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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrino Induced Charged Current Coherent Pion Production for Constraining the Muon Neutrino Flux at DUNE

We study neutrino induced charge current coherent pion production (νμ CC-Coh π) as a tool for constraining the neutrino flux at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The neutrino energy and flavor in the process can be directly reconstructed from the outgoing particles, making it especially useful to specifically constrain the muon neutrino component of the total flux. The cross section of this process can be obtained using the Adler relation with the π-Ar elastic scattering cross section, taken either from external data or, as we explore, from a simultaneous measurement in the DUNE near detector. We develop a procedure that leverages νμ CC-Coh π events to fit for the neutrino flux while simultaneously accounting for relevant effects in the cross section. We project that this method has the statistical power to constrain the uncertainty on the normalization of the flux at its peak to a few percent. This study demonstrates the potential utility of aνμ CC-Coh π flux constraint, though further work will be needed to determine the range of validity and precision of the Adler relation upon which it relies, as well as to measure the π-Ar elastic scattering cross section to the requisite precision. We discuss the experimental and phenomenological developments necessary to unlock the νμ CC-Coh π process as a "standard candle'' for neutrino experiments.

Putnam, Gray [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2022

An underground, wireless, open-source, low-cost system for monitoring oxygen, temperature, and soil moisture

Abstract. The use of wireless sensor networks to measure soil parameters eliminates the need to remove sensors for field operations, such as tillage, thus allowing long-term measurements without multiple disturbances to soil structure. Wireless sensors also reduce above-ground cables and the risk of undesired equipment damage and potential data loss. However, implementing wireless sensor networks in field studies usually requires advanced and costly engineering knowledge. This study presents a new underground, wireless, open-source, low-cost system for monitoring soil oxygen, temperature, and soil moisture. The process of system design, assembly, programming, deployment, and power management is presented. The system can be left underground for several years without the need to change the battery. Emphasis was given on modularity so that it can be easily duplicated or changed if needed and deployed without previous engineering knowledge. Data from this type of system have a wide range of applications, including precision agriculture and high-resolution modelling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Short Range Correlation measurements in the quasielastic region with an 11 GeV beam

Electron scattering is a powerful tool for studying high momentum nucleon and quark distributions in nuclei. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) with its 11 GeV beam is capable of studying high momentum nucleons with unmatched precision. The role of short range nucleon configurations and quark distributions is significant for understanding the dynamics of nuclei and their underlying components. Scattering cross section measurements in the kinematic regime x > 1, a region forbidden to the free nucleon, are sensitive to high momentum nucleons, which are believed to come from short range correlations (SRCs). SRCs are strongly interacting, high momentum nucleons with a low center-of-mass momentum that are highly decoupled from the nuclear environment. The focus of this research is on precision measurements of 2N SRCs, the observation of 3N SRCs, and the measurement of parton distribution functions at x > 1

Morean, Casey↗
DOE OSTI2022

Report of the Topical Group on Higgs Physics for Snowmass 2021: The Case for Precision Higgs Physics

A future Higgs Factory will provide improved precision on measurements of Higgs couplings beyond those obtained by the LHC, and will enable a broad range of investigations across the fields of fundamental physics, including the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking, the origin of the masses and mixing of fundamental particles, the predominance of matter over antimatter, and the nature of dark matter. Future colliders will measure Higgs couplings to a few per cent, giving a window to beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics in the 1-10 TeV range. In addition, they will make precise measurements of the Higgs width, and characterize the Higgs self-coupling. Here, this report details the work of the EF01 and EF02 working groups for the Snowmass 2021 study.

Dawson, Sally↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Observed Evolution of the Stellar Mass–Halo Mass Relation for Brightest Central Galaxies

We quantify evolution in the cluster-scale stellar mass–halo mass (SMHM) relation's parameters using 2323 clusters and brightest central galaxies (BCGs) over the redshift range 0.03 ≤ z ≤ 0.60. The precision on the inferred SMHM parameters is improved by including the magnitude gap (m gap ) between the BCG and fourth-brightest cluster member (M14) as a third parameter in the SMHM relation. At fixed halo mass, accounting for m gap , through a stretch parameter, reduces the SMHM relation's intrinsic scatter. To explore this redshift range, we use clusters, BCGs, and cluster members identified using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey C4 and redMaPPer cluster catalogs and the Dark Energy Survey redMaPPer catalog. Through this joint analysis, we detect no systematic differences in BCG stellar mass, m gap , and cluster mass (inferred from richness) between the data sets. We utilize the Pareto function to quantify each parameter's evolution. We confirm prior findings of negative evolution in the SMHM relation's slope (3.5σ), and detect negative evolution in the stretch parameter (4.0σ) and positive evolution in the offset parameter (5.8σ). This observed evolution, combined with the absence of BCG growth, when stellar mass is measured within 50 kpc, suggests that this evolution results from changes in the cluster's m gap . For this to occur, late-term growth must be in the intracluster light surrounding the BCG. We also compare the observed results to IllustrisTNG 300-1 cosmological hydrodynamic simulations and find modest qualitative agreement. However, the simulations lack the evolutionary features detected in the real data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Coastal Acoustic Buoy for Offshore Wind: Project Synthesis

The population of North Atlantic right whales is critically endangered and their habitat overlaps with offshore windfarm leases. It is therefore imperative that effective mitigation strategies be used to avoid impacts on right whales during the construction of offshore windfarms. The Department of Energy issued FOA Number DE-FOA-0001924 to encourage the development of technology that could monitor large exclusion zones for right whales in order to mitigate potential impact of construction noise on right whales. This report summarizes the past two years of the development and evaluation of the Coastal Acoustic Buoy for Offshore Wind (CABOW) project which aimed to develop technology to monitor large exclusion zones for North Atlantic right whales. Over the course of the project SMRU Consulting have implemented a rigorous design process including comparison of different approaches (e.g., single sensor vs multiple sensors), as well as consideration of placement and timing of acoustic monitoring. We have evaluated critical components of the CABOW system including, reliability, detection range, and bearing accuracy in areas adjacent to offshore windfarm leases in Maryland by conducting 3,536 playbacks of simulated right whale upcalls. The maximum call detection range was 7.5 km when noise was 99 dB re 1µPa rms (50-225 Hz), but this reduced to < 1 km when ambient noise levels were high. Our detection probability in the field was measured as a function of range as well as the source-to-noise level ratio allowing us to build a model to predict the probability of detection under various scenarios (sample size: 3,536 calls x 5 buoys = 17,680). The median bearing error was -0.25° but this is likely an underestimate of error due to experimental design. Using the published recall and precision of the two detectors we implemented in the CABOW system, we estimate that at a recall of 80%, our precision was > 80%, within the range of what we were aiming for in this project. To estimate our exclusion zone false negative and false positive rates, we built a simulation model using the empirical data from our field trial. We modelled three to nine CABOW units placed on the 10 km exclusion zone and estimated our false negative rate to be 1% or less (which was our project goal) and our false positive rate to be between seven and nine percent, slightly above our goal of 5%. However, we also modelled an equivalent PAM system that does not have bearing capabilities and found the false positive rates for that system to be six to eight times higher than the CABOW rate. This higher false positive rate of PAM systems with low spatial information could have significant cost repercussions for offshore wind developers by adding work shutdowns or delays without providing additional protection for right whales. The model we built allows us to explore the placement of PAM systems under various scenarios and will thus help facilitate planning of PAM mitigation systems to meet NOAA Incidental Harassment Authorizations for specific windfarms. We achieved an average system uptime of 98.3%, just below our goal of 99%. The issues that caused these short losses of data have been identified and fixed. Right whale detections and audio clips were typically transferred via radio from the buoys to the base station in two to four seconds. We therefore believe we have developed a highly robust real-time PAM system. Based on the above, we feel we have achieved the stated funding goal of developing a cost-effective and robust real-time PAM system that enables the monitoring of large exclusion zones for right whales during the constructions of offshore windfarms. This should lead to decreased costs and risks for the offshore wind sector while providing robust mitigation for right whales. It is important to state that PAM mitigation will need to be implemented with other mitigation strategies (e.g., visual observers) to provide a complete mitigation strategy to ensure that any effects on right whales from offshore windfarm construction is minimized.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Infrared bands of neutral gas-phase carbon clusters in a broad spectral range

The identification of species in the interstellar medium requires precise and molecule-specific spectroscopic information in the laboratory framework, in broad spectral ranges and under conditions relevant to interstellar environments. In this work, we measure the gas-phase infrared spectra of neutral carbon clusters, C N (N = 6–11), in a molecular beam. The C N distribution is formed by photofragmentation of C 60 molecules, concurrently showing a top-down formation mechanism. A broad spectral range in the infrared between 500–3200 cm -1 (20–3.125 μm) is investigated. We observe strong bands between 5 and 6 μm, in conjunction with novel features in the 3 μm region. Density functional theory calculations reveal that these short wavelength modes correspond to combination bands with significant infrared intensity. Moreover, we identify the N ≤ 10 clusters as linear, while C 11 adopts a ring configuration, placing the linear-to-ring transition at N = 11 under our molecular beam conditions. The linearity of C 10 is discussed based on the formation pathway from larger clusters in energetic conditions. Given the vast and very precise infrared information already been released from the James Webb Space Telescope mission, this infrared spectroscopic data set in conjunction with information on formation mechanisms is of major relevance for identifying neutral carbon clusters in astronomical environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structure of the Neutron with Quasi-Elastic Scattering from 3H and 3HE

The magnetic form factor characterizes the magnetic distribution inside the neutron and knowledge of it is essential for the understanding of the neutron structure. The E12-11-112 experiment aimed to measure the neutron magnetic form factor (GnM) from the 3H/3He cross sections ratio, in the Q2 range of 0.5 - 3 GeV2. Quasi-elastic (QE) electron scattering was used to probe nucleons on the nucleus of the mirror 3H and 3He nuclei, in Hall A at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). The use of the mirror nuclei ratio is a novel extraction that cancels several systematic uncertainties from the cross section effects in the ratio. The motivation of this measurement is the disagreement between the precision measurements among the Q2 range of 0.5 - 1 GeV2 in the worldwide data. A total of five Q2 points were taken between this region and four more were taken with a Q2>1 GeV2 in order to estimate the accuracy of the method. Ideally, the 3H/3He ratio should be enough to calculate the magnetic form factor, but due to nuclear effects, there will be a correction of up to 8 % depending on the Q2 value that has to be evaluated before the form factor extraction. The cross sections were measured with a point-to-point uncertainty of 3 - 4.5 %, and the ratios were also evaluated with an uncertainty of 1.5 - 3 %. Therefore, the preliminary studies of the Gn M are summarized, and from the present analysis, it can be concluded that the precision of the measurement in the region of interest will be of the order of 1.5%.

Santiesteban, Sandra↗
DOE OSTI2020

Long-range and local crystal structures of the S r 1 - x C a x Ru O 3 perovskites

Here, the crystal structures of the Sr 1–x Ca x RuO 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) perovskites are investigated using both long-range and local structural probes. High-resolution synchrotron powder x-ray-diffraction characterization at ambient temperature shows that the materials have orthorhombic long-range crystal structures to high precision, and we support previous work showing that Ca 2+ substitution for Sr 2+ primarily changes the tilting of rigid corner-sharing RuO 6 octahedra at their shared oxygen vertices. X-ray pair-distribution function analysis for SrRuO 3 , CaRuO 3 , and one intermediate composition show them to display monoclinic symmetry at the local level; when averaged over different domain orientations this yields orthorhombic symmetry in the long range, and no long-range or local phase transitions are observed between 80 and 300 K for materials with intermediate compositions. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows that the Sr/Ca distribution is random at the nanoscale. Lastly, we plot magnetic characteristics such as the ferromagnetic T c , Curie-Weiss theta, effective moment, and ambient temperature susceptibility vs the octahedral tilt and unit-cell volume.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

New Measurements of the Beam-Normal Single Spin Asymmetry in Elastic Electron Scattering Over a Range of Spin-0 Nuclei

We report precision determinations of the beam-normal single spin asymmetries (A n ) in the elastic scattering of 0.95 and 2.18 GeV electrons off 12 C, 40 Ca, 48 Ca, and 208 Pb at very forward angles where the most detailed theoretical calculations have been performed. The first measurements of A n for 40 Ca and 48 Ca are found to be similar to that of 12 C, consistent with expectations and thus demonstrating the validity of theoretical calculations for nuclei with Z ≤ 20. We also report A n for 208 Pb at two new momentum transfers (Q 2 ) extending the previous measurement. Our new data confirm the surprising result previously reported, with all three data points showing significant disagreement with the results from the Z ≤ 20 nuclei. These data confirm our basic understanding of the underlying dynamics that govern A n for nuclei containing ≲ 50 nucleons, but point to the need for further investigation to understand the unusual A n behavior discovered for scattering off 208 Pb.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Many-Body Perturbation Theory Approach to Energy Band Alignment at the Crystalline Tetracene–Silicon Interface

Hybrid inorganic–organic semiconductor (HIOS) interfaces are of interest for new photovoltaic devices operating above the Shockley–Queisser limit. Predicting energy band alignment at the interfaces is crucial for their design, but represents a challenging problem due to the large scales of the system, the energy precision required and a wide range of physical phenomena that occur at the interface. To tackle this problem, many-body perturbation theory in the non-self-consistent GW approximation, orbital relaxation corrections for organic semiconductors, and line-up potential method for inorganic semiconductors which allows for tractable and accurate computing of energy band alignment in crystalline van-der-Waals hybrid inorganic–organic semiconductor interfaces are used. In this work, crystalline tetracene physisorbed on the clean hydrogen-passivated 1 × 2 reconstructed (100) silicon surface is studied. Using this computational approach, it is found that the energy band alignment is determined by an interplay of the mutual dynamic dielectric screening of two materials and the formation of a dipole layer due to a weak hybridization of atomic/molecular orbitals at the interface. The significant role of the exchange-correlation effects in predicting band offsets for the hybrid inorganic–organic semiconductor interfaces is also emphasized.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Theory uncertainties of the irreducible background to VBF Higgs production

Higgs boson production through gluon fusion in association with two jets is an irreducible background to Higgs boson production through vector boson fusion, one of the most important channels for analyzing and understanding the Higgs boson properties at the Large Hadron Collider. Despite a range of available simulation tools, precise predictions for the corresponding final states are notoriously hard to achieve. Using state-of-the-art fixed-order calculations as the baseline for a comparison, we perform a detailed study of similarities and differences in existing event generators. We provide consistent setups for the simulations that can be used to obtain identical parametric precision in various programs used by experiments. We find that NLO calculations for the two-jet final state are essential to achieve reliable predictions.

Chen, Xuan [Shandong U.] (ORCID:0000000167722196)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Real-time correlation of crystallization and segmental order in conjugated polymers

Modulating the segmental order in the morphology of conjugated polymers is widely recognized as a crucial factor for achieving optimal electronic properties and mechanical deformability. However, it is worth noting that the segmental order is typically associated with the crystallization process, which can result in rigid and brittle long-range ordered crystalline domains. To precisely control the morphology, a comprehensive understanding of how highly anisotropic conjugated polymers form segmentally ordered structures with ongoing crystallization is essential, yet currently elusive. To fill this knowledge gap, we developed a novel approach with a combination of stage-type fast scanning calorimetry and micro-Raman spectroscopy to capture the series of specimens with a continuum in the polymer percent crystallinity and detect the segmental order in real-time. Through the investigation of conjugated polymers with different backbones and side-chain structures, we observed a generally existing phenomenon that the degree of segmental order saturates before the maximum crystallinity is achieved. This disparity allows the conjugated polymers to achieve good charge carrier mobility while retaining good segmental dynamic mobility through the tailored treatment. Moreover, the crystallization temperature to obtain optimal segmental order can be predicted based on T g and T m of conjugated polymers. In conclusion, this in-depth characterization study provides fundamental insights into the evolution of segmental order during crystallization, which can aid in designing and controlling the optoelectronic and mechanical properties of conjugated polymers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced thermal/environmental barrier coatings of high-entropy rare earth disilicates tuned by strong anharmonicity of Eu 2 Si 2 O 7

Advancing thermal/environmental barrier coating (TEBC) materials with integrated thermal-mechanical functions is paramount for safeguarding SiC-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in high-efficiency gas turbines. Herein, we employ a synergistic approach, combining density functional theory (DFT) methods and combinatorial chemistry techniques, to design high-performance and low-cost RE 2 Si 2 O 7 (RE = rare earth elements) TEBC materials tailored for enhanced compatibility with SiC-based CMCs. Expanding on phase stability of alloying pure RE 2 Si 2 O 7 , the investigation extends to the mechanical and thermal properties of solid solution systems, including Er 1/2 Y 3/4 Yb 3/4 Si 2 O 7 , Gd 1/4 Er 1/4 Y 3/4 Yb 3/4 Si 2 O 7 , and Eu 1/4 Er 1/4 Y 3/4 Yb 3/4 Si 2 O 7 . The solid solution systems exhibit a major reduction in lattice thermal conductivity relative to their pure counterparts, achieving ultralow values of 0.25 to 0.39 W m −1 K −1 at 1500 K. Furthermore, the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of these solid solutions are precisely tuned within the desired range for SiC (4.4 to 5.5 × 10 −6 K −1 ), while maintaining good mechanical properties. Here, in particular, the addition of Eu 2 Si 2 O 7 demonstrates to be an important variable to the tuning of CTE and lattice thermal conductivity by leveraging its strong anharmonicity, presenting a pioneering avenue for fine-tuning material properties. In summary, this research not only identifies promising TEBC materials with superior thermal properties, but also introduces a valuable computational material design methodology for the rapid discovery of complex materials for harsh environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Survey of Surveys: I. The largest compilation of radial velocities for the Galaxy

In the present-day panorama of large spectroscopic surveys, the amount, diversity, and complexity of the available data continuously increase. The overarching goal of studying the formation and evolution of our Galaxy is hampered by the heterogeneity of instruments, selection functions, analysis methods, and measured quantities. Here, we present a comprehensive catalogue, the Survey of Surveys (SoS), built by homogeneously merging the radial velocity (RV) determinations of the largest ground-based spectroscopic surveys to date, such as APOGEE, GALAH, Gaia-ESO, RAVE, and LAMOST, using Gaia as a reference. This pilot study serves to prove the concept and to test the methodology that we plan to apply in the future to the stellar parameters and abundance ratios as well. We have devised a multi-staged procedure that includes: (i) the cross match between Gaia and the spectroscopic surveys using the official Gaia cross-match algorithm, (ii) the normalisation of uncertainties using repeated measurements or the three-cornered hat method, (iii) the cross calibration of the RVs as a function of the main parameters on which depend (magnitude, effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, and signal-to-noise ratio) to remove trends and zero point offsets, and (iv) the comparison with external high-resolution samples, such as the Gaia RV standards and the Geneva-Copenhagen survey, to validate the homogenisation procedure and to calibrate the RV zero-point of the SoS catalogue. We provide the largest homogenised RV catalogue to date, containing almost 11 million stars, of which about half come exclusively from Gaia and half in combination with the ground-based surveys. We estimate the accuracy of the RV zero-point to be about 0.16–0.31 km s –1 and the RV precision to be in the range 0.05–1.50 km s –1 depending on the type of star and on its survey provenance. We validate the SoS RVs with open clusters from a high resolution homogeneous samples and provide the systemic velocity of 55 individual open clusters. Additionally, we provide median RVs for 532 clusters recently discovered by Gaia data. The SoS is publicly available and ready to be applied to various research projects, such as the study of star clusters, Galactic archaeology, stellar streams, or the characterisation of planet-hosting stars, to name a few. We also plan to include survey updates and more data sources in future versions of the SoS.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Planar tunneling spectroscopy on van der Waals superconductors with AlO x junction grown by atomic layer deposition

Here, we demonstrate a method for fabricating a high-quality AlO x -based planar tunnel junction using atomic layer deposition, integrated with the exfoliation and transfer techniques for van der Waals (vdW) materials. The tunneling spectroscopy results on exfoliated Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ and 2H-NbSe 2 vdW superconductors are highly consistent with that obtained by ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling spectroscopy on atomically clean surfaces. The planar tunneling devices enable high-precision spectroscopy over a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields and reveal novel features and stark contrast between high-T C cuprates and conventional superconductors. This method represents a universally applicable technique for probing the electronic structure of various two-dimensional vdW materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exploring transport mechanisms in atomic precision advanced manufacturing enabled pn junctions

We investigate the different transport mechanisms that can occur in pn junction devices made using atomic precision advanced manufacturing at temperatures ranging from cryogenic to room temperature. We first elucidate the potential cause of the anomalous behavior observed in the forward-bias response of these devices in recent cryogenic temperature measurements, which deviates from the theoretical response of a silicon Esaki diode. These anomalous behaviors include current suppression at low voltages in the forward-bias response and a much lower valley voltage at cryogenic temperatures than theoretically expected for a silicon diode. To investigate the potential causes of these anomalies, we studied the effects of a few possible transport mechanisms, including band-to-band tunneling, bandgap narrowing, potential impact of non-Ohmic contacts, band quantization, impact of leakage, and inelastic trap-assisted tunneling, through semi-classical simulations. We find that a combination of two sets of band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) parameters can qualitatively approximate the shape of the tunneling current at low bias. This can arise from band quantization and realignment due to the strong potential confinement in δ-layers. We also find that the lower-than-theoretically-expected valley voltage can be attributed to modifications in the electronic band structure within the δ-layer regions, leading to a significant bandgap narrowing induced by the high density of dopants. Finally, we extend our analyses to room temperature operation and predict that trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) facilitated by phonon interactions may become significant, leading to a complex superposition of BTBT and TAT transport mechanisms in the electrical measurements.

band gap↗