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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

PeakQC: A Software Tool for Omics-Agnostic Automated Quality Control of Mass Spectrometry Data

Mass spectrometry is broadly employed to study complex molecular mechanisms in various biological and environmental fields, enabling 'omics' research such as proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. As study cohorts grow larger and more complex with dozens to hundreds of samples, the need for robust quality control (QC) measures through automated software tools becomes paramount to ensure the integrity, high quality, and validity of scientific conclusions from downstream analyses and minimize the waste of resources. Since existing QC tools are mostly dedicated to proteomics, automated solutions supporting metabolomics are needed. To address this need, we developed the software PeakQC, a tool for automated QC of MS data that is independent of omics molecular types (i.e., omics-agnostic). It allows automated extraction and inspection of peak metrics of precursor ions (e.g., errors in mass, retention time, arrival time) and supports various instrumentations and acquisition types, from infusion experiments or using liquid chromatography and/or ion mobility spectrometry front-end separations and with/without fragmentation spectra from data-dependent or independent acquisition analyses. Diagnostic plots for fragmentation spectra are also generated. Here, in this paper, we describe and illustrate PeakQC’s functionalities using different representative data sets, demonstrating its utility as a valuable tool for enhancing the quality and reliability of omics mass spectrometry analyses.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ex situ calibration of the scattered-light time-history diagnostic on the National Ignition Facility

The scattered-light time-history diagnostic (SLTD) suite measures time-resolved scattered light in three wavelength bands: stimulated Brillouin scattering (350–352 nm), stimulated Raman scattering (430–760 nm), and plasma emission at half the laser frequency (695–735 nm), at 15 locations around the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber. The SLTD, along with the full-aperture backscatter station (FABS), collects scattered light from direct- and indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments. The SLTD calibration was revisited after a discrepancy between FABS and SLTD measurements was observed on NIF polar direct-drive experiments. An integrated calibration of the SLTD was performed for the first time, and individual components were also calibrated for the wavelengths of 351, 527, and 532 nm. The optical transmission of the instrument was measured to be (1.12 ± 0.04) × 10 –7 and (1.96 ± 0.11) × 10 –7 for the wavelengths of 351 and 532 nm, respectively. The revised calibration at 351 nm brings the SLTD measured scattered energy in agreement with the FABS measured scattered energy after additionally accounting for the degradation of an optical element in FABS. Furthermore, this decreased the inferred absorption by 7% for a representative experiment. However, discrepancies remain between FABS and SLTD measurements in the SRS band (532 nm).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Industrial deposition of wavelength-shifting films for liquid argon photon detection systems

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Phase-II Far Detector is considering an approximately 2000 m 2 photon detection system to achieve a target mean light yield of 180 PE/MeV. Meeting this requirement demands scalable, cost-effective, and high-quality wavelength-shifter (WLS) coatings capable of converting 127 nm liquid-argon scintillation light into visible photons with controlled and reproducible optical performance. We report on the successful realization of an industrial physical vapor deposition (PVD) process forp-terphenyl (pTP) coatings, adapted from vacuum deposition techniques developed for OLED display manufacturing, to produce uniform WLS layers on large-area inorganic substrates, a task traditionally challenged by adhesion and uniformity issues at organic-inorganic interfaces. Surface characterization by profilometry and spectroscopic measurements demonstrates edge-region thickness variation below 10% and emission spectra consistent with high-quality pTP reference samples. The industrial process demonstrates reproducibility, scalability, and significantly reduced production time compared to laboratory-based methods, while maintaining optical characteristics consistent with established pTP reference samples. These results establish a viable pathway for mass production of high-performance pTP coatings for DUNE FD3 and future neutrino experiments, from a coating manufacturing and process standpoint. Detector-level performance validation, including quantitative VUV conversion efficiency measurements at 127 nm, is identified as future work.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

ThunderDOEME: A Seismoacoustic Deployment at Langmuir Observatory

This report documents a two-month deployment of seismoacoustic instrumentation at the Langmuir Observatory, located outside Socorro, New Mexico. A total of eleven Fairfield Nodal Seismometers and fifteen GEM infrasound loggers were deployed from June 2 to August 5, 2025. The nodal seismometers recorded data for an average of 34 days, while the GEMs had variable operational durations throughout the deployment period. The primary objective was to capture thunder signals using seismoacoustic instrumentation, contributing to a better understanding of the acoustic and seismic phenomena associated with thunder. Coinciding with this deployment, optical and electric field sensors were present, providing information regarding the timing and location of lightning strikes in the region. Additionally, triggered lightning strikes were conducted, serving as a ground truth for validating the captured thunder signals. Preliminary analysis of the data reveals clear thunder signals in both the seismic and infrasound recordings, with peak frequencies observed across a range of 4 to 40 Hz, depending on the event.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Stereo Cameras for Clouds (STEREOCAM) Instrument Handbook

The three pairs of stereo camera setups aim to provide synchronized and stereo calibrated time series of images that can be used for 3D cloud mask reconstruction. Each camera pair is positioned at approximately 120 degrees from the other pair, with a 17o-19o pitch angle from the ground, and at 5-6 km distance from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Central Facility at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility Southern Great Plains (SGP) observatory to cover the region from northeast, northwest, and southern views. Images from both cameras of the same stereo setup can be paired together to obtain 3D reconstruction by triangulation. 3D reconstructions from the ring of three stereo pairs can be combined together to generate a 3D mask from surrounding views. This handbook delivers all stereo reconstruction parameters of the cameras necessary to make 3D reconstructions from the stereo camera images.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Soft X-ray quantum efficiency of a commercial CMOS imaging sensor

The demonstrated performance and cost-effectiveness of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors make them a potentially attractive option for low-cost space-based X-ray observatories. We have previously reported on the performance of a commercially available backside-illuminated Sony IMX290LLR-C CMOS sensor and found it to offer X-ray spectral resolutions comparable to the charged coupled devices (CCDs) aboard Suzaku and Chandra and to have a sufficient radiation hardness for use in low Earth orbit. Here, in this work, we report on the quantum efficiency (QE) of this sensor, an essential metric for modeling the sensitivity of an instrument as an X-ray detector. Using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, we measure the soft X-ray QE of this CMOS sensor to be 0.28 ± 0.02 at a photon energy of 490.5 eV. This energy was chosen for its proximity to the astrophysically important O VII triplet emission lines (~574 eV) studied by the HaloSat mission. Although not surpassing that of the back-illuminated CCDs aboard Suzaku and Chandra, this QE compares favorably to that of the front-illuminated CCDs aboard the same observatories and is competitive with that of the silicon drift detectors used aboard HaloSat, making it a strong candidate for use on future X-ray small satellite (SmallSat) missions.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

A multi-scale cognitive interaction model of instrument operations at the Linac Coherent Light Source

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is the world’s first x-ray free electron laser. It is a scientific user facility operated by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, at Stanford, for the U.S. Department of Energy. As beam time at LCLS is extremely valuable and limited, experimental efficiency—getting the most high quality data in the least time—is critical. Our overall project employs cognitive engineering methodologies with the goal of improving experimental efficiency and increasing scientific productivity at LCLS by refining experimental interfaces and workflows, simplifying tasks, reducing errors, and improving operator safety and stress. Here, in this study, we describe a multi-agent, multi-scale computational cognitive interaction model of instrument operations at LCLS. Our model simulates the aspects of human cognition at multiple cognitive and temporal scales, ranging from seconds to hours, and among agents playing multiple roles, including instrument operator, real time data analyst, and experiment manager. The model can roughly predict impacts stemming from proposed changes to operational interfaces and workflows. Example results demonstrate the model’s potential in guiding modifications to improve operational efficiency. We discuss the implications of our effort for cognitive engineering in complex experimental settings and outline future directions for research. The model is open source, and the videos of the supplementary material provide extensive detail.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Linear Reciprocating Tribometer for In Situ Neutron Reflectometry of Soft Matter

Neutron reflectometry is a technique for measuring structure near planar interfaces that has been previously used to non-destructively characterize the polymer density of hydrated, dilute, and soft materials. Previous investigations have conducted neutron reflectometry measurements of liquids, gels, emulsion, and polymer solutions at rest, in compression, and subject to shear stress. However, correlating structure with tribological properties of soft materials presents significant experimental challenges for prior instruments due to wall slip, sample thickness, and structural heterogeneity (e.g., depth-wise gradients). A linear reciprocating tribometer offers several advantages for in situ neutron reflectometry studies, including uniform velocity profiles, constant shear stress over large regions of interest, and independent control of normal force and sliding velocity during measurements. This work outlines basic considerations for the design of a custom linear reciprocating tribometer that operates in a neutron beamline and includes commissioning measurements. The tribometer is designed to compress soft and hydrated materials against linearly reciprocating silicon disks. The three key design considerations for this tribometer are (1) safety, (2) neutron transmission, and (3) sample positioning. This instrument design will enable in situ studies of soft matter and illuminate the role of interfacial structure on tribological phenomena.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

AmeriFlux Measurement Component Instrument Handbook

An AMC system was installed at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s North Slope Alaska (NSA) Barrow site, also known as NSA C1 at the ARM Data Archive, in August 2012. A second AMC system was installed at the third ARM Mobile Facility deployment at Oliktok Point, also known as NSA M1. This in situ system consists of 12 combination soil temperature and volumetric water content (VWC) reflectometers and one set of upwelling and downwelling PAR sensors, all deployed within the fetch of the Eddy Correlation Flux Measurement System. Soil temperature and VWC sensors placed at two depths (10 and 30 cm below the vegetation layer) at six locations (or microsites) allow soil property inhomogeneity to be monitored across a landscape. The soil VWC and temperature sensors used at NSA C1 are the Campbell Scientific CS650L and the sensors at NSA M1 use the Campbell Scientific CS655. The two sensors are nearly identical in function, and vendor specifications are based on the CS650 unless otherwise stated.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Risk-informed Graded Approach for Reliability and Performance Assessment of Sensor and Instrumentation Systems within Advanced Condition Monitoring Technologies

Advanced condition monitoring (ACM) technologies, such as digital twins, are innovative strategies designed to provide real-time health insights, including the remaining useful life of components. The primary goal of ACM is to predict and alert operators to potential functional failures before they occur. ACM systems achieve this by integrating predictive models with various sensor instrumentation, analog-to-digital converters, data warehouses, and data pre-processors. These sensor and instrumentation systems (SIS) are essential for forming a comprehensive understanding of component conditions and ensuring the predictive success of ACM programs. Introducing new technologies like ACM involves varying degrees of risk that can impact plant reliability. Therefore, risk mitigation should be commensurate with the performance and reliability of the developed technology, following a risk-informed graded approach (RIGA). Establishing a RIGA process requires a clear understanding of the hazards and reliability of all subsystems, including their interdependencies and potential impacts on the overall system. Given the critical role of SIS in ACM, this work reviews hazard identification and reliability quantification methods for SIS. It also considers these methods' implications when developing a RIGA process for ACM.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Compact in situ probe for magnetotransport measurements of 2D materials under variable tensile strain

The recent development of freestanding oxide membranes has opened new opportunities for strain engineering of transition metal oxides beyond values accessible in bulk samples. While a number of studies have been performed with fixed strain, the ability to dynamically control the strain state during measurement would be greatly enabling. To this end, we present an in situ uniaxial strain probe optimized for transport measurements of tensile-strained 2D or quasi-2D materials down to 2 K. Utilizing a flexible polyimide substrate as the stress transfer medium, our platform simplifies the sample preparation process and allows precise alignment of strain fields relative to the crystalline axes. An in situ optical microscope monitors the macroscopic strain state operando and makes it possible to complete an entire magnetotransport study at cryogenic temperatures under continuous strain variations. We demonstrate the capabilities of the probe on a freestanding LaNiO 3 membrane, where we induce tensile strain up to 8% and observe a corresponding strong transport anisotropy. In view of the rapid developments in low-dimensional materials synthesis and the plethora of novel quantum phenomena they exhibit, this strain probe provides general instrumentation for examining and controlling these properties via strain.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2026

Tethered Balloon System (TBS) Instrument Handbook

The Tethered Balloon System (TBS) is an unmanned aerial system composed of a helium-filled balloon, tether, winch, and sensors. Individual components of the system may change with each flight based on the desired measurements, atmospheric conditions, and flight strategy. The TBS operates within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s R-2204 Restricted Airspace, which encompasses a two-nautical-mile radius centered on Oliktok Point, Alaska that is segmented by altitude into R-2204 Low (0-1,499’ MSL or 0-457 m MSL) and R-2204 High (1,500-6,999’ MSL or 457-2133 m MSL). The TBS may operate outside of R-2204 if allowed to do so under a Certificate of Authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modular Subsurface Sensors and Integrated Software for Advanced Subsurface Characterization and Monitoring using Unoccupied Vehicles

The advent and subsequent proliferation of autonomous airborne, waterborne, and groundbased vehicles (i.e., “drones”) promises to broadly transform the geosciences and associated industries, including fossil energy exploration and development, mineral resource exploration and development, water-resource management, and environmental remediation. For geophysical characterization and monitoring, the prospect of programming highly repeatable and low-cost drone missions for subsurface imaging will allow for deployments in hazardous and previously inaccessible areas. Coupled with autonomous workflows for data processing, management, and visualization, drone-based geophysical characterization and monitoring will enable unprecedented, real-time insight into diverse subsurface properties and processes of scientific and engineering importance. Toward this end, the objectives of this Lab Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project were to develop new (1) instrumentation for dronebased electromagnetic induction (EMI) geophysical imaging, including separated transmitter and receivers and associated electronics, (2) software for real-time data telemetry, processing, management, and visualization. Although EMI has been previously deployed using unoccupied aerial systems (UASs), these applications failed to capitalize on the game-changing capabilities of drone platforms. Whereas drone-based data acquisition allows for collection of rich, three-dimensional (3D) multi-offset/multi-angle configurations between transmitters and receivers, past efforts have relied on conventional instrumentation that was designed for ground-based data collection with the transmitter and a single receiver housed in the same unit; nor did these previous applications demonstrate real-time delivery of results to support rapid management decisions in the field. In this 1-year project, we (1) designed and constructed new lightweight independent transmitter and receiver antenna platforms that communicate with a laptop computer; (2) developed software to control data acquisition, manage/transfer data, and visualize data as its collected; and (3) demonstrated the operation of the new hardware and software systems in a ground-based field test. Our work entails major technological advances for EMI and established a foundation on which to build a new drone-based, real-time geophysical EMI imaging capability to support diverse challenges facing the nation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

The chemRIXS Instrument for Solution-Phase Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering at the Linac Coherent Light Source

The chemRIXS instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) offers new opportunities for studying solution-phase systems with time-resolved soft X-ray spectroscopic methods such as resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) using the recently commissioned high-repetition-rate LCLS-II X-ray free electron laser. The orders-of-magnitude X-ray flux improvement provided by the superconducting accelerator, combined with corresponding advances in the optical laser system and the liquid jet recirculation system, enables studies on dilute systems with high signal-to-noise compared to what was possible with the LCLS-I copper accelerator. These capabilities open up time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy and RIXS to entirely new classes of samples, as well as enabling the development of new soft X-ray spectroscopic methods on liquid samples. An overview of the beamline components and the first LCLS-II commissioning results are presented.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Characterization of SimulCam, a standoff Raman system for scientific support of SuperCam operations on Mars

During the development activities of SuperCam Calibration Target, target intended for one of the two first Raman instruments to be deployed on another planetary body, our group developed a laboratory instrument that could simulate to some extent the Raman capabilities of one of such instruments and could provide data with similar quality. The use of this kind of laboratory instruments has demonstrated its utility in the evaluation of potential calibration targets or anticipating the science outcome that an instrument could provide. The present work describes our laboratory setup to support SuperCam, evaluating similarities between both instruments, despite of differences in the hardware. Evaluation of data gathered by SuperCam on Mars and the availability of one replica of SuperCam’s Calibration Target allowed the comparison on the same set of targets, demonstrating how similar Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) could be achieved from both instruments. The higher energy per pulse on SimulCam is compensated by a greater analytical footprint and the use of smaller collection optics. The results show how spectra obtained at representative distances of SuperCam are comparable. Operational principles are also comparable in terms of time resolution, and close in terms of spectral resolution. This similarity has allowed different science support works using SimulCam data, as well as the support to Mars detections using our setup. We provide examples of this support that will be shared with the community in different papers, as well as examples of possible operations activities that could benefit from experiments performed with SimulCam. We show how this setup can complement the two laboratory replicas in Los Alamos and Toulouse in providing support data to different experiments.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Laboratory and field assessment of mid-infrared absorption (MIRA) instrument performance for methane and ethane dry mole fractions

Concurrent measurements of methane (CH 4 ) and ethane (C 2 H 6 ) can be used to identify and separate methane sources, as ethane is present in thermogenic sources (e.g., oil and natural gas) but not in biogenic sources (e.g., agriculture). In this study, we evaluated the performance of multiple Aeris MIRA Ultra instruments (Versions 1 and 2) through controlled laboratory tests and tower-based deployments under field conditions. The systems were modified with an external pump, flow control, a Nafion dryer, and a custom-built auxiliary box to automate the system and transmit near real-time data. We determined the best calibration approach for our application, given practical limitations, to be a full calibration cycle (with ambient and high calibration cylinders) about once per day and an ambient calibration cylinder sampled hourly. Measurement uncertainty was assessed, including the uncertainty due to instrument noise as a function of calibration frequency, uncertainty in the water vapor correction, and cylinder assignment uncertainty. Instrument noise was the dominant source of uncertainty for C 2 H 6 , while the water vapor correction dominated the CH 4 uncertainty. For Version 2 systems with hourly calibrations and a Nafion dryer with counterflow, the mean total uncertainty, including both systematic errors and noise, of hourly averages was 0.8–3.0 ppb CH 4 and 0.35–0.37 ppb C 2 H 6 . Laboratory intercomparisons showed network compatibility within 1.2 ppb CH 4 and 0.23 ppb C 2 H6, and a collocated deployment with a NOAA Picarro system agreed within 1.8 ppb CH 4 . Instrument noise varied substantially amongst the instruments, with errors reaching up to 11 ppb CH 4 and 2 ppb C 2 H 6 for hourly means, with similar variability indicated in a 50 h cylinder test. With appropriate engineering and calibration, the Aeris MIRA Ultra has the potential to distinguish regional methane emission sources in many field settings.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Automated Generation of Weather and Climate Analysis Products

Wind roses are an important part to site operations as they depict the wind speed and direction percentage over a time period. In this project, I automated the production of wind roses for SRS meteorological towers. I developed a script to sequence through the dataset by period and create a wind rose for each of those period sets. Graphics were generated for every 4-hour period of the day, for each of the 4 heights of the instruments, for every half of each month. A 10-year climatological period consisted of wind speed and directions measurements at 15-minute intervals. We used the years 2014-2024 as the wind instruments on the tower were upgraded to sonic anemometers in early 2014. I then compared these wind roses to those from a previous study done in 2003 to analyze the differences and similarities in the wind patterns. The wind roses are also used to understand environmental transport conditions at SRS. When comparing the different heights of the anemometers to the 2003 report, there is a similarity in the fact that the direction is relatively the same across the levels, with the wind speeds increasing as you get higher in the air. When comparing the season of our graphs against the 2003 report, we noticed that the winter and summer months appear to have very similar wind directions. However, in the spring we noticed that there were more southerly winds compared to the 2003 report which had more westerly winds. Finally, in the fall months, we noticed that there was a higher percentage of northeasterly winds, while the 2003 report showed more southeasterly winds. We can use these summaries to estimate the directional dependence of dose that the surrounding areas receive throughout the year according to time of day.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance of a Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) for characterizing radiated noise from marine energy converters

Marine energy converters can generate electricity from energetic ocean waves and water currents. Because sound is extensively used by marine animals, the radiated noise from these systems is of regulatory interest. However, the energetic nature of these locations poses challenges for performing accurate passive acoustic measurements, particularly with stationary platforms. The Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem (DAISY) is a modular hydrophone recording system purpose-built for marine energy environments. Using a flow shield in currents and mass–spring–damper suspension system in waves, we demonstrate that DAISYs can effectively minimize the masking effect of flow noise at frequencies down to 10 Hz. In addition, we show that groups of DAISYs can utilize time-delay-of-arrival post-processing to attribute radiated noise to a specific source. Consequently, DAISYs can rapidly measure radiated noise at all frequencies of interest for prototype marine energy converters. Furthermore, the resulting information from future operational deployments should support regulatory decision-making and allow technology developers to make design adjustments that minimize the potential for acoustic impacts as their systems are scaled up for utility-scale power generation.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗