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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Positron Beam Loading and Acceleration in the Blowout Regime of a Plasma Wakefield Accelerator

Plasma wakefield acceleration in the nonlinear blowout regime has achieved marked milestones in electron beam acceleration, demonstrating high acceleration gradients and energy efficiency while preserving excellent beam quality. However, this regime is deemed unsuitable for achieving positron acceleration of comparable results, which is vital for future compact electron–positron colliders. In this article, we find that an intense positron beam loaded at the back of beam-driven blowout cavity can self-consistently induce the focusing field and flatten the longitudinal wakefield, leading to stable, high-efficiency, and high-quality positron acceleration. This is achieved through the formation of an on-axis electron filament induced by positron beam load, which shapes the plasma wakefield in a distinct way compared to electron beam load in the blowout regime. Via a nonlinear analytic model and numerical simulations, we explain the novel beam loading effects of the interaction between the on-axis filament and the blowout cavity. High-fidelity simulations show that a high-charge positron beam can be accelerated with >20% energy transfer efficiency, ~1% energy spread, and ~1 mm·mrad normalized emittance, while considerably depleting the energy of the drive beam. The concept can also be extended to simultaneous acceleration of electron and positron beams and high transformer ratio positron acceleration as well. This development offers a new route for the application of plasma wakefield acceleration into particle physics.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling and design of compact, permanent-magnet transport systems for highly divergent, broad energy spread laser-driven proton beams

Laser-driven (LD) ion acceleration has been explored in a newly constructed short focal length laser beamline at the BELLA petawatt facility (interaction point 2, iP2). For applications utilizing such LD ion beams, a beam transport system is required, which for reasons of compactness be ideally contained within 3 m. While they are generated from a micron-scale source, large divergence and energy spread of LD ion beams present a unique challenge to transporting them compared to beams from conventional accelerators. This study gives an overview of proposed compact transport designs using permanent magnets satisfying different requirements depending on the application for the iP2 laser beamline such as radiation biology, material science, and high-energy density science. These designs are optimized for different parameters such as energy spread and peak proton density according to the application’s need. The various designs consist solely of permanent magnet elements, which can provide high magnetic field gradients on a small footprint. While the field strengths are fixed, we have shown that the beam size is able to be tuned effectively by varying the placement of the magnets. The performance of each design was evaluated based on high-order particle tracking simulations of typical LD proton beams. We also examine the ability of certain configurations to tune and select beam energies, critical for specific applications. A more detailed investigation was carried out for a design to deliver 10 MeV LD accelerated ions for radiation biology applications. With these transport system designs, the iP2 laser beamline is ready to house various application experiments.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

High-Efficiency, High-Current Laser-Driven Electron Injector

This final report describes research conducted under DOE Award DE-SC0021132, "High-Efficiency, High-Current Laser-Driven Electron Injector," during the period 09/01/2020–08/31/2023. The project investigates a largely unexplored regime of short-pulse laser–plasma interaction near the quarter-critical density in ultrathin gas targets as a novel electron injection mechanism for laser–wakefield acceleration (LWFA). The overarching goal is to develop high-efficiency, high-current electron sources driven by modest peak-intensity lasers at high repetition rate, suitable as compact injectors or front-ends for future laser-based accelerators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wakefield generation in hydrogen and lithium plasmas at FACET-II: Diagnostics and first beam-plasma interaction results

Plasma wakefield acceleration provides ultrahigh acceleration gradients of tens of GeV/m, providing a novel path toward efficient, compact, TeV-scale linear colliders, and high brightness free electron lasers. Critical to the success of these applications is demonstrating simultaneously high gradient acceleration, high energy transfer efficiency, and preservation of emittance, charge, and energy spread. Experiments at the FACET-II National User Facility at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory aim to achieve all of these milestones in a single-stage plasma wakefield accelerator, providing a 10 GeV energy gain in a < 1 m plasma with high energy transfer efficiency. Such a demonstration depends critically on diagnostics able to measure emittance with mm mrad accuracy, energy spectra to determine both percent level energy spread, and broadband energy gain and loss, incoming longitudinal phase space, and matching dynamics. This paper discusses the experimental setup at FACET-II, including the incoming beam parameters from the FACET-II linac, plasma sources, and diagnostics developed to meet this challenge. Initial progress on the generation of beam ionized wakes in meter-scale hydrogen gas is discussed as well as commissioning of the plasma sources and diagnostics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrification (2023 Annual Progress Report)

This document summarizes the progress of VTO Electrification R&D projects supported during the fiscal year 2023. The Electric Drive Technologies (EDT) program’s mission is to conduct early-stage research and development on transportation electrification technologies that accelerate the development of cost-effective and compact electric traction drive systems that meet or exceed performance and reliability requirements of internal combustion engine (ICE)-based vehicles, thereby enabling electrification across all light-duty vehicle types. The Grid and Charging Infrastructure (G&I) program's mission is to conduct early-stage research and development on transportation electrification technologies that enable reduced petroleum consumption by light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. The program identifies and enables the role of vehicles in the future electrical grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1980

Future prospects for gamma-ray

Astrophysical phenomena discussed are: the very energetic and nuclear processes associated with compact objects; astrophysical nucleo-synthesis; solar particle acceleration; the chemical composition of the planets and other bodies of the solar system; the structure of our galaxy; the origin and dynamic pressure effects of the cosmic rays; the high energy particles and energetic processes in other galaxies, especially active ones; and the degree of matter antimater symmetry of the universe. The gamma ray results of GAMMA-I, the gamma ray observatory, the gamma ray burst network, solar polar, and very high energy gamma ray telescopes on the ground provide justification for more sophisticated telescopes.

Fichtel, C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Power Supply

Maxwell Laboratories capacitor charging power supply is the first commercial spinoff from the NASA CCDS program - a consortia of industries and government establishments to accelerate development of ground and space based commercial applications of NASA technology. The power supply transforms and conditions large voltages to charge capacitors used in x-ray sources, medical accelerators, etc. It is lighter, more reliable, more compact and efficient. Originally developed for space lasers, its commercial potential was soon recognized.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2000

Applications in Bioastronautics and Bioinformatics: Early Radiation Cataracts Detected by Noninvasive, Quantitative, and Remote Means

Human exploration of Mars is a key goal in NASA's exploration planning in the next 20 years. Maintaining crew health and good vision is certainly an important aspect of achieving a successful mission. Continuous radiation exposure is a risk factor for radiation-induced cataracts in astronauts because radiation exposure in space travel has the potential of accelerating the aging process (ref. 1). A patented compact device (ref. 2) based on the technique of dynamic light scattering (DLS) was designed for monitoring an astronaut's ocular health during long-duration space travel. This capability of early diagnosis, unmatched by any other clinical technique in use today, may enable prompt initiation of preventive/curative therapy. An Internet web-based system integrating photon correlation data and controlling the hardware to monitor cataract development in vivo at a remote site in real time (teleophthalmology) is currently being developed. The new technology detects cataracts very early (at the molecular level). Cataract studies onboard the International Space Station will be helpful in quantifying any adverse effect of radiation to ocular health. The normal lens in a human eye, situated behind the cornea, is a transparent tissue. It contains 35 wt % protein and 65 wt % water. Aging, disease (e.g., diabetes), smoking, dehydration, malnutrition, and exposure to ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation can cause agglomeration of the lens proteins. Protein aggregation can take place anywhere in the lens, causing lens opacity. The aggregation and opacification could produce nuclear (central portion of the lens) or cortical (peripheral) cataracts. Nuclear and posterior subcapsular (the membrane's capsule surrounds the whole lens) cataracts, being on the visual optical axis of the eye, cause visual impairment that can finally lead to blindness. The lens proteins, in their native state, are small in size. As a cataract develops, this size grows from a few nanometers (transparent) to several micrometers (cloudy). Ansari and Datiles have shown that DLS can detect cataracts at least two to three orders of magnitude earlier noninvasively and quantitatively than the best imaging (Scheimpflug) techniques in clinical use today (ref. 3).

Ansari, Rafat R.↗
DOE OSTI2026

First results from a high-frame-rate, multi-GHz ionizing particle detection system geared toward accelerator diagnostic applications

An integrated detection system, consists of a thin diamond sensor incorporated into a compact signal loop, coupled in turn to an application-specific integrated circuit readout chip, has been tested for the first time, using ps-duration electron pulses from the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. For readout frame rates as high as 120 kHz, the detection system is shown to achieve a linear dynamic range of 10 3 and a bandwidth of 4–5 GHz, with no ringing seen on the tail of the output pulse. These results represent the best-performing multi-GHz ionizing particle detection system achieved to date.

Ferezghi, Mohammadreza Mohseni [University of Cali↗
NASA NTRS2002

Magnetohydrodynamic Augmented Propulsion Experiment

A fundamental obstacle to routine space access is the specific energy limitations associated with chemical fuels. In the case of vertical take-off, the high thrust needed for vertical liftoff and acceleration to orbit translates into power levels in the 10 GW range. Furthermore, useful payload mass fractions are possible only if the exhaust particle energy (i.e., exhaust velocity) is much greater than that available with traditional chemical propulsion. The electronic binding energy released by the best chemical reactions (e.g., LOX/LH2 for example, is less than 2 eV per product molecule (approx. 1.8 eV per H2O molecule), which translates into particle velocities less than 5 km/s. Useful payload fractions, however, will require exhaust velocities exceeding 15 km/s (i.e., particle energies greater than 20 eV). As an added challenge, the envisioned hypothetical RLV (reusable launch vehicle) should accomplish these amazing performance feats while providing relatively low acceleration levels to orbit (2-3g maximum). From such fundamental considerations, it is painfully obvious that planned and current RLV solutions based on chemical fuels alone represent only a temporary solution and can only result in minor gains, at best. What is truly needed is a revolutionary approach that will dramatically reduce the amount of fuel and size of the launch vehicle. This implies the need for new compact high-power energy sources as well as advanced accelerator technologies for increasing engine exhaust velocity. Electromagnetic acceleration techniques are of immense interest since they can be used to circumvent the thermal limits associated with conventional propulsion systems. This paper describes the Magnetohydrodynamic Augmented Propulsion Experiment (MAPX) being undertaken at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). In this experiment, a 1-MW arc heater is being used as a feeder for a 1-MW magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) accelerator. The purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate that an MHD accelerator can be an effective augmentation system for increasing engine exhaust velocity. More specifically, the experiment is intended to show that electromagnetic effects are effective at producing flow acceleration whereas electrothermal effects do not cause unacceptable heating of the working fluid. The MHD accelerator was designed as an externally diagonalized segmented Faraday channel, which will be inserted into an existing 2-tesla electromagnet. This allows the external power to be connected through two terminals thereby minimizing the complexity and cost associated with powering each segment independently. The design of the accelerator and other components in the flow path has been completed and fabrication activities are underway. This paper provides a full description of MAPX including performance analysis, design, and test plans, and current status.

Litchford, Ron J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exploring the impact of hydro-mechanical coupling on compaction localization

In deep subsurface environments, where porous rocks are saturated with fluids, hydromechanical coupling plays a critical role in the formation and propagation of localized deformation zones, such as compaction bands. In this study, we numerically investigate the influence of fluid-rock interactions on the development of compaction localization in fluid-saturated rocks. For this purpose, it uses a numerical framework that adapts the heat equation to model the diffusion of pore pressure caused by deformation. This is achieved with specialized subroutines for material behavior and heat transfer formulated within the ABAQUS platform and by allowing changes in rock permeability during strain localization. The results highlight that hydromechanical coupling significantly alters the compaction behavior compared to dry conditions. Under high confining stress, excess pore pressure inhibits the progression of compaction fronts, while in time-dependent processes like rock creep, pore pressure transients accelerate deformation by creating feedback loops between mechanical forces and fluid flow. These findings underscore the importance of saturation in controlling the dynamics of compaction localization and provide insights into the interplay between pore pressure, deformation, and permeability. The implications of this study extend to applications in geological storage, resource extraction, and subsurface geomechanics, offering a deeper understanding of coupled hydromechanical processes in porous rocks.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2019

Advanced Astrophysics Discovery Technology in the Era of Data Driven Astronomy

Astrophysics is at the threshold of a new epoch in which increasinglycomplex, heterogeneous datasets will challenge our existing information infrastructure and traditional approaches to analysis. The rapid advancement of graphics processing units, compact field programmable gate arrays and dedicated artificial intelligence accelerator chips is now permitting the use of scientific methods, processes and algorithms to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data in ways never before seen. Miniaturization of spacecraft architectures and supporting infrastructure is opening new observing strategies and new discovery spaces for science. The community is just beginning to awaken to these imminent challenges as evidenced by their relative lack of emphasis in the New Worlds, New Horizons ASTRO2010 decadal survey, in the ExoPAG Science Analysis Group 11 report andin the formulation of the WFIRST Data Challenge. We suggest that the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD), which has clearly recognized this new epoch of rapidly evolving information technology, could be more affirmative in its approach. We offer a modest structural solution.

Barry, Richard K.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Artificial intelligence time series forecasting for feed-forward laser stabilization

Laser plasma accelerators, typically operating at 1–10 Hz repetition rates, have the ability to produce high-quality electron beams in compact, all-optical-driven configurations, with the electron beams uniquely suited for a wide variety of accelerator-based applications. However, fluctuations and drifts in the laser delivery to the meter-scaled and below plasma target (the electron beam source) will translate into electron beam source variations that can limit their utility for demanding applications like light sources or linear colliders. Commercially available active feedback laser stabilization systems are intrinsically bandwidth limited due to their integration with multi-inch corrective mirror mounts which minimizes their effectiveness. In this manuscript, we present a Neural Network time series forecaster that can predict laser position fluctuations of the laser delivery to the final target well ahead of a future laser shot. The Root-Mean-Square-Error (RMSE) of the prediction accuracy was < 2 μ m for a 1 / e 2 beam radius of 34 μ m . Our feed-forward approach serves as a first-step in circumventing the bandwidth limitations imposed by the currently available stabilization systems since it allows for mirrors to be moved into position ahead of time to offset the predicted future position drift. This will help advance laser plasma accelerator research by providing greater robustness and stability needed for its applications.

Berger, Curtis↗
DOE OSTI2026

Power Electronic Development Challenges for High Power Density Integrated Electric Drive Applications

The ever-increasing demand for compact, efficient, and high-performance traction drive systems for transportation applications has accelerated the development of integrated electric drives. In these systems, the electric machine and inverter are integrated within a single housing, offering significant advantages in electrical performance, volume, weight, cost, and overall system efficiency. Despite these benefits, such high levels of integration introduce a new set of challenges, particularly in power electronic design and component selection. This article presents an in-depth investigation of a highly integrated electric drive architecture with an internal stator-mounted inverter, highlighting key design considerations and trade-offs aimed exclusively at maximizing system power density.Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, the power density of a voltage-source-inverter-driven electric drive is primarily governed by the volumetric contributions of the power modules, heat sinks, and DC-link capacitors. Accordingly, this work focuses on the optimization of these three critical components to enhance the inverter's overall power density. The proposed design achieves a power density of 100 kW/L, demonstrating the effectiveness of the presented approach for next-generation integrated electric drive systems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optimization of Nb 3 Sn sputtering on SRF structures

Superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities are the key technology to compact, high-efficiency, and cost-effective CW SRF accelerators. Further improvements in the efficiency can be realized by using novel materials such as Nb 3 Sn coated on the inner surface of SRF cavities. The Nb 3 Sn coatings enable cavity operation at 4 K, where the Nb 3 Sn coated cavities are already very efficient and have high intrinsic quality factors. Advances in Nb3Sn coatings on the inner surface of SRF cavities showed the potential for this material to significantly cut the capital and operating costs of SRF accelerators. Several approaches have been and are being investigated for coating SRF cavities with Nb 3 Sn. Magnetron sputtering is a versatile technique in that it has been shown to produce Nb 3 Sn films on flat Nb target in a single phase and a precisely controlled thickness, low defect levels, and a favorable morphology. Deposition of Nb 3 Sn films on SRF cavities have also shown promising RF superconducting properties. However, sputter coating of Nb 3 Sn on SRF cavities requires further development to be used in accelerators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Laser based 100 GeV electron acceleration scheme for muon production

High energy muons, due to their unique ability to penetrate deeply into matter, can enable radiography of structures that cannot be probed by other forms of radiation. Current terrestrial sources of muons require conventional GeV-TeV particle accelerators which are hundreds to thousands of meters in size. Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) can achieve acceleration gradients of two-to-three orders of magnitude greater than conventional accelerators, thus shrinking the accelerator to a number of meters. We propose a concept for a compact muon source based on the first self-consistent PIC simulations of an all optical LWFA that uses a guiding channel to achieve electron energies of 100 GeV in a distance of 6 m with a driving laser energy of 300 J in a single stage. From the resulting electron energy spectrum we estimate muon production for this source. We show that this accelerator, coupled with high average power laser driver technology, provides the basis for a high energy and high flux muon source.

laser-produced plasmas↗
DOE OSTI2025

Control of wakefield in sub-THz dielectric-lined waveguides using multiple-bunch excitation

Beam-driven wakefield accelerators offer the potential to achieve accelerating fields approaching the sub-GV/m range, paving the way for compact and cost-effective next-generation high-energy colliders. This method typically employs a two-bunch system: a drive bunch that excites an electromagnetic wakefield in a solid-state or plasma medium, and a witness bunch that extracts energy from the wake for acceleration. Our research focuses on two key challenges in wakefield acceleration using structures. First, we investigate strategies to suppress transverse instabilities by employing non-cylindrical geometries that damp dipole modes. Second, we explore methods to precisely terminate the wakefield after the interaction region, thereby improving the efficiency of energy transfer. This paper presents detailed simulation results and the corresponding experimental design developed to validate these concepts. Furthermore, the proposed experiment will be carried out at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facility, focusing on controlling wakefield duration through tailored drive and witness bunch configurations and evaluating dielectric-lined structures with non-cylindrical cross sections.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1988

Gamma ray astrophysics to the year 2000. Report of the NASA Gamma Ray Program Working Group

Important developments in gamma-ray astrophysics up to energies of 100 GeV during the last decade are reviewed. Also, the report seeks to define the major current scientific goals of the field and proposes a vigorous program to pursue them, extending to the year 2000. The goals of gamma-ray astronomy include the study of gamma rays which provide the most direct means of studying many important problems in high energy astrophysics including explosive nucleosynthesis, accelerated particle interactions and sources, and high-energy processes around compact objects. The current research program in gamma-ray astronomy in the U.S. including the space program, balloon program and foreign programs in gamma-ray astronomy is described. The high priority recommendations for future study include an Explorer-class high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy mission and a Get Away Special cannister (GAS-can) or Scout class multiwavelength experiment for the study of gamma-ray bursts. Continuing programs include an extended Gamma Ray Observatory mission, continuation of the vigorous program of balloon observations of the nearby Supernova 1987A, augmentation of the balloon program to provide for new instruments and rapid scientific results, and continuation of support for theoretical research. Long term recommendations include new space missions using advanced detectors to better study gamma-ray sources, the development of these detectors, continued study for the assembly of large detectors in space, collaboration with the gamma-ray astronomy missions initiated by other countries, and consideration of the Space Station attached payloads for gamma-ray experiments.

Source record↗