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Martin, W.

Publications and source records attributed to Martin, W..

At least 19 records

An x-ray penumbral imager for measurements of electron–temperature profiles in inertial confinement fusion implosions at OMEGA

Hot-spot shape and electron temperature (T e ) are key performance metrics used to assess the efficiency of converting shell kinetic energy into hot-spot thermal energy in inertial confinement fusion implosions. X-ray penumbral imaging offers a means to diagnose hot-spot shape and T e , where the latter can be used as a surrogate measure of the ion temperature (T i ) in sufficiently equilibrated hot spots. We have implemented a new x-ray penumbral imager on OMEGA. We demonstrate minimal line-of-sight variations in the inferred T e for a set of implosions. Furthermore, we demonstrate spatially resolved T e measurements with an average uncertainty of 10% with 6 μm spatial resolution.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Using millimeter-sized carbon-deuterium foils for high-precision deuterium-tritium neutron spectrum measurements in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion at the OMEGA laser facility

Millimeter-sized CD foils fielded close (order mm) to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions have been proposed as a game-changer for improving energy resolution and allowing time-resolution in neutron spectrum measurements using the magnetic recoil technique. This paper presents results from initial experiments testing this concept for direct drive ICF at the OMEGA laser facility. While the foils are shown to produce reasonable signals, inferred spectral broadening is seen to be high (~5 keV) and signal levels low (by ~20%) compared to expectation. Before this type of foil is used for precision experiments, the foil mount must be improved, oxygen uptake in the foils better characterized, and impact of uncontrolled foil motion prior to detection investigated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Using millimeter-sized carbon–deuterium foils for high-precision deuterium–tritium neutron spectrum measurements in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion at the OMEGA laser facility

Millimeter-sized CD foils fielded close (order mm) to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions have been proposed as a game-changer for improving energy resolution and allowing time-resolution in neutron spectrum measurements using the magnetic recoil technique. This paper presents results from initial experiments testing this concept for direct drive ICF at the OMEGA Laser Facility. Additionally, while the foils are shown to produce reasonable signals, inferred spectral broadening is seen to be high (~5 keV) and signal levels are low (by ~20%) compared to expectation. Before this type of foil is used for precision experiments, the foil mount must be improved, oxygen uptake in the foils must be better characterized, and impact of uncontrolled foil motion prior to detection must be investigated.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

A heterodyne dispersion interferometer for wide bandwidth density measurements on DIII-D

In order to improve both the density and particularly the temporal resolution beyond previous dispersion interferometers (DIs), a heterodyne technique based on an acousto-optic (AO) cell has been added to the DI. A 40 MHz drive frequency for the AO cell allows density fluctuation measurements into the MHz range. A CO 2 laser-based heterodyne DI (HDI) installed on DIII-D has demonstrated that the HDI is capable of tracking the density evolution throughout DIII-D discharges, including disruption events and other rapid transient phenomena. The data also show good agreement with independent density measurements obtained with the existing DIII-D two-color interferometer. The HDI line-integrated density resolution sampled over a 1 s interval is ~9 × 10 17 m -2 . Density fluctuations induced by MHD instabilities are also successfully measured by the HDI.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Bench testing of a heterodyne CO 2 laser dispersion interferometer for high temporal resolution plasma density measurements

Here, a heterodyne detection scheme is combined with a 10.59 μm CO 2 laser dispersion interferometer for the first time to allow large bandwidth measurements in the 10-100 MHz range. The approach employed utilizes a 40 MHz acousto-optic cell operating on the frequency doubled CO 2 beam which is obtained using a high 2nd harmonic conversion efficiency orientation patterned gallium arsenide crystal. The measured standard deviation of the line integrated electron density equivalent phase resolution obtained with digital phase demodulation technique, is 4 × 10 17 m –2 . Air flow was found to significantly affect the baseline of the phase signal, which an optical table cover was able to reduce considerably. The heterodyne dispersion interferometer (DI) approach is found to be robustly insensitive to motion, with measured phase shifts below baseline drifts even in the presence of several centimeters of retroreflector induced path length variations. Plasma induced dispersion was simulated with a wedged ZnSe plate and the measured DI phase shifts are consistent with expectations.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Space-Based Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Aerosols: The Multi-Angle Spectro-Polarimetric Frontier

The review of optical instrumentation, forward modeling, and inverse problem solution for the polarimetric aerosol remote sensing from space is presented. The special emphasis is given to the description of current airborne and satellite imaging polarimeters and also to modern satellite aerosol retrieval algorithms based on the measurements of the Stokes vector of reflected solar light as detected on a satellite. Various underlying surface reflectance models are discussed and evaluated.

polarimetry↗

Modeling resonance interference by 0-D slowing-down solution with embedded self-shielding method

The resonance integral table based methods employing conventional multigroup structure for the resonance self-shielding calculation have a common difficulty on treating the resonance interference. The problem arises due to the lack of sufficient energy dependence of the resonance cross sections when the calculation is performed in the multigroup structure. To address this, a resonance interference factor model has been proposed to account for the interference effect by comparing the interfered and non-interfered effective cross sections obtained from 0-D homogeneous slowing-down solutions by continuous-energy cross sections. A rigorous homogeneous slowing-down solver is developed with two important features for reducing the calculation time and memory requirement for practical applications. The embedded self-shielding method (ESSM) is chosen as the multigroup resonance self-shielding solver as an integral component of the interference method. The interference method is implemented in the DeCART transport code. Verification results show that the code system provides more accurate effective cross sections and multiplication factors than the conventional interference method for UO{sub 2} and MOX fuel cases. The additional computing time and memory for the interference correction is acceptable for the test problems including a depletion case with 87 isotopes in the fuel region. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Resonance self-shielding methodology in MPACT

The resonance self-shielding methods of the neutron transport code Michigan Parallel Characteristics based Transport (MPACT) are described in this paper. Two resonance-integral table based methods are utilized to resolve the resonance self-shielding effect. The subgroup method is a mature approach used in MPACT as the basic functionality for the resonance calculation. Another new iterative method, named the embedded self-shielding method is also implemented in MPACT. Comparisons of the two methods as well as their numerical verifications are presented. The results show that MPACT is capable of modeling the resonance self-shielding in a variety of PWR benchmarking cases, including difficult fuel lattice cases with poison, control rods or mixed gadolinia fuel rods. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Self-Reacting Friction Stir Welding for Aluminum Complex Curvature Applications

This viewgraph representation provides an overview of sucessful research conducted by Lockheed Martin and NASA to develop an advanced self-reacting friction stir technology for complex curvature aluminum alloys. The research included weld process development for 0.320 inch Al 2219, sucessful transfer from the 'lab' scale to the production scale tool and weld quality exceeding strenght goals. This process will enable development and implementation of large scale complex geometry hardware fabrication. Topics covered include: weld process development, weld process transfer, and intermediate hardware fabrication.

Brown, Randy J.↗

FQPSK Developments Recommended for CCSDS Standardization by NASA/JPL

In 1992, international space agencies became concerned that increasing frequency band congestion, together with attempts by the mobile telephone industry to obtain additional bandwidth, would result in substantially more interference incidents.

modulation Feher's quadrature phase shift keying b↗

Regiochemical control of monolignol radical coupling: a new paradigm for lignin and lignan biosynthesis

BACKGROUND: Although the lignins and lignans, both monolignol-derived coupling products, account for nearly 30% of the organic carbon circulating in the biosphere, the biosynthetic mechanism of their formation has been poorly understood. The prevailing view has been that lignins and lignans are produced by random free-radical polymerization and coupling, respectively. This view is challenged, mechanistically, by the recent discovery of dirigent proteins that precisely determine both the regiochemical and stereoselective outcome of monolignol radical coupling. RESULTS: To understand further the regulation and control of monolignol coupling, leading to both lignan and lignin formation, we sought to clone the first genes encoding dirigent proteins from several species. The encoding genes, described here, have no sequence homology with any other protein of known function. When expressed in a heterologous system, the recombinant protein was able to confer strict regiochemical and stereochemical control on monolignol free-radical coupling. The expression in plants of dirigent proteins and proposed dirigent protein arrays in developing xylem and in other lignified tissues indicates roles for these proteins in both lignan formation and lignification. CONCLUSIONS: The first understanding of regiochemical and stereochemical control of monolignol coupling in lignan biosynthesis has been established via the participation of a new class of dirigent proteins. Immunological studies have also implicated the involvement of potential corresponding arrays of dirigent protein sites in controlling lignin biopolymer assembly.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

Communication System Architectures for Missions to Mars - A Preliminary Investigation

This paper presents various communication system architectures for Multiple-Link communications with Single Aperture (MULSA) ground station. The proposed architectures are capable of supporting a multiplicity of spacecraft that are within the beamwidth of a single ground station antenna simultaneously. Both short and long term proposals to address this scenario will be discussed. In addition, the paper also discusses the top-level system designs of the proposed architectures and attempts to identify the associated advantages and disadvantages for each system.

antenna↗

(abstract) Hermes Global Orbiter: Mission to Mercury

The Hermes Global Orbiter is a proposed Discovery-class mission. Hermes will be launched aboard a Delta II rocket in 1999 and will be placed in an elliptical polar orbit about Mercury. Remote sensing measurements of the planet's surface, atmosphere, and magnetosphere will be performed. Key mission goals include mapping the entire surface at 1 km resolution, characterizing the surface composition, texture and topography, searching for water ice at the poles, characterizing the atmosphere, and constraining the interior structure.

Mercury Hermes orbiter remote sensing surface atmo↗