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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Robust Wheel Detection for Vehicle Re-Identification

Vehicle re-identification is a demanding and challenging task in automated surveillance systems. The goal of vehicle re-identification is to associate images of the same vehicle to identify re-occurrences of the same vehicle. Robust re-identification of individual vehicles requires reliable and discriminative features extracted from specific parts of the vehicle. In this work, we construct an efficient and robust wheel detector that precisely locates and selects vehicular wheels from vehicle images. The associated hubcap geometry can hence be utilized to extract fundamental signatures from vehicle images and exploit them for vehicle re-identification. Wheels pattern information can yield additional information about vehicles in questions. To that end, we utilized a vehicle imagery dataset that has thousands of side-view vehicle collected under different illumination conditions and elevation angles. The collected dataset was used for training and testing the wheel detector. Experiments show that our approach could detect vehicular wheels accurately for 99.41% of the vehicles in the dataset.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Geometric transport signatures of strained multi-Weyl semimetals

The minimal coupling of strain to Dirac and Weyl semimetals, and its modeling as a pseudogauge field has been extensively studied, resulting in several proposed topological transport signatures. In this work, we study the effects of strain on higher winding number Weyl semimetals and show that strain is not a pseudogauge field for any winding number larger than one. Here we focus on the double-Weyl semimetal as an illustrative example to show that the application of strain splits the higher winding number Weyl nodes and produces an anisotropic Fermi surface. Specifically, the Fermi surface of the double-Weyl semimetal acquires nematic order. By extending chiral kinetic theory for such nematic fields, we determine the effective gauge fields acting on the system and show how strain induces anisotropy and affects the geometry of the semiclassical phase space of the double-Weyl semimetal. Further, the strain-induced deformation of the Weyl nodes results in transport signatures related to the covariant coupling of the strain tensor to the geometric tensor associated with the Weyl nodes giving rise to strain-dependent dissipative corrections to the longitudinal as well as the Hall conductance. Thus, by extension, we show that in multi-Weyl semimetals, strain produces geometric signatures rather than topological signatures. Further, we highlight that the most general way to view strain is as a symmetry-breaking field rather than a pseudogauge field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

String Theory Bounds on the Cosmological Constant, the Higgs Mass, and the Quark and Lepton Masses

In this paper, we elaborate on the new understanding of the cosmological constant and the gauge hierarchy problems in the context of string theory in its metastring formulation, based on the concepts of modular spacetime and Born geometry. The interplay of phase space (and Born geometry), the Bekenstein bound, the mixing between ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) physics and modular invariance in string theory is emphasized. This new viewpoint is fundamentally rooted in quantum contextuality and not in statistical observer bias (anthropic principle). We also discuss the extension of this point of view to the problem of masses of quarks and leptons and their respective mixing matrices.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Field and Model Data Associated with the Manuscript “Drivers of Streamflow Intermittency in Humid Regions: 1. Evaluating Above- and Below-ground Controls of Flow Persistence in a Forested Catchment”

This package contains field data, modeling files, and scripts supporting the investigation of the drivers of streamflow intermittency in a forested catchment. It includes the field data collected from electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys, ground penetrating radar (GPR), continuous self-potential (SP) monitoring, electromagnetic (EM) imaging, groundwater and stilling well. In addition, it contains the data and results of the coupled water- and electrical-flow model developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics and Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS), as well as software files and Jupyter notebooks used to process the data and generate figures in the manuscript submitted for peer review. The data archive is organized in the following directories: 1) Climate Includes hourly precipitation and daily evapotranspiration time series (2024 – 2025) provided as CSV files, alongside a text file detailing dataset units. 2) Coupled_model Contains two subfolders: Synthetic and Field_Application subfolder. Synthetic subfolder contains the ATS XML input script (can be opened using any code editor) for the four synthetic hydrological cases tested (Connected and gaining, Connected and losing, Disconnected and losing, and dry stream). It also includes other experimental cases to test the influence of precipitation and concentration gradient. For each synthetic case, the flow model simulation is executed using the ATS XML scripts and the included Python script (generate_data_set.py) to convert ATS output to COMSOL-ready input. COMSOL Multiphysics template (.mph can be opened with the commercial software COMSOL and requires a license) is executed using the ATS output data to simulate the potential field. It also includes the Synthetic_model_plot.ipynb (can be opened using any code editor) to visualize the SP result and generate manuscript figures. The data subfolder contains mesh files to run both the ATS (.exo and .stl files can be viewed using Paraview; .h5 files can be opened using HDFView software and h5py Python package) and COMSOL models. Field_Application subfolder contains two subfolders: ES_MDA_inversion and Final_Model. ES_MDA_inversion contains the Python script (.py can be opened using any code editor) and SP observation data used to run the Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES-MDA) inversion sequence to get the optimal model parameters. The Final_model subfolder contains the ATS XML input scripts, data files, output data for the two SP sites. The same workflow steps outlined for the Synthetic subfolder apply here. It also contains the Jupyter notebook (Plot_final_calib.ipynb) to visualize the results of the modeled SP, stream-groundwater exchange and moisture content. 3) Discharge Includes the electrical conductivity (EC) time series (provided as CSV files) from salt slug injections. It also includes the Jupyter notebook (Discharge_process.ipynyb) used to estimate discharge. All discharge measurements collated into rating_curve_processed.csv 4) EM Contains the CSV file of the EM data from the DUALEM-42, including spatial coordinates (x, y, z), apparent conductivity, and in-phase measurements at 2 m coil separations for horizontal coplanar (HCP) and perpendicular (PRP) geometries. 5) ERT Contains raw resistivity data (provided as CSV files), spatial location of each of the electrodes (provided as CSV files), and files used for the resistivity inversion (.resipy can be opened with the open-source ResIPy software). 6) GPR Includes GPR field datasets collected at 100 MHz and 250 MHz antenna frequencies, along with the processing/interpretation project file (GPR_process.gpz can be viewed using EKKO_Project 6, a commercial software by Sensors & Software that requires a license). 7) Slug_test Includes the slug test data at all the groundwater wells provided as CSV files, as well as the Jupyter notebook (Slug_test.ipynb) for calculating hydraulic conductivity. 8) SP Contains the SP data collected in field at the two SP sites (one in the perennial reach and the other in the intermittent reach), provided as DAT files. 9) Well_data Contains two subfolders: 1) Raw, which provides unprocessed pressure, electrical conductivity and temperature timeseries downloaded from the loggers in all the groundwater and stilling wells, and 2) Processed, which contains sorted, QA/QC timeseries data for each well. The data archive also contains data_process.ipynb, a Jupyter notebook used for field data analysis and generating figures (plotting well, SP, climate, and discharge data, as well as calculating head gradient at sites with nested groundwater wells). It also includes DTW.ipynb, a Jupyter notebook containing the code for the dynamic time warping (DTW) with sliding window to evaluate SP signal synchronicity.

ATS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Statistical Analysis of Trans‐Ionospheric Pulse Pairs and Inferences on Their Characteristics

Trans-ionospheric pulse pairs (TIPPs), first observed in 1993, are signatures of in-cloud lightning discharges observed by satellite-based broadband very high frequency (VHF) receivers. It has been definitively shown that TIPPs are the space-based signatures of compact intracloud discharges (CIDs), and that the associated pair of pulses that comprise a TIPP result from the direct VHF pulse from the discharge, followed by a pulse reflected from the Earth's surface. However, the ratio of the peak amplitudes of these two pulses can vary widely, with the second pulse often having considerably higher peak amplitude than the first. This observation has not been satisfactorily explained. Using data collected from geostationary orbit by the Radio Frequency Sensor (RFS) and matched to locations reported by the Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360), we assemble the largest database to date of 76,348 TIPPs with associated location, altitude, and amplitude ratio of the two pulses in the TIPP. We show that the amplitude ratio of TIPPs is strongly correlated to the altitude of the associated discharges and the geometry of the source location with respect to the Earth's surface and the receiver. These observations strongly suggest that the difference in amplitude of the two pulses is driven by a nondipole radiated beam pattern that is dependent on the polarity of the CID, velocity of the current wavefront, and viewing angle.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optical evolution of AT 2024wpp: the high-velocity outflows in Cow-like transients are consistent with high spherical symmetry

ABSTRACT We present the analysis of optical/near-infrared (NIR) data and host galaxy properties of a bright, extremely rapidly evolving transient, AT 2024wpp, which resembles the enigmatic AT 2018cow. AT 2024wpp rose to a peak brightness of $c=-21.9$ mag in 4.3 d and remained above the half-maximum brightness for only 6.7 d. The blackbody fits to the photometry show that the event remained persistently hot ($T\gtrsim 20\, 000$ K) with a rapidly receding photosphere ($v\sim 11\, 500$ km s$^{-1}$), similarly to AT 2018cow albeit with a several times larger photosphere. $JH$ photometry reveals an NIR excess over the thermal emission at $\sim +20$ d, indicating a presence of an additional component. The spectra are consistent with blackbody emission throughout our spectral sequence ending at $+21.9$ d, showing a tentative, very broad emission feature at $\sim 5500$ Å – implying that the optical photosphere is likely within a near-relativistic outflow. Furthermore, reports of strong X-ray and radio emission cement the nature of AT 2024wpp as a likely Cow-like transient. AT 2024wpp is the second event of the class with optical polarimetry. Our $BVRI$ observations obtained from $+6.1$ to $+14.4$ d show a low polarization of $P\lesssim 0.5$ per cent across all bands, similar to AT 2018cow that was consistent with $P\sim 0$ per cent during the same outflow-driven phase. In the absence of evidence for a preferential viewing angle, it is unlikely that both events would have shown low polarization in the case that their photospheres were aspherical. As such, we conclude that the near-relativistic outflows launched in these events are likely highly spherical, but polarimetric observations of further events are crucial to constrain their ejecta geometry and stratification in detail.

Pursiainen, M.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Microseismic at HFTS2: A Story of Three Stimulated Wells

A microseismic data set was acquired at Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site 2 (HFTS2) in the Delaware Basin (Texas, USA) by the HFTS2 consortium as a part of data-collection program designed to help maximize the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing, understand the impacts of nearby depleted zones, and increase the production of hydrocarbons. Advanced methods of microseismic monitoring applied at HFTS2 include 1) native synchronization of five monitor arrays, 2) real-time location of microseismic events, 3) joint event hypocenter/ velocity-model inversion that locates microseismic events simultaneously with constructing azimuthally anisotropic velocity models, 4) high-resolution reservoir imaging, utilizing microseismic events as downhole sources. HFTS2 microseismic data set illustrated the influence of geologic complexity, variations in treatment designs, and the presence of parent wells on the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing. Three Wolfcamp wells, Boxwood 1H, 2H, and 4H, were stimulated sequentially, exhibiting very different patterns of microseismicity. When the Boxwood 1H well is stimulated, its toe stages quickly reacted to the presence of depleted Bitterroot section to the east of the Boxwood pad, extending microseismic events over 3,000 ft to the east. This behavior changes dramatically after the treatment passes the Bitterroot section at the toe, and the heel stages in 1H showed tight microseismic grouping around the stimulated well, indicative of treatment of virgin reservoir rock. The Boxwood 2H demonstrates this same pattern of behavior between the toe and heel stages of the well, suggesting that the depleted Bitterroot section remains easier to refracture than adjacent non-depleted rock. Microseismic activity associated with Boxwood 4H treatment is distinctly different from those in Boxwood wells 1H and 2H. The events generated during stimulation of 4H are hardly influenced by the depleted Bitterroot section and fill the space between the previously stimulated 1H and 2H wells. Altogether, microseismic patterns suggest that treatment fluids tend to find the weakest passages through geologic formations, and the relative well positions and treatment sequence have a significant impact on fracture geometry, as indicated by microseismic event locations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Remarkable I 2 O 3 Molecule: A New View from Theory

Atmospheric iodine chemistry has garnered increasing attention as a result of increased iodine emissions. A key subset of this chemistry involves iodine oxides (I 2 O 2–5 ), which serve as precursors to particle formation. Among these, I 2 O 3 is the simplest iodine oxide involved in particle formation, but it has remained undetected in the atmosphere. Previous theoretical studies have characterized this peculiar molecule, primarily using energies to refine geometries obtained at low levels of theory. Due to the reemerging interest in I 2 O 3 , this study presents geometries optimized at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pwCVTZ-PP level of theory─marking the first instance, to the best of our knowledge, where this system has been studied exclusively with CCSD(T). Harmonic vibrational frequencies were computed at the same level of theory. Final energetics were obtained using the very high level CCSDT(Q) method with basis sets up to quintuple-zeta cardinality (aug-cc-pwCV5Z-PP) and extrapolated to the CBS limit to yield CCSDT(Q)/CBS//CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pwCVTZ-PP energies. These energies include harmonic zero-point vibrational energy corrections and scalar relativistic energy corrections. Additionally, this study discovers new isomers along the I 2 O 3 potential energy surface, a novel contribution to the field. The performance of different computational methods and DFT functionals commonly used in atmospheric chemistry is also assessed relative to high-level theoretical methods.

basis sets↗
DOE OSTI2021

Axisymmetric Radiative Transfer Models of Kilonovae

The detailed observations of GW170817 proved for the first time directly that neutron star mergers are a major production site of heavy elements. The observations could be fit by a number of simulations that qualitatively agree, but can quantitatively differ (e.g., in total r-process mass) by an order of magnitude. We categorize kilonova ejecta into several typical morphologies motivated by numerical simulations, and apply a radiative transfer Monte Carlo code to study how the geometric distribution of the ejecta shapes the emitted radiation. We find major impacts on both spectra and light curves. The peak bolometric luminosity can vary by two orders of magnitude and the timing of its peak by a factor of five. These findings provide the crucial implication that the ejecta masses inferred from observations around the peak brightness are uncertain by at least an order of magnitude. Mixed two-component models with lanthanide-rich ejecta are particularly sensitive to geometric distribution. A subset of mixed models shows very strong viewing angle dependence due to lanthanide "curtaining," which persists even if the relative mass of lanthanide-rich component is small. The angular dependence is weak in the rest of our models, but different geometric combinations of the two components lead to a highly diverse set of light curves. We identify geometry-dependent P Cygni features in late spectra that directly map out strong lines in the simulated opacity of neodymium, which can help to constrain the ejecta geometry and to directly probe the r-process abundances.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Comparison of nanocomposite dispersion and distribution for several melt mixers

Breakup (dispersion) and distribution of nanoparticles are the chief hurdles towards taking advantage of nanoparticles in polymer nanocomposites for reinforcement, flame retardancy, conductivity, chromaticity, and other properties. Microscopy is often used to quantify mixing, but it has a limited field of view, does not average over bulk samples, and fails to address nano-particle hierarchical structures. Ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) can provide a macroscopic statistical average of nanoscale dispersion (breakup) and emergent hierarchical structure, as well as the distribution on the nanoscale. Here, this work compares several common mixer geometries for carbon black-polystyrene nanocomposites. Two twin-screw extruder geometries, typical for industrial processing of melt blends, are compared with a laboratory-scale single screw extruder and a Banbury mixer. It is found that for a given mixer, nanoscale distribution increases following a van der Waals function using accumulated strain as an analogue for temperature while macroscopic distribution/dispersion, using microscopy, does not follow this dependency. Breakup and aggregation in dispersive mixing follow expected behavior on the nanoscale. Across these drastically different mixing geometries an unexpected dependency is observed for nanoscale distributive mixing (both nano and macroscopic) as a function of accumulated strain that may reflect a transition from distributive turbulent to dispersive laminar mixing as the mixing gap is reduced.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

SAVY-4000 Finite-Element Drop Test Analysis

PFE Auxiliary Systems conducted drop testing on SAVY-4000 containers to evaluate structural response under 12-foot drop conditions. In support of that effort, a finite-element modeling capability was developed to simulate drop response across multiple container sizes and impact orientations. The purpose of this work was to provide a consistent analysis framework that could support interpretation of testing, compare response trends across multiple configurations, and generate quantities of interest for later comparison with experimental data. More broadly, the analysis and testing were intended to assess whether the containers continued to perform their primary function after a 12-foot drop, namely maintaining structural integrity and containment of the contents. The modeling approach combined an implicit preload analysis with an explicit drop simulation so that each drop event began from a mechanically realistic assembled condition, including compression of the silicone O-ring. Separate models were developed for 2-quart, 5-quart, 12-quart, and 10-gallon containers. The results were evaluated in terms of strain-gauge response, collar-lid gap behavior, and accumulated plastic strain. In addition, parametric studies were performed on the 2-quart container to assess sensitivity to O-ring stiffness, friction, canister thickness, geometry tolerance, and mesh density. The simulations showed that predicted drop responses depended strongly on both container size and drop orientation. Gap metrics identified cases in which the predicted collar-lid opening exceeded the nominal O-ring cross-section threshold, while plastic strain metrics identified localized regions of elevated permanent deformation. Parametric studies showed that the predicted response was especially sensitive to the assumed O-ring stiffness and contact friction, while the geometry tolerance study produced smaller changes in the cases examined. The main value of this work was that it established a repeatable modeling and simulation workflow to support drop-test implementation, evaluate effects of future configuration changes, and understand modeling assumptions that most influenced predicted response. At the current stage, the results were viewed as preliminary model predictions rather than validated predictions. The next step would be to compare drop-test data to the model so that predictive values of the workflow could be refined and used with greater confidence to assess whether the containers maintained structural integrity and containment of the contents after a 12-foot drop.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Modeling the Transmission of Optical Lightning Signals Through Complex 3‐D Cloud Scenes

Abstract Space‐based lightning imagers have shown that complex cloud scenes consisting of multiple tall convective features, anvil clouds, and warm boundary cloud layers are illuminated by lightning in many different ways depending on where the lightning occurs and how energetic it is. Modifications to the optical lightning signals from radiative transfer in the cloud medium can lead to reductions in detection efficiency and location accuracy for these instruments and can also cause some of the optical signals that are detected to have unexpected spatial energy distributions. In this study, we perform Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations of optical lightning emissions in clouds with complex 3‐D geometries to shed some light on the origins of certain irregular radiance patterns that have been recorded from orbit. We show that diffuse reflections off nearby cloud faces can explain lightning signals in nonelectrified clouds, tall clouds can result in poor optical transmission and suppressed radiances that could lead to missed events and that particularly favorable viewing conditions can cause otherwise normal lightning to produce a superbolt that is orders of magnitude brighter than the same flash seen from a different angle.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tunable Growth of Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets through Hydrothermal Conversion of Atomic Layer Deposition Seed Layers

To enable the design and manufacturing of hierarchical nanomaterial architectures, there is a need for synthesis and processing methods that can enable tunable geometric control at the nanoscale while maintaining conformality on complex 3-D templates. Here, in this study, we explore the programmable control of vertically oriented Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheet arrays using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit a seed layer of Al 2 O 3 , which is subsequently consumed and converted into the LDH phase under hydrothermal growth conditions. We demonstrate tunable control over the spacing and length of the nanosheets by varying the thickness of the initial ALD seed layer with subnanometer precision. This can be viewed as a nanoscale titration reaction, where Al acts as the limiting reagent during the hydrothermal synthesis of the nanosheets. Elemental mapping demonstrates the dynamic evolution of the resulting morphology, which is driven by surface diffusion and nucleation processes. The conformal nature of ALD allows for hierarchical growth of nanosheets on the surface of a variety of nonplanar substrate geometries, including microposts, paper fibers, and porous ceramic supports. This illustrates the power of ALD to enable bottom-up growth of 3-D nanoarchitectures with tunable geometries by controlling nucleation and growth in subsequent solution reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Macro-physical Properties of Shallow Cumulus from Integrated ARM Observations (Final Report)

Fair-weather shallow cumuli (ShCu) play an important role in many climate-related processes. Irregular geometry of ShCu and their strong temporal and spatial variability make it challenging to observe ShCu holistically and to represent them correctly in climate models. To improve ShCu parameterizations, information on both vertically and horizontally resolved cloud properties is required. Commonly, the vertically resolved cloud properties are provided by zenith pointing lidar-radar observations with a very narrow field of view (FOV). Thus, these “pencil-beam” properties may not be representative of a larger surrounding area. Limited number of areal-averaged cloud properties, such as fractional sky cover (FSC), are offered typically by wide-FOV observations. The main goal of our project was to integrate advantages of the narrow-FOV (vertical structure of clouds) and wide-FOV (spatial arrangement of clouds) observations for an improved characterization of single-layer ShCu observed at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site for an 18-yr period (2000-2017). There are four major accomplishments of our project, First, an updated operational cloud classification for days with ShCu has been suggested and evaluated through a detailed comparison with the manually curated records. Our classification extends successfully the latest ARM cloud type Value Added Product (VAP) based on the Active Remote Sensing of Clouds (ARSCL) cloud product by incorporating both cloud fraction (CF) provided by narrow-FOV ceilometer data and FSC from wide-FOV images offered by a Total Sky Imager (TSI). Moreover, our classification allows one to identify impact of instrumentation changes at the SGP site, namely the transition to KAZRARSCL with the updated cloud radar, on the identification of periods with single-layer ShCu. Second, a new approach that resolves cloud area distributions for a given region (up to 4x4 km 2 ) has been suggested and cloud equivalent diameters (CEDs) have been estimated for the first time. These estimations have been performed over a wide range of cloud sizes (about 0.01–3.5 km) with high temporal resolution (30s) using wide-FOV TSI images and cloud base height (CBH) provided by complementary narrow-FOV lidar measurements. Our simple and computationally inexpensive approach offers a previously unavailable dataset for process studies in the convective boundary layer and evaluation of ShCu parameterizations in cloud-resolving models. Third, a long-term integrated record of ShCu macrophysical properties has been developed. The developed record represents the longest available compilation of events with ShCu and includes (i) a novel visualization of the spatial variability in cloud cover both along- and across-wind directions, (ii) updated estimates of narrow-FOV CF and wide-FOV FSC, (iii) updated narrow-FOV CBH, and (iv) complementary data, such as wind speed and direction from the 915-MHz Radar Wind Profiler (RWP) data. The developed record has been used successfully to assess conventional observational estimates of cloud cover and their sensitivity to the following two factors: (i) instrument-dependent cloud detection and data merging criteria and (ii) FOV configuration. Fourth, co-variability of the ShCu macrophysical properties and environmental parameters has been analyzed for a 3-yr period (2016-2018). Our initial analysis includes diurnal changes of FSCs obtained for clouds with small, moderate and large CEDs and several environmental parameters, such as lifted condensation level (LCL) and mixed layer height (zi). Preliminary results of our analysis suggest that the horizontal extent of ShCu is controlled substantially by the sign and magnitude of difference between these two parameters (zi-LCL): the CED tends to grow with increase of this difference (zi exceeds LCL). We have initiated relationships between the ShCu and key atmospheric parameters that control both the development and evolution of ShCu using our new data product, which combines effectively the advantages of narrow-FOV data offered by zenith pointing cloud radars and lidars and wide-FOV TSI images. While the latest instrumentation at the ARM sites may address these challenging relationships in the future, we believe that the historical ARM data at the SGP site has not yet been fully utilized. Overall, our data product can be used by researchers working on a wide range of climate-related projects. These projects may include (i) a comprehensive evaluation of outputs from the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) and single-column models for their future improvement, (ii) the representativeness of “short-period” results obtained from the previous model and observational studies and (iii) the planning of future field campaigns with focus on improved understanding of the diurnal cycle of cumulus convection.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental Analysis of Advanced Turbine for Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle

An advanced first stage high pressure turbine blade for a supercritical CO2 power cycle is tested in the Big Rig for Aerothermal Stationary Turbine Analysis (BRASTA) annular cascade at the Purdue Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Laboratory (PETAL) high pressure blow down facility alongside a baseline blade for comparison of aerodynamic performance. Both geometries are tested simultaneously using a novel off-axis rig design to allow for the blade geometries to be scaled up to achieve higher Reynolds numbers. The off-axis design necessitates the use of discrete sectors of airfoils, which are designed and additively manufactured in house using an mSLA printer. Printing the blades allows for unique routing of passage for blade surface static pressure taps that contour to the blade shape instead of requiring a straight line view from surface tap to egress, allowing all instrumentation for 15%, 50%, and 85% span to exist in the same passage. A flow conditioning gauze [1] is placed upstream of the blade passages to impart pressure, Mach, and swirl profiles to mimic the rotor relative frame inlet conditions to the blade. Downstream, a sonic valve is used to alter the backpressure to achieve different pressure ratios for different blowdown setpoints. The design of the rig, sonic wheel, and instrumentation are discussed along with the manufacturing and GD&T of the blades with respect to the build-up of this novel experimental apparatus. Initial commissioning data is obtained from inlet total pressure and temperature rakes, blade static pressure taps, and exit total pressure rakes. Oil visualization is performed using a silicone oil mixture containing titanium dioxide and pigmented for contrast of the blade suction side surface with the hub and shroud endwalls. The viscosity of the oil is tuned so that the oil does not fully thin and blow away during the time of the test, and endoscopic cameras are placed in the rig for live monitoring and recording. The preliminary oil visualization and rake profiles are presented, showcasing the operability of this additively manufactured off-axis flow path design.

Tuite, Logan [Purdue University]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress Toward Gamma-Ray Imaging for Automated Holdup Measurement in Gloveboxes

Shielded gloveboxes are currently being constructed to facilitate dilution and disposal of many tons of excess plutonium oxide. Measuring holdup in these gloveboxes is expected to be challenging because of the limited available lines of sight through the glovebox shielding. A system of gamma-ray imagers is being developed to provide localization and quantification for holdup. The system will be mounted above the glovebox, where there is minimal shielding. Multiple imagers with overlapping coded-aperture fields of view are employed to enable three-dimensional reconstruction. Compton reconstruction is also available to localize sources outside the coded-aperture field of view. Improved uncertainties with respect to current techniques are expected by virtue of the fixed installation, spectroscopic performance of the detectors, and iterative image reconstruction techniques. Measurement campaigns have been undertaken at an active glovebox at Savannah River Site to test the gamma-ray imaging system in an operational environment, providing a simple test of a single imager that mimics the geometry of the installation proposed for future shielded gloveboxes. Data taken during quiescent periods in the glovebox were used to measure the buildup of material on an outlet filter and record a trend over time. Calibration data was taken with known sources to simplify analysis and provide a reliable assay of the filter. Resulting images make it possible to isolate the filter from other sources and recognize compromised data. This paper will present details of the measurement and analysis methods.

Schmitt, Kyle↗
DOE OSTI2025

The UV Photoinduced Ring-Closing Reaction of Cyclopentadiene Probed with Ultrafast Electron Diffraction

Conjugated cyclic organic molecules are common across many fields such as pharmaceuticals, are naturally occurring in biological systems, and are used in synthetic materials. One particular area of interest from a photochemical point of view is the formation of highly strained cyclic organics. We investigate the photoinduced reaction of cyclopentadiene, a five-membered organic ring molecule which can form strained three and four carbon rings after photoexcitation with UV light, with the gas-phase ultrafast electron diffraction instrument at the SLAC MeV-UED facility. Electron diffraction offers a direct probe sensitive to the nuclear geometry during the reaction, allowing for the determination of the distribution of products formed following photoexcitation. We observe the simultaneous formation of the highly strained ring- closed bicyclo[2.1.0]pentene and vibrationally hot cyclopentadiene within the temporal resolution of the experiment, and determine the relative yield of all reaction products. Furthermore, the experimental results are in good agreement with the predictions of trajectory simulations.

Computational Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2022

Solvable time-like cosets and holography beyond AdS

We build a novel time-like coset sigma-model describing type-II superstring theory in a charged rotating black-brane background that interpolates between a local AdS 3 in the IR and a linear-dilaton geometry in the UV. This allows one to peform a systematic study of holography in non-AdS backgrounds which are smoothly connected to AdS 3 . We construct massless closed string states vertex operators in the NS-NS sector, calculate the corresponding two-point correlation functions, and discuss holographic interpretation of our results from 4+1 dimensional boundary field theory point of view. Compactifying the theory on T 4 , we show that the spectrum of a single long string with unit winding agrees with the spectrum of a CFT 2 deformed by TT¯. We also calculate correlation functions of operators of the dual 1+1 dimensional non-conformal boundary field theory using worldsheet techniques.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗