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At least 775 records · Page 43
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

ON THE SUPPORT OF SOLAR PROMINENCE MATERIAL BY THE DIPS OF A CORONAL FLUX TUBE

The dense prominence material is believed to be supported against gravity through the magnetic tension of dipped coronal magnetic field. For quiescent prominences, which exhibit many gravity-driven flows, hydrodynamic forces are likely to play an important role in the determination of both the large- and small-scale magnetic field distributions. In this study, we present the first steps toward creating a three-dimensional magneto-hydrostatic prominence model where the prominence is formed in the dips of a coronal flux tube. Here 2.5D equilibria are created by adding mass to an initially force-free magnetic field, then performing a secondary magnetohydrodynamic relaxation. Two inverse polarity magnetic field configurations are studied in detail, a simple o-point configuration with a ratio of the horizontal field (B{sub x} ) to the axial field (B{sub y} ) of 1:2 and a more complex model that also has an x-point with a ratio of 1:11. The models show that support against gravity is either by total pressure or tension, with only tension support resembling observed quiescent prominences. The o-point of the coronal flux tube was pulled down by the prominence material, leading to compression of the magnetic field at the base of the prominence. Therefore, tension support comes from the small curvature of the compressed magnetic field at the bottom and the larger curvature of the stretched magnetic field at the top of the prominence. It was found that this method does not guarantee convergence to a prominence-like equilibrium in the case where an x-point exists below the prominence flux tube. The results imply that a plasma {beta} of {approx}0.1 is necessary to support prominences through magnetic tension.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Propagation and dispersion of transverse wave trains in magnetic flux tubes

The dispersion of small-amplitude, impulsively excited wave trains propagating along a magnetic flux tube is investigated. The initial disturbance is a localized transverse displacement of the tube that excites a fast kink wave packet. The spatial and temporal evolution of the perturbed variables (density, plasma displacement, velocity, ...) is given by an analytical expression containing an integral that is computed numerically. We find that the dispersion of fast kink wave trains is more important for shorter initial disturbances (i.e., more concentrated in the longitudinal direction) and for larger density ratios (i.e., for larger contrasts of the tube density with respect to the environment density). This type of excitation generates a wave train whose signature at a fixed position along a coronal loop is a short event (duration ≅ 20 s) in which the velocity and density oscillate very rapidly with typical periods of the order of a few seconds. The oscillatory period is not constant but gradually declines during the course of this event. Peak values of the velocity are of the order of 10 km s{sup –1} and are accompanied by maximum density variations of the order of 10%-15% the unperturbed loop density.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

TIME-DEPENDENT TURBULENT HEATING OF OPEN FLUX TUBES IN THE CHROMOSPHERE, CORONA, AND SOLAR WIND

We investigate several key questions of plasma heating in open-field regions of the corona that connect to the solar wind. We present results for a model of Alfvén-wave-driven turbulence for three typical open magnetic field structures: a polar coronal hole, an open flux tube neighboring an equatorial streamer, and an open flux tube near a strong-field active region. We compare time-steady, one-dimensional turbulent heating models against fully time-dependent three-dimensional reduced-magnetohydrodynamic modeling of BRAID. We find that the time-steady results agree well with time-averaged results from BRAID. The time dependence allows us to investigate the variability of the magnetic fluctuations and of the heating in the corona. The high-frequency tail of the power spectrum of fluctuations forms a power law whose exponent varies with height, and we discuss the possible physical explanation for this behavior. The variability in the heating rate is bursty and nanoflare-like in nature, and we analyze the amount of energy lost via dissipative heating in transient events throughout the simulation. The average energy in these events is 10{sup 21.91} erg, within the “picoflare” range, and many events reach classical “nanoflare” energies. We also estimated the multithermal distribution of temperatures that would result from the heating-rate variability, and found good agreement with observed widths of coronal differential emission measure distributions. The results of the modeling presented in this paper provide compelling evidence that turbulent heating in the solar atmosphere by Alfvén waves accelerates the solar wind in open flux tubes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

MAGNETIC FLUX TUBE INTERCHANGE AT THE HELIOPAUSE

The magnetic field measured by Voyager 1 prior to its heliocliff encounter on 2012.65 showed an unexpectedly complex transition from the primarily azimuthal inner-heliosheath field to the draped interstellar field tilted by some 20° to the nominal azimuthal direction. Most prominent were two regions of enhanced magnetic field strength depleted in energetic charged particles of heliospheric origin. These regions were interpreted as magnetic flux tubes connected to the outer heliosheath that provided a path for the particles to escape. Despite large increases in strength, the field’s direction did not change appreciably at the boundaries of these flux tubes. Rather, the field’s direction changed gradually over several months prior to the heliocliff crossing. It is shown theoretically that the heliopause, as a pressure equilibrium layer, can become unstable to interchange of magnetic fields between the inner and the outer heliosheaths. The curvature of magnetic field lines and the anti-sunward gradient in plasma kinetic pressure provide conditions favorable for an interchange. Magnetic shear between the heliosheath and the interstellar fields reduces the growth rates, but does not fully stabilize the heliopause against perturbations propagating in the latitudinal direction. The instability could create a transition layer permeated by magnetic flux tubes, oriented parallel to each other and alternately connected to the heliosheath or the interstellar regions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A first test of CUPID prototypal light detectors with NTD-Ge sensors in a pulse-tube cryostat

CUPID is a next-generation bolometric experiment aiming at searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay with ~250 kg of isotopic mass of 100 Mo. It will operate at ~10 mK in a cryostat currently hosting a similar-scale bolometric array for the CUORE experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (Italy). CUPID will be based on large-volume scintillating bolometers consisting of 100 Mo-enriched Li 2 MoO 4 crystals, facing thin Ge-wafer-based bolometric light detectors. In the CUPID design, the detector structure is novel and needs to be validated. In particular, the CUORE cryostat presents a high level of mechanical vibrations due to the use of pulse tubes and the effect of vibrations on the detector performance must be investigated. In this paper we report the first test of the CUPID-design bolometric light detectors with NTD-Ge sensors in a dilution refrigerator equipped with a pulse tube in an above-ground lab. Light detectors are characterized in terms of sensitivity, energy resolution, pulse time constants, and noise power spectrum. Despite the challenging noisy environment due to pulse-tube-induced vibrations, we demonstrate that all the four tested light detectors comply with the CUPID goal in terms of intrinsic energy resolution of 100 eV RMS baseline noise. Indeed, we have measured 70–90 eV RMS for the four devices, which show an excellent reproducibility. We have also obtained high energy resolutions at the 356 keV line from a 133 Ba source, as good as Ge semiconductor γ detectors in this energy range.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Anode sensitivity calibration of photomultiplier tubes used as a readout of the ELOSS detector

We present and discuss the methodology and results for an anode sensitivity calibration of Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs) that serve as the optical readout of the Energy Loss Optical Scintillation System (ELOSS). The ELOSS detector, under development at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), is a gaseous Xe scintillation-based detector designed to identify the atomic number (Z) of nuclear reaction fragments by energy-loss measurement. Variation in the anode sensitivity from tube to tube of commercially available PMTs limits ELOSS from reaching its ultimate Z resolution. A methodical approach to calibrating PMT anode sensitivities to a single target value by systematic PMT gain corrections is presented. Although the calibration process is discussed in terms of its impact on ELOSS performance, the presented method is applicable to any optical detector system composed of a large number of PMTs needing anode sensitivity calibration.

Instrumentation for heavy-ion accelerators↗
DOE OSTI2018

Forced Wetting Transition and Bubble Pinch-Off in a Capillary Tube

Immiscible fluid-fluid displacement in partial wetting continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. In this study, we investigate the displacement of a viscous fluid by a less viscous fluid in a circular capillary tube in the partial wetting regime. In contrast with the classic results for complete wetting, we show that the presence of a moving contact line induces a wetting transition at a critical capillary number that is contact angle dependent. At small displacement rates, the fluid-fluid interface deforms slightly from its equilibrium state and moves downstream at a constant velocity, without changing its shape. As the displacement rate increases, however, a wetting transition occurs: the interface becomes unstable and forms a finger that advances along the axis of the tube, leaving the contact line behind, separated from the meniscus by a macroscopic film of the viscous fluid on the tube wall. We detail the dewetting of the entrained film, and show that it universally leads to bubble pinch-off, therefore demonstrating that the hydrodynamics of contact line motion generate bubbles in microfluidic devices, even in the absence of geometric constraints.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Performance studies of Hamamatsu R9800 photomultiplier tube with a new active base designed for use in the Hall D Broadband tagger Hodoscope

This paper presents the results of a study of a high rate photomultiplier and active base assembly designed for use in scintillator counters of the Hall D Jefferson Lab Broadband fixed-array Tagging Hodoscope. In its standard configuration the fixed-array hodoscope consists of 218 plastic scintillator counters made with Hamamatsu R9800 one inch in diameter photomultiplier tube. All tubes are equipped with designed at JLab new active base. The base comprised of a high voltage divider integrated with amplifiers powered by current flowing through the divider (U.S. Patent No. 6,791,269). This original design allows limiting the PMT anode current to 15-20 uA at a 4 MHz count rate, and allows tube operation at lower high voltage bias voltage while retaining a desired overall gain and dynamic range of output signals. The performance of the PMT assemblies were studied at Jeffeson Lab using a picosecond laser (PLP-10). Subsequently, two hundred fifty PMT and base assemblies were manufactured and tested. The results of testing the R9800 photomultiplier in a new active base are presented and discussed.

Popov, Vladimir↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of High Fuel Loading and CO2 Dilution on Oxy-Methane Ignition Inside a Shock Tube at High Pressure

Abstract Ignition delay times were measured for methane/O2 mixtures in a high dilution environment of either CO2 or N2 using a shock tube facility. Experiments were performed between 1044 K and 1356 K at pressures near 16 ± 2 atm. Test mixtures had an equivalence ratio of 1.0 with 16.67% CH4, 33.33% O2, and 50% diluent. Ignition delay times were measured using OH* emission and pressure time-histories. Data were compared to the predictions of two literature kinetic mechanisms (ARAMCO MECH 2.0 and GRI Mech 3.0). Most experiments showed inhomogeneous (mild) ignition which was deduced from five time-of-arrival pressure transducers placed along the driven section of the shock tube. Further analysis included determination of blast wave velocities and locations away from the end wall of initial detonations. Blast velocities were 60–80% of CJ-Detonation calculations. A narrow high temperature region within the range was identified as showing homogenous (strong) ignition which showed generally good agreement with model predictions. Model comparisons with mild ignition cases should not be used to further refine kinetic mechanisms, though at these conditions, insight was gained into various ignition behavior. To the best of our knowledge, we present first shock tube data during ignition of high fuel loading CH4/O2 mixtures diluted with CO2 and N2.

Energy & Fuels↗
DOE OSTI2021

Microstructural Evolution During a Solid State Tube Pinch Weld of Type 304l Stainless Steel

Microstructure development is examined for a specialized spot weld that is used as a solid-state closure process for austenitic stainless steel tubing, referred to as pinch welding. In order to elucidate the microstructural evolution of the weld, a series of test welds were made at nominal conditions using tubing and production like components. These pinch welds normally terminate after twelve cycles of a 60 Hz AC weld process. In this study, production tubes were welded from one to twelve cycles and the microstructure and weld variables after each individual weld cycle number were characterized using radiography and optical metallography. Two electrochemical etchants were used to highlight different microstructural features. The study revealed that: (1) this type pinch weld is largely complete after about six cycles of 60 Hz AC current, half the weld time utilized; (2) the resistance, deformation, and closure length approach “steady-state” conditions after six cycles; and (3) both oxalic and nitric acid electrolytic etchants are useful for highlighting specific microstructural attributes of type 304 L stainless steel. Finally, two distinct microstructural regions can be identified for these welds: the edge of the weld, which is driven by concentrated deformation, recrystallization, and grain growth, and the center region, which is more typical of forge welding and micro-asperity breakdown followed by diffusion and grain-growth.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

An Experimental Investigation of Sintered Particle Effect on Heat Transfer Performance in an “Annular Flow” Evaporation Tube

Wicking structures have been widely used within passive heat transfer devices with high heat fluxes, such as heat pipes, to enhance their thermal performance. While wicking structures promote capillary pumping of the working fluid and thin film evaporation, they can result in capillary evaporation and further enhance the evaporation heat transfer. In this study, a 0.5 mm thick layer of 105 µm sintered copper particles was added to the inner wall of a copper tube, aiming to form an “annular flow” and enhance the heat transfer characteristics by taking advantage of thin film and capillary evaporation. Acetone was chosen as the working fluid, and the performance of an evaporation tube was tested for power inputs of 10, 30, 50, and 70 W. For each power input, trials were run at inclination angles varying from -90 deg to 90 deg to investigate the capillary effects. The temperature measurements showed that the temperature distribution along the evaporation tube is always downward sloping, meaning the temperature at the fluid inlet is larger than the outlet. In conclusion, results show that an “annular flow” formed by a thin layer of sintered particles can promote thin film and capillary evaporation and, therefore, boost the evaporation heat transfer coefficient.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Prediction of the Inter-Tube Flow Mode Transitions in the Evaporators of Multi-Effect Thermal Desalination Plants

Water is one of the most stressed resources on the planet. The limited availability of fresh water and the high cost of transportation have led to an increased interest in water desalination technologies. The two main categories of desalination techniques are membrane desalination and thermal desalination. Membrane technologies include pressure driven and electrical driven membranes. On the other hand, thermal desalination includes: multi-effect desalination (MED), multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination, and mechanical vapor compression desalination. Multi-effect desalination plants are usually made of a series of evaporators (also known as effects). In each effect, hot steam flows inside the tubes and evaporates the seawater that falls on the outside of the tubes. The vapor formed at each effect flows to the next effect and acts as the heating medium for the falling seawater. The prevailing flow mode of the falling seawater (i.e. droplet, jet, or sheet) influences heat and mass transfer as well as dry out in the evaporators of Multi-Effect Desalination (MED) plants. The objective of this paper is to predict and discuss the prevailing falling film flow modes in the evaporators of MED plants, under different operating conditions. The paper demonstrates the transitional Reynolds numbers between the main falling film modes for seawater. This closes a gap in the literature where there is a dearth of mode transition data for seawater. The effect of fluid properties and tube geometry on the transitions is discussed in details. As a result, the accuracy of the predicted transitional Reynolds numbers is evaluated via uncertainty quantification techniques.

availability↗
DOE OSTI2013

Dose equations for tube current modulation in CT scanning and the interpretation of the associated CTDI{sub vol}

Purpose: The scanner-reported CTDI{sub vol} for automatic tube current modulation (TCM) has a different physical meaning from the traditional CTDI{sub vol} at constant mA, resulting in the dichotomy “CTDI{sub vol} of the first and second kinds” for which a physical interpretation is sought in hopes of establishing some commonality between the two.Methods: Rigorous equations are derived to describe the accumulated dose distributions for TCM. A comparison with formulae for scanner-reported CTDI{sub vol} clearly identifies the source of their differences. Graphical dose simulations are also provided for a variety of TCM tube current distributions (including constant mA), all having the same scanner-reported CTDI{sub vol}.Results: These convolution equations and simulations show that the local dose at z depends only weakly on the local tube current i(z) due to the strong influence of scatter from all other locations along z, and that the “local CTDI{sub vol}(z)” does not represent a local dose but rather only a relative i(z) ≡ mA(z). TCM is a shift-variant technique to which the CTDI-paradigm does not apply and its application to TCM leads to a CTDI{sub vol} of the second kind which lacks relevance.Conclusions: While the traditional CTDI{sub vol} at constant mA conveys useful information (the peak dose at the center of the scan length), CTDI{sub vol} of the second kind conveys no useful information about the associated TCM dose distribution it purportedly represents and its physical interpretation remains elusive. On the other hand, the total energy absorbed E (“integral dose”) as well as its surrogate DLP remain robust between variable i(z) TCM and constant current i{sub 0} techniques, both depending only on the total mAs = t{sub 0}=i{sub 0} t{sub 0} during the beam-on time t{sub 0}.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Prospective estimation of organ dose in CT under tube current modulation

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used worldwide as a tool for medical diagnosis and imaging. However, despite its significant clinical benefits, CT radiation dose at the population level has become a subject of public attention and concern. In this light, optimizing radiation dose has become a core responsibility for the CT community. As a fundamental step to manage and optimize dose, it may be beneficial to have accurate and prospective knowledge about the radiation dose for an individual patient. In this study, the authors developed a framework to prospectively estimate organ dose for chest and abdominopelvic CT exams under tube current modulation (TCM). Methods: The organ dose is mainly dependent on two key factors: patient anatomy and irradiation field. A prediction process was developed to accurately model both factors. To model the anatomical diversity and complexity in the patient population, the authors used a previously developed library of computational phantoms with broad distributions of sizes, ages, and genders. A selected clinical patient, represented by a computational phantom in the study, was optimally matched with another computational phantom in the library to obtain a representation of the patient’s anatomy. To model the irradiation field, a previously validated Monte Carlo program was used to model CT scanner systems. The tube current profiles were modeled using a ray-tracing program as previously reported that theoretically emulated the variability of modulation profiles from major CT machine manufacturers Li et al., [Phys. Med. Biol. 59, 4525–4548 (2014)]. The prediction of organ dose was achieved using the following process: (1) CTDI{sub vol}-normalized-organ dose coefficients (h{sub organ}) for fixed tube current were first estimated as the prediction basis for the computational phantoms; (2) each computation phantom, regarded as a clinical patient, was optimally matched with one computational phantom in the library; (3) to account for the effect of the TCM scheme, a weighted organ-specific CTDI{sub vol} [denoted as (CTDI{sub vol}){sub organ,weighted}] was computed for each organ based on the TCM profile and the anatomy of the “matched” phantom; (4) the organ dose was predicted by multiplying the weighted organ-specific CTDI{sub vol} with the organ dose coefficients (h{sub organ}). To quantify the prediction accuracy, each predicted organ dose was compared with the corresponding organ dose simulated from the Monte Carlo program with the TCM profile explicitly modeled. Results: The predicted organ dose showed good agreements with the simulated organ dose across all organs and modulation profiles. The average percentage error in organ dose estimation was generally within 20% across all organs and modulation profiles, except for organs located in the pelvic and shoulder regions. For an average CTDI{sub vol} of a CT exam of 10 mGy, the average error at full modulation strength (α = 1) across all organs was 0.91 mGy for chest exams, and 0.82 mGy for abdominopelvic exams. Conclusions: This study developed a quantitative model to predict organ dose for clinical chest and abdominopelvic scans. Such information may aid in the design of optimized CT protocols in relation to a targeted level of image quality.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-D-207-03: Development of 4D-CBCT Imaging System with Dual Source KV X-Ray Tubes

Purpose: The purposes of this work are to develop 4D-CBCT imaging system with orthogonal dual source kV X-ray tubes, and to determine the imaging doses from 4D-CBCT scans. Methods: Dual source kV X-ray tubes were used for the 4D-CBCT imaging. The maximum CBCT field of view was 200 mm in diameter and 150 mm in length, and the imaging parameters were 110 kV, 160 mA and 5 ms. The rotational angle was 105°, the rotational speed of the gantry was 1.5°/s, the gantry rotation time was 70 s, and the image acquisition interval was 0.3°. The observed amplitude of infrared marker motion during respiration was used to sort each image into eight respiratory phase bins. The EGSnrc/BEAMnrc and EGSnrc/DOSXYZnrc packages were used to simulate kV X-ray dose distributions of 4D-CBCT imaging. The kV X-ray dose distributions were calculated for 9 lung cancer patients based on the planning CT images with dose calculation grid size of 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 mm. The dose covering a 2-cc volume of skin (D2cc), defined as the inner 5 mm of the skin surface with the exception of bone structure, was assessed. Results: A moving object was well identified on 4D-CBCT images in a phantom study. Given a gantry rotational angle of 105° and the configuration of kV X-ray imaging subsystems, both kV X-ray fields overlapped at a part of skin surface. The D2cc for the 4D-CBCT scans was in the range 73.8–105.4 mGy. Linear correlation coefficient between the 1000 minus averaged SSD during CBCT scanning and D2cc was −0.65 (with a slope of −0.17) for the 4D-CBCT scans. Conclusion: We have developed 4D-CBCT imaging system with dual source kV X-ray tubes. The total imaging dose with 4D-CBCT scans was up to 105.4 mGy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-J-39: Dose Reduction Strategy Using Attenuation-Based Tube Current Modulation Method in CBCT for IGRT

Purpose: To reduce radiation dose to the patients, tube current modulation (TCM) method has been actively used in diagnostic CT systems. However, TCM method has not yet been applied to a kV-CBCT system on a LINAC machine. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the use of TCM method is desirable in kV-CBCT system for IGRT. We have developed an attenuation-based tube current modulation (a-TCM) method using the prior knowledge of treatment CT image of a patient. Methods: Patients go through a diagnostic CT scan for RT planning; therefore, using this prior information of CT images, one can estimate the total attenuation of an x-ray through the patient body in a CBCT setting for radiation therapy. We performed a numerical study incorporating major factors into account such as polychromatic x-ray, scatter, noise, and bow-tie filter to demonstrate that a-TCM method can produce equivalent quality of images at reduced imaging radiation doses. Using the CT projector program, 680 projection images of the pediatric XCAT phantom were obtained both in conventional scanning condition, i.e., without modulating the tube current, and in the proposed a-TCM scanning condition. FDK reconstruction algorithm was used for image reconstruction, and the organ dose due to imaging radiation has been calculated in both cases and compared using GATE/Geant4 simulation toolkit. Results: Reconstructed CT images in the a-TCM method showed similar SSIM values and noise properties to the reference images acquired by the conventional CBCT. In addition, reduction of organ doses ranged from 12% to 27%. Conclusion: We have successfully demonstrated the feasibility and dosimetric merit of the a-TCM method for kV-CBCT, and envision that it can be a useful option of CBCT scanning that provides patient dose reduction without degrading image quality.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-G-JeP4-13: Continuous Intra-Fractional Monitoring of the Prostate Using Dynamic KV Collimation and Tube Current Modulation

Purpose: The focus of this work is to improve the available kV image quality for continuous intra-fraction monitoring of the prostate. This is investigated using a novel blade collimation system enabling modulated volume-of-interest (VOI) imaging of prostate fiducial markers. Methods: A four-blade dynamic kV collimator was used to track a VOI during gantry rotation. Planar image quality was investigated as a function of collimator dimension, while maintaining the same dose to isocenter, for a 22.2 cm diameter cylindrical water phantom with a 9 mm diameter bone insert. A sample prostate anatomy was defined in the planning system, including three fiducial markers within the CTV. The VOI margin around each marker was set to be 2σ of the population covariance matrix characterizing prostate motion. DRRs were used to calculate the kV attenuation for each VOI as a function of angle. The optimal marker and tube current were determined using kV attenuation. Monte Carlo simulations were used to calculate the imaging dose to the phantom and MV scatter dose to the imaging panel. Results: Preliminary measurements show an increase in CNR by a factor of 1.3 with the VOI method, when decreasing from an 6×6 to 2×2 cm{sup 2} field. Attenuation calculations show a change in kV fluence at the detector by a factor of 21.6 with fiducial optimization; resultant tube current modulation increases maximum dose by a factor of 1.4 compared to no modulation. MV scatter contribution to the kV detector changes by approximately a factor of two over a complete gantry rotation. Conclusion: The dynamic collimation system allows single fiducial marker tracking at a very low dose, with reduction of scatter and improvement of image quality, compared to imaging the entire prostate. The approach is compatible with tube current modulation, which enables consistent image quality throughout the range of gantry rotation. This project was funded by Varian Medical Systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Flux tube spectra from approximate integrability at low energies

We provide a detailed introduction to a method we recently proposed for calculating the spectrum of excitations of effective strings such as QCD flux tubes. The method relies on the approximate integrability of the low-energy effective theory describing the flux tube excitations and is based on the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz. The approximate integrability is a consequence of the Lorentz symmetry of QCD. For excited states, the convergence of the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz technique is significantly better than that of the traditional perturbative approach. We apply the new technique to the lattice spectra for fundamental flux tubes in gluodynamics in D = 3 + 1 and D = 2 + 1, and to k-strings in gluodynamics in D = 2 + 1. We identify a massive pseudoscalar resonance on the worldsheet of the confining strings in SU(3) gluodynamics in D = 3 + 1, and massive scalar resonances on the worldsheet of k = 2.3 strings in SU(6) gluodynamics in D = 2 + 1.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗