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At least 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Emission spectroscopy with coded apertures for enhanced dimensionality

A coded aperture is used to demonstrate emission spectroscopy from multiple one-dimensional measurement locations simultaneously with a single camera. The coded aperture mask has several columns of periodic apertures, each with a unique spatial frequency. Light transmitted through all mask columns is detected through an imaging spectrometer. Dispersed light from the various mask columns overlaps on the spectrometer camera but is separated using Fourier-domain filtering using the known spatial frequencies of the mask. As the coded aperture is placed at an image plane, each Fourier-filtered spectrogram comes from a unique one-dimensional measurement location. This technique represents a significant increase in the amount of spatially and spectrally resolved emission data available using a single emission spectrometer and camera at the expense of some spatial resolution due to the Fourier filtering. This instrument is particularly useful for studying transient, non-repeating events. Megahertz-rate emission spectroscopy from five one-dimensional measurement locations is demonstrated with explosive fireballs using a single camera. Optical design parameters and instrument performance characteristics are discussed.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Event-Driven Predictive Approach for Real-Time Volt/VAR control with CVR in solar PV rich Active Distribution Network

The focus of this paper is on analyzing the impact of conservation voltage reduction in the presence of active devices such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and developing controls that leverage these distributed energy resources. An event-driven predictive approach for real-time volt/volt-ampere reactive (VAR) optimization, along with local two-level adaptive volt/VAR droop-based control algorithm for advanced distribution management systems, is introduced. The methodology covers aggregated and autonomous controls under different timescale operations, including the impact and effect of unpredicted events such as cloud transients on PV power production. In addition, the control schemes include the uncertainties in PV power generation and load power demand. The proposed methodology is validated in a real-time framework using the real-time digital simulator platform through co-simulation with models based on Python and OpenDSS (Open Distribution System Simulator). The developed methodology is tested on the modified IEEE 123-feeder test system. The results reveal that the proposed methodology works well in the presence of high penetrations of PV power, produces significant energy savings, and mitigates over-/undervoltage problems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Analysis of Liquids Using the Submerged Plasma for Isotopic Detection and Elemental Resolution (SPIDER)

We developed a sensor called the Submerged Plasma for Isotopic Detection and Elemental Resolution (SPIDER) probe, which uses an atmospheric pressure glow discharge below the surface of liquids to excite species in the liquid. Through emission spectroscopy of molten salts, liquid metals, and heavy water, we demonstrated the SPIDER probe’s high resolution, accuracy, and versatility. We successfully identified trace concentrations of transition and rare-earth metals in molten salts and detected the isotopic shift of the H β → D β emission line. Our analysis revealed unconventional spectral alkali line shapes, indicating two competing excitation modes: film explosion and droplet vaporization. The film explosion mode, characterized by dense plasma, exhibited self-reversal and broadband continuum emission, while the droplet vaporization mode, associated with diffusive plasma, produced narrow-line emissions. Furthermore, by analyzing circuit transients alongside individual plasma events, we observed that film explosions generate higher currents, likely due to a shorter plasma length as the current preferentially flows through the thin liquid layer. Altogether, our results highlight the SPIDER probe’s efficacy and flexibility, making it well-suited for online material quantification of liquids in extreme environments.

AES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Report Summarizing Boiling Transition (Dryout) Testing of FeCrAl Cladding

Nuclear fuel and cladding in a light water reactor must maintain integrity under all normal operational and anticipated operational occurrences. In a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) some Anticipated Operational Occurrences (AOOs) and Anticipated Transients Without SCRAM (ATWS) events have been known to result in cladding damage due to dryout with conventional Zircaloy-2 claddings. This work presents an assessment of commercially-fabricated, accident tolerant iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy C26M cladding in such events with regard to the ballooning failure mode for unirradiated cladding In the severe accident test station (SATS), an experiment has been developed to gauge accident tolerance of fuel cladding materials under simulated cyclic dryout conditions. Thermal cycling from 300°C to 650°C was implemented on C26M and Zircaloy-2 tubes. The C26M tube did not fail after 54 cycles. The Zircaloy- 2 tube run under the same parameters as the C26M tube failed during the fourth cycle, consistent with expectations from the literature. Due to thermal gradients present in the furnace, both tubes experienced a maximum temperature at ~780°C. Due to differences in tube geometry, the hoop stress of the C26M tube was significantly higher than that of the Zircaloy-2 tube, 76 MPa at the maximum peak temperature compared to 55 MPa at burst, respectively. The cyclic dryout experiments show an increased performance of C26M over Zircaloy-2 under simulated conditions, an indication of C26M possessing superior high temperature oxidation resistance, mechanical properties and potentially resistance to fatigue.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

SAM Code Development for Transient Safety Analyses of Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors

The System Analysis Module (SAM) is under development at Argonne National Laboratory as a modern system-level modeling and simulation tool for advanced non-light water reactor safety analyses. It utilizes the object-oriented application framework MOOSE to leverage the modern software environment and advanced numerical methods. The capabilities of SAM are being extended to enable the transient modeling, analysis, and design of various advanced nuclear reactor systems. The molten-salt-cooled pebble-bed reactor, or pebble-bed FHR (PB-FHR) is a promising candidate among advanced nuclear reactor concepts with its improved passive safety characteristics and high thermal efficiency. To support the development and utilization of the SAM code for PB-FHR safety analysis, activities on SAM code enhancements, reference plant model developments, and code validations have been performed in the past a few years to support near-term industry and NRC needs. This report summarizes recent progress under DOE-NE’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program in SAM code development and demonstration for transient safety analysis of Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors. SAM capabilities has been significantly enhanced over the years to add FHR specific modeling features, including salt freezing and thawing, spherical core channel and pebble bed core modeling, solid-fluid thermal radiation, tritium transport and general species transport in fluids and solids, and the general code enhancements on solver schemes of point kinetics module and reactivity feedback models. A reference PB-FHR model is developed, based on publicly available information from Kairos Power’s generic FHR design and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Mk1 design. A reference reactor model is foundational to the methodologies employed by NRC to verify the adequacy of computer codes and evaluation models. The reference FHR model was utilized for a number of selected FHR design basis accidents, including station blackout, loss of heat sink, loss of flow, transient overpower, and overcooling events.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Young Supernova Experiment Data Release 1 (YSE DR1): Light Curves and Photometric Classification of 1975 Supernovae

We present the Young Supernova Experiment Data Release 1 (YSE DR1), comprised of processed multicolor PanSTARRS1 griz and Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) gr photometry of 1975 transients with host–galaxy associations, redshifts, spectroscopic and/or photometric classifications, and additional data products from 2019 November 24 to 2021 December 20. YSE DR1 spans discoveries and observations from young and fast-rising supernovae (SNe) to transients that persist for over a year, with a redshift distribution reaching z ≈ 0.5. We present relative SN rates from YSE's magnitude- and volume-limited surveys, which are consistent with previously published values within estimated uncertainties for untargeted surveys. We combine YSE and ZTF data, and create multisurvey SN simulations to train the ParSNIP and SuperRAENN photometric classification algorithms; when validating our ParSNIP classifier on 472 spectroscopically classified YSE DR1 SNe, we achieve 82% accuracy across three SN classes (SNe Ia, II, Ib/Ic) and 90% accuracy across two SN classes (SNe Ia, core-collapse SNe). Our classifier performs particularly well on SNe Ia, with high (>90%) individual completeness and purity, which will help build an anchor photometric SNe Ia sample for cosmology. We then use our photometric classifier to characterize our photometric sample of 1483 SNe, labeling 1048 (~71%) SNe Ia, 339 (~23%) SNe II, and 96 (~6%) SNe Ib/Ic. YSE DR1 provides a training ground for building discovery, anomaly detection, and classification algorithms, performing cosmological analyses, understanding the nature of red and rare transients, exploring tidal disruption events and nuclear variability, and preparing for the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1977

4.2-4.3 AE anorthositic soil fragments - Equilibrated or unequilibrated polycomponent systems

The petrographies and phase chemistries of five lunar crystalline anorthositic fragments with Ar-40/Ar-39 plateau 'ages' ranging from 4.1 to 4.3 AE are reported. An investigation is conducted to determine whether the individual fragments are monomict or polymict breccias. For polymict breccias it is attempted to establish whether clasts and matrix have equilibrated chemically. On the basis of the results of the investigation it is suggested that sample 73263,1,1 was a breccia (possibly a clast-laden melt) containing old clasts, incorporated in an ejecta blanket that was annealed at about 4.1 AE in a transient high-temperature event. The sample 73263,1,6 studied is an annealed anorthositic breccia containing approximately 20% clasts dominated by single-crystal plagioclase fragments. The obtained data are consistent with a two-component system containing old plagioclase clasts in a young (about 4.0 AE) annealed, matrix. The annealing event at approximately 4.0 AE was insufficient to equilibrate the argon. It is found that four of the breccias having ages of about 4.2 AE or more are polymict. The most striking feature of all of the samples studied is the presence of a significant amount of 4.2-4.3 AE argon.

Delano, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Interplanetary conditions during 3-kHz radio-wave detections in the outer heliosphere

Plasma waves detected by the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft beyond about 12 AU that may be associated with the turbulence expected at the heliopause are interpreted in terms of the characteristics of the interplanetary medium at large heliocentric distances. The low-energy charged-particle environment in the outer heliosphere during the observations of the unusual plasma-wave signals is addressed. The particle data suggest that the outer heliosphere was unusually stable and free of transient shock and particle events for the roughly eight months during the wave observations.

Lanzerotti, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Meteoritic constraints on processes in the solar nebula

The origin of chondritic meteorites is discussed. The characteristics of the chondrite subtypes are shown, and the fine structure of chondrites is described in terms of the three principal categories of aggregated objects present in chondrites: chondrules, Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs), and matrix. Four possibilities for the origin of these components are considered, leading to four important constraints on the chondrite-forming processes, based on mineralogy and astrophysics. It is concluded that the chondrules and CAIs were formed in the solar nebula at a radial distance of about 3 AU. Some type of transient high-energy event or process, operating in zones of dust enrichment, furnished the high temperatures needed to process the chondrules and CAIs. These objects cooled on a time scale of minutes, then on a similarly short time scale began to aggregate, together with dust, into chondritic masses having approximately the solar proportions of major condensable elements.

Wood, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Time-dependent numerical simulation of hot ion outflow from the polar ionosphere

The time-dependent hydrodynamic model of Gombosi et al. (1985) was used to investigate the effects of bulk plasma heating on ion flows in the polar ionosphere. In the analysis, coupled time-dependent continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (H/+/ and O/+/) quasi-neutral plasma were solved between 200 and 8000 km for polar wind conditions. In spite of its several limitations, the model can serve to indicate the gross behavior of polar region plasma flows. Two specific cases, ion heating and electron heating, were considered. The calculated temperature and flow profiles suggest that ion heating, rather than electron heating, generates the upwelling ion events, for which large transient O(+) outflows accompanied by elevated ion temperatures were observed.

Gombosi, T. I.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The Gamma Ray Observatory

The Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), scheduled for launch by the Space Shuttle in April 1991, weighs 35,000 lbs and will offer 10 to 20 times better sensitivity than any previous gamma ray mission. The four instruments aboard GRO are described. The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) will continuously monitor the entire sky for transient gamma-ray events using eight identical, wide-field detectors capable of measuring brightness variations lasting only milliseconds at energies from about 50,000 to 600,000 eV. The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) will make comprehensive observations of discrete sources at energies from 100,000 to 10 million eV, where many radioactive elements have emission lines. The observatory's Imaging Compton Telescope will conduct a deep survey of the entire sky at gamma-ray energies between 1 and 30 MeV. The Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope will cover a broad high-energy spectral range, from about 20 million to 30 billion eV and conduct a sensitive all-sky survey with a wide field of view and good angular resolution.

Kniffen, Donald A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Understanding soft gamma-ray repeaters in the context of the extragalactic radio pulsar origin of gamma-ray bursts

Gamma-ray burst (GRB) sources and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) may be neutron stars undergoing structural adjustments that produce transient gamma-ray events. A unified scenario is proposed in which young radio pulsars are responsible for SGRs and classical GRB sources. The radiative emission associated with a pulsar 'glitch' is seen as a GRB or an SGR event depending on the direction of our line of sight. Burst spectra, energetics, and statistics of GRBs and SGRs are discussed. It is shown that classical GRB spectra arise from Compton upscattering by charges accelerated along the viewing direction and SGR burst spectra are due to the thermalization of Alfven wave energy away from this direction. If crustal adjustments occur within the first 50,000 years of a pulsar's lifetime, the model predicts two SGR sources within the galaxy, in agreement with current observations.

Melia, Fulvio↗
NASA NTRS1994

On the possibility of precipitation-induced vertical lightning in the protoplanetary nebula

Many primitive meteorites contain high concentrations of chondrules - millimeter-sized beads of glassy silicate - in a matrix of essentially unprocessed material. These chondrules were apparently melted by some transient high-energy event, then cooled rapidly on timescales of minutes to hours. Among the phenomena that have been suggested as driving mechanisms for the heating event are: (1) high-velocity impacts; (2) magnetic flares; (3) aerodynamic drag heating; and (4) lightning. Although nebular lightning has been made of the efficiency of such lightning in melting chondrule precursors, a quantitative treatment of processes that might produce nebular lightning has not been attempted. We have developed a one-dimensional nebular lightning model that utilizes a spectrum of particle sizes. This model has also been applied to the Earth as a test of its predictive ability. Particles grow to an initial size distribution, then undergo elastic charge-separating collisions. Charge separation is opposed by the mobile free charge in the nebula, which can either accumulate on and neutralize the charged ice particles or move to cancel the large scale electric field. Since the free charge density depends on the grain size distribution, it is determined self-consistently as the particle distribution changes.

Gibbard, S. G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Gamma rays from grazing incidence cosmic rays in the earth's atmosphere

Interactions of grazing incidence, ultra high-energy cosmic rays with the earth's atmosphere may provide a new method of studying energetic cosmic rays with gamma-ray satellites. It is found that these cosmic ray interactions may produce gamma-rays on millisecond timescales which may be detectable by satellites. An extremely low gamma-ray background for transient gamma-ray events and a large area of interaction, the earth's surface, make the scheme plausible. The effective cross section of detection of interactions for cosmic rays above 10(exp 20) eV is found to be more than two orders of magnitude higher than Earth-based detection techniques. This method may eventually offer an efficient way of probing this region of the cosmic-ray energy spectrum where events are scarce. In this paper, a conceptual model is presented for the production of short bursts of gamma-rays based on these grazing incidence encounters with the Earth's atmosphere.

Ulmer, Andrew↗
NASA NTRS1995

Energetic particles and coronal mass ejections in the high latitude heliosphere: Ulysses-LET observations

The COSPIN Low Energy Telescope (LET) onboard the Ulysses spacecraft measures protons, alphas and heavier ions at energies of approximately 1 to 50 MeV/n. Ulysses measurements offer favorable opportunities to study the effects of solar activity in the out-of-ecliptic regions of the heliosphere. Using LET data, we have investigated the properties of transient energetic ions at high heliographic latitudes when Ulysses was permanently immersed in high speed solar wind and magnetically connected to the Sun on open magnetic field lines. Recurrent increases in the fluxes of energetic ions at high heliographic latitudes at frequencies related to the solar rotation period were found to occur in association with co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs). Here we investigate fluxes of energetic particles that showed no relationship to ClRs. From the investigation of plasma and magnetic held data it is found that all of the transient high latitude particle events were associated with the passage of a coronal mass ejection (CME) over Ulysses. Enhancements in particle fluxes several days prior to the arrival of a CME, but with a significant time delay with respect to the estimated CME-onset at the Sun, were most probably associated with interplanetary shocks driven by fast CMEs. These particle events exhibit unusually high rho/alpha-ratios and are not observed for CMEs not driving a shock. However, not all CMEs that passed Ulysses were associated with a particle event. We find evidence that at high solar latitudes, solar flare particles cannot reach Ulysses on open magnetic field lines, but can reach the spacecraft if particles are injected into magnetic flux-ropes (CMEs) at the Sun. These findings are supported by soft X-ray observations from the Japanese Yohkoh-satellite.

Bothmer, V.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Global Validation of Single-Station Schumann Resonance Lightning Location

Global measurements of large, optically bright lightning events from the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) satellite are used to validate estimates of lightning location from single-station Schumann resonance (SR) data. Bearing estimates are obtained through conventional magnetic direction-finding techniques, while source range is estimated from the range-dependent impedance spectrum of individual SR transients. An analysis of 40 such transients suggests that single-station techniques can locate lightning globally with an accuracy of 1-2mm. This is confirmed by further validation at close ranges from flashes detected by the National Lightning Detection-Network (NLDN). Observations with both OTD and SR systems may be useful for globally locating lightning with necessary, if not sufficient, characteristics to trigger mesospheric sprites.

Boccippio, Dennis↗
NASA NTRS2000

Landscape Evolution, A Comparison of Form and Process

This project's goals were to collect, analyze and interpret 3-dimensional physiographic data for understanding the processes responsible for landscape modification. The primary landforms to be studied were Neogene cinder cones in Arizona (San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, Arizona). We also obtained and are still analyzing digital topographic data for the Long Valley-White Mountains area of California, which display Quaternary normal fault scarps, as well as extensive evidence of degradation. The work resulted in a large database of measured rates of downslope transport of slope debris. It was hypothesized that the work would increase our understanding of process-response models of hillslope degradation, and of the effects of climate change and other parameters on degradation rates. In greater detail, our primary goal was to compare evolutionary sequences of hillslopes, as exemplified by the topography of landforms of the same type but of different ages, with measurements of the surficial processes active on the landforms. Assuming that other parameters, such as hillslope materials and vegetation are held constant, and that the effects of changing climate are negligible, then the sediment transport rates measured today on the landforms should be the same as those calculated from the inversion of landform topography by use of a diffusion-type model. However, if the effects of changing climate or other factors are not negligible, then the observed transport rates would differ from those which must be invoked to explain the current topography. We hypothesized in fact that because degradation on the event scale is highly transient and localized, we would find a wide divergence between modern, measured transport rates, and rates calculated by global landform inversion or modeling. Because of the length of time involved in collection of sufficient data on current degradation rates, we are still continuing to analyse and interpret the data. Completion of the work will increase our understanding of the potential effects of anthropogenic climate and surficial change on the Earth's solid surface, and possibly allow us to constrain paths of hill-slope evolution following anthropogenic modifications, as well as compare the short-term with the long-term rates of hillslope degradation.

Bursik, Marcus I.↗