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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

PIV Measurements of Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions at Mach 2.5 in a Circular Test Section

The particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement technique has been applied to make detailed measurements in an impinging shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI) flowfield in a test section of circular cross-section. By virtue of this test section geometry, the flowfields studied are free from effects of the complex coupling of sidewall and corner interaction into the primary impinging shock interaction typical of a rectangular test section. The cone-cylinder shock generator hardware was arranged in both coaxial alignment with the test section to generate axisymmetric SWBLIs and in offset positions to generate swept SWBLIs. The angle of the conical section was also varied to alter the strength of the impinging shock wave. The application of the PIV technique in this test section required meticulous design to provide adequate optical access without disturbing the SWBLI flow. Details of the stereoscopic PIV apparatus and the velocity measurements obtained for a Mach 2.5 freestream are presented. Key features of the mean velocity and turbulent stress fields are highlighted. This data set should enable validation of computational fluid dynamics results for these flowfields.

Shockwave Boundary Layer Interaction↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

PIV Measurements of Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions at Mach 2.5 in a Circular Test Section

Shockwave Boundary Layer Interaction↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effect of laminae count and manufacturing methods on mechanical properties of thin‐ply woven composites

Abstract Thin‐ply woven composites exhibit exceptional mechanical performance by delaying the onset of damage, making them suitable for high‐performance structural applications. This study outlines the impact of manufacturing techniques (vacuum bagging and hot pressing), ply count, and fiber waviness on the mechanical properties of aromatic thermosetting copolyester/carbon‐fiber (ATSP/CF) composites. The analysis encompasses several different ply counts, evaluating their effects on the in‐plane elastic modulus (0°–90°) and tensile strength. Results demonstrate that reducing the waviness (or crimp) ratio significantly enhances the in‐plane elastic modulus, with improvements up to 188%, highlighting the importance of fiber alignment. Vacuum bagging produced ply thicknesses from 128 to 58 μm for 1–36 plies, with in‐plane elastic moduli from 30.3 to 87.2 GPa, and 4‐ and 8‐ply samples showed approximately 40% higher stiffness than those made by hot pressing. ATSP resin with high thermal stability (up to 400°C) and recyclability was used. Furthermore, this study highlights the microstructural enhancements achieved through vacuum bagging, as revealed by scanning electron and optical microscopy, and micro‐computed tomography imaging. This paper provides insights into damage mitigation and achieving enhanced mechanical properties by controlling fiber waviness using vacuum bagging and higher ply count in thin‐ply ATSP/CF composites. Highlights Crimp ratio reduction enhances elastic in‐plane elastic modulus up to 188%. Vacuum bagging increases modulus over the hot pressing manufacturing method by 40%. Lowering thickness‐per‐ply increases failure strain from 0.8% to 1.2%. Explored the performance of a novel ATSP matrix with high recyclability and thermal stability.

Kushwaha, Shashank [The Grainger College of Engine↗

DOE OSTI2015

Production and cross-sectional characterization of aligned co-electrospun hollow microfibrous bulk assemblies

The development of co-electrospun (co-ES) hollow microfibrous assemblies of an appreciable thickness is critical for many practical applications, including filtration membranes and tissue-mimicking scaffolds. In this study, thick uniaxially aligned hollow microfibrous assemblies forming fiber bundles and strips were prepared by co-ES of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) as shell and core materials, respectively. Hollow microfiber bundles were deposited on a fixed rotating disc, which resulted in non-controllable cross-sectional shapes on a macroscopic scale. In comparison, fiber strips were produced with tuneable thickness and width by additionally employing an x–y translation stage in co-ES. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of cross-sections of fiber assemblies were analyzed to investigate the effects of production time (from 0.5 h to 12 h), core flow rate (from 0.8 mL/h to 2.0 mL/h) and/or translation speed (from 0.2 mm/s to 5 mm/s) on the pores and porosity. We observed significant changes in pore size and shape with core flow rate but the influence of production time varied; five strips produced under the same conditions had reasonably good size and porosity reproducibility; pore sizes didn't vary significantly from strip bottom to surface, although the porosity gradually decreased and then returned to the initial level. - Highlights: • Hollow microfibrous assemblies based on co-electrospinning are demonstrated. • The thickness and width of co-electrospun strips were controllable. • Cross-sections of fibres had non-normally distributed pore sizes and shapes. • Cross-sections were significantly influenced by production time and flow rate. • Co-electrospun strips had reasonably good reproducible cross-sections.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effect of Solvent Composition on Non-DLVO Forces and Oriented Attachment of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Oriented attachment (OA) occurs when nanoparticles in solution align their crystallographic axes prior to colliding and subsequently fuse into single crystals. Traditional colloidal theories such as DLVO provide a framework for evaluating OA but fail to capture key particle interactions due to the atomistic details of both the crystal structure and the interfacial solution structure. Using zinc oxide as a model system, we investigated the effect of the solvent on short-ranged and long-ranged particle interactions and the resulting OA mechanism. In situ TEM imaging showed that ZnO nanocrystals in toluene undergo long-range attraction comparable to 1kT at separations of 10 nm and 3kT near particle contact. These observations were rationalized by considering non-DLVO interactions, namely dipole-dipole forces and torques between the polar ZnO nanocrystals. Langevin dynamics simulations showed stronger interactions in toluene compared to methanol solvents, consistent with the experimental results. Concurrently, we performed atomic force microscopy measurements using ZnO-coated probes for the short-ranged interaction. Our data provided valuable insights into another type of non-DLVO interaction, namely the repulsive solvation force. Specifically, the solvation force was stronger in water compared to ethanol and methanol, due to the stronger hydrogen bonding and denser packing of water molecules at the interface. In conclusion, our results highlight the importance of non-DLVO forces in a general framework for understanding and predicting particle aggregation and attachment.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2012

THE CFHTLS-STRONG LENSING LEGACY SURVEY (SL2S): INVESTIGATING THE GROUP-SCALE LENSES WITH THE SARCS SAMPLE

We present the Strong Lensing Legacy Survey-ARCS (SARCS) sample compiled from the final T0006 data release of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey (CFHTLS) covering a total non-overlapping area of 159 deg{sup 2}. We adopt a semi-automatic method to find gravitational arcs in the survey that makes use of an arc-finding algorithm. The candidate list is pruned by visual inspection and ranking to form the final SARCS sample. This list also includes some serendipitously discovered lens candidates which the automated algorithm did not detect. The SARCS sample consists of 127 lens candidates which span arc radii {approx}2''-18'' within the unmasked area of {approx}150 deg{sup 2}. Within the sample, 54 systems are promising lenses among which, we find 12 giant arcs (length-to-width ratio {>=}8). We also find two radial arc candidates in SL2SJ141447+544704. From our sample, we detect a systematic alignment of the giant arcs with the major axis of the baryonic component of the putative lens in concordance with previous studies. This alignment is also observed for all arcs in the sample and does not vary significantly with increasing arc radius. The mean values of the photometric redshift distributions of lenses corresponding to the giant arcs and all arcs sample are at z {approx} 0.6. Owing to the large area and depth of the CFHTLS, we find the largest sample of lenses probing mass scales that are intermediate to cluster and galaxy lenses for the first time. We compare the observed image separation distribution (ISD) of our arcs with theoretical models. A two-component density profile for the lenses which accounts for both the central galaxy and the dark matter component is required by the data to explain the observed ISD. Unfortunately, current levels of uncertainties and degeneracies accommodate models both with and without adiabatic contraction. We also show the effects of changing parameters of the model that predict the ISD and that a larger lens sample might constrain relations such as the concentration-mass relation, mass-luminosity relation, and the faint-end slope of the luminosity function.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Using Fourier-Plane Imaging Microscopy for Determining Transition-Dipole-Moment Orientations in Organic Light-Emitting Devices

Here, we use Fourier-plane imaging microscopy (FIM) to determine the transition-dipole-moment orientation in doped organic emissive thin films. The use of FIM enables precise, sensitive, and rapid measurement of dipole orientation in the emission layer of an organic light-emitting device (OLED). An optical model of a stratified birefringent multilayer is introduced for interpreting results obtained by FIM. Using the model, we determine the average orientation of transition-dipole-moment vectors of three phosphorescent dopant emitters. The dipole alignment measured by FIM quantitatively explains the difference in OLED efficiencies using these archetype dopant molecules. FIM provides a nondestructive tool to measure and ultimately improve the outcoupling efficiency of OLEDs and other light-emitting devices.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Auto-adaptive Harris corner detection algorithm based on entropy-improved block processing

Extracting well distributed control points (CPs) is a very challenging task for remote sensing image registration, particularly for large high-resolution images over heterogeneous landscape. Based on image analysis such as edge detection, corner detection, and information theory, a new CP detection approach is proposed to select high- quality, evenly distributed CPs. The Entropy-Block-Based variant of the Harris Corner Detector (EBB-HCD) is achieved by dividing the image into blocks and by allocating the number of CP's based upon the entropy of each block. While the block-based strategy improves the CP balance problem, a factor calculated from entropy avoids overdetection. We conducted a comparison study utilizing the well-known Harris Corner Detector (HCD) and an implementation of the Block-Based Harris Corner Detector (BB-HCD). Experimental results indicate that using EBB-HCD to find the CPs improves the overall alignment accuracy during registration compared with HCD or BB-HCD.

Sun, Yihang↗

DOE OSTI2021

A Decade of Radial-velocity Monitoring of Vega and New Limits on the Presence of Planets

We present an analysis of 1524 spectra of Vega spanning 10 yr, in which we search for periodic radial-velocity variations. A signal with a periodicity of 0.676 day and a semi-amplitude of ∼10 m s{sup −1} is consistent with the rotation period measured over much shorter time spans by previous spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric studies, confirming the presence of surface features on this A0 star. The activity signal appears to evolve on long timescales, which may indicate the presence of failed fossil magnetic fields on Vega. TESS data reveal Vega’s photometric rotational modulation for the first time, with a total amplitude of only 10 ppm. A comparison of the spectroscopic and photometric amplitudes suggests that the surface features may be dominated by bright plages rather than dark spots. For the shortest orbital periods, transit and radial-velocity injection recovery tests exclude the presence of transiting planets larger than 2 R {sub ⊕} and most non-transiting giant planets. At long periods, we combine our radial velocities with direct imaging from the literature to produce detection limits for Vegan planets and brown dwarfs out to distances of 15 au. Finally, we detect a candidate radial-velocity signal with a period of 2.43 days and a semi-amplitude of 6 m s{sup −1}. If caused by an orbiting companion, its minimum mass would be ∼20 M {sub ⊕}; because of Vega’s pole-on orientation, this would correspond to a Jovian planet if the orbit is aligned with the stellar spin. We discuss the prospects for confirmation of this candidate planet.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2025

High Optical-to-X-Ray Polarization Ratio Reveals Compton Scattering in BL Lacertae’s Jet

Blazars, supermassive black hole systems with highly relativistic jets aligned with the line of sight, are the most powerful long-lived emitters of electromagnetic emission in the Universe. We report here on a radio-to-gamma-ray multiwavelength campaign on the blazar BL Lacertae with unprecedented polarimetric coverage from radio to X-ray wavelengths. The observations caught an extraordinary event on 2023 November 10–18, when the degree of linear polarization of optical synchrotron radiation reached a record value of 47.5%. In stark contrast, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer found that the X-ray (Compton scattering or hadron-induced) emission was polarized at less than 7.4% (3 σ confidence level). We argue here that this observational result rules out a hadronic origin of the high-energy emission and strongly favors a leptonic (Compton scattering) origin, thereby breaking the degeneracy between hadronic and leptonic emission models for BL Lacertae and demonstrating the power of multiwavelength polarimetry to address this question. Furthermore, the multiwavelength flux and polarization variability, featuring an extremely prominent rise and decay of the optical polarization degree, is interpreted for the first time by the relaxation of a magnetic “spring” embedded in the newly injected plasma. This suggests that the plasma jet can maintain a predominant toroidal magnetic field component parsecs away from the central engine.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Real-time imaging of self-organization and mechanical competition in carbon nanotube forest growth [Real-time environmental TEM investigation of self-organization and mechanical competition in carbon nanotube forest growth]

Here, the properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) networks and analogous materials comprising filamentary nanostructures are governed by the intrinsic filament properties and their hierarchical organization and interconnection. As a result, direct knowledge of the collective dynamics of CNT synthesis and self-organization is essential to engineering improved CNT materials for applications such as membranes and thermal interfaces. Here, we use real-time environmental transmission electron microscopy (E-TEM) to observe nucleation and self-organization of CNTs into vertically aligned forests. Upon introduction of the carbon source, we observe a large scatter in the onset of nucleation of individual CNTs and the ensuing growth rates. Experiments performed at different temperatures and catalyst particle densities show the critical role of CNT density on the dynamics of self-organization; low-density CNT nucleation results in the CNTs becoming pinned to the substrate and forming random networks, whereas higher density CNT nucleation results in self-organization of the CNTs into bundles that are oriented perpendicular to the substrate. We also find that mechanical coupling between growing CNTs alters their growth trajectory and shape, causing significant deformations, buckling, and defects in the CNT walls. Therefore, it appears that CNT–CNT coupling not only is critical for self-organization but also directly influences CNT quality and likely the resulting properties of the forest. As a result, our findings show that control of the time-distributed kinetics of CNT nucleation and bundle formation are critical to manufacturing well-organized CNT assemblies and that E-TEM can be a powerful tool to investigate the mesoscale dynamics of CNT networks.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Early stages of plasma induced nitridation of Si (111) surface and study of interfacial band alignment

We report here a systematic study of the nitridation of the Si (111) surface by nitrogen plasma exposure. The surface and interface chemical composition and surface morphology are investigated by using RHEED, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). At the initial stage of nitridation two superstructures—“8 × 8” and “8/3 × 8/3”—form, and further nitridation leads to 1 × 1 stoichiometric silicon nitride. The interface is seen to have the Si{sup 1+} and Si{sup 3+} states of silicon bonding with nitrogen, which suggests an atomically abrupt and defect-free interface. The initial single crystalline silicon nitride layers are seen to become amorphous at higher thicknesses. The AFM image shows that the nitride nucleates at interfacial dislocations that are connected by sub-stoichiometric 2D-nitride layers, which agglomerate to form thick overlayers. The electrical properties of the interface yield a valence band offset that saturates at 1.9 eV and conduction band offset at 2.3 eV due to the evolution of the sub-stoichiometric interface and band bending.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Rotationally inelastic scattering of NO(A{sup 2}Σ{sup +}) + Ar: Differential cross sections and rotational angular momentum polarization

We present the implementation of a new crossed-molecular beam, velocity-map ion-imaging apparatus, optimized for collisions of electronically excited molecules. We have applied this apparatus to rotational energy transfer in NO(A{sup 2}Σ{sup +}, v = 0, N = 0, j = 0.5) + Ar collisions, at an average energy of 525 cm{sup −1}. We report differential cross sections for scattering into NO(A{sup 2}Σ{sup +}, v = 0, N′ = 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9), together with quantum scattering calculations of the differential cross sections and angle dependent rotational alignment. The differential cross sections show dramatic forward scattered peaks, together with oscillatory behavior at larger scattering angles, while the rotational alignment moments are also found to oscillate as a function of scattering angle. In general, the quantum scattering calculations are found to agree well with experiment, reproducing the forward scattering and oscillatory behavior at larger scattering angles. Analysis of the quantum scattering calculations as a function of total rotational angular momentum indicates that the forward scattering peak originates from the attractive minimum in the potential energy surface at the N-end of the NO. Deviations in the quantum scattering predictions from the experimental results, for scattering at angles greater than 10°, are observed to be more significant for scattering to odd final N′. We suggest that this represents inaccuracies in the potential energy surface, and in particular in its representation of the difference between the N- and O-ends of the molecule, as given by the odd-order Legendre moments of the surface.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS2004

Spirit at Gusev Crater: Preliminary Observations, Potential Processes and Hypotheses

Spirit landed in a flat plain in Gusev crater with local undulations at meters scales generated by ridges covered with blocks, some of them looking rounded. Several, flat-topped, mesas are visible in the far field in direction of Ma adim Vallis. A set of north/south oriented hills reaches approximately 150 m elevation to the east of the landing site (LS). A dipping brighter unit with possibly some scarps is associated with it. This setting could be consistent with layering observed on the MOC images of the hills, local exposure of material with variable dust cover, or deflated or allochtonous material. Numerous small depressions are visible from LS referred to as "Columbia Memorial Station"* (CMS). Floors are partially filled with finer-grained, high albedo material. At least one of them, nicknamed "Sleepy Hollow"* (approximately 30 m diameter) may be an eroded secondary impact crater. It is unclear if they can all be related to small impact structures. Some of them are elongated and aligned with the ridges. The morphology of rocks and soil at this Gusev Crater is presented. Evidence of dynamic aeolian action along this Crater is also discussed.

Cabrol, N. A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Tomography Analysis of Orion Artemis 1 Heatshield Sample

The Orion spacecraft, under NASA's Artemis program, is an integral step in humanity's ambitions of deep space exploration, including our return to the Moon and subsequent mission to Mars. The performance of Orion's heatshield is central to ensuring the safety and success of such missions. This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of the process used in and findings derived from tomography scans of an Artemis 1 heatshield sample executed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source. These tomography scans captured high-resolution X-Ray images of the heatshield's microstructure, allowing advanced imaging to be employed for 3D image segmentation and visualization of the sample. The Porous Media Analysis (PuMA) software stands central to our analysis, offering robust computational algorithms and methodologies to digitally compute properties of the heatshield material. The presentation discusses the following derived metrics: - Volume fractions, representing the spatial distribution and amounts of various components throughout the heatshield’s depth. - Porosity and crack distributions, offering insights into the void space within the material, critical for understanding the heatshield's structural integrity. - Fiber orientation, detailing the alignment and arrangement of fibers, significant for material orthotropy. - Permeability estimates, quantifying the passage of gas through the material, relevant for re-entry conditions and pyrolysis gasses. One distinctive feature of this study is the comparative evaluation against data obtained from tomography scans of the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) heatshield. Such a comparison offers multiple insights, including evaluation of the consistency and repeatability of manufacturing processes as well as understanding of any evolutionary changes in heatshield design or material properties.

Micro-tomography↗

DOE OSTI2011

MHz few-body frequency shift detected in a cold {sup 85}Rb Rydberg gas

We have observed a density-dependent frequency shift of more than 4 MHz in a cold {sup 85}Rb Rydberg gas trapped in a magneto-optical trap. A one-dimensional linearly aligned four-body model is proposed to explain the experimental data, and the calculation matches the experimental data. The calculation also shows that if the energy detuning between the two coupled states, the nsnsns(n+1)s and nsnsnpnp states in this case, is small, the lowest level of the nsnsnpnp manifold has the maximum mixing probability, causing a frequency shift instead of line broadening. The results reported may be used for few-body blockade, Rydberg single-atom imaging, studying few-body to many-body transitions and interactions, and few-body ionization as well as quantum metrology.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

A Prototype Gamma Tomosynthesis System for Molecular Breast Imaging

We are developing an improved gamma camera for molecular breast imaging (MBI) that allows tomographic imaging and improved signal-to-noise over conventional planar methods. We have built a novel gamma camera for MBI that utilizes limited angle tomography, similar to x-ray tomosynthesis, to generate images with depth information and improved signal-to-noise. A unique feature of the gamma tomosynthesis system is a variable-angle slant hole (VASH) collimator. This collimator allows the camera to remain flush against the compression paddle during the tomographic acquisition, which achieves high spatial resolution and simplified detector motion. We constructed a VASH collimator from a stack of tungsten sheets, each sheet containing a matrix of holes created by photo-etching. With the holes of the sheets aligned, a parallel-hole collimator is created; shearing the sheets creates a variable angle slant hole collimator. The shearing is controlled by a motorized mechanism. The collimator was mounted on a commercial MBI camera and projection data were acquired of a set of capillary tube line sources over a 50° range of angles. The projection data were reconstructed using the iterative MLEM method. Results demonstrated the ability of the system to resolve in the depth dimension, and spatial resolution matched expected values. We conclude that the proposed gamma tomosynthesis system has the potential to provide improved signal-to-noise over conventional MBI methods and allow a reduction in the administered radioactivity and patient dose.

Gilland, David↗

DOE OSTI2012

Exploration of Optimization Options for Increasing Performance of a GPU Implementation of a Three-dimensional Bilateral Filter

This report explores using GPUs as a platform for performing high performance medical image data processing, specifically smoothing using a 3D bilateral filter, which performs anisotropic, edge-preserving smoothing. The algorithm consists of a running a specialized 3D convolution kernel over a source volume to produce an output volume. Overall, our objective is to understand what algorithmic design choices and configuration options lead to optimal performance of this algorithm on the GPU. We explore the performance impact of using different memory access patterns, of using different types of device/on-chip memories, of using strictly aligned and unaligned memory, and of varying the size/shape of thread blocks. Our results reveal optimal configuration parameters for our algorithm when executed sample 3D medical data set, and show performance gains ranging from 30x to over 200x as compared to a single-threaded CPU implementation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗