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At least 1,783 records · Page 99
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Constraining primordial magnetic fields with distortions of the black-body spectrum of the cosmic microwave background: pre- and post-decoupling contributions

Primordial magnetic fields that exist before the photon-baryon decoupling epoch are damped on length scales below the photon diffusion and free-streaming scales. The energy injected into the plasma by dissipation of magnetosonic and Alfv and apos;en waves heats photons, creating a y-type distortion of the black-body spectrum of the cosmic microwave background. This y-type distortion is converted into a μ-type distortion when elastic Compton scattering is efficient. Therefore, we can use observational limits on y- and μ-type distortions to constrain properties of magnetic fields in the early universe. Assuming a Gaussian, random, and non-helical field, we calculate μ and y as a function of the present-day strength of the field, B{sub 0}, smoothed over a certain Gaussian width, k{sub c}{sup −1}, as well as of the spectral index of the power spectrum of fields, n{sub B}, defined by P{sub B}(k)∝k{sup n{sub B}}. For a nearly scale-invariant spectrum with n{sub B} = −2.9 and a Gaussian smoothing width of k{sub c}{sup −1} = 1Mpc, the existing COBE/FIRAS limit on μ yields B{sub 0} < 40 nG, whereas the projected PIXIE limit on μ would yield B{sub 0} < 0.8 nG. For non-scale-invariant spectra, constraints can be stronger. For example, for B{sub 0} = 1 nG with k{sub c}{sup −1} = 1Mpc, the COBE/FIRAS limit on μ excludes a wide range of spectral indices given by n{sub B} > −2.6. After decoupling, energy dissipation is due to ambipolar diffusion and decaying MHD turbulence, creating a y-type distortion. The distortion is completely dominated by decaying MHD turbulence, and is of order y ≈ 10{sup −7} for a few nG field smoothed over the damping scale at the decoupling epoch, k{sub d,} {sub dec} ≈ 290(B{sub 0}/1nG){sup −1}Mpc{sup −1}. The projected PIXIE limit on y would exclude B{sub 0} > 1.0 and 0.6 nG for n{sub B} = −2.9 and -2.3, respectively, and B{sub 0} > 0.6 nG for n{sub B} ≥ 2. Finally, we find that the current limits on the optical depth to Thomson scattering restrict the predicted y-type distortion to be y∼<10{sup −8}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Stationary density profiles in the Alcator C-mod tokamak

In the absence of an internal particle source, plasma turbulence will impose an intrinsic relationship between an inwards pinch and an outwards diffusion resulting in a stationary density profile. The Alcator C-mod tokamak utilizes RF heating and current drive so that fueling only occurs in the vicinity of the separatrix. Discharges that transition from L-mode to I-mode are seen to maintain a self-similar stationary density profile as measured by Thomson scattering. For discharges with negative magnetic shear, an observed rise of the safety factor in the vicinity of the magnetic axis appears to be accompanied by a decrease of electron density, qualitatively consistent with the theoretical expectations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Identification and elimination of anomalous thermal decay in gamma-ray microcalorimeters

Microcalorimeter detectors rely on superconducting components and cryogenic temperatures to provide over an order-of-magnitude improvement in energy resolution compared to semiconducting sensors. Resolution improvements impact fields from gamma-ray astrophysics to nuclear safeguards. The temporal response of these detectors has been much slower than predicted from the known device parameters. This discrepancy has been attributed to the dynamics of quasiparticles and phonons in the bulk absorber used for absorbing photons. We will show that long-lived states in the glue used for absorber attachment have been the dominant cause of the slow response. Also, we have fabricated microcalorimeters using metal-to-metal diffusion bonding to attach the absorber. These detectors show a significant improvement in their recovery after gamma-ray events and will now enable study of the internal scattering dynamics of the bulk absorber.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

DOES A SCALING LAW EXIST BETWEEN SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLE EVENTS AND SOLAR FLARES?

Among many other natural processes, the size distributions of solar X-ray flares and solar energetic particle (SEP) events are scale-invariant power laws. The measured distributions of SEP events prove to be distinctly flatter, i.e., have smaller power-law slopes, than those of the flares. This has led to speculation that the two distributions are related through a scaling law, first suggested by Hudson, which implies a direct nonlinear physical connection between the processes producing the flares and those producing the SEP events. We present four arguments against this interpretation. First, a true scaling must relate SEP events to all flare X-ray events, and not to a small subset of the X-ray event population. We also show that the assumed scaling law is not mathematically valid and that although the flare X-ray and SEP event data are correlated, they are highly scattered and not necessarily related through an assumed scaling of the two phenomena. An interpretation of SEP events within the context of a recent model of fractal-diffusive self-organized criticality by Aschwanden provides a physical basis for why the SEP distributions should be flatter than those of solar flares. These arguments provide evidence against a close physical connection of flares with SEP production.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Spectrum of relativistic and subrelativistic cosmic rays in the 100 pc central region

From the rate of hydrogen ionization and the gamma-ray flux, we derived the spectrum of relativistic and subrelativistic cosmic rays (CRs) nearby and inside the molecular cloud Sgr B2 near the Galactic Center. We studied two cases of CR propagation in molecular clouds: free propagation and scattering of particles by magnetic fluctuations excited by the neutral gas turbulence. We showed that in the latter case CR propagation inside the cloud can be described as diffusion with a coefficient of ∼3×10{sup 27} cm{sup 2} s{sup −1}. For the case of hydrogen ionization by subrelativistic protons, we showed that their spectrum outside the cloud is quite hard with a spectral index of δ>−1. The energy density of subrelativistic protons (>50 eV cm{sup −3}) is one order of magnitude higher than that of relativistic CRs. These protons generate the 6.4 keV emission from Sgr B2, which was about 30% of the flux observed by Suzaku in 2013. Future observations for the period after 2013 may discover the background flux generated by subrelativistic CRs in Sgr B2. Alternatively, hydrogen ionization of the molecular gas in Sgr B2 may be caused by high energy electrons. We showed that the spectrum of electron bremsstrahlung is harder than the observed continuum from Sgr B2, and in principle, this X-ray component provided by electrons could be seen from the INTEGRAL data as a stationary high energy excess above the observed spectrum E{sub x}{sup −2}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Multi-satellite simultaneous observations of magnetopause and atmospheric losses of radiation belt electrons during an intense solar wind dynamic pressure pulse

Radiation belt electron flux dropouts are a kind of drastic variation in the Earth's magnetosphere, understanding of which is of both scientific and societal importance. We report multi-satellite simultaneous observations of magnetopause and atmospheric losses of radiation belt electrons during an event of intense solar wind dynamic pressure pulse, using electron flux data from a group of 14 satellites. Moreover, when the pulse occurred, magnetopause and atmospheric loss could take effect concurrently contributing to the electron flux dropout. Losses through the magnetopause were observed to be efficient and significant at L ≳ 5, owing to the magnetopause intrusion into L ~6 and outward radial diffusion associated with sharp negative gradient in electron phase space density. Losses to the atmosphere were directly identified from the precipitating electron flux observations, for which pitch angle scattering by plasma waves could be mainly responsible. While the convection and substorm injections strongly enhanced the energetic electron fluxes up to hundreds of keV, they could delay other than avoid the occurrence of electron flux dropout at these energies. Finally, we demonstrate that the pulse-time radiation belt electron flux dropout depends strongly on the specific interplanetary and magnetospheric conditions and that losses through the magnetopause and to the atmosphere and enhancements of substorm injection play an essential role in combination, which should be incorporated as a whole into future simulations for comprehending the nature of radiation belt electron flux dropouts.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1979

DUMAND Summer Workshop, University of California, La Jolla, Calif., July 24-September 2, 1978, Proceedings. Volume 2 - UHE interactions, neutrino astronomy

The volume covers categories on inelastic neutrino scattering and the W-boson, and other ultra-high-energy processes, on pulsars, quasars and galactic nuclei, as well as other point sources and constants from gamma ray astronomy. Individual subjects include weak intermediate vector bosons and DUMAND, the Monte Carlo simulation of inelastic neutrino scattering in DUMAND, and Higgs boson production by very high-energy neutrinos. The observability of the neutrino flux from the inner region of the galactic disk, the diffuse fluxes of high-energy neutrinos, as well as the significance of gamma ray observations for neutrino astronomy are also among the topics covered.

Roberts, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The propagation of solar flare particles in a turbulent coronal loop

Energetic solar flare particles, both electrons and protons, must survive the turbulent environment of a flaring loop and propogate to the lower corona or chromosphere in order to produce hard X-ray and gamma ray bursts. This plasma turbulence, often observed in soft X-ray line widths to be in excess of 100 km/s, is presumably capable of efficiently scattering the fast flare particles. This prevents to some degree the free streaming of accelerated particles and depending on the amplitude of the turbulence, restricts the particles to diffusive propagation along the length of the loop to the target chromosphere. In addition this turbulence is capable of performing additional acceleration of the fast particles by the second order Fermi mechanism. For compact flares with rise times 10s, the acceleration effect is small and the propagation of the particles is governed by spatial diffusion and energy loss in the ambient medium. The solution of the time dependent diffusion equation with velocity dependent diffusion and energy loss coefficients yields for the case of nonrelativistic protons particle precipitation rates which are necessary for calculating thick target gamma ray emission and also yields the total thin target emissivity.

Ryan, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The local characteristic function of interplanetary particle propagation

An easily measurable intensity function which characterizes the interplanetary propagation of charged solar flare particles is presented. This function is nearly time invariant during a solar event despite the large variations of intensity and anisotropy, but varies from event to event. It characterizes the systematic and stochastic forces of the interplanetary magnetic field which focus and scatter the particles in pitch angle. The model of focused transport shows that this function is essentially determined by the local shape and amplitude of the pitch angle diffusion coefficient kappa (mu) and by the local value of the focusing length. The time profile of the solar particle injection is typically of negligible influence. The local characteristic function may be used as a powerful new tool for a systematic analysis of flare particle angular distributions, Examples are given.

Green, G.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Dissipation mechanism in 3D magnetic reconnection

Dissipation processes responsible for fast magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasmas are investigated using 3D electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations. The present study revisits the two simulation runs performed in the previous study (Fujimoto, Phys. Plasmas 16, 042103 (2009)); one with small system size in the current density direction, and the other with larger system size. In the case with small system size, the reconnection processes are almost the same as those in 2D reconnection, while in the other case a kink mode evolves along the current density and deforms the current sheet structure drastically. Although fast reconnection is achieved in both the cases, the dissipation mechanism is very different between them. In the case without kink mode, the electrons transit the electron diffusion region without thermalization, so that the magnetic dissipation is supported by the inertia resistivity alone. On the other hand, in the kinked current sheet, the electrons are not only accelerated in bulk, but they are also partly scattered and thermalized by the kink mode, which results in the anomalous resistivity in addition to the inertia resistivity. It is demonstrated that in 3D reconnection the thickness of the electron current sheet becomes larger than the local electron inertia length, consistent with the theoretical prediction in Fujimoto and Sydora (Phys. Plasmas 16, 112309 (2009)).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Multi-component modeling of quasielastic neutron scattering from phospholipid membranes

We investigated molecular motions in the 0.3–350 ps time range of D{sub 2}O-hydrated bilayers of 1-palmitoyl-oleoyl-sn-glycero-phosphocholine and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphocholine in the liquid phase by quasielastic neutron scattering. Model analysis of sets of spectra covering scale lengths from 4.8 to 30 Å revealed the presence of three types of motion taking place on well-separated time scales: (i) slow diffusion of the whole phospholipid molecules in a confined cylindrical region; (ii) conformational motion of the phospholipid chains; and (iii) fast uniaxial rotation of the hydrogen atoms around their carbon atoms. Based on theoretical models for the hydrogen dynamics in phospholipids, the spatial extent of these motions was analysed in detail and the results were compared with existing literature data. The complex dynamics of protons was described in terms of elemental dynamical processes involving different parts of the phospholipid chain on whose motions the hydrogen atoms ride.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Time-dependent water dynamics in hydrated uranyl fluoride

In this study, uranyl fluoride is a three-layer, hexagonal structure with significant stacking disorder in the c-direction. It supports a range of unsolved ‘thermodynamic’ hydrates with 0–2.5 water molecules per uranium atom, and perhaps more. However, the relationship between water, hydrate crystal structures, and thermodynamic results, collectively representing the chemical pathway through these hydrate structures, has not been sufficiently elucidated. We used high-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering to study the dynamics of water in partially hydrated uranyl fluoride powder over the course of 4 weeks under closed conditions. The spectra are composed of two quasielastic components: one is associated with translational diffusive motion of water that is approximately five to six times slower than bulk water, and the other is a slow (on the order of 2–300 ps), spatially bounded water motion. The translational component represents water diffusing between the weakly bonded layers in the crystal, while the bounded component may represent water trapped in subnanometre ‘pockets’ formed by the space between uranium-centred polymerisation units. Complementary neutron diffraction measurements do not show any significant structural changes, suggesting that a chemical conversion of the material does not occur in the thermodynamically isolated system on this timescale.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Diffusion of energetic electrons in turbulent plasmas of the solar wind

A method of calculation of the diffusion coefficients D(v) of particles in velocity space, based on the statistical analysis of the motion of a great number of test electrons, is proposed. In the case of Langmuir turbulence developing in plasmas with fluctuating density inhomogeneities such as the solar wind, simulations provide coefficients D(v) which mainly depend on the Langmuir wave spectra and agree well with the analytical predictions D{sub th}(v) of the quasilinear theory of weak turbulence. Nevertheless, some noticeable differences exist with this theory: in the range of phase velocity of the short waves where the main part of the wave energy is concentrated, D(v) is noticeably smaller than D{sub th}(v), due to the scattering, the reflection, and the focusing effects encountered by the Langmuir waves when they interact with the plasma density inhomogeneities. Moreover, the probability of large velocity jumps in the particles’ trajectories essentially exceeds the probability of a Gaussian distribution. These large jumps, which are connected with the waves’ transformation processes, modify the nature of the particle diffusion, which is no more classical. These higher order effects cause the discrepancies observed with the quasilinear theory, which does not take them into account in its perturbative approach. The solar wind plasmas, which present fluctuating density inhomogeneities of noticeable average levels, are a very good laboratory to study such diffusion processes, which can eventually influence significantly on the development of essential physical phenomena, as electromagnetic radio emissions by type III solar radio bursts, for example.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Magnetic structures and excitations in sawtooth olivine chalcogenides Mn 2 SiX 4 (X = S, Se)

The Mn lattice in olivine chalcogenide Mn 2 SiX 4 (X = S, Se) compounds forms a sawtooth, which is of special interest in magnetism owing to the possibility of realizing flat bands in magnon spectra, a key component in magnonics. In this work, we investigate the Mn 2 SiX 4 olivines using magnetic susceptibility, and X-ray and neutron diffraction. We have determined the average and local crystal structures of Mn 2 SiS 4 and Mn 2 SiSe 4 using synchrotron X-ray, neutron diffraction, and X-ray total scattering data followed by Rietveld and pair distribution function analyses. It is found from the pair distribution function analysis that the Mn triangle that constitutes the sawtooth is isosceles in Mn 2 SiS 4 and Mn 2 SiSe 4 . The temperature evolution of magnetic susceptibility of Mn 2 SiS 4 and Mn 2 SiSe 4 shows anomalies below 83 K and 70 K, respectively, associated with magnetic ordering. From the neutron powder diffraction measurements the magnetic space groups of Mn 2 SiS 4 and Mn 2 SiSe 4 are found to be Pnma and Pnm'a', respectively. Here, we find that the Mn spins adopt a ferromagnetic alignment on the sawtooth in both Mn 2 SiS 4 and Mn 2 SiSe 4 but along different crystallographic directions for the S and the Se compounds. From the temperature evolution of Mn magnetic moments obtained from refining neutron diffraction data, the transition temperatures are accurately determined as T N (S) = 83(2) K and T N (Se) = 70.0(5) K. Broad diffuse magnetic peaks are observed in both the compounds, and are prominently seen close to T N , suggesting the presence of a short-range magnetic order. The magnetic excitations studied using inelastic neutron scattering reveal a magnon excitation with an energy corresponding to approximately 4.5 meV in both S and Se compounds. Spin correlations are observed to persist up to 125 K much above the ordering temperature and we suggest the possibility of short-range spin correlations responsible for this.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

EXPLICIT-IMPLICIT SCHEME FOR RELATIVISTIC RADIATION HYDRODYNAMICS

We propose an explicit-implicit scheme for numerically solving special relativistic radiation hydrodynamic equations, which ensures a conservation of total energy and momentum (matter and radiation). In our scheme, zeroth and first moment equations of the radiation transfer equation are numerically solved without employing a flux-limited diffusion approximation. For an hyperbolic term, of which the timescale is the light crossing time when the flow velocity is comparable to the speed of light, is explicitly solved using an approximate Riemann solver. Source terms describing an exchange of energy and momentum between the matter and the radiation via the gas-radiation interaction are implicitly integrated using an iteration method. The implicit scheme allows us to relax the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy condition in optically thick media, where heating/cooling and scattering timescales could be much shorter than the dynamical timescale. We show that our numerical code can pass test problems of one- and two-dimensional radiation energy transport, and one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics. Our newly developed scheme could be useful for a number of relativistic astrophysical problems. We also discuss how to extend our explicit-implicit scheme to the relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Altered morphology and diffusivity of water confined in MXenes: Machine learning–accelerated computations combined with experiments

Nanoconfined water exhibits unique properties compared to bulk water due to limited quantities, frustrated hydrogen bonding, and surface interactions, which are fundamental for energy storage and transport applications. We integrate machine learning–accelerated ab initio molecular dynamics with x-ray diffraction (XRD) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to systematically analyze the thermodynamic and dynamic behavior of water confined between functionalized (-F, -O, and -OH) two-dimensional (2D) Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene layers. As water intercalates between layers, the interlayer spacing exhibits layer-dependent staging characteristics. The water polarization can be flipped by the count and morphology of intercalated molecules interacting with MXene surface groups, resulting in varying electrostatic potential profiles. On the basis of interfacial electrostatic potential, hydrogen bond lifetime, and molecular orientation, we establish a linear combination of exponential model describing water diffusivity. These computational insights align well with experimental x-ray and neutron measurements, suggesting strategies for tuning water morphology and transport by tailoring MXene surface chemistry and water content for electrochemical energy storage and nanofluidic applications.

Tang, Jiawei [Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China)] (O↗
DOE OSTI2025

Static and dynamic properties of atomic nuclei with high-resolution potentials

Here, we compute ground-state and dynamical properties of 4 He and 16 O nuclei using as input high-resolution, phenomenological nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon forces that are local in coordinate space. The nuclear Schrodinger equation for both nuclei is accurately solved employing the auxiliary-field diffusion Monte Carlo approach. For the 4 He nucleus, detailed benchmarks are carried out with the hyperspherical harmonics method. In addition to presenting results for the binding energies and radii, we also analyze the momentum distributions of these nuclei and their Euclidean response function corresponding to the isoscalar density transition. The latter quantity is particularly relevant for lepton-nucleus scattering experiments, as it paves the way to quantum Monte Carlo calculations of electroweak response functions of 16 O.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Investigation of EMIC wave scattering as the cause for the BARREL 17 January 2013 relativistic electron precipitation event: A quantitative comparison of simulation with observations

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves were observed at multiple observatory locations for several hours on 17 January 2013. During the wave activity period, a duskside relativistic electron precipitation (REP) event was observed by one of the Balloon Array for Radiation belt Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL) balloons and was magnetically mapped close to Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 13. We simulate the relativistic electron pitch angle diffusion caused by gyroresonant interactions with EMIC waves using wave and particle data measured by multiple instruments on board GOES 13 and the Van Allen Probes. We show that the count rate, the energy distribution, and the time variation of the simulated precipitation all agree very well with the balloon observations, suggesting that EMIC wave scattering was likely the cause for the precipitation event. The event reported here is the first balloon REP event with closely conjugate EMIC wave observations, and our study employs the most detailed quantitative analysis on the link of EMIC waves with observed REP to date.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗