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At least 919 records · Page 51

Observation of polarization density waves in SrTiO 3

The nature of the incipient ferroelectric transition in SrTiO 3 has been a long-standing puzzle in condensed matter physics. One explanation involves the competition between ferroelectricity and an instability characterized by the mesoscopic modulation of the polarization. These polarization density waves, which should intensify near the quantum critical point, break local inversion symmetry and are difficult to characterize with conventional X-ray scattering methods. Here, in this study, we probe inversion symmetry breaking at finite momenta and visualize the instability of the polarization at the nanometre scale in SrTiO3 by combining a femtosecond X-ray free-electron laser with terahertz coherent control methods. We found polar-acoustic collective modes that are soft, particularly at the tens of nanometre scale. These precursor collective excitations provide evidence for the conjectured mesoscopic-modulated phase in SrTiO 3 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Optimized Highly Efficient SSCB Using Organic Substrate Packaging for Electric Vehicle Applications

Solid State Circuit Breakers (SSCBs) are an attractive protection solution for their arcless current interruption and fast actuation speeds over mechanical breakers. This paper proposes a Bidirectional SSCB (BSSCB) with a thermally defined and digitally controlled current time profile for fault protection in EV and other low-voltage DC systems. The paper proposes an organic packaging approach utilizing flex circuitry to develop a reliable, cost-effective power module for BSSCBs. The paper studies transient heat transfer in the power modules using finite element analysis (FEA). An RC themal ladder network is extracted to define a fusing curve. To demonstrate and verify the design, a 1kV/50 A SiC MOSFET BSSCB prototype is fabricated and tested, having a power density of 60 W/cm3 and 4x reduction in form factor over presently researched breakers. Also, given are results for 750 V/150 A operation showing interruption in 2.4 μs.

organic power packaging↗

Approximating and incorporating model uncertainty in an inversion for seismic source functions: Preliminary results

We present preliminary work on propagating model uncertainty into the estimation of the time domain source time functions of the seismic source. Our method is based on an estimated model covariance function, which we estimate from the data. The model covariance function is then used to construct a suite of surrogate Greens functions which we use in a Monte Carlo type inversion scheme. The result is a probability density function of the six independent source time functions, each of which corresponds to an individual component of the seismic moment tensor. We compare the results of our method with those obtained using a computationally expensive finite difference Monte Carlo method and find that our new method produces results that are deficient in low frequencies. The advantage of our new method, which we term the Karhunen-Loeve Monte Carlo (KLMC) method, is that is several orders of magnitude faster than our current method, which uses a finite difference scheme to produce the suite of forward models.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Dynamic Data-Driven Multiscale Modeling for Predicting Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 316L Stainless Steel

We have developed a long short-term memory stacked ensemble (LSTM-SE) surrogate modeling approach that can provide rapid predictions of microstructural evolution and the resultant mechanical properties of American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 316L series stainless steel (316LSS) fuel cladding under conditions of varying temperature and radiation dose rate. To acquire training data, we developed and implemented a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model to simulate precipitation kinetics of M 23 C 6 , γ', and G phases within SS316L cladding. Experimentally reported precipitation kinetics of SS316L in literature were linked to the kinetic parameters of the simulated precipitation in our KMC model. The model was then used to simulate microstructure evolution under synthetically generated treatments of varying temperature and radiation dose rate, for periods of up to 3000 hours. Changes in volume fraction, number density, and particle size of precipitates were recorded, and particle area fractions were correlated using statistical methods to develop the surrogate model. Simultaneously, the mechanical properties of the simulated microstructures were evaluated using microstructure-based finite element method (FEM) analysis to determine the elastic modulus, yield stress, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation to failure of the aged microstructures. Using this approach, our surrogate model can predict precipitation behavior within 0.25% volume fraction and mechanical properties within 6% relative error from the values predicted by the KMC and FEM models using 50 training simulations as input. The trained recurrent neural network-based model can return estimations of precipitation kinetics and mechanical properties ~1000 times faster than the physics-based codes. This work demonstrates, as a proof of concept, that reactor material service lifetimes under variable service conditions can be predicted for a statistics-based model from a practicably obtainable dataset.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Measuring the Speed of Sound Using Cumulants of Baryon Number

Here, we show that the values of the first three cumulants of the baryon number distribution can be used to calculate the isothermal speed of sound and its logarithmic derivative with respect to the baryon-number density. We discuss applications of this result to heavy-ion collision experiments and address possible challenges, including effects due to baryon-number conservation, differences between proton and baryon cumulants, and the influence of finite-number statistics on fluctuation observables in both ex periment and hadronic transport simulations. In particular, we investigate the relation between quantities calculated in infinite, continuous matter, and observables obtained in simulations using a finite number of particles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Extended hydrodynamic theory of the peak and minimum pool boiling heat fluxes

The hydrodynamic theory of the extreme pool boiling heat fluxes is expanded to embrace a variety of problems that have not previously been analyzed. These problems include the prediction of the peak heat flux on a variety of finite heaters, the influence of viscosity on the Taylor and Helmoltz instability mechanisms with application to film boiling and to the peak heat flux in viscous liquids, the formalization of the analogy between high-current-density electrolysis and boiling, and the description of boiling in the low-gravity limit. The predictions are verified with a large number of new data.

Linehard, J. H.↗

On the solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations for hypersonic flow about axially-symmetric blunt bodies

A formulation of the complete Navier-Stokes problem for a viscous hypersonic flow in general curvilinear coordinates is presented. This formulation is applicable to both the axially symmetric and three dimensional flows past bodies of revolution. The equations for the case of zero angle of attack were solved past a circular cylinder with hemispherical caps by point SOR finite difference approximation. The free stream Mach number and the Reynolds number for the test case are respectively 22.04 and 168883. The whole algorithm is presented in detail along with the preliminary results for pressure, temperature, density and velocity distributions along the stagnation line.

Warsi, Z. U. A.↗

ISEE 1 and 2 observation of the spatial structure of a compressional Pc5 wave

A compressional Pc5 was observed on an ISEE 1 and 2 outbound path on September 28, 1981 at L = 5.6-7.3 near the magnetic equator at about 10 hr local time during the recovery phase of a geomagnetic storm. The wave propagated westward with a large azimuthal wave number of about 30 and exhibited in-phase oscillations of plasma density and magnetic field magnitude. During this event, component-dependent variations in phase and amplitude were observed for the magnetic field oscillations. The radial and compressional components had a constant phase and their amplitude was finite. In contrast, the azimuthal component changed its phase by 180 deg and its amplitude became zero during the middle of the wave event. The observation as indicating the spatial structure of the Pc5 wave is interpreted. The polarization reversal is likely to be caused by a crossing of a node of a standing wave located 4 deg above the geomagnetic equator.

Takahashi, K.↗

Pressure algorithm for elliptic flow calculations with the PDF method

An algorithm to determine the mean pressure field for elliptic flow calculations with the probability density function (PDF) method is developed and applied. The PDF method is a most promising approach for the computation of turbulent reacting flows. Previous computations of elliptic flows with the method were in conjunction with conventional finite volume based calculations that provided the mean pressure field. The algorithm developed and described here permits the mean pressure field to be determined within the PDF calculations. The PDF method incorporating the pressure algorithm is applied to the flow past a backward-facing step. The results are in good agreement with data for the reattachment length, mean velocities, and turbulence quantities including triple correlations.

Anand, M. S.↗

The platinum microelectrode/Nafion interface - An electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis of oxygen reduction kinetics and Nafion characteristics

The objectives of this study were to use electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to study the oxygen-reduction reaction under lower humidification conditions than previously studied. The EIS technique permits the discrimination of electrode kinetics of oxygen reduction, mass transport of O2 in the membrane, and the electrical characteristics of the membrane. Electrode-kinetic parameters for the oxygen-reduction reaction, corrosion current densities for Pt, and double-layer capacitances were calculated. The production of water due to electrochemical reduction of oxygen greatly influenced the EIS response and the electrode kinetics at the Pt/Nafion interface. From the finite-length Warburg behavior, a measure of the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in Nafion and diffusion-layer thickness was obtained. An analysis of the EIS data in the high-frequency domain yielded membrane and interfacial characteristics such as ionic conductivity of the membrane, membrane grain-boundary capacitance and resistance, and uncompensated resistance.

Parthasarathy, Arvind↗

The compositional structure and the effects of exothermicity in a nonpremixed planar jet flame

Results are presented of direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a randomly perturbed compressible, spatially developing two-dimensional planar jet under the influence of a finite rate chemical reaction of the type F + O yields product. The objectives of the simulations are to assess the compositional structure of the flame and to determine the influence of reaction exothermicity by means of statistical sampling of the DNS generated data. It is shown that even with this idealized kinetics model the simulated results exhibit features in accord with experimental data. These results indicate that the Damkohler number is an important parameter in determining the statistical composition of the reacting field and that the results are not very sensitive to the mechanism by which this parameter is varied. It is demonstrated that as the intensity of mixing is increased and the effect of finite rate chemistry is more pronounced, the magnitudes of the ensemble mean and variance of the product mass fraction decrease and those of the reactants' mass fraction increase. Also, at higher mixing rates the joint probability density functions of the reactants' mass fractions shift towards higher values within the composition domain, indicating a lower reactedness.

Steinberger, C. J.↗

Physics of Rotation Powered Pulsars and Their Nebulae

This letter is my progress report for the Astrophysics Theory grant. The first goal of the research supported by this grant is to produce a time dependent theory of the unsteady relativistic collisionless shock wave terminating the relativistic wind from a pulsar, and compare the predicted surface brightness fluctuations to Hubble Space Telescope observations of the wisps in the Crab Nebula. The second goal is to model the production of electron-positron pairs over the polar caps of rotation powered pulsars, and use the results to predict the heating of the surface due to particle trapping and bombardment of the atmosphere at the base of the polar field lines. We have succeeded in creating a one dimensional hybrid code, in which the electron-positron pairs incident on the shock structure are modeled as a relativistic, adiabatic, ideal MHD fluid, while the heavy ions are treated as particles using a particle-in-cell algorithm. The electromagnetic fields are evaluated from the currents and charge densities in the pairs and the ions, while the particles and the fluid accelerate in response to the computed self-consistent electromagnetic fields. The results are promising, in that the underlying ion cyclotron instability generates finite amplitude, propagating magnetosonic waves in the pairs, whose wavelengths and frequencies, when translated into physical units, are comparable to the observed running waves of brightness observed by HST near the Crab pulsar. The code is undergoing a number of tests, to assure us that this preliminary correspondence is not an artifact. In the coming year, the observational appearance of the models will be computed and compared to the HST observations of the Crab now in hand, and used to predict the HST results which will be obtained the year after next. WE also developed a one dimensional cascade theory for pair creation over pulsars' polar caps. A linear integral equation describing the synchrotron cascade has been derived and solved by iterative techniques, in the case when a high energy electron moving parallel to a star centered dipole magnetic field initiates the cascade through curvature gamma ray emission.

Arons, Jonathan↗

Progressive Damage and Failure Analysis of Thermoplastic Composites in Low Velocity Impact Using MAT299

As part of the NASA Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) Project, state-of-the-art progressive damage and failure analysis (PDFA) tools developed for use with thermosets are being evaluated for use in modeling alternative material systems, like thermoplastics. Experimental low-velocity impact data of a thermoplastic material system, AS4D/PEKK-FC, is presented and includes characterization of the impact damage mechanisms as well as associated load and displacement data. Following the presentation of experimental results, two simulation approaches using the PDFA tool MAT299 in the commercial off-the-shelf finite element software LS-DYNA are employed to predict damage area and force-displacement responses of thermoplastic panels subjected to various impact energies. The first modeling method uses solid elements with a high-density mesh and a ply-by-ply modeling approach similar to previously published work for thermosets. This method has the capability of capturing individual crack development, progression, and delamination on a per ply basis. The second modeling method uses TSHELL elements that have in-plane dimensions that are an order of magnitude larger than the elements used in the solid element approach and reduces the number of elements through the thickness of the laminate. The second method produces a lower-fidelity model with reduced run times that is incapable of monitoring every delamination plane and damage within each ply. Results from both simulation methods are compared to experiment, and limitations of the methods are discussed.

Composite material↗

Progressive Damage and Failure Analysis of Thermoplastic Composites in Low Velocity Impact Using MAT299

As part of the NASA Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) Project, state-of-the-art progressive damage and failure analysis (PDFA) tools developed for use with thermosets are being evaluated for use in modeling alternative material systems, like thermoplastics. Experimental low-velocity impact data of a thermoplastic material system, AS4D/PEKK-FC, is presented and includes characterization of the impact damage mechanisms as well as associated load and displacement data. Following the presentation of experimental results, two simulation approaches using the PDFA tool MAT299 in the commercial off-the-shelf finite element software LS-DYNA are employed to predict damage area and force-displacement responses of thermoplastic panels subjected to various impact energies. The first modeling method uses solid elements with a high-density mesh and a ply-by-ply modeling approach similar to previously published work for thermosets. This method has the capability of capturing individual crack development, progression, and delamination on a per ply basis. The second modeling method uses TSHELL elements that have in-plane dimensions that are an order of magnitude larger than the elements used in the solid element approach and reduces the number of elements through the thickness of the laminate. The second method produces a lower-fidelity model with reduced run times that is incapable of monitoring every delamination plane and damage within each ply. Results from both simulation methods are compared to experiment, and limitations of the methods are discussed.

Composite material↗

Finite boundary effects on the spherical Rayleigh–Taylor instability between viscous fluids

For the Rayleigh–Taylor unstable arrangement of a viscous fluid sphere embedded in a finite viscous fluid spherical shell with a rigid boundary and a radially directed acceleration, a dispersion relation is developed from a linear stability analysis using the method of normal modes. [Formula: see text] is the radially directed acceleration at the interface. ρ i denotes the density, μ i is the viscosity, and R i is the radius, where i = 1 is the inner sphere and i = 2 is the outer sphere. The dispersion relation is a function of the following dimensionless variables: viscosity ratio [Formula: see text], density ratio [Formula: see text], spherical harmonic mode n, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and the dimensionless growth rate [Formula: see text], where σ is the exponential growth rate. We show that the boundedness provided by the outer spherical shell has a strong influence on the instability behavior, which is reflected not only in the modulation of the growth rate but also in the selection of the most unstable modes that are physically possible. This outer boundary effect is quantified by the relative magnitude of the radius ratio H. We find that when H is close to unity, lower order harmonics are excluded from becoming the most unstable within a vast region of the parameter space. In other words, the effect of H has precedence over the other controlling parameters d, B, and a wide range of s in establishing what the lowest most unstable mode can be. When H ~ 1, low order harmonics can become the most unstable only for s >> 1. However, in the limit when s → ∞, we show that the most unstable mode is n = 1 and derive the dispersion relation in this limit. The exclusion of most unstable low order harmonics caused by a finite outer boundary is not realized when the outer boundary extends beyond a certain threshold length-scale in which case all modes are equally possible depending on the value of B.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Plaquette valence bond state in the spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ J 1 –J 2 XY model on the square lattice

Here, we studied the ground-state phase diagram of spin-1/2 J 1 –J 2 XY model on the square lattice with first-neighbor J 1 and second-neighbor J 2 antiferromagnetic interactions using both infinite density matrix renormalization group (iDMRG) and DMRG approaches. We show that a plaquette valence bond phase is realized in an intermediate region 0.50 ≤ J 2 /J 1 < 0.54 between a Néel magnetic ordered phase at J 2 /J 1 < 0.50 and a stripy magnetic ordered phase at J 2 /J 1 ≥ 0.54 . The plaquette valence bond phase is characterized by finite dimer orders in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Contrary to the spin-1/2 J 1 –J 2 Heisenberg model, we do not find numerical evidence for a quantum spin liquid phase in the J 1 –J 2 XY model.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Thermal conductivity of crack-containing media: A numerical study

The present study aims to evaluate the effective thermal conduction behavior of crack-containing media through micromechanical modeling. Numerical analyses were performed using the finite element method, first using periodic arrays of elliptical pores and then reducing the elliptical minor axis to reach the crack limit. This parametric approach was seen to be able to capture the effect of discontinuity across the crack face in a straightforward manner. The overall thermal conductivity of the model structures, encompassing a range of crack densities and spatial distributions, was investigated. It was found that, for cracks with mixed orientations, the effective thermal conductivity is insensitive to the actual crack alignment and can be uniquely represented by the crack density. The mixed-orientation periodic crack configurations are also representative of random sizes, orientations, and spatial distributions of cracks, thus exhibiting a high degree of generality. The modeling analyses can also be used to determine simple empirical expressions for two- and three-dimensional media containing random cracks.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Particle size effects in metallic microparticle impact-bonding

In cold spray processing of metals, the critical velocity for particle bonding is dependent on both intrinsic material properties, such as density and (spall) strength, and extrinsic process parameters, such as the powder particle size. Here, we specifically isolate and investigate particle size effects on the critical velocity for bonding through laser- induced single particle impact experiments and finite element simulations. We also present a predictive framework to correlate particle size and critical velocity. We show that an increase in particle size leads to an increase in the temperature of the jet formed at the interface of the particle and the substrate. This increased temperature locally decreases the spall strength of the material which, in turn, decreases the critical velocity for larger particles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗