Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Field Operators”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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

At least 1,747 records · Page 97

Classification of Arnold-Beltrami flows and their hidden symmetries

In the context of mathematical hydrodynamics, we consider the group theory structure which underlies the so named ABC flows introduced by Beltrami, Arnold and Childress. Main reference points are Arnold’s theorem stating that, for flows taking place on compact three manifolds ℳ{sub 3}, the only velocity fields able to produce chaotic streamlines are those satisfying Beltrami equation and the modern topological conception of contact structures, each of which admits a representative contact one-form also satisfying Beltrami equation. We advocate that Beltrami equation is nothing else but the eigenstate equation for the first order Laplace-Beltrami operator ★{sub g }d, which can be solved by using time-honored harmonic analysis. Taking for ℳ{sub 3}, a torus T {sup 3} constructed as ℝ{sup 3}/Λ, where Λ is a crystallographic lattice, we present a general algorithm to construct solutions of the Beltrami equation which utilizes as main ingredient the orbits under the action of the point group B {sub A }of three-vectors in the momentum lattice *Λ. Inspired by the crystallographic construction of space groups, we introduce the new notion of a Universal Classifying Group GA{sub Λ} which contains all space groups as proper subgroups. We show that the ★{sub g }d eigenfunctions are naturally arranged into irreducible representations of GA{sub Λ} and by means of a systematic use of the branching rules with respect to various possible subgroups H{sub i}⊂GA{sub Λ} we search and find Beltrami fields with non trivial hidden symmetries. In the case of the cubic lattice the point group is the proper octahedral group O{sub 24} and the Universal Classifying Group GA{sub cubic} is a finite group G{sub 1536} of order |G{sub 1536}| = 1536 which we study in full detail deriving all of its 37 irreducible representations and the associated character table. We show that the O{sub 24} orbits in the cubic lattice are arranged into 48 equivalence classes, the parameters of the corresponding Beltrami vector fields filling all the 37 irreducible representations of G{sub 1536}. In this way we obtain an exhaustive classification of all generalized ABC-flows and of their hidden symmetries. We make several conceptual comments about the need of a field-theory yielding Beltrami equation as a field equation and/or an instanton equation and on the possible relation of Arnold-Beltrami flows with (supersymmetric) Chern-Simons gauge theories. We also suggest linear generalizations of Beltrami equation to higher odd-dimensions that are different from the non-linear one proposed by Arnold and possibly make contact with M-theory and the geometry of flux-compactifications.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Vegetation Warming Experiment: Landscape-scale digital camera imagery for vegetation phenology, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2022

Images captured using a StarDot NetCam SC phenocamera looking east from the top of the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) Sled Shed, Utqiaġvik, Alaska. The camera was installed to remotely monitor plant phenology across the site of the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) TEST group's ZPW (Zero Power Warming) experiment (2017-2021) during the growing season of 2022. Images were recorded from late spring (18 May) through to mid fall (25 October). Snowmelt, vegetation growth and senescence, and snow accumulation were captured. Images were uploaded to the BNL FTP server every hour, at 10 minute intervals from 2022-07-01 until 2021-08-10, then hourly until the end of data collection on 2022-10-25. Images have been combined in *.tar.gz format (6 GB, 7367 jpg images). The data package includes a metadata document with example fields of view from each month of operation (*.pdf).The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Gravitational wave signals from short-lived topological defects in the MSSM

Supersymmetric theories, including the minimal supersymmetric standard model, usually contain many scalar fields whose potentials are absent in the exact supersymmetric limit and within the renormalizable level. Since their potentials are vulnerable to the finite energy density of the Universe through supergravity effects, these flat directions have nontrivial dynamics in the early Universe. Recently, we have pointed out that a flat direction may have a positive Hubble induced mass term during inflation whereas a negative one after inflation. In this case, the flat direction stays at the origin of the potential during inflation and then obtain a large vacuum expectation value after inflation. After that, when the Hubble parameter decreases down to the mass of the flat direction, it starts to oscillate around the origin of the potential. In this paper, we investigate the dynamics of the flat direction with and without higher dimensional superpotentials and show that topological defects, such as cosmic strings and domain walls, form at the end of inflation and disappear at the beginning of oscillation of the flat direction. We numerically calculate their gravitational signals and find that the observation of gravitational signals would give us information of supersymmetric scale, the reheating temperature of the Universe, and higher dimensional operators.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Epitaxial growth of In-rich InGaN on yttria-stabilized zirconia and its application to metal–insulator–semiconductor field-effect transistors

We grew In-rich In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N films on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates at low temperatures by pulsed sputtering deposition. It was found that single-crystal In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (0.63 ≤ x ≤ 0.82) films can be prepared without significant compositional fluctuations at growth temperatures below 500 °C. It was also found that the electrical properties of InGaN are strongly dependent on In composition, growth temperature, and film polarity. N-channel operation of the metal–insulator–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFET) with an ultrathin InGaN channel on the YSZ substrates was successfully demonstrated. These results indicate that an InGaN-based MISFET is a promising device for next-generation high-speed electronics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Prevention of a wrong-location misadministration through the use of an intradepartmental incident learning system

Purpose: A series of examples are presented in which potential errors in the delivery of radiation therapy were prevented through use of incident learning. These examples underscore the value of reporting near miss incidents. Methods: Using a departmental incident learning system, eight incidents were noted over a two-year period in which fields were treated 'out-of-sequence,' that is, fields from a boost phase were treated, while the patient was still in the initial phase of treatment. As a result, an error-prevention policy was instituted in which radiation treatment fields are 'hidden' within the oncology information system (OIS) when they are not in current use. In this way, fields are only available to be treated in the intended sequence and, importantly, old fields cannot be activated at the linear accelerator control console. Results: No out-of-sequence treatments have been reported in more than two years since the policy change. Furthermore, at least three near-miss incidents were detected and corrected as a result of the policy change. In the first two, the policy operated as intended to directly prevent an error in field scheduling. In the third near-miss, the policy operated 'off target' to prevent a type of error scenario that it was not directly intended to prevent. In this incident, an incorrect digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) was scheduled in the OIS for a patient receiving lung cancer treatment. The incorrect DRR had an isocenter which was misplaced by approximately two centimeters. The error was a result of a field from an old plan being scheduled instead of the intended new plan. As a result of the policy described above, the DRR field could not be activated for treatment however and the error was discovered and corrected. Other quality control barriers in place would have been unlikely to have detected this error. Conclusions: In these examples, a policy was adopted based on incident learning, which prevented several errors, at least one of which was potentially severe. These examples underscore the need for a rigorous, systematic incident learning process within each clinic. The experiences reported in this technical note demonstrate the value of near-miss incident reporting to improve patient safety.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

National Solar Thermal Test Facility: Operations & Maintenance Report

The NSTTF O&M Project continues the operation and maintenance activities of the existing critical capabilities and infrastructure at the NSTTF. This project is to support and assure the success of Solar Heat for Industrial Process in the United States and the larger global community by ensuring the NSTTF is a safe and operational facility. The primary goal of this project will be to maintain the solar tower and heliostat field while also allowing NSTTF staff to improve processes for operations and maintenance. This includes expanding our preventative maintenance program, inventory systems, and our data sharing capabilities. Additionally, this will support an outreach program with regular seminars, sharing of data, and the release of open-source software to support heliostat metrology

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Photonic-band-gap gyrotron amplifier with picosecond pulses

Here, we report the amplification of 250 GHz pulses as short as 260 ps without observation of pulse broadening using a photonic-band-gap circuit gyrotron traveling-wave-amplifier. The gyrotron amplifier operates with a device gain of 38 dB and an instantaneous bandwidth of 8 GHz. The operational bandwidth of the amplifier can be tuned over 16 GHz by adjusting the operating voltage of the electron beam and the magnetic field. The amplifier uses a 30 cm long photonic-band-gap interaction circuit to confine the desired TE 03 -like operating mode while suppressing lower order modes which can result in undesired oscillations. The circuit gain is >55 dB for a beam voltage of 23 kV and a current of 700 mA. These results demonstrate the wide bandwidths and a high gain achievable with gyrotron amplifiers. The amplification of picosecond pulses of variable lengths, 260–800 ps, shows good agreement with the theory using the coupled dispersion relation and the gain-spectrum of the amplifier as measured with quasi-CW input pulses.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Samoa Updater: An Application of the Levenberg-Marquardt Method to Update DELFIC Predictions Using Field Measurements

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Forensics Operations (DFO) is a member of the Ground Collections Task Force (GCTF), which is responsible for sample collection of radiological debris for attribution should a nuclear detonation ever occur in the United States. The DFO runs the Defense Land Fallout Interpretive Code (DELFIC) Fallout Planning Tool to predict the deposition of fallout from a nuclear detonation. This prediction is refined using the DELFIC Updater tool, which takes ground measurements and adjusts DELFIC inputs to minimize the difference between prediction and observation, yielding improved predictions of fallout in locations both measured and not yet measured. Samoa, a framework for uncertainty analysis and optimization, is used to improve DELFIC predictive fallout modeling. This new capability using Samoa, dubbed “Samoa Updater,” is compared with the current DELFIC Updater, a brute-force sampling approach. Samoa Updater uses the Levenberg– Marquardt (LM) method, a gradient-based nonlinear least squares approach that uses the functional shape of the input space to increase optimization speed. In simulated test cases Samoa Updater yields faster and more accurate solutions than the current Updater.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

EarthScope Seismic Station A21K (A21K-6) Field Campaign Report

Seismic station A21K has been successfully operating over the last five years. The station was constructed on 4/24/2014 by creating a borehole using an auger drill and inserting a PVC pipe casing. Roughly one month later, on 6/2/2014, the seismometer, weather station (Vaisala WXT520 meteorological sensor), enclosure, and electronics were installed. Collected data is being reported in real-time and is publicly available. On rare occasion, the station has required in-person service/maintenance visits, occurring on 4/29/2015 (fix faulty cable), 4/5/2016 (swap VIE), and 8/4/2017 (general check-up visit while in the area). This station is one in a 280-station seismic array/grid that make up the EarthScope: Transportable Array (USArray) project, funded by the National Science Foundation. USArray is operated by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), a nonprofit 503(c) Corporation founded in 1984, that is a consortium of over 100 US universities dedicated to the operation of science facilities for the acquisition, management, and distribution of seismological data.

North Slope of Alaska, seismology, Earth system↗

A very low energy compact electron beam ion trap for spectroscopic research in Shanghai

In this paper, a new compact low energy electron beam ion trap, SH-PermEBIT, is reported. This electron beam ion trap (EBIT) can operate in the electron energy range of 60-5000 eV, with a current density of up to 100 A/cm{sup 2}. The low energy limit of this machine sets the record among the reported works so far. The magnetic field in the central drift tube region of this EBIT is around 0.5 T, produced by permanent magnets and soft iron. The design of this EBIT allows adjustment of the electron gun's axial position in the fringe field of the central magnetic field. This turned out to be very important for optimizing the magnetic field in the region of the electron gun and particularly important for low electron beam energy operation, since the magnetic field strength is not tunable with permanent magnets. In this work, transmission of the electron beam as well as the upper limit of the electron beam width under several conditions are measured. Spectral results from test operation of this EBIT at the electron energies of 60, 315, 2800, and 4100 eV are also reported.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

The role of vector fields in modified gravity scenarios

Gravitational vector degrees of freedom typically arise in many examples of modified gravity models. We start to systematically explore their role in these scenarios, studying the effects of coupling gravitational vector and scalar degrees of freedom. We focus on set-ups that enjoy a Galilean symmetry in the scalar sector and an Abelian gauge symmetry in the vector sector. These symmetries, together with the requirement that the equations of motion contain at most two space-time derivatives, only allow for a small number of operators in the Lagrangian for the gravitational fields. We investigate the role of gravitational vector fields for two broad classes of phenomena that characterize modified gravity scenarios. The first is self-acceleration: we analyze in general terms the behavior of vector fluctuations around self-accelerating solutions, and show that vanishing kinetic terms of vector fluctuations lead to instabilities on cosmological backgrounds. The second phenomenon is the screening of long range fifth forces by means of Vainshtein mechanism. We show that if gravitational vector fields are appropriately coupled to a spherically symmetric source, they can play an important role for defining the features of the background solution and the scale of the Vainshtein radius. Our general results can be applied to any concrete model of modified gravity, whose low-energy vector and scalar degrees of freedom satisfy the symmetry requirements that we impose.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Simple and Accurate Energy-Detector-Based Transient Waveform Detection for Smart Grids: Real-World Field Data Performance

Integration of distributed energy sources, advanced meshed operation, sensors, automation, and communication networks all contribute to autonomous operations and decision-making processes utilized in the grid. Therefore, smart grid systems require sophisticated supporting structures. Furthermore, rapid detection and identification of disturbances and transients are a necessary first step towards situationally aware smart grid systems. This way, high-level monitoring is achieved and the entire system kept operational. Even though smart grid systems are unavoidably sophisticated, low-complexity algorithms need to be developed for real-time sensing on the edge and online applications to alert stakeholders in the event of an anomaly. In this study, the simplest form of anomaly detection mechanism in the absence of any a priori knowledge, namely, the energy detector (also known as radiometer in the field of wireless communications and signal processing), is investigated as a triggering mechanism, which may include automated alerts and notifications for grid anomalies. In contrast to the mainstream literature, it does not rely on transform domain tools; therefore, utmost design and implementation simplicity are attained. Performance results of the proposed energy detector algorithm are validated by real power system data obtained from the DOE/EPRI National Database of power system events and the Grid Signature Library.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB): Completed History Match: Subsurface Plume Development, Early Test

In this paper, we compare 4D seismic interpretations of CO 2 plume evolution with fluid flow numerical simulation results for the SECARB Early test at Cranfield, Mississippi. Historic pressure trends, oil and gas production rates and current CO 2 -EOR production data from the field were history matched and tuned model used for predictive simulations. For CO 2 -EOR operations the tuned model results showing CO 2 plume distribution and CO 2 first arrival (break-through) times in production wells were compared to the available field data. Reasonable matches were observed with breakthrough times. However 4D seismic interpretations of saturated region distributions and simulation results mismatch in some significant ways, likely showing limitations in 4D seismic interpretations for Cranfield. The tuned model then used to predict reservoir response and storage capacity in different field development scenarios. We compared hypothetical scenarios where the operator decided to transition into CO 2 injection without oil production (CO 2 -EORT) when oil production is not economical versus a scenario of continuing with CO 2 -EOR. Our results show that CO 2 -EOR can store more CO 2 and operations will last longer whereas if switched to CO 2 -EORT field has to be abandoned earlier because of out-of-area movement of the CO 2 plume. However, the amount of CO2 stored per year during the operational period is larger for CO 2 -EORT.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Abstract for CRADA between the Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and NETL (AGMT-0671)

The US Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) have long-established gas hydrate R&D programs and both have identified an extended duration scientific field test of depressurization as a key requirement in advancing critical science and technology development objectives. Both Parties recognize that the Alaska North Slope (“ANS”) is the most feasible location on Earth to conduct such a test and that a proven ANS Operator should be engaged to carry out the desired scientific drilling and testing field programs in full compliance with all regulations. Given the unpredictable nature of field programs conducted in harsh operating environments, the parties have executed this CRADA to clearly establish a basic framework of the project goals, and to articulate roles, responsibilities, and decision-making protocols prior to the initiation of a field program. Therefore, this CRADA establishes a project “Steering Committee” to guide major project decision points and allocation of resources; an “R&D Committee” to jointly develop field program technical and scientific plans designed to achieve program objectives; and “Field Representatives” to enable effective, real-time, and collaborative decision making during field programs.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Convergent momentum-space OPE and bootstrap equations in conformal field theory

General principles of quantum field theory imply that there exists an operator product expansion (OPE) for Wightman functions in Minkowski momentum space that converges for arbitrary kinematics. This convergence is guaranteed to hold in the sense of a distribution, meaning that it holds for correlation functions smeared by smooth test functions. The conformal blocks for this OPE are conceptually extremely simple: they are products of 3-point functions. We construct the conformal blocks in 2-dimensional conformal field theory and show that the OPE in fact converges pointwise to an ordinary function in a specific kinematic region. Using microcausality, we also formulate a bootstrap equation directly in terms of momentum space Wightman functions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Measurements of beam current density and proton fraction of a permanent-magnet microwave ion source

A permanent-magnet microwave ion source has been built for use in a high-yield, compact neutron generator. The source has been designed to produce up to 100 mA of deuterium and tritium ions. The electron-cyclotron resonance condition is met at a microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz and a magnetic field strength of 87.5 mT. The source operates at a low hydrogen gas pressure of about 0.15 Pa. Hydrogen beams with a current density of 40 mA/cm{sup 2} have been extracted at a microwave power of 450 W. The dependence of the extracted proton beam fraction on wall materials and operating parameters was measured and found to vary from 45% for steel to 95% for boron nitride as a wall liner material.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

An exact operator that knows its location

We use conformal symmetry to define an AdS 3 proto-field φ as an exact linear combination of Virasoro descendants of a CFT 2 primary operator O . We find that both symmetry considerations and a gravitational Wilson line formalism lead to the same results. The operator φ has many desirable properties; in particular it has correlators that agree with gravitational perturbation theory when expanded at large c, and that automatically take the correct form in all vacuum AdS 3 geometries, including BTZ black hole backgrounds. In the future it should be possible to use φ to probe bulk locality and black hole horizons at a non-perturbative level.

1/N expansion↗

TeMoto 2.0: Source Agnostic Command-to-Task Architecture Enabling Increased Autonomy in Remote Systems - 18438

Tele-operated robots provide safe means for executing tasks in hazardous environments such as underground mines, space, disaster and legacy nuclear facility decommissioning sites, etc. The desire to use these systems in increasingly complex and dynamic environments presents a variety of technical and educational challenges including (i) insufficient field knowledge of system developers, (ii) restricted data bandwidth, and (iii) insufficient operator situational awareness. Lack of field knowledge is commonly addressed by actively educating robotics engineers in the perspective areas. The Nuclear Robotics Group (NRG) at the University of Texas at Austin trains students to have the necessary skill and knowledge in both the robotic and nuclear domains. To address the second two deficiencies, the NRG has developed TeMoto: a speech and hand gesture based supervisory teleoperation software. TeMoto addresses several chronic technical issues associated with most teleoperation systems including the operator's situational awareness, communication delays and interface intuitiveness. This paper reviews recent efforts to update and extend the TeMoto architecture (TeMoto 2.0) to support more complex semi-autonomous behaviors and eliminate the unnecessary and confining concept of a human interface as a separate component from the rest of the robot's sensors and actuators. This paper outlines the key architectural changes and demonstrations using a dual-arm mobile manipulator to complete semi-autonomous tasks. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗