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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 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Beta delayed alpha emission from the neutron deficient rare earth isotopes {sup 152}Tm and {sup 150}Ho

The study of beta-delayed proton emission is a well known method to aid the determination of the beta strength distribution in nuclei far from the stability line. At the neutron deficient side of the nuclear chart the process of proton or alpha emission from excited states is energetically allowed when one goes far enough from stability. However, beta-delayed alphas have seldom been measured for nuclei heavier than A = 20. Here we present a study of the beta-delayed alpha-particle emission from {sup 152}Tm and {sup 150}Ho and their importance in the full B(GT) distribution.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A detection system for very low-energy protons from {beta}-delayed proton decay

We have recently developed a gas based detection system called AstroBox, motivated by nuclear astrophysics studies. The goal was to detect very low-energy protons from {beta}-delayed p-decay with reduced beta background and improved energy resolution. The detector was tested using the {beta}-delayed proton-emitter 23Al previously studied with a set-up based on thin double-sided Si strip detectors. The proton spectrum obtained with AstroBox showed no beta background down to {approx}80 keV. The low energy (206 keV, 267 keV) proton peaks were positively identified, well separated, and the resolution was improved.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION MODELED BY A LEFT TRUNCATED BETA DISTRIBUTION

The initial mass function for stars is usually fitted by three straight lines, which means it has seven parameters. The presence of brown dwarfs (BDs) increases the number of straight lines to four and the number of parameters to nine. Another common fitting function is the lognormal distribution, which is characterized by two parameters. This paper is devoted to demonstrating the advantage of introducing a left truncated beta probability density function, which is characterized by four parameters. The constant of normalization, the mean, the mode, and the distribution function are calculated for the left truncated beta distribution. The normal beta distribution that results from convolving independent normally distributed and beta distributed components is also derived. The chi-square test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test are performed on a first sample of stars and BDs that belongs to the massive young cluster NGC 6611, and on a second sample that represents the masses of the stars of the cluster NGC 2362.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

{beta}- and {gamma}-spectroscopy study of {sup 119}Pd and {sup 119}Ag

Neutron-rich Pd-119 nuclei were produced in fission of natural uranium, induced by 25-MeV protons. Fission fragments swiftly extracted with the Ion Guide Isotope Separation On-Line method were mass separated using a dipole magnet and a Penning trap, providing mono-isotopic samples of Pd-119. Their beta(-) decay was measured with gamma gamma- and beta gamma-spectroscopy methods using low-energy germanium detectors and a thin plastic scintillator. Two distinct nuclear-level structures were observed in Ag-119, based on the 1/2(-) and 7/2(+) isomers reported previously. The beta(-)decay work was complemented by a prompt-gamma study of levels in Ag-119 populated in spontaneous fission of (252)cf, performed using the Gammasphere array of germanium detectors. Contrary to previous suggestions, our data show that the 1/2(-) isomer is located below the 7/2(+) isomer and is proposed as a new ground state of Ag-119 with the 7/2(+) isomer excitation energy determined to be 33.4 keV. Our data indicate that there are two beta unstable isomers in Pd-119, a proposed ground state of Pd-119 with tentative spin 1/2(-) or 3/2(+) and a half-life of 0.88 s and the other one about 350 keV above, having spin (11/2(-)) and a half-life of 0.85 s. The higher-energy isomer probably decays to the 1/2(-) or 3/2(+) ground state via a gamma cascade comprising 18.7-219.8-X-keV transitions. The unobserved isomeric transition with energy X approximate to 100 keV probably has an E3 multipolarity. Its hindrance factor is significantly lower than for analogous E3 isomeric transitions in lighter Pd isotopes, suggesting an oblate deformation of levels in Pd-119. Oblate configurations in Ag-119 are discussed also.

Kurpeta, J↗
DOE OSTI2015

{beta} decay of 129Cd and excited states in 129In

The β decay of Cd 129 , produced in the relativistic fission of a U 238 beam, was experimentally studied at the RIBF facility at the RIKEN Nishina Center. From the γ radiation emitted after the β decays, a level scheme of In 129 was established comprising 31 excited states and 69 γ -ray transitions. The experimentally determined level energies are compared to state-of-the-art shell-model calculations. The half-lives of the two β -decaying states in Cd 129 were deduced and the β feeding to excited states in In 129 were analyzed. It is found that, as in most cases in the Z<50 , N≤82 region, both decays are dominated by the ν0g 7/2 →π0g 9/2 Gamow–Teller transition, although the contribution of first-forbidden transitions cannot be neglected.

Taprogge, J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrinos and Gamma Rays from Beta Decays in an Active Galactic Nucleus NGC 1068 Jet

We show that TeV neutrinos and high-energy gamma rays detected from the nearby active galaxy NGC 1068 can simultaneously be explained in a model based on the beta decays of neutrons produced in the photodisintegration of 4 He nuclei on ultraviolet photons in the jet. The photodisintegration of nuclei occurs at energies above several PeV, which explains the 1–100 TeV energies of the observed neutrinos. The TeV gamma-ray flux accompanying the beta decays is expected to be much lower than the neutrino flux, which agrees with the observations of NGC 1068 showing a gamma-ray deficit as compared to the expectations from proton-photon interactions. Furthermore, the synchrotron and inverse Compton gamma-ray flux associated with protons’ Bethe-Heitler pair production and the photopion processes in the jet can be consistent with the observed gamma-ray flux at GeV energies for a plausible range of magnetic fields of jets. This scenario, combining beta decay and Bethe-Heitler, can be applied to other jet Seyfert galaxies such as NGC 4151. Future measurements of the neutrino flavor ratio can help confirm the beta-decay origin of the observed neutrinos.

astronomy↗
DOE OSTI2020

Assessment of the beta-delayed proton decay rate of 11 Be

The 11 Be neutron halo nucleus appears to decay into 10 Be with a rate that exceeds expectations. Neutron disappearance into dark matter, beta decay of a halo neutron, or beta-delayed proton decay have been offered as explanations. In this work we study the latter option; we carry out shell model calculations and sequential decay analysis examining the beta-delayed proton decay going through a resonance in 11 B. Finally, the narrow energy window, lack of states with sufficient spectroscopic strength, overwhelming alpha decay branch, all make reconciling the observed rate with beta-delayed proton decay difficult.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Double Beta Decay in Xenon-136. Measuring the Neutrino-Emitting Mode and Searching for Majoron-Emitting Modes

Observations of neutrino flavor oscillations have demonstrated that neutrinos have mass. Since the discovery of these oscillations, much progress has been made at mea- suring the neutrino mass-squared differences and lepton mixing angles that character- ize them. However, the origin and absolute scale of neutrino masses remain unknown. Unique among fermions, neutrinos can be Majorana particles, which could provide an explanation for neutrino masses. Discovery of a hypothetical process known as neutrinoless double beta decay would show that neutrinos are Majorana particles and determine the mass scale for neutrinos. The Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) is a series of experiments searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay of 136Xe. The first experiment, EXO-200, began operation in 2011 and makes use of 200 kg of xenon enriched to 80.6% in 136Xe. The analysis presented here makes use of data from EXO-200 to obtain a more precise measurement of the half-life for the two-neutrino-emitting mode of double beta decay than previously reported. The analysis also sets limits on the half-lives for exotic, Majoron-emitting modes of neutrinoless double beta decay. Data from EXO-200 is also used to produce a measurement of the cosmic muon flux at the WIPP under- ground site where EXO-200 is located.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

V&V of MCNP 6.1.1 Beta Against Intermediate and High-Energy Experimental Data

This report presents a set of validation and verification (V&V) MCNP 6.1.1 beta results calculated in parallel, with MPI, obtained using its event generators at intermediate and high-energies compared against various experimental data. It also contains several examples of results using the models at energies below 150 MeV, down to 10 MeV, where data libraries are normally used. This report can be considered as the forth part of a set of MCNP6 Testing Primers, after its first, LA-UR-11-05129, and second, LA-UR-11-05627, and third, LA-UR-26944, publications, but is devoted to V&V with the latest, 1.1 beta version of MCNP6. The MCNP6 test-problems discussed here are presented in the /VALIDATION_CEM/and/VALIDATION_LAQGSM/subdirectories in the MCNP6/Testing/directory. README files that contain short descriptions of every input file, the experiment, the quantity of interest that the experiment measures and its description in the MCNP6 output files, and the publication reference of that experiment are presented for every test problem. Templates for plotting the corresponding results with xmgrace as well as pdf files with figures representing the final results of our V&V efforts are presented. Several technical “bugs” in MCNP 6.1.1 beta were discovered during our current V&V of MCNP6 while running it in parallel with MPI using its event generators. These “bugs” are to be fixed in the following version of MCNP6. Our results show that MCNP 6.1.1 beta using its CEM03.03, LAQGSM03.03, Bertini, and INCL+ABLA, event generators describes, as a rule, reasonably well different intermediate- and high-energy measured data. This primer isn’t meant to be read from cover to cover. Readers may skip some sections and go directly to any test problem in which they are interested.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Characterization of a Commercial Silicon Beta Cell

Silicon detectors are of interest for the verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) due to their enhanced energy resolution compared to plastic scintillators beta cells. Previous work developing a figure-of-merit (FOM) for comparison of beta cells suggests that the minimum detectable activity (MDA) could be reduced by a factor of two to three with the use of silicon detectors. Silicon beta cells have been developed by CEA (France) and Lares Ltd. (Russia), with the PIPSBox developed by CEA being commercially available from Canberra for approximately $35k, but there is still uncertainty about the reproducibility of the capabilities in the field. PNNL is developing a high-resolution beta-gamma detector system in the shallow underground laboratory, which will utilize and characterize the operation of the PIPSBox detector. Throughout this report, we examine the capabilities of the PIPSBox as developed by CEA. The lessons learned through the testing and use of the PIPSBox will allow PNNL to strategically develop a silicon detector optimized to better suit the communities needs in the future.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Investigations of 82Se Using Three Shell Model Hamiltonians

Neutrinoless double-beta decay is considered one of the most promising processes that would help clarify some of the symmetry-breaking problems in our understanding of the observable universe. Recent studies of neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements have employed statistical approaches based on modified shell model effective Hamiltonians for 48Ca (Phys. Rev. C 106, 054302 (2022)) and 136Xe (Phys. Rev. C 107, 045501 (2023)). The analyses rely on inducing perturbations in the starting effective Hamiltonians to observe the behavior of a wide range of observables, besides the 0νββ) NME, that are compared with experimental data. Following a Bayesian model averaging approach, the range of probable values for the neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements is presented. In this paper, we present a similar study for 82Se, which is described in the same model space as 76Ge that is under experimental observation. Due to its faster calculation time compared to 76Ge, 82Se can be used as an appropriate substitute in our complex statistical study. Using the calculations performed for the statistical analysis of the neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements, we also search for the correlations between the observables that we can compare to experimental data.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Dependence of Electron-only Magnetic Reconnection on Plasma Beta and Magnetic Shear: Theory and Observations

We investigate the onset conditions for electron-only magnetic reconnection through an analysis of 86 reconnection events observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in magnetosheath and magnetospheric current sheets. Our study presents the first observational evidence that the occurrence of electron-only reconnection depends on both the magnetic-field shear angle (θ) across the current sheet and the cross-sheet electron beta jump, quantified either by the inflow electron beta difference (Δβ e ) or by a modified electron beta jump (Δβ$^*_e$) defined by the cross-sheet electron pressure difference normalized by the average of the inflow magnetic pressure in the two inflow regions. We extend the diamagnetic-drift suppression mechanism from standard reconnection to electron-only reconnection by deriving relations applicable to electron-scale current sheets. Using scaling estimates, the electron-only reconnection suppression relation is derived as Δβ$^*_e$ ≳ 2(L/d e ) tan (θ/2), while a natural extension of the ion-coupled reconnection suppression criterion is Δβ e ≳ 2(L/d e ) tan (θ/2). At low Δβ e and Δβ$^*_e$ values, reconnection is detected across a large range of magnetic shear (from low to high), whereas high Δβ e and Δβ$^*_e$ conditions restrict reconnection to large shear configurations: shear angles as small as θ ≈ 5° occur when Δβ e (or Δβ$^*_e$) ≲0.1. However, only events exceeding θ ≳ 70° are found when Δβ e ≳ 1.0; this apparent restriction weakens when employing Δβ$^*_e$, as the corresponding data points shift toward smaller values of the modified electron beta jump. These findings quantitatively support theoretical predictions of reconnection suppression in high-β e plasmas at low shears, attributed to X-line drift induced by pressure gradients across electron-scale current sheets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1971

Apollo applications of beta fiber glass

The physical characteristics of Beta fiber glass are discussed. The application of Beta fiber glass for fireproofing the interior of spacecraft compartments is described. Tests to determine the flammability of Beta fiber glass are presented. The application of Beta fiber glass for commercial purposes is examined.

Naimer, J.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Simultaneous measurements of the hydrogen airglow emissions of Lyman alpha, Lyman beta, and Balmer alpha.

Comparison of Lyman-alpha, 740- to 1050-A, and Balmer-alpha airglow measurements made at 134 deg solar-zenith angle on Oct. 13, 1969, with resonance-scattering models of solar radiation. Model comparison with Lyman-alpha data fixes the hydrogen column abundance over 215 km to 2 x 10 to the 13th per cu cm within a factor of 2. Differences between the Lyman-alpha model and data indicate a polar-equatorial departure from spherical symmetry in the hydrogen distribution. A Lyman-beta model based on the hydrogen distribution found to fit the Lyman-alpha data fits the spatial variation of the 740- to 1050-A data well from 100 to 130 km, but it does not fit the data well at higher altitudes; thus the presence of more rapidly absorbed shorter-wavelength radiation is indicated. This same resonance-scattering model yields Balmer-alpha intensities that result in good spatial agreement with the Balmer-alpha measurements, but a fivefold increase in the measured solar line center Lyman-beta flux is required (as required for the Lyman-beta measurement). The intensity ratio of Lyman-beta and Balmer-alpha at night is found to be a simple measure of the hydrogen optical depth if measurements with good accuracy can be made in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum.

Weller, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Finite beta drift Alfven instability

We propose a means by which the theory of drift instabilities can be extended to plasmas of arbitrary beta. We then concentrate on the drift Alfven instability driven by an electron temperature gradient, proposed by Coroniti and Kennel (1970) to be a source of Pi 1 micropulsations on auroral lines of force. Even at relatively low beta the full finite beta theory differs considerably from previous low beta theories and produces better agreement with observation.

Chance, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Electromagnetic instability in high-beta plasmas with generalized distribution functions

The electrostatic instabilities in an anisotropic plasma have been studied quite extensively, but the electromagnetic instabilities in high-beta plasmas, where they play an important role, have not been thoroughly investigated. Recently, Davidson and Wu (1970) looked into the ordinary mode electromagnetic instability which can arise in high-beta bi-Maxwellian plasmas. Here, the magnetic instability is discussed in (A, beta) space (A is the anisotropy in the temperature of the plasma species and beta is the ratio of the kinetic pressure to the magnetic pressure), which can occur in generalized non-Maxwellian plasmas with an inverted population of different species.

Buti, B.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Radiation effects on beta 10.6 of pure and europium doped KCl

Changes in the optical absorption coefficient as a result of X-ray and electron bombardment of pure KCl (monocrystalline and polycrystalline), and divalent europium doped polycrystalline KCl were determined. The optical absorption coefficients were measured by a constant heat flow calorimetric method. Both 300 KV X-irradiation and 2 MeV electron irradiation produced significant increases in beta 10.6, measured at room temperature. The X-irradiation of pure moncrystalline KCl increased beta 10.6 by 0.005/cm for a 113 MR dose. For an equivalent dose, 2 MeV electrons were found less efficient in changing beta 10.6. However, electron irradiation of pure and Eu-doped polycrystalline KCl produced marked increases in adsorption. Beta increased to over 0.25/cm in Eu-doped material for a 30 x 10 to the 14th power electrons/sq cm dose, a factor of 20 increase over unirradiated material. Moreover, bleaching the electron irradiated doped KCl with 649 m light produced and additional factor of 1.5 increase. These findings will be discussed in light of known defect-center properties in KCl.

Grimes, H. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The observational status of the Beta Cephei stars

The Beta Cephei stars are a group of variables of spectral type B, whose light and radial velocity periods lie between about three and seven hours. An up-to-date summary of the observational data for individual stars considered to be members of the Beta Cephei group is provided. The general properties of Beta Cephei stars as determined from a comparison between theory and observation are considered, taking into account location in the HR diagram and evolutionary state, physical properties, statistics and galactic distribution, and period-luminosity relation and pulsation mode. Recent trends concerning the observation of Beta Cephei stars are examined, giving attention to a search for new variables, ultraviolet observations from spacecraft, and high-resolution studies of profile variations.

Lesh, J. R.↗