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At least 37 records · Page 2

Evaluation of the hazard from exposure to electron irradiation simulating that in the synchronous orbit

The electron spectrum predicted for the synchronous orbit was simulated to determine the effects that might occur to astroscientists exposed to such irradiation while on a prolonged space station mission in that region. Miniature pigs were exposed to monoenergetic and spectral-fractionated irradiations with 0.5 to 2.1 MeV electrons. Clinical and pathological alterations observed in biopsies were correlated with depth-dose pattern and length of post irradiation period up to one year. With monoenergetic electrons, the lowest dose causing a recognizable lesion was 1450 rad and with increasing dose lesions appeared earlier and were more severe. At the highest dose given, 2650 rad, ulceration extending into the dermis was present by twenty one days and required about four months for complete healing. Spectral-fractionated irradiations, in which the total dose range was essentially comparable to that of the monoenergetic series, resulted in very minimal outer dermis edema at 1790 rad and at no dose employed did necrosis of epidermis or ulceration into dermis occur.

Lippincott, S. W.

Electron acceleration at nearly perpendicular collisionless shocks. I - One-dimensional simulations without electron scale fluctuations

Under certain conditions electrons can be reflected and effectively energized at quasi-perpendicular shocks. This process is most prominent close to the point where the upstream magnetic field is tangent to the curved shock. A theoretical explanation of the underlying physical mechanism has been proposed which assumes conservation of magnetic moment and a static, simplified shock profile are performed. Test particle calculations of the electron reflection process in order to examine the results of the theoretical analysis without imposing these restrictive conditions. A one-dimensional hybrid simulation code generates the characteristic field variations across the shock. Special emphasis is placed on the spatial and temporal length scales involved in the mirroring process. The simulation results agree generally well with the predictions from adiabatic theory. The effects of the cross-shock potential and unsteadiness are quantified, and the influence of field fluctuations on the reflection process is discussed.

Krauss-Varban, D.

Efficient numerical simulation of electron states in quantum wires

A new algorithm is presented for the numerical simulation of electrons in a quantum wire as described by a two-dimensional eigenvalue problem for Schroedinger's equation coupled with Poisson's equation. Initially, the algorithm employs an underrelaxed fixed point iteration to generate an approximation which is reasonably close to the solution. Subsequently, this approximate solution is employed as an initial guess for a Jacobian-free implementation of an approximate Newton method. In this manner the nonlinearity in the model is dealt with effectively. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated in a set of numerical experiments which study the electron states on the cross section of a quantum wire structure based on III-V semiconductors at 4.2 and 77 K.

Kerkhoven, Thomas

Trends and Techniques for Space Base Electronics

Simulations of various phosphorus and boron diffusions in SOS were completed and a sputtering system, furnaces, and photolithography related equipment were set up. Double layer metal experiments initially utilized wet chemistry techniques. By incorporating ultrasonic etching of the vias, premetal cleaning a modified buffered HF, phosphorus doped vapox, and extended sintering, yields of 98% were obtained using the standard test pattern. A two dimensional modeling program was written for simulating short channel MOSFETs with nonuniform substrate doping. A key simplifying assumption used is that the majority carriers can be represented by a sheet charge at the silicon dioxide silicon interface. Although the program is incomplete, the two dimensional Poisson equation for the potential distribution was achieved. The status of other Z-D MOSFET simulation programs is summarized.

Trotter, J. D.

A method of testing attitude control systems during the development phase

A technique, utilized on the Space Telescope Program, and used for testing satellite attitude pointing and control systems during the engineering and development phases is presented. The technique verifies the hardware models used in design phase computer simulations, verifies the interface between the flight hardware and flight software, and uncovers hardware/software switching or mode logic problems. The testing is accomplished in two phases: a dynamic hardware simulator phase using hardware electronic simulators and an electronic vehicle motion simulator; and a second real hardware phase utilizing engineering model gyros and reaction wheels on an airbearing table. Both phases use an engineering model of the flight computer, flight algorithms and software, and a breadboard data management and computer hardware interface for timing simulations. The purpose of each test and the test phases are described, and examples of closed loop test results for both attitude hold and maneuvering models are given.

Besonis, A.

Enhanced Monte Carlo Simulations for Electron Energy Loss Mitigation in Real-Space Nanoimaging of Thick Biological Samples and Microchips

High-resolution imaging using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is essential for applications such as grain boundary analysis, microchip defect characterization, and biological imaging. However, TEM images are often compromised by electron energy spread and other factors. In TEM mode, where the objective and projector lenses are positioned downstream of the sample, electron–sample interactions cause energy loss, which adversely impacts image quality and resolution. This study introduces a simulation tool to estimate the electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) as a function of sample thickness, covering electron beam energies from 300 keV to 3 MeV. Leveraging recent advances in MeV-TEM/STEM technology, which includes a state-of-the-art electron source with 2-picometer emittance, an energy spread of 3 × 10 -5 , and optimized beam characteristics, we aim to minimize energy spread. By integrating EELS capabilities into the BNL Monte Carlo (MC) simulation code for thicker samples, we evaluate electron beam parameters to mitigate energy spread resulting from electron–sample interactions. Based on our simulations, we propose an experimental procedure for quantitively distinguishing between elastic and inelastic scattering. The findings will guide the selection of optimal beam settings, thereby enhancing resolution for nanoimaging of thick biological samples and microchips.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Simulation of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size electron beam system

Simulations of the electron acoustic instability for a finite-size electron beam system are performed with a particle-in-cell code to investigate the heating phenomena associated with the instability and the width of the heating region. The results show that the beam radiates electrostatic electron acoustic waves whose decay time outside the beam agrees with the spatial decay length derived from the linear dispersion equation. The ambient cold electrons in a diffusion region surrounding the beam are heated to a higher temperature by absorbing the radiated electron acoustic waves, with the heating occurring mainly in the parallel direction. In the heat diffusion region, the temperature of the cold electrons decreases with distance from the beam with a temperature gradient length smaller than the decay length of the wave energy. The results are discussed with respect to the DE 1 plasma and wave observations in the polar cusp region.

Lin, C. S.

Numerical Simulation of Electron Magnetohydrodynamics with Landau-quantized Electrons in Magnetar Crusts

Abstract In magnetar crusts, magnetic fields are sufficiently strong to confine electrons into a small to moderate number of quantized Landau levels. This can have a dramatic effect on the crust's thermodynamic properties, generating field-dependent de Haas–van Alphen oscillations. We previously argued that the large-amplitude oscillations of the magnetic susceptibility could enhance the ohmic dissipation of the magnetic field by continuously generating small-scale, rapidly dissipating field features. This could be important to magnetar field evolution and contribute to their observed higher temperatures. To study this, we performed quasi-3D numerical simulations of electron MHD in a representative volume of neutron star crust matter, for the first time including the magnetization and magnetic susceptibility resulting from Landau quantization. We find that the potential enhancement in the ohmic dissipation rate due to this effect can be a factor ∼3 for temperatures of the order of 10 8 K, and ∼4.5 for temperatures of the order of 5 × 10 7 K, depending on the magnetic field configuration. The nonlinear Hall term is crucial to this amplification: without it, the magnetic field decay is only enhanced by a factor ≲2 even at 5 × 10 7 K. These effects generate a high wavenumber plateau in the magnetic energy spectrum associated with the small-scale de Haas–van Alphen oscillations. Our results suggest that this mechanism could help explain the magnetar heating problem, though due to the effect's temperature-dependence, full magneto-thermal evolution simulations in a realistic stellar model are needed to judge whether it is viable explanation.

Rau, Peter B. (ORCID:0000000152209277)

Monte Carlo simulation of electron acceleration in modified relativistic shocks

We give a brief review of Monte Carlo simulations of nonlinear Fermi shock acceleration and then give new results on electron acceleration in SNRs and in relativistic parallel shocks. The acceleration of low energy electrons in shocks is poorly understood, but even when energetic electrons are considered, where electron and proton scattering should be qualitatively similar, dramatic differences result between electron and proton acceleration in relativistic shocks. If the shocked plasma is a mixture of electrons and protons, the electrons are accelerated much less efficiently than protons. We predict that only e(-)-e(+) pair dominated plasmas can produce significant radio emission in relativistic flows if the standard Fermi mechanism operates in parallel shocks.

Ellison, Donald C.

Observations and Simulations of Electron Dynamics Near an Active Neutral Line

Recent observations in the Earth's magnetotail have shown rapid increases in the fluxes of energetic electrons with energies up to 100's of keV associated with dipolarization fronts that propagate into the inner magnetosphere. On August 15, 2001 the four Cluster spacecraft located slightly dawnward of midnight (yGSM approx. -5.4RE) at xGSM approx. -18RE observed a series of earthward propagating dipolarization fronts [Hwang et al., 2010]. At least 6 dipolarization fronts were observed in a 20m interval. Unlike previously reported cases the fluxes of electrons up to 95keV decreased during the passage of the first three fronts over the spacecraft. The energetic electron fluxes increased during the passage of the last three fronts. We have performed a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of this event using solar wind observations from the ACE satellite to drive the simulation. In the simulation a very complex reconnection system in the near-Earth tail at XGSM approx. -20RE launched a series of earthward propagating dipolarization fronts that are similar to those observed on Cluster. The simulation results indicate that the Cluster spacecraft were just earthward of the reconnection site. In this paper we will present a study of the dynamics of electrons associated with these events by using the large-scale kinetic simulation approach in which we launch a large number of electrons into the electric and magnetic fields from this simulation.

Goldstein, M. L.

Modeling a Miniaturized Scanning Electron Microscope Focusing Column - Lessons Learned in Electron Optics Simulation

This presentation discusses work done to assess the design of a focusing column in a miniaturized Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) developed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for use in-situ on the Moon-in particular for mineralogical analysis. The MSFC beam column design uses purely electrostatic fields for focusing, because of the severe constraints on mass and electrical power consumption imposed by the goals of lunar exploration and of spaceflight in general. The resolution of an SEM ultimately depends on the size of the focused spot of the scanning beam probe, for which the stated goal here is a diameter of 10 nanometers. Optical aberrations are the main challenge to this performance goal, because they blur the ideal geometrical optical image of the electron source, effectively widening the ideal spot size of the beam probe. In the present work the optical aberrations of the mini SEM focusing column were assessed using direct tracing of non-paraxial rays, as opposed to mathematical estimates of aberrations based on paraxial ray-traces. The geometrical ray-tracing employed here is completely analogous to ray-tracing as conventionally understood in the realm of photon optics, with the major difference being that in electron optics the lens is simply a smoothly varying electric field in vacuum, formed by precisely machined electrodes. Ray-tracing in this context, therefore, relies upon a model of the electrostatic field inside the focusing column to provide the mathematical description of the "lens" being traced. This work relied fundamentally on the boundary element method (BEM) for this electric field model. In carrying out this research the authors discovered that higher accuracy in the field model was essential if aberrations were to be reliably assessed using direct ray-tracing. This led to some work in testing alternative techniques for modeling the electrostatic field. Ultimately, the necessary accuracy was attained using a BEM/Fourier series hybrid approach. The presentation will give background remarks about the MSFC mini Lunar SEM concept and electron optics modeling, followed by a description of the alternate field modeling techniques that were tried, along with their incorporation into a ray-trace simulation. Next, the validation of this simulation against commercially available software will be discussed using an example lens as a test case. Then, the efficacy of aberration assessment using direct ray-tracing will be demonstrated, using this same validation case. The discussion will include practical error checks of the field solution. Finally, the ray-trace assessment of the MSFC mini Lunar SEM concept will be shown and discussed. The authors believe this presentation will be of general interest to practitioners of modeling and simulation, as well as those with a general optics background. Because electron optics and photon optics share many basic concepts (e.g., lenses, images, aberrations, etc.), the appeal of this presentation need not be restricted to just those interested in charged particle optics.

Modeling Miniaturizing Scanning

Video simulator with electronic ranging

Gimbal orientation, raster shrinkage and deflection, and track movement are used to simulate attitude and range. Key component in system is video digitizer that converts vidicon camera signal to digital form, processes it to reduce image size, and reconverts processed data to analog signal for display on cathode ray tube.

Kraemer, W.

Trapped-ion quantum simulation of electron transfer models with tunable dissipation

Electron transfer is at the heart of many fundamental physical, chemical, and biochemical processes essential for life. The exact simulation of these reactions is often hindered by the large number of degrees of freedom and by the essential role of quantum effects. Here, we experimentally simulate a paradigmatic model of molecular electron transfer using a multispecies trapped-ion crystal, where the donor-acceptor gap, the electronic and vibronic couplings, and the bath relaxation dynamics can all be controlled independently. By manipulating both the ground-state and optical qubits, we observe the real-time dynamics of the spin excitation, measuring the transfer rate in several regimes of adiabaticity and relaxation dynamics. Our results provide a testing ground for increasingly rich models of molecular excitation transfer processes that are relevant for molecular electronics and light-harvesting systems.

Science & Technology - Other Topics

Simulations of electron beam excited modes in the high-altitude magnetosphere

Excitation of waves by electron distributions consisting of hot, beam, and cold populations is investigated theoretically and with the help of particle simulations. The main modes excited include the upper hybrid oscillation for nearly perpendicular propagation; the whistler mode at oblique angles, which becomes the plasma two-stream oscillation for parallel propagation; and the electron acoustic mode for nearly parallel propagation. The whistler mode, excited by thermal fluctuation enhancement, has a broad range of wave numbers and quasi-linearly decreases the beam slope, while the electron acoustic mode, which is linearly unstable, has a narrow spread in phase velocities and traps the beam and the warm electrons forming a double humped distribution. Both modes contribute to forming a tail in the cold electron distribution. The resulting wave spectrum is discussed in the context of DE 1 observations.

Roth, I.

Monte Carlo simulations of electron lateral distributions in the core region of 10(13) - 10(16) eV air showers

This paper contains details of computer models of shower development which have been used to investigate the experimental data on shower cores observed in the Leeds 35 sq m and Sacramento Peak (New Mexico) 20 sq m arrays of current limited spark (discharge) chambers. The simulations include predictions for primaries ranging from protons to iron nuclei (with heavy nuclei treated using both superposition and fragmentation models).

Ash, A. G.

Electronic device simulates respiration rate and depth

An oscillator circuit and a thermistor, in close proximity to a light bulb, periodically alter the heat output of the bulb by varying the voltage across its filament. Use of this simulator permits checkout tests on pneumographs.

Thomas, J. A.