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Topological Analysis of The SPOKE Graph

The SPOKE graph [2, 6] is a sparse decorated semantic graph representing a collection of knowledge collected in many scientific databases from the fields of healthcare, biochemistry, chemistry, biology, et cetera. This knowledge graph is stored as a relational dataset decorated with metadata on each constituent vertex and edge. Formally, the graph is G(V, E, D), where V is a set of n vertices V := {1, ..., n} and edges of the form (i, j) ϵ E for i, j ϵ V, and table D that for any item in V υ E stores unstructured data such as vertex/edge type, nature of a relationship, et cetera. D(i) = {data involving vertex i ϵ V}, and D(i, j) = {data involving edge (i, j) ϵ E}. Here, we treat the graph as undirected in the sense that a direct relationship for (i, j) causes a (possibly opposite) reverse direct relationship for (j, i). The SPOKE graph G(V, E, D) is formed by processing a collection of relational datasets from medicine, chemistry, and biology, connecting many entities. Here, we analyze an instance from 2019, Spoke-20190707, where a graph file contains 6.16M edges and associated metadata and a vertex file contains 2.15M vertices and the associated metadata. There are 12 different types of vertex entities; all edge types used are implicit (see §2). There is other metadata in D on edges and vertices, but we just use the topology and the vertex labels in this report. SPOKE is growing as more knowledge is gained and more datasets are added. SPOKE is likely to grow 10x during the next phase of this project, and we therefore would like to consider topoligical analysis techniques that are scalable to several orders of magnitude larger than the current dataset (say >1B edges).

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Li-Ion Localization and Energetics as a Function of Anode Structure

Here in this work, we study the effect of carbon composite anode structure on the localization and energetics of Li-ions. A computational molecular dynamics study is combined with experimental results from neutron scattering experiments to understand the effect of composite density, crystallite size, volume fraction of crystalline carbon, and ion loading on the nature of ion storage in novel, lignin-derived composite materials. In a recent work, we demonstrated that these carbon composites display a fundamentally different mechanism for Li-ion storage than traditional graphitic anodes. The edges of the crystalline and amorphous fragments of aromatic carbon that exist in these composites are terminated by hydrogen atoms, which play a crucial role in adsorption. In this work, we demonstrate how differences in composite structure due to changes in the processing conditions alter the type and extent of the interface between the amorphous and crystalline domains, thus impacting the nature of Li-ion storage. The effects of structural properties are evaluated using a suite of pair distribution functions as well as an original technique to extract archetypal structures, in the form of three-dimensional atomic density distributions, from highly disordered systems. The energetics of Li-ion binding are understood by relating changes in the energy and charge distributions to changes in structural properties. The distribution of Li-ion energies reveals that some structures lead to greater chemisorption, while others have greater physisorption. Carbon composites with a high volume fraction of small crystallites demonstrate the highest ion storage capacity because of the high interfacial area between the crystalline and amorphous domains. Finally, at these interfaces, stable H atoms, terminating the graphitic crystallites, provide favorable sites for reversible Li adsorption.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Phase engineering of layered anode materials during ion-intercalation in Van der Waal heterostructures

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a class of 2D materials demonstrating promising properties, such as high capacities and cycling stabilities, making them strong candidates to replace graphitic anodes in lithium-ion batteries. However, certain TMDs, for instance, MoS 2 , undergo a phase transformation from 2H to 1T during intercalation that can affect the mobility of the intercalating ions, the anode voltage, and the reversible capacity. In contrast, select TMDs, for instance, NbS 2 and VS 2 , resist this type of phase transformation during Li-ion intercalation. This manuscript uses density functional theory simulations to investigate the phase transformation of TMD heterostructures during Li-, Na-, and K-ion intercalation. The simulations suggest that while stacking MoS 2 layers with NbS 2 layers is unable to limit this 2H → 1T transformation in MoS 2 during Li-ion intercalation, the interfaces effectively stabilize the 2H phase of MoS 2 during Na- and K-ion intercalation. However, stacking MoS 2 layers with VS 2 is able to suppress the 2H → 1T transformation of MoS 2 during the intercalation of Li, Na, and K-ions. The creation of TMD heterostructures by stacking MoS 2 with layers of non-transforming TMDs also renders theoretical capacities and electrical conductivities that are higher than that of bulk MoS 2 .

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Using Eye-Tracking to Quantify Reverse Engineering Expertise

Software reverse engineering (RE) requires analysts to closely read and make decisions about code. Little is known about what makes an analyst successful, making it difficult to train new analysts or design tools to augment existing ones. The goal of this project was to quantify the eye movement behaviors supporting RE and code comprehension more generally. We applied eye-tracking methods from the language comprehension literature to understand where analysts direct their attention over time when completing tasks (e.g., function identification, bug detection). Across three studies, we manipulated aspects of code hypothesized to impact comprehension (e.g., variable name meaningfulness, code complexity) and presentation methods (e.g., line-by-line, free viewing, gaze-contingent moving window) to understand effects on accuracy and gaze patterns. Results showed clear benefits of meaningful variable names, and effects of expertise on global and line-specific viewing patterns. Findings could inspire empirically-supported tool or analytic adaptations that help to reduce analyst workload.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Interparameter trade-off quantification and reduction in isotropic-elastic full-waveform inversion: synthetic experiments and Hussar land data set application

The problem of inverting for multiple physical parameters in the subsurface using seismic full-waveform inversion (FWI) is complicated by interparameter trade-off arising from inherent ambiguities between different physical parameters. Parameter resolution is often characterized using scattering radiation patterns, but these neglect some important aspects of interparameter trade-off. More general analysis and mitigation of interparameter trade-off in isotropic-elastic FWI is possible through judiciously chosen multiparameter Hessian matrix-vector products. We show that products of multiparameter Hessian off-diagonal blocks with model perturbation vectors, referred to as interparameter contamination kernels , are central to the approach. We then apply the multiparameter Hessian to various vectors designed to provide information regarding the strengths and characteristics of interparameter contamination, both locally and within the whole volume. With numerical experiments, we observe that S-wave velocity perturbations introduce strong contaminations into density and phase-reversed contaminations into P-wave velocity, but themselves experience only limited contaminations from other parameters. Based on these findings, we introduce a novel strategy to mitigate the influence of interparameter trade-off with approximate contamination kernels. Furthermore, we recommend that the local spatial and interparameter trade-off of the inverted models be quantified using extended multiparameter point spread functions (EMPSFs) obtained with pre-conditioned conjugate-gradient algorithm. Compared to traditional point spread functions, the EMPSFs appear to provide more accurate measurements for resolution analysis, by de-blurring the estimations, scaling magnitudes and mitigating interparameter contamination. Approximate eigenvalue volumes constructed with stochastic probing approach are proposed to evaluate the resolution of the inverted models within the whole model. With a synthetic Marmousi model example and a land seismic field data set from Hussar, Alberta, Canada, we confirm that the new inversion strategy suppresses the interparameter contamination effectively and provides more reliable density estimations in isotropic-elastic FWI as compared to standard simultaneous inversion approach.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

AIRS Products Confirm and Explain Recent Negative Trends of OLR as Observed by CERES

Anomalies and trends of OLR serve as important indicators of climate change. Several satellite based instruments currently provide information related to OLR. CERES, on board the EOS Aqua and Terra satellites, contains broad band radiometers that measure total flux and short-wave flux, from which OLR is determined. AIRS is a high spectral resolution IR sounder on EOS Aqua that measures IR radiances covering most of the spectral interval 650/cm to 2670/cm. These observations enable the determination of detailed information about atmospheric temperature, moisture, and ozone profiles, as well as surface skin temperatures and cloud parameters. The AIRS OLR product is the total flux over the spectral interval 2/cm to 2750/cm computed for the surface and atmospheric state determined from AIRS observations. We compared spatial anomalies and trends of OLR, over the seven year period September 2002 through August 2009, as observed by CERES and computed using Version-5 AIRS products. These two sets of OLR anomalies and trends, obtained in very different ways, agree with each other almost perfectly in essentially every detail. This important finding shows that a very stable high spectral infra-red sounder such as AIRS corroborates the anomalies and trends of OLR obtained from CERES. More significantly, anomalies and trends of the individual geophysical parameters derived from AIRS explain the detailed causes of the anomalies and trends of CERES OLR. Both sets of results show that global mean OLR has been decreasing at a rate of 0.12 W/sq m/yr over the seven year time period under study. Both also confirm that the primary cause of this is due to changes in the tropics, in which OLR has been decreasing at a rate of 0.27 W/sq m/yr. AIRS products show that the decrease of tropical OLR is a result of increasing tropical atmospheric water vapor and cloud cover over that time period studied, which in turn is responding to a very strong La Nina; a event starting in late 2007. Equatorial ocean temperatures between 160 E and 120 W cooled considerably during this time period, with corresponding local decreases in mid-tropospheric humidity and cloud cover, resulting in increases in local OLR. This was more than compensated by substantial increases in water vapor and cloud cover elsewhere in the tropics, resulting in a net decrease in tropical OLR. The AIRS Version-5 products currently extend through December 2009. An El Nino event began in late 2009. AIRS products show that tropical OLR began to increase at that time, and there was a corresponding reversal of sign of tropical cloud and water vapor anomalies.

Susskind, Joel↗

Observation of Weyl fermions in a magnetic non-centrosymmetric crystal

The absence of inversion symmetry in non-centrosymmetric materials has a fundamental role in the emergence of a vast number of fascinating phenomena, like ferroelectricity, second harmonic generation, and Weyl fermions. The removal of time-reversal symmetry in such systems further extends the variety of observable magneto-electric and topological effects. Here we report the striking topological properties in the non-centrosymmetric spin-orbit magnet PrAlGe by combining spectroscopy and transport measurements. By photoemission spectroscopy below the Curie temperature, we observe topological Fermi arcs that correspond to projected topological charges of ±1 in the surface Brillouin zone. In the bulk, we observe the linear energy-dispersion of the Weyl fermions. We further observe a large anomalous Hall response in our magneto-transport measurements, which is understood to arise from diverging bulk Berry curvature fields associated with the Weyl band structure. These results establish a novel Weyl semimetal phase in magnetic non-centrosymmetric PrAlGe.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Variable domain mutational analysis to probe the molecular mechanisms of high viscosity of an IgG 1 antibody

Subcutaneous injection is the preferred route of administration for many antibody therapeutics for reasons that include its speed and convenience. However, the small volume limit (typically ≤2 mL) for subcutaneous delivery often necessitates antibody formulations at high concentrations (commonly ≥100 mg/mL), which may lead to physicochemical problems. For example, antibodies with large hydrophobic or charged patches can be prone to self-interaction giving rise to high viscosity. Here, we combined X-ray crystallography with computational modeling to predict regions of an anti-glucagon receptor (GCGR) IgG 1 antibody prone to self-interaction. An extensive mutational analysis was undertaken of the complementarity-determining region residues residing in hydrophobic surface patches predicted by spatial aggregation propensity, in conjunction with residue-level solvent accessibility, averaged over conformational ensembles from molecular dynamics simulations. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used as a medium throughput screen for self-interaction of ~200 anti-GCGR IgG 1 variants. A negative correlation was found between the viscosity determined at high concentration (180 mg/mL) and the DLS interaction parameter measured at low concentration (2–10 mg/mL). Additionally, anti-GCGR variants were readily identified with reduced viscosity and antigen-binding affinity within a few fold of the parent antibody, with no identified impact on overall developability. The methods described here may be useful in the optimization of other antibodies to facilitate their therapeutic administration at high concentration.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Adaptive Augmenting Control Flight Characterization Experiment on an F/A-18

This paper summarizes the Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) flight characterization experiments performed using an F/A-18 (TN 853). AAC was designed and developed specifically for launch vehicles, and is currently part of the baseline autopilot design for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The scope covered here includes a brief overview of the algorithm (covered in more detail elsewhere), motivation and benefits of flight testing, top-level SLS flight test objectives, applicability of the F/A-18 as a platform for testing a launch vehicle control design, test cases designed to fully vet the AAC algorithm, flight test results, and conclusions regarding the functionality of AAC. The AAC algorithm developed at Marshall Space Flight Center is a forward loop gain multiplicative adaptive algorithm that modifies the total attitude control system gain in response to sensed model errors or undesirable parasitic mode resonances. The AAC algorithm provides the capability to improve or decrease performance by balancing attitude tracking with the mitigation of parasitic dynamics, such as control-structure interaction or servo-actuator limit cycles. In the case of the latter, if unmodeled or mismodeled parasitic dynamics are present that would otherwise result in a closed-loop instability or near instability, the adaptive controller decreases the total loop gain to reduce the interaction between these dynamics and the controller. This is in contrast to traditional adaptive control logic, which focuses on improving performance by increasing gain. The computationally simple AAC attitude control algorithm has stability properties that are reconcilable in the context of classical frequency-domain criteria (i.e., gain and phase margin). The algorithm assumes that the baseline attitude control design is well-tuned for a nominal trajectory and is designed to adapt only when necessary. Furthermore, the adaptation is attracted to the nominal design and adapts only on an as-needed basis (see Figure 1). The MSFC algorithm design was formulated during the Constellation Program and reached a high maturity level during SLS through simulation-based development and internal and external analytical review. The AAC algorithm design has three summary-level objectives: (1) "Do no harm;" return to baseline control design when not needed, (2) Increase performance; respond to error in ability of vehicle to track command, and (3) Regain stability; respond to undesirable control-structure interaction or other parasitic dynamics. AAC has been successfully implemented as part of the Space Launch System baseline design, including extensive testing in high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations the details of which are described in [1]. The Dryden Flight Research Center's F/A-18 Full-Scale Advanced Systems Testbed (FAST) platform is used to conduct an algorithm flight characterization experiment intended to fully vet the aforementioned design objectives. FAST was specifically designed with this type of test program in mind. The onboard flight control system has full-authority experiment control of ten aerodynamic effectors and two throttles. It has production and research sensor inputs and pilot engage/disengage and real-time configuration of up to eight different experiments on a single flight. It has failure detection and automatic reversion to fail-safe mode. The F/A-18 aircraft has an experiment envelope cleared for full-authority control and maneuvering and exhibits characteristics for robust recovery from unusual attitudes and configurations aided by the presence of a qualified test pilot. The F/A-18 aircraft has relatively high mass and inertia with exceptional performance; the F/A-18 also has a large thrust-to-weight ratio, owing to its military heritage. This enables the simulation of a portion of the ascent trajectory with a high degree of dynamic similarity to a launch vehicle, and the research flight control system can simulate unstable longitudinal dynamics. Parasitic dynamics such as slosh and bending modes, as well as atmospheric disturbances, are being produced by the airframe via modification of bending filters and the use of secondary control surfaces, including leading and trailing edge flaps, symmetric ailerons, and symmetric rudders. The platform also has the ability to inject signals in flight to simulate structural mode resonances or other challenging dynamics. This platform also offers more test maneuvers and longer maneuver times than a single rocket or missile test, which provides ample opportunity to fully and repeatedly exercise all aspects of the algorithm. Prior to testing on an F/A-18, AAC was the only component of the SLS autopilot design that had not been flight tested. The testing described in this paper raises the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) early in the SLS Program and is able to demonstrate its capabilities and robustness in a flight environment.

VanZwieten, Tannen S.↗

Fatigue performance of laser powder bed fusion hydride-dehydride Ti-6Al-4V powder

We report hydride-dehydride (HDH) Ti-6Al-4V alloy with particle size distribution of 50–120 µm is laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) processed using optimum processing parameters and a near-fully dense structure with a density of 99.9 % is achieved. Microstructural observations and phase analyses indicate formation of columnar β grains with acicular α/α' phases in as-built condition. The roughness of the as-fabricated samples is significant with an average roughness of R a = 15.71 ± 3.96 µm and a root mean square roughness of R rms = 108.4 ± 24.9 µm, however, both values are reduced to R a = 0.19 ± 0.04 µm and R rms = 4.9 ± 0.6 µm after mechanical grinding. Mechanical tests are carried out on as-fabricated specimens followed by stress relief treatment. All samples are tested to failure in fatigue, under fully-reversed tension-compression conditions of R = –1. The as-built samples failed from the surface with crack initiation mainly at micro-notches, whereas after mechanically grinding, crack initiation changed to subsurface defects such as pores. Minimizing surface roughness by mechanically grinding eliminates surface micro-notches which improves fatigue strength in the high cycle fatigue region. Fatigue notch factor calculations showed that the effect of surface roughness was significantly lower when HDH powder is used compared to standard spherical powder. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed an in-plane compressive stress, micro-strain and grain refinement on the surface of the mechanically ground samples. Fractography observations (macroscale) revealed a fully brittle fracture in the first stage of crack growth with a transition to a dominantly ductile fracture in the third stage of crack growth. On the other hand, at the micro scale, even the brittle fracture regions showed evidence of ductile fracture within the α' martensite laths.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Morphology-dependent stability of complex metal hydrides and their intermediates using first-principles calculations

Complex light metal hydrides are promising candidates for efficient, compact solid-state hydrogen storage. (De)hydrogenation of these materials often proceeds via multiple reaction intermediates, the energetics of which determine reversibility and kinetics. At the solid-state reaction front, molecular-level chemistry eventually drives the formation of bulk product phases. Therefore, a better understanding of realistic (de)hydrogenation behavior requires considering possible reaction products along all stages of morphological evolution, from molecular to bulk crystalline. Here, we use first-principles calculations to explore the interplay between intermediate morphology and reaction pathways. Employing representative complex metal hydride systems, we investigate the relative energetics of three distinct morphological stages that can be expressed by intermediates during solid-state reactions: i) dispersed molecules; ii) clustered molecular chains; and iii) condensed-phase crystals. Our results verify that the effective reaction energy landscape strongly depends on the morphological features and associated chemical environment, offering a possible explanation for observed discrepancies between X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Our theoretical understanding also provides physical and chemical insight into phase nucleation kinetics upon (de)hydrogenation of complex metal hydrides.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Bifurcations and degenerate periodic points in a three dimensional chaotic fluid flow

Analysis of the periodic points of a conservative periodic dynamical system uncovers the basic kinematic structure of the transport dynamics and identifies regions of local stability or chaos. While elliptic and hyperbolic points typically govern such behaviour in 3D systems, degenerate (parabolic) points also play an important role. These points represent a bifurcation in local stability and Lagrangian topology. In this study, we consider the ramifications of the two types of degenerate periodic points that occur in a model 3D fluid flow. (1) Period-tripling bifurcations occur when the local rotation angle associated with elliptic points is reversed, creating a reversal in the orientation of associated Lagrangian structures. Even though a single unstable point is created, the bifurcation in local stability has a large influence on local transport and the global arrangement of manifolds as the unstable degenerate point has three stable and three unstable directions, similar to hyperbolic points, and occurs at the intersection of three hyperbolic periodic lines. The presence of period-tripling bifurcation points indicates regions of both chaos and confinement, with the extent of each depending on the nature of the associated manifold intersections. (2) The second type of bifurcation occurs when periodic lines become tangent to local or global invariant surfaces. This bifurcation creates both saddle–centre bifurcations which can create both chaotic and stable regions, and period-doubling bifurcations which are a common route to chaos in 2D systems. We provide conditions for the occurrence of these tangent bifurcations in 3D conservative systems, as well as constraints on the possible types of tangent bifurcation that can occur based on topological considerations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Simulation of a non-equilibrium helium plasma bullet emerging into oxygen at high pressure (250–760 Torr) and interacting with a substrate

A two-dimensional computational study of a plasma bullet emanating from a helium gas jet in oxygen ambient at high pressure (250–760 Torr) was performed, with emphasis on the bullet interaction with a substrate. Power was applied in the form of a trapezoidal +5 kV pulse lasting 150 ns. A neutral gas transport model was employed to predict the concentration distributions of helium and oxygen in the system. These were then used in a plasma dynamics model to investigate the characteristics of the plasma bullet during its propagation and interaction with a substrate. Upon ignition, the discharge first propagated as a surface wave along the inner wall of the containing tube, and then exited the tube with a well-defined ionization front (streamer or plasma bullet). The plasma bullet evolved from a hollow (donut-shaped) feature to one where the maximum of ionization was on axis. The bullet propagated in the gap between the tube exit and the substrate with an average speed of ~2 × 10 5 m/s. Upon encountering a metal substrate, the bullet formed a conductive channel to the substrate. Upon encountering a dielectric substrate, the bullet turned into an ionization wave propagating radially along the substrate surface. For a conductive substrate, the radial species fluxes to the surface peaked on the symmetry axis. For a dielectric substrate, a ring-shaped flux distribution was observed. The “footprint” of plasma-surface interaction increased either by decreasing the gap between tube exit and substrate, decreasing the relative permittivity of an insulating substrate, or decreasing pressure. As the system pressure was lowered from 760 to 250 Torr, the discharge was initiated earlier, and the plasma bullet propagation speed increased. A reverse electric field developed during the late stages of the ramp-down of the pulse, which accelerated electrons forming a brief backward discharge.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Modeling the Deterioration of Engine and Low Pressure Compressor Performance During a Roll Back Event Due to Ice Accretion

The main focus of this study is to apply a computational tool for the flow analysis of the engine that has been tested with ice crystal ingestion in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) of NASA Glenn Research Center. A data point was selected for analysis during which the engine experienced a full roll back event due to the ice accretion on the blades and flow path of the low pressure compressor. The computational tool consists of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) engine system thermodynamic cycle code, and an Euler-based compressor flow analysis code, that has an ice particle melt estimation code with the capability of determining the rate of sublimation, melting, and evaporation through the compressor blade rows. Decreasing the performance characteristics of the low pressure compressor (LPC) within the NPSS cycle analysis resulted in matching the overall engine performance parameters measured during testing at data points in short time intervals through the progression of the roll back event. Detailed analysis of the fan-core and LPC with the compressor flow analysis code simulated the effects of ice accretion by increasing the aerodynamic blockage and pressure losses through the low pressure compressor until achieving a match with the NPSS cycle analysis results, at each scan. With the additional blockages and losses in the LPC, the compressor flow analysis code results were able to numerically reproduce the performance that was determined by the NPSS cycle analysis, which was in agreement with the PSL engine test data. The compressor flow analysis indicated that the blockage due to ice accretion in the LPC exit guide vane stators caused the exit guide vane (EGV) to be nearly choked, significantly reducing the air flow rate into the core. This caused the LPC to eventually be in stall due to increasing levels of diffusion in the rotors and high incidence angles in the inlet guide vane (IGV) and EGV stators. The flow analysis indicating compressor stall is substantiated by the video images of the IGV taken during the PSL test, which showed water on the surface of the IGV flowing upstream out of the engine, indicating flow reversal, which is characteristic of a stalled compressor.

Veres, Joseph P.↗

Modeling the Deterioration of Engine and Low Pressure Compressor Performance During a Roll Back Event Due to Ice Accretion

The main focus of this study is to apply a computational tool for the flow analysis of the engine that has been tested with ice crystal ingestion in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) of NASA Glenn Research Center. A data point was selected for analysis during which the engine experienced a full roll back event due to the ice accretion on the blades and flow path of the low pressure compressor. The computational tool consists of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) engine system thermodynamic cycle code, and an Euler-based compressor flow analysis code, that has an ice particle melt estimation code with the capability of determining the rate of sublimation, melting, and evaporation through the compressor blade rows. Decreasing the performance characteristics of the low pressure compressor (LPC) within the NPSS cycle analysis resulted in matching the overall engine performance parameters measured during testing at data points in short time intervals through the progression of the roll back event. Detailed analysis of the fan-core and LPC with the compressor flow analysis code simulated the effects of ice accretion by increasing the aerodynamic blockage and pressure losses through the low pressure compressor until achieving a match with the NPSS cycle analysis results, at each scan. With the additional blockages and losses in the LPC, the compressor flow analysis code results were able to numerically reproduce the performance that was determined by the NPSS cycle analysis, which was in agreement with the PSL engine test data. The compressor flow analysis indicated that the blockage due to ice accretion in the LPC exit guide vane stators caused the exit guide vane (EGV) to be nearly choked, significantly reducing the air flow rate into the core. This caused the LPC to eventually be in stall due to increasing levels of diffusion in the rotors and high incidence angles in the inlet guide vane (IGV) and EGV stators. The flow analysis indicating compressor stall is substantiated by the video images of the IGV taken during the PSL test, which showed water on the surface of the IGV flowing upstream out of the engine, indicating flow reversal, which is characteristic of a stalled compressor.

Jorgenson, Philip C. E.↗

Determinants of the efficacy of HIV latency-reversing agents and implications for drug and treatment design

HIV eradication studies have focused on developing latency-reversing agents (LRAs). However, it is not understood how the rate of latent reservoir reduction is affected by different steps in the process of latency reversal. Furthermore, as current LRAs are host-directed, LRA treatment is likely to be intermittent to avoid host toxicities. Few careful studies of the serial effects of pulsatile LRA treatment have yet been done. This lack of clarity makes it difficult to evaluate the efficacy of candidate LRAs or predict long-term treatment outcomes. Here, we constructed a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of latently infected cells under LRA treatment. Model analysis showed that, in addition to increasing the immune recognition and clearance of infected cells, the duration of HIV antigen expression (i.e., the period of vulnerability) plays an important role in determining the efficacy of LRAs, especially if effective clearance is achieved. Patients may benefit from pulsatile LRA exposures compared with continuous LRA exposures if the period of vulnerability is long and the clearance rate is high, both in the presence and absence of an LRA. Overall, the model framework serves as a useful tool to evaluate the efficacy and the rational design of LRAs and combination strategies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Case Study: Nuclear-Renewable-Water Integration in Arizona

This document reports the application of the N-R HES software framework to a case study for Arizona Public Service (APS); the manager and part owner of the Palo Verde (PV) nuclear power plant. The case study is a work in progress of which this report presents a detailed description of the current model input data, assumptions and the corresponding results produced by the developed software framework. The goal of the report is, that with this information APS (together with INL) should be able to identify where more detailed data and more accurate model assumptions are necessary to reproduce all driving physical and economic phenomena in order to capture enough complexity of the reality to allow APS to use the results for their strategic decisions. The N-R HES software framework started being developed at INL two years ago [ref]. The framework has reached some level of maturity so that it can be applied to more than simple demonstration cases, e.g. real industry problems. Nevertheless, more capabilities are constantly added to accommodate the special needs of these challenging real life problems. The N-R HES framework is built on top of the RAVEN code [ref] and uses it as driver and workflow manager for all calculations. The framework has specifically been developed for the economic assessment of N-R HES systems. There are four main cornerstones of the N-R HES simulation framework: 1) generation of stochastic time series, 2) a probabilistic analysis and optimization set of algorithms available in RAVEN, 3) a set of models for representation of the physical behavior of N-R HES, and 4) a RAVEN plug-in that maps physical performance into economic performance called CashFlow. Within this framework, a broad spectrum of questions related to N-R HES can be addressed. One of the challenges currently of high interest is that the increasing penetration of variable renewables is altering the profile of the net demand (demand after removing all non curtailable renewable energy sources), with which the other generators on the grid have to cope. The N-R HES software framework is capable to analyze the potential feasibility of mitigating the resultant volatility in the net electricity demand. One possible solution to that problem currently intensively studied by the energy industry is adding stabilizing loads to the grid. These loads can be external industrial processes that are able to ramp production up and down quickly or adding variable internal loads that will lift the base load of the power plant. The latter is a possible solution currently studied by APS. APS if currently anticipating several challenges that will likely arise in the near future. One of them is, as mentioned, coping with the rapid growth of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources put on the grid. Although APS can sell its electricity for a fixed retail price to cover the local demand first, it also sells electricity in excess of the local demand at the Palo Verde energy hub. Due to the growing VRE penetration, the Palo Verde hub electricity spot price is negative more and more frequently. To mitigate this price volatility, APS is seeking to add more base load, so that the quantity of excess energy to be sold for prices potentially less than the internal retail price or even negative prices at the hub is reduced. A second challenge APS is facing is that their cooling water acquisition contract with the Sub Regional Operating Group (SROG) will expire soon and a renewal can only be done for a significantly higher price of the water. Therefore, APS is also seeking for alternative sources for their cooling water. An opportunity currently under investigation is to pump a limited quantity of brackish water from the regional ground water. Although much cheaper than the water from the new SROG contract, the salinity of the brackish water is so high that a blend of brackish and SROG water would need additional treatment to improve its quality for use in the cooling towers. An on-site reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant is envisaged to reduce the salinity to an acceptable level. This report investigates the economic impact of such an RO plant. As one can see, the RO plant would help with both problems APS is facing: First, it would rise the APS base load helping to mitigate VRE induced hub price volatility. From this perspective, the RO plant can be seen as a stabilizing load on the grid as would be any other industrial process. Second, the RO’s goods, e.g. the clean water produced can be used by APS itself for a (hopefully) lower cost than 100% SROG water would be. The report will first describe the APS water procurement strategy in detail and lay out the possible alternative scenarios studied in this document. This is covered in Chapter 2. Next, in Chapter 3, the APS case model developed within the N-R HES software framework is described. This chapter includes also a description of the needed framework developments to accommodate the APS study.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Denoising diffusion algorithm for inverse design of microstructures with fine-tuned nonlinear material properties

Here we introduce a denoising diffusion algorithm to discover microstructures with nonlinear fine-tuned properties. Denoising diffusion probabilistic models are generative models that use diffusion-based dynamics to gradually denoise images and generate realistic synthetic samples. By learning the reverse of a Markov diffusion process, we design an artificial intelligence to efficiently manipulate the topology of microstructures to generate a massive number of prototypes that exhibit constitutive responses sufficiently close to designated nonlinear constitutive behaviors. To identify the subset of microcstructures with sufficiently precise fine-tuned properties, a convolutional neural network surrogate is trained to replace high-fidelity finite element simulations to filter out prototypes outside the admissible range. Results of this study indicate that the denoising diffusion process is capable of creating microstructures of fine-tuned nonlinear material properties within the latent space of the training data. More importantly, this denoising diffusion algorithm can be easily extended to incorporate additional topological and geometric modifications by introducing high-dimensional structures embedded in the latent space. Numerical experiments are conducted on the open-source mechanical MNIST data set (Lejeune, 2020). Consequently, this algorithm is not only capable of performing inverse design of nonlinear effective media, but also learns the nonlinear structure–property map to quantitatively understand the multiscale interplay among the geometry, topology, and their effective macroscopic properties.

42 ENGINEERING↗