Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Habitability”

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.

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

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Sizing ice hydrometeor populations using the dual-wavelength radar ratio

Dual-wavelength (3.2 and 0.32 cm, i.e., X- and W-radar bands) radar ratio (DWR) measurements in ice clouds and precipitation using Canada's National Research Council Institute for Aerospace Research airborne radar are compared to closely collocated particle microphysical in situ sampling data in order to develop relations between DWR and characteristic hydrometeor size. This study uses the radar and in situ data sets collected during the In-Cloud ICing and Large-drop Experiment (ICICLE) campaign in midlatitude frontal clouds. Since atmospheric particle scattering at X band is predominantly in the Rayleigh regime and the W-band frequency is the highest frequency usually used for hydrometeor remote sensing, the X–W-band combination provides a relatively strong dual-wavelength reflectivity difference. This study considers radar and in situ measurements conducted in relatively homogeneous cloud and precipitation conditions. Measurements show that under these conditions, the difference between the X-band radar reflectivities observed with vertical and horizontal pointing of the radar beam are generally small and often negligible. However, W-band reflectivities at vertical beam pointing are, on average, larger than those for horizontal beam pointing by about 4 dB, which is a non-Rayleigh scattering effect from preferentially oriented non-spherical particles. A horizontal radar beam DWR–mean volume particle size relation, D v , provides robust estimates of this characteristic size for populations of particles with different habits. Uncertainties of D v retrievals using DWR are around 0.6 mm when D v is greater than approximately 1 mm. Size estimates using vertical radar beam DWRs have larger uncertainties due to smaller dual-wavelength signals and stronger influences of hydrometeor habits and orientations at this geometry of beam pointing. Mean relations among different characteristic sizes, which describe the entire particle size distribution (PSD), such as D v , and other sizes used in various applications (e.g., the mean, effective, and median sizes) are derived, so the results of this study can be used for estimating different PSD characteristic sizes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Tools for pressure core sub-coring and pore-scale micro-CT (computed tomography) scans

Abstract. The pore habits of gas hydrate in natural sediment matrices provide essential clues for understanding physical (mechanical, thermal, hydraulic, and electrical) properties of hydrate-bearing sediments, yet there are no tools that can directly visualize the pore habits of natural gas hydrate other than indirect interpretation based on core-scale or field-scale observations. A significant challenge is to obtain a mini-core from pressure cores retrieved from natural reservoirs for high-resolution micro-CT (computed tomography) scans while maintaining pressure and temperature conditions required for stability of gas hydrate during all operational steps including manipulation, cutting, transferring, sub-coring and CT scanning. We present a new set of tools for pore-scale micro-CT imaging of natural hydrate-bearing sediments while maintaining pressure and temperature control. The tests with laboratory-prepared cores and pressure cores successfully demonstrate the capability of this set of tools to subsample a mini-core from pressure cores, transfer the mini-core to an X-ray transparent core holder, and conduct micro-CT scans. Successfully obtained CT images prove the functionality of this set of tools.

Seol, Yongkoo↗
DOE OSTI2021

Consumer Guide to Fuel Economy

Learn how good driving habits and maintaining your car can improve your fuel economy, as well as other ways to save fuel. This fact sheet from Energy Saver offers tips for how to save fuel and which driving habits and vehicle maintenance practices will have the greatest effect on your fuel economy.

fuel economy, gas mileage, Energy Saver↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Multiphasic Teeth of Chiton Articulatus , an Abrasion‐Resistant and Self‐Sharpening Tool for Hard Algae Collection

Abstract Chiton articulatus is a species of mollusk living in the tropical Pacific intertidal rocky shores of Mexico. This species feeds on solid waste organic sources, including hard crustose algae that grow on rocky substrates, by grazing on them with its radula, a flexible chitinous membrane lined with mineralized major lateral teeth. In this study, the composition, morphology, and resulting mechanics of the mature teeth of this species, which have yet to be examined, are revealed. The results show the presence of multiphasic mature teeth, each consisting of aligned hard magnetite nanoparticles on the leading edge of the tooth underneath which are magnetite lamellae, followed by goethite, lepidocrocite, and eventually hydroxyapatite near the trailing edge. This multiregional structure demonstrates a gradation in hardness as well as different microstructural features integrated with tough interfaces. The combination of these microstructural and phase arrangements results in an abrasion‐resistant tough structure with a self‐sharpening ability. The results of this work will help contribute to developing new bioinspired designs while also helping to understand the evolution and feeding habits of these intriguing invertebrates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Visualizing the Internal Nanocrystallinity of Calcite Due to Nonclassical Crystallization by 3D Coherent X–Ray Diffraction Imaging

The internal crystallinity of calcite is investigated for samples synthesized using two approaches: precipitation from solution and the ammonium carbonate diffusion method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses reveal that the calcite products precipitated using both approaches have a well–defined rhombohedron shape, consistent with the euhedral crystal habit of the mineral. The internal structure of these calcite crystals is characterized using Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) to determine the 3D electron density and the atomic displacement field. BCDI reconstructions for crystals synthesized using the ammonium carbonate diffusion approach have the expected euhedral shape, with internal strain fields and few internal defects. In contrast, the crystals synthesized by precipitation from solution have very complex external shapes and defective internal structures, presenting null electron density regions and pronounced displacement field distributions. These heterogeneities are interpreted as multiple crystalline domains, created by a nonclassical crystallization mechanism, where smaller nanoparticles coalescence into the final euhedral particles. The combined use of SEM, X–ray diffraction (XRD), and BCDI allows for structurally differentiating calcite crystals grown with different approaches, opening new opportunities to understand how grain boundaries and internal defects alter calcite reactivity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparing Trace Element Bioaccumulation and Depuration in Snails and Mayfly Nymphs at a Coal Ash–Contaminated Site

In this work, we examined the bioaccumulation of essential (Cu, Fe, Se, and Zn) and nonessential (As and Hg) trace elements in 2 aquatic invertebrate species (adult snails and mayfly nymphs) with different feeding habits at the site of a coal ash spill. Differences in food web pathway, exposure concentrations, and biological processing affected bioaccumulation patterns in these species. Mayflies had higher body burdens, but snails had higher retention of most elements studied.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Seasonal non-structural carbohydrate dynamics differ between twig bark and xylem tissues

Despite extensive research non-structural carbohydrate (NSC), the distribution of total NSC (TNC) and its primary components (sugar and starch) to the bark and xylem of twigs remains poorly understood. We determined seasonal NSC dynamics in twig bark and xylem in seven temperate tree species exhibiting different xylem anatomies and leaf habits. Seasonal trends in sugar were similar across species with concentrations peaking at least 15 days earlier in the spring for xylem than bark. Furthermore, evergreens exhibited maximum bark starch concentrations in early spring, followed by declines throughout the growing season, whereas deciduous species exhibited early spring declines in bark starch, followed by late growing season increases. Evergreens exhibited limited seasonal variation in xylem starch concentrations, whereas deciduous species exhibited variation in xylem starch concentrations that was similar to variation in bark starch. With a few exceptions, concentrations and seasonal amplitudes for sugar, starch, and TNC were generally higher in bark than xylem. Sugar concentrations were generally higher than starch, especially in the bark, which resulted in variability of TNC concentrations in bark or xylem. NSC concentrations varied significantly between xylem and the entire twig when bark was not explicitly considered. Averaged across species, sugar, starch, and TNC content in bark accounted for 66%, 54%, and 61% of total twig content, respectively, even though bark only accounted for 53% of the total twig mass. We recommend quantifying bark sugar and starch separately from xylem when determining twig NSC concentration and content.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Developing occupant archetypes within urban low-income housing: A case study in Mumbai, India

Rapid urbanization pressure and poverty have created a push for affordable housing within the global south. The design of affordable housing can have consequences on the thermal (dis)comfort and behaviour of the occupants, hence requiring an occupant-centric approach to ensure sustainability. This paper investigates occupant behaviour within the urban poor households of Mumbai, India and its impact on their thermal comfort and energy use. This study is a first-of-its-kind attempt to explore the socio-demographic characteristics and energy-related behaviour of low-income occupants within Indian context. Three occupant archetypes, Indifferent Consumers; Considerate Savers; and Conscious Conventionals, were identified from the behavioural and psychographic characteristics gathered through a transverse field survey. A two-step clustering approach was adopted for occupant segmentation that highlighted considerable diversity in occupants’ adaptation measures, energy knowledge, energy habits, and their pro-environmental behaviour within similar socio-economic group. Building energy simulation of the representative archetype behaviour estimated up to 37% variations for air-conditioned and up to 8% variation for fan-assisted naturally ventilated housing units during peak summer months. The results from this study establish the significance of occupant factors in shaping energy demand and thermal comfort within low-income housing and pave way for developing occupant-centric building design strategies to serve this marginalized population. The developed low-income occupant archetypes would be useful for architects and energy modelers to generate realistic energy use profiles and improve building performance simulation results.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Synchrotron X-ray microtomography and multifractal analysis for the characterization of pore structure and distribution in softwood pellet biochar

Biochar pores in the micrometer range (1–100 µm) derive from cellular structures of the plant biomass subjected to pyrolysis or can be the result of mechanical processing, such as pelleting. In this study, synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used to investigate the internal pore structure of softwood pellet biochar produced by slow pyrolysis at 550 and 700 °C. The microtomographic data sets consisted of 2025 images of 2560 × 2560 voxels with a voxel side length of 0.87 µm. The three-dimensional reconstructions revealed that pelleting and pyrolysis significantly altered the pore structures of the wood feedstock, creating a network of connected pores between fragments that resembled the wood morphology. While higher pyrolysis temperature increased the specific surface area (as determined by BET nitrogen adsorption), it did not affect the total observed porosity. Multifractal analysis was applied to assess the characteristics of the frequency distribution of pores along each of the three dimensions of reconstructed images of five softwood pellet biochar samples. The resulting singularity and Rényi spectra (generalized dimensions) indicated that the distribution of porosity had monofractal scaling behavior, was homogeneous within the analyzed volumes and consistent between replicate samples. Moreover, the pore distributions were isotropic (direction-independent), which is in strong contrast with the anisotropic pore structure of wood. As pores at the scale analyzed in this study are relevant, for example, for the supply of plant accessible water and habitable space for microorganisms, our findings combined with the ability to reproduce biochar with such pore distribution offer substantial advantages in various biochar applications.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cool rooms for indoor heat resilience: Evaluating affordable cooling strategies in heat-stressed California homes

Extreme heat conditions pose significant indoor survivability challenges for resource-constrained communities, which often lack access to cooling, have poorly insulated homes, and face compounding socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Moreover, concurrent power outages worsen health risks and heat-related illnesses. It is therefore crucial to develop innovative and affordable cooling approaches to protect vulnerable populations. This study assesses the efficacy of “cool rooms”– a designated space within a home equipped with passive and low-power active cooling measures to maintain safe indoor temperatures during extreme heat events and power disruptions. Using a physics-based building energy modeling approach, we evaluate the efficacy of various retrofit packages in maintaining thermal safety within the cool room under recent extreme heat conditions. The results indicate that passive measures can reduce 64% of hours with unmet standard effective temperatures, while the combination of passive and low-power active measures with built-in batteries further cuts this to 86%. Nevertheless, these strategies remain insufficient to maintain indoor thermal safety during extended outages. In contrast, integrating a solar-powered mini-split heat pump, whose technical potential was evaluated in this study, reduces indoor air temperatures below the 28 °C overheating threshold and significantly improves indoor habitability. The localized cool room strategy also offers potential for grid resilience by reducing peak electricity demand by up to 70% compared to whole house cooling during heat waves. The findings can inform the development of actionable heat mitigation plans and retrofit policies for residential communities with relatively low adoption of air conditioning such as warm marine climates.

Cool room↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effects of organic additives on calcium hydroxide crystallisation during lime slaking

Highlights: • Sucrose and lignosulfonate reduce the crystallite size of Ca(OH){sub 2}. • Lime slaking in sucrose solutions leads to Ca(OH)2 with irregular shape. • Lime slaking in presence of lignosulfonate leads to plate-like Ca(OH){sub 2} crystals. • Effects of additives are enhanced when introduced before slaking. • Additives stabilise the unstable edge faces of Ca(OH){sub 2} during ageing. Organic compounds, often used in cement systems as admixtures, may affect the crystallisation and carbonation kinetics of Ca(OH){sub 2}, an important phase of hydrated cement. Here, we investigated changes in Ca(OH){sub 2} morphology in the presence of 3 organic compounds, commonly encountered in cement and lime-based materials: sucrose, pectin and calcium lignosulfonate. The additives were introduced either before or after lime slaking to determine the influence of temperature. Ca(OH){sub 2} crystals and supernatant solutions were characterised at time of slaking and after 6 months of ageing using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and optical emission spectroscopy. Our results indicate that the morphology of Ca(OH){sub 2} crystals is modified by the characteristics of the organic molecules which promote formation of Ca(OH){sub 2} with habits that can result in faster carbonation, an effect that is detrimental to cement used in reinforced concrete. These effects are enhanced when the additives are introduced before slaking, likely as a result of thermal degradation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Relating storm-snow avalanche instabilities to data collected from the Differential Emissivity Imaging Disdrometer (DEID)

Storm-snow avalanches are challenging to forecast due to complex alpine terrain and during rapidly changing weather conditions. They can result in loss of lives and significant economic impact. We describe how a new device that continuously measures with high-frequency snowflake mass, size, density, and type, the Differential Emissivity Imaging Disdrometer (DEID), and show how the DEID can be used to aid avalanche forecasting when coupled with a storm-snow stability model. DEID measurements of snow accumulation, snow water equivalent (SWE), and snow density obtained during seventeen storms taken at the mid-Collins Snow-Study Plot at Alta Ski Area in Utah's Central Wasatch mountain range during winter 2020–2021 show excellent agreement with infrequent manual measurements. Additionally, two new variables, the Shape Density Index (SDI) and Complexity, are proposed and used to classify snowflake habit and estimate storm-snow shear strength. We illustrate how these DEID-derived data can be used to identify layers of concern in the storm snow such as density inversions, in real-time without digging snow pits. Furthermore, the DEID-data are used to run four variations of the SNOw Slope Stability model (SNOSS) for the storms investigated. The results are evaluated with data collected from tilt-board tests, infrasound measurements, and visual observations of avalanches. For a total fourteen storms analyzed, the DEID-driven SNOSS-modeled minimum stability index predicts the general stability of the storm-snow as indicated by observed avalanches, both natural and of unknown cause. Finally, the results provide a promising approach for nowcasting instabilities within storm-snow layers with a single instrument.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Plastic homogeneity in nanoscale heterostructured binary and multicomponent metallic eutectics: An overview

Heterostructured materials comprised of relatively soft/hard disparate phases typically exhibit composite strengthening but lack plastic deformability at ambient temperatures. However, heterostructured systems comprised of nanoscale phases can simultaneously enhance yield strength and strain hardening, thereby promoting uniform distribution of plastic flow. In this review, the atomic-scale deformation mechanisms in model systems of eutectic alloys, Al-Al 2 Cu and Al-Si, refined to nanoscales via laser rapid solidification are discussed, and compared with literature on multi-component (high entropy) eutectics such as Ni-Al-Fe-based with Cr and/or Co additions. The nano-lamellar Al-Al 2 Cu structures exhibit unit defect mechanisms not reported in monolithic Al 2 Cu intermetallic: localized shear on {0 1 1} and shear-induced faults on {1 2 1} planes, constrained by closely-spaced dislocation arrays in Al confined by Al/Al 2 Cu interfaces. The unexpected plasticity mechanisms are enabled by slip continuity in nanoscale Al-Al 2 Cu eutectics associated with the orientation relationship and interface habit planes. In nano-fibrous Al-Si eutectic, tensile ductility at strength approaching 600 MPa is observed resulting from dislocation plasticity in the nano-Al channels and cracking in Si nanofibers. Molecular dynamics simulations show that Al dislocations easily cross-slip (screw) or climb (edge) along Al-Si interfaces, making slip transmission difficult. The propagation of nano-cracks is suppressed by surrounding strain hardening Al, retaining good ductility of the sample, in spite of lack of direct slip transmission. Finally, the critical unit mechanisms of slip transmission and interface-enabled plasticity observed in nanoscale eutectic binary systems can also explain the strength-ductility relationship in multi-component eutectics and homogeneously distributed plastic flow with increasing microstructural heterogeneity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Noble gas insights into early impact delivery and volcanic outgassing to Earth's atmosphere: A limited role for the continental crust

Earth's atmosphere, crust and mantle have evolved together through continuous geochemical exchange throughout Earth's history. Constraints on the transport of volatile elements and compounds between these reservoirs are crucial for understanding how Earth could have stayed habitable for extended periods of time. In this work, we present a new forward model of He, Ne and Ar in the mantle, crust and atmosphere. We explore concentrations of noble gases at the end of accretion, bulk silicate Earth K/U ratios, crustal growth scenarios, and upper mantle processing rates throughout Earth's history. We search for parameter combinations that simultaneously satisfy observational constraints on present-day mantle 4 He/ 3 He and 40 Ar/ 36 Ar (sensitive to mantle outgassing and continental crust growth, which depletes the mantle of U, Th and K), atmospheric 20 Ne/ 22 Ne (which tracks the mix of outgassed vs. delivered Ne in the atmosphere), and atmospheric 40 Ar/ 36 Ar in the past and today (sensitive to volatile delivery, mantle outgassing and crustal growth). Leveraging this intertwined set of noble gas abundances and isotopic compositions yields new constraints on initial noble gas abundances in the mantle and on the proportions of atmospheric volatiles originating from delivery by impact degassing, mantle outgassing, and degassing of the continental crust. We find that atmospheric Ar isotopic evolution is primarily sensitive to the mantle processing rate history; the atmospheric Ar isotopic record should therefore not be used to reconstruct continental crust growth, but instead provides valuable insights into mantle processing rates. Our model predicts a measurably low 20 Ne/ 22 Ne ratio of ~9.7 in Archean atmospheric samples. Most of atmospheric primordial 36 Ar was directly delivered by chondritic bodies and not transferred to the atmosphere during an intense early episode of mantle outgassing. Nitrogen delivered by impact degassing could account for the present-day atmospheric nitrogen inventory.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Think before you throw! An analysis of behavioral interventions targeting PET bottle recycling in the United States

The United States generates 42 Mt of plastic waste each year and is one of the biggest contributors to ocean plastic waste. Consequently, plastic has become synonymous with the linear economy, and many scholars are studying and proposing circular economy solutions to mitigate plastic pollution. Recycling has received much attention from both social sciences and engineering as a circular economy strategy, but no study has yet quantified how behavioral interventions could asymmetrically affect different populations. Here, this study combines agent-based modeling, material flow analysis, system dynamics, and life cycle assessment to assess the effect of four behavioral interventions on the collection rates of polyethylene terephthalate bottle waste, displaced virgin plastic manufacturing, and avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Results show that, while behavioral interventions would require about 300–900 GJ of additional energy at end-of-life due to improved collection rates, they would avoid about 500–700 thousand metric tons of GHG emissions. Results also illustrate the importance of habits in disposal behaviors and show that different forms of interventions can be better adapted to particular social contexts than others. While the circular economy and its application to plastic waste should certainly not be restricted to recycling, this study demonstrates that improved collection rates and recycling technologies can contribute to reducing the amount of plastic waste polluting our oceans.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Relative permeability of gas and water flow in hydrate-bearing porous media: A micro-scale study by lattice Boltzmann simulation

The water-gas relative permeability is an important parameter to characterize multiphase flow in sediments. To study the water-gas relative permeability of hydrate-bearing porous media, multiphase flow simulations were carried out at the pore scale using the lattice Boltzmann method. In this work, the effects of hydrate saturation and hydrate-growth habits on the water-gas relative permeability, which is scaled by the relative permeability considering the hydrate only, were evaluated in a two-dimensional porous medium. Results show that the increase of hydrate saturation causes the decrease of water-gas effective permeability as expected. However, the effect of hydrate saturation on the water-gas relative permeability is different from that of hydrate saturation on the water-gas effective permeability. The water-gas relative permeability increases with the increase of hydrate saturation in the pore-filling case. The water-gas relative permeability decreases with the increase of hydrate saturation in the grain-coating case. The wettability of solid phase has a different effect on the relative permeability of wetting phase and nonwetting phase. The Jamin effect (phase blocking) was observed and may exist in the production of gas from natural gas hydrate reservoirs. This seriously affects the multiphase flow characteristics. The changes of microscale fluid distribution effect the changes of water-gas relative permeability. The relationship between the water-gas relative permeability and the characterization parameters of microscale fluid distribution was analyzed.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Self-consistent solution of the Frank–Bilby equation for interfaces containing disconnections

The quantized Frank–Bilby equation can be used to identify interfacial line defect array configurations which relax the misorientation and/or misfit of a coherent crystalline interface. These line defect arrays may be comprised of dislocations and/or disconnections, which are interfacial steps with dislocation character. When an interface contains disconnections, solution of the quantized Frank–Bilby equation is complicated by the fact that the habit plane orientation is not known in advance because it depends on the unknown spacing of the disconnection array. We present a root-finding-based method for addressing this issue, enabling a self-consistent solution for arbitrary defect content. Our method has been implemented in an open-source code which enumerates all possible solutions given a list of candidate line defects. Two cases are presented employing the code: a misoriented FCC twin boundary and an FCC/BCC phase boundary with the Nishiyama-Wasserman orientation relationship. Both cases exhibit more than 10,000 solutions to the Frank–Bilby equation, with several hundred solutions categorized as ‘‘low energy’’ and thus plausible configurations for the actual interface. The resulting set of solutions can be utilized to predict and understand the properties of a given interface.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Phylogenomic insights into the taxonomy, ecology, and mating systems of the lorchel family Discinaceae (Pezizales, Ascomycota)

Lorchels, also known as false morels (Gyromitra sensu lato), are iconic due to their brain-shaped mushrooms and production of gyromitrin, a deadly mycotoxin. Molecular phylogenetic studies have hitherto failed to resolve deep-branching relationships in the lorchel family, Discinaceae, hampering our ability to settle longstanding taxonomic debates and to reconstruct the evolution of toxin production. We generated 75 draft genomes from cultures and ascomata (some collected as early as 1960), conducted phylogenomic analyses using 1542 single-copy orthologs to infer the early evolutionary history of lorchels, and identified genomic signatures of trophic mode and mating-type loci to better understand lorchel ecology and reproductive biology. Our phylogenomic tree was supported by high gene tree concordance, facilitating taxonomic revisions in Discinaceae. We recognized 10 genera across two tribes: tribe Discineae (Discina, Maublancomyces, Neogyromitra, Piscidiscina, and Pseudodiscina) and tribe Gyromitreae (Gyromitra, Hydnotrya, Paragyromitra, Pseudorhizina, and Pseudoverpa); Piscidiscina was newly erected and 26 new combinations were formalized. Paradiscina melaleuca and Marcelleina donadinii formed their own family-level clade sister to Morchellaceae, which merits further taxonomic study. Genome size and CAZyme content were consistent with a mycorrhizal lifestyle for the truffle species (Hydnotrya spp.), whereas the other Discinaceae genera possessed genomic properties of a saprotrophic habit. Lorchels were found to be predominantly heterothallic-either MAT1-1 or MAT1-2-but a single occurrence of colocalized mating-type idiomorphs indicative of homothallism was observed in Gyromitra esculenta strain CBS101906 and requires additional confirmation and follow-up study. Lastly, we confirmed that gyromitrin has a phylogenetically discontinuous distribution, having been detected exclusively in two distantly related genera (Gyromitra and Piscidiscina) belonging to separate tribes. Our genomic dataset will facilitate further investigations into the gyromitrin biosynthesis genes and their evolutionary history. With additional sampling of Geomoriaceae and Helvellaceae-two closely related families with no publicly available genomes-these data will enable comprehensive studies on the independent evolution of truffles and ecological diversification in an economically important group of pezizalean fungi.

Dirks, Alden C↗