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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Characterizing Overwater High Ozone Events in the Houston–Galveston–Brazoria Region during the 2021 GO3 and TRACER-AQ Campaigns

Photochemical modeling outputs showing high ozone concentrations over the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay during ozone episodes in the Houston–Galveston–Brazoria (HGB) region have not been previously verified using in situ observations. Such data were collected systematically, for the first time, from July to October 2021 from three boats deployed for the Galveston Offshore Ozone Observations (GO3) and Tracking Aerosol Convection Interactions Experiment—Air Quality (TRACER-AQ) field campaigns. A pontoon boat and a commercial vessel operated in Galveston Bay, while another commercial vessel operated in the Gulf of Mexico offshore of Galveston. All three boats had continuously operating sampling systems that included ozone analyzers and weather stations, and the two boats operating in Galveston Bay had a ceilometer. The sampling systems operated autonomously on the two commercial boats as they traveled their daily routes. Thirty-seven ozonesondes were launched over water on forecast high ozone days in Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. During the campaigns, multiple periods of ozone exceeding 100 ppbv were observed over water in Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. These events included previously identified conditions for high ozone events in the HGB region, such as the bay/sea-breeze recirculation and postfrontal environments, as well as a localized coastal high ozone event after the passing of a tropical system (Hurricane Nicholas) that was not well forecast.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

2023 SAGE-Camp Report

The 7 th Summer Physics Camp for Young Women was successfully held in person in 2023 from June 5 th to 16 th at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, NM at Hilo Intermediate School in Hawaii. This year’s camp was dedicated to the topic of Energy Security and was made possible thanks to the strong collaboration of Los Alamos, Sandia and Hawaii teams and the logistical and financial support of Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico Consortium, SAGE- Moore Foundation, LANL Foundation, ACS, IEE, APS four corners, N3B, Hawaii Museum of Science and Technology, New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA) and Tech Source. The camp mobilized more than 120 volunteers who made the camp a success. The camp is free of charge to the students and included free lunch and snacks for the busy brains to have plenty of energy, also included all materials needed for the hands-on activities (like drone building, crystal structure, solar panels, wind turbine fabrication, soldering, coding etc) and also a stipend for students who attended for the full two weeks and for two educators and two student mentors in NM. The camp offered 32 high school students from New Mexico and 8 from Hawaii a unique opportunity to explore science topics and meet a broad range of role model professionals across STEM fields including astrophysics, cybersecurity, Energy fields, space science, engineering, biophysics, environmental science, robotics, computer science, nuclear engineering, radiological science, physics and chemistry. With nearly 120 volunteers who came mainly from Los Alamos National Laboratory (66%) and Sandia national laboratories (18%), two funded educators from NM, Dr. Weldon Beauchamp and Dr. Ellee Cook, and two educators from Hilo, Dr. Pascale Creek Pinner and LeAnn Ragasa, the camp was educationally sound and extremely varied. The collaboration with school educators is critical for the goal of this camp to not only impact students' lives but also improve STEM education in NM and Hawaii. The ultimate goal of the camp is to increase higher education aspirations of students, empower them to consider careers in STEM and learn more about the opportunities available to them in our local colleges and DOE National Laboratories. In addition, the camp also hired 2 past students as student mentors, Megan Odom and Elisea Jackson, who currently attend NMSA and were students at the camp in 2022 when it was virtual. The in-person camp which aims at empowering under-represented minorities in STEM in our community received more than 52 applications this year from all over NM and 8 applications from Hawaii. Our selection criteria are based on diversity, equity and inclusion, and students for whom the camp can be a life-changing opportunity are given a chance to attend the camp. During COVID, the camp was held virtually and gave the opportunity to students from remote areas in NM and Hawaii to attend from their homes. This year, fantastic families supported students everyday even when home was in remote areas in NM like Lea county, Sandoval county, Bernalillo or Mora county. The organizers hope next year they can offer a residential option for students from remote areas.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Invasive Plant Species Management Plan for Los Alamos National Laboratory (Rev.3)

Native species are plants and animals that continually occupy a natural range without direct or indirect introduction and/or care by humans. They are adapted to the environmental conditions and processes of the ecosystem in which they reside. A species introduced into a novel ecosystem can either exploit that ecosystem and thrive or be unable to survive in that ecosystem (Hobbs et al. 2006). Alien or non-native species are species that are intentionally or accidentally introduced into a novel ecosystem and are capable of living and propagating within the physical parameters of that ecosystem. Invasive species is a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and a noxious species are those whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. The term invasive species is applicable to plants and animals alike; however, this invasive species management plan currently focuses on invasive vegetation. Invasive plant species are usually capable of rapid colonization of disturbed ground, such as after a change in wildfire regime intensity and frequency (Reilly et al. 2020) or anthropogenic ground disturbance (Burke and Grime 1996; Hobbs and Huenneke 1992). Climate change facilitates the spread and establishment of many alien species and creates new opportunities for them to become invasive (Turbelin and Catford 2021). As climate change impacts increase in the coming decades, we may see in an increase in invasive species establishment. See a list of definitions of terms pertinent to this document in Appendix A: Definitions. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) hosts populations of non-native and invasive species all typical of the northern New Mexico region (Martin 2004; NMDA 2020). By implementing an invasive species management plan, LANL will have readily accessible management strategies for invasive species that are found on-site. The benefits of managing invasive species include a decrease in wildland fire risks, an increase in soil productivity, an increase in (productive or beneficial) wildlife habitat, an increase in water quantity and quality, and the restoration of impacted areas (Burke and Grime 1996; Hobbs and Huenneke 1992; D’Antonio and Hobbie 2005; MacDougall et al. 2013; Reilly et al. 2020). The aforementioned benefits from invasive species management directly enable the LANL mission by ensuring compliance requirements are met and site-wide programs, such as the Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Plan, are supported for a mutually beneficial outcome. An example for the LANL site specifically, controlling non-native annual plant species, for example, could reduce the costs associated with stabilizing soils during the stormwater pollution prevention compliance process. Roadway and utility right-of-way areas are another place where an integrated vegetation management strategy would promote low growing perennial plants in a way that is mutually beneficial to habitat and the institution through lowered maintenance costs. There is also an economic benefit to managing invasive species. In one nationwide study, invasive plants had an estimated impact cost of $190.45 billion (Fantel-Lepczyk et al. 2022). Investing in preventative measures and surveillance could help to offset future control and management costs of invasive species that have the potential to become established. The State of New Mexico has developed plant species lists and recommendations through the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weeds Management Act, Article 7D (NM Statute § 76-7D-4 2021); however, effective invasive species management must rely on local knowledge of the site and region. Los Alamos County (LAC) has already compiled a target invasive plant species list and species-specific management objectives (Martin 2004). Therefore, the New Mexico Noxious Weed List and the LAC invasive plant species list, as well as management objectives from those documents, are integrated into LANL’s invasive plant species management plan.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Eligibility Assessment of Items in the TA-60 Rack Assembly and Alignment Complex Legacy Storage Yard

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Field Office (NA-LA), documented and evaluated seven structures in the Technical Area 60 (TA-60) Rack Assembly and Alignment Complex (RAAC) legacy storage yard at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or Laboratory) for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). This documentation and evaluation was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended; the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 800); the Programmatic Agreement among the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Field Office, the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Concerning Management of the Historic Properties at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos New Mexico (PA)1; and A Plan for the Management of the Cultural Heritage at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (LANL’s Cultural Resources Management Plan (2017). NA-LA makes the following National Register eligibility determinations: la cuna; the rack transporter (jeep, rack trailer, and steering dolly); the Mexia diagnostic rack; the Mexia device canister; the Mexia device mounting stand; and the Mexia target stand are eligible for listing in the National Register, and the second steering dolly is not eligible for listing in the National Register. This National Register evaluation was completed because LANL proposes to develop a consolidated waste facility in TA-60 next to the former RAAC. Across 3.56 acres, LANL proposes to construct an 8,000-square-foot, pre-engineered waste storage building; a 1,500-square-foot office/warehouse building; and 28,500 square feet of covered storage. The development will also include access control features and fencing, parking spaces, and utilities. Additionally, the Laboratory will continue to use the southern part of TA-60-0017 and reuse TA-60-0086 and TA-60-0324 in the development. The consolidated waste facility will operate as a central accumulation area—storing universal waste, mixed low-level (radioactive) waste, hazardous chemicals, and New Mexico special waste—until the waste can be shipped off site.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2024

GeoThermalCloud: Cloud Fusion of Big Data and Multi-Physics Models using Machine Learning for Discovery, Exploration, and Development of Hidden Geothermal Resources

The primary goals of this project are exploring hidden geothermal resources in the U.S.A. and designing profitable enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Many processes and parameters control geothermal exploration and energy production from geothermal fields. Diverse datasets (e.g., geology, geochemistry, geophysics, satellite, airborne geophysics) are available to help characterize subsurface geothermal conditions. Sparse and multi-scale characteristics of these datasets prohibit properly leveraging these datasets for geothermal exploration and profitable EGS design. Recent advancements in machine learning (ML) promise to resolve these issues. The tremendous challenges and risks of geothermal exploration and production bring the demand for novel ML methods and tools that can (1) analyze large field datasets, (2) assimilate model simulations (large inputs and outputs), (3) process sparse datasets, (4) perform transfer learning (between sites with different exploratory levels), (5) extract hidden geothermal signatures in the field and simulation data, (6) label geothermal resources and processes, (7) identify high-value data acquisition targets, and (8) guide geothermal exploration and production by selecting optimal exploration, production, and drilling strategies. To address these necessities, ML-based geothermal resources exploration and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) design tools have been developed. The exploration tool is called GeoThermalCloud and EGS design tool is called GeoDT-ML. GeoThermalCloud (https://github.com/SmartTensors/GeoThermalCloud.jl) utilizes a LANL unsupervised ML platform called SmartTensors (https://tensors.lanl.gov/) to automate data analyses and interpretations by extracting hidden signatures to identify geothermal prospects. Also, it enables the identification of critical measurements needed to identify geothermal resource signatures. Alternatively, GeoDT-ML (https://github.com/SmartTensors/GeoThermalCloud.jl/tree/master/EGS) is an ML-based alternative to GeoDT (https://github.com/GeoDesignTool/GeoDT.git), a fast, simplified multi-physics solver to evaluate EGS project designs in uncertain geologic systems. GeoDT-ML leverages recent advances in deep learning and high-performance computing. It is a faster and simpler version of GeoDT. To make this project a success, we used capabilities of LANL, PNNL, Google, Stanford, and Julia Computing. We analyzed eight datasets of the U.S.A. using GeothermalCloud and demonstrated potential highly prospective geothermal resources and identified key factors defining highly prospective sites. The first data set includes 44 locations in southwest New Mexico and 18 geological, hydrogeological, geophysical, geothermal, geochemical attributes. We defined low- and medium-temperature hydrothermal systems and discovered a new highly prospective site. The second data set analyzed 18 shallow water chemistry attributes at 14,342 locations in the Great Basin. It demarcated modestly, moderately, and highly prospective sites including key attributes for each type of prospectivity. The third data set analyzed Utah FORGE data including satellite (InSAR), geophysical (gravity, seismic), geochemical, and geothermal attributes. Here, we performed prospectivity analysis to identify future drilling locations using geological, geochemical, and geophysical attributes. Maps of temperature at depth and heat flow are constructed based on the available data. Prospectivity maps were generated, and drilling locations were proposed for future geothermal field exploration. The fourth data set analyzed 21 attributes at 120 locations in Tularosa Basin, New Mexico; data comes from past play fairway analyses in this region. ML analyses identified geothermal signatures associated with modestly, moderately, and highly hydrothermal systems. We also defined dominant attributes and spatial distribution of the geothermal signatures. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth datasets include Tohatchi Springs, New Mexico, Hawaii, Brady site, Nevada, and EGS Collab, respectively. Moreover, we coupled GeothermalCloud and magnetotellurics data to pinpoint drilling locations for developing geothermal projects in the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico. GeothermalCloud found potential prospective locations for geothermal resources near White Sands Missile Range and McGregor Range at Fort Bliss. Magnetotellurics data determined the potential depth (~1800m) of geothermal prospects at McGregor Range based on apparent resistivity structures/layers in the subsurface. The McGregor Range consists of three resistivity layers and two resistivity structures. Magnetotellurics data also helps identify that the western portion of the McGregor Range has thick and low-resistivity earth materials. The low resistivity to the west is most likely for a fault system. Assuming temperature is consistent with a geothermal reservoir, the west-central part of the McGregor Range has the highest geothermal potential because of the increase in porosity and associated permeability attributed to the interpreted fault system. Also, we devised a coupling strategy between a process model and GeothermalCloud to characterize hydrogeological conditions and geothermal conditions, respectively. The process model characterizes hydrogeological and geothermal conditions on highly prospective geothermal sites provided by GeothermalCloud. We developed a physics-informed neural network (PINN) version of the Burns equation that can be easily coupled with GeothermalCloud. Furthermore, we performed an optimal design decision maximizing the economic value of an EGS power plant. This study optimized the range of well spacing between injection and production wells maximizing net present value in dollars (NPV). For this task, we used the GeoDT to simulate the Utah FORGE EGS development cycle from the initial well design to the end of production. Next, we accomplished another crucial task, which is predicting permeability of geothermal reservoirs. Predicting permeability of geothermal reservoirs is a non-trivial task because of huge computational runtime of simulation and lack of measurements. To avoid these limitations, we used easy-to-measure chemical concentrations in the subsurface as measurement data and convolutional neural network based ML model of a high-fidelity model. Next, we predicted permeability using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. We found that Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation predicts permeability with a high certainty if the prediction zone in the simulation area has chemical concentration data. Finally, we analyzed the DOE funded INGENIOUS and GeoDAWN projects data. For discovering hidden geothermal systems in the Great Basin, the INGENIOUS project accumulated old data, collected new data, and released them in 2022. The dataset includes a total of 24 geological, geophysical, and geochemical attributes. Data resolution and scale significantly vary prohibiting an appropriate usage. To avoid such limitations, we brought all data in the same resolution and scale by applying the inverse distance weighting interpolation technique for predicting data in unsampled locations. Subsequently, we analyzed LiDAR data of the GeoDAWN project. We received data in tiles format. The DOE’s overarching goal is to use ML on LiDAR data for finding favorable geological structures (e.g., step up faults in Brady, Nevada). To serve the purpose, we need to label favorable geologic structures that correspond to LiDAR data. We wrote an algorithm to label the LiDAR data with the favorable geologic structures.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

High Rate of Non-Human Feeding by Aedes aegypti Reduces Zika Virus Transmission in South Texas

Mosquito-borne viruses are emerging or re-emerging globally, afflicting millions of people around the world. Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is the principal vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, and has well-established populations across tropical and subtropical urban areas of the Americas, including the southern United States. While intense arboviral epidemics have occurred in Mexico and further south in the Americas, local transmission in the United States has been minimal. Here, we study Ae. aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus host feeding patterns and vertebrate host communities in residential environments of South Texas to identify host-utilization relative to availability. Only 31% of Ae. aegypti blood meals were derived from humans, while 50% were from dogs and 19% from other wild and domestic animals. In Cx. quinquefasciatus, 67% of blood meals were derived from chicken, 22% came from dogs, 9% from various wild avian species, and 2% from other mammals including one human, one cat, and one pig. We developed a model for the reproductive number, R0, for Zika virus (ZIKV) in South Texas relative to northern Mexico using human disease data from Tamaulipas, Mexico. We show that ZIKV R0 in South Texas communities could be greater than one if the risk of human exposure to Ae. aegypti bites in these communities is at least 60% that of Northern Mexico communities. The high utilization of non-human vertebrates and low risk of human exposure in South Texas diminishes the outbreak potential for human-amplified urban arboviruses transmitted by Ae. aegypti.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Growth and biochemical composition of the carrageenophyte Eucheumatopsis isiformis (Solieriaceae, Rhodophyta) under cultivation at different irradiance levels

Long-term production of a few species of Eucheuma and Kappaphycus from the Indo-Pacific Ocean supports the global carrageenan industry. The widespread use of vegetative propagation has resulted in low genetic diversity among farmed populations, making these crops increasingly vulnerable to diseases and environmental stressors, and resulting in declining yields and reduced biomass production over time. Insufficient efforts to develop and select new native cultivars, combined with the ecological risks posed by introducing nonindigenous species, underscore the urgent need to enhance cultivar diversification in eucheumatoid farming. Eucheumatopsis isiformis , a native carrageenophyte to the Atlantic Ocean, has potential for its cultivation in the Yucatán peninsula, Mexico. This study evaluated the growth and biochemical composition (pigments, elemental C and N, kappa/iota carrageenan ratio) of E. isiformis under different irradiance conditions in an indoor cultivation system. Specimens were collected in a subtidal population in Yucatán, Mexico, characterized, acclimatized to laboratory conditions, and exposed to five irradiance levels (71 ± 10.59 –1014 ± 65.85 µmol quanta m −2 s −1 ; 23.4 °C, salinity 33–34). Growth was measured weekly for six weeks, and elemental C and N content, pigment composition, and the kappa/iota-carrageenan ratio were evaluated. Growth and chromatic photoacclimation to light conditions were observed in all treatments. Highest growth rates (3.1–3.2% day −1 ) were registered between 238 ± 28.3 – 518 ± 44.3 µmol quanta m −2 s −1 , with a predominant iota-type carrageenan (0.97 ± 0.02) observed in all treatments. This study aims to provide guidelines for the successful development of the aquaculture of this carrageenophyte.

FTIR↗
DOE OSTI2023

Winter connectivity and leapfrog migration in a migratory passerine

Abstract Technological advances in migratory tracking tools have revealed a remarkable diversity in migratory patterns. One such pattern is leapfrog migration, where individuals that breed further north migrate to locations further south. Here, we analyzed migration patterns in the Painted Bunting ( Passerina ciris ) using a genetic‐based approach. We started by mapping patterns of genetic variation across geographic space (called a genoscape) using 386 individuals from 25 populations across the breeding range. We then genotyped an additional 230 samples from 31 migration stopover locations and 178 samples from 16 wintering locations to map patterns of migratory connectivity. Our analyses of genetic variation across the breeding range show the existence of four genetically distinct groups within the species: Eastern, Southwestern, Louisiana, and Central groups. Subsequent assignment of migrating and wintering birds to genetic groups illustrated that birds from the Central group migrated during the fall via western Mexico or southern Texas, spent the winter from northeastern Mexico to Panama, and migrated north via the Gulf Coast of Mexico. While Louisiana birds overlapped with Central birds on their spring migratory routes along the Gulf Coast, we found that Louisiana birds had a more restricted wintering distribution in the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America. Further estimation of the straight‐line distance from the predicted breeding location to the wintering location revealed that individuals sampled at lower winter latitudes traveled to greater distances (i.e., the predicted breeding area was further north; p > .001), confirming that these species exhibit a leapfrog migration pattern. Overall, these results demonstrate the utility of a genoscape‐based approach for identifying range‐wide patterns of migratory connectivity such as leapfrog migration with a high degree of clarity.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Manhattan Project Nuclear Science and Technology Developments at Los Alamos: A Special Issue of Nuclear Technology

The year 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the Trinity experiment, the world’s first nuclear explosion, on July 16, 1945, near Alamogordo, New Mexico. Trinity was a vital proof step toward the culmination of the Manhattan Project and the end of World War II. The technical accomplishments made by scientists and engineers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada (some originating in Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, and other countries) were recognized by many events in 2020, including a visit to New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) dignitaries; historical documentaries. The importance of Trinity as a foundational accomplishment for the broad nuclear science and engineering community is clear; indeed, New Mexico’s chapter of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) is referred to as the Trinity Section. The events surrounding Trinity have even entered into high culture with recent performances of John Adams’s opera Doctor Atomic in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Chicago, New York, and Santa Fe.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

New species and records of the symbiotic shrimp genus Leptalpheus Williams, 1965, with notes on Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986, and preliminary molecular analysis of phylogenetic relationships (Crustacea: Decapoda: Alpheidae)

The shrimp genera Leptalpheus Williams, 1965 and Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986 are composed entirely of symbiotic species that co-inhabit burrows of infaunal macrocrustaceans. We report extensive collections of these genera from western Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Indo-West Pacific regions. Integrative taxonomy methods, including morphological comparisons and analysis of three mitochondrial genetic markers, are used to test species hypotheses and evolutionary relationships among members of these genera. Our molecular analysis failed to recover Leptalpheus or Fenneralpheus as monophyletic groups. Our results strongly supported the monophyly of three clades composed of species of Leptalpheus, loosely corresponding to previously proposed species groups. Three new species closely related to Leptalpheus forceps Williams, 1965, L. marginalis Anker, 2011, and L. mexicanus Ríos & Carvacho, 1983 are described. Leptalpheus ankeri n. sp., from the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic coast of Florida, and Gulf of Mexico, is a polymorphic species that exhibits two major cheliped morphotypes. Leptalpheus sibo n. sp., from the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, is morphologically very similar to L. ankeri n. sp., likely its transisthmian sister species, and shares its cheliped polymorphism. A reassessment of L. forceps concluded that records of this species from the Caribbean Sea and Brazil are not conspecific with L. forceps sensu stricto from the Atlantic coast of the USA and the Gulf of Mexico, and they are herein described as Leptalpheus degravei n. sp. Based on both molecular and morphological evidence, we found Leptalpheus bicristatus Anker, 2011 to be a junior synonym of L. mexicanus and Leptalpheus canterakintzi Anker & Lazarus, 2015 to be a junior synonym of Leptalpheus azuero Anker, 2011. First reports of Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999 in Texas and Mexico, Leptalpheus denticulatus Anker & Marin, 2009 in the Mariana Islands, Leptalpheus felderi Anker, Vera Caripe & Lira, 2006 and Leptalpheus lirai Vera Caripe, Pereda & Anker, 2021 in the USA, and Leptalpheus pereirai Anker & Vera Caripe, 2016 in Cuba are included.

Zoology↗
DOE OSTI2020

Genomic Analysis of Diverse Members of the Fungal Genus Monosporascus Reveals Novel Lineages, Unique Genome Content and a Potential Bacterial Associate

The genus Monosporascus represents an enigmatic group of fungi important in agriculture and widely distributed in natural arid ecosystems. Of the nine described species, two (M. cannonballus and M. eutypoides) are important pathogens on the roots of members of Cucurbitaceae in agricultural settings. The remaining seven species are capable of colonizing roots from a diverse host range without causing obvious disease symptoms. Recent molecular and culture studies have shown that members of the genus are nearly ubiquitous as root endophytes in arid environments of the Southwestern United States. Isolates have been obtained from apparently healthy roots of grasses, shrubs and herbaceous plants located in central New Mexico and other regions of the Southwest. Phylogenetic and genomic analyses reveal substantial diversity in these isolates. The New Mexico isolates include close relatives of M. cannonballus and M. ibericus, as well as isolates that represent previously unrecognized lineages. To explore evolutionary relationships within the genus and gain insights into potential ecological functions, we sequenced and assembled the genomes of three M. cannonballus isolates, one M. ibericus isolate, and six diverse New Mexico isolates. The assembled genomes were significantly larger than what is typical for the Sordariomycetes despite having predicted gene numbers similar to other members of the class. Differences in predicted genome content and organization were observed between endophytic and pathogenic lineages of Monosporascus. Several Monosporascus isolates appear to form associations with members of the bacterial genus Ralstonia (Burkholdariaceae).

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Secure Storage: Historical Documentation of TA-08-0032, TA-11-0036, TA-22-0016, TA-22-0023, TA-22-0025, TA-22-0035, TA-37-0006, TA-37-0009, and TA-37-0020

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Field Office (NA-LA), is pursuing the decommissioning and demolition (D&D) of facilities contaminated with high-explosives residues at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Laboratory or LANL). This effort affects nine facilities associated with high-explosives and detonator research, development, and storage: Technical Area (TA) 8 Facility 32 (TA-08-0032), TA-11-0036, TA-22-0016, TA-22-0023, TA-22-0025, TA-22-0035, TA-37-0006, TA-37-0009, and TA-37-0020. All nine facilities proposed for D&D have been evaluated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and determined eligible. NA-LA previously requested the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) to concur with the NRHP-eligibility determinations of these nine properties presented in four reports: (1) TA-08-0032 was determined eligible for listing in the NRHP in the report, From Ranching to Radiography: An Assessment of Historic Buildings at Anchor West Site (TA-8), Vol. 1 (McGehee et al. 2008a). The SHPO concurred with this eligibility determination on November 26, 2008. (2) TA-11-0036 was determined eligible for listing in the NRHP in the report, ESA Division’s Five-Year Plan: Consolidation and Revitalization at Technical Areas 3, 8, 11, and 16, Vol. 1) (McGehee et al. 2003). The SHPO concurred with this eligibility assessment on June 22, 2003. (3) TA-22-0016, TA-22-0023, TA-22-0025, and TA-22-0035 were determined eligible for listing in the NRHP in the report, DX Division’s Facility Strategic Plan: Consolidation and Revitalization at Technical Areas 6, 8, 9, 14, 15, 22, 36, 39, 40, 60, and 69, Vol. 1 (McGehee et al. 2005a). The SHPO concurred with these eligibility determinations on April 18, 2006. (4) TA-37-0006, TA-37-0009, and TA-37-0020 were determined eligible for listing in the NRHP in the report, High Explosives and the Nuclear Stockpile: An Assessment of Historic Buildings at Magazine Area C (TA-37), Vol. 1 (McGehee et al. 2008b). The SHPO concurred with these eligibility determinations on April 17, 2008. In a letter dated January 24, 2020, NA-LA acknowledged that the D&D of these nine NRHP-eligible facilities was an adverse effect that requires resolution through mitigation. NA-LA proposed the use of standard mitigation practices as defined in the Programmatic Agreement (PA) among the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Field Office, the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Concerning Management of the Historic Properties at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico. The PA states that adverse effects to NRHP-eligible buildings and structures will be resolved according to the standard practices defined in Part II, Section 10, of the Laboratory’s Cultural Resources Management Plan, A Plan for the Management of the Cultural Heritage at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (Purtzer et al. 2019), and Section 2.B of Appendix D of the PA itself. The standard practice documentation package includes the following components: (1) Interior and exterior photography and production of archival-quality digital photographs; (2) Documentation and curation of historically significant equipment and artifacts; (3) A list of all known drawings for the property; (4) Reduced-scale reproductions of selected drawings for the property; (5) A location map that shows the location of the property relative to the entire Laboratory property; (6) Reproduction of historical TA maps; (7) A TA map that depicts the footprint of each eligible and non-eligible facility; and (8) An expanded historic context that uses oral-history interviews, if available. On March 3, 2020, the SHPO concurred with the adverse effect determination and the mitigation plan. The documentation package, as previously described, is provided in Volumes 1 and 2 of this report.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Large reductions in Permian Basin methane intensity shown in multi-year comparison of aerially-visible methane emissions

Spanning the US states of Texas and New Mexico, the Permian Basin has been a hotspot of methane emissions from oil and natural gas activity 1–4, although studies disagree over the magnitude of these emissions. The most comprehensive measurement campaigns published were conducted in 2019 1–5 .There have been large changes in the energy industry since then, including in the prices of oil and gas, both state and federal regulatory environments, investor and activist pressure over methane emissions, and the adoption of new technologies and policies by energy operators. Understanding how any or all of these might influence methane emissions is important for policy makers, oil and gas operators, and other stakeholders. We characterize the time evolution of Permian Basin methane emissions using a series of comprehensive aerial surveys conducted every year from 2020-2023 and compare them to the 2019 results cited above. To maintain comparability, all the data sets are from surveys using Insight M point source methane sensing technology. The scope of these surveys expanded over time: from 33-46% of wells, oil production, and gas production in 2020 to 60-65% in 2021, to 84% of wells and over 90% of both oil and gas production in 2023. These surveys by Insight M also include hundreds of gas processing plants and compressor stations as well as 1000s of km of gathering and transmission pipelines. Considering only the aerially detected portion of emissions (typically the majority of the total in such surveys 4), we find reductions of more than 70% in methane emissions intensity compared to the 2019 New Mexico-only Insight M survey, with variation depending on the year 3,4. Notably, although sources below 100 kg/hr contributed less than 10% of aerially measured emissions the 2019 New Mexico survey 3, these smaller sources constitute a larger proportion of total aerially measured emissions (although not the majority) in 2020-2023. Production facilities and gathering pipelines are responsible for the larges shares of total emissions, followed by compressor stations and gas processing plants. Permian methane emissions were also measured in a comprehensive 2019 Permian-wide survey by the Carbon Mapper team 2. That analysis led to a lower total emissions estimate at the time 4. These new Insight M-based emission rates are still roughly 30-70% lower than the aerially measured portion of the 2019 Carbon Mapper-based estimates 4. Further work is needed to harmonize these surveys in space and time to create the most intercomparable numbers possible 5. Additional analysis is needed to compare our findings to the more spatially constrained 2020, 2021, and 2023 Carbon Mapper surveys in the Permian 4,6. The evidence is strong from these two survey teams that emissions intensity has declined significantly since 2019. Reasons for this trend are currently unclear but point to possible success of emissions control programs. Future work investigating frequency, source, and operator-specific intensities could provide insights into the causes of this promising trend.

methane, oil and gas, data science, remote sensing↗
DOE OSTI2020

North American energy system responses to natural gas price shocks

As of 2020, North American natural gas extraction and use in the electricity sector have both reached all-time highs. The combination of North America's increased reliance on natural gas with a potential disruption to the natural gas market has several energy security implications. Additionally, policymakers interested in economic resiliency will find this study's results useful for informing the implications of the energy sectors' long-term planning and investment decisions. This paper evaluates how both the electricity and natural gas sectors could respond to hypothetical gas price shocks under different system configurations. We impose unforeseen natural gas price shocks under reference and alternative configurations resulting from a renewable generation mandate or variations to renewable capacity costs. Results from several different models are presented for the electricity and natural gas sectors separately for Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Generally, the US becomes more (less) reliant on electricity imports from Canada given a high (low) gas price shock but increases (decreases) exports to Mexico. The renewable mandate is shown to buffer electricity price increases under high price shocks but price reductions under the low price shocks are dampened given less flexibility to take advantage of the low-priced natural gas. The United States is demonstrated to reduce natural gas production and net exports with high natural gas price shocks given a reduction in demand.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Transit Bus Electrification Evaluation from GPS Speed Traces

Through the USAID-NREL partnership, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has evaluated the potential for transit bus electrification in Mexico City and two locations in León, Mexico to inform future vehicle and infrastructure purchases. NREL collected IHz GPS data between September to October of 2017 from the existing transit buses as inputs to the Future Automotive Systems Technology Simulator (FASTSim) tool. NREL used the data and FASTSim models to provide detailed operational performance requirements of electric buses operated within the context of the three locations and highlighted bus operations that are candidates for electrification.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Reestablishing larval connectivity in an estuarine landscape: the importance of shoreline and subtidal oysters ( Crassostrea virginica ) in a comprehensive oyster restoration program

The decline of oyster reefs in estuaries has resulted from a combination of chronic and acute disturbances. The loss has resulted in decreased yield for the oyster fishery as well as a decline in ecological benefits that has led to increased efforts to restore oyster reefs. The need for scientific guidance in accomplishing these restoration goals has become even more pressing in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico in the wake of injury to oyster reefs resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Restoration of both the shallow, marsh-fringing oyster aggregations and the deeper subtidal oyster reefs is necessary. Historically, fringing oysters have been overlooked in the oyster habitat landscape because of their limited commercial value. Here, we use a biophysical transport model to examine the transport and settlement of oyster larvae in known oyster reefs along the coast of the northcentral Gulf of Mexico. The modeling demonstrated that the majority of oyster larvae settle within the embayment (>98%) or sub-basin (>65%) of their origin. Additionally, the model demonstrated the importance of fringing oysters as a source of larvae to re-seed other fringing oysters along marsh edges as well as subtidal oyster reefs. We conclude that networks of reefs, including both fringing oyster habitat and subtidal oyster reefs within sub-basins, are necessary to provide resilience to the population at the sub-basin level. Finally, we conclude that fringing oyster habitat may serve as an archipelago-like network to enhance larval supply and connectivity for oysters throughout the mesosaline portions of estuaries.

ADCIRC↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Yucatan Peninsula Energy Assessment: Pathways for a Clean and Sustainable Power System

This report begins with an overview of the status of the power sector in Mexico's Yucatán peninsula, including key challenges, followed by policy and program solutions that pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable power sector in the Yucatan. This work is intended to provide information to the states of the Yucatán peninsula - Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo - for prioritization and future technical assistance from the 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP) program, in Mexico including data gathering, capacity building, modelling and analysis, program and policy setting to help the states and the region overall best utilize its resources to meet its electricity needs while implementing energy efficiency measures towards a more sustainable, clean, reliable system with lower prices. This report is also available in Spanish: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/81142.pdf.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗