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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 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Model exospheres of the ringed planets

The theory of rotating ion exospheres in dipolar magnetic field geometries is used to predict certain effects of the rings on the inner plasmaspheres of the ringed planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. The analysis here assumes a purely ionospheric source. It is found that if rings affect only the trapped plasma, the cold plasma density at Saturn will be either reduced or increased by a factor of approximately 2 at L = 1.65, depending on whether the ring populates or empties the trapped trajectories. It is found that if all cold plasma particles on trapped orbits are absorbed and the rings are not a source of plasma, this simple exospheric theory can explain the ionospheric density profile inferred from the Pioneer 11 Saturn radio occultation experiment, in which a localized peak in the profile was observed on field lines threading the Guerin division between the C and D rings.

Luhmann, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Radiation environment models and the atmospheric cutoff

The limitations of radiation environment models are examined by applying the model to the South Atlantic anomaly (SAA). The local magnetic-field-intensity (in gauss) and McIlwain (1961) drift-shell-parameter contours in the SAA are analyzed. It is noted that it is necessary to decouple the atmospheric absorption effects from the trapped radiation models in order to obtain accurate radiation dose predictions. Two methods for obtaining more accurate results are proposed.

Konradi, Andrei↗
DOE OSTI2015

Global magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in the L-2M stellarator

Analysis of global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in the L-2M stellarator (Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) is presented. The properties of free-boundary equilibria states are outlined, the stability conditions for small-scale modes are briefly discussed, and the number of trapped particles is estimated. All the magnetic configurations under study are stable against ballooning modes. It is shown that global ideal internal MHD modes can be found reliably only in Mercier unstable plasmas. In plasma that is stable with respect to the Mercier criterion, global unstable modes that are localized in the vicinity of the free plasma boundary and are not associated with any rational magnetic surface inside the plasma (the so-called peeling modes) can be found. The radial structure of all perturbations under study is almost entirely determined by the poloidal coupling of harmonics. The results of calculations are compared with the available experimental data.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Using Direct Numerical Simulation of Pore-Level Events to Improve Pore-Network Models for Prediction of Residual Trapping of CO2

Direct numerical simulation and pore-network modeling are common approaches to study the physics of two-phase flow through natural rocks. For assessment of the long-term performance of geological sequestration of CO 2 , it is important to model the full drainage-imbibition cycle to provide an accurate estimate of the trapped CO 2 . While direct numerical simulation using pore geometry from micro-CT rock images accurately models two-phase flow physics, it is computationally prohibitive for large rock volumes. On the other hand, pore-network modeling on networks extracted from micro-CT rock images is computationally efficient but utilizes simplified physics in idealized geometric pore elements. This study uses the lattice-Boltzmann method for direct numerical simulation of CO 2 -brine flow in idealized pore elements to develop a new set of pore-level flow models for the pore-body filling and snap-off events in pore-network modeling of imbibition. Lattice-Boltzmann simulations are conducted on typical idealized pore-network configurations, and the interface evolution and local capillary pressure are evaluated to develop modified equations of local threshold capillary pressure of pore elements as a function of shape factor and other geometrical parameters. The modified equations are then incorporated into a quasi-static pore-network flow solver. The modified model is applied on extracted pore-network of sandstone samples, and saturation of residual trapped CO 2 is computed for a drainage-imbibition cycle. The modified model yields different statistics of pore-level events compared with the original model; in particular, the occurrence of snap-off in pore-throats is reduced resulting in a more frontal displacement pattern along the main injection direction. Compared to the original model, the modified model is in closer agreement with the residual trapped CO 2 obtained from core flow experiments and direct numerical simulation.

Kohanpur, Amir H.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Kinetic frustration by limited bond availability controls the LAT protein condensation phase transition on membranes

LAT is a membrane-linked scaffold protein that undergoes a phase transition to form a two-dimensional protein condensate on the membrane during T cell activation. Governed by tyrosine phosphorylation, LAT recruits various proteins that ultimately enable condensation through a percolation network of discrete and selective protein-protein interactions. Here, we describe detailed kinetic measurements of the phase transition, along with coarse-grained model simulations, that reveal that LAT condensation is kinetically frustrated by the availability of bonds to form the network. Unlike typical miscibility transitions in which compact domains may coexist at equilibrium, the LAT condensates are dynamically arrested in extended states, kinetically trapped out of equilibrium. Modeling identifies the structural basis for this kinetic arrest as the formation of spindle arrangements, favored by limited multivalent binding interactions along the flexible, intrinsically disordered LAT protein. These results reveal how local factors controlling the kinetics of LAT condensation enable formation of different, stable condensates, which may ultimately coexist within the cell.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1993

Diurnal tides in the Arctic Ocean

A 2D numerical model with a space grid of about 14 km is applied to calculate diurnal tidal constituents K(1) and O(1) in the Arctic Ocean. Calculated corange and cotidal charts show that along the continental slope, local regions of increased sea level amplitude, highly variable phase and enhanced currents occur. It is shown that in these local regions, shelf waves (topographic waves) of tidal origin are generated. In the Arctic Ocean and Northern Atlantic Ocean more than 30 regions of enhanced currents are identified. To prove the near-resonant interaction of the diurnal tides with the local bottom topography, the natural periods of oscillations for all regions have been calculated. The flux of energy averaged over the tidal period depicts the gyres of semitrapped energy, suggesting that the shelf waves are partially trapped over the irregularities of the bottom topography. It is shown that the occurrence of near-resonance phenomenon changes the energy flow in the tidal waves. First, the flux of energy from the astronomical sources is amplified in the shelf wave regions, and afterwards the tidal energy is strongly dissipated in the same regions.

Kowalik, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Observations of Earthward and tailward propagating flux rope plasmoids: Expanding the plasmoid model of geomagnetic substorms

A survey of Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP 8) magnetometer data for plasmoid signatures during magnetospheric intervals from 1981 through 1983 found 16 plasmoids and 37 traveling compression regions as well as two earthward propagating flux ropes and 19 south-north bipolar lobe signatures. The properties of these relatively near-Earth plasmoids, traveling compression regions, and earthward propagating flux ropes and a qualitative model for their formation are presented. The plasmoids have estimated sizes, durations, magnetic field signatures, downtail velocities, and substorm associations very similar to those of the plasmoids identified in International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE) 3 deep-tail observations. The occurrence frequency of these near-Earth plasma sheet plasmoids is significantly smaller than that of plasmoids found in the mid- and deep tail with ISEE 3. The earthward propagating flux ropes are characterized by a south-north bipolar turning in the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric (GSM) B(sub z) component, are localized near the noon-midnight meridional plane, and are strongly correlated with interplanetary magnetic field B(sub z) north and small isolated high latitude geomagnetic substorms. These events are also apparently very rare and/or spatially localized. We propose that these structures are 'proto-plasmoids,' i.e., plasmoids for which near-Earth magnetic reconnection stopped before all the closed plasma sheet field lines were reconnected. The proto-plasmoids are then 'trapped' inside closed magnetic field lines and propagate earthward owing to the effect of the distant X-line's earthward plasma flow. We suggest that the two different 'types' of plasmoids are due to the different energy states of the magnetosphere during periods of southward and northward interplanetary magnetic field.

Moldwin, Mark B.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thermal equilibrium of collisional non-neutral plasma in a magnetic dipole trap

This paper discusses thermal equilibrium states of single-species plasmas, such as pure electron plasmas and pure positron plasmas, that are confined in a dipole trap. Thermal equilibrium states for such plasmas are routinely realized in the homogeneous magnetic field of Penning–Malmberg traps. We generalize the theory of these states to include inhomogeneous magnetic dipole fields. The approach to thermal equilibrium takes place in two stages with well separated time scales. On the collision time scale, thermal equilibrium is established along each magnetic field line. On the much longer transport time scale, heat conduction and viscosity bring the plasmas on different flux contours into thermal equilibrium, we call this a state of global thermal equilibrium. We present numerical results for local and global thermal equilibria. These results agree with the analytic predictions for charge collections that are large compared with the Debye length. There is, in principle, no limit to the confinement time of a single-species plasma in a global thermal equilibrium state. Experiments with hot electron–ion plasmas performed in the LDX and RT1 devices give us confidence that, in contrast to a Penning–Malmberg trap, a magnetic dipole field can also confine cold quasi-neutral electron–positron pair plasmas on the time scale of the phenomena of interest. Such pair plasmas are assumed to form in the magnetosphere of neutron stars but have so far not been realized in a laboratory. The creation of an electron–positron pair plasma is the main goal of the APEX collaboration.

Steinbrunner, P. (ORCID:0000000317693686)↗
NASA NTRS1977

Carrier generation, recombination, trapping, and transport in semiconductors with position-dependent composition

The spatial variation of the chemical composition of a semiconductor modifies the ideal one-electron energy band model as well as the Shockley equations for carrier recombination and transport in two important ways. The random component of the spatial variation introduces localized states in the energy gap by perturbing the band states. The nonrandom component gives rise to the position dependences of the conduction and valence band edges or the electron affinity and the energy gap. This paper gives the modifications of the Shockley equations from these two effects as well as an example of the steady-state recombination rate from distributed gap states in junction solar cells

Sah, C.-T.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Refinement of Salt Dissolution Inhibitor Requirements (Final Report)

At Savannah River Site (SRS), High-Level Waste is stored in below-grade carbon steel tanks. This waste in part consists of sludge, salt cake, and/or supernate. Preparation of this waste for future processing involves dissolution of the salt cake layer. The salt dissolution process can create conditions that leave the carbon steel tanks susceptible to localized corrosion. The salt to be dissolved contains high concentrations of nitrate, that once released, create an environment that may be conducive to pitting corrosion and/or stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of carbon steel. The salt dissolution process also liberates interstitial liquid trapped between the salt crystals. This liquid is initially high in nitrite and hydroxide concentration. High pH and greater ratios of nitrite to nitrate act as inhibitors to minimize corrosion of carbon steel in high nitrate environments. However, as dissolution proceeds, the concentration of nitrate will increase, while the hydroxide and nitrite concentration of the interstitial liquid will deplete and become insufficient to prevent the onset of corrosion attack. Tank blending and addition of inhibitors are used to ensure adequate concentrations of hydroxide and nitrite. However, this is not desirable during salt dissolution as it can reduce process efficiency and increase the amount of waste that needs processing. It has been proposed that these corrosion control limits be revisited to evaluate the corrosion susceptibility of carbon steel in environments that more closely resemble current operating conditions at SRS. An experimental matrix was designed to evaluate the use of the pitting factor for supernate chemistries characteristic to SRS, particularly during the salt dissolution process. Two electrochemical methods were identified to determine the susceptibility of A537 and A285 low-carbon steels to pitting corrosion with this chemistry envelope at temperatures up to 75 °C. The predominant electrochemical test method was Cyclic Potentiodynamic Polarization (CPP) studies. Through CPP, the pitting factor was used, based on Hanford Site corrosion studies, to accurately identify pitting susceptibility within the compositional range studied with some conservatism. Additionally, sulfate was determined to have no statistically significant influence, at concentrations up to 0.6 M, on pitting behavior in more concentrated solutions where other aggressive species govern pitting susceptibility. Where CPP was inconclusive, Modified ASTM G192 was successfully used to evaluate pitting susceptibility conditions and allowed for a pass/fail result to be determined. In all cases, the pitting factor was determined to be applicable to the simulants tested, with this metric accurately predicting incidences in which pitting occurred. Based upon the findings in this work, a pitting factor of 1.2 is being proposed to build in a safety factor and remain consistent with the Hanford Site approach. Additionally, a minimum pH limit of 12 is proposed to ensure carbon steel passivity and localized corrosion the primary degradation mechanism. Susceptibility to SCC was evaluated using a reduced matrix of tests at 75 °C. No failures due SCC were observed at open circuit. In addition, tests polarized anodically by 200 mV only resulted in failures for trials with pitting factors less than 0.86. However, a test with a passing condition based upon the pitting factor metric (pitting factor = 1.40) did exhibit a failure with an applied potential of +300 mV vs. OCP. This result is contrary to the prediction based upon the pitting factor, however, a polarization of 300 mV, or even 200 mV, from open circuit is substantial. The relationship between these testing parameters and service environment/conditions and the desired level of conservatism in the metric should be further evaluated in the determination of the significance of this result. While the pitting factor accurately predicted susceptibility to SCC at temperatures up to 75 °C and with positive overpotentials up to 200 mV, the relatively small sample matrix and failure of a passing pitting factor with a 300 mV polarization resulted in an inconclusive determination of whether the pitting factor may be used for predicting susceptibility to SCC at temperatures between 50 °C and 75 °C. As such, additional testing is recommended to evaluate the validity of the pitting factor for SCC susceptibility prediction at temperatures between 50 °C and 75 °C.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterization of Two Positional Isomers of the Cs + Gly Complex Using Two-Color, IR–IR Photobleaching of the Cryogenically Cooled Ions

Metal ion binding to amino acid residues is an important interaction motif that controls the tertiary structures of oligopeptides. Analyses of the vibrational band patterns displayed by the amino acid scaffolds are commonly used to characterize the local docking motifs. Here we carry out two-color, IR-IR photobleaching measurements to obtain isomer-selective vibrational spectra of the Cs + Gly ion-molecule complex isolated in a cryogenically cooled, radiofrequency ion trap. The distinct band patterns of two non-interconverting isomers are observed and traced to different bidentate binding motifs between Cs + and the glycine scaffold. In one isomer, the ion attaches to the oxygen atoms of the carboxyl group whereas in the other it docks to the amino nitrogen and the carbonyl oxygen. Attachment to the acid head group yields a very diffuse absorption associated the OH group engaged in a strong intramolecular H-bond that closes a 5 membered ring. Furthermore, the band assignments, rearrangement pathways and electrostatic distortion of the electron density distributions in the glycine scaffold by the proximal ion are explored with electronic structure calculations and anharmonic theory.

Infrared spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2020

Observation of High-Energy Electrons Precipitated by NWC Transmitter From PROBA-V Low-Earth Orbit Satellite

The very low-frequency transmitter in the Northwest Cape of Australia (NWC) has previously been observed to pitch-angle scatter electrons with energies from 30–400 keV, creating enhanced fluxes measured by low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. Here we use observations from the Energetic Particle Telescope on PROBA-V. We compare the measured flux, as a function of local magnetic field strength, when the NWC transmitter is “on” versus “off,” and find enhanced fluxes only when NWC is “on” and located on the nightside. The enhanced fluxes occur in the population gradually transitioning from “permanently trapped” to “quasi-trapped.” We show that electrons up to 800 keV, substantially higher energy than previously studied, are scattered by resonant interactions with NWC to produce enhanced fluxes. The enhanced fluxes appear at multiple L-shells for each energy channel, consistent with resonance conditions at distinct wave normal angles, that indicate ducted interactions at L < 1.55 and unducted interactions at L > 1.65.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Nature of the Positron State in CdSe Quantum Dots

Previous studies have shown that positron-annihilation spectroscopy is a highly sensitive probe of the electronic structure and surface composition of ligand-capped semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) embedded in thin films. The nature of the associated positron state, however, whether the positron is confined inside the QDs or localized at their surfaces, has so far remained unresolved. Our positron-annihilation lifetime spectroscopy studies of CdSe QDs reveal the presence of a strong lifetime component in the narrow range of 358–371 ps, indicating abundant trapping and annihilation of positrons at the surfaces of the QDs. Furthermore, our ab initio calculations of the positron wave function and lifetime employing a recent formulation of the weighted density approximation demonstrate the presence of a positron surface state and predict positron lifetimes close to experimental values. Our study thus resolves the long-standing question regarding the nature of the positron state in semiconductor QDs and opens the way to extract quantitative information on surface composition and ligand-surface interactions of colloidal semiconductor QDs through highly sensitive positron-annihilation techniques.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Van Allen Probes Measurements of Energetic Particle Deep Penetration Into the Low L Region (L < 4) During the Storm on 8 April 2016

In this paper, using measurements from the Van Allen Probes, a penetration event of tens to hundreds of keV electrons and tens of keV protons into the low L shells (L < 4) is studied. Timing and magnetic local time (MLT) differences of energetic particle deep penetration are unveiled and underlying physical processes are examined. During this event, both proton and electron penetrations are MLT asymmetric. The observed MLT difference of proton penetration is consistent with convection of plasma sheet protons, suggesting enhanced convection during geomagnetic active times to be the cause of energetic proton deep penetration during this event. The observed MLT difference of tens to hundreds of keV electron penetration is completely different from tens of keV protons and cannot be well explained by inward radial diffusion, convection of plasma sheet electrons, or transport of trapped electrons by enhanced convection electric field represented by the Volland-Stern model or a uniform dawn-dusk electric field model based on the electric field measurements. Finally, it suggests that the underlying physical mechanism responsible for energetic electron deep penetration, which is very important for fully understanding energetic electron dynamics in the low L shells, should be MLT localized.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Near-field acoustic microbead trapping as remote anchor for single particle manipulation

We recently proposed an analytical model of a two-dimensional acoustic trapping of polystyrene beads in the ray acoustics regime, where a bead diameter is larger than the wavelength used. As its experimental validation, this paper demonstrates the transverse (or lateral) trapping of individual polystyrene beads in the near field of focused ultrasound. A 100 μm bead is immobilized on the central beam axis by a focused sound beam from a 30 MHz single element lithium niobate transducer, after being laterally displaced through hundreds of micrometers. Maximum displacement, a longest lateral distance at which a trapped bead can be directed towards the central axis, is thus measured over a discrete frequency range from 24 MHz to 36 MHz. The displacement data are found to be between 323.7 μm and 470.2 μm, depending on the transducer's driving frequency and input voltage amplitude. The experimental results are compared with their corresponding model values, and their relative errors lie between 0.9% and 3.9%. The results suggest that this remote maneuvering technique may be employed to manipulate individual cells through solid microbeads, provoking certain cellular reactions to localized mechanical disturbance without direct contact.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Perturbative transport modeling of cold-pulse dynamics in Alcator C-Mod Ohmic plasmas

Perturbative transport experiments in magnetically confined plasmas have shown, for more than 20 years, that the injection of cold pulses at the plasma edge can trigger the increase of core temperature. Predictive heat transport simulations with the trapped gyro Landau fluid (TGLF) quasilinear transport model demonstrate that the increase of core temperature in some regimes, and lack thereof in other regimes, can be explained by a change in dominant linear micro-instability in Alcator C-Mod. The effect of density and plasma current on the cold pulse are well captured by TGLF, including the relative change in position of the temperature flex point as current density changes. Linear stability analysis of simulated density and current scans reveals a competition between trapped electron and ion temperature gradient modes as the main driver of the core transient response. Here these results further demonstrate that cold-pulse propagation and associated phenomenology in the cases studied are well explained within the local transport paradigm, without resorting to non-local effects.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Spatial configuration of a plasma bunch formed under gyromagnetic resonance in a magnetic mirror trap

The spatial configuration of a relativistic plasma bunch generated under the gyromagnetic autoresonance and confined in a magnetic mirror trap has been studied experimentally and numerically. The characteristics of bremsstrahlung generated by the plasma bunch from the gas and chamber walls were investigated using X-ray spectroscopy and radiometry, which made it possible to determine the localization of the bunch and analyze the dynamics of its confinement.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗