Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “SCATTERING AMPLITUDES”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,693 records · Page 94
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

Shear-Induced Orientation in Well-Exfoliated Polystyrene/Clay Nanocomposites

We report measurements of shear-induced particle orientation in highly exfoliated polystyrene/clay nanocomposites. Samples were prepared using an in situ polymerization technique, in which native clay is organically modified with a cationic surfactant that incorporates a polymerizable vinylbenzyl moiety. Controlled radical polymerization was used during the synthesis to limit the molecular weight and polydispersity of the nanocomposite polymer matrix. Flow-induced orientation was measured in the flow-gradient plane of shear flow using synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering. Despite the small rotational diffusivity expected for the clay particles, significant particle orientation was only observed at relatively high rates in steady shear or at high frequencies in large-amplitude oscillatory shear. Measurements of orientation upon flow cessation provided direct evidence of a structural relaxation process that was orders of magnitude faster than estimates of rotational Brownian motion. It is suggested that this fast relaxation arises from either relaxation of shear-induced distortion of partially flexible exfoliated clay sheets in a highly entangled nanoparticle network or coupling of particle and polymer dynamics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

CMB μ distortion from primordial gravitational waves

We propose a new mechanism of generating the μ distortion in cosmic microwave background (CMB) originated from primordial gravitational waves. Such μ distortion is generated by the damping of the temperature anisotropies through the Thomson scattering, even on scales larger than that of Silk damping. This mechanism is in sharp contrast with that from the primordial curvature (scalar) perturbations, in which the temperature anisotropies mainly decay by Silk damping effects. We estimate the size of the μ distortion from the new mechanism, which can be used to constrain the amplitude of primordial gravitational waves on smaller scales independently from the CMB anisotropies, giving more wide-range constraint on their spectral index by combining the amplitude from the CMB anisotropies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Ultra-fast solid state electro-optical modulator based on liquid crystal polymer and liquid crystal composites

A different generation of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) based on a liquid crystalline polymer host is reported wherein the fluid behavior of the reactive mesogenic monomer is an enabler to concentration windows (liquid crystal polymer/liquid crystal) (and subsequent morphologies) not previously explored. These liquid crystal (LC) polymer/LC composites, LCPDLCs, exhibit excellent optical and electro-optical properties with negligible scattering losses in both the ON and OFF states. These systems thus have application in systems where fast phase modulation of optical signal instead of amplitude control is needed. Polarized optical microscopy and high resolution scanning electron microscopy confirm a bicontinuous morphology composed of aligned LC polymer coexisting with a phase separated LC fluid. Operating voltages, switching times, and spectra of LCPDLCs compare favourably to conventional PDLC films. The LCPDLCs exhibit a low switching voltage (4–5 V/μm), symmetric and submillisecond (200 μs) on/off response times, and high transmission in both the as formed and switched state in a phase modulation geometry.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Collisional enhancement of energetic particle Alfvénic resonance width in tokamaks

The phase-space structure of resonances between fast ions and an Alfvénic mode and the associated modification of density profiles in tokamaks are studied as a function of particle collisions. Guiding-center simulations in a realistic tokamak equilibrium are employed to address the resonance broadening parametric dependencies with respect to changes in the pitch-angle scattering rate. The rate of collisional replenishment, along with resonance strength, given by the combination of eigenmode and resonance structures and equilibrium parameters, determines saturation amplitudes for a given damping rate. As seen from the distribution function flattening, collisions have an effect of broadening the resonances, while the absolute value of δf decreases with increasing collisionality. It is observed that the collisional broadening can be comparable to the collisionless resonance width due to the mode amplitude alone. The resonance broadening coefficients are compared with the existing theory based on analytically expected saturation levels, showing fair agreement. Furthermore the results can be useful in assisting reduced kinetic models, such as quasilinear models, when prescribing the effective resonance phase-space width, i.e., the mode-particle interaction platform, due to collisional or turbulent processes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

On the black hole mass—X-ray excess variance scaling relation for active galactic nuclei in the low-mass regime

Recent studies of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) found a statistically inverse linear scaling between the X-ray normalized excess variance σ{sub rms}{sup 2} (variability amplitude) and the black hole (BH) mass spanning over M{sub BH}=10{sup 6}−10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙}. Suggested as having a small scatter, this scaling relation may provide a novel method to estimate the BH mass of AGNs. However, a question arises as to whether this relation can be extended to the low-mass regime below ∼10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙}. If confirmed, it would provide an efficient tool to search for AGNs with low-mass BHs using X-ray variability. This paper presents a study of the X-ray excess variances for a sample of AGNs with BH masses in the range of 10{sup 5}−10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙} observed with XMM-Newton and ROSAT, including data both from the archives and from newly preformed observations. It is found that the relation is no longer a simple extrapolation of the linear scaling; instead, the relation starts to flatten at ∼10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙} toward lower masses. Our result is consistent with the recent finding of Ludlam et al. Such a flattening of the M{sub BH}−σ{sub rms}{sup 2} relation is actually expected from the shape of the power spectrum density of AGNs, for which the break frequency is inversely scaled with the mass of BHs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1989

A non-Markovian model of avalanche gain statistics for a solid-state photomultiplier

A solid-state photomultiplier (SSPM) capable of continously detecting individual photons of wavelength between 0.4 and 28 microns has recently been disclosed (Petroff et al., 1987). The initial response of the SSPM to single photon is a fast, high-amplitude current pulse of between 10,000 and 100,000 electrons. A phenomenological model of the SSPM avalanche process is presented which successfully predicts the shape of the observed pulse-amplitude distribution by including small history-dependent effects on the carrier transport. The model clarifies the consequences of the electric field strength and the scattering of the electrons for the development of the avalanche in the SSPM.

Laviolette, Randall A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Effect of Crystal Orientation on Analysis of Single-Crystal, Nickel-Based Turbine Blade Superalloys

High-cycle fatigue-induced failures in turbine and turbopump blades is a pervasive problem. Single-crystal nickel turbine blades are used because of their superior creep, stress rupture, melt resistance, and thermomechanical fatigue capabilities. Single-crystal materials have highly orthotropic properties making the position of the crystal lattice relative to the part geometry a significant and complicating factor. A fatigue failure criterion based on the maximum shear stress amplitude on the 24 octahedral and 6 cube slip systems is presented for single-crystal nickel superalloys (FCC crystal). This criterion greatly reduces the scatter in uniaxial fatigue data for PWA 1493 at 1,200 F in air. Additionally, single-crystal turbine blades used in the Space Shuttle main engine high pressure fuel turbopump/alternate turbopump are modeled using a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model. This model accounts for material orthotrophy and crystal orientation. Fatigue life of the blade tip is computed using FE stress results and the failure criterion that was developed. Stress analysis results in the blade attachment region are also presented. Results demonstrate that control of crystallographic orientation has the potential to significantly increase a component's resistance to fatigue crack growth without adding additional weight or cost.

Swanson, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Residual wave front phase estimation in the reimaged lyot plane for the eclipse coronographic telescope

Coronagraphs for extra-solar planet detection remove diffracted stellar light through the combination of a coronagraphic mask and a Lyot stop. When the entrance pupil contains a nearly perfect wave fiont, most of the stellar light is absorbed at the mask. Light scattered around the spot due to mid- and high-spatial frequency phase errors in the pupil appears at the Lyot plane as speckles whose amplitudes are proportional to the local wave front phase residuals. The speckles scale with optical wavelength but are not radially smeared. The Eclipse deformable mirror (DM) can be used to modify the Lyot amplitude distribution, providing a simple means of estimating the residual phase content and controlling the wave front. To reduce the detrimental noise carried by uncontrollable high-spatial frequency wave front components, theLyot plane signal is filtered at the science plane to pass only the controllable spatial frequencies that contribute to the dark hole. The Lyot stop is then reimaged onto a detector. We demonstrate through simulations that this approach signiscantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the planet measurement.

coronagraph wave front sensing wave front control↗
DOE OSTI2022

Metasurface-assisted 3D beam shaping for desired phase, amplitude, and polarization

Cascaded metasurfaces can control the phase, amplitude and polarization of an electromagnetic beam, shaping it in three dimensional configuration not achievable with other methods. Each cascaded metasurface has dielectric or metallic scatterers arranged in a period array. The shape of the scatterers determines the three dimensional configuration of the output beam and is determined with iterative calculations through computational simulations.

Kamali, Seyedeh Mahsa↗
DOE OSTI2018

Excitations of the Nucleon – N* spectroscopy with CLAS

Baryon spectroscopy began in 1952 with the discovery of the first Δ resonance by Fermi and collaborators. By the mid-1980s a sizeable collection of resonances had been identified in pion-Nucleon scattering, and particle physics left this field for higher-energy pastures, confident that a basic understanding of the Nstar spectrum was at least close, if not exactly in hand. With time, refinements of the quark model provided a systematic ordering to the observations but, annoyingly, predicted the existence of many more states than had been observed, which lead to speculations of mechanisms that restricted the degrees of freedom. Only recently (2011) have theoretical advances finally allowed a direct computation of the nucleon spectrum in Lattice-QCD, with the startling confirmation of large numbers of "missing" excited states. With the advent of new facilities, the last decade has seen a renaissance of sorts in photo-meson production experiments, in which polarization has been used to constrain the production amplitudes to a degree not achieved in π+N reactions, and a great many new Nstar candidates are emerging. The additional flexibility in the 4-momentum transfer has been used with electron scattering to probe the excitation process and the role of the meson cloud. Highlights in the context of the CLAS N* spectroscopy program at Jefferson Lab will be reviewed.

Sandorfi, Andrew↗
DOE OSTI2018

New scattering features in non-Hermitian space fractional quantum mechanics

Highlights: • Space fraction quantum mechanics (SFQM) has been investigated with complex delta and barrier potentials. • New scattering features due to these potentials are obtained in SFQM. • Spectral Singular (SS) points are blue/red shifted when Levy index is decreased. • The oscillations in scattering coefficients around SS have interesting behaviors in SFQM. • Deeper relations between the scattering properties in standard QM and those of in SFQM are observed. - Abstract: The spectral singularity (SS) and coherent perfect absorption (CPA) have been extensively studied over the last one and half decade for different non-Hermitian potentials in non-Hermitian standard quantum mechanics (SQM) governed by Schrödinger equation. In the present work we explore these scattering features in the domain of non-Hermitian space fractional quantum mechanics (SFQM) governed by fractional Schrödinger equation which is characterized by Levy index α (1<α≤2). We observe that non-Hermitian SFQM systems have more flexibility for SS and CPA and display some new features of scattering. For the delta potential V(x)=iρδ(x−x{sub 0}), ρ>0, the SS energy, E{sub ss}, is blue or red shifted with decreasing α depending on the strength of the potential. For complex rectangular barrier in non-Hermitian SQM, it is known that the reflection and transmission amplitudes are oscillatory near the spectral singular point. It is found that these oscillations eventually develop SS in non-Hermitian SFQM. The similar features are also reported for the case of CPA phenomena from complex rectangular barrier in non-Hermitian SFQM. These observations suggest a deeper relation between scattering features of non-Hermitian SQM and non-Hermitian SFQM.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1974

A theory of wave scatter from an inhomogeneous medium with a slightly rough boundary and its application to sea ice

An analytical theory of electromagnetic wave scattering from an inhomogeneous medium with a slightly rough boundary surface is formulated. The inhomogeneity in the medium is assumed to vary continuously in the vertical direction and to have a small random variation in the horizontal direction. The medium is assumed to consist of two layers. Maxwell's equations are solved by using the small perturbation method together with Fourier transform technique. The resulting differential equations are solved by using WKB and variation of parameter methods. Field amplitudes in each medium are determined by taking boundary conditions into account. The expressions for first order polarized radar backscatter cross-section are obtained. An attempt is made to apply the developed theory to compute sea ice scatter. Numerical calculations are performed for polarized radar backscatter cross-section at two frequencies, 13.3 GHz and 400 MHz. It is shown that WKB method is applicable at both of these frequencies. Theoretical results are compared with the experimental results obtained from NASA Earth Resources Program mission 126. Theoretical results and experimental results are in good agreement.

Parashar, S. K.↗
DOE OSTI2012

PULSE INTENSITY MODULATION AND THE TIMING STABILITY OF MILLISECOND PULSARS: A CASE STUDY OF PSR J1713+0747

Most millisecond pulsars, like essentially all other radio pulsars, show timing errors well in excess of what is expected from additive radiometer noise alone. We show that changes in amplitude, shape, and pulse phase for the millisecond pulsar J1713+0747 cause this excess error. These changes appear to be uncorrelated from one pulse period to the next. The resulting time of arrival (TOA) variations are correlated across a wide frequency range and is observed with different backend processors on different days, confirming that they are intrinsic in origin and not an instrumental effect or caused by strongly frequency-dependent interstellar scattering. Centroids of single pulses show an rms phase variation Almost-Equal-To 40 {mu}s, which dominates the timing error and is the same phase jitter phenomenon long known in slower spinning, canonical pulsars. We show that the amplitude modulations of single pulses are modestly correlated with their arrival time fluctuations. We also demonstrate that single-pulse variations are completely consistent with arrival time variations of pulse profiles obtained by integrating N pulses such that the arrival-time error decreases proportional to 1/{radical}N. We investigate methods for correcting TOAs for these pulse-shape changes, including multi-component TOA fitting and principal component analysis. These techniques are not found to improve the timing precision of the observations. We conclude that when pulse-shape changes dominate timing errors, the timing precision of PSR J1713+0747 can be only improved by averaging over a larger number of pulses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scattering Observables from Few-Body Densities and Compton Scattering on $^6$Li

The dynamics of scattering on light nuclei is numerically expensive using standard methods. Fortunately, recent developments allow one to factor the relevant quantities for a given probe into a convolution of an n -body Transition Density Amplitude (TDA) and the interaction kernel for a given probe. These TDAs depend only on the target, and not the probe; they are calculated once for each set of kinematics and can be used for different interactions.\ % in the same kinematics. The kernels depend only on the probe, and not on the target; they can be reused for different targets and different kinematics. The calculation of TDAs becomes numerically difficult for more than four nucleons, but we discuss a new solution through the use of a Similarity Renormalization Group transformation, and a subsequent back-transformation. This technique allows for extending the TDA method to heavier nuclei such as 6 Li. We present preliminary results for Compton scattering on 6 Li and compare with available data, anticipating an upcoming, more thorough study. We also discuss ongoing extensions to pion-photoproduction and other reactions on light nuclei.

Long, Alexander [George Washington University, Was↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analytic quasi-steady evolution of marginally unstable kinetic plasma instabilities in the presence of drag and scattering

The 1D bump-on-tail problem is studied in order to determine the influence of drag on quasi-steady solutions near marginal stability (1-γ d /γ L << 1) when effective collisions are much larger than the instability growth rate (ν>>γ). In this common tokamak regime, it is rigorously shown that the paradigmatic Berk–Breizman cubic equation for the nonlinear mode evolution reduces to a much simpler differential equation, dubbed the time-local cubic equation, which can be solved directly. It is found that in addition to increasing the saturation amplitude, drag introduces a shift in the apparent oscillation frequency by modulating the saturated wave envelope. Furthermore, excellent agreement is found between the analytic solution for the mode evolution and both the numerically integrated Berk–Breizman cubic equation and fully nonlinear 1D Vlasov simulations. Experimentally isolating the contribution of drag to the saturated mode amplitude for verification purposes is explored but complicated by the reality that the amount of drag cannot be varied independently of other key parameters in realistic scenarios. While the influence of drag is modest when the ratio of effective drag to effective scattering α/ν is very small, it can become substantial when α/ν ≳ 0.5, suggesting that drag should be accounted for in quantitative models of fast-ion-driven instabilities in fusion plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY OF THE HIGH-MASS γ-RAY BINARY 1FGL J1018.6−5856: A PROBABLE NEUTRON STAR PRIMARY

We present medium-resolution optical spectroscopy with the SOAR telescope of the O star secondary of the high-mass γ-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6–5856 to help determine whether the primary is a neutron star or black hole. We find that the secondary has a low radial velocity semi-amplitude of 11–12 km s{sup −1}, with consistent values obtained for H and He absorption lines. This low value strongly favors a neutron star primary: while a black hole cannot be excluded if the system is close to face on, such inclinations are disallowed by the observed rotation of the secondary. We also find the high-energy (X-ray and γ-ray) flux maxima occur when the star is behind the compact object along our line of sight, inconsistent with a simple model of anisotropic inverse Compton scattering for the γ-ray photons.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Direct Observation of Dynamic Symmetry Breaking above Room Temperature in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite

Lead halide perovskites such as methylammonium lead triiodide (CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 ) have outstanding optical and electronic properties for photovoltaic applications, yet a full understanding of how this solution-processable material works so well is currently missing. Previous research has revealed that CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 possesses multiple forms of static disorder regardless of preparation method, which is surprising in light of its excellent performance. Using high energy resolution inelastic X-ray (HERIX) scattering, we measure phonon dispersions in CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 and find direct evidence for another form of disorder in single crystals: large-amplitude anharmonic zone edge rotational instabilities of the PbI 6 octahedral that persist to room temperature and above, left over from structural phase transitions that take place tens to hundreds of degrees below. Phonon calculations show that the orientations of the methylammonium (CH 3 NH 3 + ) couple strongly and cooperatively to these modes. The result is a noncentrosymmetric, instantaneous local structure, which we observe in atomic pair distribution function (PDF) measurements. This local symmetry breaking is unobservable by Bragg diffraction but can explain key material properties such as the structural phase sequence, ultralow thermal transport, and large minority charge carrier lifetimes despite moderate carrier mobility. In conclusion, from the PDF we estimate the size of the fluctuating symmetry broken domains to be between 1 and 3 nm in diameter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗