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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 649 records · Page 36

AIR Framework for Physics-Inspired Artificial Intelligence in High Energy Physics (Final Report)

The FAIR4HEP project was a collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota, and the University of California San Diego funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Advanced Scientific Research (ASCR) from 2020 to 2023. The primary focus of the FAIR4HEP project was to advance our understanding of the relationship between data and artificial intelligence (AI) models by exploring relationships among them through the development of findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) frameworks. Using high-energy physics (HEP) as the science driver, this project developed a FAIR framework to advance our understanding of AI, provide new insights to apply AI techniques and provide an environment where novel approaches to AI can be explored. This final report summarizes the accomplishments of the MIT group.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

An Expert System to Assist Researchers with Nuclear Materials Experiment Design

The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) was created in 2007 to open National Laboratory capabilities to university, laboratory, and industry researchers. Originally founded at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), NSUF leveraged excess capacity in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) hot cells. In the eleven years since its inception, the NSUF has expanded to include most of the capabilities at the Idaho National Laboratory as well as twenty external ‘partner’ facilities. The inclusion of the partner facilities makes the NSUF the first distributed user facility, a ‘laboratory without walls.’ This paper will present recent developments in CoMET, including how the databases interconnect to create a powerful tool for NSUF users and how the Wizard is expected to change the workflow for NSUF users, staff, and partner facilities. The paper will conclude with some remarks of how CoMET demonstrates the feasibility of a broader integration of nuclear information and tools, paving the way for further collaboration and innovation following the NuKIT paradigm.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Comparing the cooling effectiveness of operationalisable urban surface combination scenarios for summer heat mitigation

Extreme summer heat in cities exacerbates the vulnerability of urban communities to heatwaves. Vegetative and reflective urban surfaces can help reduce urban heat. This study investigated the impacts of urban trees, green roofs and cool roofs on heat mitigation during average and extreme summer conditions in temperate oceanic Melbourne, Australia. We simulated the city climate using ‘The Air Pollution Model’ (TAPM) at a 1 km spatial resolution over 10 years, which according to our review of the literature, was the most prolonged period for simulation in Melbourne. During a widespread heatwave event, some of the tested scenarios with combined surface parameters could reduce the extreme values of the energy budget components- sensible heat, latent heat, and storage heat fluxes up to seasonal averages compared to the existing situation for Melbourne (control). The scenario with the highest (reasonable maximum) ground-level vegetation, green roofs, and cool roofs could reduce air temperatures up to 2.4 °C. The simulations suggest that a combined strategy with vegetative and high-albedo surfaces will deliver higher effectiveness with maximum cooling benefits and cost-effectiveness than individual strategies in cities. These results suggest the importance of collaborative strategic planning of urban surfaces to make cities healthier, sustainable, and liveable.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Accobeam - Acoustic Collimated Beam

Researchers at Los Alamos have developed a collimated acoustic imaging technology for non-destructive characterization of highly attenuating media, such as concrete, rocks, mud, and metal casings. The technology is used to investigate structural defects that could compromise important assets such as well boreholes, building structures and sensitive materials like explosives. Current acoustic methods are often unable to penetrate such materials deeply for more informative analysis, which limits what can be learned about asset structural integrity, crucial information companies require to make investment decisions such as fixing or replacing structures well before assets are completely compromised. ACCObeam provides requisite penetration and high-resolution acoustic imaging with applications in borehole imaging, explosives threat evaluation, and structural health evaluation. This technology will potentially save companies significant money by producing accurate and useful visual analyses to better understand the actual condition of assets in the field and respond accordingly. Los Alamos is searching for a collaboration partner to develop this technology for commercial applications that will lead to licensing opportunities for broad industry deployment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Data Integration Aggregated Model and Ontology for Nuclear Deployment (DIAMOND): Preliminary Model and Ontology

The data of a nuclear utility or plant are stored in various isolated forms in different systems. These data have different structures and tools and are, therefore, used independently. The integration of data sources is often performed manually and on an as-needed basis to achieve a targeted cost saving. A holistic approach to the integration of the data would enable creating a data warehouse for a single nuclear power plant (NPP) or multiple plants. A data warehouse results in direct and indirect cost saving because it automates the manual search for data, enables sharing and comparison of data from various tools of a single or multiple plants, enable digital transformation of data, increase frequencies of needed data that are sparse in nature (such as failures signatures), reduces the need for training on various tools for plant staff, enables a holistic staff perception of plant activities, reveals cost-saving opportunities, and improves the visual perception of all parts a plant necessary for operations and maintenance. One of the main challenges to deploy a data warehouse is associated with the integration of data sources into a consistent data model using a standard ontology that is developed by and for the nuclear power industry. This model is non-existent and is a necessity to enable the nuclear data warehouse role. A data model contains objects that make up a given domain along with their attributes and relationships. It provides domain standardization and maintainability, setting forth the objects, attributes, and relationships within that domain and acting as the guide by which the various applications within that domain will structure their data and interchange. An ontology is defined as “a set of concepts and categories in a subject area or domain that shows their properties and the relations between them”. Ontologies consist of a taxonomy or directed rooted tree. A survey of the models and ontologies available to support a data integration aggregated model and ontology for nuclear deployment (DIAMOND) was performed and different standards that address specific aspects of the needed model and ontology were leveraged and integrated in this effort. In specific, the Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) and Lifecycle Modeling Language (LML) were leveraged for the base ontology. The ISO 4224 and 15926 were leveraged in the development of the overlapping nuclear and fossil data aspects. The electric power research institute (EPRI) power distribution common information model (CIM) was also reviewed and the experience gained was leveraged in the power generation scope of DIAMOND. The initial aim targeted by this effort was to develop the ontology definitions and model structure. This report documents the resulting model and ontology to develop DIAMOND. The report describes the various elements of the model development based on a growing tree development approach, i.e. DIAMOND’s tree structure is established with the core data aspects and is populated with a preliminary level of details. Fifteen sources of data in a nuclear power plant were considered and incorporated into DIAMOND at this stage of development, representing the majority of operations data sources in nuclear power plants. Additional data sources, scope, and a higher level of fidelity will be incorporated into DIAMOND next in collaboration with the nuclear industry and relevant stakeholders.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Characterization of VUV sensitive SiPMs in LXe

Many future tons-scale noble liquid detectors depend on the advanced Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) that have good photodetection efficiency at the vacuum ultraviolet wavelength (VUV). The Next-generation Enriched Xenon Observatory (nEXO) experiment with a 5 tons liquid xenon time projection chamber (TPC) will use ~40,000 SiPMs for the direct detection of the 178 nm xenon scintillation light. We highlight the development works undertaken by the photodetector group in the nEXO collaboration on the performance characterization of Hamamatsu and FBK VUV sensitive SiPMs in purified liquid xenon.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Evaluation of Nickel Alloys, Manufactured through Powder Bed Fusion, for Application for Advanced Nuclear Reactors

In collaboration with other laboratories, Idaho National Laboratory has investigated additively manufactured alloys for applications in advanced nuclear reactors. The primary focus has been on nickel alloys, as well as “other” alloys, which are alloys not considered steel nor nickel-based alloys, manufactured by laser powder bed fusion. Suitability of investigated alloys were considered against a matrix of properties of interest, developed jointly with the collaborating laboratories. For the nickel alloys, Alloys 282 and 625 are considered promising due to their properties, existing data, and availability of commercial powder feedstock. Haynes 244 is also of interest for its molten salt corrosion resistance, however there is no current feedstock supply chain, and no experience with this alloy as an additively manufactured material. Iron-chrome-aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, zirconium alloys, ceramics, and ceramic inclusions were all considered within the other alloys category. The results and discussions within this report will be compiled with the investigations from the other collaborating laboratories and compiled into a final report later this year (2023).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electric field control of magnetism

Electric field control of magnetism is an extremely exciting area of research, from both a fundamental science and an applications perspective and has the potential to revolutionize the world of computing. To realize this will require numerous further innovations, both in the fundamental science arena as well as translating these scientific discoveries into real applications. Thus, this article will attempt to bridge the gap between condensed matter physics and the actual manifestations of the physical concepts into applications. We have attempted to paint a broad-stroke picture of the field, from the macroscale all the way down to the fundamentals of spin–orbit coupling that is a key enabler of the physics discussed. Here, we hope it will help spur more translational research within the broad materials physics community. Needless to say, this article is written on behalf of a large number of colleagues, collaborators and researchers in the field of complex oxides as well as current and former students and postdocs who continue to pursue cutting-edge research in this field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Varied farm-level carbon intensities of corn feedstock help reduce corn ethanol greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract A reduction in the overall carbon intensity (CI) of a crop-based biofuel can be achieved by cutting down the CI of the biofuel’s feedstock, which in turn correlates significantly to agricultural management practices. Proposals are being made to incentivize low-carbon biofuel feedstocks under U.S. fuel regulatory programs to promote sustainable farming practices by individual farms. For such an incentive scheme to function properly, robust data collection and verification are needed at the farm level. This study presents our collaboration with U.S. private sector companies to collect and verify the corn production data necessary for feedstock-specific CI calculation at the farm level, through a carefully designed questionnaire, to demonstrate the practicality and feasibility of data collection at scale. We surveyed 71 farms that produced 0.2 million metric tons of corn grain in 2018 in a Midwestern U.S. state to obtain information on key parameters affecting corn ethanol feedstock CI, such as grain yields, fertilizer/chemical application rates, and agronomic practices. Feedstock-specific CI was calculated in the unit of grams (g) CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e) of greenhouse gases per kilogram (kg) of corn produced. Results showed large CI variations—from 119 to 407 g CO 2 e kg −1 of corn—due to the farm-level inventory, while the production-weighted average CI for all surveyed farms was 210 g CO 2 e kg −1 , comparable to the national average CI of 204 g CO 2 e kg −1 . The nitrogen fertilizer type applied and rate were identified as key factors contributing most to CI variations at the farm level. The estimated N 2 O emissions from fertilizer and biomass nitrogen inputs to soil accounted for 51% of the overall farm-level CI and therefore need to be better monitored at farm level with high resolution. We concluded that this feedstock-specific, farm-level CI evaluation has the potential to be used to incentivize low-carbon feedstock for biofuel production.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

CEA/DAM - CEA/DEN - LANL - IAEA - IPHC Collaboration Meeting on Nuclear Data, Nuclear Reaction Theories, and Machine Learning (Summary Report)

Dupuis hosted our biennial CEA/NNSA collaboration meeting, and Kawano and Lovell of LANL and Tamagno of CEA/DEN (Cadarache) visited CEA/DAM to discuss current issues and further developments in nuclear reaction modeling, nuclear data evaluation, and relevant programs of modern computer science, especially the machine learning technology. The discussions included topics of our common interest such as neutron inelastic scattering, capture, and fission, with particular emphasis on the actinide nuclear data evaluations. We report briefly the summary of our discussions. We also had a half-day video meeting with Capote of IAEA and Kerveno of IPHC to discuss nuclear reactions on actinides.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Collaborative: in situ visual analytics technologies for extreme scale combustion simulations

This project aims to drastically enhance the usability of in situ analysis and visualization for extreme-scale scientific simulations. Current exascale computing capabilities promise to offer greater predictive ability of simulations and to further push the frontiers of science and technology. However, to validate the simulation output at extreme scale, examine the modeled phenomena, and discover previously unknowns from the output data, the output must be reduced or transformed in situ as it is being generated during the simulation such that the amount of data to examine and store is kept to a minimum. Such in situ approaches allow us to process and analyze the data and any embedded geometry to an extent that would be prohibitively expensive, if not impossible, to perform as a post hoc task. While in situ processing has been demonstrated to be a feasible and promising approach, its full potential has not yet been leveraged. In this project, we have developed comprehensive enhancements to in situ technology based on probability distributions in data. Our research focuses on jointly developing new ways of interacting with massive statistical samples while creatively utilizing new state-of-the-art computational resources to push the boundaries of in situ exploration. Moreover, we have developed new time-dependent techniques to enable previously unattainable capabilities in areas such as intelligent simulation steering and precise feature identification. We have experimentally studied our design and implementation at NERSC and OLCF, and are able to leverage existing in situ infrastructures whenever possible. While the exemplar in this project is combustion, many other fields for which turbulent transport is important, e.g., fusion, climate, astrophysics among others, encounter similar issues as simulations scale up to the exascale. This project shows its potential to generate high impact on DOE missions since the resulting technology promises to improve scientists’ ability to rapidly and correctly interpret and tune extreme-scale simulations, leading to new scientific understanding and advancements.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

GeoSoilEnviroCARS (Sector 13) at the Advanced Photon Source: a comprehensive synchrotron radiation facility for Earth science research at ambient and extreme conditions

GeoSoilEnviroCARS (GSECARS) is a comprehensive analytical laboratory for Earth and environmental science research using X-ray beams from the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. State-of-the-art instruments are available for (1) high-pressure/high- or low-temperature diffraction, total scattering, and spectroscopy (Brillouin, Raman, and VIS-IR) using the laser heated diamond anvil cell (DAC); (2) high-pressure/high-temperature diffraction, scattering, and imaging as well as acoustic emission (AE) and ultrasonics using the large-volume press (LVP); (3) powder, single crystal, and surface/interface diffraction; (4) X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy; (5) X-ray fluorescence microprobe analysis; and (6) microtomography. As shown here, experiments are facilitated by senior level staff who collaborate on all aspects of the analytical work including experiment design, sample preparation, data collection, data interpretation, and publication preparation. Both technical and scientific synergies occur as a result of the intimate association of the various techniques and scientists experienced in the applications of synchrotron radiation to Earth, environmental, and planetary science problems. The facility includes state-of-the-art instrumentation designed and built in-house, including custom X-ray optics, online and offline laser-based systems, specialized sample environments and positioning systems, as well as pixel-array and multi-crystal energy dispersive X-ray detectors, which are available to be shared among the experimental stations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Theranostic Radiopnictogens: 71 As, 72 As, and 119 Sb (Final Technical Report)

This project has developed new methods for the cyclotron production of medically relevant radionuclides 71 As and 119 Sb. Arsenic and antimony are chemically homologous elements (group 5A, also known as the pnictogens) that have radionuclides that are of considerable interest within nuclear medicine. Such radiopnictogens include the potentially therapeutic radionuclides 119 Sb (t 1/2 = 38 h) that decays with the emission of 24.5 low energy, high potency electrons per decay with little concomitant photon radiation and 77 As (t 1/2 = 39 h) that decays with average beta energy of 230 keV and diagnostic nuclides 71 As (t 1/2 = 65 h, 28% β+) and 72 As (t 1/2 = 26 h, 80% β+) for positron emission tomography (PET). This work has had major success developing new methods for the cyclotron production and radiochemical isolation of 71 As, supporting parallel developments for 119 Sb, and assessing the chemical similarities between these two homologous radionuclides. This project brought into collaboration two universities with complimentary skill sets, proficiencies, expertise, and facilities: the University of Wisconsin (UWisc) and the University of Missouri (Mizzou). Professors Ellison and Engle have experience in the small cyclotron production and radiochemical isolation of radionuclides, including 72 As and 119 Sb. Their recently developed metallurgic methods for fabricating cyclotron targets have great potential to expand and allow for the biomedical cyclotron production of long- lived, lower positron energy 71 As. Professors Hennkens and Jurisson have significant experience in the reactor production, radiochemical isolation, and biological functionalization of radioarsenic. Recent development of trithiol-based chelator molecules for functionalizing radioarsenic provide a platform for the investigation of the fundamental challenges of the promising low-energy-electron emitter, 119 Sb. Through their positions within their respective University’s graduate schools, the PIs and Co-Is effectively trained of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in nuclear and radiochemistry, sub-specialties specifically identified in the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Isotope Program long-range plan. Annual laboratory research visits for students between UWisc and Mizzou provided essential broad-field experience and scientific networking that is critical for maintaining their path along the training pipeline to productive careers in isotope production. This research collaboration has provided significant benefits to the DOE University Isotope Network and radionuclide-using researchers around the country.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

The Quantum Nature and Mass of the Neutrino. FY20 Annual Laboratory Continuation Progress Report

Over the last 100 years we have learned a much about the neutrino, but there remain interesting questions about this weakly interacting particle. In particular, at LLNL we are developing experiments to measure the mass and the quantum nature of the neutrino. The 2015 long range plan recommended tonne-scale neutrinoless double beta decay experiments as the top new project priority and this experiment will target the quantum nature of the neutrino. The LLNL team is motivated and focused on developing the best technology for this experiment which is a liquid xenon time project chamber called nEXO. On a longer time scale, LLNL is also developing technology to measure the neutrino mass with tritium decay experiments. Work on nEXO at LLNL started in 2015 with an LDRD and program development funds to develop the nEXO concept, publish sensitivity predictions, explore alternatives and risks, and to build a credible project team and this effort is on going. In addition, we received research funding from DOE-SC NP and LLNL manages pre-conceptual R&D for the nEXO collaboration a portion of which is executed at LLNL. The Project 8 effort is solely funded by LLNL LDRD, and ends this year. A second LDRD effort is focused on repurposing cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy for eV-scale X-ray detection. This second effort, while separated from Project 8, still has scientific and technical commonalities with Project 8. The funding for this X-ray detection effort will continue for one more year. LLNL has a long history of building large projects, science projects and time projection chambers, but nEXO is in fact the first project of this scale that LLNL is prepared to lead for DOE-SC NP.We have the tools, skills, people and motivation to make nEXO a reality. The current program development dollars are used to prepare the nEXO concept for down select and CD1. These internal LLNL dollars pay for a number of things including project staff to organize the nEXO collaboration for the various reviews that lie ahead, to develop the draft plans and structure to manage the project as well as setting up an external advisory committee. The current LDRD is exploring alternatives that effect the risk profile as well as possible performance improvements. The DOE-SC NP base funding is targeted at simulation and analysis of the nEXO concept in preparation for the down select and refinement of the understanding of the detector as well as scientific effort on the large xenon test stand (LXTS) that will burn down one of the largest risks to the nEXO project. Lastly, LLNL is leading the pre-conceptual R&D effort and managing the funds for the nEXO collaboration. The results of this effort are reported elsewhere, but the scope of this executed at LLNL will be reported here and is primarily the engineering and construction of the LXTS experiment. The primary technical contribution of LLNL to the Project 8 concept is the formation and study of atomic tritium. Atomic tritium is necessary for Project 8 to reach the ultimate sensitivity. LLNL has considerable experience with tritium and is well suited for this crucial work. Although the focus of this work is strictly fundamental science, there has already been one significant spinoff to develop a new means to measure radio xenon in the air

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Aerosol hygroscopicity over the southeast Atlantic Ocean during the biomass burning season – Part 1: From the perspective of scattering enhancement​​​​​​​

Aerosol hygroscopicity plays a vital role in aerosol radiative forcing. One key parameter describing hygroscopicity is the scattering enhancement factor, f(RH), defined as the ratio of the scattering coefficient at humidified relative humidity (RH) to its dry value. Here, we utilize the f(80 %) from ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) 2016 and 2018 airborne measurements to investigate the hygroscopicity of aerosols, its vertical distribution, its relationship with chemical composition, and its sensitivity to organic aerosol (OA) hygroscopicity over the southeast Atlantic (SEA) Ocean during the biomass burning (BB) season. We found that aerosol hygroscopicity remains steady above 2 km, with a mean f(80 %) of 1.40 ± 0.17. Below 2 km, aerosol hygroscopicity increases with decreasing altitude, with a mean f(80 %) of 1.51 ± 0.22, consistent with higher values of BB aerosol hygroscopicity found in the literature. The hygroscopicity parameter of OA (κ OA ) is retrieved from the Mie model with a mean value of 0.11 ± 0.08, which is in the middle to upper range compared to the literature. Higher OA hygroscopicity is related to aerosols that are more aged, oxidized, and present at lower altitudes. The enhanced biomass burning aerosol (BBA) hygroscopicity at lower altitudes is mainly due to a lower OA fraction, increased sulfate fraction, and greater κ OA at lower altitudes. We propose a parameterization that quantifies f(RH) with chemical composition and κOA based on Mie simulation of internally mixed OA–(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 –BC mixtures. The good agreement between the predictions and the ORACLES measurements implies that the aerosols in the SEA during the BB season can be largely represented by the OA–(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 –BC internal mixture with respect to the f(RH) prediction. The sensitivity of f(RH) to κ OA indicates that applying a constant κ OA is only suitable when the OA fraction is low and κ OA shows limited variation. However, in situations deviating these two criteria, κ OA can notably impact scattering coefficients and aerosol radiative effect; therefore, accounting for κ OA variability is recommended.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

*-DCC: A platform to collect, annotate, and explore a large variety of sequencing experiments

Background: Over the past few years the variety of experimental designs and protocols for sequencing experiments increased greatly. To ensure the wide usability of the produced data beyond an individual project, rich and systematic annotation of the underlying experiments is crucial. Findings: We first developed an annotation structure that captures the overall experimental design as well as the relevant details of the steps from the biological sample to the library preparation, the sequencing procedure, and the sequencing and processed files. Through various design features, such as controlled vocabularies and different field requirements, we ensured a high annotation quality, comparability, and ease of annotation. The structure can be easily adapted to a large variety of species. We then implemented the annotation strategy in a user-hosted web platform with data import, query, and export functionality. Conclusions: We present here an annotation structure and user-hosted platform for sequencing experiment data, suitable for lab-internal documentation, collaborations, and large-scale annotation efforts.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

On-chip frequency-bin quantum photonics

Abstract Frequency-bin encoding furnishes a compelling pathway for quantum information processing systems compatible with established lightwave infrastructures based on fiber-optic transmission and wavelength-division multiplexing. Yet although significant progress has been realized in proof-of-principle tabletop demonstrations, ranging from arbitrary single-qubit gates to controllable multiphoton interference, challenges in scaling frequency-bin processors to larger systems remain. In this Perspective, we highlight recent advances at the intersection of frequency-bin encoding and integrated photonics that are fundamentally transforming the outlook for scalable frequency-based quantum information. Focusing specifically on results on sources, state manipulation, and hyperentanglement, we envision a possible future in which on-chip frequency-bin circuits fulfill critical roles in quantum information processing, particularly in communications and networking.

electro-optic modulators↗