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At least 649 records · Page 36
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DOE OSTI2016

An alternative realization of the exact non-Markovian stochastic Schrödinger equation

Based on the path integral approach, we derive a new realization of the exact non-Markovian stochastic Schrödinger equation (SSE). The main difference from the previous non-Markovian quantum state diffusion (NMQSD) method is that the complex Gaussian stochastic process used for the forward propagation of the wave function is correlated, which may be used to reduce the amplitude of the non-Markovian memory term at high temperatures. The new SSE is then written into the recently developed hierarchy of pure states scheme, in a form that is more closely related to the hierarchical equation of motion approach. Numerical simulations are then performed to demonstrate the efficiency of the new method.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Generation of attosecond electron bunches upon laser pulse propagation through a sharp plasma boundary

The formation of an electron bunch produced due to electron self-injection into a wake wave that is generated by a relativistic-intensity laser pulse propagating through a sharp boundary of semi-bounded plasma is studied in one-dimensional geometry. Analytical expressions are obtained for estimating the bunch length and the energy spread of electrons in the bunch. Numerical simulation is performed which confirms the results of analytical consideration. (paper)

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

WAVE-VORTEX MODE COUPLING IN ASTROPHYSICAL ACCRETION DISKS UNDER COMBINED RADIAL AND VERTICAL STRATIFICATION

We examine accretion disk flow under combined radial and vertical stratification utilizing a local Cartesian (or ''shearing box'') approximation. We investigate both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric disturbances with the Boussinesq approximation. Under axisymmetric disturbances, a new dispersion relation is derived. It reduces to the Solberg-Hoieland criterion in the case without vertical stratification. It shows that, asymptotically, stable radial and vertical stratification cannot induce any linear instability; Keplerian flow is accordingly stable. Previous investigations strongly suggest that the so-called bypass concept of turbulence (i.e., that fine-tuned disturbances of any inviscid smooth shear flow can reach arbitrarily large transient growth) can also be applied to Keplerian disks. We present an analysis of this process for three-dimensional plane-wave disturbances comoving with the shear flow of a general rotating shear flow under combined stable radial and vertical rotation. We demonstrate that large transient growth occurs for K{sub 2}/k{sub 1} >> 1 and k{sub 3} = 0 or k{sub 1} {approx} k{sub 3}, where k{sub 1}, K{sub 2}, and k{sub 3} are the azimuthal, radial, and vertical components of the initial wave vector, respectively. By using a generalized ''wave-vortex'' decomposition of the disturbance, we show that the large transient energy growth in a Keplerian disk is mainly generated by the transient dynamics of the vortex mode. The analysis of the power spectrum of total (kinetic+potential) energy in the azimuthal or vertical directions shows that the contribution coming from the vortex mode is dominant at large scales, while the contribution coming from the wave mode is important at small scales. These findings may be confirmed by appropriate numerical simulations in the high Reynolds number regime.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

WIND-DRIVEN ACCRETION IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS. II. RADIAL DEPENDENCE AND GLOBAL PICTURE

Non-ideal magnetohydrodynamical effects play a crucial role in determining the mechanism and efficiency of angular momentum transport as well as the level of turbulence in protoplanetary disks (PPDs), which are the key to understanding PPD evolution and planet formation. It was shown in our previous work that at 1 AU, the magnetorotational instability (MRI) is completely suppressed when both ohmic resistivity and ambipolar diffusion (AD) are taken into account, resulting in a laminar flow with accretion driven by magnetocentrifugal wind. In this work, we study the radial dependence of the laminar wind solution using local shearing-box simulations. The scaling relation on the angular momentum transport for the laminar wind is obtained, and we find that the wind-driven accretion rate can be approximated as M-dot approx. 0.91 x 10{sup -8}R{sub AU}{sup 1.21}(B{sub p}/10 mG){sup 0.93} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, where B{sub p} is the strength of the large-scale poloidal magnetic field threading the disk. The result is independent of disk surface density. Four criteria are outlined for the existence of the laminar wind solution: (1) ohmic resistivity dominated the midplane region, (2) the AD-dominated disk upper layer, (3) the presence of a (not too weak) net vertical magnetic flux, and (4) sufficiently well-ionized gas beyond the disk surface. All these criteria are likely to be met in the inner region of the disk from {approx}0.3 AU to about 5-10 AU for typical PPD accretion rates. Beyond this radius, the angular momentum transport is likely to proceed due to a combination of the MRI and disk wind, and eventually completely dominated by the MRI (in the presence of strong AD) in the outer disk. Our simulation results provide key ingredients for a new paradigm on the accretion processes in PPDs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

HYSTERESIS BETWEEN DISTINCT MODES OF TURBULENT DYNAMOS

Nonlinear mean-field models of the solar dynamo show long-term variability, which may be relevant to different states of activity inferred from long-term radiocarbon data. This paper is aimed at probing the dynamo hysteresis predicted by the recent mean-field models of Kitchatinov and Olemskoy with direct numerical simulations. We perform three-dimensional (3D) simulations of large-scale dynamos in a shearing box with helically forced turbulence. As an initial condition, we either take a weak random magnetic field or we start from a snapshot of an earlier simulation. Two quasi-stable states are found to coexist in a certain range of parameters close to the onset of the large-scale dynamo. The simulations converge to one of these states depending on the initial conditions. When either the fractional helicity or the magnetic Prandtl number is increased between successive runs above the critical value for onset of the dynamo, the field strength jumps to a finite value. However, when the fractional helicity or the magnetic Prandtl number is then decreased again, the field strength stays at a similar value (strong field branch) even below the original onset. We also observe intermittent decaying phases away from the strong field branch close to the point where large-scale dynamo action is just possible. The dynamo hysteresis seen previously in mean-field models is thus reproduced by 3D simulations. Its possible relation to distinct modes of solar activity such as grand minima is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Multiple lensing of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies

We study the gravitational lensing effect on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies performing a ray-tracing of the primordial CMB photons through intervening large-scale structures (LSS) distribution predicted by N-Body numerical simulations with a particular focus on the precise recovery of the lens-induced polarized counterpart of the source plane. We apply both a multiple plane ray-tracing and an effective deflection approach based on the Born approximation to deflect the CMB photons trajectories through the simulated lightcone. We discuss the results obtained with both these methods together with the impact of LSS non-linear evolution on the CMB temperature and polarization power spectra. We compare our results with semi-analytical approximations implemented in Boltzmann codes like, e.g., CAMB. We show that, with our current N-body setup, the predicted lensing power is recovered with good accuracy in a wide range of multipoles while excess power with respect to semi-analytic prescriptions is observed in the lensing potential on scales ℓ ∼> 3000. We quantify the impact of the numerical effects connected to the resolution in the N-Body simulation together with the resolution and band-limit chosen to synthesise the CMB source plane. We found these quantities to be particularly important for the simulation of B-mode polarization power spectrum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

How to simulate global cosmic strings with large string tension

Global string networks may be relevant in axion production in the early Universe, as well as other cosmological scenarios. Such networks contain a large hierarchy of scales between the string core scale and the Hubble scale, ln( f {sub a} / H ) ∼ 70, which influences the network dynamics by giving the strings large tensions T ≅ π f {sub a} {sup 2} ln( f {sub a} / H ). We present a new numerical approach to simulate such global string networks, capturing the tension without an exponentially large lattice.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

TURBULENT SHEAR ACCELERATION

We consider particle acceleration by large-scale incompressible turbulence with a length scale larger than the particle mean free path. We derive an ensemble-averaged transport equation of energetic charged particles from an extended transport equation that contains the shear acceleration. The ensemble-averaged transport equation describes particle acceleration by incompressible turbulence (turbulent shear acceleration). We find that for Kolmogorov turbulence, the turbulent shear acceleration becomes important on small scales. Moreover, using Monte Carlo simulations, we confirm that the ensemble-averaged transport equation describes the turbulent shear acceleration.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

SCALING PROPERTIES OF SMALL-SCALE FLUCTUATIONS IN MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBULENCE

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in the majority of natural systems, including the interstellar medium, the solar corona, and the solar wind, has Reynolds numbers far exceeding the Reynolds numbers achievable in numerical experiments. Much attention is therefore drawn to the universal scaling properties of small-scale fluctuations, which can be reliably measured in the simulations and then extrapolated to astrophysical scales. However, in contrast with hydrodynamic turbulence, where the universal structure of the inertial and dissipation intervals is described by the Kolmogorov self-similarity, the scaling for MHD turbulence cannot be established based solely on dimensional arguments due to the presence of an intrinsic velocity scale—the Alfvén velocity. In this Letter, we demonstrate that the Kolmogorov first self-similarity hypothesis cannot be formulated for MHD turbulence in the same way it is formulated for the hydrodynamic case. Besides profound consequences for the analytical consideration, this also imposes stringent conditions on numerical studies of MHD turbulence. In contrast with the hydrodynamic case, the discretization scale in numerical simulations of MHD turbulence should decrease faster than the dissipation scale, in order for the simulations to remain resolved as the Reynolds number increases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-322: A Comparison of Two Si Detectors for in Vivo Dosimetry

Purpose: To compare two types of semiconductor detectors for in vivo dosimetry by their dependence from various parameters in different conditions. Methods: QED yellow (Sun Nuclear) and EDP (Scanditronix) Si detectors were radiated by a Varian Clinac 2300 ix with 6 and 18 MV energies. 10 cm thickness water equivalent phantom consisted of 30×30 cm{sup 2} squared plates was used for experiments. Dose dependencies for different beam angles (0 – 180°), field size (3–40 cm), dose (50 – 300 MU), and dose rates (50 – 300 MU/min) were obtained and calibrated with Standard Farmer chamber (PTW). Results: Reproducibility, linearity, dose rate, angular dependence, and field size dependence were obtained for QED and EDP. They show no dose-rate dependence in available clinical dose rate range (100–600 MU/min). Both diodes have linear dependence with increasing the dose. Therefore even in case of high radiation therapy (including total body irradiation) it is not necessary to apply an additional correction during in vivo dosimetry. The diodes have different behavior for angular and field size dependencies. QED diode showed that dose value is stable for beam angles from 0 to 60°, for 60–180° correction factor has to be applied for each beam angle during in vivo measurements. For EDP diode dose value is sensitive to beam angle in whole range of angles. Conclusion: The study shows that QED diode is more suitable for in vivo dosimetry due to dose value independence from incident beam angle in the range 0–60°. There is no need in correction factors for increasing of dose and dose rate for both diodes. The next step will be to carry out measurements in non-standard conditions of total body irradiation. After this modeling of these experiments with Monte Carlo simulation for comparison calculated and obtained data is planned.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

TU-FG-BRB-07: GPU-Based Prompt Gamma Ray Imaging From Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to perform the fast reconstruction of a prompt gamma ray image using a graphics processing unit (GPU) computation from boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) simulations. Methods: To evaluate the accuracy of the reconstructed image, a phantom including four boron uptake regions (BURs) was used in the simulation. After the Monte Carlo simulation of the BNCT, the modified ordered subset expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm using the GPU computation was used to reconstruct the images with fewer projections. The computation times for image reconstruction were compared between the GPU and the central processing unit (CPU). Also, the accuracy of the reconstructed image was evaluated by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The image reconstruction time using the GPU was 196 times faster than the conventional reconstruction time using the CPU. For the four BURs, the area under curve values from the ROC curve were 0.6726 (A-region), 0.6890 (B-region), 0.7384 (C-region), and 0.8009 (D-region). Conclusion: The tomographic image using the prompt gamma ray event from the BNCT simulation was acquired using the GPU computation in order to perform a fast reconstruction during treatment. The authors verified the feasibility of the prompt gamma ray reconstruction using the GPU computation for BNCT simulations.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP1-01: Bias and Computational Efficiency of Variance Reduction Methods for the Monte Carlo Simulation of Imaging Detectors

Purpose: Variance reduction techniques (VRTs) are employed in Monte Carlo simulations to obtain estimates with reduced statistical uncertainty for a given simulation time. In this work, we study the bias and efficiency of a VRT for estimating the response of imaging detectors. Methods: We implemented Directed Sampling (DS), preferentially directing a fraction of emitted optical photons directly towards the detector by altering the isotropic model. The weight of each optical photon is appropriately modified to maintain simulation estimates unbiased. We use a Monte Carlo tool called fastDETECT2 (part of the hybridMANTIS open-source package) for optical transport, modified for VRT. The weight of each photon is calculated as the ratio of original probability (no VRT) and the new probability for a particular direction. For our analysis of bias and efficiency, we use pulse height spectra, point response functions, and Swank factors. We obtain results for a variety of cases including analog (no VRT, isotropic distribution), and DS with 0.2 and 0.8 optical photons directed towards the sensor plane. We used 10,000, 25-keV primaries. Results: The Swank factor for all cases in our simplified model converged fast (within the first 100 primaries) to a stable value of 0.9. The root mean square error per pixel for DS VRT for the point response function between analog and VRT cases was approximately 5e-4. Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggest that DS VRT does not affect the estimate of the mean for the Swank factor. Our findings indicate that it may be possible to design VRTs for imaging detector simulations to increase computational efficiency without introducing bias.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Verifying the reciprocity of interparticle interaction forces in strongly coupled systems

We propose a simple criterion for revealing the breaking of pair interaction symmetry in strongly coupled dissipative systems. The criterion is based on the analysis of correlations between the velocities of strongly interacting particles, which can be measured relatively easily in experiments with macroparticles in various media. We derive analytic relations that make it possible to calculate the derivatives of the interaction force between a pair of particles from the data on the correlations of their velocities and coordinates. The proposed criterion and relations are verified using the results of numerical simulation of the dynamics of dust particles in a plasma.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Parametric decay of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in relativistic plasma

Parametric instability of an extraordinary electromagnetic wave in plasma preheated to a relativistic temperature is considered. A set of self-similar nonlinear differential equations taking into account the electron “thermal” mass is derived and investigated. Small perturbations of the parameters of the heated plasma are analyzed in the linear approximation by using the dispersion relation determining the phase velocities of the fast and slow extraordinary waves. In contrast to cold plasma, the evanescence zone in the frequency range above the electron upper hybrid frequency vanishes and the asymptotes of both branches converge. Theoretical analysis of the set of nonlinear equations shows that the growth rate of decay instability increases with increasing initial temperature of plasma electrons. This result is qualitatively confirmed by numerical simulations of plasma heating by a laser pulse injected from vacuum.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Synthesis of Electron-Optical Systems with Compression of Sheet Beam for Terahertz TWTs

Electron-optical systems are synthesized to form a converging sheet electron beam with a compression of 15 and 20, a cross section of 0.05 × 2 mm, and a current density of 100 A/cm{sup 2} in the presence of complete magnetic shielding of field-emission cathode. Deformation of low-perveance flux in the presence of magnetic field in the drift tunnel of slow-wave structure is analyzed with the aid of 3D computer simulation of the electron-optical system with the sheet electron beam.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Dakota Uncertainty Quantification Methods Applied to the CFD code Nek5000

This report presents the state of advancement of a Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) project to characterize the uncertainty of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code Nek5000 using the Dakota package for flows encountered in the nuclear engineering industry. Nek5000 is a high-order spectral element CFD code developed at Argonne National Laboratory for high-resolution spectral-filtered large eddy simulations (LESs) and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

FORMATION OF GLOBULAR CLUSTERS IN ATOMIC-COOLING HALOS VIA RAPID GAS CONDENSATION AND FRAGMENTATION DURING THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION

We investigate the formation of metal-poor globular clusters (GCs) at the center of two dark matter halos with M{sub halo}∼4×10{sup 7} M{sub ⊙} at z>10 using cosmological radiation-hydrodynamics simulations. We find that very compact (≲1 pc) and massive (∼6×10{sup 5} M{sub ⊙}) clusters form rapidly when pristine gas collapses isothermally with the aid of efficient Lyα emission during the transition from molecular-cooling halos to atomic-cooling halos. Because the local free-fall time of dense star-forming gas is very short (≪1 Myr), a large fraction of the collapsed gas is turned into stars before stellar feedback processes blow out the gas and shut down star formation. Although the early stage of star formation is limited to a small region of the central star-forming disk, we find that the disk quickly fragments due to metal enrichment from supernovae. Sub-clusters formed in the fragmented clouds eventually merge with the main cluster at the center. The simulated clusters closely resemble the local GCs in mass and size but show a metallicity spread that is much wider than found in the local GCs. We discuss a role of pre-enrichment by Pop III and II stars as a potential solution to the latter issue. Although not without shortcomings, it is encouraging that a naive blind (not tuned) cosmological simulation presents a possible channel for the formation of at least some massive GCs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Tracking the Magnetic Flux in and Around Sunspots

We have developed a procedure for tracking sunspots observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on the Solar Dynamics Observatory and for making curvature-corrected space/time maps of the associated line-of-sight magnetic field and continuum intensity. We apply this procedure to 36 sunspots, each observed continuously for nine days around its central meridian passage time, and find that the proper motions separate into two distinct components depending on their speeds. Fast (∼3–5 km s{sup −1}) motions, comparable to Evershed flows, are produced by weak vertical fluctuations of the horizontal canopy field and recur on a timescale of 12–20 min. Slow (∼0.3–0.5 km s{sup −1}) motions diverge from a sunspot-centered ring whose location depends on the size of the sunspot, occurring in the mid-penumbra for large sunspots and at the outer edge of the penumbra for small sunspots. The slow ingoing features are contracting spokes of a quasi-vertical field of umbral polarity. These inflows disappear when the sunspot loses its penumbra, and may be related to inward-moving penumbral grain. The slow outgoing features may have either polarity depending on whether they originate from quasi-vertical fields of umbral polarity or from the outer edge of the canopy. When a sunspot decays, the penumbra and canopy disappear, and the moat becomes filled with slow outflows of umbral polarity. We apply our procedure to decaying sunspots, to long-lived sunspots, and to numerical simulations of a long-lived sunspot by Rempel.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗