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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

A subleading operator basis and matching for gg → H

The Soft Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) is a powerful framework for studying factorization of amplitudes and cross sections in QCD. While factorization at leading power has been well studied, much less is known at subleading powers in the λ << 1 expansion. In SCET subleading soft and collinear corrections to a hard scattering process are described by power suppressed operators, which must be fixed case by case, and by well established power suppressed Lagrangians, which correct the leading power dynamics of soft and collinear radiation. Here we present a complete basis of power suppressed operators for gg → H, classifying all operators which contribute to the cross section at O(λ 2 ), and showing how helicity selection rules significantly simplify the construction of the operator basis. We perform matching calculations to determine the tree level Wilson coefficients of our operators. These results are useful for studies of power corrections in both resummed and fixed order perturbation theory, and for understanding the factorization properties of gauge theory amplitudes and cross sections at subleading power. As one example, our basis of operators can be used to analytically compute power corrections for N -jettiness subtractions for gg induced color singlet production at the LHC.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

N = 8 Supergravity from Positivity

The duality between color and kinematics brings many simplifications to the construction of scattering amplitudes. Here, we show that satisfaction of the tree-level Bern-Carrasco-Johansson relations can dramatically simplify loop computations even when the loop-level relations are not explicitly satisfied. We introduce an agglomerative algorithm, color-dual cut tiling, that builds the entire integrand from the simplest on-shell conditions applied to a seed of off-shell integrand information. Specifically, we demonstrate that for two-to-two scattering at three loops in the maximally supersymmetric gauge theory there is sufficient information contained in planar cuts—completely determined by positivity constraints—to generate all of the nonplanar sector. We further make use of the generalized double copy to generate a representation of maximally supersymmetric gravity as a functional of the planar SYM input. We close with comments on generalizations and possible applications of the approach. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Carrasco, John Joseph M. (ORCID:0000000244998488)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multipositivity bounds for scattering amplitudes

Lorentz invariance, unitarity, and causality enforce powerful constraints on the theory space of physical scattering amplitudes. However, virtually all efforts in this direction have centered on the very simplest case of four-point scattering. In this work, we derive an infinite web of “multipositivity bounds” that nonlinearly constrain all tree-level higher-point scattering amplitudes under similarly minimal assumptions. Our construction rules out several deformations of the string and implies mixed-multiplicity bounds on the Wilson coefficients of planar effective field theories. Curiously, an infinite class of multipositivity bounds is exactly saturated by the amplitudes of the open string.

effective field theory↗
DOE OSTI2022

Editorial: Wood Development and Physiology in a Changing Climate

Wood of forest trees is a renewable, sustainable and easily workable material and has been widely used in construction, paper making, furniture, and as a feedstock for biofuels. Wood formation is the result of a highly ordered and finely regulated process. Secondary xylem (wood) and phloem are the inner and outer derivative products of the vascular cambium, respectively. Xylem is mainly composed of dead cells with thickened cell walls rich in cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, which are responsible for providing mechanical support and conducting water and minerals for the trees. Phloem transports photoassimilates and signaling molecules, including phytohormones and peptides. Wood structure varies greatly between, and within, tree species. A thorough understanding of developmental processes and metabolic pathways during wood formation would provide a basis for improving wood biomass and modifying properties in forest trees.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

The SAGEX review on scattering amplitudes Chapter 7: Positive geometry of scattering amplitudes

Abstract Scattering amplitudes are both a wonderful playground to discover novel ideas in quantum field theory and simultaneously of immense phenomenological importance to make precision predictions for e.g. particle collider observables and more recently also for gravitational wave signals. In this review chapter, we give an overview of some of the exciting recent progress on reformulating QFT in terms of mathematical, geometric quantities, such as polytopes, associahedra, Grassmanians, and the amplituhedron. In this novel approach, standard notions of locality and unitarity are derived concepts rather than fundamental ingredients in the construction which might give us a handle on a number of open questions in QFT that have evaded an answer for decades. We first give a basic summary of positive geometry before discussing the associahedron—one of the simplest physically relevant geometric examples—and its relation to tree-level scattering amplitudes in bi-adjoint ϕ 3 theory. Our second example is the amplituhedron construction for scattering amplitudes in planar maximally supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2016

Value of Information in Fuel Cycle Decision-making

Transitions between nuclear fuel cycles with uncertain key parameters (e.g., SNF and HLW disposal costs, fast reactor capital costs) have been examined using a decision-making under uncertainty methodology. The methodology explicitly incorporates uncertainties in key parameters into the decision-making process by constructing a stochastic model and embedding uncertainties as bifurcations in the decision-tree. The framework of this methodology allows for interpretation using a real options valuation or game theoretic approach, reviewed in. The work presented here extends the decision-making under uncertainty framework to calculate the value of information, which may be used to inform a game against nature. These games against nature have been applied to resource allocation problems, where scarce resources are allocated to maximize expected payoffs. More broadly, the value of developing alternative technologies may be considered under the same framework, where an investment portfolio for technology deployment may be developed. Here, the value of information is taken as the value of reducing uncertainty in key parameters, and these values may be substituted for the traditional payoff matrix when considering allocating scarce resources. Games against nature may provide a unique perspective on R and D funding decisions when considering transitions between nuclear fuel cycles. By determining the value of reducing uncertainties (of gaining information on probability distributions) scarce resources may be allocated in such a way to maximize their utility. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Soft bootstrap and effective field theories

The soft bootstrap program aims to construct consistent effective field theories (EFT’s) by recursively imposing the desired soft limit on tree-level scattering amplitudes through on-shell recursion relations. A prime example is the leading two-derivative operator in the EFT of SU(N) × SU(N)/SU(N) nonlinear sigma model (NLSM), where O(p 2 ) amplitudes with an arbitrary multiplicity of external particles can be soft-bootstrapped. We extend the program to O(p 4 ) operators and introduce the “soft blocks,” which are the seeds for soft bootstrap. The number of soft blocks coincides with the number of independent operators at a given order in the derivative expansion and the incalculable Wilson coefficient emerges naturally. We also uncover a new soft-constructible EFT involving the “multi-trace” operator at the leading two-derivative order, which is matched to SO(N + 1)/SO(N) NLSM. In addition, we consider Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) terms, the existence of which, or the lack thereof, depends on the number of flavors in the EFT, after a novel application of Bose symmetry. Remarkably, we find agreements with grouptheoretic considerations on the existence of WZW terms in SU(N) NLSM for N ≥ 3 and the absence of WZW terms in SO(N) NLSM for N 6= 5.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Hidden simplicity of the gravity action

We derive new representations of the Einstein-Hilbert action in which graviton perturbation theory is immensely simplified. To accomplish this, we recast the Einstein-Hilbert action as a theory of purely cubic interactions among gravitons and a single auxiliary field. The corresponding equations of motion are the Einstein field equations rewritten as two coupled first-order differential equations. Since all Feynman diagrams are cubic, we are able to derive new off-shell recursion relations for tree-level graviton scattering amplitudes. With a judicious choice of gauge fixing, we then construct an especially compact form for the Einstein-Hilbert action in which all graviton interactions are simply proportional to the graviton kinetic term. Our results apply to graviton perturbations about an arbitrary curved background spacetime.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

2D Stress Tensor for 4D Gravity

Here, we use the subleading soft-graviton theorem to construct an operator T z z whose insertion in the four-dimensional tree-level quantum gravity S matrix obeys the Virasoro-Ward identities of the energy momentum tensor of a two-dimensional conformal field theory ( CFT 2 ). Furthermore, the celestial sphere at Minkowskian null infinity plays the role of the Euclidean sphere of the CFT 2 , with the Lorentz group acting as the unbroken S L ( 2 , C ) subgroup.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Green Power Initiative

National energy policy supports the gathering of more detailed and authoritative data on the introduction of renewable bio-based fuels into new and existing district energy systems via the application of biomass gasification. The University of Iowa developed a biomass-fueled, university-scale steam generation system based on biomass gasification technologies. The system serves as a state-of-the-art research and educational facility in the emerging application of gasification in steam generation. The facility, which includes a smaller down-draft gasifier and a larger multi-stage biomass boiler, was designed to operate primarily on wood-based fuels, but has provisions for testing other biomass fuel sources produced within a 100-mile radius, providing enough flexibility to meet the fluctuating local supply of biomass from industry and Midwest agriculture. The equipment was installed in an existing, staffed facility. The down-draft gasifier unit is operated by College of Engineering staff and students, under the direct technical supervision of qualified Utilities plant staff. The Green Power Initiative also includes a substantial, innovative educational component. In addition to an onsite, graduate-level research program in biomass fuels, the investigators have integrated undergraduate and graduate level teaching – through classroom studies and experiential learning – and applied research into a biomass-based, university-scale, functioning power plant. University of Iowa is unique in that it currently has multiple renewable energy technologies deployed, including significant biomass combustion (oat hulls) at its Main Power Plant and a new reciprocating engine based renewable district energy system. This project complements and supports the national energy policy and State of Iowa initiatives in ethanol and biodiesel. Byproducts of ethanol and biodiesel processes (distiller grains) as well as industry residues (oat hulls, wood chips, construction and demolition waste), farm related material (seed corn and soybean seed), and poplar trees for cleaning up ground water are logical feed stocks for gasification.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Tetrahedral Trees: A Family of Hierarchical Spatial Indexes for Tetrahedral Meshes

In this work, we address the problem of performing efficient spatial and topological queries on large tetrahedral meshes with arbitrary topology and complex boundaries. Such meshes arise in several application domains, such as 3D Geographic Information Systems (GISs), scientific visualization, and finite element analysis. To this aim, we propose Tetrahedral trees, a family of spatial indexes based on a nested space subdivision (an octree or a kD-tree) and defined by several different subdivision criteria. We provide efficient algorithms for spatial and topological queries on Tetrahedral trees and compare to state-of-the-art approaches. Our results indicate that Tetrahedral trees are an improvement over R*-trees for querying tetrahedral meshes; they are more compact, faster in many queries, and stable at variations of construction thresholds. They also support spatial queries on more general domains than topological data structures, which explicitly encode adjacency information for efficient navigation but have difficulties with domains with a non-trivial geometric or topological shape.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2019

AdS maps and diagrams of bi-local holography

We present in detail the basic ingredients contained in bi-local holography, representing a constructive scheme for reconstructing AdS bulk theories in Vectorial/AdS duality. Explicit Mapping to bulk AdS and higher spin fields is seen to be given by a double Fourier transform. All order interactions are explicitly specified through the collective action. This generates bulk Feynman (Witten) diagrams (at tree and loop level). We give details of the four-point case evaluation. It is noted that the bi-local construction goes beyond the assumptions in various discussions of non-locality.

1/N Expansion↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hidden zeros of the cosmological wavefunction

Motivated by the recent discovery of hidden zeros in particle and string amplitudes, we characterize zeros of individual graph contributions to the cosmological wavefunction of a scalar field theory. We demonstrate that these contributions factorize near these zeros for all tree graphs and provide evidence that this extends to loop graphs as well. We explicitly construct polytopal realizations of the relevant graph associahedra and show that the cosmological zeros have natural geometric and physical interpretations. As a byproduct, we establish an equivalence between the wavefunction coefficients of chain graphs and flat-space Tr(ϕ 3 ) amplitudes, enabling us to leverage the cosmological zeros to uncover the recently discovered hidden zeros of colored amplitudes.

Cosmological models↗
DOE OSTI2019

Inflationary spectral tilts as a result of the dilatation symmetry breaking

We derive the spectral indices and their runnings of single inflation models by a new approach. We perform a dilatation transformation to the linear cosmological perturbations and derive a current (non)conservation law. Using it, we construct a dilatation charge and a Ward-Takahashi identity for the two-point correlators, and derive two exact expressions for the tree-level spectral indices. First, we apply the slow roll expansion to one of the exact expressions. We calculate the spectral indices and their runnings up to the second and the third order of slow roll parameters, respectively, with use of the “horizon crossing formalism.” By construction, our results are more rigorous and generic than the previous works. Then, we analyze another exact expression to understand how the perturbations and the slow roll parameters contribute to the spectral indices. By a numerical calculation, we confirm that only the behaviors of the slow roll parameters during a few e-folds around the horizon crossing affect significantly to the values of spectral indices. The analysis in this article indicates that if one cannot use the slow roll parameters, regardless of their values, as the expansion parameters around the horizon crossing, then one can no longer apply the slow roll expansion to the spectral indices, and it is thus necessary to apply the more generic method introduced here.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The ARES High-level Intermediate Representation

The LLVM intermediate representation (IR) lacks semantic constructs for depicting common high-performance operations such as parallel and concurrent execution, communication and synchronization. Currently, representing such semantics in LLVM requires either extending the intermediate form (a signi cant undertaking) or the use of ad hoc indirect means such as encoding them as intrinsics and/or the use of metadata constructs. In this paper we discuss a work in progress to explore the design and implementation of a new compilation stage and associated high-level intermediate form that is placed between the abstract syntax tree and when it is lowered to LLVM's IR. This highlevel representation is a superset of LLVM IR and supports the direct representation of these common parallel computing constructs along with the infrastructure for supporting analysis and transformation passes on this representation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Twofold symmetries of the pure gravity action

Here, we recast the action of pure gravity into a form that is invariant under a twofold Lorentz symmetry. To derive this representation, we construct a general parameterization of all theories equivalent to the Einstein-Hilbert action up to a local field redefinition and gauge fixing. We then exploit this freedom to eliminate all interactions except those exhibiting two sets of independently contracted Lorentz indices. The resulting action is local, remarkably simple, and naturally expressed in a field basis analogous to the exponential parameterization of the nonlinear sigma model. The space of twofold Lorentz invariant field redefinitions then generates an infinite class of equivalent representations. By construction, all off-shell Feynman diagrams are twofold Lorentz invariant while all on-shell tree amplitudes are automatically twofold gauge invariant. We extend our results to curved spacetime and calculate the analogue of the Einstein equations. Finally, while these twofold invariances are hidden in the canonical approach of graviton perturbation theory, they are naturally expected given the double copy relations for scattering amplitudes in gauge theory and gravity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

SNPeffect: identifying functional roles of SNPs using metabolic networks

Genetic sources of phenotypic variation have been a focus of plant studies aimed at improving agricultural yield and understanding adaptive processes. Genome-wide association studies identify the genetic background behind a trait by examining associations between phenotypes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Although such studies are common, biological interpretation of the results remains a challenge; especially due to the confounding nature of population structure and the systematic biases thus introduced. Here, we propose a complementary analysis (SNPeffect) that offers putative genotype-to-phenotype mechanistic interpretations by integrating biochemical knowledge encoded in metabolic models. SNPeffect is used to explain differential growth rate and metabolite accumulation in A. thaliana and P. trichocarpa accessions as the outcome of SNPs in enzyme-coding genes. To this end, we also constructed a genome-scale metabolic model for Populus trichocarpa, the first for a perennial woody tree. As expected, our results indicate that growth is a complex polygenic trait governed by carbon and energy partitioning. The predicted set of functional SNPs in both species are associated with experimentally characterized growth-determining genes and also suggest putative ones. Functional SNPs were found in pathways such as amino acid metabolism, nucleotide biosynthesis, and cellulose and lignin biosynthesis, in line with breeding strategies that target pathways governing carbon and energy partition.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Distinct xylem responses to acute vs prolonged drought in pine trees

Increasing dryness challenges trees’ ability to maintain water transport to the leaves. Most plant hydraulics models use a static xylem response to water stress. Yet, in reality, lower soil moisture and warmer temperatures during growing seasons feed back onto xylem development. In turn, adjustments to water stress in the newly built xylem influence future physiological responses to droughts. In this study, we investigate the annual variation of anatomical traits in branch xylem in response to different soil and atmospheric moisture conditions and tree stress levels, as indicated by seasonal predawn leaf water potential (??L,pd). We used a 6-year field experiment in southwestern USA with three soil water treatments applied to Pinus edulis Engelm trees—ambient, drought (45% rain reduction) and irrigation (15–35% annual water addition). All trees were also subject to a natural 1-year acute drought (soil and atmospheric) that occurred during the experiment. The irrigated trees showed only moderate changes in anatomy-derived hydraulic traits compared with the ambient trees, suggesting a generally stable, well-balanced xylem structure under unstressed conditions. The artificial prolonged soil drought increased hydraulic efficiency but lowered xylem construction costs and decreased tracheid implosion safety ((t/b)2), suggesting that annual adjustments of xylem structure follow a safety–efficiency trade-off. The acute drought plunged hydraulic efficiency across all treatments. The combination of acute and prolonged drought resulted in vulnerable and inefficient new xylem, disrupting the stability of the anatomical trade-off observed in the rest of the years. The xylem hydraulic traits showed no consistent direct link to ??L,pd. In the future, changes in seasonality of soil and atmospheric moisture are likely to have a critical impact on the ability of P. edulis to acclimate its xylem to warmer climate. Furthermore, the increasing frequency of acute droughts might reduce hydraulic resilience of P. edulis by repeatedly creating vulnerable and less efficient anatomical structure.

Guerin, Marceau↗