Showing 11 results for Author: Josh J. Pierce
Jul, 2026
Journal
The Laue neutron macromolecular crystallography beamline IMAGINE at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is undergoing a major upgrade to incorporate the Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) technique. Upon completion, the new IMGAINE-X instrument is expected to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the diffraction data by an order of magnitude. To take full advantage of the…
Mar, 2026
Journal
Precision measurements of observables in neutron 𝛽 decay are used to test the standard model description of the weak interaction and search for evidence of new physics. The Nab experiment at the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source was constructed to measure correlations in neutron decay by utilizing an asymmetric spectrometer and novel det…
Oct, 2025
Journal
Neutron diffraction is a powerful tool in the study of quantum materials and associated emergent phenomena as it allows for direct detection of magnetic structure even at ultra-low temperatures. As pressure can drive systems across quantum critical points and tune emergent behaviors at the quantum scale, coupling neutron diffraction with extreme conditions of high pressure…
Aug, 2025
Journal
Flow of the normal fluid component of He II about a cylinder and flat plate in a channel with a square cross-section was observed by tracking clouds of He*2 excimers. Flow was produced using a lithographically patterned heater. The direction and speed of flow projected onto a plane parallel to the axis of the channel and perpendicular to the heater exhibited significant ch…
Jul, 2025
Journal
The Nab experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) aims to yield a precise measurement of the electron-neutrino correlation parameter, a, to Δaa=1×10−3 from the beta-decay of the free neutron. To achieve Nab’s precision goal, polarization of the neutron beam must be near-zero. A polarizer/analyzer combination, neutron monitors…
Nov, 2023
Journal
The sensitivity of Neutron Macromolecular Crystallography to the presence of hydrogen makes it a powerful tool to complement X-ray crystallographic studies using protein crystals. The power of this technique is currently limited by the relative low neutron flux provided by even the most powerful neutron sources. The strong polarization dependence of the neutron scattering…
Dec, 2019
Conference Paper
Neutron beta decay is one of the most fundamental processes in nuclear physics and provides sensitive means to uncover the details of the weak interaction. Neutron beta decay can evaluate the ratio of axial-vector to vector coupling constants in the standard model, λ = gA/gV, through multiple decay correlations. The Nab experiment will carry out measurements of the electro…
Sep, 2017
Journal
Bacteriophage T4 lysozyme (T4L) has been used as a paradigm for seminal biophysical studies on prote in structure, dynamics, and stability. Approximately 700 mutants of this proteinand their respective complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography; however,despite the high resolution diffraction limi ts attained in several studies, no hydrogen atoms were repor…
Sep, 2013
Conference Paper
We report on the progress of the Dynamically Polarized Sample at the Spallation Neutron Source. The SNS DPS is a collaborative project with the University of Virginia constructed for the purpose of polarized neutron scattering and diffraction. The project aims at significantly enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio by utilizing the strong spin dependent scattering cross secti…
Apr, 2011
Conference Paper
The recently constructed Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is quickly becoming the world���s leader in neutron scattering sciences. In addition to the world���s most intense pulsed neutron source, we are continuously constructing state of the art neutron scattering instruments as well as sample environments to address today and tomorrow���s cha…