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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 955 records · Page 53
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Validation of a Global Geospace Model With a Systems Science Approach Based on Canonical Correlation Analysis

A systems science approach based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is applied as a new, behavioral way to validate global geospace models. The biggest novelty of the technique is that it validates models at a system level, whereby a side‐by‐side comparison is performed of CCA applied to a 30‐day observational and the corresponding simulation data sets comprising quiet, moderate and active times. The simulation used the Multiscale Atmosphere‐Geospace Environment (MAGE) model. It is shown that (a) CCA must be combined with sensitivity analysis to be effective, (b) the MAGE model generally reproduces the observed behavior (more so for quieter time intervals), quantified by the intercorrelations between different variables and (c) the technique identifies the SuperMAG SML index as a quantity for which refinements of the model are needed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Deployment and validation of predictive 6-dimensional beam diagnostics through generative reconstruction with standard accelerator elements

Understanding the 6-dimensional phase space distribution of particle beams is essential for optimizing accelerator performance. Conventional diagnostics such as use of transverse deflecting cavities offer detailed characterization but require dedicated hardware and space. Generative phase space reconstruction (GPSR) methods have shown promise in beam diagnostics, yet prior implementations still rely on such components. Here we present the first experimental implementation and validation of the GPSR methodology, realized by the use of standard accelerator elements including accelerating cavities and dipole magnets, to achieve complete 6-dimensional phase space reconstruction. Through simulations and experiments at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser facility, we successfully reconstruct complex, nonlinear beam structures. Furthermore, we validate the methodology by predicting independent downstream measurements excluded from training, revealing the reconstruction closely resembling ground truth. This advancement establishes a pathway for predictive diagnostics across beamline segments while reducing hardware requirements and expanding applicability to various accelerator facilities.

Kim, Seongyeol [Pohang Univ. of Science and Techno↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of a continuous synthesis process for carbamazepine using validated in-line Raman spectroscopy and kinetic modelling for disturbance simulation

Mitigation of failure modes in the continuous synthesis (CS) of a drug substance (DS) has the potential to widen the adoption of continuous manufacturing (CM) technologies by the pharmaceutical industry. Here, this work demonstrates the development of a robust continuous process for the synthesis of carbamazepine (CBZ), an essential medicine as per the World Health Organization (WHO), facilitated by kinetic modelling and monitored by in-line Raman spectroscopy. Accurate kinetic modelling and the use of validated process analytical technology (PAT) models for quantitative measurement were found to play an important role in developing CS of drug substances. Kinetic data for the formation of CBZ from iminostilbene (ISB) were collected by batch reaction sampling and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. A non-linear solver and iterative method was applied to determine two sets of Arrhenius parameters simultaneously for the reaction system by minimizing the standard error of the model fit. The start-up and dynamic equilibrium stages for the CS of CBZ using a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) were modelled based on the batch kinetic data and employed to optimize conversion and simulate process disturbances. An in-line Raman spectroscopy method was successfully developed, validated, and integrated to determine the concentrations of CBZ and ISB within the operating range for the CS. The CS kinetic model was evaluated experimentally from startup to dynamic equilibrium over 10 residence times with monitoring by HPLC and in-line Raman spectroscopy. The developed kinetic model in tandem with in-line Raman spectroscopy successfully predicted disturbances due to changes in process variables and can serve as a useful tool in the future design of advanced process control strategies for the continuous synthesis of CBZ.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Galaxy cluster matter profiles - I. Self-similarity, mass calibration, and observable-mass relation validation employing cluster mass posteriors

We present a study of the weak lensing inferred matter profiles ΔΣ(R) of 698 South Pole Telescope (SPT) thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect (tSZE) selected and MCMF optically confirmed galaxy clusters in the redshift range 0.25 < z < 0.94 that have associated weak gravitational lensing shear profiles from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). Rescaling these profiles to account for the mass dependent size and the redshift dependent density produces average rescaled matter profiles ΔΣ(R/R200c)/(ρcritR200c) with a lower dispersion than the unscaled ΔΣ(R) versions, indicating a significant degree of self-similarity. Galaxy clusters from hydrodynamical simulations also exhibit matter profiles that suggest a high degree of self-similarity, with RMS variation among the average rescaled matter profiles with redshift and mass falling by a factor of approximately six and 23, respectively, compared to the unscaled average matter profiles. We employed this regularity in a new Bayesian method for weak lensing mass calibration that employs the so-called cluster mass posterior P(M200|ζ̂, λ̂, z), which describes the individual cluster masses given their tSZE (ζ̂) and optical (λ̂, z) observables. This method enables simultaneous constraints on richness λ-mass and tSZE detection significance ζ-mass relations using average rescaled cluster matter profiles. We validated the method using realistic mock datasets and present observable-mass relation constraints for the SPT×DES sample, where we constrained the amplitude, mass trend, redshift trend, and intrinsic scatter. Our observable-mass relation results are in agreement with the mass calibration derived from the recent cosmological analysis of the SPT×DES data based on a cluster-by-cluster lensing calibration. Our new mass calibration technique offers a higher efficiency when compared to the single cluster calibration technique. We present new validation tests of the observable-mass relation that indicate the underlying power-law form and scatter are adequate to describe the real cluster sample but that also suggest a redshift variation in the intrinsic scatter of the λ-mass relation may offer a better description. In addition, the average rescaled matter profiles offer high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) constraints on the shape of real cluster matter profiles, which are in good agreement with available hydrodynamical ΛCDM simulations. This high S/N profile contains information about baryon feedback, the collisional nature of dark matter, and potential deviations from general relativity.Key words: gravitational lensing: weak / galaxies: clusters: general / large-scale structure of Universe

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Validation of Thermal Scattering Laws for Light Water at Elevated Temperatures with Diffusion Experiments

Light water is the most important neutron moderator in many reactor applications. Thermal neutron scattering kernels for H bound in H 2 O are represented by ENDF-format thermal scattering laws (TSLs) evaluated at discrete temperatures T . Nuclear data evaluations are conventionally validated utilizing a combination of critical benchmarks and experimental cross section data. Existing public critical benchmarks may be inadequate for testing water TSLs over the full range of T of interest in reactor applications, and experimental thermal scattering cross section data for water is sparse at elevated T . In this work, MC21 is used to simulate the decay of the equilibrium thermal neutron flux in light-water spheres of several radii. The fundamental-mode time eigenvalue $\mathcal{a}$ is calculated at 22 °C and 227 °C (at saturation pressure) for each sphere using three different H-H 2 O TSLs. Fitting $\mathcal{a}$ to a polynomial function of geometric buckling allows calculation of the thermal neutron diffusion length L . Extrapolation lengths are treated as a function of the transport mean free path and geometry. Experimental L data from 25 publications at 49 temperatures (from 10 °C to 295 °C), computed by several different time-dependent and space-dependent decay methods, is used to develop an empirical fit of L vs. T . The MC21-calculated L for the TSLs tested are within ±1% of the predicted values at 22 °C and 227 °C. This validation approach, which may be repeated at arbitrary T , constitutes an integral benchmark specific to and characterizing the detailed physics of the thermal scattering kernel applied.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Validating Nuclear Data Uncertainties Obtained from a Statistical Analysis of Experimental Data with the “Physical Uncertainty Bounds” Method

Concerns within the nuclear data community led to substantial increases of Neutron Data Standards (NDS) uncertainties from its previous to the current version. For example, those associated with the NDS reference cross section 239 Pu(n,f) increased from 0.6–1.6% to 1.3–1.7% from 0.1–20 MeV. These cross sections, among others, were adopted, e.g., by ENDF/B-VII.1 (previous NDS) and ENDF/B-VIII.0 (current NDS). There has been a strong desire to be able to validate these increases based on objective criteria given their impact on our understanding of various application uncertainties. Here, the “Physical Uncertainty Bounds” method (PUBs) by Vaughan et al. is applied to validate evaluated uncertainties obtained by a statistical analysis of experimental data. We investigate with PUBs whether ENDF/B-VII.1 or ENDF/B-VIII.0 239 Pu(n,f) cross-section uncertainties are more realistic given the information content used for the actual evaluation. It is shown that the associated conservative (1.5–1.8%) and minimal realistic (1.1–1.3%) uncertainty bounds obtained by PUBs enclose ENDF/B-VIII.0 uncertainties and indicate that ENDF/B-VII.1 uncertainties are underestimated.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development and Validation of the Near-Miss Safety Score (NMSS) Framework for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Safety Assessment

Heavy-duty commercial vehicles present unique safety challenges due to their size, articulation dynamics, and operational complexity. As Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving Systems (ADS) become more common in Class 8 tractor-trailers, traditional crash-based metrics are no longer sufficient to evaluate safety performance. This study introduces the Near-Miss Safety Score (NMSS)—a quantitative, physics-informed framework developed as a leading indicator of safety for advanced commercial vehicle technologies. NMSS quantifies how close a vehicle or operator comes to a collision or safety-critical event by integrating vehicle kinematics (relative distance, velocity, and acceleration) with driver or system response latency and time-to-collision. A modifier function adjusts the base score for vehicle-specific and environmental factors such as trailer articulation, load distribution, braking condition, and roadway environment. The framework enables systematic evaluation of ADAS/ADS performance under a range of operational and degraded conditions. By capturing near-miss dynamics rather than relying on crash data, NMSS provides a proactive approach to risk assessment, accelerates technology validation, and enhances interpretability for regulators and fleet operators. The proposed NMSS was validated using data collected from a motorcoach platform, demonstrating the framework’s applicability to heavy-duty safety evaluation and performance benchmarking. Results and key insights are presented in this paper.

Siekmann, Adam [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000284653935)↗
DOE OSTI2020

Shaping effects on scrape-off layer plasma turbulence: A rigorous validation of three-dimensional simulations against TCV measurements

The effect of plasma shaping on scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma turbulence is investigated through a rigorous validation exercise. Two- and three-dimensional simulations of the SOL plasma dynamics in three TCV limited discharges are carried out with the GBS code. These discharges realize an almost circular magnetic equilibrium, an elongated equilibrium, and an elongated equilibrium with negative triangularity. For the three plasma discharges, three simulations are performed, considering (i) a three-dimensional model with an explicit dependence on elongation, triangularity, and the inverse aspect ratio; (ii) a circular three-dimensional model in the infinite aspect ratio limit; and (iii) a two-dimensional model, which assumes a circular magnetic equilibrium in the infinite aspect ratio limit, cold ions, and interchange driven turbulence in the sheath limited regime. Ten validation observables common to simulations and experimental measurements from a reciprocating probe located at the TCV outer midplane are identified, and the agreement between experimental and numerical results relative to each observable is evaluated. The composite metric introduced by Ricci et al. [Phys. Plasmas 18, 032109 (2011)] is then used to assess the overall agreement between simulations and experimental measurements. It is found that the shaping model implemented in GBS improves the description of SOL plasma turbulence, taking into account the impact of elongation and triangularity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Validation of ray-based cross-beam energy transfer models

Ray-based cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) models have become a common feature of the radiation-hydrodynamic codes used to simulate inertial confinement fusion experiments. Here, these models are necessary for achieving better agreement with experimental measurements, but their detailed implementation can vary widely between the codes and often rely on artificial multipliers. To address this, a series of 2D and 3D test cases has been developed with validated solutions from wave-based calculations. Comparisons of various ray-based CBET models to the wave-based calculations highlight the essential physics that is required for accurate ray-based CBET modeling. Quantitative comparison metrics and/or field data from the wave-based calculations have been made available for use in the validation of other ray-based CBET codes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Isotope effects on energy transport in the core of ASDEX-Upgrade tokamak plasmas: Turbulence measurements and model validation

Design and operation of future tokamak fusion reactors using a deuterium–tritium 50:50 mix requires a solid understanding of how energy confinement properties change with ion mass. This study looks at how turbulence and energy transport change in L-mode plasmas in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak when changing ion species between hydrogen and deuterium. For this purpose, both experimental turbulence measurements and modeling are employed. Local measurements of ion-scale (with wavevector of fluctuations perpendicular to the B-field k⊥< 2 cm−1, k⊥ρs< 0.2, where ρs is the ion sound Larmor radius using the deuterium ion mass) electron temperature fluctuations have been performed in the outer core (normalized toroidal flux ρTor=0.65−0.8) using a multi-channel correlation electron cyclotron emission diagnostic. Lower root mean square perpendicular fluctuation amplitudes and radial correlation lengths have been measured in hydrogen vs deuterium. Measurements of the cross-phase angle between a normal-incidence reflectometer and an ECE signal were made to infer the cross-phase angle between density and temperature fluctuations. The magnitude of the cross-phase angle was found larger (more out-of-phase) in hydrogen than in deuterium. TRANSP power balance simulations show a larger ion heat flux in hydrogen where the electron-ion heat exchange term is found to play an important role. These experimental observations were used as the basis of a validation study of both quasilinear gyrofluid trapped gyro-Landau fluid-SAT2 and nonlinear gyrokinetic GENE codes. Linear solvers indicate that, at long wavelengths (k⊥ρs<1), energy transport in the deuterium discharge is dominated by a mixed ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) and trapped-electron mode turbulence while in hydrogen transport is exclusively and more strongly driven by ITG turbulence. The Ricci validation metric has been used to quantify the agreement between experiments and simulations taking into account both experimental and simulation uncertainties as well as four different observables across different levels of the primacy hierarchy.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Experimental validation of a collision-radiation dataset for molecular hydrogen in plasmas

Quantitative spectroscopy of molecular hydrogen has generated substantial demand, leading to the accumulation of diverse elementary process data encompassing radiative transitions, electron-impact transitions, predissociations, and quenching. However, their rates currently available are still sparse, and there are inconsistencies among those proposed by different authors. In this study, we demonstrate an experimental validation of such a molecular dataset by composing a collisional-radiative model (CRM) for molecular hydrogen and comparing experimentally obtained vibronic populations across multiple levels. From the population kinetics of molecular hydrogen, the importance of each elementary process in various parameter space is studied. In low-density plasmas (electron density ne≲1017 m−3) the excitation rates from the ground states and radiative decay rates, both of which have been reported previously, determine the excited state population. The inconsistency in the excitation rates affects the population distribution the most significantly in this parameter space. However, in higher density plasmas (ne≳1018 m−3), the excitation rates from excited states become important, which have never been reported in the literature, and may need to be approximated in some way. In order to validate these molecular datasets and approximated rates, we carried out experimental observations for two different hydrogen plasmas; a low-density radio frequency heated plasma (ne≈1016 m−3) and the Large Helical Device (LHD) divertor plasma (ne≳1018 m−3). The visible emission lines from EF1Σg+, HH¯1Σg+, D1Πu±, GK1Σg+, I1Πg±, J1Δg±, h3Σg+, e3Σu+, d3Πu±,g3Σg+, i3Πg±, and j3Δg± states were observed simultaneously and their population distributions were obtained from their intensities. We compared the observed population distributions with the CRM prediction, in particular the CRM with the rates compiled by Janev et al., Miles et al., and those calculated with the molecular convergent close-coupling (MCCC) method. The MCCC prediction gives the best agreement with the experiment, particularly for the emission from the low-density plasma. However, the population distribution in the LHD divertor shows a worse agreement with the CRM than those from low-density plasma, indicating the necessity of the precise excitation rates from excited states. We also found that the rates for the electron attachment is inconsistent with experimental results. This requires further investigation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Validation of a comprehensive first-principles-based framework for predicting the performance of future stellarators

This paper presents the validation of the GENE-KNOSOS-Tango framework for recovering both the steady-state plasma profiles in the considered radial domain and selected turbulence trends in a stellarator. This framework couples the gyrokinetic turbulence code GENE, the neoclassical transport code KNOSOS, and the transport solver Tango in a multi-timescale simulation feedback loop. Ion-scale kinetic-electron and electron-scale adiabatic-ion flux-tube simulations were performed to evolve the density and temperature profiles for four OP1.2b W7-X scenarios. The simulated density and temperature profiles showed good agreement with the experimental data using a reasonable set of boundary conditions. Equally important was the reproduction of observed trends for several turbulence properties, such as density fluctuations and turbulent heat diffusivities. Key effects were also touched upon, such as electron-scale turbulence and the neoclassical radial electric field shear. The validation of the GENE-KNOSOS-Tango framework enables credible predictions of physical phenomena in stellarators and reactor performance based on a given set of edge parameters.

Gyrokinetic simulations↗
DOE OSTI2024

Verification and Validation of Spectral Element Code for Supercritical CO2 Flow in Vertical Heated Tubes

The investigation of heat transfer in supercritical CO2 (sCO2) has garnered considerable attention in recent decades, given sCO2's potential as a promising working fluid for advanced power conversion cycles. Despite previous research efforts, there are still gaps in our understanding of sCO2 heat transfer, particularly in conditions associated with heat transfer deterioration. To delve into sCO2 heat transfer more comprehensively, we propose employing the high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics code NekRS to simulate sCO2 flow using the large eddy simulation technique. Through graphics processing unit acceleration, NekRS achieves a higher computational speed than traditional CPU-based systems. However, before using NekRS in practical applications involving sCO2, it is imperative to perform verification and validation. Here, this paper presents our efforts to verify and validate the NekRS code's capability for simulating sCO2 using heated vertical tubes, where heat transfer deterioration usually happens. To accommodate the unique properties of sCO2, we have modified the NekRS code by integrating third-party property modules, such as REFPROP and PROPATH. Our simulations are compared with experimental and numerical data from the literature, instilling confidence in leveraging NekRS for future engineering applications. Our simulations also reveal that the accuracy of the property module significantly impacts the results, with REFPROP outperforming PROPATH for sCO2 properties. Additionally, we observed that, depending on the flow direction, buoyancy can either enhance or suppress turbulence in sCO2 flow. In upward flow, under certain conditions, the suppressed turbulence leads to heat transfer deterioration, resulting in elevated wall temperatures.

NekRS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design of a High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Tri-Structural Isotropic Critical Experiment for Advanced Reactor Validation

High-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel is a key component of many small modular reactor designs. Critical experiments are an important way to understand the neutronic performance of systems by obtaining nuclear data validations through measurements. Data reduce uncertainty and risk by showing that systems respond as predicted to changes such as temperature, subsequently advancing the overall technology readiness level of the materials within. Numerous critical experiments have been performed at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) operated by Los Alamos National Laboratory at the Nevada National Security Site since it became operational in 2011. However, the first experiment with HALEU fuel did not occur until 2024. Through extensive engineering, the experiment described in this paper was successfully designed and executed for the Comet vertical lift assembly at NCERC to perform measurements with HALEU tri-structural isotropic fuel that will assist in validation of nuclear data and computational modeling of small modular reactors for years to come.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Validation of Fast Reactor Depletion Tools Using EBR-II Measured Data

The validation of simulation tools for calculating fuel depletion and evolution in fast reactors is vital for design, licensing, deployment, operations, and material accountancy. The Physics Analysis Database (PADB) and Analytical Laboratory (AL) database contain measured data collected from Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) and were used to validate the most recent versions of the Argonne Reactor Computation (ARC) tool suite and ORIGEN-S for calculating isotopic compositions in irradiated fast reactor fuel. The PADB contains important modeling and operational information about the EBR-II core design, fuel cycle, and analytical results from the legacy versions of the ARC tool suite. The AL database contains the measured isotopic compositions of irradiated samples taken from core subassemblies. A new procedure was developed for the ARC tool suite to perform the EBR-II depletion simulation, as well as to perform more detailed isotopic calculations using ORIGEN-S calculations by coupling it with the ARC suite. Both the ARC and ARC-ORIGEN results were compared with the AL measured data for all relevant samples and showed good agreement for the major actinides. Good agreement with measured data was also achieved using the ARC-ORIGEN approach for several fission products.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design of Premoderated Pulsed-Neutron Die-Away Experiments for Validating Beryllium Thermal Neutron Scattering Laws

Accurate thermal scattering laws (TSLs) are essential for reliable neutron transport simulations, particularly for systems with low-energy neutrons. Pulsed-neutron die-away (PNDA) experiments provide a highly sensitive platform for TSL validation but face challenges from fast neutron leakage and material constraints in nonhydrogenous targets such as beryllium. This work investigates the use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as a premoderator to reduce leakage, improve thermalization, and shorten experimental run times while preserving sensitivity to the Be TSL. Here, three premoderated configurations, encapsulation, slab, and interstitial, were evaluated using MCNP6.3® simulations with ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data. The effects of the Be TSL was quantified by comparing decay constants from simulations with and without 𝑆⁡(𝛼,𝛽) treatments for both beryllium and HDPE. The results show that premoderation enables the use of as little as 5.20% of the beryllium volume required for an unreflected geometry, achieving uncertainties below 0.5% and reducing run time by up to 72.2% in the studied configurations. The interstitial configuration achieved the best balance between low statistical uncertainty and high TSL sensitivity, outperforming the slab and encapsulation designs. These findings demonstrate that carefully optimized premoderation can significantly enhance the efficiency, feasibility, and precision of PNDA experiments for Be TSL validation.

Integral Experiments↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design, modeling and experimental validation of a micro cantilever beam with an electro-controllable twisting ability

The structure design of micro cantilever beams (MCBs), which has a significant effect on MCBs' controllable actuation range, is usually restricted by the establishment of the inner electric circuit. This paper proposes the design of a micro electro-controllable twisting cantilever beam (METCB). The architecture and the fabrication diagram of the proposed METCB are presented before its features are theoretically and experimentally validated. In detail, the analytical validation includes a sequence of two models: electro-thermal and thermo-mechanical. Through these two models, the thermal distribution along the METCB and the deformation brought by the thermal distribution are investigated, respectively. On the basis of the design and equations, the METCB samples have been manufactured using a planar deposition technique with an e-beam evaporator. Two in-site experiments are then conducted to sequentially figure out the upper voltage limit of the inner electric circuit and the maximum temperature limit of the METCB. Finally, another experiment is carried out to explore the relation between the applied voltage and the relative twisting angle of the METCB sample. Here, the theoretical prediction and the observed experiment result both prove the feasibility of the proposed METCB and its electro-controllable twisting ability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Validation of the DESI 2024 Lyα forest BAO analysis using synthetic datasets

The first year of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) contains the largest set of Lyman-α (Lyα) forest spectra ever observed. This data, collected in the DESI Data Release 1 (DR1) sample, has been used to measure the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) feature at redshift z = 2.33. In this work, we use a set of 150 synthetic realizations of DESI DR1 to validate the DESI 2024 Lyα forest BAO measurement presented in [1]. The synthetic data sets are based on Gaussian random fields using the log-normal approximation. We produce realistic synthetic DESI spectra that include all major contaminants affecting the Lyα forest. The synthetic data sets span a redshift range 1.8 < z < 3.8, and are analyzed using the same framework and pipeline used for the DESI 2024 Lyα forest BAO measurement. To measure BAO, we use both the Lyα auto-correlation and its cross-correlation with quasar positions. We use the mean of correlation functions from the set of DESI DR1 realizations to show that our model is able to recover unbiased measurements of the BAO position. We also fit each mock individually and study the population of BAO fits in order to validate BAO uncertainties and test our method for estimating the covariance matrix of the Lyα forest correlation functions. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results and identify the needs for the next generation of Lyα forest synthetic data sets, with the top priority being to simulate the effect of BAO broadening due to non-linear evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗