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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 235 records · Page 13
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DOE OSTI2014

On degenerate models of cosmic inflation

In this article we discuss the role of current and future CMB measurements in pinning down the model of inflation responsible for the generation of primordial curvature perturbations. By considering a parameterization of the effective field theory of inflation with a modified dispersion relation arising from heavy fields, we derive the dependence of cosmological observables on the scale of heavy physics Λ{sub UV}. Specifically, we show how the f{sub NL} non-linearity parameters are related to the phase velocity of curvature perturbations at horizon exit, which is parameterized by Λ{sub UV}. BICEP2 and PLANCK findings are shown to be consistent with a value Λ{sub UV} ∼ Λ{sub GUT}. However, we find a degeneracy in the parameter space of inflationary models that can only be resolved with a detailed knowledge of the shape of the non-Gaussian bispectrum.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Excitation of surface modes by electron beam in semi-bounded quantum plasma

The excitation of the TM surface modes due to the interaction of electron beam with a semi-bounded quantum magnetized plasma is investigated. The generated current and the perturbed densities of the electron beam and plasma are obtained. The wave equation that describes the excited fields has been solved to obtain the dispersion relation for these modes. It is found that the quantum effects play important role for frequencies less and bigger than plasma frequency such that the phase velocity of modes increases with increasing the quantum effects compared to the classical case. It has also been displayed that in the absence of external magnetic field, the surface modes appear in the all regions of the wavelength while they have been only excited for high wavenumber in the presence of the magnetic field. Besides, it has been shown that the dispersion curves of the modes depend essentially on the density ratio of beam and plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

A robust method for handling low density regions in hybrid simulations for collisionless plasmas

A robust method to handle vacuum and near vacuum regions in hybrid simulations for space and astrophysical plasmas is presented. The conventional hybrid simulation model dealing with kinetic ions and a massless charge-neutralizing electron fluid is known to be susceptible to numerical instability due to divergence of the whistler-mode wave dispersion, as well as division-by-density operation in regions of low density. Consequently, a pure vacuum region is not allowed to exist in the simulation domain unless some ad hoc technique is used. To resolve this difficulty, an alternative way to introduce finite electron inertia effect is proposed. Contrary to the conventional method, the proposed one introduces a correction to the electric field rather than the magnetic field. It is shown that the generalized Ohm's law correctly reduces to Laplace's equation in a vacuum which therefore does not involve any numerical problems. In addition, a variable ion-to-electron mass ratio is introduced to reduce the phase velocity of high frequency whistler waves at low density regions so that the stability condition is always satisfied. It is demonstrated that the proposed model is able to handle near vacuum regions generated as a result of nonlinear self-consistent development of the system, as well as pure vacuum regions set up at the initial condition, without losing the advantages of the standard hybrid code.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ion beam driven ion-acoustic waves in a plasma cylinder with negatively charged dust grains

An ion beam propagating through a magnetized potassium plasma cylinder having negatively charged dust grains drives electrostatic ion-acoustic waves to instability via Cerenkov interaction. The phase velocity of sound wave increases with the relative density of negatively charged dust grains. The unstable wave frequencies and the growth rate increase, with the relative density of negatively charged dust grains. The growth rate of the unstable mode scales as one-third power of the beam density. The real part of frequency of the unstable mode increases with the beam energy and scales as almost the one-half power of the beam energy.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

An overmoded relativistic backward wave oscillator with efficient dual-mode operation

A dual-mode operation mechanism in an overmoded relativistic backward wave oscillator is presented. The electron beam interacts with the −1st space harmonic of TM{sub 01} mode synchronously in the slow wave structure. Then the backward propagating TM{sub 01} mode is converted to the forward propagating TM{sub 02} mode. As the phase velocity of the volume harmonic of TM{sub 02} mode is about twice that of the surface harmonic of TM{sub 01} mode, the TM{sub 02} mode also plays an important role in the high-power microwave generation. Particle-in-cell simulation shows that an efficiency of 48% and a significant improvement of the power capacity have been obtained.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nonlinear extraordinary wave in dense plasma

Conditions for the propagation of a slow extraordinary wave in dense magnetized plasma are found. A solution to the set of relativistic hydrodynamic equations and Maxwell’s equations under the plasma resonance conditions, when the phase velocity of the nonlinear wave is equal to the speed of light, is obtained. The deviation of the wave frequency from the resonance frequency is accompanied by nonlinear longitudinal-transverse oscillations. It is shown that, in this case, the solution to the set of self-consistent equations obtained by averaging the initial equations over the period of high-frequency oscillations has the form of an envelope soliton. The possibility of excitation of a nonlinear wave in plasma by an external electromagnetic pulse is confirmed by numerical simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Parametric decay of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in relativistic plasma

Parametric instability of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in plasma preheated to a relativistic temperature is considered. A set of self-similar nonlinear differential equations taking into account the electron “thermal” mass is derived and investigated. Small perturbations of the parameters of the heated plasma are analyzed in the linear approximation by using the dispersion relation determining the phase velocities of the fast and slow extraordinary waves. In contrast to cold plasma, the evanescence zone in the frequency range above the electron upper hybrid frequency vanishes and the asymptotes of both branches converge. Theoretical analysis of the set of nonlinear equations shows that the growth rate of decay instability increases with increasing initial temperature of plasma electrons. This result is qualitatively confirmed by numerical simulations of plasma heating by a laser pulse injected from vacuum.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Surface Plasmon-Polaritons and Transverse Spin Angular Momentum at the Boundary of a Hyperbolic Metamaterial with an Arbitrarily Oriented Optic Axis

The features of plasmon-polaritons excited at the boundary of a hyperbolic metamaterial and a dielectric are studied in the case where the optic axis is oriented at an angle to the interface. It is shown that in the metamaterial the phase velocity of the plasmon-polariton is directed at a certain angle to the boundary. The possibility is established and the conditions are determined for localization of plasmon-polaritons at the boundary of both type I and type II hyperbolic metamaterials. A surface plasmon-polariton localized at the interface of an isotropic dielectric and a hyperbolic metamaterial is shown to have transverse spin of a magnitude that depends on the wavelength of the exciting radiation, the orientation of the optic axis, and the dielectric properties of the adjoining media.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2012

Wakefields in photonic accelerator structures

Control and manipulation of properties - such as vacuum modal confinement, spatial harmonic content, phase velocity, and group velocity - are reasons why an all-dielectric beam-driven accelerator would be expected to benefit by borrowing from the field of optical bandgap photonics. We outline the general conditions for coherent Cerenkov radiation in a photonic crystal, illustrated by three examples: two Bragg mirrors separated by a vacuum gap, a woodpile with a linear waveguide channel, and a stack of photonic slabs having a planar waveguide channel.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Kinetic description of linear wave propagation in inhomogeneous, nonstationary, anisotropic, weakly magnetized, and collisional plasma

This paper addresses the linear propagation of an electron wave in a plasma whose distribution function, at zero order in the wave amplitude, may be chosen arbitrarily, provided that it is not strongly peaked at the wave phase velocity, and that it varies very little over one wave period and one wavelength. Then, from first principles is derived an equation for the wave action density that allows for Landau damping, whose rate is calculated at first order in the variations of the wave number and frequency. Moreover, the effect of collisions is accounted for in a way that adapts to any choice for the collision operator in Boltzmann equation. The wave may also be externally driven, so that the results presented here apply to stimulated Raman scattering.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electron trapping and acceleration by the plasma wakefield of a self-modulating proton beam

It is shown that co-linear injection of electrons or positrons into the wakefield of the self-modulating particle beam is possible and ensures high energy gain. The witness beam must co-propagate with the tail part of the driver, since the plasma wave phase velocity there can exceed the light velocity, which is necessary for efficient acceleration. If the witness beam is many wakefield periods long, then the trapped charge is limited by beam loading effects. The initial trapping is better for positrons, but at the acceleration stage a considerable fraction of positrons is lost from the wave. For efficient trapping of electrons, the plasma boundary must be sharp, with the density transition region shorter than several centimeters. Positrons are not susceptible to the initial plasma density gradient.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Acoustic planar hyperlens based on anisotropic density-near-zero metamaterials

Based on anisotropic density-near-zero metamaterials, we demonstrate a planar hyperlens with resolution beyond the diffraction limit in both one and two lateral dimensions. In contrast to the cylindrical hyperlens with elliptical dispersions of finite anisotropy, the proposed planar hyperlens is designed with flat near-zero dispersion that supports wave tunneling with extremely high phase velocity for infinite large transverse wave vectors. Therefore, the acoustic evanescent waves immediately concentrate into the designed oblique path till the output surface, leading to a subwavelength resolution. Prototype hyperlens is constructed with a membrane-network by means of equivalent lumped-circuit model, and the subwavelength magnifying performance for a pair of one-dimensional line objects as well as the complex two-dimensional structure is demonstrated. This method provides diverse routes to construct hyperlens operating without the limitation on imaging region in practical applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

DETECTION OF FAST-MOVING WAVES PROPAGATING OUTWARD ALONG SUNSPOTS’ RADIAL DIRECTION IN THE PHOTOSPHERE

Helioseismic and magnetohydrodynamic waves are abundant in and above sunspots. Through cross-correlating oscillation signals in the photosphere observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, we reconstruct how waves propagate away from virtual wave sources located inside a sunspot. In addition to the usual helioseismic wave, a fast-moving wave is detected traveling along the sunspot’s radial direction from the umbra to about 15 Mm beyond the sunspot boundary. The wave has a frequency range of 2.5–4.0 mHz with a phase velocity of 45.3 km s{sup −1}, substantially faster than the typical speeds of Alfvén and magnetoacoustic waves in the photosphere. The observed phenomenon is consistent with a scenario of that a magnetoacoustic wave is excited at approximately 5 Mm beneath the sunspot. Its wavefront travels to and sweeps across the photosphere with a speed higher than the local magnetoacoustic speed. The fast-moving wave, if truly excited beneath the sunspot’s surface, will help open a new window for studying the internal structure and dynamics of sunspots.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Remark on massive particle's de Sitter tunneling

In the work [J. Y. Zhang and Z. Zhao, Massive particles's black hole tunneling and de Sitter tunneling, Nucl. Phys. B 725 (2005) 173.], the Hawking radiation of the massive particle via tunneling from the de Sitter cosmological horizon has been first described in the tunneling framework. However, the geodesic equation of the massive particle was unnaturally and awkwardly defined there by investigating the relation between the group and phase velocity. In this paper, we start from the Lagrangian analysis on the action to naturally produce the geodesic equation of the tunneling massive particle. Then, based on the new definition for the geodesic equation, we revisit the Hawking radiation of the massive particle via tunneling from the de Sitter cosmological horizon. It is noteworthy that, the highlight of our work is a new and important development of the Parikh-Wilczek's tunneling method, which can make it more physical.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Penetration and scattering of lower hybrid waves by density fluctuations

Lower Hybrid [LH] ray propagation in toroidal plasma is controlled by a combination of the azimuthal spectrum launched from the antenna, the poloidal variation of the magnetic field, and the scattering of the waves by the density fluctuations. The width of the poloidal and radial RF wave spectrum increases rapidly as the rays penetrate into higher density and scatter from the turbulence. The electron temperature gradient [ETG] spectrum is particularly effective in scattering the LH waves due to its comparable wavelengths and parallel phase velocities. ETG turbulence is also driven by the radial gradient of the electron current density giving rise to an anomalous viscosity spreading the LH-driven plasma currents. The scattered LH spectrum is derived from a Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution of the ray trajectories with a diffusivity proportional to the fluctuations. The LH ray diffusivity is large giving transport in the poloidal and radial wavenumber spectrum in one - or a few passes - of the rays through the core plasma.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

Arbitrary amplitude dust ion acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized suprathermal dusty plasma

The linear and nonlinear dust-ion-acoustic (DIA) wave propagating obliquely with respect to an external magnetic field is studied in a magnetized complex plasma which consists of a cold ion fluid, superthermal electrons, and static dust particles. The propagation properties of two possible modes (in the linear regime) are investigated. It is found that the electron suprathermality and the electron population decrease the phase velocities of both modes, while obliqueness leads to increase of separation between two modes. An energy-like equation derived to describe the nonlinear evolution of DIA solitary waves. The influences of electron suprathermality, obliqueness, and electron population on the existence domain of solitary waves and the soliton characteristics are examined. It is shown that the existence domain of the DIA soliton and its profile are significantly depending on the deviation of electrons from thermodynamic equilibrium, electrons population, and obliqueness. It is also found that the suprathermal plasma supports the DIA solitons with larger amplitude.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Design of a high efficiency relativistic backward wave oscillator with low guiding magnetic field

A high efficiency relativistic backward wave oscillator working at a low guiding magnetic field is designed and simulated. A trapezoidal resonant reflector is used to reduce the modulation field in the resonant reflector to avoid overmodulation of the electron beam which will lead to a large momentum spread and then low conversion efficiency. The envelope of the inner radius of the slow wave structure (SWS) increases stepwise to keep conformal to the trajectory of the electron beam which will alleviate the bombardment of the electron on the surface of the SWS. The length of period of the SWS is reduced gradually to make a better match between phase velocity and electron beam, which decelerates continually and improves the RF current distribution. Meanwhile the modulation field is reduced by the introduction of nonuniform SWS also. The particle in cell simulation results reveal that a microwave with a power of 1.8 GW and a frequency of 14.7 GHz is generated with an efficiency of 47% when the diode voltage is 620 kV, the beam current 6.1 kA, and the guiding magnetic field 0.95 T.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗