Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Nuclear Sciences”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

A New Era of Discovery: The 2023 Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science

Nuclear science is the investigation of how protons and neutrons are formed from elementary particles and how the forces between those particles produce both nuclei and the vast variety of nuclear phenomena that occur in the universe. It has evolved into a broad field that addresses profound scientific questions: Where does the mass of visible matter come from? How do stars ignite, live, and die? How do nuclei illuminate the search for new laws of nature? This science points the way to using nuclei to build new technologies that benefit society.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A New Era of Discovery: The 2023 Long-Range Plan for Nuclear Science (V.1.2)

Nuclear science is the investigation of how protons and neutrons are formed from elementary particles and how the forces between those particles produce both nuclei and the vast variety of nuclear phenomena that occur in the universe. It has evolved into a broad field that addresses profound scientific questions: Where does the mass of visible matter come from? How do stars ignite, live, and die? How do nuclei illuminate the search for new laws of nature? This science points the way to using nuclei to build new technologies that benefit society. The 2015 Nobel Prize in physics was shared by nuclear physicists Art McDonald and Takaaki Kajita for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which confirmed that neutrinos have mass. Our progress on big questions like this one since 2015 has been remarkable owing to new experimental tools, theoretical breakthroughs, powerful computational techniques, and the talented people who make these innovations possible. Focusing on these new tools, the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University is already producing exciting results on decays of never-before-produced isotopes a year after it was completed on time and on budget. The energy upgrade of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) was also completed on schedule and on budget—new data from this facility are revealing the spectrum, structure, and dynamics of protons, neutrons, nuclei, and mesons. On the theory front, we can now calculate the distribution of quarks inside the proton from first principles. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques has led to improved data analysis and increased efficiency in running experiments and theoretical calculations. The impact of nuclear science goes beyond expanding the frontiers of knowledge about matter in the universe. We simultaneously develop a STEM work force that advances the security, technology, health, and wealth of our nation. Some connections are obvious. Expert scientists trained to work with radioactive nuclei are in demand in nuclear security arenas and are highly sought after by various government agencies and private industries. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs) obtain extensive computational, modeling, and data science skills that are similarly in high demand. Less obvious but equally important is the connection between these trained scientists and success in other professions, including medicine, energy, and entrepreneurial pursuits. The workforce that enables discovery in nuclear science also makes breakthroughs in technologies with tremendous impact on the nation’s economic advancement.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nuclear Sciences References (NSR)

Nuclear Science literature database, containing about 250,000 articles covering more than 120 years of nuclear science research. Approximately 80 journals are routinely scanned for relevant articles; it also includes PhD thesis and private communications. Each article in NSR is assigned a distinctive 8-character primary key, known as ‘key number’, and a set of keywords that briefly describe the article's content. These keywords follow strict rules since they are used in web search forms. Typically, an article is incorporated in NSR within a few weeks after its web publication. About 4,000 articles are added per year. All the compilation effort is supported by the US Nuclear Data Program and coordinated by the National Nuclear Data Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is also responsible for its web dissemination.

Basic Nuclear Research, Applied Nuclear Technologi↗
DOE OSTI2021

Conceptual Design of High Field Central Solenoid for Fusion Nuclear Science Facility

Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) is a critical fusion nuclear step in the US beyond ITER before proceeding to a larger and electricity producing fusion power plant. Although FNSF is a steady state machine to be operated at high duty cycle, a high field and high current density central solenoid magnet is needed for plasma startups. Due to space constraints in the FNSF in-board radial build, the magnetic field and coil current density required exceed conventional low temperature superconductor (LTS) performance limits and the design can only be achieved by high temperature superconductors (HTS). The design for the central solenoid, also called the ohmic heating (OH) magnet for FNSF shall meet the 100 Weber double flux swing requirement for plasma startups. Finally, the stresses at such a high field and high current density coil may require a bucked and wedged TF-OH design to accommodate space for coil winding support structures in in-board system radial build for high field FNSF operations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Role of Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) in Nuclear Energy Materials Research

The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is one of a diverse number of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) user facilities established to provide researchers with the most advanced tools of modern science. The NSUF is unique and represents a consortium of capabilities distributed across the U.S. at twenty-one institutions. The NSUF is centered at and managed from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where it was originally founded, but it coordinates activities at twenty “partner” institutions that include universities, the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), national laboratories, and a nuclear industry vendor. These institutions have capabilities that include neutron, ion, and gamma irradiation, hot cells, advanced materials characterization equipment, and high-performance computing resources. Many of these capabilities were beyond reach for most researchers before NSUF. The NSUF provides researchers to access these capabilities at no cost to nuclear energy researchers to produce the highest quality research results to increase understanding of advanced nuclear energy technologies important to DOE-NE and support national priorities by adapting to the needs of DOE-NE programs, industry, and new innovative concepts for sustainable nuclear future.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

First Report of the Nuclear Data Subcommittee of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee

Accurate, reliable nuclear data is essential for the success of Federal missions such as nonproliferation, nuclear forensics, homeland security, national defense, space exploration, clean energy generation, and scientific research. Data access is also key to innovative commercial developments such as new medicines, automated industrial controls, energy exploration, energy security, nuclear reactor design, and isotope production. The United States Nuclear Data Program (USNDP) is the domestic custodian of nuclear data. In its April 2022 meeting, the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee was charged with preparing two reports on nuclear data. In this first report, we review recent accomplishments of the USNDP and discuss complementary and collaborative international efforts. Detailed descriptions of nuclear data needs for basic science, nonproliferation, national security, nuclear energy together with medical and space applications are also presented. Lastly, a set of specific cross-cutting nuclear data needs with relevance for multiple applications areas are also identified for further discussion in a follow-on report planned for release at the end of January 2023.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dynamic Network Analysis of Nuclear Science Literature for Research Influence Assessment

Analyzing nuclear science literature via data-driven methods is a critical step for assessing research influence and technology advancements. Indicators of scholarly activities may be buried in large volumes of nuclear research publications and collaboration networks over time. Mining for relevant scholarly influence trends in large volumes of text can be computationally challenging; however, open-source information on research collaborations over time can offer opportunities to extract meaningful insights. While network centrality analysis of scholarly research provides topology-based insights, additional emphasis on dynamics associated with the diffusion of information through these networks is important. Here this paper represents a step in that direction through the development of a novel dynamic network analysis framework and computational engine to identify key entities and capabilities over time within global scholarly nuclear science collaboration networks. Network theoretic, stochastic simulation, and optimization methods are leveraged to address variability in scholarly interactions, influence propagation, and collaboration patterns via network connections. A topic-aware influence maximization algorithm is developed to address the goal of identifying key influential authors in diverse research topics over time. Efficient parallelized implementation of the algorithm is applied to reduce computational costs. A proof-of-concept case study using open-source Scopus data with 33,517 published nuclear research papers from 2000-2019 is presented and representative analytic insights are generated. Broad implications of these insights are discussed and future research directions are also identified.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2023

Getting Technical: Introducing Students to Technical Concepts for Nuclear Science and Policy to Create and Encourage Diversity in the Nuclear Field

When discussing diversity, it is important to consider the many of the types of diversity: gender diversity, racial diversity, religious diversity, cultural diversity, and diversity in abilities. The nuclear field has recently seen a surge in the diversity within the entire industry, but there is still room for the industry to grow in those areas. Where does that begin? How does that develop? When is the right time to engage the next generation of nuclear professionals? What topics should be introduced to encourage and foster excitement in the nuclear field? These questions are all certainly important but narrowing in on the topics that should be introduced might prove to be a very effective way to grow excitement in and, then, diversity in the nuclear field. Students at all socioeconomic levels should be introduced to various technical concepts that correspond to the stage and level of education that is appropriate for those students. Oftentimes there may be a speaker at a school for certain ages that will provide an overview of the nuclear industry as a whole, or perhaps even specifics on what that person does, but rarely is the interaction carried on over a long period of time and rarely do presentations for these students introduce technical concepts. Creating new, effective volunteer programs in a wide range of schools in local areas where nuclear sciences are supported would allow professionals in the nuclear field to identify and focus on students whose aptitude might lean them towards future careers in the nuclear field. This paper will focus on potential, effective ways to start these programs, and it will identify a range of technical concepts that might be considered as age-appropriate or that can be molded to fit individual schools and would, in turn, begin to develop a diverse base of students to grow and enter the nuclear field.

Loftin, Bradley↗
DOE OSTI2021

2021 LLNL Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program (NS 3 IP) is designed to give graduate students an opportunity to come to LLNL for 8–10 weeks of hands-on research. Students conduct research under the supervision of a staff scientist, attend a weekly lecture series, interact with other students, and present their work in poster format at the end of the program. Students also have the opportunity to meet staff scientists one-on-one, participate in LLNL facility tours (e.g., the National Ignition Facility and Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry), and gain a better understanding of the various science programs at LLNL. Due to the travel and access restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 NS 3 IP was organized as an “all-virtual” internship program. With LLNL’s extensive institutional support, students accessed the laboratory’s cyberinfrastructure through a secure virtual desktop environment and all seminars, mentor interactions, summer presentations, and laboratory tours were performed remotely. While this virtual internship format did not allow for hands-on laboratory research projects, both the interns and their mentors constructed creative research projects that maximized student exposure to nuclear science research that is relevant to DTRA and LLNL interests in nuclear security. We anticipate a return to an in-person internship format for the summer of 2022.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Pathways to Improved Representation in Advanced NucleAr science (PIRANA)

This document presents the final technical report for Pathways to Improved Representation in Advanced NucleAr Science (PIRANA), supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (Office of Nuclear Physics) under Award No. DE-SC0024677 through the Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative. The project launched in Fall 2023 at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, a federally recognized Minority Serving Institution (MSI) and the only community college participating in the nEXO collaboration. Through this partnership, Skyline College established an accessible and rigorous research environment for its students. Over the course of the project, 10 student trainees made meaningful contributions to nEXO detector R&D and to activities aimed at expanding student engagement in advanced nuclear science. An additional 24 students completed the Summer Introduction to Research and Experimentation in Nuclear physics (SIREN), a three-week program developed from the training materials created for the nEXO trainees. All participating students engaged in opportunities to present their work locally and at national conferences, take part in public outreach, and contribute to a range of academic activities across campus. Collectively, these efforts extended the impact of the project throughout the wider Skyline College community.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Manhattan Project Nuclear Science and Technology Developments at Los Alamos: A Special Issue of Nuclear Technology

The year 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the Trinity experiment, the world’s first nuclear explosion, on July 16, 1945, near Alamogordo, New Mexico. Trinity was a vital proof step toward the culmination of the Manhattan Project and the end of World War II. The technical accomplishments made by scientists and engineers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada (some originating in Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, and other countries) were recognized by many events in 2020, including a visit to New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) dignitaries; historical documentaries. The importance of Trinity as a foundational accomplishment for the broad nuclear science and engineering community is clear; indeed, New Mexico’s chapter of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) is referred to as the Trinity Section. The events surrounding Trinity have even entered into high culture with recent performances of John Adams’s opera Doctor Atomic in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Chicago, New York, and Santa Fe.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

2020 LLNL Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program (NS 3 IP) is designed to give graduate students an opportunity to come to LLNL for 8–10 weeks of hands-on research. Students conduct research under the supervision of a staff scientist, attend a weekly lecture series, interact with other students, and present their work in poster format at the end of the program. Students also have the opportunity to meet staff scientists one-on-one, participate in LLNL facility tours (e.g., the National Ignition Facility and Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry), and gain a better understanding of the various science programs at LLNL. Due to the travel and access restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NS 3 IP was organized as an “all-virtual” internship program. With LLNL’s extensive institutional support, students accessed the laboratory’s cyberinfrastructure through a secure virtual desktop environment and all seminars, mentor interactions, summer presentations, and laboratory tours were performed remotely. While this virtual internship format did not allow for hands-on laboratory research projects, both the interns and their mentors constructed creative research projects that maximized student exposure to nuclear science research that is relevant to DTRA and LLNL interests in nuclear security.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

2022 LLNL Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program (NS 3 IP) is designed to give graduate and undergraduate students an opportunity to come to LLNL for 8–10 weeks of hands-on research. Students conduct research under the supervision of a staff scientist, attend a weekly lecture series, interact with other students, and present their work to the LLNL scientific community at the end of the program. Students also have the opportunity to meet staff scientists one-on-one, participate in LLNL facility tours (e.g., the National Ignition Facility and Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry), and gain a better understanding of the various science programs at LLNL. Due to the travel and access restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 NS 3 IP was organized as a hybrid internship program. Five of the 20 NS 3 IP students participated remotely. One of the 8 students funded directly by DTRA participated remotely. With LLNL’s extensive institutional support, remote students accessed the laboratory’s cyberinfrastructure through a secure virtual desktop environment and all seminars, mentor interactions, summer presentations, and laboratory tours had a remote option. The hybrid approach to the internship program provided flexibility to both the interns and their mentors to construct creative research projects that maximized student exposure to nuclear science research that is relevant to DTRA and LLNL. We anticipate continuing a hybrid internship format in the summer of 2023.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2020

Panel Session 48: Panel: Young Professionals in Nuclear Science and Engineering: An International Perspective (R8.2)

This panel focused on young professionals and covered views on radioactive waste management from young persons' perspective from all around the world. An informal panel enabled the future leaders of our industry to share ideas and experiences, and of course, develop contacts within their peer group on a truly international level. The panel was led by young professionals who actively encouraged participation from all those attending. Panelists with presentations: Young Professionals in Nuclear Science and Engineering An International Journey (Mario Gomez Fernandez); Young Professionals in Nuclear Science and Engineering (Mellissa Komninakis); Young Professionals in Nuclear Science and Engineering - an International Perspective (Hannah Paterson, Carwyn Chamberlain)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Preparation and characterization of isotopically pure Mo targets for nuclear science measurements

Isotopically pure molybdenum targets are essential in various nuclear science measurements. For studies of cross sections of capture reactions on molybdenum, uniform targets with areal densities of hundreds of g/cm 2 are desired. Mechanical rolling of enriched metal pieces or vacuum sputtering methods used in previous studies to prepare molybdenum targets are challenging and involve labor- and time-intensive processes. Therefore, reliable and straightforward methods to produce molybdenum targets are crucial. We have developed a new double-step method to produce targets meeting these needs. The first step consists of evaporating isotopically enriched MoO 3 onto gold backings. The second step involves the reduction of the oxide layer in a 5% H 2 -Ar environment to obtain molybdenum targets. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope/focused ion beam milling, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to characterize the targets. These methods show that the targets exhibit a uniform coverage of Mo over the gold backings. Furthermore, significant volume shrinkage occurring during the reduction of MoO 3 creates a porous Mo layer where the gold diffuses due to the high processing temperatures, resulting in mixed Mo–Au layers.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗