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DOE OSTI2019

The Effect of Dark Matter–Dark Radiation Interactions on Halo Abundance: A Press–Schechter Approach

We study halo mass functions with the Press–Schechter formalism for interacting dark matter models, where matter power spectra are damped due to dark acoustic oscillations in the early universe. After adopting a smooth window function, we calibrate the analytical model with numerical simulations from the "effective theory of structure formation" (ETHOS) project and fix the model parameters in the high-mass regime, M h ≳ 3 × ${10}^{10}\ {M}_{\odot }$. We also perform high-resolution cosmological simulations with halo masses down to M h ~ 10 8 M ⊙ to cover a wide mass range for comparison. Although the model is calibrated with ETHOS1 and cold dark matter simulations for high halo masses at redshift z = 0, it successfully reproduces simulations for two other ETHOS models in the low-mass regime at low and high redshifts. As an application, we compare the cumulative number density of halos to that of observed galaxies at z = 6, and find that the interacting dark matter models with a kinetic decoupling temperature below 0.5 keV is disfavored. We also perform the abundance-matching analysis and derive the stellar–halo mass relation for these models at z = 4. Suppression in halo abundance leads to less massive halos that host observed galaxies in the stellar mass range ${M}_{* }\simeq {10}^{5}-{10}^{7}\ {M}_{\odot }$.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Validity of the Born approximation for beyond Gaussian weak lensing observables

Accurate forward modeling of weak lensing (WL) observables from cosmological parameters is necessary for upcoming galaxy surveys. Because WL probes structures in the nonlinear regime, analytical forward modeling is very challenging, if not impossible. Numerical simulations of WL features rely on ray tracing through the outputs of N-body simulations, which requires knowledge of the gravitational potential and accurate solvers for light ray trajectories. A less accurate procedure, based on the Born approximation, only requires knowledge of the density field, and can be implemented more efficiently and at a lower computational cost. In this work, we use simulations to show that deviations of the Born-approximated convergence power spectrum, skewness and kurtosis from their fully ray-traced counterparts are consistent with the smallest nontrivial O(Φ 3 ) post-Born corrections (so-called geodesic and lens-lens terms). Our results imply a cancellation among the larger O(Φ 4 ) (and higher order) terms, consistent with previous analytic work. We also find that cosmological parameter bias induced by the Born-approximated power spectrum is negligible even for a LSST-like survey, once galaxy shape noise is considered. When considering higher order statistics such as the κ skewness and kurtosis, however, we find significant bias of up to 2.5σ. Using the LensTools software suite, we show that the Born approximation saves a factor of 4 in computing time with respect to the full ray tracing in reconstructing the convergence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Properties of Turbulence in the Reconnection Exhaust: Numerical Simulations Compared with Observations

The properties of the turbulence that develops in the outflows of magnetic reconnection have been investigated using self-consistent plasma simulations, in three dimensions. As commonly observed in space plasmas, magnetic reconnection is characterized by the presence of turbulence. In this study, we provide a direct comparison of our simulations with reported observations of reconnection events in the magnetotail, investigating the properties of the electromagnetic field and the energy conversion mechanisms. In particular, simulations show the development of a turbulent cascade consistent with spacecraft observations, statistics of the dissipation mechanisms in the turbulent outflows similar to the ones observed in reconnection jets in the magnetotail, and that the properties of turbulence vary as a function of the distance from the reconnecting X-line.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Relativistic resistive magnetohydrodynamic reconnection and plasmoid formation in merging flux tubes

Herein we apply the general relativistic resistive magnetohydrodynamics code BHAC to perform a 2D study of the formation and evolution of a reconnection layer in between two merging magnetic flux tubes in Minkowski space–time. Small-scale effects in the regime of low resistivity most relevant for dilute astrophysical plasmas are resolved with very high accuracy due to the extreme resolutions obtained with adaptive mesh refinement. Numerical convergence in the highly non-linear plasmoid-dominated regime is confirmed for a sweep of resolutions. We employ both uniform resistivity and non-uniform resistivity based on the local, instantaneous current density. For uniform resistivity we find Sweet–Parker reconnection, from $η$ = 10-2 down to $η$ = 10 -4 , for a reference case of magnetization $σ$ = 3.33 and plasma-$β$ = 0.1. For uniform resistivity $η$ = 5 × 10 -5 the tearing mode is recovered, resulting in the formation of secondary plasmoids. The plasmoid instability enhances the reconnection rate to $v_{rec}$ ~ 0.03$c$ compared to $v_{rec}$ ~ 0.01$c$ for $η$ = 10 -4 . For non-uniform resistivity with a base level $η_0$ = 10 -4 and an enhanced current-dependent resistivity in the current sheet, we find an increased reconnection rate of $v_{rec}$ ~ 0.1$c$. The influence of the magnetization $σ$ and the plasma-$β$ is analysed for cases with uniform resistivity $η$ = 5 × 10 -5 and $η$ = 10 -4 in a range 0.5 ≤ $σ$ ≤ 10 and 0.01 ≤ $β$ ≤ 1 in regimes that are applicable for black hole accretion discs and jets. The plasmoid instability is triggered for Lundquist numbers larger than a critical value of $S_c$ ≈ 8000.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Thermonuclear Reaction Rates and Primordial Nucleosynthesis

Assuming the best numerical value for the cosmic baryonic density and the existence of three neutrino flavors, standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis is a parameter-free model. It is important to assess if the observed primordial abundances can be reproduced by simulations. Numerous studies have shown that the simulations overpredict the primordial 7 Li abundance by a factor of ≈3 compared to the observations. The discrepancy may be caused by unknown systematics in 7 Li observations, poorly understood depletion of lithium in stars, errors in thermonuclear rates that take part in the lithium and beryllium synthesis, or physics beyond the standard model. Here, we focus on the likelihood of a nuclear physics solution. The status of the key nuclear reaction rates is summarized. Big Bang nucleosynthesis simulations are performed with the most recent reaction rates, and the uncertainties of the predicted abundances are established using a Monte Carlo technique. Correlations between abundances and reaction rates are investigated based on the metric of mutual information. The rates of four reactions impact the primordial 7 Li abundance: 3 He(α,γ) 7 Be, d(p,γ) 3 He, 7 Be(d,p)2α, and 7 Be(n,p) 7 Li. We employ a genetic algorithm to search for simultaneous rate changes in these four reactions that may account for all observed primordial abundances. Furthermore, when the search is performed for reaction rate ranges that are much wider than recently reported uncertainties, no acceptable solutions are found. Based on the currently available evidence, we conclude that it is highly unlikely for the cosmological lithium problem to have a nuclear physics solution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

On the Neutrino Distributions in Phase Space for the Rotating Core-collapse Supernova Simulated with a Boltzmann-neutrino-radiation-hydrodynamics Code

With the Boltzmann-radiation-hydrodynamics code, which we have developed to solve numerically the Boltzmann equations for neutrino transfer, the Newtonian hydrodynamics equations, and the Newtonian self-gravity simultaneously and consistently, in this work we simulate the collapse of a rotating core of the progenitor with a zero-age- main-sequence mass of 11.2 M ⊙ and a shellular rotation of $1\,\mathrm{rad}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}$ at the center. We pay particular attention in this paper to the neutrino distribution in phase space, which is affected by the rotation. By solving the Boltzmann equations directly, we can assess the rotation-induced distortion of the angular distribution in momentum space, which gives rise to the rotational component of the neutrino flux. We compare the Eddington tensors calculated both from the raw data and from the M1-closure approximation. We demonstrate that the Eddington tensor is determined by complicated interplays of the fluid velocity and the neutrino interactions and that the M1-closure, which assumes that the Eddington factor is determined by the flux factor, fails to fully capture this aspect, especially in the vicinity of the shock. We find that the error in the Eddington factor reaches ~20% in our simulation. This is due not to the resolution but to the different dependence of the Eddington and flux factors on the angular profile of the neutrino distribution function, and hence modification to the closure relation is needed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Observational Predictions for Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Explosions: Further Evidence for Multiple Progenitor Systems for Type Ia Supernovae

We present a numerical parameter survey of sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf (WD) explosions. Carbon-oxygen WDs accreting a helium shell have the potential to explode in the sub-Chandrasekhar mass regime. Previous studies have shown how the ignition of a helium shell can either directly ignite the WD at the core-shell interface or propagate a shock wave into the the core causing a central ignition. We examine the explosions of WDs from 0.6 - 1.2 M ⊙ with helium shells of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.08 M ⊙ . Distinct observational signatures of sub-Chandrasekhar mass WD explosions are predicted for two categories of shell size. Thicker-shell models show an early time flux excess, which is caused by the presence of radioactive material in the ashes of the helium shell, and red colors due to these ashes creating significant line blanketing in the UV through the blue portion of the spectrum. Thin shell models reproduce several typical Type Ia supernova signatures. We identify a relationship between Si II velocity and luminosity which, for the first time, identifies a sub-class of observed supernovae that are consistent with these models. This sub-class is further delineated by the absence of carbon in their atmospheres. We suggest that the proposed difference in the ratio of selective to total extinction between the high velocity and normal velocity Type Ia supernovae is not due to differences in the properties of the dust around these events, but is rather an artifact of applying a single extinction correction to two intrinsically different populations of supernovae.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dark Energy Survey Deep Field photometric redshift performance and training incompleteness assessment

Context. The determination of accurate photometric redshifts (photo-zs) in large imaging galaxy surveys is key for cosmological studies. One of the most common approaches are machine learning techniques. These methods require a spectroscopic or reference sample to train the algorithms. Attention has to be paid to the quality and properties of these samples since they are key factors in the estimation of reliable photo-zs. Aims. The goal of this work is to calculate the photo-zs for the Y3 DES Deep Fields catalogue using the DNF machine learning algorithm. Moreover, we want to develop techniques to assess the incompleteness of the training sample and metrics to study how incompleteness affects the quality of photometric redshifts. Finally, we are interested in comparing the performance obtained with respect to the EAzY template fitting approach on Y3 DES Deep Fields catalogue. Methods. We have emulated -- at brighter magnitude -- the training incompleteness with a spectroscopic sample whose redshifts are known to have a measurable view of the problem. We have used a principal component analysis to graphically assess incompleteness and to relate it with the performance parameters provided by DNF. Finally, we have applied the results about the incompleteness to the photo-z computation on Y3 DES Deep Fields with DNF and estimated its performance. Results. The photo-zs for the galaxies on DES Deep Fields have been computed with the DNF algorithm and added to the Y3 DES Deep Fields catalogue. They are available at https://des.ncsa.illinois.edu/releases/y3a2/Y3deepfields. Some techniques have been developed to evaluate the performance in the absence of "true" redshift and to assess completeness. We have studied... (Partial abstract)

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Model BOSS and eBOSS luminous red galaxies at 0.2< z<1.0 using SubHalo Abundance Matching with three parameters

SubHalo Abundance Matching (SHAM) is an empirical method for constructing galaxy catalogues based on high-resolution N-body simulations. Here, we apply SHAM on the UNIT simulation to simulate SDSS BOSS/eBOSS luminous red galaxies (LRGs) within a wide redshift range of 0.2 < $z$ < 1.0. Besides the typical SHAM scatter parameter σ, we include $v$ smear and V ceil to take into account the redshift uncertainty and the galaxy incompleteness, respectively. These two additional parameters are critical for reproducing the observed 2PCF multipoles on 5–25$\, h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$. The redshift uncertainties obtained from the best-fitting $v$ smear agree with those measured from repeat observations for all SDSS LRGs except for the LOWZ sample. We explore several potential systematics but none of them can explain the discrepancy found in LOWZ. Our explanation is that the LOWZ galaxies might contain another type of galaxies that needs to be treated differently. The evolution of the measured σ and Vceil also reveals that the incompleteness of eBOSS galaxies decreases with the redshift. This is the consequence of the magnitude lower limit applied in eBOSS LRG target selection. Our SHAM also set upper limits for the intrinsic scatter of the galaxy–halo relation, given a complete galaxy sample: σ int < 0.31 for LOWZ at 0.2 < $z$ < 0.33, σ int < 0.36 for LOWZ at 0.33 < $z$ < 0.43, and σ int < 0.46 for CMASS at 0.43 < $z$ < 0.51. The projected 2PCFs of our SHAM galaxies also agree with the observational ones on the 2PCF fitting range.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Numerical study of effect of secondary electron emission on discharge characteristics in low pressure capacitive RF argon discharge

Based on the drift and diffusion approximation theory, a 1D fluid model on capacitively coupled RF argon glow discharge at low pressure is established to study the effect of secondary electron emission (SEE) on the discharge characteristics. The model is numerically solved by using a finite difference method and the numerical results are obtained. The numerical results indicate that when the SEE coefficient is larger, the plasma density is higher and the time of reaching steady state is longer. It is also found that the cycle-averaged electric field, electric potential, and electron temperature change a little as the SEE coefficient is increased. Moreover, the discharge characteristics in some nonequilibrium discharge processes with different SEE coefficients have been compared. The analysis shows that when the SEE coefficient is varied from 0.01 to 0.3, the cycle-averaged electron net power absorption, electron heating rate, thermal convective term, electron energy dissipation, and ionization all have different degrees of growth. While the electron energy dissipation and ionization are quite special, there appear two peaks near each sheath region in the discharge with a relatively larger SEE coefficient. In this case, the discharge is certainly operated in a hybrid α-γ-mode.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: marginalization over redshift distribution uncertainties using ranking of discrete realizations

ABSTRACT Cosmological information from weak lensing surveys is maximized by sorting source galaxies into tomographic redshift subsamples. Any uncertainties on these redshift distributions must be correctly propagated into the cosmological results. We present hyperrank, a new method for marginalizing over redshift distribution uncertainties, using discrete samples from the space of all possible redshift distributions, improving over simple parametrized models. In hyperrank, the set of proposed redshift distributions is ranked according to a small (between one and four) number of summary values, which are then sampled, along with other nuisance parameters and cosmological parameters in the Monte Carlo chain used for inference. This approach can be regarded as a general method for marginalizing over discrete realizations of data vector variation with nuisance parameters, which can consequently be sampled separately from the main parameters of interest, allowing for increased computational efficiency. We focus on the case of weak lensing cosmic shear analyses and demonstrate our method using simulations made for the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We show that the method can correctly and efficiently marginalize over a wide range of models for the redshift distribution uncertainty. Finally, we compare hyperrank to the common mean-shifting method of marginalizing over redshift uncertainty, validating that this simpler model is sufficient for use in the DES Year 3 cosmology results presented in companion papers.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Event Horizon General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Code Comparison Project

Recent developments in compact object astrophysics, especially the discovery of merging neutron stars by LIGO, the imaging of the black hole in M87 by the Event Horizon Telescope, and high- precision astrometry of the Galactic Center at close to the event horizon scale by the GRAVITY experiment motivate the development of numerical source models that solve the equations of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD). In this work we compare GRMHD solutions for the evolution of a magnetized accretion flow where turbulence is promoted by the magnetorotational instability from a set of nine GRMHD codes: Athena++, BHAC, Cosmos++, ECHO, H-AMR, iharm3D, HARM-Noble, IllinoisGRMHD, and KORAL. Agreement among the codes improves as resolution increases, as measured by a consistently applied, specially developed set of code performance metrics. Thus, we decide that the community of GRMHD codes is mature, capable, and consistent on these test problems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A computationally efficient parallel Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm for highly parameterized inverse model analyses

Inverse modeling seeks model parameters given a set of observations. However, for practical problems because the number of measurements is often large and the model parameters are also numerous, conventional methods for inverse modeling can be computationally expensive. We have developed a new, computationally-efficient parallel Levenberg-Marquardt method for solving inverse modeling problems with a highly parameterized model space. Levenberg-Marquardt methods require the solution of a linear system of equations which can be prohibitively expensive to compute for moderate to large-scale problems. Our novel method projects the original linear problem down to a Krylov subspace, such that the dimensionality of the problem can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, we store the Krylov subspace computed when using the first damping parameter and recycle the subspace for the subsequent damping parameters. The efficiency of our new inverse modeling algorithm is significantly improved using these computational techniques. We apply this new inverse modeling method to invert for random transmissivity fields in 2D and a random hydraulic conductivity field in 3D. Our algorithm is fast enough to solve for the distributed model parameters (transmissivity) in the model domain. The algorithm is coded in Julia and implemented in the MADS computational framework (http://mads.lanl.gov). By comparing with Levenberg-Marquardt methods using standard linear inversion techniques such as QR or SVD methods, our Levenberg-Marquardt method yields a speed-up ratio on the order of ~10 1 to ~10 2 in a multi-core computational environment. Furthermore, our new inverse modeling method is a powerful tool for characterizing subsurface heterogeneity for moderate- to large-scale problems.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Sensitivity of Numerical Simulations of Cloud‐Topped Boundary Layers to Cross‐Grid Flow

Abstract In mesoscale and global atmospheric simulations with large horizontal domains, strong horizontal flow across the grid is often unavoidable, but its effects on cloud‐topped boundary layers have received comparatively little study. Here the effects of cross‐grid flow on large‐eddy simulations of stratocumulus and trade‐cumulus marine boundary layers are studied across a range of grid resolutions (horizontal × vertical) between 500 m × 20 m and 35 m × 5 m. Three cases are simulated: DYCOMS nocturnal stratocumulus, BOMEX trade cumulus, and a GCSS stratocumulus‐to‐trade cumulus case. Simulations are performed with a stationary grid (with 4–8 m s −1 horizontal winds blowing through the cyclic domain) and a moving grid (equivalent to subtracting off a fixed vertically uniform horizontal wind) approximately matching the mean boundary‐layer wind speed. For stratocumulus clouds, cross‐grid flow produces two primary effects on stratocumulus clouds: a filtering of fine‐scale resolved turbulent eddies, which reduces stratocumulus cloud‐top entrainment, and a vertical broadening of the stratocumulus‐top inversion which enhances cloud‐top entrainment. With a coarse (20 m) vertical grid, the former effect dominates and leads to strong increases in cloud cover and LWP, especially as horizontal resolution is coarsened. With a finer (5 m) vertical grid, the latter effect is stronger and leads to small reductions in cloud cover and LWP. For the BOMEX trade cumulus case, cross‐grid flow tends to produce fewer and larger clouds with higher LWP, especially for coarser vertical grid spacing. The results presented are robust to choice of scalar advection scheme and Courant number.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Momentum-Resolved Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering from a Nanowire-Nanoparticle Junction Cavity

Herein experimental evidence of directional surface enhanced Raman scattering from molecules situated inside a single nanowire–nanoparticle junction cavity is reported. The emission is confined to a narrow range of wavevectors perpendicular to the axis of the cavity. In addition to this, the molecules excite multiple guided modes of the nanowire which are imaged using leakage radiation Fourier microscopy. The emission wavevectors are further characterized as a function of output polarization. The excited guided modes of the wire show interesting polarization signatures. All the results are corroborated using finite element method based numerical simulations. Essentially, an important connection between gap-cavity enhanced Raman scattering and its directionality of emission is provided. The results may be relevant in understanding the cavity electrodynamics at the nanoscale and molecular coupling to extremely small gaps between a 1D and a 0D plasmonic nanostructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Extended Barton–Bandis model for rock joints under cyclic loading: Formulation and implicit algorithm

In this paper, the Barton–Bandis model for rock joints is extended to cyclic loading conditions, without any new material parameter. Also developed herein is an implicit solution algorithm for the extended Barton–Bandis model, which can also be used for the original Barton–Bandis model for which an implicit algorithm has been unavailable. To this end, we first cast the Barton–Bandis model into an incremental elasto-plastic framework, deriving an expression for the elastic shear stiffness being consistent with the original model formulation. We then extend the model formulation to cyclic loading conditions, incorporating the dependence of shear stress and dilation on the joint position and the shearing direction. The extension is achieved by introducing a few state-dependent variables which can be calculated with the existing material parameters. For robust and accurate utilization of the model, we also develop an implicit algorithm based on return mapping, which is unconditionally stable and guarantees the satisfaction of the strength criterion. We verify that the proposed model formulation and algorithm produce virtually the same results as the original Barton–Bandis model under monotonic shearing conditions. Here, we then validate the extended Barton–Bandis model against experimental data on natural rock joints under cycling loading conditions. The present work thus enables the Barton–Bandis model, which has been exceptionally popular in research and practice, to be applicable to a wider range of problems in rock mechanics and rock engineering.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Plastic work constrained elastoplastic topology optimization

An elastoplastic topology optimization framework for limiting plastic work generation while maximizing stiffness is presented. The kinematics and constitutive model are based on finite strain linear isotropic hardening plasticity, and the balance laws are solved using a total Lagrangian finite element formulation. Aggregation of the specific plastic work combined with an adaptive normalization scheme efficiently constrains the maximum specific plastic work. The optimization problem is regularized using an augmented partial differential equation filter, and is solved by the method of moving asymptotes where path-dependent sensitivities are derived using the adjoint method. The numerical examples show a clear dependence on the optimized maximum stiffness structures for different levels of constrained specific plastic work. It is also shown that due to the history dependency of the plasticity, the load path significantly influences the structural performance and optimized topology.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

The strip method for shape derivatives

Abstract A major challenge in shape optimization is the coupling of finite element method (FEM) codes in a way that facilitates efficient computation of shape derivatives. This is particularly difficult with multiphysics problems involving legacy codes, where the costs of implementing and maintaining shape derivative capabilities are prohibitive. The volume and boundary methods are two approaches to computing shape derivatives. Each has a major drawback: the boundary method is less accurate, while the volume method is more invasive to the FEM code. We introduce the strip method , which computes shape derivatives on a strip adjacent to the boundary. The strip method makes code coupling simple. Like the boundary method, it queries the state and adjoint solutions at quadrature nodes, but requires no knowledge of the FEM code implementations. At the same time, it exhibits the higher accuracy of the volume method. As an added benefit, its computational complexity is comparable to that of the boundary method, that is, it is faster than the volume method. We illustrate the benefits of the strip method with numerical examples.

Hardesty, Sean↗