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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
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluation of DIII-D plasmas for Future Measurements of the Driven Current Density in the DIII-D High Field Side Lower Hybrid Experiment

High field side (HFS) lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is a promising method for efficiently driving off-axis current in steady state tokamak power plants. The first test of this technology is underway at the DIII-D tokamak. The initial physics goal is to measure the LH-driven current density profile in order to validate the ray-tracing/Fokker-Plank codes GENRAY/CQL3D and gain confidence in their ability to predict LH deposition in future DIII-D experiments and fusion power plants. DIII-D’s motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostic will be used to constrain the magnetic equilibrium reconstructions. From these reconstructions, the ohmic, bootstrap, and driven non-inductive components of the current density profile can be extracted. Several recent DIII-D plasmas have been identified in which GENRAY/CQL3D predict measurable amounts of current with only 100 kW of coupled power.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Work from Home Patterns across COVID-19 Waves: Implications for Future Transportation

The unprecedented rise in work from home (WFH) during COVID-19 poses challenges for the transportation engineers and planners with the travel demand forecasting. If WFH persists post-pandemic, it could influence traffic patterns, reducing peak-hour congestion. However, the evolution of WFH decisions across pandemic phases and varying socio-economic contexts remains unclear. This study examines factors influencing WFH choices using data from the US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Findings reveal a decline in WFH participation from 60% during the first wave to 38% by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Geographically Weighted Regression model highlights the influence of socio-economic, household, and COVID-19-related variables, with notable spatial variability. Results show that younger individuals, females, and households with children are consistently more likely to WFH, while non-white and higher income individuals have an increasing likelihood for WFH as the pandemic progresses. These insights inform future transportation planning, emphasizing equity and decentralization strategies for post-pandemic commuting.

Patwary, Latif [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000189174928)↗
DOE OSTI2024

The CXSFIT spectral fitting code: Past, present and future

Magnetically confined plasma experiments generate a wealth of spectroscopic data. The first step toward extracting physical parameters is to fit a spectral model to the often complex spectra. The CXSFIT (Charge eXchange Spectroscopy FITting) spectral fitting code was originally developed for fitting charge exchange spectra on JET from the late 1980s onward and has been further developed over decades to keep up with the needs of the users. The primary use is to efficiently fit a large number of spectra with many constrained Gaussian spectral lines of which the physical parameters can be coupled in a user-friendly manner. More recent additions to the code include time-dependent couplings between parameters, flexible background subtraction, and a non-linear coupling scheme between fit parameters. The latter was a pre-requisite for implementing Zeeman and motional Stark effect multiplets in the library of spectral features. The ability to save and replay “fit recipes,” even when multiple iterations are required, has ensured the traceability of the results and is one of the keys to the longevity and success of the code. The code is also in use on other tokamaks (AUG, ST-40) and to fit data from other spectroscopic diagnostics on JET. In this paper, we document the current capabilities and philosophy behind the structure of the code, including some of the algorithms used to calculate spectral features numerically efficiently. We also provide an outline of how CXSFIT could be transferred into a framework that would be able to meet the spectral fitting requirements of future devices, such as ITER.

Delabie, Ephrem G.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling direct air carbon capture and storage in a 1.5 °C climate future using historical analogs

Limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 °C will rely, in part, on technologies to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. However, many carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies are in the early stages of development, and there is limited data to inform predictions of their future adoption. Here, we present an approach to model adoption of early-stage technologies such as CDR and apply it to direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS). Our approach combines empirical data on historical technology analogs and early adoption indicators to model a range of feasible growth pathways. We use these pathways as inputs to an integrated assessment model (the Global Change Analysis Model, GCAM) and evaluate their effects under an emissions policy to limit end-of-century temperature change to 1.5 °C. Adoption varies widely across analogs, which share different strategic similarities with DACCS. If DACCS growth mirrors high-growth analogs (e.g., solar photovoltaics), it can reach up to 4.9 GtCO 2 removal by midcentury, compared to as low as 0.2 GtCO 2 for low-growth analogs (e.g., natural gas pipelines). For these slower growing analogs, unabated fossil fuel generation in 2050 is reduced by 44% compared to high-growth analogs, with implications for energy investments and stranded assets. Residual emissions at the end of the century are also substantially lower (by up to 43% and 34% in transportation and industry) under lower DACCS scenarios. The large variation in growth rates observed for different analogs can also point to policy takeaways for enabling DACCS.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Kaon physics: a cornerstone for future discoveries

The kaon physics programme, long heralded as a cutting-edge frontier by the European Strategy for Particle Physics, continues to stand at the intersection of discovery and innovation in high-energy physics (HEP). With its unparalleled capacity to explore new physics at the multi-TeV scale, kaon research is poised to unveil phenomena that could reshape our understanding of the Universe. This document highlights the compelling physics case, with emphasis on exciting new opportunities for advancing kaon physics not only in Europe but also on a global stage. As an important player in the future of HEP, the kaon programme promises to drive transformative breakthroughs, inviting exploration at the forefront of scientific discovery.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental progress and future plans on spherical tokamak, QUEST

QUEST (Q-shu university experiment with steady state spherical tokamak) aims at effective plasma current start-up and stable maintenance of plasma discharge. To solve the inherent problems in a spherical tokamak (ST) arising from insufficient space for placing the inductive center solenoid, electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) and transient coaxial helicity injection (T-CHI) are implemented as a non-inductive plasma start-up method in QUEST. Efficient ECCD assisted by energetic electrons could be achieved. By combining control of the wave injection angle and application of a negative toroidal electric field, the bulk electron temperature could be raised up to 1 keV due to selective wave power absorption in the bulk electrons. The plasma current of over 50 kA contained within the closed flux surface could be obtained with a floating single biased electrode placed on lower divertor plates for T-CHI. Long-pulse operations on QUEST are impeded frequently due to wall saturation and subsequent density runaway caused by fuel particle imbalance. Since 2014, a unique tool called the ‘hot wall’ has been implemented to overcome the imbalance. The hot wall has a capability to regulate its surface temperature using a heater and two water cooling channels. With the help of the hot wall, 6 h discharges were obtained in 2020. Cooling down of the surface of the hot wall was significantly effective in recovering the wall pumping and was useful to extend the pulse duration. Augmentation of the toroidal magnetic field, B T up to 0.5 T from 0.25 T and a continuous wave (CW) gyrotron of 28 GHz are planned for QUEST in the near future. As raising B T provides a fundamental resonance of electron cyclotron waves (ECWs) with 28 GHz, more effective plasma current start-up and heating will be performed. Long-pulse operations with higher plasma parameters are expected.

QUEST↗
DOE OSTI2026

Superconducting low-beta Nb 3 Sn cavity for ATLAS and future ion accelerators

We report on a Nb 3 Sn-coated low-beta superconducting radio frequency (RF) cavity intended for accelerating ions. We aim to apply the cavity in ATLAS, our Argonne National Laboratory user facility for nuclear physics studies with ion beams in the energy range of 5–20 MeV u −1 . The Nb 3 Sn-coated cavity, a 145 MHz quarter-wave optimized for ions moving with velocity β = $v/c$ = 0.08 exhibits an order-of-magnitude reduction in RF losses into helium at 4.4 K compared to a superconducting niobium (Nb) cavity at the same frequency and temperature. Experimentally measured fields are among the highest to date for any Nb 3 Sn-coated cavity, reaching a peak surface magnetic field of 105 mT. We also present a practical solution to the problem of cavity frequency tuning. Tuning by mechanical deformation has been a challenge with Nb 3 Sn due to its brittle nature, however, using a set of techniques tailored to the properties of thin-film Nb 3 Sn on Nb, we can repeatably tune the cavity to the ATLAS master clock frequency after it is cooled, while maintaining the excellent performance characteristics. The same Nb 3 Sn cavity technology offers broad benefits for future ion accelerators.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Light fields during inflation from BOSS and future galaxy surveys

Abstract Primordial non-Gaussianity generated by additional fields present during inflation offers a compelling observational target for galaxy surveys. These fields are of significant theoretical interest since they offer a window into particle physics in the inflaton sector. They also violate the single-field consistency conditions and induce a scale-dependent bias in the galaxy power spectrum. In this paper, we explore this particular signal for light scalar fields and study the prospects for measuring it with galaxy surveys. We find that the sensitivities of current and future surveys are remarkably stable for different configurations, including between spectroscopic and photometric redshift measurements. This is even the case at non-zero masses where the signal is not obviously localized on large scales. For realistic galaxy number densities, we demonstrate that the redshift range and galaxy bias of the sample have the largest impact on the sensitivity in the power spectrum. These results additionally motivated us to explore the potentially enhanced sensitivity of Vera Rubin Observatory's LSST through multi-tracer analyses. Finally, we apply this understanding to current data from the last data release of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS DR12) and place new constraints on light fields coupled to the inflaton.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Overview of physics results from the ADITYA-U tokamak and future experiments

The ADITYA upgrade (ADITYA-U), a medium-sized (R 0 = 75 cm, a = 25 cm) conventional tokamak facility in India, has been consistently producing experiments findings by usingcircular and shaped-plasmas. Recognizing the plasma parameters aligning closely with the design parameters of circular limited plasmas, ADITYA-U shifted its focus toward exploring the operational regime for experimentation on saw-tooth and MHD phenomena. Moreover, ADITYA-U has made consistent advancements toward conducting preliminary plasma shaping experiments through the activation of top and bottom divertor coils utilizing hydrogen as well as deuterium fuels. Confinement is improved by a factor of ~1.5 in D 2 plasmas when compared to H 2 plasmas of ADITYA-U. Further, ADITYA-U operations emphasize preventing disruptions and runaway electrons (REs) to ensure safe operations for future fusion devices. Significant suppression of REs has been achieved in ADITYA-U with the application of pulsed localized vertical magnetic field (LVF) perturbation, thereby establishing the technique's independence from the tokamak device. The successful RE mitigation requires a critical threshold of LVF pulse magnitude, which is approximately 1% of the toroidal magnetic field, and a minimum duration of ~5 ms. Apart from this, several novel findings have been achieved in the ADITYA-U experiments, including the modification of sawtooth duration through gas-puff, the emergence of MHD-induced geodesic acoustic mode-like oscillations, the propagation of fast heat pulses induced by MHD activity, the control of RE dynamics through Gas-puffs, the propagation of pinch-driven cold-pulses, the transport and core accumulations of argon impurities, the mass dependency of plasma toroidal rotation and the detection of 'RICE' scaling, as well as the characterization of edge plasma using wall conditioning methods, such as glow discharge cleaning using a combination of Ar-H 2 mixture, localized wall cleaning by electron cyclotron resonant plasma, and the development of machine learning-based disruption predictions, will be discussed in this paper.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Radiation modeling and experimental validation of sub-cyclotron frequency microwave synchrotron radiation as a diagnostic tool for runaway electrons in present and future tokamaks

The microwave synchrotron radiation in the sub-cyclotron frequency region has been systematically validated as a diagnostic method for runaway electrons (>1 MeV) with radiation modeling and experiments on the DIII-D tokamak. Experimental observations reveal that sub-cyclotron frequency microwave radiation emerges only after runaway electrons are excited during plasma disruptions. Electron gyro-magnetic radiation modeling confirms that only runaway electrons with energies exceeding 1 MeV can emit radiation in the observed sub-cyclotron frequency band on DIII-D. The synchrotron Razin and Beaming effects are modeled in both the sub-cyclotron and standard Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) frequency region. Due to the pronounced beaming effect, the modeling supports that a standard ECE system is insensitive to synchrotron radiation from beamed runaway electrons (p ∥ >> p ⟂ ), but very sensitive to ECE radiation from isotropic suprathermal electrons (100 keV or less). DIII-D experiments further show that combining ECE and sub-cyclotron receivers reveals new insights into transient runaway dynamics during the plateau phase. Certain transient crash events appear only in the sub-cyclotron band or lead to opposite changes on the sub-cyclotron and standard ECE signals, supporting models where transient MHD events can exert a different effect on electrons of different energy levels. This novel diagnostic technique offers a powerful tool for studying and detecting runaway electron dynamics in both present-day and high-field future tokamaks. The diagnostic approach has been extrapolated to the SPARC tokamak, where sub-cyclotron radiation is predicted to respond sensitively and solely to runaway electrons during SPARC’s L-mode startup phase.

Yu, Guanying [Hefei Comprehensive National Science↗
DOE OSTI2026

Overview of ST40 results and future: expanding the physics basis of high-field spherical tokamaks

The goal of the ST40 programme is to explore the physics of high-field spherical tokamaks (STs), to validate empirical and theoretical models and, hence, to build confidence in predictions required to support the design of future generations of STs. ST40 is a compact high-field ST that has achieved the following parameters: R 0 = 0.4–0.55 m, I p = 0.20–0.85 MA, B t (R= 0.4 m) = 0.7–2.1 T, κ ⩽ 1.9, and A = 1.6–1.9. Highlights of recent experimental results include (i) H-mode and confinement studies at B t ⩽ 2.1 T, (ii) observation of bifurcation of the scrape-off-layer power fall-off width, λ q , into a ‘wide’ branch that follows existing H-mode scalings and a ‘narrow’ branch that exhibits λ q values that are up to 10 times lower than the predictions of established scalings, (iii) development of high-performance scenarios with plasma current, I p , up to 0.85 MA, (iv) development of highly non-inductive scenarios with high β p , and (v) the first ST40 experiments utilising the newly commissioned impurity powder dropper. The work on all these topics has been supported by a number of advancements in ST40 hardware and software, from plasma control to data analysis and interpretation. At the end of 2025, ST40 embarked on a major upgrade to further expand its capabilities by introducing, among other improvements, all-metal plasma-facing components, 1 MW of electron cyclotron heating, a pellet injector, and a pair of lithium evaporators for wall conditioning.

confinement↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wake Effects in Lower Carbon Future Scenarios

In August 2022, the U.S. Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which intended to accelerate U.S. decarbonization, clean energy manufacturing, and deployment of new power and end-use technologies. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has examined possible scenarios for growth by 2050 resulting from the IRA and other emissions reduction drivers and defined several possible scenarios for large-scale wind deployment. These scenarios incorporate large clusters of turbines operating as wind farms grouped around existing or likely transmission lines which will result in wind farm wakes. Using a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model, we assess these wake effects in a domain in the U. S. Southern Great Plains for a representative year with four scenarios in order to validate the simulations, estimate the internal wake impact, and quantify the cluster wake effect. Herein, we present a validation of the ”no wind farm” scenario and quantify the internal waking effect for the ”ONE” wind farm scenario. Future work will use the “MID” scenario (more than 8000 turbines) and the “HI” scenario (more than 16,000 turbines) to quantify the effect of cluster wakes or inter-farm wakes on power production.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

J-TEXT achievements in turbulence and transport in support of future device/reactor

Following the reconstruction of the TEXT tokamak at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, renamed as J-TEXT, a plethora of experimental and theoretical investigations has been conducted to elucidate the intricacies of turbulent transport within the tokamak configuration. These endeavors encompass not only the J-TEXT device's experimental advancements but also delve into critical issues pertinent to the optimization of future fusion devices and reactors. Here, the research includes topics on the suppression of turbulence, flow drive and damping, density limit, non-local transport, intrinsic toroidal flow, turbulence and flow with magnetic islands, turbulent transport in the stochastic layer, and turbulence and zonal flow with energetic particles or helium ash. Several important achievements have been made in the last few years, which will be further elaborated upon in this comprehensive review.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

New Era Towards Autonomous Additive Manufacturing: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Perspectives

Abstract The Additive Manufacturing (AM) landscape has significantly transformed in alignment with Industry 4.0 principles, primarily driven by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin (DT). However, current Intelligent Additive Manufacturing (IAM) systems face limitations such as fragmented AI tool usage and suboptimal human-machine interaction (HMI). This paper reviews existing IAM solutions, emphasizing control, monitoring, process autonomy, and end-to-end integration, and identifies key limitations, such as the absence of a high-level controller for global decision-making. To address these gaps, we propose a transition from IAM to Autonomous Additive Manufacturing (AAM), featuring a hierarchical framework with four integrated layers: knowledge, generative solution, operational, and cognitive. In the cognitive layer, AI agents notably enable machines to independently observe, analyze, plan, and execute operations that traditionally require human intervention. These capabilities streamline production processes and expand the possibilities for innovation, particularly in sectors like in-space manufacturing (ISM). Additionally, this paper discusses the role of AI in self-optimization and lifelong learning, positing that the future of AM will be characterized by a symbiotic relationship between human expertise and advanced autonomy, fostering a more adaptive, resilient manufacturing ecosystem.

Fan, Haolin↗
DOE OSTI2024

Current and future directions in network biology

Network biology is an interdisciplinary field bridging computational and biological sciences that has proved pivotal in advancing the understanding of cellular functions and diseases across biological systems and scales. Although the field has been around for two decades, it remains nascent. It has witnessed rapid evolution, accompanied by emerging challenges. These stem from various factors, notably the growing complexity and volume of data together with the increased diversity of data types describing different tiers of biological organization. We discuss prevailing research directions in network biology, focusing on molecular/cellular networks but also on other biological network types such as biomedical knowledge graphs, patient similarity networks, brain networks, and social/contact networks relevant to disease spread. In more detail, we highlight areas of inference and comparison of biological networks, multimodal data integration and heterogeneous networks, higher-order network analysis, machine learning on networks, and network-based personalized medicine. Following the overview of recent breakthroughs across these five areas, we offer a perspective on future directions of network biology. Additionally, we discuss scientific communities, educational initiatives, and the importance of fostering diversity within the field. This article establishes a roadmap for an immediate and long-term vision for network biology.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nuclear cold QCD: Review and future strategy

This review examines data from hadron-nucleus collisions, primarily focusing on hard processes like Drell-Yan, heavy flavor, and quarkonium production. It highlights observed modifications of particle yields as functions of momentum and rapidity, aiming to clarify the underlying QCD effects on cold nuclear matter. It outlines strategies for future experiments, including the Electron-Ion Collider, to distinguish between these effects. Key questions address the universality of suppression mechanisms and the role of nonperturbative physics, providing a road map for upcoming measurements of hadrons on nuclei.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Local chromatic correction optics for Future Circular Collider e + e −

Local chromatic correction optics are proposed for the Future Circular e + − e − Collider. These new optics assume an identical layout of the magnets at all operation energies and include a new design for the arcs, for the straight sections, and for the final focus. The arcs design is a step forward from the classic FODO lattice that achieves near cancellation up to the fourth order of chromatic and geometric aberrations. Straight sections and the final focus benefit from the application of transparency conditions and are thus minimally impacting the global beam dynamics. The final focus design includes both vertical and horizontal chromaticity correction sections, crab sextupoles, and additional specific sextupoles and decapoles for the optimization of the dynamics off-energy. Decapoles are very effective in mitigating the reduction of dynamic aperture due to synchrotron radiation. Nonlinear magnet settings are further optimized with multiobjective algorithms. The overall properties of the new optics proposed are analyzed in the presence of errors and compared to other optics designs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Particle production by 𝛾−𝛾 interactions in future electron-ion colliders

The particle production in photon-photon (𝛾⁢𝛾) interactions present in electron-ion collisions is investigated. We present calculations for the total cross sections and event rates related to the production of light mesons [𝜂,𝜂′,𝑓 0 and 𝑓 2 ], charmonium [𝜂 𝑐 and 𝜒 𝑐 ], and charmoniumlike [𝑋⁡(3915), 𝑋⁡(3940), 𝑋⁡(4140), and 𝑋⁡(6900)] states, considering the Electron - Ion Collider, Electron - ion collider in China, Large Hadron electron Collider, and Future Circular Collider - electron hadron energies. Our predictions demonstrate that experimental studies of these processes are feasible and useful to constrain the properties of light mesons and quarkonium states and shed some light on the configuration of the considered charmoniumlike states.

Exotic mesons↗