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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 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Stochastic mixing of protons from chaotic orbits in the nightside geomagnetosphere

The stochastic mixing of protons in the energy range from 1 to 30 keV in the nightside magnetosphere is studied by calculating the local divergence rate of neighboring orbits and the two-time velocity correlation function. The rate of divergence of neighboring bundles of trajectories is shown to have large bursts with average separation times of order 1 minute per e-folding during the crossing of the central plasma sheet in the region beyond -50 Re. For the Tsyganenko magnetosphere the net amount of orbit divergence is 15 to 20 e-foldings in one hour. The velocity correlations are shown to decay as power laws r-m with a distribution of m values. These results indicate that for short time (less than 1 hour) there is reversibility and memory for the protons but for longer times there is no memory for protons in the nightside magnetosphere.

Horton, W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Modeling the Europa plasma torus

The existence of a torus of plasma generated by sputtering from Jupiter's satellite Europa has long been suspected but never yet convincingly demonstrated. Temperature profiles from Voyager plasma observations indicate the presence of hot, possibly freshly picked-up ions in the general vicinity of the orbit of Europa, which may be interpreted as evidence for a local plasma torus. Studies of ion partitioning in the outer regions of the Io torus reveal that the oxygen to sulfur mixing ratio varies with radial distance; this may indicates that oxygen-rich matter is injected from a non-Io source, most probably Europa. We have constructed a quantitative model of a plasma torus near the orbit of Europa which takes into account plasma input from the Io torus, sputtering from the surface of Europa, a great number of ionization and charge exchange processes, and plasma loss by diffusive transport. When the transport time is chosen so that the model's total number density in consistent with the observed total plasma density, the contribution from Europa is found to be significant although not dominant. The model predicts in detail the ion composition, charge states, and the relative fractions of hot Europa-generated and (presumed) cold Io-generated ions. The results are generally consistent with observations from Voyager and can in principle (subject to limitations of data coverage) be confirmed in more detail by Ulysses.

Schreier, Ron↗
NASA NTRS2004

New Perspectives from Satellite and Profile Observations on Tropospheric Ozone over Africa and the Adjacent Oceans: An Indian-Atlantic Ocean Link to tbe "Ozone Paradox"

In the past few years, tropospheric ozone observations of Africa and its adjacent ocenas have been greatly enhanced by high resolution (spatial and temporal) satellite measurements and profile data from aircraft (MOZAIC) and balloon-borne (SHADOZ) soundings. These views have demonstrated for the first time the complexity of chemical-dynamical interactions over the African continent and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The tropical Atlantic "ozone paradax" refers to the observation that during the season of maximum biomass burning in west Africa north of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the highest tropospheric ozone total column occurs south of the ITCZ over the tropical Atlantic. The longitudinal view of tropospheric ozone in the southern tropics from SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes) soundings shown the persistence of a "zonal-wave one" pattern that reinforces the "ozone paradox". These ozone features interact with dynamics over southern and northern Africa where anthropogenic sources include the industrial regions of the South African Highveld and Mideastern-Mediterranean influences, respectively. Our newest studies with satellites and soundings show that up to half the ozone pollution over the Atlantic in the January-March "paradox" period may originate from south Asian pollution. Individual patches of pollurion over the Indian Ocean are transported upward by convective mixing and are enriched by pyrogenic, biogenic sources and lightning as they cross Africa and descend over the Atlantic. In summary, local sources, intercontinental import and export and unique regional transport patterns put Africa at a crossroads of troposheric ozone influences.

Thompson, Anne M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Maps Suggest Transport and Source Processes of PM2.5 at 1 km x 1 km for the Whole San Joaquin Valley, Winter 2011 (Generalizations from DISCOVER-AQ)

We present interpreted data analysis using MAIAC (Multiangle implementation of Atmospheric Correction) retrievals and appropriate RAPid Update Cycle (RAP) meteorology to map respirable aerosol (PM2.5) for the period January and February, 2011. The San Joaquin Valley is one of the unhealthiest regions in the USA for PM2.5 and related morbidity. The methodology evaluated can be used for the entire moderate-resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS, VIIRS) data record. Other difficult areas of the West: Riverside, CA, Salt Lake City, UT, and Doa Ana County, NM share similar difficulties and solutions. The maps of boundary layer depth for 1116 hr local time from RAP allows us to interpret aerosol optical thickness as a concentration of particles in a nearly well-mixed box capped by clean air. That mixing is demonstrated by DISCOVER-AQ data and afternoon samples from the airborne measurements, P3B (on-board) and B200 (HSRL2 lidar). This data and the PM2.5 gathered at the deployment sites allowed us to estimate and then evaluate consistency and daily variation of the AOT to PM2.5 relationship. Mixed-effects modeling allowed a refinement of that relation from day to day; RAP mixed layers explained the success of previous mixed-effects modeling. Compositional, size-distribution, and MODIS angle-of-regard effects seem to describe the need for residual daily correction beyond ML depth.We report on an extension method to the entire San Joaquin Valley for all days with MODIS imagery using the permanent PM2.5 stations, evaluated for representativeness. Resulting map movies show distinct sources, particularly Interstate-5 (at approx. 1km x 1km resolution) and the broader Bakersfield area. Accompanying winds suggest transport effects and variable pathways of pollution cleanout. Such estimates should allow morbiditymortality studies. They should be also useful for actual model assimilations, where composition and sources are uncertain. We conclude with a description of new work to extend these insights to similar regions, e.g. interior valleys of California, the Po Valley, the Mediterranean litoral, and the Ganges Plain.This work show generalizable use of remote sensing, a major goal of DISCOVER-AQ, Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality.

Chatfield, R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Simulation and flow physics of a shocked and reshocked high-energy-density mixing layer

This work describes a computational investigation of multimode instability growth and multimaterial mixing induced by multiple shock waves in a high-energy-density (HED) environment, where pressures exceed 1 Mbar. The simulations are based on a series of experiments performed at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and designed as an HED analogue of non-HED shock-tube studies of the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability and turbulent mixing. A three-dimensional computational modelling framework is presented. It treats many complications absent from canonical non-HED shock-tube flows, including distinct ion and free-electron internal energies, non-ideal equations of state, radiation transport and plasma-state mass diffusivities, viscosities and thermal conductivities. The simulations are tuned to the available NIF data, and traditional statistical quantities of turbulence are analysed. Integrated measures of turbulent kinetic energy and enstrophy both increase by over an order of magnitude due to reshock. Large contributions to enstrophy production during reshock are seen from both the baroclinic source and enstrophy–dilatation terms, highlighting the significance of fluid compressibility in the HED regime. Dimensional analysis reveals that Reynolds numbers and diffusive Péclet numbers in the HED flow are similar to those in a canonical non-HED analogue, but conductive Péclet numbers are much smaller in the HED flow due to efficient thermal conduction by free electrons. It is shown that the mechanism of electron thermal conduction significantly softens local spanwise gradients of both temperature and density, which causes a minor but non-negligible decrease in enstrophy production and small-scale mixing relative to a flow without this mechanism.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2016

Analysis of Summer-Time Ozone and Precursor Species in the Southeast United States

Ozone (O3) is a greenhouse gas and toxic pollutant which plays a major role in air quality and atmospheric chemistry. The understanding and ability to model the horizontal and vertical structure of O3 mixing ratios is difficult due to the complex formation/destruction processes and transport pathways that cause large variability of O3. The Environmental Protection Agency has National Ambient Air Quality Standards for O3 set at 75 ppb with future standards proposed to be as low as 65 ppb. These lower values emphasize the need to better understand/simulate the transport processes, emission sources, and chemical processes controlling precursor species (e.g., NOx, VOCs, and CO) which influence O3 mixing ratios. The uncertainty of these controlling variables is particularly large in the southeast United States (US) which is a region impacted by multiple different emission sources of precursor species (anthropogenic and biogenic) and transport processes resulting in complex spatio-temporal O3 patterns. During this work we will evaluate O3 and precursor species in the southeast US applying models, ground-based and airborne in situ data, and lidar observations. In the summer of 2013, the UAH O3 Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) (part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet)) measured vertical O3 profiles from the surface up to approximately 12 km. During this period, the lidar observed numerous periods of dynamic temporal and vertical O3 structures. In order to determine the sources/processes impacting these O3 mixing ratios we will apply the CTM GEOS-Chem (v9-02) at a 0.25 deg x 0.3125 deg resolution. Using in situ ground-based (e.g., SEARCH Network, CASTNET), airborne (e.g., NOAA WP-3D - SENEX 2013, DC-8 - SEAC4RS), and TOLNet lidar data we will first evaluate the model to determine the capability of GEOS-Chem to simulate the spatio-temporal variability of O3 in the southeast US. Secondly, we will perform model sensitivity studies in order to quantify which emission sources (e.g., anthropogenic, biogenic, lighting, wildfire) and transport processes (e.g., stratospheric, long-range, local scale) are contributing to these TOLNet-observed dynamic O3 patterns. Results from the evaluation of the model and the study of sources/processes impacting observed O3 mixing ratios will be presented.

Optical Radar↗
DOE OSTI2022

Southern Ocean Precipitation Characteristics Observed From CloudSat and Ground Instrumentation During the Macquarie Island Cloud & Radiation Experiment (MICRE): April 2016 to March 2017

A 1-year blended surface precipitation data set using Parsivel disdrometer, surface W-band radar, and tipping bucket measurements is produced for the Macquarie Island Cloud and Radiation Experiment (MICRE) and compared with retrievals from CloudSat (spaceborne 94 GHz radar). Surface precipitation was observed 44% ± 4% of the time between April 2016 and March 2017. Precipitation composed primarily of small particles (diameter <1 mm) occurred about 36% ± 2% of the time, constituting 10% of total accumulation. Remaining precipitation contained enough large particles such that the disdrometer could be used to identify the precipitation type as rain, ice, snow or wet snow. Seasonal and annual statistics on frequency of occurrence and accumulation for each precipitation type observed during MICRE are presented. Most ice and mixed phase precipitation was shallow, originating at a height of 3 km or lower, and occurred most often when Macquarie Island was to the northwest of the nearest cyclonic low-pressure center. In contrast, rain was more often deep and occurred most frequently when the island was to the southeast of cyclonic lows. A weak diurnal cycle in frequency and mean rate was present with a minimum between 12:00 and 14:00 local time and maximum between 03:00 and 06:00 local time. The CloudSat 2C-Precip-Column product missed the lightest precipitation (because the near-surface reflectivity is <-15 dBZ) and overestimated total liquid precipitation and occurrence of mixed phase precipitation, but captured reasonably well the distribution of rain rates for rates >0.5 mm/hr.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Galileo Probe: How it Has Changed Our Understanding of Jupiter

The Galileo Mission to Jupiter, which arrived in December of 1995, provided the first study by an orbiter, and the first in-situ sampling via an entry probe, of an outer planet atmosphere. The rationale for an entry probe is that, even from an orbiter, remote sensing of the jovian atmosphere could not adequately retrieve the information desired. This paper provides a current summary of the most significant aspects of the data returned from the Galileo entry probe. As a result of the probe measurements, there has been a reassessment of our understanding of outer planet formation and evolution of the solar system. The primary scientific objective of the Galileo probe was to determine the composition of the jovian atmosphere, which from remote sensing remained either very uncertain, or completely unknown, with respect to several key elements. The probe found that the global He mass fraction is. significantly above the value reported from the Voyager Jupiter flybys but is slightly below the protosolar value, implying that there has been some settling of He to the deep jovian interior. The probe He measurements have also led to a reevaluation of the Voyager He mass fraction for Saturn, which is now determined to be much closer to that of Jupiter. The elements C, N, S, Ar, Kr, Xe were all found to have global abundances approximately 3 times their respective solar abundances. This result has raised a number of fundamental issues with regard to properties of planetesimals and the solar nebula at the time of giant planet formation. Ne, on the other hand, was found to be highly depleted, probably as the result of it being carried along with helium as helium settles towards the deep interior. The global abundance of O was not obtained by the probe because of the influence of local processes at the probe entry site (PES), processes which depleted condensible species, in this case H2O, well below condensation levels. Other condensible species, namely NH3 and H2S, were similarly affected but attained their deep equilibrium mixing ratios before the maximum depth sampled by the probe. Processes that might be capable of producing such effects on the condensibles are still under investigation. Measured isotopic ratios of noble gases and other heavy elements are solar, and (D + (Sup 3)He)/H is the same to within measurement uncertainties as in the local interstellar medium. No thick clouds were detected, and in particular no significant water cloud, but the PES location clearly affected the probe measurements of clouds. In fact, the probe data must be understood in the context of the location of the PES, which was within what is termed a 5 micron hot spot, a local clearing in the clouds that is bright near the 5 microns spectral region. The thermal structure at the PES was determined from approximately 1000 km above the 1 bar pressure level (10(exp -9 bars)) to 132 km 1 bar (22bars). The probe showed the atmosphere to have a generally sub-adiabatic temperature gradient (static stability) of = 0.1 K/km to as deep as the probe made measurements. In the upper atmosphere the probe derived a maximum positive vertical temperature gradient of approximately 5 K/km, and maximum temperature of = 900 K. The energy sources producing the warm upper atmosphere have yet to be completely identified. At first glance, Doppler tracking of the probe indicates that the long observed cloud level zonal winds extend to levels at least as deep as the probe made measurements. Zonal wind increases from = 80 m/s at pressures less than a bar to about 180 m/s near 5 bars, and remains approximately constant with depth thereafter. However, there is a question as to whether the winds measured from probe tracking are representative of the general wind field, or are considerably influenced by localized winds associated with the PES.

Young, Richard E.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Self-similarity of scalar isosurface area density in a temporal mixing layer

Understanding the behaviour of scalar isosurfaces in a turbulent flow is of particular interest for many problems in turbulent mixing that contain sharp interfaces between regions of the flow. Common examples include combustion, where the chemical reactions occur in thin regions within the flow, and the turbulent/non-turbulent interface in shear flows, where a thin region separates the rotational, turbulent motions from the irrotational, non-turbulent background. Recent advances in computing technology allow for in-depth analysis of these interface problems that are difficult to quantify in a laboratory setting. In this paper, the results of a direct numerical simulation of a passive scalar $\varPhi$ evolving on a turbulent, temporally developing mixing layer are described. A novel approach has been taken to calculate the surface area of individual scalar isosurfaces, $A_{iso}$ , throughout the simulation, as well as the mean isosurface area density, $\varSigma$ , as a function of the cross-stream direction and time. A notable finding is that the profiles of $\varSigma$ develop in a self-similar manner when scaled by the Taylor scale of the scalar field, $\lambda _\phi$ . Remarkably, the scaling appears to hold for a wide range of isovalues. A rough scaling argument based on the formal definition of $\varSigma$ and properties of a temporal mixing layer is presented which also exposes a dependence on $\lambda _\phi$ . Based on these results, a possible scaling for the isosurface area is presented as $A_{iso}/A_0 \sim (Re \, Sc)^{1/2}$ , where $Re$ and $Sc$ are local Reynolds and Schmidt numbers, respectively.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2011

SO2 Emissions and Lifetimes: Estimates from Inverse Modeling Using In Situ and Global, Space-Based (SCIAMACHY and OMI) Observations

Top-down constraints on global sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions are inferred through inverse modeling using SO2 column observations from two satellite instruments (SCIAMACHY and OMI). We first evaluated the S02 column observations with surface SO2 measurements by applying local scaling factors from a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to SO2 columns retrieved from the satellite instruments. The resulting annual mean surface SO2 mixing ratios for 2006 exhibit a significant spatial correlation (r=0.86, slope=0.91 for SCIAMACHY and r=0.80, slope = 0.79 for OMI) with coincident in situ measurements from monitoring networks throughout the United States and Canada. We evaluate the GEOS-Chem simulation of the SO2 lifetime with that inferred from in situ measurements to verity the applicability of GEOS-Chem for inversion of SO2 columns to emissions. The seasonal mean SO2 lifetime calculated with the GEOS-Chem model over the eastern United States is 13 h in summer and 48 h in winter, compared to lifetimes inferred from in situ measurements of 19 +/- 7 h in summer and 58 +/- 20 h in winter. We apply SO2 columns from SCIAMACHY and OMI to derive a top-down anthropogenic SO2 emission inventory over land by using the local GEOS-Chem relationship between SO2 columns and emissions. There is little seasonal variation in the top-down emissions (<15%) over most major industrial regions providing some confidence in the method. Our global estimate for annual land surface anthropogenic SO2 emissions (52.4 Tg S/yr from SCIAMACHY and 49.9 Tg S / yr from OMI) closely agrees with the bottom-up emissions (54.6 Tg S/yr) in the GEOS-Chem model and exhibits consistency in global distributions with the bottom-up emissions (r = 0.78 for SCIAMACHY, and r = 0.77 for OMI). However, there are significant regional differences.

Lee, Chulkyu↗
DOE OSTI2023

Insights of Boundary Layer Turbulence Over the Complex Terrain of Central Himalaya from GVAX Field Campaign

Limited observations hinder understanding of turbulent characteristics in mountainous terrain resulting from heating or cooling of slopes, wind, vertical motions, and heat or moisture advection, which disperse aerosols and other pollutants over the region. In this study, the 1290 MHz radar wind profiler data are utilized to compute the boundary layer height (BLH), the refractive index structure constant (C n 2 ), and the energy dissipation rate (ε) over the central Himalayan site for the period of November 2011 to March 2012, from the intense Ganges Valley Aerosol Experiment (GVAX) field measurements. The radar wind profiler (RWP) based estimation of BLH and ε is validated against the radiosonde, representing the effectiveness of the datasets for further investigation. The strong seasonal variation of log C n 2 and log ε, with average values of ≈ -12 m -2/3 and -2 m 2 s -3 , respectively, is associated with the mountain-induced local circulations and stability in the atmospheric boundary layer. The weak stratification during weak flow is found to be responsible for deep mixing, particularly in the nocturnal boundary layer in spring. Furthermore, the level of cloud cover significantly impacts the strength of turbulence, with the highest cloud cover resulting in a substantial increase in log C n 2 (approximately -11 m -2/3 ) due to intense updraft and downdraft motions compared to clear skies. Additionally, the distribution of aerosol loading across the site, coupled with the behavior of BLH, atmospheric stability, and orographic-induced circulations, implies distinctive seasonal mechanisms for transporting aerosols toward the mountains. This study offers valuable insights into the diurnal and seasonal patterns of turbulent mixing and the mechanisms behind the transport of pollutants through boundary layer processes over the region.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Uncertainty quantification for competing failure mechanisms in unidirectionally reinforced carbon–carbon composites

Microstructure-informed finite element models play a key role in the carbon–carbon composite design process. Variability in manufacturing process parameters and experimental limitations introduce model parameter uncertainty. This study quantifies the effect of model parameter uncertainty on transverse tensile fracture behavior and proposes a methodology to predict the failure mode based on competing microscale damage mechanisms. Finite element simulations incorporate fiber–matrix interface debonding with cohesive zones and matrix damage with a smeared crack band approach in a unidirectional carbon–carbon composite. Results from a variance-based global sensitivity analysis identifies interfacial and matrix damage parameters as the primary source of variability in fracture behavior. Sobol’ indices indicate that matrix and cohesive zone strengths contribute 94% of the variance in the effective ultimate stress. A local analysis elucidates the relationship between these constituent strength parameters and failure mode by estimating the probability of cohesive, matrix, and mixed-mode dominated failure. Based on the results for 4000 simulations, 93% exhibit mixed-mode or interfacial dominated failure, which underscores the crucial role of fiber–matrix interface debonding in the transverse tensile failure of carbon–carbon composites. These uncertainty quantification results facilitate more efficient model calibration and provide a framework for microstructure-informed failure predictions in the face of manufacturing-induced uncertainty.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Anion and Cation Migration at 2D/3D Halide Perovskite Interfaces

Here, this study explores the ionic dynamics in 2D/3Dperovskite solar cells, which are known for their improved efficiency and stability. The focus is on the impact of halide choice in 3D perovskites treated with phenethylammonium halide salts (PEAX, X = Br and I). Our findings reveal that light and heat drive ionic migration in these structures, with PEA + species diffusing into the 3D film in PEABr-treated samples. Mixed-halide 3D perovskites show halide interdiffusion, with bromine migrating to the surface and iodine diffusing into the film. Cathodoluminescence microscopy reveals localized 2Dphases on the 3D perovskite, which become more evenly distributed after thermal treatment. Both PEAX salts enhance the performance of photovoltaic devices. This improvement is attributed to the passivation capabilities of the salts themselves and their respective Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) phases. Annealed PEAI-treated devices show a better balance between efficiency and statistical distribution of photovoltaic parameters.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Seasonal Variability in Local Carbon Dioxide Biomass Burning Sources Over Central and Eastern US Using Airborne In Situ Enhancement Ratios

We present observations of local enhancements in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from local emissions sources over three eastern US regions during four deployments of the Atmospheric Carbon Transport-America (ACT-America) campaign between summer 2016 and spring 2018. Local CO 2 emissions were characterized by carbon monoxide (CO) to CO 2 enhancement ratios (i.e., ΔCO/ΔCO 2 ) in air mass mixing observed during aircraft transects within the planetary boundary layer. By analyzing regional-scale variability of CO 2 enhancements as a function of ΔCO/ΔCO 2 enhancement ratios, observed relative contributions to CO 2 emissions were separated into fossil fuel and biomass burning (BB) regimes across regions and seasons. CO 2 emission contributions attributed to biomass burning (ΔCO/ΔCO 2 > 4%) were negligible during summer and fall in all regions but climbed to ∼9%–11% of observed combustion contributions in the South during winter and spring. Relative CO 2 fire emission trends matched observed winter and spring BB contributions, but conflictingly predicted similar levels of BB during the fall. Satellite fire data from MODIS and VIIRS suggested the use of higher spatial resolution fire data that might improve modeled BB emissions but were not able to explain the bulk of the discrepancy.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Resolving discrepancies in bang-time predictions for indirect-drive ICF experiments on the NIF: Insights from the Build-A-Hohlraum campaign

This study investigated discrepancies between measured and simulated x-ray drive in Indirect-Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ID-ICF) hohlraums at the National Ignition Facility. Despite advances in radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, a consistent “drive deficit” remains. Experimentally measured ID-ICF capsule bang-times are systematically 400–700 ps later than simulations predict. The Build-A-Hohlraum (BAH) campaign explored potential causes for this discrepancy by systematically varying hohlraum features, including laser entrance hole (LEH) windows, capsules, and gas fills. Overall, the agreement between simulated and experimental x-ray drive was found to be largely unaffected by these changes. The data allow us to exclude some hypotheses put forward to potentially explain the discrepancy. Errors in the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) atomic modeling, errors in the modeling of LEH closure, and errors due to a lack of plasma species mix physics in simulations are shown to be inconsistent with our measurements. Instead, the data support the hypothesis that errors in NLTE emission modeling are a significant contributor to the discrepancy. X-ray emission in the 2–4 keV range is found to be approximately 30% lower than in simulations. This is accompanied by higher than predicted electron temperatures in the gold bubble region, pointing to errors in non-LTE modeling. Introducing an opacity multiplier of 0.87 on energy groups above 1.8 keV improves agreement with experimental data, reducing the bang-time discrepancy from 300 to 100 ps. These results underscore the need for refined NLTE opacity models to enhance the predictive power of hohlraum simulations.

Band emission↗
DOE OSTI2024

Osmotic and phoretic competition explains chemotaxic assembly and sorting

Microscale objects responding to chemical gradients by migrating toward or away from a preferred species is a simple yet constitutive mechanism by which transport occurs in biological organisms. Synthetic chemotaxis provides key physical descriptions of simplified systems that can be used in biological models, or in the creation of advanced responsive material systems. In this article, we provide a quantitative framework for understanding synthetic chemotaxis of microparticles which involves a competition between phoresis and osmosis. We present separate quantitative measurements of phoresis and osmosis acting on individual taxing particles, finding that phoresis follows the long-predicted v ∼ 1 / r 2 scaling while the osmotic contribution depends on the geometry and details of the system, and must be solved on a case-by-case basis. Through this, we are able to develop a more accurate picture of particle transport at the single particle level. Equipped with this approach, we go on to describe how high concentrations of particles in a symmetric chemical gradient grow close-packed hives that reach a steady-state size tunable through light intensity or particle size. Last, we demonstrate that mixed particles experiencing the same chemical gradient will selectively migrate toward or away depending on the nature of the particle surface, thereby locally sorting out a particular species. We anticipate these results will be important in describing both biological and synthetic chemotaxis in phoretic systems and should bring a wealth of studies that take advantage of competing osmotic flows to illicit unexpected dynamic active behavior.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Probing dark matter isocurvature with primordial non-Gaussianity

Multiple fields can become dynamical during the inflationary epoch. We consider an example where a light field acquires isocurvature fluctuations during inflation and contributes to the dark matter abundance at late times. Interactions between the light field and the adiabatic sector contribute to mixed adiabatic-isocurvature non-Gaussianity (NG). We show the resulting form of NG has a different kinematic dependence than the `local shape' commonly considered, and highlight the parameter space where a dedicated search is expected to significantly improve the current Planck sensitivity. Here, we interpret our results in the context of the QCD axion and illustrate how the proposed NG searches can improve upon the existing searches for isocurvature power spectrum and bispectrum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Variational Monte Carlo calculations of n + H 3 scattering

A paramount goal in nuclear physics is to unify ab initio treatments of bound and unbound states. The position-space quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods have a long history of successful bound-state calculations in light systems but have seen minimal implementation in unbound systems. Here, we introduce a numerical method to improve the efficiency and accuracy of unbound-state calculations in QMC. As an initial application, we compute scattering observables for the smallest system available to probe three-body forces, the neutron-triton system, using variational Monte Carlo (VMC) wave functions. The method involves inferring long-range amplitudes in the wave function from integrals over the short-range region where all the particles interact. This approach using integral relations is well established in the literature; here, we develop it for the QMC framework. We validate our approach with a consistency check between short-range spectroscopic overlap functions computed from direct evaluation and from the integral relations; scattering amplitudes are long-range asymptotics of those overlaps. Comparison against published benchmark calculations using the same potential demonstrates that when applied to the current VMC wave functions, the integral method produces more accurate scattering observables than direct evaluation from the same variational wave function. However, it still differs noticeably from the exact results. Using additional interactions, we then present phase shifts and mixing parameters for the n + 3 H system. In particular, we present one of the first applications of the Norfolk family of local coordinate-space chiral potentials in unbound systems of A > 2. The Norfolk results accurately describe s-wave scattering but predict p-wave cross sections too large. Compared with previous QMC scattering calculations, the integral method avoids difficulties associated with the precise computation of energy differences and with convergence outside the interaction region, which is particularly severe in the variational calculation. Application of the integral method here paves the way for its use in Green's function Monte Carlo (GFMC) calculations. In GFMC, the wave functions are more accurate, but the high-precision convergence of their tails is slow, and there are additional difficulties in reading out amplitudes. Here, the integral methods will address both of those remaining problems.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗