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At least 1,117 records · Page 62

Porosity in nuclear graphite and its impact on nuclear reactor science and criticality safety applications

Porosity in nuclear-grade graphite significantly influences its low-energy neutron scattering, yet its effect on underlying phonon properties remains debated. Here, this work integrates inelastic and small-angle neutron scattering (INS/SANS) experiments, advanced atomistic simulations with a novel machine-learned potential (DeepMD), total cross-section measurements, and neutronics calculations (SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC) to investigate porosity’s impact on neutron thermalization. INS measurements on diverse graphite grades reveal no discernible porosity effect on phonon spectra, which align with crystalline graphite. Conversely, total cross-section data below ≈10 meV show increased scattering attributable to SANS. Our DeepMD simulations demonstrate that realistic micropores do not distort phonon spectra, challenging the assumptions in current ENDF/B-VIII.1 porosity thermal scattering laws (TSLs). These TSLs, based on random atom removal, produce unphysical phonon spectra and inflate inelastic cross-sections. Augmenting a crystalline TSL with an SANS component accurately captures experimental total cross-sections. Neutronics benchmarks (ICSBEP/IRPhE) show ENDF porosity TSLs unphysically increase neutron multiplication factor, keff. Crucially, incorporating SANS physics (NCrystal/OpenMC) indicates accurately modeled porosity negligibly affects keff, reactor physics, or criticality safety.

Critical benchmarks↗

Characterizing NWP Model Errors Using Doppler-Lidar Measurements of Recurrent Regional Diurnal Flows: Marine-Air Intrusions into the Columbia-River Basin

Ground-based Doppler-lidar instrumentation provides atmospheric wind data at dramatically improved accuracies and spatial/temporal resolutions. These capabilities have provided new insights into atmospheric flow phenomena, but they also should have a strong role in NWP model improvement. Insight into the nature of model errors can be gained by studying recurrent atmospheric flows, here a regional summertime diurnal sea breeze and subsequent marine-air intrusion into the arid interior of Oregon-Washington, where these winds are an important windenergy resource. These marine intrusions were sampled by three scanning Doppler lidars in the Columbia-River Basin as part of the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2), using data from summer 2016. Lidar time-height cross sections of wind speed identified eight days when the diurnal-flow cycle, (peak wind speeds at midnight, afternoon minima) was obvious and strong. Eight-day composite time-height cross sections of lidar wind speeds are used to validate those generated by the operational NCEP-HRRR model. HRRR simulated the diurnal wind cycle, but produced errors in the timing of onset and significant errors due to a premature nighttime demise of the intrusion flow, producing low-bias errors of 6 m s-1 . Day-to-day and in the composite, whenever a marine intrusion occurred, HRRR made these same errors. The errors occurred under a range of gradient wind conditions indicating that they resulted from the misrepresentation of physical processes within a limited region around the measurement locations. Because of their generation within a limited geographical area, field-measurement programs can be designed to find and address the sources of these NWP errors.

Banta, Robert M.↗

Observation of W Z γ Production in p p Collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of W Z γ production and a measurement of its cross section using 140.1 ± 1.2 fb − 1 of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The W Z γ production cross section, with both the W and Z bosons decaying leptonically, p p → W Z γ → ℓ ′ ± ν ℓ + ℓ − γ ( ℓ ( ′ ) = e , μ ), is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross section is found to be 2.01 ± 0.30 ( stat ) ± 0.16 ( syst ) fb . The corresponding standard model predicted cross section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50 ± 0.06 fb . The observed significance of the W Z γ signal is 6.3 σ , compared with an expected significance of 5.0 σ . © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2024 CERN

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Exclusive dimuon production in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with ATLAS

Exclusive dimuon production in ultraperipheral collisions (UPC), resulting from photon-photon interactions in the strong electromagnetic fields of colliding high-energy lead nuclei, PbPb(γγ) → μ + μ - (Pb (*) Pb (*) ), is studied using $\mathcal{L}$ int = 0.48 nb -1 of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV lead-lead collision data at the LHC with the ATLAS detector. Dimuon pairs are measured in the fiducial region p T,μ >4 GeV, |η μ |<2.4, invariant mass m μμ >10 GeV, and p T,μμ <2 GeV. The primary background from single-dissociative processes is extracted from the data using a template fitting technique. Differential cross sections are presented as a function of m μμ , absolute pair rapidity (|y μμ |), scattering angle in the dimuon rest frame (| cos $\mathscr{O}$$^{*}_{μμ}$|), and the colliding photon energies. The total cross section of the UPC γγ → μ + μ - process in the fiducial volume is measured to be $σ^{μμ}_{fid}$ = 34.1 ± 0.3(stat.) ± 0.7(syst.) μb. Generally good agreement is found with calculations from STARlight, which incorporate the leading-order Breit-Wheeler process with no final-state effects, albeit differences between the measurements and theoretical expectations are observed. In particular, the measured cross sections at larger |y μμ | are found to be about 10–20% larger in data than in the calculations, suggesting the presence of larger fluxes of photons in the initial state. Modification of the dimuon cross sections in the presence of forward and/or backward neutron production is also studied and is found to be associated with a harder incoming photon spectrum, consistent with expectations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Complete collision data set for electrons scattering on molecular hydrogen and its isotopologues: I. Fully vibrationally-resolved electronic excitation of H 2 $X^1Σ^+_g)$

Here, we present a comprehensive set of vibrationally-resolved cross sections for electron-impact electronic excitation of molecular hydrogen suitable for implementation in collisional-radiative models. The adiabatic-nuclei molecular convergent close-coupling method is used to calculate cross sections for excitation of all bound vibrational levels and dissociative excitation of the B 1 &#x3A3; u + , C 1 &#x3A0; u , E F 1 &#x3A3; g + , B &#x2032; 1 &#x3A3; u + , G K 1 &#x3A3; g + , I 1 &#x3A0; g , J 1 &#x394; g , D 1 &#x3A0; u , H 1 &#x3A3; g + , b 3 &#x3A3; u + , c 3 &#x3A0; u , a 3 &#x3A3; g + , e 3 &#x3A3; u + , d 3 &#x3A0; u , h 3 &#x3A3; g + , g 3 &#x3A3; g + , i 3 &#x3A0; g , and j 3 &#x394; g electronic states from all –14 bound vibrational levels of the ground electronic ($\text{X}$ $^1&#x3A3^+_g$) state. The data set consists of cross sections from threshold to 500 eV for over 5000 transitions, representing all possible electronic and vibrational transitions between the state and the –3 singlet and triplet states (where refers to the united-atoms-limit principle quantum number). The cross sections are presented in graphical form and provided as both numerical values and analytic fit functions in supplementary data files.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

A Discrete Hankel Transform Approach to Nuclear Data Processing for Fusion Applications

This study introduces advancements to the numerical solutions employed in the processing of nuclear data for fusion applications. It leverages the convolution theorem and Fourier transform techniques to enhance computational efficiency and broaden applicability. Building upon a previously reported discrete Hankel transform approach for Doppler broadening, this work refines the solution of convolution integrals central to these applications. The methodology provides a general and unified framework for evaluating any convolution operation, regardless of whether the underlying problem involves temperature effects in nuclear reactions. The applicability to the nuclear data processing for fusion is demonstrated by deriving the convolution integrals for some of the fusion-related quantities. As before, the convolution operation utilizes a Gaussian-based kernel; however, the discrete Hankel transform of order $𝛼$ = $\frac{1}{2}$ is now applied to the forward Fourier transform of the nonkernel argument, rather than the inverse Fourier transform. This modification eliminates the need for the integration of the nonkernel, cross section–based function, which is a step that posed challenges for certain pointwise cross-section representations. It also removes the requirement for cross-section linearization. Optimized for graphics processing unit architectures, the approach significantly improves computational performance. These advancements are currently under evaluation as the foundation for the next-generation thermonuclear data file processing codes being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Nuclear science and engineering↗

Measurement of $Z\gamma \gamma$ production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

Cross-sections for the production of a $Z$ boson in association with two photons are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 2 of the LHC. The measurements use the electron and muon decay channels of the $Z$ boson, and a fiducial phase-space region where the photons are not radiated from the leptons. The integrated $Z$($\rightarrow$ $\ell$$\ell$)$\gamma \gamma$ cross-section is measured with a precision of 12% and differential cross-sections are measured as a function of six kinematic variables of the $Z\gamma \gamma$ system. The data are compared with predictions from MC event generators which are accurate to up to next-to-leading order in QCD. The cross-section measurements are used to set limits on the coupling strengths of dimension-8 operators in the framework of an effective field theory.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Indirect reactions and connection with R-matrix theory

It is often the case that nuclear reactions that are important for societal applications or basic science are difficult to measure directly in existing facilities for accelerated beams. The difficulty might be associated with an exceedingly small cross section, as the ones obtained at beam energies well below the Coulomb barrier, or with the impossibility of devising a short-lived target, as is the case for neutron-induced reactions on unstable isotopes. The fruitful line of experimental research addressing this issue with alternative (indirect) reactions has been developed in parallel to the theory needed to make the connection between the observed data and the desired cross sections of the (direct) reaction under study. Within this context, we present here an explicit connection between the indirect cross section and the R-matrix parameters which describe the energy-dependent cross section of the desired direct reaction.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Quantification of the 35 Cl($\textit{n, p}$) reaction channel

The evaluated 35 Cl($\textit{n, p}$) cross sections in the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data library remain uncertain because of the lack of measured data in the neutron energy range between 100-600 keV. In this energy region, the R-matrix analysis relies heavily on estimated ($\textit{n, p}$) partial widths and level density information. This resulted in significant differences of the evaluated cross sections and predicted reactivity in nuclear reactor applications with respect to previous nuclear data libraries. Here, we present a methodology to quantify the cross sections for the 35 Cl($\textit{n, p}$) reaction channel from the combination of measured total cross sections and model calculations.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Exclusive dielectron production in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV with ATLAS

Exclusive production of dielectron pairs, γγ → e + e – , is studied using $\mathcal{L}_{int}$ = 1.72 nb –1 of data from ultraperipheral collisions of lead nuclei at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The process of interest proceeds via photon–photon interactions in the strong electromagnetic fields of relativistic lead nuclei. Dielectron production is measured in the fiducial region defined by following requirements: electron transverse momentum $p^{e}_{T}$ > 2.5 GeV, absolute electron pseudorapidity |η e | < 2.5, dielectron invariant mass m ee > 5 GeV, and dielectron transverse momentum $p^{ee}_{T}$ < 2 GeV. Differential cross-sections are measured as a function of m ee , average $p^{e}_{T}$, absolute dielectron rapidity |y ee |, and scattering angle in the dielectron rest frame, |cos θ*|, in the inclusive sample, and also with a requirement of no activity in the forward direction. The total integrated fiducial cross-section is measured to be 215 ± 1 (stat) $^{+23}_{-20}$ (syst.) ± 4 (lumi.) μ b. Within experimental uncertainties the measured integrated cross-section is in good agreement with the QED predictions from the Monte Carlo programs STARLIGHT and SUPERCHIC, confirming the broad features of the initial photon fluxes. The differential cross-sections show systematic differences from these predictions which are more pronounced at high |y ee | and |cos θ*| values.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of Nuclear Dependence in Inclusive Antineutrino Scattering

One of the fundamental questions in physics is the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe, explored through charge-parity violation searches in neutrino oscillation experiments. Next-generation oscillation experiments like DUNE need to constrain the systematic uncertainties arising from our understanding of (anti)neutrino-nucleus scattering to within a few percent to achieve their physics goals. MINERvA, a dedicated (anti)neutrino-nucleus scattering experiment, plays a crucial role in constraining these uncertainties. This thesis presents MINERvA's first high-statistics direct measurement of nuclear dependence in charged-current inclusive antineutrino scattering on carbon, hydrocarbon, iron, and lead as a function of antimuon transverse momentum, $p_{\text{T}}$, and Bjorken~$x$. The analysis utilises interactions with a mean antineutrino energy of approximately~6~GeV, with reconstructed antimuons having a scattering angle of less than 17$^\circ$ relative to the antin eutrino beam and an antimuon energy of 2--20 GeV. The measured per-nucleon differential cross-sections are reported with a precision of 7--9\%, while the cross-section ratios of carbon, iron, and lead to hydrocarbon have uncertainties of 5\% or less. The cross-sections for iron and lead indicate strong suppression at low $p_{\text{T}}$ and Bjorken~$x$, and an enhancement at high $p_{\text{T}}$. These effects are observed to be more pronounced with the increasing size of the target nucleus and are not reproduced by the underlying simulation prediction. Comparisons to alternative models used in current (anti)neutrino interaction generators show some improvements in modelling over the base prediction model, yet they are still unable to fully reproduce the observed nuclear dependence in this analysis. Importantly, the analysis provides a direct test of nuclear effects in inclusive antineutrino scattering, with major contributions from resonant pion production, deep inelastic scattering, and the transition region between these channels, which will be significant in DUNE. This measurement also represents one of the largest antineutrino datasets in this energy regime analysed to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

How threshold effects in spectroscopic factors influence heavy-ion knockout reactions

A two-decade-old puzzle in heavy-ion one-nucleon knockout reactions is the strong correlation between the reduction factor R S = σ exp /σ t h and the Fermi surface asymmetry ΔS. Theoretical cross sections typically rely on spectroscopic factors (SFs) from shell model (SM) calculations, which neglect continuum coupling effects. Here, we employ the Gamow shell model (GSM), which explicitly incorporates continuum coupling, to compute SFs for p-shell nuclei and predict corresponding theoretical cross sections. Systematic calculations demonstrate that using GSM-derived SFs substantially reduces discrepancies between theoretical and experimental results. This improvement is particularly significant for deeply bound nucleon knockout in nuclei near the dripline, where traditional SM-based calculations fall short. As a result, using GSM SFs, the ratio R s exhibits no pronounced dependence on ΔS. Furthermore, both the ratio of GSM SFs to SM SFs and their corresponding reaction cross sections ratios exhibit a strong ΔS dependence. We have also compared GSM SFs and cross sections with those from the no-core shell model calculations, giving a similar pronounced sensitivity to ΔS. Detailed analysis attributes these correlations to threshold effects for SFs in weakly bound systems. Overall, incorporating continuum coupling via GSM enhances the reliability of SF predictions for exotic, weakly bound nuclei and provides key insights toward resolving the enduring puzzle in heavy-ion knockout reactions from a nuclear structure perspective.

Gamow shell model↗

A thin-walled composite beam model for light-weighted structures interacting with fluids

A thin-walled beam model is proposed for structures of variable cross-section, which can be either open or closed and includes multicellular cross-sections with either isotropic or orthotropic materials. The proposed model does not require any priori definition of cross-sectional warping which instead results from the solution of the problem. To achieve that a special deformation pattern is superimposed on the bending deformation described by Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. All sectional properties are automatically incorporated in the analysis as a result of the usual variational formulation of the system of equations. The proposed model is specifically designed to simulate the dynamics of wind/hydrokinetic turbine blade with low computational cost, especially in fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulation. A number of test cases have been carried out to validate the proposed structural model which show good agreement between the results obtained her e and the solutions available in literature. Finally, FSI simulation of a hydrokinetic blade under field condition is carried out to illustrate the capability of the current thin-walled beam model in practice.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Final Design for Additional Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) with Sodium Chloride Absorbers to Provide Validation Benchmarks for TerraPower

The first set of Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) with chlorine absorbers (TEX-Cl) were executed in Q4FY24 and are in the process of being benchmarked for the ICSBEP. TEX-Cl builds upon the TEX-HEU baseline cases that were published in the 2022 International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook. TEX-HEU, like TEX-Pu, was designed to be modular to allow for the incorporation of various absorbers and reflectors to test nuclear data and application case needs. For example, TEX-HEU with hafnium (TEX-Hf) utilizes hafnium plates as both absorbers and reflectors, depending on the tested configuration. A second set of chlorine experiments, dubbed More TEX-Cl, are laid out in this report to meet the needs of TerraPower for chlorine validation for their Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) systems. TerraPower’s Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) and MCFR are fast molten salt reactors that utilize sodium chloride (NaCl) salt eutectics as the fuel and coolant. The MCRE eutectic is a mixture of NaCl and uranium trichloride (UCl 3 ). An abundant need for chlorine absorption validation has been expressed by multiple members of the community, including Y-12 (whose needs were addressed with the first set of experiments), LANL (whose needs were addressed with the Chlorine Worth Study (CWS)), TerraPower, institute de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSN), Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SNRS), and others. Of the members who have expressed interest in this validation, most are interested in the fast neutron energy region, where the 35 Cl(n,p) reaction is most prominent. New 35 Cl(n,p) differential cross section measurements performed by LANL at LANCSE show substantial changes to the cross sections (Figure 1) and may be validated through these experiments as some configurations are optimally sensitive to this cross section.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Probing hard/soft factorization via beam-spin asymmetry in exclusive pion electroproduction from the proton

Deep exclusive meson production (DEMP) reactions, such as $p(\vec{e}, e' π^+)n$, provide opportunities to study the three-dimensional structure of the nucleon through differential cross section and beam- and target-spin asymmetry measurements. This work aims to probe the onset of the hard/soft factorization regime through the exclusive $p(\vec{e}, e' π^+)n$ reaction, as measured in the KaonLT experiment at Jefferson Lab Hall C. A 10.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam was incident on an unpolarized liquid hydrogen target, and the scattered electron and produced meson were detected in two magnetic focusing spectrometers, enabling precision cross section measurements. The cross section ratio $σ_{LT'}/σ_0$ was extracted from the beam-spin asymmetry $A_{LU}$. The t -dependence of $σ_{LT'}/σ_0$ was determined at fixed $Q^2$ and $x_B$ over a range of kinematics from 2 < $Q^2$ < 6 GeV$^2$ above the resonance region ($W$ > 2 GeV). Furthermore, these data are combined with recent results from CLAS/CLAS12 to determine the $Q^2$-dependence of at two $(x_B, t)$ settings. This was fairly flat, with $Q^2$ not having a measurable effect on the value of in the range explored. Results are compared to predictions from the generalized parton distribution (GPD) formalism, which relies explicitly on hard/soft factorization, and Regge formalism. The Regge models better predict $σ_{LT'}/σ_0$, which suggests that the factorization regime is not yet reached.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Photoproduction of Cascade Baryons Using the GlueX Detector at Jefferson Laboratory

Multi-strange baryons have played an important role in understanding the strong interaction. Despite their importance to advancing quantum chromodynamics (QCD), little is known about such hyperons due to the lack of a strange probe. Almost all knowledge of Cascade baryons today stems from kaon-nucleon interactions in bubble chamber experiments performed in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1980s saw advancement in electronics and computational resources allowing for higher statistic experiments such as the MultiParticle Spectrometer (MPS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. From these previous experiments, the octet and decuplet ground states, Xi(1320) and Xi(1530) respectively, were well established with known properties and four excited states were well established. This research uses the GlueX experiment at Jefferson Laboratory to extend photoproduction cross section measurements for Xi(1320)- to higher beam energies to further understand the production mechanism, as well as to search for the first excited Cascade resonance observation in photoproduction through the decay Xi-* -> K-Lambda. The GlueX Spectrometer is a nearly hermetic detector used to study exclusive photoproduction reactions with photon beam energies up to 12 GeV. The first phase of GlueX running has recently been completed. Preliminary results for the total cross section and differential cross sections in terms of momentum transfer -t are shown within. Additionally, the first observation of an excited Cascade baryon, in particular Xi(1820)-, is shown.

Ernst, Ashley↗

Nodal root diameter and node number in maize ( Zea mays L.) interact to influence plant growth under nitrogen stress

Under nitrogen limitation, plants increase resource allocation to root growth relative to shoot growth. The utility of various root architectural and anatomical phenotypes for nitrogen acquisition are not well understood. Nodal root number and root cross-sectional area were evaluated in maize in field and greenhouse environments. Nodal root number and root cross-sectional area were inversely correlated under both high and low nitrogen conditions. Attenuated emergence of root nodes, as opposed to differences in the number of axial roots per node, was associated with substantially reduced root number. Greater root cross-sectional area was associated with a greater stele area and number of cortical cell files. Genotypes that produced few, thick nodal roots rather than many, thin nodal roots had deeper rooting and better shoot growth in low nitrogen environments. Fewer nodal roots offset the respiratory and nitrogen costs of thicker diameter roots, since total nodal root respiration and nitrogen content was similar for genotypes with many, thin and few, thick nodal roots. We propose that few, thick nodal roots may enable greater capture of deep soil nitrogen and improve plant performance under nitrogen stress. Synergistic interactions between an architectural and anatomical trait may be an important strategy for nitrogen acquisition. Understanding trait interactions among different root nodes has important implications in for improving crop nutrient uptake and stress tolerance.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Muon neutrino charged current single pion production on various targets in the MINERvA detector

Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters at accelerator-based experiments require precise knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections. A significant fraction of neutrino interactions observed in these experiments produce single charged pions. While single charged pion production has been measured on hydrocarbon and water, few precise measurements exist for heavier targets, and there are no high statistics measurements that directly compare pion production on different targets. This thesis measures differential cross sections of muon neutrino charged current single charged pion production with no other mesons in the final state in a neutrinobeam with a mean energy of ≈ 6 GeV. The pion production is studied on targets of scintillator, carbon, water, iron, and lead at MINERvA, a neutrino cross section experiment located in the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. These measured cross sections are differential in μ - and π + kinematics. A strong suppression of low Q 2 and an enhancement of low π are observed relative to commonly used neutrino interaction models in both the light and heavy nuclear targets. Incorporation of these observed effects in future neutrino oscillation experiments will improve their ability to measure energy of neutrino interactions, and therefore measure the parameters governing neutrino oscillations.

Bercellie, Aaron↗