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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

12 C(p,p') 12 C Reaction ( E p =19.5–30 MeV) for Active Interrogation of Special Nuclear Material

Passive detection of special nuclear material (SNM) is challenging due to its inherently low rate of spontaneous emission of penetrating radiation, the relative ease of shielding, and the fluctuating and frequently overwhelming background. Active interrogation, the use of external radiation to increase the emission rate of characteristic radiation from SNM, has long been considered to be a promising method to overcome those challenges. Current active-interrogation systems that incorporate radiography tend to use bremsstrahlung beams, which can deliver high radiation doses. Low-energy ion-driven nuclear reactions that produce multiple monoenergetic photons may be used as an alternative. The 12 C ( p , p ' ) 12 C reaction is one such reaction that could produce large yields of highly penetrating 4.4- and 15.1-MeV gamma rays. This reaction does not directly produce neutrons below the approximately 19.7 MeV threshold, and the 15.1-MeV gamma-ray line is well matched to the photofission cross section of 235 U and 238 U . In this article, we report the measurements of thick-target gamma-ray yields at 4.4 and 15.1 MeV from the 12 C ( p , p ' ) 12 C reaction at proton energies of 19.5, 25, and 30 MeV. Measurements are made with two 3 -in. EJ-309 cylindrical liquid scintillation detectors and thermoluminescent dosimeters placed at 0 ° and 90 ° , with an additional 1.5 -in. Na I ( Tl ) cylindrical scintillation detector at 0 ° . We estimate the highest yields of the 4.4- and 15.1-MeV gamma rays of 1.65 × 10 10 and 4.47 × 10 8 sr - 1 μ C - 1 at a proton energy of 30 MeV, respectively. The yields in all experimental configurations are greater than in a comparable deuteron-driven reaction that produces the same gamma-ray energies— 11 B ( d , n γ ) 12 C . However, a significant increase of the neutron radiation dose accompanies the proton energy increase from 19.5 to 30 MeV.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2021

Possible quenching of static neutron pairing near the N=98 deformed shell gap: Rotational structures in 160,161 Gd

A 160 Gd beam was accelerated to an energy of 1000 MeV and, separately, bombarded thick targets of 154 Sm and 164 Dy in order to observe neutron-rich, rare-earth nuclei via deep-inelastic collision processes. Gammasphere was utilized to observe g-ray emissions. Here, many new states and transitions were observed in 160 Gd as a result of so-called "unsafe" Coulomb excitation. The ground-state band in 160 Gd has been extended to I π = 20 + and a rotational band based on the K π = 4 + state, previously associated with a hexadecapole vibration, was observed up to 18 + . The quasiparticle configuration of the K π = 4 + band has been determined, and its unusual alignment behavior may result from a possible quenching of static neutron pairing. In addition, the band based on the [523]5/2 quasineutron orbital in 161 Gd was extended from 11/2 – to 33/2 – , and also displays the same unusual alignment behavior.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Direct observation of the exotic β – γ – α decay mode in the T z = – 1 nucleus Na 20

The exotic β – γ – α decay mode of 20 Na has been directly observed for the first time in the Day-one experiment at the Beijing Radioactive Ion-beam Facility. The 20 Na source was produced by using a 100-MeV proton beam bombarding a stack of microporous MgO thick target and delivered as an intense mass separated beam after online ionization. A high-efficiency simultaneous measurement of β, γ, and α transitions enables the β-delayed γ – γ and α – γ coincidence spectroscopy. Here three β – γ – α exotic decay sequences in 20 Na are discovered, which expands the rare decay modes observed in β decay. Moreover, a β – α –decay sequence to the 6130-keV 3 – state of 16 O is observed, which is likely through the 12367-keV 1 + state in 20 Ne. The experimentally deduced B(F) and B(GT) are compared to the shell-model calculation, the allowed β transition strengths can be well accounted for by using sd shell-model space interactions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lowest-energy broad 𝛼-cluster resonances in 19 F

There is strong astrophysical interest in the structure of 19 F states near the α-decay threshold, as their properties are important for understanding the development of α clustering in the 20 Ne region. The emergence of clustered states, and more generally of states that couple strongly to reaction channels near their decay thresholds, is also a topic of current interest in theoretical nuclear physics. In this work, we determine the parameters of broad low-spin states in 19 F near the α-decay threshold and present a theoretical study of these states. The analysis is restricted to ℓ = 0 and 1 resonances in the α + 15 N system close to the α threshold in 19 F. Excitation functions for 15 N(α,α) elastic scattering were measured using the Thick Target Inverse Kinematics (TTIK) method, and these new data, together with older high–energy-resolution measurements, were analyzed within the R-matrix framework. The nuclear structure of 19 F was calculated using configuration-interaction methods with a recently developed effective interaction Hamiltonian. As a result, we identify a sequence of α-cluster resonances in 19 F and map the distribution of clustering strength, which is relevant for astrophysical reaction modeling and for the theoretical understanding of many-body dynamics and the emergence of clustering in loosely bound or unstable nuclei. Furthermore, the work advances theoretical insight into the origins of clustering and highlights open questions for future theoretical and experimental studies.

19F↗
DOE OSTI2022

𝛼-cluster structure in 19 F and 19 Ne in resonant scattering

This work investigates the nuclear structure of 19 F and 19 Ne, which is important for understanding α clustering in the A = 20 mass region and for astrophysical applications. The only high-resolution, broad angular- and energy-range study of the 19 F resonance structure in α + 15 N scattering was published over 60 years ago, when a detailed analysis of complex excitation functions with overlapping resonances and multiple decay channels was not feasible. We have performed a modern R-matrix analysis of these data to assign spins and determine resonance parameters for levels in 19 F up to an excitation energy of 8.2 MeV. Our R-matrix parameters were successfully tested by fitting recent α + 15 N data obtained with the Thick Target Inverse Kinematics (TTIK) method at 180°. The new 19 F parameters were then used to fit TTIK data for α + 15 O, the mirror resonant reaction. In conclusion, comparison of these isobaric mirror reactions provides valuable insight into the underlying nuclear structure.

6 ≤ A ≤ 19↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the energy-differential 35 Cl( n, p 0 ) 35 S cross section via the ratio with 6 Li( n, α ) 3 H

Knowledge of the neutron-induced 35 Cl ⁢(n, x) cross sections is vital to the design and certification of molten chloride fast reactors (MCFRs) since the 35 Cl (n, p 0 ) 35 S reaction is believed to be a significant reactor poison. However, recently published measurements are inconsistent with each other and with evaluation. Here, the goal of this work is to measure the 35 Cl (n, p 0 ) reaction cross section using a technique that is different from recent measurements. The experiment was conducted at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (LBNL) 88-Inch Cyclotron using thick target deuteron breakup from a 14 MeV deuteron beam. Energy-differential 35 Cl (n, p 0 ) 35 S cross sections were obtained via ratio with the 6 Li (n, a)⁢ 3 H reaction using an active target experiment with a Cs 2 ⁢LiYCl 6 (CLYC) scintillator. The 35 Cl (n, p 0 ) reaction cross section was measured from 2.02 to 7.46 MeV. The results are consistent with Kuvin et al., confirming a roughly 50% reduction in magnitude relative to the ENDF/B-VIII.0 evaluation. These data provide new insight into the role of natural Cl as an MCFR poison. The reduction of the 35 Cl (n, p 0 ) reaction cross section compared to evaluation suggests that MCFR criticality is less sensitive to Cl enrichment. This may in turn reduce building and operating costs since isotope separation may not be needed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

PETITE

Monte Carlo generator for production of dark sector objects in thick-target experiments

Kelly, Kevin [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimization of the BDX experiment for Light Dark Matter searches at JLab

The Light Dark Matter (LDM) hypothesis postulates the existence of a new class of sub GeV particles, neutral under Standard Model (SM) interactions. In its simplest form, LDM consists of particles ¿ with masses below 1 GeV/c2, interacting with SM particles via a new force mediated by a light, spin-1 boson A0, commonly referred to as “Dark Photon”. This framework envisions a distinct “Dark Sector” with its own particles and interactions, offering a theoretically well motivated explanation for Dark Matter, consistent with astrophysical observations and a thermal production mechanism. The Beam Dump eXperiment (BDX) is an approved experiment at Jefferson Lab designed to search for Light Dark Matter. BDX will utilize an 11 GeV electron beam impinging on a thick target to produce a forward-boosted secondary beam of Light Dark Matter particles, which will then be detected by a dedicated downstream detector. Approved in 2018, BDX is expected to be commissioned in 2026 and run in 2027-2029. My thesis focuses on the preparatory work to deploy the BDX experiment. The detector design has been optimized to balance practicality with enhanced Light Dark Matter detection capabilities. Extensive characterization of detector components has been performed to ensure a precise understanding of detector response. A custom Monte Carlo framework has been developed to simulate Light Dark Matter signal and explore various theoretical models of interest. Additionally, a comprehensive data analysis framework has been developed to maximize the experiment sensitivity to Light Dark Matter, with optimizations based on expected detector performance. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to optimize BDX as a flagship experiment in Light Dark Matter searches, enabling it to probe different Dark Matter models.

Spreafico, M. [Univ. of Genova (Italy)]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Simulations of positron injector for Ce+BAF

A baseline concept for a continuous wave (CW) polarized positron injector was developed for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab. This concept is based on the generation of CW longitudinally polarized positrons by a high-current, polarized electron beam (1 mA, 130‑370 MeV, and 90% longitudinal polarization) that passes through a rotating, water-cooled, tungsten target. The simulation results for the Ce+BAF injector at the Low Energy Recirculator Facility (LERF) are presented, including positron beam generation, capture, energy selection, and acceleration to 123 MeV. The positron yield (or positron current) and longitudinal polarization are calculated considering the longitudinal and transverse CEBAF acceptances (<1% energy spread, <1 mm bunch length and normalized emittance of <100 mm mrad). The impact of target thickness, drive electron beam energy, and transverse size on positron yield within the required emittance limit is evaluated.

Accelerator Physics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Report to NCSP on FY21 DANCE and NEUANCE measurements of 233 U(n, γ)

In order to complete the statistics needed above 10 keV after the experiment performed in December 2020, a production measurement of the 233 U capture cross section, using the thick target (~20 mg) was proposed for the CY21 runcycle. Through collaboration with the DANCE experimental team, we arranged for the NEUANCE array to stay in place in the CY21 run cycle until the 233 U measurement was complete in June-July 2021, further reducing systematic uncertainties in the measurement. The measurement was performed over 10 days with the 20 mg sample, and the 10 mg sample was placed in the beam for 1 day. The rest of the beam time was used to measure radioactive γ sources for energy calibration, and background measurements and tests to define the 233 U windows required during the data taking. The NEUANCE detector placed inside the DANCE cavity is shown.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Photonuclear Physics in SCALE

Radiation shielding modeling involves a wide range of applications, such as power reactors, critical experiments, portable sources, linear accelerators, and fusion systems. Particle energy ranges vary from thermal energies to fast energy spectra. MAVRIC, as the radiation shielding sequence of the SCALE code system [1] developed and maintained by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is capable of modeling both neutron and photon interactions in matter and is widely used by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and radiation shielding practitioners all around the world. Although most applications don’t involve highly energetic photons that can cause photonuclear reactions and create coupled chains of high energy, ionized electrons and bremsstrahlung radiation within a material medium, when present, these reactions can have a significant impact upon the downstream particle fluxes from incident photons above 20 MeV. For example, linear accelerators used for medical isotope production are examples of applications in which high-energetic photons are generated and used for driving or controlling other components of a complex facility. Radiation shielding analyses of such a facility would require accounting for any and all significant sources of radiation. Unfortunately, MAVRIC included no data and methods to model either photonuclear reactions or the bremsstrahlung photons until this work, which enabled accounting for both. Photonuclear reaction cross sections were imported from the Evaluated Nuclear Data File libraries, and corresponding methods were implemented in the SCALE code system; see Section 2 for how the nuclear data are imported and used. Bremsstrahlung photons were modeled by assuming thick-target approximation whereby all generated electrons and positrons due to photon interactions are assumed to be absorbed within the same material in which they were born, yielding a quick particle transport simulation method by using fast lookup tables for generating subsequent gammas; see Section 4 for details. A suite of verification models was used to test implemented methods and associated data. Tests yielded satisfactory results for the new features. Enhancements will be released as part of the next major SCALE release (v7.0), which is anticipated to be deployed in 2025, with beta releases available in the interim.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Assessment of 180,182, 183,184,186 W Photonuclear Data

When electron beams from accelerators are stopped in thick targets made of materials with a high atomic number (or high-Z targets), they produce photons through braking radiation (commonly known as bremsstrahlung). The efficiency of photon production increases with the atomic number (Z). Tungsten is commonly chosen as a bremsstrahlung converter in both research and medical linear accelerators due to its high Z, large bremsstrahlung cross section, high melting point, and excellent thermal conductivity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

The BDX experiment at Jefferson Laboratory

The Beam Dump Experiment (BDX) at Jefferson Laboratory (JLab) is an electron-beam thick-target experiment to search for Light Dark Matter (LDM) particles in the MeV-GeV mass range. BDX will exploit the high-intensity 10.6 GeV e^-e ? beam from CEBAF accelerator impinging on the beam dump of experimental Hall-A, collecting up to 10^{22}10 22 electrons-on-target (EOT) in a few years time. Any LDM particle produced by the interaction of the primary e^-e ? beam with the beam dump will be detected by measuring their scattering inside the BDX detector, an electromagnetic calorimeter surrounded by an hermetic veto system, which is to be installed in a dedicated underground facility, located 20 m downstream. Thanks to the large detection efficiency and background rejection capabilities, BDX will be able to explore a so-far unknown region in the LDM parameter space, improving current exclusion limits by one order of magnitude in case of a null observation. In preparation to the full experiment, a small-scale version called BDX-MINI, has been built and operated at JLab with a lower energy beam. Despite the small interaction volume, the large accumulated charge of 2.2\times10^{21}2.2×10 21 EOT allowed for the BDX-MINI measurement to set competitive exclusion limits on the LDM parameters space, comparable to those reported by larger-scale efforts.

Celentano, A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sandblasting the r -process: Spallation of Ejecta from Neutron Star Mergers

Neutron star mergers (NSMs) are rapid neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis sites that expel matter at high velocities, from 0.1c to as high as 0.6c. Nuclei ejected at these speeds are sufficiently energetic to initiate spallation nuclear reactions with interstellar medium (ISM) particles. We adopt a thick-target model for the propagation of high-speed heavy nuclei in the ISM, similar to the transport of cosmic rays. We find that spallation may create observable perturbations to NSM isotopic abundances, particularly around the low-mass edges of the r-process peaks where neighboring nuclei have very different abundances. The extent to which spallation modifies the final NSM isotopic yields depends on: (1) the ejected abundances, which are determined by the NSM astrophysical conditions and the properties of nuclei far from stability, (2) the ejecta velocity distribution and propagation in interstellar matter, and (3) the spallation cross sections. Observed solar and stellar r-process yields could thus constrain the velocity distribution of ejected neutron star matter, assuming NSMs are the dominant r-process source. We suggest avenues for future work, including measurement of relevant cross sections.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Beam Dump eXperiment

Hadronic matter makes about 14% of the known universe. The remaining 86% is Dark Matter (DM). Since it does not interact with the ordinary matter via electromagnetic force, DM is not visible and, to date, it escaped detection. The search for Dark Matter (DM) is one of the hottest topic in modern physics. Despite the increasing number of astrophysical and cosmological observations proving the existence, so far no particle physics experiment has detected DM yet. Up to now, most of the experimental efforts have been focused on the so called WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particle) paradigm, which predicts heavy DM (10 GeV-10 TeV mass range) interacting with Standard Model (SM) particles via the weak force mediators (W or Z bosons). More recently, due to the lack of clear evidence of WIMPs, other models of DM gained the interest of the physics community. These models consider Light DM particles (LDM), in MeV-GeV mass range. Among LDM theories, the Dark Photon theory predicts the existence of a Dark Sector interacting with SM particles via a new massive vector boson (Dark Photon, Heavy Photon or A0), mediator of a new force. This scenario, despite being theoretically well motivated, is remarkably experimentally unexplored. The Beam Dump eXperiment (BDX), is an approved experiment at Jefferson Lab (JLab), aiming to discover the DM predicted witihn the Dark Photon theory. The experiment uses the CEBAF (Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility) 11 GeV electron beam, impinging on the JLab Hall-A beam-dump, to produce a beam of DM particles, detected by a ~ 1 m3 detector made of thallium doped cesium iodide (CsI(Tl)) crystals located ~ 20 m downstream. In order to achieve excellent background rejection, the experimental setup includes active vetos and passive shielding surrounding CsI(Tl) crystals. Given the weakness of the DM-SM interaction, the scattering of a DM particle in the BDX detector is a rare event. Therefore, the characterization of the expected background is a critical aspect of the experiment. Both cosmogenic and penetrating SM particles produced by the beam interaction in the dump contribute to the background of the experiment. While the cosmogenic contribution can be measured during the experiment when the beam is off, beam-related background can only be estimated via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Therefore, a careful assessment of possible systematics introduced by the MC is needed. The beam-correlated background characterization was made by measuring the muon flux produced by the interaction of the CEBAF beam with Hall-A dump in a dedicated experimental campaign in spring 2018 [1]. The comparison to the ?ux predicted by MC allowed us to validate the BDX simulation framework. The reach of BDX, i.e. the region that the experiment can probe in the LDM theory parameter space, depends critically on the background rejection capability and signal detection effciency. For this reason, the detector setup was fine-tuned through a dedicated study. The response to LDM and background events was evaluated for different setups and selection cuts. As a result of this procedure, the configuration resulting in the best sensitivity was selected [2]. The reach calculation was performed taking into account the different LDM production mechanisms, including the contribution of secondary particles produced in the beam-dump. In particular, the effect of the secondary positrons annihilation was found to be extremely significant. In the majority of the sensitivity studies, this contribution is neglected, but recent results [3] [4] demonstrated that this process significantly enhances the sensitivity of lepton beam-dump experiments. Currently, the BDX collaboration is focused on the deployment and operation of a small detector, called BDX-MINI, built to perform a preliminary physics measurement searching for LDM at JLab. This test will pave the way to the realization of the full BDX experiment. The measurement is currently ongoing but results are expected by the end of this year. During my PhD I was involved in all aspects of the BDX experiment: design, simulation, prototyping and data analysis. The main results of my work are reported in this thesis. This manuscript is organized as follows: the first Chapter provides an introduction to the theory of LDM, with particular attention to the Dark Photon paradigm; the second Chapter illustrates the BDX experimental setup, the LDM production and detection mechanisms and the expected backgrounds; Chapter 3 and 4 describe, respectively, the BDX-HODO measurement, with a detailed description of the simulations, and the BDX experimental setup and analysis cuts optimization. Chapter 5 reports about BDXMINI detector characterization, calibration and sensitivity estimate. Finally, Chapter 6 describes in detail the calculation of the secondary positron annihilation contribution to the sensitivity of BDX and other electron-beam thick-target experiment.

Marsicano, Luca↗
DOE OSTI2023

νBDX: a Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CEνNS) experiment at Jefferson Lab

Particle physics is an ever-changing field seeking to explain phenomena that lie at the limits of our current knowledge. Among discovered and hypothesized interactions, Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE?NS) stands out as a fascinating and elusive phenomenon, offering a unique window into the nature of neutrinos and their interactions with matter. CE?NS, a process predicted by the Standard Model, represents one of the subtle ways in which neutrinos can interact with atomic nuclei. Unlike other neutrinonucleus interactions, CE?NS occurs coherently, meaning that the entire nucleus collectively responds to the neutrino-mediated weak force, resulting in small energy transfers to the nucleus as a whole. The extremely rare nature of CE?NS events presents a formidable challenge to experimenters seeking to detect and study these interactions. Recent advances in detector technologies and the implementation of large-scale experiments, such as coherent neutrino scattering experiments at research facilities around the world, have opened up new avenues for exploring this elusive phenomenon. These experiments aim not only to observe CE?NS directly but also to extract valuable information on neutrino properties, nuclear structure, and potential deviations from the Standard Model. This thesis aims to study the feasibility of an experiment to study CE?NS at The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, USA. This would be an experiment that exploits the production of neutrinos by an electron beam dumped on a thick target (the beam dump). The large quantity of neutrinos produced and their energy profile are well suited to the purpose of studying the CE?NS. In my thesis, I will start from previous studies on CE?NS and from theoretical considerations regarding the process, then quantify the expected events for a hypothetical experiment and possible backgrounds through simulations aimed at optimizing the geometry of the future detector. I will also show some tests on selected detector components that will be part of a first prototype.

Grazzi, Stefano↗
DOE OSTI2025

Universal method for the optimization of HDC coating uniformity on non-planar, non-stationary substrates for inertial confinement fusion targets

The thickness uniformity of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond coatings on non-planar, non-stationary substrates depends on both the intrinsic instantaneous coating thickness distribution (ICTD) of the coating conditions used and, if applicable, on the frequency of substrate reorientation. While important for many CVD diamond applications, the relative impact of the ICTD and substrate reorientation on the coating thickness uniformity has not been studied. In this work, we systematically investigate the effect of these factors for microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) of diamond (referred to as high density carbon (HDC) in the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) community) coatings on spherical, rolling substrates. This coating technique is used to fabricate capsules for ICF experiments, which require extreme coating uniformity with <0.3 % thickness variation (so-called Mode 1 or M1) to ensure symmetric compression of imploding targets. To extract the otherwise unobservable reorientation timescale (Δt), Monte Carlo simulations were performed using experimental ICTD data as input. This combined approach confirms scaling relationships between the substrate reorientation timescale as well as coating thickness and coating uniformity, as expected from a 3D random walk. Simulations confirm that M1 is Rayleigh-distributed and scales as (Δt) 1/2 , consistent with the randomization of two angles that determine orientation of a sphere. We also demonstrate that, under the conditions studied, Δt is the dominant factor in determining thickness uniformity while the intrinsic ICTD has minimal impact. Finally, experiments show that Δt can be affected by total batch size under constant agitation conditions due to space constraints that limit the capsule reorientation kinetics. In conclusion, this study highlights the utility of a combined experiment-simulation approach as a general methodology for understanding and improving coating uniformity on non-planar, non-stationary substrates.

Capsule↗