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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Equation of state for Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au to multi-terapascal pressures from density-functional theory

We present the zero-temperature equation of state (pressure dependence of compression) and phase stability predictions for the 5d-transition metals obtained from all-electron density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results compare favorably with experiments but extend beyond current experimental capabilities to 10 TPa. Our study reveals phase changes that are explained from the calculated electronic structure. The cubic face-centered and body-centered structures (fcc and bcc), together with two-, three-, and four-layered hexagonal structures, play major roles under compression. The results’ dependence on the electron exchange and correlation in the DFT approach is investigated, and it is shown that the impact of the choice, while significant at lower pressures, diminishes in the terapascal regime. We further illustrate that the normal parabolic trends in atomic volume and bulk modulus with atomic number, due to the occupation of bonding and anti-bonding 5d states, break down at TPa pressures, suggesting drastically different chemical bonding at these extreme conditions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1983

VII. Plasma Effects

Radio communication with space probes requires sending signals through the Earth's ionosphere and usually the solar wind. During planetary flybys, the signal may also pass through the ionosphere of another planet. These ionized media can perturb the radio signal in a variety of ways. Examples of these perturbations are variations in the electrical length between the spacecraft and the ground station, Faraday rotation of linearly polarized signals, amplitude and phase scintillations, and spectral and angular broadening. These plasma effects can have undesirable influences on telemetry performance and thus need to be understood from a communications engineering viewpoint. The plasma effects are, however, useful from a scientific viewpoint, since the effects on the communications link can often be inverted to estimate the physical conditions in the plasma.

John W Armstrong↗
NASA NTRS2026

The Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper: A New 8-10 GHz Telescope To Map the Polarization of the Northern Sky

The Canadian Galactic Emission Mapper (CGEM) radio telescope is mapping polarized Galactic foregrounds from 8-10 GHz to aid in the search for B-modes in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Here we describe the design and early on-sky characterization of the CGEM optics. CGEM employs an on-axis, hat feed optical design that is a body of revolution (BOR) and exhibits excellent intrinsic polarization purity. We describe how we have optimized the optics with a novel framework that can directly minimize simulated intensity to polarized intensity (T → P) leakage in angular power spectrum space. The optimized optics exhibit simulated T → P leakage that is orders of magnitude below anticipated CℓBB for r = 10 −3 when scaled from 8-10 GHz to the CMB observing window near 95 GHz. We go on to describe the mechanical design of the optics, including a novel secondary mirror support made from Astroquartz composite that has low loss, low dielectric constant, and preserves the BOR symmetry of the optics. We then showcase the early on-sky performance of the optics with observations of the Sun and satellites, which probe the beam to 40dB down from the peak. A beam model for the deployed CGEM optics based on electromagnetic simulations is in excellent agreement with the on-sky data.

cosmic microwave background↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optimal experimental design using eigenvalue-based criteria with Pyomo.DoE

New developments in automated optimal experimental design within the PSE+ software ecosystem. Advancements in user experience (to reduce the time taken to perform optimal experiment design) and computational capabilities (allowing more diverse experimental design) are shown with an example relevant to critical minerals and materials. Also, a small tutorial on science-based optimal experimental design and novel contributions therein are presented.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2027

From zonal to nodal capacity expansion planning: Spatial aggregation impacts on a realistic test-case

Solving power system capacity expansion planning (CEP) problems at realistic spatial resolutions is computationally challenging. Thus, a common practice is to solve CEP over zonal models with low spatial resolution rather than over full-scale nodal power networks. Due to improvements in solving large-scale stochastic mixed integer programs, these computational limitations are becoming less relevant, and the assumption that zonal models are realistic and useful approximations of nodal CEP is worth revisiting. Here, this work is the first to conduct a systematic computational study on the assumption that spatial aggregation can reasonably be used for ISO-scale CEP. By considering a realistic, large-scale test network based on the state of California with over 8000 buses, we find that well-designed small spatial aggregations can yield good approximations but that coarser zonal models may result in large distortions of investment decisions, e.g., capacity under-investment of up to 41% for the lowest resolution model considered.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2013

A Panchromatic View of the Restless SN 2009ip Reveals the Explosive Ejection of a Massive Star Envelope

The double explosion of SN 2009ip in 2012 raises questions about our understanding of the late stages of massive star evolution. Here we present a comprehensive study of SN 2009ip during its remarkable rebrightenings. High-cadence photometric and spectroscopic observations from the GeV to the radio band obtained from a variety of ground-based and space facilities (including the Very Large Array, Swift, Fermi, Hubble Space Telescope, and XMM) constrain SN 2009ip to be a low energy (E (is) approximately 10(exp 50) erg for an ejecta mass approximately 0.5 solar mass) and asymmetric explosion in a complex medium shaped by multiple eruptions of the restless progenitor star. Most of the energy is radiated as a result of the shock breaking out through a dense shell of material located at approximately 5 × 10( exp 14) cm with M approximately 0.1 solar mass, ejected by the precursor outburst approximately 40 days before the major explosion. We interpret the NIR excess of emission as signature of material located further out, the origin of which has to be connected with documented mass-loss episodes in the previous years. Our modeling predicts bright neutrino emission associated with the shock break-out if the cosmic-ray energy is comparable to the radiated energy. We connect this phenomenology with the explosive ejection of the outer layers of the massive progenitor star, which later interacted with material deposited in the surroundings by previous eruptions. Future observations will reveal if the massive luminous progenitor star survived. Irrespective of whether the explosion was terminal, SN 2009ip brought to light the existence of new channels for sustained episodic mass loss, the physical origin of which has yet to be identified.

view↗
NASA NTRS1985

Suppression of Marangoni Convection in Float Zones

The basic purpose of this program is to demonstrate by means of an Earth-based 1-g experiment that the undesirable Marangoni (surface tension) convection can be suppressed or significantly reduced by means of gas jets directed tangentially to the free surface of the liquid in a float zone. These jets will establish the tangential shear stress field over the surface which must be adjusted to equal the counter-stress resultant of the Marangoni shear stress which causes the convection. For proposed materials processing in space (o-g), particularly of important, highly reactive semiconductor materials, e.g., silicon, microgravity will virtually eliminate the unwanted thermal-buoyancy convection in the liquid silicon, but will have no effect in reducing the Marangoni convection. Unless this can be sufficiently suppressed by other means, there may be no significant advantages to the proposed space processing of reactive semiconductors. Although some inert gas such as argon must be used for the corrosive liquid silicon, the Earth-based experiment uses air jets and various transparent oils, since the basic principle involved is the same. The first float zone is enclosed in a very small rectangular box with a quasi-planar free surface. Stable Marangoni convection has been achieved and velocities measured photographically. The air jet system with variable velocity and temperature is under construction. Three independent parameters must be optimized to attain maximum suppression: the gas velocity, angle of attack, and gas temperature.

Robert F Dressler↗
NASA NTRS1994

Astrophysical science with a spaceborne photometric telescope

The FRESIP Project (FRequency of Earth-Sized Inner Planets) is currently under study at NASA Ames Research Center. The goal of FRESIP is the measurement of the frequency of Earth-sized extra-solar planets in inner orbits via the photometric signature of a transit event. This will be accomplished with a spaceborne telescope/photometer capable of photometric precision of two parts in 100,000 at a magnitude of m(sub v) = 12.5. To achieve the maximum scientific value from the FRESIP mission, an astrophysical science workshop was held at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, November 11-12, 1993. Workshop participants were invited as experts in their field of astrophysical research and discussed the astrophysical science that can be achieved within the context of the FRESIP mission.

Granados, Arno F.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Strong Thermoset Regolith UV-Curable Composite Technology (STRUCT) Overview

Future lunar surface missions require construction materials that can be manufactured in situ using lo-cal resources while operating under extreme environmental conditions. Many Lunar material demands can be solved solely with regolith by compacting or sintering. And yet past Lunar missions rely on polymeric materials, and sustained Lunar missions must reduce Earth-supplied polymers dependence. Dual-cure (Ultraviolet (UV) and thermal) polymer-regolith composites offer a promising pathway by leveraging solar UV radiation, moderate thermal in-put, and regolith. Mission mass limits, power availability and energy constraints on the lunar surface further motivate low-energy processing and curing strategies for surface construction materials. The Strong Thermoset Regolith UV-Curable Composite Technology (STRUCT) project has successfully synthesized and demonstrated dual-cure photopolymer resins derivable from in-situ resources [3]. Morphological, thermal, and mechanical characterization show that the newly formulated UV curable resin systems integrates well with lunar regolith simulants. Processing and chemistry changes, and computational analysis advanced the composite design. X-ray CT scanned and computational analysis demonstrate that resin, regolith and additives are well incorporated. The large fraction of regolith, 95% by mass, large char yield (82% mass), low thermal conductivity (0.26 W/m/K), confirm this material as a promising high-performance thermal and structural material.

thermal conductivity↗
DOE OSTI2025

Integration and Optimization of Loads, and Renewables for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

Deploying advanced building control strategies in small- and medium-sized commercial buildings (SMBs) is critical but constrained by two major challenges: (1) the lack of sensor and control infrastructure (SCI) and (2) the significant engineering effort required for implementation and configuration. While these barriers limit large-scale adoption in SMBs, they remain underexplored in the literature, which has largely emphasized feasibility over scalability.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA POWER: Providing Analysis-Ready, Cloud-Optimized Data for AI /ML Training and Applications in Earth Science

As global demand for sustainable development grows, the integration of Earth Observation (EO) data into decision making frameworks has become a primary objective for the scientific community. The NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) project serves as a bridge between NASA EO data and the specialized needs of the renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and agroclimatology communities. In this poster presentation we will present an overview of POWER data products and services along with its use in diverse research to decision-making workflows. By providing over 40 years of high-resolution historical, hourly and daily solar and meteorological data, POWER transforms satellite observations and global model reanalysis into actionable, Analysis-Ready Dataset (ARD). Currently, the project delivers over 250 industry-friendly parameters to the users from different NASA datasets like CERES SYN1Deg, MERRA-2, and IMERG alongside downscaled CMIP6 climate model data, fulfilling over 16 million requests from 50,000 unique users monthly. To ensure data quality and traceability, these parameters are rigorously validated against the ground-based observations from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) and the Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD) – these results will be discussed in the presentation. A newly introduced web-based PaRameter Uncertainty ViEwer (PRUVE) tool will be presented that provides an online validation platform to the users that benchmarks satellite-based and assimilation data products against these surface measurements. To reduce technical barriers to data adoption, POWER data is accessible through RESTful APIs, ESRI ArcGIS Image Services, a web-based Data Access Viewer tool, allowing users to visualize, validate and apply the dataset. For efficient data delivery POWER data is cloud-optimized into Zarr datastore accessible through NASA managed Amazon S3 ensures high-performance allowing users to integrate EO directly into operational pipelines. These customized services will be presented. Use cases from application will be presented from the energy sector - such as for design of generation systems, performance monitoring of solar power plants, in infrastructure sector- optimizing building energy efficiency and thermal comfort, in agriculture – such as driving crop simulation and yield forecasting models to enable climate resilient farming. Furthermore, the shift toward machine learning (ML) in EO research that has positioned POWER as a key provider for training datasets which will be discussed. Use-cases will be presented to showcase how NASA data is enabling the development of predictive tools for climate variability and resource management. The poster will present POWER’s future plans including technology development to enhance data traceability and reproducibility and improving I/O performance to support the rapid integration of new EO products, ensuring that POWER remains a robust scalable backend for the evolving landscape of AI-driven Earth Science. Additionally, POWER is developing an AI Agent and an MCP-Server to enable industry AI-Agentic workflows.

Neha Khadka↗
NASA NTRS2026

Changes in Arctic and Antarctic Sea-Ice Properties and Processes

Although sea ice covers ~9% of the world’s oceans, its presence, and absence, vastly alter the energetic balance of Earth’s climate. Because of geographic differences, Arctic and Antarctic sea ice have different dominant properties and processes, which produce different responses to natural variability and anthropogenic change. In this Review, we survey changes in sea-ice properties and processes of the Arctic and Antarctic environments. In the Arctic, the melt season has lengthened by ~7.4 days decade −1 (1979-2024). There has been a corresponding decrease in winter sea-ice thickness (1.6 m mean total over 1980-2023), summer surface albedo (0.03 decade −1 over 1979-2020), and spring snow depth (2.5 cm decade −1 over 1954-2024). In comparison, corresponding changes in the Antarctic are small overall due to contrasting regional and temporal trends. From a dynamic perspective, sea-ice motion in both hemispheres has increased, with 0.63 cm s −1 decade −1 in the Arctic (1978-2024) and 0.69 cm s −1 decade −1 in the Antarctic (1982-2024), whereas trends in polynya occurrence differ by region. Future research should prioritize sea-ice observations that can inform how the climate system responds to natural variability and anthropogenic change, be standardized to increase uptake by the broader scientific community, and target process-oriented interactions to support model development.

Melinda A Webster↗
DOE OSTI2026

In situ studies on heavy ion irradiation and partial oxidation induced stacking faults and nanograins in tungsten nanolaminates

Understanding the microstructural evolution of tungsten (W) under extreme irradiation environments is critical for its application as a plasma-facing material in future fusion reactors. Heavy ion irradiation study offers expedited damage accumulation and thus allows irradiation tolerance property prediction in a short period of time. In this study we explore in situ Kr ion irradiation of W nanolaminates at 800 °C and uncover a complex interplay of irradiation-induced transformations, including the emergence of stacking faults, nanograin formation, and generation of thickened grain boundaries defined as GB regions with the thickness of up to 15 nm. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the formation of extended planar faults and a metastable hexagonal close-packed (hcp) phase within the body-centered cubic (bcc) matrix. These structural transitions are facilitated by irradiation-induced shear. They are further stabilized by the presence of oxygen, which promotes stacking fault formation and vacancy trapping. Elevated temperatures enhance defect mobility, enabling dynamic recrystallization into ultrafine grains and the thickening of GBs due to defect absorption and impurity segregation. These findings unravel non-equilibrium phase transformation pathways in heavy ion irradiated W and highlight the critical role of impurity-mediated defect dynamics in governing its radiation tolerance properties.

Wazeer, Adil [Purdue University]↗
NASA NTRS1962

A Design Solution to the Spacecraft Look-Angle Problem

As the state of the art of the design of spacecraft has progressed, one of the difficult problems which has arisen is the positioning and articulating of spacecraft elements which must “see” in different directions without interference. Some of these elements are: solar panels or collectors, Sun sensors, communication antennas, star seekers, planet tracking and scanning devices, rocket motors, attitude-control jets, and scientific instruments. This Report presents a method of testing a spacecraft design to determine how well it satisfies these look-angle requirements. This method is applied to both simple and complex cases, and examples of its use are presented. A means of assessing spacecraft constraints on trajectories is discussed. The method was developed for the Mariner interplanetary spacecraft, but should be applicable to other cases.

MARINER PROGRAM↗
DOE OSTI2026

Manipulation of Localized Excitons in CrPS4 by Temperature and Magnetic Field

Layered van der Waals magnetic semiconductors provide a versatile platform for exploring excitonic phenomena intertwined with spin and lattice degrees of freedom, enabling excitons to act as sensitive probes of magnetic order. CrPS4 is a layered antiferromagnetic semiconductor that hosts rich excitonic features whose microscopic origin and connection to magnetic ordering remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigate the electronic and excitonic properties of bulk CrPS4 using a combination of many-body perturbation theory, dynamical mean-field theory, and photoluminescence-based experiments. Our calculations establish CrPS4 as a direct-gap semiconductor with a bandgap of 2.48 eV in the antiferromagnetic phase. Several subbandgap excitonic transitions are predicted by theory, comprising multiple spin-allowed excitons and an additional spin-flip excitation, predominantly localized on the Cr3+ ions. Temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent optical measurements reveal thermally driven exciton redistribution among localized states and identify characteristic energy shifts that provide clear optical signatures of magnetic phase transitions in CrPS4. These results provide insights into the excitonic transitions of antiferromagnets and suggest potential routes for all-optical sensing and light-driven control of their magnetic order.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2025

A topological superconductor tuned by electronic correlations

A topological superconductor, characterized by either a chiral order parameter or a topological surface state in proximity to bulk superconductivity, is foundational to topological quantum computing. A key open challenge is whether electron-electron interactions can tune such topological superconducting phases. Here, we provide experimental signatures of a unique topological superconducting phase in competition with electronic correlations in 10-unit-cell thick FeTe x Se 1-x films grown on SrTiO 3 substrates. When the Te content x exceeds 0.7, we observe a topological transition marked by the emergence of a superconducting surface state. Near the FeTe limit, the system undergoes another transition where the surface state disappears, and superconductivity is suppressed. Theory suggests that electron-electron interactions in the odd-parity xy− band drives this second topological transition. The flattening and eventual decoherence of d xy -derived bands track the superconducting dome, linking correlation effects directly to superconducting coherent transport. Our work establishes many-body electronic correlations as a sensitive knob for tuning topology and superconductivity, offering a pathway to engineer new topological phases in correlated materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Modeling Occupant Core Temperatures Across the Boston Building Stock to Advance Public Health

In recent history, extreme heat has been the cause of most deaths from a natural disaster. Exposure to extreme heat can aggravate preexisting conditions, increase hospitalization, and even cause death. Thus, modeling the thermal resilience of households across the United States will allow for a quantitative assessment of the health and safety risks posed by extreme heat. For the first time, we simulate occupant comfort in representative households across Boston by combining the granular results of the ResStock(TM) model with a two-node heat strain model. This model calculates occupants' core body temperature in each simulated household over a year. We compare the simulated core temperatures to two public health metrics: hyperthermia and heat stroke. Our results show for households in Boston that do not have or use aid conditioning, thousands potentially experience many dangerous heat events each summer and these events can last for more than a day at a time. These heat events peak during the late afternoon and evening, just as residents are coming home, cooking meals, and trying to go to sleep. We have found that multi-family buildings, renters, and low-income homes in more airtight and insulated homes are the most at risk for these events. These results demonstrate the scale and urgency of exposure to extreme heat.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1985

WINDSAT Free Flyer Using the Advanced TIROS-N Satellite

The results of this study show the feasibility of carrying a wind measuring lidar on an ATN-derivative free flying spacecraft. The overall configuration fits within the Shuttle bay and uses the same techniques for STS Launch as the proposed SAATN spacecraft. The lidar can be made light enough that the total weight of the satellite is well within the capability of the onboard propulsion system for transfers to a Sun synchronous orbit at 833 km attitude. The principal techniques for weight minimization are the use of the Perkin Elmer proprietary HIP process for the telescope, new packaging concepts for the laser and for the optics-laser interface, and the application of current technology to the signal processing hardware. Power minimization is achieved for the lidar primarily by use of a low pulse repetition frequency, i.e., 2pps, and again by the use of current processor technology. The power capability of the spacecraft is enhanced by increasing the ATN array size 25 percent, through the addition of two more solar array panels of the present size, and by limiting the range of Sun angles over which the spacecraft is operated. The same basic concept for the lidar as proposed in the Shuttle Windsat study is recommended here, but there are some changes in details to improve weight and power. No major technology break-throughs are required for the lidar, but some technology experiments are recommended for the laser subsystem to verify isotopic gas lifetime and performance, modulator life and weight, and for space qualification. Spacecraft changes are all natural modifications or growth to accommodate the payload. Overall, the proposed system provides substantial margin for the uncertainties for the future and for potential payload change, and also demonstrates the reasonableness of the Windsat Free Flyer concept.

Herbert M Gurk↗