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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Review–From LiMn 2 O 4 to Partially-Disordered Li 2 MnNiO 4 : The Evolution of Lithiated-Spinel Cathodes for Li-Ion Batteries

This personal narrative relates to the discovery in 1981 of stoichiometric LiM 2 O 4 spinel electrodes (where M = metal cation) for lithium-ion batteries by the Goodenough group at Oxford University, UK, and the subsequent identification and evolution of stable lithiated-spinel Li 2 M 2 O 4 (or LiMO 2 ) cathodes at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in South Africa and Argonne National Laboratory (USA). In this work, the competition that occurs between the formation of lithiated-spinel and layered (LiMO 2 ) structures at 400 °C, and recent efforts to design high-capacity, Mn-rich composite cathodes with partial disorder, are discussed. The paper is written in honor of John Goodenough's 100th birthday.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Self-interacting neutrinos: Solution to Hubble tension versus experimental constraints

Exotic self-interactions among the Standard-Model neutrinos have been proposed as a potential reason behind the tension in the expansion rate, H 0 , of the universe inferred from different observations. We constrain this proposal using electroweak precision observables, rare meson decays, and neutrinoless double-β decay. In contrast to previous works, we emphasize the importance of carrying out this study in a framework with full Standard-Model gauge invariance. We implement this first by working with a relevant set of Standard- Model-Effective-Field-Theory operators and subsequently by considering a UV completion in the inverse See-Saw model. We find that the scenario in which all flavors of neutrinos self-interact universally is strongly constrained, disfavoring a potential solution to the H 0 problem in this case. The scenario with self-interactions only among tau neutrinos is the least constrained and can potentially be consistent with a solution to the H 0 problem.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Power-law inflation satisfies Penrose’s Weyl curvature hypothesis

Based on entropy considerations and the arrow of time Penrose argued that the Universe must have started in a special initial singularity with vanishing Weyl curvature. This is often interpreted to be at odds with inflation. Here we argue just the opposite, that Penrose’s persuasions are in fact consistent with inflation. Using the example of power law inflation, we show that inflation begins with a past null singularity, where Weyl tensor vanishes when the metric is initially exactly conformally flat. This initial state precisely obeys Penrose’s conditions. The initial null singularity breaks T-reversal spontaneously and picks the arrow of time. It can be regulated and interpreted as a creation of a universe from nothing, initially fitting in a bubble of Planckian size when it materializes. Penrose’s initial conditions are favored by the initial O(4) symmetry of the bubble, selected by extremality of the regulated Euclidean action. The predicted observables are marginally in tension with the data, but they can fit if small corrections to power law inflation kick in during the last 60⁢e-folds.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Test for Cosmological Parity Violation Using the 3D Distribution of Galaxies

Here we show how the galaxy four-point correlation function can test for cosmological parity violation. The detection of cosmological parity violation would reflect previously unknown forces present at the earliest moments of the Universe. Recent developments both in rapidly evaluating galaxy N-point correlation functions and in determining the corresponding covariance matrices make the search for parity violation in the four-point correlation function possible in current and upcoming surveys such as those undertaken by Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, the Euclid satellite, and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. We estimate the limits on cosmic parity violation that could be set with these data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Chameleon early dark energy and the Hubble tension

Early dark energy (EDE) offers a particularly interesting theoretical approach to the Hubble tension, albeit one that introduces its own set of challenges, including a new “why then” problem related to the EDE injection time at matter-radiation equality, and a mild worsening of the large-scale structure (LSS) tension. Both these challenges center on the properties of dark matter, which becomes the dominant component of the Universe at EDE injection and is also responsible for seeding LSS. Driven by this, we present the potential of couplings between EDE and dark matter to address these challenges, focusing on a mechanism similar to chameleon dark energy theories, deeming this chameleon early dark energy (CEDE). We present relevant background and perturbation equations and study the dynamics of the case of a quartic scalar potential and an exponential coupling.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atacama Cosmology Telescope DR6 and DESI: Structure growth measurements from the cross-correlation of DESI legacy imaging galaxies and CMB lensing from ACT DR6 and 𝑃⁢𝑙⁢𝑎⁢𝑛⁢𝑐⁢𝑘 PR4

We measure the growth of cosmic density fluctuations on large scales and across the redshift range 0.3 < 𝑧 < 0.8 through galaxy clustering and the cross-correlation of the ACT data release 6 cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing map and galaxies from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Legacy Survey, using three galaxy samples spanning the redshifts of 0.3 ≲ 𝑧 ≲ 0.45, 0.45 ≲ 𝑧 ≲ 0.6, 0.6 ≲ 𝑧 ≲ 0.8. We adopt a scale cut where nonlinear effects are negligible, so that the cosmological constraints are derived from the linear regime. We determine the amplitude of matter fluctuations over all three redshift bins using Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data alone to be 𝑆 8 ≡ 𝜎 8 ⁢(Ω 𝑚 /0.3) 0.5 =0.772 ± 0.040 in a joint analysis combining the three redshift bins and ACT lensing alone. Using a combination of ACT and Planck data we obtain 𝑆 8 = 0.765 ± 0.032. The lowest redshift bin used is the least constraining and exhibits a ∼2⁢𝜎 tension with the other redshift bins; thus we also report constraints excluding the first redshift bin, giving 𝑆 8 = 0.785 ± 0.033 for the combination of ACT and Planck. This result is in excellent agreement at the 0.3⁢𝜎 level with measurements from galaxy lensing, but is 1.8⁢𝜎 lower than predictions based on Planck primary CMB data. Understanding whether this hint of discrepancy in the growth of structure at low redshifts arises from a fluctuation, from systematics in data, or from new physics is a high priority for forthcoming CMB lensing and galaxy cross-correlation analyses.

cosmic microwave background↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermalization and criticality on an analogue–digital quantum simulator

Abstract Understanding how interacting particles approach thermal equilibrium is a major challenge of quantum simulators 1,2 . Unlocking the full potential of such systems towards this goal requires flexible initial state preparation, precise time evolution and extensive probes for final state characterization. Here we present a quantum simulator comprising 69 superconducting qubits that supports both universal quantum gates and high-fidelity analogue evolution, with performance beyond the reach of classical simulation in cross-entropy benchmarking experiments. This hybrid platform features more versatile measurement capabilities compared with analogue-only simulators, which we leverage here to reveal a coarsening-induced breakdown of Kibble–Zurek scaling predictions 3 in theXYmodel, as well as signatures of the classical Kosterlitz–Thouless phase transition 4 . Moreover, the digital gates enable precise energy control, allowing us to study the effects of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis 5–7 in targeted parts of the eigenspectrum. We also demonstrate digital preparation of pairwise-entangled dimer states, and image the transport of energy and vorticity during subsequent thermalization in analogue evolution. These results establish the efficacy of superconducting analogue–digital quantum processors for preparing states across many-body spectra and unveiling their thermalization dynamics.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Impact of a midband gravitational wave experiment on detectability of cosmological stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds

In this report we make forecasts for the impact a future “midband” space-based gravitational wave experiment, most sensitive to 10 -2 - 10Hz,could have on potential detections of cosmological stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds (SGWBs). Specific proposed midband experiments considered are TianGo, B-DECIGO, and AEDGE. We propose a combined power-law integrated sensitivity (CPLS) curve combining GW experiments over different frequency bands, which shows the midband improves sensitivity to SGWBs by up to two orders of magnitude at 10 -2 - 10 Hz . We consider GW emission from cosmic strings and phase transitions as benchmark examples of cosmological SGWBs. We explicitly model various astrophysical SGWB sources, most importantly from unresolved black hole mergers. Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo, we demonstrated that midband experiments can, when combined with LIGO A+ and LISA, significantly improve sensitivities to cosmological SGWBs and better separate them from astrophysical SGWBs. In particular, we forecast that a midband experiment improves sensitivity to cosmic string tension G μ by up to a factor of 10, driven by improved component separation from astrophysical sources. For phase transitions, a midband experiment can detect signals peaking at 0.1–1 Hz, which for our fiducial model corresponds to early Universe temperatures of T * ~10 4 – 10 6 GeV , generally beyond the reach of LIGO and LISA. The midband closes an energy gap and better captures characteristic spectral shape information. It thus substantially improves measurement of the properties of phase transitions at lower energies of T * ~ O(10 3 ) GeV , potentially relevant to new physics at the electroweak scale, whereas in this energy range LISA alone will detect an excess but not effectively measure the phase transition parameters. Our modeling code and chains are publicly available.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Microphysics of early dark energy

Early dark energy (EDE) relies on scalar field dynamics to resolve the Hubble tension, by boosting the pre-recombination length scales and thereby raising the CMB-inferred value of the Hubble constant into agreement with late universe probes. However, the collateral effect of scalar field microphysics on the linear perturbation spectra appears to preclude a fully satisfactory solution. H 0 is not raised without the inclusion of a late universe prior, and the “S 8 -tension”, a discrepancy between early- and late-universe measurements of the structure growth parameter, is exacerbated. What if EDE is not a scalar field? Here, we investigate whether different microphysics, encoded in the constitutive relationships between pressure and energy density fluctuations, can relieve these tensions. We show that EDE with an anisotropic sound speed can soften both the H 0 and S 8 tensions while still providing a quality fit to CMB data. Future observations from the CMB-S4 experiment may be able to distinguish the underlying microphysics at the 4σ level, and thereby test whether a scalar field or some richer physics is at work.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

PlantCV v4: Image analysis software for high‐throughput plant phenotyping

PlantCV is an open-source Python project aimed at developing tools to address a range of image-based, plant phenotyping questions. PlantCV has been used for more than 10 years to automate trait collection from image data, and the newest release, PlantCV version 4, continues to lower the barrier to entry for users without substantial coding experience through extensive example use-case tutorials and simplified installation. In addition to usability, we document added functionality since the release of PlantCV v2, including support for more image types such as fluorescence, thermal, and hyperspectral data. Finally, we describe the development of a new subpackage focused on morphological trait measurements like leaf angle, and demonstrate its utility as compared to more manual methods of data collection.

Schuhl, Haley [Donald Danforth Plant Science Cente↗
DOE OSTI2021

Question of measuring spatial curvature in an inhomogeneous universe

The curvature of a spacetime, either in a topological sense, or averaged over superhorizon-sized patches, is often equated with the global curvature term that appears in Friedmann’s equation. In general, however, the Universe is inhomogeneous, and gravity is a nonlinear theory, thus any curvature perturbations violate the assumptions of the Friedmann-Lemaïtre-Robertson-Walker model; it is not necessarily true that local curvature, averaged over patches of constant-time surfaces, will reproduce the observational effects of global symmetry. Further, the curvature of a constant-time hypersurface is not an observable quantity, and can only be inferred indirectly. Here, we examine the behavior of curvature modes on hypersurfaces of an inhomogeneous spacetime nonperturbatively in a numerical relativistic setting, and how this curvature corresponds with that inferred by observers. We also note the point at which observations become sensitive to the impact of curvature sourced by inhomogeneities on inferred average properties, finding general agreement with past literature.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Clustering and runaway merging in a primordial black hole dominated universe

If primordial black holes (PBHs) are present in the early Universe, their contribution to the energy budget grows relative to that of radiation and generically becomes dominant unless the initial abundance is exponentially small. This black hole domination scenario is largely unconstrained for PBHs with masses ≲ 10 9 g, which evaporate prior to big bang nucleosynthesis. However, if the era of PBH domination is sufficiently long, the PBHs form clusters and can merge appreciably within these objects. We calculate the population statistics of these clusters within the Press-Schechter formalism and find that, for a wide range of PBH masses and Hubble rates at the onset of PBH domination, the mergers within PBH clusters can exhibit runaway behavior, where the majority of the cluster will eventually form a single black hole with a mass much greater than the original PBH mass. Finally, these mergers can dramatically alter the PBH mass distribution and leave behind merged relic black holes that evaporate after big bang nucleosynthesis and yield various observational signatures, excluding parameter choices previously thought to be viable.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Primordial black holes and their mass spectra: The effects of mergers and accretion within stasis cosmologies

A variety of processes in the very early Universe can give rise to a population of primordial black holes (PBHs) with an extended mass spectrum. For certain mass spectra of this sort, it has been shown that the evaporation of these PBHs into radiation can drive the universe toward an epoch of cosmological stasis which can persist for a significant number of 𝑒-folds of cosmological expansion. However, in general, the initial mass spectrum which characterizes a population of PBHs at the time of production can subsequently be distorted by processes such as mergers and accretion. Here, in this paper, we examine the effects that these processes have on the spectra that lead to a PBH-induced stasis. Within such stasis models, we find that mergers have only a negligible effect on these spectra within the regime of interest for stasis. We likewise find that the effect of accretion is negligible in many cases of interest. However, we find that the effect of accretion on the PBH mass spectrum is non-negligible in situations in which this spectrum is particularly broad. In such situations, the stasis epoch is abridged or, in extreme cases, does not occur at all. Thus accretion plays a nontrivial role in constraining the emergence of stasis within scenarios which lead to extended PBH mass spectra.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Probing parity violation with the four-point correlation function of BOSS galaxies

Parity-violating physics in the early universe can leave detectable traces in late-time observables. While vector- and tensor-type parity violation can be observed in the B -modes of the cosmic microwave background, scalar-type signatures are visible only in the four-point correlation function (4PCF) and beyond. This work presents a blind test for parity violation in the 4PCF of the baryon oscillation spectroscopic survey (BOSS) CMASS sample, considering galaxy separations in the range [20; 160]h -1 Mpc The parity-odd 4PCF contains no contributions from standard Λ CDM physics and can be efficiently measured using recently developed estimators. Data are analyzed using both a nonparametric rank test (comparing the BOSS 4PCFs to those of realistic simulations) and a compressed χ 2 analysis, with the former avoiding the assumption of a Gaussian likelihood. These find similar results, with the rank test giving a detection probability of 99.6% (2.9 σ). This provides significant evidence for parity violation, from either cosmological sources or systematics. We perform a number of systematic tests: although these do not reveal any observational artifacts, we cannot exclude the possibility that our detection is caused by the simulations not faithfully representing the statistical properties of the BOSS data. Our measurements can be used to constrain physical models of parity violation. As an example, we consider a coupling between the inflaton and a U (1) gauge field and place bounds on the latter’s energy density, which are several orders of magnitude stronger than those previously reported. Upcoming probes such as DESI and Euclid will reveal whether our detection of parity violation is due to new physics, and strengthen the bounds on a variety of models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Constraints on prerecombination early dark energy

The early dark energy (EDE) scenario aims to increase the value of the Hubble constant (H0) inferred from cosmic microwave background (CMB) data over that found in the standard cosmological model (Λ CDM ), via the introduction of a new form of energy density in the early Universe. The EDE component briefly accelerates cosmic expansion just prior to recombination, which reduces the physical size of the sound horizon imprinted in the CMB. Previous work has found that nonzero EDE is not preferred by Planck CMB power spectrum data alone, which yield a 95% confidence level (C.L.) upper limit f EDE < 0.087 on the maximal fractional contribution of the EDE field to the cosmic energy budget. In this paper, we fit the EDE model to CMB data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data release 4. We find that a combination of ACT, large-scale Planck TT (similar to WMAP), Planck CMB lensing, and BAO data prefers the existence of EDE at >99.7 % C .L . : f EDE = 0.091$^{+0.020}_{-0.036}$, with H 0 = 70.9$^{+1.0}_{-2.0}$ km/s/Mpc (both 68% C.L.). From a model-selection standpoint, we find that EDE is favored over Λ CDM by these data at roughly 3 σ significance. In contrast, a joint analysis of the full Planck and ACT data yields no evidence for EDE, as previously found for Planck alone. We show that the preference for EDE in ACT alone is driven by its TE and EE power spectrum data. The tight constraint on EDE from Planck alone is driven by its high-ℓ TT power spectrum data. Understanding whether these differing constraints are physical in nature, due to systematics, or simply a rare statistical fluctuation is of high priority. Here, the best-fit EDE models to ACT and Planck exhibit coherent differences across a wide range of multipoles in TE and EE, indicating that a powerful test of this scenario is anticipated with near-future data from ACT and other ground-based experiments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Dark Energy Survey year 3 results: Constraints on cosmological parameters and galaxy-bias models from galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing using the redMaGiC sample

We constrain cosmological parameters and galaxy-bias parameters using the combination of galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing measurements from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) year-3 data. We describe our modeling framework and choice of scales analyzed, validating their robustness to theoretical uncertainties in small-scale clustering by analyzing simulated data. Using a linear galaxy-bias model and redMaGiC galaxy sample, we obtain 10% constraints on the matter density of the Universe. Here, we also implement a nonlinear galaxy-bias model to probe smaller scales that includes parametrization based on hybrid perturbation theory and find that it leads to a 17% gain in cosmological constraining power. We perform robustness tests of our methodology pipeline and demonstrate stability of the constraints to changes in the theory model. Using the redMaGiC galaxy sample as foreground lens galaxies and adopting the best-fitting cosmological parameters from DES year-1 data, we find the galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing measurements to exhibit significant signals akin to decorrelation between galaxies and mass on large scales, which is not expected in any current models. This likely systematic measurement error biases our constraints on galaxy bias and the S 8 parameter. We find that a scale-, redshift- and sky-area-independent phenomenological decorrelation parameter can effectively capture this inconsistency between the galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing. We trace the source of this correlation to a color-dependent photometric issue and minimize its impact on our result by changing the selection criteria of redMaGiC galaxies. Using this new sample, our constraints on the S 8 parameter are consistent with previous studies and we find a small shift in the Ω m constraints compared to the fiducial redMaGiC sample. We infer the constraints on the mean host-halo mass of the redMaGiC galaxies in this new sample from the large-scale bias constraints, finding the galaxies occupy halos of mass approximately 1.6 × 10 13 M ⊙ /h.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Entanglement and topology in RG flows across dimensions: caps, bridges and corners

We quantitatively address the following question: for a QFT which is partially compactified, so as to realize an RG flow from a D-dimensional CFT in the UV to a d-dimensional CFT in the IR, how does the entanglement entropy of a small spherical region probing the UV physics evolve as the size of the region grows to increasingly probe IR physics? This entails a generalization of spherical regions to setups without full Lorentz symmetry, and we study the associated entanglement entropies holographically. We find a tight interplay between the topology and geometry of the compact space and the evolution of the entanglement entropy, with universal transitions from ‘cap’ through ‘bridge’ and ‘corner’ phases, whose features reflect the details of the compact space. As concrete examples we discuss twisted compactifications of 4d $\mathcal{N}$ = 4 SYM on T 2 , S 2 and hyperbolic Riemann surfaces.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Shape evolution in neutron-rich Rh isotopes: First measurement of negative-parity isomers in 117,119 Rh

The β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy of neutron-rich 117,119 Rh isotopes has been investigated at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory of RIKEN. The 1/2 − isomers in 117,119 Rh have been identified for the first time. The systematics of energy differences between the 9/2 + and 1/2 − states have been extended up to N = 74, which shows a tendency to first increase with the neutron number N, then reach a maximum at N ≈ 68, and subsequently decrease. Self-consistent triaxial relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (TRHB) calculations highlight the crucial role of triaxial deformation, particularly in the positive-parity states, in driving the observed evolution of energy differences. A shape transition from axially symmetric to triaxial and back to symmetric deformation is suggested along the Rh isotopic chain. These findings provide new insights into the structure of neutron-rich nuclei in the A ∼ 110 region and motivate further studies of exotic isotopes in this region to explore the interplay between triaxiality and shell evolution.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗