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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 1,531 records · Page 85
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Se Isotopes as groundwater redox indicators: Detecting natural attenuation of Se at an in situ recovery U mine

One of the major ecological concerns associated with the in situ recovery (ISR) of uranium (U) is the environmental release of soluble, toxic selenium (Se) oxyanions generated by mining. Post-mining natural attenuation by the residual reductants in the ore body and reduced down-gradient sediments should mitigate the risk of Se contamination in groundwater. Here in this work, we investigate the Se concentrations and Se isotope systematics of groundwater and of U ore bearing sediments from an ISR site at Rosita, TX, USA. Our results show that selenate (Se(VI)) is the dominant Se species in Rosita groundwater, and while several up-gradient wells have elevated Se(VI), the majority of the ore zone and down-gradient wells have little or no Se oxyanions. In addition, the δ 82 SeVI of Rosita groundwater is generally elevated relative to the U ore up to +6.14‰, with the most enriched values observed in the ore-zone wells. Increasing δ 82 Se with decreasing Se(VI) conforms to a Rayleigh type distillation model with an ε of $-$2.25‰ ± 0.61‰, suggesting natural Se(VI) reduction occurring along the hydraulic gradient at the Rosita ISR site. Moreover, our results show that Se isotopes are excellent sensors for detecting and monitoring post-mining natural attenuation of Se oxyanions at ISR sites.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Scaling Analysis of Two–Phase Flow in Fractal Permeability Fields

Fluid mixing in permeable media is essential in many practical applications. The mixing process is a consequence of velocity fluctuations owing to geological heterogeneities and mobility contrast of fluids. Heterogeneities in natural rocks are often spatially correlated, and their properties, such as permeability, may be described using fractal distributions. This work models the fractal characteristics of such permeability fields in which the covariance function is expressed as a power-law function. A generalized scaling relation is derived relating various fractal permeability fields using the magnitude of their fluctuations. Here, this relation reveals the self-similar behavior of two-phase flow in such permeable media. To that end, a recently developed, high-resolution numerical simulator is employed to validate the analytically derived scaling relations. Two flow problems are considered in which flow is governed by 1) a linear, and 2) a nonlinear transport equation. Due to the probabilistic representation of the fractal permeability fields, a sensitivity study is conducted for each flow scenario to determine the number of realizations required for statistical convergence. Scaling analysis is performed using ensemble averages of simulated saturation profiles and their mixing lengths. Results support the validity of the developed scaling relation across the range of investigated flow conditions at intermediate times. The dynamics of linear flow in the asymptotic regime is affected by the correlation structure of heterogeneity. In nonlinear flow, scaling behavior appears to be dominated by the degree of nonlinearity.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Searching for ultra-light bosons and constraining black hole spin distributions with stellar tidal disruption events

Stars that pass close to the supermassive black holes located in the center of galaxies can be disrupted by tidal forces, leading to flares that are observed as bright transient events in sky surveys. The rate for these events to occur depends on the black hole spins, which in turn can be affected by ultra-light bosons due to superradiance. We perform a detailed analysis of these effects and show that searches for stellar tidal disruptions have the potential to uncover the existence of ultra-light bosons. In particular, we find that upcoming stellar tidal disruption rate measurements by the Vera Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time can be used to either discover or rule out bosons with masses ranging from 10 –20 to 10 –18 eV. Our analysis also indicates that these measurements may be used to constrain a variety of supermassive black hole spin distributions and determine if close-to maximal spins are preferred.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Detecting single gravitons with quantum sensing

The quantization of gravity is widely believed to result in gravitons – particles of discrete energy that form gravitational waves. But their detection has so far been considered impossible. Here we show that signatures of single graviton exchange can be observed in laboratory experiments. We show that stimulated and spontaneous single-graviton processes can become relevant for massive quantum acoustic resonators and that stimulated absorption can be resolved through continuous sensing of quantum jumps. We analyze the feasibility of observing the exchange of single energy quanta between matter and gravitational waves. Our results show that single graviton signatures are within reach of experiments. In analogy to the discovery of the photo-electric effect for photons, such signatures can provide the first experimental clue of the quantization of gravity.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Stringent constraints on neutron-star radii from multimessenger observations and nuclear theory

The properties of neutron stars are determined by the nature of the matter that they contain. These properties can be constrained by measurements of the star’s size. We obtain stringent constraints on neutron-star radii by combining multimessenger observations of the binary neutron-star merger GW170817 with nuclear theory that best accounts for density-dependent uncertainties in the equation of state. We construct equations of state constrained by chiral effective field theory and marginalize over these using the gravitational-wave observations. Combining this with the electromagnetic observations of the merger remnant that imply the presence of a short-lived hypermassive neutron star, we find that the radius of a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star is $R_{1.4M_⊙} = 11.0^{+0.9}_{-0.6} km$ (90% credible interval). Finally, using this constraint, we show that neutron stars are unlikely to be disrupted in neutron star–black hole mergers; subsequently, such events will not produce observable electromagnetic emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Cosmology at the end of the world

In the last two decades the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence has emerged as a focal point of many research interests. In particular, it functions as a stepping stone to a still-missing full quantum theory of gravity. In this context, a pivotal question is if and how cosmological physics can be studied using AdS/CFT. Motivated by string theory, braneworld cosmologies propose that our universe is a four-dimensional membrane embedded in a bulk five-dimensional AdS spacetime. We show how such a scenario can be microscopically realized in AdS/CFT using special field theory states dual to an ‘end-of-the-world brane’ moving in a charged black hole spacetime. Observers on the brane experience cosmological physics and approximately four-dimensional gravity, at least locally in spacetime. Finally, this result opens a path towards a description of quantum cosmology and the simulation of cosmology on quantum machines.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture

The fundamental question of whether different microbial species will co-exist or compete in a given environment depends on context, composition and environmental constraints. Model microbial systems can yield some general principles related to this question. In this study we employed a naturally occurring co-culture composed of heterotrophic bacteria, Halomonas sp. HL-48 and Marinobacter sp. HL-58, to ask two fundamental scientific questions: 1) how do the phenotypes of two naturally co-existing species respond to partnership as compared to axenic growth? and 2) how do growth and molecular phenotypes of these species change with respect to competitive and commensal interactions? We hypothesized – and confirmed – that co-cultivation under glucose as the sole carbon source would result in a competitive interactions. Similarly, when glucose was swapped with xylose, the interactions became commensal because Marinobacter HL-58 was supported by metabolites derived from Halomonas HL-48. Each species responded to partnership by changing both its growth and molecular phenotype as assayed via batch growth kinetics and global transcriptomics. These phenotypic responses depended nutrient availability and so the environment ultimately controlled how they responded to each other. This simplified model community revealed that microbial interactions are context-specific and different environmental conditions dictate how interspecies partnerships will unfold.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

A new magnesium sheet alloy with high tensile properties and room-temperature formability

Lightweight sheet alloys with superior mechanical performance such as high strength, ductility and formability at room temperature (RT) are desirable for high volume automotive applications. However, ductility or formability of metallic alloys at RT are generally inversely related to strength, thereby making it difficult to optimize all three simultaneously. Here we design a new magnesium sheet alloy-ZAXME11100 (Mg-1.0Zn-1.0Al-0.5Ca-0.4Mn-0.2Ce, wt. pct.) via CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram) modeling and experimental validation. This new sheet alloy offers an excellent RT formability with a high Index Erichsen (I.E.) value of 7.8 mm in a solution-treated condition (T4), due to its weak and split basal texture and fine grain structure. The new ZAXME 11100 alloy also shows a rapid age-hardening response during post-forming artificial aging treatment at 210 °C for 1hour (T6), resulting in a significant increase of yield strength from 159 MPa (T4) to 270 MPa (T6). The excellent combination of T4 ductility (31%), T4 formability (7.8 mm) and T6 yield strength (270 MPa) in this new magnesium alloy is comparable to that of common 6xxx series aluminum sheet alloys. Thus, this new magnesium sheet alloy is highly attractive for sheet applications in automotive and other industries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Magnetorotational instability in plasmas with mobile dust grains

The magnetorotational instability of dusty plasmas is investigated using the multi-fluid model and the general dispersion relation is derived based on local approximation. The dust grains are found to play an important role in the dispersion relation in the low-frequency mode and exhibit destabilizing effects on the plasma. Both the instability criterion and growth rate are affected significantly by the dust and when the dust is heavy enough to be unperturbed, the reduced dispersion relations are obtained. The instability criteria show that the dust grains have stabilizing effects on the instability when the rotation frequency decreases outwards and conversely lead to destabilizing effects when the rotation frequency increases outwards. The results are relevant to accession and protoplanetary disks.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Viscous potential flow analysis of electrified miscible finitely conducting fluid through porous media

In this work, a viscous potential flow analysis is used to investigate capillary surface waves between two horizontal finite fluid layers. The two layers have finite conductivities and admit mass and heat transfer. A general dispersion relation is derived. The presence of finite conductivities together with the dielectric permeabilities makes the horizontal electric field play a dual role in the stability criterion. The phenomenon of negative viscosity is observed. A new growth rate parameter, depending on the kinematical viscosity of the lower fluid layer, is found and has a stabilizing effect on the unstable modes. The growth rates and neutral stability curve are given and applied to air-water interface. The effects of various parameters are discussed for the Kelvin-Helmholtz and the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Jeans self gravitational instability of strongly coupled quantum plasma

The Jeans self-gravitational instability is studied for quantum plasma composed of weakly coupled degenerate electron fluid and non-degenerate strongly coupled ion fluid. The formulation for such system is done on the basis of two fluid theory. The dynamics of weakly coupled degenerate electron fluid is governed by inertialess momentum equation. The quantum forces associated with the quantum diffraction effects and the quantum statistical effects act on the degenerate electron fluid. The strong correlation effects of ion are embedded in generalized viscoelastic momentum equation including the viscoelasticity and shear viscosities of ion fluid. The general dispersion relation is obtained using the normal mode analysis technique for the two regimes of propagation, i.e., hydrodynamic and kinetic regimes. The Jeans condition of self-gravitational instability is also obtained for both regimes, in the hydrodynamic regime it is observed to be affected by the ion plasma oscillations and quantum parameter while in the kinetic regime in addition to ion plasma oscillations and quantum parameter, it is also affected by the ion velocity which is modified by the viscosity generated compressional effects. The Jeans critical wave number and corresponding critical mass are also obtained for strongly coupled quantum plasma for both regimes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Reciprocal relations in electroacoustics

In a colloidal suspension, one can generate sound waves by the application of an alternating electric field (Electrokinetic Sonic Amplitude, i.e., ESA). Another phenomenon is electrophoresis (Electrophoretic Mobility, i.e., EM) where a colloidal particle moves relative to the solvent in an electric field. Vice versa one can generate electric fields or electric currents by sound waves (Colloid Vibration Potential/Current, i.e., CVP/CVI). In 1988 and 1990, O’Brien [J. Fluid Mech. 190, 71–86 (1988) and O’Brien, J. Fluid Mech. 212, 81–93 (1990)] derived a reciprocal relation between the proportionality coefficients of the EM and CVI phenomena. In this paper, we will generalize his proof by constructing the relevant entropy production from which the linear force-flux relations follow. General relations are derived for electrolyte solutions, of which colloidal suspensions are a particular case. The relations between CVI, CVP, EM, and ESA are discussed. O’Brien's reciprocal relation then follows as an Onsager relation. The relation is valid for any applied electric field frequency, particle surface charge and particle concentration (even in the presence of particle-particle interactions) provided the system is isotropic.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electromagnetic effects on geodesic acoustic modes

By using the full electromagnetic drift kinetic equations for electrons and ions, the general dispersion relation for geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) is derived incorporating the electromagnetic effects. It is shown that m = 1 harmonic of the GAM mode has a finite electromagnetic component. The electromagnetic corrections appear for finite values of the radial wave numbers and modify the GAM frequency. The effects of plasma pressure β{sub e}, the safety factor q, and the temperature ratio τ on GAM dispersion are analyzed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Theoretical description based on general and exact nonextensive dispersion relations of plasma oscillation data and verification of new acoustic plasma waves

In this paper, first we represent the differences between spatial and temporal dispersions and their dependence on the measurement techniques for electrostatic waves in unmagnetized collisionless plasma. Then, three different experimental data are compared to the solutions of exact nonextensive dispersion relations for electron-ion and pair plasma. The results confirm the existence of new acoustic plasma waves. Furthermore, these comparisons yield a Maxwellian and a nonextensive plasma with nonextensive parameter q larger than one, and a Maxwellian plasma with some abnormal dispersion properties.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Particle in cell simulations of Buneman instability of a current-driven plasma with q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution

The nonlinear evolution of low frequency Buneman instability in an unmagnetized current-driven plasma with q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution is investigated using particle in cell simulation. Simulation results show that the generation of electron phase space holes and the counter-streaming current induced in the plasma strongly depend on the q-parameter. It is found that by increasing the nonextensive parameter, the distribution of electron density becomes highly peaked. This density steepening or grating-like pattern occurs at the saturation time. In addition, a generalized dispersion relation is obtained using the kinetic theory. Analysis of the dispersion relation and the temporal evolution of the electric field energy density reveal that the growth rate of instability increases by increasing the q-parameter. Finally, the results of Maxwellian and q-nonextensive velocity distributions have been compared and discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

On the drift magnetosonic waves in anisotropic low beta plasmas

A generalized dispersion relation of obliquely propagating drift magnetosonic waves is derived by using the gyrokinetic theory for anisotropic low beta plasmas. The stability analysis applicable to a wide range of plasma parameters is performed to understand the stabilization mechanism of the drift magnetosonic instability and the estimation of the growth rate is also presented. It is noted that the growth rate of the drift instability enhances for small anisotropy (A{sub e,i} = T{sub ⊥e,i}/T{sub ∥e,i} < 1) whereas it is suppressed for large anisotropy (A{sub e,i} > 1)

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Self-assembled nanoparticle aggregates: Organizing disorder for high performance surface-enhanced spectroscopy

The coherent oscillations of the surface electron gas, known as surface plasmons, in metal nanostructures can give rise to the localization of intense electromagnetic fields at the metal-dielectric interface. These strong fields are exploited in surface enhanced spectroscopies, such as Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), for the detection and characterization of molecules at very low concentration. Still, the implementation of SERS-based biosensors requires a high level of reproducibility, combined with cheap and simple fabrication methods. For this purpose, SERS substrates based on self-assembled aggregates of commercial metallic nanoparticles (Nps) can meet all the above requests. Following this line, we report on a combined micro-Raman and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis of the SERS efficiency of micrometric silver Np aggregates (enhancement factors up to 10{sup 9}) obtained by self-assembly. Despite the intrinsic disordered nature of these Np clusters, we were able to sort out some general rules relating the specific aggregate morphology to its plasmonic response. We found strong evidences of cooperative effects among the NPs within the cluster and namely a clear dependence of the SERS-efficiency on both the cluster area (basically linear) and the number of stacked NPs layers. A cooperative action among the superimposed layers has been proved also by electromagnetic simulations performed on simplified nanostructures consisting of stacking planes of ordered Nps. Being clear the potentialities of these disordered self-assembled clusters, in terms of both easy fabrication and signal enhancement, we developed a specific nanofabrication protocol, based on electron beam lithography and molecular functionalization, that allowed for a fine control of the Np assemblies into designed shapes fixing their area and height. In particular, we fabricated 2D ordered arrays of disordered clusters choosing gold Nps owing to their high stability. AFM measurements confirmed the regularity in spacing and size (i.e. area and layer number) of the aggregates. Preliminary SERS measurements confirm the high signal enhancement and demonstrate a quite good reproducibility over large number of aggregates within 100×100 μm{sup 2} 2D super-structure. The availability of such a multisensor could allow a careful statistical analysis of the SERS response, thus leading to a reliable quantitative estimate of the presence of relevant molecular species even at ultra-low concentration.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗