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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Chemical transport during formation and alteration of Martian impact and volcanic deposits

Much of the surface of Mars, including volcanic and cratered terrains, probably experienced alteration and degassing processes. These processes may have depleted or enriched many important elements in surface materials, including bedrock, dust, and soils. The composition of the martian soil may represent the best estimate, for some elements, of the average composition of the martian crust, similar to the composition of loess created by glacial action on the Earth. The martian soil may represent the only convenient, globally or regionally averaged sample of the martian crust. In order to understand the composition of the source material for the soil, however, we need to understand the contributions of volcanic vs. impact sources for this material and the chemical fractionations involved in its production. The processes to be addressed include degassing of volcanic deposits, as observed in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes at Katmai, Alaska, and degassing of meltbearing impact ejecta as inferred for suevite ejecta sheets at the Ries Crater, and alteration or palagonitization of volcanic deposits, as documented for volcanos in British Columbia and many other volcanic terrains, and impact crater deposits. The process of palagonitization has been the subject of several studies with reference to Mars, and palagonite is a good analogue for the spectroscopic properties of the martian dust. The role of impact in cratering has not been as well studied, although other researchers have established that both degassing and alteration are common features of impact crater deposits. Other relevant sources of experimental data include the extensive literature on the corrosion of nuclear waste glass and leaching of shocked materials.

Newsom, H. E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spatial variation in soil microbial processes as a result of woody encroachment depends on shrub size in tallgrass prairie

Aims: As woody plants encroach into grassland ecosystems, we expect that altered plant-soil interactions will lead to changes in the microbial processes that affect carbon storage and nutrient cycling. Specifically, this research aimed to address how (1) soil chemistry, (2) microbial nutrient demand, and (3) the rate and source of potential soil C mineralization vary spatially under individual woody shrubs of varying size within a mesic grassland. Methods: Here, we collected soil samples from the center, the midpoint between the center and edge, the edge, and the shrub-grass ecotone of multiple Cornus drummondii shrubs across a shrub-size gradient in infrequently burned tallgrass prairie. Results: We found total soil carbon and total soil nitrogen increased with shrub size in every location but the edge. Microbial demand for nitrogen also increased as shrubs increased in size. Across all shrub sizes and sampling locations, potential soil carbon mineralization rates were higher when microbes broke down proportionally more shrub-derived (C 3 ) organic matter than grass-derived (C 4 ) organic matter. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the spatio-temporal context of woody encroachment is critical for understanding its impact on belowground microbial processes. In this ecosystem, a longer period of occupancy by woody plants increases potentially mineralizable carbon.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1973

Lunar soil grain size distribution

A comprehensive review has been made of the currently available data for lunar grain size distributions. It has been concluded that there is little or no statistical difference among the large majority of the soil samples from the Apollo 11, 12, 14, and 15 missions. The grain size distribution for these soils has reached a steady state in which the comminution processes are balanced by the aggregation processes. The median particle size for the steady-state soil is 40 to 130 microns. The predictions of lunar grain size distributions based on the Surveyor television photographs have been found to be quantitatively in error and qualitatively misleading.

Carrier, W. D., III↗
NASA NTRS1991

Combined Backscatter Moessbauer Spectrometer and X Ray Fluorescence analyzer (BaMS/XRF) for planetary surface materials

A backscatter Moessbauer spectrometer (BaMS) with included x ray fluorescence (XRF) capability for the Mars Environment Survey (MESUR) Mission, which has been proposed by NASA for 1998, is being developed. The instrument will also be suitable for other planetary missions such as those to the Moon, asteroids, and other solid solar-system objects. The BaMS would be unique for MESUR in providing information about iron mineralogy in rocks, clays, and other surface materials, including relative proportions of iron-bearing minerals. It requires no sample preparation and can identify all the normal oxidation states of iron (3+, 2+, 0). Thus, BaMS is diagnostic for weathering and other soil-forming processes. Backscatter design allows the addition of XRF elemental analysis with little or no modification. The BaMS/XRF instrument complements the thermal analyzer with evolved gas analyzer (TA-EGA) and the alpha-proton x-ray spectrometer (APXS) proposed (along with BaMS) for geochemical analysis on MESUR.

Agresti, D. G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Determining Surface Exposure Ages of Regolith Grains in Lunar Core Sample 73002 By Investigating Solar Particle Irradiation Damage

Space weathering causes the surface soils of airless bodies like the Moon to be micro-structurally and chemically altered by exposure to micrometeoroid bombardment and solar wind irradiation. These alterations accumulate in surface grains with continued residence in the uppermost millimeters of regolith. Low energy solar wind ions (largely H+ and He+) produce a layer of radiation damage as they become implanted in grain surfaces. Also present are solar energetic particle (SEP) tracks, which are nanoscale lineations within grain interiors formed by heavy, high-energy ions (mainly Fe group nuclei) penetrating up to millimeters below the surface. Recent work has determined that the width of solar wind-damaged rims on anorthite and olivine, and their respective SEP track densities are correlated with each other and with grain surface exposure age. Core sample 73002, recently released under the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) Program, has provided an opportunity to study material collected from the light mantle formation in the Taurus-Littrow Valley during Apollo 17. The light mantle is thought to have been deposited vial and slide originating from the neighboring South Massif. Spectral analysis of bulk core soils found a plagioclase rich composition, confirming a highlands origin of the formation. Spectral profiles and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements of bulk soils sampled at cm-intervals from 73002 indicate that regolith up to~9.5 cm in depth have maturity indices consistent with longer durations of surface processing than samples deeper in the core. Thus, this upper ~9 cm layer likely represents the maximum extent of an in-situ reworking zone which may have persisted over 5 to 17million years. Here we present an analysis of grain exposure ages within the in-situ reworking zone of 73002derived from SEP track density measurements via transmission electron microscopy.

J A McFadden↗
DOE OSTI2019

Fungi in the Canopy: How Soil Fungi and Extracellular Enzymes Differ Between Canopy and Ground Soils

Abstract Tropical montane cloud forests contain a large abundance and diversity of canopy epiphytes, which depend on canopy soil to retain water and nutrients. We lack an in depth understanding of how these soils contribute to ecosystem processes and soil diversity and how sensitive they may be to projected climate change. We compared canopy and ground soils in Monteverde, Costa Rica, to determine how these two soil types differ in their extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) and fungal communities. Samples were also collected along two elevation gradients to reveal if canopy soils differed in how EEA and fungal communities responded to elevation compared to ground soils. We found that canopy soils had higher EEA than ground soils. Fungal communities were less diverse and differed significantly between the two soil types. These differences were associated with higher relative abundances of yeasts and endophytes in canopy soils. The relative abundances of free-living filamentous fungi and yeasts shifted more dramatically with elevation in canopy soils compared to ground soils. Our study suggests that canopy soils may be a reservoir for endophytes. Epiphytes may invest in symbionts that promote stress tolerance over mycorrhizal fungi whose high resource demands are costly and less beneficial. Overall, soils harbor distinct fungal communities that may be altered under projected climate change.

Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗
NASA NTRS1974

Taurus-Littrow chronology - Some constraints on early lunar crustal development

A number of samples obtained during the Apollo 17 mission give direct evidence of lunar processes occurring more than 4 aeons ago. The significance of Rb-Sr data for the history of the involved materials is discussed and mineral isochrons are presented for an Apollo 17 mare basalt. Data on a number of Apollo 17 soils and on some Apollo 15 and 16 whole-rock samples are also presented.

Nyquist, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Apollo 11 breccias and soils - Aluminous mare basalts or multi-component mixtures

This paper examines the chemistry of Apollo 11 welded breccias and soils and attempts to ascertain whether the compositional variations in these samples reflect the comminuted remains of an unsampled high alumina basalt, or whether they result from mixing of mare basalts with more aluminous highland components. The data show strong linear compositional trends that are not consistent with magmatic processes. Instead, they indicate two-component mixing involving high-K basalt and an already well-mixed soil component. This is consistent with impact mixing of soil with a high-K mare basalt unit that is stratigraphically above other mare basalt units.

Rhodes, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Processing of Lunar Soil Simulant for Space Exploration Applications

NASA's long-term vision for space exploration includes developing human habitats and conducting scientific investigations on planetary bodies, especially on Moon and Mars. To reduce the level of up-mass processing and utilization of planetary in-situ resources is recognized as an important element of this vision. Within this scope and context, we have undertaken a general effort aimed primarily at extracting and refining metals, developing glass, glass-ceramic, or traditional ceramic type materials using lunar soil simulants. In this paper we will present preliminary results on our effort on carbothermal reduction of oxides for elemental extraction and zone refining for obtaining high purity metals. In additions we will demonstrate the possibility of developing glasses from lunar soil simulant for fixing nuclear waste from potential nuclear power generators on planetary bodies. Compositional analysis, x-ray diffraction patterns and differential thermal analysis of processed samples will be presented.

Sen, Subhayu↗
NASA NTRS1999

Composition and Origin of Martian Surface Material, Remote Detection of Minerals, and Applications to Astrobiology

Martian surface composition and processes are under study through analysis of spectral, magnetic and chemical data from Mars and analysis of laboratory analog materials. The focus of this study is on potential lander/rover measurements of weathered volcanic tephra and hydrothermal rocks because these samples resulted from processes that may have occurred on Mars. Fine-grained particles from these sources may be responsible for origination of the dust/soil on Mars that is shaping the planet's surface character. Alteration on the surface of Mars likely includes both chemical and physical interactions of soil particles and rock surfaces. Many of the minerals present in hydrothermal samples may be associated with organisms and may be useful as indicators of life or environments supportive of life on Mars. Characterization of the spectroscopic properties in the visible/near-infrared (VIS/NIR) and mid-infrared (IR) regions using reflectance, emittance and Raman, as well as the thermal properties of minerals thought to be present on Mars are being performed in order to identify them remotely. Particular interest is directed toward locating minerals, and hence landing sites, important to Astrobiology.

Bishop, J. L.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Topsoil bulk geochemical compositions - An updated harmonized global dataset

Mineral weathering is a key biogeochemical process because of the capacity of minerals to stabilize organic matter. However, predicting soil weathering status across large spatial areas still isn’t possible due to a lack of global data and theoretical frameworks. To address this knowledge gap, multiple global datasets of bulk topsoil geochemical compositions have been harmonized using R. These datasets document topsoil bulk geochemical compositions across five continents (n = ~16,000 observations). Source data for these observations include the EuroGEOSurveys Geochemical Baseline Database (FOREGS), the US Geological Survey National Geochemical Database (NASGLP), the Geochemical Atlas of Australia (GAA), the US Geological Survey Alaska Geochemical Database (AGD84), the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS), the European Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural Soil (GEMAS), Ecorespira-Amazon (ERA), the New Zealand Geochemical Baseline Survey (NZ_GBS), and the African Soil Information Service (AFSIS). Major elements observed include Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Titanium (Ti), Manganese (Mn), Phosphorus (P), Carbon (C), and Sulfur (S). This data package includes the harmonized dataset itself, and the R scripts necessary to harmonize these datasets, in addition to metadata that describes all columns, files, and databases used in this project. Methods & Sampling Step 1 – Databases of geochemical data identified This study aimed to leverage existing measurements of topsoil geochemical data. Databases were first identified and deemed appropriate for inclusion if they were measuring soils and performed these measurements on the <2mm soil fraction. Databases such as NCSS and AGD84 needed more post processing to include in the database and this was done using the NCSS_datamerge_031626 R file and Alaska_USGSmerge_031626 R file, respectively. Step 2 – Database harmonization Once appropriate databases were identified, they were harmonized for ease of analysis using the R script Database_Harmonization_031826. This included removing columns from original datasets that would not be used in analysis (removed columns are noted in the code). Then, data cleaning procedures specific to each dataset were undertaken. This includes standardizing columns to include units and adding metadata columns regarding procedures for analyzing specific elements. Functions for standardizing measurements and units are outline in R files: calculate element_mg_kg_031626, calculate_oxide_wt_perc_031626, change_oxide_caps_031626, and conv_2_numeric_031626. This also included adding a unique identifier for each sample to identify it with its respective database (see CD_ID in data dictionary). Geographic information: Data reflect a compilation of datasets collected globally. Geographic areas covered by each of the datasets include: - EuroGEOSurveys Geochemical Baseline Database (FOREGS) - European continent - North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes (NASGLP) - continental United States and limited parts of Canada (see database key for more details) - National Geochemical Survey of Australia (GAA) - Australia - Alaska geochemical database (AGDB4) - Alaska - National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) - Global measurements, but concentrated in the continental United States - Geochemical data for arable land and land under permanent grass cover in continental Europe (GEMAS) - continental Europe - Ecorespira-Amazon (ERA) - Geochemical data from the Amazon basin - Geochemical baseline data for New Zealand (NZGBS) - New Zealand - Geochemical data collected across continental Africa (AfSIS) - Measurements across Africa

EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > SOILS↗
NASA NTRS2012

Space Weathering of Lunar Rocks

All materials exposed at the lunar surface undergo space weathering processes. On the Moon, boulders make up only a small percentage of the exposed surface, and areas where such rocks are exposed, like central peaks, are often among the least space weathered regions identified from remote sensing data. Yet space weathered surfaces (patina) are relatively common on returned rock samples, some of which directly sample the surface of larger boulders. Because, as witness plates to lunar space weathering, rocks and boulders experience longer exposure times compared to lunar soil grains, they allow us to develop a deeper perspective on the relative importance of various weathering processes as a function of time.

Noble, S. K.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Lateral Variations in Lunar Weathering Patina on Centimeter to Nanometer Scales

All materials exposed at the lunar surface undergo space weathering processes. On the Moon, boulders make up only a small percentage of the exposed surface, and areas where such rocks are exposed, like central peaks, are often among the least space weathered regions identified from remote sensing data. Yet space weathered surfaces (patina) are relatively common on returned rock samples, some of which directly sample the surface of larger boulders. Because, as witness plates to lunar space weathering, rocks and boulders experience longer exposure times compared to lunar soil grains, they allow us to develop a deeper perspective on the relative importance of various weathering processes as a function of time.

Noble, S. K.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Metagenome-assembled genomes from soil samples in control and warming plots in Blodgett Forest, CA (2014-2021)

The pathways of carbon transport and loss through and from soils—soil organic matter (SOM) depolymerization to dissolved organic carbon and mineralization to carbon dioxide (CO2)—are fundamentally driven by microbial activity, which is strongly regulated by environmental conditions. As part of LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) TES (Terrestrial Ecosystem Science) Belowground Biogeochemistry Science Focus Area (SFA), we have established a novel whole-soil long-term warming experiment at the University of California (UC) Blodgett Forest Research Station (Sierra Nevada) in 2014, where we study the role of biogeochemical, microbial and geochemical process interactions in SOM decomposition and stabilization.Here, we present metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) for the bacterial and archaeal community from soil depth profiles collected from 2014 to 2021 from three paired control and warming plots. We collected soil samples across a range of depth profiles (spanning surface to 90 cm deep) from three paired control and warming plots from a temperate mixed forest in Northern California. Each paired plot had been subjected to experimental warming since June 2014 to simulate a predicted climate change scenario for northern California. 101 soil metagenomes were sequenced at JGI (Joint Genome Institute) and UCSF (University of California San Francisco) Center for Advanced Technology and can be found under the JGI (Joint Genome Institute) GOLD (Genomes Online Database) Sequencing project Gs0151586 and NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) Projects PRJNA1225762 and PRJEB39497. Metagenomes were assembled using JGI (Joint Genome Institute) Metagenome Workflow (10.1128/mSystems.00804-20). For each metagenome, the assembled contigs were binned into genomes using 3 binning algorithms (cocacola, metabat, and maxbin) and the resulting bins were consolidated using dastool. The consolidated bins from all metagenomes were pooled, filtered by completeness (>50%) and contamination (<25%), and dereplicated at 99% ANI (average nucleotide identity) using dRep (https://github.com/MrOlm/drep).The dataset includes a zip file of 2321 MAG (Metagenome Assembled Genome) fasta files, the accession numbers for the underlying metagenomes, and a csv file with MAG (Metagenome Assembled Genome) quality metrics and taxonomic classification (GTDB -Genome Taxonomy Database-RS220). This dataset also includes a file-level metadata (flmd.csv) file that lists each file contained in the dataset with associated metadata and a data dictionary (dd.csv) file that contains column/row headers used throughout the files along with a definition, units, and data type. A sample metadata file (samples.csv) that contains site information has also been included.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1984

The bulk-Moon MgO/FeO ratio: A highlands perspective

Compositional data for nonmare (highlands) samples suggest that the Moon's mg ratio (MgO/FeO) is higher than general estimates. Geochemically representative highlands soils have mg ratios of 0.66 (Apollo 16), 0.69 (Luna 20) and 0.73 (ALHA81005). These soils are mixtures of unrelated pristine nonmare rocks, of which there are at least three groups: Mg-rich rocks, ferroan anorthosites, and KREEP. Other than Mg-rich rocks, virtually all pristine rocks have mg 0.65. Thus, assuming the mixing process that sampled Mg-rich materials was random, the average mg of Mg-rich parent magmas was probably at least 0.70. More direct evidence can be derived from the Mg-rich rocks themselves. Nine of them have bulk-rock mg 0.87. Two (15445 A and 67435 PST) contain Fo(92) olivine. Production of melts that crystallized Fo(92) olivine implies that the mg ratios of source regions in lunar mantle were commensurably high. A quantification of this constraint is developed assuming that the parent melts formed by equilibrium (batch) partial melting. Implications of the model are discussed.

Warren, P. H.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effects of Weathering on Mechanical, Antimicrobial Properties and Biodegradation Process of Silver Loaded TPE Compounds

The incorporation of antimicrobial metals such as silver is an alternative to protect the material against microbial attack. However, loaded polymer can lose its antimicrobial properties after some time of use, and the additive may even leak out into the environment becoming harmful to non-target organisms. This study aims to evaluate the mechanical properties and antimicrobial activity of silver containing thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) samples exposed to weathering and the influence of additive incorporation in material biodegradation in the soil. For this purpose, silver ions (Ag{sup +}-bentonite, Ag{sup +}-phosphate) and silver nanoparticles (AgNp-silica) based additives were blended in a formulation of SEBS, polypropylene and mineral oil. The test samples were exposed to natural ageing over nine months, and were then evaluated according to their mechanical properties, antimicrobial activity, and degree of crystallinity and surface characteristics. The biodegradation process before and after natural ageing was evaluated through the generation of carbon dioxide. The results show that the action of natural ageing reduced the mechanical properties of loaded and unloaded TPE, and modified the degree of crystallinity and the chemical characteristic of the TPE surface. The presence or type of additive did not influence material resistance after being exposed to weathering. A decrease in antimicrobial activity in samples after natural ageing was observed. At a variable level and according to the chemical content, generation of carbon dioxide from TPE samples was greater in aged samples than in unexposed ones.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Partial replacement of fossil fuels in a cement plant: Assessment of human health risks by metals, metalloids and PCDD/Fs

Highlights: • The environmental concentrations of metals and dioxins were not significantly modified. • Non-carcinogenic risks (metals and dioxins) were lower than the safety value (HQ• Carcinogenic risks were below the Spanish 10{sup −5} threshold. • The use of wastes as alternative fuels is being a good option for waste management. In 2009, a cement plant located in Alcanar (South Catalonia, Spain) started co-processing a special kind of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) called ENERFUEL™. In April 2014 and 2017, 5 and 8 years after RDF co-processing, the concentrations of metals and metalloids (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V and Zn) and PCDD/Fs were measured in samples of soils, herbage and air collected in the vicinity of the facility. The comparison of the current concentrations with those obtained in a baseline study (2008), when fossil fuels were used solely, has shown that the environmental concentrations of metals, metalloids and PCDD/Fs were not significantly modified. The concentrations of metals, metalloids and PCDD/Fs in soil, vegetation and air of Alcanar are in the low part of the ranges found around other cement plants in Catalonia (in general, below 50th percentile). Non-carcinogenic risks due to exposure to metals, metalloids and PCDD/Fs were lower than the safety value (HQ<1). In turn, carcinogenic risks were below the 10{sup −5} Spanish threshold. The present results corroborate that, from an environmental point of view, the use of wastes as alternative fuels (AF) in a cement plant, which is operating with suitable technical conditions, is a good option for waste management. It contributes towards overcoming challenges such as climate change and fossil fuel depletion, while utilizing principles of circular economy.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Investigating Thaw and Plant Productivity Constraints on Old Soil Carbon Respiration From Permafrost

Isotopic radiocarbon (Δ 14 C) signatures of ecosystem respiration (Reco) can identify old soil carbon (C) loss and serve as an early indicator of permafrost destabilization in a warming climate. Warming also stimulates plant productivity causing plant respiration to dominate Reco Δ 14 C signatures and potentially obscuring old soil C loss. Here, we investigate how a wide spatio-temporal gradient of permafrost thaw and plant productivity affects Reco Δ 14 C patterns and isotopic partitioning. Spatial gradients came from a warming experiment with doubling thaw depth and variable biomass, and a vegetation removal manipulation to eliminate plant contributions. We sampled in August and September to capture transitions from high to low plant productivity, decreased surface soil temperature, and relatively small seasonal thaw extensions. We found that surface processes dominate spatial variation in old soil C loss and a process-based partitioning approach was crucial for constraining old soil C loss. Resampling the same plots in different times of the year revealed that old soil C losses tripled with cooling surface temperature, and the largest old soil C losses were detected when the organic-to-mineral soil horizons thawed (~50–60 cm). We suggest that the measured increase in old soil respiration over the season and when the organic-to-mineral horizon thawed, may be explained by mobilization of nitrogen that stimulates microbial decomposition at depth. Our results suggest that soil C in the organic to mineral horizon may be an important source of soil C loss as the entire Arctic region warms and could lead to nonlinearities in projected permafrost climate feedbacks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗