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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

$T\overline{T}$, black holes and negative strings

String theory on AdS 3 has a solvable single-trace irrelevant deformation that is closely related to $T\overline{T}$. For one sign of the coupling, it leads to an asymptotically linear dilaton spacetime, and a corresponding Hagedorn spectrum. For the other, the resulting spacetime has a curvature singularity at a finite radial location, and an upper bound on the energies of states. Beyond the singularity, the signature of spacetime is flipped and there is an asymptotically linear dilaton boundary at infinity. We study the properties of black holes and fundamental strings in this spacetime, and find a sensible picture. The singularity does not give rise to a hard ultraviolet wall for excitations -one must include the region beyond it to understand the theory. The size of black holes diverges as their energy approaches the upper bound, as does the location of the singularity. Fundamental strings pass smoothly through the singularity, but if their energy is above the upper bound, their trajectories are singular. From the point of view of the boundary at infinity, this background can be thought of as a vacuum of Little String Theory which contains a large number of negative strings.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Holographic thermal correlators: a tale of Fuchsian ODEs and integration contours

We analyze real-time thermal correlation functions of conserved currents in holographic field theories using the grSK geometry, which provides a contour prescription for their evaluation. We demonstrate its efficacy, arguing that there are situations involving components of conserved currents, or derivative interactions, where such a prescription is, in fact, essential. To this end, we first undertake a careful analysis of the linearized wave equations in AdS black hole backgrounds and identify the branch points of the solutions as a function of (complexified) frequency and momentum. All the equations we study are Fuchsian with only regular singular points that for the most part are associated with the geometric features of the background. Special features, e.g., the appearance of apparent singular points at the horizon, whence outgoing solutions end up being analytic, arise at higher codimension loci in parameter space. Using the grSK geometry, we demonstrate that these apparent singularities do not correspond to any interesting physical features in higher-point functions. We also argue that the Schwinger-Keldysh collapse and KMS conditions, implemented by the grSK geometry, continue to hold even in the presence of such singularities. For charged black holes above a critical charge, we furthermore demonstrate that the energy density operator does not possess an exponentially growing mode, associated with ‘pole-skipping’, from one such apparent singularity. Our analysis suggests that the connection between the scrambling physics of black holes and energy transport has, at best, a limited domain of validity.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Applications of the Landau bootstrap

We advocate a strategy of bootstrapping Feynman integrals from just knowledge of their singular behavior. This approach is complementary to other bootstrap programs, which exploit nonperturbative constraints such as unitarity, or amplitude-level constraints such as gauge invariance. We begin by studying where a Feynman integral can become singular, and the behavior it exhibits near these singularities. We then characterize the space of functions that we expect the integral to evaluate to, in order to formulate an appropriate ansatz. Finally, we derive constraints on where each singularity can appear in this ansatz, and use information about the expansion of the integral around singular points in order to determine the value of all remaining free coefficients. Throughout, we highlight how constraints that have previously only been derived for integrals with generic masses can be extended to integrals involving particles of equal or vanishing mass. We illustrate the effectiveness of this approach by bootstrapping a number of examples, including the four-point double box with a massive internal loop. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Hannesdottir, Holmfridur S. (ORCID:000000025440208↗
DOE OSTI2020

Holographic flows from CFT to the Kasner universe

The Schwarzschild singularity is known to be classically unstable. We demonstrate a simple holographic consequence of this fact, focusing on a perturbation that is uniform in boundary space and time. Deformation of the thermal state of the dual CFT by a relevant operator triggers a nonzero temperature holographic renormalization group flow in the bulk. This flow continues smoothly through the horizon and, at late interior time, deforms the Schwarzschild singularity into a more general Kasner universe. We show that the deformed near-singularity, trans-horizon Kasner exponents determine specific non-analytic corrections to the thermal correlation functions of heavy operators in the dual CFT, in the analytically continued ‘near-singularity’ regime.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spiner vs EOSPAC6: capabilities, performance, and accuracy considerations

The Cross-Cutting Capabilities Project (XCAP) has significant interest in collecting and implementing a common set of libraries to be used across the various production hydro-codes at LANL. A common set of libraries will help facilitate comparisons between codes. In addition to minimizing variables for comparisons and physics validation, efforts toward optimization and porting of packages for future architectures will be more efficient. As part of this push Singularity is being considered as an inclusive materials interface library. One crucial part of this library is the importing, inverting, and interpolation of equation of state (EOS) data. Currently the Lagrangian Applications Project (LAP) and Safety Applications Project (SAP) are using EOSPAC6 for delivery EOS data. The Eulerian Applications Project (EAP) has historically used TEOS and more recently an implementation of Singularly via a package called Spiner for EOS interpolation. Singularity currently has the option of using several analytical EOS models, directly employing SESAME via Spiner, or directly using SESAME via EOSPAC6 (not optimized yet). Assuming Singularity moves forward as a common platform for the implementation of materials models, a decision will need to be made on which EOS interpolation package XCAP should move forward with, given resources and people are finite. We will attempt to address pros and cons of Spiner and EOSPAC6 and the trade-offs that should be considered during the decision making process. This report is intended as an ASC-PEM-EOS perspective on what is needed in an EOS interpolation package. Performance and Accuracy sections will mostly address data from comparison studies in LA-UR-22-22699.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Constraints on sequential discontinuities from the geometry of on-shell spaces

We present several classes of constraints on the discontinuities of Feynman integrals that go beyond the Steinmann relations. These constraints follow from a geometric formulation of the Landau equations that was advocated by Pham, in which the singularities of Feynman integrals correspond to critical points of maps between on-shell spaces. To establish our results, we review elements of Picard-Lefschetz theory, which connect the homotopy properties of the space of complexified external momenta to the homology of the combined space of on-shell internal and external momenta. An important concept that emerges from this analysis is the question of whether or not a pair of Landau singularities is compatible — namely, whether or not the Landau equations for the two singularities can be satisfied simultaneously. Under conditions we describe, sequential discontinuities with respect to non-compatible Landau singularities must vanish. Although we only rigorously prove results for Feynman integrals with generic masses in this paper, we expect the geometric and algebraic insights that we gain will also assist in the analysis of more general Feynman integrals.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Numerical study of $\delta$-function current sheets arising from resonant magnetic perturbations

We report general three-dimensional toroidal ideal magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with a continuum of nested flux surfaces are susceptible to forming singular current sheets when resonant perturbations are applied. The presence of singular current sheets indicates that, in the presence of non-zero resistivity, magnetic reconnection will ensue, leading to the formation of magnetic islands and potentially regions of stochastic field lines when islands overlap. Numerically resolving singular current sheets in the ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) limit has been a significant challenge. This work presents numerical solutions of the Hahm–Kulsrud–Taylor (HKT) problem, which is a prototype for resonant singular current sheet formation. The HKT problem is solved by two codes: a Grad–Shafranov (GS) solver and the Stepped Pressure Equilibrium Code (SPEC) code. The GS solver has built-in nested flux surfaces with prescribed magnetic fluxes. The SPEC code implements multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics (MRxMHD), whereby the solution relaxes to a Taylor state in each region while maintaining force balance across the interfaces between regions. As the number of regions increases, the MRxMHD solution appears to approach the ideal MHD solution assuming a continuum of nested flux surfaces. We demonstrate agreement between the numerical solutions obtained from the two codes through a convergence study.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Beyond universal behavior in the one-dimensional chain with random nearest-neighbor hopping

Here, we study the one-dimensional nearest-neighbor tight-binding model of electrons with independently distributed random hopping and no on-site potential (i.e., off-diagonal disorder with particle-hole symmetry, leading to sublattice symmetry, for each realization). For nonsingular distributions of the hopping, it is known that the model exhibits a universal, singular behavior of the density of states $ρ(E) ~ 1/|E\: \text{ln}^3 |E||$ and of the localization length $ξ(E) ~ |\text{ln}|E||$, near the band center $\textit{E}$ = 0 . (This singular behavior is also applicable to random $\textit{XY}$ and Heisenberg spin chains; it was first obtained by Dyson for a specific random harmonic oscillator chain.) Simultaneously, the state at$\textit{E}$ = 0 shows a universal, subexponential decay at large distances $\sim \text{exp}[–\sqrt{r/r_0}]$. In this study, we consider singular, but normalizable, distributions of hopping, whose behavior at small $\textit{t}$ is of the form $\sim 1/[t \text{ln}^{λ+1}(1/t)]$, characterized by a single, continuously tunable parameter λ > 0. We find, using a combination of analytic and numerical methods, that while the universal result applies for λ > 2, it no longer holds in the interval 0 < λ < 2. In particular, we find that the form of the density of states singularity is enhanced (relative to the Dyson result) in a continuous manner depending on the nonuniversal parameter λ; simultaneously, the localization length shows a less divergent form at low energies and ceases to diverge below λ = 1. For λ < 2, the fall-off of the $\textit{E}$ = 0 state at large distances also deviates from the universal result and is of the form $\sim\text{exp}[–(r/r_0)^{1/λ}]$ , which decays faster than an exponential for λ < 1.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Origin of anomalous magnetotransport in kagome superconductors 𝐴⁢V 3 ⁢Sb 5 (𝐴 = K,Rb,Cs)

Multiple anomalous features in electronic spectra of metals with a kagome lattice structure—van Hove singularities, Dirac points, and flat bands—imply that materials containing this structural motif may lie at a nexus of topological and correlated electron physics. Due to the prospects of such exceptional electronic behavior, the recent discovery of superconductivity coexisting with charge-density wave (CDW) order in the layered kagome metals 𝐴⁢V 3 ⁢Sb 5 (𝐴 = K,Rb,Cs) has attracted considerable attention. Notably, these archetypal kagome metals express unconventional magnetotransport behavior, including an unexpected linear-in-𝐻 diagonal resistivity at low fields, and an even more peculiar, nonmonotonic sign-changing behavior of the Hall resistivity, which has been speculated to arise from a chiral CDW. We argue here that this unusual magnetotransport derives not from such unconventional phenomena, but rather from the unique fermiology of the 𝐴⁢V 3 ⁢Sb 5 materials. Specifically, it is caused by a large, concave hexagonal Fermi surface sheet formed in the close proximity to the van Hove singularities, which is backfolded into a small hexagonal sheet and two large triangular sheets in the CDW state. We introduce and analyze a model of the electronic structure of these Fermi surface sheets that allows for a full analytical treatment within Boltzmann kinetic theory and that enables semi-quantitative fits of our transport data. Specifically, we find that the anomalous magnetotransport behavior is caused by the confluence of strong reduction of the Fermi velocity near the van Hove singularities located near the vertices of the hexagonal sheet and sharp corners in Fermi surface generated by the CDW reconstruction. In conclusion, our analytical approach not only explains the anomalous magnetotransport in the kagome superconductors but also can be extended to a variety of metallic systems hosting singular features in their Fermi surfaces.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Frozen generalized symmetries

M-theory frozen singularities are (locally) D - or E -type orbifold singularities with a background fractional C 3 -monodromy surrounding them. In this paper, we revisit such backgrounds and address several puzzling features of their physics. We first give a top-down derivation of how the D - or E -type 7D N = 1 gauge theory directly “freezes” to a lower-rank gauge theory due to the C 3 background. This relies on a Hanany-Witten effect of fractional M5 branes and the presence of a gauge anomaly of fractional D p probes in the circle reduction. Additionally, we compute defect groups and 8D symmetry topological field theories of the 7D frozen theories in several duality frames. We apply our results to understanding the evenness condition of strings ending on O 7 + planes, and calculating the global forms of supergravity gauge groups of M-theory compactified on T 4 / Γ with frozen singularities. We also revisit IIA A D E singularities with a C 1 -monodromy along a 1-cycle in the boundary lens space and show that this freezes the gauge degrees of freedom via confinement. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Cvetič, Mirjam↗
DOE OSTI2021

Scaled boundary cubature scheme for numerical integration over planar regions with affine and curved boundaries

This paper introduces the scaled boundary cubature (SBC) scheme for accurate and efficient integration of functions over polygons and two-dimensional regions bounded by parametric curves. Over two-dimensional domains, the SBC method reduces integration over a region bounded by m curves to integration over m regions (referred to as curved triangular regions), where each region is bounded by two line segments and a curve. With proper (counterclockwise) orientation of the boundary curves, the scheme is applicable to convex and nonconvex domains. Additionally, for star-convex domains, a tensor-product cubature rule with positive weights and integration points in the interior of the domain is obtained. If the integrand is homogeneous, we show that this new method reduces to the homogeneous numerical integration scheme; however, the SBC scheme is more versatile since it is equally applicable to both homogeneous and non-homogeneous functions. This paper also introduces several methods for smoothing integrands with point singularities and near-singularities. When these methods are used, highly efficient integration of weakly singular functions is realized. Finally, the SBC method is applied to a number of benchmark problems, which reveal its broad applicability and superior performance (in terms of time to generate a rule and accuracy per cubature point) when compared to existing methods for integration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Unified Picture of Superconductivity and Magnetism in CeRh 2 ⁢As 2

Here, we propose a theory for the microscopic origin of the multiple superconducting and magnetic phases observed in CeRh 2 ⁢As 2 based on the existence of Van Hove singularities near the Fermi energy. The nonsymmorphic symmetry of this material implies that these singularities are located away from high-symmetry momenta; i.e., they have so-called type-II character. This allows us to include the significant Rashba spin-orbit coupling in CeRh 2 ⁢As 2 in a parquet renormalization group approach. When Fermi-surface nesting is strong, our analysis reveals two closely competing superconducting states with opposite parities, as well as an instability toward spin-density wave states that support both of them, consistent with the phase diagram of CeRh 2 ⁢As 2 . Type-II Van Hove singularities are generic to nonsymmorphic space groups, and so our theory implies that many other compounds may support closely competing even- and odd-parity superconductivity.

Rashba coupling↗
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↗