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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 OSTI2023

Elliptic flow of heavy-flavor decay electrons in Au+Au collisions at s NN = 27 and 54.4 GeV at RHIC

We report on new measurements of elliptic flow (v 2 ) of electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.8) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$ = 27 and 54.4 GeV from the STAR experiment. Heavy-flavor decay electrons (eHF) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$ = 54.4 GeV exhibit a non-zero v 2 in the transverse momentum (p T ) region of p T < 2 GeV/c with the magnitude comparable to that at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$=200 GeV. The measured e HF v 2 at 54.4 GeV is also consistent with the expectation of their parent charm hadron v 2 following number-of-constituent-quark scaling as other light and strange flavor hadrons at this energy. These suggest that charm quarks gain significant collectivity through the evolution of the QCD medium and may reach local thermal equilibrium in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$=54.4 GeV. The measured e HF v 2 in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s{NN}}$ = 27 GeV is consistent with zero within large uncertainties. The energy dependence of v 2 for different flavor particles (π,Φ,D 0 /e HF ) shows an indication of quark mass hierarchy in reaching thermalization in high-energy nuclear collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Real-time interfacial electron dynamics revealed through temporal correlations in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

We present a novel technique to monitor dynamics in interfacial systems through temporal correlations in x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) signals. To date, the vast majority of time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy techniques rely on pump–probe schemes, in which the sample is excited out of equilibrium by a pump pulse, and the subsequent dynamics are monitored by probe pulses arriving at a series of well-defined delays relative to the excitation. By definition, this approach is restricted to processes that can either directly or indirectly be initiated by light. It cannot access spontaneous dynamics or the microscopic fluctuations of ensembles in chemical or thermal equilibrium. Enabling this capability requires measurements to be performed in real (laboratory) time with high temporal resolution and, ultimately, without the need for a well-defined trigger event. The time-correlation XPS technique presented here is a first step toward this goal. The correlation-based technique is implemented by extending an existing optical-laser pump/multiple x-ray probe setup by the capability to record the kinetic energy and absolute time of arrival of every detected photoelectron. The method is benchmarked by monitoring energy-dependent, periodic signal modulations in a prototypical time-resolved XPS experiment on photoinduced surface-photovoltage dynamics in silicon, using both conventional pump–probe data acquisition, and the new technique based on laboratory time. The two measurements lead to the same result. The findings provide a critical milestone toward the overarching goal of studying equilibrium dynamics at surfaces and interfaces through time correlation-based XPS measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

IER-620 CED-3b: Experiment Execution Summary for the Pulsed-Neutron Die-Away Experiments (PNDA) with Propylene Glycol and Mobilmet 423

There is a strong need for new benchmarks to validate neutron thermal scattering laws (TSLs). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has designed a Pulsed-Neutron Die Away (PNDA) testbed for this purpose. The experiment has a deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron generator that impinges a 10 -4 s, mono-energetic pulse of 14.1 MeV neutrons on a target sample. After the pulse, the neutron population moderates and establishes a thermal equilibrium within the sample, with a fundamental spatial mode and characteristic decay-time eigenvalue, ⍺. The ⍺ eigenvalue can be extracted from the experimental measurements of the time-dependent neutron flux coming off the surface of the sample and can then be used as an integral parameter (similar to k eff ) to validate nuclear data involved with neutron migration, thermalization, and absorption. For moderating materials and geometric configurations, the ⍺ eigenvalue is heavily dependent on thermal neutron scattering of the target material. For that reason, a PNDA experiment can have a higher sensitivity to TSLs than is commonly available with the k eff parameter in critical experiments.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1971

Kinetic theory of a two-dimensional magnetized plasma.

Several features of the equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of a two-dimensional plasma in a uniform dc magnetic field are investigated. The charges are assumed to interact only through electrostatic potentials. The problem is considered both with and without the guiding-center approximation. With the guiding-center approximation, an appropriate Liouville equation and BBGKY hierarchy predict no approach to thermal equilibrium for the spatially uniform case. For the spatially nonuniform situation, a guiding-center Vlasov equation is discussed and solved in special cases. For the nonequilibrium, nonguiding-center case, a Boltzmann equation, and a Fokker-Planck equation are derived in the appropriate limits. The latter is more tractable than the former, and can be shown to obey conservation laws and an H-theorem, but contains a divergent integral which must be cut off on physical grounds. Several unsolved problems are posed.

Vahala, G.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Validation of ablation model for polyethylene using pulsed x-ray and proton exposures

The surface erosion of polyethylene is interrogated using pulsed x rays at the Z Machine (Sandia National Laboratories) and with proton beams at the Gamble II generator (Naval Research Laboratory) to validate a coupled model for volumetric thermal ablation, photoionization, finite-rate decomposition, and molecular recombination of radicals. The intense radiation pulses (up to ∼1014W/m2 over tens of nanoseconds) are used to generate one-dimensional vapor flows with low ionization fractions and a simplified geometry compared to typical laser ablation, allowing for evaluation of the model under local thermal equilibrium conditions. Areal momentum carried by the ensuing uniaxial hydrodynamic shock is used to indicate the extent of ablation. The threshold fluence for ablation is found to be in close correspondence with the bulk melt transition, and reasonable agreement with the model is obtained for peak temperatures in polyethylene up to 5500 K and heating rates up to 1011K/s where thermal decomposition reactions are also active.

Moore, N. W. (ORCID:0000000272259674)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Information-Guided Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

A spin ensemble in thermal equilibrium continuously undergoes random fluctuations analogous to those observed in Brownian motion, a process known as spin noise. Here, we investigate the dynamics of a system comprising a spin-1 paramagnetic center and a hyperfine-coupled spin-1/2 nucleus in the vicinity of a level crossing. We theoretically show that nuclear spins polarize efficiently under the combined action of thermal fluctuations and a closed-loop feedback protocol. The latter articulates periodic observations of the electronic magnetization and radio-frequency pulses connecting hybrid states with opposite nuclear spin alignment. Since nuclear polarization emerges from electronic spin fluctuations, not spin order, this microwave-free technique generically benefits from warmer, not colder, operation temperatures. Furthermore, because the spin dynamics at play near a level crossing is rather insensitive to the absolute value of the magnetic field, our work promises opportunities for high-field dynamic nuclear polarization, which is difficult to attain through present methods.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1987

Navier-Stokes simulation of real gas flows in nozzles

Air flow in a hypersonic nozzle causes real gas effects due to reaction among the species constituting air. Such reactions may be in chemical equilibrium or in chemical nonequilibrium. Here using the CSCM upwind scheme for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations, the real gas flowfield in an arcjet nozzle is computed for both the equilibrium case and the nonequilibrium case. A hypersonic nozzle flow arising from a pebble bed heated plenum is also computed for the equilibrium situation. Between the equilibrium cases, the chemistry is treated by two different schemes and comments are made as to computational complexity. For the nonequilibrium case, a full set of seventeen reactions and full implicit coupling of five species with gasdynamics is employed to compute the flowfield. For all cases considered here the gas is assumed to be a calorically imperfect mixture of ideal gases in thermal equilibrium.

Nagaraj, N.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thermofield Theory for Finite-Temperature Electronic Structure

Wave function methods have offered a robust, systematically improvable means to study ground-state properties in quantum many-body systems. Theories like coupled cluster and their derivatives provide highly accurate approximations to the energy landscape at a reasonable computational cost. Analogues of such methods to study thermal properties, though highly desirable, have been lacking because evaluating thermal properties involve a trace over the entire Hilbert space, which is a formidable task. Besides, excited-state theories are generally not as well studied as ground-state ones. In this mini-review, we present an overview of a finite-temperature wave function formalism based on thermofield dynamics to overcome these difficulties. Thermofield dynamics allows us to map the equilibrium thermal density matrix to a pure state, i.e., a single wave function, albeit in an expanded Hilbert space. Ensemble averages become expectation values over this so-called thermal state. Around this thermal state, we have developed a procedure to generalize ground-state wave function theories to finite temperatures. As explicit examples, we highlight formulations of mean-field, configuration interaction, and coupled cluster theories for thermal properties of Fermions in the grand-canonical ensemble. To assess the quality of these approximations, we also show benchmark studies for the one-dimensional Hubbard model, while comparing against exact results. We will see that the thermal methods perform similarly to their ground-state counterparts, while merely adding a prefactor to the asymptotic computational cost. Furthermore, they also inherit all the properties, good or bad, from the ground-state methods, signifying the robustness of our formalism and the scope for future development.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1993

Electromagnetic fluctuations for anisotropic media and the generalized Kirchhoff's law

In this paper the polarimetric emission parameters for anisotropic media are derived using the generalized Kirchhoff's law for media with a uniform temperature and the fluctuation-dissipation theory for media with a temperature profile. Both finite-size objects and half-space media are considered. When the object has a uniform temperature across its body, the Kirchhoff's law, based on the condition of energy conservation in thermal equilibrium is generalized to obtain the emission parameters of an anisotropic medium, which can be interpreted as the absorptivity or the absorption cross section of the complementary object with a permittivity that is the transpose of the original object. When the medium has a nonuniform temperature distribution, the fluctuation-dissipation theory is applied for deriving the covariances between vector components of the thermal currents and, consequently, the covariances of the polarizations of electric fields radiated by the thermal currents. To verify the formulas derived from the fluctuation-dissipation theory, we let the temperature of the object be a constant and show that the results reduce to those obtained from the generalized Kirchhoff's law.

Yueh, Simon H.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Miniature Arcs for Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes in Microgravity

Although many methods are available for producing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the conventional carbon arc process remains the most popular due to its simplicity and large production rate. In the carbon arc, SWNTs are catalytically synthesized by rapidly evaporating a graphite anode impregnated with NiN metal catalyst from which the nanotubes grow in an inert atmosphere. However, high temperatures inside the carbon arc generate strong buoyancy driven convection, and it is hypothesized that the non-uniform environment created by this flow has a large effect on the growth and morphology of the SWNTs. To study the effect of buoyancy on the arc process, a miniature carbon arc apparatus was developed to synthesize SWNTs in a microgravity environment substantially free from these strong convective flows. The reactor was operated for either 2.2 or 5 seconds during free-fall in the drop towers at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Two apparatus designs differing mainly in their production rate and power capacity were investigated. The first consisted of a miniaturized carbon arc employing a 1 mm diameter graphite anode and powered by a 0.54 F capacitor bank charged to 65 V. The second, larger apparatus employed a 4 mm diameter anode and was powered by a portable battery pack capable of providing in excess of 300 amps at 30 volts to the arc for the duration of a 5 second drop. Initial results indicated that transient heating is a very large effect in the short-duration drop tower carbon arcs, and thermal equilibrium of the arc plasma, buffer gas, and apparatus was not attained during the short microgravity periods. In addition, removal of the buoyant convection by the microgravity now allowed clear observation of large jets of evaporated carbon vapor streaming from the anode and mixing with the inert buffer gas. The initial mixing of these jets with the cold buffer gas combined with the thermal transient made it difficult to establish a uniform high temperature environment around the arc in the 2.1 to 5 second microgravity time interval, and even with a very high-powered arc, the arc region was cooler than in continuously operated arcs. Despite these difficulties, the miniature arc produced SWNTs in microgravity. However, given the large thermal transient to overcome, no dramatic difference in sample yield or composition was noted between normal gravity and q2-,andL%econd long microgravity runs.

Alford, J. M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultrafast formation of topological defects in a two-dimensional charge density wave

Topological defects play a central role in dynamical systems undergoing a non-adiabatic transition. In solids, topological defects as a result of femtosecond laser excitation have attracted increasing interest not only because they are key to understanding phase transitions but also because they can generate a variety of hidden orders that are not accessible in thermal equilibrium. Despite the common occurrence of these defects in a non-equilibrium system, the fundamental limit on how fast they can emerge in solids and the generic pathway for defect creation at such fast timescales have remained open questions. Here we apply ultrafast electron diffraction to study the reciprocal-space signatures of transient defects in a two-dimensional charge density wave, where simultaneous measurements of both defect and phonon dynamics yield a microscopic view of defect formation in the femtosecond regime. We find that one-dimensional domain walls are generated well within 1 ps following photoexcitation, during which the defect growth is not dictated by the amplitude of the order parameter but is mediated by a non-thermal population of longitudinal optical phonons. In conclusion, our work provides a framework for the ultrafast engineering of topological defects that are coupled to specific collective modes, which will prove useful for the dynamical control of non-equilibrium phases in correlated materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1995

The neutral atomic phases of the interstellar medium

We calculate the thermal equilibrium gas temperature of the diffuse interstellar medium. Our method incorporates a new photoelectric heating rate from small grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that accounts for a size distribution of particles extending from 100 to 3 A radius. We also include a detailed treatment of the ionization rates and heating due to the soft X-ray background and due to cosmic rays. Phase diagrams (thermal pressure P versus hydrogen density n) are presented for gas that is illuminated by local interstellar far-ultraviolet (FUV) and X-ray radiation fields. A stable two-phase medium is produced with thermal pressure in the range P/k approximately = to 10(exp 3-4) K/cc. We demonstrate that photoelectric heating from PAHs dominates in the warm neutral phase (WNM) and cold neutral phase (CNM). If the C II (158 micrometers cooling per hydrogen nucleus in the solar neighborhood represents an average value for the Galaxy, we predict L(sub CII) approximately = to 7 x 10(exp 7) solar luminosities from the CNM in the Galaxy, comparable to that observed by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE). We discuss the dependence of the results on absorbing column density, gas phase abundances, dust abundances and metallicity, FUV field, and the X-ray radiation field. These results will be useful in modeling the multiphase structure of high-velocity clouds in the halo, the interstellar matter (ISM) at other galactocentric radii, and the ISM in external galaxies and galactic nuclei.

Wolfire, M. G.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Theory of Two-Level Tunneling Systems in Superconductors

We develop a field theory formulation for the interaction of an ensemble of two-level tunneling systems (TLSs) with the electronic states of a superconductor. Predictions for the impact of two-level tunneling systems on superconductivity are presented, including T c and the spectrum of quasiparticle states for conventional BCS superconductors. We show that nonmagnetic TLS impurities in conventional s-wave superconductors can act as pair-breaking or pair-enhancing defects depending on the level population of the distribution of TLS impurities. We present calculations of the enhancement of superconductivity, both T c and the order parameter, for TLS defects in thermal equilibrium with the electrons and lattice. The scattering of quasiparticles by TLS impurities leads to subgap states below the bulk excitation gap, Δ, as well as resonances in the continuum above Δ. The energies and spectral weights of these states depend on the distribution of tunnel splittings, while the spectral weights are particularly sensitive to the level occupation of the TLS impurities. Under microwave excitation, or decoupling from the thermal bath, a nonequilibrium level population of the TLS distribution generates subgap quasiparticle states near the Fermi level that contribute to dissipation and thus degrade the performance of superconducting devices at low temperatures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nature-inspired lotus-shaped fins combined with hybrid nanoparticles and metal foam for high-performance latent heat thermal energy storage

Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems play a critical role in renewable energy integration by providing high energy density and nearly isothermal operation during phase transitions. However, their performance is often limited by slow melting/charging rates, which motivates the search for enhanced heat transfer designs. This study investigates the melting behavior of RT-82 phase change material (PCM) using novel lotus-shaped fins combined with copper metal foam and conductive graphene nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes. A two-dimensional enthalpy-porosity model in ANSYS Fluent was developed to simulate the charging/melting process, capturing non-thermal equilibrium between the foam and PCM/nano-PCM. In this study, effects of fin geometry, nanoparticle concentration, and foam porosity on melting dynamics and cost-performance trade-offs were investigated. Results showed that natural convection accelerated melting by ~12% compared to conduction-only scenarios. Optimized lotus-shaped fins with higher fin density (T3F4 and T3F10) achieved up to 63% faster melting relative to sparse configurations. Graphene nanoparticles improved thermal conductivity, with a 6% volume fraction, by reducing melting time by ~6.9%, while their combination with 75% porosity foam achieved a maximum reduction in the melting time of ~51% compared to pure PCM. Cost-performance analysis identified T3F4 as the most balanced design, offering rapid thermal response without excessive material costs, while moderate-density designs like T3S6 provided economical alternatives with acceptable performance. These results highlight the performance enhancement that can be achieved by integrating bio-inspired fins, nanoparticles, and foams, into compact and efficient LHTES for solar heating, building thermal management, and industrial waste-heat recovery applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quenching through the QCD chiral phase transition

We present a detailed numerical and analytical study of the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of Model G, the dynamical universality class relevant to the chiral phase transition. We perform numerical 3D stochastic (Langevin) simulations of the 𝑂⁡(4) critical point for large lattices in the chiral limit. We quench the system from the high-temperature unbroken phase to the broken phase and study the nonequilibrium dynamics of pion fields. Strikingly, the nonequilibrium evolution of the two-point functions exhibits a regime of growth, a parametrically large enhancement, and a subsequent slow relaxation to equilibrium. We analyze our numerical results using dynamic critical scaling and mean-field theory. The growth of the two-point functions is determined by the nonlinear dynamics of an ideal non-Abelian superfluid, which is a limit of Model G that reflects the broken chiral symmetry. We also relate the nonequilibrium two-point functions to a long-lived parametric enhancement of soft pion yields relative to thermal equilibrium following a quench.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Equilibration and “Thermalization” in the Adapted Caldeira–Leggett Model

I explore the processes of equilibration exhibited by the Adapted Caldeira–Leggett (ACL) model, a small unitary “toy model” developed for numerical studies of quantum decoherence between an SHO and an environment. I demonstrate how dephasing allows equilibration to occur in a wide variety of situations. While the finite model size and other “unphysical” aspects prevent the notions of temperature and thermalization from being generally applicable, certain primitive aspects of thermalization can be realized for particular parameter values. I link the observed behaviors to intrinsic properties of the global energy eigenstates, and argue that the phenomena I observe contain elements which might be key ingredients that lead to ergodic behavior in larger more realistic systems. The motivations for this work range from curiosity about phenomena observed in earlier calculations with the ACL model to much larger questions related to the nature of equilibrium, thermalization, and the emergence of physical laws.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1994

Squeezed states and graviton-entropy production in the early universe

Squeezed states are a very useful framework for the quantum treatment of tensor perturbations (i.e. gravitons production) in the early universe. In particular, the non equilibrium entropy growth in a cosmological process of pair production is completely determined by the associated squeezing parameter and is insensitive to the number of particles in the initial state. The total produced entropy may represent a significant fraction of the entropy stored today in the cosmic blackbody radiation, provided pair production originates from a change in the background metric at a curvature scale of the Planck order. Within the formalism of squeezed thermal states it is also possible to discuss the stimulated emission of gravitons from an initial thermal bath, under the action of the cosmic gravitational background field. We find that at low energy the graviton production is enhanced, if compared with spontaneous creation from the vacuum; as a consequence, the inflation scale must be lowered, in order not to exceed the observed CMB quadrupole anisotropy. This effect is important, in particular, for models based on a symmetry-breaking transition which require, as initial condition, a state of thermal equilibrium at temperatures higher than the inflation scale and in which inflation has a minimal duration.

Giovannini, Massimo↗
NASA NTRS2002

Containerless Ripple Turbulence

One of the longest standing unsolved problems in physics relates to the behavior of fluids that are driven far from equilibrium such as occurs when they become turbulent due to fast flow through a grid or tidal motions. In turbulent flows the distribution of vortex energy as a function of the inverse length scale [or wavenumber 'k'] of motion is proportional to 1/k(sup 5/3) which is the celebrated law of Kolmogorov. Although this law gives a good description of the average motion, fluctuations around the average are huge. This stands in contrast with thermally activated motion where large fluctuations around thermal equilibrium are highly unfavorable. The problem of turbulence is the problem of understanding why large fluctuations are so prevalent which is also called the problem of 'intermittency'. Turbulence is a remarkable problem in that its solution sits simultaneously at the forefront of physics, mathematics, engineering and computer science. A recent conference [March 2002] on 'Statistical Hydrodynamics' organized by the Los Alamos Laboratory Center for Nonlinear Studies brought together researchers in all of these fields. Although turbulence is generally thought to be described by the Navier-Stokes Equations of fluid mechanics the solution as well as its existence has eluded researchers for over 100 years. In fact proof of the existence of such a solution qualifies for a 1 M$ millennium prize. As part of our NASA funded research we have proposed building a bridge between vortex turbulence and wave turbulence. The latter occurs when high amplitude waves of various wavelengths are allowed to mutually interact in a fluid. In particular we have proposed measuring the interaction of ripples [capillary waves] that run around on the surface of a fluid sphere suspended in a microgravity environment. The problem of ripple turbulence poses similar mathematical challenges to the problem of vortex turbulence. The waves can have a high amplitude and a strong nonlinear interaction. Furthermore, the steady state distribution of energy again follows a Kolmogorov scaling law; in this case the ripple energy is distributed according to 1/k (sup 7/4). Again, in parallel with vortex turbulence ripple turbulence exhibits intermittency. The problem of ripple turbulence presents an experimental opportunity to generate data in a controlled, benchmarked system. In particular the surface of a sphere is an ideal environment to study ripple turbulence. Waves run around the sphere and interact with each other, and the effect of walls is eliminated. In microgravity this state can be realized for over 2 decades of frequency. Wave turbulence is a physically relevant problem in its own right. It has been studied on the surface of liquid hydrogen and its application to Alfven waves in space is a source of debate. Of course, application of wave turbulence perspectives to ocean waves has been a major success. The experiment which we plan to run in microgravity is conceptually straightforward. Ripples are excited on the surface of a spherical drop of fluid and then their amplitude is recorded with appropriate photography. A key challenge is posed by the need to stably position a 10cm diameter sphere of water in microgravity. Two methods are being developed. Orbitec is using controlled puffs of air from at least 6 independent directions to provided the positioning force. This approach has actually succeeded to position and stabilize a 4cm sphere during a KC 135 segment. Guigne International is using the radiation pressure of high frequency sound. These transducers have been organized into a device in the shape of a dodecahedron. This apparatus 'SPACE DRUMS' has already been approved for use for combustion synthesis experiments on the International Space Station. A key opportunity presented by the ripple turbulence data is its use in driving the development of codes to simulate its properties.

Putterman, Seth↗