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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

Regional climate change predictions from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies high resolution GCM

Model simulations of global climate change are seen as an essential component of any program aimed at understanding human impact on the global environment. A major weakness of current general circulation models (GCMs), however, is their inability to predict reliably the regional consequences of a global scale change, and it is these regional scale predictions that are necessary for studies of human/environmental response. This research is directed toward the development of a methodology for the validation of the synoptic scale climatology of GCMs. This is developed with regard to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) GCM Model 2, with the specific objective of using the synoptic circulation form a doubles CO2 simulation to estimate regional climate change over North America, south of Hudson Bay. This progress report is specifically concerned with validating the synoptic climatology of the GISS GCM, and developing the transfer function to derive grid-point temperatures from the synoptic circulation. Principal Components Analysis is used to characterize the primary modes of the spatial and temporal variability in the observed and simulated climate, and the model validation is based on correlations between component loadings, and power spectral analysis of the component scores. The results show that the high resolution GISS model does an excellent job of simulating the synoptic circulation over the U.S., and that grid-point temperatures can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from the circulation patterns.

Crane, Robert G.↗

A new animal model for modulating myosin isoform expression by altered mechanical activity

The purpose of this study was to develop a new rodent model that is capable of delineating the importance of mechanical loading on myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression of the plantar and dorsi flexor muscles of the ankle. The essential components of this system include 1) stimulating electrodes that are chronically implanted into a muscle, allowing for the control of the activation pattern of the target muscle(s); 2) a training apparatus that translates the moment of the ankle into a linear force; and 3) a computer-controlled Cambridge 310 ergometer. The isovelocity profile of the ergometer ensured that the medial gastrocnemius (MG) produced forces that were > 90% of maximal isometric force (Po), and the eccentric contractions of the tibialis anterior (TA) were typically 120% of Po. Both the concentric and eccentric training programs produced statistically significant increases in the muscle mass of the MG (approximately 15%) and TA (approximately 7%) as well as a decrease in myofibrillar adenosinetriphosphatase activity. Both the white and red regions of the MG and TA exhibited significant increases in the relative content of the type IIa MHC and concomitant decreases in type IIb MHC expression. Although the red regions of the MG and red TA contained approximately 10% type I MHC, the training programs did not affect this isoform. It appears that when a fast-twitch muscle is stimulated at a high frequency (100 Hz) and required to contract either concentrically or eccentrically under high loading conditions, the expression of the type IIa MHC isoform will be upregulated, whereas that of the type IIb MHC will be concomitantly downregulated.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗

Hydropower Role in a Power Grid with a High Proportion of Variable Renewables

The importance of hydropower increases as the power grid evolves with the higher variable renewable contribution. As conventional thermal power plants are retired, the importance of hydropower contribution increases to balance the variability of solar and wind generation. However, reservoir water resources are constrained by multiple constraints, and variability of water inflow to the reservoirs creates limitations to dam water releases for power grid needs. Coordination of multiple tools, including water resources modeling, ecological modeling, and technical and economic power grid modeling, informs dam water releases. Better representation of ecological constraints and other water use details in the suit of power grid models are required to identify the hydropower flexibility to provide multiple power grid services. Impacts of water planning and hydropower operation changes to a power grid are better understood by production cost model simulations with technical and economic data, including unserved energy, reserve failures, transmission congestion to serve load, and local marginal price increases. Similarly, PCM simulation of current and future projected power grid information, including LMP, and carbon emission rates, informs short-term water release plans and long-term investments for power plant upgrades for technical and ecological needs. Hydropower operations of several case studies are simulated to understand operation patterns, revenue, water release decisions in multiple time scales (month, day, minutes), hydropower contracts scheduling, and water variability impacts.

environmental↗

Transient disease dynamics across ecological scales

Analyses of transient dynamics are critical to understanding infectious disease transmission and persistence. Identifying and predicting transients across scales, from within-host to community-level patterns, plays an important role in combating ongoing epidemics and mitigating the risk of future outbreaks. Moreover, greater emphases on non-asymptotic processes will enable timely evaluations of wildlife and human diseases and lead to improved surveillance efforts, preventive responses, and intervention strategies. Here, we explore the contributions of transient analyses in recent models spanning the fields of epidemiology, movement ecology, and parasitology. In addition to their roles in predicting epidemic patterns and endemic outbreaks, we explore transients in the contexts of pathogen transmission, resistance, and avoidance at various scales of the ecological hierarchy. Examples illustrate how (i) transient movement dynamics at the individual host level can modify opportunities for transmission events over time; (ii) within-host energetic processes often lead to transient dynamics in immunity, pathogen load, and transmission potential; (iii) transient connectivity between discrete populations in response to environmental factors and outbreak dynamics can affect disease spread across spatial networks; and (iv) increasing species richness in a community can provide transient protection to individuals against infection. Ultimately, we suggest that transient analyses offer deeper insights and raise new, interdisciplinary questions for disease research, consequently broadening the applications of dynamical models for outbreak preparedness and management.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Fatigue of Composite Materials Subjected to Variable Loadings

A model describing the fatigue behavior of composite materials under variable loadings is presented. The approach is based on a two-parameter model fulfilling the principal responses’ features of composite materials subjected to constant amplitude cyclic loadings. It is shown that when coupled with the equivalent residual strength assumption the model can describe the strength degradation of composite materials subjected to variable amplitude loadings without simplifications or substantial reductions of the loading spectrum. Compared to the linear Miner’s rule, the results highlight the importance of the sequence of loads and the approach discriminates the ascending, descending and random patterns. It is shown that for the case under study the ordered descending (high to low) sequence showed the worst scenario in terms of damage accumulation extent, while the random spectrum resulted in an intermediate response between ordered ascending and descending sequences.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Radio-frequency sheaths physics: Experimental characterization on Tore Supra and related self-consistent modeling

During the 2011 experimental campaign, one of the three ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) antennas in the Tore Supra tokamak was equipped with a new type of Faraday screen (FS). The new design aimed at minimizing the integrated parallel electric field over long field lines as well as increasing the heat exhaust capability of the actively cooled screen. It proved to be inefficient for attenuating the radio-frequency (RF)-sheaths on the screen itself on the contrary to the heat exhaust concept that allowed operation despite higher heat fluxes on the antenna. In parallel, a new approach has been proposed to model self-consistently RF sheaths: the SSWICH (Self-consistent Sheaths and Waves for IC Heating) code. Simulations results from SSWICH coupled with the TOPICA antenna code were able to reproduce the difference between the two FS designs and part of the spatial pattern of heat loads and Langmuir probe floating potential. The poloidal pattern is a reliable result that mainly depends on the electrical design of the antenna while the radial pattern is on the contrary highly sensitive to loosely constrained parameters such as perpendicular conductivity that generates a DC current circulation from the private region inside the antenna limiters to the free scrape off layer outside these limiters. Moreover, the cantilevered bars seem to be the element in the screen design that enhanced the plasma potential.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Data-Driven Modeling of High-Resolution Residential Load Profiles Using Low-Resolution Smart Meter Measurements

Accurate and high-resolution residential load profiles are essential for power system modeling, demand response planning, and effective grid operation. As the energy sector moves towards a more actively managed distribution system, the ability to understand residential energy consumption at a minute-by-minute scale becomes increasingly critical. High-resolution load profiles provide key insights into demand patterns and user behavior, enabling grid operators to design more effective energy solutions; however, residential load measurements in the field are typically recorded at low resolutions, such as 15-60 minutes, which makes it hard to study the characteristics of different residential customers. This paper addresses these challenges by introducing a data-driven approach to generate realistic, high-resolution residential load profiles based on lowre-solution measurements and weather information. The proposed method retains the key features of the actual residential load measurements while offering appliance-level energy consumption details for each residential building. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed load profile generator, proving its capability to support utilities in optimizing residential energy management and ensuring a more reliable and resilient grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Probability of Pinching Failure in PWR SNF after Long-Term Storage

A probabilistic assessment was performed on pinching failure of PWR SNF rod cladding under accidental SNF cask transport conditions. a set of 3,000 rod pinching scenarios was analyzed, with different geometrical, material, and loading parameters, using a Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). The investigated accidents include train derailments leading to cask collisions or cask drops. Pinching failure was related to cladding offset strain, defined as the plastic deformation interval in radial cladding direction normalized with respect to the outer cladding diameter. Finite element (FE) models were used to compute SNF rod deformations and the offset strain demand OSD in each of the assessed pinching scenarios. The numerical models account for the contribution of the degraded fuel pellets to rod pinching stiffness. The offset strain capacity OSC was computed using regression and interpolation models based on ring compression (RCT) test results, and account for hydride-related effects on cladding ductility. The results show a low probability of pinching failure. Hydride-related cladding embrittlement affects the structural integrity of PWR SNF rods after long-term dry storage of up to 300 years. Radial hydride patterns or large amounts of circumferentially oriented hydrides reduce the cladding ductile deformation capability when pinched at low material temperatures. The probability of hydride-related pinching failure of PWR cladding is estimated after long-term dry storage to address: How do PWR SNF rod conditions like hydrogen content, vacuum drying peak cladding hoop stress σ{sub θ}, and cladding material temperature affect cladding ductility? Is hydride-related cladding embrittlement a material degradation mechanism that affects the structural integrity of PWR SNF rods under pinching loading? What are the controlling parameters for deformation demands in PWR SNF rods under pinching loading? Is the pinching load amplitude an important parameter that controls the probability of pinching failure? How do parameters like pellet-cladding gap or fuel pellet degradation affect the pinching loading capacity of PWR SNF rods? Statistical modelling of PWR SNF rod conditions in U.S. inventory: A pseudo rod database was generated based on EIA database. Analysis of train accident scenarios: a probability density function (pdf) of a pinching load distribution P{sub 9m} of a 9-m cask drop is linearly scaled to generate a more representative: distribution P{sub AS}. The new distribution considers train collision velocities, cask drops for on- and off-bridge accidents, and cask impact orientation. LHS generates 3,000 rod pinching scenarios based on nine independent geometrical, material, and loading parameters. Probabilistic FE Analysis: The LHS realizations are used to generate 3,000 FE models. The FE analysis is conducted for P{sub 9m}, and P{sub AS}. The workflow is automatized. The OSC is computed with regression and interpolation models, as a function of the hydrogen content C{sub H}, vacuum drying peak σ{sub θ}, and SNF temperature T{sub FR}: The regression data was obtained in RCTs on PWR cladding. The OSD is derived from the cladding deformations in the FE models. Cladding failure was identified via a comparison of OSC and OSD. A 300 and a 30 years-of-dry-storage duration is investigated: The dry-storage period affects the expected SNF temperature and consequently, the OSC and the OSD. The material temperature LHS population is adapted to account for a SNF temperature variation. The probability of hydride-related, ductile cladding failure during a severe transportation accident is not significantly affected by the pinching load amplitude: The probability is slightly reduced from a range of less than 0.0333% to 0.1667% for P{sub 9m}, to a range of less than 0.0333% to 0.1333% for P{sub AS}, depending on the vacuum drying peak cladding hoop stress modelling assumptions. Further, the SNF dry-storage duration does not significantly affect the probability of ductile pinching failure. Based on available train accidents data, the pinching failure probability for a 5,000 km long transportation route ranges from less than 1.62 E-7 to a value of 6.47 E-7, depending on the vacuum drying peak cladding hoop stress modelling assumptions. The pinching load amplitude is not a controlling parameter for the probability of ductile cladding pinching failure, and does not control the cladding deformations once pellet-cladding contact is established, The pellet-cladding gap width, however, plays a key role. Fuel pellet degradation only affects the deformation capacity, if the pellet stiffness is significantly reduced (more than 90%). Only highly embrittled cladding is likely to fail. The deformation demands on the cladding under pinching loading are small.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Base changes in tumour DNA have the power to reveal the causes and evolution of cancer

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has demonstrated that the cancer genomes are peppered with mutations. Although most somatic tumour mutations are unlikely to have any role in the cancer process per se, the spectra of DNA sequence changes in tumour mutation catalogues have the potential to identify the mutagens, and to reveal the mutagenic processes responsible for human cancer. Very recently, a novel approach for data mining of the vast compilations of tumour NGS data succeeded in separating and precisely defining at least 30 distinct patterns of sequence change hidden in mutation databases. At least half of these mutational signatures can be readily assigned to known human carcinogenic exposures or endogenous mechanisms of mutagenesis. A quantum leap in our knowledge of mutagenesis in human cancers has resulted, stimulating a flurry of research activity. We trace here the major findings leading first to the hypothesis that carcinogenic insults leave characteristic imprints on the DNA sequence of tumours, and culminating in empirical evidence from NGS data that well-defined carcinogen mutational signatures are indeed present in tumour genomic DNA from a variety of cancer types. The notion that tumour DNAs can divulge environmental sources of mutation is now a well-accepted fact. This approach to cancer aetiology has also incriminated various endogenous, enzyme-driven processes that increase the somatic mutation load in sporadic cancers. The tasks now confronting the field of molecular epidemiology are to assign mutagenic processes to orphan and newly discovered tumour mutation patterns, and to determine whether avoidable cancer risk factors influence signatures produced by endogenous enzymatic mechanisms. As a result, innovative research with experimental models and exploitation of the geographical heterogeneity in cancer incidence can address these challenges.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Design, fabrication, testing and delivery of a feasibility model laminated ferrite memory

The effect of using multiword addressing with laminated ferrite arrays was made. Both a reduction in the number of components, and a reduction in power consumption was obtained for memory capacities between one million bits and one million words. An investigation into the effect of variations in the processing steps resulted in a number of process modifications that improved the quality of the arrays. A feasibility model laminated ferrite memory system was constructed by modifying a commercial plated wire memory system to operate with laminated ferrite arrays. To provide flexibility for the testing of the laminated ferrite memory, an exerciser has been constructed to automatically control the loading and recirculation of arbitrary size checkerboard patterns of one's and zero's and to display the patterns of stored information on a CRT screen.

Heckler, H. C.↗

Spatially Characterizing Effective Timber Supply

The structure of a computer-oriented cartographic model for assessing roundwood supply for generation of base load electricity is discussed. The model provides an analytical procedure for coupling spatial information of harvesting economics and owner willingness to sell stumpages. Supply is characterized in terms of standing timber; of accessibility considering various harvesting and hauling factors; and of availability as affected by ownership and residential patterns. Factors governing accessibility to timber include effective harvesting distance to haulic roads as modified by barriers and slopes. Haul distance is expressed in units that take into account the relative ease of travel along various road types to a central processing facility. Areas of accessible timber are grouped into spatial units, termed 'timbersheds', of common access to particular haul road segments that belong to unique 'transport zones'. Timber availability considerations include size of ownership parcels, housing density and excluded areas. The analysis techniques are demonstrated for a cartographic data base in western Massachusetts.

Berry, J. K.↗

Comparison of Performance Test Results to CFD and Structural Models of Non-Contacting Finger Seals

Performance tests of non-contacting finger seal designs were conducted at 300, 700, 922 K (70, 800 and 1200 F) at pressure differentials up to 517 kPa (75 psid) and surface speeds up to 366 m/s (1200 ft/s). Room temperature, static analysis of the seal was performed. A simplified CFD model was developed to examine pressure loads within the seal. Results from the CFD model were used as input to a finite element analysis model of a six-finger segment of the non-contacting finger seal. Examination of predicted deflections of individual components of the seal gives insight into the seal behavior. Wear patterns from testing verify the pattern of radial deflection. The models are used to predict maximum pressure differential capability of the seal and compared to experimental results. The CFD model slightly under-predicts the measured leakage flow factor, but has the same trend as the measured flow factor versus pressure differential.

Seals:Brush Seals↗

State of Wildfires

Fire is an essential component of ecosystems and acts as key driver of biogeochemical cycling with impacts on vegetation structure and composition, soil conditions, and climate feedbacks. Fire behavior and effects vary based on the types of fuel, fuel dryness, and frequency of ignition. Due to changing climate and land use patterns, fire danger is increasing in many regions globally, and fires are having increasingly devastating impacts on human health, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. Recurrent fires help to determine the distribution of trees and grasses, and overall fuel load, which inform the behavior of future fires. Process-based models can be used to capture multi-scale impacts at the forest stand-level up to the landscape level, and across minutes to centuries, but must capture variation in fire behavior and intensity as a function of the fuel and climate, from high intensity forest crown fires within boreal regions to low intensity rapid grass fires of the tropics. Fire model development demonstrates our ability to capture large scale fire influenced biogeography and vegetation distribution at the earth system scale through vegetation traits and fire feedbacks. At the individual stand scale the importance of interactions and feedbacks between above and below ground process is essential to capturing the vegetation dynamics across boreal forest systems. Improving the mechanics of including plant physiology and specifically live fuel moisture content is the next step to advancing the capability of process based models to inform fire research. Advances in the testing and creation of a mechanistic live fuel moisture model demonstrate the foundation for future live fuel dynamics research that can be informed by field and remote sensing information. Improved remote sensing, technological and modeling capabilities support a more comprehensive and cohesive fire response that will be better equipped to overcome current barriers and anticipate the new reality of fires in a warming world.

wildfires↗

Simulator of Space Communication Networks

Multimission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) is a suite of software tools that simulates the behaviors of communication networks to be used in space exploration, and predict the performance of established and emerging space communication protocols and services. MACHETE consists of four general software systems: (1) a system for kinematic modeling of planetary and spacecraft motions; (2) a system for characterizing the engineering impact on the bandwidth and reliability of deep-space and in-situ communication links; (3) a system for generating traffic loads and modeling of protocol behaviors and state machines; and (4) a system of user-interface for performance metric visualizations. The kinematic-modeling system makes it possible to characterize space link connectivity effects, including occultations and signal losses arising from dynamic slant-range changes and antenna radiation patterns. The link-engineering system also accounts for antenna radiation patterns and other phenomena, including modulations, data rates, coding, noise, and multipath fading. The protocol system utilizes information from the kinematic-modeling and link-engineering systems to simulate operational scenarios of space missions and evaluate overall network performance. In addition, a Communications Effect Server (CES) interface for MACHETE has been developed to facilitate hybrid simulation of space communication networks with actual flight/ground software/hardware embedded in the overall system.

Clare, Loren↗

Analysis and prediction of tilt rotor hover noise

This paper presents new and improved tilt rotor hover noise prediction methods. Calculations include both discrete frequency harmonic noise and broadband noise mechanisms due to the ground plane/fountain recirculating flow. The noise mechanisms studied are thickness, loading, and inflow turbulence noise. In each case aeroacoustic models are developed and compared to noise measurements obtained experimentally for the XV-15 experimental tilt rotor aircraft. Both the effects of the mean and the turbulent fountain flows are found to be important noise sources and have strongly directional radiation patterns toward the rear of the aircraft (the direction of the rotor motion through the fountain flow). Calculations also show that the noise generated by the inflow of ambient atmospheric turbulence can also be an important noise source in hover in some directions. Further development of the methods and models, and precise information about the fountain flow, are needed to improve the predictions and to initiate noise minimization studies.

Coffen, Charles D.↗

Pattern ANalytics To Support High-performance Exploitation and Reasoning (PANTHER)

Sandia researchers are developing analytic techniques that efficiently detect patterns in high-volume, noisy, remote sensing and other geospatial data, improving an analysts’ ability to detect possibly off-normal events in complex homeland security, nuclear weapons, and emerging threat environments. High-consequence, national security decisions rely on timely, comprehensive answers to complex questions, yet critical gaps in our approach to these questions remain. PANTHER addresses these gaps through fundamental research on: geospatial-temporal feature extraction via image segmentation and classification; geospatial-temporal graph algorithms and computational geometry; and domain-relevant models of human perception and cognition informing the design of analytic systems. PANTHER’s cross-disciplinary R&D approach uses fundamental science and mathematics to understand how to maximize decision systems through rethinking key aspects of geospatial data analysis. New methods in motion and trajectory analysis support both rapid search for known trajectories as well as rapid clustering and anomaly detection. Thus, the perceptual and visual load on users is reduced by providing pattern analytics with elegant visual cues to spatial and temporal characteristics.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Automatic identification and quantification of dense microcracks in high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites through deep learning-based computer vision

Highlights: • A method is presented to detect, locate, quantify, and visualize dense microcracks in HPFRCC. • Quantification of dense microcracks is realized using deep learning method for the first time. • The presented method uses deep learning models that are trained using a realistic dataset size. • The presented method has a high computation efficiency for identifying and quantifying cracks. • The presented method provides crack width with errors up to 50 μm and a R{sup 2} value of 0.984. High-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) feature high mechanical strengths, crack resistance, and durability. Under excessive loading, HPFRCCs demonstrate dense microcracks that are difficult to identify using existing methods. This study presents a computer vision method for identification, quantification, and visualization of microcracks in HPFRCCs based on deep learning. The presented method integrates multiple deep learning models and computer vision techniques in a hierarchical architecture. The crack pattern (e.g., number, width, and spacing of cracks) are automatically determined from pictures without human intervention. This study shows that the presented method achieves an accuracy of 0.992 for crack detection and an accuracy finer than 50 μm (R{sup 2} > 0.984) for quantification of crack width when deep learning models are trained using only 200 pictures of HPFRCCs and 200 pictures of conventional concrete with incorporation of data augmentation. The presented method is expected to be also applicable to other materials featuring complex cracks.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗