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At least 1,153 records · Page 64

Particle Seeding Flow System for Horizontal Shock Tube

The Extreme Fluids Team in P-23, Physics Division, studies fluid dynamics at high speeds using high resolution diagnostics. The unsteady forces on a particle driven by a shock wave are not well understood, and they are difficult to model. A horizontal shock tube (HST) is being modified to collect data about the behavior of particles accelerated by shocks. The HST has been used previously for studies of Richtmyer-Meshkov instability using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) as well as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), diagnostics that measure density and velocity. The purpose of our project is to design a flow system that will introduce particles into the HST. The requirements for this particle flow system (PFS) are that it be non-intrusive, be able to introduce either solid or liquid particles, have an exhaust capability, not interfere with existing diagnostics, and couple with the existing HST components. In addition, the particles must flow through the tube in a uniform way. We met these design criteria by first drawing the existing shock tube and diagnostics and doing an initial design of the ducts for the PFS. We then estimated the losses through the particle flow system from friction and researched possible fans that could be used to drive the particles. Finally, the most challenging component of the design was the coupling to the HST. If we used large inlets, the shock would lose strength as it passed by the inlet, so we designed a novel coupling inlet and outlet that minimize the losses to the shock wave. Our design was reviewed by the Extreme Fluids Team, and it is now being manufactured and built based upon our technical drawings.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Application of Flux Conserved Modeling to an Unsteady Combustion Driven Pseudo-Shock

Quasi-steady correlation-based and flux conserved models of the pseudo-shock pressure profile are experimentally assessed in the Air Force Research Lab RC-18 Sub-Scale DirectConnect Isolator Combustion Facility. A bifurcated normal pseudo-shock is established in the 2.67 aspect ratio isolator test section by a downstream cavity-stabilized combustor. The Waltrup-Billig correlation, Smart flux conserved model, and Fiévet data driven flux conserved models are compared against measured pressure profiles. The literature models are found to perform poorly in a high-amplitude forced environment of RC-18, where shock speeds upwards of 20% the isolator Mach number occur. Two modifications to the quasi-steady Fiévet data driven flux conserved model are proposed including incorporating an estimate of pseudo-shock static pressure recovery and exercising the model in a shock stationary reference frame. It is shown that these modifications allow the quasi-steady flux conserved modeling approach to accurately predict pseudo-shock pressure profiles over the discrete phases of high-amplitude forced dynamics.

Shock Train↗

Shock physics in warm dense matter: A quantum hydrodynamics perspective

Abstract Warm dense matter (WDM), an exotic, highly compressed state of matter between solid and plasma phases, is of high current interest, in particular for astrophysics and inertial confinement fusion. For the latter, in particular the propagation of compression shocks is crucial. The main unknown in the shock propagation in WDM is the behaviour of the electrons since they are governed by correlations, quantum and spin effects that need to be accounted for simultaneously. Here we describe the shock dynamics of the warm dense electron gas using a quantum hydrodynamic model. From the numerical hydrodynamic simulations, we observe that the quantum Bohm pressure induces shear force that weakens the formation and strength of the shock. In addition, the Bohm pressure induces an electron density response that takes the form of oscillations. This is confirmed by the theoretical analysis of the early stage of the shock formation. Our theoretical and numerical analyses allow us to identify characteristic dimensionless shock propagation parameters at which the effect of the Bohm force is important.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Off-center blast in a shocked medium

When multiple blasts occur at different times, the situation arises in which a blast wave is propagating into a medium that has already been shocked. Determining the evolution in shape of the second shock is not trivial, as it is propagating into air that is not only non-uniform, but also non-stationary. To accomplish this task, we employ the method of Kompaneets to determine the shape of a shock in a non-uniform media. We also draw from the work of Korycansky [1] on an off-center explosion in a medium with radially varying density. Extending this to treat non-stationary flow, and making use of approximations to the Sedov solution for the point blast problem, we are able to determine an analytic expression for the evolving shape of the second shock. Specifically, we consider the case of a shock in air at standard ambient temperature and pressure, with the second shock occurring shortly after the original blast wave reaches it, as in a sympathetic detonation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A MUSCL-SCNI approach for meshfree modeling of shock waves in fluids

Here, a stable and nodally integrated meshfree formulation for modeling shock waves in fluids is developed. The reproducing kernel approximation is employed to discretize the conservation equations for compressible flow, and a flux vector splitting approach is applied to allow proper numerical treatments for the advection and pressure parts, respectively, based on the characteristics of each flux term. To capture the essential shock physics in fluids, including the Rankine–Hugoniot jump conditions and the entropy condition, local Riemann enrichment is introduced under the stabilized conforming nodal integration (SCNI) framework. Meanwhile, numerical instabilities associated with the advection flux are eliminated by adopting a modified upwind scheme. To further enhance accuracy, a MUSCL-type method is introduced in conjunction with an oscillation limiter to avoid Gibbs phenomenon and ensure monotonic piecewise linear reconstruction in the smooth region. The present meshfree formulation is free from tunable artificial parameters and is capable of capturing shock and rarefaction waves without over/undershoots. Finally, several numerical examples are analyzed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed MUSCL-SCNI approach in meshfree modeling of complex shock phenomena, including shock diffraction, shock–vortex interaction, and high energy explosion processes.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Relating microstructure, temperature, and chemistry to explosive ignition and shock sensitivity

An analysis is put forth that relates explosive properties including microstructure, temperature, and chemistry to explosive ignition and sensitivity. Unlike approaches that focus only on elucidating mesoscopic mechanisms important to ignition, the present analysis seeks a methodology directly applicable to continuum explosive burn models. Because the Scaled Uniform Reactive Front (SURF) burn model has a microstructural basis, it is chosen as the starting point of the present analysis. To build upon the SURF framework, a literal translation is performed of the high-level conceptual notions for which SURF is based, to concrete ignition–combustion parameters, a statistical description of the microstructure, and other thermo-chemical data acquired by non-shock experiments. The analysis requires a void volume fraction distribution acquired from ultra-small angle neutron scattering (USANS). The shock response of PBX 9502 is used to illustrate the theory. While the analysis requires calibration to a shock experiment (the pop plot, for example), the results are a self-consistent set of realistic physical quantities that contribute to the shock initiation process including, initial temperature, chemical kinetics, a statistical description of the microstructure, and the hot spot size, spacing, and temperature. The utility of having a mesoscale based theory is that once the critical hot spot temperature, as a function of shock pressure, is known for a given explosive and initial porosity distribution, the entire set of meso- and macro-scale results, including the pop plot can be calculated for any other porosity. Thus, one can understand changes in sensitivity at different densities (void size distributions), relying only on the assumption that the hot spot temperature curve would not differ significantly if the morphology of the hots spots were similar. Another important utility of the present analysis is to address the question of the role of initial temperature on the observed shock sensitivity of PBX 9502 and other explosives.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Shock-induced kinetics and cellular structures of liquid nitromethane detonation

Using a combination of high-speed diagnostics, optical pyrometry, velocimetry and video photography, we examine the spatiotemporal reaction kinetics of a prototypical high-energy explosive, liquid nitromethane (NM), as we drive this high explosive into detonation. The detonations were initiated by powerful shock waves whose durations (4 ns) were shorter than the characteristic time associated with the reaction (7 ns). Simple optical spectroscopy alone cannot characterize the kinetics with high time resolution because the reactants and products are flowing at a high velocity of ~6 km/s (6 µm/ns). Additionally, every detection volume behind the shock front contains material initiated over a range of times. High spatial resolution can be obtained by probing interfaces where the shock enters or breaks out of the NM. In addition, we obtain cellular patterns imprinted on the luminous shock front by the two-stage explosion in NM. These spatiotemporal patterns arise naturally as a result of the asymmetry produced by the moving shock front. In this way the shock front serves as a thin moving intrinsic optical gauge that reports and characterizes the two-stage NM explosion behind the front.

42 ENGINEERING↗

North American energy system responses to natural gas price shocks

As of 2020, North American natural gas extraction and use in the electricity sector have both reached all-time highs. The combination of North America's increased reliance on natural gas with a potential disruption to the natural gas market has several energy security implications. Additionally, policymakers interested in economic resiliency will find this study's results useful for informing the implications of the energy sectors' long-term planning and investment decisions. This paper evaluates how both the electricity and natural gas sectors could respond to hypothetical gas price shocks under different system configurations. We impose unforeseen natural gas price shocks under reference and alternative configurations resulting from a renewable generation mandate or variations to renewable capacity costs. Results from several different models are presented for the electricity and natural gas sectors separately for Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Generally, the US becomes more (less) reliant on electricity imports from Canada given a high (low) gas price shock but increases (decreases) exports to Mexico. The renewable mandate is shown to buffer electricity price increases under high price shocks but price reductions under the low price shocks are dampened given less flexibility to take advantage of the low-priced natural gas. The United States is demonstrated to reduce natural gas production and net exports with high natural gas price shocks given a reduction in demand.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Influences of shock imprinting on mix in a 3D-printed porous media

Mixing of materials in porous media can cause a significant impact on fusion yield as previously demonstrated by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) MARBLE Campaign. Initially, the reactants are separated, with deuterium in the lattice struts and a tritium gas fill in the voids. Lattice parameters such as the strut thickness and relative pitch, provide a control for the mix parameters in the experiment. Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) BOSQUE project looks to better understand how the mix of the reactants and shell materials impact the fusion burn and resultant yield on various laser platforms. xRAGE’s Eulerian hydrodynamics and adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) provide the unique ability to study the impacts of multiscale features of complex lattice structures. This modeling provides the ability to measure shock front variations as the wave progress’ through a given media. Initial conditions of the lattice are essential to accurately model mix and burn measured by experiment. By varying the initial orientation and densities of these lattice regions the early time dynamics of how the shock is launched into the system is changed and advocates for the study of resulting effects. In this work, we will study the sensitivities of shock effects in varying 3D printed geometric systems and how these shocks alter the structure and mix in the lattice. We will discuss both preliminary experimental results and simulations to help plan and constrain future experiments where we will study the impact of different lattice geometries and lattice bulk densities. This work concludes with the relative impacts of lattice geometries on shock speeds at different bulk densities and the resultant mix widths due to those shock interactions. We see agreement with theory at the higher end of our bulk density study, however, as we approach lower bulk density systems the dynamics of these interactions begin to change.

2 Photon Polymerization↗

Entropy in self-similar shock profiles

In this paper, we study the structure of a gaseous shock, and in particular the distribution of entropy within, in both a thermodynamics and a statistical mechanics context. The problem of shock structure has a long and distinguished history that we review. We employ the Navier–Stokes equations to construct a self–similar version of Becker’s solution for a shock assuming a particular (physically plausible) Prandtl number; that solution reproduces the well–known result of Morduchow & Libby that features a maximum of the equilibrium entropy inside the shock profile. We then construct an entropy profile, based on gas kinetic theory, that is smooth and monotonically increasing. The extension of equilibrium thermodynamics to irreversible processes is based in part on the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium. We show that this assumption is not valid except for the weakest shocks. Finally, we conclude by hypothesizing a thermodynamic nonequilibrium entropy and demonstrating that it closely estimates the gas kinetic nonequilibrium entropy within a shock.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Density effects on post-shock turbulence structure and dynamics

Turbulence structure resulting from multi-fluid or multi-species, variable-density isotropic turbulence interaction with a Mach 2 shock is studied using turbulence-resolving shock-capturing simulations and Eulerian (grid) and Lagrangian (particle) methods. The complex roles that density plays in the modification of turbulence by the shock wave are identified. Statistical analyses of the velocity gradient tensor (VGT) show that density variations significantly change the turbulence structure and flow topology. Specifically, a stronger symmetrization of the joint probability density function (PDF) of second and third invariants of the anisotropic VGT, PDF $(Q^{\ast },R^{\ast })$ , as well as the PDF of the vortex stretching contribution to the enstrophy equation, are observed in the multi-species case. Furthermore, subsequent to the interaction with the shock, turbulent statistics also acquire a differential distribution in regions having different densities. This results in a nearly symmetric PDF $(Q^{\ast },R^{\ast })$ in heavy-fluid regions, while the light-fluid regions retain the characteristic tear-drop shape. To understand this behaviour and the return to ‘standard’ turbulence structure as the flow evolves away from the shock, Lagrangian dynamics of the VGT and its invariants is studied by considering particle residence times and conditional particle variables in different flow regions. The pressure Hessian contributions to the VGT invariants transport equations are shown to be not only affected by the shock wave, but also by the density in the multi-fluid case, making them critically important to the flow dynamics and turbulence structure.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Femtosecond X-ray Diffraction of Laser-shocked Forsterite (Mg 2 SiO 4 ) to 122 GPa

The response of forsterite, Mg 2 SiO 4 , under dynamic compression is of fundamental importance for understanding its phase transformations and high-pressure behavior. Here, we have carried out an in situ X-ray diffraction study of laser-shocked polycrystalline and single-crystal forsterite from 19 to 122 GPa using the Matter in Extreme Conditions end-station of the Linac Coherent Light Source. Under laser-based shock loading, forsterite does not transform to the high-pressure equilibrium assemblage of MgSiO 3 bridgmanite and MgO periclase, as has been suggested previously. Instead, we observe forsterite and forsterite III, a metastable polymorph of Mg 2 SiO 4 , coexisting in a mixed-phase region from 33 to 75 GPa for both polycrystalline and single-crystal samples. Densities inferred from X-ray diffraction are consistent with earlier gas-gun shock data. At higher stress, the response is sample-dependent. Polycrystalline samples undergo amorphization above 79 GPa. For [010]- and [001]-oriented crystals, a mixture of crystalline and amorphous material is observed to 108 GPa, whereas the [100]-oriented forsterite adopts an unknown phase at 122 GPa. The first two sharp diffraction peaks of amorphous Mg 2 SiO 4 show a similar trend with compression as those observed for MgSiO 3 in both recent static- and laser-driven shock experiments. This study provides new insight into the transformation of forsterite under nanosecond-duration shock loading. This work emphasizes the importance of formation of metastable phases along the Hugoniot and adds to evidence that the 300-K single-crystal diamond anvil cell experiments have relevance for understanding structures formed under shock compression. In particular, the metastable phase forsterite III has now been shown to form under dynamic compression from 10s to 100s of nanoseconds as well as under 300-K static compression. Upon compression to higher pressures, Mg 2 SiO 4 transforms to an amorphous phase. These results have broad relevance for understanding the behavior of silicates under dynamic compression.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Simulations reveal fast mode shocks in magnetic reconnection outflows

Magnetic reconnection is commonly perceived to drive flow and particle acceleration in flares of solar, stellar, and astrophysical disk coronae but the relative roles of different acceleration mechanisms in a given reconnection environment are not well understood. While outflow fast mode shocks have been predicted analytically, we show for the first time via direct numerical simulations that such shocks do indeed occur in the outflows of fast reconnection when an obstacle is present. These shocks are distinct from the slow mode Petschek inflow shocks. If Fermi acceleration of electrons operates in the weak fast shocks, the associated compression ratios will induce a Fermi acceleration particle spectrum that is significantly steeper than strong fast shocks commonly studied, but consistent with the demands of solar flares. While this is not the only acceleration mechanism operating in a reconnection environment, it is plausibly a ubiquitous one.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Field-aligned accelerations by plasma shocks propagating through interstellar magnetic fields

A kinetic model of particle acceleration by plasma shocks is analyzed theoretically and with numerical calculations. The shocks are propagating through weakly magnetized background plasmas, namely interstellar magnetic fields (IMFs). Particles located at the shock front are accelerated parallel to the magnetic field of the shock; this is defined as the field-aligned acceleration (FAA). The cross angle between IMF and the magnetic field of the shock plays an important role in creating the magnetic neutral sheet at the shock front. A test particle trapped by the neutral sheet obtains enormous energy due to the FAA. A reasonable formula for the highest energy gain is derived from theoretical analysis of the relativistic equations of motion. A possible configuration of the electric and magnetic fields in supernova remnants is also proposed by way of example.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The acceleration of electrons at perpendicular shocks and its implication for solar energetic particle events

We present a study of the acceleration of electrons at a perpendicular shock that propagates through a turbulent magnetic field. The energization process of electrons is investigated by utilizing a combination of hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electron) simulations and test-particle electron simulations. In this method, the motions of the test-particle electrons are numerically integrated in the time-dependent electric and magnetic fields generated by two-dimensional hybrid simulations. We show that large-scale magnetic fluctuations effect electrons in a number of ways and lead to efficient and rapid energization at the shock front. Since the electrons mainly follow along magnetic lines of force, the large-scale braiding of field lines in space allows the fast-moving electrons to interact with the shock front and get accelerated multiple times. Ripples in the shock front occurring at various scales will also contribute to the acceleration by mirroring the electrons. Our calculation shows that this process favors electron acceleration at perpendicular shocks. The acceleration efficiency is critically dependent on the turbulence amplitude and coherence length. We also discuss the implication of this study for solar energetic particles (SEPs) by comparing the acceleration of electrons with that of protons. Their correlation indicates that perpendicular shocks play an important role in SEP events.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Ion velocity distribution at the termination shock: 1-D PIC simulation

The Voyager 2 (V2) plasma observations of the proton temperature downstream of the quasi-perpendicular heliospheric termination shock (TS) showed that upstream thermal solar wind ions played little role in the shock dissipation mechanism and their downstream temperature is an order of magnitude smaller than predicted by MHD Rankine-Hugoniot conditions. While pickup ions (PUI) are generally expected to play an important role in energy dissipation at the shock, the details remain unclear. Here, one-dimensional (1-D) Particle-in-cell (PIC) code is used to examine kinetic properties and downstream velocity distribution functions of pickup ions (the hot supra-thermal component) and solar wind protons (SWs, the cold component) at the perpendicular heliospheric termination shock. The code treats the pickup ions self-consistently as a third component. Present results show that: (1) both of the incident SWs and PUIs can be separated into two parts: reflected (R) ions and directly transmitted (DT) ions, the energy gain of the R ions at the shock front is much larger than that of the DT ions; (2) the fraction of reflected SWs and their downstream temperature decrease with the relative percentage PUI%; (3) no matter how large the PUI% is, the downstream ion velocity distribution function always can be separated into three parts: 1. a high energy tail (i.e. the wings) dominated by the reflected PUIs, 2. a low energy core mainly contributed by the directly transmitted SWs, and 3. a middle energy part which is a complicated superposition of reflected SWs and directly transmitted PUIs. The significance of the presence of pickup ions on shock front micro-structure and nonstationarity is also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Radiative reverse shock laser experiments relevant to accretion processes in cataclysmic variables

We discuss the production of radiative reverse shocks in experiments at the Omega-60 laser facility. The ability of this high-intensity laser to impart large energy densities on micron-thin foils makes it feasible to create supersonic plasma flows. Obtaining a radiative reverse shock in the laboratory requires a sufficiently fast flow (∼100 km/s) of a material whose opacity is large enough to produce energetically significant emission from experimentally achievable shocked layers. The reverse shock forms in the flow once it is impeded. This paper presents the first radiographic data of normal incidence, reverse shockwaves. These experiments are primarily motivated by the contribution of radiative reverse shock waves to the evolving dynamics of the cataclysmic variable (CV) system in which they reside. We show similarity properties to suggest that the experimental production of radiative reserve shocks in the laboratory may be scalable to such astrophysical systems.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Redirection of the spherical expanding shock wave on the interface with plasma

We study a strong spherical expanding shock wave interacting with the finite-gradient interface between neutral cold gas and weakly ionized plasma. We want to see how the interaction with the interface can alter the shock structure compared to the case of its free propagation through the media with the exponentially varying density. From our comparative calculations based on the 2D model, we found substantial difference in the shock structure including strong deformation of the shock front followed with its gradual flattening and the redirection in its propagation. There are a number of factors that can be used to control this phenomenon in order to strengthen or lessen the effect. The calculations can be made on any scale, limited with the requirement for the shock wave to be strong. The study points at the possibility in certain applications to avoid the shock wave with its redirection rather than attenuation. The results can be applicable to optimization of the energy deposition into the supersonic flux, the drag reduction in hypersonic flight, in the detonation theory, and combustion through the control of the ignition conditions, and for environmental improvements through sonic boom reduction. Cartesian coordinates were used in order to visualize the phenomenon.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗