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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Relativistic gas accretion onto supermassive black hole binaries from inspiral through merger

Accreting supermassive black hole binaries are powerful multimessenger sources emitting both gravitational and electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Understanding the accretion dynamics of these systems and predicting their distinctive EM signals is crucial to informing and guiding upcoming efforts aimed at detecting gravitational waves produced by these binaries. To this end, accurate numerical modeling is required to describe both the spacetime and the magnetized gas around the black holes. In this paper, we present two key advances in this field of research. First, we have developed a novel 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) framework that combines multiple numerical codes to simulate the inspiral and merger of supermassive black hole binaries starting from realistic initial data and running all the way through merger. Throughout the evolution, we adopt a simple but functional prescription to account for gas cooling through photon emission. Next, we have applied our new computational method to follow the time evolution of a circular, equal-mass, nonspinning black hole binary for ∼200 orbits, starting from a separation of 20⁢𝑟 𝑔 and reaching the postmerger evolutionary stage of the system. We have shown how mass continues to flow toward the binary even after the binary “decouples” from its surrounding disk, but the accretion rate onto the black holes diminishes. We have identified how the minidisks orbiting each black hole are slowly drained and eventually dissolve as the binary compresses. We confirm previous findings that the system’s luminosity decreases by a factor of a few during inspiral; however, we observe an abrupt increase by ∼50% in this quantity at the time of merger, likely accompanied by an equally abrupt change in spectrum. Lastly, we have demonstrated that during the inspiral, fluid ram pressure regulates the fraction of the magnetic flux transported to the binary that attaches to the black holes’ horizons.

Accretion disk & black-hole plasma↗
DOE OSTI2025

Individual and Simultaneous Imaging of ⁹⁹mTc and ¹⁷⁷Lu With a Preclinical Broad Energy-Spectrum CZT-Based SPECT

Radiopharmaceutical therapy has demonstrated a high efficacy in the treatment of various tumor types. One of the radionuclides already used in the clinic is 177Lu, a beta emitter that also emits several photons imageable with SPECT. Quantitative imaging of 177Lu is critical for developing new radiopharmaceuticals. Energy resolution is an important factor when imaging multiple photon emissions. Solid-state detectors offer a superior performance over scintillators, that are commonly used in commercially-available preclinical SPECT scanners. This study demonstrates the feasibility of 99m Tc and 177Lu quantitative imaging in mouse phantoms, individually and simultaneously, with a SPECT prototype built with four CdZnTe (CZT) detector heads and a custom-designed and energy-optimized parallel-hole tungsten collimator. With a custom implementation of the one-step late (OSL) image reconstruction algorithm, the system is capable of imaging energies from ~70 keV to 250 keV. Above 250 keV, images were significantly affected by septal penetration, consistent with the collimator design. A recovery coefficient within 25% was obtained for activities as low as 2 kBq/mL for 99m Tc and 45% for 177Lu. Compared to a commercial NaI-based preclinical SPECT (VECTor4/CT), our prototype showed a superior energy resolution (< 5% at 140 keV), a similar uniformity with a high-compact design.

Encarnação, Pedro M C C↗
DOE OSTI2021

Bogoliubov quasiparticles in superconducting qubits

Extending the qubit coherence times is a crucial task in building quantum information processing devices. In the three-dimensional cavity implementations of circuit QED, the coherence of superconducting qubits was improved dramatically due to cutting the losses associated with the photon emission. Next frontier in improving the coherence includes the mitigation of the adverse effects of superconducting quasiparticles. In these lectures, we review the basics of the quasiparticles dynamics, their interaction with the qubit degree of freedom, their contribution to the qubit relaxation rates, and approaches to control their effect.

Glazman, Leonid↗
DOE OSTI2023

Theoretical Study of the Single Electron Optical Stochastic Cooling Experiment at the IOTA Facility (Final Technical Report)

The objectives of this proposal were to explore fundamental aspects of radiation from individual and small groups of electrons in the optical stochastic cooling experiment conducted at Fermi National Laboratory's IOTA facility. Professor Swapan Chattopadhyay collaborated directly with the IOTA team on their initial experimental endeavors. Concurrently, a team from Berkeley, including Prof. Wurtele, Dr. Charman, and Dr. Greggory Penn from LBNL, and Prof. Chattapadhyay, pursued a theoretical exploration to identify potential subsequent experiments for IOTA. A wide range of possible experiments were considered, but they do not allow for tests for new quantum mechanical phenomena at the precision level of the current IOTA apparatus. However, the experimentally observed optical stochastic cooling of a single electron in IOTA validated the relevance of the classical electromagnetic field nature of the continuous electron-radiation interaction (as opposed to discrete instantaneous photon emissions and associated 'classical particle trajectory jumps') responsible for cooling and pointed towards innovative methods of experimental techniques to measure 'turn-by-turn' field correlations. Such measurements have the promise of bridging the transition from classical fields building up to discrete quantum transitions and enhance proper theoretical understanding.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spin-Controllable Dynamics in Defect-Engineered Carbon Nanotubes as Single Photon Emitters: Data-Driven Modeling and Computations

Quantum technologies, such as quantum computing and sensing, require efficient single-photon emission (SPE) sources that operate at room temperature in telecom wavelengths. While several materials can serve as SPE sources, no single platform meets all the criteria for efficiency, ambient operation, and scalability. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with covalently attached molecules offer a promising solution. Their SPE can be easily tuned via modifications of the SWCNT's diameter, chirality, and bonded molecules, enabling emission across near-IR to telecom wavelengths at ambient conditions. However, to fully realize the potential of SWCNTs and unlock their quantum capabilities, a deeper understanding of how structural defects from molecular adducts affect their emission and competing photoexcited processes is essential. To address this gap in our knowledge, this project combined quantum chemistry calculations with data-driven methods of cheminformatics (QSAR) and machine learning (ML). The developed computational approaches have provided several design strategies for covalent functionalization of SWCNTs to improve their optical response. The collaboration with Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) enabled direct comparison of computational and experimental data, facilitating method validation. This partnership was enhanced through access to LANL's Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) utilizing User Facility Program and summer internships, which provided three NDSU graduate students with hands-on experience at LANL. The outcomes of this project included (1) Advancing the current stage of computational methods in accurate modeling of non-adiabatic spin-dependent photoexcited dynamics and its applicability to nanosystems consisting of thousands of atoms, realized as open-access codes linked to existing DFT-based software; (2) Establishing the relationship between the structure of adducts and SWCNTs and intrinsic excitonic and spin properties of defect states for guiding novel synthetic strategies and experimental probes of chemically functionalized SWCNTs as near-IR emitting materials; (3) Generating virtual libraries of hypothetical functionalized SWCNTs for virtual screening of their chemical structures and optical properties, leveraging new functionalities of SWCNTs; (4) Offering a unique experience for NDSU graduate students that prepared them for future scientific careers related to materials modeling and big data processing. These results were summarized in 12 published journal papers and 3 recently submitted papers. One of a key finding is that the position of defect sites on the SWCNT surface primarily drives the emission redshift (up to 100 meV), while the polarity of the defect-inducing molecules has a much smaller effect (~10 meV). However, the electron-donating or withdrawing properties of a molecule influence selecting reactivity of defect sites. These insights important for optimizing synthetic protocols for desired emissions in SWCNTs. We also revealed that the interaction between two defects at various positions on the SWCNT enhances the redshift and optical activity of states, favoring strong near-IR emission. This suggests that manipulations in defect concentrations is a promising strategy for controlling efficient emission. Mostly important, the defect position was found controllable by the spin states of photoexcited intermediates: Excited aromatic molecules form ortho defects with SWCNTs at their singlet states in the presence of oxygen, while oxygen-free conditions favor para defects via the triplet-state mechanism. Additionally, a heat-activated [2+2] cycloaddition reaction facilitates divalent defect formation with fewer bonding positions that narrows emission bands. These groundbreaking findings have been experimentally validated and significantly advance our understanding of defect chemistry in SWCNTs. Using a novel encoding technique and 3D-MoRSE descriptors, we developed highly accurate ML/QSAR models to predict both the 3D structure and optical properties of SWCNTs with chemical defects. This model enabled the creation of a virtual library of 125,556 structures, providing new insights into the relationship between SWCNT-defect structure and emission.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Comments on the paper “Eliminating beam-induced depolarizing effects in the hydrogen jet target for high-precision proton beam polarimetry at the Electron-Ion Collider” (Part I)

A critical review of the methodology used in F. Rathmann et al., Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 29, 021001 (2026), to evaluate beam-induced depolarization of the Atomic Polarized Hydrogen Gas Jet (HJET) target at the Electron–Ion Collider (EIC) is presented. It is shown that several key assumptions underlying that analysis—including the introduction of a photon emission threshold, the application of Fermi’s Golden Rule to coherent hyperfine transitions, the interpretation of power broadening as a physical linewidth increase, and the treatment of spatial magnetic fields—are either incorrect or internally inconsistent. As a consequence, the predicted large depolarization effects are demonstrated to be artifacts of the adopted methodology rather than genuine physical phenomena. A consistent quantum-mechanical treatment based on the time-dependent Schrödinger equation shows that beam-induced depolarization probabilities at the EIC are negligibly small.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1972

Auroral spectrum between 1200 and 4000 angstroms.

Results of spectroscopic observations of an auroral event made simultaneously by airborne and satellite-borne scanning spectrometers in the wavelength region between 1200 and 4000 A. Photon emission rates of several vibrational bands of the N2, 2nd positive, Vegard-Kaplan, and Lyman-Birge-Hopfield systems, the N I lines at 1200 and 3466 A, and O I lines at 1304, 1356, and 2972 A were recorded. Model calculations of the emission rates of the observed features are found to be in reasonable agreement with the measurements. Electron impact excites the nitrogen band systems, as well as the O I 1356-A line. A spectral feature at 2150 A is tentatively identified as the (1, 0) gamma band of N O.

Sharp, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Coincidence measurement of the fully differential cross section for atomic-field bremsstrahlung

A coincidence measurement was made of the absolute cross section for electron-atomic-field bremsstrahlung, differential in photon energy, photon-emission angle, and electron scattering angle. The incident electron energy was 140 keV and the scattering materials were thin films of aluminum and gold. The data are compared to the theoretical calculations of Elwert and Haug and of Bethe and Heitler. Both theories give generally satisfactory agreement for aluminum. The Elwert-Haug theory is somewhat more accurate for gold.

Faulk, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A multiphoton treatment of near resonant light scattering in intense fields

The scattering by a two-state atom of monochromatic light of arbitrary intensity and detuning, is treated by solving Schroedinger's equation directly for the state of the scattered field. The calculation is performed in a basis of dressed atom states, which include to all orders the coupling of the incident field to the atom. Amplitudes describing sequences of scattering events are found by a nonperturbative method. A scattered intensity spectrum, directly related to the rate of change of energy in any given scattered field mode, is constructed in terms of bilinear products of the amplitudes representing all possible sequences of photon emission, and in the steady state limit the spectrum is found to be identical to the widely quoted results of Mollow. A discussion is devoted to understanding in physical terms the various quantities appearing in the expression for the intensity spectrum.

Ballagh, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Pair annihilation in superstrong magnetic fields

The kinematical and dynamical aspects of the annihilation processes in superstrong magnetic fields are studied. The feasibility and potential significance of detecting from magnetic neutron stars are discussed. The discussion proceeds from the derivation of the fully relativistic differential cross sections and annihilation rates for both one- and two-photon emission from a ground-state gas of electrons and positrons in a static, uniform magnetic field.

Daugherty, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Hot relativistic winds and the Crab Nebula

Efforts to formulate a self-consistent model of pulsar magnetospheres which links the particle source near the pulsar to the outflowing relativistic wind and couples the wind to the surrounding nebula are reviewed. The use of a relativistic MHD wind is recommended to account for global photon emission and the invisibility of the method of plasma transport. Consideration of a magnetic monopole relativistic wind due to an axially symmetric aligned rotator is combined with calculations of the initial velocity of the wind to show that the flow velocity in such a model will never exceed Mach 1. Extending the solution to the case of a hot relativistic wind at supersonic speeds is noted to yield results consistent with observations of the Crab Nebula

Fujimura, F. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A direct observation of solar neutrons following the 0118 UT flare on 1980 June 21

The Gamma Ray Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite has observed energetic solar neutrons (greater than 50 MeV) at the earth following a solar flare that occurred on the west limb on June 21, 1980 at 01:18:20 UT. Impulsive photon emission from 10 keV to greater than 65 MeV lasting over a period of about 66 s was followed by a transient flux of 50-600 MeV neutrons incident over a 17 minute period. The peak counting rate corresponds to an average flux at the earth of (3.8 + or - 0.6) x 10 to the -2nd neutrons/sq cm s at 130 MeV. These observations indicate the emission of 3 x 10 to the 28th neutrons/sr with energies greater than 50 MeV, requiring the rapid acceleration (much less than 60 s) of protons to GeV energies during the impulsive phase of the flare.

Chupp, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Impact of Flares on the Solar Terrestrial Environment

The current knowledge of the flare process and its particle and photon emissions is summarized. The impact of flares on the different regions of the solar-terrestrial environment, in order of their distance from the Sun to Earth: the heliosphere, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and atmosphere are considered. The effect of flares on modern technology and manned spaceflight is described. In all cases, an attempt is made to distinguish clearly what is known, what is suspected, and is unknown.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Atomic inner-shell transitions

Atomic inner-shell processes have quite different characteristics, in several important aspects, from processes in the optical regime. Energies are large, e.g., the 1s binding energy reaches 100 keV at Z = 87; relativistic and quantum-electrodynamic effects therefore are strong. Radiationless transitions vastly dominate over photon emission in most cases. Isolated inner-shell vacancies have pronounced single-particle character, with correlations generally contributing only approximately 1 eV to the 1s and 2p binding energies; the structure of such systems is thus well tractable by independent-particle self-consistent-field atomic models. For systems containing multiple deep inner-shell vacancies, or for highly stripped ions, the importance of relativistic intermediate coupling and configuration interaction becomes pronounced. Cancellation of the Coulomb interaction can lead to strong manifestations of the Breit interaction in such phenomena as multiplet splitting and hypersatellite X-ray shifts. Unique opportunities arise for the test of theory.

Crasemann, B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cometary atmospheres: Modeling the spatial distribution of observed neutral radicals

Progress on modeling the spatial distributions of cometary radicals is described. The Monte Carlo particle-trajectory model was generalized to include the full time dependencies of initial comet expansion velocities, nucleus vaporization rates, photochemical lifetimes and photon emission rates which enter the problem through the comet's changing heliocentric distance and velocity. The effect of multiple collisions in the transition zone from collisional coupling to true free flow were also included. Currently available observations of the spatial distributions of the neutral radicals, as well as the latest available photochemical data were re-evaluated. Preliminary exploratory model results testing the effects of various processes on observable spatial distributions are also discussed.

Combi, M. R.↗