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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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859 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Water Observations of Flow/No-Flow for the East-Taylor Watershed, Colorado (June-July 2025 and 2026)

This dataset provides multi-year, ground-truth visual observations of surface water flow/no-flow conditions within the East-Taylor Watershed, Colorado, collected during June and July of 2025 and 2026. In June and July 2025, on-the-ground visual observations of flow/no-flow were collected as part of the Watershed Function Scientific Focus Area (SFA) and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) campaign (further details are provided within the CHESS Project Description). We obtained 377 water observations of flow/no-flow within the East-Taylor Watershed, Colorado. These ground-truth observations were collected to validate classification maps from remote sensing data and model results within the East-Taylor Watershed. In 2025, flow/no-flow measurements were collected using a field-based app for the CHESS Campaign (Zerion iForm). Within the field app, a water observation form was created to collect coordinates and metadata about the observation. Information collected for the water observation points included information about visually-assessed streamflow presence/absence (standard question obtained from Colorado State University’s StreamTracker project), flow estimate, stream or ponded area width, canopy cover, manganese films, iron seeps, and beaver activity. For 2025 water observations, this dataset contains: (1) a data file with the water observations and coordinates (2025_Water_Observations.csv); (2) a Keyhole Markup Language Zipped (KMZ) with the water observation locations and metadata (2025_Water_Observations_Locations.kmz); (3) photos (.jpg and .jpeg) of the water observation points, organized by location, contained within 2025_Water_Observations_FieldPhotographs.zip file; and (4) water observation protocols and figures (2025_Water_Observation_Protocols.pdf). In June and July 2026, on-the-ground visual observations of flow/no-flow were collected as part of the Watershed Function SFA project. We obtained 365 water observations of flow/no-flow within the East-Taylor Watershed, Colorado. The 2026 observations focused on collecting repeat measurements at the 2025 flow/no-flow observation locations conducted as part of the CHESS campaign. These ground-truth observations were collected to understand differences in flow/no-flow in 2026, given the unprecedented 2026 drought in Colorado. In 2026, flow/no-flow measurements were collected using ArcGIS (Geographic Information System) Survey123. Within the field app, a water observation form was created to collect coordinates and metadata about the observation. Information collected for the water observation points included repeat information from the 2025 water observation effort, including visually-assessed streamflow presence/absence (standard question obtained from Colorado State University’s StreamTracker project), flow estimate, stream or ponded area width, canopy cover, manganese films, iron seeps, beaver activity, and a new metadata component of estimated stream depth (for select locations). For 2026 water observations, this dataset contains: (1) a data file with the water observations and coordinates (2026_Water_Observations.csv); (2) a Keyhole Markup Language Zipped (KMZ) with the water observation locations and metadata (2026_Water_Observations_Locations.kmz); (3) photos (.jpg) of the water observation points, organized by location, contained within 2026_Water_Observations_FieldPhotographs.zip file; and (4) water observation protocols and figures (2026_Water_Observation_Protocols.pdf). For 2025 and 2026 water observations, this dataset contains: (1) a location metadata file (locations.csv); (6) a file-level metadata (flmd.csv) file that lists each file contained in the dataset with associated metadata; and (7) a data dictionary (dd.csv) file that contains column/row headers used throughout the files along with a definition, units, and data type. CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. This work was supported by the Watershed Function Science Focus Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. 2026-09-02: This dataset was updated to include 2026 water observation measurements. The 2025 observation files were also updated to ensure a consistent file naming convention across water observation years.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗
DOE OSTI2026

Magnetic structure of topological nodal-line semimetal EuSb 2

Here, we investigated the magnetic structure of the magnetic topological nodal-line semimetal EuSb 2 using x-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Eu 𝐿 3 absorption edge. Forbidden magnetic reflections confirm antiferromagnetic ordering with propagation vector 𝐪 = (0.5,0,0) below 𝑇 N ≈ 27 K. Azimuthal-angle-dependent measurements reveal that the Eu moments are aligned along the monoclinic 𝑏 axis. Comparison between the measured 𝐐-dependent magnetic Bragg peak intensities and calculations based on representation analysis identifies the magnetic structure as the A-type antiferromagnetic 𝛤 4 representation with a (++−−) arrangement along the 𝑎 direction. These results establish the microscopic magnetic structure of EuSb 2 and provide a basis for understanding the interplay between antiferromagnetism and topological electronic states in this system.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Copacabana: a probabilistic membership assignment method for galaxy clusters

Cosmological analyses using galaxy clusters in optical/near-infrared photometric surveys require robust characterization of their galaxy content. Precisely determining which galaxies belong to a cluster is crucial. In this paper, we present the COlor Probabilistic Assignment of Clusters And BAyesiaN Analysis (Copacabana) algorithm. Copacabana computes membership probabilities for all galaxies within an aperture centred on the cluster using photometric redshifts, colours, and projected radial probability density functions. We use simulations to validate Copacabana and we show that it achieves up to 89 per cent membership accuracy with a mild dependence on photometric redshift uncertainties and choice of aperture size. We find that the precision of the photometric redshifts has the largest impact on the determination of the membership probabilities followed by the choice of the cluster aperture size. We also quantify how much these uncertainties in the membership probabilities affect the stellar mass–cluster mass scaling relation, a relation that directly impacts cosmology. Using the sum of the stellar masses weighted by membership probabilities (⁠μ * ⁠) as the observable, we find that Copacabana can reach an accuracy of 0.06 dex in the measurement of the scaling relation at low redshift for a Legacy Survey of Space and Time type survey. These results indicate the potential of Copacabana and μ * to be used in cosmological analyses of optically selected clusters in the future.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2026

Scientific Highlights and Status of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, Years 9 through 12

We present the scientific highlights and status from years 9-12 of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, with its Curiosity rover. A thermochemolysis-based sample analysis revealed a variety of organic molecules preserved in clay mineral-rich lake/lake margin deposits of the Glen Torridon region. The stratigraphically higher clay-sulfate mineral transition on Aeolis Mons was found to be associated with a lithological change from lacustrine to dry aeolian depositional environments. Water intermittently returned to the surface after the increase in aridity, including during the deposition of wave ripple strata which indicate a climate capable of sustaining an ice-free lake in the early Hesperian. The overlying Mg sulfate-bearing unit has both poly- and monohydrated Mg sulfates and is also enriched in iron carbonate of a purity consistent with chemical sedimentation and therefore atmospheric sequestration. A channel-incised canyon within Gediz Vallis and distal alluvial deposits recorded numerous fluvial and debris flow events after the deposition, lithification, and erosion of the clay- and sulfate-bearing units. Bright clasts found in Gediz Vallis canyon are composed of native sulfur. The investigation of the modern atmosphere and environment focused on the influence of the crater and mountain topography and captured high-altitude noctilucent and iridescent clouds. Radiation monitoring now spans an 11-year solar cycle. Rover systems and science instruments remain capable of addressing mission scientific objectives. All ten scientific instruments continue to return high-value data despite degradation of the Chemistry and Camera instrument’s high-voltage system, loss of multispectral imaging capability, and loss of active neutron spectroscopy. The mission has mitigated the loss of redundant brakes on two arm joints, additional wheel wear, and highly reduced capability of the redundant flight computer. Efficiency improvements in rover energy utilization and operations staffing have allowed the mission team to maintain a high level of productivity despite declining rover power generation and funding.

Mars↗
DOE OSTI2026

Semi-Transparent Perovskite Solar Cells in a Stacked Tandem Module: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-19-00810

This project seeks to develop device design, materials composition, and processing tools and parameters to fabricate semi-transparent perovskite solar cells and modules for application in stand-alone products or added to other solar cells in a mechanically stacked tandem configuration. This technology presents significant advanced manufacturing challenges and opportunities in getting to scale, including development of perovskite inks, scalable perovskite and heterojunction deposition and annealing processes, heterojunction composition, transparent electrode composition and deposition process, anti-reflection layer composition and deposition process, and cell to module integration processes. Modification 5: The proposed project seeks to develop device design, materials composition, and processing tools and parameters to fabricate semi-transparent perovskite solar cells and modules for application in stand-alone products or added to other solar cells in a mechanically-stacked tandem configuration. This technology presents significant advanced manufacturing challenges and opportunities in getting to scale, including development of perovskite inks, scalable perovskite and heterojunction deposition and annealing processes, heterojunction composition, transparent electrode composition and deposition process, passivation layers including in module scribes, anti-reflection layer composition and deposition process, and cell to module integration processes. Advanced metrology and characterization will be performed on perovskite films, cells and module. Furthermore, we will examine module or materials recycling for circular economy considerations. Modifcation 6: Gigahertz frequency microwave pump-probe spectroscopies are highly sensitive to thin film semiconductor photoconductivity of individual and stacks of layers that comprise perovskite solar cells. As such, these techniques will be used to qualify reproducibility and quality correlations during the manufacturing process. Modification 7: Mechanical adhesion of top contacts within perovskite modules significantly impacts the durability of the module when exposed to accelerated degradation testing. The adhesion between the perovskite/transport layer interface and the transport layer/top contact interface are both very sensitive small changes in processing. ALD processing conditions of the transport layer will be tuned to optimize the mechanical adhesion within the perovskite module stack.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Future Projection of Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Troughs and Implications for Tropical Cyclone Activity

Summertime tropical upper-tropospheric troughs (TUTTs) provide a unified framework to better understand how extratropical and tropical forcings jointly modulate basin-scale tropical cyclone (TC) activity. In this study, we examine future changes in TUTTs and their implications for TC activity. Multimodel ensemble-mean projections from 45 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models suggest a contraction of the Pacific TUTT and an expansion of the Atlantic TUTT as the climate warms. Consistently, future changes in environment-based TC indices indicate that the large-scale conditions will become more favorable for TC genesis and intensification over the central North Pacific but less favorable over the tropical North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Utilizing a TC-permitting large-ensemble dataset [i.e., the Database for Policy Decision-Making for Future Climate Change (d4PDF)] that adequately captures the observed interannual TUTT–TC relationships, we further confirm the impacts of projected TUTT changes on the TC activity in a warmer climate. In contrast, the TUTT–TC relationship is poorly represented in most CMIP6 High-Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP) models; such deficiencies call for caution when assessing future TC risk based on explicitly tracked TCs in these models. Additionally, CMIP6 projections show large intermodel spread in TUTT changes, implying uncertainty in projected TC activity, especially over the central-to-eastern Pacific and the North Atlantic. This intermodel spread is associated with interhemispheric sea surface temperature warming asymmetry, which leads to a meridional shift of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the simultaneous weakening or strengthening of TUTTs in the North Pacific and North Atlantic. The potential contributions of anthropogenic aerosol forcing and oceanic circulation to this interhemispheric warming asymmetry are briefly examined.

Climate Change↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electricity Rate Designs for Large Loads: Evolving Practices and Opportunities 2026 Update

Electricity demand from large-load customers such as data centers is projected to grow significantly in the near term. While these large loads play an important role in advancing technology innovation and economic growth in the United States, meeting their energy needs requires utilities and regulators to consider important operational and financial risks, such as insufficient energy supply or underutilized investments, that can impact all customers. This paper builds on similar research published in January 2025, providing an overview of how utilities and regulators are managing these risks through different tariffs, including rate structures and electric service agreements. Regulators, utilities, customers, and other stakeholders can use this paper as a foundation when discussing issues and sharing perspectives on developing or reviewing large-load tariffs.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dark matter and baryon asymmetry from monopole-axion interactions

We introduce a novel mechanism where the kinetic energy of a rotating axion can be dissipated by the interactions with dark magnetic monopoles. This mechanism leads to a framework where the QCD axion and dark monopoles account for the dark matter density, and the observed baryon asymmetry is generated through the rotating QCD axion via axiogenesis. The monopoles acquire masses from a nonzero axion field, and they can transition between different quantized dyonic levels in the presence of a rotating axion field. The axion kinetic energy is dissipated by the transition, and thus the axion abundance is depleted to the observed dark matter abundance. We predict that the axion decay constant should be below 10 9 GeV to explain the observed dark matter and baryon densities.

Axions and ALPs↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of Post-Consumer Textile Waste Degradation Protocol and Related Downstream Transformations: Cooperative Research and Development (Final Report)

Tereform, Inc. (Tereform) is developing molecular deconstruction processes to transform waste materials into chemical building blocks. During the CRADA, Tereform deconstructed real-world post-consumer substrates into chemical monomers, validated their performance on laboratory scales, demonstrated feasibility of the degradation products in downstream transformations, and successfully scaled the reaction to kilogram-scale. These results were used to develop and refine technoeconomic analysis and lifecycle assessments to evaluate the economic feasibility and environmental impacts of the process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Scalable slot-die coating of phyllosilicate membranes for selective ion separations

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently drawn attention as candidate materials for molecular-scale membrane separations due to their tunable nanoscale interlayer properties. Phyllosilicates, a broad class of naturally abundant 2D clay minerals, offer significant advantages over synthetic 2D materials, including low cost, stability, and environmental compatibility. While these properties make phyllosilicates attractive for industrial-scale nanofiltration applications, phyllosilicate-based membranes have, to date, only been fabricated at the lab scale via vacuum filtration. Scalable fabrication methods are essential to advance the technical maturity of phyllosilicate membranes and bring these promising materials closer to large-scale adoption. Herein, we have successfully scaled up phyllosilicate (vermiculite) membrane fabrication via slot-die coating and roll-to-roll coating of an ethylenediamine–vermiculite (EDAVM) mixture onto nylon. The coated membranes are 1–2 μm $ \unicode{x03BC} \mathrm{m} $ mu m in thickness and exhibit similar structure and performance to vacuum-filtered EDAVM membranes. The membranes also show selectivity for monovalent ions over multivalent ions in binary salt mixtures. This work represents a major step toward scaling up phyllosilicate membranes for industrial ion separation applications such as resource recovery from water.

Booth, Austin [Princeton University]↗
DOE OSTI2026

RFID-Enabled Tamper-Indicating Seal

Tamper-indicating seals protect sensitive materials, valuable equipment, and critical shipments. Most conventional seals must be checked through manual visual inspection and do not provide a digital record of their condition. Some attempts to remove, alter, or bypass a seal may also leave little visible damage, making tampering difficult to identify during routine inspections. Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed a smart tamper-indicating seal that converts even subtle tampering into a persistent digital record. The seal communicates its identity and status wirelessly through standard radio-frequency identification (RFID) readers, giving organizations a faster, more reliable way to verify that an asset has remained secure.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Value of Geothermal Energy Storage for Supply-Side and Demand-Side Applications

This report presents the results of a study examining the value potential for geothermal energy storage (GES), a long-duration energy storage resource that stores thermal and/or geomechanical energy in the subsurface. GES could benefit the overall U.S. power system by temporally shifting electricity generation (supply-side) or meeting building heating and cooling load (demand-side). This report analyzes supply-side and demand-side opportunities independently because of differences in applications and models. Currently there is significant uncertainty about the development costs for GES, with only a limited number of demonstration plants for electric energy storage and building heating and cooling storage developments. In this report, we estimate the value of supply-side and demand-side GES to the bulk power system in the contiguous United States. Because of the significant uncertainty about GES development costs, this analysis does not consider GES deployment costs but instead focuses on the value of GES to the U.S. electricity system. The estimated values of GES provide reference points for economically competitive commercial cost targets. Supply-side GES is modeled as part of an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) generation plant in NREL's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) capacity expansion model (Ho et al. 2021). In contrast to conventional geothermal plants, which generate constant power, EGS plants have unique features that may allow for in-reservoir energy storage for flexible generation. Demand-side GES for heating and cooling, including seasonal hot and cold storage and short-duration heat pump storage, is incorporated into a price-taker model using Cambium electricity marginal cost projections. To establish an upper bound for the value of GES, analysis focused on favorable scenarios for storage with high generation from zero marginal cost, variable renewable energy resources. High penetrations of variable renewable energy generation can increase hourly electricity price variability, which increases the value of temporal energy arbitrage for storage technologies like GES.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Pressure-Stabilized MnSb2 with Complex Incommensurate Magnetic Order

Marcasite-type compounds have been proposed as promising hosts of exotic magnetic quantum states, yet experimental realizations in stoichiometric, disorder-free systems remain limited. Here, we report the high-pressure stabilization and magnetic characterization of MnSb2, a marcasite-type compound that is thermodynamically metastable under ambient pressure. Single crystals were synthesized using a cubic multianvil press at 3.3 GPa and 490 °C for 24 h, and powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirm the orthorhombic Pnnm structure. These crystals are stable at ambient pressure for a long time up to between 450 and 500 K. Heat-capacity measurements reveal phase transitions at approximately T0 ∼ 118 K and T1 ∼ 220 K. Neutron diffraction uncovers an unconventional magnetic state below T1 ∼ 220 K. Magnetic powder neutron diffraction refinements reveal possible multiple magnetic configurations that provide comparably acceptable fits to the experimental data. While most solutions are consistent with a spin-density-wave (SDW) description, helical models systematically yield inferior agreement factors. Across a broad range of models, the Mn ordered moment reaches a maximum value of approximately 2 μB and remains predominantly collinear, with minimal canting along the c-axis. At 200 K, the magnetic propagation vector is q = (0, 0.3975, 0.3783); upon cooling, the b component increases toward 0.5, reflecting a temperature-dependent evolution of the modulation. The need for modification of the magnetic model between high and low temperatures further highlights the complex and strongly temperature-dependent nature of the magnetic order in this system. These results establish MnSb2 as a pressure-stabilized marcasite magnet with a tunable, complex magnetic state and a compelling stoichiometric platform for exploring unconventional magnetic behavior, including potential altermagnetism.

Xu, Mingyu [Michigan State University , , , ,; Iow↗
DOE OSTI2026

Salt to Metal to Salt Heat Transfer in Narrow Fuel Pins (Final CRADA Report)

This work focused on improving the understanding and modeling of conjugate heat transfer in the Stable Salt Reactor (SSR), particularly the transfer of heat from molten fuel salt inside narrow fuel pins, through the metal cladding and into the surrounding coolant salt.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Powered By SAM [Slides]

The System Advisor Model(TM) (SAM) is a free, open-source desktop application for techno-economic analysis of energy technologies. By combining detailed performance modeling with financial analysis, SAM allows users to assess technology trade-offs, explore future scenarios, and make informed decisions about energy investments. Users also have access to model details and the ability to embed SAM's core models in their own applications. This webinar, hosted by National Laboratory of the Rockies researchers Janine Keith and Matt Prilliman, highlights how this widely used modeling tool supports data-driven decision-making for energy systems.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗