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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 55 records · Page 3

Mitigation of two-plasmon decay in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion through the manipulation of ion-acoustic and Langmuir wave damping

The extended Zakharov model of the two-plasmon decay instability in an inhomogeneous plasma [D. F. DuBois et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 3983 (1995); D. A. Russell and D. F. DuBois, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 428 (2001)] is further generalized to include the evolution of the electron distribution function in the quasi-linear approximation [cf., e.g., K. Y. Sanbonmatsu et al. Phys. Plasmas 7, 2824 (2000); D. A. Russell et al., paper presented at the Workshop on SRS/SBS Saturation, Wente Vineyards, Livermore, CA, 2–5 April 2002]. This makes it possible to investigate anomalous absorption of laser light and hot electron production due to the two-plasmon decay instability of multiple overlapping electromagnetic waves. Scalings of hot-electron production in the (stationary) nonlinearly saturated regime relevant to recent experiments [B. Yaakobi et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 012704 (2012); D. H. Froula et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 165003 (2012)] have been obtained. They indicate a sensitivity to ion-acoustic wave (IAW) damping and to the collisional absorption of Langmuir waves. Such a sensitivity might be exploited in inertial confinement fusion target design by the use of mid-Z ablators.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Switchable and tunable film bulk acoustic resonator fabricated using barium strontium titanate active layer and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/SiO{sub 2} acoustic reflector

A solidly mounted acoustic resonator was fabricated using a Ba{sub 0.60}Sr{sub 0.40}TiO{sub 3} (BST) film deposited by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The device was acoustically isolated from the substrate using a Bragg reflector consisting of three pairs of Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/SiO{sub 2} layers deposited by chemical solution deposition. Transmission electron microscopy verified that the Bragg reflector was not affected by the high temperatures and oxidizing conditions necessary to process high quality BST films. Electrical characterization of the resonator demonstrated a quality factor (Q) of 320 and an electromechanical coupling coefficient (K{sub t}{sup 2}) of 7.0% at 11 V.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Heat-induced drift reduction of time of flight in fused quartz acoustic waveguides via annealing process

High temperature structural acoustic sensors play an important role in many applications. Fused quartz waveguide is a popular choice due to its resistance to harsh environments and its convenience of modification. However, time of flight between pulse and echo, which is widely used in these sensors, tends to encounter drifts in fast temperature changing process even after temperature returns to initial value. In this article, different annealing process are performed for a special modified fused quartz waveguide with a sensor node. Annealing treatment is found able to reduce the drift when the waveguide undergoes a sudden temperature spike to 1000 °C at 500 kHz operating acoustic frequency, and the best annealing condition could make the drift one magnitude smaller. A following temperature test up to 1000 °C shows consistent measurement readings.

Hileman, Zachary (ORCID:0000000226529274)↗

Electron-acoustic solitons and double layers in the inner magnetosphere: ELECTRON-ACOUSTIC SOLITONS

The Van Allen Probes observe generally two types of electrostatic solitary waves (ESW) contributing to the broadband electrostatic wave activity in the nightside inner magnetosphere. ESW with symmetric bipolar parallel electric field are electron phase space holes. The nature of ESW with asymmetric bipolar (and almost unipolar) parallel electric field has remained puzzling. To address their nature, we consider a particular event observed by Van Allen Probes to argue that during the broadband wave activity electrons with energy above 200 eV provide the dominant contribution to the total electron density, while the density of cold electrons (below a few eV) is less than a few tenths of the total electron density. We show that velocities of the asymmetric ESW are close to velocity of electron-acoustic waves (existing due to the presence of cold and hot electrons) and follow the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) dispersion relation derived for the observed plasma conditions (electron energy spectrum is a power law between about 100 eV and 10 keV and Maxwellian above 10 keV). The ESW spatial scales are in general agreement with the KdV theory. We interpret the asymmetric ESW in terms of electron-acoustic solitons and double layers (shocks waves).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Mechanism of acoustically induced diffusional structuring of surface adatoms

Physical mechanisms of time-averaged structuring of adatoms induced by a standing surface acoustic wave (SAW) on a solid substrate are studied. Despite some similarity with conventional mechanisms based on averaging of fast oscillation-type motion or radiation-pressure effects, we demonstrate that, for diffusional (i.e., strongly damped) adatom motion, the origin of time-averaged structuring is essentially different. The proposed analytical model and kinetic Monte–Carlo (kMC) simulations reveal several distinct structuring regimes and directly relate them to the transient modification of diffusion barriers and adiabatic temperature variations induced by SAW strains.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Acoustically determined linear piezoelectric response of lithium niobate up to 1100 V

We present a method to measure high voltages using the piezoelectric crystal lithium niobate without using voltage dividers. A 36° Y-X cut lithium niobate crystal was coupled to two acoustic transducers, where direct current voltages were applied from 128–1100 V. The time-of-flight through the crystal was determined to be linearly dependent on the applied voltage. A model was developed to predict the time-delay in response to the applied voltage. The results show a sensitivity of 17 fs/V with a measurement error of 1 fs/V was achievable using this method. The sensitivity of this method can be increased by measuring the acoustic wave after multiple passes through the crystal. This method has many advantages over traditional techniques such as: favorable scalability for larger voltages, ease of use, cost effectiveness, and compactness.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Subwavelength acoustic focusing by surface-wave-resonance enhanced transmission in doubly negative acoustic metamaterials

We present analytical and numerical analyses of a yet unseen lensing paradigm that is based on a solid metamaterial slab in which the wave excitation source is attached. We propose and demonstrate sub-diffraction-limited acoustic focusing induced by surface resonant states in doubly negative metamaterials. The enhancement of evanescent waves across the metamaterial slab produced by their resonant coupling to surface waves is evidenced and quantitatively determined. The effect of metamaterial parameters on surface states, transmission, and wavenumber bandwidth is clearly identified. Based on this concept consisting of a wave source attached on the metamaterial, a high resolution of λ/28.4 is obtained with the optimum effective physical parameters, opening then an exciting way to design acoustic metamaterials for ultrasonic focused imaging.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Ion acoustic and dust acoustic waves at finite size of plasma particles

We consider the influence of the finite size of ions on the properties of classic plasmas. We focus our attention at the ion acoustic waves for electron-ion plasmas. We also consider the dusty plasmas where we account the finite size of ions and particles of dust and consider the dispersion of dust acoustic waves. The finite size of particles is a classical effect as well as the Coulomb interaction. The finite size of particles considerably contributes to the properties of the dense plasmas in the small wavelength limit. Low temperature dense plasmas, revealing the quantum effects, are also affected by the finite size of plasma particles. Consequently, it is important to consider the finite size of ions in the quantum plasmas as well.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Gyrokinetic particle simulation of beta-induced Alfven-acoustic eigenmode

The beta-induced Alfven-acoustic eigenmode (BAAE) in toroidal plasmas is verified and studied by global gyrokinetic particle simulations. When ion temperature is much lower than electron temperature, the existence of the weakly damped BAAE is verified in the simulations using initial perturbation, antenna excitation, and energetic particle excitation, respectively. When the ion temperature is comparable to the electron temperature, the unstable BAAE can be excited by realistic energetic particle density gradient, even though the stable BAAE (in the absence of energetic particles) is heavily damped by the thermal ions. In the simulations with reversed magnetic shear, BAAE frequency sweeping is observed and poloidal mode structure has a triangle shape with a poloidal direction similar to that observed in tokamak experiments. Here, the triangle shape changes the poloidal direction, and no frequency sweeping is found in the simulations with normal magnetic shear.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DIASCoPE: Directly integrated acoustic system combined with pressure experiments—A new method for fast acoustic velocity measurements at high pressure

A novel experimental system to measure elastic wave velocities in samples in situ under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature in a multi-anvil apparatus has been installed at Beamline 6-BM-B of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. This system allows for measurement of acoustic velocities via ultrasonic interferometry, and makes use of the synchrotron beam to measure sample densities via X-ray diffraction and sample lengths using X-radiographic imaging. This system is fully integrated into the automated software controls of the beamline and is capable of collecting robust data on elastic wave travel times in less than 1 s, which is an improvement of more than one to two orders of magnitude over existing systems. Moreover, this fast data collection time has been shown to have no effect on the obtained travel time results. This allows for more careful study of time-dependent phenomena with tighter snapshots in time of processes that would otherwise be lost or averaged out in other acoustic measurement systems.

Whitaker, Matthew L.↗

Constraints on dark energy dynamics and spatial curvature from Hubble parameter and baryon acoustic oscillation data

We use all available baryon acoustic oscillation distance measurements and Hubble parameter data to constrain the cosmological constant Λ, dynamical dark energy, and spatial curvature in simple cosmological models. Here, we find that the consensus spatially flat ΛCDM (Λ cold dark matter) model provides a reasonable fit to the data, but depending on the Hubble constant prior and cosmological model, it can be a little more than 1σ away from the best-fitting model, which can favour mild dark energy dynamics or non-flat spatial hypersurfaces.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Baryon acoustic oscillation, Hubble parameter, and angular size measurement constraints on the Hubble constant, dark energy dynamics, and spatial curvature

ABSTRACT In this paper, we use all available baryon acoustic oscillation, Hubble parameter, and quasar angular size data to constrain six dark energy cosmological models, both spatially flat and non-flat. Depending on the model and data combination considered, these data mildly favour closed spatial hypersurfaces (by as much as 1.7σ) and dark energy dynamics (up to a little over 2σ) over a cosmological constant Λ. The data also favour, at 1.8σ to 3.4σ, depending on the model and data combination, a lower Hubble constant than what is measured from the local expansion rate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Bispectrum as baryon acoustic oscillation interferometer

The galaxy bispectrum, measuring excess clustering of galaxy triplets, offers a probe of dark energy via baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs). However up to now it has been severely underused due to the combinatorically explosive number of triangles. Here we exploit interference in the bispectrum to identify triangles that amplify BAOs. Here, this approach reduces the computational cost of estimating covariance matrices, offers an improvement in BAO constraints equivalent to lengthening BOSS by 30% and simplifies adding bispectrum BAO information to future large-scale redshift survey analyses.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Thick Films acoustic sensors devoted to MTR environment measurements. Thick Films acoustic sensors devoted to Material Testing Reactor environment measurements

The development of advanced instrumentation for in-pile experiments in Material Testing Reactor constitutes a main goal for the improvement of the nuclear fuel behavior knowledge. An acoustic method for fission gas release detection was tested with success during a first experiment called REMORA 3 in 2010 and 2011, and the results were used to differentiate helium and fission gas release kinetics under transient operating conditions. This experiment was lead at OSIRIS reactor (CEA Saclay, France). The maximal temperature on the sensor during the irradiation was about 150 deg. C. In this paper we present a thick film transducer produce by screen printing process. The screen printing of piezoelectric offers a wide range of possible applications for the development of acoustic sensors and piezoelectric structure for measurements in high temperature environment. We firstly produced a Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) based paste composed of Pz27 powder from Ferroperm, CF7575 glass, and organic solvent ESL 400. Likewise a Bismuth Titanate based paste synthesized in our laboratory was produced. With these inks we produced thick film up to 130 μm by screen printing process. Material properties characterizations of these thick-film resonators are essential for device design and applications. The piezoelectric coefficients d33 and pyro-electric P(T) coefficient are investigated. The highest P(T) and d33 are respectively 80 μC.m{sup -2}.K{sup -1} and 130 μC.N{sup -1} for the PZT transducer -which validates the fabrication process-. In view of the development of this transducer oriented for high temperature and irradiation environment, we investigated the electrical properties of the transducers for different ranges of frequencies and temperature - from 20 Hz up to 40 MHz between 30 and 400 deg. C. We highlight the evolution of the impedance response and piezoelectric parameters of screen printed piezoelectric structures on alumina. Shortly an irradiation will be realized in order to investigate their reliability towards neutron fluence. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Plasma-Assisted Epitaxy of Piezoelectric Sc x Al 1-x N Films on Sapphire for Use in Harsh-Environment Microwave Acoustic Sensors

The Sc x Al 1-x N wurtzite structure has been shown theoretically and experimentally to exhibit significantly higher piezoelectric coupling compared to pure AlN. In this work, a plasma-assisted epitaxial growth method has been used to synthesize epitaxial (0002) Sc x Al 1-x N films on c-sapphire substrates from x = 0.07 to 0.30 by co-evaporating high-purity Sc and Al sources in the presence of a nitrogen plasma generated by an RF plasma source. Epitaxial Sc x Al 1-x N films with highly oriented (0002) grains and in-plane registry were produced on c-sapphire substrates that were pre-exposed to the nitrogen plasma to form an oxynitride seed layer. Growth of Sc x Al 1-x N films was carried out at 930°C under both metal-rich and N-rich conditions using precisely controlled Sc, Al, and N-plasma fluxes. Metal-rich depositions yielded non-(0002)-oriented Sc x Al 1-x N grains and intermetallic ScAl grains. Nitrogen-rich growth with a Sc/Al flux ratio of 1/3 produced the best (0002) epitaxy as determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. Surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR) devices were fabricated from 500-nm-thick Sc x Al 1-x N and AlN films to extract their electromechanical coupling coefficients, k 2 . As the Sc concentration in the films increases, the degree of (0002) epitaxy is reduced, yet the value of k 2 increases becasue there is more Sc in the wurzite lattice despite the decreased level of (0002) grain alignment. As a result, the use of a 10-nm-thick Si x N y capping layer on top of the Sc x Al 1-x N films aids in preventing etching during SAWR device photolithography and also helps hinder film oxidation up to 800°C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Measuring the Hubble constant and spatial curvature from supernova apparent magnitude, baryon acoustic oscillation, and Hubble parameter data

Cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy (spatial inhomogeneity) data provide the tightest constraints on the Hubble constant, matter density, spatial curvature, and dark energy dynamics. Other data, sensitive to the evolution of only the spatially homogeneous part of the cosmological model, such as Type Ia supernova apparent magnitude, baryon acoustic oscillation distance, and Hubble parameter measurements, can be used in conjunction with the CMB data to more tightly constrain parameters. Recent joint analyses of CMB and such non-CMB data indicate that slightly closed spatial hypersurfaces are favored in nonflat untilted inflation models and that dark energy dynamics cannot be ruled out, and favor a smaller Hubble constant. Here, we show that the constraints that follow from these non-CMB data alone are consistent with those that follow from the CMB data alone and so also consistent with, but weaker than, those that follow from the joint analyses of the CMB and non-CMB data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multicomponent kinetic simulation of Bernstein–Greene–Kruskal modes associated with ion acoustic and dust-ion acoustic excitations in electron-ion and dusty plasmas

A series of numerical simulations based on a recurrence-free Vlasov kinetic algorithm presented earlier [Abbasi et al., Phys. Rev. E 84, 036702 (2011)] are reported. Electron-ion plasmas and three-component (electron-ion-dust) dusty, or complex, plasmas are considered, via independent simulations. Considering all plasma components modeled through a kinetic approach, the nonlinear behavior of ionic scale acoustic excitations is investigated. The focus is on Bernstein–Greene–Kruskal (BGK) modes generated during the simulations. In particular, we aim at investigating the parametric dependence of the characteristics of BGK structures, namely of their time periodicity (τ{sub trap}) and their amplitude, on the electron-to-ion temperature ratio and on the dust concentration. In electron-ion plasma, an exponential relation between τ{sub trap} and the amplitude of BGK modes and the electron-to-ion temperature ratio is observed. It is argued that both characteristics, namely, the periodicity τ{sub trap} and amplitude, are also related to the size of the phase-space vortex which is associated with BGK mode creation. In dusty plasmas, BGK modes characteristics appear to depend on the dust particle density linearly.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗