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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 1,081 records · Page 60
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

A Monte Carlo paradigm for capillarity in porous media

Wet porous media are ubiquitous in nature as soils, rocks, plants, and bones, and in engineering settings such as oil production, ground stability, filtration and composites. Their physical and chemical behavior is governed by the distribution of liquid and interfaces between phases. Characterization of the interfacial distribution is mostly based on macroscopic experiments, aided by empirical formulae. We present an alternative computational paradigm utilizing a Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate interfaces in complex realistic pore geometries. The method agrees with analytical solutions available only for idealized pore geometries, and is in quantitative agreement with Micro X-ray Computed Tomography (microXCT), capillary pressure, and interfacial area measurements for natural soils. We demonstrate that this methodology predicts macroscopic properties such as the capillary pressure and air-liquid interface area versus liquid saturation based only on the pore size information from microXCT images and interfacial interaction energies. The generality of this method should allow simulation of capillarity in many porous materials.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

EFFECTS OF LEAKAGE NEUTRAL PARTICLES ON SHOCKS

In this paper, we investigate effects of neutral particles on shocks propagating into the partially ionized medium. We find that for 120 km s{sup -1} < u {sub sh} < 3000 km s{sup -1} (u {sub sh} is the shock velocity), about 10% of upstream neutral particles leak into the upstream region from the downstream region. Moreover, we investigate how the leakage neutral particles affect the upstream structure of the shock and particle accelerations. Using four-fluid approximations (upstream ions, upstream neutral particles, leakage neutral particles, and pickup ions), we provide analytical solutions of the precursor structure due to leakage neutral particles. It is shown that the upstream flow is decelerated in the precursor region and the shock compression ratio becomes smaller than without leakage neutral particles, but the total compression ratio does not change. Even if leakage of neutral particles is small (a few percent of total upstream particles), this smaller compression ratio of the shock can explain steep gamma-ray spectra from young supernova remnants. Furthermore, leakage neutral particles could amplify the magnetic field and heat the upstream region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Generation of magnetic structures on the solar photosphere

The lower solar atmosphere is a partially ionized plasma consisting of electrons, ions, and neutral atoms. In this, which is essentially a three-fluid system, the Hall effect arises from the treatment of the electrons and ions as two separate fluids and the ambipolar diffusion arises from the inclusion of neutrals as the third fluid. The Hall effect and ambipolar diffusion have been shown to be operational in a region beginning from near the photosphere up to the chromosphere. In a partially ionized plasma, the magnetic induction is subjected to ambipolar diffusion and the Hall drift in addition to the usual resistive dissipation. These nonlinear effects create sharp magnetic structures which then submit themselves to various relaxation mechanisms. A first-principles derivation of these effects in a three-fluid system and an analytic solution to the magnetic induction equation in a stationary state are presented, which in the general case includes the Hall effect, ambipolar diffusion, and ohmic dissipation. The temporal evolution of the magnetic field is then investigated under the combined as well as the individual effects of the Hall drift and ambipolar diffusion to demonstrate the formation of steep magnetic structures and the resultant current sheet formation. These structures have just the right features for the release of magnetic energy into the solar atmosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Determination of natural frequencies by coupled method of homotopy perturbation and variational method for strongly nonlinear oscillators

In this paper a new approach combining the features of the homotopy concept with variational approach is proposed to find accurate analytical solutions for nonlinear oscillators with and without a fractional power restoring force. Since the first-order approximation leads to very accurate results, comparisons with other results are presented to show the effectiveness of this method. The validity of the method is independent of whether or not there exist small or large parameters in the considered nonlinear equations; the obtained results prove the validity and efficiency of the method, which can be easily extended to other strongly nonlinear problems. At the end we compare our procedure with the optimal homotopy perturbation method.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Inverse problem: What can we tell about the matter and energy in our Universe from its dimensionality and evolution

The most well-known theories of everything are assorted versions of the superstring theory. The theories require existence of additional space dimensions, vibrations of which create the material particles in 3D space. The additional space dimensions are understood as being currently smaller than the Planck Length and due to this not directly observable. We search for multidimensional models of the Universe (one time dimension; three isotropic, flat external dimensions, and n-internal dimensions), which satisfy the multidimensional Einstein equations and which started from the same radius of all of the internal and external dimensions, with an anisotropic energy–momentum tensor. Analytical solution of (N+1)-dimensional Einstein equation in a reparameterized time is reminded and discussed. The energy–momentum tensor is solely responsible for expansion of the external dimensions and shrinking of the internal ones; and to obtain this behavior of the space the tensor needs to fulfill some conditions i.e. the energy–momentum tensor cannot include only radiation, vacuum and baryonic matter. For the behavior of the physical space consistent with the one observed in our Universe, the dark energy and/or dark matter have to exist.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF RETURN-CURRENT LOSSES ON THE X-RAY EMISSION FROM SOLAR FLARES

I obtain and examine the implications of one-dimensional analytic solutions for return-current losses on an initially power-law distribution of energetic electrons with a sharp low-energy cutoff in flare plasma with classical (collisional) resistivity. These solutions show, for example, that return-current losses are not sensitive to plasma density, but are sensitive to plasma temperature and the low-energy cutoff of the injected nonthermal electron distribution. A characteristic distance from the electron injection site, x{sub rc}, is derived. At distances less than x{sub rc} the electron flux density is not reduced by return-current losses, but plasma heating can be substantial in this region, in the upper, coronal part of the flare loop. Before the electrons reach the collisional thick-target region of the flare loop, an injected power-law electron distribution with a low-energy cutoff maintains that structure, but with a flat energy distribution below the cutoff energy, which is now determined by the total potential drop experienced by the electrons. Modifications due to the presence of collisional losses are discussed. I compare these results with earlier analytical results and with more recent numerical simulations. Emslie's conjecture that there is a maximum integrated X-ray source brightness on the order of 10{sup -15} photons cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} cm{sup -2} is examined. I find that this is not actually the maximum brightness and its value is parameter dependent, but it is nevertheless a valuable benchmark for identifying return-current losses in hard X-ray spectra. I discuss an observational approach to identifying return-current losses in flare data, including identification of a return-current 'bump' in X-ray light curves at low photon energies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Determination of the thermal diffusivity of bulk and layered samples by time domain thermoreflectance: Interest of lateral heat diffusion investigation in nanoscale time range

We report on thermal investigations performed in a time resolved experimental scheme. The time domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) is applied in an unusual geometry where the pump and probe beams are not superimposed but focused and shifted. In this way, the determination of the in-plane thermal diffusivity is achieved from temperature snapshots at different time delays. In the first part, taking into account the specific generation process and the detection inherent to the time domain thermoreflectance approach, an analytical solution for the temperature field is obtained for bulk samples, and compared to experimental data. A comparison with the frequency domain thermoreflectance microscopy is also outlined. In Part II section, the lateral heat diffusion in a layered structure is investigated. The comparison of the heat diffusion spreading in case of a highly conductive layer deposited on an insulator substrate and the reverse situation are carefully studied. Finally, we show how the time dependence is efficient to probe and identify material thermal properties or thermal interfacial resistance.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Amplitude and phase modulation of radiation in a travelling-wave amplifier based on a laser diode

An analytical solution (in quadratures) to the problem of propagation of quasi-monochromatic optical signal in a semiconductor amplifier under harmonic modulation of its pump current is obtained for the first time. It is shown that the modulation of the output radiation has amplitude and phase features. The relation is found between the coefficients of the amplitude and phase modulation with the effect of gain saturation taken into account. Adequacy of the results obtained is confirmed experimentally. (control of laser radiation parameters)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Nonlinear normal modes in electrodynamic systems: A nonperturbative approach

We consider electromagnetic nonlinear normal modes in cylindrical cavity resonators filled with a nonlinear nondispersive medium. The key feature of the analysis is that exact analytic solutions of the nonlinear field equations are employed to study the mode properties in detail. Based on such a nonperturbative approach, we rigorously prove that the total energy of free nonlinear oscillations in a distributed conservative system, such as that considered in our work, can exactly coincide with the sum of energies of the normal modes of the system. This fact implies that the energy orthogonality property, which has so far been known to hold only for linear oscillations and fields, can also be observed in a nonlinear oscillatory system.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

The energy level shifts, wave functions and the probability current distributions for the bound scalar and spinor particles moving in a uniform magnetic field

We discuss the equations for the bound one-active electron states based on the analytic solutions of the Schrödinger and Pauli equations for a uniform magnetic field and a single attractive δ(r )-potential. We show that the magnetic field indeed plays a stabilizing role in considered systems in a case of the weak intensity, but the opposite occurs in the case of strong intensity. These properties may be important for real quantum mechanical fermionic systems in two and three dimensions. In addition, we obtained that including the spin in the framework of the nonrelativistic approach allows correctly taking the effect of the magnetic field on the electric current into account.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Type B 3-fold supersymmetry and non-polynomial invariant subspaces

We obtain the most general type B 3-fold supersymmetry by solving directly the intertwining relation. We then show that it is a necessary and sufficient condition for a second-order linear differential operator to have three linearly independent local analytic solutions. We find that there are eight linearly independent non-trivial linear differential operators of this kind. As a by-product, we find new quasi-solvable second-order operators preserving a monomial or polynomial subspace, one in type B, two in type C, and four in type X{sub 2}, all of which have been missed in the existing literature. In addition, we show that type A, type B, and type C 3-fold supersymmetries are connected continuously via one parameter. A few new quasi-solvable models are also presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

PLANET FORMATION IN BINARIES: DYNAMICS OF PLANETESIMALS PERTURBED BY THE ECCENTRIC PROTOPLANETARY DISK AND THE SECONDARY

Detections of planets in eccentric, close (separations of ∼20 AU) binary systems such as α Cen or γ Cep provide an important test of planet formation theories. Gravitational perturbations from the companion are expected to excite high planetesimal eccentricities, resulting in destruction rather than growth of objects with sizes of up to several hundred kilometers in collisions of similar-sized bodies. It was recently suggested that the gravity of a massive axisymmetric gaseous disk in which planetesimals are embedded drives rapid precession of their orbits, suppressing eccentricity excitation. However, disks in binaries are themselves expected to be eccentric, leading to additional planetesimal excitation. Here we develop a secular theory of eccentricity evolution for planetesimals perturbed by the gravity of an elliptical protoplanetary disk (neglecting gas drag) and the companion. For the first time, we derive an expression for the disturbing function due to an eccentric disk, which can be used for a variety of other astrophysical problems. We obtain explicit analytical solutions for planetesimal eccentricity evolution neglecting gas drag and delineate four different regimes of dynamical excitation. We show that in systems with massive (≳ 10{sup –2} M {sub ☉}) disks, planetesimal eccentricity is usually determined by the gravity of the eccentric disk alone, and is comparable to the disk eccentricity. As a result, the latter imposes a lower limit on collisional velocities of solids, making their growth problematic. In the absence of gas drag, this fragmentation barrier can be alleviated if the gaseous disk rapidly precesses or if its own self-gravity is efficient at lowering disk eccentricity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effect of Nonlinearity in Hybrid Kinetic Monte Carlo-Continuum Models

Recently there has been interest in developing efficient ways to model heterogeneous surface reactions with hybrid computational models that couple a KMC model for a surface to a finite difference model for bulk diffusion in a continuous domain. We consider two representative problems that validate a hybrid method and also show that this method captures the combined effects of nonlinearity and stochasticity. We first validate a simple deposition/dissolution model with a linear rate showing that the KMC-continuum hybrid agrees with both a fully deterministic model and its analytical solution. We then study a deposition/dissolution model including competitive adsorption, which leads to a nonlinear rate, and show that, in this case, the KMC-continuum hybrid and fully deterministic simulations do not agree. However, we are able to identify the difference as a natural result of the stochasticity coming from the KMC surface process. Because KMC captures inherent fluctuations, we consider it to be more realistic than a purely deterministic model. Therefore, we consider the KMC-continuum hybrid to be more representative of a real system.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

EIGENMODES OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETIC ARCADES IN THE SUN’S CORONA

We develop a model of coronal-loop oscillations that treats the observed bright loops as an integral part of a larger three-dimensional (3D) magnetic structure comprised of the entire magnetic arcade. We demonstrate that magnetic arcades within the solar corona can trap MHD fast waves in a 3D waveguide. This is accomplished through the construction of a cylindrically symmetric model of a magnetic arcade with a potential magnetic field. For a magnetically dominated plasma, we derive a governing equation for MHD fast waves and from this equation we show that the magnetic arcade forms a 3D waveguide if the Alfvén speed increases monotonically beyond a fiducial radius. Both magnetic pressure and tension act as restoring forces, instead of just tension as is generally assumed in 1D models. Since magnetic pressure plays an important role, the eigenmodes involve propagation both parallel and transverse to the magnetic field. Using an analytic solution, we derive the specific eigenfrequencies and eigenfunctions for an arcade possessing a discontinuous density profile. The discontinuity separates a diffuse cylindrical cavity and an overlying shell of denser plasma that corresponds to the bright loops. We emphasize that all of the eigenfunctions have a discontinuous axial velocity at the density interface; hence, the interface can give rise to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Further, we find that all modes have elliptical polarization with the degree of polarization changing with height. However, depending on the line of sight, only one polarization may be clearly visible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Consistent dynamics of the components of an elliptically polarised wave with zero mean amplitudes in a nonlinear isotropic gyrotropic medium in the adiabatic approximation

The adiabatic approximation is used to obtain an analytical solution to a nonintegrable problem of propagation of a plane elliptically polarised light wave with zero mean amplitudes of orthogonal circularly polarised field components through an isotropic gyrotropic medium with local and nonlocal components of Kerr nonlinearity and second-order group velocity dispersion. We describe the aperiodic evolution of bound (attributable to the medium nonlinearity) paired states, which are responsible for the propagation of two orthogonal polarisation components – cnoidal waves with significantly different periods. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Terahertz surface plasmon polaritons on a conductive right circular cone: Analytical description and experimental verification

We report on an analytical solution of Maxwell's equations for the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons on a right circular cone. The problem was solved for THz frequencies in real metals and was therefore derived using the Leontovich approximation, which is valid for media with small surface impedances. The solution also accounts for both surface plasmon polaritons that are axisymmetric and those that have an angular structure in a plane normal to the cone's axis. This was an important consideration since it is crucial for describing surface phenomena such as surface-enhanced absorption, fluorescence, and Raman scattering. Our findings predict a total reflection of surface plasmon polaritons at the cone's apex, which was experimentally verified by an absence of light emitted from a heated cone's tip into the far-field region.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Analytical Green's function of the radiative transfer radiance for the infinite medium

An analytical solution of the radiative transfer equation for the radiance caused by an isotropic source which is located in an infinitely extended medium was derived using the P{sub N} method. The results were compared with Monte Carlo simulations and excellent agreement was found. In addition, the radiance of the SP{sub N} approximation for the same geometry was derived. Comparison with Monte Carlo simulations showed that the SP{sub N} radiance, although being more exact than the radiance derived from diffusion theory, has relatively large errors in many relevant cases.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Modelling Framework for Understanding the Impacts of Radioactive and Chemo-toxic Waste Disposals - 18199

In order to assess the compliance of a radioactive waste disposal facility against regulatory requirements, it is usual to develop a numerical model that provides estimates of quantities such as effective dose, radiological risk and environmental concentrations at times in the future after disposal of the wastes. An important aspect of a safety case based on the results of the numerical assessment model is to develop understanding and confidence in the results. This understanding includes determining why the magnitudes of the results are as they are, determining the key controlling parameters on the model outputs, providing confidence that the model outputs are credible, providing an alternative and complementary modelling approach, undertaking sensitivity analyses and facilitating communication of the safety case results with stakeholders. In this paper we present a modelling approach that addresses these issues for a wide range of disposal concepts. The approach captures the key processes that affect contaminant migration and transport, and uses analytical solutions to provide insight and understanding about the behaviour of a disposal system. The approach has been tested against a wide range of concepts for LLW, ILW, HLW and SF. In all cases, agreement with the results from numerical assessment models is found to be very good, with estimates of peak radiological risk and other metrics within a factor of two or better, compared with those from numerical assessment models. This agreement is achieved for assessment results that can potentially span many orders of magnitude. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗