Department
Physics
Major
Physics
Research Advisor
Chernatynskiy, Aleksandr V.
Advisor's Department
Physics
Funding Source
OURE
Abstract
Experiments conducted on Uranium Dioxide (UO2) under the Manhattan Project led to the creation of the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction at Chicago Pile-1 in 1942. 80 years later, UO2 functions as the primary fuel for nuclear fission reactors, providing around 10% of global electric output. Understanding UO2's thermal and magnetic properties is instrumental in ensuring safe operation and handling, which can be done computationally using the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS). Recent advances in LAMMPS allow for the simulation of quantum spin-lattice coupling in magnetic subsystems, which we have applied to elemental Iron across magnetic phase transitions. Simulating spin-lattice coupling with LAMMPS requires the usage of magneto-mechanical potentials instead of classical potentials, which captures more of the relevant quantum-mechanical physics that are dominant in low-temperature magnetic subsystems. UO2 at low temperatures contains a non-trivial magnetic subsystem which is believed to be a result of quadrupole-quadrupole, magnetic exchange and phonon-magnon interactions, providing a challenge to simulate accurately. We discuss current progress made with using magneto-mechanical potentials to simulate the magnetic subsystem of elemental Iron and possible applications to UO2.
Biography
Anthony Lonsdale is a Senior undergraduate studying Physics at Missouri S&T. He is from Kansas City, Missouri and his interests include software development, financial markets and algorithmic finance. Anthony is an Eagle Scout, National level swimmer and entrepreneur. He started working with Dr. Chernatynskiy in the fall of 2019 under the FYRE program and presented his research for the Fuller Research Competition in the spring of 2020, and won second prize at the UGRC in Physics in the spring of 2021. He is currently working under the OURE program, and plans to continue until graduation. Anthony plans on pursuing an internship at the auto dealer technology firm ProMax for the summer and graduate in the fall semester.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Presentation
Award
Sciences – section 2 oral presentation, First place
Location
Meramec Room
Presentation Date
14 Apr 2022, 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Applying Spin Dynamics Methods to Uranium Dioxide
Meramec Room
Experiments conducted on Uranium Dioxide (UO2) under the Manhattan Project led to the creation of the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction at Chicago Pile-1 in 1942. 80 years later, UO2 functions as the primary fuel for nuclear fission reactors, providing around 10% of global electric output. Understanding UO2's thermal and magnetic properties is instrumental in ensuring safe operation and handling, which can be done computationally using the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS). Recent advances in LAMMPS allow for the simulation of quantum spin-lattice coupling in magnetic subsystems, which we have applied to elemental Iron across magnetic phase transitions. Simulating spin-lattice coupling with LAMMPS requires the usage of magneto-mechanical potentials instead of classical potentials, which captures more of the relevant quantum-mechanical physics that are dominant in low-temperature magnetic subsystems. UO2 at low temperatures contains a non-trivial magnetic subsystem which is believed to be a result of quadrupole-quadrupole, magnetic exchange and phonon-magnon interactions, providing a challenge to simulate accurately. We discuss current progress made with using magneto-mechanical potentials to simulate the magnetic subsystem of elemental Iron and possible applications to UO2.
