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At least 325 records · Page 18

Investigation of Microwave Transducers for Linearity Dependence and Applications in Quantum Networking

Quantum devices have the potential to revolutionize applications in computing, communications, and sensing; however, current state-of-art resources must operate at extremely low temperatures, making the routing of microwave control and readout signals challenging to scale. Interest in microwave photonic solutions to this problem has grown in recent years, in which control signals are delivered to the cold stage via optical fiber, where they are converted to electrical signals through photodetection. Overall link performance depends strongly on the characteristics of the photodiode, yet detailed measurements of many detector properties remain lacking at cold temperatures. In this work, we examine and compare the performance of a modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode (MUTC-PD) at both room (300 K) and liquid nitrogen (80 K) temperatures, focusing in particular on responsivity, bandwidth, and linearity. In line with previous work, we find a sharp reduction in responsivity at 1550 nm as temperature decreases, while RF bandwidth remains steady. Interestingly, our linearity tests reveal that the RF output saturates more quickly at 80 K, suggesting reduced linearity with lower temperature, the cause of which is still under investigation. Our results should help contribute to the understanding and future design of highly linear cryogenic quantum links.

Bolton, Summer↗

Climate Services for Agriculture: Tools for Informing Decisions Relating to Climate Change and Climate Variability in the Wine Industry

Australia’s changing climate is already impacting the agriculture sector and will continue to do so in the future. To help respond to these impacts, the Climate Services for Agriculture (CSA) platform presents readily accessible climate data, including future climate projections, relevant to specific agricultural commodities. This wine industry example aims to demonstrate the functionality and utility of the CSA for national use across a broad range of commodities. Methods and Results. The platform includes commodity-relevant climate indices designed in consultation with experts to ensure that they are as salient to producers as possible; the wine-grape specific indices include measures of growing season temperature, rainfall, extreme heat, and frost. Here, we describe the research behind the wine-grape specific indices and present sample outputs from the CSA platform for a site within a selected winegrowing region. We note the CSA platform has been developed through an extensive and continuing user engagement initiative, ensuring it meets the needs of the agriculture community as they grapple with how to make decisions based on longer term climate projections. Conclusions. Provision of past, seasonal outlook, and future climate information for Australia and for a range of important agricultural commodities can help improve on-farm planning and decision-making to respond to climate risks. The wine industry provides a leading example of how to use these data for decision-making, noting ongoing adjustments will be needed. Significance of the Study. The CSA platform brings together historical climate data, seasonal climate outlooks, and future climate projections to assist agricultural producers to better manage climate variability and climate change. It aims to nationalise this information for all major agricultural commodities in Australia. We use wine production as a demonstration case here.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An Extratropical Pathway for the Madden–Julian Oscillation’s Influence on North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

Abstract This study investigates the combined impacts of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and extratropical anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking (AWB) on subseasonal Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) activity and their physical connections. Our results show that during MJO phases 2–3 (enhanced Indian Ocean convection) and 6–7 (enhanced tropical Pacific convection), there are significant changes in basinwide TC activity. The MJO and AWB collaborate to suppress basinwide TC activity during phases 6–7 but not during phases 2–3. During phases 6–7, when AWB occurs, various TC metrics including hurricanes, accumulated cyclone energy, and rapid intensification probability decrease by ∼50%–80%. Simultaneously, large-scale environmental variables, like vertical wind shear, precipitable water, and sea surface temperatures become extremely unfavorable for TC formation and intensification, compared to periods characterized by suppressed AWB activity during the same MJO phases. Further investigation reveals that AWB events during phases 6–7 occur in concert with the development of a stronger anticyclone in the lower troposphere, which transports more dry, stable extratropical air equatorward, and drives enhanced tropical SST cooling. As a result, individual AWB events in phases 6–7 can disturb the development of surrounding TCs to a greater extent than their phases 2–3 counterparts. The influence of the MJO on AWB over the western subtropical Atlantic can be attributed to the modulation of the convectively forced Rossby wave source over the tropical eastern Pacific. A significant number of Rossby waves initiating from this region during phases 5–6 propagate into the subtropical North Atlantic, preceding the occurrence of AWB events in phases 6–7.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Toward CO 2 Multimeasurement Geophysical Monitoring in the North Dakota CarbonSAFE Project

Paper presented at 16th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-16), October 23–27, 2022, Lyon, France. Overcoming data acquisition challenges associated with a lake in the study area, electrical infrastructure around the plant, noise from mine activities, complex near-surface conditions associated with reclaimed mine land, high wind speed, and extremely cold temperatures, data processing, modeling, and inversion of the baseline geophysical data demonstrated the importance of high-quality data for a CO 2 geophysical monitoring program. Implementing more advanced data acquisition and processing techniques in future monitoring surveys can further improve confidence in interpretations of geophysical survey data.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Hydrogen Transport in a Model 9979 Shipping Package with Inner Convenience Cans

Radiolytic hydrogen production and accumulation inside containment packages is a concern at any facility responsible for their packaging, storage, transportation, and/or disposal. When hydrogen gas accumulates to concentrations above the Lower Flammability Limit (LFL) which is 4% or 40,000 ppm in air, the possibility of a deflagration or explosion increases. This concern persists over the course of the package lifetime which is unlimited when disposed of by burial or in permanent repositories. Here, we report on a numerical model used to predict the concentration of hydrogen within each layer of a Model 9979 package containing a convenience can assembly. Simulations show the hydrogen concentration to always be highest in the inner convenience can containing the radioactive source. When the radioactive source is within the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Packaging Limits, the hydrogen concentration is shown to remain well below the LFL at all times including packaging, storage, transportation, and disposal. A hydrogen transport model is presented for a Model 9979 package system containing a nested arrangement of convenience cans, which are tin oxide coated steel cans of various sizes with a slip-lid assembly. The inner convenience can contains the radioactive source material along with an unknown quantity of incidental water acquired from humid air or processing. While visible organic materials such as paper and plastics were purposely excluded from the inner can, it is not possible to claim the wastes are entirely organic free. The inner convenience can is tape sealed and placed into a plastic bag which is horsetail closed (i.e., twisted and taped). The bagged can is placed into an outer convenience can that is also tape sealed. The can assembly is then placed into the 30 gallon drum and subsequently placed inside the 55 gallon drum in the 9979 package. Here we assume hydrogen gas is produced in the inner convenience can from alpha radiolysis of water at a rate dependent on the quantity of uranium isotopes and water present. The hydrogen transport model was used to calculate hydrogen accumulations within the package’s five layers at different times and conditions. These simulations serve two purposes; (i) to build confidence in the model by comparing predicted values to measured values, and (ii) to check the steady state hydrogen concentrations that are approached at long times in the package’s lifetime. Model simulations were compared to gas samples taken from the 30 gallon drum after storage at LANL’s Chemistry and Metallurgy Research (CMR) building for around 500 days. Hydrogen concentration calculations over much longer periods (i.e., more than 270 years) included extreme storage durations, transportation at extreme cold temperatures, and disposal of packages assuming different average temperatures.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

The Present and Future of QCD: QCD Town Meeting White Paper – An Input to the 2023 NSAC Long Range Plan

It is currently understood that there are four fundamental forces in nature: gravitational, electromagnetic, weak and strong forces. The strong force governs the interactions between quarks and gluons, elementary particles whose interactions give rise to the vast majority of visible mass in the universe. The mathematical description of the strong force is provided by the non-Abelian gauge theory Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). While QCD is an exquisite theory, constructing the nucleons and nuclei from quarks, and furthermore explaining the behavior of quarks and gluons at all energies, remain to be complex and challenging problems. Such challenges, along with the desire to understand all visible matter at the most fundamental level, position the study of QCD as a central thrust of research in nuclear science. Experimental insight into the strong force can be gained using large particle accelerator facilities, which are necessary to probe the very short distance scales over which quarks and gluons interact. The Long Range Plans (LRPs) exercise of 1989 and 1996 led directly to the construction of two world-class facilities: the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab (JLab) that is focused on studying how the structure of hadrons emerges from QCD (cold QCD research), and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) that aims at the discovery and study of a new state of matter, the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), at extremely high temperatures (hot QCD research). These past investments have produced major advances. Nucleons and nuclei are being studied with increasing precision with a unified description of the partonic structure utilizing multi-dimensional imaging. Significant progress has been made, paving the way towards a complete picture of how quarks and gluons give rise to the mass, spin, and momentum of the nucleon. In hot QCD, the QGP is created in the collisions of nuclei at RHIC and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and is observed to behave like a fluid with very low specific shear viscosity; the current goals are to understand how the fluid behavior emerges from QCD and to characterize the temperature (and chemical potential) dependence of the properties of the QGP. As this White Paper is written, current experimental programs at CEBAF, RHIC and the LHC continue to provide exciting near term opportunities to capitalize on the investments in experimental equipment and accelerator operations. Most importantly, the QCD community looks forward to the construction of the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) as a major new facility to push forward QCD research in the next decades, with significant focus on exploring the properties of gluons, the mediators of the strong force.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Developing nanometer scale, atomically precise metallo-catalysts with Molecular Lego

We propose to create atomically precise, highly robust, nanometer scale macromolecules that organize biomimetic metal binding groups in designed three-dimensional pockets to accelerate specific polymerization reactions. These atomically precise catalysts will create atomically precise polymers with improved mechanical and environmental properties from renewable building blocks. We seek to create and study nanometer scale catalysts that mimic metallo-enzymes in their activity and selectivity because these larger catalysts will be able to make more extensive non-covalent contacts with the transition state of the growing polymer. These catalysts will have extended lifetimes because they will better protect the metals and higher activity because additional reactive groups can be brought in close contact with the active site to enhance reactivity. They will be far more tolerant to extremes of temperature and will not denature in non-aqueous solvents because they are held together by multiple, strong, covalent bonds. Our approach to catalysts could be used to develop catalysts to replace noble metal-based catalysts when targeting other reactions, because the geometry of the active site enforced by the Molecular Lego scaffolding will access new reactivity, mimicking how nature uses earth abundant metals for much of its catalysis. We will initially target Lewis acid-based catalysts that assemble aliphatic polyesters with improved stereoselectivity, tacticity and complex alternation of monomers. Aliphatic polyesters have received growing attention as attractive, environmentally benign, and sustainable alternatives to polymers developed from petroleum feedstocks. Aliphatic polyesters are environmentally friendly because they undergo facile hydrolytic degradation to benign products, and they have excellent properties and high biocompatibility. We will assemble these catalysts using unique “Spiroligomers” (aka Molecular Lego) chemistry developed in the Schafmeister group combined with the organometallic chemistry expertise of the Dobereiner group. Polymers are an attractive synthetic target of nanoscale atomically precise catalysts because their resulting structure, stereochemistry and tacticity has profound impact on their properties (crystalline vs amorphous) and provides a readout of the catalytic mechanism. Polymer synthesis also serves as an example of “atomically precise manufacturing” where atomically precise nanoscale catalysts construct polymers with atomic precision at increasing length scales.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Calculating Reactivity and Fusion Energy Yield

During my time at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, I had the opportunity to intern at the HEDS (High Energy Density Science) Center and become an IFE (Inertial Fusion Energy) summer student for three weeks with Dr. Veronika Kruse as my mentor. Within this time frame, my research project’s goal was to develop an understanding of nuclear fusion while building technical skills in calculating and analyzing the required data. The following report outlines the process of calculating reactivity curves and energy yields of specific fusion reactions. For context, nuclear fusion is when two atomic nuclei combine, and energy is released. NIF (the National Ignition Facility), located at LLNL, uses laser-based inertial confinement fusion to achieve ignition. To simplify the process, NIF uses lasers to heat a small sphere or capsule, made up of primarily deuterium and tritium, to extremely high temperatures and densities to achieve fusion ignition, where more energy is released than the lasers introduced.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Development of Additive Manufacturing for Ceramic Matrix Composite Vanes

This report discusses the development of additive manufacturing for polymer-derived ceramic materials to create novel cooled gas turbine airfoils made from ceramics. Gas turbine engines have extremely high temperatures in the hot section of the engine that exceed the melting point of nickel superalloy materials that the engine is made from. Advanced cooling technologies have been developed over decades for metallic parts. Ceramic materials have higher temperature capabilities than superalloys, but are difficult to shape in the complex designs used in modern turbines. Several thrusts were investigated during the project, including development of higher material strength resins, improvement of ultraviolet (UV) photopolymerization and post-processing techniques to increase survivability of ceramic parts, thermomechanical modeling of novel ceramic airfoil designs for higher cooling effectiveness, and experimental validation of the modeling and manufacturing in a turbine vane test facility at nondimensional conditions that are relevant to modern gas turbines. Some major findings of the work include a significant increase in ceramic survivability during pyrolysis (a high temperature process that converts the organic material to a ceramic) by adjusting the composition ratios of the resins, as well as a tolulene soak after printing to remove unreacted polymer material. Thermomechanical optimization of the internal cooling structure indicated that a high density pin fin array would enable an 80% increase in overall cooling effectiveness relative to a baseline geometry, which was later verified during experimental testing in a high speed linear cascade. Ceramic vanes were tested at Mach numbers of up to 0.9 which is relevant to modern gas turbines. High temperature capability of the ceramic vanes was not tested in this work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Synthesis and Characterization of Superconductor Diodes

In the era of modern computing, quantum bits (or qubits) are extensively researched due to their ability to perform computations exponentially faster than classical computers. One promising method for synthesizing qubits on a macroscopic scale is through superconductor diodes (SDs). Unfortunately, SDs are currently limited by their dependence on extremely low temperatures (T ≈ 0K), which restricts their practical usability at larger scales. To address this limitation, researchers are exploring new materials and methods to identify superconductors with higher critical temperatures. My research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) focuses on synthesizing and characterizing superconductor diodes to determine their efficiency for quantum computing applications. Bismuth thin films were synthesized with magnetron sputtering with separate thicknesses which provides information on methods to alter their resistivity. Bismuth was characterized as the topological insulator used in the diode, and its resistivity was measured using a standard four-point probe technique with 1 mA current. Bismuth (99.99% pure) was then purified in a tubular furnace at 400C to use within a Josephson junction as a topological insulator. Niobium and Tantalum Josephson junctions were then synthesized, and they were characterized using a lock-in amplifier four-point probe technique. Materials such as niobium and tantalum are used in high-entropy alloy research, which is a relatively new class of material that has little research within the superconductor diode community, yet the current research shows promise. We anticipate that testing high-entropy superconductors will reveal crucial factors, potentially leading to the development of high-temperature superconductors in the future.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The right conditions for high-precision dynamic temperature and heat capacity measurement via pyrometry and conductivity

The pursuit of accurate bulk temperature T under extreme conditions has been a long-standing goal of the high pressure science community, complicated by a lack of data to inform models. To reach these extremely high-pressure, high-temperature (high P − T) conditions, a combination of dynamic and heated static experiments (e.g., diamond or gem anvil cel experiments) are used. For example, in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) experiment, a sample placed in the DAC is first pressurized. Following pressurization, the sample T is increased either by heating the entire DAC (usually using resistive heating, and limited to ∼1000K) or by applying intense laser power to the sample surfaces. In a dynamic experiment, the process of pressurizing the sample also heats it. In the case of shock physics experiments, such heating is substantial, easily reaching thousands of Kelvin; in our work we have seen T ∼17000K. Most methods of measuring temperature at ambient are not compatible with experiments under these high-pressure, high-temperature conditions: thermocouples break, melt, or have conductivity properties that differ from ambient where they are calibrated; thermometers would melt; both are too slow. As a result most methods are based on non-contact techniques such as x-ray diffraction broadening, neutron scattering, or optical methods. Of these, optical methods using the visible and near-infrared region of the spectrum are the most commonly used as the sources and detectors are readily available. In the case of optical methods the optical depth, and therefore the measurement location, is limited to the surface. When a window or anvil material is used, heat flows from the sample into the window/anvil. Likewise, if the sample undergoes a change in thermodynamic state, such as expansion upon release, different T may be expected. As a result, the surface or apparent temperature T app measurement will differ from the bulk or interior temperature that is desired. This surface measurement must be related to the bulk measurement using thermal transport models and material models. While it is tempting to conclude that one should just use x-ray methods that directly probe the interior, even these methods have been shown to depend on thermal transport and material models. Regardless of the method used to create the high P − T condition, therefore, we must understand the role of thermal transport and material models upon our interpretation of the T measurement, as well as the errors and uncertainties associated with the choice of models used in the analysis. This is a substantial area of research and this paper is by no means a complete survey of the relevant sources of uncertainty. For example, we have yet to begin to address alternate transport models in a detailed manner (e.g., Tan-Ahrens), or the many models that use additional layers to approximate melting, turbulence, or epitaxial phenomena). Likewise, we have not explored the impact upon uncertainty of thermal models that use temperature-dependent thermal transport coefficients, or the wide range of material models that can be applied. Instead, this paper focuses on using one simple model, the Urtiew-Grover model, to understand the sources of error in T measurement so that we may identify how best to focus future research efforts to return the best improvements and avoid working on over-optimizing a single type of measurement. To this end, we work through some of the best and worst case scenarios for T measurement.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Plasma Flow Reactor Investigation into Nucleation of Uranium Oxide on Silica Substrates to Better Understand Fallout Formation

Understanding particulate formation in nuclear debris is critical for predicting fallout transport after a nuclear event. Improved characterization of fallout formation and transport could lead to better guidance for emergency response in a post-detonation scenario. By analyzing how U-oxides nucleate onto different forms of SiO 2 (crystalline and amorphous), we can gain insight into how entrained environmental materials may incorporate into fallout. In this experiment a Plasma Flow Reactor (PFR), was used to replicate the high temperature and extreme flow conditions in a nuclear fireball. Uranyl nitrate was injected into the plasma, and PFR-generated Uranium oxides were allowed to condense onto amorphous (nanoparticles of varying sizes) or crystalline (quartz) SiO 2 substrates. SiO 2 substrates were characterized before and after U-oxide deposition using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) based techniques (i.e. EDS) in order to characterize how U-oxides may nucleate onto these substrates. After a collection time of 4 minutes at an RF coil distance of 25cm, both the amorphous SiO 2 nanoparticles and the crystalline structures demonstrated dendritic nucleation of U-oxide species as identified by SEM/EDS.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Design and Validation of a Cryogenic Dilatometer

This project focuses on the design and development of a cryogenic dilatometer capable of measuring the thermal expansion of materials at extremely low temperatures. Understanding how materials change dimension with temperature is critical for applications involving cryogenic environments, particularly laminated systems housing superconducting magnets, where small dimensional changes can significantly affect performance and reliability. To address this, a dilatometer system was designed to operate within a liquid nitrogen environment while accurately measuring displacements caused by thermal contraction. The purpose of this device is to determine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a material. The design process involved defining functional requirements, developing mechanical and thermal concepts for the measurement apparatus, selecting appropriate materials compatible with cryogenic temperatures, and integrating sensors capable of detecting small dimensional changes. The resulting system aims to provide a practical and repeatable method for evaluating material thermal expansion at cryogenic temperatures, supporting research into composite use in superconducting applications that require accurate characterization of material behavior in low-temperature environments.

Schmitt, Nicholas [Northern Illinois U.]↗

Heat Pumps and Energy Recovering Ventilators in Northern Alaska

The intended purpose of this project was to bring alternative heat and ventilation options to rural communities off the road system in Northwestern Alaska. Most of the residents of these communities are reliant upon kerosene or other fossil fuels to provide heat to their homes. Our intention was to offer an alternative to using those sources by providing heat pumps to 45 homes in the communities of Elim and Koyuk. When projecting energy use for these units based on the fuel prices at the time, it was discovered that energy costs for heat pumps would equal or slightly exceed the costs of existing kerosene units. Secondly, as part of our E&l grant we installed 45 energy recovery ventilators (ERV’s) in those same homes. This was important given our experience over the years with moisture and comfort issues in most homes within this region. Exhaust-only systems are rarely used due to the high heating costs. Additionally, exhaust-only systems have a potential risk of back drafting due to tight building construction. Balanced systems like this eliminate that risk while improving indoor air quality. Another benefit to these types of systems is the fact that they help transfer heat from a single heat source equally throughout the building. Our overall goal was to offer new technology options to improve these structures and the families that reside in them where, given their location and extreme seasonal temperature swings, they have historically never been offered.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Carbon stored in live ponderosa pines in the Sierra Nevada will not return to pre-drought (2012) levels during the 21st century due to bark beetle outbreaks

Outbreaks of several bark beetle species can develop rapidly in response to drought and may result in large transfers of carbon (C) stored in live trees to C stored in dead trees (10s of Tg C yr -1 in the western U.S. alone), which over time will be released back to the atmosphere. The western pine beetle (WPB) outbreak incited by the 2012–2015 mega-drought in the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S., could portend more frequent and/or severe bark beetle outbreaks as the temperature warms and drought frequency and intensity increase in the future. However, changes in the frequency and/or severity (resultant levels of host tree mortality) of beetle outbreaks are difficult to predict as outbreaks are complex with non-linear and eruptive processes primarily driven by interactions among beetle populations, the demography of hosts and other tree species, and climate and weather. Using an insect phenology and tree defense model, we projected the future likelihood of WPB outbreaks in the Sierra Nevada with climate drivers from different Earth System Models. Our goal was to understand how host (ponderosa pine, PIPO) recovery and future warming and drought affect the frequency and severity of WPB outbreaks and their C consequences. Our projections suggested that by 2100 the C stored in live PIPO (mean: 1.98 kg C m -2 , 95% CI: 1.74–2.21 kg C m -2 ) will not return to levels that occurred before the 2012–2015 drought (2012: ~2.30 kg C m –2 ) due to future WPB outbreaks. However, differences in climate models indicate a wide range of possible WPB outbreak frequencies and severities. Our results suggest that total plot basal area is the most significant factor in the mortality rate of PIPO by WPB in any given year, followed by drought severity and temperature. High levels of host basal area, higher temperature, and extreme drought all contribute to the frequency and severity of future WPB outbreaks. While PIPO basal area may decline under increased drought and warming, limiting high-stand basal area (>60 m 2 ha -1 ) may reduce the severity of future WPB outbreaks in the Sierra Nevada.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Genomic profiles of four novel cyanobacteria MAGs from Lake Vanda, Antarctica: insights into photosynthesis, cold tolerance, and the circadian clock

Cyanobacteria in polar environments face environmental challenges, including cold temperatures and extreme light seasonality with small diurnal variation, which has implications for polar circadian clocks. However, polar cyanobacteria remain underrepresented in available genomic data, and there are limited opportunities to study their genetic adaptations to these challenges. This paper presents four new Antarctic cyanobacteria metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from microbial mats in Lake Vanda in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. The four MAGs were classified as Leptolyngbya sp. BulkMat.35, Pseudanabaenaceae cyanobacterium MP8IB2.15, Microcoleus sp. MP8IB2.171, and Leptolyngbyaceae cyanobacterium MP9P1.79. The MAGs contain 2.76 Mbp – 6.07 Mbp, and the bin completion ranges from 74.2–92.57%. Furthermore, the four cyanobacteria MAGs have average nucleotide identities (ANIs) under 90% with each other and under 77% with six existing polar cyanobacteria MAGs and genomes. This suggests that they are novel cyanobacteria and demonstrates that polar cyanobacteria genomes are underrepresented in reference databases and there is continued need for genome sequencing of polar cyanobacteria. Analyses of the four novel and six existing polar cyanobacteria MAGs and genomes demonstrate they have genes coding for various cold tolerance mechanisms and most standard circadian rhythm genes with the Leptolyngbya sp. BulkMat.35 and Leptolyngbyaceae cyanobacterium MP9P1.79 contained kaiB3, a divergent homolog of kaiB.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Analysis of Correlation between Cold Weather Meteorological Variables and Electricity Outages

The significance of the impact of weather on the electric grid has grown as climate change continues to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. In recent years (2021-2022) in particular, extreme winter weather has affected the grid in locations in the US rarely exposed to extreme low temperatures, snow and icing conditions. Here we analyze the correlation between cold weather meteorological variables and electricity outages during two large winter storm events, Uri (February 2021) and Landon (February 2022) using Random Forest machine learning and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Our geographical focus across the two storms is the state of Texas. Extrapolation of the method to winter weather impacts over other years and additional locations is proposed.

Dumas, Melissa↗

Advanced Characterization Capabilities for Nuclear Materials via Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF)

Advanced post-irradiation examination (PIE) techniques are required to design new or improved nuclear materials, characterize, and understand in-core behavior of fuel and materials, and support the qualification of new reactor materials. The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's only designated nuclear science user facility. NSUF provides researchers access to PIE capabilities at Idaho National Laboratory and at a diverse mix of university, national laboratory and industrial partner institutions. The PIE capabilities include novel destructive and non-destructive techniques for radiation damage characterization, such as advanced diffraction techniques (X-ray, electron, or neutron) coupled to extreme environments; in-situ observation of microstructural evolution under irradiation; in-situ irradiation to monitor corrosive attack in coolant environments; in-situ irradiation and mechanical testing; and test methods for synergistic effects of superimposed extreme environments (temperature, irradiation, stress, corrosion) on materials behaviors. This talk will provide an overview of NSUF PIE capabilities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗