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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Axial strain in GaAs/InAs core-shell nanowires

We study the axial strain relaxation in GaAs/InAs core-shell nanowire heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Besides a gradual strain relaxation of the shell material, we find a significant strain in the GaAs core, increasing with shell thickness. This strain is explained by a saturation of the dislocation density at the core-shell interface. Independent measurements of core and shell lattice parameters by x-ray diffraction reveal a relaxation of 93% in a 35 nm thick InAs shell surrounding cores of 80 nm diameter. The compressive strain of -0.5% compared to bulk InAs is accompanied by a tensile strain up to 0.9% in the GaAs core.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Dislocation core structures in Si-doped GaN

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the core structures of threading dislocations in plan-view geometry of GaN films with a range of Si-doping levels and dislocation densities ranging between (5 ± 1) × 10{sup 8} and (10 ± 1) × 10{sup 9} cm{sup −2}. All a-type (edge) dislocation core structures in all samples formed 5/7-atom ring core structures, whereas all (a + c)-type (mixed) dislocations formed either double 5/6-atom, dissociated 7/4/8/4/9-atom, or dissociated 7/4/8/4/8/4/9-atom core structures. This shows that Si-doping does not affect threading dislocation core structures in GaN. However, electron beam damage at 300 keV produces 4-atom ring structures for (a + c)-type cores in Si-doped GaN.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Ab initio investigation of Br-3d core-excited states in HBr and HBr + toward XUV probing of photochemical dynamics

Ultrafast X-ray/XUV transient absorption spectroscopy is a powerful tool for real-time probing of chemical dynamics. Interpretation of the transient absorption spectra requires knowledge of core-excited potentials, which necessitates assistance from high-level electronic-structure computations. In this study, we investigate Br-3d core-excited electronic structures of hydrogen bromide (HBr) using spin-orbit general multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation theory (SO-GMC-QDPT). Potential energy curves and transition dipole moments are calculated from the Franck-Condon region to the asymptotic limit and used to construct core-to-valence absorption strengths for five electronic states of HBr ( 1 Σ 0 +, 3 Π 1 , 1 Π 1 , 3 Π 0 +, 3 Σ 1 ) and two electronic states of HBr+ ( 2 Π 3/2 , 2 Σ 1/2 ). The results illustrate the capabilities of Br-3d edge probing to capture transitions of the electronic-state symmetry as well as nonadiabatic dissociation processes that evolve across avoided crossings. Furthermore, core-to-valence absorption spectra are simulated from the neutral 1 Σ 0 + state and the ionic 2 Π 1/2,3/2 states by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and exhibit excellent agreement with the experimental spectrum. The comprehensive and quantitative picture of the core-excited states obtained in this work allows for transparent analysis of the core-to-valence absorption signals, filling gaps in the theoretical understanding of the Br-3d transient absorption spectra.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observation of fully detached divertor integrated with improved core confinement for tokamak fusion plasmas

Integration of divertor detachment with a high-performance (β N ~ 3, β p > 2, H 98 ~ 1.5) core plasma has been demonstrated in DIII-D high-β p (poloidal beta) plasmas associated with a sustained core internal transport barrier (ITB) and an H-mode edge transport barrier (ETB). Such good core-edge integration has been achieved for both neon and nitrogen seeding, for both favorable and unfavorable B-field directions, independently from the impurity puffing locations, though these variations play important roles on divertor characteristics. Compared to the standard H-mode plasmas, the high-β p plasma exhibits a much wider window of detachment compatible with high confinement core. Fully detached divertor plasmas with low plasma temperature (Te < 5 eV), low particle flux, and low heat flux across the entire divertor target plate were obtained by using nitrogen seeding. This detached high-β p plasma is compatible with a newly developed detachment control system which can help optimize the nitrogen gas flow rate. Several features, i.e., the high edge safety factor in the high-β p scenario, impurity injection, closed divertor and reduced heating power requirement due to the high confinement, facilitate the achievement of full divertor detachment at lower density. Instead of degrading global performance, the divertor detachment facilitates the access to an even stronger ITB at large radius with a relatively weak ETB through self-organized synergy between ITB and ETB, leading to sustained high confinement. The strengthening of the large-radius ITB compensates for the ETB degradation associated with divertor detachment. In addition, a weak ETB naturally has smaller edge localized modes (ELMs). In particular, with neon injection, a long-period no-ELM H-mode phase has been achieved simultaneously with high-performance core and partially detached divertor plasmas. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the possibility of integrating excellent core plasma performance with an effective divertor solution, an essential step toward steady-state operation of reactor-grade plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

A method for measuring coupling coefficients between cores and corrections to mode propagation constants in multicore fibres

A new experimental method is proposed for reconstructing supermode profiles of a multicore fibre (MCF), small corrections to the propagation constants of its cores and coupling coefficients between the cores without phase-sensitive measurements. The method is based on intensity measurements in the cores at the output of several MCF segments differing in length, using several configurations of controlled light launch into the cores at the fibre input (in the simplest case, by sequentially exciting each core), followed by numerical treatment using an iterative algorithm. The use of the method is demonstrated experimentally for a seven-core fibre. Using numerical simulation, we assess the stability of the method and the effect of the number of measurements on the accuracy of fibre parameter reconstruction. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Structure of the protein core of the glypican Dally-like and localization of a region important for hedgehog signaling

Glypicans are heparan sulfate proteoglycans that modulate the signaling of multiple growth factors active during animal development, and loss of glypican function is associated with widespread developmental abnormalities. Glypicans consist of a conserved, approximately 45-kDa N-terminal protein core region followed by a stalk region that is tethered to the cell membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchor. The stalk regions are predicted to be random coil but contain a variable number of attachment sites for heparan sulfate chains. Both the N-terminal protein core and the heparan sulfate attachments are important for glypican function. We report here the 2.4-{angstrom} crystal structure of the N-terminal protein core region of the Drosophila glypican Dally-like (Dlp). This structure reveals an elongated, {alpha}-helical fold for glypican core regions that does not appear homologous to any known structure. The Dlp core protein is required for normal responsiveness to Hedgehog (Hh) signals, and we identify a localized region on the Dlp surface important for mediating its function in Hh signaling. Purified Dlp protein core does not, however, interact appreciably with either Hh or an Hh:Ihog complex.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-Fidelity CFD Simulation of Mixed Convection and Forced Convection in a Pebble Bed Test Reactor Core

The Hermes low-power [35-MW(thermal)] reactor will be built and operated by Kairos Power LLC (KP) to demonstrate its fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) technology. In the KP FHR, the reactor core is composed of randomly packed pebbles with TRISO fuel particles inside with FLiBe flow upward through the core acting as a coolant. Previous numerical and experimental studies have been limited to either a small-size bed or to a lack of detailed measurements for heat transfer. Here, to address the lack of high-fidelity heat transfer data in a real-size FHR core, in this study, we simulated a pebble bed core with 34 374 pebbles randomly packed, similar to the Hermes reactor's size. The core radius was 14 times that of the pebble diameter, while the core height was 45 times. In this work, we were particularly interested in a mixed convection regime, where buoyancy is important. Therefore, we performed several large-eddy simulations at different Reynolds numbers (160 to 1000) with gravitational force included. The spectral element computational fluid dynamics code NekRS with graphics processing unit acceleration was used for this study. The low-Mach number approximation was applied to address property changes in the FLiBe and to account for buoyancy. A pure hexahedral mesh with 60 million elements was generated by the Voronoi cell method. At the polynomial order of 5, the total degrees of freedom was 7.5 billion. The developed case in this work is the first of its kind in terms of size and complexity. The local numerical data across the domain were obtained and compared with empirical correlations. After examining the data, we found the following conclusions. For pressure drop, the Reger correlation predicted less than a 5% error. On the other hand, for heat transfer, the Wakao correlation outperformed the others. Based on our findings, we recommend the use of the Wakao correlation for the Nusselt number calculation, and for pressure drop, the KTA (Kerntechnischer Ausschuss) correclation, among the available experimental correlations. In conclusion, the Reger direct numerical simulation-driven correlation for pressure drops should also be considered, given its best agreement with our calculations.

Mixed Convection↗
DOE OSTI2022

Versatile Test Reactor Conceptual Core Design

The VTR is a 300-MW(thermal) sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) designed for the specific purpose of delivering unique testing capabilities to enable the advancement of all reactor technologies. With its flux level, irradiation volume, and operational flexibility, the VTR will enable accelerated testing of materials, fuels, and various components needing irradiation testing. Proven SFR technologies and design approaches have been leveraged in designing the VTR core, ensuring the highest possible readiness level. This resulted in the VTR using ternary metallic fuel and delivering fast flux levels in excess of 4 x 10 15 n/cm 2 ∙ s over large useful volumes, corresponding to about 60 dpa/year in steel. As part of the design efforts, the VTR core performance has been determined for a representative configuration, ensuring that the reactivity control systems offer sufficient shutdown margins, that the core can be safely cooled in all situations, and that reactivity feedback coefficients are conducive to a favorable safety behavior. Furthermore, the incorporation of features such as fuel assembly storage in the shield region supports the flexible and reliable operation of the VTR. Additional design work has been ongoing as well. This includes thorough shielding performance evaluations to ensure safe operation of the VTR, verification and validation of the design tools used to achieve compliance with Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) requirements, early assessment of the impact of irradiation experiments on the core performance envelope and associated margins, and in-depth uncertainty quantification efforts to quantify the anticipated range of performance characteristics. An experimental program supporting the VTR core design has been set up, with the current focus being on thermal-hydraulic experiments. The purpose of this experimental program is to obtain confirmatory measurements to serve directly as part of the core design basis or as part of the validation cases supporting the simulation tools used.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2010

STAR-FORMING DENSE CLOUD CORES IN THE TeV GAMMA-RAY SNR RX J1713.7-3946

RX J1713.7-3946 is one of the TeV {gamma}-ray supernova remnants (SNRs) emitting synchrotron X-rays. The SNR is associated with molecular gas located at {approx}1 kpc. We made new molecular observations toward the dense cloud cores, peaks A, C, and D, in the SNR in the {sup 12}CO(J = 2-1) and {sup 13}CO(J = 2-1) transitions at an angular resolution of 90''. The most intense core in {sup 13}CO, peak C, was also mapped in the {sup 12}CO(J = 4-3) transition at an angular resolution of 38''. Peak C shows strong signs of active star formation including bipolar outflow and a far-infrared protostellar source, and has a steep gradient with a r {sup -2.2{+-}0.4} variation in the average density within radius r. Peak C and the other dense cloud cores are rim-brightened in synchrotron X-rays, suggesting that the dense cloud cores are embedded within or on the outer boundary of the SNR shell. This confirms the earlier suggestion that the X-rays are physically associated with the molecular gas. We present a scenario where the densest molecular core, peak C, survived the blast wave and is now embedded within the SNR. Numerical simulations of the shock-cloud interaction indicate that a dense clump can indeed survive shock erosion, since the shock propagation speed is stalled in the dense clump. Additionally, the shock-cloud interaction induces turbulence and magnetic field amplification around the dense clump that may facilitate particle acceleration in the lower-density inter-clump space leading to enhanced synchrotron X-rays around dense cores.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

CONSTRAINT ON THE GIANT PLANET PRODUCTION BY CORE ACCRETION

The issue of giant planet formation by core accretion (CA) far from the central star is rather controversial because the growth of a massive solid core necessary for triggering the gas runaway can take longer than the lifetime of the protoplanetary disk. In this work, we assess the range of separations at which CA may operate by (1) allowing for an arbitrary (physically meaningful) rate of planetesimal accretion by the core and (2) properly taking into account the dependence of the critical mass for the gas runaway on the planetesimal accretion luminosity. This self-consistent approach distinguishes our work from similar studies in which only a specific planetesimal accretion regime was explored and/or the critical core mass was fixed at some arbitrary level. We demonstrate that the largest separation at which the gas runaway can occur within 3 Myr corresponds to the surface density of solids in the disk {approx}>0.1 g cm{sup -2} and is 40-50 AU in the minimum mass solar nebula. This limiting separation is achieved when the planetesimal accretion proceeds at the fastest possible rate, even though the high associated accretion luminosity increases the critical core mass, delaying the onset of gas runaway. Our constraints are independent of the mass of the central star and vary only weakly with the core density and its atmospheric opacity. We also discuss various factors that can strengthen or weaken our limits on the operation of CA.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

INDUCED ROTATION IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL SIMULATIONS OF CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE: IMPLICATIONS FOR PULSAR SPINS

It has been suggested that the observed rotation periods of radio pulsars might be induced by a non-axisymmetric spiral-mode instability in the turbulent region behind the stalled supernova bounce shock, even if the progenitor core was not initially rotating. In this paper, using the three-dimensional Adaptive Mesh Refinement code CASTRO with a realistic progenitor and equation of state and a simple neutrino heating and cooling scheme, we present a numerical study of the evolution in three dimensions of the rotational profile of a supernova core from collapse, through bounce and shock stagnation, to delayed explosion. By the end of our simulation ({approx}420 ms after core bounce), we do not witness significant spin-up of the proto-neutron star core left behind. However, we do see the development before the explosion of strong differential rotation in the turbulent gain region between the core and stalled shock. Shells in this region acquire high spin rates that reach {approx}150 Hz, but this region contains too little mass and angular momentum to translate, even if left behind, into rapid rotation for the full neutron star. We also find that much of the induced angular momentum is likely to be ejected in the explosion, and moreover that even if the optimal amount of induced angular momentum is retained in the core, the resulting spin period is likely to be quite modest. Nevertheless, induced periods of seconds are possible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

RADIATION TRANSFER OF MODELS OF MASSIVE STAR FORMATION. I. DEPENDENCE ON BASIC CORE PROPERTIES

Radiative transfer calculations of massive star formation are presented. These are based on the Turbulent Core Model of McKee and Tan and self-consistently included a hydrostatic core, an inside-out expansion wave, a zone of free-falling rotating collapse, wide-angle dust-free outflow cavities, an active accretion disk, and a massive protostar. For the first time for such models, an optically thick inner gas disk extends inside the dust destruction front. This is important to conserve the accretion energy naturally and for its shielding effect on the outer region of the disk and envelope. The simulation of radiation transfer is performed with the Monte Carlo code of Whitney, yielding spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the model series, from the simplest spherical model to the fiducial one, with the above components each added step by step. Images are also presented in different wavebands of various telescope cameras, including Spitzer IRAC and MIPS, SOFIA FORCAST, and Herschel PACS and SPIRE. The existence of the optically thick inner disk produces higher optical wavelength fluxes but reduces near- and mid-IR emission. The presence of outflow cavities, the inclination angle to the line of sight, and the thickness of the disk all affect the SEDs and images significantly. For the high-mass surface density cores considered here, the mid-IR emission can be dominated by the outflow cavity walls, as has been suggested by De Buizer. The effect of varying the pressure of the environment bounding the surface of the massive core is also studied. With lower surface pressures, the core is larger, has lower extinction and accretion rates, and the observed mid-IR flux from the disk can then be relatively high even though the accretion luminosity is lower. In this case the silicate absorption feature becomes prominent, in contrast to higher density cores forming under higher pressures.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

USING A DIFFERENTIAL EMISSION MEASURE AND DENSITY MEASUREMENTS IN AN ACTIVE REGION CORE TO TEST A STEADY HEATING MODEL

The frequency of heating events in the corona is an important constraint on the coronal heating mechanisms. Observations indicate that the intensities and velocities measured in active region cores are effectively steady, suggesting that heating events occur rapidly enough to keep high-temperature active region loops close to equilibrium. In this paper, we couple observations of active region (AR) 10955 made with the X-Ray Telescope and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on board Hinode to test a simple steady heating model. First we calculate the differential emission measure (DEM) of the apex region of the loops in the active region core. We find the DEM to be broad and peaked around 3 MK. We then determine the densities in the corresponding footpoint regions. Using potential field extrapolations to approximate the loop lengths and the density-sensitive line ratios to infer the magnitude of the heating, we build a steady heating model for the active region core and find that we can match the general properties of the observed DEM for the temperature range of 6.3 < log T < 6.7. This model, for the first time, accounts for the base pressure, loop length, and distribution of apex temperatures of the core loops. We find that the density-sensitive spectral line intensities and the bulk of the hot emission in the active region core are consistent with steady heating. We also find, however, that the steady heating model cannot address the emission observed at lower temperatures. This emission may be due to foreground or background structures, or may indicate that the heating in the core is more complicated. Different heating scenarios must be tested to determine if they have the same level of agreement.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

OUTFLOW, INFALL, AND PROTOSTARS IN THE STAR-FORMING CORE W3-SE

We report new results on outflow and infall in the star-forming cores W3-SE SMA-1 and SMA-2 based on analysis of {approx}2.''5 resolution observations of the molecular lines HCN(3-2), HCO{sup +}(3-2), N{sub 2}H{sup +}(3-2), and CH{sub 3}OH(5{sub 2,3}-4{sub 1,3}) with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). A high-velocity bipolar outflow originating from the protostellar core SMA-1 was observed in the HCN(3-2) line, with a projected outflow axis at a position angle of 48{sup 0}. The detection of the outflow is confirmed from other molecular lines. An inverse P-Cygni profile in the HCN(3-2) line toward SMA-1 suggests that at least one of the double cores accretes matter from the molecular core. A filamentary structure in the molecular gas surrounds SMA-1 and SMA-2. Based on the SMA observations, our analysis suggests that the double pre-stellar cores SMA-1 and SMA-2 result from fragmentation in the collapsing massive molecular core W3-SE, and it is likely that they are forming intermediate- to high-mass stars which will be new members of a star cluster in the W3-SE region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

HOT MOLECULAR CORES IN INFRARED DARK CLOUDS

We present high angular resolution continuum images and molecular line spectra obtained at 345 GHz with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) toward two massive cores that lie within Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs): G034.43+00.24 MM1 and G024.33+00.11 MM1. Both of these cores contain bright, unresolved (<2'') objects that have previously been imaged in the millimeter/submillimeter continuum with the Institut de RadioAstronomie Millimetrique (IRAM) Plateau de Bure Interferometer and SMA and show complex molecular line chemistry. The new, higher angular resolution SMA continuum images reveal that both cores contain massive (8, 26 M{sub Sun }), unresolved (0.''6; {approx}3000 AU) continuum emission features and emission from many complex molecular transitions, which confirm that these are hot molecular cores, an early stage in the formation of a high-mass star. Because these hot cores are located within IRDCs, they may well represent the very earliest phases in the formation of high-mass protostars and, hence, their detailed study may reveal the initial conditions within high-mass star-forming cores, before they are shredded apart by stellar winds and radiation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

INITIAL CONDITIONS FOR STAR FORMATION IN CLUSTERS: PHYSICAL AND KINEMATICAL STRUCTURE OF THE STARLESS CORE Oph A-N6

We present high spatial (<300 AU) and spectral (0.07 km s{sup -1}) resolution Submillimeter Array observations of the dense starless cluster core Oph A-N6 in the 1 mm dust continuum and the 3-2 line of N{sub 2}H{sup +} and N{sub 2}D{sup +}. The dust continuum observations reveal a compact source not seen in single-dish observations, of size {approx}1000 AU and mass 0.005-0.01 M{sub Sun }. The combined line and single-dish observations reveal a core of size 3000 Multiplication-Sign 1400 AU elongated in a NW-SE direction, with almost no variation in either line width nor line center velocity across the map, and very small non-thermal motions. The deuterium fraction has a peak value of {approx}0.15 and is >0.05 over much of the core. The N{sub 2}H{sup +} column density profile across the major axis of Oph A-N6 is well represented by an isothermal cylinder, with temperature 20 K, peak density 7.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} cm{sup -3}, and N{sub 2}H{sup +} abundance 2.7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -10}. The mass of Oph A-N6 is estimated to be 0.29 M{sub Sun }, compared to a value of 0.18 M{sub Sun} from the isothermal cylinder analysis, and 0.63 M{sub Sun} for the critical mass for fragmentation of an isothermal cylinder. Compared to isolated low-mass cores, Oph A-N6 shows similar narrow line widths and small velocity variation, with a deuterium fraction similar to 'evolved' dense cores. It is significantly smaller than isolated cores, with larger peak column and volume density. The available evidence suggests that Oph A-N6 has formed through the fragmentation of the Oph A filament and is the precursor to a low-mass star. The dust continuum emission suggests that it may already have begun to form a star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

NON-THERMAL EMISSIONS FROM COOL CORES HEATED BY COSMIC RAYS IN GALAXY CLUSTERS

We study non-thermal emissions from cool cores in galaxy clusters. We adopted a recent model in which cosmic rays (CRs) prevail in the cores and stably heat them through CR streaming. The non-thermal emissions come from the interaction between CR protons and intracluster medium (ICM). Comparison between the theoretical predictions and radio observations shows that the overall CR spectra must be steep, and most of the CRs in the cores are low-energy CRs. Assuming that the CRs are injected through active galactic nucleus activities, we study the nature of the shocks that are responsible for the CR acceleration. The steep CR spectra are likely to reflect the fact that the shocks travel in hot ICM with fairly small Mach numbers. We also study the dependence on the CR streaming velocity. The results indicate that synchrotron emissions from secondary electrons should be observed as radio mini-halos in the cores. In particular, low-frequency observations (e.g., LOFAR) are promising. However, the steepness of the spectra makes it difficult to detect non-thermal X-ray and gamma-ray emissions from the cores. The low-energy CRs may be heating optical filaments observed in the cores.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE HST/ACS COMA CLUSTER SURVEY. VIII. BARRED DISK GALAXIES IN THE CORE OF THE COMA CLUSTER

We use high-resolution ({approx}0.''1) F814W Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) images from the Hubble Space Telescope ACS Treasury survey of the Coma cluster at z {approx} 0.02 to study bars in massive disk galaxies (S0s), as well as low-mass dwarf galaxies in the core of the Coma cluster, the densest environment in the nearby universe. Our study helps to constrain the evolution of bars and disks in dense environments and provides a comparison point for studies in lower density environments and at higher redshifts. Our results are: (1) we characterize the fraction and properties of bars in a sample of 32 bright (M{sub V} {approx}< -18, M{sub *} > 10{sup 9.5} M{sub Sun }) S0 galaxies, which dominate the population of massive disk galaxies in the Coma core. We find that the measurement of a bar fraction among S0 galaxies must be handled with special care due to the difficulty in separating unbarred S0s from ellipticals, and the potential dilution of the bar signature by light from a relatively large, bright bulge. The results depend sensitively on the method used: the bar fraction for bright S0s in the Coma core is 50% {+-} 11%, 65% {+-} 11%, and 60% {+-} 11% based on three methods of bar detection, namely, strict ellipse fit criteria, relaxed ellipse fit criteria, and visual classification. (2) We compare the S0 bar fraction across different environments (the Coma core, A901/902, and Virgo) adopting the critical step of using matched samples and matched methods in order to ensure robust comparisons. We find that the bar fraction among bright S0 galaxies does not show a statistically significant variation (within the error bars of {+-}11%) across environments which span two orders of magnitude in galaxy number density (n {approx} 300-10,000 galaxies Mpc{sup -3}) and include rich and poor clusters, such as the core of Coma, the A901/902 cluster, and Virgo. We speculate that the bar fraction among S0s is not significantly enhanced in rich clusters compared to low-density environments for two reasons. First, S0s in rich clusters are less prone to bar instabilities as they are dynamically heated by harassment and are gas poor as a result of ram pressure stripping and accelerated star formation. Second, high-speed encounters in rich clusters may be less effective than slow, strong encounters in inducing bars. (3) We also take advantage of the high resolution of the ACS ({approx}50 pc) to analyze a sample of 333 faint (M{sub V} > -18) dwarf galaxies in the Coma core. Using visual inspection of unsharp-masked images, we find only 13 galaxies with bar and/or spiral structure. An additional eight galaxies show evidence for an inclined disk. The paucity of disk structures in Coma dwarfs suggests that either disks are not common in these galaxies or that any disks present are too hot to develop instabilities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗