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At least 127 records · Page 7

Citizen science coupled with machine learning to quantify green-blue infrastructure cooling potential in Maricopa County, Arizona

Here, this study investigates the spatiotemporal cooling performance of green and blue infrastructure (GBI) in the Dobson Ranch urban neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona. We leveraged citizen science near-surface (2 m) air temperature (Tair) measurements to train a highly accurate Tair predicting LightGBM machine learning model (R 2 : 0.986, MAE: 0.251 °C, RMSE: 0.585 °C). On June 16, 2024, the park area exhibited approximately 1 °C cooling effect (relative to the neighborhood mean) during both day and night. In contrast, the nearby artificial lake exhibited a stronger cooling effect of 2.4 °C during the day but a slight warming of 0.3 °C at night. At 00:00, locations 50 m downwind of the park were 0.3 °C warmer than the park, while locations 50 m upwind were 0.8 °C warmer. At 11:00, we observed that the downwind area is 0.8 °C cooler and the upwind area is 0.6 °C warmer—at the same 50 m distances relative to the park. We also observed 1 °C cooler and warmer effects respectively at the same 50 m downwind and upwind locations at 19:00 on June 17, 2024. Our data-driven analysis highlights potential limitations of car-traverse measurements, showing that failure to account for temporal variations during the traverse can lead to overestimation of Tair at night and underestimation during the day. Our analysis also showed only a weak correlation (coefficient: 0.48) between Landsat-derived land surface temperature (LST) and model predicted Tair at the time of the local Landsat overpass (∼11.00). This highlights the potential error of relying solely on LST for human thermal exposure analysis—particularly within the heterogenous built-environment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Designing open quantum systems with known steady states: Davies generators and beyond

We provide a systematic framework for constructing generic models of nonequilibrium quantum dynamics with a target stationary (mixed) state. Our framework identifies (almost) all combinations of Hamiltonian and dissipative dynamics that relax to a steady state of interest, generalizing the Davies’ generator for dissipative relaxation at finite temperature to nonequilibrium dynamics targeting arbitrary stationary states. We focus on Gibbs states of stabilizer Hamiltonians, identifying local Lindbladians compatible therewith by constraining the rates of dissipative and unitary processes. Moreover, given terms in the Lindbladian not compatible with the target state, our formalism identifies the operations – including syndrome measurements and local feedback – one must apply to correct these errors. Our methods also reveal new models of quantum dynamics: for example, we provide a “measurement-induced phase transition” in which measurable two-point functions exhibit critical (power-law) scaling with distance at a critical ratio of the transverse field and rate of measurement and feedback. Time-reversal symmetry – defined naturally within our formalism – can be broken both in effectively classical and intrinsically quantum ways. Our framework provides a systematic starting point for exploring the landscape of dynamical universality classes in open quantum systems, as well as identifying new protocols for quantum error correction.

Guo, Jinkang [Department of Physics and Center for↗

Using Density-Corrected DFT to Understand Density-Driven and Functional-Dependent Errors in Ab Initio Simulations of the Hydrated Electron

The hydrated electron, an excess electron in liquid water, plays a crucial role in a plethora of chemical processes, motivating extensive research efforts to characterize its structure, dynamics, and reactivity in solution. Recent theoretical approaches to understanding this intriguing object have involved ab initio simulations based on density functional theory (DFT). Although DFT allows for the study of hydrated electron reactivity and quantum mechanical behavior, it is well-known that anionic systems can suffer from significant density-driven errors (DDEs). Density-corrected DFT (DC-DFT) provides a framework to mitigate such errors; the method reduces DDEs by replacing the self-consistent (SC) density associated with a given density functional with the Hartree–Fock (HF) density. Since HF densities tend to be more localized than DFT SC densities, the DC-DFT scheme significantly improves errors in calculations where the SC density is spuriously delocalized. Here, we investigate how the use of density correction affects the calculated properties of the DFT-simulated (PBEh) hydrated electron, a particularly challenging diffuse anionic system to simulate. First, we analyze charge delocalization in a system consisting of a model octahedral hydrated electron water cluster (the so-called Kevan structure) along with a spatially separated sulfur atom. We show that the use of density correction indeed reduces DDEs in comparison to a standard DFT global hybrid functional. We then propagate molecular dynamics trajectories of the hydrated electron using DC-DFT, where we find that DC further localizes electron density in the cavity region, a signature of reduced charge delocalization. Unfortunately, the decreased radius of gyration of the spin density and corresponding tightening of the local solvation structure from density correction causes predicted observables to deviate further from experimental measurements than when density correction is not employed. Here, we argue that DC’s worse agreement with experiment results from the removal of a fortuitous cancellation of errors that is intrinsic to the PBEh functional. This indicates that the difficulties with DFT to simulate hydrated electrons are primarily due to the inherent approximations in DFT rather than to density-driven errors.

Density functional theory↗

Impact of Measured Spectrum Variation on Solar Photovoltaic Efficiencies Worldwide

In photovoltaic power ratings, a single solar spectrum, AM1.5, is the de facto standard for record laboratory efficiencies, commercial module specifications, and performance ratios of solar power plants. More detailed energy analysis that accounts for local spectral irradiance, along with temperature and broadband irradiance, reduces forecast errors to expand the grid utility of solar energy. Here, ground-level measurements of spectral irradiance collected worldwide have been pooled to provide a sampling of geographic, seasonal, and diurnal variation. Applied to nine solar cell types, the resulting divergence in solar cell efficiencies illustrates that a single spectrum is insufficient for comparisons of cells with different spectral responses. Cells with two or more junctions tend to have efficiencies below that under the standard spectrum. Silicon exhibits the least spectral sensitivity: relative weekly site variation ranges from 1% in Lima, Peru to 14% in Edmonton, Canada.

energy yield↗

Local Spin Density Approximation Strongly Improved by a Better-Informed Local Scaling of Its Self-Interaction Correction

The Perdew−Zunger self-interaction correction (PZSIC) makes density functional approximations (DFAs) exact for all one-electron densities. However, it overcorrects in manyelectron regions, introducing errors for the uniform-density limit, where uncorrected DFAs are exact. The locally scaled PZSIC (LSIC), based on the iso-orbital indicator zσ [which distinguishes single-orbital and slowly varying density regions and is used with the local spin density approximation (LSDA)], restores the uniform-density limit and significantly improves results for many properties, including chemical reaction barrier heights, atomization energies, and ionization potentials. Yet, LSIC performs poorly for weakly bonded systems, leaving many unbound, due to limitations of its iso-orbital indicator. To correct this, in this work we propose a new local scaling, LSIC-α, based on the iso-orbital indicator ασ (which additionally identifies regions of overlapping density tails). A two-parameter scaling function of ασ is fitted to a subset of the nonbonded appropriate norms for the SCAN and r2SCAN meta- GGAs, and tested on many properties of main-group atoms, molecules, and molecular complexes. LSIC-α greatly improves the interaction energies of weakly bonded systems in the S22 data set while retaining LSIC’s accuracy for other properties. This work shows that the errors of LSDA (and presumably of higher-level DFAs) can be largely but not entirely repaired by a proper “do no harm” self-interaction correction.

Approximation↗

First attempt to quantify W7-X island divertor plasma by local experiment-model comparison

As a complement to our recent work, which focused on understanding the basic detachment physics and general experimental and numerical trends observed in the W7-X island divertor, this paper compares EMC3-Eirene simulation results with different local diagnostics, including IR cameras, Langmuir probes, H α -cameras, and Thomson scattering. The main purposes are to (1) justify the simulation setup in the previous work, (2) identify the application limitations of the current EMC3-Eirene model, (3) verify the consistency of different diagnostics, and (4) isolate the main geometric and physical effects that need to be prioritized in further developing the EMC3-Eirene code and improving diagnostic capabilities. It turns out that the current version of the EMC3-Eirene code (without drifts) is not yet able to quantitatively reproduce all selected local measurements simultaneously under the current experimental conditions (in particular, the existence of error fields). Nevertheless, it can be shown that within a reasonable range of variation in magnetic configuration, cross-field transport, and SOL plasma state in the modeling, a region of overlap between the numerical results and the local measurements can be established. More accurate model-experiment comparisons will require clarification of error fields, implementation of drifts in EMC3, and improvement of diagnostic capabilities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Measurements and Model Improvement: Insight into NWP Model Error Using Doppler Lidar and Other WFIP2 Measurement Systems

Abstract Doppler-lidar wind-profile measurements at three sites were used to evaluate NWP model errors from two versions of NOAA’s 3-km-grid HRRR model, to see whether updates in the latest version 4 reduced errors when compared against the original version 1. Nested (750-m grid) versions of each were also tested to see how grid spacing affected forecast skill. The measurements were part of the field phase of the Second Wind Forecasting Improvement Project (WFIP2), an 18-month deployment into central Oregon–Washington, a major wind-energy-producing region. This study focuses on errors in simulating marine intrusions, a summertime, 600–800-m-deep, regional sea-breeze flow found to generate large errors. HRRR errors proved to be complex and site dependent. The most prominent error resulted from a premature drop in modeled marine-intrusion wind speeds after local midnight, when lidar-measured winds of greater than 8 m s −1 persisted through the next morning. These large negative errors were offset at low levels by positive errors due to excessive mixing, complicating the interpretation of model “improvement,” such that the updates to the full-scale versions produced mixed results, sometimes enhancing but sometimes degrading model skill. Nesting consistently improved model performance, with version 1’s nest producing the smallest errors overall. HRRR’s ability to represent the stages of sea-breeze forcing was evaluated using radiation budget, surface-energy balance, and near-surface temperature measurements available during WFIP2. The significant site-to-site differences in model error and the complex nature of these errors mean that field-measurement campaigns having dense arrays of profiling sensors are necessary to properly diagnose and characterize model errors, as part of a systematic approach to NWP model improvement. Significance Statement Dramatic increases in NWP model skill will be required over the coming decades. This paper describes the role of major deployments of accurate profiling sensors in achieving that goal and presents an example from the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Program (WFIP2). Wind-profile data from scanning Doppler lidars were used to evaluate two versions of HRRR, the original and an updated version, and nested versions of each. This study focuses on the ability of updated HRRR versions to improve upon predicting a regional sea-breeze flow, which was found to generate large errors by the original HRRR. Updates to the full-scale HRRR versions produced mixed results, but the finer-mesh versions consistently reduced model errors.

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences↗

Overview of recent progress in 3D field physics in KSTAR

Various 3D field physics challenges of magnetically confined plasmas arise when the driving source comes from either externally applied non-axisymmetric 3D magnetic perturbations or plasma instabilities inside the plasma. Recently, several key outstanding topics of 3D field physics have been extensively studied in the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR), such as edge-localized-mode (ELM) control by resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP), error field (EF) control, 3D field effects on rotation and transport, and RMP-induced alteration of divertor heat flux and detachment. KSTAR has a few physically unique features (i.e., high rotation and long-pulse plasmas with a low intrinsic EF) and machine/diagnostic capabilities (i.e., 3-row in-vessel control coil and state-of-the-art 2D/3D imaging diagnostics), which have been taken advantage of until now to address critical 3D field physics issues relevant to ITER and K-DEMO. Among many remarkable achievements are the robust access to and control of n = 1 RMP ELM suppression, along with a development of its physics basis tools, parameter expansion, optimization, and long-pulse control techniques. Nonetheless, a series of unresolved 3D physics themes, as well as limited coverage of 3D field operating regimes, have also been identified as future works for the 3D field research in KSTAR. In this paper, we provide an overview about the recent progress of KSTAR 3D field physics and present future plans of KSTAR 3D research toward a future fusion reactor.

3D field physics↗

Current data are consistent with flat spatial hypersurfaces in the Λ CDM cosmological model but favor more lensing than the model predicts

Here, we study the performance of three pairs of tilted, and a pair of untilited, ΛCDM cosmological models, with three of these four pairs allowing for non-flat spatial hypersurfaces, against cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization power spectrum data (P18), measurements of the Planck 2018 lensing potential power spectrum (lensing), and a large compilation of non-CMB data (non-CMB). For the eight models, we measure cosmological parameters and study whether or not pairs of the data sets (as well as subsets of them) are mutually consistent in these models. Half of these models allow the lensing consistency parameter A L , which re-scales the gravitational potential power spectrum, to be an additional free parameter to be determined from data, while the other three have A L = 1 which is the theoretically expected value. The pair of untilted non-flat ΛCDM models are incompatible with P18 data. The tilted spatially-flat models assume the usual primordial spatial inhomogeneity power spectrum that is a power law in wave number. The tilted non-flat models assume either the primordial power spectrum used in the Planck group anal yses [Planck P(q)], that has recently been numerically shown to be a good approximation to what is quantum-mechanically generated from a particular choice of closed inflation model initial conditions, or a recently computed power spectrum [new P(q)] that quantum-mechanically follows from a different set of non-flat inflation model initial conditions. In the tilted non-flat models with A L = 1 we find differences between P18 data and non-CMB data cosmological parameter constraints, which are large enough to rule out the Planck P(q) model at 3σ but not the new P(q) model. No significant differences are found when cosmological parameter constraints obtained with two different data sets are compared within the standard tilted flat ΛCDM model. While both P18 data and non-CMB data separately favor a closed geometry, with spatial curvature density parameter Ω k < 0, when P18+non-CMB data are jointly analyzed the evidence in favor of non-flat hypersurfaces subsides. Differences between P18 data and non-CMB data cosmological constraints subside when A L is allowed to vary. From the most restrictive P18+lensing+non-CMB data combination we get almost model-independent constraints on the cosmological parameters and find that the A L > 1 option is preferred over the Ω k < 0 one, with the A L parameter, for all models, being larger than unity by ~ 2.5σ. According to the deviance information criterion, in the P18+lensing+non-CMB analysis, the varying A L option is on the verge of being strongly favored over the A L = 1 one, which could indicate a problem for the standard tilted flat ΛCDM model. These data are consistent with flat spatial hypersurfaces but more and better data could improve the constraints on Ω k and might alter this conclusion. Error bars on some cosmological parameters are significantly reduced when non-CMB data are used jointly with P18+lensing data. For example, in the tilted flat ΛCDM model for P18+lensing+non-CMB data the Hubble constant H 0 = 68.09 ± 0.38 km s -1 Mpc -1 , which is consistent with that from a median statistics analysis of a large compilation of H 0 measurements as well as with a number of local measurements of the cosmological expansion rate. This H 0 error bar is 31% smaller than that from P18+lensing data alone.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Data-assisted combustion simulations with dynamic submodel assignment using random forests

This investigation outlines a data-assisted approach that employs random forest classifiers for local and dynamic submodel assignment in turbulent-combustion simulations. This method is demonstrated in simulations of a single-element GOX/GCH4 rocket combustor; a priori as well as a posteriori assessments are conducted to (i) evaluate the accuracy and adjustability of the classifier for targeting different quantities of interest (QoIs), and (ii) assess improvements, resulting from the data-assisted combustion model assignment, in predicting target QoIs during simulation runtime. Results from the a priori study show that random forests, trained with local flow properties as input variables and combustion model errors as training labels, assign three different combustion models – finite-rate chemistry (FRC), flamelet progress variable (FPV) model, and inert mixing (IM) – with reasonable classification performance even when targeting multiple QoIs. Applications in a posteriori studies demonstrate improved predictions from data-assisted simulations, in temperature and CO mass fraction, when compared with monolithic FPV calculations. An additional a posteriori data-assisted simulation of a modified configuration demonstrates that the present approach can be successfully applied to different configurations, as long as thermophysical behavior can be represented by the training data. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that this data-driven framework holds promise for dynamic combustion submodel assignments in reacting flow simulations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Unmasking Static Correlation Error in Hybrid Kohn–Sham Density Functional Theory

To uncover the way Hartree–Fock exchange brings static correlation error into hybrid Kohn–Sham density functional theory, we compare the potential energy curves of four diatomic molecules, namely, H 2 , F 2 , HF, and NaF, using both restricted and unrestricted Kohn–Sham theory. Here, we find that increasing the percentage of Hartree–Fock exchange significantly increases the static correlation error because Hartree–Fock exchange replaces the ability of local exchange in density functionals to account for the localization effects associated with static correlation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Estimating the local dark matter density in a non-axisymmetric wobbling disc

The density of dark matter near the Sun, ρDM, ⊙, is important for experiments hunting for dark matter particles in the laboratory, and for constraining the local shape of the Milky Way’s dark matter halo. Estimates to date have typically assumed that the Milky Way’s stellar disc is axisymmetric and in a steady-state. Yet the Milky Way disc is neither, exhibiting prominent spiral arms and a bar, and vertical and radial oscillations. Here, we assess the impact of these assumptions on determinations of ρDM, ⊙ by applying a free-form, steady-state, Jeans method to two different N-body simulations of Milky Way-like galaxies. In one, the galaxy has experienced an ancient major merger, similar to the hypothesized Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus; in the other, the galaxy is perturbed more recently by the repeated passage and slow merger of a Sagittarius-like dwarf galaxy. We assess the impact of each of the terms in the Jeans–Poisson equations on our ability to correctly extract ρDM, ⊙ from the simulated data. We find that common approximations employed in the literature – axisymmetry and a locally flat rotation curve – can lead to significant systematic errors of up to a factor ~1.5 in the recovered surface mass density ~2 kpc above the disc plane, implying a fractional error on ρDM, ⊙ of the order of unity. However, once we add in the tilt term and the rotation curve term in our models, we obtain an unbiased estimate of ρDM, ⊙, consistent with the true value within our 95 percent confidence intervals for realistic 20 percent uncertainties on the baryonic surface density of the disc. Other terms – the axial tilt, 2nd Poisson and time-dependent terms – contribute less than 10 percent to ρDM, ⊙ (given current data) and can be safely neglected for now. In the future, as more data become available, these terms will need to be included in the analysis.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Neural Architecture and Feature Search for Predicting the Ridership of Public Transportation Routes

Accurately predicting the ridership of public-transit routes provides substantial benefits to both transit agencies, who can dispatch additional vehicles proactively before the vehicles that serve a route become crowded, and to passengers, who can avoid crowded vehicles based on publicly available predictions. The spread of the coronavirus disease has further elevated the importance of ridership prediction as crowded vehicles now present not only an inconvenience but also a public-health risk. At the same time, accurately predicting ridership has become more challenging due to evolving ridership patterns, which may make all data except for the most recent records stale. One promising approach for improving prediction accuracy is to fine-tune the hyper-parameters of machine-learning models for each transit route based on the characteristics of the particular route, such as the number of records. However, manually designing a machine-learning model for each route is a labor-intensive process, which may require experts to spend a significant amount of their valuable time. To help experts with designing machine-learning models, we propose a neural-architecture and feature search approach, which optimizes the architecture and features of a deep neural network for predicting the ridership of a public-transit route. Our approach is based on a randomized local hyper-parameter search, which minimizes both prediction error as well as the complexity of the model. We evaluate our approach on real-world ridership data provided by the public transit agency of Chattanooga, TN, and we demonstrate that training neural networks whose architectures and features are optimized for each route provides significantly better performance than training neural networks whose architectures and features are generic.

Ayman, Afiya↗

Development of an open-source regional data assimilation system in PEcAn v. 1.7.2: application to carbon cycle reanalysis across the contiguous US using SIPNET

Abstract. The ability to monitor, understand, and predict the dynamics of the terrestrial carbon cycle requires the capacity to robustly and coherently synthesize multiple streams of information that each provide partial information about different pools and fluxes. In this study, we introduce a new terrestrial carbon cycle data assimilation system, built on the PEcAn model–data eco-informatics system, and its application for the development of a proof-of-concept carbon “reanalysis” product that harmonizes carbon pools (leaf, wood, soil) and fluxes (GPP, Ra, Rh, NEE) across the contiguous United States from 1986–2019. We first calibrated this system against plant trait and flux tower net ecosystem exchange (NEE) using a novel emulated hierarchical Bayesian approach. Next, we extended the Tobit–Wishart ensemble filter (TWEnF) state data assimilation (SDA) framework, a generalization of the common ensemble Kalman filter which accounts for censored data and provides a fully Bayesian estimate of model process error, to a regional-scale system with a calibrated localization. Combined with additional workflows for propagating parameter, initial condition, and driver uncertainty, this represents the most complete and robust uncertainty accounting available for terrestrial carbon models. Our initial reanalysis was run on an irregular grid of ∼ 500 points selected using a stratified sampling method to efficiently capture environmental heterogeneity. Remotely sensed observations of aboveground biomass (Landsat LandTrendr) and leaf area index (LAI) (MODIS MOD15) were sequentially assimilated into the SIPNET model. Reanalysis soil carbon, which was indirectly constrained based on modeled covariances, showed general agreement with SoilGrids, an independent soil carbon data product. Reanalysis NEE, which was constrained based on posterior ensemble weights, also showed good agreement with eddy flux tower NEE and reduced root mean square error (RMSE) compared to the calibrated forecast. Ultimately, PEcAn's new open-source regional data assimilation framework provides a scalable workflow for harmonizing multiple data constraints and providing a uniform synthetic platform for carbon monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) as well as accelerating terrestrial carbon cycle research.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Explainable machine learning reveals that local structural motifs encode the thermodynamic state across the CuZr metallic glass-forming range

Metallic glasses derive their properties from the statistics of local atomic motifs rather than from long-range order, yet a quantitative, chemistry-specific link between motif populations and the underlying glassy state has remained elusive. In this work we combine large-scale molecular dynamics, Voronoi tessellation, deep neural networks, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to identify which local structural motifs define the glassy state of Cu—Zr metallic glasses. A dataset of 17,180 atomistic configurations spanning ten compositions (Cu 20 Zr 80 –Cu 80 Zr 20 ) and four quench rates (10 9 –10 12 K/s) is used to train a feed-forward neural network that regresses temperature across the 50–2000 K liquid–supercooled–glass range, achieving a mean absolute error of 19.89 K and R 2 = 0.9974, confirming that the local structural state is faithfully encoded in motif-level structure. SHAP analysis then reveals that a tightly coupled near-icosahedral family of motifs (coordination numbers (CN) 11–13, including the full icosahedron 001200 and its single-atom-perturbation sibling 10930) collectively encodes the thermodynamic state of the system across the full glass-forming range. The CN = 11–13 ordered members carry negative SHAP values at high populations, tracking the most deeply-quenched configurations, while 10930 shows the reversed signature consistent with its role as a soft-spot host whose population shrinks as the icosahedral network deepens. The analysis demonstrates that explainable machine learning can isolate the minimal motif vocabulary defining the glassy state and recovers the near-icosahedral building blocks previously identified by data-driven analyses of Cu—Zr. The approach provides a general, chemistry-specific route for characterizing the structural state of disordered materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Diabatic error and propagation of Majorana zero modes in interacting quantum dots systems

Motivated by recent experimental progress in realizing Majorana zero modes (MZMs) using quantum dot systems, we investigate the diabatic errors associated with the movement of those MZMs. The movement is achieved by tuning time-dependent gate potentials applied to individual quantum dots, effectively creating a moving potential wall. To probe the optimized movement of MZMs, we calculate the experimentally accessible time-dependent fidelity and local density-of-states using many-body time-dependent numerical methods. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that an optimal potential wall height is crucial to preserve the well-localized nature of the MZM during its movement. Moreover, we analyze diabatic errors in realistic quantum-dot systems, incorporating the effects of repulsive Coulomb interactions and disorder in both hopping and pairing terms. Additionally, we provide a comparative study of diabatic errors arising from the simultaneous versus sequential tuning of multiple gates during the MZMs movement. Finally, we estimate the timescale required for MZM transfer in a six-quantum-dot system, demonstrating that MZM movement is feasible and can be completed well within the qubit's operational lifetime in practical quantum-dot setups.

Density of states↗

The Fermi–Löwdin self-interaction correction for ionization energies of organic molecules

(Semi)-local density functional approximations (DFAs) suffer from self-interaction error (SIE). When the first ionization energy (IE) is computed as the negative of the highest occupied orbital (HO) eigenvalue, DFAs notoriously underestimate them compared to quasi-particle calculations. Here, the inaccuracy for the HO is attributed to SIE inherent in DFAs. We assessed the IE based on Perdew-Zunger self-interaction correction on 14 small to moderate-sized organic molecules relevant in organic electronics and polymer donor materials. Though self-interaction corrected DFAs were found to significantly improve the IE relative to the uncorrected DFAs, they overestimate. However, when the self-interaction correction is interiorly scaled using a function of the iso-orbital indicator zs , only the regions where SIE is significant get a correction. We discuss these approaches and show how these methods significantly improve the description of the HO eigenvalue for the organic molecules.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Adaptive immersed isogeometric level-set topology optimization

Here, this paper presents for the first time an adaptive immersed approach for level-set topology optimization using higher-order truncated hierarchical B-spline discretizations for design and state variable fields. Boundaries and interfaces are represented implicitly by the iso-contour of one or multiple level-set functions. An immersed finite element method, the eXtended IsoGeometric Analysis, is used to predict the physical response. The proposed optimization framework affords different adaptively refined higher-order B-spline discretizations for individual design and state variable fields. The increased continuity of higher-order B-spline discretizations together with local refinement enables direct control over the accuracy of the representation of each field while simultaneously reducing computational cost compared to uniformly refined discretizations. A flexible mesh adaptation strategy enables local refinement based on geometric measures or physics-based error indicators. These adaptive discretization and analysis approaches are integrated into gradient-based optimization schemes, evaluating the design sensitivities using the adjoint method. Numerical studies illustrate the features of the proposed framework with static, linear elastic, multi-material, two- and three-dimensional problems. The examples provide insight into the effect of refining the design variable field on the optimization result and the convergence rate of the optimization process. Using coarse higher-order B-spline discretizations for level-set fields promotes the development of smooth designs and suppresses the emergence of small features. Moreover, adaptive mesh refinement for state variable fields results in a reduction of overall computational cost. Higher-order B-spline discretizations are especially interesting when evaluating gradients of state variable fields due to their higher inter-element continuity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗