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At least 1,765 records · Page 98

Particle energization during solar maximum: Diffusive shock acceleration at multiple shocks

We present a model for the acceleration of particles at multiple shocks using an approach related to box models. A distribution of particles is diffusively accelerated inside the box while simultaneously experiencing decompression through adiabatic expansion and losses from the convection and diffusion of particles out of the box by either the method used in Melrose and Pope and Pope and Melrose or by the approach introduced in Zank et al. where we solve the transport equation by a method analogous to operator splitting. The second method incorporates the additional loss terms of convection and diffusion and allows for the use of a variable time between shocks. We use a maximum injection energy (E{sub max}) appropriate for quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular shocks. We provide a preliminary application of the diffusive acceleration of particles by multiple shocks with frequencies appropriate for solar maximum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Diffuse ionizing radiation within HH jets

We present numerical hydrodynamical simulations of a time-dependent ejection velocity precessing jet. The parameters used in our models correspond to a high excitation Herbig-Haro object, such as HH 80/81. We have included the transfer of ionizing radiation produced within the shocked regions of the jet. The radiative transfer is computed with a ray-tracing scheme from all the cells with an emissivity above a certain threshold. We show the development of a radiative precursor, and compare the morphology with a model without the diffuse radiation. Our simulations show that the morphology of the Hα emission is affected considerably if the diffuse ionizing radiation is accounted for. The predicted Hα position-velocity diagram (i.e., spatially resolved emission line profiles) from a model with the transfer of ionizing radiation has a relatively strong component at zero velocity, corresponding to the radiative precursor. Qualitatively similar 'zero velocity components' are observed in HH 80/81 and in the jet from Sanduleak's star in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Development of the Model of Galactic Interstellar Emission for Standard Point-Source Analysis of Fermi Large Area Telescope Data

Most of the celestial gamma rays detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope originate from the interstellar medium when energetic cosmic rays interact with interstellar nucleons and photons. Conventional point-source and extended-source studies rely on the modeling of this diffuse emission for accurate characterization. Here, we describe the development of the Galactic Interstellar Emission Model (GIEM),which is the standard adopted by the LAT Collaboration and is publicly available. This model is based on a linear combination of maps for interstellar gas column density in Galactocentric annuli and for the inverse-Compton emission produced in the Galaxy. In the GIEM, we also include large-scale structures like Loop I and the Fermi bubbles. The measured gas emissivity spectra confirm that the cosmic-ray proton density decreases with Galactocentric distance beyond 5 kpc from the Galactic Center. The measurements also suggest a softening of the proton spectrum with Galactocentric distance. We observe that the Fermi bubbles have boundaries with a shape similar to a catenary at latitudes below 20deg and we observe an enhanced emission toward their base extending in the north and south Galactic directions and located within approximately 4deg of the Galactic Center.

gamma rays: diffuse background – gamma rays: gen↗

Superresolution Diffuse Optical Imaging by Localization of Fluorescence

The multiple scattering of light presents major challenges in realizing useful in vivo imaging at tissue depths of more than about one millimeter, where many answers to health questions lie. Visible through near-infrared photons can be readily and safely detected through centimeters of tissue; however, limited information is available for image formation. One strategy for obtaining images is to model the photon transport and a simple incoherent model is the diffusion equation approximation to the Boltzmann transport equation. Such an approach provides a prediction of the mean intensity of heavily scattered light and hence provides a forward model for optimization-based computational imaging. While diffuse optical imaging methods have received substantial attention, they remain restricted in terms of resolution because of the loss of high-spatial-frequency information that is associated with the multiple scattering of photons. Consequently, only relatively large inhomogeneities, such as tumors or organs in small animals, can be effectively resolved. We introduce a superresolution imaging approach based on point localization in a diffusion framework that enables over two orders of magnitude improvement in the spatial resolution of diffuse optical imaging. The method is demonstrated experimentally by localizing a fluorescent inhomogeneity in a highly scattering slab and characterizing the localization uncertainty. The approach allows imaging through centimeters of tissue with a resolution of tens of microns, thereby enabling cells or cell clusters to be resolved. More generally, this high-resolution imaging approach could be applied with any physical transport or wave model and hence to a broad class of physical problems. Finally, paired with a suitable optical contrast mechanism, as can be realized with targeted fluorescent molecules or genetically modified animals, superresolution diffuse imaging should open alternative dimensions for in vivo applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Experiment and analysis of directional effects on radiant heat transfer.

Critical examination of the validity of the commonly used simplified models for predicting local and overall radiant heat interchange among real surfaces. The spectral local irradiation was measured at wavelengths of 3.08 and 4.51 microns in a configuration consisting of three plane parallel surfaces of finite extent. The test surfaces were gold with mechanical roughness and temperature varying from 0.02 to 7.1 microns and 77 to 760 K, respectively. Comparisons between experimental data and predictions for six different models ranging from the simple diffuse to the most detailed diffuse-plus-specular-directional-property model with specular component calculated according to Beckmann are presented. It is shown that the calculation of the overall irradiation using appropriate constant-property models agrees well with the experimental data to within combined experimental and analytical uncertainty. In general, it is concluded that for accurate prediction of local irradiation the directional characteristics of the surfaces must be considered.

Toor, J. S.↗

SkyFACT: high-dimensional modeling of gamma-ray emission with adaptive templates and penalized likelihoods

We present SkyFACT (Sky Factorization with Adaptive Constrained Templates), a new approach for studying, modeling and decomposing diffuse gamma-ray emission. Like most previous analyses, the approach relies on predictions from cosmic-ray propagation codes like GALPROP and DRAGON. However, in contrast to previous approaches, we account for the fact that models are not perfect and allow for a very large number (∼> 10{sup 5}) of nuisance parameters to parameterize these imperfections. We combine methods of image reconstruction and adaptive spatio-spectral template regression in one coherent hybrid approach. To this end, we use penalized Poisson likelihood regression, with regularization functions that are motivated by the maximum entropy method. We introduce methods to efficiently handle the high dimensionality of the convex optimization problem as well as the associated semi-sparse covariance matrix, using the L-BFGS-B algorithm and Cholesky factorization. We test the method both on synthetic data as well as on gamma-ray emission from the inner Galaxy, |ℓ|<90{sup o} and | b |<20{sup o}, as observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We finally define a simple reference model that removes most of the residual emission from the inner Galaxy, based on conventional diffuse emission components as well as components for the Fermi bubbles, the Fermi Galactic center excess, and extended sources along the Galactic disk. Variants of this reference model can serve as basis for future studies of diffuse emission in and outside the Galactic disk.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Hydrocarbon photochemistry in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter

The hydrocarbon photochemistry in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter is investigated using a one-dimensional, photochemical-diffusive, and diurnally averaged model. The important chemical cycles and pathways among the major species are outlined and a standard model for the North Equatorial Belt region is examined in detail. It is found that several traditionally dominant chemical pathways among the C and C2 species are replaced in importance by cycles involving C-C4 species. The pressure and altitude profiles of mixing ratios for several observable hydrocarbon species are compared with available ultraviolet- and infrared-derived abundances. The results of sensitivity studies on the standard model with respect to variations in eddy diffusion profile, solar flux, atomic hydrogen influx, latitude, temperature, and important chemical reaction rates are presented. Measured and calculated airglow emissions of He at 584 angstroms and H at 1216 angstroms are also used to provide some constraints on the range of model parameters. The relevance of the model results to the upcoming Galileo mission is briefly discussed. The model is subject to considerable improvement; there is a great need for laboratory measurements of basic reaction rates and photodissociation quantum yields, even for such simple species as methylacetylene and allene. Until such laboratory measurements exist there will be considerable uncertainty in the understanding of the C3 and higher hydrocarbons in the atmospheres of the jovian planets.

NASA Discipline Number 52-20↗

Nanoparticle dynamics in the spatial afterglows of nonthermal plasma synthesis reactors

Nonthermal plasma flow tube reactors are industrially scalable systems for the production of nanocrystal (NC) based materials and coatings. One key advantage of nonthermal plasma synthesis is the ability to both synthesize NCs and deposit films in a single reactor, as at the reactor outlet, NCs can be inertially deposited onto a target substrate. The size and morphology of deposited particles can substantially influence the film structure and function. Though NCs are typically near-spherical and monodispersed as-produced in plasma synthesis reactors, NC charge and growth dynamics can be altered substantially when NCs are sampled out of the plasma and through the spatial afterglow region, affecting deposition. Experiments have demonstrated changes of NC size and charge in the spatial afterglow; however, these dynamics remain unexplored and unexplained via theory and simulation. To address this, we developed a constant number Monte Carlo (CNMC) simulation model to examine the mechanisms of NC decharging and growth in the spatial afterglow of plasma flow tube reactors. Collisions between NC and plasma species, diffusive deposition, and electron desorption from NCs are incorporated in the CNMC simulation. The simulation results are specifically compared with previous experiments on Si NCs synthesized from a low pressure Ar-SiH 4 nonthermal plasma reactor. Furthermore, the experiment-model comparison shows that CNMC models can be implemented which accurately model NC size distribution evolution in a spatial afterglow. Simultaneously, results show that improved collision models, energetic species diffusion models, and electron desorption models will be necessary to accurately depict NC dynamics in spatial afterglows.

42 ENGINEERING↗

The Reactive–Diffusive Length of OH and Ozone in Model Organic Aerosols

We report that a key step in the heterogeneous oxidation of atmospheric aerosols is the reaction of ozone (O 3 ) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) at the gas–particle interface. The formation of reaction products and free radical intermediates and their spatial distribution inside the particle is a sensitive function of the length over which these oxidants diffuse prior to reaction. The reactive–diffusive length of OH and ozone at organic aerosol interfaces is determined by observing the change in the effective uptake coefficient for size-selected model aerosols comprising a reactive core and a thin nanometer-sized (0–12 nm) organic shell. The core and shell materials are selected so that they are immiscible and adopt an assumed core–shell configuration. The results indicate a reactive–diffusive length of 1.4 nm for hydroxyl (OH) radicals in squalane and 1.0 nm for ozone in squalene. Measurements for a purely diffusive system allow for an estimate for diffusion constant (1.6 × 10 -6 cm 2 /s) of ozone in squalane to be determined. In conclusion, the reactive–diffusive length offers a simple first order estimate of how shielding of aerosols by immiscible layers can alter estimates of oxidative lifetimes of aerosols in the atmosphere.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Understanding the structure and mechanism of Na + diffusion in NASICON solid-state electrolytes and the effect of Sc- and Al/Y-substitution

NASICON (sodium superionic conductor) based ceramics are one of the most promising classes of solid-state electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries. However, the mechanism of sodium ion diffusion is not understood in great detail since there is still a discrepancy between reported average structure models, local structures, and the number and position of sodium sites. To close this gap, we investigate the underlying diffusion mechanism and structural changes governing the Na + transport in Na 3.4 Zr 2 Si 2.4 P 0.6 O 12 using quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). In the temperature range from 298 K to 640 K, the correlations between structural changes of a monoclinic C2/c to rhombohedral R $\bar{3}$c phase transition and the result of ion diffusion are investigated. The analysis of the quasielastic neutron scattering data reveals two quasielastic components corresponding to the Chudley-Elliott jump-diffusion model. It clearly shows two different Na + diffusion processes, local and long-range, on two different time and length scales and allows calculations of their corresponding activation energies. Additionally, the effects of Sc 3+ and Al 3+ /Y 3+ aliovalent substitution of Zr 4+ ions on the crystal structure and Na + diffusion are also studied. We can distinguish a local, chain, and cross-chain diffusion mechanism based on correlated QENS and XRD comparison of relevant nearest crystallographic Na–Na distances. The results reveal that the Na + diffusion in these NASICONs is three-dimensional and can provide guidelines on how dopants and changes in the crystal structure can affect the Na + conductivity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Framework for predicting the fractionation of complex liquid feeds via polymer membranes

The separation of complex liquid hydrocarbon mixtures was recently demonstrated using the glassy polymer SBAD-1, showing that small molecule fractionation is possible by such organic membrane materials. Here, in this work, we develop a framework that will enable workable predictions of permeate flux and composition in complex hydrocarbon liquids through intrinsically porous glassy polymers. The predictions are made by incorporating experimentally-derived unary sorption and diffusion parameters in a Maxwell-Stefan framework coupled with multicomponent sorption models and various distinct diffusion phenomena. Across the range of sorption and diffusion phenomena considered, both the conventional Flory-Huggins model and the proposed Langmuir + Flory-Huggins sorption model combined with a simple average guest diffusivity or a more complex free-volume theory-based transport resulted in the lowest prediction error for three chosen multicomponent separations. The proposed Maxwell-Stefan framework simply requires pure component transport parameters to allow a fast approximation of the separation of multicomponent liquid hydrocarbon feeds that can potentially be extended to more complex feeds such as crude oil fractions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Supergranule Diffusion and Active Region Decay

Models of the Sun's magnetic dynamo include turbulent diffusion to parameterize the effects of convective motions on the evolution of the Sun's magnetic field. Supergranules are known to dominate the evolution of the surface magnetic field structure as evidenced by the structure of both the active and quiet magnetic network. However, estimates for the dif hivity attributed to su perymules differ by an order of magnitude from about 100 km sup2/s to more than 1000 km sup2/s. We examine this question of the e i v i t y using three merent approaches. 1) We study the decay of more than 30,000 active regions by determining the rate of change in the sunspot area of each active region from day-to-day. 2) We study the decay of a single isolated active region near the time of solar minimum by examining the magnetic field evolution over five solar rotations fiom SOHOMDI magnetograms obtained at 96-minute intervals. 3) We study the characteristics of supergranules that influence the estimates of their diffusive properties - flow speeds and lifetimes as functions of size - fiom SOHO/MDI Dopplergrams.

Hathaway, David H.↗

Structural constraint integration in a generative model for the discovery of quantum materials

Billions of organic molecules have been computationally generated, yet functional inorganic materials remain scarce due to limited data and structural complexity. Here, in this work, we introduce Structural Constraint Integration in a GENerative model (SCIGEN), a framework that enforces geometric constraints, such as honeycomb and kagome lattices, within diffusion-based generative models to discover stable quantum materials candidates. SCIGEN enables conditional sampling from the original distribution, preserving output validity while guiding structural motifs. This approach generates ten million inorganic compounds with Archimedean and Lieb lattices, over 10% of which pass multistage stability screening. High-throughput density functional theory calculations on 26,000 candidates shows over 95% convergence and 53% structural stability. A graph neural network classifier detects magnetic ordering in 41% of relaxed structures. Furthermore, we synthesize and characterize two predicted materials, TiPd 0.22 Bi 0.88 and Ti 0.5 Pd 1.5 Sb, which display paramagnetic and diamagnetic behaviour, respectively. Our results indicate that SCIGEN provides a scalable path for generating quantum materials guided by lattice geometry.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Searching for low percolation thresholds within amphiphilic polymer membranes: The effect of side chain branching

Percolation thresholds for solvent diffusion within hydrated model polymeric membranes are derived from dissipative particle dynamics in combination with Monte Carlo (MC) tracer diffusion calculations. The polymer backbones are composed of hydrophobic A beads to which at regular intervals Y-shaped side chains are attached. Each side chain is composed of eight A beads and contains two identical branches that are each terminated with a pendant hydrophilic C bead. Four types of side chains are considered for which the two branches (each represented as [C], [AC], [AAC], or [AAAC]) are splitting off from the 8th, 6th, 4th, or 2nd A bead, respectively. Water diffusion through the phase separated water containing pore networks is deduced from MC tracer diffusion calculations. The percolation threshold for the architectures containing the [C] and [AC] branches is at a water volume fraction of ∼0.07 and 0.08, respectively. These are much lower than those derived earlier for linear architectures of various side chain length and side chain distributions. Control of side chain architecture is thus a very interesting design parameter to decrease the percolation threshold for solvent and proton transports within flexible amphiphilic polymer membranes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Unsteady Crystal Growth Due to Step-Bunch Cascading

Based on our experimental findings of growth rate fluctuations during the crystallization of the protein lysozym, we have developed a numerical model that combines diffusion in the bulk of a solution with diffusive transport to microscopic growth steps that propagate on a finite crystal facet. Nonlinearities in layer growth kinetics arising from step interaction by bulk and surface diffusion, and from step generation by surface nucleation, are taken into account. On evaluation of the model with properties characteristic for the solute transport, and the generation and propagation of steps in the lysozyme system, growth rate fluctuations of the same magnitude and characteristic time, as in the experiments, are obtained. The fluctuation time scale is large compared to that of step generation. Variations of the governing parameters of the model reveal that both the nonlinearity in step kinetics and mixed transport-kinetics control of the crystallization process are necessary conditions for the fluctuations. On a microscopic scale, the fluctuations are associated with a morphological instability of the vicinal face, in which a step bunch triggers a cascade of new step bunches through the microscopic interfacial supersaturation distribution.

Vekilov, Peter G.↗

Steady-state thermal-solutal convection and diffusion in a simulated float zone

Models describing the steady-state thermal diffusion in a pure system, the thermal-solutal diffusion in a binary system, and heat and momentum transverse in a pure system are presented. The geometry of the model is described by a 2D Cartesian coordinate system that is applicable for crystal sheets. The melting, solidifying, and melt/gas interfacial shapes as well as the thermal, flow, and solutal profiles are analytically evaluated as functions of the heat and ambient temperature profiles and material properties. The solution procedure involves a coupled asymptotic/numerical approach which reduces the coupled set of partial differential equations to ordinary type. The results should be applicable in situations where melt flows are not intense enough to change the thermal field in pure systems, or where the physical properties of the melt are such that the convective field is decoupled from the thermal field, the latter being established primarily by diffusion.

Young, G. W.↗

Nonlinear Shock Acceleration and Photon Emission in Supernova Remnants

We have extended a simple model of nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration (Berezhko & Ellison 1999: Ellison &, Berezhko 1999a) to include the injection and acceleration of electrons and the production of photons from bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, inverse Compton, and pion-decay processes. We argue that, the results of this model, which is simpler to use than more elaborate ones, offer a significant improvement, over test-particle, power-law spectra which are often used in astrophysical applications of diffusive shock acceleration. With an evolutionary supernova remnant (SNR) model to obtain shock parameters as functions of ambient interstellar medium parameters and time, we predict broad-band continuum photon emission from supernova remnants in general, and SN1006 in particular, showing that our results compare well with the more complete time-dependent and spherically symmetric nonlinear model of Berezhko, Ksenofontov, & Petukhov (1999a). We discuss the implications nonlinear shock acceleration has for X-ray line emission, and use our model to describe how ambient conditions determine the TeV/radio flux ratio, an important parameter for gamma-ray observations of radio SNRs.

Ellison, Donald C.↗