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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 OSTI2019

Memory formation in matter

Memory formation in matter is a theme of broad intellectual relevance; it sits at the interdisciplinary crossroads of physics, biology, chemistry, and computer science. Memory connotes the ability to encode, access, and erase signatures of past history in the state of a system. Once the system has completely relaxed to thermal equilibrium, it is no longer able to recall aspects of its evolution. The memory of initial conditions or previous training protocols will be lost. Thus many forms of memory are intrinsically tied to far-from-equilibrium behavior and to transient response to a perturbation. This general behavior arises in diverse contexts in condensed-matter physics and materials, including phase change memory, shape memory, echoes, memory effects in glasses, return-point memory in disordered magnets, as well as related contexts in computer science. Yet, as opposed to the situation in biology, there is currently no common categorization and description of the memory behavior that appears to be prevalent throughout condensed-matter systems. Here the focus is on material memories. Here, the basic phenomenology of a few of the known behaviors that can be understood as constituting a memory will be described. The hope is that this will be a guide toward developing the unifying conceptual underpinnings for a broad understanding of memory effects that appear in materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2002

Flow and Noise Control: Toward a Closer Linkage

Motivated by growing demands for aircraft noise reduction and for revolutionary new aerovehicle concepts, the late twentieth century witnessed the beginning of a shift from single-discipline research, toward an increased emphasis on harnessing the potential of flow and noise control as implemented in a more fully integrated, multidisciplinary framework. At the same time, technologies for developing radically new aerovehicles, which promise quantum leap benefits in cost, safety and performance benefits with environmental friendliness, have appeared on the horizon. Transitioning new technologies to commercial applications will also require coupling further advances in traditional areas of aeronautics with intelligent exploitation of nontraditional and interdisciplinary technologies. Physics-based modeling and simulation are crucial enabling capabilities for synergistic linkage of flow and noise control. In these very fundamental ways, flow and noise control are being driven to be more closely linked during the early design phases of a vehicle concept for optimal and mutual noise and performance benefits.

Thomas, Russell H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

AFWAL control technology programs

An overview of space oriented control technology programs which are applicable to flexible large space structures is presented. The spacecraft control activity is interdisciplinary with activities in structures, structural dynamics and control brought together. The large flexible structures to be controlled have many physical factors that influence the final controllability of the vehicle. Factors are studied such as rigidity of both structural elements and joints, damping inherent in both material and discrete dampers located throughout the structure, and the bandwidth of both sensors and actuators used to sense motion and control are the physical factors that are interdisciplinary and influence control.

Hoehne, V. O.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Book Review: Physics of the Space Environment

Space physics, narrowly defined as the study of Earth's plasma environment, has had an identity crisis throughout its relatively brief existence as a discipline. - The limited and often serendipitous nature of the data requires the research style of an astrophysicist. However, the in situ observations and instrumentation that are central to the field are quite different from the remote observations and instrumentation of astronomy. Compared to neutral gases, the wealth of additional phenomena and the complexity associated with magnetized plasmas and their interaction leaves little in common with the atmospheric scientist. Although the phenomena studied in space physics are ultimately important to astrophysics, the intimate measurements of plasma properties provide a greater commonality with the plasma physicist. Space physics has experienced something of a renaissance in the past few years. The interdisciplinary umbrella "Solar-Terrestrial Physics" or "Sun-Earth Connection" has stimulated an increasing interaction of space physicists, solar physicists and atmospheric scientists. Spectacular images of the Sun from Yohkoh and SOHO and solar-activity-related damage to communications satellites have increased the public's awareness of and interest in "space weather". The dangers of energetic particles and currents in space to technological systems and to future space exploration have elevated space physics observations from interesting scientific measurements that can be included on a space probe to critically important measurements that must be made.

Holman, Gordon D.↗
NASA NTRS2006

The Space Physics of Life: Searching for Biosignatures on Habitable Icy Worlds Affected by Space Weathering

Accessible surfaces of the most likely astrobiological habitats (Mars, Europa, Titan) in the solar system beyond Earth are exposed to various chemical and hydrologic weathering processes directly or indirectly induced by interaction with the overlying space environment. These processes can be both beneficial, through provision of chemical compounds and energy, and destructive, through chemical dissociation or burial, to detectable presence of biosignatures. Orbital, suborbital, and surface platforms carrying astrobiological instrumentation must survive, and preferably exploit, space environment interactions to reach these habitats and search for evidence of life or its precursors. Experience from Mars suggests that any detection of biosignatures must be accompanied by characterization of the local chemical environment and energy sources including irradiation by solar ultraviolet photons and energetic particles from the space environment. Orbital and suborbital surveys of surface chemistry and astrobiological potential in the context of the space environment should precede targeted in-situ measurements to maximize probability of biosignature detection through site selection. The Space Physics of Life (SPOL) investigation has recently been proposed to the NASA Astrobiology Institute and is briefly described in this presentation. SPOL is the astrobiologically relevant study of the interactions and relationships of potentially? or previously inhabited, bodies of the solar system with the surrounding environments. This requires an interdisciplinary effort in space physics, planetary science, and radiation biology. The proposed investigation addresses the search for habitable environments, chemical resources to support life, and techniques for detection of organic and inorganic signs of life in the context of the space environment.

Cooper, John F.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Novel color center platforms enabling fundamental scientific discovery

Abstract Color centers are versatile systems that generate quantum light, sense magnetic fields and produce spin‐photon entanglement. We review how these properties have pushed the limits of fundamental knowledge in a variety of scientific disciplines, from rejecting local‐realistic theories to sensing superconducting phase transitions. In the light of recent progress in material processing and device fabrication, we identify new opportunities for interdisciplinary fundamental discoveries in physics and geochemistry. image

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deuterium Concentration Effects on Cell Cycle Progression

Deuterium (D), which is found in natural water at ~ 150 ppm, seems to play an important role in biology. For example, D concentrations above 150 ppm are known to produce toxic effects in many organisms. There is also evidence to suggest D levels significantly less than 150 ppm can cause delays in progression through the normal mitotic cell cycle. Some have even theorized that the D:H ratio in cells may impact an organism’s radiation resistance. Therefore, evaluating the role of D and the D:H ratio in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells should lead to a better understanding of cell cycle progression and radiation resistance in these organisms. Research in this field has likely been stalled by the limited availability of D 2 O with varying D concentrations needed to accurately study the deuterium effects. However, SRNL can currently manufacture D 2 O in varying concentrations, and we have assembled a unique team of radiation biologists, microbiologists, radiochemists, and health physics to form an interdisciplinary research group to study the cell cycle as a function of D concentration in order to address several fundamental science questions. Proposed work in FY20 was a collaborative effort with Augusta University to utilized BSL-2 mammalian cell lines. Lab work was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An intensive literature review was performed and identified pertinent knowledge gaps that could be filled in future research efforts.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
NASA NTRS1975

Proceedings of the Geodesy/Solid Earth and Ocean Physics (GEOP) Research Conferences

Papers are presented dealing with interdisciplinary research in the fields of geodesy, solid earth and ocean physics. Topics discussed include: solid earth and ocean tides; the rotation of the earth and polar motion; vertical crustal motions; the geoid and ocean surface; earthquake mechanism; sea level changes; and lunar dynamics.

Ivan I. Mueller↗
NASA NTRS2015

Radiant Heating Tests on Meteoritic Material

A new effort geared toward modeling the physics of meteor entry and break-up is underway at NASA Ames Research Center. This is part of a broader interdisciplinary effort on providing physics-based risk assessment models for potentially hazardous objects. As part of the entry modeling task we are seeking to improve our understanding of, among other things, the ablation of meteoric material during high speed entry into earths atmosphere. Meteoroid entry differs greatly in some key respects from spacecraft entry modeling. First, the aerothermal environment at these high velocities (18 km/s) is dominated by radiation. Second, meteoroids less than, say, 50m in size, will likely lose a significant portion of their mass during the high-speed atmospheric entry process due to vaporization as well as melting and spallation. The mass of the object, in turn, directly affects the amount of energy deposited in the atmosphere, and therefore the amount of damage done. Thus it is important for us to understand and be able to model this process in greater detail in order to assess the hazard posed by these objects.In this presentation, we first give an overview of the simple ablation models that are typically used in meteor entry calculations. Additionally, we will present a new model which utilizes a similar approach to what is typically done for spacecraft TPS response modeling. This uses an equilibrium assumption near the surface to compute the ablation rate, as is done in heritage material response codes. Next we describe the radiant heating experiment which uses a high-powered laser to emulate the radiation dominated heating environment experienced by meteoroids during atmospheric entry. The facility the Laser Hardened Material Evaluation Laboratory (LHMEL) permits us to expose samples of meteoritic material to heating rates in excess of 100kW/sq.cm. An overview of the experimental set-up and test plan for the initial exploratory campaign at this facility will be given. Then we present both qualitative and quantitative results from this initial test series. Comparisons between predicted and measured ablation rates suggest that there may be significant blockage of the incident beam by the ablation plume. Furthermore, melt is shown to be a significant ablation mechanics, even at high heating rates (16 kW/sq.cm). Finally, comparisons between the phenomenology of the ablation of terrestrial rocks namely, basalt -- to that of meteorites show very different behavior. This is shown to likely be due in part to the effect of composition on the melt viscosity.

Stern, Eric↗
NASA NTRS1975

Technical background, chapter 3, part B

A description is given of the physics of electromagnetic scattering from the sea and a guideline is presented to relate an observable (such as the radar cross section) to the hydrodynamics or physical properties of the sea. As specific examples of the interdisciplinary science of electromagnetics and geophysical oceanography, the physics is discussed in connection with data provided by three instruments: namely, the scatterometer, the altimeter, and the imaging radar. The data provided by each instrument are discussed in context with specular point and Bragg scattering theories. Finally, the degrading effect of extraneous sources of noise is discussed as a limiting mechanism of the accuracy of the ocean surface measurement.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

TPCpp-10M: Simulated proton-proton collisions in a time projection chamber for AI foundation models

Scientific foundation models hold great promise for advancing nuclear and particle physics by improving analysis precision and accelerating discovery. Yet, progress in this field is often limited by the lack of openly available large scale datasets, as well as standardized evaluation tasks and metrics. Furthermore, the specialized knowledge and software typically required to process particle physics data pose significant barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration with the broader machine learning community. This work introduces a large, openly accessible dataset of 10 million simulated proton-proton collisions, designed to support self-supervised training of foundation models. To facilitate ease of use, the dataset is provided in a common NumPy format. In addition, it includes 70,000 labeled examples spanning three well defined downstream tasks: track finding, particle identification, and noise tagging, to enable systematic evaluation of the foundation model's adaptability. The simulated data are generated using the Pythia Monte Carlo event generator at a center of mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV and processed with Geant4 to include realistic detector conditions and signal emulation in the sPHENIX Time Projection Chamber at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, located at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This dataset resource establishes a common ground for interdisciplinary research, enabling machine learning scientists and physicists alike to explore scaling behaviors, assess transferability, and accelerate progress toward foundation models in nuclear and high energy physics. The complete simulation and reconstruction chain is reproducible with the sPHENIX software stack. All data and code locations are provided under Data Accessibility.

Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability (physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanostructure‐Derived Antireflectivity in Leafhopper Brochosomes

Understanding how insect‐derived biomaterials interact with light has led to new advances and interdisciplinary insights in entomology and physics. Leafhoppers are insects that coat themselves with highly ordered biological nanostructures known as brochosomes. Brochosomes are thought to provide a range of protective properties to leafhoppers, such as hydrophobicity and antireflectivity, which has inspired the development of synthetic brochosomes that mimic their structures. Despite recent progress, the high antireflective properties of brochosome structures are not fully understood. Herein, a combination of experiments and computational modeling is used to understand the structure‐, material‐, and polarization‐dependent optical properties of brochosomes modeled on the geometries found in three leafhopper species. The results qualitatively represent that light interference interaction with nanostructures naturally occurring in brochosomes is responsible for the spectral tuning and the asymmetric line shape of the reflectance spectra. Whereas prior work has focused on the computational modeling of idealized pitted particles, this work shows that light–matter interactions with brochosome structures can be tuned by varying the geometry of their cage‐like nanoscale features and by changing the arrangement of multiparticle assemblies. Broadly, this work establishes principles for the guided design of new optically active materials inspired by these unique insect nanostructures.

Banerjee, Progna↗
DOE OSTI2025

33 Unresolved Questions in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Significant advances in science and engineering often emerge at the intersections of disciplines. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are inherently interdisciplinary, uniting researchers from chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, materials science, and engineering. This convergence has fostered novel ways of thinking and enabled the development of materials, tools, and technologies that have transformed both basic and applied research, as well as how we address critical societal challenges. In this Nano Focus, we pose and explore 33 questions whose answers could profoundly impact fields such as energy, electronics, the environment, optics, and medicine. These questions highlight the need for deeper foundational understanding, improved tools and techniques, and innovative applications─each with significant societal relevance. Together, they represent a global call-to-action for the scientific community.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗