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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

Global characterization of a laser-generated neutron source

Laser-driven neutron sources are routinely produced by the interaction of laser-accelerated protons with a converter. They present complementary characteristics to those of conventional accelerator-based neutron sources (e.g. short pulse durations, enabling novel applications like radiography). We present here results from an experiment aimed at performing a global characterization of the neutrons produced using the Titan laser at the Jupiter Laser Facility (Livermore, USA), where protons were accelerated from 23 $\mathrm {\mu }$ m thick plastic targets and directed onto a LiF converter to produce neutrons. For this purpose, several diagnostics were used to measure these neutron emissions, such as CR-39, activation foils, time-of-flight detectors and direct measurement of $^7{\rm Be}$ residual activity in the LiF converters. The use of these different, independently operating diagnostics enables comparison of the various measurements performed to provide a robust characterization. These measurements led to a neutron yield of $2.0\times 10^{9}$ neutrons per shot with a modest angular dependence, close to that simulated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Dielectron production in proton-proton and proton-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=5.02TeV

The first measurements of dielectron production at midrapidity (|η e | < 0.8) in proton–proton and proton–lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV at the LHC are presented. The dielectron cross section is measured with the ALICE detector as a function of the invariant mass m ee and the pair transverse momentum p T,ee in the ranges mee < 3.5 GeV/c 2 and p T,ee < 8 GeV/c, in both collision systems. In proton–proton collisions, the charm and beauty cross sections are determined at midrapidity from a fit to the data with two different event generators. This complements the existing dielectron measurements performed at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 and 13 TeV. The slope of the $\sqrt{s}$ dependence of the three measurements is described by FONLL calculations. The dielectron cross section measured in proton–lead collisions is in agreement, within the current precision, with the expected dielectron production without any nuclear matter effects for e + e - pairs from open heavy-flavor hadron decays. For the first time at LHC energies, the dielectron production in proton–lead and proton–proton collisions are directly compared at the same $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ via the dielectron nuclear modification factor R pPb . The measurements are compared to model calculations including cold nuclear matter effects, or additional sources of dielectrons from thermal radiation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Benchmark Tracking System for Performance Monitoring

Benchmarking is essential for high-performance software development, particularly for monitoring performance across code iterations. This project focused on enhancing the benchmarking process for Lamellar, an asynchronous runtime for High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Prior to this work, benchmark results were difficult to track and compare across code versions, presenting significant challenges in identifying performance regressions and long-term trends. The primary objective was to establish a systematic, reproducible approach for measuring performance and detecting regressions following code commits. Our methodology involved three key components: standardizing benchmark outputs, implementing data versioning, and developing analysis tools. We standardized the benchmark output format to JSON Line records containing specific fields (execution time, hardware specifications, and environmental variables). To address data management challenges, we evaluated several options and eventually chose a git repository dedicated to benchmark data. We developed a suite of Python tools that processed benchmark results, enriched them with metadata, and facilitated search in the repository. The resulting system enables more efficient filtering and comparison of performance metrics across commit histories, hardware configurations, and benchmark variants through a unified query interface. Our implementation reduces computational overhead by first checking for existing results through configuration matching before initiating new benchmark runs, thereby conserving resources. The system has been validated by Lamellar developers. It organizes results by benchmark type and build configurations for efficient retrieval. Future developments include a planned Large Language Model interface for predicting benchmark performance, incorporating the criterion package for statistical analysis, which will enable automated detection of statistically significant performance changes, and integration with continuous integration pipelines. Despite these enhancements being reserved for future work, this project has successfully provided the Lamellar development team with a framework for maintaining consistent performance standards and identifying optimization opportunities across workloads and hardware environments.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Characterizing Reactor Operations from Realistic Simulated Environmental Samples: Combining High-Performance Computing and Data Analytics

Environmental sampling is a common technique employed by inspectors and facility operators in nuclear safeguards, proliferation detection, and process monitoring contexts. Interpreting measurements performed on samples or collections of samples and ensuring the information extracted is accurate and precise is difficult. To date, these analyses have relied on simulated data to enable systematic studies; however, these models are inherently limited by the fidelity of the models and the implicit spatial averaging of isotopic composition or other signatures of interest. To advance this capability, we have refined the spatial discretization and expanded the range of physics in the simulation codes we use to perform reactor simulations and depletion calculations. This allows us to generate data that are more representative of real environmental samples, especially for the length scale of the isotopic composition and associated variation. Accordingly, these new data allow a more realistic assessment of traditional and new data analytic analysis methods. Here we present motivation for developing reactor simulations using high-performance computing methods and resources, impacts of these new simulations on our assessment of data analysis and interpretation methods, and initial results of developing and systematically testing data analytic methods designed to overcome the challenges expected of real-world samples. We also quantify the performance of these analyses using defensible statistical methods.

Dayman, Ken J.↗

LANL MPCL Measurement System Analysis: AMPTEC 630ES Igniter Tester / Ohmmeter

This comprehensive analysis aimed to evaluate the measurement capability of the AMPTEC 630ES Explosive Safety Igniter Tester, a critical tool for organizations engaged in the measurement of High Explosive components and related Electro-Explosive devices. With a history of notable calibration issues involving specific model numbers, the Metrology Program and Calibration Laboratory (MPCL) initiated an extensive Measurement System Analysis. The analysis's primary focus was to thoroughly quantify the various sources of measurement variability intrinsic to the calibration process. It centered on two pivotal aspects: repeatability (the variation observed when the same operator uses the same instrument) and reproducibility (the variation seen when different operators perform measurements). A secondary objective was to determine whether equipment usage and age had any impact on the instrument's performance.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Measurement of the $t\bar{t} t\bar{t}$ production cross section in pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s} $ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of four-top-quark production using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 is presented. Events are selected if they contain a single lepton (electron or muon) or an opposite-sign lepton pair, in association with multiple jets. The events are categorised according to the number of jets and how likely these are to contain b-hadrons. A multivariate technique is then used to discriminate between signal and background events. The measured four-top-quark production cross section is found to be 26$^{+17}_{-15}$ fb, with a corresponding observed (expected) significance of 1.9 (1.0) standard deviations over the background-only hypothesis. The result is combined with the previous measurement performed by the ATLAS Collaboration in the multilepton final state. The combined four-top-quark production cross section is measured to be 24$^{+7}_{-6}$ fb, with a corresponding observed (expected) signal significance of 4.7 (2.6) standard deviations over the background-only predictions. It is consistent within 2.0 standard deviations with the Standard Model expectation of 12.0 ± 2.4 fb.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Quantum Computing for Enhancing Grid Security

This article introduces quantum computing as a necessary and viable tool in addressing the needs of a modernized power grid. The application of quantum computing in enhancing physical security of the grid – an increasingly difficult problem to solve– is investigated. A comparative study based on mathematically proven computing performance measures shows the merits of the proposed method and further unveils the potential benefits of quantum computing in improving grid performance.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Templates of expected measurement uncertainties for neutron-induced capture and charged-particle production cross section observables

This paper provides a template of expected uncertainties and correlations for measurements of neutron-induced capture and charged-particle production cross sections. Measurements performed in-beam include total absorption spectroscopy, total energy detection, γ -ray spectroscopy, and direct charged-particle detection. Offline measurements include activation analysis and accelerator mass spectrometry. The information needed for proper use of the datasets in resonance region and high energy region evaluations is described, and recommended uncertainties are provided when specific values are not available for a dataset.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Abrasion-fission reactions at intermediate energies

The availability of high-intensity, heavy-ion beams coupled to sensitive, large solid-angle acceptance spectrometers has enabled a detailed examination of the fission fragments produced in induced-fission reactions. The abrasion fission process involves the formation of projectile-like prefragments in violent nuclear collisions at relative energies in excess of 100 MeV/u. At intermediate energies below this threshold, experiments suggest a change in the prefragment kinematic qualities. Information regarding the influence of this transitional phase upon the evolution of nuclei approaching the point of scission is scarce. In this article, data are presented for over 200 nuclei from nickel to palladium produced in abrasion-fission reactions of a 80 MeV/u 238 U beam. Cross sections were obtained following yield measurements performed for the principal charge states of the identified fission fragments and a detailed analysis of the ion transmission. A full kinematic analysis of the fission fragments has been performed using the LISE ++ software package, where the trajectory of an ion passing through a spectrometer can be reconstructed based upon measurements at the focal plane. Furthermore, the results obtained at the S800 spectrograph are compared with predictions obtained with a three-fission progenitor (3EER) model. Systematic studies of fission-fragment properties continue to provide a valuable experimental benchmark for theoretical efforts directed toward describing this complex decay channel, that is important in the context of planning experiments to explore the neutron-rich region of the nuclear chart at rare-isotope beam facilities.

59 ≤ A ≤ 8990 ≤ A ≤ 149↗

Dynamic Frequency Regulation Improvement in Hydropower-Hybrid System using Variational Mode Decomposition

Providing frequency response, especially fast frequency response such as Red D in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM) market, is challenging for many generation plants to deliver on their own. If they have adequate flexibility, hydropower plants are typically able to provide slower regulation support (e.g., Reg A in PJM), but do not respond fast enough to provide Reg D. The ability to provide Reg D would improve their revenue because this service is typically more valuable. This work presents a control approach to use hydropower, battery, and ultracapacitor systems to provide fast regulation in a way that uses the response contribution of each asset. In particular, the proposed control architecture applies a variational mode decomposition (VMD) technique on the incoming Reg D signal to extract multiple dynamic-regulation components with non-overlapping frequencies. With the response-speed dependent alignment, these regulation components are fed to the hydrogenator and hybrid energy storage system (HESS). The paper evaluates the proposed approach on a direct-current (DC)-coupled active system by computing several performance measures and analyzing sensitivity based on HESS component proportional capacities. The results reveal that the proposed VMD-based signal conditioning performs well and that optimizing the sizing of the battery and ultracapacitor components further enhances performance.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Evaluation of U-net-based Image Segmentation Model to Digital Mammography

Detecting suspicious lesions in medical imaging is the important first step in computer-aided detection (CAD) systems. However, detecting abnormalities in breast tissue is difficult due to the lesion's varying size, shape, margin, and contrast with the background tissue. We focused on mass segmentation, a method that provides notable morphological features by outlining contours of masses. Accurate segmentation is crucial for correct diagnosis. Recent advancements in deep learning have improved object detection and segmentation, and these techniques are also being applied to medical imaging studies. We focused on U-net, which is a recently developed mass segmentation algorithm based on a fully convolutional network. The U-net architecture consists of (1) a contracting path to increase the resolution of the output and (2) a symmetric expanding path to better locate the region of interest. The performance of a U-net model was tested with 63 digital mammograms from INbreast, a publicly available database. We trained the model with images resized to 40x40 pixels and conducted 10-fold cross-validation to prevent overfitting. The model's performance with respect to breast density and the lesion's BI-RADS rating was also investigated. Dice coefficients (DC) were used as a performance measure to compare the predicted segmentation of the model with the ground truth. Logistic regression and an analysis of variance were performed to determine the significance of the DCs with regards to breast density and lesion behavior and to calculate the 95% confidence interval. The average DC was 0.80. The difference between DCs for BI-RADS 2 and 4c and for BI-RADS 2 and 5 were significant, suggesting that the model has more difficulty in segmenting benign lesions.

Cho, Priscilla↗

R-matrix Resolved Resonance Region Evaluation of 140,142 Ce

Oak Ridge National Laboratory completed the resolved resonance region (RRR) evaluation of the two most abundant cerium isotopes, 140 Ce (88.45%) and 142 Ce (11.11%), as requested by the US Nuclear Criticality Safety Program. These evaluations are based on recent high-resolution transmission and capture measurements performed on nat Ce and highly enriched 142 Ce samples at the JRC-Geel Linear Accelerator facility, as well as measured thermal constants available from the EXFOR database. Starting from the resonance parameters of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library followed by a preliminary R-matrix analysis, an updated set of resonance parameters and corresponding covariance information were derived by fitting these measured data using the Reich–Moore approximation of the R -matrix theory, as implemented in the SAMMY code system. The 140 Ce RRR upper energy limit was kept at 200 keV, whereas the 142 Ce resonance region was extended from 13 to 26 keV. Updated statistical properties were obtained for the new evaluations and compared to those derived from the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data library. The new evaluation work improved some of the discrepancies found in previous work, such as the capture resonance integral and stellar Maxwellian-averaged cross sections. These integral quantities were mainly derived from the fit of the latest measured data, especially the neutron capture yield data for 142 Ce isotope.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Luminescent and Magnetic Tb-MOF Flakes Deposited on Silicon

The synthesis of a terbium-based 2D metal–organic framework (MOF), of formula [Tb(MeCOO)(PhCOO) 2 ] (1), a crystalline material formed by neutral nanosheets held together by Van der Waals interactions, is presented. The material can be easily exfoliated by sonication and deposited onto different substrates. Uniform distributions of Tb-2D MOF flakes onto silicon were obtained by spin-coating. We report the luminescent and magnetic properties of the deposited flakes compared with those of the bulk. Complex 1 is luminescent in the visible and has a sizeable quantum yield of QY = 61% upon excitation at 280 nm. Photoluminescence measurements performed using a micro-Raman set up allowed us to characterize the luminescent spectra of individual flakes on silicon. Magnetization measurements of flakes-on-silicon with the applied magnetic field in-plane and out-of-plane display anisotropy. Ac susceptibility measurements show that 1 in bulk exhibits field-induced slow relaxation of the magnetization through two relaxation paths and the slowest one, with a relaxation time of τ lf ≈ 0.5 s, is assigned to a direct process mechanism. The reported exfoliation of lanthanide 2D-MOFs onto substrates is an attractive approach for the development of multifunctional materials and devices for different applications.

2D MOFs↗

Interplay of large two-magnon ferromagnetic resonance linewidths and low Gilbert damping in Heusler thin films

We report on broadband ferromagnetic resonance linewidth measurements performed on epitaxial Heusler thin films. In this work, a large and anisotropic two-magnon scattering linewidth broadening is observed for measurements with the magnetization lying in the film plane, while linewidth measurements with the magnetization saturated perpendicular to the sample plane reveal low Gilbert damping constants of (1.5 ± 0.1) × 10 –3 , (1.8 ± 0.2) × 10 –3 , and < 8 × 10 –4 for Co 2 MnSi/MgO, Co 2 MnAl/MgO, and Co 2 FeAl/MgO, respectively. The in-plane measurements are fit to a model combining Gilbert and two-magnon scattering contributions to the linewidth, revealing a characteristic disorder length scale of 10–100 nm.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

ASGS - An Innovative Approach for Waste Characterization - From the First Study to Experimental Validation - 20260

For disposal of nuclear waste a clear identification of the nuclear inventory is mandatory. Since this waste is usually filled in drums, nuclear specific characterization methods using HPGe detectors usually require the understanding of the limitations of the method assumptions (such as the homogeneity criteria), and often results in applying high uncertainties to the result in waste that is not well known a priori. There are several methods and approaches such as Far-Field, Segmented Gamma Scans (SGS) or Tomographic Gamma Scans (TGS) available. The SGS allows measuring the waste drum in different segments (or 'layers') which allows getting more detailed information about the activity distribution inside a waste drum. In addition, with the transmission source used in tomographic scans, it is possible to also determine the material (and its homogeneity) composition inside a drum. Mirion Technologies developed in cooperation with Aachen Institute for Nuclear Training (AiNT) an innovative measurement approach which allows more accurate results and therefore applying lower uncertainties. This new measurement approach extends the concept of SGS by partitioning the drum into single drum sectors instead of segments. The goal is to perform measurements with high throughput and an accurate analysis based on the reconstruction of activities for each sector. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor at Large Momentum Transfer Using the Super-Bigbite Apparatus in Jefferson Lab Hall-A

The nucleon elastic electromagnetic form factors help us study the electromagnetic structure of the nucleon, benchmark theoretical models, and improve our understanding of non-perturbative quantum chromodynamics and confinement. The Nobel Prize-winning electron-nucleon scattering experiments by Robert Hofstadter and collaborators in the 1950s at Stanford High Energy Physics Lab were the first nucleon form factor measurements performed using leptonic probes. The Super Bigbite Spectrometer (SBS) program at Hall-A of Jefferson Lab represents the latest efforts to measure nucleon form factors. This ambitious program aims to significantly extend the current data set in terms of square momentum transfer (Q2) with high precision. The advent of novel detector technologies, like Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM), which provide excellent position resolution (< 100 ?m) while withstanding high background particle rates (several hundred MHz/cm2) over a large active area, has paved the way for open-geometry, moderate solid angle spectrometers, which are central to all form factor experiments in the SBS program. The first experimental run group in SBS ran successfully between September 2021 and February 2022, collecting data for the measurement of the magnetic form factor of the neutron Gn M at five squared momentum-transfer values: 3.0, 4.5, 7.5, 9.8, and 13.5 (GeV /c)2. This extends the existing high-precision data for Gn M by about a factor of four. The ratio technique was used, which involved the simultaneous measurement of exclusive quasielastic scattering of D(e,e?n)p and D(e,e?p)n from a deuterium target. Pre-preliminary results for D(e,e?n)p and D(e,e?p)n quasi-elastic ratio, and the neutron magnetic form factor Gn M , for Q2 points 3.0, 9.8, and 13.5 (GeV /c)2 are presented.

Mudiyanselage, Anuruddha Rathnayake↗

Noncoplanar ferrimagnetism and local crystalline-electric-field anisotropy in the quasicrystal approximant Au 70 Si 17 Tb 13

Neutron scattering experiments have been performed to elucidate magnetic properties of the quasicrystal approximant Au 70 Si 17 Tb 13 , consisting of icosahedral spin clusters in a body-centered-cubic lattice. Bulk magnetic measurements performed on the single crystalline sample unambiguously confirm long-range ordering at T C = 11.6 ± 1 K. In contrast to the simple ferromagnetic response in the bulk measurements, single crystal neutron diffraction confirms a formation of intriguing non-collinear and non-coplanar magnetic order. The magnetic moment direction was found to be nearly tangential to the icosahedral cluster surface in the local mirror plane, which is quite similar to that recently found in the antiferromagnetic quasicrystal approximant Au 72 Al 14 Tb 14 . Inelastic neutron scattering on the powdered sample exhibits a very broad peak centered at hω ≃ 4 meV. The observed inelastic spectrum was explained by the crystalline-electric-field model taking account of the chemical disorder at the fractional Au/Si sites. The resulting averaged anisotropy axis for the crystalline-electric-field ground state is consistent with the ordered moment direction determined in the magnetic structure analysis, confirming that the non-coplanar magnetic order is stabilized by the local uniaxial anisotropy.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Probing Postmeasurement Entanglement without Postselection

We study the problem of observing quantum collective phenomena emerging from large numbers of measurements. These phenomena are difficult to observe in conventional experiments because, in order to distinguish the effects of measurement from dephasing, it is necessary to postselect on sets of measurement outcomes with Born probabilities that are exponentially small in the number of measurements performed. An unconventional approach, which avoids this exponential “postselection problem”, is to construct cross-correlations between experimental data and the results of simulations on classical computers. However, these cross-correlations generally have no definite relation to physical quantities. We first show how to incorporate classical shadows into this framework, thereby allowing for the construction of quantum information-theoretic cross-correlations. We then identify cross-correlations that both upper and lower bound the measurement-averaged von Neumann entanglement entropy, as well as cross-correlations that lower bound the measurement-averaged purity and entanglement negativity. These bounds show that experiments can be performed to constrain postmeasurement entanglement without the need for postselection. To illustrate our technique, we consider how it could be used to observe the measurement-induced entanglement transition in Haar-random quantum circuits. We use exact numerical calculations as proxies for quantum simulations and, to highlight the fundamental limitations of classical memory, we construct cross-correlations with tensor-network calculations at finite bond dimension. Our results reveal a signature of measurement-induced criticality that can be observed using a quantum simulator in polynomial time and with polynomial classical memory. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗