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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Electron-impact total ionization cross sections of DNA sugar-phosphate backbone and an additivity principle

The improved binary-encounter dipole (iBED) model [W.M. Huo, Phys. Rev. A64, 042719-1 (2001)l is used to study the total ionization cross sections of the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone by electron impact. Calculations using neutral fragments found that the total ionization cross sections of C3' - and C5', -deoxyribose-phospate, two conformers of the sugar-phosphate backbone, are close to each other. Furthermore, the sum of the ionization cross sections of the separate deoxyribose and phosphate fragments is in close agreement with the C3' - and C5" -deoxyribose-phospate cross sections, differing by less than 10%. The result implies that certain properties of the-DNA, like the total singly ionization cross section, are localized properties and a building-up or additivity principle may apply. This allows us to obtain accurate properties of larger molecular systems built up from the results of smaller subsystem fragments. Calculations are underway using a negatively charged sugar-phosphate backbone with a metal counter-ion.

Huo, Winifred M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Total Electron Scattering and Electronic State Excitations Cross Sections for O_2, CO, and CH_4

Available electron collision cross section data concerning total and elastic scattering, vibrationalexcitation, and ionization for O_2, CO, and CH_4 have been critically reviewed, and a set of crosssections for modeling of planetary atmospheric behavior is recommended. Utilizing theserecommended cross sections, we derived total electronic state excitation cross sections and upperlimits for dissociation cross sections, which in the case of CH_4 should very closely equal the actualdissociation cross section.

Kanik, I.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Accurate Cross Sections for Excitation of Resonance Transitions in Atomic Oxygen

Electron collision excitation cross sections for the resonance 2p(sup)4 (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)S(sup 0), 2p(sup 4) (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3d (sup 3)D(sup 0), 2p4 (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)D(sup 0), 2p(sup 4) (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)P(sup 0) and 2p(sup 4) (sup 3)P-2s2p(sup 5) (sup 3)P(sup 0) transitions have been calculated by using the R matrix with a pseudostates approach for incident electron energies from near threshold to 100 eV. The excitation of these transition sgives rise to strong atomic oxygen emission features at 1304, 1027, 989, 878, and 792 Angstrom in the spectra of several planetary atmospheres. We included 22 spectroscopic bound and autoionizing states and 30 pseudostates in the close-coupling expansion. The target wave functions are chosen to properly account for the important correlation and relaxation effects. The effect of coupling to the continuum is included through the use of pseudostates. The contribution of the ionization continuum is significant for resonance transitions. Measured absolute direct excitation cross sections of 0 I are reported by experimental groups from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University. Good agreement is noted for the 2p(sup)4 (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)S(sup 0) transition (lambda 1304 Ang) with measured cross sections from both groups that agree well with each other. There is disagreement between experiments for other transitions. Our results support the measured cross sections from the Johns Hopkins University for the 2p(sup 4) (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3d (sup 3)D(sup 0) and 2p4 (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)D(sup 0) transitions, while for the 2p4 (sup 3)P-2p(sup 3)3s (sup 3)D(sup 0) transition the agreement is switched to the measured cross sections from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Tayal, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Ultrafast Phase Mapping of Thin-Sections from An Apollo 16 Drive Tube - a New Visualisation of Lunar Regolith

Polished thin-sections of samples extracted from Apollo drive tubes provide unique insights into the structure of the Moon's regolith at various landing sites. In particular, they allow the mineralogy and texture of the regolith to be studied as a function of depth. Much has been written about such thin-sections based on optical, SEM and EPMA studies, in terms of their essential petrographic features, but there has been little attempt to quantify these aspects from a spatial perspective. In this study, we report the findings of experimental analysis of two thin-sections (64002, 6019, depth range 5.0 - 8.0 cm & 64001, 6031, depth range 50.0 - 53.1 cm), from a single Apollo 16 drive tube using QEMSCAN . A key feature of the method is phase identification by ultrafast energy dispersive x-ray mapping on a pixel-by-pixel basis. By selecting pixel resolutions ranging from 1 - 5 microns, typically 8,500,000 individual measurement points can be collected on a thin-section. The results we present include false colour digital images of both thin-sections. From these images, information such as phase proportions (major, minor and trace phases), particle textures, packing densities, and particle geometries, has been quantified. Parameters such as porosity and average phase density, which are of geomechanical interest, can also be calculated automatically. This study is part of an on-going investigation into spatial variation of lunar regolith and NASA's ISRU Lunar Simulant Development Project.

Botha, Pieter↗
NASA NTRS2011

Electromagnetic Dissociation Cross Sections using Weisskopf-Ewing Theory

It is important that accurate estimates of crew exposure to radiation are obtained for future long-term space missions. Presently, several space radiation transport codes exist to predict the radiation environment, all of which take as input particle interaction cross sections that describe the nuclear interactions between the particles and the shielding material. The space radiation transport code HZETRN uses the nuclear fragmentation model NUCFRG2 to calculate Electromagnetic Dissociation (EMD) cross sections. Currently, NUCFRG2 employs energy independent branching ratios to calculate these cross sections. Using Weisskopf-Ewing (WE) theory to calculate branching ratios, however, is more advantageous than the method currently employed in NUCFRG2. The WE theory can calculate not only neutron and proton emission, as in the energy independent branching ratio formalism used in NUCFRG2, but also deuteron, triton, helion, and alpha particle emission. These particles can contribute significantly to total exposure estimates. In this work, photonuclear cross sections are calculated using WE theory and the energy independent branching ratios used in NUCFRG2 and then compared to experimental data. It is found that the WE theory gives comparable, but mainly better agreement with data than the energy independent branching ratio. Furthermore, EMD cross sections for single neutron, proton, and alpha particle removal are calculated using WE theory and an energy independent branching ratio used in NUCFRG2 and compared to experimental data.

Adamczyk, Anne M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Tropical and Subtropical Cloud Transitions in Weather and Climate Prediction Models: The GCSS/WGNE Pacific Cross-Section Intercomparison (GPCI)

A model evaluation approach is proposed in which weather and climate prediction models are analyzed along a Pacific Ocean cross section, from the stratocumulus regions off the coast of California, across the shallow convection dominated trade winds, to the deep convection regions of the ITCZ the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment Cloud System Study/Working Group on Numerical Experimentation (GCSS/ WGNE) Pacific Cross-Section Intercomparison (GPCI). The main goal of GPCI is to evaluate and help understand and improve the representation of tropical and subtropical cloud processes in weather and climate prediction models. In this paper, a detailed analysis of cloud regime transitions along the cross section from the subtropics to the tropics for the season June July August of 1998 is presented. This GPCI study confirms many of the typical weather and climate prediction model problems in the representation of clouds: underestimation of clouds in the stratocumulus regime by most models with the corresponding consequences in terms of shortwave radiation biases; overestimation of clouds by the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) in the deep tropics (in particular) with the corresponding impact in the outgoing longwave radiation; large spread between the different models in terms of cloud cover, liquid water path and shortwave radiation; significant differences between the models in terms of vertical cross sections of cloud properties (in particular), vertical velocity, and relative humidity. An alternative analysis of cloud cover mean statistics is proposed where sharp gradients in cloud cover along the GPCI transect are taken into account. This analysis shows that the negative cloud bias of some models and ERA-40 in the stratocumulus regions [as compared to the first International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP)] is associated not only with lower values of cloud cover in these regimes, but also with a stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition that occurs too early along the trade wind Lagrangian trajectory. Histograms of cloud cover along the cross section differ significantly between models. Some models exhibit a quasi-bimodal structure with cloud cover being either very large (close to 100%) or very small, while other models show a more continuous transition. The ISCCP observations suggest that reality is in-between these two extreme examples. These different patterns reflect the diverse nature of the cloud, boundary layer, and convection parameterizations in the participating weather and climate prediction models.

Teixeira, J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Ureilite Thin Section Preparation

Preparing thin and thick sections of ureilite type meteorites is a challenge that can confound even the most experienced section preparer. A common characteristic of these samples is the presence of carbon phases, particularly nanodiamonds, in the matrix along silicate grain boundaries, fractures, and cleavage plains [1]. The extreme hardness of the nanodiamonds presents a challenge to the section preparer in the form of high surface relief on the section. This hard material also causes considerable wear and tear on equipment and materials that are used for making the sections. These issues will be discussed and potentially helpful measures will be presented.

Harrington, R.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Surface Hold Advisor Using Critical Sections

The Surface Hold Advisor Using Critical Sections is a system and method for providing hold advisories to surface controllers to prevent gridlock and resolve crossing and merging conflicts among vehicles traversing a vertex-edge graph representing a surface traffic network on an airport surface. The Advisor performs pair-wise comparisons of current position and projected path of each vehicle with other surface vehicles to detect conflicts, determine critical sections, and provide hold advisories to traffic controllers recommending vehicles stop at entry points to protected zones around identified critical sections. A critical section defines a segment of the vertex-edge graph where vehicles are in crossing or merging or opposite direction gridlock contention. The Advisor detects critical sections without reference to scheduled, projected or required times along assigned vehicle paths, and generates hold advisories to prevent conflicts without requiring network path direction-of-movement rules and without requiring rerouting, rescheduling or other network optimization solutions.

Law, Caleb Hoi Kei↗
NASA NTRS2015

Characterization of Meteorites by Focused Ion Beam Sectioning: Recent Applications to CAIs and Primitive Meteorite Matrices

Focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning has revolutionized preparation of meteorite samples for characterization by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and other techniques. Although FIB is not "non-destructive" in the purest sense, each extracted section amounts to no more than nanograms (approximately 500 cubic microns) removed intact from locations precisely controlled by SEM imaging and analysis. Physical alteration of surrounding material by ion damage, fracture or sputter contamination effects is localized to within a few micrometers around the lift-out point. This leaves adjacent material intact for coordinate geochemical analysis by SIMS, microdrill extraction/TIMS and other techniques. After lift out, FIB sections can be quantitatively analyzed by electron microprobe prior to final thinning, synchrotron x-ray techniques, and by the full range of state-of-the-art analytical field-emission scanning transmission electron microscope (FE-STEM) techniques once thinning is complete. Multiple meteorite studies supported by FIB/FE-STEM are currently underway at NASA-JSC, including coordinated analysis of refractory phase assemblages in CAIs and fine-grained matrices in carbonaceous chondrites. FIB sectioning of CAIs has uncovered epitaxial and other overgrowth relations between corundum-hibonite-spinel consistent with hibonite preceding corundum and/or spinel in non-equilibrium condensation sequences at combinations of higher gas pressures, dust-gas enrichments or significant nebular transport. For all of these cases, the ability of FIB to allow for coordination with spatially-associated isotopic data by SIMS provides immense value for constraining the formation scenarios of the particular CAI assemblage. For carbonaceous chondrites matrix material, FIB has allowed us to obtain intact continuous sections of the immediate outer surface of Murchison (CM2) after it has been experimentally ion processed to simulate solar wind space weathering. The surface amorphization and loss of OH produced by the irradiation provides important clues regarding space weathering on primitive asteroids such as the OSIRIS-Rex target 101955 Bennu.

Christoffersen, Roy↗
NASA NTRS2021

High-resolution Laboratory Measurements of K-shell X-ray Line Polarization and Excitation Cross Sections in Helium-like S XV Ions

We report measurements of electron-impact excitation cross sections for the strong K-shell n = 2 -> 1 transitions in S XV, using the LLNL EBIT-I electron beam ion trap, two crystal spectrometers, and the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer. The cross sections are determined by direct normalization to the well-known cross sections of radiative electron capture, measured simultaneously. Using contemporaneous polarization measurements with the two crystal spectrometers, whose dispersion planes are oriented parallel and perpendicular to the electron beam direction, the polarization of the direct excitation line emission is determined, and in turn the isotropic total cross sections are extracted. We further experimentally investigate various line-formation mechanisms, finding that radiative cascades and collisional inner-shell ionization dominate the degree of linear polarization and total line emission cross sections of the forbidden line, z.

atomic data↗
DOE OSTI2024

MEASURING CLAS12 D(E, E′Π±) CROSS SECTIONS FOR E4NU

Neutrino experiments need neutrino event generators such as GENIE to simulate neutrinonucleus (¿A) interactions in order to measure neutrino oscillations. We need eA data to validate GENIE. GENIE d(e, e') cross sections do not match data in the pion production region. Further analysis of this region can help constrain GENIE models. The goal of this project was to compare 4.244 GeV CLAS12 d(e, e'p±) cross sections to GENIE predictions. We analyzed data from the Fall 2019 run period of Run Group B (RG-B). We applied particle identification, fiducial, and vertex cuts on electron and charged pion candidates. We compared the measured data with events generated with GENIE and another generator called onepigen. We used onepigen to simulate single charged pion production and to calculate radiative corrections for the data. We submitted GENIE and onepigen events to the GEant4 Monte-Carlo (GEMC) simulation of CLAS12 and applied the same cuts we used on the data. We plotted cross sections as functions of W and binned the events in Q2, ¿pq, and Pp. We used 2D (Q2), 3D (Q2 with ¿pq or Pp), and 4D (Q2, ¿pq, and Pp) binning schemes. We found GENIE describes d(e, e'p±) cross sections better than expected. GENIE describes the data remarkably well in the 2D bins and some 3D and 4D bins. There are many discrepancies between GENIE and data in the other 3D and 4D bins. The results show that, relative to data, GENIE cross sections increase as Q2 increases, decrease as Pp increases, and fit best at low ¿pq. These results will help guide improvements to GENIE in order to reduce the systematic uncertainties in neutrino-oscillation experiments.

Fogler, Caleb [Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA (Un↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of the muon neutrino charged-current mesonless cross section in the NOvA near detector

NOvA is a long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiment at Fermilab. Its physics goals include precision neutrino oscillation measurements, neutrino interaction cross-section measurements and beyond Standard Model explorations. We present a measurement of muon neutrino charged-current cross section with zero mesons in the final state at the NOvA near detector. This measurement is performed as a function of the kinematics of the final state muon. Our chosen interaction channel is especially sensitive to quasielastic and meson exchange current interactions and it provides handles for constraining the cross section systematic uncertainties in oscillation analyses in present and future experiments. For particle identification, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on individual particles simulated in the NOvA Near detector. This allows us to select the desired signal while reducing the potential bias from neutrino interaction modeling. We study strategies for constraining the remaining charged-pion background via Michel electron information in a template fitting approach. The main experimental result is a two-dimensional differential cross section as a function of final-state muon kinetic energy and polar angle. The parameters of this measurement, including binning and unfolding, were optimized to reduce the expected systematic uncertainty in the total cross section. The final result shows good agreement with the main GENIE-based simulation framework that was independently fine-tuned in NOvA. We finally propose improvements and subsequent steps that build on this analysis and further dissect the final states of neutrino interactions. This work has been supported by US DOE grant DE-SC0015684.

Sánchez Falero, Sebastián Jesús [Iowa State U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measuring the neutrino-oxygen neutral current quasielastic cross section using the accelerator neutrino neutron interaction experiment

The Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) is a 26-ton gadolinium-doped water Cherenkov detector located on-axis to Fermilab’s Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB). ANNIE is uniquely positioned to perform high-statistics measurements of neutrino-nucleus interactions in water, benefiting from a large neutrino flux due to a short (100-meter) baseline. A central focus of ANNIE’s physics program is the measurement of both charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) cross sections on water, including neutral current quasielastic (NCQE) and CC-inclusive channels. The NCQE measurement is particularly critical for constraining uncertainties in rare-event searches such as the Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background (DSNB), where atmospheric $\nu$NCQE interactions constitute a significant and poorly constrained background. This dissertation presents a measurement of the flux-averaged neutrino-oxygen neutral current quasielastic ($\nu$NCQE) cross section using $2.573 \times 10^{20}$~POT of BNB exposure from the 2022 and 2023 beam years. The $\nu$NCQE interaction is identified through the primary $\gamma$-rays produced by nuclear de-excitation of the residual $^{15}$N$^*$ or $^{15}$O$^*$ nucleus following nucleon knockout from $^{16}$O. A dedicated Monte Carlo (MC) re-tuning campaign was conducted using an americium-beryllium (AmBe) calibration source, Michel electrons from stopped muons, and throughgoing dirt muons originating upstream of the detector. This multi-sample approach provided a wide-ranging $\mathcal{O}(\text{MeV})$--$\mathcal{O}(\text{GeV})$ dataset for tuning the simulated detector response, which was subsequently validated against AmBe neutron and Michel electron data for use in the $\nu$NCQE analysis. A dedicated laser calibration campaign was carried out to reduce timing uncertainties across the PMT system, enabling reconstruction of the BNB bunch substructure with sufficient resolution to serve as a background rejection tool. By selecting events in-time with individual neutrino bunches, beam-correlated $\nu$NCQE events are separated from diffuse and accelerator-induced backgrounds, notably skyshine neutrons and externally-originating events, that would otherwise dominate traditional charge-based selections within a small-scale, surface-level, short-baseline detector. A data-driven estimation of the skyshine neutron and external background rates was performed and incorporated into the systematic uncertainty budget. The flux-averaged $\nu$NCQE cross section on oxygen is measured to be $1.57 \pm 0.06\,(\text{stat.})$ $^{+0.91}_{-0.67}\,(\text{syst.})$ $\times 10^{-38}\ \text{cm}^{2}$. A full systematic budget is constructed by propagating uncertainties in the secondary hadronic interaction modeling, background cross section normalizations, detector response, neutrino flux, and the primary $\gamma$-ray emission probabilities from oxygen nuclear de-excitation. An idealized de-excitation model, constructed from existing measurements in the literature is developed to benchmark the predictions of the \textsc{GENIE} event generator. A comparison reveals that \textsc{GENIE} systematically overpredicts the primary $\gamma$-ray emission probability from oxygen de-excitation by a factor of $1.49\times$ for $E_\gamma > 6$~MeV and $3.07\times$ in the $3$--$6$~MeV band. This comparison motivates the dominant systematic uncertainty in this analysis, where a conservative uncertainty of $^{+39.9\%}_{-0\%}$ on the primary $\gamma$-ray signal prediction is assigned. The ANNIE result is consistent with and complementary to existing flux-averaged $\nu$NCQE cross section measurements from T2K and Super-Kamiokande, providing an independent measurement with a different detector, neutrino beam, and analysis methodology. Looking ahead, an upgrade to the ANNIE DAQ infrastructure enabling continuous extended readout will allow a complementary $\nu$NCQE neutron multiplicity measurement, directly relevant to constraining the NCQE background in DSNB searches, competitive with the recent T2K measurement at SK-Gd. The planned Super-SANDI upgrade, deploying a large Water-based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS) volume, will further extend ANNIE's reach to hadronic final states and exclusive NC channels, and enable joint measurements with liquid argon detectors sharing the BNB beamline ahead of DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande.

Doran, Steven [Iowa State U.]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Proton- and deuteron-induced cross sections on natural platinum

Light-ion irradiations on natural platinum were performed to measure gold-radioisotope cross sections and isotope ratios, as well as to produce a carrier-free final product. Experimental cross sections are compared to TENDL-2023. There is good agreement with this work's results and other published literature values. In conclusion, several novel cross sections were determined including 190 Au, 191 Au, 199 Pt and several independent cross sections.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Derivation and verification of the direct-sampling method for simulating Monte Carlo flight paths in tetrahedral meshes with linear finite-element cross sections

This paper provides a derivation of a direct-sampling approach for modeling continuously varying cross sections in tetrahedral-mesh-based Monte Carlo codes. Specifically, cross sections are spatially approximated using linear nodal finite elements. A linearization strategy is provided for non-linearly varying cross sections. The method is verified against seven analytical pure-absorber test problems. These test problems also highlight the benefit of using linear finite elements over element-wise-constant cross sections.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cross sections of 𝜂 mesons in 𝑝 +𝑝 collisions at forward rapidity at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 500 GeV and central rapidity at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 510 GeV

We present the first measurements of the forward and midrapidity 𝜂-meson cross sections from 𝑝 + 𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 500 and 510 GeV, respectively. We also report the midrapidity 𝜂/𝜋 0 ratio at 510 GeV. The forward cross section is measured differentially in 𝜂-meson transverse momentum (𝑝 𝑇 ) from 1.0 to 6.5 GeV/𝑐 for pseudorapidity 3.0 < |𝜂| < 3.8. The midrapidity cross section is measured from 3.5 to 44 GeV/𝑐 for pseudorapidity |𝜂| < 0.35. Both cross sections serve as critical inputs to an updated global analysis of the 𝜂-meson fragmentation functions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Alloy 625 Qualification Pathway for ASME Section III Division 5 Class A construction

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III Division 5 provides construction and inspection rules to ensure the safety of nuclear components operating at elevated temperatures, defined as those operating above 700°F (370°C) or 800°F (425°C), depending on the material type. At present, there are six materials approved for Class A (high safety significance) component construction under ASME BPVC Section III Division 5. Out of these six materials, five materials are steels or iron-based alloys and one material, Alloy 617, is a nickel alloy. Nickel alloys are stronger than steels; however, Alloy 617 consists of 10-15% cobalt, and activation is a concern under irradiation. Therefore, there is a need to qualify new nickel alloy with lower cobalt content. Alloy 625 is one candidate which has similar mechanical properties at elevated temperature compared to Alloy 617 and has a maximum of 1% cobalt. Although Alloy 625 material properties have been developed in the past to support allowable stress development under ASME Section II, new test results would be needed to qualify this material for elevated temperature component construction under ASME Section III Division 5. The purpose of this report is to describe a path towards developing a Nuclear Code Case to qualify Alloy 625 (UNS N06625; Grade 1 and Grade 2) for elevated temperature nuclear use in accordance with the ASME BPVC rules. This report reviews the existing database on Alloy 625, presents proposed test campaign, and discusses potential paths for accelerating the accelerated material qualification process.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1984

The radar cross section of dielectric disks

A solution is presented for the backscatter (monostatic) radar cross section of dielectric disks of arbitrary shape, thickness, and dielectric constant. The result is obtained by employing a Kirchhoff-type approximation to obtain the fields inside the disk. The internal fields induce polarization and conduction currents from which the scattered fields and the radar cross section can be computed. The solution for the radar cross section obtained in this manner will be shown to agree with known results in the special cases of normal incidence, thin disks, and perfect conductivity. It will also be shown that the solution can be written as a product of the reflection coefficient of an identically oriented slab times the physical optics solution for the backscatter cross section of a perfectly conducting disk of the same shape. This result follows directly from the Kirchhoff-type approximation without additional assumptions.

Radar cross section↗