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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 OSTI2022

Delensing the CMB with the cosmic infrared background: the impact of foregrounds

ABSTRACT The most promising avenue for detecting primordial gravitational waves from cosmic inflation is through measurements of degree-scale cosmic microwave background (CMB) B-mode polarization. This approach must face the challenge posed by gravitational lensing of the CMB, which obscures the signal of interest. Fortunately, the lensing effects can be partially removed by combining high-resolution E-mode measurements with an estimate of the projected matter distribution. For near-future experiments, the best estimate of the latter will arise from co-adding internal reconstructions (derived from the CMB itself) with external tracers such as the cosmic infrared background (CIB). In this work, we characterize how foregrounds impact the delensing procedure when CIB intensity, I, is used as the matter tracer. We find that higher point functions of the CIB and Galactic dust such as 〈BEI〉c and 〈EIEI〉c can, in principle, bias the power spectrum of delensed B-modes. To quantify these, we first estimate the dust residuals in currently available CIB maps and upcoming, foreground-cleaned Simons Observatory CMB data. Then, using non-Gaussian simulations of Galactic dust – extrapolated to the relevant frequencies, assuming the spectral index of polarized dust emission to be fixed at the value determined by Planck – we show that the bias to any primordial signal is small compared to statistical errors for ground-based experiments, but might be significant for space-based experiments probing very large angular scales. However, mitigation techniques based on multifrequency cleaning appear to be very effective. We also show, by means of an analytical model, that the bias arising from the higher point functions of the CIB itself ought to be negligible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Toward Quality Control in Perovskite Solar Cell Fabrication: Spot-Like Processing Defects Disrupt Charge Transport Layers and Promote Ag Metal Electrode Intrusion

Metal halide perovskite (MHP) photovoltaics provide high efficiencies with less stringent processing requirements than traditional photovoltaic materials. However, processing related defects must be suppressed as they can lead to decreases in initial device efficiency and potentially compromise long-term device operation. In this work we investigate morphological defects in MHP devices using luminescence imaging followed by in-depth structural and composition analysis using electron microscopy-based methods. We identify several different classes of spot-like processing-related defects and observe that a single device structure may contain multiple types of these defects. The presence of these defects in devices with different layer structures and absorber chemistries makes them relevant to the perovskite photovoltaic community as a whole. The defects are associated with voids in the perovskite layer, inclusions (glass, migrated Ag, dust), thickness variations, hole transport layer disruption with anomalous crystal growth, and electron transport layer disruptions that could allow Ag intrusion and lead to local shunts. As perovskite photovoltaic technology matures, mitigation of such defects is critical to improving not only initial performance but also the long-term stability required for industrial applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Corrigendum: Simulations of stand-off runaway electron beam termination by tungsten particulates for tokamak disruption mitigation (2024 Nucl. Fusion 64 056019)

In the original article, we inadvertently omitted a reference which previously introduced the concept of tungsten injection for 'Disruption Mitigation in Tokamak Reactor via Reducing the Seed Electrons of Avalanche.' In that reference, the authors have proposed injection of a tungsten cylinder of 80 mm by 8 mm dimensions, by rail guns, to absorb the runaway seed population. This can be contrasted with another interesting idea of using small tungsten pellets coated with a low Z material for depleting the runaway seeds as an option for upgrade of the ITER Disruption Mitigation System. Interested readers are referred to those two papers on the tungsten injection for runaway seed removal/reduction, and the related issue of not shortening the current quench excessively. The application focus of was not on reducing the runaway seeds in the initial Ohmic-to-runaway current conversion phase, but on safe termination of a fully formed and likely decaying runaway beam that is about to scrape off against the first wall, which can be accelerated by vertical displacement events. This scheme thus serves as a last line of defense against potential wall damage. The choice here is locally released tungsten particulates, similar to the previous idea of using tungsten particulates as a dust shield for the divertor. The most significant finding of is that strong pitch angle scattering, in addition to energy attenuation and absorption, of high-energy runaways by tungsten particulates, provides a transport mechanism by which runaways damage of the first wall can be mitigated by reducing and spreading the runaway wall load. We regret the omission in the original article, and thank the authors of the cited article for bringing this matter to our attention. We also find the possibility of using the injected tungsten rod from to terminate the runaways, as opposed to the cloud of tungsten particulates in intriguing. In that context, it is of interest to mention another possibility of a retractable tungsten metal arm that can be swung out for deployment in runaway termination, which would remove the need for post-mitigation recovery of tungsten debris in injection schemes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

On the possibility of baryon acoustic oscillation measurements at redshift z > 7.6 with the Roman space telescope

ABSTRACT The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (RST), with its field of view and high sensitivity will make surveys of cosmological large-scale structure possible at high redshifts. We investigate the possibility of detecting baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) at redshifts z > 7.6 for use as a standard ruler. We use data from the hydrodynamic simulation bluetides in conjunction with the gigaparsec-scale Outer Rim simulation and a model for patchy reionization to create mock RST High Latitude Survey grism data for Lyman α emission line selected galaxies at redshifts z = 7.4 to z = 10, covering 2280 deg2. We measure the monopoles of galaxies in the mock catalogues and fit the BAO features. We find that for a line flux of $L = 7\times 10^{-17} \ {\rm erg\, s^{-1}\, cm}^{-2}$, the 5σ detection limit for the current design, the BAO feature is partially detectable (measured in three out of four survey quadrants analysed independently). The resulting root mean square error on the angular diameter distance to z = 7.7 is 7.9 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. If we improve the detection sensitivity by a factor of two (i.e. $L = 3.5\times 10^{-17} \ {\rm erg\, s^{-1}\, cm}^{-2}$), the distance error reduces to $1.4{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. We caution that many more factors are yet to be modelled, including dust obscuration, the damping wing due to the intergalactic medium, and low redshift interlopers. If these issues do not strongly affect the results, or different observational techniques (such as use of multiple lines) can mitigate them, RST, or similar instruments may be able to constrain the angular diameter distance to the high redshift universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hotel Room Computational Fluid Dynamics to Investigate Airborne Pathogen Dispersal Patterns

A hotel room unit consisting of a bedroom and bathroom was modelled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate airborne pathogen dispersal patterns. The full-scale model includes a ‘typical’ hotel room configuration, furniture, and vents. The air sources and sinks include a bathroom vent, a heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) unit located in the bedroom, and a ½” gap at the bottom of the entry door. In addition, the entry door and window can be opened or closed, as desired. Three key configuration simulations were conducted: 1) both the bathroom vent and HVAC were on, 2) only the HVAC was on, and 3) only the bathroom vent was on. If the HVAC air is from a fresh, clean source, or passes through a high-efficiency filter/UV device, then the first configuration is the safest, as contaminated air is highly reduced. The second configuration is also safe, but does not benefit from the outsourcing of potentially-infected air, such as contaminated air flowing through an ineffective filter. The third configuration should be avoided, as the bathroom vent causes air to flow from the hallway, which can be of dubious origin. The CFD simulations also showed that recirculation and swirling regions tend to accumulate the largest concentrations of heavier airborne particles, pathogens, dust, etc. These regions are associated with the largest turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) , and tend to occur in areas with flow recirculation and corners. Therefore, TKE presents a reasonable metric to guide the strategic location of pathogen mitigation devices. The simulations show complex flow patterns with distinct upper and lower flow regions, swirling flow, and significant levels of turbulent mixing. These simulations provide intriguing insights that can be applied to help mitigate pathogen aerosol dispersal, generate building design guidelines, as well as provide insights for the strategic placement of mitigation devices, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, supplemental fans, and filters.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Overview of JET results for optimising ITER operation

The JET 2019–2020 scientific and technological programme exploited the results of years of concerted scientific and engineering work, including the ITER-like wall (ILW: Be wall and W divertor) installed in 2010, improved diagnostic capabilities now fully available, a major neutral beam injection upgrade providing record power in 2019–2020, and tested the technical and procedural preparation for safe operation with tritium. Research along three complementary axes yielded a wealth of new results. Firstly, the JET plasma programme delivered scenarios suitable for high fusion power and alpha particle (α) physics in the coming D–T campaign (DTE2), with record sustained neutron rates, as well as plasmas for clarifying the impact of isotope mass on plasma core, edge and plasma-wall interactions, and for ITER pre-fusion power operation. The efficacy of the newly installed shattered pellet injector for mitigating disruption forces and runaway electrons was demonstrated. Secondly, research on the consequences of long-term exposure to JET-ILW plasma was completed, with emphasis on wall damage and fuel retention, and with analyses of wall materials and dust particles that will help validate assumptions and codes for design and operation of ITER and DEMO. Thirdly, the nuclear technology programme aiming to deliver maximum technological return from operations in D, T and D–T benefited from the highest D–D neutron yield in years, securing results for validating radiation transport and activation codes, and nuclear data for ITER.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

An Improved Representation of Aerosol Wet Removal by Deep Convection and Impacts on Simulated Aerosol Vertical Profiles

Here, we introduce a physics-based aerosol wet removal scheme with unified treatments of aerosol transport and removal by convective clouds into the Community Atmosphere Model version 6. Since several important physical processes are still neglected or poorly represented in this new physics-based scheme, we develop secondary improvements to the parameterizations of aerosol activation, resuspension, and cloud-borne aerosol detrainment in this new scheme. Changes in the aerosol wet removal scheme cause tropospheric aerosol concentrations to decrease to different extents: compared to the control run, the physics-based scheme significantly decreases aerosol burdens by up to 60% over the southern Pacific Ocean, whereas the secondary improvements mitigate the decreasing tendency. The burden changes also depend on aerosol chemical components: the sulfate mass decrease is compensated by secondary production, black carbon (BC) is effectively removed via increasing the hygroscopicity of particulate organic matter from 0 to 0.2, and dust shows the most spatially heterogeneous changes. Simulated aerosol profiles are evaluated against aircraft-based observations over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The secondary-improved scheme reduces the overestimations of upper tropospheric BC and sea salt concentrations by a factor of 10 and 1,000, respectively, and reproduces the dependence of BC mass decrease rates on cloud types. Consideration of convective cloud-borne aerosol detrainment plays the most important role in enhancing the aerosol wet removal and decreasing the positive biases of tropospheric BC and sea salt concentrations. We also summarize unresolved issues related to convective cloud genesis and microphysics, cloud-borne aerosol evolution, and BC and dust emissions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

pop-cosmos : redshifts and physical properties of KiDS-1000 galaxies

ABSTRACT Principled Bayesian inference of galaxy properties has not previously been performed for wide-area weak-lensing surveys with millions of sources. We address this gap by applying the pop-cosmos generative model to perform spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting for 4 million KiDS (Kilo-Degree Survey)-1000 galaxies. Calibrated on deep COSMOS2020 photometric data, pop-cosmos specifies a physically motivated prior over the galaxy population up to $z \simeq 6$ in stellar population synthesis (SPS) parameter space. Using the Speculator SPS emulator with GPU (graphics processing unit)-accelerated Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling, we perform full posterior inference at 8.2 GPU seconds per galaxy, obtaining joint constraints on galaxy redshifts and physical properties. We validate photometric redshifts against $\sim \!185\,\!000$ KiDS galaxies cross-matched to Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Data Release 1 spectroscopic samples, achieving low bias ($2\times 10^{-3}$), scatter ($\sigma _{\mathrm{MAD}}=0.03$), and outlier fraction (3.2 per cent) for the Bright Galaxy Survey, with comparable performance (bias $3\times 10^{-2}$, $\sigma _{\mathrm{MAD}}=0.05$, 1.0 per cent outliers) for luminous red galaxies (LRGs). Within the LRG sample, we identify massive, dusty, star-forming contaminants at $z \simeq 0.4$ satisfying standard colour selections for quenched populations. We infer trends in stellar mass, star formation, metallicity, and dust across five tomographic redshift bins consistent with established scaling relations. Using specific star formation rate constraints, we identify $\sim$7 per cent of KiDS-1000 galaxies as quenched, versus 37 per cent implied by conservative colour cuts. This enables the construction of weak-lensing samples defined by physical properties while mitigating intrinsic alignment systematics and preserving statistical power. Our analysis validates pop-cosmos out of sample, establishing it as a scalable approach for galaxy evolution and cosmological analyses with photometric surveys.

Halder, Anik [Institute of Astronomy and Kavli Ins↗
DOE OSTI2022

Forecasting ground-based sensitivity to the Rayleigh scattering of the CMB in the presence of astrophysical foregrounds

The Rayleigh scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons off the neutral hydrogen produced during recombination effectively creates an additional scattering surface after recombination that encodes new cosmological information, including the expansion and ionization history of the universe. A first detection of Rayleigh scattering is a tantalizing target for next-generation CMB experiments. We have developed a Rayleigh scattering forecasting pipeline that includes instrumental effects, atmospheric noise, and astrophysical foregrounds (e.g., Galactic dust, cosmic infrared background, or CIB, and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect). We forecast the Rayleigh scattering detection significance for several upcoming ground -based experiments, including SPT-3G+, Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime, and CMB-S4, and examine the limitations from atmospheric and astrophysical foregrounds as well as potential mitigation strategies. When combined with Planck data, here we estimate that the ground-based experiments will detect Rayleigh scattering with a significance between 1.6 and 3.7, primarily limited by atmospheric noise and the CIB.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Forecasting ground-based sensitivity to the Rayleigh scattering of the CMB in the presence of astrophysical foregrounds

The Rayleigh scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons off the neutral hydrogen produced during recombination effectively creates an additional scattering surface after recombination that encodes new cosmological information, including the expansion and ionization history of the universe. A first detection of Rayleigh scattering is a tantalizing target for next-generation CMB experiments. We have developed a Rayleigh scattering forecasting pipeline that includes instrumental effects, atmospheric noise, and astrophysical foregrounds (e.g., Galactic dust, cosmic infrared background, or CIB, and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect). We forecast the Rayleigh scattering detection significance for several upcoming ground-based experiments, including SPT-3G+, Simons Observatory, CCAT-prime, and CMB-S4, and examine the limitations from atmospheric and astrophysical foregrounds as well as potential mitigation strategies. When combined with Planck data, we estimate that the ground-based experiments will detect Rayleigh scattering with a significance between 1.6 and 3.7, primarily limited by atmospheric noise and the CIB.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Forward modeling fluctuations in the DESI LRGs target sample using image simulations

We use the forward modeling pipeline, Obiwan, to study the imaging systematics of the Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) targeted by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). Imaging systematics refers to the false fluctuation of galaxy densities due to varying observing conditions and astrophysical foregrounds corresponding to the imaging surveys from which DESI LRG target galaxies are selected. We update the Obiwan pipeline, which we previously developed to simulate the optical images used to target DESI data, to further simulate WISE images in the infrared. This addition allows simulating the DESI LRGs sample, which utilizes WISE data in the target selection. Deep DESI imaging data combined with a method to account for biases in their shapes is used to define a truth sample of potential LRG targets. We inject these data evenly throughout the DESI Legacy Imaging Survey footprint at declinations between -30 and 32.375 degrees. We simulate a total of 15 million galaxies to obtain a simulated LRG sample (Obiwan LRGs) that predicts the variations in target density due to imaging properties. We find that the simulations predict the trends with depth observed in the data, including how they depend on the intrinsic brightness of the galaxies. We observe that faint LRGs are the main contributing source of the imaging systematics trend induced by depth. We also find significant trends in the data against Galactic extinction that are not predicted by Obiwan. These trends depend strongly on the particular map of Galactic extinction chosen to test against, implying systematic contamination in the Galactic extinction maps is a likely root cause (e.g., Cosmic-Infrared Background, dust temperature correction). We additionally observe a morphological change of the DESI LRGs population evidenced by a correlation between OII emission line average intensity and the size of the z-band PSF. This effect most likely results from uncertainties in background subtraction. The detailed findings we present should be used to guide any observational systematics mitigation treatment for the clustering of the DESI LRGs sample.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pragmatic protocols for working cleanly when measuring ice nucleating particles

We report that measuring ice nucleating particles (INPs) is critical for understanding, and modeling, cloud formation, reflectivity, and precipitation patterns. However, because INPs are very rare in the atmosphere, but abundant—sometimes alarmingly so—in the dust that covers all work surfaces, contamination during processing of collected aerosol samples can be a significant hindrance to obtaining accurate measures of INPs. In preparing this technical note, we questioned the cleanliness of every collection and processing step involved in making immersion freezing measurements of INPs re-suspended from filter samples. The aim was to identify, and then minimize, all potential sources of significant contamination, including containers and tools used to store filters and prepare liquid suspensions, gloves, work surfaces, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) trays commonly used for sample analysis. While plasticware released few INPs, most gloves readily shed them, but this can be mitigated by using washed cleanroom vinyl or polyethylene gloves. Work surfaces, even those that had been cleaned, were prodigious reservoirs of contaminating INPs, but simply covering them with aluminum foil will provide an INP-free surface. By applying these practices, we developed a method to reduce the background level of INPs on Nuclepore™ polycarbonate filters in our tests to 0 at -25 °C and < 20 at -27 °C, making them suitable for use in all sampling environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Appearance versus disappearance of broad absorption line troughs in quasars

ABSTRACT We present a new set of 84 broad absorption line (BAL) quasars (1.7 < zem < 4.4) exhibiting an appearance of C iv BAL troughs over 0.3–4.8 rest-frame years by comparing the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release (SDSSDR)-7, SDSSDR-12, and SDSSDR-14 quasar catalogues. We contrast the nature of BAL variability in this appearing BAL quasar sample with a disappearing BAL quasar sample studied in the literature by comparing the quasar’s intrinsic, BAL trough, and continuum parameters between the two samples. We find that appearing BAL quasars have relatively higher redshift and smaller probed time-scales as compared to the disappearing BAL quasars. To mitigate the effect of any redshift bias, we created control samples of appearing and disappearing BAL quasars that have similar redshift distribution. We find that the appearing BAL quasars are relatively brighter and have shallower and wider BAL troughs compared to the disappearing BAL sample. The distribution of quasar continuum variability parameters between the two samples is clearly separated, with the appearance of the BAL troughs being accompanied by the dimming of the continuum and vice versa. Spectral index variations in the two samples also point to the anticorrelation between the BAL trough and continuum variations consistent with the ‘bluer when brighter’ trend in quasars. We show that the intrinsic dust model is less likely to be a favourable scenario in explaining BAL appearance/disappearance. Our analysis suggests that the extreme variations of BAL troughs like BAL appearance/disappearance are mainly driven by changes in the ionization conditions of the absorbing gas.

Mishra, Sapna↗
DOE OSTI2023

BeyondPlanck: I. Global Bayesian analysis of the Planck Low Frequency Instrument data

We describe the BEYONDPLANCK project in terms of our motivation, methodology, and main products, and provide a guide to a set of companion papers that describe each result in more detail. Building directly on experience from ESA’s Planck mission, we implemented a complete end-to-end Bayesian analysis framework for the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (LFI) observations. The primary product is a full joint posterior distribution P(ω | d), where ω represents the set of all free instrumental (gain, correlated noise, bandpass, etc.), astrophysical (synchrotron, free-free, thermal dust emission, etc.), and cosmological (cosmic microwave background – CMB – map, power spectrum, etc.) parameters. Some notable advantages of this approach compared to a traditional pipeline procedure are seamless end-to-end propagation of uncertainties; accurate modeling of both astrophysical and instrumental effects in the most natural basis for each uncertain quantity; optimized computational costs with little or no need for intermediate human interaction between various analysis steps; and a complete overview of the entire analysis process within one single framework. As a practical demonstration of this framework, we focus in particular on low-ℓ CMB polarization reconstruction with Planck LFI. In this process, we identify several important new effects that have not been accounted for in previous pipelines, including gain over-smoothing and time-variable and non-1/f correlated noise in the 30 and 44 GHz channels. Modeling and mitigating both previously known and newly discovered systematic effects, we find that all results are consistent with the ΛCDM model, and we constrained the reionization optical depth to τ = 0.066 ± 0.013, with a low-resolution CMB-based χ 2 probability to exceed of 32%. This uncertainty is about 30% larger than the official pipelines, arising from taking a more complete instrumental model into account. The marginal CMB solar dipole amplitude is 3362.7 ± 1.4 μK, where the error bar was derived directly from the posterior distribution without the need of any ad hoc instrumental corrections. We are currently not aware of any significant unmodeled systematic effects remaining in the Planck LFI data, and, for the first time, the 44 GHz channel is fully exploited in the current analysis. We argue that this framework can play a central role in the analysis of many current and future high-sensitivity CMB experiments, including LiteBIRD, and it will serve as the computational foundation of the emerging community-wide COSMOGLOBE effort, which aims to combine state-of-the-art radio, microwave, and submillimeter data sets into one global astrophysical model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Alpha Spectrometry Results for Groundwater Samples Collected in Northern Iraq and a Summary of the Environmental Setting of the Adaya Burial Site

The Radiation Protection Center (RPC) of the Iraqi Ministry of Environment continues to evaluate the potential health impacts associated with the Adaya Burial Site, which is located 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) southwest of Mosul. This report documents the radiological analyses of 16 groundwater samples collected from wells located in the vicinity of the Adaya Burial Site and at other sites in northern Iraq. The Adaya Burial Site is a high-risk dump site because a large volume of radioactive material and contaminated soil is located on an unsecure hillside above the village of Tall ar Ragrag. The uranium activities for the 16 water samples in northern Iraq are considered to be naturally occurring and do not indicate artificial (man-made) contamination. With one exception, the alpha spectrometry results for the 16 wells that were sampled in 2019 indicate that the water quality concerning the three uranium isotopes (Uranium-233/234, Uranium-235/236, and Uranium-238) was acceptable for potable purposes (drinking and cooking). However, Well 7 in Mosul had a Uranium-233/234 activity concentration that slightly exceeded the World Health Organization guidance level. Eight of the 16 wells are located in the villages of Tall ar Ragrag and Adaya and had naturally occurring uranium concentrations. Wells in the villages of Tall ar Ragrag and Adaya are located near the Adaya Burial Site and should be sampled on an annual schedule. The list of groundwater analytes should include metals, total uranium, isotopic uranium, gross alpha/beta, gamma spectroscopy, organic compounds, and standard water quality parameters. Our current understanding of the hydrogeologic setting in the vicinity of the Adaya Burial Site is solely based on villager's domestic wells, topographic maps, and satellite imagery. To better understand the hydrogeologic setting, a Groundwater Monitoring Program needs to be developed and should include the installation of twelve groundwater monitoring wells in the vicinity of Tall ar Ragrag and the Adaya Burial Site. Characterization of the limestone aquifer and overlying alluvium is needed. RPC should continue to support health assessments for the villagers in Tall ar Ragrag and Adaya. Collecting samples for surface water (storm water), airborne dust, vegetation, and washway sediment should be conducted on a routine basis. Human access to the Adaya Burial Site needs to be strictly limited. Livestock access on or near the burial site needs to be eliminated. The surface-water exposure pathway is likely a greater threat than the groundwater exposure pathway. Installation of a surface-water diversion or collection system is recommended in order to reduce the potential for humans and livestock to come in contact with contaminated water and sediment. To reduce exposure to villagers, groundwater treatment should be considered if elevated uranium or other contaminants are detected in drinking water. Installing water-treatment systems would likely be quicker to accomplish than remediation and excavation of the Adaya Burial Site. The known potential for human exposure to uranium and metals (such as arsenic, chromium, selenium, and strontium) at the Adaya Burial Site is serious. Additional characterization , mitigation, and remediation efforts should be given a high priority.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Satellite-based aerosol optical depth estimates over the continental U.S. during the 2020 wildfire season: Roles of smoke and land cover

Wildfires produce smoke that can affect an area >1000 times the burn extent, with far-reaching human health, ecologic, and economic impacts. Accurately estimating aerosol load within smoke plumes is therefore crucial for understanding and mitigating these impacts. We evaluated the effectiveness of the latest Collection 6.1 MODIS Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm in estimating aerosol optical depth (AOD) across the U.S. during the historic 2020 wildfire season. We compared satellite-based MAIAC AOD to ground-based AERONET AOD measurements during no-, light-, medium-, and heavy-smoke conditions identified using the Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product. This smoke product consists of maximum extent smoke polygons digitized by analysts using visible band imagery and classified according to smoke density. We also examined the strength of the correlations between satellite- and ground-based AOD for major land cover types under various smoke density levels. MAIAC performed well in estimating AOD during smoke-affected conditions. Correlations between MAIAC and AERONET AOD were strong for medium- (r = 0.91) and heavy-smoke (r = 0.90) density, and MAIAC estimates of AOD showed little bias relative to ground-based AERONET measurements (normalized mean bias = 3 % for medium, 5 % for heavy smoke). During two high AOD, heavy smoke episodes, MAIAC underestimated ground-based AERONET AOD under mixed aerosol (i.e., smoke and dust; median bias = −0.08) and overestimated AOD under smoke-dominated (median bias = 0.02) aerosol. MAIAC most overestimated ground-based AERONET AOD over barren land (mean NMB = 48 %). Our findings indicate that MODIS MAIAC can provide robust estimates of AOD as smoke density increases in coming years. Increased frequency of mixed aerosol and expansion of developed land could affect the performance of the MAIAC algorithm in the future, however, with implications for evaluating wildfire-associated health and welfare effects and air quality standards.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Type-I ELM mitigation by continuous lithium granule gravitational injection into the upper tungsten divertor in EAST

Large edge-localized modes (ELMs) were mitigated by gravitational injection of lithium granules into the upper X-point region of the EAST device with tungsten plasma-facing components. The maximum ELM size was reduced by ~ 70% in high βN H-mode plasmas. Large ELM stabilization was sustained for up to about 40 energy confinement times, with constant core radiated power and no evidence of high-Z or low-Z impurity accumulation. The lithium granules injection reduced the edge plasma pedestal density and temperature and their gradients, due to increased edge radiation and reduced recycling from the plasma-facing components. Ideal stability calculations using the ELITE code indicate that the stabilization of large ELMs correlates with improved stability of intermediate-n peeling-ballooning modes, due to reduced edge current resulting from the profile changes. The pedestal pressure reduction was partially offset by a core density increase, which resulted in a modest ~ 7% drop in core stored energy and normalized energy confinement time. We surmise that the remnant small ELMs are triggered by the penetration of multiple Li granules just past the separatrix, similar to small ELMs triggered by deuterium pellet [S. Futatani et al., Nucl. Fusion 54 (2014) 073008]. This study extends previous ELM elimination with Li powder injection [R. Maingi et al., Nucl. Fusion 58 (2018) 024003] in EAST because 1) use of small, dust-like powder and the related potential health hazards were eliminated, and 2) use of macroscopic granules should be more applicable to future devices, due to deeper penetration than dust particles, e.g. inside the separatrix with velocities ~ 10 m/s in EAST.

EAST↗
DOE OSTI2021

Type-I ELM mitigation by continuous lithium granule gravitational injection into the upper tungsten divertor in EAST

Large edge-localized modes (ELMs) were mitigated by gravitational injection of lithium granules into the upper X-point region of the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) device with tungsten plasma-facing components. The maximum ELM size was reduced by ~70% in high β N H-mode plasmas. Large ELM stabilization was sustained for up to about 40 energy confinement times, with constant core radiated power and no evidence of high-Z or low-Z impurity accumulation. The lithium granules injection reduced the edge plasma pedestal density and temperature and their gradients, due to increased edge radiation and reduced recycling from the plasma-facing components. Ideal stability calculations using the ELITE code indicate that the stabilization of large ELMs correlates with improved stability of intermediate-n peeling-ballooning modes, due to reduced edge current resulting from the profile changes. The pedestal pressure reduction was partially offset by a core density increase, which resulted in a modest ~7% drop in core stored energy and normalized energy confinement time. We surmise that the remnant small ELMs are triggered by the penetration of multiple Li granules just past the separatrix, similar to small ELMs triggered by deuterium pellet Futatani et al (2014 Nucl. Fusion 54 073008). This study extends previous ELM elimination with Li powder injection Maingi et al (2018 Nucl. Fusion 58 024003) in EAST because (1) use of small, dust-like powder and the related potential health hazards were eliminated, and (2) use of macroscopic granules should be more applicable to future devices, due to deeper penetration than dust particles, e.g. inside the separatrix with velocities ~10 m s -1 in EAST.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗