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At least 343 records · Page 19

Towards an open model intercomparison platform for integrated assessment models scenarios

The majority of scenarios in the IPCC database are generated by integrated assessment models (IAMs) and come from model intercomparison projects. However, the way in which the current model intercomparison projects are organized is not open to all IAM teams worldwide. Here we propose a transparent and inclusive platform that is open to anyone with an IAM regarding protocols development, scenario submissions and results evaluation. We discuss the challenges of this approach, particularly human resources and financial support. Here, we identify diversity in the level of model capability and quality of model output as possibly critical issues. Despite such challenges, the IAM community and its scientific activities can improve and benefit from the proposed platform, ultimately contributing to better climate policymaking.

IAM↗

Formation of open ruthenium branched structures with highly exposed active sites for oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysis

The formation of exposed active sites that have high activity and stability for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis is a significant opportunity for improving water electrolysers. Low-index facets surface Ru can achieve both high activity and stability for OER. Here, we present a new catalyst design where low-index faceted Ru branches are grown off the corners of Pt nanocubes, forming open Ru branched nanoparticles. This open branched structure, exposing low-index facets on its length-tunable branch, enables a high electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), achieving high activity and stability for OER. This design strategy and synthetic control provide a principle for achieving high-performance OER nanocatalysts.

Xiao, Sa [The University of New South Wales, Sydne↗

Nanopores with dynamic pore opening diameter

Solid state nanopores have emerged as model systems for understanding transport properties on the nanoscale. They serve as templates for both preparing mimics of biological channels and designing biological sensors. Unlike their biological inspirations, the majority of nanopores prepared thus far, however, have been structurally static devices such that the pore opening diameter is fixed. If we could prepare nanopores whose opening diameter fluctuated in time with controlled amplitude at known locations in the pore, we could create ionic memristors as well as achieve new transport modes. Here we present ∼10 nm diameter single nanopores drilled through a 10 nm thick gold layer positioned on top of a 30 nm thick silicon nitride film. Two types of devices were prepared; one containing single stranded DNA and the other containing hairpin DNA attached to the discrete layer of gold using thiol chemistry. When an external electric field was applied across a nanopore with single stranded DNA, the nanoconfined DNA molecules exhibited steric and electrical constraints that led to memristor-like behavior in the current–voltage curves. The degree of hysteresis was controlled by salt concentration, magnitude of voltage and pore diameter. In contrast, nanopores containing DNA hairpins conducted similar currents in forward and reverse bias in agreement with the rigidity of the hairpin molecule. The experiments are explained by Brownian dynamics simulations that reveal voltage and salt concentration induced changes in DNA extension. The degree of DNA extension was also found to be dependent on the location of the molecules along the pore axis. The nanopores presented here provide the first steps towards preparation of non-equilibrium nanopore systems.

Vlassiouk, Ivan [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000254940386)↗

Laue-DIALS: Open-source software for polychromatic x-ray diffraction data

Most x-ray sources are inherently polychromatic. Polychromatic (“pink”) x-rays provide an efficient way to conduct diffraction experiments as many more photons can be used and large regions of reciprocal space can be probed without sample rotation during exposure—ideal conditions for time-resolved applications. Analysis of such data is complicated, however, causing most x-ray facilities to discard >99% of x-ray photons to obtain monochromatic data. Key challenges in analyzing polychromatic diffraction data include lattice searching, indexing and wavelength assignment, correction of measured intensities for wavelength-dependent effects, and deconvolution of harmonics. We recently described an algorithm, Careless, that can perform harmonic deconvolution and correct measured intensities for variation in wavelength when presented with integrated diffraction intensities and assigned wavelengths. Here, we present Laue-DIALS, an open-source software pipeline that indexes and integrates polychromatic diffraction data. Laue-DIALS is based on the dxtbx toolbox, which supports the DIALS software commonly used to process monochromatic data. As such, Laue-DIALS provides many of the same advantages: an open-source, modular, and extensible architecture, providing a robust basis for future development. We present benchmark results showing that Laue-DIALS, together with Careless, provides a suitable approach to the analysis of polychromatic diffraction data, including for time-resolved applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Direct numerical simulation of open-channel flow over a heterogeneous particle bed at low relative submergence

In this article, this study investigates turbulent open-channel flows over beds of irregularly arranged particles, using direct numerical simulations at a friction Reynolds number of Re T = 300⁠. Two distinct cases are examined: a polydisperse bed (P800) composed of multiple layers of randomly distributed spheres of varying sizes, and a monodisperse bed (M1015) formed by a random distribution of uniform sized spheres, with a bottommost single layer of varied-sized particles to introduce realistic randomness. Our investigation unveils a rich network of low- and high-speed streaks within the flow field, exhibiting distinctive behaviors in different bed configurations. The P800 case presents a poorly organized flow pattern induced by the varied particle sizes and arrangements, while the M1015 case shows a more regular flow pattern, marked by larger streaks. We also observe that total wall shear stress is substantially influenced by surface roughness-induced drag, extending beyond the effects documented in existing studies of open-channel flows. The present study reveals intricate secondary flow patterns over irregular particle beds. Large-scale circulations are discerned around particle crests in the P800 case and localized circulations with increased turbulence in the M1015 case. Furthermore, analysis of Reynolds stress tensor components indicates that roughness disrupts coherent turbulent eddies, consequently mitigating peak stress. We quantify correlations between drag force and local fluid velocity fluctuations. Notably, a larger deviation in drag is observed in the P800 case compared to M1015, accentuating the influence of particle size and distribution on fluid–particle interactions.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Efficient simulation of open quantum systems coupled to a reservoir through multiple channels

It is challenging to simulate open quantum systems that are connected to a reservoir through multiple channels. For example, vibrations may induce fluctuations in both energy gaps and electronic couplings, which represent two independent channels of system–bath couplings. Systems of this kind are ubiquitous in the processes of excited state radiationless decay. Combined with density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and matrix product states (MPS) methods, we develop an interaction-picture chain mapping strategy for vibrational reservoirs to simulate the dynamics of these open systems, resulting in time-dependent spatially local system–bath couplings in the chain-mapped Hamiltonian. This transformation causes the entanglement generated by the system–bath interactions to be restricted within a narrow frequency window of vibrational modes, enabling efficient DMRG/MPS dynamical simulations. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by simulating singlet fission dynamics using a generalized spin-boson Hamiltonian with both diagonal and off-diagonal system–bath couplings. This approach generalizes an earlier interaction-picture chain mapping scheme, allowing for efficient and exact simulation of systems with multi-channel system–bath couplings using matrix product states, which may further our understanding of nonlocal exciton–phonon couplings in exciton transport and the non-Condon effect in energy and electron transfer.

Chemistry↗

A fractional calculus framework for open quantum dynamics: From Liouville to Lindblad to memory kernels

Open quantum systems exhibit dynamics ranging from unitary evolution to irreversible dissipation. While the Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad equation uniquely characterizes Markovian completely positive and trace-preserving (CPTP) evolution, many physical platforms display non-Markovian features such as algebraic relaxation and coherence backflow. Fractional calculus provides a natural way to model such long-memory behavior through power-law temporal kernels introduced by fractional time derivatives. Here, we develop a unified framework that embeds fractional master equations within the broader hierarchy of open-system formalisms. The fractional equation forms a structured subclass of memory-kernel models, reduces to the Lindblad form at unit order, and, through Bochner–Phillips subordination, admits a CPTP representation as an average over Lindblad semigroups. Its resolvent structure further connects fractional dynamics to established non-Markovian approaches, including Nakajima–Zwanzig kernels and hierarchical equations of motion, providing a compact surrogate for long-memory effects. This formulation positions fractional calculus as a rigorous and practical language for modeling non-Markovian quantum dynamics in chemical physics and physical chemistry, providing a CPTP-preserving, computationally efficient surrogate for structured condensed-phase environments where long-time memory and dissipation play a central role.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Design and Analysis of the Open-Surface Slow Li Flow Divertor and Comparison to the Fast Li Flow Divertor

In the ongoing U.S. project, “Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components,” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, efforts have been taken to develop two open-surface divertor designs for the Fusion Nuclear Science Facility using liquid lithium (Li) as a heat and particle flux removal media. The main focus of this study is the design and analysis of a slow (~1 mm/s) and thin (<1 mm) open-surface Li flow divertor with a Li-cooled substrate, which is then compared with an earlier design of a fast (up to 10 m/s) and thick (~0.5 cm) Li flow divertor with the substrate cooled with helium. The slow Li flow divertor design is based on the original LiWall concept developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Such a thin and slow Li layer can remove the particle flux by reducing the recycling flux, while the heat flux is removed mainly through the heat sink located beneath. In the present study, the heat sink is provided through a Li cooling flow inside the substrate of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel. By performing a multiphysics analysis with COMSOL that included liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), heat transfer, and structural mechanics, the impact of various factors on the divertor heat removal capability, such as Li flow velocity, MHD effects, and inlet velocity boundary condition, were examined. Based on comparisons of the two divertor designs, it was shown that the fast-flow divertor significantly outperformed the slow-flow design, whose heat removal capability was limited to ~1 to 2 MW/m2.

Jiang, Yuchen [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283280284)↗

Divertor heat load estimates on NSTX and DIII-D using new and open-source 2D inversion analysis code

A thermography inversion algorithm has been developed in the open-source Python-based computer code, HYPERION, to calculate the heat flux incident on plasma-facing components (PFCs) in axisymmetric tokamaks. The chosen mesh size at the surface significantly affects the calculated transient heat flux results. The calculated transient heat flux will exceed the real value when the mesh size tends to zero but will underestimate the real value when the mesh size is large. A criterion for determining the appropriate mesh size for the transient heat flux calculation will be discussed. The numerical scheme for HYPERION uses a 2D fully implicit finite-difference approach, allowing temperature-dependent thermal properties of PFC materials. The inversion algorithm is benchmarked against established heat flux calculation codes, TACO and THEODOR, based on thermography data from NSTX and DIII-D respectively. The primary benefits of HYPERION compared to TACO and THEODOR are that it is open-source and it allows for the optimization of mesh thickness along the substrate. The algorithm also accounts for the thermal properties of thin surface layers that characteristically form on PFCs due to plasma-material interactions. The agreement between HYPERION and THEODOR is excellent, as the percent difference between the codes is ~5% on average in the case of the DIII-D data for moderate to high heat flux. Verification tests with TACO show slightly higher average percent differences of 8% and 12%. In using HYPERION to study filaments in heat flux, the initial results indicate that small ELMs filaments significantly broaden the divertor heat flux, and decrease divertor peak flux. Compared to the inter-ELM, the small ELM filaments decrease the divertor peak surface temperature. With intermittent divertor filaments, the divertor heat flux width is comparable with that found in L-mode.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Accuracy Guarantees and Quantum Advantage in Analog Open Quantum Simulation with and without Noise

Many-body open quantum systems, described by Lindbladian master equations, are a rich class of physical models that display complex equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium phenomena which remain to be understood. In this paper, we theoretically analyze noisy analog quantum simulation of geometrically local open quantum systems and provide evidence that this problem both is hard to simulate on classical computers and could be approximately solved on near-term quantum devices. First, given a noiseless quantum simulator, we show that the dynamics of local observables and the fixed-point expectation values of rapidly mixing local observables in geometrically local Lindbladians can be obtained to a precision of ϵ in time that is poly ( ϵ − 1 ) and uniform in system size. Furthermore, we establish that the quantum simulator would provide a superpolynomial advantage, in run-time scaling with respect to the target precision and either the evolution time (when simulating dynamics) or the Lindbladian’s decay rate (when simulating fixed points), over any classical algorithm for these problems, assuming BQP ≠ BPP . We then consider the presence of noise in the quantum simulator in the form of additional geometrically local Lindbladian terms. We show that the simulation tasks considered in this paper are stable to errors; i.e., they can be solved to a noise-limited, but system-size independent, precision. Finally, we establish that, assuming BQP ≠ BPP , there are stable geometrically local Lindbladian simulation problems such that, as the noise rate on the simulator is reduced, classical algorithms must take time superpolynomially longer in the inverse noise rate to attain the same precision as the analog quantum simulator. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Kashyap, Vikram (ORCID:0000000208195207)↗

Open system approach to neutrinos propagating in an ultralight scalar background

We examine decoherence in neutrino oscillations induced by an ultralight scalar field coupled to neutrinos. The scalar induces time- and position-dependent shifts in the neutrino mass matrix. Neutrinos sample different field configurations throughout an experimental data-taking period, which leads to damping effects in the oscillation pattern in the form of decoherence. By recasting the neutrino-scalar dynamics within the open quantum systems framework, we establish a mapping between a complete model and phenomenological decoherence approaches. We find that the parameter driving decoherence scales as L 2 / E 2 , where L is the baseline and E is the neutrino energy, as opposed to L / E typically assumed in phenomenological studies of open system approaches to neutrino oscillations.

F.T. Airoldi, Lua [Sao Paulo U.; Fermilab] (ORCID:↗

Isolating Unisolated Upsilons with Anomaly Detection in CMS Open Data

We present the first study of anti-isolated Upsilon decays to two muons (ϒ→𝜇⁺⁢𝜇⁻) in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Using a machine learning (ML)-based anomaly detection strategy, we “rediscover” the ϒ in 13 TeV CMS Open Data from 2016, despite overwhelming anti-isolated backgrounds. We elevate the signal significance to 6.4⁢𝜎 using these methods, starting from 1.6⁢𝜎 using the dimuon mass spectrum alone. Moreover, we demonstrate improved sensitivity from using an ML-based estimate of the multifeature likelihood compared to traditional “cut-and-count” methods. This is the first ever detection of anti-isolated Upsilons, which can be useful in the study of heavy-flavor fragmentation in quantum chromodynamics. Our Letter demonstrates that it is possible and practical to find real signals in experimental collider data using ML-based anomaly detection, and we distill a readily accessible benchmark dataset from the CMS Open Data to facilitate future anomaly detection developments.

machine learning↗

NeuroCoreX: An Open-Source FPGA-Based Spiking Neural Network Emulator with On-Chip Learning

Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) are computational models inspired by the event-driven communication and connectivity patterns of biological neural circuits. They enable high energy efficiency and natural support for diverse architectures ranging from layered networks to small-world and graphstructured topologies. In this work, we introduce NeuroCoreX, an open-source, FPGA-based spiking neural network emulator that provides real-time, on-chip learning and flexible network organization. NeuroCoreX supports both feedforward sensory inputs streamed directly from sensors or PCs via UART and recurrent on-chip connectivity, enabling simultaneous processing and learning from external stimuli and internal network dynamics-capabilities rarely available in existing FPGA SNN platforms. The system implements a Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF) neuron model with current-based synapses and supports pair-based STDP learning on both feedforward and recurrent synapses. A lightweight Python interface enables interactive configuration, live monitoring, weight read-back, and experiment control. Importantly, NeuroCoreX is tightly integrated with the SuperNeuroMAT simulator, allowing SNN models to be transferred seamlessly from software to hardware for hardware-in-the-loop development. By combining real-time plasticity, flexible connectivity, and an open-source VHDL implementation, NeuroCoreX provides an extensible and accessible platform for neuromorphic research, algorithm-hardware co-design, and energy-efficient edge intelligence.

Gautam, Ashish [ORNL]↗

OpenSAMPL: An Open Source Library for Timing and Synchronization Measurements and Analytics

Today's power grid operators are implementing timing and synchronization solutions that provide resilience to Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) vulnerabilities. These vendor-specific solutions often come with additional software applications that are designed to monitor that vendor's synchronization performance data. However, resilient timing architectures often resulting in multi-vendor solutions, including approaches that blend terrestrial clocks with space-based subscription services. In such an environment, collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data from a variety of sources within a single platform was heretofore not possible. To address this need, the US Department of Energy's Center for Alternative Synchronization and Timing (CAST) developed OpenSAMPL, the Open Synchronized Analytics and Monitoring Platform, an open-source Python framework for processing, loading, and observing clock measurement data from distributed devices. OpenSAMPL enables the ingestion of diverse clock-probe sources into a scalable time-series database and applies robust analytics. OpenSAMPL currently supports two vendor data pipelines, and will be extended to more in the near future, enabling seamless monitoring of a variety of timing and synchronization devices in a common environment.

Grant, Josh [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000163475060)↗

Ekman-driven salt transport as a key mechanism for open-ocean polynya formation at Maud Rise

Open-ocean polynyas formed over the Maud Rise, in the Weddell Sea, during the winters of 2016–2017. Such polynyas are rare events in the Southern Ocean and are associated with deep convection, affecting regional carbon and heat budgets. Using an ocean state estimate, we found that during 2017, early sea ice melting occurred in response to enhanced vertical mixing of heat, which was accompanied by mixing of salt. The melting sea ice compensated for the vertically mixed salt, resulting in a net buoyancy gain. An additional salt input was then necessary to destabilize the upper ocean. This came from a hitherto unexplored polynya-formation mechanism: an Ekman transport of salt across a jet girdling the northern flank of the Maud Rise. Such transport was driven by intensified eastward surface stresses during 2015–2018. Our results illustrate how highly localized interactions between wind, ocean flow and topography can trigger polynya formation in the open Southern Ocean.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The Pierre Auger Observatory open data

The Pierre Auger Collaboration has embraced the concept of open access to their research data since its foundation, with the aim of giving access to the widest possible community. A gradual process of release began as early as 2007 when 1% of the cosmic-ray data was made public, along with 100% of the space-weather information. In February 2021, a portal was released containing 10% of cosmic-ray data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory from 2004 to 2018, during the first phase of operation of the Observatory. The Open Data Portal includes detailed documentation about the detection and reconstruction procedures, analysis codes that can be easily used and modified and, additionally, visualization tools. Since then, the Portal has been updated and extended. In 2023, a catalog of the highest-energy cosmic-ray events examined in depth has been included. A specific section dedicated to educational use has been developed with the expectation that these data will be explored by a wide and diverse community, including professional and citizen scientists, and used for educational and outreach initiatives. This paper describes the context, the spirit, and the technical implementation of the release of data by the largest cosmic-ray detector ever built and anticipates its future developments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Preliminary Study on Fine-Grained Power and Energy Measurements on Grace Hopper GH200 with Open-Source Performance Tools

The increasing adoption of tightly integrated, heterogeneous architectures, combined with the slowdown of Moore’s law, has made application power and energy-driven optimizations critical to efficiently use high-performance computing systems. This paper introduces a newly developed open-source toolkit that seamlessly integrates the Linux real-time hardware monitoring program hwmon with the Performance Application Programming Interface and the Score-P performance measurement system, thereby enabling fine-grained power and energy measurements for high-performance computing applications. Our primary target platform is the Wombat test bed, which is a system based on the NVIDIA GH200 superchip. The toolkit can capture transient power peaks with high temporal resolution (50 ms) and, thanks to Score-P integration, can map power metrics to specific code regions, thereby providing actionable information on power-intensive operations and inefficiencies. The toolkit also provides a holistic view of both the power and the energy consumption of the entire GH200 superchip by covering all major components: the Grace CPU, the Hopper GPU, and the I/O subsystem. Experiments that use Locally Self-consistent Multiple Scattering, which is an application for first-principles calculations of materials developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have demonstrated the tool’s ability to identify transient power spikes and uncover opportunities for energy-aware optimizations. Additionally, we introduce a Python-based utility for converting Open Trace Format 2 traces to Parquet format, thus enabling advanced data analysis for numerical integration methods applied to power data for accurate energy profiling.

Hernandez Mendoza, Oscar [ORNL] (ORCID:00000002538↗