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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 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Angular Momentum Variation of the Milky Way Thick Disk: The Dependence of Chemical Abundance and Evidence of the Inside-out Formation Scenario

We investigate the angular momentum of mono-abundance populations (MAPs) of the Milky Way thick disk by using a sample of 26,076 giant stars taken from APOGEE Data Release (DR) 17 and Gaia early DR3. The vertical and perpendicular angular momentum components, L Z and L P , of the MAPs in narrow bins have significant variations across the [α/M]–[M/H] plane. L Z and L P systematically change with [M/H] and [α/M] and can be alternatively quantified by the chemical gradients: d[M/H]/dL Z = 1.2 × 10 -3 dex kpc -1 km -1 s, d[M/H]/dL P = -5.0 × 10 -3 dec kpc -1 km -1 s, and d[α/M]/dL Z = -3.0 × 10 -4 dex kpc -1 km -1 s, d[α/M]/dL P = 1.2 × 10 -3 dec kpc -1 km -1 s. These correlations can also be explained as the chemical dependence of the spatial distribution shape of the MAPs. We also exhibit the corresponding age dependence of the angular momentum components. Under the assumption that the guiding radius (R g ) is proportional to L Z , this provides direct observational evidence of the inside-out structure formation scenario of the thick disk, with dR g /dAge = -1.9 kpc Gyr -1 . The progressive changes in the disk thickness can be explained by the upside-down formation or/and the consequent kinematical heating.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ringed Accretion Disks: Evolution of Double Toroidal Configurations

We investigate ringed accretion disks composed of two tori (rings) orbiting on the equatorial plane of a central supermassive Kerr black hole. We discuss the emergence of the instability phases of each ring of the macro-configuration (ringed disk) according to the Paczynski violation of mechanical equilibrium. In the full general relativistic treatment, we consider the effects of the geometry of the Kerr spacetimes relevant to the characterization of the evolution of these configurations. The discussion of ring stability in different spacetimes enables us to identify particular classes of central Kerr attractors depending on their dimensionless spin. As a result of this analysis, we set constraints on the evolutionary schemes of the ringed disks relative to the torus morphology and on their rotation relative to the central black hole and to each other. The dynamics of the unstable phases of this system is significant for the high-energy phenomena related to accretion onto supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei and the extremely energetic phenomena in quasars, which could be observed in their X-ray emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Chemical Cartography with APOGEE: Mapping Disk Populations with a 2-process Model and Residual Abundances

We apply a novel statistical analysis to measurements of 16 elemental abundances in 34,410 Milky Way disk stars from the final data release (DR17) of APOGEE-2. Building on recent work, we fit median abundance ratio trends [X/Mg] versus [Mg/H] with a 2-process model, which decomposes abundance patterns into a "prompt" component tracing core-collapse supernovae and a "delayed" component tracing Type Ia supernovae. For each sample star, we fit the amplitudes of these two components, then compute the residuals Δ[X/H] from this two-parameter fit. The rms residuals range from ~0.01–0.03 dex for the most precisely measured APOGEE abundances to ~0.1 dex for Na, V, and Ce. The correlations of residuals reveal a complex underlying structure, including a correlated element group comprised of Ca, Na, Al, K, Cr, and Ce and a separate group comprised of Ni, V, Mn, and Co. Selecting stars poorly fit by the 2-process model reveals a rich variety of physical outliers and sometimes subtle measurement errors. Residual abundances allow for the comparison of populations controlled for differences in metallicity and [α/Fe]. Relative to the main disk (R = 3–13 kpc), we find nearly identical abundance patterns in the outer disk (R = 15–17 kpc), 0.05–0.2 dex depressions of multiple elements in LMC and Gaia Sausage/Enceladus stars, and wild deviations (0.4–1 dex) of multiple elements in ω Cen. The residual abundance analysis opens new opportunities for discovering chemically distinctive stars and stellar populations, for empirically constraining nucleosynthetic yields, and for testing chemical evolution models that include stochasticity in the production and redistribution of elements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Superluminous Transients at AGN Centers from Interaction between Black Hole Disk Winds and Broad-line Region Clouds

We propose that superluminous transients that appear at central regions of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) such as CSS100217:102913+404220 (CSS100217) and PS16dtm, which reach near- or super-Eddington luminosities of the central black holes, are powered by the interaction between accretion-disk winds and clouds in broad-line regions (BLRs) surrounding them. If the disk luminosity temporarily increases by, e.g., limit–cycle oscillations, leading to a powerful radiatively driven wind, strong shock waves propagate in the BLR. Because the dense clouds in the AGN BLRs typically have similar densities to those found in SNe IIn, strong radiative shocks emerge and efficiently convert the ejecta kinetic energy to radiation. As a result, transients similar to SNe IIn can be observed at AGN central regions. Since a typical black hole disk-wind velocity is ≃0.1 c , where c is the speed of light, the ejecta kinetic energy is expected to be ≃10{sup 52} erg when ≃1 M {sub ⊙} is ejected. This kinetic energy is transformed to radiation energy in a timescale for the wind to sweep up a similar mass to itself in the BLR, which is a few hundred days. Therefore, both luminosities (∼10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}) and timescales (∼100 days) of the superluminous transients from AGN central regions match those expected in our interaction model. If CSS100217 and PS16dtm are related to the AGN activities triggered by limit–cycle oscillations, they become bright again in coming years or decades.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Dust-trapping Vortices and a Potentially Planet-triggered Spiral Wake in the Pre-transitional Disk of V1247 Orionis

The radial drift problem constitutes one of the most fundamental problems in planet formation theory, as it predicts particles to drift into the star before they are able to grow to planetesimal size. Dust-trapping vortices have been proposed as a possible solution to this problem, as they might be able to trap particles over millions of years, allowing them to grow beyond the radial drift barrier. Here, we present ALMA 0.″04 resolution imaging of the pre-transitional disk of V1247 Orionis that reveals an asymmetric ring as well as a sharply confined crescent structure, resembling morphologies seen in theoretical models of vortex formation. The asymmetric ring (at 0.″17 = 54 au separation from the star) and the crescent (at 0.″38 = 120 au) seem smoothly connected through a one-armed spiral-arm structure that has been found previously in scattered light. We propose a physical scenario with a planet orbiting at ∼0.″3 ≈ 100 au, where the one-armed spiral arm detected in polarized light traces the accretion stream feeding the protoplanet. The dynamical influence of the planet clears the gap between the ring and the crescent and triggers two vortices that trap millimeter-sized particles, namely, the crescent and the bright asymmetry seen in the ring. We conducted dedicated hydrodynamics simulations of a disk with an embedded planet, which results in similar spiral-arm morphologies as seen in our scattered-light images. At the position of the spiral wake and the crescent we also observe {sup 12}CO(3-2) and H{sup 12}CO{sup +} (4-3) excess line emission, likely tracing the increased scale-height in these disk regions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2013

Can the 62 Day X-ray Period of ULX M82 X-1 Be Due to a Precessing Accretion Disk?

We have analyzed all the archival RXTE/PCA monitoring observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) M82 X-1 in order to study the properties of its previously discovered 62 day X-ray period (Kaaret & Feng 2007). Based on the high coherence of the modulation it has been argued that the observed period is the orbital period of the binary. Utilizing a much longer data set than in previous studies we find: (1) The phase-resolved X-ray (3-15 keV) energy spectra - modeled with a thermal accretion disk and a power-law corona - suggest that the accretion disk's contribution to the total flux is responsible for the overall periodic modulation while the power-law flux remains approximately constant with phase. (2) Suggestive evidence for a sudden phase shift-of approximately 0.3 in phase (20 days)-between the first and the second halves of the light curve separated by roughly 1000 days. If confirmed, the implied timescale to change the period is approx. = 10 yrs, which is exceptionally fast for an orbital phenomenon. These independent pieces of evidence are consistent with the 62 day period being due to a precessing accretion disk, similar to the so-called super-orbital periods observed in systems like Her X-1, LMC X-4, and SS433. However, the timing evidence for a change in the period needs to be confirmed with additional observations. This should be possible with further monitoring of M82 with instruments such as the X-ray telescope (XRT) on board Swift.

ULX M82↗
NASA NTRS2011

An Efficient Monte Carlo Method for Modeling Radiative Transfer in Protoplanetary Disks

Monte Carlo methods have been shown to be effective and versatile in modeling radiative transfer processes to calculate model temperature profiles for protoplanetary disks. Temperatures profiles are important for connecting physical structure to observation and for understanding the conditions for planet formation and migration. However, certain areas of the disk such as the optically thick disk interior are under-sampled, or are of particular interest such as the snow line (where water vapor condenses into ice) and the area surrounding a protoplanet. To improve the sampling, photon packets can be preferentially scattered and reemitted toward the preferred locations at the cost of weighting packet energies to conserve the average energy flux. Here I report on the weighting schemes developed, how they can be applied to various models, and how they affect simulation mechanics and results. We find that improvements in sampling do not always imply similar improvements in temperature accuracies and calculation speeds.

radiative transfer↗
NASA NTRS2016

Retention of Compressive Residual Stresses Introduced by Shot Peening in a Powder Metal Disk Superalloy

The fatigue lives of disk superalloys can be increased by shot peening their surfaces, to induce compressive residual stresses near the surface that impede cracking there. As disk application temperatures increase for improved efficiency, the persistence of these beneficial stresses could be impaired, especially with continued fatigue cycling. The objective of this work was to study the retention of residual stresses introduced by shot peening, when subjected to fatigue and high temperatures. Fatigue specimens of powder metallurgy processed nickel-base disk superalloy ME3 were prepared with consistent processing and heat treatment. They were then shot peened using varied conditions. Strain-controlled fatigue cycles were run at room temperature and 704 C, to allow re-assessment of residual stresses.

fatigue↗
NASA NTRS2016

Measuring a Truncated Disk in Aquila X-1

We present NuSTAR and Swift observations of the neutron star Aquila X-1 during the peak of its 2014 July outburst. The spectrum is soft with strong evidence for a broad Fe K(alpha) line. Modeled with a relativistically broadened reflection model, we find that the inner disk is truncated with an inner radius of 15 +/- 3RG. The disk is likely truncated by either the boundary layer and/or a magnetic field. Associating the truncated inner disk with pressure from a magnetic field gives an upper limit of B < 5+/- 2x10(exp 8) G. Although the radius is truncated far from the stellar surface, material is still reaching the neutron star surface as evidenced by the X-ray burst present in the NuSTAR observation.

accretion disks aEuro" magnetic fields aEuro" star↗
NASA NTRS2023

The Case for Solar Full-disk Spectral Diagnostics: Chromosphere to Corona

In the context of the recent call for white papers for the Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) 2024–2033, we present the argument that spatially-resolved spectral diagnostics over the full solar disk should be made a high-priority goal in Heliophysics and lead to the development of a mission concept that has the potential to become a cornerstone of the Heliophysics System Observatory (HSO). We claim that a mission providing consistent full-disk sampling of plasma properties (Doppler-shifts, non-thermal velocities, electron densities, elemental composition, etc.) of the chromosphere-corona system at the dynamic timescales of solar eruptive phenomena will revolutionize the field by adding the spectral diagnostics capability to the highly successful concept of full-disk imaging, everywhere, all the time, represented by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We argue for it to be developed by the end of the current Decadal Survey cycle around the lessons learned from spectroscopic missions in the current NASA development pipeline, that include innovative strategies for faster integration of large fields-of-view, and comprehensive temperature coverage.

Sun↗
DOE OSTI2019

Including Dust Coagulation in Hydrodynamic Models of Protoplanetary Disks: Dust Evolution in the Vicinity of a Jupiter-mass Planet

Dust growth is often neglected when building models of protoplanetary disks due to its complexity and computational expense. However, it does play a major role in shaping the evolution of protoplanetary dust and planet formation. In this paper, we present a numerical model coupling 2D hydrodynamic evolution of a protoplanetary disk, including a Jupiter-mass planet, and dust coagulation. This is obtained by including multiple dust fluids in a single grid-based hydrodynamic simulation and solving the Smoluchowski equation for dust coagulation on top of solving for the hydrodynamic evolution. We find that fragmentation of dust aggregates trapped in a pressure bump outside of the planetary gap leads to an enhancement in the density of small grains. Additionally, we compare the results obtained from the full-coagulation treatment to the commonly used, fixed-dust-size approach and to previously applied, less computationally intensive methods for including dust coagulation. We find that the full-coagulation results cannot be reproduced using the fixed-size treatment, but some can be mimicked using a relatively simple method for estimating the characteristic dust size in every grid cell.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Kinematic Evidence for an Embedded Planet in the IM Lupi Disk

Abstract We test the hypothesis that an embedded giant planet in the IM Lupi protostellar disk can produce velocity kinks seen in CO line observations as well as the spiral arms seen in scattered light and continuum emission. We inject planets into 3D hydrodynamics simulations of IM Lupi, generating synthetic observations using Monte Carlo radiative transfer. We find that an embedded planet of 2–3 M Jup can reproduce non-Keplerian velocity perturbations, or “kinks”, in the 12 CO J = 2–1 channel maps. Such a planet can also explain the spiral arms seen in 1.25 mm dust continuum emission and 1.6 μ m scattered-light images. We show that the wake of the planet can be traced in the observed peak velocity map, which appears to closely follow the morphology expected from our simulations and from analytic models of planet–disk interaction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nanosecond semiconductor disk laser emitting at 496.5 nm

An optically pumped semiconductor disk laser based on a heterostructure containing ten CdS/ZnSe coupled quantum wells with type-II band offsets is studied. The structure was grown by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on a GaAs substrate. The peak power of the semiconductor disk laser achieved at room temperature under longitudinal pumping by a repetitively pulsed N{sub 2} laser was 0.75 W at a wavelength of 496.5 nm, a pulse duration of 3 ns, and a pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz. The slope efficiency of the disk laser was 2.7 %. The total divergence angle at a cavity length of 1.1 mm varied from 5 mrad near the lasing threshold to 15 mrad at the maximum pump power. (lasers)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Multi-angle calculation of the matter-neutrino resonance near an accretion disk

We perform a numerical study of the matter-neutrino resonance in a multi-angle calculation in the vicinity of an accretion disk. We assume thermally distributed neutrino and anti-neutrino fields emitted by two-dimensional disk that is homogeneous and isotropic; the electrons are assumed to be at constant density. We compare the result of this computation to that obtained using single-angle approximation. Here, we investigate the robustness of matter-neutrino resonance in environment surrounding accretion disks by progressively relaxing the single angle approximation. We find that the multi-angle results in the present simplified model do not support a robust resonance mechanism as suggested by the single angle treatment. Lastly, we also discuss the context under which matter-neutrino resonance may be important in future studies.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Using Gaia DR2 to constrain local dark matter density and thin dark disk

We use stellar kinematics from the latest Gaia data release (DR2) to measure the local dark matter (DM) density ρ DM in a heliocentric cylinder of radius R= 150 pc and half-height z= 200 pc. We also explore the prospect of using our analysis to estimate the DM density in local substructure by setting constraints on the surface density and scale height of a thin dark disk aligned with the baryonic disk and formed due to dissipative dark matter self-interactions. Performing the statistical analysis within a Bayesian framework for three types of tracers, we obtain ρDM = 0.016 ± 0.010 M ⊙ /pc 3 for A stars; early G stars give a similar result, while F stars yield a significantly higher value. For a thin dark disk, A stars set the strongest constraint: excluding surface densities (5–12) M ⊙ /pc 2 for scale heights below 100 pc with 95% confidence. The upper bound of this constraint implies ≲ 1% of the Milky Way DM mass is present in a dissipative dark sector. Comparing our results with those derived using Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) data, we find that the uncertainty in our measurements of the local DM content is dominated by systematic errors that arise from assumptions of our dynamical analysis in the low z region. Furthermore, there will only be a marginal reduction in these uncertainties with more data in the Gaia era. We comment on the robustness of our method and discuss potential improvements for future work.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Full transport model of GW170817-like disk produces a blue kilonova

The 2017 detection of the inspiral and merger of two neutron stars in gravitational waves and gamma rays was accompanied by a quickly reddening transient. Such a transient was predicted to occur following a rapid neutron capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis event, which synthesizes neutron-rich, radioactive nuclei and can take place in both dynamical ejecta and in the wind driven off the accretion torus formed after a neutron star merger. In this study, we present the first three-dimensional general relativistic, full transport neutrino radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations of the black hole-accretion disk-wind system produced by the GW170817 merger. We show that the small but non-negligible optical depths lead to neutrino transport globally coupling the disk electron fraction, which we capture by solving the transport equation with a Monte Carlo method. The resulting absorption drives up the electron fraction in a structured, continuous outflow, with electron fraction as high as Y e ~ 0.4 in the extreme polar region. Finally, we show via nuclear reaction network and radiative transfer calculations that nucleosynthesis in the disk wind will produce a blue kilonova.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Does the Sun have a dark disk?

The Sun is not quite a perfect sphere, and its oblateness, thought to be induced through its rotation, has been measured using optical observations of its radius. Its gravitational quadrupole moment can then be deduced using solar models, or through helioseismology, and it can also be determined from measurements of its gravitational effects on Mercury’s orbit. The various assessments do not appear to agree, with the most complete and precise orbital assessments being in slight excess of other determinations. This may speak to the existence of a nonluminous disk or ring, where we also note evidence for a circumsolar dust ring within Mercury’s orbit from the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) mission. Historically, too, a protoplanetary disk may have been key to reconciling the Sun’s metallicity with its neutrino yield. The distribution of the nonluminous mass within Mercury’s orbit can modify the relative size of the optical and orbital quadrupole moments in different ways. We develop how we can use these findings to limit the mass of a dark disk, ring, or halo in the immediate vicinity of the Sun, and we note how future observational studies of the inner Solar System can not only refine these constraints but can also help to identify and to assess the mass of its dark-matter component. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Percolation of binary disk systems: Modeling and theory

The dispersion and connectivity of particles with a high degree of polydispersity is relevant to problems involving composite material properties and reaction decomposition prediction and has been the subject of much study in the literature. This paper utilizes Monte Carlo models to predict percolation thresholds for a two-dimensional systems containing disks of two different radii. Monte Carlo simulations and spanning probability are used to extend prior models into regions of higher polydispersity than those previously considered. A correlation to predict the percolation threshold for binary disk systems is proposed based on the extended dataset presented in this work and compared to previously published correlations. Finally, a set of boundary conditions necessary for a good fit is presented, and a condition for maximizing percolation threshold for binary disk systems is suggested.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗