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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 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Operation of normal-conducting rf cavities in multi-Tesla magnetic fields for muon ionization cooling: A feasibility demonstration

Ionization cooling is the preferred method for producing bright muon beams. This cooling technique requires the operation of normal conducting, radio-frequency (rf) accelerating cavities within the multi-tesla fields of dc solenoid magnets. Under these conditions, cavities exhibit increased susceptibility to rf breakdown, which can damage cooling channel components and imposes limits on channel length and transmission efficiency. We report, for the first time, stable high-vacuum, normal-conducting cavity operation at gradients of 50 MV / m in an external magnetic field of three tesla, through the use of beryllium cavity elements. This eliminates a significant technical risk that has previously been inherent in ionization cooling channel designs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Analytic model of electromagnetic fields around a plasma bubble in the blow-out regime

An analytic model of the electric and magnetic fields surrounding the nonlinear plasma 'bubble' formed around the high-current electron bunch in a plasma wakefield accelerator is developed. The model, justified by the results of particle-in-cell simulations, accurately captures the thin high-density plasma sheath and extended return current layer surrounding the bubble. The resulting global fields inside and outside the bubble are used to investigate electron self-injection in a plasma with a smooth density gradient. It is shown that accurate description of the current/density sheaths is crucial for quantitative description of self-injection.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic Field Measurements of First Pre-series Full -Length 4.2 m Quadrupole MQXFA03 Using PCB Rotating Coils for the Hi Hi-Lumi LHC Project

The U.S. Hi-Lumi LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project (AUP) and CERN have joined efforts to develop high field quad-rupoles for the Hi-Lumi LHC upgrade. The US national laborato-ries in the AUP project will deliver 10 magnets and each cryostat has two 4.2 m high gradient quadrupoles in it. These magnets are made of Nb3Sn conductors, with large aperture (150 mm) and in-tegrated gradient of 556.9 T. This paper reports on magnetic measurements performed during the vertical test at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in 2019-2020. A warm measurement Z-Scan (+/- 15 A) with 42 Z-positions before cool-down was per-formed at BNL. The results were directly compared to field data measured at LBNL during magnet assembly. Measured harmonics and magnetic center offsets (ΔX and ΔY) have provided timely and informative diagnostics on the magnet structure’s shape at both warm and cold temperatures. A new centering fixture was de-signed and added to better center the warm bore tube which con-tains the rotating coil probe. After the quench training to 16.47 kA was achieved, a complete set of cold measurements (Z-Scan at 16.47 kA and I-Scan from 960 A to 16.47 kA and back to 960 A) was made. Periodic axial variation of allowed and nonallowed harmonics was observed which is related to the coil radial and/or mid-plane variations along the magnet axis. Overall, the average harmonics in the straight section are within the required field boundaries.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling and design of compact, permanent-magnet transport systems for highly divergent, broad energy spread laser-driven proton beams

Laser-driven (LD) ion acceleration has been explored in a newly constructed short focal length laser beamline at the BELLA petawatt facility (interaction point 2, iP2). For applications utilizing such LD ion beams, a beam transport system is required, which for reasons of compactness be ideally contained within 3 m. While they are generated from a micron-scale source, large divergence and energy spread of LD ion beams present a unique challenge to transporting them compared to beams from conventional accelerators. This study gives an overview of proposed compact transport designs using permanent magnets satisfying different requirements depending on the application for the iP2 laser beamline such as radiation biology, material science, and high-energy density science. These designs are optimized for different parameters such as energy spread and peak proton density according to the application’s need. The various designs consist solely of permanent magnet elements, which can provide high magnetic field gradients on a small footprint. While the field strengths are fixed, we have shown that the beam size is able to be tuned effectively by varying the placement of the magnets. The performance of each design was evaluated based on high-order particle tracking simulations of typical LD proton beams. We also examine the ability of certain configurations to tune and select beam energies, critical for specific applications. A more detailed investigation was carried out for a design to deliver 10 MeV LD accelerated ions for radiation biology applications. With these transport system designs, the iP2 laser beamline is ready to house various application experiments.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

From ICF to laboratory astrophysics: ablative and classical Rayleigh-Taylor Instability experiments in turbulent-like regimes

Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) occurs whenever fluids of different densities are accelerated against the density gradient, as is the case for the target ablator in ICF implosions. The advent of megajoule class lasers, like the National Ignition Facility (NIF) or Laser Mégajoule, offers novel opportunities to study turbulent mixing flows in high energy density plasmas for fundamental hydrodynamics or laboratory astrophysics experiments. Here, we review different RTI experiments, performed either at the ablation front or at a classical embedded interface. A two-dimensional bubble-merger, bubble-competition regime was evidenced for the first time at the ablation front in indirect-drive on the NIF thanks to an unprecedented long x-ray drive. Similarly, a novel large-area, planar platform enables the capabilities to perform long duration direct drive hydrodynamics experiments on NIF. Starting from imprinted seeds, a three-dimensional bubble-merger regime was also observed in direct-drive, as larger bubbles overtook and merged with smaller bubbles. In the astrophysical context, RTI also plays a role in supernova (SN) explosions, either of Type Ia or II. We report on experiments performed on the LULI2000 facility studying RTI in scaled laboratory conditions relevant for the physics of young SN remnants. Finally, using a light CH foam as a deceleration medium, we measured, for the first time, the RTI mixing zone by PW transverse radiography.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Friction stir gradient alloying: A high-throughput method to explore the influence of V in enabling HCP to BCC transformation in a γ-FCC dominated high entropy alloy

The compositional possibilities in high entropy alloys (HEAs) is very vast and effective strategies are needed to establish potential alloy chemistries. In this study, friction stir gradient alloying (FSGA), a recently-introduced high-throughput (HT) technique incorporating compositional and microstructural gradients, was used to explore the possibility of introducing a bcc transformation domain in γ-fcc dominated TRIP HEA Fe 38.5 Mn 20 Cr 15 Co 20 Si 5 Cu 1.5 (at.%) by vanadium addition. FSGA has accelerated the process of attaining the composition-microstructure library and the results suggest that vanadium addition of ~1 at.% results in nucleation of α-bcc. Additionally, this is the first observation of ε-hcp to α-bcc transformation in a TRIP HEA and supports the Olson-Cohen model of martensitic transformation (γ-fcc → ε-hcp → α-bcc). ε-hcp is nucleated with a pyramidal orientation by the formation of planar faults on the {111} close-packed planes of γ-fcc, and α-bcc is nucleated in the vicinity of ε-hcp along the {111} γ-fcc trace. There are indications for the formation of basal orientated ε-hcp from intersecting ε-hcp planes orientated for the pyramidal slip. Thus, the study shows the nucleation and growth of the α-bcc phase attributed to the dual effects of chemistry and strain and potential co-existence of all the three phases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

COSMIC RAYS CAN DRIVE STRONG OUTFLOWS FROM GAS-RICH HIGH-REDSHIFT DISK GALAXIES

We present simulations of the magnetized interstellar medium (ISM) in models of massive star-forming (40 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}) disk galaxies with high gas surface densities (Σ{sub gas} ∼ 100 M {sub ☉} pc{sup –2}) similar to observed star-forming high-redshift disks. We assume that type II supernovae deposit 10% of their energy into the ISM as cosmic rays (CRs) and neglect the additional deposition of thermal energy or momentum. With a typical Galactic diffusion coefficient for CRs (3 × 10{sup 28} cm{sup 2} s{sup –1}), we demonstrate that this process alone can trigger the local formation of a strong low-density galactic wind maintaining vertically open field lines. Driven by the additional pressure gradient of the relativistic fluid, the wind speed can exceed 10{sup 3} km s{sup –1}, much higher than the escape velocity of the galaxy. The global mass loading, i.e., the ratio of the gas mass leaving the galactic disk in a wind to the star formation rate, becomes of order unity once the system has settled into an equilibrium. We conclude that relativistic particles accelerated in supernova remnants alone provide a natural and efficient mechanism to trigger winds similar to observed mass-loaded galactic winds in high-redshift galaxies. These winds also help in explaining the low efficiencies for the conversion of gas into stars in galaxies, as well as the early enrichment of the intergalactic medium with metals. This mechanism may be at least of similar importance to the traditionally considered momentum feedback from massive stars and thermal and kinetic feedback from supernova explosions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Radiation damage study of POCO ZXF-5Q graphite for neutrino production targets using 4.5 MeV helium ions

To address the challenges of increased beam power and target survivability associated with next-generation particle production beam lines, high dose, high-energy proton beam conditions are simulated using irradiation from low-energy ion beams. A low-energy ion irradiation study of POCO ZXF-5Q graphite under conditions similar to those of the NuMI NT-02 neutrino production target at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is reported. Helium ion irradiation was performed at 100 ∘ C to a maximum damage level of 0.9 displacements per atom (DPA). Irradiation induced hardening, swelling of the irradiated region, inter-plane lattice expansion, and intraplane lattice contraction with increasing ion fluence was observed using micromechanical (nanoindentation, atomic force microscopy) and electron microscopy (high-resolution imaging, selected area diffraction) characterization. Similar changes were also observed in post irradiation examination of the NT-02 target indicating that ion irradiation can be a valuable tool for estimating radiation damage in proton beam targets. Caution must be exercised though, because the hardening, lattice alteration, and swelling occur to different magnitudes for a given damage level. The observed hardening and embrittlement were greater for ion irradiated graphite. For He ion irradiated samples the lattice spacing changes were smaller at low damage levels (78% less expansion and 71% less contraction at 0.1 DPA) and larger at high damage levels (38% more expansion and 5% more contraction at 0.9 DPA) relative to that observed in the NT-02 target. The magnitude of swelling was 8.5× greater under ion irradiation which is influenced by the differing damage gradients and inclusion of implanted He ions in the region of interest.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SIMULATIONS OF DISK GALAXIES WITH COSMIC RAY DRIVEN GALACTIC WINDS

We present results from high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of isolated Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC)- and Milky-Way-sized galaxies that include a model for feedback from galactic cosmic rays (CRs). We find that CRs are naturally able to drive winds with mass loading factors of up to ∼10 in dwarf systems. The scaling of the mass loading factor with circular velocity between the two simulated systems is consistent with η∝v{sub circ}{sup 1-2} required to reproduce the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In addition, simulations with CR feedback reproduce both the normalization and the slope of the observed trend of wind velocity with galaxy circular velocity. We find that winds in simulations with CR feedback exhibit qualitatively different properties compared to supernova-driven winds, where most of acceleration happens violently in situ near star forming sites. The CR-driven winds are accelerated gently by the large-scale pressure gradient established by CRs diffusing from the star-forming galaxy disk out into the halo. The CR-driven winds also exhibit much cooler temperatures and, in the SMC-sized system, warm (T ∼ 10{sup 4} K) gas dominates the outflow. The prevalence of warm gas in such outflows may provide a clue as to the origin of ubiquitous warm gas in the gaseous halos of galaxies detected via absorption lines in quasar spectra.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Towards advanced polarized electron sources

Polarized electrons play an important role in high-energy and nuclear physics, and their properties have also been exploited in ultrafast electron microscopy. Currently, gallium arsenide crystals illuminated by circular polarized infrared laser light are commonly used for generating polarized electrons. However, the achievable accelerating voltage and the gradient of these electrostatic sources limit the beam quality and quantity. A solution could be to combine gallium arsenide photocathodes with radio-frequency electron guns, which are capable of accelerating beams with significantly higher gradients and voltage. Here we report the successful operation of a gallium arsenide photocathode in a superconducting radio-frequency gun. Our findings are relevant for future sources of polarized electrons.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Vortex-sheet modeling of hydrodynamic instabilities produced by an oblique shock interacting with a perturbed interface in the HED regime

In this work, we consider hydrodynamic instabilities produced by the interaction of an oblique shock with a perturbed material interface under high-energy-density (HED) conditions. During this interaction, a baroclinic torque is generated along the interface due to the misalignment between the density and pressure gradients, thus leading to perturbation growth. Our objective is to understand the competition between the impulsive acceleration due to the normal component of the shock velocity, which drives the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability, and the shear flow across the interface due to the tangential component of the shock velocity, which drives the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, as well as its relation to perturbation growth. Since the vorticity resulting from the shock-interface interaction is confined to the interface, we describe the perturbation growth using a two-dimensional vortex-sheet model. We demonstrate the ability of the vortex-sheet model to reproduce roll-up dynamics for non-zero Atwood numbers by comparing to past laser-driven HED experiments. We determine the dependence of the interface dynamics on the tilt angle and propose a time scaling for the perturbation growth at early time. Eventually, this scaling will serve as a platform for the design of future experiments. This study is the first attempt to incorporate into a vortex-sheet model the time-dependent interface decompression and the deceleration (as well as the corresponding Rayleigh–Taylor instability) arising from laser turn-off.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

High-Brightness Beam Technology Development for a Future Dynamic Mesoscale Materials Science Capability

A future capability in dynamic mesoscale materials science is needed to study the limitations of materials under irreversible and extreme conditions, where these limitations are caused by nonuniformities and defects in the mesoscale. This capability gap could potentially be closed with an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), producing 5 × 10 10 photons with an energy of 42 keV, known as the Matter–Radiation Interactions in Extremes (MaRIE) XFEL. Over the last few years, researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a preconceptual design for a MaRIE-class XFEL based on existing high-brightness beam technologies, including superconducting L-band cryomodules. However, the performance of a MaRIE-class XFEL can be improved and the risk of its operation reduced by investing in emerging high-brightness beam technologies, such as the development of high-gradient normal conducting radio frequency (RF) structures. Additionally, an alternative XFEL architecture, which generates a series of high-current microbunches instead of a single bunch with uniformly high current along it, may suppress the most important emittance degradation effects in the accelerator and in the XFEL undulator. In this paper, we describe the needed dynamic mesoscale materials science capability, a MaRIE-class XFEL, and the proposed microbunched XFEL accelerator architecture in detail.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2019

Efficient On-Orbit Singularity-Free Geopotential Estimation

For vehicles in orbital cruise, either in orbit around a body or in a transfer orbit, gravity is the primary external force; therefore, the complexity of the geopotential model heavily influences the accuracy of the navigation state. As this type of spacecraft requires a highly accurate geopotential model and performs the computation numerous times a second, this calculation needs to be efficient. This calculation needs to include the first and second derivatives of the geopotential because navigation systems can require both the gravitational acceleration and gradient for inertial integration and state filtering. The most efficient method for calculating the geopotential, the forward column method, is discussed in detail, as well as a method to avoid the singularities that exist when using this method. This is shown to decrease the computation time of the geopotential compared to other popular methods. In addition, methods for first and second order propagation are discussed, which decrease the rate at which the full geopotential model needs to be calculated while maintaining the accuracy required of navigation systems. These estimation methods are shown to decrease the necessary computation of the gravity model by multiple orders of magnitude. This method decreases the computation time of the Exploration Upper Stage navigation system geopotential model by potentially an order of magnitude compared with the previous model without affecting the navigation error. A properly implemented geopotential model can have the accuracy of an 8 by 8 model while approaching the computational requirement as using only the J234 coefficients.

Amert, Joel↗
DOE OSTI2016

A Variable Energy CW Compact Accelerator for Ion Cancer Therapy

Cancer is the second-largest cause of death in the U.S. and approximately two-thirds of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy with the majority of the radiation treatments performed using x-rays produced by electron linacs. Charged particle beam radiation therapy, both protons and light ions, however, offers advantageous physical-dose distributions over conventional photon radiotherapy, and, for particles heavier than protons, a significant biological advantage. Despite recognition of potential advantages, there is almost no research activity in this field in the U.S. due to the lack of clinical accelerator facilities offering light ion therapy in the States. In January, 2013, a joint DOE/NCI workshop was convened to address the challenges of light ion therapy [1], inviting more than 60 experts from diverse fields related to radiation therapy. This paper reports on the conclusions of the workshop, then translates the clinical requirements into accelerat or and beam-delivery technical specifications. A comparison of available or feasible accelerator technologies is compared, including a new concept for a compact, CW, and variable energy light ion accelerator currently under development. This new light ion accelerator is based on advances in nonscaling Fixed-Field Alternating gradient (FFAG) accelerator design. The new design concepts combine isochronous orbits with long (up to 4m) straight sections in a compact racetrack format allowing inner circulating orbits to be energy selected for low-loss, CW extraction, effectively eliminating the high-loss energy degrader in conventional CW cyclotron designs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1947

Measurements in Flight of the Flying Qualities of a Chance Vought F4U-4 Airplane: TED No. NACA 2388

The results of flight tests to determine flying qualities of a Chance Vought F4U-4 airplane are presented and discussed herein. In addition to comprehensive measurements at low altitude (about 8000 ft), tests of limited scope were made at high altitude (about 25,000 ft). The more important characteristics, based on a comparison of the test results and opinions of the pilots with the Navy requirements, can be summarized as follows: 1. The short-period control-free oscillations of the elevator angle and the normal acceleration were satisfactorily damped. 2. The most rearward center-of-gravity locations for satisfactory static longitudinal stability with power on, as determined by the control-force variations, were approximately 30 and 27 percent M.A.C. with flaps and gear up and down, respectively. 3. In maneuvering flight the conditions for which control-force gradients of satisfactory magnitude were obtained were seriously limited by sizable changes in the gradient with center-of-gravity location, airspeed, altitude, acceleration factor, and direction of turn. 4. The elevator and rudder controls were satisfactory for landings and take-offs. 5. The trim tabs were sufficiently effective for all controls. 6. The directional and lateral dynamic stability was positive, but the rudder oscillation did not damp within one cycle. The airplane oscillation damped sufficiently at low altitude but not at high altitude. 7. Both rudder-fixed and rudder-free static directional stability were positive over a sideslip range of +/-15 deg. However, the rudder force tended to reverse at high angles of right sideslip with flaps and gear up, power on, at low speeds. 8. The stick-fixed static lateral stability (dihedral effect) was positive in all conditions, but the stick-free dihedral effect was neutral at low speeds with flap and gear down, power on. 9. The yaw due to abrupt full aileron deflection at low speed was mot excessive, and the rudder control was adequate to hold trim sideslip. 10. In abrupt rudder-fixed aileron rolls in the clean configuration the maximum pb/2V for full aileron deflection at low and normal speeds was only 0.064. 11. The stalling characteristics were considered unsatisfactory in all configurations in both straight and turning flight due to inadequate stall warning. The motions in the stalls were not unduly severe, and recovery could be effected promptly by normal use of the controls.

Liddell, Charles J., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Final Technical Report for NSF/DOE partnership grant 1004284/ER54905/SC0004660: 2011- 2013

Research has been performed on two topics: (1) Nonlinear time-dependent phenomena in the regime of electron magnetohydrodynamics (EMHD). (2) Plasma structures forming ”bubbles”. The latter are regions of localized density depletions or enhancements separated from the ambient plasma by sheaths or double layers. Three-dimensional magnetic null points can also be considered as ”magnetic bubbles”. Nonlinear EMHD fields are generated by pulsed magnetic loops. The magnetic field varies in time faster than an ion cyclotron period, hence interacts only with electrons. Space charge electric fields are created when magnetic forces try to separate electrons from ions. Electric and magnetic forces nearly balance to keep the plasma quasi neutral. This leads to rotational electron motions, i.e. Hall currents and associated magnetic perturbations. When the time scale falls between the ion and electron cyclotron period the magnetic perturbation is convected in the whistler mode. When the time-varying magnetic field exceeds the background magnetic field the whistler mode becomes highly nonlinear since its properties depend on the total magnetic field. When the time-varying magnetic field creates magnetic null points or null lines EMHD breaks down. Electrons can be accelerated in null lines which dissipated magnetic energy like in magnetic reconnection. Energized electrons with anisotropic distributions create secondary whistler instabilities. These effects have been observed in field topologies resembling spheromaks and field-reversed configurations (FRCs). The whistler mode propagation near magnetic nulls is not trivial when the field gradients and wavelength are comparable. Ray tracing is inappropriate when the WKB approximation breaks down. Experiments have been started to map wave propagation on curved field lines with null points. Initial results show that whistlers in highly nonuniform fields have highly oblique phase velocities but the energy flow remains dominantly along the field. Density bubbles are created by anode discharges, typically forming spherical ”fireballs” bounded by a double layer. In a magnetized plasma the shape becomes cylindrical, in nonuniform magnetic fields many asymmetric fireball shapes are possible. Due to electron energization the fireball plasma has higher density and temperature than the ambient plasma. The double layer can also be produced by a high transparency positively biased grid. Instabilities arise from the electron transit through the plasma bubble and the double layer. When a permanent magnet is biased positively the electrons perform ExB drifts in the equatorial plane between the poles. Electron drift modes are excited with a high spectral contents. Similarly, a negatively biased magnet produces a disk-shaped plasma bubble. The cold magnet emits secondary electrons due to the impact of energetic ions. Such magnetron discharges exhibit a variety of instabilities which affect the cross-field transport and sputtering applications. This report will summarize the main effects observed and provide references to more detailed publications.

, nonlinear time-dependent phenomena↗