Electron Anomalous Magnetic Moment in Basis Light-Front Quantization Approach (open access)

Electron Anomalous Magnetic Moment in Basis Light-Front Quantization Approach

We apply the Basis Light-Front Quantization (BLFQ) approach to the Hamiltonian field theory of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) in free space. We solve for the mass eigenstates corresponding to an electron interacting with a single photon in light-front gauge. Based on the resulting non-perturbative ground state light-front amplitude we evaluate the electron anomalous magnetic moment. The numerical results from extrapolating to the infinite basis limit reproduce the perturbative Schwinger result with relative deviation less than 1.2%. We report significant improvements over previous works including the development of analytic methods for evaluating the vertex matrix elements of QED.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Zhao, Xingbo; Honkanen, Heli; Maris, Pieter; Vary, James P. & Brodsky, Stanley J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Calibration and Laboratory Test of the Department of Energy Cloud Particle Imager (open access)

Calibration and Laboratory Test of the Department of Energy Cloud Particle Imager

Calibration parameters from the Connolly et al. (2007) algorithm cannot be applied to the Department of Energy's (DOE) CPI because the DOE CPI is version 2.0. Thus, Dr. Junshik Um and Prof. Greg McFarquhar brought the DOE CPI to the University of Manchester, UK, where facilities for calibrating it were available. In addition, two other versions of CPIs (1.0 and 1.5) were available on-site at the University of Manchester so that an intercomparison of three different versions of the CPI was possible. The three CPIs (versions 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) were calibrated by moving glass calibration beads and ice analogues of known size parallel to the object plane. The distance between the object plane and a particle, the particle's focus, its apparent maximum dimension, and a background image were measured in order to derive calibration parameters for each CPI version. The calibration parameters are used in two empirical equations that are applied to in situ CPI data to determine particle size and depth of field, and hence particle size distributions (PSDs). After the tests with the glass calibration beads to derive the calibration parameters, the three CPIs were installed at the base of the Manchester Ice Cloud Chamber and connected …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: McFarquhar, GM & Um, J
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Identification of a haloalkaliphilic and thermostable cellulase with improved ionic liquid tolerance (open access)

Identification of a haloalkaliphilic and thermostable cellulase with improved ionic liquid tolerance

Some ionic liquids (ILs) have been shown to be very effective solvents for biomass pretreatment. It is known that some ILs can have a strong inhibitory effect on fungal cellulases, making the digestion of cellulose inefficient in the presence of ILs. The identification of IL-tolerant enzymes that could be produced as a cellulase cocktail would reduce the costs and water use requirements of the IL pretreatment process. Due to their adaptation to high salinity environments, halophilic enzymes are hypothesized to be good candidates for screening and identifying IL-resistant cellulases. Using a genome-based approach, we have identified and characterized a halophilic cellulase (Hu-CBH1) from the halophilic archaeon, Halorhabdus utahensis. Hu-CBH1 is present in a gene cluster containing multiple putative cellulolytic enzymes. Sequence and theoretical structure analysis indicate that Hu-CBH1 is highly enriched with negatively charged acidic amino acids on the surface, which may form a solvation shell that may stabilize the enzyme, through interaction with salt ions and/or water molecules. Hu-CBH1 is a heat tolerant haloalkaliphilic cellulase and is active in salt concentrations up to 5 M NaCl. In high salt buffer, Hu-CBH1 can tolerate alkali (pH 11.5) conditions and, more importantly, is tolerant to high levels (20percent w/w) of ILs, …
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Zhang, Tao; Datta, Supratim; Eichler, Jerry; Ivanova, Natalia; Axen, Seth D.; Kerfeld, Cheryl A. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
A New Green's Function for the Wake Potential Calculation of the SLAC S-band Constant Gradient Accelerating Section (open access)

A New Green's Function for the Wake Potential Calculation of the SLAC S-band Constant Gradient Accelerating Section

The behavior of the longitudinal wake fields excited by a very short bunch in the SLAC S-band constant gradient accelerating structures has been studied. Wake potential calculations were performed for a bunch length of 10 microns using the author's code to obtain a numerical solution of Maxwell's equations in the time domain. We have calculated six accelerating sections in the series (60-ft) to find the stationary solution. While analyzing the computational results we have found a new formula for the Green's function. Wake potentials, which are calculated using this Green's function are in amazingly good agreement with numerical results over a wide range of bunch lengths. The Green's function simplifies the wake potential calculations and can be easily incorporated into the tracking codes. This is very useful for beam dynamics studies of the linear accelerators of LCLS and FACET.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Novokhatski, A,
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preliminary Study of the Efficacy of Using Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence with Quasi-Monoenergetic Gamma-Ray Sources for Nuclear Safeguards Assay (open access)

Preliminary Study of the Efficacy of Using Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence with Quasi-Monoenergetic Gamma-Ray Sources for Nuclear Safeguards Assay

We have studied the efficacy of using nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF)-based techniques to assay spent nuclear fuel for Pu content using quasi-monoenergetic sources. We have developed two techniques to precisely determine the Pu content in a fuel rod/pin. One of our approaches is virtually free of systematic uncertainties. Using analytical models, we have determined the amount of time required to measure the Pu content in spent nuclear fuel rods and spent fuel assemblies to within 1% precision. We note that Pu content can be determined in a fuel assembly about as fast as in a single fuel pin. The performance of NRF-based assay techniques with improved photon sources, which are currently under development, will also estimated. For follow-on research we propose to: (1) Construct research prototype detection systems for both of the NRF-based assay systems proposed in this paper and measure their calibration curves; (2) Determine the systematic errors associated with both assay methods, explore ways to reduce the errors and fold the results into future performance calculations; (3) Develop an algorithm to assay a fuel assembly; (4) Perform validation measurements using a single pin and scaled assemblies; (5) Research and develop current-mode detection and/or threshold detection techniques to improve …
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Johnson, M. S.; McNabb, D. P.; Hall, J. M. & Gonzalez, J. J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Kirchhoff's Integral Representation and a Cavity Wake Potential (open access)

Kirchhoff's Integral Representation and a Cavity Wake Potential

A method is proposed for the calculation of the short-range wake field potentials of an ultra-relativistic bunch passing near some irregularities in a beam pipe. The method is based on the space-time domain integration of Maxwell's equations using Kirchhoff's formulation. We demonstrate this method on two cases where we obtain the wake potentials for the energy loss of a bunch traversing an iris-collimator in a beam pipe and for a cavity. Likewise, formulas are derived for Green's functions that describe the transverse force action of wake fields. Simple formulas for the total energy loss of a bunch with a Gaussian charge density distribution are derived as well. The derived estimates are compared with computer results and predictions of other models.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Novokhatski, Alexander
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pulse Jet Mixing Tests With Noncohesive Solids (open access)

Pulse Jet Mixing Tests With Noncohesive Solids

This report summarizes results from pulse jet mixing (PJM) tests with noncohesive solids in Newtonian liquid. The tests were conducted during FY 2007 and 2008 to support the design of mixing systems for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Tests were conducted at three geometric scales using noncohesive simulants, and the test data were used to develop models predicting two measures of mixing performance for full-scale WTP vessels. The models predict the cloud height (the height to which solids will be lifted by the PJM action) and the critical suspension velocity (the minimum velocity needed to ensure all solids are suspended off the floor, though not fully mixed). From the cloud height, the concentration of solids at the pump inlet can be estimated. The predicted critical suspension velocity for lifting all solids is not precisely the same as the mixing requirement for 'disturbing' a sufficient volume of solids, but the values will be similar and closely related. These predictive models were successfully benchmarked against larger scale tests and compared well with results from computational fluid dynamics simulations. The application of the models to assess mixing in WTP vessels is illustrated in examples for 13 distinct designs and selected …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Meyer, Perry A.; Bamberger, Judith A.; Enderlin, Carl W.; Fort, James A.; Wells, Beric E.; Sundaram, S. K. et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Precision Engineering within the National Ignition Campaign (open access)

Precision Engineering within the National Ignition Campaign

In this very brief talk, we'll discuss how precision engineering impacts 4 key areas of NIF: (1) Diamond turning of KDP crystals; (2) Mitigation of laser damage on optics; (3) Alignment of lasers, targets, diagnostics; (4) Target fabrication.
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: Taylor, J S; Carlisle, K; Klingmann, J L; Geraghty, P; Saito, T T & Montesanti, R C
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF ARRA (AMERICAN REINVESTMENT AND RECOVERY ACT) FUNDING TO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON HANFORD'S PLATEAU REMEDIATION PROJECT (open access)

THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF ARRA (AMERICAN REINVESTMENT AND RECOVERY ACT) FUNDING TO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON HANFORD'S PLATEAU REMEDIATION PROJECT

None
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: LT, BLACKFORD
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dynamics of Arctic and Sub-Arctic Climate and Atmospheric Circulation: Diagnosis of Mechanisms and Biases Using Data Assimilation (open access)

Dynamics of Arctic and Sub-Arctic Climate and Atmospheric Circulation: Diagnosis of Mechanisms and Biases Using Data Assimilation

The overall goal of work performed under this grant is to enhance understanding of simulations of present-day climate and greenhouse gas-induced climate change. The examination of present-day climate also includes diagnostic intercomparison of model simulations and observed mean climate and climate variability using reanalysis and satellite datasets. Enhanced understanding is desirable 1) as a prerequisite for improving simulations; 2) for assessing the credibility of model simulations and their usefulness as tools for decision support; and 3) as a means to identify robust behaviors which commonly occur over a wide range of models, and may yield insights regarding the dominant physical mechanisms which determine mean climate and produce climate change. A further objective is to investigate the use of data assimilation as a means for examining and correcting model biases. Our primary focus is on the Arctic, but the scope of the work was expanded to include the global climate system.
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: DeWeaver, Eric T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
NW-MILO Acoustic Data Collection (open access)

NW-MILO Acoustic Data Collection

There is an enduring requirement to improve our ability to detect potential threats and discriminate these from the legitimate commercial and recreational activity ongoing in the nearshore/littoral portion of the maritime domain. The Northwest Maritime Information and Littoral Operations (NW-MILO) Program at PNNL’s Coastal Security Institute in Sequim, Washington is establishing a methodology to detect and classify these threats - in part through developing a better understanding of acoustic signatures in a near-shore environment. The purpose of the acoustic data collection described here is to investigate the acoustic signatures of small vessels. The data is being recorded continuously, 24 hours a day, along with radar track data and imagery. The recording began in August 2008, and to date the data contains tens of thousands of signals from small vessels recorded in a variety of environmental conditions. The quantity and variety of this data collection, with the supporting imagery and radar track data, makes it particularly useful for the development of robust acoustic signature models and advanced algorithms for signal classification and information extraction. The underwater acoustic sensing system is part of a multi-modal sensing system that is operating near the mouth of Sequim Bay. Sequim Bay opens onto the Straight …
Date: February 17, 2010
Creator: Matzner, Shari; Myers, Joshua R.; Maxwell, Adam R. & Jones, Mark E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Improvements to High-Speed Monitoring of Events in Extreme Environments Using Fiber-optic Bragg Sensors (open access)

Improvements to High-Speed Monitoring of Events in Extreme Environments Using Fiber-optic Bragg Sensors

None
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Benterou, J J & Udd, E
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Maximally Supersymmetric Kondo Model (open access)

A Maximally Supersymmetric Kondo Model

We study the maximally supersymmetric Kondo model obtained by adding a fermionic impurity to N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. While the original Kondo problem describes a defect interacting with a free Fermi liquid of itinerant electrons, here the ambient theory is an interacting CFT, and this introduces qualitatively new features into the system. The model arises in string theory by considering the intersection of a stack of M D5-branes with a stack of N D3-branes, at a point in the D3 worldvolume. We analyze the theory holographically, and propose a dictionary between the Kondo problem and antisymmetric Wilson loops in N = 4 SYM. We perform an explicit calculation of the D5 fluctuations in the D3 geometry and determine the spectrum of defect operators. This establishes the stability of the Kondo fixed point together with its basic thermodynamic properties. Known supergravity solutions for Wilson loops allow us to go beyond the probe approximation: the D5s disappear and are replaced by three-form flux piercing a new topologically non-trivial S3 in the corrected geometry. This describes the Kondo model in terms of a geometric transition. A dual matrix model reflects the basic properties of the corrected gravity solution in its eigenvalue …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Harrison, Sarah; Kachru, Shamit; Torroba, Gonzalo & /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /SLAC
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
ANALYSES AND COMPARISON OF BULK AND COIL SURFACE SAMPLES FROM THE DWPF SLURRY MIX EVAPORATOR (open access)

ANALYSES AND COMPARISON OF BULK AND COIL SURFACE SAMPLES FROM THE DWPF SLURRY MIX EVAPORATOR

Sludge samples from the DWPF Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) heating coil frame and coil surface were characterized to identify differences that might help identify heat transfer fouling materials. The SME steam coils have seen increased fouling leading to lower boil-up rates. Samples of the sludge were taken from the coil frame somewhat distant from the coil (bulk tank material) and from the coil surface (coil surface sample). The results of the analysis indicate the composition of the two SME samples are very similar with the exception that the coil surface sample shows {approx}5-10X higher mercury concentration than the bulk tank sample. Elemental analyses and x-ray diffraction results did not indicate notable differences between the two samples. The ICP-MS and Cs-137 data indicate no significant differences in the radionuclide composition of the two SME samples. Semi-volatile organic analysis revealed numerous organic molecules, these likely result from antifoaming additives. The compositions of the two SME samples also match well with the analyzed composition of the SME batch with the exception of significantly higher silicon, lithium, and boron content in the batch sample indicating the coil samples are deficient in frit relative to the SME batch composition.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Hay, M.; Nash, C. & Stone, M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy Efficient Electronics Cooling Project (open access)

Energy Efficient Electronics Cooling Project

Parker Precision Cooling Business Unit was awarded a Department of Energy grant (DE-EE0000412) to support the DOE-ITP goal of reducing industrial energy intensity and GHG emissions. The project proposed by Precision Cooling was to accelerate the development of a cooling technology for high heat generating electronics components. These components are specifically related to power electronics found in power drives focused on the inverter, converter and transformer modules. The proposed cooling system was expected to simultaneously remove heat from all three of the major modules listed above, while remaining dielectric under all operating conditions. Development of the cooling system to meet specific customer's requirements and constraints not only required a robust system design, but also new components to support long system functionality. Components requiring further development and testing during this project included pumps, fluid couplings, cold plates and condensers. All four of these major categories of components are required in every Precision Cooling system. Not only was design a key area of focus, but the process for manufacturing these components had to be determined and proven through the system development.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: O'Shaughnessey, Steve; Louvar, Tim; Trumbower, Mike; Hunnicutt, Jessica & Myers, Neil
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Review of APR+ Level 2 PSA (open access)

Review of APR+ Level 2 PSA

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) assisted the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) in reviewing the Level 2 Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) of the APR+ Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) prepared by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP) and KEPCO Engineering & Construction Co., Inc. (KEPCO-E&C). The work described in this report involves a review of the APR+ Level 2 PSA submittal [Ref. 1]. The PSA and, therefore, the review is limited to consideration of accidents initiated by internal events. As part of the review process, the review team also developed three sets of Requests for Additional Information (RAIs). These RAIs were provided to KHNP and KEPCO-E&C for their evaluation and response. This final detailed report documents the review findings for each technical element of the PSA and includes consideration of all of the RAIs made by the reviewers as well as the associated responses. This final report was preceded by an interim report [Ref. 2] that focused on identifying important issues regarding the PSA. In addition, a final meeting on the project was held at BNL on November 21-22, 2011, where BNL and KINS reviewers discussed their preliminary review findings with KHNP and KEPCO-E&C staffs. Additional information …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Lehner, J.R.; Mubayi, V. & Pratt, W. T.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Majorana One-Tonne Cryostat Cooling Conceptual Feasibility Study (open access)

Majorana One-Tonne Cryostat Cooling Conceptual Feasibility Study

This report evaluates the conceptual plans for a one-tonne (S4) cryostat cooling design. This document is based upon previous design work and experimental results used to evaluate the current MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR (MJD) thermal design. A feasibility study of a cooling system for S4 based on the MJD thermosyphon experiment is presented. The one-tonne experiment will be a scaled up version of the MJD. There will be many cryostats for the S4 experiment. In this document a cryostat with up to 19 strings of Germanium crystals is analyzed. Aside from an extra outer ring of crystals, the geometry of both systems’ cryostats is very similar. The materials used in the fabrication of both ultra-low background experiments will be underground electroformed copper. The current MJD uses a two-phase liquid-gas cooling system to ensure constant operating temperature. This document presents a theoretical investigation of a cooling system for the S4 experiment and evaluates the heat transfer performance requirements for such a system.
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Reid, Douglas J.; Orrell, John L.; Fast, James E. & Aguayo Navarrete, Estanislao
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
On the selection of dimension reduction techniques for scientific applications (open access)

On the selection of dimension reduction techniques for scientific applications

Many dimension reduction methods have been proposed to discover the intrinsic, lower dimensional structure of a high-dimensional dataset. However, determining critical features in datasets that consist of a large number of features is still a challenge. In this paper, through a series of carefully designed experiments on real-world datasets, we investigate the performance of different dimension reduction techniques, ranging from feature subset selection to methods that transform the features into a lower dimensional space. We also discuss methods that calculate the intrinsic dimensionality of a dataset in order to understand the reduced dimension. Using several evaluation strategies, we show how these different methods can provide useful insights into the data. These comparisons enable us to provide guidance to a user on the selection of a technique for their dataset.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Fan, Y J & Kamath, C
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transition Metal Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Multiple Bonds: Exploration of Second Generation Ruthenium Catalysts and Extension to Copper Systems (open access)

Transition Metal Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Multiple Bonds: Exploration of Second Generation Ruthenium Catalysts and Extension to Copper Systems

Catalysts provide foundational technology for the development of new materials and can enhance the efficiency of routes to known materials. New catalyst technologies offer the possibility of reducing energy and raw material consumption as well as enabling chemical processes with a lower environmental impact. The rising demand and expense of fossil resources has strained national and global economies and has increased the importance of accessing more efficient catalytic processes for the conversion of hydrocarbons to useful products. The goals of the research are to develop and understand single-site homogeneous catalysts for the conversion of readily available hydrocarbons into useful materials. A detailed understanding of these catalytic reactions could lead to the development of catalysts with improved activity, longevity and selectivity. Such transformations could reduce the environmental impact of hydrocarbon functionalization, conserve energy and valuable fossil resources and provide new technologies for the production of liquid fuels. This project is a collaborative effort that incorporates both experimental and computational studies to understand the details of transition metal catalyzed C-H activation and C-C bond forming reactions with olefins. Accomplishments of the current funding period include: (1) We have completed and published studies of C-H activation and catalytic olefin hydroarylation by TpRu{l_brace}P(pyr){sub 3}{r_brace}(NCMe)R …
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Gunnoe, T. Brent
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Influence of deep-sea bed CO2 sequestration on small metazoan (meiofaunal) community structure and function (open access)

The Influence of deep-sea bed CO2 sequestration on small metazoan (meiofaunal) community structure and function

We conducted a series of experiments in Monterey Submarine Canyon to examine potential ecological impacts of deep-ocean CO2 sequestration. Our focus was on responses of meiofaunal invertebrates (< 1 mm body length) living within the sediment at depths ranging between 3000-3600 m. Our particular emphasis was on harpacticoid copepods and nematodes. In the first phase of our DOE funding, we reported findings that suggest substantial (~80%) mortality to harpacticoid copepods. In the second phase of our funding we published additional findings from phase one and conducted follow-up experiments in the Monterey Canyon and in the laboratory. In one experiment we looked for evidence that meiofauna seek to escape areas where CO2 concentrations are elevated. “Emergence traps” near the source of the CO2-rich seawater caught significantly more harpacticoids than those far from it. The harpacticoids apparently attempted to escape from the advancing front of carbon dioxide-rich seawater and therefore presumably found exposure to it to be stressful. Although most were adversely affected, species differed significantly in the degree of their susceptibility. Unexpectedly, six species showed no effect and may be resistant. The hypothesis that harpacticoids could escape the effects of carbon dioxide-rich seawater by moving deeper into the seabed was not …
Date: February 17, 2013
Creator: Carman, Kevin R.; Fleeger, John W. & Thistle, David
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Low-Charge, Hard X-Ray FEL Driven with an X-band Injector and Accelerator (open access)

A Low-Charge, Hard X-Ray FEL Driven with an X-band Injector and Accelerator

After the successful operation of FLASH (Free-Electron Laser in Hamburg) and LCLS (Linac Coherent Light Source), soft and hard X-ray Free Electron Lasers (FELs) are being built, designed or proposed at many accelerator laboratories. Acceleration employing lower frequency RF cavities, ranging from L-band to C-band, is usually adopted in these designs. In the first stage bunch compression, higher-frequency harmonic RF system is employed to linearize the beam's longitudinal phase space, which is nonlinearly chirped during the lower frequency RF acceleration process. In this paper, a hard X-ray FEL design using an all X-band accelerator at 11.424 GHz (from photo-cathode RF gun to linac end) is presented, without the assistance of any harmonic RF linearization. It achieves LCLS-like performance at low charge using X-band linac drivers, which is more versatile, efficient and compact than ones using S-band or C-band rf technology. It employs initially 42 microns long (RMS), low charge (10 pC) electron bunches from an X-band photoinjector. An overall bunch compression ratio of roughly 100 times is proposed in a two stage bunch compressor system. The start-to-end macro-particle 3-D simulation employing several computer codes is presented in this paper, where space charge, wakefields, incoherent and coherent synchrotron radiation (ISR and …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Sun, Yipeng; Adolphsen, Chris; Limborg-Deprey, Cecile; Raubenheimer, Tor & Wu, Juhao
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Angular Scaling In Jets (open access)

Angular Scaling In Jets

We introduce a jet shape observable defined for an ensemble of jets in terms of two-particle angular correlations and a resolution parameter R. This quantity is infrared and collinear safe and can be interpreted as a scaling exponent for the angular distribution of mass inside the jet. For small R it is close to the value 2 as a consequence of the approximately scale invariant QCD dynamics. For large R it is sensitive to non-perturbative effects. We describe the use of this correlation function for tests of QCD, for studying underlying event and pile-up effects, and for tuning Monte Carlo event generators.
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Jankowiak, Martin & Larkoski, Andrew J.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Experimental Progress Report--Modernizing the Fission Basis (open access)

Experimental Progress Report--Modernizing the Fission Basis

In 2010 a proposal (Modernizing the Fission Basis) was prepared to 'resolve long standing differences between LANL and LLNL associated with the correct fission basis for analysis of nuclear test data'. Collaboration between LANL/LLNL/TUNL has been formed to implement this program by performing high precision measurements of neutron induced fission product yields as a function of incident neutron energy. This new program benefits from successful previous efforts utilizing mono-energetic neutrons undertaken by this collaboration. The first preliminary experiment in this new program was performed between July 24-31, 2011 at TUNL and had 2 main objectives: (1) demonstrating the capability to measure characteristic {gamma}-rays from specific fission products; (2) studying background effects from room scattered neutrons. In addition, a new dual fission ionization chamber has been designed and manufactured. The production design of the chamber is shown in the picture below. The first feasibility experiment to test this chamber is scheduled at the TUNL Tandem Laboratory from September 19-25, 2011. The dual fission chamber design will allow simultaneous exposure of absolute fission fragment emission rate detectors and the thick fission activation foils, positioned between the two chambers. This document formalizes the earlier experimental report demonstrating the experimental capability to make accurate …
Date: February 17, 2012
Creator: Macri, R A
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
High Resolution Simulations of Ignition Capsule Designs for the National Ignition Facility (open access)

High Resolution Simulations of Ignition Capsule Designs for the National Ignition Facility

Ignition capsule designs for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [G. H. Miller, E. I. Moses, and C. R. Wuest, Opt. Eng. 443, 2841 (2004)] have continued to evolve in light of improved physical data inputs, improving simulation techniques, and - most recently - experimental data from a growing number of NIF sub-ignition experiments. This paper summarizes a number of recent changes to the cryogenic capsule design and some of our latest techniques in simulating its performance. Specifically, recent experimental results indicated harder x-ray drive spectra in NIF hohlraums than were predicted and used in previous capsule optimization studies. To accommodate this harder drive spectrum, a series of high-resolution 2-D simulations, resolving Legendre mode numbers as high as two thousand, were run and the germanium dopant concentration and ablator shell thicknesses re-optimized accordingly. Simultaneously, the possibility of cooperative or nonlinear interaction between neighboring ablator surface defects has motivated a series of fully 3-D simulations run with the massively parallel HYDRA code. These last simulations include perturbations seeded on all capsule interfaces and can use actual measured shell surfaces as initial conditions. 3-D simulations resolving Legendre modes up to two hundred on large capsule sectors have run through ignition and burn, and …
Date: February 17, 2011
Creator: Clark, D. S.; Haan, S. W.; Cook, A. W.; Edwards, M. J.; Hammel, B. A.; Koning, J. M. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library