Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “remote operations center”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Enabling modern data discovery for atmospheric measurements

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility is a US Department of Energy Office of Science user facility that is managed and operated through a collaborative effort led by nine US Department of Energy national laboratories. The ARM Data Center, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is responsible for the timely collection, processing, and delivery of data products to the scientific community. The ARM Data Center holds more than 11,000 data products, including metadata collected from field campaigns, instruments, value-added products, and principal investigator–contributed data. These data sets are checked for successful transfer (for most data, this transfer is carried out automatically via the network; however, some of the largest data sets and some of the most remote sites require manual shipping of hard disks) and both the data and metadata are processed to a standard format, which is an ARM-standardized structure, via the Network Common Data Form. The Network Common Data Form is a self-describing binary format with many compatible software tools. Once processed, the data are cataloged, stored in the ARM Data Archive, and made discoverable through association with an array of metadata-characterizing information, such as location and measurement classification. These metadata enable powerful search capabilities through the ARM Data Center Data Discovery interface. This paper discusses the workflow of how the new discovery system has been redesigned from user requirements and how the data are distributed to the scientific community.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Robotic sample changers for macromolecular X-ray crystallography and biological small-angle X-ray scattering at the National Synchrotron Light Source II

In this work, we present two robotic sample changers integrated into the experimental stations for the macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamlines AMX and FMX, and the biological small-angle scattering (bioSAXS) beamline LiX. They enable fully automated unattended data collection and remote access to the beamlines. The system designs incorporate high-throughput, versatility, high-capacity, resource sharing and robustness. All systems are centered around a six-axis industrial robotic arm coupled with a force torque sensor and in-house end effectors (grippers). They have the same software architecture and the facility standard EPICS-based BEAST alarm system. The MX system is compatible with SPINE bases and Unipucks. It comprises a liquid nitrogen dewar holding 384 samples (24 Unipucks) and a stay-cold gripper, and utilizes machine vision software to track the sample during operations and to calculate the final mount position on the goniometer. The bioSAXS system has an in-house engineered sample storage unit that can hold up to 360 samples (20 sample holders) which keeps samples at a user-set temperature (277 K to 300 K). The MX systems were deployed in early 2017 and the bioSAXS system in early 2019.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaluating the potential of disaggregated memory systems for HPC applications

Summary Disaggregated memory is a promising approach that addresses the limitations of traditional memory architectures by enabling memory to be decoupled from compute nodes and shared across a data center. Cloud platforms have deployed such systems to improve overall system memory utilization, but performance can vary across workloads. High‐performance computing (HPC) is crucial in scientific and engineering applications, where HPC machines also face the issue of underutilized memory. As a result, improving system memory utilization while understanding workload performance is essential for HPC operators. Therefore, learning the potential of a disaggregated memory system before deployment is a critical step. This paper proposes a methodology for exploring the design space of a disaggregated memory system. It incorporates key metrics that affect performance on disaggregated memory systems: memory capacity, local and remote memory access ratio, injection bandwidth, and bisection bandwidth, providing an intuitive approach to guide machine configurations based on technology trends and workload characteristics. We apply our methodology to analyze thirteen diverse workloads, including AI training, data analysis, genomics, protein, fusion, atomic nuclei, and traditional HPC bookends. Our methodology demonstrates the ability to comprehend the potential and pitfalls of a disaggregated memory system and provides motivation for machine configurations. Our results show that eleven of our thirteen applications can leverage injection bandwidth disaggregated memory without affecting performance, while one pays a rack bisection bandwidth penalty and two pay the system‐wide bisection bandwidth penalty. In addition, we also show that intra‐rack memory disaggregation would meet the application's memory requirement and provide enough remote memory bandwidth.

Ding, Nan↗
DOE OSTI2024

Deployment of inference as a service at the US CMS Tier-2 data centers

Coprocessors, especially GPUs, will be a vital ingredient of data production workflows at the HL-LHC. At CMS, the GPU-as-a-service approach for production workflows is implemented by the SONIC project (Services for Optimized Network Inference on Coprocessors). SONIC provides a mechanism for outsourcing computationally demanding algorithms, such as neural network inference, to remote servers, where requests from multiple clients are intelligently distributed across multiple GPUs by a load-balancing service. This talk highlights the recent progress in deploying SONIC at selected U.S. CMS Tier-2 data centers. Using realistic CMS Run3 data processing workflows, such as those containing transformer-based algorithms, we demonstrate how SONIC is integrated into the production-like environment to enable accelerated inference offloading. We will present developments from both the client and server sides, including production job and data center configurations for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. We will also present performance scaling benchmarks and discuss the challenges of operating SONIC in CMS production, such as server discovery, GPU saturation, fallback server logic, etc.

Holzman, Burt↗
DOE OSTI2020

Versatile Remediation Module Final Operational Testing Results

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) successfully demonstrated the Versatile Remediation Module (VRM), a prototype module designed and built by ORNL for performing the on-site remote repair of welded stainless-steel storage containers for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. This report describes the VRM prototype and its design features, components, qualification tests, operational procedures, and demonstration results to support continued long-term storage or off-site transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste currently stored in storage containers. A remote (i.e., 100 ft away from the simulated radiative environment) demonstration of the VRM was successfully performed on a full-scale mock-up welded stainless-steel canister. The VRM is designed with features to accommodate remediation techniques beyond those currently selected and described in this report. Therefore, many of the VRM’s features could benefit other remote nuclear or nonnuclear applications. The VRM is envisioned to serve as a development center to facilitate and enhance the further development of new remediation technologies.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Systems Engineering Analysis of National Ignition Facility Industrial Controls Systems and Safety Interlock Systems Remote Input/Output Networking Migration from ControlNet to EtherNet/IP

The ControlNet industrial communications protocol and modules used in the Industrial Control System (ICS) and Safety Interlock System (SIS) at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are no longer necessary and the ICS and SIS would be better served by migrating the communications structure to use EtherNet/Industrial Protocol (IP) and EtherNet bridge modules instead. By the admission of the vendor of ControlNet hardware, Rockwell Automation, in literature by Bill Petro [1], “Moving forward, customers will be able to optimize their asset utilization better using EtherNet/IP protocol than with ControlNet.” The NIF is one of the key elements of the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC). The NIF contains the systems and provides the operational capacity to perform ICF, high energy density (HED), and discovery science experiments utilizing 192 individual beamlines, a host of diagnostics, and all the industrial systems required to facilitate these beamlines and diagnostics. The industrial systems are governed by the ICS and SIS, with the ICS providing control and the SIS providing monitoring and permissives. Construction on the NIF began in 1997 and was certified complete in 2009 and, as a result, the ICS and SIS were developed during this time using the tools that were available then. This includes the communications structure and protocols for these systems, much of which was, and still is, ControlNet. ControlNet, particularly during the time that the ICS and SIS were being built, has several attractive features. ControlNet hardware is exclusive to Rockwell Automation, which was the automation hardware chosen for the ICS and SIS. One feature that could be considered an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the communication needs of the system is that ControlNet also utilizes no active network components, excluding repeaters which are not always necessary. According to the architect of the ICS system at the NIF, Gordon Lau, one of the most attractive features of the ControlNet protocol during development of the ICS and SIS was that it is deterministic, providing timing of data transfer that is executed exactly as it is defined by the developer.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Center for Alternate Synchronization and Timing (CAST) PTP Network Monitoring Report

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Alternative Synchronization and Timing (CAST) performs research, development, testing, and evaluation of alternative terrestrial-based timing and synchronization infrastructure for the US power grid and other critical infrastructures. Alternative timing options reduce reliance on GPS and enhance the overall resilience of critical infrastructures. CAST infrastructure uses Precision Time Protocol (PTP) as the primary conduit for delivery of synchronization packets. CAST deploys PTP over long terrestrial links to synchronize a multitude of remote boundary clocks and downstream power grid components with the authoritative grand master clocks. Network traffic issues can severely degrade PTP accuracy. This report focuses on examining network traffic anomalies and their effects on PTP operation as well as the potential implications to CAST’s high-precision remote synchronization operations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Sub-Threshold Low-Power Integrated Bandpass Filter for Highly-Integrated Spectrum Analyzers

Low-power analog filter banks provide frequency analysis with minimal power and space requirements, making them viable solutions for integrated remote audio- and vibration-sensing applications. Compared with their digital counterparts, analog filter banks are better suited to achieve the lower power consumption necessary for IoT applications. In this work, the design and implementation of a sub-threshold complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated low-power tunable bandpass filter channel for signal spectrum analysis and signal discrimination is presented, including performance improvements to stability and precise matching between filter stages. The 8 th -order filter channel achieves an effective Q-factor of 4.5 and dynamic range of 60 dB, has an operational frequency range from 2 kHz to 100 kHz, and consumes 256 µW nominally at the highest center frequency. An integrated analog Gm-C filter topology is selected for this application. Functionally, the high-Q bandpass filter transfer function is implemented via four cascaded 2 nd -order filter cells and is fabricated in 130-nm 1.2-V CMOS technology, making it suitable for use in monolithic integrated spectral analysis (MISA) applications.

Long, Gavin↗
DOE OSTI2022

Developing a New Criticality Safety Hands-On Training Utilizing ZPPR Plates

Nuclear criticality safety is an extremely important part of the work at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). As part of the work LANL performs to continue to keep criticality safety a top priority, LANL has developed and regularly teaches nuclear criticality safety training classes for both the United States Department of Energy Nuclear Criticality Safety Program as well as internal trainings for LANL employees. A portion of the training classes is comprised of hands-on demonstrations, where students get the opportunity to handle special nuclear material at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC). One hands-on demonstration uses the “Class foils,” thin HEU foils which are stacked with lucite moderator plates. A hand-stack is performed until the multiplication reaches the “three-quarters rule,” where the demonstration is continued remotely on a vertical lift assembly up until the system is critical. This hands-on demonstration eventually achieves a critical configuration and follows the ANS-1 guidelines on an approach to critical. Another hands-on demonstration involves handling clad plutonium and neptunium spheres, and follows procedures using criticality safety evaluations to ensure that the hands-on demonstrations remain subcritical.This hands-on demonstration also involves the use of polyethylene shells around the plutonium sphere to demonstrate how additional reflector increases the criticality of a system. This paper is focused on developing a new hands-on demonstration using Zero Power Physics Reactor (ZPPR) plates. This new hands-on demonstration will follow the ANS-8 standards as it is not desired to achieve criticality with the ZPPR plates during the hands-on demonstration. A hands-on demonstration using multiple plutonium parts will likely be more applicable to personnel who handle plutonium on a daily basis, such as LANL glovebox operators.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Comparison of Observations and Predictions of Daytime Planetary-Boundary-Layer Heights and Surface Meteorological Variables in the Columbia River Gorge and Basin During the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project

The second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2) is an 18-month field campaign in the Pacific Northwest U.S.A., whose goal is to improve the accuracy of numerical-weather-prediction forecasts in complex terrain. The WFIP2 campaign involved the deployment of a large suite of in situ and remote sensing instrumentation, including eight 915-MHz wind-profiling radars, and surface meteorological stations. The evolution and annual variability of the daytime convective planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) height is investigated using the wind-profiling radars. Three models with different horizontal grid spacing are evaluated: the Rapid Refresh, the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh, and its nested version. The results are used to assess errors in the prediction of PBL height within the experimental and control versions of the models, with the experimental versions including changes and additions to the model parametrizations developed during the field campaign, and the control version using the parametrizations present in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational version of the models at the start of the project. Results show that the high-resolution models outperform the low-resolution versions, the experimental versions perform better compared with the control versions, model PBL height estimations are more accurate on cloud-free days, and model estimates of the PBL height growth rate are more accurate than model estimates of the rate of decay. Finally, using surface sensors, we assess surface meteorological variables, finding improved surface irradiance and, to a lesser extent, improved 2-m temperature in the experimental version of the model.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

TRACER-Coastal Urban Boundary-Layer Interactions with Convection (TRACER-CUBIC) Field Campaign Report

To better understand the complicated web of processes governing convective cloud life cycle and aerosol-convection interactions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility supported deployment of a variety of advanced atmospheric measurement systems to the greater Houston, Texas, area from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022 as part of the Tracking Aerosol Convection Interactions Experiment (TRACER). Houston was selected as a study area because isolated convection and a variety of aerosol conditions are common in this region. This one-year ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) deployment featured a four-month intensive operational period (IOP) during summer 2022 (1 June–30 September). The ARM instrumentation was deployed at three sites along an east-west transect from La Porte, Texas to an ancillary site in a less-polluted rural region southwest of downtown Houston (Figure 1). At the La Porte Site, which is located near the Houston ship channel in an area that experiences significant pollution, the first ARM Mobile Facility (AMF1) was deployed. During the IOP, the ARM tethered balloon system (TBS) operated at the ancillary site. The second-generation C-Band Scanning ARM Precipitation Radar (CSAPR) operated near Pearland, Texas, roughly halfway between the Laporte and ancillary sites. As part of the TRACER- Coastal Urban Boundary-Layer Interactions with Convection (CUBIC) project, three boundary-layer profiling systems) were deployed along a north-south transect spanning from the University of Houston Coastal Center to the Aldine site north of downtown Houston (also blue dot in Figure 1) during the TRACER IOP. These systems included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory CLAMPS2 (C2), which was deployed at the UHCC, the University of Wisconsin SPARC, which was deployed at the ARM CSAPR site near Pearland (orange diamond in middle of map in Figure 1), and the University of Oklahoma CLAMPS1 (C1), which was deployed at Aldine. These three systems have been successfully operated in various field campaigns, providing data sets that collectively offer new insights into atmospheric-boundary-layer (ABL) processes, sea-breeze (SB) circulations, and convection initiation (CI). For the TRACER IOP window, these systems ran continuously between 1 June and 26 September, 2022. Due to commitments to NOAA projects, the Doppler lidar at the UHCC site was not available until 24 June 2022. The CLAMPS and SPARC profiling systems are self-contained platforms that have benefited from several years of development and deployment. Instruments and data processing were maintained remotely, which made the 4-month deployment for the TRACER-CUBIC IOP period possible. The same basic instrument configuration comprises each system: a scanning Doppler wind lidar for flow characterization and passive profiler(s) for characterizing planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) thermodynamic properties. Each platform includes a Halo Streamline Doppler wind lidar, an Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), and a surface meteorology station. CLAMPS1 and CLAMPS2 each also include a microwave radiometer (MWR, Figure 1d). The TRACER-CUBIC hypotheses included (i) Interactions of SB and urban circulations and how they affect the PBL structure in the Houston environment, causing spatially (horizontally and vertically) and temporally highly variable flow patterns, (ii) heat, moisture, and aerosol transport and mixing depend on these flow dynamics, and (iii) an improved understanding of the flow patterns and PBL structure are critical for investigating the processes leading to CI. To test these hypotheses, the project aimed at (i) characterizing SB circulations and their impacts on the diurnal evolution of the structure of the ABL, (ii) studying the evolution of Houston’s complex urban boundary layer, and (iii) identifying effects of urban-induced circulations on pre-convective environments. TRACER-CUBIC observations generally provide good coverage during the summer IOP. Initial screening of the data indicates a good number of cases with bay-breeze (BB) and/or SB signatures, local CI, and interesting boundary-layer features such as strong nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs, Table 1). The numbers listed in rows 3-5 in this table will be further updated as part of ongoing in-depth analyses and systematic identification of local circulations and CI events. More detailed information about the data availability and quality for each instrument is provided in the “readme” files that were submitted to the ARM Data Center along with each archived data sets. These “readme” files also provide instrument descriptions, information about the data collection and processing procedures, data formats, and any additional information relevant for further data analysis.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Aniak Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project

The Native Village of Aniak (NVA), a federally recognized Yup'ik Tribe, undertook this energy efficiency initiative to enhance energy performance in key community buildings, including the Tribal Office, Community Center, Duplex, and Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) Office. Through energy audits and upgrades, the project focused on high-impact improvements like air sealing, LED lighting, and programmable thermostats, primarily in the Tribal Office due to funding constraints. The initiative aimed to reduce energy waste, lower heating and electricity costs, and improve facility comfort and longevity while achieving long-term savings for further improvements by decreasing reliance on imported fuel oil. Despite scope limitations exacerbated by budget constraints, this project achieved an approximately 52% reduction in EUI. Reducing operational costs emphasizes economic and environmental benefits, aligning closely with Aniak's broader energy sustainability objectives. This initiative aligned with the Tribe's vision for responsible energy use, addressing the challenges of high fuel prices in a remote community; it could serve as a model for similar efforts in Aniak and other Alaska Native villages pursuing energy self-reliance.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

Public – Private Partnership to Promote Efficient Manufacturing and Workforce Development (IAC Final Technical Report)

Through delivering ninety (90) energy assessments to small- and medium-sized manufacturing facilities in and around Tennessee, significant understandings were gained through providing detailed energy assessment reports to manufacturers and training seventy-seven (77) engineering students in which thirty-five (35) certified IAC students were recognized by DOE. The robust involvement of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), local utility and Tennessee Tech’s Cybersecurity Education, Research, and Outreach Center (CEROC) in majority of assessments made the technical operation very effective where leaded to 40.5% implementation rate of energy recommendations. Other benefits of the award to the public are a dynamic modeling tool capable of analyzing existing cooling towers for energy use optimization was developed and presented to DOE IAC, providing technical assistance to non-participating manufacturers in the form of workshop and training, publishing fifteen (15) peer-reviewed conference and journal papers as well as a book chapter in the area of industrial energy efficiency field, assisting the TVA Magnolia Combined Cycle Power Plant to become the First 50001 Ready Certified Power Plant in the U.S. through briefing them on ISO 50001 and 50001 Ready as well as providing an energy assessment to the plant, assisted the new IAC center at Clemson University with on-site and remote support, and provided assessment and training in unique areas of water, waste water, cyber security and smart manufacturing to our clients, students and community.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Sub-Threshold Low-Power Integrated Bandpass Filter for Highly-Integrated Spectrum Analyzers

Low-power analog filter banks provide frequency analysis with minimal power and space requirements, making them viable solutions for integrated remote audio- and vibration-sensing applications. Compared with their digital counterparts, analog filter banks are better suited to achieve the lower power consumption necessary for IoT applications, while maintaining high dynamic range and a wide operational frequency range. In this work, the design and implementation of a sub-threshold complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated low-power tunable analog filter channel for signal spectrum analysis and signal discrimination is presented. Project specifications required a programmable, high-order, monolithic bandpass filter channel with small chip area, low power consumption, high dynamic range, and wide operational frequency range. The 8th-order filter channel presented in this work provides an effective Q-factor of 4.5 and a minimum dynamic range (DR) of approximately 85 dB, while allowing for tuning across a range of center frequencies from 2 kHz to 100 kHz, with power consumption of a single 8th-order filter channel measured at 256 µW nominally at the highest center frequency. An integrated analog Gm-C filter topology was selected for this application. Functionally, the high-Q bandpass filter transfer function is implemented via four cascaded 2nd-order filter cells, resulting in a single 8th-order filter channel, fabricated in 130-nm 1.2-V CMOS technology, suitable for use in monolithic integrated spectral analysis (MISA1) applications.

Long, Gavin B.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enhanced Depolarized Electro-Membrane System (EDEMS) for Direct Capture of Carbon Dioxide from Ambient Air (Final Report)

The goal of this final project report is to summarize the work conducted on project DE-FE0031962. In accordance with the Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO), the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (UK CAER) (Recipient) developed an intensified process to capture CO2 from ambient conditions (400 ppm CO2). The process combines low-temperature solvent-aided membrane capture with electrochemically-mediated solvent regeneration to simultaneously capture ambient CO2 while regenerating the solvent. The technology employs only two primary units (regenerator and absorber/contactor) while generating high purity hydrogen as a co-product that can be sold, used for energy storage, or cost-saving depolarization of the direct air capture (DAC) system during the grid peak demand, allowing for flexible operation. When depolarization is employed, the operating voltage is reduced by more than 1 V. Since the technology is powered directly by DC electricity, it can seamlessly tie in with power sources like solar cells without the need for AC/DC converters, therefore allowing for a remote operation to further mitigate greenhouse gas generation toward deploying a negative carbon emissions technology that is completely decoupled from the carbon emissions from the power source for the DAC unit. The project results verified that UK CAER’s integrated approach addressed the complexities of incumbent DAC systems by demonstrating at ambient conditions, including (1) low gas-side pressure-drop facile CO2 capture via a membrane contactor with in-situ generated hydroxide as capture solvent, (2) multi-functional electrochemical regenerator for hydroxide regeneration, CO2 concentration and hydrogen production, and (3) depolarization using cathode-produced hydrogen to reduce energy requirement. The EH&S Assessment of the process did not identify any obvious concern for the bench-scale operation and no apparent barriers to implementing UK CAER’s carbon capture and solvent regeneration system at a larger scale.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Recommendations for Secure Transport: Material Conveyance Physical Protection Technology

Nuclear material is at higher risk of theft and sabotage during transport than during any other phase of the nuclear fuel lifecycle. Nuclear materials are transported in the public domain where adversaries have an upper hand by taking advantage of the time and location of the theft or sabotage attempt. As such, even modest threat profiles for transport of nuclear and radioactive material can require substantial detection and delay measures to support timely response. Conveyance tracking augmented with technology that improves on-the-scene situational awareness at a remote monitoring center has been adopted as a de-facto standard approach for transportation security. At present, the extended tracking and situational awareness capabilities needed for a nuclear material shipment, as is provided by the purpose designed, Transportation – Security, Tracking and Reporting (T-STAR) System, do not exist in a single commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution. Typically, the COTS systems that excel in one area are deficient in other areas, presenting challenges to designing well-rounded, robust systems. Still, COTS solutions can offer the basic set of tracking and situational awareness capabilities by indicating last update time, current location, and route taken. By incorporating vehicle and driver performance measures via the vehicle’s controller area network (CAN bus) and video alongside other data streams allows telemetry and other shipment information to be assessed in novel ways.This paper describes the operation, capabilities and features of various conveyance protection systems and approaches, assesses emerging technologies and how they could be used through a unified interface, and enumerates additional ways to provide early detection using vehicle, onboard technologies, effective delay technologies and approaches and simple equipment to improve protection during transport.

Shannon, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2022

Resolve the Clear-Sky Continuous Diurnal Cycle of High-Resolution ECOSTRESS Evapotranspiration and Land Surface Temperature

Although numerous evapotranspiration (ET) estimates have been developed from remote sensing measurements, a diurnally resolved product with high spatial resolution (<100 m) is still lacking, which is critically needed for agricultural and ecological monitoring. The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) provides, for the first time, ET at 70 m resolution with diurnal samplings, enabling a step toward filling this data gap. This study developed the first framework to resolve the full diurnal cycle of ET and Land Surface Temperature (LST) from sporadic ECOSTRESS measurements. We first constructed 70 m diurnal LST utilizing a diurnal temperature cycle (DTC) model that fused ECOSTRESS and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) LST. Next, we derived 70 m diurnal ET from the diurnally resolved LST, along with ancillary meteorological and reflectance data sets, using the Priestley-Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) algorithm. This framework was tested in two regions: A relatively homogeneous semiarid grassland landscape (centered at the US-Seg Ameriflux site) and a heterogeneous humid cropland landscape (centered at US-ARM). Our diurnally resolved LST and ET successfully reproduced the spatial patterns in the native ECOSTRESS measurements during overpasses for both landscapes (LST: r > 0.97, RMSE ~2°C; ET: r > 0.99, and RMSE = 1–7 W m -2 ). The constructed time series also well captured the temporal variability of the in situ measurements (especially under clear-sky conditions) at both US-Seg and US-ARM, albeit performance varying with availability and quality of ECOSTRESS samples. This study sets the stage for testing and applying our framework to broader climates, biomes, and landscapes toward eventually generating diurnally resolved 70 m global operational LST/ET products to enhance ecological/agricultural applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Double-Shell Tank Primary Bottom Visual Inspection Results - 20025

A pressing need for the Double-Shell Tank Integrity Program at Hanford is of the ability to inspect the bottom of the tanks. Though the DSTs' annulus spaces (the space between the internal and external tank walls) have been inspected visually since 1992 and with Ultrasonic Testing (UT) since 1996, inspections of the tank bottoms have been able to be conducted due to limitations of available technology, omitting about 40 percent of the tank surface below the maximum fill level from routine inspection. Visual inspections of the tank annulus have been conducted up to five times in some DSTs and portions of the annulus space for all of the DSTs has been inspected twice with UT. This region includes the walls of the primary tank and secondary liner along with accessible portions of the secondary liner bottom. Due to this lack of technology, the degradation of the primary tank bottom in Tank AY-102 was undetected until the tank leaked into its annulus space, confirmed in 2012. Since that time, WRPS has been working with the nondestructive examination community and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to evaluate potential technologies to conduct these challenging remote inspections. Recent work has included the development, testing, and deployment of several remote visual inspection technologies to observe the condition of the primary tank bottom of the DSTs by leveraging air distribution slots in the refractory pad on which it rests. Robotic solutions to conduct this inspection were developed with a detailed understanding of the physical configuration and operational logistics. Understanding and subsequent communication of these details to vendors within the robotics and nondestructive examination community was a critical component to the successful production of these new tools. Throughout the FY16-FY18 years, vendors from nondestructive examination community were solicited for ideas to meet the tank bottom inspection challenge. Two tank bottom visual inspection solutions were then pursued to meet that challenge. Both tools were successfully deployed at Tank AP-107, and provided valuable visuals, never before obtained from the under tank environment of a double-shell tank. While there are minor opportunities for improvement identified with each system, general outcomes were overwhelmingly positive. Both systems were successfully able to navigate the refractory air slot pattern from the outer edge to the tank center and record video footage. The micro-crawler provided high quality and very stable footage through the air slot pattern, but took longer to deploy into the slots and traverse through them than the alternative system. The push-pull tethered camera was able to navigate all seven of its target air slots in a matter of a few hours, which included deployment, movement between slot entrances, and complete removal of the system from the annulus environment. Through these air slots, new information was gained about the tank bottom and refractory pad condition of tank AP-107, AP-106, AP-108, and AN-102. While some debris was noted in the air slots, including sand, chipped refractory, and construction materials, the refractory was found to be structurally stable and adequately supporting the primary tank bottom through the full diameter of the tank. Primary tank bottom steel exterior was found to be in good condition, free of ongoing or aggressive corrosion conditions. Looking toward the future, robotic access to and visual inspection of refractory air slots and the primary tank bottom steel has now proven viable. Incorporating periodic air slot inspections as a regular practice within the Double-Shell Tank Integrity Program is the next step, allowing trending of any changes in condition. As ultrasonic testing infrastructure was leveraged to complete the initial system deployments described in this report, it makes sense to adopt that same strategy for ongoing periodic examinations and deploy these primary tank bottom inspection tools alongside ultrasonic testing operations. Development of visual inspection tools to evaluate the primary tank bottom region of the double-shell tanks was planned as the first stage of inspection. Continued development of volumetric sensors and incorporation of these inspection tools into Hanford's ongoing Double-Shell Tank Integrity Program are the next steps, seeking to continuously expand understanding of asset integrity and remaining useful life. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗