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At least 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

The Milky Way tomography with APOGEE: intrinsic density distribution and structure of mono-abundance populations

ABSTRACT The spatial distribution of mono-abundance populations (MAPs, selected in [Fe/H] and [Mg/Fe]) reflect the chemical and structural evolution in a galaxy and impose strong constraints on galaxy formation models. In this paper, we use APOGEE data to derive the intrinsic density distribution of MAPs in the Milky Way, after carefully considering the survey selection function. We find that a single exponential profile is not a sufficient description of the Milky Way’s disc. Both the individual MAPs and the integrated disc exhibit a broken radial density distribution; densities are relatively constant with radius in the inner Galaxy and rapidly decrease beyond the break radius. We fit the intrinsic density distribution as a function of radius and vertical height with a 2D density model that considers both a broken radial profile and radial variation of scale height (i.e. flaring). There is a large variety of structural parameters between different MAPs, indicative of strong structure evolution of the Milky Way. One surprising result is that high-α MAPs show the strongest flaring. The young, solar-abundance MAPs present the shortest scale height and least flaring, suggesting recent and ongoing star formation confined to the disc plane. Finally we derive the intrinsic density distribution and corresponding structural parameters of the chemically defined thin and thick discs. The chemical thick and thin discs have local surface mass densities of 5.62 ± 0.08 and 15.69 ± 0.32 M⊙pc−2, respectively, suggesting a massive thick disc with a local surface mass density ratio between thick to thin disc of 36 per cent.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

$\mathrm{DRAGON}$: A multi-GPU orbital-free density functional theory molecular dynamics simulation package for modeling of warm dense matter

As progress in electronic structure theoretical methods is made, ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) based on orbital-free density functional theory (OF-DFT) is becoming increasingly more successful at substituting the traditional, very accurate but computationally costly Kohn–Sham (KS) approach for simulations of matter at the challenging warm dense matter (WDM) regime. However, despite the significant cost alleviation of eliminating the dependence on the KS orbitals, OF-DFT MD runs require ~10 2 to 10 3 CPU cores running for days, or even weeks, for simulations of systems comprised of 10 2 to 10 3 atoms, depending on thermodynamic conditions. Here we present DRAGON, a multi-GPU OF-DFT MD code for fast and efficient simulations of WDM. With a relatively small allocation of resources (4 to 8 GPU devices) it can provide an order of magnitude speedup for simulations containing $\mathscr{O}$(10 4 ) atoms and target systems composed of $\mathscr{O}$(10 5 ) atoms at conditions within the WDM regime, which is currently outside the capabilities of CPU codes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Evaluating methane adsorbed film densities on activated carbon in dynamic systems

Dynamic methane loading and discharge experiments on a 40 L adsorbed natural gas tank containing 20.5 kg of monolithic carbon adsorbent have been combined with pore volume data from subcritical nitrogen isotherms to evaluate the density and dynamic properties associated with adsorbed methane. The time-dependent density of the adsorbed gas was evaluated for narrow and wide micropores. The temperature-dependent adsorbed film volume was determined from the Ono-Kondo model and compared with the total micropore volume. The resulting adsorbed methane density evolves in two distinct parts. The density increases rapidly during the beginning of the loading process and increases slowly after narrow pores reach saturation. The narrow pores’ saturated adsorbed gas densities ranged from 0.26 – 0.35 kg/L, depending on the choice of film volume. The density of wide micropores was found to be highly dependent on the loading procedure due to the expected temperature dependence of the film volume. During discharge, it was found that the wide micropores deplete early while narrow micropores deplete slowly which causes the less than 100% efficient discharges seen in adsorbed natural gas systems. These density models have been applied to accurately predict the gravimetric excess adsorption of other carbon adsorbents at 35 bar and explain previously published pressure and temperature relations during tank loading.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of high magnetic field on access to stationary H-modes and pedestal characteristics in Alcator C-Mod

We report recent Alcator C-Mod experiments have explored access to and characteristics of H-modes at magnetic fields approaching 8 T, the highest field achieved to date in a diverted tokamak. The H-modes originated from L-mode densities ranging from 1.1 x 10 20 m -3 to 2.8 x 10 20 m -3 , allowing insight into the density dependence of the H-mode power threshold at high magnetic field. This dependence is compared to predictions from the ITPA scaling law, finding that the law is approximately accurate at 7.8 T. However, the law underpredicted the high density H-mode threshold at lower magnetic field in previous C-Mod experiments, suggesting that the overall dependence of the threshold on magnetic field is weaker than predicted by the scaling law. The threshold data at 7.8 T also indicates that the onset of a low density branch at this magnetic field on C-Mod occurs below 1.4 x 10 20 m -3 , which is lower than predicted by an existing model for low density branch onset. The H-modes achieved steady-state densities ranging from 2.3 x 10 20 m -3 to 4.4 x 10 20 m -3 , and higher transient densities, and had values of q 95 from 3.3 to 6.0. This parameter range allowed the achievement of all three types of H-mode routinely observed at lower magnetic field on C-Mod: the stationary, ELM-suppressed Enhanced D α (EDA) regime, seen at high densities and high values of q 95 ; the nonstationary ELM-free regime, seen at lower densities and values of q 95 ; and the ELMy regime, seen at low density, moderate q 95 , and specialized plasma shape. The parameter space in which these regimes occur at 7.8 T is consistent with lower magnetic field experience. Pressure pedestal height at 7.8 T is compared to EPED predictions, and a scaling law for EDA density pedestal height developed between 4.5 T and 6.0 T is updated to include fields from 2.7 T to 7.8 T. Overall, this analysis increases confidence in the use of low magnetic field experience to predict some elements of high magnetic field tokamak behavior.

7.8 T↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of High Magnetic Field on Access to Stationary H-modes and Pedestal Characteristics in Alcator C-Mod

Recent Alcator C-Mod experiments have explored access to and characteristics of H-modes at magnetic fields approaching 8 T, the highest field achieved to date in a diverted tokamak. The H-modes originated from L-mode densities ranging from $1.1 \times 10^{20} m^{-3}$ to $2.8 \times 10^{20} m^{-3}$, allowing insight into the density dependence of the H-mode power threshold at high magnetic field. This dependence is compared to predictions from the ITPA scaling law (\cite{martin2008power}), finding that the law is approximately accurate at 7.8 T. However, the law underpredicted the high density H-mode threshold at lower magnetic field in previous C-Mod experiments (\cite{ma2012scaling}), \hl{suggesting that the overall dependence of the threshold on magnetic field is weaker than predicted by the scaling law.} The threshold data at 7.8 T also indicates that the onset of a low density branch at this magnetic field on C-Mod occurs below $1.4 \times 10^{20} m^{-3}$, which is lower than predicted by an existing model for low density branch onset. The H-modes achieved steady-state densities ranging from $2.3 \times 10^{20} m^{-3}$ to $4.4 \times 10^{20} m^{-3}$, and higher transient densities, and had values of $q_{95}$ from 3.3 to 6.0. This parameter range allowed the achievement of all three types of H-mode routinely observed at lower magnetic field on C-Mod: the stationary, ELM-suppressed enhanced D-alpha (EDA) regime, seen at high densities and high values of $q_{95}$; the nonstationary ELM-free regime, seen at lower densities and values of $q_{95}$; and the ELMy regime, seen at low density, moderate $q_{95}$, and specialized plasma shape. The parameter space in which these regimes occur at 7.8 T is consistent with lower magnetic field experience. Pressure pedestal height at 7.8 T is compared to EPED \cite{snyder2009development, snyder2011first} predictions, and a scaling law for EDA density pedestal height developed between 4.5 and 6.0 T is updated to include fields from 2.7 T to 7.8 T. Overall, this analysis increases confidence in the use of low magnetic field experience to predict some elements of high magnetic field tokamak behavior.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1994

A family of models for spherical stellar systems

We describe a one-parameter family of models of stable sperical stellar systems in which the phase-space distribution function depends only on energy. The models have similar density profiles in their outer parts (rho propotional to r(exp -4)) and central power-law density cusps, rho proportional to r(exp 3-eta), 0 less than eta less than or = 3. The family contains the Jaffe (1983) and Hernquist (1990) models as special cases. We evaluate the surface brightness profile, the line-of-sight velocity dispersion profile, and the distribution function, and discuss analogs of King's core-fitting formula for determining mass-to-light ratio. We also generalize the models to a two-parameter family, in which the galaxy contains a central black hole; the second parameter is the mass of the black hole. Our models can be used to estimate the detectability of central black holes and the velocity-dispersion profiles of galaxies that contain central cusps, with or without a central black hole.

Tremaine, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2017

Calculation of nucleon densities in calcium, nickel, and molybdenum isotopes on the basis of the dispersive optical model

The radial distributions of proton and neutron densities in the even–even isotopes {sup 40−70}Cа and {sup 48−78}Ni and the analogous distributions of neutron densities in the even–even isotopes {sup 92−138}Mo were calculated on the basis of the mean-fieldmodel involving a dispersive optical potential. The respective root-mean-square radii and neutron-skin thicknesses were determined for the nuclei under study. In N > 40 calcium isotopes, the calculated neutron root-mean-square radius exhibits a fast growth with increasing N, and this is consistent with the prediction of the neutron-halo structure in calcium isotopes near the neutron drip line.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

“Half a proton” in the Bogomol’nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield Skyrme model

The BPS Skyrme model is a model containing an SU(2)-valued scalar field, in which a Bogomol’nyi-type inequality can be satisfied by soliton solutions (skyrmions). In this model, the energy density of static configurations is the sum of the square of the topological charge density plus a potential. The topological charge density is nothing else but the pull-back of the Haar measure of the group SU(2) on the physical space by the field configuration. As a consequence, this energy expression has a high degree of symmetry: it is invariant to volume preserving diffeomorphisms both on physical space and on the target space. We demonstrate here that in the BPS Skyrme model such solutions exist that a fraction of its charge and energy densities is localised, and the remaining part can be far away, not interacting with the localised part.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Density matrix renormalization group study of a three-orbital Hubbard model with spin-orbit coupling in one dimension

Using the density matrix renormalization group technique we study the effect of spin-orbit coupling on a three-orbital Hubbard model in the (t 2 g ) 4 sector and in one dimension. Fixing the Hund coupling to a robust value compatible with some multiorbital materials, we present the phase diagram varying the Hubbard U and spin-orbit coupling λ, at zero temperature. Our results are shown to be qualitatively similar to those recently reported using the dynamical mean-field theory in higher dimensions, providing a robust basis to approximate many-body techniques. Among many results, we observe an interesting transition from an orbital-selective Mott phase to an excitonic insulator with increasing λ at intermediate U. In the strong U coupling limit, we find a nonmagnetic insulator with an effective angular momentum <(J eff ) 2 >≠0 near the excitonic phase, smoothly connected to the <(J eff ) 2 >=0 regime. In conclusion, we also provide a list of quasi-one-dimensional materials where the physics discussed in this paper could be realized.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1978

An empirical model of the interrelationship of electron temperature and density in the daytime thermosphere at solar minimum

The AE-C satellite measurements of electron temperature and ion concentration are used to construct a model of the relationship between these parameters and its variation with altitude in the daytime, nonauroral ionosphere. The major features of the model are that electron temperature is independent of ion concentration at altitudes below 200 km and that electron temperature varies inversely with ion concentration above perhaps 250 km. This behavior is qualitatively consistent with current theoretical models of ionospheric heating and cooling.

Brace, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Spectroscopic study of combustion diagnostics on hydroxyl radicals

Experimental observations of propane/air flames have been carried out. Measurements of hydroxyl (OH) radical concentration have been made using resonance line absorption techniques. A microwave-pumped low pressure discharge in argon and water vapor is employed to produce strong OH radical band radiation in the 308 nm region. This radiation is transmitted through the plume and absorption data is taken at various radial positions using an optical multichannel analyzer. This absorption data is used to compute OH number density using a model for the absorption band characteristics as a function of temperature based on an atlas of line strengths. A numerical computation of flow fields, temperature profile, OH number density and water vapor mass fraction profiles was carried out by using a technique of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results of CFD computation are compared with experimental observation with a good agreement.

Eskridge, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2015

Airborne Lidar-Based Estimates of Tropical Forest Structure in Complex Terrain: Opportunities and Trade-Offs for REDD+

Background: Carbon stocks and fluxes in tropical forests remain large sources of uncertainty in the global carbon budget. Airborne lidar remote sensing is a powerful tool for estimating aboveground biomass, provided that lidar measurements penetrate dense forest vegetation to generate accurate estimates of surface topography and canopy heights. Tropical forest areas with complex topography present a challenge for lidar remote sensing. Results: We compared digital terrain models (DTM) derived from airborne lidar data from a mountainous region of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil to 35 ground control points measured with survey grade GNSS receivers. The terrain model generated from full-density (approx. 20 returns/sq m) data was highly accurate (mean signed error of 0.19 +/-0.97 m), while those derived from reduced-density datasets (8/sq m, 4/sq m, 2/sq m and 1/sq m) were increasingly less accurate. Canopy heights calculated from reduced-density lidar data declined as data density decreased due to the inability to accurately model the terrain surface. For lidar return densities below 4/sq m, the bias in height estimates translated into errors of 80-125 Mg/ha in predicted aboveground biomass. Conclusions: Given the growing emphasis on the use of airborne lidar for forest management, carbon monitoring, and conservation efforts, the results of this study highlight the importance of careful survey planning and consistent sampling for accurate quantification of aboveground biomass stocks and dynamics. Approaches that rely primarily on canopy height to estimate aboveground biomass are sensitive to DTM errors from variability in lidar sampling density.

Airborne lidar↗
DOE OSTI2021

Understanding copper diffusion in CuInSe 2 with first-principles based atomistic and continuum models

We investigate the diffusion of copper in CuInSe 2 using thermodynamic and kinetic models based on density functional theory calculations, attempting to reconcile large differences in reported experimental diffusivities. We find that observations of rapid chemical diffusion can be explained by large thermodynamic factors, which we calculate using a compositionally constrained model of intrinsic point defect formation. We further characterize how copper diffusion coefficients depend on material synthesis conditions and exhibit their variation across the CuInSe 2 secondary phase diagram. In doing so, we identify stable off-stoichiometries that are dominated by either vacancy- or interstitial-mediated diffusion mechanisms. These results are employed in the development of a continuum reaction–diffusion model, which we use to simulate experimental depth profiles.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1988

Fluid dynamic modeling and numerical simulation of low-density hypersonic flow

The concept of a viscous shock-layer and several related versions of continuum theories/methods are examined for their adequacy as a viable framework to study flow physics and aerothermodynamics of relevance to sustained hypersonic flights. Considering the flat plate at angle of attack, or the wedge, as a generic example for the major aerodynamic component of a hypersonic vehicle, the relative importance of the molecular-transport effects behind the shock (in the form of the 'shock slip') and the wall-slip effects are studied. In the flow regime where the shock-transition-zone thickness remains small compared to the shock radius of curvature, a quasi-one-dimensional shock structure under the Burnett/thirteen-moment approximation, as well as particulate/collisional models, can be consistently developed. The fully viscous version of the shock-layer model is shown to provide the crucial boundary condition downstream the shock in this case. The gas-kinetic basis of the continuum description for the flow behind the bow shock, and certain features affecting the non-equilibrium flow chemistry, are also discussed.

Cheng, H. K.↗
DOE OSTI2016

CONSTRAINING THE SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH USING SPLIT-BAND TYPE II RADIO BURST OBSERVATIONS

We report on low-frequency radio (85–35 MHz) spectral observations of four different type II radio bursts, which exhibited fundamental-harmonic emission and split-band structure. Each of the bursts was found to be closely associated with a whitelight coronal mass ejection (CME) close to the Sun. We estimated the coronal magnetic field strength from the split-band characteristics of the bursts, by assuming a model for the coronal electron density distribution. The choice of the model was constrained, based on the following criteria: (1) when the radio burst is observed simultaneously in the upper and lower bands of the fundamental component, the location of the plasma level corresponding to the frequency of the burst in the lower band should be consistent with the deprojected location of the leading edge (LE) of the associated CME; (2) the drift speed of the type II bursts derived from such a model should agree closely with the deprojected speed of the LE of the corresponding CMEs. With the above conditions, we find that: (1) the estimated field strengths are unique to each type II burst, and (2) the radial variation of the field strength in the different events indicate a pattern. It is steepest for the case where the heliocentric distance range over which the associated burst is observed is closest to the Sun, and vice versa.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1985

Scale-invariant density perturbations, anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background, and large-scale peculiar velocity field

The large-scale peculiar velocity field and the large- and intermediate-angular scale anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background are studied in inflationary cosmological models of critical density and containing primordial scale-invariant adiabatic density perturbations. Comparison with recent observations by de Vaucouleurs and Peters Provides tentative support for a cold dark matter scenario in which the dark matter is not appreciably less clustered than the luminous galaxy distribution.

Vittorio, N.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Quantifying irradiation defects in zirconium alloys: a comparison between transmission electron microscopy and whole-pattern diffraction line-profile analysis - 2016-0089

Irradiation-induced dislocations significantly affect the mechanical properties of zirconium alloys, altering slip and influencing creep and growth. Thus, the quantitative characterization of irradiation defects as a function of fluence, cold work, and/or thermal treatments is important for models that attempt to predict their impact on properties. Whole-pattern diffraction line-profile analysis (DLPA) is a well-established modern tool for microstructure characterization based on first-principle physical models for dislocation density measurements in plastically deformed materials. However, applying these DLPA methods directly to irradiated materials yields higher than expected dislocation density values compared with historical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements and past line-broadening analysis studies calibrated to TEM observations. In an effort to understand these differences, a new microstructural model was developed for DLPA to specifically address dislocation structures consisting of elliptical - and -component loops. To compare the refined DLPA method with TEM measurements, high-resolution neutron diffraction patterns on nonirradiated and irradiated Zr-2.5Nb samples were collected with the Neutron Powder Diffractometer instrument at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and were evaluated. High-resolution TEM measurements were performed at the Reactor Materials Testing Laboratory, Queen's University, for comparison with the DLPA results. The capabilities and inherent uncertainties of both the refined DLPA and TEM methods are compared and discussed in detail. We show that the differences between the density values provided by DLPA and TEM are inherent to the methods and can be reconciled with the interpretation of the data. (authors)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Compact Stars with Sequential QCD Phase Transitions

Compact stars may contain quark matter in their interiors at densities exceeding several times the nuclear saturation density. We explore models of such compact stars where there are two first-order phase transitions: the first from nuclear matter to a quark-matter phase, followed at a higher density by another first-order transition to a different quark-matter phase [e.g., from the two-flavor color-superconducting (2SC) to the color-flavor-locked (CFL) phase]. We show that this can give rise to two separate branches of hybrid stars, separated from each other and from the nuclear branch by instability regions, and, therefore, to a new family of compact stars, denser than the ordinary hybrid stars. In a range of parameters, one may obtain twin hybrid stars (hybrid stars with the same masses but different radii) and even triplets where three stars, with inner cores of nuclear matter, 2SC matter, and CFL matter, respectively, all have the same mass but different radii.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗