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At least 145 records · Page 8

Noncontact Determination of Antisymmetric Plate Wave Velocity in Ceramic Matrix Composites

High-temperature materials are of increasing importance in the development of more efficient engines and components for the aeronautics industry. In particular, ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and metal matrix composite (MMC) structures are under active development for these applications. The acousto-ultrasonic (AU) method has been shown to be useful for assessing mechanical properties in composite structures. In particular, plate wave analysis can characterize composites in terms of their stiffness moduli. It is desirable to monitor changes in mechanical properties that occur during thermomechanical testing and to monitor the health of components whose geometry or position make them hard to reach with conventional ultrasonic probes. In such applications, it would be useful to apply AU without coupling directly to the test surface. For a number of years, lasers have been under investigation as remote ultrasonic input sources and ultrasound detectors. The use of an ultrasonic transducer coupled through an air gap has also been under study. So far at the NASA Lewis Research Center, we have been more successful in using lasers as ultrasonic sources than as output devices. On the other hand, we have been more successful in using an air-coupled piezoelectric transducer as an output device than as an input device. For this reason, we studied the laser in/air-coupled-transducer out combination-using a pulsed NdYAG laser as the ultrasonic source and an air-coupled-transducer as the detector. The present work is focused on one of the AU parameters of interest, the ultrasonic velocity of the antisymmetric plate-wave mode. This easily identified antisymmetric pulse can be used to determine shear and flexure modulus. It was chosen for this initial work because the pulse arrival times are likely to be the most precise. The following schematic illustrates our experimental arrangement for using laser in/air-transducer out on SiC/SiC composite tensile specimens. The NdYAG pulse was directed downward by a 90 infrared prism to the top of the specimen, but at the edge of one end. An energy sensor measured a single pulse at 13 millijoules (mJ) before it passed through the prism, which attenuated 15 percent of its energy. It also provided an output trigger for the waveform time-delay synthesizer.

Kautz, Harold E.↗

Pinwheel Experiment Confirmatory Shot 1 Pre-Shot Report

The purpose of this experimental series is to validate the reactive burn model in the PAGOSA hydrodynamic code. It will also help validate the EOS and Strength models for the aluminum and tantalum cylinders. C4 high explosive (HE) is used to drive an aluminum cylinder into an aluminum sandwiched PBX-9501. The follow-on experiment will drive the aluminum cylinder into a tantalum sandwiched PBX-9501. The experiment will provide time of arrival (TOA) data for the burn front in the HE through the metal cylinders using Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG). Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) will provide shock wave TOA and the velocity of the inward moving cylinder. The PAGOSA code will be used to predict TOA and cylinder wall velocity using PDV and tracers.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Pinwheel Experiment Tantalum Shot 1 Pre-Shot Report

The purpose of this experimental series is to validate the reactive burn model in the PAGOSA hydrodynamic code. It will also help validate the EOS and Strength models for the aluminum and tantalum cylinders. C4 high explosive (HE) is used to drive an aluminum cylinder into a tantalum sandwiched PBX‐9501. The experiment will provide time of arrival (TOA) data for the burn front in the HE through the metal cylinders using Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG). Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) will provide shock wave TOA and the velocity of the inward moving cylinder. The PAGOSA code will be used to predict TOA and cylinder wall velocity using PDV and tracers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Distinguishing Unique Earthquakes with Overlapping Signals in Oklahoma

Abstract During routine operations monitoring Oklahoma earthquakes, we found that certain earthquakes occurred closely both in space and time and had overlapping phases at the recording stations. Through further scrutiny and analysis, we determined that rather than being distinctly different earthquakes, some of the earthquakes exhibited multiphase arrivals and longer than expected coda due to unique ray paths that encounter impedance contrasts such as at the sedimentary rock-basement. Of course, some of these events truly were distinct events, which we term overlapping earthquakes, for which perceived coda duration overlaps and obscures the phase arrivals of the second event due to the source proximity in both time and space. We detail our classification scheme to separate the local earthquakes in Oklahoma as single, overlapping earthquakes, or those associated with multiphase arrivals. We forward model seismic wave propagation in a 2D crustal model and develop a methodology that utilizes waveform correlation to distinguish phases from overlapping earthquakes to those from crustal reverberations. Duration analysis shows a more elongated duration, qualitatively similar to the duration produced by overlapping earthquakes, at the sites where multiphase arrivals are observed.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Fundamental and harmonic radiation in type III solar radio bursts

Type III solar radio bursts are investigated by modeling the propagation of the electron beam and the generation and subsequent propagation of waves to the observer. Predictions from this model are compared in detail with particle, Langmuir wave, and radio data from the International Sun Earth Explorer-3 (ISSE-3) spacecraft and with other observations to clarify the roles of fundamental and harmonic emission in type III radio bursts. Langmuir waves are seen only after the arrival of the beam, in accord with the standard theory. These waves persist after a positive beam slope is last resolved, implying that sporadic positive slopes persist for some time, unresolved but in accord with the predictions of stochastic growth theory. Local electromagnetic emission sets in only after Langmuir waves are seen, in accord with the standard theory, which relies on nonlinear processes involving Langmuir waves. In the events investigated here, fundamental radiation appears to dominate early in the event, followed and/or accompanied by harmonic radiation after the peak, with a long-lived tail of multiply scattered fundamental or harmonic emission extending long afterwards. These results are largely independent of, but generally consistent with, the conclusions of earlier works.

Robinson, P. A.↗

Performance of a Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) for characterizing radiated noise from marine energy converters

Marine energy converters can generate electricity from energetic ocean waves and water currents. Because sound is extensively used by marine animals, the radiated noise from these systems is of regulatory interest. However, the energetic nature of these locations poses challenges for performing accurate passive acoustic measurements, particularly with stationary platforms. The Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) is a modular hydrophone recording system purpose-built for marine energy environments. Using a flow shield in currents and mass–spring–damper suspension system in waves, we demonstrate that DAISYs can effectively minimize the masking effect of flow noise at frequencies down to 10 Hz. In addition, we show that groups of DAISYs can utilize time-delay-of-arrival post-processing to attribute radiated noise to a specific source. Consequently, DAISYs can rapidly measure radiated noise at all frequencies of interest for prototype marine energy converters. Furthermore, the resulting information from future operational deployments should support regulatory decision-making and allow technology developers to make design adjustments that minimize the potential for acoustic impacts as their systems are scaled up for utility-scale power generation.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

3D seismic imaging of a fracture damage zone controlling reservoir compartmentalization at the Raft River EGS using multi-azimuth walkaway VSP

Accurate imaging of steeply dipping fracture zones in crystalline enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) is critical for constraining permeability architecture and guiding stimulation design. However, such structures remain poorly resolved by conventional surface seismic methods. We present a fully three-dimensional (3D) elastic-waveform inversion-migration workflow applied to multi-azimuth walkaway vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data acquired in a deviated borehole at the Raft River EGS. The workflow integrates first-arrival traveltime tomography, multi-scale elastic waveform inversion (EWI), and elastic least-squares reverse-time migration (ELSRTM) to recover high-resolution compressional-and shear-wave velocity models and to image structural discontinuities in the crystalline basement. The results reveal a laterally continuous low-velocity anomaly, with shear-wave velocity reductions of 25-30%, consistent with fractureinduced mechanical weakening. Two steeply dipping discontinuities bound a 50-80 m wide fracture damage zone. Independent constraints from microseismic clustering and geochemical compartmentalization corroborate the geometry and structural significance of this feature. Synthetic modeling further confirms that structures of this scale are resolvable (~30 m). These findings indicate that the Narrows structure is a distributed fracture damage zone rather than a discrete fault plane. By resolving fracture-zone geometry at the tens-of-meters scale using a single borehole, this workflow provides a practical and transferable approach for improving structural characterization, reducing uncertainty in permeability architecture, and supporting reservoir modeling and stimulation design in fractured crystalline EGS reservoirs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Quasi-periodic Fast-mode Wave Trains Within a Global EUV Wave and Sequential Transverse Oscillations Detected by SDO-AIA

We present the first unambiguous detection of quasi-periodic wave trains within the broad pulse of a global EUV wave (so-called EIT wave) occurring on the limb. These wave trains, running ahead of the lateral coronal mass ejection (CME) front of 2-4 times slower, coherently travel to distances greater than approximately solar radius/2 along the solar surface, with initial velocities up to 1400 kilometers per second decelerating to approximately 650 kilometers per second. The rapid expansion of the CME initiated at an elevated height of 110 Mm produces a strong downward and lateral compression, which may play an important role in driving the primary EUV wave and shaping its front forwardly inclined toward the solar surface. The wave trains have a dominant 2 minute periodicity that matches the X-ray flare pulsations, suggesting a causal connection. The arrival of the leading EUV wave front at increasing distances produces an uninterrupted chain sequence of deflections and/or transverse (likely fast kink mode) oscillations of local structures, including a flux-rope coronal cavity and its embedded filament with delayed onsets consistent with the wave travel time at an elevated (by approximately 50%) velocity within it. This suggests that the EUV wave penetrates through a topological separatrix surface into the cavity, unexpected from CME-caused magnetic reconfiguration. These observations, when taken together, provide compelling evidence of the fast-mode MHD wave nature of the primary (outer) fast component of a global EUV wave, running ahead of the secondary (inner) slow component of CME-caused restructuring.

Solar Corona↗

Deep Moonquakes: Remaining Problems

We have recently reexamined more than 9000 United States previously unidentified seismic events catalogued during the Apollo landing missions and positively identified for the first time about 30 deep moonquake nests on the far side of the Moon. Although only a few of them are currently locatable, the relative arrival times among stations for the rest and presence or absence of seismic signals at particular stations suggest that either (a) the region within about $40\deg$ of the antipode is aseismic or (b) the deep interior of the Moon severely attenuates or deflects seismic waves. Aside from the obvious question of how to distinguish between such hypothetical models, this effort raised several more general questions concerning the use of deep moonquake signals to infer the structure and dynamics of the deep interior of the Moon. Among more important ones are: (1) How reliable are the seismic arrival picks from which to compute the seismic velocity variations in the Moon? (2) How do the possible lateral variations in seismic velocity affect the computed radial variation in seismic velocity at depth? (3) Can we tell more about the distribution and mechanism of deep moonquakes from the newly expanded database of identified deep moonquakes? Questions (1) and (2) are especially important because the inferred deep internal structure of the Moon depends critically on their answers. Answering these questions may demand additional data collected on future lunar missions, but some may be resolved with further examination of the existing data.

Nakamura, Y.↗

A Preliminary ZEUS Lightning Location Error Analysis Using a Modified Retrieval Theory

The ZEUS long-range VLF arrival time difference lightning detection network now covers both Europe and Africa, and there are plans for further expansion into the western hemisphere. In order to fully optimize and assess ZEUS lightning location retrieval errors and to determine the best placement of future receivers expected to be added to the network, a software package is being developed jointly between the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). The software package, called the ZEUS Error Analysis for Lightning (ZEAL), will be used to obtain global scale lightning location retrieval error maps using both a Monte Carlo approach and chi-squared curvature matrix theory. At the core of ZEAL will be an implementation of an Iterative Oblate (IO) lightning location retrieval method recently developed at MSFC. The IO method will be appropriately modified to account for variable wave propagation speed, and the new retrieval results will be compared with the current ZEUS retrieval algorithm to assess potential improvements. In this preliminary ZEAL work effort, we defined 5000 source locations evenly distributed across the Earth. We then used the existing (as well as potential future ZEUS sites) to simulate arrival time data between source and ZEUS site. A total of 100 sources were considered at each of the 5000 locations, and timing errors were selected from a normal distribution having a mean of 0 seconds and a standard deviation of 20 microseconds. This simulated "noisy" dataset was analyzed using the IO algorithm to estimate source locations. The exact locations were compared with the retrieved locations, and the results are summarized via several color-coded "error maps."

Elander, Valjean↗

A Wrapper to Use a Machine-Learning-Based Algorithm for Earthquake Monitoring

Seismology is one of the main sciences used to monitor volcanic activity worldwide. Fast, efficient, and accurate seismicity detectors are crucial to assess the activity level of a volcano in near–real time and to issue timely warnings. Traditional real–time seismic processing software uses phase onset pickers followed by a phase association algorithm to declare an event and estimate its location. The pickers typically do not identify whether the detected phase is a P or S arrival, which can have a negative impact on hypocentral location quality and complicates phase association. We implemented the deep–neural–network–based method PhaseNet to identify in real time P and S seismic waves on data from one– and three–component seismometers. We tuned the Earthworm binder_ew associator module to use the phase identification from PhaseNet to detect and locate the events, which we archive in a SeisComP3 database. We assessed the performance of the algorithm by comparing the results with existing catalogs built to monitor seismic and volcanic activity in Mayotte and the Lesser Antilles region. Our algorithm, which we refer to as PhaseWorm, showed promising results in both contexts and clearly outperformed the previous automatic method implemented in Mayotte. As a result, this innovative real–time processing system is now operational for seismicity monitoring in Mayotte and Martinique.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Ion Injection Triggered EMIC Waves in the Earth's Magnetosphere

We present Van Allen Probe observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves triggered solely due to individual substorm-injected ions in the absence of storms or compressions of the magnetosphere during 9 August 2015. The time at which the injected ions are observed directly corresponds to the onset of EMIC waves at the location of Van Allen Probe A (L = 5.5 and 18:06 magnetic local time). The injection was also seen at geosynchronous orbit by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite and Los Alamos National Laboratory spacecraft, and the westward(eastward) drift of ions(electrons) was monitored by Los Alamos National Laboratory spacecraft at different local times. The azimuthal location of the injection was determined by tracing the injection signatures backward intime to their origin assuming a dipolar magnetic field of Earth. The center of this injection location wasdetermined to be close to 20:00 magnetic local time. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satelliteand ground magnetometer responses confirm substorm onset at approximately the same local time.The observed EMIC wave onsets at Van Allen Probe were also associated with a magnetic field decrease.The arrival of anisotropic ions along with the decrease in the magnetic field favors the growth of the EMICwave instability based on linear theory analysis.

Van Allen Probes↗

A technique for position sensing and improved momentum evaluation of microparticle impacts in space.

The design of a three element piezoelectric microparticle impact sensing diaphragm is described which is sensitive to the detection of momentum propagated by the bending wave. The design achieves a sensitivity of .03 microdyn/sec and optimizes the detection of the direct-path pulse from impact relative to secondary reflections and interference from discontinuities. Measurement of the relative arrival times and the maximum amplitudes of the outputs from the three piezoelectric sensors leads to the determination of the impact position and the normally resolved impact momentum exchange. Coincidence of the signals and a partial redundancy of data leads to a very high noise discrimination.

Mcdonnell, J. A. M.↗

The reflection of a blast wave by a very intense explosion

We demonstrate that the geometric similarity of Taylor’s blast wave persists beyond reflection from an ideal surface. Upon impacting the surface, the spherical symmetry of the blast wave is lost but its cylindrical symmetry endures. As the flow acquires dependence on a second spatial dimension, an analytic solution of the Euler equations becomes elusive. However, the preservation of axisymmetry, geometric similarity and planar symmetry in the presence of a mirror-like surface causes all flow solutions to collapse when scaled by the height of burst (HOB) and the shock arrival time at the surface. The scaled blast volume for any yield, HOB and ambient air density follows a single universal trajectory for all scaled time, both before and after reflection.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Fluorescence lifetime measurements using photon pair correlations generated via spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC)

We have used photon pair correlations generated via spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) to measure the fluorescence lifetime of the organic dye rhodamine 6 G, demonstrating that fluorescence lifetime measurements can be achieved using a continuous wave (CW) laser, without pulsed or modulated lasers. Our entangled photon method, quantum fluorescence lifetime (Q-FL) measurements, uses one photon to excite fluorescence and the resulting fluorescence photon is timed and referenced to the arrival time of the other entangled photon. Thus, we can exploit the short timescale of photon pair correlations to conduct experiments that are typically carried out with pulsed lasers and we show that the inherent timing of the photons is fast enough to resolve the nanosecond scale fluorescence lifetime of the sample. This measurement paves the way towards using the time correlations of entangled photons for fluorescence imaging; capitalizing on the presence of fast, sub-100 ps correlations that have not been demonstrated classically.

Eshun, Audrey (ORCID:0000000167697082)↗

Seismic Characterization of the Blue Mountain Geothermal Field

Subsurface characterization is crucial for geothermal energy exploration and production. Yet hydrothermal reservoirs usually reside in highly fractured and faulted zones where accurate characterization is very challenging because of low signal-to-noise ratios of land seismic data and lack of coherent reflection signals. We perform an active-source seismic characterization for the Blue Mountain geothermal field in Nevada using active seismic data to reveal the elastic medium property complexity and fault distribution at this field. We first employ an unsupervised machine learning method to attenuate groundroll and near-surface guided-wave noise and enhance coherent reflection and scattering signals from noisy seismic data. We then build a smooth initial P-wave velocity model based on an existing magnetotellurics survey result, and use 3D first-arrival traveltime tomography to refine the initial velocity model. We then derive a set of elastic wave velocities and anisotropic parameters using elastic full-waveform inversion, and obtain PP and PS images using elastic reverse-time migration. We identify major faults by analyzing the variations of seismic velocities and anisotropy parameters, and reveal mid- to small-scale faults by applying a supervised machine learning method to the seismic migration images. Our characterization reveals complex velocity heterogeneities and anisotropies, as well as faults, with a high spatial resolution. These results can provide valuable information for optimal placement of future injection and production wells to increase geothermal energy production at the Blue Mountain geothermal power plant.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Operational modes for a wave injection facility aboard spacelab and a sub-satellite

Various modes of operation are described for an orbiting wave injection facility planned to measure the properties of waves propagating in space plasma. Such a facility would cover a wide frequency range including MF and HF. Phase shift and Doppler shift measurements will yield more accurate measurements of echo time delay and the angle of arrival. Because Spacelab will involve some sub-satellites, some consideration is given to propagation between two vehicles both at HF and VHF.

Dyson, P. L.↗

Tracking Seismic Velocity Perturbations at Ridgecrest Using Ballistic Correlation Functions

Abstract We present results based on data of a dense nodal array composed of 147 stations, deployed in 2022 near the epicenter of the 2019 Mw 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake to investigate characteristics of the seismic wavefields. Through array analyses, we identified two primary components. First, we observed far-field P waves dominating the 0.5–1.2 Hz frequency range, which are likely primarily generated by wind-driven oceanic swell activity. Second, we detected near-field body waves resulting from anthropogenic activities in the frequency range 2–8 Hz. We examined noise correlation functions derived from data of the dense deployment and regional stations to explore fault-zone seismic velocity changes using ballistic arrivals, with a focus on velocity perturbation shortly before and after the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence. Our findings exhibit distinct behavior compared to results obtained through standard coda-wave interferometry. Particularly, we observed a decrease in P-wave travel time on certain station pairs prior to the 2019 earthquake sequence. Supported by detailed investigation of the local seismic wavefields, we interpret the decreasing P-wave travel time as likely caused by a velocity increase away from the fault, possibly related to fluid migration. However, additional information is necessary to verify this hypothesis.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗