Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Experimental evolution”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Review: Turbulence dynamics during the pedestal evolution between edge localized modes in magnetic fusion devices

Fusion performance has been shown to be related to the H-mode pedestal structure. The pedestal is associated with steep gradients that are the source of free energy for microinstabilities. A variety of instabilities have been shown to co-exist in the pedestal. This paper reviews the experimentally observed signatures of instabilities during the pedestal parameters' evolutions, with a focus on turbulence observations, made in between edge localized modes (ELMs), in multiple tokamaks. ELMs are cyclic events associated with bursty relaxations of the pedestal. The multiple machine results point to very similar pedestal localized modes suggesting the existence of a unifying mechanism governing the modes' onset and dynamics. Modeling efforts to identify the generation mechanism of these instabilities are introduced. Several remaining challenges include the study of the instability saturation mechanisms and impact on the pedestal structure formation. Finally, potential future research avenues will require multiscale-non-linear-gyrokinetic analyses to study the non-linear interaction between these instabilities, and which pedestal conditions facilitate such non-linear interactions, as well as the relationship with the formation of the pedestal through transport.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Phase-field modeling of stored-energy-driven grain growth with intra-granular variation in dislocation density

Abstract We present a phase-field (PF) model to simulate the microstructure evolution occurring in polycrystalline materials with a variation in the intra-granular dislocation density. The model accounts for two mechanisms that lead to the grain boundary migration: the driving force due to capillarity and that due to the stored energy arising from a spatially varying dislocation density. In addition to the order parameters that distinguish regions occupied by different grains, we introduce dislocation density fields that describe spatial variation of the dislocation density. We assume that the dislocation density decays as a function of the distance the grain boundary has migrated. To demonstrate and parameterize the model, we simulate microstructure evolution in two dimensions, for which the initial microstructure is based on real-time experimental data. Additionally, we applied the model to study the effect of a cyclic heat treatment (CHT) on the microstructure evolution. Specifically, we simulated stored-energy-driven grain growth during three thermal cycles, as well as grain growth without stored energy that serves as a baseline for comparison. We showed that the microstructure evolution proceeded much faster when the stored energy was considered. A non-self-similar evolution was observed in this case, while a nearly self-similar evolution was found when the microstructure evolution is driven solely by capillarity. These results suggest a possible mechanism for the initiation of abnormal grain growth during CHT. Finally, we demonstrate an integrated experimental-computational workflow that utilizes the experimental measurements to inform the PF model and its parameterization, which provides a foundation for the development of future simulation tools capable of quantitative prediction of microstructure evolution during non-isothermal heat treatment.

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2024

Photon-triggered jets as probes of multi-stage jet modification

Prompt photons are created in the early stages of heavy ion collisions and traverse the QGP medium without any interaction. Therefore, photontriggered jets can be used to study the jet quenching in the QGP medium. In this work, photon-triggered jets are studied through different jet and jet substructure observables for different collision systems and energies using the JETSCAPE framework. Since the multistage evolution used in the JETSCAPE framework is adequate to describe a wide range of experimental observables simultaneously using the same parameter tune, we use the same parameters tuned for jet and leading hadron studies. The same isolation criteria used in the experimental analysis are used to identify prompt photons for better comparison. For the first time, high-accuracy JETSCAPE results are compared with multi-energy LHC and RHIC measurements to better understand the deviations observed in prior studies. This study highlights the importance of multistage evolution for the simultaneous description of experimental observables through different collision systems and energies using a single parameter tune.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2007

Formation of CaS-MgS in Enstatite Chondrites and Achondrites as a Function of Redox Conditions and Temperature: Constraints on Their Evolution in a Planetesimal and in a Proto-planet

The cubic monosulfide series with the general formula (Mg,Mn,Ca,Fe)S are common phases in the enstatite chondrite (EH) and aubrite meteorite groups. In the Earth s mantle, sulfide minerals are associated with peridotites and eclogites. Study of these sulfide mineral systems is of interest for the mineralogy and petrology of planetary mantles. For example, MgS could occur in the primitive Earth and because it remains a low density phase compared to metal, would stay a separate phase during the core formation process, and thus not segregate to the core. (Mg,Ca,Mn,Fe)S sulphides might thus be important phases even in planetary differentiation processes. The importance of such minerals, and their formation, composition and textural relationships for understanding the genesis of enstatite chondrites and aubrites, has long been recognized. The main objective of this experimental study is to understand the formation and evolution of (Mg,Ca,Mn,Fe)S sulphides, particularly the oldhamite CaS and ningerite MgS, with pressure, temperature but also with redox conditions because EH and aubrites are meteorites that formed under reduced conditions. Piston-cylinder (PC) and multi-anvil (MA) experiments at high pressure (HP) and high temperature (HT) have been performed in order to simulate the evolution of these phases in a small planetary body from a planetesimal (with PC experiments) up to a proto-planet (with MA experiments).

Malavergne, Valerie↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-Performance Iridium–Molybdenum Oxide Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation in Acid: Bayesian Optimization Discovery and Experimental Testing

Ir oxides are costly and scarce catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acid. There has been extensive interest in developing alternatives that are either Ir-free or require smaller amounts of Ir to drive the reactions at acceptable rates. One design strategy is to identify Ir-based mixed oxides that achieve similar performance while requiring smaller amounts of Ir. The obstacle to this strategy has been a very large phase space of the Ir-based mixed metal oxides, in terms of the metals combined with Ir and the different crystallographic structures of the mixed oxides, which prevents a thorough exploration of possible materials. In this work, we developed a workflow that uses machine-learning-aided Bayesian optimization in combination with density functional theory to make the exploration of this phase space plausible. This screening identified Mo as a promising dopant for forming acid-tolerant Ir-based oxides for the OER. We synthesized and characterized the Ir–Mo mixed oxides in the form of thin-film electrocatalysts with a known surface area. We show that these mixed oxides exhibited overpotentials ~30 mV lower than a pure Ir control while maintaining 24% lower Ir dissolution rates than the Ir control. Furthermore, these findings suggest that Mo is a promising dopant and highlight the promise of machine learning to guide the experimental exploration and optimization of catalytic materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling resistive-inductive evolution of currents in Wendelstein 7-X

This research investigates the temporal evolution of the toroidal plasma current in the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator under different heating, fueling, and current drive scenarios. The THRIFT code has been modernized and its predictions of the evolution of the toroidal current have been compared against experimentally measured currents in W7-X. Good agreement is found with respect to the characteristic timescale between experimentally measured and simulated toroidal currents. The total bootstrap current is under-predicted owing to the applicability of the BOOTSJ model for the plasma collisionalities in question. Edge plasma resistivity is found to play an important role in the asymptotic behavior of the evolution of the current, indicating a possible limitation of the minimum plasma temperature when applying this model. Simulations of ECCD and heating power steps show THRIFT is capable of capturing the dynamical evolution of the current in response to changes in current sources. Future uses of THRIFT include validating and benchmarking other non-inductive current models.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2012

Experimental Fractional Crystallization of the Lunar Magma Ocean

The current paradigm for lunar evolution is of crystallization of a global scale magma ocean, giving rise to the anorthositic crust and mafic cumulate interior. It is thought that all other lunar rocks have arisen from this differentiated interior. However, until recently this paradigm has remained untested experimentally. Presented here are the first experimental results of fractional crystallization of a Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) using the Taylor Whole Moon (TWM) bulk lunar composition [1].

Rapp, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Flow and acoustic properties of low Reynolds number underexpanded supersonic jets

An experimental program to investigate the flow and acoustic properties of model underexpanded supersonic jets was conducted. In particular, the role played by large-scale organized fluctuations in the flow evolution and acoustic production processes was examined in detail. The experimental conditions were chosen as low-Reynolds-number (Re = 8000) Mach 1.4 and 2.1 underexpanded jets exhausting from convergent nozzles. A consequence of performing the experiments at low Reynolds number is that the broadband shock-associated noise is suppressed. The focus of the present study is on the generation of noise by large-scale instabilities in the presence of strong shock cell structures. It is demonstrated that the production of screech is related to the modulation and decay of large-scale turbulence structures.

Hu, Tieh-Feng↗
DOE OSTI2019

Investigation of Stress Field and Fracture Development During Shale Maturation Using Analog Rock Systems

The emergence of hydrocarbons within shale as a major recoverable resource has sparked interest in fluid transport through these tight mudstones. Recent studies suggest the importance to recovery of microfracture networks that connect localized zones with large organic content to the inorganic matrix. This paper presents a joint modeling and experimental study to examine the onset, formation, and evolution of microfracture networks as shale matures. Both the stress field and fractures are simulated and imaged. A novel laboratory-scale, phase-field fracture propagation model was developed to characterize the material failure mechanisms that play a significant role during the shale maturation process. The numerical model developed consists of coupled solid deformation, pore pressure, and fracture propagation mechanisms. Benchmark tests were conducted to validate model accuracy. Laboratory-grade gelatins with varying Young’s modulus were used as scaled-rock analogs in two dimensional Hele-Shaw cell apparatus. Yeast within the gelatin generates gas in a fashion analogous to hydrocarbon formation as shale matures. These setups allow study and visualization of host rock elastic-brittle fracture and fracture network propagation mechanisms. The experimental setup was fitted to utilize photoelasticity principles coupled with birefringence properties of gelatin to explore visually the stress field of the gelatin as the fracture network developed. Stress optics image analysis and Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) principles for crack propagation were used to monitor fracture growth for each gelatin type. Observed and simulated responses suggest gas diffusion within and deformation of the gelatin matrix as predominant mechanisms for energy dissipation depending on gelatin strength. LEFM, an experimental estimation of principal stress development with fracture growth, at different stages was determined for each gelatin rheology. Here, the interplay of gas diffusion and material deformation determines the resulting frequency and pattern of fractures. Results correlate with Young’s modulus. Experimental and computed stress fields reveal that fractures resulting from internal gas generation are similar to, but not identical to, type 1 opening mode.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Accounting for the effect of dislocation climb-mediated flow on the anisotropy and texture evolution of Mg alloy, AZ31B

The current study explores the role that dislocation climb has in mediating plasticity a Mg alloy at moderately elevated temperatures. Interrupted tensile tests were performed on samples of Mg alloy, AZ31B, sheet in the O temper condition over a range of strain rates (10 -5 to 10 -1 s -1 ) and temperatures (20–350°C) along the rolling and transverse directions. Experimental measurements of the resulting strain anisotropy and texture evolution were used as constraints during a parametric study employing a new crystal plasticity model (VPSC-CLIMB), which explicitly accounts for the kinematics of dislocation climb. The results reveal that the climb of basal (a) dislocations is not only important for dislocation recovery, but also demonstrate that climb accommodates a significant fraction of the strain in conditions where a power-law creep-type constitutive response prevails. This work does not discredit the notion that non-basal slip of (a) and (c+a) dislocations is important over a wide range of temperatures and strain rates. However, it demonstrates that the activation of dislocation climb as the mechanistic change within the power law regime provides an explanation for a wide range of observations, including the simultaneous reduction in strain anisotropy, slowed texture evolution, and rapid increase in strain rate sensitivity. Finally, it is hypothesized that these conclusions may even apply to cases in which grain boundary sliding and/or dynamic recrystallization are observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quadrupole collectivity in the neutron-rich sulfur isotopes 38,40,42,44 S

Electromagnetic transition strengths in the even-even neutron-rich sulfur isotopes 38,40,42,44 S were measured using intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. By utilizing the sensitivity of the experimental technique to E2 excitations from the ground state, the evolution of the pattern of B(E2) strengths to several low-lying 2 + states was investigated at Z = 16 from near stability to the N = 28 island of inversion. The experimental results allowed a detailed comparison with predictions from shell-model calculations using the SDPF-MU Hamiltonian, which was designed to describe collectivity in this region of the nuclear chart. While the shell-model calculations succeeded in modeling transition strengths at N = 22, 24, 26, the experimental B(E2; $0$ $^{+}_{1}$ → $2$ $^{+}_{1}$) at N = 28 was smaller than the predicted value by about a factor of 2, similar to previous observations for chlorine and argon isotopes around N = 28. The dependence of this overprediction by theory on the choice of effective charges was explored.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Comprehensive characterization of irradiation induced defects in ceria: Impact of point defects on vibrational and optical properties

Validation of multiscale microstructure evolution models can be improved when standard microstructure characterization tools are coupled with methods sensitive to individual point defects. We demonstrate how electronic and vibrational properties of defects revealed by optical absorption and Raman spectroscopies can be used to compliment transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) in the characterization of microstructure evolution in ceria under non-equilibrium conditions. Experimental manifestation of non-equilibrium conditions was realized by exposing cerium dioxide (CeO2) to energetic protons at elevated temperature. Two sintered polycrystalline CeO2 samples were bombarded with protons accelerated to a few MeVs. These irradiation conditions produced a microstructure with resolvable extended defects and a significant concentration of point defects. A rate theory (RT) model was parametrized using the results of TEM, XRD, and thermal conductivity measurements to infer point defect concentrations. An abundance of cerium sublattice defects suggested by the RT model is supported by Raman spectroscopy measurements, which show peak shift and broadening of the intrinsic T2g peak and emergence of new defect peaks. Additionally, spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements performed in lieu of optical absorption reveals the presence of Ce3+ ions associated with oxygen vacancies. This work lays the foundation for a coupled approach that considers a multimodal characterization of microstructures to guide and validate complex defect evolution models.

Chauhan, Vinay S.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Evolution of the Design and Fabrication of Astrophysics Targets for Turbulent Dynamo (TDYNO) Experiments on OMEGA

Although the overall function of a campaign’s primary target design may remain unchanged, the components and structure often evolve from one shot day to the next to better meet experimental goals. The target fabrication engineer’s involvement in this evolution can be important for advising modifications in order to improve and simplify assembly at the same time. Highly complex targets are constructed by General Atomics (GA) for astrophysics experiments conducted by the University of Chicago at the OMEGA laser facility. Several novel target components are fabricated, precision-assembled, and extensively measured in support of this campaign, and have evolved over the last three years to improve both the science and assembly. Examples include unique laser machined polyimide grids to enhance plasma mixing at target center, precision micromachined cylindrical shields that also act as component spacers, drawn glass target supports to suspend physics packages at critical distances, and tilted pinholes for collimated proton radiography. Target component fabrication and evolution details for this turbulent dynamics (TDYNO) campaign are presented, along with precision-assembly techniques, metrology methods, and considerations for future TDYNO experiments on OMEGA.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Unveiling the mechanism of phase and morphology selections during the devitrification of Al-Sm amorphous ribbon

The complex interplay between energetic and kinetic factors that governs the phase and morphology selections can originate at the earliest stage of crystallization in the amorphous parent phases. Because of the extreme difficulties in capturing the microscopic nucleation process, a detailed picture of how initial disordered structures affect the transformation pathway remains unclear. Here, we report the experimental observation of widely varying phase selection and grain size evolution during the devitrification of a homogeneous melt-spun glassy ribbon. Two different crystalline phases, θ-Al 5 Sm and ε-Al 60 Sm 11 , are found to form in the different regions of the same metallic glass ribbon during the devitrification. The grain size of ε-Al 60 Sm 11 phase shows a strong spatial heterogeneity. Coarse-grained ε-Al 60 Sm 11 phase coupled with the small volume fraction of θ-Al 5 Sm phase is preferably formed close to wheel side of the melt-spun ribbon. Combining experimental characterization and computational simulations, we show that phase selection and microstructure evolution can be traced back to different types and populations of atomic clusters that serve as precursors for the nucleation of different crystalline phases. Inhomogeneous cooling rates cause different structure orders across the glass sample during the quenching process. Our findings provide direct insight into the effect of structural order on the crystallization pathways during the devitrification of metallic glass. It also opens an avenue to study the detailed nucleation process at the atomic level using the metallic glass as a platform and suggests the opportunity of microstructure and property design via controlling the cooling process.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Polarization-driven band topology evolution in twisted MoTe 2 and WSe 2

Motivated by recent experimental observations of opposite Chern numbers in R-type twisted MoTe 2 and WSe 2 homobilayers, we perform large-scale density-functional-theory calculations with machine learning force fields to investigate moiré band topology across a range of twist angles in both materials. We find that the Chern numbers of the moiré frontier bands change sign as a function of twist angle, and this change is driven by the competition between moiré ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity. Our large-scale calculations, enabled by machine learning methods, reveal crucial insights into interactions across different scales in twisted bilayer systems. The interplay between atomic-level relaxation effects and moiré-scale electrostatic potential variation opens new avenues for the design of intertwined topological and correlated states, including the possibility of mimicking higher Landau level physics in the absence of magnetic field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1999

Exploring Flight Research with Experimental Gliders

A look at the research aircraft flown by NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), since the 1940's reveals an evolution of wing designs. In fact, each of the first series of NACA experimental research aircraft ("X-planes") used different wing and tail configurations to tackle the problems of supersonic flight, These early jet aircraft had straight wings (X-1), wings that angled (swept) toward the tail (X-2), triangular (delta) wings (XF-92), and wings that could be moved in flight to change the angle of backward sweep (X-5). Each design added to our knowledge of high-speed flight.

Source record↗