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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Heterogeneous isotope effects decouple conifer leaf and branch sugar δ 18 O and δ 13 C

Isotope ratios of tree-ring cellulose are a prominent tool to reconstruct paleoclimate and plant responses to environmental variation. Current models for cellulose isotope ratios assume a transfer of the environmental signals recorded in bulk leaf water to carbohydrates and ultimately into stem cellulose. However, the isotopic signal of carbohydrates exported from leaf to branch may deviate from mean leaf values if spatial heterogeneity in isotope ratios exists in the leaf. We tested whether the isotopic heterogeneity previously observed along the length of a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) leaf water was preserved in photosynthetic products. We observed an increase in both sugar and bulk tissue δ 18 O values along the needle, but the increase in carbohydrate δ 18 O values was dampened relative to the trend observed in leaf water. In contrast, δ 13 C values of both sugar and bulk organic matter were invariant along the needle. Additionally, phloem-exported sugar measured in the branch below the needles did not match whole-needle values of δ 18 O or δ 13 C. Instead, there was a near-constant offset observed between the branch and needle sugar δ 13 C values, while branch δ 18 O values were most similar to δ 18 O values observed for sugar at the base of the needle. The observed offset between the branch and needle sugar δ 18 O values likely arises from partial isotope oxygen exchange between sugars and water during phloem loading and transport. An improved understanding of the conditions producing differential δ 13 C and δ 18 O isotope effects between branch phloem and needle sugars could improve tree-ring-based climate reconstructions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Decoupling size and surface effects of intermetallic CuPd nanocrystals for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia

Nitrate pollution poses a major environmental challenge, but its electrochemical conversion to ammonia offers a sustainable waste-to-value solution. Here, in this study, we synthesized monodisperse, size-tunable B2-phase CuPd intermetallic nanocrystals (6–46 nm) and studied their performance in the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNO 3 RR). By using bromide ions to modulate Pd reduction and applying mild annealing, we achieved phase-pure B2 structures across all sizes. Catalytic testing revealed a volcano-like trend in ammonia yield, peaking at 33 nm nanocubes with a rate of 6.97 mol h −1 g −1 at −0.6 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). This optimum reflects a balance between the increased surface area of smaller particles and the enhanced exposure of active (100) facets in larger ones. Theoretical calculations indicated that the B2-CuPd (100) facet is favorable for nitrate adsorption, thereby supporting the high activity of nanocubes. Our results highlight the critical role of tuning both nanoparticle size and surface structure to maximize eNO 3 RR efficiency.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Decoupling of particles and dissolved iron downstream of Greenlandic glacier outflows

Glaciers can be a significant and locally dominant source of iron (Fe), a biologically essential micronutrient, in high latitude coastal seas. The vast majority of this glacial Fe delivery is associated with particles, yet the speciation of the solid-phase Fe and specifically the relationships that govern exchange between particulate and dissolved Fe phases in these environments are poorly described. Here, in this work, we performed measurements of in situ dissolved Fe (dFe) along meltwater and particle plumes in three transects around Disko Bay and Ameralik Fjord (West Greenland). Measurements of dFe were combined with Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of ~40 suspended sediment samples obtained from the same transects and from select depth profiles down to 300 m. We observed relatively constant dFe levels (4 to 10 nM for nearly all dFe measurements) across fjords with widely varying particulate Fe(II) contents (from 20 to 90% Fe(II)), indicating that dFe concentrations had little dependence on the oxidation state of Fe in the suspended sediment. Particulate Fe data were grouped by underlying bedrock geology, with suspended sediment consisting of 80-90% biotite-like Fe(II) in fjords with Precambrian shield geology and poorly-ordered Fe(III) particles (<20-30% Fe(II)) in one fjord with suspended sediments derived from tertiary basalts. Our characterization data indicated no significant change in the average Fe oxidation state and bonding environment of particles along the fjord transects, implying that Fe(II) in biotite-like coordination is not a readily labile Fe form on this spatial scale. Finally, our results suggest that dFe in these glacially-modified coastal waters is buffered at a relatively constant low nM concentration due to factors other than particle Fe mineralogy and that glacier-derived Fe phases are relatively inert on this spatial scale.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Single Stage PLL-less Decoupled Active and Reactive Power Control for Weak Grid Interactive Inverters

This paper presents a single stage phase locked loop-less (PLL-less) active and reactive power (PQ) control for single-phase weak grid interactive inverters. The absence of the PLL requirement in the proposed PQ control enhances the stability margin comparing to conventional current control approaches in both the stationary or the synchronous reference frame. Additionally, the proposed control scheme enables direct PQ control with a single loop control structure. This paper demonstrates that the proposed PLL-less PQ control scheme is asymptotically stable if the controller gains are positive. The necessary conditions for supplying the rated active power into the weak grid are derived. The provided analysis shows that certain amount of reactive power injection is necessary to avoid point of common coupling (PCC) voltage collapse when the rated active power is injected into the weak grid. Several case studies are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed PLL-less PQ control scheme under weak grid condition.

Khan, Ahmad↗
DOE OSTI2022

Cholesterol-induced suppression of Kir2 channels is mediated by decoupling at the inter-subunit interfaces

Cholesterol is a major regulator of multiple types of ion channels. Although there is increasing information about cholesterol binding sites, the molecular mechanisms through which cholesterol binding alters channel function are virtually unknown. In this study, we used a combination of Martini coarse-grained simulations, a network theory-based analysis, and electrophysiology to determine the effect of cholesterol on the dynamic structure of the Kir2.2 channel. We found that increasing membrane cholesterol reduced the likelihood of contact between specific regions of the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of the channel, most prominently at the subunit-subunit interfaces of the cytosolic domains. This decrease in contact was mediated by pairwise interactions of specific residues and correlated to the stoichiometry of cholesterol binding events. The predictions of the model were tested by site-directed mutagenesis of two identified residues—V265 and H222—and high throughput electrophysiology.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Distinct Chemistries Explain Decoupling of Slip and Wettability in Atomically Smooth Aqueous Interfaces

Despite essentially identical crystallography and equilibrium structuring of water, nanoscopic channels composed of hexagonal boron nitride and graphite exhibit an order-of-magnitude difference in fluid slip. We investigate this difference using molecular dynamics simulations, demonstrating that its origin is in the distinct chemistries of the two materials. In particular, the presence of polar bonds in hexagonal boron nitride, absent in graphite, leads to Coulombic interactions between the polar water molecules and the wall. We demonstrate that this interaction is manifested in a large typical lateral force experienced by a layer of oriented hydrogen atoms in the vicinity of the wall, leading to the enhanced friction in hexagonal boron nitride. The fluid adhesion to the wall is dominated by dispersive forces in both materials, leading to similar wettabilities. Finally, our results rationalize recent observations that the difference in frictional characteristics of graphite and hexagonal boron nitride cannot be explained on the basis of the minor differences in their wettabilities.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Soil Respiration Responses to Throughfall Exclusion Are Decoupled From Changes in Soil Moisture for Four Tropical Forests, Suggesting Processes for Ecosystem Models

Abstract Climatic drying is predicted for many tropical forests yet models remain poorly parameterized for these ecosystems, hampering predictions of forest‐climate interactions. We applied an integrated model–experiment approach, parameterizing an ecosystem model with tropical forest observational data and comparing model predictions to a field drying manipulation. We hypothesized that drying suppresses soil CO 2 fluxes (i.e., respiration) in relatively dry tropical forests but increases CO 2 fluxes in wetter tropical forests by alleviating anaerobiosis. We measured soil CO 2 fluxes during wet‐dry cycles from 2015 to 2022 in four Panamanian forests that vary in rainfall and soil fertility. Measured soil CO 2 fluxes declined in the dry season and peaked in the early wet season ahead of peak soil moisture, resulting in lower soil moisture optima for respiration than previously modeled. We then parameterized the model using field data and the new moisture‐respiration response functions. The updated model predicted increased soil CO 2 fluxes with drying in wetter and fertile forests and suppressed fluxes in drier, infertile forests. In contrast to model predictions, a chronic throughfall exclusion experiment initially suppressed soil respiration across forests, with sustained suppression for four years in the wettest forest only (−28% ± 4% during the dry season). In the fertile forest, drying eventually elevated CO 2 fluxes over this period (+75% ± 28% during the late wet season). The unexpected negative drying effect in the wettest, infertile forest could have resulted from reduced vertical flushing of nutrients into soils. Including hydro‐nutrient interactions in ecosystem models could improve predictions of tropical forest‐climate feedbacks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗