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At least 325 records · Page 18

Lyα Observations of Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) Using MAVEN IUVS Echelle

The close approach of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) to Mars in 2014 October provided a unique opportunity to observe a dynamically new Oort cloud comet with potential for interaction with a planet’s atmosphere. The water-originating hydrogen coma of the comet extended to over 20 million km from the nucleus. Determining the properties of this coma contributes to characterizing the comet’s water content and production rate. The present study analyzes a unique data set of high spectral resolution UV observations of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring measured by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft. The Siding Spring observations capture Lyα emissions from the Martian corona, the interplanetary medium, as well as the cometary H and D reservoirs. The isolated cometary spectra are analyzed to reveal a velocity distribution of H atoms that are consistent with model estimates of H{sub 2}O photodissociated H emissions and of OH photodissociated H emissions, Doppler shifted from the main comet H emission line center by 18 km s{sup −1} and 8 km s{sup −1}, respectively. The variations in comet H brightness with distance from the nucleus are used to constrain cometary water production to a rate of 0.5 × 10{sup 28} molecules s{sup −1} at a time when Siding Spring was at 1.5 au, pre-perihelion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Enhanced cutoff energies for direct and rescattered strong-field photoelectron emission of plasmonic nanoparticles

Abstract The efficient generation, accurate detection, and detailed physical tracking of energetic electrons are of applied interest for high harmonics generation, electron-impact spectroscopy, and femtosecond time-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy. We here investigate the generation of photoelectrons (PEs) by exposing plasmonic nanostructures to intense laser pulses in the infrared (IR) spectral regime and analyze the sensitivity of PE spectra to competing elementary interactions for direct and rescattered photoemission pathways. Specifically, we measured and numerically simulated emitted PE momentum distributions from prototypical spherical gold nanoparticles (NPs) with diameters between 5 and 70 nm generated by short laser pulses with peak intensities of 8.0 × 10 12 and 1.2 × 10 13 W/cm 2 , demonstrating the shaping of PE spectra by the Coulomb repulsion between PEs, accumulating residual charges on the NP, and induced plasmonic electric fields. Compared to well-understood rescattering PE cutoff energies for strong-field photoemission from gaseous atomic targets (10× the ponderomotive energy), our measured and simulated PE spectra reveal a dramatic cutoff-energy increase of two orders of magnitude with a significantly higher contribution from direct photoemission. Our findings indicate that direct PEs reach up to 93 % of the rescattered electron cutoff energy, in contrast to 20 % for gaseous atoms, suggesting a novel scheme for the development of compact tunable tabletop electron sources.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of Nd3+ incorporation in calcite

Trivalent rare-earth elements (REEs) readily incorporate in Ca-bearing minerals such as calcite (CaCO3), a phenomenon with important implications for the use of REEs as biogeochemical tracers as well as for environmental remediation. Despite substantial efforts, determining the incorporation modes of trivalent REEs in calcite has remained challenging due to their presence in multiple coordination environments. This is particularly problematic for the interpretation of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. In this work, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations of Nd3+ incorporated in calcite were performed to resolve its incorporation modes. Nd3+ and Ca2+ have very similar ionic radii but the additional positive charge requires a charge compensation scheme (CCS). Five CCSs were considered in AIMD simulations, and the resulting atomic trajectories were then used to compute EXAFS spectra for direct fitting to a published experimental spectrum. The results of the fits indicated that Nd3+ incorporates at the Ca2+ site in calcite in a mixture of six- and seven-fold coordination environments and through three main incorporation modes: associated with a protonated nearest-neighbor Ca2+ vacancy, incorporated as NdOH2+, and charge compensated by a remote species (on the spatial scale probed by EXAFS). The incorporation of Nd3+ in calcite via multiple modes was consistent with previous work, but the AIMD-EXAFS approach allowed for resolving the nature, proportion, and structure of the different coordination environments.

Kerisit, Sebastien N.↗

Engineering Thermal Transport across Layered Graphene–MoS 2 Superlattices

Layering two-dimensional van der Waals materials provides a high degree of control over atomic placement, which could enable tailoring of vibrational spectra and heat flow at the sub-nanometer scale. In this work, using spatially resolved ultrafast thermoreflectance and spectroscopy, we uncover the design rules governing cross-plane heat transport in superlattices assembled from monolayers of graphene (G) and MoS 2 (M). Using a combinatorial experimental approach, we probe nine different stacking sequences, G, GG, MG, GGG, GMG, GGMG, GMGG, GMMG, and GMGMG, and identify the effects of vibrational mismatch, interlayer adhesion, and junction asymmetry on thermal transport. Pure G sequences display evidence of quasi-ballistic transport, whereas adding even a single M layer strongly disrupts heat conduction. The experimental data are described well by molecular dynamics simulations, which include thermal expansion, accounting for the effect of finite temperature on the interlayer spacing. The simulations show that an increase of ~2.4% in the layer separation of GMGMG, relative to its value at 300 K, can lead to a doubling of the thermal resistance. Using these design rules, we experimentally demonstrate a five-layer GMGMG superlattice “thermal metamaterial” with an ultralow effective cross-plane thermal conductivity comparable to that of air.

2D materials↗

Revealing the Surface Structure of CdSe Nanocrystals by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-Enhanced 77 Se and 113 Cd Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy was used to obtain detailed surface structures of zinc blende CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) with plate or spheroidal morphologies which are capped by carboxylic acid ligands. 1D 113 Cd and 77 Se cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CPMAS) NMR spectra revealed distinct signals from Cd and Se atoms on the surface of the NCs, and those residing in bulk-like environments, below the surface. 113 Cd cross-polarization magic-angle-turning (CP-MAT) experiments identified CdSe 3 O, CdSe 2 O 2 , and CdSeO 3 Cd coordination environments on the surface of the NCs, where the oxygen atoms are presumably from coordinated carboxylate ligands. The sensitivity gain from DNP enabled natural isotopic abundance 2D homonuclear 113 Cd– 113 Cd and 77 Se– 77 Se and heteronuclear 113 Cd– 77 Se scalar correlation solid-state NMR experiments which revealed the connectivity of the Cd and Se atoms. Importantly, 77 Se{ 113 Cd} scalar heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence ( J -HMQC) experiments were used to selectively measure one-bond 77 Se– 113 Cd scalar coupling constants ( 1 J ( 77 Se, 113 Cd)). With knowledge of 1 J ( 77 Se, 113 Cd), heteronuclear 77 Se{ 113 Cd} spin echo ( J -resolved) NMR experiments were used to determine the number of Cd atoms bonded to Se atoms and vice versa. Furthermore, the J -resolved experiments directly confirmed that major Cd and Se surface species have CdSe 2 O 2 and SeCd 4 stoichiometries, respectively. Considering the crystal structure of zinc blende CdSe and the similarity of the solid-state NMR data for the platelets and spheroids, we conclude that the surface of the spheroidal CdSe NCs is primarily composed of {100} facets. The methods outlined here will generally be applicable to obtain detailed surface structures of various main group semiconductor nanoparticles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Following excited-state chemical shifts in molecular ultrafast x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The conversion of photon energy into other energetic forms in molecules is accompanied by charge moving on ultrafast timescales. We directly observe the charge motion at a specific site in an electronically excited molecule using time-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (TR-XPS). We extend the concept of static chemical shift from conventional XPS by the excited-state chemical shift (ESCS), which is connected to the charge in the framework of a potential model. This allows us to invert TR-XPS spectra to the dynamic charge at a specific atom. We demonstrate the power of TR-XPS by using sulphur 2p-core-electron-emission probing to study the UV-excited dynamics of 2-thiouracil. The method allows us to discover that a major part of the population relaxes to the molecular ground state within 220–250 fs. In addition, a 250-fs oscillation, visible in the kinetic energy of the TR-XPS, reveals a coherent exchange of population among electronic states.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A localized view on molecular dissociation via electron-ion partial covariance

Inner-shell photoelectron spectroscopy provides an element-specific probe of molecular structure, as core-electron binding energies are sensitive to the chemical environment. Short-wavelength femtosecond light sources, such as Free-Electron Lasers (FELs), even enable time-resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry. Here, we study the ultraviolet photodissociation of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane, probed by extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) through the ultrafast evolution of the iodine 4d binding energy. Methodologically, we employ electron-ion partial covariance imaging as a technique to isolate otherwise elusive features in a two-dimensional photoelectron spectrum arising from different photofragmentation pathways. The experimental and theoretical results for the time-resolved electron spectra of the 4d 3/2 and 4d 5/2 atomic and molecular levels that are disentangled by this method provide a key step towards studying structural and chemical changes from a specific spectator site.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Building workflows for an interactive human-in-the-loop automated experiment (hAE) in STEM-EELS

Exploring the structural, chemical, and physical properties of matter on the nano- and atomic scales has become possible with the recent advances in aberration-corrected electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). However, the current paradigm of STEM-EELS relies on the classical rectangular grid sampling, in which all surface regions are assumed to be of equal a priori interest. However, this is typically not the case for real-world scenarios, where phenomena of interest are concentrated in a small number of spatial locations, such as interfaces, structural and topological defects, and multi-phase inclusions. One of the foundational problems is the discovery of nanometer- or atomic-scale structures having specific signatures in EELS spectra. Herein, we systematically explore the hyperparameters controlling deep kernel learning (DKL) discovery workflows for STEM-EELS and identify the role of the local structural descriptors and acquisition functions in experiment progression. In agreement with the actual experiment, we observe that for certain parameter combinations the experiment path can be trapped in the local minima. We demonstrate the approaches for monitoring the automated experiment in the real and feature space of the system and knowledge acquisition of the DKL model. Based on these, we construct intervention strategies defining the human-in-the-loop automated experiment (hAE). This approach can be further extended to other techniques including 4D STEM and other forms of spectroscopic imaging. The hAE library is available on Github at https://github.com/utkarshp1161/hAE/tree/main/hAE.

Pratiush, Utkarsh [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, ↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the GE Hitachi 16-10393 Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors and melt wires irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work (SOW) No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the GE Hitachi 16-10393 irradiation which was conducted in positions B11 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the SOW will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the GE Hitachi assemblies prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis. The measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the University of Central Florida (UCF3) Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the University of Central Florida (UCF)-3 third stage experiment which was conducted in position B8 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the scope of work are reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the UCF-3 assemblies at INL prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at 8 fluence monitor locations. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM 16-10584) Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM 16-10584) experiment which was conducted in position B5 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the scope of work are reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the CSM assemblies at INL prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at 12 fluence monitor locations. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the SAM-2 Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 79550 provides for the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00269673 and Statement of Work No. 19704, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux Capsules. This report is for the SAM-2 irradiation which was conducted in position B8 of the ATR. Other experiments included in the statement of work for this project will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and sent to INL for loading into the SAM-2 assembly prior to irradiation. The SAM-2 experiment has 8 capsules labelled A through H designed for different exposures in successive irradiation cycles. This report is for the first three capsules, A, B and C, co-irradiated for 1 cycle. The remaining capsules and fluence monitors will be removed and analyzed after additional irradiation. Following irradiation, the fluence monitors from capsules A, B, and C were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma or x-ray analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the Boise State University JW 15-8242 Irradiation in ATR (Rev.1)

PNNL project 79550 provides for the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00269673and Statement of Work No. 19704, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux Capsules. This report is for the Boise State University (BSU) JW 15-8242 irradiations which were conducted in positions A6, A7 and A8 of the ATR. We previously reported data for this experiment after about 1 dpa in a report issued in January 2021 (1). This report is for longer irradiations to about 3 dpa. Other experiments included in the statement of work for this project will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the BSU assemblies prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma or x-ray analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

The aeronomy story: A memoir

Research in atmospheric physics leading to the identification of the metastable states of nitrogen is described. These forbidden nitrogen atomic molecular radiations were then identified in auroral spectra.

Kaplan, J.↗

First results from the Goddard High-Resolution spectrograph - High-resolution observations of the 1942 A resonance line of HG II in the chemically peculiar B star, Chi Lupi

The Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph on the HST has been used to obtain high S/N observations of the sharp-lined, Hg- and Pt-rich B-type star, Chi Lupi, with a resolving power of 87,000. The observations reveal a level of spectroscopic detail never before observed at ultraviolet wavelengths for any star other than the sun. Concentrating on the region around the resonance line of Hg II at 1942 A, the profile and central position of this line confirm beyond doubt that the Hg isotope anomaly in Chi Lupi is real and extreme, with Hg being heavily concentrated in the form of Hg-204. The problems in atomic physics which impair the accurate analysis of spectra of this quality are emphasized.

Leckrone, David S.↗

In Pursuit of Abundance Anomalies and the FIP Effect in Late-Type Stellar Coronae

Key EUVE and ASCA data have been retrieved from their respective archives. New software has been written in the IDL language to carry out data analysis and to interface with the relevant atomic physics databases. During the analysis of ASCA spectra, it was found that the abundances of elements other than Fe could not be constrained very well, and Fe abundances were not constrained unless the underlying emission measure distribution model was reasonably well-determined. Consequently, the study has concentrated on the quantity Fe/H. A method has been developed as a means of deriving Fe/H based on fitting the continuum to EUVE spectra, thereby using the Fe lines to determine the Fe abundance. A Monte Carlo Markov Chain algorithm was also developed to determine the emission measure distribution based on observed spectral lines. This is the first application of this type of monte carlo approach to this scientific problem. This work has resulted in three scientific publications, one of which published, one of which is now ready for submission and the other of which is still in preparation:

Drake, Jeremy↗

Spectroscopic Investigations of Fragment Species in the Coma

The content of the gaseous coma of a comet is dominated by fragment species produced by photolysis of the parent molecules issuing directly from the icy nucleus of the comet. Spectroscopy of these species provides complementary information on the physical state of the coma to that obtained from observations of the parent species. Extraction of physical parameters requires detailed molecular and atomic data together with reliable high-resolution spectra and absolute fluxes of the primary source of excitation, the Sun. The large database of observations, dating back more than a century, provides a means to assess the chemical and evolutionary diversity of comets.

Feldman, Paul D.↗