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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,693 records · Page 94
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Electrical detection of spin hyperpolarization in InP

The electrical detection of surface spin polarization in Indium Phosphide (InP) is demonstrated. Using a planar four-terminal architecture on top of semi-insulating Fe:InP (001) wafers, optical orientation is separated from electrical detection. Spin filter tunnel contacts consisting of InP/oxide/Co reveal significant asymmetries in the differential resistance upon helicity change of the optical pumping. The iron-rich tunnel oxide provides the main spin selection mechanism. A reproducible helicity-dependent asymmetry as high as 18% could be observed at T = 55 K and an external induction field μ{sub 0}H = 1 T. At room temperature and zero external field, a helicity-dependent asymmetry of 6% suggests the stand-alone applicability of the device either as an electronic spin sensor or as an optical helicity sensor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Study of negative hydrogen ion beam optics using the 3D3V PIC model

The mechanism of negative ion extraction under real conditions with the complex magnetic field is studied by using the 3D PIC simulation code. The extraction region of the negative ion source for the negative ion based neutral beam injection system in fusion reactors is modelled. It is shown that the E x B drift of electrons is caused by the magnetic filter and the electron suppression magnetic field, and the resultant asymmetry of the plasma meniscus. Furthermore, it is indicated that that the asymmetry of the plasma meniscus results in the asymmetry of negative ion beam profile including the beam halo. It could be demonstrated theoretically that the E x B drift is not significantly weakened by the elastic collisions of the electrons with neutral particles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Three-dimensional simulations of National Ignition Facility implosions: Insight into experimental observables

We simulate in 3D both the hydrodynamics and, simultaneously, the X-ray and neutron diagnostic signatures of National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosions. We apply asymmetric radiation drive to study the impact of low mode asymmetry on diagnostic observables. We examine X-ray and neutron images as well as neutron spectra for these perturbed implosions. The X-ray images show hot spot evolution on small length scales and short time scales, reflecting the incomplete stagnation seen in the simulation. The neutron images show surprising differences from the X-ray images. The neutron spectra provide additional measures of implosion asymmetry. Flow in the hot spot alters the neutron spectral peak, namely, the peak location and width. The changes in the width lead to a variation in the apparent temperature with viewing angle that signals underlying hot spot asymmetry. We compare our new expectations based on the simulated data with NIF data. We find that some recent cryogenic layered experiments show appreciable temperature anisotropy indicating residual flow in the hot spot. We also find some trends in the data that do not reflect our simulation and theoretical understanding.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices in the f-plane shallow water system

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices is investigated numerically in a rotating shallow water system in order to focus on cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry at different values of the Rossby number (Ro). A numerical study is conducted on a model using a spectral method in an unbounded domain to estimate the gravity wave flux with high accuracy. Continuous gravity wave radiation is observed in three stages of vortical flows: co-rotating of the vortices, merging of the vortices, and unsteady motion of the merged vortex. A cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry appears at all stages at smaller Ro (≤20). Gravity waves from anticyclones are always larger than those from cyclones and have a local maximum at smaller Ro (∼2) compared with that for an idealized case of a co-rotating vortex pair with a constant rotation rate. The source originating in the Coriolis acceleration has a key role in cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in gravity waves. An additional important factor is that at later stages, the merged axisymmetric anticyclone rotates faster than the elliptical cyclone due to the effect of the Rossby deformation radius, since a rotation rate higher than the inertial cutoff frequency is required to radiate gravity waves.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Variation of the external quantum efficiency with temperature and current density in red, blue, and deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

The temperature-dependent external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) were investigated for a 620 nm AlGaInP red light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a 450 nm GaInN blue LED, and a 285 nm AlGaN deep-ultraviolet (DUV) LED. We observed distinct differences in the variation of the EQE with temperature and current density for the three types of LEDs. Whereas the EQE of the AlGaInP red LED increases as temperature decreases below room temperature, the EQEs of GaInN blue and AlGaN DUV LEDs decrease for the same change in temperature in a low-current density regime. The free carrier concentration, as determined from the dopant ionization energy, shows a strong material-system-specific dependence, leading to different degrees of asymmetry in carrier concentration for the three types of LEDs. We attribute the EQE variation of the red, blue, and DUV LEDs to the different degrees of asymmetry in carrier concentration, which can be exacerbated at cryogenic temperatures. As for the EQE variation with temperature in a high-current density regime, the efficiency droop for the AlGaInP red and GaInN blue LEDs becomes more apparent as temperature decreases, due to the deterioration of the asymmetry in carrier concentration. However, the EQE of the AlGaN DUV LED initially decreases, then reaches an EQE minimum point, and then increases again due to the field-ionization of acceptors by the Poole-Frenkel effect. The results elucidate that carrier transport phenomena allow for the understanding of the droop phenomenon across different material systems, temperatures, and current densities.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Normal and anomalous plasmonic lattice modes of gold nanodisk arrays in inhomogeneous media

We study plasmonic lattice modes in two dimensional arrays of large metallic nanodisks in strongly inhomogeneous environments with controlled dielectric asymmetries. This is done within the two limits of positive (air/substrate) and negative (Si/substrate) asymmetries. In the former, the nanodisks are exposed to air, while in the latter, they are fully embedded in a dielectric material with a refractive index much higher than that of the glass substrate (Si). Our results show that in the air/substrate limit, the arrays can mainly support two distinct visible and infrared peaks associated with the optical coupling of multipolar plasmonic resonances of nanodisks in air and substrate (normal modes). As the nanodisks are gradually embedded in Si, i.e., going from the positive to negative asymmetry limit, the visible peak undergoes more than 200 nm red shift without significant mode degradation. Our results show that as this transition happens, a third peak (anomalous mode) becomes dominant. The amplitude and wavelength of this peak increase quadratically with the thickness of the Si layer, indicating formation of a unique collective mode. We study the impact of this mode on the emission semiconductor quantum dots, demonstrating they become much brighter as the result of the long-reach plasmonic fields of the nanodisks when the arrays are in this mode.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

GAS EMISSIONS IN PLANCK COLD DUST CLUMPS-A SURVEY OF THE J = 1-0 TRANSITIONS OF {sup 12}CO, {sup 13}CO, AND C{sup 18}O

A survey toward 674 Planck cold clumps of the Early Cold Core Catalogue (ECC) in the J = 1-0 transitions of {sup 12}CO, {sup 13}CO, and C{sup 18}O has been carried out using the Purple Mountain Observatory 13.7 m telescope. Six hundred seventy-three clumps were detected with {sup 12}CO and {sup 13}CO emission, and 68% of the sample has C{sup 18}O emission. Additional velocity components were also identified. A close consistency of the three line peak velocities was revealed for the first time. Kinematic distances are given for all the velocity components, and half of the clumps are located within 0.5 and 1.5 kpc. Excitation temperatures range from 4 to 27 K, slightly larger than those of T{sub d} . Line width analysis shows that the majority of ECC clumps are low-mass clumps. Column densities N{sub H{sub 2}} span from 10{sup 20} to 4.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 22} cm{sup -2} with an average value of (4.4 {+-} 3.6) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 21} cm{sup -2}. N{sub H{sub 2}} cumulative fraction distribution deviates from the lognormal distribution, which is attributed to optical depth. The average abundance ratio of the {sup 13}CO to C{sup 18}O in these clumps is 7.0 {+-} 3.8, higher than the terrestrial value. Dust and gas are well coupled in 95% of the clumps. Blue profile asymmetry, red profile asymmetry, and total line asymmetry were found in less than 10% of the clumps, generally indicating that star formation is not yet developed. Ten clumps were mapped. Twelve velocity components and 22 cores were obtained. Their morphologies include extended diffuse, dense, isolated, cometary, and filament, of which the last is the majority. Twenty cores are starless, and only seven cores seem to be in a gravitationally bound state. Planck cold clumps are the most quiescent among the samples of weak red IRAS, infrared dark clouds, UC H II candidates, extended green objects, and methanol maser sources, suggesting that Planck cold clumps have expanded the horizon of cold astronomy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

PERSISTENT DOPPLER SHIFT OSCILLATIONS OBSERVED WITH HINODE/EIS IN THE SOLAR CORONA: SPECTROSCOPIC SIGNATURES OF ALFVENIC WAVES AND RECURRING UPFLOWS

Using data obtained by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on board Hinode, we have performed a survey of obvious and persistent (without significant damping) Doppler shift oscillations in the corona. We have found mainly two types of oscillations from February to April in 2007. One type is found at loop footpoint regions, with a dominant period around 10 minutes. They are characterized by coherent behavior of all line parameters (line intensity, Doppler shift, line width, and profile asymmetry), and apparent blueshift and blueward asymmetry throughout almost the entire duration. Such oscillations are likely to be signatures of quasi-periodic upflows (small-scale jets, or coronal counterpart of type-II spicules), which may play an important role in the supply of mass and energy to the hot corona. The other type of oscillation is usually associated with the upper part of loops. They are most clearly seen in the Doppler shift of coronal lines with formation temperatures between one and two million degrees. The global wavelets of these oscillations usually peak sharply around a period in the range of three to six minutes. No obvious profile asymmetry is found and the variation of the line width is typically very small. The intensity variation is often less than 2%. These oscillations are more likely to be signatures of kink/Alfven waves rather than flows. In a few cases, there seems to be a {pi}/2 phase shift between the intensity and Doppler shift oscillations, which may suggest the presence of slow-mode standing waves according to wave theories. However, we demonstrate that such a phase shift could also be produced by loops moving into and out of a spatial pixel as a result of Alfvenic oscillations. In this scenario, the intensity oscillations associated with Alfvenic waves are caused by loop displacement rather than density change. These coronal waves may be used to investigate properties of the coronal plasma and magnetic field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ASYMMETRIC SOLAR POLAR FIELD REVERSALS

The solar polar fields reverse because magnetic flux from decaying sunspots moves toward the poles, with a preponderance of flux from the trailing spots. If there is a strong asymmetry, in the sense that most activity is in the northern hemisphere, then that excess flux will move toward the north pole and reverse that pole first. If there is more activity in the south later on, then that flux will help to reverse the south pole. In this way, two humps in the solar activity and a corresponding difference in the time of reversals develop (in the ideal case). Such a difference was originally noted in the very first observation of polar field reversal just after the maximum of the strongly asymmetric solar cycle 19, when the southern hemisphere was most active before sunspot maximum and the south pole duly reversed first, followed by the northern hemisphere more than a year later, when that hemisphere became most active. Solar cycles since then have had the opposite asymmetry, with the northern hemisphere being most active before solar maximum. We show that polar field reversals for these cycles have all happened in the north first, as expected. This is especially noteworthy for the present solar cycle 24. We suggest that the association of two or more peaks of solar activity when separated by hemispheres with correspondingly different times of polar field reversals is a general feature of the cycle, and that asymmetric polar field reversals are simply a consequence of the asymmetry of solar activity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A DETAILED COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OBSERVED AND SYNTHESIZED PROPERTIES OF A SIMULATED TYPE II SPICULE

We have performed a three-dimensional radiative MHD simulation of the solar atmosphere. This simulation shows a jet-like feature that shows similarities to the type II spicules observed for the first time with Hinode's Solar Optical Telescope. Rapid blueshifted events (RBEs) on the solar disk are associated with these spicules. Observational results suggest they may contribute significantly in supplying the corona with hot plasma. We perform a detailed comparison of the properties of the simulated jet with those of type II spicules (observed with Hinode) and RBEs (with ground-based instruments). We analyze a wide variety of synthetic emission and absorption lines from the simulations including chromospheric (Ca II 8542 A, Ca II H, and H{alpha}) to transition region and coronal temperatures (10,000 K to several million K). We compare their synthetic intensities, line profiles, Doppler shifts, line widths, and asymmetries with observations from Hinode/SOT and EIS, SOHO/SUMER, the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope, and SDO/AIA. Many properties of the synthetic observables resemble the observations, and we describe in detail the physical processes that lead to these observables. Detailed analysis of the synthetic observables provides insight into how observations should be analyzed to derive information about physical variables in such a dynamic event. For example, we find that line-of-sight superposition in the optically thin atmosphere requires the combination of Doppler shifts and spectral line asymmetry to determine the velocity in the jet. In our simulated type II spicule, the lifetime of the asymmetry of the transition region lines is shorter than that of the coronal lines. Other properties differ from the observations, especially in the chromospheric lines. The mass density of the part of the spicule with a chromospheric temperature is too low to produce significant opacity in chromospheric lines. The synthetic Ca II 8542 A and H{alpha} profiles therefore do not show signal resembling RBEs. These and other discrepancies are described in detail, and we discuss which mechanisms and physical processes may need to be included in the MHD simulations to mimic the thermodynamic processes of the chromosphere and corona, in particular to reproduce type II spicules.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

BIPOLAR JETS LAUNCHED FROM ACCRETION DISKS. II. THE FORMATION OF ASYMMETRIC JETS AND COUNTER JETS

We investigate the jet launching from accretion disks, in particular the formation of intrinsically asymmetric jet/counter jet systems. We perform axisymmetric MHD simulations of the disk-jet structure on a bipolar computational domain covering both hemispheres. We apply various models such as asymmetric disks with (initially) different scale heights in each hemisphere, symmetric disks into which a local disturbance is injected, and jets launched into an asymmetric disk corona. We consider both a standard global magnetic diffusivity distribution and a novel local diffusivity model. Typical disk evolution first shows substantial disk warping and then results in asymmetric outflows with a 10%-30% mass flux difference. We find that the magnetic diffusivity profile is essential for establishing a long-term outflow asymmetry. We conclude that bipolar asymmetry in protostellar and extragalactic jets can indeed be generated intrinsically and maintained over a long time by disk asymmetries and the standard jet launching mechanism.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Core and wing densities of asymmetric coronal spectral profiles: Implications for the mass supply of the solar corona

Recent solar spectroscopic observations have shown that coronal spectral lines can exhibit asymmetric profiles, with enhanced emissions at their blue wings. These asymmetries correspond to rapidly upflowing plasmas at speeds exceeding ≈50 km s{sup –1}. Here, we perform a study of the density of the rapidly upflowing material and compare it with that of the line core that corresponds to the bulk of the plasma. For this task, we use spectroscopic observations of several active regions taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer of the Hinode mission. The density sensitive ratio of the Fe XIV lines at 264.78 and 274.20 Å is used to determine wing and core densities. We compute the ratio of the blue wing density to the core density and find that most values are of order unity. This is consistent with the predictions for coronal nanoflares if most of the observed coronal mass is supplied by chromospheric evaporation driven by the nanoflares. However, much larger blue wing-to-core density ratios are predicted if most of the coronal mass is supplied by heated material ejected with type II spicules. Our measurements do not rule out a spicule origin for the blue wing emission, but they argue against spicules being a primary source of the hot plasma in the corona. We note that only about 40% of the pixels where line blends could be safely ignored have blue wing asymmetries in both Fe XIV lines. Anticipated sub-arcsecond spatial resolution spectroscopic observations in future missions could shed more light on the origin of blue, red, and mixed asymmetries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Experimental study of the influence of gas puff locations on H-mode boundary plasmas with argon seeding on EAST

To investigate the optimal scenario of impurity seeding to obtain divertor plasma detachment for target protection, experiments with Ar&D 2 seeding from two different poloidal locations, the upper outer (UO) divertor target and lower outer (LO) target, were carried out on EAST. Partial energy detachment (the electron temperature near the strike point T e,spt ≤ 10 eV) were obtained with Ar&D 2 mixture puffing from the UO target and, for the first time, from the LO target into H-mode plasmas in the upper single null (USN) configuration. The peak heat flux q t on the UO target was significantly reduced (by ~80%). The rollover of ion flux density j s did not appear probably due to insufficient momentum loss, which is independent of the puff locations. The poloidal asymmetries of particle and heat fluxes on the targets have also been investigated. The UO-dominant asymmetry of particle flux was reversed, while the UO-dominant asymmetry of heat flux was mitigated but not reversed. The plasma confinement dropped by only 14% and 8.2% in the LO-puff case and UO-puff case, respectively, during detachment. The high level of C may contributed greatly to the higher radiation in the bulk plasma region and the greater decline in W MHD in the LO-puff case.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of radiated-power for low aspect ratio fusion plasmas

Investigating radiated power in fusion plasmas is of utmost importance to understand the effect of undesired impurities, such as metals, in present devices, or also desired impurities, such as noble gasses, to purposefully radiate a large fraction of power in future devices. These studies are especially important for high Z impurities which will play a crucial role in future generation fusion pilot plants. In this work, we have developed a power radiation analysis module, which is used to investigate 2D distributions of impurity densities and radiated power asymmetries caused due to both plasma rotation and the cooling rate dependence on temperature profile for the cases of experimental NSTX plasmas and designed scenarios for the spherical tokamak advanced reactor (STAR), both being low aspect ratio tokamaks. Two different atomic databases have been tested during this work to study their impact on the radiated power distribution, especially for high Z impurities. Also in PRAM, self-consistent calculations of two-dimensional electron, main ion, and impurity ion densities are carried out using one-dimensional input density, temperature, and rotation profiles. In the case of NSTX, discharges with high rotation of ∼ 170 km s, measured with charge exchange recombination spectroscopy, have been investigated. Rotation-induced charge separation, leading to an electrostatic potential, is calculated iteratively to a self-consistent solution while testing high Z impurities to observe any 2D asymmetry in the core radiated power due to centrifugal forces. The STAR design, being much larger (R = 4 m), is projected to have a much lower rotation, and is shown to have low rotation-induced asymmetries, on the order of ten percent or less, between the low field and high field sides. However, another effect not due to rotation but to the dependence of impurity cooling rates on temperature can lead to radiation peaking off-axis, near the plasma edge. This effect is noticeable for argon in NSTX, for example, but can also be enhanced for certain impurities at much higher temperatures projected for STAR (T e0 ~ 32 keV), for example for undesired tungsten or possibly desired xenon.

NSTX↗
DOE OSTI2012

Thermalisation of light sterile neutrinos in the early universe

Recent cosmological data favour additional relativistic degrees of freedom beyond the three active neutrinos and photons, often referred to as ''dark'' radiation. Light sterile neutrinos is one of the prime candidates for such additional radiation. However, constraints on sterile neutrinos based on the current cosmological data have been derived using simplified assumptions about thermalisation of ν{sub s} at the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) epoch. These assumptions are not necessarily justified and here we solve the full quantum kinetic equations in the (1 active + 1 sterile) scenario and derive the number of thermalised species just before BBN begins (T ≅ 1 MeV) for null (L = 0) and large (L = 10{sup −2}) initial lepton asymmetry and for a range of possible mass-mixing parameters. We find that the full thermalisation assumption during the BBN epoch is justified for initial small lepton asymmetry only. Partial or null thermalisation occurs when the initial lepton asymmetry is large.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Large-scale anomalies of the CMB in the curvaton scenario

We extend the curvaton scenario presented by Erickcek et al. [1,2], to explain how the even-odd multipole asymmetry of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) (also called parity asymmetry, [3,4]) and power anisotropies can be generated by the curvaton field, which acts as an extra component to the spectrum of adiabatic perturbations in the inflationary epoch. Our work provides a possible cosmic explanation to the CMB large-scale asymmetry problems besides systematics and unknown residuals.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

The CMB modulation from inflation

Erickcek, Kamionkowski and Carroll proposed in 2008 that the dipole modulation of the CMB could be due to a very large scale perturbation of the field φ causing the primordial curvature perturbation. We repeat their calculation using weaker assumptions and the current data. If φ is the inflaton of any single-field inflation with the attractor behaviour, the asymmetry is almost certainly too small. If instead φ is any curvaton-type field (ie. one with the canonical kinetic term and a negligible effect during inflation) the asymmetry can agree with observation if |f{sub NL}| in the equilateral configuration is ≅ 10 for k{sup −1} = 1Gpc and ∼<3 for k{sup −1} = 1Mpc. An f{sub NL} with these properties can apparently be obtained from the curvaton with an axionic potential. Within any specific curvaton-type model, the function f{sub NL}(k{sub 1},k{sub 2},k{sub 3}) required to generate the asymmetry would be determined, and could perhaps already be confirmed or ruled out using existing Planck or WMAP data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Fingerprints of anomalous primordial Universe on the abundance of large scale structures

We study the predictions of anomalous inflationary models on the abundance of structures in large scale structure observations. The anomalous features encoded in primordial curvature perturbation power spectrum are (a): localized feature in momentum space, (b): hemispherical asymmetry and (c): statistical anisotropies. We present a model-independent expression relating the number density of structures to the changes in the matter density variance. Models with localized feature can alleviate the tension between observations and numerical simulations of cold dark matter structures on galactic scales as a possible solution to the missing satellite problem. In models with hemispherical asymmetry we show that the abundance of structures becomes asymmetric depending on the direction of observation to sky. In addition, we study the effects of scale-dependent dipole amplitude on the abundance of structures. Using the quasars data and adopting the power-law scaling k{sup n{sub A}-1} for the amplitude of dipole we find the upper bound n{sub A} < 0.6 for the spectral index of the dipole asymmetry. In all cases there is a critical mass scale M{sub c} in which for M M{sub c}) the enhancement in variance induced from anomalous feature decreases (increases) the abundance of dark matter structures in Universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗