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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 289 records · Page 16

Processed Lab Data for Neural Network-Based Shear Stress Level Prediction

Machine learning can be used to predict fault properties such as shear stress, friction, and time to failure using continuous records of fault zone acoustic emissions. The files are extracted features and labels from lab data (experiment p4679). The features are extracted with a non-overlapping window from the original acoustic data. The first column is the time of the window. The second and third columns are the mean and the variance of the acoustic data in this window, respectively. The 4th-11th column is the the power spectrum density ranging from low to high frequency. And the last column is the corresponding label (shear stress level). The name of the file means which driving velocity the sequence is generated from. Data were generated from laboratory friction experiments conducted with a biaxial shear apparatus. Experiments were conducted in the double direct shear configuration in which two fault zones are sheared between three rigid forcing blocks. Our samples consisted of two 5-mm-thick layers of simulated fault gouge with a nominal contact area of 10 by 10 cm^2. Gouge material consisted of soda-lime glass beads with initial particle size between 105 and 149 micrometers. Prior to shearing, we impose a constant fault normal stress of 2 MPa using a servo-controlled load-feedback mechanism and allow the sample to compact. Once the sample has reached a constant layer thickness, the central block is driven down at constant rate of 10 micrometers per second. In tandem, we collect an AE signal continuously at 4 MHz from a piezoceramic sensor embedded in a steel forcing block about 22 mm from the gouge layer The data from this experiment can be used with the deep learning algorithm to train it for future fault property prediction.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion

Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and other short oligonucleotides play fundamental roles in immune system activation in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. In response, viruses use phosphodiesterase (PDE)-mediated oligonucleotide cleavage for immune evasion, a strategy whose diversity has not yet been explored. Here, we use a canonical 2H PDE (2H PDE) structure-based search of prokaryotic and eukaryotic viral sequences to identify an exceptional diversity of 2H PDEs across the virome, including enzymes not detectable with sequence search methods alone. Despite active site conservation, biochemical experiments reveal remarkable substrate specificity of these PDEs that corresponds to variations in the core 2H fold. This nuanced specificity allows 2H PDEs to selectively degrade oligonucleotide messengers to avoid interfering with host nucleotide signaling. Together, these findings nominate viral 2H PDEs as key regulators of CDN signaling across the tree of life.

CBASS↗

Inorganic Alterations in Unconventional Shale Reservoirs: Importance of Additive and Base Fluid Chemistry

The effective development of unconventional petroleum systems requires the use of significant water resources. In an effort to reduce the consumption of freshwater resources for hydraulic fracturing, highly saline produced waters are increasingly recycled for use as a base fluid. However, there are significant knowledge gaps regarding potential water–rock interactions resulting from the introduction of produced waters and associated additives into shale reservoirs such as formation and deposition of mineral scale, which can negatively affect hydrocarbon production through wellbore restriction and damage to hydraulically generated fractures. To assess the impacts of field stimulation practices in the subsurface, a series of laboratory experiments were completed using (a) three distinct sedimentary rock formations of the Midland Basin (Texas, USA) and (b) additives with two different base fluids: municipal fresh water and clean brine. The experimental approach used relevant injection sequences and mixing ratios in specialized reactors for 3 weeks. Static pressurized experiments and nonpressurized time-resolved experiments were undertaken. The resulting solids and liquids were analyzed by using a variety of laboratory- and synchrotron-based techniques. The use of an acid spearhead (15% HCl) resulted in texturing of both clay-rich and calcareous shales, which can temporarily enhance porosity but subsequently result in mineral scale deposition. The primary matrix scale was Fe(III)-bearing phases, which occurred in all experiments regardless of base fluid chemistry. Additionally, strontium sulfate (SrSO 4 ) precipitated on shale surfaces when clean brines were used. It was concluded that clean brine was the main source of Sr 2+ species, while persulfate breaker degradation and oxidation of pyrite were the sources of SO 4 2– . Sulfate scaling was more pronounced in clay-rich shales, suggesting that Sr sorption is important for promoting celestite formation. This work demonstrates that mineral scale deposition is a complex phenomenon, whereby the type and proportions of various mineral phases are determined from reservoir alteration processes and coprecipitation of constituents from injection fluids. In conclusion, the experimental results shown here should be considered when evaluating different base fluids and additives in order to mitigate mineral precipitation in unconventional shale reservoirs, which could result in reservoir degradation.

Jew, Adam D. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory↗

Systems Analysis of the Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Sorghum Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Water Use Efficiency and Interactions with the Soil Microbiome (Final Report for DE-SC0014395)

The specific project objectives were to: 1) Conduct deep census surveys of root microbiomes concurrent with phenotypic characterizations of a diverse panel of sorghum genotypes across multiple years to define the microbes associated with the most productive lines under drought and low nitrogen conditions. 2) Associate systems-level genotypic, microbial, and environmental factors with improved sorghum performance using robust statistical approaches. 3) Develop culture collections of sorghum root/leaf associated microbes that recapitulate root-enriched sequences defined in the census. 4) Perform controlled environment experiments for in-depth characterization and hypothesis testing of G sorghum x G microbe x E interactions . Validate physiological mechanisms, map genetic loci for stress tolerance, and determine the persistence of optimal microbial strains under greenhouse and field conditions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A dual-beam actinic light source for photosynthesis research

Simulation of photosynthetic process in plants is accomplished by using two separate and identical optical channels that provide independently adjustable wavelengths (filters), shutter sequencing, and control intensity of illumination. In addition to experiments using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, system may be applicable to other types of research in photosynthetic field.

Margozzi, A. P.↗

Simulation of flexible appendage interactions with Mariner Venus/Mercury attitude control and science platform pointing

A new computer subroutine, which solves the attitude equations of motion for any vehicle idealized as a topological tree of hinge-connected rigid bodies, is used to simulate and analyze science instrument pointing control interaction with a flexible Mariner Venus/Mercury (MVM) spacecraft. The subroutine's user options include linearized or partially linearized hinge-connected models whose computational advantages are demonstrated for the MVM problem. Results of the pointing control/flexible vehicle interaction simulations, including imaging experiment pointing accuracy predictions and implications for MVM science sequence planning, are described in detail.

Fleischer, G. E.↗

One atmosphere melting experiments on ilmenite basalt 12008

An evaluation of a crystal-fractionation model for Apollo 12 ilmenite basalts with melting experiments under controlled oxygen fugacities is reported. The crystallization sequence including olivine, chromium spinel, and pigeonite phases was determined, showing that the changes in melt composition are dominated by olivine crystallization and the decrease in MgO with a corresponding increase in CaO, Al2O3, and TiO2. It is concluded that the bulk composition of the ilmenite basalts was established by crystallization of olivine and minor spinel prior to the onset of pyroxene and plagioclase.

Rhodes, J. M.↗

On the mean particle size and water content of polar mesospheric clouds

Results from the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment (UVS) aboard the Solar Mesospheric Explorer, which measures ultraviolet sunlight scattered from air molecules in the mesosphere, are reported and discussed. The UVS experiment, its observing modes, and details of the observing sequence are described. The data are compared with predictions of Mie scattering theory, assuming the size distribution is parameterized by a mean radius and a width parameter. The water ice content, mean particle radius, and column number are calculated as a function of cloud brightness, and in terms of the unknown width parameter. It is concluded that polar mesospheric cloud particles are quite small, having average volume-effective radii less than 70 mm, and that clouds differ in their optical properties mainly as a result of their mean particle size.

Thomas, G. E.↗

Benchmarking and performance analysis of the CM-2

A suite of benchmarking routines testing communication, basic arithmetic operations, and selected kernel algorithms written in LISP and PARIS was developed for the CM-2. Experiment runs are automated via a software framework that sequences individual tests, allowing for unattended overnight operation. Multiple measurements are made and treated statistically to generate well-characterized results from the noisy values given by cm:time. The results obtained provide a comparison with similar, but less extensive, testing done on a CM-1. Tests were chosen to aid the algorithmist in constructing fast, efficient, and correct code on the CM-2, as well as gain insight into what performance criteria are needed when evaluating parallel processing machines.

Myers, David W.↗

Connecting science and operations: The operations coordinator

For a current space mission under development at the Applied Physics Laboratory, the Mission Operations staff includes a team of 'Operations Coordinators' who have been working with the Mission Science and Spacecraft Development teams since completion of mission conceptual design. The Operations Coordinators are responsible for bringing knowledge of the spacecraft to the Mission Science team and bringing knowledge of the experiment requirements to the Spacecraft Development and Mission Operations teams. Once on-orbit operations begin, the Operations Coordinators will be responsible for implementation of specific science experiments from analysis through scheduling, generation of spacecraft command sequences, delivery of science data to the end user, and operations assessment. The Operations Coordinator concept is proving very effective during the development phase of the current mission.

Marshall, Madeleine H.↗

Skylab: The First 40 Days

This video records the launch of unmanned Skylab-1 on May 14, 1973 and the major problems resulting from the loss of the meteoroid heat shield. Also shown is the fabrication of materials and the equipment used in the repair operation, followed by the installation of the parasol after the launch and docking of the manned SL-2 with the SL-1 workshop. The onboard sequences of daily work routines and some of the experiments are included.

AV Corporation↗

Universal Jaynes-Cummings Control of an Oscillator

The Jaynes-Cummings (JC) interaction-the coherent exchange of excitations between a two-level system and a harmonic oscillator-is one of the fundamental interactions of quantum optics, realized across platforms such as cavity quantum electrodynamics, trapped ions, mechanical resonators, and superconducting circuits. Although JC interactions and qubit rotations form a universal gate set for oscillator control, practical implementations have not been demonstrated. Here we develop and experimentally demonstrate universal JC-based oscillator control by compiling arbitrary unitary gates into sequences of JC interactions and qubit rotations. In our experiment, the oscillator is realized using a mode of a high quality factor microwave cavity and the ancilla qubit using a superconducting transmon circuit, with the JC interaction implemented by a sideband interaction enabled by the Josephson nonlinearity. The native gates are constructed to be closed below a chosen cutoff photon number, encoding a qudit with suppressed leakage errors, while ancilla relaxation errors are detectable. We further find that the dispersive shift serves as a compilation resource that reduces circuit depths. We demonstrate universal qudit control and implement a single-qutrit gate set with a mean post-selected process fidelity of 96%, as well as ququart and ququint shift gates. These results establish Jaynes-Cummings control as a practical route to universal oscillator control, enabling programmable bosonic processors across a variety of quantum platforms.

Huang, Jordan [Rutgers U., Piscataway]↗

Emergence of Complexity in Protein Functions and Metabolic Networks

In modern organisms proteins perform a majority of cellular functions, such as chemical catalysis, energy transduction and transport of material across cell walls. Although great strides have been made towards understanding protein evolution, a meaningful extrapolation from contemporary proteins to their earliest ancestors is virtually impossible. In an alternative approach, the origin of water-soluble proteins was probed through the synthesis of very large libraries of random amino acid sequences and subsequently subjecting them to in vitro evolution. In combination with computer modeling and simulations, these experiments allow us to address a number of fundamental questions about the origins of proteins. Can functionality emerge from random sequences of proteins? How did the initial repertoire of functional proteins diversify to facilitate new functions? Did this diversification proceed primarily through drawing novel functionalities from random sequences or through evolution of already existing proto-enzymes? Did protein evolution start from a pool of proteins defined by a frozen accident and other collections of proteins could start a different evolutionary pathway? Although we do not have definitive answers to these questions, important clues have been uncovered. Considerable progress has been also achieved in understanding the origins of membrane proteins. We will address this issue in the example of ion channels - proteins that mediate transport of ions across cell walls. Remarkably, despite overall complexity of these proteins in contemporary cells, their structural motifs are quite simple, with -helices being most common. By combining results of experimental and computer simulation studies on synthetic models and simple, natural channels, I will show that, even though architectures of membrane proteins are not nearly as diverse as those of water-soluble proteins, they are sufficiently flexible to adapt readily to the functional demands arising during evolution.

Pohorille, Andzej↗

Markovian Statistical Data Analysis of Single-Event Upsets Triggered by High Intensity Neutrons

This paper analyzes data from a single-event upset experiment conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Statistical tools, based on well-known x(sup 2) hypothesis testing theory, are used to determine if sequences of upsets can be modeled as a homogeneous Markov chain of a specific order. The experiment consisted of radiating a new experimental flight control computer (FCC) with a high intensity neutron beam while the FCC controlled a simulation of a Boeing 737. The analyzed data is a sequence of states that indicates when the FCC is under an upset condition.

Lakdawala, Anushka V.↗

The Lunar Environment

The NASA lunar exploration program has focused the attention of many scientific and technical groups on such questions as the relative value of lunar experiments, the advantages of manned versus unmanned exploration, and the proper time sequence for the steps to be taken in the exploration program. It is interesting to note that all the approaches to the problem require a definition of the lunar environment at an early stage in the program. The choice of scientific experiments and the design of the required instrumentation is based on our present knowledge of the Moon and on educated guesses as to what data may be obtained. The technical developments required to make possible both a lunar landing and continued operation of scientific equipment on the lunar surface also demand a definition of the lunar environment as a design condition.

Buwalda, Phyllis↗

Asymmetric oligomerization state and sequence patterning can tune multiphase condensate miscibility

Endogenous biomolecular condensates, composed of a multitude of proteins and RNAs, can organize into multiphasic structures with compositionally distinct phases. This multiphasic organization is generally understood to be critical for facilitating their proper biological function. However, the biophysical principles driving multiphase formation are not completely understood. Here we use in vivo condensate reconstitution experiments and coarse-grained molecular simulations to investigate how oligomerization and sequence interactions modulate multiphase organization in biomolecular condensates. We demonstrate that increasing the oligomerization state of an intrinsically disordered protein results in enhanced immiscibility and multiphase formation. Interestingly, we find that oligomerization tunes the miscibility of intrinsically disordered proteins in an asymmetric manner, with the effect being more pronounced when the intrinsically disordered protein, exhibiting stronger homotypic interactions, is oligomerized. Our findings suggest that oligomerization is a flexible biophysical mechanism that cells can exploit to tune the internal organization of biomolecular condensates and their associated biological functions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Intrinsic ultraviolet colors from OAO-2 Celescope observations for stars on the main sequence.

Intrinsic ultraviolet colors (Vi-V)o have been determined with ultraviolet magnitudes derived from several hundred observations taken with the photometers of OAO-2's Celescope experiment. Relationships between intrinsic ultraviolet color, (B-V)o, and spectral class are presented for main-sequence stars from B 0 to G 3. A brief description of the Celescope and its calibration is included, and a comparison of the determined colors is made with theoretical colors.

Haramundanis, K.↗