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At least 217 records · Page 12

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NASA NTRS1983

Surface studies with (clean) supported metal particles and clusters

Small particles are ideal for combined studies with surface analytical and electron microscopy/diffraction methods. In this way crystallography, microstructure, morphology, physical stability, and electronic structure can be correlated directly with chemical reactivity. Various integrated experimental approaches for conducting model studies with UHV-evaporated particles have been successfully developed; they entail the use of TPD, AES, XPS, and work function measurements on one hand and standard TEM/TED, in-situ TEM/TED, and in-situ STED/TEM techniques on the other hand. The essential features of four particular experimental approaches are discussed and a selection of representative results is presented to illustrate the potential usefulness of such studies in the field of catalysis.

Poppa, H. R.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Reinterpretation of LHC Results for New Physics: Status and recommendations after Run 2

We report on the status of efforts to improve the reinterpretation of searches and measurements at the LHC in terms of models for new physics, in the context of the LHC Reinterpretation Forum. We detail current experimental offerings in direct searches for new particles, measurements, technical implementations and Open Data, and provide a set of recommendations for further improving the presentation of LHC results in order to better enable reinterpretation in the future. We also provide a brief description of existing software reinterpretation frameworks and recent global analyses of new physics that make use of the current data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Reinterpretation of LHC Results for New Physics: Status and Recommendations after Run 2

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2021

A Review of Basic Energy Reconstruction Techniques in Liquid Xenon and Argon Detectors for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics Using NEST

Detectors based upon the noble elements, especially liquid xenon as well as liquid argon, as both single- and dual-phase types, require reconstruction of the energies of interacting particles, both in the field of direct detection of dark matter (weakly interacting massive particles WIMPs, axions, etc.) and in neutrino physics. Experimentalists, as well as theorists who reanalyze/reinterpret experimental data, have used a few different techniques over the past few decades. In this paper, we review techniques based on solely the primary scintillation channel, the ionization or secondary channel available at non-zero drift electric fields, and combined techniques that include a simple linear combination and weighted averages, with a brief discussion of the application of profile likelihood, maximum likelihood, and machine learning. Comparing results for electron recoils (beta and gamma interactions) and nuclear recoils (primarily from neutrons) from the Noble Element Simulation Technique (NEST) simulation to available data, we confirm that combining all available information generates higher-precision means, lower widths (energy resolution), and more symmetric shapes (approximately Gaussian) especially at keV-scale energies, with the symmetry even greater when thresholding is addressed. Near thresholds, bias from upward fluctuations matters. For MeV-GeV scales, if only one channel is utilized, an ionization-only-based energy scale outperforms scintillation; channel combination remains beneficial. We discuss here what major collaborations use.

argon↗

DOE OSTI2020

Gyrokinetic understanding of the edge pedestal transport driven by resonant magnetic perturbations in a realistic divertor geometry

Self-consistent simulations of neoclassical and electrostatic turbulent transport in a DIII-D H-mode edge plasma under resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) have been performed using the global total-f gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC, in order to study density-pump out and electron heat confinement.The RMP field is imported from the extended magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) code M3D-C1, taking into account the linear two-fluid plasma response.With both neoclassical and turbulence physics considered together, the XGC simulation reproduces two key features of experimentally observed edge transport under RMPs: increased radial particle transport in the pedestal region that is sufficient to account for the experimental pump-out rate, and suppression of the electron heat flux in the steepest part of the edge pedestal.In the simulation, the density fluctuation amplitude of modes moving in the electron diamagnetic direction increases due to interaction with RMPs in the pedestal shoulder and outward, while the electron temperature fluctuation amplitude decreases.

DIII-D↗

DOE OSTI2022

Testing Explanations of Short Baseline Neutrino Anomalies

The experimental observation of neutrino oscillations profoundly impacted the physics of neutrinos, from being well understood theoretically to requiring new physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. Indeed, the mystery of neutrino masses implies the presence of new particles never observed before, often called sterile neutrinos, as they would not undergo standard weak interactions. And while neutrino oscillation measurements entered the precision era, reaching percent-level precision, many experimental results show significant discrepancies with the standard model, at baselines much shorter than typical oscillation baselines, like LSND, MiniBooNE, gallium experiments, and reactor antineutrino measurements. These short baseline anomalies could be explained by the addition of a light sterile neutrino, with mass in the $1-10~\text{eV}$ range, however, in strong tension with many null experimental observations. Other explanations that rely on sterile neutrinos with masses in the $1-500~\text{MeV}$ could resolve the tension. Here we test both classes of models. On the one hand, we look for datasets collected at a short baseline which can constrain heavy sterile neutrino models. We find that the minimal model is fully constrained, but several extensions of this model could weaken the current constraint and be tested with current and future datasets. On the other hand, we test the presence of neutrino oscillations at short baselines, induced by a light sterile state, with the data collected by the MicroBooNE experiment, a liquid argon time projection chamber specifically designed to resolve the details of each neutrino interaction. We report null results from both analyses, further constraining the space of possible explanations for the short baseline anomalies. If new physics lies behind the short baseline anomaly puzzle, it is definitely not described by a simple model.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Elliptic anisotropy measurement of the f 0 (980) hadron in proton-lead collisions and evidence for its quark-antiquark composition

Despite the f 0 (980) hadron having been discovered half a century ago, the question about its quark content has not been settled: it might be an ordinary quark-antiquark ($q\bar{q}$) meson, a tetraquark ($q\bar{q}$$q\bar{q}$) exotic state, a kaon-antikaon ($K\bar{K}$) molecule, or a quark-antiquark-gluon ($q\bar{q}$g) hybrid. This paper reports strong evidence that the f 0 (980) state is an ordinary $q\bar{q}$ meson, inferred from the scaling of elliptic anisotropies (v 2 ) with the number of constituent quarks (n q ), as empirically established using conventional hadrons in relativistic heavy ion collisions. The f 0 (980) state is reconstructed via its dominant decay channel f 0 (980) → π + π − , in proton-lead collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, and its v 2 is measured as a function of transverse momentum (p T ). It is found that the n q = 2 ($q\bar{q}$ state) hypothesis is favored over n q = 4 ($q\bar{q}$$q\bar{q}$ or $K\bar{K}$ states) by 7.7, 6.3, or 3.1 standard deviations in the p T < 10, 8, or 6 GeV/c ranges, respectively, and over n q = 3 ($q\bar{q}$g hybrid state) by 3.5 standard deviations in the p T < 8 GeV/c range. This result represents the first determination of the quark content of the f 0 (980) state, made possible by using a novel approach, and paves the way for similar studies of other exotic hadron candidates.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Demonstration of an intense lithium beam for forward-directed pulsed neutron generation

Abstract As an alternative to research nuclear reactors, a compact accelerator-driven neutron generator that uses a lithium beam driver could be a promising candidate since it produces almost no undesired radiation. However, providing an intense lithium-ion beam has been difficult, and it has been thought that the practical application of such a device would be impossible. The most critical problem of insufficient ion fluxes has been solved by applying a direct plasma injection scheme. In this scheme, a pulsed high-density plasma from a metallic lithium foil generated by laser ablation is efficiently injected and accelerated by a radio-frequency quadrupole linear accelerator (RFQ linac). We have obtained a peak beam current of 35 mA accelerated to 1.43 MeV, which is two orders of magnitude higher than a conventional injector and accelerator system can deliver.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1981

Cosmic plasma

Attention is given to experimental and theoretical approaches to plasma physics, plasma phenomena in laboratory and space, field and particle aspects of plasmas, the present state of the classical theory, boundary conditions and circuit dependence, and cosmology. Electric currents in space plasmas are considered, taking into account dualism in physics, particle-related phenomena in plasma physics, magnetic field lines, filaments, local plasma properties and the circuit, electric double layers, field-aligned currents as 'cables', an expanding circuit, different types of plasma regions, the cellular structure of space, and the fine structure of active plasma regions. Other topics discussed are related to circuits, the theory of cosmic plasmas, the origin of the solar system, the coexistence of matter and antimatter, annihilation as a source of energy, the Hubble expansion in a Euclidean space, and a model for the evolution of the Metagalaxy.

Alfven, H.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Near-continuum, hypersonic oxygen flow over a double cone simulated by direct simulation Monte Carlo informed from quantum chemistry

A large-scale, fully resolved direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) computation of a non-equilibrium, reactive flow of pure oxygen over a double cone is presented. Under the simulated near-continuum conditions, the computational demands are shown to be significant because of the wide range of length scales that must be resolved. Therefore, robust grid adaption capabilities and efficient parallelization of the Stochastic PArallel Rarefied-gas Time-accurate Analyzer (SPARTA) code that is utilized in this work are essential. The thermochemical and transport collision models were selected for efficiency and simplicity. First-principles data, obtained from the highly accurate direct molecular simulation method, were used to inform the collision models’ parameters. Importantly, because SPARTA implements molecular collision models using collision-specific energies, the resulting macroscopic relaxation rates were evaluated a posteriori via zero-dimensional heat bath simulations. The comparisons of surface properties, namely heat flux and pressure, show very close agreement with previous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results. Differences with the measurements were found to be similar to the CFD simulations. The unresolved discrepancy with the measurements could be due to inconsistent free stream conditions with the actual experimental data or missing physical phenomena altogether, for example atomic and molecular oxygen electronically excited states, three-dimensional effects, or more complex gas–surface interactions. As shown in this work, the advantages of obtaining a DSMC particle solution for these flows reside in the method's ability to be directly informed from first principles and to seamlessly describe internal energy non-equilibrium for all modes. With the advent of exascale computing and beyond, particle methods will be an increasingly important tool to verify the validity of physical assumptions in reduced-order models via fully resolved, experimental-scale simulations, down to the level of molecular-level distributions.

Mechanics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On the Interaction Between a Flow Instability and Inertial Particles in Supersonic Jet Plume-Surface Interaction

Extraterrestrial landings often require spacecraft to deploy supersonic jets directed at dusty planetary surfaces to ensure controlled descents. This interaction, termed plume-surface interaction (PSI), critically influences crater formation and the dynamics of ejected particles, which can obscure vision, damage onboard sensors, and impact nearby infrastructure with significant particle velocities. The physics of PSI remain poorly understood due to the complexities in simulating the involved multiphysics and experimentally replicating reduced atmospheric pressure conditions. This article discusses a collaborative effort to investigate PSI in reduced atmospheric pressure environments using a Mach 5.3 jet impinging on a granular bed. The results highlight observations of an azimuthal pattern in the ejecta distribution, characterized by alternating ejecta streaks of varying particle concentrations. This phenomenon suggests the presence of a low Reynolds number instability, a notable discovery given the supersonic nature of the jet.

PSI↗

DOE OSTI2022

Charged particle motion and radiation in strong electromagnetic fields

The dynamics of charged particles in electromagnetic fields is an essential component of understanding the most extreme environments in our Universe. In electromagnetic fields of sufficient magnitude, radiation emission dominates the particle motion and effects of quantum electrodynamics (QED) in strong fields are crucial, which triggers electron-positron pair cascades and counterintuitive particle-Trapping phenomena. As a result of recent progress in laser technology, high-power lasers provide a platform to create and probe such fields in the laboratory. With new large-scale laser facilities on the horizon and the prospect of investigating these hitherto unexplored regimes, this review explores the basic physical processes of radiation reaction and QED in strong fields, how they are treated theoretically and in simulation, the new collective dynamics they unlock, recent experimental progress and plans, and possible applications for high-flux particle and radiation sources.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering at Hall A, Jefferson Lab

The Standard Model of particle physics de?nes quarks and leptons as the basic building blocks of all matter. The interaction between them are mediated by force carrying gauge bosons. Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD), the theory that explains the strong interaction is still not complete enough to derive the physical observables of a Quark-Gluon system from the fundamental degrees of freedom of its constituents. Experimentally observable single particle densities provide important insights into our understanding of the quark-gluon system and hence help fill in the gaps of QCD. Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) provide simultaneous information of both spacial and longitudinal momentum distributions of constituents of a quark-gluon system. Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) is understood to be the simplest and cleanest process to access GPDs. Even though the exclusive DVCS is simple to understand, the experimental process however, is complex with the Bethe-Heitler and e + p ? e + ? + N? being in the mix of the electron proton scattering e+p ? e+?+X. Over the years, 3 generations of DVCS experiments have been conducted in the Experimental Hall-A of Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). This thesis presents the extraction of DVCS cross section in 9 total kinematic points from the 3rd generation experiment (DVCS3) conducted after the 12 GeV upgrade of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) of JLab during Fall 2014 - Fall 2016.

Hashir Rashad, Mohamed Nuhman↗

DOE OSTI2023

Toward the discovery of matter creation with neutrinoless β β decay

The discovery of neutrinoless ββ decay could soon be within reach. This hypothetical ultrarare nuclear decay offers a privileged portal to physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. Its observation would constitute the discovery of a matter-creating process, corroborating leading theories of why the Universe contains more matter than antimatter, and how forces unify at high energy scales. It would also prove that neutrinos and antineutrinos are not two distinct particles but can transform into each other, with their mass described by a unique mechanism conceived by Majorana. The recognition that neutrinos are not massless necessitates an explanation and has boosted interest in neutrinoless ββ decay. The field stands now at a turning point. Further, a new round of experiments is currently being prepared for the next decade to cover an important region of parameter space. In parallel, advances in nuclear theory are laying the groundwork to connect the nuclear decay with the underlying new physics. Meanwhile, the particle theory landscape continues to find new motivations for neutrinos to be their own antiparticle. This review brings together the experimental, nuclear theory, and particle theory aspects connected to neutrinoless ββ decay to explore the path toward, and beyond, its discovery.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Rare and Experimentally Challenging Supersymmetry Signatures

Supersymmetry has long played a central role in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model at colliders, providing a comprehensive and internally consistent framework for generating well-motivated experimental signatures. For more than 15 years of Large Hadron Collider (LHC) operation, the CMS and ATLAS Collaborations have achieved remarkable sensitivity to a wide range of supersymmetric signatures. Despite this unprecedented reach, no conclusive evidence for supersymmetry has emerged. If supersymmetry is nature's solution to outstanding questions in particle physics, it is necessarily challenging to find. In this article, we review supersymmetric signatures that are particularly rare or otherwise challenging, with a focus on searches at the LHC. We highlight experimental challenges related to detector constraints and analysis difficulties, in addition to model challenges in the interpretation and optimization of searches. Here, we also identify regions of signature space that remain comparatively unconstrained and therefore represent promising targets for future exploration.

Large Hadron Collider↗

DOE OSTI2020

Overview of current experimental jet studies

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics↗

NASA NTRS2003

Particle Engulfment and Pushing By Solidifying Interfaces - Recent Theoretical and Experimental Developments

The objective of the work on Particle Engulfment and Pushing by Solidifying Interfaces (PEP) include: 1) to obtain fundamental understanding of the physics of particle pushing and engulfment, 2) to develop mathematical models to describe the phenomenon, and 3) to perform critical experiments in the microgravity environment of space to provide benchmark data for model validation. Successful completion of this project will yield vital information relevant to a diverse area of terrestrial applications. With PEP being a long term research effort, this report will focus on advances in the theoretical treatment of the solid/liquid interface interaction with an approaching particle, experimental validation of some aspects of the developed models, and the experimental design aspects of future experiments to be performed on board the International Space Station.

Stefanescu, D. M.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Feebly-interacting particles: FIPs 2022 Workshop Report

Particle physics today faces the challenge of explaining the mystery of dark matter, the origin of matter over anti-matter in the Universe, the origin of the neutrino masses, the apparent fine-tuning of the electro-weak scale, and many other aspects of fundamental physics. Perhaps the most striking frontier to emerge in the search for answers involves new physics at mass scales comparable to familiar matter, below the GeV-scale, or even radically below, down to sub-eV scales, and with very feeble interaction strength. New theoretical ideas to address dark matter and other fundamental questions predict such feebly interacting particles (FIPs) at these scales, and indeed, existing data provide numerous hints for such possibility. A vibrant experimental program to discover such physics is under way, guided by a systematic theoretical approach firmly grounded on the underlying principles of the Standard Model. This document represents the report of the FIPs 2022 workshop, held at CERN between the 17 and 21 October 2022 and aims to give an overview of these efforts, their motivations, and the decadal goals that animate the community involved in the search for FIPs.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗