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At least 451 records · Page 25

Large grain CBMM Nb ingot slices: An ideal test bed for exploring the microstructure-electromagnetic property relationships relevant to SRF

High purity (RRR > 200), large grain (> 5-10 cm) niobium ingot slices have been successfully used to fabricate radio frequency (RF) cavities for particle accelerators. They offer significantly reduced fabrication cost by eliminating processing steps and furthermore they provide the opportunity to study the influence of individual grain boundaries in SRF Nb. Here we summarize our measurements of grain boundary (GB) effects on the superconducting properties of large grain high purity niobium sheet manufactured by CBMM. We show by magneto-optical (MO) imaging that GBs allow premature flux penetration, but only when they are oriented close to the direction of the magnetic field. However, even low angle GBs produced by minor deformations commensurate with half-cell forming produce localized flux penetration. The transport properties of grain boundaries were investigated by direct transport across them and evidence for preferential vortex flow along the GBs of SRF Nb was observed for the first time. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and micro crystallographic analysis with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), we were able to quantitatively characterize surface substructures that can lead to localized thermal breakdown of superconductivity. Important to these studies was the development of sample preparation techniques that made the cutout single, bi-crystal and tri-crystal Nb coupons as representative as possible of the surface properties of cavities manufactured by standard techniques.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

FERMI Observations of Gamma -Ray Emission From the Moon

We report on the detection of high-energy γ -ray emission from the Moon during the first 24 months of observations by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). This emission comes from particle cascades produced by cosmicray (CR) nuclei and electrons interacting with the lunar surface. The differential spectrum of the Moon is soft and can be described as a log-parabolic function with an effective cutoff at 2-3 GeV, while the average integral flux measured with the LAT from the beginning of observations in 2008 August to the end of 2010 August is F(greater than100 MeV) = (1.04 plus or minus 0.01 [statistical error] plus or minus 0.1 [systematic error]) × 10(sup −6) cm(sup −2) s(sup −1). This flux is about a factor 2-3 higher than that observed between 1991 and 1994 by the EGRET experiment on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, F(greater than100 MeV)≈5×10(sup −7) cm(sup −2) s(sup −1), when solar activity was relatively high. The higher gamma -ray flux measured by Fermi is consistent with the deep solar minimum conditions during the first 24 months of the mission, which reduced effects of heliospheric modulation, and thus increased the heliospheric flux of Galactic CRs. A detailed comparison of the light curve with McMurdo Neutron Monitor rates suggests a correlation of the trends. The Moon and the Sun are so far the only known bright emitters of gamma-rays with fast celestial motion. Their paths across the sky are projected onto the Galactic center and high Galactic latitudes as well as onto other areas crowded with high-energy gamma-ray sources. Analysis of the lunar and solar emission may thus be important for studies of weak and transient sources near the ecliptic.

fermi↗

The Momentum Distribution of Liquid ⁴He

We report a high-resolution neutron Compton scattering study of liquid ⁴He under milli-Kelvin temperature control. To interpret the scattering data, we performed Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of the atomic momentum distribution and final state effects for the conditions of temperature and density considered in the experiment. There is excellent agreement between the observed scattering and ab initio calculations of its lineshape at all temperatures. We also used model fit functions to obtain from the scattering data empirical estimates of the average atomic kinetic energy and Bose condensate fraction. These quantities are also in excellent agreement with ab initio calculations. We conclude that contemporary Quantum Monte Carlo methods can furnish accurate predictions for the properties of Bose liquids, including the condensate fraction, close to the superfluid transition temperature.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Exploratory evaluation of a moving-model technique for measurement of dynamic ground effects

An attempt is presently made to measure the dynamic or time-dependent ground effects that may be encountered by aircraft during approach and landing by means of a ground-based testing technique that employs a model moving horizontally over an upwardly inclined ground plane to simulate the rate of descent. Results have been thus obtained for a 60-deg delta wing and for an F-18 full configuration, with and without thrust reversal, at forward speeds of up to 100 ft/sec. An analysis of the results gathered indicates that ground effects were reduced when the rate of descent was included in the test conditions.

Kemmerly, Guy T.↗

TH-CD-201-02: A Monte Carlo Investigation of a Novel Detector Arrangement for the Energy Spectrum Measurement of a 6MV Linear Accelerator

Purpose: Direct measurement of the energy spectrum of a 6MV linear accelerator has not been successful due to the high fluence rate, high energy nature of these photon beams. Previous work used a Compton Scattering (CS) spectrometry setup with a shielded spectrometer for spectrum measurements. Despite substantial lead shielding, excessive pulse pile-up was seen. MCNP6 transport code was used to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of performing measurements using a novel detector setup. Methods: Simulations were performed with a shielded high-purity germanium (HPGe) semiconductor detector placed in the accelerator vault’s maze, with a 2 cm diameter collimator through a 92 cm thick concrete wall. The detector was positioned 660 cm from a scattering rod (placed at isocenter) at an angle of 45° relative to the central axis. This setup was compared with the shielded detector positioned in the room, 200 cm from the scattering rod at the same CS angle. Simulations were used to determine fluence contributions from three sources: (1) CS photons traveling through the collimator aperture, the intended signal, (2) CS scatter photons penetrating the detector shield, and (3) room-scattered photons penetrating the detector shield. Variance reduction techniques including weight windows, DXTRAN spheres, forced collisions, and energy cutoffs were used. Results: Simulations showed that the number of pulses per starting particle from an F8 detector tally for the intended signal decreased by a factor of 10{sup 2} when moving the detector out of the vault. This reduction in signal was amplified for the unwanted scatter signal which decreased by up to a factor of 10{sup 9}. Conclusion: This work used MCNP6 to show that using a vault wall to shield unwanted scatter and increasing isocenter-to-detector distance reduces unwanted fluence to the detector. This study aimed to provide motivation for future experimental work using the proposed setup.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Theoretical Studies in Hadronic Physics and Fundamental Symmetries

The nucleons (protons and neutrons) are at the center of every atom, the fundamental building blocks of matter in our Universe. Their structure and properties have been actively studied at DOE’s Thomas Jefferson Lab as well as the future US electron-ion collider at Brookhaven National Lab, and are believed to be described by a mathematical theory known as quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In this project, the PI and collaborators invented a theoretical approach called “Generalized parton distributions through Universal Moment Parametrization” (GUMP) to construct the 3D structure of the nucleon from experimental data on Deeply virtual compton scattering and Deep-Exclusive meson production, and semi-inclusive jet or meson productions. The PI and collaborators have also explored the full power of a theory called the large- momentum effective theory (LaMET) to calculate the 3D structure of the nucleon from the first principles known as lattice QCD. In particular, the work paved the way for unprecedented precision calculations which are coming in next decade.

3D Structure↗

Compton scattering of microwave background radiation by gas in galaxy clusters

Based on data on the X-ray spectrum of the Coma cluster, interpreted as thermal bremsstrahlung, the expected brightness depletion from Compton scattering of the microwave background in the direction of the cluster is computed. The calculated depletion is about one-third that recently observed by Gull and Northover, and the discrepancy is discussed. In comparing the observed microwave depletion in the direction of other clusters which are X-ray sources it is found that there is no correlation with the cluster X-ray luminosity. Consequently, the microwave depletion observations cannot yet be taken as good evidence for a thermal bremsstrahlung origin for the X-ray emission. The perturbation from Compton scattering of photons on the high-frequency (Wien) tail of the blackbody distribution is computed and found to be much larger than predicted in previous calculations. In the Wien tail the effect is a relative increase in the blackbody intensity that is appreciably greater in magnitude than the depletion in the Rayleigh-Jeans domain.

Gould, R. J.↗

Constraints on galactic distributions of gamma-ray burst sources from BATSE observations

The paradigm that gamma-ray bursts originate from Galactic sources is studied in detail using the angular and intensity distributions observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). Monte Carlo models of gamma-ray burst spatial distributions and luminosity functions are used to simulate bursts, which are then folded through mathematical models of BATSE selection effects. The observed and computed angular intensity distributions are analyzed using modifications of standard statistical homogeneity and isotropy studies. Analysis of the BATSE angular and intensity distributions greatly constrains the origins and luminosities of burst sources. In particular, it appears that no single population of sources confined to a Galactic disk, halo, or localized spiral arm satisfactorily explains BATSE observations and that effects of the burst luminosity function are secondary when considering such models. One family of models that still satisfies BATSE observations comprises sources located in an extended spherical Galactic corona. Coronal models are limited to small ranges of burst luminosity and core radius, and the allowed parameter space for such models shrinks with each new burst BATSE observes. Multiple-population models of bursts are found to work only if (1) the primary population accounts for the general isotropy and inhomogeneity seen in the BATSE observations and (2) secondary populations either have characteristics similar to the primary population or contain numbers that are small relative to the primary population.

Hakkila, Jon↗

The GLAST mission

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is a next-generation high-energy gamma-ray telescope for studying high energy gamma-ray emission from astrophysical sources. The main instrument is the Large Area Telescope (LAT) which operated in the energy band from 20 MeV to greater than 300 GeV. A second instrument, the Glast Burst Monitor to provide supportive observations of gamma-ray bursts at lower energies. The LAT is a solid state pair-conversion telescope which will have capabilities well beyond those achieved by the highly successful EGRET instrument on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. The sensitivity achieved on the entire sky after a single day's observation is similar to the point source sensitivity of EGRET for its entire mission. The large effective area will allow flares from AGN to be detected at much lower flux levels and on far shorter time intervals that has previously been possible from space. The very large field of view will make it possible to monitor approx. 20% of the sky at any instant, and the entire sky on timescale of a few hours. In this talk I will describe the design of the GLAST instruments and discuss their science capabilities.

McEnery, Julie↗

Low-energy Compton scattering in materials

Low-energy Compton scattering is an important background for sub-GeV dark matter direct-detection and other experiments. Current Compton scattering calculations typically rely on assumptions that are not valid in the low-energy region of interest, beneath ∼ 50 eV . Here we relate the low-energy Compton scattering differential cross section to the dielectric response of the material. Our new approach can be used for a wide range of materials and includes all-electron, band-structure, and collective effects, which can be particularly relevant at low energies. We demonstrate the strength of our approach in several solid-state systems, in particular, Si, Ge, GaAs, and SiC, which are relevant for current and proposed experiments searching for dark matter, neutrinos, and millicharged particles. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Accretion in wind-driven X-ray sources

The hydrodynamics of axisymmetric accretion flow in stellar wind-fed X-ray sources is investigated, including momentum deposition by radiation, as well as radiative heating and cooling by Compton and bremsstrahlung processes. The results of two-dimensional numerical simulations for mass accretion rates ranging from 0.02 to 0.4 of the Eddington value reveal a variety of behaviors. At low rates radiative effects are unimportant, and the accretion flow is nearly adiabatic. In this case the flow is steady. For intermediate accretion rates, radiative heating and cooling effects become important. The flow remains steady, but the accretion rate is significantly reduced from the Hoyle-Lyttleton estimate. At the highest mass accretion rates, radiative momentum transfer and energy exchange are important and lead to nonsteady behavior. For the parameters relevant to massive X-ray binary systems accreting at high rates, the results reveal that the accretion flows can be complex and time dependent.

Taam, Ronald E.↗

Compton-backscattered annihilation radiation from the Galactic Center region

On 1989 May 22, the High Energy X-ray and Gamma-ray Observatory for Nuclear Emissions, a balloon-borne high-resolution germanium spectrometer with an 18-deg FOV, observed the Galactic Center (GC) from 25 to 2500 keV. The GC photon spectrum is obtained from the count spectrum by a model-independent method which accounts for the effects of passive material in the instrument and scattering in the atmosphere. Besides a positron annihilation line with a flux of (10.0 +/- 2.4) x 10 exp -4 photons/sq cm s and a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of (2.9 + 1.0, -1.1) keV, the spectrum shows a peak centered at (163.7 +/- 3.4) keV with a flux of (1.55 +/- 0.47) x 10 exp -3 photons/sq cm s and a FWHM of (24.4 +/- 9.2) keV. The energy range 450-507 keV shows no positronium continuum associated with the annihilation line, with a 2-sigma upper limit of 0.90 on the positronium fraction. The 164 keV feature is interpreted as Compton backscatter of broadened and redshifted annihilation radiation, possibly from the source 1E 1740.7-2942.

Smith, D. M.↗

Linking thermoset ink rheology to the stability of 3D-printed structures

Thermoset polymer composites show promise for additive manufacturing (AM) applications to address some of the limitations of the more widely used thermoplastic feedstock materials. Thermosets offer attractive mechanical properties while providing excellent interlayer bonding, high thermal and chemical stability, and reduced energy consumption as a result of deposition at room temperature. However, since thermoset resins rely on a crosslinking reaction to solidify, rather than quickly cooling like thermoplastics, viscoelastic properties must be relied upon to maintain deposited shape after deposition until crosslinking can occur. This fact has not impeded development and characterization of new thermoset feedstocks on the small scale, but recent efforts to increase scale of thermoset printing have highlighted issues with structural stability under self-weight. This study addresses issues of self-weight by investigating the mechanisms that cause collapse of tall, thin printed walls. Using nanoclay- and fumed silica-filled epoxy feedstocks, this work compares the collapse height for printed walls to stability models based on yielding and buckling mechanics. Inputs for these models – shear yield stress and storage modulus – were taken directly from parallel plate rheometry measurements. Model predictions were found to be in good agreement with experimental results, where both yielding and buckling behavior were observed, provided the rheological properties after a shear excursion were used as inputs. This work establishes a direct link between basic rheological properties of the feedstock, geometry of the printed object, and achievable height. Overall, the results presented highlight the importance of understanding recovery behavior in thermoset feedstocks and provide valuable guidance on the development of more effective direct-ink writing feedstock materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the landing/deceleration subsystem

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to determine failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. This report documents the independent analysis results corresponding to the Orbiter Landing/Deceleration Subsystem hardware. The Landing/Deceleration Subsystem is utilized to allow the Orbiter to perform a safe landing, allowing for landing-gear deploy activities, steering and braking control throughout the landing rollout to wheel-stop, and to allow for ground-handling capability during the ground-processing phase of the flight cycle. Specifically, the Landing/Deceleration hardware consists of the following components: Nose Landing Gear (NLG); Main Landing Gear (MLG); Brake and Antiskid (B and AS) Electrical Power Distribution and Controls (EPD and C); Nose Wheel Steering (NWS); and Hydraulics Actuators. Each level of hardware was evaluated and analyzed for possible failure modes and effects. Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode. Due to the lack of redundancy in the Landing/Deceleration Subsystems there is a high number of critical items.

Compton, J. M.↗

Stationary Solutions of the Second-Order Equation for Fermions in Kerr–Newman Space-Time

When using the quantum mechanical second-order equation with the effective potential of the Kerr–Newman (KN) field for fermions, results were obtained that qualitatively differ from the results obtained when using the Dirac equation. In the presence of two event horizons, existence of degenerate stationary bound states was proved for charged and uncharged fermions with square integrable wavefunctions vanishing on event horizons. The fermions in such states are localized near the event horizons with the maxima of probability densities away from the event horizons by fractions of the Compton wavelength of fermions versus the values of coupling constants, the values of angular and orbital momenta j, l, and the value of the azimuthal quantum number m{sub φ}. In the case of extreme KN fields, absence of stationary bound states of fermions was shown for any values of coupling constants. Existence of discrete energy spectra was shown for charged and uncharged fermions in the field of KN naked singularity at definite values of physical parameters. The KN naked singularity poses no threat to cosmic censorship because of the regular behavior of the effective potentials of the KN field in quantum mechanics with the second-order equation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Rotation of X-ray polarization in the glitches of a silicon crystal monochromator

EXAFS studies on dilute samples are usually carried out by collecting the fluorescence yield using a large-area multi-element detector. This method is susceptible to the `glitches' produced by all single-crystal monochromators. Glitches are sharp dips or spikes in the diffracted intensity at specific crystal orientations. If incorrectly compensated, they degrade the spectroscopic data. Normalization of the fluorescence signal by the incident flux alone is sometimes insufficient to compensate for the glitches. Measurements performed at the state-of-the-art wiggler beamline I20-scanning at Diamond Light Source have shown that the glitches alter the spatial distribution of the sample's quasi-elastic X-ray scattering. Because glitches result from additional Bragg reflections, multiple-beam dynamical diffraction theory is necessary to understand their effects. Here, the glitches of the Si(111) four-bounce monochromator of I20-scanning just above the Ni K edge are associated with their Bragg reflections. A fitting procedure that treats coherent and Compton scattering is developed and applied to a sample of an extremely dilute (100 micromolal) aqueous solution of Ni(NO 3 ) 2 . The depolarization of the wiggler X-ray beam out of the electron orbit is modeled. The fits achieve good agreement with the sample's quasi-elastic scattering with just a few parameters. The X-ray polarization is rotated up to ±4.3° within the glitches, as predicted by dynamical diffraction. These results will help users normalize EXAFS data at glitches.

Sutter, John P.↗

Relativistic thermal plasmas - Effects of magnetic fields

Processes and equilibria in finite, relativistic, thermal plasmas are investigated, taking into account electron-positron creation and annihilation, photon production by internal processes, and photon production by a magnetic field. Inclusion of the latter extends previous work on such plasmas. The basic relations for thermal, Comptonized synchrotron emission are analyzed, including emission and absorption without Comptonization, Comptonized thermal synchrotron emission, and the Comptonized synchrotron and bremsstrahlung luminosities. Pair equilibria are calculated, including approximations and dimensionless parameters, the pair balance equation, maximum temperatures and field strengths, and individual models and cooling curves.

Araki, S.↗