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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 253 records · Page 14

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DOE OSTI2025

Improved representation of black carbon mixing structures suggests stronger direct radiative heating

Black carbon significantly influences the Earth system because of its strong solar radiation absorption. However, its direct radiative effect remains poorly understood in current climate models, partly because current climate models oversimplify the diverse structures formed when black carbon mixes with other atmospheric components. Here we show that incorporating more realistic, multi-mixing-structure representations of black carbon increases the direct radiative effect. We find that aged black carbon particles, with thicker coatings and higher embedded fractions, enhance the direct radiative effect more efficiently. Using machine learning alongside the Community Earth System Model, we show that the direct radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere in regions with heavy black carbon pollution is 31.6% greater when multi-mixing structures are considered. These findings highlight the importance of modeling complex mixing structures of particle-resolved black carbon to accurately capture their warming impacts on global atmosphere, particularly in highly polluted regions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

PhaseT3M: 3D imaging at 1.6 Å resolution via electron cryo-tomography with nonlinear phase retrieval

Electron cryo-tomography (cryo-ET) enables 3D imaging of complex, radiation-sensitive structures with molecular detail. However, image contrast from the interference of scattered electrons is nonlinear with atomic density and multiple scattering further complicates interpretation. These effects degrade resolution, particularly in conventional reconstruction algorithms, which assume linearity. Particle averaging can reduce such issues but is unsuitable for heterogeneous or dynamic samples ubiquitous in biology, chemistry, and materials sciences. Here, we develop a phase retrieval-based cryo-ET method, PhaseT3M. We experimentally demonstrate its application to an approximately 7 nm Co3O4 nanoparticle on an approximately 30 nm carbon substrate, achieving a maximum resolution of 1.6 Å, surpassing conventional limits using standard cryo-TEM equipment. PhaseT3M uses a multislice model for multiple scattering and Bayesian optimization for alignment and computational aberration correction, with a positivity constraint to recover ‘missing wedge’ information. Applied directly to biological particles, it enhances reconstruction quality and reduces artifacts, establishing a standard for routine 3D imaging with phase contrast.

Biophysics↗

DOE OSTI2023

Dose-Weighted Radiographic Source-Spot Size

The spatial resolution of a flash radiograph is determined by the time-integrated size of the radiation source. Since the radiation pulse includes the beam head and tail, which may be substantially larger than the beam body, the radiation source is larger than the focused flattop of the electron beam pulse. Moreover, the radiation dose rate is weighted by both beam current and electron energy, and it is the radiation dose that forms the radiograph image. Therefore, in order to estimate radiographic resolution from computer simulations of a focused electron beam, one should use a dose weighted moment analysis of the radiation source distribution. This approach is used to show that, in the absence of beam effects other than space-charge and emittance, radiographic resolution for Scorpius exceeds requirements, regardless of reasonable timing options for current and gap-voltage pulses.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Chemical abrasion: the mechanics of zircon dissolution

Chemical abrasion is a technique that combines thermal annealing and partial dissolution in hydrofluoric acid (HF) to selectively remove radiation-damaged portions of zircon crystals prior to U–Pb isotopic analysis, and it is applied ubiquitously to zircon prior to U–Pb isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS). The mechanics of zircon dissolution in HF and the impact of different leaching conditions on the zircon structure, however, are poorly resolved. We present a microstructural investigation that integrates microscale X-ray computed tomography (µCT), scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to evaluate zircon dissolution in HF. We show that µCT is an effective tool for imaging metamictization and complex dissolution networks in three dimensions. Acid frequently reaches crystal interiors via fractures spatially associated with radiation damage zoning and inclusions to dissolve soluble high-U zones, some inclusions, and material around fractures, leaving behind a more crystalline zircon residue. Other acid paths to crystal cores include the dissolution of surface-reaching inclusions and the percolation of acid across zones with high defect densities. In highly crystalline samples dissolution is crystallographically controlled with dissolution proceeding almost exclusively along the c axis. Increasing the leaching temperature from 180 to 210 °C results in deeper etching textures, wider acid paths, more complex internal dissolution networks, and greater volume losses. How a grain dissolves strongly depends on its initial radiation damage content and defect distribution as well as the size and position of inclusions. As such, the effectiveness of any chemical abrasion protocol for ID-TIMS U–Pb geochronology is likely sample-dependent. We also briefly discuss the implications of our findings for deep-time (U-Th)/He thermochronology.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Near-infrared noise in intense electron bunches

This article investigates electron bunch density fluctuations in the 1 −10 μ⁢m wavelength range, focusing on their impact on coherent electron cooling (CEC) in hadron storage rings. In this study, we compare the shot-noise model with experimental observations using bandwidth-filtered near-infrared optical transition radiation (OTR) photodiode signals, where the transverse bunch size is much larger than the OTR wavelength of interest. The relativistic electron bunch (𝛾 ≈ 50) parameters are close to those proposed for the coherent electron cooler in the electron-ion collider (EIC) project. Preliminary feasibility experiments were conducted, and the noise factors are presented, supported by particle tracking. No major density fluctuations or effective cooling rate decrease were revealed for EIC CEC design parameters. Additionally, longitudinal-space-charge-induced microbunching for the chicane-compressed bunch was observed with coherent OTR enhancements up to 100 times, providing further calibration of the measurement method.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Factorization and resummation of QED radiative corrections for neutron beta decay

Details of the two-loop analysis of long-distance QED radiative corrections to neutron beta decay are presented. Explicit expressions are given for hard, jet, and soft functions appearing in the factorization formula that describes the limit of small electron mass and large electron energy. Numerical enhancements from the infrared region are resummed using renormalization group methods. Power corrections, cancellation of singularities in the small-mass expansion, renormalization scheme dependence, and bound-state effects are also discussed. These results provide the most precise determination of long-distance radiative corrections to neutron beta decay and impact the determination of |𝑉 𝑢⁢𝑑 | from the measured neutron lifetime and thus set a target for uncertainty reductions in the experimental and short-distance inputs.

Beta decay↗

DOE OSTI2020

Time-resolved quantum beats in the fluorescence of helium resonantly excited by XUV radiation

Abstract We report on the observation of time-resolved quantum beats in the helium fluorescence from the transition 1 s 3 p → 1 s 2 s , where the initial state is excited by XUV free electron laser radiation. The quantum beats originate from the Zeeman splitting of the magnetic substates due to an external magnetic field. We perform a systematic study of this effect and discuss the possibilities of studying this phenomenon in the XUV and x-ray regime.

Optics↗

DOE OSTI2022

Statistical Properties of Undulator Radiation

Two experiments were carried out to study the statistical properties of undulator radiation in the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring at Fermilab. The first experiment studied the turn-to-turn fluctuations in the power of the radiation generated by an electron bunch. The magnitude of these fluctuations depends on the 6D phase-space distribution of the electron bunch. In IOTA, we demonstrated that this effect can be used to measure some electron bunch parameters, small transverse emittances in particular. In the second experiment, a single electron was stored in the ring, emitting a photon only once per several hundred turns. In this regime, any classical interference-related collective effects were eliminated, and the quantum fluctuations could be studied in detail to search for possible deviations from the expected Poissonian photon statistics. In addition, the photocount arrival times were used to track the longitudinal motion of a single electron and to compare it with simulations. This allowed us to determine several dynamical parameters of the storage ring such as the rf cavity phase jitter and the dependence of the synchrotron motion period on amplitude.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Pulse Radiolysis Study of Radiation Effect on Molten Salt

The molten salt reactor concept, where nuclear fuel is dissolved in a molten salt that also serves as the heat transfer fluid, is a leading candidate for next generation nuclear reactors. This necessitates a thorough understanding of radiation effects on molten salt media to support the design, development, and deployment of such reactors. Early, pioneering pulse radiolysis molten salt experiments observed key primary radiolysis products such as the solvated electron (esolv?) and dichloride radical anion (Cl2??), but left many fundamental mechanistic and reactivity questions unanswered. Here we report on the reaction kinetics of esolv? and Cl2?? in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt doped with Zn2+ ion, using electron pulse radiolysis to observe the transient behavior from nanosecond to microsecond time scales. Experiments were performed at the BNL Laser-Electron Accelerator Facility using a recently-developed high-temperature sample holder. Prompt formation of esolv? and Cl2?? are observed; esolv? decays within hundreds of nanoseconds while Cl2?? decays more slowly by second-order kinetics, more likely by cross-recombination rather than disproportionation. This work was supported as part of the Molten Salts in Extreme Environments Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science.

38 - RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCL↗

DOE OSTI2024

Quantifying the Role of EMIC Wave Scattering During the 27 February 2014 Storm by RAM–SCB Simulations

Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) wave scattering has been proved to be responsible for the fast loss of both radiation belt (RB) electrons and ring current (RC) protons. However, its role in the concurrent dropout of these two co–located populations remains to be quantified. In this work, we study the effect of EMIC wave scattering on both populations during the 27 February 2014 storm by employing the global physics–based RAM–SCB model. Throughout this storm event, MeV RB electrons and 100s keV RC protons experienced simultaneous dropout following the occurrence of intense EMIC waves. By implementing data–driven initial and boundary conditions, we perform simulations for both populations through the interplay with EMIC waves and compare them against Van Allen Probes observations. Notably, the results indicate that by including EMIC wave scattering loss, especially by the He–band EMIC waves, the model aligns closely with data for both populations. Additionally, we investigate the simulated pitch angle distributions (PADs) for both populations. Including EMIC wave scattering in our model predicts a 90° peaked PAD for electrons with stronger losses at lower pitch angles, while protons exhibit an isotropic PAD with enhanced losses at pitch angles above 40°. Furthermore, our model predicts considerable precipitation of both particle populations, predominantly confined to the afternoon to midnight sector (12 hr < MLT < 24 hr) during the storm's main phase, corresponding closely with the presence of EMIC waves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Excessive charge, beam loading, and impedance collapse thresholds for a velvet emitter

Excess emission has been observed from velvet cathodes with total emission times >150 ns. In this diode experiment, we produce a sub-relativistic electron beam with the ability to consistently change γ from 1.2 to 1.5 and β = 0.5–0.75. Electron emission in this particular diode geometry requires electric fields >40 kV/cm. The current increases at steady rates >0.05 A/ns after the head of the pulse, indicating an expansion of the emission surface and reduction in the effective AK gap. Small transients of excess emission (or arcs) are consistently observed for current pulses exceeding 150 ns. The excess emission results in beam loaded levels ≥10 kV on the diode voltage. The effects described here are compounded as diode voltage is increased. The principal objective of these experiments is to quantify electric field emission thresholds, current ramps, excess emission delays, effective beam loading, and impedance collapse.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Laser-assisted radiative recombination in a cold hydrogen plasma

Abstract We study the process of laser-assisted radiative recombination of an electron with a proton in a cold hydrogen plasma employing the semiclassical Kramers’ approach which involves calculation of classical trajectories in combined laser and Coulomb fields and the use of the correspondence principle. Due to the Coulomb focusing effect, recombination is the most effective when the initial electron momentum is parallel to the laser polarization. Orders of magnitude enhancement of the cross section, as compared to the laser-free case, is observed in this case. With increasing angle between the electron momentum and polarization, the recombination cross section drops. However, even after averaging over Maxwellian velocity distribution we obtain a substantial enhancement of the recombination rate constant, as compared to the zero-field case. For the field intensities in the range 30–350 MW cm −2 , the enhancement occurs in the region of the radiation wavelength from 5 to 20 µ m and for the plasma temperature from 20 to 300 K.

Fabrikant, I. I. (ORCID:0000000293849454)↗

DOE OSTI2023

Mutual optical intensity propagation through non-ideal two-dimensional mirrors

The mutual optical intensity (MOI) model is a partially coherent radiation propagation tool that can sequentially simulate beamline optics and provide beam intensity, local degree of coherence and phase distribution at any location along a beamline. This paper extends the MOI model to non-ideal twodimensional (2D) optical systems, such as ellipsoidal and toroidal mirrors with 2D figure errors. Simulation results show that one can tune the trade-off between calculation efficiency and accuracy by varying the number of wavefront elements. The focal spot size of an ellipsoidal mirror calculated with 100 $\times$ 100 elements gives less than 0.4% deviation from that with 250 $\times$ 250 elements, and the computation speed is nearly two orders of magnitude faster. Effects of figure errors on 2D focusing are also demonstrated for a non-ideal ellipsoidal mirror and by comparing the toroidal and ellipsoidal mirrors. Finally, the MOI model is benchmarked against the multi-electron Synchrotron Radiation Workshop (SRW) code showing the model’s high accuracy.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Nonlocal effects on thermal transport in hydrodynamic simulations of unmagnetized MagLIF-relevant gaspipes on NIF

We present simulations of heat flow relevant to gaspipe experiments on the National Ignition Facility to investigate kinetic effects on transport phenomena. D 2 and neopentane (C 5 H 12 ) filled targets are used to study the laser preheat stage of a MagLIF scheme where an axial magnetic field is sometimes applied to the target. Simulations were done with the radiation-MHD code HYDRA with a collision-dominated fluid model and the SNB nonlocal electron thermal conduction model. Using the SNB model to evolve the electron temperature increased the heat front propagation of neopentane gas targets compared to a local model by limiting radial heat flow. This increases electron temperature near the axis, which decreases laser absorption. We find that the effect of heat flow models on temperature profiles and laser propagation is modest. Beyond the SNB model, we utilize HYDRA to initialize plasma conditions for the Vlasov–Fokker–Planck K2 code. We run K2 until a quasi-steady state is reached and examine the impact of kinetic effects on heat transport. Although axial heat flow is well predicted by fluid models, the fluid model consistently overpredicts radial heat flow up to 150% in regions with the largest temperature gradient of D 2 filled gaspipes. On the other hand, the SNB nonlocal electron conduction model is found to be adequate for capturing kinetic heat flow in gaspipes.

Lau, Ryan Y. [Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (Unit↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Thermodynamic Stability of Boehmite and Gibbsite

Here, in this study, we examined the effect of gamma radiation on the stabilities of aluminum hydroxide (gibbsite) and aluminum oxyhydroxide (boehmite) nanoparticles in relation to their thermal decomposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed no significant differences in mineral components or morphology before and after radiation. However, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC) analyses showed that both boehmite and gibbsite nanoparticles experienced decreased mass loss following irradiation. Raman and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transfer infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra indicated that a fraction of the hydroxyl content in both cases was selectively cleaved by radiation, primarily at the particle surfaces. Quantitative analyses of thermal mass loss behavior demonstrated that irradiated boehmite and gibbsite nanoparticles had higher activation energies than their pristine counterparts, with the extent of the increase dependent on the total dose. Taken together, these findings suggest that exposure to a sufficient dose of ionizing radiation alters these materials such that they are less prone to decomposition by dehydration. This increased stability may be due to the decreased hydrous nature of the samples after radiation exposure, which was supported by further high temperature drop calorimetry. Additionally, a radiation-induced amorphous phase on the nanoparticle surfaces appears to have a permanent and positive influence on their thermodynamic stabilities.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Applicability of semiclassical theories in the strong-field plasma regime

For many purposes, classical plasma dynamics models can work surprisingly well, even for strong electromagnetic fields, approaching the Schwinger critical fields, and high frequencies, approaching the Compton frequency. However, the applicability of classical models tends to depend rather sensitively on the details of the problem. In the present paper, we study the specific case of plasma oscillations to draw a line between the classical and quantum relativistic regimes. Here, due to the field geometry of study, mechanisms like radiation reaction and Breit-Wheeler pair production, which tend to be important for electromagnetic fields, are rather effectively suppressed. Moreover, we find that the polarization current due to the electron spin is generally negligible for frequencies below the Compton frequency, compared with the free current, whose magnitude is well-approximated by the classical Vlasov theory. However, we show that pair creation due to the Schwinger mechanism can sometimes be important for surprisingly modest field strengths, of the order of 10% of the critical field or even smaller. A rough guideline for when the classical Vlasov theory can be applied is given.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Exploration of Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Ceria for Applications of Microwave Assisted Catalysis

This was presented at APS Global Physics Summit 2025 in Anaheim, CA. This study focuses on characterizing how vacancies and other dopants influence the electronic and magnetic properties of ceria and exploring the potential mechanisms by which these properties affect or control its catalytic behavior under microwave radiation. By examining ceria’s electronic response to external electromagnetic fields, specifically magnetic fields within the microwave range, the work aims to uncover insights into how microwaves might optimize catalytic effects. The study also includes a comparative analysis of different functionals to refine understanding of ceria’s electronic behavior and catalytic efficacy in these applications.

ammonia synthesis↗

DOE OSTI2021

Total-Ionizing-Dose Effects on Long-term Data Retention Characteristics of Commercial 3-D NAND Memories

This article evaluates the data retention characteristics of irradiated multi-level cell (MLC) 3-D NAND flash memories. We irradiate the memory chips by a Co-60 gamma-ray source for up to 50 krad(Si) and then write a random data pattern on the irradiated chip to find its retention characteristics. The experimental results show that the data retention property of the irradiated chips is significantly degraded compared to the un-irradiated ones. We evaluate two independent strategies to improve the data retention characteristics of the irradiated chips. Furthermore, the first method involves high-temperature annealing of the irradiated chip while the second method suggests pre-programming the memory modules before deploying them in radiation-prone environments.

3-D NAND flash↗