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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Parallel velocity diffusion and slowing-down rate from long-range collisions in a magnetized plasma

This paper derives an expression for the rate of collisional slowing of charges in a magnetized plasma for which r{sub c} < λ{sub D}, where r{sub c} is the mean thermal cyclotron radius and λ{sub D} is the Debye length. The rate depends on a new fundamental length scale d that separates collisions into two impact parameter ranges that yield different slowing rates: a Boltzmann rate due to isolated binary collisions for impact parameters ρ < d and a Fokker-Planck rate due to multiple small scatterings for ρ > d. Slowing due to Boltzmann collisions is also shown to depend on the sign of the Coulomb interaction: for repulsive interactions, the slowing is enhanced by “collisional caging,” while for attractive interactions the Boltzmann slowing rate is zero.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2001

Functional properties of slow and fast gastrocnemius muscle fibers after a 17-day spaceflight

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effects of a 17-day spaceflight on the contractile properties of individual fast- and slow-twitch fibers isolated from biopsies of the fast-twitch gastrocnemius muscle of four male astronauts. Single chemically skinned fibers were studied during maximal Ca2+-activated contractions with fiber myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression subsequently determined by SDS gel electrophoresis. Spaceflight had no significant effect on the mean diameter or specific force of single fibers expressing type I, IIa, or IIa/IIx MHC, although a small reduction in average absolute force (P(o)) was observed for the type I fibers (0.68 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.64 +/- 0.02 mN, P < 0.05). Subject-by-flight interactions indicated significant intersubject variation in response to the flight, as postflight fiber diameter and P(o) where significantly reduced for the type I and IIa fibers obtained from one astronaut and for the type IIa fibers from another astronaut. Average unloaded shortening velocity [V(o), in fiber lengths (FL)/s] was greater after the flight for both type I (0.60 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.76 +/- 0.02 FL/s) and IIa fibers (2.33 +/- 0.25 vs. 3.10 +/- 0.16 FL/s). Postflight peak power of the type I and IIa fibers was significantly reduced only for the astronaut experiencing the greatest fiber atrophy and loss of P(o). These results demonstrate that 1) slow and fast gastrocnemius fibers show little atrophy and loss of P(o) but increased V(o) after a typical 17-day spaceflight, 2) there is, however, considerable intersubject variation in these responses, possibly due to intersubject differences in in-flight physical activity, and 3) in these four astronauts, fiber atrophy and reductions in P(o) were less for slow and fast fibers obtained from the phasic fast-twitch gastrocnemius muscle compared with slow and fast fibers obtained from the slow antigravity soleus [J. J. Widrick, S. K. Knuth, K. M. Norenberg, J. G. Romatowski, J. L. W. Bain, D. A. Riley, M. Karhanek, S. W. Trappe, T. A. Trappe, D. L. Costill, and R. H. Fitts. J Physiol (Lond) 516: 915-930, 1999].

NASA Experiment Number 8913020 1/2↗
DOE OSTI2016

On the evolution of elastic properties during laboratory stick‐slip experiments spanning the transition from slow slip to dynamic rupture

Abstract The physical mechanisms governing slow earthquakes remain unknown, as does the relationship between slow and regular earthquakes. To investigate the mechanism(s) of slow earthquakes and related quasi‐dynamic modes of fault slip we performed laboratory experiments on simulated fault gouge in the double direct shear configuration. We reproduced the full spectrum of slip behavior, from slow to fast stick slip, by altering the elastic stiffness of the loading apparatus ( k ) to match the critical rheologic stiffness of fault gouge ( k c ). Our experiments show an evolution from stable sliding, when k > k c , to quasi‐dynamic transients when k ~ k c , to dynamic instabilities when k < k c . To evaluate the microphysical processes of fault weakening we monitored variations of elastic properties. We find systematic changes in P wave velocity ( V p ) for laboratory seismic cycles. During the coseismic stress drop, seismic velocity drops abruptly, consistent with observations on natural faults. In the preparatory phase preceding failure, we find that accelerated fault creep causes a V p reduction for the complete spectrum of slip behaviors. Our results suggest that the mechanics of slow and fast ruptures share key features and that they can occur on same faults, depending on frictional properties. In agreement with seismic surveys on tectonic faults our data show that their state of stress can be monitored by V p changes during the seismic cycle. The observed reduction in V p during the earthquake preparatory phase suggests that if similar mechanisms are confirmed in nature high‐resolution monitoring of fault zone properties may be a promising avenue for reliable detection of earthquake precursors.

Tinti, E.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Fast and slow shifts of the zonal-mean intertropical convergence zone in response to an idealized anthropogenic aerosol

Previous modeling work showed that aerosol can affect the position of the tropical rain belt, i.e., the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Yet it remains unclear which aspects of the aerosol impact are robust across models, and which are not. Here we present simulations with seven comprehensive atmosphere models that study the fast and slow impacts of an idealized anthropogenic aerosol on the zonal-mean ITCZ position. The fast impact, which results from aerosol atmospheric heating and land cooling before sea-surface temperature (SST) has time to respond, causes a northward ITCZ shift. Yet the fast impact is compensated locally by decreased evaporation over the ocean, and a clear northward shift is only found for an unrealistically large aerosol forcing. The local compensation implies that while models differ in atmospheric aerosol heating, this does not contribute to model differences in the ITCZ shift. The slow impact includes the aerosol impact on the ocean surface energy balance and is mediated by SST changes. The slow impact is an order of magnitude more effective than the fast impact and causes a clear southward ITCZ shift for realistic aerosol forcing. Models agree well on the slow ITCZ shift when perturbed with the same SST pattern. However, an energetic analysis suggests that the slow ITCZ shifts would be substantially more model-dependent in interactive-SST setups due to model differences in clear-sky radiative transfer and clouds. In conclusion, we also discuss implications for the representation of aerosol in climate models and attributions of recent observed ITCZ shifts to aerosol.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Slow expansion in the scalar-tensor theory of gravity

In this paper, we analyze the slow expansion scenario in the scalar-tensor theory of gravity. After considering the slow expansion solution H≃0, we discuss the slow expansion in the scalar-tensor theory by terms of the nearly scale-invariant primordial power spectrum and find that the primordial power spectrum can be determined by the coupling function f(φ). After the slow expansion phase ends, general relativity can be recovered under certain conditions, and then the universe evolves in accordance with the standard cosmology. In the scalar-tensor theory, the slow expansion scenario provides a possible way to avoid the big bang singularity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Litter production and foliar nutrient resorption in fast- and slow-growing tree species in the Central Amazon

Litterfall is crucial for forest maintenance, serving as a primary mechanism for nutrient return to the nutrient-poor soils of tropical forests. Foliar nutrient resorption likewise represents an important nutrient-conservation mechanism. Yet, little is known about how these processes vary between fast- and slow-growing species in post-logging areas of the Amazon forest. Here, the objective of this study was to quantify litterfall production and the resorption of foliar nutrients in fast-growing and slow-growing tree species of the Central Amazon, in a forest that was experimentally logged in 1987. The study was conducted from May 2022 to April 2023. Litterfall was collected biweekly using four collectors that were systematically distributed beneath the canopy of each monitored tree, totaling 72 collectors. Three fast-growing and three slow-growing species were selected, each with three replicates, totaling 18 monitored individuals. Species-specific samples of fresh (green) and senesced (litter) leaves were collected and analyzed for their nutrient content and resorption efficiency. Fast-growing species had a monthly leaf litter deposition of 13.53 ± 1.6 g m −2 month −1 , compared to 2.59 ± 0.4 g m −2 month −1 for slow-growing species. The average annual litter production across both functional types was 8.6 ± 2.6 Mg ha −1 year −1 . Nutrient inputs through litterfall were higher in fast-growing species for all elements, particularly nitrogen (N), with 21.92 ± 4.9 kg ha −1 year −1 . Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) exhibited the highest foliar resorption. P resorption efficiency was 68.3 % in fast-growing species and 57.8 % in slow-growing species. For K, efficiencies were 59.0 % and 41.7 %, respectively. These results highlight the substantial role that fast-growing species play in restoring forest productivity in managed Amazon forests, both through higher litter deposition and nutrient fluxes, and through nutrient conserving-mechanisms such as foliar nutrient resorption.

Amazon forest↗
DOE OSTI2013

Stimulatory and inhibitory mechanisms of slow muscle-specific myosin heavy chain gene expression in fish: Transient and transgenic analysis of torafugu MYH{sub M86-2} promoter in zebrafish embryos

The myosin heavy chain gene, MYH{sub M86-2}, exhibited restricted expression in slow muscle fibers of torafugu embryos and larvae, suggesting its functional roles for embryonic and larval muscle development. However, the transcriptional mechanisms involved in its expression are still ambiguous. The present study is the first extensive analysis of slow muscle-specific MYH{sub M86-2} promoter in fish for identifying the cis-elements that are crucial for its expression. Combining both transient transfection and transgenic approaches, we demonstrated that the 2614 bp 5′-flanking sequences of MYH{sub M86-2} contain a sufficient promoter activity to drive gene expression specific to superficial slow muscle fibers. By cyclopamine treatment, we also demonstrated that the differentiation of such superficial slow muscle fibers depends on hedgehog signaling activity. The deletion analyses defined an upstream fragment necessary for repressing ectopic MYH{sub M86-2} expression in the fast muscle fibers. The transcriptional mechanism that prevents MYH{sub M86-2} expression in the fast muscle fibers is mediated through Sox6 binding elements. We also demonstrated that Sox6 may function as a transcriptional repressor of MYH{sub M86-2} expression. We further discovered that nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) binding elements plays a key role and myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) binding elements participate in the transcriptional regulation of MYH{sub M86-2} expression. - Highlights: ► MYH{sub M86-2} is highly expressed in slow muscle fibers of torafugu embryos and larvae. ► MYH{sub M86-2} promoter activity depends on the hedgehog signaling. ► Sox6 binding elements inhibits MYH{sub M86-2} expression in fast muscle fibers. ► Sox6 elements function as transcriptional repressor of MYH{sub M86-2} promoter activity. ► NFAT and MEF2 binding elements play a key role for directing MYH{sub M86-2} expression.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Probing Slow Earthquakes With Deep Learning

Abstract Slow earthquakes may trigger failure on neighboring locked faults that are stressed sufficiently to break, and slow slip patterns may evolve before a nearby great earthquake. However, even in the clearest cases such as Cascadia, slow earthquakes and associated tremor have only been observed in intermittent and discrete bursts. By training a convolutional neural network to detect known tremor on a single seismic station in Cascadia, we isolate and identify tremor and slip preceding and following known larger slow events. The deep neural network can be used for the detection of quasi‐continuous tremor, providing a proxy that quantifies the slow slip rate. Furthermore, the model trained in Cascadia recognizes tremor in other subduction zones and also along the San Andreas Fault at Parkfield, suggesting a universality of waveform characteristics and source processes, as posited from experiments and theory.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Slow dynamics of a protein backbone in molecular dynamics simulation revealed by time-structure based independent component analysis

We recently proposed the method of time-structure based independent component analysis (tICA) to examine the slow dynamics involved in conformational fluctuations of a protein as estimated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation [Y. Naritomi and S. Fuchigami, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 065101 (2011)]. Our previous study focused on domain motions of the protein and examined its dynamics by using rigid-body domain analysis and tICA. However, the protein changes its conformation not only through domain motions but also by various types of motions involving its backbone and side chains. Some of these motions might occur on a slow time scale: we hypothesize that if so, we could effectively detect and characterize them using tICA. In the present study, we investigated slow dynamics of the protein backbone using MD simulation and tICA. The selected target protein was lysine-, arginine-, ornithine-binding protein (LAO), which comprises two domains and undergoes large domain motions. MD simulation of LAO in explicit water was performed for 1 μs, and the obtained trajectory of C{sub α} atoms in the backbone was analyzed by tICA. This analysis successfully provided us with slow modes for LAO that represented either domain motions or local movements of the backbone. Further analysis elucidated the atomic details of the suggested local motions and confirmed that these motions truly occurred on the expected slow time scale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Mechanism of abnormally slow crystal growth of CuZr alloy

Crystal growth of the glass-forming CuZr alloy is shown to be abnormally slow, which suggests a new method to identify the good glass-forming alloys. The crystal growth of elemental Cu, Pd and binary NiAl, CuZr alloys is systematically studied with the aid of molecular dynamics simulations. The temperature dependence of the growth velocity indicates the different growth mechanisms between the elemental and the alloy systems. The high-speed growth featuring the elemental metals is dominated by the non-activated collision between liquid-like atoms and interface, and the low-speed growth for NiAl and CuZr is determined by the diffusion across the interface. We find that, in contrast to Cu, Pd, and NiAl, a strong stress layering arisen from the density and the local order layering forms in front of the liquid-crystal interface of CuZr alloy, which causes a slow diffusion zone. The formation of the slow diffusion zone suppresses the interface moving, resulting in much small growth velocity of CuZr alloy. We provide a direct evidence of this explanation by applying the compressive stress normal to the interface. The compression is shown to boost the stress layering in CuZr significantly, correspondingly enhancing the slow diffusion zone, and eventually slowing down the crystal growth of CuZr alloy immediately. In contrast, the growth of Cu, Pd, and NiAl is increased by the compression because the low diffusion zones in them are never well developed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Influence of tungsten fiber’s slow drift on the measurement of G with angular acceleration method

In the measurement of the gravitational constant G with angular acceleration method, the equilibrium position of torsion pendulum with tungsten fiber undergoes a linear slow drift, which results in a quadratic slow drift on the angular velocity of the torsion balance turntable under feedback control unit. The accurate amplitude determination of the useful angular acceleration signal with known frequency is biased by the linear slow drift and the coupling effect of the drifting equilibrium position and the room fixed gravitational background signal. We calculate the influences of the linear slow drift and the complex coupling effect on the value of G, respectively. The result shows that the bias of the linear slow drift on G is 7 ppm, and the influence of the coupling effect is less than 1 ppm.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2018

Analysis of the influence of geometrical dimensions and external magnetic field on optical properties of InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot slow light devices

The effect of the size of quantum dots (QDs) and an external magnetic field on InGaAs/GaAs QD slow light devices based on coherent population oscillations (CPOs) is simulated. Physical parameters of QDs, such as radius and height, are varied around their central mean values, which are assumed to be 8 and 5 nm, respectively. An attempt is made to obtain much better optical characteristics by applying a strong external magnetic field. The methods used to improve the optical properties of a QD slow light device, such as the slow down factor (SDF), bandwidth and exciton binding energy, are discussed. It is shown that a QD slow light device makes it possible to shift the centre frequency in a range of 5 THz and to achieve a slow down factor of 5000. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

SLOW MAGNETOSONIC WAVES AND FAST FLOWS IN ACTIVE REGION LOOPS

Recent extreme ultraviolet spectroscopic observations indicate that slow magnetosonic waves are present in active region (AR) loops. Some of the spectral data were also interpreted as evidence of fast ({approx}100-300 km s{sup -1}) quasi-periodic flows. We have performed three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) modeling of a bipolar AR that contains impulsively generated waves and flows in coronal loops. The model AR is initiated with a dipole magnetic field and gravitationally stratified density, with an upflow-driven steadily or periodically in localized regions at the footpoints of magnetic loops. The resulting flows along the magnetic field lines of the AR produce higher density loops compared to the surrounding plasma by injection of material into the flux tubes and the establishment of siphon flow. We find that the impulsive onset of flows with subsonic speeds result in the excitation of damped slow magnetosonic waves that propagate along the loops and coupled nonlinearly driven fast-mode waves. The phase speed of the slow magnetosonic waves is close to the coronal sound speed. When the amplitude of the driving pulses is increased we find that slow shock-like wave trains are produced. When the upflows are driven periodically, undamped oscillations are produced with periods determined by the periodicity of the upflows. Based on the results of the 3D MHD model we suggest that the observed slow magnetosonic waves and persistent upflows may be produced by the same impulsive events at the bases of ARs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

ISOTOPIC MASS FRACTIONATION OF SOLAR WIND: EVIDENCE FROM FAST AND SLOW SOLAR WIND COLLECTED BY THE GENESIS MISSION

NASA's Genesis space mission returned samples of solar wind collected over {approx}2.3 years. We present elemental and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar analyzed in diamond-like carbon targets from the slow and fast solar wind collectors to investigate isotopic fractionation processes during solar wind formation. The solar wind provides information on the isotopic composition for most volatile elements for the solar atmosphere, the bulk Sun and hence, on the solar nebula from which it formed 4.6 Ga ago. Our data reveal a heavy isotope depletion in the slow solar wind compared to the fast wind composition by 63.1 {+-} 2.1 per mille for He, 4.2 {+-} 0.5 per mille amu{sup -1} for Ne and 2.6 {+-} 0.5 per mille amu{sup -1} for Ar. The three Ne isotopes suggest that isotopic fractionation processes between fast and slow solar wind are mass dependent. The He/H ratios of the collected slow and fast solar wind samples are 0.0344 and 0.0406, respectively. The inefficient Coulomb drag model reproduces the measured isotopic fractionation between fast and slow wind. Therefore, we apply this model to infer the photospheric isotopic composition of He, Ne, and Ar from our solar wind data. We also compare the isotopic composition of oxygen and nitrogen measured in the solar wind with values of early solar system condensates, probably representing solar nebula composition. We interpret the differences between these samples as being due to isotopic fractionation during solar wind formation. For both elements, the magnitude and sign of the observed differences are in good agreement with the values predicted by the inefficient Coulomb drag model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetohydrodynamic slow mode with drifting He{sup ++}: Implications for coronal seismology and the solar wind

The MHD slow mode wave has application to coronal seismology, MHD turbulence, and the solar wind where it can be produced by parametric instabilities. We consider analytically how a drifting ion species (e.g. He{sup ++}) affects the linear slow mode wave in a mainly electron-proton plasma, with potential consequences for the aforementioned applications. Our main conclusions are as follows. 1. For wavevectors highly oblique to the magnetic field, we find solutions that are characterized by very small perturbations of total pressure. Thus, our results may help to distinguish the MHD slow mode from kinetic Alfvén waves and non-propagating pressure-balanced structures, which can also have very small total pressure perturbations. 2. For small ion concentrations, there are solutions that are similar to the usual slow mode in an electron-proton plasma, and solutions that are dominated by the drifting ions, but for small drifts the wave modes cannot be simply characterized. 3. Even with zero ion drift, the standard dispersion relation for the highly oblique slow mode cannot be used with the Alfvén speed computed using the summed proton and ion densities, and with the sound speed computed from the summed pressures and densities of all species. 4. The ions can drive a non-resonant instability under certain circumstances. For low plasma beta, the threshold drift can be less than that required to destabilize electromagnetic modes, but damping from the Landau resonance can eliminate this instability altogether, unless T{sub e} /T{sub p} >> 1.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Revisiting slow-roll inflation in nonminimal derivative coupling with potentials

We investigate the slow-roll inflation in the nonminimal derivative coupling (NDC) model with exponential, quadric, and quartic potentials. It was known that this model provides an enhanced slow-roll inflation induced by gravitationally enhanced friction even for a steep exponential potential. In the phase portrait, the inflationary attractor is described by the slow-roll equation. Introducing the autonomous form, the inflation is regarded as an emergence from the saddle point and it leaves this fixed point along the slow-roll equation. We show explicitly that if one uses the NDC with potentials, the slow-roll inflation is easier to be implemented than the canonical coupling with the same potentials.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Large slow roll parameters in single field inflation

We initially consider two simple situations where inflationary slow roll parameters are large and modes no longer freeze out shortly after exiting the horizon, treating both cases analytically. By modes, we refer to the comoving curvature perturbation R. We then consider applications to transient phases where the slow roll parameters can become large, especially in the context of the common 'fast-roll' inflation frequently used as a mechanism to explain the anomalously low scalar power at low l in the CMB. These transient cases we treat numerically. We find when ε, the first slow roll parameter, and only ε is large, modes decay outside the horizon, and when δ, the second slow roll parameter, is large, modes grow outside the horizon. When multiple slow roll parameters are large the behavior in general is more complicated, but we nevertheless show in the 'fast-roll' inflation case, modes grow outside the horizon.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Canonical single field slow-roll inflation with a non-monotonic tensor-to-scalar ratio

We take a pragmatic, model independent approach to single field slow-roll canonical inflation by imposing conditions, not on the potential, but on the slow-roll parameter ε(φ) and its derivatives ε'(φ) and ε''(φ), thereby extracting general conditions on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r and the running n {sub sk} at φ {sub H} where the perturbations are produced, some 50–60 e -folds before the end of inflation. We find quite generally that for models where ε(φ) develops a maximum, a relatively large r is most likely accompanied by a positive running while a negligible tensor-to-scalar ratio implies negative running. The definitive answer, however, is given in terms of the slow-roll parameter ξ{sub 2}(φ). To accommodate a large tensor-to-scalar ratio that meets the limiting values allowed by the Planck data, we study a non-monotonic ε(φ) decreasing during most part of inflation. Since at φ {sub H} the slow-roll parameter ε(φ) is increasing, we thus require that ε(φ) develops a maximum for φ > φ {sub H} after which ε(φ) decrease to small values where most e -folds are produced. The end of inflation might occur trough a hybrid mechanism and a small field excursion Δφ {sub e} ≡ |φ {sub H} −φ {sub e} | is obtained with a sufficiently thin profile for ε(φ) which, however, should not conflict with the second slow-roll parameter η(φ). As a consequence of this analysis we find bounds for Δφ {sub e} , r {sub H} and for the scalar spectral index n {sub sH} . Finally we provide examples where these considerations are explicitly realised.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗