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At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Measuring dynamics of differentially rotating, unmagnetized, free-boundary plasma produced by soft x-ray irradiation

We present results from a new experiment, fielded on the MAGPIE pulsed power generator, producing a rotating, boundary-free plasma with no pre-imposed magnetic field. Angular momentum is introduced to the rotating system by the oblique collision of multiple plasma flows, which are driven by x-ray ablation of solid targets using the soft x-rays emitted from the implosion of wire array z-pinches. This produces a hydrodynamically stable plasma which undergoes ~2-3 rotations over the duration of the experiment, significantly more than previous pulsed-power platforms. Estimating the angular frequency from the electron density profile in the inner part of the rotating plasma shows that it has a quasi-Keplerian rotation profile. The system also allows for the addition of a controllable magnetic field. This, combined with the sufficiently large Reynolds (~10 5 ) and magnetic Reynolds (~10) numbers, will enable investigation of the effect of magnetic field on the structure and stability of the rotating plasma.

Physics - Plasma physics↗
DOE OSTI2022

Impurity leakage and radiative cooling in the first nitrogen and neon seeding study in the closed DIII-D SAS configuration

A comparative study of nitrogen versus neon has been carried out to analyze the impact of the two radiative species on power dissipation, SOL impurity distribution, divertor and pedestal characteristics. The experimental results show that N remains compressed in the divertor, thereby providing high radiative losses without affecting the pedestal profiles and displacing carbon as dominant radiator. Neon, instead, radiates more upstream than N thus reducing the power flux through the separatrix leading to a reduced ELM frequency and compression in the divertor. A significant amount of neon is measured in the plasma core leading to a steeper density gradient. The different behavior between the two impurities is confirmed by SOLPS-ITER modeling which for the first time at DIII-D includes multiple impurity species and a treatment of full drifts, currents and neutral–neutral collisions. The impurity transport in the SOL is studied in terms of the parallel momentum balance showing that N is mostly retained in the divertor whereas Ne leaks out consistent with its higher ionization potential and longer mean free path. This is also in agreement with the enrichment factor calculations which indicate lower divertor enrichment for neon. The strong ionization source characterizing the SAS divertor causes a reversal of the main ions and impurity flows. The flow reversal together with plasma drifts and the effect of the thermal force contribute significantly in the shift of the impurity stagnation point affecting impurity leakage. This work provides a demonstration of the impurity leakage mechanism in a closed divertor structure and the consequent impact on pedestal. Since carbon is an intrinsic radiator at DIII-D, in this paper we have also demonstrated the different role of carbon in the N vs Ne seeded cases both in the experiments and in the numerical modeling. Here, carbon contributes more when neon seeding is injected compared to when nitrogen is used. Finally, the results highlight the importance of accompanying experimental studies with numerical modeling of plasma flows, drifts and ionization profile to determine the details of the SOL impurity transport as the latter may vary with changes in divertor regime and geometry. In the cases presented here, plasma drifts and flow reversal caused by high level of closure in the slot upper divertor at DIII-D play an important role in the underlined mechanism.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Inertial and anisotropic pressure effects on cross-field electron transport in low-temperature magnetized plasmas

In this paper, a one-dimensional (1D) particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) model is developed to investigate the effects of anisotropic pressure and inertial terms due to non-Maxwellian velocity distribution functions on cross-field electron transport. The conservation of momentum is evaluated by taking the moments of the first-principles gas-kinetic equation. A steady-state discharge is obtained without any low-frequency ionization oscillations by considering an anomalous electron scattering profile. Further, the results obtained from the 1D PIC-MCC model are compared with fluid models, including the quasi-neutral drift-diffusion (DD), non-neutral DD, and full fluid moment models. The discharge current obtained from the PIC-MCC model is in good agreement with the fluid models. The cross-field electron transport due to the inertial terms, i.e. the gradient of axial and azimuthal drift, is evaluated. Moreover, PIC-MCC simulation results show non-zero, anisotropic, off-diagonal pressure tensor terms due to asymmetric non-Maxwellian electron velocity distribution function, potentially contributing to cross-field electron transport.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1985

Magnetic optical activity in intense laser fields. I - Self-rotation and Verdet constant

The paper is concerned with the Faraday rotation and circular dichroism of dilute gases in longitudinal magnetic fields subject to strong radiation fields. In particular, magnetic fields are considered which produce Zeeman shifts much smaller than inverse collision times but which may be greater or smaller then the multipole relaxation times. Doppler broadening is considered, and explicit expressions are given for dipole transitions in a two-level system with arbitrary angular momentum for strong and weak magnetic fields. The same system is then studied as a function of the external magnetic-field strength with a fixed laser frequency. It is shown that this experimental arrangement, referred to as forward scattering, has certain advantages that are not present in the more usual magnetic rotation spectroscopy.

Giraud-Cotton, S.↗
DOE OSTI2023

On the importance of excited state species in low pressure capacitively coupled plasma argon discharges

In the past three decades, first principles-based fully kinetic particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) simulations have been proven to be an important tool for the understanding of the physics of low pressure capacitive discharges. However, there is a long-standing issue that the plasma density determined by PIC/MCC simulations shows quantitative deviations from experimental measurements, even in argon discharges, indicating that certain physics may be missing in previous modeling of the low pressure radio frequency (rf) driven capacitive discharges. In this work, we report that the energetic electron-induced secondary electron emission (SEE) and excited state atoms play an important role in low pressure rf capacitive argon plasma discharges. The ion-induced secondary electrons are accelerated by the high sheath field to strike the opposite electrode and produce a considerable number of secondary electrons that lead to additional ionizing impacts and further increase of the plasma density. Importantly, the presence of excited state species even further enhances the plasma density via excited state neutral and resonant state photon-induced SEE on the electrode surface. The PIC/MCC simulation results show good agreement with the recent experimental measurements in the low pressure range (1–10 Pa) that is commonly used for etching in the semiconductor industry. At the highest pressure (20 Pa) and driving voltage amplitudes 250 and 350 V explored here, the plasma densities from PIC/MCC simulations considering excited state neutrals and resonant photon-induced SEE are quantitatively higher than observed in the experiments, requiring further investigation on high pressure discharges.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2021

The Dispersion of the Modified Two-Stream and Lower Hybrid Drift Instabilities in the Near-pole Plume of a Magnetically Shielded Hall Thruster

Recent analytical and numerical investigations have shown that instabilities in the lower hybrid frequency range can grow in the plume region downstream of the front magnet pole pieces of a magnetically shielded Hall thruster. Growth of the Modified Two-Stream (MTSI) and Lower Hybrid Drift (LHDI) instabilities was found with wave propagation in the r-z (or in-) plane and azimuthal (or out-of-plane) directions, respectively. In the analysis of the LHDI electron collisions were found to be insufficient to quench the instability in a region contained by the thruster ion beam and hollow cathode plume. The implication of the findings is that ions may be heated anomalously by these instabilities, in both the out-of-plane and in-plane directions, thereby altering the velocity field and enhancing the energy of those ions that strike nearby thruster surfaces. In this article we summarize the solution of the dispersion relation for each of these instabilities and provide additional results that can be compared directly with data from future plasma diagnostics, including with direct measurements of the wave dispersion.

Ortega, A. Lopez↗
NASA NTRS1992

Proportional proximity sensing for telerobots using Coherent Laser Radar

The ability of a telerobotic manipulator to operate in confined spaces while avoiding unwanted collisions is enhanced by the accurate sensing of its proximate environment. To achieve the fidelity required for precise manipulator control, a proportional proximity sensor system with a sufficiently large measurement envelope is required. Current proximity sensors provide a binary indication of the presence of obstacles within a small envelope with coarse or no proportional measurement of their location. A proportional proximity sensor system configured as a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) Coherent Laser Radar (CLR) using a semiconductor laser as the energy source is described and analyzed. The source and reflected energies mix coherently to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal whose frequency is proportional to the range. The system is tested for accuracy, range, depth of range, speed, and sensitivity and the results are presented. Techniques to derive orientation information and an application to telerobotic control are also described.

Vazquez, Sixto L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Self-organization of photoionized plasmas via kinetic instabilities

Abstract Self-organization in an unmagnetized collisionless plasma (in this paper) refers to formation of transient coherent structures such as collective oscillations (electrostatic waves) or magnetic fields resulting from so-called kinetic effects in the plasma. This topical review provides a comprehensive analysis of the self-organization of strong-field photoionized, non-equilibrium plasmas through kinetic instabilities. The authors propose and demonstrate a novel experimental platform that enables the formation of dense plasmas with known highly anisotropic and non-thermal electron velocity distribution functions on a timescale on the order of an inverse electron plasma frequency. We then show that such plasmas are highly susceptible to a hierarchy of kinetic instabilities, including two-stream, current filamentation and Weibel, that convert a fraction of the electron kinetic energy into electric and/or magnetic energy stored in self-organized structures. The electrostatic waves so produced are measured using a collective light (Thomson) scattering technique with femtosecond resolution as the kinetic instabilities aided by collisions eventually thermalize the plasma electrons. In addition, we describe a novel experimental technique that has made it possible to map the temporal evolution of the wavenumber spectrum of the thermal Weibel instability with picosecond resolution, which leads to the formation of quasi-static coherent magnetic fields with different topologies in photoionized plasmas. Finally, the paper summarizes the important results and discusses future directions on this topic.

Zhang, Chaojie (ORCID:0000000180353014)↗
NASA NTRS1992

Cosmic-ray exposure history of ordinary chondrites

The exposure age histograms for H-, L-, and LL-chondrites are discussed. None of these histograms is consistent with a continuous delivery of asteroidal material to the earth, as the observed T(e) histograms clearly disagree with expected exponential distributions for a variety of orbital lifetimes. It is concluded that T(e) histograms are dominated by stochastic events and that the continuous supply of asteroidal material can account only for a minor background of the T(e) histograms. An attempt is made to identify major collisional levels among the major classes of ordinary chondrites in order to estimate the frequency of stochastic events. Orbital maturity in the inner solar system is documented by the p.m./total fall ratio among observed meteorite falls. All chondrite classes exhibit a uniform ratio of 2/3 except type H5 chondrites, which reveal a 0.5 or lower p.m./total fall ratio. This shift in the time of fall statistics suggests a strongly evolved orbit for the H5 parent at the time of collision about 7 Ma ago.

Marti, K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The theory of ionospheric focused heating

Ionospheric modification by high power radio waves and by chemical releases are combined in a theoretical study of ionospheric focused heating. The release of materials which promote electron-ion recombination creates a hole in the bottomside ionosphere. The ionospheric hole focuses high power radio waves from a ground-based transmitter to give a 20 dB or greater enhancement in power density. The intense radio beam excites atomic oxygen by collisions with accelerated electrons. Airglow from the excited oxygen provides a visible trace of the focused beam. The large increase in the intensity of the radio beam stimulates new wave-plasma interactions. Numerical simulations show that the threshold for the two-plasmon decay instability is exceeded. The interaction of the pump electromagnetic wave with the backward plasmon produces a scattered electromagnetic wave at 3/2 the pump frequency. The scattered wave provides a unique signature of the two-plasmon decay process for ground-based detection.

Bernhardt, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The G value in plasma and radiation chemistry

The application of the G-value concept to plasma chemistry is considered. A general formula which expresses the G value for a general reaction in terms of experimentally controllable parameters is derived by applying simple gas-dynamic theory to a plasma reactor with straight walls. The formula expresses the G value as a function of the electrical power absorbed, the fraction of molecules transformed, and the flow rate of the gas entering the reactor. The formula was applied to the ammonia plasma radio-frequency discharge data of d'Agostino et al. (1981); the results showed that the G(-NH3) value lies in the range of 6.0-20 molecules/100 eV, depending on the conditions. This similarity of the G(-NH3) value with Peterson's (1974) range 2.7-10 found for the gas-phase radiolysis of ammonia, suggests that there might be a common reaction mechanism initiated by inelastic electron-molecule collisions.

Baird, James K.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Radiative processes on a quantum computer

Radiative processes, where a photon/neutrino is emitted as a result of a collision or decay of a particle, play a central role in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics. Their rate is determined by certain off-diagonal matrix elements between different initial and final states. We propose a method to compute them using quantum computers. It relies on a single extra qubit that, in a certain sense, represents the photon/neutrino. The generic formula relating this matrix element to the amplitude and frequency of oscillations of the extra qubit is derived for the near-resonance case. Furthermore, we demonstrate the feasibility of the method by using it in actual quantum computations and simulations of simple systems.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Collision-induced Absorption in the Infrared: A Data Base for Modelling Planetary and Stellar Atmospheres

Accurate knowledge of certain collision-induced absorption continua of molecular pairs such as H2-H2, H2-He, H2-CH4, CO2-CO2, etc., is a prerequisite for most spectral analyses and modelling attempts of atmospheres of planets and cold stars. We collect and regularly update simple, state of the art computer programs for the calculation of the absorption coefficient of such molecular pairs over a broad range of temperatures and frequencies, for the various rotovibrational bands. The computational results are in agreement with the existing laboratory measurements of such absorption continua, recorded with a spectral resolution of a few wavenumbers, but reliable computational results may be expected even in the far wings, and at temperatures for which laboratory measurements do not exist. Detailed information is given concerning the systems thus studied, the temperature and frequency ranges considered, the rotovibrational bands thus modelled, and how one may obtain copies of the FORTRAN77 computer programs by e-mail.

Borysow, Aleksandra↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Verifying Autonomous Air Traffic Algorithms in the Presence of Sensor Error and Flight Perturbations

We offer a method to verify algorithms for air traffic control in the presence of sensor errors and flight perturbations. Since errors and perturbations are described by stochastic processes, verification by analytical methods is difficult. We turn to Monte Carlo simulation, but there are two major obstacles. Since air traffic algorithms are safety-critical, the algorithm must be established at a very high confidence level which requires an enormous number of trials. Another is that a simulation attempts to show that an algorithm correctly handles a hazard that might appear, but there is a lack of information about the frequency of occurrence of hazards in the airspace. This paper offers a solution to these and other obstacles. It recognizes there may be a number of algorithms that address different hazards, and the results of the different simulations must be combined to satisfy a global reliability requirement at a high confidence level. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we apply it to an example, an initial effort in collision avoidance.

verification↗
DOE OSTI2022

Variance reduction techniques for Monte Carlo neutron noise simulations

The small fluctuations of the neutron flux caused by small perturbations of the macroscopic cross-sections take the name of neutron noise. Advanced Monte Carlo methods have been recently proposed in order to solve the neutron noise equations in the frequency domain, which allows establishing reference solutions to validate faster but approximate deterministic solvers. Due to the presence of particles carrying two statistical weights (for the real and imaginary components of the noise field), both of which may be positive or negative, Monte-Carlo simulations of neutron noise pose distinct challenges in terms of variance reduction. In this work we investigate two variance-reduction techniques, namely branchless collisions and weight cancellation, and probe their effectiveness for a benchmark con- figuration concerning the noise field induced by a pin with oscillating cross sections in a fuel assembly.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1975

Shape of the 5 mm oxygen band in the atmosphere

The problem of absorption of microwaves by molecular oxygen in the atmosphere is treated by means of a first-order approximation to the impact theory of overlapping spectral lines. By including only the coupling between adjacent rotational states in molecular collisions, we have devised a simple approximate method for computing the interference between lines from measurements on the resolved lines. The need for an empirically determined function describing the linewidth/pressure ratio is eliminated. Comparisons with measurements at atmospheric pressures show that the first-order interference accounts for the low absorption at the band wings near 1 atm pressure. It also predicts the correct amount of asymmetry between high and low frequency wings.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spatiotemporal Variability in Wind Turbine Blade Leading Edge Erosion

Wind turbine blade leading edge erosion (LEE) reduces energy production and increases wind energy operation and maintenance costs. Degradation of the blade coating and ultimately damage to the underlying blade structure are caused by collisions of falling hydrometeors with rotating blades. The selection of optimal methods to mitigate/reduce LEE are critically dependent on the rates of coating fatigue accumulation at a given location and the time variance in the accumulation of material stresses. However, no such assessment currently exists for the United States of America (USA). To address this research gap, blade coating lifetimes at 883 sites across the USA are generated based on high-frequency (5-min) estimates of material fatigue derived using a mechanistic model and robust meteorological measurements. Results indicate blade coating failure at some sites in as few as 4 years, and that the frequency and intensity of material stresses are both highly episodic and spatially varying. Time series analyses indicate that up to one-third of blade coating lifetime is exhausted in just 360 5-min periods in the Southern Great Plains (SGP). Conversely, sites in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) exhibit the same level of coating lifetime depletion in over three times as many time periods. Thus, it may be more cost-effective to use wind turbine deregulation (erosion-safe mode) for damage reduction and blade lifetime extension in the SGP, while the application of blade leading edge protective measures may be more appropriate in the PNW. Annual total precipitation and mean wind speed are shown to be poor predictors of blade coating lifetime, re-emphasizing the need for detailed modeling studies such as that presented herein.

Pryor, Sara C. (ORCID:0000000348473440)↗
NASA NTRS2019

Airborne Radar for sUAS Sense and Avoid

A primary challenge for the safe integration of small UAS operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) is traffic deconfliction, both from manned and unmanned aircraft. The UAS Traffic Management (UTM) project being conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) considers a layered approach to separation provision, ranging from segregation of operations through airspace volumes (geofences) to autonomous sense and avoid (SAA) technologies for higher risk, densely occupied airspace. Cooperative SAA systems, such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and/or vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems provide significant additional risk mitigation but they fail to adequately mitigate collision risks for non-cooperative (non-transponder equipped) airborne aircraft. The RAAVIN (Radar on Autonomous Aircraft to Verify ICAROUS Navigation) flight test being conducted by NASA and the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) was designed to investigate the applicability and performance of a prototype, commercially available sUAS radar to detect and track non-cooperative airborne traffic, both manned and unmanned. The radar selected for this research was a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar with 120 degree azimuth and 80 degree elevation field of view operating at 24.55GHz center frequency with a 200 MHz bandwidth. The radar transmits 2 watts of power thru a Metamaterial Electronically Scanning Array antenna in horizontal polarization. When the radar is transmitting, personnel must be at least 1 meter away from the active array to limit nonionizing radiation exposure. The radar physical dimensions are 18.7cm by 12.1cm by 4.1cm and it weighs less than 820 grams making it well suited for installation on small UASs. The onboard, SAA capability, known as ICAROUS, (Independent Configurable Architecture for Reliable Operations of Unmanned Systems), developed by NASA to support sUAS operations, will provide autonomous guidance using the traffic radar tracks from the onboard radar. The RAAVIN set of studies will be conducted in three phases. The first phase included outdoor, ground-based radar evaluations performed at the Virginia Tech’s Kentland Farm testing range in Blacksburg, VA. The test was designed to measure how well the radar could detect and track a small UAS flying in the radar’s field of view. The radar was used to monitor 5 test flights consisting of outbound, inbound and crossing routes at different ranges and altitudes. The UAS flown during the ground test was the Inspire 2, a quad copter weighing less than 4250 grams (10 pounds) at maximum payload. The radar was set up to scan and track targets over its full azimuthal field of view from 0 to 40 degrees in elevation. The radar was configured to eliminate tracks generated from any targets located beyond 2000 meters from the radar and moving at velocities under 1.45 meters per second. For subsequent phases of the study the radar will be integrated with a sUAS platform to evaluate its performance in flight for SAA applications ranging from sUAS to manned GA aircraft detections and tracking. Preliminary data analysis from the first outdoor ground tests showed the radar performed well at tracking the vehicle as it flew outbound and repeatedly maintained a track out to 1000 meters (maximum 1387 meters) until the vehicle slowed to a stop to reverse direction to fly inbound. As the Inspire flew inbound tracks from beyond 800 meters, a reacquisition time delay was consistently observed between when the Inspire exceeds a speed of 1.45 meters per second and when the radar indicated an inbound target was present and maintained its track. The time delay varied between 6 seconds to over 37 seconds for the inbound flights examined, and typically resulted in about a 200 meter closure distance before the Inspire track was maintained. The radar performed well at both acquiring and tracking the vehicle as it flew crossing routes out past 400 meters across the azimuthal field of view. The radar and ICAROUS software will be integrated and flown on a BFD-1400-SE8-E UAS during the next phase of the RAAVIN project. The main goal at the conclusion of this effort is to determine if this radar technology can reliably support minimum requirements for SAA applications of sUAS. In particular, the study will measure the range of vehicle detections, lateral and vertical angular errors, false and missed/late detections, and estimated distance at closest point of approach after an avoidance maneuver is executed. This last metric is directly impacted by sensor performance and indicates its suitability for the task.

Szatkowski, George N.↗