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At least 811 records · Page 45

Satellite alignment. I. Distribution of substructures and their dependence on assembly history from n-body simulations

Observations have shown that the spatial distribution of satellite galaxies is not random, but aligned with the major axes of central galaxies. This alignment is dependent on galaxy properties, such that red satellites are more strongly aligned than blue satellites. Theoretical work conducted to interpret this phenomenon has found that it is due to the non-spherical nature of dark matter halos. However, most studies overpredict the alignment signal under the assumption that the central galaxy shape follows the shape of the host halo. It is also not clear whether the color dependence of alignment is due to an assembly bias or an evolution effect. In this paper we study these problems using a cosmological N-body simulation. Subhalos are used to trace the positions of satellite galaxies. It is found that the shapes of dark matter halos are mis-aligned at different radii. If the central galaxy shares the same shape as the inner host halo, then the alignment effect is weaker and agrees with observational data. However, it predicts almost no dependence of alignment on the color of satellite galaxies, though the late accreted subhalos show stronger alignment with the outer layer of the host halo than their early accreted counterparts. We find that this is due to the limitation of pure N-body simulations where satellite galaxies without associated subhalos ('orphan galaxies') are not resolved. These orphan (mostly red) satellites often reside in the inner region of host halos and should follow the shape of the host halo in the inner region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Simulator of Non-homogenous Alumina and Current Distribution in an Aluminum Electrolysis Cell to Predict Low-Voltage Anode Effects

Perfluorocarbons are important contributors to aluminum production greenhouse gas inventories. Tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane are produced in the electrolysis process when a harmful event called anode effect occurs in the cell. This incident is strongly related to the lack of alumina and the current distribution in the cell and can be classified into two categories: high-voltage and low-voltage anode effects. The latter is hard to detect during the normal electrolysis process and, therefore, new tools are necessary to predict this event and minimize its occurrence. This paper discusses a new approach to model the alumina distribution behavior in an electrolysis cell by dividing the electrolytic bath into non-homogenous concentration zones using discrete elements. The different mechanisms related to the alumina distribution are discussed in detail. Moreover, with a detailed electrical model, it is possible to calculate the current distribution among the different anodic assemblies. With this information, the model can evaluate if low-voltage emissions are likely to be present under the simulated conditions. Using the simulator will help the understanding of the role of the alumina distribution which, in turn, will improve the cell energy consumption and stability while reducing the occurrence of high- and low-voltage anode effects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

ORIGIN OF CHEMICAL AND DYNAMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE GALACTIC THICK DISK

We adopt a scenario in which the Galactic thick disk was formed by minor merging between the first generation of the Galactic thin disk (FGTD) and a dwarf galaxy about {approx}9 Gyr ago and thereby investigate chemical and dynamical properties of the Galactic thick disk. In this scenario, the dynamical properties of the thick disk have long been influenced both by the mass growth of the second generation of the Galactic thin disk (i.e., the present thin disk) and by its non-axisymmetric structures. On the other hand, the early star formation history and chemical evolution of the thin disk was influenced by the remaining gas of the thick disk. Based on N-body simulations and chemical evolution models, we investigate the radial metallicity gradient, structural and kinematical properties, and detailed chemical abundance patterns of the thick disk. Our numerical simulations show that the ancient minor merger event can significantly flatten the original radial metallicity gradient of the FGTD, in particular, in the outer part, and also can be responsible for migration of inner metal-rich stars into the outer part (R > 10 kpc). The simulations show that the central region of the thick disk can develop a bar due to dynamical effects of a separate bar in the thin disk. Whether or not rotational velocities (V{sub {phi}}) can correlate with metallicities ([Fe/H]) for the simulated thick disks depends on the initial metallicity gradients of the FGTDs. The simulated orbital eccentricity distributions in the thick disk for models with higher mass ratios ({approx}0.2) and lower orbital eccentricities ({approx}0.5) of minor mergers are in good agreement with the corresponding observations. The simulated V{sub {phi}}-|z| relation of the thick disk in models with low orbital inclination angles of mergers are also in good agreement with the latest observational results. The vertical metallicity gradient of the simulated thick disk is rather flat or very weakly negative in the solar neighborhood. Our Galactic chemical evolution models show that if we choose two distinctive timescales for star formation in the thin and thick disks, then the models can explain both the observed metallicity distribution functions and correlations between [Mg/Fe] and [Fe/H] for the two disks in a self-consistent manner. We discuss how the early star formation history and chemical evolution of the Galactic thin disk can be influenced by the pre-existing thick disk.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOES GALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD DISTURB THE CORRELATION OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY COSMIC RAYS WITH THEIR SOURCES?

The propagation trajectories of the highest energy cosmic rays (HECRs) are deflected by not only intergalactic magnetic field but also Galactic magnetic field (GMF). These magnetic fields can weaken the positive correlation between the arrival directions of HECRs and the positions of their sources. In order to explore the effect of GMF on the expected correlation, we simulate the arrival distribution of protons with energy above 6 x 10{sup 19} eV taking several GMF models into account, and then test the correlation between the protons and their sources assumed in the simulation. The dependence of the correlation signals on GMF models is also investigated. The correlation can be observed by accumulating {approx}200 protons in a half-hemisphere. The typical angular scale at which the positive signal of the correlation is maximized depends on the spiral component of the GMF model. That angular scale is {approx}5{sup 0} for bisymmetric spiral (BS) GMF models and {approx}7{sup 0} for axisymmetric spiral (AS) GMF models if the number density of HECR sources, n{sub s} , is {approx}10{sup -4} Mpc{sup -3}. An additional vertical (dipole) component of GMF affects these angular scales by 0.{sup 0}5-1{sup 0}. The difference between the correlation signal for the BS models and that for the AS models is prominent in the northern sky. The significance of the positive correlation depends on source distribution. The probability that the number of simulated HECR events correlating with sources is smaller than the number of random events correlating with the same sources by chance is much less than 10{sup -3} ({approx}3{sigma}) in almost all the source distributions with n{sub s} = 10{sup -4} Mpc{sup -3} for detection of under 200 protons, but {approx}10% of source distributions predict a chance probability more than 10{sup -3} in the AS GMF model. In addition, we also briefly discuss the effect of GMF for heavy-nuclei-dominated composition.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Modeling of Stick-Slip Behavior in Sheared Granular Fault Gouge Using the Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method

Sheared granular layers undergoing stick-slip behavior are broadly employed to study the physics and dynamics of earthquakes. In this paper, a two-dimensional implementation of the combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM), which merges the finite element method (FEM) and the discrete element method (DEM), is used to explicitly simulate a sheared granular fault system including both gouge and plate, and to investigate the influence of different normal loads on seismic moment, macroscopic friction coefficient, kinetic energy, gouge layer thickness, and recurrence time between slips. In the FDEM model, the deformation of plates and particles is simulated using the FEM formulation while particle-particle and particle-plate interactions are modeled using DEM-derived techniques. The simulated seismic moment distributions are generally consistent with those obtained from the laboratory experiments. In addition, the simulation results demonstrate that with increasing normal load, (i) the kinetic energy of the granular fault system increases; (ii) the gouge layer thickness shows a decreasing trend; and (iii) the macroscopic friction coefficient does not experience much change. Analyses of the slip events reveal that, as the normal load increases, more slip events with large kinetic energy release and longer recurrence time occur, and the magnitude of gouge layer thickness decrease also tends to be larger; while the macroscopic friction coefficient drop decreases. Finally, the simulations not only reveal the influence of normal loads on the dynamics of sheared granular fault gouge, but also demonstrate the capabilities of FDEM for studying stick-slip dynamic behavior of granular fault systems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Estimating Changes in Temperature Distributions in a Large Ensemble of Climate Simulations Using Quantile Regression

Understanding future changes in extreme temperature events in a transient climate is inherently challenging. A single model simulation is generally insufficient to characterize the statistical properties of the evolving climate, but ensembles of repeated simulations with different initial conditions greatly expand the amount of data available. In this paper, we present a new approach for using ensembles to characterize changes in temperature distributions based on quantile regression that more flexibly characterizes seasonal changes. Specifically, our approach uses a continuous representation of seasonality rather than breaking the dataset into seasonal blocks; that is, we assume that temperature distributions evolve smoothly both day to day over an annual cycle and year to year over longer secular trends. To demonstrate our method’s utility, we analyze an ensemble of 50 simulations of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) under a scenario of increasing radiative forcing to 2100, focusing on North America. As previous studies have found, we see that daily temperature bulk variability generally decreases in wintertime in the continental mid- and high latitudes (>40°). A more subtle result that our approach uncovers is that differences in two low quantiles of wintertime temperatures do not shrink as much as the rest of the temperature distribution, producing a more negative skew in the overall distribution. Although the examples above concern temperature only, the technique is sufficiently general that it can be used to generate precise estimates of distributional changes in a broad range of climate variables by exploiting the power of ensembles.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Application of optical emission spectroscopy for He I considering the spatial structure of radiation trapping in MAP-II divertor simulator

The He I optical emission spectroscopy that considers the spatial structure of radiation trapping was proposed by us and was applied to a MAP-II divertor simulator. The spatial distribution of the optical escape factor was calculated from the n {sup 1}P (n{>=}3) state profiles measured by visible spectroscopy. The profile of 2 {sup 1}P, which is immeasurable by visible spectroscopy, needs to be broader than that of the 3 {sup 1}P state. The sensitivity of the 2 {sup 1}P profile to the T{sub e} value estimated by He I spectroscopy is investigated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

FlowPM: Distributed TensorFlow implementation of the FastPM cosmological N-body solver

Here, we present FlowPM, a Particle-Mesh (PM) cosmological N-body code implemented in Mesh-TensorFlow for GPU-accelerated, distributed, and differentiable simulations. We implement and validate the accuracy of a novel multi-grid scheme based on multiresolution pyramids to compute large-scale forces efficiently on distributed platforms. We explore the scaling of the simulation on large-scale supercomputers and compare it with corresponding Python based PM code, finding on an average 10x speed-up in terms of wallclock time. We also demonstrate how this novel tool can be used for efficiently solving large scale cosmological inference problems, in particular reconstruction of cosmological fields in a forward model Bayesian framework with hybrid PM and neural network forward model. We provide skeleton code for these examples and the entire code is publicly available at https://github.com/modichirag/flowpm[Formula presented].

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Generation of lower hybrid and whistler waves by an ion velocity ring distribution

Using fully kinetic simulations in two and three spatial dimensions, we consider the generation and nonlinear evolution of lower hybrid waves produced by a cold ion ring velocity distribution in a low beta plasma. We show that the initial development of the instability is very similar in two and three dimensions and not significantly modified by electromagnetic effects, consistent with linear theory. At saturation, the level of electric field fluctuations is a small fraction of the background thermal energy; the electric field and corresponding density fluctuations consist of long, field-aligned striations. Energy extracted from the ring goes primarily into heating the background ions and the electrons at comparable rates. The initial growth and saturation of the magnetic components of the lower hybrid waves are related to the electric field components, consistent with linear theory. As the growing electric field fluctuations saturate, parallel propagating whistler waves develop by the interaction of two lower hybrid waves. At later times, these whistlers are replaced by longer wavelength, parallel propagating whistlers that grow through the decay of the lower hybrid fluctuations. Wave matching conditions demonstrate these conversion processes of lower hybrid waves to whistler waves. The conversion efficiency (=ratio of the whistler wave energy to the energy in the saturated lower hybrid waves) is computed and found to be significant ({approx}15%) for the parameters of the three-dimensional simulation (and even larger in the two-dimensional simulation), although when normalized in terms of the initial kinetic energy in the ring ions the overall efficiency is very small (<10{sup -4}). The results are compared with relevant linear and nonlinear theory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DISCLOSING THE RADIO LOUDNESS DISTRIBUTION DICHOTOMY IN QUASARS: AN UNBIASED MONTE CARLO APPROACH APPLIED TO THE SDSS-FIRST QUASAR SAMPLE

We investigate the dichotomy in the radio loudness distribution of quasars by modeling their radio emission and various selection effects using a Monte Carlo approach. The existence of two physically distinct quasar populations, the radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars, is controversial and over the last decade a bimodal distribution of radio loudness of quasars has been both affirmed and disputed. We model the quasar radio luminosity distribution with simple unimodal and bimodal distribution functions. The resulting simulated samples are compared to a fiducial sample of 8300 quasars drawn from the SDSS DR7 Quasar Catalog and combined with radio observations from the FIRST survey. Our results indicate that the SDSS-FIRST sample is best described by a radio loudness distribution which consists of two components, with (12 {+-} 1)% of sources in the radio-loud component. On the other hand, the evidence for a local minimum in the loudness distribution (bimodality) is not strong and we find that previous claims for its existence were probably affected by the incompleteness of the FIRST survey close to its faint limit. We also investigate the redshift and luminosity dependence of the radio loudness distribution and find tentative evidence that at high redshift radio-loud quasars were rarer, on average louder, and exhibited a smaller range in radio loudness. In agreement with other recent work, we conclude that the SDSS-FIRST sample strongly suggests that the radio loudness distribution of quasars is not a universal function, and that more complex models than presented here are needed to fully explain available observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Observation and Control of Hamiltonian Chaos in Wave-particle Interaction

Wave-particle interactions are central in plasma physics. The paradigm beam-plasma system can be advantageously replaced by a traveling wave tube (TWT) to allow their study in a much less noisy environment. This led to detailed analysis of the self-consistent interaction between unstable waves and an either cold or warm electron beam. More recently a test cold beam has been used to observe its interaction with externally excited wave(s). This allowed observing the main features of Hamiltonian chaos and testing a new method to efficiently channel chaotic transport in phase space. To simulate accurately and efficiently the particle dynamics in the TWT and other 1D particle-wave systems, a new symplectic, symmetric, second order numerical algorithm is developed, using particle position as the independent variable, with a fixed spatial step.This contribution reviews: presentation of the TWT and its connection to plasma physics, resonant interaction of a charged particle in electrostatic waves, observation of particle trapping and transition to chaos, test of control of chaos, and description of the simulation algorithm.The velocity distribution function of the electron beam is recorded with a trochoidal energy analyzer at the output of the TWT. An arbitrary waveform generator is used to launch a prescribed spectrum of waves along the 4m long helix of the TWT. The nonlinear synchronization of particles by a single wave, responsible for Landau damping, is observed. We explore the resonant velocity domain associated with a single wave as well as the transition to large scale chaos when the resonant domains of two waves and their secondary resonances overlap. This transition exhibits a devil's staircase behavior when increasing the excitation level in agreement with numerical simulation.A new strategy for control of chaos by building barriers of transport in phase space as well as its robustness is successfully tested. The underlying concepts extend far beyond the field of electron devices and plasma physics.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A Parameterization of Turbulent Dissipation and Pressure Damping Time Scales in Stably Stratified Inversions, and its Effects on Low Clouds in Global Simulations

Abstract It is difficult for coarse‐resolution global models of the atmosphere to accurately simulate the observed distribution of low clouds. In particular, it is difficult for moist turbulence closure models to simulate sufficiently bright near‐coastal stratocumulus (Sc) without simulating overly bright marine shallow cumuli (Cu). To parameterize bright Sc, a turbulence parameterization must damp the turbulent fluxes of heat and moisture above cloud top in order to prevent excessive entrainment of dry air into cloud top. To parameterize dim shallow Cu, the subgrid variances of temperature and moisture must remain large, in order to permit partial cloudiness. However, damping the fluxes but not the variances just above cloud top is difficult if a parameterization uses a single “master” time scale to damp both. In nature, the above‐cloud fluxes are damped by pressure fluctuations, whereas scalar variances are damped by a different process, namely, turbulent dissipation. In a stably stratified inversion above cloud, pressure damping is large but turbulent dissipation is small. To avoid this problem, a multitime scale parameterization for damping has been developed. The damping parameterization has been implemented in a global model and evaluated. The parameterization is capable of dimming shallow Cu while producing adequately bright Sc.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Spectroradiometer Intercomparison and Impact on Characterizing Photovoltaic Device Performance: Preprint

Indoor and outdoor testing of photovoltaic (PV) device performance requires the use of solar simulators and natural solar radiation, respectively. This performance characterization requires accurate knowledge of spectral irradiance distribution that is incident on the devices. Spectroradiometers are used to measure the spectral distribution of solar simulators and solar radiation. On September 17, 2013, a global spectral irradiance intercomparison using spectroradiometers was organized by the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This paper presents highlights of the results of this first intercomparison, which will help to decrease systematic inter-laboratory differences in the measurements of the outputs or efficiencies of PV devices and harmonize laboratory experimental procedures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Molecular dynamics simulation for arrangement of nickel atoms filled in carbon nanotubes

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) filled with metals can be used in capacitors, sensors, rechargeable batteries, and so on. Atomic arrangement of the metals has an important role in the function of the composites. The tips of CNTs were opened, and then nickel was filled by means of hydrothermal oxidation/ultrasonic vibration method. The tests of TEM, HREM, and EDX (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis showed that Ni was filled in CNTs successfully. The atomic arrangement of nickel filled into single wall carbon nanotubes was investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The radial distribution function and bond orientation order were established to analyze the atomic arrangement of nickel filled in carbon nanotubes during the cooling process. The results show that nickel atoms became in order gradually and preferably crystallized on the inner wall of carbon nanotubes when the temperature decreased from 1600 K. After it cooled to 100 K, the arrangement of nickel atoms in outermost circle was regular and dense, but there were many defects far from the wall of CNTs. According to the calculation of bond orientation order parameters Q{sub 6} and its visualization, the structure of nickel is Face-centered cube (f.c.c). (1,1,1){sub Ni} was close on the inner surface of carbon nanotubes. Radial direction of CNTs was [1,1,1] crystal orientation. Axial direction of CNTs, namely, filling direction, was [1{sup ¯}, 1{sup ¯},2] crystal orientation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

The power reliability event simulator tool (PRESTO): A novel approach to distribution system reliability analysis and applications

The growing interest in onsite solar photovoltaic and energy storage systems is partially motivated by customer concerns regarding grid reliability. However, accurately assessing the effectiveness of PVESS in mitigating these interruptions requires a comprehensive understanding of location-specific outage patterns and the ability to simulate realistic scenarios. To address the gap, we introduce the Power Reliability Event Simulation TOol (PRESTO), the first publicly available tool that simulates location-specific power interruptions at the county level. PRESTO allows for a more realistic assessment of system reliability by considering the unpredictability and location-specific patterns of power interruptions. We applied PRESTO in a case study of a single-family home across three U.S. counties, examining the performance of a solar photovoltaic system with 10kWh of battery storage during short-duration power interruptions. Our findings show that this system reliably met 93% of energy demand for essential non-heating and cooling loads, fully serving these loads in 84% of events, despite the constraints of daily time-of-use bill management which limits the battery's state-of-charge reserve. However, when heating and cooling loads were included, system performance decreased significantly, with only 70% of demand met and full service in 43% of events. These results highlight the challenges of using solar photovoltaic and energy storage systems for short-duration outages, emphasizing the need to consider factors like battery size and grid charging strategies to improve reliability. Our study demonstrates the practical applications of PRESTO, providing valuable insights into potential mitigation strategies including grid charging and optimizing battery size.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Quantifying structural errors in cloud condensation nuclei activity from reduced representation of aerosol size distributions

Aerosol effects on clouds and radiation are the dominant contribution to uncertainty in radiative forcing relative to the pre-industrial atmosphere. While previous studies have assessed the impact of parametric uncertainty on modeled forcing, structural errors from the numerical representation of particle distributions have not been well quantified. Here we present a framework for quantifying error in aerosol size distributions and cloud condensation nuclei activity, which we apply to the widely used 4-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM4). Box model predictions from the MAM4 are evaluated against the Particle Monte Carlo Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (PartMC-MOSAIC), a benchmark model that tracks the evolution of individual particles. We show that size distributions simulated by MAM4 diverge from those simulated by PartMC-MOSAIC after only a few hours of aging by condensation and coagulation in polluted conditions, which leads to large errors in modeled cloud condensation nuclei concentrations. We find that differences between MAM4 and PartMC-MOSAIC are largest under polluted conditions, where the size distribution evolves rapidly though aging by condensation of semi-volatile substances and coagulation among particles. These findings suggest that structural error in modeled aerosol properties contributes to the large inter-model variability in aerosol radiative forcing.

Fierce, Laura M.↗

Research on pinching characteristics of electron beams emitted from different cathode surfaces of a rod-pinch diode

The particle-in-cell code UNIPIC is used to simulate the working process of a rod-pinch diode and investigate the pinching characteristics of electron beams emitted from different cathode surfaces. The simulation results indicate that the electron beam emitted from the upstream surface pinches better than from other surfaces when all the three surfaces emit electrons. The charge-density deposition on the anode surface peaks at the rod tip while the deposited charge density is approximately uniform over the first 15 mm of the rod before rapidly increasing over the last 3 mm, indicating a large axial extent of electron deposition. For the case of single-surface emission, the pinching quality of the electron beam emitted from the downstream surface is better than those from other surfaces. The charge-density deposition peaks at the rod tip and decreases rapidly off the tip. Based on the relationship of Larmor radius, beam's self-magnetic field, and the spatial current distribution, the above simulation results are analyzed theoretically. The experiments are performed on the inductive voltage adder to examine the simulations. By comparing the axial distribution of the radiation on the anode rod measured with the pinhole camera and the on-axis forward x-ray dose measured with the LiF thermoluminescent detectors, the simulation results are verified. The electron emission suppression method and the impedance change for each case are investigated or discussed in this paper.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Modeling of Keyhole-Induced Pore Formation in Laser-Arc Hybrid Welding of Aluminum Alloy with a Horizontal Fillet Joint

A three-dimensional transient model is proposed to investigate the weld pool dynamic behavior in laser + metal inert gas (MIG) hybrid fillet welding of aluminum alloy in the horizontal position, which allows for the joint configuration and coupling of the keyhole, droplet and weld pool as well as the heat and mass exchange between gas and liquid phases and is able to simulate the temperature distribution, fluid flow and formation process of a keyhole-induced pore in hybrid welding with a horizontal fillet joint. The weld porosity is also measured using x-ray nondestructive testing technology. Keyhole behavior and the formation mechanism of keyhole-induced porosity were analyzed. The calculated results are in generally good agreement with the experimental ones. A clockwise vortex always exists at the middle part of the weld pool. The formation and growth of the molten metal bulge on the keyhole wall are responsible for the occurrence of a gas bubble, which has a variation in size and shape and can be split during welding. The keyhole collapses easily at its middle or upper part in horizontal fillet welding, and the capture of the bubble by the upper molten pool boundary enhances the possibility of porosity formation to some degree. The keyhole-induced pore is mainly formed at the regions near the keyhole bottom and the upper fusion line of the weld pool.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗