Simulating Matrix Thermal Contraction and Stochastic Fracture Networks in Enhanced Geothermal Systems Using PFLOTRAN
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We present our SciDAC FASTMath-HEP partnership results for tuning generative adversarial models (GANs) for high energy physics applications. The GANs are used in hybrid simulations to accelerate otherwise time-consuming computations. We optimize for both, prediction accuracy and variability with the goal to find GAN architectures that are reliable and robust.
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Nanofluidic channels impose extreme confinement on water and ions, giving rise to unusual transport phenomena strongly dependent on the interactions at the channel–wall interface. Yet how the electronic properties of the nanofluidic channels influence transport efficiency remains largely unexplored. Here we measure transport through the inner pores of sub-1 nm metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotube porins. We find that water and proton transport are enhanced in metallic nanotubes over semiconducting nanotubes, whereas ion transport is largely insensitive to the nanotube bandgap value. Molecular simulations using polarizable force fields highlight the contributions of the anisotropic polarizability tensor of the carbon nanotubes to the ion–nanotube interactions and the water friction coefficient. We also describe the origin of the proton transport enhancement in metallic nanotubes using deep neural network molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, these results emphasize the complex role of the electronic properties of nanofluidic channels in modulating transport under extreme nanoscale confinement.
We perform a set of reactive transport simulations in three-dimensional fracture networks to characterize the impact of geochemical reactions on flow channelization. Flow channelization, a frequently observed phenomenon in porous and fractured subsurface rock formations, results from the spatially variable hydraulic resistance offered by a geological structure. In addition to geo-structural features such as network connectivity, geometry, and hydraulic resistance, geochemical reactions, for example, dissolution and precipitation, can dynamically inhibit or enhance flow channelization. These geochemical processes can change the fracture permeability leading to increased flow channelization, which are localized connected regions of high volumetric flow rates that are seemingly ubiquitous in the subsurface. In our simulations, fractures partially filled with quartz are gradually dissolved until quasi-steady state conditions are obtained. We compare the flow field's initial unreacted and final dissolved states in terms of flow and transport observations. We observe that the dissolved fracture networks provide less resistance to flow and exhibit increased flow channelization when compared to their unreacted counterparts. However, there is substantial variability in the magnitude of these changes which implies that the channelization strongly depends on the network structure. In turn, we identify the interplay between the particular network structure and the impact of geochemical dissolution on flow channelization. The presented results indicate that geological systems that have been weathering or reactive for longer times in older landscapes are likely to have increased flow channelization compared to their equivalent but younger counterparts, which implies a time dependence on flow channelization in fractured media.
Time-resolved scanning probe microscopy methods, like time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), enable imaging of dynamic processes ranging from ion motion in batteries to electronic dynamics in microstructured thin film semiconductors for solar cells. Reconstructing the underlying physical dynamics from these techniques can be challenging due to the interplay of cantilever physics with the actual transient kinetics of interest in the resulting signal. Previously, quantitative trEFM used empirical calibration of the cantilever or feed-forward neural networks trained on simulated data to extract the physical dynamics of interest. Both these approaches are limited by interpreting the underlying signal as a single exponential function, which serves as an approximation but does not adequately reflect many realistic systems. Here, we present a multi-branched, multi-output convolutional neural network (CNN) that uses the trEFM signal in addition to the physical cantilever parameters as input. The trained CNN accurately extracts parameters describing both single-exponential and bi-exponential underlying functions, and more accurately reconstructs real experimental data in the presence of noise. This article demonstrates an application of physics-informed machine learning to complex signal processing tasks, enabling more efficient and accurate analysis of trEFM.
The study proposes a comprehensive Transportation Mobility (TransitMo) framework covering conceptual design, model formulation, optimization, simulation, and impact analysis of the transportation mobility system. TransitMo is composed of a transportation digital twin developed in Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) and an Intelligent Traffic Management and Control Center (ITMCC) that identifies the best ways to improve the movement of people within urban areas using various modes of transportation. This study encompasses advanced modeling techniques, algorithms, and strategic testing to optimize energy efficiency and mobility in a multimodal shared mobility network. TransitMo’s practical applications are exemplified through a city-scaled simulation network in Chattanooga, TN, employing demographic data to analyze historical traffic patterns and forecast future demands. Central to this methodology are three models: the User Preference Model (UP), the Energy Consumption Model (EC), and the System Optimization Model (SO). These models work in concert to iteratively devise the optimal travel incentives and minimize the total system cost in a real-time manner. In conclusion, test results verified that the proposed adaptive incentive program and optimized bus scheduling can improve network performance by increasing public transit ridership.
The creation and use of Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) for simulating the dynamics of methane hydrate formation and dissociation will be presented. The PINN framework's main benefit is its capacity to impose physical consistency with only a partial comprehension of the governing equations. This makes the algorithm especially useful for systems with little experimental evidence or a lack of theoretical knowledge. A strong basis for forecasting methane hydrate behavior over the verified operating ranges of 30.0-80.9 bar pressure and 1.0-4.0 K sub-cooling conditions is provided by the combination of conductive heat transfer equations and mixed mass-transfer–crystallization kinetics. PINNs were more accurate at predicting the mixed mass-heat-crystallization limited kinetics than conventional Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), demonstrating remarkable predictive accuracy for methane hydrate production over the ANN model. The efficiency of incorporating physical limitations from first principles into machine learning frameworks for methane hydrate crystallizations is reinforced by these findings. For hydrate-related applications in energy generation, carbon sequestration, and climate modelling, our study establishes PINNs as a computational tool that is both scalable and efficient. The proven capacity to close the gap between conventional physics-based simulations and solely data-driven models creates new opportunities for expedited hydrate research and practical applications.
We study scattering in Ising field theory (IFT) using matrix product states and the time-dependent variational principle. IFT is a one-parameter family of strongly coupled nonintegrable quantum field theories in 1+1 dimensions, interpolating between massive free fermion theory and Zamolodchikov's integrable massive 𝐸 8 theory. Particles in IFT may scatter either elastically or inelastically. In the postcollision wave function, particle tracks from all final-state channels occur in superposition; processes of interest can be isolated by projecting the wave function onto definite particle sectors, or by evaluating energy density correlation functions. Using numerical simulations we determine the time delay of elastic scattering and the probability of inelastic particle production as a function of collision energy. We also study the mass and width of the lightest resonance near the 𝐸 8 point in detail. Close to both the free fermion and 𝐸 8 theories, our results for both elastic and inelastic scattering are in good agreement with expectations from form-factor perturbation theory. Using numerical computations to go beyond the regime accessible by perturbation theory, we find that the high-energy behavior of the two-to-two particle scattering probability in IFT is consistent with a conjecture of Zamolodchikov. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of tensor-network methods for simulating the real-time dynamics of strongly coupled quantum field theories in 1+1 dimensions.
Software repository for the Caspian neuromorphic system. In order to deploy small, low-power spiking neural networks at the edge, there needs to be 1) an FPGA design for an event simulator to evaluate these neural networks as well as 2) a high-performance cycle-accurate simulator for training these spiking neural networks. This software package solves these problems by providing the Caspian simulator and the µCaspian hardware design in SystemVerilog.
Spiking neural networks seek to emulate biological computation through interconnected artificial neuron and synapse devices. Spintronic neurons can leverage magnetization physics to mimic biological neuron functions, such as integration tied to magnetic domain wall (DW) propagation in a patterned nanotrack and firing tied to the resistance change of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), captured in the domain wall-magnetic tunnel junction (DW-MTJ) device. Leaking, relaxation of a neuron when it is not under stimulation, is also predicted to be implemented based on DW drift as a DW relaxes to a low energy position, but it has not been well explored or demonstrated in device prototypes. Here, in this work, we study DW-MTJ artificial neurons capable of leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) behavior and demonstrate geometry-dependent leaking dynamics that results in repeatable, tunable LIF operation. Studying the behavior of five different device designs, we show tuning the geometry, stimulating fields and currents, and location of electrical contacts results in a wide range of neuron behavior. Additionally, implementation of an asymmetric notch allows for nonlinear pinning which increased expressivity without sacrificing leaking. The measured behavior is implemented in a simulated spiking neural network that outperforms a 1D model of continuous DW motion and approaches the performance of an ideal LIF activation function. The results show that the analog LIF capability of DW-MTJ neurons combines many desirable neuron functions into a single device, which can result in varied forms of multifunctional neuromorphic computing.
Net ecosystem exchange of CO 2 (Fc) measured directly by eddy covariance towers is based on various assumptions, including large, flat and homogenous land cover type. In reality, often a tower site is not large enough for flux measurements, and landscapes consist of patches of different land cover types within the flux footprint. In addition, some portions of fluxes are contributed by different cover types when a footprint exceeds the size of the target ecosystem. The contributions of non-dominant patches to Fc are often ignored. Here, in this study, we propose a novel integrated modeling framework that combines random forest (RF) and XGBoost with a residual correction module based on a deep graph convolutional network (DeeperGCN) to simulate Fc for seven flux measurement sites in southwest Michigan. High-resolution remote sensing vegetation indices, soil properties, meteorological variables, and footprint-weighted spatial features were used as model inputs at three spatial resolutions (10 m, 20 m, 30 m), and their importance in predicting Fc with DeeperGCN was assessed. We found that residual correction using DeeperGCN significantly improved prediction accuracy, with the R 2 increasing from 0.9098 to 0.9479 for RF and from 0.9235 to 0.9433 for XGBoost. At site level, the maximum improvement in R 2 reached 0.1617. Paired t-tests confirmed that these improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Among all predictors, leaf area index and incoming shortwave radiation emerged as the dominant drivers of spatial residual variation, followed by precipitation, relative humidity, and selected vegetation indices. The 20 m resolution yielded the best balance between model performance and computational efficiency. In conclusion, our modeling framework effectively captures both spatial heterogeneity and nonlinear interactions, offering a robust solution for spatially explicit flux modeling in structurally diverse ecosystems beyond the study sites.
A molecular-level understanding of the effects of ambient organic compounds on the wettability of titanium dioxide ( ${\rm TiO}_{2}$ ) surfaces is relevant to many of its energy-related and environmental applications. Herein, we focus on two common atmospheric carboxylic acids, formic and acetic acid, and characterize their adsorption/ desorption at the aqueous interfaces of anatase and rutile ${\rm TiO}_{2}$ using molecular dynamics with an ab initio deep neural network potential. Our simulations show that these acids prefer to be localized in the interfacial water layers close to the ${\rm TiO}_{2}$ surface where they are stabilized by the interaction/exchange of their acid proton with a surface oxygen, rather than chemisorb at the surface Ti sites by displacing the adsorbed water. Notably, these acids make the surface of anatase hydrophobic, whereas the larger fraction of adsorbed water dissociation can offset their effect on rutile. Furthermore, these results provide a picture where carboxylic acids control the wettability of ${\rm TiO}_{2}$ largely through acid-base chemistry at the interface rather than chemisorption on the oxide surface, a finding that can help improve the design of self-cleaning surfaces and photocatalytic devices.
This paper discusses power electronics developed under the ARPA-E GAMOW program to support nuclear fusion power production. The goal of this project was to develop and assess the potential for wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices in power electronics to enable high-efficiency and high-voltage solid-state systems for fusion plasma generation, heating, and control. The power electronics use an architecture in which multiple high-power boards can be combined to produce megawatt-level power, where using multiple boards provides high reliability. Two main areas of power electronics boards are developed in this project for fusion plasma heating and control applications: (1) pulse generation and control and (2) radiofrequency generation. The first area is for boards capable of driving high-voltage millisecond pulses at high duty cycles. The envisioned application of these pulses is in plasma control of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, plasma position, and edge-localized modes. Pulse-width modulation allows for the implementation of a wide variety of linear and nonlinear control systems. The boards developed for this project could actuate control coils based on digital input signals and can be parallelized to provide megawatts of output power. The design of the pulse generator is a low-side load switch. A load switch was designed and constructed that utilized 2-kV-rated field-effect transistor (FET)-based cascodes developed by Qorvo under this project to perform initial testing of these cascodes. The second area is being implemented using class E amplifiers with WBG devices and a reactance steering network to handle inductive or capacitive plasma loads. Applications include ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) and high-harmonic fast-wave (HHFW) heating. A class E reactance steering network is demonstrated in modeling and experiment with a resistive-inductive load that models an inductively-coupled plasma. Power combining of boards with class E reactance steering networks is also simulated and demonstrated experimentally, to enable scaling up to high power. Modeling of high-power-density cooling and remaining useful life is conducted to enable reliable, effectively cooled high-power electronics for fusion applications.
Abstract The global-mean sea surface temperature (SST) reached a record high in 2023, exceeding the 2016 record by 0.14 °C. This unprecedented change in global-mean SST has major implications for our understanding of internal variability and the forced response in our changing climate. In this work, we use neural networks trained on simulated climate data to separate the contributions of internal variability and the forced response within observations. Performing attribution reveals that internal variability was responsible for +0.07 °C of the 2023 global mean SST, due to anomalously warm conditions in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean basins. Furthermore, these results provide a line of evidence for accelerated forced warming in recent years. Continued monitoring of the climate will be critical for understanding the drivers behind this unprecedented SST record.
We present measurements of total neutron production from atmospheric neutrino interactions in water, analyzed as a function of electron-equivalent visible energy over a range of 30 MeV to 10 GeV. These results are based on 4,270 days of data collected by Super-Kamiokande, including 564 days with 0.011 wt% gadolinium added to enhance neutron detection. Neutron signal selection is based on a neural network trained on simulation, with its performance validated using an Am/Be neutron point source. The measurements are compared to predictions from neutrino event generators combined with various hadron-nucleus interaction models, which include an intranuclear cascade model and a nuclear deexcitation model. We observe significant variations in the predictions depending on the choice of hadron-nucleus interaction model. We discuss key factors that contribute to describing our data, such as in-medium effects in the intranuclear cascade and the accuracy of statistical evaporation modeling.
The scalability of controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) simulation is critical for validating control coordination and energy management in microgrids with distributed energy resources, especially as these modern systems become more complex and decentralized. This paper presents a CHIL modeling methodology that combines modular building blocks with an automated design script to streamline the development of high-fidelity microgrid models. Standardized subsystem templates for resources, converters, and buses are integrated with a Python-based script that compiles structured JSON configuration files into simulation-ready initialization code. The proposed approach reduces development time, improves model consistency, and enhances simulation fidelity. The methodology is validated on a Typhoon HIL604 platform and is broadly applicable to real-time simulation of complex, networked microgrid systems. This framework establishes a foundation for automated, scalable CHIL validation and accelerates the design of next-generation distributed energy systems.