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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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1,780 records · Page 50

Search for New Physics via Low-Energy Electron Recoils with a 4.2 Tonne-Year Exposure from the LZ Experiment

We report results from searches for new physics models through electron recoils using data collected by the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment during its first two science runs, with a total exposure of 4.2 tonne−years. The observed data are consistent with a background-only hypothesis. Constraints are derived for electromagnetic interactions of solar neutrinos, solar axionlike particles (ALPs), mirror dark matter, and the absorption of bosonic dark matter candidates. The inverse Primakoff process for 57 Fe deexcitation solar ALPs is considered for the first time. These results represent the most stringent constraints to date on keV-scale Primakoff and 57 Fe solar ALPs, bosonic dark matter, mirror dark matter, and neutrino millicharge, while remaining competitive for the other signal models investigated.

Axion-like particles

Converting Second‐Order Saddle Points to Transition States: New Principles for the Design of 4π Photoswitches

Abstract Molecular photoswitches have demonstrated potential for storing solar energy at the molecular level, with power densities comparable to commercial batteries and hydroelectric energy storage. However, development of efficient photoswitches is hindered by limitations in cyclability and optical properties of existing materials. We here demonstrate that certain limitations in photoswitches based on electrocyclizations stem from the issue of controlling competition between Woodward‐Hoffmann allowed and forbidden pathways. Our approach moves beyond the traditional view of activation barriers and reveals that second‐order saddle points are crucial in dictating the competition between disrotatory and conrotatory pathways. These insights suggest new opportunities to manipulate the competition between these pathways through geometric constraints, fundamentally altering the connectivity of the potential energy surface. Our study also emphasizes the necessity of multi‐reference methods and the need to conduct higher‐dimensional explorations for competing pathways beyond photoswitch design.

Chemistry

Dust Composition of Comet 81P/Wild 2 From JWST Spectroscopy Compared to Stardust’s Fine-Grained Materials and Gems-Rich IDPS

The Stardust Mission returned samples from the coma of Jupiter Family comet 81P/Wild 2 for detailed laboratory analyses. Here we present and discuss the best-fit thermal dust model for the coma dust of comet 81P/Wild 2 as observed by JWST. Comet 81P was observed through JWST GO 018xx, using NIRSpec (2.9–5.3µm, λ/∆λ≈1000) and MRS IFU (4.9–28.1µm, λ/∆λ≈3000) on 2023-03-20 UT and 2023-03-24 UT, respectively, at a heliocentric distance of 1.85 au and JWST distance of 1.43 au (phase angle of 32 degrees). The dust coma of 81P as revealed by JWST offers a salient compliment to laboratory studies of Stardust samples that typically are bigger than 2 µm and up to 60 µm in size.

D H Wooden

Bridging Additive Manufacturing and Electronics Printing in the Age of AI

Printing techniques have been instrumental in developing flexible and stretchable electronics, including organic light-emitting diode displays, organic thin film transistor arrays, electronic skins, organic electrochemical transistors for biosensors and neuromorphic computing, as well as flexible solar cells with low-cost processes such as inkjet printing, ultrasonic nozzle, roll-to-roll coating. The rise of additive manufacturing provides even more opportunities to print electronics in automated and customizable ways. In this work, we will review the current technologies of printing electronics (including printed batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and sensors), especially with 3D printing. In this age of ongoing AI revolution, the application of AI algorithms is discussed in terms of combining them with 3D printing and electronics printing for a future with automated optimization, sustainable design, and customizable and scalable manufacturing.

Chemistry

Robust optimization of flexible diafiltration systems for critical mineral separations

This paper provides major contributions in expanding the literature for membrane process design with critical mineral recovery applications and showcasing the importance of robust design techniques for reducing risks of underperformance in such systems. Here, a membrane process flowsheet featuring PrOMMiS membrane models for recovering lithium/cobalt from spent batteries is showcased, uncertainty in membrane sieving and localized fouling are considered, and robust designs are obtained using the PyROS toolset. This paper is intended for a general audience of researchers working in critical minerals, membranes, and optimization related areas.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Evidence for Multiple Diagenetic Episodes in Ancient Fluvial‐Lacustrine Sedimentary Rocks in Gale Crater, Mars

The Curiosity rover's exploration of rocks and soils in Gale crater has provided diverse geochemical and mineralogical data sets, underscoring the complex geological history of the region. We report the crystalline, clay mineral, and amorphous phase distributions of four Gale crater rocks from an 80‐m stratigraphic interval. The mineralogy of the four samples is strongly influenced by aqueous alteration processes, including variations in water chemistries, redox, pH, and temperature. Localized hydrothermal events are evidenced by gray hematite and maturation of amorphous SiO 2 to opal‐CT. Low‐temperature diagenetic events are associated with fluctuating lake levels, evaporative events, and ground water infiltration. Among all mudstones analyzed in Gale crater, the diversity in diagenetic processes is primarily captured by the mineralogy and X‐ray amorphous chemistry of the drilled rocks. Variations indicate a transition from magnetite to hematite and an increase in matrix‐associated sulfates suggesting intensifying influence from oxic, diagenetic fluids up section. Furthermore, diagenetic fluid pathways are shown to be strongly affected by unconformities and sedimentary transitions, as evidenced by the intensity of alteration inferred from the mineralogy of sediments sampled adjacent to stratigraphic contacts.

C N Achilles

Low Temperature Environment Operations of Turboengines (Design and User's Problems)

The author summarizes and links together a number of papers that were presented at the Propulsion and Energetics (PEP) symposium on low temperature environment operation of turbojet engines that was held October 8 to 12, 1990. Topics covered include operational experience of ice ingestion in the turboprop engine in the 2,000 hp class, icing on helicopter turbo engines, icing test facilities, ice relevant cloud physical parameters, and low temperature and fuel problems.

R Jacques

The S-PLUS Fornax Project (S+FP): A first 12-band glimpse of the Fornax galaxy cluster

ABSTRACT The Fornax galaxy cluster is the richest nearby (D ∼ 20 Mpc) galaxy association in the southern sky. As such, it provides a wealth of opportunities to elucidate on the processes where environment holds a key role in transforming galaxies. Although it has been the focus of many studies, Fornax has never been explored with contiguous homogeneous wide-field imaging in 12 photometric narrow and broad bands like those provided by the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS). In this paper, we present the S-PLUS Fornax Project (S+FP) that aims to comprehensively analyse the galaxy content of the Fornax cluster using S-PLUS. Our data set consists of 106 S-PLUS wide-field frames (FoV∼1.4 × 1.4 deg2) observed in five Sloan Digital Sky Survey-like ugriz broad bands and seven narrow bands covering specific spectroscopic features like [O ii], Ca ii H+K, Hδ, G band, Mg b triplet, Hα, and the Ca ii triplet. Based on S-PLUS specific automated photometry, aimed at correctly detecting Fornax galaxies and globular clusters in S-PLUS images, our data set provides the community with catalogues containing homogeneous 12-band photometry for ∼3 × 106 resolved and unresolved objects within a region extending over ∼208 deg2 (∼5 Rvir in RA) around Fornax’ central galaxy, NGC 1399. We further explore the eagle and IllustrisTNG cosmological simulations to identify 45 Fornax-like clusters and generate mock images on all 12 S-PLUS bands of these structures down to galaxies with M⋆ ≥ 108 M⊙. The S+FP data set we put forward in this first paper of a series will enable a variety of studies some of which are briefly presented.

Astronomy & Astrophysics

U.S. ESCO Industry Report: Industry Size and Recent Market Trends, 2022- 2024

The latest edition of the U.S. Energy Service Company (ESCO) Industry Report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) finds that the U.S. ESCO industry continues to show strong growth. The report draws from ESCO industry reported revenue data for the 2022-2024 period, detailing the current size and characteristics of the U.S. ESCO industry. Following 20 years of ESCO industry reports, the 2024 report explores significant revenue trends across market segments, geographic regions, ESCO size, financing structures, and business activities. New analysis in this report outlines customer priorities and non-energy benefit drivers of Energy Savings Performance Contract projects, adjusted revenue analysis detailing the impacts of inflation on industry growth, and project challenges by market segment.

Chelminski, Kathryn

Updates and Modernization of NASA’s Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) Code

NASA’s Chemical Equilibrium with Applications (CEA) code is a foundational tool for propulsion system analysis. It provides equilibrium chemistry, rocket performance, shock, and detonation calculations used across NASA and the broader aerospace community. NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Activity TI-22-01730 modernized the legacy CEA2 Fortran code into CEA v3, a Fortran 2008, object-oriented software package with expanded interface support, updated thermochemical data, improved maintainability, and substantially improved workflow integration. The modernized code preserves backward compatibility with legacy CEA input workflows while enabling direct use from modern analysis environments, including Python, C, MATLAB, and automated design studies.

Mark K Leader

Specific Bacterial Taxa and Their Metabolite, DHPS, May Be Linked to Gut Dyshomeostasis in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are multifactorial disorders frequently associated with gut dysbiosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Methods: Using untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and 16S sequencing of human stool, we investigated bacterial and metabolic dyshomeostasis in the gut microbiome associated with early disease stages across three NDDs—amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD)—and healthy controls (HC). Results: We discovered a previously unrecognized link between a microbial-derived metabolite with an unknown role in human physiology, 2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (DHPS), and gut dysbiosis in NDDs. DHPS was downregulated in AD, ALS, and PD, while bacteria involved in DHPS metabolism, Eubacterium and Desulfovibrio, were increased in all disease cohorts. Additionally, select taxa within the Clostridia class had strong negative correlations to DHPS, suggesting a potential role in DHPS metabolism. A catabolic product of DHPS is hydrogen sulfide, and when in excess, it is known to promote inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and gut dysbiosis, known hallmarks of NDDs. Conclusions: These findings suggest that cryptic sulfur metabolism via DHPS is a potential missing link in our current understanding of gut dysbiosis associated with NDD onset and progression. As this was a hypothesis generating study, more work is needed to elucidate the role of DHPS in gut dysbiosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

Nutrition & Dietetics

NASA JSC’s Simulant Development Lab Capabilities and Artemis Testing

The Simulant Development Lab (SDL) is a multifunctional collaborative workspace that supports the development, curation, analysis, testing, and distribution of planetary regolith simulants – including lunar, Martian, asteroidal, and other granular materials. The lab provides a multidisciplinary setting for scientific characterization of simulant physical properties and for engineering evaluations conducted with simulant test beds. To enable this work, the SDL curates and maintains a stock of more than 35 metric tons of simulant material. To evaluate these materials and support testing goals, the lab is equipped with a comprehensive suite of processing tools and analytical instruments. These capabilities enable the SDL’s mission at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to distribute, develop, process, characterize, and test regolith simulants for mission relevant applications. Through controlled and repeatable testing environments that replicate the physical and compositional properties of lunar regolith, the SDL supports Artemis hardware maturation, providing safe, Earth‑based analogs for evaluating systems that must withstand regolith dust interactions, physical wear and abrasion, and operational loads. The facility’s extensive simulant inventory and integrated geological and engineering test infrastructure accelerate technology readiness for Artemis and future exploration campaigns (e.g., future crewed or robotic missions to Mars).

Simulant Development Lab

Low-energy calibration of SuperCDMS HVeV cryogenic silicon calorimeters using Compton steps

Cryogenic calorimeters for low-mass dark matter searches have achieved sub-eV energy resolutions, driving advances in both low-energy calibration techniques and our understanding of detector physics. The energy deposition spectrum of gamma rays scattering off target materials exhibits step-like features, known as Compton steps, near the binding energies of atomic electrons. Here, we demonstrate a successful use of Compton steps for sub-keV calibration of cryogenic silicon calorimeters, utilizing four SuperCDMS High-Voltage eV-resolution detectors operated with 0 V bias across the crystal. This new calibration at 0 V is compared with the established high-voltage calibration using optical photons. The comparison indicates that the detector response at 0 V is about 30% weaker than expected, highlighting challenges in detector response modeling for low-mass dark matter searches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS

P-band Antenna Array for NASA's Space Exploration Synthetic Aperture Radar (SESAR) Instrument

A dual-polarized, wideband, lightweight P-band (435 MHz) antenna element and array for spaceborne radar applications has been developed for NASA’s SESAR (Space Exploration Synthetic Aperture Radar) instrument for planetary synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications. The antenna array is based on lightweight, low-profile antenna elements that form the building blocks of configurable “array panels” that can in turn be used to build larger arrays consisting of multiple panels. The element design combines a novel, mostly planar conductor antenna element geometry with a robust lightweight composite material construction.

Synthetic Aperture Radar

Detailed examination of LDEF's frame and the A0178 thermal blankets by the meteoroid and debris special investigations group

A responsibility of the group is to define the hypervelocity particle environment encountered by LDEF during its stay in low Earth orbit. LDEF's 6061-T6 aluminum frame and the 'Teflon silver-inconel paint' thermal blankets represent large surface areas that were widely distributed around the spacecraft. The results are reported of high resolution scans of approx. 0.36 and approx. 0.31 sq m for the intercostals and thermal blankets, respectively. The findings are in qualitative agreement with existing model predictions that suggest high differential bombardment histories for surfaces pointing into specific directions relative to the velocity vector of a non-spinning platform in LEO. The production rate for craters greater than or = 50 microns in diameter in aluminum and penetration holes greater than or = 100 microns in diameter in thin foil materials differ by more than a factor of 10 between forward and rearward facing surfaces. These are substantial differences that must be considered during the design of future long duration space platforms in LEO.

Thomas H. See

NASA's Advanced Control Law Program for the F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft

This paper briefly describes the NASA F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire (DFBW) program and Langley Research Center's role in investigating and promoting advanced control laws for possible flight experimentation. The primary purpose of the paper is to provide background material for papers describing some of the F-8 DFBW adaptive control law studies. The paper provides a brief description of the Phase II DFBW F-8 aircraft and its control system, discusses some of the advanced control law study objectives and guidelines, and provides some mathematical models which are useful in the control analysis problem.

Optimal Control

NASA's Advanced Control Law Program for the F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft

This paper briefly describes the NASA F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire (DFBW) and Langley Research Center's role in investigating and promoting advanced control laws for possible flight experimentation. The primary purpose of the paper is to provide background material for the papers that follow which describe some of the F-8 DFBW adaptive control law studies. The paper provides a brief description of the Phase II DFBW F-8 aircraft and its control system, discusses some of the advanced control law study objectives and guidelines, and provides some mathematical models which are useful in the control analysis problem.

Aerospace Materials

A Technical Evaluation of Self-Protection Dose Rates in U.S. Domestic Nuclear Security Policy

U.S. nuclear security policy uses radiation self-protection as a basis for reducing material attractiveness, but existing dose-rate criteria may not reflect the time scales of theft or sabotage. This report evaluates whether the commonly cited 1 Gy/h at 1 m criterion can plausibly cause adversary task failure during short-duration malicious acts.

Fritchie, Jacob Wesley [Sandia National Laboratori