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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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At least 559 records · Page 31

Autonomous phase mapping of gold nanoparticles synthesis with differentiable models of spectral shape

Autonomous experimentation–or self-driving labs–offers a systematic approach to accelerate materials discovery by integrating automated synthesis, characterization, and data-driven decision-making. We present a closed-loop workflow for the on-demand synthesis and structural characterization of colloidal gold nanoparticles, enabling direct mapping from composition to nanoscale structure. Our framework leverages differentiable models of spectral shape to address two central tasks in self-driving labs: (a) phase mapping, or identifying compositional regions with distinct structural behavior; and (b) material retrosynthesis, or optimizing compositions for target structure. Using functional data analysis, we develop a data-driven model with generative pre-training, active learning, and high-throughput experiments to predict spectral responses across composition space. We demonstrate the approach on seed-mediated growth of gold nanoparticles, showcasing its ability to extract design rules, reveal secondary interactions, and efficiently navigate morphology space. Gradient-based optimization of the models enables inverse design, making this a unified platform.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Structural variability of the Sun

Changes in solar radius and luminosity are discussed as a function of age. Surface and satellite observations showing departures from mean solar irradiance on a time scale of a few days are summarized. The most prominent depressions in these data appear to be correlated with sunspot number, indicating that the activity modulation of solar luminosity may be larger than expected. High activity is correlated with low luminosity, but during the Maunder minimum the mini ice age (presumably low luminosity) was accompanied by a near absence of solar activity. Pulsations driven by sources deep within the Sun are thought to be an unlikely cause of luminosity changes, but causes may be sought in the unstable convective zone. Experiments designed to measure the solar radius are mentioned, along with modelling efforts.

Sofia, S.↗

Physical phenomena in containerless glass processing

Experiments were conducted on bubble migration in rotating liquid bodies contained in a sphere. Experiments were initiated on the migration of a drop in a slightly less dense continuous phase contained in a rotating sphere. A refined apparatus for the study of thermocapillar flow in a glass melt was built, and data were acquired on surface velocities in the melt. Similar data also were obtained from an ambient temperature fluid model. The data were analyzed and correlated with the aid of theory. Data were obtained on flow velocities in a pendant drop heated from above. The motion in this system was driven principally by thermocapillarity. An apparatus was designed for the study of volatilization from a glass melt.

Subramanian, R. S.↗

NASA’s NextGen Remote Sensing Instruments Have Arrived: Data Products For Studying Disease Vectors

Remote sensing can be used to measure, evaluate or estimate both the environment (state functions) and interfaces (processfunctions) defining vector habitats. The products of remote sensing can be integrated directly into the epidemiological equationsto significantly enhance our understanding of disease vector’s life cycles and habitats. The next generation of NASA’s remotesensing instruments which have become recently operational will provide a significant enhancement in our ability to studydisease vector’s life cycles and habitats. These instruments are on the International Space Station (ISS) and includeECOSTRESS, DESIS, and GEDI. ECOSTRESS is a 5 channel, thermal IR instrument with 70 m resolution and approximately1-5 day repeat cycle of day/night pairs. DESIS jointly developed by German Aerospace Center and Teledyne Brown Engineeringis a hyperspectral sensor system of 235 channels and 30 m resolution. DESIS data is only being acquired on demand. GEDI is ahigh-resolution laser ranger used for observing Earth’s forests and topography. NASA’s current ISS instrument configuration provides measurements of the critical environmental measures of environmentalstate functions important to vector & disease life cycles. Remote sensing data provide a spatial context and time series oflandscape scale process functions represented by land use mapping and measurements of ecological functions. Global publichealth is entering a new information age through the use of spatial models of disease vector/host ecologies driven by the use ofremotely sensed data to measure environmental and structural factors critical in determining disease vector habitats. In 2018, NASA initiated a new study for the Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) Designated Observable, identified in the 2018National Academies’ Decadal Survey entitled, “Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observationfrom Space.” (https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24938/thriving-on-our-changing-planet-a-decadal-strategy-for-earth) . The SBG isplanned to collect global remote sensing measurements using a hyperspectral spectrometer and multispectral thermal data. Thesedata sets will provide a significant enhancement in our ability to study disease vector’s life cycles and habitats globally. The 3sensors on the ISS provide precursor data to prepare the community for the application of future SBG data toward diseasestudies.

Disease Vectors↗

Spatial Graph Attention and Curiosity-driven Policy for Antiviral Drug Discovery

We developed Distilled Graph Attention Policy Networks (DGAPNs), a curiosity-driven reinforcement learning model to generate novel graph-structured chemical representations that optimize user-defined objectives by efficiently navigating a physically constrained domain. Here, the framework is examined on the task of generating molecules that are designed to bind, noncovalently, to functional sites of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We present a spatial Graph Attention Network (sGAT) that leverages self-attention over both node and edge attributes as well as encoding spatial structure -- this capability is of considerable interest in areas such as molecular and synthetic biology and drug discovery. An attentional policy network is then introduced to learn decision rules for a dynamic, fragment-based chemical environment, and state-of-the-art policy gradient techniques are employed to train the network with enhanced stability. Exploration is efficiently encouraged by incorporating innovation reward bonuses learned and proposed by random network distillation. In experiments, our framework achieved outstanding results compared to state-of-the-art algorithms, while increasing the diversity of proposed molecules and reducing the complexity of paths to chemical synthesis.

Wu, Yulun↗

CRADA Final Report: CRADA Number NFE-22-09330 with General Fusion

General Fusion is developing a magnetized target fusion (MTF) approach that involves compressing an initial magnetically confined plasma inside a cavity formed in liquid metal. This approach builds from concepts initially developed under the Linus program at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and combines it with advances from compact toroid experiment (CTX) and sustained spheromak plasma experiment (SSPX) in compact toroid plasmas and coaxial Marshall gun systems. Modeling the tokamak during compression is central to designing a successful MTF device. The plasma is formed by coaxial helicity injection in the General Fusion device. Immediately after formation, the plasma has a diverted tokamak configuration with a single null. As the wall moves inwards, the plasma is repelled from the conducting surface and driven inwards by currents induced by its magnetic field in the liquid metal wall. As the liquid metal closes (or bridges) the opening of the coaxial plasma injector, the magnetic field topology alters to remove the null. Due to this, the plasma moves from a diverted to a wall-limited configuration. The liquid metal liner continues to close in and change shape, reducing in radius by a factor of ten at the peak of plasma compression. A model of the MTF plasma must be able to handle this continually varying geometry, and to be predictive, it must faithfully include the real imperfections arising in the process. In this project, we pursued a Monte Carlo approach to closures for MHD by computing kinetic electron trajectories in an MHD plasma background from simulations of GF devices. This requires enhancing the capabilities of the KORC-T code for running large ensembles of kinetic trajectories by porting it to GPU architectures and enabling workflows for large ensembles on OLCF machines. With these capabilities, it is possible to produce a large library of kinetic calculations of electron orbits evolving in plasma configurations spanning the magnetic configurations and plasma density profiles, including non-axisymmetry, arising in the General Fusion’s existing PI3 spherical tokamak device. Using ensembles will capture particles passing a single point in space in a given magnetic configuration, and the entire dataset will cover a range of global magnetic field geometries. By sampling around many starting points, this dataset will capture the spatial dependence of the plasma parameters. From this large dataset, it is possible to produce a reduced model for the kinetic effects not captured in MHD.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Impact of Salt Chemistry and Interlayer Architecture on Solid Electrolyte Interphase Composition and Performance

Reversible lithium metal anodes require interphases that are chemically stable, mechanically robust, and compatible with scalable processing. Here, we use slot-die-coated, salt-rich PEO interlayers to design SEI nanolayers on Cu current collectors and isolate how salt anion chemistry controls interphase composition and lithium plating/stripping behavior in architectures relevant to Li plating and anode-free cells. Mesoscale modeling shows that dendrite initiation at SEI defects is governed by a tradeoff among interphase thickness, ionic conductivity, and stiffness through defect-driven current focusing, motivating controlled formation from thin precursor layers. Using UHV-transferred XPS and ToF-SIMS depth profiling after controlled Li deposition, we find that fluorinated sulfonylimide salts (LiTFSI, LiFSI) form mixed inorganic/organic interphases containing LiF and PEO-derived alkoxides, with LiFSI producing a more LiF-dominant Li-facing surface than LiTFSI under identical conditions. In contrast, LiNO 3 -containing interlayers yield a comparatively thick nitrate-derived interphase that reduces upon Li contact to an N-rich inorganic layer (Li–N/N 3− , LiN x O y ). In Cu| |Li cells, these designed interlayers reduce interfacial resistance and improve Coulombic efficiency (CE) and critical current density (CCD) relative to uncoated controls, with LiFSI- and LiNO 3 -based interlayers providing the highest CE/CCD. Overall, the results demonstrate a manufacturing-relevant approach to engineer SEI nanolayers by salt chemistry, providing pathways to improve reversible lithium metal anodes while reducing reliance on LiTFSI.

anion chemistry↗

Monte Carlo Thought Search: Large Language Model Querying for Complex Scientific Reasoning in Catalyst Design

Discovering novel catalysts requires complex reasoning involving multiple chemical properties and resultant trade-offs, leading to a combinatorial growth in the search space. While large language models (LLM) have demonstrated novel capabilities for chemistry through complex instruction following capabilities and high quality reasoning, a goal-driven combinatorial search using LLMs has not been explored in detail. In this work, we present a Monte Carlo Tree Search-based approach that improves beyond state-of-the-art chain-of-thought prompting variants to augment scientific reasoning. We introduce two new reasoning datasets: 1) a curation of computational chemistry simulations, and 2) diverse questions written by catalysis researchers for reasoning about novel chemical conversion processes. We improve over the best baseline by 25.8\% and find that our approach can augment scientist's reasoning and discovery process with novel insights.\footnote{All resources will be publicly available upon publication.

Sprueill, Henry W.↗

Density variance dynamics in disparate shock tubes

This report discusses two experiments which investigate thin layer, heavy curtain fragmentation from the perspective of a Reynolds-Averaged mix model, in drastically disparate experimental regimes. The first, the centimeter/millisecond-scale “Horizontal Shock Tube” (HST) is a compressed-gas piston-driven shock tube experiment. The second, the “Multishock thin layer” (Mshock) experiment performed at the National Ignition Facility, is a micrometer/nanosecond-scale laser-driven shock tube experiment. Both are situations in which a heavy plane layer (a ‘curtain’) is initially suspended in a lighter medium. After being shocked from at least one side, the layer translates while its interfaces evolve due to the excitation of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability at its surfaces. The evolution of density variance, which initially exists only on the surface of the layer, as it comes to encompass the whole layer interior is used as a description of layer fragmentation and dissolution. These experiments have each been simulated in the Los Alamos National Laboratory multi-physics code xRAGE, which includes fundamental hydrodynamics, extended plasma physics and radiation effects which are important to drive the high-energy density experiment, and the Besnard-Harlow-Rauenzahn (BHR) turbulence model. In each, the principal diagnostic for comparison is an experimental metric for the density (co)variance, b, which tracks the moments of the density field at the curtain interfaces and body. Due to experimental constraints in different regimes (i.e. optical diagnostics can be deployed on conventional shock tubes, while the plasma shock tubes must be imaged by x-rays; interfaces can be imposed to specification on laser-driven experiments, which are stored in the solid phase, while conventional experiments have imperfect control of the flow fields which separate the layer, etc.) the experiments are not designed to be perfect scaled cognates of one another. However, despite the separation of six orders of magnitude of scaling in time, and four in space, we are able to demonstrate that the same turbulence model, operating in the same fashion in the same computer code, is able to reproduce results in each experiment, by tracking evolution due to common relevant physics. Additionally, we will present preliminary work toward density variance comparisons in a single-interface Richtmyer-Meshkov configuration, the conventional fluid “Vertical Shock Tube” (VST) experiment, and the Modal Initial Conditions (ModCons) campaign fielded at the OMEGA-EP laser facility.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Signal Decomposition for Intrusion Detection in Reliability Assessment in Cyber Resilience (Summary Report)

The complexity of assuring cyber resilience for physical process interactions in connected systems such as energy grids increases dramatically as the coupling between processes becomes more direct and responsive. An example of this growing complexity is provided by Integrated Energy Systems (IES), in which various processes such as nuclear heat generation and commodity production are being directly coupled for increased responsiveness to highly variable signals such as market pricing or electricity demand. As such, the potential attack surface of the coupled processes is larger than the two processes independently. Securing these complex systems requires two-fold monitoring: cybersecure monitoring for potential malicious incursion, and physics monitoring for system tampering. Physics monitoring includes analyzing the behavior of the signals within the system for anomalous behavior. This analysis has been shown to be insufficient if approached by only data-driven machine learning and artificial intelligence (MLAI) techniques or only low-level model comparison. Previous efforts at Purdue University suggested combining high-fidelity models with MLAI algorithms as a basis for a software tool for detecting anomalies in physical processes. This work built on that suggestion, developing an advanced library for signal decomposition and analysis using both MLAI and high-fidelity physics algorithms for greatly improved anomaly detection, especially false data injection. This software can be used as part of a secure imbedded intelligence (SEI) system designed under Consequence-driven Cyber-informed Engineering (CCE) for complex coupled systems. This library established a foundation for online and posteriori analysis of digital signals for the purpose of detecting potential malicious tampering in digital signals representing physical processes. Demonstrations carried out throughout the development highlight the effective use of characterization algorithms to detect signal perturbations, particularly triangle attack-style perturbations, in three wide-ranging applications: seismic monitoring, nuclear thermal hydraulics system simulation, and custom manufacturing.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Data-Driven Operator Theoretic Methods for Phase Space Learning and Analysis

This paper uses data-driven operator theoretic approaches to explore the global phase space of a dynamical system. In this work, we defined conditions for discovering new invariant subspaces in the state space of a dynamical system starting from an invariant subspace based on the spectral properties of the Koopman operator. When the system evolution is known locally in several invariant subspaces in the state space of a dynamical system, a phase space stitching result is derived that yields the global Koopman operator. Additionally, in the case of equivariant systems, a phase space stitching result is developed to identify the global Koopman operator using the symmetry properties between the invariant subspaces of the dynamical system and time-series data from any one of the invariant subspaces. Finally, these results are extended to topologically conjugate dynamical systems; in particular, the relation between the Koopman tuple of topologically conjugate systems is established. The proposed results are demonstrated on several second-order nonlinear dynamical systems including a bistable toggle switch. Our method elucidates a strategy for designing discovery experiments: experiment execution can be done in many steps, and models from different invariant subspaces can be combined to approximate the global Koopman operator.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Solvent Screening for Separation Processes Using Machine Learning and High-Throughput Technologies

As the chemical industry shifts toward sustainable practices, there is a growing initiative to replace conventional fossil-derived solvents with environmentally friendly alternatives such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in the discovery and design of novel solvents and the development of green processes. This review explores the latest advancements in AI-assisted solvent screening with a specific focus on machine learning (ML) models for physicochemical property prediction and separation process design. Additionally, this paper highlights recent progress in the development of automated high-throughput (HT) platforms for solvent screening. Finally, this paper discusses the challenges and prospects of ML-driven HT strategies for green solvent design and optimization. To this end, this review provides key insights to advance solvent screening strategies for future chemical and separation processes.

Artificial intelligence↗

PowerMappeR: Power-Optimized Mapping of SNNs onto ReRAM Crossbars coupled via Packet-Switched NoCs

Many recent efforts in developing hardware-accelerated spiking neural networks (SNNs) are characterized by deep co-design between algorithms, architectures, and devices. Architectural advances overcome device constraints by coupling together many small resistive-RAM (ReRAM) crossbars via a network-on-chip (NoC) for neuromorphic component operation. Concurrently, improved SNN training methods increase accuracy and structural sparsity in networks despite growing problem sizes. Finally, compilers leverage these attributes to minimize area and inter-crossbar communication while mapping large SNNs to sophisticated architectures. However, for compiler-driven co-design to realize increasingly complex and profitable optimizations, a compile-time view of power consumption is critical. We present PowerMappeR to express and optimize over mapping-, architecture-, and device-specific power consumption information. By modeling the dynamic power of well-established components, we develop an integer linear programming (ILP)-based, encoding-agnostic, parametric power estimation model. Using this model, we demonstrate practical improvements in area and inter-crossbar communication by 0%–9.5% and 1.4%–5.1%, respectively. We also limit hotspot formation during optimization, achieving comparable or better results in targeted metrics with up to 96.4%–97.1% restriction of hotspot magnitude. Finally, we introduce profile-guided formulations to reduce worst-case and expected-case hotspot magnitude by 40.7%–69.5% and 40.6%–56.3%, respectively. Optimizing worst-case hotspot magnitude incidentally improves expected-case magnitude by 10.85%–33.45%. Reciprocally, optimizing expected-case magnitude incidentally improves worst-case magnitude by 4.33%–39.87%. Validation against hardware simulators confirms that PowerMappeR can decrease dynamic power consumption by 12.6%–27.3%.

Pohl, Devin [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000040149027)↗

Data-driven predictive probability density function control of fiber length stochastic distribution shaping in refining process

Pulp is the most important raw material in paper in paper industries, whose Fiber Length Stochastic Distribution (FLSD) shaping directly determines the energy consumption and paper quality of the subsequent papermaking processes. However, the mean and variance are insufficient to describe the output FLSD shaping, which display non-Gaussian distribution properties. Therefore, the traditional control, method based on the mean and variance of fiber length is difficult to control the FLSD shaping effectively. In this paper, a novel data-driven predictive probability density function (PDF) control method is proposed for output FLSD shaping in refining process. Primarily, in order to improve the approximation accuracy of the PDF employing RBF neural network, the parameters (center value and width) of each RBF basis functions are tuned via utilizing iterative learning control (ILC) law, and the corresponding estimations of weights law can be obtained. Secondly, considering that the conventional linear model of weights vector has drawbacks of low accuracy and weak generalization ability, random vector functional link networks (RVFLNs) based data driven nonlinear modelling method is employed to characterize the prediction model between the input variables and weights vector. Finally, in order to reduce the randomness of the output FLSD, a minimum entropy control method under mean constraint is employed to design the predictive PDF controller for the output FLSD shaping with the help of the established nonlinear stochastic distribution model. Both simulations and experiments are given to illustrate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method.

Probability debsity function, Fiber length distrib↗

Measuring Chemical Likeness of Stars with Relevant Scaled Component Analysis

Identification of chemically similar stars using elemental abundances is core to many pursuits within Galactic archeology. However, measuring the chemical likeness of stars using abundances directly is limited by systematic imprints of imperfect synthetic spectra in abundance derivation. We present a novel data-driven model that is capable of identifying chemically similar stars from spectra alone. We call this relevant scaled component analysis (RSCA). RSCA finds a mapping from stellar spectra to a representation that optimizes recovery of known open clusters. By design, RSCA amplifies factors of chemical abundance variation and minimizes those of nonchemical parameters, such as instrument systematics. The resultant representation of stellar spectra can therefore be used for precise measurements of chemical similarity between stars. We validate RSCA using 185 cluster stars in 22 open clusters in the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment survey. We quantify our performance in measuring chemical similarity using a reference set of 151,145 field stars. We find that our representation identifies known stellar siblings more effectively than stellar-abundance measurements. Using RSCA, 1.8% of pairs of field stars are as similar as birth siblings, compared to 2.3% when using stellar-abundance labels. We find that almost all of the information within spectra leveraged by RSCA fits into a two-dimensional basis, which we link to [Fe/H] and α-element abundances. We conclude that chemical tagging of stars to their birth clusters remains prohibitive. However, using the spectra has noticeable gain, and our approach is poised to benefit from larger data sets and improved algorithm designs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Commonality analysis as a knowledge acquisition problem

Commonality analysis is a systematic attempt to reduce costs in a large scale engineering project by discontinuing development of certain components during the design phase. Each discontinued component is replaced by another component that has sufficient functionality to be considered an appropriate substitute. The replacement strategy is driven by economic considerations. The System Commonality Analysis Tool (SCAT) is based on an oversimplified model of the problem and incorporates no knowledge acquisition component. In fact, the process of arriving at a compromise between functionality and economy is quite complex, with many opportunities for the application of expert knowledge. Such knowledge is of two types: general knowledge expressible as heuristics or mathematical laws potentially applicable to any set of components, and specific knowledge about the way in which elements of a given set of components interrelate. Examples of both types of knowledge are presented, and a framework is proposed for integrating the knowledge into a more general and useable tool.

Yeager, Dorian P.↗

Design Evolution of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope using Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA) and Lessons Learned

The design of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope using Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA) continues to evolve as each design cycle is analyzed. In 2012, two Hubble sized (2.4 m diameter) telescopes were donated to NASA from elsewhere in the Federal Government. NASA began investigating potential uses for these telescopes and identified WFIRST as a mission to benefit from these assets. With an updated, deeper, and sharper field of view than previous design iterations with a smaller telescope, the optical designs of the WFIRST instruments were updated and the mechanical and thermal designs evolved around the new optical layout. Beginning with Design Cycle 3, significant analysis efforts yielded a design and model that could be evaluated for Structural-Thermal-Optical-Performance (STOP) purposes for the Wide Field Imager (WFI) and provided the basis for evaluating the high level observatory requirements. Development of the Cycle 3 thermal model provided some valuable analysis lessons learned and established best practices for future design cycles. However, the Cycle 3 design did include some major liens and evolving requirements which were addressed in the Cycle 4 Design. Some of the design changes are driven by requirements changes, while others are optimizations or solutions to liens from previous cycles. Again in Cycle 4, STOP analysis was performed and further insights into the overall design were gained leading to the Cycle 5 design effort currently underway. This paper seeks to capture the thermal design evolution, with focus on major design drivers, key decisions and their rationale, and lessons learned as the design evolved.

Thermal Design↗

Design Evolution of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope Using Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA) and Lessons Learned

The design of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope using Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA) continues to evolve as each design cycle is analyzed. In 2012, two Hubble sized (2.4 m diameter) telescopes were donated to NASA from elsewhere in the Federal Government. NASA began investigating potential uses for these telescopes and identified WFIRST as a mission to benefit from these assets. With an updated, deeper, and sharper field of view than previous design iterations with a smaller telescope, the optical designs of the WFIRST instruments were updated and the mechanical and thermal designs evolved around the new optical layout. Beginning with Design Cycle 3, significant analysis efforts yielded a design and model that could be evaluated for Structural-Thermal-Optical-Performance (STOP) purposes for the Wide Field Imager (WFI) and provided the basis for evaluating the high level observatory requirements. Development of the Cycle 3 thermal model provided some valuable analysis lessons learned and established best practices for future design cycles. However, the Cycle 3 design did include some major liens and evolving requirements which were addressed in the Cycle 4 Design. Some of the design changes are driven by requirements changes, while others are optimizations or solutions to liens from previous cycles. Again in Cycle 4, STOP analysis was performed and further insights into the overall design were gained leading to the Cycle 5 design effort currently underway. This paper seeks to capture the thermal design evolution, with focus on major design drivers, key decisions and their rationale, and lessons learned as the design evolved.

WFIRST↗