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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Detectability of Transiting Terrestrial Planets in the Habitable Zone with TESS

In the Revised TESS Habitable Zone Catalog, Kaltenegger et al. (2021) identified the 2-min TESS target stars that were observed for sufficient duration over consecutive primary mission sectors to unambiguously capture a transit signature of planets orbiting in the Habitable Zone (HZ). The Catalog did not, however, identify the host stars for which transiting planets with HZ orbits and specified radii would be detectable based on the photometric precision of the retrieved light curves. We employ the Combined Differential Photometric Precision (CDPP) computed at 15 pulse durations in the Science Processing Operations Center (SPOC) transit searches of the primary mission light curves to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) associated with transiting terrestrial planets (1.0 Re <= Rp<= 2.0 Re) in the HZ of the Catalog stars. We consider orbital periods under three HZ scenarios: Recent Venus, Earth Analog, and Early Mars. Given S/N, we further estimate the probability of detection of transiting terrestrial planets for each Catalog star and HZ scenario in the primary mission SPOC transit searches. We also present the expected yield by HZ scenario and planet radius under the assumption that all Catalog stars host such planets.

TESS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CFD Evaluation of Aviation Fuels for Commercial Supersonics Technology

An overview is provided of a CFD analysis of a Lean-Direct Injection (LDI) combustion concept for NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Transport (CST) program. The National Combustion Code (OpenNCC) was used to perform two-phase reacting flow computations with three different aviation fuels for UTRC’s Axially Controlled Stoichiometry (ACS) combustor at CST cruise conditions. All computations were performed with a consistent approach of mesh-generation, spray and chemical-kinetics modeling for the combustor. Emissions (EICO, EINOx) and performance characteristics were predicted with OpenNCC, to evaluate the impact of replacing Jet-A with RP2 and Iso-Paraffinic Kerosene (IPK) for supersonic combustor applications. The CFD predictions of flame structure for IPK fuel were significantly different in comparison to those of Jet-A and RP2 fuel. However, the CFD analysis predicted very similar EINOx emissions for Jet-A, RP-2 and IPK fuels. The predicted EINOx emissions for all three fuels also compared very well with measured experimental data.

gas turbine combustion↗
NASA NTRS2021

TESS Delivers Five New Hot Giant Planets Orbiting Bright Stars from the Full-frame Images

We present the discovery and characterization of five hot and warm Jupiters—TOI-628 b(TIC 281408474; HD288842), TOI-640 b(TIC 147977348), TOI-1333 b (TIC 395171208, BD+47 3521A), TOI-1478 b (TIC409794137), and TOI-1601 b (TIC 139375960)—based on data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite(TESS). The five planets were identified from the full-frame images and were confirmed through a series of photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations by the TESS Follow-up Observing Program Working Group. The planets are all Jovian size (RP=1.01–1.77RJ) and have masses that range from 0.85 to 6.33MJ. The host stars of these systems have F and G spectral types (5595Teff 6460 K)and are all relatively bright (9.5 1.7RJ, possibly a result of its host star’s evolution) and resides on an orbit with a period longer than 5 days. TOI-628 b is the most massive, hot Jupiter discovered to date by TESS with a measured mass of-+6.310.300.28MJ and a statistically significant, nonzero orbital eccentricity of e=-+0.0740.0220.021. This planet would not have had enough time to circularize through tidal forces from our analysis, suggesting that it might be remnant eccentricity from its migration. The longest-period planet in this sample, TOI-1478 b (P=10.18 days), is a warm Jupiter in a circular orbit around a near-solar analog. NASA’s TESS mission is continuing to increase the sample of well-characterized hot and warm Jupiters, complementing its primary mission goals.

Exoplanet astronomy↗
NASA NTRS2021

TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). V. A Sub-Neptune Transiting a Young Star in a Newly Discovered 250 Myr Association

The detection and characterization of young planetary systems offer a direct path to study the processes that shape planet evolution. We report on the discovery of a sub-Neptune-sized planet orbiting the young star HD 110082(TOI-1098). Transit events we initially detected during TESS Cycle 1 are validated with time-series photometry from Spitzer. High-contrast imaging and high-resolution, optical spectra are also obtained to characterize the stellar host and confirm the planetary nature of the transits. The host star is a late-F dwarf(Må=1.2Me)with a low-mass,M dwarf binary companion(Må=0.26Me)separated by nearly one arc minute(∼6200 au). Based on its rapid rotation and Lithium absorption, HD 110082 is young, but is not a member of any known group of young stars(despite proximity to the Octans association). To measure the age of the system, we search for coeval, phase-space neighbors and compile a sample of candidate siblings to compare with the empirical sequences of young clusters and to apply quantitative age-dating techniques. In doing so, we find that HD 110082 resides in a new young stellar association we designate MELANGE-1, with an age of -+ 2507050 Myr. Jointly modeling the TESS and Spitzer light curves, we measure a planetary orbital period of 10.1827 days and radius of Rp=3.2±0.1R⊕. HD 110082 b’s radius falls in the largest 12% of field age systems with similar host-star mass and orbital period. This finding supports previous studies indicating that young planets have larger radii than their field-age counterparts

Benjamin M. Tofflemire↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NESC Assessment – Recommendations on Use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Parts for NASA Missions

This is to present the NESC assessment "Recommendations on Use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) Parts for NASA Missions" at the Microelectronics Reliability and Qualification Workshop hosted by Aerospace Corporation in February 8-10, 2022. The assessment has two Phases, Phase I on NASA Center current practices on use of COTS and Phase II on DoD and FAA current practices on use of COTS and NESC guidance on COTS selection, application and verification processes. Phase I report was published as NASA/TM−20205011579 and NESC-RP-19-01490 in December 2020. The presentation also includes the scope of the Phase II of the assessment, which is expected to be completed in March-April, 2022.

EEE parts↗
NASA NTRS2021

TOI-1518b: A Misaligned Ultra-hot Jupiter with Iron in Its Atmosphere

We present the discovery of TOI-1518b—an ultra-hot Jupiter orbiting a bright star (V = 8.95). The transiting planet is confirmed using high-resolution optical transmission spectra from EXPRES. It is inflated, with Rp = 1.875 ± 0.053 RJ, and exhibits several interesting properties, including a misaligned orbit (240.34 (+0.93, -0.98) degrees) and nearly grazing transit (b=0.9036 (+0.0061, -0.0053)). The planet orbits a fast-rotating F0 host star (Teff ≃ 7300 K) in 1.9 days and experiences intense irradiation. Notably, the TESS data show a clear secondary eclipse with a depth of 364 ± 28 ppm and a significant phase-curve signal, from which we obtain a relative day–night planetary flux difference of roughly 320 ppm and a 5.2σ detection of ellipsoidal distortion on the host star. Prompted by recent detections of atomic and ionized species in ultra-hot Jupiter atmospheres, we conduct an atmospheric cross-correlation analysis. We detect neutral iron (5.2σ), at K(p) = 157 (+68, -44) km/s and V(sys) = -16 (+2, -4), adding another object to the small sample of highly irradiated gas-giant planets with Fe detections in transmission. Detections so far favor particularly inflated gas giants with radii ≳1.78 R(J), which may be due to observational bias. With an equilibrium temperature of T(eq) = 2492 ± 38 K and a measured dayside brightness temperature of 3237 ± 59 K (assuming zero geometric albedo), TOI-1518b is a promising candidate for future emission spectroscopy to probe for a thermal inversion.

Samuel H. C. Cabot↗
NASA NTRS2021

TESS-Keck Survey. V. Twin Sub-Neptunes Transiting the Nearby G Star HD 63935

We present the discovery of two nearly identically sized sub-Neptune transiting planets orbiting HD 63935, abright(V=8.6 mag), Sun-like(Teff=5560 K)star at 49 pc. TESS identified thefirst planet, HD 63935 b(TOI-509.01), in Sectors 7 and 34. We identified the second signal(HD 63935 c)in Keck High Resolution EchelleSpectrometer and Lick Automated Planet Finder radial velocity data as part of our follow-up campaign. It wassubsequently confirmed with TESS photometry in Sector 34 as TOI-509.02. Our analysis of the photometric andradial velocity data yielded a robust detection of both planets with periods of 9.0600±0.007 and 21.40±0.0019days, radii of 2.99±0.14 and 2.90±0.13R⊕, and masses of 10.8±1.8 and 11.1±2.4M⊕. We calculated densities for planets b and c consistent with a few percent of the planet mass in hydrogen/helium envelopes. Wealso describe our survey’s efforts to choose the best targets for James Webb Space Telescope atmospheric follow-up. These efforts suggest that HD 63935 b has the most clearly visible atmosphere of its class. It is the best targetfor transmission spectroscopy(ranked by the transmission spectroscopy metric, a proxy for atmosphericobservability)in the so far uncharacterized parameter space comprising sub-Neptune-sized(2.6R⊕<Rp<4R⊕),moderately irradiated(100F⊕<Fp<1000F⊕)planets around G stars. Planet c is also a viable target fortransmission spectroscopy, and given the indistinguishable masses and radii of the two planets, the system servesas a natural laboratory for examining the processes that shape the evolution of sub-Neptune planets.

Nicholas Scarsdale↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Unmanned Aircraft Voice Communication Delay on En Route Air Traffic Management Operations

The present study investigated the effects of remotely piloted unmanned aircraft (UA) voice communication delay on air traffic management operations with different background sector traffic-volume levels. Three one-way UA voice delay lengths of 400, 900, and 2,000 milliseconds (ms) were tested, representing the currently estimated transmission delays for terrestrial, satellite communication (SATCOM), and long SATCOM Command and Control Link System, respectively. All delay values exceeded 390 ms, the FAA’s current requirement for the maximum communication latency in the National Airspace System. Eight retired en route air traffic controllers (ATCs) and eight remote pilots (RPs) participated in a human-inthe-loop simulation study, where a simulated UA flight transitioned through an Oakland en route low-altitude sector to a local non-towered airport. The results showed that, when the 2,000-ms voice delay was present, radio transmission step-ons and detect-and-avoid (DAA) alert level elevations increased. In addition, ATC workload, ATC acceptability for the UA, and RP acceptability for the DAA were negatively affected only when the UA had a 2,000-ms voice delay under the high traffic-volume condition, but not in the other conditions.

remotely piloted unmanned aircraft, voice delay, s↗
NASA NTRS2022

Effects of Unmanned Aircraft Voice Communication Delay on En Route Air Traffic Management Operations

The present study investigated the effects of remotely piloted unmanned aircraft (UA) voice communication delay on air traffic management operations with different background sector traffic-volume levels. Three one-way UA voice delay lengths of 400, 900, and 2,000 milliseconds (ms) were tested, representing the currently estimated transmission delays for terrestrial, satellite communication (SATCOM), and long SATCOM Command and Control Link System, respectively. All delay values exceeded 390 ms, the FAA’s current requirement for the maximum communication latency in the National Airspace System. Eight retired en route air traffic controllers (ATCs) and eight remote pilots (RPs) participated in a human-in-the-loop simulation study, where a simulated UA flight transitioned through an Oakland en route low-altitude sector to a local non-towered airport. The results showed that, when the 2,000-ms voice delay was present, radio transmission step-ons and detect-and-avoid (DAA) alert level elevations increased. In addition, ATC workload, ATC acceptability for the UA, and RP acceptability for the DAA were negatively affected only when the UA had a 2,000-ms voice delay under the high traffic-volume condition, but not in the other conditions.

remotely piloted unmanned aircraft, voice delay, s↗
NASA NTRS2022

Operational maize yield forecasts for Sub-Saharan Africa using Earth observation data and machine learning

Food insecurity continues to grow in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In 2019, chronically malnourished people numbered nearly 240 million, or 20% of the population in SSA. Globally, numerous efforts have been made to anticipate potential droughts, crop conditions, and food shortages to foster improved food insecurity early warning and risk management. To support this goal, we develop an Earth Observation (EO) and machine-learning-based operational, subnational maize yield forecast system and evaluate its out-of-sample forecast skills during the growing seasons for Kenya, Somalia, Malawi, and Burkina Faso. In general, forecast skills improve substantially during the vegetative growth period (VP) and gradually during the reproductive development period (RP). Thus, mid-season assessment can provide effective early warning months before harvest. Skillful forecasts (Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) > 0.6 and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) < 20%) appear approximately two dekads after the VP; for example, they appear in May in Kenya and Somalia, January in Malawi, and July in Burkina Faso.

Donghoon Lee↗
NASA NTRS2024

Fundamental Experimental Tests and Modeling of LOX/CH4 Engines at High Pressures

In recent years, the space travel industry has grown exponentially, resulting in the need for a low-cost, efficient rocket engine fuel. As such, there has been renewed interest in utilizing liquid natural gas (LNG) as it is less likely to soot than kerosene-based fuels and has widespread availability and low cost of use as compared to the traditional RP-X and even liquid methane (LCH4) fuels due to the reduced need for refinement. However, current literature does not fully cover varying blends of natural gas and the effects that impurities have on natural gas/methane fuels, with most studies being confined to low-pressure applications. Therefore, new experimental ignition delay time measurements at rocket engine relevant pressures are essential to ensure current chemical kinetic models capture the ignition behavior at these elevated conditions and to determine the optimal purity levels for a reliable, cost-efficient, aerospace-grade LCH4/LNG fuel. The current work explores various blends of natural gas/methane fuel with various impurities, including higher hydrocarbons as well as nitrogen-carriers. A shock tube study was carried out to study the ignition delay times and carbon monoxide time histories of these natural gas blends utilizing chemiluminescence and laser absorption spectroscopy at 20, 50 and 100 atm over temperatures ranging from 1400-1700K and at an equivalence ratio of 1. The experimental data was then compared to two different chemical kinetic mechanisms: the industry-standard GRI 3.0 and the in-house UCF 2022. The data is used to improve chemical kinetic mechanisms and modeling of LNG fuels for rocket engine applications.

Methane↗
NASA NTRS2024

ECI Final Report: Closing of Critical Technology Gaps for Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines

NASA has successfully fired several configurations of a dual regenerative 10K lbf class Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines using cryogenic liquid methane, liquid hydrogen, and RP-1 as fuel and liquid or gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer. In addition, 3 hot fire test phases were conducted to evaluate parametrically varying combustor geometries using a subscale 500-1K lbf class thruster RDRE. Several studies were successfully completed to evaluate the impacts of contraction ratio, annulus L’, heat transfer through calorimetry, and varying injector designs. Laser powder bed fusion GRCop-42, GRX-810, and C-103 alloys were used for the outer bodies, inner bodies, nozzles, and injector variations. The development of RDRE technology is only now possible with additive manufacturing techniques and these specialized alloys. Critical design parameters, design rules of thumb, and operability limitations have been identified. Major lessons learned in the development of critical components have also been documented. All critical technology gaps have been demonstrated at one scale or another and closed. A major finding of this work is that the combustion efficiency of the RDRE is far superior to that of the traditional liquid rocket engine requiring an order of magnitude lower chamber volume and residence time to react. Because of this, the design trade space opens up significantly. More compact chamber geometries are now possible with potential mass savings and significant length savings possible to flight geometries. In addition, the ceiling for the technology, in terms of Isp, has not yet been reached. It is likely that an additional ~10% better Isp over equivalent state-of-the-art combustion devices may be achieved over the next decade should the technology continue to be developed. This technology has been shown to be viable for near term infusion (2-5 years) into space missions and enable cost effective space access for US industry. This final report documents all major findings from this early career initiative (ECI) project and lays out what is needed post ECI.

Thomas Teasley↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Heat Transfer Measurements of NASA Liquid Kerosene/Oxygen Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine

The RDRE has been identified as a viable high performance propulsion system with numerous advantages over the state-of-the-art (SOA) liquid rocket engine. NASA has been investigating this combustion device for applications ranging from lander, upper stage, thruster, and hypersonics. All of the activities funded to date have been focused on closing major technology gaps preventing the RDRE from being used more broadly by industry. One of those gaps include the prediction and management of heat transfer to the walls from the extreme combustion environment. This work overviews the heat transfer measurements made using new and existing hardware. A liquid oxygen / liquid RP-1 RDRE was tested utilizing a calorimeter outer body and outer body nozzle extension. An actively cooled inner body with axial running cooling channels was also used. A bimetallic GRCop-42 / Monel K500 injector was developed and demonstrated to be a viable technology for RDRE environments. Trends in bulk heat loads are discussed along with a direct comparison to constant pressure theory predictions of wall heat transfer. The experimental data obtained in this investigation showed similar heat fluxes to constant pressure theory indicating deflagration may have dominated the flow field. Only a single detonation wave was observed in all tests which imparted a significant dynamic load (vibration) on the test article making measurement of combustor performances extremely challenging. Both accelerometer and load cell data corroborate the extreme G-forces measured. The single wave mode yielded relatively low performances compared with other hot fire test data sets available. This leads to the conclusion that a single detonation wave in this geometry is not sufficient for high performance. Wave multiplicity, or rather, a specific number of waves may yield higher performances.

Thomas Teasley↗
NASA NTRS2026

Surprisingly Enriched CO and CH4 in Halley-type Comet 13P/Olbers: Clues to Its Interstellar Heritage

The native ice composition of Halley-type Comet 13P/Olbers (hereafter 13P) was measured post-perihelion, on UT 2024 August 16 using iSHELL, the 1–5 μm cross-dispersed, high-resolution facility spectrograph at the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility. At that time, the heliocentric distance (Rh) of 13P was 1.37 au and the geocentric distance (Δ) was 1.99 au. Using a slit that delivered spectral resolving power RP λ/Δλ 4.5 × 104, two instrument settings targeted rovibrational emissions of seven parent molecules released into the coma through sublimation of ices in the nucleus. These settings provided broad and contiguous or nearly contiguous spectral coverage, one simultaneously measuring H2O, CO, and OCS, and the other simultaneously measuring CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, and H2CO. Meaningful abundances were obtained for all seven species. Our study revealed substantial enrichments of CO and CH4, the two most volatile species systematically targeted at IR wavelengths in comets. Relative to their respective mean abundance ratios among measured comets from the Oort cloud reservoir, CO in 13P was enriched by a factor of about six and CH4 was enriched by a factor of about three. Together with near-average abundances measured for CH3OH and C2H6, this suggests large endowments of CO and CH4 on interstellar grains, yet it could indicate inhibited surface chemistry on the pre-cometary grains subsequently contained in the nucleus or 13P. Assuming that this represents the primordial composition of 13P, it could reflect very low temperatures in its natal environment (∼10 K or lower).

Michael A Disanti↗
DOE OSTI2023

Neutron Skin Measurement of 208Pb and 48Ca Using Parity Violating Electron Scattering

Parity-violating electron scattering experiments (PVES) provides a clean probe of neutron densities that is model independent and free from strong interaction uncertainties in interpretation. The PREX-2 and CREX experiments were run in 2019 and 2020 at Jefferson laboratory measured the nucleon skin thickness, the difference between the r.m.s. neutron radius Rn and the r.m.s. proton radius Rp, of 208Pb and 48Ca via parity violating electroweak asymmetry in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons. PREX-2 experiment was performed with 950 MeV electrons scattered at a 5¿ angle with Q2 = 0.00616 ± 0.00004 (GeV/c)2, while CREX used 2182 MeV electrons at the same angle with Q2 = 0.0297 ± 0.0002 (GeV/c)2. For PREX-2 the measured asymmetry was AP V = 550 ± 16 (stat.) ± (syst.) ppb, which corresponds to Rskin = 0.278 ± 0.078 (exp.) ± 0.012 (theo.) fm. The CREX asymmetry was AP V = 2668 ± 106 (stat.) ± 40 (syst.) ppb, which corresponds to Rskin = 0.121 ± 0.026 (exp.) ±0.024 (model) fm. One of the crucial systematic uncertainty that PREX-2 and CREX were sensitive to was the non-parity violating asymmetries that resulted from the helicity correlated false asymmetries in the polarized electron beam. There was a lot of work put towards understanding and suppressing the asymmetries arising from these effects. The parity violating asymmetry measurement required a very precise determination of the electron beam polarization. To accurately determine the beam polarization, a Compton polarimeter was used during both PREX-2 and CREX. A careful alignment of the laser to the Fabry-Perot cavity, data analysis and systematic control was employed to get a precise beam polarization result for the experiments. The PREX-2 measurement has broad implications for increasing our knowledge about neutron star structure and the equation of state of nuclear matter. The combined PREX and CREX results will have implications for future energy density functional calculations and the theory of nuclear structure.

Premathilake, Sachinthani↗
DOE OSTI2025

Opportunities for isomer studies for astrophysics at FRIB

The role of nuclear isomers in astrophysical nucleosynthesis is gaining increased attention, as reactions on ground and isomeric states are both potentially important for determining the reaction rates and flow within the reaction network. A particular case is the odd-odd N=Z nuclides in the sd -shell, which play an important role in breakout from the CNO cycle in nova nucleosynthesis, affecting reaction flow, the nucleosynthesis end-point, and final abundances, impacting potential astronomical observables. Because many of these nuclides have low-lying isomers, it is important to constrain reactions on both ground and isomeric states. Developments in radioactive-beam facilities are opening such opportunities, via direct and indirect techniques. The first measurement using a new technique for manipulating ground/isomer content in reaccelerated beams without affecting ion optics, has been employed to study 38 K, which will be applicable to measurements on 34 Cl and others at the nascent Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nondestructive geochemical characterization of fossil hominin taphonomy and burial history

To date, only three Homo habilis specimens have been discovered that have associated craniodental and postcranial elements, providing a limited fossil record of the ontogeny and morphology of early members of the genus Homo. Recently, a nearly complete dentition, likely attributable to H. habilis, was discovered and excavated from early Pleistocene-age fluvial-lacustrine sediments of the upper Burgi Member of the Koobi Fora Formation at site F25787 in Area 13, near Ileret, Kenya. On the surface less than 15 m away, at site F25966, postcranial elements were found, which, if from the same individual as the nearby dentition, would represent the fourth associated craniodental and postcranial assemblage of this species. We developed a geochemical taphonomic history of these ca. 2 Ma hominin fossils using nondestructive X-ray based microanalytical tools (synchrotron and benchtop X-ray fluorescence chemical imaging and micro- and nano-computed tomography volumetric reconstruction), bulk analyses of sediments and paleosols at the excavation sites, and sedimentologic and stratigraphic observations. We integrate the chemical and physical taphonomic histories to test whether teeth (excavated in situ) and postcranial bones (eroded onto the outcrop surface) derive from a single individual. Minor differences in taphonomic history are attributable to the different biomineral properties of the dental and osseous components and to differences in physical damage during early post-mortem scavenging, dispersal, and burial in adjacent depositional settings. Microscale geochemical mapping enabled the temporal ordination of chemical and physical events in the specimens’ chemical taphonomic histories. Specifically, authigenic Fe- and K-bearing clays and Y, U, and Sr uptake occurred in post-burial fractures in bones and were also incorporated pervasively throughout dentin in teeth. Barite mineralization occurred along the latest fractures in both materials, and as a coating on tooth roots. The stratigraphic, taphonomic, and geochemical evidence supports the interpretation that the hominin fossils represent a single individual. Finally, successful application of these nondestructive sample characterization methods demonstrates capabilities for thorough interrogation of the taphonomic histories of other potential hominin fossil associations, enabling more robust and accurate palaeontologic constraints using those relationships.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-precision mass measurement of 103 Sn restores smoothness of the mass surface

As a step towards the ultimate goal of a high-precision mass measurement of doubly magic 100 Sn, the mass of 103 Sn was measured at the Low Energy Beam and Ion Trap (LEBIT) located at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Utilizing the time-of-flight ion cyclotron resonance technique, a mass uncertainty of 3.7 keV was achieved, an improvement by more than an order of magnitude compared to a recent measurement performed in 2023 at the Cooler Storage Ring (CSRe) in Lanzhou. Although the LEBIT and CSRe mass measurements of 103 Sn are in agreement, they diverge from the experimental mass value reported in the 2016 version of the Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2016), which was derived from the measured 𝑄 𝛽 + value and the mass of 103 In. In AME2020, this indirectly measured 103 Sn mass was classified as a “seriously irregular mass” and replaced with an extrapolated value, which aligns with the most recent measured values from CSRe and LEBIT. As such, the smoothness of the mass surface is confidently reestablished for 103 Sn. Here, LEBIT's mass measurement of 103 Sn enabled a significant reduction in the mass uncertainties of five parent isotopes which are now dominated by uncertainties in their respective 𝑄 values.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗