Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “sharp transition”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Hysteretic Superconducting Heat-Flux Quantum Modulator

In this work, we discuss heat transport in a thermally biased superconducting quantum-interference device (SQUID) in the presence of an external magnetic flux, when a non-negligible inductance of the SQUID ring is taken into account. A properly sweeping driving flux causes the thermal current to modulate and behave hysteretically. The response of this device is analyzed as a function of both the hysteresis parameter and the degree of asymmetry of the SQUID, highlighting the parameter range over which hysteretic behavior is observable. Markedly, the temperature of the SQUID also shows hysteretic evolution, with sharp transitions characterized by temperature jumps up to, e.g., approximately 0.02 K for a realistic Al-based setup. In view of these results, the proposed device can effectively find an application as a temperature-based superconducting memory element, working even at gigahertz frequencies by suitably choosing the superconductor on which the device is based.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Eulerian and Lagrangian second-order statistics of superfluid 4 He grid turbulence

Here, we use particle-tracking velocimetry to study Eulerian and Lagrangian second-order statistics of superfluid 4 He grid turbulence. The Eulerian energy spectra at scales larger than the mean distance between quantum vortex lines behave classically with close to Kolmogorov-1941 scaling and are almost isotropic. The Lagrangian second-order structure functions and frequency power spectra, measured at scales comparable with the intervortex distance, demonstrate a sharp transition from nearly classical behavior to a regime dominated by the motion of quantum vortex lines. Employing the homogeneity of the flow, we verify a set of relations that connect various second-order statistical objects that stress different aspects of turbulent behavior, allowing a multifaceted analysis. We use the two-way bridge relations between Eulerian energy spectra and second-order structure functions to reconstruct the energy spectrum from the known second-order velocity structure function and vice versa. The Lagrangian frequency spectrum reconstructed from the measured Eulerian spectrum using the Eulerian-Lagrangian bridge differs from the measured Lagrangian spectrum in the quasiclassical range, which calls for further investigation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Strongly-overdoped $\mathrm{La}$ 2- $_{x}$$\mathrm{Sr}$$_{x}$$\mathrm{CuO}$ 4 : Evidence for Josephson-coupled grains of strongly-correlated superconductor

The interpretation of how superconductivity disappears in cuprates at large hole doping has been controversial. To address this issue, here we present an experimental study of single-crystal and thin film samples of La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 (LSCO) with x ≥0.25. In particular, measurements of bulk susceptibility on LSCO crystals with x = 0.25 indicate an onset of diamagnetism at T c1 =38.5 K, with a sharp transition to a phase with full bulk shielding at T c2 =18 K, independent of field direction. Strikingly, the in-plane resistivity only goes to zero at T c2 . Inelastic neutron scattering on 0.25 crystals confirms the presence of low-energy incommensurate magnetic excitations with reduced strength compared to lower doping levels. The ratio of the spin gap to T c2 is anomalously large. Our results are consistent with a theoretical prediction for strongly overdoped cuprates by Spivak, Oreto, and Kivelson, in which superconductivity initially develops within disconnected self-organized grains characterized by a reduced hole concentration, with bulk superconductivity occurring only after superconductivity is induced by proximity effect in the surrounding medium of higher hole concentration. Beyond the superconducting-to-metal transition, local differential conductance measurements on an LSCO thin film suggest that regions with pairing correlations survive, but are too dilute to support superconducting order. Future experiments will be needed to test the degree to which these results apply to overdoped cuprates in general.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Single monkey-saddle singularity of a Fermi surface and its instabilities

Fermi surfaces can undergo sharp transitions under smooth changes of parameters. Such transitions can have a topological character, as is the case when a higher-order singularity, one that requires cubic or higher-order terms to describe the electronic dispersion near the singularity, develops at the transition. When time-reversal and inversion symmetries are present, odd singularities can only appear in pairs within the Brillouin zone. In this case, the combination of the enhanced density of states that accompanies these singularities and the nesting between the pairs of singularities leads to interaction-driven instabilities. Here, we present examples of single n = 3 (monkey-saddle) singularities when time-reversal and inversion symmetries are broken. We then turn to the question of what instabilities are possible when the singularities are isolated. For spinful electrons, we find that the inclusion of repulsive interactions destroys any isolated monkey-saddle singularity present in the noninteracting spectrum by developing Stoner or Lifshitz instabilities. In contrast, for spinless electrons and at the mean-field level, we show that an isolated monkey-saddle singularity can be stabilized in the presence of short-range repulsive interactions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Resonant magneto-optic Kerr effect in the magnetic topological insulator Cr:(Sb x ,Bi 1–x ) 2 Te 3

Here, we report measurements of the polar Kerr effect, proportional to the out-of-plane component of the magnetization, in thin films of the magnetically doped topological insulator (Cr 0.12 Bi 0.26 Sb 0.62 ) 2 Te 3 . Measurements of the complex Kerr angle ΘK were performed as a function of photon energy in the range 0.8eV < ℏω < 3.0eV. We observed a peak in the real part of Θ K (ω) and zero crossing in the imaginary part that we attribute to a resonant interaction with a spin-orbit avoided crossing located ≈ 1.6 eV above the Fermi energy. The resonant enhancement allows measurement of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of Θ K in the ultrathin film limit, d ≥ 2 quintuple layers (QL). We find a sharp transition to zero remanent magnetization at 6 K for d < 8 QL, consistent with theories of the dependence of impurity spin interactions on film thickness and their location relative to topological insulator surfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structure and magnetic properties of L n MnSbO ( L n = La and Ce)

Here, a neutron powder diffraction (NPD) study of LnMnSbO (Ln = La or Ce) reveals differences between the magnetic ground state of the two compounds due to the strong Ce-Mn coupling compared to La-Mn. The two compounds adopt the P4/nmm space group down to 2 K, and whereas magnetization measurements do not show obvious anomaly at high temperatures, NPD reveals a C-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) order below T N = 255K for LaMnSbO and 240 K for CeMnSbO. While the magnetic structure of LaMnSbO is preserved to base temperature, a sharp transition at T SR = 4.5K is observed in CeMnSbO due to a spin-reorientation (SR) transition of the Mn 2+ magnetic moments from pointing along the c axis to the ab plane. The SR transition in CeMnSbO is accompanied by a simultaneous long-range AFM ordering of the Ce moments, which indicates that the Mn SR transition is driven by the Ce-Mn coupling. The ordered moments are found to be somewhat smaller than those expected for Mn 2+ (S = 5/2) in insulators, but large enough to suggest that these compounds belong to the class of local-moment antiferromagnets. The lower T N found in these two compounds compared to the As-based counterparts (T N = 317 for LaMnAsO, T N = 347K for CeMnAsO) indicates that the Mn-Pn (Pn=As or Sb) hybridization that mediates the superexchange Mn-Pn-Mn coupling is weaker for the Sb-based compounds.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Collective transport for active matter run-and-tumble disk systems on a traveling-wave substrate

Here, we examine numerically the transport of an assembly of active run-and-tumble disks interacting with a traveling-wave substrate. We show that as a function of substrate strength, wave speed, disk activity, and disk density, a variety of dynamical phases arise that are correlated with the structure and net flux of disks. We find that there is a sharp transition into a state in which the disks are only partially coupled to the substrate and form a phase-separated cluster state. This transition is associated with a drop in the net disk flux, and it can occur as a function of the substrate speed, maximum substrate force, disk run time, and disk density. Since variation of the disk activity parameters produces different disk drift rates for a fixed traveling-wave speed on the substrate, the system we consider could be used as an efficient method for active matter species separation. Within the cluster phase, we find that in some regimes the motion of the cluster center of mass is in the opposite direction to that of the traveling wave, while when the maximum substrate force is increased, the cluster drifts in the direction of the traveling wave. This suggests that swarming or clustering motion can serve as a method by which an active system can collectively move against an external drift.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Field-Driven Dynamics of Magnetic Hopfions

Herein, we present micromagnetic simulations on resonant spin wave modes of magnetic Hopfions up to 15 GHz driven by external magnetic fields. A sharp transition is found around 32 mT coinciding with a transition from Hopfions to magnetic torons. Furthermore, the modes exhibit characteristic amplitudes in frequency space accompanied by unique localization patterns in real space, and are found to be robust to damping around topological features, particularly vortex lines in Hopfions and Bloch points in torons. The marked differences in spin wave spectra between Hopfions, torons and target skyrmions can serve as fingerprints in future experimental validation studies of these novel 3d topological spin textures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Cosmic Coincidences of Primordial-Black-Hole Dark Matter

If primordial black holes (PBHs) contribute more than 10% of the dark matter (DM) density, their energy density today is of the same order as that of the baryons. Such a cosmic coincidence might hint at a mutual origin for the formation scenario of PBHs and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe. Baryogenesis can be triggered by a sharp transition of the rolling rate of inflaton from slow-roll to (nearly) ultraslow-roll phases that produce large curvature perturbations for PBH formation in single-field inflationary models. We show that the baryogenesis requirement drives the PBH contribution to DM, along with the inferred PBH mass range, the resulting stochastic gravitational wave background frequency window, and the associated cosmic microwave background tensor-to-scalar ratio amplitude, into potentially observable regimes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Classical Simulation of Boson Sampling Based on Graph Structure

Boson sampling is a fundamentally and practically important task that can be used to demonstrate quantum supremacy using noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. In this Letter, we present classical sampling algorithms for single-photon and Gaussian input states that take advantage of a graph structure of a linear-optical circuit. The algorithms’ complexity grows as so-called treewidth, which is closely related to the connectivity of a given linear-optical circuit. Using the algorithms, we study approximated simulations for local Haar-random linear-optical circuits. For equally spaced initial sources, we show that, when the circuit depth is less than the quadratic in the lattice spacing, the efficient simulation is possible with an exponentially small error. Notably, right after this depth, photons start to interfere each other and the algorithms’ complexity becomes subexponential in the number of sources, implying that there is a sharp transition of its complexity. Finally, when a circuit is sufficiently deep enough for photons to typically propagate to all modes, the complexity becomes exponential as generic sampling algorithms. We numerically implement a likelihood test with a recent Gaussian boson sampling experiment and show that the treewidth-based algorithm with a limited treewidth renders a larger likelihood than the experimental data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Complexity Phase Diagram for Interacting and Long-Range Bosonic Hamiltonians

Here, we classify phases of a bosonic lattice model based on the computational complexity of classically simulating the system. We show that the system transitions from being classically simulable to classically hard to simulate as it evolves in time, extending previous results to include on-site number-conserving interactions and long-range hopping. Specifically, we construct a complexity phase diagram with easy and hard “phases” and derive analytic bounds on the location of the phase boundary with respect to the evolution time and the degree of locality. We find that the location of the phase transition is intimately related to upper bounds on the spread of quantum correlations and protocols to transfer quantum information. Remarkably, although the location of the transition point is unchanged by on-site interactions, the nature of the transition point does change. Specifically, we find that there are two kinds of transitions, sharp and coarse, broadly corresponding to interacting and noninteracting bosons, respectively. Our Letter motivates future studies of complexity in many-body systems and its interplay with the associated physical phenomena.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Retrospective analysis of biochemical limitations to photosynthesis in 49 species: C 4 crops appear still adapted to pre‐industrial atmospheric [ CO 2 ]

Abstract Leaf CO 2 uptake ( A ) in C 4 photosynthesis is limited by the maximum apparent rate of PEPc carboxylation ( V pmax ) at low intercellular [CO 2 ] ( c i ) with a sharp transition to a c i ‐saturated rate ( V max ) due to co‐limitation by ribulose‐1:5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and regeneration of PEP. The response of A to c i has been widely used to determine these two parameters. V max and V pmax depend on different enzymes but draw on a shared pool of leaf resources, such that resource distribution is optimized, and A maximized, when V max and V pmax are co‐limiting. We collected published A / c i curves in 49 C 4 species and assessed variation in photosynthetic traits between phylogenetic groups, and as a function of atmospheric [CO 2 ]. The balance of V max ‐ V pmax varied among evolutionary lineages and C 4 subtypes. Operating A was strongly V max ‐limited, such that re‐allocation of resources from V pmax towards V max was predicted to improve A by 12% in C 4 crops. This would not require additional inputs but rather altered partitioning of existing leaf nutrients, resulting in increased water and nutrient‐use efficiency. Optimal partitioning was achieved only in plants grown at pre‐industrial atmospheric [CO 2 ], suggesting C 4 crops have not adjusted to the rapid increase in atmospheric [CO 2 ] of the past few decades.

Pignon, Charles P.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Comparative study of solute trapping and Gibbs free energy changes at the phase interface during alloy solidification under local nonequilibrium conditions

An analytical model has been developed to describe the influence of solute trapping during rapid alloy solidification on the components of the Gibbs free energy change at the phase interface with emphasis on the solute drag energy. For relatively low interface velocity V < V{sub D}, where V{sub D} is the characteristic diffusion velocity, all the components, namely mixing part, local nonequilibrium part, and solute drag, significantly depend on solute diffusion and partitioning. When V ≥ V{sub D}, the local nonequilibrium effects lead to a sharp transition to diffusionless solidification. The transition is accompanied by complete solute trapping and vanishing solute drag energy, i.e. partitionless and “dragless” solidification.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Velocity Structure at the Source Physics Experiment Phase I Site Obtained with the Large-N Array Data

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) consists of a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site. The goal of the SPE is to understand and model seismic-wave generation and propagation from these explosions. To achieve this goal, we need an accurate velocity model of the SPE site. A large-N seismic array deployed at the SPE site during one of the chemical explosions (SPE-5) provides great data for this purpose. The array consists of 996 geophones and covers an area of approximately 2 &times; 2.5 km. In addition to the SPE-5 explosion, the array recorded 53 large weight drops. Using the large-N seismic array recordings, we perform first-arrival analysis and obtain a 2D P-wave velocity model of the SPE site. We image a sharp transition from high-velocity Cretaceous granite to low-velocity Quaternary alluvium. Other geological units such as the Tertiary volcanic rocks and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks are also clearly shown. The results of this work provide important local geological information and will be incorporated into the larger 3D modeling effort of the SPE program to validate the predictive models developed for the site.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

An Adaptive Wavelet Stochastic Collocation Method for Irregular Solutions of Stochastic Partial Differential Equations

Accurate predictive simulations of complex real world applications require numerical approximations to first, oppose the curse of dimensionality and second, converge quickly in the presence of steep gradients, sharp transitions, bifurcations or finite discontinuities in high-dimensional parameter spaces. In this paper we present a novel multi-dimensional multi-resolution adaptive (MdMrA) sparse grid stochastic collocation method, that utilizes hierarchical multiscale piecewise Riesz basis functions constructed from interpolating wavelets. The basis for our non-intrusive method forms a stable multiscale splitting and thus, optimal adaptation is achieved. Error estimates and numerical examples will used to compare the efficiency of the method with several other techniques.

adaptive sparse grids↗
DOE OSTI2021

Regolith, rock and fluid distributions at the Upper Colorado River Basin via a multicomponent seismic imaging approach

In October 2018, we conducted an exploratory seismic survey of the East River Watershed Function Science Focus Area, near Crested Butte, CO. Our survey goals were to map seismic bedrock, regolith and sediment properties and relate them to geomorphic and hydrologic processes. We acquired ~12 km of seismic data along roads with a 72-channel, 1.25m spaced streamer, an average shot spacing of 2.5m and an average acquisition rate of 3 km/day. We also obtained ~3km of planted geophone data with geophone and shot spacing between 2.5 and 5 meters and an acquisition rate of 0.5 km/day. Vp results show a sharp transition between regolith and bedrock along hillslopes suggesting a similarly abrupt change in porosity. Vp anisotropy in the Mancos Shale is observable in the lower reaches of the watershed, but is absent in regions near crystalline intrusions where contact metamorphism has likely modified pore structure within the shale. Alluvium thickness varies along the river axis from 0 to > 20 meters reflecting variations in depositional processes as function of stream gradient. We show that when strong discontinuities at the regolith base are present, inhomogeneous waves that travel along subsurface interfaces are generated and can be measured on vertical component geophones. We present a summary manuscript in the report appendix.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Deep Learning-based Parameterization of Complex 3D CO2 Saturation Data in Large-scale Geological Carbon Storage

In deep learning (DL), dimension reduction plays a pivotal role in improving training efficiency and minimizing overfitting, especially when working with complex datasets like three-dimensional (3D) saturation data. In the context of geological carbon storage (GCS), 3D saturation data introduces unique challenges due to its sparse nature and sharp transitions at plume boundaries, known as shock fronts. To tackle these challenges, we developed a novel DL framework that combines dimension reduction with advanced 3D reconstruction techniques. Our approach utilizes latent variables derived from 2D average saturation fields to efficiently capture the essential features of high-dimensional data while reducing the number of variables. This enhances both the robustness and accuracy of DL models, making the framework more practical for real-world applications. By offering a tailored solution for modeling complex 3D saturation dynamics, this framework holds significant potential for environmental monitoring, energy storage, and other geological applications.

Wang, Hongsheng [University of Texas at Austin]↗
DOE OSTI2016

Tracing the milky way nuclear wind with 21 cm atomic hydrogen emission

There is evidence in 21 cm H i emission for voids several kiloparsecs in size centered approximately on the Galactic center, both above and below the Galactic plane. These appear to map the boundaries of the Galactic nuclear wind. An analysis of H i at the tangent points, where the distance to the gas can be estimated with reasonable accuracy, shows a sharp transition at Galactic radii R ≲ 2.4 kpc from the extended neutral gas layer characteristic of much of the Galactic disk, to a thin Gaussian layer with FWHM ∼ 125 pc. An anti-correlation between H i and γ-ray emission at latitudes 10{sup ∘}⩽|b|⩽20{sup ∘} suggests that the boundary of the extended H i layer marks the walls of the Fermi Bubbles. With H i, we are able to trace the edges of the voids from |z|>2 kpc down to z ≈ 0, where they have a radius ∼2 kpc. The extended Hi layer likely results from star formation in the disk, which is limited largely to R ≳ 3 kpc, so the wind may be expanding into an area of relatively little H i. Because the H i kinematics can discriminate between gas in the Galactic center and foreground material, 21 cm H i emission may be the best probe of the extent of the nuclear wind near the Galactic plane.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗