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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 523 records · Page 29

Ly(alpha) emission and absorption features in the spectra of galaxies

The combined effects of interstellar dust absorption and of scattering by hydrogen atoms may give rise to a Ly(alpha) spectral feature of negative equivalent width, as has been observed in several star-forming galaxies. By considering the transfer of Ly(alpha) line radiation and of neighboring stellar continuum radiation within a dusty galaxy, we find that dust absorption has three effects: (1) it reduces the apparent ultraviolet continuum luminosity at all wavelengths; (2) it preferentially decreases the apparent Ly(alpha) line luminosity from H II regions; and (3) it creates an 'attenuation feature' in the continuum spectrum -- centered at the Ly(alpha) rest frequency -- which occurs because the attenuation of the stellar continuum radiation increases as the Ly(alpha) rest frequency is approached, due to the effects of scattering by hydrogen atoms. For plausible values of the galactic dust content and of the disk thickness, these effects can lead to a negative net Ly(alpha) equivalent width, even for galaxies in which the unattenuated spectrum would show a strong Ly(alpha) emission line.

Chen, W. L.↗

Hydrogen emission in meteors as a potential marker for the exogenous delivery of organics and water

We detected hydrogen Balmer-alpha (H(alpha)) emission in the spectra of bright meteors and investigated its potential use as a tracer for exogenous delivery of organic matter. We found that it is critical to observe the meteors with high enough spatial resolution to distinguish the 656.46 nm H(alpha) emission from the 657.46 nm intercombination line of neutral calcium, which was bright in the meteor afterglow. The H(alpha) line peak stayed in constant ratio to the atmospheric emissions of nitrogen during descent of the meteoroid. If all of the hydrogen originates in the Earth's atmosphere, the hydrogen atoms are expected to have been excited at T = 4400 K. In that case, we measured an H(2)O abundance in excess of 150 +/- 20 ppm at 80-90 km altitude (assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium in the air plasma). This compares with an expected <20 ppm from H(2)O in the gas phase. Alternatively, meteoric refractory organic matter (and water bound in meteoroid minerals) could have caused the observed H(alpha) emission, but only if the line is excited in a hot T approximately 10000 K plasma component that is unique to meteoric ablation vapor emissions such as Si(+). Assuming that the Si(+) lines of the Leonid spectrum would need the same hot excitation conditions, and a typical [H]/[C] = 1 in cometary refractory organics, we calculated an abundance ratio [C]/[Si] = 3.9 +/- 1.4 for the dust of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This range agreed with the value of [C]/[Si] = 4.4 measured for comet 1P/Halley dust. Unless there is 10 times more water vapor in the upper atmosphere than expected, we conclude that a significant fraction of the hydrogen atoms in the observed meteor plasma originated in the meteoroid.

Water↗

Formula for the Removal and Remediation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Painted Structures

An activated metal treatment system (AMTS) removes and destroys polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in painted structures or within the binding or caulking material on structures. It may be applied using a "paint-on and wipe-off" process that leaves the structure PCB-free and virtually unaltered in physical form. AMTS is used in conjunction with a solvent solution capable of donating hydrogen atoms. AMTS as a treatment technology has two functions: first, to extract PCBs from the material, and second, to degrade the extracted PCBs. The process for removing PCBs from structures is accomplished as an independent step to the degradation process. The goal is to extract the PCBs out of the paint, without destroying the paint, and to partition the PCBs into an environmentally friendly solvent. The research to date indicates this can be accomplished within the first 24 hours of AMTS contact with the paint. PCBs are extremely hydrophobic and prefer to be in the AMTS over the hardened paint or binder material. The solvent selected must be used to open, but not to destroy, the paint s polymeric lattice structure, allowing pathways for PCB movement out of the paint and into the solvent. A number of solvent systems were tested and are available for use within the AMTS. The second process of the AMTS is the degradation or dehalogenation of the PCBs. The solvent selection for this process is limited to solvents that are capable of donating a hydrogen atom to the PCB structure. Additional AMTS formulation properties that must be addressed for each site-specific application include viscosity and stability. The AMTS must be thick enough to remain where it is applied. Several thickening agents have been tested. Adding a stabilizing agent ensures that the AMTS will not evaporate and leave unprotected, activated metal exposed. During AMTS formulation testing, a number of reagents were evaluated to ensure the rate of dehalogenation was not inhibited by its addition to the system.

Quinn, Jacqueline↗

Electrochemical Oxidation of Organic Molecules at Lower Overpotential: Accessing Broader Functional Group Compatibility with Electron-Proton Transfer Mediators

CONSPECTUS: Electrochemical organic oxidation reactions are highly appealing because protons are often effective terminal electron acceptors, thereby avoiding undesirable stoichiometric oxidants. These reactions are often plagued by high overpotentials, however, that greatly limit their utility. Single-electron transfer (SET) from organic molecules generates high energy radical-cations. Formation of such intermediates often requires electrode potentials far above the thermodynamic potentials of the reaction and frequently causes decomposition and/or side reactions of ancillary functional groups. In this Account, we show how electrocatalytic electron-proton transfer mediators (EPTMs) address this challenge. EPTMs bypass the formation of radical-cation intermediates by supporting mechanisms that operate at electrode potentials much lower (=1 V) than analogous direct electrolysis reactions. The stable aminoxyl radical TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine N-oxyl) is an effective mediator for electrochemical alcohol oxidation, and we have employed such processes for applications ranging from pharmaceutical synthesis to biomass conversion. A complementary electrochemical alcohol oxidation method employs a cooperative Cu/TEMPO mediator system that operates at 0.5 V lower electrode potential than the TEMPO-only mediated process. This difference, which arises from a different catalytic mechanism, rationalizes the broad functional group tolerance of Cu/TEMPO-based aerobic alcohol oxidation catalysts. Aminoxyl mediators address long-standing challenges in the "Shono oxidation", an important method for a-C–H oxidation of tertiary amides and carbamates. Shono oxidations are initiated by a high-potential SET step that limits their utility. Aminoxyl-mediated Shono-type oxidations have been developed that operate at much lower potentials and tolerate diverse functional groups. Analogous reactivity underlies a-C–H cyanation of secondary cyclic amines, a new method that enables efficient diversification of piperidine-based pharmaceutical building blocks and preparation of non-natural amino acids. Electrochemical oxidations of benzylic C–H bonds are commonly initiated by SET to generate radical cations, but such methods are again plagued by large overpotentials. Mediated electrolysis methods that promote hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT) from benzylic C–H bonds to Fe-oxo species and phthalimide N-oxyl (PINO) support C–H oxygenation, iodination, and oxidative-coupling reactions. A complementary method merges photochemistry with electrochemistry to achieve amidation of C(sp3)–H bonds. This unique process operates at much lower overpotentials compatible with diverse functional groups. These results have broad implications for organic electrochemistry, highlighting the importance of "overpotential" considerations and the prospects for expanding synthetic utility by using mediators to bypass high-energy outer-sphere electron-transfer mechanisms. Principles demonstrated here for oxidation are equally relevant to electrochemical reductions.

Wang, Fei↗

Real-space solution to the electronic structure problem for nearly a million electrons

We report a Kohn–Sham density functional theory calculation of a system with more than 200 000 atoms and 800 000 electrons using a real-space high-order finite-difference method to investigate the electronic structure of large spherical silicon nanoclusters. Our system of choice was a 20 nm large spherical nanocluster with 202 617 silicon atoms and 13 836 hydrogen atoms used to passivate the dangling surface bonds. To speed up the convergence of the eigenspace, we utilized Chebyshev-filtered subspace iteration, and for sparse matrix–vector multiplications, we used blockwise Hilbert space-filling curves, implemented in the PARSEC code. For this calculation, we also replaced our orthonormalization + Rayleigh–Ritz step with a generalized eigenvalue problem step. We utilized all of the 8192 nodes (458 752 processors) on the Frontera machine at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. We achieved two Chebyshev-filtered subspace iterations, yielding a good approximation of the electronic density of states. Our work pushes the limits on the capabilities of the current electronic structure solvers to nearly 106 electrons and demonstrates the potential of the real-space approach to efficiently parallelize large calculations on modern high-performance computing platforms.

Chemistry↗

The nature of intermolecular forces.

Intermolecular forces theory, considering hydrogen atom interaction through Born- Oppenheimer approximation and variational calculations

ATOMIC COLLISION↗

Thermodynamic properties and theoretical rocket performance of hydrogen to 100,000 K and 1.01325 x 10 to the 8th power N/sq m

The composition and thermodynamic properties were calculated for 100 to 110,000 K and 1.01325 x 10 to the 2nd power to 1.01325 x 10 to the 8th power N/sq m for chemical equilibrium in the Debye-Huckel and ideal-gas approximations. Quantities obtained were the concentrations of hydrogen atoms, protons, free electrons, hydrogen molecules, negative hydrogen ions, hydrogen diatomic molecular ions, and hydrogen triatomic molecular ions, and the enthalpy, entropy, average molecular weight, specific heat at constant pressure, density, and isentropic exponent. Electronically excited states of H and H2 were included. Choked, isentropic, one-dimensional nozzle flow with shifting chemical equilibrium was calculated to the Debye-Huckel and ideal-gas approximations for stagnation temperatures from 2500 to 100,000 K. The mass flow per unit throat area and the sonic flow factor were obtained. The pressure ratio, temperature, velocity, and ideal and vacuum specific impulses at the throat and for pressure ratios as low as 0.000001 downstream were found. For high temperatures at pressures approaching 1.01325 x 10 to the 8th power N/sq m, the ideal-gas approximation was found to be inadequate for calculations of composition, precise thermodynamic properties, and precise nozzle flow. The greatest discrepancy in nozzle flow occurred in the exit temperature, which was as much as 21 percent higher when the Debye-Huckel approximation was used.

Patch, R. W.↗

On the formation and destruction of chlorine negative ions in the D region

We have investigated the possible reactions of chlorine atoms, chlorine monoxide, and hydrogen chloride with D region negative ions. The mesospheric concentrations of the neutral chlorine gases have been predicted with a diurnally varying one-dimensional model of the upper atmosphere. Despite the low abundances of chlorine compounds in air their high reactivity leads to the formation of substantial quantities of clorine negative ions at high altitudes. The concentration of chlorine ions is limited in daylight by rapid reactions with oxygen and hydrogen atoms and at night by the competitive production of other stable ions. The presence of chlorine negative ions in the upper atmosphere is consistent with in situ mass spectrometer observations of charged species. The abundance of chlorinated ions in the D region may be correlated with mesospheric nitric oxide and water vapor concentrations.

Turco, R. P.↗

Tables of stark level transition probabilities and branching ratios in hydrogen-like atoms

The transition probabilities which are given in terms of n prime k prime and n k are tabulated. No additional summing or averaging is necessary. The electric quantum number k plays the role of the angular momentum quantum number l in the presence of an electric field. The branching ratios between stark levels are also tabulated. Necessary formulas for the transition probabilities and branching ratios are given. Symmetries are discussed and selection rules are given. Some disagreements for some branching ratios are found between the present calculation and the measurement of Mark and Wierl. The transition probability multiplied by the statistical weight of the initial state is called the static intensity J sub S, while the branching ratios are called the dynamic intensity J sub D.

Omidvar, K.↗

The size of the Proton: Recent Results from the PRad Experiment

Two new extremely high precision measurements of the proton rms charge radius performed in 2010-2013 with muonic hydrogen atom demonstrated up to six standard deviations smaller values than the accepted average from all previous experiments performed with different methods (scattering and atomic spectroscopy) on ordinary hydrogen. This discrepancy triggered the well-known ?proton radius puzzle? in hadronic physics. To address this puzzle, the PRad collaboration in spring of 2016 performed a novel magnetic-spectrometer-free ep-scattering experiment in Hall B at Jefferson Lab accumulating high statistics and a rich experimental data set. The specifics of the PRad experiment and the final physics results, including the extracted proton radius, as well as, the current status of the puzzle will be presented and discussed in this talk.

Gasparian, Ashot↗