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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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At least 199 records · Page 11

Real-time insight into the multistage mechanism of nanoparticle exsolution from a perovskite host surface

In exsolution, nanoparticles form by emerging from oxide hosts by application of redox driving forces, leading to transformative advances in stability, activity, and efficiency over deposition techniques, and resulting in a wide range of new opportunities for catalytic, energy and net-zero-related technologies. However, the mechanism of exsolved nanoparticle nucleation and perovskite structural evolution, has, to date, remained unclear. Herein, we shed light on this elusive process by following in real time Ir nanoparticle emergence from a SrTiO 3 host oxide lattice, using in situ high-resolution electron microscopy in combination with computational simulations and machine learning analytics. We show that nucleation occurs via atom clustering, in tandem with host evolution, revealing the participation of surface defects and host lattice restructuring in trapping Ir atoms to initiate nanoparticle formation and growth. These insights provide a theoretical platform and practical recommendations to further the development of highly functional and broadly applicable exsolvable materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Real-space observation of ergodicity transitions in artificial spin ice

Abstract Ever since its introduction by Ludwig Boltzmann, the ergodic hypothesis became a cornerstone analytical concept of equilibrium thermodynamics and complex dynamic processes. Examples of its relevance range from modeling decision-making processes in brain science to economic predictions. In condensed matter physics, ergodicity remains a concept largely investigated via theoretical and computational models. Here, we demonstrate the direct real-space observation of ergodicity transitions in a vertex-frustrated artificial spin ice. Using synchrotron-based photoemission electron microscopy we record thermally-driven moment fluctuations as a function of temperature, allowing us to directly observe transitions between ergodicity-breaking dynamics to system freezing, standing in contrast to simple trends observed for the temperature-dependent vertex populations, all while the entropy features arise as a function of temperature. These results highlight how a geometrically frustrated system, with thermodynamics strictly adhering to local ice-rule constraints, runs back-and-forth through periods of ergodicity-breaking dynamics. Ergodicity breaking and the emergence of memory is important for emergent computation, particularly in physical reservoir computing. Our work serves as further evidence of how fundamental laws of thermodynamics can be experimentally explored via real-space imaging.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Vapor phase nucleation of the short-chain n -alkanes ( n -pentane, n -hexane and n -heptane): Experiments and Monte Carlo simulations

We measured the nucleation rates of n-pentane through n-heptane in a supersonic nozzle at temperatures ranging from ca. 109 K to 168 K. For n-pentane and n-hexane, these are the first nucleation rate measurements that have been made, and the trends in the current data agree well with those in the earlier work of Ghosh et al. for longer chain alkanes. Complementary Monte Carlo simulations, using the transferable potentials for phase equilibria-united atom potentials, suggest that despite the high degree of supercooling, the critical clusters remain liquid like under experimental conditions for n-pentane through n-heptane, but adopt more ordered structures for n-octane and n-nonane. For all three alkanes, the experimental and simulated nucleation rates are offset by ~3 orders of magnitude when plotted as a function of ln S/(T c /T – 1) 1.5 . Explicitly accounting for the surface tension difference between the real and model substances, or alternatively using the Hale scaling parameter, Ω, consistent with the model potential, increases the offset to ~6 orders of magnitude.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Human-in-the-Loop: The Future of Machine Learning in Automated Electron Microscopy

Machine learning (ML) methods are progressively gaining acceptance in the electron microscopy community for de-noising, semantic segmentation, and dimensionality reduction of data post-acquisition. The introduction of the application programming interfaces (APIs) by major instrument manufacturers now allows the deployment of ML workflows in microscopes, not only for data analytics but also for real-time decision-making and feedback for microscope operation. However, the number of use cases for real-time ML remains remarkably small. Furthermore, we discuss some considerations in designing ML-based active experiments and pose that the likely strategy for the next several years will be human-in-the-loop automated experiments (hAE). In this paradigm, the ML learning agent directly controls beam position and image and spectroscopy acquisition functions, and a human operator monitors experiment progression in real and feature space of the system and tunes the policies of the ML agent to steer the experiment toward specific objectives.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Monitoring for Additive Manufacturing Technologies: Report on Progress, Achievements, and Limitations of Monitoring Techniques

The Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program is leveraging additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to produce multiple nuclear components to be assembled into a fully functional microreactor core. AM was selected as the main manufacturing technology of choice for TCR because it has the potential to disrupt the nuclear industry on two fronts: (1) it enables the manufacturing of very complex geometries with optimized and tailored material properties for the intended use of the component, opening up new options for reactor designs, and (2) it allows for a better understanding of the manufacturing process through real-time in situ monitoring, data analytics, and artificial intelligence that can lead to a streamlined qualification and certification process. Within TCR, the development and deployment of a digital platform aims at addressing the latter opportunity. As part of this effort, the collection of pedigree data sets is vital, should these data be generated before, during, or after the manufacturing process. This report focuses on the collection of manufacturing process data using systems instrumentation and monitoring. It presents an inventory of the various monitoring modalities installed on the manufacturing systems by the machine manufacturer or specifically designed by our team to fill information gaps. It also provides details on other relevant data streams available and leverageable to evaluate the manufacturing process on all classes of AM systems investigated during the first year of this program. Through examples, the report gives an overview of the data collected and presents a path forward for the digital platform.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Maximum Likelihood Estimation of the Broken Power Law Spectral Parameters with Detector Design Applications

The maximum likelihood procedure is developed for estimating the three spectral parameters of an assumed broken power law energy spectrum from simulated detector responses and their statistical properties investigated. The estimation procedure is then generalized for application to real cosmic-ray data. To illustrate the procedure and its utility, analytical methods were developed in conjunction with a Monte Carlo simulation to explore the combination of the expected cosmic-ray environment with a generic space-based detector and its planned life cycle, allowing us to explore various detector features and their subsequent influence on estimating the spectral parameters. This study permits instrument developers to make important trade studies in design parameters as a function of the science objectives, which is particularly important for space-based detectors where physical parameters, such as dimension and weight, impose rigorous practical limits to the design envelope.

Howell, Leonard W.↗

Evaluating the Environmental Impacts of Connected and Automated Vehicles: Potential Shortcomings of a Binned-Based Emissions Model

In addition to providing safety and mobility benefits, Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) have the potential to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. As new CAV applications are developed, it is valuable to estimate these potential environmental benefits, typically using vehicle activity data and emissions models. To date, most researchers in the U.S. have used the MOVES vehicle emissions model, developed and maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, because MOVES uses a binning approach, it is likely underestimating the true energy and emissions savings that occur when CAV applications smooth traffic flow. To illustrate this problem, we measure and model the fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions for a real-world CAV application: Eco-Approach and Departure (EAD) at signalized intersections. Real-world measurements are compared to a MOVES-based estimate, as well as to an estimate provided by the physical-based Comprehensive Modal Emissions Model (CMEM). Results show that MOVES consistently underestimates the energy and emissions benefits of the CAV application, primarily since the bin sizes in MOVES are too large to catch the nuances of traffic smoothing. On the other hand, CMEM provided a more accurate energy and emissions estimate, primarily since it uses analytical functions to model emissions and does not suffer from the same binning problem.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Maximum likelihood algorithm using an efficient scheme for computing sensitivities and parameter confidence intervals

Improved techniques for estimating airplane stability and control derivatives and their standard errors are presented. A maximum likelihood estimation algorithm is developed which relies on an optimization scheme referred to as a modified Newton-Raphson scheme with estimated sensitivities (MNRES). MNRES determines sensitivities by using slope information from local surface approximations of each output variable in parameter space. The fitted surface allows sensitivity information to be updated at each iteration with a significant reduction in computational effort compared to integrating the analytically-determined sensitivity equations or using a finite difference scheme. An aircraft estimation problem is solved using real flight data to compare MNRES with the commonly used modified Newton-Raphson technique; MNRES is found to be faster and more generally applicable. Parameter standard errors are determined using a random search technique. The confidence intervals obtained are compared with Cramer-Rao lower bounds at the same confidence level. It is observed that the nonlinearity of the cost function is an important factor in the relationship between Cramer-Rao bounds and the error bounds determined by the search technique.

Murphy, P. C.↗

The topology of fractal universes

It is shown how the genus per unit volume of isodensity surfaces in general nonlinear universes is related to the entire hierarchy of correlation functions. The general relation between the correlation function, the probability distribution of densities at several points, and the probability distributions of density and its derivatives at a point are given. Formulas for the area and genus per unit volume of isodensity surfaces are presented. As an application, after first reviewing the case of Gaussian fields, analytic results are reported for one particular example of a thoroughly nonlinear universe, Mandelbrot's Rayleigh-Levy random-walk fractal. While this fractal bears little resemblance to the real universe of galaxies, it possesses the singular and theoretically interesting property that in it cluster-cluster correlations are identically equal to galaxy-galaxy correlations to all orders.

Hamilton, A. J. S.↗

Interior Noise Reduction by Adaptive Feedback Vibration Control

The objective of this project is to investigate the possible use of adaptive digital filtering techniques in simultaneous, multiple-mode identification of the modal parameters of a vibrating structure in real-time. It is intended that the results obtained from this project will be used for state estimation needed in adaptive structural acoustics control. The work done in this project is basically an extension of the work on real-time single mode identification, which was performed successfully using a digital signal processor (DSP) at NASA, Langley. Initially, in this investigation the single mode identification work was duplicated on a different processor, namely the Texas Instruments TMS32OC40 DSP. The system identification results for the single mode case were very good. Then an algorithm for simultaneous two mode identification was developed and tested using analytical simulation. When it successfully performed the expected tasks, it was implemented in real-time on the DSP system to identify the first two modes of vibration of a cantilever aluminum beam. The results of the simultaneous two mode case were good but some problems were identified related to frequency warping and spurious mode identification. The frequency warping problem was found to be due to the bilinear transformation used in the algorithm to convert the system transfer function from the continuous-time domain to the discrete-time domain. An alternative approach was developed to rectify the problem. The spurious mode identification problem was found to be associated with high sampling rates. Noise in the signal is suspected to be the cause of this problem but further investigation will be needed to clarify the cause. For simultaneous identification of more than two modes, it was found that theoretically an adaptive digital filter can be designed to identify the required number of modes, but the algebra became very complex which made it impossible to implement in the DSP system used in this study. The on-line identification algorithm developed in this research will be useful in constructing a state estimator for feedback vibration control.

Lim, Tae W.↗

Non-monotonic magnetic anisotropy behavior as a function of adsorbate coverage in Fe ultrathin films near the spin reorientation transition

Carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption on ultrathin fcc Fe films is known to result in the rotation of magnetization from out-of-plane to in-plane. By imaging in real time the magnetic domain structure of perpendicularly magnetized Fe/(2 ML)Ni/Cu(100) films during exposure to CO, we demonstrate that the effect of adsorption on the magnetic properties occurs in two distinct stages. Initially, when CO bonds preferentially on bridge sites, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is enhanced. Later, when on-top adsorption dominates, magnetization rotates towards in-plane in agreement with previous studies. This CO-induced spin reorientation transition (SRT) is not reversible by annealing, as CO desorption would require high temperature cycles which yield permanent structural changes in the metal films. This study demonstrates the existence of a novel non-monotonic behavior of the magnetic anisotropy as a function of adsorbate coverage. The influence of CO on ultrathin film magnetism in real time near critical points, where the anisotropy balance is extremely sensitive to small variations, reveals the previously elusive complexity of this adsorbate induced SRT.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

When managers forage for pests: Implementing the functional response in pest management

In this work, we explore how the functional response framework can be implemented in pest management. Here, managers take the role of predators foraging on pests and facing monetary costs for survey and control in a spatial domain where the pest distribution and control strategy do not have to be random. To investigate this framework quantitatively, we simulated various management processes on different pest spatial distributions using a spatially-explicit individual-based model and Monte-Carlo simulations, and also confirmed some of the results analytically. By graphing the number of pests controlled versus pest density, we obtained management functional response curves. Whether the management functional response was shaped like a type I, type II or type III functional response depended on the management costs and the search area. Yet, the management spatial strategy and the pest spatial distribution had little effect on the functional response. We applied our model to the management of mountain pine beetle epidemic in Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, Canada, with simulations matching the real number of attacked trees controlled by managers. We showed how to make an analogy between functional responses in predator–prey interactions and in human–pest interactions and thereby, apply insights from the functional response framework to pest management.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Multimodal Preception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems: A Functional Visual Assessment Test for Human Health Maintenance and Countermeasure Evaluation - 3

Our theoretical and empirical research on the whole-body coordination during locomotion led to a Phase 1 SBIR grant from NASA JSC. The purpose of the SBIR grant was to design an innovative system for evaluating eye-head-trunk coordination during whole-body perturbations that are characteristic of locomotion. The approach we used to satisfy the Phase 1 objectives was based on a structured methodology for the development of human-systems technology. Accordingly the project was broken down into a number of tasks and subtasks. In sequence, the major tasks were: (1) identify needs for functional assessment of visual acuity under conditions involving whole-body perturbation within the NASA Space Medical Monitoring and Countermeasures (SMMaC) program and in other related markets; (2) analyze the needs into the causes and symptoms of impaired visual acuity under conditions involving whole-body perturbation; (3) translate the analyzed needs into technology requirements for the Functional Visual Assessment Test (FVAT); (4) identify candidate technology solutions and implementations of FVAT; and (5) prioritize and select technology solutions. The work conducted in these tasks is described in this final volume of the series on Multimodal Perception and Multicriterion Control of Nested Systems. While prior volumes (1 and 2) in the series focus on theoretical foundations and novel data-analytic techniques, this volume addresses technology that is necessary for minimally intrusive data collection and near-real-time data analysis and display.

Riccio, Gary E.↗

Distribution functions of probabilistic automata

Each probabilistic automaton M over an alphabet A defines a probability measure Prob sub(M) on the set of all finite and infinite words over A. We can identify a k letter alphabet A with the set {0, 1,..., k-1}, and, hence, we can consider every finite or infinite word w over A as a radix k expansion of a real number X(w) in the interval [0, 1]. This makes X(w) a random variable and the distribution function of M is defined as usual: F(x) := Prob sub(M) { w: X(w) < x }. Utilizing the fixed-point semantics (denotational semantics), extended to probabilistic computations, we investigate the distribution functions of probabilistic automata in detail. Automata with continuous distribution functions are characterized. By a new, and much more easier method, it is shown that the distribution function F(x) is an analytic function if it is a polynomial. Finally, answering a question posed by D. Knuth and A. Yao, we show that a polynomial distribution function F(x) on [0, 1] can be generated by a prob abilistic automaton iff all the roots of F'(x) = 0 in this interval, if any, are rational numbers. For this, we define two dynamical systems on the set of polynomial distributions and study attracting fixed points of random composition of these two systems.

Denotational semantics↗

Electropolymerized-molecularly imprinted polymers (E-MIPS) as sensing elements for the detection of dengue infection

Here, a straightforward in situ detection method for dengue infection was demonstrated through the molecular imprinting of a dengue nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) epitope into an electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polyterthiophene (E-MIP) film sensor. The key enabling step in the sensor fabrication is based on an epitope imprinting strategy, in which short peptide sequences derived from the original target molecules were employed as the main template for detection and analysis. The formation of the E-MIP sensor films was facilitated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and monitored in situ by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EC-QCM). Surface properties were analyzed using different techniques including atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and polarization modulation-infrared reflection-adsorption (PM-IRRAS). The standard calibration curve (R = 0.9830) was generated for the detection of the epitope, Ac-VHTWTEQYKFQ-NH 2 , with a linear range of 0.2 to 30 μg/mL and detection limit of 0.073 μg/mL. A separate calibration curve (R = 0.9786) was obtained using spiked buffered solutions of dengue NS1 protein, which resulted in a linear range of 0.2 to 10 μg/mL and a detection limit of 0.056 μg/mL. The fabricated E-MIP sensor exhibited long-term stability, high sensitivity, and good selectivity towards the targeted molecules. These results indicated that the formation of the exact and stable cavity imprints in terms of size, shape, and functionalities was successful. In our future work, we aim to use our E-MIP sensors for NS1 detection in real-life samples such as serum and blood.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Entanglement transitions from restricted Boltzmann machines

The search for novel entangled phases of matter has lead to the recent discovery of a new class of “en- tanglement transitions,” exemplified by random tensor networks and monitored quantum circuits. Most known examples can be understood as some classical ordering transitions in an underlying statistical mechanics model, where entanglement maps onto the free-energy cost of inserting a domain wall. In this paper we study the possibility of entanglement transitions driven by physics beyond such statistical mechanics mappings. Motivated by recent applications of neural-network-inspired variational Ansätze, we investigate under what conditions on the variational parameters these Ansätze can capture an entanglement transition. We study the entanglement scaling of short-range restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) quantum states with random phases. For uncorrelated random phases, we analytically demonstrate the absence of an entanglement transition and reveal subtle finite-size effects in finite-size numerical simulations. Introducing phases with correlations decaying as 1/r α in real space, we observe three regions with a different scaling of entanglement entropy depending on the exponent α. We study the nature of the transition between these regions, finding numerical evidence for critical behavior. Furthermore, our work establishes the presence of long-range correlated phases in RBM-based wave functions as a required ingredient for entanglement transitions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Double-real corrections to color singlet decay in a parton-shower inspired scheme

We introduce a local infrared subtraction method for next-to-next-to-leading order QCD calculations in color singlet decays, with counterterms based on scalar radiators and pure splitting functions. Overlapping singularities in the multipole radiation pattern are disentangled by partial fractioning, and the kinematics mapping corresponds to iterated next-to-leading order kinematics. We verify that the double-real remainder to $e^+e^-\to\;q\bar{q}$ is rendered finite in the single and double unresolved limits and investigate the numerical convergence of the Monte-Carlo integral. We compute the phase-space integrals of the scalar counterterms in the back-to-back configuration, both analytically and with the help of numerical techniques based on sector decomposition.

Campbell, John M. [Fermilab]↗

Accelerating Multivariate Functional Approximation Computation with Domain Decomposition Techniques⋆

Modeling large datasets through Multivariate Functional Approximations (MFA) provide an elegant way to handle many visualization and scientific analysis workflows. The process necessitates scalable data partitioning methods to compute MFA representations efficiently without compromising the accuracy or continuity of the reconstructed solution. We propose a domain -decomposed method for computing the MFA with B -spline bases, which reduces the total work per task and uses a restricted Additive Schwarz (RAS) method to converge the control point data degrees -of -freedom along subdomain boundaries. We provide an in-depth analysis of the parallel approach with domain decomposition solvers, aiming to minimize local subdomain error residuals and recover high -order continuity at subdomain interfaces with appropriate choices of knot overlaps. The communication cost, determined by the overlap regions in the RAS implementation, is optimized to recover the numerical error profile of the single subdomain case. Our proposed method stands in contrast to previous methods, which typically only recover either C 0 or at best C 1 continuity for arbitrary B -spline degree expansions, or those that require post -processing to blend discontinuities in the reconstructed data. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using analytical and real -world datasets in 1D, 2D, and 3D through both strong and weak scaling studies. The performance results indicate that the overall cost of computing the approximation is directly proportional to the underlying nearest -neighbor communication implementation, and is only weakly dependent on the overlap region size that determines the size of the messages. This finding underscores the efficiency and scalability of our proposed method, making it a promising solution for handling large datasets in scientific workflows.

additive Schwarz solvers↗