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At least 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

LAMP detection assays for boxwood blight pathogens: A comparative genomics approach

Rapid and accurate molecular diagnostic tools are critical to efforts to minimize the impact and spread of emergent pathogens. The identification of diagnostic markers for novel pathogens presents several challenges, especially in the absence of information about population diversity and where genetic resources are limited. The objective of this study was to use comparative genomics datasets to find unique target regions suitable for the diagnosis of two fungal species causing a newly emergent blight disease of boxwood. Candidate marker regions for loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were identified from draft genomes of Calonectria henricotiae and C. pseudonaviculata , as well as three related species not associated with this disease. To increase the probability of identifying unique targets, we used three approaches to mine genome datasets, based on (i) unique regions, (ii) polymorphisms, and (iii) presence/absence of regions across datasets. From a pool of candidate markers, we demonstrate LAMP assay specificity by testing related fungal species, common boxwood pathogens, and environmental samples containing 445 diverse fungal taxa. In conclusion, this comparative-genomics-based approach to the development of LAMP diagnostic assays is the first of its kind for fungi and could be easily applied to diagnostic marker development for other newly emergent plant pathogens.

1st report↗
DOE OSTI2011

Focusing of intense subpicosecond laser pulses in wedge targets

Two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations characterizing the interaction of ultraintense short pulse lasers in the range 10{sup 18} {<=} I {<=} 10{sup 20} W/cm{sup 2} with converging target geometries are presented. Seeking to examine intensity amplification in high-power laser systems, where focal spots are typically non-diffraction limited, we describe key dynamical features as the injected laser intensity and convergence angle of the target are systematically varied. We find that laser pulses are focused down to a wavelength with the peak intensity amplified by an order of magnitude beyond its vacuum value and develop a simple model for how the peak location moves back towards the injection plane over time. This performance is sustained over hundreds of femtoseconds and scales to laser intensities beyond 10{sup 20} W/cm{sup 2} at 1 {mu}m wavelength.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Parametric Optomechanical Oscillations in Two-dimensional Slot-type High-Q Photonic Crystal Cavities

We experimentally demonstrate an optomechanical cavity based on an air-slot photonic crystal cavity with optical quality factor Q{sub o} = 4.2 x 10{sup 4} and a small modal volume of 0.05 cubic wavelengths. The optical mode is coupled with the in-plane mechanical modes with frequencies up to hundreds of MHz. The fundamental mechanical mode shows a frequency of 65 MHz and a mechanical quality factor of 376. The optical spring effect, optical damping, and amplification are observed with a large experimental optomechanical coupling rate g{sub om}/2{pi} of 154 GHz/nm, corresponding to a vacuum optomechanical coupling rate g*/2{pi} of 707 kHz. With sub-mW or less input power levels, the cavity exhibits strong parametric oscillations. The phase noise of the photonic crystal optomechanical oscillator is also measured.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Asymmetric error field interaction with rotating conducting walls

The interaction of error fields with a system of differentially rotating conducting walls is studied analytically and compared to experimental data. Wall rotation causes eddy currents to persist indefinitely, attenuating and rotating the original error field. Superposition of error fields from external coils and plasma currents are found to break the symmetry in wall rotation direction. The vacuum and plasma eigenmodes are modified by wall rotation, with the error field penetration time decreased and the kink instability stabilized, respectively. Wall rotation is also predicted to reduce error field amplification by the marginally stable plasma.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ultrarelativistic laser systems based on coherent beam combining

Conceptual design for femtosecond laser system of exawatt class, based on multi-channel amplifier and coherent field combining of petawatt amplifier channels with phase-frequency controlled radiation by optical clock are discussed. The scheme of start petawatt level few-cycle laser system with stable phase-frequency parameters determinated by the accuracy of the optical standard based on parametric amplification in big-size LBO crystals pumped by picosecond pulses is analyzed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

ORION laser target diagnostics

The ORION laser facility is one of the UK's premier laser facilities which became operational at AWE in 2010. Its primary mission is one of stockpile stewardship, ORION will extend the UK's experimental plasma physics capability to the high temperature, high density regime relevant to Atomic Weapons Establishment's (AWE) program. The ORION laser combines ten laser beams operating in the ns regime with two sub ps short pulse chirped pulse amplification beams. This gives the UK a unique combined long pulse/short pulse laser capability which is not only available to AWE personnel but also gives access to our international partners and visiting UK academia. The ORION laser facility is equipped with a comprehensive suite of some 45 diagnostics covering optical, particle, and x-ray diagnostics all able to image the laser target interaction point. This paper focuses on a small selection of these diagnostics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Regions for Brillouin seed pulse growth in relativistic laser-plasma interaction

Parametric plasma processes received renewed interest in the context of generating ultraintense and ultrashort laser pulses up to the exawatt-zetawatt regime. For Brillouin scattering and seed pulse amplification at high intensities, the strong coupling regime is of special interest. The intensity-driven low-frequency modes depend on the amplitudes of the laser fields. It is investigated here how these modes develop in the relativistic regime. Then, a unified treatment of Raman and Brillouin processes becomes necessary. Assuming circular polarization, it is shown that with increasing intensity an overlap of the originally different Raman, Brillouin, and modulational instability branches occurs. Numerical simulations with a linearized Maxwell-fluid code confirm the analytically predicted behavior.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Genetic algorithms applied to reconstructing coded imaging of neutrons and analysis of residual watermark

Monte-Carlo simulation of neutron coded imaging based on encoding aperture for Z-pinch of large field-of-view with 5 mm radius has been investigated, and then the coded image has been obtained. Reconstruction method of source image based on genetic algorithms (GA) has been established. 'Residual watermark,' which emerges unavoidably in reconstructed image, while the peak normalization is employed in GA fitness calculation because of its statistical fluctuation amplification, has been discovered and studied. Residual watermark is primarily related to the shape and other parameters of the encoding aperture cross section. The properties and essential causes of the residual watermark were analyzed, while the identification on equivalent radius of aperture was provided. By using the equivalent radius, the reconstruction can also be accomplished without knowing the point spread function (PSF) of actual aperture. The reconstruction result is close to that by using PSF of the actual aperture.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Generation of low-divergence megaelectronvolt ion beams from thin foil irradiated with an ultrahigh-contrast laser

Megaelectronvolt (MeV) ion beams with low divergence (10 Degree-Sign ) are experimentally generated from a thin foil irradiated by an ultrahigh-contrast laser at a peak intensity of {approx}10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2}. The high-contrast ({approx}10{sup 11}) laser is obtained with a pulse cleaner based on noncollinear optical-parametric amplification and second-harmonic generation processes. The effects of the foil density, foil thickness, as well as the density gradients at the front and back sides of the foil are investigated with two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The beam parameters of maximum energy and divergence strongly depend on the density gradients at the back side of the foil.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

An apparatus for concurrent measurement of thermoelectric material parameters

We describe an apparatus which concurrently and independently measures the parameters determining thermoelectric material conversion efficiency: the Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and electrical resistivity. The apparatus is designed to characterize thermoelectric materials which are technologically relevant for waste heat energy conversion, and may operate from room temperature to 400 Degree-Sign C. It is configured so the heat flux is axially confined along two boron nitride rods of known thermal conductance. The Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity are obtained in steady-state using a differential technique, while the electrical resistivity is obtained using a four-point lock-in amplification method. Measurements on the newly developed NIST Seebeck standard reference material are presented in the temperature range from 50 Degree-Sign C to 250 Degree-Sign C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effects of nanosecond-scale prepulse on generation of high-energy protons in target normal sheath acceleration

A pulse cleaner based on noncollinear optical-parametric amplification and second-harmonic generation processes is used to improve the contrast of a laser of peak intensity {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2} to {approx}10{sup 11} at 100 ps before the peak of the main pulse. A 7 MeV proton beam is observed when a 2.5 {mu}m-thick Al foil is irradiated by this high-contrast laser. The maximum proton energy decreases to 2.9 MeV when a low-contrast ({approx}10{sup 8}) laser is used. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations combined with MULTI simulations show that the maximum proton energy sensitively relies on the detecting direction. The ns-time-scale prepulse can bend a thin target before the main pulse arrives, which reduces maximum proton energy in the target normal sheath acceleration.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Finite Mach number spherical shock wave, application to shock ignition

A converging and diverging spherical shock wave with a finite initial Mach number M{sub s0} is described by using a perturbative approach over a small parameter M{sub s}{sup −2}. The zeroth order solution is the Guderley's self-similar solution. The first order correction to this solution accounts for the effects of the shock strength. Whereas it was constant in the Guderley's asymptotic solution, the amplification factor of the finite amplitude shock Λ(t)∝dU{sub s}/dR{sub s} now varies in time. The coefficients present in its series form are iteratively calculated so that the solution does not undergo any singular behavior apart from the position of the shock. The analytical form of the corrected solution in the vicinity of singular points provides a better physical understanding of the finite shock Mach number effects. The correction affects mainly the flow density and the pressure after the shock rebound. In application to the shock ignition scheme, it is shown that the ignition criterion is modified by more than 20% if the fuel pressure prior to the final shock is taken into account. A good agreement is obtained with hydrodynamic simulations using a Lagrangian code.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Magnetorotational instability, current relaxation, and current-vortex sheet

The conjugate effect of current relaxation and of current-vortex sheet formation on the magnetorotational instability is explored in a conducting fluid. It is found that the relative amplification of the magnetic viscosity from marginal stability to the instability determined by the maximum growth rate is around 924% when resistive effects dominate, while the corresponding quantity is around 220% in the ideal limit. This shows that the conjugate influence is much more efficient to amplify the magnetic viscosity than just the effect due to the standard magnetic tension. It is also found that the magnitude of the magnetic viscosity is effectively enhanced by the conjugate influence. The results presented here may contribute to the understanding of the various processes that play a significant role in the mechanism of anomalous viscosity observed in Keplerian disks. It is argued that the new effect shall be relevant in thin accretion disks. It is also mentioned that the proposed formulation may be of interest for some theories of magnetic reconnection. Possible extensions of this work are suggested.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Phase mixing and nonlinearity in geodesic acoustic modes

Phase mixing and nonlinear resonance detuning of geodesic acoustic modes in a tokamak plasma are examined. Geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) are tokamak normal modes with oscillations in poloidal flow constrained to lie within flux surfaces. The mode frequency is sonic, dependent on the local flux surface temperature. Consequently, mode oscillations between flux surfaces get rapidly out of phase, resulting in enhanced damping from the phase mixing. Damping rates are shown to scale as the negative 1/3 power of the large viscous Reynolds number. The effect of convective nonlinearities on the normal modes is also studied. The system of nonlinear GAM equations is shown to resemble the Duffing oscillator, which predicts resonance detuning of the oscillator. Resonant amplification is shown to be suppressed nonlinearly. All analyses are verified by numerical simulation. The findings are applied to a recently proposed GAM excitation experiment on the DIII-D tokamak.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Saturation mechanisms of backward stimulated Raman scattering in a one-dimensional geometry

In this paper, we investigate the saturation mechanisms of backward stimulated Raman scattering (BSRS) induced by nonlinear kinetic effects. In particular, we stress the importance of accounting for both the nonlinear frequency shift of the electron plasma wave and the growth of sidebands, in order to understand what stops the coherent growth of Raman scattering. Using a Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal approach, we provide an estimate for the maximum amplitude reached by a BSRS-driven plasma wave after the phase of monotonic growth. This estimate is in very good agreement with the results from kinetic simulations of stimulated Raman scattering using both a Vlasov and a Particle in Cell code. Our analysis, which may be generalized to a multidimensional geometry, should provide a means to estimate the limits of backward Raman amplification or the effectiveness of strategies that aim at strongly reducing Raman reflectivity in a fusion plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Particle-in-cell simulations on spontaneous thermal magnetic field fluctuations

In this paper an electromagnetic particle code is used to investigate the spontaneous thermal emission. Specifically we perform particle-in-cell simulations employing a non-relativistic isotropic Maxwellian particle distribution to show that thermal fluctuations are related to the origin of spontaneous magnetic field fluctuation. These thermal fluctuations can become seed for further amplification mechanisms and thus be considered at the origin of the cosmological magnetic field, at microgauss levels. Our numerical results are in accordance with theoretical results presented in the literature.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Multi-transmission-line-beam interactive system

We construct here a Lagrangian field formulation for a system consisting of an electron beam interacting with a slow-wave structure modeled by a possibly non-uniform multiple transmission line (MTL). In the case of a single line we recover the linear model of a traveling wave tube due to J. R. Pierce. Since a properly chosen MTL can approximate a real waveguide structure with any desired accuracy, the proposed model can be used in particular for design optimization. Furthermore, the Lagrangian formulation provides: (i) a clear identification of the mathematical source of amplification, (ii) exact expressions for the conserved energy and its flux distributions obtained from the Noether theorem. In the case of uniform MTLs we carry out an exhaustive analysis of eigenmodes and find sharp conditions on the parameters of the system to provide for amplifying regimes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Raman scattering enhancement in photon-plasmon resonance mediated metal-dielectric microcavity

Here, we report the photon-plasmon interaction scheme and enhanced field strengths resulted into the amplification of phonon in a novel microcavity. A metal-dielectric microcavity, with unified cavity photonic mode and localized surface plasmon resonances, is visualized by impregnating the gold nanoparticles into the deep see-through nano-sized pores of porous silicon microcavity. The intense optical field strengths resulting from the photon-plasmon interactions are probed by both resonant and non-resonant Raman scattering experiments. Due to photon-plasmon-phonon interaction mechanism, several orders of enhancement in the intensity of scattered Raman Stokes photon (at 500 cm{sup −1}) are observed. Our metal nanoparticle-microcavity hybrid system shows the potential to improve the sensing figure of merit as well as the applications of plasmonics for optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and related technologies.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗