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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 73 records · Page 4

Fourier Neural Networks as Function Approximators and Differential Equation Solvers

We present a Fourier neural network (FNN) that can be mapped directly to the Fourier decomposition. The choice of activation and loss function yields results that replicate a Fourier series expansion closely while preserving a straightforward architecture with a single hidden layer. The simplicity of this network architecture facilitates the integration with any other higher-complexity networks, at a data pre- or postprocessing stage. We validate this FNN on naturally periodic smooth functions and on piecewise continuous periodic functions. We showcase the use of this FNN for modeling or solving partial differential equations with periodic boundary conditions. The main advantages of the current approach are the validity of the solution outside the training region, interpretability of the trained model, and simplicity of use.

Fourier decomposition↗

Understanding the Influence of Receptive Field and Network Complexity in Neural Network-Guided TEM Image Analysis

Abstract Trained neural networks are promising tools to analyze the ever-increasing amount of scientific image data, but it is unclear how to best customize these networks for the unique features in transmission electron micrographs. Here, we systematically examine how neural network architecture choices affect how neural networks segment, or pixel-wise separate, crystalline nanoparticles from amorphous background in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. We focus on decoupling the influence of receptive field, or the area of the input image that contributes to the output decision, from network complexity, which dictates the number of trainable parameters. For low-resolution TEM images which rely on amplitude contrast to distinguish nanoparticles from background, we find that the receptive field does not significantly influence segmentation performance. On the other hand, for high-resolution TEM images which rely on both amplitude and phase-contrast changes to identify nanoparticles, receptive field is an important parameter for increased performance, especially in images with minimal amplitude contrast. Rather than depending on atom or nanoparticle size, the ideal receptive field seems to be inversely correlated to the degree of nanoparticle contrast in the image. Our results provide insight and guidance as to how to adapt neural networks for applications with TEM datasets.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Resilience of Urban Transport Network-of-Networks under Intense Flood Hazards Exacerbated by Targeted Attacks

Natural hazards including floods can trigger catastrophic failures in interdependent urban transport network-of-networks (NoNs). Population growth has enhanced transportation demand while urbanization and climate change have intensified urban floods. However, despite the clear need to develop actionable insights for improving the resilience of critical urban lifelines, the theory and methods remain underdeveloped. Furthermore, as infrastructure systems become more intelligent, security experts point to the growing threat of targeted cyber-physical attacks during natural hazards. Here we develop a hypothesis-driven resilience framework for urban transport NoNs, which we demonstrate on the London Rail Network (LRN). We find that topological attributes designed for maximizing efficiency rather than robustness render the network more vulnerable to compound natural-targeted disruptions including cascading failures. Our results suggest that an organizing principle for post-disruption recovery may be developed with network science principles. Our findings and frameworks can generalize to urban lifelines and more generally to real-world spatial networks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Experimental Analysis of Distribution Network Voltage Regulation Using Smart Inverters

Smart inverters (SIs) have demonstrated their potential to provide grid services for both transmission and distribution systems. One of these grid services, distribution network voltage regulation by SIs, has the potential to improve network voltage regulation through controlling the reactive and active power output of the SIs. Voltage regulation by SIs will be distributed and might be better suited to controlling local conditions to complement traditional voltage-regulating assets, e.g., tap-changing transformers, capacitor banks, and line voltage regulators. There is a gap in the literature on comparing the SI response characteristics when the SIs are controlled by a local controller or external control signals. This paper presents an experimental study to characterize SI reactive power regulation responses to two different control methods: autonomous control and remote dispatch. We found that SI reactive power regulation responses exhibit important differences between these methods in terms of delays and ramp rate. Finally, power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of these two methods. The PHIL test results show that the SI response characteristics for autonomous control and remote dispatch need to be considered when planning for distribution network voltage regulation using SIs.

autonomous control↗

Switch Opening and Exchange Method for Stochastic Distribution Network Reconfiguration

The purpose of distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) is to determine the optimal topology of an electricity distribution network, which is an efficient measure to reduce network power losses. Electricity load demand and photovoltaic (PV) output are uncertain and vary with time of day, and will affect the optimal network topology. Single-hour deterministic DNR is incapable of handling this uncertainty and variability. Therefore, this paper proposes to solve a multi-hour stochastic DNR (SDNR). Existing solution methods for DNR are either inaccurate or excessively time-consuming, and are therefore incapable of solving multi-hour SDNRs for large distribution networks. In this regard, a switch opening and exchange (SOE) method is proposed. Starting from a looped network with all switches closed, the SOE consists of three steps. The first step is to sequentially open the switches until all of the loops are opened. The second and third steps modify the status of branches obtained in the first step to obtain better radial topologies. Five test systems are used to validate the accuracy and fast solution speed of the SOE and the superiority of multi-hour SDNR over single-hour deterministic DNR.

distribution network reconfiguration↗

A systematic approach to generating accurate neural network potentials: the case of carbon

Abstract Availability of affordable and widely applicable interatomic potentials is the key needed to unlock the riches of modern materials modeling. Artificial neural network-based approaches for generating potentials are promising; however, neural network training requires large amounts of data, sampled adequately from an often unknown potential energy surface. Here we propose a self-consistent approach that is based on crystal structure prediction formalism and is guided by unsupervised data analysis, to construct an accurate, inexpensive, and transferable artificial neural network potential. Using this approach, we construct an interatomic potential for carbon and demonstrate its ability to reproduce first principles results on elastic and vibrational properties for diamond, graphite, and graphene, as well as energy ordering and structural properties of a wide range of crystalline and amorphous phases.

Chemistry↗

Controlled release of entrapped nanoparticles from thermoresponsive hydrogels with tunable network characteristics

Thermoresponsive hydrogels have been studied intensively for creating smart drug carriers and controlled drug delivery. Understanding the drug release kinetics and corresponding transport mechanisms of nanoparticles (NPs) in a thermoresponsive hydrogel network is the key to the successful design of smart drug delivery systems. Here, we construct a mesoscopic model of rigid NPs entrapped in a hydrogel network in an aqueous solution, where the hydrogel network is formed by cross-linked semiflexible polymers of thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). By varying the temperature crossing the lower critical solution temperature of PNIPAM, we can significantly change the hydrogel network characteristics. We systematically investigate how the matrix porosity and the nanoparticle size affect the transport kinetics of NPs at different temperatures. Quantitative results on the mean-squared displacement and the van Hove displacement distributions of NPs show that all NPs entrapped in the smart hydrogels undergo subdiffusion at both low and high temperatures. For a coil state, the transport of NPs in the hydrogels can be enhanced by decreasing the matrix porosity of the polymer network and NPs' size. However, when the solution temperature is increased above the critical temperature, the hydrogel network collapses following the coil-to-globule transition, with the NPs tightly trapped in some local regions inside the hydrogels. Consequently, the NP diffusion coefficient can be reduced by two orders of magnitude, or the diffusion processes can even be completely stopped. These findings provide new insights for designing controlled drug release from stimuli-responsive hydrogels, including autonomously switch on/off drug release in response to physical and chemical stimuli.

42 ENGINEERING↗

GNET2: an R package for constructing gene regulatory networks from transcriptomic data

Abstract Motivation The Gene Network Estimation Tool (GNET) is designed to build gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from transcriptomic gene expression data with a probabilistic graphical model. The data preprocessing, model construction and visualization modules of the original GNET software were developed on different programming platforms, which were inconvenient for users to deploy and use. Results Here, we present GNET2, an improved implementation of GNET as an integrated R package. GNET2 provides more flexibility for parameter initialization and regulatory module construction based on the core iterative modeling process of the original algorithm. The data exchange interface of GNET2 is handled within an R session automatically. Given the growing demand for regulatory network reconstruction from transcriptomic data, GNET2 offers a convenient option for GRN inference on large datasets. Availability and implementation The source code of GNET2 is available at https://github.com/jianlin-cheng/GNET2. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Quantum-inspired weight-constrained neural network: Reducing variable numbers by 100× compared to standard neural networks

Although quantum machine learning has shown great promise, the practical application of quantum computers remains constrained in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum era. To take advantage of quantum machine learning, we investigate the underlying mathematical principles of these quantum models and find that the quantum neural network with amplitude encoding is equivalent to a weight-constrained neural network. Motivated by this discovery, we develop a classical weight-constrained neural network. We find that this approach can reduce the number of variables in a classical neural network by a factor of 135 while preserving its accuracy. In addition, we develop a dropout method to enhance the robustness of quantum machine learning models, which are highly susceptible to adversarial attacks. This technique can also be applied to improve the adversarial robustness of the classical weight-constrained neural network, which is essential for industry applications, such as self-driving vehicles. Our work offers an approach to reduce the complexity of large classical neural networks, addressing a critical challenge in machine learning.

quantum algorithms & computation↗

Interpretable Models for Workflow Differentiation in High-Performance Scientific Networks

Scientific workflows in high-performance networks spawn hundreds of interdependent flows that must be managed collectively—yet existing network classifiers treat each flow in isolation, leading to fragmented QoS decisions and missed interflow patterns. We present a novel traffic classification solution that operates at the workflow level, distinguishing entire filetransfer operations from streaming analytics by capturing how concurrent flows interact and burst together. We introduce a workflow identification window (WIW) that ingests raw packet headers from parallel flows into unified tensors, preserving the spatial-temporal patterns that differentiate scientific workflows. This approach achieves 98.7% accuracy using CNN, LSTM, and hybrid architectures, while maintaining 84% accuracy on production traffic collected a week later—demonstrating robustness to temporal drift. By integrating SHAP and GradCAM explainability, we reveal that early-packet timing patterns and cross-flow correlations drive classification decisions, providing operators with interpretable insights. Our system enables coherent workflow-level QoS enforcement and dynamic bandwidth allocation in scientific networks, eliminating manual per-flow configuration while maintaining classification latency at millisecond level.

Giannakou, Anna [LBL, Berkeley]↗

Hyperparameter Optimization in Binary Communication Networks for Neuromorphic Deployment

Training neural networks for neuromorphic deployment is non-trivial. There have been a variety of approaches proposed to adapt back-propagation or back-propagation-like algorithms appropriate for training. Considering that these networks often have very different performance characteristics than traditional neural networks, it is often unclear how to set either the network topology or the hyperparameters to achieve optimal performance. In this work, we introduce a Bayesian approach for optimizing the hyperparameters of an algorithm for training binary communication networks that can be deployed to neuromorphic hardware. We show that by optimizing the hyperparameters on this algorithm for each dataset, we can achieve improvements in accuracy over the previous state-of-the-art for this algorithm on each dataset (by up to 15 percent). This jump in performance continues to emphasize the potential when converting traditional neural networks to binary communication applicable to neuromorphic hardware.

Parsa, Maryam↗

Networked-based Cyber Analysis using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for High-Speed Networks

Today’s networked systems utilize advanced security components such as Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), and methods for network traffic classification. A fundamental aspect of these security components and methods is network packet visibility and packet inspection. To achieve packet visibility, a compute mechanism used by these security components and methods is Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). DPI is used to obtain visibility into packet fields by looking deeper inside packets, beyond just IP address, port, and protocol. However, DPI is considered extremely expensive in terms of compute processing costs and very challenging to implement on high speed network systems. The fundamental scientific paradigm addressed in this research project is the application of greater network packet visibility and packet inspection at data rates greater than 40Gbps to secure computer network systems. The greater visibility and inspection will enable detection of advanced content-based threats that exploit application vulnerabilities and are designed to bypass traditional security approaches such as firewalls and antivirus scanners. Greater visibility and inspection are achieved through identification of the application protocol (e.g., HTTP, SMTP, Skype) and, in some cases, extraction and processing of the information contained in the packet payload. Analysis is then performed on the resulting DPI data to identify potentially malicious behavior. In order to obtain visibility and inspect the application protocol and contents at high speed data rates, advanced DPI technologies and implementations are developed.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Data-Driven Chance-Constrained Design of Voltage Droop Control for Distribution Networks: Preprint

This paper addresses the design of local control methods for voltage control in distribution networks with high level of distributed energy resources (DERs). The designed control methods adapt the active and reactive power output of distributed energy resources proportional to the deviation of the local measured voltage magnitudes from a reference voltage, which is referred to as droop control. Thus, the design focuses on determining the droop characteristics which satisfy network-wide voltage magnitude constraints. The uncertainty and variability of DERs renders the design of optimal droop controls very challenging. Hence, this paper proposes chance constraints to limit the risk from intermittent DERs, by designing droop control coefficients that guarantee the satisfaction of network operational constraints with a specific probability. In addition, the proposed approach relies entirely on historical data rather than assuming knowledge of the probability distributions that characterize the uncertainty of DERs. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated on a 37-bus distribution feeder.

chance-constrained optimization↗

Voltage Calculations in Secondary Distribution Networks via Physics-Inspired Neural Network Using Smart Meter Data

The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) leads to voltage issues across distribution networks, necessitating voltage calculations by utilities. Electric model-free voltage calculation offers an enticing solution. However, most researches mainly focus on primary distribution networks ignoring secondary distribution networks and commonly overlook extreme voltage case calculations, which require the model’s extrapolation abilities. Here, in addressing the gaps, this paper presents a customized physics-inspired neural network (PINN) model, the structure of which is inspired by the derived coupled power flow model of primary-secondary distribution networks. To ensure precision and rapid convergence, a crafted training framework for the PINN model is proposed. The PINN’s “structure-mimetic” design enables superior extrapolation for unseen scenarios and enhances physical information awareness. We demonstrate this through two applications: hosting capacity analysis and customer-transformer connectivity. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed PINN model are validated on two public testing systems and one utility distribution feeder model.

Distribution network↗

Evaluation of Station Performance of the Idaho National Laboratory Seismic Monitoring Network Using Network Detection Thresholds

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Seismic Monitoring Network is located in eastern Idaho and monitors a portion of the intermountain seismic belt. It has been in place for 50 yr and has undergone several major changes, the most recent of which has been the transition to the Antelope real‐time acquisition system and the implementation of automatic phase picking algorithms to aid in analysis. This study discusses the efforts to evaluate the performance of the INL seismic monitoring network (and other surrounding stations) using the new real‐time acquisition system. The method outlined by Wilson et al. (2021) is used to develop an empirical relationship between the observability of local earthquakes as a function of magnitude and distance. This relationship is used to produce detection thresholds for Pwaves for all stations of interest. The INL seismic network has two main goals: monitor tectonic‐and volcanic‐related events and measure ground motions for input into seismic hazard analysis. Because of these two overall objectives, several seismic stations have been installed near critical facilities and, therefore, are not as quiet as stations that are used primarily for earthquake detection. This is reflected in their detection thresholds, which are much smaller for stations away from facilities. This study shows that the INL Seismic Monitoring Network is able to detect earthquakes near INL facilities with M L > 1.2, with redundancies built in to ensure this sensitivity even if data became unavailable from some stations. This study also shows “holes” in the monitoring network where the detection of smaller earthquakes is highly dependent on sparsely placed seismic stations. In conclusion, the results of this study will be used to govern plans for expansion of earthquake monitoring in Idaho and the surrounding region and to fine‐tune the detection thresholds for individual stations.

58 - GEOSCIENCES↗

Software-Defined Networking Traffic Engineering Process for Operational Technology Networks

Network design goals are often functional with little consideration for security. Growth and maintenance of critical infrastructure mission-focused networks can be ad hoc and preclude large-scale technology replacements, reconfigurations, or even patching. These restrictions are contributing factors to increased vulnerabilities. Over 90% of all attacks begin with phishing and include lateral movement (Frinke 2019). Adopting a software-defined networking (SDN) approach is an effective mitigation strategy for many existing vulnerabilities. SDNs deny-by-default approach to networking restricts an adversary’s freedom of movement without impacting an organization’s mission. SDN implementations require a process that identifies an organization’s mission-specific network communications. A well-defined traffic engineering process ensures that only known devices communicate with each other on specific ports.

Software Defined Networking, Situational Awareness↗