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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 91 records · Page 5

Large-Scale Forcing Impact on the Development of Shallow Convective Clouds Revealed From LASSO Large-Eddy Simulations

Real-world large-eddy simulations (LES) are driven by time-varying large-scale forcings (LSF) - e.g., temperature advection, moisture advection, and subsidence - derived from large-scale weather models. This study investigates the impact of the uncertainty in LSF on real-world LES in terms of the development of shallow convection at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory for the 11 June 2016 case using LES provided by the U.S. Department of Energy's LES ARM Symbiotic Simulation and Observation (LASSO) activity. The LASSO dataset provides an ensemble of LES for the selected case, which consists of LES runs that were driven by different LSF. The two contrasting LES runs investigated here generate different types of convective clouds, i.e., nonprecipitating shallow clouds and precipitating cumulus congestus, mainly due to the difference of LSF in temperature advection in the free troposphere. The temperature advection modulates the strength of the capping inversion and therefore the buoyancy of the air parcels rising from the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). The inversion, together with large-scale updrafts, controls the penetration of the ABL thermals into the free troposphere, leading to cumulus congestus in the case of a weaker inversion. In contrast, clouds remain shallow in the case of a strong inversion. Differences between the two simulations are amplified over time, as mixed-phase clouds are formed near the top of the congestus in the weaker inversion case. Furthermore, this high dependency of LES results to LSF stresses the importance of accurate LSF by large-scale models to real-world LES simulations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

How large is 'large N{sub c}' for nuclear matter?

We argue that a so far neglected dimensionless scale, the number of neighbors in a closely packed system, is relevant for the convergence of the large-N{sub c} expansion at high chemical potential. It is only when the number of colors is large w.r.t. this new scale ({approx} O(10)) that a convergent large-N{sub c} limit is reached. This provides an explanation as to why the large-N{sub c} expansion, qualitatively successful in vacuum QCD, fails to describe high baryo-chemical potential systems, such as nuclear matter. It also means that phenomenological claims about high-density matter based on large-N{sub c} extrapolations should be treated with caution. This work is based on [1].

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Large Eddy Simulations of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Wakes with Coupled Platform Motion: Preprint

The growing prospect for large farms of floating offshore wind turbines requires a better understanding of wake effects for floating turbines, particularly the differences when compared to fixed-bottom turbine wakes. The increased range of motion of floating platforms can influence wake characteristics, affecting downstream turbines. In this work, large eddy simulations with an actuator line model are used to study downstream wake characteristics of the NREL 5-MW reference turbine mounted on the OC3-UMaine spar platform for several different metocean conditions. The simulations are carried out in the Simulator fOr Wind Farm Applications coupled with OpenFAST for the platform and turbine motion. The downstream wake characteristics of the floating platform are compared to equivalent fixed-bottom cases for different wind speeds, wave heights, wind-wave alignments, and turbine yaw angles. Overall, the differences in wake shape between floating and fixed platforms are associated with mean platform displacements, while differences in turbulence are associated with time-varying platform motion. However, these observed wake differences between fixed and floating platforms are small, especially for higher wind speeds and lower wave heights.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Comparison of Wind Farm Layout Optimization Results Using a Simple Wake Model and Gradient-Based Optimization to Large-Eddy Simulations: Preprint

Comparison of wind farm layout optimization results with simulations or wind tunnel tests is important because the models used during optimization use simplifying assumptions that can alter the design space. Some of the characteristics of the simple models may negatively influence the resulting layouts. In this paper we perform wind farm layout optimization and compare the resulting improvements to large eddy simulation (LES) results. We begin by describing the models used, including changes specific for use with gradient-based optimization. We then compare our version of the models with the original versions and large eddy simulation LES) data from previous publications. Using the models described, we performed gradient-based wind farm layout optimization, using exact gradients, and compare the results to LES simulations. The models predicted an improvement in annual energy production (AEP) of 7.4%, while the LES reported an AEP improvement of 9:9%. We conclude that the improvements found by optimizing with the simple models are not just an artifact of the models, but are real improvements.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Large-Area Material and Junction Damage in c-Si Solar Cells by Potential-Induced Degradation

A new potential-induced degradation (PID) mechanism for c-Si is reported. Multiple characterization techniques in various aspects of a material's chemical, structural, electrical, and optoelectrical nature, as well as in atomic, nanometer, micrometer, millimeter, and cell and module scales, are combined. All results point consistently to a new discovery: substantial large-area deterioration of materials and junctions plays a major role.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Large-Eddy Simulation of Shallow Cumulus over Land: A Composite Case Based on ARM Long-Term Observations at Its Southern Great Plains Site

Based on long-term observations by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program at its Southern Great Plains site, a new composite case of continental shallow cumulus (ShCu) convection is constructed for large-eddy simulations (LES) and single-column models. The case represents a typical daytime nonprecipitating ShCu whose formation and dissipation are driven by the local atmospheric conditions and land surface forcing and are not influenced by synoptic weather events. The case includes early morning initial profiles of temperature and moisture with a residual layer; diurnally varying sensible and latent heat fluxes, which represent a domain average over different land surface types; simplified large-scale horizontal advective tendencies and subsidence; and horizontal winds with prevailing direction and average speed. Observed composite cloud statistics are provided for model evaluation. The observed diurnal cycle is well reproduced by LES; however, the cloud amount, liquid water path, and shortwave radiative effect are generally underestimated. LES are compared between simulations with an all-or-nothing bulk microphysics and a spectral bin microphysics. The latter shows improved agreement with observations in the total cloud cover and the amount of clouds with depths greater than 300 m. When compared with radar retrievals of in-cloud air motion, LES produce comparable downdraft vertical velocities, but a larger updraft area, velocity, and updraft mass flux. Both observations and LES show a significantly larger in-cloud downdraft fraction and downdraft mass flux than marine ShCu.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Seismoacoustic Analysis of the Large Surface Explosion Coupling Experiment Using a Large- N Seismic Array

Seismoacoustic signals at local distance (<~10 km) are widely used as important constraints on source parameters for near-surface events, yet the seismoacoustic wave generation and energy partitioning are not fully understood. Spatially dense sensors could provide observations in high resolution to capture the full wavefield for better understanding wave propagation and improving source estimation. Recently, spatially dense observations of the local seismoacoustic wavefield produced by a pair of 1-ton surface explosions have been recorded using a large-N seismic array. This large-N array consists of 446 geophones and covers an area of approximately 2×2.5 km 2 . The two surface explosions occur at the same location but at different times with different atmospheric conditions. Both seismic and air–ground coupled acoustic waves from the two surface explosions are well observed. Analyses of signals recorded by the large-N seismic array show different acoustic wave speed and amplitude for the two explosions. A strong spatial variability in acoustic wave speed and amplitude for each explosion is also observed. Finally, the observations suggest the important role of local atmosphere state on wave propagation and source estimation and demonstrate how the use of a large-N capability can improve characterization of the propagation medium and source.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Hunting ionic liquids with large electrochemical potential windows

Ionic liquids (ILs) with large electrochemical potential windows (EPWs) are ideally suited to improve the energy and power density of electrical devices for energy storage. However, guidelines are scarcely available for the selection or systematic screening of ILs for practical applications. Here, we present theoretical predictions for the EPW of thousands of cation-anion pairs based on a long-range corrected hybrid density functional theory. The cathodic and anodic potential limits were estimated from the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies of individual cations and anions. The approximate method predicts EPWs in reasonable agreement with existing experimental data for several commonly used ionic systems and can be used as a screening tool for a large library of ILs. Five most stable anions, with the cathode stability in the order of B[CN] 4 > PF 6 > BF 4 > BOB > NTf 2 , have been identified. These anions provide the largest EPWs when they are paired with conventional organic cations. The cation stability is reduced upon elongation of the alkyl chain length or branching of the molecular backbone.

catalysis (heterogeneous)↗

High‐frequency daily temperature variability in China and its relationship to large‐scale circulation

ABSTRACT Two measures of intra‐seasonal variability, indicated respectively by standard deviations ( SD ) and day‐to‐day ( DTD ) fluctuations denoted by absolute differences between adjacent 2‐day periods, as well as their relationships with large‐scale circulation patterns were investigated in China during 1962–2008 on the basis of homogenized daily temperature records from 549 local stations and reanalysis data. Our results show that both the SD and DTD of daily minimum temperatures ( T min ) in summer as well as the minimum and maximum temperatures in winter have been decreasing, while the daily maximum temperature ( T max ) variability in summer is fluctuating more, especially over southern China. In summer, an attribution analysis indicates that the intensity of the Western Pacific Subtropical High ( WPSH ) and high‐level East Asian Subtropical Jet stream ( EASJ ) are positively correlated with both SD and DTD , but the correlation coefficients are generally greater with the SD than with the DTD of the daily maximum temperature, T max . In contrast, the location of the EASJ shows the opposite correlation pattern, with intensity regarding the correlation with both SD and DTD . In winter, the Arctic Oscillation ( AO ) is negatively correlated with both the SD and DTD of the daily minimum temperature, but its intra‐seasonal variability exhibits good agreement with the SD of the T min . The Siberian High acts differently with respect to the SD and DTD of the T min , demonstrating a regionally consistent positive correlation with the SD . Overall, the large‐scale circulation can well explain the intra‐seasonal SD, but DTD fluctuations may be more local and impacted by local conditions, such as changes in the temperature itself, the land surface, and so on.

Wu, Fu‐Ting↗

Large‐Area, High‐Numerical‐Aperture, Freeform Metasurfaces

Abstract Nanophotonic devices are optical platforms capable of unprecedented wavefront control. To push the limits of experimental device performance, scalable design methodologies that combine the simplicity and fabricability of conventional design paradigms with the extended capabilities of freeform optimization are required. A novel gradient‐based design framework for large‐area freeform metasurfaces is introduced in which nonlocal interactions between simply shaped nanostructures, placed on an irregular lattice, are tailored to produce high‐order hybridized modes that support customizable large‐angle scattering profiles. Utilizing this approach, multifunctional super‐dispersive metalenses are designed and experimentally demonstrated. The approach to high‐numerical‐aperture radial metalenses capable of diffraction limited focusing and the generation of donut‐shaped point spread functions is also extended. It is anticipated that these concepts will have utility in super‐resolution microscopy, particle trapping, additive manufacturing, and metrology applications that require ultra‐high numerical apertures.

Optics↗

Effects of threshold resummation for large-x PDF in large momentum effective theory

Parton distribution functions (PDFs) at large x are challenging to extract from experimental data, yet they are essential for understanding hadron structure and searching for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Within the framework of the large momentum P z expansion of lattice quasi-PDFs, we investigate large x PDFs, where the matching coefficient is factorized into the hard kernel, related to the active quark momentum xP z , and the threshold soft function, associated with the spectator momentum (1 − x)P z . The renormalization group equation of the soft function enables the resummation of the threshold double logarithms α k ln 2k (1 − x), which is crucial for a reliable and controllable calculation of large x PDFs. Our analysis with pion valence PDFs indicates that perturbative matching breaks down when the spectator momentum (1 − x)P z approaches Λ QCD , but remains valid when both xP z and (1 − x)P z are much larger than Λ QCD . Additionally, we incorporate leading renormalon resummation within the threshold framework, demonstrating good perturbative convergence in the region where both spectator and active quark momenta are perturbative scales.

factorization↗

A Highly Efficient Control Framework for Centralized Residential Charging Coordination of Large Electric Vehicle Populations

The potential for widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) brings with it the potential for negative impacts on the electric grid from electric vehicle charging. Uncoordinated PEV charging may increase electricity demand during peak hours, which could create concerns for the grid as the number of PEVs increases. Therefore, it is important to coordinate charging to alleviate potential negative impacts. Centralized charging coordination is preferred by grid operator over distributed control strategies because it can systematically allocate energy across a large population of PEVs and achieve global coordination benefits. However, centralized methods presented in the literature to date require prohibitively expensive computational resources and lack realistic PEV charging models. As a result, they cannot achieve the efficiency and accuracy required to implement charging coordination in the real world. This paper introduces a highly efficient receding horizon control framework that enables dynamic charging coordination for large PEV populations. A two-stage hierarchical optimization routine is proposed that aggregates individual PEV charging flexibility to reduce the computational complexity of the optimization process. The control framework is based on high-fidelity, validated charging system models and charging behavior models derived from a real-world data set of residential charging activities collected from thousands of charging stations over multiple years. Case studies illustrate that the proposed charging control framework is capable of effectively coordinating the charging of millions of PEVs using a standard desktop computer.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Residual stress accumulation in large-scale Ti-6Al-4V wire-arc additive manufacturing

Large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) is of interest in the manufacturing industry to produce components of dimensions on the order of hundreds of millimeters to meters in scale. Wire-arc AM (WAAM) of Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) is an attractive technique for large-scale AM in the aerospace industry, give the high strength-to-weight ratio of the material and high deposition rate of the process. However, due to the large scale, significant distortion and residual stresses are developed in the material during deposition and cooling, potentially leading to part failure. WAAM of a prototypical large-scale Ti64 machine tool component is studied in this work via finite element analysis (FEA). Element activation/deactivation technique is employed to simulate deposition and the resulting distortion and residual stress (RS) predictions are analyzed to evaluate the possibility of crack formation. Significant distortion (∼10 mm) and RS (>1300 MPa) is predicted, suggesting the formation of cracks and possible crack propagation into the build region. Incorporation of fillets significantly reduces RS concentration regions, thus reducing the possibility of part failure. Material deposition sequence also affects the RS pattern in the build.

Mathews, Ritin↗

Reining in Radium for Nuclear Medicine: Extra-Large Chelator Development for an Extra-Large Ion

Targeted α therapy (TAT) of soft-tissue cancers using the α particle-emitting radionuclide 223 Ra holds great potential because of its favorable nuclear properties, adequate availability, and established clinical use for treating metastatic prostate cancer of the bone. Despite these advantages, the use of 223 Ra has been largely overshadowed by other α emitters due to its challenging chelation chemistry. A key criterion that needs to be met for a radionuclide to be used in TAT is its stable attachment to a targeting vector via a bifunctional chelator. The low charge density of Ra 2+ arising from its large ionic radius weakens its electrostatic binding interactions with chelators, leading to insufficient complex stability in vivo. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated macropa-XL as a novel chelator for 223 Ra. It bears a large 21-crown-7 macrocyclic core and two picolinate pendent groups, which we hypothesized would effectively saturate the large coordination sphere of the Ra 2+ ion. The structural chemistry of macropa-XL was first established with the nonradioactive Ba 2+ ion using X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which revealed the formation of an 11-coordinate complex in a rare anti pendent-arm configuration. Subsequently, the stability constant of the [Ra(macropa-XL)] complex was determined via competitive cation exchange with 223 Ra and 224 Ra radiotracers and compared with that of macropa, the current state-of-the-art chelator for Ra 2+ . A moderate log K ML value of 8.12 was measured for [Ra(macropa-XL)], which is approximately 1.5 log K units lower than the stability constant of [Ra(macropa)]. This relative decrease in Ra 2+ complex stability for macropa-XL versus macropa was further probed using density functional theory calculations. Additionally, macropa-XL was radiolabeled with 223 Ra, and the kinetic stability of the resulting complex was evaluated in human serum. Furthermore, although macropa-XL could effectively bind 223 Ra under mild conditions, the complex appeared to be unstable to transchelation. Collectively, this study sheds additional light on the chelation chemistry of the exotic Ra 2+ ion and contributes to the small, but growing, number of chelator development efforts for 223 Ra-based TAT.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Large dynamic range diagnostics for high current electron LINACs

The Jefferson Lab FEL driver accelerator - Energy Recovery Linac has provided a beam with average current of up to 9 mA and beam energy of 135 MeV. The high power beam operations have allowed developing and testing methods and approaches required to set up and tune such a facility simultaneously for the high beam power and high beam quality required for high performance FEL operations. In this contribution we briefly review this experience and outline problems that are specific to high current - high power non-equilibrium linac beams. While the original strategy for beam diagnostics and tuning have proven to be quite successful, some shortcomings and unresolved issues were also observed. The most important issues are the non-equilibrium (non-Gaussian) nature of the linac beam and the presence of small intensity - large amplitude fraction of the beam a.k.a. beam halo. Thus we also present a list of the possible beam halo sources and discuss possible mitigations means. We argue that for proper understanding and management of the beam halo large dynamic range (>10{sup 6}) transverse and longitudinal beam diagnostics can be used. We also present results of transverse beam profile measurements with the dynamic range approaching 10{sup 5} and demonstrate the effect the increased dynamic range has on the beam characterization, i.e., emittance and Twiss parameters measurements. We also discuss near future work planned in this field and where the JLab FEL facility will be used for beam tests of the developed of new diagnostics.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Twin superlattice-induced large surface recombination velocity in GaAs nanostructures

Semiconductor nanowires (NWs) often contain a high density of twin defects that form a twin superlattice, but its effects on electronic properties are largely unknown. Here, nonadiabatic quantum molecular dynamics simulation shows unique surface electronic states at alternating (111)A and (111)B sidewall surfaces of a twinned [111]-oriented GaAs NW, which act as effective charge-recombination centers. The calculated large surface recombination velocity quantitatively explains recent experimental observations and provides microscopic understanding of the underlying surface-recombination processes.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗