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At least 541 records · Page 30

A new Wilson line-based action for gluodynamics

We perform a canonical transformation of fields that brings the Yang-Mills action in the light-cone gauge to a new classical action, which does not involve any triple-gluon vertices. The lowest order vertex is the four-point MHV vertex. Higher point vertices include the MHV and $\overline{\mathrm{MHV}}$ vertices, that reduce to the corresponding amplitudes in the on-shell limit. In general, any n -leg vertex has 2 ≤ m ≤ n - 2 negative helicity legs. The canonical transformation of fields can be compactly expressed in terms of path-ordered exponentials of fields and their functional derivative. We apply the new action to compute several tree-level amplitudes, up to 8-point NNMHV amplitude, and find agreement with the standard methods. The absence of triple-gluon vertices results in fewer diagrams required to compute amplitudes, when compared to the CSW method and, obviously, considerably fewer than in the standard Yang-Mills action.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Discrete game-theoretic analysis of defense in correlated cyber-physical systems

A cyber-physical system (CPS) is composed of a discrete number of cyber and physical components and subject to internal failures and external disruptions. The functionality of CPS therefore is determined not only by cyber and physical components but the adversary’s attacker strategy. We characterize the effect of cyber-physical interdependency on the CPS survival probability using a product-form function with cyber and physical exponential correlation coefficients. We model simultaneous and sequential discrete games between the provider and attacker on a CPS infrastructure to analyze its survivability and reinforcement strategy at Nash equilibrium. Our results show that the cyber and physical correlation coefficients can significantly affect CPS survival probability. In general, the provider’s cyber- (or physical-) reinforcement level increases as the cyber- (or physical-) attack level increases. In each of cyber and physical domains, the reinforcement level first increases then decreases in its own correlation coefficient, probability of successful component attacks, and maximum level of available resources, but decreases in the correlation coefficient of the other domain. We apply this game-theoretic analysis to a cloud computing infrastructure, and show that its residual capacity is relatively high when the attacker has no information about the distribution of servers. Finally, a high level of survival probability does not necessarily lead to high utility.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Two-nucleon higher partial-wave scattering from lattice QCD

We present a determination of nucleon-nucleon scattering phase shifts for ℓ ≥ 0. The S, P, D and F phase shifts for both the spin-triplet and spin-singlet channels are computed with lattice Quantum ChromoDynamics. For ℓ > 0, this is the first lattice QCD calculation using the Lüscher finite-volume formalism. This required the design and implementation of novel lattice methods involving displaced sources and momentum-space cubic sinks. To demonstrate the utility of our approach, the calculations were performed in the SU(3)-flavor limit where the light quark masses have been tuned to the physical strange quark mass, corresponding to m π = m K ≈ 800MeV. In this work, we have assumed that only the lowest partial waves contribute to each channel, ignoring the unphysical partial wave mixing that arises within the finite-volume formalism. This assumption is only valid for sufficiently low energies; we present evidence that it holds for our study using two different channels. Two spatial volumes of V ≈ (3.5fm) 3 and V ≈ (4.6fm) 3 were used. The finite-volume spectrum is extracted from the exponential falloff of the correlation functions. Said spectrum is mapped onto the infinite volume phase shifts using the generalization of the Lüscher formalism for two-nucleon systems.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Anderson Localization of Thermal Phonons Leads to a Thermal Conductivity Maximum

Our elastic model of ErAs disordered GaAs/AlAs superlattices exhibits a local thermal conductivity maximum as a function of length due to exponentially suppressed Anderson-localized phonons. By analyzing the sample-to-sample fluctuations in the dimensionless conductance, g, the transition from diffusive to localized transport is identified as the crossover from the multichannel to single-channel transport regime g ≈ 1. Single parameter scaling is shown to hold in this crossover regime through the universality of the probability distribution of g that is independent of system size and disorder strength.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Gamma-ray follow-up studies on η Carinae

Observations of high-energy γ-rays recently revealed a persistent source in spatial coincidence with the binary system η Carinae. Since modulation of the observed γ-ray flux on orbital time scales has not been reported so far, an unambiguous identification was hitherto not possible. In particular, the observations made by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) posed additional questions regarding the actual emission scenario. Analyses show two energetically distinct components in the γ-ray spectrum, which are best described by an exponentially cutoff power-law function (CPL) at energies below 10 GeV and a power-law (PL) component dominant at higher energies. The increased exposure in conjunction with the improved instrumental response functions of the LAT now allow us to perform a more detailed investigation of location, spectral shape, and flux time history of the observed γ-ray emission. Furthermore, we detect a weak but regular flux decrease over time. This can be understood and interpreted in a colliding-wind binary scenario for orbital modulation of the γ-ray emission. We find that the spectral shape of the γ-ray signal agrees with a single emitting particle population in combination with significant absorption by γ-γ pair production. We are able to report on the first unambiguous detection of GeV γ-ray emission from a colliding-wind massive star binary. By studying the correlation of the flux decrease with the orbital separation of the binary components allows us to predict the behaviour up to the next periastron passage in 2014.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Characterizing the energy distribution of laser-generated relativistic electrons in cone-wire targets

Transport of relativistic electrons in a solid Cu wire target has been modeled with the implicit hybrid particle-in-cell code LSP to investigate the electron energy distribution and energy coupling from the high-intensity, short-pulse laser to electrons entering to the wire. Experiments were performed on the TITAN laser using a 1.5 mm long Cu wire attached to a Au cone tip at the laser intensity of 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 20} W/cm{sup 2} which was irradiated into the cone. The simulated Cu K{alpha} wire profile and yields matched the measurements using a two-temperature energy distribution. These modeling results show that the cold component of the energy spectrum can be determined with {+-}100 keV accuracy from the fit to the initial experimental fall-off of the K{alpha} emission while the simulated profiles were relatively insensitive to the hotter component of the electron distribution (>4 MeV). The slope of measured escaped electrons was used to determine the hotter temperature. Using exponential energy distributions, the laser-to-electron-in-wire coupling efficiencies inferred from the fits decreased from 3.4% to 1.5% as the prepulse energy increases up to 1 J. The comparison of the energy couplings using the exponential and Relativistic Maxwellian distribution functions showed that the energy inferred in the cold component is independent of the type of the distribution function.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Coupled Cluster Downfolding Methods: the effect of double commutator terms on the accuracy of ground-state energies

Downfolding coupled cluster (CC) techniques have recently been introduced into quantum chemistry as a tool for the dimensionality reduction of the many-body quantum problem. As opposed to earlier formulations in physics and chemistry based on the concept of effective Hamiltonians, the appearance of the downfolded Hamiltonians is a natural consequence of the single-reference exponential parametrization of the wave function. In this paper, we discuss the impact of higher-order terms originating in double commutators. In analogy to previous studies, we consider the case when only one- and two-body interactions are included in the downfolded Hamiltonians. We demonstrate the efficiency of the many-body expansions involving single and double commutators for the unitary extension of the downfolded Hamiltonians on the example of the beryllium atom, and bond-breaking processes in the Li2 and H2O molecules. For the H2O system, we also analyze energies obtained with downfolding procedures as functions of the active space size.

quantum computing, quantum algorithms, electronic ↗

Extended molecular eigenmodes treatment of dipole–dipole NMR relaxation in real fluids

Traditional models of NMR relaxation fail to account for the complex, multi-exponential behavior of the autocorrelation function in realistic systems characterized by soft-interactions and molecules that are chemically and physically complex. Here, in this study, we describe the relative diffusion of the spin dipoles by means of a Fokker–Planck equation that includes an interaction potential of mean force to account for the response of the physical/chemical environment around the dipoles. By numerically solving the Fokker–Planck equation for the diffusion propagator, we estimate dipole–dipole NMR relaxation for like- and unlike-spin systems via its eigenmode solution. We test the model against molecular simulations of diffusing dipoles with harmonic potentials and also validate using experimental longitudinal relaxation data from real systems, including Gd(III)–aqua and Gd(III)–DO3A–butrol complexes, the latter being an important MRI contrast agent. Using this novel approach, we predict both the inner- and outer-shell contributions to the relaxivity rates with excellent accuracy at frequencies relevant to MRI. We also show that, under the appropriate assumptions, our framework naturally recovers the Bloembergen–Purcell–Pound, the Solomon–Bloembergen–Morgan, and the Hwang–Freed models. Our implementation is general and publicly available for application to a broad range of systems.

Pinheiro dos Santos, Thiago J. [Rice Univ., Housto↗

Effect of stellar encounters on comet cloud formation

We have investigated the effect of stellar encounters on the formation and disruption of the Oort cloud using the classical impulse approximation. We calculate the evolution of a planetesimal disk into a spherical Oort cloud due to the perturbation from passing stars for 10 Gyr. We obtain the empirical fits of the e-folding time for the number of Oort cloud comets using the standard exponential and Kohlrausch formulae as functions of the stellar parameters and the initial semimajor axes of planetesimals. The e-folding time and the evolution timescales of the orbital elements are also analytically derived. In some calculations, the effect of the Galactic tide is additionally considered. We also show the radial variations of the e-folding times to the Oort cloud. From these timescales, we show that if the initial planetesimal disk has the semimajor axes distribution dn/da∝a{sup −2}, which is produced by planetary scattering, the e-folding time for planetesimals in the Oort cloud is ∼10 Gyr at any heliocentric distance r. This uniform e-folding time over the Oort cloud means that the supply of comets from the inner Oort cloud to the outer Oort cloud is sufficiently effective to keep the comet distribution as dn/dr∝r{sup −2}. We also show that the final distribution of the semimajor axes in the Oort cloud is approximately proportional to a{sup −2} for any initial distribution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

THE NUMBER DENSITY AND MASS DENSITY OF STAR-FORMING AND QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT 0.4 {<=} z {<=} 2.2

We study the buildup of the bimodal galaxy population using the NEWFIRM Medium-Band Survey, which provides excellent redshifts and well-sampled spectral energy distributions of {approx}27, 000 galaxies with K < 22.8 at 0.4 < z < 2.2. We first show that star-forming galaxies and quiescent galaxies can be robustly separated with a two-color criterion over this entire redshift range. We then study the evolution of the number density and mass density of quiescent and star-forming galaxies, extending the results of the COMBO-17, DEEP2, and other surveys to z = 2.2. The mass density of quiescent galaxies with M {approx}> 3 x 10{sup 10} M{sub sun} increases by a factor of {approx}10 from z {approx} 2 to the present day, whereas the mass density in star-forming galaxies is flat or decreases over the same time period. Modest mass growth by a factor of {approx}2 of individual quiescent galaxies can explain roughly half of the strong density evolution at masses >10{sup 11} M{sub sun}, due to the steepness of the exponential tail of the mass function. The rest of the density evolution of massive, quiescent galaxies is likely due to transformation (e.g., quenching) of the massive star-forming population, a conclusion which is consistent with the density evolution we observe for the star-forming galaxies themselves, which is flat or decreasing with cosmic time. Modest mass growth does not explain the evolution of less massive quiescent galaxies ({approx}10{sup 10.5} M{sub sun}), which show a similarly steep increase in their number densities. The less massive quiescent galaxies are therefore continuously formed by transforming galaxies from the star-forming population.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

INVESTIGATING TWO SUCCESSIVE FLUX ROPE ERUPTIONS IN A SOLAR ACTIVE REGION

We investigate two successive flux rope (FR1 and FR2) eruptions resulting in two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on 2012 January 23. Both flux ropes (FRs) appeared as an EUV channel structure in the images of high temperature passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly prior to the CME eruption. Through fitting their height evolution with a function consisting of linear and exponential components, we determine the onset time of the FR impulsive acceleration with high temporal accuracy for the first time. Using this onset time, we divide the evolution of the FRs in the low corona into two phases: a slow rise phase and an impulsive acceleration phase. In the slow rise phase of FR1, the appearance of sporadic EUV and UV brightening and the strong shearing along the polarity inverse line indicates that the quasi-separatrix-layer reconnection likely initiates the slow rise. On the other hand, for FR2, we mainly contribute its slow rise to the FR1 eruption, which partially opened the overlying field and thus decreased the magnetic restriction. At the onset of the impulsive acceleration phase, FR1 (FR2) reaches the critical height of 84.4 ± 11.2 Mm (86.2 ± 13.0 Mm) where the decline of the overlying field with height is fast enough to trigger the torus instability. After a very short interval (∼2 minutes), the flare emission began to enhance. These results reveal the compound activity involving multiple magnetic FRs and further suggest that the ideal torus instability probably plays the essential role of initiating the impulsive acceleration of CMEs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Large gradients via correlation in random parameterized quantum circuits

Scaling of variational quantum algorithms to large problem sizes requires efficient optimization of random parameterized quantum circuits. For such circuits with uncorrelated parameters, the presence of exponentially vanishing gradients in cost function landscapes is an obstacle to optimization by gradient descent methods. In this work, we prove that reducing the dimensionality of the parameter space by utilizing circuit modules containing spatially or temporally correlated gate layers can allow one to circumvent the vanishing gradient phenomenon. Here, examples are drawn from random separable circuits and asymptotically optimal variational versions of Grover's algorithm based on the quantum alternating operator ansatz. In the latter scenario, our bounds on cost function variation imply a transition between vanishing gradients and efficient trainability as the number of layers is increased toward $\mathcal{O}\left({2}^{n/2}\right)$, the optimal oracle complexity of quantum unstructured search.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

MWDS-2016: THE SLOW DISSOLUTION RATE FOR PLUTONIUM NITRATE INTAKES AT THE MAYAK FACILITY

Abstract The slow dissolution rate of material deposited in the lung plays a key role in determining the eventual radiation dose received by the lung. It is therefore of great importance to establish a reliable value for this parameter, to incorporate into the latest Mayak Worker Dosimetry System (MWDS-2016). Disparate values have been obtained for the slow dissolution rate of plutonium nitrate. A volunteer study performed by Public Health England (PHE) and an analysis of United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) case 0269 have yielded slow dissolution rates in the region of 10–40 × 10−4 d−1. However, autopsies performed on 20 Mayak workers, exposed predominantly to nitrates, have resulted in estimates of slow dissolution rates of around 2.4 × 10−4 d−1. Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain this discrepancy: (1) a slower dissolution rate in the interstitium, (2) a third exponential component in the dissolution function and (3) a small component of oxide in the aerosol to which Mayak ‘nitrate’ workers were exposed. This paper describes tests of these competing hypotheses. Bayesian methods have been applied to the following datasets: PHE volunteer data; Beagle dog data; USTUR cases and Mayak worker data. It is concluded that a mixture of oxide and nitrate material, with the oxide forming ~14% of the intake, best describes the Mayak dissolution rate, without introducing values for other parameters which conflict with other studies.

Bull, R. K.↗

Multiple timescales in a strongly coupled dusty plasma revealed by survival-function analysis

Under liquidlike conditions, particles are found to rearrange on multiple timescales in a two-dimensional dusty plasma experiment. Here, our analysis is based on survival functions, which are time-series graphs of the probability that a particle’s number of nearest neighbors remains unchanged. Nondefects are found to exhibit two distinct timescales, revealed by an elbow in their survival function. Defects have survival functions that are more nearly exponential, with decay rates that offer insight at a microscopic level into the viscoelastic relaxation in a liquid

2-dimensional systems↗

SU-F-T-53: Treatment Planning with Inhomogeneity Correction for Intraoperative Radiotherapy Using KV X-Ray Beams

Purpose: The current standard in dose calculation for intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) using the ZEISS Intrabeam 50 kV x-ray system is based on depth dose measurements in water and no heterogeneous tissue effect has been taken into account. We propose an algorithm for pre-treatment planning including inhomogeneity correction based on data of depth dose measurements in various tissue phantoms for kV x-rays. Methods: Direct depth dose measurements were made in air, water, inner bone and cortical bone phantoms for the Intrabeam 50 kV x-rays with a needle applicator. The data were modelled by a function of power law combining exponential with different parameters. Those phantom slabs used in the measurements were scanned to obtain CT numbers. The x-ray beam initiated from the source isocenter is ray-traced through tissues. The corresponding doses will be deposited/assigned at different depths. On the boundary of tissue/organ changes, the x-ray beam will be re-traced in new tissue/organ starting at an equivalent depth with the same dose. In principle, a volumetric dose distribution can be generated if enough directional beams are traced. In practice, a several typical rays traced may be adequate in providing estimates of maximum dose to the organ at risk and minimum dose in the target volume. Results: Depth dose measurements and modeling are shown in Figure 1. The dose versus CT number is shown in Figure 2. A computer program has been written for Kypho-IORT planning using those data. A direct measurement through 2 mm solid water, 2 mm inner bone, and 1 mm solid water yields a dose rate of 7.7 Gy/min. Our calculation shows 8.1±0.4 Gy/min, consistent with the measurement within 5%. Conclusion: The proposed method can be used to more accurately calculate the dose by taking into account the heterogeneous effect. The further validation includes comparison with Monte Carlo simulation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Structure of a Deformed Inhomogeneous Material on the Data of Acoustic Emission and X-Ray Computer Microtomography

Accumulation of defects at various stages of the deformation of a structurally inhomogeneous material (granite) has been studied using two nondestructive methods: acoustic emission (AE) and X-ray computer microtomorgaphy (CT). The quasi-static testing of cylindrical samples of a Westerly granite was carried out under uniaxial compression. The control of the defect formation was realized using the real-time monitoring of acoustic emission. For each sample under study, several steps of the loading and tomographic imaging have been performed. We have found that an exponential or power-law function of the energy distribution of the AE signals makes it possible to select a sample region, in which the system of defects has transited into a self-organized criticality state and large cracks have been formed. This result coincides with the data of the X-ray tomography Computer Microtomography.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

WORM (Write One, Read Many)

WORM (Write One, Run Many) is an easy to use, cross platform, embedded and extensible, functional programming language designed to facilitate the creation of input-decks for computer codes that use standard ASCII text files for input. WORM makes it easy to create generic (yet, complex and powerful) reusable models. Additionally its nature allows for complex calculations and routines to be coded once and easily reused, further simplifying the creation of input decks. WORM (Write One, Run Many) is a powerful and versatile tool designed to improve the efficiency of today’s criticality safety analyst by allowing: + input decks for parametric studies to be created quickly and easily, + calculations and variables to be imbedded into any input deck, thus allowing for meaningful parameter specifications, + problems to be specified using any combination of units, and + complex mathematically defined models to be created. A very simple syntax is employed, and therefore the WORM is easy to learn. A WORM model is essentially a standard input deck with some of its numerical values replaced by WORM code. WORM code may include and evaluate the following mathematical operators and functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentiation, modulus, sine, cosine, tangent, arcsine, arccosine, arctangent, the natural logarithm, logarithm base 10, integer truncation, absolute value, and random number. Several common constants, e.g., pi, e, and Avogadros’s Number (both as 6.022e23 and 0.6022), are predefined in WORM. Additionally, many unit conversion factors are also predefined: millimeters, meters, inches, feet, yards, and mils to centimeters; kilograms, pounds, and ounces to grams; liters, milliliters, gallons, and fluid ounces to cubic centimeters; and angular degrees to radians. For parametric studies, WORM supports various shorthand list specifications: the explicit step size, linear interpolation, and logarithmic interpolation. The list notation sequentially assigns multiple values to a name. WORM creates an input deck for each value of the name. If multiple lists are used, WORM steps through each list individually, i.e., WORM creates input decks corresponding to each and every permutation of the list values. Additionally, a library of standard material definitions and Perl subroutines are included. Any one of these files can be incorporated into the subject model with a simple WORM read command. WORM is completely written in Perl, the Practical Extraction and Reporting Language. Perl is one of the most portable programming languages available today. As such, the WORM works on practically any computer platform.

Sartor, Raymond↗

Data-Informed Evaluation Framework for Integrated Energy Systems: Insights from Power, Process Heat, and Hydrogen Production Applications

The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework provides a systematic evaluation of the diverse preferences and performance metrics associated with alternative solutions. This approach is advantageous over a single-criterion methodology, which are only valid under conditions that assume ceteris paribus or an "apples-to-apples" comparison. However, selecting suitable technologies for integrated energy systems (IES) can be likened to an "apples-to-oranges" comparison, given the heterogeneous factors at stake. These factors include economics and performance parameters, geological compatibility, and environmental impacts. Consequently, past research has often employed a mixture of qualitative and quantitative criteria tailored to the specific interests of each study. While the method proves effective in handling the intricate interplay of criteria, the resulting rankings and scores can vary from study to study. This inconsistency is introduced from the use of subjectively defined thresholds and weights. As a result, decision-makers frequently find it challenging to establish clear connections between specific criteria and the resulting scores, as the transformation of criteria into ordinal scores results in a substantial loss of information. To address this challenge, we introduce a data-informed IES evaluation framework that offers comprehensive, interpretable, and traceable evaluations backed by quantifiable rationale. First, we identified key IES evaluation criteria from a decade of literature, focusing on relevant IES applications in power, process heat, and hydrogen production. We leveraged state-of-the-art cost estimates from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and technical data from 78 reactor designs from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD-NEA). Lastly, we established thresholds by analyzing the mean, variance, root mean square, and slope of values across alternatives, categorizing the preferences of decision-makers into distinct utility functions, such as linear, saturating, exponential, and stepwise. Our approach yielded two main outcomes: (1) it provided consistent assessments across different stakeholder groups and (2) it visualized uncertainties in the decision-making context via comprehensive sensitivity analysis. To demonstrate the impact of our framework, we conducted case studies on 6 reactor designs (AP1000, NuScale, BWRX-300, Xe-100, eVinci, iMSR) for the three applications. Our data-driven framework proved to be highly effective in addressing heterogenous uncertainties faced by varied decision-makers? preferences and IES applications, as well as cost and technical estimates of advanced reactors.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗