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At least 55 records · Page 3

Measurement of post-disruption runaway electron kinetic energy and pitch angle during final loss instability in DIII-D

Post-disruption runaway electron (RE) kinetic energy K and pitch angle sin$\vartheta$ are critical parameters for determining resulting first wall material damage during wall strikes, but are very challenging to measure experimentally. During the final loss instability, confined RE K and sin$\vartheta$ are reconstructed during center-post wall strikes for both high impurity (high-Z) and low impurity (low-Z) plasmas by combining soft x-ray, hard x-ray, synchrotron emission, and total radiated power measurements. Deconfined (wall impacting) RE sin$\vartheta$ is then reconstructed for these shots by using time-decay analysis of infra-red imaging. Additionally, deconfined RE K and sin$\vartheta$ are reconstructed for a low-Z downward loss shot by analyzing resulting damage to a sacrificial graphite dome limiter. The damage analysis uses multi-step modeling simulating plasma instability, RE loss orbits, energy deposition, and finally material expansion (MARS-F, KORC, GEANT-4, and finally COMSOL). Overall, mean kinetic energies are found to be in the range $\langle$$K$$\rangle$ $≈ 3-4$ MeV for confined REs. KORC simulations indicate that the final loss instability process does not change individual RE kinetic energy K. In conclusion, confined RE pitch angles are found to be fairly low initially pre-instability, $\langle$sin$\vartheta$$\rangle$ $≈ 0.1 – 0.2$, but appear to increase roughly 2x, to $\langle$sin$\vartheta$$\rangle$ $≈ 0.3 – 0.4$ for both confined and deconfined REs during instability onset in the low-Z case; this increase is not observed in the high-Z case.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Half-ice, half-fire-driven ultranarrow phase crossover in one-dimensional decorated 𝑞-state Potts ferrimagnets: An AI-co-led exploration

OpenAI’s reasoning model o3-mini-high was used to carry out an exact analytic study of one-dimensional ferrimagnetic site- and bond-decorated 𝑞-state Potts models. We demonstrate that the finite-temperature ultranarrow phase crossover (UNPC), driven by a hidden “half-ice, half-fire” state recently discovered in the 𝑞=2 case (Ising model), persists for 𝑞>2. Moreover, we identify unique features for 𝑞>2, including the dome structure in the field-temperature phase diagram, and for large 𝑞 a secondary high-temperature UNPC to the fully disordered paramagnetic state. As the UNPC quickly approaches a genuine transition by enhancing 𝐽, the interaction between the backbone spins, two distinct behaviors emerge: In the site-decorated Potts model, 𝑇 0 is independent of 𝐽 and thus remains unchanged (Type-I UNPC), and in the bond-decorated Potts model with 𝑞>2, 𝑇 0 depends on 𝐽 and quickly shifts toward a finite temperature as 𝐽 increases (Type-II UNPC). These results establish a versatile framework for engineering controlled fast state-flipping switches in low-dimensional systems. Our nine-dan artificial intelligence (AI)-contribution framework assigns AI the meritorious status of AI-co-led discovery in this work.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Persistence of charge density wave fluctuations in the absence of long-range order in a hole-doped kagome metal

The kagome metals 𝐴⁢V 3 ⁢Sb 5 (𝐴=K, Rb, Cs) exhibit a complex interplay between charge density wave (CDW) order and superconductivity. Here, in this study, we use ultrafast coherent phonon spectroscopy to probe the evolution of CDW order in hole-doped CsV 3 ⁢Sb 5−𝑥 ⁢Sn 𝑥 across a broad range of compositions (0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 0.68). While thermodynamic and diffraction measurements show long-range CDW order vanishes above 𝑥 ≈ 0.05, we observe persistent signatures of CDW fluctuations up to the highest doping levels, with correlation times on the order of several picoseconds. These results indicate the presence of a robust fluctuating charge order that survives well beyond the established CDW phase boundary. Furthermore, these fluctuations are enhanced near a doping-tuned quantum phase transition at 𝑥* ≈ 0.15, which coincides with a local minimum in the superconducting 𝑇 c double-dome. Additional measurements on Ti- and K-substituted samples confirm that this behavior is intrinsic to hole doping and not tied to disorder. Overall, our findings suggest that CDW fluctuations play a central role in the electronic phase diagram of 𝐴⁢V 3 ⁢Sb 5 and may mediate or compete with superconductivity.

Kongruengkit, Terawit [Univ. of California, Santa ↗

Anisotropic magnetism and Kondo-lattice behavior in the frustrated antiferromagnet Ce 3 ⁢MgBi 5

Here, we report the synthesis and physical characterization of single-crystalline Ce 3 ⁢MgBi 5 , a previously unexplored member of the Ce 3 ⁢𝑀⁢𝑃⁢𝑛 5 family. This compound crystallizes in the hexagonal 𝑃⁢6 3 /𝑚⁢𝑐⁢𝑚 structure, featuring an anisotropic Ce sublattice composed of zigzag chains along the 𝑐 axis and a distorted kagome-like network in the basal plane. Magnetization measurements reveal antiferromagnetic order below 𝑇 𝑁 ≈ 4.2K with strong magnetic anisotropy and multiple field-induced metamagnetic transitions for fields applied perpendicular to [001], leading to a dome-shaped 𝐻–𝑇 phase diagram. Electrical transport exhibits characteristic signatures of a Ce-based Kondo lattice, including broad resistivity maxima and pronounced field-dependent anomalies in the magnetoresistance and Hall response that track the magnetic phase boundaries. Specific-heat measurements confirm the magnetic transition and show that the full R ⁢ln⁡ 2 entropy expected for a Ce 3+ Kramers doublet is recovered by 20 K, indicating an extended temperature range of magnetic fluctuations consistent with Kondo correlations. Our results establish Ce 3 ⁢MgBi 5 as a platform within the Ce 3 ⁢𝑀⁢𝑃⁢𝑛 5 family for exploring the interplay of geometric frustration, magnetic anisotropy, and Kondo-lattice physics under applied magnetic fields.

Kondo effect↗

Reaching quantum critical point by adding nonmagnetic disorder in single crystals of superconductor (Ca 𝑥 ⁢Sr 1−𝑥 ) 3 ⁢Rh 4 ⁢Sn 13

The Remeika series superconductor, (Ca 𝑥 ⁢Sr 1−𝑥 ) 3 ⁢Rh 4 ⁢Sn 13 , shows a rare nonmagnetic quantum critical point (QCP) associated with the continuous charge-density wave (CDW) and structural transition under the “dome” of superconductivity achieved by tuning composition and applying pressure. Here, we use a nonmagnetic pointlike disorder induced by 2.5 MeV electron irradiation to suppress the CDW and drive the system to and even beyond the QCP. This conclusion is based on a clear evolution of temperature-dependent resistivity, 𝜌⁡(𝑇), from the Fermi liquid to the non-Fermi liquid regime with increasing amount of disorder. Starting on the CDW side, below the suggested QCP concentration of 𝑥 𝑐 =0.9, added disorder resulted in a progressively larger linear term and a reduced quadratic term in 𝜌⁡(𝑇). Nearly perfect 𝑇−linear dependence is observed at the dose at which long-range CDW order is suppressed to 𝑇=0, consistent with the expectations. We refine the QCP location in this system and place it in the interval between 𝑥=0.75 and 0.85. Our results strongly support the concept that the disorder can tune the system to the quantum critical regime and even beyond. It follows from the argument by Imry and Ma that any ordered phase is unstable toward quenched disorder. Introduced in a controlled way, this disorder becomes a nonthermal tuning parameter likely applicable to a variety of different systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Upper critical magnetic field and multiband superconductivity in artificial high-𝑇 𝑐 superlattices of nano quantum wells

Artificial high-T c superlattices (AHTS) composed of quantum building blocks with tunable superconducting critical temperature have been synthesized by engineering their nanoscale geometry using the Bianconi-Perali Valletta (BPV) two-gap superconductivity theory. These quantum heterostructures consist of quantum wells made of superconducting, modulation-doped Mott insulators (S), confined by a metallic (N) potential barrier. The lattice geometry has been carefully engineered to induce the predicted Fano-Feshbach shape resonance between the gaps, near a topological Lifshitz transition. Here, we validate the BPV theory by providing compelling experimental evidence that AHTS samples, at the peak of the superconducting dome, exhibit resonant two-band, two-gap superconductivity. This is demonstrated by measuring the temperature dependence of the upper critical magnetic field, μ 0 H c2 , in samples with superlattice periods 3.3 < d < 5.28 nm and L/d ratios close to the magic value 2/3 (where L is the thickness of the superconducting La 2 CuO 4 layer and d is the superlattice period). Here, the data reveal the predicted upward concavity in H c2 (T) and a characteristic kink in the coherence length as a function of temperature, confirming the predicted two-band superconductivity with Fermi velocity ratio ≈ 0.25 and significant pair-exchange term among the two condensates.

Heterostructures↗

Competing Electronic Ground States in the Heavy-Fermion Superconductor CeRh 2 As 2

CeRh 2 ⁢As 2 is rare among superconductors, in that the magnetic field tunes it between two distinct superconducting phases. Combined with a lack of local inversion symmetry and an upper critical field exceeding the Pauli paramagnetic limit, this excitingly suggests triplet multicomponent superconductivity. Preceding the superconducting onset, 𝑓-electron correlations cause long-range order, attributed both to local antiferromagnetism and itinerant (quadrupole) density waves. A magnetic field provides a significant perturbation of the 𝑓 electrons and may reveal the nature of the many-body correlations. Therefore, we report comprehensive magnetization and magnetotransport studies on microstructured devices in fields of up to 73 T. Applied along the 𝑐 axis, the field causes a low-temperature change of majority (hole) carrier density at 𝜇 0⁢ 𝐻 ≈ 2⁢4 T. By contrast, in-plane fields produce a cascade of phase transitions; the field-induced in-plane conductivity anisotropy and lack of accompanying magnetic features, plus the closed-dome nature of the overall phase boundary is consistent with a hierarchy of field-induced density-wave states.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

X-ray spectroscopic investigation of crystal fields in Ce 2 Rh 1 − x Ir x In 8 heavy fermions

The higher dimensionality in the crystal fields of the Ce 2 M In 8 ( M = Rh , Ir ) compounds and its interplay with hybridization and disorder are key ingredients to understand the complex phase diagrams by this family, which have been explored extensively by macroscopic techniques. Here, we present an investigation of the crystal-electric field schemes of Ce 2 Rh 1 − x Ir x In 8 using x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our full multiplet calculations for the 4 f 1 configuration of Ce 3 + to describe the temperature-dependent linear dichroism in Ce 2 M In 8 are consistent with a Γ 7 1 = 1 − α 2 · | ∓ 3 2 〉 − | α | · | ± 5 2 〉 ground state containing a predominant | ± 3 / 2 〉 contribution that increases further with x . This enhancement is believed to favor superconductivity in Ce-based heavy fermion materials, observed in previous results in the Ce M In 5 family. Our recent observations shed light on the unexpected emergence of the ambient-pressure superconducting dome in the center of the composition phase diagram and its subsequent suppression on the Ir-rich side due to the early onset of fluctuations associated with the structurally more disordered state, inferred from previous neutron magnetic diffraction experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Christovam, D. S. (ORCID:0000000250698107)↗

Sensitivity of magnetohydrodynamic simulations of Joule-heated conductors to the vaporization curve in equations of state

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of electrically exploded aluminum and copper rods demonstrate a technique to validate equations of state (EOS) for rapidly Joule-heated conductors. The balance of internal and magnetic forces at the conductor-insulator interface drives the metal there along the vaporization phase boundary. Variations between critical points and vaporization curves in existing models predict differing densities and temperatures in MHD simulations for these models. Here, the inclusion of Maxwell constructs in the liquid-vapor biphase region of the EOS caused the rod surface to vaporize earlier in time than unmodified tables with van der Waals loops. Velocimetry of recent experiments is used to validate the location of the vaporization curve in existing EOS models and differentiate between the vapor dome treatments. Dielectric coatings applied to the metal surface restricted the conductor’s expansion and diverted the metal into the warm dense matter regime.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Superconducting phase diagram in Bi x Ni 1 – x thin films: The effects of Bi stoichiometry on superconductivity

The Bi-Ni binary system has been of interest due to possible unconventional superconductivity aroused therein, such as time-reversal symmetry breaking in Bi/Ni bilayers or the coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in Bi 3 ⁢Ni crystals. While Ni acts as a ferromagnetic element in such systems, the role of the strong spin-orbit coupling element Bi in superconductivity has remained unexplored. In this work, we systematically studied the effects of Bi stoichiometry on the superconductivity of Bi x ⁢Ni 1–x thin films (x ≈ 0.5–0.9) fabricated via a composition-spread approach. Here, the superconducting phase map of Bi x ⁢Ni 1–x thin films exhibited a superconducting composition region attributable to the intermetallic Bi 3 ⁢Ni phase with different amounts of excess Bi, revealed by synchrotron x-ray diffraction analysis. Interestingly, the mixed-phase region with Bi 3 ⁢Ni and Bi showed unusual increases in the superconducting transition temperature and residual resistance ratio as more Bi impurities were included, with the maximum T c (=4.2K) observed at x ≈ 0.79. A correlation analysis of structural, electrical, and magneto-transport characteristics across the composition variation revealed that the unusual superconducting “dome” is due to two competing roles of Bi: impurity scattering and carrier doping. We found that the carrier doping effect is dominant in the mild doping regime (0.74 ≤ x ≤ 0.79), while impurity scattering becomes more pronounced at larger Bi stoichiometry.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Unconventional gate-induced superconductivity in transition-metal dichalcogenides

Superconductivity in few-layer semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can be induced by field-effect doping through ionic-liquid gating. While several experimental observations have been collected over the years, a fully consistent theoretical picture is still missing. Here we develop a realistic framework that combines the predictive power of first-principles simulations with the versatility and insight of Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer gap equations to rationalize such experiments. The multivalley nature of semiconducting TMDs is taken into account, together with the doping- and momentum-dependent electron-phonon and Coulomb interactions. Consistently with experiments, we find that superconductivity occurs when the electron density is large enough that the 𝑄 valleys get occupied, as a result of a large enhancement of electron-phonon interactions. Despite being phonon driven, the superconducting state is predicted to be sensitive to Coulomb interactions, which can lead to the appearance of a relative sign difference between valleys and thus to a 𝑠 +− character. We discuss qualitatively how such scenario may account for many of the observed physical phenomena for which no microscopic explanation has been found so far, including in particular the presence of a large subgap density of states, and the sample-dependent dome-shaped dependence of 𝑇 𝑐 on accumulated electron density. Our results provide a comprehensive analysis of gate-induced superconductivity in semiconducting TMDs, and introduce an approach that will likely be valuable for other multivalley electronic systems, in which superconductivity occurs at relatively low electron density.

2-dimensional systems↗

Exact solution of the frustrated Potts model with next-nearest-neighbor interactions in one dimension via AI bootstrapping

The one-dimensional (1D) 𝐽 1 −𝐽 2 𝑞-state Potts model is solved exactly for arbitrary 𝑞 by analytically block-diagonalizing the original 𝑞 2 ×𝑞 2 transfer matrix into a simple 2 × 2 maximally symmetric subspace, based on using OpenAI's reasoning model o3-mini-high to exactly solve the 𝑞 = 3 case. Furthermore, by matching relevant subspaces, we map the Potts model onto a simpler effective 1D 𝑞-state Potts model, where 𝐽 2 acts as the nearest-neighbor interaction and 𝐽 1 as an effective magnetic field, nontrivially generalizing a 56-year-old theorem previously limited to the simplest case (𝑞 = 2, the Ising model). Our exact results provide insights to phenomena such as atomic or electronic order stacking in layered materials and the emergence of dome-shaped phases in complex phase diagrams. In conclusion, this work is anticipated to fuel both research in 1D frustrated magnets for recently discovered finite-temperature application potentials and the fast moving topic area of AI in science.

1-dimensional spin chains↗

Composition and in situ structure of the Methanospirillum hungatei cell envelope and surface layer

Archaea share genomic similarities with Eukarya and cellular architectural similarities with Bacteria, though archaeal and bacterial surface layers (S-layers) differ. Using cellular cryo–electron tomography, we visualized the S-layer lattice surroundingMethanospirillum hungatei, a methanogenic archaeon. Though more compact than known structures,M. hungatei’s S-layer is a flexible hexagonal lattice of dome-shaped tiles, uniformly spaced from both the overlying cell sheath and the underlying cell membrane. Subtomogram averaging resolved the S-layer hexamer tile at 6.4-angstrom resolution. By fitting an AlphaFold model into hexamer tiles in flat and curved conformations, we uncover intra- and intertile interactions that contribute to the S-layer’s cylindrical and flexible architecture, along with a spacer extension for cell membrane attachment.M. hungateicell’s end plug structure, likely composed of S-layer isoforms, further highlights the uniqueness of this archaeal cell. These structural features offer advantages for methane release and reflect divergent evolutionary adaptations to environmental pressures during early microbial emergence.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Influence of Antarctic and Greenland Continental Shelf Circulation on High‐Latitude Oceans in E3SM

The science objectives of this project are to simulate and understand the impacts of both deep-basin warm-water intrusions and land-ice melt on the continental shelf circulations and sea-ice distributions around the margins of Greenland and Antarctica. As well, the role of subsurface ocean heat from the Atlantic on declining sea-ice cover in the Arctic is explored. Mesoscale processes and fine bathymetry are implicated in cross-shelf property transports around both Greenland and Antarctica. Therefore, we configured and ran an atmospheric reanalysis-forced global ocean/sea-ice simulation on a grid that reduces from 8 km at the Equator to 2 km at the poles (UH8to2) with 60 vertical levels. It was produced using the Energy Exascale Earth System Model ‘‘HiLAT’’ code (E3SMv0-HiLAT) that uses the Parallel Ocean Program (POP) and CICE5 as its ocean and sea-ice components, respectively. Two main UH8to2 simulations were carried out: one for 1975-2009 and the other for July 2016-2020 after it was initialized from a 1/25° data-assimilative ocean/sea-ice prediction system ocean/sea-ice state. The UH8to2 is not coupled to an active land-ice model. Rather, land-ice melt is represented by observationally informed freshwater fluxes (FWFs). Short (multi-year) UH8to2 simulations were conducted to understand sensitivities when Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) melt is released only at the ocean surface or when it is distributed over the upper water column in accordance with fjord melt plume behavior; these cases were compared with a no GrIS melt case. West Greenland continental shelf currents were fastest in the vertical distribution case and an increase in baroclinic conversion at the shelf break associated with increased eddy kinetic energy was found relative to the surface release case. Further, salinity is lower and meltwater volume greater in the eastern Labrador Sea in the vertical distribution case. For the Arctic, the veracity of the UH8to2 was evaluated for 2017-2020 using available observations. Simulated seasonal sea-ice thickness and concentration are realistic, but the ice is unrealistically thin in the central and eastern Arctic in the fall. Comparisons of vertical sections of ocean temperature, salinity, and buoyancy collected from Ice-Tethered Profilers (ITPs) in the eastern Arctic in the fall and winter of 2019/2020 and co-located/concurrent UH8to2 fields show the stratification over the top 100 m of the water column is too low in the model, the simulated mixed layer too deep, and the simulated subsurface Atlantic Water (AW) too warm; these biases may contribute to the sea-ice biases. A model intercomparison study using the UH8to2 and a forced 1/25° regional Arctic ocean/sea-ice (uses the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model and CICE5) simulation further investigates the relationship between AW and sea-ice in the eastern Arctic. The models show a mesoscale-rich pulse of Atlantic Water extending into the eastern basin that reaches maximum intensity in late winter of 2018, after which it decreases in strength. Concurrent and co-located sea-ice melt or the inhibition of sea-ice growth is seen and is attributed to halocline mesoscale eddies doming into the mixed layer with convection bringing this heat into the vicinity of the sea-ice.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Idaho National Laboratory Integrated Multisite SSHAC Level 3: Probabilistic Volcanic Hazards Assessment

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) resides on the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP), part of the Snake River Plain (SRP) with a complex origin and geologic history of volcanism. Much of the Quaternary (last 2.58 million years) volcanism within 400 km of INL is genetically associated with a major thermal anomaly referred to as the Yellowstone hotspot, which is currently located more than 180 km northeast of INL. Near INL, local volcanic sources include silicic domes near its southern border, and numerous dike-fed basaltic vents of the ESRP, some of which are near or within the INL boundaries. Quantitative probabilistic assessments of screened-in volcanic hazardous phenomena for nine different facility complexes at the INL are presented for a Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC) Level 3 (SL3) study. The comprehensive, integrated multisite SSHAC study consists of a single regional Probabilistic Volcanic Hazards Assessment (PVHA) that pertains to all nine INL facility complexes, with site-specific information developed at each respective area of interest (AOI), referred to as the "INL facility AOI" (Figure ES-1). Hazard products are generated for specified INL facility AOIs for use by multiple stakeholders from different agencies in risk-informed decision-making regarding site selection, operations, and design of nuclear facilities at INL, consistent with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulatory guidance. The study also serves as the basis for future periodic safety assessments required for existing DOE facilities, such as 10-year evaluations of natural-phenomena hazards. Elements of the INL PVHA including initial characterization, screening, quantitative assessments of eruption and hazard potential, and consideration of facility needs are conducted using the three phases of the SSHAC process: evaluation, integration, and documentation. As per regulatory guidance, the SSHAC framework provided the necessary processes and procedures for the PVHA Technical Integration (TI) team, at three workshops, five formal working meetings and many TI team remote meetings, to conduct initial characterization, screen the volcanic hazards, create PVHA model inputs, exercise those models in the PVHA, consider facility-specific volcanic hazard needs, and perform final hazard calculations. The Participatory Peer Review Panel (PPRP) provided independent oversight and performed process and technical reviews of the PVHA throughout its duration. The study included an extensive New Data Collection and Analyses (NDCA) program developed by the PVHA TI team to reduce uncertainties in hazard-significant elements in the PVHA model. NDCA activities generated 20 reports providing important contributory datasets and results to the project database for characterizing the ESRP. For example, a report compiling the dimensions of ESRP shield volcanoes and lava fields was used to construct volcanic footprints (areas of impact), was compared with data from INL subsurface cores, and was used to validate the results of lava-flow inundation modeling on the contemporary terrain. Another example is the acquisition of aeromagnetic data over INL and its surrounding area, with maps of buried magmatic features (e.g., subsurface volcanoes and swarms of feeder dikes) that informed the PVHA conceptual model of volcanism. The SSHAC evaluation process was used to conduct all elements of the PVHA including initial characterization and screening. Existing data and NDCA activities provided the foundation to develop the tectonomagmatic conceptual model of volcanism for the region of geographical interest in the SRP and Yellowstone hotspot volcanic system, and for considering volcanoes in the western US. Considering Quaternary volcanic sources active during this period, the screening approach identified and evaluated magma compositions, types of eruptive and intrusive phenomena, types of hazardous phenomena, and proximity of sources to INL. The PVHA TI team evaluated 18 types of magmatic sources in terms of 20 potentially hazardous phenomena, resulting in 360 screening decisions. The screening process resulted in 140 screened-in hazardous volcanic phenomena for Quaternary volcanic sources 1) proximal to INL facility complexes in the ESRP (64 basaltic and 54 silicic), 2) regional sources associated with the Yellowstone caldera system and Blackfoot Reservoir volcanic field (7), and 3) more distal sources from thirteen Cascade volcanoes and two volcanoes at Long Valley caldera (CA).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

AEOLIAN INTERDUNE FACIES OF THE NAVAJO SANDSTONE, UTAH

During the Early Jurassic an extensive desert environment covered a large area of the Western Interior of the USA. The Navajo Sandstone erg is thought to be one of the largest dunefields preserved in the rock record, estimated to have covered well over 500,000 km2, though the preserved extent is less due to erosion. The Navajo Sandstone outcrops extensively in eastern and southern Utah, forming spectacular domes and arches, including those in Arches National Park. Navajo Sandstone aeolian dunes consist of stacked, tabular sandstone bodies, displaying steeply dipping crossbedding, and are on average 15 m thick, with high porosity and permeability. In addition to these extensive paleodunes, interdune deposits are also documented, consisting of lensoid sandstone or pale grey limestone, of approximately 1-7 m thick. This research forms part of a broader investigation into the Navajo Sandstone in Utah, focusing on its potential as a CO2 reservoir. The internal stratigraphy of the Navajo Sandstone can be complex, with multiple types of aeolian surfaces present including discontinuous inter-dune contacts, and inclined bedding planes associated with large climbing dunes. Interdune deposits may be associated with more laterally extensive stratigraphic surfaces, highlighting their importance in the internal stratigraphic framework of the Navajo Sandstone erg. Here we interpret facies and depositional processes of aeolian interdune deposits of the Navajo Sandstone throughout Utah, using well log, outcrop, and thin sections. Interdune deposits range in type from short lived, small ponds of predominantly reworked aeolian sediment, to comparatively long-lived oases consisting of lakes with extensive ecosystems. This project aims to increase our understanding of an important potential CO2 reservoir, and enhance understanding of stratigraphic complexity within one of the world's most significant aeolian systems.

Mahon, Elizabeth (ORCID:0000000252692454)↗

Integrity Monitoring, Prediction and Assessment, Corrosion Control, and Repair of the Hanford Storage Tanks – 25213

The Hanford Nuclear Reservation site contains approximately 211 million liters of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste arising from nuclear weapons production, beginning with World War II, and continuing through the Cold War [1]. The waste is stored in 177 carbon-steel underground storage tanks, of which 149 are single-shell tanks (SSTs) and the remaining are double-shell tanks (DSTs). The mission of an ongoing River Protection Project is to retrieve the waste from the underground storage tanks and then treat and immobilize (i.e., vitrify) it for disposal. Waste from the older SSTs is being progressively retrieved into the newer DSTs for storage pending treatment, immobilization, and disposal. Figure 1 depicts a typical DST design [2]. The tank is approximately 23 m in diameter and 9 m high and has a domed structure and has a capacity of 4000 m3. The tank wall and floor vary in thickness between approximately 10 mm and 25 mm depending on location. The thicker wall sections are near the curved transition between the tank wall and the floor, while the thinner sections are located near the top of the tank wall. The tank floor thickness varies from 25 mm at the tank center to 10 mm near the tank wall. The tanks were constructed of either ASTM A516 Grade 65 or ASTM A537 Class 1 carbon steel and were post-weld heat treated to reduce the risk of SCC.

Shukla, Pavan K. [Savannah River National Laborato↗

An Advanced Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence System for Demonstrating Radiation Regulatory Compliance in DOE Accelerator Facilities

In this Phase II proposal, Applied Research LLC (ARLLC), Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), and Old Dominion University (ODU) propose the combination of domain knowledge (beam characteristics, fixed structural shielding, earthen burden (the soil and foliage added to the dome of the experimental halls as additional shielding), etc.), machine learning (ML) and/or artificial intelligence (AI) to correlate a variety of multi-modal onsite signals and the radiation fields seen in accessible areas of the accelerator site and the site boundary. The ML/AI will consider the complex influence of environmental parameters affecting the radon contribution of the measurements, focusing on actual data obtained from Jefferson Lab. In Phase I, the coded beam and location data were fed into a deep learning model to predict doses at several designated locations in Jefferson Lab’s facility. Moreover, a dense radiation map was generated using only a sparse collection of the samples in a facility. In Phase II, we will develop a software prototype containing a radiation prediction algorithm, dense radiation map algorithms, and background noise prediction algorithms, with actual data used to evaluate the prototype. This work will provide a framework for evaluation of radiation measurement results around the site based on learned responses. In addition, the proposed approach allows more granular mapping of radiation levels. Better understanding and communication of these levels is related to the overall approach in keeping doses to personnel ALARA.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗