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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

Aerosol Properties Derived from Airborne Sky Radiance and Direct Beam Measurements in Recent NASA and DoE Field Campaigns

The AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) ground-based suite of sunphotometers provides measurements of spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD), precipitable water and spectral sky radiance, which can be inverted to retrieve aerosol microphysical properties that are critical to assessments of aerosol-climate interactions. Because of data quality criteria and sampling constraints, there are significant limitations to the temporal and spatial coverage of AERONET data and their representativeness for global aerosol conditions.The 4STAR (Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research) instrument, jointly developed by NASA Ames and PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) with NASA Goddard collaboration, combines airborne sun tracking and AERONET-like sky scanning with spectroscopic detection. Being an airborne instrument, 4STAR has the potential to fill gaps in the AERONET data set. The 4STAR instrument operated successfully in the SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys) experiment in Aug./Sep. 2013 aboard the NASA DC-8 and in the DoE (Department of Energy)-sponsored TCAP (Two Column Aerosol Project, July 2012 & Feb. 2013) experiment aboard the DoE G-1 aircraft. 4STAR provided direct beam measurements of hyperspectral AOD, columnar trace gas retrievals (H2O, O3, NO2), and the first ever airborne hyperspectral sky radiance scans, which can be inverted to yield the same products as AERONET ground-based observations. In this presentation, we provide an overview of the new 4STAR capabilities, with an emphasis on 26 high-quality sky radiance measurements carried out by 4STAR in SEAC4RS. We compare collocated 4STAR and AERONET sky radiances, as well as their retrievals of aerosol microphysical properties for a subset of the available case studies. We summarize the particle property and air-mass characterization studies made possible by the combined 4STAR direct beam and sky radiance observations.

DoE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Revisiting GeV-scale annihilating dark matter with the AMS-02 positron fraction

Antimatter cosmic-rays are used to probe new phenomena in physics, including dark matter annihilation. Here, we use the cosmic-ray positron fraction spectrum by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, to search for such an annihilation signal in the Galaxy. We focus on dark matter with mass between 5 and 120 GeV, producing high-energy electrons and positrons. In these cosmic-ray energies the interplay of multiple astrophysical sources and phenomena, makes this search highly sensitive to the underlying astrophysical background assumptions. We use a vast public library of astrophysical models for the cosmic-ray positron fraction background, to derive robust upper limits on the dark matter's annihilation cross section for a number of annihilation channels. This library accounts for different types of cosmic-ray sources and uncertainties on their distribution in space and time. Also, it accounts for uncertainties on those sources' output, their injected into the interstellar medium cosmic-ray spectra and for uncertainties on cosmic-ray propagation. For any given dark matter particle mass and annihilation channel, upper limits on the annihilation cross section are given by bands that stretch a full order of magnitude in its value. Our work provides weaker limits compared to earlier results, that are however robust to all the relevant astrophysical uncertainties. Between 5 and 15 GeV, we find indications for a possible excess flux of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons. That excess is found for most, but not all of our astrophysical background parameter space, and its significance can vary appreciably. Further scrutiny is necessary to improve the understanding of these lower energy cosmic rays. Finally, we note that even if an excess signal is found in these energies, the current background uncertainties do not allow us to accurately deduce its underlying particle properties.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2012

Energy Spectra, Composition, and Other Properties of Ground-Level Events During Solar Cycle 23

We report spacecraft measurements of the energy spectra of solar protons and other solar energetic particle properties during the 16 Ground Level Events (GLEs) of Solar Cycle 23. The measurements were made by eight instruments on the ACE, GOES, SAMPBX, and STEREO spacecraft and extend from approximately 0.1 to approximately 500-700 MeV. All of the proton spectra exhibit spectral breaks at energies ranging from approximately 2 to approximately 46 MeV and all are well fit by a double power-law shape. A comparison of GLE events with a larger sample of other solar energetic particle (SEP) events shows that the typical spectral indices are harder in GLE events, with a mean slope of -3.18 at greater than 40 MeV/nuc. In the energy range 45 to 80 MeV/nucleon about approximately 50% of GLE events have properties in common with impulsive He-3-rich SEP events, including enrichments in Ne/O, Fe/O, Ne-22/Ne-20, and elevated mean charge states of Fe. These He-3 rich events contribute to the seed population accelerated by CME-driven shocks. An analysis is presented of whether highly-ionized Fe ions observed in five events could be due to electron stripping during shock acceleration in the low corona. Making use of stripping calculations by others and a coronal density model, we can account for events with mean Fe charge states of (Q(sub Fe) is approximately equal to +20 if the acceleration starts at approximately 1.24-1.6 solar radii, consistent with recent comparisons of CME trajectories and type-II radio bursts. In addition, we suggest that gradual stripping of remnant ions from earlier large SEP events may also contribute a highly-ionized suprathermal seed population. We also discuss how observed SEP spectral slopes relate to the energetics of particle acceleration in GLE and other large SEP events.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The problem of low energy particle measurements in the magnetosphere

The accurate measurement of low energy (less than 100 eV) particle properties in the magnetosphere has been difficult, partly because of the low density of such particles, but more particularly because of spacecraft interference effects. Some early examples of how these phenomena have affected particle measurements on an OGO spacecraft are presented. Data obtained with the UCSD particle detectors on ATS-6 are then presented showing how some of these difficulties have been partially overcome. Future measurements of low energy particles in the magnetosphere can be improved by: (1) improving the low energy resolution of detectors; (2) building electrostatically clean spacecraft; (3) controlling spacecraft potential; and (4) using auxiliary measurements, particularly wave data.

Whipple, E. C., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reconstruction of decays to merged photons using end-to-end deep learning with domain continuation in the CMS detector

A novel technique based on machine learning is introduced to reconstruct the decays of highly Lorentz-boosted particles. Using an end-to-end deep learning strategy, the technique bypasses existing rule-based particle reconstruction methods typically used in high energy physics analyses. It uses minimally processed detector data as input and directly outputs particle properties of interest. The new technique is demonstrated for the reconstruction of the invariant mass of particles decaying in the CMS detector. The decay of a hypothetical scalar particle A into two photons, A → γ γ , is chosen as a benchmark decay. Lorentz boosts γ L = 60 – 600 are considered, ranging from regimes where both photons are resolved to those where the photons are closely merged as one object. A training method using domain continuation is introduced, enabling the invariant mass reconstruction of unresolved photon pairs in a novel way. The new technique is validated using π 0 → γ γ decays in LHC collision data.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Challenges and Advances in Aqueous Processing of Corn Stover Pellets into High Concentration Slurries

Significant progress has occurred in developing combined enzyme hydrolysis and fermentation technologies for transforming lignocellulosic feedstocks into ethanol and other bioproducts. Various routes described in the literature show that low carbon footprint processes efficiently convert the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions of pretreated corn stover, wood chips, and sugarcane bagasse to sugars and to ethanol.Combinations of different pretreatments at high or low pH or in liquid hot water, followed by enzyme hydrolysis and fermentation or direct conversion of cellulose to ethanol (i.e., by consolidated bioprocessing)have been demonstrated. These successes have brought the need to preparing the feedstock – before it enters the biorefinery – into focus. This paper summarizes recent developments in liquefying corn stover,before pretreatment, so that slurries with yield stresses below 200 Pa are obtained and a “pumpable” corn stover slurry results at initial solids loadings of up to 300 g/L. The manner in which corn stover pellets are combined with water and enzyme in an agitated bioreactor is described, and properties that define slurry behavior are presented. Implications on biorefinery operations are explained in terms of particle properties and the preprocessing of corn stover as well as the team approach used to obtain these results.

Wassgren, Carl↗
NASA NTRS1993

Scattering Properties of Aggregate Particles

We are engaged in modeling the scattering and emitting properties of irregular particles with the goal of understanding the composition and structure of cometary dust particles.

discrete dipole approximation non-spherical monome↗
NASA NTRS2003

Individual Aerosol Particles from Biomass Burning in Southern Africa: Compositions and Size Distributions of Carbonaceous Particles - 1

Individual aerosol particles in smoke plumes from biomass fires and in regional hazes in southern Africa were studied using analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which allowed detailed characterization of carbonaceous particle types in smoke and determination of changes in particle properties and concentrations during smoke aging. Based on composition, morphology, and microstructure, three distinct types of carbonaceous particles were present in the smoke: organic particles with inorganic (K-salt) inclusions, tar ball particles, and soot. The relative number concentrations of organic particles were largest in young smoke, whereas tar balls were dominant in a slightly aged (1 hour) smoke from a smoldering fire. Flaming fires emitted relatively more soot particles than smoldering fires, but soot was a minor constituent of all studied plumes. Further aging caused the accumulation of sulfate on organic and soot particles, as indicated by the large number of internally mixed organic/sulfate and soot/sulfate particles in the regional haze. Externally mixed ammonium sulfate particles dominated in the boundary layer hazes, whereas organic/sulfate particles were the most abundant type in the upper hazes. Apparently, elevated haze layers were more strongly affected by biomass smoke than those within the boundary layer. Based on size distributions and the observed patterns of internal mixing, we hypothesize that organic and soot particles are the cloud-nucleating constituents of biomass smoke aerosols. Sea-salt particles dominated in the samples taken in stratus clouds over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Namibia, whereas a distinct haze layer above the clouds consisted of aged biomass smoke particles.

Posfai, Mihaly↗
NASA NTRS1999

Phoretic Force Measurement for Microparticles Under Microgravity Conditions

This theoretical and experimental investigation of the collisional interactions between gas molecules and solid and liquid surfaces of microparticles involves fundamental studies of the transfer of energy, mass and momentum between gas molecules and surfaces. The numerous applications include particle deposition on semiconductor surfaces and on surfaces in combustion processes, containerless processing, the production of nanophase materials, pigments and ceramic precursors, and pollution abatement technologies such as desulfurization of gaseous effluents from combustion processes. Of particular emphasis are the forces exerted on microparticles present in a nonuniform gas, that is, in gaseous surroundings involving temperature and concentration gradients. These so-called phoretic forces become the dominant forces when the gravitational force is diminished, and they are strongly dependent on the momentum transfer between gas molecules and the surface. The momentum transfer, in turn, depends on the gas and particle properties and the mean free path and kinetic energy of the gas molecules. The experimental program involves the particle levitation system shown. A micrometer size particle is held between two heat exchangers enclosed in a vacuum chamber by means of ac and dc electric fields. The ac field keeps the particle centered on the vertical axis of the chamber, and the dc field balances the gravitational force and the thermophoretic force. Some measurements of the thermophoretic force are presented in this paper.

Davis, E. J.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Overview of symmetric nuclear matter properties from chiral interactions up to fourth order of the chiral expansion

We present and discuss predictions for a cross section of bulk and single-particle properties in symmetric nuclear matter based on recent high-quality nucleon-nucleon potentials at N 3 LO and including all subleading three-nucleon forces. We begin with the equation of state and its saturation properties and proceed to the single-nucleon potential. We also explore short-range correlations as seen through the defect function. The various predictions which we present have a common foundation in an internally consistent ab initio approach.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Particle trapping, size-filtering, and focusing in the nonthermal plasma synthesis of sub-10 nanometer particles

Low-pressure nonthermal flowing plasmas are widely used for the gas-phase synthesis of nanoparticles and quantum dots of materials that are difficult or impractical to synthesize using other techniques. To date, the impact of temporary electrostatic particle trapping in these plasmas has not been recognized, a process that may be leveraged to control particle properties. Furthermore, we present experimental and computational evidence that, during their growth in the plasma, sub-10 nm silicon particles become temporarily confined in an electrostatic trap in radio-frequency excited plasmas until they grow to a size at which the increasing drag force imparted by the flowing gas entrains the particles, carrying them out of the trap. We demonstrate that this trapping enables the size filtering of the synthesized particles, leading to highly monodisperse particle sizes, as well as the electrostatic focusing of the particles onto the reactor centerline. Understanding of the mechanisms and utilization of such particle trapping will enable the design of plasma processes with improved size control and the ability to grow heterostructured nanoparticles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Particle Dark Matter Across Scales (Final Technical Report)

The research supported by this DOE grant investigated the nature of dark matter, particularly its particle properties and astrophysical manifestations, over the period of 2018 to 2024. The proposal focused on leveraging astrophysical probes, cosmological models, and high-resolution simulations to further our understanding of dark matter, its possible interactions, and the theoretical models that could explain its properties. This research directly contributes to the DOE's mission of exploring the fundamental constituents of the universe, advancing particle physics, and using cosmological and astrophysical observations to detect dark matter.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1995

Experimental investigation of the relationship between impact crater morphology and impacting particle velocity and direction

Interpretation of the wealth of impact data available from the Long Duration Exposure Facility, in terms of the absolute and relative populations of space debris and natural micrometeoroids, requires three dimensional models of the distribution of impact directions, velocities and masses of such particles, as well as understanding of the impact processes. Although the stabilized orbit of LDEF provides limited directional information, it is possible to determine more accurate impact directions from detailed crater morphology. The applicability of this technique has already been demonstrated but the relationship between crater shape and impactor direction and velocity has not been derived in detail. We present the results of impact experiments and simulations: (1) impacts at micron dimensions using the Unit's 2MV Van de Graaff accelerator; (2) impacts at mm dimensions using a Light Gas Gun; and (3) computer simulations using AUTODYN-3D from which an empirical relationship between crater shape and impactor velocity, direction and particle properties we aim to derive. Such a relationship can be applied to any surface exposed to space debris or micrometeoroid particles for which a detailed pointing history is available.

Mackay, N. G.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Enhancing Consistency of Microphysical Properties of Precipitation Across the Melting Layer in the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar Data

Stratiform rain and the overlying ice play crucial roles in Earth's climate system. From a microphysics standpoint, water mass flux primarily depends on two variables: particles' concentration and their mass. The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) on the Global Precipitation Measurement mission core satellite is a spaceborne instrument capable of estimating these two quantities through dual-wavelength measurements. In this study, we evaluate bulk statistics on the ice particle properties derived from dual-wavelength radar data in relation to the properties of rain underneath. Specifically, we focus on DPR observations over stratiform precipitation, characterized by columns exhibiting a prominent bright band, where the melting layer can be easily detected. Our analysis reveals a large increase in the retrieved mass flux as we transition from the ice to the rain phase in the official DPR product. This observation is in disagreement with our expectation that mass flux should remain relatively stable across the bright band in cold-rain conditions. To address these discrepancies, we propose an alternative retrieval algorithm that ensures a gradual transition of Dm (mean mass-weighted particle melted-equivalent diameter) and the precipitation rate across the melting zone. This approach also helps in estimating bulk ice density above the melting level. These findings demonstrate that DPR observations can not only quantify ice particle content and their size above stratiform rain regions but also estimate bulk density, provided uniform conditions that minimize uncertainties related to partial beam filling.

radar measurements from space↗
DOE OSTI2020

Efficient Control of Atom Arrangement in Ternary Metal Chalcogenide Nanoparticles Using Precursor Oxidation State

Controlling both the concentration and the distribution of elements in a given material is often crucial to extracting and optimizing synergistic properties of the various constituents. An interesting class of such multielement materials is metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, which exhibit a wide range of composition-dependent optoelectronic properties including both bandgap-mediated processes and localized surface plasmon resonance properties, each of which is useful in applications ranging from energy conversion to sensing. Because metal chalcogenide nanoparticles can support several different metal elements in a variety of chalcogen lattices, this material class has particularly benefited from the ability to control both atom concentration and atom arrangement to tailor final particle properties. The primary method to access complex, multimetallic chalcogenide particles is via a postsynthetic cation exchange strategy. One-pot syntheses have been less explored to access these complex particles, although this route is desirable for economy and scalability. In this work, we compare the composition and morphology outcomes from cation exchange and one-pot preparation approaches using a Cu/Ag/Se system, which is already known to exhibit both binary and ternary metal chalcogenide phases. We show that at similar concentrations of the two metal cations, initial reaction conditions for the one-pot method yield multicomponent nanoparticles, whereas cation exchange yields homogeneous ternary metal chalcogenide structures. We then show that by tuning the precursor oxidation state for the one-pot method, this approach can be used to access homogeneous ternary metal chalcogenide particles that are similar in atom arrangement to the particles obtained using cation exchange. Taken together, our results demonstrate reliable synthetic methods that yield a variety of controlled compositions and composition morphologies in the Cu/Ag/Se system. Importantly, we demonstrate that this entire collection of architectures can all be accessed via a one-pot method simply by modifying metal precursor chemistry. The mechanistic insights gained and the resulting streamlined syntheses outlined indicate pathways to easily scaled, highly tailorable syntheses for rapid translation into downstream technologies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1982

Physical properties of Saturn's rings

Spaceborne astronomy data on Saturn's rings is summarized. The main rings are composed primarily of ice, possibly of low density and including small amounts of reddish material; particle radii are primarily centimeter-to-several meters, but significant amounts of micron-sized dust exists in certain regions including regions of resonance-induced collisions. The particle surface albedo and size distribution varies globally and locally. Evidence suggests several embedded moonlets of 10 km radius within Encke's division. The cause of the abrupt regional boundaries and associated differences in particle properties, especially the cause of the very abrupt and qualitatively similar inner A and B ring boundaries; the gap-ringlet structure and broad plateau features observed in the C and Cassini regions; the F and G rings (assuming that Enceladus is responsible for the E ring); and the cause of spokes and the SED are not understood.

Cuzzi, J. N.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Generation of Merged Radar-Lidar Data Products during the IMPACTS 2020 Field Campaign

A novel, composite lidar and radar data products was created using lidar and radar data products generated from the NASA ER-2 aircraft during the NASA IMPACTS 2020 field campaign. This product is intended to supplement the raw data sources, tease out additional aspects of the mechanisms underpinning wintertime cyclones, and enhance our understanding of microphysical properties in sensor overlap regions. Initial combined products focused on generating normalized fields of ER-2 based radar and lidar data to provide a more comprehensive visualization of storm structure (precipitation bands, cloud tops, melting levels, etc.) Ongoing work has focused on developing a combined radar-lidar reflectivity product and deriving hydrometeor particle properties (type, orientation, etc.) using ER-2-based depolarization data. To validate these hydrometeor properties, we leverage coincident overpasses of the high-altitude ER-2 aircraft with the suite of cloud particle probes on the in-situ P-3 aircraft during coincident flight overpasses. This work aims to provide vital information to help IMPACTS achieve its mission goal of improving microphysical properties retrievals from airborne and spaceborne platforms for these high-impact winter storm events.

Stephen D Nicholls↗
NASA NTRS2010

A Global Modeling Study on Carbonaceous Aerosol Microphysical Characteristics and Radiative Effects

Recently, attention has been drawn towards black carbon aerosols as a short-term climate warming mitigation candidate. However the global and regional impacts of the direct, indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects are highly uncertain, due to the complex nature of aerosol evolution and the way that mixed, aged aerosols interact with clouds and radiation. A detailed aerosol microphysical scheme, MATRIX, embedded within the GISS climate model is used in this study to present a quantitative assessment of the impact of microphysical processes involving black carbon, such as emission size distributions and optical properties on aerosol cloud activation and radiative effects. Our best estimate for net direct and indirect aerosol radiative flux change between 1750 and 2000 is -0.56 W/m2. However, the direct and indirect aerosol effects are quite sensitive to the black and organic carbon size distribution and consequential mixing state. The net radiative flux change can vary between -0.32 to -0.75 W/m2 depending on these carbonaceous particle properties at emission. Taking into account internally mixed black carbon particles let us simulate correct aerosol absorption. Absorption of black carbon aerosols is amplified by sulfate and nitrate coatings and, even more strongly, by organic coatings. Black carbon mitigation scenarios generally showed reduced radiative fluxeswhen sources with a large proportion of black carbon, such as diesel, are reduced; however reducing sources with a larger organic carbon component as well, such as bio-fuels, does not necessarily lead to a reduction in positive radiative flux.

Bauer, S. E.↗