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At least 37 records · Page 2

Magnetohydrodynamic model of the Crab Nebula and its radiation

The interaction of the Crab pulsar with its surrounding nebula is modeled as a steady state, spherically symmetric relativistic wind which is confined by the outer layers of the supernova remnant. The pulsar wind is assumed to contain only positrons and electrons, and is terminated by a strong shock at a distance of 10 arcseconds from the pulsar, at the outer edge of the underluminous region. Down-stream of the shock, the flow decelerates and increases its pressure in order to match the boundary conditions imposed by outer nebula. Consistent flow solutions can be found if the magnetic luminosity of the pulsar wind is about 0.3 percent of its particle luminosity. The immediate postshock plasma is modeled as a power law distribution whose density and pressure moments satisfy the strong shock Rankine-Hugoniot relations. Using the downstream flow solution, the synchrotron continuum is calculated. The parameters of the pulsar wind and assumed power law spectral index are adjusted until the calculated total synchrotron power and the spectral distribution of the nebular continuum from optical to gamma-rays, are in reasonable accord with observations.

Coroniti, F. V.↗

Displacement interaction and surface curvature effects on hypersonic boundary layers.

The title problem was studied employing implicit finite-difference methods to obtain numerical solutions to a composite set of boundary-layer equations valid to second order. Results are given for flow up a two-dimensional cubic compression ramp for free-stream Mach numbers of 6, 8, and 12.25 and for free-stream Re/inch equal to 85,800 and 25,800 at a wall-to-stagnation temperature ratio of 0.223. Comparisons with independent theories and experimental results are given. Nonsingular separation was produced at a free-stream Mach number of 12.25. For all cases considered, displacement and curvature effects canceled one another when a consistent treatment of inviscid and viscous curvature corrections was employed - the second-order theory virtually reproducing the first-order results.

Wornom, S. F.↗

Absence of a Detectable Lunar Nanodust Exosphere During a Search with LRO's LAMP UV Imaging Spectrograph

The Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) UV spectrograph on board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) performed a campaign to observe the Moon's nanodust exosphere, evidence for which was provided by the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVS) during the 2014 Quadrantid meteoroid stream. These LADEE/UVS observations were consistent with a nanodust exosphere modulated by meteoroid impacts. LRO performed off-nadir maneuvers around the peak of the 2016 Quadrantids, in order to reproduce, as closely as possible, the active meteoroid environment and observing geometry of LADEE/UVS. We analyzed LAMP spectra to search for sunlight backscattering from nanodust. No brightness enhancement attributable to dust, of any size, was observed. We determine an upper limit for dust column concentration of ~10(^ 5) sq. cm for grains of radius ~25 nm, and an upper limit for dust column mass of ~10 11 g sq. cm, nearly independent of grain size for radii <100 nm.

Spectrograph↗

Performance of an Optimized Eta Model Code on the Cray T3E and a Network of PCs

In the year 2001, NASA will launch the satellite TRIANA that will be the first Earth observing mission to provide a continuous, full disk view of the sunlit Earth. As a part of the HPCC Program at NASA GSFC, we have started a project whose objectives are to develop and implement a 3D cloud data assimilation system, by combining TRIANA measurements with model simulation, and to produce accurate statistics of global cloud coverage as an important element of the Earth's climate. For simulation of the atmosphere within this project we are using the NCEP/NOAA operational Eta model. In order to compare TRIANA and the Eta model data on approximately the same grid without significant downscaling, the Eta model will be integrated at a resolution of about 15 km. The integration domain (from -70 to +70 deg in latitude and 150 deg in longitude) will cover most of the sunlit Earth disc and will continuously rotate around the globe following TRIANA. The cloud data assimilation is supposed to run and produce 3D clouds on a near real-time basis. Such a numerical setup and integration design is very ambitious and computationally demanding. Thus, though the Eta model code has been very carefully developed and its computational efficiency has been systematically polished during the years of operational implementation at NCEP, the current MPI version may still have problems with memory and efficiency for the TRIANA simulations. Within this work, we optimize a parallel version of the Eta model code on a Cray T3E and a network of PCs (theHIVE) in order to improve its overall efficiency. Our optimization procedure consists of introducing dynamically allocated arrays to reduce the size of static memory, and optimizing on a single processor by splitting loops to limit the number of streams. All the presented results are derived using an integration domain centered at the equator, with a size of 60 x 60 deg, and with horizontal resolutions of 1/2 and 1/3 deg, respectively. In accompanying charts we report the elapsed time, the speedup and the Mflops as a function of the number of processors for the non-optimized version of the code on the T3E and theHIVE. The large amount of communication required for model integration explains its poor performance on theHIVE. Our initial implementation of the dynamic memory allocation has contributed to about 12% reduction of memory but has introduced a 3% overhead in computing time. This overhead was removed by performing loop splitting in some of the high demanding subroutines. When the Eta code is fully optimized in order to meet the memory requirement for TRIANA simulations, a non-negligeable overhead may appear that may seriously affect the efficiency of the code. To alleviate this problem, we are considering implementation of a new algorithm for the horizontal advection that is computationally less expensive, and also a new approach for marching in time.

Kouatchou, Jules↗

Analysis Of The Sludge Batch 7b (Macrobatch 9) DWPF Pour Stream Glass Sample (Rev. 1)

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) began processing Sludge Batch 7b (SB7b), also referred to as Macrobatch 9 (MB9), in January 2012. SB7b is a blend of the heel of Tank 40 from Sludge Batch 7a (SB7a) and the SB7b material that was transferred to Tank 40 from Tank 51. SB7b was processed using Frit 418. During processing of each sludge batch, the DWPF is required to take at least one glass sample to meet the objectives of the Glass Product Control Program (GPCP), which is governed by the DWPF Waste Form Compliance Plan, and to complete the necessary Production Records so that the final glass product may be disposed of at a Federal Repository. Two pour stream glass samples were collected while processing SB7b. The samples were transferred to the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) where one was analyzed and the other was archived. The following conclusions were drawn from the analytical results provided in this report: The sum of oxides for the official SB7b pour stream glass is within the Product Composition Control System (PCCS) limits (95-105 wt%); The average calculated Waste Dilution Factor (WDF) for SB7b is 2.3. In general, the measured radionuclide content of the official SB7b pour stream glass is in good agreement with the calculated values from the Tank 40 dried sludge results from the SB7b Waste Acceptance Program Specification (WAPS) sample; As in previous pour stream samples, ruthenium and rhodium inclusions were detected by Scanning Electron Microscopy-Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) in the SB7b pour stream sample; The Product Consistency Test (PCT) results indicate that the official SB7b pour stream glass meets the waste acceptance criteria for durability with a normalized boron release of 0.8 g/L, which is an order of magnitude less than the Environmental Assessment (EA) glass; The measured density of the SB7b pour stream glass was 2.70 g/cm 3 ; The Fe 2+ /ΣFe ratio of the SB7b pour stream samples was 0.07.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Numerical solution for the inviscid supersonic flow in the corner formed by two intersecting wedges.

The inviscid, interference corner flow generated by two intersecting wedges immersed in a supersonic stream is obtained by use of a second-order, shock-capturing, finite-difference approach. The governing equations are solved iteratively in conical coordinates to yield the flow structure consisting of multiple shock and slip surfaces. The numerical results for shock wave and slip surface position and structure, pitot pressure traverses, and surface pressure distributions are compared with experimental data obtained over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The comparisons show the best agreement with the high Reynolds number (greater than 3,000,000) results for which the boundary layer is turbulent.

Kutler, P.↗

The causes of recurrent geomagnetic storms

The causes of recurrent geomagnetic activity were studied by analyzing interplanetary magnetic field and plasma data from earth-orbiting spacecraft in the interval from November 1973 to February 1974. This interval included the start of two long sequences of geomagnetic activity and two corresponding corotating interplanetary streams. In general, the geomagnetic activity was related to an electric field which was due to two factors: (1) the ordered, mesoscale pattern of the stream itself, and (2) random, smaller-scale fluctuations in the southward component of the interplanetary magnetic field Bz. The geomagnetic activity in each recurrent sequence consisted of two successive stages. The first stage was usually the most intense, and it occurred during the passage of the interaction region at the front of a stream. These large amplitudes of Bz were primarily produced in the interplanetary medium by compression of ambient fluctuations as the stream steepened in transit to 1 A.U. The second stage of geomagnetic activity immediately following the first was associated with the highest speeds in the stream.

Burlaga, L. F.↗

Analysis of capacitive heat exchangers, part 1

Governing equations are developed for a simple capacitive heat exchanger. This type of heat exchanger consists of hot spherical particles falling through an ascending cold gas stream. The assumptions made in deriving the continuity, momentum and energy equations are clearly stated. The analysis yields a system of first order, ordinary, nonlinear equations which form a complex boundary value problem. The method of solution is presented together with a comparison between the performance of capacitive heat exchangers and conventional counter flow ones.

Schonfeld, D.↗

The flow of a compressible fluid past a curved surface

An iteration method is employed to obtain the flow of a compressible fluid past a curved surface. The first approximation which leads to the Prandtl-Glauert rule, is based on the assumption that the flow differs but little from a pure translation. The iteration process then consists in improving this first approximation in order that it will apply to a flow differing from pure translatory motion to a greater degree. The method fails when the Mach number of the undisturbed stream reaches unity but permits a transition from subsonic to supersonic conditions without the appearance of a compression shock. The limiting value at which potential flow no longer exits is indicated by the apparent divergence of the power series representing the velocity of the fluid at the surface of the solid boundary.

Kaplan, Carl↗

On the recovery of gravity anomalies from high precision altimeter data

A model for the recovery of gravity anomalies from high precision altimeter data is derived which consists of small correction terms to the inverse Stokes' formula. The influence of unknown sea surface topography in the case of meandering currents such as the Gulf Stream is discussed. A formula was derived in order to estimate the accuracy of the gravity anomalies from the known accuracy of the altimeter data. It is shown that for the case of known harmonic coefficients of lower order the range of integration in Stokes inverse formula can be reduced very much.

Lelgemann, D.↗

Energetic particles in the pre-dawn magnetotail of Jupiter

A detailed account is given of the energetic electron and proton populations as observed with Voyagers 1 and 2 during their passes through the dawn magnetotail of Jupiter. The region between 20 and 150 R sub J is dominated by a thin plasma sheet, where trapped energetic electron and proton fluxes reach their maximum. Proton spectra can be represented by an exponential in rigidity with a characteristic energy of approximately 50 keV. Proton anisotropies were consistent with corotation even at 100 R sub J. A major proton acceleration event as well as several cases of field aligned proton streaming were observed. The flux of 0.4 MeV protons decreases by three orders of magnitude between 30 and 90 R sub J and then remains relatively constant to the magnetopause. Fine structure in the data indicate longitudinal asymmetries with respect to the dipole orientation. Electron spectra in the magnetosheath and interplanetary space are modulated by the Jovian longitude relative to the subsolar point.

Schardt, A. W.↗

A Self-learning Neural Network Approach for Radio Frequency Interference Detection and Removal in Radio Astronomy

In this work, we present a novel neural network (NN) method for the detection and removal of radio frequency interference (RFI) from the raw digitized signal in the signal processing chain of a typical radio astronomy experiment. The main advantage of our method is that it does not require a training set. Instead, our method relies on the fact that the true signal of interest coming from astronomical sources is thermal and therefore described as a Gaussian random process, which cannot be compressed. We employ a variational encoder/decoder network to find the compressible information in the data stream that can explain the most variance with the fewest degrees of freedom. We demonstrate it on a set of toy problems and stored ring buffers from the Baryon Mapping eXperiment prototype. We find that the RFI subtraction is effective at cleaning simulated time streams: While we find that the power spectra of the RFI-cleaned time streams output by the NN suffer from extra signal consistent with additive noise, we find that it is generally around percent level across the band and sub 10% in contaminated spectral channels even when RFI power is an order of magnitude larger than the signal. We discuss the advantages and limitations of this method and possible implementation in the front end of future radio experiments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Value of Distributed Wind: A Valuation Framework

While there has been an increase in distributed energy resource (DER) adoption, particularly for solar photovoltaic (PV) DERs, distributed wind deployment is still relatively low. However, distributed wind has significant growth potential for behind-the-meter applications and can provide improved resource diversity and resilience in high-DER grid systems. In order to make optimized decisions about distributed wind deployment, it is important to identify and characterize the value streams of distributed wind in a way that will help policy makers, microgrid developers, utilities, project developers, and others understand the potential value of distributed wind. In our paper, we develop a framework to provide a consistent and comprehensive approach to finding the net benefits of distributed wind to various stakeholders in different scenarios. We do this by considering the main use cases for distributed wind, and then developing a framework which is flexible for these various use cases and the relevant stakeholders while maintaining the same overall structure for analysis. Ongoing work includes applying this framework to valuing two distributed wind power systems, one in a remote village in Alaska and one in a front-of-the-meter deployment in Iowa. Our analysis aims to understand the full value that distributed wind is providing in these systems, including the resilience benefits it is contributing. As a better understanding of distributed wind valuation is gained, it will be easier for stakeholders to make informed decisions in order to have resilient renewable energy systems.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Basic advances in the finite-volume method for transonic potential flow calculations

The finite-volume method of Jameson and Caughey provides a framework within which it is possible to calculate transonic potential flows about essentially arbitrary geometrical configurations. Improvements designed to increase the accuracy of the basic scheme and its consistency in the far field will be described. These include the incorporation of an artificial viscosity which maintains the formal second-order accuracy of the scheme in supersonic zones, and a modification of the flux balances to allow the free-stream conditions to satisfy the difference equations identically. Results of calculations illustrating the importance of these effects will be presented.

Caughey, D. A.↗

Properties of a constricted-tube air-flow levitator

The properties of a constricted-tube gas flow levitator first developed by Berge et al. (1981) have been investigated experimentally in order to predict its behavior in a gravity-free environment and at elevated temperatures. The levitator consists of a constricted (quartz) tube fed at one end by a source of heated air or gas. A spherical sample is positioned by the air stream on the downstream side of the constriction, where it can be melted and resolidified without touching the tube. It is shown experimentally that the kinematic viscosity is the important fluid parameter for operation in thermal equilibrium at high temperatures. If air is heated from room temperature to 1200 C, the kinematic viscosity increases by a factor of 14. To maintain a given value of the Reynolds number, the flow rate would have to be increased by the same factor for a specific geometry of tube and sample. Thus, to maintain stable equilibrium, the flow rate should be increased as the air or other gas is heated. The other stability problem discussed is associated with changes in the shape of a cylindrical sample as it melts.

Rush, J. E.↗

Practical Meteor Stream Forecasting

Inspired by the recent Leonid meteor storms, researchers have made great strides in our ability to predict enhanced meteor activity. However, the necessary calibration of the meteor stream models with Earth-based ZHRs (Zenith Hourly Rates) has placed emphasis on the terran observer and meteor activity predictions are published in such a manner to reflect this emphasis. As a consequence, many predictions are often unusable by the satellite community, which has the most at stake and the greatest interest in meteor forecasting. This paper suggests that stream modelers need to pay more attention to the needs of this community and publish not just durations and times of maxima for Earth, but everything needed to characterize the meteor stream in and out of the plane of the ecliptic, which, at a minimum, consists of the location of maximum stream density (ZHR) and the functional form of the density decay with distance from this point. It is also suggested that some of the terminology associated with meteor showers may need to be more strictly defined in order to eliminate the perception of crying wolf by meteor scientists. An outburst is especially problematic, as it usually denotes an enhancement by a factor of 2 or more to researchers, but conveys the notion of a sky filled with meteors to satellite operators and the public. Experience has also taught that predicted ZHRs often lead to public disappointment, as these values vastly overestimate what is seen.

Cooke, William J.↗

A Real Time Differential GPS Tracking System for NASA Sounding Rockets

Sounding rockets are suborbital launch vehicles capable of carrying scientific payloads to several hundred miles in altitude. These missions return a variety of scientific data including: chemical makeup and physical processes taking place in the atmosphere, natural radiation surrounding the Earth, data on the Sun, stars, galaxies and many other phenomena. In addition, sounding rockets provide a reasonably economical means of conducting engineering tests for instruments and devices to be used on satellites and other spacecraft prior to their use in these more expensive missions. Typically around thirty of these rockets are launched each year, from established ranges at Wallops Island, Virginia; Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico and from a number of ranges outside the United States. Many times launches are conducted from temporary launch ranges in remote parts of the world requiring considerable expense to transport and operate tracking radars. In order to support these missions, an inverse differential GPS system has been developed. The flight system consists of a small, inexpensive receiver, a preamplifier and a wrap-around antenna. A rugged, compact, portable ground station extracts GPS data from the raw payload telemetry stream, performs a real time differential solution and graphically displays the rocket's path relative to a predicted trajectory plot. In addition to generating a real time navigation solution, the system has been used for payload recovery, timing, data timetagging, precise tracking of multiple payloads and slaving of optical tracking systems for over the horizon acquisition. This paper discusses, in detail, the flight and ground hardware, as well as data processing and operational aspects of the system, and provides evidence of the system accuracy.

Bull, Barton↗

Improvement and Verification of Online Cross Section Generation Capability of Griffin for TRISO-fueled Reactors

Griffin, a MOOSE-based reactor multiphysics code jointly developed by Idaho National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory under the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s NEAMS program, has pursued the development of an online multigroup cross section generation capability for a few years to enable high-fidelity, problem-dependent neutronics analyses of advanced thermal reactors. Recent advancements in Griffin’s online multigroup cross section generation capability have significantly improved the accuracy, robustness, and efficiency of self-shielding calculations for both prismatic and pebble-bed TRISO-fueled reactor applications. Key developments include a unified fuel self-shielding method applicable to both TRISO and annular compact/spherical shell fuel zone geometries; an advanced Dancoff Category-based Equivalence Theory using a bell function for non-fuel resonance treatment, achieving more than an order-of-magnitude speedup compared to the Tone method; an on-the-fly multigroup equivalence approach to mitigate group condensation errors; and a streaming correction method for pebble-bed homogenization. A proof-of-concept demonstration of on-the-fly group condensation with consistent P0 transport correction was also achieved. The method reproduced direct fine-group solutions with excellent accuracy (eigenvalue errors within 10 pcm and pin-power differences within 0.5%), but due to performance limitations of the current fixed-source solver, improvements to solver efficiency will be addressed in future work. Verification tests were performed on graphite-moderated TRISO-fueled two-dimensional core benchmark problems representing gas-cooled microreactors, heat pipe-cooled microreactors, gas-cooled pebble-bed reactors, and fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors. Across all cases, Griffin showed excellent agreement with Serpent2 continuous energy Monte Carlo solutions: eigenvalue errors within 200 pcm, pin-power root-mean-square errors within 2%, and control rod and drum worth errors less than 2%. It should be noted that, for the benchmark problem, cross section generation contributed less than 3% of the total simulation times. These results demonstrate that Griffin’s online cross section generation capability delivers accurate and efficient reactor physics solutions across a wide spectrum of TRISO-fueled advanced reactor designs. With further improvements to the fine-group fixed-source solver and planned extensions to depletion, transients, and coupled neutron–gamma transport, Griffin will be well-positioned to become a powerful and comprehensive tool for advanced reactor analysis.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗