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At least 541 records · Page 30

Giant Feshbach resonances in {sup 6}Li-{sup 85}Rb mixtures

We report on the observation of six large Feshbach resonances in a Fermi-Bose mixture of {sup 6}Li and {sup 85}Rb atoms. Near the resonances, both the elastic and inelastic collision rates are enhanced, and this results primarily in the loss of {sup 6}Li from an optical dipole trap since it is less massive and less confined than its {sup 85}Rb collision partner. We interpret our experimental data using a coupled-channels calculation which fully characterizes the ground-state scattering properties in any combination of spin states.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Quantum control of multilevel atoms with rotational degeneracy using short laser pulses

We study the quantum control of multilevel atoms with rotationally degenerate levels using short laser pulses. Various control schemes are considered, ones using {pi} pulses, frequency-chirped pulses, two consecutive pulses, or two pulses that overlap each other partially. We study the possibilities of controlling the quantum state of an ensemble of atoms distributed randomly over one or more rotationally degenerate levels initially. For the sake of concreteness we use the hyperfine level scheme of the {sup 85}Rb D line, but the results can easily be generalized for any of the alkali-metal atoms used in cooling and trapping experiments. We find that even though a number of difficulties arise, such as unequal coupling constants between rotational sublevels or dephasing between different hyperfine levels during the interaction, control schemes using simple or multiphoton adiabatic passage can be used to control the internal states of the atoms effectively as well as the center-of-mass motion. Furthermore, it is shown that in some cases it is possible to exploit the inequality of the coupling constants to entangle the rotational substates with specific distinct translational quantum states and hence separate these substates in momentum space.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Effects of pulse shape on strongly driven two-level systems

We present an experimental study of the dynamics of a two-level system driven by strong nonresonant electromagnetic pulses as a function of pulse intensity and detuning. We have explored the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the transition probability as a function of pulse area for five different temporal profiles: Lorentzian, Lorentzian squared, hyperbolic secant, hyperbolic secant squared, and Gaussian. The two-level system consists of a fine-structure doublet in sodium Rydberg states coupled by Raman transitions driven through far-off-resonance intermediate states. The pulses are in the microwave regime and have high fidelity and uniform intensity. Experiments show that, despite the similarity in the pulse shapes, the behavior of the population transfer versus intensity depends dramatically on the temporal shape and that the spectral properties and area of the pulse do not adequately describe the response.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Fermion masses in SO(10) models

We examine many SO(10) models for their viability or otherwise in explaining all the fermion masses and mixing angles. This study is carried out for both supersymmetric and nonsupersymmetric models and with minimal (10+126) and nonminimal (10+126+120) Higgs content. Extensive numerical fits to fermion masses and mixing are carried out in each case, assuming dominance of type-II or type-I seesaw mechanism. Required scale of the B-L breaking is identified in each case. In supersymmetric case, several sets of data at the GUT scale with or without inclusion of finite supersymmetric corrections are used. All the cases studied provide quite good fits if the type-I seesaw mechanism dominates. This is not the case in the minimal model based on several data sets and type-II seesaw mechanism. This can be traced to the absence of the b-{tau} unification at the GUT scale in these cases. In contrast, the type-II seesaw mechanism works uniformly well in all the supersymmetric cases when 120 Higgs is also included. The minimal nonsupersymmetric model with type-I seesaw dominance gives excellent fits. In the presence of a 45{sub H} and an intermediate scale, the model can also account for the gauge coupling unification making it potentially interesting model for the complete unification. Structure of the Yukawa coupling matrices obtained numerically in this specific case is shown to follow from a very simple U(1) symmetry and a Froggatt-Nielsen singlet.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Water Splitting by Thin Film Metal-Oxo Catalysts

The dropping price of silicon photovoltaics in the United States is causing load defection to solar supply at an accelerated pace. This conversion to solar and, more generally, other renewable energy sources has accordingly turned the energy research focus from generation to one of storage. Truly disruptive improvements in energy storage technologies are limited by energy density. This limitation, however, does not apply to fuels, which possess the energy density needed for large-scale energy storage. The first step of the basic science needed to drive such historic restructuring of the U.S. energy infrastructure begins with the solar-driven generation of hydrogen and oxygen from water. The solar-produced hydrogen may then be combined with carbon dioxide to deliver any number of fuels. Obviously, light does not directly act on water to engender its splitting into its elemental components. Hence, catalysts are needed to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Of these two reactions, the four-electron, four-proton oxidation of OER is the more kinetically challenging reaction, and therefore the development of energy efficient solar fuels processes demands that OER be accomplished at a minimal overpotential. The research completed in this program developed catalysts that drive OER and at the same time meet the important criteria of (1) using non-critical materials that (2) are easy to assemble and (3) accomplish OER under simple conditions. Research was designed to uncover the chemical principles that underlie the self-assembly of metal oxide oxygen evolving catalysts (M-OEC) from the metals of M = Mn, Co, and Ni. For example, a dogma of heterogeneous catalysis of any sort is that “edges” matter in promoting catalytic transformations. We provided a rationale for such dogma by showing that the OER in Co-OEC occurred at a dimensionally reduced dicobalt edge site. Edge site reactivity was clearly revealed analyzing 18O labeled OER with differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) of Co-OEC. The OER mechanism of M-OECs was examined with complementary studies of model dicobalt compounds that captured the critical steps of the OER reaction. Additionally, the role of activating M-OECS with metal ion dopants was defined by developing structure–function relationships, guided by the principles of inorganic chemistry. We found that the M(IV) oxidation state in oxidic OER frameworks was correlated to the presence of the dopant metal, as assessed by coulometric titration and ICP-MS analysis. To investigate why greater M(IV) valence is beneficial to greater catalytic OER activity, we probed the influence of formal M valence on the electronic structure of oxygen ions in M-OECs by undertaking O and Ni K-edge spectroscopy, which revealed greater M-O covalency and hence M-oxyl radical character with M(IV) formation. Such oxyl radical character is consistent with increasing evidence for the role of oxygen radicals in O–O bond formation by a proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism involving water, to generate a hydroperoxide intermediate from which oxygen is generate. In accomplishing this science, the DOE program leveraged its expertise in spectroscopy and structural methods, inorganic and materials synthesis, and electrochemical characterization. The knowledge garnered from this proposed program enables the design of next generation catalysts with improved OER kinetics that operate over a wide range of conditions and environments.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

VPS26 Moonlights as an Arrestin-like Adapter for a 7-transmembrane RGS 2 protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

Extracellular signals perceived by 7-transmembrane (7TM)-spanning receptors on the plasma membrane utilize a cytoplasmic adaptor that propagates signaling and initiates a feedback circuit for desensitization by removal of these receptors at the plasma membrane leading to desensitization to that signal. Signal (agonist) binding often evokes phosphorylation at the C-terminal tail of many 7TM G-protein-coupled receptors in animal cells which then recruits a cytoplasmic intermediate adaptor, β-arrestin, that sets in motion clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). Some 7TM receptors have agonist-induced phosphorylation and CME that do not involve β-arrestin, therefore it is unclear how these phosphorylated 7TM receptors are internalized. Arrestins, neither α– or β-types, are not encoded in the Arabidopsis genome, yet Arabidopsis cells have a well characterized signal-induced CME of a 7TM protein, Regulator of G Signaling 1 (AtRGS1). We show that a component of the retromer complex, VPS26, moonlights as an arrestin-like adapter. VPS26A and VPS26B form heterodimer instead of homodimer or monomer. flg22, a bacterium-derived signal that alerts plant cells of the presence of a potential pathogen, induces phosphorylation of AtRGS1 within a cluster of serines in its C-terminal tail, dimerization, and its CME. The phosphorylated C-terminal tail peptide binds to VPS26A/B heterodimer with greater affinity than the unphosphorylated peptide. We propose that VPS26 serves as an arrestin-like adaptor in the CME of AtRGS1 dimerization biased for VPS26 signaling.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Coupling coarse mesh CFD with fine mesh CFD for modeling for Molten Salt Reactors in the Virtual Test Bed VTB

The Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program aims at developing a simulation tool kit to accelerate the development and deployment of nuclear power technologies. NEAMS multiphysics tools have been designed to provide numerical simulation support for the design and licensing of GEN IV reactors. Pronghorn is NEAMS’s coarse-mesh computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, which is designed to run 3D core transients in GEN IV reactors at a reduced computational cost. To increase their accuracy, coarse-mesh CFD simulations require calibrated closure coefficients. One way of computing these coefficients is via the Nek5000, NEAMS’s high-fidelity CFD tool. This article discusses our current research lines in informing Pronghorn closure coefficients via Nek5000 to enable multiphysics simulations of the core cavity of the molten-salt fast reactor. We present an application in which Pronghorn mixing length turbulent viscosity has been calibrated from Nek5000 simulations. The resulting Pronghorn thermal-hydraulics model is then coupled to Griffin, the NEAMS neutron transport solver, to solve for the steady-state configuration of the molten-salt fast reactor.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Structural Control on Downdip Locking Extent of the Himalayan Megathrust

Here, geologic reconstructions of the Main Himalayan Thrust in Nepal show a laterally extensive midcrustal ramp, hypothesized to form the downdip boundary of interseismic locking. Using a recent compilation of interseismic GPS velocities and a simplified model of fault coupling, we estimate the width of coupling across Nepal using a series of two-dimensional transects. We find that the downdip width of fault coupling increases smoothly from 70 to 90 km in eastern Nepal to 100–110 km in central Nepal, then narrows again in western Nepal. The inferred coupling transition is closely aligned with geologic reconstructions of the base of the midcrustal ramp in central and eastern Nepal, but in western Nepal, the data suggest that the location is intermediate between two proposed ramp locations. The result for western Nepal implies either an anomalous coupling transition that occurs along a shallowly dipping portion of the fault or that both ramps may be partially coupled and that a proposed crustal-scale duplexing process may be active during the interseismic period. We also find that the models require a convergence rate of 15.5 ± 2 mm/year throughout Nepal, reducing the geodetic moment accumulation rate by up to 30% compared with earlier models, partially resolving an inferred discrepancy between geodetic and paleoseismic estimates of moment release across the Himalaya.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Multilevel Computational Studies Reveal the Importance of Axial Ligand for Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Fe–N–C Materials

The systematic improvement of Fe–N–C materials for fuel cell applications has proven challenging, due in part to an incomplete atomistic understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under electrochemical conditions. Herein, a multilevel computational approach, which combines ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and constant potential density functional theory calculations, is used to assess proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes and adsorption thermodynamics of key ORR intermediates. These calculations indicate that the potential-limiting step for ORR on Fe–N–C materials is the formation of the Fe III –OOH intermediate. They also show that an active site model with a water molecule axially ligated to the iron center throughout the catalytic cycle produces results that are consistent with the experimental measurements. In particular, reliable prediction of the ORR onset potential and the Fe(III/II) redox potential associated with the conversion of Fe III –OH to Fe II and desorbed H 2 O requires an axial H 2 O co-adsorbed to the iron center. The observation of a five-coordinate rather than four-coordinate active site has significant implications for the thermodynamics and mechanism of ORR. Importantly, these findings highlight the importance of solvent–substrate interactions and surface charge effects for understanding the PCET reaction mechanisms and transition-metal redox couples under realistic electrochemical conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Lithosphere-Surfacesphere–Atmosphere-Ionosphere coupling model for Vrancea seismic zone in Romania

This paper presents a complex multidisciplinary approach concept to explain the nature of short-term earthquake precursors observed in land surface, atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere for strong intermediate depth earthquakes recorded in Vrancea region in Romania. A developed Lithosphere-Surfacesphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere (LSAI) coupling model can explain most of these presignals as a synergy between different anomalies of geophysical/geochemical parameters. These anomalies prior to medium to strong earthquakes are attributed to the thermodynamic, degassing and ionization processes in the Earth-Atmosphere system and micro-fracturing in the rocks especially along area’s active faults. The main outcome of this paper is an unified concept for systematic validation of different types of earthquake precursors of which Land Surface Temperature (LST), outgoing Long wave Radiation (OLR), Surface Latent Heat Flux (SLHF), Air Temperature (AT), radon gas concentration, ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) are the most reliable parameters within the chain of the processes described by LSAI model.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Defining Intermediates of Nitrogenase MoFe Protein during N 2 Reduction under Photochemical Electron Delivery from CdS Quantum Dots

Coupling the nitrogenase MoFe protein to light-harvesting semiconductor nanomaterials replaces the natural electron transfer complex with Fe protein and ATP and provides low potential photoexcited electrons for photocatalytic N 2 reduction. A central question is how direct photochemical electron delivery from nanocrystals to MoFe protein is able to support the multi-electron ammonia production reaction. In this study, low photon flux conditions were used to identify the initial reaction intermediates of CdS quantum dot (QD):MoFe protein nitrogenase complexes under photochemical activation. Illumination of CdS QD:MoFe protein complexes led to redox changes in the MoFe protein active site FeMo-co observed as the gradual decline in E0 resting state intensity that was accompanied by an increase in intensity of a new “g eff = 4.5” EPR signal. The magnetic properties of the g eff = 4.5 signal support assignment as a reduced S = 3/2 state, and reaction modeling was used to define it as a two-electron reduced “E 2 ” intermediate. Use of a MoFe protein variant, ß-188 Cys , which poises the P cluster in the oxidized P + state, demonstrated the P cluster can function as a site of photoexcited electron delivery from CdS to MoFe protein. Overall, the results establish the initial steps for how photoexcited CdS delivers electrons into MoFe protein during reduction of N 2 to ammonia, and the role of electron flux in the photochemical reaction cycle.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Controlling the Manifold of Polariton States Through Molecular Disorder

Exciton polaritons, arising from the interaction of electronic transitions with confined electromagnetic fields, have emerged as a powerful tool to manipulate the properties of organic materials. However, standard experimental and theoretical approaches overlook the significant energetic disorder present in most materials now studied. Using the conjugated polymer P3HT as a model platform, the degree of energetic disorder is systematically tuned and a corresponding redistribution of photonic character within the polariton manifold is observed. Based on these subtle spectral features, a more generalized approach is developed to describe strong light–matter coupling in disordered systems that captures the key spectroscopic observables and provides a description of the rich manifold of states intermediate between bright and dark. Finally, applied to a wide range of organic systems, the method challenges prevailing notions about ultrastrong coupling and whether it can be achieved with broad, disordered absorbers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The influence of respiratory motion on CT image volume definition

Purpose: Radiotherapy treatments are based on geometric and density information acquired from patient CT scans. It is well established that breathing motion during scan acquisition induces motion artifacts in CT images, which can alter the size, shape, and density of a patient's anatomy. The aim of this work is to examine and evaluate the impact of breathing motion on multislice CT imaging with respiratory synchronization (4DCT) and without it (3DCT). Methods: A specific phantom with a movable insert was used. Static and dynamic phantom acquisitions were obtained with a multislice CT. Four sinusoidal breath patterns were simulated to move known geometric structures longitudinally. Respiratory synchronized acquisitions (4DCT) were performed to generate images during inhale, intermediate, and exhale phases using prospective and retrospective techniques. Static phantom data were acquired in helical and sequential mode to define a baseline for each type of respiratory 4DCT technique. Taking into account the fact that respiratory 4DCT is not always available, 3DCT helical image studies were also acquired for several CT rotation periods. To study breath and acquisition coupling when respiratory 4DCT was not performed, the beginning of the CT image acquisition was matched with inhale, intermediate, or exhale respiratory phases, for each breath pattern. Other coupling scenarios were evaluated by simulating different phantom and CT acquisition parameters. Motion induced variations in shape and density were quantified by automatic threshold volume generation and Dice similarity coefficient calculation. The structure mass center positions were also determined to make a comparison with their theoretical expected position. Results: 4DCT acquisitions provided volume and position accuracies within ±3% and ±2 mm for structure dimensions >2 cm, breath amplitude ≤15 mm, and breath period ≥3 s. The smallest object (1 cm diameter) exceeded 5% volume variation for the breath patterns of higher frequency and amplitude motion. Larger volume differences (>10%) and inconsistencies between the relative positions of objects were detected in image studies acquired without respiratory control. Increasing the 3DCT rotation period caused a higher distortion in structures without obtaining their envelope. Simulated data showed that the slice acquisition time should be at least twice the breath period to average object movement. Conclusions: Respiratory 4DCT images provide accurate volume and position of organs affected by breath motion detecting higher volume discrepancies as amplitude length or breath frequency are increased. For 3DCT acquisitions, a CT should be considered slow enough to include lesion envelope as long as the slice acquisition time exceeds twice the breathing period. If this requirement cannot be satisfied, a fast CT (along with breath-hold inhale and exhale CTs to estimate roughly the ITV) is recommended in order to minimize structure distortion. Even with an awareness of a patient's respiratory cycle, its coupling with 3DCT acquisition cannot be predicted since patient anatomy is not accurately known.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

CFD Integrated Transition Modeling for High-Speed Flows via Coupled OVERFLOW-LASTRAC Analysis

This work details ongoing efforts at the NASA Langley Research Center to develop and validate a general-use CFD tool that includes built-in predictions of boundary-layer transition in high-speed flows. Existing tools for the coupling of the NASA OVERFLOW structured overset RANS solver and LASTRAC stability analysis code have been extended to capture boundary-layer transition in high-speed flows driven by either Mack’s first-mode or secondmode instabilities and/or crossflow instabilities. The efficacy of this coupled approach has been demonstrated by examining a variety of supersonic and hypersonic test cases for which experimental validation data is available. The intermittency prescription parameters inherited from prior low-speed applications are found to be suitable for some, but not all high-speed flow scenarios. The method is found to be robust for straight cone configurations and improvements necessary to accurately capture transition on geometries with spatially complex amplification factor envelopes with intermediate regions of slow N-factor variation are examined. The automated, coupled analysis is demonstrated for a 3d supersonic test case and found to perform well within the limits of the linear stability analysis on which it relies. Finally, a preliminary investigation of the method’s robustness to non-ideal CFD meshes is conducted.

High-speed flow↗

Production-decay interferences at next-to-leading order in QCD for t-channel single-top-quark production

We present a calculation of O({alpha}{sub s}) contributions to the process of t-channel single-top production and decay, which include virtual and real corrections arising from the interference of the production and decay subprocesses. The calculation is organized as a simultaneous expansion of the matrix elements in the couplings {alpha}{sub ew}, {alpha}{sub s} and the virtuality of the intermediate top quark, (p{sub t}{sup 2}-m{sub t}{sup 2})/m{sub t}{sup 2{approx}{Gamma}}{sub t}/m{sub t}, and extends earlier results beyond the narrow-width approximation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Approaching the self-dual point of the sinh-Gordon model

One of the most striking but mysterious properties of the sinh-Gordon model (ShG) is the b → 1/b self-duality of its S-matrix, of which there is no trace in its Lagrangian formulation. Here b is the coupling appearing in the model’s eponymous hyperbolic cosine present in its Lagrangian, cosh(bΦ). In this paper we develop truncated spectrum methods (TSMs) for studying the sinh-Gordon model at a finite volume as we vary the coupling constant. We obtain the expected results for b << 1 and intermediate values of b, but as the self-dual point b = 1 is approached, the basic application of the TSM to the ShG breaks down. We find that the TSM gives results with a strong cutoff Ec dependence, which disappears according only to a very slow power law in Ec. Standard renormalization group strategies — whether they be numerical or analytic — also fail to improve upon matters here. We thus explore three strategies to address the basic limitations of the TSM in the vicinity of b = 1. In the first, we focus on the small-volume spectrum. We attempt to understand how much of the physics of the ShG is encoded in the zero mode part of its Hamiltonian, in essence how ‘quantum mechanical’ vs ‘quantum field theoretic’ the problem is. In the second, we identify the divergencies present in perturbation theory and perform their resummation using a supra-Borel approximate. In the third approach, we use the exact form factors of the model to treat the ShG at one value of b as a perturbation of a ShG at a different coupling. In the light of this work, we argue that the strong coupling phase b > 1 of the Lagrangian formulation of model may be different from what is naïvely inferred from its S-matrix. In particular, we present an argument that the theory is massless for b > 1.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Preheating after multifield inflation with nonminimal couplings. II. Resonance structure

This is the second in a series of papers on preheating in inflationary models comprised of multiple scalar fields coupled nonminimally to gravity. We work in the rigid-spacetime approximation and consider field trajectories within the single-field attractor, which is a generic feature of these models. We construct the Floquet charts to find regions of parameter space in which particle production is efficient for both the adiabatic and isocurvature modes, and analyze the resonance structure using analytic and semianalytic techniques. Particle production in the adiabatic direction is characterized by the existence of an asymptotic scaling solution at large values of the nonminimal couplings, ${{\xi}}_{I}{\gg}1$, in which the dominant instability band arises in the long-wavelength limit, for comoving wave numbers $k{\rightarrow}0$. However, the large-${{\xi}}_{I}$ regime is not reached until ${{\xi}}_{I}{\ge}\mathcal{O}(100)$. In the intermediate regime, with ${{\xi}}_{I}{\sim}\mathcal{O}(1-10)$, the resonance structure depends strongly on wave number and couplings. The resonance structure for isocurvature perturbations is distinct and more complicated than its adiabatic counterpart. An intermediate regime, for ${{\xi}}_{I}{\sim}\mathcal{O}(1-10)$, is again evident. For large values of ${{\xi}}_{I}$, the Floquet chart consists of densely spaced, nearly parallel instability bands, suggesting a very efficient preheating behavior. The increased efficiency arises from features of the nontrivial field-space manifold in the Einstein frame, which itself arises from the fields’ nonminimal couplings in the Jordan frame, and has no analog in models with minimal couplings. Quantitatively, the approach to the large-${{\xi}}_{I}$ asymptotic solution for isocurvature modes is slower than in the case of the adiabatic modes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Regioselective Arene C−H Alkylation Enabled by Organic Photoredox Catalysis

Abstract Expanding the toolbox of C−H functionalization reactions applicable to the late‐stage modification of complex molecules is of interest in medicinal chemistry, wherein the preparation of structural variants of known pharmacophores is a key strategy for drug development. One manifold for the functionalization of aromatic molecules utilizes diazo compounds and a transition‐metal catalyst to generate a metallocarbene species, which is capable of direct insertion into an aromatic C−H bond. However, these high‐energy intermediates can often require directing groups or a large excess of substrate to achieve efficient and selective reactivity. Herein, we report that arene cation radicals generated by organic photoredox catalysis engage in formal C−H functionalization reactions with diazoacetate derivatives, furnishing sp 2 –sp 3 coupled products with moderate‐to‐good regioselectivity. In contrast to previous methods utilizing metallocarbene intermediates, this transformation does not proceed via a carbene intermediate, nor does it require the presence of a transition‐metal catalyst.

Holmberg‐Douglas, Natalie↗