendations are summarized in this report.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Neutron-neutron scattering length from the 6 He(p,pα)nn reaction

We propose a novel method to measure the neutron-neutron scattering length using the 6 He(p,pα)nn reaction in inverse kinematics at high energies. The method is based on the final-state interaction (FSI) between the neutrons after the sudden knockout of the α particle. We show that the details of the neutron-neutron relative-energy distribution allow for a precise extraction of the s-wave scattering length. Here, we present the state of the art in regard to the theory of this distribution. The distribution is calculated in two steps. First, we calculate the ground-state wave function of 6 He as a αnn three-body system. For this purpose we use Halo effective field theory, which also provides uncertainty estimates for the results. We compare our results at this stage to model calculations done with the computer code face. In a second step we determine the effects of the nn FSI using the nn t-matrix. We compare these FSI results to approximate FSI approaches based on standard FSI enhancement factors. While the final distribution is sensitive to the nn scattering length, it depends only weakly on the effective range. Throughout we emphasize the impact of theoretical uncertainties on the neutron-neutron relative-energy distribution, and discuss the extent to which those uncertainties limit the extraction of the neutron-neutron scattering length from the reaction 6 He(p,pα)nn.

6 ≤ A ≤ 19↗