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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 253 records · Page 14

Distributed clean energy opportunities for US oil refinery operations

The oil and gas industry is increasingly seeking operational improvements to reduce costs and emissions while improving resilience. This study describes techno-economic analysis of opportunities for distributed energy resources that could be integrated to support oil and gas companies’ economic, environmental, and energy resiliency goals. Specifically, the analysis evaluates solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, battery energy storage, landfill gas, biomass, municipal solid waste-to-energy, solar steam for process heat, combined heat and power, and electrolyzers for hydrogen production at two hypothetical refineries, one located in Louisiana and the other in southern California. These technologies could reduce the sites’ consumption of grid electricity and/or natural gas and thus can help reduce emissions. This study employs the ReOPT tool and System Advisor Model to evaluate the techno-economic potential for clean energy technologies to support refineries in achieving energy goals, including energy cost savings, resiliency, and emissions reductions. Results indicate that the associated costs of emissions reductions via several distributed clean energy technologies are competitive with other emissions reduction strategies such as energy efficiency, reducing flaring, direct carbon capture and sequestration, and markets under certain conditions. There are also cost beneficial opportunities for the use of renewable energy for refining, especially for resilience, depending on local conditions such as resources and utility costs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Subaru Near-infrared Imaging Polarimetry of Misaligned Disks around the SR 24 Hierarchical Triple System

The SR 24 multistar system hosts both circumprimary and circumsecondary disks, which are strongly misaligned with each other. The circumsecondary disk is circumbinary in nature. Interestingly, both disks are interacting, and they possibly rotate in opposite directions. To investigate the nature of this unique twin disk system, we present 0.″1 resolution near-infrared polarized intensity images of the circumstellar structures around SR 24, obtained with HiCIAO mounted on the Subaru 8.2 m telescope. Both the circumprimary disk and the circumsecondary disk are resolved and have elongated features. While the position angle of the major axis and radius of the near-IR (NIR) polarization disk around SR 24S are 55° and 137 au, respectively, those around SR 24N are 110° and 34 au, respectively. With regard to overall morphology, the circumprimary disk around SR 24S shows strong asymmetry, whereas the circumsecondary disk around SR 24N shows relatively strong symmetry. Our NIR observations confirm the previous claim that the circumprimary and circumsecondary disks are misaligned from each other. Both the circumprimary and circumsecondary disks show similar structures in {sup 12}CO observations in terms of its size and elongation direction. This consistency is because both NIR and {sup 12}CO are tracing surface layers of the flared disks. As the radius of the polarization disk around SR 24N is roughly consistent with the size of the outer Roche lobe, it is natural to interpret the polarization disk around SR 24N as a circumbinary disk surrounding the SR 24Nb–Nc system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Chandra Resolves the Double FU Orionis System RNO 1B/1C in X-Rays

We present new Chandra X-ray observations of the close pair of young stars RNO 1B and 1C (6″ separation) located in the L1287 cloud. RNO 1B erupted in 1978–1990 and is classified as an FU Orionis star (FUor). RNO 1C also shows most of the properties of an FUor but no eruption has been seen yet. Only a few dozen FUors are known and the presence of two such objects with a small angular separation is rare, suggesting a common origin. Both stars were faintly detected by Chandra and we summarize their X-ray properties within the framework of other previously detected FUors. We also report other X-ray detections in L1287 including the deeply embedded young star RNO 1G, the jet-like radio source VLA 3, and an enigmatic hard flaring source with no Two Micron All Sky Survey counterpart that was only detected in the second of the two Chandra exposures.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Further Investigation on Chromospheric and Prominence Activity of the RS Canum Venaticorum Star SZ Piscium

To continue our study on chromospheric activity and detection for possible prominence events of the very active RS Canum Venaticorum star SZ Piscium (SZ Psc), long-term high-resolution spectroscopic observations were obtained during several observing runs from 2014 to 2018. Based on the spectral subtraction technique, the chromospheric emission of the Ca ii IRT (λ8662, λ8542, and λ8498), H{sub α}, Na i D{sub 1}, D{sub 2} doublet, H{sub β}, and Ca ii H & K lines is mainly associated with the K1 IV primary star of the SZ Psc system, in good agreement with the previous studies, and the F8 V secondary star also shows some chromospheric emission, implying its active chromosphere. Moreover, an optical flare characterized by the He i D{sub 3} line emission together with stronger emission in the other indicators was detected. Furthermore, two chromospheric active longitudes around the two quadratures of the system were identified for most of the time, and the chromospheric activity shows significant changes during a few orbital cycles. The chromospheric activity level seems to show a long-term variation during our observations. There were some excess absorption features in the subtracted H{sub α} line and the other activity indicators, which would be caused by prominence-like materials associated with the K1 IV primary star of the system. Prominence materials could absorb the chromospheric emission and continuum from the K1 IV primary star and even the F8 V secondary one.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NGC 4869 in the Coma Cluster: Twist, Wrap, Overlap, and Bend

The upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) has been used to image the head–tail radio galaxy NGC 4869 in the Coma cluster with an angular resolution of 6.″26 at 250–500 MHz and 2.″18 at the 1050–1450 MHz bands. The archival legacy GMRT data have also been used to image the source with angular resolutions from 4.″9 to 21.″8 at 610 MHz, 325 MHz, 240 MHz, and 150 MHz. We find that the ∼200 kpc scale radio morphology consists of five distinct regions with the clear presence of a pinch at ≈1.′4 (=38.8 kpc) and a ridge at ≈3.′4 (=94.2 kpc) from the head. The sharp bend by ∼70° at ∼3.′5 (=97 kpc) from the head is possibly due to projection effects. The radio spectra show progressive spectral steepening as a function of distance from the head and there is possibly re-acceleration of the synchrotron electrons and perhaps also magnetic field regeneration in the 6″–208″ (=2.8–96.1 kpc) region of the jet. We report a steep spectrum sheath layer enveloping a flat spectrum spine, hinting at a transverse velocity structure with a fast-moving spine surrounded by a slow-moving sheath layer. We also derive the lifetimes of the radiating electrons and equipartition parameters. A plausible explanation for the characteristic feature, a ridge of emission perpendicular to the direction of tail is the flaring of a straight, collimated radio jet as it crosses a surface brightness edge due to Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Change-point Detection and Image Segmentation for Time Series of Astrophysical Images

Many astrophysical phenomena are time-varying, in the sense that their intensity, energy spectrum, and/or the spatial distribution of the emission suddenly change. This paper develops a method for modeling a time series of images. Under the assumption that the arrival times of the photons follow a Poisson process, the data are binned into 4D grids of voxels (time, energy band, and x-y coordinates), and viewed as a time series of non-homogeneous Poisson images. The method assumes that at each time point, the corresponding multiband image stack is an unknown 3D piecewise constant function including Poisson noise. It also assumes that all image stacks between any two adjacent change points (in time domain) share the same unknown piecewise constant function. The proposed method is designed to estimate the number and the locations of all of the change points (in time domain), as well as all of the unknown piecewise constant functions between any pairs of the change points. The method applies the minimum description length principle to perform this task. A practical algorithm is also developed to solve the corresponding complicated optimization problem. Simulation experiments and applications to real data sets show that the proposed method enjoys very promising empirical properties. Applications to two real data sets, the XMM observation of a flaring star and an emerging solar coronal loop, illustrate the usage of the proposed method and the scientific insight gained from it.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Rotational Velocities of Am and Non-chemical-peculiar Stars Based on Kepler and LAMOST DR5

Rotation is a critical physical process operating in the formation of Am stars. There is a strong correlation between low-velocity rotation and chemical peculiarity. However, the existence of many non-chemical-peculiar slow rotators challenges the understanding of Am stars. The purpose of our work is to search for low-velocity rotating non-chemical-peculiar A-type stars and Am stars and to make a comparative analysis. In this paper, we pick out a sample from the LAMOST–Kepler project, including 21 Am stars, 125 non-chemical-peculiar slow rotators, and 53 non-chemical-peculiar fast rotators. We calculate the rotational frequencies through a periodic change of light curves caused by inhomogeneous stellar surfaces and then obtain the rotational velocities. For slow rotators, the age of Am stars is statistically younger than that of non-chemical-peculiar stars in the same temperature bin. In the comparison of the period, the average amplitude, and stellar mass of Am and non-chemical-peculiar stars, we discover that there is no difference in the photometric variability between Am and non-chemical-peculiar stars, which implies similar inhomogeneities on the surfaces. The average amplitude of non-chemical-peculiar stars has a downward trend with the increase of effective temperature and stellar mass, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction caused by weak dynamo-generated magnetic fields in A-type stars. In addition, we confirm four non-chemical-peculiar stars that have flares by checking field-of-view images, pixel images, and pixel-level light curves.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Unlocking the Origins of Ultracool Dwarf Radio Emission

Empirical trends in stellar X-ray and radio luminosities suggest that low-mass ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) should not produce significant radio emission. Defying these expectations, strong nonthermal emission has been observed in a few UCDs in the 1–10 GHz range, with a variable component often attributed to global aurorae and a steady component attributed to other processes, such as gyrosynchrotron emission. While both auroral and gyrosynchrotron emission peak near the critical frequency, only the latter radiation is expected to extend into millimeter wavelengths. We present Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) 97.5 GHz and Very Large Array 33 GHz observations of a small survey of 5 UCDs. LP 349-25, LSR J1835+3259, and NLTT 33370 were detected at 97.5 GHz, while LP 423-31 and LP 415-20 resulted in nondetections at 33 GHz. A significant flare was observed in NLTT 33370, which reached a peak flux of 4880 ± 360 μJy, exceeding the quiescent flux by nearly an order of magnitude and lasting 20 s. These ALMA observations show bright 97.5 GHz emission with spectral indices ranging from α = 0.76 to α = −0.29, suggestive of optically thin gyrosynchrotron emission. If such emission traces magnetic reconnection events, then this could have consequences for both UCD magnetic models and the atmospheric stability of planets in orbit around them. Overall, our results provide confirmation that gyrosynchrotron radiation in radio-loud UCDs can remain detectable into the millimeter regime.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Characterizing the X-Ray Emission of Intermediate-mass Pre-main-sequence Stars

We use X-ray and infrared observations to study the properties of three classes of young stars in the Carina Nebula: intermediate-mass (2–5 M {sub ⊙}) pre-main-sequence stars (IMPS; i.e., intermediate-mass T Tauri stars), late-B and A stars on the zero-age main sequence (AB), and lower-mass T Tauri stars (TTS). We divide our sources among these three subclassifications and further identify disk-bearing young stellar objects versus diskless sources with no detectable infrared (IR) excess emission using IR (1–8 μm) spectral energy distribution modeling. We then perform X-ray spectral fitting to determine the hydrogen-absorbing column density (N {sub H}), absorption-corrected X-ray luminosity (L {sub X}), and coronal plasma temperature (kT) for each source. We find that the X-ray spectra of both IMPS and TTS are characterized by similar kT and N {sub H}, and on average L {sub X}/L {sub bol} ~ 4 × 10{sup -4}. IMPS are systematically more luminous in X-rays (by ~0.3 dex) than all other subclassifications, with median L {sub X} = 2.5 × 10{sup 31} erg s{sup -1}, while AB stars of similar masses have X-ray emission consistent with TTS companions. These lines of evidence converge on a magnetocoronal flaring source for IMPS X-ray emission, a scaled-up version of the TTS emission mechanism. IMPS therefore provide powerful probes of isochronal ages for the first ~10 Myr in the evolution of a massive stellar population, because their intrinsic, coronal X-ray emission decays rapidly after they commence evolving along radiative tracks. We suggest that the most luminous (in both X-rays and IR) IMPS could be used to place empirical constraints on the location of the intermediate-mass stellar birth line.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Electron Energy Partition across Interplanetary Shocks. III. Analysis

An analysis of model fit results of 15,210 electron velocity distribution functions (VDFs), observed within ±2 hr of 52 interplanetary (IP) shocks by the Wind spacecraft near 1 au, is presented as the third and final part on electron VDFs near IP shocks. The core electrons and protons dominate in the magnitude and change in the partialto-total thermal pressure ratio, with the core electrons often gaining as much or more than the protons. Only a moderate positive correlation is observed between the electron temperature and the kinetic energy change across the shock, while weaker, if any, correlations were found with any other macroscopic shock parameter. No VDF parameter correlated with the shock normal angle. The electron VDF evolves from a narrowly peaked core with flaring suprathermal tails in the upstream to either a slightly hotter core with steeper tails or much hotter flattop core with even steeper tails downstream of the weaker and strongest shocks, respectively. Both quasi-static and fluctuating fields are examined as possible mechanisms modifying the VDF, but neither is sufficient alone. For instance, flattop VDFs can be generated by nonlinear ion acoustic wave stochastic acceleration (i.e., inelastic collisions), while other work suggested they result from the combination of quasi-static and fluctuating fields. This three-part study shows that not only are these systems not thermodynamic in nature; even kinetic models may require modification to include things like inelastic collision operators to properly model electron VDF evolution across shocks or in the solar wind.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Search for Ultra-high-energy Neutrinos from TXS 0506+056 Using the Pierre Auger Observatory

Results of a search for ultra-high-energy neutrinos with the Pierre Auger Observatory from the direction of the blazar TXS 0506+056 are presented. They were obtained as part of the follow-up that stemmed from the detection of high-energy neutrinos and gamma rays with IceCube, Fermi-LAT, MAGIC, and other detectors of electromagnetic radiation in several bands. The Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to neutrinos in the energy range from 100 PeV to 100 EeV and in the zenith-angle range from θ = 60° to θ = 95°, where the zenith angle is measured from the vertical direction. No neutrinos from the direction of TXS 0506+056 have been found. The results were analyzed in three periods: one of 6 months around the detection of IceCube-170922 A, coinciding with a flare period of TXS 0506+056, a second one of 110 days during which the IceCube collaboration found an excess of 13 neutrinos from a direction compatible with TXS 0506+056, and a third one from 2004 January 1 up to 2018 August 31, over which the Pierre Auger Observatory has been taking data. The sensitivity of the Observatory is addressed for different spectral indices by considering the fluxes that would induce a single expected event during the observation period. For indices compatible with those measured by the IceCube collaboration the expected number of neutrinos at the Observatory is well below one. Spectral indices as hard as 1.5 would have to apply in this energy range to expect a single event to have been detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Production and Persistence of Extreme Two-temperature Plasmas in Radiative Relativistic Turbulence

Turbulence is a predominant process for energizing electrons and ions in collisionless astrophysical plasmas, and thus is responsible for shaping their radiative signatures (luminosity, spectra, and variability). To better understand the kinetic properties of a collisionless radiative plasma subject to externally driven turbulence, we investigate particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic plasma turbulence with external inverse Compton cooling acting on the electrons. We find that ions continuously heat up while electrons gradually cool down (due to the net effect of radiation), and hence the ion-to-electron temperature ratio T i /T e grows in time. Furthermore, we show that Ti/Te is limited only by the size and duration of the simulations (reaching ${T}_{i}/{T}_{e}\sim {10}^{3}$), indicating that there are no efficient collisionless mechanisms of electron–ion thermal coupling. This result has implications for models of radiatively inefficient accretion flows, such as observed in the Galactic center and in M87, for which so-called two-temperature plasmas with ${T}_{i}/{T}_{e}\gg 1$ have been invoked to explain their low luminosity. Additionally, we find that electrons acquire a quasi-thermal distribution (dictated by the competition of turbulent particle energization and radiative cooling), while ions undergo efficient nonthermal acceleration (acquiring a harder distribution than in equivalent nonradiative simulations). There is a modest nonthermal population of high-energy electrons that are beamed intermittently in space, time, and direction; these beamed electrons may explain rapid flares in certain high-energy astrophysical systems (e.g., in the Galactic center). These numerical results demonstrate that extreme two-temperature plasmas can be produced and maintained by relativistic radiative turbulence.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A search for time-dependent astrophysical neutrino emission with icecube data from 2012 to 2017

High-energy neutrinos are unique messengers of the high-energy universe, tracing the processes of cosmic ray acceleration. This work presents analyses focusing on time-dependent neutrino point-source searches. A scan of the whole sky, making no prior assumption about source candidates, is performed, looking for a space and time clustering of high-energy neutrinos in data collected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory between 2012 and 2017. No statistically significant evidence for a time-dependent neutrino signal is found with this search during this period, as all results are consistent with the background expectation. Within this study period, the blazar 3C 279, showed strong variability, inducing a very prominent gamma-ray flare observed in 2015 June. This event motivated a dedicated study of the blazar, which consists of searching for a time-dependent neutrino signal correlated with the gamma-ray emission. No evidence for a time-dependent signal is found. Hence, an upper limit on the neutrino fluence is derived, allowing us to constrain a hadronic emission model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Polarized Image of a Synchrotron-emitting Ring of Gas Orbiting a Black Hole

Synchrotron radiation from hot gas near a black hole results in a polarized image. The image polarization is determined by effects including the orientation of the magnetic field in the emitting region, relativistic motion of the gas, strong gravitational lensing by the black hole, and parallel transport in the curved spacetime. We explore these effects using a simple model of an axisymmetric, equatorial accretion disk around a Schwarzschild black hole. By using an approximate expression for the null geodesics derived by Beloborodov and conservation of the Walker–Penrose constant, we provide analytic estimates for the image polarization. We test this model using currently favored general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of M87*, using ring parameters given by the simulations. For a subset of these with modest Faraday effects, we show that the ring model broadly reproduces the polarimetric image morphology. Our model also predicts the polarization evolution for compact flaring regions, such as those observed from Sgr A* with GRAVITY. With suitably chosen parameters, our simple model can reproduce the EVPA pattern and relative polarized intensity in Event Horizon Telescope images of M87*. Under the physically motivated assumption that the magnetic field trails the fluid velocity, this comparison is consistent with the clockwise rotation inferred from total intensity images.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

AGNs on the Move: A Search for Off-nuclear AGNs from Recoiling Supermassive Black Holes and Ongoing Galaxy Mergers with the Zwicky Transient Facility

A supermassive black hole (SMBH) ejected from the potential well of its host galaxy via gravitational wave recoil carries important information about the mass ratio and spin alignment of the pre-merger SMBH binary. Such a recoiling SMBH may be detectable as an active galactic nucleus (AGN) broad-line region offset by up to 10 kpc from a disturbed host galaxy. We describe a novel methodology using forward modeling with The Tractor to search for such offset AGNs in a sample of 5493 optically variable AGNs detected with the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). We present the discovery of nine AGNs that may be spatially offset from their host galaxies and are candidates for recoiling SMBHs. Five of these offset AGNs exhibit double-peaked broad Balmer lines, which may have arisen from unobscured accretion disk emission, and four show radio emission indicative of a relativistic jet. The fraction of double-peaked emitters in our spatially offset AGN sample is significantly larger than the 16% double-peaked emitter fraction observed for ZTF AGNs overall. In our sample of variable AGNs we also identified 52 merging galaxies, including a new spectroscopically confirmed dual AGN. Finally, we detected the dramatic rebrightening of SDSS 1133, a previously discovered variable object and recoiling SMBH candidate, in ZTF. The flare was accompanied by the reemergence of strong P Cygni line features, indicating that SDSS 1133 may be an outbursting luminous blue variable star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Changing-look Blazar B2 1420+32

Abstract Blazars are active galactic nuclei with their relativistic jets pointing toward the observer, comprising two major subclasses, flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and BL Lac objects. We present multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic monitoring observations of the blazar B2 1420+32, focusing on its outbursts in 2018–2020. Multiepoch spectra show that the blazar exhibited large-scale spectral variability in both its continuum and line emission, accompanied by dramatic gamma-ray and optical variability by factors of up to 40 and 15, respectively, on week to month timescales. Over the last decade, the gamma-ray and optical fluxes increased by factors of 1500 and 100, respectively. B2 1420+32 was an FSRQ with broad emission lines in 1995. Following a series of flares starting in 2018, it transitioned between BL Lac and FSRQ states multiple times, with the emergence of a strong Fe pseudocontinuum. Two spectra also contain components that can be modeled as single-temperature blackbodies of 12,000 and 5200 K. Such a collection of “changing-look” features has never been observed previously in a blazar. We measure gamma-ray–optical and interband optical lags implying emission-region separations of less than 800 and 130 gravitational radii, respectively. Since most emission-line flux variations, except the Fe continuum, are within a factor of 2–3, the transitions between FSRQ and BL Lac classifications are mainly caused by the continuum variability. The large Fe continuum flux increase suggests the occurrence of dust sublimation releasing more Fe ions in the central engine and an energy transfer from the relativistic jet to subrelativistic emission components.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar VER J0521+211 during an Elevated TeV Gamma-Ray State

We report on a long-lasting, elevated gamma-ray flux state from VER J0521+211 observed by VERITAS, MAGIC, and Fermi-LAT in 2013 and 2014. The peak integral flux above 200 GeV measured with the nightly binned light curve is (8.8 ± 0.4) × 10 –7 photons m –2 s –1 , or ~37% of the Crab Nebula flux. Multiwavelength observations from X-ray, UV, and optical instruments are also presented. A moderate correlation between the X-ray and TeV gamma-ray fluxes was observed, and the X-ray spectrum appeared harder when the flux was higher. Using the gamma-ray spectrum and four models of the extragalactic background light (EBL), a conservative 95% confidence upper limit on the redshift of the source was found to be z ≤ 0.31. Unlike the gamma-ray and X-ray bands, the optical flux did not increase significantly during the studied period compared to the archival low-state flux. The spectral variability from optical to X-ray bands suggests that the synchrotron peak of the spectral energy distribution (SED) may become broader during flaring states, which can be adequately described with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model varying the high-energy end of the underlying particle spectrum. The synchrotron peak frequency of the SED and the radio morphology of the jet from the MOJAVE program are consistent with the source being an intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lac object.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Peculiar Variable X-Ray Spectrum of the Active Galactic Nucleus PKS 2005–489

PKS 2005-489 is a well-known, bright southern BL Lac object that has been detected up to TeV energies. In a low-flux state it exhibits the expected multiwavelength double-peaked spectrum in the radio- γ -ray band. The high-flux state shows extreme flux variations in the X-ray band with a hardening as well as a peculiar curved feature in the spectrum. Thus far, PKS 2005-489 is the only source to exhibit such a feature. To study the X-ray variability further, we obtained the first hard X-ray spectrum of the source with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. We compare quasi-simultaneous radio, optical, UV, soft and hard X-ray, and γ -ray data of PKS 2005-489 to archival data in order to study its broadband behavior. We find a very consistent quiet state in the spectral energy distribution, with little variation in spectral shape or flux between the 2012 and 2020 data. A possible explanation for the peculiar X-ray spectrum in the flaring state is an additional component in the jet, possibly accelerated via magnetic reconnection, that is not co-spatial to the low-flux state emission region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗