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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

A VERSATILE FAMILY OF GALACTIC WIND MODELS

We present a versatile family of model galactic outflows including non-uniform mass and energy source distributions, a gravitational potential from an extended mass source, and radiative losses. The model easily produces steady-state wind solutions for a range of mass-loading factors, energy-loading factors, galaxy mass, and galaxy radius. We find that, with radiative losses included, highly mass-loaded winds must be driven at high central temperatures, whereas low mass-loaded winds can be driven at low temperatures just above the peak of the cooling curve, meaning radiative losses can drastically affect the wind solution even for low mass-loading factors. By including radiative losses, we are able to show that subsonic flows can be ignored as a possible mechanism for expelling mass and energy from a galaxy compared to the more efficient transonic solutions. Specifically, the transonic solutions with low mass loading and high energy loading are the most efficient. Our model also produces low-temperature, high-velocity winds that could explain the prevalence of low-temperature material in observed outflows. Finally, we show that our model, unlike the well-known Chevalier and Clegg model, can reproduce the observed linear relationship between wind X-ray luminosity and star formation rate (SFR) over a large range of SFR from 1–1000 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} assuming the wind mass-loading factor is higher for low-mass, and hence, low-SFR galaxies. We also constrain the allowed mass-loading factors that can fit the observed X-ray luminosity versus SFR trend, further suggesting an inverse relationship between mass loading and SFR as explored in advanced numerical simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE IMPLICATIONS OF EXTREME OUTFLOWS FROM EXTREME STARBURSTS

Interstellar ultraviolet absorption lines provide crucial information about the properties of galactic outflows. In this paper, we augment our previous analysis of the systematic properties of starburst-driven galactic outflows by expanding our sample to include a rare population of starbursts with exceptionally high outflow velocities. In principle, these could be a qualitatively different phenomenon from more typical outflows. However, we find that instead these starbursts lie on, or along the extrapolation of, the trends defined by the more typical systems studied previously by us. We exploit the wide dynamic range provided by this new sample to determine scaling relations of outflow velocity with galaxy stellar mass ( M {sub *}), circular velocity, star formation rate (SFR), SFR/ M {sub *}, and SFR/area. We argue that these results can be accommodated within the general interpretational framework we previously advocated, in which a population of ambient interstellar or circumgalactic clouds is accelerated by the combined forces of gravity and the momentum flux from the starburst. We show that this simple physical picture is consistent with both the strong cosmological evolution of galactic outflows in typical star-forming galaxies and the paucity of such galaxies with spectra showing inflows. We also present simple parameterizations of these results that can be implemented in theoretical models and numerical simulations of galaxy evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

The scaling of stellar mass and central stellar velocity dispersion for quiescent galaxies at z < 0.7

We examine the relation between stellar mass and central stellar velocity dispersion—the M {sub *} σ relation—for massive quiescent galaxies at z < 0.7. We measure the local relation from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the intermediate redshift relation from the Smithsonian Hectospec Lensing Survey. Both samples are highly complete (>85%) and we consistently measure the stellar mass and velocity dispersion for the two samples. The M {sub *} σ relation and its scatter are independent of redshift with σ∝M{sub ∗}{sup 0.3} for M {sub *} ≳ 10{sup 10.3} M {sub ⊙}. The measured slope of the M {sub *} σ relation is the same as the scaling between the total halo mass and the dark matter halo velocity dispersion obtained by N-body simulations. This consistency suggests that massive quiescent galaxies are virialized systems, where the central dark matter concentration is either a constant or negligible fraction of the stellar mass. The relation between the total galaxy mass (stellar + dark matter) and the central stellar velocity dispersion is consistent with the observed relation between the total mass of a galaxy cluster and the velocity dispersion of the cluster members. This result suggests that the central stellar velocity dispersion is directly proportional to the velocity dispersion of the dark matter halo. Thus, the central stellar velocity dispersion is a fundamental, directly observable property of galaxies, which may robustly connect galaxies to dark matter halos in N-body simulations. To interpret the results further in the context of ΛCDM, it would be useful to analyze the relationship between the velocity dispersion of stellar particles and the velocity dispersion characterizing their dark matter halos in high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamic simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Hydrogen emission from the ionized gaseous halos of low-redshift galaxies

Using a sample of nearly half a million galaxies, intersected by over 7 million lines of sight from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12, we trace Hα + [N ii] emission from a galactocentric projected radius, r {sub p}, of 5 kpc to more than 100 kpc. The emission flux surface brightness is ∝r{sub p}{sup −1.9±0.4}. We obtain consistent results using only the Hα or [N ii] flux. We measure a stronger signal for the bluer half of the target sample than for the redder half on small scales, r {sub p} < 20 kpc. We obtain a 3σ detection of Hα + [N ii] emission in the 50–100 kpc r {sub p} bin. The mean emission flux within this bin is (1.10 ± 0.35) × 10{sup −20} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} Å{sup −1}, which corresponds to 1.87 × 10{sup −20} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} arcsec{sup −2} or 0.0033 Rayleigh. This detection is 34 times fainter than a previous strict limit obtained using deep narrow-band imaging. The faintness of the signal demonstrates why it has been so difficult to trace recombination radiation out to large radii around galaxies. This signal, combined with published estimates of n {sub H}, leads us to estimate the temperature of the gas to be 12,000 K, consistent with independent empirical estimates based on metal ion absorption lines and expectations from numerical simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Beyond Orbital-Motion-Limited theory effects for dust transport in tokamaks

Dust transport in tokamaks is very important for ITER. Can many kilograms of dust really accumulate in the device? Can the dust survive? The conventional dust transport model is based on Orbital-Motion-Limited theory (OML). But OML can break in the limit where the dust grain becomes positively charged due to electron emission processes because it overestimates the dust collected power. An OML + approximation of the emitted electrons trapped/passing boundary is shown to be in good agreement with PIC simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Development of Multiple Solid Components Capability in GOTHIC Droplet Fields

GOTHIC is a versatile and generally applicable software package that solves complex thermal hydraulics problems. GOTHIC solves the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy for multicomponent, multi-phase flow in lumped parameter and/or multi-dimensional geometries. GOTHIC version 8.2 includes a new feature to model one or more solid components in each of the modeled droplet fields. A solid component is a material present in the water which has volume, density, and heat capacity. GOTHIC has supported modeling multiple droplet fields since version 8.0 - each field has its own mass, energy, and momentum equation. Recent work by Lane et. al. allowed multiple solid components to be tracked in the continuous liquid field. With the release of version 8.2 the droplet fields can now include one or more solid components within each droplet field. The addition of solid components to the droplet field allows faithful simulation of one or more solid components throughout the liquid and droplet fields. Preliminary expected applications are for scenarios such as GSI-191 and longer term desired applications are aerosol simulation. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

The future of Sinbad: learning from the best practices of ICSBEP - 24622

Two projects sanctioned by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) have over two decades of experience established comprehensive data sets in handbooks supporting criticality safety and reactor physics. The International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP), and later the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) that was patterned after the success of the ICSBEP, serves as an example of quality and excellence in preserving our nuclear data heritage and establishing benchmark standards upon which current and future modeling, validation, and safety efforts can be supported. Many of the best practices and lessons learned from these benchmark projects can be adopted and adapted for use with the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database (SINBAD) to prepare higher quality shielding benchmark data to effectively expand the availability of qualified experimental data available to the nuclear community. The unique experiments performed and aggregated within SINBAD represent characteristic measurements, techniques, and applications not captured with the specificity of nuclear criticality safety or traditional reactor physics applications. Application of evaluated SINBAD benchmark data would challenge and enhance our current nuclear data and modeling and simulation strategies. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1971

Station to instrumented aircraft L-band telemetry system and RF signal controller for spacecraft simulations and station calibration

An L-band telemetry system designed to provide the capability of near-real-time processing of calibration data is described. The system also provides the capability of performing computerized spacecraft simulations, with the aircraft as a data source, and evaluating the network response. The salient characteristics of a telemetry analysis and simulation program (TASP) are discussed, together with the results of TASP testing. The results of the L-band system testing have successfully demonstrated the capability of near-real-time processing of telemetry test data, the control of the ground-received signal to within + or - 0.5 db, and the computer generation of test signals.

Scaffidi, C. A.↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Additive Approximation for Heat Transfer and for Stability Calculations in a Multi-filamentary Superconductor - part A

This paper addresses the applicability of the “additive approximation” of total thermal conductivity in heat transfer and in superconductor stability calculations. If cases (a), (b) and (c) denote total (conductive plus radiative), or only conductive or only radiative heat flux, respectively, each flux q-dot calculated with Fourier’s conduction law using the corresponding thermal conductivity (λ{sub a}, λ{sub b}, λ{sub c}), the additive approximation would be confirmed if the heat flux difference Δ q-dot = q-dot {sub a}− q-dot {sub b}− q-dot {sub c}, at any position of an investigated object, and at any time, converges to zero. This is not trivial because of the strong, non-linear temperature dependence of the radiation component. Heat transfer calculations including radiative transfer are presented in this paper, first for simple, homogeneous, thin film test samples and later for a multi-filamentary BSCCO 2223 superconductor. The simulated heat sources either result from a sudden increase of conductor boundary temperature or from flux flow and Ohmic resistances in the superconductor under a disturbance (like transport current exceeding critcal current density). The conductors, though very thin, are non-transparent to mid-IR radiation. Validity of the additive approximation is critical for superconductor stability against quench. Based on the applied numerical scheme, a hypothesis is suggested concerning correlation of the results of the simulation (the “numerical space”) with the experimental situation (the “physical reality”): Non-convergence of the numerical scheme might tightly be correlated with occurrence of a quench in the simulated superconductor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Single-particle spectral density of the unitary Fermi gas: Novel approach based on the operator product expansion, sum rules and the maximum entropy method

Making use of the operator product expansion, we derive a general class of sum rules for the imaginary part of the single-particle self-energy of the unitary Fermi gas. The sum rules are analyzed numerically with the help of the maximum entropy method, which allows us to extract the single-particle spectral density as a function of both energy and momentum. These spectral densities contain basic information on the properties of the unitary Fermi gas, such as the dispersion relation and the superfluid pairing gap, for which we obtain reasonable agreement with the available results based on quantum Monte-Carlo simulations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Adjoint sensitivity analysis of chaotic dynamical systems with non-intrusive least squares shadowing

This paper presents a discrete adjoint version of the recently developed non-intrusive least squares shadowing (NILSS) algorithm, which circumvents the instability that conventional adjoint methods encounter for chaotic systems. The NILSS approach involves solving a smaller minimization problem than other shadowing approaches and can be implemented with only minor modifications to preexisting tangent and adjoint solvers. Adjoint NILSS is demonstrated on a small chaotic ODE, a one-dimensional scalar PDE, and a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the minimal flow unit, a turbulent channel flow on a small spatial domain. This is the first application of an adjoint shadowing-based algorithm to a three-dimensional turbulent flow. - Highlights: • A discrete adjoint non-intrusive least squares shadowing (NILSS) is presented. • The NILSS approach is closely related to multiple shooting shadowing (MSS). • Adjoint NILSS prevents exponential growth in time of the adjoint field. • Adjoint NILSS is demonstrated on a simulation of wall-bounded turbulent flow.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Application of chord length distributions and principal component analysis for quantification and representation of diverse polycrystalline microstructures

Highlights: • Microstructure quantification based on directional chord length distribution and principal component analysis is presented • A boundary-based algorithm of calculations of chord length distributions is introduced • Utility of the quantification framework is shown in three case studies on synthetic, experimental, and simulation datasets • Angularly resolved chord length distribution captures essential details of grain size and shape in diverse microstructures • Low-dimensional representations of directional chord length distributions are obtained using principal component analysis - Abstract: Quantification of mesoscale microstructures of polycrystalline materials is important for a range of practical tasks of materials design and development. The current protocols of quantifying grain size and morphology often rely on microstructure metrics (e.g., mean grain diameter) that overlook important details of the mesostructure. In this work, we present a quantification framework based on directionally resolved chord length distribution and principal component analysis as a means of extracting additional information from 2-D microstructural maps. Towards this end, we first present in detail a method for calculating chord length distribution based on boundary segments available in modern digital datasets (e.g., from microscopy post-processing) and their low-rank representations by principal component analysis. The utility of the proposed framework for capturing grain size, morphology, and their anisotropy for efficient visualization, representation, and specification of polycrystalline microstructures is then demonstrated in case studies on datasets from synthetic generation, experiments (on Ni-base superalloys), and simulations (on steel during recrystallization).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Size effect on order-disorder transition kinetics of FePt nanoparticles

The kinetics of order-disorder transition of FePt nanoparticles during high temperature annealing is theoretically investigated. A model is developed to address the influence of large surface to volume ratio of nanoparticles on both the thermodynamic and kinetic aspect of the ordering process; specifically, the nucleation and growth of L1{sub 0} ordered domain within disordered nanoparticles. The size- and shape-dependence of transition kinetics are quantitatively addressed by a revised Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation that included corrections for deviations caused by the domination of surface nucleation in nanoscale systems and the non-negligible size of the ordered nuclei. Calculation results based on the model suggested that smaller nanoparticles are kinetically more active but thermodynamically less transformable. The major obstacle in obtaining completely ordered nanoparticles is the elimination of antiphase boundaries. The results also quantitatively confirmed the existence of a size-limit in ordering, beyond which, inducing order-disorder transitions through annealing is impossible. A good agreement is observed between theory, experiment, and computer simulation results.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Anisotropic picosecond photoconductivity caused by optical alignment of electron momenta in cubic semiconductors

Transient photoconductivity in cubic semiconductors InGaAs and InAs excited by a femtosecond laser pulse in the presence of a uniform dc electric field has been studied with the use of the Monte Carlo simulation by taking into account optical alignment of photoexcited electrons over their momenta. Simulations show that due to the optical alignment effect and energy dependence of the electron mobility, the transient photoconductivity in cubic semiconductors becomes anisotropic during the first few picoseconds after optical excitation. The magnitude of this anisotropy reaches its peak when the excess energy of the optically excited electrons approaches the threshold for the intervalley transfer. It has also been found that when the electrons are excited near the threshold energy for the intervalley transfer, the component of the transient photocurrent directed along the dc field for a short time after the end of the femtosecond optical pulse can become negative. The anisotropy of the transient photoconductivity has been investigated experimentally on (001) InGaAs sample by the optical pump - terahertz-probe technique. Optically induced changes in terahertz pulse amplitude were found to be dependent on the direction of terahertz field relative to the polarization of the optical pump pulse and to the crystallographic axes of the semiconductor. Experimental data have been explained in terms of the transient anisotropic photoconductivity and correlate with the results of the Monte Carlo simulation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Self-oscillation in spin torque oscillator stabilized by field-like torque

The effect of the field-like torque on the self-oscillation of the magnetization in spin torque oscillator with a perpendicularly magnetized free layer was studied theoretically. A stable self-oscillation at zero field is excited for negative β while the magnetization dynamics stops for β = 0 or β > 0, where β is the ratio between the spin torque and the field-like torque. The reason why only the negative β induces the self-oscillation was explained from the view point of the energy balance between the spin torque and the damping. The oscillation power and frequency for various β were also studied by numerical simulation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Effect of squeeze on electrostatic Trivelpiece-Gould wave damping

We present a theory for increased damping of Trivelpiece-Gouid plasma modes on a nonneutral plasma column, due to application of a Debye shielded cylindrically symmetric squeeze potential φ{sub 1}. We present two models of the effect this has on the plasma modes: a 1D model with only axial dependence, and a 2D model that also keeps radial dependence in the squeezed equilibrium and the mode. We study the models using both analytical and numerical methods. For our analytical studies, we assume that φ{sub 1}/T≪1, and we treat the Debye shielded squeeze potential as a perturbation in the equilibrium Hamiltonian. Our numerical simulations solve the 1D Vlasov-Poisson system and obtain the frequency and damping rate for a self-consistent plasma mode, making no assumptions as to the size of the squeeze. In both the 1D and 2D models, damping of the mode is caused by Landau resonances at energies E{sub n} for which the particle bounce frequency ω{sub b}(E{sub n}) and the wave frequency ω satisfy ω=nω{sub b}(E{sub n}). Particles experience a non-sinusoidal wave potential along their bounce orbits due to the squeeze potential. As a result, the squeeze induces bounce harmonics with n > 1 in the perturbed distribution. The harmonics allow resonances at energies E{sub n}≤T that cause substantial damping, even when wave phase velocities are much larger than the thermal velocity. In the regime ω/k≫√(T/m) (k is the wave number) and T≫φ{sub 1}, the resonance damping rate has a |φ{sub 1}|{sup 2} dependence. This dependence agrees with the simulations and experimental results.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

A cut cell method for the 3D simulation of Crookes radiometer

Devices involved in engineering applications, such as vacuum pumps or MEMS, may be made of several moving parts. This raise the issue of the simulation of rarefied gas flow around moving boundaries. We propose a simple process, known as cut cell method, to treat the motion of a solid body in the framework of the deterministic solving of a kinetic equation. Up to our knowledge, this is the first time that this approach has been used for this kind of simulations. The method is illustrated by the 2D and 3D simulations of a Crookes radiometer.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Different singularities in the functions of extended kinetic theory at the origin of the yield stress in granular flows

We use previous results from discrete element simulations of simple shear flows of rigid, identical spheres in the collisional regime to show that the volume fraction-dependence of the stresses is singular at the shear rigidity. Here, we identify the shear rigidity, which is a decreasing function of the interparticle friction, as the maximum volume fraction beyond which a random collisional assembly of grains cannot be sheared without developing force chains that span the entire domain. In the framework of extended kinetic theory, i.e., kinetic theory that accounts for the decreasing in the collisional dissipation due to the breaking of molecular chaos at volume fractions larger than 0.49, we also show that the volume fraction-dependence of the correlation length (measure of the velocity correlation) is singular at random close packing, independent of the interparticle friction. The difference in the singularities ensures that the ratio of the shear stress to the pressure at shear rigidity is different from zero even in the case of frictionless spheres: we identify that with the yield stress ratio of granular materials, and we show that the theoretical predictions, once the different singularities are inserted into the functions of extended kinetic theory, are in excellent agreement with the results of numerical simulations.

42 ENGINEERING↗