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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Induced Magnetic Fields in LBNF Horns and DUNE-PRISM Off-Axis Neutrinos

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that will utilize an intense neutrino beam from Fermilab to measure neutrino oscillation parameters with unprecedented precision. The DUNE-PRISM near detector concept employs an off-axis measurement strategy to mitigate neutrino-nucleus interaction uncertainties; however, this approach relies critically on the accurate characterization of the neutrino flux. As statistical uncertainties are suppressed in the high-intensity Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) beam, beamline focusing uncertainties, specifically those arising from focusing horn geometry, become an important systematic uncertainty source. This work presents Geant4 LBNF beam simulations quantifying one of the most important systematic uncertainties for off-axis fluxes: the impact of manufacturing tolerances in the LBNF horns. The focusing horns consist of coaxial inner and outer conductors. Ideally, the region inside the inner conductor is field-free, while the region between the inner and outer conductors serves as the focusing region, where the magnetic field follows a nominal $1/r$ dependence. However, inner conductor deformations such as eccentricity and ellipticity introduce asymmetry, inducing unintended magnetic fields inside the field-free region. Crucially, while the on-axis neutrino flux remains largely unaffected by these induced fields, the resulting flux fractional shifts become pronounced over a particular range of off-axis positions where the DUNE-PRISM program will perform measurements. Consequently, these inner conductor deformations can impact the precision of flux predictions, which could potentially degrade the sensitivity to oscillation parameters. Possible mitigation strategies for these effects will also be presented.

Bae, Yuri [U. Minnesota, Minneapolis (main)] (ORCI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of muon neutrino charged-current quasielasticlike cross section using off-axis NuMI beam at ICARUS

This paper presents the first neutrino cross-section measurement from the ICARUS detector at Fermilab, using Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam data collected from two beam operation periods corresponding to 2.5 × 10 20 protons-on-target in neutrino beam mode. The signal is defined by events with no pions produced in the final state, a topology dominated by charged-current quasielasticlike signatures. The measurement is reported as flux-averaged differential cross sections as functions of kinematic variables that provide sensitivity to the complex nuclear effects that often dominate the systematic uncertainty budgets of neutrino oscillation measurements. Specifically, this work reports cross sections in two angular variables—the angle of the outgoing lepton and the opening angle between the lepton and leading proton—and two variables characterizing the kinematic imbalance between the muon and proton in the plane transverse to the incoming neutrino. These results are compared against predictions from a variety of neutrino event generators, with p values calculated between the extracted cross sections and each prediction. Overall, the predictions agree with the data; however, the current budget of uncertainties does not yet provide sufficient discriminating power to favor a specific model.

Abd Alrahman, F. [Houston U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of charged-current quasi elastic-like and inclusive muon (anti-) neutrino interactions using NuMI beam the ICARUS detector

The ICARUS experiment, utilizing Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology, has been successfully taking physics data at Fermilab since June 2022. The experiment's primary objective is to function as the far detector of the Short Baseline Neutrino program (SBN), searching for hints of physics beyond three-flavour PMNS neutrino oscillations. ICARUS also offers other diverse physics capabilities, including searches beyond the standard model and measurements of cross-sections. In addition to being exposed to the Booster Neutrino (BNB) beamline of the SBN experiment, ICARUS sits 795 m downstream and 5.75 degrees off-axis from the NuMI beam line. Due to the off-axis angle between NuMI and ICARUS, coupled with contributions from both pion and kaon decays to neutrino fluxes, interactions of NuMI neutrinos within ICARUS can be detected over a range of several GeV in energy. Measurements of these interactions present unique opportunities to infer neutrino interaction cross sections on an argon nuclear target within an energy range that overlaps both the SBN oscillation search and a significant portion of the DUNE spectrum. This poster will summarize the current status of muon-neutrino and muon-antineutrino charged current inclusive cross section measurements in ICARUS using the FHC and RHC NuMI sample respectively. Such inclusive measurements provide robust benchmarks for the overall interaction rate and muon kinematics, with reduced dependence on hadronic final-state modeling. The measurement of the muon-antineutrino Argon charged current inclusive cross section is particularly exciting and highly relevant for DUNE, given the scarcity of antineutrino-Argon cross section measurements in the literature. In addition, this poster will highlight ICARUS's first measurement of muon-neutrino Argon charged current mesonless final states using both transverse kinematic imbalance (TKI) variables and muon-proton kinematic variables. These measurements provide sensitivity to nuclear effects, final-state interactions, and nucleon correlations in argon, offering important constraints for improving neutrino interaction modeling for upcoming DUNE.

Roy, Promita [Fermilab; Virginia Tech.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Neutron measurement from neutrino interactions in NOvA

The NuMI Off-Axis Appearance (NOvA) experiment is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment based at Fermilab, consisting of two functionally identical liquid-scintillator detectors positioned slightly off-axis from the NuMI beam. It aims to probe CP violation in the lepton sector and determine the neutrino mass ordering by comparing the oscillation rates between the detectors. Given the energy dependence of oscillations, energy reconstruction is key--and a key limitation in the precision and accuracy of this kinematic variable is an understanding of primary neutron-related uncertainties since many may go undetected. While recent improvements have reduced discrepancies, NOvA's simulation still overpredicts neutron-linked activity by about 20\%, particularly for neutrons between 5–200 MeV. We present ongoing progress toward a measurement of neutron multiplicity in the NOvA Near Detector using spatially displaced and delayed energy deposits associated with neutron interactions, aiming to constrain neutron-related systematics and improve neutrino energy reconstruction in future oscillation analyses.

Kufatty, G. [Florida State U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Unified Beam-Dynamics and Hardware Design Framework for Hybrid Nonlinear-Kicker Injection in NSLS-II

Nonlinear kickers (NLKs) enable off-axis injection in ultralow-emittance storage rings by providing a strong kick to the injected beam while remaining nearly transparent to the stored beam. In hybrid schemes, a conventional four-kicker bump defines the injected trajectory, and the NLK reduces the first-turn action under constrained beam offset and optics conditions. Effective operation additionally requires stable and reproducible first-turn injection trajectories. We develop a compact action–angle framework that expresses NLK dynamics in terms of Courant–Snyder invariants and yields an analytical bound on achievable action reduction. This formulation provides direct design rules for NLK placement, phase advance, injected-beam offset, and kicker field profile. Within this framework, we identify the 8-wire NLK as a practical baseline and extend its design by relaxing the square-geometry constraint, enabling inward shifting of the off-axis field peak while preserving on-axis field and gradient cancellation. Application to the NSLS-II lattice shows how aperture, pulsed-power, and mechanical constraints combine to determine a coupled design solution. Multi-turn tracking confirms that candidate NLK locations maintain sufficient stay-clear (aperture-clearance) margin, while the optimized wire geometry reduces the required current and Lorentz force load. The results establish a unified approach for NLK-assisted injection design and provide a practical pathway for upgrades in diffraction-limited storage rings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Toward Intelligent Multimodal Holography for Real-Time Chemical Imaging of Dynamic Ion Separation

Molecular-level visualization of ion transport and separation dynamics in complex environments is crucial for advancing energy systems, water purification, and critical materials recovery. Achieving this requires imaging platforms that combine structural sensitivity, chemical specificity, and real-time operation. Digital off-axis holography (DOAH) provides high-throughput, label-free quantitative phase imaging but inherently lacks chemical selectivity. Integrating DOAH with complementary spectroscopic channels such as fluorescence or hyperspectral imaging introduces the needed molecular specificity, while also creating challenges in multimodal data fusion, synchronization, and computational throughput. Artificial intelligence offers a powerful route to address these limitations by uniting physics-based reconstruction with data-driven interpretation. In this Perspective, we outline a framework for intelligent multimodal holography and demonstrate its potential using a preliminary AI-driven test case. Raw DOAH holograms of lanthanide solutions subjected to magnetic field gradients were analyzed using multi-agent AI workflows that autonomously selected reconstruction tools, extracted NMF components, and generated scientific claims consistent with true paramagnetic and diamagnetic behavior. This demonstration shows how AI-enabled reasoning can deliver real-time chemical–structural interpretation directly from raw holograms. Together, these advances define a path toward adaptive, intelligent holography platforms capable of supporting in situ chemical separations, dynamic ion transport analysis, and next-generation interfacial science.

Ricchiuti, Giovanna↗
DOE OSTI2026

Variation in supercurrent connectivity and vortex pinning of state-of-the-art pulsed laser deposited RE Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7- x coated conductors

REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (REBCO, RE: rare earth) coated conductors (CCs) suffer from great critical current I c differences between different manufacturers, I c variations within individual manufacturers, and often significant lengthwise fluctuations. The understanding of such variations is complicated by the lack of a direct correlation between I c and the critical current density J c . In fact, although J c is the fundamental property determined by the local vortex pinning landscape, I c is often limited by variable current blocking mechanisms. An important practical complexity is commercial practices of performing J c and I c evaluations based on I c at 77 K and self-field (sf), where connectivity variation dominates over vortex pinning variations. However, at higher fields and lower temperatures, vortex pinning becomes more complex and highly variable, making predictions of I c and J c at arbitrary temperature T, magnetic field H, and field orientation θ, quite uncertain. To address some aspects of this problem, we conducted detailed spool-to-spool performance characterization on recently manufactured REBCO CCs. Despite J c (77 K, sf) varies by only ∼11%, J c (77 K, 1 T) of its minimum and maximum (for H//ab-plane) show variations of ∼21% and ∼32%, respectively. This emphasizes the shortcoming in using J c (77 K, sf) as parameter for evaluating even the low field performance. An even more remarkable spool-to-spool J c variation of ∼68% was observed at 20 K and 15 T for H//ab-plane. To identify the origin of such lack of reproducibility we performed microstructural characterizations, which revealed, within the REBCO layer, large variation in the density of copper oxide (CuO x ) particles ranging from 0.1 to 2 μm in size. We believe that they play a decisive role in reducing the effective cross-section of the REBCO layer by not simply blocking current themselves, but also by nucleating off-axis REBCO grains, whose misoriented grain boundaries adversely impact REBCO grain-to-grain connectivity. The REBCO growth associated with high density CuO x particles also leads to the more disordered spatial arrangement of BaHfO 3 precipitate arrays, which, when self-aligning along the ab-planes, generate stronger pinning enhancing J c (H//ab) at all temperatures. In this way, we established that variations of both connectivity and vortex pinning are thus directly coupled. Our results also explain why the so-called ‘lift-factor’, typically defined by the ratio between I c (T, H) and I c (77 K, sf), frequently turns out to be unreliable.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

MicroBooNE Electron Neutrino Cross Sections without Visible Pions

MicroBooNE is an 85-tonne liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) at Fermilab. It collected data from two different beam lines between 2015 and 2020 and has since released a large number of neutrino cross section results on argon. These inform neutrino interaction modelling in view of next generation LArTPCs such as the upcoming DUNE experiment. We present new measurements of the electron neutrino charged current pionless cross section on argon in the MicroBooNE detector. These measurements are essential to DUNE’s oscillation analysis as they impact the predicted interaction rate of the main flavor appearance signal. Two measurements are presented, one that leverages the full on-axis MicroBooNE Booster Neutrino Beam dataset while the other uses about 30% of the 8° off-axis Neutrino at the Main Injector beam dataset. Two channels can be considered: with or without a visible pion in the final state. Both measurements consider events with visible protons and the BNB measurement also measures electron neutrinos across the proton visibility threshold. Differential cross sections are extracted in proton and electron kinematics. The relationship between the hadronic and leptonic systems is explored through the angle between the proton and electron directions. The resulting cross sections are compared to a variety of generator predictions using different models of neutrino interactions. We find overall good agreement with most models, especially in lepton kinematics.

Mellet, Lucile [Michigan State U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bayesian Fit to NOvA Data Subsamples for Three Flavor Oscillation Analysis

NOvA (NuMI Off-Axis $\nu_e$ Appearance) is a long baseline neutrino experiment designed to measure the oscillation of muon neutrinos to electron neutrinos over a distance of 810 km. NOvA uses a near and far detector to observe $\nu_\mu$ disappearance and $\nu_e$ appearance of neutrinos produced by the NuMI beam at Fermilab. NOvA uses a Bayesian analysis framework in addition to its Frequentist method to measure neutrino oscillation parameters such as the mixing angles, mass ordering, and CP-violating phase. We report preliminary results of Bayesian fits to representative NOvA datasets. Comparison of fits to $\nu_\mu$ disappearance and $\nu_e$ appearance enables a cross-check of NOvA results with reactor $\bar{\nu_e}$ disappearance measurements. NOvA also searches for violation of Lorentz invariance by analyzing fits of forward horn current (FHC) versus reverse horn current (RHC) samples. The results validate and advance NOvA's contributions to precision measurements of neutrino properties.

Zhao, Larry [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Status of 1eNp0π Charged-Current Electron Neutrino Cross Section on Argon in the NuMI Beam at ICARUS

The Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program is designed to probe short-baseline neutrino anomalies, including the LSND electron neutrino excess and the MiniBooNE low-energy excess. Essential to interpreting these anomalies and to the success of future experiments like DUNE, is the precise measurement of neutrino-argon interaction cross sections. The program utilizes two liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) detectors: the Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND) located 110 meters downstream from the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) target, and the ICARUS detector positioned 600 meters downstream. Additionally, the ICARUS detector lies off-axis to the NuMI beamline, providing a unique, high-statistics flux of electron neutrinos and sensitivity to energies that overlap with the DUNE spectrum. To analyze the data from these detectors, we have begun employing a machine-learning-based reconstruction algorithm referred to as “Scalable Particle Imaging with Neural Embeddings” (SPINE). SPINE has shown improvement in the ability to reconstruct the properties of final state particles in the detector, like the particle ID and momentum, with the potential to enhance the quality of measurements achievable within the SBN Program e.g., the resolution on kinematics used in differential cross section extraction. This poster presents progress toward measuring the electron neutrino argon interaction cross section in the 1eNp0π topology using the NuMI beam, highlighting the impact of SPINE through the ability to select signal events across a wide kinematic range without sacrificing background rejection power.

Carber, Dan [Colorado State U.] (ORCID:00090006451↗
DOE OSTI2026

Protons in the NOvA Test Beam

The NOvA (NuMI Off-Axis electron neutrino Appearance) Experiment is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment composed of two functionally identical detectors, a 300 ton Near Detector, and a 14 kton Far Detector separated by 809 km and placed 14 mrad off the axis of the NuMI neutrino beam created at Fermilab. This configuration enables NOvA's rich neutrino physics program, which includes measuring neutrino mixing parameters, determining the neutrino mass hierarchy, and probing CP violation in the leptonic sector. The NOvA Test Beam experiment deployed at Fermilab between 2018 and 2022 used a scaled-down 30 ton detector to analyse tagged beamline particles. The beamline selected and identified electrons, muons, pions, kaons, and protons with momenta ranging from 0.4 to 1.8 GeV/c, as understanding how the detector responds to these particles found in the final state of neutrino interactions is crucial. This poster shows preliminary results from studies of proton response in the NOvA Test Beam detector.

Bannister, Emerson [Sussex U.] (ORCID:000000027535↗
DOE OSTI2026

Regression Convolutional Neural Network for Energy Estimation in NOvA

Regression Convolutional Neural Network for Energy Estimation in NOvA" Abstract: "NOvA (NuMI Off-Axis $\nu_e$ Appearance) is a long baseline neutrino experiment designed to measure neutrino oscillations over a distance of 810 km. NOvA employs a near and far detector to observe $\nu_\mu$ disappearance and $\nu_e$ appearance of neutrinos produced by the NuMI beam at Fermilab. Energy reconstruction is critical for precise measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters and cross sections, which are functions of neutrino energy. Energy estimation remains difficult due to the complexity of detector response and final state particle kinematics. We present a regression-based convolutional neural network (CNN) method that reconstructs neutrino and lepton energies based on raw pixel inputs for NOvA. The trained model is able to reconstruct event energy for different interaction modes and complex final states containing leptons and hadrons. Studies of regression CNN networks show improved energy resolution and reduced sensitivity to calibration scale uncertainties relative to traditional kinematics-based energy reconstruction techniques. The results demonstrate the potential of the regression CNN method for neutrino physics analyses by improving on standard kinematics-based reconstruction.

Zhao, Larry [UC, Irvine (main)]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Status and plans for measurements of Neutrino-Argon interactions at ICARUS

The ICARUS experiment, utilizing Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) technology, has been installed at Fermilab (USA), following its initial operation in Italy and subsequent refurbishment at CERN. ICARUS has successfully been taking physics data at Fermilab since June 2022. While the experiment’s primary objective is to function as the far detector of the Short Baseline Neutrino program (SBN), searching for hints of physics beyond three-flavour PMNS neutrino oscillations, ICARUS also offers other diverse physics capabilities, including searches beyond the standard model and measurements of cross-sections. In addition to being exposed to the common Booster Neutrino (BNB) beamline of the SBN experiment, ICARUS receives neutrinos from the Main Injector (NuMI) beam. Due to the off-axis angle between NuMI and ICARUS, coupled with contributions from both pion and kaon decays to neutrino fluxes, interactions of NuMI neutrinos within ICARUS can be detected over a range of several GeV in energy. Measurements of these interactions present unique opportunities to infer neutrino interaction cross sections on an argon nuclear target within an energy range that overlaps both the SBN oscillation search and a significant portion of the DUNE spectrum. This presentation will summarise the current status of ICARUS’ neutrino cross-section measurements.

Roy, Promita [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000164958937)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Chasing Gamma-Ray Signals from Binary Neutron Star Coalescences with the Cherenkov Telescope Array: Prospects and Observing Strategies

The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from a binary neutron star (BNS) merger by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo (GW170817), together with its electromagnetic counterpart, the short gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A, heralded the birth of multimessenger astronomy. The detection of TeV emission from GRBs motivates follow-up observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), which is ideal for detecting such signals due to its unprecedented sensitivity, rapid response, and wide-field survey capabilities. The aim of this work is to evaluate GeV–TeV GW follow-up strategies for CTAO using a multistep simulation pipeline and to estimate the expected rate of joint GW–GRB detections during observing run O5. Using a simulated sample of BNS systems with corresponding GW detections, gamma-ray emission is simulated through phenomenological prescriptions based on the observed population of short GRBs, including off-axis jet scenarios. CTAO observations are simulated to account for instrument response, sky tiling strategies, integration times, and varying observing conditions. Strategies with variable and constant integration times are investigated. We find that, via an optimized follow-up strategy, about 5% of simulated GW-associated short GRBs produce GeV–TeV radiation detectable by CTAO. Detectability is strongly influenced by the jet opening angle and viewing angle, suggesting that even rough estimates of the viewing angle in GW alerts could enhance targeting. This framework motivates future follow-ups of GW-detectable events, including neutron star–black hole mergers, and further supports the development of advanced strategies incorporating galaxy distributions and synergies with future detectors such as the Einstein Telescope.

Abe, S. [University of Tokyo] (ORCID:0000000172503↗
NASA NTRS2026

Parabolic Deformable Mirror Project Development and Device Characterization

Existing state-of-the-art wavefront sensing and control setups for the imaging of exoplanets utilize two high-actuator count flat deformable mirrors (DMs) to control both phase and amplitude aberrations. One of the objectives of the Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ExoSpec) project at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is to improve upon this regime through the development of parabolic deformable mirrors (PDMs), which can address several of the key limitations in existing setups. Specifically, the need for flat DMs to be located in conjugate pupil planes drives unique packaging challenges that can be overcome by allowing the off-axis imaging elements to be controllable as well. In addition, simulations show that the use of deformable powered elements will increase the overall controllable bandwidth, up to 35% over 5-12 lambda/D. To pursue this effort, the ExoSpec group has begun testing a first-generation parabolic DM, which is already informing a second generation design. This paper will provide a comprehensive update on its characterization, including influence function measurements, linearity analysis, closed-loop wavefront control performance, and thermal stability assessment.

spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2026

Latest Constraints on Three-Flavor Neutrino Oscillation Parameters from the NOvA Experiment

NOvA, is a two-detector, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located at Fermilab, Batavia, IL, USA. The NOvA experiment was designed primarily to constrain neutrino oscillation parameters by analyzing $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance data observed at the far detector using a high purity beam of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos from Fermilab's NuMI beamline. The NOvA experiment consists of two functionally identical, finely granulated liquid tracking calorimeters, both situated 14.6 mrad off-axis to the beam direction. The NOvA near detector, situated 100 meters underground and 1 kilometer from the beam source, detects the non-oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and beam $\nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events. The far detector, located in Ash River, MN, USA, 810 kilometers from the beam source, records the non-oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and the oscillated $\nu_\mu (\bar{\nu}_\mu) \to \nu_e (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events. The most recent measurements of three flavor neutrino oscillation parameters based on an analysis of the data collected from neutrino-beam exposure of $26.60 \times 10^{20}$ POT and anti-neutrino beam exposure of $12.50\times 10^{20}$ POT including an additional low energy $\nu_e$ sample, will be discussed here.

Choudhary, Brajesh [Delhi U.] (ORCID:0000000150291↗