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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 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Comparison of Electron Capture Rates in the N = 50 Region using 1D Simulations of Core-collapse Supernovae

Abstract Recent studies have highlighted the sensitivity of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) models to electron-capture (EC) rates on neutron-rich nuclei near the N = 50 closed-shell region. In this work, we perform a large suite of one-dimensional CCSN simulations for 200 stellar progenitors using recently updated EC rates in this region. For comparison, we repeat the simulations using two previous implementations of EC rates: a microphysical library with parametrized N = 50 rates (LMP), and an older independent-particle approximation (IPA). We follow the simulations through shock revival up to several seconds post-bounce, and show that the EC rates produce a consistent imprint on CCSN properties, often surpassing the role of the progenitor itself. Notable impacts include the timescale of core collapse, the electron fraction and mass of the inner core at bounce, the accretion rate through the shock, the success or failure of revival, and the properties of the central compact remnant. We also compare the observable neutrino signal of the neutronization burst in a DUNE-like detector, and find consistent impacts on the counts and mean energies. Overall, the updated rates result in properties that are intermediate between LMP and IPA, and yet slightly more favorable to explosion than both.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Sources of gravitational waves

Sources of low frequency gravitational radiation are reviewed from an astrophysical point of view. Cosmological sources include the formation of massive black holes in galactic nuclei, the capture by such holes of neutron stars, the coalescence of orbiting pairs of giant black holes, and various means of producing a stochastic background of gravitational waves in the early universe. Sources local to our Galaxy include various kinds of close binaries and coalescing binaries. Gravitational wave astronomy can provide information that no other form of observing can supply; in particular, the positive identification of a cosmological background originating in the early universe would be an event as significant as was the detection of the cosmic microwave background.

Schutz, Bernard F.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Resolved Resonance Evaluation for Neutron Interactions with 103 Rh up to 8 keV

A neutron cross-section evaluation for the n + 103 Rh reaction in the resolved resonance region was carried out in the energy range 10−5 eV to 8 keV encompassing thermal energy at 0.0253 eV. The scope of this work is to generate resonance parameters and resonance parameter covariances based on the Reich-Moore reduced R-matrix formalism using the code SAMMY. Some features of the new evaluation are the inclusion of high-resolution capture data in the SAMMY evaluation process and the extension of the resolved resonance range from 4 to 8 keV. Furthermore, the evaluation employs more accurate resonance parameter representation by exploring the use of the LRF = 7 ENDF feature and also the use of the LCOMP = 2 compact format for resonance parameter covariance representation. Included in the SAMMY evaluation are transmission data, capture cross-section data, and neutron scattering length information. Thermal cross-section values listed in the literature, as well as capture resonance integrals, were also incorporated into the evaluation process.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1973

Continued development of the Combined Pulsed Neutron Experiment (CPNE) for lunar and planetary surfaces

Current progress is reported on the inelastic scattering, capture, and activation gamma ray portions of the Combined Pulsed Neutron Experiment (CPNE). Experiments are described which have enabled a reduction in weight of the experimental probe to 7.3 kg. Parametric studies are described which enabled the optimization of experimental parameters (e.g., gate time settings, neutron pulse rate, etc.). Estimated detection sensitivities using this light weight probe and the optimized experimental parameters are discussed.

Mandler, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Development of Grazing Incidence Optics for Neutron Imaging and Scattering

Because of their wave nature, thermal and cold neutrons can be reflected from smooth surfaces at grazing incidence angles, be reflected by multilayer coatings or be refracted at boundaries of different materials. The optical properties of materials are characterized by their refractive indices which are slightly less than unity for most elements and their isotopes in the case of cold and thermal neutrons as well as for x-rays. The motivation for the optics use for neutrons as well as for x-rays is to increase the signal rate and, by virtue of the optic's angular resolution, to improve the signal-to-noise level by reducing the background so the efficiency of the existing neutron sources use can be significantly enhanced. Both refractive and reflective optical techniques developed for x-ray applications can be applied to focus neutron beams. Typically neutron sources have lower brilliance compared to conventional x-ray sources so in order to increase the beam throughput the neutron optics has to be capable of capturing large solid angles. Because of this, the replicated optics techniques developed for x-ray astronomy applications would be a perfect match for neutron applications, so the electroformed nickel optics under development at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) can be applied to focus neutron beams. In this technique, nickel mirror shells are electroformed onto a figured and superpolished nickel-plated aluminum cylindrical mandrel from which they are later released by differential thermal contraction. Cylindrical mirrors with different diameters, but the same focal length, can be nested together to increase the system throughput. The throughput can be increased further with the use of the multilayer coatings deposited on the reflectivr surface of the mirror shells. While the electroformed nickel replication technique needs to be adopted for neutron focusing, the technology to coat the inside of cylindrical mirrors with neutron multilayers has to be developed. The availability of these technologies would bring new capabilities to neutron instrumentation and, hence, lead to new scientific breakthroughs. We have established a program to adopt the electroformed nickel replication optics technique for neutron applications and to develop the neutron multilayer replication technology.

Gubarev, M. V.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Muon capture on the deuteron in chiral effective field theory

Here, we consider the capture of a muon on a deuteron. An uncertainty analysis of the dominant channels is important for a careful analysis of forthcoming experimental data. We quantify the theoretical uncertainties of chiral effective-field-theory predictions of the muon-deuteron capture rate from the relevant neutron-neutron partial wave channels in the final state. We study the dependence on the cutoff used to regularize the interactions, low-energy constants calibrated using different fitting data and strategies, and truncation of the effective-field-theory expansion of the currents. Combining these approaches gives as an estimate of $Γ^{1/2}_{μd}$ = 399.1 ± 7.6 ± 4.4 s –1 for capture from the atomic doublet state, and $Γ^{3/2}_{μd}$= 12.31 ± 0.47 ± 0.04 s –1 for capture from the quartet state and the first and second uncertainties given here are due to the effective field theory truncation error and the uncertainty in the axial radius, respectively.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Physics-informed Estimation of the Covariance Matrix for Various Neutron Spectra

A method for estimating covariance matrices which capture the uncertainties in calculated reactor spectra has been developed. This method is based on perturbing the parameters of a physics-based analytic model fitted to a calculated spectrum. The covariance of the perturbed analytic spectra imposes energy-dependent correlations due to the physics of the neutron processes in the reactor, i.e., a fission component, a 1/E down-scatting component, and a thermal Maxwellian component. An analytic model is developed which is shown to produce good fits to several reactor environments. The covariance matrices produced via this method are then used as the prior spectrum in STAYSL least squares spectrum adjustment where it is combined with integral metrics, such as activation measurements, to produce a high-fidelity neutron spectrum characterization. It was concluded that the methodology showed agreeable results for the ACRR free-field spectrum adjustment in STAYSL resulting in a 𝜒 2 value of 2.21 (per degree of freedom), but further work is needed to describe scattering and interface regions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hexagonal boron nitride: Epitaxial growth and device applications

As a newest family member of the III-nitrides, BN is considered amongst the remaining frontiers in wide energy bandgap semiconductors with potentials for technologically significant applications in deep UV (DUV) optoelectronics, solid-state neutron detectors, electron emitters, single photon emitters, switching/memory devices, and super-capacitors. It was shown that it is possible to produce h-BN epilayers with high hexagonal phase purity, UV transparency, and film stoichiometry by employing nitrogen-rich growth conditions. The quasi-2D nature of h-BN supports unusually strong optical transitions near the band edge and a large exciton binding energy on the order of 0.7 eV. Since the isotope of B-10 has a large capture cross-section for thermal neutrons, h-BN is an ideal material for the fabrication of solid-state neutron detectors for special nuclear materials detection, well and geothermal logging, and medical imaging applications. Freestanding B-10 enriched h-BN (h- 10 BN) epilayers with varying thicknesses up to 200 μm have been successfully synthesized by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) as of this writing. By utilizing the conductivity anisotropy nature of h-BN, 1 cm 2 lateral detectors fabricated from 100 μm thick h-10BN epilayers have demonstrated a detection efficiency of 59% for thermal neutrons, which is the highest on record among all solid-state neutron detectors as of today. It was noted that high growth temperatures, long growth times and the use of sapphire substrate tend to incorporate oxygen related impurities into h- 10 BN epilayers, which strongly impacted the carrier mobility-lifetime (μτ) products and charge collection efficiencies of h- 10 BN neutron detectors. As the h-BN material technology further develops, improved carrier mobilities and μτ products will allow the fabrication of h-BN devices with enhanced performance.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Porosity in nuclear graphite and its impact on nuclear reactor science and criticality safety applications

Porosity in nuclear-grade graphite significantly influences its low-energy neutron scattering, yet its effect on underlying phonon properties remains debated. Here, this work integrates inelastic and small-angle neutron scattering (INS/SANS) experiments, advanced atomistic simulations with a novel machine-learned potential (DeepMD), total cross-section measurements, and neutronics calculations (SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC) to investigate porosity’s impact on neutron thermalization. INS measurements on diverse graphite grades reveal no discernible porosity effect on phonon spectra, which align with crystalline graphite. Conversely, total cross-section data below ≈10 meV show increased scattering attributable to SANS. Our DeepMD simulations demonstrate that realistic micropores do not distort phonon spectra, challenging the assumptions in current ENDF/B-VIII.1 porosity thermal scattering laws (TSLs). These TSLs, based on random atom removal, produce unphysical phonon spectra and inflate inelastic cross-sections. Augmenting a crystalline TSL with an SANS component accurately captures experimental total cross-sections. Neutronics benchmarks (ICSBEP/IRPhE) show ENDF porosity TSLs unphysically increase neutron multiplication factor, keff. Crucially, incorporating SANS physics (NCrystal/OpenMC) indicates accurately modeled porosity negligibly affects keff, reactor physics, or criticality safety.

Critical benchmarks↗
NASA NTRS1993

Encounters between binaries and neutron stars

We simulated encounters between a neutron star and primordial and tidal-capture binaries. In the case of encounters involving a tidal-capture binary, comprising a white dwarf and a main-sequence star, we find that most exchange encounters will produce a single merged object with the white dwarf and neutron star engulfed in a common envelope of gas donated by the main-sequence primary of the original binary. A small fraction of exchanges induce a merger of the white dwarf and main-sequence star, with this object being unbound to the neutron star, and the two objects having a large relative speed at infinity. For encounters involving a primordial binary, fewer encounters require the inclusion of hydrodynamical effects. Those involving collisions or close encounters tend to produce a binary comprised of the two merged stars (now forming one star) and the third star. The binaries produced typically have large enough separations to prevent the formation of a single merged object until subsequent stellar evolution of one of the components causes it to fill its Roche lobe. Clean exchanges produce binaries with large eccentricities; they are typically sufficiently wide to avoid circularization.

Davies, M. B.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Neutron Cross Section Measurement In The Protodune-SP Experiment

Understanding the detector response to neutrons will be critical for performing neutrino oscillation analyses in the next-generation Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The DUNE physics program is centered around measuring the neutrino flavor composition as a function of their energy both at the near and the far detector. Neutrinos in the DUNE beam will have energies ranging between 100~MeV and 10~GeV, which is significant, because individual neutrino energies will not be known beforehand and will have to be reconstructed. Neutrino interactions in DUNE will produce leptons and hadrons -- including protons, pions, and neutrons. Neutrons can transport energy away from their origin and sometimes go undetected. In addition to the primary neutrons produced by the neutrino, subsequent interactions of the charged hadrons can result in secondary neutrons. Neutrons are a source of missing energy and will bias the neutrino energy measurement. Currently, there is also a 20\% energy scale uncertainty and a 40\% uncertainty on the energy resolution for neutrons in DUNE, which must be addressed. ProtoDUNE Single-Phase (ProtoDUNE-SP) is a 770-ton prototype for the DUNE far detector and was designed to both validate the technology that will be employed in DUNE and to measure cross sections for the charged hadrons (pions, protons, and kaons) at the relevant energies for DUNE. The ProtoDUNE-SP experiment, therefore, is in a unique position to characterize the secondary neutron component for DUNE. This is achieved by searching for candidate neutron interactions in ProtoDUNE-SP events and using these to facilitate a measurement of the neutron inelastic cross section as well as an estimate of the neutron energy and number. The cross section measurement presented here is based on neutrons produced in 1~GeV, $\pi^+$ events captured in 2018 by ProtoDUNE-SP in accordance with the production and cross section models in the GEANT4 simulation toolkit, version 4.1 0.6p1. T he best-fit neutron inelastic cross section, in the kinetic energy range of 114 to 314~MeV, is $1.24_{-0.08}^{+0.10}$~(stat.~$\oplus$~syst.)~barns.

Rivera, David Orlando↗
DOE OSTI2026

Pulsed-Neutron Experiments at the Inherently Safe Subcritical Assembly

The pulsed neutron technique is a powerful, dynamic method to assay the reactivity of a multiplying system. This work presents the novel application of the pulsed neutron technique to the Inherently Safe Subcritical Assembly, an experimental configuration accepted by the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project Handbook. The experiments were replicated with COG11.3, a continuous-energy Monte Carlo code. The pulsed neutron data were analyzed using the Sjöstrand and Gozani area-ratio methods and by extracting the prompt neutron decay constant. Subsequent static k-eigenvalue and 𝛼-eigenvalue simulations were also performed for the same configurations. Neutron detector dead-time effects from the experiments were corrected using the Backwards Extrapolation Method and shown to have a negligible impact on the estimated reactivities. The results highlight that capturing time-dependent effects like delayed neutron precursor buildup are essential to accurately reproduce experimental results. They also highlight the importance of shielding the detectors from generator source neutrons in deeply subcritical configurations.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS2014

An Advanced Neutron Spectrometer for Future Manned Exploration Missions

An Advanced Neutron Spectrometer (ANS) is being developed to support future manned exploration missions. This new instrument uses a refined gate and capture technique that significantly improves the identification of neutrons in mixed radiation fields found in spacecraft, habitats and on planetary surfaces. The new instrument is a composite scintillator comprised of PVT loaded with litium-6 glass scintillators. We will describe the detection concept and show preliminary results from laboratory tests and exposures at particle accelerators

Christl, Mark↗
DOE OSTI2021

Test for the Origin of Solar Mass Black Holes

Solar-mass black holes with masses in the range of ~1–2.5 M ⊙ are not expected from conventional stellar evolution, but can be produced naturally via neutron star (NS) implosions induced by capture of small primordial black holes (PBHs) or from accumulation of some varieties of particle dark matter. We argue that a unique signature of such “transmuted” solar-mass BHs is that their mass distribution would follow that of the NSs. This would be distinct from the mass function of black holes in the solar-mass range predicted either by conventional stellar evolution or early Universe PBH production. We propose that analysis of the solar-mass BH population mass distribution in a narrow mass window of ~1–2.5 M ⊙ can provide a simple yet powerful test of the origin of these BHs. Recent LIGO/VIRGO gravitational wave (GW) observations of the binary merger events GW190425 and GW190814 are consistent with a BH mass in the range ~1.5–2.6 M ⊙ . Though these results have fueled speculation on dark matter-transmuted solar-mass BHs, we demonstrate that it is unlikely that the origin of these particular events stems from NS implosions. Data from upcoming GW observations will be able to distinguish between solar-mass BHs and NSs with high confidence. This capability will facilitate and enhance the efficacy of our proposed test.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Celestial-body focused dark matter annihilation throughout the Galaxy

Indirect detection experiments typically measure the flux of annihilating dark matter (DM) particles propagating freely through galactic halos. We consider a new scenario where celestial bodies “focus” DM annihilation events, increasing the efficiency of halo annihilation. In this setup, DM is first captured by celestial bodies, such as neutron stars or brown dwarfs, and then annihilates within them. If DM annihilates to sufficiently long-lived particles, they can escape and subsequently decay into detectable radiation. This produces a distinctive annihilation morphology, which scales as the product of the DM and celestial body densities, rather than as DM density squared. We show that this signal can dominate over the halo annihilation rate in γ -ray observations in both the Milky Way Galactic center and globular clusters. We use Fermi and H.E.S.S. data to constrain the DM-nucleon scattering cross section, setting powerful new limits down to ~10 -39 cm 2 for sub-GeV DM using brown dwarfs, which is up to 9 orders of magnitude stronger than existing limits. We demonstrate that neutron stars can set limits for TeV-scale DM down to about 10 -47 cm 2 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Cascade Models in Simulation of Extended Heavy Targets Irradiated by Accelerated Proton and Deuteron Beams

The paper presents a survey of the main numerical models used for simulation of interaction of accelerated particle beams with target nuclei. These models form the core of the software for simulation of various experiments and experimental facilities both for scientific and applied purposes. The beam and target parameters considered in detail in this study (protons and deuterons with energies from 0.66 to 4 AGeV and bulk U targets) cover the range of interest in development of new concepts of nuclear power production aided by accelerated particle beams.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗