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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Testing modified gravity at cosmological distances with LISA standard sirens

Modifications of General Relativity leave their imprint both on the cosmic expansion history through a non-trivial dark energy equation of state, and on the evolution of cosmological perturbations in the scalar and in the tensor sectors. Specifically, the modification in the tensor sector gives rise to a notion of gravitational-wave (GW) luminosity distance, different from the standard electromagnetic luminosity distance, that can be studied with standard sirens at GW detectors such as LISA or third-generation ground based experiments. Here, we discuss the predictions for modified GW propagation from some of the best studied theories of modified gravity, such as Horndeski or the more general degenerate higher order scalar-tensor (DHOST) theories, non-local infrared modifications of gravity, bigravity theories and the corresponding phenomenon of GW oscillation, as well as theories with extra or varying dimensions. We show that modified GW propagation is a completely generic phenomenon in modified gravity. We then use a simple parametrization of the effect in terms of two parameters (Ξ 0 , n ), that is shown to fit well the results from a large class of models, to study the prospects of observing modified GW propagation using supermassive black hole binaries as standard sirens with LISA. We build mock source catalogs and perform detailed Markov Chain Monte Carlo studies of the likelihood obtained from LISA standard sirens alone, as well as by combining them with CMB, BAO and SNe data to reduce the degeneracies between cosmological parameters. We find that the combination of LISA with the other cosmological datasets allows one to measure the parameter Ξ 0 that characterizes modified GW propagation to the percent level accuracy, sufficient to test several modified gravity theories. LISA standard sirens can also improve constraints on GW oscillations induced by extra field content by about three orders of magnitude relative to the current capability of ground detectors. We also update the forecasts on the accuracy on H 0 and on the dark-energy equation of state using more recent estimates for the LISA sensitivity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Time-dependent experimental identification of inter-ELM microtearing modes in the tokamak edge on DIII-D

In a series of discharges on the DIII-D tokamak, fast vertical plasma jogs are used to induce current perturbations in the steep gradient region of the H-mode edge. These current perturbations directly influence the edge q profile, decoupling the resonant location and instability drive of pedestal-localized microtearing modes (MTMs.) By exploiting this effect, we develop and apply a new experimental technique to track the dynamical frequency evolution of MTMs in the pedestal region, providing a compelling validation of the MTM model. The frequency of potential MTMs is calculated as the Doppler-shifted electron diamagnetic frequency at rational q=m/n surfaces, showing remarkable agreement with chirped frequency behavior of n=3, 4 and 5 modes detected with fast magnetics. Data is collected throughout multiple ELM cycles in order to build robust statistics describing the time-dependent frequency evolution of MTMs, which can be explained by examining the recovery of pedestal gradients after an ELM event. MTMs have a dominant transport contribution in the electron thermal channel, so the presented results indicate that reduced models of pedestal transport must be electromagnetic in nature and constructed with accurate calculations of MTM stability; inclusion of this physics is essential for accurate predictions of the electron temperature pedestal profile. Supporting measurements of mode saturation, propagation direction and transport fingerprints are made to support the dynamic frequency determination, unambiguously and experimentally identifying MTMs in the pedestal region of DIII-D.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Mode Purity of Electron Cyclotron Waves after Their Passage through the Peripheral Plasma in the Large Helical Device

Plasma heating and current drive with Electron Cyclotron Waves (ECWs) require precise control over the polarization state of ECWs to ensure that the entire input power is deposited where intended. However, due to the magnetic shear in the peripheral plasma, the polarization state can change. This effect is particularly pronounced in the Large Helical Device (LHD), where the magnetic field is sheared strongly. Here, we present a new code PARADE (PAraxial RAy DEscription) that can simulate the evolution of the polarization state along the beam propagation without resorting to full-wave modeling. We apply PARADE to the LHD plasma and simulate the evolution of the beam transverse structure, including the local amplitudes of the two electromagnetic eigenmodes. Here, the results surpass those yielded by the code LHDGauss used in the past. Based on these new results, we discuss how to improve the mode purity of ECWs by controlling the initial polarization state. A remarkable improvement is predicted numerically.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

A curvature-based mechanism for the spontaneous emission of electromagnetic radiation at curved plasma–vacuum interfaces

In this work, we derive from first principles the dispersion relation for electromagnetic radiation that is spontaneously emitted at a 2D curved plasma–vacuum interface in the absence of both background and external electric and magnetic fields. This plasma geometry is motivated by plasmas generated through hypervelocity impact projectiles—an area that is of importance to satellite safety in the aerospace community, and may be of importance for the developing study of projectile impact-driven inertial confinement fusion. We find spontaneous radiation occurs when thermal surface waves propagate along the edge of a circular plasma, with a frequency lower than the plasma frequency and spatial decay proportional to 1/r. This is distinct from more well-known mechanisms of radiation, in which the radiation frequency is greater than or equal to the plasma frequency. This theory is validated against 2D, electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations and shows reasonable agreement. Finally, we discuss the effects of plasma geometry and attribute the radiation generation mechanism to the acceleration of charged surface waves as they traverse azimuthally along a curved path.

Lau, Raymond (ORCID:0000000299318101)↗
DOE OSTI2015

Exactly solvable model of resonance tunneling of an electromagnetic wave in plasma containing short-scale inhomogeneities

Different variants of resonance tunneling of a transverse electromagnetic wave through a plasma layer containing short-scale (subwavelength) inhomogeneities, including evanescence regions to which approximate methods are inapplicable, are analyzed in the framework of an exactly solvable one-dimensional model. Complex plasma density profiles described by a number of free parameters determining the permittivity modulation depth, the characteristic scale lengths of plasma structures, their number, and the thickness of the inhomogeneous plasma layer are considered. It is demonstrated that reflection-free propagation of the wave incident on the layer from vacuum (the effect of wave-barrier transillumination) can be achieved for various sets of such structures, including plasma density profiles containing a stochastic component. Taking into account cubic nonlinearity, it is also possible to obtain an exact solution to the one-dimensional problem on the nonlinear transillumination of nonuniform plasma. In this case, the thicknesses of the evanescence regions decrease appreciably. The problem of resonance tunneling of electromagnetic waves through such barriers is of interest for a number of practical applications.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Electron Acceleration at Pulsar Wind Termination Shocks

We study the acceleration of electrons and positrons at an electromagnetically modified, ultrarelativistic shock in the context of pulsar wind nebulae. We simulate the outflow produced by an obliquely rotating pulsar in proximity of its termination shock with a two-fluid code that uses a magnetic shear wave to mimic the properties of the wind. We integrate electron trajectories in the test-particle limit in the resulting background electromagnetic fields to analyze the injection mechanism. We find that the shock-precursor structure energizes and reflects a sizable fraction of particles, which becomes available for further acceleration. We investigate the subsequent first-order Fermi process sustained by small-scale magnetic fluctuations with a Monte Carlo code. We find that the acceleration proceeds in two distinct regimes: when the gyroradius r{sub g} exceeds the wavelength of the shear λ, the process is remarkably similar to first-order Fermi acceleration at relativistic, parallel shocks. This regime corresponds to a low-density wind that allows the propagation of superluminal waves. When r{sub g}<λ, which corresponds to the scenario of driven reconnection, the spectrum is softer.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A statistical study of EMIC waves observed by Cluster: 2. Associated plasma conditions

This is the second in a pair of papers discussing a statistical study of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves detected during 10 years (2001–2010) of Cluster observations. In the first paper, an analysis of EMIC wave properties (i.e., wave power, polarization, normal angle, and wave propagation angle) is presented in both the magnetic latitude (MLAT)-distance as well as magnetic local time (MLT)-L frames. In addition, this paper focuses on the distribution of EMIC wave-associated plasma conditions as well as two EMIC wave generation proxies (the electron plasma frequency to gyrofrequency ratio proxy and the linear theory proxy) in these same frames. Based on the distributions of hot H + anisotropy, electron and hot H+ density measurements, hot H + parallel plasma beta, and the calculated wave generation proxies, three source regions of EMIC waves appear to exist: (1) the well-known overlap between cold plasmaspheric or plume populations with hot anisotropic ring current populations in the postnoon to dusk MLT region; (2) regions all along the dayside magnetosphere at high L shells related to dayside magnetospheric compression and drift shell splitting; and (3) off-equator regions possibly associated with the Shabansky orbits in the dayside magnetosphere.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Investigating the effective range of vacuum ultraviolet-mediated breakdown in high-power microwave metamaterials

Metamaterials and periodic structures operating under high-power excitations are susceptible to breakdown. It was recently demonstrated that a localized breakdown created in a given region of a periodic structure can facilitate breakdown in other regions of the structure where the intensity of the incident electromagnetic fields may not be high enough to cause breakdown under normal circumstances. It was also demonstrated that this phenomenon is due to the generation of vacuum ultraviolet radiation at the location of the initial discharge, which propagates to the neighboring regions (e.g., other unit cells in a periodic structure) and facilitates the generation of a discharge at a lower incident power level. In this paper, we present the results of an experimental study conducted to determine the effective range of this physical phenomenon for periodic structures that operate in air and in pure nitrogen gas at atmospheric pressure levels. It is demonstrated that when breakdown is induced in a periodic structure using a high-power pulse with a frequency of 9.382 GHz, duration of 0.8 μs, and peak power level of 25 kW, this phenomenon is highly likely to happen in radii of approximately 16–17 mm from the location of the initial discharge under these test conditions. The results of this study are significant in designing metamaterials and periodic structures for high-power microwave applications as they suggest that a localized discharge created in such a periodic structure with a periodicity less than 16–17 mm can spread over a large surface and result in a distributed discharge.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Linear electromagnetic excitation of an asymmetric low pressure capacitive discharge with unequal sheath widths

It is well-known that standing waves having radially center-high radio frequency (rf) voltage profiles exist in high frequency capacitive discharges. In this work, we determine the symmetric and antisymmetric radially propagating waves in a cylindrical capacitive discharge that is asymmetrically driven at the lower electrode by an rf voltage source. The discharge is modeled as a uniform bulk plasma which at lower frequencies has a thicker sheath at the smaller area powered electrode and a thinner sheath at the larger area grounded electrode. These are self-consistently determined at a specified density using the Child law to calculate sheath widths and the electron power balance to calculate the rf voltage. The fields and the system resonant frequencies are determined. The center-to-edge voltage ratio on the powered electrode is calculated versus frequency, and central highs are found near the resonances. The results are compared with simulations in a similar geometry using a two-dimensional hybrid fluid-analytical code, giving mainly a reasonable agreement. The analytic model may be useful for finding good operating frequencies for a given discharge geometry and power.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Patterned dielectric back contact design for GaAs thermophotovoltaic devices

-Patterned-dielectric back contact structures in optoelectronic devices are designed to boost the reflectance of light from the device back surface while retaining a low-resistance pathway for electrical conductance. Their reduced light absorption at near- and sub-bandgap photon energies leads to improved luminescence in light-emitting diodes, greater photon recycling, voltage, and efficiency in photovoltaic cells, and greater recuperation of unabsorbed sub-bandgap light in thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems. However, diffraction from the patterned features can deflect incident light in propagation directions that lead to light trapping and parasitic absorption in the cell. Here, in this article, we use rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) to study three-dimensional diffractive scattering of electromagnetic waves by periodic metal point-contact gratings on 1.42-eV GaAs TPV cells, to analyze their effect on unwanted sub-bandgap absorption in order to achieve higher TPV system efficiency. Solutions of Maxwell's equations calculated using RCWA are compared to measured sub-bandgap reflectance in experimental GaAs TPV devices with varying metal point-contact diameters and spacing. Modeling and experiments indicate decreased total reflectance due to these diffractive effects for a small point contact diameter of 1 μm, and this effect is much stronger at higher contact coverage fractions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Hydrodynamical instabilities in the superfluid interior of neutron stars with background flows between the components

The interiors of mature neutron stars are expected to host superfluid neutrons that can flow relative to the normal component tracked by electromagnetic emission. Hence, analogously to the hydrodynamic description of terrestrial superfluids like 4 He, the system is best described by means of a two-fluid model. In this work, we study wave propagation in the crust and core of a neutron star by conducting a local plane-wave analysis of the two-fluid hydrodynamic equations for a homogeneous macroscopic element of nuclear matter. We explicitly account for a background flow between the two components (as would be expected in the presence of pinning of superfluid vortex lines) and the entrainment coupling, and we consider both standard (Hall-Vinen) and isotropic (Gorter-Mellink) forms of the mutual friction. We find that for standard mutual friction there are families of unstable inertial and sound waves both in the case of a counter-flow along the superfluid vortex axis and for counterflow perpendicular to the vortex axis and find that entrainment leads to a quantitative difference between instabilities in the crust and core of the star. For isotropic mutual friction, we find no unstable branches of the dispersion law and speculate that instabilities in a straight vortex array may be linked to glitching behavior, which then ceases until the turbulence has decayed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Initial transport and turbulence analysis and gyrokinetic simulation validation in NSTX-U L-mode plasmas

Transport analysis, ion-scale turbulence measurements, and initial linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations are reported for a transport validation study based on low aspect ratio NSTX-U L-mode discharges. The relatively long, stationary L-modes enabled by the upgraded centerstack provide a more ideal target for transport validation studies that were not available during NSTX operation. Transport analysis shows that anomalous electron transport dominates energy loss while ion thermal transport is well described by neoclassical theory. Linear gyrokinetic GYRO analysis predicts that ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes are unstable around normalized radii ρ=0.6-0.8, although E×B shearing rates are larger than the linear growth rates over much of that region. Deeper in the core (ρ=0.4-0.6), electromagnetic microtearing modes (MTM) are unstable as a consequence of the relatively high beta and collisionality in these particular discharges. Consistent with the linear analysis, local, nonlinear ion-scale GYRO simulations predict strong ITG transport at ρ=0.76, whereas electromagnetic MTM transport is important at ρ=0.47. The prediction of ion-scale turbulence is consistent with 2D beam emission spectroscopy (BES) that measures the presence of broadband ion-scale fluctuations. Interestingly, the BES measurements also indicate the presence of bi-modal poloidal phase velocity propagation that could be indicative of two different turbulence types. Furthermore, in the region between (ρ=0.56, 0.66), ion-scale simulations are strongly suppressed by the locally large E×B shear. Instead, electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence simulations predict substantial transport, illustrating electron-scale contributions can be important in low aspect ratio L-modes, similar to recent analysis at conventional aspect ratio. However, agreement within experimental uncertainties has not been demonstrated, which requires additional simulations to test parametric sensitivities. The potential need to include profile-variation effects (due to the relatively large value of ρ&lowast;=ρ i /a at low aspect ratio), including electromagnetic and possibly multi-scale effects, is also discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Initial transport and turbulence analysis and gyrokinetic simulation validation in NSTX-U L-mode plasmas

Transport analysis, ion-scale turbulence measurements, and initial linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations are reported for a transport validation study based on low aspect ratio NSTX-U L-mode discharges. The relatively long, stationary L-modes enabled by the upgraded centerstack provide a more ideal target for transport validation studies that were not available during NSTX operation. Transport analysis shows that anomalous electron transport dominates energy loss while ion thermal transport is well described by neoclassical theory. Linear gyrokinetic GYRO analysis predicts that ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes are unstable around normalized radii $\rho$=0.6-0.8, although $E\timesB$ shearing rates are larger than the linear growth rates over much of that region. Deeper in the core ($\rho$=0.4-0.6), electromagnetic microtearing modes (MTM) are unstable as a consequence of the relatively high beta and collisionality in these particular discharges. Consistent with the linear analysis, local, nonlinear ion-scale GYRO simulations predict strong ITG transport at $\rho$=0.76, whereas electromagnetic MTM transport is important at $\rho$=0.47. The prediction of ion-scale turbulence is consistent with 2D beam emission spectroscopy (BES) that measures the presence of broadband ion-scale fluctuations. Interestingly, the BES measurements also indicate the presence of bi-modal poloidal phase velocity propagation that could be indicative of two different turbulence types. However, in the region between ($\rho$=0.56, 0.66), ion-scale simulations are strongly suppressed by the locally large $E\timesB$ shear. Instead, electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence simulations predict substantial transport, illustrating electron-scale contributions can be important in low aspect ratio L-modes, similar to recent analysis at conventional aspect ratio. However, agreement within experimental uncertainties has not been demonstrated, which requires additional simulations to test parametric sensitivities. The potential need to include profile-variation effects (due to the relatively large value of $\rho_*$=$\rho_i$/a at low aspect ratio), including electromagnetic and possibly multi-scale effects, is also discussed.

Validation↗
DOE OSTI2015

Semianalytical study of the propagation of an ultrastrong femtosecond laser pulse in a plasma with ultrarelativistic electron jitter

The interaction of a multi-petawatt, pancake-shaped laser pulse with an unmagnetized plasma is studied analytically and numerically in a regime with ultrarelativistic electron jitter velocities, in which the plasma electrons are almost completely expelled from the pulse region. The study is applied to a laser wakefield acceleration scheme with specifications that may be available in the next generation of Ti:Sa lasers and with the use of recently developed pulse compression techniques. A set of novel nonlinear equations is derived using a three-timescale description, with an intermediate timescale associated with the nonlinear phase of the electromagnetic wave and with the spatial bending of its wave front. They describe, on an equal footing, both the strong and the moderate laser intensity regimes, pertinent to the core and to the edges of the pulse. These have fundamentally different dispersive properties since in the core the electrons are almost completely expelled by a very strong ponderomotive force, and the electromagnetic wave packet is imbedded in a vacuum channel, thus having (almost) linear properties. Conversely, at the pulse edges, the laser amplitude is smaller, and the wave is weakly nonlinear and dispersive. New nonlinear terms in the wave equation, introduced by the nonlinear phase, describe without the violation of imposed scaling laws a smooth transition to a nondispersive electromagnetic wave at very large intensities and a simultaneous saturation of the (initially cubic) nonlocal nonlinearity. The temporal evolution of the laser pulse is studied both analytically and by numerically solving the model equations in a two-dimensional geometry, with the spot diameter presently used in some laser acceleration experiments. The most stable initial pulse length is estimated to exceed ≳1.5–2 μm. Moderate stretching of the pulse in the direction of propagation is observed, followed by the development of a vacuum channel and of a very large electrostatic wake potential, as well as by the bending of the laser wave front.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Stimulated Brillouin side-scattering of the beat wave excited by two counter-propagating X-mode lasers in magnetized plasma

The stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) of nonresonant beat mode in the presence of static magnetic field is investigated in a plasma. Two counter-propagating lasers of frequencies (ω{sub 1} and ω{sub 2}) and wave vectors (k{sub 1} and k{sub 2}) drive a nonresonant space charge beat mode at the phase matching condition of frequency ω{sub 0}≈ω{sub 1}∼ω{sub 2} and wave number k{sup →}{sub 0}≈k{sup →}{sub 1}+k{sup →}{sub 2}. The driver wave parametrically excites a pair of ion acoustic wave (ω,k{sup →}) and a sideband electromagnetic wave (ω{sub 3},k{sup →}{sub 3}). The beat wave couples with the sideband electromagnetic wave to exert a nonlinear ponderomotive force at the frequency of ion acoustic wave. Density perturbations due to ion acoustic wave and ponderomotive force couple with the oscillatory motion of plasma electron due to velocity of beat wave to give rise to a nonlinear current (by feedback mechanism) responsible for the growth of sideband wave at resonance. The growth rate of SBS was reduced (from ∼10{sup 12}s{sup −1} to 10{sup 10}s{sup −1}) by applying a transverse static magnetic field ∼90 T. The present study can be useful for the excitation of fast plasma waves (for the purpose of electron acceleration) by two counter-propagating laser beams.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Resonant interactions involving local vibrational modes in crystals

When an impurity with a light mass is inserted into a crystal, it can undergo a high-frequency oscillation referred to as a local vibrational mode (LVM). A Fermi resonance may occur between the LVM and lower-frequency modes of the defect. The LVM may also interact with phonons or the electromagnetic field. Understanding these interactions can help model and control diffusion, defect reactions, and thermal conductivity. LVMs have been probed in semiconductors using pressure and alloying as experimental parameters, resulting in anticrossing between localized and extended vibrational modes. Furthermore, these types of vibrational interactions could play an important role in the stability and thermal properties of organic–inorganic hybrid semiconductors. The coupling between an LVM and electromagnetic wave yields an “LVM polariton,” an excitation that has significant vibrational and electric-field amplitudes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Collisionless Weibel shocks and electron acceleration in gamma-ray bursts

A study of collisionless external shocks in gamma-ray bursts is presented. The shock structure, electromagnetic field, and process of electron acceleration are assessed by performing a self-consistent 3D particle-in-cell simulation. In accordance with hydrodynamic shock systems, the shock consists of a reverse shock (RS) and forward shock separated by a contact discontinuity. The development and structure are controlled by the ion Weibel instability. The ion filaments are sources of strong transverse electromagnetic fields at both sides of the double shock structure over a length of 30–100 ion skin depths. Electrons are heated up to a maximum energy ϵ{sub ele}≈√(ϵ{sub b}), where ϵ is the energy normalized to the total incoming energy. Jet electrons are trapped in the RS transition region due to the presence of an ambipolar electric field and reflection by the strong transverse magnetic fields in the shocked region. In a process similar to shock surfing acceleration for ions, electrons experience drift motion and acceleration by ion filament transverse electric fields in the plane perpendicular to the shock propagation direction. Ultimately, accelerated jet electrons are convected back into the upstream.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗