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

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At least 1,801 records · Page 100

A precise electron EDM constraint on CP-odd heavy-quark Yukawas

CP-odd Higgs couplings to bottom and charm quarks arise in many extensions of the standard model and are of potential interest for electroweak baryogenesis. These couplings induce a contribution to the electron EDM. The experimental limit on the latter then leads to a strong bound on the CP-odd Higgs couplings. We point out that this bound receives large QCD corrections, even though it arises from a leptonic observable. We calculate the contribution of CP-odd Higgs couplings to the bottom and charm quarks in renormalisation-group improved perturbation theory at next-to-leading order in the strong interaction, thereby reducing the uncertainty to a few percent.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

A note on the analytic structure of celestial amplitudes

Celestial amplitudes, obtained by applying Mellin transform and analytic continuation on “ordinary” amplitudes, have interesting properties which may provide useful insights on the underlying theory. Their analytic structures are thus of great interest and need to be better understood. In this paper, we critically examine the analytic structure of celestial amplitudes in a massless low-energy effective field theory. We find that, fixed-order loop contributions, which generate multipoles on the negative β-plane, in general do not provide an accurate description of the analytic structure of celestial amplitudes. By resumming over the leading logarithmic contributions using renormalization group equations (RGEs), we observe much richer analytic structures, which generally contain branch cuts. It is also possible to generate multipoles or shifted single poles if the RGEs satisfy certain relations. Including sub-leading logarithmic contributions is expected to introduce additional corrections to the picture. However, without a new approach, it is difficult to make a general statement since the analytic form of the Mellin transform is challenging to obtain.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Electrical switching of a p-wave magnet

Magnetic states with zero magnetization but non-relativistic spin splitting are outstanding candidates for the next generation of spintronic devices. Their electronvolt (eV)-scale spin splitting, ultrafast spin dynamics and nearly vanishing stray fields make them particularly promising for several applications. A variety of such magnetic states with non-trivial spin textures have been identified recently, including even-parity d-wave, g-wave or i-wave altermagnets and odd-parity p-wave magnets. Achieving voltage-based control of the non-uniform spin polarization of these magnetic states is of great interest for realizing energy-efficient and compact devices for information storage and processing. Spin-spiral type II multiferroics are optimal candidates for such voltage-based control, as they exhibit an inversion-symmetry-breaking magnetic order that directly induces ferroelectric polarization, allowing for symmetry-protected cross-control between spin chirality and polar order. Here we combine photocurrent measurements, first-principles calculations and group-theory analysis to provide direct evidence that the spin polarization of the spin-spiral type II multiferroic NiI 2 exhibits odd-parity character connected to the spiral chirality. The symmetry-protected coupling between chirality and polar order enables electrical control of a primarily non-relativistic spin polarization. Our findings represent an observation of p-wave magnetism in a spin-spiral type II multiferroic, which may lead to the development of voltage-based switching of non-relativistic spin polarization in compensated magnets.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Micro structural studies of PVA doped with metal oxide nanocomposites films

Nanostructured PVA polymer composites are of rapidly growing interest because of their sized-coupled properties. The present article deals with both ZnO and WO{sub 3} embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix using a solvent casting method. These films were characterized using FTIR, XRD, and SEM techniques. The FTIR spectra of the doped PVA shows shift in the bands, which can be understood on the basis of intra/inter molecular hydrogen bonding with the adjacent OH group of PVA. The phase homogeneity and morphology of the polymer composites have been analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystal structure and crystallinity of polymer nanocomposites were studied by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD). Thus due to the interaction of dopant and complex formation, the structural repositioning takes place and crystallinity of the nanocomposites decreases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Trimeric Structure of (+)-Pinoresinol-forming Dirigent Protein at 1.95 Å Resolution with Three Isolated Active Sites

Control over phenoxy radical-radical coupling reactions in vivo in vascular plants was enigmatic until our discovery of dirigent proteins (DPs, from the Latin dirigere, to guide or align). The first three-dimensional structure of a DP ((+)-pinoresinol-forming DP, 1.95 Å resolution, rhombohedral space group H32)) is reported herein. It has a tightly packed trimeric structure with an eight-stranded β-barrel topology for each DP monomer. Each putative substrate binding and orientation coupling site is located on the trimer surface but too far apart for intermolecular coupling between sites. It is proposed that each site enables stereoselective coupling (using either two coniferyl alcohol radicals or a radical and a monolignol). Interestingly, there are six differentially conserved residues in DPs affording either the (+)- or (₋)-antipodes in the vicinity of the putative binding site and region known to control stereoselectivity. We find DPs are involved in lignan biosynthesis, whereas dirigent domains/sites have been implicated in lignin deposition.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

CERESMIP: a climate modeling protocol to investigate recent trends in the Earth's Energy Imbalance

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project has now produced over two decades of observed data on the Earth's Energy Imbalance (EEI) and has revealed substantive trends in both the reflected shortwave and outgoing longwave top-of-atmosphere radiation components. Available climate model simulations suggest that these trends are incompatible with purely internal variability, but that the full magnitude and breakdown of the trends are outside of the model ranges. Unfortunately, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (Phase 6) (CMIP6) protocol only uses observed forcings to 2014 (and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) projections thereafter), and furthermore, many of the ‘observed' drivers have been updated substantially since the CMIP6 inputs were defined. Most notably, the sea surface temperature (SST) estimates have been revised and now show up to 50% greater trends since 1979, particularly in the southern hemisphere. Additionally, estimates of short-lived aerosol and gas-phase emissions have been substantially updated. These revisions will likely have material impacts on the model-simulated EEI. We therefore propose a new, relatively low-cost, model intercomparison, CERESMIP, that would target the CERES period (2000-present), with updated forcings to at least the end of 2021. The focus will be on atmosphere-only simulations, using updated SST, forcings and emissions from 1990 to 2021. The key metrics of interest will be the EEI and atmospheric feedbacks, and so the analysis will benefit from output from satellite cloud observation simulators. The Tier 1 request would consist only of an ensemble of AMIP-style simulations, while the Tier 2 request would encompass uncertainties in the applied forcing, atmospheric composition, single and all-but-one forcing responses. We present some preliminary results and invite participation from a wide group of models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Spectrometer integrated with a facsimile camera

This invention integrates a spectrometer capability with the basic imagery function of facsimile cameras without significantly increasing mechanical or optical complexity, or interfering with the imaging function. The invention consists of a group of photodetectors arranged in a linear array in the focal plane of the facsimile camera with a separate narrow band interference filter centered over each photodetector. The interference filter photodetector array is on a line in the focal plane of the facsimile camera along the direction of image motion due to the rotation of the facsimile camera's vertical mirror. As the image of the picture element of interest travels down the interference filter photodetector array, the photodetector outputs are synchronously selected and sampled to provide spectral information on the single picture element.

Burcher, E. E.↗

Technology transfer. Determining industry needs: A guide for communities

This Guide was developed in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and the following States: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia. The economic welfare of individual communities is currently a matter of considerable interest. Concern for the position of US industry in the competitive world marketplace is a matter of growing concern as well. This 'guide' describes a process whereby communities may seize the opportunity to improve their own economic destiny. The method described involves linking the technology needs of existing industries to the technologies which are available from Federal Laboratories. Community technology transfer is an 'action possibility' which allows individual citizen groups to do something tangible to improve the economic climate of the places where they live and work. The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama is pledged to promote and encourage such efforts, and stands ready to help communities both large and small in that regard.

Source record↗

Atmospheric Dynamics of Venus: Scales Large and Small

Over the past 30 years, Gerald Schubert has made significant contributions to the understanding of Venus atmospheric dynamics. His research of Venus' atmosphere spans spatial scales both large and small, including: Venus westward atmospheric superrotation, Planetary scale waves and the global "Y" ultraviolet feature, Wind streaks and the global circulation of the lower atmosphere, Mesoscale convection in the clouds of Venus, Vertical propagation of small-scale internal gravity waves, and Interaction between small-scale dynamics and the large-scale mean flow. Furthermore, his role as Principal Investigator of the Pioneer Venus Working Group on Structure and Circulation in the late 1970's and early 1980's was instrumental in the advancement of our understanding of Venus' atmosphere. The Pioneer Venus work serves as the cornerstone of our view of Venus atmospheric dynamics today. This paper will review Jerry's extensive research on Venus' atmosphere. In addition, recent results on convectively generated internal gravity waves will be presented that combine his lifelong, interest in both large-scale and small-scale dynamics. It will be shown that small-scale internal gravity waves generated by convection within the clouds of Venus decelerate the westward superrotation below the clouds. Thus, mechanisms that support the Venus westward superrotation must overcome the influence of small-scale dynamics in the lower atmosphere.

Baker, R. David↗

Syntheses of Octasubstituted Metal Phthalocyanines for Nonlinear Optics

Many organic materials can be used as nonlinear optical media. Phthalocyanines are of special interest because they show an unusually large third order nonlinear response, they are thermally and photochemically stable and they can be formed into oriented thin films (Langmuir-Blodgett films). They also can be easily complexed by a large variety of metals, which place them at the interface between organics and organometallics, and allows for fine tuning of the macro cycle electronic properties by the coordinated metal and substituent groups. A series of 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octaalkoxy metal-free and metal phthalocyanines and 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octaalkoxy metal phthalocyanines has been synthesized. Their nonlinear optical properties have been measured. The physical properties of all the phthalocyanines synthesized in this work are subject to both acid and solvent effects.

Guo, Huaisong↗

Human Missions to Europa and Titan - Why Not?

This report describes a long-term development plan to enable human exploration of the outer solar system, with a focus on Europa and Titan. These are two of the most interesting moons of Jupiter and Saturn, respectively, because they are the places in the solar system with the greatest potential for harboring extraterrestrial life. Since human expeditions to these worlds are considered impossible with current capabilities, the proposal of a well-organized sequence of steps towards making this a reality was formulated. The proposed Development Plan, entitled Theseus, is the outcome of a recent multinational study by a group of students in the framework of the Master of Space Studies (MSS) 2004 course at the International Space University (ISU). The Theseus Program includes the necessary development strategies in key scientific and technological areas that are essential for identifying the requirements for the exploration of the outer planetary moons. Some of the topics that are analysed throughout the plan include: scientific observations at Europa and Titan, advanced propulsion and nuclear power systems, in-situ resource utilization, radiation mitigation techniques, closed life support systems, habitation for long-term spaceflight, and artificial gravity. In addition to the scientific and technological aspects of the Theseus Program, it was recognized that before any research and development work may begin, some level of program management must be established. Within this chapter, legal issues, national and international policy, motivation, organization and management, economic considerations, outreach, education, ethics, and social implications are all considered with respect to four possible future scenarios which enable human missions to the outer solar system. The final chapter of the report builds upon the foundations set by Theseus through a case study. This study illustrates how such accomplishments could influence a mission to Europa to search for evidence of life in its subsurface oceans. The future remains unpredictable, as does the realization of any of these possibilities. However, projects such as this remind us that the final frontier for humans is truly outer space, and only our imagination will determine where the frontier stops. We can dream of visiting other planetary systems and perhaps even galaxies, but we must begin closer, and considering the scope of our known universe, Europa and Titan are very close indeed.

FROM↗

Workshop III: Future Directions for Thin Films Workshop at SPRAT XIX

The SPRAT conference series at NASA Glenn Research Center has devoted a workshop to the topic of thin-film solar cell technology and potential aerospace applications. With the advent of aerospace applications requiring very-high, mass, specific power, there has been a renewed interest in thin film materials and solar cells. Aerospace applications such as station-keeping for high-altitude airships, space solar power, lunar and planetary surface power, and solar electric propulsion would be enhanced or enabled by the development of flexible, very-high, mass specific power thin film arrays. To initiate discussion, a series of questions were asked of the attendees. These questions, three generated by the group, and the attendees comments follow.

Dickman, John E.↗

CERESMIP: A Climate Modeling Protocol to Investigate Recent Trends in the Earth's Energy Imbalance

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project has now produced over two decades of observed data on the Earth's Energy Imbalance (EEI) and has revealed substantive trends in both the reflected shortwave and outgoing longwave top-of-atmosphere radiation components. Available climate model simulations suggest that these trends are incompatible with purely internal variability, but that the full magnitude and breakdown of the trends are outside of the model ranges. Unfortunately, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (Phase 6) (CMIP6) protocol only uses observed forcings to 2014 (and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) projections thereafter), and furthermore, many of the ‘observed' drivers have been updated substantially since the CMIP6 inputs were defined. Most notably, the sea surface temperature (SST) estimates have been revised and now show up to 50% greater trends since 1979, particularly in the southern hemisphere. Additionally, estimates of short-lived aerosol and gas-phase emissions have been substantially updated. These revisions will likely have material impacts on the model-simulated EEI. We therefore propose a new, relatively low-cost, model intercomparison, CERESMIP, that would target the CERES period (2000-present), with updated forcings to at least the end of 2021. The focus will be on atmosphere-only simulations, using updated SST, forcings and emissions from 1990 to 2021. The key metrics of interest will be the EEI and atmospheric feedbacks, and so the analysis will benefit from output from satellite cloud observation simulators. The Tier 1 request would consist only of an ensemble of AMIP-style simulations, while the Tier 2 request would encompass uncertainties in the applied forcing, atmospheric composition, single and all-but-one forcing responses. We present some preliminary results and invite participation from a wide group of models.

CMIP6↗

INSEN 2023 Yearly Updates

The International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) is the primary international network for nuclear security educational initiatives. INSEN plays a central role in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among nuclear security education experts worldwide. In the wake of the global pandemic, INSEN remained committed to strengthening nuclear security education and resumed in-person activities. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed its continued dedication and support to the network’s mission and presented new activities aimed at elevating global nuclear security efforts. Throughout the year and during the annual and leadership meetings, working groups showcased their vibrant work and presented innovative ideas, invigorating the attendees’ dedication to their crucial work. Comprehensive presentations by the IAEA during the INSEN annual and leadership meetings highlighted the importance of the network and its continued commitment to promoting nuclear security on a global scale. One notable and encouraging trend was the increase in network membership, signifying a growing commitment to nuclear security worldwide and the continued interest in nuclear security from member states and international organizations. The value of initiatives such as the Women in Nuclear Security Initiative was emphasized at the annual meeting, accenting the need for diverse perspectives and expertise to ensure a secure nuclear landscape.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

WIMP and SIMP dark matter from the spontaneous breaking of a global group

We propose and study a scalar extension of the Standard Model which respects a ℤ{sub 3} symmetry remnant of the spontaneous breaking of a global U(1){sub DM} symmetry. Consequently, this model has a natural dark matter candidate and a Goldstone boson in the physical spectrum. In addition, the Higgs boson properties are changed with respect to the Standard Model due to the mixing with a new particle. We explore regions in the parameter space taking into account bounds from the measured Higgs properties, dark matter direct detection as well as measurements of the effective number of neutrino species before recombination. The dark matter relic density is determined by three classes of processes: the usual self-annihilation, semi-annihilation and purely dark matter 3→2 processes. The latter has been subject of recent interest leading to the so-called ‘Strongly Interacting Massive Particle’ (SIMP) scenario. We show under which conditions our model can lead to a concrete realization of such scenario and study the possibility that the dark matter self-interactions could address the small scale structure problems. In particular, we find that in order for the SIMP scenario to work, the dark matter mass must be in the range 7−115 MeV, with the global symmetry energy breaking scale in the TeV range.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Antibiotics-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis promotes tumor initiation via affecting APC-Th1 development in mice

Gut microbiota is critical for maintaining body immune homeostasis and thus affects tumor growth and therapeutic efficiency. Here, we investigated the link between microbiota and tumorgenesis in a mice model of subcutaneous melanoma cell transplantation, and explored the underlying mechanism. We found disruption of gut microbiota by pretreating mice with antibiotics promote tumor growth and remodeling the immune compartment within the primary tumor. Indeed, gut microbial dysbiosis reduced the infiltrated mature antigen-presenting cells of tumor, together with lower levels of co-stimulators, such as CD80, CD86 and MHCII, as well as defective Th1 cytokines, including IFNγ, TNFα, IL12p40, and IL12p35. Meantime, splenic APCs displayed blunted ability in triggering T cell proliferation and IFNγ secretion. However, oral administration of LPS restored the immune surveillance effects and thus inhibited tumor growth in the antibiotics induced gut microbiota dysbiosis group. Taken together, these data highly supported that antibiotics induced gut microbiota dysbiosis promotes tumor initiation, while LPS supplementation would restore the effective immune surveillance and repress tumor initiation. - Highlights: • Antibiotics induced gut microbiota dysbiosis promotes tumor initiation in mice. • Gut microbiota disruption compromise APC-Th1 development in tumor. • Orally LPS administration rescues tumor immune surveillance in gut microbiota disrupted mice. • None of the authors have any conflict of interest.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Effects of surface oxide layer on nanocavity formation and silver gettering in hydrogen ion implanted silicon

We have made an investigation of the surface oxide effects on nanocavity formation in hydrogen implanted silicon and the influence of resultant nanocavities on diffusion and gettering of implanted silver atoms. A wafer with a 200-nm SiO{sub 2} surface layer was implanted with 22.5 keV H ions to a dose of 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 17} cm{sup -2}, yielding the concentration peak of implanted H ions at {approx}140 nm below the SiO{sub 2}/Si interface. Subsequently, two sets of Si samples were prepared, depending on whether the oxide layer was etched off before (Group-A) or after (Group-B) post-H-implantation annealing. As evidenced by transmission electron microscopy, Group-A samples exhibited an array of large-sized nanocavities in hexagon-like shape, extending from the surface to the depth {approx}140 nm, whereas a narrow band of sphere-shaped nanocavities of small size was present around 140 nm below the surface in Group-B samples. These Si samples with pre-existing nanocavities were further implanted with Ag ions in the surface region ({approx}40 nm projected range) and post-Ag-implantation annealing was conducted in the temperature range between 600 and 900 Degree-Sign C. Measurements based on Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy revealed much different behaviors for Ag redistribution and defect accumulation in these two sets of samples. Compared to the case for Group-B Si, Group-A Si exhibited a lower concentration of residual defects and a slower kinetics in Ag diffusion as well. We discuss the role of thick surface oxide in point defect generation and recombination, and the consequence on nanocavity formation and defect retention in Si. The properties of nanocavities, e.g., their depth distribution, size, and even shape, are believed to be responsible for the observed disparities between these samples, including an interesting contrast of surface vs. bulk diffusion phenomena for implanted Ag atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Multistability of isolated and hydrogenated Ga–O divacancies in β–Ga 2 O 3

This work systematically explores 19 unique configurations of the close-associate Ga–O divacancies (V Ga V O ) in β–Ga 2 O 3 , including their complexes with H impurities, using hybrid functional calculations. Interestingly, most configurations are found to retain the negative-U behavior of V O , as they exhibit a thermodynamic (–/3–) charge-state transition level energetically located in the upper part of the band gap, where the 3– charge state is associated with the formation of a Ga–Ga dimer. The energy positions of the thermodynamic (–/3–) charge-state transition levels divide the divacancy configurations into three different groups, which can be understood from the three possible Ga–Ga dimerizations resulting from the tetrahedral and octahedral Ga sites. The relative formation energies of the different divacancy configurations, and hence the electrical activity of the divacancies, is found to depend on the Fermi-level position, and the energy barriers for transformation between different divacancy configurations are explored from nudged elastic band calculations. Hydrogenation of the divacancies is found to either passivate their negative-U charge-state transition levels or shift them down in Fermi level position, depending on whether the H resides at V O or forms an O–H bond at V Ga , respectively. Finally, the divacancy is discussed as a potential origin of the so-called E$^{*}_{2}$ center previously observed by deep-level transient spectroscopy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

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