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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 1,459 records · Page 81
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamic density field measurements of an explosively driven α → ϵ phase transition in iron

We provide a unique set of observations of the behavior of the α→ϵ phase transition under a complex axially symmetric loading path created by sweeping a detonation wave along the end surface of a cylindrical sample. The primary data sets are the measured mass density distributions acquired at 5 independent times during the sweep of the detonation along the surface. Shocked regions and boundaries are measured, as well as regions and boundaries of elevated density (presumed to be the ϵ−phase iron). The formation and dynamics of these regions were captured and are available for comparisons to material descriptions. We also applied 16 Photon Doppler Velocimetry probes to capture the free surface velocity along a discrete set of radially distributed points in order to compare and correlate the density measurements with previous shock wave studies. The velocimetry data are in nearly exact agreement with previous shock wave studies of the α→ϵ phase transition, the density distributions, while generally in agreement with expectations evolved from the shock wave studies, show that the epsilon phase is generated in regions of high shear stress but at hydrostatic stresses below the typically quoted 13 GPa value. The density field measurements are particularly useful for observing the effects of the forward and reverse transformation kinetics, as well as the reverse transformation hysteresis.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

FINDING THE FIRST COSMIC EXPLOSIONS. II. CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

Understanding the properties of Population III (Pop III) stars is prerequisite to elucidating the nature of primeval galaxies, the chemical enrichment and reionization of the early intergalactic medium, and the origin of supermassive black holes. While the primordial initial mass function (IMF) remains unknown, recent evidence from numerical simulations and stellar archaeology suggests that some Pop III stars may have had lower masses than previously thought, 15-50 M{sub Sun} in addition to 50-500 M{sub Sun }. The detection of Pop III supernovae (SNe) by JWST, WFIRST, or the TMT could directly probe the primordial IMF for the first time. We present numerical simulations of 15-40 M{sub Sun} Pop III core-collapse SNe performed with the Los Alamos radiation hydrodynamics code RAGE. We find that they will be visible in the earliest galaxies out to z {approx} 10-15, tracing their star formation rates and in some cases revealing their positions on the sky. Since the central engines of Pop III and solar-metallicity core-collapse SNe are quite similar, future detection of any Type II SNe by next-generation NIR instruments will in general be limited to this epoch.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Identification of a jet-driven supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud: Possible evidence for the enhancement of bipolar explosions at low metallicity

Recent evidence has suggested that the supernova remnant (SNR) 0104–72.3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) may be the result of a 'prompt' Type Ia SN on the basis of enhanced iron abundances and its association with a star-forming region. In this paper, we present evidence that SNR 0104–72.3 arose from a jet-driven bipolar core-collapse (CC) SN. Specifically, we use serendipitous Chandra data of SNR 0104–72.3 taken because of its proximity to the calibration source SNR E0102–72.3. We analyze 56 Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) observations of SNR 0104–72.3 to produce imaging and spectra with an effective exposure of 528.6 ks. We demonstrate that SNR 0104–72.3 is highly elliptical relative to other nearby young SNRs, suggesting a CC SN origin. Furthermore, we compare ejecta abundances derived from spectral fits to nucleosynthetic yields of Type Ia and CC SNe, and we find that the iron, neon, and silicon abundances are consistent with either a spherical CC SN of a 18-20 M {sub ☉} progenitor or an aspherical CC SN of a 25 M {sub ☉} progenitor. We show that the star formation history at the site of SNR 0104–72.3 is also consistent with a CC origin. Given the bipolar morphology of the SNR, we favor the aspherical CC SN scenario. This result may suggest jet-driven SNe occur frequently in the low-metallicity environment of the SMC, consistent with the observational and theoretical work on broad-line Type Ic SNe and long-duration gamma-ray bursts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

19 Ne level structure for explosive nucleosynthesis

Ne 19 is an important isotope in nuclear astrophysics due to its role in both the F 18 ( p , α ) O 15 and O 15 ( α , γ ) Ne 19 reactions in novae and Type I x-ray bursts, respectively. The energy levels of Ne 19 near the α and proton thresholds ( S α = 3529 keV, S p = 6410 keV) correspond to resonances in both of these reactions. Previous measurements to study the structure of Ne 19 have focused on both regions in an effort to constrain these reaction rates. Discrepancies in the energies, spins, and parities for levels in Ne 19 from previous measurements contribute to the reaction-rate uncertainties. Gamma rays from the depopulation of excited states in Ne 19 were measured to reduce the level-energy uncertainties and inconsistencies in previous spin-parity assignments.The F 19 ( He 3 , t ) Ne 19 reaction was used to elucidate the structure of Ne 19 levels up to E x = 6.9 MeV. The reaction products were measured using Gammasphere ORRUBA: Dual Detectors for Experimental Structure Studies—a coupling of the Oak Ridge Rutgers University Barrel Array and Gammasphere at Argonne National Laboratory. Tritons produced in the reaction were measured in coincidence with γ rays from the deexcitation of Ne 19 energy levels. Previously unobserved transitions allowed for discrepancies in the resonance properties relevant to these two reactions to be resolved. In total, 41 transitions from 21 energy levels were measured in Ne 19 , with 21 of those transitions being previously unobserved. Of particular importance, transitions from two 3 / 2 + states with energies of 6423(3) and 6441(3) keV, crucial for accurate estimations of the F 18 ( p , α ) O 15 reaction rate, were found. Energies and spin-parities of important energy levels near the proton and α thresholds were measured and some of the discrepancies in previous measurements were resolved. Overall, measurement of the two near-threshold 3 / 2 + states reduced the calculated upper limit of the F 18 ( p , α ) O 15 reaction rate by factors of 1.5–17 in the nova temperature range.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗