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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

The Role of Synthetic Biology in NASA's Missions

The time has come to for NASA to exploit the nascent field of synthetic biology in pursuit of its mission, including aeronautics, earth science, astrobiology and notably, human exploration. Conversely, NASA advances the fundamental technology of synthetic biology as no one else can because of its unique expertise in the origin of life and life in extreme environments, including the potential for alternate life forms. This enables unique, creative "game changing" advances. NASA's requirement for minimizing upmass in flight will also drive the field toward miniaturization and automation. These drivers will greatly increase the utility of synthetic biology solutions for military, health in remote areas and commercial purposes. To this end, we have begun a program at NASA to explore the use of synthetic biology in NASA's missions, particularly space exploration. As part of this program, we began hosting an iGEM team of undergraduates drawn from Brown and Stanford Universities to conduct synthetic biology research at NASA Ames Research Center. The 2011 team (http://2011.igem.org/Team:Brown-Stanford) produced an award-winning project on using synthetic biology as a basis for a human Mars settlement and the 2012 team has expanded the use of synthetic biology to estimate the potential for life in the clouds of other planets (http://2012.igem.org/Team:Stanford-Brown; http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/igem-competition/). More recent projects from the Stanford-Brown team have expanded our ideas of how synthetic biology can aid NASA's missions from "Synthetic BioCommunication" (http://2013.igem.org/Team:Stanford-Brown) to a "Biodegradable UAS (drone)" in collaboration with Spelman College (http://2014.igem.org/Team:StanfordBrownSpelman#SBS%20iGEM) and most recently, "Self-Folding Origami" (http://2015.igem.org/Team:Stanford-Brown), the winner of the 2015 award for Manufacturing.

Rothschild, Lynn J.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Enantioselective Intramolecular Allylic Substitution via Synergistic Palladium/Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalysis: Insight into Stereoinduction through Statistical Modeling

The mode of asymmetric induction in an enantioselective intramolecular allylic substitution reaction catalyzed by a combination of palladium and a chiral phosphoric acid was investigated by a combined experimental and statistical modeling approach. Experiments to probe nonlinear effects, the reactivity of deuterium-labeled substrates, and control experiments revealed that nucleophilic attack to the π-allylpalladium intermediate is the enantio-determining step, in which the chiral phosphate anion is involved in stereoinduction. Here, using multivariable linear regression analysis, we determined that multiple noncovalent interactions with the chiral environment of the phosphate anion are integral to enantiocontrol in the transition state. The synthetic protocol to form chiral pyrrolidines was further applied to the asymmetric construction of C-O bonds at fully substituted carbon centers in the synthesis of chiral 2,2-disubstituted benzomorpholines.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Estimating the Benefits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Usage at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Ultrafine Particle Exposure and Mortalities Reductions

The expanding commercial aviation sector necessitates diverse energy sources, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) have emerged as a promising option. Widespread SAF adoption can help meet transportation fuel demand and offer health benefits for people residing near airports or along airport landing and takeoff (LTO) pathways, where elevated levels of aircraft-derived air pollution often exist. Blending SAF with traditional jet fuels can reduce ultrafine particle (UFP) emissions, which may improve health of near airport population. We analyzed a population of about 8 million people in 1925 census tracts around the Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). We conducted a risk assessment to estimate anticipated UFP reductions for three adoption scenarios using blends of traditional jet fuels with 5, 25, and 50% SAF across all flights landing and taking off from ORD. We calculated baseline estimates of UFP emissions using ORD flight data, a dispersion model, and a calibration function derived from mobile monitoring data. We used this baseline UFP emission profile across the study area to estimate population-weighted UFP, as well as the attributable case reductions (ACRs) and attributable mortality rate reductions (AMRRs) across the demographic distribution around the airport, based on the SAF blending scenarios. We found a positive association of SAF blending with UFP reductions, particularly near the airport and along LTO flight pathways. Our study showed that the population-weighted UFP across different demographics was similar. ACRs were largely dependent on individual demographic populations, while AMRRs for all populations were relatively similar, with an estimated 0.3 (95% range: 0.2−0.3), 1.1 (0.9−1.4), and 1.8 (1.5−2.2) fewer mortalities per 100,000 people per year expected with the adoption of 5, 25, and 50% SAF blends, respectively. This study indicates that communities near ORD, across a range of demographics, may benefit similarly from SAF adoption, thus highlighting how SAF adoption may offer an opportunity to improve health outcomes like aviation UFP-related mortalities around airports.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Inducing Ferrimagnetic Exchange in 1D-FeSe 2 Chains Using Heteroleptic Amine Complexes: [Fe(en)(tren)][FeSe 2 ] 2

[Fe(en)(tren)][FeSe 2 ] 2 (en = ethylenediamine, C 2 H 8 N 2 , tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, C 6 H 18 N 4 ) has been synthesized by a mixed-ligand solvothermal method. Its crystal structure contains heteroleptic [Fe(en)(tren)] 2+ complexes with distorted octahedral coordination, incorporated between 1D-FeSe 2 chains composed of edge–sharing FeSe 4 tetrahedra. The twisted octahedral coordination environment of the Fe–amine complex leads to partial dimerization of Fe–Fe distances in the FeSe 2 chains so that the FeSe 4 polyhedra deviate strongly from the regular tetrahedral geometry. 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy reveals oxidation states of +3 for the Fe chain atoms and +2 for the Fe complex atoms. The close proximity of Fe atoms in the chains promotes ferromagnetic nearest neighbor interactions, as indicated by a positive Weiss constant, θ = +53.8(6) K, derived from the Curie–Weiss fitting. Magnetometry and heat capacity reveal two consecutive magnetic transitions below 10 K. DFT calculations suggest that the ordering observed at 4 K is due to antiferromagnetic intrachain interactions in the 1D-FeSe 2 chains. The combination of two different ligands creates an asymmetric coordination environment that induces changes in the structure of the Fe–Se fragments. Finally, this synthetic strategy opens new ways to explore the effects of ligand field strength on the structure of both Fe-amine complexes and surrounding Fe–Se chains.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Monte Carlo Approach to Approximating the Effects of Pore Geometry on the Phase Behavior of Soil Freezing

Abstract Freezing in porous media is associated with a host of dynamic phenomena that stem from the presence and mobility of premelted liquid at subzero temperatures. Accurate assessments of the progressive liquid‐ice phase transition is required for predictive models of frost damage, glacier‐till coupling, and many other cold regions processes, as well as for evaluating the capacity for water storage in near‐surface extraterrestrial environments. We use a Monte Carlo approach to sample the pore space in a synthetic 3D packing of poly‐dispersed spherical particles and evaluate local geometrical constraints that allow us to assess changes in the relative proportions of pore fluid and ice. By approximating the phase boundary geometry in fine‐grained pores while considering both the curvature of the liquid‐ice interface and wetting interactions with matrix particles, our model predicts changes in phase equilibrium in granular media over a broad temperature range, where present accounting for the colligative effects of chloride and perchlorate solutes. In addition to formulating the constitutive behavior needed to better understand properties and processes in frozen soils, our results also provide insight into other aspects of phase equilibria in porous media, including the formation of methane hydrates in permafrost and marine sediments, and the partitioning between liquid water and vapor in the vadose zone.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Data for "Enhancing 2-Pyrone Synthase Efficiency by High-Throughput Mass-Spectrometric Quantification and In Vitro/In Vivo Catalytic Performance Correlation"

Engineering efficient biocatalysts is essential for metabolic engineering to produce valuable bioproducts from renewable resources. However, due to the complexity of cellular metabolic networks, it is challenging to translate success in vitro into high performance in cells. To meet such a challenge, an accurate and efficient quantification method is necessary to screen a large set of mutants from complex cell culture and a careful correlation between the catalysis parameters in vitro and performance in cells is required. In this study, we employed a mass-spectrometry based high-throughput quantitative method to screen new mutants of 2-pyrone synthase (2PS) for triacetic acid lactone (TAL) biosynthesis through directed evolution in E. coli. From the process, we discovered two mutants with the highest improvement (46 fold) in titer and the fastest kcat (44 fold) over the wild type 2PS, respectively, among those reported in the literature. A careful examination of the correlation between intracellular substrate concentration, Michaelis-Menten parameters and TAL titer for these two mutants reveals that a fast reaction rate under limiting intracellular substrate concentrations is important for in-cell biocatalysis. Such properties can be tuned by protein engineering and synthetic biology to adopt these engineered proteins for the maximum activities in different intracellular environments.

catalysis↗
NASA NTRS1994

(abstract) Characterization of Tree Water Status and Dielectric Constant Changes of North American Boreal Forests in Combination with Synthetic Aperture Radar Remote Sensing

The occurrence and magnitude of temporal and spatial tree water status changes in the boreal environment were studied in a floodplain forest in Alaska and in four forest types of Central Canada. Under limited water supply conditions from the rooted soil zone in early spring (freeze/thaw transition) and during summer, trees show declining water potentials. Coincidental change in tree water potential, tree transpiration and tree dielectric constant had been observed in previous studies performed in Mediterranean ecotones. If radar is sensitive to chances in tree water status as reflected through changes in dielectric constant, then radar remote sensing could be used to monitor the water status of forests. The SAR imagery is examined to determine the response of the radar backscatter to the ground based observations of the water status of forest canopies. Comparisons are made between stands and also along the large North-South gradient between sites. Data from SAR are used to examine the radar response to canopy physiological state as related to vegetation freeze/thaw and growing season length.

remote sensing imaging↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Neural Network Atmospheric Correction of Remote Sensing Imagery Over Water Using a Synthetic Dataset

Remote sensing atmospheric correction methods have primarily focused on imagery over land. However, accurate correction over water is important for monitoring and research of aquatic environments. More research in this area is ongoing, though one of the biggest challenges is enough quality data to develop and validate correction methods. This is especially true for neural network (NN) -based models which have shown promise in this area given enough quality data. To address this deficiency of data, we are leveraging a synthetic dataset produced by a model called SWIPE that uses radiative transfer modeling to simulate the atmospheric effects on water-leaving (WL) reflectance to estimate top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. This allows us to produce almost unlimited pairs of WL reflectance and corresponding TOA reflectance for model training across a variety of atmospheric conditions. We use two approaches for our atmospheric correction model. One uses a conditional variational autoencoder (VAE) to estimate a single WL reflectance value from a single TOA reflectance value. The second is based on a UNET architecture and estimates an array of WL reflectance values from an array of TOA reflectance values. The goal of the second method is to capture atmospheric effects that occur spatially between values within the array as compared to the first method.

deep learning↗
DOE OSTI2025

In situ high-temperature Raman spectroscopy for online EAF slag analysis

Real-time monitoring of slag chemistry is critical for optimizing Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking operations, where dynamic variations in slag composition directly influence slag foaming, refractory degradation, and thermal efficiency. Conventional techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) are commonly used to analyze slag composition, but their offline nature and equipment constraints limit their applicability for online monitoring in harsh industrial environments. To address this challenge, we present an in situ, high-temperature analytical approach that integrates Raman spectroscopy with a custom designed fiber-optic probe for real-time slag characterization at 1550 °C. The system enables non destructive spectral acquisition from molten slags, providing molecular-level insights into silicate polymerization and iron oxidation states. Eight synthetic slag samples were evaluated, and key Raman features—such as Q n silicate units and FeO₄/FeO₆ coordination environments—were identified and quantitatively correlated with slag basicity and Fe₂O₃ content. The results demonstrate agreement between Raman spectral ratios and bulk slag chemistry, validating the method’s capability to track compositional and structural changes under molten temperature. This work establishes the feasibility of deploying fiber-optic Raman probe for online EAF slag monitoring and highlights their potential to support closed-loop control strategies, thereby enhancing process stability, refractory protection, and steel quality in industrial steelmaking applications.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Impacts of directed evolution and soil management legacy on the maize rhizobiome

Domestication and agricultural intensification dramatically altered maize and its cultivation environment. Changes in maize genetics (G) and environmental (E) conditions increased productivity under high-synthetic-input conditions. However, novel selective pressures on the rhizobiome may have incurred undesirable tradeoffs in organic agroecosystems, where plants obtain nutrients via microbially mediated processes including mineralization of organic matter. Using twelve maize genotypes representing an evolutionary transect (teosintes, landraces, inbred parents of modern elite germplasm, and modern hybrids) and two agricultural soils with contrasting long-term management, here we integrated analyses of rhizobiome community structure, potential microbe-microbe interactions, and N-cycling functional genes to better understand the impacts of maize evolution and soil management legacy on rhizobiome recruitment. We show complex shifts in rhizobiome communities during directed evolution of maize (defined as the transition from teosinte to modern hybrids), with a larger effect of domestication (teosinte to landraces) than modern breeding (inbreds to hybrids) on rhizobiome structure and greater impacts of modern breeding on potential microbe-microbe interactions. Rhizobiome structure was significantly correlated with plant nutrient composition. Furthermore, plant biomass and nutrient content were affected by G x E interactions in which teosinte and landrace genotypes had better relative performance in the organic legacy soil than inbred and modern genotypes. The abundance of six N-cycling genes of relevance for plant nutrition and N loss pathways did not significantly differ between teosinte and modern rhizospheres in either soil management legacy. These results provide insight into the potential for improving maize adaptation to organic systems and contribute to interdisciplinary efforts toward developing resource-efficient, biologically based agroecosystems.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Review of Polymeric Nanoparticle Design, Synthesis, and Biomedical Applications

Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) are solid particles that contain macromolecular polymers ranging in size from 1-1000 nm. They have a wide variety of structures that are determined by their identity as either natural biopolymers, synthetic polymers or a combination of both. In the design of PNPs, the polymeric system, size, internal structure, additional molecules, and synthetic pathway can be engineered, allowing for a multitude of properties including differing responses to physiological environments and the incorporation of a drug. The easily accessible fine tuning of PNPs allows for a multitude of applications in medicine. PNPs allow for increased pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, and targeting strength when utilized as carriers for drugs. Currently there are a wide range of PNPs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in clinical settings and many more being investigated in clinical studies. There is also research that is being conducted for the usage of PNPs in controlled drug delivery systems and as carriers through the blood brain barrier to aid in treating neurological diseases.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Calibration verification for stochastic agent-based disease spread models

Accurate disease spread modeling is crucial for identifying the severity of outbreaks and planning effective mitigation efforts. To be reliable when applied to new outbreaks, model calibration techniques must be robust. However, current methods frequently forgo calibration verification (a stand-alone process evaluating the calibration procedure) and instead use overall model validation (a process comparing calibrated model results to data) to check calibration processes, which may conceal errors in calibration. In this work, we develop a stochastic agent-based disease spread model to act as a testing environment as we test two calibration methods using simulation-based calibration, which is a synthetic data calibration verification method. The first calibration method is a Bayesian inference approach using an empirically-constructed likelihood and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling, while the second method is a likelihood-free approach using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). Simulation-based calibration suggests that there are challenges with the empirical likelihood calculation used in the first calibration method in this context. These issues are alleviated in the ABC approach. Despite these challenges, we note that the first calibration method performs well in a synthetic data model validation test similar to those common in disease spread modeling literature. We conclude that stand-alone calibration verification using synthetic data may benefit epidemiological researchers in identifying model calibration challenges that may be difficult to identify with other commonly used model validation techniques.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development of a New Aggregation Method to Remove Nanoplastics from the Ocean: Proof of Concept Using Mussel Exposure Tests

The overproduction and mismanagement of plastics has led to the accumulation of these materials in the environment, particularly in the marine ecosystem. Once in the environment, plastics break down and can acquire microscopic or even nanoscopic sizes. Given their sizes, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are hard to detect and remove from the aquatic environment, eventually interacting with marine organisms. This research mainly aimed to achieve the aggregation of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) to ease their removal from the marine environment. To this end, the size and stability of polystyrene (PS) MNPs were measured in synthetic seawater with the different components of the technology (ionic liquid and chitosan). The MPs were purchased in their plain form, while the NPs displayed amines on their surface (PS NP-NH2). The results showed that this technology promoted a significant aggregation of the PS NP-NH2, whereas, for the PS MPs, no conclusive results were found, indicating that the surface charge plays an essential role in the MNP aggregation process. Moreover, to investigate the toxicological potential of MNPs, a mussel species (M. galloprovincialis) was exposed to different concentrations of MPs and NPs, separately, with and without the technology. In this context, mussels were sampled after 7, 14, and 21 days of exposure, and the gills and digestive glands were collected for analysis of oxidative stress biomarkers and histological observations. In general, the results indicate that MNPs trigger the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mussels and induce oxidative stress, making gills the most affected organ. Yet, when the technology was applied in moderate concentrations, NPs showed adverse effects in mussels. The histological analysis showed no evidence of MNPs in the gill’s tissues.

Cid-Samamed, Antonio (ORCID:0000000205073394)↗
NASA NTRS1976

Baseline meteorological soundings for parametric environmental investigations at Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base

Meteorological soundings representative of the atmospheric environment at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, are presented. Synthetic meteorological soundings at Kennedy Space Center, including fall, spring, and a sea breeze, and at Vandenberg Air Force Base (sea breeze with low and high level inversion and stationary upper level troughs) are shown. Soundings of frontal passages are listed. The Titan launch soundings at Kennedy Space Center present a wide range of meteorological conditions, both seasonal and time of day variations. The meteorological data input of altitude, wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and pressure may be used as meteorological inputs for the NASA/MSFC Multilayer Diffusion Model or other models to obtain quantitative estimates of effluent concentrations associated with the potential emission of major combustion products in the lower atmosphere to simulate actual launches of space vehicles. The Titan launch soundings are also of value in terms of rocket effluent measurements for analysis purposes.

Susko, M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Eastern Regional Remote Sensing Applications Conference

The roles and activities of NASA and the National Conference of State Legislatures in fostering remote sensing technology utilization by the states and in promoting interstate communication and cooperation are reviewed. The reduction and interpretation of LANDSAT MSS and aerial reconnaissance data for resources management and environment assessment are described as well as resource information systems, and the value of SEASAT synthetic aperture radar and LANDSAT 4 data.

Short, N. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of simulated and actual wind shear radar data products

Prior to the development of the NASA experimental wind shear radar system, extensive computer simulations were conducted to determine the performance of the radar in combined weather and ground clutter environments. The simulation of the radar used analytical microburst models to determine weather returns and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) maps to determine ground clutter returns. These simulations were used to guide the development of hazard detection algorithms and to predict their performance. The structure of the radar simulation is reviewed. Actual flight data results from the Orlando and Denver tests are compared with simulated results. Areas of agreement and disagreement of actual and simulated results are shown.

Britt, Charles L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

In Situ Remediation of Polychlorinated Bephenyls Using Palladium Coated Iron or Magnesium

The remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other chlorinated synthetic aromatic compounds are of great concern due to their toxicity and persistence in the environment. When released into the environment, PCBs are sorbed to particulate matter that can then disperse over large areas. Although the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the manufacture of PCBs since 1979, they are still present in the environment posing possible adverse health affects to both humans and animals. Thus, it is of utmost importance to develop a method that remediates PCB-contaminated soil, sediments, and water. The objective of our research was to develop an in-situ PCB remediation technique that is applicable for the treatment of soils and sediments. Previous research conducted at the University of Central Florida (UCF) proved the feasibility of using an emulsified system to dehalogenate a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source, such as TCE, in the subsurface by means of an in-situ injection. The generation of a hydrophobic emulsion system drew the DNAPL TCE, through the oil membrane where it diffused to the iron particle and underwent degradation. TCE continued to enter, diffuse, degrade and exit the droplet maintaining a concentration gradient across the membrane, thus maintaining the driving force of the reaction.

Geiger, Cherie L.↗