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At least 253 records · Page 14

Interplanetary magnetic field draping about fast coronal mass ejecta in the outer heliosphere

The possibility that the IMF becomes draped around coronal mass ejections (CMEs) propagating rapidly through the quiescent solar wind into the outer heliosphere is investigated theoretically. The results are presented in diagrams and graphs and discussed in detail. It is found that large sunward-directed structures analogous to the Venus and cometary magnetotails should form when the CME velocity exceeds the solar-wind velocity by more than the local Alfven speed; such structures could hang up swept-up IMF flux for as long as several days. Pioneer 11 magnetic-field measurements at 6.9-9.4 AU from three 20-d periods in 1978 are examined and shown to contain some features consistent with CME draping.

Mccomas, D. J.↗

Lattice disorder effect on magnetic ordering of iron arsenides

This study investigates magnetic ordering temperature in nano- and mesoscale structural features in an iron arsenide. Although magnetic ground states in quantum materials can be theoretically predicted from known crystal structures and chemical compositions, the ordering temperature is harder to pinpoint due to potential local lattice variations that calculations may not account for. In this work we find surprisingly that a locally disordered material can exhibit a significantly larger Néel temperature (T N ) than an ordered material of precisely the same chemical stoichiometry. Here, a EuFe 2 As 2 crystal, which is a ‘122’ parent of iron arsenide superconductors, is found through synthesis to have ordering below T N = 195 K (for the locally disordered crystal) or T N = 175 K (for the ordered crystal). In the higher T N crystals, there are shorter planar Fe-Fe bonds [2.7692(2) Å vs. 2.7745(3) Å], a randomized in-plane defect structure, and diffuse scattering along the [00 L] crystallographic direction that manifests as a rather broad specific heat peak. For the lower T N crystals, the a-lattice parameter is larger and the in-plane microscopic structure shows defect ordering along the antiphase boundaries, giving a larger T N and a higher superconducting temperature (T c ) upon the application of pressure. First-principles calculations find a strong interaction between c-axis strain and interlayer magnetic coupling, but little impact of planar strain on the magnetic order. Neutron single-crystal diffraction shows that the low-temperature magnetic phase transition due to localized Eu moments is not lattice or disorder sensitive, unlike the higher-temperature Fe sublattice ordering. This study demonstrates a higher magnetic ordering point arising from local disorder in 122.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Mott vs Kondo: Influence of various density functional based methods on the Ce isostructural phase transition mechanism

The cerium iso-structural phase transition (γ–α) is dominated by f-electron localization changes that results in a magnetic ordering change and a volume collapse. Generally, these physics are difficult to capture with ab initio and first principles methods. However, previous works have shown various methods to be successful in predicting at least some of the physics of the γ to α phase transition. Therefore, here, we perform a broad survey of density functional based methods across three levels of theory and types of functions [GGA (generalized gradient approximation), MetaGGA, and hybrid functionals] and compare the results, focusing on hydrostatic compression across the phase boundary at zero kelvin. For the methods that best reproduce experimental results, we directly probe the predicted mechanisms and frame the results in the Mott/Kondo debate, assessing how the underlying methods and assumptions of different functionals can assess the physical drivers in the phase transition, providing insight into the governing processes of this unique phase transition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Density Irregularities Inside the Plasmasphere: Cluster Observations

The electron density profiles derived from the EFW and WHISPER instruments onboard the four Cluster spacecraft reveal small-scale density irregularities inside the plasmasphere and at its outer boundary, the plasmapause. We review statistics of the plasmapause position and thickness, as well as statistics of these density structures. We focus on a particular plasmasphere crossing on 11 April 2002, with several density irregularities, as well as two plasma tails, observed by Cluster on the legs of the inbound and outbound passes. We derive the density gradient vectors from simultaneous density measurements by the four spacecraft. We determine also the normal velocity of the surface of these irregularities, assuming they are planar boundaries, from the time delays between density structures in the four individual density profiles. These new observations yield novel insights about (1) the dimensions of plasma irregularities across and parallel to magnetic field lines, (2) the dynamics of these small-scale structures, (3) their bulk velocities, and (4) their position and distribution as a function of the magnetic local time (MLT) and the geomagnetic conditions (as determined by Kp).

Darrouzet, F.↗

Deblurring

In most instances, traditional EEG methodology provides insufficient spatial detail to identify relationships between brain electrical events and structures and functions visualized by magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography. This article describes a method called Deblurring for increasing the spatial detail of the EEG and for fusing neurophysiologic and neuroanatomic data. Deblurring estimates potentials near the outer convexity of the cortex using a realistic finite element model of the structure of a subject's head determined from their magnetic resonance images. Deblurring is not a source localization technique and thus makes no assumptions about the number or type of generator sources. The validity of Deblurring has been initially tested by comparing deblurred data with potentials measured with subdural grid recordings. Results suggest that deblurred topographic maps, registered with a subject's magnetic resonance imaging and rendered in three dimensions, provide better spatial detail than has heretofore been obtained with scalp EEG recordings. Example results are presented from research studies of somatosensory stimulation, movement, language, attention and working memory. Deblurred ictal EEG data are also presented, indicating that this technique may have future clinical application as an aid to seizure localization and surgical planning.

Non-NASA Center↗

Magnetic field structure in Monoceros R2

We have carried out polarimetric observations to investigate the geometry of the magnetic field in the giant molecular cloud Monoceros R2. This study is based upon deep R-band charge coupled device (CCD) polarimetry, covering a total area of 0.5 deg(exp 2) of the giant molecular cloud. The data were calibrated using a new technique that relies on obtaining broad-band photometry of stars simultaneously with polarimetric photometry of the Mon R2 fields, thus providing an accurate means of measuring the electric vectors of starlight which is polarized by the fore-ground dust grains aligned by the magnetic field in the Mon R2 GMC. In this work, (1) we were able to continuously trace magnetic field lines from the largest scales in Mon R2 to the detailed structure of the field in the dense core, as determined from infrared polarimetry; and (2) we have found that the ambient field is apparently modified by a large-scale structure in the Mon R2 cloud. The mean angle of polarization for the complete sample we measured is 158 deg, which is roughly coincident with the local Galactic magnetic field (155 deg). The dispersion in the angle of polarization is 33 deg, similar to that found in the Orion GMC. The dispersion in angle of polarization for stars located along the western side of the three CCD fields is 22 deg. The CCD fields are bisected by a dense ridge of gas defining the boundary of an expanding gas shell that recent observational results at millimeter wavelengths now reveal dominates the Mon R2 GMC. Our results suggest th at the expanding shell has distorted the magnetic field lines extending from the core to the northern gas structure comprising Mon R2.

Jarrett, T. H.↗

Laboratory Study of Magnetic Reconnection in Lunar-relevant Mini-magnetospheres

Abstract Mini-magnetospheres are small ion-scale structures that are well suited to studying kinetic-scale physics of collisionless space plasmas. Such ion-scale magnetospheres can be found on local regions of the Moon, associated with the lunar crustal magnetic field. In this paper, we report on the laboratory experimental study of magnetic reconnection in laser-driven, lunar-like ion-scale magnetospheres on the Large Plasma Device at the University of California, Los Angeles. In the experiment, a high-repetition rate (1 Hz), nanosecond laser is used to drive a fast-moving, collisionless plasma that expands into the field generated by a pulsed magnetic dipole embedded into a background plasma and magnetic field. The high-repetition rate enables the acquisition of time-resolved volumetric data of the magnetic and electric fields to characterize magnetic reconnection and calculate the reconnection rate. We notably observe the formation of Hall fields associated with reconnection. Particle-in-cell simulations reproducing the experimental results were performed to study the microphysics of the interaction. By analyzing the generalized Ohm’s law terms, we find that the electron-only reconnection is driven by kinetic effects through the electron pressure anisotropy. These results are compared to recent satellite measurements that found evidence of magnetic reconnection near the lunar surface.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Prospects for Studying Interstellar Magnetic Fields with a Far-Infrared Polarimeter for SAFIR

Polarimetry at mid-infrared through millimeter wavelengths using airborne and ground-based telescopes has revealed magnetic structures in dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium, primarily in regions of star formation. Furthermore, spectropolarimetry has offered clues about the composition of the dust grains and the mechanism by which they are aligned with respect to the local magnetic field. The sensitivity of the observations to date has been limited by the emission from the atmosphere and warm telescopes. A factor of 1000 in sensitivity can be gained by using instead a cold space telescope. With 5 arcminute resolution, Planck will make the first submillimeter polarization survey of the full Galaxy early in the next decade. We discuss the science case for and basic design of a far-infrared polarimeter on the SAFIR space telescope, which offers resolution in the few arcsecond range and wavelength selection of cold and warm dust components. Key science themes include the formation and evolution of molecular clouds in nearby spiral galaxies, the magnetic structure of the Galactic center, and interstellar turbulence.

Dowell, C. Darren↗

Local and long-range atomic/magnetic structure of non-stoichiometric spinel iron oxide nanocrystallites

Spinel iron oxide nanoparticles of different mean sizes in the range 10–25 nm have been prepared by surfactant-free up-scalable near- and super-critical hydrothermal synthesis pathways and characterized using a wide range of advanced structural characterization methods to provide a highly detailed structural description. The atomic structure is examined by combined Rietveld analysis of synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data and time-of-flight neutron powder-diffraction (NPD) data. The local atomic ordering is further analysed by pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of both X-ray and neutron total-scattering data. It is observed that a non-stoichiometric structural model based on a tetragonal γ-Fe 2 O 3 phase with vacancy ordering in the structure (space group P 4 3 2 1 2) yields the best fit to the PXRD and total-scattering data. Detailed peak-profile analysis reveals a shorter coherence length for the superstructure, which may be attributed to the vacancy-ordered domains being smaller than the size of the crystallites and/or the presence of anti-phase boundaries, faulting or other disorder effects. The intermediate stoichiometry between that of γ-Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 is confirmed by refinement of the Fe/O stoichiometry in the scattering data and quantitative analysis of Mössbauer spectra. The structural characterization is complemented by nano/micro-structural analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental mapping using scanning TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and the measurement of macroscopic magnetic properties using vibrating sample magnetometry. Notably, no evidence is found of a Fe 3 O 4 /γ-Fe 2 O 3 core-shell nanostructure being present, which had previously been suggested for non-stoichiometric spinel iron oxide nanoparticles. Finally, the study is concluded using the magnetic PDF (mPDF) method to model the neutron total-scattering data and determine the local magnetic ordering and magnetic domain sizes in the iron oxide nanoparticles. The mPDF data analysis reveals ferrimagnetic collinear ordering of the spins in the structure and the magnetic domain sizes to be ∼60–70% of the total nanoparticle sizes. The present study is the first in which mPDF analysis has been applied to magnetic nanoparticles, establishing a successful precedent for future studies of magnetic nanoparticles using this technique.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Degeneracy Removal of Spin Bands in Collinear Antiferromagnets with Non–Interconvertible Spin–Structure Motif Pair

Energy bands in antiferromagnets are supposed to be spin degenerate in the absence of spin–orbit coupling (SOC). Recent studies have identified formal symmetry conditions for antiferromagnetic crystals in which this degeneracy can be lifted, spin splitting, even in the vanishing SOC (i.e., non-relativistic) limit. Materials having such symmetries could enable spin-split antiferromagnetic spintronics without the burden of using heavy-atom compounds. However, the symmetry conditions that involve spin and magnetic symmetry are not always effective as practical material selection filters. Furthermore, these symmetry conditions do not readily disclose trends in the magnitude and momentum dependence of the spin-splitting energy. Here, it is shown that the formal symmetry conditions enabling spin-split antiferromagnets can be interpreted in terms of local motif pairs, such as octahedra or tetrahedra, each carrying opposite magnetic moments. Here, collinear antiferromagnets with such a spin-structure motif pair, whose components interconvert by neither translation nor spatial inversion, will show spin splitting. Such a real-space motif-based approach enables an easy way to identify and design materials (illustrated in real example materials) having spin splitting without the need for SOC, and offers insights into the momentum dependence and magnitude of the spin splitting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Magnetic field and spatial structure of bipolar outflow sources

Deep K band images of three bipolar outflow sources (Cep A, GL 490, and R Mon) are presented. The polarization of background or embedded stars close to these star-forming regions has been measured in the I band to determine the local projected magnetic field direction. For Cep A the outflow direction and the magnetic field are almost parallel as is the case for most bipolar outflow sources. This alignment is poorer in the case of R Mon while GL 490 is a peculiar case with the outflow direction almost perpendicular to the local magnetic field. No indication was found for a distortion of the magnetic field close to the collimating disks of the outflows.

Hodapp, Klaus-Werner↗

SPAR X Technical Report for Experiment 76-22 Directional Solidification of Magnetic Composites

The effects of gravity on Bridgman-Stockbarger directional solidification of off-eutectic Bi/MnBi were studied in reduced gravity aboard the SPAR X flight and compared to normal-gravity investigations and previous eutectic Bi/MnBi SPAR flight experiments. The directional solidification of off-eutectic Bi/MnBi results in either a dendritic structure connected with local cooperative growth or a coupled low volume fraction faceted/non faceted aligned rod eutectic whose Mn macrosegregation, MnBi rod size, interrod spacing, and thermal and magnetic properties are sensitive functions of the solidification processing conditions. Two hypoeutectic and two hypereutectic samples were solidified during 605 sec of furnace travel, with an initial 265 sec low-gravity interval. Comparison Earth-gravity samples were solidified in the same furance assembly under identical processing conditions. Macrosegregation in the low-g samples was consistent with a metastable increase in Mn solubility in the Bi matrix, in partial agreement with previous Bi/MnBi SPAR findings of MnBi volume reduction.

Bethin, J.↗

Indium segregation in Gd 5 (Si, Ge) 4 magnetocaloric materials

Chemical substitution is one of the most efficient tools to tune and optimize magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the giant magnetocaloric materials. In particular, Indium substitutions could be useful both for tuning properties of these interesting intermetallic materials and to unveil their local-scale behavior across the magnetostructural transition via hyperfine techniques. Hence, in order to investigate the effect of Indium additions on the crystal structure, micro-structure, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties, a series of In-containing samples derived from the base Gd 5 Si 1.2 Ge 2.8 stoichiometry were prepared. Here, the major findings are that while In is insoluble in the 5:4 phase, it will instead promote the emergence of the impurity 5:3 phase and segregates into this phase. Hence, In leads to major crystallographic changes, which enhance atomic disorder and disrupt the Si to Ge ratio in the 5:4 phase. Subsequently, a higher 5:4 unit cell volume and a lower magnetic ordering temperature are found in the In-substituted samples. Finally, the magnetocaloric properties of the In-substituted samples reveal a detrimental effect on the maximum magnetic entropy change.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Enhanced hybridization in the electronic ground state of the intercalated honeycomb iridate Ag 3 LiIr 2 O 6

In this work, we use x-ray spectroscopy at the Ir L 3 /L 2 absorption edge to study powder samples of the intercalated honeycomb magnet Ag 3 LiIr 2 O 6 . Based on x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements, and exact diagonalization calculations including nearest-neighbor Ir-Ir electron hopping integrals, we argue that the intercalation of Ag atoms results in a delocalized electronic structure with enhanced Ir-O hybridization, departing from the local relativistic j eff =1/2 state. We find that the relative orbital contribution to the magnetic moment is increased and the magnetization density is spatially extended and asymmetric in this hybridized state. Our results confirm the importance of metal-ligand hybridization in the magnetism of transition metal oxides and provide empirical guidance for understanding the collective magnetism in intercalated honeycomb iridates.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Tetragonal Kondo Insulator EuCd 2 Sb 2 Discovered via High Pressure High Temperature Synthesis

Abstract Magnetic and electronic properties of quantum materials heavily rely on the crystal structure even in the same chemical compositions. In this study, it is demonstrated that a layered tetragonal EuCd 2 Sb 2 structure can be obtained by treating bulk trigonal EuCd 2 Sb 2 under high pressure (6 GPa) and high temperature (600 °C). Magnetization measurements of the newly formed layered tetragonal EuCd 2 Sb 2 confirm an antiferromagnetic ordering with Neel temperature ( T N ) around 16 K, which is significantly higher than that ( T N ≈ 7 K) of trigonal EuCd 2 Sb 2 , consistent with heat capacity measurements. Moreover, bad metal behavior is observed in the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity and the resistivity shows a dramatic increase around the Neel temperature. Electronic structure calculations with local density approximation dynamic mean–field theory (LDA+DMFT) show that this material is strongly correlated with well‐formed large magnetic moments, due to Hund's coupling, which is known to dramatically suppress the Kondo scale.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Iodine orbital moment and chromium anisotropy contributions to CrI 3 magnetism

The recent discovery of two-dimensional (2D) magnets, with a number of interesting magnetic properties, has drawn much interest due to their potential for future 2D spintronic device applications. CrI 3 , a van der Waals magnet, exhibits two-dimensional ferromagnetism even in monolayer form, stabilized by strong magnetic anisotropy. Its interlayer magnetic ordering is coupled to structural layer stacking, implying that the charge density distribution mediating van der Waals interactions plays a key role in the magnetic interaction between the layers. Using polarization-dependent x-ray spectroscopy, we investigated the response of the electronic environment around Cr and I sites to structural changes of layer stacking order. The highly anisotropic nature of the Cr local environment is significantly enhanced and is accompanied by changes in the valence band, in the rhombohedral phase. Magnetic spectroscopy measurements reveal a sizable iodine orbital moment, indicating the iodine contribution to magnetic anisotropy. Finally, our results uncover an important role for the extended nature of anisotropic Cr orbital states in dictating interlayer magnetic interactions and the iodine contribution to magnetic anisotropy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Magnetic ordering in the Ising antiferromagnetic pyrochlore Nd 2 ScNbO 7

The question of structural disorder and its effects on magnetism is relevant to a number of spin liquid candidate materials. Although commonly thought of as a route to spin glass behaviour, here we describe a system in which the structural disorder results in long-range antiferromagnetic order due to local symmetry breaking. Nd 2 ScNbO 7 is shown to have a dispersionless gapped excitation observed in other neodymium pyrochlores below T N = 0.37 K through polarized and inelastic neutron scattering. However the dispersing spin waves are not observed. This excited mode is shown to occur in only 14(2)% of the neodymium ions through spectroscopy and is consistent with total scattering measurements as well as the magnitude of the dynamic moment 0.26(2) μB . The remaining magnetic species order completely into the all-in all-out Ising antiferromagnetic structure. This can be seen as a result of local symmetry breaking due disordered Sc +3 and Nb +5 ions about the A-site. From this work, it has been established that B-site disorder restores the dipole-like behaviour of the Nd +3 ions compared to the Nd 2 ScNbO 7 parent series.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Tailored Micromagnet Sorting Gate for Simultaneous Multiple Cell Screening in Portable Magnetophoretic Cell‐On‐Chip Platforms

Abstract Conventional magnetophoresis techniques for manipulating biocarriers and cells predominantly rely on large‐scale electromagnetic systems, which is a major obstacle to the development of portable and miniaturized cell‐on‐chip platforms. Herein, a novel magnetic engineering approach by tailoring a nanoscale notch on a disk micromagnet using two‐step optical and thermal lithography is developed. Versatile manipulations are demonstrated, such as separation and trapping, of carriers and cells by mediating changes in the magnetic domain structure and discontinuous movement of magnetic energy wells around the circumferential edge of the micromagnet caused by a locally fabricated nano‐notch in a low magnetic field system. The motion of the magnetic energy well is regulated by the configuration of the nanoscale notch and the strength and frequency of the magnetic field, accompanying the jump motion of the carriers. The proposed concepts demonstrate that multiple carriers and cells can be manipulated and sorted using optimized nanoscale multi‐notch gates for a portable magnetophoretic system. This highlights the potential for developing cost‐effective point‐of‐care testing and lab‐on‐chip systems for various single‐cell‐level diagnoses and analyses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗