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NASA NTRS2017

Multi-Organization Multi-Discipline Effort Developing a Mitigation Concept for Planetary Defense

There have been significant recent efforts in addressing mitigation approaches to neutralize Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHA). One such research effort was performed in 2015 by an integrated, inter-disciplinary team of asteroid scientists, energy deposition modeling scientists, payload engineers, orbital dynamist engineers, spacecraft discipline engineers, and systems architecture engineer from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Department of Energy (DoE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) laboratories (Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL) and Sandia National Laboratories). The study team collaborated with GSFCs Integrated Design Centers Mission Design Lab (MDL) which engaged a team of GSFC flight hardware discipline engineers to work with GSFC, LANL, and LLNL NEA-related subject matter experts during a one-week intensive concept formulation study in an integrated concurrent engineering environment. This team has analyzed the first of several distinct study cases for a multi-year NASA research grant. This Case 1 study references the Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) named Bennu as the notional target due to the availability of a very detailed Design Reference Asteroid (DRA) model for its orbit and physical characteristics (courtesy of the Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission team). The research involved the formulation and optimization of spacecraft trajectories to intercept Bennu, overall mission and architecture concepts, and high-fidelity modeling of both kinetic impact (spacecraft collision to change a NEAs momentum and orbit) and nuclear detonation effects on Bennu, for purposes of deflecting Bennu.

Planetary Defense↗

DOE OSTI2015

ASCR Cybersecurity for Scientific Computing Integrity

The Department of Energy (DOE) has the responsibility to address the energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges that face our nation. Much of DOE’s enterprise involves distributed, collaborative teams; a significant fraction involves “open science,” which depends on multi-institutional, often international collaborations that must access or share significant amounts of information between institutions and over networks around the world. The mission of the Office of Science is the delivery of scientific discoveries and major scientific tools to transform our understanding of nature and to advance the energy, economic, and national security of the United States. The ability of DOE to execute its responsibilities depends critically on its ability to assure the integrity and availability of scientific facilities and computer systems, and of the scientific, engineering, and operational software and data that support its mission.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Collaborative Analysis Tool for Thermal Protection Systems for Single Stage to Orbit Launch Vehicles

Presented is a design tool and process that connects several disciplines which are needed in the complex and integrated design of high performance reusable single stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicles. Every system is linked to every other system and in the case of SSTO vehicles with air breathing propulsion, which is currently being studied by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); the thermal protection system (TPS) is linked directly to almost every major system. The propulsion system pushes the vehicle to velocities on the order of 15 times the speed of sound in the atmosphere before pulling up to go to orbit which results high temperatures on the external surfaces of the vehicle. Thermal protection systems to maintain the structural integrity of the vehicle must be able to mitigate the heat transfer to the structure and be lightweight. Herein lies the interdependency, in that as the vehicle's speed increases, the TPS requirements are increased. And as TPS masses increase the effect on the propulsion system and all other systems is compounded. To adequately determine insulation masses for a vehicle such as the one described above, the aeroheating loads must be calculated and the TPS thicknesses must be calculated for the entire vehicle. To accomplish this an ascent or reentry trajectory is obtained using the computer code Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST). The trajectory is then used to calculate the convective heat rates on several locations on the vehicles using the Miniature Version of the JA70 Aerodynamic Heating Computer Program (MINIVER). Once the heat rates are defined for each body point on the vehicle, then insulation thicknesses that are required to maintain the vehicle within structural limits are calculated using Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer (SINDA) models. If the TPS masses are too heavy for the performance of the vehicle the process may be repeated altering the trajectory or some other input to reduce the TPS mass. The problem described is an example of the need for collaborative design and analysis. Analysis tools are being developed to facilitate these collaborative efforts. RECIPE is a cross-platform application capable of hosting a number of engineers and designers across the Internet for distributed and collaborative engineering environments. Such integrated system design environments allow for collaborative team design analysis for performing individual or reduced team studies. The analysis tools mentioned earlier are commonly run on different platforms and are usually run by different people. To facilitate the larger number of potential runs that may need to be made, RECIPE connects the computer codes that calculate the trajectory data, heat rate data, and TPS masses so that the output from each tool is easily transferred to the model input files that need it. This methodology is being applied to solve launch vehicle thermal design problems to shorten the design cycle, and enable the project team to evaluate design options. Results will be presented indicating the effectiveness of this as a collaborative design tool.

Alexander, Reginald A.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Resilient, Rural, and Revolutionary: Salisbury Square's Direct-Current Affordable Microgrid Community: Preprint

The technology to interconnect buildings with a dedicated direct-current (DC) power distribution network is in place today; what is missing is a turnkey approach to designing a DC microgrid - and the business models allowing such systems to be deployed, owned, and operated at scale. To close this gap, the Salisbury Square Development Team, comprising clean-energy experts, has engineered a resilient community DC microgrid for an affordable housing community in Randolph, Vermont. Ten single-family, occupant-owned residences and 12 multifamily rental units will share locally generated and stored solar energy via a DC power distribution bus capable of operating during extended grid outages. With a DC power distribution network in place, each home will be equipped with high-efficiency DC lighting and appliances, operating alongside alternating current (AC) appliances, even during an islanded mode of operation. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of what is possible and achievable, the Team collaborated with the local utility, regulatory agencies, a national laboratory, energy-as-service providers, and vendors. The collaborators evaluated microgrid typologies, business models, and energy modeling, and analyzed electrification and resilience. Further, the Team applied the URBANoptTM (Urban Renewable Building and Neighborhood optimization, NREL 2022) software development kit (SDK) to Salisbury Square's single-family and multifamily buildings to validate workflows and identify needs for advanced capability. This paper addresses the barriers to entry, scalability, and impact on residents and system ownership. It also examines the analysis that informed the design and engineering of the DC microgrid and the opportunities to streamline the process.

DER↗

DOE OSTI2026

Ecosystems for Scientific Computing in the Age of AI

Scientific computing is at an inflection point. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how scientific software is developed, how teams collaborate, how projects are governed, and how the next generation is trained. Drawing on insights from a 2025 workshop report, this article argues that the future of discovery will depend on agile, robust ecosystems built through socio-technical co-design—the intentional integration of technical and human systems. This perspective is essential for ensuring that future scientific computing remains trustworthy, sustainable, and scalable. It combines advances in AI, high-performance computing, and software with new models for cross-disciplinary collaboration, education, and workforce development. Key recommendations include building modular, trustworthy AI-enabled software ecosystems; enabling teams to integrate AI into scientific workflows while preserving human creativity, integrity, and rigor; and developing adaptive training pathways that keep pace with rapid technological change. By sharing these perspectives, we hope to stimulate broader community dialogue and encourage coordinated action.

AI↗

DOE OSTI2019

PVMI Bay Area Photovoltaic Consortium (Final Report)

The Bay Area Photovoltaic Consortium (BAPVC) was formed to fund university research on technologies industry will use and thereby investigate new ways for the photovoltaic (PV) industry and university scientists to identify and explore research priorities. Our thesis is that great innovation is more likely stimulated by the collective efforts of manufacturing and academic experts working together rather than direction from either community alone. The consortium is quite effective in promoting the interactions needed to form collaborative teams, often engaging industry members as research participants. All similar university research consortia employ their industry members in advisory capacity. In BAPVC, industry members deliver far more than guidance and advice. They are part of the management team. They review and down select proposals, review projects, and guide the university researchers is setting their research directions. The BAPVC Industry Board holds executive authority over the strategy and operations of the consortium. BAPVC is a consortium led by Stanford University (SU) and University of California at Berkeley (UCB) joined by three leading DOE labs—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SLAC National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Lab. BAPVC’s success is attributed to its three pillars of support. Three Pillars: (1) Industry sets research agenda, assures relevance, provides path to commercial impact, and contributes funding. (2) Universities and National Labs conduct innovative research and provide workforce development. (3) US Department of Energy provides leadership, support and guidance. Since inception in 2011, BAPVC funded 72 projects involving 26 organizations. Bringing together the differing backgrounds of industry and university participants stimulates innovation. BAPVC’s cultivation of larger collaborative projects among university investigators has also produced notable results. This report will highlight BAPVC contributions in several exciting PV technologies including perovskite/silicon tandem cells, CdTe, reliability and adhesion metrology, ultra-thin silicon cells and application of carrier selective contacts in silicon PV that all owe a portion of their success to cross-consortium collaboration. More importantly, many of the BAPVC-fostered teams have successfully bid for additional support from other sources and continue to expand their productivity. In one case, we report a recent Nature Energy paper published by a team including both university members and two industry members (separate companies) in a collaborative analysis of thin-film tandem cells. Our original proposal set ambitious goals – “BAPVC is composed of the industry members and prestigious universities needed to add substantial value to the open and competitive process of providing universities all over the nation with funding to perform industry-relevant R&D…Our consortium will accelerate the coordination of stakeholders across the solar industry and academic sectors into a cohesive research force developing innovative solutions to the key industrial issues.” While the PV landscape has undergone vast change during the period of this award, BAPVC and its research and industry members have adapted, delivering the promised cohesive research force for the benefit of DOE and the public.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2012

Geometric Reasoning for Automated Planning

An important aspect of mission planning for NASA s operation of the International Space Station is the allocation and management of space for supplies and equipment. The Stowage, Configuration Analysis, and Operations Planning teams collaborate to perform the bulk of that planning. A Geometric Reasoning Engine is developed in a way that can be shared by the teams to optimize item placement in the context of crew planning. The ISS crew spends (at the time of this writing) a third or more of their time moving supplies and equipment around. Better logistical support and optimized packing could make a significant impact on operational efficiency of the ISS. Currently, computational geometry and motion planning do not focus specifically on the optimized orientation and placement of 3D objects based on multiple distance and containment preferences and constraints. The software performs reasoning about the manipulation of 3D solid models in order to maximize an objective function based on distance. It optimizes for 3D orientation and placement. Spatial placement optimization is a general problem and can be applied to object packing or asset relocation.

Clement, Bradley J.↗

DOE OSTI2017

FY16 Strategic Themes White Paper.

The Science and Technology (S&T) Division 1000 Strategic Plan includes the Themes, Goals, and Actions for FY16. S&T will continue to support the Labs Strategic plan, Mission Areas and Program Management Units by focusing on four strategic themes that align with the targeted needs of the Labs. The themes presented in this plan are Mission Engagement, Bold Outcomes, Collaborative Environment, and the Safety Imperative. Collectively they emphasize diverse, collaborative teams and a self-reliant culture of safety that will deliver on our promise of exceptional service in the national interest like never before. Mission Engagement focuses on increasing collaboration at all levels but with emphasis at the strategic level with mission efforts across the labs. Bold Outcomes seeks to increase the ability to take thoughtful risks with the goal of achieving transformative breakthroughs more frequently. Collaborative environment strives for a self-aware, collaborative working environment that bridges the many cultures of Sandia. Finally, Safety Imperative aims to minimize the risk of serious injury and to continuously strengthen the safety culture. Each of these themes is accompanied by a brief vision statement, several goals, and planned actions to support those goals throughout FY16 and leading into FY17.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

NASA NTRS2020

Is Structured Agile an Oxymoron? Tales from Implementing and Executing Agile in a US Government Environment

To paraphrase a famous quote, "No plan survives contact with the reality." Software (SW) development is often a classic example of this: whatever the plan was for a particular development, it often does not survive contact with technical realities, budget realities, program realities and schedule realities. Traditionally, SW development has followed a waterfall methodology with requirements being rigorously specified before the design, which was completed before the coding and unit testing started, which were in turn finished before validation and verification started. This model of SW engineering derives much from the HW engineering of large systems, and has been the standard methodology used in US government software acquisitions and systems for decades, with highly variable results. US Government SW requirements are built around Waterfall concepts, which assume that the plan will survive contact with reality, or at least that modifications to the plan are relatively small, and relatively few.Because of the inefficiencies and difficulties inherent in Waterfall, the commercial SW world started using a different SW development methodology called Agile more than 20 years ago. Agile believes that a plan should evolve and learn rapidly in response to the realities encountered. At its core, there are a few key elements of Agile:- A small team of people which is highly flexible and adaptive. The team collaborates and interoperates through sophisticated development architectures and release environments- An iterative, incremental development and release approach which is based upon the concept that knowledge comes from experience within the team, and that the team makes decisions based upon what it knows- A team culture which prizes transparency, inspection and adaptation. These values are necessary so that the team experience and decision making is transparent and responsive to the realities encountered during development and testingSo, how to use Agile in a US Government environment? GMSEC (Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center) develops satellite ground system software for NASA and other US Government agencies. The SW developed by the team contains a large code base of many applications used within satellite mission operations centers. It spans the full gamut of SW development types: from SW which is in a classic maintenance and sustainment mode, to new developments with a fairly well understood scope and approach, to new developments whose scope and approach are quite unclear and which require significant research and prototyping. Team members move between all of these different types of SW development. Waterfall was inadequate to the programmatic and technical needs of the team, as well as the various types of SW development being done. The software plan was not surviving contact with the technical and programmatic realities experienced by the team. To address this, the team started a small pilot project in 2016 to test the use of Agile within a small subset of the team for a new web services application. In early 2018, the use of Agile was expanded to the whole team and all the software, but we had to fulfill the NASA SW development requirements. And we needed to do this while still remaining true to the key Agile elements of transparency, inspection and adaption. In order to do this, the team worked very closely with the Software Process Improvement (SPI) team at NASA Goddard, as well as NASA engineering manageme

Beech, Theresa W.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Maldives Climate II: Evaluating the Potential Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Human Development and Coastal Infrastructure

The Republic of the Maldives is a low-lying island nation in the Indian Ocean which has experienced rapid urbanization, landcover changes, and sea level rise over recent years. The growth of tourism, coastal erosion, and urbanization have all driven land reclamation efforts across many islands. As in-situ landcover change monitoring has proven difficult across the vast archipelago, the NASA DEVELOP team collaborated with the Maldives Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology; USAID; and the U.S. Department of State, to utilize Earth observations to predict sea level rise impacts on coastal infrastructure. The team used a supervised classification algorithm within Google Earth Engine to create land use maps and time series analyses of nine islands and atolls using imagery from Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument, and PlanetScope, covering a combined period of 2000 through 2023. Additionally, the team projected coastal inundation with a modified deterministic Bathtub model utilizing elevation data from CoastalDEM and 2050-2100 Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios identified in the NASA Sea Level Rise Projection Tool. The team found that islands undergoing urban growth experienced a 23% decrease in vegetation between 2014 and 2022. Furthermore, the model predicted that 51–57% of the study area’s-built environment has a chance of inundation by 2100 under the low and high sea level scenarios. These analyses demonstrate how remote sensing can be used to both track land use changes over time and project how coastlines will be affected by sea level rise.

remote sensing↗

NASA NTRS2011

Designing a Distributed Space Systems Simulation in Accordance with the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO)

Simulations are essential for engineering design. These virtual realities provide characteristic data to scientists and engineers in order to understand the details and complications of the desired mission. A standard development simulation package known as Trick is used in developing a source code to model a component (federate in HLA terms). The runtime executive is integrated into an HLA based distributed simulation. TrickHLA is used to extend a Trick simulation for a federation execution, develop a source code for communication between federates, as well as foster data input and output. The project incorporates international cooperation along with team collaboration. Interactions among federates occur throughout the simulation, thereby relying on simulation interoperability. Communication through the semester went on between participants to figure out how to create this data exchange. The NASA intern team is designing a Lunar Rover federate and a Lunar Shuttle federate. The Lunar Rover federate supports transportation across the lunar surface and is essential for fostering interactions with other federates on the lunar surface (Lunar Shuttle, Lunar Base Supply Depot and Mobile ISRU Plant) as well as transporting materials to the desired locations. The Lunar Shuttle federate transports materials to and from lunar orbit. Materials that it takes to the supply depot include fuel and cargo necessary to continue moon-base operations. This project analyzes modeling and simulation technologies as well as simulation interoperability. Each team from participating universities will work on and engineer their own federate(s) to participate in the SISO Spring 2011 Workshop SIW Smackdown in Boston, Massachusetts. This paper will focus on the Lunar Rover federate.

Cowen, Benjamin↗

DOE OSTI2016

Seamless Digital Environment – Plan for Data Analytics Use Case Study

The U.S Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program initiated research in to what is needed in order to provide a roadmap or model for Nuclear Power Plants to reference when building an architecture that can support the growing data supply and demand flowing through their networks. The Digital Architecture project published report Digital Architecture Planning Model (Oxstrand et. al, 2016) discusses things to consider when building an architecture to support the increasing needs and demands of data throughout the plant. Once the plant is able to support the data demands it still needs to be able to provide the data in an easy, quick and reliable method. A common method is to create a “one stop shop” application that a user can go to get all the data they need. The creation of this leads to the need of creating a Seamless Digital Environment (SDE) to integrate all the “siloed” data. An SDE is the desired perception that should be presented to users by gathering the data from any data source (e.g., legacy applications and work management systems) without effort by the user. The goal for FY16 was to complete a feasibility study for data mining and analytics for employing information from computer-based procedures enabled technologies for use in developing improved business analytics. The research team collaborated with multiple organizations to identify use cases or scenarios, which could be beneficial to investigate in a feasibility study. Many interesting potential use cases were identified throughout the FY16 activity. Unfortunately, due to factors out of the research team’s control, none of the studies were initiated this year. However, the insights gained and the relationships built with both PVNGS and NextAxiom will be valuable when moving forward with future research. During the 2016 annual Nuclear Information Technology Strategic Leadership (NITSL) group meeting it was identified would be very beneficial to the industry to support a research effort focused on data analytics. It was suggested that the effort would develop and evaluate use cases for data mining and analytics for employing information from plant sensors and database for use in developing improved business analytics.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

NASA NTRS2008

Cassini Information Management System in Distributed Operations Collaboration and Cassini Science Planning

Launched on October 15, 1997, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft began its ambitious journey to the Saturnian system with a complex suite of 12 scientific instruments, and another 6 instruments aboard the European Space Agencies Huygens Probe. Over the next 6 1/2 years, Cassini would continue its relatively simplistic cruise phase operations, flying past Venus, Earth, and Jupiter. However, following Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI), Cassini would become involved in a complex series of tasks that required detailed resource management, distributed operations collaboration, and a data base for capturing science objectives. Collectively, these needs were met through a web-based software tool designed to help with the Cassini uplink process and ultimately used to generate more robust sequences for spacecraft operations. In 2001, in conjunction with the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and later Venustar Software and Engineering Inc., the Cassini Information Management System (CIMS) was released which enabled the Cassini spacecraft and science planning teams to perform complex information management and team collaboration between scientists and engineers in 17 countries. Originally tailored to help manage the science planning uplink process, CIMS has been actively evolving since its inception to meet the changing and growing needs of the Cassini uplink team and effectively reduce mission risk through a series of resource management validation algorithms. These algorithms have been implemented in the web-based software tool to identify potential sequence conflicts early in the science planning process. CIMS mitigates these sequence conflicts through identification of timing incongruities, pointing inconsistencies, flight rule violations, data volume issues, and by assisting in Deep Space Network (DSN) coverage analysis. In preparation for extended mission operations, CIMS has also evolved further to assist in the planning and coordination of the dual playback redundancy of highvalue data from targets such as Titan and Enceladus. This paper will outline the critical role that CIMS has played for Cassini in the distributed ops paradigm throughout operations. This paper will also examine the evolution that CIMS has undergone in the face of new science discoveries and fluctuating operational needs. And finally, this paper will conclude with theoretical adaptation of CIMS for other projects and the potential savings in cost and risk reduction that could potentially be tapped into by future missions.

Equils, Douglas J.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Simulation Based Acquisition for NASA's Office of Exploration Systems

In January 2004, President George W. Bush unveiled his vision for NASA to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program. This vision includes the goal to extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon no later than 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations. In response to this vision, NASA has created the Office of Exploration Systems (OExS) to develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures to explore and support decisions about human exploration destinations, including the development of a new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). Within the OExS organization, NASA is implementing Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA), a robust Modeling & Simulation (M&S) environment integrated across all acquisition phases and programs/teams, to make the realization of the President s vision more certain. Executed properly, SBA will foster better informed, timelier, and more defensible decisions throughout the acquisition life cycle. By doing so, SBA will improve the quality of NASA systems and speed their development, at less cost and risk than would otherwise be the case. SBA is a comprehensive, Enterprise-wide endeavor that necessitates an evolved culture, a revised spiral acquisition process, and an infrastructure of advanced Information Technology (IT) capabilities. SBA encompasses all project phases (from requirements analysis and concept formulation through design, manufacture, training, and operations), professional disciplines, and activities that can benefit from employing SBA capabilities. SBA capabilities include: developing and assessing system concepts and designs; planning manufacturing, assembly, transport, and launch; training crews, maintainers, launch personnel, and controllers; planning and monitoring missions; responding to emergencies by evaluating effects and exploring solutions; and communicating across the OExS enterprise, within the Government, and with the general public. The SBA process features empowered collaborative teams (including industry partners) to integrate requirements, acquisition, training, operations, and sustainment. The SBA process also utilizes an increased reliance on and investment in M&S to reduce design risk. SBA originated as a joint Industry and Department of Defense (DoD) initiative to define and integrate an acquisition process that employs robust, collaborative use of M&S technology across acquisition phases and programs. The SBA process was successfully implemented in the Air Force s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program.

Hale, Joe↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Marin County Wildland Fires: Examining Fuel Load and Land Cover Change to Inform Fire Prevention and Suppression Decisions in Marin County, CA

Heightened occurrence of severe wildfires in the Western United States is increasing the need to better understand regions of high potential wild fire severity and develop methodologies for identifying the best locations for fuels reduction and active wildfire suppression, especially in populated regions such as Marin County, California. Marin County, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, has had significant development in the wildland-urban interface and periods of highly wildfire-prone conditions. The NASA DEVELOP team collaborated with Fire Foundry, a Marin-based fire service work force development program, to develop new models to assist with fire management. Using data from Sentinel-2A, Planet Scope, ECOSTRESS, a county-wide LiDAR mapping effort, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), the team developed several input data layers to three models evaluating wild fire severity. One model performed a suitability analysis with weights based on scientific literature, another utilized machine learning based on past fires in Marin and neighboring Sonoma County to predict the difference normalized burn ratio, and the third inputted data layers into the Flam Map tool, which outputs risk categories. The team compared model outputs and, using the best-fit model, performed fuzzy logic analysis to identify specific locations where a fire break could be constructed to interrupt the progress of an active fire. These tools were proven useful and will assist partners in preparing for and managing an active wildfire event.

Suhani Dalal↗

NASA NTRS2020

Massachusetts Water Resources: Assessing Flood Events Resulting from North American Beaver Reintroduction with NASA Earth Observations to Inform Biodiversity and Infrastructure Management

North American beavers (Castor canadensis) are returning to Massachusetts after overhunting decimated their populations in the 1700s. Current regulations have allowed this species to recolonize, resulting in increasingly prevalent human-beaver conflicts. These ecosystem engineers can quickly change their environment through the creation of dams, leading to floods that can adversely affect human infrastructures, such as basements, roads, or septic systems. Conversely, beaver dams can positively influence their environment, modifying the physical and chemical properties of streams and providing crucial habitats to a variety of wildlife. The 2020 Spring Boston NASA DEVELOP team collaborated with the Massachusetts Audubon Society to support their efforts in monitoring beaver impacts and managing human-beaver conflicts. The project-utilized data from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager to map the spectral signature created from beaver-induced flooding. The team created a tool called Beaver-Flood Event Detector (B-FED) in Google Earth Engine using imagery from 1985 to 2019. Ancillary datasets were incorporated into B-FED that allow the tool to highlight flood events in wetland areas and in situ observations of beaver presence. Beaver observations in or near flooded areas indicated likelihood that the flood was beaver induced. Time series and animations were also produced to display key regions of landscape change across Massachusetts. B-FED will allow the partner to identify and assess potential ecosystem changes and infrastructural impacts from beavers across Massachusetts and inform future management practices.

Water Resources↗

NASA NTRS2020

Massachusetts Water Resources: Assessing Flood Events Resulting from North American Beaver Reintroduction with NASA Earth Observations to Inform Biodiversity and Infrastructure Management

Water Resources↗

NASA NTRS2023

Marin County Wildland Fires: Examining Fuel Load and Land Cover Change to Inform Fire Prevention and Suppression Decisions in Marin County, CA

Heightened occurrence of severe wildfires in the Western United States is increasing the need to better understand regions of high potential wildfire severity and develop methodologies for identifying the best locations for fuels reduction and active wildfire suppression, especially in populated regions such as Marin County, California. Marin County, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, has had significant development in the wildland-urban interface and periods of highly wildfire-prone conditions. The NASA DEVELOP team collaborated with Fire Foundry (a Marin-based fire service workforce development program) and the Marin County Fire Department to develop models to assist with fire management. Using data from Sentinel-2A, PlanetScope, ECOSTRESS, a county-wide LiDAR mapping effort, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), our team developed a number of input data layers for three different models to evaluate wildfire severity. One model performed a suitability analysis with weights based on scientific literature; another model utilized a U-Net Convolutional Neural Network trained on previous fires in Marin and neighboring Sonoma County to predict the difference normalized burn severity; and the third inputted data layers into the FlamMap tool that outputs risk categories. We compared model outputs and performed a weighted overlay analysis to identify specific locations where a fireline could be constructed to interrupt the progress of an active fire. These tools will assist partners in preparing for and managing active wildfire situations.

Remote sensing↗