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At least 109 records · Page 6

Modified versions of the fuel performance codes RTOP and RTOP-CA

RTOP code predicts thermal and mechanical behavior of LWR fuel rods and release of GFPs both in normal stationary and transient operation modes, and transient power ramps, specific to the reactivity-initiated accidents (RIA). Computational domains of the code include fuel column, zirconium cladding, gas under cladding, and fuel microstructure - UO{sub 2} grain and the development of gaseous porosity of different origin during irradiation. RTOP-CA code is based on the RTOP code. It simulates the behavior of a fuel rod with cladding rupture opening and RFPs release into the primary coolant circuit in normal operation modes. The paper presents the results of development and validation of engineering models, which take into account characteristics of the neutron spectrum during the fuel cycle and are integrated into modernized versions of the fuel performance codes RTOP and RTOP-CA. The paper focuses on the detailed description of two models. Four-group neutron-physical engineering model describes burn-out of gadolinium isotopes and calculates spatial power profile in a Gd-doped fuel rod pellet. The second engineering model presented is developed for fast estimation of fuel burnup in case of fuel rod cladding leakage accident. The comparison of the present calculations with the results of calculations by neutron codes shows that the model describes the heat rate distribution and the gadolinium burn-out with sufficient accuracy. The code also calculates the LHR of Gd-doped fuel rods given the heat rate of the adjacent UO{sub 2} fuel rods. This work allows determining the histories of LHR for the Gd-doped fuel rod from the average LHR of FA for various equilibrium WWER fuel cycles, power units and fuel enrichments. The presented model is implemented in the RTOP fuel performance code to calculate the thermomechanical behavior of the fuel rods. An engineering-physical model is developed for fast estimation of {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs activity ratio in fuel taking into account the parameters of the neutron spectrum during the fuel cycle. Implementation of the model enables to increase the reliability of correct fuel burnup determination in a failed fuel assembly (FA)based on the FERDS activity measurements during reactor operation. Results of the model calculations obtained for the FAs with a higher fuel enrichment and the NPP activity measurements have shown a higher {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs activity ratio compared to the values for the fuel with enrichment up to 3.6 wt. % in {sup 235}U. Currently, the engineering model is applicable within the range of UO{sub 2} enrichment from 3 to 5 wt. % in {sup 235}U, and Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} enrichment from 5 to 8 wt. %.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Diffuse hard X-ray and gamma-ray emission from M87

Radio measurements are used to infer the relativistic electron distributions in the central and halo regions of M87. From these distributions and the inferred relativistic proton components, the hard X-ray and gamma-ray spectrum of M87, is predicted, taking into account all relevant radiative processes. The feasibility of measuring the high-energy spectrum of M87 with the High Energy Gamma-Ray Telescope (Egret) on board the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) is discussed. Comparison of our calculation with present gamma-ray flux upper limits leads to a lower limit of 1.5 micro-G on the mean value of the halo magnetic field.

Dermer, Charles D.↗

Methods for Bayesian power spectrum inference with galaxy surveys

We derive and implement a full Bayesian large scale structure inference method aiming at precision recovery of the cosmological power spectrum from galaxy redshift surveys. Our approach improves upon previous Bayesian methods by performing a joint inference of the three-dimensional density field, the cosmological power spectrum, luminosity dependent galaxy biases, and corresponding normalizations. We account for all joint and correlated uncertainties between all inferred quantities. Classes of galaxies with different biases are treated as separate subsamples. This method therefore also allows the combined analysis of more than one galaxy survey. In particular, it solves the problem of inferring the power spectrum from galaxy surveys with non-trivial survey geometries by exploring the joint posterior distribution with efficient implementations of multiple block Markov chain and Hybrid Monte Carlo methods. Our Markov sampler achieves high statistical efficiency in low signal-to-noise regimes by using a deterministic reversible jump algorithm. This approach reduces the correlation length of the sampler by several orders of magnitude, turning the otherwise numerically unfeasible problem of joint parameter exploration into a numerically manageable task. We test our method on an artificial mock galaxy survey, emulating characteristic features of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 7, such as its survey geometry and luminosity-dependent biases. These tests demonstrate the numerical feasibility of our large scale Bayesian inference frame work when the parameter space has millions of dimensions. This method reveals and correctly treats the anti-correlation between bias amplitudes and power spectrum, which are not taken into account in current approaches to power spectrum estimation, a 20% effect across large ranges in k space. In addition, this method results in constrained realizations of density fields obtained without assuming the power spectrum or bias parameters in advance.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Fourier space method for calculating the propagation of laser radiation in biaxial crystals taking into account the angle between the eigenpolarisations

We have proposed a technique for calculating the propagation of laser radiation in biaxial optical crystals in arbitrary directions. The technique is based on the use of the Fourier space method and takes into account both diffraction and angle beween the eigenpolarisations of the spatial spectrum components, phase shift differences for them with account for all orders of the spatial dispersion and also the features of the boundary conditions at the input and output facets. Using internal conical refraction as an example, we have compared the results of calculations with experimental data. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements of Translational Temperature and Relative Cycle Number by use of Optically Pumped Trace-Sodium Vapor

Sodium fluorescence induced by a narrow bandwidth tunable laser has been used to measure temperature, pressure, axial velocity and species concentrations in wind tunnels, rocket engine exhausts and the upper atmosphere. Optical pumping of the ground states of the sodium, however, can radically alter the shape of the laser induced fluorescence excitation spectrum, complicating such measurements. Here a straightforward extension of rate equations originally proposed to account for the features of the pumped spectrum is to make temperature measurements from spectra taken in pumped vapor. Also determined from the spectrum is the relative fluorescence cycle number, which has application to measurement of diffusion rate and transverse flow velocity. The accuracy of both the temperature and cycle-number measurements is comparable with that of temperature measurements made in the absence of pumping.

Dobson, Chris C.↗

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements of Translational Temperature and Relative Cycle Number by use of Optically Pumped Trace-Sodium Vapor

Sodium fluorescence induced by a narrow-bandwidth tunable laser has been used to measure temperature, pressure, axial velocity, and species concentrations in wind tunnels, rocket engine exhausts, and the upper atmosphere. Optical pumping of the ground states of the sodium, however, can radically alter the shape of the laser-induced fluorescence excitation spectrum, complicating such measurements. Here a straightforward extension of rate equations originally proposed to account for the features of the pumped spectrum is used to make temperature measurements from spectra taken in pumped vapor. Also determined from the spectrum is the relative fluorescence cycle number, which has application to measurement of diffusion rate and transverse flow velocity, The accuracy of both the temperature and the cycle-number measurements is comparable with that of temperature measurements made in the absence of pumping.

Dobson, Chris C.↗

Acquisition Of Spread-Spectrum Code

Effects of Doppler shift and data modulation taken into account. Two advanced schemes for acquisition of direct-sequence spread-spectrum codes proposed. M1-Lag correlator in each strip of spread-spectrum-code detector operates at different offset code-chip time. Each offset represents assumed (tentative) Doppler shift. Schemes have highly parallel architecture implemented with currently available technology. Possible to use hybrid parallel/serial architecture in which acquisition time varies in inverse proportion to number of correlators and fast-Fourier-transform processors.

Cheng, Unjeng↗

keV sterile neutrino dark matter from singlet scalar decays: basic concepts and subtle features

We perform a detailed and illustrative study of the production of keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter (DM) by decays of singlet scalars in the early Universe. In the current study we focus on providing a clear and general overview of this production mechanism. For the first time we study all regimes possible on the level of momentum distribution functions, which we obtain by solving a system of Boltzmann equations. These quantities contain the full information about the production process, which allows us to not only track the evolution of the DM generation but to also take into account all bounds related to the spectrum, such as constraints from structure formation or from avoiding too much dark radiation. In particular we show that this simple production mechanism can, depending on the regime, lead to strongly non-thermal DM spectra which may even feature more than one peak in the momentum distribution. These cases could have particularly interesting consequences for cosmological structure formation, as their analysis requires more refined tools than the simplistic estimate using the free-streaming horizon. Here we present the mechanism including all concepts and subtleties involved, for now using the assumption that the effective number of relativistic degrees of freedom is constant during DM production, which is applicable in a significant fraction of the parameter space. This allows us to derive analytical results to back up our detailed numerical computations, thus leading to the most comprehensive picture of keV sterile neutrino DM production by singlet scalar decays that exists up to now.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Basic Modeling of the Solar Atmosphere and Spectrum

This grant supported the research and publication of a major 26-page paper in The Astrophysical Journal, by Fontenla, Avrett, & Loeser (2002): 'Energy Balance in the Solar Transition Region. IV. Hydrogen and Helium Mass Flows with Diffusion.' This paper extended our previous modeling of the chromosphere-corona transition region to include cases with particle and mass flows. Inflows and outflows were shown to produce striking changes in the profiles of hydrogen and helium lines. An important conclusion is that line shifts are much less significant than the changes in line intensity and central reversal due to the influence of flows on the excitation and ionization of atoms in the solar atmosphere. This modeling effort at SAO is the only current one being undertaken anywhere to simulate in detail the full range of non-LTE absorption, emission, and scattering processes in the solar atmosphere to account for the entire solar spectrum from radio waves to X-rays. This effort is being continued with internal SAO funding at a relatively slow pace. Further NASA support in the future would yield results of great value for the interpretation of solar observations from NASA spacecraft.

Avrett, Eugene↗

High-z objects and cold dark matter cosmogonies - Constraints on the primordial power spectrum on small scales

Modified cold dark matter (CDM) models were recently suggested to account for large-scale optical data, which fix the power spectrum on large scales, and the COBE results, which would then fix the bias parameter, b. We point out that all such models have deficit of small-scale power where density fluctuations are presently nonlinear, and should then lead to late epochs of collapse of scales M between 10 exp 9 - 10 exp 10 solar masses and (1-5) x 10 exp 14 solar masses. We compute the probabilities and comoving space densities of various scale objects at high redshifts according to the CDM models and compare these with observations of high-z QSOs, high-z galaxies and the protocluster-size object found recently by Uson et al. (1992) at z = 3.4. We show that the modified CDM models are inconsistent with the observational data on these objects. We thus suggest that in order to account for the high-z objects, as well as the large-scale and COBE data, one needs a power spectrum with more power on small scales than CDM models allow and an open universe.

Kashlinsky, A.↗

Sloan Digital Sky Survey III photometric quasar clustering: Probing the initial conditions of the Universe

Here, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has surveyed 14,555 square degrees of the sky, and delivered over a trillion pixels of imaging data. We present the large-scale clustering of 1.6 million quasars between z=0.5 and z=2.5 that have been classified from this imaging, representing the highest density of quasars ever studied for clustering measurements. This data set spans 0~ 11,00 square degrees and probes a volume of 80 h –3 Gpc 3 . In principle, such a large volume and medium density of tracers should facilitate high-precision cosmological constraints. We measure the angular clustering of photometrically classified quasars using an optimal quadratic estimator in four redshift slices with an accuracy of ~ 25% over a bin width of δ l ~ 10–15 on scales corresponding to matter-radiation equality and larger (0ℓ ~ 2–3).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A carbonate-rich, hydrated, interplanetary dust particle Possible residue from protostellar clouds

Transmission electron microscopy of a hydrated interplanetary dust particle (IDP) indicates that it contains abundant magnesium-iron carbonates, primarily breunnerite and magnesian siderite. This IDP displays a strong absorption band at 6.8 micrometers in its infrared spectrum, similar to that in certain protostellar spectra. The carbonates probably account for the 6.8-micrometer band in the IDP spectrum, suggesting that carbonate also may occur in interstellar dust and be the source of the controversial 6.8-micrometer feature from the protostellar spectra.

Tomeoka, K.↗

Elements of complexity in subsurface modeling, exemplified with three case studies

There are complexity elements to consider when applying subsurface flow and transport models to support environmental analyses. Modelers balance the benefits and costs of modeling along the spectrum of complexity, taking into account the attributes of more simple models (e.g., lower cost, faster execution, easier to explain, less mechanistic) and the attributes of more complex models (higher cost, slower execution, harder to explain, more mechanistic and technically defensible). In this paper, modeling complexity is examined with respect to considering this balance. The discussion of modeling complexity is organized into three primary elements: 1) modeling approach, 2) description of process, and 3) description of heterogeneity. Three examples are used to examine these complexity elements. Two of the examples use simulations generated from a complex model to develop simpler models for efficient use in model applications. The first example is designed to support performance evaluation of soil vapor extraction remediation in terms of groundwater protection. The second example investigates the importance of simulating different categories of geochemical reactions for carbon sequestration and selecting appropriate simplifications for use in evaluating sequestration scenarios. In the third example, the modeling history for a uranium-contaminated site demonstrates that conservative parameter estimates were inadequate surrogates for complex, critical processes and there is discussion on the selection of more appropriate model complexity for this application. All three examples highlight how complexity considerations are essential to create scientifically defensible models that achieve a balance between model simplification and complexity.

conceptual models↗

Energy Spectrum and Optical Absorption of Isomer No. 11 of С{sub 84} Fullerene of С{sub 2} Symmetry Within the Hubbard Model

Energy spectrum of isomer No. 11 of С{sub 84} fullerene of С{sub 2} symmetry is calculated within the Hubbard model. Based on the obtained energy spectrum, the optical absorption spectrum is modeled taking into account not only allowed, but also forbidden symmetry transitions. Good qualitative agreement with the experimental data is obtained. This suggests that when studying fullerenes, the intra-site Coulomb interaction of electrons must be taken into account.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

IS THE GALACTIC COSMIC-RAY SPECTRUM CONSTANT IN TIME?

The hypothesis is considered that the present, local Galactic cosmic-ray spectrum is, due to source intermittency, softer than average over time and over the Galaxy. Measurements of muogenic nuclides underground could provide an independent measurement of the time-averaged spectrum. Source intermittency could also account for the surprising low anisotropy reported by the IceCube Collaboration. Predictions for Galactic emission of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) quanta, such as UHE gamma rays and neutrinos, might be higher or lower than previously estimated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Power spectrum analysis of polarized emission from the Canadian galactic plane survey

Angular power spectra are calculated and presented for the entirety of the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey polarization data set at 1.4 GHz covering an area of 1060 deg{sup 2}. The data analyzed are a combination of data from the 100 m Effelsberg Telescope, the 26 m Telescope at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, and the Synthesis Telescope at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, allowing all scales to be sampled down to arcminute resolution. The resulting power spectra cover multipoles from ℓ ≈ 60 to ℓ ≈ 10{sup 4} and display both a power-law component at low multipoles and a flattening at high multipoles from point sources. We fit the power spectrum with a model that accounts for these components and instrumental effects. The resulting power-law indices are found to have a mode of 2.3, similar to previous results. However, there are significant regional variations in the index, defying attempts to characterize the emission with a single value. The power-law index is found to increase away from the Galactic plane. A transition from small-scale to large-scale structure is evident at b = 9°, associated with the disk-halo transition in a 15° region around l = 108°. Localized variations in the index are found toward H II regions and supernova remnants, but the interpretation of these variations is inconclusive. The power in the polarized emission is anticorrelated with bright thermal emission (traced by Hα emission) indicating that the thermal emission depolarizes background synchrotron emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Star-forming galaxies as the origin of the ICECUBE PeV neutrinos

Star-forming galaxies, due to their high star formation rates, and hence large number of supernova remnants (SNRs) therein, are huge reservoirs of cosmic rays (CRs). These CRs collide with gases in galaxies and produce high-energy neutrinos through proton–proton collisions. In this paper, we calculate the neutrino production efficiency in star-forming galaxies by considering realistic galaxy properties, such as the gas density and galactic wind in star-forming galaxies. To calculate the accumulated neutrino flux, we use the infrared luminosity function of star-forming galaxies recently obtained by the Herschel PEP/HerMES survey. The intensity of CRs producing PeV neutrinos in star-forming galaxies is normalized with the observed CR flux at EeV (1 EeV = 10{sup 18} eV), assuming that SNR or hypernova remnants in star-forming galaxies can accelerate protons to EeV energies. Our calculations show that the accumulated neutrino emission produced by CRs in star-forming galaxies can account for the flux and spectrum of the sub-PeV/PeV neutrinos under reasonable assumptions on the CR confinement time in these galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Verification and validation of integrated simulation of energetic particles in fusion plasmas

Here, we report on verification and validation of linear simulations of Alf´ven eigenmodes in the current ramp phase of DIII-D L-mode discharge #159243 using gyrokinetic, gyrokinetic-MHD hybrid, and eigenvalue codes. Using a classical fast ion profile, all simulation codes find that reversed shear Alf´ven eigenmodes (RSAE) are the dominant instability. The real frequencies from all codes have a coefficient of variation of less than 5% for the most unstable modes with toroidal mode number n = 4 and 5. Due to uncertainty in the experimentally measured minimum safety factor (q min ) and the sensitivity of the RSAE’s frequency to q min , the average difference in frequency between simulated and measured is df/f = 14.7%, 22.6%, for n = 4 and 5, respectively. If qmin is adjusted slightly, within experimental errors, an agreement of within 4.5% and 3.1%, for n = 4 and 5 respectively, is found for all codes. The simulated growth rates exhibit greater variation, and simulations find that pressure gradients of thermal plasmas make a significant contribution to the growth rates. Mode structures of the dominant modes agree well among all codes. Using a calculated fast ion profile that takes into account the action of the spectrum of multiple unstable modes, a toroidal Alf´ven eigenmode (TAE) with n = 6 is found to be unstable in the outer edge, consistent with the experimental data. Variations of the real frequencies and growth rates of the TAE are slightly larger than those of the RSAE. Lastly, electron temperature fluctuations and radial phase shifts from simulations show no significant differences with the experimental data for the strong n = 4 RSAE, but significant differences for the weak n = 6 TAE. The verification and validation for the linear simulations of Alf´ven eigenmodes is the first step to determine an integrated simulation of energetic particles confinement in burning plasmas incorporating multiple physical processes with kinetic effects of both energetic and thermal particles on an equal footing.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗