Search for new physics in low-energy electron recoils from the first LZ exposure
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72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “Time Projection Chamber”
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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Search for the Migdal effect in liquid xenon with keV-level nuclear recoils
The Migdal effect predicts that a nuclear recoil interaction can be accompanied by atomic ionization, allowing many dark matter direct detection experiments to gain sensitivity to sub-GeV masses. We report the first direct search for the Migdal effect for M- and L-shell electrons in liquid xenon using nuclear recoils produced by tagged neutron scatters. Despite an observed background rate lower than that of expected signals in the region of interest, we do not observe a signal consistent with predictions. We discuss possible explanations, including inaccurate predictions for either the Migdal rate or the signal response in liquid xenon. We comment on the implications for direct dark matter searches and future Migdal characterization efforts. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Neutral Bremsstrahlung Emission in Xenon Unveiled
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46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Opportunities and challenges to study solar neutrinos with a Q-Pix pixel readout
The study of solar neutrinos presents significant opportunities in astrophysics, nuclear physics, and particle physics. However, the low-energy nature of these neutrinos introduces considerable challenges to isolate them from background events, requiring detectors with low-energy threshold, high spatial and energy resolutions, and low data rate. We present the study of solar neutrinos with a kiloton-scale liquid argon detector located underground, instrumented with a pixel readout using the Q-Pix technology. We explore the potential of using volume fiducialization, directional topological information, light signal coincidence, and pulse-shape discrimination to enhance solar neutrino sensitivity. We find that discriminating neutrino signals below 5 MeV is very difficult. However, we show that these methods are useful for the detection of solar neutrinos when external backgrounds are sufficiently understood and when the detector is built using low-background techniques. When building a workable background model for this study, we identify 𝛾 background from the cavern walls and from capture of 𝛼 particles in radon decay chains as both critical to solar neutrino sensitivity and significantly underconstrained by existing measurements. Finally, we highlight that the main advantage of the use of Q-Pix for solar neutrino studies lies in its ability to enable the continuous readout of all low-energy events with minimal data rates and manageable storage for further off-line analyses.
multi-purpose particle detectors↗
Experimental Capabilities and Achievements of the Space Environment Dynamometer (SED)
The Space Environment Dynamometer (SED) chamber was designed to conduct research in cryobotics; an area of study that focuses on robotic systems and rotating machinery operating in extreme cold environments including Earth, low Earth orbit, Mars, Moon, asteroids, Solar orbit, planetary orbit, or those encountered during travel among these destinations. The test chamber incorporates a modular dynamometer, consisting of a variety of brakes, torque sensors and motors to be easily interchanged between tests. Each test employs a unique test profile that incorporates different setpoints of applied torques and velocities for a given period or number of rev- olutions. The modularity of the dynamometer setup allows for any combination of motor, gearbox to be tested. This chamber is one of a kind and resides at the Swamp Works facility within the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations laboratory (GMRO) at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Other cold chambers exist, however they are project specific and do not simultaneously output real time torque, temperature and efficiency data. The modularity of this extreme cold environment test chamber, coupled with the custom software and instrumentation, makes it one of a kind. The chamber is capable of stabilizing cryogenic temperatures and pressures to commensurate moon environments. Tests have successfully been conducted on motors and gearboxes for various cryogenic temperature set points, torques, and angular velocities. Relevant internal temperatures of the test article and chamber were recorded using a variety of temperature sensors. The temperature setpoints, on the motors and gearboxes tested, were stabilized by using PID gain scheduling of the PWM signal for the various heaters. The heat removal for the motor was provided by creating a thermally conductive path from a cryohead directly to the test article using copper straps. A variety of strainwave gears (SWGs), also known as Harmonic drives, planetary gear systems and DC motor actuator configurations have been tested in the chamber. The experiments performed were for various projects including Bulk Metallic Glass Gears (BMGG), Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), In-Situ Resource Utilization Pilot Excavator (IPEX) . Various upgrades have been made to the extreme cold environment test chamber for the use of cryobotic research. These upgrades greatly increased the autonomous capabilities of the test set up by providing redundancies in the hardware and software. The redundancies were primarily added to protect the integrity of the cryohead. A new strapping and insulation method was performed to create the thermal conductive path from the actuators to the cryohead. The software was upgraded to include temperature setpoint control, further increasing the autonomous capabilities of the test. This paper goes into detail regarding the upgrades made to the extreme cold environment test chamber, as well as highlights the results from a COLDArm acceptance test.
Casey J. Clark↗
SR19007 - Future TCAP Implementation Issues
This project demonstrates the success of the PDRD program in bringing a concept from the R&D phase to direct plant funding. Although Mini-TCAP technology is overall at a TRL of ~6.5, the specific questions addressed in this project were brought from a low (2-3 TRL) to a TRL 5 over the course of the project. This project successfully completed all initial goals ahead of schedule (inventory control, guard bed, ammonia impact, and cycle time) and furthermore addressed additional scope (continued TCAP evaluation, ion chamber) in FY20. First, this project resolved minor inventory control issues by introducing a new parameter tracking and correcting for inventory changes over multiple cycles. This project also involved modification of the previously constructed plant-configured Mini-TCAP in order to allow ammonia impurity studies. TCAP was tested with ammonia in the feed stream both with and without a guard bed present to determine guard bed efficacy and the effect of ammonia if it enters TCAP. The TCAP columns were then replaced with brazed columns, where the LN2 cooling coil is brazed to the column and the column is self-brazed along the coils. This drastically improved heat transfer and consequently reduced cycle time compared to the previous columns, in which the coils were mechanically held in place. Finally, additional scopes were taken on in FY20, including evaluation of TCAP with faster cycle time and procurement of ion chambers for future TCAP integration.
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
A New Era for Bubble Chamber Technology
Neutrino experiments like DUNE are limited by how well we understand the way neutrinos actually interact with atoms. The best way to fix that is to measure interactions on hydrogen, since a hydrogen nucleus is just a single free proton with largely none of the nuclear effects that heavier targets like argon have. The catch is that no one has built a hydrogen bubble chamber for a neutrino beam since the 1980s, mostly because the old chambers had too low of an active time. MAMBA is a project focused on bringing that technology back but built to cycle continuously at 1 Hz. I spent my summer internship on two of the subsystems that make that kind of speed possible. First, I helped install and test a new solid copper thermal link that replaced the old flexible braided cooling path, and it brought the coldhead down to 21.3 K, right at the target temperature. Second, I built and tested a Raspberry Pi based PLC control system, and across 20,000 trials it answered in a median of 0.64 ms, with only 0.66\% of trials running past 1 ms. Both results point the same direction: that inexpensive, off the shelf hardware can perform fast and reliable enough to eventually run a bubble chamber the way MAMBA needs it to run.
Williams, Nicholas [DuPage Coll.]↗
Plasma-Assisted Pre-Chamber Ignition System for Highly Dilute Stoichiometric Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engines (Final Technical Report)
This project explored advanced ignition technologies to significantly enhance efficiency and reduce operating costs for heavy-duty natural gas engines operating at stoichiometric conditions, while meeting ultra-low NOx emission standards. The main goal was to develop and validate a plasma-assisted pre-chamber ignition system that could deliver at least a 2% increase in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and a 4% decrease in total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to a typical multi-cylinder engine with three-way catalyst aftertreatment, ensuring compatibility with the expected 2027 EPA/CARB regulations. In the first half of the project, the research team concentrated on developing and testing plasma-assisted pre-chamber ignition using nanosecond pulsed discharges. Extensive experiments were conducted in an optically accessible rapid-compression and expansion machine, a constant-volume chamber, and an optical single-cylinder engine. Experiments were coupled with CFD simulations. The work produced unique insights into pre-chamber flame formation, jet ignition, dilution effects, and flame quenching at pressures, temperatures, and dilution levels relevant to engines. Although plasma-assisted ignition showed promise in controlled lab settings, the research also identified fundamental and practical challenges when applying this technology to real engine conditions. Midway through the project, a crucial pivot was made, guided by three key findings. First, the power electronics required for nanosecond plasma discharges were found to be too costly for commercial use, undermining the project’s cost-of-ownership goals. Second, nanosecond plasma ignition was highly sensitive to turbulent flow in the pre-chamber, resulting in lower ignition reliability than traditional spark under engine-like conditions. Third, achieving a truly diffuse low-temperature plasma at high pressures near top dead center was not possible, reducing the anticipated chemical enhancement benefits. These results collectively suggested that continuing with plasma-assisted ignition was unlikely to meet both efficiency and cost objectives. In response, the project shifted focus to a more realistic approach: enhancing traditional spark-based pre-chamber ignition with significantly less spark energy. Using insights gained earlier in the project, the team redesigned the pre-chamber to maintain high dilution tolerance and quick combustion, even with lower ignition energy. Testing confirmed that with optimized pre-chamber design and combustion timing, a lower-energy spark could reliably ignite highly diluted stoichiometric mixtures, reduce burn time, and boost thermal efficiency. Final engine testing and techno-economic analysis verified that this revised approach successfully achieved the project goals. The optimized pre-chamber ignition system provided over a 2% increase in calculated brake thermal efficiency compared to the baseline engine. Notably, the lower ignition energy and simplified hardware reduced component stress, extended maintenance intervals, and lowered the total cost of ownership. When used with stoichiometric operation and traditional three-way aftertreatment, the system remained compatible with near-zero NOx emissions targets without increasing cost or complexity in the emissions control system. In summary, although the project deviated from its initial plasma-assisted ignition idea, the work produced a more practical and commercially viable solution. The results show that precisely optimized, low-energy pre-chamber spark ignition can significantly improve efficiency and reduce overall ownership costs for heavy-duty natural gas engines. This directly aligns with DOE goals for cleaner, more efficient, and cost-effective transportation technologies.
03 NATURAL GAS↗
Additively Manufactured Low Cost Upper Stage Combustion Chamber
Over the past two years NASA's Low Cost Upper Stage Propulsion (LCUSP) project has developed Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies and design tools aimed at reducing the costs and manufacturing time of regeneratively cooled rocket engine components. High pressure/high temperature combustion chambers and nozzles must be regeneratively cooled to survive their operating environment, causing their design fabrication to be costly and time consuming due to the number of individual steps and different processes required. Under LCUSP, AM technologies in Sintered Laser Melting (SLM) GRCop-84 and Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) Inconel 625 have been significantly advanced, allowing the team to successfully fabricate a 25k-class regenerative chamber. Estimates of the costs and schedule of future builds indicate cost reductions and significant schedule reductions will be enabled by this technology. Characterization of the microstructural and mechanical properties of the SLM-produced GRCop-84, EBF3 Inconel 625 and the interface layer between the two has been performed and indicates the properties will meet the design requirements. The LCUSP chamber is to be tested with a previously demonstrated SLM injector in order to advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and demonstrate the capability of the application of these processes. NASA is advancing these technologies to reduce cost and schedule for future engine applications and commercial needs.
Protz, Christopher↗
AI Driven Experiment Calibration and Control
One critical step on the path from data taking to physics analysis is calibration. For many experiments this step is both time consuming and computationally expensive. The AI Experimental Calibration and Control project seeks to address these issues, starting first with the GlueX Central Drift Chamber (CDC). We demonstrate the ability of a Gaussian Process to estimate the gain correction factor (GCF) of the GlueX CDC accurately, and also the uncertainty of this estimate. Using the estimated GCF, the developed system infers a new high voltage (HV) setting that stabilizes the GCF in the face of changing environmental conditions. This happens in near real time during data taking and produces data which are already approximately gain-calibrated, eliminating the cost of performing those calibrations which vary ±15% with fixed HV. We also demonstrate an implementation of an uncertainty aware system which exploits a key feature of a Gaussian process.
Britton, Thomas↗
Abstract - Belbas, Nicholas (EC2)
Originally, I was brought into the Design and Analysis Branch in the Crew and Thermal Systems to work on administrative tasks like archiving and scheduling. However, I ended up splitting my time between secretarial tasks and a technical project. My technical project was originally meant to be a wireless sensor package for the 20ft Spacecraft Thermal Vacuum Chamber in the B7 High Bay. I would be using a miniature wifi development board and a temperature/humidity sensor along with custom 3D modeling to accomplish this. However, after some discussion with my technical mentor, the plan was changed to a mobile autonomous self-charging sensor platform. A mobile platform will allow the sensors to be moved around without depressurizing the chamber. Also, the self-charging aspect of the package allows for almost unlimited time in the chamber. If the on-board battery runs low, the robot can easily be driven to its charging dock and continue to transmit while charging. The driving base is based around a Raspberry Pi 3 board with a 12C PMW DC Motor controller and a PWM controller driving two small gear motors. The sensor transmitter itself is a RHT03 temperature and humidity sensor and Cozir CO2 sensor connected to an ESP8266 Huzzah board. The power distribution system utilizes a pair of 3.7v 3600mah lipo batteries wired to Powerboost 500 boards. Also, the self-charging mechanism utilizes two 12v-max inductive charging coils wired into the same Powerboost boards as the battery. The Raspberry pi is running Python 3.3 for the driving base and Javascript MJPEG library for transmitting live video from the onboard camera. The sensor package is running Arduino-based C++ and the program capturing the data is running PyqtGraph Python and HTML. The shell of the robot itself is a 3D printed case that will (work in progress) snap together. The photo to the left shows the two halves separated from each other. The black shell contains the power distribution boards and connectors while the white shell contains the driving base and data systems.
Belbas, Nicholas↗
Liquid jet breakup and atomization in rocket chambers under dense spray conditions
Two advanced diagnostic techniques were established and employed in this project. The first technique involves the use of a real-time x ray radiography system along with a high-speed CCD Xybion camera and an advanced digital image processor to investigate the breakup processes of the liquid core. The focus of this part of the project is to determine the inner structure of the liquid jet and via thin sheets of laser light, with the scatters light being photographed by a Xybion electronic camera synchronized to the laser pulse. This technique, which is capable of recording the breakup event occurring within 25 nano-seconds, enables us to freeze the motions of the jet and liquid droplets. The focus of this part of the project is to determine the outer structure of the liquid jet and to discover the configuration of the surface waves, the spray pattern, and the droplet size distribution in the non-dilute region. Results obtained by these two advanced diagnostic techniques will provide the much needed database for model development and accurate prediction of engine performance. The present work also represents a breakthrough in the area of advanced diagnostics of dense sprays.
Kuo, Kenneth K.↗
NASA's Composite Overwrap Lessons Learned on 40k Thrust Chamber Assemblies
Filament wound carbon fiber/polymer composite overwraps combined with additively manufactured (AM) copper alloy combustion chambers are a critical part of NASA’s Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology (RAMPT) project. The composite overwrap is a high strength-to-weight material and allows for significant weight reduction of the high-pressure thrust chamber assembly, reduction of overall cost, and reduced fabrication time while offering structural robustness. Integrated AM/composite overwrap chamber assemblies using 2,000 lbf (2k) and 7,000 lbf (7k) thrust were successfully hot fire tested at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). These assemblies allowed the team to learn lessons related to the design, analysis, and manufacturing of these integrated assemblies. A final goal of the RAMPT project is to design and test a 40,000 lbf (40k) thrust chamber assembly. The40k chamber presented the team several new challenges including an integral inlet port in the main body of the composite overwrap. Through multiple iterations of manufacturing techniques, varied materials, and Non-Destructive Evaluations (NDE), many lessons were learned to obtain a final design solution that would not only allow for the interrupted port inlet but also allow for sufficient material margins for the most critically stressed part of the chamber. This paper will cover the manufacturing techniques exploring fabric designs to help subsidize the coverage in the areas left bare by the inlet port during the filament winding process and custom tooling needed for the final full chamber processing. The original material choice of bismaleimide (BMI) 5250-4 from the 7k chamber performed well for the extreme environment of hot fire testing but proved to be difficult with the increased scale and interrupted port design of the 40kchamber. Discussion in this paper will cover these changes, including evaluation of the design, comparison to the prior 2k and 7k designs, and show the final hardware that will be tested. One primary goal of this work and RAMPT project is to provide this development process and data to industry for infusion into future engine designs.
Filament Wound↗
International Space Station Program Phase 3 Integrated Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem Test
Testing of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. Segment baseline configuration of the Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem (ARS) by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was conducted as part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) design and development program. This testing was designed to answer specific questions regarding the control and performance of the baseline ARS subassemblies in the ISS U.S. Segment configuration. These questions resulted from the continued maturation of the ISS ECLSS configuration and design requirement changes since 1992. The test used pressurized oxygen injection, a mass spectrometric major constituent analyzer, a Four-Bed Molecular Sieve Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, and a Trace Contaminant Control Subassembly to maintain the atmospheric composition in a sealed chamber at ISS specifications for 30 days. Human metabolic processes for a crew of four were simulated according to projected ISS mission time lines. The performance of a static feed water electrolysis Oxygen Generator Assembly was investigated during the test preparation phases; however, technical difficulties prevented its use during the integrated test. The Integrated ARS Test (IART) program built upon previous closed-door and open-door integrated testing conducted at MSFC between 1987 and 1992. It is the most advanced test of an integrated ARS conducted by NASA to demonstrate its end-to-end control and overall performance. IART test objectives, facility design, pretest analyses, test and control requirements, and test results are presented.
Perry, J. L.↗
Main characteristics of the Large Space Simulation (LSS)
The European Space Agency (ESA) has started the implementation of a Large Space Simulator at its European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) located at Noordwijk, The Netherlands. After its completion in early 1986 this facility will enable mechanical and thermal tests on large satellites. The chamber will be equipped with a collimated solar beam of 6 Meter diameter. In addition Infrared equipment is available as alternative or complementary source of thermal radiation. Also controlled variation of shroud temperatures can be utilised for thermal testing or temperature cycling of hardware. The "Design and Definition Phase" of the project has been successfully completed by the end of 1983. The paper presents the basic concept and major design aspects of this facility. At the time of the conference, the large chamber is already under construction on site.
Peter W. Brinkmann↗
A transmitted-beam diagnostic for the wavelength-tunable UV drive beam on OMEGA
A transmitted-beam diagnostic (P9TBD) was developed as part of a new experimental platform used to study laser–plasma interactions on OMEGA. Located in the opposing port to the wavelength-tunable (350 nm to 353 nm) UV drive beam, the P9TBD characterizes the beam after it propagates through an undersense plasma. The instrument consists of a large-aperture window that allows light to exit the target chamber and project onto a thin sheet of semi-transparent diffuser material. Light transmitted through the diffuser is recorded using a time-integrated camera and a fiber-optically coupled streaked spectrometer, providing measurements of the energy, power, fluence, polarization, and spectrum of the transmitted beam. Here, the diagnostic enables direct observation of a variety of cross-beam energy transfer phenomena, such as wavelength detuning, polarization effects, and gain saturation.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Using AI to predict calibration constants for the central drift chamber in GlueX at Jefferson Lab
The AI for Experimental Controls project team at Jefferson Lab has developed an AI system to control and calibrate a large drift chamber system in near-real time. The AI system will monitor environmental and experimental variables to recommend voltage settings that maintain consistent dE/dx gain and optimal resolution throughout the experiment. At present, calibrations are performed after data have been recorded and require a considerable amount of time and attention from experts. The calibrations currently require multiple iterations and depend on accurate tracking information. Our approach uses environmental data, such as atmospheric pressure and gas temperature, and beam conditions, such as the flux of incident particles, as inputs to a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) model. For the data taken during the GlueX 2020 run period, the GPR is able to predict the existing gain correction factors to within 3.5%. This talk will briefly describe the development, testing, and future plans for this system at Jefferson Lab.
Jeske, Torri↗
From diffusion pumps to cryopumps: The conversion of GSFC's space environment simulator
The SES (Space Environmental Simulator), largest of the Thermal Vacuum Facilities at The Goddard Space Flight Center, recently was converted from an oil diffusion pumped chamber to a Cryopumped chamber. This modification was driven by requirements of flight projects. The basic requirement was to retain or enhance the operational parameters of the chamber such as pumping speed, ultimate vacuum, pump down time, and thermal system performance. To accomplish this task, seventeen diffusion pumps were removed and replaced with eight 1.2 meter (48 inch) diameter cryopumps and one 0.5 meter (20 inch) turbomolecular pump. The conversion was accomplished with a combination of subcontracting and in-house efforts to maximize the efficiency of implementation.
Cary, Ron↗