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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 NTRS1981

Two-component X-ray emission from RS Canum Venaticorum binaries

A summary is presented of results from the Solid State Spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory for seven RS CVn binaries. The spectra of all require two emission components, evidenced by line emission characteristics of plasma at 4-million to 8-million K and bremsstrahlung characteristic of 20-million to 100-million K. The data are interpreted in terms of magnetic coronal loops similar to those seen on the sun, although with different characteristic parameters. The emission regions could be defined by separate magnetic structures. For pressures less than 10 dynes/sq cm the low temperature plasma would be confined within the stellar radii, while the high temperature plasma would, for the synchronous, close binaries, fill the binary orbits. However, for loop pressures exceeding 100 dynes sq cm, the high temperature components would also be confined to within the stellar radii, in loops covering only small fractions of the stellar surfaces. While the radio properties and the occurrence of X-ray flares suggest the larger emission regions, the observations of time variations leave the ambiguity unresolved.

Swank, J. H.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Metastability of stratified magnetohydrostatic equilibria and their relaxation

Motivated by explosive releases of energy in fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas, we consider the nonlinear stability of stratified magnetohydrodynamic equilibria against two-dimensional interchanges of straight magnetic-flux tubes. We demonstrate that, even within this restricted class of dynamics, the linear stability of an equilibrium does not guarantee its nonlinear stability: equilibria can be metastable. We show that the minimum-energy state accessible to a metastable equilibrium under non-diffusive two-dimensional dynamics can be found by solving a combinatorial optimisation problem. These minimum-energy states are, to good approximation, the final states reached by our simulations of destabilised metastable equilibria for which turbulent mixing is suppressed by viscosity. To predict the result of fully turbulent relaxation, we construct a statistical mechanical theory based on the maximisation of Boltzmann's mixing entropy. This theory is analogous to the Lynden-Bell statistical mechanics of collisionless stellar systems and plasma, and to the Robert–Sommeria–Miller theory of two-dimensional vortex turbulence. Our theory reproduces well the results of our numerical simulations for sufficiently large perturbations to the metastable equilibrium.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Primary yields of protons measured using CR-39 in laser-induced deuteron–deuteron fusion reactions

The deuteron and deuteron (DD) fusion reactions is the most crucial reaction in the nuclear astrophysics and inertial confinement fusion, which is responsible for synthesizing chemical elements, and for powering the stellar evolution. The plasma environment generated by the high-intensity laser used in a DD fusion reaction is similar to the early stage of the Big Bang. Therefore, it is important to study laser-induced DD fusion reactions. Recently, we experimentally investigated such reactions using eight laser beams with the third harmonic impact on a deuterated polyethylene target at the ShenGuang-II Upgrade facility. In this work, we focused on the application of range-filter spectrometers assembled from a 70 μm aluminum filter and two CR-39 nuclear track detectors to measure the yields of primary DD protons. Based on the track diameter calibration results of 3 MeV protons used to diagnose the tracks on the range- filter spectrometers, we measured a primary DD proton yield of approximately (8:52 ± 1:7) × 10 6 , consistent with the yields from similar laser facilities worldwide, indicating that range-filter spectrometry is an effective way to measure primary DD protons. Furthermore, using other accurate detectors may help to measure the rare events of D 3 He protons.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1985

The modelling of latitudinal gradients in the solar wind in the outer solar system

A steady, axisymmetric, quasi-radial, global model is developed for thermally driven stellar winds with embedded magnetic fields. The asymptotic, linear results are presented for 0(1) latitudinal variations in the radial magnetic field, mass-loss rate, and radial velocity of the wind. The MHD equations are solved for the latitudinal dependence of the rotational velocity and magnetic field. They are driven by the meridional flows that develop naturally from internal magnetic stresses. Most flows open flux tubes in the stars equatorial plane, redistributing mass and magnetic flux as a function of stellar latitude. The plasma spins up to conserve angular momentum in fields and plasma.

Nerney, S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The many faces of Capella - A search for rotational modulations and a study of systematic velocities of emission lines in the ultraviolet

The UV spectra of Capella were monitored for fluctuations using IUE instrumentation, and radial velocities of the emission lines were determined. The possible fluctuations were studied from March through April 1981, and radial velocity data were taken over six days in 1982. The Capella surface activity emissions proved to be steady, while redshifts from high excitation were found in the photospheric plasma. Downflows of 100,000 K plasma in the stellar transition zone could produce the redshifts. The FWHMs of the emission lines exceeded the redshift by an order of magnitude, suggesting that the observed excitations could be only averaged values of the dynamics of the outer atmosphere of Capella.

Ayres, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Measurement of the metastable lifetime for the 2s^2 2p^2 ^1So level in O^2+

The radiative lifetime of the 1S0 level was found to be 540 +/- 27 ms. This is in good agreement with a previous measurement and with a number of theoretical calculations. Metastable lifetimes, when combined with collisional excitation rates, can provide a diagnostic for electron density Ne in a stellar or solar plasma.

atomic data solar plasmas↗
NASA NTRS2020

A Disc-Dominated and Clumpy Circumgalactic Medium of the Milky Way Seen in X-Ray Emission

The Milky Way galaxy is surrounded by a circumgalactic medium (CGM) that may play a key role in galaxy evolution as the source of gas for star formation and a repository of metals and energy produced by star formation and nuclear activity. The CGM may also be a repository for baryons seen in the early universe, but undetected locally. The CGM has an ionized component at temperatures near 2 x 10^6 K studied primarily in the soft X-ray band. Here we report a survey of the southern Galactic sky with a soft X-ray spectrometer optimized to study diffuse soft X-ray emission. The X-ray emission is best fit with a disc-like model based on the radial profile of the surface density of molecular hydrogen, a tracer of star formation, suggesting that the X-ray emission is predominantly from hot plasma produced via stellar feedback. Strong variations in the X-ray emission on angular scales of ~10 degrees indicate that the CGM is clumpy. Addition of an extended, and possibly massive, halo component is needed to match the halo density inferred from other observations.

P Kaaret↗
NASA NTRS1966

Neutrinos in astrophysics.

Neutrino processes in stellar evolution, discussing pair annihilation, plasma, photoneutrino, URCA, bremsstrahlung, photo-beta, photon-photon and electron-electron bremsstrahlung processes

PHOTON-ELECTRON INTERACTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

GX: a GPU-native gyrokinetic turbulence code for tokamak and stellarator design

GX is a code designed to solve the nonlinear gyrokinetic system for low-frequency turbulence in magnetized plasmas, particularly tokamaks and stellarators. In GX, our primary motivation and target is a fast gyrokinetic solver that can be used for fusion reactor design and optimization along with wide-ranging physics exploration. Here, this has led to several code and algorithm design decisions, specifically chosen to prioritize time to solution. First, we have used a discretization algorithm that is pseudospectral in the entire phase space, including a Laguerre–Hermite pseudospectral formulation of velocity space, which allows for smooth interpolation between coarse gyrofluid-like resolutions and finer conventional gyrokinetic resolutions and efficient evaluation of a model collision operator. Additionally, we have built GX to natively target graphics processors (GPUs), which are among the fastest computational platforms available today. Finally, we have taken advantage of the reactor-relevant limit of small $\rho _*$ by using the radially local flux-tube approach. In this paper we present details about the gyrokinetic system and the numerical algorithms used in GX to solve the system. We then present several numerical benchmarks against established gyrokinetic codes in both tokamak and stellarator magnetic geometries to verify that GX correctly simulates gyrokinetic turbulence in the small $\rho _*$. Moreover, we show that the convergence properties of the Laguerre–Hermite spectral velocity formulation are quite favourable for nonlinear problems of interest. Coupled with GPU acceleration, which we also investigate with scaling studies, this enables GX to be able to produce useful turbulence simulations in minutes on one (or a few) GPUs and higher fidelity results in a few hours using several GPUs. GX is open-source software that is ready for fusion reactor design studies.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optimization of quasi-axisymmetric stellarators with varied elongation

An optimization study of Quasi-Axisymmetric (QA) stellarators with varied elongation has been carried out using the optimization code STELLOPT. The starting point of our optimization is a previously obtained QA stellarator with 3 field periods and aspect ratio of 6. Here, a series of QA stellarators are obtained at zero plasma beta with varied elongation value ranging from 2.5 to 3.7. Good quasi-symmetry is kept when the elongation value is reduced from the original value of 3.7. The rotational transform profile and aspect ratio are kept fixed. The plasma volume is ether kept fixed or varied linearly with elongation. Furthermore, finite beta QA stellarators are considered. The corresponding bootstrap currents are calculated using the kinetic code SFINCS. A series of kink-stable QA stellarators are obtained via optimization with varied plasma beta up to 5% and self-consistent bootstrap current. This work demonstrates that good QA stellarators with finite beta and varied elongation exist that are stable to external kink modes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Efficient analysis of magnetic field line behavior in toroidal plasmas

The confinement of plasmas in tokamaks and stellarators depends on magnetic field lines lying in nested toroidal surfaces. The transition near the plasma edge away from the lines lying in magnetic surfaces defines properties of divertors. The transition in time defines properties of disruptions. Divertor design and disruption analyses require a detailed understanding of these transitions. The use of a Fourier transform coupled with a Gaussian window function allows far more information to be extracted about these transitions using far shorter field line integrations than can be obtained using traditional methods based on Poincaré plots. The physics of divertors and disruptions is reviewed to clarify why the type of information that can be gained from more efficient methods of analysis is of central importance to the fusion program based on magnetic confinement.

Boozer, Allen H. [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (Un↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling of Macroscopic Dynamics in Three-Dimensional Plasma Configurations (Final Technical Report)

A numerical simulation-based study to investigate the stability properties of inherently three-dimensional plasma magnetic configurations is presented. These configurations, called stellarators and heliotrons, use external helical coils to provide the twisting magnetic field that is required to confine ionized plasma particles. In contrast to the tokamak configuration, which nominally has the property of axisymmetry, electrical current does not need to be induced in stellarator and heliotron plasma. Experiments have shown that these three-dimensional configurations are remarkably robust to macroscopic instability, even when driven to relatively high levels of plasma pressure. Our understanding of how the plasma is able to withstand macroscopic instability will be enhanced by the work proposed here. The effort will generalize existing numerical modeling capability, and it will apply the new capability to model macroscopic dynamics in these three-dimensional configurations. The development work has been applied to the NIMROD simulation code (https://nimrodteam.org) that was originally based on axisymmetric problem domains. It has been generalized to accommodate the three-dimensional shaping of the plasma volume in stellarators and heliotrons. Its use of equilibrium data has also been generalized, and the implementation allows different numerical representation of the magnetic field. Analysis has been performed to inform the selection of numerical methods, and a method to accelerate the iterative solution of the necessary algebraic systems has been developed and implemented. Verification of the new NIMSTELL code on benchmark problems has also been an important part of the effort.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

The inertial confinement fusion experimental platform and diagnostics for studies of nuclear reactions relevant to nuclear astrophysics

High energy density plasmas generated in laser-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions provide unparalleled laboratory conditions for studying stellar-relevant nuclear reactions: plasma environment; hot and dense; uniquely high achievable neutron flux. These experiments have the potential to address long-standing questions about plasma effects on nuclear reactions hitherto experimentally inaccessible, including nuclear rates with thermally distributed reactants, plasma screening, and reactions involving nuclei in excited states. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) and OMEGA lasers are two primary facilities for executing experiments of this type. Existing and future nuclear diagnostics, along with supporting diagnostics to characterize the platform, enable exploitation of these plasmas for such nuclear astrophysics-relevant experiments. Here, this review describes the nuclear diagnostic capabilities currently available for these types of experiments at the NIF and OMEGA, including neutron time-of-flight spectrometers, charged-particle detectors, gamma detectors and radiochemistry diagnostics, and briefly summarizes other available diagnostic capabilities used for platform characterization. Enabling tools not yet available are also identified, including a rapid radioactive sample retrieval system, a low-energy neutron spectrometer and a high-efficiency gamma spectrometer.

National Ignition Facility↗
NASA NTRS1978

Extreme-ultraviolet observations of nearby B stars - Constraints on hot circumstellar plasma

The extreme-ultraviolet telescope on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission observed several nearby stars of spectral type earlier than B3 in search of thermal emission from possible hot circumstellar plasma. The stars studied in the 45-185 and 114-185 A passbands of the instrument included Lambda Sco, Nu Sco, Beta CMa, Beta Cen, Sigma Sgr, and Alpha Pav. Diffuse emission around these stars in excess of about 1 billionth erg/sq cm/sec per sr/eV in the 45-185 A band and about 1 hundred-millionth erg/sq cm/sec per sr/eV in the 114-185 A band was not detected. The experimental data have been used to place upper limits on the emission measure of the plasma and the stellar-wind luminosity, using standard models. The data rule out the existence of sizable bubbles of hot plasma around any of the stars surveyed. In all cases the electron density in these regions, if they exist, may not exceed about 0.2 electron/cu cm.

Paresce, F.↗
DOE OSTI2025

A framework for discrete optimization of stellarator coils

Designing magnets for three-dimensional plasma confinement is a key task for advancing the stellarator as a fusion reactor concept. Stellarator magnets must produce an accurate field while leaving adequate room for other components and being reasonably simple to construct and assemble. In this paper, a framework for coil design and optimization is introduced that enables the attainment of sparse magnet solutions with arbitrary restrictions on where coils may be located. The solution space is formulated as a 'wireframe' consisting of a mesh of interconnected wire segments enclosing the plasma. Two methods are developed for optimizing the current distribution on a wireframe: Regularized Constrained Least Squares, which uses a linear least-squares approach to optimize the currents in each segment, and Greedy Stellarator Coil Optimization, a fully discrete procedure in which loops of current are added to the mesh one by one to achieve the desired magnetic field on the plasma boundary. Examples are presented of solutions obtainable with each method, some of which achieve high field accuracy while obeying spatial constraints that permit easy assembly.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Routes to high-performance operation in Wendelstein 7-X: turbulence suppression with shaping of the density profile

Steep density gradients generally lead to improved plasma performance in the neoclassically optimized stellarator W7-X. This is evident in the global energy confinement time as well as in the ion temperature and can be explained by a strong reduction of the ion temperature gradient turbulence. Such conditions can experimentally be realized by several methods: injection of cryogenic hydrogen pellets, appropriate combination of neutral beam and electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and, in some cases, with low power of ECRH after preconditioning of the first wall. The duration of the improved phases is determined by the ability to sustain the steep density gradient, by technical limitations of the involved systems and, eventually, by the plasma stability. This paper gives an overview of relevant experimental results and presents example discharges where the improved confinement conditions could be extended to multiple seconds: up to 4 s using neutral beam injection and from 14 to 40 s with steady state pellet injection. In these plasmas the turbulent thermal diffusivity is reduced by a factor of 3 to 4 in a broad radial range, which allows high ion temperatures of up to 3 keV at the densities of about 1.5 • 10 20 m −3 .

high performance plasma↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mode spectrum characteristics and onset of the low-shear MHD stability regime

Equilibria with extended regions of weak magnetic shear, including some tokamak scenarios and stellarators, can be susceptible to pressure-driven internal MHD instabilities even though there is no mode rational surface in the plasma. Nonresonant modes, in particular, can have properties that are unattractive for confinement, including displacing substantial volumes of the plasma and leading to more efficient pressure gradient flattening in the nonlinear regime. The onset and linear properties of the low shear stability regime are examined using the initial-value, extended-MHD code M3D-C. For monotonic q-profiles, we demonstrate a clear correlation between the convergents associated with the continued fraction representation of q 0 and the spectrum of unstable modes. Nonresonant modes are observed to be destabilized preferentially to any other resonant instability with the same toroidal mode number when n > 1. Using the observed connection between the spectrum associated with q 0 and the overall equilibrium stability properties, we suggest a technique for reducing the uncertainty on both q 0 and magnetic shear in the core region, obtained either via measurement or through the analysis and reconstruction of experimental results.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Plasma image classification using cosine similarity constrained convolutional neural network

Plasma jets are widely investigated both in the laboratory and in nature. Astrophysical objects such as black holes, active galactic nuclei and young stellar objects commonly emit plasma jets in various forms. With the availability of data from plasma jet experiments resembling astrophysical plasma jets, classification of such data would potentially aid in not only investigating the underlying physics of the experiments but also the study of astrophysical jets. In this work we use deep learning to process all of the laboratory plasma images from the Caltech Spheromak Experiment spanning two decades. We found that cosine similarity can aid in feature selection, classify images through comparison of feature vector direction and be used as a loss function for the training of AlexNet for plasma image classification. We also develop a simple vector direction comparison algorithm for binary and multi-class classification. Using our algorithm we demonstrate 93 % accurate binary classification to distinguish unstable columns from stable columns and 92 % accurate five-way classification of a small, labelled data set which includes three classes corresponding to varying levels of kink instability.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗