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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Evidence for variability of the hard X-ray feature in the Hercules X-1 energy spectrum

The hard X-ray spectrum of HER X-1 was measured for the first time with a high resolution (1.4 keV FWHM) germanium spectrometer. The observation was performed near the peak of the on-state in the 35 day cycle and the 1.24 pulsations were observed between the energies of 20 keV and 70 keV. The feature corresponds to an excess of 7.5 sigma over the low energy continuum. Smooth continuum models are poor fits to the entire energy range (chance probabilities of 2 percent or less). The best fit energies are 35 keV for an absorption line and 39 keV for an emission line. These are significantly lower energies than those derived from previous experiments. A direct comparison of the data with the results of the MPI/AIT group shows statistically significant variations which strongly suggest variability in the source. Previously announced in STAR as N83-37036

Tueller, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Reexamination of evidence for a radiatively decaying neutrino

Large-aperture low-dispersion exposures obtained with the IUE short-wavelength camera have been reanalyzed to examine the possibility of using nonstandard electroweak models to explain the steplike signal of 5-sigma significance in the cosmic background claimed by Auriemma et al. (1985). The present results show that no evidence yet exists for the postulated cosmic UV radiation from neutrino decay. Error bars of the order of 20,000 photons/sq cm per s per A per sr are found for the brightnesses of Auriemma et al., and it is suggested that their steps may be due to fixed pattern noise in the detector rather than to a cosmic signal.

Murthy, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Shocked relativistic magnetohydrodynamic flows with application to pulsar winds

The time-dependent behavior of a shocked spherically symmetric relativistic fluid with tangential magnetic field is investigated, considering the case where the boundaries of the shocked fluid move at constant velocity so that self-similar solutions exist. The behavior of the fluid in the ultrarelativistic regime is compared to that in the nonrelativistic regime; there is a smooth transition between these limits. If a magnetic field is present, the magnetic pressure becomes increasingly important with distance from the shock wave; the gas pressure vanishes at the contact discontinuity that bounds the flow. Analytic expressions are given which describe the flow. The solutions can be applied to the evolution of shocked relativistic pulsar winds, which are probably observed as Crab-like supernova remnants. A model for the Crab Nebula, based on the steady-state model of Kennel and Coroniti (1984), indicates that sigma = 0.0016, where sigma is twice the ratio of magnetic to particle energy in the wind as measured in the fluid frame. This is about half the value suggested by Kennel and Coroniti and is much smaller than the value that might be expected for a pulsar wind.

Emmering, Robert T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Gravitational star formation thresholds and gas density in three galaxies

It has long been held that the star formation rate (SFR) may be described as a power law of the gas density, p(exp n), as given by Schmidt (1959). However, this relation has as yet remained poorly defined and is likewise poorly understood. In particular, most studies have been investigations of global gas and star formation properties of galaxies, due to lack of adequate high-resolution data for detailed studies of individual galaxies. The three spiral galaxies in this study have published maps of both H2 (as traced by CO), and HI, thereby enabling the authors to investigate the relationship between total gas surface density and SFR. The purpose of the present investigation is the comparison of spatially-resolved total surface gas density in three galaxies (NGC 6946, M51, and M83) to sigma sub c as given by the above model. CO, HI and H alpha data for NGC 6946 were taken from Tacconi-Garman (1988), and for M51 and M83 from Lord (1987). The authors used a CO-H2 conversion of N(H2)/I sub CO(exp cos i = 2.8 x 10(exp 20) atoms cm(-2)/(K kms(-1), and summed the H2 and HI data for each galaxy to obtain the total hydrogen gas density. This total was then multiplied by a factor of 1.36 to include the contribution of helium to the total surface gas density. The authors assumed distances to NGC 6946, M51, and M83 to be 6.0, 9.6, and 8.9 Mpc respectively, with inclination angles of 30, 20, and 26 degrees. H alpha flux was used as the measure of SFR for NGC 6946, and SFR for the remaining two galaxies was taken directly from Lord as computed from H alpha measurements. The results of these full-disk studies thus show a remarkable correlation between the total gas density and the threshold densities given by the gravitational stability criterion. In particular, the threshold density appears to mark a lower boundary to the range of gas densities in these galaxies, which may have consequence in determining appropriate models for star formation and gas dynamics. More evidence is required to verify this result, and the authors are currently undertaking a high-resolution study of the nearby spiral M33 and other galaxies to further investigate this problem.

Oey, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ventilation of North Pacific Intermediate Waters - The role of the Alaskan Gyre

Hydrographic data, tritium data, and potential vorticity calculations suggest that although North Pacific Intermediate Water is formed in the northwest, the Alaskan Gyre might be an additional ventilation site. The proposed ventilation is quantified by a vertical column tritium inventory, which indicates an excess of 0.08 kg of tritium in the Alaskan Gyre. An evaluation of the energy stored in the water column and of wind and buoyancy forcing shows that during winter conditions enough energy can be pumped into the system to force 26.80 sigma(theta) to outcrop in the Alaskan Gyre. Model results suggest that relatively limited outcrops in time and space (tens of days and several hundred kilometers in diameter) can account for the excess tritium.

Van Scoy, Kim A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A physically based fractional cloudiness parameterization

A bulk PBL model with a simple internal vertical structure and a simple second-order closure has been developed for use as a PBL parameterization in a large-scale model. A method to determine the value of sigma, the fractional area covered by rising motion, is given. Large-eddy simulations of Moeng (1984, 1986) are used to validate various aspects of the parameterization.

Randall, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An ISEE/Whistler model of equatorial electron density in the magnetosphere

Attention is given to an empirical model of equatorial electron density in the magnetosphere covering the L range 2.25-8. Although the model is primarily intended for application to the local time interval 00-15 MLT, a way to extend the model to the 15-24-MLT period is presented. The model describes, in piecewise fashion, the 'saturated' plasmasphere, the region of steep plasmapause gradients, and the plasma trough. Within the plasmasphere the model profile can be expressed as logne - Sigma-xi, where x1 = -0.3145L + 3.9043 is the principal or 'reference' term, and additional terms account for: a solar cycle variation with a peak at solar maximum; an annual variation with a December maximum; and a semiannual variation with equinoctial maxima.

Carpenter, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Lunar Gravity Field Determination Using SELENE Same-Beam Differential VLBI Tracking Data

A lunar gravity field model up to degree and order 100 in spherical harmonics, named SGM 100i, has been determined from SELENE and historical tracking data, with an emphasis on using same-beam S-band differential VLBI data obtained in the SELENE mission between January 2008 and February 2009. Orbit consistency throughout the entire mission period of SELENE as determined from orbit overlaps for the two sub-satellites of SELENE involved in the VLBI tracking improved consistently from several hundreds of metres to several tens of metres by including differential VLBI data. Through orbits that are better determined, the gravity field model is also improved by including these data. Orbit determination performance for the new model shows improvements over earlier 100th degree and order models, especially for edge-on orbits over the deep far side. Lunar Prospector orbit determination shows an improvement of orbit consistency from I-day predictions for 2-day arcs of 6 m in a total sense, with most improvement in the along and cross-track directions. Data fit for the types and satellites involved is also improved. Formal errors for the lower degrees are smaller, and the new model also shows increased correlations with topography over the far side. The estimated value for the lunar GM for this model equals 4902.80080 +/- 0.0009 cu km/sq s (10 sigma). The lunar degree 2 potential Love number k2 was also estimated, and has a value of 0.0255 +/- 0.0016 (10 sigma as well).

Goossens, S.↗
DOE OSTI2024

The precision measurement of the muon $g-2$ at Fermilab

The Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab aims to measure the magnetic anomaly of the muon with the unprecedented precision of 140 parts per billion. In April 2021, the collaboration published the first measurement based on the first year of data collection, which was found to be consistent with the previous experiment at Brookhaven. The new global average of the experimental measurements strengthens the long-standing tension with the data-driven Standard Model prediction to a combined discrepancy of 4.2$\sigma$. On the theory side, however, recent improvements in the theoretical calculation of the hadronic contribution based on Lattice-QCD techniques are introducing new tensions on the value predicted by the theory. The Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab has now concluded its sixth and final year of data taking and a new result based on the Run-2 and Run-3 data was published in August 2023. This paper briefly describes the precision measurement conducted by the Muon $g-2$ Experiment at Fermilab and its current status.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1985

Development and Testing of the Variable Vertical Resolution Fourth Order GCM

The vertical coordinate of the Fourth Order Model has been generalized so that the model can now run with an arbitrary number of vertical layers and so that the thicknesses of these layers can be arbitrarily specified (in the sigma coordinate). This Variable Vertical Resolution (VVR) version of the Fourth Order Model will soon replace the current production model. To assess the skill of the VVR model, it has been run with 9 equally spaced layers and compared with the current production model. In two Northern Hemispheric winter cases and one summer case, the two models were virtually identical in forecast skill for 6 to 7 days. After that the VVR model was slightly better in the winter cases and the production model was slightly better in the summer case. The only exception to this was that after 2 days the production model gave slightly more skillful 500 mb forecasts in the tropics for the summer case.

Helfand, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Premixed Edge-Flames in Spatially-Varying Straining Flows

Flames subject to temporally and spatially uniform hydrodynamic strain are frequently used to model the local interactions of flame fronts with turbulent flow fields (Williams, 1985; Peters, 1986; Bradley, 1992). The applicability of laminar flamelet models in strongly turbulent flows have been questioned recently (Shay and Ronney, 1998) because in turbulent flows the strain rate (sigma) changes at rates comparable to sigma itself and the scale over which the flame front curvature and sigma changes is comparable to the curvature scale itself. Therefore quasi-static, local models of turbulent strain and curvature effects on laminar flamelets may not be accurate under conditions where the strain and curvature effects are most significant. The purpose of this study is to examine flames in spatially-varying strain and compare their properties to those of uniformly strained flames.

Liu, Jian-Bang↗
NASA NTRS1983

Metallurgical studies of NITRONIC 40 with reference to its use for cryogenic wind tunnel models

The characterstics of NITRONIC 40 were investigated in connection with its use in cryogenic wind tunnel models. In particular, the effects of carbide and sigma-phase precipitation resulting from heat treatment and the presence of delta ferrite were evaluated in relation to their effects on mechanical properties and the potential consequences of such degradation. Methods were examined for desensitizing the material and for possible removal of delta ferrite as a means of restoring the material to its advertised properties. It was found that heat treatment followed by cryogenic quenching is a technique capable of desensitizing NITRONIC 40. However, it was concluded that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove the delta ferrite from the existing stock of material. Furthermore, heat treatments for removing delta ferrite have to take place at temperatures that cause very large grain growth. The implications of using the degraded NITRONIC 40 material for cryogenic model testing were reviewed, and recommendations were submitted with regard to the acceptability of the material. The experience gained from the study of NITRONIC 40 clearly identifies the need to implement a policy for purchasing top-quality materials for cryogenic wind tunnel model applications.

Wigley, D. A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Experimental and Phenomenological Investigations of the MiniBooNE Anomaly

This thesis covers a range of experimental and theoretical efforts to elucidate the origin of the $4.8\sigma$ MiniBooNE low energy excess (LEE). We begin with the follow-up MicroBooNE experiment, which took data along the BNB from 2016 to 2021. This thesis specifically presents MicroBooNE's search for $\nu_e$ charged-current quasi-elastic (CCQE) interactions consistent with two-body scattering. The two-body CCQE analysis uses a novel reconstruction process, including a number of deep-learning-based algorithms, to isolate a sample of $\nu_e$ CCQE interaction candidates with $75\%$ purity. The analysis rules out an entirely $\nu_e$-based explanation of the MiniBooNE excess at the $2.4\sigma$ confidence level. We next perform a combined fit of MicroBooNE and MiniBooNE data to the popular $3+1$ model; even after the MicroBooNE results, allowed regions in $\Delta m^2$-$\sin^2 2_{\theta_{\mu e}}$ parameter space exist at the $3\sigma$ confidence level. This thesis also demonstrates that the MicroBooNE data are consistent with a $\overline{\nu}_e$-based explanation of the MiniBooNE LEE at the $<2\sigma$ confidence level. Next, we investigate a phenomenological explanation of the MiniBooNE excess combining the $3+1$ model with a dipole-coupled heavy neutral lepton (HNL). It is shown that a 500 MeV HNL can accommodate the energy and angular distributions of the LEE at the $2\sigma$ confidence level while avoiding stringent constraints derived from MINER$\nu$A elastic scattering data. Finally, we discuss the Coherent CAPTAIN-Mills experiment--a 10-ton light-based liquid argon detector at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The background rejection achieved from a novel Cherenkov-based reconstruction algorithm will enable world-leading sensitivity to a number of beyond-the-Standard Model physics scenarios, including dipole-coupled HNLs.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1994

The luminosity function for stars with minus 0.6 less than or equal to M (sub nu) less than or equal to 6.5 in the globular cluster M30: Is there a problem with stellar evolution models?

The V band luminosity function (LF) for stars ranging from the tip of the giant branch to approximately 2.5 mag fainter than the main-sequence turnoff (MSTO) in M30 (=NGC 7099, GC 2137-234) is derived from CCD observations. Comparison with the theoretical LFs of Bergbusch & VandenBerg (1992) for (M/H) = -2, 16 Gyr models shows discrepancies which can be described either of two ways: (1) If the observations are normalized to the models over a few magnitudes fainter than the MSTO, then there is an excess (N (sub obs) greater than N(sub predicted)) of subgiant stars within 0.5 mag of the MSTO at the level of 4.8 sigma and an excess of stars (approximately 20%) compared to the models all along the giant branch. (2) If the normalization is made to match predicted and observed numbers of stars on the giant branch, then there is a discrepancy between models and observations in the sense that there is a broad depression in the observed LF fainter than the MSTO that is not present in the models. Consideration of LFs generated from 12 Gyr models or models adjusted to a shorter (m - M)(sub nu) = 14.5) distance modulus diminishes the magnitude of some of these discrepancies but introduces other mismatches between the observations and models. LFs constructed from stellar models that have 10% of the stellar mass in an isothermal core qualitatively match the observations better than the 'standard' models.

Bolte, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2021

Search for a heavy Higgs boson decaying into a Z boson and another heavy Higgs boson in the $\ell \ell bb$ and $\ell \ell WW$ final states in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ $\text {TeV}$ with the ATLAS detector

A search for a heavy neutral Higgs boson, A decaying into a Z boson and another heavy Higgs boson, H, is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1 from proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search considers the Z boson decaying into electrons or muons and the H boson into a pair of b-quarks or W bosons. The mass range considered is 230–800 $\text {GeV}$ for the A boson and 130–700 $\text {GeV}$ for the H boson. The data are in good agreement with the background predicted by the Standard Model, and therefore 95% confidence-level upper limits for $\sigma \times B(A\rightarrow ZH)\times B(H\rightarrow bb \; \text {or} \; H \rightarrow WW)$ are set. The upper limits are in the range 0.0062–0.380 pb for the $H\rightarrow bb$ channel and in the range 0.023–8.9 pb for the $H\rightarrow WW$ channel. An interpretation of the results in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models is also given.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1993

Testing higher-order Lagrangian perturbation theory against numerical simulation. 1: Pancake models

We present results showing an improvement of the accuracy of perturbation theory as applied to cosmological structure formation for a useful range of quasi-linear scales. The Lagrangian theory of gravitational instability of an Einstein-de Sitter dust cosmogony investigated and solved up to the third order is compared with numerical simulations. In this paper we study the dynamics of pancake models as a first step. In previous work the accuracy of several analytical approximations for the modeling of large-scale structure in the mildly non-linear regime was analyzed in the same way, allowing for direct comparison of the accuracy of various approximations. In particular, the Zel'dovich approximation (hereafter ZA) as a subclass of the first-order Lagrangian perturbation solutions was found to provide an excellent approximation to the density field in the mildly non-linear regime (i.e. up to a linear r.m.s. density contrast of sigma is approximately 2). The performance of ZA in hierarchical clustering models can be greatly improved by truncating the initial power spectrum (smoothing the initial data). We here explore whether this approximation can be further improved with higher-order corrections in the displacement mapping from homogeneity. We study a single pancake model (truncated power-spectrum with power-spectrum with power-index n = -1) using cross-correlation statistics employed in previous work. We found that for all statistical methods used the higher-order corrections improve the results obtained for the first-order solution up to the stage when sigma (linear theory) is approximately 1. While this improvement can be seen for all spatial scales, later stages retain this feature only above a certain scale which is increasing with time. However, third-order is not much improvement over second-order at any stage. The total breakdown of the perturbation approach is observed at the stage, where sigma (linear theory) is approximately 2, which corresponds to the onset of hierarchical clustering. This success is found at a considerable higher non-linearity than is usual for perturbation theory. Whether a truncation of the initial power-spectrum in hierarchical models retains this improvement will be analyzed in a forthcoming work.

Buchert, T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Atmospheric model development in support of SEASAT. Volume 3: Prediction models

As part of the SEASAT program of NASA, a set of four hemispheric, atmospheric models are developed. The four models use a polar stereographic grid in the horizontal and a sigma coordinate in the vertical. Conservation forms of the difference equations are integrated using either a fifteen or four minute time step on a 381 km or 127 km grid (at 60 deg N) for the 63 x 63 or 187 x 187 models respectively. A nonlinear pressure smoother is used along with momentum and temperature diffusion to help control computational noise. The horizontal boundary conditions are insulated slippery walls. Centered time differencing with time averaging of the pressure gradient force term in the momentum equations is used. Robert time filtering on of the temperature and moisture solutions is used for computational stability. The moisture and heat source/sink terms are modeled. Terms representing evaporation and large scale condensation, sensible heat exchange, parameterized cumulus convection and precipitation, and solar and terrestrial radiation are included. Initialization of the models is based on a pattern conservation technique to obtain objective analysis of the state parameter structure from the surface to 50 mb.

Wellck, R. E.↗