SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Permitting process”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2025

Topologically Protected Flatness in Chiral Moiré Heterostructures

The observation of delicate correlated phases in twisted heterostructures of graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides suggests that moiré flat bands are intrinsically resilient against certain types of disorder. Here, we investigate the robustness of moiré flat bands in the chiral limit of the Bistritzer-MacDonald model—applicable to both platforms in certain limits—and demonstrate drastic differences between the first magic angle and higher magic angles in response to chiral symmetric disorder that arise, for instance, from lattice relaxation. We understand these differences using a hidden constant of motion that permits the decomposition of the non-Abelian gauge field induced by interlayer tunnelings into two decoupled Abelian ones. At all magic angles, the resulting effective magnetic field splits into an anomalous contribution and a fluctuating part. The anomalous field maps the moiré flat bands onto a zeroth Dirac Landau level, whose flatness withstands any chiral symmetric perturbation such as nonuniform magnetic fields due to a topological index theorem—thereby underscoring a topological mechanism for band flatness. Only the first magic angle can fully harness this topological protection due to its weak fluctuating magnetic field. In higher magic angles, the amplitude of fluctuations largely exceeds the anomalous contribution, which we find results in a physically meaningless chiral operator and an extremely large sensitivity to microscopic details and an exponential collapse of the single-particle gap. Through numerical simulations, we further study various types of disorder and identify the scattering processes that are enhanced or suppressed in the chiral limit. Interestingly, we find that the topological suppression of disorder broadening persists away from the chiral limit and is further accentuated by isolating a single sublattice polarized flat band in energy. Our analysis suggests the Berry curvature hot spot at the top of the K and K ′ valence band in the transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers is essential for the stability of its moiré flat bands and their correlated states. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Crépel, Valentin (ORCID:0000000302403412)↗

DOE OSTI2019

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2018

The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2018. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, evaluation of data collected in 2018 continued to indicate that WVDP activities pose no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2016

Planck 2015 results: VIII. High Frequency Instrument data processing: Calibration and maps

This paper describes the processing applied to the cleaned, time-ordered information obtained from the Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) with the aim of producing photometrically calibrated maps in temperature and (for the first time) in polarization. The data from the entire 2.5-year HFI mission include almost five full-sky surveys. HFI observes the sky over a broad range of frequencies, from 100 to 857 GHz. To obtain the best accuracy on the calibration over such a large range, two different photometric calibration schemes have been used. The 545 and 857 GHz data are calibrated using models of planetary atmospheric emission. The lower frequencies (from 100 to 353 GHz) are calibrated using the time-variable cosmological microwave background dipole, which we call the orbital dipole. This source of calibration only depends on the satellite velocity with respect to the solar system. Using a CMB temperature of T CMB = 2.7255 ± 0.0006 K, it permits an independent measurement of the amplitude of the CMB solar dipole (3364.3 ± 1.5 μK), which is approximatively 1σ higher than the WMAP measurement with a direction that is consistent between the two experiments. We describe the pipeline used to produce the maps of intensity and linear polarization from the HFI timelines, and the scheme used to set the zero level of the maps a posteriori. We also summarize the noise characteristics of the HFI maps in the 2015 Planck data release and present some null tests to assess their quality. Lastly, we discuss the major systematic effects and in particular the leakage induced by flux mismatch between the detectors that leads to spurious polarization signal.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

A Review of the Environmental Impacts for Marine and Hydrokinetic Projects to Inform Regulatory Permitting: Summary Findings from the 2015 Workshop on Marine and Hydrokinetic Technologies, Washington, D.C.

In 2014 and 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated efforts to develop and implement technology- and application-focused marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) workshops to share the global experience and knowledge base on evolving MHK technologies, observed and not-observed impacts, monitoring and measurement methods, and regulatory needs. The resulting MHK Regulator Workshops engaged resource managers and other decision makers at key regulatory organizations, scientists, researchers, facilitators, and technical experts and provided an opportunity to examine the risks of single-device and small-scale deployments, explore what can be learned and observed from single devices and small-scale arrays, and consider requirements for projects at varying scales of deployment. Experts and stakeholders identified key remaining information gaps. Initial discussions focused on differentiating between monitoring required for single or small-scale deployments and MHK impact research that, although important, goes beyond what is feasible or should be needed to meet specific project regulatory requirements but is appropriate for broader research and development. Four areas of identified potential environmental impacts provided the focus for the workshop: acoustic output impacts, electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions, physical interactions, and environmental effects of MHK energy development on the physical environment. Discussions also focused on the regulatory process and experience, adaptive management, industry drivers, and lessons that can be learned from the wind energy industry. The discussion was set in the context of the types of MHK technologies that are currently proposed or planned in the United States. All presentations and the following discussions are summarized in this document.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2024

Observation of molecular resonant double-core excitation driven by intense X-ray pulses

The ultrashort and intense pulses of X-rays produced at X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) have enabled unique experiments on the atomic level structure and dynamics of matter, with time-resolved studies permitted in the femto- and attosecond regimes. To fully exploit them, it is paramount to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the complex nonlinear interactions that can occur at such extreme X-ray intensities. Herein, we report on the experimental observation of a resonant double-core excitation scheme in N 2 , where two 1σ core-level electrons are resonantly promoted to unoccupied 1π$^*_g$ molecular orbitals by a single few-femtosecond broad-bandwidth XFEL pulse. The production of these neutral two-site double core hole states is evidenced through their characteristic decay channels, which are observed in good agreement with high-level theoretical calculations. Such multi-core excitation schemes, benefiting from the high interaction cross sections and state- and site-selective nature of resonant X-ray interactions, should be generally accessible in XFEL irradiated molecules, and provide interesting opportunities for chemical analysis and for monitoring ultrafast dynamic processes.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Metal nitride materials for solar-thermal ammonia production [Slides]

Solar Thermal Ammonia Production has the potential to synthesize ammonia in a green, renewable process that can greatly reduce the carbon footprint left by the conventional Haber-Bosch reaction. Co 3 Mo 3 N has been identified as a potential candidate for ammonia production. It is synthesized via oxide precursor synthesis followed by nitridation under 10% H 2 /N 2 . The synthesis method can be extended to other candidate nitrides. The Co 3 Mo 3 N → Co 6 Mo 6 N reduction is demonstrated on TGA with rapid kinetics. The formation of NH 3 is qualitatively observed, but not quantitatively determined. The material retains crystal structure, but no secondary phases are observed in XRD. Partial re-nitridation back to CMN331 of ~35% of max nitridation is observed. Reaction parameters in TGA differ from experimental conditions in the literature. Experiments at Georgia Tech better mimic re-nitridation conditions with more sensitive, quantitative analytical techniques (GC-MS). The ASU NH 3 synthesis/re-nitridation reactor is under development and will permit experiments (reduction/re-nitridation) under precisely controlled T, pH 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2015

2013 Los Alamos National Laboratory Hazardous Waste Minimization Report

Waste minimization and pollution prevention are inherent goals within the operating procedures of Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS). The US Department of Energy (DOE) and LANS are required to submit an annual hazardous waste minimization report to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in accordance with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) Hazardous Waste Facility Permit. The report was prepared pursuant to the requirements of Section 2.9 of the LANL Hazardous Waste Facility Permit. This report describes the hazardous waste minimization program (a component of the overall Waste Minimization/Pollution Prevention [WMin/PP] Program) administered by the Environmental Stewardship Group (ENV-ES). This report also supports the waste minimization and pollution prevention goals of the Environmental Programs Directorate (EP) organizations that are responsible for implementing remediation activities and describes its programs to incorporate waste reduction practices into remediation activities and procedures. LANS was very successful in fiscal year (FY) 2013 (October 1-September 30) in WMin/PP efforts. Staff funded four projects specifically related to reduction of waste with hazardous constituents, and LANS won four national awards for pollution prevention efforts from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In FY13, there was no hazardous, mixedtransuranic (MTRU), or mixed low-level (MLLW) remediation waste generated at the Laboratory. More hazardous waste, MTRU waste, and MLLW was generated in FY13 than in FY12, and the majority of the increase was related to MTRU processing or lab cleanouts. These accomplishments and analysis of the waste streams are discussed in much more detail within this report.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2019

Testing of an Iodine and Tritium Capture System for an NO₂-Based Tritium Pretreatment Process

The reprocessing of used nuclear fuel would release volatile radionuclides into the off-gas streams of a processing plant, including ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁸⁵Kr, and ¹²⁹I. One potential simplification to the management of the off-gas streams could be achieved through an efficient tritium pretreatment (TPT) step in which the UO₂ fuel is oxidized by either air or NO₂ before dissolution. The oxidation of the UO₂ fuel matrix will result in the release of tritium from the fuel. Upfront release of tritium from the fuel in a pretreatment step with subsequent tritium abatement can minimize or eliminate the distribution of tritium throughout a plant. This can decrease or eliminate the need for tritium capture on multiple off-gas streams and prevent distribution to the aqueous inventory. The use of NO₂ as the oxidant in an advanced tritium pretreatment (ATPT) allows for the oxidation to be performed at lower temperatures and may also result in the quantitative release of iodine from the fuel. The ATPT off-gas will contain up to 75 vol% NO₂ gas. Spencer et al. identified the most promising iodine sorbent as silver nitrate-impregnated alumina (AgA) and the most promising tritium sorbents as 3Å molecular sieve (3Å MS) and silica gel for radionuclide capture from ATPT off-gas streams. An initial series of tests were conducted in fiscal years 2017–2018 with the intent of demonstrating the recovery of iodine and tritium using these sorbents from a recirculating gas stream that simulated the NO₂ recycle loop envisioned for the ATPT system. These initial tests showed low tritium recoveries and significant variations in the iodine recovery on the AgA. Ultimately it was concluded, following disassembly of the system, that corrosion within the system was partially the cause of the poor recovery of both species. All components of that system were disposed of at the end of the analysis. One of the conclusions drawn from the initial tests pointed to the reconsideration of the materials of construction. Based on that recommendation a new test bed for the advanced TPT off-gas system, that addresses the issues identified in the fiscal years 2017 and 2018 scoping tests, was designed and constructed. The test bed used high nickel alloys wherever possible to address the previously observed corrosion issues, a redesigned surge tank to permit ease of purging, an improved feed injection system and a more modular system design that allowed testing of incremental increases in system complexity to allow the isolation of any element that results in changes to recovery of target species. Accompanying that design, a multifaceted test plan was completed. The overarching goals of this test series were two-fold. The first goal was to demonstrate the ability to recover both the iodine and tritium that would be released during TPT in a manner that the releases from the fuel can be quantified. The second goal was to demonstrate that the combined recovery system could operate in any of the three proposed TPT modes (once-through air or O₂, recirculating air or O₂, or recirculating NO x ). A total of 22 tests were completed. Ten tests examined tritium behavior under varying operating parameters, 8 tests examined iodine behavior under varying operating parameters, and 4 tests examined both tritium and iodine behavior. Silica gel was used for the tritium sorbent, and AgA or Ag-mordenite (AgZ) was used as the iodine sorbent. The following conclusions were drawn: Full recovery is achieved for both sorbates when no sorbent is in place indicating no accumulation within the test system. In even the simplest of the configurations (i.e., no sorbents in the columns), iodine is more difficult to transport and recover from the system than tritium. Analysis of the AgA iodine sorbent beds from the integrated tritium and iodine tests indicate quantitative iodine recovery can be achieved (within anticipated experimental errors). This system may provide a means for the quantification of the iodine released by the ATPT process within the experimental uncertainties. This would support 0.33 to 1.00 kg demonstrations of the ATPT process with actual used nuclear fuel. Iodine penetrated further into AgZ than into AgA when operated in gas recirculation mode. Tritium adsorbs to and cannot be fully recovered from the 10-cm column of silica gel at regeneration temperatures up to 140 °C.; Tritium adsorbs to and cannot be recovered from the 10-cm column of AgA at desorption temperatures up to 200 °C. Co-adsorbed tritium was recovered to a greater extent from AgZ than from AgA, but recovery was not complete. No visible corrosion was observed in the test system.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Coalescence growth mechanism of inserted tin dioxide belts in polycrystalline SnO2-based ceramics

Highlights: • Grain growth in SnO{sub 2}-based varistors was studied. • The growth of 1D SnO{sub 2} belts in the SnO{sub 2}-CoO-Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} system occurs by coalescence process. • Cross-Section and Tomography images showed tridimensional and pore free “giant grains”. • TEM was used to prove the alignment of the grains towards the SnO{sub 2} belt. • The coalescence growth just occurs with 1D structure and grains having the same crystal structure. - Abstract: SnO{sub 2}-based varistors have been considered promising technological devices. However their practical application is usually stated as limited to high voltage circuits based on the high breakdown electric field exhibited by these ceramics. Recently, authors have shown that the insertion of one-dimensional (1D) SnO{sub 2} belts allows overcoming this limitation. In this work, we present a detailed study of the growth mechanism of the belts inside varistors using electron microscopy techniques. We were able to show that mass transport has an intrinsic dependence on the sintering time and requires similar crystalline structure between the belts and the matrix. Dual beam and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques permitted determining that 3D growth of belts occurs by coalescence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2017

Small Scale Field Test Demonstrating CO 2 Sequestration In Arbuckle Saline Aquifer And By CO 2 -Eor At Wellington Field, Sumner County, Kansas

The objectives of this project are to understand the processes that occur when a maximum of 70,000 metric tonnes of CO 2 are injected into two different formations to evaluate the response in different lithofacies and depositional environments. The evaluation will be accomplished through the use of both in situ and indirect MVA (monitoring, verification, and accounting) technologies. The project will optimize for carbon storage accounting for 99% of the CO 2 using lab and field testing and comprehensive characterization and modeling techniques. Site characterization and CO 2 injection should demonstrate state-of-the-art MVA tools and techniques to monitor and visualize the injected CO 2 plume and to refine geomodels developed using nearly continuous core, exhaustive wireline logs, and well tests and a multi-component 3-D seismic survey. Reservoir simulation studies will map the injected CO 2 plume and estimate tonnage of CO 2 stored in solution, as residual gas, and by mineralization and integrate MVA results and reservoir models shall be used to evaluate CO 2 leakage. A rapid-response mitigation plan was developed to minimize CO 2 leakage and provide a comprehensive risk management strategy. The CO 2 was intended to be supplied from a reliable facility and have an adequate delivery and quality of CO 2 . However, several unforeseen circumstances complicated this plan: (1) the initially negotiated CO 2 supply facility went offline and contracts associated with CO 2 supply had to be renegotiated, (2) a UIC Class VI permit proved to be difficult to obtain due to the experimental nature of the project. Both subjects are detailed in separate deliverables attached to this report. The CO 2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and geologic storage in Mississippian carbonate reservoir was sucessully deployed. Approximately 20,000 metric tons of CO 2 was injected in the upper part of the Mississippian reservoir to verify CO 2 EOR viability in carbonate reservoirs and evaluate a potential of transitioning to geologic CO 2 storage through EOR. A total of 1,101 truckloads, 19,803 metric tons—an average of 120 tonnes per day—were delivered over the course of injection that lasted from January 9 to June 21, 2016. After cessation of CO 2 injection, the KGS 2-32 well was converted to water injector and continues to operate. CO 2 EOR progression in the field was monitored weekly with fluid level, temperature, and production recording and formation fluid composition sampling. It is important to note that normally, CO 2 EOR pilots are less efficient than commercial operations due to lack of directional and precise well control, lack of surface facilities for CO 2 recycling, and other factors. As a result of this pilot CO 2 injection, the observed incremental average oil production increase was ~68% with only ~18% of injected CO 2 produced back. Decline curve analysis forecasts of additional cumulative oil produced were 32.44M STB to the end of 2027. Wellington Mississippian pilot efficiency by the end of forecast calculations is 11 MCF per barrel of produced oil. Using 32M STB oil production and $1,964,063 cost of CO 2 , CO 2 EOR cost per barrel of oil production is ~$60. Simple but robust monitoring technologies proved to be very efficient in detecting and locating CO 2 . High CO 2 reservoir retentions with low yields within an actively producing field could help to estimate real-world risks of CO 2 geological storage for future projects. The Wellington Field CO 2 EOR was executed in a controlled environment with high efficiency. This case study proves that CO 2 EOR could be successfully applied in Kansas carbonate reservoirs if CO 2 sources and associated infrastructure are available. Recent developments in unconventional resources development in Mid-Continent USA and associated large volume disposal of backflow water and the resulting seismic activity have brought more focus and attention to the Arbuckle Group in southern Kansas. Despite the commercial interest, limited essential information about reservoir properties and structural elements has impeded the management and regulation of disposal, an issue brought to the forefront by recent seismicity in and near areas of large volumes and rates of brine disposal. The Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) collected, compiled, and analyzed available data, including well logs, core data, step rate tests, drill stem tests, 2-D and 3-D seismic data, water level measurements, and others types of data. Several exploratory wells were drilled and core was collected and modern suites of logs were analyzed. Reservoir properties were populated into several site-specific geological models. The geological models illustrate the highly heterogeneous nature of the Arbuckle Group. Vertical and horizontal variability results in several distinct hydro-stratigraphic units that are the result of both depositional and diagenetic processes. During the course of this project, it has been demonstrated that advanced seismic interpretation methods can be used successfully for characterization of the Mississippian reservoir and Arbuckle saline aquifer. Analysis of post-stack 3-D seismic data at the Mississippian reservoir showed the response of a gradational velocity transition. Pre-stack gather analysis showed that porosity zones of the Mississippian and Arbuckle reservoirs exhibit characteristic amplitude versus offset (AVO) response. Simultaneous AVO inversion estimated P- and S-impedances. The 3-D survey gather azimuthal anisotropy analysis (AVAZ) provided information about the fault and fracture network and showed good agreement to the regional stress field and well data. Mississippian reservoir porosity and fracture predictions agreed well with the observed mobility of injected CO 2 in KGS well 2-32. Fluid substitution modeling predicted acoustic impedance reduction in the Mississippian carbonate reservoir introduced by the presence of CO 2 . Seismicity in the United States midcontinent has increased by orders of magnitude over the past decade. Spatiotemporal correlations of seismicity to wastewater injection operations have suggested that injection-related pore fluid pressure increases are inducing the earthquakes. In this investigation, we examine earthquake occurrence in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma and its relation to the change in pore pressure. The main source of data comes from the Wellington Array in the Wellington oil field, in Sumner County, Kansas, which has monitored for earthquakes in central Sumner County, Kansas, since early 2015. The seismometer array was established to monitor CO 2 injection operations at Wellington Field. Although no seismicity was detected in association with the spring 2016 Mississippian CO 2 injection, the array has recorded more than 2,500 earthquakes in the region and is providing valuable understanding to induced seismicity. A catalog of earthquakes was built from this data and was analyzed for spatial and temporal changes, stress information, and anisotropy information. The region of seismic concern has been shown to be expanding through use of the Wellington earthquake catalog, which has revealed a northward progression of earthquake activity reaching the metropolitan area of Wichita. The stress orientation was also calculated from this earthquake catalog through focal mechanism inversion. The calculated stress orientation was confirmed through comparison to other stress measurements from well data and previous earthquake studies in the region. With this knowledge of the stress orientation, the anisotropy in the basement could be understood. This allowed for the anisotropy measurements to be correlated to pore pressure increases. The increase in pore pressure was monitored through time-lapse shear-wave anisotropy analysis. Since the onset of the observation period in 2010, the orientation of the fast shear wave has rotated 90°, indicating a change associated with critical pore pressure build up. The time delay between fast and slow shear wave arrivals has increased, indicating a corresponding increase in anisotropy induced by pore pressure rise. In-situ near-basement fluid pressure measurements corroborate the continuous pore pressure increase revealed by the shear-wave anisotropy analysis over the earthquake monitoring period. This research is the first to identify a change in pore fluid pressure in the basement using seismological data and it was recently published in the AAAS journal Science Advances (Nolte et al., 2017). The shear-wave splitting analysis is a novel application of the technique, which can be used in other regions to identify an increase in pore pressure. This increasing pore fluid pressure has become more regionally extensive as earthquakes are occurring in southern Kansas, where they previously were absent. These monitoring techniques and analyses provide new insight into mitigating induced seismicity’s impact on society.

02 PETROLEUM↗

DOE OSTI2021

Five percent measurement of the gravitational constant in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We perform a novel test of General Relativity by measuring the gravitational constant in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC contains six well-studied Cepheid variable stars in detached eclipsing binaries. Radial velocity and photometric observations enable a complete orbital solution, and precise measurements of the Cepheids’ periods permit detailed stellar modelling. Both are sensitive to the strength of gravity, the former via Kepler’s third law and the latter through the gravitational free-fall time. We jointly fit the observables for stellar parameters and the gravitational constant. Performing a full Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis of the parameter space including all relevant nuisance parameters, we constrain the gravitational constant in the Large Magellanic Cloud relative to the Solar System to be G LMC /G SS = $0.93{^{+0.05}_{-0.04}}$. We discuss the implications of this 5% measurement of Newton’s constant in another galaxy for dark energy and modified gravity theories. This result excludes one Cepheid, CEP-1812, which is an outlier and needs further study: it is either a highly unusual system to which our model does not apply, or it prefers G LMC < G SS at 2.6σ. We also obtain new bounds on critical parameters that appear in semi-analytic descriptions of stellar processes. In particular, we measure the mixing length parameter to be $α = 0.90{^{+0.36}_{-0.26}}$ (when assumed to be constant across our sample), and obtain constraints on the parameters describing turbulent dissipation and convective flux.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Thunderstorms With the Greatest Lightning Densities on Earth

The most intense thunderstorms on Earth were surveyed using the comprehensive meteorological instrumentation on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. Expansive land-based Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) were consistently identified among the Earth's most intense thunderstorms, with their organization into many convective cells spanning a large areal extent permitting exceptional overall flash rates for these storms. In this study, we identify a new class of extreme thunderstorm. Lightning-dense thunderstorms are relatively compact convective storms whose concentrated lightning activity hinders our ability to accurately measure their flash rates. The top storms have a flash rate of one flash spanning many seconds, as there is insufficient separation to distinguish one flash from another. While any particularly active convective cell could be capable of producing high lightning densities, we find that thunderstorms with the greatest lightning densities on Earth are found in maritime thunderstorms that have not been appreciated in prior work due to the inaccurate flash rate measurements. These storms that are mostly found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and east of South Africa (among other coastal and oceanic regions) have measured TRMM proxies for convective intensity that rival the top MCS thunderstorms, but their horizontal and vertical dimensions are small by comparison. Thus, the necessary microphysical elements for electrification processes are more highly concentrated, enabling the observed extreme lightning densities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

The Thunderstorms With the Greatest Lightning Densities on Earth

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Fracture-matrix fluid exchange in oil-bearing unconventional mudstones

The poromechanical properties of unconventional reservoir materials are in large part dictated by their mineralogy. Since these properties govern the response to stress experienced during hydraulic fracturing, fluid production, and fluid injection, they play a central role in the formation of microcracks or bedding delaminations which ultimately dominate mass transport. In this work we study access to the porosity of end member unconventional reservoir materials, where the end members are predominantly dictated by carbonate content. Access to the porosity is quantified using state of the art 3D x-ray computed tomography coupled with physics informed data analytics. Xenon gas, which attenuates x-rays, provides a spatiotemporal map of access to the porosity. The accessible porosity is quantified over a range of net confining stress relevant to the manmade disturbances listed above. These experiments demonstrate that heavily carbonated mudstones are nearly impermeable at the core (~ cm) scale, while carbonate free analogues afford better access to the microstructure. Consistent with previous qualitative 2D radiographs, access to the interior of the clastic mudstones is first observed along planar microcracks, followed by slow penetration into the surrounding matrix. Physics informed data analytics of the 3D tomography measurements presented here show that these microcracks do not permit uniform access to the adjacent rock matrix. In addition, variation of the effective pressure elucidates the mechanisms that govern fracture/matrix fluid exchange. Under conditions consistent with hydrocarbon production fluid accumulates in the immediate vicinity of the nearest microcrack. While there is clear evidence that, as intended, part of this accumulation is from the more distant matrix, fluid is also squeezed out of the microcrack. The fluid build-up at the microcrack indicates that migration out of the rock is hindered by the coupled poroelastic response of the microcrack and adjacent rock matrix. We show that these mechanisms ultimately account for the meager oil recovery factors realized in practice. These insights have implications for making reservoir scale predictions based on core scale observations, and provide a basis for devising new asset development techniques to access more porosity, and enhance fluid extraction. Finally, these findings shed light on key features and mechanisms that govern shale storage capacity, with relevance to other important industrial processes, such as geologic CO 2 storage.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2017

microMS: A Python Platform for Image-Guided Mass Spectrometry Profiling

Image-guided mass spectrometry (MS) profiling provides a facile framework for analyzing samples ranging from single cells to tissue sections. The fundamental workflow utilizes a whole-slide microscopy image to select targets of interest, determine their spatial locations, and subsequently perform MS analysis at those locations. Improving upon prior reported methodology, a software package was developed for working with microscopy images. microMS, for microscopy-guided mass spectrometry, allows the user to select and profile diverse samples using a variety of target patterns and mass analyzers. Written in Python, the program provides an intuitive graphical user interface to simplify image-guided MS for novice users. The class hierarchy of instrument interactions permits integration of new MS systems while retaining the feature-rich image analysis framework. microMS is a versatile platform for performing targeted profiling experiments using a series of mass spectrometers. The flexibility in mass analyzers greatly simplifies serial analyses of the same targets by different instruments. The current capabilities of microMS are presented, and its application for off-line analysis of single cells on three distinct instruments is demonstrated. The software has been made freely available for research purposes. .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2024

Ultraviolet-Activated Solid-State Nitrene Cross-Linking: A Scalable Pathway to Prolonged Lifespan in Anion Exchange Membranes

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) offer a cost-effective alternative to proton exchange membranes as alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers permit the use of non-platinum group electrodes and components. Despite continued progress, the operational lifetime and stability of these membranes limit the widespread adoption of AEM-based electrochemical technologies. This study presents a flexible and easily implemented ultraviolet (UV)-initiated nitrene-based cross-linking method which uses a small, facile organic azide precursor. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate this approach on the well-studied poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) quaternary ammonium AEM (QPPO) polyelectrolyte. Further, a survey of cross-linker density (2.5–10 mol %) found that the addition of 10 mol % results in a 59% reduction in water uptake, a 58.8% decrease in the swell ratio, and a 31% increase in tensile strength vs the un-cross-linked material. Nitrene cross-linking also enhanced the membrane’s durability, enabling 1000 h of stable performance under electrochemical load. This UV-initiated cross-linking method may be easily integrated into production processes, allowing chemical cross-linking at any stage, including posthydration.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2020

ORBIT: Offshore Renewables Balance-of-System and Installation Tool

This report describes the Offshore Renewables Balance-of-system Installation Tool ("ORBIT"), a new model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the balance-of-system (BOS) costs associated with offshore wind projects. In the context of wind energy projects BOS costs encompass all expenses required to construct a project other than the capital expenditures (CapEx) of the turbines and towers, including the procurement costs for all other components (such as substructures, cables, and electrical infrastructure), offshore and land-based construction costs, port costs, site surveying fees, permitting fees, and leasing fees are all categorized as BOS costs. BOS costs significantly contribute to the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for offshore wind, typically comprising over 50\% of the CapEx for a fixed-bottom offshore wind project and 60\% for a floating project. In addition, technology solutions and installation methods vary drastically between projects as they are impacted by factors such as vessel availability, geographic considerations and site geotechnical conditions. These effects require a model with appropriate fidelity to understand how these costs scale as turbine rating increases and the offshore wind supply chain, particularly offshore construction vessels, is expanded. For offshore wind, cost savings attributed to increased turbine rating are primarily realized through BOS procurement and project installation as fewer substructures and less cable are required. BOS costs represent both a modeling challenge, as well as an opportunity, for project developers to optimize solutions to reduce costs. It is critical to understand how these costs are affected by novel technologies, innovative installation processes, and operational constraints in order identify meaningful cost reductions for offshore wind energy.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

MALDI MS Imaging at Acquisition Rates Exceeding 100 Pixels per Second

The practicality of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) applied to molecular imaging of biological tissues is limited by the analysis speed. Typically, a relatively low speed of stop-and-go micromotion of XY stages is considered as a factor substantially reducing the rate with which fresh sample material can be supplied to the laser spot. The sample scan rate in our laboratory-built high-throughput imaging TOF mass spectrometer was significantly improved through the use of a galvanometer-based optical scanner performing fast laser spot repositioning on a target plate. The optical system incorporated into the ion source of our MALDI TOF mass spectrometer allowed focusing the laser beam via a modified grid into a 10-μm round spot. This permitted the acquisition of high-resolution MS images with a well-defined pixel size at acquisition rates exceeding 100 pixel/s. The influence of selected parameters on the total MS imaging time is discussed. The new scanning technique was employed to display the distribution of an antitumor agent in 3D colorectal adenocarcinoma cell aggregates; a single MS image comprising 100 × 100 pixels with 10-μm lateral resolution was recorded in approximately 70 s. .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗