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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 127 records · Page 7

Reproduction of melting behavior for vitrified hillforts based on amphibolite, granite, and basalt lithologies

Abstract European Bronze and Iron Age vitrified hillforts have been known since the 1700s, but archaeological interpretations regarding their function and use are still debated. We carried out a series of experiments to constrain conditions that led to the vitrification of the inner wall rocks in the hillfort at Broborg, Sweden. Potential source rocks were collected locally and heat treated in the laboratory, varying maximum temperature, cooling rate, and starting particle size. Crystalline and amorphous phases were quantified using X-ray diffraction both in situ, during heating and cooling, and ex situ, after heating and quenching. Textures, phases, and glass compositions obtained were compared with those for rock samples from the vitrified part of the wall, as well as with equilibrium crystallization calculations. ‘Dark glass’ and its associated minerals formed from amphibolite or dolerite rocks melted at 1000–1200 °C under reducing atmosphere then slow cooled. ‘Clear glass’ formed from non-equilibrium partial melting of feldspar in granitoid rocks. This study aids archaeological forensic investigation of vitrified hillforts and interpretation of source rock material by mapping mineralogical changes and glass production under various heating conditions.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Simultaneous reproduction of experimental profiles, fluxes, transport coefficients, and turbulence characteristics via nonlinear gyrokinetic profile predictions in a DIII-D ITER similar shape plasma

Experimental conditions obtained on the DIII-D tokamak in the ITER Similar Shape (ISS) have been compared extensively with nonlinear gyrokinetic simulation using the CGYRO code [Candy et al., J. Comput. Phys. 324, 73–93 (2016)] with comparisons spanning ion and electron heat fluxes, electron and impurity particle transport, and turbulent fluctuation levels and characteristics. Bayesian optimization techniques [Rodriguez-Fernandez et al., Nucl. Fusion 62(7), 076036 (2022)], combined with nonlinear gyrokinetics, have been used to obtain simultaneously Qi, Qe, and Γe flux-matched profiles that are found to be in good agreement with experimental profile measurements. Synthetic diagnostics were used to compare measured beam emission spectroscopy and correlation electron cyclotron emission turbulent fluctuations with nonlinear simulation. Although some disagreements exist, nonlinear simulations are found to be in generally good agreement with measured fluctuation levels, spectral shapes, and measured radial trends in low-k δne/ne and δTe/Te. Low (Li and C) and mid-Z (Ca) impurity transport was also compared with these flux-matched simulations. Fully stripped, low-Z impurities are well reproduced by the gyrokinetic modeling while clear disagreement exists in comparisons with mid-Z impurities. Nonlinear gyrokinetic investigation into the Z dependence of impurity transport in the ISS conditions is also performed, demonstrating clear trends of impurity diffusion with impurity Z (both D∝Z and D∝1/Z) that vary with the radial location studied. These trends are shown to result from the local dominance of ion temperature gradient or ∇n driven trapped electron mode turbulence and may contribute to the disagreement between simulation and experiment in mid-Z impurity transport. The results of this work represent one of the most complete validation studies of the gyrokinetic model performed to date and provide an example of new capabilities for predicting performance in future fusion devices.

Physics↗

Sexual reproduction, sporophyte development and molecular variation in the model moss Physcomitrella patens : introducing the ecotype Reute

Summary Rich ecotype collections are used for several plant models to unravel the molecular causes of phenotypic differences, and to investigate the effects of environmental adaption and acclimation. For the model moss Physcomitrella patens collections of accessions are available, and have been used for phylogenetic and taxonomic studies, for example, but few have been investigated further for phenotypic differences. Here, we focus on the Reute accession and provide expression profiling and comparative developmental data for several stages of sporophyte development, as well as information on genetic variation via genomic sequencing. We analysed cross‐technology and cross‐laboratory data to define a confident set of 15 mature sporophyte‐specific genes. We find that the standard laboratory strain Gransden produces fewer sporophytes than Reute or Villersexel, although gametangia develop with the same time course and do not show evident morphological differences. Reute exhibits less genetic variation relative to Gransden than Villersexel, yet we found variation between Gransden and Reute in the expression profiles of several genes, as well as variation hot spots and genes that appear to evolve under positive Darwinian selection. We analyzed expression differences between the ecotypes for selected candidate genes in the GRAS transcription factor family, the chalcone synthase family and in genes involved in cell wall modification that are potentially related to phenotypic differences. We confirm that Reute is a P. patens ecotype, and suggest its use for reverse‐genetics studies that involve progression through the life cycle and multiple generations.

Hiss, Manuel↗

Analysis of features of hydrodynamics and heat transfer in the fuel assembly of prospective sodium reactor with a high rate of reproduction in the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle

The fast sodium reactor fuel assembly (FA) with U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel is described. In comparison with a “classical” fast reactor, this FA contains thin fuel rods and a wider fuel rod grid. Studies of the fluid dynamics and the heat transfer were carried out for such a new FA design. The verification of the ANSYS CFX code was provided for determination of the velocity, pressure, and temperature fields in the different channels. The calculations in the cells and in the FA were carried out using the model of shear stress transport (SST) selected at the stage of verification. The results of the hydrodynamics and heat transfer calculations have been analyzed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Easing the Control System Application Development for CMS Detector Control System with Automatic Production Environment Reproduction

The Detector Control System (DCS) is one of the main pieces involved in the operation of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the LHC. The system is built using WinCC Open Architecture (WinCC OA) and the Joint Controls Project (JCOP) framework which was developed on top of WinCC at CERN. Following the JCOP paradigm, CMS has developed its own framework which is structured as a collection of more than 200 individual installable components each providing a different feature. Everyone of the systems that the CMS DCS consists of is created by installing a different set of these components. By automating this process, we are able to quickly and efficiently create new systems in production or recreate problematic ones, but also, to create development environments that are identical to the production ones. This latter one results in smoother development and integration processes, as the new/reworked components are developed and tested in production-like environments. Moreover, it allows the central DCS support team to easily reproduce systems that the users/developers report as being problematic, reducing the response time for bug fixing and improving the support quality.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Reproduction of the Yucca Mountain Project TSPA-LA Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses and Preliminary Upgrade of Models

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) continued evaluation of total system performance assessment (TSPA) computing systems for the previously considered Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). This was done to maintain the operational readiness of the computing infrastructure (computer hardware and software) and knowledge capability for total system performance assessment (TSPA) type analysis, as directed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE 2010. This work is a continuation of the ongoing readiness evaluation reported in Lee and Hadgu (2014) and Hadgu et al. (2015). The TSPA computing hardware (CL2014) and storage system described in Hadgu et al. (2015) were used for the current analysis. One floating license of GoldSim with Versions 9.60.300, 10.5 and 11.1.6 was installed on the cluster head node, and its distributed processing capability was mapped on the cluster processors. Other supporting software were tested and installed to support the TSPA-type analysis on the server cluster. The current tasks included verification of the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and preliminary upgrade of the TSPA-LA from Version 9.60.300 to the latest version 11.1. All the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses modeling cases were successfully tested and verified for the model reproducibility on the upgraded 2014 server cluster (CL2014). The uncertainty and sensitivity analyses used TSPA-LA modeling cases output generated in FY15 based on GoldSim Version 9.60.300 documented in Hadgu et al. (2015). The model upgrade task successfully converted the Nominal Modeling case to GoldSim Version 11.1. Upgrade of the remaining of the modeling cases and distributed processing tasks will continue. The 2014 server cluster and supporting software systems are fully operational to support TSPA-LA type analysis.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Weather, hydroregime, and breeding effort influence juvenile recruitment of anurans: implications for climate change

Amphibians that primarily breed in ephemeral wetlands are especially vulnerable to climate change because they rely on rainfall or temperature to initiate breeding and create suitable hydroregimes (water duration, timing, frequency, depth) for reproductive success. Hydroregime effects on reproductive success are likely to differ among species because of differences in reproductive strategies: the length and timing of breeding period, rate of larval development, and timing of metamorphosis. We applied an information-theoretic approach to 22 consecutive years of continuous amphibian trapping data at eight ephemeral wetlands to test hypotheses regarding environmental (hydroregime, weather) and biological (adult breeding effort) factors affecting juvenile recruitment (JR) by six focal species representing four reproductive strategies. We hypothesized that (1) JR by species with similar reproductive strategies would be influenced by similar variables; (2) JR would be higher for all species when models encompassed the maximum time span of potential tadpole occurrence and development; and (3) JR rates within individual wetlands and breeding cycles would correlate most closely between species with similar breeding strategies. The best model for all focal species (except Scaphiopus holbrookii) encompassed the maximum time span and indicated that ≥1 hydroregime variable, total precipitation, or both were important drivers of reproductive success; average air temperature was not. Continuous hydroperiod through peak juvenile emigration was an important predictor of JR for species with prolonged breeding periods, slow larval development, and a “fixed” late spring start date for juvenile emigration (regardless of when oviposition occurred, or cohort age; Lithobates capito , Lithobates sphenocephalus ), but not for species with rapid larval development and continual emigration as cohorts complete metamorphosis ( Anaxyrus terrestris, Anaxyrus quercicus, Gastrophryne carolinensis, S. holbrookii ). Total rainfall was positively associated with recruitment for most species; depth characteristics affected species differently. Annual JR was positively correlated among species with similar reproductive strategies. Our results indicate that weather and hydroregime characteristics interact with reproductive strategies that differ among amphibian species and influence reproductive plasticity, opportunity, and success. In conclusion, effects of altered weather patterns associated with climate change on amphibian reproductive success may correspond more closely among species having similar reproductive strategies, with critical implications for population trends and assemblages.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

CRISPR/Cas9 mutants delineate roles of Populus FT and TFL1/CEN/BFT family members in growth, dormancy release and flowering

Abstract Vegetative and reproductive phase change and phenology are economically and ecologically important traits. Trees typically require several years of growth before flowering and, once mature, seasonal control of the transition to flowering and flower development is necessary to maintain vegetative meristems and for reproductive success. Members of two related gene subfamilies, FLOWERING LOCUST (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1)/CENTRORADIALIS (CEN)/BROTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (BFT), have antagonistic roles in flowering in diverse species and roles in vegetative phenology in trees, but many details of their functions in trees have yet to be resolved. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate single and double mutants involving the five Populus FT and TFL1/CEN/BFT genes. The ft1 mutants exhibited wild-type-like phenotypes in long days and short days, but after chilling, to release dormancy, they showed delayed bud flush and GA3 could compensate for the ft1 mutation. After rooting and generating some phytomers in tissue culture, both cen1 and cen1ft1 mutants produced terminal as well as axillary flowers, indicating that the cen1 flowering phenotype is independent of FT1. The CEN1 showed distinct circannual expression patterns in vegetative and reproductive tissues and comparison with the expression patterns of FT1 and FT2 suggests that the relative levels of CEN1 compared with FT1 and FT2 regulate multiple phases of vegetative and reproductive seasonal development.

Forestry↗