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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

A novel method for thermal noise reduction, enabling measurements of broadband, low-amplitude electron temperature fluctuations using individual radiometer channels

A new analysis method has been developed for measurements of broadband, low-amplitude turbulent electron temperature fluctuations in fusion plasmas using individual radiometer channels of a correlation electron cyclotron emission diagnostic. This method takes advantage of differences in the correlation time of thermal noise compared to the correlation time of plasma fluctuations in fusion reactors. The validation of this single-channel method is demonstrated using comparisons with the standard dual-channel radiometer spectral decorrelation method for measurements of turbulent electron temperature fluctuations in the core and edge of low confinement (L), improved confinement (I), and high confinement (H)-mode plasmas at the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Impact of Transition-Edge Sensor Design on Internal Thermal Fluctuation Noise and Thermal Conductance

The measured noise in transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters with a Mo/Au bilayer has been shown to have a significant contribution from internal thermal fluctuation noise (ITFN) between the absorber and the TES. Previous measurements showed the relevant thermal link leading to the noise was the thermal conductance of the TES bilayer, and ITFN has been shown to correlate with the sheet resistance of the TES. As a result, ITFN is particularly significant in devices with a large bilayer sheet resistance. However, because of more favorable transition shapes, such high resistance devices have recently been shown to be preferable under alternating current bias, which is required for the frequency division multiplexed readout baselined for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) instrument on the ATHENA satellite. Therefore, it is important to investigate how else to minimize the ITFN beyond changes to the sheet resistance. In this presentation, we will discuss our investigation of how changes to the TES design can affect ITFN for a fixed sheet resistance. We will present how ITFN is altered by changes to the aspect ratio of the TES, the addition of normal metal banks parallel to the TES current direction, and the size and position of the connections between the absorber and the TES. We will also discuss how these design changes impact the superconducting transition shape, and the thermal conductance from the TES to the thermal bath. These results may provide routes for further improvements of TES performance, and a deeper understanding of the physics of the thermal network in a TES microcalorimeter.

Nicholas A Wakeham↗
NASA NTRS1983

Measurement of macroscopic plasma parameters with a radio experiment: Interpretation of the quasi-thermal noise spectrum observed in the solar wind

The ISEE-3 SBH radio receiver has provided the first systematic observations of the quasi-thermal (plasma waves) noise in the solar wind plasma. The theoretical interpretation of that noise involves the particle distribution function so that electric noise measurements with long antennas provide a fast and independent method of measuring plasma parameters: densities and temperatures of a two component (core and halo) electron distribution function have been obtained in that way. The polarization of that noise is frequency dependent and sensitive to the drift velocity of the electron population. Below the plasma frequency, there is evidence of a weak noise spectrum with spectral index -1 which is not yet accounted for by the theory. The theoretical treatment of the noise associated with the low energy (thermal) proton population shows that the moving electrical antenna radiates in the surrounding plasma by Carenkov emission which becomes predominant at the low frequencies, below about 0.1 F sub P.

Couturier, P.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Comment on “Brownian motion of droplets induced by thermal noise”

We simulate phase separated fluids using the Cahn-Hillard fluctuating hydrodynamic (CH-FHD) model and measure the statistical properties of capillary waves generated by thermal fluctuations. Our measurements are in good agreement with stochastic lubrication theory and molecular dynamics simulations but differ significantly from recent CH-FHD results by Zhang et al. [Phys. Rev. E 109, 024208 (2024)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.109.024208]. Specifically, we find that capillary wave statistics at thermodynamic equilibrium are independent of transport properties, namely viscosity and species diffusion.

Bell, J B↗
NASA NTRS1963

NON-THERMAL NOISE MEASUREMENTS NEAR PLANETS

Measurements of cosmic noise, solar and jovian noise bursts, atmospheric noise and whistlers and vlf emissions, for the study of planetary ionization and magnetic fields

WHISTLER↗
NASA NTRS1965

A low-temperature thermal noise source for use at the Goonhilly satellite-communication earth station

A matched waveguide termination was required as part of the noise temperature calibration facility in the receiving system at the Goonhilly earth-station. For routine measurement of overall system noise temperature, this termination is at ambient temperature. For other noise measurements, and in particular for the measurement of the effective input noise temperature of the maser, the waveguide termination is cooled to 77°K by immersion in liquid nitrogen.

TERMINAL↗
NASA NTRS1971

Microwave cryogenic thermal-noise standards

Field operational waveguide noise standard with nominal noise temperature of 78.09 plus/minus 0.12 deg K is calibrated more precisely than before. Calibration technique applies to various disciplines such as microwave radiometry, antenna temperature and loss measurement, and low-noise amplifier performance evaluation.

Stelzried, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Thermal noise in space-charge-limited hole current in silicon

Present theories on noise in single-carrier space-charge-limited currents in solids have not been quantitatively substantiated by experimental evidence. To obtain such experimental verification, the noise in specially fabricated silicon structures is being measured and analyzed. The first results of this verification effort are reported.

Shumka, A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Bolometers - Ultimate sensitivity, optimization, and amplifier coupling

Theoretical expressions for Johnson noise and thermal noise in bolometers are considered, and optimization with respect to thermal conductivity and bias power is performed. Numerical approximations are given for the ultimate NEP of bolometers as a function of material parameters and compared with photon noise including photon correlations. A resonating capacitor is shown to improve the coupling to an amplifier, so that the amplifier need not limit performance even for very low temperature bolometers.

Mather, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Heterogeneous Superconducting Low-Noise Sensing Coils

A heterogeneous material construction has been devised for sensing coils of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometers that are subject to a combination of requirements peculiar to some advanced applications, notably including low-field magnetic resonance imaging for medical diagnosis. The requirements in question are the following: The sensing coils must be large enough (in some cases having dimensions of as much as tens of centimeters) to afford adequate sensitivity; The sensing coils must be made electrically superconductive to eliminate Johnson noise (thermally induced noise proportional to electrical resistance); and Although the sensing coils must be cooled to below their superconducting- transition temperatures with sufficient cooling power to overcome moderate ambient radiative heat leakage, they must not be immersed in cryogenic liquid baths. For a given superconducting sensing coil, this combination of requirements can be satisfied by providing a sufficiently thermally conductive link between the coil and a cold source. However, the superconducting coil material is not suitable as such a link because electrically superconductive materials are typically poor thermal conductors. The heterogeneous material construction makes it possible to solve both the electrical- and thermal-conductivity problems. The basic idea is to construct the coil as a skeleton made of a highly thermally conductive material (typically, annealed copper), then coat the skeleton with an electrically superconductive alloy (typically, a lead-tin solder) [see figure]. In operation, the copper skeleton provides the required thermally conductive connection to the cold source, while the electrically superconductive coating material shields against Johnson noise that originates in the copper skeleton.

Hahn, Inseob↗
NASA NTRS1992

Doppler tracking of planetary spacecraft

This article concerns the measurement of Doppler shift on microwave links that connect planetary spacecraft with the Deep Space Network. Such measurements are made by tracking the Doppler effect with phase-locked loop receivers. A description of equipment and techniques as well as a summary of the appropriate mathematical models are given. The two-way Doppler shift is measured by transmitting a highly-stable microwave (uplink) carrier from a ground station, having the spacecraft coherently transpond this carrier, and using a phase-locked loop receiver at the ground station to track the returned (downlink) carrier. The largest sources of measurement error are usually plasma noise and thermal noise. The plasma noise, which may originate in the ionosphere or the solar corona, is discussed; and a technique to partially calibrate its effect, involving the use of two simultaneous downlink carriers that are coherently related, is described. Range measurements employing Doppler rate-aiding are also described.

Kinman, Peter W.↗