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At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Dark black holes in the mass gap

Abstract In the standard picture of stellar evolution, pair-instability — the energy loss in stellar cores due to electron-positron pair production — is predicted to prevent the collapse of massive stars into black holes with mass in the range between approximately 50 and 130 solar masses — a range known as the “black hole mass gap”. LIGO and Virgo detection of black hole binary mergers containing one or both black holes with masses in thismass gapthus challenges the standard picture, possibly pointing to an unexpected merger history, unanticipated or poorly understood astrophysical mechanisms, or new physics. Here, we entertain the possibility that a “dark sector” exists, consisting of dark electrons, dark protons, and electromagnetic-like interactions, but no nuclear forces. Dark stars would inevitably form given such dark sector constituents, possibly collapsing into black holes with masses within the mass gap. We study in detail the cooling processes necessary for successful stellar collapse in the dark sector and show that for suitable choices of the particle masses, we indeed predict populating the mass gap with dark sector black holes. In particular, we numerically find that the heavier of the two dark sector massive particles cannot be lighter than, approximately, the visible sector proton for the resulting dark sector black holes to have masses within the mass gap. We discuss constraints on this scenario and how to test it with future, larger black hole merger statistics.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurement of the Ar ( e , e ' p ) and Ti ( e , e ' p ) cross sections in Jefferson Lab Hall A

The E12-14-012 experiment, performed in Jefferson Lab Hall A, has collected exclusive electron-scattering data ( e , e ' p ) in parallel kinematics using natural argon and natural titanium targets. In this study we report the first results of the analysis of the data set corresponding to beam energy 2222 GeV, electron scattering angle 21 . 5 ° , and proton emission angle – 50 ° . The differential cross sections, measured with ≈ 4 % uncertainty, have been studied as a function of missing energy and missing momentum, and compared to the results of Monte Carlo simulations, obtained from a model based on the distorted-wave impulse approximation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurement of the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry for elastic electron scattering from 12 C and 27 Al

We report measurements of the parity-conserving beam-normal single-spin elastic scattering asymmetries B n on 12 C and 27 Al, obtained with an electron beam polarized transverse to its momentum direction. These measurements add an additional kinematic point to a series of previous measurements of B n on 12 C and provide a first measurement on 27 Al. The experiment utilized the Q weak apparatus at Jefferson Lab with a beam energy of 1.158 GeV. The average lab scattering angle for both targets was 7.7°, and the average Q 2 for both targets was 0.02437 GeV 2 (Q = 0.1561 GeV). The asymmetries are B n = -10.68 ± 0.90 (stat) ± 0.57 (syst) ppm 12 C and B n = -12.16 ± 0.58 (stat) ± 0.62 (syst) ppm for 27 Al. The results are consistent with theoretical predictions, and are compared to existing data. When scaled by Z/A, the Q dependence of all the far-forward angle (θ < 10°) data from 1 H to 27 Al can be described by the same slope out to Q ≈ 0.35 GeV. Larger-angle data from other experiments in the same Q range are consistent with a slope about twice as steep.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electron scattering on A = 3 nuclei from quantum Monte Carlo based approaches

We perform first-principle calculations of electron-nucleus scattering on 3 He and 3 H using the Green's function Monte Carlo method and two approaches based on the factorization of the final hadronic state: the spectral-function formalism and the short-time approximation. These three methods are benchmarked among each other and compared to the experimental data for the longitudinal and transverse electromagnetic response functions of 3 He, and the inclusive cross sections of both 3 He and 3 H. Since these three approaches are based on the same description of nuclear dynamics of the initial target state, comparing their results enables a precise quantification of the uncertainties inherent to factorization schemes. At sufficiently large values of the momentum transfer, we find an excellent agreement of the Green's function Monte Carlo calculation with experimental data and with both the spectral-function formalism and the short-time approximation. Here, we also analyze the relevance of relativistic effects, whose inclusion becomes crucial to explain data at high momentum and energy transfer.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Neutrinoless double-β decay: Combining quantum Monte Carlo and the nuclear shell model with the generalized contact formalism

Neutrinoless double beta decay searches can determine the Majorana nature of neutrinos, the absolute neutrino mass, and provide invaluable insights on the matter dominance of the universe. However, the uncertainty in the nuclear matrix elements that govern the decay limits the physics reach of these experiments. Here, we devise a novel framework based on the generalized contact formalism that combines the nuclear shell model and quantum Monte Carlo methods and compute the neutrinoless double-beta decay of nuclei used in the most advanced experiments, including 76 Ge, 130 Te, and 136 Xe. Our results cover all relevant terms, including the leading-order short-range operator recognized recently. We validate our method in light nuclei by comparing against accurate variational Monte Carlo results. On heavy systems we obtain reduced nuclear matrix elements compared with previous calculations due to additional correlations captured by quantum Monte Carlo and introduced within the generalized contact formalism, suggesting longer decay half-lives than previously considered. On the other hand, we find an enhancement of the nuclear matrix elements due to the new short-range operator.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Optimization of the generator coordinate method with machine-learning techniques for nuclear spectra and neutrinoless double- β decay: Ridge regression for nuclei with axial deformation

The generator coordinate method (GCM) is an important tool of choice for modeling large-amplitude collective motion in atomic nuclei. The computational complexity of the GCM increases rapidly with the number of collective coordinates. It imposes a strong restriction on the applicability of the method. In this work, we propose a subspace-reduction algorithm that employs optimal statistical ML models as surrogates for exact quantum-number projection calculations for norm and Hamiltonian kernels. The model space of the original GCM is reduced to a subspace relevant for nuclear low energy spectra and the NME of ground state to ground state 0νββ decay based on the orthogonality condition (OC) and the energy-transition-orthogonality procedure (ENTROP), respectively. For simplicity, the polynomial ridge regression (RR) algorithm is used to learn the norm and Hamiltonian kernels of axially deformed configurations. The efficiency and accuracy of this algorithm are illustrated for 76 Ge and 76 Se by comparing results obtained using the optimal RR models to direct GCM calculations. The low-lying energy spectra of 76 Ge and 76 Se, as well as the 0νββ-decay NME between their ground states, are computed. Furthermore, the results show that the performance of the GCM+OC/ENTROP+RR is more robust than that of the GCM+RR alone, and the former can reproduce the results of the original GCM calculation accurately with a significantly reduced computational cost.

59 ≤ A ≤ 89↗
DOE OSTI2023

Examination of decay heat measurements and their relevance for understanding the origin of the reactor antineutrino anomaly

Measurements of the decay energy released as a function of time following the thermal neutron induced fission of 235 U and 239,241 Pu were performed in the 1970s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the purpose of quantifying possible loss of coolant accident scenarios. The derivative of this decay energy with respect to time, known in technical parlance as decay heat, is mainly composed of two terms, that of the electrons produced together with antineutrinos in the $β$-minus decay of the neutron-rich fission products, and that of the $γ$ rays produced in the subsequent decay of excited nuclear levels. In this work we study if this extensive set of decay energy measurements can be used to assess the reactor antineutrino anomaly, that is, the approximately 5% deficit of electron antineutrinos produced by nuclear reactors, first deduced by Mention and collaborators in 2011, and observed by the major reactor antineutrino experiments since. Furthermore, with the assistance of nuclear databases, we are able to obtain the ratio of electron spectra under equilibrium conditions for 235 U to 239 Pu, in better agreement with the lower trend recently reported by Kopeikin and collaborators, as well as those for 235 U to 241 Pu and 241 Pu to 239 Pu, which do not agree well with those measured at the Institut Laue-Langevin in the 1980s. We conclude that a new experimental campaign is needed to measure the electron spectra utilizing a high resolution and signal-to-noise-ratio electron spectrometer and a highly precise fission normalization procedure.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Photoproduction of two charged pions off protons in the resonance region

Photoproduction of charged pions pairs off protons is studied within the invariant masses of the final state hadrons from 1.6 to 2.4 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility with the CLAS detector. The total and differential cross sections and spin-density matrix elements are presented for the isobars pρ 0 (770), Δ(1232) ++ π − , and Δ(1232) 0 π + . The data are included in the Bonn-Gatchina coupled-channel analysis and provide the information necessary to determine the branching fractions of Nρ(770) decays for most known N* and Δ* resonances. For the first time, the Nρ branching ratios are obtained here from an event-based likelihood to γp → π + π − p.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of Pb 208 through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering

We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry A PV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from 208 Pb. We measure A PV = 550 ± 16 (stat) ±8 (syst) parts per billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor F W (Q 2 = 0.00616 GeV 2 ) = 0.368 ± 0.013. Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is R n -R p = 0.283 ± 0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of 208 Pb: ρ$^0_W$ = -0.0796 ± 0.0036(exp) ± 0.0013(theo) fm -3 leading to the interior baryon density ρ$^0_b$ = 0.1480 ± 0.0036(exp) ± 0.0013(theo) fm -3 . Finally, the measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Information Content of the Parity-Violating Asymmetry in Pb 208

The parity-violating asymmetry A PV in 208 Pb, recently measured by the PREX-2 Collaboration, is studied using modern relativistic (covariant) and nonrelativistic energy density functionals. We first assess the theoretical uncertainty on A PV which is intrinsic to the adopted approach. To this end, we use quantified functionals that are able to accommodate our previous knowledge on nuclear observables such as binding energies, charge radii, and the dipole polarizability α D of 208 Pb. We then add the quantified value of A PV together with α D to our calibration dataset to optimize new functionals. Based on these results, we predict a neutron skin thickness in 208 Pb r skin = 0.19 ± 0.02 fm and the symmetry-energy slope L = 54 ± 8 MeV. These values are consistent with other estimates based on astrophysical data and are significantly lower than those recently reported using a particular set of relativistic energy density functionals. Here, we also make a prediction for the A PV value in 48 Ca that will be soon available from the CREX measurement.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reanalysis of the 𝛽− $\overline{v}$ 𝑒 Angular Correlation Measurement from the aSPECT Experiment with New Constraints on Fierz Interference

On the basis of revisions of some of the systematic errors, we reanalyzed the electron-antineutrino angular correlation (𝑎 coefficient) in free neutron decay inferred from the recoil energy spectrum of the protons which are detected in 4⁢𝜋 by the aSPECT spectrometer. With 𝑎=−0.104 02⁢(82), the new value differs only marginally from the one published in 2020. Here, the experiment also has sensitivity to 𝑏, the Fierz interference term. From a correlated (𝑏,𝑎) fit to the proton recoil spectrum, we derive a limit of 𝑏 =−0.0098⁢(193) which translates into a somewhat improved 90% confidence interval region of −0.041 ≤ 𝑏 ≤ 0.022 on this hypothetical term. Tighter constraints on 𝑏 can be set from a combined analysis of the PERKEO III (𝛽 asymmetry) and aSPECT measurement which suggests a finite value of 𝑏 with 𝑏 (𝑐) =−0.0181 ± 0.0065 deviating by 2.82⁢𝜎 from the standard model.

Beta decay↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nanoscale engineering and dynamic stabilization of mesoscopic spin textures

Thermalization, while ubiquitous in physics, has traditionally been viewed as an obstacle to be mitigated. In contrast, we demonstrate here the use of thermalization in the generation, control, and readout of “shell-like” spin textures with interacting 13 C nuclear spins in diamond, wherein spins are polarized oppositely on either side of a critical radius. The textures span several nanometers and encompass many hundred spins; they are created and interrogated without manipulating the nuclear spins individually. Long-time stabilization is achieved via prethermalization to a Floquet-engineered Hamiltonian under the electronic gradient field: The texture is therefore metastable and robust against spin diffusion. This enables the state to endure over multiple minutes before it decays. Our work on spin-state engineering paves the way for applications in quantum simulation and nanoscale imaging.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Seeing through the nucleus: A review of color transparency phenomena

In this work, we review the current status of the phenomenon of color transparency (CT), a fundamental consequence of the description of hadrons from quantum chromodynamics. CT refers to the vanishing of final (and/or initial) state interactions with the nuclear medium for exclusive process at sufficiently high enough momentum transfers. We discuss the current experimental observations relating to CT and their theoretical implications for other high energy processes. Future CT experiments and facilities are also described.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

RX-PSA

This code is built on top of the ML-PSA utility and implements the ability to implement a multi-fidelity parallel simulated annealing optimization for a range of engineering problems. RX-PSA provides specializations to interact with modern nuclear reactor codes such as VERA to perform assembly and core optimization in a robust way. RX-PSA also provides LWR specific objective functions and constraints to provide a straightforward user interface that reactor designers are familiar with.

Collins, BenjaminS.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of Interaction Uncertainties on Neutrino-Nucleus Cross Section Measurements

Accelerator-based neutrino facilities represent forefront scientific endeavors, employing state-of-the-art techniques to investigate the properties of neutrinos and unveil signals of physics beyond the standard model. Neutrino-nucleus interactions constitute one of the biggest systematics in these experiments. As neutrino-nucleus cross section measurement statistics have started to surge in recent years, it's becoming vital to control systematics in these measurements. This presentation explores the pivotal role of neutrino interaction uncertainties, including nuclear effects and modeling approximations, in achieving precise neutrino cross-section measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Color Transparency and Light-Front Holographic QCD

Color transparency, the reduction of initial-state or final-state interactions in coherent nuclear processes, is a natural prediction of QCD (quantum chromodynamics) provided that small-sized or point-like configurations (PLCs) are formed in high-momentum transfer, high-energy, semi-exclusive processes. I use the Frankfurt-Miller-Strikman criteria for the existence of PLCs to show that the wave functions of light-front holographic QCD, as currently formulated, do not contain a PLC.

Miller, Gerald A. (ORCID:0000000324433639)↗