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Results for “Physics Regularization”

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 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Metrics and extrapolation of resonant magnetic perturbation thresholds for ELM suppression

This large database study of resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) edge localized mode (ELM) suppression thresholds in the AUG, DIII-D, EAST, and KSTAR tokamaks details the key strengths and weaknesses of RMP metrics. The RMP ELM suppression database used for this work contains plasma information at the time of transition from ELMing to ELM suppressed states where a clear experimental threshold is identified. The experimental threshold distributions are compared for five metrics: (1) the island overlap width, (2) pedestal top Chirikov overlap, (3) peeling edge displacement, (4) pedestal top resonant drive, and (5) edge dominant mode overlap. The distributions, the regularity of the dependence on RMP coil currents, and the sensitivities of a given metric to equilibrium reconstruction details are compared. The overlap metric proves to be a good compromise between including the appropriate plasma response physics and maintaining a numerical robustness. This quantity does not exhibit clear power-law scalings for projection, but machine learning can assist in predicting thresholds within the existing parameter ranges and providing uncertainty quantification of those predictions. Two new first-principles models, one utilizing a threshold from the non-linear Modified Rutherford equation evaluated at the pedestal top and one utilizing the SLAYER code to calculate the linear tearing threshold from torque balance, offer possible paths to extrapolation beyond the existing database parameter space.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Strongly hyperbolic quasilinear systems revisited, with applications to relativistic fluid dynamics

We revisit the theory of first-order quasilinear systems with diagonalizable principal part and only real eigenvalues, what is commonly referred to as strongly hyperbolic systems. We provide a self-contained and simple proof of local well-posedness, in the Hadamard sense, of the Cauchy problem. Our regularity assumptions are very minimal. As an application, we apply our results to systems of ideal and viscous relativistic fluids, where the theory of strongly hyperbolic equations has been systematically used to study several systems of physical interest.

Mathematics↗
NASA NTRS1992

A scenario for solar wind penetration of earth's magnetic tail based on ion composition data from the ISEE 1 spacecraft

Based on He(2+) and H(-) ion composition data from the Plasma Composition Experiment on ISEE 1, a scenario is proposed for the solar wind penetration of the earth's magnetic tail, which does not require that the solar wind plasma be magnetized. While this study does not take issue with the notion that earth's magnetic field merges with the solar wind magnetic field on a regular basis, it focuses on certain aspects of interaction between the solar wind particles and the earth's field, e.g, the fact that the geomagnetic tail always has a plasma sheet, even during times when the physical signs of magnetic merging are weak or absent. It is argued that the solar plasma enters along slots between the tail lobes and the plasma sheet, even quite close to earth, convected inward along the plasma sheet boundary layer or adjacent to it, by the electric fringe field of the ever present low-latitude magnetopause boundary layer (LLBL). The required E x B drifts are produced by closing LLBL equipotential surfaces through the plasma sheet.

Lennartsson, W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Structural Effects on Solubility and Crystallinity in Polyamide Ionomers

Although polyamides have been an industrial staple for decades, their solubility and processability remain limited due to the strong hydrogen bonding between amide groups. Here, we report a family of polyamides in which aryl rings, alkyl spacers, sulfonate groups, and amide linkages are regularly spaced along the polymer backbone, allowing us to probe the structural elements that affect processability. We accessed these polymers through a synthetic route based on an expanded diamine monomer and characterized them through a range of physical and spectroscopic techniques. Our results show that the combination of sulfonate groups with increased amide content results in highly soluble polymers, which can dissolve in polar solvents such as water, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. Infrared spectroscopy on the solid polymers shows that the aliphatic amides engage in hydrogen bonding with the sulfonate groups, thus inhibiting ion aggregation, crystallization, and microphase separation. These findings expand the avenue to sulfonate-containing polyamide chemistry and provide design rules for the synthesis of more processable ionic polyamides.

amides↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modelling a Heaving Point-Absorber with a Closed-Loop Control System Using the DualSPHysics Code

The present work addresses the need for an efficient, versatile, accurate and open-source numerical tool to be used during the design stage of wave energy converters (WECs). The device considered here is the heaving point-absorber developed and tested by Sandia National Laboratories. The smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, as implemented in DualSPHysics, is proposed since its meshless approach presents some important advantages when simulating floating devices. The dynamics of the power take-off system are also modelled by coupling DualSPHysics with the multi-physics library Project Chrono. A satisfactory matching between experimental and numerical results is obtained for: (i) the heave response of the device when forced via its actuator; (ii) the vertical forces acting on the fixed device under regular waves and; (iii) the heave response of the WEC under the action of both regular waves and the actuator force. This proves the ability of the numerical approach proposed to simulate accurately the fluid–structure interaction along with the WEC’s closed-loop control system. In addition, radiation models built from the experimental and WAMIT results are compared with DualSPHysics by plotting the intrinsic impedance in the frequency domain, showing that the SPH method can be also employed for system identification.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2009

Simplified Approach to Predicting Rough Surface Transition

Turbine vane heat transfer predictions are given for smooth and rough vanes where the experimental data show transition moving forward on the vane as the surface roughness physical height increases. Consistent with smooth vane heat transfer, the transition moves forward for a fixed roughness height as the Reynolds number increases. Comparisons are presented with published experimental data. Some of the data are for a regular roughness geometry with a range of roughness heights, Reynolds numbers, and inlet turbulence intensities. The approach taken in this analysis is to treat the roughness in a statistical sense, consistent with what would be obtained from blades measured after exposure to actual engine environments. An approach is given to determine the equivalent sand grain roughness from the statistics of the regular geometry. This approach is guided by the experimental data. A roughness transition criterion is developed, and comparisons are made with experimental data over the entire range of experimental test conditions. Additional comparisons are made with experimental heat transfer data, where the roughness geometries are both regular and statistical. Using the developed analysis, heat transfer calculations are presented for the second stage vane of a high pressure turbine at hypothetical engine conditions.

Boyle, R. J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

(U) Correlated Sampling Using Batch Statistics to Reduce the Uncertainty of Combinations of KSEN Outputs with MCNP6

The relative sensitivity of k eff to the densities of nuclides in a material are combined to compute relative sensitivities to other inputs. When computed in a single Monte Carlo run, the nuclide density sensitivities are correlated, and the statistical uncertainties propagated to other inputs will be incorrect unless those correlations are accounted for. Equations are presented to apply correlated sampling using batch statistics for the sum of an arbitrary number of random tallies and the difference of two random tallies when each is multiplied by a different constant. When correlated sampling is used on a recent benchmark evaluation, the correct statistical uncertainties for certain combinations of sensitivities are dramatically smaller than the incorrect uncertainties. A user-controlled, regular output of MCNP6’s KSEN sensitivities that allows batch statistics to be applied to combinations would be extremely valuable.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural response reconstruction using a system-equivalent singular vector basis

Here, this paper develops a novel method for reconstructing the full-field response of structural dynamic systems using sparse measurements. The singular value decomposition is applied to a frequency response matrix relating the structural response to physical loads, base motion, or modal loads. The left singular vectors form a non-physical reduced basis that can be used for response reconstruction with far fewer sensors than existing methods. The contributions of the singular vectors to measured response are termed singular-vector loads (SVLs) and are used in a regularized Bayesian framework to generate full-field response estimates and confidence intervals. The reconstruction framework is applicable to the estimation of single data records and power spectral densities from multiple records. Reconstruction is successfully performed in configurations where the number of SVLs to identify is less than, equal to, and greater than the number of sensors used for reconstruction. In a simulation featuring a seismically excited shear structure, SVL reconstruction significantly outperforms modal FRF-based reconstruction and successfully estimates full-field responses with as few as two uniaxial accelerometers. SVL reconstruction is further verified in a simulation featuring an acoustically excited cylinder. Finally, response reconstruction and uncertainty quantification are performed on an experimental structure with three shaker inputs and 27 triaxial accelerometer outputs.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1984

Regularized Monte-Carlo calculations of the optical polarization induced by scattering in X-ray binaries

The results of regularized Monte Carlo calculations of the optical polarization Stokes parameters expected as a result of scattering from gas streams or accretion wakes in close binary systems whose properties resemble those of X-ray binaries are presented. The physical processes occurring in the system are represented by a model which follows a selected sample of individual photon paths from each emitting element on the surface of the primary to the photon's detection at earth. The result represents the variations in the intensity from each individual emitting element caused by the effects of limb darkening, gravity darkening, and variation in the projected area of the emitting element as seen from the scattering element.

Dolan, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Theoretical Problems in Materials Science

Interactions between theoretical physics and material sciences to identify problems of common interest in which some of the powerful theoretical approaches developed for other branches of physics may be applied to problems in materials science are presented. A unique structure was identified in rapidly quenched Al-14% Mn. The material has long-range directed bonds with icosahedral symmetry which does not form a regular structure but instead forms an amorphous-like quasiperiodic structure. Finite volume fractions of second phase material is advanced and is coupled with nucleation theory to describe the formation and structure of precipitating phases in alloys. Application of the theory of pattern formation to the problem of dendrite formation is studied.

Langer, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Interim Report of the Astronomy Spacelab Payloads Study: Ultraviolet and Optical Astronomy - Volume 2

The Space Shuttle will comprise NASA's primary transportation system into near-earth orbit during the 1980s. The Shuttle will provide the astronomical community with a major new capability to send a wide variety of instrumentation into orbit, to utilize it there under manned or automatic control for periods from seven to thirty days, and to return it to the ground. To this end the European Space Research Organization (ESRO) is developing Spacelab, an array of interchangeable components -pressurized manned modules, unpressurized pallets and related support systems - to be mounted in the Shuttle payload bay. Spacelab will offer important opportunities to carry out astronomical research with instruments optimized for specific objectives. With a high flight frequency and with the ability to modify or interchange telescopes and instruments between flights, one will not need to make rigid long-term commitments to specific and compromised telescope/instrument/ detector combinations as is the case for automated satellites. Observational techniques demanding the physical return of data and equipment - in particular the use of photographic film, instruments requiring tight calibration controls, cryogens, high-risk detectors and degradeable optical coatings -will open research areas not readily addressed by automated satellites. Although Shuttle flight duration will be limited to periods from seven to thirty days, substantial data can be obtained with a single instrument on short missions, if targets are carefully selected and prioritized, and a large number of instruments can be accommodated on a single flight. Important astronomical data are regularly obtained on sounding rocket flights of five minutes duration. Spacelab will provide far longer observing periods for large and small telescopes, with resources greatly exceeding those of sounding rockets, while retaining much of the sounding rocket philosophy in terms of instrument flexibility, simplicity, reliability assurance and development costs. The Ultraviolet and Optical Astronomy Program on Spacelab is being planned to provide optical astronomers with relatively simple and regular access to the extended wavelength coverage, the superior image quality and the darkness of the night sky available above the earth's atmosphere. In a rapidly evolving science one cannot predict what problems will be timely in the 1980s. Extrapolating from the current epoch, however, one can envision a continuing interest in such areas as the structure, composition and phenomenology of planetary surfaces and atmospheres; the composition and physical nature of the interstellar medium; the composition, structure and life history of stars, especially those in advanced stages of evolution; the stellar population of other galaxies; such enigmatic phenomena as X-ray binary black holes, pulsars, active galactic nuclei and quasars; large scale interactions between galaxies and the nature of the intergalactic medium; precise calibration of the Hubble law for the expansion of the universe; the average density of the universe; and the existence of extraterrestrial life.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2018

Challenges Beyond the Standard Model: An Examination and Evaluation of Alternatives with Respect to Unsolved Problems in Energetics and Signaling

The standard model of particle physics is regarded as one of the greatest achievements of modern physics. It has successfully predicted the existence of numerous hadrons; e.g. the Higgs Boson, the W and Z Bosons, B mesons, etc. Moreover it accurately models many phenomena such as Beta and Radioactive decay, pair production, hadron mass splitting, and others. In spite of this, the standard model has many shortfalls. For example it fails to account for or explain the presence of dark matter and dark energy. Many alternative models of the substructure of matter etc. have been proposed. Some of these are examined. In addition the strongly related standard model of cosmology, that is the big bang theory, accounts for all observed celestial phenomena. What it cannot do is satisfactorily justify all astrophysical events. As noted, dark matter and dark energy are not well understood yet they are core elements of the big bang model. Many elements of this standard model of cosmology are challenged regularly, yet somehow the community always fits the problems with the model into another mysterious element. This model and others are examined for consistency and reconciliation. Evidence of particles that move faster than the speed of light has long been sought, but remains elusive. Some of the known space-like observations of physics are examined. Potential consequences of such particles are likewise investigated. Some conclusions are drawn with respect to the framework of tachyons in a rational but non-rigorous sense. Finally, some of my ideas are presented, concerning all of the above material. The framework of theories of everything is examined, considering what such a theory requires for validity. Sociological notes on the structure of research in physics are given.

Coxe, Alexander M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Asymptotic Freedom at the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition without Fine-Tuning Using a Qubit Regularization

We propose a two-dimensional hard-core loop-gas model as a way to regularize the asymptotically free massive continuum quantum field theory that emerges at the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Without fine-tuning, our model can reproduce the universal step-scaling function of the classical lattice X Y model in the massive phase as we approach the phase transition. This is achieved by lowering the fugacity of Fock-vacuum sites in the loop-gas configuration space to zero in the thermodynamic limit. Some of the universal quantities at the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition show smaller finite size effects in our model as compared to the traditional X Y model. Our model is a prime example of qubit regularization of an asymptotically free massive quantum field theory in Euclidean space-time and helps understand how asymptotic freedom can arise as a relevant perturbation at a decoupled fixed point without fine-tuning. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Plug-and-Play Methods for Integrating Physical and Learned Models in Computational Imaging: Theory, algorithms, and applications

Plug-and-play (PnP) priors constitute one of the most widely used frameworks for solving computational imaging problems through the integration of physical models and learned models. PnP leverages high-fidelity physical sensor models and powerful machine learning methods for prior modeling of data to provide state-of-the-art reconstruction algorithms. PnP algorithms alternate between minimizing a data fidelity term to promote data consistency and imposing a learned regularizer in the form of an image denoiser. Recent highly successful applications of PnP algorithms include biomicroscopy, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and joint ptychotomography. This article presents a unified and principled review of PnP by tracing its roots, describing its major variations, summarizing main results, and discussing applications in computational imaging. Additionally, we also point the way toward further developments by discussing recent results on equilibrium equations that formulate the problem associated with PnP algorithms.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1984

Biological Oceanography

Within the framework of global biogeochemical cycles and ocean productivity, there are two areas that will be of particular interest to biological oceanography in the 1990s. The first is the mapping in space time of the biomass and productivity of phytoplankton in the world ocean. The second area is the coupling of biological and physical processes as it affects the distribution and growth rate of phytoplankton biomass. Certainly other areas will be of interest to biological oceanographers, but these two areas are amenable to observations from satellites. Temporal and spatial variability is a regular feature of marine ecosystems. The temporal and spatial variability of phytoplankton biomass and productivity which is ubiquitous at all time and space scales in the ocean must be characterized. Remote sensing from satellites addresses these problems with global observations of mesocale (2 to 20 days, 10 to 200 km) features over a long period of time.

Abbott, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Effects of Hydrocarbon-Based Grease on Rapid Prototype Material Used for Grease Retention Shrouds

Effects of hydrocarbon-based greases on specific rapid prototype (RP) materials used to fabricate grease retention shrouds (GRS) were explored in this study. Grease retention shrouds are being considered as a way to maintain adequate grease lubrication at the gear mesh in a prototype research transmission system. Due to their design and manufacturing flexibility, rapid prototype materials were chosen for the grease retention shrouds. In order to gain a better understanding of the short and long term effects grease pose on RP materials, research was conducted on the interaction of hydrocarbon-based grease with RP materials. The materials used in this study were durable polyamide (nylon), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and WaterClear 10120. Testing was conducted using Mobilgrease 28 and Syn-Tech 3913G grease (gear coupling grease). These greases were selected due to their regular use with mechanical components. To investigate the effect that grease has on RP materials, the following methods were used to obtain qualitative and quantitative data: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), interference profilometer measurements, digital camera imaging, physical shape measurement, and visual observations. To record the changes in the RP materials due to contact with the grease, data was taken before and after the grease application. Results showed that the WaterClear 10120 RP material provided the best resistance to grease penetration as compared to nylon and ABS RP materials. The manufacturing process, and thus resulting surface conditions of the RP material, played a key role in the grease penetration properties and resilience of these materials.

Zakrajsek, Andrew J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

MOOSE Optimization Module Overview: Application to Residual Stress Inversion in Nuclear Fuel Plates

Manufacturing methods, material selections and unique plate geometries used in low enriched uranium plate fuels for the High Performance Research Reactor (HPRR) have led to concerns about the residual stresses effect on bond strength of the fuel/cladding interfaces and overall fuel performance under irradiation. The current HPRR plate fuel test program performed residual stress calculations using the contour method with experimental displacement data obtained by incrementally cutting the plate fuel. In this work, we use a gradient based inverse optimization module developed within the MOOSE framework to estimate normal and shear residual stresses within the plate fuels using displacement data taken from a cut placed in the HPRR fuel plate. These results are verified against residual stress calculations obtained from the contour method. The inversion protocol used in this work utilizes two meshes to separately discretize the physics and parameter space. This allows a fine mesh to be used to fully resolve the physics and geometry of the forward problem. A coarser mesh is used to resolve the parameter space with spatially varying mesh density determined from a sensitivity analysis. The adaptive resolution of the parameter space essentially has the effect of regularization as it is designed to achieve the bias-variance tradeoff.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Influence of crystal structure on constitutive anisotropy of silica sand at particle-scale

In spite of recent advanced geotechnical research regarding the influence of particle-scale morphology and fabric on the constitutive behavior of silica sands, there is still no published literature that investigated the influence of crystal structure of sand particles on their constitutive behavior. The main constituent of silica sand particles is quartz mineral, which has a trigonal crystal system and hexagonal lattice. This paper investigates the influence of quartz crystal structure on the constitutive response of silica sand particles using 3D X-ray diffraction (3DXRD), synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SMT), and 3D finite element (FE) analysis. Here, unconfined uniaxial compression experiments on single particles of synthetic silica cubes exposed the notion of constitutive anisotropy caused by the crystal structure of quartz. Since the silica cubes have simple regular geometry (1 mm) 3 , they were loaded in different directions with respect to their crystal local planes. The crystal structure was also identified for a natural silica sand specimen composed of 2705 particles and loaded in confined uniaxial compression. Physical limitations of the experimental measurements made a strong case for the use of 3D FE analysis to study how the change in crystal local orientation of individual sand particles can fundamentally produce anisotropy in the constitutive response of natural sand specimens. The 3D FE analysis was validated to accurately model the crystal-based constitutive anisotropy in silica particles using the results of the silica cube experiments. The analysis was then executed on 3D FE meshes that closely matched the physical shape and fabric of the 2705 particles in the natural sand specimen. Both the experiments and 3D FE analysis showed that the crystal structure of quartz essentially causes a directional anisotropy in the constitutive behavior of silica particles.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗