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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 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Testing strong-field QED with the avalanche precursor

A two-beam high-power laser facility is essential for the study of one of the most captivating phenomena predicted by strong-field quantum electrodynamics (QED) and yet unobserved experimentally: the avalanche-type cascade. In such a cascade, the energy of intense laser light can be efficiently transformed into high-energy radiation and electron–positron pairs. The future 50-petawatt-scale laser facility NSF OPAL will provide unique opportunities for studying such strong-field QED effects, as it is designed to deliver two ultra-intense, tightly focused laser pulses onto the interaction point. In this work, we investigate the potential of such a facility for studying elementary particle and plasma dynamics deeply in the quantum radiation-dominated (RD) regime, and the generation of QED avalanches. With three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we demonstrate that QED avalanche precursors can be reliably triggered under realistic laser parameters and layout (namely, focusing f/2, tilted optical axes, and non-ideal co-pointing) with the anticipated capabilities of NSF OPAL. We demonstrate that seed electrons can be efficiently injected into the laser focus by using targets of three types: a gas of heavy atoms, an overcritical plasma, and a thin foil. A strong positron and high-energy photon signal is generated in all cases. The cascade properties can be identified from the final particle distributions, which have a clear directional pattern. At increasing laser field intensity, such distributions provide signatures of the transition, first, to the RD interaction regime, and then to a QED avalanche. Our findings can also be used for designing related future experiments.

Lasers↗
DOE OSTI2022

Measurement of Charged-Pion Production in Deep-Inelastic Scattering off Nuclei with the CLAS Detector

Background: Energetic quarks in nuclear deep-inelastic scattering propagate through the nuclear medium. Processes that are believed to occur inside nuclei include quark energy loss through medium-stimulated gluon bremsstrahlung and intranuclear interactions of forming hadrons. More data are required to gain a more complete understanding of these effects. Purpose: To test the theoretical models of parton transport and hadron formation, we compared their predictions for the nuclear and kinematic dependence of pion production in nuclei. Methods: We have measured charged-pion production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering off D, C, Fe, and Pb using the CLAS detector and the CEBAF 5.014-GeV electron beam. We report results on the nuclear-to-deuterium multiplicity ratio for π + and π - as a function of energy transfer, four-momentum transfer, and pion energy fraction or transverse momentum—the first three-dimensional study of its kind. Results: The π + multiplicity ratio is found to depend strongly on the pion fractional energy z and reaches minimum values of 0.67 ± 0.03, 0.43 ± 0.02, and 0.27 ± 0.01 for the C, Fe, and Pb targets, respectively. The z dependencies of the multiplicity ratios for π + and π - are equal within uncertainties for C and Fe targets but show differences at the level of 10% for the Pb-target data. The results are qualitatively described by the GIBUU transport model, as well as with a model based on hadron absorption, but are in tension with calculations based on nuclear fragmentation functions. Conclusions: These precise results will strongly constrain the kinematic and flavor dependence of nuclear effects in hadron production, probing an unexplored kinematic region. They will help to reveal how the nucleus reacts to a fast quark, thereby shedding light on its color structure and transport properties and on the mechanisms of the hadronization process.

Moran, S.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the production of a $W$ boson in association with a charmed hadron in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = $\mathrm{13 TeV}$ with the ATLAS detector

The production of a $W$ boson in association with a single charm quark is studied using 140 fb –1 of $\sqrt{s}$ = $13$ $\mathrm{TeV}$ proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The charm quark is tagged by the presence of a charmed hadron reconstructed with a secondary-vertex fit. The $W$ boson is reconstructed from the decay to either an electron or a muon and the missing transverse momentum present in the event. The charmed mesons reconstructed are D + → K – π + π + and D *+ → D 0 π + → (K – π + ) π + and the charge conjugate decays in the fiducial regions where $p$ T ($e,μ$) > 30 GeV, |$η(e,μ)$| < 2.5, $p$ T (D (*) ) > 8 GeV, and |$η$(D (*) )| < 2.2. The integrated and normalized differential cross sections as a function of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the $W$ boson decay, and of the transverse momentum of the charmed hadron, are extracted from the data using a profile likelihood fit. The measured total fiducial cross sections are ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W – + D + ) = 50.2 ± 0.2 ${(stat)}_{–2.3}^{+2.4}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W + + D – ) = 48.5 ± 0.2 ${(stat)}_{–2.2}^{+2.3}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W – + D *+ ) = 51.1 ± 0.4 ${(stat)}_{–1.8}^{+1.9}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W + + D *– ) = 50.0 ± 0.4 ${(stat)}_{–1.8}^{+1.9}$(syst) pb. Results are compared with the predictions of next-to-leading-order quantum chromodynamics calculations performed using state-of-the-art parton distribution functions. Additionally, the ratio of charm to anticharm production cross sections is studied to probe the $s$-$\bar{s}$ quark asymmetry. The ratio is found to be ${R}_{c}^{±}$= 0.971 ± 0.006 (stat) ± 0.011 (syst). The ratio and cross-section measurements are consistent with the predictions obtained with parton distribution function sets that have a symmetric $s$-$\bar{s}$ sea, indicating that any $s$-$\bar{s}$ asymmetry in the Bjorken-x region relevant for this measurement is small.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of φ-meson production in Cu + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV and U + U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 193 GeV

The PHENIX experiment reports systematic measurements at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider of φ-meson production in asymmetric Cu + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV and in U + U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 193 GeV. Measurements were performed via the φ → K + K – decay channel at midrapidity |η| < 0.35. Features of φ- meson production measured in Cu + Cu, Cu + Au, Au + Au, and U + U collisions were found to not depend on the collision geometry, which was expected because the yields are averaged over the azimuthal angle and follow the expected scaling with nuclear-overlap size. The elliptic flow of the φ meson in Cu + Au, Au + Au, and U + U collisions scales with second-order-participant eccentricity and the length scale of the nuclear-overlap region (estimated with the number of participating nucleons). At moderate $p_T$ , φ-meson production measured in Cu + Au and U + U collisions is consistent with coalescence-model predictions, whereas at high $p_T$ the production is in agreement with expectations for in-medium energy loss of parent partons prior to their fragmentation. Finally, the elliptic flow for φ mesons measured in Cu + Au and U + U collisions is well described by a (2+1)-dimensional viscous-hydrodynamic model with specific-shear viscosity η/s = 1/4π.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

J/ ψ -hadron correlations at midrapidity in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

We report on the measurement of inclusive, non-prompt, and prompt J/ψ-hadron correlations by the ALICE Collaboration at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The correlations are studied at midrapidity (|y| < 0.9) in the transverse momentum ranges p T < 40 GeV/c for the J/ψ and 0.15 < p T < 10 GeV/c and |η| < 0.9 for the associated hadrons. The measurement is based on minimum bias and high multiplicity data samples corresponding to integrated luminosities of L int = 34 nb −1 and L int = 6.9 pb −1 , respectively. In addition, two more data samples are employed, requiring, on top of the minimum bias condition, a threshold on the tower energy of E = 4 and 9 GeV in the ALICE electromagnetic calorimeters, which correspond to integrated luminosities of L int = 0.9 pb −1 and L int = 8.4 pb −1 , respectively. The azimuthally integrated near and away side yields of associated charged hadrons per J/ψ trigger are presented as a function of the J/ψ and associated hadron transverse momentum. The measurements are discussed in comparison to PYTHIA calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Development of Kinetic and Radiation Hydrodynamics Modeling of Thermonuclear Burn Propagation in Isochoric p - 11 B Through the Support of the INFUSE Program

The report summarizes DOE INFUSE-supported work between HB11 Energy and the University of Rochester’s TriForce Institute to improve computational modeling of advanced fusion fuels, especially proton–boron-11 (p- 11 B). The project extended the TriForce particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision code to include physics needed for dense, high-temperature p- 11 B burn studies, including p- 11 B fusion reactions, three-alpha-particle reaction products, relativistic Coulomb collisions, large-angle nuclear scattering, bremsstrahlung radiation, inverse bremsstrahlung absorption, and photon transport. The upgraded models were verified against focused physics tests and against known deuterium–tritium burn behavior. The study then used one-dimensional spherical simulations to estimate the conditions required for thermonuclear burn propagation in isochoric p- 11 B fuel. The calculations found that burn propagation is possible in the model, but only under very extreme hot-spot conditions, such as about 7000 g/cm 3 at 500 keV or 9000 g/cm 3 at 300 keV for a 20-micron hot spot. These conditions are much more demanding than current demonstrated inertial confinement fusion hot spots. The report concludes that the INFUSE collaboration successfully advanced kinetic and radiation modeling capabilities for p- 11 B fusion and provided useful estimates of ignition requirements. However, the simulated fuel gains remain below what would be needed for practical inertial fusion energy, and further work is needed to reconcile differences among kinetic, radiation-hydrodynamic, and analytic models and to identify more achievable target designs.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for high-mass resonances in final states with a τ-lepton and missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector

A search for high-mass resonances decaying into a τ-lepton and a neutrino using proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV is presented. The full run 2 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 recorded by the ATLAS experiment in the years 2015–2018 is analyzed. The τ-lepton is reconstructed in its hadronic decay modes and the total transverse momentum carried out by neutrinos is inferred from the reconstructed missing transverse momentum. The search for new physics is performed on the transverse mass between the τ-lepton and the missing transverse momentum. No excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper exclusion limits are set on the W' →τ⁢v production cross section. Heavy W' vector bosons with masses up to 5.0 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming that they have the same couplings as the Standard Model W boson. For nonuniversal couplings, W' bosons are excluded for masses less than 3.5–5.0 TeV, depending on the model parameters. In addition, model-independent limits on the visible cross section times branching ratio are determined as a function of the lower threshold on the transverse mass of the τ-lepton and missing transverse momentum.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurements of $t\overline tH$ Production and the CP Structure of the Yukawa Interaction between the Higgs Boson and Top Quark in the Diphoton Decay Channel

The first observation of the t t ¯ H process in a single Higgs boson decay channel with the full reconstruction of the final state ( H → γ γ ) is presented, with a significance of 6.6 standard deviations ( σ ). The C P structure of Higgs boson couplings to fermions is measured, resulting in an exclusion of the pure C P -odd structure of the top Yukawa coupling at 3.2 σ . The measurements are based on a sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb – 1 . The cross section times branching fraction of the t t ¯ H process is measured to be σ t t ¯ H B γ γ = 1.56 – 0.32 + 0.34 fb , which is compatible with the standard model prediction of 1.13 – 0.11 + 0.08 fb . The fractional contribution of the C P -odd component is measured to be f C P H t t = 0.00 ± 0.33 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Comparison of transverse single-spin asymmetries for forward π 0 production in polarized pp , p Al and p Au collisions at nucleon pair c.m. energy √sNN=200 GeV

The STAR collaboration reports a measurement of the transverse single-spin asymmetries, A N , for neutral pions produced in polarized proton collisions with protons ( p p ), with aluminum nuclei ( p Al ) and with gold nuclei ( p Au ) at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. Neutral pions are observed in the forward direction relative to the transversely polarized proton beam, in the pseudorapidity region 2.7 < η < 3.8 . Results are presented for π 0 s observed in the STAR forward meson spectrometer electromagnetic calorimeter in narrow Feynman x ( x F ) and transverse momentum ( p T ) bins, spanning the range 0.17 < x F < 0.81 and 1.7 < p T < 6.0 GeV / c . For fixed x F < 0.47 , the asymmetries are found to rise with increasing transverse momentum. For larger x F , the asymmetry flattens or falls as p T increases. Parametrizing the ratio r ( A ) ≡ A N ( p A ) / A N ( p p ) = A P over the kinematic range, the ratio r ( A ) is found to depend only weakly on A , with ( P ) = - 0.027 ± 0.005 . No significant difference in P is observed between the low- p T region, p T < 2.5 GeV / c , where gluon saturation effects may play a role, and the high- p T region, p T > 2.5 GeV / c . It is further observed that the value of A N is significantly larger for events with a large- p T isolated π 0 than for events with a nonisolated π 0 accompanied by additional jetlike fragments. The nuclear dependence r ( A ) is similar for isolated and nonisolated π 0 events.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observation of Single-Top-Quark Production in Association with a Photon Using the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of single top quarks produced together with a photon, which directly probes the electroweak coupling of the top quark. The analysis uses 139 fb -1 of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Requiring a photon with transverse momentum larger than 20 GeV and within the detector acceptance, the fiducial cross section is measured to be 688±23(stat) $^{+75}_{-71}$(syst) fb, to be compared with the standard model prediction of 515$^{+36}_{-42}$ fb at next-to-leading order in QCD.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the inclusive $t\bar{t}$ production cross section in the lepton + jets channel in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector using support vector machines

A measurement of the top quark pair-production cross section in the lepton + jets decay channel is presented. It is based on 4.6 fb -1 of $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV pp collision data collected during 2011 by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. A three-class, multidimensional event classifier based on support vector machines is used to differentiate $t\bar{t}$ events from backgrounds. The $t\bar{t}$ production cross section is found to be σ $t\bar{t}$ = 168.5 ± 0.7(stat)$^{+6.2}_{-5.9}$(syst)$^{+ 3.4}_{-3.2}$(lumi) pb. In conclusion, the result is consistent with the Standard Model prediction based on QCD calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

The United States Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health Collaboration: Medical Care Advances via Discovery in Physical Sciences

Over several months, representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and National Institutes of Health (NIH) had a number of meetings that lead to the conclusion that innovations in the Nation's health care could be realized by more directed interactions between NIH and DOE. It became clear that the expertise amassed and instrumentation advances developed at the DOE physical science laboratories to enable cutting-edge research in particle physics could also feed innovation in medical healthcare. To meet their scientific mission, the DOE laboratories created advances in such technologies as particle beam generation, radioisotope production, high-energy particle detection and imaging, superconducting particle accelerators, superconducting magnets, cryogenics, high-speed electronics, artificial intelligence, and big data. To move forward, NIH and DOE initiated the process of convening a joint work- shop which occurred on July 12th and 13th, 2021. Here, this Special Report presents a summary of the findings of the collaborative workshop and introduces the goals of the next one.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗