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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

Divergences in hydraulic conductance and anatomical traits of stems and leaves in three temperate tree species coping with drought, N addition and their interactions

Drought and N addition have been shown to affect tree hydraulic traits, but few studies have been made on their interactions across species with different wood types or leaf forms. We examined the responses of hydraulic conductance and xylem anatomical traits of Quercus mongolica (ring-porous with simple-leaves), Fraxinus mandshurica (ring-porous with compound-leaves), and Tilia amurensis (diffuse-porous with simple-leaves) to drought, N addition and their interactions. Drought stress decreased current-year xylem-specific conductivity in stems (Ksx) and leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf), but N addition affected Ksx and Kleaf differently among species and watering regimes. These divergent effects were associated with different responses of anatomical traits and leaf forms. Higher mean vessel diameter in stems (Dstem) and lower vessel density in leaves (VDvein) were observed with N addition. The three-way interactive effects of drought, N addition and tree species were significant for most values of anatomical traits. These results were also reflected in large differences in vessel diameter and density among species with different wood types or leaf forms. The two-way interactive effects of drought and N addition were significant on Kleaf and predawn water potential (?pd), but not Ksx, indicating that leaves were more sensitive than stems to a combination of drought stress and N addition. Our results provide mechanistic insight into the variable responses of xylem water transport to the interactions of drought and N availability.

Hydraulic conductance, hydraulic architecture, N f↗

Improving Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) in Space Life Support

This paper considers how to improve the reliability and maintainability (R&M) of future NASA space life support systems. If these systems are procured under an industry contract, defining the R&M requirements would take precedence over providing technical guidance on designing the system. Imposing a specific R&M design could be over constraining. However, the mission may define the overall R&M approach, as the International Space Station (ISS) did by requiring Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs). Before defining the R&M requirements for the next mission, the life support research program should understand and plan the R&M approach. The recent NASA technical standard on R&M has moved away from requiring specific R&M activities during each of the traditional project phases to instead developing and planning to implement the R&M requirements to meet the top level project R&M objectives. The emphasis is on providing the evidence to show that the R&M requirements are met, rather than on conducting specific prescribed R&M activities. The technical standard on R&M defines a comprehensive hierarchy of specific R&M objectives and identifies particular strategies to implement them at each level. That is, the top level R&M objective is defined and then one or more design strategies to implement it are developed immediately, before the next lower objectives are defined and the strategies to achieve those are designed. This step-by-step, top-down approach is similar to the axiomatic design method. The objectives are the R&M requirements, and the strategies are the hardware designs or operations plans developed to meet these requirements. The new R&M process is aligned with the systems design process and helps ensure that the methods to meet the R&M requirements are built into the design.

Jones, Harry W.↗

The 501vc®Fund - A New Model for Investing in Energy Innovation. Final report

Clean Energy Trust (CET) set out to identify approaches to attract new investors to early-stage cleantech businesses. Over the course of the project, significant research and validation was conducted on the feasibility of different pathways by which to secure additional financial support for early-stage clean energy startups. CET explored both a hybrid fund approach and a stand-alone, affiliated fund approach. Over the course of this work, CET developed quantitative models for optimum fund size and specifications, conducted extensive market research, evaluated fund implementation best practices, developed a strong understanding of the legal requirements for fund design, and identified likely candidates who could replicate this approach.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Uncovering anisotropic effects of electric high-moment dipoles on the tunneling current in $$\delta$$-layer tunnel junctions

Abstract The precise positioning of dopants in semiconductors using scanning tunneling microscopes has led to the development of planar dopant-based devices, also known as $$\delta$$ δ layer-based devices, facilitating the exploration of new concepts in classical and quantum computing. Recently, it has been shown that two distinct conductivity regimes (low- and high-bias regimes) exist in $$\delta$$ δ -layer tunnel junctions due to the presence of quasi-discrete and continuous states in the conduction band of $$\delta$$ δ -layer systems. Furthermore, discrete charged impurities in the tunnel junction region significantly influence the tunneling rates in $$\delta$$ δ -layer tunnel junctions. Here we demonstrate that electrical dipoles, i.e. zero-charge defects, present in the tunnel junction region can also significantly alter the tunneling rate, depending, however, on the specific conductivity regime, and orientation and moment of the dipole. In the low-bias regime, with high-resistance tunneling mode, dipoles of nearly all orientations and moments can alter the current, indicating the extreme sensitivity of the tunneling current to the slightest imperfection in the tunnel gap. In the high-bias regime, with low-resistivity, only dipoles with high moments and oriented in the directions perpendicular to the electron tunneling direction can significantly affect the current, thus making this conductivity regime significantly less prone to the influence of dipole defects with low-moments or oriented in the direction parallel to the tunneling.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Multilfiltration Bed Replacement (MFBR) System for the International Space Station using Aquaporin Membranes and Humidity Condensate Ersatz Wastewater

The Multifiltration Bed system in the International Space Station (ISS) Water Processor Assembly (WPA) needs to be improved by reducing or eliminating the usage rate of expendable media, removing dimethylsilanediol (DMSD), and reducing the overall system mass. The WPA contains two multifiltration beds, each with a mass of approximately 50 kg. Reducing the mass of the WPA is an important part of evolving the ISS system for future exploration missions. The Multifiltration Bed Replacement (MFBR) technology is based on biomimetic membranes, which derive their unique characteristics from aquaporins, or water channel proteins. Aquaporin membranes were commercialized by the company Aquaporin AS. Tests were conducted using the Aquaporin Inside Hollow Fiber Module to determine the maximum water recovery ratio and membrane life. Samples were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), DMSD, acetate, ions, and volatiles such as ethanol and acetone. The results indicate that at a 97.498.1 water recovery ratio, the membrane module can reject approximately 50 of the TOC and specific conductance using the simulated ISS MSFC humidity condensate ersatz. Additionally, the life of the membrane was determined to be a minimum of 7103 hours.

humidity condensate ersatz↗

E-Tunnel Wastewater Discharge Permit Quarterly Monitoring Report

Monitoring and sampling activities are performed at the E-Tunnel Wastewater Disposal System (ETDS) in accordance with the requirements of Water Pollution Control (WPC) Permit NEV 96021, Revision 1, which is effective October 1, 2013. Although the end date of the WPC permit is September 21, 2018, provided Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), in a letter date September 21, 2018, provided guidance that indicated the WPC Permit NEV 96021, Revision 1, is in effect until NDEP notifies the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office otherwise. This QMR includes the results of monthly inspections and monitoring for April, May, and June 2020. Monthly inspections and monitoring were conducted on April 21, May 28, and June 24 2020. Inspections include a visual assessment of the berms, ponding, water levels relative to the overflow pipes, tunneling or burrowing into the berms, seeps at the toe of the berms, deep-rooting botanicals on the berms, and fencing. Monthly monitoring includes measurements of the instantaneous flow rate, hydrogen ion activity (pH), and specific conductance of the ETDS discharge.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Imaging Station Multi-Foil Target

The Axis II Downstream Transport (DST) of the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Testing (DARHT) Facility is the final subassembly of the particle accelerator whose primary objective is to focus the 4-pulse beam as it enters the Target Region. Before the beam reaches the Target Region, it passes through two imaging stations located in the DST. At Imaging Station E (ISE) and Imaging Station C (ISC), diagnostics are conducted and experimenters study beam physics using specialized targets. Different targets are used depending on the objective of the study. The desire to conduct specific experiments has driven a need for a multi-foil target. This new design has been engineered to allow for new capabilities, and diagnostics to be studied at ISC. To accommodate new parameters, three different configurations have been conceived. Although each of the three designs differ from each other, their function and purpose remain consistent. Each target is engineered to secure a variable amount of target foils at variable spacing while Imaging Station experiments are conducted. Beam diagnostics and data from the targets are analyzed through various sized viewports on the imaging stations. The objective of this technical note is to document the purpose and functionality of the targets. Design considerations, assembly instructions, and maintenance recommendations are also discussed. Additionally, each target and its respective advantages and disadvantages are covered in detail.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Connecting ambient toxicity testing with community-level responses of benthic macroinvertebrates in an impacted stream in East Tennessee, USA

Single-species laboratory toxicity tests are a standard tool for evaluating potential impairment of freshwater systems; however, it remains uncertain how well they reflect community-level impacts in natural environments. This study presents a multi-decadal dataset (2005-2025) pairing ambient toxicity testing with macroinvertebrate surveys along Bear Creek on the Oak Ridge Reservation (Tennessee, USA) downstream of an industrial complex to assess the ability of laboratory tests using stream water to track community-level effects. Biannual three-brood Ceriodaphnia dubia tests from 2005 to 2025 often showed reduced reproduction at select sites. Integrating water quality data showed strong positive correlations between sublethal toxicity and specific conductance. Macroinvertebrate diversity metrics, family-level occurrence, and densities were also associated with conductance and contemporaneous C. dubia responses. Laboratory-measured sublethal toxicity was a stronger indicator of macroinvertebrate change than conductance alone, although responses varied among sites and seasons. At the site with the highest diversity, densities and richness of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (EPT) and non-EPT taxa were significantly related to C. dubia reproduction, with greater toxicity corresponding to lower diversity. At the family level, some pollution-tolerant taxa were more prevalent and at higher densities during periods of sublethal toxicity, while some sensitive families were absent or reduced. These patterns may reflect site-specific mixtures of acute and chronic stressors, with laboratory toxicity tests more effectively capturing short-term impacts. Overall, these multi-decadal observations suggest that laboratory toxicity tests can help track water-quality changes linked to shifts in aquatic community diversity, despite variable responses reflecting the complexity of dynamic stressors in this impacted freshwater system.

Stevenson, Louise [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000349679897)↗

Nevada National Security Site E-Tunnel Wastewater Disposal System Quarterly Monitoring Report, Water Pollution Control Permit NEV 96021 (First Quarter Calendar Year 2020)

This report includes the results of monthly inspections and monitoring for January, February, and March 2020. Monthly inspections and monitoring were conducted on January 15, February 12, and March 17, 2020. Inspections include a visual assessment of the berms, ponding, water levels relative to the overflow pipes, tunneling or burrowing into the berms, soil conditions on and around the berms, erosion or sloughing of the slopes of the berms, seeps at the toe of the berms, deep-rooting botanicals on the berms, and fencing. Monthly monitoring includes measurements of the instantaneous flow rate, hydrogen ion activity (pH), and specific conductance of the E-Tunnel Wastewater Disposal System discharge.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

E-Tunnel wastewater discharge permit quarterly monitoring report. Water pollution control permit Nev 96021, third quarter 2020

Monitoring and sampling activities are performed at the E-Tunnel Wastewater Disposal System (ETDS ) in accordance with the requirements of Water Pollution Control (WPC) Permit NEV 96021, Revision 1, which is effective October 1, 2013. Although the end date of the WPC permit is September 30, 2018, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), in a letter dated September 21, 2018, provided guidance that indicated the WPC Permit NEV 96021, Revision 1, is in effect until NDEP notifies the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office otherwise. This QMR includes the results of monthly inspections and monitoring for July, August, and September 2020. Monthly inspections and monitoring were conducted on July 21, August 19, and September 16, 2020. Inspections include a visual assessment of the berms, ponding, water levels relative to the overflow pipes, tunneling or burrowing into the berms, soil conditions on and around the berms, erosion or sloughing of the slopes of the berms, seeps at the toe of the berms, deep-rooting botanicals on the berms, and fencing. Monthly monitoring includes measurement s of the instantaneous flow rate, hydrogen ion activity (pH), and specific conductance of the ETDS discharge. The report will be submitted to the State of Nevada.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Collection, release, and detection of analytes with polymer composite sampling materials

A unique fiber core sampler composition, related systems, and techniques for designing, making, and using the same are described. The sampler is used to interface with existing field instrumentation, such as Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) equipment. Desired sampler characteristics include its: stiffness/flexibility; thermal mass and conductivity; specific heat; trace substance collection/release dependability, sensitivity and repeatability; thickness; reusability; durability; stability for thermal cleaning; and the like. In one form the sampler has a glass fiber core with a thickness less than 0.3 millimeter that is coated with a polymer including one or more of: polymeric organofluorine, polyimide, polyamide, PolyBenzlmidazole (PBI), PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene (PFSA) and Poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene Oxide) (PPPO). Multiple polymer coatings with the same or different polymer types may be included, core/substrate surface functionalization utilized, and/or the core/substrate may be at partially filled with thermally conductive particles.

Addleman, Raymond S.↗

Materials And Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS) LDEF materials database

The Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS) is a collection of materials data which was computerized and is available to engineers in the aerospace community involved in the design and development of spacecraft and related hardware. Consisting of various database segments, MAPTIS provides the user with information such as material properties, test data derived from tests specifically conducted for qualification of materials for use in space, verification and control, project management, material information, and various administrative requirements. A recent addition to the project management segment consists of materials data derived from the LDEF flight. This tremendous quantity of data consists of both pre-flight and post-flight data in such diverse areas as optical/thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, atomic concentration surface analysis data, as well as general data such as sample placement on the satellite, A-O flux, equivalent sun hours, etc. Each data point is referenced to the primary investigator(s) and the published paper from which the data was taken. The MAPTIS system is envisioned to become the central location for all LDEF materials data. This paper consists of multiple parts, comprising a general overview of the MAPTIS System and the types of data contained within, and the specific LDEF data element and the data contained in that segment.

Davis, John M.↗

From subsidies to stressors: Positively skewed ecological gradients alter biological responses to nutrients in streams

Abstract Subsidy–stress gradients offer a useful framework for understanding ecological responses to perturbation and may help inform ecological metrics in highly modified systems. Historic, region‐wide shifts from bottomland hardwood forest to row crop agriculture can cause positively skewed impact gradients in alluvial plain ecoregions, resulting in tolerant organisms that typically exhibit a subsidy response (increased abundance in response to environmental stressors) shifting to a stress response (declining abundance at higher concentrations). As a result, observed biological tolerance in modified ecosystems may differ from less modified regions, creating significant challenges for detecting biological responses to restoration efforts. Using the agriculturally dominated Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) ecoregion in Mississippi, USA, as a case study, we tested the hypothesis that macroinvertebrate taxa that typically display a subsidy response to nutrient enrichment in less modified ecoregions (i.e., nutrient‐tolerance) shift to a stress response to increasing nutrients in highly modified watersheds with elevated baseline nutrient conditions (i.e., nutrient intolerance). The abundance and diversity of MAP‐specific intolerant taxa identified with threshold indicator taxa analysis were either unresponsive or exhibited a subsidy response to increasing nutrients in less modified ecoregions in Mississippi with less land alteration and lower nutrient concentrations, but declined at higher concentrations, providing evidence for a stress response to elevated nutrients in the MAP. Additionally, MAP‐specific tolerant and intolerant taxa richness responded to increased nutrients predictably and consistently across space and time within the MAP. However, in MAP streams, elevated specific conductance was predicted to dampen the response of tolerant and intolerant taxa richness to increasing nutrient concentrations, highlighting the importance of considering multistressor interactions when interpreting biological data. Lastly, we demonstrate the efficacy of this approach with sediment bacterial communities characterized with amplicon sequencing, which lack sufficient life history characteristics necessary for the development of multimetric indices. Both macroinvertebrate and bacterial communities responded similarly to increasing nutrient concentrations, suggesting DNA‐based approaches may provide an efficient biological assessment tool for monitoring water quality improvements in highly modified watersheds.

DeVilbiss, Stephen E. [U.S. Geological Survey Lowe↗

Stream discharge and water quality data for East Fork Poplar Creek beginning 2012

This data note describes 15-min discharge and in situ water quality data at two locations along East Fork Poplar Creek in east Tennessee, USA. Data records include temperature, gauge height, water surface elevation above mean sea level, and volumetric discharge. Water quality measurements include temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen (percent saturation and concentration), turbidity, and less extensive fDOM data at one site. The data records begin in 2012 at one site and 2015 at the second site; monitoring at both sites is ongoing (as of 2021). The goal of this data collection is to improve understanding of watershed functions, hydrologic dynamics, and material flux. The data will contribute to site conceptual and numerical models, exposure and risk evaluation, remediation selection and design, and performance monitoring. The data are publicly available and can be accessed via unique url or DOI.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Temporal Patterns in Soil Redox Potential Vary Across a Freshwater Coastal Delta

Widespread and persistent flooding is submerging coastal ecosystems, particularly along the Louisiana Gulf coast, where flooding results from the compounding effects of ground subsidence and rising sea level. Restoration projects aim to mitigate land loss by diverting sediment loads from rivers into degraded areas to increase ground elevation. To predict how coastal ecosystems will change over time in response to projected changes in relative sea level and restoration, it is necessary to understand how subsurface biogeochemical processes respond to dynamic hydrologic forcings. Here, this study evaluates how environmental parameters that integrate biogeochemical processes vary with water table fluctuations in the freshwater Wax Lake Delta (WLD) in Louisiana, USA, where water diversions have formed one of the only active deltas along the coast. High‐frequency observations of water level, soil redox potential, specific conductance and pH were made for 1 year along elevation transects located on the older, proximal and younger, distal ends of a deltaic island. Redox responded rapidly to changing water tables, with fluctuations occurring primarily in shallow soils (< 20 cm) and at higher elevations. Deeper soils and those at lower elevation remained inundated and reduced. Semi‐diurnal tidal fluctuations were pronounced in younger, distal soils, presumably due to rapid groundwater exchange with the river channel. Tidal signals were muted in older soils that instead exhibited seasonal variability associated with river discharge and evapotranspiration. Although much of the delta sediments are persistently reducing and anoxic, redox fluctuations in the natural levees that border the deltaic islands likely drive high rates of biogeochemical activity. Evaluating how hydrology drives the frequency and duration of redox fluctuations provides a basis for understanding how biogeochemical processes might vary with complex hydrological interactions in coastal systems.

Herndon, Elizabeth [Oak Ridge National Laboratory ↗

Using taxa-based approaches to delineate stream macroinvertebrate assemblage responses to stressor gradients in modified alluvial agroecosystems

Alluvial plain landscapes are some of the most agriculturally productive lands in the world but often have modified stream ecosystems due to cultivation history. This context requires consideration when establishing water quality management goals. We analyzed state water quality databases to demonstrate that Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) ecoregion streams have elevated specific conductivity (SC) and nutrients and lower macroinvertebrate local and regional taxa pools compared to streams in other ecoregions, potentially reducing the efficacy of traditional biomonitoring approaches within the region. To overcome these challenges, we used threshold indicator taxa analysis (TITAN) to compare macroinvertebrate assemblage responses to water quality gradients among ecoregions in Mississippi. We identified individual taxa and assemblage-level responses to increasing water quality degradation in MAP streams. Observed responses occurred at higher concentrations for SC, total organic carbon (TOC) and total phosphorus (TP), but not total nitrogen (TN) relative to other ecoregions. These responses appeared to be driven by a large proportion of indicator taxa considered tolerant or unresponsive in other ecoregions, responding negatively to increasing water quality stressors in MAP streams. Our observed assemblage-level stressor responses to WQ gradients in MAP streams demonstrate shifting tolerance in highly altered ecosystems may require adjustments to recovery expectations but also provide useful measures for monitoring improvements in regional water quality. For example, our observed macroinvertebrate assemblage response to increasing TP identified a management goal similar to guidance based on distributional analysis of water quality data within the MAP ecoregion (0.11 vs 0.128 mg L –1 ) and thus provide some biological basis for previously identified nutrient goals for the region. Our approach can guide and monitor success of nutrient reduction efforts in MAP watersheds and other alluvial plain agroecosystems where reference conditions do not exist, and local and regional taxa pools are less diverse and may not support full recovery of ecological assemblages. While our results are promising, they should also be compared with more sensitive and less habitat-limited biological assemblages (e.g., algae or bacteria) to better understand complex ecological responses to best management practices designed to increase sustainability of high production agricultural regions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Calendar life of lithium metal batteries: Accelerated aging and failure analysis

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are prime candidates for next-generation energy storage devices characterized by their remarkable energy storage capabilities. Despite the importance of understating the calendar aging impacts in LMBs, cycle life and calendar life have received inconsistent attention across various research and development stages. For acceptance into an application, especially electric vehicles, batteries are required to have sufficient calendar life to ensure performance over the life of vehicles which often experience extended periods of inactivity. In this study, an in-depth exploration into the calendar aging of LMB (Li/ Li[Ni 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 ]O 2 in pouch cell format) is conducted. Specifically, the impact of calendar aging factors, state-of-charge (SOC), temperature, pressure, and operating conditions (open-circuit voltage, OCV and constant voltage, CV) on the surface morphology and thickness change rate in lithium metal anode is investigated. Notably, the results show that storing LMB pouch cells at an OCV, 80 % SOC, 25 °C, and 10 psi external pressure leads to a <1% reduction in capacity over 18 months. The results also suggest routes which can be utilized in the future for accelerated aging without altering the primary degradation modes. The results also show an accelerated calendar aging at high temperatures (45 °C), 100 % SOC, and CV suggesting they may serve as key accelerated aging methods for future studies. During calendar aging, pressure mitigates dendrite growth and extends calendar life. In conclusion, the insights from this study reinforce the viability of LMBs as a compelling solution for addressing increased energy storage needs in real-world applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Application of BISON to UO 2 MiniFuel fission gas release analysis

There has been a recent push to accelerate fuel qualification by developing revolutionary capabilities to reduce irradiation periods, and thereby, reduce the time required to qualify a new fuel system. One such capability is the MiniFuel irradiation capsule designed to miniaturize fuel samples and irradiate “mini” fuel samples under isothermal temperature conditions. MiniFuel allows steady-state irradiations to decouple the traditionally coupled fission rate (i.e., power) and temperature parameters to understand and generate microstructures observed in fuel operated in a commercial reactor. Furthermore, this process offers the possibility to gather in situ data as well as postirradiation or transient data such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, fission gas diffusion and release, etc. However, accelerating fuel qualification is not solely reliant on generating large amounts of data but also on developing an informed test matrix designed to rapidly generate impactful data. Additionally, this process is reliant on fuel performance codes, such as BISON, to evaluate MiniFuel irradiations using existing material models. This process pinpoints model/data gaps, identifies desired irradiation conditions, and subsequently supports model validation and development. This work describes the use of BISON to perform a number of sensitivity studies designed to understand conditions that lead to fission gas release (FGR) under steady-state isothermal irradiation conditions and temperature transient conditions. The model is applied to a UO 2 MiniFuel example and shows an overall good qualitative agreement with experimental FGR annealing tests under different temperature conditions. It also accounts well for microstructural effects on FGR. When quantitatively compared with FGR data from previously irradiated 103 MWd/kgU UO 2 discs under thermal annealing, the model shows a less satisfactory agreement with the experimental data. Finally, a UO 2 MiniFuel test matrix is proposed to help to extend the model's operational range and validate the new FGR model capabilities to higher burnups and transient conditions.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗