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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

MODELING THE NUCLEAR INFRARED SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF TYPE II ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

We present results from model fitting to the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a homogeneous sample of Seyfert II galaxies drawn from the 12 {mu}m Galaxy Sample. Imaging and nuclear flux measurements are presented in an accompanying paper. Here we add Spitzer/IRS observations to further constrain the SEDs after careful subtraction of a starburst component. We use the library of CLUMPY torus models from Nenkova et al. and also test the two-phase models recently produced by Stalevski et al. We find that photometric and spectroscopic observations in the mid-IR ({lambda} {approx}> 5 {mu}m) are crucial to properly constrain the best-fit torus models. About half of our sources show clear near-IR excess of their SEDs above the best-fit models. This problem can be less severe when using the Stalevski et al. models. The nature of this emission is not clear since best-fitted blackbody temperatures are very high ({approx}1700-2500 K) and the Type II classification of our sources would correspond to a small probability to peer directly into the hottest regions of the torus. Crucially, the derived torus parameters are quite robust when using CLUMPY models, independently of whether or not the sources require an additional blackbody component. Our findings suggest that tori are characterized by N{sub 0}{approx}>5, {sigma} {approx}> 40, {tau} {approx}< 25, Angle i {approx}> 40 Degree-Sign , Y {approx}< 50, and A {sup los} {sub v} {approx} 100-300, where N{sub 0} is the number of clouds in the equatorial plane of the torus, {sigma} is the characteristic opening angle of the cloud distribution, {tau} is the opacity of a single cloud, Angle i is the line-of-sight orientation of the torus, Y is the ratio of the inner to the outer radii, and A {sup los} {sub v} is the total opacity along the line of sight. From these, we can determine typical torus sizes and masses of 0.1-5.0 pc and 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} M {sub Sun }, respectively. We find tentative evidence that those nuclei with detected hidden broad-line regions are characterized by lower levels of extinction than those without one. Finally, we find no correlation between the torus properties and the presence of circumnuclear or more global star formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC)

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) organizes cooperation between the major nuclear data evaluation projects in the world. The NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) was established to promote the exchange of information on nuclear data evaluation, measurement, nuclear model calculation, validation, and related topics, and to provide a framework for cooperative activities between the participating projects. The working party assesses nuclear data improvement needs and addresses these needs by initiating joint activities in the framework of dedicated WPEC subgroups. Studies recently completed comprise a number of works related to nuclear data covariance and associated processing issues, as well as more specific studies related to the resonance parameter representation in the unresolved resonance region, the gamma production from fission product capture reactions, the {sup 235}U capture cross section, the EXFOR database, and the improvement of nuclear data for advanced reactor systems. Ongoing activities focus on the evaluation of {sup 239}Pu in the resonance region, scattering angular distribution in the fast energy range, and reporting/usage of experimental data for evaluation in the resolved resonance region. New activities include two subgroups on improved fission product yield evaluation methodologies and on modern nuclear database structures. Future activities under discussion include a pilot project for a Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organization (CIELO) and methods to provide feedback from nuclear and covariance data adjustment for improvement of nuclear data. In addition to the above mentioned short-term task-oriented subgroups, WPEC also hosts a longer-term subgroup charged with reviewing and compiling the most important nuclear data requirements in a high priority request list (HPRL)

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Data Integration Aggregated Model For Nuclear Deployment

The data of a nuclear utility or plant are stored in various isolated forms in different systems. These data have different structures and tools and are, therefore, used independently. The integration of data sources is often needed and is performed manually and on an as-needed basis. The integration of the data would enable creating a data warehouse for a single nuclear power plant (NPP) or multiple plants. A data model contains objects that make up a given domain along with their attributes and relationships and could be used as a standard for exchange between applications for simple integration and data aggregation. After a survey of existing models, it was determined that a new model was required to meet the scope of this problem. DIAMOND has been developed in the form of an ontology to meet these needs. An ontology is simply a data model that also acts as a taxonomy for the domain, organizing the objects in a hierarchy with the most general objects at the top.

Browning, JerenM↗
DOE OSTI2011

Phase structure in a chiral model of nuclear matter

The phase structure of symmetric nuclear matter in the extended Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (ENJL) model is studied by means of the effective potential in the one-loop approximation. It is found that chiral symmetry gets restored at high nuclear density and a typical first-order phase transition of the liquid-gas transition occurs at zero temperature, T=0, which weakens as T grows and eventually ends up with a second-order critical point at T=20 MeV. This phase transition scenario is confirmed by investigating the evolution of the effective potential versus the effective nucleon mass and the equation of state.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Solving the nuclear pairing model with neural network quantum states

In this work, we present a variational Monte Carlo method that solves the nuclear many-body problem in the occupation number formalism exploiting an artificial neural network representation of the groundstate wave function. A memory-efficient version of the stochastic reconfiguration algorithm is developed to train the network by minimizing the expectation value of the Hamiltonian. We benchmark this approach against widely used nuclear many-body methods by solving a model used to describe pairing in nuclei for different types of interaction and different values of the interaction strength. Despite its polynomial computational cost, our method outperforms coupled-cluster and provides energies that are in excellent agreement with the numerically-exact full configuration interaction values.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Towards a numu CC exclusive cross section measurement with one proton and one muon in the final state at the NOvA near detector

NOvA is a long-baseline neutrino experiment at Fermilab that studies neutrino oscillations via electron neutrino appearance and muon neutrino disappearance. The NOvA Near Detector, located 1 km from the NuMI target, records a high rate of neutrino interactions in the energy range of 1-5 GeV. One of the limitations in precise extraction of oscillations is the large systematic uncertainty on neutrino-nucleus interactions. The high rate of neutrino interactions in the NOvA Near Detector provides the opportunity to probe various neutrino interaction processes and nuclear models, via the extraction of cross sections of particular final states. Nuclear models can be improved by measuring neutrino-nucleus cross sections with respect to kinematic variables which are known to be more sensitive to nuclear effects, such as transverse kinematic imbalance (TKI) variables. Usage of TKI variables allows for more direct constraints on models of neutrino scattering, as these variables can more directly investigate, for instance, effects of Fermi motion and final state interactions. In this work, we describe progress towards a method of identifying and reconstructing protons in the NOvA near detector to enable the cross section measurement of charged current neutrino interactions with a visible muon and a proton in the final state, reported in TKI variables.

Weber, Colin [Minnesota U.] (ORCID:000000031117067↗
NASA NTRS1993

HZEFRG1: An energy-dependent semiempirical nuclear fragmentation model

Methods for calculating cross sections for the breakup of high-energy heavy ions by the combined nuclear and coulomb fields of the interacting nuclei are presented. The nuclear breakup contributions are estimated with an abrasion-ablation model of heavy ion fragmentation that includes an energy-dependent, mean free path. The electromagnetic dissociation contributions arising from the interacting coulomb fields are estimated by using Weizsacker-Williams theory extended to include electric dipole and electric quadrupole contributions. The complete computer code that implements the model is included as an appendix. Extensive comparisons of cross section predictions with available experimental data are made.

Townsend, Lawrence W.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Decay heat uncertainty for BWR used fuel due to modeling and nuclear data uncertainties

Characterization of the energy released from radionuclide decay in nuclear fuel discharged from reactors is essential for the design, safety, and licensing analyses of used nuclear fuel storage, transportation, and repository systems. There are a limited number of decay heat measurements available for commercial used fuel applications. Because decay heat measurements can be expensive or impractical for covering the multitude of existing fuel designs, operating conditions, and specific application purposes, decay heat estimation relies heavily on computer code prediction. Uncertainty evaluation for calculated decay heat is an important aspect when assessing code prediction and a key factor supporting decision making for used fuel applications. While previous studies have largely focused on uncertainties in code predictions due to nuclear data uncertainties, this study discusses uncertainties in calculated decay heat due to uncertainties in assembly modeling parameters as well as in nuclear data. Capabilities in the SCALE nuclear analysis code system were used to quantify the effect on calculated decay heat of uncertainties in nuclear data and selected manufacturing and operation parameters for a typical boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assembly. Furthermore, the BWR fuel assembly used as the reference case for this study was selected from a set of assemblies for which high-quality decay heat measurements are available, to assess the significance of the results through comparison with calculated and measured decay heat data.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Economic Dispatch Model of Nuclear High-Temperature Reactor with Hydrogen Cogeneration in Electricity Market

Hydrogen produced without carbon emissions could be a useful fuel as nations look to decarbonize their electricity, transport, and industry sectors. Using the iodine–sulfur (IS) cycle coupled with a nuclear heat source is one method for producing hydrogen without the use of fossil fuels. An economic dispatch model was developed for a nuclear-driven IS system to determine hydrogen sale prices that would make such a system profitable. The system studied is the HTTR-GT/H2, a design for power and hydrogen cogeneration at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor. This study focuses on the development of the economic model and the role that input data plays in the final calculated values. Using a historical price duration curve shows that the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) or breakeven sale price of hydrogen would need to be 98.1 JPY/m3 or greater. Synthetic time histories were also used and found the LCOH to be 67.5 JPY/m3. The price duration input was found to have a significant effect on the LCOH. As such, great care should be used in these economic dispatch analyses to select reasonable input assumptions.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electron scattering and neutrino physics

Abstract A thorough understanding of neutrino–nucleus scattering physics is crucial for the successful execution of the entire US neutrino physics program. Neutrino–nucleus interaction constitutes one of the biggest systematic uncertainties in neutrino experiments—both at intermediate energies affecting long-baseline deep underground neutrino experiment, as well as at low energies affecting coherent scattering neutrino program—and could well be the difference between achieving or missing discovery level precision. To this end, electron–nucleus scattering experiments provide vital information to test, assess and validate different nuclear models and event generators intended to test, assess and validate different nuclear models and event generators intended to be used in neutrino experiments. Similarly, for the low-energy neutrino program revolving around the coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEvNS) physics at stopped pion sources, such as at ORNL, the main source of uncertainty in the evaluation of the CEvNS cross section is driven by the underlying nuclear structure, embedded in the weak form factor, of the target nucleus. To this end, parity-violating electron scattering (PVES) experiments, utilizing polarized electron beams, provide vital model-independent information in determining weak form factors. This information is vital in achieving a percent level precision needed to disentangle new physics signals from the standard model expected CEvNS rate. In this white paper, we highlight connections between electron- and neutrino–nucleus scattering physics at energies ranging from 10 s of MeV to a few GeV, review the status of ongoing and planned electron scattering experiments, identify gaps, and lay out a path forward that benefits the neutrino community. We also highlight the systemic challenges with respect to the divide between the nuclear and high-energy physics communities and funding that presents additional hurdles in mobilizing these connections to the benefit of neutrino programs.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Probabilistic predictions and uncertainty estimation for radiological and nuclear effects modeling

Better characterization of meteorological uncertainty is needed to predict the effects of radiological and nuclear releases in the atmosphere. Multi-physics ensembles of atmospheric simulations can estimate uncertainty of physical processes, but they are often limited for computational reasons. Because weather uncertainty is important for emergency response applications, but the conventional way of running multi-physics ensembles is infeasible, we have developed new machine learning-based methods that quickly estimate and identify key sources of meteorological uncertainty. Machine learning accelerates the analysis of weather uncertainty by iteratively learning about model physics options that affect plume predictions. We have demonstrated the power of machine learning by creating a large multi-physics weather and dispersion ensemble dataset containing 1,200 simulations for two hypothetical radiological release scenarios. By training on less than 10% of the ensemble, we can quickly and accurately predict different outcomes, including the mass of radiological material deposited and spatial distribution and extent of contaminated areas.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1996

Overview of nuclear fragmentation models and needs

It has been known for some time that adequate assessment of spacecraft shield requirements and concomitant estimates of astronauts radiation exposures from galactic cosmic radiation requires accurate, quantitative methods for characterizing these radiation fields as they pass through thick absorbers. The main nuclear interaction processes involved are (1) nuclear elastic and inelastic collisions, and (2) nuclear breakup (fragmentation) and electromagnetic dissociation (EMD). Nuclear fragmentation and EMD are important because they alter the elemental and isotopic composition of the transported radiation fields. At present, there is no suitably accurate theory for predicting nuclear fragmentation cross sections for all collision pairs and energies of interest in space radiation protection. Typical cross-section differences between theory and experiment range from about 25 percent to a factor of two. The resulting errors in transported flux, for high linear energy transfer (LET) particles, are comparble to these cross-section errors. In this overview, theoretical models of heavy ion fragmentation currently used to generate input data bases for cosmic-ray transport and shielding codes are reviewed. Their shortcomings are discussed. Further actions needed to improve their accuracy and generality are presented.

Review↗
DOE OSTI2024

Availability of Critical Benchmark Experiments for the Pebble Tanker Transportation Model for Nuclear Criticality Safety Validation of TRISO Pebbles

This study addresses the need for comprehensive investigations into TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel pebble transportation validation. In this work, an exploratory model, the pebble tanker(PT), was developed with the aim of facilitating the validation of nuclear criticality safety calculations in the context of industrial-scale transportation of TRISO fuel. The PT model was designed to investigate the availability and applicability of critical benchmark experiments crucial for assessing the transportation of these pebbles. This work incorporated sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) similarity studies to quantify the applicability of critical benchmark experiments and to address nuclear data uncertainties in the context of TRISO transportation. Two container models were investigated: one for the Hermes-type pebble and one for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)–type pebble. The models were simplified, considering fuel, containment, and either water or air, to enable a focus on the underlying physics of applications involving TRISO fuel pebbles using the PT model. A crucial aspect under consideration was the capacity of the transport package to hold pebbles while ensuring subcriticality in the flooded state. An approach in the criticality validation process involves assessing the similarity between systems through an integral index parameter evaluation. This involves calculating a correlation coefficient (referred to as c k ) based on shared nuclear data–induced uncertainty between a benchmark experiment and the application of the PT model. To facilitate this analysis, the SCALE tools, particularly the CSAS6-Shift, TSUNAMI-3D-Shift, and TSUNAMI-IP sequences, were employed for comprehensive studies in neutronics and S/U analysis. Our findings showed that there are sufficient critical experimental benchmarks to perform this validation of the PT model in the most reactive state, i.e. when the tanker is flooded. This paper provides valuable insights into validating a transport package for Generation IV TRISO fuel pebbles.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Structure and α-decay properties of the heaviest nuclei

The α-decay is considered from the viewpoint of the many body features of internal nuclear motion and the theory of resonance reactions, as well. The α-half-lives are derived from clustering and scattering amplitudes given by self-consistent nuclear models for the nuclear shell structure and reaction dynamics. Calculations are performed for superheavy nuclei with Z=102–120 using the measured E{sub α} values, microscopic (shell model) or macroscopic (one body) cluster formation amplitudes and resonance scattering amplitudes. Theoretical results for α-half-lives are compared to data and empirical estimates. We prove that the Brown systematics (logT{sub α} (s) vs. Z{sub d}{sup 0.6}Q{sub α}{sup −1/2}, where Q{sub α} (MeV) is the effective decay energy, and Z{sub d} is the charge number of the daughter nucleus) of current decay data is very useful in the analysis and interpretation of data and prediction of new results. It is shown that by adding even–odd corrections to the calculated α-half-lives, the agreement with experimental data is improved and basic trends in the systematics of data are well reproduced. Spectroscopic information is derived from the ratio of theoretical to experimental results. The accuracy of available experimental half-lives is discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Systematic muon capture rates in PQRPA

In this work we performed a systematic study of the inclusive muon capture rates for several nuclei with A < 60 using the Projected Random Quasi-particle Phase Approximation (PQRPA) as nuclear model, because it is the only RPA model that treats the Pauli Principle correctly. We reckon that the comparison between theory and data for the inclusive muon capture is not a fully satisfactory test on the nuclear model that is used. The exclusive muon transitions are more robust for such a purpose.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Matrix diagonalization algorithm and its applicability to the nuclear shell model

An importance-sampling iterative algorithm for diagonalizing shell model Hamiltonian matrices is reviewed and implemented in a spin uncoupled basis. Shell model spaces of dimensions up to N < or approx.10{sup 9} are considered. The analysis shows that about 10% of the basis states are enough to bring the eigenvalues to convergence. This fraction of states, however, is insufficient to lead to convergence of the transition strengths, thereby limiting the applicability of the method to not too large spaces. In its domain of validity, the method yields a large number of eigensolutions and can be usefully adopted for rather complete studies of low-energy spectroscopy. This is done here for {sup 132,134}Xe isotopes. The calculation yields spectra and electromagnetic responses in fairly good agreement with the available experimental data and unveils the properties of the low-energy states of these isotopes, including their proton-neutron symmetry.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Monte Carlo calculations for r-process nucleosynthesis

A Monte Carlo framework is developed for exploring the impact of nuclear model uncertainties on the formation of the heavy elements. Mass measurements tightly constrain the macroscopic sector of FRDM2012. For r-process nucleosynthesis, it is necessary to understand the microscopic physics of the nuclear model employed. A combined approach of measurements and a deeper understanding of the microphysics is thus warranted to elucidate the site of the r-process.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

RELATIVITY AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE GALACTIC CENTER S-STAR ORBITS

We consider the orbital evolution of the S-stars, the young main-sequence stars near the supermassive black hole (SBH) at the Galactic center, and put constraints on competing models for their origin. Our analysis includes for the first time the joint effects of Newtonian and relativistic perturbations to the motion, including the dragging of inertial frames by a spinning SBH as well as torques due to finite-N asymmetries in the field-star distribution (resonant relaxation, RR). The evolution of the S-star orbits is strongly influenced by the Schwarzschild barrier (SB), the locus in the (E, L) plane where RR is ineffective at driving orbits to higher eccentricities. Formation models that invoke tidal disruption of binary stars by the SBH tend to place stars below (i.e., at higher eccentricities than) the SB; some stars remain below the barrier, but most stars are able to penetrate it, after which they are subject to RR and achieve a nearly thermal distribution of eccentricities. This process requires roughly 50 Myr in nuclear models with relaxed stellar cusps, or {approx}> 10 Myr, regardless of the initial distribution of eccentricities, in nuclear models that include a dense cluster of 10 M{sub Sun} black holes. We find a probability of {approx}< 1% for any S-star to be tidally disrupted by the SBH over its lifetime.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗