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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of magnetic dipole strength in 40 Ar between 9.3 and 10.3 MeV excitation energy and impact on neutral current neutrino interaction

The magnetic dipole strength 𝐵⁡(𝑀⁢1 ↑) of 40 Ar was measured in the excitation energy range between 9.3 and 10.3 MeV. The nuclear resonance fluorescence technique was used with monoenergetic, linearly polarized incident photon beams. The new data increase the known 𝐵⁡(𝑀⁢1 ↑) strength in this important excitation energy range by a factor of 2, resulting in an equivalent increase of the calculated neutral current neutrino cross section of 40 Ar . This observation is of special interest for liquid-argon (LAr)-based neutrino detectors. 𝐵⁡(𝑀⁢1 ↑) strength has not been found between 10.3 and 11.7 MeV excitation energy. In conclusion, with the new data, a more reliable detection capability of the large Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment LAr detectors can be derived for potential core-collapse supernova neutrinos via the neutral current interaction.

Energy levels↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transition from weak to strong coupling in thermal gauge theories: Lessons from 𝒩 = 4 SYM theory

We investigate the transition between weak and strong coupling in thermal 𝒩 =4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory as a function of ’t Hooft coupling 𝜆 for several quantities of phenomenological interest for which next-to-leading order calculations are available in both regimes. We use Padé approximants to interpolate between the weak and strong coupling expansions and determine the location and width of the transition between the asymptotic regimes.

Gauge Theories↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ninth International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics, 2018

The Ninth International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics (CD18) was hosted by the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) and held on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC. The workshop was from September 17 th to 21 st , 2018. This series of workshops, which started at MIT in 1994, brings together theorists and experimentalists every three years to discuss the status and challenges in the physics of low-energy quantum chromodynamics (QCD), Goldstone Boson dynamics, meson-baryon interactions, few-body physics, lattice QCD and Chiral Perturbation Theory. The last workshop was jointly hosted by the Department of Physics of the University of Pisa and the Pisa branch of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare in July 2015. Previous hosts of the workshop include MIT in 1994, the University of Mainz in 1997, Jefferson Lab in 2000 and 2012, the University of Bonn in 2003, TUNL and Duke University in 2006, and the University of Bern in 2009. Hosting this workshop is an important and substantial service to the international low-energy QCD physics community. Nearly 120 participants attended the workshop, which delivered twenty plenary talks, and over ninety parallel presentations. Proceedings of the workshop are published in Proceedings of Science at https://pos.sissa.it/317/. These proceedings present topics convened in this 9 th workshop and provide a comprehensive review of the field, highlighting recent accomplishments and discussing challenges that will motivate research in the coming years.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Enhancing Radionuclide Production Capabilities at the Duke University Medical Center Cyclotron with a Focus on Astatine-211

Radionuclides play an important role in a diverse array of fields including physics, chemistry, agriculture, materials science, national security, medical research and patient care. Establishing a reliable domestic supply of key radionuclides is critical to our national competitiveness in these areas. Regarding medical applications, targeted alpha-particle therapy (TAT) has become of great interest to basic researchers and clinicians alike and is emerging as a valuable and cost-effective approach for cancer treatment. Unfortunately, progress in TAT, particularly with regard to its clinical translation, has been severely hampered by the limited availability of the most promising radionuclides at a reasonable cost, and with appropriate chemical and radiochemical purity. In this project, we have attempted to address this problem by focusing on production of the 7.2-h half-life α-particle emitter, 211 At, which has long been considered to be one of the most promising radionuclides for TAT. We note that he critical importance of improving the supply of 211 At in the United States was noted in the Funding Opportunity Announcement related to this project. At Duke University, we have a CS-30 cyclotron that is one of the few accelerators in the United States that has an alpha-particle beam that has enough energy to make useful quantities of 211 At. With this cyclotron, we have been able to produce more 211 At than anywhere else in the world because of our unique internal cyclotron target system. However, the CS-30 cyclotron is nearly 40 years old and was no longer reliable. In addition, its operation required considerable skill, largely because it had analog control systems, and vital parts including old-fashioned power supplies, were becoming unavailable. For these reasons, the current project was undertaken to evaluate all the subsystems of the CS-30 cyclotron and replace, repair, and update them. With help from our consultant, Ionetix, this has now been accomplished. We believe that because of this work, the CS-30 can reliably supply 211 At for basic research and clinical trials both at Duke and beyond.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hopping mediated transport between finite pools of redox proteins

Transport reactions in biology involve the flow of particles—electrons, ions, or molecules—between reservoirs. Here, we explore how electron transport between finite reservoirs depends on the nature of the reservoirs, including their size, occupancy, and interactions. We compare the transport kinetics produced by narrowband and wideband infinite reservoir models (described earlier) with a finite narrowband reservoir model. The transport between finite reservoirs is found to depend on both the initial charge distribution and the number of carriers present. Whether or not a steady-state transport regime is accessed prior to reaching the equilibrium charge distribution depends on these initial conditions.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Protection of Radial Circuits with High Penetration Distributed Photovoltaics

The paper addresses the shortcomings of distribution protection systems as distribution level photovoltaic installations as well as other inverter based distributed resources are added to the system. Several protection schemes have been evaluated, including distance-based, estimation-based and learning-based. The paper summarizes the results and provides recommendations.

distance protection, radial distribution feeders, ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Ultrafast Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Reactions at Unit Quantum Yield

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions mediate essential biological energy-conversion processes, yet dynamical experiments that distinguish concerted electron/proton motion from sequential electron-transfer/proton-transfer pathways are unprecedented on ultrafast time scales. Here we report a tightly coupled donor–spacer–acceptor assembly, NDI-Sp-PhOH/BI, that enables direct interrogation of light-triggered and ultrafast PCET dynamics. Photoexcitation of the naphthalene diimide chromophore drives charge separation forming NDI radical anion and benzimidazolium phenoxy radical (PhO●/BIH+) products with a 440 fs time constant, followed by thermal charge recombination on a 5 ps time scale. Transient visible/near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopies independently track electron and proton motion and reveal coincident formation and decay of the charge-separated PCET products, excluding detectable phenol radical cation or phenoxide intermediates expected for sequential electron transfer-proton transfer (ET-PT) pathways. Surface-hopping quasiclassical trajectory simulations demonstrate rapid proton relocation coupled to evolution from locally excited to charge-transfer states, congruent with a concerted mechanism. These combined spectroscopic and computational results establish NDI-Sp-PhOH/BI as an archetype for ultrafast, concerted PCET occurring with unit quantum yield; further, because this platform provides distinct electronic and vibrational spectroscopic handles in its ground, electronically excited, and charge-separated states, it provides new opportunities to characterize mechanistic crossover in biomimetic PCET systems.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dark Energy Survey: DESI-independent angular BAO measurement

In this work, we present a measurement of the angular baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale from the completed Dark Energy Survey (DES) dataset excluding the area of overlap with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We follow the same methodology and validation process as in the DES Y6 BAO analysis. We interpret the impact of this measurement in the context of the statistical preference for 𝑤 0 ⁢𝑤 𝑎 cold dark matter (CDM) over Λ⁢CDM when combined with DES Y5 Type Ia supernovae (SN), Planck CMB, and DESI BAO. Based on our previous work, using the full Y6 DES BAO sample, in combination with SN, CMB and DESI data release 1 (DR1) BAO, added 0.3⁢𝜎 in this preference (from 3.7⁢𝜎 to 4.0⁢𝜎), but this ignored possible correlations between datasets. Using our new DESI-independent DES BAO likelihood instead, we find a smaller increase in the statistical preference for 𝑤 0 ⁢𝑤 𝑎 ⁢CDM, from 3.7⁢𝜎 to 3.8⁢𝜎 when using DESI DR1 BAO, and from 4.0⁢𝜎 to 4.1⁢𝜎 when updating to the more recent DESI data release 2 (DR2) BAO. These significances reduce to 3.1⁢𝜎 when using the new calibrated DES SN-Dovekie. Alongside this work, we publicly release baofit_wtheta, the BAO fitting code for the angular correlation function used in the DES Y6 BAO analysis.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dark Energy Survey: Implications for cosmological expansion models from the final DES baryon acoustic oscillation and supernova data

The Dark Energy Survey (DES) recently released the final results of its two principal probes of the expansion history: Type Ia supernovae (SNe) and baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO). In this paper, we explore the cosmological implications of these data in combination with external cosmic microwave background (CMB), big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), and age-of-the-Universe information. The BAO measurement, which is ∼ 2 σ away from Planck ’s Λ CDM predictions, pushes for low values of Ω m compared to Planck, in contrast to SN which prefers a higher value than Planck. We identify several tensions among datasets in the Λ CDM model that cannot be resolved by including either curvature ( k Λ CDM ) or a constant dark energy equation of state ( w CDM ). By combining BAO + SN + CMB despite these mild tensions, we obtain Ω k = - 5.5 - 4.2 + 4.6 × 10 - 3 in k Λ CDM , and w = - 0.94 8 - 0.027 + 0.028 in w CDM . In w CDM , BAO and SN push again in different directions of parameter space, favoring, respectively, w < - 1 and w > - 1 . If we open the parameter space to w 0 w a CDM [where the equation of state of dark energy varies as w ( a ) = w 0 + ( 1 - a ) w a ], all the datasets are mutually more compatible, and we find concordance in the [ w 0 > - 1 , w a < 0 ] quadrant, with BAO pushing for w a < 0 and SN for [ w 0 > - 1 , w a < 0 ] . For DES BAO and SN in combination with Planck -CMB, we find a 3.2 σ deviation from Λ CDM , with w 0 = - 0.67 3 - 0.097 + 0.098 , w a = - 1.3 7 - 0.50 + 0.51 , a Hubble constant of H 0 = 67.8 1 - 0.86 + 0.96 km s - 1 Mpc - 1 , and an abundance of matter of Ω m = 0.310 9 - 0.0099 + 0.0086 . For the combination of all the background cosmological probes considered (including CMB’s angular acoustic scale θ ⋆ ), we still find a deviation of 2.8 σ from Λ CDM in the w 0 - w a plane. Assuming a minimal neutrino mass, this work provides tentative evidence for non- Λ CDM physics, which is consistent with recent claims in support of evolving dark energy, or a source of unknown systematics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Asymptotic coefficients of the attached-eddy model derived from an adiabatic atmosphere

The attached-eddy model (AEM) predicts that the mean streamwise velocity and streamwise velocity variance profiles follow a logarithmic shape, while the vertical velocity variance remains invariant with height in the overlap region of high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulent flows. Moreover, the AEM coefficients are presumed to attain asymptotically constant values at very high Reynolds numbers. Here, the AEM predictions are examined using sonic anemometer measurements in the near-neutral atmospheric surface layer, with a focus on the logarithmic behaviour of the streamwise velocity variance. Utilizing an extensive 210-day dataset collected from a 62 m meteorological tower located in the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho, USA, the inertial sublayer is first identified by analysing the measured momentum flux and mean velocity profiles. The logarithmic behaviour of the streamwise velocity variance and the associated ‘−1’ scaling of the streamwise velocity energy spectra are then investigated. The findings indicate that the Townsend–Perry coefficient (A 1 ) is influenced by mild non-stationarity that manifests itself as a Reynolds number dependence. After excluding non-stationary runs, and requiring the bulk Reynolds number defined using the atmospheric boundary layer height to be larger than 4 × 10 7 , the inferred A 1 converges to values ranging between 1 and 1.25, consistent with laboratory experiments. Furthermore, nine benchmark cases selected through a restrictive quality control reveal a close relation between the ‘−1’ scaling in the streamwise velocity energy spectrum and the logarithmic behaviour of streamwise velocity variance. However, additional data are required to determine whether the plateau value of the pre-multiplied streamwise velocity energy spectrum is identical to A 1 .

atmospheric flows↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of 31 P levels near the proton threshold with nuclear resonance fluorescence and the impact on the 30 Si (𝑝,𝛾)⁢ 31 P thermonuclear rate

We investigated the nuclear structure of 31 P near the proton threshold using nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) to refine the properties of key resonances in the 30 Si (𝑝,𝛾)⁢ 31 P reaction, which is critical for nucleosynthesis in stellar environments. Excitation energies and spin-parities were determined for several states, including two unobserved resonances at 𝐸 𝑟 = 18.7keV and 𝐸 𝑟 = 50.5keV. The angular correlation analysis enabled the first unambiguous determination of the orbital angular momentum transfer for these states. These results provide a significant update to the 30 Si (𝑝,𝛾)⁢ 31 P thermonuclear reaction rate, with direct implications for models of nucleosynthesis in globular clusters and other astrophysical sites. The revised rate is substantially lower than previous estimates at temperatures below 200 MK, affecting predictions for silicon isotopic abundances in stellar environments. Furthermore, our work demonstrates the power of NRF in constraining nuclear properties, and provides a framework for future studies of low-energy resonances relevant to astrophysical reaction rates.

20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy dependence of chain fission product yields from neutron-induced fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu

The lack of completeness and systematic studies of cumulative fission product yield (FPY) from the three major actinides of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu, over a broad energy range, was the primary motivation for the LLNL-LANL-TUNL collaboration. Given the focus on resolving FPY behavior around fission spectrum neutron energies, our 2016 data provides FPY measurements in fine energy steps in the range of 0.5–5.5 MeV and an additional anchor point at 14.8 MeV. Recently, our collaboration filled the gap between second chance fission and 14.8 MeV, providing a comprehensive study at eleven incident neutron energies from 0.5 to 14.8 MeV. However, during the course of the last measurements, it was found that the reported masses of the actinide deposits in the fission ionization chambers, which were used to measure the number of fissions, were not consistent with the complementary tests. Therefore, some corrections to the old data are needed. The purpose of this paper is to summarize all of the high-yield FPY data obtained for 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu isotopes using quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at 11 incident energies ranging from E n = 0.5 to 14.8 MeV.

Tonchev, A. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Labora↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Dark Energy Bedrock All-sky Supernova Program: Cross Calibration, Simulations, and Cosmology Forecasts

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have been essential for probing the nature of dark energy; however, most SN analyses rely on the same low-redshift sample, which may lead to shared systematics. In a companion paper, we introduce the Dark Energy Bedrock All-Sky Supernova (DEBASS) program, which has already collected more than 500 low-redshift SNe Ia on the Dark Energy Camera, and present an initial release of 77 SNe Ia within the Dark Energy Survey (DES) footprint observed between 2021 and 2024. Here, we examine the systematics, including photometric calibration and selection effects. We find agreement at the 10 mmag level among the tertiary standard stars of DEBASS, DES, and Pan-STARRS1. Our simulations reproduce the observed distributions of DEBASS SN light-curve properties, and we measure a bias-corrected Hubble residual scatter of 0.08 mag, which, while small, is found in 10% of our simulations. We compare the DEBASS SN distances to the Foundation sample and find consistency with a median residual offset of 0.016 ± 0.019 mag. Selection effects have negligible impacts on distances, but a different photometric calibration solution shifts the median residual −0.015 ± 0.019 mag, highlighting calibration sensitivity. Using conservative simulations, we forecast that replacing historical low-redshift samples with the full DEBASS sample will improve the statistical uncertainties on dark energy parameters w 0 and w a by 30% and 24%, respectively, enhance the dark energy Figure of Merit by up to 60%, and enable a measurement of fσ 8 at the 25% level.

Acevedo, Maria [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United Sta↗
DOE OSTI2025

2 νββ spectrum in chiral effective field theory

We investigate two-neutrino double beta decay (2νββ) in chiral effective field theory. We find contributions from weak magnetism and double-weak pion-exchange at next-to-leading-order in the chiral power counting. We discuss the impact of the chiral corrections on the electron spectra and find that they should be included in analyses of 2νββ decay that aim to uncover new physics signatures in the electron spectrum. We illustrate this point by revisiting the effect of sterile neutrinos and non-standard charged interactions. We also find that the pion-exchange contributions involve nuclear matrix elements that are related to those appearing in neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ). We investigate whether the 0νββ nuclear matrix elements can be obtained from detailed measurements of the energy spectrum of the outgoing electrons in 2νββ transitions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

In the Mix : A Workshop Merging Computational Chemistry and Electrochemistry Alongside Data Science

As chemistry expands to more complex and interdisciplinary areas, a new generation of diverse researchers must engage with science and learn effective cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication. To these ends, we designed and implemented In the Mix, a graduate student-led, two-day workshop for undergraduate students promoting collaborative science in the context of energy storage innovations. Here, the interactive workshop was designed for future and emerging researchers to gain hands-on experience with data science, computational chemistry, and electrochemistry techniques that are critical for developing materials for battery technologies. Participants also visited commercial renewable energy facilities to help them connect discovery-based research with industry and broader societal considerations. The workshop content and structure ensured that participants experienced the interrelatedness of the fields and understood the importance of collaborative research to yield scientific advances with real-world applications. An external team evaluated the workshop and participants’ perceptions of their experiences. While our research context was energy storage, the workshop goals and outcomes are applicable to other contexts. Interdisciplinary, experiential workshops are a key avenue to broadening participation in science and research, and the ideas presented here can be readily modified for other scientific contexts and/or incorporated as broader impact activities.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Is There a Scalar Atmospheric Surface Layer Within a Convective Boundary Layer? Implications for Flux Measurements

Top‐down entrainment shapes the vertical gradients of sensible heat, latent heat, and CO 2 fluxes, influencing the interpretation of eddy covariance (EC) measurements in the unstable atmospheric surface layer (ASL). Using large eddy simulations for convective boundary layer flows, we demonstrate that decreased temperature gradients across the entrainment zone increase entrainment fluxes by enhancing the entrainment velocity, amplifying the asymmetry between top‐down and bottom‐up flux contributions. These changes alter scalar flux profiles, causing flux divergence or convergence and leading to the breakdown of the constant flux layer assumption (CFLA) in the ASL. As a result, EC‐measured fluxes either underestimate or overestimate “true” surface fluxes during divergence or convergence phases, contributing to energy balance non‐closure. The varying degrees of the CFLA breakdown are a fundamental cause for the non‐closure issue. These findings highlight the underappreciated role of entrainment in interpreting EC fluxes, addressing non‐closure, and understanding site‐to‐site variability in flux measurements.

eddy covariance fluxes of scalars↗
DOE OSTI2025

SITCOMTN-162: Testing the implementation of Metadetection and Cell-Based Coadds on Abell 360 LSSTComCam data

The purpose of this technote is to test the technical quality of LSSTComCam commissioning data, specifically the Rubin_SV_38_7 field, by utilizing cell-based coadds and Metadetection by measuring the tangential and cross weak lensing shear profiles of the massive cluster Abell 360 (called A360 throughout the technote). The process entails generating the cell-based coadds for Metadetection to run on, identifying and removing cluster member galaxies, applying quality cuts, calibrating the shear measurements, and validation. Cell-based coadds and Metadetection are both currently in the process of being implemented within the LSST Science Pipelines at the time of this technote. There is substantial technical value in attempting a difficult measurement prior to full implementation. Measuring the tangential shear around A360 will showcase the current abilities of these algorithms, as well as highlight where work is still needed. As seen from the resulting shear profile of A360, the cell-based coadds and Metadetection are able to work in tandem to produce a shear catalog and resulting reduced shear profile. This technote is one part of a series studying A360 in order to both stress test the commissioning camera and demonstrate the technical capabilities of the Vera Rubin Observatory. We study the quality of the PSF modeling and impact it can have on cluster WL in [Combet et al., 2025], implementation of cell-based coadds and subsequent use for Metadetect [Sheldon et al., 2023] in this technote, photometric calibration in (in prep), source selection and photometric redshifts in [Adari et al., 2025], use of Anacal [Li et al., 2024] to produce a cluster shear profile in [Li et al., 2025], and background subtraction in this field and Fornax in [Zhou et al., 2025].

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗