Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “nonlinearity”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,261 records · Page 70
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

BaGa{sub 2}GeS{sub 6} and BaGa{sub 2}GeSe{sub 6} crystals for nonlinear optical frequency conversion

We analyse the functional capabilities of new crystals, BaGa{sub 2}GeS{sub 6} (BGGS) and BaGa{sub 2}GeSe{sub 6} (BGGSe), which are used for nonlinear optical frequency conversion in their transparency range. The wavelengths at which maximum conversion efficiencies can be obtained and the tuning range for difference-frequency generation are found. It is shown that there are wavelength combinations at which the effective nonlinearity coefficient varies only slightly in a wide frequency band. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Generation of few-cycle pulses in media with alternating sign of effective cubic nonlinearity

An original technique is developed for spectral broadening of femtosecond pulses with compensation for the nonlinear spatial phase during the propagation through nonlinear media with effective cubic nonlinearity of different signs. It was shown that in the region of 1.5 μm, the proposed scheme with BBO crystals at the first stage and NaCl at the second stage allows, using chirped mirrors, the formation of few-cycle pulses of about 7 fs duration with a small B-integral. The possibility of focusing of pulses compressed in the proposed scheme with a large Strehl ratio is demonstrated. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Localised electromagnetic waves in a rhombic waveguide array with competing nonlinearities

We consider a model of a discrete photonic system representing a quasi-one-dimensional rhombic array of waveguides, where, in addition to the positive cubic nonlinearity, the negative quintic nonlinearity is taken into account for the material of which the central chain of the waveguides is made. The other two waveguide chains are made of an optically linear material. A continual approximation is used to obtain a solution for a system of coupled waves, which describes a wave localised in the transverse direction. In a certain special case, the competition of nonlinearities leads to the formation of a step-shaped distribution of the field intensities over the waveguides. (integrated optics)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nonlinear waves in a thin dielectric film on the surface of a topological insulator

Based on the dispersion relation for a wave localised in a thin film of a nonlinear dielectric, which is located on the surface of a topological insulator, we have derived a system of equations that describes the propagation of a surface wave. It is shown that the longitudinal and transverse tangential components of the electric field vector are related due to the nonlinearity of the film and change periodically during propagation. It is found that the rotation period of this vector is determined by the axion charge of the topological dielectric and the nonlinear susceptibility of the thin film. (paper)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hydrodynamic nonlinear response of interacting integrable systems

In this work, we develop a formalism for computing the nonlinear response of interacting integrable systems. Our results are asymptotically exact in the hydrodynamic limit where perturbing fields vary sufficiently slowly in space and time. We show that spatially resolved nonlinear response distinguishes interacting integrable systems from noninteracting ones, exemplifying this for the Lieb–Liniger gas. We give a prescription for computing finite-temperature Drude weights of arbitrary order, which is in excellent agreement with numerical evaluation of the third-order response of the XXZ spin chain. We identify intrinsically nonperturbative regimes of the nonlinear response of integrable systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Synthetically non-Hermitian nonlinear wave-like behavior in a topological mechanical metamaterial

Topological mechanical metamaterials have enabled new ways to control stress and deformation propagation. Exemplified by Maxwell lattices, they have been studied extensively using a linearized formalism. Herein, we study a two-dimensional topological Maxwell lattice by exploring its large deformation quasi-static response using geometric numerical simulations and experiments. We observe spatial nonlinear wave-like phenomena such as harmonic generation, localized domain switching, amplification-enhanced frequency conversion, and solitary waves. We further map our linearized, homogenized system to a non-Hermitian, nonreciprocal, one-dimensional wave equation, revealing an equivalence between the deformation fields of two-dimensional topological Maxwell lattices and nonlinear dynamical phenomena in one-dimensional active systems. Our study opens a regime for topological mechanical metamaterials and expands their application potential in areas including adaptive and smart materials and mechanical logic, wherein concepts from nonlinear dynamics may be used to create intricate, tailored spatial deformation and stress fields greatly transcending conventional elasticity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Establishing Outcrop Time Series at Various Depths in a Nonlinear Soil Column: An Iterative Approach

Seismic soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis of nuclear facilities is an important consideration during design and retrofit. SSI tools used in the nuclear industry are currently based on an equivalent linear approach. Procedures for developing input ground motion for equivalent linear approaches are well established. However, the procedures for establishing input ground motion for Nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction (NLSSI) analysis of nuclear facilities is not well established. A collaborative research group at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has recently developed analytical methods and numerical tools for using NLSSI analysis for nuclear facility seismic calculations. NLSSI analysis for a nuclear facility allows for calculation of seismic wave motion through a near field soil domain using either, (1) vertically propagating shear and compressive waves, which is the current industry practice, or (2) a three-dimensional non-vertical wave field. This paper presents an iterative procedure for establishing outcrop motion at a depth in the soil column for NLSSI analysis that uses vertically propagating shear waves. The approach presented in this paper starts with a known ground motion at the surface, deconvolves to a depth, and then convolves the obtained motion up to a different desired location of input for the NLSSI model. To demonstrate the validity of the approach a finite element soil column, that is representative of a nuclear facility site in the US, is used to produce compatible outcrop seismic time series for reduced nonlinear soil mesh depths. The developed approach for reducing the nonlinear soil column model depth is a two-step iterative method; 1) the first step is establishing an outcrop time series at the lowest depth considered that produces the top-of-soil response spectrum of an actual recorded ground motion, and 2) the second step is providing compatible outcrop time series at a shallower depth based on the information from the first step. The comparison of the 5% damped response spectrum from the resulting acceleration time series based on the iterated outcrop motions and the original acceleration time series are conducted. The study showed that the proposed iterative approach produced comparable results within 1% range of the original recorded time series results when sufficient iterations were performed.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Nonlinear Modeling of Ground Motions at Lotung LSST Site with Nested Surface Soil Constitutive Model

Seismic analyses of nuclear facilities require the use of validated numerical models that can realistically reproduce the response of soils during earthquakes. The nested surface nonlinear, hysteretic soil constitutive model is one of the soil constitutive models that is vastly used due to (i) lower number of free parameters compared to other nonlinear soil constitutive models, and (ii) because of the ease of calibrating these parameters using the commonly available soil data, i.e., G/G max and damping curves as a function of shear strain. This material model is available in commercial finite element software packages (LS-DYNA and Abaqus) as well in the open source finite element tool (Mastodon). The purpose of this study is to estimate the parameters required for this material model from the soil data available for the Lotung site and to demonstrate that this nonlinear soil constitutive model used in a time domain, finite element analysis can reasonably reproduce the actual measured soil motions recorded at Lotung during the LSST07 event on May 20, 1986. Results are introduced from all the three softwares mentioned above using the same material model.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Seismic Performance of Deeply Embedded Conceptual Advanced Reactors: Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction Analyses

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s functional containment concept provides advanced nuclear power plant designers with more flexibility in terms of the civil/structural design if the appropriate set of barriers for prevention of radioactive material release exist. Some of the conceptual advanced reactor structures, without the traditional pressure boundaries of large containment structures, are proposed to be deeply embedded or buried into soil. This approach is expected to provide (1) lesser seismic demands on the structures and safety-critical structures, (2) eased regulatory efforts and overall design against other external hazards such as aircraft impact, and (3) overall cost savings. Further, one of the important aspects of assessing the technical and economic viability of deeply embedding advanced reactor buildings is to assess the seismic performance with the understanding of effects with material and geometric nonlinearities. This study investigates the seismic response of deeply embedded or buried advanced reactors by conducting three-dimensional nonlinear soil-structure interaction analyses. Although the results indicate that there is a general trend of decreased seismic response with increased embedment depths, the change in the dynamic environment with different embedment depths and the nonlinear environment under high-intensity seismic inputs may result in increased peak response at increased embedment depths.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermal modulation of nonlinear ultrasonic waves for nondestructive evaluation of elastic materials

Temperature variation is often considered an undesirable factor in ultrasonic testing, as wave velocity is highly sensitive to thermal fluctuations. However, completely eliminating the temperature effect is difficult, particularly in tests requiring precise velocity measurements. Recently, a method called Thermal Modulation of Nonlinear Ultrasonics (TMNL) has been developed. Instead of eliminating the thermal effect, the TMNL method leverages the temperature variation as a driving force to stimulate the nonlinear response of the medium and modulate the ultrasonic waves propagating in it. These modulated waves can then be used to evaluate the nonlinear behaviours of the test medium. This paper presents a focused review of the TMNL technique, including its theoretical foundations, particularly the conceptual challenges in integrating thermal effects into classical acoustoelastic theory, and recent applications in non-destructive evaluation (NDE). Three case studies are presented to demonstrate TMNL’s application in detecting microcracking in concrete, assessing ageing in polymer materials, and enabling temperature compensation in acoustoelastic tests. In conclusion, the review also summarises related studies, including photothermal crack modulation, and discusses current limitations and future directions of TMNL in elastic media.

NDE↗
DOE OSTI2012

NONLINEAR STABILITY OF A CLASS OF MAGNETOSTATIC EQUILIBRIA WITH AN APPLICATION TO SOLAR PROMINENCES

We consider a particular class of three-dimensional magnetostatic equilibria in which the plasma is submitted to a vertical gravitational field and the gradient of the total (thermal+magnetic) pressure vanishes. We show analytically that an equilibrium in that class makes the energy an absolute minimum in the set of all the configurations accessible from it by an arbitrary finite deformation constrained by ideal MHD and imposed to vanish on a rigid conducting wall (line-tying condition). Along with energy conservation, this implies the nonlinear ideal stability of that equilibrium in the following sense. Suppose that a perturbation of energy w(0) is applied at time t = 0 and thus evolves by obeying the nonlinear MHD equations. Then some measure of the sizes of the plasma velocity and the deformation of the structure can be made to stay at any t {>=} 0 below an arbitrarily prescribed value by choosing w(0) small enough. Nonlinear stability also holds true for a configuration obtained by superposing an equilibrium of the previous type and a nonmagnetic equilibrium which is also an energy minimizer-for instance an equilibrium with uniform specific entropy, which is shown to have that property. Our result applies to a subset of a family of equilibria, computed by B. C. Low, which includes in particular the standard Kippenhahn-Schlueter model describing the magnetic support of solar corona prominences.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

REVISING THE HALOFIT MODEL FOR THE NONLINEAR MATTER POWER SPECTRUM

Based on a suite of state-of-the-art high-resolution N-body simulations, we revisit the so-called halofit model as an accurate fitting formula for the nonlinear matter power spectrum. While the halofit model has frequently been used as a standard cosmological tool to predict the nonlinear matter power spectrum in a universe dominated by cold dark matter, its precision has been limited by the low resolution of N-body simulations used to determine the fitting parameters, suggesting the necessity of an improved fitting formula at small scales for future cosmological studies. We run high-resolution N-body simulations for 16 cosmological models around the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe best-fit cosmological parameters (one-, three-, five-, and seven-year results), including dark energy models with a constant equation of state. The simulation results are used to re-calibrate the fitting parameters of the halofit model so as to reproduce small-scale power spectra of the N-body simulations, while keeping the precision at large scales. The revised fitting formula provides an accurate prediction of the nonlinear matter power spectrum in a wide range of wavenumbers (k {<=} 30 h Mpc{sup -1}) at redshifts 0 {<=} z {<=} 10, with 5% precision for k {<=} 1 h Mpc{sup -1} at 0 {<=} z {<=} 10 and 10% for 1 {<=} k {<=} 10 h Mpc{sup -1} at 0 {<=} z {<=} 3. We discuss the impact of the improved halofit model on weak-lensing power spectra and correlation functions, and show that the improved model better reproduces ray-tracing simulation results.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

NONLINEAR EVOLUTION OF RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY IN A RADIATION-SUPPORTED ATMOSPHERE

The nonlinear regime of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in a radiation supported atmosphere, consisting of two uniform fluids with different densities, is studied numerically. We perform simulations using our recently developed numerical algorithm for multi-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics based on a variable Eddington tensor (VET) as implemented in Athena, focusing on the regime where scattering opacity greatly exceeds absorption opacity. We find that the radiation field can reduce the growth and mixing rate of RTI, but this reduction is only significant when radiation pressure significantly exceeds gas pressure. Small-scale structures are also suppressed in this case. In the nonlinear regime, dense fingers sink faster than rarefied bubbles can rise, leading to asymmetric structures about the interface. By comparing the calculations that use a VET versus the Eddington approximation, we demonstrate that anisotropy in the radiation field can affect the nonlinear development of RTI significantly. We also examine the disruption of a shell of cold gas being accelerated by strong radiation pressure, motivated by models of radiation driven outflows in ultraluminous infrared galaxies. We find that when the growth timescale of RTI is smaller than acceleration timescale, the amount of gas that would be pushed away by the radiation field is reduced due to RTI.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electron acceleration during the decay of nonlinear Whistler waves in low-beta electron-ion plasma

Relativistic electron acceleration through dissipation of a nonlinear, short-wavelength, and monochromatic electromagnetic whistler wave in low-beta plasma is investigated by utilizing a one-dimensional fully relativistic electromagnetic particle-in-cell code. The nonlinear (large-amplitude) parent whistler wave decays through the parametric instability which enhances electrostatic ion acoustic waves and electromagnetic whistler waves. These waves satisfy the condition of three-wave coupling. Through the decay instability, the energy of electron bulk velocity supporting the parent wave is converted to the thermal energy perpendicular to the background magnetic field. Increase of the perpendicular temperature triggers the electron temperature anisotropy instability which generates broadband whistler waves and heats electrons in the parallel direction. The broadband whistler waves are inverse-cascaded during the relaxation of the electron temperature anisotropy. In lower-beta conditions, electrons with a pitch angle of about 90° are successively accelerated by inverse-cascaded whistler waves, and selected electrons are accelerated to over a Lorentz factor of 10. The result implies that the nonlinear dissipation of a finite-amplitude and short-wavelength whistler wave plays an important role in producing relativistic nonthermal electrons over a few MeV especially at lower beta plasmas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

CONDUCTION IN LOW MACH NUMBER FLOWS. I. LINEAR AND WEAKLY NONLINEAR REGIMES

Thermal conduction is an important energy transfer and damping mechanism in astrophysical flows. Fourier's law, in which the heat flux is proportional to the negative temperature gradient, leading to temperature diffusion, is a well-known empirical model of thermal conduction. However, entropy diffusion has emerged as an alternative thermal conduction model, despite not ensuring the monotonicity of entropy. This paper investigates the differences between temperature and entropy diffusion for both linear internal gravity waves and weakly nonlinear convection. In addition to simulating the two thermal conduction models with the fully compressible Navier-Stokes equations, we also study their effects in the reduced ''soundproof'' anelastic and pseudoincompressible (PI) equations. We find that in the linear and weakly nonlinear regime, temperature and entropy diffusion give quantitatively similar results, although there are some larger errors in the PI equations with temperature diffusion due to inaccuracies in the equation of state. Extrapolating our weakly nonlinear results, we speculate that differences between temperature and entropy diffusion might become more important for strongly turbulent convection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

NONLINEAR BEHAVIOR OF BARYON ACOUSTIC OSCILLATIONS IN REDSHIFT SPACE FROM THE ZEL'DOVICH APPROXIMATION

Baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) are a powerful probe of the expansion history of the universe, which can tell us about the nature of dark energy. In order to accurately characterize the dark energy equation of state using BAO, we must understand the effects of both nonlinearities and redshift space distortions on the location and shape of the acoustic peak. In a previous paper, we introduced a novel approach to second order perturbation theory in configuration space using the Zel'dovich approximation, and presented a simple result for the first nonlinear term of the correlation function. In this paper, we extend this approach to redshift space. We show how to perform the computation and present the analytic result for the first nonlinear term in the correlation function. Finally, we validate our result through comparison with numerical simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SCALAR AND VECTOR NONLINEAR DECAYS OF LOW-FREQUENCY ALFVÉN WAVES

We found several efficient nonlinear decays for Alfvén waves in the solar wind conditions. Depending on the wavelength, the dominant decay is controlled by the nonlinearities proportional to either scalar or vector products of wavevectors. The two-mode decays of the pump MHD Alfvén wave into co- and counter-propagating product Alfvén and slow waves are controlled by the scalar nonlinearities at long wavelengths ρ{sub i}{sup 2}k{sub 0⊥}{sup 2}<ω{sub 0}/ω{sub ci} (k {sub 0} is wavenumber perpendicular to the background magnetic field, ω{sub 0} is frequency of the pump Alfvén wave, ρ {sub i} is ion gyroradius, and ω {sub ci} is ion-cyclotron frequency). The scalar decays exhibit both local and nonlocal properties and can generate not only MHD-scale but also kinetic-scale Alfvén and slow waves, which can strongly accelerate spectral transport. All waves in the scalar decays propagate in the same plane, hence these decays are two-dimensional. At shorter wavelengths, ρ{sub i}{sup 2}k{sub 0⊥}{sup 2}>ω{sub 0}/ω{sub ci}, three-dimensional vector decays dominate generating out-of-plane product waves. The two-mode decays dominate from MHD up to ion scales ρ {sub i} k {sub 0} ≅ 0.3; at shorter scales the one-mode vector decays become stronger and generate only Alfvén product waves. In the solar wind the two-mode decays have high growth rates >0.1ω{sub 0} and can explain the origin of slow waves observed at kinetic scales.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Halting migration: Numerical calculations of corotation torques in the weakly nonlinear regime

Planets in their formative years can migrate due to the influence of gravitational torques in the protoplanetary disk they inhabit. For low-mass planets in an isothermal disk, it is known that there is a strong negative torque on the planet due to its linear perturbation to the disk, causing fast inward migration. The current investigation demonstrates that in these same isothermal disks, for intermediate-mass planets, there is a strong positive nonlinear corotation torque due to the effects of gas being pulled through a gap on horseshoe orbits. For intermediate-mass planets, this positive torque can partially or completely cancel the linear (Type I) torque, leading to slower or outward migration, even in an isothermal disk. The effect is most significant for super-Earth and sub-Jovian planets, during the transition from a low-mass linear perturber to a nonlinear gap-opening planet, when the planet has opened a so-called “partial gap,” though the precise values of these transition masses depend sensitively on the disk model (density profile, viscosity, and disk aspect ratio). In this study, numerical calculations of planet–disk interactions calculate these torques explicitly, and scalings are empirically constructed for migration rates in this weakly nonlinear regime. These results find outward migration is possible for planets with masses in the range 20–100 M{sub ⊕}, though this range depends on the disk model considered. In the disk models where torque reversal occurs, the critical planet-to-star mass ratio for torque reversal was found to have the robust scaling q{sub crit}∝√α(h/r){sup 3}, where α is the dimensionless viscosity parameter and h/r is the disk aspect ratio.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗