Initial Energy Deposition Research Articles

Significant role of secondary electrons in the formation of a multi-body chemical species spur produced by water radiolysis.

Scientific insights into water photolysis and radiolysis are essential for estimating the direct and indirect effects of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage. Secondary electrons from radiolysis intricately associated with both effects. In our previous paper, we simulated the femtosecond (1 × 10- 15s) dynamics of secondary electrons ejected by energy depositions of 11-19eV into water via high-energy electron transport using a time-dependent simulation code. The results contribute to the understanding of simple "intra-spur" chemical reactions of tree-body chemical species (hydrated electrons, hydronium ion and OH radical) in subsequent chemical processes. Herein, we simulate the dynamics of the electrons ejected by energy depositions of 20-30eV. The present results contribute to the understanding of complex "inter-spur" chemical reactions of the multi-body chemical species as well as for the formation of complex DNA damage with redox site and strand break on DNA. The simulation results present the earliest formation mechanism of an unclear multi-body chemical species spur when secondary electrons induce further ionisations or electronic excitations. The formation involves electron-water collisions, i.e. ionisation, electronic excitation, molecular excitation and elastic scattering. Our simulation results indicate that (1) most secondary electrons delocalise to ~ 12nm, and multiple collisions are sometimes induced in a water molecule at 22eV deposition energy. (2) The secondary electrons begin to induce diffuse band excitation of water around a few nm from the initial energy deposition site and delocalise to ~ 8nm at deposition energies ~ 25eV. (3) The secondary electron can cause one additional ionisation or electronic excitation at deposition energies > 30eV, forming a multi-body chemical species spur. Thus, we propose that the type and density of chemical species produced by water radiolysis strongly depend on the deposition energy. From our results, we discuss formation of complex DNA damage.

Assessment of Machine Learning Techniques for Simulating Reacting Flow: From Plasma-Assisted Ignition to Turbulent Flame Propagation

Combustion involves the study of multiphysics phenomena that includes fluid and chemical kinetics, chemical reactions and complex nonlinear processes across various time and space scales. Accurate simulation of combustion is essential for designing energy conversion systems. Nonetheless, due to its multiscale, multiphysics nature, simulating these systems at full resolution is typically difficult. The massive and complex data generated from experiments and simulations, particularly in turbulent combustion, presents both a challenge and a research opportunity for advancing combustion studies. Machine learning facilitates data-driven techniques to manage the substantial amount of combustion data that is either obtained through experiments or simulations, and thereby can find the hidden patterns underlying these data. Alternatively, machine learning models can be useful to make predictions with comparable accuracy to existing models, while reducing computational costs significantly. In this era of big data, machine learning is rapidly evolving, offering promising opportunities to explore its integration with combustion research. This work provides an in-depth overview of machine learning applications in turbulent combustion modeling and presents the application of machine learning models: Decision Trees (DT) and Random Forests (RF), for the spatio-temporal prediction of plasma-assisted ignition kernels, based on the initial degree of ionization, with model validations against DNS data. The results demonstrate that properly trained machine learning models can accurately predict the spatio-temporal ignition kernel profile based on the initial energy deposition and distribution.

The Relationships among Solar Flare Impulsiveness, Energy Release, and Ribbon Development

We develop the impulsiveness index, a new classification system for solar flares using the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Extreme Ultraviolet Experiment 304 Å Sun-as-a-star light curves. Impulsiveness classifies events based on the duration and intensity of the initial high-energy deposition of energy into the chromosphere. In stellar flare U-band light curves, Kowalski et al. found that impulsiveness is related to quantities such as a proxy for the Balmer jump ratio. However, the lack of direct spatial resolution in stellar flares limits our ability to explain this phenomenon. We calculate impulsiveness for 1368 solar flares between 2010 April and 2014 May. We divide events into categories of low, mid, and high impulsiveness. We find, in a sample of 480 flares, that events with high maximum reconnection rate tend to also have high impulsiveness. For six case studies, we compare impulsiveness to magnetic shear, ribbon evolution, and energy release. We find that the end of the 304 Å light-curve rise phase in these case studies corresponds to the cessation of polarity inversion line (PIL)-parallel ribbon motion, while PIL-perpendicular motion persists afterward in most cases. The measured guide-field ratio for low- and mid-impulsiveness case-study flares decreases about an order of magnitude during the impulsive flare phase. Finally, we find that, in four of the six case studies, flares with higher, more persistent shear tend to have low impulsiveness. Our study suggests that impulsiveness may be related to other properties of the impulsive phase, though more work is needed to verify this relationship and apply our findings to stellar flare physics.

Ultracentral heavy ion collisions, transverse momentum and the equation of state

Ultracentral heavy ion collisions due to their exceptionally large multiplicity probe an interesting regime of quark-gluon plasma where the size is (mostly) fixed and fluctuations in the initial condition dominate. Spurred by the recent measurement of the CMS collaboration we investigate the driving factors of the increase of transverse momentum, including a complete analysis of the influence of the QCD equation of state. Particularly interesting is the influence of the centrality selection as well as the initial energy deposition.

Mechanisms of Nanoscale Radiation Enhancement by Metal Nanoparticles: Role of Low Energy Electrons.

Metal nanoparticles are considered as highly promising radiosensitizers in cancer radiotherapy. Understanding their radiosensitization mechanisms is critical for future clinical applications. This review is focused on the initial energy deposition by short-range Auger electrons; when high energy radiation is absorbed by gold nanoparticles (GNPs) located near vital biomolecules; such as DNA. Auger electrons and the subsequent production of secondary low energy electrons (LEEs) are responsible for most the ensuing chemical damage near such molecules. We highlight recent progress on DNA damage induced by the LEEs produced abundantly within about 100 nanometers from irradiated GNPs; and by those emitted by high energy electrons and X-rays incident on metal surfaces under differing atmospheric environments. LEEs strongly react within cells; mainly via bound breaking processes due to transient anion formation and dissociative electron attachment. The enhancement of damages induced in plasmid DNA by LEEs; with or without the binding of chemotherapeutic drugs; are explained by the fundamental mechanisms of LEE interactions with simple molecules and specific sites on nucleotides. We address the major challenge of metal nanoparticle and GNP radiosensitization; i.e., to deliver the maximum local dose of radiation to the most sensitive target of cancer cells (i.e., DNA). To achieve this goal the emitted electrons from the absorbed high energy radiation must be short range, and produce a large local density of LEEs, and the initial radiation must have the highest possible absorption coefficient compared to that of soft tissue (e.g., 20-80 keV X-rays).

Experiments on plasma dynamics of electrical wire explosion in air

Besides a typical high-density plasma source, electrical explosion of conductors is also indispensable in switches, nanomaterial synthesis, shock-wave sources, etc. In this paper, an experimental study regarding plasma dynamics of electrical wire explosions (μs-timescale) is presented, with spatiotemporal resolved diagnostics. Pure Cu/Ni wire and Cu-Ni alloy wire were used and compared. The alloy wire usually has a higher resistivity, resulting in a higher initial energy deposition (heating) rate. Abel inverse transformation indicated that the plasma radiation focussed on the outer region of the discharge channel for the alloy wire. In addition, the metallic vapour determined by the material properties had a considerable influence on the plasma process and resulting nanomaterials. In particular, both transverse and axial-layered structures were observed in alloy wire vapour. In addition, for the first time, the expanding arc-like plasma of explosion products was understood and examined from aspects of material properties and energy relaxation. The later stage of wire explosion resembled the state of regular metal vapour arcs under 1 MPa pressure. Finally, the core factor for the fast energy deposition stage of wire explosion was ascertained. Correlations between pre-exposition circuit parameters and post-explosion dynamic effects were found, which is significant for practical applications.

Constraining the initial stages of ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions

It is frequently supposed that quark-gluon plasma created in heavy-ion collisions undergoes free streaming at early times. We examine this issue based on the assumption that a universal attractor dominates the dynamics already at the earliest stages, which offers a way to connect the initial state with the start of the hydrodynamic expansion in an approximate but conceptually transparent fashion. We demonstrate that the centrality dependence of the measured particle multiplicities can be used to quantitatively constrain the pressure anisotropy and find that it strongly depends on the model of the initial energy deposition. As an illustration, we compare three initial state models and show that they predict rather different early-time values of the pressure anisotropy. This suggests that while assuming free streaming prior to hydrodynamization may be compatible with some initial state models, in general, features of the prehydrodynamic flow need to be matched with the model of the initial state.

Combined microwave and laser Rayleigh scattering diagnostics for pin-to-pin nanosecond discharges

In this work, the temporal decay of electrons produced by an atmospheric pin-to-pin nanosecond discharge operating in the spark regime was measured via a combination of microwave Rayleigh scattering (MRS) and laser Rayleigh scattering (LRS). Due to the initial energy deposition of the nanosecond pulse, a variation in the local gas density occurs on the timescale of electron decay. Thus, the assumption of a constant collisional frequency is no longer applicable when electron number data are extracted from MRS measurements. To recalibrate MRS measurements throughout the electron decay period, temporally resolved LRS measurements of the local gas density were performed over the event duration. The local gas density was calculated to be 30% of the ambient level during the later stages of electron decay, and it recovers at about 1 ms after discharge. A shock front traveling approximately 500 m/s was additionally observed. Coupled with plasma volume calibration via temporally resolved intensified charge-coupled device imaging, the corrected decay curves of the electron number and electron number density are presented with a measured peak electron number density of 4.5 × 1015 cm−3 and a decay rate of ∼(0.1–0.35) × 107 s−1. A hybrid MRS and LRS diagnostic technique can be applied for a broad spectrum of atmospheric-pressure microplasmas where a variation in the gas number density is expected due to energy deposition in the discharge.

Initial Studies of Electron Beams as a Means of Modifying Collagen

We present the initial design studies and specifications for an accelerator and conveyor system to irradiate collagen samples, modifying properties such as the putrescibility and mechanical behaviours in a paradigm shift from existing, widely used technology. We show the integrated design requirements for a magnetic rastering scheme to move the beam position in order to ensure a uniform dose distribution over the full surface of the hide and discuss its dependence on factors such as the size of the hide, the beam current and conveyor speed. We also present initial energy deposition studies using beam particle interaction simulation program G4beamline, in order to determine the numerical beam parameters and angle of incidence needed to ensure a uniform depth-dose distribution throughout the hide thickness.

Plasma-assisted ignition of methane/air and ethylene/air mixtures: Efficiency at low and high pressures

The ignition of methane/air and ethylene/air mixtures by nanosecond pulsed discharges (NSPD) is investigated numerically using a zero-dimensional isochoric adiabatic reactor. A combustion kinetics model is coupled with a non-equilibrium plasma mechanism, which features vibrational and electronic excitation, dissociation, and ionization of neutral particles (O2 and N2) via electron impact. A time to ignition metric τ is defined, and ignition simulations encompassing a wide range of pressures (0.5–30 atm) and pulsing conditions for each fuel are executed. For each fuel, it is found that τ depends primarily on initial pressure and energy deposition rate, and scaling laws are derived. In order to quantify the benefit gained from plasma-assisted ignition (PAI), τ is compared with a thermal ignition time. It is found that for both fuels, PAI leads to a faster ignition at low pressures, while at higher pressures (p0 ≥ 5 atm), methane/air ignition becomes inefficient (meaning a longer ignition time for the same input energy compared to thermal ignition). Ethylene/air PAI shows only a modest deterioration. The drop in performance with pressure is found to be due to the mean electron energy achieved during the pulse, which shows an inverse relationship with pressure, leading to fewer excited species and combustion radicals. The poor performance of methane/air mixture ignition at high pressure is explained by an analysis of the reaction pathways. At high pressures (p0 ∼ 30 atm), H is consumed mostly to form hydroperoxyl (HO2), leading to a bottleneck in the formation of formyl (HCO) from formaldehyde (CH2O). Instead, for ethylene/air ignition, at both low and high pressures there exist several bypass pathways that facilitate the formation of HCO and CO directly from various intermediates, explaining the more robust performance of PAI for ethylene at pressure.

Dynamic behavior modeling of laser-induced damage initiated by surface defects on KDP crystals under nanosecond laser irradiation

The issue of laser-induced damage of transparent dielectric optics has severely limited the development of high-power laser systems. Exploring the transient dynamic behaviors of laser damage on KDP surface by developing multi-physics coupling dynamics model is an important way to reveal the mechanism of nanosecond laser damage. In this work, KDP crystals are taken as an example to explore the mechanism of laser-induced surface damage. Based on the theories of electromagnetic field, heat conduction and fluid dynamics, a multi-physics coupling dynamics model is established for describing the evolution of nanosecond damage processes. The dynamics of laser energy transmission, thermal field distribution and damage morphology during nanosecond laser irradiation are simulated with this model. It is found that the enhancement of light intensity caused by surface defect plays an important role in the initial energy deposition and damage initiation of the laser irradiation area. The evolution of temperature field and crater morphology during subsequent laser irradiation is helpful to understand the laser damage process. The feasibility of this model is verified by the morphology information of typical defect-induced laser damage. This work provides further insights in explaining the laser-induced damage by surface defects on KDP crystals. The model can be also applied to investigate the laser damage mechanisms of other transparent dielectric optics.

Evaluation of Radiation-Induced Damage in Membrane Ion Channels and Synaptic Receptors

The study of irradiation of brain cells with exposure to accelerated charged particles is essential topic in modern radiobiological research. Using Geant4-DNA based Monte-Carlo simulation of particle tracks we studied initial energy deposition and radiolytic species production within critical targets on neural cells: voltage-gated membrane channels and synaptic receptors. According to the modeling results the most probable targets for radiation damage can be attributed to synaptic receptors of GABA and NMDA type rather than ion channels. Indirect damage caused by chemical interaction with free radicals dominates over direct ionization events. We also provide an estimation for damage induction efficiency after the exposure with particles of different dose and linear energy transfer.

Occurrence Locations, Dipole Tilt Angle Effects, and Plasma Cloud Drift Paths of Polar Cap Neutral Density Anomalies

AbstractPolar cap neutral density anomaly (PCNDA) with large mass density enhancements over the background has been frequently observed in the polar cap during magnetic storms. By tracing field lines to the magnetosphere from the polar ionosphere, we divide the polar cap into two regions, an open field line (OFL) region with field lines connecting to the magnetopause boundary and a distant tail field line (TFL) region threaded with magnetotail lobe field lines. A statistical study of neutral density observed by the Challenging Minisatellite Payload satellite during major magnetic storms with Dst < −100 from July 2001 to 2006 indicates that over 85% of density anomalies were detected in the TFL region, at about 18° to 25° equatorward the center of the OFL region. PCNDAs were frequently accompanied by plasma clouds with peak density greater than 105 #/cm3. Modeling of plasma cloud drift paths suggests that plasma clouds originating in the dayside ionosphere could convect through the OFL region following the zero‐potential line and reach the PCNDA locations. Plasma clouds could become stagnate in the TFL region, allowing a long duration of collisions with the neutral gas and possibly contributing to heating of PCNDAs. The PCNDA observations are interpreted as evidence that traveling atmospheric disturbance could be generated in the nightside polar cap. From the PCNDA size and speed of sound at 400 km, we derive an initial energy deposition duration for producing traveling atmospheric disturbance in the range from 0.5 to 2.5 hr.

Spectra and elliptic flow of thermal photons from full-overlap U+U collisions at energies available at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

We calculate ${p}_{T}$ spectra and elliptic flow for tip-tip and body-body configurations of full-overlap uranium-uranium $(\text{U}+\text{U})$ collisions by using a hydrodynamic model with smooth initial density distribution and compare the results with those obtained from $\text{Au}+\text{Au}$ collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Production of thermal photons is seen to be significantly larger for tip-tip collisions compared with body-body collisions of uranium nuclei in the region ${p}_{T}>1$ GeV. The difference in the results for the two configurations of $\text{U}+\text{U}$ collisions depends on the initial energy deposition which is yet to be constrained precisely from hadronic measurements. The thermal photon spectrum from body-body collisions is found to be close to the spectrum from most-central $\text{Au}+\text{Au}$ collisions at RHIC. The elliptic-flow parameter calculated for body-body collisions is found to be large and comparable to the ${v}_{2}({p}_{T})$ for mid-central collisions of Au nuclei. On the other hand, as expected, ${v}_{2}({p}_{T})$ is close to zero for tip-tip collisions. The qualitative nature of the photon spectra and elliptic flow for the two different orientations of uranium nuclei is found to be independent of the initial parameters of the model calculation. We show that the photon results from fully overlapping $\text{U}+\text{U}$ collisions are complementary to the results from $\text{Au}+\text{Au}$ collisions at RHIC.

Fluid dynamics analysis of a gas attenuator for X-ray FELs under high-repetition-rate operation.

Newtonian fluid dynamics simulations were performed using the Navier-Stokes-Fourier formulations to elucidate the short time-scale (µs and longer) evolution of the density and temperature distributions in an argon-gas-filled attenuator for an X-ray free-electron laser under high-repetition-rate operation. Both hydrodynamic motions of the gas molecules and thermal conductions were included in a finite-volume calculation. It was found that the hydrodynamic wave motions play the primary role in creating a density depression (also known as a filament) by advectively transporting gas particles away from the X-ray laser-gas interaction region, where large pressure and temperature gradients have been built upon the initial energy deposition via X-ray photoelectric absorption and subsequent thermalization. Concurrent outward heat conduction tends to reduce the pressure in the filament core region, generating a counter gas flow to backfill the filament, but on an initially slower time scale. If the inter-pulse separation is sufficiently short so the filament cannot recover, the depth of the filament progressively increases as the trailing pulses remove additional gas particles. Since the rate of hydrodynamic removal decreases while the rate of heat conduction back flow increases as time elapses, the two competing mechanisms ultimately reach a dynamic balance, establishing a repeating pattern for each pulse cycle. By performing simulations at higher repetition rates but lower per pulse energies while maintaining a constant time-averaged power, the amplitude of the hydrodynamic motion per pulse becomes smaller, and the evolution of the temperature and density distributions approach asymptotically towards, as expected, those calculated for a continuous-wave input of the equivalent power.

A novel approach to study radiation track structure with nanometer-equivalent resolution

Clustered DNA damages are considered the critical lesions in the pathways leading from the initial energy deposition by radiation to radiobiological damage. The spatial distribution of the initial DNA damage is mainly determined by radiation track-structure at the nanometer level. In this work, a novel experimental approach to image the three-dimensional structure of micrometric radiation track segments is presented. The approach utilizes the detection of single ions created in low-pressure gas. Ions produced by radiation drift towards a GEM-like 2D hole-pattern detector. When entering individual holes, ions can induce ion-impact ionization of the working-gas starting a confined electron avalanche that generates the output signal. By registering positive ions rather than electrons, diffusion is reduced and a spatial resolution of the track image of the order of water-equivalent nanometers can be achieved. Measurements and simulations to characterize the performance of a few detector designs were performed. Different cathode materials were tested and ionization cluster size distributions of 241Am alpha particles were measured. The electric field configuration in the detector was calculated to optimize the ion focusing into the detector holes. The preliminary results obtained show the directions for further development of the detector.

SIMULATION OF DESCENDING MULTIPLE SUPRA-ARCADE RECONNECTION OUTFLOWS IN SOLAR FLARES

After recent AIA observations by Savage, McKenzie and Reeves we revisit the scenario proposed by us in previous papers. We have shown that sunward, generally dark plasma features originated above posteruption flare arcades are consistent with a scenario where plasma voids (which we identify as supra--arcade reconnection outflows, SAROs) generate the bouncing and interfering of shocks and expansion waves upstream of an initial localized deposition of energy which is collimated in the magnetic field direction. In this paper we analyze the multiple production and interaction of SAROs and their individual structure that make them relatively stable features while moving. We compare our results with observations and with the scenarios proposed by other authors.

Gasdynamic modeling of strong shock wave generation from lightning in Titan’s troposphere.

In an effort to predict the characteristics of thunder on Titan, a model is being developed for the formation of the initial strong shock wave by a short cylindrical lightning discharge “segment.” (Such small discharge segments are later used to synthesize a tortuous cloud-to-ground 20 Km-long lightning channel in Titan’s troposphere.) The shock wave is obtained numerically as a solution of the coupled gasdynamic equations of state and conservation of momentum, mass, and energy. The relevant acoustic quantities are the pressure, density, particle velocity, and specific internal energy of the shock wave immediately following the discharge. Different scenarios for the initial deposition of energy from the discharge into the shock wave are investigated. The altitude-dependent ambient conditions in Titan’s lower atmosphere—temperature, pressure, and density—are extracted from Cassini-Huygens data, while specific heats and transport coefficients of the main constituents of Titan’s troposphere (N2, CH4) are obtained from the NIST Chemistry WebBook and interpolated at each altitude. The CH4 molar fraction, measured by the mass spectrometer onboard Huygens, varies from 0.0492 at 5 m to 0.0162 at 35 km (the latter marking the lower end of Titan’s tropopause). These parameters are used as inputs to the model for a complete thermodynamic characterization along the length of the lightning channel. [The work was funded by the Louisiana Space Consortium (LaSpace) and NASA.]

Time-resolved microscope system to image material response following localized laser energy deposition: exit surface damage in fused silica as a case example

The dynamics of material response following initial localized energy deposition by the laser pulse on the material's surface is still largely unknown. We describe a time-resolved microscope system that enables the study of the sequence of events and the individual processes involved during the entire timeline from the initial energy deposition to the final state of the material, typically associated with the formation of a crater on the surface. To best capture individual aspects of the damage timeline, this system can be configured to multiple imaging arrangements, such as multiview image acquisition at a single time point, multi-image acquisition at different time points of the same event, and tailored sensitivity to various aspects of the process. As a case example, we present results obtained with this system during laser-induced damage on the exit surface of fused silica.

Modeling the interaction of keV clusters with molecular solids

AbstractThe use of polyatomic (cluster) ion beams for SIMS has proven to be an efficient method for the characterization of solids. Computer simulation programs such as Molecular Dynamics (MD) are often run to gain an insight into the ion‐solid interactions that take place under these circumstances; however, for simulations to be able to make accurate predictions, a massive amount of computational resources are required to be at hand. These include several months in simulation time and the use of very large targets, not to mention that a single simulation run is a representation of only a single ion trajectory. Thus, MD simulations are invaluable for gaining insight into ion‐solid interactions but are less so for being able to provide information when time constraints are put in place. The work here aims to achieve a prediction model that, when completely functional, will be able to deal with the pressures of the clock. This, we believe, is achievable by employing simpler modeling criteria that are dependant upon aspects of an initial energy deposition profile within the target under irradiation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.