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At least 1,261 records · Page 70

Modeling and Testing of the Viscoelastic Properties of a Graphite Nanoplatelet/Epoxy Composite

In order to facilitate the interpretation of experimental data, a micromechanical modeling procedure is developed to predict the viscoelastic properties of a graphite nanoplatelet/epoxy composite as a function of volume fraction and nanoplatelet diameter. The predicted storage and loss moduli for the composite are compared to measured values from the same material using three test methods; Dynamical Mechanical Analysis, nanoindentation, and quasi-static tensile tests. In most cases, the model and experiments indicate that for increasing volume fractions of nanoplatelets, both the storage and loss moduli increase. Also, the results indicate that for nanoplatelet sizes above 15 microns, nanoindentation is capable of measuring properties of individual constituents of a composite system. Comparison of the predicted values to the measured data helps illustrate the relative similarities and differences between the bulk and local measurement techniques.

Odegard, Gregory M.↗

Interpreting and Stabilizing Machine-Learning Parametrizations of Convection

Neural networks are a promising technique for parameterizing subgrid-scale physics (e.g., moist atmospheric convection) in coarse-resolution climate models, but their lack of interpretability and reliability prevents widespread adoption. For instance, it is not fully understood why neural network parameterizations often cause dramatic instability when coupled to atmospheric fluid dynamics. This paper introduces tools for interpreting their behavior that are customized to the parameterization task. First, we assess the nonlinear sensitivity of a neural network to lower-tropospheric stability and the midtropospheric moisture, two widely studied controls of moist convection. Second, we couple the linearized response functions of these neural networks to simplified gravity wave dynamics, and analytically diagnose the corresponding phase speeds, growth rates, wavelengths, and spatial structures. To demonstrate their versatility, these techniques are tested on two sets of neural networks, one trained with a super-parameterized version of the Community Atmosphere Model (SPCAM) and the second with a near-global cloud-resolving model (GCRM). Additionally, even though the SPCAM simulation has a warmer climate than the cloud-resolving model, both neural networks predict stronger heating/drying in moist and unstable environments, which is consistent with observations. Moreover, the spectral analysis can predict that instability occurs when GCMs are coupled to networks that support gravity waves that are unstable and have phase speeds larger than 5 m s -1 . In contrast, standing unstable modes do not cause catastrophic instability. Using these tools, differences between the SPCAM-trained versus GCRM-trained neural networks are analyzed, and strategies to incrementally improve both of their coupled online performance unveiled.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Universal Stripe Symmetry of Short-Range Charge Density Waves in Cuprate Superconductors

The omnipresence of charge density waves (CDWs) across almost all cuprate families underpins a common organizing principle. However, a longstanding debate of whether its spatial symmetry is stripe or checkerboard remains unresolved. While CDWs in lanthanum- and yttrium-based cuprates possess a stripe symmetry, distinguishing these two scenarios is challenging for the short-range CDW in bismuth-based cuprates. Here, high-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering is employed to uncover the spatial symmetry of the CDW in Bi 2 Sr 2-x La x CuO 6 + δ . Across a wide range of doping and temperature, anisotropic CDW peaks with elliptical shapes are found in reciprocal space. Based on Fourier transform analysis of real-space models, the results are interpreted as evidence of unidirectional charge stripes, hosted by mutually 90°-rotated anisotropic domains. This work paves the way for a unified symmetry and microscopic description of CDW order in cuprates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Search for heavy neutrinos or third-generation leptoquarks in final states with two hadronically decaying $\tau$ leptons and two jets in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=13 $ TeV

A search for new particles has been conducted using events with two high transverse momentum (p$_{T}$) τ leptons that decay hadronically, at least two high-p$_{T}$ jets, and missing transverse energy from the τ lepton decays. The analysis is performed using data from proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment in 2015 at $ \sqrt{s}=13 $ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.1 fb$^{−1}$. The results are interpreted in two physics models. The first model involves heavy right-handed neutrinos, N$_{ℓ}$ (ℓ = e, μ, τ), and right-handed charged bosons, W$_{R}$, arising in a left-right symmetric extension of the standard model. Masses of the W$_{R}$ boson below 2.35 (1.63) TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming the N$_{τ}$ mass is 0.8 (0.2) times the mass of the W$_{R}$ boson and that only the N$_{τ}$ flavor contributes to the W$_{R}$ decay width. In the second model, pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks that decay into ττbb is considered. Third-generation scalar leptoquarks with masses below 740 GeV are excluded, assuming a 100% branching fraction for the leptoquark decay to a τ lepton and a bottom quark. This is the first search at hadron colliders for the third-generation Majorana neutrino, as well as the first search for third-generation leptoquarks in the final state with a pair of hadronically decaying τ leptons and jets.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for W W/W Z resonance production in ℓνqq final states in pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=13 $ TeV with the ATLAS detector

Here, a search is conducted for new resonances decaying into a W W or W Z boson pair, where one W boson decays leptonically and the other W or Z boson decays hadronically. It is based on proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb –1 collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. The search is sensitive to diboson resonance production via vector-boson fusion as well as quark-antiquark annihilation and gluon-gluon fusion mechanisms. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the Standard Model backgrounds. Several benchmark models are used to interpret the results. Limits on the production cross section are set for a new narrow scalar resonance, a new heavy vector-boson and a spin-2 Kaluza-Klein graviton.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for new phenomena in final states with photons, jets and missing transverse momentum in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for new phenomena has been performed in final states with at least one isolated high-momentum photon, jets and missing transverse momentum in proton– proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The data, collected by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN LHC, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb –1 . The experimental results are interpreted in a supersymmetric model in which pair-produced gluinos decay into neutralinos, which in turn decay into a gravitino, at least one photon, and jets. No significant deviations from the predictions of the Standard Model are observed. Upper limits are set on the visible cross section due to physics beyond the Standard Model, and lower limits are set on the masses of the gluinos and neutralinos, all at 95% confidence level. Visible cross sections greater than 0.022 fb are excluded and pair-produced gluinos with masses up to 2200 GeV are excluded for most of the NLSP masses investigated.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for long-lived particles using out-of-time trackless jets in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

A search for long-lived particles decaying in the outer regions of the CMS silicon tracker or in the calorimeters is presented. The search is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016–2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 . A novel technique, using nearly trackless and out-of-time jet information combined in a deep neural network discriminator, is employed to identify decays of long-lived particles. The results are interpreted in a simplified model of chargino-neutralino production, where the neutralino is the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle, is long-lived, and decays to a gravitino and either a Higgs or Z boson. This search is most sensitive to neutralino proper decay lengths of approximately 0.5 m, for which masses up to 1.18 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. The current search is the best result to date in the mass range from the kinematic limit imposed by the Higgs boson mass up to 1.8 TeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Local quenches, bulk entanglement entropy and a unitary Page curve

Quantum corrections to the entanglement entropy of matter fields interacting with dynamical gravity have proven to be very important in the study of the black hole information problem. We consider a one-particle excited state of a massive scalar field infalling in a pure AdS 3 geometry and compute these corrections for bulk subregions anchored on the AdS boundary. In the dual CFT 2 , the state is given by the insertion of a local primary operator and its evolution thereafter. We calculate the area and bulk entanglement entropy corrections at order $$ \mathcal{O}\left({N}^0\right), $$ O N 0 , both in AdS and its CFT dual. The two calculations match, thus providing a non-trivial check of the FLM formula in a dynamical setting. Further, we observe that the bulk entanglement entropy follows a Page curve. We explain the precise sense in which our setup can be interpreted as a simple model of black hole evaporation and comment on the implications for the information problem.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Flat entanglement spectra in fixed-area states of quantum gravity

We use the Einstein-Hilbert gravitational path integral to investigate gravitational entanglement at leading order O(1/G). We argue that semiclassical states prepared by a Euclidean path integral have the property that projecting them onto a subspace in which the Ryu-Takayanagi or Hubeny-Rangamani-Takayanagi surface has definite area gives a state with a flat entanglement spectrum at this order in gravitational perturbation theory. This means that the reduced density matrix can be approximated as proportional to the identity to the extent that its Renyi entropies Sn are independent of n at this order. The n-dependence of Sn in more general states then arises from sums over the RT/HRT-area, which are generally dominated by different values of this area for each n. This provides a simple picture of gravitational entanglement, bolsters the connection between holographic systems and tensor network models, clarifies the bulk interpretation of algebraic centers which arise in the quantum errorcorrecting description of holography, and strengthens the connection between bulk and boundary modular Hamiltonians described by Jafferis, Lewkowycz, Maldacena, and Suh.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Theory and application of laser ultrasonic shear wave birefringence measurements to the determination of microstructure orientation in transversely isotropic, polycrystalline graphite materials

Laser ultrasonic line source methods have been used to study elastic anisotropy in nuclear graphites by measuring shear wave birefringence. Depending on the manufacturing processes used during production, nuclear graphites can exhibit various degrees of material anisotropy related to preferred crystallite orientation and to microcracking. In this paper, laser ultrasonic line source measurements of shear wave birefringence on NBG-25 have been performed to assess elastic anisotropy. Laser line sources allow specific polarizations for shear waves to be transmitted – the corresponding wavespeeds can be used to compute bulk, elastic moduli that serve to quantify anisotropy. These modulus values can be interpreted using physical property models based on orientation distribution coefficients and microcrack-modified, single crystal moduli to represent the combined effects of crystallite orientation and microcracking on material anisotropy. Finally, ultrasonic results are compared to and contrasted with measurements of anisotropy based on the coefficient of thermal expansion to show the relationship of results from these techniques.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Towards replacement of animal tests with in vitro assays: a gene expression biomarker predicts in vitro and in vivo estrogen receptor activity

High-throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) has the potential to support efforts to reduce or replace some animal tests. In past studies, we described a computational approach utilizing a gene expression biomarker consisting of 46 genes to predict estrogen receptor (ER) activity after chemical exposure in ER-positive human breast cancer cells including the MCF-7 cell line. We hypothesized that the biomarker model could identify ER activities of chemicals examined by Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Tier 1 screening assays in which transcript profiles of the same chemicals were examined in MCF-7 cells. For the 62 chemicals examined including 5 chemicals examined in this study using RNA-Seq, the ER biomarker model accuracy was 1) 97% for in vitro reference chemicals, 2) 76–85% for guideline uterotrophic assays, and 3) 87–88% for guideline and nonguideline uterotrophic assays. For the same chemicals, these accuracies were similar or slightly better than those of the ToxCast ER model based on 18 in vitro assays. The performance of the ER biomarker model indicates that HTTr interpreted using the ER biomarker correctly identifies active and inactive ER reference chemicals. Finally, as part of the HTTr screening program the approach could rapidly identify chemicals with potential ER bioactivities for additional screening and testing.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Authigenic carbonate formation rates in marine sediments and implications for the marine δ 13 C record

Carbon isotope (δ 13 C) variations measured in carbonates have been attributed to large-scale phenomena throughout Earth history, such as changes in atmospheric oxygen or global glaciations. Additionally, these interpretations follow from a model wherein the δ 13 C of marine dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is controlled by the relative sedimentary burial rates of biogenic carbonate (BC) and organic carbon (OC). A new model proposes authigenic carbonate (AC) as a third major sedimentary C pool, implying that δ 13 C anomalies are not necessarily indicative of extreme changes in the global carbon cycle and/or atmospheric oxygen. Two conditions are required for AC formation to significantly alter bulk carbonate δ 13 C: the AC isotopic composition must be at least ~3‰ different from that of BC and the AC/BC ratio must be >0.1. We use pore fluid Ca and Sr concentrations to estimate rates of AC formation in Late Cenozoic marine sediments, then calculate relative fractions of AC, OC, and BC. Today AC is not expected to constitute a significant fraction of total sedimentary carbon (AC+OC+BC) globally; however, there are modern sites where local conditions promote elevated AC/BC and anaerobic metabolisms can alter the δ 13 C of pore fluids. We investigate these sites to determine what conditions might enable AC to alter δ 13 C of marine DIC. Here, we find there is very little net addition of AC relative to BC, but large quantities of AC form today across many settings via recrystallization. In settings where remineralization of organic matter causes recrystallized carbonate to form with modified δ 13 C, AC/BC is generally too low for this recrystallization to significantly shift the δ 13 C of the bulk carbonate. However, exceptions are found in sites with very low BC and extensive methane oxidation, suggesting that this environment type would need to be globally extensive in the past in order for AC formation to change the δ 13 C of marine DIC.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A cavitation and dynamic void growth model for a general class of strain-softening amorphous materials

In this work, we derive a homogenized framework for cavitation and dynamic void growth in a general class of strain-softening materials with particular emphasis on amorphous materials. Analytic solutions are derived by considering an assemblage of spherical shells subject to dynamic hydrostatic tensile pressure. The isochoric response of the matrix material is captured by a free volume theory based amorphous viscoplasticity model. The framework accounts for the coupled rate-dependent, strain-softening behavior typically exhibited in amorphous materials. Validation of the homogenized theory is carried out against numerous direct numerical simulations with excellent agreement. Furthermore, we find that a reduction in cavitation strength and significant acceleration of dynamic void growth rates is induced as a consequence of strain-softening in the amorphous matrix material. Lastly, the model is utilized to interpret some non-intuitive experimental observations of amorphous materials subject to shock compression and subsequent spall failure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Bubble evolution in Kr-irradiated UO 2 during annealing

Transmission electron microscopy observation of Kr bubble evolution in polycrystalline UO 2 annealed at high temperature was conducted in order to understand the inert gas behavior in oxide nuclear fuel. The average size of intragranular bubbles increased gradually from 0.8 nm in as-irradiated sample at room temperature to 2.6 nm at 1600 °C and the bubble size distribution changed from a uniform distribution to a bimodal distribution above 1300 °C. The size of intergranular bubbles increased more rapidly than intragranular ones and bubble denude zones near grain boundaries formed in all the annealed samples. It was found that high-angle grain boundaries held bigger bubbles than low angle grain boundaries. Complementary atomistic modeling was conducted to interpret the effects of grain boundary character on the Kr segregation. Lastly, the area density of strong segregation sites in the high-angle grain boundaries is much higher than that in the low angle grain boundaries.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Interpreting experimental measurements of helium bubbles using stochastic cluster dynamics models of heterogeneous nucleation and growth in irradiated ferritic alloys

Among a number of other advantageous features, ferritic/martensitic steels are being considered as fusion reactor structural materials due to their low intrinsic swelling under irradiation. However, under high-energy neutron irradiation, He produced through (n, α) reactions stabilizes vacancy clusters, which then act as seeds for bubble formation and growth, negating the intrinsic swelling resistance of these alloys. Standard models of irradiation damage accumulation and microstructural evolution consider homogeneous nucleation as the basis for bubble formation and growth. However, this generally does not explain the large bubble densities and sizes observed experimentally under a number of different conditions. Here, we propose a more realistic physical model of bubble nucleation, formation, and growth designed to capture recent experimental measurements of He-bubble formation and evolution during co-implantation of He and Fe ions in model ferritic alloys. We find that experimental results are explained only when the following three features are considered simultaneously: (i) heterogeneous nucleation of He-vacancy bubbles at defect sinks (e.g., dislocations, grain boundaries, and second-phase precipitates), (ii) nucleation and growth of bubbles via the ‘trap mutation’ mechanism (i.e., spontaneous production of Frenkel pairs due to absorption of He atoms), and (iii) transition from a growth-limited, He-stabilized bubble regime to a ‘runaway’ void-type growth scenario. The model is implemented into a stochastic cluster dynamics framework that takes advantage of cluster size grouping methods to accelerate the simulations, allowing us to reach 10 dpa of simulated irradiated dose, and to capture cluster sizes in excess of 20 nm. Further, a careful extrapolation exercise conducted assuming classical nucleation theory leads to excellent agreement with the experimental measurements at 50 dpa of irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

In Situ Natural Abundance 17 O and 25 Mg NMR Investigation of Aqueous Mg(OH) 2 Dissolution in the Presence of Supercritical CO 2

We report the development of an in situ high pressure NMR capability that permits natural abundance 17 O and 25 Mg NMR characterization of dissolved species in aqueous solution and in the presence of supercritical CO 2 fluid (scCO 2 ). The dissolution of Mg(OH) 2 (brucite) in a multiphase water/scCO 2 fluid at 90 atm pressure and 50 C was studied in situ, with relevance to geological carbon sequestration. 17 O NMR spectra allowed identification and distinction of various fluid species including dissolved CO 2 in the H 2 O-rich phase, scCO 2 , aqueous H 2 O, and HCO 3 - . The widely separated spectral peaks for various species can all be observed both dynamically and quantitatively at concentrations of as low as 20 mM. Measurement of the concentrations of these individual species also allows an in situ estimate of the hydrogen ion concentration, or pCH + values, of the reacting solutions. The concentration of Mg 2+ can be observed by natural abundance 25Mg NMR at a concentration as low as 10 mM. Quantum chemistry calculations of the NMR chemical shifts on cluster models aided in the interpretation of the experimental results. Evidence for the formation of polymeric Mg 2+ clusters at high concentrations in the H 2 O-rich phase, a possible critical step needed for magnesium carbonate formation, was found. The approach and findings enable insight into metal carbonation reactions associated with geological carbon sequestration that cannot be probed by ex situ methods.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Voltage Dependence of Molecule–Electrode Coupling in Biased Molecular Junctions

Biased interfaces between individual molecules and metallic electrodes are central in many nanoscale devices. A key quantity that governs the nature of the metal–molecule interface is the degree of hybridization between frontier orbitals of the molecule and electrode continuum states. This hybridization leads to the broadening of molecular resonances, a measure of the electronic coupling to the surface. In this work, we present detailed ab initio calculations of the evolution of this electronic coupling for selected frontier orbitals with bias voltage in molecular junctions, nanoscale devices where metal–molecule interface effects are dominant. We focus on symmetric and asymmetric junctions based on an experimentally well-studied system, Au–bipyridine–Au, as examples of our method. The nature of the bias-dependent coupling that emerges from our ab initio calculations provides new physical insight into experimentally achievable systems and is a marked quantitative improvement over simple Lorentzian models often used in interpreting device measurements. Beyond molecular junctions, our approach can be straightforwardly generalized to other molecule–metal interfaces.

Liu, Zhen-Fei↗

Oxalic Acid Adsorption on Rutile: Experiments and Surface Complexation Modeling to 150 °C

Here, we characterize oxalate adsorption by rutile in NaCl media (0.03 and 0.30 m) and between pH 3 and 10 over a wide temperature range which includes the near hydrothermal regime (10–150 °C). Oxalate adsorption increases with decreasing pH (as is typical for anion binding by metal oxides), but systematic trends with respect to ionic strength or temperature are absent. Surface complexation modeling (SCM) following the CD-MUSIC formalism, and as constrained by molecular modeling simulations and IR spectroscopic results from the literature, is used to interpret the adsorption data. The molecular modeling simulations, which include molecular dynamics simulations supported by free-energy and ab initio calculations, reveal that oxalate binding is outer-sphere, albeit via strong hydrogen bonds. Conversely, previous IR spectroscopic results conclude that various types of inner-sphere complexes often predominate. SCMs constrained by both the molecular modeling results and the IR spectroscopic data were developed, and both fit the adsorption data equally well. We conjecture that the discrepancy between the molecular simulation and IR spectroscopic results is due to the nature of the rutile surfaces investigated, that is, the perfect (110) crystal faces for the molecular simulations and various rutile powders for the IR spectroscopy studies. Although the (110) surface plane is most often dominant for rutile powders, a variety of steps, kinks, and other types of surface defects are also invariably present. Hence, we speculate that surface defect sites may be primarily responsible for inner-sphere oxalate adsorption, although further study is necessary to prove or disprove this hypothesis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗