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At least 829 records · Page 46

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) studies of returned comet nucleus samples

The most important objective of the Comet Nucleus Sample Returm Mission is to return samples which could reflect formation conditions and evolutionary processes in the early solar nebula. It is expected that the returned samples will consist of fine-grained silicate materials mixed with ices composed of simple molecules such as H2O, NH3, CH4 as well as organics and/or more complex compounds. Because of the exposure to ionizing radiation from cosmic-ray, gamma-ray, and solar wind protons at low temperature, free radicals are expected to be formed and trapped in the solid ice matrices. The kind of trapped radical species together with their concentration and thermal stability can be used as a dosimeter as well as a geothermometer to determine thermal and radiation histories as well as outgassing and other possible alternation effects since the nucleus material was formed. Since free radicals that are known to contain unpaired electrons are all paramagnetic in nature, they can be readily detected and characterized in their native form by the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) method. In fact, ESR has been shown to be a non-destructive, highly sensitive tool for the detection and characterization of paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, and radiation damage centers in terrestrial and extraterrestrial geological samples. The potential use of ESR as an effective method in the study of returned comet nucleus samples, in particular, in the analysis of fine-grained solid state icy samples is discussed.

Tsay, Fun-Dow↗

Fingerprinting triangular-lattice antiferromagnet by excitation gaps

CeCd 3 As 3 is a rare-earth triangular-lattice antiferromagnet with large inter-layer separation. Here, our field-dependent heat capacity measurements at dilution fridge temperatures allow us to trace the field-evolution of the spin-excitation gaps throughout the antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic regions. The distinct gap evolution places strong constraints on the microscopic pseudo-spin model, which, in return, yields a close quantitative description of the gap behavior. This analysis provides crucial insights into the nature of the magnetic state of CeCd 3 As 3 , with a certainty regarding its stripe order and low-energy model parameters that sets a compelling paradigm for exploring and understanding the rapidly growing family of the rare-earth-based triangular-lattice systems

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Evolution of the electrothermal instability from thick rod z pinches subject to dynamically and statically applied axial magnetic field

LDRD Project 229427 aimed to determine how electrothermal instability (ETI) driven heating on a z-pinch rod pulsed with intense current evolves under mixed magnetic field (azimuthal + axial) conditions, which is pertinent to pulsed-power-driven magnetically-insulated transmission lines and physics targets. Experiments focused on diagnosing ETI-driven heating from deliberately-machined and well-characterized micron-scale surface defects (referred to as engineered defects or ED). Prior to the start of this project, understanding of how unmagnetized (B z =0) ED evolve had been obtained—simulations largely reproduce the experimentally observed high temperature spots which develop at the poles of bare/uncoated ED. Project 229427 extended the Mykonos Facility ED experimental platform to include axial field. In the first class of experiments, axial field was provided “dynamically” via a helical return can (HRC). In this case, B z and B θ rise at the same rate. Generally, the HRC generated magnetic field at a fixed polarization angle Φ B =arctan(B z /B θ )=15° on the rod's surface. In the second class of experiments, axial field was provided “statically” via a slow-rising (millisecond) external Helmholtz coil pair. In this case, B z was effectively constant/static throughout the 100 ns rise of the Mykonos current. For either case, a primary goal was to determine whether ETI provides a helical seed perturbation for the subsequent growth of the helical magneto Rayleigh-Taylor modes observed in MagLIF (static B z ) and dynamic screw pinch (DSP, dynamic B z ) experiments. When dynamic field was applied using an HRC, emissions from individual ED aligned toward Φ B , while emissions from ED within pairs elongated and preferentially merged along Φ B . These data strongly support that for a randomized defect distribution, heating from nearby current-density perturbations will favorably merge about Φ B to generate an extended seed perturbation that aligns toward the surface-field polarization, and this may impact the orientation of subsequent MRT growth on imploding liners. The results from the static field experiments were largely inconclusive, as any ETI heating rotation, if present, was obscured/overwhelmed by local/random heating from ED rim imperfections.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Sleep, sleepiness, and circadian rhythmicity in aircrews operating on transatlantic routes

A two-phase study was performed on B-747 crew members operating on regular passenger flights with 9-h time difference. In phase I, sleep-log surveys were obtained. The results for the layover period indicate congruent sleep patterns with shifts in sleep onset less than 9 h; sleep duration was prolonged. Phase II consisted of polygraphic sleep recordings and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLTs) applied to four cockpit crews in a baseline period, during the layover, and after return to home base. During the layover, mean bed times were shifted by about 4.5 h, and sleep was disturbed by early and prolonged awakenings which led to a reduction of sleep efficiency. The ECG and rectal temperature recordings gave evidence for a desynchronization of the circadian system and an internal dissociation of different body functions.

Wegmann, Hans M.↗

Holography on the Spacelab 3 mission

Spacelab 3's Fluid Experiment System, in which triglycine sulfate crystals were produced by a low temperature solution-growth technique, employs holography as its primary data-gathering system. This use of holography allows optical techniques which would be difficult to apply in orbit to be used after the holographic data is returned to ground laboratories, using an analysis of the reconstructed holographic image. The system used allows both single- and double-exposure holograms to be obtained in two separate orthogonal configurations.

Owen, Robert B.↗

Low-temperature Galactic fountains

Analytic and one- and two-dimensional hydrodynamic calculations are performed to determine whether or not the Galactic fountain model can explain observations of neutral gas in the Galactic halo. Galactic halo gasdynamics are examined, including thermal conduction, Galactic rotation, and Galactic fountains. Results are presented from numerical modeling of low-temperature Galactic fountains. It is found that the best reproduction of the observations is provided by a model near the transonic regime with a temperature and density at the base of the fountain of 300,000 K and 0.001/cu cm, respectively. The cooling time for the hot gas is 33 million yr and the time for newly formed clouds to return to the disk is 47 million yr, neglecting drag forces.

Houck, John C.↗

A Single-Block TRL Test Fixture for the Cryogenic Characterization of Planar Microwave Components

The High-Temperature-Superconductivity (HTS) group of the RF Technology Branch, Space Electronics Division, is actively involved in the fabrication and cryogenic characterization of planar microwave components for space applications. This process requires fast, reliable, and accurate measurement techniques not readily available. A new calibration standard/test fixture that enhances the integrity and reliability of the component characterization process has been developed. The fixture consists of 50 omega thru, reflect, delay, and device under test gold lines etched onto a 254 microns (0.010 in) thick alumina substrate. The Thru-Reflect-Line (TRL) fixture was tested at room temperature using a 30 omega, 7.62 mm (300 mil) long, gold line as a known standard. Good agreement between the experimental data and the data modelled using Sonnet's em(C) software was obtained for both the return (S(sub 11)) and insertion (S( 21)) losses. A gold two-pole bandpass filter with a 7.3 GHz center frequency was used as our Device Under Test (DUT), and the results compared with those obtained using a Short-Open-Load-Thru (SOLT) calibration technique.

Mejia, M.↗

Correlation of Electric Field and Critical Design Parameters for Ferroelectric Tunable Microwave Filters

The correlation of electric field and critical design parameters such as the insertion loss, frequency ability return loss, and bandwidth of conductor/ferroelectric/dielectric microstrip tunable K-band microwave filters is discussed in this work. This work is based primarily on barium strontium titanate (BSTO) ferroelectric thin film based tunable microstrip filters for room temperature applications. Two new parameters which we believe will simplify the evaluation of ferroelectric thin films for tunable microwave filters, are defined. The first of these, called the sensitivity parameter, is defined as the incremental change in center frequency with incremental change in maximum applied electric field (EPEAK) in the filter. The other, the loss parameter, is defined as the incremental or decremental change in insertion loss of the filter with incremental change in maximum applied electric field. At room temperature, the Au/BSTO/LAO microstrip filters exhibited a sensitivity parameter value between 15 and 5 MHz/cm/kV. The loss parameter varied for different bias configurations used for electrically tuning the filter. The loss parameter varied from 0.05 to 0.01 dB/cm/kV at room temperature.

Subramanyam, Guru↗

The Use of MERRA-2 Near Surface Meteorology to Understand the Behavior of Planetary Boundary Layer Heights Derived from Wind Profiler Data over the US Great Plains

The atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) that underlies the MERRA-2 reanalysis includes a suite of physical parameterizations that describe the processes that occur in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The data assimilation system assures that the atmospheric state variables used as input to these parameterizations are constrained to the best fit to all of the available observations. Many studies, however, have shown that the GCM-based estimates of MERRA-2 PBL heights are biased high, and so are not reliable for boundary layer studies.A 20-year record of PBL heights was derived from Wind Profiler (WP) backscatter data measured at a wide network of stations throughout the US Great Plains and has been validated against independent estimates. The behavior of these PBL heights shows geographical and temporal variations that are difficult to attribute to particular physical processes without additional information that are not part of the observational record.In the present study, we use information on physical processes from MERRA-2 to understand the behavior of the WP derived PBL heights. The behavior of the annual cycle of both MERRA-2 and WP PBL heights shows four classes of behavior: (i) canonical, characterized by a monthly progression in PBL height that follows the solar insolation, (ii) double peak, characterized by canonical behavior that is interrupted by a minimum in July, (iii) late peak, characterized by a suppressed heights in May and June, and return to canonical in July and August, and (iv) early peak where the PBL height rises with solar insolation but is suppressed later in the summer. The explanation for these behaviors and the relationship to local precipitation, temperature, sensible and latent heat fluxes, net radiation and aerosol load is articulated using information from MERRA-2.

Salmun, Haydee↗

Using Multiplicative Algebraic Reconstruction Techniques (MART) to Derive Instrument Requirements for Computed Tomography Imaging Spectrographs

Computed Tomography Imaging Spectrographs (CTISs), which are generally slitless or large-aperture spectrographs that observe a wide, dispersed field of view in multiple dispersion angles or diffraction orders, provide a unique opportunity to capture spectral information over an extended source, such as the Sun, but require software reconstruction techniques to be fully utilized. A useful data product that can be recovered from CTIS observations is intensity maps of solar features in single spectral lines. These intensity maps can then be used to determine temperature, density, abundance, and equilibrium properties of the emitting plasma. We apply the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) to example data from a variety of CTIS configurations to determine the capability and limitations of the method to return spectrally-pure maps. By completing this study, we aim to establish a path to derive requirements for CTIS instruments that rely on reconstruction techniques to meet their science objectives.

Amy Winebarger↗

Experimental comparison of time synchronization techniques by means of light signals and clock transport on the rotating earth

An experiment was conducted to investigate the equivalence of two methods of time transfer in a noninertial reference frame: by means of an electromagnetic signal using laser light pulses and by means of the slow ground transport of a hydrogen maser atomic clock. The experiment may also be interpreted as an investigation of whether the one-way speeds of light in the east-west and west-east directions on the rotating earth are the same. The light pulses were sent from a laser coupled to a telescope at the NASA Goddard Optical Research Facility (GORF) in Greenbelt, Maryland to the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) in Washington, DC. The optical path was made possible by a 30-cm flat mirror on a water tower near GORF and a 25-cm flat mirror on top of the Washington National Cathedral near USNO. The path length was 26.0 km with an east-west component of 20.7 km. The pulses were reflected back over the same path by a portable array of corner cube reflectors. The transmission and return times were measured with a stationary Sigma Tau hydrogen maser and a University of Maryland event timer at GORF, while the times of reflection were measured with a similar maser and event timer combination carefully transported to USNO. Both timekeeping systems were housed in highly insulated enclosures and were maintained at constant temperatures to within +/- 0.1 C by microprocessor controllers. The portable system was also protected from shock and vibration by pneumatic supports. The difference delta(T) between the directly measured time of reflection according to the portable clock and the time of reflection calculated from the light pulse signal times measured by the stationary clock was determined. For a typical trip delta(T) is less than 100 ps and the corresponding limit on an anisotropy of the one-way speed of light is delta(c/c) is less than 1.5 x 10(exp -6). This the only experiment to date in which two atomic clocks were calibrated at one location, one was slowly transported to the other end of a path, and the times of transmission, reflection, and return of short light pulses sent in different directions along the path were registered.

Nelson, R. A.↗

On the potential impact of a half-degree warming on cold and warm temperature extremes in mid-latitude North America

This study focuses on potential impacts of climate change on the early spring (March-April) temperature and its extremes in the mid-latitudes of North America, discriminated between the 1.5 °C and 2 °C levels of global warming, as projected by a suit of numerical experiments. The results suggest relatively mild seasonal average warming (0.25 °C-1.5 °C), but also an intensification of both warm and cold temperature extremes. Furthermore, the derived changes feature much stronger warming over the West of the United States and weak to no warming to the East, which is congruent with the ventilating effect of the intensified northerly wind over central Canada and the East of the United States. The intensified northerly component of the mid-latitude jet is likely a contributing factor to the derived increased seasonal variability of March-April temperatures over parts of Manitoba and Ontario in Canada, and the Midwest of the United States. The projected changes in temperature extremes agree to some extent with the previous studies: Warm extremes intensify especially over southern mid-latitudes, while cold extremes are weakening over the north mid-to high-latitudes. However, high-resolution simulations with the Community Atmospheric Model 5 (CAM5) indicate much sharper spatial gradients, which translate into higher magnitudes and also more complex patterns of changes. Particularly, cold extremes feature not only reductions north of ~45°N latitudes, but also a very strong intensification of cold extremes (by-4 °C for 20 year return values) in the band 25°-45°N, centered in the Midwest of the United States. While general warming and intensification of the warm extremes may accelerate the arrival of early spring, the intensifying cold extremes may increase the risk of early spring frost damage, and hence may yield a profound impact on the regional agriculture of North America. Combined with reliable information on expected temperature variability at interannual-to-decadal timescales, the background longer-term projections can help inform decision makers in the food security sector.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

RETURN CURRENTS AND ENERGY TRANSPORT IN THE SOLAR FLARING ATMOSPHERE

According to the standard Ohmic perspective, the injection of accelerated electrons into the flaring region violates local charge equilibrium and therefore, in response, return currents are driven by an electric field to equilibrate such charge violation. In this framework, the energy loss rate associated with these local currents has an Ohmic nature and significantly shortens the accelerated electron path. In the present paper, we adopt a different viewpoint and, specifically, we study the impact of the background drift velocity on the energy loss rate of accelerated electrons in solar flares. We first utilize the Rutherford cross-section to derive the formula of the energy loss rate when the collisional target has a finite temperature and the background instantaneously and coherently moves up to equilibrate the electron injection. We then use the continuity equation for electrons and imaging spectroscopy data provided by RHESSI to validate this model. We show that this new formula for the energy loss rate provides a better fit of the experimental data with respect to the model based on the effects of standard Ohmic return currents.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Thermal Annealing Effect on Structure and Properties of Tungsten Surface Irradiated with High Fluence and Low Energy Alpha-Particles

The paper presents research into the surface morphology, helium cluster formation and mechanical properties of high-purity tungsten after the high fluence and low-energy helium ion implantation and subsequent annealing. Investigations are based on scanning electron and atomic force microscopy observations and thermal desorption measurements. Because of the local stresses appearing within the energy loss straggling of helium ions, atoms migrate at distances significantly increasing the ion projective range, and create mobile coalescence of helium atoms and immobile helium-vacancy clusters. The latter form helium bubbles in the energy loss straggling which cause the surface blistering. Local stresses induced by helium coalescence and helium-vacancy clusters beyond the energy loss straggling result in the material strengthening or hardness increase. Subsequent 600°С annealing provides the size growth of blisters on the metal surface irradiated with helium ions and high helium desorption due to the migration of mobile coalescence of helium atoms. With the increasing annealing temperature from 600 to 1000°С, the layer corresponding to the projective range of helium ions fully fractures due to the interstitial helium atoms releasing from immobile helium-vacancy clusters. After 1000°С annealing, the tungsten hardness returns to its initial value.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

A history of mild shocks experienced by the regolith particles on hydrated asteroid Ryugu

Micrometeorites, a possible major source of Earth’s water, are thought to form from explosive dispersal of hydrated chondritic materials during impact events on their parental asteroids. However, this provenance and formation mechanism have yet to be directly confirmed using asteroid returned samples. Here, we report evidence of mild shock metamorphism in the surface particles of asteroid Ryugu based on electron microscopy. All particles are dominated by phyllosilicates but lack dehydration textures, which are indicative of shock-heating temperatures below ~500°C. Microfault-like textures associated with extensively shock-deformed framboidal magnetites and a high-pressure polymorph of Fe–Cr–sulfide have been identified. These findings indicate that the average peak pressure was ~2 GPa. The vast majority of ejecta formed during impact on Ryugu-like asteroids would be hydrated materials, larger than a millimetre, originating far from the impact point. These characteristics are inconsistent with current micrometeorite production models, and consequently, a new formation mechanism is required.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Observing the next galactic supernova

No supernova (SN) in the Milky Way has been observed since the invention of the optical telescope, instruments for other wavelengths, neutrino detectors, or gravitational wave observatories. It would be a tragedy to miss the opportunity to fully characterize the next one. To aid preparations for its observations, we model the distance, extinction, and magnitude probability distributions of a successful Galactic core-collapse supernova (ccSN), its shock breakout radiation, and its massive star progenitor. We find, at very high probability (≅ 100%), that the next Galactic SN will easily be detectable in the near-IR and that near-IR photometry of the progenitor star very likely (≅ 92%) already exists in the Two Micron All Sky Survey. Most ccSNe (98%) will be easily observed in the optical, but a significant fraction (43%) will lack observations of the progenitor due to a combination of survey sensitivity and confusion. If neutrino detection experiments can quickly disseminate a likely position (∼3°), we show that a modestly priced IR camera system can probably detect the shock breakout radiation pulse even in daytime (64% for the cheapest design). Neutrino experiments should seriously consider adding such systems, both for their scientific return and as an added and internal layer of protection against false triggers. We find that shock breakouts from failed ccSNe of red supergiants may be more observable than those of successful SNe due to their lower radiation temperatures. We review the process by which neutrinos from a Galactic ccSN would be detected and announced. We provide new information on the EGADS system and its potential for providing instant neutrino alerts. We also discuss the distance, extinction, and magnitude probability distributions for the next Galactic Type Ia supernova (SN Ia). Based on our modeled observability, we find a Galactic ccSN rate of 3.2{sub −2.6}{sup +7.3} per century and a Galactic SN Ia rate of 1.4{sub −0.8}{sup +1.4} per century for a total Galactic SN rate of 4.6{sub −2.7}{sup +7.4} per century is needed to account for the SNe observed over the last millennium, which implies a Galactic star formation rate of 3.6{sub −3.0}{sup +8.3} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Nitrogen precooling heat exchanger replacement and control system upgrade in superfluid cryoplant at CMTF

Liquid nitrogen precooling is used in most cryoplants to achieve cooldown to 80 K temperature range. In one such system at Fermilab’s CMTF superfluid cryoplant, where the helium supply directly exchanges heat with liquid nitrogen, freezing of nitrogen occurred inside the heat exchanger due to heat exchanger flow imbalance during a cryoplant trip. Trapped vapor pockets of nitrogen within the frozen heat exchanger channels were formed while warming up the heat exchanger, creating high localized pressure and subsequent damage/rupture of the heat exchanger. Replacement of the heat exchanger was done, and modifications were made in the system to rectify future occurrences. The control system was updated to bypass the heat exchanger entirely if the incoming helium stream temperature drops below 76 K. This was done by repurposing two control valves as heat exchanger bypass valves that were previously used for a redundant 80 K adsorber in the coldbox. Additional modifications were made to further prevent return of large amount of cold helium gas from cold end during abrupt cryoplant shutdown. This modification has ensured high reliability of heat exchanger with prevention of freezing of nitrogen which can damage the heat exchanger.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

The melting phenomenon in random-walk model of DNA

The melting phenomenon in a double-stranded homopolypeptide is considered. The relative distance between the corresponding monomers of two polymer chains is modeled by the two-dimensional random walk on the square lattice. Returns of the random walk to the origin describe the formation of hydrogen bonds between complementary units. To take into account the two competing interactions of monomers inside the chains, we obtain a completely denatured state at finite temperature T{sub c}.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗