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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Acoustic misalignment mechanism for axion dark matter

A rotation in the field space of a complex scalar field corresponds to a Bose-Einstein condensation of U(1) charges. We point out that fluctuations in this rotating condensate exhibit sound-wave modes, which can be excited by cosmic perturbations and identified with axion fluctuations once the U(1) charge condensate has been sufficiently diluted by cosmic expansion. We consider the possibility that these axion fluctuations constitute dark matter and develop a formalism to compute its abundance. We carefully account for the growth of fluctuations during the epoch where the complex scalar field rotates on the body of the potential and possible nonlinear evolution when the fluctuations become non-relativistic. We find that the resultant dark matter abundance can exceed the conventional and kinetic misalignment contributions if the radial direction of the complex scalar field is sufficiently heavy. The axion dark matter may also be warm enough to leave imprints on structure formation. We discuss the implications of this novel dark matter production mechanism — acoustic misalignment mechanism — for the axion rotation cosmology, including kination domination and baryogenesis from axion rotation, as well as for axion searches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Earthquake detection in a simulated lunar regolith using distributed acoustic sensing

Current models of inner lunar geology have largely been inferred from the seismic experiments and observations performed during the Apollo missions that comprised a relatively small number of seismic instruments. Refining constraints on fundamental lunar relationships such as crust-mantle and mantle-core boundaries in the future will require seismic arrays spanning larger epicentral distances. A promising technology for installing dense seismic arrays with minimal human effort is distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), an approach that allows a single length of fiber optic cable to act as hundreds or thousands of sensors when coupled with a DAS interrogator. While terrestrial uses of DAS technology for seismic monitoring rely on burying the cable to maximize fidelity of seismic signal transmission to the fiber, digging meters of trench to bury optical fiber on lunar or planetary surfaces is logistically infeasible. To evaluate DAS signal attenuation due to surface deployment of cable in lunar regolith, we completed earthquake detection analyses that evaluated the sensitivity of an optic-fiber DAS system to seismic signals at different burial depths. We deployed a single-mode fiber in a 10-m open-bottom wooden box filled with a lunar regolith simulant (LRS) with fiber buried at different depths within the LRS and recorded signals for four regional and local earthquakes. The results were used to identify and evaluate signal attenuation in surface-deployed fiber compared to buried fiber in the LRS. Burial depth responses to active-source signals were also evaluated similar to previous studies characterizing DAS sensitivity of surface-deployed fiber. Atmospheric noise was minimal as the cable was deployed in an indoor environment; however, where observed, atmospheric and anthropogenic noise was filtered out using the same bandpass filtering used to identify earthquake events. We found that signal attenuation of the surface-deployed fiber compared to buried fiber was relatively high in active-source experiments but was not consistently observed in earthquake signals. That burial depth is not highly correlated to attenuation of the observed earthquake signals indicates that in a noise-limited environment, placing DAS-interrogated fiber directly at the regolith surface may be a promising deployment strategy to consider for sensing remote seismic signals during lunar exploration.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Unsteady- and Steady-State Relative Permeability Study with X-ray and Acoustic Monitoring for CO 2 Storage in Deep Saline Aquifers

In this study, we link the multiphase flow measurements with controls of sedimentary structures (e.g., heterogeneity and anisotropy) on relative permeability to variations in ultrasonic velocities for two deep saline aquifer formations (Entrada and Bluff Sandstones) in the San Juan Basin of the Southwestern USA. The rock specimens were extracted from outcrop sites near Durango, CO, USA. They have distinct differences in grain size, cementation composition, and individual chemical amounts, despite both formations being eolian sandstones. We performed a series of unsteady- and steady-state CO 2 -brine relative permeability experiments under capillary-controlled displacement rates. Unsteady-state experiments were conducted at 71 °C and 9.65 MPa; steady-state experiments were conducted at 85 °C and 22.8 MPa and 89 °C and 24.1 MPa for the Bluff and Entrada Sandstones, respectively. During the unsteady experiments, X-ray computed tomography was used to visualize multiphase flow in porous media and quantify saturations during brine drainage under various flow rates. Scan images and saturation profiles indicate that the CO 2 distribution in the pore volume was strongly impacted by the presence of high-angle cross-laminations, heterogeneous rock structure, and direction of bedding orientation. Those factors contribute to dramatic and quick initial breakthroughs and affect the overall saturation dynamics. Steady-state relative permeability tests were conducted at net flow rates of 1 mL/min for both brine drainage and imbibition. During the experimental steps, the CO 2 fractional flow was increased and decreased for both drainage and imbibition scenarios to mimic the front when CO 2 contacts brine and behind the front when brine enters space previously occupied by CO 2 . It was found that compressional velocity decreased, while shear waves slightly increased as brine saturation decreased. The hysteresis effects for the relative permeability and acoustic velocities were distinct. Furthermore, the CO 2 /brine front stability is quantified by applying a mobility ratio approach to spot saturations at which the boundary line between fluids becomes uneven. The results presented in this work can potentially boost the quality and precision of forecasts for the CO 2 storage projects in which the vertical and horizontal core-scale heterogeneity and anisotropy impact the plume migration within host reservoirs.

carbon dioxide (CO2)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Shallow Soil Response to a Buried Chemical Explosion With Geophones and Distributed Acoustic Sensing

Abstract Shallow sediments can respond non‐linearly to large dynamic strains and undergo a subsequent healing phase as the material gradually recovers following the passing of seismic waves. This study focuses on the physical changes in the subsurface caused by the shaking from a buried chemical explosion detonated in a borehole in Nevada, USA, as a part of the Source Physics Experiment Phase II. The explosion damaged the shallow subsurface and modified the frequency content recorded by 491 geophones and 2240 Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) channels within 2.5 km from surface ground zero. We observe a gradual shift of resonance frequencies in the 10–25 Hz frequency band in the hours following the explosion and develop a method to characterize the related logarithm‐type healing process of the shallow (i.e., upper ∼25 m) subsurface. We find that stronger levels of ground motion increase the relative degree of damage and duration of the subsurface healing; with the spall region exhibiting the largest degree of damage and longest healing recovery time. We observe coherent spatial patterns of damage with the region located to the southeast of the explosion exhibiting more damage than the southwest region. This study demonstrates that both DAS and co‐located geophones capture similar temporal changes associated with the physical processes occurring in the subsurface, with the high‐density sampling of DAS measurements enabling a new capability to monitor the fine‐scale changes of the Earth's shallow subsurface following the detonation of a buried explosion.

Viens, Loïc↗
DOE OSTI2024

DASEventNet: AI‐Based Microseismic Detection on Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data From the Utah FORGE Well 16A (78)‐32 Hydraulic Stimulation

Abstract Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has emerged as a promising seismic technology for monitoring microearthquakes (MEQs) with high spatial resolution. Efficient algorithms are needed for processing large DAS data volumes. This study introduces a deep learning (DL) model based on a Residual Convolutional Neural Network (ResNet) for detecting MEQs using DAS data, named as DASEventNet. The test data were collected from the Utah FORGE 16A (78)‐32 hydraulic stimulation experiments conducted in April 2022. The DASEventNet model achieves a remarkable accuracy of 100% when discriminating MEQs from noise in the raw test set of 260 examples. Surprisingly, the model identified weak MEQ signatures that have been manually categorized as noise. The decision‐making process with the model is decoded by the classic activation map, which illuminates learning features of the DASEventNet model. These features provide clear illustrations of weak MEQs and varied noise types. Finally, we apply the trained model to the entire period (∼7 days) of continuous DAS recordings and find that it discovers >5,700 new MEQs, previously unregistered in the public Silixa DAS catalog. The DASEventNet model significantly outperforms the traditional seismic method Short‐Term Average/Long‐Term Average (STA/LTA), which detected only 1,307 MEQs. The DASEventNet detection threshold is M w −1.80 compared to the minimum magnitude of M w −1.14 detected by STA/LTA. The spatiotemporal distribution of the newly identified MEQs defines an extensive stimulation zone and more accurately characterizes fracture geometry. Our results highlight the potential of DL for long‐term, real‐time microseismic monitoring that can improve enhanced geothermal systems and other activities that include subsurface hydraulic fracturing.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Distributed Acoustic Sensing to Estimate the Permeability

Optical fiber in a borehole can be interrogated with distributed acoustic sensors (DAS) to capture fracture displacements with the potential to map surrounding fracture networks. We designed a laboratory experiment to test the capability of DAS to determine borehole flow characteristics, and we show that for the first time DAS can be used to remotely estimate permeability. Optical fiber was wrapped around a bead filled pipe and the pressure drop and flow velocity were measured to directly calculate permeability. A machine learning model using statistical features from continuous DAS estimated the bulk permeability. Fluid interactions with the permeable material demonstrate insufficient resolution using DAS amplitude-based measurements for estimating pressure drop to infer permeability. Variations in the spectral domain relate DAS measurements to the pressure drop and provide consistent permeability estimates. Resolution with DAS is sufficient to estimate permeability and provides a reliable method to monitor at depth in borehole conditions.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Insights Into Seismicity Associated With Flexibly Operating Enhanced Geothermal System From Real‐Time Distributed Acoustic Sensing

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) have the capacity to broaden the accessible resource pool for geothermal power generation. Traditionally viewed as a “baseload” resource, their flexible operation might also enable dispatchable load‐following generation and long‐term energy storage, aligning them with the evolving landscape of decarbonized electricity systems. However, increasing permeability and extracting energy during EGS operations can induce microseismic events; for many prior EGS efforts, some associated seismicity has been observed. While energetically beneficial, the flexibility of EGS operations prompts our inquiry into whether new types of operations will yield previously unseen seismicity patterns. We demonstrate the use of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) with real‐time edge computing to monitor seismicity during a pilot test of a cyclically operated EGS facility at the Blue Mountain geothermal field. Our focus lies in uncovering seismicity insights from the real‐time microseismic catalog, particularly during load‐following dispatchability tests simulating flexible EGS operation. Here, we find that variations in pore pressure consistently correlate with seismicity, and that controlling pressure cycles during flexible operations appears to constrain microseismic activity during subsequent cycles. The spatio‐temporal evolution of microseismic clouds recorded during cyclic injection cycles fits diffusive models over our available observation period. Additionally, seismicity elevation lags behind pore pressure increases, likely due to pressure diffusion to the fracture system boundary. Through real‐time monitoring, we offer novel insights into seismicity associated with flexibly operating EGS. Our findings suggest that leveraging DAS and edge computing can inform EGS operations and help mitigate induced seismicity.

Chamarczuk, Michal [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (Unite↗
DOE OSTI2026

Neural Network‐Based Methods for Ocean Surface Wave Measurement Using Submarine Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)

Two new data-driven models for estimating ocean surface waves from distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) submarine cable strain rate are developed using supervised machine learning on a 10-day data set collected offshore of Oliktok Point, Alaska. The new models were trained on target data from seafloor pressure moorings at three sites spaced evenly along 27.1 km of cable and were benchmarked against an empirical transfer function method previously used to estimate waves from DAS. A model which uses convolutional neural networks to transform 2-km frequency-wavenumber strain spectra to seafloor pressure spectra outperforms the benchmark in wave height prediction (RMSE of 0.15 vs. 0.41 m) and period prediction (0.29 vs. 0.37 s) when evaluated on a held-out test data set. When applied to a DAS data set collected on the same cable 2 years prior, the CNN-based model maintained similar significant wave height performance (RMSE = 0.23 m) relative to available satellite altimetry data. A two-hidden-layer, fully connected neural network which transforms 1-D strain spectra to seafloor pressure spectra also outperforms the benchmark in wave height prediction (RMSE of 0.19 vs. 0.41 m), but does not generalize as well to the prior data. Regression-based machine learning is useful for estimating waves from DAS data when the pressure-strain relationship varies temporally and spatially across different wave conditions. Models can be applied to DAS data to measure waves with higher spatial resolution and longer temporal coverage than traditional methods, which often measure waves only at a single point.

Davis, Jacob R. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Probing phonon focusing, thermomechanical behavior, and moiré patterns in van der Waals architectures using surface acoustic waves

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) propagate along solid-air, solid-liquid, and solid-solid interfaces. Their characteristics depend on the elastic properties of the solid. Combining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we probe atomic environments around intrinsic defects that generate SAWs in vertically stacked two-dimensional (2D) bilayers of MoS 2 . Our joint experimental-simulation study provides insights into SAW-induced structural and dynamical changes and thermomechanical responses of MoS 2 bilayers. Using MD simulations, we compute mechanical properties from the SAW velocity and thermal conductivity from thermal diffusion of SAWs. The results for Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity of an MoS 2 monolayer are in good agreement with experiments. The presence of defects, such as nanopores which generate SAWs, reduces the thermal conductivity of 2D-MoS 2 by an order of magnitude. We also observe dramatic changes in moiré patterns, phonon focusing, and cuspidal structures on 2D-MoS 2 layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

In-Petri-dish acoustic vortex tweezers

This study presents an acoustic vortex tweezers platform that enables contactless, precise, multi-degree-of-freedom, and multifunctional manipulation of micro- to millimeter-sized objects within a Petri dish.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗
DOE OSTI2025

Studying baryon acoustic oscillations using photometric redshifts from the DESI Legacy Imaging survey DR9

Context. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey DR9 (DR9 hereafter), with its extensive dataset of galaxy locations and photometric redshifts, presents an opportunity to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the region covered by the ongoing spectroscopic survey with DESI. Aims. We aim to investigate differences between different parts of the DR9 footprint. Furthermore, we want to measure the BAO scale for luminous red galaxies within them. Our selected redshift range of 0.6–0.8 corresponds to the bin in which a tension between DESI Y1 and eBOSS was found. Methods. We calculated the anisotropic two-point correlation function in a modified binning scheme to detect the BAOs in DR9 data. We then used template fits based on simulations to measure the BAO scale in the imaging data. Results. Our analysis reveals the expected correlation function shape in most of the footprint areas, showing a BAO scale consistent with Planck’s observations. Aside from identified mask-related data issues in the southern region of the South Galactic Cap, we find a notable variance between the different footprints. Conclusions. We find that this variance is consistent with the difference between the DESI Y1 and eBOSS data, and it supports the argument that that tension is caused by sample variance. Additionally, we also uncovered systematic biases not previously accounted for in photometric BAO studies. We emphasize the necessity of adjusting for the systematic shift in the BAO scale associated with typical photometric redshift uncertainties to ensure accurate measurements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Drag exerted by drift-acoustic radiation on a magnetic island

The Island Equilibrium and Transport (IslET) model is extended to allow for the effects of ion compressibility albeit for a constant electron temperature. The model describes fully relaxed, saturated, steady-state magnetic islands arising from the evolution of a tearing mode caused either by an instability or an externally imposed resonant perturbation. It assumes that the collision frequency lies in the semi-collisional regime. A salient new feature of the extended model is an equation describing the transport of parallel momentum. The model is applied to evaluate the drag exerted on a thin island by the emission of drift-acoustic waves.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dielectric loss due to charged-defect acoustic phonon emission

The coherence times of state-of-the-art superconducting qubits are limited by bulk dielectric loss, yet the microscopic mechanism leading to this loss is unclear. Here, we propose that the experimentally observed loss can be attributed to the presence of charged defects that enable the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by the emission of acoustic phonons. Our explicit derivation of the absorption coefficient for this mechanism allows us to derive a loss tangent of 7.2 × 10−9 for Al2O3, in good agreement with recent high-precision measurements [Read et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 19, 034064 (2023)]. We also find that for temperatures well below ∼0.2 K, the loss should be independent of temperature, which is also in agreement with observations. Our investigations show that the loss per defect depends mainly on properties of the host material, and a high-throughput search suggests that diamond, cubic BN, AlN, and SiC are optimal in this respect.

Turiansky, Mark E. (ORCID:0000000291543582)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Internal measurements of electromagnetic geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) in EAST plasmas

Velocity, density, and magnetic fluctuations of the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) have been measured using the Doppler backscattering system, Faraday-effect polarimeter-interferometer, and external pick-up coils in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. Simultaneous measurements of density and velocity fluctuations at the midplane and top of plasmas demonstrate that m = 1 density fluctuations are quantitatively balanced by the compression of perpendicular flow fluctuations. Furthermore, internal magnetic fluctuations associated with GAM have now been directly measured by laser-based Faraday-effect polarimetry for the first time. Line-averaged magnetic fluctuations (up to 16 Gauss, B̃¯R,GAMBT∼0.066%) are significantly larger than those extrapolated from edge coils (a few Gauss) and that magnetic fluctuations increase with β. The observed discrepancy between finite β theory and experimental data indicates the need for further theoretical investigations.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2025

LATTE: open-source, high-performance traveltime computation, tomography and source location in acoustic and elastic media

Traveltime-based tomography and source location are fundamental approaches for imaging subsurface structures and understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of seismicity from local to global scales. We present an open-source, high-performance framework integrating eikonal equation solvers and adjoint-state theory for traveltime computation, velocity tomography, source location and joint tomography-location in 2-D/3-D acoustic and elastic media. We introduce novel regularization schemes based on total generalized p-variation, structural similarity and multitask machine learning to enhance the fidelity and interpretability of inverted models and source locations. Key features of our implementation also include the ability to leverage both absolute-difference and double-difference traveltime misfits for high-fidelity velocity tomography and source parameter estimation; support for traveltime computation and inversion in diverse 2-D/3-D scenarios with arbitrary source and receiver distributions; and a perturbation-based optimal step-size estimation method to reduce computational costs. In addition, our implementation employs shared-memory and distributed-memory parallelization to provide an efficient solution for traveltime computation, tomography, and source location. In conclusion, we validate the efficacy and accuracy of our approach through multiple synthetic data examples.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Baryon acoustic oscillation theory and modelling systematics for the DESI 2024 results

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of how fitting of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) is carried out within the upcoming Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument’s (DESI) 2024 results using its DR1 data set, and the associated systematic error budget from theory and modelling of the BAO. We derive new results showing how non-linearities in the clustering of galaxies can cause potential biases in measurements of the isotropic (⁠α iso ⁠) and anisotropic (⁠α ap ) BAO distance scales, and how these can be effectively removed with an appropriate choice of reconstruction algorithm. We then demonstrate how theory leads to a clear choice for how to model the BAO and develop, implement, and validate a new model for the remaining smooth-broad-band (i.e. without BAO) component of the galaxy clustering. Finally, we explore the impact of all remaining modelling choices on the BAO constraints from DESI using a suite of high-precision simulations, arriving at a set of best practices for DESI BAO fits, and an associated theory and modelling systematic error. Overall, our results demonstrate the remarkable robustness of the BAO to all our modelling choices and motivate a combined theory and modelling systematic error contribution to the post-reconstruction DESI BAO measurements of no more than 0.1 per cent (0.2 per cent) for its isotropic (anisotropic) distance measurements. We expect the theory and best practices laid out to here to be applicable to other BAO experiments in the era of DESI and beyond.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of oscillations above the acoustic cut-off frequency for a sample of Kepler stars. II. Identifying temporal frequency shifts

ABSTRACT Stellar oscillations with frequencies greater than the acoustic cut-off frequency are not trapped within the star’s interior. Geometric interference between these high-frequency waves produces a peak-like structure in the power spectrum of the star, known as the pseudo-modes. In this study, we aim to analyse 51 stars previously identified (from a sample of 91 Kepler stars) to contain statistically significant evidence for pseudo-modes, to determine if the pseudo-mode frequencies vary in time. We obtained these frequency variations and the uncertainty by the resampled periodogram approach, where periodogram realisations were created from successive, overlapping 90-d time segments, and a cross-correlation function was generated between them. The computed shifts were compared against temporal p-mode frequency shifts and a stellar magnetic activity proxy, $S_{\mathrm{ph}}$. We found that for 16 per cent of the stars pseudo-mode frequency shifts were significantly anticorrelated with p-mode shifts, as is the case for the Sun. However, we also found pseudo-mode and p-mode shifts to be significantly correlated in-phase in 8 per cent of our sample. The remainder showed no significant correlation. We also searched for trends between the maximum variation of pseudo-mode frequency shifts and stellar parameters. Whilst we found no correlation between the maximum variation and stellar photospheric and chromospheric proxies, we found frequency variations to have a greater amplitude for cooler and slower rotating stars, which is in opposition to p-mode frequency shift variation. Temporal changes to pseudo-mode frequencies may be attributable to variations in stellar magnetic activity, and therefore can contribute to our understanding of stellar activity cycles.

Millson, L. J. (ORCID:0009000342542676)↗