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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

Quantitative Evaluation of MD/HD Vehicle Electrification using Statistical Data

This paper presents a wide-ranging analysis of Class 3-8 commercial vehicle electrification by means of developing a framework tool which uses a quantitative method of estimating electric vehicle energy consumption and appropriate charging considerations. The Fleet DNA composite statistics on real-world driving behavior is used to evaluate feasible or market-ready battery electric vehicle (BEV) technologies in medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) applications. In the paper, ten representative Class 3-8 commercial vehicle electrifications have been evaluated as a function of various service coverages, including applications in port drayage tractors, refuse trucks, delivery trucks, buses, and bucket trucks. The results indicate significant energy savings and fuel cost savings across all MD/HD vehicle electrifications. The majority of MD BEVs, with the exception of Class 3 bucket trucks, achieve better than a 5-year payback with 50–75% service coverage. For HD BEVs, with the exception of the Class 8 port drayage tractors, the 90% service coverage results in a 10-year or longer payback time, while the 50% service coverage yields a 7–8 year payback. Class 8 port drayage tractors should achieve payback in no more than a 3.5 years with 50–75% service coverage. Thus, the analysis indicates a highly feasible potential for Class 3-6 MD vehicles to be electrified, and feasible opportunities for electrification in Class 7-8 HD short-distance applications.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Statistical mechanics and pressure of composite multimoded weakly nonlinear optical systems

Statistical mechanics can provide a versatile theoretical framework for investigating the collective dynamics of weakly nonlinear-wave settings that can be utterly complex to describe otherwise. In optics, composite systems arise due to interactions between different frequencies and polarizations. The purpose of this work is to develop a thermodynamic theory that takes into account the synergistic action of multiple components. We find that the type of the nonlinearity involved can have important implications in the thermalization process and, hence, can lead to different thermal equilibrium conditions. Importantly, we derive closed-form expressions for the actual optomechanical pressure that is exerted on the system. In particular, the total optomechanical pressure is the sum of the partial pressures due to each component. Our results can be applied to a variety of weakly nonlinear optical settings such as multimode fibers, bulk waveguides, photonic lattices, and coupled microresonators. We present two specific examples, where two colors interact in a one-waveguide array with either a cubic or quadratic nonlinearity.

Efremidis, Nikolaos K. (ORCID:0000000298300268)↗

Improvement of vertical velocity statistics measured by a Doppler lidar through comparison with sonic anemometer observations

Since turbulence measurements from Doppler lidars are being increasingly used within wind energy and boundary-layer meteorology, it is important to assess and improve the accuracy of these observations. While turbulent quantities are measured by Doppler lidars in several different ways, the simplest and most frequently used statistic is vertical velocity variance ( w ' 2 ) from zenith stares. But, the competing effects of signal noise and resolution volume limitations, which respectively increase and decrease w ' 2 , reduce the accuracy of these measurements. Herein, an established method that utilises the autocovariance of the signal to remove noise is evaluated and its skill in correcting for volume-averaging effects in the calculation of w ' 2 is also assessed. In addition, this autocovariance technique is further refined by defining the amount of lag time to use for the most accurate estimates of w ' 2 . And through comparison of observations from two Doppler lidars and sonic anemometers on a 300 m tower, the autocovariance technique is shown to generally improve estimates of w ' 2 . After the autocovariance technique is applied, values of w ' 2 from the Doppler lidars are generally in close agreement ( R 2 ≈ 0.95 -0.98) with those calculated from sonic anemometer measurements.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Some new results on the statistics of radio wave scintillation. I - Empirical evidence for Gaussian statistics

This paper presents an analysis of ionospheric scintillation data which shows that the underlying statistical structure of the signal can be accurately modeled by the additive complex Gaussian perturbation predicted by the Born approximation in conjunction with an application of the central limit theorem. By making use of this fact, it is possible to estimate the in-phase, phase quadrature, and cophased scattered power by curve fitting to measured intensity histograms. By using this procedure, it is found that typically more than 80% of the scattered power is in phase quadrature with the undeviated signal component. Thus, the signal is modeled by a Gaussian, but highly non-Rician process. From simultaneous UHF and VHF data, only a weak dependence of this statistical structure on changes in the Fresnel radius is deduced. The signal variance is found to have a nonquadratic wavelength dependence. It is hypothesized that this latter effect is a subtle manifestation of locally homogeneous irregularity structures, a mathematical model proposed by Kolmogorov (1941) in his early studies of incompressible fluid turbulence.

Rino, C. L.↗

Median statistics estimate of the galactic rotational velocity

We compile a complete collection of 18 recent (from 2000 to 2017) measurements of Θ 0 , the rotational velocity of the Milky Way at R 0 (the radial distance of the Sun from the Galactic center). These measurements use tracers that are believed to more accurately reflect the systematic rotation of the Milky Way. Unlike other recent compilations of Θ 0 , our collection includes only independent measurements. We find that these 18 measurements are distributed in a mildly non-Gaussian fashion and a median statistics estimate indicates Θ 0 = 220 ± 10 kms –1 (2σ error) as the most reliable summary, at R 0 = 8.0 ± 0.3 kpc (2σ error).

(cosmology:) cosmological parameters↗

Quantifying the heterogeneity of shale through statistical combination of imaging across scales

Shale is a highly heterogeneous material across multiple scales. A typical shale consists of nanometer-scale pores and minerals mixed with macro-scale fractures and particles of varying size. High-resolution imaging is crucial for characterizing the composition and microstructure of this rock. Yet, it is generally not feasible to image a large sample of shale at a high resolution over a large field of view (FOV), thus limiting a full characterization of the microstructure of this material. We present a stochastic framework based on multiple-point statistics that uses high-resolution training images to enhance low-resolution images obtained over a large FOV. Here, we demonstrate the approach using X-ray micro-tomography images of organic-rich Woodford shale obtained at two different resolutions and FOV. Results show that the proposed technique can generate realistic high-resolution images of the microstructure of shale over a large FOV.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Experiments, Statistical Analysis, and Modeling to Evaluate the Porosity Influence in SPS Coatings

Suspension plasma spray (SPS) is far more complicated than conventional plasma spray and requires a deep knowledge about the influence of process parameters and their correlations. In this study, YSZ coatings were manufactured by SPS with six different process parameters such as plasma power, suspension mass load, original powder size, substrate surface topology, spray distance, and spray step. Then, the porosity of as-prepared coatings was investigated by image method and X-ray transmission technique. A multivariate analysis on the collected experimental data was carried out by employing mathematical statistics methods. The results showed that: 1) Coating porosity has a negative correlation with plasma power and suspension mass load and a positive correlation with the original powder size, spray distance, spray step, and substrate roughness; 2) Spraying distance is the main factor affecting to coating porosity, followed by suspension mass load and substrate surface roughness, respectively. A linear model for porosity prediction was developed and was verified by experiments. Furthermore, the mechanism by which process parameters influence coating porosity is additionally discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Microstructural characterization of dendritic evolution using two-point statistics

Characterizing large four-dimensional materials datasets is difficult due to the presence of complex mi- crostructures and time-varying length scales. We showcase the use of two-point statistics as an efficient and un-biased way of extracting materials parameters from an Al-Cu alloy during solidification. The evo- lution of dendrite primary arm thickness, average secondary arm spacing, and average tip-to-tip spacing were tracked using two-point Pearson auto-correlations of scaled mean curvatures. Insights into compet- itive side-branching are also reported. We show both visually and quantitatively that most length scales change rapidly during early stages of dendritic growth, but slow as diffusion fields of dendrites overlap.

Aluminum alloys↗

Trajectory Ensemble Methods Provide Single-Molecule Statistics for Quantum Dynamical Systems

The emergence of experiments capable of probing quantum dynamics at the single-molecule level requires the development of new theoretical tools capable of simulating and analyzing these dynamics beyond an ensemble-averaged description. In this article, we present an efficient method for sampling and simulating the dynamics of the individual quantum systems that make up an ensemble and apply it to study the nonequilibrium dynamics of the ubiquitous spin-boson model. We generate an ensemble of single-system trajectories, and we analyze this trajectory ensemble using tools from classical statistical mechanics. Our results demonstrate that the dynamics of quantum coherence is highly heterogeneous at the single-system level due to variations in the initial bath configuration, which significantly affects the transient exchange of coherence between the system and its bath. Here, we observe that single systems tend to retain coherence over time scales longer than that of the ensemble. We also compute a novel thermodynamic entanglement entropy that quantifies a thermodynamic driving force favoring system–bath entanglement.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Tripled yield in direct-drive laser fusion through statistical modelling [Tripling the yield in direct-drive laser fusion via predictive statistical modeling]

Focusing laser light onto a very small target can produce the conditions for laboratory-scale nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes. The lack of accurate predictive models, which are essential for the design of high-performance laser-fusion experiments, is a major obstacle to achieving thermonuclear ignition. Here we report a statistical approach that was used to design and quantitatively predict the results of implosions of solid deuterium–tritium targets carried out with the 30-kilojoule OMEGA laser system, leading to tripling of the fusion yield to its highest value so far for direct-drive laser fusion. When scaled to the laser energies of the National Ignition Facility (1.9 megajoules), these targets are predicted to produce a fusion energy output of about 500 kilojoules—several times larger than the fusion yields currently achieved at that facility. As a result, this approach could guide the exploration of the vast parameter space of thermonuclear ignition conditions and enhance our understanding of laser-fusion physics.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Statistical properties of autonomous flows in 2D active nematics

We study the dynamics of a tunable 2D active nematic liquid crystal composed of microtubules and kinesin motors confined to an oil–water interface. Kinesin motors continuously inject mechanical energy into the system through ATP hydrolysis, powering the relative microscopic sliding of adjacent microtubules, which in turn generates macroscale autonomous flows and chaotic dynamics. We use particle image velocimetry to quantify two-dimensional flows of active nematics and extract their statistical properties. In agreement with the hydrodynamic theory, we find that the vortex areas comprising the chaotic flows are exponentially distributed, which allows us to extract the characteristic system length scale. We probe the dependence of this length scale on the ATP concentration, which is the experimental knob that tunes the magnitude of the active stress. In conclusion, our data suggest a possible mapping between the ATP concentration and the active stress that is based on the Michaelis–Menten kinetics that governs the motion of individual kinesin motors.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Communication: Dominance of extreme statistics in a prototype many-body Brownian ratchet

Many forms of cell motility rely on Brownian ratchet mechanisms that involve multiple stochastic processes. We present a computational and theoretical study of the nonequilibrium statistical dynamics of such a many-body ratchet, in the specific form of a growing polymer gel that pushes a diffusing obstacle. We find that oft-neglected correlations among constituent filaments impact steady-state kinetics and significantly deplete the gel's density within molecular distances of its leading edge. These behaviors are captured quantitatively by a self-consistent theory for extreme fluctuations in filaments' spatial distribution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Median Statistics Analysis of Deuterium Abundance Measurements and Spatial Curvature Constraints

Zavarygin et al. compiled a list of 15 deuterium abundance measurements; two were discarded because the remaining 13 measurements are then consistent with Gaussianity. Here, those authors found that the weighted-mean baryon density (Ω b h 2) determined from the 13 measurements is mildly discrepant (1.6σ) with that determined from the Planck 2015 cosmic microwave background anisotropy data in a flat cosmogony. We find that a median statistic central estimate of Ω b h 2 from all 15 deuterium abundance measurements is a more accurate estimate; is very consistent with Ω b h 2 estimated from Planck 2015 data in a flat cosmogony, but is about 2σ lower than that found in a closed cosmogonical model from the Planck 2015 data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Effect of Various Actuator-Line Modeling Approaches on Turbine-Turbine Interactions and Wake-Turbulence Statistics in Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flow

When using an actuator-line representation of a wind turbine for computational fluid dynamics, it is common practice to volumetrically project the line force onto the flow field to create a body force in the fluid momentum equation. The objective of this study is to investigate how different volumetric projection techniques of the body force created by an actuator-line wind turbine rotor model affect the generated wake characteristics and blade loads in a turbine-turbine interaction problem. Two techniques for the body-force projection width are used , and they are based on either i) the grid spacing, or ii) the combination of grid spacing and an equivalent elliptic blade planform. An array of two NREL 5-MW turbines separated by seven rotor diameters is simulated within a large-eddy simulation solver subject to offshore neutral and moderately-convective atmospheric boundary-layer inflow. Power, thrust,and bending moment histories of both turbines, the statistics of angle of attack and blade loads over 2000 sec, variations in the mean and fluctuating velocity components, and turbulent kinetic energy and selected Reynolds stresses along vertical and spanwise sampling locations in the wake are analyzed. Comparisons for the different techniques of determining the body-force projection width of the actuator-line method are made and their effect on different physical quantities are assessed.

Atmospheric boundary layer, wind turbine wake↗

Statistical prediction of dynamic distortion of inlet flow using minimum dynamic measurement. An application to the Melick statistical method and inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction without RMS measurements

The Melick method of inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction by statistical means is outlined. A hypothetic vortex model is used as the basis for the mathematical formulations. The main variables are identified by matching the theoretical total pressure rms ratio with the measured total pressure rms ratio. Data comparisons, using the HiMAT inlet test data set, indicate satisfactory prediction of the dynamic peak distortion for cases with boundary layer control device vortex generators. A method for the dynamic probe selection was developed. Validity of the probe selection criteria is demonstrated by comparing the reduced-probe predictions with the 40-probe predictions. It is indicated that the the number of dynamic probes can be reduced to as few as two and still retain good accuracy.

Schweikhard, W. G.↗