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At least 397 records · Page 22

Application of IRTAM to Support ISS Program Safety

The International Space Station (ISS) orbits near the F-peak of the ionosphere (approximately 400 km altitude). Generally, satellites orbiting at this altitude would have a floating potential (FP) of approximately -1 V due to the electron temperature (Te). However, the ISS has 8 large negatively grounded 160 V solar array wings (SAW) that collect a significant electron current from the ionosphere. This current drives the ISS FP much more negative during insolation and is highly dependent on the electron density (Ne). Also, due to the size of the ISS, magnetic inductance caused by the geomagnetic field produces a delta potential up to 40 V across the truss, possibly producing positive potentials. During Extravehicular Activity (EVA) the negative FP can lead to an arcing hazard when it exceeds -45.5 V, and the positive FP can produce a DC current high enough to stimulate the astronaut's muscles and also cause a hazard. Data collected from the Floating Potential Monitoring Unit (FPMU) have shown that the probability of either of these hazards occurring during times with quiet to moderately disturbed geomagnetic activity is low enough to no longer be considered a risk. However, a study of the ionosphere Ne during severe geomagnetic storm activity has shown that the Ne can be enhanced by a factor of 6 in the ISS orbit. As a result, the ISS Safety Review Panel (SRP) requires that ionospheric conditions be monitored using the FPMU in conjunction with the ISS Plasma Interaction Model (PIM) to determine if a severe geomagnetic storm could result in a plasma environment that could produce a hazard. A 'Real-Time' plasma hazard assessment process was developed to support ISS Program real-time decision making providing constraint relief information for EVAs planning and operations. This process incorporates 'real time' ionospheric conditions, ISS solar arrays' orientation, ISS flight attitude, and where the EVA will be performed on the ISS. This assessment requires real time data that is presently provided by the FPMU including ISS floating potential, along with ionospheric Ne and Te, in order to determine the present environment. Once the present environment conditions are known to be either above, below, or near the current IRI values, the IRI is used to forecast what the environment could become in the event of a severe geomagnetic storm. If the FPMU should fail, the Space Environments team needs another source of data which is utilized to support a short-term forecast for EVAs. The IRI Real-Time Assimilative Mapping (IRTAM) model is an ionospheric model that uses real time measurements from approximately 70 digisondes to produce foF2 and hmF2 global maps in 15 minute cadence. The Boeing Space Environments team has used the IRI coefficients produced in IRTAM to calculate the Ne along the ISS orbital track. The results of the IRTAM model have been compared to FPMU measurements and show excellent agreement (figure 1). IRTAM has been identified as a potential FPMU back-up system will be used as a backup for the FPMU to support the ISS Program following completion of an FPMU/IRTAM validation campaign.

Hartman, William A.↗

Sources, Sinks, and the Distribution of OH in the Lower Stratosphere

Extensive measurement campaigns by the NASA ER-2 research aircraft have obtained a nearly pole-to-pole database of the species that control HOx (OH + HO2) chemistry. The wide dynamic range of these in situ measurements provides an opportunity to demonstrate empirically the mechanisms that control the HOx system. Measurements in the lower stratosphere show a remarkably tight correlation of OH concentration with the solar zenith angle (SZA). This correlation is nearly invariant over latitudes ranging from 70 S to 90 N and all seasons. An analysis of the production and loss of HOx in terms of the rate determining steps of reaction sequences developed by Johnston and Podolske and Johnston and Kinnison is used to clarify the behavior of the system and to directly test our understanding of the system with observations. Calculations using in situ measurements show that the production rate of HOx is proportional to O3 and ultraviolet radiation flux. The loss rate is proportional to the concentration and the partitioning of NOy (reactive nitrogen) and the concentration of HO2. In the absence of heterogeneous reactions, the partitioning of NOy is controlled by O3 and NOx and the concentration of HO2 is controlled by NOy and O3, so that the removal rate of OH is buffered against changes in the correlation of O3 and NOy. The heterogeneous conversion of NO2 to HNO3 is not an important net source of HO, because production and removal sequences are nearly balanced. Changes in NOy partitioning resulting from heterogeneous chemistry have a large effect on the loss rates of HOx, but little or no impact on the measured abundance of OH. The enhanced loss rates at high NO2/HNO3 are offset in the data set examined here by enhanced production rates resulting from increased photolysis rates resulting from the decreased O3 column above the ER-2.

Hanisco, T. F.↗

Influence of gravity field uncertainties on the results from POGO and Magsat geomagnetic surveys

Errors in the gravity models used in satellite position calculations are examined as a possible source of the 0 to 100% variance found between POGO and Magsat magnetic data and the extrapolations of aerial magnetic survey data to satellite heights. For POGO data obtained over the New York Bight region using a relatively poor gravity field (a hybrid spherical harmonic model of degree 7 and order 6 with three higher order resonance terms), the magnitude of the error in the satellite height component is found to be sufficient to account for the amplitude of the discrepancy, however the frequency of the quasi-periodic orbital error is too large to explain the localized nature of the differences. For the case of the Magsat satellite, in which a more accurate gravity model was used, it is found that a 30 mgal gravitational anomaly distributed over a 5 x 5 deg area will produce insufficiently large position errors to account for the variations. The agreement between the two sets of satellite data in the New York Bight region suggests either a consistent error in satellite measurements, or problems with the reduction and processing of the aeromagnetic data.

Taylor, P. T.↗

CFD prediction of the reacting flow field inside a subscale scramjet combustor

A three-dimensional, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes CFD code has been used to calculate the reacting flowfield inside a hydrogen-fueled, subscale scramjet combustor. Pilot fuel was injected transversely upstream of the combustor and the primary fuel was injected transversely downstream of a backward facing step. A finite rate combustion model with two-step kinetics was used. The CFD code used the explicit MacCormack algorithm with point-implicit treatment of the chemistry source terms. Turbulent mixing of the jets with the airstream was simulated by a simple mixing length scheme, whereas near wall turbulence was accounted for by the Baldwin-Lomax model. Computed results were compared with experimental wall pressure measurements.

Chitsomboon, T.↗

Laser-plasma ion beam booster based on hollow-channel magnetic vortex acceleration

Laser-driven ion acceleration provides ultrashort, high-charge, low-emittance beams, which are desirable for a wide range of high-impact applications. Yet after decades of research, a significant increase in maximum ion energy is still needed. This paper introduces a quality-preserving staging concept for ultraintense ion bunches that is seamlessly applicable from the nonrelativistic plasma source to the relativistic regime. Full three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations prove robustness and capture of a high-charge proton bunch, suitable for readily available and near-term laser facilities.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

GronOR: Scalable and Accelerated Nonorthogonal Configuration Interaction for Molecular Fragment Wave Functions

GronOR is a program package for nonorthogonal configuration interaction calculations. Electronic wave functions are constructed in terms of antisymmetrized products of multiconfiguration molecular fragment wave functions. The computational complexity of the nonorthogonal methodologies implemented in GronOR applied to large molecular assemblies requires a design that takes full advantage of massively parallel supercomputer architectures and accelerator technologies. This work describes the implementation strategy and resulting performance characteristics. In addition to parallelization and acceleration, the software development strategy includes aspects of fault resiliency and heterogeneous computing. The program was designed for large-scale supercomputers but also runs effectively on small clusters and workstations for small molecular systems. GronOR is available as open source to the scientific community.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Benefits of hydrogen production research

An economic analysis of total monetary benefits arising from increased volume and efficiency of hydrogen production from various primary energy sources is carried out. The analysis is based on NASA's projections of future hydrogen demand in terms of both established industrial-chemical uses and new energy system applications, along with the mix of primary energy sources needed to meet this demand. A cost methodology model is worked out with the basic cost elements being plant construction costs, feedstock and energy costs, and operating and labor-related costs. A computer simulation technique was developed and a set of model calculations was performed. Some representative outputs of the computer analysis are displayed and conclusions are drawn on major factors determining the overall savings possible in hydrogen production and on its technological and economic impact.

Manvi, R.↗

Long-term microwave power drift of a cesium frequency standard and its effect on output frequency

It has been shown that the long-term frequency stability of a cesium (Cs) frequency standard is affected by variations in the standard's internal microwave power source. Studies were performed on a commercial Cs frequency standard for a period of 20 days, to determine the stability of its microwave power source. The results were then analyzed statistically, and the effects of microwave power drift on the standard's frequency stability were calculated.

Johnson, W. A.↗

Long-Term Variations of the EOP and ICRF2

We analyzed the time series of the coordinates of the ICRF radio sources. We show that part of the radio sources, including the defining sources, shows a significant apparent motion. The stability of the celestial reference frame is provided by a no-net-rotation condition applied to the defining sources. In our case this condition leads to a rotation of the frame axes with time. We calculated the effect of this rotation on the Earth orientation parameters (EOP). In order to improve the stability of the celestial reference frame we suggest a new method for the selection of the defining sources. The method consists of two criteria: the first one we call cosmological and the second one kinematical. It is shown that a subset of the ICRF sources selected according to cosmological criteria provides the most stable reference frame for the next decade.

Zharov, Vladimir↗

Global and Regional Temperature-change Potentials for Near-term Climate Forcers

We examine the climate effects of the emissions of near-term climate forcers (NTCFs) from 4 continental regions (East Asia, Europe, North America and South Asia) using results from the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution Source-Receptor global chemical transport model simulations. We address 3 aerosol species (sulphate, particulate organic matter and black carbon) and 4 ozone precursors (methane, reactive nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide). We calculate the global climate metrics: global warming potentials (GWPs) and global temperature change potentials (GTPs). For the aerosols these metrics are simply time-dependent scalings of the equilibrium radiative forcings. The GTPs decrease more rapidly with time than the GWPs. The aerosol forcings and hence climate metrics have only a modest dependence on emission region. The metrics for ozone precursors include the effects on the methane lifetime. The impacts via methane are particularly important for the 20 yr GTPs. Emissions of NOx and VOCs from South Asia have GWPs and GTPs of higher magnitude than from the other Northern Hemisphere regions. The analysis is further extended by examining the temperature-change impacts in 4 latitude bands, and calculating absolute regional temperature-change potentials (ARTPs). The latitudinal pattern of the temperature response does not directly follow the pattern of the diagnosed radiative forcing. We find that temperatures in the Arctic latitudes appear to be particularly sensitive to BC emissions from South Asia. The northern mid-latitude temperature response to northern mid-latitude emissions is approximately twice as large as the global average response for aerosol emission, and about 20-30% larger than the global average for methane, VOC and CO emissions.

North America↗

Performance Assessment Results for the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility - 19134

In 2014, the US DOE Office of River Protection and its contractors began to develop a performance assessment for the near-surface disposal of low-level and mixed low-level waste at the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility. The Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility is a doubly-lined landfill that was constructed between 2004 and 2006 to be the disposal facility for the vitrified low-activity waste containers that will be produced at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. The disposal facility is also expected to receive solid secondary waste produced at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and other solid wastes from site activities. The constructed facility is awaiting authorization to receive waste. Although no waste destined for the facility is currently being generated, operations cannot begin until the facility has received a Disposal Authorization Statement from US DOE and a permit modification from the State of Washington Department of Ecology. Both the Disposal Authorization Statement and permit modification require a demonstration that the system of engineered and natural features of the disposal facility will limit releases from the facility and be protective of human health and the environment for the next 1,000 to 10,000 years. Based on the analyses presented in the Integrated Disposal Facility Performance Assessment, US DOE issued a conditional Disposal Authorization Statement for the facility in June 2018. Demonstrating the long-term performance of the facility to be protective of human health and the environment was evaluated under the requirements of US DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. Computer simulations were performed to evaluate whether or not the disposal facility would comply with the performance objectives specified in the order. The evaluation was performed using numerical models to simulate source term releases from vitrified and cement-based waste forms. Source term releases were subsequently transported through an air pathway and a groundwater pathway to a point of compliance 100 meters from the disposed of waste. In addition, an analysis evaluating the consequences of an inadvertent intrusion into the waste was also performed. In accordance with US DoE's technical standard for performance assessments, deterministic and probabilistic analyses were performed to demonstrate that the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility, together with the engineered features of the waste forms and natural features of the selected site, provides a reasonable expectation that the low-level waste and mixed low-level waste disposal will meet the radiological performance objectives established by US DOE. Post-closure doses to future members of the public were evaluated after the time of closure and included a 100-year period of institutional controls that limited exposure immediately following closure of the facility. Calculated doses to a future member of the public from the air pathway were below the 100 μSv/yr dose performance objective. Calculated doses to a future member of the public from all exposure pathways, including the air pathway and the groundwater pathway, were below the 250 μSv/yr dose performance objective. Doses following an inadvertent intrusion into the facility after the institutional control period were below the 5 mSv acute dose performance measure and the 1 mSv/yr chronic dose performance measure. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Results of a Geant4 benchmarking study for bio‐medical applications, performed with the G4‐Med system

Geant4, a Monte Carlo Simulation Toolkit extensively used in bio-medical physics, is in continuous evolution to include newest research findings to improve its accuracy and to respond to the evolving needs of a very diverse user community. In 2014, the G4-Med benchmarking system was born from the effort of the Geant4 Medical Simulation Benchmarking Group, to benchmark and monitor the evolution of Geant4 for medical physics applications. The G4-Med system was first described in our Medical Physics Special Report published in 2021. Results of the tests were reported for Geant4 10.5. Purpose In this work, we describe the evolution of the G4-Med benchmarking system. Methods The G4-Med benchmarking suite currently includes 23 tests, which benchmark Geant4 from the calculation of basic physical quantities to the simulation of more clinically relevant set-ups. New tests concern the benchmarking of Geant4-DNA physics and chemistry components for regression testing purposes, dosimetry for brachytherapy with a 125 I source, dosimetry for external x-ray and electron FLASH radiotherapy, experimental microdosimetry for proton therapy, and in vivo PET for carbon and oxygen beams. Regression testing has been performed between Geant4 10.5 and 11.1. Finally, a simple Geant4 simulation has been developed and used to compare Geant4 EM physics constructors and physics lists in terms of execution times. Results In summary, our EM tests show that the parameters of the multiple scattering in the Geant4 EM constructor G4EmStandardPhysics_option3 in Geant4 11.1, while improving the modeling of the electron backscattering in high atomic number targets, are not adequate for dosimetry for clinical x-ray and electron beams. Therefore, these parameters have been reverted back to those of Geant4 10.5 in Geant4 11.2.1. The x-ray radiotherapy test shows significant differences in the modeling of the bremsstrahlung process, especially between G4EmPenelopePhysics and the other constructors under study (G4EmLivermorePhysics, G4EmStandardPhysics_option3, and G4EmStandardPhysics_option4). These differences will be studied in an in-depth investigation within our Group. Improvement in Geant4 11.1 has been observed for the modeling of the proton and carbon ion Bragg peak with energies of clinical interest, thanks to the adoption of ICRU90 to calculate the low energy proton stopping powers in water and of the Linhard–Sorensen ion model, available in Geant4 since version 11.0. Nuclear fragmentation tests of interest for carbon ion therapy show differences between Geant4 10.5 and 11.1 in terms of fragment yields. In particular, a higher production of boron fragments is observed with Geant4 11.1, leading to a better agreement with reference data for this fragment. Conclusions Based on the overall results of our tests, we recommend to use G4EmStandardPhysics_option4 as EM constructor and QGSP_BIC_HP with G4EmStandardPhysics_option4, for hadrontherapy applications. The Geant4-DNA physics lists report differences in modeling electron interactions in water, however, the tests have a pure regression testing purpose so no recommendation can be formulated.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

WISE-PS1-STRM: neural network source classification and photometric redshifts for WISE×PS1

ABSTRACT We cross-match between the WISE All-Sky and PS1 3π DR2 source catalogues. The resulting catalogue has 354 590 570 objects, significantly fewer than the parent PS1 catalogue, but its combination of optical and infrared colours facilitate both better source classification and photometric redshift estimation. We perform a neural network-based classification of the objects into galaxies, quasars, and stars, then run neural network-based photometric redshift estimation for the galaxies. The star sample purity and quasar sample completeness measures improve substantially, and the resulting photo-z’s are significantly more accurate in terms of statistical scatter and bias than those calculated from PS1 properties alone. The catalogue will be a basis for future large-scale structure studies, and will be made available as a high-level science product via the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Sensitivity of EDM experiments in paramagnetic atoms and molecules to hadronic CP violation

Experiments searching for the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the electron d e utilize atomic/molecular states with one or more uncompensated electron spins, and these paramagnetic systems have recently achieved remarkable sensitivity to d e . If the source of CP violation resides entirely in the hadronic sector, the two-photon exchange processes between electrons and the nucleus induce CP-odd semileptonic interactions, parametrised by the Wilson coefficient C SP , and provide the dominant source of EDMs in paramagnetic systems instead of d e . We evaluate the C SP coefficients induced by the leading hadronic sources of CP violation, namely nucleon EDMs and CP-odd pion-nucleon couplings, by calculating the nucleon-number-enhanced CP-odd nuclear scalar polarisability, employing chiral perturbation theory at the nucleon level and the Fermi-gas model for the nucleus. This allows us to translate the ACME EDM limits from paramagnetic ThO into novel independent constraints on the QCD theta term |$\bar θ$| < 3 × 10 –8 , proton EDM |d p | < 2 × 10 –23 e cm, isoscalar CP-odd pion-nucleon coupling |$\bar g$$^{(1)}_{πNN}$| < 4 × 10 –10 , and color EDMs of quarks |$\tilde d$ u -$\tilde $d d | < 2 × 10 –24 cm. We note that further experimental progress with EDM experiments in paramagnetic systems may allow them to rival the sensitivity of EDM experiments with neutrons and diamagnetic atoms to these quantities.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Replication of the Apparent Excess Heat Effect in a Light Water-Potassium Carbonate-Nickel Electrolytic Cell

Replication of experiments claiming to demonstrate excess heat production in light water-Ni-K2CO3 electrolytic cells was found to produce an apparent excess heat of 11 W maximum, for 60 W electrical power into the cell. Power gains range from 1.06 to 1.68. The cell was operated at four different dc current levels plus one pulsed current run at 1 Hz, 10% duty cycle. The 28 liter cell used in these verification tests was on loan from a private corporation whose own tests with similar cells are documented to produce 50 W steady excess heat for a continuous period exceeding hundreds of days. The apparent excess heat can not be readily explained either in terms of nonlinearity of the cell's thermal conductance at a low temperature differential or by thermoelectric heat pumping. However, the present data do admit efficient recombination of dissolved hydrogen-oxygen as an ordinary explanation. Calorimetry methods and heat balance calculations for the verification tests are described. Considering the large magnitude of benefit if this effect is found to be a genuine new energy source, a more thorough investigation of evolved heat in the nickel-hydrogen system in both electrolytic and gaseous loading cells remains warranted.

Niedra, Janis M.↗

Radiation shielding analysis of the concrete hutch of a long beamline of the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade project

The radiation shielding analysis of the external concrete enclosure of a feature long beamline of the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade project is described in this work. The beamline has 2 undulators that can operate in two different configurations and the source terms are estimated for the worst configuration using the SRW code in the OASYS package as well as the STAC8 code. The shielding analysis is carried out using the STAC8 code, and for the case of pink beam, with the FLUKA code also. Effective dose rates on contact with the outside surface of the concrete walls for pink, reflected full spectrum and monochromatic beams are calculated. For the monochromatic beams, 2 sets of discrete bandwidths (BW) from the Double Crystal Monochromator (DCM) and the full reflectance of the Double Multilayer Monochromator (DMM) are used. Further, due to the size of the direct beam and the energy domain of interest in the direct and scattered fields, the importance of the equivalent dose to the lens of the eye is discussed with respect to the shielding calculations of such facilities. The dose rates outside the concrete hutch in the lateral directions calculated using STAC8 is about 50% higher than the FLUKA results for the case of pink beam but may be considered as a reasonable agreement due to the differences in the calculational methodologies. Those dose rates in the lateral and forward directions are higher for the pink beam to allow full occupancy from the radiation protection point of view. For the full spectrum after 3 reflections, the effective dose rates are less than 0.5 Sv/h in the lateral direction but is higher in the forward region below about 22° with respect to the beam direction. For the DCM beams, except for the scenario with one mirror and 0.1%BW, all dose rates are less than 0.5 Sv/h outside the concrete hutch in the lateral directions. Here, the higher harmonics are what contributes to the dose outside the shield and the bandwidths assumed to derive the photon flux thus becomes important. The dose rates with the DMM are generally lower compared to the 0.1% BW DCM beam but are higher than the results obtained with XOP calculated bandwidths.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Vortical sources of aerodynamic force and moment

It is shown that the aerodynamic force and moment can be expressed in terms of vorticity distribution (and entropy variation for compressible flow) on near wake plane, or in terms of boundary vorticity flux on the body surface. Thus the vortical sources of lift and drag are clearly identified, which is the real physical basis of optimal aerodynamic design. Moreover, these sources are highly compact, hence allowing one to concentrate on key local regions of the configuration, which have dominating effect to the lift and drag. A detail knowledge of the vortical low requires measuring or calculating the vorticity and dilatation field, which is however still a challenging task. Nevertheless, this type of formulation has some unique advantages; and how to set up a well-posed problem, in particular how to establish vorticity-dilatation boundary conditions, is addressed.

Wu, J. Z.↗

Numerical Investigation of Combustor-Turbine Interactions with a Two-Stage High-Pressure Turbine Including Cooling Airflows

Combustor–turbine interactions (CTIs) are investigated by performing three-dimensional unsteady simulations using a realistic combustor and high-pressure turbine (HPT) configurations from the Energy Efficient Engine (E3) program. To understand CTIs, we compare the numerically predicted flow fields from single-component simulations (Step 1: the combustor + the first-stage stator of turbine; Step 2: the two-stage HPT imposing the time-averaged flow solution from Step 1 as the inflow boundary condition) and a fully coupled combustor–turbine simulation (Step 3) at the sea-level takeoff (SLTO) condition. In addition to three previous simulations where the cooling airflows inside the HPT had been neglected for all Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3, two new simulations of Step 2 and Step 3 take into account the cooling airflows using the source team approach. In this approach, to mimic the cooling airflows, we impose the source term at a specific area of a cooling airflow hole at the solid surfaces without making a mesh of each hole. The objective of this study is twofold. One is to investigate the effect of the presence of the cooling airflows on the aerodynamics of the combustor and HPT as well as the HPT performance. The second is to perform a detailed comparison among the calculated flowfields by two different numerical schemes, the central-difference with the standard Jameson–Schmidt–Turkel (CD-JST) scheme and the AUSM scheme. There is a noticeable difference in the hot-streak distributions at the first-stage stator. In addition, depending on the choice of the numerical scheme and the presence of the cooling airflows, an occurrence of shock waves appearing at the first-stage stator is greatly influenced. Thus, this has a noticeable impact on the HPT performance. It is shown that the estimated turbine efficiencies from Step 3 are about 7 % less than the ones from Step 2.

Combustor-turbine interaction↗