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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 109 records · Page 6

Exposing and Reducing Biases of Simulating Mixed-Phase Clouds in the Convection-Permitting E3SM Atmosphere Model: Lessons From an Arctic Cold-Air Outbreak

Mixed-phase clouds modulate the water and energy cycles of high-latitude regions, yet their liquid-ice phase partitioning has long been poorly simulated in climate models. Here, simulations of Arctic mixed-phase clouds by the Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model (SCREAM) are assessed against large-eddy simulations, satellite data, and ground-based observations during the Cold-Air Outbreaks in the Marine Boundary Layer Experiment field campaign. SCREAM simulates nearly completely frozen clouds, which is attributed largely to the unreasonably strong Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) process that converts liquid to ice excessively and partly to the early over-abundant ice production at cold temperatures from a temperature-deterministic deposition ice nucleation scheme. Assuming no subgrid variation for the WBF process in the original formulation particularly conflicts with the instantaneous saturation adjustment assumption in the condensation scheme that assumes subgrid variability, leading to exaggerated WBF process rates. A proposed simple physically-based improvement on the treatment of subgrid cloud overlap substantially increases supercooled liquid water content and notably improves cloud-top phase partitioning, aligning better with observations. Improvement of supercooled liquid water content also converges with increasing horizontal resolution. The deposition ice nucleation scheme is found responsible for a falsely-produced ice cloud aloft that is not observed, biasing the simulated cloud radiative effects and top-of-atmosphere radiative fluxes. This study identifies key deficiencies in cloud parameterizations that continue to challenge convection-permitting models.

Geosciences↗

Testing electron–phonon coupling for the superconductivity in kagome metal CsV 3 Sb 5

In crystalline materials, electron-phonon coupling (EPC) is a ubiquitous many-body interaction that drives conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superconductivity. Recently, in a new kagome metal CsV 3 Sb 5 , superconductivity that possibly intertwines with time-reversal and spatial symmetry-breaking orders is observed. Density functional theory calculations predicted weak EPC strength, λ, supporting an unconventional pairing mechanism in CsV 3 Sb 5 . However, experimental determination of λ is still missing, hindering a microscopic understanding of the intertwined ground state of CsV 3 Sb 5 . Here, using 7-eV laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and Eliashberg function analysis, we determine an intermediate λ=0.45–0.6 at T = 6 K for both Sb 5p and V 3d electronic bands, which can support a conventional superconducting transition temperature on the same magnitude of experimental value in CsV3Sb5. Remarkably, the EPC on the V 3d-band enhances to λ~0.75 as the superconducting transition temperature elevated to 4.4 K in Cs(V 0.93 Nb 0.07 ) 3 Sb 5 . Our results provide an important clue to understand the pairing mechanism in the kagome superconductor CsV 3 Sb 5 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Drying of tundra landscapes will limit subsidence-induced acceleration of permafrost thaw

We used a model for permafrost hydrology informed by detailed measurements of soil ice content to better understand the potential risk of abrupt permafrost thaw triggered by melting ground ice, a key open question associated with permafrost response to a warming Arctic. Our spatially resolved simulations of a well-characterized site in polygonal tundra near Utqiaġvik, Alaska, agree well with multiple types of observations in the current climate. Projections indicate 63 cm of bulk subsidence from 2006 to 2100 in the strong-warming Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate. Permafrost thaw as measured by the increase in active layer thickness (ALT)—the thickness of the soil layer that thaws each summer—is accelerated by subsidence, but the effect is relatively small. The ALT increases from the current-day value of approximately 50 cm to approximately 180 cm by 2100 when subsidence is included compared to about 160 cm when it is neglected. In these simulations, previously identified positive feedbacks between subsidence and thaw are self-limiting on decadal time frames because landscape runoff and increasing evapotranspiration result in drier tundra with weaker surface/atmosphere coupling. These results for a tundra site that is representative of large swathes of the Alaska North Slope suggest that subsidence is unlikely to lead to abrupt thaw over large areas. However, subsidence does have significant effects on the hydrology of polygonal tundra. Specifically, subsidence increases landscape runoff, which helps maintain streamflow in the face of increased evapotranspiration but also causes drier tundra conditions that could have deleterious effects on sensitive Arctic wetland ecosystems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Measurements of atoms and metastable species in N 2 and H 2 –N 2 nanosecond pulse plasmas

We report time-resolved, absolute number densities of metastable N 2 (A 3 Σ u + , v = 0, 1) molecules, ground state N 2 and H atoms, and rotational–translational temperature have been measured by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence in diffuse N 2 and N 2 –H 2 plasmas during and after a nanosecond pulse discharge burst. Comparison of the measurement results with the kinetic modeling predictions, specifically the significant reduction of the N 2 (A 3 Σ u + ) populations and the rate of N atom generation during the burst, suggests that these two trends are related. The slow N atom decay in the afterglow, on a time scale longer than the discharge burst, demonstrates that the latter trend is not affected by N atom recombination, diffusion to the walls, or convection with the flow. This leads to the conclusion that the energy pooling in collisions of N 2 (A 3 Σ u + ) molecules is a major channel of N 2 dissociation in electric discharges where a significant fraction of the input energy goes to electronic excitation of N 2 . Additional measurements in a 1% H 2 –N 2 mixture demonstrate a further significant reduction of N 2 (A 3 Σ u + , v = 0, 1) populations, due to the rapid quenching by H atoms accumulating in the plasma. Comparison with the modeling predictions suggests that the N 2 (A 3 Σ u + ) molecules may be initially formed in the highly vibrationally excited states. The reduction of the N 2 (A 3 Σ u + ) number density also diminishes the contribution of the energy pooling process into N2 dissociation, thus reducing the N atom number density. The rate of N atom generation during the burst also decreases, due to its strong coupling to N 2 (A 3 Σ u + , v) populations. On the other hand, the rate of H atom generation, produced predominantly by the dissociative quenching of the excited electronic states of N 2 by H 2 , remains about the same during the burst, resulting in a nearly linear rise in the H atom number density. Comparison of the kinetic model predictions with the experimental results suggests that the yield of H atoms during the quenching of the excited electronic state of N 2 by molecular H 2 is significantly less than 100%. The present results quantify the yield of N and H atoms in high-pressure H 2 –N 2 plasmas, which have significant potential for ammonia generation using plasma-assisted catalysis

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Absolute timing calibration of the Resolve microcalorimeter spectrometer on the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission

The Resolve microcalorimeter spectrometer on the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) is designed to have a good timing capability with the mission-level requirement of 1 ms as the absolute time tagging accuracy to suffice the needs for observatory science. In the ground calibration campaign, the absolute and relative timing offsets were measured using pulsed X-rays from the modulated X-ray sources. These offsets were used to determine calibration parameters, the Resolve timing coefficients, which are used in the offline correction of event times. In the orbit, reevaluation of the timing coefficients was carried out using the Crab pulsar, which was observed in two periods, one in the performance verification phase and the other in the guest observation phase. We report the absolute timing calibration of XRISM/Resolve using the ground and in-orbit data. Although the requirement is likely satisfied with the ground parameters, the timing coefficients have been refined using the in-orbit calibration to improve the timing accuracy. In addition, for the first time, we present the interpretation of the absolute timing offset originating from the analog and digital processing of X-ray events unique to a microcalorimeter spectrometer and present a complete view of the timing error of the Resolve instrument.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗

Ion-Pair Reorganization Regulates Reactivity in Photoredox Catalysts

Cyclometalated and polypyridyl complexes of d6 metals are promising photoredox catalysts, using light to drive reactions with high kinetic or thermodynamic barriers via the generation of reactive radical intermediates. However, while tuning of their redox potentials, absorption energy, excited-state lifetime and quantum yield are well-known criteria for modifying activity, other factors could be important. Here we show that dynamic ion-pair reorganization controls the reactivity of a photoredox catalyst, [Ir[dF(CF3)ppy]2(dtbpy)]X. Time-resolved dielectric-loss experiments show how counter-ion identity influences excited-state charge distribution, evincing large differences in both the ground- and excited-state dipole moment depending on whether X is a small associating anion (PF6-) that forms a contact-ion pair versus a large one that either dissociates or forms a solvent-separated pair (BArF4-). These differences correlate with the reactivity of the photocatalyst toward both reductive and oxidative electron transfer, amounting to a 4-fold change in selectivity toward oxidation versus reduction. These results suggest that ion pairing could be an underappreciated factor that modulates reactivity in ionic photoredox catalysts.

catalysis↗

Reconciling the Different Apparent Decay Pathways for Iron(III) Tetraphenylporphyrin Chloride: Evidence for Excited State Branching

Detailed understanding of the photophysical properties of metalloporphyrins is key to rationally exploiting them in a variety of applications ranging from photocatalysis to opto-magnetics. Previous studies of the ferric-tetraphenylporphyrin chloride have provided contradictory descriptions of the excited state evolution. Optical transient-absorption suggested initial formation of a ππ* excited state, followed by ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) from the porphyrin ring and then decay on the ∼2 ps time scale to a metal-centered excited state that had a lifetime of ∼15 ps. In contrast, femtosecond extreme ultraviolet transient-absorption at the Fe M 2,3 -edge, while agreeing on the initial formation of an LMCT state, found evidence that this decayed in ∼2 ps to the ground state. Here, we have used K-edge transient X-ray absorption and X-ray emission, together with time-resolved X-ray solution scattering to explore this system. Based on these data, we propose a new model, consistent with both the earlier and the current data, in which photoexcited FeTPPCl evolves through three different states on the LMCT manifold, with the ∼2 ps decay now seen to involve a branching between return to the ground state (∼70%) and formation of a long-lived LMCT state (∼30%).

Excited states↗

Variable Daily Autocorrelation Functions of High-Frequency Seismic Data on Mars

Abstract High-frequency seismic data on Mars are dominated by wind-generated lander vibrations, which are radiated partially to the subsurface. Autocorrelation functions (ACFs) of seismic data on Mars filtered between 1 and 5 Hz show clear phases at ∼1.3, ∼2.6, and ∼3.9 s. Daily temporal changes of their arrival times (dt/t) correlate well with the daily changes of ground temperature, with ∼5% daily variation and ∼50 min apparent phase delay. The following two mechanisms could explain the observations: (1) the interference of two predominant spectral peaks at ∼3.3 and ∼4.1 Hz, assumed to be both lander resonance modes, generate the apparent arrivals in the ACFs; (2) the interference of the lander vibration and its reflection from an interface ∼200 m below the lander generate the 3.3 Hz spectral peak and ∼1.3 s arrival in the ACFs. The driving mechanism of the resolved dt/t that most likely explains the ∼50 min delay is thermoelastic strain at a near-surface layer, affecting the lander–ground coupling and subsurface structures. The two outlined mechanisms suggest, respectively, up to ∼10% changes in ground stiffness at 1–5 Hz and ∼15% velocity changes in the top ∼20 m layer. These are upper bound values considering also other possible contributions. The presented methodology and results contribute to analysis of ACFs with limited data and the understanding of subsurface materials on Mars.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Doppler Lidar Motion-Correction Wind Profiles (DLMCPROF-WIND) Value-Added Product Report

Wind speed and direction, together with pressure, temperature, and relative humidity, are the most fundamental atmospheric state parameters. Accurate measurement of these parameters is crucial for numerical weather prediction. Vertically resolved wind measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer are particularly important for modeling pollutant and aerosol transport. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility currently operates several scanning coherent Doppler lidar (DL) systems that provide accurate height-resolved measurements of wind speed and direction. These instruments operate in the near infrared (IR;1.5 microns) and provide range-resolved measurements of radial velocity, attenuated aerosol backscatter, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The systems are operated using a fixed scan schedule consisting of plan position indicator (PPI) or Doppler Beam-Swing (DBS) scans. PPI scans are performed by scanning the beam in azimuth while maintaining a fixed elevation angle, and DBS scans are similar but typically also include a vertical beam. Radial velocity data from these scans are processed to yield profiles of wind speed direction. For stationary ground-based deployments, the Doppler Lidar Horizontal Wind Profiles (DLPROF-WIND) Value-Added-Product (VAP) provides height- and time-resolved measurements of the winds (Newsom and Krishnamurthy 2022). For operation on a moving platform, modifications to the existing DLPROF-WIND VAP are required to compensate for the effects of the platform motion. This report describes a parallel VAP, DLMCPROF-WIND, that was developed for computing motion-compensated wind profiles from ARM Doppler lidar data acquired during the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) campaign, when the lidar was deployed on the German icebreaker Polarstern.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Theoretical Advances in Polariton Chemistry and Molecular Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics

When molecules are coupled to an optical cavity, new light–matter hybrid states, so-called polaritons, are formed due to quantum light–matter interactions. With the experimental demonstrations of modifying chemical reactivities by forming polaritons under strong light–matter interactions, theorists have been encouraged to develop new methods to simulate these systems and discover new strategies to tune and control reactions. This review summarizes some of these exciting theoretical advances in polariton chemistry, in methods ranging from the fundamental framework to computational techniques and applications spanning from photochemistry to vibrational strong coupling. Even though the theory of quantum light–matter interactions goes back to the midtwentieth century, the gaps in the knowledge of molecular quantum electrodynamics (QED) have only recently been filled. We review recent advances made in resolving gauge ambiguities, the correct form of different QED Hamiltonians under different gauges, and their connections to various quantum optics models. Then, we review recently developed ab initio QED approaches which can accurately describe polariton states in a realistic molecule–cavity hybrid system. We then discuss applications using these method advancements. We review advancements in polariton photochemistry where the cavity is made resonant to electronic transitions to control molecular nonadiabatic excited state dynamics and enable new photochemical reactivities. When the cavity resonance is tuned to the molecular vibrations instead, ground-state chemical reaction modifications have been demonstrated experimentally, though its mechanistic principle remains unclear. We present some recent theoretical progress in resolving this mystery. Finally, we review the recent advances in understanding the collective coupling regime between light and matter, where many molecules can collectively couple to a single cavity mode or many cavity modes. We also lay out the current challenges in theory to explain the observed experimental results. We hope that this review will serve as a useful document for anyone who wants to become familiar with the context of polariton chemistry and molecular cavity QED and thus significantly benefit the entire community.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Anion Resonances and Photoelectron Spectroscopy of the Tetracenyl Anion

The photoelectron spectroscopy of the tetracenyl anion using slow electron velocity-map imaging (SEVI) of cryogenically cooled ions is presented here. The total photodetachment yield as a function of photon energy is used to reveal a rich manifold of anion excited states above the detachment threshold. The lowest energy anionic resonance has a sufficiently long lifetime to yield a vibrationally resolved absorption spectrum that can be directly compared with theoretical predictions. Excitation of this state mostly results in electron detachment via thermionic emission. The total photodetachment yield spectrum is used to select photon wavelengths that minimize the indirect detachment signal to allow acquisition of vibrationally-resolved photoelectron spectra that can inform on the neutral tetracenyl radical. Assignment of spectral features corresponding to the ground and first excited state of the neutral 12-tetracenyl isomer is made with the aid of Franck-Condon simulations. This yields adiabatic electron affinity and term energies that differ significantly from the previously reported values. Weak features corresponding to the ground state of the minor 2-teracenyl and 1-tetracenyl isomers are also identified, which allows for the experimental determination of their electron affinities for the first time.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Two-Step Procedure to Detect Cosmological Gravitational Wave Backgrounds with Next-Generation Terrestrial Gravitational-Wave Detectors

Cosmological gravitational-wave backgrounds are an exciting science target for next-generation ground-based detectors, as they encode invaluable information about the primordial Universe. However, any such background is expected to be obscured by the astrophysical foreground from compact-binary coalescences. We propose a novel framework to detect a cosmological gravitational-wave background in the presence of binary black holes and binary neutron star signals with next-generation ground-based detectors, including Cosmic Explorer and the Einstein Telescope. Our procedure involves first removing all the individually resolved binary black hole signals by notching them out in the time-frequency domain. Then, we perform joint Bayesian inference on the individually resolved binary neutron star signals, the unresolved binary neutron star foreground, and the cosmological background. For a flat cosmological background, we find that we can claim detection at 5⁢𝜎 level when Ω ref ≥ 2.7 × 10 −12 /$\sqrt{𝑇_{obs}/yr}$, where 𝑇 obs is the observation time (in years), which is within a factor of ≲ 2 from the sensitivity reached in the absence of these astrophysical foregrounds.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Mass measurements of neutron-rich indium isotopes for r -process studies

A new series of neutron-rich indium mass measurements is reported from the TITAN multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS). These mass measurements cover 125-134 In (N = 76–85) and include ground states as well as isomeric states. The masses of nuclei in this region are known to be of great importance for accurately modeling r-process nucleosynthesis, and the significance of the reported neutron-rich indium masses is discussed in this context. Results are compared with earlier experimental data where available as well as theoretical mass models. The measurements reported here include the first mass measurements of 133,134 In, as well as the first direct mass measurement of 132 In. The masses of 125-131 In ground states and several isomers were previously measured to higher precision by Penning trap mass spectrometry, which also resolved some low-lying isomers that could not be resolved in this work. The earlier Penning trap measurements serve as excellent cross-checks for the MR-TOF-MS measurements, and in some cases the MR-TOF-MS measurements improve the literature uncertainties of higher-lying isomer masses and excitation energies. Finally, a new isomeric state for 128 In, recently reported for the first time by the JYFLTRAP group, is also confirmed by the TITAN MR-TOF-MS, with a measured excitation energy of 1813(17) keV.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Anomalous Landau Level Gaps Near Magnetic Transitions in Monolayer WSe 2

First-order phase transitions produce abrupt changes to the character of both ground and excited electronic states. Here we conduct electronic compressibility measurements to map the spin phase diagram and Landau level (LL) energies of monolayer WSe 2 in a magnetic field. We resolve a sequence of first-order phase transitions between completely spin-polarized LLs and states with LLs of both spins. Unexpectedly, the LL gaps are roughly constant over a wide range of magnetic fields below the transitions, which we show reflects spin-polarized ground states with opposite spin excitations. These transitions also extend into compressible regimes, with a sawtooth boundary between full and partial spin polarization. We link these observations to the important influence of LL filling on the exchange energy beyond a smooth density-dependent contribution. Our results show that WSe 2 realizes a unique hierarchy of energy scales where such effects induce reentrant magnetic phase transitions tuned by density and magnetic field. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Excited State Bond Homolysis of Vanadium(V) Photocatalysts for Alkoxy Radical Generation

Advancements in photocatalysis have transformed synthetic organic chemistry, using light as a powerful tool to drive selective chemical transformations. Recent approaches have focused on metal-halide ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) photoactivated bond homolysis reactions leveraged by earth-abundant elements to generate valuable synthons for radical-mediated cross-coupling reactions. Of recent utility, oxovanadium(V) LMCT photocatalysts exhibit selective alkoxy radical generation from aliphatic alcohols upon blue light (UVA) irradiation under mild conditions. The selective photochemical liberation of alkoxy radicals is valuable for applying late-stage fragmentation approaches in organic synthesis and depolymerization strategies for nonbiodegradable polymers. Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy were used to assign the electronic structure of three well-defined V(V) photocatalysts in their ground and excited states. We assign the excited state for this transformation at earth-abundant vanadium(V), interrogating the electronic structure using static UV–visible absorption, ultrafast transient absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy coupled to computational approaches. Furthermore, these findings afford assignments of the short-lived excited state intermediates that dictate selective homolytic bond cleavage in metal alkoxides, illustrating the valuable insight gleaned from fundamental investigations of the molecular photochemistry responsible for light-escalated chemical transformations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Photo-induced structural dynamics of o -nitrophenol by ultrafast electron diffraction

The photo-induced dynamics of o-nitrophenol, particularly its photolysis, has garnered significant scientific interest as a potential source of nitrous acid in the atmosphere. Although the photolysis products and preceding photo-induced electronic structure dynamics have been investigated extensively, the nuclear dynamics accompanying the non-radiative relaxation of o-nitrophenol on the ultrafast timescale, which include an intramolecular proton transfer step, have not been experimentally resolved. Herein, we present a direct observation of the ultrafast nuclear motions mediating photo-relaxation using ultrafast electron diffraction. Here, this work spatiotemporally resolves the loss of planarity which enables access to a conical intersection between the first excited state and the ground state after the proton transfer step, on the femtosecond timescale and with sub-Angstrom resolution. Our observations, supported by ab initio multiple spawning simulations, provide new insights into the proton transfer mediated relaxation mechanism in o-nitrophenol.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electronic structure complexity and extremely large magnetoresistance in antiferromagnetic semimetal SmAgSb 2

SmAgSb 2 , a layered magnetic semimetal in the tetragonal 𝑅⁢𝑇⁢ Sb 2 family (𝑅 = Y, Sc, rare earth; 𝑇 = transition metal), is known to exhibit extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) below its antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition temperature. Here, in this work, we present a comprehensive investigation combining magnetotransport measurements, density functional theory calculations accounting for electron correlation, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our results reveal a complex electronic structure characterized by a multiband Fermi surface and intricate magnetic ground states. We demonstrate that simple two-band models, previously employed in the literature, fail to consistently describe the observed transport phenomena. Notably, we report an XMR of approximately 25200% at 2 K under a 14 T magnetic field, significantly exceeding earlier reports for this material family and rivaling the performance of prominent nonmagnetic XMR systems. This pronounced enhancement below 𝑇 𝑁 suggests that the XMR originates from a combination of multiband electron-hole compensation and enhanced magnetic scattering in this correlated AFM semimetal.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗