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At least 19 records

Multiple ordering in magnetite.

Results of a self-consistent band calculation of the ground-state energy and charge orderings based on a tight-binding scheme in magnetite are presented. They show that below a critical (about 2.2) value of the ratio of interatomic Coulomb energy to bandwidth the lowest energy state has no order. Between this critical value and 2.5, the preferred state is multiply ordered.

Cullen, J. R.↗

Computer Modeling of Electrostatic Aggregation of Granular Materials in Planetary and Astrophysical Settings

Electrostatic forces strongly influence the behavior of granular materials in both dispersed (cloud) systems and semi-packed systems. These forces can cause aggregation or dispersion of particles and are important in a variety of astrophysical and planetary settings. There are also many industrial and commercial settings where granular matter and electrostatics become partners for both good and bad. This partnership is important for human exploration on Mars where dust adheres to suits, machines, and habitats. Long-range Coulombic (electrostatic) forces, as opposed to contact-induced dipoles and van der Waals attractions, are generally regarded as resulting from net charge. We have proposed that in addition to net charge interactions, randomly distributed charge carriers on grains will result in a dipole moment regardless of any net charge. If grains are unconfined, or fluidized, they will rotate so that the dipole always induces attraction between grains. Aggregates are readily formed, and Coulombic polarity resulting from the dipole produces end-to-end stacking of grains to form filamentary aggregates. This has been demonstrated in USML experiments on Space Shuttle where microgravity facilitated the unmasking of static forces. It has also been demonstrated in a computer model using grains with charge carriers of both sign. Model results very closely resembled micro-g results with actual sand grains. Further computer modeling of the aggregation process has been conducted to improve our understanding of the aggregation process, and to provide a predictive tool for microgravity experiments slated for Space Station. These experiments will attempt to prove the dipole concept as outlined above. We have considerably enhanced the original computer model: refinements to the algorithm have improved the fidelity of grain behavior during grain contact, special attention has been paid to simulation time steps to enable establishment of a meaningful, quantitative time axis, and calibration of rounding accuracies have been conducted to test cumulative numerical influences in the model. The model has been run for larger grain populations, variable initial cloud densities, and we have introduced random net charging to individual grains, as well as a net charge to the cloud as a whole. The model uses 3 positive and 3 negative charges randomly distributed on each grain, with up to 160 grains contained within various size "boxes" that define the initial number densities in the clouds. Each charge represents localized charged region on a grain, but does not necessarily imply single quantized charge carriers. The Coulomb equations are then allowed to interact for each monopole: dipoles and any higher order charge coupling is a natural product of these "free" interactions over which the modeler exerts no influence. The charges are placed on surfaces of grains at random locations. A series of runs was conducted for neutral grains that had a perfect balance of negative and positive char carriers. Runs were also conducted with grains having additional fractional charges ranging between 0 and 1. By adding fractional charges of one sign, the model created grain populations in which all grains had excess charges the same sign, giving the cloud an overall net charge. This simulates clouds subjected to ionizing radiation (e. protoplanetary debris disk around a protosun), or any other process of charge biasing in a grain population (e.g., volcanic plumes). In another run series, random fractional charges of either sign were added to the grains so th some grains had a slight net positive charge while others had a slight net negative charge. This simulates triboelectrically-charged grain populations in which acquisition of an electron by one surface is at the expense creating a hole elsewhere. This dual sign charging was applied in two ways: in one case the cloud remained neutral by ensuring that all grain excess charges added to zero; in the other case, the cloud was permitted slight net char by not imposing a charge-balance condition. Additional information is contained in the original.

Marshall, J.↗

Ab initio ground states of strongly-correlated materials on quantum computers

The accurate first-principles description of strongly-correlated materials is an important and challenging problem in condensed matter physics. Ab initio downfolding has emerged as a way of deriving accurate many-body Hamiltonians including strong correlations, representing a subspace of interest of a material, using density functional theory calculations as a starting point. However, the solution of these material-specific models can scale exponentially on classical computers, constituting a challenge. Here we propose that utilizing quantum computers for obtaining the properties of downfolded Hamiltonians yields an accurate description of the ground state properties of strongly-correlated systems, while circumventing the exponential scaling problem. We benchmark the solution of Hubbard-like models obtained through downfolding by utilizing a classical tensor network implementation of variational quantum eigensolvers (VQE), and we reveal a strategy for driving the optimization through a hybrid minimization of the energy and maximization of the overlap with an approximate solution obtained through low-cost computational methods. This results in a reduction of the energy error by orders of magnitude compared to conventional VQE approaches, and allows us to reproduce long-range correlations for the first time. We demonstrate our first-principles approach for diverse strongly-correlated materials, correctly predicting the antiferromagnetic state of one-dimensional cuprate Ca 2 CuO 3 , the excitonic ground state of monolayer WTe2, and the charge-ordered state of correlated metal SrVO 3 . Our efficient computational implementation allows us to simulate large systems with up to 54 qubits and encompassing up to four correlated bands, which is indicative of the complexity that our framework can address.

Antonios M Alvertis↗

Concerning the Charging of an Exploration Craft on and near a Small Asteroid

Introduction: An object immersed in an airless plasma environment will experience a natural process of surface charging in order to acheieve current balance, or zero net electric current to the object. It has been shown in recent computer simulations that the small-body plasma environment is very complex [1], considering effects of photoemission, topography, and formation of a plasma wake. For this work we consider an exploration craft (or astronaut) immersed within a plasma environment near an asteroid, which exhibits widely varying solar wind and photoelectric particle fluxes and continuously evolving illumination conditions. Objective: We aim to determine how an explo-ration craft or astronaut suit accumulates charge while located in the "nightside" asteroid wake where the particle fluxes are reduced, and in the dayside near-surface photoelectron sheath, by combining an object charging model [2] with kinetic simulations of a near-asteroid plasma environment [1]. We consider an astronaut floating near the asteroid while not in contact with the surface, as well as an astronaut moving along the surface using their hands/gloves to crawl along. Results: The modeling results suggest that remediation of triboelectric charge via accumulation of plasma currents is an important factor to consider when designing future NEA mission infrastructure, especially if repeated and frequent contact with the surface is planned. In shadowed regions such as the location shown in Fig. 1a, the plasma currents are so low (and the effective charge-remediation timescale so long, e.g. minutes to hours) that repeated contact with the surface tribocharges the glove in an uncontrollable fashion, as shown for two representative electron temperatures in Fig. 2a. The resulting buildup of significant negative charge would eventually initiate some other "current of last resort" [4] such as transport of positively-charged dust, field-emission from the glove, or significant alteration of environmental ion currents within the wake. In contrast, the few-meters-thick dayside photoelectron sheath in which the astronaut of Fig. 1b is immersed in is so rich in electrons (and hence so electrically conductive) that accumulated tribocharge dissipates almost instantaneously (e.g. in less than a ms) as shown in Fig. 2b. As our model astronaut orbits the NEA they would experience plasma currents and associated charge re-mediation times spanning many orders of magnitude, and the fusion between our numerical models provides a detailed understanding of the charging hazards possibly associated with contact-based NEA exploration.

Asteroid↗

Non-gassing nickel-cadmium battery electrodes and cells

Supposedly long-lived nickel-cadmium batteries often fail due to severe gassing on charge. In order to increase the lives of such cells attempts are being made to construct nongassing positive and negative electrodes. The gassing characteristics of both electrodes in negative limited cells were determined as a function of charge rate, charge temperature, and loading. Cycle life tests, up to 70 cycles, of some of the cells show they operate in a nongassing manner with very low degradation rates.

Luksha, E.↗

Three-dimensional calculation of shuttle charging in polar orbit

The charged particles environment in polar orbit can be of sufficient intensity to cause spacecraft charging. In order to gain a quantitative understanding of such effects, the Air Force is developing POLAR, a computer code which simulates in three dimensions the electrical interaction of large space vehicles with the polar ionospheric plasma. It models the physical processes of wake generation, ambient ion collection, precipitating auroral electron fluxes, and surface interactions, including secondary electron generation and backscattering, which lead to vehicle charging. These processes may be followed dynamically on a subsecond timescale so that the rapid passage through intense auroral arcs can be simulated. POLAR models the ambient plasma as isotropic Maxwellian electrons and ions (0+, H+), and allows for simultaneous precipitation of power-law, energetic Maxwellian, and accelerated Gaussian distributions of electrons. Magnetic field effects will be modeled in POLAR but are currently ignored.

Cooke, D. L.↗

Transparent, Conductive Coatings Developed for Arc-Proof Solar Arrays

Transparent, conductive thin-film coatings have many potential applications where a surface must be able to dissipate electrical charges without sacrificing its optical properties. Such applications include automotive and aircraft windows, heat mirrors, optoelectronic devices, gas sensors, and solar cell array surfaces for space applications. Many spacecraft missions require that solar cell array surfaces dissipate charges in order to avoid damage such as electronic upsets, formation of pinholes in the protective coatings on solar array blankets, and contamination due to deposition of sputtered products. In tests at the NASA Lewis Research Center, mixed thin-films of sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) that could be tailored to the desired sheet resistivity, showed transmittance values of greater than 90 percent. The samples evaluated were composed of mixed, thin-film ITO/MgF2 coatings, with a nominal thickness of 650 angstroms, deposited onto glass substrates. Preliminary results indicated that these coatings were durable to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen. These coatings show promise for use on solar array surfaces in polar low-Earth-orbit environments, where a sheet resistivity of less than 10(exp 8)/square is required, and in geosynchronous orbit environments, where a resistivity of less than 10(exp 9)/square is required.

Source record↗

Curiosity's Autonomous Surface Safing Behavior Design

The safing routines on all robotic deep-space vehicles are designed to put the vehicle in a power and thermally safe configuration, enabling communication with the mission operators on Earth. Achieving this goal is made a little more difficult on Curiosity because the power requirements for the core avionics and the telecommunication equipment exceed the capability of the single power source, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. This drove the system design to create an operational mode, called "sleep mode", where the vehicle turns off most of the loads in order to charge the two Li-ion batteries. The system must keep the vehicle safe from over-heat and under-heat conditions, battery cell failures, under-voltage conditions, and clock failures, both while the computer is running and while the system is sleeping. The other goal of a safing routine is to communicate. On most spacecraft, this simply involves turning on the receiver and transmitter continuously. For Curiosity, Earth is above the horizon only a part of the day for direct communication to the Earth, and the orbiter overpass opportunities only occur a few times a day. The design must robustly place the Rover in a communicable condition at the correct time. This paper discusses Curiosity's autonomous safing behavior and describes how the vehicle remains power and thermally safe while sleeping, as well as a description of how the Rover communicates with the orbiters and Earth at specific times.

MSL↗

Investigation of the Saturn dust environment from the analysis of energetic charged particle measurements

In order to assist the Cassini project in evaluating risks of collisions with particulate matter in the rotational equatorial plane, available Pioneer 11 and Voyager energetic charged particle data were reinvestigated to constrain the column mass density of absorbing material within several radial ranges. Within the orbit of Mimas, CRAND proton phase space densities maximize near 2.67 R sub s and exhibit secondary maximum at 2.43 R sub s. From the condition that sources must exceed losses near these maxima and using available theoretical models for CRAND proton production rates, upper bounds on the column mass density at these two radial locations are calculated. Detailed fits of radial diffusion models to the observed flux maxima yield somewhat more restrictive upper limits. The upper limits compare to a lower limit on the column mass density, estimated from previous model calculations by Van Allen. Aside from continuous rings, longitudinally limited, low optical depth clouds of particulates may exist in orbit with several of the inner satellites including Mimas and Enceladus. A brief review of Voyager energetic particle microsignatures that suggest the presence of material co-orbiting with these two satellites is presented. Finally, Pioneer 11 and Voyager measurements of low energy electron fluxes exhibit minima near the location of the tenuous E Ring centered on approx. 4 R sub s. Pioneer 11 pitch angle distributions appear to support the possibility that direct absorption by Ring E particulates produced the observed flux decreases.

Hood, L. L.↗

Evaluation of nickel-hydrogen battery for space application

Results of electrical space qualification tests of nickel-hydrogen battery type HR 23S are presented. The results obtained for the nickel-cadmium battery type VO 23S are similar except that the voltage level and the charge conservation characteristics vary significantly. The electrical and thermal characteristics permit predictions of the following optimal applications: charge coefficient in the order of 1.3 to 1.4 at 20C; charge current density higher than C/10 at 20C; discharge current density from C/10 to C/3 at 20C; maximum discharge temperature: OC; storage temperature: -20C.

Billard, J. M.↗

Charge neutralization as studied experimentally and theoretically

Problems regarding an isolated sphere which emits negative charge are considered. Such a sphere could charge up to large potentials which would inhibit the electron beam from leaving the vicinity of the body. In order to avoid charging to high potentials, a vehicle must attract a return current equal to the emitted current. The present investigation is concerned with theoretical models of some processes believed to be important for the vehicle neutralization problem under various conditions. Attention is given to general time-scale considerations, the low-altitude regime, the high-altitude regime, vehicle-induced discharge, and beam-plasma discharge. The general pattern which emeres as a result of measurements is that below altitudes of approximately 125 + or - 5 km the vehicle potential rarely rises more than several tens of volts.

Linson, L. M.↗

Proposed Modifications to Engineering Design Guidelines Related to Resistivity Measurements and Spacecraft Charging

A key parameter in modeling differential spacecraft charging is the resistivity of insulating materials. This determines how charge will accumulate and redistribute across the spacecraft, as well as the time scale for charge transport and dissipation. Existing spacecraft charging guidelines recommend use of tests and imported resistivity data from handbooks that are based principally upon ASTM methods that are more applicable to classical ground conditions and designed for problems associated with power loss through the dielectric, than for how long charge can be stored on an insulator. These data have been found to underestimate charging effects by one to four orders of magnitude for spacecraft charging applications. A review is presented of methods to measure the resistive of highly insulating materials, including the electrometer-resistance method, the electrometer-constant voltage method, the voltage rate-of-change method and the charge storage method. This is based on joint experimental studies conducted at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Utah State University to investigate the charge storage method and its relation to spacecraft charging. The different methods are found to be appropriate for different resistivity ranges and for different charging circumstances. A simple physics-based model of these methods allows separation of the polarization current and dark current components from long duration measurements of resistivity over day- to month-long time scales. Model parameters are directly related to the magnitude of charge transfer and storage and the rate of charge transport. The model largely explains the observed differences in resistivity found using the different methods and provides a framework for recommendations for the appropriate test method for spacecraft materials with different resistivities and applications. The proposed changes to the existing engineering guidelines are intended to provide design engineers more appropriate methods for consideration and measurements of resistivity for many typical spacecraft charging scenarios.

Dennison, J. R.↗

CdZnTe Image Detectors for Hard-X-Ray Telescopes

Arrays of CdZnTe photodetectors and associated electronic circuitry have been built and tested in a continuing effort to develop focal-plane image sensor systems for hard-x-ray telescopes. Each array contains 24 by 44 pixels at a pitch of 498 m. The detector designs are optimized to obtain low power demand with high spectral resolution in the photon- energy range of 5 to 100 keV. More precisely, each detector array is a hybrid of a CdZnTe photodetector array and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) containing an array of amplifiers in the same pixel pattern as that of the detectors. The array is fabricated on a single crystal of CdZnTe having dimensions of 23.6 by 12.9 by 2 mm. The detector-array cathode is a monolithic platinum contact. On the anode plane, the contact metal is patterned into the aforementioned pixel array, surrounded by a guard ring that is 1 mm wide on three sides and is 0.1 mm wide on the fourth side so that two such detector arrays can be placed side-by-side to form a roughly square sensor area with minimal dead area between them. Figure 1 shows two anode patterns. One pattern features larger pixel anode contacts, with a 30-m gap between them. The other pattern features smaller pixel anode contacts plus a contact for a shaping electrode in the form of a grid that separates all the pixels. In operation, the grid is held at a potential intermediate between the cathode and anode potentials to steer electric charges toward the anode in order to reduce the loss of charges in the inter-anode gaps. The CdZnTe photodetector array is mechanically and electrically connected to the ASIC (see Figure 2), either by use of indium bump bonds or by use of conductive epoxy bumps on the CdZnTe array joined to gold bumps on the ASIC. Hence, the output of each pixel detector is fed to its own amplifier chain.

Chen, C. M. Hubert↗

Hydrogen-Oxygen PEM Regenerative Fuel Cell Development at the NASA Glenn Research Center

The closed-cycle hydrogen-oxygen PEM regenerative fuel cell (RFC) at the NASA Glenn Research Center has successfully demonstrated closed cycle operation at rated power for multiple charge-discharge cycles. During charge cycle the RFC has absorbed input electrical power simulating a solar day cycle ranging from zero to 15 kWe peak, and delivered steady 5 kWe output power for periods exceeding 8 hr. Orderly transitions from charge to discharge mode, and return to charging after full discharge, have been accomplished without incident. Continuing test operations focus on: (1) Increasing the number of contiguous uninterrupted charge discharge cycles; (2) Increasing the performance envelope boundaries; (3) Operating the RFC as an energy storage device on a regular basis; (4) Gaining operational experience leading to development of fully automated operation; and (5) Developing instrumentation and in situ fluid sampling strategies to monitor health and anticipate breakdowns.

Bents, David J.↗

A Satellite Borne Cadmium Sulfide Total Corpuscular Energy Detector

The properties of single crystals of cadmium sulfide as radiation detectors are described. It has been found possible to select crystals such that: (a) The ratio of increase of conductivity under irradiation to the rate of absorption of energy in the crystal is substantially independent of particle energy (over the examined ranges of 500 ev to 80 kev for electrons and 5 kev to 180 kev for protons) and of the magnitude of energy flux (over the range from.005 to 10 ergs/cm(sup 2 -sec); and (b) The above ration is substantially the same for protons, electrons, alpha particles, x-rays, and gamma-rays. For a driving voltage of 100 volts, typical crystal yield currents of 10(sup -7) to 10(sup- 6) amperes for each erg/cm(sup 2-sec) of energy absorbed by the crystal. The threshold of such crystal detectors (resulting from dark currents of the order of 10(sup 10 amp) is typically 10(sup -3) ergs/cm(sup 2- sec). For the selected crystals a response-temperature coefficient of -0.25% per degree centigrade is found for the temperature range -50 deg C to + 50 deg C. A description is given of a complete CdS total corpuscular energy detector for the study of geomagnetically trapped radiation by means of a satellite. The detector described has a dynamic range great than 10(sup 4), a solid angle of 10(exp -3) steradian, and a detection threshold of approximately 1 erg/cm(sup 2-sec-sterad). A similar detector employing a small magnet for the selective exclusion of electrons is also described. Noteworthy practical features of these detectors for satellite and space probe experiments are: (a) Use of bare crystals, without covering foils, in order to detect charged particles having energies as low as hundreds of electron volts. (b) Simplicity of electronic auxiliaries. (c) Compactness, lightweight and nechanical ruggedness. (d) Low electrical power requirements; and (e) Conversion of conduction current to the rate of a twostate relaxation oscillator in order to facilitate telemetric transmission of data. A pair of such detectors was flown as part of the s-46 satellite payload on March 23, 1960, but due to vehicular failure an orbit was not achieved and the operation of the CdS detectors was observed for only, six minutes of flight.

Freeman, John W.↗