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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Neutron Star Structure in the Presence of Scalar Fields

Motivated by the possible presence of scalar fields on astrophysical scales, suggested by the apparent acceleration of the universe implied by the supernovae surveys, we present models of neutron star structure including the contribution of a (massless) scalar field to the stress energy momentum tensor, in addition to that made by the normal matter. To that end we solve the coupled Einstein -- scalar field -- hydrostatic balance equations to compute the effect of the presence of the scalar field on the neutron star structure. We find that the presence of the scalar field does change the structure of the neutron star, especially in cases of strong coupling between the scalar field and the matter density. We present the neutron star radius as a function of the matter--scalar field coupling constant for different values of the neutron star central density. The presence of the scalar field affects both the maximum neutron star mass and Its radius, the latter increasing with the value of the above coupling constant. We also compute particle and photon geodesics in the geometry of these neutron stars as well as to the geometry of black holes with different values of the scalar field. Our results may be testable with timing observations of accreting neutron stars.

Kazanas, Demosthenes↗
NASA NTRS2004

Neutron Star Structure In The Presence of Scalar Fields

Motivated by the possible presence of scalar fields on astrophysical scales, suggested by the recent measurement of the deceleration parameter by supernovae surveys, we present models of neutron star structure under the assumption that a scalar field makes a significant contribution to the stress energy momentum tensor, in addition to that made by the normal matter. To that end we solve the coupled Einstein - scalar field - hydrostatic balance equations to compute the effect of the presence of the scalar field on the neutron star structure. We find that the presence of the scalar field does change the structure of the neutron star, especially in cases of strong coupling between the scalar field and the matter density. We present the neutron star radius as a function of the matter-scalar field coupling constant for different values of the neutron star central density. The presence of the scalar field does affect both the maximum neutron star mass and its radius, the latter increasing with the value of the above coupling constant. Our results may be testable with the recent timing observations of accreting neutron stars.

Crawford, James P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Investigations of turbulent scalar fields using probability density function approach

Scalar fields undergoing random advection have attracted much attention from researchers in both the theoretical and practical sectors. Research interest spans from the study of the small scale structures of turbulent scalar fields to the modeling and simulations of turbulent reacting flows. The probability density function (PDF) method is an effective tool in the study of turbulent scalar fields, especially for those which involve chemical reactions. It has been argued that a one-point, joint PDF approach is the one to choose from among many simulation and closure methods for turbulent combustion and chemically reacting flows based on its practical feasibility in the foreseeable future for multiple reactants. Instead of the multi-point PDF, the joint PDF of a scalar and its gradient which represents the roles of both scalar and scalar diffusion is introduced. A proper closure model for the molecular diffusion term in the PDF equation is investigated. Another direction in this research is to study the mapping closure method that has been recently proposed to deal with the PDF's in turbulent fields. This method seems to have captured the physics correctly when applied to diffusion problems. However, if the turbulent stretching is included, the amplitude mapping has to be supplemented by either adjusting the parameters representing turbulent stretching at each time step or by introducing the coordinate mapping. This technique is still under development and seems to be quite promising. The final objective of this project is to understand some fundamental properties of the turbulent scalar fields and to develop practical numerical schemes that are capable of handling turbulent reacting flows.

Gao, Feng↗
NASA NTRS2008

Cross Sections From Scalar Field Theory

A one pion exchange scalar model is used to calculate differential and total cross sections for pion production through nucleon- nucleon collisions. The collisions involve intermediate delta particle production and decay to nucleons and a pion. The model provides the basic theoretical framework for scalar field theory and can be applied to particle production processes where the effects of spin can be neglected.

Norbury, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Equilibrium Statistical Thermodynamics of a Many-Particle System Coupled to an External Scalar Field

The equilibrium thermodynamics of a many-particle assembly in the presence of an external scalar field is examined. Two types of scalar coupling are considered: an external field coupled to the particle density and an external scalar field coupled to the energy density. It is shown that the broken translational and rotational invariance of the system due to the external field is reflected in the macroscopic physics by loss of the usual extensivity property of the system and by means of anisotropy in the response of the system to changes in the system lengths or to the system shape. In addition, the assumptions used in local equilibrium analyses are shown to be incorrect in principle. Nonlocal effects due to the external field must be included in the determination of the equation of state. Simple model calculations for a system in an external gravitational field and an externally imposed temperature field are presented as illustrations.

Salvino, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Turbulent transport of a passive-scalar field by using a renormalization-group method

A passive-scalar field is considered to evolve under the influence of a turbulent fluid governed by the Navier-Stokes equation. Turbulent-transport coefficients are calculated by small-scale elimination using a renormalization-group method. Turbulent processes couple both the viscosity and the diffusivity. In the absence of any correlation between the passive-scalar fluctuations and any component of the fluid velocity, the renormalized diffusivity is essentially the same as if the fluid velocity were frozen, although the renormalized equation does contain higher-order nonlinear terms involving viscosity. This arises due to the nonlinear interaction of the velocity with itself. In the presence of a finite correlation, the turbulent diffusivity becomes coupled with both the velocity field and the viscosity. There is then a dependence of the turbulent decay of the passive scalar on the turbulent Prandtl number.

Hossain, Murshed↗
NASA NTRS1995

An Exact Solution of Einstein-Maxwell Gravity Coupled to a Scalar Field

The general solution to low-energy string theory representing static spherically symmetric solution of the Einstein-Maxwell gravity with a massless scalar field has been found. Some of the partial cases appear to coincide with known solutions to black holes, naked singularities, and gravity and electromagnetic fields.

Einstein-Maxwell gravity scalar field↗
NASA NTRS1989

Conformal scalar field wormholes

The Euclidian Einstein equations with a cosmological constant and a conformally coupled scalar field are solved, taking the metric to be of the Robertson-Walker type. In the case Lambda = 0, solutions are found which represent a wormhole connecting two asymptotically flat Euclidian regions. In the case Lambda greater than 0, the solutions represent tunneling from a small Tolman-like universe to a large Robertson-Walker universe.

Halliwell, Jonathan J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The structure of a passive scalar field with a uniform mean gradient in rapidly sheared homogeneous turbulent flow

The effect of an arbitrarily oriented mean passive scalar gradient on one-point passive scalar statistics is studied in homogeneous turbulent shear flow in the limit of rapid shearing. By neglecting the nonlinear inertial transfer to small scales an analytical solution for individual Fourier modes is obtained for the case of unity Prandtl number. This solution is used to compute the development of one-point statistics for the velocity and scalar fields in the inviscid limit. Comparisons to direct numerical simulations of the full nonlinear equations for the same flow show that, in addition to describing the early time response to the imposed shear, the linear solution gives reasonable estimates of several correlation coefficients for the developed shear flow.

Rogers, Michael M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Multifunctional Interface Method for Coupling Finite Element and Finite Difference Methods: Two-Dimensional Scalar-Field Problems

A multifunctional interface method with capabilities for variable-fidelity modeling and multiple method analysis is presented. The methodology provides an effective capability by which domains with diverse idealizations can be modeled independently to exploit the advantages of one approach over another. The multifunctional method is used to couple independently discretized subdomains, and it is used to couple the finite element and the finite difference methods. The method is based on a weighted residual variational method and is presented for two-dimensional scalar-field problems. A verification test problem and a benchmark application are presented, and the computational implications are discussed.

Ransom, Jonathan B.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Full Field Scalar Measurements in a Pulsating Helium Jet using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry

The flow structure of a pulsating helium jet was investigated using quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry. The operating parameters included the tube inside diameter, the jet Reynolds number and the jet Richardson number. The jet structure was characterized by the frequency spectrum, temporal evolution of the oscillations and mean and root-mean-square profiles of the species mole fraction, which in this case, was helium. Experiments were conducted using a variable nozzle facility. Angular deflection data were obtained using rainbow schlieren deflectometry across full field of color images taken at a temporal resolution of 60Hz. The flicker cycle was analyzed by instantaneous rainbow schlieren images, contour plots of deflection angle and helium mole fraction placed sequentially in time. Two observe the flow downstream, the tube was lowered with respect to the optical setup and images were taken at different axial planes. In this way, the laminar, transition and turbulent regions of the jet flow were observed. Abel inversion algorithm was utilized to reconstruct the refractive index field from the measurements of the beam deflection angle. The concentration field was then generated from the refractive index field. The phenomenon of vortex initiation and propagation in the flicker cycle was described by correlating the ray deflection angle and concentration contour plots. Experiments in the flickering jet reveal global oscillation in the flow field. The effect of jet exit Reynolds number and jet Richardson number on the flickering frequency was analyzed. The effect of jet Richardson number was more pronounced than that of the jet exit Reynolds number. The flow field was studies quantitatively in terms of temporal evolution and statistical description of helium mole fraction.

Pasumarthi, Kasyap S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

PDF approach for turbulent scalar field: Some recent developments

The probability density function (PDF) method has been proven a very useful approach in turbulence research. It has been particularly effective in simulating turbulent reacting flows and in studying some detailed statistical properties generated by a turbulent field There are, however, some important questions that have yet to be answered in PDF studies. Our efforts in the past year have been focused on two areas. First, a simple mixing model suitable for Monte Carlo simulations has been developed based on the mapping closure. Secondly, the mechanism of turbulent transport has been analyzed in order to understand the recently observed abnormal PDF's of turbulent temperature fields generated by linear heat sources.

Gao, Feng↗
NASA NTRS2021

Gravitational analog of the canonical acoustic black hole in Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet theory

In this work, in the context of modified gravity, a curved spacetime analogous to the 'canonical acoustic black hole (CABH)' is constructed. The source is a self-interacting scalar field which is non-minimally coupled to gravity through the Gauss–Bonnet invariant. The scalar-Gauss–Bonnet coupling function is characterized by three positive parameters: σ with units of (length), μ with units of (length)4, and a dimensionless parameter s, thus defining a three-parameter model for which the line element of CABH is a solution. The spacetime is equipped with spherical and static symmetry and has a single horizon determined in Schwarzschild coordinates by the region r = μ^(1/4). The solution admits a photon sphere at r = (3μ)^(1/4), and it is shown that in the region (3μ)^(1/4) ⩽ r < ∞ the scalar field satisfies the null, weak, and strong energy conditions. Nonetheless, the model with s = 1 has major physical relevance since for this case the scalar field is well defined in the entire region r ⩾ μ^(1/4), while for s ≠ 1 the scalar field blows up on the horizon.

Pedro Cañate↗