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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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DOE OSTI2025

Probing circular polarization and magnetic field structure in active galactic nuclei

The composition and magnetic field morphology of relativistic jets can be studied using circular polarization (CP) measurement. Recent three-dimensional relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (3D RMHD) simulations coupled with radiative transfer (RT) calculations make strong predictions about the level (and morphology) of the jet’s CP emission. These simulations show that the sign of CP and the electric vector position angle (EVPA) are both sensitive to the jet’s magnetic field morphology within the radio core. We probe this theory by exploring whether the jet’s radio core EVPA orientation is consistent with the observed sign of the core CP in deep full-track polarimetric observations. Based on a selection of sources from earlier MOJAVE observations, we aim to probe the nature of linear polarization (LP) and CP in the innermost regions of jets from a small sample of nine blazars. This sample includes sources that have exhibited: (i) positive CP; (ii) negative CP; or (iii) positive and negative CP simultaneously in the radio core region. By coupling deep polarimetric observations of a carefully selected sample of blazars with state-of-the-art RMHD and RT calculations, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the physics of blazar jets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gas and dust dynamics in γ Cephei-type disks

Context. Giant planets are observed orbiting the primary stars of close binary systems. Such planets may have formed in compact circumprimary disks, which once surrounded these stars, under conditions much different than those encountered around single stars. Aims. In order to quantify the effects of the strong gravitational perturbations exerted on circumprimary disk material, the three-dimensional (3D) dynamics of gas and dust in orbit around the primary star of a compact and eccentric binary system was modeled by applying the stellar and orbital parameters of γ Cephei, a well-known system that can be representative of a class of close binaries. Methods. Circumprimary gas was approximated as an Eulerian viscous and compressible fluid and modeled by means of 3D hydrodynamical simulations, assuming locally isothermal conditions in the medium around the primary star. Dust grains were modeled as Lagrangean particles, subjected to gravity and aerodynamic drag forces. Models that include a giant planet were also considered. Results. Models indicate that spiral density waves excited around pericenter passage propagate toward the inner boundary of the disk, through at least a few pressure scale-heights from the mid-plane, inducing radial and vertical mixing in the gas. However, perturbations imparted to gas, both in terms of eccentricity and precession, are far weaker than previously estimated by two-dimensional (2D) simulations. Models predict small eccentricities, ≲0.03, and slow retrograde precession. The addition of a giant planet does not change the low eccentricity state of the disk. The parameters applied to the disk would lead to the formation of a massive planet, many times the mass of Jupiter, in agreement with some observations. Micron to mm-size dust grains are well coupled to the gas, resulting in similar dynamics and statistically similar distributions of orbital elements. The planet only affects the dust distributions locally. In agreement with outcomes of recent 2D models, the lifetime of an isolated circumprimary disk would be brief, ~10 5 years, because of its compact nature, requiring a long-term external supply of mass to allow for the in situ formation of a giant planet.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

RF wave simulation for cold edge plasmas using the MFEM library

A newly developed generic electro-magnetic (EM) simulation tool for modeling RF wave propagation in SOL plasmas is presented. The primary motivation of this development is to extend the domain partitioning approach for incorporating arbitrarily shaped SOL plasmas and antenna to the TORIC core ICRF solver, which was previously demonstrated in the 2D geometry [S. Shiraiwa, et. al., “HISTORIC: extending core ICRF wave simulation to include realistic SOL plasmas”, Nucl. Fusion in press], to larger and more complicated simulations by including a 3D realistic antenna and integrating RF rectified sheath potential model. Such an extension requires a scalable high fidelity 3D edge plasma wave simulation. We used the MFEM [http://mfem.org], open source scalable C++ finite element method library, and developed a Python wrapper for MFEM (PyMFEM), and then a radio frequency (RF) wave physics module in Python. This approach allows for building a physics layer rapidly, while separating the physics implementation being apart from the numerical FEM implementation. An interactive modeling interface was built on pScope [S Shiraiwa, et. al. Fusion Eng. Des. 112, 835] to work with an RF simulation model in a complicated geometry.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Radio frequency cavity analysis, measurement, and calibration of absolute Dee voltage for K-500 superconducting cyclotron at VECC, Kolkata

Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre has commissioned a K-500 superconducting cyclotron for various types of nuclear physics experiments. The 3-phase radio-frequency system of superconducting cyclotron has been developed in the frequency range 9-27 MHz with amplitude and phase stability of 100 ppm and {+-}0.2{sup 0}, respectively. The analysis of the RF cavity has been carried out using 3D Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio code and various RF parameters and accelerating voltages ('Dee' voltage) are calculated from simulation. During the RF system commissioning, measurement of different RF parameters has been done and absolute Dee voltage has been calibrated using a CdTe X-ray detector along with its accessories and known X-ray source. The present paper discusses about the measured data and the simulation result.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Microwave radiation power of relativistic electron beam with virtual cathode in the external magnetic field

The study of the output power of the electromagnetic radiation of the relativistic electron beam (REB) with virtual cathode in the presence of external magnetic field has been found out. The typical dependencies of the output microwave power of the vircator versus external magnetic field have been analyzed by means of 3D electromagnetic simulation. It has been shown that the power of vircator demonstrates several maxima with external magnetic field growth. The characteristic features of the power behavior are determined by the conditions of the virtual cathode formation in the presence of the external transversal magnetic field and the REB self-magnetic fields.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nonlinear plasma wave in magnetized plasmas

Nonlinear axisymmetric cylindrical plasma oscillations in magnetized collisionless plasmas are a model for the electron fluid collapse on the axis behind an ultrashort relativisically intense laser pulse exciting a plasma wake wave. We present an analytical description of the strongly nonlinear oscillations showing that the magnetic field prevents closing of the cavity formed behind the laser pulse. This effect is demonstrated with 3D PIC simulations of the laser-plasma interaction. An analysis of the betatron oscillations of fast electrons in the presence of the magnetic field reveals a characteristic “Four-Ray Star” pattern.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Analytical model for fast-shock ignition

A model and its improvements are introduced for a recently proposed approach to inertial confinement fusion, called fast-shock ignition (FSI). The analysis is based upon the gain models of fast ignition, shock ignition and considerations for the fast electrons penetration into the pre-compressed fuel to examine the formation of an effective central hot spot. Calculations of fast electrons penetration into the dense fuel show that if the initial electron kinetic energy is of the order ∼4.5 MeV, the electrons effectively reach the central part of the fuel. To evaluate more realistically the performance of FSI approach, we have used a quasi-two temperature electron energy distribution function of Strozzi (2012) and fast ignitor energy formula of Bellei (2013) that are consistent with 3D PIC simulations for different values of fast ignitor laser wavelength and coupling efficiency. The general advantages of fast-shock ignition in comparison with the shock ignition can be estimated to be better than 1.3 and it is seen that the best results can be obtained for the fuel mass around 1.5 mg, fast ignitor laser wavelength ∼0.3 micron and the shock ignitor energy weight factor about 0.25.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Beam-wave interaction behavior of a 35 GHz metal PBG cavity gyrotron

The RF behavior of a 35 GHz photonic band gap (PBG) cavity gyrotron operating in TE{sub 041}-like mode has been presented to demonstrate its single mode operation capability. In this PBG cavity gyrotron, the conventional tapered cylindrical cavity is replaced by a metal PBG cavity as its RF interaction structure. The beam-wave interaction behavior has been explored using time dependent multimode nonlinear analysis as well as through 3D PIC simulation. Metal PBG cavity is treated here similar to that of a conventional cylindrical cavity for the desired mode confinement. The applied DC magnetic field profile has been considered uniform along the PBG cavity length both in analysis as well as in simulation. Electrons energy and phase along the interaction length of the PBG cavity facilitates bunching mechanism as well as energy transfer phenomena from the electron beam to the RF field. The RF output power for the TE{sub 041}-like design mode as well as nearby competing modes have been estimated and found above to 100 kW in TE{sub 041}-like mode with ∼15% efficiency. Results obtained from the analysis and the PIC simulation are found in agreement within 8% variation, and also it supports the single mode operation, as the PBG cavity does not switch into other parasitic modes in considerably large range of varying DC magnetic field, contrary to the conventional cylindrical cavity interaction structure.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Higher harmonics generation in relativistic electron beam with virtual cathode

The study of the microwave generation regimes with intense higher harmonics taking place in a high-power vircator consisting of a relativistic electron beam with a virtual cathode has been made. The characteristics of these regimes, in particular, the typical spectra and their variations with the change of the system parameters (beam current, the induction of external magnetic field) as well as physical processes occurring in the system have been analyzed by means of 3D electromagnetic simulation. It has been shown that the system under study demonstrates the tendency to the sufficient growth of the amplitudes of higher harmonics in the spectrum of current oscillations in the VC region with the increase of beam current. The obtained results allow us to consider virtual cathode oscillators as promising high power mmw-to-THz sources.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Numerical estimation of phase transformations in solid state during Yb:YAG laser heating of steel sheets

This work concerns the numerical modeling of heat transfer and phase transformations in solid state occurring during the Yb:YAG laser beam heating process. The temperature field is obtained by the numerical solution into transient heat transfer equation with convective term. The laser beam heat source model is developed using the Kriging interpolation method with experimental measurements of Yb:YAG laser beam profile taken into account. Phase transformations are calculated on the basis of Johnson - Mehl - Avrami (JMA) and Koistinen - Marburger (KM) kinetics models as well as continuous heating transformation (CHT) and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams for S355 steel. On the basis of developed numerical algorithms 3D computer simulations are performed in order to predict temperature history and phase transformations in Yb:YAG laser heating process.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Study of negative hydrogen ion beam optics using the 3D3V PIC model

The mechanism of negative ion extraction under real conditions with the complex magnetic field is studied by using the 3D PIC simulation code. The extraction region of the negative ion source for the negative ion based neutral beam injection system in fusion reactors is modelled. It is shown that the E x B drift of electrons is caused by the magnetic filter and the electron suppression magnetic field, and the resultant asymmetry of the plasma meniscus. Furthermore, it is indicated that that the asymmetry of the plasma meniscus results in the asymmetry of negative ion beam profile including the beam halo. It could be demonstrated theoretically that the E x B drift is not significantly weakened by the elastic collisions of the electrons with neutral particles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Control of wire heating with resistively guided fast electrons through an inverse conical taper

The heating of a solid wire embedded in a solid substrate (of lower Z material) with relativistic electrons generated by ultra-intense laser irradiation is considered. Previously, it has been noted that the initial angular distribution of the fast electrons is a highly important factor in the efficacy of the heating [Robinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 122701 (2013)]. We show that, using 3D numerical simulations, the addition of an inverse conical taper at the front of wire can considerably improve the heating of the wire due to the reduction of angular spread of the fast electrons which is caused by transport through the inverse conical taper [Robinson et al., “Guiding of laser-generated fast electrons by exploiting the resistivity-gradients around a conical guide element,” Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion (to be published)].

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Optics of the NIFS negative ion source test stand by infrared calorimetry and numerical modelling

At National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), a multi-ampere negative ion source is used to support the R&D on H{sup −} production, extraction, and acceleration. In this contribution, we study the characteristics of the acceleration system of this source, in order to characterize the beam optics at different operational conditions. A dedicated experimental campaign was carried out at NIFS, using as main diagnostic the infra-red imaging of the beam profiles. The experimental measurements are also compared with 3D numerical simulations, in order to validate the codes and to assess their degree of reliability. The simulations show a satisfactory agreement with the experimental results.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Evolution of the angular distribution of laser-generated fast electrons due to resistive self-collimation

The evolution of the angular distribution of laser-generated fast electrons propagating in dense plasmas is studied by 3D numerical simulations. As resistively generated magnetic fields can strongly influence and even pinch the fast electron beam, the question of the effect on the angular distribution is of considerable interest. It was conjectured that in the limit of strong collimation, there will only be minimal changes to the angular distribution, whereas the largest reduction in the angular distribution will occur where there is only modest pinching of the fast electron beam and the beam is able to expand considerably. The results of the numerical simulations indicate this conjecture.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Neutron spectra from beam-target reactions in dense Z-pinches

The energy spectrum of neutrons emitted by a range of deuterium and deuterium-tritium Z-pinch devices is investigated computationally using a hybrid kinetic-MHD model. 3D MHD simulations are used to model the implosion, stagnation, and break-up of dense plasma focus devices at currents of 70 kA, 500 kA, and 2 MA and also a 15 MA gas puff. Instabilities in the MHD simulations generate large electric and magnetic fields, which accelerate ions during the stagnation and break-up phases. A kinetic model is used to calculate the trajectories of these ions and the neutron spectra produced due to the interaction of these ions with the background plasma. It is found that these beam-target neutron spectra are sensitive to the electric and magnetic fields at stagnation resulting in significant differences in the spectra emitted by each device. Most notably, magnetization of the accelerated ions causes the beam-target spectra to be isotropic for the gas puff simulations. It is also shown that beam-target spectra can have a peak intensity located at a lower energy than the peak intensity of a thermonuclear spectrum. A number of other differences in the shapes of beam-target and thermonuclear spectra are also observed for each device. Finally, significant differences between the shapes of beam-target DD and DT neutron spectra, due to differences in the reaction cross-sections, are illustrated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Beam-plasma instability in charged plasma in the absence of ions

We report on the possibility of the beam-plasma instability development in the system with electron beam interacting with the single-component hot electron plasma without ions. As considered system, we analyse the interaction of the low-current relativistic electron beam (REB) with squeezed state in the high-current REB formed in the relativistic magnetically insulated two-section vircator drift space. The numerical analysis is provided by means of 3D electromagnetic simulation in CST Particle Studio. We have conducted an extensive study of characteristic regimes of REB dynamics determined by the beam-plasma instability development in the absence of ions. As a result, the dependencies of instability increment and wavelength on the REB current value have been obtained. The considered process brings the new mechanism of controlled microwave amplification and generation to the device with a virtual cathode. This mechanism is similar to the action of the beam-plasma amplifiers and oscillators.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Non-linear dynamics of compound sawteeth in tokamaks

Compound sawteeth is studied with the XTOR-2F code. Non-linear full 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations show that the plasma hot core is radially displaced and rotates during the partial crash, but is not fully expelled out of the q = 1 surface. Partial crashes occur when the radius of the q = 1 surface exceeds a critical value, at fixed poloidal beta. This critical value depends on the plasma elongation. The partial crash time is larger than the collapse time of an ordinary sawtooth, likely due to a weaker diamagnetic stabilization. This suggests that partial crashes result from a competition between destabilizing effects such as the q = 1 radius and diamagnetic stabilization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

A generalized two-fluid picture of non-driven collisionless reconnection and its relation to whistler waves

A generalized, intuitive two-fluid picture of 2D non-driven collisionless magnetic reconnection is described using results from a full-3D numerical simulation. The relevant two-fluid equations simplify to the condition that the flux associated with canonical circulation Q=m e ∇×u e +q e B is perfectly frozen into the electron fluid. In the reconnection geometry, flux tubes defined by Q are convected with the central electron current, effectively stretching the tubes and increasing the magnitude of Q exponentially. This, coupled with the fact that Q is a sum of two quantities, explains how the magnetic fields in the reconnection region reconnect and give rise to strong electron acceleration. The Q motion provides an interpretation for other phenomena as well, such as spiked central electron current filaments. The simulated reconnection rate was found to agree with a previous analytical calculation having the same geometry. Energy analysis shows that the magnetic energy is converted and propagated mainly in the form of the Poynting flux, and helicity analysis shows that the canonical helicity ∫P·Q dV as a whole must be considered when analyzing reconnection. A mechanism for whistler wave generation and propagation is also described, with comparisons to recent spacecraft observations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗