In situ measurement of plasma and shock wave properties inside laser-drilled metal holes

Science.gov (United States)

Brajdic, Mihael; Hermans, Martin; Horn, Alexander; Kelbassa, Ingomar

2008-10-01

High-speed imaging of shock wave and plasma dynamics is a commonly used diagnostic method for monitoring processes during laser material treatment. It is used for processes such as laser ablation, cutting, keyhole welding and drilling. Diagnosis of laser drilling is typically adopted above the material surface because lateral process monitoring with optical diagnostic methods inside the laser-drilled hole is not possible due to the hole walls. A novel method is presented to investigate plasma and shock wave properties during the laser drilling inside a confined environment such as a laser-drilled hole. With a novel sample preparation and the use of high-speed imaging combined with spectroscopy, a time and spatial resolved monitoring of plasma and shock wave dynamics is realized. Optical emission of plasma and shock waves during drilling of stainless steel with ns-pulsed laser radiation is monitored and analysed. Spatial distributions and velocities of shock waves and of plasma are determined inside the holes. Spectroscopy is accomplished during the expansion of the plasma inside the drilled hole allowing for the determination of electron densities.

Direct formation of supermassive black holes via multi-scale gas inflows in galaxy mergers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, L; Kazantzidis, S; Escala, A; Callegari, S

2010-08-26

Observations of distant quasars indicate that supermassive black holes of billions of solar masses already existed less than a billion years after the Big Bang. Models in which the 'seeds' of such black holes form by the collapse of primordial metal-free stars cannot explain the rapid appearance of these supermassive black holes because gas accretion is not sufficiently efficient. Alternatively, these black holes may form by direct collapse of gas within isolated protogalaxies, but current models require idealized conditions, such as metal-free gas, to prevent cooling and star formation from consuming the gas reservoir. Here we report simulations showing that mergers between massive protogalaxies naturally produce the conditions for direct collapse into a supermassive black hole with no need to suppress cooling and star formation. Merger-driven gas inflows give rise to an unstable, massive nuclear gas disk of a few billion solar masses, which funnels more than 10(8) solar masses of gas to a sub-parsec-scale gas cloud in only 100,000 years. The cloud undergoes gravitational collapse, which eventually leads to the formation of a massive black hole. The black hole can subsequently grow to a billion solar masses on timescales of about 10(8) years by accreting gas from the surrounding disk.

Electron vortex magnetic holes: A nonlinear coherent plasma structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haynes, Christopher T., E-mail: c.t.haynes@qmul.ac.uk; Burgess, David; Sundberg, Torbjorn [School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom); Camporeale, Enrico [Multiscale Dynamics, Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica (CWI), Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2015-01-15

We report the properties of a novel type of sub-proton scale magnetic hole found in two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of decaying turbulence with a guide field. The simulations were performed with a realistic value for ion to electron mass ratio. These structures, electron vortex magnetic holes (EVMHs), have circular cross-section. The magnetic field depression is associated with a diamagnetic azimuthal current provided by a population of trapped electrons in petal-like orbits. The trapped electron population provides a mean azimuthal velocity and since trapping preferentially selects high pitch angles, a perpendicular temperature anisotropy. The structures arise out of initial perturbations in the course of the turbulent evolution of the plasma, and are stable over at least 100 electron gyroperiods. We have verified the model for the EVMH by carrying out test particle and PIC simulations of isolated structures in a uniform plasma. It is found that (quasi-)stable structures can be formed provided that there is some initial perpendicular temperature anisotropy at the structure location. The properties of these structures (scale size, trapped population, etc.) are able to explain the observed properties of magnetic holes in the terrestrial plasma sheet. EVMHs may also contribute to turbulence properties, such as intermittency, at short scale lengths in other astrophysical plasmas.

Numerical simulation on reasonable hole-sealing depth of boreholes for gas extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Dan; Pan, Jingtao

2018-04-01

To overcome the low efficiency of extracting gas in coal reservoirs with a low gas permeability, some boreholes were drilled for gas extraction in No. 2 coal reservoir of Wangjialing Coalmine in Shanxi Province, China and reasonably sealed. Aiming at shortfalls such as rapid attenuation of volume for extracted gas as well as low gas permeability when using boreholes in the No. 2 coal reservoir, the traditional COMSOL MultiphysicsMT Earth Science Module was used to couple the three governing equations (Darcy-Brinkman-Navier-Stokes) for fluids. On this basis, numerical simulation on the seepage law along the directions of roadways and boreholes was carried out. The simulation results indicated that when the hole-sealing length was within the width range of fractures in roadways, the negative pressure not only led the gas in surrounding rock masses to flow to the boreholes, but also made the air flow in roadways to permeate into coal walls. As a result, gas and air flows both entered into the boreholes through the loosening zone containing fractures, resulting in seepage of air in roadway to the boreholes. The seepage velocity along the roadway direction under condition with a hole-sealing length of 12 m was obviously slower than that when the hole-sealing length was 8 m. While, the method by simply increasing the length of the hole-sealing section for boreholes failed to effectively stop the air flow in roadways from permeating into the coal wall and then entering the boreholes. Moreover, the increase in the hole-sealing length brought about much more difficulties to the hole-sealing construction. So, the method is not operable in practical condition of the coal mine. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the traditional hole-sealing technology based on foamed macromolecular materials which are mainly made of polyurethane (PU) and use the fluid wall-type hole-sealing technology based on solid-liquid coupling. Then, the effects of gas extraction before and after using

Numerical simulation on reasonable hole-sealing depth of boreholes for gas extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Zhao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available To overcome the low efficiency of extracting gas in coal reservoirs with a low gas permeability, some boreholes were drilled for gas extraction in No. 2 coal reservoir of Wangjialing Coalmine in Shanxi Province, China and reasonably sealed. Aiming at shortfalls such as rapid attenuation of volume for extracted gas as well as low gas permeability when using boreholes in the No. 2 coal reservoir, the traditional COMSOL MultiphysicsMT Earth Science Module was used to couple the three governing equations (Darcy-Brinkman–Navier-Stokes for fluids. On this basis, numerical simulation on the seepage law along the directions of roadways and boreholes was carried out. The simulation results indicated that when the hole-sealing length was within the width range of fractures in roadways, the negative pressure not only led the gas in surrounding rock masses to flow to the boreholes, but also made the air flow in roadways to permeate into coal walls. As a result, gas and air flows both entered into the boreholes through the loosening zone containing fractures, resulting in seepage of air in roadway to the boreholes. The seepage velocity along the roadway direction under condition with a hole-sealing length of 12 m was obviously slower than that when the hole-sealing length was 8 m. While, the method by simply increasing the length of the hole-sealing section for boreholes failed to effectively stop the air flow in roadways from permeating into the coal wall and then entering the boreholes. Moreover, the increase in the hole-sealing length brought about much more difficulties to the hole-sealing construction. So, the method is not operable in practical condition of the coal mine. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the traditional hole-sealing technology based on foamed macromolecular materials which are mainly made of polyurethane (PU and use the fluid wall-type hole-sealing technology based on solid-liquid coupling. Then, the effects of gas extraction

Electromagnetic interactions in an electron-hole plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

Certain problems electromagnetic interactions both of external SHF radiation with an electron-hole (eh) plasma and in the plasma itself are considered. The production and properties of a non-equilibrium eh plasma in semiconductors, pinch effect in a plasma of solids, strong electric fields in a plasma of inhomogeneous semiconductors and heat effects in a semiconductor plasma are discussed. The influence of a surface, kinetics of recombination processes in the semiconductor volume and the plasma statistics the spatial distribution of carriers, current characteristics and plasma recombination radiation under the conditions of pinch effect is described. The diagnostics methods of the phenomena are presented. The behaviour of diode structures with pn transitions in strong SHF fields is discussed. Special attention is paid to collective phenomena in the plasma of semiconductor devices and the variation of carrier density in strong fields. The appearance of electromotive force in inhomogeneous diode structures placed in strong SHF fields is considered

Observation of hydrodynamic processes of radiation-ablated plasma in a small hole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hang; Kuang, Longyu; Jiang, Shaoen, E-mail: jiangshn@vip.sina.com; Ding, Yongkun, E-mail: ding-yk@vip.sina.com [CAS Key Laboratory of Basic Plasma Physics and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China); Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, P.O. Box 919-986, Mianyang 621900 (China); Song, Tianming; Yang, Jiamin, E-mail: yjm70018@sina.cn; Zhu, Tuo; Lin, Zhiwei; Zheng, Jianhua; Zhang, Haiying; Yu, Ruizhen; Liu, Shenye [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, P.O. Box 919-986, Mianyang 621900 (China); Hu, Guangyue; Zhao, Bin; Zheng, Jian [CAS Key Laboratory of Basic Plasma Physics and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2015-07-15

In the hohlraum used in laser indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments, hydrodynamic processes of radiation-ablated high-Z plasma have a great effect on laser injection efficiency, radiation uniformity, and diagnosis of hohlraum radiation field from diagnostic windows (DW). To study plasma filling in the DWs, a laser-irradiated Ti disk was used to generate 2–5 keV narrow energy band X-ray as the intense backlighter source, and laser-produced X-ray in a hohlraum with low-Z foam tamper was used to heat a small hole surrounded by gold wall with 150 μm in diameter and 100 μm deep. The hydrodynamic movement of the gold plasma in the small hole was measured by an X-ray framing camera and the results are analyzed. Quantitative measurement of the plasma areal density distribution and evolution in the small hole can be used to assess the effect of plasma filling on the diagnosis from the DWs.

Effect of additional holes on transient thermal fatigue life of gas turbine casing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Bazvandi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Gas turbines casings are susceptible to cracking at the edge of eccentric pin hole, which is the most likely position for crack initiation and propagation. This paper describes the improvement of transient thermal fatigue crack propagation life of gas turbines casings through the application of additional holes. The crack position and direction was determined using non-destructive tests. A series of finite element patterns were developed and tested in ASTM-A395 elastic perfectly-plastic ductile cast iron. The effect of arrangement of additional holes on transient thermal fatigue behavior of gas turbines casings containing hole edge cracks was investigated. ABAQUS finite element package and Zencrack fracture mechanics code were used for modeling. The effect of the reduction of transient thermal stress distribution around the eccentric pin hole on the transient thermal fatigue crack propagation life of the gas turbines casings was discussed. The result shows that transient thermal fatigue crack propagation life could be extended by applying additional holes of larger diameter and decreased by increasing the vertical distance, angle, and distance between the eccentric pin hole and the additional holes. The results from the numerical predictions were compared with experimental data.

On plasma-neutral gas interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkataramani, N.; Mattoo, S.K.

1980-01-01

The importance of plasma-neutral gas interaction layer has been emphasized by pointing out its application to a wide variety of physical phenomena. The interaction of a magnetised plasma stream penetrating a neutral gas cloud is discussed in the light of Alfven's critical velocity and Varma's threshold velocity on the ionising interaction. Interaction of a moving magnetised plasma with a stationary neutral gas has been studied and described. The device comprises of a plasma gun and an interaction region where neutral gas cloud is injected. The interaction region is provided with a transverse magnetic field of upto 1000 G. Several diagnostics deployed at the interaction region to make measurements on the macroscopic parameters of plasma and neutral gas are described. The parameters of discharge circuits are measured with high current and voltage probes. An interaction between a magnetised plasma stream and a neutral gas cloud is demonstrated. It is shown that this interaction does not have Varma's threshold on their relative velocity. The Alfven's critical velocity phenomenon is shown to depend on the integrated column neutral gas density that a plasma stream encounters while penetrating through it and not on the neutral gas density in the range of 10 17 -10 21 m -3 . (auth.)

Terahertz-dependent identification of simulated hole shapes in oil-gas reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Ri-Ma; Zhan, Hong-Lei; Miao, Xin-Yang; Zhao, Kun; Feng, Cheng-Jing; Dong, Chen; Li, Yi-Zhang; Xiao, Li-Zhi

2016-10-01

Detecting holes in oil-gas reservoirs is vital to the evaluation of reservoir potential. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of identifying general micro-hole shapes, including triangular, circular, and square shapes, in oil-gas reservoirs by adopting terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). We evaluate the THz absorption responses of punched silicon (Si) wafers having micro-holes with sizes of 20 μm-500 μm. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to establish a model between THz absorbance and hole shapes. The positions of samples in three-dimensional spaces for three principal components are used to determine the differences among diverse hole shapes and the homogeneity of similar shapes. In addition, a new Si wafer with the unknown hole shapes, including triangular, circular, and square, can be qualitatively identified by combining THz-TDS and PCA. Therefore, the combination of THz-TDS with mathematical statistical methods can serve as an effective approach to the rapid identification of micro-hole shapes in oil-gas reservoirs. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61405259), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2014CB744302), and the Specially Founded Program on National Key Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development, China (Grant No. 2012YQ140005).

Direct and controllable nitric oxide delivery into biological media and living cells by a pin-to-hole spark discharge (PHD) plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dobrynin, D; Friedman, G [Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Arjunan, K; Clyne, A Morss [School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Fridman, A, E-mail: alisam@coe.drexel.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2011-02-23

Nitric oxide has great potential for improving wound healing through both inflammatory and vascularization processes. Nitric oxide can be produced in high concentrations by atmospheric pressure thermal plasmas. We measured the physical characteristics and nitric oxide production of a pin-to-hole spark discharge (PHD) plasma, as well as plasma-produced nitric oxide delivery into liquid and endothelial cells. The plasma temperature was calculated as 9030 {+-} 320 K by the Boltzmann method, which was adequate to produce nitric oxide, although the average gas temperature was near room temperature. The plasma produced significant UV radiation and hydrogen peroxide, but these were prevented from reaching the cells by adding a straight or curved tube extension to the plasma device. Plasma-produced nitric oxide in gas reached 2000 ppm and rapidly diffused into liquid and cells. Cells remained viable following plasma treatment and showed a linear increase in cGMP concentration with plasma treatment, indicating an intracellular functional response to PHD plasma NO. These data suggest that this plasma may provide a novel method for delivering NO locally and directly for enhanced wound healing.

Direct and controllable nitric oxide delivery into biological media and living cells by a pin-to-hole spark discharge (PHD) plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrynin, D; Friedman, G; Arjunan, K; Clyne, A Morss; Fridman, A

2011-01-01

Nitric oxide has great potential for improving wound healing through both inflammatory and vascularization processes. Nitric oxide can be produced in high concentrations by atmospheric pressure thermal plasmas. We measured the physical characteristics and nitric oxide production of a pin-to-hole spark discharge (PHD) plasma, as well as plasma-produced nitric oxide delivery into liquid and endothelial cells. The plasma temperature was calculated as 9030 ± 320 K by the Boltzmann method, which was adequate to produce nitric oxide, although the average gas temperature was near room temperature. The plasma produced significant UV radiation and hydrogen peroxide, but these were prevented from reaching the cells by adding a straight or curved tube extension to the plasma device. Plasma-produced nitric oxide in gas reached 2000 ppm and rapidly diffused into liquid and cells. Cells remained viable following plasma treatment and showed a linear increase in cGMP concentration with plasma treatment, indicating an intracellular functional response to PHD plasma NO. These data suggest that this plasma may provide a novel method for delivering NO locally and directly for enhanced wound healing.

The Fate of Massive Black Holes in Gas-Rich Galaxy Mergers

Science.gov (United States)

Escala, A.; Larson, R. B.; Coppi, P. S.; Mardones, D.

2006-06-01

Using SPH numerical simulations, we investigate the effects of gas on the inspiral and merger of a massive black hole binary. This study is motivated by the very massive nuclear gas disks observed in the central regions of merging galaxies. Here we present results that expand on the treatment in previous works (Escala et al. 2004, 2005), by studying the evolution of a binary with different black holes masses in a massive gas disk.

Supersonic gas streams enhance the formation of massive black holes in the early universe.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, Shingo; Hosokawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Naoki; Kuiper, Rolf

2017-09-29

The origin of super-massive black holes in the early universe remains poorly understood. Gravitational collapse of a massive primordial gas cloud is a promising initial process, but theoretical studies have difficulty growing the black hole fast enough. We report numerical simulations of early black hole formation starting from realistic cosmological conditions. Supersonic gas motions left over from the Big Bang prevent early gas cloud formation until rapid gas condensation is triggered in a protogalactic halo. A protostar is formed in the dense, turbulent gas cloud, and it grows by sporadic mass accretion until it acquires 34,000 solar masses. The massive star ends its life with a catastrophic collapse to leave a black hole-a promising seed for the formation of a monstrous black hole. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

A CONNECTION BETWEEN PLASMA CONDITIONS NEAR BLACK HOLE EVENT HORIZONS AND OUTFLOW PROPERTIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koljonen, K. I. I.; Russell, D. M.; Bernardini, F. [New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A. [Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma (Italy); Markoff, Sera [Astronomical Institute “Anton Pannekoek”, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94249, 1090 GE Amsterdam (Netherlands); Russell, T. D.; Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Curran, P. A.; Soria, R. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research—Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845 (Australia); Van der Horst, A. J. [Department of Physics, The George Washington University, 725 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052 (United States); Casella, P. [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monteporzio Catone (Italy); Gandhi, P., E-mail: karri.koljonen@nyu.edu [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)

2015-12-01

Accreting black holes are responsible for producing the fastest, most powerful outflows of matter in the universe. The formation process of powerful jets close to black holes is poorly understood, and the conditions leading to jet formation are currently hotly debated. In this paper, we report an unambiguous empirical correlation between the properties of the plasma close to the black hole and the particle acceleration properties within jets launched from the central regions of accreting stellar-mass and supermassive black holes. In these sources the emission of the plasma near the black hole is characterized by a power law at X-ray energies during times when the jets are produced. We find that the photon index of this power law, which gives information on the underlying particle distribution, correlates with the characteristic break frequency in the jet spectrum, which is dependent on magnetohydrodynamical processes in the outflow. The observed range in break frequencies varies by five orders of magnitude in sources that span nine orders of magnitude in black hole mass, revealing a similarity of jet properties over a large range of black hole masses powering these jets. This correlation demonstrates that the internal properties of the jet rely most critically on the conditions of the plasma close to the black hole, rather than other parameters such as the black hole mass or spin, and will provide a benchmark that should be reproduced by the jet formation models.

A black-hole mass measurement from molecular gas kinematics in NGC4526.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Timothy A; Bureau, Martin; Cappellari, Michele; Sarzi, Marc; Blitz, Leo

2013-02-21

The masses of the supermassive black holes found in galaxy bulges are correlated with a multitude of galaxy properties, leading to suggestions that galaxies and black holes may evolve together. The number of reliably measured black-hole masses is small, and the number of methods for measuring them is limited, holding back attempts to understand this co-evolution. Directly measuring black-hole masses is currently possible with stellar kinematics (in early-type galaxies), ionized-gas kinematics (in some spiral and early-type galaxies) and in rare objects that have central maser emission. Here we report that by modelling the effect of a black hole on the kinematics of molecular gas it is possible to fit interferometric observations of CO emission and thereby accurately estimate black-hole masses. We study the dynamics of the gas in the early-type galaxy NGC 4526, and obtain a best fit that requires the presence of a central dark object of 4.5(+4.2)(-3.1) × 10(8) solar masses (3σ confidence limit). With the next-generation millimetre-wavelength interferometers these observations could be reproduced in galaxies out to 75 megaparsecs in less than 5 hours of observing time. The use of molecular gas as a kinematic tracer should thus allow one to estimate black-hole masses in hundreds of galaxies in the local Universe, many more than are accessible with current techniques.

A saw-tooth plasma actuator for film cooling efficiency enhancement of a shaped hole

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guozhan; Yu, Jianyang; Liu, Huaping; Chen, Fu; Song, Yanping

2017-08-01

This paper reports the large eddy simulations of the effects of a saw-tooth plasma actuator and the laidback fan-shaped hole on the film cooling flow characteristics, and the numerical results are compared with a corresponding standard configuration (cylindrical hole without the saw-tooth plasma actuator). For this numerical research, the saw-tooth plasma actuator is installed just downstream of the cooling hole and a phenomenological plasma model is employed to provide the 3D plasma force vectors. The results show that thanks to the downward force and the momentum injection effect of the saw-tooth plasma actuator, the cold jet comes closer to the wall surface and extends further downstream. The saw-tooth plasma actuator also induces a new pair of vortex which weakens the strength of the counter-rotating vortex pair (CRVP) and entrains the coolant towards the wall, and thus the diffusion of the cold jet in the crossflow is suppressed. Furthermore, the laidback fan-shaped hole reduces the vertical jet velocity causing the disappearance of downstream spiral separation node vortices, this compensates for the deficiency of the saw-tooth plasma actuator. Both effects of the laidback fan-shaped hole and the saw-tooth plasma actuator effectively control the development of the CRVP whose size and strength are smaller than those of the anti-counter rotating vortex pair in the far field, thus the centerline and the spanwise-averaged film cooling efficiency are enhanced. The average film cooling efficiency is the biggest in the Fan-Dc = 1 case, which is 80% bigger than that in the Fan-Dc = 0 case and 288% bigger than that in the Cyl-Dc = 0 case.

Predictable topography simulation of SiO2 etching by C5F8 gas combined with a plasma simulation, sheath model and chemical reaction model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takagi, S; Onoue, S; Iyanagi, K; Nishitani, K; Shinmura, T; Kanoh, M; Itoh, H; Shioyama, Y; Akiyama, T; Kishigami, D

2003-01-01

We have developed a simulation for predicting reactive ion etching (RIE) topography, which is a combination of plasma simulation, the gas reaction model, the sheath model and the surface reaction model. The simulation is applied to the SiO 2 etching process of a high-aspect-ratio contact hole using C 5 F 8 gas. A capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) reactor of an 8-in. wafer was used in the etching experiments. The baseline conditions are RF power of 1500 W and gas pressure of 4.0 Pa in a gas mixture of Ar, O 2 and C 5 F 8 . The plasma simulation reproduces the tendency that CF 2 radical density increases rapidly and the electron density decreases gradually with increasing gas flow rate of C 5 F 8 . In the RIE topography simulation, the etching profiles such as bowing and taper shape at the bottom are reproduced in deep holes with aspect ratios greater than 19. Moreover, the etching profile, the dependence of the etch depth on the etching time, and the bottom diameter can be predicted by this simulation

Landau quantization effects on hole-acoustic instability in semiconductor plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Sumera, P.; Rasheed, A.; Jamil, M.; Siddique, M.; Areeb, F.

2017-12-01

The growth rate of the hole acoustic waves (HAWs) exciting in magnetized semiconductor quantum plasma pumped by the electron beam has been investigated. The instability of the waves contains quantum effects including the exchange and correlation potential, Bohm potential, Fermi-degenerate pressure, and the magnetic quantization of semiconductor plasma species. The effects of various plasma parameters, which include relative concentration of plasma particles, beam electron temperature, beam speed, plasma temperature (temperature of electrons/holes), and Landau electron orbital magnetic quantization parameter η, on the growth rate of HAWs, have been discussed. The numerical study of our model of acoustic waves has been applied, as an example, to the GaAs semiconductor exposed to electron beam in the magnetic field environment. An increment in either the concentration of the semiconductor electrons or the speed of beam electrons, in the presence of magnetic quantization of fermion orbital motion, enhances remarkably the growth rate of the HAWs. Although the growth rate of the waves reduces with a rise in the thermal temperature of plasma species, at a particular temperature, we receive a higher instability due to the contribution of magnetic quantization of fermions to it.

Laser-induced gas plasma machining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elhadj, Selim; Bass, Isaac Louis; Guss, Gabriel Mark; Matthews, Manyalibo J.

2017-10-17

Techniques for removing material from a substrate are provided. A laser beam is focused at a distance from the surface to be treated. A gas is provided at the focus point. The gas is dissociated using the laser energy to generate gas plasma. The substrate is then brought in contact with the gas plasma to enable material removal.

Accelerating Plasma Mirrors to Investigate the Black Hole Information Loss Paradox.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Pisin; Mourou, Gerard

2017-01-27

The question of whether Hawking evaporation violates unitarity, and therefore results in the loss of information, has remained unresolved since Hawking's seminal discovery. To date, the investigations have remained mostly theoretical since it is almost impossible to settle this paradox through direct astrophysical black hole observations. Here, we point out that relativistic plasma mirrors can be accelerated drastically and stopped abruptly by impinging intense x-ray pulses on solid plasma targets with a density gradient. This is analogous to the late time evolution of black hole Hawking evaporation. A conception of such an experiment is proposed and a self-consistent set of physical parameters is presented. Critical issues, such as how the black hole unitarity may be preserved, can be addressed through the entanglement between the analog Hawking radiation photons and their partner modes.

Accretion of new variable modified Chaplygin gas and generalized cosmic Chaplygin gas onto Schwarzschild and Kerr-Newman black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhadra, Jhumpa; Debnath, Ujjal

2012-01-01

In this work, we have studied accretion of the dark energies in new variable modified Chaplygin gas (NVMCG) and generalized cosmic Chaplygin gas (GCCG) models onto Schwarzschild and Kerr-Newman black holes. We find the expression of the critical four velocity component which gradually decreases for the fluid flow towards the Schwarzschild as well as the Kerr-Newman black hole. We also find the expression for the change of mass of the black hole in both cases. For the Kerr-Newman black hole, which is rotating and charged, we calculate the specific angular momentum and total angular momentum. We showed that in both cases, due to accretion of dark energy, the mass of the black hole increases and angular momentum increases in the case of a Kerr-Newman black hole. (orig.)

Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Chao; Tochitsky, Sergei Ya.; Fiuza, Frederico; Pigeon, Jeremy J.; Joshi, Chan

2016-06-01

We have used multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of C O2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulse train. A heuristic theory is presented that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. The measured values of vHB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.

The effect of nuclear gas distribution on the mass determination of supermassive black holes

Science.gov (United States)

Mejía-Restrepo, J. E.; Lira, P.; Netzer, H.; Trakhtenbrot, B.; Capellupo, D. M.

2018-01-01

Supermassive black holes reside in the nuclei of most galaxies. During their active episodes, black holes are powered by accretion discs where gravitational energy is converted into radiation1. Accurately determining black hole masses is key to understand how the population evolves over time and how the black holes relate to their host galaxies2-4. Beyond the local universe, z ≳ 0.2, the mass is commonly estimated assuming a virialized motion of gas in the close vicinity of the active black holes, traced through broad emission lines5,6. However, this procedure has uncertainties associated with the unknown distribution of the gas clouds. Here, we show that the black hole masses derived from the properties of the accretion disk and virial mass estimates differ by a factor that is inversely proportional to the width of the broad emission lines. This leads to virial mass misestimations up to a factor of six. Our results suggest that a planar gas distribution that is inclined with respect to the line of sight may account for this effect. However, radiation pressure effects on the distribution of gas can also reproduce our results. Regardless of the physical origin, our findings contribute to mitigating the uncertainties in current black hole mass estimations and, in turn, will help us to better understand the evolution of distant supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.

Electron–hole two-stream instability in a quantum semiconductor plasma with exchange-correlation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeba, I.; Yahia, M.E.; Shukla, P.K.; Moslem, W.M.

2012-01-01

The electron–hole two-stream instability in a quantum semiconductor plasma has been studied including electrons and holes quantum recoil effects, exchange-correlation potentials, and degenerate pressures of the plasma species. Typical values of GaAs and GaSb semiconductors are used to estimate the growth rate of the two-stream instability. The effects of electron– and hole–phonon collision, quantum recoil effects, the streaming velocities, and the corresponding threshold on the growth rate are investigated numerically. Considering the phonon susceptibility allows the acoustic mode to exist and the collisional instability arises in combination with drift of the holes. -- Highlights: ► Electron–hole two stream instability in quantum plasmas is presented. ► Typical values of GaAs and GaSb semiconductors are used to estimate the growth rate. ► The streaming velocities and the corresponding threshold on the growth rate are investigated numerically.

Landau retardation on the occurrence scattering time in quantum electron–hole plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Woo-Pyo; Jung, Young-Dae

2016-01-01

The Landau damping effects on the occurrence scattering time in electron collisions are investigated in a quantum plasma composed of electrons and holes. The Shukla–Stenflo–Bingham effective potential model is employed to obtain the occurrence scattering time in a quantum electron–hole plasma. The result shows that the influence of Landau damping produces the imaginary term in the scattering amplitude. It is then found that the Landau damping generates the retardation effect on the occurrence scattering time. It is found that the occurrence scattering time increases in forward scattering domains and decreases in backward scattering domains with an increase of the Landau parameter. It is also found that the occurrence scattering time decreases with increasing collision energy. In addition, it is found that the quantum shielding effect enhances the occurrence scattering time in the forward scattering and, however, suppresses the occurrence scattering time in the backward scattering. - Highlights: • The Landau damping effects on the occurrence scattering time are investigated in a quantum electron–hole plasma. • The Shukla–Stenflo–Bingham potential model is employed to obtain the occurrence scattering time in quantum plasmas. • The influence of quantum shielding on the occurrence scattering time is discussed.

RECOILING MASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guedes, Javiera; Madau, Piero; Mayer, Lucio; Callegari, Simone

2011-01-01

The asymmetric emission of gravitational waves produced during the coalescence of a massive black hole (MBH) binary imparts a velocity 'kick' to the system that can displace the hole from the center of its host. Here, we study the trajectories and observability of MBHs recoiling in three (one major, two minor) gas-rich galaxy merger remnants that were previously simulated at high resolution, and in which the pairing of the MBHs had been shown to be successful. We run new simulations of MBHs recoiling in the major merger remnant with Mach numbers in the range 1≤M≤6 and use simulation data to construct a semi-analytical model for the orbital evolution of MBHs in gas-rich systems. We show the following. (1) In major merger remnants the energy deposited by the moving hole into the rotationally supported, turbulent medium makes a negligible contribution to the thermodynamics of the gas. This contribution becomes significant in minor merger remnants, potentially allowing for an electromagnetic signature of MBH recoil. (2) In major merger remnants, the combination of both deeper central potential well and drag from high-density gas confines even MBHs with kick velocities as high as 1200 km s -1 within 1 kpc from the host's center. (3) Kinematically offset nuclei may be observable for timescales of a few Myr in major merger remnants in the case of recoil velocities in the range 700-1000 km s -1 . (4) In minor merger remnants the effect of gas drag is weaker, and MBHs with recoil speeds in the range 300-600 km s -1 will wander through the host halo for longer timescales. When accounting for the probability distribution of kick velocities, however, we find that the likelihood of observing recoiling MBHs in gas-rich galaxy mergers is very low even in the best-case scenario.

Computer simulation of the formation of Langmuir solitons and holes in a cylindrical magnetized plasma column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turikov, V.A.

1978-06-01

Nonlinear plasma oscillations in a cylindrical plasma resulting from a short localized external excitation are examined by means of a particle-in-cell simulation scheme. Computer calculations are performed for describing the experimental results obtained in a single-ended Q-machine plasma in a cylindrical waveguide. It is assumed that there is a strong magnetic field in the direction of the column axis. When the amplitude of the excitation potential is close to the kinetic energy of electrons having a phase velocity of the electron plasma wave, the formation is observed of solitons and holes in phase space. After formation, the solitons and holes move with constant velocities. The velocities of solitons are close to the wave-phase velocity, while holes move with smaller velocities. When the external potential amplitude is increased, there is a tendency that the number of holes grows. The potential amplitude of the self-consistent field in the soliton region damps in time with increasing soliton width. The potential profile of the hole does not change after its formation. (Auth.)

Spontaneous hole-clump pair creation in weakly unstable plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Breizman, B.N.; Petviashvili, N.V.

1997-03-01

A numerical simulation of a kinetic instability near threshold shows how a hole and clump spontaneously appear in the particle distribution function. The hole and clump support a pair of Bernstein, Greene, Kruskal (BGK) nonlinear waves that last much longer than the inverse linear damping rate while they are upshifting and downshifting in frequency. The frequency shifting allows a balance between the power nonlinearly extracted from the resonant particles and the power dissipated into the background plasma. These waves eventually decay due to phase space gradient smoothing caused by collisionality

Can black hole superradiance be induced by galactic plasmas?

Science.gov (United States)

Conlon, Joseph P.; Herdeiro, Carlos A. R.

2018-05-01

Highly spinning Kerr black holes with masses M = 1- 100M⊙ are subject to an efficient superradiant instability in the presence of bosons with masses μ ∼10-10-10-12eV. We observe that this matches the effective plasma-induced photon mass in diffuse galactic or intracluster environments (ωpl ∼10-10-10-12eV). This suggests that bare Kerr black holes within galactic or intracluster environments, possibly even including the ones produced in recently observed gravitational wave events, are unstable to formation of a photon cloud that may contain a significant fraction of the mass of the original black hole. At maximal efficiency, the instability timescale for a massive vector is milliseconds, potentially leading to a transient rate of energy extraction from a black hole in principle as large as ∼1055ergs-1. We discuss possible astrophysical effects this could give rise to, including a speculative connection to Fast Radio Bursts.

Statistics of structural holes in the one-component classical plasma near freezing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardenas, M.; Tosi, M.P.

1998-03-01

The correlations between structural holes in the fluid phase of the one-component classical plasma near its freezing point at coupling strength Γ=179 are studied by a statistical method using the Ornstein-Zernike relations for a partly quenched disordered system in combination with the hypernetted chain closure. The method involves inserting in the quenched structure of the plasma variable numbers of point-like charged particles, which on reaching equilibrium probe the holes in the matrix. When the probes carry the same charge as the plasma particles, the results may also be interpreted as describing the evolution of the correlations between annealed particles in a partly quenched disordered plasma upon varying the fraction of quenched particles at constant total density. Doubling the charge carried by the probes sharpens their correlations and improves the resolution that can be obtained in this method of structural analysis. (author)

NON-LINEAR VISCO-RESISTIVE COLLISIONAL TRANSPORT IN TOROIDAL ELLIPTICAL PLASMAS WITH TRIANGULARITY AND HOLE CURRENTS: A REVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Pablo; Castro, Enrique; Puerta, Julio

2009-01-01

Non-linear plasma diffusion effects due to hole currents in tokamaks is analyzed in this work. Since the recent discovery of hole currents in tokamaks, this matter has become very important in confinement and instabilities in tokamaks plasmas. The analysis here presented includes non-linear flows as well as hole currents. In the case of low vorticity plasmas our treatment is performed using MHD equations, an it is more suitable for plasmas with very low levels of turbulence, as in the H-mode. The present treatment follows the lines of previous works, and some of the equations and results look like those obtained on these papers. However, the form of the family of the magnetic surfaces is very different to previous treatment, since the hole current modifies those families in a very important way. Elliptic plasmas with triangularity are considered. Pfirsch-Schlueter type currents are obtained for these generalized cases. Diffusion with and without holes are calculated and compared for several values of ellipticity and triangularity. Negative and positive triangularities are considered. In most of the calculations triangularity improves confinement, but the results are different for the positive than for the negative case.

Robust GRMHD Evolutions of Merging Black-Hole Binaries in Magnetized Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Bernard; Etienne, Zachariah; Giacomazzo, Bruno; Baker, John

2016-03-01

Black-hole binary (BHB) mergers are expected to be powerful sources of gravitational radiation at stellar and galactic scales. A typical astrophysical environment for these mergers will involve magnetized plasmas accreting onto each hole; the strong-field gravitational dynamics of the merger may churn this plasma in ways that produce characteristic electromagnetic radiation visible to high-energy EM detectors on and above the Earth. Here we return to a cutting-edge GRMHD simulation of equal-mass BHBs in a uniform plasma, originally performed with the Whisky code. Our new tool is the recently released IllinoisGRMHD, a compact, highly-optimized ideal GRMHD code that meshes with the Einstein Toolkit. We establish consistency of IllinoisGRMHD results with the older Whisky results, and investigate the robustness of these results to changes in initial configuration of the BHB and the plasma magnetic field, and discuss the interpretation of the ``jet-like'' features seen in the Poynting flux post-merger. Work supported in part by NASA Grant 13-ATP13-0077.

Photon-exchange energy transfer of an electron–hole plasma between quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyo, S.K.

2012-01-01

Photon-mediated energy transfer is shown to play an important role for transfer of an electron–hole plasma between two quasi-two-dimensional quantum wells separated by a wide barrier. The magnitude and the dependence of the transfer rate of an electron–hole plasma on the temperature, the well-to-well distance, and the plasma density are compared with those of the standard Förster (i.e., dipolar) rate and also with the exciton transfer rate. The plasma transfer rate through the photon-exchange mechanism decays very slowly as a function of the well-to-well distance and is larger than the dipolar rate except for short distances. The transfer rate of plasmas saturates at high densities and decays rapidly with the temperature. - Highlights: ► We study energy transfer (ET) between two two-dimensional semiconductor quantum wells. ► We compare the ET rates of an electron–hole plasma (at a high density) and Mott excitons. ► We show that the proposed photon-exchange rate is practically dominant over the Förster rate. ► We examine the dependences of the ET rate on the temperature, density, and well-to-well distance.

The Mixed Phase of Charged AdS Black Holes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piyabut Burikham

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We study the mixed phase of charged AdS black hole and radiation when the total energy is fixed below the threshold to produce a stable charged black hole branch. The coexistence conditions for the charged AdS black hole and radiation are derived for the generic case when radiation particles carry charge. The phase diagram of the mixed phase is demonstrated for both fixed potential and charge ensemble. In the dual gauge picture, they correspond to the mixed phase of quark-gluon plasma (QGP and hadron gas in the fixed chemical potential and density ensemble, respectively. In the nuclei and heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies, the mixed phase of exotic QGP and hadron gas could be produced. The mixed phase will condense and evaporate into the hadron gas as the fireball expands.

Two-tone nonlinear electrostatic waves in the quantum electron–hole plasma of semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubinov, A. E., E-mail: dubinov-ae@yandex.ru; Kitayev, I. N. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center–All-Russia Scientific and Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC–VNIIEF) (Russian Federation)

2017-01-15

Longitudinal electrostatic waves in the quantum electron–hole plasma of semiconductors are considered taking into account the degeneracy of electrons and holes and the exchange interaction. It is found in the framework of linear theory that the dispersion curve of longitudinal waves has two branches: plasmon and acoustic. An expression for the critical cutoff frequency for plasma oscillations and an expression for the speed of sound for acoustic vibrations are derived. It is shown that the plasma wave always exists in the form of a superposition of two components, characterized by different periods and wavelengths. Two nonlinear solutions are obtained within nonlinear theory: one in the form of a simple superposition of two tones and the other in the form of beats.

Relation between plasma plume density and gas flow velocity in atmospheric pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yambe, Kiyoyuki; Taka, Shogo; Ogura, Kazuo

2014-01-01

We have studied atmospheric pressure plasma generated using a quartz tube, helium gas, and copper foil electrode by applying RF high voltage. The atmospheric pressure plasma in the form of a bullet is released as a plume into the atmosphere. To study the properties of the plasma plume, the plasma plume current is estimated from the difference in currents on the circuit, and the drift velocity is measured using a photodetector. The relation of the plasma plume density n plu , which is estimated from the current and the drift velocity, and the gas flow velocity v gas is examined. It is found that the dependence of the density on the gas flow velocity has relations of n plu ∝ log(v gas ). However, the plasma plume density in the laminar flow is higher than that in the turbulent flow. Consequently, in the laminar flow, the density increases with increasing the gas flow velocity

Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of Electron Vortex Magnetic Hole in the Turbulent Magnetosheath Plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, S. Y.; Yuan, Z. G.; Wang, D. D.; Yu, X. D. [School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan (China); Sahraoui, F.; Contel, O. Le [Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique-UPMC, Palaiseau (France); He, J. S. [School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing (China); Zhao, J. S. [Key Laboratory of Planetary Sciences, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing (China); Deng, X. H.; Pang, Y.; Li, H. M. [Institute of Space Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang (China); Zhou, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Fu, H. S.; Yang, J. [School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing (China); Shi, Q. Q. [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai (China); Lavraud, B. [Institut de Recherche and Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse (UPS), Toulouse (France); Pollock, C. J.; Giles, B. L. [NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States); Torbert, R. B. [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States); Russell, C. T., E-mail: shiyonghuang@whu.edu.cn [Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); and others

2017-02-20

We report on the observations of an electron vortex magnetic hole corresponding to a new type of coherent structure in the turbulent magnetosheath plasma using the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission data. The magnetic hole is characterized by a magnetic depression, a density peak, a total electron temperature increase (with a parallel temperature decrease but a perpendicular temperature increase), and strong currents carried by the electrons. The current has a dip in the core region and a peak in the outer region of the magnetic hole. The estimated size of the magnetic hole is about 0.23 ρ {sub i} (∼30 ρ {sub e}) in the quasi-circular cross-section perpendicular to its axis, where ρ {sub i} and ρ {sub e} are respectively the proton and electron gyroradius. There are no clear enhancements seen in high-energy electron fluxes. However, there is an enhancement in the perpendicular electron fluxes at 90° pitch angle inside the magnetic hole, implying that the electrons are trapped within it. The variations of the electron velocity components V {sub em} and V {sub en} suggest that an electron vortex is formed by trapping electrons inside the magnetic hole in the cross-section in the M – N plane. These observations demonstrate the existence of a new type of coherent structures behaving as an electron vortex magnetic hole in turbulent space plasmas as predicted by recent kinetic simulations.

The Seepage Simulation of Single Hole and Composite Gas Drainage Based on LB Method

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanhao; Zhong, Qiu; Gong, Zhenzhao

2018-01-01

Gas drainage is the most effective method to prevent and solve coal mine gas power disasters. It is very important to study the seepage flow law of gas in fissure coal gas. The LB method is a simplified computational model based on micro-scale, especially for the study of seepage problem. Based on fracture seepage mathematical model on the basis of single coal gas drainage, using the LB method during coal gas drainage of gas flow numerical simulation, this paper maps the single-hole drainage gas, symmetric slot and asymmetric slot, the different width of the slot combined drainage area gas flow under working condition of gas cloud of gas pressure, flow path diagram and flow velocity vector diagram, and analyses the influence on gas seepage field under various working conditions, and also discusses effective drainage method of the center hole slot on both sides, and preliminary exploration that is related to the combination of gas drainage has been carried on as well.

CLOSING MACULAR HOLES WITH "MACULAR PLUG" WITHOUT GAS TAMPONADE AND POSTOPERATIVE POSTURING.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakrabarti, Meena; Benjamin, Preethi; Chakrabarti, Keya; Chakrabarti, Arup

2017-03-01

To investigate the surgical results of macular hole surgery without gas tamponade or postoperative posturing in patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 macular holes with ≥500 μm mean base diameter. Retrospective interventional case series. Twenty-six patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 macular holes. Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 macular holes and a mean base diameter of 892.8 ± 349 μm underwent pars plana 23-gauge vitrectomy with broad internal limiting membrane peel (ILM peel), inverted ILM flap repositioning (ILMR), and use of autologous gluconated blood clumps as a macular plug to close the macular hole. No fluid-air exchange, endotamponade, or postoperative posturing was used. The subjects were followed up for 12 months. The anatomical outcome of the procedure was evaluated by fundus examination and optical coherence tomography. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography was used to study the restoration of the outer retinal layer integrity in the postoperative period. The preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities in logMAR units were compared to evaluate functional outcome. Macular hole closure and best-corrected visual acuity before and after surgery. Twenty-six patients with mean age 62.8 ± 7.3 years, preoperative median best-corrected visual acuity 6/60 (1.0 logMAR units), and a mean base diameter of 892.8 ± 349 μm underwent surgery to close macular holes without gas tamponade or postoperative posturing. Twenty patients (76.9%) were phakic. Twenty eyes (76.92%) had Stage 3 macular holes and 6 eyes (23.10%) had Stage 4 macular holes. After a single surgery, hole closure was achieved in 100% of eyes. The median best-corrected visual acuity improved from 6/60 (1.0 logMAR units) to 6/18 (0.50 logMAR units) (P hole closure with statically significant functional improvement for large Stage 3 and Stage 4 macular holes.

Non-equilibrium plasma reactor for natrual gas processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shair, F.H.; Ravimohan, A.L.

1974-01-01

A non-equilibrium plasma reactor for natural gas processing into ethane and ethylene comprising means of producing a non-equilibrium chemical plasma wherein selective conversion of the methane in natural gas to desired products of ethane and ethylene at a pre-determined ethane/ethylene ratio in the chemical process may be intimately controlled and optimized at a high electrical power efficiency rate by mixing with a recycling gas inert to the chemical process such as argon, helium, or hydrogen, reducing the residence time of the methane in the chemical plasma, selecting the gas pressure in the chemical plasma from a wide range of pressures, and utilizing pulsed electrical discharge producing the chemical plasma. (author)

Apparatus for atmospheric pressure pin-to-hole spark discharge and uses thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrynin, Danil V.; Fridman, Alexander; Cho, Young I.; Fridman, Gregory; Friedman, Gennady

2016-12-06

Disclosed herein are atmospheric pressure pin-to-hole pulsed spark discharge devices and methods for creating plasma. The devices include a conduit for fluidically communicating a gas, a plasma, or both, therethrough, portion of the conduit capable of being connected to a gas supply, and a second portion of the conduit capable of emitting a plasma; a positive electrode comprising a sharp tip; and a ground plate electrode. Disclosed are methods for treating a skin ulcer using non-thermal plasma include flowing a gas through a cold spark discharge zone simultaneously with the creation of a pulsed spark discharge to give rise to a non-thermal plasma emitted from a conduit, the non-thermal plasma comprising NO; and contacting a skin ulcer with said non-thermal plasma for sufficient time and intensity to give rise to treatment of the skin ulcer.

Short-Acting Gas Tamponade with Strict Face-Down Posturing for the Treatment of Idiopathic Macular Hole.

Science.gov (United States)

Gotzaridis, Stratos; Liazos, Efstathios; Petrou, Petros; Georgalas, Ilias

2017-01-01

A retrospective consecutive case series to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 25 gauge pars plana vitrectomy, ILM peeling, 20% SF 6 gas tamponade and strict posturing for the treatment of idiopathic full-thickness macular holes. We report the results of 106 consecutive eyes that underwent standard 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy, brilliant peel-assisted internal limiting membrane peel, fluid:gas exchange with 20% SF 6 and strict posturing for one week. All patients were followed up at one week, one month, three months, and nine months postoperatively. Biomicroscopy at day 1 and biomicroscopy and OCT at week 1, months 1, 3, and 9 were used to assess macular hole status postoperatively. Pre- and postoperative logMAR visual acuity was compared. The macular hole was closed in 102/106 eyes postoperatively (96.2%). Four eyes showed unclosed macular holes and underwent additional SF 6 intravitreal injection and strict posturing for 10 days. All macular holes were eventually closed without the need of a second surgical procedure. Mean visual acuity improved from 0.63 logMAR preoperatively to 0.39 logMAR postoperatively. One case of retinal toxicity was reported due to accidental intravitreal injection of antibiotic. 25-gauge vitrectomy, ILM peel, and short-acting gas tamponade are highly effective for the treatment of macular holes. Additional intravitreal gas injection followed by strict posturing seems to be a simple and effective treatment for unclosed holes.

Macular hole surgery with short-acting gas and short-duration face-down positioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xirou T

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Tina Xirou,1 Panagiotis G Theodossiadis,2 Michael Apostolopoulos,3 A Stamatina Kabanarou,1 Elias Feretis,1 Ioannis D Ladas,3 Chrysanthi Koutsandrea31Vitreoretinal Unit, Red Cross Hospital, 2B Department of Ophthalmology, University of Athens, Greece; 3A Department of Ophthalmology, University of Athens, GreecePurpose: To report on the outcomes of vitrectomy and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 gas tamponade for idiopathic macular holes with 2 days of face-down positioning.Patients and methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized, observational sequential case-series study on 23 consecutive patients receiving macular hole surgery using 20% SF6 and advised to stay in a face-down position for 2 days postoperatively (SF6 group. These patients were compared to 23 consecutive patients who had previously undergone macular hole surgery, had received 14% C3F8, and were advised to maintain a face-down position for 2 days (C3F8 group. Patients in both groups underwent vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and fluid gas exchange using either SF6 or C3F8. Preoperative and postoperative data included best corrected visual acuity recorded in LogMAR units, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and optical coherence tomography.Results: At a 6-month follow-up, macular hole closure was noted in 23/23 eyes (100% and in 22/23 eyes (96% in the SF6 and C3F8 groups, respectively. The improvement in visual acuity (measured through Snellen acuity lines both preoperatively until 6 months postoperatively was 4.08 ± 2.31 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.08–5.08 for the SF6 group and 2.87 ± 2.30 (95% CI: 1.87–3.86 for the C3F8 group; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.06.Conclusion: Vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling and a short-acting gas tamponade using SF6 with posture limitation for 2 days may give a high success rate in macular hole surgery.Keywords: idiopathic macular holes, SF6 gas tamponade, C3F8 gas tamponade

Gas-filled capillaries for plasma-based accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippi, F; Anania, M P; Brentegani, E; Biagioni, A; Chiadroni, E; Ferrario, M; Pompili, R; Romeo, S; Cianchi, A; Zigler, A

2017-01-01

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators are based on the excitation of large amplitude plasma waves excited by either a laser or a particle driver beam. The amplitude of the waves, as well as their spatial dimensions and the consequent accelerating gradient depend strongly on the background electron density along the path of the accelerated particles. The process needs stable and reliable plasma sources, whose density profile must be controlled and properly engineered to ensure the appropriate accelerating mechanism. Plasma confinement inside gas filled capillaries have been studied in the past since this technique allows to control the evolution of the plasma, ensuring a stable and repeatable plasma density distribution during the interaction with the drivers. Moreover, in a gas filled capillary plasma can be pre-ionized by a current discharge to avoid ionization losses. Different capillary geometries have been studied to allow the proper temporal and spatial evolution of the plasma along the acceleration length. Results of this analysis obtained by varying the length and the number of gas inlets will be presented. (paper)

Gas-filled capillaries for plasma-based accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Filippi, F.; Anania, M. P.; Brentegani, E.; Biagioni, A.; Cianchi, A.; Chiadroni, E.; Ferrario, M.; Pompili, R.; Romeo, S.; Zigler, A.

2017-07-01

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators are based on the excitation of large amplitude plasma waves excited by either a laser or a particle driver beam. The amplitude of the waves, as well as their spatial dimensions and the consequent accelerating gradient depend strongly on the background electron density along the path of the accelerated particles. The process needs stable and reliable plasma sources, whose density profile must be controlled and properly engineered to ensure the appropriate accelerating mechanism. Plasma confinement inside gas filled capillaries have been studied in the past since this technique allows to control the evolution of the plasma, ensuring a stable and repeatable plasma density distribution during the interaction with the drivers. Moreover, in a gas filled capillary plasma can be pre-ionized by a current discharge to avoid ionization losses. Different capillary geometries have been studied to allow the proper temporal and spatial evolution of the plasma along the acceleration length. Results of this analysis obtained by varying the length and the number of gas inlets will be presented.

General Relativistic Simulations of Magnetized Plasmas Around Merging Supermassive Black Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Giacomazzo, Bruno; Baker, John G.; Miller, M. Coleman; Reynolds, Christopher S.; van Meter, James R.

2012-01-01

Coalescing supermassive black hole binaries are produced by the mergers of galaxies and are the most powerful sources of gravitational waves accessible to space-based gravitational observatories. Some such mergers may occur in the presence of matter and magnetic fields and hence generate an electromagnetic counterpart. In this paper we present the first general relativistic simulations of magnetized plasma around merging supermassive black holes using the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic code Whisky. By considering different magnetic field strengths, going from non-magnetically dominated to magnetically dominated regimes, we explore how magnetic fields affect the dynamics of the plasma and the possible emission of electromagnetic signals. In particular we observe, total amplification of the magnetic field of approx 2 orders of magnitude which is driven by the accretion onto the binary and that leads to stronger electromagnetic signals than in the force-free regime where such amplifications are not possible.

Gas injected washer plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, K.K.; John, P.I.; Punithavelu, A.M.; Rao, P.P.

1980-01-01

A plasma gun similar in geometry to the washer plasma gun has been operated with gas injected externally. hydrogen, nitrogen and argon plasmas have been ionised and accelerated to velocities of the order of 10 7 mm s -1 and densities 10 11 mm -3 . Higher parameter range is possible with higher electrical input power. (author)

A computationally exact method of Dawson's model for hole dynamics of one-dimensional plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitahara, Kazuo; Tanno, Kohki; Takada, Toshio; Hatori, Tadatsugu; Urata, Kazuhiro; Irie, Haruyuki; Nambu, Mitsuhiro; Saeki, Kohichi.

1990-01-01

We show a simple but computationally exact solution of the one-dimensional plasma model, so-called 'Dawson's model'. Using this solution, we can describe the evolution of the plasma and find the relative stabilization of a big hole after the instability of two streams. (author)

Gas plasma treatment: a new approach to surgery?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stoffels - Adamowicz, E.; Kieft, I.E.; Sladek, R.E.J.; Laan, van der E.P.; Slaaf, D.W.

2004-01-01

In this survey we analyse the status quo of gas plasma applications in medical sciences. Plasma is a partly ionized gas, which contains free charge carriers (electrons and ions), active radicals, and excited molecules. So-called nonthermal plasmas are particularly interesting, because they operate

Interaction of non-equilibrium phonons with electron-hole plasmas in germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirch, S.J.

1985-01-01

This thesis presents results of experiments on the interaction of phonons and photo-excited electron-hole plasmas in Ge at low temperature. The first two studies involved the low-temperature fluid phase known as the electron-hole liquid (EHL). The third study involved a wider range of temperatures and includes the higher temperature electron-hole plasma (EHP). In the first experiment, superconducting tunnel junctions are used to produce quasi-monochromatic phonons, which propagate through the EHL. The magnitude of the absorption of these non-equilibrium phonons gives a direct measure of the coupling constant, the deformation potential. In the second experiment, the nonequilibrium phonons are generated by laser excitation of a metal film. An unusual sample geometry allows examination of the EHL-phonon interaction near the EHL excitation surface. This coupling is examined for both cw and pulsed EHL excitation. In the third experiment, the phonons are byproducts of the photo-excited carrier thermalization. The spatial, spectral and temporal dependence of the recombination luminescence is examined. A phonon wind force is observed to dominate the transport properties of the EHL and the EHP. These carriers are never observed to move faster than the phonon velocity even during the laser pulse

Thickness-dependent magneto-optical effects in hole-doped GaS and GaSe multilayers: a first-principles study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fei; Zhou, Xiaodong; Feng, Wanxiang; Fu, Botao; Yao, Yugui

2018-04-01

Recently, two-dimensional (2D) GaS and GaSe nanosheets were successfully fabricated and the measured electronic, mechanical, and optoelectronic properties are excellent. Here, using the first-principles density functional theory, we investigate the magnetic, optical, and magneto-optical (MO) Kerr and Faraday effects in hole-doped GaS and GaSe multilayers. GaS and GaSe monolayers (MLs) manifest ferromagnetic ground states by introducing even a small amount of hole doping, whereas the magnetism in GaS and GaSe multilayers are significantly different under hole doping. Our results show that ferromagnetic states can be easily established in GaS bilayers and trilayers under proper hole doping, however, most of GaSe multilayers are more favorable to nonmagnetic states. The magnetic moments in GaS multilayers are weakened remarkably with the increasing of thin film thickness and are negligible more than three MLs. This leads to the thickness dependence of MO Kerr and Faraday effects. Furthermore, the MO effects strongly depend on the doping concentration and therefore are electrically controllable by adjusting the number of holes via gate voltage. The substrate effects on the MO properties are also discussed. Combining the unique MO and other interesting physical properties make GaS and GaSe a superior 2D material platform for semiconductor MO and spintronic nanodevices.

Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Black Hole Accretion

Science.gov (United States)

Avara, Mark J.

Black holes embody one of the few, simple, solutions to the Einstein field equations that describe our modern understanding of gravitation. In isolation they are small, dark, and elusive. However, when a gas cloud or star wanders too close, they light up our universe in a way no other cosmic object can. The processes of magnetohydrodynamics which describe the accretion inflow and outflows of plasma around black holes are highly coupled and nonlinear and so require numerical experiments for elucidation. These processes are at the heart of astrophysics since black holes, once they somehow reach super-massive status, influence the evolution of the largest structures in the universe. It has been my goal, with the body of work comprising this thesis, to explore the ways in which the influence of black holes on their surroundings differs from the predictions of standard accretion models. I have especially focused on how magnetization of the greater black hole environment can impact accretion systems.

Black Holes Are The Rhythm at The Heart of Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

2008-11-01

The powerful black holes at the center of massive galaxies and galaxy clusters act as hearts to the systems, pumping energy out at regular intervals to regulate the growth of the black holes themselves, as well as star formation, according to new data from NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory. People Who Read This Also Read... Milky Way’s Giant Black Hole Awoke from Slumber 300 Years Ago A New Way To Weigh Giant Black Holes Discovery of Most Recent Supernova in Our Galaxy NASA Unveils Cosmic Images Book in Braille for Blind Readers Scientists from the University of Michigan, the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Jacobs University in Germany contributed to the results. The gravitational pull of black holes is so strong that not even light can escape from them. Supermassive black holes with masses of more than a billion suns have been detected at the center of large galaxies. The material falling on the black holes causes sporadic or isolated bursts of energy, by which black holes are capable of influencing the fate of their host galaxies. The insight gained by this new research shows that black holes can pump energy in a gentler and rhythmic fashion, rather then violently. The scientists observed and simulated how the black hole at the center of elliptical galaxy M84 dependably sends bubbles of hot plasma into space, heating up interstellar space. This heat is believed to slow both the formation of new stars and the growth of the black hole itself, helping the galaxy remain stable. Interstellar gases only coalesce into new stars when the gas is cool enough. The heating is more efficient at the sites where it is most needed, the scientists say. Alexis Finoguenov, of UMBC and the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, compares the central black hole to a heart muscle. "Just like our hearts periodically pump our

Nonthermal plasmas around black holes, relevant collective modes, new configurations, and magnetic field amplification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coppi, B., E-mail: coppi@mit.edu [Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States)

2017-03-15

The radiation emission from Shining Black Holes is most frequently observed to have nonthermal features. It is therefore appropriate to consider relevant collective processes in plasmas surrounding black holes that contain high energy particles with nonthermal distributions in momentum space. A fluid description with significant temperature anisotropies is the simplest relevant approach. These anisotropies are shown to have a critical influence on: (a) the existence and characteristics of stationary plasma and field ring configurations, (b) the excitation of “thermo-gravitational modes” driven by temperature anisotropies and gradients that involve gravity and rotation, (c) the generation of magnetic fields over macroscopic scale distances, and (d) the transport of angular momentum.

On Electron Hole Evolution in Inhomogeneous Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzichev, I.; Vasko, I.; Agapitov, O. V.; Mozer, F.; Artemyev, A.

2017-12-01

Electron holes (EHs) are the stationary localized non-linear structures in phase space existing due to an electron population trapped within EH electrostatic potential. EHs were found to be a common phenomenon in the Earth's magnetosphere. Such structures were observed in reconnecting current sheets, injection fronts in the outer radiation belt, and in many other situations. EHs usually propagate along magnetic field lines with velocities about electron thermal velocity, are localized on the scale of about 4-10 Debye lengths, and have the field amplitude up to hundreds of mV/m. Generation of these structures, evolution, and their role in relaxation of instabilities and energy dissipation, particle energization, supporting large-scale potential drops is under active investigation. In this report, we present the results of 1.5D gyrokinetic Vlasov-Maxwell simulations of the EH evolution in plasmas with inhomogeneous magnetic field and inhomogeneous density. Our calculations show that the inhomogeneity has a critical effect on the EH dynamics. EHs propagating into stronger (weaker) magnetic field are decelerated (accelerated) with deceleration (acceleration) rate dependent on the magnetic field gradient. During the deceleration of EH, the potential drop (weak double layer) along EH is generated. Such a potential drop might be experimentally observable even for single EH in the reconnecting current sheets. The same holds for the propagation in the plasma with inhomogeneous density. For some parameters of the system, the deceleration results in the turning of the hole. The interesting feature of this process is that the turning point depends only on the EH parameters, being independent of the average inhomogeneity scale. Our calculations also demonstrate the significant difference between "quasi-particle" concept and real evolution of the hole. Indeed, the EH is accelerated (decelerated) faster than it follows from a quasi-particle energy conservation law. It indicates

High mobility of the strongly confined hole gas in AgTaO3/SrTiO3

KAUST Repository

Nazir, Safdar

2012-05-18

A theoretical study of the two-dimensional hole gas at the (AgO)−/(TiO2)0 p-type interface in the AgTaO3/SrTiO3 (001) heterostructure is presented. The Ag 4d states strongly hybridize with the O 2p states and contribute to the hole gas. It is demonstrated that the holes are confined to an ultra thin layer (∼4.9Å) with a considerable carrier density of ∼1014cm−2. We estimate a hole mobility of 18.6 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is high enough to enable device applications.

High mobility of the strongly confined hole gas in AgTaO3/SrTiO3

KAUST Repository

Nazir, Safdar; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Upadhyay Kahaly, M.

2012-01-01

A theoretical study of the two-dimensional hole gas at the (AgO)−/(TiO2)0 p-type interface in the AgTaO3/SrTiO3 (001) heterostructure is presented. The Ag 4d states strongly hybridize with the O 2p states and contribute to the hole gas. It is demonstrated that the holes are confined to an ultra thin layer (∼4.9Å) with a considerable carrier density of ∼1014cm−2. We estimate a hole mobility of 18.6 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is high enough to enable device applications.

Blister/hole formation on tungsten surface due to low-energy and high-flux deuterium/helium plasma exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishijima, D.; Iwakiri, H.; Yoshida, N.; Ye, M.Y.; Ohno, N.; Takamura, S.

2005-01-01

Deuterium/helium plasma exposures on tungsten surface bring serious damages such as blister and hole. Blistering occurs by cleaving along layered structure intrinsic to the press-roll manufacturing process. Mechanical polishing and helium pre-exposure on mirror-finished powder metallurgy tungsten drastically suppress blister formation. Small cracks made by a polishing would become paths to the surface for diffusing deuterium atoms in the substrate, resulting in no gas accumulation and no blister formation on the surface. Helium pre-exposure would make a helium-enriched layer near the surface, which becomes a kind of diffusion barrier for incident deuterium atoms. Blister formation and deuterium retention are suppressed on the surface with helium-enriched layer. (author)

Impact of Relativistic Electron Beam on Hole Acoustic Instability in Quantum Semiconductor Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Siddique, M.; Jamil, M.; Rasheed, A.; Areeb, F.; Javed, Asif; Sumera, P.

2018-01-01

We studied the influence of the classical relativistic beam of electrons on the hole acoustic wave (HAW) instability exciting in the semiconductor quantum plasmas. We conducted this study by using the quantum-hydrodynamic model of dense plasmas, incorporating the quantum effects of semiconductor plasma species which include degeneracy pressure, exchange-correlation potential and Bohm potential. Analysis of the quantum characteristics of semiconductor plasma species along with relativistic effect of beam electrons on the dispersion relation of the HAW is given in detail qualitatively and quantitatively by plotting them numerically. It is worth mentioning that the relativistic electron beam (REB) stabilises the HAWs exciting in semiconductor (GaAs) degenerate plasma.

Thermodynamics of two component gaseous and solid state plasmas at any degeneracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraeft, W.D.; Stolzmann, W.; Fromhold-Treu, I.; Rother, T.

1988-10-01

We give the results of thermodynamical calculations for two component plasmas which are of interest for dense hydrogen, noble gas and alkali plasmas and for electron hole plasmas in optically excited semiconductors as well. 25 refs, 4 figs

Quasilinear Carbon Transport In An Impurity Hole Plasma In LHD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikkelsen, David R. [PPPL; Tanaka, K. [NIFS; Nunami, M. [NIFS; Watanabe, T-H. [Nagoya University; Sugama, H. [NIFS; Yoshinuma, M. [NIFS; Suzuki, Y. [NIFS; Goto, M. [NIFS; Morita, S. [NIFS; Wieland, B. [NIFS; Yamada, I. [NIFS; Yashura, R. [NIFS; Akiyama, T. [NIFS; Pablant, Novimir A. [PPPL

2014-04-01

Comprehensive electrostatic gyrokinetic linear stability calculations for ion-scale microinstabilities in an LHD plasma with an ion-ITB and carbon "impurity hole" are used to make quasilinear estimates of particle flux to explore whether microturbulence can explain the observed outward carbon fluxes that flow "up" the impurity density gradient. The ion temperature is not stationary in the ion-ITB phase of the simulated discharge, during which the core carbon density decreases continuously. To fully sample these varying conditions the calculations are carried out at three radial locations and four times. The plasma parameter inputs are based on experimentally measured profiles of electron and ion temperature, as well as electron and carbon density. The spectroscopic line-average ratio of hydrogen and helium densities is used to set the density of these species. Three ion species (H,He,C) and the electrons are treated kinetically, including collisions. Electron instability drive does enhance the growth rate significantly, but the most unstable modes have characteristics of ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes in all cases. As the carbon density gradient is scanned between the measured value and zero, the quasilinear carbon flux is invariably inward when the carbon density profile is hollow, so turbulent transport due to the instabilities considered here does not explain the observed outward flux of impurities in impurity hole plasmas. The stiffness of the quasilinear ion heat flux is found to be 1.7-2.3, which is lower than several estimates in tokamaks.

Observation of Blobs and Holes in the Boundary Plasma of EAST Tokamak

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Ning; Xu, Guosheng; Zhang, Wei

2011-01-01

Intermittent convective transport at the edge and in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of EAST was investigated by using fast reciprocating Langmuir probe. Holes, as part of plasma structures, were detected for the first time inside the shear layer. The amplitude probability distribution function...

Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal theory of electron holes in superthermal space plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Aravindakshan, Harikrishnan; Kakad, Amar; Kakad, Bharati

2018-05-01

Several spacecraft missions have observed electron holes (EHs) in Earth's and other planetary magnetospheres. These EHs are modeled with the stationary solutions of Vlasov-Poisson equations, obtained by adopting the Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) approach. Through the literature survey, we find that the BGK EHs are modelled by using either thermal distribution function or any statistical distribution derived from particular spacecraft observations. However, Maxwell distributions are quite rare in space plasmas; instead, most of these plasmas are superthermal in nature and generally described by kappa distribution. We have developed a one-dimensional BGK model of EHs for space plasma that follows superthermal kappa distribution. The analytical solution of trapped electron distribution function for such plasmas is derived. The trapped particle distribution function in plasma following kappa distribution is found to be steeper and denser as compared to that for Maxwellian distribution. The width-amplitude relation of perturbation for superthermal plasma is derived and allowed regions of stable BGK solutions are obtained. We find that the stable BGK solutions are better supported by superthermal plasmas compared to that of thermal plasmas for small amplitude perturbations.

Cold, clumpy accretion onto an active supermassive black hole.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Grant R; Oonk, J B Raymond; Combes, Françoise; Salomé, Philippe; O'Dea, Christopher P; Baum, Stefi A; Voit, G Mark; Donahue, Megan; McNamara, Brian R; Davis, Timothy A; McDonald, Michael A; Edge, Alastair C; Clarke, Tracy E; Galván-Madrid, Roberto; Bremer, Malcolm N; Edwards, Louise O V; Fabian, Andrew C; Hamer, Stephen; Li, Yuan; Maury, Anaëlle; Russell, Helen R; Quillen, Alice C; Urry, C Megan; Sanders, Jeremy S; Wise, Michael W

2016-06-09

Supermassive black holes in galaxy centres can grow by the accretion of gas, liberating energy that might regulate star formation on galaxy-wide scales. The nature of the gaseous fuel reservoirs that power black hole growth is nevertheless largely unconstrained by observations, and is instead routinely simplified as a smooth, spherical inflow of very hot gas. Recent theory and simulations instead predict that accretion can be dominated by a stochastic, clumpy distribution of very cold molecular clouds--a departure from the 'hot mode' accretion model--although unambiguous observational support for this prediction remains elusive. Here we report observations that reveal a cold, clumpy accretion flow towards a supermassive black hole fuel reservoir in the nucleus of the Abell 2597 Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG), a nearby (redshift z = 0.0821) giant elliptical galaxy surrounded by a dense halo of hot plasma. Under the right conditions, thermal instabilities produce a rain of cold clouds that fall towards the galaxy's centre, sustaining star formation amid a kiloparsec-scale molecular nebula that is found at its core. The observations show that these cold clouds also fuel black hole accretion, revealing 'shadows' cast by the molecular clouds as they move inward at about 300 kilometres per second towards the active supermassive black hole, which serves as a bright backlight. Corroborating evidence from prior observations of warmer atomic gas at extremely high spatial resolution, along with simple arguments based on geometry and probability, indicate that these clouds are within the innermost hundred parsecs of the black hole, and falling closer towards it.

Modeling of modification experiments involving neutral-gas release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernhardt, P.A.

1983-01-01

Many experiments involve the injection of neutral gases into the upper atmosphere. Examples are critical velocity experiments, MHD wave generation, ionospheric hole production, plasma striation formation, and ion tracing. Many of these experiments are discussed in other sessions of the Active Experiments Conference. This paper limits its discussion to: (1) the modeling of the neutral gas dynamics after injection, (2) subsequent formation of ionosphere holes, and (3) use of such holes as experimental tools

Formation of electrostatic double-layers and electron-holes in a low pressure mercury plasma column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petraconi, G; Maciel, Homero S

2003-01-01

Experimental studies of the formation of electrostatic double layers (DLs) and electron-holes (e-holes) are reported. The measurements were performed in the positive column of a mercury arc discharge operating in the low-pressure range of (2.0-14.0) x 10 -2 Pa with current density in the range of (3.0-8.0) x 10 3 A m -2 . Stable and unstable modes of the discharge were identified as the current was gradually increased, keeping constant the vapour pressure. The discharge remains stable until a critical current from which a slight increase of the current leads to an unstable regime characterized by high discharge impedance and strong oscillations. This mode ceased after a DL was formed in the plasma column. To induce the DL formation and to transport it smoothly along the discharge column, a low intensity B-field (7-10) x 10 -3 T produced by a movable single coil was used. The B-field locally increases the electron current density and makes the DL form at the centre of the magnetic constriction where it remained at rest. Electrostatic potential structures compatible with ordinary DLs and multiple-layers could be formed in the plasma column by dealing with the combined effects of the operational parameters of the discharge. It is noticeable that a pure e-hole, which is a symmetric triple-layer having a bell shape potential profile, could easily be formed by means of this experimental technique. A partial kinetic description, based on the space charge structure derived from an experimental e-hole, is presented in order to infer the charged particle populations that could contribute to the space charge of the e-hole. Evidence is shown that strong e-hole formation might be driven by an ion beam, therefore it could not be formed in isolation since its formation requires a nearby ion accelerating potential structure. Probe measurements of the plasma properties, at various radial positions of the stable positive column, are also presented. In the stable mode, prior to

Supermassive black holes with higher Eddington ratios preferentially form in gas-rich galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Izumi, Takuma

2018-05-01

The Eddington ratio (λEdd) of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) is a fundamental parameter that governs their cosmic growth. Although gas mass accretion onto SMBHs is sustained when they are surrounded by large amounts of gas, little is known about the molecular content of galaxies, particularly those hosting super-Eddington SMBHs (λEdd > 1: the key phase of SMBH growth). Here, we have compiled reported optical and 12CO(1-0) data of local quasars to characterize their hosts. We found that higher-λEdd SMBHs tend to reside in gas-rich (i.e., high gas mass to stellar mass fraction = fgas) galaxies. We used two methods to make this conclusion: one uses black hole mass as a surrogate for stellar mass by assuming a local co-evolutionary relationship, and the other directly uses stellar masses estimated from near-infrared observations. The fgas-λEdd correlation we found concurs with the cosmic decreasing trend in λEdd, as cold molecular gas is primarily consumed by star formation. This correlation qualitatively matches predictions of recent semi-analytic models of the cosmic downsizing of SMBHs as well. As the gas mass surface density would eventually be a key parameter controlling mass accretion, we need high-resolution observations to identify further differences in the molecular properties around super-Eddington and sub-Eddington SMBHs.

Supermassive black holes with higher Eddington ratios preferentially form in gas-rich galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Izumi, Takuma

2018-06-01

The Eddington ratio (λEdd) of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) is a fundamental parameter that governs their cosmic growth. Although gas mass accretion onto SMBHs is sustained when they are surrounded by large amounts of gas, little is known about the molecular content of galaxies, particularly those hosting super-Eddington SMBHs (λEdd > 1: the key phase of SMBH growth). Here, we have compiled reported optical and 12CO(1-0) data of local quasars to characterize their hosts. We found that higher-λEdd SMBHs tend to reside in gas-rich (i.e., high gas mass to stellar mass fraction = fgas) galaxies. We used two methods to make this conclusion: one uses black hole mass as a surrogate for stellar mass by assuming a local co-evolutionary relationship, and the other directly uses stellar masses estimated from near-infrared observations. The fgas-λEdd correlation we found concurs with the cosmic decreasing trend in λEdd, as cold molecular gas is primarily consumed by star formation. This correlation qualitatively matches predictions of recent semi-analytic models of the cosmic downsizing of SMBHs as well. As the gas mass surface density would eventually be a key parameter controlling mass accretion, we need high-resolution observations to identify further differences in the molecular properties around super-Eddington and sub-Eddington SMBHs.

EFFECTS OF CIRCUMNUCLEAR DISK GAS EVOLUTION ON THE SPIN OF CENTRAL BLACK HOLES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maio, Umberto; Dotti, Massimo; Petkova, Margarita; Perego, Albino; Volonteri, Marta

2013-01-01

Mass and spin are the only two parameters needed to completely characterize black holes (BHs) in general relativity. However, the interaction between BHs and their environment is where complexity lies, as the relevant physical processes occur over a large range of scales. That is particularly relevant in the case of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), hosted in galaxy centers, and surrounded by swirling gas and various generations of stars. These compete with the SMBH for gas consumption and affect both dynamics and thermodynamics of the gas itself. How the behavior of such a fiery environment influences the angular momentum of the gas accreted onto SMBHs, and, hence, BH spins, is uncertain. We explore the interaction between SMBHs and their environment via first three-dimensional sub-parsec resolution simulations (ranging from ∼0.1 pc to ∼1 kpc scales) that study the evolution of the SMBH spin by including the effects of star formation, stellar feedback, radiative transfer, and metal pollution according to the proper stellar yields and lifetimes. This approach is crucial in investigating the impact of star formation processes and feedback effects on the angular momentum of the material that could accrete on the central hole. We find that star formation and feedback mechanisms can locally inject significant amounts of entropy in the surrounding medium, and impact the inflow inclination angles and Eddington fractions. As a consequence, the resulting trends show upper-intermediate equilibrium values for the spin parameter of a ≅ 0.6-0.9, corresponding to radiative efficiencies ε ≅ 9%-15%. These results suggest that star formation feedback taking place in the circumnuclear disk during the infall alone cannot induce very strong chaotic trends in the gas flow, quite independently from the different numerical parameters.

Distortion of plasma diagnostics by an ambient gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearlman, J.S.; Matzen, M.K.

1978-03-01

The effect of vacuum chamber background gas on the ion measurements of a laser-produced, expanding plasma is studied over a wide range of background gas pressures. Experimental measurements are compared with calculations from a coupled rate equation-hydrodynamics code. The code is then used for a parametric study of the effect of background gas pressure on plasma diagnostic measurements. Charge exchange is found to be an important process in our diagnostics above vacuum chamber pressures of 10 -5 Torr

Fermi-edge superfluorescence from a quantum-degenerate electron-hole gas

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ji-Hee; , G. Timothy Noe, II; McGill, Stephen A.; Wang, Yongrui; Wójcik, Aleksander K.; Belyanin, Alexey A.; Kono, Junichiro

2013-11-01

Nonequilibrium can be a source of order. This rather counterintuitive statement has been proven to be true through a variety of fluctuation-driven, self-organization behaviors exhibited by out-of-equilibrium, many-body systems in nature (physical, chemical, and biological), resulting in the spontaneous appearance of macroscopic coherence. Here, we report on the observation of spontaneous bursts of coherent radiation from a quantum-degenerate gas of nonequilibrium electron-hole pairs in semiconductor quantum wells. Unlike typical spontaneous emission from semiconductors, which occurs at the band edge, the observed emission occurs at the quasi-Fermi edge of the carrier distribution. As the carriers are consumed by recombination, the quasi-Fermi energy goes down toward the band edge, and we observe a continuously red-shifting streak. We interpret this emission as cooperative spontaneous recombination of electron-hole pairs, or superfluorescence (SF), which is enhanced by Coulomb interactions near the Fermi edge. This novel many-body enhancement allows the magnitude of the spontaneously developed macroscopic polarization to exceed the maximum value for ordinary SF, making electron-hole SF even more ``super'' than atomic SF.

Drude weight and optical conductivity of a two-dimensional heavy-hole gas with k-cubic spin-orbit interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mawrie, Alestin; Ghosh, Tarun Kanti [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, Kanpur 208 016 (India)

2016-01-28

We present a detailed theoretical study on zero-frequency Drude weight and optical conductivity of a two-dimensional heavy-hole gas (2DHG) with k-cubic Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions. The presence of k-cubic spin-orbit couplings strongly modifies the Drude weight in comparison to the electron gas with k-linear spin-orbit couplings. For large hole density and strong k-cubic spin-orbit couplings, the density dependence of Drude weight deviates from the linear behavior. We establish a relation between optical conductivity and the Berry connection. Unlike two-dimensional electron gas with k-linear spin-orbit couplings, we explicitly show that the optical conductivity does not vanish even for equal strength of the two spin-orbit couplings. We attribute this fact to the non-zero Berry phase for equal strength of k-cubic spin-orbit couplings. The least photon energy needed to set in the optical transition in hole gas is one order of magnitude smaller than that of electron gas. Types of two van Hove singularities appear in the optical spectrum are also discussed.

Electron-positron pair production in a hot accretion plasma around a massive black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Fumio; Kusunose, Masaaki.

1985-01-01

We investigate the electron-positron pair production in a hot accretion plasma around a supermassive black hole in connection with active galactic nuclei. Assuming that an optically thin two-temperature plasma is produced in the vicinity of the central black hole, we examine the condition for the significant pair production by comparing relevant time scales. Since the pair production is dominated by collisions between hard photons, the conditions for significant pair production depend on the production rate of hard photons. We examine the case where the unsaturated Comptonization of soft photons produces hard photons as well as that of bremsstrahlung. We show that significant pair production occurs for a moderately high accretion rate with relatively slow accretion flow as compared to the free fall velocity in both cases. Possible consequences of pair production are briefly discussed. (author)

Gas Temperature Measurement in a Glow Discharge Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Sloneker, Kenneth; Podder, Nirmol; McCurdy, William E.; Shi, Shi

2009-10-01

In this study a relatively inexpensive quartz protected thermocouple is used to measure the gas temperature in the positive column of a glow discharge plasma. For simplicity a K-type thermocouple is used to interpret the gas temperature from the sensor voltage at pressures from 0.5 Torr to 15 Torr and discharge currents from 5 mA to 120 mA. Gas temperature is investigated as a function of the gas pressure at fixed discharge currents and as a function of discharge current at fixed gas pressures in three different gas species (Ar, N2, and He). An infinite cylinder model is used to compute the average gas temperature of the discharge from joule heating and gas thermal conductivity. The model and measurement data agree within 1% to 10% depending on plasma parameters. Data for all three gases have a similar quasi-linear increasing error as compared to the model.

The role of the gas/plasma plume and self-focusing in a gas-filled capillary discharge waveguide for high-power laser-plasma applications

CERN Document Server

Ciocarlan, C.; Islam, M. R.; Ersfeld, B.; Abuazoum, S.; Wilson, R.; Aniculaesei, C.; Welsh, G. H.; Vieux, G.; Jaroszynski, D. A.; 10.1063/1.4822333

2013-01-01

The role of the gas/plasma plume at the entrance of a gas-filled capillary discharge plasma waveguide in increasing the laser intensity has been investigated. Distinction is made between neutral gas and hot plasma plumes that, respectively, develop before and after discharge breakdown. Time-averaged measurements show that the on-axis plasma density of a fully expanded plasma plume over this region is similar to that inside the waveguide. Above the critical power, relativistic and ponderomotive selffocusing lead to an increase in the intensity, which can be nearly a factor of 2 compared with the case without a plume. When used as a laser plasma wakefield accelerator, the enhancement of intensity can lead to prompt electron injection very close to the entrance of the waveguide. Self-focusing occurs within two Rayleigh lengths of the waveguide entrance plane in the region, where the laser beam is converging. Analytical theory and numerical simulations show that, for a density of 3.01018 cm3, the peak normalized...

A Plasma Control and Gas Protection System for Laser Welding of Stainless Steel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl, Thomas Winther; Olsen, Flemming Ove

1997-01-01

A prototype shield gas box with different plasma control nozzles have been investigated for laser welding of stainless steel (AISI 316). Different gases for plasma control and gas protection of the weld seam have been used. The gas types, welding speed and gas flows show the impact on process...... stability and protection against oxidation. Also oxidation related to special conditions at the starting edge has been investigated. The interaction between coaxial and plasma gas flow show that the coaxial flow widens the band in which the plasma gas flow suppresses the metal plasma. In this band the welds...... are oxide free. With 2.7 kW power welds have been performed at 4000 mm/min with Ar / He (70%/30%) as coaxial, plasma and shield gas....

Resonant third-harmonic generation of a short-pulse laser from electron-hole plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kant, Niti [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144 402 (India); Nandan Gupta, Devki [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 (India); Suk, Hyyong [Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) and Graduate Program of Photonics and Applied Physics, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500 712 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-01-15

In semiconductors, free carriers are created in pairs in inter-band transitions and consist of an electron and its corresponding hole. At very high carrier densities, carrier-carrier collisions dominate over carrier-lattice collisions and carriers begin to behave collectively to form plasma. Here, we apply a short-pulse laser to generate third-harmonic radiation from a semiconductor plasma (electron-hole plasma) in the presence of a transverse wiggler magnetic-field. The process of third-harmonic generation of an intense short-pulse laser is resonantly enhanced by the magnetic wiggler, i.e., wiggler magnetic field provides the necessary momentum to third-harmonic photons. In addition, a high-power laser radiation, propagating through a semiconductor imparts an oscillatory velocity to the electrons and exerts a ponderomotive force on electrons at the third-harmonic frequency of the laser. This oscillatory velocity produces a third-harmonic longitudinal current. And due to the beating of the longitudinal electron velocity and the wiggler magnetic field, a transverse third-harmonic current is produced that drives third-harmonic electromagnetic radiation. It is finally observed that for a specific wiggler wave number value, the phase-matching conditions for the process are satisfied, leading to resonant enhancement in the energy conversion efficiency.

Resonant third-harmonic generation of a short-pulse laser from electron-hole plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kant, Niti; Nandan Gupta, Devki; Suk, Hyyong

2012-01-01

In semiconductors, free carriers are created in pairs in inter-band transitions and consist of an electron and its corresponding hole. At very high carrier densities, carrier-carrier collisions dominate over carrier-lattice collisions and carriers begin to behave collectively to form plasma. Here, we apply a short-pulse laser to generate third-harmonic radiation from a semiconductor plasma (electron-hole plasma) in the presence of a transverse wiggler magnetic-field. The process of third-harmonic generation of an intense short-pulse laser is resonantly enhanced by the magnetic wiggler, i.e., wiggler magnetic field provides the necessary momentum to third-harmonic photons. In addition, a high-power laser radiation, propagating through a semiconductor imparts an oscillatory velocity to the electrons and exerts a ponderomotive force on electrons at the third-harmonic frequency of the laser. This oscillatory velocity produces a third-harmonic longitudinal current. And due to the beating of the longitudinal electron velocity and the wiggler magnetic field, a transverse third-harmonic current is produced that drives third-harmonic electromagnetic radiation. It is finally observed that for a specific wiggler wave number value, the phase-matching conditions for the process are satisfied, leading to resonant enhancement in the energy conversion efficiency.

Plasma-neutral gas interaction in a tokamak divertor: effects of hydrogen molecules and plasma recombination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasheninnikov, S.I.; Pigarov, A.Yu.; Soboleva, T.K.; Sigmar, D.J.

1997-01-01

We investigate the influence of hydrogen molecules on plasma recombination using a collisional-radiative model for multispecies hydrogen plasmas and tokamak detached divertor parameters. The rate constant found for molecular activated recombination of a plasma can be as high as 2 x 10 -10 cm 3 /s, confirming our pervious estimates. We investigate the effects of hydrogen molecules and plasma recombination on self-consistent plasma-neutral gas interactions in the recycling region of a tokamak divertor. We treat the plasma flow in a fluid approximation retaining the effects of plasma recombination and employing a Knudsen neutral transport model for a 'gas box' divertor geometry. For the model of plasma-neutral interactions we employ we find: (a) molecular activated recombination is a dominant channel of divertor plasma recombination; and (b) plasma recombination is a key element leading to a decrease in the plasma flux onto the target and substantial plasma pressure drop which are the main features of detached divertor regimes. (orig.)

The effects of massive graviton on the equilibrium between the black hole and radiation gas in an isolated box

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Peng Hu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available It is well known that the black hole can have temperature and radiate the particles with black body spectrum, i.e. Hawking radiation. Therefore, if the black hole is surrounded by an isolated box, there is a thermal equilibrium between the black hole and radiation gas. A simple case considering the thermal equilibrium between the Schwarzschild black hole and radiation gas in an isolated box has been well investigated previously in detail, i.e. taking the conservation of energy and principle of maximal entropy for the isolated system into account. In this paper, following the above spirit, the effects of massive graviton on the thermal equilibrium will be investigated. For the gravity with massive graviton, we will use the de Rham–Gabadadze–Tolley (dRGT massive gravity which has been proven to be ghost free. Because the graviton mass depends on two parameters in the dRGT massive gravity, here we just investigate two simple cases related to the two parameters, respectively. Our results show that in the first case the massive graviton can suppress or increase the condensation of black hole in the radiation gas although the T–E diagram is similar as the Schwarzschild black hole case. For the second case, a new T–E diagram has been obtained. Moreover, an interesting and important prediction is that the condensation of black hole just increases from the zero radius of horizon in this case, which is very different from the Schwarzschild black hole case.

Two fluid plasmas in the vicinity of a Schwarzschild black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buzzi, V.; Hines, K.C.

1992-01-01

The 3+1 split of general relativity has been used to investigate the dispersion relation for certain plasma waves, together with the two stream instability, in the vicinity of a Schwarzschild black hole horizon. In contrast to the special relativistic results, the dispersion relations discussed here contain additional terms involving the gravitational acceleration, a, and the lapse function α. Some of these terms are imaginary and should correspond to gravitational damping effects. 5 refs

Operation of Ferroelectric Plasma Sources in a Gas Discharge Mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunaevsky, A.; Fisch, N.J.

2004-01-01

Ferroelectric plasma sources in vacuum are known as sources of ablative plasma, formed due to surface discharge. In this paper, observations of a gas discharge mode of operation of the ferroelectric plasma sources (FPS) are reported. The gas discharge appears at pressures between approximately 20 and approximately 80 Torr. At pressures of 1-20 Torr, there is a transition from vacuum surface discharge to the gas discharge, when both modes coexist and the surface discharges sustain the gas discharge. At pressures between 20 and 80 Torr, the surface discharges are suppressed, and FPS operate in pure gas discharge mode, with the formation of almost uniform plasma along the entire surface of the ceramics between strips. The density of the expanding plasma is estimated to be about 1013 cm-3 at a distance of 5.5 mm from the surface. The power consumption of the discharge is comparatively low, making it useful for various applications. This paper also presents direct measurements of the yield of secondary electron emission from ferroelectric ceramics, which, at low energies of primary electrons, is high and dependent on the polarization of the ferroelectric material

Study on dynamics of the influence exerted by plasma on gas flow field in non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qaisrani, M. Hasnain; Xian, Yubin, E-mail: yubin.xian@hotmail.com; Li, Congyun; Pei, Xuekai; Ghasemi, Maede; Lu, Xinpei [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China)

2016-06-15

In this paper, first, steady state of the plasma jet at different operating conditions is investigated through Schlieren photography with and without applying shielding gas. Second, the dynamic process for the plasma impacting on the gas flow field is studied. When the discharge is ignited, reduction in laminar flow occurs. However, when the gas flow rate is too low or too high, this phenomenon is not obvious. What is more, both frequency and voltage have significant impact on the effect of plasma on the gas flow, but the former is more significant. Shielding gas provides a curtain for plasma to propagate further. High speed camera along with Schlieren photography is utilized to study the impact of plasma on the gas flow when plasma is switched on and off. The transition of the gas flow from laminar to turbulent or vice versa happens right after the turbulent front. It is concluded that appearance and propagation of turbulence front is responsible for the transition of the flow state.

Fuel gas production by microwave plasma in liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, Shinfuku; Toyota, Hiromichi; Tawara, Michinaga; Yamashita, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Kenya

2006-01-01

We propose to apply plasma in liquid to replace gas-phase plasma because we expect much higher reaction rates for the chemical deposition of plasma in liquid than for chemical vapor deposition. A reactor for producing microwave plasma in a liquid could produce plasma in hydrocarbon liquids and waste oils. Generated gases consist of up to 81% hydrogen by volume. We confirmed that fuel gases such as methane and ethylene can be produced by microwave plasma in liquid

On the Thermodynamics of a Gas of AdS Black Holes and the Quark-Hadron Phase Transition

CERN Document Server

Ellis, Jonathan Richard; Mavromatos, Nikolaos E; Ellis, John

1999-01-01

We discuss the thermodynamics of a gas of black holes in five-dimensional anti-de-Sitter (AdS) space, showing that they are described by a van der Waals equation of state. Motivated by the Maldacena conjecture, we relate the energy density and pressure of this non-ideal AdS black-hole gas to those of four-dimensional gauge theory in the unconfined phase. We find that the energy density rises rapidly above the deconfinement transition temperature, whilst the pressure rises more slowly towards its asymptotic high-temperature value, in qualitative agreement with lattice simulations.

Simulation of magnetic holes formation in the magnetosheath

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadi, Narges; Germaschewski, Kai; Raeder, Joachim

2017-12-01

Magnetic holes have been frequently observed in the Earth's magnetosheath and are believed to be the consequence of the nonlinear evolution of the mirror instability. Mirror mode perturbations mainly form as magnetic holes in regions where the plasma is marginally mirror stable with respect to the linear instability criterion. We present an expanding box particle-in-cell simulation to mimic the changing conditions in the magnetosheath as the plasma is convected through it that produces mirror mode magnetic holes. We show that in the initial nonlinear evolution, where the plasma conditions are mirror unstable, the magnetic peaks are dominant, while later, as the plasma relaxes toward marginal stability, the fluctuations evolve into deep magnetic holes. While the averaged plasma parameters in the simulation remain close to the mirror instability threshold, the local plasma in the magnetic holes is highly unstable to mirror instability and locally mirror stable in the magnetic peaks.

Gas and particle velocity measurements in an induction plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesinski, J.; Gagne, R.; Boulos, M.I.

1981-08-01

Laser doppler anemometry was used for the measurements of the plasma and particle velocity profiles in the coil region of an inductively coupled plasma. Results are reported for a 50 mm ID induction torch operated at atmospheric pressure with argon as the plasma gas. The oscillator frequency was 3 MHz and the power in the coil was varied between 4.6 and 10.5 kW. The gas velocity measurements were made using a fine carbon powder as a tracer (dp approx. = 1 μm). Measurements were also made with larger silicon particles (dp = 33 μm and sigma = 13 μm) centrally injected in the plasma under different operating conditions

Guiding center theory for ion holes in magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovanovic, D.; Shukla, P.K.

2003-01-01

A drift-kinetic theory for ion phase-space vortices in magnetized plasmas is developed, taking into account the effects of the ion polarization and anisotropic heating by ion beams. It provides a theoretical explanation for the bipolar electrostatic structures in the auroral zone of the Earth's magnetosphere and their spatial and temporal scales, as observed by S3-3, Viking, FREJA, Polar, and FAST spacecrafts. Several types of quasi-three-dimensional ion holes are obtained analytically, in the form of either cylinders or ellipsoids. Although topologically different, they produce similar signals on the spacecraft and cannot be distinguished on the basis of the existing satellite data

Plasma horizons of a charged black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanni, R.S.

1977-01-01

The most promising way of detecting black holes seems to be through electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby charged particles. The nature of this radiation depends strongly on the local electromagnetic field, which varies with the charge of the black hole. It has often been purported that a black hole with significant charge will not be observed, because, the dominance of the Coulomb interaction forces its neutralization through selective accretion. This paper shows that it is possible to balance the electric attraction of particles whose charge is opposite that of the black hole with magnetic forces and (assuming an axisymmetric, stationary solution) covariantly define the regions in which this is possible. A Kerr-Newman hole in an asymptotically uniform magnetic field and a current ring centered about a Reissner-Nordstroem hole are used as examples, because of their relevance to processes through which black holes may be observed. (Auth.)

Rotation of a magnesium plasma column in a background gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosco, E. Del; Dallaqua, R.S.

1993-01-01

Measurements of the angular velocity of a plasma column in a surrounding gas atmosphere are presented. The plasma is produced by a pulsed, high current arc discharge in the presence of an axial magnetic field. The angular velocity is measured using the cross correlation technique applied to the floating potential signals measured by two Langmuir probes. The main result is that when gas is added to the discharge the angular velocity is always lower than the case when there is no gas, this effect been more pronounced in the beginning of the discharge. For pressures higher than ∼ 2 x 10 -2 Pa there is a effect of the gas on the plasma column rotation and the angular velocity diminishes even at the end of discharge. (author)

Comparative study of Nd:YAG laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and transversely excited atmospheric CO2 laser-induced gas plasma spectroscopy on chromated copper arsenate preservative-treated wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Khumaeni, Ali; Lie, Zener Sukra; Niki, Hideaki; Lee, Yong Inn; Kurihara, Kazuyoshi; Wakasugi, Motoomi; Takahashi, Touru; Kagawa, Kiichiro

2012-03-01

Taking advantage of the specific characteristics of a transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO(2) laser, a sophisticated technique for the analysis of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) in wood samples has been developed. In this study, a CCA-treated wood sample with a dimension of 20 mm × 20 mm and a thickness of 2 mm was attached in contact to a nickel plate (20 mm × 20 mm × 0.15 mm), which functions as a subtarget. When the TEA CO(2) laser was successively irradiated onto the wood surface, a hole with a diameter of approximately 2.5 mm was produced inside the sample and the laser beam was directly impinged onto the metal subtarget. Strong and stable gas plasma with a very large diameter of approximately 10 mm was induced once the laser beam had directly struck the metal subtarget. This gas plasma then interacted with the fine particles of the sample inside the hole and finally the particles were effectively dissociated and excited in the gas plasma region. By using this technique, high precision and sensitive analysis of CCA-treated wood sample was realized. A linear calibration curve of Cr was successfully made using the CCA-treated wood sample. The detection limits of Cr, Cu, and As were estimated to be approximately 1, 2, and 15 mg/kg, respectively. In the case of standard LIBS using the Nd:YAG laser, the analytical intensities fluctuate and the detection limit was much lower at approximately one-tenth that of TEA CO(2) laser. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Landau damping effects on collision-induced quantum interference in electron-hole plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwa-Min, Kim; Young-Dae, Jung

2007-01-01

The Landau damping effects on the quantum interference in electron collisions are investigated in a quantum plasma composed of electrons and holes. The Born method and the total spin states are considered to obtain the scattering cross-section by using the effective screened potential model. It is found that the Landau damping effects enhance the scattering cross-section, especially, near the scattering angle θ L = π/4. (authors)

Landau damping effects on collision-induced quantum interference in electron-hole plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwa-Min, Kim [Daegu Univ. Catholic, Dept. of Electronics Engineering (Korea, Republic of); Young-Dae, Jung [Hanyang Univ., Dept. of Applied Physics, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2007-07-15

The Landau damping effects on the quantum interference in electron collisions are investigated in a quantum plasma composed of electrons and holes. The Born method and the total spin states are considered to obtain the scattering cross-section by using the effective screened potential model. It is found that the Landau damping effects enhance the scattering cross-section, especially, near the scattering angle {theta}{sub L} = {pi}/4. (authors)

Blob/hole formation and zonal-flow generation in the edge plasma of the JET tokamak

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, G.S.; Naulin, Volker; Fundamenski, W.

2009-01-01

The first experimental evidence showing the connection between blob/hole formation and zonal-flow generation was obtained in the edge plasma of the JET tokamak. Holes as well as blobs are observed to be born in the edge shear layer, where zonal-flows shear off meso-scale coherent structures......, leading to disconnection of positive and negative pressure perturbations. The newly formed blobs transport azimuthal momentum up the gradient of the azimuthal flow and drive the zonal-flow shear while moving outwards. During this process energy is transferred from the meso-scale coherent structures...

Ideal gas behavior of a strongly coupled complex (dusty) plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Oxtoby, Neil P; Griffith, Elias J; Durniak, Céline; Ralph, Jason F; Samsonov, Dmitry

2013-07-05

In a laboratory, a two-dimensional complex (dusty) plasma consists of a low-density ionized gas containing a confined suspension of Yukawa-coupled plastic microspheres. For an initial crystal-like form, we report ideal gas behavior in this strongly coupled system during shock-wave experiments. This evidence supports the use of the ideal gas law as the equation of state for soft crystals such as those formed by dusty plasmas.

Ideal gas behavior of a strongly-coupled complex (dusty) plasma

OpenAIRE

Oxtoby, Neil P.; Griffith, Elias J.; Durniak, Céline; Ralph, Jason F.; Samsonov, Dmitry

2012-01-01

In a laboratory, a two-dimensional complex (dusty) plasma consists of a low-density ionized gas containing a confined suspension of Yukawa-coupled plastic microspheres. For an initial crystal-like form, we report ideal gas behavior in this strongly-coupled system during shock-wave experiments. This evidence supports the use of the ideal gas law as the equation of state for soft crystals such as those formed by dusty plasmas.

Electron energy distribution function control in gas discharge plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godyak, V. A.

2013-01-01

The formation of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and electron temperature in low temperature gas discharge plasmas is analyzed in frames of local and non-local electron kinetics. It is shown, that contrary to the local case, typical for plasma in uniform electric field, there is the possibility for EEDF modification, at the condition of non-local electron kinetics in strongly non-uniform electric fields. Such conditions “naturally” occur in some self-organized steady state dc and rf discharge plasmas, and they suggest the variety of artificial methods for EEDF modification. EEDF modification and electron temperature control in non-equilibrium conditions occurring naturally and those stimulated by different kinds of plasma disturbances are illustrated with numerous experiments. The necessary conditions for EEDF modification in gas discharge plasmas are formulated

Experimental investigation of gas heating and dissociation in a microwave plasma torch at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Liu; Kumar, Rajneesh; Ogungbesan, Babajide; Sassi, Mohamed

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma torch. • Gas heating and dissociation. • Parametric studies of plasma operating conditions. • Local thermal equilibrium plasma. - Abstract: Experimental investigations are made to understand gas heating and dissociation in a microwave (MW) plasma torch at atmospheric pressure. The MW induced plasma torch operates at 2.45 GHz frequency and up to 2 kW power. Three different gas mixtures are injected in the form of axial flow and swirl flow in a quartz tube plasma torch to experimentally investigate the MW plasma to gas energy transfer. Air–argon, air–air and air–nitrogen plasmas are formed and their operational ranges are determined in terms of gas flow rates and MW power. Visual observations, optical emission spectroscopy and K-type thermocouple measurements are used to characterize the plasma. The study reveals that the plasma structure is highly dependent on the carrier gas type, gas flow rate, and MW power. However, the plasma gas temperature is shown not to vary much with these parameters. Further spectral and analytical analysis show that the plasma is in thermal equilibrium and presents very good energy coupling between the microwave power and gas heating and dissociation. The MW plasma torch outlet temperature is also measured and found to be suitable for many thermal heating and chemical dissociation applications

Measurements of laser-hole boring into overdense plasmas using x-ray laser refractometry (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, R.; Takahashi, K.; Tanaka, K.A.; Kato, Y.; Murai, K.; Weber, F.; Barbee, T.W.; DaSilva, L.B.

1999-01-01

We developed a 19.6 nm laser x-ray laser grid-image refractometer (XRL-GIR) to diagnose laser-hole boring into overdense plasmas. The XRL-GIR was optimized to measure two-dimensional electron density perturbation on a scale of a few tens of μm in underdense plasmas. Electron density profiles of laser-produced plasmas were obtained for 10 20 - 10 22 cm -3 with the XRL-GIR and for 10 19 - 10 20 cm -3 from an ultraviolet interferometer, the profiles of which were compared with those from hydrodynamic simulation. By using this XRL-GIR, we directly observed laser channeling into overdense plasmas accompanied by a bow shock wave showing a Mach cone ascribed to supersonic propagation of the channel front. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Whistleron gas in magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Martino, Salvatore; Falanga, Mariarosaria; Tzenov, Stephan I.

2005-01-01

The nonlinear dynamics of whistler waves in magnetized plasmas is studied. Since the plasmas and beam-plasma systems considered here are assumed to be weakly collisional, the point of reference for the analysis performed in the present paper is the system of hydrodynamic and field equations. The renormalization group method is applied to obtain dynamical equations for the slowly varying amplitudes of whistler waves. Further, it has been shown that the amplitudes of eigenmodes satisfy an infinite system of coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations. In this sense, the whistler eigenmodes form a sort of a gas of interacting quasiparticles, while the slowly varying amplitudes can be considered as dynamical variables heralding the relevant information about the system. An important feature of the approach is that whistler waves do not perturb the initial uniform density of plasma electrons. The plasma response to the induced whistler waves consists in velocity redistribution which follows exactly the behavior of the whistlers. In addition, selection rules governing the nonlinear mode coupling have been derived, which represent another interesting peculiarity of the description presented here

Statistical metastability of a classical ideal gas in the Schwarzschild gravitational field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaina, A.B.; Zaslavskii, O.B.

1990-01-01

A classical ideal gas in the Schwarzschild gravitational field is considered. The lifetime of a gas influenced by thermal fluctuations has been calculated. It is shown that thermal effects can lead to the electric charging of a black hole in a plasma containing particles with different masses. (author)

Transition of RF internal antenna plasma by gas control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamajima, Takafumi; Yamauchi, Toshihiko; Kobayashi, Seiji; Hiruta, Toshihito; Kanno, Yoshinori [Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, 1-10-40 HigashiOhi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140-0011 (Japan); Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken, 319-1195 (Japan)

2012-07-11

The transition between the capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) and the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was investigated with the internal radio frequency (RF) multi-turn antenna. The transition between them showed the hysteresis curve. The radiation power and the period of the self-pulse mode became small in proportion to the gas pressure. It was found that the ICP transition occurred by decreasing the gas pressure from 400 Pa.

An argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma as a robust ionization source for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makonnen, Yoseif; Beauchemin, Diane, E-mail: diane.beauchemin@chem.queensu.ca

2014-09-01

Multivariate optimization of an argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma for minimum matrix effects, while maintaining analyte sensitivity as much as possible, was carried out in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In the presence of 0.1 M Na, the 33.9 ± 3.9% (n = 13 elements) analyte signal suppression on average observed in an all-argon plasma was alleviated with the optimized mixed-gas plasma, the average being − 4.0 ± 8.8%, with enhancement in several cases. An addition of 2.3% v/v N{sub 2} in the outer plasma gas, and 0.50% v/v H{sub 2} to the central channel, as a sheath around the nebulizer gas flow, was sufficient for this drastic increase in robustness. It also reduced the background from ArO{sup +} and Ar{sub 2}{sup +} as well as oxide levels by over an order of magnitude. On the other hand, the background from NO{sup +} and ArN{sup +} increased by up to an order of magnitude while the levels of doubly-charged ions increased to 7% (versus 2.7% in an argon plasma optimized for sensitivity). Furthermore, detection limits were generally degraded by 5 to 15 fold when using the mixed-gas plasma versus the argon plasma for matrix-free solution (although they were better for several elements in 0.1 M Na). Nonetheless, the drastically increased robustness allowed the direct quantitative multielement analysis of certified ore reference materials, as well as the determination of Mo and Cd in seawater, without using any matrix-matching or internal standardization. - Highlights: • Addition of N{sub 2} to the plasma gas and H{sub 2} as a sheath gas results in a very robust ICP. • ArO{sup +} and Ar{sub 2}{sup +} background and oxide levels are reduced by over an order of magnitude. • Multielement analysis of rock digests is possible with a simple external calibration. • No internal standardization or matrix-matching is required for accurate analysis. • Cd and Mo were accurately determined in undiluted seawater.

Expert methods in control systems of deep oil and gas holes building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sementsov, G.; Fadeeva, I.; Chigur, I. [State Technical Univ. of Oil and Gas, Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine)

2000-07-01

Attempts to provide self-control of process of long holing on oil and gas have not given due effect owing to complication of object, it fuzzy and equivocation of the information. In this connection it is offered to use for management of drilling expert systems, which one use fuzzy models and methods of the theory of fuzzy control systems. (orig.)

Reactive gas control of non-stable plasma conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellido-Gonzalez, V.; Daniel, B.; Counsell, J.; Monaghan, D.

2006-01-01

Most industrial plasma processes are dependant upon the control of plasma properties for repeatable and reliable production. The speed of production and range of properties achieved depend on the degree of control. Process control involves all the aspects of the vacuum equipment, substrate preparation, plasma source condition, power supplies, process drift, valves (inputs/outputs), signal and data processing and the user's understanding and ability. In many cases, some of the processes which involve the manufacturing of interesting coating structures, require a precise control of the process in a reactive environment [S.J. Nadel, P. Greene, 'High rate sputtering technology for throughput and quality', International Glass Review, Issue 3, 2001, p. 45. ]. Commonly in these circumstances the plasma is not stable if all the inputs and outputs of the system were to remain constant. The ideal situation is to move a process from set-point A to B in zero time and maintain the monitored signal with a fluctuation equal to zero. In a 'real' process that's not possible but improvements in the time response and energy delivery could be achieved with an appropriate algorithm structure. In this paper an advanced multichannel reactive plasma gas control system is presented. The new controller offers both high-speed gas control combined with a very flexible control structure. The controller uses plasma emission monitoring, target voltage or any process sensor monitoring as the input into a high-speed control algorithm for gas input. The control algorithm and parameters can be tuned to different process requirements in order to optimize response times

Statistical mechanics of black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harms, B.; Leblanc, Y.

1992-01-01

We analyze the statistical mechanics of a gas of neutral and charged black holes. The microcanonical ensemble is the only possible approach to this system, and the equilibrium configuration is the one for which most of the energy is carried by a single black hole. Schwarzschild black holes are found to obey the statistical bootstrap condition. In all cases, the microcanonical temperature is identical to the Hawking temperature of the most massive black hole in the gas. U(1) charges in general break the bootstrap property. The problems of black-hole decay and of quantum coherence are also addressed

Low-frequency instabilities of electron-hole plasmas in crossed fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, W.; Kirchesch, P.

1978-01-01

Using local point-contact probes, we observed two types of low-frequency instabilities in n-InSb at 85 K if the samples were exposed to crossed fields. One is a local density instability with threshold frequencies of f = 1 ... 20 Mc, the other a more turbulent current instability. The threshold values of U 0 and B for the onset of these instabilities and the dependence of their amplitudes on the fields have been measured. If a rectangular semiconductor slab is placed in crossed fields, regions of high electric field strength at opposite edges of the contacts are caused by the distortion of the Hall field, giving rise to the generation of electron-hole plasmas by impact ionization. These plasmas are the sources of the observed instabilities. This is especially evident in the case of the local density instability, which originates at the anode high field corner. Several possible reasons for the development of the instabilities are discussed. (orig.) [de

Black hole gravitohydromagnetics

CERN Document Server

Punsly, Brian

2008-01-01

Black hole gravitohydromagnetics (GHM) is developed from the rudiments to the frontiers of research in this book. GHM describes plasma interactions that combine the effects of gravity and a strong magnetic field, in the vicinity (ergosphere) of a rapidly rotating black hole. This topic was created in response to the astrophysical quest to understand the central engines of radio loud extragalactic radio sources. The theory describes a "torsional tug of war" between rotating ergospheric plasma and the distant asymptotic plasma that extracts the rotational inertia of the black hole. The recoil from the struggle between electromagnetic and gravitational forces near the event horizon is manifested as a powerful pair of magnetized particle beams (jets) that are ejected at nearly the speed of light. These bipolar jets feed large-scale magnetized plasmoids on scales as large as millions of light years (the radio lobes of extragalactic radio sources). This interaction can initiate jets that transport energy fluxes exc...

Electron Hole Plasma in Solids Induced by Ultrashort XUV Laser Pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rethfeld, B.; Medvedev, N.

2013-01-01

Irradiation of solids with ultrashort XUV laser pulses leads to an excitation of electrons from the valence band and deeper shells to the conduction band leading to a nonequilibrium highly energetic electron hole plasma. We investigate the transient electron dynamics in a solid semiconductor and metal (silicon and aluminum, respectively) under irradiation with a femtosecond VUV to XUV laser pulse as used in experiments with the Free Electron Laser FLASH at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. Applying the Asymptotical Trajectory Monte-Carlo technique, we obtain the transient energy distribution of the excited and ionized electrons within the solid. Photon absorption by electrons in different bands and secondary excitation and ionization processes are simulated event by event. The method was extended in order to take into account the electronic band structure and Pauli's principle for electrons in the conduction band. In this talk we review our results on the dynamics of the transient electron-hole plasma, in particular its transient density and energy distribution in dependence on laser and material parameters. For semiconductors we introduce the concept of an ''effective energy gap'' for collective electronic excitation, which can be applied to estimate the free electron density after high-intensity ultrashort XUV laser pulse irradiation. For aluminum we demonstrate that the electronic spectra depend on the relaxation kinetics of the excited electronic subsystem. Experimentally observed spectra of emitted photons from irradiated aluminum can be explained well with our results. (author)

Surgical management of macular holes: results using gas tamponade alone, or in combination with autologous platelet concentrate, or transforming growth factor beta 2.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Minihan, M

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Vitrectomy and gas tamponade has become a recognised technique for the treatment of macular holes. In an attempt to improve the anatomic and visual success of the procedure, various adjunctive therapies--cytokines, serum, and platelets--have been employed. A consecutive series of 85 eyes which underwent macular hole surgery using gas tamponade alone, or gas tamponade with either the cytokine transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-beta 2) or autologous platelet concentrate is reported. METHODS: Twenty eyes had vitrectomy and 20% SF6 gas tamponade; 15 had vitrectomy, 20% SF6 gas, and TGF-beta 2; 50 had vitrectomy, 16% C3F8 gas tamponade, and 0.1 ml of autologous platelet concentrate prepared during the procedure. RESULTS: Anatomic success occurred in 86% of eyes, with 96% of the platelet treated group achieving closure of the macular hole. Visual acuity improved by two lines or more in 65% of the SF6 only group, 33% of those treated with TGF-beta 2 and in 74% of the platelet treated group. In the platelet treated group 40% achieved 6\\/12 or better and 62% achieved 6\\/18 or better. The best visual results were obtained in stage 2 holes. CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy for macular holes is often of benefit and patients may recover good visual acuity, especially early in the disease process. The procedure has a number of serious complications, and the postoperative posturing requirement is difficult. Patients need to be informed of such concerns before surgery.

Investigation of Sterilization Mechanism for Geobacillus stearothermophilus Spores with Plasma-Excited Neutral Gas

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Kei; Ikenaga, Noriaki; Sakudo, Noriyuki

2015-09-01

We investigate the mechanism of the sterilization with plasma-excited neutral gas that uniformly sterilizes both the space and inner wall of the reactor chamber at atmospheric pressure. Only reactive neutral species such as plasma-excited gas molecules and radicals are separated from the plasma and sent to the reactor chamber for chemical sterilization. The plasma source gas uses humidified mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores and tyrosine which is amino acid are treated by the plasma-excited neutral gas. Shape change of the treated spore is observed by SEM, and chemical modification of the treated tyrosine is analyzed by HPLC. As a result, the surface of the treated spore shows depression. Hydroxylation and nitration of tyrosine are shown after the treatment. For these reasons, we believe that the sterilization with plasma-excited neutral gas results from the deformation of spore structure due to the chemical modification of amino acid.

What is black hole?

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. What is black hole? Possible end phase of a star: A star is a massive, luminous ball of plasma having continuous nuclear burning. Star exhausts nuclear fuel →. White Dwarf, Neutron Star, Black Hole. Black hole's gravitational field is so powerful that even ...

Plasma performance improvement with neon gas puffing in HT-7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, X.; Wan, B.; Li, J.; Shi, Y.; Zhang, X.; Zhu, Y.; Wu, Z.; Liu, H.; Qian, J.

2005-01-01

The neon gas puffing for the production of a radiative layer near the plasma edge with the improved energy and particle confinement has been investigated in HT-7 during the 2003 campaign. Plasma characteristics of these discharges in HT-7 are similar to the TEXTOR RI-mode discharges. The peaked electron temperature and the broadened density profiles were formed in these discharges with the combination of LHCD and IBW heating. The central electron temperature was increased by nearly 50%, compared those discharges with the same plasma parameters and injected power without the neon gas puffing. These discharges also exhibited relatively higher plasma inductance. (author)

Shock waves in gas and plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu, K.

1996-01-01

A shock wave is a discontinuous surface that connects supersonic flow with subsonic flow. After a shock wave, flow velocity is reduced, and pressure and temperature increase; entropy especially increases across a shock wave. Therefore, flow is in nonequilibrium, and irreversible processes occur inside the shock layer. The thickness of a shock wave in neutral gas is of the order of the mean free path of the fluid particle. A shock wave also appears in magnetized plasma. Provided that when the plasma flow is parallel to the magnetic field, a shock wave appears if the governing equation for velocity potential is in hyperbolic type in relation with the Mach number and the Alfven number. When the flow is perpendicular to the magnetic field, the Maxwell stress, in addition to the pressure, plays a role in the shock wave in plasma. When the plasma temperature is so high, as the plasma becomes collision-free, another type of shock wave appears. In a collision-free shock wave, gyromotions of electrons around the magnetic field lines cause the shock formation instead of collisions in a collision-dominant plasma or neutral gas. Regardless of a collision-dominant or collision-free shock wave, the fluid that passes through the shock wave is heated in addition to being compressed. In inertial confinement fusion, the fuel must be compressed. Really, implosion motion performs fuel compression. A shock wave, appearing in the process of implosion, compresses the fuel. The shock wave, however, heats the fuel more intensively, and it makes it difficult to compress the fuel further because high temperatures invite high pressure. Adiabatic compression of the fuel is the desired result during the implosion, without the formation of a shock wave. (Author)

Electron Dynamics in a Subproton-Gyroscale Magnetic Hole

Science.gov (United States)

Gershman, Daniel J.; Dorelli, John C.; Vinas, Adolfo F.; Avanov, Levon A.; Gliese, Ulrik B.; Barrie, Alexander C.; Coffey, Victoria; Chandler, Michael; Dickson, Charles; MacDonald, Elizabeth A.;

Plasma and neutral gas jet interactions in the exhaust of a magnetic confinement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krueger, W.A.

1990-06-01

A general purpose 2-1/2 dimensional, multifluid, time dependent computer code has been developed. This flexible tool models the dynamic behavior of plasma/neutral gas interactions in the presence of a magnetic field. The simulation has been used to examine the formation of smoke ring structure in the plasma rocket exhaust by injection of an axial jet of neutral gas. Specifically, the code was applied to the special case of attempting to couple the neutral gas momentum to the plasma in such a manner that plasma smoke rings would form, disconnecting the plasma from the magnetic field. For this scenario several cases where run scanning a wide range of neutral gas input parameters. In all the cases it was found that after an initial transient phase, the plasma eroded the neutral gas and after that followed the original magnetic field. From these findings it is concluded that smoke rings do not form with axial injection of neutral gas. Several suggestions for alternative injection schemes are presented

ALMA FOLLOWS STREAMING OF DENSE GAS DOWN TO 40 pc FROM THE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE IN NGC 1097

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fathi, Kambiz; Piñol-Ferrer, Nuria; Lundgren, Andreas A.; Wiklind, Tommy; Kohno, Kotaro; Izumi, Takuma; Martín, Sergio; Espada, Daniel; Hatziminaoglou, Evanthia; Imanishi, Masatoshi; Krips, Melanie; Matsushita, Satoki; Meier, David S.; Nakai, Naomasa; Sheth, Kartik; Turner, Jean; Van de Ven, Glenn

2013-01-01

We present a kinematic analysis of the dense molecular gas in the central 200 pc of the nearby galaxy NGC 1097, based on Cycle 0 observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We use the HCN(4-3) line to trace the densest interstellar molecular gas (n H 2 ∼10 8 cm –3 ), and quantify its kinematics, and estimate an inflow rate for the molecular gas. We find a striking similarity between the ALMA kinematic data and the analytic spiral inflow model that we have previously constructed based on ionized gas velocity fields on larger scales. We are able to follow dense gas streaming down to 40 pc distance from the supermassive black hole in this Seyfert 1 galaxy. In order to fulfill marginal stability, we deduce that the dense gas is confined to a very thin disk, and we derive a dense gas inflow rate of 0.09 M ☉ yr –1 at 40 pc radius. Combined with previous values from the Hα and CO gas, we calculate a combined molecular and ionized gas inflow rate of ∼0.2 M ☉ yr –1 at 40 pc distance from the central supermassive black hole of NGC 1097.

Effect of feed-gas humidity on nitrogen atmospheric-pressure plasma jet for biological applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephan, Karl D; McLean, Robert J C; DeLeon, Gian; Melnikov, Vadim

2016-11-14

We investigate the effect of feed-gas humidity on the oxidative properties of an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet using nitrogen gas. Plasma jets operating at atmospheric pressure are finding uses in medical and biological settings for sterilization and other applications involving oxidative stress applied to organisms. Most jets use noble gases, but some researchers use less expensive nitrogen gas. The feed-gas water content (humidity) has been found to influence the performance of noble-gas plasma jets, but has not yet been systematically investigated for jets using nitrogen gas. Low-humidity and high-humidity feed gases were used in a nitrogen plasma jet, and the oxidation effect of the jet was measured quantitatively using a chemical dosimeter known as FBX (ferrous sulfate-benzoic acid-xylenol orange). The plasma jet using high humidity was found to have about ten times the oxidation effect of the low-humidity jet, as measured by comparison with the addition of measured amounts of hydrogen peroxide to the FBX dosimeter. Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets using nitrogen as a feed gas have a greater oxidizing effect with a high level of humidity added to the feed gas.

Velocities of gas and plasmas from real time holographic interferograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deason, V.A.; Reynolds, L.D.; McIlwain, M.E.

1985-01-01

A truly noninvasive measurement technique for plasma velocity has not been demonstrated. Plasma velocities have been inferred using laser Doppler anemometry or photographic analysis of the position of smoke or small particles. This paper describes an alternate method based on the refractive index change created in a plasma by a gaseous probe material injected into the plasma. This disturbance of the refractive index can be monitored using interferometry. A multipass real time holographic interferometry system was used to follow the changes of the interferometric pattern, and the data was recorded using high speed cinematography. A transparent model of an industrial plasma torch was employed in these studies, and a number of different types of trace gas materials were used to track the plasma flow. Using a combination of multipass interferometry and a laser line absorbing gas, sufficient interferometric sensitivity was obtained to determine plasma velocities in the 100 m/s range. Based on these results, a working plasma torch was constructed. Further studies are planned using this torch and actual plasmas

Propagation of atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet into ambient air at laminar gas flow

Science.gov (United States)

Pinchuk, M.; Stepanova, O.; Kurakina, N.; Spodobin, V.

2017-05-01

The formation of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) in a gas flow passing through the discharge gap depends on both gas-dynamic properties and electrophysical parameters of the plasma jet generator. The paper presents the results of experimental and numerical study of the propagation of the APPJ in a laminar flow of helium. A dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) generated inside a quartz tube equipped with a coaxial electrode system, which provided gas passing through it, served as a plasma source. The transition of the laminar regime of gas flow into turbulent one was controlled by the photography of a formed plasma jet. The corresponding gas outlet velocity and Reynolds numbers were revealed experimentally and were used to simulate gas dynamics with OpenFOAM software. The data of the numerical simulation suggest that the length of plasma jet at the unvarying electrophysical parameters of DBD strongly depends on the mole fraction of ambient air in a helium flow, which is established along the direction of gas flow.

Statistical dynamics of transient processes in a gas discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, G.I.; Telegin, G.G.

1991-01-01

The properties of a gas discharge plasma to a great extent depend on random processes whose study has recently become particularly important. The present work is concerned with analyzing the statistical phenomena that occur during the prebreakdown stage in a gas discharge. Unlike other studies of breakdown in the discharge gap, in which secondary electron effects and photon processes at the electrodes must be considered, here the authors treat the case of an electrodeless rf discharge or a laser photoresonant plasma. The analysis is based on the balance between the rates of electron generation and recombination in the plasma. The fluctuation kinetics for ionization of atoms in the hot plasma may also play an important role when the electron temperature changes abruptly, as occurs during adiabatic pinching of the plasma or during electron cyclotron heating

Structure of anode plasma of gas discharge taking into account gas ionization burnout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zharinov, A.V.; Shumilin, V.P.

2006-01-01

One deals with a structure of an anode plasma of a gas discharge with intensive ionization ( b urnout ) of neutral atoms (neutrals). One derived analytical solutions of the quasi-neutrality equation for potential distribution, as well as, a condition of anode plasma existence in a unidimensional case at the arbitrary dependences of neutral burnout frequency and of electron concentration on the potential. One studied particular cases of the level frequency of neutral burnout, of ionization by the Maxwell electrons and of ionization by the intensive beam at collision-free motion of ions and the Boltzmann distribution of thermal electrons. Solutions for the first two cases at zero parameter of burnout, that is, at the level concentration of a gas coincide with the solutions obtained [1] by the power series expansion. It is shown that in case of ionization by the Maxwell electrons, anode plasma at the rational flow rates of a working gas may be produced under rather high temperature of electrons (if, for example, xenon serves as a working gas, so T e ≥5 eV). The stationary solutions of the quasi-neutrality at ionization by the intensive electron beam are found exclusively when the ratio between the electron beam density and the maximum density of thermal neutrons does not exceed a certain limiting value [ru

Optimal management of idiopathic macular holes.

Science.gov (United States)

Madi, Haifa A; Masri, Ibrahim; Steel, David H

2016-01-01

This review evaluates the current surgical options for the management of idiopathic macular holes (IMHs), including vitrectomy, ocriplasmin (OCP), and expansile gas use, and discusses key background information to inform the choice of treatment. An evidence-based approach to selecting the best treatment option for the individual patient based on IMH characteristics and patient-specific factors is suggested. For holes without vitreomacular attachment (VMA), vitrectomy is the only option with three key surgical variables: whether to peel the inner limiting membrane (ILM), the type of tamponade agent to be used, and the requirement for postoperative face-down posturing. There is a general consensus that ILM peeling improves primary anatomical hole closure rate; however, in small holes (holes, but large (>400 µm) and chronic holes (>1-year history) are usually treated with long-acting gas and posturing. Several studies on posturing and gas choice were carried out in combination with ILM peeling, which may also influence the gas and posturing requirement. Combined phacovitrectomy appears to offer more rapid visual recovery without affecting the long-term outcomes of vitrectomy for IMH. OCP is licensed for use in patients with small- or medium-sized holes and VMA. A greater success rate in using OCP has been reported in smaller holes, but further predictive factors for its success are needed to refine its use. It is important to counsel patients realistically regarding the rates of success with intravitreal OCP and its potential complications. Expansile gas can be considered as a further option in small holes with VMA; however, larger studies are required to provide guidance on its use.

The Effect of Percentage of Nitrogen in Plasma Gas on Nitrogen ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Increase in nitrogen percent in the plasma gas results in increased content of dissociated nitrogen and molecular nitrogen possessing excess vibrational energy and therefore the increased solution of nitrogen in the liquid iron. It would appear that above 35% nitrogen in the plasma gas, frequency of collisions of species in ...

Controlling hydrophilicity of polymer film by altering gas flow rate in atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Woo Seok; Hur, Min; Lee, Jae-Ok; Song, Young-Hoon

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Controlling hydrophilicity of polymer film by varying gas flow rate is proposed in atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasma treatment. • Without employing additional reactive gas, requiring more plasma power and longer treatment time, hydrophilicity of polyimide films was improved after the low-gas-flow plasma treatment. • The gas flow rate affects the hydrophilic properties of polymer surface by changing the discharge atmosphere in the particular geometry of the reactor developed. • Low-gas-flow induced wettability control suggests effective and economical plasma treatment. - Abstract: This paper reports on controlling the hydrophilicity of polyimide films using atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasmas by changing only the gas flow rate. The gas flow changed the discharge atmosphere by mixing the feed gas with ambient air because of the particular geometry of the reactor developed for the study, and a low gas flow rate was found to be favorable because it generated abundant nitrogen or oxygen species that served as sources of hydrophilic functional groups over the polymer surface. After low-gas-flow plasma treatment, the polymer surface exhibited hydrophilic characteristics with increased surface roughness and enhanced chemical properties owing to the surface addition of functional groups. Without adding any reactive gases or requiring high plasma power and longer treatment time, the developed reactor with low-gas-flow operation offered effective and economical wettability control of polyimide films

Generation of acoustic phonons from quasi-two-dimensional hole gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, J.; Oh, I.K.

2002-01-01

Full text: Generation of phonons from two dimensional electron and hole gases in quantum wells has attracted much attraction recently. The mechanism of phonon emission plays an important role in the phonon spectroscopy which enables us to study the angular and polarization dependence of phonon emission. The acoustic phonon emission from a quasi-two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) in quantum wells is influenced by the anisotropic factors in the valence band structure, screening, elastic property, etc. The anisotropy in the valence band structure gives rise to anisotropic effective mass and deformation potential and that in the elastic constants leads to anisotropic sound velocity. Piezoelectric coupling in non-centrosymmetric materials such as GaAs is also anisotropic. In this paper, considering the anisotropy in the effective mass, deformation potential, piezoelectric coupling and screening effect, we present a theory to study the angular and polarization dependence of acoustic phonon emission from a quasi-2DHG in quantum wells. The theory is finally applied to calculate the rate of acoustic phonon emission in GaAs quantum wells

Cold flame on Biofilm - Transport of Plasma Chemistry from Gas to Liquid Phase

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Michael

2014-10-01

One of the most active and fastest growing fields in low-temperature plasma science today is biological effects of gas plasmas and their translation in many challenges of societal importance such as healthcare, environment, agriculture, and nanoscale fabrication and synthesis. Using medicine as an example, there are already three FDA-approved plasma-based surgical procedures for tissue ablation and blood coagulation and at least five phase-II clinical trials on plasma-assisted wound healing therapies. A key driver for realizing the immense application potential of near room-temperature ambient pressure gas plasmas, commonly known as cold atmospheric plasmas or CAP, is to build a sizeable interdisciplinary knowledge base with which to unravel, optimize, and indeed design how reactive plasma species interact with cells and their key components such as protein and DNA. Whilst a logical objective, it is a formidable challenge not least since existing knowledge of gas discharges is largely in the gas-phase and therefore not directly applicable to cell-containing matters that are covered by or embedded in liquid (e.g. biofluid). Here, we study plasma inactivation of biofilms, a jelly-like structure that bacteria use to protect themselves and a major source of antimicrobial resistance. As 60--90% of biofilm is made of water, we develop a holistic model incorporating physics and chemistry in the upstream CAP-generating region, a plasma-exit region as a buffer for as-phase transport, and a downstream liquid region bordering the gas buffer region. A special model is developed to account for rapid chemical reactions accompanied the transport of gas-phase plasma species through the gas-liquid interface and for liquid-phase chemical reactions. Numerical simulation is used to illustrate how key reactive oxygen species (ROS) are transported into the liquid, and this is supported with experimental data of both biofilm inactivation using plasmas and electron spin spectroscopy (ESR

Modeling of noble gas injection into tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozov, D.Kh.; Yurchenko, E.I.; Lukash, V.E.; Baronova, E.O.; Rozhansky, V.A.; Senichenkov, I.Yu.; Veselova, I.Yu.; Schneider, R.

2005-01-01

Noble gas injection for mitigation of the disruption in DIII-D is simulated. The simulation of the first two stages is performed: of the neutral gas jet penetration through the background plasmas, and of the thermal quench. In order to simulate the first stage the 1.5-dimensional numerical code LLP with improved radiation model for noble gas is used. It is demonstrated that the jet remains mainly neutral and thus is able to penetrate to the central region of the tokamak in accordance with experimental observations. Plasma cooling at this stage is provided by the energy exchange with the jet. The radiation is relatively small, and the plasma thermal energy is spent mainly on the jet expansion. The magnetic surfaces in contact with the jet are cooled significantly. The cooling front propagates towards the plasma center. The simulations of the plasma column dynamics in the presence of moving jet is performed by means of the free boundary transport modeling DINA code. It has been shown that the cooling front is accompanied by strongly localized 'shark fin-like' perturbation in toroidal current density profile. After few milliseconds the jet (together with the current perturbation) achieves the region where safety factor is slightly higher than unity and a new type of the non-local kink mode develops. The unstable kink perturbation is non-resonant for any magnetic surface, both inside the plasma column, and in the vacuum space. The mode disturbs mainly the core region. The growth time of the 'shark fin-like' mode is higher than the Alfven time by a factor of 100 for DIII-D parameters. Hence, the simulation describes the DIII-D experimental results, at least, qualitatively. (author)

Discharge characteristics and hydrodynamics behaviors of atmospheric plasma jets produced in various gas flow patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Setsuhara, Yuichi; Uchida, Giichiro; Nakajima, Atsushi; Takenaka, Kosuke; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu

2015-09-01

Atmospheric nonequilibrium plasma jets have been widely employed in biomedical applications. For biomedical applications, it is an important issue to understand the complicated mechanism of interaction of the plasma jet with liquid. In this study, we present analysis of the discharge characteristics of a plasma jet impinging onto the liquid surface under various gas flow patterns such as laminar and turbulence flows. For this purpose, we analyzed gas flow patters by using a Schlieren gas-flow imaging system in detail The plasma jet impinging into the liquid surface expands along the liquid surface. The diameter of the expanded plasma increases with gas flow rate, which is well explained by an increase in the diameter of the laminar gas-flow channel. When the gas flow rate is further increased, the gas flow mode transits from laminar to turbulence in the gas flow channel, which leads to the shortening of the plasm-jet length. Our experiment demonstrated that the gas flow patterns strongly affect the discharge characteristics in the plasma-jet system. This study was partly supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas ``Plasma Medical Innovation'' (24108003) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT).

Plasma Spraying of Copper by Hybrid Water-Gas DC Arc Plasma Torch

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kavka, Tetyana; Matějíček, Jiří; Ctibor, Pavel; Mašláni, Alan; Hrabovský, Milan

2011-01-01

Roč. 20, č. 4 (2011), s. 760-774 ISSN 1059-9630 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP205/11/2070 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : copper coatings * hybrid water-gas torch * metallic particle oxidation Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.812, year: 2011 http://www.springerlink.com/content/78n3736855261197/fulltext.pdf

Recombining processes in a cooling plasma by mixing of initially heated gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukane, Utaro; Sato, Kuninori; Takiyama, Ken; Oda, Toshiatsu.

1992-03-01

A numerical investigation of recombining process in a high temperature plasma in a quasi-steady state is made in a gas contact cooling, in which the initial temperature effect of contact gas heated up by the hot plasma is considered as well as the gas cooling due to the surrounding neutral particles freely coming into the plasma. The calculation has shown that the electron temperature relaxes in accord with experimental results and that the occurrence of recombining region and the inverted populations almost agree with the experimental ones. (author)

'' Ideal Gas '' gluon plasma with medium dependent dispersion relation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorenstein, M.I.

1995-01-01

An '' ideal gas '' model with temperature dependent particle mass is constructed for the gluon plasma equation of state. This simple model gives us an example of a system with temperature dependent effective Hamiltonian. To satisfy thermodynamical relations in these systems, standard statistical mechanics formulas have to be supplemented by special requirements which are considered in details. A self-consistent '' ideal gas '' formulation is used to describe Monte Carlo lattice data for the thermodynamical functions of SU(2) and SU(3) gluon plasma. 14 refs., 8 figs

Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Jenny E

2012-01-01

Bridging the gap between the approximately ten solar mass 'stellar mass' black holes and the 'supermassive' black holes of millions to billions of solar masses are the elusive 'intermediate-mass' black holes. Their discovery is key to understanding whether supermassive black holes can grow from stellar-mass black holes or whether a more exotic process accelerated their growth soon after the Big Bang. Currently, tentative evidence suggests that the progenitors of supermassive black holes were formed as ∼10(4)-10(5) M(⊙) black holes via the direct collapse of gas. Ongoing searches for intermediate-mass black holes at galaxy centres will help shed light on this formation mechanism.

Plasma target output from a magnetically augmented, gas-injected, washer-stack plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osher, J.E.

1982-01-01

This article describes a new washer-stack gun design developed for the application of plasma target production for the startup of neutral-beam trapping in a fusion research magnetic confinement system. The gun is a Mo anode type that is D 2 injected and has an auxiliary pulsed magnet for control of plasma-flux mapping. One of the principal features of 2--10-ms duration pulses for gun operation in a suitable magnetic field is the formation of an arc column along magnetic field lines from the gun's central cathode electrode to the vacuum chamber walls (at common anode potential). The primary power output from a 5.0-cm-i.d. gun is typically carried along this arc column by a stream of approximately 2000 A of 50--250-eV electrons. This primary stream of relatively low-density energetic electrons efficiently ionizes the injected gas, forming a quasi-dc source of denser secondary plasma of approx.10 13 /cm 3 at a few eV, which is able to flow or diffuse away along a somewhat larger column of magnetic field lines. In plasma-target production tests on a test stand, a gun operated at a D 2 gas flow of 22 Torr ls -1 yielded 250 A of equivalent plasma flow

The response of relativistic outflowing gas to the inner accretion disk of a black hole.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Michael L; Pinto, Ciro; Fabian, Andrew C; Lohfink, Anne; Buisson, Douglas J K; Alston, William N; Kara, Erin; Cackett, Edward M; Chiang, Chia-Ying; Dauser, Thomas; De Marco, Barbara; Gallo, Luigi C; Garcia, Javier; Harrison, Fiona A; King, Ashley L; Middleton, Matthew J; Miller, Jon M; Miniutti, Giovanni; Reynolds, Christopher S; Uttley, Phil; Vasudevan, Ranjan; Walton, Dominic J; Wilkins, Daniel R; Zoghbi, Abderahmen

2017-03-01

The brightness of an active galactic nucleus is set by the gas falling onto it from the galaxy, and the gas infall rate is regulated by the brightness of the active galactic nucleus; this feedback loop is the process by which supermassive black holes in the centres of galaxies may moderate the growth of their hosts. Gas outflows (in the form of disk winds) release huge quantities of energy into the interstellar medium, potentially clearing the surrounding gas. The most extreme (in terms of speed and energy) of these-the ultrafast outflows-are the subset of X-ray-detected outflows with velocities higher than 10,000 kilometres per second, believed to originate in relativistic (that is, near the speed of light) disk winds a few hundred gravitational radii from the black hole. The absorption features produced by these outflows are variable, but no clear link has been found between the behaviour of the X-ray continuum and the velocity or optical depth of the outflows, owing to the long timescales of quasar variability. Here we report the observation of multiple absorption lines from an extreme ultrafast gas flow in the X-ray spectrum of the active galactic nucleus IRAS 13224-3809, at 0.236 ± 0.006 times the speed of light (71,000 kilometres per second), where the absorption is strongly anti-correlated with the emission of X-rays from the inner regions of the accretion disk. If the gas flow is identified as a genuine outflow then it is in the fastest five per cent of such winds, and its variability is hundreds of times faster than in other variable winds, allowing us to observe in hours what would take months in a quasar. We find X-ray spectral signatures of the wind simultaneously in both low- and high-energy detectors, suggesting a single ionized outflow, linking the low- and high-energy absorption lines. That this disk wind is responding to the emission from the inner accretion disk demonstrates a connection between accretion processes occurring on very different

Propagation of atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet into ambient air at laminar gas flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinchuk, M; Kurakina, N; Spodobin, V; Stepanova, O

2017-01-01

The formation of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) in a gas flow passing through the discharge gap depends on both gas-dynamic properties and electrophysical parameters of the plasma jet generator. The paper presents the results of experimental and numerical study of the propagation of the APPJ in a laminar flow of helium. A dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) generated inside a quartz tube equipped with a coaxial electrode system, which provided gas passing through it, served as a plasma source. The transition of the laminar regime of gas flow into turbulent one was controlled by the photography of a formed plasma jet. The corresponding gas outlet velocity and Reynolds numbers were revealed experimentally and were used to simulate gas dynamics with OpenFOAM software. The data of the numerical simulation suggest that the length of plasma jet at the unvarying electrophysical parameters of DBD strongly depends on the mole fraction of ambient air in a helium flow, which is established along the direction of gas flow. (paper)

Transient effects caused by pulsed gas and liquid injections into low pressure plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, D; Goeckner, M; Overzet, L; Chung, C W

2010-01-01

The fast injection of liquid droplets into a glow discharge causes significant time variations in the pressure, the chemical composition of the gas and the phases present (liquid and/or solid along with gas). While the variations can be large and important, very few studies, especially kinetic studies, have been published. In this paper we examine the changes brought about in argon plasma by injecting Ar (gas), N 2 (gas) hexane (gas) and hexane (liquid droplets). The changes in the RF capacitively coupled power (forward and reflected), electron and ion density (n e , n i ), electron temperature (T e ) and optical emissions were monitored during the injections. It was found that the Ar injection (pressure change only) caused expected variations. The electron temperature reduced, the plasma density increased and the optical emission intensity remained nearly constant. The N 2 and hexane gas injections (chemical composition and pressure changes) also followed expected trends. The plasma densities increased and electron temperature decreased while the optical emissions changed from argon to the injected gas. These all serve to highlight the fact that the injection of evaporating hexane droplets in the plasma caused very little change. This is because the number of injected droplets is too small to noticeably affect the plasma, even though the shift in the chemical composition of the gas caused by evaporation from those same droplets can be very significant. The net conclusion is that using liquid droplets to inject precursors for low pressure plasmas is both feasible and controllable.

The search for black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torn, K.

1976-01-01

Conceivable experimental investigations to prove the existence of black holes are discussed. Double system with a black hole turning around a star-satellite are in the spotlight. X-radiation emmited by such systems and resulting from accretion of the stellar gas by a black hole, and the gas heating when falling on the black hole might prove the model suggested. A source of strong X-radiation observed in the Cygnus star cluster and referred to as Cygnus X-1 may be thus identified as a black hole. Direct registration of short X-ray pulses with msec intervals might prove the suggestion. The lack of appropriate astrophysic facilities is pointed out to be the major difficulty on the way of experimental verifications

Optimal management of idiopathic macular holes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madi HA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Haifa A Madi,1,* Ibrahim Masri,1,* David H Steel1,2 1Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Sunderland, 2Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Newcastle, UK *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: This review evaluates the current surgical options for the management of idiopathic macular holes (IMHs, including vitrectomy, ocriplasmin (OCP, and expansile gas use, and discusses key background information to inform the choice of treatment. An evidence-based approach to selecting the best treatment option for the individual patient based on IMH characteristics and patient-specific factors is suggested. For holes without vitreomacular attachment (VMA, vitrectomy is the only option with three key surgical variables: whether to peel the inner limiting membrane (ILM, the type of tamponade agent to be used, and the requirement for postoperative face-down posturing. There is a general consensus that ILM peeling improves primary anatomical hole closure rate; however, in small holes (<250 µm, it is uncertain whether peeling is always required. It has been increasingly recognized that long-acting gas and face-down positioning are not always necessary in patients with small- and medium-sized holes, but large (>400 µm and chronic holes (>1-year history are usually treated with long-acting gas and posturing. Several studies on posturing and gas choice were carried out in combination with ILM peeling, which may also influence the gas and posturing requirement. Combined phacovitrectomy appears to offer more rapid visual recovery without affecting the long-term outcomes of vitrectomy for IMH. OCP is licensed for use in patients with small- or medium-sized holes and VMA. A greater success rate in using OCP has been reported in smaller holes, but further predictive factors for its success are needed to refine its use. It is important to counsel patients realistically regarding the rates of success with

Gas flow dependence for plasma-needle disinfection of S. mutans bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J; Liu Bin; Drake, David

2006-01-01

The role of gas flow and transport mechanisms are studied for a small low-power impinging jet of weakly-ionized helium at atmospheric pressure. This plasma needle produces a non-thermal glow discharge plasma that kills bacteria. A culture of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was plated onto the surface of agar, and spots on this surface were then treated with plasma. Afterwards, the sample was incubated and then imaged. These images, which serve as a biological diagnostic for characterizing the plasma, show a distinctive spatial pattern for killing that depends on the gas flow rate. As the flow is increased, the killing pattern varies from a solid circle to a ring. Images of the glow reveal that the spatial distribution of energetic electrons corresponds to the observed killing pattern. This suggests that a bactericidal species is generated in the gas phase by energetic electrons less than a millimetre from the sample surface. Mixing of air into the helium plasma is required to generate the observed O and OH radicals in the flowing plasma. Hydrodynamic processes involved in this mixing are buoyancy, diffusion and turbulence

Gas flow dependence for plasma-needle disinfection of S. mutans bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goree, J [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Liu Bin [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Drake, David [Dows Institute for Dental Research, Dept. of Endodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States)

2006-08-21

The role of gas flow and transport mechanisms are studied for a small low-power impinging jet of weakly-ionized helium at atmospheric pressure. This plasma needle produces a non-thermal glow discharge plasma that kills bacteria. A culture of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was plated onto the surface of agar, and spots on this surface were then treated with plasma. Afterwards, the sample was incubated and then imaged. These images, which serve as a biological diagnostic for characterizing the plasma, show a distinctive spatial pattern for killing that depends on the gas flow rate. As the flow is increased, the killing pattern varies from a solid circle to a ring. Images of the glow reveal that the spatial distribution of energetic electrons corresponds to the observed killing pattern. This suggests that a bactericidal species is generated in the gas phase by energetic electrons less than a millimetre from the sample surface. Mixing of air into the helium plasma is required to generate the observed O and OH radicals in the flowing plasma. Hydrodynamic processes involved in this mixing are buoyancy, diffusion and turbulence.

Formation and Coalescence of Electron Solitary Holes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saeki, K.; Michelsen, Poul; Pécseli, H. L.

1979-01-01

Electron solitary holes were observed in a magnetized collisionless plasma. These holes were identified as Bernstein-Green-Kruskal equilibria, thus being purely kinetic phenomena. The electron hole does not damp even though its velocity is close to the electron thermal velocity. Two holes attract...

Black holes in radiation-dominated gas: an analogue of the Bondi accretion problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begelman, M.C.

1978-01-01

Black holes, unlike other compact objects, are able to accrete matter more rapidly than their Eddington rate (dM/dt)sub(E) = Lsub(E)/c 2 . Nevertheless, at such a high dM/dt, radiation will probably be emitted by the in-falling gas in copious enough quantities to have a profound influence on the flow. To aid in understanding the nature of this influence a study is made of the steady flow, on to a stationary Schwarzchild black hole, of a uniform, non-relativistic gas in which radiation pressure swamps thermal pressure at infinity, and in which Thomson scattering provides the only radiation-gas couple. Asymptotic radiation pressure p (infinity) and matter density rho(infinity) determine an asymptotic sound speed c(infinity), from which one can derive an accretion rate (dM/dt)sub(B) corresponding to the adiabatic flow of a γ = 4/3 gas. The actual accretion rate depends on the optical depth tausub(B) of a column of unperturbed gas spanning the Bondi radius, rsub(B) = GM/c 2 (infinity). If tau > ((square root of 2)/3) (c/c(infinity)), then the flow is adiabatic, and dM/dt (dM/dt)sub(B). For a somewhat smaller tausub(B), diffusion is efficient enough for the radiation to leak out of the gas as it moves towards the trans-sonic point. As a result, the sound speed decreases inwards in the subsonic region, while the density must increase steeply to maintain pressure balance. dM/dt may then exceed (dM/dt)sub(B) by a factor of up to ((square root of 2)/3) (c/tausub(B)c (infinity)), although this effect can be limited by thermal pressure. Finally, for small enough tausub(B) the diffusion approximation breaks down, and radiation drag limits an otherwise thermally-determined dM/dt. Our boundary conditions occur within supermassive (M/M (solar mass) approximately >10 2 ) stars, and in the pre- and post-recombination universe. (author)

Electro-acoustic coupling in a plasma gas

OpenAIRE

Sutton, Yvonne

2011-01-01

Sound emission using an ionised medium has been the subject of research since the beginning of the 20th century. The mechanism involves modulation at an audio frequency of an electrically sustained plasma discharge. In a similar effect to lightning, the charged particles in the plasma respond to the varying energy input. With this comes gas heating, molecular excitation, light emission from relaxation of excited molecular states and acoustic emission resulting from thermal expansion within, a...

The response of the Tore Supra edge plasma to supersonic pulsed gas injection

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pánek, Radomír; Gunn, J. P.; Bucalossi, J.; Ďuran, Ivan; Geraud, A.; Hron, Martin; Loarer, T.; Pégourié, B.; Stöckel, Jan; Tsitrone, E.

337-339, č. 16 (2005), s. 530-534 ISSN 0022-3115. [Plasma Surface Interactions /16./. Portland, 24.5.2005-28.5.2005] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP202/03/P062 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : Edge plasma * Gas injection and fuelling * probes * Plasma flow * Tore Supra Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.414, year: 2005

Prediction of ultraviolet-induced damage during plasma processes in dielectric films using on-wafer monitoring techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Yasushi; Katoh, Yuji; Okigawa, Mitsuru; Samukawa, Seiji

2005-01-01

We measured electron-hole pairs generated in dielectric film using our developed on-wafer monitoring technique to detect electrical currents in the film during the plasma etching processes. The electron-hole pairs were generated by plasma induced ultraviolet (UV) photons, and the number of electron-hole pairs depends on the UV wavelength. In SiO 2 film, UV light, which has a wavelength of less than 140 nm, generates electron-hole pairs, because the band gap energy of the film is 8.8 eV. On the other hand, in Si 3 N 4 film, which has a band gap energy level of 5.0 eV, UV light below 250 nm induces the electron-hole pairs. Additionally, we evaluated the fluorocarbon gas plasma process that induces UV radiation damage using multilayer sensors that consisted of both SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 stacked films. In these cases, electron-hole pair generation depended on the dielectric film structure. There were more electron-hole pairs generated in the SiO 2 deposited on the Si 3 N 4 film than in the Si 3 N 4 deposited on the SiO 2 film. As a result, our developed on-wafer monitoring sensor was able to predict electron-hole pair generation and the device characteristics

Influence of surrounding gas, composition and pressure on plasma plume dynamics of nanosecond pulsed laser-induced aluminum plasmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmoud S. Dawood

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this article, we present a comprehensive study of the plume dynamics of plasmas generated by laser ablation of an aluminum target. The effect of both ambient gas composition (helium, nitrogen or argon and pressure (from ∼5 × 10−7 Torr up to atmosphere is studied. The time- and space- resolved observation of the plasma plume are performed from spectrally integrated images using an intensified Charge Coupled Device (iCCD camera. The iCCD images show that the ambient gas does not significantly influence the plume as long as the gas pressure is lower than 20 Torr and the time delay below 300 ns. However, for pressures higher than 20 Torr, the effect of the ambient gas becomes important, the shortest plasma plume length being observed when the gas mass species is highest. On the other hand, space- and time- resolved emission spectroscopy of aluminum ions at λ = 281.6 nm are used to determine the Time-Of-Flight (TOF profiles. The effect of the ambient gas on the TOF profiles and therefore on the propagation velocity of Al ions is discussed. A correlation between the plasma plume expansion velocity deduced from the iCCD images and that estimated from the TOF profiles is presented. The observed differences are attributed mainly to the different physical mechanisms governing the two diagnostic techniques.

Static gas-liquid interfacial direct current discharge plasmas using ionic liquid cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, T.; Baba, K.; Hatakeyama, R.

2009-01-01

Due to the unique properties of ionic liquids such as their extremely low vapor pressure and high heat capacity, we have succeeded in creating the static and stable gas (plasmas)-liquid (ionic liquids) interfacial field using a direct current discharge under a low gas pressure condition. It is clarified that the ionic liquid works as a nonmetal liquid electrode, and furthermore, a secondary electron emission coefficient of the ionic liquid is larger than that of conventional metal electrodes. The plasma potential structure of the gas-liquid interfacial region, and resultant interactions between the plasma and the ionic liquid are revealed by changing a polarity of the electrode in the ionic liquid. By utilizing the ionic liquid as a cathode electrode, the positive ions in the plasma region are found to be irradiated to the ionic liquid. This ion irradiation causes physical and chemical reactions at the gas-liquid interfacial region without the vaporization of the ionic liquid.

Two-stage plasma gun based on a gas discharge with a self-heating hollow emitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Vizir, A V; Tyunkov, A V; Shandrikov, M V; Oks, E M

2010-02-01

The paper presents the results of tests of a new compact two-stage bulk gas plasma gun. The plasma gun is based on a nonself-sustained gas discharge with an electron emitter based on a discharge with a self-heating hollow cathode. The operating characteristics of the plasma gun are investigated. The discharge system makes it possible to produce uniform and stable gas plasma in the dc mode with a plasma density up to 3x10(9) cm(-3) at an operating gas pressure in the vacuum chamber of less than 2x10(-2) Pa. The device features high power efficiency, design simplicity, and compactness.

Two-stage plasma gun based on a gas discharge with a self-heating hollow emitter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vizir, A. V.; Tyunkov, A. V.; Shandrikov, M. V.; Oks, E. M.

2010-01-01

The paper presents the results of tests of a new compact two-stage bulk gas plasma gun. The plasma gun is based on a nonself-sustained gas discharge with an electron emitter based on a discharge with a self-heating hollow cathode. The operating characteristics of the plasma gun are investigated. The discharge system makes it possible to produce uniform and stable gas plasma in the dc mode with a plasma density up to 3x10 9 cm -3 at an operating gas pressure in the vacuum chamber of less than 2x10 -2 Pa. The device features high power efficiency, design simplicity, and compactness.

Using open hole and cased-hole resistivity logs to monitor gas hydrate dissociation during a thermal test in the mallik 5L-38 research well, Mackenzie Delta, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, B.I.; Collett, T.S.; Lewis, R.E.; Dubourg, I.

2008-01-01

Gas hydrates, which are naturally occurring ice-like combinations of gas and water, have the potential to provide vast amounts of natural gas from the world's oceans and polar regions. However, producing gas economically from hydrates entails major technical challenges. Proposed recovery methods such as dissociating or melting gas hydrates by heating or depressurization are currently being tested. One such test was conducted in northern Canada by the partners in the Mallik 2002 Gas Hydrate Production Research Well Program. This paper describes how resistivity logs were used to determine the size of the annular region of gas hydrate dissociation that occurred around the wellbore during the thermal test in the Mallik 5L-38 well. An open-hole logging suite, run prior to the thermal test, included array induction, array laterolog, nuclear magnetic resonance and 1.1-GHz electromagnetic propagation logs. The reservoir saturation tool was run both before and after the thermal test to monitor formation changes. A cased-hole formation resistivity log was run after the test.Baseline resistivity values in each formation layer (Rt) were established from the deep laterolog data. The resistivity in the region of gas hydrate dissociation near the wellbore (Rxo) was determined from electromagnetic propagation and reservoir saturation tool measurements. The radius of hydrate dissociation as a function of depth was then determined by means of iterative forward modeling of cased-hole formation resistivity tool response. The solution was obtained by varying the modeled dissociation radius until the modeled log overlaid the field log. Pretest gas hydrate production computer simulations had predicted that dissociation would take place at a uniform radius over the 13-ft test interval. However, the post-test resistivity modeling showed that this was not the case. The resistivity-derived dissociation radius was greatest near the outlet of the pipe that circulated hot water in the wellbore

Analysis of the expanding thermal argon-oxygen plasma gas phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hest, M F A M van; Haartsen, J R; Weert, M H M van; Schram, D C; Sanden, M C M van de

2003-01-01

An expanding thermal argon plasma into which oxygen is injected has been analysed by means of Langmuir and Pitot probe measurements. Information is obtained on the ion density profile and the flow pattern in the downstream plasma. A combination of Langmuir and Pitot probe measurements provide information on the total ion flux generated by the plasma source (cascaded arc). It has been found that the ion diffusion is mainly determined by the background pressure in the expansion vessel and the arc current. The ion density is determined by the total power input into the plasma as well as the gas flow in the plasma source. There is an optimum in the power transfer used for ionization from plasma source to the feed gas. Interaction of oxygen with the plasma results in a decrease in the argon ion density and the plasma beam radius. The recirculation pattern of the downstream plasma has been investigated experimentally using the Pitot probe. Due to the low downstream pressure (10-30 Pa), the conventional compressible Pitot probe theory no longer applies. It is concluded that viscous effects start to play an important role at these low pressures and should be taken into account in the analysis of the Pitot probe measurements

Black-hole driven winds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Punsly, B.M.

1988-01-01

This dissertation is a study of the physical mechanism that allows a large scale magnetic field to torque a rapidly rotating, supermassive black hole. This is an interesting problem as it has been conjectured that rapidly rotating black holes are the central engines that power the observed extragalactic double radio sources. Axisymmetric solutions of the curved space-time version of Maxwell's equations in the vacuum do not torque black holes. Plasma must be introduced for the hole to mechanically couple to the field. The dynamical aspect of rotating black holes that couples the magnetic field to the hole is the following. A rotating black hole forces the external geometry of space-time to rotate (the dragging of inertial frames). Inside of the stationary limit surface, the ergosphere, all physical particle trajectories must appear to rotate in the same direction as the black hole as viewed by the stationary observers at asymptotic infinity. In the text, it is demonstrated how plasma that is created on field lines that thread both the ergosphere and the equatorial plane will be pulled by gravity toward the equator. By the aforementioned properties of the ergosphere, the disk must rotate. Consequently, the disk acts like a unipolar generator. It drives a global current system that supports the toroidal magnetic field in an outgoing, magnetically dominated wind. This wind carries energy (mainly in the form of Poynting flux) and angular momentum towards infinity. The spin down of the black hole is the ultimate source of this energy and angular momentum flux

Tracing the Origin of Black Hole Accretion Through Numerical Hydrodynamic Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Spicer, Sandy; Somerville, Rachel; Choi, Ena; Brennan, Ryan

2018-01-01

It is now widely accepted that supermassive black holes co-evolve with galaxies, and may play an important role in galaxy evolution. However, the origin of the gas that fuels black hole accretion, and the resulting observable radiation, is not well understood or quantified. We use high-resolution "zoom-in" cosmological numerical hydrodynamic simulations including modeling of black hole accretion and feedback to trace the inflow and outflow of gas within galaxies from the early formation period up to present day. We track gas particles that black holes interact with over time to trace the origin of the gas that feeds supermassive black holes. These gas particles can come from satellite galaxies, cosmological accretion, or be a result of stellar evolution. We aim to track the origin of the gas particles that accrete onto the central black hole as a function of halo mass and cosmic time. Answering these questions will help us understand the connection between galaxy and black hole evolution.

Profile formation and sustainment of autonomous tokamak plasma with current hole configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, N.; Takizuka, T.; Ozeki, T.

2005-01-01

We have investigated the profile formation and sustainment of tokamak plasmas with the current hole (CH) configuration by using 1.5D time-dependent transport simulations. A model of the current limit inside the CH on the basis of the Axisymmetric Tri-Magnetic-Islands equilibrium is introduced into the transport simulation. We found that a transport model with the sharp reduction of anomalous transport in the reversed-shear (RS) region can reproduce the time evolution of profiles observed in JT-60U experiments. The transport becomes neoclassical-level in the RS region, which results in the formation of profiles with internal transport barrier (ITB) and CH. The CH plasma has an autonomous property because of the strong interaction between a pressure profile and a current profile through the large bootstrap current fraction. The ITB width determined by the neoclassical-level transport agrees well with that measured in JT-60U. The energy confinement inside the ITB agrees with the scaling based on the JT-60U data. The scaling means the autonomous limitation of energy confinement in the CH plasma. The plasma with the large CH is sustained with the full current drive by the bootstrap current. The plasma with the small CH and the small bootstrap current fraction shrinks due to the penetration of inductive current. This shrink is prevented and the CH size can be controlled by the appropriate external current drive (CD). The CH plasma is found to respond autonomically to the external CD. (author)

Dynamic gas flow during plasma operation in TMX-U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickles, W.L.; Carter, M.R.; Clower, C.A.; Drake, R.P.; Hunt, A.L.; Simonen, T.C.; Turner, W.C.

1982-01-01

Control of the neutral density outside of the plasma radius is essential for proper operation of the various plasma configurations in TMX-U. TMX-U excess-beam, stream-gun, gas-box, and beam-reflux gases are pumped internally in regions defined by 73 0 Ti-gettered liners and warm Ti-gettered plasma liners. The array of fast and slow ion gauges - a large TMX-U diagnostic - has been used to measure the dynamic pressure in many of the liner-defined regions on three time scales. The natural divertor action, or plasma pump effect, of mirror plasmas has been measured using the ion gauge diagnostics on a fast time scale during operation of TMX-U with ECRH start-up. Routine operation of TMX-U is enhanced by the ability to verify the effectiveness of gettering and to locate leaks using pressure data collected on the two slow time scales. A computer code, DYNAVAC 6, which treats TMX-U as a set of conductance-coupled regions with pumping and sources in each region, has been used to successfully model the overall gas dynamics during all phases of TMX-U operation

Salt dissolution in oil and gas test holes in central Kansas. Part I. Salt beds in the subsurface in Russell, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Barton, and Rice Counties, central Kansas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, R.F.

1975-06-01

The Hutchinson Salt Member of the Permian Wellington Formation is described in a five-county study area of 4,000 square miles. Most of the 22,200 oil and gas test holes in the study area were drilled with fresh water, causing dissolution of the salt during drilling, commonly resulting in borehole enlargement to three times the diameter of the drill bit (some older rotary drilled holes have borehole enlargement up to 10 ft). After drilling ceases, no salt dissolution occurs in oil and gas test holes which have properly cemented surface casing protecting all aquifers above the salt. The conclusion is reached that extensive dissolution of the Hutchinson Salt in oil and gas test holes in central Kansas is a rare and unusual event in the 50-year history since the discovery of oil in Russell County in 1923. In only seven known instances (six of which are within the study area) did such dissolution lead to collapse and surface subsidence. With an estimated 72,000 holes drilled through the Hutchinson Salt Member within the State of Kansas, this is a ratio of approximately one occurrence for every 10,000 oil and gas test holes

Electron density measurement in gas discharge plasmas by optical and acoustic methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biagioni, A.; Anania, M.P.; Bellaveglia, M.; Chiadroni, E.; Giovenale, D. Di; Pirro, G. Di; Ferrario, M.; Pompili, R.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F.; Cianchi, A.; Filippi, F.; Mostacci, A.; Zigler, A.

2016-01-01

Plasma density represents a very important parameter for both laser wakefield and plasma wakefield acceleration, which use a gas-filled capillary plasma source. Several techniques can be used to measure the plasma density within a capillary discharge, which are mainly based on optical diagnostic methods, as for example the well-known spectroscopic method using the Stark broadening effect. In this work, we introduce a preliminary study on an alternative way to detect the plasma density, based on the shock waves produced by gas discharge in a capillary. Firstly, the measurements of the acoustic spectral content relative to the laser-induced plasmas by a solid target allowed us to understand the main properties of the acoustic waves produced during this kind of plasma generation; afterwards, we have extended such acoustic technique to the capillary plasma source in order to calibrate it by comparison with the stark broadening method.

Production of free radical by magnetized sheet plasma with vertical gas-flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonegawa, Akira; Takatori, Masahiko; Kawamura, Kazutaka

1995-01-01

Free radicals play an important role in plasma processing, environment problem, and space plasma and so on because of their outstanding physical properties. Although much work has been done on the free radicals in the reactive plasma, very little is known about the production mechanism of the free radicals against various plasma parameters. To overcome this problem, we have proposed to do a new system of a magnetized sheet plasma with vertical gas-flow. The sheet plasma is a special type of strongly magnetized highly ionized slab plasma. This system is controlled to the parameters of radicals and plasma independently. Therefore, it is possible to make a quantitative analysis of free radicals as the simple one. In this paper, we describe the magnetized sheet plasma with vertical gas-flow system and report the preliminary results of production of the free radical. In particular, we show to produce and control the OH free radical which has been the most commonly studied combustion species

Atomic and molecular hydrogen gas temperatures in a low-pressure helicon plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Samuell, Cameron M.; Corr, Cormac S.

2015-08-01

Neutral gas temperatures in hydrogen plasmas are important for experimental and modelling efforts in fusion technology, plasma processing, and surface modification applications. To provide values relevant to these application areas, neutral gas temperatures were measured in a low pressure (radiofrequency helicon discharge using spectroscopic techniques. The atomic and molecular species were not found to be in thermal equilibrium with the atomic temperature being mostly larger then the molecular temperature. In low power operation (measurements near a graphite target demonstrated localised cooling near the sample surface. The temporal evolution of the molecular gas temperature during a high power 1.1 ms plasma pulse was also investigated and found to vary considerably as a function of pressure.

Longitudinal gas-density profilometry for plasma-wakefield acceleration targets

Science.gov (United States)

Schaper, Lucas; Goldberg, Lars; Kleinwächter, Tobias; Schwinkendorf, Jan-Patrick; Osterhoff, Jens

2014-03-01

Precise tailoring of plasma-density profiles has been identified as one of the critical points in achieving stable and reproducible conditions in plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, the strict requirements of next generation plasma-wakefield concepts, such as hybrid-accelerators, with densities around 1017 cm-3 pose challenges to target fabrication as well as to their reliable diagnosis. To mitigate these issues we combine target simulation with fabrication and characterization. The resulting density profiles in capillaries with gas jet and multiple in- and outlets are simulated with the fluid code OpenFOAM. Satisfactory simulation results then are followed by fabrication of the desired target shapes with structures down to the 10 μm level. The detection of Raman scattered photons using lenses with large collection solid angle allows to measure the corresponding longitudinal density profiles at different number densities and allows a detection sensitivity down to the low 1017 cm-3 density range at high spatial resolution. This offers the possibility to gain insight into steep density gradients as for example in gas jets and at the plasma-to-vacuum transition.

NASA Observatory Confirms Black Hole Limits

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-01

The very largest black holes reach a certain point and then grow no more, according to the best survey to date of black holes made with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Scientists have also discovered many previously hidden black holes that are well below their weight limit. These new results corroborate recent theoretical work about how black holes and galaxies grow. The biggest black holes, those with at least 100 million times the mass of the Sun, ate voraciously during the early Universe. Nearly all of them ran out of 'food' billions of years ago and went onto a forced starvation diet. Focus on Black Holes in the Chandra Deep Field North Focus on Black Holes in the Chandra Deep Field North On the other hand, black holes between about 10 and 100 million solar masses followed a more controlled eating plan. Because they took smaller portions of their meals of gas and dust, they continue growing today. "Our data show that some supermassive black holes seem to binge, while others prefer to graze", said Amy Barger of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and the University of Hawaii, lead author of the paper describing the results in the latest issue of The Astronomical Journal (Feb 2005). "We now understand better than ever before how supermassive black holes grow." One revelation is that there is a strong connection between the growth of black holes and the birth of stars. Previously, astronomers had done careful studies of the birthrate of stars in galaxies, but didn't know as much about the black holes at their centers. DSS Optical Image of Lockman Hole DSS Optical Image of Lockman Hole "These galaxies lose material into their central black holes at the same time that they make their stars," said Barger. "So whatever mechanism governs star formation in galaxies also governs black hole growth." Astronomers have made an accurate census of both the biggest, active black holes in the distance, and the relatively smaller, calmer ones closer by. Now, for the first

Study of two-dimensional hole gas at Si/SiGe/Si inverted interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadeghazdeh, M.A.; Mironov, O.A.; Parry, C.P.; Philips, P.J.; Parker, E.H.C.; Wahll, T.E.; Emeleus, C.J.

1998-01-01

We have studied the transport of two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) at the inverted interface of a strained Si 0.8 Ge 0.2 quantum well. By application of bias voltage to a Schottky gate on top of this inverted heterostructure the 2DHG density n s can be controlled, in the range of (1.5-5.2)x10 11 cm -2 . At temperature T = 033 K, the Hall mobility is 4650 cm 2 V -1 s -1 at the maximum carrier density. For lower sheet densities (n s 11 cm -2 ) the system undergoes a transition from a weak to strongly localised phase of significantly reduced mobility. From low temperature Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation measurements we have extracted the hole effective masses m* = (0.25 → 0.28)m o and the ratio of transport to quantum lifetimes α = (0.92 → 0.85) for the corresponding carrier density change of n s = (5.2 → 2.5)x10 11 cm -2 . These results can be explained in terms of the abnormal movement of the hole wave function towards the interface with decreasing n s , short range interface roughness scattering. (author)

Generation and confinement of microwave gas-plasma in photonic dielectric microstructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Debord, B; Jamier, R; Gérôme, F; Leroy, O; Boisse-Laporte, C; Leprince, P; Alves, L L; Benabid, F

2013-10-21

We report on a self-guided microwave surface-wave induced generation of ~60 μm diameter and 6 cm-long column of argon-plasma confined in the core of a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. At gas pressure of 1 mbar, the micro-confined plasma exhibits a stable transverse profile with a maximum gas-temperature as high as 1300 ± 200 K, and a wall-temperature as low as 500 K, and an electron density level of 10¹⁴ cm⁻³. The fiber guided fluorescence emission presents strong Ar⁺ spectral lines in the visible and near UV. Theory shows that the observed combination of relatively low wall-temperature and high ionisation rate in this strongly confined configuration is due to an unprecedentedly wide electrostatic space-charge field and the subsequent ion acceleration dominance in the plasma-to-gas power transfer.

Magnetohydrodynamics near a black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, J.R.

1975-01-01

A numerical computer study of hydromagnetic flow near a black hole is presented. First, the equations of motion are developed to a form suitable for numerical computations. Second, the results of calculations describing the magnetic torques exerted by a rotating black hole on a surrounding magnetic plasma and the electric charge that is induced on the surface of the black hole are presented. (auth)

Geohydrologic and water-quality characterization of a fractured-bedrock test hole in an area of Marcellus shale gas development, Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, John H.; Risser, Dennis W.; Hand , K.L; Clifford H. Dodge,

2013-01-01

An integrated analysis of core, geophysical logs, gas isotopes, and specific-depth water-quality samples from the Cherry Flats test hole was used to characterize the stratigraphy, water-bearing zones, and groundwater quality at a site in southern Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The study was completed as a cooperative effort between the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey (BTGS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The multi-disciplinary characterization of the test hole provided information to aid the bedrock mapping of the Cherry Flats 7.5-minute quadrangle by BTGS, and to help quantify the depth and character of fresh and saline groundwater in an area of shale-gas exploration. The Cherry Flats test hole was cored to a depth of 1,513 feet (ft) below land surface (bls) and cased to 189 ft through the collapsed mine workings of the former Arnot No. 2 underground coal mine. The test hole penetrated

Primary black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novikov, I.; Polnarev, A.

1981-01-01

Proves are searched for of the formation of the so-called primary black holes at the very origin of the universe. The black holes would weigh less than 10 13 kg. The formation of a primary black hole is conditional on strong fluctuations of the gravitational field corresponding roughly to a half of the fluctuation maximally permissible by the general relativity theory. Only big fluctuations of the gravitational field can overcome the forces of the hot gas pressure and compress the originally expanding matter into a black hole. Low-mass black holes have a temperature exceeding that of the black holes formed from stars. A quantum process of particle formation, the so-called evaporation takes place in the strong gravitational field of a black hole. The lower the mass of the black hole, the shorter the evaporation time. The analyses of processes taking place during the evaporation of low-mass primary black holes show that only a very small proportion of the total mass of the matter in the universe could turn into primary black holes. (M.D.)

Internal limiting membrane flap transposition for surgical repair of macular holes in primary surgery and in persistent macular holes.

Science.gov (United States)

Leisser, Christoph; Hirnschall, Nino; Döller, Birgit; Varsits, Ralph; Ullrich, Marlies; Kefer, Katharina; Findl, Oliver

2018-03-01

Classical or temporal internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap transposition with air or gas tamponade are current trends with the potential to improve surgical results, especially in cases with large macular holes. A prospective case series included patients with idiopathic macular holes or persistent macular holes after 23-G pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and ILM peeling with gas tamponade. In all patients, 23-G PPV and ILM peeling with ILM flap transposition with gas tamponade and postoperative face-down position was performed. In 7 of 9 eyes, temporal ILM flap transposition combined with pedicle ILM flap could be successfully performed and macular holes were closed in all eyes after surgery. The remaining 2 eyes were converted to pedicle ILM flap transposition with macular hole closure after surgery. Three eyes were scheduled as pedicle ILM flap transposition due to previous ILM peeling. In 2 of these eyes, the macular hole could be closed with pedicle ILM flap transposition. In 3 eyes, free ILM flap transposition was performed and in 2 of these eyes macular hole could be closed after surgery, whereas in 1 eye a second surgery, performed as pedicle ILM flap transposition, was performed and led to successful macular hole closure. Use of ILM flaps in surgical repair of macular hole surgery is a new option of treatment with excellent results independent of the diameter of macular holes. For patients with persistent macular holes, pedicle ILM flap transposition or free ILM flap transposition are surgical options.

Fabrication of PDMS through-holes using the MIMIC method and the surface treatment by atmospheric-pressure CH4/He RF plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jongchan; Lee, Kyeong-Hwan; Yang, Sung

2011-09-01

This note presents a simple fabrication process for patterning micro through-holes in a PDMS layer by a combination of the micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) method and the surface treatment by atmospheric-pressure CH4/He RF plasma. The fabrication process is confirmed by forming micro through-holes with various shapes including circle, C-shape, open microfluidic channel and hemisphere. All micro through-holes of various shapes in a wide range of diameters and heights are well fabricated by the proposed method. Also, a 3D micromixer containing a PDMS micro through-hole layer formed by the proposed method is built and its performance is tested as another practical demonstration of the proposed fabrication method. Therefore, we believe that the proposed fabrication process will build a PDMS micro through-hole layer in a simple and easy way and will contribute to developing highly efficient multi-layered microfluidic systems, which may require PDMS micro through-hole layers.

Second derivative Langmuir probe diagnostics of gas discharge plasma at intermediate pressures (review article)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popov, Tsv K; Dimitrova, M; Dias, F M; Tsaneva, V N; Stelmashenko, N A; Blamire, M G; Barber, Z H

2006-01-01

The second-derivative Langmuir probe method for precise determination of the plasma potential, the electron energy distribution function (respectively the electron temperature,) and the electron density of gas discharge plasma at intermediate pressures (100-1000 Pa) is reviewed. Results of applying the procedure proposed to different kinds of gas discharges are presented. Factors affecting the accuracy of the plasma characteristics evaluated are discussed

Estimation of Flow Channel Parameters for Flowing Gas Mixed with Air in Atmospheric-pressure Plasma Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Yambe, Kiyoyuki; Saito, Hidetoshi

2017-12-01

When the working gas of an atmospheric-pressure non-equilibrium (cold) plasma flows into free space, the diameter of the resulting flow channel changes continuously. The shape of the channel is observed through the light emitted by the working gas of the atmospheric-pressure plasma. When the plasma jet forms a conical shape, the diameter of the cylindrical shape, which approximates the conical shape, defines the diameter of the flow channel. When the working gas flows into the atmosphere from the inside of a quartz tube, the gas mixes with air. The molar ratio of the working gas and air is estimated from the corresponding volume ratio through the relationship between the diameter of the cylindrical plasma channel and the inner diameter of the quartz tube. The Reynolds number is calculated from the kinematic viscosity of the mixed gas and the molar ratio. The gas flow rates for the upper limit of laminar flow and the lower limit of turbulent flow are determined by the corresponding Reynolds numbers estimated from the molar ratio. It is confirmed that the plasma jet length and the internal plasma length associated with strong light emission increase with the increasing gas flow rate until the rate for the upper limit of laminar flow and the lower limit of turbulent flow, respectively. Thus, we are able to explain the increasing trend in the plasma lengths with the diameter of the flow channel and the molar ratio by using the cylindrical approximation.

Calculation of gas-flow in plasma reactor for carbon partial oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Bespala, Evgeny; Myshkin, Vyacheslav; Novoselov, Ivan; Pavliuk, Alexander; Makarevich, Semen; Bespala, Yuliya

2018-03-01

The paper discusses isotopic effects at carbon oxidation in low temperature non-equilibrium plasma at constant magnetic field. There is described routine of experiment and defined optimal parameters ensuring maximum enrichment factor at given electrophysical, gas-dynamic, and thermodymanical parameters. It has been demonstrated that at high-frequency generator capacity of 4 kW, supply frequency of 27 MHz and field density of 44 mT the concentration of paramagnetic heavy nuclei 13C in gaseous phase increases up to 1.78 % compared to 1.11 % for natural concentration. Authors explain isotopic effect decrease during plasmachemical separation induced by mixing gas flows enriched in different isotopes at the lack of product quench. With the help of modeling the motion of gas flows inside the plasma-chemical reactor based on numerical calculation of Navier-Stokes equation authors determine zones of gas mixing and cooling speed. To increase isotopic effects and proportion of 13C in gaseous phase it has been proposed to use quench in the form of Laval nozzle of refractory steel. The article represents results on calculation of optimal Laval Nozzle parameters for plasma-chemical reactor of chosen geometry of. There are also given dependences of quench time of products on pressure at the diffuser output and on critical section diameter. Authors determine the location of quench inside the plasma-chemical reactor in the paper.

Longitudinal gas-density profilometry for plasma-wakefield acceleration targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaper, Lucas, E-mail: lschaper01@qub.ac.uk [Universität Hamburg, FB Physik, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg (Germany); Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Goldberg, Lars; Kleinwächter, Tobias; Schwinkendorf, Jan-Patrick; Osterhoff, Jens [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany)

2014-03-11

Precise tailoring of plasma-density profiles has been identified as one of the critical points in achieving stable and reproducible conditions in plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, the strict requirements of next generation plasma-wakefield concepts, such as hybrid-accelerators, with densities around 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3} pose challenges to target fabrication as well as to their reliable diagnosis. To mitigate these issues we combine target simulation with fabrication and characterization. The resulting density profiles in capillaries with gas jet and multiple in- and outlets are simulated with the fluid code OpenFOAM. Satisfactory simulation results then are followed by fabrication of the desired target shapes with structures down to the 10 µm level. The detection of Raman scattered photons using lenses with large collection solid angle allows to measure the corresponding longitudinal density profiles at different number densities and allows a detection sensitivity down to the low 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3} density range at high spatial resolution. This offers the possibility to gain insight into steep density gradients as for example in gas jets and at the plasma-to-vacuum transition.

The size and structure of the laser entrance hole in gas-filled hohlraums at the National Ignition Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, M. B., E-mail: schneider5@llnl.gov; MacLaren, S. A.; Widmann, K.; Meezan, N. B.; Hammer, J. H.; Yoxall, B. E.; Bell, P. M.; Benedetti, L. R.; Bradley, D. K.; Callahan, D. A.; Dewald, E. L.; Döppner, T.; Eder, D. C.; Edwards, M. J.; Hinkel, D. E.; Hsing, W. W.; Kervin, M. L.; Landen, O. L.; Lindl, J. D.; May, M. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); and others

2015-12-15

At the National Ignition Facility, a thermal X-ray drive is created by laser energy from 192 beams heating the inside walls of a gold cylinder called a “hohlraum.” The x-ray drive heats and implodes a fuel capsule. The laser beams enter the hohlraum via laser entrance holes (LEHs) at each end. The LEH radius decreases as heated plasma from the LEH material blows radially inward but this is largely balanced by hot plasma from the high-intensity region in the center of the LEH pushing radially outward. The x-ray drive on the capsule is deduced by measuring the time evolution and spectra of the x-radiation coming out of the LEH and correcting for geometry and for the radius of the LEH. Previously, the LEH radius was measured using time-integrated images in an x-ray band of 3–5 keV (outside the thermal x-ray region). For gas-filled hohlraums, the measurements showed that the LEH radius is larger than that predicted by the standard High Flux radiation-hydrodynamic model by about 10%. A new platform using a truncated hohlraum (“ViewFactor hohlraum”) is described, which allows time-resolved measurements of the LEH radius at thermal x-ray energies from two views, from outside the hohlraum and from inside the hohlraum. These measurements show that the LEH radius closes during the low power part of the pulse but opens up again at peak power. The LEH radius at peak power is larger than that predicted by the models by about 15%–20% and does not change very much with time. In addition, time-resolved images in a >4 keV (non-thermal) x-ray band show a ring of hot, optically thin gold plasma just inside the optically thick LEH plasma. The structure of this plasma varies with time and with Cross Beam Energy Transfer.

PREVALENCE OF FOVEOLAR LUCENCY WITH DIFFERENT GAS TAMPONADES IN SURGICALLY CLOSED MACULAR HOLES ASSESSED BY SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarranz-Ventura, Javier; Ellabban, Abdallah A; Sim, Dawn A; Keane, Pearse A; Kirkpatrick, James N; Sallam, Ahmed A B

2017-07-07

To evaluate the prevalence of foveolar lucency (FL) in surgically closed macular holes by spectral domain optical coherence tomography. One hundred forty-two eyes of 132 patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas tamponade in a 60-month time frame. Anatomical success and FL rates assessed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, mean preoperative, and postoperative best-measured visual acuity and surgical details were retrospectively analyzed. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography confirmed closed holes with FL in 33.7% (34/101) of eyes at 1 month, 7.3% (9/123) at 3 months, 4.6% (6/129) at 6 months, and 3% (4/133) at 12 months. Prevalence of FL in closed holes at Month 1 was lower in C3F8-treated eyes (9.5%, 2/21) compared with C2F6 (40.9%, 18/44, P = 0.03) and SF6-treated eyes (38.9%, 14/36, P = 0.05). No differences were observed at Month 3. No differences in best-measured visual acuity change were observed between closed holes with or without FL at Month 1 (-0.14 ± 0.19 vs. -0.11 ± 0.23, P = 0.48) or any of the other time points. Temporary FL is a highly prevalent feature in successfully closed macular holes. Eyes treated with C3F8 gas had lower rates of FL at Month 1 than C2F6 and SF6-treated eyes. The presence of FL in closed holes does not seem to have any effect on the visual outcomes.

MINIMIZING THE MHD POTENTIAL ENERGY FOR THE CURRENT HOLE REGION IN TOKAMAKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CHU, M.S; PARKS, P.B

2004-01-01

The current hole region in the tokamak has been observed to arise naturally during the development of internal transport barriers. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) potential energy in the current hole region is shown to be determined completely in terms of the displacements at the edge of the current hole. For modes with finite toroidal mode number n ≠ 0, the minimized potential energy is the same as if the current hole region were a vacuum region. For modes with toroidal mode number n = 0, the displacement is a superposition of three types of independent displacements: a vertical displacement or displacements that compress only the plasma or the toroidal field uniformly. Thus for ideal MHD perturbations of plasma with a current hole, the plasma behaves as if it were bordered by an extra ''internal vacuum region''. The relevance of the present work to computer simulations of plasma with a current hole region is also discussed

Minimizing the magnetohydrodynamic potential energy for the current hole region in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, M.S.; Parks, P.B.

2004-01-01

The current hole region in the tokamak has been observed to arise naturally during the development of internal transport barriers. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) potential energy in the current hole region is shown to be determined completely in terms of the displacements at the edge of the current hole. For modes with finite toroidal mode number n≠0, the minimized potential energy is the same as if the current hole region were a vacuum region. For modes with toroidal mode number n=0, the displacement is a superposition of three types of independent displacements: a vertical displacement or displacements that compress only the plasma, or the toroidal field uniformly. Thus for ideal MHD perturbations of plasma with a current hole, the plasma behaves as if it were bordered by an extra ''internal vacuum region.'' The relevance of the present work to computer simulations of plasma with a current hole region is also discussed

A supersonic gas target for a bundle divertor plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, F.R.; Fisher, J.L.

1982-01-01

A novel gas target concept for recovering both energy and particles from a high-energy plasma stream is presented. This concept includes the maintenance of a pressure discontinuity by a normal shock and a very high mass flow rate in a relatively small system. The pressure discontinuity allows the exhaust plasma stream to minimize backflow into the plasma, by interacting with the target in a low-pressure region; the high mass flow rate allows exit temperatures that are reasonable from a materials viewpoint and suitable for energy recovery. (author)

Seeding black holes in cosmological simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, P.; Kobayashi, C.

2014-08-01

We present a new model for the formation of black holes in cosmological simulations, motivated by the first star formation. Black holes form from high density peaks of primordial gas, and grow via both gas accretion and mergers. Massive black holes heat the surrounding material, suppressing star formation at the centres of galaxies, and driving galactic winds. We perform an investigation into the physical effects of the model parameters, and obtain a `best' set of these parameters by comparing the outcome of simulations to observations. With this best set, we successfully reproduce the cosmic star formation rate history, black hole mass-velocity dispersion relation, and the size-velocity dispersion relation of galaxies. The black hole seed mass is ˜103 M⊙, which is orders of magnitude smaller than that which has been used in previous cosmological simulations with active galactic nuclei, but suggests that the origin of the seed black holes is the death of Population III stars.

Emerging applications of low temperature gas plasmas in the food industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Alex; Shama, Gilbert; Iza, Felipe

2015-06-16

The global burden of foodborne disease due to the presence of contaminating micro-organisms remains high, despite some notable examples of their successful reduction in some instances. Globally, the number of species of micro-organisms responsible for foodborne diseases has increased over the past decades and as a result of the continued centralization of the food processing industry, outbreaks now have far reaching consequences. Gas plasmas offer a broad range of microbicidal capabilities that could be exploited in the food industry and against which microbial resistance would be unlikely to occur. In addition to reducing the incidence of disease by acting on the micro-organisms responsible for food spoilage, gas plasmas could also play a role in increasing the shelf-life of perishable foods and thereby reduce food wastage with positive financial and environmental implications. Treatment need not be confined to the food itself but could include food processing equipment and also the environment in which commercial food processing occurs. Moreover, gas plasmas could also be used to bring about the degradation of undesirable chemical compounds, such as allergens, toxins, and pesticide residues, often encountered on foods and food-processing equipment. The literature on the application of gas plasmas to food treatment is beginning to reveal an appreciation that attention needs also to be paid to ensuring that the key quality attributes of foods are not significantly impaired as a result of treatment. A greater understanding of both the mechanisms by which micro-organisms and chemical compounds are inactivated, and of the plasma species responsible for this is forming. This is significant, as this knowledge can then be used to design plasma systems with tailored compositions that will achieve maximum efficacy. Better understanding of the underlying interactions will also enable the design and implementation of control strategies capable of minimizing variations in

Fullerene-rare gas mixed plasmas in an electron cyclotron resonance ion source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asaji, T., E-mail: asaji@oshima-k.ac.jp; Ohba, T. [Oshima National College of Maritime Technology, 1091-1 Komatsu, Suo-oshima, Oshima, Yamaguchi 742-2193 (Japan); Uchida, T.; Yoshida, Y. [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Minezaki, H.; Ishihara, S. [Graduate School of Engineering, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Racz, R.; Biri, S. [Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), H-4026 Debrecen, Bem Tér 18/c (Hungary); Muramatsu, M.; Kitagawa, A. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Kato, Y. [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)

2014-02-15

A synthesis technology of endohedral fullerenes such as Fe@C{sub 60} has developed with an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source. The production of N@C{sub 60} was reported. However, the yield was quite low, since most fullerene molecules were broken in the ECR plasma. We have adopted gas-mixing techniques in order to cool the plasma and then reduce fullerene dissociation. Mass spectra of ion beams extracted from fullerene-He, Ar or Xe mixed plasmas were observed with a Faraday cup. From the results, the He gas mixing technique is effective against fullerene destruction.

Chandra Data Reveal Rapidly Whirling Black Holes

Science.gov (United States)

2008-01-01

A new study using results from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory provides one of the best pieces of evidence yet that many supermassive black holes are spinning extremely rapidly. The whirling of these giant black holes drives powerful jets that pump huge amounts of energy into their environment and affects galaxy growth. A team of scientists compared leading theories of jets produced by rotating supermassive black holes with Chandra data. A sampling of nine giant galaxies that exhibit large disturbances in their gaseous atmospheres showed that the central black holes in these galaxies must be spinning at near their maximum rates. People Who Read This Also Read... NASA’s Swift Satellite Catches First Supernova in The Act of Exploding Black Holes Have Simple Feeding Habits Jet Power and Black Hole Assortment Revealed in New Chandra Image Erratic Black Hole Regulates Itself "We think these monster black holes are spinning close to the limit set by Einstein's theory of relativity, which means that they can drag material around them at close to the speed of light," said Rodrigo Nemmen, a visiting graduate student at Penn State University, and lead author of a paper on the new results presented at American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas. The research reinforces other, less direct methods previously used which have indicated that some stellar and supermassive black holes are spinning rapidly. According to Einstein's theory, a rapidly spinning black hole makes space itself rotate. This effect, coupled with gas spiraling toward the black hole, can produce a rotating, tightly wound vertical tower of magnetic field that flings a large fraction of the inflowing gas away from the vicinity of the black hole in an energetic, high-speed jet. Computer simulations by other authors have suggested that black holes may acquire their rapid spins when galaxies merge, and through the accretion of gas from their surroundings. "Extremely fast spin might be very common for large

Enhancement of gas sensor response of nanocrystalline zinc oxide for ammonia by plasma treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Yue; Jayatissa, Ahalapitiya H.

2014-01-01

The effect of oxygen plasma treatment on nanocrystalline ZnO thin film based gas sensor was investigated. ZnO thin films were synthesized on alkali-free glass substrates by a sol–gel process. ZnO thin films were treated with oxygen plasma to change the number of vacancies/defects in ZnO. The effect of oxygen plasma on the structural, electrical, optical and gas sensing properties was investigated as a function of plasma treatment time. The results suggest that the microstructure and the surface morphology can be tuned by oxygen plasma treatment. The optical transmission in the visible range varies after the oxygen plasma treatment. Moreover, it is found that the oxygen plasma has significant impact on the electrical properties of ZnO thin films indicating a variation of resistivity. The oxygen plasma treated ZnO thin film exhibits an enhanced sensing response towards NH 3 in comparison with that of the as-deposited ZnO sensor. When compared with the as-deposited ZnO film, the sensing response was improved by 50% for the optimum oxygen plasma treatment time of 8 min. The selectivity of 8 min plasma treated ZnO sensor was also examined for an important industrial gas mixture of H 2 , CH 4 and NH 3 .

GPU based 3D feature profile simulation of high-aspect ratio contact hole etch process under fluorocarbon plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Poo-Reum; Lee, Se-Ah; Yook, Yeong-Geun; Choi, Kwang-Sung; Cho, Deog-Geun; Yu, Dong-Hun; Chang, Won-Seok; Kwon, Deuk-Chul; Im, Yeon-Ho

2013-09-01

Although plasma etch profile simulation has been attracted much interest for developing reliable plasma etching, there still exist big gaps between current research status and predictable modeling due to the inherent complexity of plasma process. As an effort to address this issue, we present 3D feature profile simulation coupled with well-defined plasma-surface kinetic model for silicon dioxide etching process under fluorocarbon plasmas. To capture the realistic plasma surface reaction behaviors, a polymer layer based surface kinetic model was proposed to consider the simultaneous polymer deposition and oxide etching. Finally, the realistic plasma surface model was used for calculation of speed function for 3D topology simulation, which consists of multiple level set based moving algorithm, and ballistic transport module. In addition, the time consumable computations in the ballistic transport calculation were improved drastically by GPU based numerical computation, leading to the real time computation. Finally, we demonstrated that the surface kinetic model could be coupled successfully for 3D etch profile simulations in high-aspect ratio contact hole plasma etching.

Biological Effect of Gas Plasma Treatment on CO2 Gas Foaming/Salt Leaching Fabricated Porous Polycaprolactone Scaffolds in Bone Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae-Yeong Bak

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Porous polycaprolactone (PCL scaffolds were fabricated by using the CO2 gas foaming/salt leaching process and then PCL scaffolds surface was treated by oxygen or nitrogen gas plasma in order to enhance the cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation. The PCL and NaCl were mixed in the ratios of 3 : 1. The supercritical CO2 gas foaming process was carried out by solubilizing CO2 within samples at 50°C and 8 MPa for 6 hr and depressurization rate was 0.4 MPa/s. The oxygen or nitrogen plasma treated porous PCL scaffolds were prepared at discharge power 100 W and 10 mTorr for 60 s. The mean pore size of porous PCL scaffolds showed 427.89 μm. The gas plasma treated porous PCL scaffolds surface showed hydrophilic property and the enhanced adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells comparing to untreated porous PCL scaffolds. The PCL scaffolds produced from the gas foaming/salt leaching and plasma surface treatment are suitable for potential applications in bone tissue engineering.

NASA's Chandra Finds Black Holes Are "Green"

Science.gov (United States)

2006-04-01

Black holes are the most fuel efficient engines in the Universe, according to a new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. By making the first direct estimate of how efficient or "green" black holes are, this work gives insight into how black holes generate energy and affect their environment. The new Chandra finding shows that most of the energy released by matter falling toward a supermassive black hole is in the form of high-energy jets traveling at near the speed of light away from the black hole. This is an important step in understanding how such jets can be launched from magnetized disks of gas near the event horizon of a black hole. Illustration of Fuel for a Black Hole Engine Illustration of Fuel for a Black Hole Engine "Just as with cars, it's critical to know the fuel efficiency of black holes," said lead author Steve Allen of the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. "Without this information, we cannot figure out what is going on under the hood, so to speak, or what the engine can do." Allen and his team used Chandra to study nine supermassive black holes at the centers of elliptical galaxies. These black holes are relatively old and generate much less radiation than quasars, rapidly growing supermassive black holes seen in the early Universe. The surprise came when the Chandra results showed that these "quiet" black holes are all producing much more energy in jets of high-energy particles than in visible light or X-rays. These jets create huge bubbles, or cavities, in the hot gas in the galaxies. Animation of Black Hole in Elliptical Galaxy Animation of Black Hole in Elliptical Galaxy The efficiency of the black hole energy-production was calculated in two steps: first Chandra images of the inner regions of the galaxies were used to estimate how much fuel is available for the black hole; then Chandra images were used to estimate the power required to produce

Astrophysical black holes

CERN Document Server

Gorini, Vittorio; Moschella, Ugo; Treves, Aldo; Colpi, Monica

2016-01-01

Based on graduate school lectures in contemporary relativity and gravitational physics, this book gives a complete and unified picture of the present status of theoretical and observational properties of astrophysical black holes. The chapters are written by internationally recognized specialists. They cover general theoretical aspects of black hole astrophysics, the theory of accretion and ejection of gas and jets, stellar-sized black holes observed in the Milky Way, the formation and evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers and quasars as well as their influence on the dynamics in galactic nuclei. The final chapter addresses analytical relativity of black holes supporting theoretical understanding of the coalescence of black holes as well as being of great relevance in identifying gravitational wave signals. With its introductory chapters the book is aimed at advanced graduate and post-graduate students, but it will also be useful for specialists.

Two dimensional radial gas flows in atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gwihyun; Park, Seran; Shin, Hyunsu; Song, Seungho; Oh, Hoon-Jung; Ko, Dae Hong; Choi, Jung-Il; Baik, Seung Jae

2017-12-01

Atmospheric pressure (AP) operation of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is one of promising concepts for high quality and low cost processing. Atmospheric plasma discharge requires narrow gap configuration, which causes an inherent feature of AP PECVD. Two dimensional radial gas flows in AP PECVD induces radial variation of mass-transport and that of substrate temperature. The opposite trend of these variations would be the key consideration in the development of uniform deposition process. Another inherent feature of AP PECVD is confined plasma discharge, from which volume power density concept is derived as a key parameter for the control of deposition rate. We investigated deposition rate as a function of volume power density, gas flux, source gas partial pressure, hydrogen partial pressure, plasma source frequency, and substrate temperature; and derived a design guideline of deposition tool and process development in terms of deposition rate and uniformity.

DOE HIGH-POWER SLIM-HOLE DRILLING SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. William C. Maurer; John H. Cohen; J. Chris Hetmaniak; Curtis Leitko

1999-09-01

This project used a systems approach to improve slim-hole drilling performance. A high power mud motor, having a double-length power section, and hybrid PDC/TSP drill bit were developed to deliver maximum horsepower to the rock while providing a long life down hole. This high-power slim-hole drilling system drills much faster than conventional slim-hole motor and bit combinations and holds significant potential to reduce slim-hole drilling costs. The oil and gas industries have been faced with downward price pressures since the 1980s. These pressures are not expected to be relieved in the near future. To maintain profitability, companies have had to find ways to reduce the costs of producing oil and gas. Drilling is one of the more costly operations in the production process. One method to reduce costs of drilling is to use smaller more mobile equipment. Slim holes have been drilled in the past using this principle. These wells can save money not only from the use of smaller drilling equipment, but also from reduced tubular costs. Stepping down even one casing size results in significant savings. However, slim holes have not found wide spread use for three reasons. First, until recently, the price of oil has been high so there were no forces to move the industry in this direction. Second, small roller bits and motors were not very reliable and they drilled slowly, removing much of the economic benefit. The third and final reason was the misconception that large holes were needed everywhere to deliver the desired production. Several factors have changed that will encourage the use of slim holes. The industry now favors any method of reducing the costs of producing oil and gas. In addition, the industry now understands that large holes are not always needed. Gas, in particular, can have high production rates in smaller holes. New materials now make it possible to manufacture improved bits and motors that drill for long periods at high rates. All that remains is to

Advanced oxidation technology for H2S odor gas using non-thermal plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, ZHU; Ruonan, WANG; Wenjing, BIAN; Yang, CHEN; Weidong, JING

2018-05-01

Non-thermal plasma technology is a new type of odor treatment processing. We deal with H2S from waste gas emission using non-thermal plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge. On the basis of two criteria, removal efficiency and absolute removal amount, we deeply investigate the changes in electrical parameters and process parameters, and the reaction process of the influence of ozone on H2S gas removal. The experimental results show that H2S removal efficiency is proportional to the voltage, frequency, power, residence time and energy efficiency, while it is inversely proportional to the initial concentration of H2S gas, and ozone concentration. This study lays the foundations of non-thermal plasma technology for further commercial application.

Luminescence of high density electron-hole plasma in CdS and CdSe in a wide temperature range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, H.; Shionoya, S.

1983-01-01

Time-resolved spectra of the spontaneous luminescence of the high density electron-hole plasma (EHP) in CdS and CdSe are observed in a wide range of temperature which is surely higher than the calculated critical temperature for electron-hole liquid formation, in order to carry forward discussion on dynamic nature of the EHP previously observed in 4.2 K experiments. Spectra in the late stage are analyzed, and obtained values of the reduced bandgap energy and chemical potential are compared with those theoretically calculated for higher temperatures. The aspects of the change of the spectral shape in the late stage are hard to understand. Unfortunately no clear conclusion is drawn on the nature of the EHP produced at 4.2 K. The only thing one can say is that the condensed electron-hole liquid state, which is in equilibrium with the exciton state, is not realized. (author)

Gas-filled targets for large scalelength plasma interaction experiments on Nova

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powers, L.V.; Berger, R.L.; Munro, D.H.

1994-11-01

Stimulated Brillouin backscatter from large scale length gas-filled targets has been measured on Nova. These targets were designed to approximate conditions in indirect drive ignition target designs in underdense plasma electron density (n e ∼10 21 /cm 3 ), temperature (T e >3 keV), and gradient scale lengths (L n ∼ mm, L v >6 mm) as well as calculated gain for stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). The targets used in these experiments were gas-filled balloons with polyimide walls (gasbags) and gas-filled hohlraums. Detailed characterization using x-ray imaging and x-ray and optical spectroscopy verifies that the calculated plasma conditions are achieved. Time-resolved SBS backscatter from these targets is <3% for conditions similar to ignition target designs

Plasma wave detection in laser spectroscopy and gas chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franzke, J.; Irmer, A. von; Veza, D.; Niemax, K.

1995-01-01

Frequency changes of plasma oscillations in low-pressure discharges are used for sensitive detection of atomic or molecular trace gases. Analyte selectivity can be either obtained by resonant laser excitation or by gas chromatography

Hot Accretion onto Black Holes with Outflow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Park Myeong-Gu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Classic Bondi accretion flow can be generalized to rotating viscous accretion flow. Study of hot accretion flow onto black holes show that its physical charateristics change from Bondi-like for small gas angular momentum to disk-like for Keperian gas angular momentum. Especially, the mass accretion rate divided by the Bondi accretion rate is proportional to the viscosity parameter alpha and inversely proportional to the gas angular momentum divided by the Keplerian angular momentum at the Bondi radius for gas angular momentum comparable to the Keplerian value. The possible presence of outflow will increase the mass inflow rate at the Bondi radius but decrease the mass accretion rate across the black hole horizon by many orders of magnitude. This implies that the growth history of supermassive black holes and their coevolution with host galaxies will be dramatically changed when the accreted gas has angular momentum or develops an outflow.

Fundamental limits on gas-phase chemical reduction of NOx in a plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penetrante, B.M.; Hsiao, M.C.; Merritt, B.T.; Vogtlin, G.E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

1997-12-31

In the plasma, the electrons do not react directly with the NOx molecules. The electrons collide mainly with the background gas molecules like N{sub 2}, O{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O. Electron impact on these molecules result partly in dissociation reactions that produce reactive species like N, O and OH. The NOx in the engine exhaust gas initially consist mostly of NO. The ground state nitrogen atom, N, is the only species that could lead to the chemical reduction of NO to N{sub 2}. The O radical oxidizes NO to NO{sub 2} leaving the same amount of NOx. The OH radical converts NO{sub 2} to nitric acid. Acid products in the plasma can easily get adsorbed on surfaces in the plasma reactor and in the pipes. When undetected, the absence of these oxidation products can often be mistaken for chemical reduction of NOx. In this paper the authors will examine the gas-phase chemical reduction of NOx. They will show that under the best conditions, the plasma can chemically reduce 1.6 grams of NOx per brake-horsepower-hour [g(NOx)/bhp-hr] when 5% of the engine output energy is delivered to the plasma.

Ultra-intense laser pulse propagation in plasmas: from classic hole-boring to incomplete hole-boring with relativistic transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng, S M; Murakami, M; Mulser, P; Sheng, Z M

2012-01-01

Relativistic laser pulse propagation into homogeneous plasmas has been investigated as a function of plasma density. At first, the propagation features are compared systematically between relativistic transparency (RT) and hole-boring (HB). Paramountly, a considerably broad intermediate regime, namely the incomplete HB regime, has been found between the RT regime and the HB regime for an extremely intense circularly polarized (CP) pulse. In this regime HB proceeds in collaboration with RT, resulting in a much faster propagation speed and a higher cut-off energy of fast ions than in the classic HB regime. Similarly to the classic HB regime, formulae are presented to model the laser propagation and the ion acceleration according to the modified momentum flux balance in this incomplete HB regime. The simulations give the density boundary between this incomplete HB regime and the classic HB regime for CP pulses, which is crucial for estimating the maximum mean ion energy and the maximum conversion efficiency that can be achieved by the classic HB acceleration at a given laser intensity. For linear polarization (LP) the propagation mechanism apparently undergoes a transition in time between these two regimes. A detailed comparison between LP and circular polarization is made for these phenomena. (paper)

Diffusion-controlled regime of surface-wave-produced plasmas in helium gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berndt, J; Makasheva, K; Schlueter, H; Shivarova, A

2002-01-01

The study presents a numerical fluid-plasma model of diffusion-controlled surface-wave-sustained discharges in helium gas. The self-consistent behaviour of the discharge based on the interrelation between plasma density and Θ, the power absorbed on average by one electron, is described. The nonlinear process of step ionization in the charged particle balance equation is the main factor, which ensures the self-consistency. However, it is shown that in helium discharges, the ionization frequencies enter the dependence of Θ on the plasma density also through the ambipolar-diffusion coefficient. Results at two different values of the gas pressure and of the wave frequency are discussed. The lower value of the gas pressure is chosen according to the condition to have a pure diffusion-controlled regime without interference with a transition to the free-fall regime. The boundary condition for the ion flux at the wall sheath is used for determination of the value of μ, the quantity denoting the degree of the radial plasma-density inhomogeneity which, together with the electron-neutral elastic collision frequency, influences the wave propagation characteristics. The two values of the wave frequency chosen provide descriptions of high-frequency and microwave discharges. The model results in the self-consistent structure of the discharge: interrelated variations along the discharge length of wavenumber, space damping rate, Θ, plasma density and electron temperature. The power necessary for sustaining discharges of a given length is also calculated. Comparisons with argon discharges are shown

Three-dimensional modeling of the neutral gas depletion effect in a helicon discharge plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Kollasch, Jeffrey; Schmitz, Oliver; Norval, Ryan; Reiter, Detlev; Sovinec, Carl

2016-10-01

Helicon discharges provide an attractive radio-frequency driven regime for plasma, but neutral-particle dynamics present a challenge to extending performance. A neutral gas depletion effect occurs when neutrals in the plasma core are not replenished at a sufficient rate to sustain a higher plasma density. The Monte Carlo neutral particle tracking code EIRENE was setup for the MARIA helicon experiment at UW Madison to study its neutral particle dynamics. Prescribed plasma temperature and density profiles similar to those in the MARIA device are used in EIRENE to investigate the main causes of the neutral gas depletion effect. The most dominant plasma-neutral interactions are included so far, namely electron impact ionization of neutrals, charge exchange interactions of neutrals with plasma ions, and recycling at the wall. Parameter scans show how the neutral depletion effect depends on parameters such as Knudsen number, plasma density and temperature, and gas-surface interaction accommodation coefficients. Results are compared to similar analytic studies in the low Knudsen number limit. Plans to incorporate a similar Monte Carlo neutral model into a larger helicon modeling framework are discussed. This work is funded by the NSF CAREER Award PHY-1455210.

Purification of the gas after pyrolysis in coupled plasma-catalytic system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Młotek Michał

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Gliding discharge and coupled plasma-catalytic system were used for toluene conversion in a gas composition such as the one obtained during pyrolysis of biomass. The chosen catalyst was G-0117, which is an industrial catalyst for methane conversion manufactured by INS Pulawy (Poland. The effects of discharge power, initial concentration of toluene, gas flow rate and the presence of the bed of the G-0117 catalyst on the conversion of C7H8, a model tars compounds were investigated. Conversion of coluene increases with discharge power and the highest one was noted in the coupled plasma-catalytic system. It was higher than that in the homogeneous system of gliding discharge. When applying a reactor with reduced G-0117 and CO (0.15 mol%, CO2 (0.15 mol%, H2 (0.30 mol%, N2 (0.40 mol%, 4000 ppm of toluene and gas flow rate of 1.5 Nm3/h, the conversion of toluene was higher than 99%. In the coupled plasma-catalytic system with G-0117 methanation of carbon oxides was observed.

[Investigation on the gas temperature of a plasma jet at atmospheric pressure by emission spectrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xue-chen; Yuan, Ning; Jia, Peng-ying; Niu, Dong-ying

2010-11-01

A plasma jet of a dielectric barrier discharge in coaxial electrode was used to produce plasma plume in atmospheric pressure argon. Spatially and temporally resolved measurement was carried out by photomultiplier tubes. The light emission signals both from the dielectric barrier discharge and from the plasma plume were analyzed. Furthermore, emission spectrum from the plasma plume was collected by high-resolution optical spectrometer. The emission spectra of OH (A 2sigma + --> X2 II, 307.7-308.9 nm) and the first negative band of N2+ (B2 sigma u+ --> X2 IIg+, 390-391.6 nm) were used to estimate the rotational temperature of the plasma plume by fitting the experimental spectra to the simulated spectra. The rotational temperature obtained is about 443 K by fitting the emission spectrum from the OH, and that from the first negative band of N2+ is about 450 K. The rotational temperatures obtained by the two method are consistent within 5% error band. The gas temperature of the plasma plume at atmospheric pressure was obtained because rotational temperature equals to gas temperature approximately in gas discharge at atmospheric pressure. Results show that gas temperature increases with increasing the applied voltage.

High energy radiation precursors to the collapse of black holes binaries based on resonating plasma modes

Science.gov (United States)

Coppi, B.

2018-05-01

The presence of well organized plasma structures around binary systems of collapsed objects [1,2] (black holes and neutron stars) is proposed in which processes can develop [3] leading to high energy electromagnetic radiation emission immediately before the binary collapse. The formulated theoretical model supporting this argument shows that resonating plasma collective modes can be excited in the relevant magnetized plasma structure. Accordingly, the collapse of the binary approaches, with the loss of angular momentum by emission of gravitational waves [2], the resonance conditions with vertically standing plasma density and magnetic field oscillations are met. Then, secondary plasma modes propagating along the magnetic field are envisioned to be sustained with mode-particle interactions producing the particle populations responsible for the observable electromagnetic radiation emission. Weak evidence for a precursor to the binary collapse reported in Ref. [2], has been offered by the Agile X-γ-ray observatory [4] while the August 17 (2017) event, identified first by the LIGO-Virgo detection of gravitational waves and featuring the inferred collapse of a neutron star binary, improves the evidence of such a precursor. A new set of experimental observations is needed to reassess the presented theory.

BLACK HOLE FORAGING: FEEDBACK DRIVES FEEDING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehnen, Walter; King, Andrew

2013-01-01

We suggest a new picture of supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth in galaxy centers. Momentum-driven feedback from an accreting hole gives significant orbital energy, but little angular momentum to the surrounding gas. Once central accretion drops, the feedback weakens and swept-up gas falls back toward the SMBH on near-parabolic orbits. These intersect near the black hole with partially opposed specific angular momenta, causing further infall and ultimately the formation of a small-scale accretion disk. The feeding rates into the disk typically exceed Eddington by factors of a few, growing the hole on the Salpeter timescale and stimulating further feedback. Natural consequences of this picture include (1) the formation and maintenance of a roughly toroidal distribution of obscuring matter near the hole; (2) random orientations of successive accretion disk episodes; (3) the possibility of rapid SMBH growth; (4) tidal disruption of stars and close binaries formed from infalling gas, resulting in visible flares and ejection of hypervelocity stars; (5) super-solar abundances of the matter accreting on to the SMBH; and (6) a lower central dark-matter density, and hence annihilation signal, than adiabatic SMBH growth implies. We also suggest a simple subgrid recipe for implementing this process in numerical simulations

Analysis on discharge process of a plasma-jet triggered gas spark switch

Science.gov (United States)

Weihao, TIE; Cui, MENG; Yuting, ZHANG; Zirang, YAN; Qiaogen, ZHANG

2018-01-01

The plasma-jet triggered gas switch (PJTGS) could operate at a low working coefficient with a low jitter. We observed and analyzed the discharge process of the PJTGS at the lowest working coefficient of 47% with the trigger voltage of 40 kV and the pulse energy of 2 J to evaluate the effect of the plasma jet. The temporal and spatial evolution and the optical emission spectrum of the plasma jet were captured. And the spraying delay time and outlet velocity under different gas pressures were investigated. In addition, the particle in cell with Monte Carlo collision was employed to obtain the particle distribution of the plasma jet varying with time. The results show that, the plasma jet generated by spark discharge is sprayed into a spark gap within tens of nanoseconds, and its outlet velocity could reach 104 m s-1. The plasma jet plays a non-penetrating inducing role in the triggered discharge process of the PJTGS. On the one hand, the plasma jet provides the initial electrons needed by the discharge; on the other hand, a large number of electrons focusing on the head of the plasma jet distort the electric field between the head of the plasma jet and the opposite electrode. Therefore, a fast discharge originated from the plasma jet is induced and quickly bridges two electrodes.

How A Black Hole Lights Up Its Surroundings

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-10-01

How do the supermassive black holes that live at the centers of galaxies influence their environments? New observations of a distant active galaxy offer clues about this interaction.Signs of CoevolutionPlot demonstrating the m-sigma relation, the empirical correlation between the stellar velocity dispersion of a galactic bulge and the mass of the supermassive black hole at its center. [Msigma]We know that the centers of active galaxies host supermassive black holes with masses of millions to billions of suns. One mystery surrounding these beasts is that they are observed to evolve simultaneously with their host galaxies for instance, an empirical relationship is seen between the growth of a black hole and the growth of its host galaxys bulge. This suggests that there must be a feedback mechanism through which the evolution of a black hole is linked to that of its host galaxy.One proposed source of this coupling is the powerful jets emitted from the poles of these supermassive black holes. These jets are thought to be produced as some of the material accreting onto the black hole is flung out, confined by surrounding gas and magnetic fields. Because the jets of hot gas and radiation extend outward through the host galaxy, they provide a means for the black hole to influence the gas and dust of its surroundings.In our current model of a radio-loud active galactic nuclei,a region of hot, ionized gas the narrow-line region lies beyond the sphere of influence of the supermassive black hole. [C.M. Urry and P. Padovani]Clues in the Narrow-Line RegionThe region of gas thought to sit just outside of the black holes sphere of influence (at a distance of perhaps a thousand to a few thousand light-years) is known as the narrow line region so named because we observe narrow emission lines from this gas. Given its hot, ionized state, this gas must somehow be being pummeled with energy. In the canonical picture, radiation from the black hole heats the gas directly in a process

Low-temperature plasma-catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde in atmospheric pressure gas streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Huixian; Zhu Aimin; Lu Fugong; Xu Yong; Zhang Jing; Yang Xuefeng

2006-01-01

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a typical air pollutant capable of causing serious health disorders in human beings. This work reports plasma-catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde in gas streams via dielectric barrier discharges over Ag/CeO 2 pellets at atmospheric pressure and 70 0 C. With a feed gas mixture of 276 ppm HCHO, 21.0% O 2 , 1.0% H 2 O in N 2 , ∼99% of formaldehyde can be effectively destructed with an 86% oxidative conversion into CO 2 at GHSV of 16500 h -1 and input discharge energy density of 108 J l -1 . At the same experimental conditions, the conversion percentages of HCHO to CO 2 from pure plasma-induced oxidation (discharges over fused silica pellets) and from pure catalytic oxidation over Ag/CeO 2 (without discharges) are 6% and 33% only. The above results and the CO plasma-catalytic oxidation experiments imply that the plasma-generated short-lived gas phase radicals, such as O and HO 2 , play important roles in the catalytic redox circles of Ag/CeO 2 to oxidize HCHO and CO to CO 2

Metallurgical response of an AISI 4140 steel to different plasma nitriding gas mixtures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adão Felipe Oliveira Skonieski

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Plasma nitriding is a surface modification process that uses glow discharge to diffuse nitrogen atoms into the metallic matrix of different materials. Among the many possible parameters of the process, the gas mixture composition plays an important role, as it impacts directly the formed layer's microstructure. In this work an AISI 4140 steel was plasma nitrided under five different gas compositions. The plasma nitriding samples were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy, microhardness test, X-ray diffraction and GDOES. The results showed that there are significant microstructural and morphological differences on the formed layers depending on the quantity of nitrogen and methane added to the plasma nitriding atmosphere. Thicknesses of 10, 5 and 2.5 µm were obtained when the nitrogen content of the gas mixtures were varied. The possibility to obtain a compound layer formed mainly by γ'-Fe4N nitrides was also shown. For all studied plasma nitriding conditions, the presence of a compound layer was recognized as being the responsible to hinder the decarburization on the steel surface. The highest value of surface hardness - 1277HV - were measured in the sample which were nitrided with 3vol.% of CH4.

On the stability of localized drift modes in the boundary layers of high density gas insulated plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohlsson, D.

1977-11-01

Gas blanket systems are of interest for mainly two reasons. First, plasma wall interaction effects are expected to be considerably reduced due to the presence of the surrounding neutral gas. Consequently the impurity radiation due to impurities originating from plasma wall interaction processes is probably eliminated to a large extent. Second, the fueling of a future thermonuclear reactor can take place in a natural way in gas blanket systems in the sense that neutrals can diffuse inwards at a suitable rate to replace burnt fuel under certain conditions. In this analysis we consider certain stability aspects of plasmas surrounded by neutral gas. In particular we consider the stability of localized collisional drift modes, in the cool partially ionized boundary regions. In these regions large pressure gradients are expected due to plasma neutral gas interaction effects. It is concluded that stability is possible within certain parameter ranges due to the presence of several stabilizing effects associated with finite Larmor radius and viscosity effects and coupling between dissipative effects directly or indirectly connected with plasma neutral gas interaction processes

Integrated transport code system for a multicomponent plasma in a gas dynamic trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anikeev, A.V.; Karpushov, A.N.; Noak, K.; Strogalova, S.L.

2000-01-01

This report is focused on the development of the theoretical and numerical models of multicomponent high-β plasma confinement and transport in the gas-dynamic trap (GDT). In order to simulate the plasma behavior in the GDT as well as that in the GDT-based neutron source the Integrated Transport Code System is developed from existing stand-alone codes calculating the target plasma, the fast ions and the neutral gas in the GDT. The code system considers the full dependence of the transport phenomena on space, time, energy and angle variables as well as the interactions between the particle fields [ru

"Iron-Clad" Evidence For Spinning Black Hole

Science.gov (United States)

2003-09-01

Telltale X-rays from iron may reveal if black holes are spinning or not, according to astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton Observatory. The gas flows and bizarre gravitational effects observed near stellar black holes are similar to those seen around supermassive black holes. Stellar black holes, in effect, are convenient `scale models' of their much larger cousins. Black holes come in at least two different sizes. Stellar black holes are between five and 20 times the mass of the Sun. At the other end of the size scale, supermassive black holes contain millions or billions times the mass of our Sun. The Milky Way contains both a supermassive black hole at its center, as well as a number of stellar black holes sprinkled throughout the Galaxy. At a press conference at the "Four Years of Chandra" symposium in Huntsville, Ala., Jon Miller of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass. discussed recent results on the X-ray spectra, or distribution of X-rays with energy, from the iron atoms in gas around three stellar black holes in the Milky Way. "Discovering the high degree of correspondence between stellar and supermassive black holes is a real breakthrough," said Miller. "Because stellar black holes are smaller, everything happens about a million times faster, so they can be used as a test-bed for theories of how spinning black holes affect the space and matter around them." X-rays from a stellar black hole are produced when gas from a nearby companion star is heated to tens of millions of degrees as it swirls toward the black hole. Iron atoms in this gas produce distinctive X-ray signals that can be used to study the orbits of particles around the black hole. For example, the gravity of a black hole can shift the X-rays to lower energies. "The latest work provides the most precise measurements yet of the X-ray spectra for stellar black holes," said Miller. "These data help rule out

Transition from gas to plasma kinetic equilibria in gravitating axisymmetric structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cremaschini, Claudio; Stuchlík, Zdeněk

2014-01-01

The problem of the transition from gas to plasma in gravitating axisymmetric structures is addressed under the assumption of having initial and final states realized by kinetic Maxwellian-like equilibria. In astrophysics, the theory applies to accretion-disc scenarios around compact objects. A formulation based on non-relativistic kinetic theory for collisionless systems is adopted. Equilibrium solutions for the kinetic distribution functions describing the initial neutral matter and the resulting plasma state are constructed in terms of single-particle invariants and expressed by generalized Maxwellian distributions. The final plasma configuration is related to the initial gas distribution by the introduction of appropriate functional constraints. Qualitative aspects of the solution are investigated and physical properties of the system are pointed out. In particular, the admitted functional dependences of the fluid fields carried by the corresponding equilibrium distributions are determined. Then, the plasma is proved to violate the condition of quasi-neutrality, implying a net charge separation between ions and electrons. This result is shown to be independent of the precise realization of the plasma distribution function, while a physical mechanism able to support a non-neutral equilibrium state is proposed

Transition from gas to plasma kinetic equilibria in gravitating axisymmetric structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cremaschini, Claudio; Stuchlík, Zdeněk [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Philosophy and Science, Silesian University in Opava, Bezručovo nám.13, CZ-74601 Opava (Czech Republic)

2014-04-15

The problem of the transition from gas to plasma in gravitating axisymmetric structures is addressed under the assumption of having initial and final states realized by kinetic Maxwellian-like equilibria. In astrophysics, the theory applies to accretion-disc scenarios around compact objects. A formulation based on non-relativistic kinetic theory for collisionless systems is adopted. Equilibrium solutions for the kinetic distribution functions describing the initial neutral matter and the resulting plasma state are constructed in terms of single-particle invariants and expressed by generalized Maxwellian distributions. The final plasma configuration is related to the initial gas distribution by the introduction of appropriate functional constraints. Qualitative aspects of the solution are investigated and physical properties of the system are pointed out. In particular, the admitted functional dependences of the fluid fields carried by the corresponding equilibrium distributions are determined. Then, the plasma is proved to violate the condition of quasi-neutrality, implying a net charge separation between ions and electrons. This result is shown to be independent of the precise realization of the plasma distribution function, while a physical mechanism able to support a non-neutral equilibrium state is proposed.

Nuclear Gas Dynamics of NGC2110: A Black Hole Offset from the Host Galaxy Mass Center?

Science.gov (United States)

Mundell, C. G.; Ferruit, P.; Nagar, N.; Wilson, A. S.

2004-01-01

It has been suggested that the central regions of many galaxies are unlikely to be in a static steady state, with instabilities caused by sinking satellites, the influence of a supermassive black hole or residuals of galaxy formation, resulting in the nuclear black hole orbiting the galaxy center. The observational signature of such an orbiting black hole is an offset of the active nucleus (AGN) from the kinematic center defined by the galaxy rotation curve. This orbital motion may provide fuel for the AGN, as the hole 'grazes' on the ISM, and bent radio jets, due to the motion of their source. The early type (E/SO) Seyfert galaxy, NGC2210, with its striking twin, 'S'-shaped radio jets, is a unique and valuable test case for the offset-nucleus phenomenon since, despite its remarkably normal rotation curve, its kinematically-measured mass center is displaced both spatially (260 pc) and kinematically (170 km/s) from the active nucleus located in optical and radio studies. However, the central kinematics, where the rotation curve rises most steeply, have been inaccessible with ground-based resolutions. We present new, high resolution WFPC2 imaging and long-slit STIS spectroscopy of the central 300 pc of NGC2110. We discuss the structure and kinematics of gas moving in the galactic potential on subarcsecond scales and the reality of the offset between the black hole and the galaxy mass center.

Effects of gas chamber geometry and gas flow on the neutron production in a fast plasma focus neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarifeño-Saldivia, Ariel; Soto, Leopoldo

2014-01-01

This work reports that gas chamber geometry and gas flow management substantially affect the neutron production of a repetitive fast plasma focus. The gas flow rate is the most sensitive parameter. An appropriate design of the gas chamber combined with a suitable flow-rate management can lead to improvements in the neutron production of one order of magnitude working in a fast repetitive mode. (paper)

Intense microwave pulse propagation through gas breakdown plasmas in a waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrne, D.P.

1986-01-01

High-power microwave pulse-compression techniques are used to generate 2.856 GHz pulses which are propagated in a TE 10 mode through a gas filled section of waveguide, where the pulses interact with self-generated gas-breakdown plasmas. Pulse envelopes transmitted through the plasmas, with duration varying from 2 ns to greater than 1 μs, and peak powers of a few kW to nearly 100 MW, are measured as a function of incident pulse and gas pressure for air, nitrogen, and helium. In addition, the spatial and temporal development of the optical radiation emitted by the breakdown plasmas are measured. For transmitted pulse durations ≥ 100 ns, good agreement is found with both theory and existing measurements. For transmitted pulse duration as short as 2 ns (less than 10 rf cycles), a two-dimensional model is used in which the electrons in the plasma are treated as a fluid whose interactions with the microwave pulse are governed by a self-consistent set of fluid equations and Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic field. The predictions of this model for air are compared with the experimental results over a pressure range of 0.8 torr to 300 torr. Good agreement is obtained above about 1 torr pressure, demonstrating that microwave pulse propagation above the breakdown threshold can be accurately modeled on this time scale. 63 refs., 44 figs., 2 tabs

Mechanisms of disruptions caused by noble gas injection into tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozov, D.Kh.; Yurchenko, E.I.; Lukash, V.E.; Baronova, E.O.; Pozdnyakov, Yu.I.; Rozhansky, V.A.; Senichenkov, I.Yu.; Veselova, I.Yu.; Schneider, R.

2005-01-01

Noble gas injection for disruption mitigation in DIII-D is simulated. The simulation of the first two stages of the disruption is performed: the first one is the neutral gas jet penetration through the background plasmas, and the second one is the instability growth. In order to simulate the first stage, the MHD pellet code LLP with improved radiation model for noble gas is used. Plasma cooling at this stage is provided by the energy exchange with the jet. The opacity effects in radiation losses are found to be important in the energy balance calculations. The magnetic surfaces in contact with the jet are cooled significantly; however, the temperature as well as the electric conductivity, remains high. The cooling front propagates towards the plasma centre. It has been shown that the cooling front is accompanied by strongly localized 'shark fin-like' perturbation in toroidal current density profile. The simplified cylindrical model shows that the cooling front is able to produce the internal kink-like mode with growth rate significantly higher than the tearing mode. The unstable kink perturbation obtained is non-resonant for any magnetic surface, both inside the plasma column, and in the vacuum space outside the separatrix. The mode disturbs mainly the core region. The growth time of the 'shark fin-like' mode is higher than the Alfven time by a factor of 10-100 for DIII-D parameters

Serum/plasma methylmercury determination by isotope dilution gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baxter, Douglas C., E-mail: douglas.baxter@alsglobal.com [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Faarinen, Mikko [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Osterlund, Helene; Rodushkin, Ilia [ALS Scandinavia AB, Aurorum 10, 977 75 Lulea (Sweden); Division of Geosciences, Lulea University of Technology, 977 87 Lulea (Sweden); Christensen, Morten [ALS Scandinavia AB, Maskinvaegen 2, 183 53 Taeby (Sweden)

2011-09-09

Highlights: {center_dot} We determine methylmercury in serum and plasma using isotope dilution calibration. {center_dot} Separation by gas chromatography and detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. {center_dot} Data for 50 specimens provides first reference range for methylmercury in serum. {center_dot} Serum samples shown to be stable for 11 months in refrigerator. - Abstract: A method for the determination of methylmercury in plasma and serum samples was developed. The method uses isotope dilution with {sup 198}Hg-labeled methylmercury, extraction into dichloromethane, back-extraction into water, aqueous-phase ethylation, purge and trap collection, thermal desorption, separation by gas chromatography, and mercury isotope specific detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. By spiking 2 mL sample with 1.2 ng tracer, measurements in a concentration interval of (0.007-2.9) {mu}g L{sup -1} could be performed with uncertainty amplification factors <2. A limit of quantification of 0.03 {mu}g L{sup -1} was estimated at 10 times the standard deviation of concentrations measured in preparation blanks. Within- and between-run relative standard deviations were <10% at added concentration levels of 0.14 {mu}g L{sup -1}, 0.35 {mu}g L{sup -1} and 2.8 {mu}g L{sup -1}, with recoveries in the range 82-110%. Application of the method to 50 plasma/serum samples yielded a median (mean; range) concentration of methylmercury of 0.081 (0.091; <0.03-0.19) {mu}g L{sup -1}. This is the first time methylmercury has been directly measured in this kind of specimen, and is therefore the first estimate of a reference range.

The Effects of Gas Composition on the Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Modification of Polyethylene Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jie; Qiu Yiping

2015-01-01

Polyethylene (PE) films are treated using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with He or He/O 2 gas for different periods of time. The influence of gas type on the plasma-polymer interactions is studied. The surface contact angle of the PE film can be effectively lowered to 58° after 20 s of He/O 2 plasma treatment and then remains almost unchanged for longer treatment durations, while, for He plasma treatment, the film surface contact angle drops gradually to 47° when the time reaches 120 s. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results show that the root mean square (RMS) roughness was significantly higher for the He/O 2 plasma treated samples than for the He plasma treated counterparts, and the surface topography of the He/O 2 plasma treated PE films displays evenly distributed dome-shaped small protuberances. Chemical composition analysis reveals that the He plasma treated samples have a higher oxygen content but a clearly lower percentage of −COO than the comparable He/O 2 treated samples, suggesting that differences exist in the mode of incorporating oxygen between the two gas condition plasma treatments. Electron spin resonance (ESR) results show that the free radical concentrations of the He plasma treated samples were clearly higher than those of the He/O 2 plasma treated ones with other conditions unchanged. (paper)

Numerical investigations of cooling holes system role in the protection of the walls of a gas turbine combustion chamber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Sik Ali, Ahlem; Kriaa, Wassim; Mhiri, Hatem [Ecole Nationale D' Ingenieurs de Monastir, Unite de Thermique et Thermodynamique des Procedes industriels, Monastir (Tunisia); Bournot, Philippe [IUSTI, UMR CNRS 6595, Marseille (France)

2012-05-15

Numerical simulations in a gas turbine Swirl stabilized combustor were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a cooling system in the protection of combustor walls. The studied combustion chamber has a high degree of geometrical complexity related to the injection system as well as the cooling system based on a big distribution of small holes (about 3,390 holes) bored on the flame tube walls. Two cases were considered respectively the flame tube without and with its cooling system. The calculations were carried out using the industrial CFD code FLUENT 6.2. The various simulations made it possible to highlight the role of cooling holes in the protection of the flame tube walls against the high temperatures of the combustion products. In fact, the comparison between the results of the two studied cases demonstrated that the walls temperature can be reduced by about 800 C by the mean of cooling holes technique. (orig.)

Experimental study of current loss and plasma formation in the Z machine post-hole convolute

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Gomez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Z pulsed-power generator at Sandia National Laboratories drives high energy density physics experiments with load currents of up to 26 MA. Z utilizes a double post-hole convolute to combine the current from four parallel magnetically insulated transmission lines into a single transmission line just upstream of the load. Current loss is observed in most experiments and is traditionally attributed to inefficient convolute performance. The apparent loss current varies substantially for z-pinch loads with different inductance histories; however, a similar convolute impedance history is observed for all load types. This paper details direct spectroscopic measurements of plasma density, temperature, and apparent and actual plasma closure velocities within the convolute. Spectral measurements indicate a correlation between impedance collapse and plasma formation in the convolute. Absorption features in the spectra show the convolute plasma consists primarily of hydrogen, which likely forms from desorbed electrode contaminant species such as H_{2}O, H_{2}, and hydrocarbons. Plasma densities increase from 1×10^{16}  cm^{−3} (level of detectability just before peak current to over 1×10^{17}  cm^{−3} at stagnation (tens of ns later. The density seems to be highest near the cathode surface, with an apparent cathode to anode plasma velocity in the range of 35–50  cm/μs. Similar plasma conditions and convolute impedance histories are observed in experiments with high and low losses, suggesting that losses are driven largely by load dynamics, which determine the voltage on the convolute.

Surface modification and stability of detonation nanodiamonds in microwave gas discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanishevsky, Andrei V.; Walock, Michael J.; Catledge, Shane A.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Single and binary gas plasma modification of nanodiamond powders studied. • Temperature-dependent effect of N 2 and N 2 /H 2 plasma reported for the first time. • Role of H 2 in H 2 /N 2 and H 2 /O 2 plasma modification of nanodiamond discussed. - Abstract: Detonation nanodiamonds (DND), with low hydrogen content, were exposed to microwave plasma generated in pure H 2 , N 2 , and O 2 gases and their mixtures, and investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Considerable alteration of the DND surface was observed under the plasma conditions for all used gases, but the diamond structure of the DND particle core was preserved in most cases. The stabilizing effect of H 2 in H 2 /N 2 and H 2 /O 2 binary gas plasmas on the DND structure and the temperature-dependent formation of various CNH x surface groups in N 2 and H 2 /N 2 plasmas were observed and discussed for the first time. DND surface oxidation and etching were the main effects of O 2 plasma, whereas the N 2 plasma led to DND surfaces rich in amide groups below 1073 K and nitrile groups at higher temperatures. Noticeable graphitization of the DND core structure was detected only in N 2 plasma when the substrate temperature was above 1103 K.

Laser-Irradiated Gas Puff Target Plasma Modeling

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vrba, Pavel; Vrbová, M.

2014-01-01

Roč. 42, č. 10 (2014), s. 2600-2601 ISSN 0093-3813 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP102/12/2043 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0092 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Gas puff laser plasma * water window radiation source * RHMD code Z* Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 1.101, year: 2014 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org

Reactive species output of a plasma jet with a shielding gas device—combination of FTIR absorption spectroscopy and gas phase modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt-Bleker, A; Winter, J; Iseni, S; Dünnbier, M; Reuter, S; Weltmann, K-D

2014-01-01

In this work, a simple modelling approach combined with absorption spectroscopy of long living species generated by a cold atmospheric plasma jet yields insight into relevant gas phase chemistry. The reactive species output of the plasma jet is controlled using a shielding gas device. The shielding gas is varied using mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen at various humidity levels. Through the combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and zero dimensional kinetic modelling of the gas phase chemistry, insight into the underlying reaction mechanisms is gained. While the FTIR measurements yield absolute densities of ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the far field of the jet, the kinetic simulations give additional information on reaction pathways. The simulation is fitted to the experimentally obtained data, using the CFD simulations of the experimental setup to estimate the correct evaluation time for the kinetic simulation. It is shown that the ozone production of the plasma jet continuously rises with the oxygen content in the shielding gas, while it significantly drops as humidity is increased. The production of nitrogen dioxide reaches its maximum at about 30% oxygen content in the shielding gas. The underlying mechanisms are discussed based on the simulation results. (paper)

Analysis of a gas-liquid film plasma reactor for organic compound oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsieh, Kevin [Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States); Wang, Huijuan [School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Locke, Bruce R., E-mail: blocke@fsu.edu [Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310 (United States)

2016-11-05

Highlights: • Non-homogeneous filamentary plasma discharge formed along gas-liquid interface. • Hydrogen peroxide formed near interface favored over organic oxidation from liquid. • Post-plasma Fenton reactions lead to complete utilization of hydrogen peroxide. - Abstract: A pulsed electrical discharge plasma formed in a tubular reactor with flowing argon carrier gas and a liquid water film was analyzed using methylene blue as a liquid phase hydroxyl radical scavenger and simultaneous measurements of hydrogen peroxide formation. The effects of liquid flow rate, liquid conductivity, concentration of dye, and the addition of ferrous ion on dye decoloration and degradation were determined. Higher liquid flow rates and concentrations of dye resulted in less decoloration percentages and hydrogen peroxide formation due to initial liquid conductivity effects and lower residence times in the reactor. The highest decoloration energy yield of dye found in these studies was 5.2 g/kWh when using the higher liquid flow rate and adding the catalyst. The non-homogeneous nature of the plasma discharge favors the production of hydrogen peroxide in the plasma-liquid interface over the chemical oxidation of the organic in the bulk liquid phase and post-plasma reactions with the Fenton catalyst lead to complete utilization of the plasma-formed hydrogen peroxide.

Experimental study of the effect of gas nature on plasma arc cutting of mild steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavka, T; Mašláni, A; Hrabovský, M; Křenek, P; Stehrer, T; Pauser, H

2013-01-01

This paper is devoted to the experimental investigation of arc cutting of mild steel using plasmas generated in gas and liquid media. Due to different chemical compositions, the examined media have different thermophysical properties, which affect the properties of the generated plasma and cutting performance. The experiments are performed on 15 mm mild steel plates using commercial equipment at 60 A to approach real operation conditions in application areas. The studied gases are chosen according to recommendations of the world's leading manufacturers of arc cutting equipment for mild steel. Specific differences between plasma gases are discussed from the point of view of properties of the gas and the generated plasma, amount of removed material, kerf shape and overall energy balance of the cutting process. The paper describes the role of exothermic reaction of iron oxidation for oxygen cutting and explains its neglect for liquid cutting. This paper explains the potential of facilitating the cutting process by modification of the plasma gas chemical composition and flow rate. (paper)

Effects of gas temperature in the plasma layer on RONS generation in array-type dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Sung-Young; Yi, Changho; Eom, Sangheum; Park, Seungil; Kim, Seong Bong; Ryu, Seungmin; Yoo, Suk Jae

2017-12-01

In this work, we studied the control of plasma-produced species under a fixed gas composition (i.e., ambient air) in a 10 kHz-driven array-type dielectric barrier atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge. Instead of the gas composition, only the gas velocity was controlled. Thus, the plasma-maintenance cost was considerably lower than methods such as external N2 or O2 injection. The plasma-produced species were monitored using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The discharge properties were measured using a voltage probe, current probe, infrared camera, and optical emission spectroscopy. The results showed that the major plasma products largely depend on the gas temperature in the plasma discharge layer. The gas temperature in the plasma discharge layer was significantly different to the temperature of the ceramic adjacent to the plasma discharge layer, even in the small discharge power density of ˜15 W/cm2 or ˜100 W/cm3. Because the vibrational excitation of N2 was suppressed by the higher gas flow, the major plasma-produced species shifted from NOx in low flow to O3 in high flow.

Degradation of nitride coatings in low-pressure gas discharge plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, Yurii; Shugurov, Vladimir; Krysina, Olga; Petrikova, Elizaveta; Tolkachev, Oleg

2017-12-01

The paper provides research data on the defect structure, mechanical characteristics, and tribological properties of commercially pure VT1-0 titanium exposed to surface modification on a COMPLEX laboratory electron-ion plasma setup which allows nitriding, coating deposition, and etching in low-pressure gas discharge plasma in a single vacuum cycle. It is shown that preliminary plasma nitriding forms a columnar Ti2N phase in VT1-0 titanium and that subsequent TiN deposition results in a thin nanocrystalline TiN layer. When the coating-substrate system is etched, the coating fails and the tribological properties of the material degrade greatly.

Interferometric analysis of laboratory photoionized plasmas utilizing supersonic gas jet targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Kyle James; Ivanov, Vladimir; Mancini, Roberto; Mayes, Daniel C.

2018-06-01

Photoionized plasmas are an important component of active galactic nuclei, x-ray binary systems and other astrophysical objects. Laboratory produced photoionized plasmas have mainly been studied at large scale facilities, due to the need for high intensity broadband x-ray flux. Using supersonic gas jets as targets has allowed university scale pulsed power generators to begin similar research. The two main advantages of this approach with supersonic gas jets include: possibility of a closer location to the x-ray source and no attenuation related to material used for containment and or tamping. Due to these factors, this experimental platform creates a laboratory environment that more closely resembles astrophysical environments. This system was developed at the Nevada Terawatt Facility using the 1 MA pulsed power generator Zebra. Neon, argon, and nitrogen supersonic gas jets are produced approximately 7-8mm from the z-pinch axis. The high intensity broadband x-ray flux produced by the collapse of the z-pinch wire array implosion irradiates the gas jet. Cylindrical wire arrays are made with 4 and 8 gold 10µm thick wire. The z-pinch radiates approximately 12-16kj of x-ray energy, with x-ray photons under 1Kev in energy. The photoionized plasma is measured via x-ray absorption spectroscopy and interferometry. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used to the measure neutral density of the jet prior to the zebra shot at a wavelength of 266 nm. A dual channel air-wedge shearing interferometer is used to measure electron density of the ionized gas jet during the shot, at wavelengths of 532nm and 266nm. Using a newly developed interferometric analysis tool, average ionization state maps of the plasma can be calculated. Interferometry for nitrogen and argon show an average ionization state in the range of 3-8. Preliminary x-ray absorption spectroscopy collected show neon absorption lines. This work was sponsored in part by DOE Office of Science Grant DE-SC0014451.

Three-phase double-arc plasma for spectrochemical analysis of environmental samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, M M; Ghatass, Z F; Shalaby, E A; Kotb, M M; El-Raey, M

2000-12-01

A new instrument, which uses a three-phase current to support a double-arc argon plasma torch for evaporation, atomization and excitation of solid or powder samples, is described. The sampling arc is ignited between the first and second electrode while the excitation arc is ignited between the second and third electrode. Aerosol generated from the sample (first electrode) is swept by argon gas, through a hole in the second electrode (carbon tubing electrode), into the excitation plasma. A tangential stream of argon gas is introduced through an inlet orifice as a coolant gas for the second electrode. This gas stream forces the excitation arc discharge to rotate reproducibly around the electrode surface. Discharge rotation increases the stability of the excitation plasma. Spectroscopic measurements are made directly in the current-carrying region of the excitation arc. An evaluation of each parameter influencing the device performance was performed. Analytical calibration curves were obtained for Fe, Al, K, and Pb. Finally, the present technique was applied for the analysis of environmental samples. The present method appears to have significant, low cost analytical utility for environmental measurements.

Progress in atomizing high melting intermetallic titanium based alloys by means of a novel plasma melting induction guiding gas atomization facility (PIGA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerling, R.; Schimansky, F.P.; Wagner, R. [GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Werkstofforschung

1994-12-31

For the production of intermetallic titanium based alloy powders a novel gas atomization facility has been put into operation: By means of a plasma torch the alloy is melted in a water cooled copper crucible in skull melting technique. To the tap hole of the crucible, a novel transfer system is mounted which forms a thin melt stream and guides it into the gas nozzle. This transfer system consists of a ceramic free induction heated water cooled copper funnel. Gas atomization of {gamma}-TiAl (melting temperature 1400 C) and Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} (2130 C) proved the possibility to produce ceramic free pre-alloyed powders with this novel facility. The TiAl powder particles are spherical; about 20 wt.% are smaller than 45 {mu}m. The oxygen and copper pick up during atomization do not exceed 250 and 35 {mu}g/g respectively. The Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} powder particles are almost spherical. Only about 10 wt.% are <45 {mu}m whereas the O{sub 2} and Cu contamination is also kept at a very low level (250 and 20 {mu}g/g respectively). (orig.)

Note: Design and investigation of a multichannel plasma-jet triggered gas switch.

Science.gov (United States)

Tie, Weihao; Liu, Xuandong; Zhang, Qiaogen; Liu, Shanhong

2014-07-01

We described the fabrication and testing of a multichannel plasma-jet triggered gas switch (MPJTGS). A novel six-channel annular micro-plasma-gun was embedded in the trigger electrode to generate multichannel plasma jets as a nanosecond trigger pulse arrived. The gas breakdown in multiple sites of the spark gap was induced and fixed around jet orifices by the plasma jets. We tested the multichannel discharge characteristics of the MPJTGS in two working modes with charge voltage of 50 kV, trigger voltage of +40 kV (25 ns rise time), and trigger energy of 240 J, 32 J, and 2 J, respectively, at different working coefficients. Results show that the average number of discharge channels increased as the trigger energy increased, and decreased as the working coefficient decreased. At a working coefficient of 87.1% and trigger energy of 240 J, the average number of discharge channels in Mode II could reach 4.1.

Boosting jet power in black hole spacetimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Neilsen, David; Lehner, Luis; Palenzuela, Carlos; Hirschmann, Eric W; Liebling, Steven L; Motl, Patrick M; Garrett, Travis

2011-08-02

The extraction of rotational energy from a spinning black hole via the Blandford-Znajek mechanism has long been understood as an important component in models to explain energetic jets from compact astrophysical sources. Here we show more generally that the kinetic energy of the black hole, both rotational and translational, can be tapped, thereby producing even more luminous jets powered by the interaction of the black hole with its surrounding plasma. We study the resulting Poynting jet that arises from single boosted black holes and binary black hole systems. In the latter case, we find that increasing the orbital angular momenta of the system and/or the spins of the individual black holes results in an enhanced Poynting flux.

Measuring the spins of accreting black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClintock, Jeffrey E; Narayan, Ramesh; Gou, Lijun; Kulkarni, Akshay; Penna, Robert F; Steiner, James F; Davis, Shane W; Orosz, Jerome A; Remillard, Ronald A

2011-01-01

A typical galaxy is thought to contain tens of millions of stellar-mass black holes, the collapsed remnants of once massive stars, and a single nuclear supermassive black hole. Both classes of black holes accrete gas from their environments. The accreting gas forms a flattened orbiting structure known as an accretion disk. During the past several years, it has become possible to obtain measurements of the spins of the two classes of black holes by modeling the x-ray emission from their accretion disks. Two methods are employed, both of which depend upon identifying the inner radius of the accretion disk with the innermost stable circular orbit, whose radius depends only on the mass and spin of the black hole. In the Fe Kα method, which applies to both classes of black holes, one models the profile of the relativistically broadened iron line with a special focus on the gravitationally redshifted red wing of the line. In the continuum-fitting (CF) method, which has so far only been applied to stellar-mass black holes, one models the thermal x-ray continuum spectrum of the accretion disk. We discuss both methods, with a strong emphasis on the CF method and its application to stellar-mass black holes. Spin results for eight stellar-mass black holes are summarized. These data are used to argue that the high spins of at least some of these black holes are natal, and that the presence or absence of relativistic jets in accreting black holes is not entirely determined by the spin of the black hole.

Magnetically insulated ion diode with a gas-breakdown plasma anode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenly, J.B.; Ueda, M.; Rondeau, G.D.; Hammer, D.A.

1987-12-01

An active anode plasma source has been developed for use in a magnetically insulated ion diode operated on a 10 sup(10)W pulsed power generator. This source uses an inductive voltage from a single turn coil to break down an annular gas puff produced by a supersonic nozzle. The resulting plasma is magnetically driven toward the radial insulating magnetic field in the diode accelerating gap and stagnates at a well-defined surface after about 300ns to form a plasma anode layer defined by magnetic flux surfaces. An ion beam is then extracted from this plasma layer by applying a 150kV, 1 μs pulse to the accelerating gap. Optimization of the timing of the gas puff, the plasma production discharge and the high voltage pulse has resulted in 1μs duration 75-150KeV ion beam pulses with >100A/cm sup(2) peak ion current density over an area of about 400cm sup(2). Up to 5J/cm sup(2) has been collected by a 4cm sup(2) calorimeter. The diode impedance history can be varied so that rising, flat, and falling voltage pulse waveforms can be produced. Streak photographs of beamlets impinging on a scintillator and time integrated targets both show beam divergence angles ≤3 sup(0). However, under certain operating conditions, large excursions (∼25 sup(0)) in mean aiming angle on time scales of 20-200ns are observed. (author)

Dynamic behavior of polydisperse dust system in cryogenic gas discharge complex plasmas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Antipov, S.N.; Schepers, L.P.T.; Vasiliev, M.M.; Petrov, O.F.

2016-01-01

Complex (dusty) plasmas of micron-sized CeO2 polydisperse particles in dc glow discharges at 77 and ∼ 10 K were experimentally investigated. It was obtained that dust structure in cryogenic gas discharge plasma can be a mixture of two fractions (components) with completely different dust ordering

Surface modification and stability of detonation nanodiamonds in microwave gas discharge plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanishevsky, Andrei V., E-mail: astan@uab.edu; Walock, Michael J.; Catledge, Shane A.

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Single and binary gas plasma modification of nanodiamond powders studied. • Temperature-dependent effect of N{sub 2} and N{sub 2}/H{sub 2} plasma reported for the first time. • Role of H{sub 2} in H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}/O{sub 2} plasma modification of nanodiamond discussed. - Abstract: Detonation nanodiamonds (DND), with low hydrogen content, were exposed to microwave plasma generated in pure H{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, and O{sub 2} gases and their mixtures, and investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Considerable alteration of the DND surface was observed under the plasma conditions for all used gases, but the diamond structure of the DND particle core was preserved in most cases. The stabilizing effect of H{sub 2} in H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}/O{sub 2} binary gas plasmas on the DND structure and the temperature-dependent formation of various CNH{sub x} surface groups in N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} plasmas were observed and discussed for the first time. DND surface oxidation and etching were the main effects of O{sub 2} plasma, whereas the N{sub 2} plasma led to DND surfaces rich in amide groups below 1073 K and nitrile groups at higher temperatures. Noticeable graphitization of the DND core structure was detected only in N{sub 2} plasma when the substrate temperature was above 1103 K.

Slowly balding black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyutikov, Maxim; McKinney, Jonathan C.

2011-01-01

The 'no-hair' theorem, a key result in general relativity, states that an isolated black hole is defined by only three parameters: mass, angular momentum, and electric charge; this asymptotic state is reached on a light-crossing time scale. We find that the no-hair theorem is not formally applicable for black holes formed from the collapse of a rotating neutron star. Rotating neutron stars can self-produce particles via vacuum breakdown forming a highly conducting plasma magnetosphere such that magnetic field lines are effectively ''frozen in'' the star both before and during collapse. In the limit of no resistivity, this introduces a topological constraint which prohibits the magnetic field from sliding off the newly-formed event horizon. As a result, during collapse of a neutron star into a black hole, the latter conserves the number of magnetic flux tubes N B =eΦ ∞ /(πc(ℎ/2π)), where Φ ∞ ≅2π 2 B NS R NS 3 /(P NS c) is the initial magnetic flux through the hemispheres of the progenitor and out to infinity. We test this theoretical result via 3-dimensional general relativistic plasma simulations of rotating black holes that start with a neutron star dipole magnetic field with no currents initially present outside the event horizon. The black hole's magnetosphere subsequently relaxes to the split-monopole magnetic field geometry with self-generated currents outside the event horizon. The dissipation of the resulting equatorial current sheet leads to a slow loss of the anchored flux tubes, a process that balds the black hole on long resistive time scales rather than the short light-crossing time scales expected from the vacuum no-hair theorem.

Reduction of nitrogen oxides from simulated exhaust gas by using plasma-catalytic process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mok, Young Sun; Koh, Dong Jun; Shin, Dong Nam; Kim, Kyong Tae

2004-01-01

Removal of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) using a nonthermal plasma reactor (dielectric-packed bed reactor) combined with monolith V 2 O 5 /TiO 2 catalyst was investigated. The effect of initial NO x concentration, feed gas flow rate (space velocity), humidity, and reaction temperature on the removal of NO x was examined. The plasma reactor used can be energized by either ac or pulse voltage. An attempt was made to utilize the electrical ignition system of an internal combustion engine as a high-voltage pulse generator for the plasma reactor. When the plasma reactor was energized by the electrical ignition system, NO was readily oxidized to NO 2 . Performance was as good as with ac energization. Increasing the fraction of NO 2 in NO x , which is the main role of the plasma reactor, largely enhanced the NO x removal efficiency. In the plasma-catalytic reactor, the increases in initial NO x concentration, space velocity (feed gas flow rate) and humidity lowered the NO x removal efficiency. However, the reaction temperature in the range up to 473 K did not significantly affect the NO x removal efficiency in the presence of plasma discharge

Development of a laser-induced plasma probe to measure gas phase plasma signals at high pressures and temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gounder, J.D.; Kutne, P.; Meier, W.

2012-01-01

The ability of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for on line simultaneous measurement of elemental concentrations has led to its application in a wide number of processes. The simplicity of the technique allows its application to harsh environments such as present in boilers, furnaces and gasifiers. This paper presents the design of a probe using a custom optic which transforms a round beam into a ring (Donut) beam, which is used for forming a plasma in an atmosphere of nitrogen at high pressure (20 bar) and temperature (200 °C). The LIBS experiments were performed using a high pressure cell to characterize and test the effectiveness of the donut beam transmitted through the LIBS probe and collect plasma signal in back scatter mode. The first tests used the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser, pulse width 7 ns, to form a plasma in nitrogen gas at five different pressures (1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 bar) and three different gas temperatures (25, 100 and 200 °C). The uniqueness of this probe is the custom made optic used for reshaping the round laser beam into a ring (Donut) shaped laser beam, which is fed into the probe and focused to form a plasma at the measurement point. The plasma signal is collected and collimated using the laser focusing lens and is reflected from the laser beam axis onto an achromatic lens by a high reflection mirror mounted in the center section of the donut laser beam. The effect of gas pressure and temperature on N(I) lines in the high pressure cell experiment shows that the line intensity decreases with pressure and increases with temperature. Mean plasma temperature was calculated using the ratios of N(I) line intensities ranging from 7400 K to 8900 K at 1 bar and 2400 K to 3200 K at 20 bar for the three different gas temperatures. The results show that as a proof of principle the donut beam optics in combination with the LIBS probe can be used for performing extensive LIBS measurements in well controlled laboratory

Development of a laser-induced plasma probe to measure gas phase plasma signals at high pressures and temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gounder, J.D., E-mail: James.Gounder@dlr.de; Kutne, P.; Meier, W.

2012-08-15

The ability of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for on line simultaneous measurement of elemental concentrations has led to its application in a wide number of processes. The simplicity of the technique allows its application to harsh environments such as present in boilers, furnaces and gasifiers. This paper presents the design of a probe using a custom optic which transforms a round beam into a ring (Donut) beam, which is used for forming a plasma in an atmosphere of nitrogen at high pressure (20 bar) and temperature (200 Degree-Sign C). The LIBS experiments were performed using a high pressure cell to characterize and test the effectiveness of the donut beam transmitted through the LIBS probe and collect plasma signal in back scatter mode. The first tests used the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser, pulse width 7 ns, to form a plasma in nitrogen gas at five different pressures (1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 bar) and three different gas temperatures (25, 100 and 200 Degree-Sign C). The uniqueness of this probe is the custom made optic used for reshaping the round laser beam into a ring (Donut) shaped laser beam, which is fed into the probe and focused to form a plasma at the measurement point. The plasma signal is collected and collimated using the laser focusing lens and is reflected from the laser beam axis onto an achromatic lens by a high reflection mirror mounted in the center section of the donut laser beam. The effect of gas pressure and temperature on N(I) lines in the high pressure cell experiment shows that the line intensity decreases with pressure and increases with temperature. Mean plasma temperature was calculated using the ratios of N(I) line intensities ranging from 7400 K to 8900 K at 1 bar and 2400 K to 3200 K at 20 bar for the three different gas temperatures. The results show that as a proof of principle the donut beam optics in combination with the LIBS probe can be used for performing extensive LIBS measurements in well controlled

Spatial profiling of ion and neutral excitation in noble gas electron cyclotron resonance plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhoades, R.L.; Gorbatkin, S.M.

1994-01-01

Optical emission from neutrals and ions of several noble gases has been profiled in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma system. In argon plasmas with a net microwave power of 750 W, the neutral (696.5-nm) and ion (488-nm) emission profiles are slightly center peaked at 0.32 mTorr and gradually shift to a hollow appearance at 2.5 mTorr. Neon profiles show a similar trend from 2.5 to 10.0 mTorr. For the noble gases, transition pressure scales with the ionization potential of the gas, which is consistent with neutral depletion. Studies of noble gas mixtures, however, indicate that neutral depletion is not always dominant in the formation of hollow profiles. For Kr/Ar, Ar/Ne, and Ne/He plasmas, the majority gas tends to set the overall shape of the profile at any given pressure. For the conditions of the current system, plasma density appears to be more dominant than electron temperature in the formation of hollow profiles. The general method described is also a straightforward, inexpensive technique for measuring the spatial distribution of power deposited in plasmas, particularly where absolute scale can be calibrated by some other means

Voltage- and Light-Controlled Spin Properties of a Two-Dimensional Hole Gas in p-Type GaAs/AlAs Resonant Tunneling Diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Galeti, H. V. A.; Galvão Gobato, Y.; Brasil, M. J. S. P.; Taylor, D.; Henini, M.

2018-03-01

We have investigated the spin properties of a two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) formed at the contact layer of a p-type GaAs/AlAs resonant tunneling diode (RTD). We have measured the polarized-resolved photoluminescence of the RTD as a function of bias voltage, laser intensity and external magnetic field up to 15T. By tuning the voltage and the laser intensity, we are able to change the spin-splitting from the 2DHG from almost 0 meV to 5 meV and its polarization degree from - 40% to + 50% at 15T. These results are attributed to changes of the local electric field applied to the two-dimensional gas which affects the valence band and the hole Rashba spin-orbit effect.

Dust-acoustic instability in an inductive gas-discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zobnin, A.V.; Usachev, A.D.; Petrov, O.F.; Fortov, V.E.

2002-01-01

Spontaneous excitation of a dust-particle density wave is observed in a dust cloud levitating in the region of the diffused edge of an rf inductive low-pressure gas-discharge plasma. The main physical parameters of this wave and of the background plasma are measured. The analytic model proposed for the observed phenomenon is based on the theory of dust sound and successfully correlates with experimental data in a wide range of experimental conditions. The effect of variable charge of dust particles on the evolution of the observed dust-plasma instability is studied analytically. It is shown that the necessary condition for the development of the dust-acoustic instability is the presence of a dc electric field in the dust cloud region

XFEL resonant photo-pumping of dense plasmas and dynamic evolution of autoionizing core hole states

Science.gov (United States)

Rosmej, F. B.; Moinard, A.; Renner, O.; Galtier, E.; Lee, J. J.; Nagler, B.; Heimann, P. A.; Schlotter, W.; Turner, J. J.; Lee, R. W.; Makita, M.; Riley, D.; Seely, J.

2016-03-01

Similarly to the case of LIF (Laser-Induced Fluorescence), an equally revolutionary impact to science is expected from resonant X-ray photo-pumping. It will particularly contribute to a progress in high energy density science: pumped core hole states create X-ray transitions that can escape dense matter on a 10 fs-time scale without essential photoabsorption, thus providing a unique possibility to study matter under extreme conditions. In the first proof of principle experiment at the X-ray Free Electron Laser LCLS at SCLAC [Seely, J., Rosmej, F.B., Shepherd, R., Riley, D., Lee, R.W. Proposal to Perform the 1st High Energy Density Plasma Spectroscopic Pump/Probe Experiment”, approved LCLS proposal L332 (2010)] we have successfully pumped inner-shell X-ray transitions in dense plasmas. The plasma was generated with a YAG laser irradiating solid Al and Mg targets attached to a rotating cylinder. In parallel to the optical laser beam, the XFEL was focused into the plasma plume at different delay times and pump energies. Pumped X-ray transitions have been observed with a spherically bent crystal spectrometer coupled to a Princeton CCD. By using this experimental configuration, we have simultaneously achieved extremely high spectral (λ/δλ ≈ 5000) and spatial resolution (δx≈70 μm) while maintaining high luminosity and a large spectral range covered (6.90 - 8.35 Å). By precisely measuring the variations in spectra emitted from plasma under action of XFEL radiation, we have successfully demonstrated transient X- ray pumping in a dense plasma.

Dual jets from binary black holes.

Science.gov (United States)

Palenzuela, Carlos; Lehner, Luis; Liebling, Steven L

2010-08-20

The coalescence of supermassive black holes--a natural outcome when galaxies merge--should produce gravitational waves and would likely be associated with energetic electromagnetic events. We have studied the coalescence of such binary black holes within an external magnetic field produced by the expected circumbinary disk surrounding them. Solving the Einstein equations to describe black holes interacting with surrounding plasma, we present numerical evidence for possible jets driven by these systems. Extending the process described by Blandford and Znajek for a single, spinning black hole, the picture that emerges suggests that the electromagnetic field extracts energy from the orbiting black holes, which ultimately merge and settle into the standard Blandford-Znajek scenario. Emissions along these jets could potentially be observable at large distances.

Impact of gas puffing location on density control and plasma parameters in TJ-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabares, F.L.; Garcia-Cortes, I.; Estrada, T.; Tafalla, D.; Hidalgo, A.; Ferreira, J.A.; Pastor, I.; Herranz, J.; Ascasibar, E.

2005-01-01

Under pure Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) conditions in TJ-II plasmas (P<300 kW, 53.2 GHz, 2nd harmonic X-mode, power density < 25 W/m''3), plasma start-up and good density control are obtained only by the proper combination of wall conditions and gas puffing characteristics. Such a control is particularly critical for the optimisation of the NBI power transfer to the target plasmas. The relatively low cut-off limit is easily reached due not only to the unfavourable wall/puffing-fuelling ratio but also due to the steep density profiles developed during the Enhanced Particle Confinement (EPC) modes. These modes are triggered by the gas puffing waveform, and they cannot be achieved for high iota magnetic configurations in TJ-II. Comparative experiments under metallic and boronised wall conditions have shown that the sensitivity of the EPC modes to the puffing rate is at least partially related to the energy balance at the plasma periphery under central heating scenarios. In this work, the impact of gas-fuelling location on the plasma parameters and density control is described. For that purpose, three different fuelling locations have been investigated; broad distribution from a side ports, localized injection from long tubes at different poloidal positions and highly localized injection through a movable limiter. Edge density and temperature profiles from a broad set of diagnostics (atomic beams, reflectometry, Thompson Scattering ECE, etc...) are analysed and compared. It has been found that preventing from transition to the EPC mode is achieved by using slow puffing rates, while neutral penetration into the plasma core can be enhanced for highly localized gas sources. Wall inventory, however, has been found to pl ay a dominant role in the fuelling of the plasma under most conditions. (author)

Measurements of hydrogen gas stopping efficiency for tin ions from laser-produced plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Abramenko, D. B.; Spiridonov, M. V.; Krainov, P. V.; Krivtsun, V. M.; Astakhov, D. I.; Medvedev, V. V.; van Kampen, M.; Smeets, D.; Koshelev, K. N.

2018-04-01

Experimental studies of stopping of ion fluxes from laser-produced plasma by a low-pressure gas atmosphere are presented. A modification of the time-of-flight spectroscopy technique is proposed for the stopping cross-sectional measurements in the ion energy range of 0.1-10 keV. The application of the proposed technique is demonstrated for Sn ion stopping by H2 gas. This combination of elements is of particular importance for the development of plasma-based sources of extreme ultraviolet radiation for lithographic applications.

Lifetime and shelf life of sealed tritium-filled plasma focus chambers with gas generator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.D. Lemeshko

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the operation features of plasma focus chambers using deuterium–tritium mixture. Handling tritium requires the use of sealed, vacuum-tight plasma focus chambers. In these chambers, there is an accumulation of the impurity gases released from the inside surfaces of the electrodes and the insulator while moving plasma current sheath inside chambers interacting with β-electrons generated due to the decay of tritium. Decay of tritium is also accompanied by the accumulation of helium. Impurities lead to a decreased yield of neutron emission from plasma focus chambers, especially for long term operation. The paper presents an option of absorption type gas generator in the chamber based on porous titanium, which allows to significantly increase the lifetime and shelf life of tritium chambers. It also shows the results of experiments on the comparison of the operation of sealed plasma focus chambers with and without the gas generator. Keywords: Plasma focus, Neutron yield, Tritium-filled plasma focus chambers, PACS Codes: 29.25.-v, 52.58.Lq

BINARY BLACK HOLES, GAS SLOSHING, AND COLD FRONTS IN THE X-RAY HALO HOSTING 4C+37.11

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrade-Santos, Felipe; Bogdán, Ákos; Forman, William R.; Jones, Christine; Murray, Stephen S. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Romani, Roger W. [Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4060 (United States); Taylor, Greg B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 (United States); Zavala, Robert T. [US Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station, 10391 W. Naval Observatory Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States)

2016-07-20

We analyzed deep Chandra ACIS-I exposures of the cluster-scale X-ray halo surrounding the radio source 4C+37.11. This remarkable system hosts the closest resolved pair of super-massive black holes and an exceptionally luminous elliptical galaxy, the likely product of a series of past mergers. We characterize the halo with r {sub 500} ∼ 0.95 Mpc, M {sub 500} = 2.5 ± 0.2 × 10{sup 14} M {sub ⊙}, kT = 4.6 ± 0.2 keV, and a gas mass of M {sub g,500} = 2.2 ± 0.1 × 10{sup 13} M {sub ⊙}. The gas mass fraction within r {sub 500} is f {sub g} = 0.09 ± 0.01. The entropy profile shows large non-gravitational heating in the central regions. We see several surface brightness jumps, associated with substantial temperature and density changes but approximate pressure equilibrium, implying that these are sloshing structures driven by a recent merger. A residual intensity image shows a core spiral structure closely matching that seen in the Perseus cluster, although at z = 0.055 the spiral pattern is less distinct. We infer that the most recent merger occurred 1–2 Gyr ago and that the event that brought the two observed super-massive black holes to the system core is even older. Under this interpretation, the black hole binary pair has, unusually, remained at a parsec-scale separation for more than 2 Gyr.

Application of epifluorescence scanning for monitoring the efficacy of protein removal by RF gas-plasma decontamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baxter, Helen C; Richardson, Patricia R; Campbell, Gaynor A; Jones, Anita C; Baxter, Robert L [School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Chemistry Building, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JJ (United Kingdom); Kovalev, Valeri I; Maier, Robert; Barton, James S [School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS (United Kingdom); DeLarge, Greg [Plasma Etch Inc, 3522 Arrowhead Drive, Carson City, NV 89706 (United States); Casey, Mark [Sterile Services Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4AS (United Kingdom)], E-mail: r.baxter@ed.ac.uk

2009-11-15

The development of methods for measuring the efficiency of gas-plasma decontamination has lagged far behind application. An approach to measuring the efficiency of protein removal from solid surfaces using fluorescein-labelled bovine serum albumin and epifluorescence scanning (EFSCAN) is described. A method for fluorescently labelling proteins, which are adsorbed and denatured on metal surfaces, has been developed. Both approaches have been used to evaluate the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) gas-plasma decontamination protocols. Examples with 'real' surgical instruments demonstrate that an argon-oxygen RF gas-plasma treatment can routinely reduce the protein load by about three orders of magnitude beyond that achieved by current decontamination methods.

Application of epifluorescence scanning for monitoring the efficacy of protein removal by RF gas-plasma decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baxter, Helen C; Richardson, Patricia R; Campbell, Gaynor A; Jones, Anita C; Baxter, Robert L; Kovalev, Valeri I; Maier, Robert; Barton, James S; DeLarge, Greg; Casey, Mark

2009-01-01

The development of methods for measuring the efficiency of gas-plasma decontamination has lagged far behind application. An approach to measuring the efficiency of protein removal from solid surfaces using fluorescein-labelled bovine serum albumin and epifluorescence scanning (EFSCAN) is described. A method for fluorescently labelling proteins, which are adsorbed and denatured on metal surfaces, has been developed. Both approaches have been used to evaluate the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) gas-plasma decontamination protocols. Examples with 'real' surgical instruments demonstrate that an argon-oxygen RF gas-plasma treatment can routinely reduce the protein load by about three orders of magnitude beyond that achieved by current decontamination methods.

Black hole mass measurement using molecular gas kinematics: what ALMA can do

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Ilsang

2017-04-01

We study the limits of the spatial and velocity resolution of radio interferometry to infer the mass of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in galactic centres using the kinematics of circum-nuclear molecular gas, by considering the shapes of the galaxy surface brightness profile, signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns) of the position-velocity diagram (PVD) and systematic errors due to the spatial and velocity structure of the molecular gas. We argue that for fixed galaxy stellar mass and SMBH mass, the spatial and velocity scales that need to be resolved increase and decrease, respectively, with decreasing Sérsic index of the galaxy surface brightness profile. We validate our arguments using simulated PVDs for varying beam size and velocity channel width. Furthermore, we consider the systematic effects on the inference of the SMBH mass by simulating PVDs including the spatial and velocity structure of the molecular gas, which demonstrates that their impacts are not significant for a PVD with good S/N unless the spatial and velocity scale associated with the systematic effects are comparable to or larger than the angular resolution and velocity channel width of the PVD from pure circular motion. Also, we caution that a bias in a galaxy surface brightness profile owing to the poor resolution of a galaxy photometric image can largely bias the SMBH mass by an order of magnitude. This study shows the promise and the limits of ALMA observations for measuring SMBH mass using molecular gas kinematics and provides a useful technical justification for an ALMA proposal with the science goal of measuring SMBH mass.

The magnetic field application for the gas discharge plasma control in processes of surface coating and modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asadullin, T Ya; Galeev, I G

2017-01-01

In this paper the method of magnetic field application to control the gas discharge plasma effect on the various surfaces in processes of surface coating and modification is considered. The magnetic field directed perpendicular to the direction of electric current in the gas discharge plasma channel is capable to reject this plasma channel due to action of Lorentz force on the moving electrically charged particles [1,2]. The three-dimensional spatial structure of magnetic field is created by system of necessary quantity of the magnets located perpendicular to the direction of course of electric current in the gas-discharge plasma channel. The formation of necessary spatial distribution of magnetic field makes possible to obtain a required distribution of plasma parameters near the processed surfaces. This way of the plasma channel parameters spatial distribution management is the most suitable for application in processes of plasma impact on a surface of irregular shape and in cases when the selective impact of plasma on a part of a surface of a product is required. It is necessary to apply automated computer management of the process parameters [3] to the most effective plasma impact. (paper)

Effects of H2/O2 mixed gas plasma treatment on electrical and optical property of indium tin oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jun Young; Lee, Dong-Min; Kim, Jae-Kwan; Yang, Su-Hwan; Lee, Ji-Myon

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The specific resistivity of ITO was enhanced by H 2 + O 2 mixed gas plasma treatment. ► The transmittance was same as that of untreated ITO after plasma treatment. ► The process was carried out at room temperature without any step of post-treatment. - Abstract: This study examined the effects of H 2 and H 2 + O 2 mixed gas plasma treatment on the properties of ITO films. The films were deposited on corning glass by RF magnetron sputtering under Ar and Ar/O 2 mixed gas ambient. After a H 2 plasma treatment, the ITO films showed an improved specific resistance due to the formation of oxygen vacancies acting as shallow donors, but showed quenched transmittance due to the formation of agglomerated metals on the surface. After an H 2 + O 2 mixed gas plasma treatment, the specific resistance of the film was improved without deteriorating transmittance. The enhanced specific resistance by mixed gas plasma treatment was attributed to the formation of free electrons by the incorporation of H in the lattice.

Collisional spin-oriented Sherman function in electron-hole semiconductor plasmas: Landau damping effect

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myoung-Jae; Jung, Young-Dae

2018-04-01

The influence of Landau damping on the spin-oriented collisional asymmetry is investigated in electron-hole semiconductor plasmas. The analytical expressions of the spin-singlet and the spin-triplet scattering amplitudes as well as the spin-oriented asymmetry Sherman function are obtained as functions of the scattering angle, the Landau parameter, the effective Debye length, and the collision energy. It is found that the Landau damping effect enhances the spin-singlet and spin-triplet scattering amplitudes in the forward and back scattering domains, respectively. It is also found that the Sherman function increases with an increase in the Landau parameter. In addition, the spin-singlet scattering process is found to be dominant rather than the spin-triplet scattering process in the high collision energy domain.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets: Effect of gas flow, active species, and snake-like bullet propagation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, S.; Wang, Z.; Huang, Q.; Tan, X.; Lu, X. [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Ostrikov, K. [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, PO Box 218, Lindfield NSW 2070 (Australia); School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006 (Australia); State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China)

2013-02-15

Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma jets have recently attracted enormous interest owing to numerous applications in plasma biology, health care, medicine, and nanotechnology. A dedicated study of the interaction between the upstream and downstream plasma plumes revealed that the active species (electrons, ions, excited OH, metastable Ar, and nitrogen-related species) generated by the upstream plasma plume enhance the propagation of the downstream plasma plume. At gas flows exceeding 2 l/min, the downstream plasma plume is longer than the upstream plasma plume. Detailed plasma diagnostics and discharge species analysis suggest that this effect is due to the electrons and ions that are generated by the upstream plasma and flow into the downstream plume. This in turn leads to the relatively higher electron density in the downstream plasma. Moreover, high-speed photography reveals a highly unusual behavior of the plasma bullets, which propagate in snake-like motions, very differently from the previous reports. This behavior is related to the hydrodynamic instability of the gas flow, which results in non-uniform distributions of long-lifetime active species in the discharge tube and of surface charges on the inner surface of the tube.

A study on rare gas - oxygen reactions excited by low temperature plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, Hiroaki; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi; Saburi, Tei; Fukaya, Kiyoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2001-03-01

The concentration of radioactive rare gases like Xe and Kr in nuclear fuels on PWRs and BWRs increases promptly with dependent on the burn-up ratio. These gases are affect to the long performance of nuclear fuel elements due to accumulate in gap between cladding and fuel, because it has the low thermal conductivity. It is also required to develop the practical means to correct these gases including in the off-gas in nuclear plants for inhibiting the environmental pollution. On the present study, we carried out the fundamental research to evaluate the chemical reactivity of these gases under heavy irradiation. We proposed the new excitation mechanism of these gases by expecting the formation of low energy plasma under irradiation. The chemical reactivity on rare gas-oxygen system was examined by using the low energy plasma driven reaction apparatus installed the RF excitation source. The density of electrons and lower pressure limit for the RF excitation was depended on the ionization energy of each gas. It is clarified that Xe is easy to form gaseous oxide due to the high excitation efficiency in low energy plasma. (author)

Nitrogen gas plasma treatment of bacterial spores induces oxidative stress that damages the genomic DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakudo, Akikazu; Toyokawa, Yoichi; Nakamura, Tetsuji; Yagyu, Yoshihito; Imanishi, Yuichiro

2017-01-01

Gas plasma, produced by a short high‑voltage pulse generated from a static induction thyristor power supply [1.5 kilo pulse/sec (kpps)], was demonstrated to inactivate Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores (decimal reduction time at 15 min, 2.48 min). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assays further indicated that nitrogen gas plasma treatment for 15 min decreased the level of intact genomic DNA and increased the level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, a major product of DNA oxidation. Three potential inactivation factors were generated during operation of the gas plasma instrument: Heat, longwave ultraviolet-A and oxidative stress (production of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite and nitrate). Treatment of the spores with hydrogen peroxide (3x2‑4%) effectively inactivated the bacteria, whereas heat treatment (100˚C), exposure to UV-A (75‑142 mJ/cm2) and 4.92 mM peroxynitrite (•ONOO‑), which is decomposed into nitrite and nitrate, did not. The results of the present study suggest the gas plasma treatment inactivates bacterial spores primarily by generating hydrogen peroxide, which contributes to the oxidation of the host genomic DNA.

Low-energy plasma-cathode electron gun with a perforated emission electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Burdovitsin, Victor; Kazakov, Andrey; Medovnik, Alexander; Oks, Efim; Tyunkov, Andrey

2017-11-01

We describe research of influence of the geometric parameters of perforated electrode on emission parameters of a plasma cathode electron gun generating continuous electron beams at gas pressure 5-6 Pa. It is shown, that the emission current increases with increasing the hole diameters and decreasing the thickness of the perforated emission electrode. Plasma-cathode gun with perforated electron can provide electron extraction with an efficiency of up to 72 %. It is shown, that the current-voltage characteristic of the electron gun with a perforated emission electrode differs from that of similar guns with fine mesh grid electrode. The plasma-cathode electron gun with perforated emission electrode is used for electron beam welding and sintering.

Atmospheric pulsed laser deposition of plasmonic nanoparticle films of silver with flowing gas and flowing atmospheric plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, T. M.; Pokle, A.; Lunney, J. G.

2018-04-01

Two methods of atmospheric pulsed laser deposition of plasmonic nanoparticle films of silver are described. In both methods the ablation plume, produced by a 248 nm, 20 ns excimer laser in gas, is strongly confined near the target and forms a nanoparticle aerosol. For both the flowing gas, and the atmospheric plasma from a dielectric barrier discharge plasma source, the aerosol is entrained in the flow and carried to a substrate for deposition. The nanoparticle films produced by both methods were examined by electron microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy. With plasma assistance, the deposition rate was significantly enhanced and the film morphology altered. With argon gas, isolated nanoparticles of 20 nm size were obtained, whereas in argon plasma, the nanoparticles are aggregated in clusters of 90 nm size. Helium gas also leads to the deposition of isolated nanoparticles, but with helium plasma, two populations of nanoparticles are observed: one of rounded particles with a mean size of 26 nm and the other of faceted particles with a mean size 165 nm.

Stable existence of central current hole in the JT-60U tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Y.; Fujita, T.; Oikawa, T.

2003-01-01

In an extreme state of a reversed magnetic shear configuration, it was found in JT-60U that there is almost no plasma current in the central region (called Current Hole). The Current Hole region extends to 40% of the plasma minor radius and it exists stably for several seconds. The Current Hole is formed by the growth of the bootstrap current and it is impossible to drive current in either positive or negative direction by ECH or N-NB inside the Current Hole. In that region, there is almost no gradient of density, temperature and toroidal rotation velocity. It means that there is almost no confinement in the Current Hole and the large energy in that region is sustained only by an internal transport barrier (ITB). The effects of the Current Hole on particle orbits and the effects on an error field on the Current Hole are also discussed. (author)

Holes in magneto electrostatic traps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, R.

1996-01-01

We observe that in magneto electrostatic confinement (MEC) devices the magnetic surfaces are not always equipotentials. The lack of symmetry in the equipotential surfaces can result in holes in MEC plasma traps. (author)

Current distribution measurements inside an electromagnetic plasma gun operated in a gas-puff mode

OpenAIRE

Poehlmann, Flavio R.; Cappelli, Mark A.; Rieker, Gregory B.

2010-01-01

Measurements are presented of the time-dependent current distribution inside a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun. The measurements are carried out using an array of six axially distributed dual-Rogowski coils in a balanced circuit configuration. The radial current distributions indicate that operation in the gas-puff mode, i.e., the mode in which the electrode voltage is applied before injection of the gas, results in a stationary ionization front consistent with the presence of a plasma def...

Plasma Gasification of Wood and Production of Gas with Low Content of Tar

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hlína, Michal; Hrabovský, Milan; Kopecký, Vladimír; Konrád, Miloš; Kavka, Tetyana; Skoblja, S.

2006-01-01

Roč. 56, suppl. B (2006), s. 1179-1184 ISSN 0011-4626. [Symposium on Plasma Physics and Technology/22nd./. Praha, 26.6.2006-29.6.2006] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/05/0669 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : tar * plasma * biomass gasification Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 0.568, year: 2006

Laser interferometry of radiation driven gas jets

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Kyle James; Ivanov, Vladimir; Mancini, Roberto; Mayes, Daniel C.

2017-06-01

In a series of experiments performed at the 1MA Zebra pulsed power accelerator of the Nevada Terawatt Facility nitrogen gas jets were driven with the broadband x-ray flux produced during the collapse of a wire-array z-pinch implosion. The wire arrays were comprised of 4 and 8, 10μm-thick gold wires and 17μm-thick nickel wires, 2cm and 3cm tall, and 0.3cm in diameter. They radiated 12kJ to 16kJ of x-ray energy, most of it in soft x-ray photons of less than 1keV of energy, in a time interval of 30ns. This x-ray flux was used to drive a nitrogen gas jet located at 0.8cm from the axis of the z-pinch radiation source and produced with a supersonic nozzle. The x-ray flux ionizes the nitrogen gas thus turning it into a photoionized plasma. We used laser interferometry to probe the ionization of the plasma. To this end, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer at the wavelength of 266 nm was set up to extract the atom number density profile of the gas jet just before the Zebra shot, and air-wedge interferometers at 266 and 532 nm were used to determine the electron number density of the plasma right during the Zebra shot. The ratio of electron to atom number densities gives the distribution of average ionization state of the plasma. A python code was developed to perform the image data processing, extract phase shift spatial maps, and obtain the atom and electron number densities via Abel inversion. Preliminary results from the experiment are promising and do show that a plasma has been created in the gas jet driven by the x-ray flux, thus demonstrating the feasibility of a new experimental platform to study photoionized plasmas in the laboratory. These plasmas are found in astrophysical scenarios including x-ray binaries, active galactic nuclei, and the accretion disks surrounding black holes1. This work was sponsored in part by DOE Office of Science Grant DE-SC0014451.1R. C. Mancini et al, Phys. Plasmas 16, 041001 (2009)

Collisions Around a Black Hole Mean Mealtime

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-08-01

When a normally dormant supermassive black hole burps out a brief flare, its assumed that a star was torn apart and fell into the black hole. But a new study suggests that some of these flares might have a slightly different cause.Not a Disruption?Artists impression of a tidal disruption event, in which a star has been pulled apart and its gas feeds the supermassive black hole. [NASA/JPL-Caltech]When a star swings a little too close by a supermassive black hole, the black holes gravity can pull the star apart, completely disrupting it. The resulting gas can then accrete onto the black hole, feeding it and causing it to flare. The predicted frequency of these tidal disruption events and their expected light curves dont perfectly match all our observations of flaring black holes, however.This discrepancy has led two scientists from the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Brian Metzger and Nicholas Stone, to wonder if we can explain flares from supermassive black holes in another way. Could a differentevent masquerade as a tidal disruption?Evolution of a stars semimajor axis (top panel) and radius (bottom panel) as a function of time since Roche-lobe overflow began onto a million-solar-mass black hole. Curves show stars of different masses. [Metzger Stone 2017]Inspirals and OutspiralsIn the dense nuclear star cluster surrounding a supermassive black hole, various interactions can send stars on new paths that take them close to the black hole. In many of these interactions, the stars will end up on plunging orbits, often resulting in tidal disruption. But sometimes stars can approach the black hole on tightly bound orbits with lower eccentricities.A main-sequence star on such a path, in what is known as an extreme mass ratio inspiral (EMRI), slowly approaches the black hole over a period of millions of years, eventually overflowing its Roche lobe and losing mass. Theradius of the star inflates, driving more mass loss and halting the stars inward progress. The star then

Low-Cost Real-Time Gas Monitoring Using a Laser Plasma Induced by a Third Harmonic Q-Switched Nd-YAG Laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syahrun Nur Abdulmadjid

2005-11-01

Full Text Available A gas plasma induced by a third harmonic Nd-YAG laser with relatively low pulsed energy (about 10 mJ has favorable characteristics for gas analysis due to its low background characteristics, nevertheless a high power fundamental Nd-YAG laser (100-200 mJ is widely used for laser gas breakdown spectroscopy. The air plasma can be used as a low-cost real-time gas monitoring system such that it can be used to detect the local absolute humidity, while a helium plasma can be used for gas analysis with a high level of sensitivity. A new technique using a helium plasma to improve laser ablation emission spectroscopy is proposed. Namely, the third harmonic Nd-YAG laser is focused at a point located some distance from the target in the 1-atm helium surrounding gas. By using this method, the ablated vapor from the target is excited through helium atoms in a metastable state in the helium plasma.

Microscopic origin of black hole reentrant phase transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Zangeneh, M. Kord; Dehyadegari, A.; Sheykhi, A.; Mann, R. B.

2018-04-01

Understanding the microscopic behavior of the black hole ingredients has been one of the important challenges in black hole physics during the past decades. In order to shed some light on the microscopic structure of black holes, in this paper, we explore a recently observed phenomenon for black holes namely reentrant phase transition, by employing the Ruppeiner geometry. Interestingly enough, we observe two properties for the phase behavior of small black holes that leads to reentrant phase transition. They are correlated and they are of the interaction type. For the range of pressure in which the system underlies reentrant phase transition, it transits from the large black holes phase to the small one which possesses higher correlation than the other ranges of pressures. On the other hand, the type of interaction between small black holes near the large/small transition line differs for usual and reentrant phase transitions. Indeed, for the usual case, the dominant interaction is repulsive whereas for the reentrant case we encounter an attractive interaction. We show that in the reentrant phase transition case, the small black holes behave like a bosonic gas whereas in the usual phase transition case, they behave like a quantum anyon gas.

Efficacy of autologous platelets in macular hole surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantinidis, Aristeidis; Hero, Mark; Nanos, Panagiotis; Panos, Georgios D

2013-01-01

The introduction of optical coherence tomography has allowed accurate measurement of the size of macular holes. A retrospective consecutive review was performed of 21 patients undergoing macular hole repair with vitrectomy, gas tamponade, and autologous platelet injection and we assessed the effect of macular hole parameters on anatomic and functional outcomes. We looked at the demographic features, final visual outcome, and anatomical closure. Twenty-one patients were included in the study. They underwent routine vitrectomy with gas tamponade (C3F8) and injection of autologous platelets. All patients were advised to maintain a facedown posture for 2 weeks. Anatomical closure was confirmed in all cases and 20 out of 21 of patients had improved postoperative visual acuity by two or more lines. In our series, the macular hole dimensions did not have much effect on the final results. The use of autologous platelets and strict facedown posture seems to be the deciding factor in good anatomical and visual outcome irrespective of macular hole dimensions.

Production of ammonia from plasma-catalytic decomposition of urea: Effects of carrier gas composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xing; Li, Jian; Qiu, Danqi; Zhu, Tianle

2018-04-01

Effects of carrier gas composition (N 2 /air) on NH 3 production, energy efficiency regarding NH 3 production and byproducts formation from plasma-catalytic decomposition of urea were systematically investigated using an Al 2 O 3 -packed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor at room temperature. Results show that the presence of O 2 in the carrier gas accelerates the conversion of urea but leads to less generation of NH 3 . The final yield of NH 3 in the gas phase decreased from 70.5%, 78.7%, 66.6% and 67.2% to 54.1%, 51.7%, 49.6% and 53.4% for applied voltages of 17, 19, 21 and 23kV, respectively when air was used as the carrier gas instead of N 2 . From the viewpoint of energy savings, however, air carrier gas is better than N 2 due to reduced energy consumption and increased energy efficiency for decomposition of a fixed amount of urea. Carrier gas composition has little influence on the major decomposition pathways of urea under the synergetic effects of plasma and Al 2 O 3 catalyst to give NH 3 and CO 2 as the main products. Compared to a small amount of N 2 O formed with N 2 as the carrier gas, however, more byproducts including N 2 O and NO 2 in the gas phase and NH 4 NO 3 in solid deposits were produced with air as the carrier gas, probably due to the unproductive consumption of NH 3 , the possible intermediate HNCO and even urea by the abundant active oxygen species and nitrogen oxides generated in air-DBD plasma. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The behaviour of population in a plasma interacting with an atomic gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukane, Utaro; Oda, Toshiatsu.

1983-01-01

The processes leading to the population inversion are investigated in a recombining hydrogen plasma which is interacting with a cool and dense neutral hydrogen gas by using the rate equations on the basis of the CR model and the energy equation for electrons ions and neutral parlicles. The quasi-steady state approximation are used only for the levels higher than a certain level which is not the first excited level. The calculations have shown that the quasi-steady state cannot be realized while intense energy-flows due to the collisional processes exist between different kinds of the particles such as the electrons and the ions in the plasma and the population inversion is realized only in the quasi-steady state following the transient phase. The effects of the initial conditions of the hydrogen plasma and the introduced neutral hydrogen gas on the overpopulation density are also discussed. (author)

Solar wind acceleration in coronal holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopp, R.A.

1978-01-01

Past attempts to explain the large solar wind velocities in high speed streams by theoretical models of the expansion have invoked either extended nonthermal heating of the corona, heat flux inhibition, or direct addition of momentum to the expanding coronal plasma. Several workers have shown that inhibiting the heat flux at low coronal densities is probably not adequate to explain quantitatively the observed plasma velocities in high speed streams. It stressed that, in order to account for both these large plasma velocities and the low densities found in coronal holes (from which most high speed streams are believed to emanate), extended heating by itself will not suffice. One needs a nonthermal mechanism to provide the bulk acceleration of the high wind plasma close to the sun, and the most likely candidate at present is direct addition of the momentum carried by outward-propagating waves to the expanding corona. Some form of momentum addition appears to be absolutely necessary if one hopes to build quantitatively self-consistent models of coronal holes and high speed solar wind streams

Many-particle correlations in quasi-two-dimensional electron-hole systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolaev, Valentin

2002-01-01

This thesis reports a theoretical investigation of many-particle correlation effects in semiconductor heterostructures containing quantum wells. Particular attention is paid towards quasi-particle pair correlations. Using the Green's function technique and the ladder approximation as a basis, the generalized mass action law, which describes the redistribution of particles between correlated and uncorrelated states in quasi-two-dimensional systems for different temperatures and total densities, is derived. The expression is valid beyond the low-density limit, which allows us to investigate the transition of the system from a dilute exciton gas to a dense electron-hole plasma. A generalized Levinson theorem, which takes k-space filling into account, is formulated. Screening in quasi-two-dimensional systems is analyzed rigorously. Firstly, the qualitatively new mechanism of static local screening by indirect excitons is studied using the simple Thomas-Fermi approximation. Then, a detailed many-body description suitable for a proper account of dynamic screening by a quasi-2D electron-hole plasma, and consistent with the previously derived mass action law, is provided. The generalized Lindhard approximation and excitonic plasmon-pole approximations are also derived. The theory is applied to single and double quantum wells. A self-consistent procedure is developed for numerical investigation of the ionization degree of an electron-hole plasma at different values of temperature/exciton Rydberg ratios. This procedure accounts for screening, k-space filling (exciton bleaching), and the formation of excitons. An abrupt jump in the value of the ionization degree that happens with an increase of the carrier density or temperature (Mott transition) is found in a certain density-temperature region. It has been found that the critical density of the Mott transition for indirect excitons may be much smaller than that for direct excitons. A suggestion has been made that some of the

Analysis of Solar Coronal Holes with Synoptic Magnetogram Data

Science.gov (United States)

Canner, A.; Kim, T. K.; Pogorelov, N.; Yalim, M. S.

2017-12-01

Coronal holes are regions in which the magnetic field of the Sun is open with high magnetic flux and low plasma density. Because of the low plasma beta in these regions, the open field lines transport plasma from the Sun throughout the heliosphere. Coronal hole area is closely related to the expansion factor of the magnetic flux tube, as demonstrated by Tokumaru et al. (2017). Following the approach of Tokumaru et al. (2017), we employ a potential field source surface model to identify the open field regions on the photosphere and estimate the area and expansion factor for each coronal hole. While Tokumaru et al. (2017) analyzed synoptic maps from Kitt Peak National Observatory for the period 1995-2011, we use different magnetograph observations with higher spatial resolution (e.g., SOHO-MDI) for the same time period. We compare the coronal hole area - expansion factor relationship with the original results of Tokumaru et al (2017). This work was supported by the NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program "Solar and Heliospheric Physics at UAH and MSFC" run by the University of Alabama in Huntsville in partnership with the Marshall Space Flight Center through grant AGS-1460767.

Binary-collision-approximation simulation for noble gas irradiation onto plasma facing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Seiki; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Takayama, Arimichi; Ito, Atsushi M

2014-01-01

A number of experiments show that helium plasma constructs filament (fuzz) structures whose diameter is in nanometer-scale on the tungsten material under the suitable experimental condition. In this paper, binary-collision-approximation-based simulation is performed to reveal the mechanism and the conditions of fuzz formation of tungsten material under plasma irradiation. The irradiation of the plasma of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium, and also the plasma of noble gas such as helium, neon, and argon atoms are investigated. The possibility of fuzz formation is discussed on the simulation result of penetration depth of the incident atoms

Some optical diagnostics for the plasma focus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korzhavin, V.M.

1980-01-01

Some aspects of studying plasma focus dynamics are reported. Particular efforts were made to develop an infrared (IR) diagnostics. The plasma focus is formed in a discharge chamber, when shock waves and plasma sheath cumulate on the axis as a result of the break-down of filling gas by the application of high voltage. The current J was measured with a Rogovsky coil, and the voltage U was measured with a capacitor divider. The current derivative was measured with magnetic probes, and X-ray and neutron emission intensities were measured with a plastic scintillator. The total neutron yield were measured by the activation method. The time-integrated soft X-ray pictures of plasma focus were taken with a pin-hole camera. The formation and disruption of plasma focus were studied by multi-picture speed photography. Laser interferometry was used to study the time-space distribution of plasma density. For the study of turbulence phenomena in plasma focus, a new type IR detector was employed. The results of measurements suggest that there exists some superthermal radiation during the second compression of plasma focus, but it is not so strong. (Kato, T.)

Nanocomposite metal/plasma polymer films prepared by means of gas aggregation cluster source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polonskyi, O.; Solar, P.; Kylian, O.; Drabik, M.; Artemenko, A.; Kousal, J.; Hanus, J.; Pesicka, J.; Matolinova, I. [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, 18000 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Kolibalova, E. [Tescan, Libusina trida 21, 632 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Slavinska, D. [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, 18000 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Biederman, H., E-mail: bieder@kmf.troja.mff.cuni.cz [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, 18000 Prague 8 (Czech Republic)

2012-04-02

Nanocomposite metal/plasma polymer films have been prepared by simultaneous plasma polymerization using a mixture of Ar/n-hexane and metal cluster beams. A simple compact cluster gas aggregation source is described and characterized with emphasis on the determination of the amount of charged clusters and their size distribution. It is shown that the fraction of neutral, positively and negatively charged nanoclusters leaving the gas aggregation source is largely influenced by used operational conditions. In addition, it is demonstrated that a large portion of Ag clusters is positively charged, especially when higher currents are used for their production. Deposition of nanocomposite Ag/C:H plasma polymer films is described in detail by means of cluster gas aggregation source. Basic characterization of the films is performed using transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies. It is shown that the morphology, structure and optical properties of such prepared nanocomposites differ significantly from the ones fabricated by means of magnetron sputtering of Ag target in Ar/n-hexane mixture.

Gaspe hole sets depth record

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1970-03-09

The deepest diamond-cored hole in the Western Hemisphere, Gulf Sunnybank No. 1 on the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec, has been completed at a depth of 11,600 ft. This is the deepest cored hole to be drilled anywhere in search of oil and gas production, and the deepest to be drilled using a wire-line core recovery technique. The well was completed in 183 days, and was cored continuously below the surface casing which was set and cemented at 1,004 ft. After underreaming a portion of the bottom of the hole, intermediate casing was set and cemented at 8,000 ft as a safety precaution against possible high oil or gas-fluid pressure. Actual coring time, after deducting time for underreaming and casing operations, was 152 days. Because of the cost of transporting a conventional oil-drilling rig to the E. location, the 89-ft mining rig was modified for the project. The contractor was Heath and Sherwood Drilling (Western) Ltd.

THE RESPONSE OF METAL-RICH GAS TO X-RAY IRRADIATION FROM A MASSIVE BLACK HOLE AT HIGH REDSHIFT: PROOF OF CONCEPT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aykutalp, A.; Meijerink, R.; Spaans, M. [Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 800, 9700-AV Groningen (Netherlands); Wise, J. H., E-mail: aycin.aykutalp@sns.it, E-mail: meijerink@astro.rug.nl, E-mail: spaans@astro.rug.nl, E-mail: jwise@physics.gatech.edu [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 837 State Street, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States)

2013-07-01

Observational studies show that there is a strong link between the formation and evolution of galaxies and the growth of their supermassive black holes. However, the underlying physics behind this observed relation is poorly understood. In order to study the effects of X-ray radiation on black hole surroundings, we implement X-ray-dominated region physics into Enzo and use the radiation transport module Moray to calculate the radiative transfer for a polychromatic spectrum. In this work, we investigate the effects of X-ray irradiation, produced by a central massive black hole (MBH) with a mass of M = 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} M{sub Sun }, on ambient gas with solar and zero metallicity. We find that in the solar metallicity case, the energy deposition rate in the central region ({<=}20 pc) is high due to the high opacity of the metals. Hence, the central temperatures are on the order of 10{sup 5}-10{sup 7} K. Moreover, due to the cooling ability and high intrinsic opacity of solar metallicity gas, column densities of 10{sup 24} cm{sup -2} are reached at a radius of 20 pc from the MBH. These column densities are about three orders of magnitudes higher than in the zero metallicity case. Furthermore, in the zero metallicity case, an X-ray-induced H II region is already formed after 5.8 Myr. This causes a significant outflow of gas ({approx}8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} M{sub Sun }) from the central region; the gas reaches outflow velocities up to {approx}100 km s{sup -1}. At later times, {approx}23 Myr after we insert the MBH, we find that the solar metallicity case also develops an X-ray-induced H II region, but it is delayed by {approx}17 Myr compared to the zero metallicity case.

Ram-pressure feeding of supermassive black holes.

Science.gov (United States)

Poggianti, Bianca M; Jaffé, Yara L; Moretti, Alessia; Gullieuszik, Marco; Radovich, Mario; Tonnesen, Stephanie; Fritz, Jacopo; Bettoni, Daniela; Vulcani, Benedetta; Fasano, Giovanni; Bellhouse, Callum; Hau, George; Omizzolo, Alessandro

2017-08-16

When a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy accretes matter, it gives rise to a highly energetic phenomenon: an active galactic nucleus. Numerous physical processes have been proposed to account for the funnelling of gas towards the galactic centre to feed the black hole. There are also several physical processes that can remove gas from a galaxy, one of which is ram-pressure stripping by the hot gas that fills the space between galaxies in galaxy clusters. Here we report that six out of a sample of seven 'jellyfish' galaxies-galaxies with long 'tentacles' of material that extend for dozens of kiloparsecs beyond the galactic disks-host an active nucleus, and two of them also have galactic-scale ionization cones. The high incidence of nuclear activity among heavily stripped jellyfish galaxies may be due to ram pressure causing gas to flow towards the centre and triggering the activity, or to an enhancement of the stripping caused by energy injection from the active nucleus, or both. Our analysis of the galactic position and velocity relative to the cluster strongly supports the first hypothesis, and puts forward ram pressure as another possible mechanism for feeding the central supermassive black hole with gas.

Comparison of optical spectra recorded during DPF-1000U plasma experiments with gas-puffing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaloga Dobromil R.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The results are presented of the optical spectra measurements for free plasma streams generated with the use of the modified DPF-1000U machine. This facility was recently equipped with a gas injection system (the so-called gas-puff placed on the symmetry axis behind the central opening in the inner electrode. The DPF-1000U experimental chamber was filled up with pure deuterium at the initial pressure of 1.6 or 2.4 mbar. Additionally, when the use was made of the gas-puff system about 1 cm3 of pure deuterium was injected at the pressure of 2 bars. The gas injection was initiated 1.5 or 2 ms before the triggering of the main discharge. The investigated plasma discharges were powered from a condenser bank charged initially to 23 kV (corresponding to the energy of 352 kJ, and the maximum discharge current amounted to about 1.8 MA. In order to investigate properties of a dense plasma column formed during DPF-1000U discharges the use was made of the optical emission spectroscopy. The optical spectra were recorded along the line of sight perpendicular to the vacuum chamber, using a Mechelle®900 spectrometer. The recent analysis of all the recorded spectra made it possible to compare the temporal changes in the electron density of a freely propagating plasma stream for discharges without and with the gas-puffing. Using this data an appropriate mode of operation of the DPF-1000U facility could be determined.

Magnetic holes in the dipolarized magnetotail: ion and electron anisotropies

Science.gov (United States)

Shustov, P.; Artemyev, A.; Zhang, X. J.; Yushkov, E.; Petrukovich, A. A.

2017-12-01

We conduct statistics on magnetic holes observed by THEMIS spacecraft in the near-Earth magnetotail. Groups of holes are detected after dipolarizations in the quiet, equatorial plasma sheet. Magnetic holes are characterized by significant magnetic field depressions (up to 50%) and strong electron currents ( 10-50 nA/m2), with spatial scales much smaller than the ion gyroradius. These magnetic holes are populated by hot (>10 keV), transversely anisotropic electrons supporting the pressure balance. We present statistical properties of these sub-ion scale magnetic holes and discuss possible mechanisms on the hole formation.

Galactic nuclei evolution with spinning black holes: method and implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Fiacconi, Davide; Sijacki, Debora; Pringle, J. E.

2018-04-01

Supermassive black holes at the centre of galactic nuclei mostly grow in mass through gas accretion over cosmic time. This process also modifies the angular momentum (or spin) of black holes, both in magnitude and in orientation. Despite being often neglected in galaxy formation simulations, spin plays a crucial role in modulating accretion power, driving jet feedback, and determining recoil velocity of coalescing black hole binaries. We present a new accretion model for the moving-mesh code AREPO that incorporates (i) mass accretion through a thin α-disc, and (ii) spin evolution through the Bardeen-Petterson effect. We use a diverse suite of idealised simulations to explore the physical connection between spin evolution and larger scale environment. We find that black holes with mass ≲ 107 M⊙ experience quick alignment with the accretion disc. This favours prolonged phases of spin-up, and the spin direction evolves according to the gas inflow on timescales as short as ≲ 100 Myr, which might explain the observed jet direction distribution in Seyfert galaxies. Heavier black holes (≳ 108 M⊙) are instead more sensitive to the local gas kinematic. Here we find a wider distribution in spin magnitudes: spin-ups are favoured if gas inflow maintains a preferential direction, and spin-downs occur for nearly isotropic infall, while the spin direction does not change much over short timescales ˜100 Myr. We therefore conclude that supermassive black holes with masses ≳ 5 × 108 M⊙ may be the ideal testbed to determine the main mode of black hole fuelling over cosmic time.

Absorption of the laser radiation by the laser plasma with gas microjet targets

Science.gov (United States)

Borisevichus, D. A.; Zabrodskii, V. V.; Kalmykov, S. G.; Sasin, M. E.; Seisyan, R. P.

2017-01-01

An upper limit of absorption of the laser radiation in the plasma produced in a gas jet Xe target with the average density of (3-6) × 1018 cm-3 and the effective diameter of 0.7 mm is found. It is equal to ≈50% and remains constant under any variation in this range of densities. This result contradicts both theoretical assessments that have predicted virtually complete absorption and results of earlier experiments with the laser spark in an unlimited stationary Xe gas with the same density, where the upper limit of absorption was close to 100%. An analysis shows that nonlinearity of absorption and plasma nonequilibrium lead to the reduction of the absorption coefficient that, along with the limited size of plasma, can explain the experimental results.

Numerical modeling of plasma plume evolution against ambient background gas in laser blow off experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, Bhavesh G.; Das, Amita; Kaw, Predhiman; Singh, Rajesh; Kumar, Ajai

2012-01-01

Two dimensional numerical modelling based on simplified hydrodynamic evolution for an expanding plasma plume (created by laser blow off) against an ambient background gas has been carried out. A comparison with experimental observations shows that these simulations capture most features of the plasma plume expansion. The plume location and other gross features are reproduced as per the experimental observation in quantitative detail. The plume shape evolution and its dependence on the ambient background gas are in good qualitative agreement with the experiment. This suggests that a simplified hydrodynamic expansion model is adequate for the description of plasma plume expansion.

Initial Computational Study of a New Multi-Hole Hohlraum (the "Midraum")

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabak, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Jones, O. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-11-02

Existing cylindrical hohlraums with two oppositely positioned laser entrance holes (LEHs) have multiple constraints. Their goal is to produce radiation sources distributed over the sky, as visible from the spherical implosion capsule, with most of the deposition near the zeroes of the fourth Legendre polynomial in cosine of the polar angle. This requires some of the laser light to propagate across the hohlraum to positions near the hohlraum symmetry plane. The ratio of case spherical radius to capsule spherical radius should exceed 3 so that the light doesn’t pass through over-dense ablator plasma. Radiation transport can smooth higher radiation modes. For capsules that demand long pulse lengths, hohlraum walls can blow in and change the position where light is absorbed. This changes the radiation symmetry in a time dependent fashion. This affects both P2 and P4. This wall motion can be reduced by introducing fill gas into the hohlraum. The gas provides back pressure and tamps the wall motion. Adding the fill gas comes at some cost. It leads to increased absorption of laser light along the path. The fill gas adds heat capacity to the system, ultimately requiring more laser energy to meet the radiation flux goals, both in total and particularly in the amount of radiation coming from the vicinity of the capsule waist. Given the existing beam pointing at NIF energy from the outer beams must be transferred into the inner beams. Cross beam energy transport (CBET) is accomplished via a plasma instability. This transfer is not perfectly predictable. In addition, the higher intensity required to make up for the losses along the long path can lead to stimulated backscatter as well as the generation of suprathermal electrons. The inner beams will pass through the plasma ablated from the capsule toward the end of the pulse. Heating this plasma acts as another parasitic loss. In addition, the light passing through the turbulent blow-off can be refracted in unpredictable

Opportunities of influence of plasma streams formed in IKA with continuos nor king gas filling en the surface of materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Useinov, B.M.; Useinova, A.M.; Amrenova, A.U.; Pusankov, S.A.; Sartin, S.A.; Virko, P.G.

2001-01-01

The results of the investigation of influence of plasma stream formed in IKA with continuous working gas filling on the surface of stainless steel 12X18H10T and aluminum are given in this article. It is shown here that the effect of influence of plasma stream on the surface of materials depends on the way of working gas filling. There is the comparison of influence of plasma stream formed in plasma accelerator with impulse and continuous working gas filling

Chandra "Hears" A Black Hole For The First Time

Science.gov (United States)

2003-09-01

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory detected sound waves, for the first time, from a super-massive black hole. The "note" is the deepest ever detected from an object in the universe. The tremendous amounts of energy carried by these sound waves may solve a longstanding problem in astrophysics. The black hole resides in the Perseus cluster, located 250 million light years from Earth. In 2002, astronomers obtained a deep Chandra observation that shows ripples in the gas filling the cluster. These ripples are evidence for sound waves that have traveled hundreds of thousands of light years away from the cluster's central black hole. perseus animation Illustration of Ripples in Perseus "We have observed the prodigious amounts of light and heat created by black holes, now we have detected the sound," said Andrew Fabian of the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) in Cambridge, England, and leader of the study. In musical terms, the pitch of the sound generated by the black hole translates into the note of B flat. But, a human would have no chance of hearing this cosmic performance, because the note is 57 octaves lower than middle-C (by comparison a typical piano contains only about seven octaves). At a frequency over a million, billion times deeper than the limits of human hearing, this is the deepest note ever detected from an object in the universe. "The Perseus sound waves are much more than just an interesting form of black hole acoustics," said Steve Allen, also of the IoA and a co-investigator in the research. "These sound waves may be the key in figuring out how galaxy clusters, the largest structures in the universe, grow," Allen said. For years astronomers have tried to understand why there is so much hot gas in galaxy clusters and so little cool gas. Hot gas glowing with X-rays should cool, and the dense central gas should cool the fastest. The pressure in this cool central gas should then fall, causing gas further out to sink in towards the galaxy, forming trillions of

Enhancing gas-phase reaction in a plasma using high intensity and high power ultrasonic acoustic waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

is absorbed into said plasma (104), and where a sound pressure level of said generated ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) is at least substantially 140 dB and where an acoustic power of said generated ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102); is at least...... substantially 100 W. In this way, a high sound intensity and power are obtained that efficiently enhances a gas-phase reaction in the plasma, which enhances the plasma process, e.g. enabling more efficient ozone or hydrogen generation using plasma in relation to reaction speed and/or obtained concentration......This invention relates to enhancing a gas-phase reaction in a plasma comprising: creating plasma (104) by at least one plasma source (106), and wherein that the method further comprises: generating ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) having a predetermined amount...

Population inversion in a recombining hydrogen plasma interacting with a helium gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, Toshiatsu; Furukane, Utaro.

1984-08-01

A numerical investigation has shown that the population inversion between the levels with the principal quantum number i=2 and 3 takes place in a recombining hydrogen plasma which is interacting with a cool and dense helium gas on the basis of a collisional- radiative (CR) model. Overpopulation density Δn 32 , which is defined as the difference between the population densities per unit statistical weight of the upper and lower excited levels 3 and 2, is found to be much higher than a threshold level for the laser oscillation in the quasi-steady state when the hydrogen plasma with nsub(e) = 10 13 --10 14 cm -3 interacts with the helium gas with pressure of --50 Torr. (author)

Tungsten oxide coatings deposited by plasma spray using powder and solution precursor for detection of nitrogen dioxide gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Chao, E-mail: zhangc@yzu.edu.cn [College of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127 (China); Wang, Jie [College of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127 (China); Geng, Xin [College of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China)

2016-05-25

Increasing attention has been paid on preparation methods for resistive-type gas sensors based on semiconductor metal oxides. In this work, tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) coatings were prepared on alumina substrates and used as gas sensitive layers. The coatings were deposited by atmospheric plasma spray using powder, solution precursor, or a combination of both. Tungsten oxide powder through a powder port and ammonium tungstate aqueous solution through a liquid port were injected into plasma stream respectively or together to deposit WO{sub 3} coatings. Phase structures in the coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction analyzer. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy images confirmed that the coatings were in microstructure, nanostructure or micro-nanostructure. The sensing properties of the sensors based on the coatings exposed to 1 ppm nitrogen dioxide gas were characterized in a home-made instrument. Sensing properties of the coatings were compared and discussed. The influences of gas humidity and working temperature on the sensor responses were further studied. - Highlights: • Porous gas sensitive coatings were deposited by plasma spray using powder and solution precursor. • Crystallized WO{sub 3} were obtained through hybrid plasma spray plus a pre-conditioned step. • Plasma power had an important influence on coating microstructure. • The particle size of atmospheric plasma-sprayed microstructured coating was stable. • Solution precursor plasma-sprayed WO{sub 3} coatings had nanostructure and showed good responses to 1 ppm NO{sub 2}.

Winds of Change: How Black Holes May Shape Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

New observations from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory provide evidence for powerful winds blowing away from the vicinity of a supermassive black hole in a nearby galaxy. This discovery indicates that "average" supermassive black holes may play an important role in the evolution of the galaxies in which they reside. For years, astronomers have known that a supermassive black hole grows in parallel with its host galaxy. And, it has long been suspected that material blown away from a black hole - as opposed to the fraction of material that falls into it -- alters the evolution of its host galaxy. A key question is whether such "black hole blowback" typically delivers enough power to have a significant impact. Powerful relativistic jets shot away from the biggest supermassive black holes in large, central galaxies in clusters like Perseus are seen to shape their host galaxies, but these are rare. What about less powerful, less focused galaxy-scale winds that should be much more common? "We're more interested here in seeing what an "average"-sized supermassive black hole can do to its galaxy, not the few, really big ones in the biggest galaxies," said Dan Evans of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who presented these results at the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society meeting in Kona, Hawaii. Evans and his colleagues used Chandra for five days to observe NGC 1068, one of the nearest and brightest galaxies containing a rapidly growing supermassive black hole. This black hole is only about twice as massive as the one in the center of our Galaxy, which is considered to be a rather ordinary size. The X-ray images and spectra obtained using Chandra's High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS) showed that a strong wind is being driven away from the center of NGC 1068 at a rate of about a million miles per hour. This wind is likely generated as surrounding gas is accelerated and heated as it swirls toward the black hole. A

The membrane paradigm for black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, R.H.; Thorne, K.S.

1988-01-01

It is now widely accepted that black holes exist and have an astrophysical role, in particular as the likely power source of quasars. To understand this role with ease, the authors and their colleagues have developed a new paradigm for black holes - a new way to picture, think about and describe them. As far as possible it treats black holes as ordinary astrophysical objects, made of real material. A black hole in this description is a spherical or oblate surface made of a thin, electrically conducting membrane. It was the author's quest to understand the Blandford-Znajek process intuitively that led them to create the membrane paradigm. Their strategy was to translate the general-relativistic mathematics of black holes into the same language of three-dimensional space that is used for magnetized plasmas and to create a new set of black-hole diagrams and pictures to go along with the language. 9 figs

Measurements of Plasma Expansion due to Background Gas in the Electron Diffusion Gauge Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, Kyle A.; Paul, Stephen F.; Davidson, Ronald C.

2003-01-01

The expansion of pure electron plasmas due to collisions with background neutral gas atoms in the Electron Diffusion Gauge (EDG) experiment device is observed. Measurements of plasma expansion with the new, phosphor-screen density diagnostic suggest that the expansion rates measured previously were observed during the plasma's relaxation to quasi-thermal-equilibrium, making it even more remarkable that they scale classically with pressure. Measurements of the on-axis, parallel plasma temperature evolution support the conclusion

Effects of Xe Gas Content and Total Gas Pressure on the Discharge Characteristics of Colour Plasma Display Panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Wenbo; Han Mengju; Liang Zhihu

2006-01-01

The effects of the Xe gas content and total gas pressure on the discharge characteristics of colour plasma display panels including the sustaining voltage margin, white-field chromaticity, discharge time lag (DTL), discharge current peak, and full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of the discharge current pulse, are experimentally studied. The results indicate that as the Xe gas content in the He-Ne-Xe gas mixture or total pressure increases, the sustaining voltage margin increases, the white-field chromaticity improves, and the discharge current peak has a maximum value, while DTL and FWHM have a minimum value. The mean electron energy in the gas mixture discharge is also calculated through a numerical solution of Boltzmann equation. The experimental results are explained from a view of the mean electron energy variations with the Xe gas content and total gas pressure

Characterization of duplex stainless steel weld metals obtained by hybrid plasma-gas metal arc welding

OpenAIRE

Yurtisik,Koray; Tirkes,Suha; Dykhno,Igor; Gur,C. Hakan; Gurbuz,Riza

2013-01-01

Despite its high efficiency, autogenous keyhole welding is not well-accepted for duplex stainless steels because it causes excessive ferrite in as-welded duplex microstructure, which leads to a degradation in toughness and corrosion properties of the material. Combining the deep penetration characteristics of plasma arc welding in keyhole mode and metal deposition capability of gas metal arc welding, hybrid plasma - gas metal arc welding process has considered for providing a proper duplex mi...

Ion hole formation and nonlinear generation of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves: THEMIS observations

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Masafumi; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Katoh, Yuto; Keika, Kunihiro; Angelopoulos, Vassilis; Kasahara, Satoshi; Asamura, Kazushi; Nakamura, Satoko; Omura, Yoshiharu

2017-09-01

Electromagnetic plasma waves are thought to be responsible for energy exchange between charged particles in space plasmas. Such an energy exchange process is evidenced by phase space holes identified in the ion distribution function and measurements of the dot product of the plasma wave electric field and the ion velocity. We develop a method to identify ion hole formation, taking into consideration the phase differences between the gyromotion of ions and the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. Using this method, we identify ion holes in the distribution function and the resulting nonlinear EMIC wave evolution from Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) observations. These ion holes are key to wave growth and frequency drift by the ion currents through nonlinear wave-particle interactions, which are identified by a computer simulation in this study.

The relative role of galaxy mergers and cosmic flows in feeding black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellovary, Jillian; Brooks, Alyson; Volonteri, Marta; Governato, Fabio; Quinn, Thomas; Wadsley, James

2013-01-01

Using a set of zoomed-in cosmological simulations of high-redshift progenitors of massive galaxies, we isolate and trace the history of gas that is accreted by central supermassive black holes. We determine the origins of the accreted gas, in terms of whether it entered the galaxy during a merger event or was smoothly accreted. Furthermore, we designate whether the smoothly accreted gas is accreted via a cold flow or is shocked upon entry into the halo. For moderate-mass (10 6 -10 7 M ☉ ) black holes at z ∼ 4, there is a preference to accrete cold flow gas as opposed to gas of shocked or merger origin. However, this result is a consequence of the fact that the entire galaxy has a higher fraction of gas from cold flows. In general, each black hole tends to accrete the same fractions of smooth- and merger-accreted gas as is contained in its host galaxy, suggesting that once gas enters a halo it becomes well-mixed, and its origins are erased. We find that the angular momentum of the gas upon halo entry is a more important factor; black holes preferentially accrete gas that had low angular momentum when it entered the galaxy, regardless of whether it was accreted smoothly or through mergers.

Effect of neutral gas heating in argon radio frequency inductively coupled plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, O.H.; Jayapalan, K.K.; Wong, C.S.

2014-01-01

Heating of neutral gas in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is known to result in neutral gas depletion. In this work, this effect is considered in the simulation of the magnetic field distribution of a 13.56 MHz planar coil ICP. Measured electron temperatures and densities at argon pressures of 0.03, 0.07 and 0.2 mbar were used in the simulation whilst neutral gas temperatures were heuristically fitted. The simulated results showed reasonable agreement with the measured magnetic field profile. (author)

Feeding supermassive black holes by collisional cascades

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, Christian; Dehnen, Walter

2018-05-01

The processes driving gas accretion on to supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are still poorly understood. Angular momentum conservation prevents gas within ˜10 pc of the black hole from reaching radii ˜10-3 pc where viscous accretion becomes efficient. Here we present simulations of the collapse of a clumpy shell of swept-up isothermal gas, which is assumed to have formed as a result of feedback from a previous episode of AGN activity. The gas falls towards the SMBH forming clumps and streams, which intersect, collide, and often form a disc. These collisions promote partial cancellations of angular momenta, resulting in further infall and more collisions. This continued collisional cascade generates a tail of gas with sufficiently small angular momenta and provides a viable route for gas inflow to sub-parsec scales. The efficiency of this process hardly depends on details, such as gas temperature, initial virial ratio and power spectrum of the gas distribution, as long as it is not strongly rotating. Adding star formation to this picture might explain the near-simultaneous formation of the S-stars (from tidally disrupted binaries formed in plunging gas streams) and the sub-parsec young stellar disc around Sgr A⋆.

Empirical evaluation of the radiative cooling coefficient for krypton gas in the FTU plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fournier, K.B.; Pacella, D.; Mazzitelli, G.; Stutman, D.; Soukanovskii, V.; Goldstein, W.H.

1997-01-01

For future fusion reactors, a careful balance must be achieved between the cooling of the outer plasma via impurity radiation and the deleterious effects of inevitable core penetration by impurity ions. We have injected krypton gas into the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) plasma. The measured visible bremsstrahlung and bolometric signals from krypton have been inverted and the resulting radial impurity density profile and power loss profile for krypton gas are extracted. Using the measured electron density and temperature profiles, the radiative cooling coefficient for krypton is derived. The level of intrinsic impurities (Mo, Cr, Mn and Fe) in the plasma during the krypton puffing is monitored with a VUV SPRED spectrometer. Models for krypton emissivity from the literature are compared to our measured results. 7 figs

Gas chromatography/plasma spectrometry - an important analytical tool for elemental speciation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wuilloud, Jorgelina C.A.; Wuilloud, Rodolfo G.; Vonderheide, Anne P.; Caruso, Joseph A.

2004-01-01

In this review, a full discussion and update of the state-of-the-art of gas chromatography (GC) coupled to all known plasma spectrometers is presented. A brief introductive discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of GC-plasma interfaces, as well as types of plasmas and mass spectrometers, is given. The plasma-based techniques covered include inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Also, different variants of plasma sources, such as low power plasmas and glow discharge (GD) sources, are described and compared with respect to their capabilities in elemental speciation. Recent advances and alternative mass analyzers (collision/reaction cell; time-of-flight; double-focusing sector field) are also mentioned. Different aspects of the GC-plasma coupling are discussed with particular attention to the applications of these hyphenated techniques to the analysis of elemental species. Additionally, classical and modern sample preparation methods, including extraction and/or preconcentration and derivatization reactions, are presented and evaluated

Kinetics and hybrid kinetic-fluid models for nonequilibrium gas and plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crouseilles, N.

2004-12-01

For a few decades, the application of the physics of plasmas has appeared in different fields like laser-matter interaction, astrophysics or thermonuclear fusion. In this thesis, we are interested in the modeling and the numerical study of nonequilibrium gas and plasmas. To describe such systems, two ways are usually used: the fluid description and the kinetic description. When we study a nonequilibrium system, fluid models are not sufficient and a kinetic description have to be used. However, solving a kinetic model requires the discretization of a large number of variables, which is quite expensive from a numerical point of view. The aim of this work is to propose a hybrid kinetic-fluid model thanks to a domain decomposition method in the velocity space. The derivation of the hybrid model is done in two different contexts: the rarefied gas context and the more complicated plasmas context. The derivation partly relies on Levermore's entropy minimization approach. The so-obtained model is then discretized and validated on various numerical test cases. In a second stage, a numerical study of a fully kinetic model is presented. A collisional plasma constituted of electrons and ions is considered through the Vlasov-Poisson-Fokker-Planck-Landau equation. Then, a numerical scheme which preserves total mass and total energy is presented. This discretization permits in particular a numerical study of the Landau damping. (author)

A Black Hole Spectral Signature

Science.gov (United States)

Titarchuk, Lev; Laurent, Philippe

2000-03-01

An accreting black hole is, by definition, characterized by the drain. Namely, the matter falls into a black hole much the same way as water disappears down a drain matter goes in and nothing comes out. As this can only happen in a black hole, it provides a way to see ``a black hole'', an unique observational signature. The accretion proceeds almost in a free-fall manner close to the black hole horizon, where the strong gravitational field dominates the pressure forces. In this paper we present analytical calculations and Monte-Carlo simulations of the specific features of X-ray spectra formed as a result of upscattering of the soft (disk) photons in the converging inflow (CI) into the black hole. The full relativistic treatment has been implemented to reproduce these spectra. We show that spectra in the soft state of black hole systems (BHS) can be described as the sum of a thermal (disk) component and the convolution of some fraction of this component with the CI upscattering spread (Greens) function. The latter boosted photon component is seen as an extended power-law at energies much higher than the characteristic energy of the soft photons. We demonstrate the stability of the power spectral index over a wide range of the plasma temperature 0 - 10 keV and mass accretion rates (higher than 2 in Eddington units). We also demonstrate that the sharp high energy cutoff occurs at energies of 200-400 keV which are related to the average energy of electrons mec2 impinging upon the event horizon. The spectrum is practically identical to the standard thermal Comptonization spectrum when the CI plasma temperature is getting of order of 50 keV (the typical ones for the hard state of BHS). In this case one can see the effect of the bulk motion only at high energies where there is an excess in the CI spectrum with respect to the pure thermal one. Furthermore we demonstrate that the change of spectral shapes from the soft X-ray state to the hard X-ray state is clearly to be

Calibration strategy for semi-quantitative direct gas analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerdes, Kirk; Carter, Kimberly E.

2011-01-01

A process is described by which an ICP-MS equipped with an Octopole Reaction System (ORS) is calibrated using liquid phase standards to facilitate direct analysis of gas phase samples. The instrument response to liquid phase standards is analyzed to produce empirical factors relating ion generation and transmission efficiencies to standard operating parameters. Empirical factors generated for liquid phase samples are then used to produce semi-quantitative analysis of both mixed liquid/gas samples and pure gas samples. The method developed is similar to the semi-quantitative analysis algorithms in the commercial software, which have here been expanded to include gas phase elements such as Xe and Kr. Equations for prediction of relative ionization efficiencies and isotopic transmission are developed for several combinations of plasma operating conditions, which allows adjustment of limited parameters between liquid and gas injection modes. In particular, the plasma temperature and electron density are calculated from comparison of experimental results to the predictions of the Saha equation. Comparisons between operating configurations are made to determine the robustness of the analysis to plasma conditions and instrument operating parameters. Using the methods described in this research, the elemental concentrations in a liquid standard containing 45 analytes and treated as an unknown sample were quantified accurately to ± 50% for most elements using 133 Cs as a single internal reference. The method is used to predict liquid phase mercury within 12% of the actual concentration and gas phase mercury within 28% of the actual concentration. The results verify that the calibration method facilitates accurate semi-quantitative, gas phase analysis of metal species with sufficient sensitivity to quantify metal concentrations lower than 1 ppb for many metallic analytes.

Electron holes in phase space: What they are and why they matter

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, I. H.

2017-05-01

This is a tutorial and selective review explaining the fundamental concepts and some currently open questions concerning the plasma phenomenon of the electron hole. The widespread occurrence of electron holes in numerical simulations, space-craft observations, and laboratory experiments is illustrated. The elementary underlying theory is developed of a one-dimensional electron hole as a localized potential maximum, self-consistently sustained by a deficit of trapped electron phase-space density. The spatial extent of a hole is typically a few Debye lengths; what determines the minimum and maximum possible lengths is explained, addressing the key aspects of the as yet unsettled dispute between the integral and differential approaches to hole structure. In multiple dimensions, holes tend to form less readily; they generally require a magnetic field and distribution-function anisotropy. The mechanisms by which they break up are explained, noting that this transverse instability is not fully understood. Examples are given of plasma circumstances where holes play an important role, and of recent progress on understanding their holistic kinematics and self-acceleration.

Dynamics of Coronal Hole Boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higginson, A. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R. [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Wyper, P. F. [Universities Space Research Association, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-03-10

Remote and in situ observations strongly imply that the slow solar wind consists of plasma from the hot, closed-field corona that is released onto open magnetic field lines. The Separatrix Web theory for the slow wind proposes that photospheric motions at the scale of supergranules are responsible for generating dynamics at coronal-hole boundaries, which result in the closed plasma release. We use three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to determine the effect of photospheric flows on the open and closed magnetic flux of a model corona with a dipole magnetic field and an isothermal solar wind. A rotational surface motion is used to approximate photospheric supergranular driving and is applied at the boundary between the coronal hole and helmet streamer. The resulting dynamics consist primarily of prolific and efficient interchange reconnection between open and closed flux. The magnetic flux near the coronal-hole boundary experiences multiple interchange events, with some flux interchanging over 50 times in one day. Additionally, we find that the interchange reconnection occurs all along the coronal-hole boundary and even produces a lasting change in magnetic-field connectivity in regions that were not driven by the applied motions. Our results show that these dynamics should be ubiquitous in the Sun and heliosphere. We discuss the implications of our simulations for understanding the observed properties of the slow solar wind, with particular focus on the global-scale consequences of interchange reconnection.

Harsh-Environment Solid-State Gamma Detector for Down-hole Gas and Oil Exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peter Sandvik; Stanislav Soloviev; Emad Andarawis; Ho-Young Cha; Jim Rose; Kevin Durocher; Robert Lyons; Bob Pieciuk; Jim Williams; David O'Connor

2007-01-01

The goal of this program was to develop a revolutionary solid-state gamma-ray detector suitable for use in down-hole gas and oil exploration. This advanced detector would employ wide-bandgap semiconductor technology to extend the gamma sensor's temperature capability up to 200 C as well as extended reliability, which significantly exceeds current designs based on photomultiplier tubes. In Phase II, project tasks were focused on optimization of the final APD design, growing and characterizing the full scintillator crystals of the selected composition, arranging the APD device packaging, developing the needed optical coupling between scintillator and APD, and characterizing the combined elements as a full detector system preparing for commercialization. What follows is a summary report from the second 18-month phase of this program

AN ENERGETIC AGN OUTBURST POWERED BY A RAPIDLY SPINNING SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE OR AN ACCRETING ULTRAMASSIVE BLACK HOLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McNamara, B. R.; Kazemzadeh, F.; Kirkpatrick, C. C.; Rafferty, D. A.; Birzan, L.; Nulsen, P. E. J.; Wise, M. W.

2009-01-01

Powering the 10 62 erg nuclear outburst in the MS0735.6+7421 cluster central galaxy by accretion with a 10% mass-to-energy conversion efficiency implies that its putative supermassive black hole (SMBH) grew by ∼6 x 10 8 M sun over the past 100 Myr. Guided by data at several wavelengths, we place upper limits on the amount of cold gas and star formation near the nucleus of 9 M sun and sun yr -1 , respectively. These limits imply that an implausibly large fraction of the preexisting cold gas in the inner several kpc must have been consumed by its SMBH at the rate of ∼3-5 M sun yr -1 during the past 100 Myr while leaving no trace of star formation. Such a high accretion rate would be difficult to maintain by stellar accretion or the Bondi mechanism, unless the black hole mass approaches 10 11 M sun . Furthermore, its feeble nuclear luminosities in the UV, I, and X-ray bands compared to its enormous mechanical power are inconsistent with rapid accretion onto a ∼5 x 10 9 M sun black hole. We suggest instead that the active galactic nucleus (AGN) outburst is powered by angular momentum released from a rapidly spinning black hole. The rotational energy and power available from a spinning black hole are consistent with the cavity and shock energetics inferred from X-ray observations. A maximally spinning 10 9 M sun black hole contains enough rotational energy, ∼10 62 erg, to quench a cooling flow over its lifetime and to contribute significantly to the excess entropy found in the hot atmospheres of groups and clusters. Two modes of AGN feedback may be quenching star formation in elliptical galaxies centered in cooling halos at late times. An accretion mode that operates in gas-rich systems, and a spin mode operating at modest accretion rates. The spin conjecture may be avoided in MS0735 by appealing to Bondi accretion onto a central black hole whose mass greatly exceeds 10 10 M sun . The host galaxy's unusually large 3.8 kpc stellar core radius (light deficit) may

Magnetic Origin of Black Hole Winds Across the Mass Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Fukumura, Keigo; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Shrader, Chris; Behar, Ehud; Tombesi, Francesco; Contopoulos, Ioannis

2017-01-01

Black hole accretion disks appear to produce invariably plasma outflows that result in blue-shifted absorption features in their spectra. The X-ray absorption-line properties of these outflows are quite diverse, ranging in velocity from non-relativistic (approx. 300 km/sec) to sub-relativistic (approx. 0.1c where c is the speed of light) and a similarly broad range in the ionization states of the wind plasma. We report here that semi-analytic, self-similar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wind models that have successfully accounted for the X-ray absorber properties of supermassive black holes, also fit well the high-resolution X-ray spectrum of the accreting stellar-mass black hole, GRO J1655-40. This provides an explicit theoretical argument of their MHD origin (aligned with earlier observational claims) and supports the notion of a universal magnetic structure of the observed winds across all known black hole sizes.

Mesoscopic chaos mediated by Drude electron-hole plasma in silicon optomechanical oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jiagui; Huang, Shu-Wei; Huang, Yongjun; Zhou, Hao; Yang, Jinghui; Liu, Jia-Ming; Yu, Mingbin; Lo, Guoqiang; Kwong, Dim-Lee; Duan, Shukai; Wei Wong, Chee

2017-01-01

Chaos has revolutionized the field of nonlinear science and stimulated foundational studies from neural networks, extreme event statistics, to physics of electron transport. Recent studies in cavity optomechanics provide a new platform to uncover quintessential architectures of chaos generation and the underlying physics. Here, we report the generation of dynamical chaos in silicon-based monolithic optomechanical oscillators, enabled by the strong and coupled nonlinearities of two-photon absorption induced Drude electron–hole plasma. Deterministic chaotic oscillation is achieved, and statistical and entropic characterization quantifies the chaos complexity at 60 fJ intracavity energies. The correlation dimension D2 is determined at 1.67 for the chaotic attractor, along with a maximal Lyapunov exponent rate of about 2.94 times the fundamental optomechanical oscillation for fast adjacent trajectory divergence. Nonlinear dynamical maps demonstrate the subharmonics, bifurcations and stable regimes, along with distinct transitional routes into chaos. This provides a CMOS-compatible and scalable architecture for understanding complex dynamics on the mesoscopic scale. PMID:28598426

Massive Binary Black Holes in the Cosmic Landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Colpi, Monica; Dotti, Massimo

2011-02-01

Binary black holes occupy a special place in our quest for understanding the evolution of galaxies along cosmic history. If massive black holes grow at the center of (pre-)galactic structures that experience a sequence of merger episodes, then dual black holes form as inescapable outcome of galaxy assembly, and can in principle be detected as powerful dual quasars. But, if the black holes reach coalescence, during their inspiral inside the galaxy remnant, then they become the loudest sources of gravitational waves ever in the universe. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is being developed to reveal these waves that carry information on the mass and spin of these binary black holes out to very large look-back times. Nature seems to provide a pathway for the formation of these exotic binaries, and a number of key questions need to be addressed: How do massive black holes pair in a merger? Depending on the properties of the underlying galaxies, do black holes always form a close Keplerian binary? If a binary forms, does hardening proceed down to the domain controlled by gravitational wave back reaction? What is the role played by gas and/or stars in braking the black holes, and on which timescale does coalescence occur? Can the black holes accrete on flight and shine during their pathway to coalescence? After outlining key observational facts on dual/binary black holes, we review the progress made in tracing their dynamics in the habitat of a gas-rich merger down to the smallest scales ever probed with the help of powerful numerical simulations. N-Body/hydrodynamical codes have proven to be vital tools for studying their evolution, and progress in this field is expected to grow rapidly in the effort to describe, in full realism, the physics of stars and gas around the black holes, starting from the cosmological large scale of a merger. If detected in the new window provided by the upcoming gravitational wave experiments, binary black holes will provide a deep view

String model of black hole microstates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, F.

1997-01-01

The statistical mechanics of black holes arbitrarily far from extremality is modeled by a gas of weakly interacting strings. As an effective low-energy description of black holes the string model provides several highly nontrivial consistency checks and predictions. Speculations on a fundamental origin of the model suggest surprising simplifications in nonperturbative string theory, even in the absence of supersymmetry. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Laser ablated copper plasmas in liquid and gas ambient

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Bhupesh; Thareja, Raj K.

2013-05-01

The dynamics of copper ablated plasma plumes generated using laser ablation of copper targets in both liquid (de-ionized water) and gas (air) ambients is reported. Using time and space resolved visible emission spectroscopy (450-650 nm), the plasma plumes parameters are investigated. The electron density (ne) determined using Stark broadening of the Cu I (3d104d1 2D3/2-3d104p1 2P3/2 at 521.8 nm) line is estimated and compared for both plasma plumes. The electron temperature (Te) was estimated using the relative line emission intensities of the neutral copper transitions. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectral analysis of the ablated copper surface indicated abundance of spherical nanoparticles in liquid while those in air are amalgamates of irregular shapes. The nanoparticles suspended in the confining liquid form aggregates and exhibit a surface plasmon resonance at ˜590 nm.

Effect of gas pressure on active screen plasma nitriding response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimoto, Akio; Nagatsuka, Kimiaki; Narita, Ryota; Nii, Hiroaki; Akamatsu, Katsuya

2010-01-01

An austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 was active screen plasma nitrided using a 304 steel screen to investigate the effect of the gas pressure on the ASPN response. The sample was treated for 18 ks at 723 K in 25% N2 + 75% H2 gases. The gas pressure was changed to 100, 600 and 1200 Pa. The distance between screen and sample was also changed to 10, 30 and 50 mm. The nitrided samples were characterized by appearance observation, surface roughness, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and microhardness testing. After nitriding, polygonal particles with a normal distribution were observed at the center and edges of all the ASPN-treated sample surfaces. Particles on the sample surfaces were finer with an increase in the gas pressure. The nitrided layer with a greater and homogeneous thickness was obtained at a low gas pressure of 100 Pa. (author)

Single-step generation of metal-plasma polymer multicore@shell nanoparticles from the gas phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Solař, Pavel; Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Olbricht, Ansgar; Hinz, Alexander; Shelemin, Artem; Kylián, Ondřej; Choukourov, Andrei; Faupel, Franz; Biederman, Hynek

2017-08-17

Nanoparticles composed of multiple silver cores and a plasma polymer shell (multicore@shell) were prepared in a single step with a gas aggregation cluster source operating with Ar/hexamethyldisiloxane mixtures and optionally oxygen. The size distribution of the metal inclusions as well as the chemical composition and the thickness of the shells were found to be controlled by the composition of the working gas mixture. Shell matrices ranging from organosilicon plasma polymer to nearly stoichiometric SiO 2 were obtained. The method allows facile fabrication of multicore@shell nanoparticles with tailored functional properties, as demonstrated here with the optical response.

Black Hole Paradox Solved By NASA's Chandra

Science.gov (United States)

2006-06-01

Black holes are lighting up the Universe, and now astronomers may finally know how. New data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory show for the first time that powerful magnetic fields are the key to these brilliant and startling light shows. It is estimated that up to a quarter of the total radiation in the Universe emitted since the Big Bang comes from material falling towards supermassive black holes, including those powering quasars, the brightest known objects. For decades, scientists have struggled to understand how black holes, the darkest objects in the Universe, can be responsible for such prodigious amounts of radiation. Animation of a Black Hole Pulling Matter from Companion Star Animation of a Black Hole Pulling Matter from Companion Star New X-ray data from Chandra give the first clear explanation for what drives this process: magnetic fields. Chandra observed a black hole system in our galaxy, known as GRO J1655-40 (J1655, for short), where a black hole was pulling material from a companion star into a disk. "By intergalactic standards J1655 is in our backyard, so we can use it as a scale model to understand how all black holes work, including the monsters found in quasars," said Jon M. Miller of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, whose paper on these results appears in this week's issue of Nature. Gravity alone is not enough to cause gas in a disk around a black hole to lose energy and fall onto the black hole at the rates required by observations. The gas must lose some of its orbital angular momentum, either through friction or a wind, before it can spiral inward. Without such effects, matter could remain in orbit around a black hole for a very long time. Illustration of Magnetic Fields in GRO J1655-40 Illustration of Magnetic Fields in GRO J1655-40 Scientists have long thought that magnetic turbulence could generate friction in a gaseous disk and drive a wind from the disk that carries angular momentum outward allowing the gas to fall inward

Massive Black Hole Mergers: Can We "See" what LISA will "Hear"?

Science.gov (United States)

Centrella, Joan

2010-01-01

The final merger of massive black holes produces strong gravitational radiation that can be detected by the space-borne LISA. If the black hole merger takes place in the presence of gas and magnetic fields, various types of electromagnetic signals may also be produced. Modeling such electromagnetic counterparts of the final merger requires evolving the behavior of both gas and fields in the strong-field regions around the black holes. We will review current efforts to simulate these systems, and discuss possibilities for observing the electromagnetic signals they produce.

Experimental and Numerical Study of the Effect of Gas-Shrouded Plasma Spraying on Cathode Coating of Alkaline Electrolysis Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, T.; Reißner, R.; Schiller, G.; Ansar, A.

2018-01-01

The aim of this work is to improve the performance of electrodes prepared via atmospheric plasma spray by means of gas shrouding which is expected to apparently reduce the oxygen content of the plasma plume and subsequently improve the coating quality. Electrodes with dual-layer coating for alkaline water electrolysis were deposited on Ni-coated perforated substrates. Microstructure and morphology were studied by SEM. Element content was measured by EDS. Enthalpy probe was employed for measuring plasma temperature and velocity as well as the gas composition. For verifying and better understanding the shrouding effect numerical calculation was carried out according to the experimental settings. Electrochemical test was carried out to validate the shrouding effect. The results showed slight protecting effect of gas shrouding on plasma plume and the final coating. Over the dual-layer section, the measured oxygen fraction was 3.46 and 3.15% for the case without gas shrouding and with gas shrouding, respectively. With gas shrouding the coating exhibited similar element contents as the coating sprayed by VPS, while no obvious improvement was observed in the microstructure or the morphology. Evident electrochemical improvement was nevertheless achieved that with gas shrouding the electrode exhibited similar performance as that of the VPS-sprayed electrode.

Attenuation Effects of Plasma on Ka-Band Wave Propagation in Various Gas and Pressure Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joo Hwan Lee

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This work demonstrates attenuation effects of plasma on waves propagating in the 26.5–40 GHz range. The effect is investigated via experiments measuring the transmission between two Ka-band horn antennas set 30 cm apart. A dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD plasma generator with a size of 200 mm × 100 mm × 70 mm and consisting of 20 layers of electrodes is placed between the two antennas. The DBD generator is placed in a 400 mm × 300 mm × 400 mm acrylic chamber so that the experiments can be performed for plasma generated under various conditions of gas and pressure, for instance, in air, Ar, and He environments at 0.001, 0.05, and 1 atm of pressure. Attenuation is calculated by the difference in the transmission level, with and without plasma, which is generated with a bias voltage of 20 kV in the 0.1–1.4 kHz range. Results show that the attenuation varies from 0.05 dB/m to 9.0 dB/m depending on the environment. Noble gas environments show higher levels of attenuation than air, and He is lossier than Ar. In all gas environments, attenuation increases as pressure increases. Finally, electromagnetic models of plasmas generated in various conditions are provided.

Feasibility of gas-discharge and optical methods of creating artificial ozone layers of the earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batanov, G.M.; Kossyi, I.A.; Matveev, A.A.; Silakov, V.P.

1996-01-01

Gas-discharge (microwave) and optical (laser) methods of generating large-scale artificial ozone layers in the stratosphere are analyzed. A kinetic model is developed to calculate the plasma-chemical consequences of discharges localized in the stratosphere. Computations and simple estimates indicate that, in order to implement gas-discharge and optical methods, the operating power of ozone-producing sources should be comparable to or even much higher than the present-day power production throughout the world. Consequently, from the engineering and economic standpoints, microwave and laser methods cannot be used to repair large-scale ozone 'holes'

Electron cyclotron resonance ion source plasma characterization by X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mascali, David, E-mail: davidmascali@lns.infn.it; Castro, Giuseppe; Celona, Luigi; Neri, Lorenzo; Gammino, Santo [INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); Biri, Sándor; Rácz, Richárd; Pálinkás, József [Institute for Nuclear Research (Atomki), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Bem tér 18/c, H-4026 Debrecen (Hungary); Caliri, Claudia [INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); Università degli Studi di Catania, Dip.to di Fisica e Astronomia, via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); Romano, Francesco Paolo [INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); CNR, Istituto per i Beni Archeologici e Monumentali, Via Biblioteca 4, 95124 Catania (Italy); Torrisi, Giuseppe [INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, DIIES, Via Graziella, I-89100 Reggio Calabria (Italy)

2016-02-15

An experimental campaign aiming to investigate electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma X-ray emission has been recently carried out at the ECRISs—Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources laboratory of Atomki based on a collaboration between the Debrecen and Catania ECR teams. In a first series, the X-ray spectroscopy was performed through silicon drift detectors and high purity germanium detectors, characterizing the volumetric plasma emission. The on-purpose developed collimation system was suitable for direct plasma density evaluation, performed “on-line” during beam extraction and charge state distribution characterization. A campaign for correlating the plasma density and temperature with the output charge states and the beam intensity for different pumping wave frequencies, different magnetic field profiles, and single-gas/gas-mixing configurations was carried out. The results reveal a surprisingly very good agreement between warm-electron density fluctuations, output beam currents, and the calculated electromagnetic modal density of the plasma chamber. A charge-coupled device camera coupled to a small pin-hole allowing X-ray imaging was installed and numerous X-ray photos were taken in order to study the peculiarities of the ECRIS plasma structure.

Thermodynamic geometry and phase transitions of dyonic charged AdS black holes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Sengupta, Gautam [Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Department of Physics, Kanpur (India); Das, Anirban [Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Department of Theoretical Physics, Mumbai (India)

2017-02-15

We investigate phase transitions and critical phenomena of four dimensional dyonic charged AdS black holes in the framework of thermodynamic geometry. In a mixed canonical-grand canonical ensemble with a fixed electric charge and varying magnetic charge these black holes exhibit a liquid-gas like first order phase transition culminating in a second order critical point similar to the van der Waals gas. We show that the thermodynamic scalar curvature R for these black holes follow our proposed geometrical characterization of the R-crossing Method for the first order liquid-gas like phase transition and exhibits a divergence at the second order critical point. The pattern of R crossing and divergence exactly corresponds to those of a van der Waals gas described by us in an earlier work. (orig.)

Interface state generation after hole injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, C. Z.; Zhang, J. F.; Groeseneken, G.; Degraeve, R.; Ellis, J. N.; Beech, C. D.

2001-01-01

After terminating electrical stresses, the generation of interface states can continue. Our previous work in this area indicates that the interface state generation following hole injection originates from a defect. These defects are inactive in a fresh device, but can be excited by hole injection and then converted into interface states under a positive gate bias after hole injection. There is little information available on these defects. This article investigates how they are formed and attempts to explain why they are sensitive to processing conditions. Roles played by hydrogen and trapped holes will be clarified. A detailed comparison between the interface state generation after hole injection in air and that in forming gas is carried out. Our results show that there are two independent processes for the generation: one is caused by H 2 cracking and the other is not. The rate limiting process for the interface state generation after hole injection is discussed and the relation between the defects responsible for this generation and hole traps is explored. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Harsh-Environment Solid-State Gamma Detector for Down-hole Gas and Oil Exploration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peter Sandvik; Stanislav Soloviev; Emad Andarawis; Ho-Young Cha; Jim Rose; Kevin Durocher; Robert Lyons; Bob Pieciuk; Jim Williams; David O' Connor

2007-08-10

The goal of this program was to develop a revolutionary solid-state gamma-ray detector suitable for use in down-hole gas and oil exploration. This advanced detector would employ wide-bandgap semiconductor technology to extend the gamma sensor's temperature capability up to 200 C as well as extended reliability, which significantly exceeds current designs based on photomultiplier tubes. In Phase II, project tasks were focused on optimization of the final APD design, growing and characterizing the full scintillator crystals of the selected composition, arranging the APD device packaging, developing the needed optical coupling between scintillator and APD, and characterizing the combined elements as a full detector system preparing for commercialization. What follows is a summary report from the second 18-month phase of this program.

Stability aspects of plasmas penetrated by neutral gas with respect to velocity driven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohlsson, D.

1978-08-01

A study of the stability properties of dense partially ionized plasmas immersed in strong magnetic fields with respect to velocity driven modes are presented. First we consider modes driven by mass motion perpendicular to the lines of force and the unperturbed density and temperature gradients. The presence of a third fluid, neutral gas, gives under certain conditions rise to unstable modes. This type of instability arises independently or whether the applied electric field transverse to the lines of force, driving the mass motion, being parallel or antiparallel to the unperturbed density and temperature gradient. The presence of neutral gas also corresponds to stabilizing effects which, in certain parameter regions, result in a quenching of this instability. It is shown that modes driven by velocity shear perpendicular to the lines of force are effectively stabilized by viscous and resistive effects. These effects are in certain parameter ranges strongly enhanced on account of plasma-neutral gas interaction effects. In collisionless plasmas, modes driven by velocity shear parallel to the lines of force are stabilized by compressibility effects parallel to the magnetic field and by finite Larmor radius effects. (author)

Black Hole - Neutron Star Binary Mergers

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Gravitational radiation waveforms for black hole-neutron star coalescence calculations. The physical input is Newtonian physics, an ideal gas equation of state with...

Massive Black Hole Mergers: Can we see what LISA will hear?

Science.gov (United States)

Centrella, Joan

2009-01-01

Coalescing massive black hole binaries are formed when galaxies merge. The final stages of this coalescence produce strong gravitational wave signals that can be detected by the space-borne LISA. When the black holes merge in the presence of gas and magnetic fields, various types of electromagnetic signals may also be produced. Modeling such electromagnetic counterparts requires evolving the behavior of both gas and fields in the strong-field regions around the black holes. We have taken a first step towards this problem by mapping the flow of pressureless matter in the dynamic, 3-D general relativistic spacetime around the merging black holes. We report on the results of these initial simulations and discuss their likely importance for future hydrodynamical simulations.

Chandra Reviews Black Hole Musical: Epic But Off-Key

Science.gov (United States)

2006-10-01

A gigantic sonic boom generated by a supermassive black hole has been found with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, along with evidence for a cacophony of deep sound. This discovery was made by using data from the longest X-ray observation ever of M87, a nearby giant elliptical galaxy. M87 is centrally located in the Virgo cluster of galaxies and is known to harbor one of the Universe's most massive black holes. Scientists detected loops and rings in the hot, X-ray emitting gas that permeates the cluster and surrounds the galaxy. These loops provide evidence for periodic eruptions that occurred near the supermassive black hole, and that generate changes in pressure, or pressure waves, in the cluster gas that manifested themselves as sound. Chandra Low Energy X-ray Images of M87 Chandra Low Energy X-ray Images of M87 "We can tell that many deep and different sounds have been rumbling through this cluster for most of the lifetime of the Universe," said William Forman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). The outbursts in M87, which happen every few million years, prevent the huge reservoir of gas in the cluster from cooling and forming many new stars. Without these outbursts and resultant heating, M87 would not be the elliptical galaxy it is today. "If this black hole wasn't making all of this noise, M87 could have been a completely different type of galaxy," said team member Paul Nulsen, also of the CfA, "possibly a huge spiral galaxy about 30 times brighter than the Milky Way." Chandra High Energy X-ray Image of M87 Chandra High Energy X-ray Image of M87 The outbursts result when material falls toward the black hole. While most of the matter is swallowed, some of it was violently ejected in jets. These jets are launched from regions close to the black hole (neither light nor sound can escape from the black hole itself) and push into the cluster's gas, generating cavities and sound which then propagate outwards. Chandra's M87 observations also

Effects of admixture gas on the production of {sup 18}F radioisotope in plasma focus devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talaei, Ahmad [Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTR), Nuclear Science Research School, A.E.O.I., 14155-1339 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadat Kiai, S.M., E-mail: sadatkiai@yahoo.co [Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTR), Nuclear Science Research School, A.E.O.I., 14155-1339 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Zaeem, A.A. [Department of Physics, Khaje Nasir University of Technology (K.N. Toosi), 1541846911 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-12-15

In this article, the effect of admixture gas on the heating and cooling of pinched plasma directly related to the enhancement or reduction of {sup 18}F production through the {sup 16}O({sup 3}He, p){sup 18}F is considered in the plasma focus devices. It is shown that by controlling the velocity of added Oxygen particles mixed with the working helium gas into the plasma focus chamber, one can increase the current and decrease the confinement time (plasma heating) or vice verse (plasma cooling). The highest level of nuclear activities of {sup 18}F was found around 16% of the Oxygen admixture participation and was about 0.35 MBq in the conditions of 20 kJ, 0.1 Hz and after 2 min operating of Dena PF. However, in the same condition, but for the frequency of 1 Hz, the level of activity increased up to 3.4 MBq.

Laser-produced dense plasma in extremely high pressure gas and its application to a plasma-bridged gap switch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, J.; Okuda, A.

1989-01-01

When an extremely high pressure gas is irradiated by an intense laser light, a dense plasma produced at the focal spot moves towards the focusing lens with a high velocity. Making use of this phenomenon, a new plasma-bridged gap switch is proposed and its switching characteristics is experimentally examined. From the experiments, it is confirmed that the switching time is almost constant with the applied voltage only when the focal spot is just on the positive electrode, indicating that the bridging of gap is caused by the laser light. (author)

Growth of fine holes in polyethyleneterephthalate film irradiated by fission fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komaki, Y.; Tsujimura, S.

1975-01-01

Growth of fine holes by chemical etching in polyethyleneterephthalate films exposed to fission fragments were followed by measuring gas flow through films. The etching rate along tracks and the radial etching rate were determined at hole diameters of 100--3000 A and hole densities of 10 6 --10 8 /cm 2

Spatial separation of electrons and holes for enhancing the gas-sensing property of a semiconductor: ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanorod arrays prepared by a hetero-epitaxial growth

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Gao, Peng; Sha, Linna; Chi, Qianqian; Yang, Lei; Zhang, Jianjiao; Chen, Yujin; Zhang, Milin

2018-04-01

The construction of semiconductor composites is known as a powerful method used to realize the spatial separation of electrons and the holes in them, which can result in more electrons or holes and increase the dispersion of oxygen ions ({{{{O}}}2}- and O - ) (one of the most critical factors for their gas-sensing properties) on the surface of the semiconductor gas sensor. In this work, using 1D ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanoarrays as an example, which are prepared through a hetero-epitaxial growing process to construct a chemically bonded interface, the above strategy to attain a better semiconductor gas-sensing property has been realized. Compared with single ZnSnO3 nanotubes and no-matching ZnO/ZnSnO3 nanoarrays gas sensors, it has been proven by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectrum examination that the as-obtained ZnO/ZnSnO3 sensor showed a greatly increased quantity of active surface electrons with exceptional responses to trace target gases and much lower optimum working temperatures (less than about 170 °C). For example, the as-obtained ZnO/ZnSnO3 sensor exhibited an obvious response and short response/recovery time (less than 10 s) towards trace H2S gas (a detection limit down to 700 ppb). The high responses and dynamic repeatability observed in these sensors reveal that the strategy based on the as-presented electron and hole separation is reliable for improving the gas-sensing properties of semiconductors.

Characterization of duplex stainless steel weld metals obtained by hybrid plasma-gas metal arc welding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koray Yurtisik

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Despite its high efficiency, autogenous keyhole welding is not well-accepted for duplex stainless steels because it causes excessive ferrite in as-welded duplex microstructure, which leads to a degradation in toughness and corrosion properties of the material. Combining the deep penetration characteristics of plasma arc welding in keyhole mode and metal deposition capability of gas metal arc welding, hybrid plasma - gas metal arc welding process has considered for providing a proper duplex microstructure without compromising the welding efficiency. 11.1 mm-thick standard duplex stainless steel plates were joined in a single-pass using this novel technique. Same plates were also subjected to conventional gas metal arc and plasma arc welding processes, providing benchmarks for the investigation of the weldability of the material. In the first place, the hybrid welding process enabled us to achieve less heat input compared to gas metal arc welding. Consequently, the precipitation of secondary phases, which are known to be detrimental to the toughness and corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steels, was significantly suppressed in both fusion and heat affected zones. Secondly, contrary to other keyhole techniques, proper cooling time and weld metal chemistry were achieved during the process, facilitating sufficient reconstructive transformation of austenite in the ferrite phase.

Equivalent effect of neutral gas pressure and transverse magnetic field in low-pressure glow discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toma, M.; Rusu, Ioana; Pohoata, V.; Mihaila, I.

2001-01-01

In the paper it is emphasized the equivalent effect of the neutral gas pressure and the action of a transverse magnetic field (TMF), respectively, on a striated positive plasma column. Experimental and theoretical results prove that the distance between striations has the same variation under the influence of both neutral gas pressure and the action of TMF. The pressure modification as well as the action of a TMF can induce ionization instability in the plasma column which explains the standing striation appearance. (authors)

Some aspects of the study of gas-discharge plasma and production of high magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novitskii, V.G.

This collection is compiled from the papers presented in the section of MHD generators and superconducting devices at the Institute of Electromechanics Conference held in May 1965. The subjects discussed include three-phase plasmatrons, their operational characteristics, and the nature of the physical processes occurring in the arc chamber. The collection also contains the results of experimental and theoretical research on gas-discharge plasma, conduction phenomena in flowing gaseous plasmas, and energy balance and radiation in the case of gas-discharge plasma. It also considers the stability of arcs, the effect of the transverse magnetic field and gas flow on breakdown voltages, the electrode phenomena and the distribution of current on the electrodes. Results of research on the conditions of electric-arc contraction and the characteristics of a contracted arc are given. The problems associated with the production of high magnetic fields and the use of superconducting materials to this end are discussed. The experience gained in the design and fabrication of superconducting magnets and cryostats is described. The results of design calculations for magnetic systems of the Bitter type are also presented

Velocity limitations in coaxial plasma gun experiments with gas mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axnaes, I.

1976-04-01

The velocity limitations found in many crossed field plasma experiments with neutral gas present are studied for binary mixtures of H 2 , He, N 2 O 2 , Ne and Ar. The apparatus used is a coaxial plasma gun with an azimuthal magnetic bias field. The discharge parameters are chosen so that the plasma is weakly ionized. In some of the mixtures it is found that one of the components tends to dominate in the sense that only a small amount (regarding volume) of that component is needed for the discharge to adopt a limiting velocity close to that for the pure component. Thus in a mixture between a heavy and a light component having nearly equal ionization potentials the heavy component dominates. Also if there is a considerable difference in ionization potential between the components, the component with the lowest ionization potential tends to dominate. (author)

Certain possible causes of between shaft gas seepage in gas wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shikhmamedov, N.S.

1981-01-01

Investigations for casing wells are carried out at the Turkmen branch of VNIIgaz (All Union petroleum and Gas Research Institute). The presence of high bottom hole pressure that affects further development of wells was established. Thus, for example, at the Shatlyk formation bottom hole pressures reach 138/sup 0/, and the temperature of the gas at the well head - 106/sup 0/C. Because of the heating process, the casing tubes lengthen, and as a result the euqipment at the well head is raised. Thus, at wells 42 and 312 the height of equipment's rise reaches 12 and 15 cm. respectively. Due to high bottom hole pressure temperatures grouting cement is necessary, one composed of 85% cement and 15% clay powder with a water-cement factor of up to 0.9, and density 1.57-1.60 g/cm/sup 3/. The necessity to create prelimnary casing tube tension was noted. The heated casing tubes must not be cooled during well damping. Wells with high gas temperature and presence of packer at bottom hole should have temperature elongation compensators.

Efficacy of autologous platelets in macular hole surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinidis A

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Aristeidis Konstantinidis,1,2 Mark Hero,2 Panagiotis Nanos,1 Georgios D Panos1,3 1Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece; 2Opthalmology Department, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK; 3Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland Abstract: The introduction of optical coherence tomography has allowed accurate measurement of the size of macular holes. A retrospective consecutive review was performed of 21 patients undergoing macular hole repair with vitrectomy, gas tamponade, and autologous platelet injection and we assessed the effect of macular hole parameters on anatomic and functional outcomes. We looked at the demographic features, final visual outcome, and anatomical closure. Twenty-one patients were included in the study. They underwent routine vitrectomy with gas tamponade (C3F8 and injection of autologous platelets. All patients were advised to maintain a facedown posture for 2 weeks. Anatomical closure was confirmed in all cases and 20 out of 21 of patients had improved postoperative visual acuity by two or more lines. In our series, the macular hole dimensions did not have much effect on the final results. The use of autologous platelets and strict facedown posture seems to be the deciding factor in good anatomical and visual outcome irrespective of macular hole dimensions. Keywords: macular hole, platelets, vitrectomy

Dynamics of the phase transitions in the system of nonequilibrium charge carriers in quantum-dimensional Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x}/Si structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagaev, V. S.; Krivobok, V. S., E-mail: krivobok@lebedev.ru; Nikolaev, S. N.; Onishchenko, E. E.; Pruchkina, A. A.; Aminev, D. F.; Skorikov, M. L. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Lebedev Physical Institute (Russian Federation); Lobanov, D. N.; Novikov, A. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Physics of Microstructures (Russian Federation)

2013-11-15

The dynamics of the phase transition from an electron-hole plasma to an exciton gas is studied during pulsed excitation of heterostructures with Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x}/Si quantum wells. The scenario of the phase transition is shown to depend radically on the germanium content in the Si{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} layer. The electron-hole system decomposes into a rarefied exciton and a dense plasma phases for quantum wells with a germanium content x = 3.5% in the time range 100–500 ns after an excitation pulse. In this case, the electron-hole plasma existing in quantum wells has all signs of an electron-hole liquid. A qualitatively different picture of the phase transition is observed for quantum wells with x = 9.5%, where no separation into phases with different electronic spectra is detected. The carrier recombination in the electron-hole plasma leads a gradual weakening of screening and the appearance of exciton states. For a germanium content of 5–7%, the scenario of the phase transition is complex: 20–250 ns after an excitation pulse, the properties of the electron-hole system are described in terms of a homogeneous electron-hole plasma, whereas its separation into an electron-hole liquid and an exciton gas is detected after 350 ns. It is shown that, for the electron-hole liquid to exist in quantum wells with x = 5–7% Ge, the exciton gas should have a substantially higher density than in quantum wells with x = 3.5% Ge. This finding agrees with a decrease in the depth of the local minimum of the electron-hole plasma energy with increasing germanium concentration in the SiGe layer. An increase in the density of the exciton gas coexisting with the electron-hole liquid is shown to enhance the role of multiparticle states, which are likely to be represented by trions T{sup +} and biexcitons, in the exciton gas.

Laser ablated copper plasmas in liquid and gas ambient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Bhupesh; Thareja, Raj K. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208 016 (India)

2013-05-15

The dynamics of copper ablated plasma plumes generated using laser ablation of copper targets in both liquid (de-ionized water) and gas (air) ambients is reported. Using time and space resolved visible emission spectroscopy (450-650 nm), the plasma plumes parameters are investigated. The electron density (n{sub e}) determined using Stark broadening of the Cu I (3d{sup 10}4d{sup 1} {sup 2}D{sub 3/2}-3d{sup 10}4p{sup 1} {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} at 521.8 nm) line is estimated and compared for both plasma plumes. The electron temperature (T{sub e}) was estimated using the relative line emission intensities of the neutral copper transitions. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectral analysis of the ablated copper surface indicated abundance of spherical nanoparticles in liquid while those in air are amalgamates of irregular shapes. The nanoparticles suspended in the confining liquid form aggregates and exhibit a surface plasmon resonance at ∼590 nm.

Compression enhancement by current stepping in a multicascade liner gas-puff Z-pinch plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khattak, N A D [Department of Physics, Gomal Unversity, D I Khan (Pakistan); Ahmad, Zahoor; Murtaza, G [National Tokamak Fusion Program, PAEC, Islamabad (Pakistan); Zakaullah, M [Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan)], E-mail: ktk_nad@yahoo.com

2008-04-15

Plasma dynamics of a liner consisting of two or three annular cascade gas-puffs with entrained axial magnetic field is studied using the modified snow-plow model. The current stepping technique (Les 1984 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 17 733) is employed to enhance compression of the imploding plasma. A small-diameter low-voltage-driven system of imploding plasma is considered in order to work out the possibility of the highest gain, in terms of plasma parameters and radiation yield with a relatively simple and compact system. Our numerical results demonstrate that current stepping enhances the plasma compression, yielding high values of the plasma parameters and compressed magnetic field B{sub z} (in magnitudes), if the switching time for the additional current is properly synchronized.

Compression enhancement by current stepping in a multicascade liner gas-puff Z-pinch plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khattak, N A D; Ahmad, Zahoor; Murtaza, G; Zakaullah, M

2008-01-01

Plasma dynamics of a liner consisting of two or three annular cascade gas-puffs with entrained axial magnetic field is studied using the modified snow-plow model. The current stepping technique (Les 1984 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 17 733) is employed to enhance compression of the imploding plasma. A small-diameter low-voltage-driven system of imploding plasma is considered in order to work out the possibility of the highest gain, in terms of plasma parameters and radiation yield with a relatively simple and compact system. Our numerical results demonstrate that current stepping enhances the plasma compression, yielding high values of the plasma parameters and compressed magnetic field B z (in magnitudes), if the switching time for the additional current is properly synchronized

The Formation and Evolution of the First Massive Black Holes

OpenAIRE

Haiman, Zoltan; Quataert, Eliot

2004-01-01

The first massive astrophysical black holes likely formed at high redshifts (z>10) at the centers of low mass (~10^6 Msun) dark matter concentrations. These black holes grow by mergers and gas accretion, evolve into the population of bright quasars observed at lower redshifts, and eventually leave the supermassive black hole remnants that are ubiquitous at the centers of galaxies in the nearby universe. The astrophysical processes responsible for the formation of the earliest seed black holes...

Modeling and experiments on differential pumping in linear plasma generators operating at high gas flows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eck, van H.J.N.; Koppers, W.R.; Rooij, van G.J.; Goedheer, W.J.; Engeln, R.A.H.; Schram, D.C.; Lopes Cardozo, N.J.; Kleyn, A.W.

2009-01-01

The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method was used to investigate the efficiency of differential pumping in linear plasma generators operating at high gas flows. Skimmers are used to separate the neutrals from the plasma beam, which is guided from the source to the target by a strong axial

The feed gas composition determines the degree of physical plasma-induced platelet activation for blood coagulation

Science.gov (United States)

Bekeschus, Sander; Brüggemeier, Janik; Hackbarth, Christine; Weltmann, Klaus-Dieter; von Woedtke, Thomas; Partecke, Lars-Ivo; van der Linde, Julia

2018-03-01

Cold atmospheric (physical) plasma has long been suggested to be a useful tool for blood coagulation. However, the clinical applicability of this approach has not been addressed sufficiently. We have previously demonstrated the ability of a clinically accepted atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet (kINPen® MED) to coagulate liver incisions in mice with similar performance compared to the gold standard electrocauterization. We could show that plasma-mediated blood coagulation was dependent on platelet activation. In the present work, we extended on this by investigating kINPen®-mediated platelet activation in anticoagulated human donor blood ex vivo. With focus on establishing high-throughput, multi-parametric platelet activation assays and performing argon feed gas parameter studies we achieved the following results: (i) plasma activated platelets in heparinized but not in EDTA-anticoagulated blood; (ii) plasma decreased total platelet counts but increased numbers of microparticles; (iii) plasma elevated the expression of several surface activation markers on platelets (CD62P, CD63, CD69, and CD41/61); (iv) in platelet activation, wet and dry argon plasma outperformed feed gas admixtures with oxygen and/or nitrogen; (v) plasma-mediated platelet activation was accompanied by platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation is a necessary requirement for blood clot formation. These findings are important to further elucidate molecular details and clinical feasibility of cold physical plasma-mediated blood coagulation.

Pulsed-plasma gas-discharge inactivation of microbial pathogens in chilled poultry wash water.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowan, N J; Espie, S; Harrower, J; Anderson, J G; Marsili, L; MacGregor, S J

2007-12-01

A pulsed-plasma gas-discharge (PPGD) system was developed for the novel decontamination of chilled poultry wash water. Treatment of poultry wash water in the plasma generation chamber for up to 24 s at 4 degrees C reduced Escherichia coli NCTC 9001, Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 33560, Campylobacter coli ATCC 33559, Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 9863, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis ATCC 4931, and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028 populations to non-detectable levels ( or = 3 log CFU/ml) in recalcitrant B. cereus NCTC 11145 endospore numbers within 30 s, the level of endospore reduction was dependent on the nature of the sparged gas used in the plasma treatments. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that significant damage occurred at the cellular level in PPGD-treated test organisms. This electrotechnology delivers energy in intense ultrashort bursts, generating products such as ozone, UV light, acoustic and shock waves, and pulsed electric fields that have multiple bactericidal properties. This technology offers an exciting complementary or alternative approach for treating raw poultry wash water and for preventing cross-contamination in processing environments.

Terahertz-Radiation-Enhanced Emission of Fluorescence from Gas Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Jingle; Zhang, X.-C.

2009-01-01

We report the study of femtosecond laser-induced air plasma fluorescence under the illumination of terahertz (THz) pulses. Semiclassical modeling and experimental verification indicate that time-resolved THz radiation-enhanced emission of fluorescence is dominated by the electron kinetics and the electron-impact excitation of gas molecules or ions. We demonstrate that the temporal waveform of the THz field could be retrieved from the transient enhanced fluorescence, making omnidirectional, coherent detection available for THz time-domain spectroscopy.

The close environments of accreting massive black holes are shaped by radiative feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricci, Claudio; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Koss, Michael J; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Schawinski, Kevin; Oh, Kyuseok; Lamperti, Isabella; Mushotzky, Richard; Treister, Ezequiel; Ho, Luis C; Weigel, Anna; Bauer, Franz E; Paltani, Stephane; Fabian, Andrew C; Xie, Yanxia; Gehrels, Neil

2017-09-27

The majority of the accreting supermassive black holes in the Universe are obscured by large columns of gas and dust. The location and evolution of this obscuring material have been the subject of intense research in the past decades, and are still debated. A decrease in the covering factor of the circumnuclear material with increasing accretion rates has been found by studies across the electromagnetic spectrum. The origin of this trend may be driven by the increase in the inner radius of the obscuring material with incident luminosity, which arises from the sublimation of dust; by the gravitational potential of the black hole; by radiative feedback; or by the interplay between outflows and inflows. However, the lack of a large, unbiased and complete sample of accreting black holes, with reliable information on gas column density, luminosity and mass, has left the main physical mechanism that regulates obscuration unclear. Here we report a systematic multi-wavelength survey of hard-X-ray-selected black holes that reveals that radiative feedback on dusty gas is the main physical mechanism that regulates the distribution of the circumnuclear material. Our results imply that the bulk of the obscuring dust and gas is located within a few to tens of parsecs of the accreting supermassive black hole (within the sphere of influence of the black hole), and that it can be swept away even at low radiative output rates. The main physical driver of the differences between obscured and unobscured accreting black holes is therefore their mass-normalized accretion rate.

Ignition Features of Plasma-Beam Discharge in Gas-Discharge Electron Gun Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valery A. Tutyk

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The current paper presents the results of experimental researches to determine the mode features of plasma-beam discharge (PBD generation by an electron beam injected by a low-vacuum gasdischarge electron gun (LGEG with the cold cathode and hollow anode on the basis of the high-voltage glow discharge and in the range of helium pressure of P ? 10 ÷ 130 Pa. The PBD boundaries and their dependences on parameters of an electron beam are found. The influence of PBD on parameters of low-vacuum gas-discharge electron gun is revealed. It causes an avalanche increase of electron beam current and burning of plasma-beam discharge in the whole space of the vacuum chamber volume and generation of electromagnetic radiation is revealed. Achieved results will be used for implementation of various vacuum technologies in the medium of reaction gas and generated electromagnetic radiation.

Current distribution measurements inside an electromagnetic plasma gun operated in a gas-puff mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Poehlmann, Flavio R; Cappelli, Mark A; Rieker, Gregory B

2010-12-01

Measurements are presented of the time-dependent current distribution inside a coaxial electromagnetic plasma gun. The measurements are carried out using an array of six axially distributed dual-Rogowski coils in a balanced circuit configuration. The radial current distributions indicate that operation in the gas-puff mode, i.e., the mode in which the electrode voltage is applied before injection of the gas, results in a stationary ionization front consistent with the presence of a plasma deflagration. The effects of varying the bank capacitance, transmission line inductance, and applied electrode voltage were studied over the range from 14 to 112 μF, 50 to 200 nH, and 1 to 3 kV, respectively.

Characterization of the gas-puff imploding plasma on the NRL Gamble II generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephanakis, S.J.; Boller, J.R.; Cooperstein, G.

1984-01-01

Recently, an experimental and theoretical effort has been undertaken at NRL aimed at contributing to understanding the physics of the implosion dynamics and of the resulting highly localized plasma pinch in such experiments. Supersonic nozzles producing a cylindrical gas flow provide the load for the Gamble II generator operating at the 1.5 TW level. The gas jet is preionized and then imploded to the axis by the machine electrical pulse in a very short time scale. During the implosion process, the attained kinetic energy is efficiently converted to plasma thermal energy and produces the desired radiation. Preliminary experimental results are presented from the study of the conditions necessary in order to efficiently couple such loads to the Gamble II generator. These results are correlated to existing scaling laws and are compared with theoretical models

Extractive alkylation of 6-mercaptopurine and determination in plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Floberg, S; Hartvig, P; Lindström, B; Lönner-Holm, G; Odlind, B

1981-09-11

An analytical procedure was developed for the determination of 6-mercaptopurine in plasma. Owing to the polar character and low plasma concentration of the compound, extraction and derivatization was carried out directly from the plasma sample by extractive alkylation. Determination was made using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with multiple-ion detection. Conditions with respect to the rate of formation and the stability of the derivative formed in the extractive alkylation step were evaluated. The selectively of the method to azathioprine and to metabolites was thoroughly investigated. No 6-mercaptopurine was formed from azathioprine added to water or plasma and run through the method. The method enables the detection of 2 ng of 6 mercaptopurine in a 1.0-ml plasma sample. Quantitative determinations were done down to 10 ng/ml 6 mercaptopurine in plasma.

Surface modification of cotton fabrics by gas plasmas for color strength and adhesion by inkjet ink printing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pransilp, Porntapin; Pruettiphap, Meshaya; Bhanthumnavin, Worawan; Paosawatyanyong, Boonchoat; Kiatkamjornwong, Suda

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Both O_2 and N_2 plasma increased cotton surface wettability and higher K/S. • SF6 plasma gave hydrophobicity on cotton surface and increased contact angle to 138°. • Plasma treatment on cotton fabric produced surface roughness. • XPS confirmed the generation of new functional groups on cotton fabric. • Wettability and surface roughness controlled K/S and good ink adhesion. - Abstract: Surface properties of cotton fabric were modified by three types of gas plasma pretreatment, namely, oxygen (O_2), nitrogen (N_2) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF_6), to improve ink absorption of water-based pigmented inkjet inks and color reproduction of the treated surfaces. Effects of gas plasma exposure parameters of power, exposure time and gas pressure on surface physical and chemical properties of the treated fabrics were investigated. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) was used to identify changes in functional groups on the fabric surface while AFM (atomic force microscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) were used to reveal surface topography of the fabric. Color spectroscopic technique was used to investigate changes in color strength caused by different absorptions of the printed fabrics. The O_2 plasma treatments produced new functional groups, −O−C−O/C=O and O−C=O while N_2 plasma treatments produced additionally new functional groups, C−N and O=C−NH, onto the fabric surface which increased hydrophilic properties and surface energy of the fabric. For cotton fabric treated with SF_6 plasma, the fluorine functionalization was additionally found on the surface. Color strength values (K/S) increased when compared with those of the untreated fabrics. SF_6 plasma-treated fabrics were hydrophobic and caused less ink absorption. Fabric surface roughness caused by plasma etching increased fabric surface areas, captured more ink, and enhanced a larger ink color gamut and ink adhesion. Cotton fabrics exhibited higher

Experimental Evaluation of SI Engine Operation Supplemented by Hydrogen Rich Gas from a Compact Plasma Boosted Reformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

J. B. Green, Jr.; N. Domingo; J. M. E. Storey; R.M. Wagner; J.S. Armfield; L. Bromberg; D. R. Cohn; A. Rabinovich; N. Alexeev

2000-01-01

It is well known that hydrogen addition to spark-ignited (SI) engines can reduce exhaust emissions and increase efficiency. Micro plasmatron fuel converters can be used for onboard generation of hydrogen-rich gas by partial oxidation of a wide range of fuels. These plasma-boosted microreformers are compact, rugged, and provide rapid response. With hydrogen supplement to the main fuel, SI engines can run very lean resulting in a large reduction in nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions relative to stoichiometric combustion without a catalytic converter. This paper presents experimental results from a microplasmatron fuel converter operating under variable oxygen to carbon ratios. Tests have also been carried out to evaluate the effect of the addition of a microplasmatron fuel converter generated gas in a 1995 2.3-L four-cylinder SI production engine. The tests were performed with and without hydrogen-rich gas produced by the plasma boosted fuel converter with gasoline. A one hundred fold reduction in NO x due to very lean operation was obtained under certain conditions. An advantage of onboard plasma-boosted generation of hydrogen-rich gas is that it is used only when required and can be readily turned on and off. Substantial NO x reduction should also be obtainable by heavy exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) facilitated by use of hydrogen-rich gas with stoichiometric operation

Direct luminescence evidence for the degenerate electron-hole plasma formation in A/sup II/B/sup VI/ semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brodin, M.S.; Bandura, V.M.; Matsko, M.G. (AN Ukrainskoj SSR, Kiev. Inst. Fiziki)

1983-09-01

The emission spectra of ZnTe and ZnSe crystals are investigated at T = 4.2 K at high excitation densities by a Coumarin 30 and 120 dye laser. It is shown that for excitation densities R/sub exc/ > 0.1 MW/cm/sup 2/ the emission spectrum of ZnTe exhibits the P-band due to inelastic exciton-exciton scattering. For R/sub exc/ > 6 MW/cm/sup 2/ the emission of a degenerate electron-hole plasma (EHP) is observed. These emission bands may be differentiated by scanning the exciting quanta energy in the short-wavelength tail region.

Direct luminescence evidence for the degenerate electron-hole plasma formation in A/sup II/B/sup VI/ semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodin, M.S.; Bandura, V.M.; Matsko, M.G.

1983-01-01

The emission spectra of ZnTe and ZnSe crystals are investigated at T = 4.2 K at high excitation densities by a Coumarin 30 and 120 dye laser. It is shown that for excitation densities R/sub exc/ > 0.1 MW/cm 2 the emission spectrum of ZnTe exhibits the P-band due to inelastic exciton-exciton scattering. For R/sub exc/ > 6 MW/cm 2 the emission of a degenerate electron-hole plasma (EHP) is observed. These emission bands may be differentiated by scanning the exciting quanta energy in the short-wavelength tail region. (author)

NH3/O2 mixed gas plasmas alter the interaction of blood components with stainless steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Meng; Zamora, Paul O; Peña, Louis; Som, Prantika; Osaki, Shigemasa

2003-12-01

Stainless steel treated with a mixed gas plasma of NH(3) plus O(2) had chemical and biologic characteristics distinct from untreated stainless steel or stainless steel treated with NH(3) or O(2) plasmas used separately. NH(3)/O(2) plasmas deposited nitrogen as both -CN (organic) and -NO (nitrate, nitrite)--materials not found on untreated stainless steel--and the contact angle changed from 44 degrees to 23 degrees. Treatment of stainless steel (and titanium) resulted in surfaces with enhanced resistance to platelet and leukocyte attachment. A gas plasma of N(2)O/O(2) also was found to reduce platelet and leukocyte attachment, suggesting that these properties may be common to surfaces coated with oxynitrites (nitrides). Upon subcutaneous implantation, no inflammation, hemolysis, or untoward thrombosis was noted in the tissue surrounding the wafers treated with the NH(3)/O(2) plasmas, although the cellular density was considerably reduced by 2 weeks after implant. Collectively, the results suggest that NH(3)/O(2) plasmas impart a unique character to stainless steel that may be useful in the construction of medical devices. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 994-1000, 2003

Abatement of global warming gas emissions from semiconductor manufacturing processes by non-thermal plasma-catalyst systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, J-S.; Urashima, K.

2009-01-01

Emission of various hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and greenhouse gases including perfluoro-compounds (PFCs) from semiconductor industries may cause significant impact on human health and the global environment, has attracted much public attention. In this paper, an application of nonthermal plasma-adsorbent system for a removal of PFCs emission from semiconductor process flue gases is experimentally investigated. The non-thermal plasma reactor used is the ferro-electric packed-bed type barrier discharge plasma and adsorbent reactor used is Zeolite bed reactor. The results show that for a simulated semiconductor process flue gas with C 2 F 6 (2000ppm)/ CF 4 (1000ppm)/ N 2 O(1000ppm)/ N 2 / Air mixture, 54% of C 2 F 6 and 32% of CF 4 were decomposed by the plasma reactor and 100% of C 2 F 6 and 98% of CF 4 were removed by plasma reactor/Zeolite adsorbent hybrid system. For a simulated semiconductor process flue gas with NF 3 (2000ppm)/ SiF 4 (1000ppm)/ N 2 O(200ppm)/ N 2 / Air mixture, 92% of NF 3 and 32% of SiF 4 were decomposed by the plasma reactor and total (100%) removal of the pollutant gases was achieved by plasma reactor/Zeolite adsorbent hybrid system. (author)

Effective photon mass from black-hole formation

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Slava Emelyanov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We compute the value of effective photon mass mγ at one-loop level in QED in the background of small (1010 g≲M≪1016 g spherically symmetric black hole in asymptotically flat spacetime. This effect is associated with the modification of electron/positron propagator in presence of event horizon. Physical manifestations of black-hole environment are compared with those of hot neutral plasma. We estimate the distance to the nearest black hole from the upper bound on mγ obtained in the Coulomb-law test. We also find that corrections to electron mass me and fine structure constant α at one-loop level in QED are negligible in the weak gravity regime.

Spray characteristics and liquid distribution of multi-hole effervescent atomisers for industrial burners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jedelský, Jan; Jícha, Miroslav

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The multi-hole (mh) spray morphology is very similar to that of single-hole nozzles. • Unsteady spray was found at low pressure and low gas-to-liquid-ratio (GLR) values. • Cone angle variation in mh spray with pressure and GLR depends on the exit nozzles angle. • A liquid–gas gravitational separation in horizontal atomiser operation was observed. • It causes up to 70% fuel supply variance into exit holes depending on design and regime. - Graphical Abstract: - Abstract: The present paper provides an experimental study and optimisation of multi-hole effervescent atomisers for industrial burners using oil-based fossil, bio- or waste fuels with prospects of emission reduction. Several multi-hole nozzles were designed based on our previous work. We probed the spray quality by phase-Doppler anemometry. 3-D plots of Sauter mean diameter and mean droplet velocity demonstrate their spatial distribution within the spray. The effect of geometrical and operational factors on the spray is discussed. Droplet size–velocity correlations as well as the size and velocity distributions are presented, and differences are found against other investigations. A spray macrostructure is photographically observed and spray cone angles of the multi-hole nozzles are analysed. An internal two-phase flow is estimated using the Baker's map for horizontal two-phase flow. Our previous two-phase flow visualisations suggested a liquid–gas gravitational separation when the multi-hole atomiser operated horizontally. This issue is addressed here; the results of spray heterogeneity measurements document that fuel flow rates through individual exit holes differ significantly. This difference spans between 0 and 70% depending on the nozzle design and flow regime. Effervescent sprays are unsteady under some operating conditions; spray unsteadiness was detected at low pressure and low gas-to-liquid-ratios.

Characteristics of x-ray radiation from a gas-puff z-pinch plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiyama, N.; Takasugi, K.

2002-01-01

Characteristics of x-ray radiation from Ar gas-puff z-pinch plasma have been investigated by changing delay time of discharge from gas puffing. Intense cloud structure of x-ray image was observed at small delay time region, but the total x-ray signal was not so intense. The x-ray signal increased with increasing the delay time, and hot spots of x-ray image also became intense. Electron temperature was evaluated from x-ray spectroscopic data, and no significant difference in temperature was observed. (author)

Synchrotron radiation from spherically accreting black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ipser, J.R.; Price, R.H.

1982-01-01

Spherical accretion onto a Schwartzchild black hole, of gas with frozen-in magnetic field, is studied numerically and analytically for a range of hole masses and accretion rates in which synchrotron emission is the dominant radiative mechanism. At small radii the equipartition of magnetic, kinetic, and gravitational energy is assumed to apply, and the gas is heated by dissipation of infalling magnetic energy, turbulent energy, etc. The models can be classified into three types: (a) synchrotron cooling negligible, (b) synchrotron cooling important but synchrotron self-absorption negligible, (c) synchrotron cooling and self-absorption important. In the first case gas temperatures become very high near the horizon but luminosity efficiencies (luminosity/mass-energy accretion rate) are low. In cases (b) and (c) the gas flow near the horizon is essentially isothermal and luminosity efficiencies are fairly high. The analysis and results for the isothermal cases (b) and (c) are valid only for moderate dissipative heating and synchrotron self-absorption. If self-absorption is very strong or if dissipated energy is comparable to infall energy, Comptonization effects, not included in the analysis, become important