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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Novel Protocol for Acute In Situ Ecotoxicity Test Using Native Crustaceans Applied to Groundwater Ecosystems

Current standardized laboratory test protocols use model species that have limitations to accurately assess native species responses to stressors. We developed and tested a novel acute in situ protocol for testing field-collected organisms. We used Asellus aquaticus and NaCl as a reference toxicant to test for the effects of location (laboratory vs. in situ), medium (synthetic vs. field water), substrate (presence vs. absence), and protocol replicability. We further tested the protocol using groundwater-adapted isopods: Proasellus assaforensis for the effect of location, P. cavaticus of medium and P.lusitanicus of substrate. Our results showed that A.aquaticus’ lethality obtained with the novel acute in situ protocol did not significantly differ from those from laboratory testing. However, laboratory tested P.assaforensis showed a higher sensitivity, suggesting that its acclimation to laboratory conditions might have pernicious effects. A. aquaticus and P. cavaticus showed a higher mortality using synthetic medium in situ and under laboratory conditions, which overestimated the stressor’s effect. Besides, substrate use had no significant effect. The novel acute in situ protocol allows the use of native species under realistic scenarios. It is particularly well adapted for assessing the risk of groundwater ecosystems but it can be applied to a wide range of ecosystems.

Castaño-Sánchez, Andrea↗
DOE OSTI2022

In Situ Soil Moisture and Thaw Depth Measurements Coincident with Airborne SAR Data Collections, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2019

The in-situ soil moisture and thaw depth measurements provided in this dataset were collected coincident with airborne overflights of L- and P-band SAR instruments at the Teller and Kougarok NGEE Arctic study sites on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Field measurements and flights were conducted in August 2019 as a collaboration between the NASA ABoVE Project's Airborne SAR Campaign and the NGEE Arctic Project. ABoVE protocols for establishing field measurement plots were followed. NGEE Arctic plots for the ground-based measurements are located at existing study sites where SAR data would also add value to current monitoring and characterization efforts of the NGEE Team. The ground-based data will be used by ABoVE to analyze, calibrate and validate the remote sensing products. This dataset follows the format and collection guidelines of the collaboration effort in 2017. Contained in this dataset are *.csv (including data dictionaries), .zip, .kml, .jpgs, .py, and .pdf files.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort (with some overlap with Covid-19 pandemic) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Large Scale Field Demonstration Evaluation Plan

This Evaluation Plan defines practical, commissioning-oriented test protocols for in-field assessment of grid-forming (GFM) inverter-based resources (IBRs) deployed under the UNIFI Consortium Field Demonstration. The demonstration’s overarching objective is to validate multi vendor GFM technologies at impactful unit/plant scale, assess interoperability and grid-service performance, and evaluate the applicability of the UNIFI Specifications for Grid-forming Inverter-based Resources in real utility environments, including integration with operational systems and protection schemes.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Assessing the Consistency of Estimated Ground Cover Fractions between the BLM AIM Method and Optical Remote Sensing Method

Since 2012, Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) has supported the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in developing remote sensing methodologies for long-term environmental monitoring of Palo Verde Mesa in eastern Riverside County, California, including methods for: detailed mapping of ephemeral streams, estimating fractional cover of desert-land surface components (e.g., trees, shrubs, litters, and bare ground), evaluating erosion risk or land stability, and characterizing vegetation alliances using spatial structure and geostatistical approaches. These studies showed the promise of remote sensing for monitoring changes in desert landscapes by providing information that would be difficult to obtain through field surveys. During this time the BLM has also worked to establish long-term monitoring protocols and compiled field-observation data collected using standardized protocols from the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy. The AIM data can be compared to data derived from remote sensing methods to evaluate their relative operational utility in monitoring landscape change. If ground cover estimated using remotely sensed imagery is comparable to AIM ground cover estimates, then remote sensing can be used to monitor whether any land cover change in desert landscapes may be related to solar energy development. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the consistency in ground cover estimates between AIM data and those derived from publicly- available remotely sensed imagery, such as that available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP), to examine feasibility of a remote sensing method for complementing AIM monitoring. Based on the image analysis in this study, we also provide recommendations for how small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) data may be used to complement BLM’s AIM data and NAIP imagery for future vegetation monitoring. The ground cover types we originally planned to investigate were trees, shrubs, and bare ground. However, the small sample size and a limited range of cover fraction of trees and shrubs in the AIM dataset (e.g., 33 samples with a maximum shrub cover of 18%, 14 samples with a maximum tree cover of 17%) did not allow for performing a meaningful evaluation for the remote sensing approach. Therefore, we conducted the study focusing on bare ground, foliar, and rock cover, all of which are indicators reported in the AIM remote sensing dataset.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

End-User Perspectives on Using Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Genomic Sequencing in the Field

Quantitative real-time PCR and genomic sequencing have become mainstays for performing molecular detection of biological threat agents in the field. There are notional assessments of the benefits, disadvantages, and challenges that each of these technologies offers according to findings in the literature. However, direct comparison between these two technologies in the context of field-forward operations is lacking. Most market surveys, whether published in print form or provided online, are directed to product manufacturers who can address their respective specifications and operations. One method for comparing these technologies is surveying end-users who are best suited for discussing operational capabilities, as they have hands-on experience with state-of-the-art molecular detection platforms and protocols. These end-users include operators in military defense and first response, as well as various research scientists in the public sector such as government and service laboratories, private sector, and civil society such as academia and nonprofit organizations performing method development and executing these protocols in the field. Our objective was to initiate a survey specific to end-users and their feedback. We developed a questionnaire that asked respondents to (1) determine what technologies they currently use, (2) identify the settings where the technologies are used, whether lab-based or field-forward, and (3) rate the technologies according to a set list of criteria. Of particular interest are assessments of sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, scalability, portability, and discovery power. This article summarizes the findings from the end-user perspective, highlighting technical and operational challenges.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Charged Wellbore Casing Controlled Source Electromagnetics (CWC-CSEM) for Reservoir Imaging and Monitoring (Final report)

This project addresses the needs of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced monitoring technologies and protocols to track the fate of subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) plumes for carbon storage. Specifically, the project seeks to develop and test a unique and novel system of technologies consisting of electromagnetic data acquisition, coupled multiphysics imaging, and reservoir model enhancement to understand the migration and long-term distribution of CO2 in the subsurface. The overarching objective is to develop an integrated approach for long term monitoring of carbon storage. The two main components of the project include the methodology development and the test of the method at a field site. The methodology component consists of 1) developing the field procedure and protocol for collecting time-lapse controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data with source electric current injected into the subsurface through wellbore casings; 2) building of background 3D electrical conductivity utilizing multiple sources of data such as supplemental surface transient EM (TEM) surveys, well-logs, and seismic structural information, for enhancing CSEM signal from reservoir depths; and 3) coupled multiphysics simulations and inversion of CSEM data constrained by production data and by structural information from seismic imaging of the reservoir and overlying formations. The testing component used the field site of Bell Creek Oil Field, which served both as a field laboratory for the method development as well as a test site to evaluate the CSEM signal strengths and the methodology developed in this research project. We have accomplished all the proposed tasks and developed the methodology as planned. These include the procedure for time-lapse CSEM data acquisition, data processing techniques, integration with 3D conductivity model building, fast reservoir simulation for history matching using machine learning, and interpreting CSEM data with coupling to the reservoir modeling. Collectively, the outcome of these tasks form a coherent workflow that can be applied to monitor dedicated carbon storage in saline reservoirs. The testing component evaluated the applicability and limitations of the method, and concluded that the method would be ideal for monitoring dedicated carbon storage sites utilizing saline reservoirs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spatial Study 2021: Sensor-Based Time Series of Surface Water Temperature, Specific Conductance, Total Dissolved Solids, pH, and Dissolved Oxygen from across Multiple Watersheds in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA (v3)

This dataset supports a broader study examining the drivers of spatial variability in sediment respiration rates in the Yakima River Basin. The dataset provides two-hour time series hydrological and water chemistry sensor data, manual chamber open channel respiration data, handheld sensor water chemistry data, river substrate grain size photos, general environmental context photos, and field metadata (including qualitative information on instream and river corridor characteristics) collected during the same two-week period at 47 sites within multiple rivers throughout the Yakima River Basin in Washington, USA. Grain size photos can be used to improve estimates of channel substrate D50 data. Related sample-based water chemistry data are published separately at https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/1898914.This dataset is comprised of four main folders, one containing three sensor-specific subfolders and the others containing photographs. The SFA_SpatialStudy_2021_SensorData main data folder includes file-level metadata (FLMD), data dictionary (dd), installation methods, field metadata, Ultrameter water chemistry data, field data collection protocols, international generic sample number (IGSN) mapping file, and a readme file. The “Sensor_Manual_Specifications” subfolder contains pdf files from the manufacturer of each sensor with details on the sensor specifications. Each sensor subfolder (BarotrollAtm, MantaRiver, and MinidotManualChamber) contains a sensor data subfolder for timeseries data and a subfolder for plots and summary statistics. The BarotrollAtm Data subfolder contains In Situ Rugged BaroTROLL pressure and temperature data. The MantaRiver Data subfolder contains Eureka Manta+ 35B multisonde temperature, specific conductance, and pH data. The MinidotManualChamber Data subfolder contains PME MiniDOT Logger dissolved oxygen (mg/L and percent saturation) and temperature data. The folder SFA_SpatialStudy_2021_EnvironmentalContextPhotos contains environmental context photographs and videos. The folders SFA_SpatialStudy_2021_SedimentQuadratPhotos_Part1 and SFA_SpatialStudy_2021_SedimentQuadratPhotos_Part2 contain sediment quadrat photographs. All files are .csv, .pdf, .R, .jpg, .jpeg, .mp4, or .mov. This data package was originally published September 2022. It was updated January 2023 (modified files) and June 2024 (new and modified files). See the change history in data package readme for more details.We acknowledge the Yakama Nation as owners and caretakers of the lands where we collected these data. We thank the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council and Yakama Nation Fisheries for working with us to facilitate sample collection and optimization of data usage according to their values and worldview.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Temporal Study 2021-2022: Sensor-Based Time Series of Surface Water Temperature, Specific Conductance, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity, pH, and Dissolved Oxygen from across Multiple Watersheds in the Yakima River Basin in Washington, USA (v2)

This dataset supports a broader study examining the drivers of temporal variability in sediment respiration rates in the Yakima River Basin. The dataset provides periodic (weekly or biweekly) in situ hydrological and water chemistry sensor data, handheld sensor water chemistry data, general environmental context photos, and field metadata collected at six sites within multiple rivers in the Yakima River Basin in Washington, USA. In addition to the sensor data, there are plots of continuous in situ sensor data and R scripts used to generate the plots. Related sample-based water chemistry data are published separately at https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/1898912.The data package was originally published in September 2022. It was updated in June 2025 (v2; modified files). See the change history section in the readme for more details. For details on how to navigate data packages generated by this project, see https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/PNNLRiverCorridorSFA/About. This dataset is comprised of one main data folder containing two sensor-specific subfolders, and one photographs folder. The main data folder includes file-level metadata (flmd), data dictionary (dd), installation methods, field metadata, handheld sensor data, field data collection protocols, international generic sample number (IGSN) mapping file, and a readme file. Each sensor subfolder (BarotrollAtm and MantaRiverData) contains a subfolder containing sensor timeseries data and plots. The BarotrollAtm Data subfolder contains In Situ Rugged BaroTROLL sensor pressure and air temperature data. The MantaRiverData subfolder contains Eureka Manta+ 35B multisonde temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity. The FieldPhotos folder contains environmental context photographs and videos. All files are .csv, .pdf, .R, .jpg, .jpeg, .heic, .mov, or .mp4.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Single-gap isotropic s- wave superconductivity in single crystals AuSn 4

In this article, London, λ L (T), and Campbell, λ C (T), penetration depths were measured in single crystals of a topological superconductor candidate AuSn 4 . At low temperatures, λ L (T) is exponentially attenuated and, if fitted with the power law, λ(T) ~ T n , gives exponents n > 4, indistinguishable from the isotropic single s- wave gap Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) asymptotic. The superfluid density fits perfectly in the entire temperature range to the BCS theory. The superconducting transition temperature, T c = 2.40 ± 0.05 K, does not change after 2.5 MeV electron irradiation, indicating the validity of the Anderson theorem for isotropic s- wave superconductors. Campbell penetration depth before and after electron irradiation shows no hysteresis between the zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field cooling (FC) protocols, consistent with the parabolic pinning potential. Interestingly, the critical current density estimated from the original Campbell theory decreases after irradiation, implying that a more sophisticated theory involving collective effects is needed to describe vortex pinning in this system. In general, our thermodynamic measurements strongly suggest that the bulk response of the AuSn 4 crystals is fully consistent with the isotropic s- wave weak-coupling BCS superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Expanding Scientific Horizons Through High Field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization with Advanced Organic BiRadicals

This project aimed to advance the capabilities of high-field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy at 800 MHz through the synthesis and evaluation of novel biradicals. While the targeted HyTEK biradical synthesis faced significant challenges, alternative efforts focused on synthesizing intermediate compounds and exploring alternative biradicals. A portion of the BDPA precursor was successfully converted into BDPA-TEMPO, though further DNP testing could not be completed within the project timeline. Benchmarking experiments with existing biradicals, including TEKPol and M-TinyPol, were conducted to evaluate their performance under high-field conditions. These efforts provided valuable insights into DNP enhancements, refined operational protocols for high-field experiments, and established benchmarks for future polarizing agent development.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Commercial Building Energy Code Field Study (Final Report)

What is the dollar value of increasing compliance with the energy code? Ultimately, this is the question that policy makers, funders, and program implementers care about. With this in mind, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed a new methodology capable of determining how much energy cost savings could potentially be gained through better compliance with the code (Rosenberg et al. 2016). On March 2, 2016 DOE issued Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number DE-FOA-0001532, requesting proposals to develop and test a methodology for identifying the commercial energy code requirements that can provide the maximum cost-effective energy and cost savings through increased compliance. Awarded to the Institute for Market Transformation, this report summarizes the development and testing of a commercial code compliance methodology, including a summary of results, statistical analysis of sample, and best practices for others implementing a commercial energy code compliance field study.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Correlation of Advanced Accelerated Stress Testing with Polyamide-Based Photovoltaic Backsheet Field-Failures

Cracking of polyamide (PA)-based photovoltaic (PV) backsheet materials has been widely reported for field-aged modules. Failure was not detected by conventional accelerated stress tests (ASTs), which lacked the necessary combination of stress factors and/or factor sequences. PA-based AAA backsheet cracking has since been reproduced through combined and sequential stress testing. Planar- and cross-sectional-optical microscopy as well as Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), have been used to elucidate the mechanical and chemical changes which lead to failure of the backsheet. Field-aged backsheet samples demonstrating failure in various climates (including locations in China and Italy) are also analyzed. Through the analysis, a comparison is made between the different stress testing protocols and the field-aged samples to validate relevance of the advanced stress tests. It is shown that the changes induced through combined-accelerated stress testing (C-AST) were most representative of changes induced by the field, supporting the relevance of C-AST and providing validity for the test protocol.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Robustness of quantum correlation in quantum energy teleportation

In this article, we explore a feedback-control protocol in different quantum field theories (QFTs) to study the quantum correlation in nonunitary evolution of quantum systems. Traditional studies on QFTs focus on quantum entanglement of pure states under the unitary evolution, however, we examine quantum correlation in mixed states using quantum energy teleportation (QET), which is an energy transfer protocol by utilizing ground state entanglement, and introduce quantum discord as a measure. QET involves a midcircuit measurement, which disrupts pure state entanglement. Despite this, our analysis demonstrates that quantum discord maintains the correlation throughout the QET process. We conducted numerical analyses with benchmark models including the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model, revealing that quantum discord consistently acts as an order parameter for phase transitions. The model is extended in a way that it has both the chiral chemical potential and the chemical potential, which are useful to study the phase structures mimicking the chiral imbalance between left- and right- quarks coupled to the chirality density operator. In all cases we studied, the quantum discord behaved as an order parameter of the phase transition. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Ikeda, Kazuki (ORCID:0000000338212669)↗
DOE OSTI2020

Advancing reliability assessments of photovoltaic modules and materials using combined-accelerated stress testing

Previously undiscovered failure modes in photovoltaic (PV) modules continue to emerge in field installations despite passing protocols for design qualification and quality assurance. Failure to detect these modes prior to widespread use could be attributed to the limitations of present-day standard accelerated stress tests (ASTs), which are primarily designed to identify known degradation or failure modes at the time of development by applying simultaneous or sequential stress factors (usually two at most). Here, we introduce an accelerated testing method known as the combined-accelerated stress test (C-AST), which simultaneously combines multiple stress factors of the natural environment. Simultaneous combination of multiple stress factors allows for improved identification of failure modes with better ability to detect modes not known a priori. A demonstration experiment was conducted that reproduced the field-observed cracking of polyamide- (PA-) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)–based backsheet films, a failure mode that was not detected by current design qualification and quality assurance testing requirements. In this work, a two-phase testing protocol was implemented. The first cycle (“Tropical”) is a predominantly high-humidity and high-temperature test designed to replicate harsh tropical climates. The second cycle (“Multi-season”) was designed to replicate drier and more temperate conditions found in continental or desert climates. Testing was conducted on 2 × 2-cell crystalline-silicon cell miniature modules constructed with both ultraviolet (UV)–transmitting and UV-blocking encapsulants. Cracking failures were observed within a cumulative 120 days of the Tropical condition for one of the PA-based backsheets and after 84 days of Tropical cycle followed by 42 days of the Multi-season cycle for the PVDF-based backsheet, which are both consistent with failures seen in fielded modules. In addition to backsheet cracking, degradation modes were observed including solder/interconnect fatigue, various light-induced degradation modes, backsheet delamination, discoloration, corrosion, and cell cracking. The ability to simultaneously apply multiple stress factors may allow many of the test sequences within the standardized design qualification procedure to be performed using a single test setup.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Wide-field microwave magnetic field imaging with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Non-invasive imaging of microwave (MW) magnetic fields with microscale lateral resolution is pivotal for various applications, such as MW technologies and integrated circuit failure analysis. Diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center magnetometry has emerged as an ideal tool, offering micrometer-scale resolution, millimeter-scale field of view, high sensitivity, and non-invasive imaging compatible with diverse samples. However, up until now, it has been predominantly used for imaging of static or low-frequency magnetic fields or, concerning MW field imaging, to directly characterize the same microwave device used to drive the NV spin transitions. In this work, we leverage an NV center ensemble in diamond for wide-field imaging of MW magnetic fields generated by a test device employing a differential measurement protocol. The microscope is equipped with a MW loop to induce Rabi oscillations between NV spin states, and the MW field from the device-under-test is measured through local deviations in the Rabi frequency. This differential protocol yields magnetic field maps of a 2.57 GHz MW field with a sensitivity of ∼9 μT Hz −1/2 for a total measurement duration of T=357 s, covering a 340 × 340 μm 2 field of view with a micrometer-scale spatial resolution and a device-under-test input power dynamic range of 30 dB. This work demonstrates a novel NV magnetometry protocol, based on differential Rabi frequency measurement, that extends NV wide-field imaging capabilities to imaging of weak MW magnetic fields that would be difficult to measure directly through standard NV Rabi magnetometry.

crystallographic defects↗
DOE OSTI2021

N - V –Diamond Magnetic Microscopy Using a Double Quantum 4-Ramsey Protocol

We introduce a double quantum (DQ) 4-Ramsey measurement protocol that enables wide-field magnetic imaging using nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) centers in diamond, with enhanced homogeneity of the magnetic sensitivity relative to conventional single quantum (SQ) techniques. The DQ 4-Ramsey protocol employs microwave-phase alternation across four consecutive Ramsey (4-Ramsey) measurements to isolate the desired DQ magnetic signal from any residual SQ signal induced by microwave pulse errors. In a demonstration experiment employing a 1-μm-thick N-V layer in a macroscopic diamond chip, the DQ 4-Ramsey protocol provides a volume-normalized dc magnetic sensitivity of η V = 34nTHz –1/2 μm 3/2 across a 125 μm × 125 μm field of view, with about 5× less spatial variation in sensitivity across the field of view compared to a SQ measurement. Furthermore, the improved robustness and magnetic sensitivity homogeneity of the DQ 4-Ramsey protocol enables imaging of dynamic broadband magnetic sources such as integrated circuits and electrically active cells.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗