Doppler Temperature Research Articles

The Doppler wind, temperature, and aerosol RMR lidar system at Kühlungsborn, Germany – Part 1: Technical specifications and capabilities

Abstract. This paper describes the technical specifications of the extensions made to the middle-atmospheric lidar facility at the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Kühlungsborn, Germany (54.12° N, 11.77° E). The upgrade complements the existing daylight-capable Rayleigh–Mie–Raman (RMR) temperature lidar with a nighttime-only RMR wind–temperature lidar. The new system comprises an independent lidar with laser, telescopes, and detectors, which is synchronized with and adapted to the (old) temperature lidar. As a result, with the combination of RMR lidars the atmosphere is probed with three (vertical and tilted) beams. This work intends to highlight the recent innovations in the construction of a Doppler–Rayleigh lidar system using the single-edge iodine-cell technique, which allows for the simultaneous measurement of wind, temperature, and aerosols. We will detail supporting subsystems that allow for a high degree of lidar automation and concisely provide key technical information about the system that will support readers in the development of additional RMR wind–temperature lidar systems. We show an example of time-resolved temperature and wind soundings reaching up to ∼ 90 km. These data agree well with ECMWF-IFS profiles between 35 and ∼ 50 km but show a much larger variability above. In the companion article, we will present the algorithm design and uncertainty budgets associated with the data processing chain.

Spin-encoded quantum computer near ultimate physical limits

Landauer’s bound is applicable to irreversible quantum operations. In this study, we showcased that the Doppler temperature manifests the existence of Landauer’s bound, which does not block a spin from (irreversibly) flipping with a tiny amount of energy via quantum tunneling. Verified by a spin–spin magnetic interaction experiment, this (energy) amount was determined to be only 1.25 times the theoretical value of Landauer’s bound. Based on Heisenberg’s principle, we defined information from a measuring perspective: one bit of information corresponds to the smallest error when quantifying the product of the measured energy uncertainty (ΔE\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Delta E$$\\end{document}) and the measured time duration (Δt\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Delta t$$\\end{document}). We then illustrate an optically manipulated, spin-encoded, near-Landauer-bound, near-Heisenberg-limit quantum computer that encompasses this new definition of information. This study may represent the last piece of the puzzle in understanding both quantum Landauer erasure and Heisenberg’s quantum limit since a single spin is the smallest information carrier.

Analysis of the LatticeNet neural network framework’s performance using prediction-calculated temperature coefficients in PWR assemblies

Various Machine Learning (ML) techniques have seen recent and growing interest in the creation of surrogate neutronics models as a potential way to avoid the computational expenses associated with conventional high-fidelity modeling. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been shown to be particularly useful for single-assembly predictions involving pin-wise power distributions and multiplication factors. In this paper, the LatticeNet neural network framework is investigated as a method to predict Doppler and moderator temperature coefficients for Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies, as well as differential boron worth. This approach uses the built-in tools developed alongside LatticeNet to construct two fully-connected network architectures capable of predicting k-eigenvalues from two inputs such as fuel enrichment and temperature when trained with data generated with CASMO-4E. A single network taking in all study parameters as inputs was then used to predict k-eigenvalues for fuel temperature, moderator temperature, and boron perturbation cases. The calculated temperature coefficients and differential boron worth values were compared with a bank of reference values to validate the efficacy of this method. Overall, differences in k-eigenvalues were within 0.017% in the worst case. The temperature coefficients saw mean errors of 1.85% and 1.69% for the two-parameter networks, respectively. The all-parameter network was then shown to predict 1100 points in 236 ms compared to the 4.95 min CASMO-4E took to generate them. Additionally, the differential boron worth achieved the lowest mean error of 0.30%; each of these values were within our acceptance criteria.

Study on neutronic behavior of VVER-1000 fuel assembly with duplex fuel rod design

Various studies suggested that duplex fuel rods have better neutronic characteristics than ordinary single-oxide fuel pellets. A duplex fuel rod consists of an inner uranium dioxide (UO2) layer and an outer thorium dioxide (ThO2) layer. This paper aims to study the neutronic behavior of the VVER-1000 fuel assembly with duplex fuel rod design. The duplex fuel rods were loaded into the fuel assembly in three configurations: outermost region, mid-region, and central region of the assembly. Three compositions with volume fractions of 75% UO2-25% ThO2, 70% UO2-30% ThO2, and 65% UO2-35% ThO2 were considered. A series of numerical calculations were conducted using the MCNP6 code and ENDF/B-VII.1 library. In general, there is an improvement in DTC and MTC value for fuel assembly using Duplex fuel rods. However, βeff and ℓ values tend to decrease while the value of Λ tends to increase which may affect fuel assembly response during transient scenarios. The results show that Configuration I can maintain its criticality for up to 15 MWd/kg for all fractions of UO2-ThO2 being used in duplex fuel, while Configuration II and Configuration III only reach below 15 MWd/kg when using duplex fuel rods. The Doppler temperature coefficient (DTC) and the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC) become stronger with the increasing ThO2 volume fraction within the VVER fuel assembly. Compared with non-duplex fuel, the amount of 239Pu was lower when using duplex fuel rods, but minor actinides was slightly higher at 40 MWd/kg. It can be concluded that the VVER-1000 with a duplex fuel rod could improve its safety characteristics besides that increasing fissile material content might be crucial to optimize VVER-1000 fuel management.

Characteristics of Inflammatory and Normal Endothelial Exosomes on Endothelial Function and the Development of Hypertension.

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with the development of hypertension. We hypothesize that inflammatory and normal endothelial exosomes play their roles by mediating endothelial function, and they induce endothelial angiogenesis through different signaling pathways. Endothelial cell-derived exosomes were isolated from the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with (TExo) or without (CExo) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. We monitored dermal microcirculation profiles in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and WKY rats using a laser Doppler imager and a laser Doppler perfusion and temperature monitor. Tube formation, levels of angiogenesis-related proteins in HUVEC-conditioned media, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed following TNF-α, CExo, or TExo treatments. Western blot analysis was conducted to examine signaling proteins associated with inflammation and ROS. The results showed increased blood perfusion and the mean amplitude of endothelial oscillator in SHRs following CExo administration. TNF-α, CExo, and TExo treatments promoted endothelial tube formation and elevated levels of angiogenic factors and ROS. TExo significantly increased phosphorylation levels of STAT3, p38, and level of NF-κB, while decreasing phosphorylation levels of JNK and Erk (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CExo significantly increased STAT3 phosphorylation and reduced JNK and Erk phosphorylation (all P < 0.01). In conclusion, TNF-α and TExo induce inflammatory and pathological angiogenesis via the NF-κB pathway, while CExo exhibits a physiologically pro-angiogenic effect on endothelial cells. Increased ROS, interplaying with inflammatory signals, contribute to exosome-mediated alterations of endothelial function, thereby playing a role in the development of hypertension.

The effect of burnable absorbers on criticality and reactivity coefficient of VVER-1000 assembly

Burnable absorbers play an important role in nuclear reactor safety and exploring their effect on the reactor core behavior is an important issue in the design and operation of the reactor core. The aim of the present work was to discover the effect of burnable absorbers on criticality and reactivity coefficient of VVER-1000 assembly. The calculations were conducted with a 3-D Monte Carlo transport code MCNP6 and ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear library. The Gd2O3 content varying from 0 wt.% to 8 wt.% was considered to complete the inter-comparison analysis between the criticality and the reactivity coefficients for three UO2+Gd2O3 fuel configurations. At the beginning of the cycle, there is a significant difference between the criticality (kinf) of assembly with and without Gd2O3, however, at the middle of the cycle those differences become very small and almost the same at the end of the cycle. The Doppler temperature coefficient values are always sufficiently negative and demonstrate a more negative trend with increasing gadolinium concentrations and fuel burnup. At beginning of the cycle, the moderator temperature coefficient value increases negatively as gadolinium concentration increases but, at middle of the cycle this trend does not occur. The fuel composition is predicted to be the reason behind this situation. At the end of cycle, there is no clear trend in the moderator temperature coefficient values with respect to Gd2O3 concentration. The absorbing effect of Gd2O3 appears to have diminished significantly. Overall, this research provides insights into the influence of the burnable absorbers on the neutronic parameters of the VVER-1000 assembly and its contribution to reactor safety.

A Circulation Model for Inlets Along the Central West Coast of Vancouver Island

ABSTRACT An ocean circulation model has been developed for the central west coast of Vancouver Island, with particular attention to the numerous inlets where salmon farms are located. The ultimate goal is to provide a tool to assist in informing decisions on the siting and management of fish farms and to further understanding of the regional coastal oceanography. The complicated coastline and bathymetry are approximated with an unstructured triangular grid in the horizontal direction and terrain-following coordinates in the vertical. The period of 1 March to 31 July 2016, is simulated using the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model and results are evaluated through comparisons with a combination of acoustic Doppler current profiler, tide gauge, and temperature and salinity observations. The model was found to be accurate in representing (i) tidal elevations and currents everywhere throughout the model domain and (ii) subtidal currents and temperature and salinity along the shelf. However, it fared poorly in inlets where (i) the tidal currents were relatively weak and not the dominant source of mixing and/or (ii) steep bathymetry necessitated smoothing. Sources of these and other inaccuracies, and the changes needed to overcome them, are discussed. Overall, this work highlights the complex and diverse dynamics at play in a glacially-carved coastal ocean, providing an extensive discussion of modelling challenges and potential solutions.

Wavelike Oscillations in High Latitude Thermospheric Doppler Temperature and Line‐Of‐Sight Wind Observed Using All‐Sky Imaging Fabry‐Perot Spectrometers

AbstractMultiple years of thermospheric wind and temperature data were examined to study gravity waves in Earth's thermosphere. Winds and temperatures were measured using all‐sky imaging optical Doppler spectrometers deployed at two sites in Alaska, and three in Antarctica. For all sites, oscillatory perturbations were clearly present in high‐pass temporally filtered F‐region line‐of‐sight (LOS) winds for the majority of the clear‐sky nights. Oscillations were also discernible in E‐region LOS wind and F‐region Doppler temperature, albeit less frequently. Oscillation amplitudes correlated strongly with auroral and geomagnetic activity. Observed wave signatures also correlated strongly between geographically nearby observing sites. Amplitudes of LOS wind oscillations were usually small when viewed in the zenith and increased approximately with the sine of the zenith angle—as expected if the underlying motion is predominantly horizontal. Scanning Doppler Imager instruments observe in many look directions simultaneously. Phase relationships between perturbations observed in different look directions were used to identify time intervals when the oscillations were likely to be due to traveling waves. However, a number of instances were noted in which the oscillations had characteristics suggesting geophysical mechanisms other than traveling waves—a recognition that was only possible because of the large number of look directions. Lomb‐Scargle analysis was used on a representative subset of days to resolve the spectral distributions of the wind and temperature oscillations. F‐region wind oscillations on days analyzed this way exhibited periods typically ranging from 60 min and above. By contrast, E‐region wind oscillation periods were as short as 30 min.

DWTS (Doppler Wind and Temperature Sensor): A paradigm shift in remote sensing of winds and temperatures from low-Earth orbit

DWTS (Doppler Wind and Temperature Sensor): A paradigm shift in remote sensing of winds and temperatures from low-Earth orbit

Investigation on Neutronic Behavior of Pebble Bed Reactor for TRU Transmutation

One alternative effort to eliminate the accumulation of transuranic (TRU) elements generated from LWR spent fuel is by utilizing TRU as nuclear fuel in pebble bed reactor. This work was aimed to investigate the neutronic behavior of a pebble bed reactor used for TRU transmutation. The reactor geometry is adopted from the HTR-Modul. MCNP6 multipurpose radiation transport code with ENDF/B-VII.1 neutron library was used to calculate the neutronic aspects. The results indicated that the initial effective multiplication factor (keff) values decrease as the amount of TRU fuel pebbles within the core increases, concurrent with the fuel burnup. Increasing the TRU fuel pebble ratio resulted in weakened Doppler temperature coefficients (DTCs) and improvement in moderator temperature coefficients (MTCs). The calculated total mass of plutonium and minor actinide transmutation demonstrated that a pebble bed reactor with 100% TRU pebble can reduce TRU mass up to 55.47% of its initial mass load.

A diagnostic to measure time-resolved atom column density and Doppler temperature in atomic vapors produced by laser ablation

We report on the development of a diagnostic to measure the time-resolved column density and Doppler temperature of atomic vapors produced by laser ablation. The diagnostic is based on the strong frequency dependence of the atomic susceptibility near an electronic transition in the interrogated atomic species. Interference on the face of a fast photodetector between the several frequency components present in a sinusoidally phase-modulated probe beam will produce a time signature uniquely determined by the column density of atoms in the probed atomic state and the Doppler temperature of the atomic vapor. With the extensive, high precision atomic spectroscopy data available in the literature, it is possible to model the vapor and extract the desired parameters through comparison of the model result with the experimental data.

Transition Core Modeling for Extended-Enrichment Accident-Tolerant Fuels in Light Water Reactors Using PARCS/Polaris

Current plans and efforts of reactor operators and vendors to include extended-enrichment (EE) fuel and accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) in current reactor fleets motivate the study of these changes in reactor physics analysis. This work uses the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s core simulator PARCS to do the core calculation and the SCALE Polaris lattice physics code to generate the homogenized, few-group constants. In this work, both pressurized water reactor and boiling water reactor (BWR) colorset models are used to verify the proposed approach. The accuracy presented in the colorset models verified the capability of the PARCS/Polaris procedures for the transition core analysis in light water reactors. For the whole-core calculation, the ATF and EE-ATF transition core models were incorporated, in addition to the nominal core model. The BWR model was chosen to represent the entire core calculation due to its challenging design. The core parameters studied are the core power distribution, power peaking factor, Doppler temperature coefficients, and control rod worth at cold zero power and hot full power. When the core parameters of the transition cores are compared with those of the nominal core in PARCS, the results suggest that there is no drastic change in the core parameters for the implementation of ATF and EE fuels.

Optical forces on neutral atoms in the presence of fluctuating laser fields: numerical analysis

Doppler cooling of 88Sr atoms is studied in the presence of off-resonant red-detuned fluctuating laser fields. Using a semi-classical approach, we show that the relevant physical quantities in the cooling process, such as optical forces, the damping coefficient, Doppler temperature, and atom number in the trap, are strongly affected by the laser amplitude and phase fluctuations. We find that the Doppler cooling limit is higher than the predicted Doppler theory for non-fluctuating lasers. This implies an additional heating mechanism exists due to the laser fluctuations. Furthermore, our numerical analysis shows that the effect of laser power stability on reducing the number of trapped atoms in a magneto-optical trap is more substantial than the effect of laser linewidth.

Percolation properties of the neutron population in nuclear reactors.

Reactor physics aims at studying the neutron population in a reactor core under the influence of feedback mechanisms, such as the Doppler temperature effect. Numerical schemes to calculate macroscopic properties emerging from such coupled stochastic systems, however, require us to define intermediate quantities (e.g., the temperature field), which are bridging the gap between the stochastic neutron field and the deterministic feedback. By interpreting the branching random walk of neutrons in fissile media under the influence of a feedback mechanism as a directed percolation process and by leveraging on the statistical field theory of birth death processes, we will build a stochastic model of neutron transport theory and of reactor physics. The critical exponents of this model, combined with the analysis of the resulting field equationinvolving a fractional Laplacian, will show that the critical diffusion equationcannot adequately describe the spatial distribution of the neutron population and shifts instead to a critical superdiffusion equation. The analysis of this equationwill reveal that nonnegligible departure from mean-field behavior might develop in reactor cores, questioning the attainable accuracy of the numerical schemes currently used by the nuclear industry.

Multi-layer flow field mapping in a small-scale shallow water reservoir by coastal acoustic tomography

Long-term, high-precision and spatiotemporal observation of current structure in small-scale waters is important for underwater research and water resources management. In this paper, a reciprocal sound transmission experiment was conducted using three Coastal Acoustic tomography (CAT) systems within 300 m spacing in Huangcai reservoir, Hunan, China from 14 to 16, Sep 2020. The multi-arrival reciprocal paths between each pair of stations were identified with the help of ray simulation. 3-D CAT data which penetrated the full depth of water were obtained. The flow field along vertical slice were mapped and showed consistency with Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and Temperature Depth (TD) data. A standard deviation of 0.73 m/s at the bottom layer were observed, indicating strong bottom flows in the reservoir. Furthermore, to visualize the strong bottom flow, the horizontal flow fields in the bottom layer were mapped by 3-D inversion technique. The feasibility of the technique was validated by three measures: 1) comparison between range average current and horizontal flow field; 2) Uncertainty analysis; 3) Check net volume transport. This work proves the CAT combined with 3-D inversion technique has the potentials to provide real-time 3-D current data for water researches.

Forward sensitivity analysis procedure (FSAP) with improved quasi static method for the estimation of dynamic uncertainty in reactor transients

Forward sensitivity analysis procedure (FSAP) with improved quasi static (IQS) method is developed and presented here for the estimation of dynamic uncertainty in reactor transients. The propagation of uncertainty in the macroscopic cross section data with time and its effect on reactor power transient is discussed in this paper. The incorporation of the IQS method in FSAP creates a new kind of point kinetics equations and its solution with the shape function gives the dynamic uncertainty in the flux during the transient. This method is applied to estimate the dynamic uncertainty in the power transients in 3D homogeneous reactor, TWIGL-2D and CANDU-2D benchmark reactors. In TWIGL-2D reactor, a Doppler temperature feedback is introduced and this creates an additional internal uncertainty in the core. The core power, core regional temperature and their uncertainties are estimated for the combination of external and internal uncertainties. It is also shown that as the uncertainty in the macroscopic cross section data is increased, the uncertainty in the core power increases. In CANDU-2D benchmark reactor, the dynamic uncertainty in the core power is estimated with uncertainty in the delayed neutron fraction. The estimated uncertainties in the power transient and core temperature are compared with that of direct solution method. The results are found to agree to a good accuracy. From the comparison of results, it is established that this computational method is capable of estimating the dynamic uncertainty in reactor power transient, caused by uncertainties in macroscopic cross section data. The advantage of this new computational method is that the dynamic uncertainty in the power transient can be estimated in a much faster way as compared to the direct solution method and the dynamic uncertainty estimation is represented as a forward problem in time. It is also shown here that using this computational method, both the reactor transient and its uncertainty can be estimated simultaneously.

CTF-PARCS Core Multi-Physics Computational Framework for Efficient LWR Steady-State, Depletion and Transient Uncertainty Quantification

Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approaches for nuclear reactor applications have been extensively developed in recent years. The challenge for BEPU approaches is to achieve multi-physics modeling with an acceptable computational cost while preserving a reasonable fidelity of the physics modeled. In this work, we present the core multi-physics computational framework developed for the efficient computation of uncertainties in Light Water Reactor (LWR) simulations. The subchannel thermal-hydraulic code CTF and the nodal expansion neutronic code PARCS are coupled for the multi-physics modeling (CTF-PARCS). The computational framework is discussed in detail from the Polaris lattice calculations up to the CTF-PARCS coupling approaches. Sampler is used to perturb the multi-group microscopic cross-sections, fission yields and manufacturing parameters, while Dakota is used to sample the CTF input parameters and the boundary conditions. Python scripts were developed to automatize and modularize both pre- and post-processing. The current state of the framework allows the consistent perturbation of inputs across neutronics and thermal-hydraulics modeling. Improvements to the standard thermal-hydraulics modeling for such coupling approaches have been implemented in CTF to allow the usage of 3D burnup distribution, calculation of the radial power and the burnup profile, and the usage of Santamarina effective Doppler temperature. The uncertainty quantification approach allows the treatment of both scalar and functional quantities and can estimate correlation between the multi-physics outputs of interest and up to the originally perturbed microscopic cross-sections and yields. The computational framework is applied to three exercises of the LWR Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling Phase III benchmark. The exercises cover steady-state, depletion and transient calculations. The results show that the maximum fuel centerline temperature across all exercises is 2474K with 1.7% uncertainty and that the most correlated inputs are the 238U inelastic and elastic cross-sections above 1 MeV.

Corrigendum: Validation of Doppler Temperature Coefficients and Assembly Power Distribution for the Lattice Code KYLIN V2.0

Corrigendum: Validation of Doppler Temperature Coefficients and Assembly Power Distribution for the Lattice Code KYLIN V2.0

Resolving Vertical Variations of Horizontal Neutral Winds in Earth's High Latitude Space-Atmosphere Interaction Region (SAIR).

Few remote sensing or in‐situ techniques can measure winds in Earth's thermosphere between altitudes of 120 and 200 km. One possible approach within this region uses Doppler spectroscopy of the optical emission from atomic oxygen at 558 nm, although historical approaches have been hindered in the auroral zone because the emission altitude varies dramatically, both across the sky and over time, as a result of changing characteristic energy of auroral precipitation. Thus, a new approach is presented that instead uses this variation as an advantage, to resolve height profiles of the horizontal wind. Emission heights are estimated using the Doppler temperature derived from the 558 nm emission. During periods when the resulting estimates span a wide enough height interval, it is possible to use low order polynomial functions of altitude to model the Doppler shifts observed across the sky and over time, and thus reconstruct height profiles of the horizontal wind components. The technique introduced here is shown to work well provided there are no strong horizontal gradients in the wind field. Conditions satisfying these caveats do occur frequently and the resulting wind profiles validate well when compared to absolute in‐situ wind measurements from a rocket‐borne chemical release. While both the optical and chemical tracer techniques agreed with each other, they did not agree with the HWM‐14 horizontal wind model. Applying this technique to wind measurements near the geomagnetic cusp footprint indicated that cusp‐region forcing did not penetrate to atmospheric heights of 240 km or lower.

EFFECTS OF FUEL DENSITY ON REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS AND KINETIC PARAMETERS OF PEBBLE BED REACTOR

EFFECTS OF FUEL DENSITY ON REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS AND KINETIC PARAMETERS OF PEBBLE BED REACTOR. Few decades ago a large number of nuclear reactors were designed to use HEU as the fuel. But the use of HEU is being discouraged since it can be used as a nuclear explosive material which makes its proliferation potential. Most of the HEU-fueled nuclear reactors in the world are either closed or converted into other types that have LEU fuel with 235U enrichment below 20%. To extend lifetime, LEU fuel with high density is developed. The change in fuel density from low to high will also change core neutronics and thermal-hydraulics of the reactor, and as a result, it affects the transient response of the reactor. This paper studies the effects of fuel density on reactivity coefficients and kinetic parameters of pebble bed reactor through several calculations with MCNP6 code combine with ENDF/B-VII.1 continuous energy cross-section nuclear data library. The overall calculation results show that the Doppler temperature coefficient (DTC) increases with increasing fuel density, but the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC) decreases due to hardening of neutron spectrum. Kinetic parameters such as effective delayed neutron fraction (βeff), prompt neutron lifetime(ℓ) and neutron generation time (Ʌ) which significantly reduced with increasing fuel density will strongly affect the reactor control and safety. The results of this work conclude that the selection of 9–15 g/cm3 fuel density should be considered carefully given that its effect on reactor controllability.Keywords: Fuel density, reactivity coefficients, kinetic parameters, MCNP6, ENDF/B-VII.1.