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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Communications, Signal Processing, and Telemetering Research Program Review

A Communications, Signal Processing, and Telemetering Research Program Review was held on February 23, 1999. Research conducted under the grant was presented and reviewed, for progress, and for possible technology transfers. The research reviewed was in the following areas: (1) Bandwidth-efficient Modulation and nonlinear equalization; (2) Investigation of an architecture for parallel signal processing applicable to communications problems; (3)Coded partial response over satellites; (4) synchronization at Low SNR; (5) Serial concatenated convolutional codes and some implementation issues on high rate turbo codes; (6) Flight experiments; (7) Real time doppler tracking; (8) Space protocol testing; (9) Lightweight optical communications without carrying a laser in space. The presentations are given by the graduate students who performed the research.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2022

Long Term Damage Testing (NREL)

DOE's Regional Test Center program has fielded several strings of PV modules as part of their Long Term Testing program. Some of these modules have been installed since 2016 and have been exposed to severe weather events. A key to developing long lifespans for PV modules (in excess of 30 years) is understanding how damage and defects develop, propagate and progress. Researchers at the NREL Regional Test Center have started developing testing procedures and analysis tools in order to characterize modules in a controlled manner with the goal of understanding how damage spreads under normal operations. Characterization methods include EL and IR imaging, outdoor and indoor IV curves, and long term exposure monitoring. Modules to be evaluated will be chosen based on severity of defect, ability to track changes in defect and space requirements. The samples will be loaded at maximum power using grid-tied inverters or other means. Gathering and reporting on this data may help engineers and scientists design for damage and improve long-term performance.

crack damage↗
DOE OSTI2025

TRACKING LIGNOCELLULOSIC BREAKDOWN BY ANAEROBIC FUNGI AND FUNGAL CELLULOSOMES

Anaerobic fungi degrade plant biomass through invasive, filamentous growth, and the secretion of multi-protein biomass-degrading complexes called fungal cellulosomes. This project developed new tools for anaerobic, non-destructive, real-time imaging of cellulosomes across spatial and temporal scales. Novel nanobody tools were synthesized and deployed to image native fungal cellulosomes. Antibodies raised against key fungal cellulosome components were also used to define the localization patterns of cellulosomes in mature fungal mats vs. fungal zoospores, and revealed direct connections between cellular life stage progression and the regulation of cellulosome production. New procedures were developed to purify native cellulosomes and study their morphology and sub-structures, and genetic engineering tools were also developed and applied to anaerobic fungi to advance in vivo labeling capabilities. A cryoEM structure of a native fungal cellulosome was achieved, as well as a proof of concept for transformation of fungi with flavin-based anaerobic reporter proteins for in vivo labeling of cellulosome components.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1981

The early 1981 view of Landsat-D progress

The thematic mapper (TM) will provide a spatial resolution (30 m) higher than the radiometric observations provided from Landsats 1 through 3 (80 m); what is more, observations in new spectral bands (0.45 to 0.52, 1.55 to 1.75, and 2.08 to 2.35 microns) will be available. These characteristics will aid in identifying and assessing the acreage and condition of crops. Further advantages will be offered in mineral exploration and land resource assessment. In describing the flight segment, it is noted that the high-gain antenna (diameter, 6 ft) will be used to communicate with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System in the Ku-band (15 GHz). Direct transmission of TM data will be provided by the X-band antenna. The MSS data will be transmitted directly to foreign stations by the S-band antenna. A figure describing the Multimission Modular spacecraft is included.

Salomonson, V. V.↗
DOE OSTI2026

A U.S. scientific community review of carbon cycle science gaps and opportunities to better support earth system science and carbon management

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to grow, while natural carbon reservoirs are becoming increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, climate extremes, and disturbance. These changes are impacting humans, ecosystems, and natural resources worldwide. Tracking and mitigating GHG emissions require a pivot to operational monitoring of regional carbon flux and stock changes. The current GHG observing system is addressing needs at two distinct scales: 1) Local scale (< 1 km), related to anthropogenic point source emissions, and 2) global scales (> 1000 km), related to land and ocean carbon sinks. More focus on intermediate (10–1000 km) scales is needed to more effectively monitor progress in reducing carbon emissions, enhancing removals, and maintaining sinks. Representatives from carbon cycle biomass and flux communities across United States government agencies and academic institutions met in September 2024 to discuss the rationale and scientific context for more effectively implementing an operational system for GHG monitoring in support of urban and national carbon management needs. To guide development of this system, we propose a multi-tiered global spaceborne observing framework for carbon flux and stock, prioritizing: 1) frequent GHG partial columns for carbon emissions and removals; 2) continuous time series and data fusion of biomass from Lidar and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for carbon stocks, and 3) expanded coverage of tropical, high latitude, and oceanic regions to monitor carbon cycle tipping points and feedbacks. This system should be complemented by expanded surface and airborne networks for oceanic and terrestrial/aquatic ecosystems for calibration, ground truthing, and study of under-sampled regions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2010

Reactive Sequencing for Autonomous Navigation Evolving from Phoenix Entry, Descent, and Landing

Virtual Machine Language (VML) is an award-winning advanced procedural sequencing language in use on NASA deep-space missions since 1997, and was used for the successful entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of the Phoenix spacecraft onto the surface of Mars. Phoenix EDL utilized a state-oriented operations architecture which executed within the constraints of the existing VML 2.0 flight capability, compatible with the linear "land or die" nature of the mission. The intricacies of Phoenix EDL included the planned discarding of portions of the vehicle, the complex communications management for relay through on-orbit assets, the presence of temporally indeterminate physical events, and the need to rapidly catch up four days of sequencing should a reboot of the spacecraft flight computer occur shortly before atmospheric entry. These formidable operational challenges led to new techniques for packaging and coordinating reusable sequences called blocks using one-way synchronization via VML sequencing global variable events. The coordinated blocks acted as an ensemble to land the spacecraft, while individually managing various elements in as simple a fashion as possible. This paper outlines prototype VML 2.1 flight capabilities that have evolved from the one-way synchronization techniques in order to implement even more ambitious autonomous mission capabilities. Target missions for these new capabilities include autonomous touch-and-go sampling of cometary and asteroidal bodies, lunar landing of robotic missions, and ultimately landing of crewed lunar vehicles. Close proximity guidance, navigation, and control operations, on-orbit rendezvous, and descent and landing events featured in these missions require elaborate abort capability, manifesting highly non-linear scenarios that are so complex as to overtax traditional sequencing, or even the sort of one-way coordinated sequencing used during EDL. Foreseeing advanced command and control needs for small body and lunar landing guidance, navigation and control scenarios, work began three years ago on substantial upgrades to VML that are now being exercised in scenarios for lunar landing and comet/asteroid rendezvous. The advanced state-based approach includes coordinated state transition machines with distributed decision-making logic. These state machines are not merely sequences - they are reactive logic constructs capable of autonomous decision making within a well-defined domain. Combined with the JPL's AutoNav software used on Deep Space 1 and Deep Impact, the system allows spacecraft to autonomously navigate to an unmapped surface, soft-contact, and either land or ascend. The state machine architecture enabled by VML 2.1 has successfully performed sampling missions and lunar descent missions in a simulated environment, and is progressing toward flight capability. The authors are also investigating using the VML 2.1 flight director architecture to perform autonomous activities like rendezvous with a passive hypothetical Mars sample return capsule. The approach being pursued is similar to the touch-and-go sampling state machines, with the added complications associated with the search for, physical capture of, and securing of a separate spacecraft. Complications include optically finding and tracking the Orbiting Sample Capsule (OSC), keeping the OSC illuminated, making orbital adjustments, and physically capturing the OSC. Other applications could include autonomous science collection and fault compensation.

asteroid↗
NASA NTRS2015

AMO EXPRESS: A Command and Control Experiment for Crew Autonomy Onboard the International Space Station

NASA is investigating a range of future human spaceflight missions, including both Mars-distance and Near Earth Object (NEO) targets. Of significant importance for these missions is the balance between crew autonomy and vehicle automation. As distance from Earth results in increasing communication delays, future crews need both the capability and authority to independently make decisions. However, small crews cannot take on all functions performed by ground today, and so vehicles must be more automated to reduce the crew workload for such missions. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program funded Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) project conducted an autonomous command and control experiment on-board the International Space Station that demonstrated single action intelligent procedures for crew command and control. The target problem was to enable crew initialization of a facility class rack with power and thermal interfaces, and involving core and payload command and telemetry processing, without support from ground controllers. This autonomous operations capability is enabling in scenarios such as initialization of a medical facility to respond to a crew medical emergency, and representative of other spacecraft autonomy challenges. The experiment was conducted using the Expedite the Processing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 7, which was located in the Port 2 location within the U.S Laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Activation and deactivation of this facility is time consuming and operationally intensive, requiring coordination of three flight control positions, 47 nominal steps, 57 commands, 276 telemetry checks, and coordination of multiple ISS systems (both core and payload). Utilization of Draper Laboratory's Timeliner software, deployed on-board the ISS within the Command and Control (C&C) computers and the Payload computers, allowed development of the automated procedures specific to ISS without having to certify and employ novel software for procedure development and execution. The procedures contained the ground procedure logic and actions as possible to include fault detection and recovery capabilities. The autonomous operations concept includes a reduction of the amount of data a crew operator is required to verify during activation or de-activation, as well as integration of procedure execution status and relevant data in a single integrated display. During execution, the auto-procedures (via Timerliner) provide a step-by-step messaging paradigm and a high-level status upon termination. This messaging and high-level status is the only data generated for operator display. To enhance situational awareness of the operator, the Web-based Procedure Display (WebPD) provides a novel approach to the issues of procedure display and execution tracking. WebPD is a web based application that serves as the user interface for electronic procedure execution. It incorporates several aspects of the HTML5 standard. Procedures are written in a dialect of XML called Procedure Representation Language (PRL). WebPD tracks execution status in the procedure or procedures being displayed. WebPD aggregates and simplifies the auto-sequence execution status information, and formatted to be easily followed and understood by an operator who is not dedicated to actively monitoring the task. WebPD also provides an integrated data and control interface to pause or halt the execution in order to provide a check point of operation and to examine progress before starting the next sequence of activities. For this demonstration, the procedure was initiated and monitored from the ground. As the Timeliner sequences executed, their high-level execution status was written to PLMDM memory. This memory is read and downlinked via Ku-Band at a 1 Hz rate. The data containing the high-level execution status is de-commutated on the ground, and rebroadcast for WebPD consumption. A future demonstration will be performed onboard, with ISS astronauts initiating the operations instead of ground controllers. The AMO EXPRESS experiment demonstrated activation and de-activation of EXPRESS rack 7, providing the capability of future single button activations and deactivations of facility class racks. The experiment achieved numerous technical and operations 'firsts' for the ISS

Stetson, Howard K.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Using LDPC Code Constraints to Aid Recovery of Symbol Timing

A method of utilizing information available in the constraints imposed by a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code has been proposed as a means of aiding the recovery of symbol timing in the reception of a binary-phase-shift-keying (BPSK) signal representing such a code in the presence of noise, timing error, and/or Doppler shift between the transmitter and the receiver. This method and the receiver architecture in which it would be implemented belong to a class of timing-recovery methods and corresponding receiver architectures characterized as pilotless in that they do not require transmission and reception of pilot signals. Acquisition and tracking of a signal of the type described above have traditionally been performed upstream of, and independently of, decoding and have typically involved utilization of a phase-locked loop (PLL). However, the LDPC decoding process, which is iterative, provides information that can be fed back to the timing-recovery receiver circuits to improve performance significantly over that attainable in the absence of such feedback. Prior methods of coupling LDPC decoding with timing recovery had focused on the use of output code words produced as the iterations progress. In contrast, in the present method, one exploits the information available from the metrics computed for the constraint nodes of an LDPC code during the decoding process. In addition, the method involves the use of a waveform model that captures, better than do the waveform models of the prior methods, distortions introduced by receiver timing errors and transmitter/ receiver motions. An LDPC code is commonly represented by use of a bipartite graph containing two sets of nodes. In the graph corresponding to an (n,k) code, the n variable nodes correspond to the code word symbols and the n-k constraint nodes represent the constraints that the code places on the variable nodes in order for them to form a valid code word. The decoding procedure involves iterative computation of values associated with these nodes. A constraint node represents a parity-check equation using a set of variable nodes as inputs. A valid decoded code word is obtained if all parity-check equations are satisfied. After each iteration, the metrics associated with each constraint node can be evaluated to determine the status of the associated parity check. Heretofore, normally, these metrics would be utilized only within the LDPC decoding process to assess whether or not variable nodes had converged to a codeword. In the present method, it is recognized that these metrics can be used to determine accuracy of the timing estimates used in acquiring the sampled data that constitute the input to the LDPC decoder. In fact, the number of constraints that are satisfied exhibits a peak near the optimal timing estimate. Coarse timing estimation (or first-stage estimation as described below) is found via a parametric search for this peak. The present method calls for a two-stage receiver architecture illustrated in the figure. The first stage would correct large time delays and frequency offsets; the second stage would track random walks and correct residual time and frequency offsets. In the first stage, constraint-node feedback from the LDPC decoder would be employed in a search algorithm in which the searches would be performed in successively narrower windows to find the correct time delay and/or frequency offset. The second stage would include a conventional first-order PLL with a decision-aided timing-error detector that would utilize, as its decision aid, decoded symbols from the LDPC decoder. The method has been tested by means of computational simulations in cases involving various timing and frequency errors. The results of the simulations ined in the ideal case of perfect timing in the receiver.

Jones, Christopher↗
NASA NTRS1996

Experimental Studies in Helicopter Vertical Climb Performance

Data and analysis from an experimental program to measure vertical climb performance on an eight-foot model rotor are presented. The rotor testing was performed using a unique moving-model facility capable of accurately simulating the flow conditions during axial flight, and was conducted from July 9, 1992 to July 16, 1992 at the Dynamic Model Track, or 'Long Track,' just prior to its demolition in August of 1992. Data collected during this brief test program included force and moment time histories from a sting-mounted strain gauge balance, support carriage velocity, and rotor rpm pulses. In addition, limited video footage (of marginal use) was recorded from smoke flow studies for both simulated vertical climb and descent trajectories. Analytical comparisons with these data include a series of progressively more detailed calculations ranging from simple momentum theory, a prescribed wake method, and a free-wake prediction.

McKillip, Robert M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Stratospheric aircraft exhaust plume and wake chemistry studies

This report documents progress to date in an ongoing study to analyze and model emissions leaving a proposed High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) from when the exhaust gases leave the engine until they are deposited at atmospheric scales in the stratosphere. Estimates are given for the emissions, summarizing relevant earlier work (CIAP) and reviewing current propulsion research efforts. The chemical evolution and the mixing and vortical motion of the exhaust are analyzed to track the exhaust and its speciation as the emissions are mixed to atmospheric scales. The species tracked include those that could be heterogeneously reactive on the surfaces of the condensed solid water (ice) particles and on exhaust soot particle surfaces. Dispersion and reaction of chemical constituents in the far wake are studied with a Lagrangian air parcel model, in conjunction with a radiation code to calculate the net heating/cooling. Laboratory measurements of heterogeneous chemistry of aqueous sulfuric acid and nitric acid hydrates are also described. Results include the solubility of HCl in sulfuric acid which is a key parameter for modeling stratospheric processing. We also report initial results for condensation of nitric acid trihydrate from gas phase H2O and HNO3.

Miake-Lye, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2021

The Inland Maintenance and Reintensification of Tropical Storm Bill (2015). Part II: Precipitation Microphysics

Tropical Storm Bill produced over 400 mmof rainfall to portions of southern Oklahoma from 16-20 June 2015, adding to the catastrophic urban and river flooding that occurred throughout the region in the month prior to landfall. The unprecedented excessive precipitation event that occurred across Oklahoma and Texas during May and June 2015 resulted in anomalously high soil moisture and latent heat fluxes over the region, acting to increase the available boundary layer moisture. Tropical Storm Bill progressed inland over the region of anomalous soil moisture and latent heat fluxes which helped maintain polarimetric radar signatures associated with tropical, warm rain events. Vertical profiles of polarimetric radar variables such as Z(H), Z(DR), K(DP), and ρ(hv) were analyzed in time and space over Texas and Oklahoma. The profiles suggest that Tropical Storm Bill maintained warm rain signatures and collision-coalescence processes as it tracked hundreds of kilometers inland away from the landfall point consistent with tropical cyclone precipitation characteristics. Dual-frequency precipitation radar observations from the NASA GPM DPR were also analyzed post-landfall and showed similar signatures of collision-coalescence while Bill moved over north Texas, southern Oklahoma, eastern Missouri, and western Kentucky.

Noah S. Brauer↗
DOE OSTI2024

Full Simulation of CMS for Run-3 and Phase-2

In this contribution we report the status of the CMS Geant4 simulation and the prospects for Run-3 and Phase-2. Firstly, we report about our experience during the start of Run-3 with Geant4 10.7.2, the common software package DD4hep for geometry description, and VecGeom runtime geometry library. In addition, FTFP_BERT_EMM Physics List and CMS configuration for tracking in magnetic field have been utilized. For the first time, for the Grid mass production of Monte-Carlo, this combination of components is used. Further simulation improvements are under development targeting Run-3 such as the switch to the new Geant4 11.1 in production, that provides several features important for the optimization of simulation, for example the new transportation process with built-in multiple scattering, neutron general process, custom tracking manager, G4HepEm sub-library, and others. We will present evaluation of various options, validation results, and the final choice of simulation configuration for 2023 production and beyond. The performance of the CMS full simulation for Run-2 and Run-3 will also be discussed. CMS development plan for the Phase-2 Geant4 based simulation is very ambitious, and it includes a new geometry description, physics, and simulation configurations. The progress on new detector descriptions and full simulation will be presented as well as the R&D in progress to reduce compute capacity needs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Uranium-Containing and Thorium-Containing Anions Studied by Photoelectron Spectroscopy

An in-depth knowledge of actinide chemistry is fundamental to many aspects of nuclear science and technology, including the synthesis and processing of materials and the remediation of waste disposal sites. Among the actinides, the chemical bonding behaviors of actinium and thorium resemble those of the transition metals; the 5f-electrons of protactinium, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium often play important roles in their bonding; and among the still heavier elements, their bonding tends to mimic the lanthanide elements in terms of electron shielding and their f-electron contributions. Bonding that involves 5f-electrons, however, is especially important, in part because of the significance of uranium and plutonium, but also because these elements are among the few where f-electron participation in bonding is relatively common. This work focused on studying uranium-containing and thorium-containing anions in the gas phase using negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy. Since this technique directly probed valence electrons, it was uniquely positioned to address open questions regarding molecular bonding and electron configurations. A particularly important issue concerned how bonding in actinide-containing molecules was affected by modifications to their actinide atoms’ environment, i.e., due to their interaction with ligands. A closely related question was how actinide atoms’ suborbitals were qualitatively reordered and their energies quantitatively shifted as a result of their ligated environments. These were especially relevant issues in regard to uranium due to it having multiple possible oxidation states (OS) and the potential for 5f electron participation in bonding. The effects of ligands on oxidation states and 5f-orbital energies in uranium bonding was expected to be pronounced. Both ligands and excess electrons were seen as probes of actinide atoms within actinide-containing molecules. Our strategy for advancing knowledge of chemical bonding in the actinide-containing species utilized the synergy between experiments and theory, where in some cases experimental results validated theory and where in others computational results assisted in interpreting experiments. Calculations on actinide systems are terrifically challenging due to large spin-orbit interactions, relativistic effects, and just the sheer number of electrons involved. Even in the simplest species, e.g., U and U2, the most sophisticated, modern calculations carried out by the most experienced theorists often only approximate experimentally-measured values, such as electron affinities. For theory to provide confident predictions that can be used to solve real problems it needed an iterative and ultimately corrective mechanism by which its methods can develop further. Experiments can be used to identify when theory has failed; whereupon the subsequent process of using the experiment-theory interplay can be used to find the cause of the failure. Upon fixing it in one case, different test species can be proposed and studied by the experiment-theory combination to determine whether the problem has been corrected. Thus, experiments not only measure the values of molecular properties, they also provide navigational 3 beacons that keep computations off the reefs in an otherwise dark sea with few reference points. Experimental measurements in the actinide field are not only important, they are in actuality essential to computational progress. While it was not always possible to compare the theoreticallydetermined quantity of interest directly with the same experimentally-measured observable, it was usually possible to compare consequential properties that are both calculable and measurable. In the work completed here electron affinities and electronic state spacings were often sensitive consequential parameters. Reasonable agreement between measured and computational values signaled that a calculation that was very likely to be on-track. We had established collaborative relationships with five computational groups, all of which have expertise in computational actinide chemistry. Their PI’s are L. Cheng, D. Dixon, L. Gagliardi, K. Peterson, and B. Vlaisavljevich. Our close interaction with our theory partners led to us suggesting systems to them and them to us. This reciprocal interaction between our experimental and their computational results was among the most important strengths of this work and was a thread woven throughout. Even though anion photoelectron spectroscopic studies are conducted on anions, much of the information that they provide, pertains to the electronic structure of the neutral counterparts of those anions; among these are electron affinities and electronically excited state spacings. Our experimental tools included several specialized ion sources for forming the anionic species of interest, a mass spectrometer for identifying and mass-selecting them, and an anion photoelectron spectrometer for determining their electron affinities (EA) and characterizing the electronic states of the selected anions’ neutral counterparts. Anion photoelectron spectroscopy is conducted by crossing a mass-selected beam of anions with a fixed-frequency laser beam and energy-analyzing the resultant photodetached electrons. The photodetachment process is governed by the energyconserving relationship: hν = EBE + EKE, where hν is the photon’s energy, EBE is the electron binding (photodetachment transition) energy, and EKE is the electron’s kinetic energy. In our apparatus mass-selection is accomplished via time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS), electron energy analysis is achieved with either a magnetic bottle or by velocity mapped imaging. Photodetachment of electrons from anions is implemented via either Nd:YAG or excimer lasers. The photodetachment transition energy, i.e., the EBE, between the ground vibrational and electronic state of an anion and the ground vibrational and electronic state of that anion’s neutral counterpart is the adiabatic electron affinity (EA) of that neutral molecule. Likewise, photodetachment transitions between the ground vibrational and electronic state of an anion and the various electronically-excited states of that anion’s corresponding neutral map the electronic spectrum of that neutral species, i.e., the spectral spacings in the photoelectron spectrum are a mirror image of the neutral’s electronic spectrum. It was, of course, crucial to be able to form the anionic species of interest. There, we had a particularly broad field of anion sources from which to choose. These included several variants of pulsed laser vaporization (LV), laser photoemission, infrared desorption plus photoemission, pulsed arc discharge (PACIS), electrospray ionization (ESI), and Rydberg electron transfer (RET). Each of these anion sources were readily combined with, i.e., connected to, the anion photoelectron spectroscopic portion of our apparatus as described above. Among the sources that utilize lasers, visible light for LV sources as well as IR for desorption sources are provided by Nd:YAG lasers. Ultraviolet photons are provided by both Nd:YAG and excimer lasers, whereas the excitation wavelengths for RET experiments come from two Nd:YAG-pumped dye lasers.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

GEM detectors for the CMS endcap muon system: status of three new detector stations

The High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC, or Phase-2 LHC) will deliver proton-proton collisions at 5–7.5 times the nominal LHC luminosity, with an expected number of 140–200 pp-interactions per bunch crossing (Pile-up or PU). To maintain the performance of muon triggering and reconstruction under high background, the forward part of the Muon Spectrometer of the CMS experiment will be upgraded with Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM) and improved Resistive Plate Chambers (iRPC) detectors. A first GEM station (GE1/1) was installed during Long Shutdown 2 (LS2, 2019–2021), a 2 nd station (GE2/1) of Triple-GEM detectors will be installed in winter 2023–24 and 2024–25, while a new 6-layer station (ME0) will be installed in the third Long Shutdown (LS3, 2026–2028). GE11 is considered an early Phase-2 upgrade as it will reduce the p T threshold by combining GEM and Cathode Strip Chamber (CSC) hits in the forward muon system at twice the LHC design luminosity ($\mathcal{L}$ = 2 · 10 34 cm -2 s -1 , 50 PU). After a successful start of Run-3 in 2022, with almost 40 fb -1 collected, the commissioning of the GE1/1 detector is nearly complete. Most chambers are operated stably with an efficiency in excess of 95%, next being the demonstration of the combined CSC-GEM trigger in 2023. The lessons learnt with the first large-area GEM station have lead to improvements in detector and electronics design for the Phase 2 detectors GE2/1 and ME0. This proceeding will discuss the progress made since last MPGD Conference (MPGD 2019), discussing the commissioning and early performance of GE1/1; the design improvements and start of construction of GE2/1; and the R&D currently ongoing for ME0.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1981

Weather and climate

Highlights of recent progress and the directions of future advances in the application of space observations to weather and climate are reviewed. In mesometeorology and severe storms, satellite stereography of cloud topography and temperature profiling from GOES-VAS promise dramatic developments in both nowcasting and prediction. In global weather, the initial results from the year long Global Weather Experiment conclusively demonstrate the enhanced forecast skill emanating from the use of satellite data, especially cloud track winds and temperature profiles. In climate, empirical studies and numerical experiments point to the feasibility of useful climate predictions on monthly and seasonal time scales. They also indicate the kinds of surface boundary conditions to which climate is sensitive and which need to be observed from space.

Atlas, D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer - A progress report (April 1989)

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) is a facility instrument to be flown on the first Earth Observing System (scheduled launch in the late 1990s). The MODIS has two components. One component is a 110-deg-scan-angle instrument called MODIS-N (nadir). This instrument has 40 selected bands supporting observations of the land surface, the oceans, and atmosphere in the visible, NIR, short-wave IR (1.0-3.0 microns), and thermal IR (3.0-15.0 microns). The other component is a 90-deg-scan-angle scanning instrument that can tilt fore and aft along the satellite track, called MODIS-T (tilt). Both MODIS-N and MODIS-T are nearing the end of detailed design studies. The driving scientific requirements include absolute calibration accuracy 2 percent, instrument-induced polarization less than 2 percent, SNR reaching 800:1 for observing ocean color at large solar zenith angles, and dynamic range allowing observations of cloud characteristics and snow-covered areas.

Salomonson, V. V.↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Role of Quantum Science Concepts in Enhancing Sensing and Imaging Technologies: Applications for Biology: Proceedings of a Workshop

Quantum concepts hold the potential to enable significant advances in sensing and imaging technologies that could be vital to the study of biological systems. The workshop Quantum Science Concepts in Enhancing Sensing and Imaging Technologies: Applications for Biology, held online March 8–10, 2021, was organized to examine the research and development needs to advance biological applications of quantum technology. Hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the event brought together experts working on state-of-the-art, quantum-enabled technologies and scientists who are interested in applying these technologies to biological systems. Through talks, panels, and discussions, the workshop facilitated a better understanding of the current and future biological applications of quantum-enabled technologies in fields such as microbiology, molecular biology, cell biology, plant science, mycology, and many others. The workshop was organized around three main themes. The first, quantum in biology, examined quantum concepts that are hypothesized to be important for life processes and that researchers are working to observe through biological imaging and sensing. The second, quantum for biology, addressed ways to use quantum concepts to enhance technologies for biological imaging and sensing. The third, biology for quantum, offered a wider discussion of how the frontiers of biological imaging and sensing could enable future study using quantum concepts, tools, or technologies. Throughout the workshop, participants identified a wide range of emerging approaches and opportunities at the intersection of quantum physics and biological sensing and imaging. During the workshop, there were some differences in how each speaker defined the term quantum. During one of the panels, Prem Kumar offered thoughts on what phenomena are classical versus quantum, explaining that techniques get progressively more quantum as you move from just having superposition to having superposition with measurement and entanglement. Another explanation from Clarice Aiello delineates the definition into several levels. This includes a base level of “quantum-ness,” which reflects that all matter is made of atoms, and when these particles are isolated they behave based on quantum mechanical principles. A second level is related to quantum coherence, where a single quantum object might be found in a coherent superposition state. A final level, which she described as the quantum-entangled level, involves multiple quantum systems which are entangled among themselves. Overall, the workshop touched on concepts such as superposition, entanglement, and squeezing and their potential implications for communication, computing, and simulation, in addition to the workshop’s main focal area, biological sensing and imaging. At the opening of the workshop, Thorsten Ritz of the University of California, Irvine, identified two questions at the heart of quantum biology: Is the machinery of life quantum mechanical, and can quantum mechanics be used to study the machinery of life in new ways? Participants highlighted systems in which researchers have explored these questions, from the vast array of molecular interactions involved in biological processes such as photosynthesis, to the mechanics involved in cellular functions such as differentiation and aggregation, to the role of oscillating magnetic fields in flight orientation among birds. Sensing and imaging technologies are crucial to biological research; these technologies could both enhance the study of quantum effects and be enhanced by quantum concepts. A critical challenge in biological research is to develop imaging and sensing tools that do not damage or interfere with the often fragile and fleeting systems being studied. Attendees discussed a variety of established and emerging technologies that could enhance noninvasive biological imaging, including single- and two-photon spectroscopy, single-molecule spectroscopy, quantum illumination, ghost imaging, and cryo-electron microscopy. One example came from Marlan Scully who gave a keynote address on the first day of the workshop. Scully emphasized the use of different laser technologies, which exhibit coherence and other quantum properties, in moving toward real-world biological applications, such as the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Both tools and theory will play an important role in advancing quantum biology research and applications. Several participants suggested theorists and experimentalists should work in tandem to understand and model biological processes. While physics often reduces systems to their simplest forms for fundamental insights, participants also noted the value of observing and understanding biological systems in all their “messiness,” capturing both the inner workings of biological systems and the complex interactions that occur within and between organisms. In discussions among participants, several attendees stressed the need to match emerging tools with the right scientific questions. Rather than developing quantum technologies as “a hammer looking for a nail,” participants emphasized a focus on exploring the problems these technologies are best suited to address. For example, it is important to consider the size of the phenomenon being studied, the timescales that are important in answering the scientific question, and other relevant considerations. Every tool along the spectrum from classical to quantum involves its own set of trade-offs. For example, Ted Laurence of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory said that quantum measurements, such as single photon counting, fluorescence transitions, and lasers, can take longer to produce the same results as classical measurements. These quantum measurements, however, do not require calibration and can enable new research questions to be answered. Prem Kumar, Northwestern University, noted that, despite their promise, quantum approaches should not be used simply for the sake of using quantum, especially in situations where classical approaches better meet the needs of the researcher. Understanding and applying quantum concepts could enable advances in a wide range of application areas including energy, synthetic biology, medicine, and sustainability. For example, Michelle O’Malley, University of California, Santa Barbara, described how improved noninvasive imaging approaches could help capture the complex interactions and functions involved in the breakdown of organic matter by microbial communities and lead to new technologies for capturing valuable products from plant waste. Several other participants discussed needs in tracking the movement of metabolites and molecules in microbial communities for insights into nutrient cycling in environments such as soil. Margaret Ahmad, Sorbonne University, discussed potential opportunities to leverage the magnetic properties of cryptochromes to advance new treatment approaches for diseases such as COVID-19 and cancer. Looking toward the future development of the field, participants discussed challenges to advancing quantum biology that arise from disciplinary disconnects between physicists and biologists. The siloing of academic research disciplines represents a significant barrier to progress. Disconnects in terminology, motivations and priorities, and structural barriers to collaborative work underscore the need for concerted efforts to bridge these divides. Attendees and speakers offered suggestions for resolving these divergences, establishing a shared language, moving the field forward, and fostering meaningful feedback between disciplines. Overall, participants stressed a need for balance, open communication, collaboration, unity, and clear dialogue on trade-offs between quantum and classical approaches. Keiko Torii, The University of Texas at Austin, said that the best collaborations happen when the project provides mutual advantages that can show off everyone’s talents, each team finds the work interesting, and partners develop a camaraderie to pursue new knowledge. To enable near- and long-term opportunities in this space, participants suggested that exploratory, high-risk funding could improve existing instrumentation to explore quantum enhancement collaboratively. They also emphasized the need for collaboration between quantum physicists and sensing/imaging scientists, which could be advanced through a dedicated quantum biology investigator program. People, even more than technology, will be crucial to the future of quantum biology. Participants explored training, education, and workforce needs to further develop this burgeoning field and cultivate the next generation of scientists. While many programs are still in their nascent stages, participants highlighted examples of approaches and programs being developed at various types of institutions to engage students and professional scientists in quantum biology research. Several participants stressed the need for an inclusive approach, spanning disciplines as well as communities to foster a diverse field fueled by the intellectual contributions of a wide range of people, including historically under-resourced schools and students. To increase awareness and excitement about quantum physics and related areas of biology, attendees suggested capitalizing on the “buzz” around quantum. Several participants emphasized the need to start early, introducing students to quantum concepts and their appealing “weirdness” in K–12 education. Engaging students early—before they become entrenched in traditional disciplinary siloes as typically happens in graduate school—could help to galvanize interest in the area and foster a generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary mindset and skills needed to advance this interdisciplinary field. While these efforts could be advanced at many levels and across multiple sectors, several participants suggested a national quantum biology center could be a valuable hub to coordinate and support quantum biology education and workforce development across academia, industry, and government.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

A multi-modal scanning system to digitize CBRNE emergency response scenes

A handheld system developed to digitize a contextual understanding of the scene at a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosives (CBRNE) events is described. The system uses LiDAR and cameras to create a colorized 3D model of the environment, which helps domain experts that are supporting responders in the field. To generate the digitized model, a responder scans any suspicious objects and the surroundings by carrying the system through the scene. The scanning system provides a real-time user interface to inform the user about scanning progress and to indicate any areas that may have been missed either by the LiDAR sensors or the cameras. Currently, the collected data are post-processed on a different device, building a colorized triangular mesh of the encountered scene, with the intention of moving this pipeline to the scanner at a later point. The mesh is sufficiently compressed to be sent over a reduced bandwidth connection to a remote analyst. Furthermore, the system tracks fiducial markers attached to diagnostic equipment that is placed around the suspicious object. The resulting tracking information can be transmitted to remote analysts to further facilitate their supporting efforts. The paper will discuss the system's design, software components, the user interface used for scanning a scene, the necessary procedures for calibration of the sensors, and the processing steps of the resulting data. The discussion will close by evaluating the system's performance on 11 scenes.

Salathe, Marco↗