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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Depth-Penetrating Temperature Measurements of Thermal Barrier Coatings Incorporating Thermographic Phosphors

Thermographic phosphors have been previously demonstrated to provide effective non-contact, emissivity-independent surface temperature measurements. Because of the translucent nature of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), thermographic phosphor-based temperature measurements can be extended beyond the surface to provide depth-selective temperature measurements by incorporating the thermographic phosphor layer at the depth where the temperature measurement is desired. In this paper, thermographic phosphor (Y2O3:Eu) fluorescence decay time measurements are demonstrated to provide through-the-coating thickness temperature readings up to 1100 C with the phosphor layer residing beneath a 100 micron thick TBC (plasma-sprayed 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia). With an appropriately chosen excitation wavelength and detection configuration, it is shown that sufficient phosphor emission is generated to provide effective temperature measurements, despite the attenuation of both the excitation and emission intensities by the overlying TBC. This depth-penetrating temperature measurement capability should prove particularly useful for TBC diagnostics where a large thermal gradient is typically present across the TBC thickness. The fluorescence decay from the Y2O3:Eu layer exhibited both an initial short-term exponential rise and a longer-term exponential decay. The rise time constant was demonstrated to provide better temperature indication below 500 C while the decay time constant was a better indicator at higher temperatures.

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Charm- and bottom-quark production in Au+Au collisions at $$ \sqrt{{\textrm{s}}_{\textrm{NN}}} $$=200 GeV

Here, the invariant yield of electrons from open-heavy-flavor decays for 1 < p T < 8 GeV/c at midrapidity |y| < 0.35 in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. A displaced-vertex analysis with the PHENIX silicon-vertex detector enables extraction of the fraction of charm and bottom hadron decays and unfolding of the invariant yield of parent charm and bottom hadrons. The nuclear-modification factors RAA for electrons from charm and bottom hadron decays and heavy-flavor hadrons show both a centrality and a quark-mass dependence, indicating suppression in the quark-gluon plasma produced in these collisions that is medium sized and quark-mass dependent.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2005

Emission Process I

Important processes in X-ray plasmas are: 1. Ionization: Electron/proton collisions. Electron/proton (photoionization). innershell ionization. 2. Recombination: Radiative. Dielectronic. Charge exchange. 3. Excitation/Decay: Electron/proton collisions. Photoexcitation. Radiative decay.

Smith, Randall K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Electron Micro Bursts as a Mechanism of Electron Loss Via Wave-Particle Interactions

Electron microbursts are rapid fluctuations of electron fluxes occurring on time scales of milliseconds. They are thought be due to scattering into the loss cone by plasma waves of various types from chorus to the recently observed large amplitude whistlers. They may be a major process of loss of realtivistic electrons from the Earth's outer radiation belts. One of the key issues that new mission s such as RBSP will address is to understand the loss of relativistic electrons. The SAMPEX mission launched in 1992 and still collecting data has the HILT sensor onboard with the capability of measuring> 1 MeV electrons with a high time resolution of 20 milliseconds suited admirably for the study of microbursts. We will use the data collected by the HILT for over a decade to characterize the relationship between electron microbursts and macroscopic electron decay lifetimes. With the launch of RBSP it is expected that SAMPEX will continue to collect data and overlap with RBSP. The latter will provide valuable information regarding plasma waves which coupled with low altitude measurements of microbursts may help elucidate details of the physics of electron loss from the radiation belt.

Kanekal, Shrikanth↗
NASA NTRS1989

Antiproton powered propulsion with magnetically confined plasma engines

Matter-antimatter annihilation releases more energy per unit mass than any other method of energy production, making it an attractive energy source for spacecraft propulsion. In the magnetically confined plasma engine, antiproton beams are injected axially into a pulsed magnetic mirror system, where they annihilate with an initially neutral hydrogen gas. The resulting charged annihilation products transfer energy to the hydrogen propellant, which is then exhausted through one end of the pulsed mirror system to provide thrust. The calculated energy transfer efficiencies for a low number density (10(14)/cu cm) hydrogen propellant are insufficient to warrant operating the engine in this mode. Efficiencies are improved using moderate propellant number densities (10(16)/cu cm), but the energy transferred to the plasma in a realistic magnetic mirror system is generally limited to less than 2 percent of the initial proton-antiproton annihilation energy. The energy transfer efficiencies are highest for high number density (10(18)/cu cm) propellants, but plasma temperatures are reduced by excessive radiation losses. Low to moderate thrust over a wide range of specific impulse can be generated with moderate propellant number densities, while higher thrust but lower specific impulse may be generated using high propellant number densities. Significant mass will be required to shield the superconducting magnet coils from the high energy gamma radiation emitted by neutral pion decay. The mass of such a radiation shield may dominate the total engine mass, and could severely diminish the performance of antiproton powered engines which utilize magnetic confinement. The problem is compounded in the antiproton powered plasma engine, where lower energy plasma bremsstrahlung radiation may cause shield surface ablation and degradation.

Lapointe, Michael R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Laser pulse-length dependent ablation and shock generation in silicon at 5 × 10 14 W/ cm 2 intensities

The effect of laser pulse duration on energy coupling into a planar silicon target is investigated in experiments at the OMEGA-EP facility by varying the laser pulse length τ —spanning 3 orders of magnitude from 100 ps to 10 ns—while maintaining a constant peak laser intensity, I 0 = 5 × 10 14 W/ cm 2 . In theoretical models, the ablation pressure primarily scales for a given material with laser intensity and wavelength, which are all fixed variables here, allowing us to explore the specific role of laser pulse duration. Two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics simulations benchmarked with optical probing of the expanding plasma show that the pulse duration is critical for the ablation pressure to reach a steady state. Moreover, the pulse duration impacts shock decay and multiple wave effects, which strongly dictate the evolving shock profile that propagates within the laser-shocked target as ultimately measured by rear-surface diagnostics. The shock velocities inferred from the theoretical model, after considering shock decay, impedance matching, and shock Hugoniot, are found to be in good agreement with velocimetry measurements. However, discrepancies are observed with simulations for the shorter (0.1 ns) and longer (10 ns) pulse durations, which are respectively attributed to unaccounted contributions of kinetic absorption mechanisms and instabilities in simulations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Bailly-Grandvaux, M. (ORCID:0000000175294013)↗
NASA NTRS1985

The role of unneutralized surface ions in negative potential arcing

The observed arcing on negatively biased solar arrays exposed to plasma environments is shown to be due to an effective charge layer on the interconnect formed by ion collection from the plasma. Time scales to form this layer are shown to be in agreement with experimental observations. A quantitative theory is presented which predicts arcing threshold dependence on plasma density and external potentials. After breakdown, the discharge process is modeled as space charge limited transport to nearby coverslips. Peak currents and decay times predicted by this model are compared with experimental observations.

Jongeward, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Gamma-ray line afterglow from burst environments

We consider photoerosion and direct pair production in a medium surrounding a gamma-ray burst. The resulting secondary gamma-rays may provide diagnostic tools of these environments and, in turn, of the nature of the bursters themselves. In some instances short-lived nuclides are formed; the beta-delayed gamma-rays produced from their decays provide the signatures of the photoerosion. In addition, annihilation radiation produced from positrons resulting from direct pair production is related to the plasma conditions in the medium. We investigate the plausibility of detecting the various radiations. Under extremely favorable conditions, the photoerosion afterglow might be detectable with the present generation of detectors. However, the positron annihilation line should be detectable under a fairly wide range in the conditions of the medium.

Fencl, H. S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Atomic Data and Spectral Line Intensities for Ne III

A number of satellites and rockets have been launched to observe radiation from the Sun and other astrophysical objects. Line radiation is emitted when the electron impact excited levels decay to the lower levels by photon emission. From this radiation, the physical parameters such as electron temperature and density of the astrophysical plasma, elemental abundance, and opacity can be inferred. Ne III lines have been observed in H II regions, Ne-rich filaments in supernovae, and planetary nebulae. The allowed line at 489.50 Angstroms due to the transition 2s(sup 2) 2p(sup 5) (sup 3) P2 (goes to) 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 4)(sup 3)P2 has been identified in the solar spectrum by Vernazza and Reeves using Skylab observations. Other Ne III lines in the solar EUV spectrum have been reported by Thomas and Neupert based on observations from the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) instrument. Atomic data for Ne III have been calculated by using a set of programs developed at, University College, London. The Superstructure and Distorted Wave (DW) programs have been updated over the years. In the Superstructure program, configuration interaction can be taken into account and radial functions are calculated in a modified Thomas-Fermi-Amaldi potential. This is a statistical potential and depends on parameters lambda 1 which are determined by optimizing the weighted sum of term energies. They are found to be lambda(sub 0)=1.2467, lambda(sub 1)=1.1617, and lambda(sub 2)=1.0663. The relativistic corrections are included by using the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian as a perturbation to the nonrelativistic Hamiltonian. The same potential is used to calculate reactance matrices in the DW approximation in LS coupling. Collision strengths in intermediate coupling are obtained by using term coupling coefficients obtained from the Superstructure program. In this calculation, the configurations used are 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 4), 2s2p(sup 5), 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 3)3s, 2s(sup 2)p(sup 3)3d giving rise to 57 fine-structure levels in intermediate coupling.

Bhatia, A. K.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nested Pebble Bed Blanket (NesPeB)

Recent advances in magnetic confinement fusion technology have attracted billions of dollars of investments in startups from venture capitals and corporations, resulting in the development of devices aiming to demonstrate net energy gain in a self-heated burning plasma, such as SPARC (under construction) and others. However, future fusion power plants must operate in regimes that will require technologies far beyond current experience. According to a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report, to have nuclear fusion power plants contributing in a timely manner to the planned reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a pilot plant should be built by 2035, and it should demonstrate fusion power production and the performance of the tritium fuel system (requiring a high enough tritium breeding) by 2040. A recognized key technology gap by [26] is the fusion first wall and blanket since no current blanket concept is considered satisfactory or has been built and proven. The first wall and blanket in magnetic fusion reactors form a vital and complex system, as it must satisfy different functions such as power extraction, tritium breeding, plasma containment, radiation shielding, and safety. The list of design requirements is even longer: high enough tritium production for fusion self-sufficiency, low material activation, decay heat and shutdown dose rates, high thermal efficiency, high-capacity factor, high magnets-divertor-vacuum vessel-first wall life, low corrosion, low cost, and intrinsically safe (requiring minimal licensing). Despite fifty-plus years of research, the first wall and blanket concepts proposed suffer from fundamental technical problems and immaturity (TRL=2-3) that jeopardize the timely delivery of a commercial fusion power plant. A fusion first-wall blanket has never been built nor tested, and a "winning", practical functioning design requires enough engineering margins (high enough tritium breeding considering the uncertainty, etc.), manufacturing simplicity, ease of continuous operation, maintenance, and low cost. A new, groundbreaking blanket concept called "Nested Pebble Bed Blanket" (NesPeB) was developed at ORNL under the successful ARPA-E GAMOW FERMI project (patent application allowed by the USPTO). The NesPeB blanket concept addresses current blanket concepts' shortcomings and technical immaturity, paving the way for accelerated delivery of fusion power plants. NesPeB is based on nested pebbles, which are binary-sized lithium-ceramic pebbles enclosed in "Beryllide" perforated and coated spherical shells, which are also binary-sized, stacked on top of each other, forming a "bed" and cooled by Nitrogen gas also "sweeping" the Helium and Tritium generated by the neutron irradiation of Lithium; the vacuum vessel plasma facing material is Molybdenum-96 and -97 with the first wall cooled by Helium while the divertor armor is made of Tungsten. The simulations of the NesPeB blanket using Fusion Reactors Models Integrator (FERMI) are encouraging as they estimate a tritium breeding ratio (TBR) greater than 1.2 using natural Lithium, acceptable pressure drop, and excellent heat transfer properties. Furthermore, the NesPeB blanket is not limited by magneto-hydro-dynamics (MHD) effects, is designed for online refueling, relies on existing tritium extraction technologies, has a simple construction, and limits the corrosion and chemical reactivity problems. NesPeB has the potential to be transformational and disruptive since it can solve all the main, challenging technical problems of fusion device blankets and accelerate a pilot plant delivery for 10 or more years.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1982

Standing waves along a microwave generated surface wave plasma

Two surface wave plasma columns, generated by microwave power in argon at gas pressures of 0.05 torr to 330 torr, interact in the same discharge tube to form standing surface waves. Radial electric field and azimuthal magnetic field outside the discharge tube are measured to be 90 deg out of phase with respect to axial position and to decay exponentially with radial distance from the tube axis. Maximum light emission occurs at the position of maximum azimuthal magnetic field and minimum radial electric field. Electron temperature and density are measured at low pressures with double probes inserted into the plasma at a null of radial electric field. Measured electron densities compare well with those predicted by Gould-Trivelpiece surface wave theory.

Rogers, J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

High Optical-to-X-Ray Polarization Ratio Reveals Compton Scattering in BL Lacertae’s Jet

Blazars, supermassive black hole systems with highly relativistic jets aligned with the line of sight, are the most powerful long-lived emitters of electromagnetic emission in the Universe. We report here on a radio-to-gamma-ray multiwavelength campaign on the blazar BL Lacertae with unprecedented polarimetric coverage from radio to X-ray wavelengths. The observations caught an extraordinary event on 2023 November 10–18, when the degree of linear polarization of optical synchrotron radiation reached a record value of 47.5%. In stark contrast, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer found that the X-ray (Compton scattering or hadron-induced) emission was polarized at less than 7.4% (3 σ confidence level). We argue here that this observational result rules out a hadronic origin of the high-energy emission and strongly favors a leptonic (Compton scattering) origin, thereby breaking the degeneracy between hadronic and leptonic emission models for BL Lacertae and demonstrating the power of multiwavelength polarimetry to address this question. Furthermore, the multiwavelength flux and polarization variability, featuring an extremely prominent rise and decay of the optical polarization degree, is interpreted for the first time by the relaxation of a magnetic “spring” embedded in the newly injected plasma. This suggests that the plasma jet can maintain a predominant toroidal magnetic field component parsecs away from the central engine.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1976

Investigation of forbidden transitions in argon ions

An attempt has been made to observe the visible forbidden argon coronal lines at 553.6 nm (Ar X), 691.7 nm (Ar XI), 847.6 nm (Ar XIII), and 441.2 nm (Ar XIV) in a deuterium-argon plasma produced in a large theta pinch. The electron temperature (250 eV) and the electron density (5 by 10 to the 16th power per cu cm) were measured by Thomson scattering of ruby laser radiation. This temperature is adequate to produce ionization stages up to Ar XIV, as was verified by photographic observation of Ar XIV lines. No line corresponding to the coronal lines was observed from the high-temperature plasma, but lines with wavelengths very nearly identical to those of two of the forbidden transitions were observed; these lines were due to allowed transitions of Ar II in a cooler portion of the plasma. Calculation of rate coefficients in the Coulomb-Born approximation shows that for laboratory experiments, electron collisions are much more important than radiative decay in depopulating the upper state of the forbidden lines.

Jalufka, N. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Recurrent brief X-ray bursts from the globular cluster NGC 6624

Observational data are presented on ten brief X-ray bursts, recurrent at nearly equal time intervals, recorded during a two-day observation of 3U 1820-30 in the globular cluster NGC 6624 with the wide-field modulation collimator detectors on the SAS-3 X-ray observatory. The occurrence times were fitted by least squares to a linear sequence with an rms deviation of 621 sec, corresponding to a phase jitter of 3.9%. The bursts were observed in two energy channels. For a sequence of five of the most clearly observed bursts, the 2-6 keV rate rose to its peak value in about 1 sec and then decayed to preburst level in about 10 sec. The 6-11 keV rate rose more slowly and decayed similarly. The smooth decay of their averaged light curve suggests the temporal evolution may have a geometrical origin, where Compton scattering in a surrounding cloud of hot plasma stretches the pulse out and causes a progressive hardening of the spectrum.

Clark, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Beam-return current systems in nonthermal solar flare models

It is shown here that the generation of return current in large-scale astrophysical plasmas such as solar flares is quite different from the laboratory environment. Whereas in the laboratory the return current is established inductively and subsequently decays on a resistive timescale, the return current in a solar flare is established electrostatically and therefore does not decay. An explanation of the difference is given in terms of the characteristics of the laboratory circuit.

Larosa, T. N.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Multi-diagnostic characterization of laser-produced tin plasmas for EUV lithography

We present a comprehensive characterization of laser-produced tin (Sn) plasmas relevant to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography using a multi-diagnostic suite integrated into the new experimental platform, “SparkLight.” Tin plasmas are generated by irradiating a continuously moving tin-coated wire with laser pulses (1064 nm, 10 ns, up to 5.7 × 10 10 W/cm 2 ) and probed via coherent Thomson scattering, laser interferometry, and EUV emission spectroscopy. Thomson scattering measurements reveal electron temperatures and densities that decay with distance from the target. Densities derived from Thomson scattering are cross-validated against laser interferometry, showing excellent agreement. Correlating the results of these laser diagnostics with spatially resolved EUV spectroscopy suggests that the bulk of useful EUV emission originates within 150 μm of the target and is generated under suboptimal plasma conditions. This work demonstrates a practical integrated approach for plasma characterization in EUV source development.

Musikhin, S. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory ↗
NASA NTRS1987

Diversity and similarity of comets

The evolution of comets from an early stage where they were all similar, to the later diversity is reviewed. The elemental abundances of all pristine comets are likely to be primitive, that is in solar abundance ratios for all elements including C, N, O, S, but with the exception of H (and assumedly He and Ne) that are severely depleted. The solid phase was originally in very fine grains, typically 0.1 micron or less, eventually sintered into larger grain clusters. The volatile phase contains H, C, N, O, and S molecules frozen in the pores of the grain clusters; cosmic ray plus solar irradiation changes the volatile to refractory ratio of the crust. Differences in dust tails, in plasma tails, in photometry between young and old comets, and in the variable carbon depletion of the gas phase seem to be induced by the decay processes.

Delsemme, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A Search of Large Amplitude Waves in Slow Shock in the Distant Tail and an Examination of Wave Turbulence in the Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer

Two fluid simulations predict that switch-off slow shocks should have large amplitude left-hand wave trains downstream of the shock. Recent simulations show that this feature depends on specific plasma parameters, such as Much number and ratio of electron-to-ion temperature. In this study we carefully examine all distant tail crossings using ISEE-3 field and plasma data. We seek large amplitude rotational waves and compare to shock parameters. We also investigate right-hand waves associated with ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer. We examine the role of those back-streaming ions from slow shocks in wave generation. Wave mode cascade and parametric decay in these regions also will be studied.

Ho, C. M.↗