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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 361 records · Page 20

A localized view on molecular dissociation via electron-ion partial covariance

Inner-shell photoelectron spectroscopy provides an element-specific probe of molecular structure, as core-electron binding energies are sensitive to the chemical environment. Short-wavelength femtosecond light sources, such as Free-Electron Lasers (FELs), even enable time-resolved site-specific investigations of molecular photochemistry. Here, we study the ultraviolet photodissociation of the prototypical chiral molecule 1-iodo-2-methylbutane, probed by extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) through the ultrafast evolution of the iodine 4d binding energy. Methodologically, we employ electron-ion partial covariance imaging as a technique to isolate otherwise elusive features in a two-dimensional photoelectron spectrum arising from different photofragmentation pathways. The experimental and theoretical results for the time-resolved electron spectra of the 4d 3/2 and 4d 5/2 atomic and molecular levels that are disentangled by this method provide a key step towards studying structural and chemical changes from a specific spectator site.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Naming the newly found landforms on Venus

The mapping of Venus is unique in the history of cartigraphy; never has so much territory been discovered and mapped in so short a period of time. Therefore, in the interest of international scientific communication, there is a unique urgency to the development of a system of names for surface features on Venus. The process began with the naming of features seen on radar images taken from Earth and continued through mapping expeditions of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. However, the Magellan Mission resolves features twenty-five times smaller than those mapped previously, and its radar data will cover an area nearly equivalent to that of the continents and the sea-floors of the Earth combined. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was charged with the formal endorsement of names of features on the planets. Proposed names are collected, approved, and applied through the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) and its task groups, prior to IAU approval by the IAU General Assembly. Names approved by the WGPSN and its task groups, prior to final approval may be used on published maps and articles, provided that their provisional nature is stipulated. The IAU has established themes for the names to be used on each of the planets; names of historical and mythological women are used on Venus. Names of political entities and those identified with active religions are not acceptable, and a person must have been deceased for three years or more to be considered. Any interested person may propose a name for consideration by the IAU.

Batson, R. M.↗

Image applications for coastal resource planning: Elkhorn Slough Pilot Project

The purpose of this project has been to evaluate the utility of digital spectral imagery at two levels of resolution for large scale, accurate, auto-classification of land cover along the Central California Coast. Although remote sensing technology offers obvious advantages over on-the-ground mapping, there are substantial trade-offs that must be made between resolving power and costs. Higher resolution images can theoretically be used to identify smaller habitat patches, but they usually require more scenes to cover a given area and processing these images is computationally intense requiring much more computer time and memory. Lower resolution images can cover much larger areas, are less costly to store, process, and manipulate, but due to their larger pixel size can lack the resolving power of the denser images. This lack of resolving power can be critical in regions such as the Central California Coast where important habitat change often occurs on a scale of 10 meters. Our approach has been to compare vegetation and habitat classification results from two aircraft-based spectral scenes covering the same study area but at different levels of resolution with a previously produced ground-truthed land cover base map of the area. Both of the spectral images used for this project were of significantly higher resolution than the satellite-based LandSat scenes used in the C-CAP program. The lower reaches of the Elkhorn Slough watershed was chosen as an ideal study site because it encompasses a suite of important vegetation types and habitat loss processes characteristic of the central coast region. Dramatic habitat alterations have and are occurring within the Elkhorn Slough drainage area, including erosion and sedimentation, land use conversion, wetland loss, and incremental loss due to development and encroachnnent by agriculture. Additonally, much attention has already been focused on the Elkhorn Slough due to its status as a National Marine Education and Research Reserve and as part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. These destinations have resulted in a rich collection of prior spatial and temporal habitat data.

Kvitek, Rikk G.↗

Transient vibration and product formation of photoexcited CS 2 measured by time-resolved x-ray scattering

Here, we have observed details of the internal motion and dissociation channels in photoexcited carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) using time-resolved x-ray scattering (TRXS). Photoexcitation of gas-phase CS 2 with a 200 nm laser pulse launches oscillatory bending and stretching motion, leading to dissociation of atomic sulfur in under a picosecond. During the first 300 fs following excitation, we observe significant changes in the vibrational frequency as well as some dissociation of the C–S bond, leading to atomic sulfur in the both 1 D and 3 P states. Beyond 1400 fs, the dissociation is consistent with primarily 3 P atomic sulfur dissociation. This channel-resolved measurement of the dissociation time is based on our analysis of the time-windowed dissociation radial velocity distribution, which is measured using the temporal Fourier transform of the TRXS data aided by a Hough transform that extracts the slopes of linear features in an image. The relative strength of the two dissociation channels reflects both their branching ratio and differences in the spread of their dissociation times. Measuring the time-resolved dissociation radial velocity distribution aids the resolution of discrepancies between models for dissociation proposed by prior photoelectron spectroscopy work.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Contribution of advanced fluorescence nano microscopy towards revealing mitotic chromosome structure

The organization of chromatin into higherorder structures and its condensation process represent one of the key challenges in structural biology. This is important for elucidating several disease states. To address this long-standing problem, development of advanced imaging methods has played an essential role in providing understanding into mitotic chromosome structure and compaction. Amongst these are two fast evolving fluorescence imaging technologies, specifically fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and superresolution microscopy (SRM). FLIM in particular has been lacking in the application of chromosome research while SRM has been successfully applied although not widely. Furthermore, both these techniques are capable of providing fluorescence imaging with nanometer information. SRM or "nanoscopy" is capable of generating images of DNA with less than 50 nm resolution while FLIM when coupled with energy transfer may provide less than 20 nm information. Here, we discuss the advantages and limitations of both methods followed by their contribution to mitotic chromosome studies. Furthermore, we highlight the future prospects of how advancements in new technologies can contribute in the field of chromosome science.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The SuperCam Instrument Suite on the Mars 2020 Rover: Science Objectives and Mast-Unit Description

On the NASA 2020 rover mission to Jezero crater, the remote determination of the texture, mineralogy and chemistry of rocks is essential to quickly and thoroughly characterize an area and to optimize the selection of samples for return to Earth. As part of the Perseverance payload, SuperCam is a suite of five techniques that provide critical and complementary observations via Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman and Luminescence (TRR/L), visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (VISIR), high-resolution color imaging (RMI), and acoustic recording (MIC). SuperCam operates at remote distances, primarily 2–7 m, while providing data at sub-mm to mm scales. We report on SuperCam’s science objectives in the context of the Mars 2020 mission goals and ways the different techniques can address these questions. The instrument is made up of three separate subsystems: the Mast Unit is designed and built in France; the Body Unit is provided by the United States; the calibration target holder is contributed by Spain, and the targets themselves by the entire science team. This publication focuses on the design, development, and tests of the Mast Unit; companion papers describe the other units. The goal of this work is to provide an understanding of the technical choices made, the constraints that were imposed, and ultimately the validated performance of the flight model as it leaves Earth, and it will serve as the foundation for Mars operations and future processing of the data.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Effect of a collapsing gas bubble on the shock-to-detonation transition in liquid nitromethane

We studied the shock-induced collapse of butane gas bubbles in the homogeneous explosive nitromethane (NM) to investigate the effects of hot spot formation on the detonation process. A butane bubble was injected into a sample of NM, and a shock wave from a flat plate impactor compressed the bubble, creating a localized hot spot. We measured shock and detonation wave speeds with optical velocimetry, and we used a high-speed camera to image the shock propagation and bubble collapse processes. A multiband optical fiber pyrometer measured the time-resolved thermal radiance, and we used the results and emissivity values extracted from spectral fits to estimate temperatures. We measured the characteristics of the shock-to-detonation transition in NM with and without a bubble. All experiments were performed at shock pressures near 8 GPa, where neat NM can detonate. A single bubble in this system was shown to sensitize NM, leading to a reduced run-to-detonation time. We used hydrodynamic modeling to predict shock wave propagation, the extent of chemical reaction, and subsequent temperature rise from the collapsing bubble. We used a temperature-dependent Arrhenius burn model for simulations, and it yielded much better results than reactive burn models that depend only on pressure and density.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Single-shot imaging with randomized structured illumination at a free electron laser

Stroboscopic nanoscale imaging with free electron laser light is revolutionizing our understanding of fast dynamics in heterogeneous systems. The short wavelength of X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation makes it possible to achieve nanoscale resolution, while resonance with atomic transitions gives access to electronic and magnetic degrees of freedom. Here, we report on our implementation of a recently developed imaging method, randomized probe imaging, at a free electron laser. The advantage of randomized probe imaging over existing methods is its compatibility with extended and strongly scattering samples. Our implementation delivers robust single-shot reconstructions at up to a full-pitch resolution of 400 nm over a field of view with a 40 µm diameter. We also demonstrate single-shot imaging of magnetic domain structures using circular dichroism at resonance, paving the way to future time-resolved studies of magnetic dynamics, shock physics, and the dynamics of collective electronic phases.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

An Ultraviolet-Excess Optical Candidate for the Luminous Globular Cluster X-Ray Source in NGC 1851

The intense, bursting X-ray source in the globular cluster NGC 1851 was one of the first cluster sources discovered, but has remained optically unidentified for 25 years. We report here on results from Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 multicolor images in NGC 1851. Our high spatial resolution images resolve approximately 200 objects in the 3 minute radius Einstein X-ray error circle, 40 times as many as in previous ground-based work. A color-magnitude diagram of the cluster clearly reveals a markedly UV-excess object with B approximately 21, (U - B) approximately -0.9, only 2 minutes from the X-ray position. The UV-excess candidate is 0.12 minutes distant from a second, unremarkable star that is 0.5 mag brighter in B; thus ground-based studies of this field are probably impractical. Three other UV-excess objects are also present among the approximately 16,000 objects in the surveyed region of the cluster, leaving an approximately 5% probability that a UV-excess object has fallen in the X-ray error circle by chance. No variability of the candidate is seen in these data, although a more complete study is required. If this object is in fact the counterpart of the X-ray source, previous inferences that some globular cluster X-ray sources are optically subluminous with respect to low-mass X-ray binaries in the field are now strengthened.

Deutsch, Eric W.↗

Composition and Density Stratification Observed by SuperCam in the First 300 Sols in Jezero Crater

The Perseverance rover has traveled > 2.5 km since leaving its Octavia Butler landing site in Jezero crater ~300 sols ago. The SuperCam remote sensing instrument suite has made > 1000 observations of bedrock along the traverse to provide a comprehensive picture of Jezero crater floor’s chemistry and mineralogy. SuperCam combines high resolution imaging, visible and near-infrared (VISIR) reflectance spectroscopy (0.4-0.85, 1.3-2.6 µm), remote time-resolved green-laser Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and acoustic sensing into a single co-boresighted package [1, 2]. Derivation of the major element abundances as oxide wt% for this part of the mission is presented in [3], while calibration of the VIS and IR spectrometers are given in [4-7].

R.C. Wiens↗

The Discovery of a Second Luminous Low Mass X-ray Binary in the Globular Cluster M15

We report an observation by the Chandra X-ray Observatory of 4U2127+119, the X-ray source identified with the globular cluster M15. The Chandra observation reveals that 4U2127+119 is in fact two bright sources, separated by 2.7". One source is associated with AC21 1, the previously identified optical counterpart to 4U2127+119, a low mass X-ray binary (LMXB). The second source, M15-X2, is coincident with a 19th U magnitude blue star that is 3.3" from the cluster core. The Chandra count rate of M15-X2 is 2.5 times higher than that of AC211. Prior to the 0.5" imaging capability of Chandra the presence of two so closely separated bright sources would not have been resolved, The optical counterpart, X-ray luminosity and spectrum of M15-X2 are consistent with it also being an LMXB system. This is the first time that two LMXBS have been seen to be simultaneously active in a globular cluster. The discovery of a second active LMXB in M15 solves a long standing puzzle where the properties of AC211 appear consistent with it being dominated by an extended accretion disk corona, and yet 4U2127+119 also shows luminous X-ray bursts requiring that the neutron star be directly visible. The resolution of 4U2127+119 into two sources suggests that the X-ray bursts did not come from AC211, but rather from M15X2. We discuss the implications of this discovery for understanding the origin and evolution of LMXBs in GCs as well as X-ray observations of globular clusters in nearby galaxies.

White, Nicholas E.↗

Application of Pressure-Sensitive Paint to Rotorcraft

In this presentation, a plan to develop methods for applying pressure-sensitive paint to rotorcraft will be described. These methods are needed because flows over rotor blades are typically very complex and poorly understood and because conventional methods for measuring unsteady pressures on rotor blades (using unsteady pressure transducers provide grossly inadequate spatial resolution. Since PSP is a surface, rather than a point, measurement technique, it has the potential to significantly increase the spatial resolution )f pressure measurements on rotor blades. PSP techniques currently in use at Ames were developed for measuring steady pressures on rigid, complex airplane configurations in large, production wind tunnels. Applying PSP to rotorcraft requires a significant departure from these techniques. First and most importantly new, fast-responding and self-referencing pressure paints are required. The paints must be fast (98% response in 1-5 msec) to resolve flow unsteadiness; they must be self-referencing (or "binary") to account for changes in incident light intensity due to deflection of flexible rotors. Self-referencing paints have been used at Ames for some time; however, these paints have response times that are far too long for unsteady applications. Flash illumination is required to resolve flow unsteadiness and to minimize image blurring due to relative motion between the model and the camera. Current practice at Ames is to use continuous illumination Finally, "in situ" paint calibration versus measurements by pressure transducers, which is current Ames practice, is not practical because of the difficulty and expense of installing transducers in rotor blades. Instead, the paint must be calibrated "a priori" in a calibration chamber. A sequence of five experiments that systematically isolates and addresses the problems involved in making PSP measurements on rotor blades has been planned. These are: (1) measurements on a rigid rotor in hover; (2) measurements on a flexible rotor in hover; measurements of paint response time in a calibration apparatus; (4) measurements on a rigid, two-dimensional oscillating airfoil; and (5) measurements on a flexible rotor in forward flight. Experiments were recently conducted at Ames where PSP measurements were made on a rigid oscillating airfoil (experiment type 4) and on a flexible rotor in hover (experiment type 2). Preliminary results from these experiments will be discussed.

Schairer, Edward T.↗

Bragg edge imaging (BEI) of B12W and M8N socket sections of the Arecibo telescope

From neutron user principal investigator: We kindly request the public release of three neutron imaging datasets through ONCat. All datasets were collected from two forensic specimens, B12W and M8N, sectioned from zinc-filled steel-wire sockets recovered from the collapsed Arecibo Telescope. The dataset titled “Neutron radiographs of B12W and M8N socket sections of the Arecibo telescope” contains normalized two-dimensional (2D) neutron radiographs of the specimens, showing the geometry and spatial distribution of the steel wires embedded within the zinc matrix, as well as internal features such as voids and cracks. The dataset titled “Neutron computed tomography of B12W and M8N socket sections of the Arecibo telescope” contains normalized 2D neutron projection images acquired over a range of specimen rotation angles for one selected region of each specimen. These projection images were used to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) tomographic volumes that reveal the embedded-wire geometry and internal defects. The dataset titled “Bragg edge imaging (BEI) of B12W and M8N socket sections of the Arecibo telescope” contains six time-of-flight (TOF) neutron imaging datasets, three from each specimen, acquired at regions of interest selected based on the radiographs. The spatially resolved 2D TOF images show the zinc matrix and embedded steel wires, and the wavelength-dependent neutron transmission data were used to characterize crystallographic texture within the zinc. All components and their condition are in the public domain as they are the property of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The neutron imaging data, part geometries, and detailed forensic information have been widely published in the Arecibo Telescope Collapse Forensic Report by Thornton Tomasetti Engineers and others (NASA report and NASEM report).

Bilheux, Hassina↗

Path-Integrated X-Ray Images for Multi-Surface Digital Image Correlation (PI-DIC)

X-ray imaging offers unique possibilities for Digital Image Correlation (DIC), opening the door for full-field deformation measurements of a test article in complex environments where optical DIC suffers severe biases or is impossible. While X-ray DIC has been performed in the past with standard DIC codes designed for optical images, the path-integrated nature of X-ray images places constraints on the experimental setup, predominantly that only a single surface of interest moves/deforms. These requirements are difficult to realize for many practical situations and limit the amount of information that can be garnered in a single test. Other X-ray based diagnostics such as Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) and Projection DVC (P-DVC) overcome these obstacles, but DVC is limited to quasi-static tests, and both DVC and P-DVC necessitate high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan(s) and often require a potentially invasive pattern throughout the volume of the specimen. Here this work presents a novel approach to measure time-resolved displacements and strains on multiple surfaces from a single series of 2D, path-integrated (PI) X-ray images, called PI-DIC. The principle of optical flow or conservation of intensity—the foundation of DIC—was reframed for path-integrated images, for an exemplar setup comprised of two plates moving and deforming independently. Synthetic images were generated for rigid translations, rigid rotations, and uniform stretches, where each plate underwent a unique motion/deformation. Experimental specimens were fabricated (either an aluminum plate with tantalum features or a plastic plate with steel features) and the two specimens were independently translated. PI-DIC was successfully demonstrated with the synthetic images and validated with the experimental images. Prescribed displacements were recovered for each plate from the single set of path-integrated, deformed images. Errors were approximately 0.02 px for the synthetic images with 1.5% image noise, and 0.05 px for the experimental images. These results provide the foundation for PI-DIC to measure motion and deformation of multiple, independent surfaces with subpixel accuracy from a single series of path-integrated X-ray images.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

The Discovery of a Second Luminous Low-Mass X-Ray Binary in the Globular Cluster M15

We report an observation by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory of 4U 2127+119, the X-ray source identified with the globular cluster M15. The Chandra observation reveals that 4U 2127+119 is in fact two bright sources, separated by 2.7 arcsec. One source is associated with AC 211, the previously identified optical counterpart to 4U 2127+119, a low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB). The second source, M15 X-2, is coincident with a 19th U magnitude blue star that is 3.3 arcsec from the cluster core. The Chandra count rate of M15 X-2 is 2.5 times higher than that of AC 211. Prior to the 0.5 arcsec imaging capability of Chandra, the presence of two so closely separated bright sources would not have been resolved. The optical counterpart, X-ray luminosity, and spectrum of M15 X-2 are consistent with it also being an LMXB system. This is the first time that two LMXBs have been seen to be simultaneously active in a globular cluster. The discovery of a second active LMXB in M15 solves a long-standing puzzle where the properties of AC 211 appear consistent with it being dominated by an extended accretion disk corona, and yet 4U 2127+119 also shows luminous X-ray bursts requiring that the neutron star be directly visible. The resolution of 4U 2127+119 into two sources suggests that the X-ray bursts did not come from AC 211 but rather from M15 X-2. We discuss the implications of this discovery for understanding the origin and evolution of LMXBs in globular clusters as well as X-ray observations of globular clusters in nearby galaxies.

White, Nicholas E.↗

Degradation Dynamics of Perovskite Solar Cells Under Fixed Reverse-Current Injection

Previous studies of reverse-bias stability in perovskite solar cells have focused primarily on voltage-controlled tests. Here we instead investigate perovskite solar cell degradation under well-defined, constant reverse-current stress. We show that the choice of hole-transport layer dictates the dominant degradation pathway: cells using thick poly(triphenylamine) (PTAA) layers can tolerate high reverse bias but quickly undergo catastrophic breakdown under fixed reverse current near their one-sun maximum power-point. In contrast, cells modified with phosphonic-acid interface layer MeO-2PACz, with poorer indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) coverage compared to PTAA, exhibit gradual and recoverable degradation under certain stress and recovery conditions. For MeO-2PACz devices, degradation increases with both current magnitude and duration. Importantly, when normalized by injected charge (current times duration), lower currents applied over longer times cause more degradation than higher currents over shorter periods. Here, combining electrical measurements with spatially resolved photoluminescence imaging, our observations support an ion- and charge-mediated interfacial electrochemical degradation mode.

Degradation↗

Slide Test FY 2019 Report

At Los Alamos, the Slide Test was developed in 2019 to investigate whether the mass of a main charge of explosive sliding on a gritty surface, in the absence of impact, is sufficient to heat grit to ignition temperatures in PBX 9501. This is a practical test to address frictional ignition during assembly/disassembly operations at the Pantex Plant. Twenty-seven Slide Tests were performed in total, testing PBX 9501 at various slide velocities, grit diameters, grit patterns, and charge masses. Time-resolved velocimetry of the slide event (from PDV) and spot area of the explosive charge (obtained from image analysis) is reported. High-speed videography is used to diagnose explosive reaction. Eighteen of these tests were performed with a charge mass of 30 lbs at velocities ≤ 4 m s-1 and grit diameters between 75 and 1000 µm. Nine Slide Tests were performed with a 15 lb charge mass at similar parameters. No ignition was observed in any of the tests. These data provide evidence that the mass of a main charge, caused to slide on a surface at the low velocities achievable during routine handling, is insufficient stimulus to heat grit to ignition temperatures. These findings are relevant to risk assessment for explosive handling operations and provide evidence that PBX 9501 is safe within the constraints that were tested. However, because ignitions were not observed in any of the tests, we cannot determine which variables (mass or velocity) dominate the explosive response and to what extent. The absence of observed ignition also precludes the determination of a safety margin. To identify this safety margin, further research would be necessary to define the velocity and/or mass threshold at which ignition occurs.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Advancements in Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics (Fundamentals and Applications)

Thermo-fluid science is a foundational discipline for numerous mechanical systems, particularly in energy production and building equipment, where thermal and mechanical energy transfer play critical roles. Advancements in heat transfer and fluid mechanics have significantly enhanced these systems, driving progress in associated market sectors. For instance, evaporator and condenser coils are essential for optimizing vapor compression cycles in building equipment. Heat pumps used for space and water heating constitute a major share of building systems, with microchannel heat exchanger technology at the forefront of these innovations. It is worth mentioning that advancements in heat transfer and fluid mechanics significantly alleviate the challenge of designing energy-efficient building equipment. The development of research techniques has contributed significantly to the advancement of science; for example, in the experimental field, non-intrusive measurement techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) are now capable of resolving flow behavior in a 3D format for different length and time scales.

42 ENGINEERING↗