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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Theoretical frameworks for testing relativistic gravity. IV - A compendium of metric theories of gravity and their post-Newtonian limits.

Metric theories of gravity are compiled and classified according to the types of gravitational fields they contain, and the modes of interaction among those fields. The gravitation theories considered are classified as (1) general relativity, (2) scalar-tensor theories, (3) conformally flat theories, and (4) stratified theories with conformally flat space slices. The post-Newtonian limit of each theory is constructed and its Parametrized Post-Newtonian (PPN) values are obtained by comparing it with Will's version of the formalism. Results obtained here, when combined with experimental data and with recent work by Nordtvedt and Will and by Ni, show that, of all theories thus far examined by our group, the only currently viable ones are general relativity, the Bergmann-Wagoner scalar-tensor theory and its special cases (Nordtvedt; Brans-Dicke-Jordan), and a recent, new vector-tensor theory by Nordtvedt, Hellings, and Will.

Ni, W.-T.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Further Investigations of Gravity Modeling on Surface-Interacting Vehicle Simulations

A vehicle simulation is "surface-interacting" if the state of the vehicle (position, velocity, and acceleration) relative to the surface is important. Surface-interacting simulations perform ascent, entry, descent, landing, surface travel, or atmospheric flight. The dynamics of surface-interacting simulations are influenced by the modeling of gravity. Gravity is the sum of gravitation and the centrifugal acceleration due to the world s rotation. Both components are functions of position relative to the world s center and that position for a given set of geodetic coordinates (latitude, longitude, and altitude) depends on the world model (world shape and dynamics). Thus, gravity fidelity depends on the fidelities of the gravitation model and the world model and on the interaction of the gravitation and world model. A surface-interacting simulation cannot treat the gravitation separately from the world model. This paper examines the actual performance of different pairs of world and gravitation models (or direct gravity models) on the travel of a subsonic civil transport in level flight under various starting conditions.

Madden, Michael M.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Gravitationally bound BCS state as dark matter

We explore the possibility that fermionic dark matter undergoes a BCS transition to form a superfluid. This requires an attractive interaction between fermions and we describe a possible source of this interaction induced by torsion. We describe the gravitating fermion system with the Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism in the local density approximation. We solve the Poisson equation along with the equations for the density and gap energy of the fermions to find a self-gravitating, superfluid solution for dark matter halos. In order to produce halos the size of dwarf galaxies, we require a particle mass of ∼ 200 eV. We find a maximum attractive coupling strength before the halo becomes unstable. If dark matter halos do have a superfluid component, this raises the possibility that they contain vortex lines.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Inference of gravitational field superposition from quantum measurements

Experiments are beginning to probe the interaction of quantum particles with gravitational fields beyond the uniform-field regime. In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, the gravitational field in such experiments can be written as a superposition state. We empirically demonstrate that semiclassical theories of gravity can avoid gravitational superposition states only by decoupling the gravitational field energy from the quantum particle’s time evolution. Furthermore, such theories must specify a preferred quantum reference frame in which the equations of motion are valid. To the extent that these properties are theoretically implausible, recent experiments provide indirect evidence that gravity has quantum features. Proposed experiments with superposed gravitational sources would provide even stronger evidence that gravity is nonclassical.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2005

The Planetesimal Bow Shock Model for Chondrule Formation: More Detailed Simulations in the Near Vicinity of the Planetesimal

Gas dynamic shock waves in a low temperature nebula have been considered to be a leading candidate mechanism for providing the repetitive, short-duration heating events that are believed to have been responsible for the formation of chondrules in chondrites. It has been found, for example, that shocks with Mach numbers greater than 4 or 5 would be capable of rapidly melting 0.1-1 mm sized silicate particles as required by meteoritic data. Near the nebula midplane where chondrite parent bodies are believed to have formed, possible energy sources for generating multiple shocks include mass concentrations in a gravitationally unstable nebula, tidal interactions of proto-Jupiter with the nebula, and bow waves upstream of planetesimals scattered gravitationally into eccentric orbits by proto- Jupiter. In a recent study, we have found that chondrule precursors that are melted following passage through a planetesimal bow shock would likely cool at rates that are too rapid to be consistent with meteoritic evidence. However, that study was limited to the bowshock exterior to about 1.5 planetesimal radii (measured perpendicular to the symmetry axis) to avoid complications interior to this distance where large pressure gradients and lateral flow occur as the gas flows around the planetesimal. In this paper, we reconsider the planetesimal bow shock model and report more detailed numerical simulations of chondrule precursor heating, cooling, and dynamical histories in the near vicinity of a representative planetesimal.

Hood, Lon L.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Exact solution of the DeWitt-Brehme-Hobbs equation in copropagating electromagetic and gravitational waves

An accelerated charge interacts with its own electromagnetic field, a phenomenon known as electromagnetic radiation reaction. The DeWitt-Brehme-Hobbs (DWBH) equation describes the motion of a charged mass in the presence of combined electromagnetic and gravitational fields, taking into account electromagnetic radiation-reaction effects. Here, we find the first exact analytical solution of the DWBH equation in the case of a charged mass in the presence of copropagating and otherwise arbitrary electromagnetic and gravitational plane waves. As a consequence of the Penrose limit, the scenario considered here can be seen as a local limit around ultrarelativistic trajectories in a general curved spacetime. Finally, the paradigmatic example of an electromagnetic wave in the presence of a constant-amplitude gravitational wave is worked out explicitly and it is shown how the presence of the gravitational wave can qualitatively change electromagnetic radiation-reaction effects.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1993

Hydrodynamical simulations of star-gas interactions in the interstellar medium with an external gravitational potential

We have calculated 2D models for the global structure of the interstellar medium in a disk galaxy where stars and gas are coupled through star formation, mass loss, stellar heating of the gas, and optically thin radiative cooling. In one set of models, the two dimensions are in the plane of a disk, and for one case, the total size of the region is 1 kpc square. Using a more accurate numerical approach, we confirm the results of Chiang and Bregman (1988) that H I forms into filaments or sheets separated by hotter, more diffuse gas. Although the filaments often have denser subregions, individual clouds of neutral gas are rare. We calculated the vertical distribution of the gas in another set of models where one dimension was in the plane and the other was perpendicular to it. A filament and hot gas network still occurs, although dense neutral complexes are more common and occur near the midplane. The hot gas often cools as it rises, leading to the highest velocity material having both positive and negative velocities. We find other features that are qualitatively similar to observations; for instance, H I 'worms' are produced.

Rosen, Alexander↗
DOE OSTI2015

Variable protostellar accretion with episodic bursts

We present the latest development of the disk gravitational instability and fragmentation model, originally introduced by us to explain episodic accretion bursts in the early stages of star formation. Using our numerical hydrodynamics model with improved disk thermal balance and star-disk interaction, we computed the evolution of protostellar disks formed from the gravitational collapse of prestellar cores. In agreement with our previous studies, we find that cores of higher initial mass and angular momentum produce disks that are more favorable to gravitational instability and fragmentation, while a higher background irradiation and magnetic fields moderate the disk tendency to fragment. The protostellar accretion in our models is time-variable, thanks to the nonlinear interaction between different spiral modes in the gravitationally unstable disk, and can undergo episodic bursts when fragments migrate onto the star owing to the gravitational interaction with other fragments or spiral arms. Most bursts occur in the partly embedded Class I phase, with a smaller fraction taking place in the deeply embedded Class 0 phase and a few possible bursts in the optically visible Class II phase. The average burst duration and mean luminosity are found to be in good agreement with those inferred from observations of FUors. The model predicts the existence of two types of bursts: the isolated ones, showing well-defined luminosity peaks separated with prolonged periods (∼10{sup 4} yr) of quiescent accretion, and clustered ones, demonstrating several bursts occurring one after another during just a few hundred years. Finally, we estimate that 40%–70% of the star-forming cores can display bursts after forming a star-disk system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Next-to-next-to-leading order gravitational spin-orbit coupling via the effective field theory for spinning objects in the post-Newtonian scheme

We implement the effective field theory for gravitating spinning objects in the post-Newtonian scheme at the next-to-next-to-leading order level to derive the gravitational spin-orbit interaction potential at the third and a half post-Newtonian order for rapidly rotating compact objects. From the next-to-next-to-leading order interaction potential, which we obtain here in a Lagrangian form for the first time, we derive straightforwardly the corresponding Hamiltonian. The spin-orbit sector constitutes the most elaborate spin dependent sector at each order, and accordingly we encounter a proliferation of the relevant Feynman diagrams, and a significant increase of the computational complexity. We present in detail the evaluation of the interaction potential, going over all contributing Feynman diagrams. The computation is carried out in terms of the ''nonrelativistic gravitational'' fields, which are advantageous also in spin dependent sectors, together with the various gauge choices included in the effective field theory for gravitating spinning objects, which also optimize the calculation. In addition, we automatize the effective field theory computations, and carry out the automated computations in parallel. Such automated effective field theory computations would be most useful to obtain higher order post-Newtonian corrections. We compare our Hamiltonian to the ADM Hamiltonian, and arrive at a complete agreement between the ADM and effective field theory results. Finally, we provide Hamiltonians in the center of mass frame, and complete gauge invariant relations among the binding energy, angular momentum, and orbital frequency of an inspiralling binary with generic compact spinning components to third and a half post-Newtonian order. The derivation presented here is essential to obtain further higher order post-Newtonian corrections, and to reach the accuracy level required for the successful detection of gravitational radiation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1981

Adaptation of the TH Epsilon Mu formalism for the analysis of the equivalence principle in the presence of the weak and electroweak interaction

The TH epsilon mu formalism, used in analyzing equivalence principle experiments of metric and nonmetric gravity theories, is adapted to the description of the electroweak interaction using the Weinberg-Salam unified SU(2) x U(1) model. The use of the TH epsilon mu formalism is thereby extended to the weak interactions, showing how the gravitational field affects W sub mu (+ or -1) and Z sub mu (0) boson propagation and the rates of interactions mediated by them. The possibility of a similar extension to the strong interactions via SU(5) grand unified theories is briefly discussed. Also, using the effects of the potentials on the baryon and lepton wave functions, the effects of gravity on transition mediated in high-A atoms which are electromagnetically forbidden. Three possible experiments to test the equivalence principle in the presence of the weak interactions, which are technologically feasible, are then briefly outline: (1) K-capture by the FE nucleus (counting the emitted X-ray); (2) forbidden absorption transitions in high-A atoms' vapor; and (3) counting the relative Beta-decay rates in a suitable alpha-beta decay chain, assuming the strong interactions obey the equivalence principle.

Fennelly, A. J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Simulation of Binary-single Interactions in AGN Disk. I. Gas-enhanced Binary Orbital Hardening

Stellar-mass binary black hole (BBH) mergers within the accretion disks of active galactic nuclei may contribute to gravitational wave (GW) events detected by ground-based GW detectors. In particular, the interaction between a BBH and a single stellar-mass black hole (sBH), known as the binary-single interaction (BSI) process, can potentially lead to GW events with detectable nonzero eccentricity. Previous studies of the BSI process, which neglected the effects of gas, showed that BSIs contribute non-negligibly to GW events in a coplanar disk environment. In this work, we conduct a series of two-dimensional hydrodynamical and N-body simulations to explore the BSI in a gas environment by coupling REBOUND with Athena++. We perform 360 simulation runs, spanning parameters in disk surface density Σ 0 and impact parameter b. We find that the gas-induced energy dissipation within the three-body system becomes significant if the encounter velocity between the sBHs is sufficiently large (≫c s ). Our simulation results indicate that approximately half of the end states of the BSI are changed by gas. Furthermore, at higher gas density, the number of close encounters during the BSI process will increase, and the end-state BBHs tend to be more compact. Consequently, the presence of gas may shorten the GW merger timescale for end-state BBHs and increase the three-body merger rate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Path integral approach to quantum anomalies in interacting models

The prediction and subsequent discovery of topological semimetal phases of matter in solid state systems has instigated a surge of activity investigating the exotic properties of these unusual materials. Among these are transport signatures which can be attributed to the chiral anomaly; the breaking of classical chiral symmetry in a quantum theory. This remarkable quantum phenomenon, first discovered in the context of particle physics has now found new life in condensed-matter physics, connecting topological quantum matter and band theory with effective field theoretic models. In this paper we investigate the interplay between interactions and the chiral anomaly in field theories inspired by semimetals using Fujikawa's path integral method. Starting from models in one spatial dimension we discuss how the presence of interactions can affect the consequences of the chiral anomaly leading to renormalization of excitations and their transport properties. This is then generalized to the three-dimensional case where we show that the anomalous response of the system, namely, the chiral magnetic and quantum Hall effects, are modified by the presence of interactions. These properties are investigated further through the identification of anomalous modes which exist within interacting Weyl semimetals. These massive excitations are nonperturbative in nature and are a direct consequence of the chiral anomaly. The effects of interactions on mixed axial-gravitational anomalies are then investigated and the conditions required for interaction effects to be observed are discussed.

Anomalies↗
DOE OSTI2014

Images of gravitational and magnetic phenomena derived from two-dimensional back-projection Doppler tomography of interacting binary stars

We have used two-dimensional back-projection Doppler tomography as a tool to examine the influence of gravitational and magnetic phenomena in interacting binaries that undergo mass transfer from a magnetically active star onto a non-magnetic main-sequence star. This multitiered study of over 1300 time-resolved spectra of 13 Algol binaries involved calculations of the predicted dynamical behavior of the gravitational flow and the dynamics at the impact site, analysis of the velocity images constructed from tomography, and the influence on the tomograms of orbital inclination, systemic velocity, orbital coverage, and shadowing. The Hα tomograms revealed eight sources: chromospheric emission, a gas stream along the gravitational trajectory, a star-stream impact region, a bulge of absorption or emission around the mass-gaining star, a Keplerian accretion disk, an absorption zone associated with hotter gas, a disk-stream impact region, and a hot spot where the stream strikes the edge of a disk. We described several methods used to extract the physical properties of the emission sources directly from the velocity images, including S-wave analysis, the creation of simulated velocity tomograms from hydrodynamic simulations, and the use of synthetic spectra with tomography to sequentially extract the separate sources of emission from the velocity image. In summary, the tomography images have revealed results that cannot be explained solely by gravitational effects: chromospheric emission moving with the mass-losing star, a gas stream deflected from the gravitational trajectory, and alternating behavior between stream state and disk state. Our results demonstrate that magnetic effects cannot be ignored in these interacting binaries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

The big bang as a result of the first-order phase transition driven by a change of the scalar curvature in an expanding early Universe: The “hyperinflation” scenario

We suggest that the Big Bang could be a result of the first-order phase transition driven by a change in the scalar curvature of the 4D spacetime in an expanding cold Universe filled with a nonlinear scalar field φ and neutral matter with an equation of state p = νε (where p and ε are the pressure and energy density of the matter, respectively). We consider the Lagrangian of a scalar field with nonlinearity φ{sup 4} in a curved spacetime that, along with the term–ξR|φ|{sup 2} quadratic in φ (where ξ is the interaction constant between the scalar and gravitational fields and R is the scalar curvature), contains the term ξRφ{sub 0}(φ + φ{sup +}) linear in φ, where φ{sub 0} is the vacuum mean of the scalar field amplitude. As a consequence, the condition for the existence of extrema of the scalar-field potential energy is reduced to an equation cubic in φ. Provided that ν > 1/3, the scalar curvature R = [κ(3ν–1)ε–4Λ] (where κ and Λ are Einstein’s gravitational and cosmological constants, respectively) decreases with decreasing ε as the Universe expands, and a first-order phase transition in variable “external field” parameter proportional to R occurs at some critical value R{sub c} < 0. Under certain conditions, the critical radius of the early Universe at the point of the first-order phase transition can reach an arbitrary large value, so that this scenario of unrestricted “inflation” of the Universe may be called “hyperinflation.” After the passage through the phase-transition point, the scalar-field potential energy should be rapidly released, which must lead to strong heating of the Universe, playing the role of the Big Bang.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Common Envelope Wind Tunnel: Coefficients of Drag and Accretion in a Simplified Context for Studying Flows around Objects Embedded within Stellar Envelopes

This paper examines the properties of flows around objects embedded within common envelopes in the simplified context of a “wind tunnel.” We establish characteristic relationships between key common envelope flow parameters like the Mach number and density scale height. Our wind tunnel is a three-dimensional, Cartesian geometry hydrodynamic simulation setup that includes the gravity of the primary and secondary stars and allows us to study the coefficients of drag and accretion experienced by the embedded object. Accretion and drag lead to a transformation of an embedded object and its orbit during a common envelope phase. We present two suites of simulations spanning a range of density gradients and Mach numbers—relevant for flow near the limb of a stellar envelope to the deep interior. In one suite, we adopt an ideal gas adiabatic exponent of γ=5/3, in the other, γ=4/3. We find that coefficients of drag rise in flows with steeper density gradients and that coefficients of drag and accretion are consistently higher in the more compressible, γ=4/3 flow. We illustrate the impact of these newly derived coefficients by integrating the inspiral of a secondary object through the envelopes of 3M{sub ⊙} (γ≈5/3) and 80M{sub ⊙} (γ≈4/3) giants. In these examples, we find a relatively rapid initial inspiral because, near the stellar limb, dynamical friction drag is generated mainly from dense gas focused from deeper within the primary-star’s envelope. This rapid initial inspiral timescale carries potential implications for the timescale of transients from early common envelope interaction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Constraints on the dark matter and dark energy interactions from weak lensing bispectrum tomography

We estimate uncertainties of cosmological parameters for phenomenological interacting dark energy models using weak lensing convergence power spectrum and bispectrum. We focus on the bispectrum tomography and examine how well the weak lensing bispectrum with tomography can constrain the interactions between dark sectors, as well as other cosmological parameters. Employing the Fisher matrix analysis, we forecast parameter uncertainties derived from weak lensing bispectra with a two-bin tomography and place upper bounds on strength of the interactions between the dark sectors. The cosmic shear will be measured from upcoming weak lensing surveys with high sensitivity, thus it enables us to use the higher order correlation functions of weak lensing to constrain the interaction between dark sectors and will potentially provide more stringent results with other observations combined.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Phenomenology and Astrophysics of Gravitationally-Bound Condensates of Axion-Like Particles

Light, spin-0 particles are ubiquitous in theories of physics beyond the Standard Model, and many of these make good candidates for the identity of dark matter. One very well-motivated candidate of this type is the axion. Due to their small mass and adherence to Bose statistics, axions can coalesce into heavy, gravitationally-bound condensates known as boson stars, also known as axion stars (in particular). In this work, we outline our recent progress in attempts to determine the properties of axion stars. We begin with a brief overview of the Standard Model, axions, and bosonic condensates in general. Then, in the context of axion stars, we will present our recent work, which includes: numerical estimates of the macroscopic properties (mass, radius, and particle number) of gravitationally stable axion stars; a calculation of their decay lifetime through number-changing interactions; an analysis of the gravitational collapse process for very heavy states; and an investigation of the implications of axion stars as dark matter. The basic conclusions of our work are that weakly-bound axion stars are only stable up to some calculable maximum mass, whereas states with larger masses collapse to a small radius, but do not form black holes. During collapse, a rapidly increasing binding energy implies a fast rate of decay to relativistic particles, giving rise to a Bosenova. Axion stars that are otherwise stable could be caused to collapse either by accretion of free particles to masses above the maximum, or through astrophysical collisions; in the latter case, we estimate the rate of collisions and the parameter space relevant to induced collapse.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗