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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.

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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Dependent scattering and fractal microstructure determine the transparency of aerogel monoliths

This study reveals how dependent scattering and microstructure significantly affect electromagnetic wave propagation through aerogel monoliths, contributing to their transparency. Light scattering by particle ensembles is considered “dependent” when the scattering properties rely not only on particle size and optical constants but also on their spatial distribution, typically occurring when the average interparticle distance is small in comparison with the wavelength of incident radiation. Addressing dependent scattering requires solving Maxwell’s equations for complex heterogeneous structures, which is computationally demanding and usually limited to sample thicknesses on the same scale as the wavelength. This study combines computer-generated ambigel microstructures of fractal aggregates of polydisperse nanoparticles and the radiative transfer with reciprocal transaction method to predict the transmittance of thick ambigel slabs. Transmittance measurements of ambiently dried aerogel monoliths (ambigels) with porosities from about 50% to 90% closely matched the predicted values for their digital twins. However, ignoring dependent scattering or particle aggregation led to inaccurate predictions. This study validated the computational framework, and its findings offer insights for designing photonic metamaterials and analyzing their interactions with electromagnetic waves.

Yalcin, Refet A. (ORCID:0000000339973494)↗
NASA NTRS2012

Magnetic Field Effects on Plasma Plumes

Here, we will discuss our numerical studies of plasma jets and loops, of basic interest for plasma propulsion and plasma astrophysics. Space plasma propulsion systems require strong guiding magnetic fields known as magnetic nozzles to control plasma flow and produce thrust. Propulsion methods currently being developed that require magnetic nozzles include the VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) [1] and magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Magnetic nozzles are functionally similar to de Laval nozzles, but are inherently more complex due to electromagnetic field interactions. The two crucial physical phenomenon are thrust production and plasma detachment. Thrust production encompasses the energy conversion within the nozzle and momentum transfer to a spacecraft. Plasma detachment through magnetic reconnection addresses the problem of the fluid separating efficiently from the magnetic field lines to produce maximum thrust. Plasma jets similar to those of VASIMR will be studied with particular interest in dual jet configurations, which begin as a plasma loops between two nozzles. This research strives to fulfill a need for computational study of these systems and should culminate with a greater understanding of the crucial physics of magnetic nozzles with dual jet plasma thrusters, as well as astrophysics problems such as magnetic reconnection and dynamics of coronal loops.[2] To study this problem a novel, hybrid kinetic theory and single fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solver known as the Magneto-Gas Kinetic Method is used.[3] The solver is comprised of a "hydrodynamic" portion based on the Gas Kinetic Method and a "magnetic" portion that accounts for the electromagnetic behaviour of the fluid through source terms based on the resistive MHD equations. This method is being further developed to include additional physics such as the Hall effect. Here, we will discuss the current level of code development, as well as numerical simulation results

Ebersohn, F.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Beam-recoil transferred polarization in $K^+Y$ electroproduction in the nucleon resonance region with CLAS12

We report beam-recoil transferred polarizations for the exclusive electroproduction of K + Λ and K + Σ 0 final states from an unpolarized proton target have been measured using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Laboratory. The measurements at beam energies of 6.535 and 7.546 GeV span the range of four-momentum transfer Q 2 from 0.3 to 4.5 GeV 2 and invariant energy W from 1.6 to 2.4 GeV, while covering the full center-of-mass angular range of the K + . These new data extend the existing hyperon polarization data from CLAS in a similar kinematic range but from a significantly larger dataset. They represent an important addition to the world data, allowing for better exploration of the reaction mechanism in strangeness production processes, for further understanding of the spectrum and structure of excited nucleon states, and for improved insight into the strong interaction in the regime of nonperturbative dynamics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Recoil polarization in 𝐾 + ⁢𝑌 electroproduction in the nucleon resonance region with CLAS12

Hyperon recoil polarization measurements for the exclusive electroproduction of 𝐾 + ⁢Λ and 𝐾 + ⁢Σ 0 final states from an unpolarized proton target have been carried out using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Laboratory. The measurements at beam energies of 6.535 and 7.546 GeV span the range of four-momentum transfer 𝑄 2 from 0.3 to 4.5GeV 2 and invariant mass 𝑊 from 1.6 to 2.4 GeV, while covering the full center-of-mass angular range of the 𝐾 + . These new Λ polarization observables extend the existing data in a similar kinematic range but from a significantly larger dataset. However, they represent the first electroproduction measurements of this observable for the Σ 0 . These data will allow for better exploration of the reaction mechanism in strangeness production, for further understanding of the spectrum and structure of excited nucleon states that couple to 𝐾⁢𝑌, and for improved insight into the strong interaction in the nonperturbative domain.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Evidence of Sub-MeV EMIC-Driven Trapped Electron Flux Dropouts From GPS Observations

We report that for many years, it was believed that resonant interactions between electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and radiation belt electrons were restricted to electron energies >1–2 MeV. In recent years, however, a growing body of experimental evidence has shown that EMIC waves can cause the scattering loss of electrons down to sub-MeV energies. Using measurements of trapped electron flux from the Global Positioning System satellite constellation, we investigate the ability of EMIC waves to cause significant depletions of radiation belt electron populations between 4 ≤ L* ≤ 5. For the first time, we present statistical evidence demonstrating global decreases in sub-MeV trapped electron flux in response to EMIC wave activity. Although we find that electron losses extend down to sub-MeV energies, we also show strong statistical support for the ability of EMIC waves to preferentially cause substantial depletions of ultra-relativistic electrons in the radiation belts.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dynamic magneto-chiral instability in photoexcited tellurium

In systems of charged chiral fermions out of equilibrium, an electric current parallel to a magnetic field can generate a dynamic instability that amplifies electromagnetic waves. Whether this mechanism also operates in chiral solid-state systems has remained uncertain. Here we observe signatures of a dynamic magneto-chiral instability in elemental tellurium, a structurally chiral crystal, using time-domain terahertz emission spectroscopy. Under transient photoexcitation in a moderate magnetic field, we observe terahertz radiation with coherent modes that grow in amplitude over time. We present a theoretical model that describes this behaviour based on a dynamic instability of electromagnetic waves interacting with infrared-active oscillators of acceptor states in tellurium, giving rise to an amplifying polariton. These results demonstrate that magneto-chiral instabilities can emerge in solid-state systems and establish a mechanism for terahertz-wave amplification in chiral materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Millimeter-wave electromagnetic monitoring for liquid metal droplet-on-demand printing

As new printing approaches emerge, in situ diagnostics to monitor the print quality in real-time become essential for long-term monitoring and feedback control. In this article, we present a millimeter-wave electromagnetic monitoring approach for liquid metal droplet-on-demand printing to support the high-speed and real-time evaluation of droplet ejection. An open-ended rectangular waveguide is placed perpendicular to a jetted droplet stream and operated at a continuous-wave frequency of 40 GHz. Liquid metal droplets with diameters as low as 1.2 mm are characterized, and droplet jetting events on the order of 500 μm are detected at ejection rates up to 80 Hz. The measured results demonstrate that trends at the macro-level (large-scale print variation and anomalies at the nozzle tip) as well as micro-level (droplet size, position, and dynamics) can be detected using this technique.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Flowing plasma rearrangement in the presence of static perturbing fields

Charged particles interacting with electromagnetic waves have a portion of their energy tied up in wave-driven oscillations. When these waves are localized to the exhaust of linear magnetic confinement systems, this ponderomotive effect can be utilized to enhance particle confinement. The same effect can be derived for particles moving via an E×B drift into a region of a static perturbation to the electromagnetic fields which has a large wave vector component in the direction of the motion. In this work, we use a simplified slab model to self-consistently solve for the electromagnetic fields within the fluid flowing plasma of a static flute-like (k∥=0) perturbation and evaluate the resulting ponderomotive potential. We find that two types of perturbations can exist within the flowing plasma, which are an O wave and an X wave in the frame moving with the fluid. In the case of tenuous plasma, these perturbations are magnetostatic or electrostatic multipole-analog perpendicular to the guiding magnetic field in the lab frame, respectfully. For denser plasmas, the O wave-like perturbation is screened at the electron skin depth scale, and the X wave-like perturbation is a combination of a similar perpendicular electric perturbation and parallel magnetic perturbation. The ponderomotive potential generated in the X wave-like case is gyrofrequency-dependent and can be used as either potential barriers or potential wells, depending on the direction of the flow velocity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dark black holes in the mass gap

Abstract In the standard picture of stellar evolution, pair-instability — the energy loss in stellar cores due to electron-positron pair production — is predicted to prevent the collapse of massive stars into black holes with mass in the range between approximately 50 and 130 solar masses — a range known as the “black hole mass gap”. LIGO and Virgo detection of black hole binary mergers containing one or both black holes with masses in thismass gapthus challenges the standard picture, possibly pointing to an unexpected merger history, unanticipated or poorly understood astrophysical mechanisms, or new physics. Here, we entertain the possibility that a “dark sector” exists, consisting of dark electrons, dark protons, and electromagnetic-like interactions, but no nuclear forces. Dark stars would inevitably form given such dark sector constituents, possibly collapsing into black holes with masses within the mass gap. We study in detail the cooling processes necessary for successful stellar collapse in the dark sector and show that for suitable choices of the particle masses, we indeed predict populating the mass gap with dark sector black holes. In particular, we numerically find that the heavier of the two dark sector massive particles cannot be lighter than, approximately, the visible sector proton for the resulting dark sector black holes to have masses within the mass gap. We discuss constraints on this scenario and how to test it with future, larger black hole merger statistics.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Computational prediction of dielectric breakdown strength of a transformer paper in oil with uncertainty quantification

The determination of the dielectric breakdown strengths of microstructurally heterogeneous materials has been a primarily experimental endeavor. We report the development of a microstructure-level model for computationally predicting the breakdown strength and analyzing the interactions between electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and the constituents in a composite of cellulose-based paper and mineral oil found in electrical transformers. The model allows explicit simulation of the material breakdown process by tracking the transition of dielectric constituents from non-conductive to conductive states. The focus is on the electric fields induced in the materials and the overall conditions for dielectric breakdown (defined as the onset of avalanche) caused by the electric field induced in the composite. Responses to three distinct pulse shapes, i.e., Steep Front (SF), Lightning (L), and AC with spectra spanning 60–9 × 105 Hz are considered. It is found that the breakdown strength of the material is significantly affected by microstructure heterogeneities, the spatial variations of the constituent properties, and the pulse shapes. A probabilistic characterization of the breakdown strength is computationally obtained and compared with experimental measurements. Although one particular material is analyzed, the model and approach are applicable to other heterogeneous materials as well.

breakdowns↗
DOE OSTI2025

High precision measurements of the proton elastic electromagnetic form factors and their ratio at 𝑄 2 = 0.50, 2.64, 3.20, and 4.10 GeV 2

The advent of high-intensity, high-polarization electron beams led to significantly improved measurements of the ratio of the proton’s charge to electric form factors, 𝐺 𝐸⁢ 𝑝 ⁡/𝐺 𝑀⁢ 𝑝 . However, high-𝑄 2 measurements of this ratio yielded significant disagreement with extractions based on unpolarized scattering measurements, raising questions about the reliability of the measurements and consistency of the techniques. Jefferson Lab experiment E01-001 was designed to provide a high precision extraction of 𝐺 𝐸⁢ 𝑝 ⁡/𝐺 𝑀⁢ 𝑝 from unpolarized cross-section measurements using a modified version of the Rosenbluth separation technique to allow for a more precise comparison with polarization data. Rosenbluth separations involve precise measurements of the angular dependence of the elastic 𝑒−𝑝 cross section at fixed momentum transfer, 𝑄 2 . Conventional Rosenbluth separations detect the scattered electron, requiring the comparisons of measurements with very different detected electron energy and rate for electrons at different angles. Our ‘‘super-Rosenbluth’’ measurement detected the struck proton, rather than the scattered electron to extract the elastic 𝑒−𝑝 cross section. This yielded a fixed momentum for the detected particle and dramatically reduced variation of the cross section with angle, significantly reducing rate- and momentum-dependent corrections and uncertainties. We measure the cross section vs angle with high relative precision, allowing for extremely high precision extractions of 𝐺 𝐸⁢ 𝑝 ⁡/𝐺 𝑀⁢ 𝑝 at 𝑄 2 = 2.64, 3.20, and 4.10 GeV 2 . Our results are consistent with traditional Rosenbluth extractions, but with much smaller corrections and systematic uncertainties, comparable to the uncertainties from polarization measurements. Our data confirm the discrepancy between Rosenbluth and polarization extractions of the proton form factor ratio using an improved Rosenbluth extraction that yields smaller and less-correlated uncertainties than those typical of previous Rosenbluth extractions. Here, we compare our results to calculations of two-photon exchange effects and find that the observed discrepancy can be relatively well explained by such effects.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enhancement of Rydberg Blockade via Microwave Dressing

Experimental control over the strength and angular dependence of interactions between atoms is a key capability for advancing quantum technologies. Here, in this work, we use microwave dressing to manipulate and enhance Rydberg-Rydberg interactions in an atomic ensemble. By varying the cloud length relative to the blockade radius and measuring the statistics of the light retrieved from the ensemble, we demonstrate a clear enhancement of the interaction strength due to microwave dressing. These results are successfully captured by a theoretical model that accounts for the excitation dynamics, atomic density distribution, and phase-matched retrieval efficiency. Our approach offers a versatile platform for further engineering interactions by exploiting additional features of the microwave fields, such as polarization and detuning, opening pathways for new quantum control strategies.

collective effects in quantum optics↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Neural Differential Equation Formulation for Modeling Atmospheric Effects in Hyperspectral Images

Atmospheric correction is the process for removing atmospheric effects from spectral data; a necessary step for recovering salient spectral properties. The complex interactions between the atmosphere and light are dominated by absorbance and scattering physics. Existing methods for modeling atmospheric interactions typically rely on deep knowledge of relevant environmental conditions and high-fidelity numerical simulations of the governing physics in order to obtain accurate estimates of these effects. Additionally, existing approaches often require a subject matter expert for pre/post-processing of the data. Model-based approaches for removing atmospheric effects struggle in situations where such domain expertise is not available, and require significant human effort and computational power even when that expertise is available. In contrast, we propose a data-driven approach the uses Neural Differential Equations (NDEs) to accurately learn the interactions between electromagnetic radiation and the atmospheric without access to location specific environmental information. Once trained, the NDE can be applied bi-directionally; to apply or remove atmospheric effects. We demonstrate the effectiveness and utility of these techniques on an example multi-spectral scene.

Koch, James V.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Instrumental uncertainties in radiative corrections for the MUSE experiment

The MUSE experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute is measuring elastic lepton-proton scattering cross sections in a four-momentum transfer range from Q 2 of approximately 0.002–0.08 GeV 2 using positively and negatively charged electrons and muons. The extraction of the Born cross sections from the experimental data requires radiative corrections. Estimates of the instrumental uncertainties in those corrections have been made using the ESEPP event generator. The results depend in particular on the minimum lepton momentum that contributes to the experimental cross section and the fraction of events with hard initial-state radiation that is detected in the MUSE calorimeter and is excluded from the data. Furthermore, these results show that the angular-dependent instrumental uncertainties in radiative corrections to the electron cross section are less than 0.4% and are negligible for the muon cross section.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Microwave-Assisted Preparation of Luminescent Inorganic Materials: A Fast Route to Light Conversion and Storage Phosphors

Luminescent inorganic materials are used in several technological applications such as light-emitting displays, white LEDs for illumination, bioimaging, and photodynamic therapy. Usually, inorganic phosphors (e.g., complex oxides, silicates) need high temperatures and, in some cases, specific atmospheres to be formed or to obtain a homogeneous composition. Low ionic diffusion and high melting points of the precursors lead to long processing times in these solid-state syntheses with a cost in energy consumption when conventional heating methods are applied. Microwave-assisted synthesis relies on selective, volumetric heating attributed to the electromagnetic radiation interaction with the matter. The microwave heating allows for rapid heating rates and small temperature gradients yielding homogeneous, well-formed materials swiftly. Luminescent inorganic materials can benefit significantly from the microwave-assisted synthesis for high homogeneity, diverse morphology, and rapid screening of different compositions. The rapid screening allows for fast material investigation, whereas the benefits of enhanced homogeneity include improvement in the optical properties such as quantum yields and storage capacity.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Searching for Dark Matter with Superconducting Qubits

Dark matter is an enduring mystery in our quest to understand the fundamental constituents of our universe. Low mass bosons, such the axion or hidden photon, are compelling dark matter candidates. We leverage their potential interactions with electromagnetic fields, whereby the dark matter (of unknown mass) on rare occasion converts into a single photon, to devise a method of detecting these candidates. Current dark matter searches operating at microwave frequencies use a resonant cavity to coherently accumulate the field sourced by the dark matter and a near standard quantum limited (SQL) linear amplifier to read out the cavity signal. To further increase sensitivity to the dark matter signal and enable future searches, sub-SQL detection techniques are required.In this thesis, I report the development of a novel microwave photon counting technique and a new exclusion limit on hidden photon dark matter. We operate a superconducting qubit to make repeated quantum non-demolition measurements of cavity photons and apply a hidden Markov model analysis to reduce the noise to 15.7 dB below the quantum limit, with overall detector performance limited by a residual background of real photons. With the present device, we perform a hidden photon search and constrain the kinetic mixing angle to less than 1.68 x 10-15 in a band around 6.011 GHz (24.86 micro-eV) with an integration time of 8.33 s. This demonstrated noise reduction technique enables future dark matter searches to be sped up by a factor of 1300. By coupling a qubit to an arbitrary quantum sensor, more general sub-SQL metrology is possible with the techniques presented in this work.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗