Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Los Alamos”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Isotopically resolved neutron total cross sections at intermediate energies

The neutron total cross sections σ tot of 16,18 O, 58 64 Ni, 103 Rh, and 112,124 Sn have been measured at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center from low to intermediate energies (3 ≤ E lab ≤ 450 MeV) by leveraging wave-form-digitizer technology. The σ tot relative differences between isotopes are presented, revealing additional information about the isovector components needed for an accurate optical-model description away from stability. Digitizer-enabled σ tot -measurement techniques are discussed and a series of uncertainty-quantified dispersive optical model (DOM) analyses using these new data is presented, validating the use of the DOM for modeling light systems ( 16,18 O) and systems with open neutron shells ( 58,64 Ni and 112,124 Sn). Here, the valence-nucleon spectroscopic factors extracted for each isotope reaffirm the usefulness of high-energy proton reaction cross sections for characterizing depletion from the mean-field expectation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement of the 239 Pu$(n, f$) prompt fission neutron spectrum from 10 keV to 10 MeV induced by neutrons of energy 1–20 MeV

Although the prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) is an essential component of neutron-driven systems that has been measured for decades, there are still multiple glaring unknowns regarding the PFNS of major actinides in the fission neutron incident energy range, specifically with regard to multichance fission and pre-equilibrium neutron emission processes. The only impactful experimental 239 Pu PFNS measurements included in recent nuclear data evaluations were measured over a limited outgoing neutron energy range at thermal and 1.5-MeV average incident neutron energy, while other potentially impactful measurements have been shown to contain errors that resulted in either large uncertainty increases or in complete exclusion from nuclear data evaluation. Here, we report a measurement of the 239 Pu PFNS over a wide range of incident neutron energy (1–20 MeV) and three orders of magnitude in outgoing neutron energy (0.01–10 MeV) resulting from the Chi-Nu experiment at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. These results are the combination of separate PFNS measurements in the same experimental area, one using a Li-glass and the other a liquid scintillator detector array. Covariances between all PFNS data points from each detector and within each incident energy range were generated between all other data in both detector arrays and within all other incident neutron energy bins, yielding a single covariance matrix for all 1300 PFNS data points reported here. These covariances are based on a thorough assessment of systematic bias and uncertainties associated with the measurement, PFNS extraction technique, combination of data from each detector type, and other aspects of the analysis. The existence of covariances between PFNS data points in different incident neutron energy ranges yielded covariances between average PFNS energy values at each incident energy to be reported here as well, which allowed for firm statements to be made regarding a shape of a purely experimental mean PFNS energy trend for the first time. Although minor PFNS shape differences exist between the results reported here and recent nuclear data evaluations, the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 PFNS evaluations agree reasonably well with the present results from 1-to 10-MeV incident neutron energy, which spans the well-measured 1.5-MeV incident neutron energy PFNS from Lestone and Shores as well as the onset of second-chance fission. However, while the pre-equilibrium component of the PFNS above 12-MeV incident neutron energy roughly agrees in position and magnitude with ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3, clear differences relating to the relative magnitude of third-chance fission PFNS features are present in the PFNS shape and in the mean PFNS energy trends.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Total kinetic energy release in the fast-neutron-induced fission of Np 237

The total kinetic energy (TKE) release in the fast neutron-induced fission of 237Np was measured for neutron energies from En = 2.6–100 MeV at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center at the Weapons Neutron Research facility. The post-TKE release decreases nonlinearly with increasing incident neutron energy and can be represented as TKE(MeV) = (174.38 ± 0.72) – (5.11 ± 0.5821) log 10 E n for En > 1 MeV. Analysis of the fragment mass distributions indicates that the decrease in TKE with increasing E n is a consequence of the fading out of shell effects at high excitation energies (resulting in an increase of symmetric fission) and the decrease of the total kinetic energy associated with asymmetric fission with increasing E n .

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structure in the event-by-event energy-dependent neutron-$γ$ multiplicity correlations in 252 Cf(sf)

The emission of neutrons and γ rays by fission fragments reveal important information about the properties of fragments immediately following scission. The initial fragment properties, correlations between fragments, and emission competition give rise to correlations in neutron-γ emission. Recent theoretical and experimental advances have been proposed to explain the mechanism of angular momentum generation in fission, which would result in observable signature in neutron-γ emission correlations. In this paper, we present a novel analysis method of neutrons and γ rays emitted by fission fragments that allows us to discern structure in the observed correlations. We have analyzed data collected on 252 Cf (sf) at the Chi-Nu array at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Through our analysis of the energy-differential neutron-γ multiplicity covariance, we have observed enhanced neutron-γ correlations, corresponding to rotational band γ-ray transitions, at γ-ray energies of 0.7 and 1.2 MeV. To shed light on the origin of this structure, we compare the experimental data with the predictions of three model calculations. The origin of the observed correlation structure is understood in terms of a positive spin-energy correlation in the generation of angular momentum in fission.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Measurement of the U 235 ( n , f ) prompt fission neutron spectrum from 10 keV to 10 MeV induced by neutrons of energy from 1 MeV to 20 MeV

The characterization of fission-driven nuclear systems primarily relies on calculations of neutron-induced chain reactions, and these calculations require evaluated nuclear data as input. Calculation accuracy heavily depends on input nuclear data evaluation accuracy, and thus high precision on the experimental input to the nuclear data evaluation is essential for fundamental quantities like the energy spectrum of neutrons emitted from neutron-induced fission (i.e., the prompt fission neutron spectrum, PFNS). Despite decades of measurement efforts, prior to the measurements described in this work there were only three literature data sets for the 235 U(n,f) PFNS at incident neutron energies above 1.0 MeV considered reliable for inclusion in nuclear data evaluations and no reliable data sets above 3.0 MeV incident neutron energy. In this work we report on new measurements of the 235 U(n,f) PFNS spanning a grid of 1.0–20.0 MeV in incident neutron energy and 0.01–10.0 MeV in outgoing (PFNS) neutron energy. These measurements were carried out at the Weapons Neutron Research facility at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and used a multifoil parallel-plate avalanche counter target with both a Li-glass and a liquid scintillator detector array in separate experiments to span the quoted outgoing neutron energy ranges. The PFNS results are shown in terms of the energy spectra themselves as well as the average PFNS energy $(\langle{E}\rangle)$ and ratios of $\langle{E}\rangle$ at forward and backward angles. Here, the results are compared with literature data and selected nuclear data evaluations. Generally, the data agree with the ENDF/B-VIII.0 evaluation below 5.0-MeV incident neutron energy and more closely with the JEFF-3.3 evaluation above 5.0 MeV, though no evaluations considered for comparison in this work agree with the data across all of the incident and outgoing neutron energies shown, especially in regions where the third-chance fission process becomes available. Additionally, we show a ratio of the present PFNS results for 235 U(n, f) with a recent and highly correlated experiment to measure the 239 Pu(n, f) PFNS at the same experimental facility and with nearly identical equipment and analysis procedures. Many observations reported in this work are the first of their kind and represent significant advancements for knowledge of the 235 U(n, f) PFNS.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Study of charged-particle emission in neutron reactions on 10 B

The 10 B + n system has been studied by measuring charged particles from neutron-induced reactions in the 1 to 20 MeV energy range. Protons, deuterons, tritons, and α particles were measured at four angles using the pulsed white neutron spectrum at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Weapons Neutron Research facility. Differential cross sections for each species are reported. These new data are combined with literature data in an R-matrix analysis of the 11 B compound system. Furthermore, a comparison is made to the molecular and cluster states candidates observed in these reactions.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fill and dump measurement of the neutron lifetime using an asymmetric magneto-gravitational trap

The past two decades have yielded several new measurements and reanalysis of older measurements of the neutron lifetime. These have led to a 4.4 standard deviation discrepancy between the most precise measurements of the neutron decay rate producing protons in cold neutron beams and the most precise lifetime measured in neutron storage experiments. Measurements using different techniques are important for investigating whether there are unidentified systematic effects in any of the measurements. In this paper we report a new measurement using the Los Alamos asymmetric magneto-gravitational trap where the surviving neutrons are counted external to the trap using the fill and dump method. In this work, the new measurement gives a free neutron lifetime of $τ_n$ = 876.3(2.4) stat (0.8) syst . Although this measurement is not as precise, it is in statistical agreement with previous results using in situ counting in the same apparatus.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

β — -delayed fission in the coupled quasiparticle random-phase approximation plus Hauser-Feshbach approach

Beta-delayed neutron emission and β-delayed fission (βdf) probabilities were calculated for heavy, neutronrich nuclei using the Los Alamos coupled quasiparticle random-phase approximation plus Hauser-Feshbach (QRPA + HF) approach. In this model, the compound nucleus is initially populated by β decay and is followed through subsequent statistical decays taking into account competition among neutrons, γ rays, and fission. The primary output of these calculations includes branching ratios along with neutron and γ -ray spectra. Here, we find a relatively large region of heavy nuclides where the probability of βdf is near 100%. For a subset of nuclei near the neutron drip line, delayed neutron emission and the probability of fission are both large, which leads to the possibility of multichance βdf (mc-βdf). We comment on prospective neutron-rich nuclei that could be probed by future experimental campaigns and provide a full table of branching ratios in ASCII format in the Supplemental Material for use in various applications.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the 238 U( n,f ) prompt fission neutron spectrum from 10 keV to 10 MeV induced by neutrons with 1.5–20 MeV energy

With the recent emergence of fast nuclear reactors, there has been a corresponding increasing interest in 238 U-related nuclear data. However, while existing literature data span much of the energy ranges of interest for the prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) for neutron-induced fission of 238U, most literature data sets are highly correlated, and thus new, independent measurements of this quantity are needed. In this work, we report the results of a new measurement of the 238 U PFNS at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center for incident neutron energies from 1.5–20.0 MeV, and outgoing neutron energies of 0.01–10.0 MeV. With some notable exceptions, the present results generally agree with existing literature data, especially with regard to features relating to multichance fission and pre-equilibrium features in the PFNS, thus adding confidence to existing nuclear data evaluations and filling in gaps of knowledge at previously unmeasured incident neutron energies. This result is the third in a series of PFNS measurements by the Chi-Nu collaboration now spanning all three major actinides, 239 Pu, 235 U, and 238 U. Thus, for the first time, we report reliable experimental PFNS ratios and average PFNS energy comparisons for measurements of all three of these isotopes including accurate correlations between the different, but correlated experiments.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Energy dependence of fission product yields in the second-chance fission region

An extensive dataset of cumulative fission product yields has been generated under a joint collaboration between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL). The energy dependence of the cumulative yield for a select number of high-yield fission products has been measured using quasimonoenergetic neutrons with energies between 5.5 and 11.0 MeV. This is in addition to previously published data covering 0.5–4.5 and 14.8 MeV. The absolute number of fissions was determined during the irradiation period using dual-fission ionization chambers, and the fission products were measured postactivation by whole target γ-ray spectroscopy. Here this paper presents the absolute cumulative fission product yields as a function of incident neutron energy from the neutron-induced fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu isotopes at four incident energies in the second-chance fission region and compares them with existing literature values. Corrections relevant to this collaboration's previously published data are also discussed.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the prompt fission neutron spectrum from 800 keV to 10 MeV for 240 Pu(sf) and for the 240 Pu($n,f$) reaction induced by neutrons of energy from 1–20 MeV

Here, the presence of 240 Pu in nuclear fuels for reactors has resulted in high uncertainties in the results of reactor and nuclear transmutation calculations because of deficiencies in 240 Pu-related nuclear data. Specifically for the prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) of 240 Pu, there is only one neutron-induced, (n,f), measurement at 0.85 MeV incident neutron energy and only one complete spontaneous fission, (sf), measurement. This limited availability of data does not sufficiently guide nuclear data evaluations of these quantities. Here we report on a measurement of both the 240 Pu(sf) and the 240 Pu(n,f) PFNS, both over the emitted neutron energy range of 0.79–10.0 MeV, and from incident neutron energies of 1.0–20.0 MeV for the (n,f) reaction. Measurements were made with a hemispherical array of liquid scintillators at the high-energy Los Alamos Neutron Science Center white neutron source at the Weapons Neutron Research facility as part of the joint LANL-LLNL Chi-Nu experimental campaign to measure actinide fission neutron spectra. These measurements are the first of their kind, and provide clear experimental evidence for second-chance fission, third chance fission, and pre-equilibrium neutron emission processes in neutron-induced fission of 240 Pu, and are the first ever measurements above 1 MeV incident neutron energy.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ergodic and nonergodic many-body dynamics in strongly nonlinear lattices

The study of nonlinear oscillator chains in classical many-body dynamics has a storied history going back to the seminal work of Fermi et al. [Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Report No. LA-1940, 1955 (unpublished)]. Here, we introduce a family of such systems which consist of chains of N harmonically coupled particles with the nonlinearity introduced by confining the motion of each individual particle to a box or stadium with hard walls. The stadia are arranged on a one-dimensional lattice but they individually do not have to be one dimensional, thus permitting the introduction of chaos already at the lattice scale. For the most part we study the case where the motion is entirely one dimensional. We find that the system exhibits a mixed phase space for any finite value of N . Computations of Lyapunov spectra at randomly picked phase space locations and a direct comparison between Hamiltonian evolution and phase space averages indicate that the regular regions of phase space are not significant at large system sizes. While the continuum limit of our model is itself a singular limit of the integrable sinh Gordon theory, we do not see any evidence for the kind of nonergodicity famously seen in the work of Fermi et al. Finally, we examine the chain with particles confined to two-dimensional stadia where the individual stadium is already chaotic and find a much more chaotic phase space at small system sizes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Improved Neutron Lifetime Measurement with UCN$\tau$

In this work, we report an improved measurement of the free neutron lifetime $\tau_n$ using the UCN$\tau$ apparatus at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. We count a total of approximately 38×10 6 surviving ultracold neutrons (UCNs) after storing in UCN$\tau$’s magnetogravitational trap over two data acquisition campaigns in 2017 and 2018. We extract $\tau$ n from three blinded, independent analyses by both pairing long and short storage time runs to find a set of replicate $\tau$ n measurements and by performing a global likelihood fit to all data while self-consistently incorporating the β-decay lifetime. Both techniques achieve consistent results and find a value $\tau$ n =877.75±0.28 stat +0.22/–0.16 syst s. With this sensitivity, neutron lifetime experiments now directly address the impact of recent refinements in our understanding of the standard model for neutron decay.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dark Matter Constraints from Isomeric 178⁢m Hf

In this article, we describe a first measurement of the radiation from a 178⁢m Hf sample to search for dark matter. The $\gamma$ flux from this sample, possessed by Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear chemistry, was measured with a Ge detector at a distance of 1.2 m due to its high activity. We search for $\gamma$’s that cannot arise from the radioactive decay of 178⁢m Hf but might arise from the production of a nuclear state due to the inelastic scattering with dark matter. The limits obtained on this $\gamma$ flux are then translated into constraints on the parameter space of inelastic dark matter. Finally, we describe the potential reach of future studies with 178⁢m Hf.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Texture measurements on quartz single crystals to validate coordinate systems for neutron time-of-flight texture analysis

In crystallographic texture analysis, ensuring that sample directions are preserved from experiment to the resulting orientation distribution is crucial to obtain physical meaning from diffraction data. This work details a procedure to ensure instrument and sample coordinates are consistent when analyzing diffraction data with a Rietveld refinement using the texture analysis software MAUD . A quartz crystal is measured on the HIPPO diffractometer at Los Alamos National Laboratory for this purpose. The methods described here can be applied to any diffraction instrument measuring orientation distributions in polycrystalline materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Demonstration of neutron time-of-flight diffraction with an event-mode imaging detector

Neutron diffraction beamlines have traditionally relied on deploying large detector arrays of 3 He tubes or neutron-sensitive scintillators coupled with photomultipliers to efficiently probe crystallographic and microstructure information of a given material. Given the large upfront cost of custom-made data acquisition systems and the recent scarcity of 3 He, new diffraction beamlines or upgrades to existing ones demand innovative approaches. This paper introduces a novel Timepix3-based event-mode imaging neutron diffraction detector system as well as first results of a silicon powder diffraction measurement made at the HIPPO neutron powder diffractometer at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Notably, these initial measurements were conducted simultaneously with the 3 He array on HIPPO, enabling direct comparison. Data reduction for this type of data was implemented in the MAUD code, enabling Rietveld analysis. Results from the Timepix3-based setup and HIPPO were benchmarked against McStas simulations, showing good agreement for peak resolution. With further development, systems such as the one presented here may substantially reduce the cost of detector systems for new neutron instrumentation as well as for upgrades of existing beamlines.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Power-Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) Evaluation of Service Restoration With Networked Microgrids

This paper describes the power-hardware-in-the- loop (PHIL) evaluation of the feasibility of service restoration solutions determined by the PowerModelsONM.jl tool. This tool incorporates microgrids and the networking of microgrids into its determination of an optimal service restoration solution. The paper presents PHIL simulation results for a case study based on a real distribution feeder with multiple microgrids, showcas- ing the effectiveness of networked microgrids in aiding system restoration after an outage. The study leverages high-fidelity, real- time electromagnetic transient models to ensure accuracy in the simulation results. This work is the final output from the Resilient Operation of Networked Microgrids (RONM) project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity Microgrid Program and led by Los Alamos National Laboratory. RONM focused on the application of PowerModelsONM.jl to enhance the resilience of distribution systems.

fault location isolation and service restoration (↗