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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

The Polar Vortex and Extreme Weather: The Beast from the East in Winter 2018

Public attention has recently focused on high-impact extreme weather events in midlatitudes that originate in the sub-Arctic. We investigate movements of the stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) and related changes in lower atmospheric circulation during the February-March 2018 “Beast from the East” cold winter event that dramatically affected much of Europe and north-central North America. This study demonstrates that the movement of the SPV is a key linkage in late winter subarctic and northern midlatitude extreme weather events. February–March 2018 saw two types of subarctic-midlatitude weather connections. In the first type, the SPV was displaced from the pole to lower latitudes over North America in February and then was found over northern Siberia in March. Mid-February and mid-March are examples of persistent near vertically aligned geopotential height structures of the atmospheric circulation. These structures over North America and Eurasia advected cold Arctic air southward. The second type of cold surface event was associated with a weak regional SPV and a sudden stratospheric warming event over Europe during the second half of February. These late winter linkage events that arise through dynamic instabilities of the SPV are more common in the last decade, but the potential role of enhanced Arctic amplification is uncertain.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Dynamic, Adaptive, Systems and Materials: Complex, Simple and Emergent Behaviors

This program has been funded by DoE/BES for twenty years. It has moved into and out of various subjects as it has developed, but it has retained its focus on complexity and complex systems. The project has evolved in the following way: Self-Assembly and Biomimetic Self-Assembly: All self-assembling systems depend upon a minimum of two types of interaction: a repulsion and an attraction. For the familiar molecular systems, attractive interactions are typically hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Repulsive interactions include steric effects, hydrophobic effects (in biological systems), and charge-charge repulsion. We have expanded this repertoire to include surface interactions, magnetic interactions, and others. I list these systems in the order in which we have explored them: i) A key emphasis in current work is in understanding how the movement of ions in a magnetic field (the Lorentz effect) interacts with catalytic systems. We have demonstrated that an acceleration in rate of reduction of CO 2 to CO can be accomplished by applying an external magnetic field. This acceleration is largely due to the application of the Lorentz effect on mass transport at the catalyst’s surface. ii) We have also extensively explored the influence of electrostatics, as exhibited in self-assembling systems, by tribocharging. iii) Another key system involves surface tension effects; examples include interactions between heavy particles floating at a liquid-air interface, and interacting by changes in surface area; interactions of bubbles and bubble rafts, behaviors of bubble trains in microfluidic networks, and behaviors of microorganisms in constraining environments. iv) This work has intentionally de-emphasized biological systems; but it does include some work on protein-ligand interactions and interactions among microorganisms. v) We have also explored applications of some of these effects, these explorations include bubble rafts as diffraction gratings, exploration of the structures that can be obtained by tribocharging and uses of these structures in exploring nucleation and melting of crystals. vi) Although not a major focus of this work, several other topics have emerged and offer opportunities for future work. These include the behavior of bubble trains and bubble rafts in microfluidic systems. A particularly interesting example is the formation of bubble trains that repeat in the alteration of large and small bubbles according to rules we do not presently understand, but are uniquely large-period oscillating systems. These systems offer a new route into understanding the instabilities of the type represented by oscillations. vii) We have also begun exploratory projects on magnetic levitation (especially to determine molecular density), and information storage (in molecules). Magnetic Levitation: Self-assembling and biomimetic systems require both attraction and repulsion. We have used electrostatics (tribocharging), interfacial free-energies (surface tension and related forces) and others. Potential uses include reconfigurable diffraction gratings and liquid lenses; exploration of mechanisms in tribocharging; tunneling in EGaIn junctions; and bubble trains (especially in micro-fluidic systems). Examples of systems representing these topics is included in the following papers: Complexity: Disks rotating at a water-air interface; Benard-Marangoni effects; Vortex-Crystals from spinning magnetic disks (Marangoni effects); EGaIn Electrode to study quantum tunneling; Self-Assembly of electrostatically-charged metallic spheres (electrets); Dynamically reconfigurable lens; Using computational designs of ligands for enzymes; Electrostatic self-assembly by tribocharging; Monodisperse bubble trains in microchannel systems; Inverted dripping faucet; Flames; Printing of micro-organisms to regenerate the “ink” of printing device; Using micro-organisms to move loads (“microoxen”); Motion of bacterial swarms near surfaces; Making monodisperse particles in microfluidic systems; Coding/decoding of information stored in droplet trains in microfluidic networks; Magnetic levitation; and Information storage. i) Tribocharging. The change in focus of this work on electrets from the fundamentals of charging to applications of these materials in studying self-assembly using electrostatic interactions. ii) Bubbles in Microchannels. The realization that systems of bubbles in microchannels represented a major opportunity to study complexity in a very tractable system, and the development of a semi-quantitative theory of this subject. iii) Flames. The growth of “flames” remains an exploratory subject for the research, although their currently relatively little active work involving it ongoing. iv) Systems with Microorganisms. The removal of work in biological systems from this project. Based on work supported in this program, we now have a significant project on the development of microfluidic tools for studying C. elegans (a nematode), but this work was not appropriate for a program focused on complexity, and we developed separate support for it. (It is, however, an example of successful seeding of a new area by BES.) The work on electrets has gone through a period in which a part of the program was the subject of a MURI; the focus of this work was to develop materials that did not charge electrostatically on friction or contact. The MURI is now over, and the work on dynamic self-assembly (supported by BES) is the major focus. “Flames” has also enjoyed synergistic support, in terms of a project supported by DARPA on flame suppression (in the absence of extinguishing agents, using acoustic and electrostatic interactions). This work was helpful in understanding some of the basics of flames, but is entirely distinct from the BES focus in complexity. A growing interest is in the Lorentz effect. The Lorentz effect is the force exerted on charged particles (electrons, ions, charged molecules) when they move through a perpendicular magnetic field. The Lorentz effect is almost ubiquitous in modern technology: examples of applications include electric motors, dynamos, cathode ray tubes, many batteries, and most systems that control electrical currents with magnetic forces. We have begun to explore the Lorentz effect in electrochemical systems and heterogeneous catalytic systems involving charged organic species and inorganic ions. This work is still at an early stage, but initial studies that Lorentz effects can be large when ions move through magnetic fields, or magnetic fields move in the presence of ions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Port of Los Angeles Zero- and Near-Zero-Emission Freight Facilities Shore to Store Project

The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department (Harbor Department, Port of Los Angeles) partnered with Equilon Enterprises LLC (d/b/a Shell Oil Products US) (Shell), Toyota Motor North America (Toyota), and Kenworth Truck Company (Kenworth) partnered with the Port of Hueneme, United Parcel Service, Total Transportation Services Inc., Southern Counties Express, Toyota Logistics Services, Air Liquide, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Coalition For A Safe Environment, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to introduce hydrogen fuel into the Southern California drayage truck market by demonstrating near-commercial heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks at and between freight facilities throughout the region, while continuing to lay the groundwork for battery-electric operations. The Shore to Store project built on project team experience to help realize our vision of zero-emission freight operations in the future. Ten Kenworth zero-emission Class 8 fuel cell electric trucks, integrated with Toyota’s fuel cell drive technology, were operated by United Parcel Service, Total Transportation Services Inc., Southern Counties Express, and Toyota Logistics Services in commercial service. The demonstration fleet fueled at the Shore to Store hydrogen fueling stations that were built in Ontario, California, and Wilmington, California. An additional station at the Port of Long Beach (Portal Station) was available for fueling the fleet. Portal Station was supported by grants from the California Energy Commission and South Coast Air Quality Management District and used as match funding for the Shore to Store project. The Port of Hueneme demonstrated two battery-electric yard tractors, and Toyota Logistics Services demonstrated two zero-emission forklifts at their warehouse facility, showcasing elements of the entire supply chain operating with zero emissions. This project showcased a snapshot of the zero-emission supply chain of the future, providing a model by which freight facilities can support zero-emission operations. The Shore to Store project: Demonstrated the technical feasibility of zero-emission hydrogen fueled Class 8 heavy-duty trucks and electric cargo handling equipment in rigorous goods movement operation throughout the Southern California region. Cumulatively completed 59,212 miles of zero-emission operation, with 21,650 miles driven in-service with the fleets, using hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 8 heavy-duty trucks. Operated zero-emission yard tractors for a total of 2,749.6 hours. Created direct localized emission reductions in designated disadvantaged communities, including those in zip codes 90220, 90247, 90248, 90731, 90744, 90802, and 91761. For the 59,212 miles of zero-emission operation, reduced emissions by an estimated total of 15.5 kg NOX (0.163 g/km), 1.01 kg SOX (0.0106 g/km), and 304.8 metric tonnes of CO2e (3.2 kg/km) compared to diesel baseline vehicles including both tailpipe emissions and the emissions from producing the fuel sources.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Performance of a Hybrid HVAC-Integrated Thermal Storage Device

Thermal equipment in buildings is a primary contributor to peak loads on the electrical grid. Thermal energy storage is a cost-effective strategy to decouple electric use from thermal loads, thus reducing grid peak costs for building owners. One method for storing thermal energy in a building is to integrate a phase change material (PCM) directly into the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. These systems often require additional glycol loops, pumps, valves, and heat exchangers to couple the storage to the cooling system and building space, which increases the complexity and cost. This work will discuss an alternate approach where the storage is added directly into the heat pump evaporator. A detailed two-dimensional finite difference heat transfer model of a PCM-refrigerant-glycol heat exchanger was developed to simulate the performance of this component. The fluid stream was discretized along the flow direction to capture changes in the fluid properties and local heat transfer rates, and the phase change material was discretized in both the x and y directions to capture the movement of the melt front. The model was used to understand the impact of different material and geometric properties on the charge and discharge characteristics of the device. Finally, a Ragone framework analogous to that used for electrochemical batteries was used to maximize the energy density and round-trip efficiency of the device while supplying loads appropriate for space cooling in buildings.

buildings↗
DOE OSTI2020

Retrieval of Transuranic Drums with Deflagration to Detonation Potential from a Vault at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory - 20207

During the final phase of a long-term project, a total of 80 TRU waste drums at ORNL have been retrieved from a below-grade storage vault in which they have remained untouched for about 25 years. The drums, which house material generated from past ORNL operations, are now stored and ready for eventual transfer to the Transuranic Waste Processing Center, located on Highway 95 in Oak Ridge. The Transuranic Waste Processing Center will process and ship the drums to WIPP in Carlsbad, New Mexico, for disposal. Workers lifted the drums one-by-one from the underground storage vault with a 110-ton crane over a one-week period in October 2017. Although the physical work was performed in one week, years of detailed planning preceded the fieldwork. A key obstacle needed to be overcome before the project could safely proceed. This obstacle involved the need to ensure controls were developed for the Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) potential. DDT refers to a phenomenon in ignitable mixtures of a flammable gas and air (or oxygen) when a sudden transition takes place from a deflagration type of combustion to a detonation type of explosion. Basically, these drums, under certain circumstances, have a potential to detonate and overpressurize. Extensive analysis of the drums verified that detonation, while unlikely, was possible. Of the total 103 drums that were retrieved or moved in preparation for retrieval, 18 had DDT potential. Extensive security requirements were also necessary, due to the nature of the material, and this added another layer of complexity to the fieldwork. Prior to retrieving the drums from the underground storage vault, space needed to be made for them within the various above-grade facilities. Inventory and security requirements dictated what could be stored where, and the first step of the field work involved a number of drum movements in preparation for storage of the newly retrieved drums. This effort involved moving 21 drums already in the storage area to facilitate the addition of the newly retrieved ones. The retrieval project required a total of 107 critical lifts using the 110-ton crane, under 3 critical lift plans. The TRU waste storage facility is a Category 2 Nuclear Facility and is managed under an extensive Documented Safety Analysis. The TRU retrieval project was conducted in accordance with DOE Order 425.1D and included three Implementation Verification Reviews, two Management Assessments, one Readiness Assessment, and seven mock-ups in preparation for the field work. Despite being stored for 25 years, the drums were in good shape due to the integrity of the facilities where the drums were stored. Of the 80 drums that were retrieved, 12 were placed in special containers called 'overpacks' based on their content. The drums were removed safely and without incident, thanks to a lot of preparation and the efforts of a highly skilled team. Lessons learned through the DDT control development and the drum retrieval and overpacking process could be beneficial to others having to manage similar drums of TRU waste. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of the Contamination Distribution Centered Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index in the Beaumont–Port Arthur Region of Texas

This study advances the Toxics Mobility Inventory (TMI) and the Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index (TMVI) to develop a new tool to assess the movement of hazardous substances and their implications for vulnerable communities. It emphasizes the need to include contamination distribution variables in such indices to address disproportionate impacts and more accurately reflect vulnerability. The study uses the TMI framework and TMVI methodology in the Beaumont–Port Arthur region of Texas, also integrating contamination distribution considerations into the analysis to develop a new framework and process. The new Contamination Distribution Centered Toxics Mobility Vulnerability Index (CDC-TMVI) consolidates climate change and topography variables into a broader built environment vulnerability category while introducing a contamination sources category. Using ArcGIS Pro and ToxPi tools, the study evaluates 27 geospatial variables across four categories: built environment vulnerability, social vulnerability, health outcomes, and contamination sources. The results indicate significant contributions from contamination and social vulnerability variables, highlighting areas with higher risks of flooding and air pollution. This article advocates for future research and policy efforts to enhance the integration of contamination sources and their spatial distributions into toxics mobility assessments to better protect vulnerable populations. Furthermore, the unique methodology and findings serve as a basis for developing targeted measures and strategic planning to improve environmental health.

contamination↗
DOE OSTI2024

Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) as a Tool to Study Binding Interactions of Oxygen-Sensitive Biohybrids

Microscale thermophoresis (MST) is a technique used to measure the strength of molecular interactions. MST is a thermophoretic-based technique that monitors the change in fluorescence associated with the movement of fluorescent-labeled molecules in response to a temperature gradient triggered by an IR LASER. MST has advantages over other approaches for examining molecular interactions, such as isothermal titration calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance, biolayer interferometry, and surface plasmon resonance, requiring a small sample size that does not need to be immobilized and a high-sensitivity fluorescence detection. In addition, since the approach involves the loading of samples into capillaries that can be easily sealed, it can be adapted to analyze oxygen-sensitive samples. In this Bio-protocol, we describe the troubleshooting and optimization we have done to enable the use of MST to examine protein–protein interactions, protein–ligand interactions, and protein–nanocrystal interactions. The salient elements in the developed procedures include 1) loading and sealing capabilities in an anaerobic chamber for analysis using a NanoTemper MST located on the benchtop in air, 2) identification of the optimal reducing agents compatible with data acquisition with effective protection against trace oxygen, and 3) the optimization of data acquisition and analysis procedures. The procedures lay the groundwork to define the determinants of molecular interactions in these technically demanding systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

3D Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Rock Damage Patterns and Gas Flow Paths Resulting from Two Underground Chemical Explosions

Abstract Rock damage from underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) has a strong influence on sub-surface gas movement and on seismic waveform characteristics, both of which are used to detect UNEs. Although advanced numerical simulation capabilities exist to predict rock damage patterns and corresponding detection signals, those predictions are dependent on (generally) unknown properties of the host rock. For example, the effects of in-situ mechanical heterogeneities on the explosively generated damage/fractures that provide gas flow pathways to the surface are not well understood, due largely to the difficulty in accessing and characterizing the near-source region. In this paper we demonstrate the emerging use of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for imaging rock damage and gas flow patterns resulting from two relatively small-scale underground chemical explosions. Pre-explosion ERT and crosshole seismic imaging revealed a natural fracture zone within the test bed. Post-explosion imaging revealed that the damage zone was non-symmetric and was focused primarily within the pre-existing fracture zone, located 10 m above the first explosion and 5 m above the second explosion. Time-lapse ERT imaging of heated air injected into the detonation borehole revealed the primary gas flow paths to be within the upper margin of the same primary damage zone. These results point to the utility of ERT imaging for understanding rock damage and gas flow patterns under experimental conditions, and to the importance of understanding the effects of geologic heterogeneity on UNE detection signals, particularly gas surface breakthrough times.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Spent Crystalline Silicotitanate Storage Study

Washington River Protection Solutions is working to support initial production of immobilized low-activity waste (LAW) by feeding Hanford tank supernate from tank farms to the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) LAW Facility. This goal incorporates the design of a Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system, which filters tank waste supernate to remove suspended solids and then removes Cs by processing it through crystalline silicotitanate (CST) ion exchange media manufactured by Honeywell UOP, LLC. The 137 Cs-depleted product is intended to be sent to the WTP for vitrification. The Cs-loaded CST columns will be stored indefinitely, with a goal of eventual CST removal and treatment. Thus, the spent CST needs to be recoverable. The testing described herein looks to potential upset process conditions where CST storage may be required before various rinse steps are completed. This study evaluated upset conditions at three sequential processing steps envisioned for TSCR (feed, 0.1 M NaOH rinse, water rinse), and in-column drying with compressed air (normal end step) to assess impacts on the nature of the CST bed. Testing was conducted at the small scale (12-mL bed volume); simulated AP-105 tank waste was used as the feed. Following process disruption, the CST bed was dried in place at 70 °C. Post-dried CST bed physical properties (angle of repose, penetration depth, particle morphological changes) were measured to evaluate how CST moved and flowed. The testing is intended to provide a preliminary assessment of issues that may arise from desiccation of CST with the indicated salt solutions in place. Since these were small-scale tests, the processing conditions will not match full scale conditions exactly; however, the tests do provide insight into the impact of stopping processing at an earlier step than normal. Except for the feed that was dried in-place, all other process stop-conditions showed the CST bed flowed well after drying. At this small scale, CST beds would not present an issue for retrievability. The feed that was dried in place had solidified into a rock-hard monolith with no movement possible. Samples had to be chipped from the surface.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Integration of Wi-Fi Location-Based Services to Optimize Energy Efficient Commercial Building Operations

This project investigated and demonstrated the use of Wi-Fi Location-Based Services (LBS) to perform occupancy sensing in commercial buildings. Wi-Fi LBS can be used to detect the presence of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices and laptops that accompany occupants as they move through the building. These signals can be used to determine occupant presence, head count, and location. When integrated with the building automation system, this emerging technology approach can be used to manage other connected systems such as lighting and HVAC to reduce energy usage in the building and improve occupant comfort. An open source location detection algorithm was developed, which uses data collected from three or more Wi-Fi access points to determine the presence and estimate the location of mobile devices and laptops. Access points can detect Wi-Fi enabled devices even if they are not connected to the existing Wi-Fi network. Building occupancy is determined based on the presence, location, and movement of these devices through the space. From lab and small-scale in-situ testing, the Location Detection Algorithm (LDA) was found to be accurate to within 10 feet and could be further refined by tuning the algorithm for the specific space characteristics such as layout and obstructions (walls, furniture, etc.). An open source method to integrate the occupancy data with existing building automations systems was investigated. The Wi-Fi occupancy sensing approach was then demonstrated and validated at commercial buildings located in Saint Paul, MN; Madison, WI; New York City; and Fort Worth, TX.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory: Report on Rapid R&D Solutions to the COVID-19 Crisis

With funding from the CARES Act, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) established the National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL) in March 2020 to address key challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis. NVBL brought together the broad scientific and technical expertise and resources of DOE’s 17 national laboratories to help tackle medical supply short ages, discover potential drugs to fight the virus, develop and validate COVID-19 testing methods, model disease spread and impact across the nation, and understand virus transport in buildings and the environment. National laboratory resources leveraged for this effort include a suite of world-leading user facilities broadly available to the research community, such as light and neutron sources, nanoscale science research centers, sequencing and biocharacterization facilities, and high-performance computing facilities. Within months, NVBL teams produced innovations in materials and advanced manufacturing that mitigated shortages in test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE), creating nearly 1,000 new jobs. They used DOE’s high-performance computers and light and neutron sources to identify promising candidates for antibodies and antivirals that universities and drug companies are now evaluating. NVBL researchers also developed new diagnostic targets and sample collection approaches, and supported U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to establish national guidelines used in administering millions of tests. Researchers used artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to produce near-real-time data analysis to forecast disease transmission, stress on public health infrastructure, and economic impact, which supported decision-makers at the local, state, and national levels. NVBL teams also studied how to control indoor virus movement to minimize uptake and protect human health. NVBL’s accomplishments demonstrate not only the powerful resource represented by DOE’s national laboratories working together to meet national needs, but also the effectiveness of the integrated NVBL framework for rapidly responding to emergencies with research and development (R&D) solutions. As the fight against COVID continues, sustained efforts are needed to confront this pandemic as well as future threats. Examples include: 1) Establishing “supply chains on demand” to meet emergency production needs by leveraging the materials and manufacturing expertise of DOE national laboratories and developing advances in electronics, sensing, robotics, and automation capabilities; 2) Improving the speed and robustness of drug discovery by integrating experimental platforms with DOE’s computational and experimental user facilities, which provide unique resources to support the discovery of high-potential therapeutic agents; 3) Protecting public, environmental, and animal health by developing new testing protocols and instrumentation adaptable to diverse sample types (both physiological and environmental) to quickly detect a wide range of pathogens and monitor other biorisks; 4) Supporting near-real-time data needs of decision-makers at the local, regional, state, and national levels by advancing data curation, analysis, and modeling using artificial intelligence and new data science tools for managing and evaluating large diverse datasets; 5) Harnessing DOE’s expertise in environmental modeling to design rooms and air handling for offices, classrooms, restaurants, and other structures to minimize biorisk transmissions. Going forward, NVBL is poised to apply the unique capabilities and expertise of the national laboratory complex to future national and international emergencies, both natural and engineered. Through this framework, the Office of Science will continue to be an integral component of agency wide efforts to prepare for and respond to biorisks and other crises.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mesoscale Modeling to Characterize Eagle Soaring Habitat

Uncovering drivers of risk is crucial to understanding interactions between wildlife and wind turbines, and identifying options for impact minimization. These drivers tie to co-variates linked to behavior and movement patterns that allow us to estimate locations and periods of risk. For volant species, atmospheric flow can have significant influence on flight patterns. For obligate soaring birds, like golden eagles, updraft velocities can inform where eagles are likely to travel, at what altitude, and where conditions are not likely sufficient to sustain soaring flight. This has been an active area of study in recent years, using relatively coarse atmospheric data generally at the 20km x 20km scale or larger. Leveraging a 20-year dataset from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) (https://www.mmm.ucar.edu/weather-research-and-forecasting-model), we are quantifying vertical velocities across the continental United States at a 2km x 2km resolution. Wind resource data sets originally were static maps showing the mean annual wind speed over an area. However, for these data sets to be optimally used for various applications they must be high-resolution time series, seamlessly span large geographic contexts, and account for uncertainty in wind speed. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is producing public available datasets that meet these criteria and will be bias corrected to yield the most accurate wind resource data. This effort is an augment to the current WIND Toolkit which houses a high resolution data set. In the new iteration of the WIND Toolkit, a 20-year dataset will be used to improve the accuracy and estimate uncertainty using ensemble and machine-learning techniques. The resulting product will be the most accurate dataset of its size and at a 2km x 2km spatial and 5-minute temporal resolution. Through this work, a mesoscale vertical velocity layer will be produced by calculating the likelihood of orographic updraft and thermal updraft conditions across the continental United States. Specifically, we will use WRF model output combined with digital elevation maps to predict updrafts and then determine if vertical velocities are sufficient to support Golden Eagle soaring and gliding. Ultimately this data layer will be made available as a GIS layer in the Wind Prospector (maps.nrel.gov/wind-prospector/) tool or a similar framework. Data that will be incorporated include wind speed, direction temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, air density, precipitation rate, solar radiation, atmospheric stability, skin temperature, and upward heat flux. These products will advance research on interactions between volant species and wind energy by providing open access to highly resolved data with uncertainty quantification not previously available at this scale.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

In-situ neutron radiography of pore-water movement in portland cement mortar under subzero temperature exposure: Insights from D 2 O-H 2 O systems

Neutron radiography was employed in this study to monitor real-time pore water movement in portland cement mortar exposed to subzero temperatures, providing novel insights into freeze-thaw (F-T) damage mechanisms. Deuterated water (D 2 O) was used to hydrate the cement in the mortar specimens, and the pore structure was saturated with water (H 2 O), allowing for a contrast that enabled detailed tracking of water movement predominantly in the pore structure. Furthermore, the mortar sample was placed on a chiller plate set to subzero temperatures, thereby providing a one-dimensional temperature gradient vertically in the sample. Neutron radiography revealed that unfrozen water migrated upward as the freezing front advanced, which can create hydraulic pressure within the mortar microstructure and may contribute to the initiation and propagation of microcracks during F-T cycles. Additional characterization of the concrete made with D 2 O showed a marked contrast to the samples made with H 2 O, including delayed hydration, diminished compressive strength, and greater porosity. Therefore, while mortar made with D 2 O allowed for greater neutron contrast to the pores filled with H 2 O, further study is required to produce mortars with similar properties to those made with H 2 O. In addition, further refinement is needed to the radiography experiment to allow for greater control of temperatures and potential quantification of the water concentration.

Air-void system↗
DOE OSTI2020

NNSS Soils Monitoring: Plutonium Valley (CAU 366) FY2019

Desert Research Institute (DRI) conducted a field assessment of the potential for radionuclide-contaminated soil to be transported from the Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites Contamination Area (CA) because of both wind and storm water runoff. This activity supported U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management Nevada Program (EM NV) efforts to establish post-closure monitoring plans for the Plutonium Valley Dispersion Sites Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 366. The DRI task was intended to identify the likely mechanism(s) of transport and determine the meteorological conditions that might cause the movement of radionuclide-contaminated soils. The emphasis of the work was on collecting sediment transported by channelized storm runoff and measuring airborne dust concentrations and associated wind conditions. These data will facilitate an appropriate post-closure monitoring program. In 2011, DRI installed meteorological monitoring stations north and south of the Plutonium Valley CA—known as Pu Valley North and Pu Valley South, respectively—as well as a fluvial sediment sampling station within the CA. Since installation, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, precipitation, solar radiation, barometric pressure, soil temperature, volumetric soil moisture content, and airborne particulate concentrations have been collected at both meteorological stations. The maximum, minimum, and average or total (as appropriate) for each of these parameters were recorded for each 10-minute interval. The sediment sampling station included an automatically activated sampling pump with collection bottles for suspended sediment, which was activated when sufficient flow was present in the channel, and passive traps for bedload material that was transported down the channel during runoff events. This report presents data collected from these stations during fiscal year (FY) 2019. During the FY2019 (October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2019) reporting period, the warmest month was July and the coldest month was February. Monthly total solar radiation was highest in June or July (depending on the station) and lowest in December. Monthly mean wind speeds were highest during February. At the Pu Valley North station, winds were commonly northerly, northwesterly, and southerly. At the Pu Valley South station, the wind direction was more variable and winds frequently came from most directions, excluding westerly and northwesterly winds. Winds above 15.0 miles per hour (mph) (24.1 kilometers per hour [km/hr]) were frequently southerly at both stations, and less-frequent strong winds were northerly (at the Pu Valley South station) or northwesterly (at the Pu Valley North station). Monthly average relative humidity ranged from 18 percent in August to 62 percent in January and February. Monthly total precipitation ranged from zero at both stations in September to 2.23 inches (in) (56.6 millimeters [mm]) during February at the Pu Valley South station and 2.09 in (53.1 mm) during March at the Pu Valley North station. From October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2019, the total precipitation was 8.23 in (209 mm) and 8.15 in (207 mm) at the Pu Valley South and Pu Valley North stations, respectively. The largest daily precipitation totals of 1.46 in (37.1 mm) and 1.14 in (29.0 mm) occurred at the Pu Valley South and Pu Valley North stations, respectively, on March 6, 2019. However, the ISCO autosampler was not activated during any storm event in FY2019 because the channel water depth measurements were insufficient for suspended sediment sample collection. Additionally, because no significant flow through the channel was indicated, no bedload samples were collected. Light breezes of 0.0 mph to 5.0 mph (0.0 km/hr to 8.0 km/hr) occurred most frequently (approximately 55 percent to 57 percent of the time). The frequency of occurrence diminished exponentially as the wind speed increased such that winds in excess of 25.0 mph (40.2 km/hr) occurred less than 0.01 percent of the time. Winds in excess of 15.0 mph (24.1 km/hr) were most commonly southerly, which is likely controlled by the topography of the valley because topographic highs define the east and west sides of the valley and converge toward the north.The concentrations of PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 micrometers [μm]) and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) in the air generally increase as wind speed increases. However, the particle profiler at the Pu Valley South station regularly malfunctioned, which resulted in poor data quality and a limited period of record within FY2019. Therefore, discussion of the annual dust observations is mostly limited to the Pu Valley North station. At the Pu Valley North station, significant increases in windblown dust concentrations were observed when wind speeds exceeded 15.0 mph (24.1 km/hr), especially during southerly winds. When all wind speeds were considered, high dust concentrations at the Pu Valley North station were frequently associated with northerly, northwesterly, or southerly winds. The majority of PM10 transport at the Pu Valley North station occurred when winds were blowing northerly and northwesterly because of the high frequency of winds up to 15.0 mph (24.1 km/hr). The ratio of PM10 to PM2.5 is a qualitative indicator of the proximity of dust sources to the observation point and the values of the PM10 to PM2.5 ratio tend to be higher nearer to the source. The PM10 to PM2.5 ratio increased from 1.2 to 2.8 with higher wind speeds at the Pu Valley North station. This increase suggests that some locally sourced PM10 was present in the air when local winds exceeded 15.0 mph (24.1 km/hr). Local dust suspension is interpreted during major dust events when peaks in the PM10 to PM2.5 ratio occur simultaneously with the maximum wind speed and the peak PM10 concentration. Analysis of the five major dust events in FY2019 revealed that northerly winds were dominant in three events and southerly winds were dominant in two events. Local suspension of dust within Plutonium Valley is suspected to have occurred during two of the five major events (April 9, 2019, and September 28 to 29, 2019), and a nonlocal source of dust is presumed for the three other major dust events (October 14, 2018; May 16, 2019; and September 2, 2019). The three suspected regional dust transport events exhibited winds that typically did not exceed the 15.0 mph (24.1 km/hr) wind speed threshold for local dust transport and featured PM10 to PM2.5 ratios that indicate large-scale regional dust transport. Similar event characteristics (e.g., wind speed and PM10 concentration) were observed at air monitoring stations approximately 70 mi (113 km) to the northwest within the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). Therefore, these three regional events may not reflect transport from the Plutonium Valley CA. Routine monitoring of meteorological and hydrologic parameters at Plutonium Valley has been discontinued at the request of EM NV, effective at the conclusion of FY2019. Environmental data acquisition has been completed, and both Pu Valley North and Pu Valley South meteorological stations within Plutonium Valley as well as the ISCO autosampler station within the CA were removed on October 14, 2019.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗