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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 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Moving-mesh Simulations of Star-forming Cores in Magneto-gravo-turbulence

Star formation in our Galaxy occurs in molecular clouds that are self-gravitating, highly turbulent, and magnetized. We study the conditions under which cloud cores inherit large-scale magnetic field morphologies and how the field is governed by cloud turbulence. We present four moving-mesh simulations of supersonic, turbulent, isothermal, self-gravitating gas with a range of magnetic mean-field strengths characterized by the Alfvénic Mach number M{sub A,0}, resolving prestellar core formation from parsec to a few astronomical unit scales. In our simulations with the turbulent kinetic energy density dominating over magnetic pressure (M{sub A,0}>1), we find that the collapse is approximately isotropic with B ∝ ρ {sup 2/3}, core properties are similar regardless of initial mean-field strength, and the field direction on 100 au scales is uncorrelated with the mean field. However, in the case of a dominant large-scale magnetic field (M{sub A,0}=0.35), the collapse is anisotropic with B ∝ ρ {sup 1/2}. This transition at M{sub A,0}∼1 is not expected to be sharp, but clearly signifies two different paths for magnetic field evolution in star formation. Based on observations of different star-forming regions, we conclude that star formation in the interstellar medium may occur in both regimes. Magnetic field correlation with the mean field extends to smaller scales as M{sub A,0} decreases, making future Atacama Large Millimeter Array observations useful for constraining M{sub A,0} of the interstellar medium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Multiwavelength Polarization of Rotation-powered Pulsars

Polarization measurements provide strong constraints on models for emission from rotation-powered pulsars. We present multiwavelength polarization predictions showing that measurements over a range of frequencies can be particularly important for constraining the emission location, radiation mechanisms, and system geometry. The results assume a generic model for emission from the outer magnetosphere and current sheet in which optical to hard X-ray emission is produced by synchrotron radiation (SR) from electron–positron pairs and γ -ray emission is produced by curvature radiation (CR) or SR from accelerating primary electrons. The magnetic field structure of a force-free magnetosphere is assumed and the phase-resolved and phase-averaged polarization is calculated in the frame of an inertial observer. We find that large position angle (PA) swings and deep depolarization dips occur during the light-curve peaks in all energy bands. For synchrotron emission, the polarization characteristics are strongly dependent on photon emission radius with larger, nearly 180°, PA swings for emission outside the light cylinder (LC) as the line of sight crosses the current sheet. The phase-averaged polarization degree for SR is less that 10% and around 20% for emission starting inside and outside the LC, respectively, while the polarization degree for CR is much larger, up to 40%–60%. Observing a sharp increase in polarization degree and a change in PA at the transition between X-ray and γ -ray spectral components would indicate that CR is the γ -ray emission mechanism.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1984

Ionospheric electron density irregularities observed by satellite-to-satellite, dual-frequency, low-low Doppler tracking link

A low-low, satellite-to-satellite, dual-frequency, Doppler tracking experiment was performed. The data are analyzed here for irregularities in electron density at the altitude of 212 km. The differential Doppler data with the relative motion term removed are integrated to obtain a representation of the electron density variation along the satellite path. Well-known large-scale features such as the equatorial geomagnetic anomaly and day/night ionization level differences are clearly observed in the integrated data. The larger crest of the morning geomagnetic anomaly is seen to occur in the southern (winter) hemisphere in agreement with previous observations. In addition, a sharp peak in the electron density at the day-to-night transition point is observed in two consecutive revolutions. This effect may be due to the previously postulated atmospheric shock wave generated by supersonic motion of the terminator.

Estes, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Multiwavelength Polarization of Rotation-Powered Pulsars

Polarization measurements provide strong constraints on models for emission from rotation-powered pulsars. We present multiwavelength polarization predictions showing that measurements over a range of frequencies can be particularly important for constraining the emission location, radiation mechanisms, and system geometry. The results assume a generic model for emission from the outer magnetosphere and current sheet in which optical to hard X-ray emission is produced by synchrotron radiation (SR) from electron-positron pairs and gamma-ray emission is produced by curvature radiation (CR) or SR from accelerating primary electrons. The magnetic field structure of a force-free magnetosphere is assumed and the phase-resolved and phase-averaged polarization is calculated in the frame of an inertial observer. We find that large position angle (PA) swings and deep depolarization dips occur during the light-curve peaks in all energy bands. For synchrotron emission, the polarization characteristics are strongly dependent on photon emission radius with larger, nearly 180deg, PA swings for emission outside the light cylinder (LC)‚ as the line of sight crosses the current sheet. The phase-averaged polarization degree for SR is less that 10% and around 20% for emission starting inside and outside the LC, respectively, while the polarization degree for CR is much larger, up to 40%-60%. Observing a sharp increase in polarization degree and a change in PA at the transition between X-ray and gamma-ray spectral components would indicate that CR is the gamma-ray emission mechanism.

Harding, Alice K.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Decoupling the metal insulator transition and crystal field effects of VO 2

VO 2 is a highly correlated electron system which has a metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) with a dramatic change of conductivity accompanied by a first-order structural phase transition (SPT) near room temperature. The origin of the MIT is still controversial and there is ongoing debate over whether an SPT induces the MIT and whether the T c can be engineered using artificial parameters. We examined the electrical and local structural properties of Cr- and Co-ion implanted VO 2 (Cr-VO 2 and Co-VO 2 ) films using temperature-dependent resistance and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements at the V K edge. The temperature-dependent electrical resistance measurements of both Cr-VO 2 and Co-VO 2 films showed sharp MIT features. The T c values of the Cr-VO 2 and Co-VO 2 films first decreased and then increased relative to that of pristine VO 2 as the ion flux was increased. The pre-edge peak of the V K edge from the Cr-VO 2 films with a Cr ion flux ≥ 10 13 ions/cm 2 showed no temperature-dependent behavior, implying no changes in the local density of states of V 3d t 2g and e g orbitals during MIT. Extended XAFS (EXAFS) revealed that implanted Cr and Co ions and their tracks caused a substantial amount of structural disorder and distortion at both vanadium and oxygen sites. The resistance and XAFS measurements revealed that VO 2 experiences a sharp MIT when the distance of V–V pairs undergoes an SPT without any transitions in either the VO 6 octahedrons or the V 3d t 2g and eg states. This indicates that the MIT of VO 2 occurs with no changes of the crystal fields.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Emergence of coherence in the charge-density wave state of 2H-NbSe2

A charge-density wave (CDW) state has a broken symmetry described by a complex order parameter with an amplitude and a phase. The conventional view, based on clean, weak-coupling systems, is that a finite amplitude and long-range phase coherence set in simultaneously at the CDW transition temperature T-cdw. Here we investigate, using photoemission, X-ray scattering and scanning tunnelling microscopy, the canonical CDW compound 2H-NbSe2 intercalated with Mn and Co, and show that the conventional view is untenable. We find that, either at high temperature or at large intercalation, CDW order becomes short-ranged with a well-defined amplitude, which has impacts on the electronic dispersion, giving rise to an energy gap. The phase transition at T-cdw marks the onset of long-range order with global phase coherence, leading to sharp electronic excitations. Our observations emphasize the importance of phase fluctuations in strongly coupled CDW systems and provide insights into the significance of phase incoherence in 'pseudogap' states.

Chatterjee, U.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Spectroscopy and dynamics of the v = 1 levels derived from the OH(D) stretching modes in the I‾∙HDO complex using CW and time-resolved, resonant two-photon infrared excitation of the cryogenically cooled ions

The vibrational energy levels of the two isotopomers adopted by the I‾∙HDO ion-molecule complex occur such that the OH(D) stretching fundamentals span its dissociation energy, thus enabling a spectroscopic investigation of the dynamics displayed by a system prepared in the vicinity of the dissociation threshold. This regime is explored using infrared photoexcitation of the mass-selected complexes cooled in a cryogenic radiofrequency (Paul) ion trap. Survey spectra are obtained at modest resolution using two-color, IR-IR photodissociation with nanosecond lasers to establish the level structure and unimolecular decay dynamics of the v = 1 and 2 levels of the bound OH(D) oscillator. The v = 1 levels are prepared by fixed frequency excitation in the trap and the absorption spectra arising from this excited state are probed by photofragmentation of the complex with a second pulsed IR laser after a variable delay time (0 to 20 ms). The transitions to levels above the dissociation threshold for I‾ + HDO formation are observed to be sharp (~5 cm -1 FWHM). At low pressure, the bound OD (v = 1) population relaxes very slowly (~3 ms), consistent with resonant fluorescence in the IR. The collisional quenching rate constants of this level by the He buffer gas were estimated to be on the order 3 x 10 -12 cm 3 /s based on a crude Stern-Volmer analysis. Here, the rotational fine structure and linewidths (≲0.01 cm -1 FWHM) arising from transitions of the non-bonded OH stretch fundamental of the OD-bound isotopomer that lies just above the dissociation energy are determined using single photon photodissociation by excitation of the 10 K ions with a single-frequency, CW IR laser in the ion trap.

Cryogenic ion infrared spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2022

Possible quadrupole-order-driven commensurate-incommensurate phase transition in B20 CoGe

For this study, the B20-type cobalt germanide CoGe was investigated by measuring the specific heat, resistivity, and 59 Co nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). We observed a phase transition at T Q = 13.7 K, evidenced by a very narrow peak of the specific heat and sharp changes of the nuclear spin-spin (T 2 –1 ) and spin-lattice ( T 1 – 1 ) relaxation rates. The fact that the entropy release is extremely small and the Knight shift is almost independent of temperature down to low temperatures as anticipated in a paramagnetic metal indicates that the T Q transition is of nonmagnetic origin. In addition, we detected a crossover scale T 0 ~ 30 K below which the resistivity and the NMR linewidth increase, and T 1 –1 is progressively distributed in space, that is, a static and dynamical spatial inhomogeneity develops. While the order parameter for the T Q transition remains an open question, a group-theoretical analysis suggests that the finite electric quadrupole density arising from the low local site symmetry at cobalt sites could drive the crystal symmetry lowering from the P2 1 3 symmetry that is commensurate to the R3 symmetry with an incommensurate wave vector, which fairly well accounts for the T Q transition. The quadrupole-order-driven commensurate-incommensurate phase transition may be another remarkable phenomenon arising from the structural chirality inherent in the noncentrosymmetric B20 family.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1985

Scaling of airfoil self-noise using measured flow parameters

Data from an airfoil broadband self-noise study are reported. Attention here is restricted to two-dimensional models at zero angle of attack to the flow. The models include seven NACA 0012 airfoil sections and five flat plate sections with chordlengths ranging from 2.54 to 60.96 cm. Testing parameters include flow velocity to 71.3 m/s and boundary-layer turbulence through natural transition and by tripping. Detailed aerodynamic measurements are conducted in the near-wake of the sharp trailing edges. The noise spectra of the self-noise sources are determined by the use of a cross-spectral technique. The acoustic data are normalized using the measured aerodynamic parameters in order to evaluate a commonly used scaling law. An examination of the Reynolds number dependence of the normalized overall levels has revealed a useful scaling result. This result appears to quantify the transition between turbulent boundary-layer trailing-edge noise and laminar boundary-layer vortex shedding noise.

Brooks, T. F.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Photoreflectance study of the near-band-edge transitions of chemical vapor deposition-grown mono- and few-layer MoS{sub 2} films

Room-temperature photoreflectance (PR) and reflectance (R) spectroscopy are utilized to investigate the near-band-edge transitions of molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) thin films grown on sapphire substrates by a hot-wall chemical vapor deposition system. The layer thickness and optical properties of the MoS{sub 2} thin films are confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscope, and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The B exciton shows relatively weak PL intensity in comparing with the A exciton even for monolayer MoS{sub 2} films. In the R spectrum of few‐layer MoS{sub 2}, it is not possible to clearly observe exciton related features. The PR spectra have two sharp, derivative-like features on a featureless background. Throughout the PR lineshape fitting, the transition energies are designated as the A and B excitons at the K-point of the Brillouin zone, but at room temperature there seems to be no distinguishable feature corresponding to an H‐point transition for the mono- and few-layer MoS{sub 2} films unlike in bulk. These transition energies are slightly larger than those obtained by PL, which is attributed to the Stokes shifts related to doping level. The obtained values of valence-band spin-orbit splitting are in good agreement with those from other experimental methods. By comparing the PR lineshapes, the dominant modulation mechanism is attributed to variations of the exciton transition energies due to change in the built-in electric field. On the strength of this study, PR spectroscopy is demonstrated as a powerful technique for characterizing the near-band-edge transitions of MoS{sub 2} from monolayer to bulk.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1996

Hypersonic Boundary Layer Stability Experiments in a Quiet Wind Tunnel with Bluntness Effects

Hypersonic boundary layer measurements over a flared cone were conducted in a Mach 6 quiet wind tunnel at a freestream unit Reynolds number of 2.82 million/ft. This Reynolds number provided laminar-to-transitional flow over the cone model in a low-disturbance environment. Four interchangeable nose-tips, including a sharp-tip, were tested. Point measurements with a single hot-wire using a novel constant voltage anemometer were used to measure the boundary layer disturbances. Surface temperature and schlieren measurements were also conducted to characterize the transitional state of the boundary layer and to identify instability modes. Results suggest that second mode disturbances were the most unstable and scaled with the boundary layer thickness. The second mode integrated growth rates compared well with linear stability theory in the linear stability regime. The second mode is responsible for transition onset despite the existence of a second mode subharmonic. The subharmonic disturbance wavelength also scales with the boundary layer thickness. Furthermore, the existence of higher harmonics of the fundamental suggests that nonlinear disturbances are not associated with 'high' free stream disturbance levels. Nose-tip radii greater than 2.7% of the base radius completely stabilized the second mode.

Lachowicz, Jason T.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Atomistic Mechanics of Torn Back Folded Edges of Triangular Voids in Monolayer WS 2

Triangular nanovoids in 2D materials transition metal dichalcogenides have vertex points that cause stress concentration and lead to sharp crack propagation and failure. Here, the atomistic mechanics of back folding around triangular nanovoids in monolayer WS 2 sheets is examined. Combining atomic-resolution images from annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy with reactive molecular modelling, it is revealed that the folding edge formation has statistical preferences under geometric conditions based on the orientation mismatch. It is further investigated how loading directions and strong interlayer friction, interplay with WS 2 lattice's crack preference, govern the deformation and fracture pattern around folding edges. Finally, these results provide fundamental insights into the combination of fracture and folding in flexible monolayer crystals and the resultant Moiré lattices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

An end-to-end deep learning method for solving nonlocal Allen–Cahn and Cahn–Hilliard phase-field models

Here, we propose an efficient end-to-end deep learning method for solving nonlocal Allen–Cahn (AC) and Cahn–Hilliard (CH) phase-field models. One motivation for this effort emanates from the fact that discretized partial differential equation-based AC or CH phase-field models result in diffuse interfaces between phases, with the only recourse for remediation is to severely refine the spatial grids in the vicinity of the true moving sharp interface whose width is determined by a grid-independent parameter that is substantially larger than the local grid size. In this work, we introduce non-mass conserving nonlocal AC or CH phase-field models with regular, logarithmic, or obstacle double-well potentials. Because of non-locality, some of these models feature totally sharp interfaces separating phases. The discretization of such models can lead to a transition between phases whose width is only a single grid cell wide. Another motivation is to use deep learning approaches to ameliorate the otherwise high cost of solving discretized nonlocal phase-field models. To this end, loss functions of the customized neural networks are defined using the residual of the fully discrete approximations of the AC or CH models, which results from applying a Fourier collocation method and a temporal semi-implicit approximation. To address the long-range interactions in the models, we tailor the architecture of the neural network by incorporating a nonlocal kernel as an input channel to the neural network model. We then provide the results of extensive computational experiments to illustrate the accuracy, predictive capabilities, and cost reductions of the proposed method.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

On the computation of moments in the Super-Transition-Arrays model for radiative opacity calculations

In the Super-Transition-Array statistical method for the computation of radiative opacity of hot dense matter, the moments of the absorption or emission features involve partition functions with reduced degeneracies, occurring through the calculation of averages of products of subshell populations. Here, in the present work, we discuss several aspects of the computation of such peculiar partition functions, insisting on the precautions that must be taken in order to avoid numerical difficulties. In a previous work, we derived a formula for supershell partition functions, which takes the form of a functional of the distribution of energies within the supershell and allows for fast and accurate computations, truncating the number of terms in the expansion. The latter involves coefficients for which we obtained a recursion relation and an explicit formula. We show that such an expansion can be combined with the recurrence relation for shifted partition functions. We also propose, neglecting the effect of fine structure as a first step, a positive-definite formula for the Super-Transition-Array moments of any order, providing an insight into the asymmetry and sharpness of the latter. The corresponding formulas are free of alternating sums. Several ways to speed up the calculations are also presented.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Direct growth of crystalline SiGe nanowires on superconducting NbTiN thin films

Novel heterostructures created by coupling one-dimensional semiconductor nanowires with a superconducting thin film show great potential toward next-generation quantum computing. Here, by growing high-crystalline SiGe nanowires on a NbTiN thin film, the resulting heterostructure exhibits Ohmic characteristics as well as a shift of the superconducting transition temperature (T c ). The structure was characterized at atomic resolution showing a sharp SiGe/NbTiN interface without atomic interdiffusion. Lattice spacing, as calculated from large-area x-ray diffraction experiments, suggests a potential preferred d-spacing matching between (200) NbTiN and (110) SiGe grains. The observed out-of-plane compressive strain within the NbTiN films coupled with SiGe nanowires explains the downward shift of the superconductivity behavior. The presented results post scientific insights toward functional heterostructures by coupling multi-dimensional materials, which could enable tunable superconductivity that benefits the quantum science applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Controlling the Topological Sector of Magnetic Solitons in Exfoliated Cr 1 / 3 NbS 2 Crystals

Here, we investigate manifestations of topological order in monoaxial helimagnet Cr 1/3 NbS 2 by performing transport measurements on ultrathin crystals. Upon sweeping the magnetic field perpendicularly to the helical axis, crystals thicker than one helix pitch (48 nm) but much thinner than the magnetic domain size (similar to 1 mu m) are found to exhibit sharp and hysteretic resistance jumps. We also show that these phenomena originate from transitions between topological sectors with a different number of magnetic solitons. This is confirmed by measurements on crystals thinner than 48 nm-in which the topological sector cannot change-that do not exhibit any jump or hysteresis. These results show the ability to deterministically control the topological sector of finite-size Cr 1/3 NbS 2 and to detect intersector transitions by transport measurements.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hall effect in LaCrGe 3 at pressures up to 24 kbar and a 𝐻−𝑇 phase diagram of the pressure-induced magnetic phase

LaCrGe 3 is a metallic, itinerant ferromagnet with 𝑇 𝐶 ≈ 86K and an easy magnetic direction along its hexagonal 𝑐 axis. Here we present studies of the 𝐻 ∥ 𝑐 Hall effect in LaCrGe 3 at ambient pressure and under pressures up to 24 kbar. At ambient pressure the anomalous Hall conductivity in the ferromagnetic state reaches a large value of ∼520 Ω − 1 cm −1 . The overall data are consistent with the behavior expected for a ferromagnet with magnetic field applied along its easy axis. Measurements under pressure yield an 𝐻 = 0, 𝑃−𝑇 phase diagram consistent with earlier publications with 𝑇 𝐶 being suppressed with pressure and nonferromagnetic phases appearing for 𝑃 >15 kbar. The data suggest that the observed 𝑇 𝐶 suppression is due to the pressure-dependent exchange interactions rather than suppression of the size of the magnetic moment. Field-dependent Hall resistivity in the higher-pressure, nonferromagnetic state is consistent with the net moment being zero for 𝐻=0. In a finite field there is a sharp anomaly comparable to the one associated with a spin-flip metamagnetic transition. The 𝐻−𝑇 phase diagrams corresponding to a pressure-induced magnetic phase are constructed for several pressures. In conclusion, the Hall data suggest the possibility of the pressure-induced nonferromagnetic phase being a combination of multiple small regions of antiferromagnetic phases with different wave vectors.

Bud'ko, Sergey L. [Ames Laboratory, and Iowa State↗
DOE OSTI2012

Magnetocaloric effect in manganites

The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3}, Sm{sub 0.55}Sr{sub 0.45}MnO{sub 3}, and PrBaMn{sub 2}O{sub 6} compounds is studied. The maximum values of MCE ({Delta}T{sub max}) determined by a direct method in the second and third compositions and in La{sub 0.9}Sr{sub 0.1}MnO{sub 3} are found to be much lower than those calculated from the change of the magnetic part of entropy in the Curie temperature (T{sub C}) and the Neel temperature (T{sub N}) range. The negative contribution of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) part of a sample in the La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}MnO{sub 3} system at 0.1 {<=} x {<=} 0.3 decreases {Delta}T{sub max} and changes the {Delta}T(T) curve shape, shifting its maximum 20-40 K above T{sub C}. Lower values of {Delta}T{sub max} are detected in the range T{sub C} = 130-142 K in polycrystalline and single-crystal Sm{sub 0.55}Sr{sub 0.45}MnO{sub 3} samples cooled in air. If such samples were cooled in an oxygen atmosphere (which restores broken Mn-O-Mn bonds and, thus, increases the volume of CE-type AFM clusters), the maximum in the temperature dependence of MCE is located at T{sub N} (243 K) for CE-type AFM clusters. A magnetic field applied to a sample during the MCE measurements transforms these clusters into a ferromagnetic (FM) state, and both types of clusters decompose at T = T{sub N}. The PrBaMn{sub 2}O{sub 6} composition undergoes an AFM-FM transition at 231 K, and the temperature dependence of its MCE has a sharp minimum at T = 234 K, where MCE is negative, and a broad maximum covering T{sub C}. The absolute values of MCE at both extrema are several times lower than those calculated from the change in the magnetic entropy. These phenomena are explained by the presence of a magnetically heterogeneous FM-AFM state in these manganites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗