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At least 163 records · Page 9

$κ$monty: a Monte Carlo Compton scattering code including non-thermal electrons

Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei are strong sources of X-ray emission produced by Compton scattering originating from the accretion flows surrounding their supermassive black holes. The shape and energy of the resulting spectrum depend on the shape of the underlying electron distribution function (DF). In this work, we present an extended version of the GRMONTY code, called ΚMONTY. The GRMONTY code previously only included a thermal Maxwell–Jütner electron DF. We extend the GRMONTY code with non-thermal electron DFs, namely the κ and power-law DFs, implement Cartesian Kerr–Schild coordinates, accelerate the code with MPI, and couple the code to the non-uniform adaptive mesh refinement grid data from the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics code BHAC. For the Compton scattering process, we derive two sampling kernels for both DFs. Finally, we present a series of code tests to verify the accuracy of our schemes. The implementation of non-thermal DFs opens the possibility of studying the effect of non-thermal emission on previously developed black hole accretion models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Ladder symmetries and Love numbers of Reissner-Nordström black holes

It is well known that asymptotically flat black holes in general relativity have vanishing tidal Love numbers. In the case of Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes, this property has been shown to be a consequence of a hidden structure of ladder symmetries for the perturbations. In this work, we extend the ladder symmetries to non-rotating charged black holes in general relativity. As opposed to previous works in this context, we adopt a more general definition of Love numbers, including quadratic operators that mix gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations in the point-particle effective field theory. We show that the calculation of a subset of those couplings in full general relativity is affected by an ambiguity in the split between source and response, which we resolve through an analytic continuation. As a result, we derive a novel master equation that unifies scalar, electromagnetic and gravitational perturbations around Reissner-Nordström black holes. The equation is hypergeometric and can be obtained from previous formulations via nontrivial field redefinitions, which allow to systematically remove some of the singularities and make the presence of the ladder symmetries more manifest.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Modulating above-room-temperature magnetism in Ga-implanted Fe 5 GeTe 2 van der Waals magnets

The creation of van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets with tunable Curie temperature (T C ) and magnetic anisotropy is essential in developing vdW magnet-based devices. Here, we report an effective and reliable method for modulating the magnetic properties of vdW Fe 5 GeTe 2 by site-specific Ga + implantation. In this study, we report an easy axis in the ab-plane for bulk Fe 5 GeTe 2 (T C = 310 K) and an axis out of the plane for thin Fe 5 GeTe 2 flakes (T C = 290 K). Combining element-resolved photoemission electron microscopy and spatially resolved magneto-optic Kerr microscopy, we find that the implantation of a tiny amount of 10 –3 Ga + ·Å –3 in Fe 5 GeTe 2 greatly enhances the T C from 290 to 360 K and switches the magnetic easy axis from the out-of-plane c axis to the ab-plane. The room-temperature x-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal is enhanced from 0% to 9% at an implantation level of 10 –2 Ga + ·Å –3 . These results provide new opportunities for tailoring the magnetic properties of vdW materials beyond room temperature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Near-octave lithium niobate soliton microcomb

Thin film lithium niobate (LN) is bringing renewed potential to the realm of integrated photonics. Its strong quadratic and cubic nonlinearities as well as wide transparency window are ideal for realizing on-chip self-referenced soliton microcombs. However, broadband Kerr cavity soliton generation in LN thin films remains challenging due to limited dispersion control and competition from strong stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). Here, we demonstrate the generation of soliton microcombs in LN thin films featuring broad spectral spans up to 4/5 octaves with the emission of dual dispersion waves (2/3 octaves apart) and sub-terahertz repetition rates (down to 335 GHz) by suppressing strong SRS. Numerical simulations based on coupled-mode equations that incorporate Raman effects further elucidate the soliton dynamics in this highly Raman-active material system.

Gong, Zheng (ORCID:0000000301704870)↗

Superposed metric for spinning black hole binaries approaching merger

Here, we construct an approximate metric that represents the spacetime of spinning binary black holes (BBH) approaching merger. We build the metric as an analytical superposition of two Kerr metrics in harmonic coordinates, where we transform each black hole term with time-dependent boosts describing an inspiral trajectory. The velocities and trajectories of the boost are obtained by solving the post-Newtonian (PN) equations of motion at 3.5 PN order. We analyze the spacetime scalars of the new metric and we show that it is an accurate approximation of Einstein’s field equations in vacuum for a BBH system in the inspiral regime. Furthermore, to prove the effectiveness of our approach, we test the metric in the context of a 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (GRMHD) simulation of accreting minidisks around the black holes. We compare our results with a previous well-tested spacetime construction based on the asymptotic matching method. We conclude that our new spacetime is well-suited for long-term GRMHD simulations of spinning binary black holes on their way to the merger.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

High-compression implosions based on high density carbon ablator using modified drive and capsule dopant profiles

Laser-driven inertial fusion experiments have, for the first time, achieved a target gain greater than unity in a laboratory setting [Abu-Shawareb et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 065102 (2024)]. Despite this breakthrough, the burn-up fraction remains limited to about one-fourth of ideal estimates due to insufficient areal density, highlighting the potential for greater gains through enhanced compression. In our previous work, we demonstrated record-high compression of stagnated fuel in indirectly driven implosions using high-density carbon ablators. This was achieved by combining a continuous ramped pulse drive with a modified ablator dopant profile, which reduced mixing at the fuel–ablator interface and improved stability [Tommasini et al., Phys. Rev. Res. 5, L042034 (2023)]. Based on this foundation, the study presented here investigates the limits of compression achievable by combining the continuous ramped pulse drive with different dopant profiles to further minimize unstable interfaces and gradient discontinuities, thereby reducing fuel–ablator mixing. Our results demonstrate that the continuous ramped pulse consistently outperforms designs based on 3-shock drive pulses across all ablator profiles studied, with compression showing only a relatively modest dependence on dopant configurations that reduce the number of interfaces or eliminate discontinuities in the dopant gradient profile. Sub-scale experiments using the continuous ramped pulse achieved compression levels exceeding those of full-scale “HyE” implosions [Kritcher et al., Phys. Plasmas 28, 072706 (2021)] at similar adiabat, anticipating significant performance gains with increased scale, as supported by models and simulations. These findings underscore the critical role of the continuous ramped pulse in reducing mix and achieving improved compression. They also provide a foundation for future large-scale experiments to test the continuous ramped pulse design on deuterium–tritium fuel in the burn-wave propagation regime, leveraging the most effective combinations of continuous ramped pulse and dopant profiles identified in this study.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Spin wavepackets in the Kagome ferromagnet Fe 3 Sn 2 : Propagation and precursors

The propagation of spin waves in magnetically ordered systems has emerged as a potential means to shuttle quantum information over large distances. Conventionally, the arrival time of a spin wavepacket at a distance, d , is assumed to be determined by its group velocity, v g . Here, we report time-resolved optical measurements of wavepacket propagation in the Kagome ferromagnet Fe 3 Sn 2 that demonstrate the arrival of spin information at times significantly less than d / v g . We show that this spin wave “precursor” originates from the interaction of light with the unusual spectrum of magnetostatic modes in Fe 3 Sn 2 . Related effects may have far-reaching consequences toward realizing long-range, ultrafast spin wave transport in both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Low-threshold supercontinuum generation in polycrystalline media

Until recently, the generation of super-octave continua in bulk materials at full repetition rates of femtosecond (fs) oscillators has been limited to a few special cases of Kerr lens mode-locked Ti:sapphire lasers. In 2019, we described a 3.4-octave fs source with 50 nJ pulse energy at the repetition rate of 78 MHz based on polycrystalline Cr:ZnS [Vasilyev et al. , Optica 6 , 126 ( 2019 ) OPTIC8 2334-2536 10.1364/OPTICA.6.000126 ]. Here we explain the mechanism of fs supercontinuum generation in transition-metal doped polycrystalline II-VI semiconductors at relatively low (nJ-level) pulse energy. We demonstrate that this new supercontinuum regime is enabled by a complex, yet well-reproducible, interplay between the effects arising from the third-order nonlinearity, the quadratic nonlinearities, and thermal optical effects in the medium. We also demonstrate the control of fs pulse propagation in disordered χ <#comment/> ( 2 ) media via the control of the material microstructure.

Vasilyev, Sergey (ORCID:0000000225203547)↗

Nitride-Oxide-Metal Heterostructure with Self-Assembled Core–Shell Nanopillar Arrays: Effect of Ordering on Magneto-Optical Properties

Magneto-optical (MO) coupling incorporates photon-induced change of magnetic polarization that can be adopted in ultrafast switching, optical isolators, mode convertors, and optical data storage components for advanced optical integrated circuits. However, integrating plasmonic, magnetic, and dielectric properties in one single material system poses challenges since one natural material can hardly possess all these functionalities. Here, co-deposition of a three-phase heterostructure composed of a durable conductive nitride matrix with embedded core–shell vertically aligned nanopillars, is demonstrated. Additionally, the unique coupling between ferromagnetic NiO core and atomically sharp plasmonic Au shell enables strong MO activity out-of-plane at room temperature. Further, a template growth process is applied, which significantly enhances the ordering of the nanopillar array. The ordered nanostructure offers two schemes of spin polarization which result in stronger antisymmetry of Kerr rotation. The presented complex hybrid metamaterial platform with strong magnetic and optical anisotropies is promising for tunable and modulated all-optical-based nanodevices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Impact analysis of DERs on bulk power system stability through the parameterization of aggregated DER_a model for real feeders

With an ever increasing percentage of distributed energy resources (DERs) connected behind the meter in the distribution system, it is becoming increasingly important to equip transmission planners with the visibility of DER dynamic performance in distribution system. Not having visibility of the disconnection of DERs with the occurrence of transmission events, could result in an erroneous view of the stability of bulk power system. Here, in this paper, a parameterized aggregated model (DER_a) serves as a representation of the distribution-level dynamics of real residential feeders, which is used for analysis of bulk power system stability. The parameters are obtained by executing dynamic Monte Carlo simulations. Faults are then induced at the substation level causing the DERs to trip which subsequently enables the parameterization of the low and high voltage breakpoints (v l0 , v l1 , v h0 , and v h1 ) of the DER_a model’s partial voltage trip block. These parameters are then utilized to study the effectiveness of the DER_a model to represent the behavior of the aggregated DERs’ response and their impact on the bulk power system. The case study shows the ability of the positive-sequence DER_a model to provide an accurate estimation of DERs that are susceptible to trip due to 3-$\phi$ and 1-$\phi$ faults of transmission.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Observational Evidence for Cosmological Coupling of Black Holes and its Implications for an Astrophysical Source of Dark Energy

Observations have found black holes spanning 10 orders of magnitude in mass across most of cosmic history. The Kerr black hole solution is, however, provisional as its behavior at infinity is incompatible with an expanding universe. Black hole models with realistic behavior at infinity predict that the gravitating mass of a black hole can increase with the expansion of the universe independently of accretion or mergers, in a manner that depends on the black hole's interior solution. We test this prediction by considering the growth of supermassive black holes in elliptical galaxies over 0 < z ≲ 2.5. We find evidence for cosmologically coupled mass growth among these black holes, with zero cosmological coupling excluded at 99.98% confidence. The redshift dependence of the mass growth implies that, at z ≲ 7, black holes contribute an effectively constant cosmological energy density to Friedmann's equations. The continuity equation then requires that black holes contribute cosmologically as vacuum energy. We further show that black hole production from the cosmic star formation history gives the value of Ω Λ measured by Planck while being consistent with constraints from massive compact halo objects. We thus propose that stellar remnant black holes are the astrophysical origin of dark energy, explaining the onset of accelerating expansion at z ~ 0.7.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Understanding the effects of neutron scattering for neutron-yield-isotropy measurements at the NIF

Neutron-yield diagnostics at the NIF have been upgraded to include 48 detectors placed around the NIF target chamber to assess the DT-neutron-yield isotropy for inertial confinement fusion experiments. Real-time neutron-activation detectors are used to understand yield asymmetries due to Doppler shifts in the neutron energy attributed to hotspot motion, variations in the fuel and ablator areal densities, and other physics effects. In order to isolate target physics effects, we must understand the contribution due to neutron scattering associated with the different hardware configurations used for each experiment. Here, we present results from several calibration experiments that demonstrate the ability to achieve our goal of 1% or better precision in determining the yield isotropy.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Accelerating boundary analog of a Kerr black hole

An accelerated boundary correspondence (i.e. a flat spacetime accelerating mirror trajectory) is derived for the Kerr spacetime, with a general formula that ranges from the Schwarzschild limit (zero angular momentum) to the extreme maximal spin case (yielding asymptotic uniform acceleration). Here, the beta Bogoliubov coefficients reveal the particle spectrum is a Planck distribution at late times with temperature cooler than a Schwarzschild black hole, due to the 'spring constant' analog of angular momentum. The quantum stress tensor indicates a constant emission of energy flux at late times consistent with eternal thermal equilibrium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Evaluation of the response to electrons and pions in the scintillating fiber and lead calorimeter for the future electron-ion collider

The performance of the Baby Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter (Baby BCAL) — a small-scale lead-scintillating-fiber (Pb/ScFi) prototype of the GlueX Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter (BCAL) — was tested in a dedicated beam campaign at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility (FTBF). This study provides a benchmark for the Pb/ScFi component of the future Barrel Imaging Calorimeter (BIC) in the ePIC detector at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). The detector response to electrons and pions was studied at beam energies between 4 and 10 GeV, extending previous GlueX tests to a higher energy regime. The calibrated detector exhibits good linearity within uncertainties, and its electron energy resolution meets EIC requirements. The data further constrain the constant term in the energy resolution to below 1.9%, improving upon previous constraints at lower energies. Simulations reproduce key features of the electron and pion data within the limitations of the collected dataset and the FTBF test environment. Electron-pion separation in the test beam setup was analyzed using multiple methods, incorporating varying degrees of beam-related effects. The inclusion of longitudinal shower profile information enhanced the separation performance, underscoring its relevance for the full-scale BIC in ePIC. These results provide essential benchmarks for the Pb/ScFi section of the future BIC, validating detector simulations and guiding optimization strategies for electron-pion discrimination.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Accelerating nuclear fuel development and qualification: Modeling and simulation integrated with separate-effects testing

In this work, an approach to transform and accelerate nuclear fuel development and qualification is outlined. The approach exploits advanced modeling and simulation at the outset to inform constituent and system selection and to enable integral fuel performance analyses. Analyses using these tools identify and prioritize the most important fuel performance parameters and phenomena for subsequent targeted characterization with separate-effects tests. Separate-effects testing spans out-of-pile and in-pile tests and is meant to iterate with and inform engineering-scale integral fuel performance analyses throughout the development process. Exercising this cycle in an agile fashion will increase confidence in the integral fuel performance predictions while reducing uncertainties. This process sets the stage for executing a much more limited set of well-defined integral irradiation tests designed to validate engineering-scale fuel performance codes and to confirm the performance and safety of the fuel system under prototypic conditions. This approach will reduce the time for development and qualification of a new fuel system, and it will also reduce associated costs.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Three-dimensional diagnostics and measurements of inertial confinement fusion plasmas

Recent inertial confinement fusion measurements have highlighted the importance of 3D asymmetry effects on implosion performance. One prominent example is the bulk drift velocity of the deuterium–tritium plasma undergoing fusion (“hotspot”), v HS . Upgrades to the National Ignition Facility neutron time-of-flight diagnostics now provide v HS to better than 1 part in 10 4 and enable cross correlations with other measurements. Here we present the impact of v HS on the neutron yield, downscatter ratio, apparent ion temperature, electron temperature, and 2D x-ray emission. The necessary improvements to diagnostic suites to take these measurements are also detailed. The benefits of using cross-diagnostic analysis to test hotspot models and theory are discussed, and cross-shot trends are shown.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Driven-dissipative phase transition in a Kerr oscillator: From semiclassical PT symmetry to quantum fluctuations

We study a minimal model that has a driven-dissipative quantum phase transition, namely a Kerr non-linear oscillator subject to driving and dissipation. Using mean-field theory, exact diagonalization, and the Keldysh formalism, we analyze the critical phenomena in this system, showing which aspects can be captured by each approach and how the approaches complement each other. Then critical scaling and finite-size scaling are calculated analytically using the quantum Langevin equation. Furthermore, the physics contained in this simple model is surprisingly rich: it includes a continuous phase transition, Z 2 symmetry breaking, PT symmetry, state squeezing, and critical fluctuations. Due to its simplicity and solvability, this model can serve as a paradigm for exploration of open quantum many-body physics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A NICER View of the Massive Pulsar PSR J0740+6620 Informed by Radio Timing and XMM-Newton Spectroscopy

We report on Bayesian estimation of the radius, mass, and hot surface regions of the massive millisecond pulsar PSR J0740+6620, conditional on pulse-profile modeling of Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer X-ray Timing Instrument event data. We condition on informative pulsar mass, distance, and orbital inclination priors derived from the joint North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves and Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment/Pulsar wideband radio timing measurements of Fonseca et al. We use XMM-Newton European Photon Imaging Camera spectroscopic event data to inform our X-ray likelihood function. The prior support of the pulsar radius is truncated at 16 km to ensure coverage of current dense matter models. We assume conservative priors on instrument calibration uncertainty. We constrain the equatorial radius and mass of PSR J0740+6620 to be ${12.39}_{-0.98}^{+1.30}$ km and ${2.072}_{-0.066}^{+0.067}$ M ⊙ respectively, each reported as the posterior credible interval bounded by the 16% and 84% quantiles, conditional on surface hot regions that are non-overlapping spherical caps of fully ionized hydrogen atmosphere with uniform effective temperature; a posteriori, the temperature is ${\mathrm{log}}_{10}(T\,[{\rm{K}}])={5.99}_{-0.06}^{+0.05}$ for each hot region. All software for the X-ray modeling framework is open-source and all data, model, and sample information is publicly available, including analysis notebooks and model modules in the Python language. Furthermore, our marginal likelihood function of mass and equatorial radius is proportional to the marginal joint posterior density of those parameters (within the prior support) and can thus be computed from the posterior samples.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗