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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

The Hysteresis Behavior of a Spin-1 Blume-Capel Nanoisland

The magnetic properties of a spin-1 Blume-Capel nanoisland are investigated by the use of the effective field theory based on the probability distribution technique. The influence of the random crystal field and the system parameters on the hysteresis behavior and on the magnetic properties of the nanoisland is examined. The results show a number of characteristic behaviors, such as the appearance of double, triple, quadruple, and even quintuple hysteresis loops for appropriate values of the system parameters.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Green's function-stochastic methods framework for probing nonlinear evolution problems: Burger's equation, the nonlinear Schroedinger's equation, and hydrodynamic organization of near-molecular-scale vorticity

Research Highlights: > Systematic approach for physically probing nonlinear and random evolution problems. > Evolution of vortex sheets corresponds to evolution of an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. > Organization of near-molecular scale vorticity mediated by hydrodynamic modes. > Framework allows calculation of vorticity evolution within random strain fields. - Abstract: A framework which combines Green's function (GF) methods and techniques from the theory of stochastic processes is proposed for tackling nonlinear evolution problems. The framework, established by a series of easy-to-derive equivalences between Green's function and stochastic representative solutions of linear drift-diffusion problems, provides a flexible structure within which nonlinear evolution problems can be analyzed and physically probed. As a preliminary test bed, two canonical, nonlinear evolution problems - Burgers' equation and the nonlinear Schroedinger's equation - are first treated. In the first case, the framework provides a rigorous, probabilistic derivation of the well known Cole-Hopf ansatz. Likewise, in the second, the machinery allows systematic recovery of a known soliton solution. The framework is then applied to a fairly extensive exploration of physical features underlying evolution of randomly stretched and advected Burger's vortex sheets. Here, the governing vorticity equation corresponds to the Fokker-Planck equation of an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, a correspondence that motivates an investigation of sub-sheet vorticity evolution and organization. Under the assumption that weak hydrodynamic fluctuations organize disordered, near-molecular-scale, sub-sheet vorticity, it is shown that these modes consist of two weakly damped counter-propagating cross-sheet acoustic modes, a diffusive cross-sheet shear mode, and a diffusive cross-sheet entropy mode. Once a consistent picture of in-sheet vorticity evolution is established, a number of analytical results, describing the motion and spread of single, multiple, and continuous sets of Burger's vortex sheets, evolving within deterministic and random strain rate fields, under both viscous and inviscid conditions, are obtained. In order to promote application to other nonlinear problems, a tutorial development of the framework is presented. Likewise, time-incremental solution approaches and construction of approximate, though otherwise difficult-to-obtain backward-time GF's (useful in solution of forward-time evolution problems) are discussed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

INTERPLAY AMONG COOLING, AGN FEEDBACK, AND ANISOTROPIC CONDUCTION IN THE COOL CORES OF GALAXY CLUSTERS

Feedback from the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is one of the most promising heating mechanisms to circumvent the cooling-flow problem in galaxy clusters. However, the role of thermal conduction remains unclear. Previous studies have shown that anisotropic thermal conduction in cluster cool cores (CCs) could drive the heat-flux-driven buoyancy instabilities (HBIs) that reorient the field lines in the azimuthal directions and isolate the cores from conductive heating from the outskirts. However, how the AGN interacts with the HBI is still unknown. To understand these interwined processes, we perform the first 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of isolated CC clusters that include anisotropic conduction, radiative cooling, and AGN feedback. We find the following: (1) For realistic magnetic field strengths in clusters, magnetic tension can suppress a significant portion of HBI-unstable modes, and thus the HBI is either completely inhibited or significantly impaired, depending on the unknown magnetic field coherence length. (2) Turbulence driven by AGN jets can effectively randomize magnetic field lines and sustain conductivity at ∼1/3 of the Spitzer value; however, the AGN-driven turbulence is not volume filling. (3) Conductive heating within the cores could contribute to ∼10% of the radiative losses in Perseus-like clusters and up to ∼50% for clusters twice the mass of Perseus. (4) Thermal conduction has various impacts on the AGN activity and intracluster medium properties for the hottest clusters, which may be searched by future observations to constrain the level of conductivity in clusters. The distribution of cold gas and the implications are also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Field-theoretic technique for irreversible reaction processes

The single-species annihilation reaction A + A → O/ is studied in the presence of random advecting field. In order to determine possible infrared behaviour of the system all stable fixed points are presented to two-loop approximation in double (∈, Δ) expansion with the corresponding regions of stability. The main result of this paper is the calculation of all the renormalization constants and the decay exponent to the second-order precision as well as calculation of scaling function the mean particle number to the first order. Effects of random sources and sinks on reaction kinetics in the master-equation description have been investigated in the framework of a field-theoretic model, obtained by the “second quantization” a la Doi of the corresponding master equation. It has been demonstrated that random sources and sinks have a significant effect on the asymptotic behaviour of the model and two universality classes for their description have been identified by the scaling analysis. Results: are compared with the Langevin-equation description of the same process.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

OBLIQUE SHOCKS AS THE ORIGIN OF RADIO TO GAMMA-RAY VARIABILITY IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

The 'shock in jet' model for centimeter-waveband blazar variability is revisited, allowing for arbitrary shock orientation with respect to the jet flow direction, and both random and ordered magnetic field. It is shown that oblique shocks can explain events with swings in polarization position angle much less than the 90{sup 0} associated with transverse structures, while retaining the general characteristics of outbursts, including spectral behavior and level of peak percentage polarization. Models dominated by a force-free, minimum energy magnetic field configuration (essentially helical) display a shallow rise in percentage polarization and frequency-dependent swing in polarization position angle not in agreement with the results of single-dish monitoring observations, implying that the field is predominantly random in the quiescent state. Outbursts well explained by the 'shock in jet' model are present during {gamma}-ray flaring in several sources, supporting the idea that shock events are responsible for activity from the radio to {gamma}-ray bands.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effect of Ce{sup 3+} Ion on Structural and Hyperfine Interaction Studies of Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2−x}Ce{sub x}O{sub 4} Ferrites: Useful for Permanent Magnet Applications

Nanoparticles of Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2−x}Ce{sub x}O{sub 4} (where x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.015 and 0.02) ferrites are prepared by the modified solution combustion method using a mixture of fuels and are characterized to understand their structural, microstructural and magnetic properties. The X-ray diffraction is used to confirm the formation of a single-phase cubic spinel structure. The average crystallite sizes are calculated using the Scherrer formula and are found to be less than 50 nm. The microstructural features are obtained by the scanning electron microscopy, and the compositional analysis is done by using the energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations show that the synthesized ferrites are made up of very fine spherical nanoparticles. The influence of a rare-earth element (Ce{sup 3+}) on the magnetic properties of the samples was studied using the Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer spectroscopy reveals the formation of broadened Zeeman lines and quadrupole-split lines and the presence of the Fe{sup 3+} charge state at B sites in the samples. The quadrupole splitting shows that the orientation of the magnetic hyperfine field with respect to the principle axes of the electric field gradient was random. The magnetic hyperfine field values indicate that the A sites have more A-O-B superexchange interactions than the B sites. The coexistence of magnetic sextet and a doublet component on the room-temperature spectra suggests superparamagnetic properties of the nanoparticles. The low-temperature (15 K) Mössbauer spectroscopy explores the paramagnetic relaxation in the nanoparticles. The area under the sextet refers to Fe{sup 3+} concentrations in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the ferrite. This study confirms that the Ce{sup 3+} substitution of Fe{sup 3+} only for octahedron sites causes the decrease in Fe-O-Fe arrangement. The effect of Ce{sup 3+} doping on the magnetic properties of Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} is examined from the vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) spectra. Saturation magnetization values are decreased initially and then increased, as result of Ce{sup 3+} doping. This can be explained by Neel’s two-sub-lattice model. Further, the value of coercivity is found to be increasing with increasing Ce{sup 3+} concentration. The obtained results of M-H loop with improved coercivity (from 851 to 1039 Oe) by Ce{sup 3+} doping of Co{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} demonstrate the usefulness for permanent magnet applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Random-Cluster Correlation Inequalities for Gibbs Fields

In this note we prove a correlation inequality for local variables of a Gibbs field based on the connectivity in a random cluster representation of the non overlap configuration distribution of two independent copies of the field. As a consequence, we show that absence of a particular type of percolation (of Machta–Newman–Stein blue bonds) implies uniqueness of Gibbs distribution in EA Spin Glasses. In dimension two this could constitute a step towards a proof that the critical temperature is zero.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

A gedankenexperiment for anomalous diffusion in a charge-fluctuating dusty plasma

Brownian motion with Gaussian-distributed step-sizes is the prototype of diffusive processes with the typical scaling of the mean-square displacement linear with time. There are, however, processes scaling slower or faster in time due to differently (e.g., power-law) distributed step-sizes, commonly referred to as sub- and superdiffusion, respectively. We address the question whether there is actually a physical reason for a discrimination between normal and anomalous diffusion or whether such processes can be regarded as a special case of normal diffusion with a complicated space- and time-dependent diffusion coefficient. In order to get to the bottom of this question, we construct a numerical gedankenexperiment, which is designed to be as simple as possible and consists of dust particles embedded as test particles into a homogeneous magnetic field that randomly changes their charge. The only parameter governing the system is the ratio of the time-scales for gyration and for recharging. By performing full-orbit simulations of such particles, we are for the first time able to (i) describe a system exhibiting sub-, normal, or superdiffusion as an asymptotic behavior, i.e., not merely as an intermediate state during the evolution of the system. We (ii) observe superdiffusion for low values of the controlling parameter, normal diffusion over a wide plateau of intermediate values, and subdiffusion for high values, i.e., we found (iii) a simple system with one single and illustrative parameter controlling whether the system exhibits super-, normal, or subdiffusion. The crucial point is (iv) a competition between ballistic (particles uncharged, extreme superdiffusion) and confined (charged, extreme subdiffusion) motions. Our system is homogeneous in space and time, so that its (v) behavior cannot be described by normal diffusion with a special diffusion coefficient, and the competition is (vi) fundamentally different from a Gaussian random walk and may be regarded as one possible prototype of anomalous diffusion. We discuss briefly possible implications to space and astrophysical dusty plasma. In particular, we show that in a plasma with polydisperse dust particles, a superposition of the three regimes of the anomalous diffusion can simultaneously come into play.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

EVOLUTION OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD LINE DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT AND NON-GAUSSIAN STATISTICS

The magnetic field line random walk (FLRW) plays an important role in the transport of energy and particles in turbulent plasmas. For magnetic fluctuations that are transverse or almost transverse to a large-scale mean magnetic field, theories describing the FLRW usually predict asymptotic diffusion of magnetic field lines perpendicular to the mean field. Such theories often depend on the assumption that one can relate the Lagrangian and Eulerian statistics of the magnetic field via Corrsin’s hypothesis, and additionally take the distribution of magnetic field line displacements to be Gaussian. Here we take an ordinary differential equation (ODE) model with these underlying assumptions and test how well it describes the evolution of the magnetic field line diffusion coefficient in 2D+slab magnetic turbulence, by comparisons to computer simulations that do not involve such assumptions. In addition, we directly test the accuracy of the Corrsin approximation to the Lagrangian correlation. Over much of the studied parameter space we find that the ODE model is in fairly good agreement with computer simulations, in terms of both the evolution and asymptotic values of the diffusion coefficient. When there is poor agreement, we show that this can be largely attributed to the failure of Corrsin’s hypothesis rather than the assumption of Gaussian statistics of field line displacements. The degree of non-Gaussianity, which we measure in terms of the kurtosis, appears to be an indicator of how well Corrsin’s approximation works.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

DYNAMICAL FIELD LINE CONNECTIVITY IN MAGNETIC TURBULENCE

Point-to-point magnetic connectivity has a stochastic character whenever magnetic fluctuations cause a field line random walk, but this can also change due to dynamical activity. Comparing the instantaneous magnetic connectivity from the same point at two different times, we provide a nonperturbative analytic theory for the ensemble average perpendicular displacement of the magnetic field line, given the power spectrum of magnetic fluctuations. For simplicity, the theory is developed in the context of transverse turbulence, and is numerically evaluated for the noisy reduced MHD model. Our formalism accounts for the dynamical decorrelation of magnetic fluctuations due to wave propagation, local nonlinear distortion, random sweeping, and convection by a bulk wind flow relative to the observer. The diffusion coefficient D{sub X} of the time-differenced displacement becomes twice the usual field line diffusion coefficient D{sub x} at large time displacement t or large distance z along the mean field (corresponding to a pair of uncorrelated random walks), though for a low Kubo number (in the quasilinear regime) it can oscillate at intermediate values of t and z. At high Kubo number the dynamical decorrelation decays mainly from the nonlinear term and D{sub X} tends monotonically toward 2D{sub x} with increasing t and z. The formalism and results presented here are relevant to a variety of astrophysical processes, such as electron transport and heating patterns in coronal loops and the solar transition region, changing magnetic connection to particle sources near the Sun or at a planetary bow shock, and thickening of coronal hole boundaries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Random telegraph signal and spin characteristics of the gate-all-around poly-silicon nanowire

An arsenic (As)-doped poly-silicon nanowire gate-all-around transistor fabricated using standard semiconductor methods was used to measure the Coulomb blockade effect by applying a tunable gate voltage. Two-level trapping states due to the random telegraph signal of fluctuating drain current were observed in the silicon transport channel. Under high magnetic fields, the superposition points of differential conductance revealed weak 2-electron singlet-triplet splitting states of the arsenic magnetic impurity. The weak spin-orbital coupling suggests that the electron-spin-polarization in the As-doped silicon nanowire and the two-level trapping state coexisted in the Coulomb blockade oscillations. These characteristics indicate that a few arsenic donors strongly affect the quantum behavior of the poly-silicon material.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Fldgen v1.0: an emulator with internal variability and space–time correlation for Earth system models

Earth system models (ESMs) are the gold standard for producing future projections of climate change, but running them is difficult and costly, and thus researchers are generally limited to a small selection of scenarios. This paper presents a technique for detailed emulation of the Earth system model (ESM) temperature output, based on the construction of a deterministic model for the mean response to global temperature. The residuals between the mean response and the ESM output temperature fields are used to construct variability fields that are added to the mean response to produce the final product. The method produces grid-level output with spatially and temporally coherent variability. Output fields include random components, so the system may be run as many times as necessary to produce large ensembles of fields for applications that require them. We introduce the method, show example outputs, and present statistical verification that it reproduces the ESM properties it is intended to capture. This method, available as an open-source R package, should be useful in the study of climate variability and its contribution to uncertainties in the interactions between human and Earth systems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

High-field critical current enhancement by irradiation induced correlated and random defects in (Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}

Mixed pinning landscapes in superconductors are emerging as an effective strategy to achieve high critical currents in high, applied magnetic fields. Here, we use heavy-ion and proton irradiation to create correlated and point defects to explore the vortex pinning behavior of each and combined constituent defects in the iron-based superconductor Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and find that the pinning mechanisms are non-additive. The major effect of p-irradiation in mixed pinning landscapes is the generation of field-independent critical currents in very high fields. At 7 T ‖ c and 5 K, the critical current density exceeds 5 MA/cm{sup 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Binary pseudo-random patterned structures for modulation transfer function calibration and resolution characterization of a full-field transmission soft x-ray microscope

We present a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) one-dimensional sequences and two-dimensional arrays as an effective method for spectral characterization in the spatial frequency domain of a broad variety of metrology instrumentation, including interferometric microscopes, scatterometers, phase shifting Fizeau interferometers, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and at this time, x-ray microscopes. The inherent power spectral density of BPR gratings and arrays, which has a deterministic white-noise-like character, allows a direct determination of the MTF with a uniform sensitivity over the entire spatial frequency range and field of view of an instrument. We demonstrate the MTF calibration and resolution characterization over the full field of a transmission soft x-ray microscope using a BPR multilayer (ML) test sample with 2.8 nm fundamental layer thickness. We show that beyond providing a direct measurement of the microscope’s MTF, tests with the BPRML sample can be used to fine tune the instrument’s focal distance. Our results confirm the universality of the method that makes it applicable to a large variety of metrology instrumentation with spatial wavelength bandwidths from a few nanometers to hundreds of millimeters.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

NONLINEAR EFFECTS IN PARTICLE TRANSPORT IN STOCHASTIC MAGNETIC FIELDS

Collisional particle transport in stochastic magnetic fields is studied using a semi-analytical method. The aim is to determine the influence of the nonlinear effects that occur in the magnetic field line random walk on particle transport. We show that particle transport coefficients can be strongly influenced by the magnetic line trapping. The conditions that correspond to these nonlinear regimes are determined. We also analyze the effects produced by the space variation of the large-scale magnetic field. We show that an average drift is generated by the gradient of the magnetic field, which strongly increases and reverses its orientation in the nonlinear regime.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Complexity and diffusion of magnetic flux surfaces in anisotropic turbulence

The complexity of magnetic flux surfaces is investigated analytically and numerically in static homogeneous magnetic turbulence. Magnetic surfaces are computed to large distances in magnetic fields derived from a reduced magnetohydrodynamic model. The question addressed is whether one can define magnetic surfaces over large distances when turbulence is present. Using a flux surface spectral analysis, we show that magnetic surfaces become complex at small scales, experiencing an exponential thinning that is quantified here. The computation of a flux surface is of either exponential or nondeterministic polynomial complexity, which has the conceptual implication that global identification of magnetic flux surfaces and flux exchange, e.g., in magnetic reconnection, can be intractable in three dimensions. The coarse-grained large-scale magnetic flux experiences diffusive behavior. The link between the diffusion of the coarse-grained flux and field-line random walk is established explicitly through multiple scale analysis. The Kubo number controls both large and small scale limits. These results have consequences for interpreting processes such as magnetic reconnection and field-line diffusion in astrophysical plasmas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

HYSTERESIS BETWEEN DISTINCT MODES OF TURBULENT DYNAMOS

Nonlinear mean-field models of the solar dynamo show long-term variability, which may be relevant to different states of activity inferred from long-term radiocarbon data. This paper is aimed at probing the dynamo hysteresis predicted by the recent mean-field models of Kitchatinov and Olemskoy with direct numerical simulations. We perform three-dimensional (3D) simulations of large-scale dynamos in a shearing box with helically forced turbulence. As an initial condition, we either take a weak random magnetic field or we start from a snapshot of an earlier simulation. Two quasi-stable states are found to coexist in a certain range of parameters close to the onset of the large-scale dynamo. The simulations converge to one of these states depending on the initial conditions. When either the fractional helicity or the magnetic Prandtl number is increased between successive runs above the critical value for onset of the dynamo, the field strength jumps to a finite value. However, when the fractional helicity or the magnetic Prandtl number is then decreased again, the field strength stays at a similar value (strong field branch) even below the original onset. We also observe intermittent decaying phases away from the strong field branch close to the point where large-scale dynamo action is just possible. The dynamo hysteresis seen previously in mean-field models is thus reproduced by 3D simulations. Its possible relation to distinct modes of solar activity such as grand minima is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

On the Effect of Small-Angle Scattering by Density Fluctuations on the Efficiency of Linear Transformation of Ordinary and Extraordinary Waves in a Toroidally Inhomogeneous Plasma

We have analyzed the efficiency of tunneling of quasi-optical wave beams through the evanescent region in the vicinity of plasma cutoff in a randomly inhomogeneous magnetoactive plasma. A new theoretical model proposed here makes it possible to study the effect of a random phase modulation induced by density fluctuations in the wave beam path on the efficiency of the linear transformation of waves in the 2D geometry corresponding to the experimental conditions for heating the overdense plasma in toroidal magnetic systems. We have derived a general analytic expression connecting the wave beam coefficient of transformation averaged over the ensemble of random wave field realizations with its phase correlation function. We have analyzed the dependence of the coefficient of transformation on the correlation length for the random phase distribution in the beam and on the traversed path length to the interaction region. The threshold value of the path length above which the fluctuations produce a dominating effect has been determined. The importance of taking into account the 2D effects has been demonstrated.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗