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NASA GES DISC On-line Visualization and Analysis System for Gridded Remote Sensing Data

The ability to use data stored in the current NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) archives for studying regional or global phenomena is highly dependent on having a detailed understanding of the data's internal structure and physical implementation. Gaining this understanding and applying it to data reduction is a time-consuming task that must be undertaken before the core investigation can begin. This is an especially difficult challenge when science objectives require users to deal with large multi-sensor data sets that are usually of different formats, structures, and resolutions. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has taken a major step towards meeting this challenge by developing an infrastructure with a Web interface that allows users to perform interactive analysis online without downloading any data, the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure or "Giovanni." Giovanni provides interactive, online, analysis tools for data users to facilitate their research. There have been several instances of this interface created to serve TRMM users, Aerosol scientists, Ocean Color and Agriculture applications users. The first generation of these tools support gridded data only. The user selects geophysical parameters, area of interest, time period; and the system generates an output on screen in a matter of seconds. The currently available output options are: Area plot averaged or accumulated over any available data period for any rectangular area; Time plot time series averaged over any rectangular area; Hovmoller plots image view of any longitude-time and latitude-time cross sections; ASCII output for all plot types; Image animation for area plot. Another analysis suite deals with parameter intercomparison: scatter plots, temporal correlation maps, GIs-compatible outputs, etc. This allow user to focus on data content (i.e. science parameters) and eliminate the need for expensive learning, development and processing tasks that are redundantly incurred by an archive's user community. The current implementation utilizes the GrADS-DODS Server (GDS), and provides subsetting and analysis services across the Internet for any GrADS-readable dataset. The subsetting capability allows users to retrieve a specified temporal and/or spatial subdomain from a large dataset, eliminating the need to download everything simply to access a small relevant portion of a dataset. The analysis capability allows users to retrieve the results of an operation applied to one or more datasets on the server. We use this approach to read pre-processed binary files and/or to read and extract the needed parts directly from HDF or HDF-EOS files. These subsets then serve as inputs into GrADS analysis scripts. It can be used in a wide variety of Earth science applications: climate and weather events study and monitoring; modeling. It can be easily configured for new applications.

Leptoukh, Gregory G.↗

Experimental Investigation of Current Sheet Instabilities

Configuration space instabilities of propagating current sheets were studied in order to better understand acceleration mechanisms in pulsed plasma thrusters. Experiments were carried out in a parallel plate accelerator with argon as propellant. Propagating current sheets were visualized using fast framing cameras with inter-frame delays ranging between 0.05 - 2 microsecond. Schlieren photography using a pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser was used to image electron density gradients in the discharge. Magnetic field probes were used to map the magnetic field topology during the evolution of the discharge. Pressure probes were used to monitor axial pressure gradients. Emission spectroscopy was used to estimate the electron temperature in the arc. The motivation for applying all of these diagnostics was to gain an understanding of what parameters influence the macroscopic stability of a propagating current sheet. Since a stable current sheet is required for any effective snowplow-type of accelerator, an understanding of the processes which can cause current sheets to break apart into filaments is essential for the design of future pulsed plasma thrusters.

Markusic, Thomas E.↗

Element Mapping in Anhydrous IDPs: Identification of the Host Phases of Major/Minor Elements as a Test of Nebula Condensation Models

Many anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are the most pristine samples of primitive solar system dust currently available for laboratory analysis. Their primitive nature is demonstrated by: 1) the high content of moderately volatile elements, indicating they have not been heated significantly since formation, 2) the absence of hydrated material, indicating they never experienced aqueous processing, 3) the presence of unequilibrated mineral assemblages, 4) the presence of large isotopic anomalies (e.g., D and 15N enrichment), in these IDPs.

Flynn, G. J.↗

A numerical simulation of the full two-dimensional electrothermal de-icer pad

The ability to predict the time-temperature history of electrothermal de-icer pads is important in the subsequent design of improved and more efficient versions. These de-icer pads are installed near the surface of aircraft components, for the specific purpose of removing accreted ice. The proposed numerical model can incorporate the full 2-D geometry through a section of a region (i.e., section of an airfoil), that current 1-D numerical codes are unable to do. Thus, the effects of irregular layers, curvature, etc., can now be accounted for in the thermal transients. Each layer in the actual geometry is mapped via a body-fitted coordinate transformation into uniform, rectangular computational grids. The relevant heat transfer equations are transformed and discretized. To model the phase change that might occur in any accreted ice, in an enthalpy formulation the phase change equations are likewise transformed and discretized. The code developed was tested against numerous classical numerical solutions, as well as against experimental de-icing data on a UH1H rotor blade obtained from the NASA Lewis Research Center. The excellent comparisons obtained show that this code can be a useful tool in predicting the performance of current de-icer models, as well as in the designing of future models.

Masiulaniec, Konstanty C.↗

The Dawn of Geostationary Air Quality Monitoring: Case Studies from Seoul and Los Angeles

With the near-future launch of geostationary pollution monitoring satellite instruments over North America, East Asia, and Europe, the air quality community is preparing for an integrated global atmospheric composition observing system at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. One of the ways that NASA has supported this community preparation is through demonstration of future space-borne capabilities using the Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) airborne instrument. This paper integrates repeated high-resolution maps from GeoTASO, ground-based Pandora spectrometers, and low Earth orbit measurements from the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), for case studies over two metropolitan areas: Seoul, South Korea on June 9, 2016 and Los Angeles, California on June 27, 2017. This dataset provides a unique opportunity to illustrate how geostationary air quality monitoring platforms and ground-based remote sensing networks will close the current spatiotemporal observation gap. GeoTASO observes large differences in diurnal behavior between these urban areas, with NO2 accumulating within the Seoul Metropolitan Area through the day but NO2 peaking in the morning and decreasing throughout the afternoon in the Los Angeles Basin. In both areas, the earliest morning maps exhibit spatial patterns similar to emission source areas (e.g., urbanized valleys, roadways, major airports). These spatial patterns change later in the day due to boundary layer dynamics, horizontal transport, and chemistry. The nominal resolution of GeoTASO is finer than will be obtained from geostationary platforms, but when NO2 data over Los Angeles are up-scaled to the expected resolution of TEMPO, spatial features discussed are conserved. Pandora instruments installed in both metropolitan areas capture the diurnal patterns observed by GeoTASO, continuously and over longer time periods, and will play a critical role in validation of the next generation of satellite measurement. These case studies demonstrate that different regions can have diverse diurnal patterns and that day-to-day variability due to meteorology or anthropogenic patterns such as weekday/weekend variations in emissions is large. Low Earth orbit measurements, despite their inability to capture the diurnal patterns at fine spatial resolution, will be essential for intercalibrating the geostationary radiances and cross-validating the geostationary retrievals in an integrated global observing system.

Geostationary↗

WIS and WIGOS Metadata as the Foundation for a Sustainable Framework for Global Greenhouse Gas Watch Data Exchange

Metadata (data about data) is a critical component of data discovery, description, evaluation, documentation, and preservation. Developing and propagating metadata standards has been a longstanding area of activity in WMO and beyond. The WIS2 and WIGOS metadata models are being actively developed and maintained by dedicated task teams, established under the WMO Expert Team on Metadata. The metadata representations and vocabularies are governed by well-established processes within WMO. These standards are being used in a number of metadata/data exchange activities (e.g., WMO Information System 2.0 (WIS2), WIGOS (WMDR), Climate Data Management Systems (CMDS), etc.). It should also be noted that the application of the WIS2 and WIGOS standards fully support the WMO Unified Data Policy and open data policy as well as greatly enhance the value of observations by fostering data F.A.I.R.ness. Furthermore, the WMO metadata standards can serve as the foundation for a framework that will facilitate metadata mapping between the existing schemas used in well-established data centres, e.g., WMO WDCGG (World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases) and NOAA ObsPack (Observation Package Data Products) and to automate metadata exchange between data centres as well as with WMO. These activities will play a central role in integrating measurements sponsored by various member countries and organizations to provide a more comprehensive characterization of the temporal and spatial distribution of the greenhouse gases. At the same time, this metadata exchange can lead to member countries and partner organizations improving their current metadata collection process for data discoverability, interoperability, and (re)usability. This presentation will describe metadata activities in the context of WIS2 and WIGOS and how they apply to GGGW data integration via metadata mapping and exchange.

Gao Chen↗

Magnetic In-Vacuum Field Mapping System for the Muon g-2 Experiment

The Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab will measure the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, $a^{}_\mu$ with a precision of 140ppb, a four-fold improvement over the former BNL E821 result. If the current discrepancy of about 3.5$\sigma$ between the Standard Model value for $a^{}_\mu$ and the former experiments was real, then the new experiment would verify the deviation with >7$\sigma$ significance. The experiment uses muons with the magic momentum of 3.09GeV/c stored in a very homogeneous magnetic field of a 45m long storage ring. The determination of $a^{}_\mu$ requires the precise knowledge of both the muon spin precession, $\omega^{}_a$, and the magnetic field, $\omega^{}_p$, expressed in terms of the free-proton Larmor frequency. The field measurement uses the high precision tool of pulsed proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and requires cross-calibrating a set of probes: a very accurate NMR probe calibrates the 17 probes on the in-vacuum field mapping system (the so-called trolley). This trolley in turn is used to map the field over the full azimuth of the storage ring. The trolley measurement also provides the calibration of the 378 fixed probes around the ring that constantly monitor the field drift. The trolley is particularly important as it measures the relevant field that is seen by the stored muons and this article presents the details of this field mapping system. This work was supported in part by the US DOE, Fermilab and US DOE OHEP under contract No. KA2201020.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Genome assembly UWOPS 85-398.1-1

The yeast genus Torulaspora (subphylum Saccharomycotina, family Saccharomycetaceae) is mostly known from its type species T. delbrueckii, a frequent colonizer of wine and sourdough bread fermentations. The genus currently contains ten species that are typically found in various natural terrestrial environments in temperate and tropical climates. Here we employ taxogenomic analyses to investigate a large collection of Torulaspora strains obtained in multiple surveys we carried out in Asia, Australasia, North America, South America, and Europe, and to which we added several strains maintained in culture collections. Our analyses detected twelve novel species that are formally described here, thereby more than doubling the species diversity of Torulaspora. We also sketch a genotype-phenotype map for the genus and show how key genes have evolved in concert with the physiological traits they control. This dramatic increase in the number of species in the genus Torulaspora highlights how limited the current inventory of fungal taxa is. It also shows how integrated taxogenomics approaches can foster the assessment of species circumscriptions in fungi, especially when classical approaches relying on DNA barcode regions give inconclusive results.

Sampaio, Jose P. [UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências↗

Genome assembly UFMG-CM Y6992

The yeast genus Torulaspora (subphylum Saccharomycotina, family Saccharomycetaceae) is mostly known from its type species T. delbrueckii, a frequent colonizer of wine and sourdough bread fermentations. The genus currently contains ten species that are typically found in various natural terrestrial environments in temperate and tropical climates. Here we employ taxogenomic analyses to investigate a large collection of Torulaspora strains obtained in multiple surveys we carried out in Asia, Australasia, North America, South America, and Europe, and to which we added several strains maintained in culture collections. Our analyses detected twelve novel species that are formally described here, thereby more than doubling the species diversity of Torulaspora. We also sketch a genotype-phenotype map for the genus and show how key genes have evolved in concert with the physiological traits they control. This dramatic increase in the number of species in the genus Torulaspora highlights how limited the current inventory of fungal taxa is. It also shows how integrated taxogenomics approaches can foster the assessment of species circumscriptions in fungi, especially when classical approaches relying on DNA barcode regions give inconclusive results.

Sampaio, Jose P. [UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências↗

PCAfold 2.0—Novel tools and algorithms for low-dimensional manifold assessment and optimization

We describe an update to our open-source Python package, PCAfold, designed to help researchers generate, analyze and improve low-dimensional data manifolds. In the current version, PCAfold 2.0, we introduce novel tools and algorithms for assessing and optimizing low-dimensional manifolds. This includes a method that generates a “map” of local feature sizes that can help pinpoint researchers to problematic regions on a manifold. We introduce a novel cost function that characterizes the quality of a manifold topology with a single number. We develop two algorithms for feature selection based on principal component analysis (PCA) that use the cost function as an objective function to minimize. We introduce a quantity of interest (QoI)-aware dimensionality reduction strategy where data projections are computed using an artificial neural network and are directly optimized towards representing various projection-independent and projection-dependent QoIs. We also introduce an implementation of partition of unity networks (POUnets) for efficient reconstruction of QoIs from low-dimensional manifolds based on combining neural network classification with localized polynomial regression. Our software can be broadly applicable in all domains of science and engineering that aim to reduce data dimensionality, as well as in the fundamental research on representation learning.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Oriented porous LLZO 3D structures obtained by freeze casting for battery applications

All solid-state lithium batteries are, potentially, higher energy density and safer alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These are particularly attractive characteristics for large-scale applications such as electric vehicles and grid energy storage systems. However, the thin film deposition techniques used to make current devices are not readily scalable, and result in low areal capacities, which translate to low practical energy densities. To overcome these deficiencies, it is necessary to design thicker electrodes similar to what are used in LIBs (30–100 μm), in which the active material is composited with an ionic conductor and an electronically conducting additive, to overcome transport limitations. In this paper, we propose a method for making such an electrode, starting with a porous scaffold, i.e. Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO), made by freeze casting, which is then infiltrated with the active material LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC-622) and other components. The freeze casting technique results in the formation of oriented channels with low tortuosity, which run roughly parallel to the direction of the current. The scaffolds were characterized with synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography for structural analysis, as well as synchrotron X-ray fluorescence to map the elemental distribution in the infiltrated composite. A hybrid half-cell was constructed and cycled as proof of principle, and it showed good stability. In addition, a bilayer structure consisting of a porous layer combined with a dense LLZO film was successfully made as a prototype of an all solid-state battery. Finally, a mathematical model was established to propose optimized scaffold structures for battery performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Planck 2013 results. XIX. The integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect

Based on cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps from the 2013 Planck Mission data release, this paper presents the detection of the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect, that is, the correlation between the CMB and large-scale evolving gravitational potentials. The significance of detection ranges from 2 to 4σ, depending on which method is used. We investigated three separate approaches, which essentially cover all previous studies, and also break new ground. (i) We correlated the CMB with the Planck reconstructed gravitational lensing potential (for the first time). This detection was made using the lensing-induced bispectrum between the low-ℓ and high-ℓ temperature anisotropies; the correlation between lensing and the ISW effect has a significance close to 2.5σ. (ii) We cross-correlated with tracers of large-scale structure, which yielded a significance of about 3σ, based on a combination of radio (NVSS) and optical (SDSS) data. (iii) We used aperture photometry on stacked CMB fields at the locations of known large-scale structures, which yielded and confirms a 4σ signal, over a broader spectral range, when using a previously explored catalogue, but shows strong discrepancies in amplitude and scale when compared with expectations. More recent catalogues give more moderate results that range from negligible to 2.5σ at most, but have a more consistent scale and amplitude, the latter being still slightly higher than what is expected from numerical simulations within ΛCMD. Where they can be compared, these measurements are compatible with previous work using data from WMAP, where these scales have been mapped to the limits of cosmic variance. Planck's broader frequency coverage allows for better foreground cleaning and confirms that the signal is achromatic, which makes it preferable for ISW detection. As a final step we used tracers of large-scale structure to filter the CMB data, from which we present maps of the ISW temperature perturbation. Lastly, these results provide complementary and independent evidence for the existence of a dark energy component that governs the currently accelerated expansion of the Universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Rapid thermal emittance and quantum efficiency mapping of a cesium telluride cathode in an rf photoinjector using multiple laser beamlets

Thermal emittance and quantum efficiency (QE) are key figures of merit of photocathodes, and their uniformity is critical to high-performance photoinjectors. Several QE mapping technologies have been successfully developed; however, there is still a dearth of information on thermal emittance maps. This is because of the extremely time-consuming procedure to gather measurements by scanning a small beam across the cathode with fine steps. To simplify the mapping procedure and to reduce the time required to take measurements, we propose a new method that requires only a single scan of the solenoid current to simultaneously obtain thermal emittance and QE distribution by using a pattern beam with multiple beamlets. In this paper, its feasibility has been confirmed by both beam dynamics simulation and theoretical analysis. The method has been successfully demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment using an L-band radio-frequency photoinjector with a cesium telluride cathode. In the experiment, seven beamlets were generated from a microlens array system and their corresponding thermal emittance and QE varied from 0.93 to 1.14 mu m/nun and from 4.6% to 8.7%, respectively. We also discuss the limitations and future improvements of the method in this paper.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Quasifragmentation functions in the massive Schwinger model

We introduce the concept of the quark quasifragmentation function (qFF) using an equal-time and spatially boosted form of the Collins-Soper fragmentation function where the out-meson fragment is replaced by the current asymptotic condition. We derive the qFF for a fermion in two-dimensional quantum electrodynamics (QED2) using the Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian after a mapping onto spin qubits in a spatial lattice with open boundary conditions. This form is suitable for quantum computations. We compute the qFF by exact diagonalization of the spin Hamiltonian. The results are compared to the qFF following from the Drell-Levy-Yan result for QED2, both at strong and weak coupling, and to two-dimensional quantum chromodynamics in the lowest Fock approximation.

Fragmentation functions↗

Temperature-induced degradation of GaN HEMT: An in situ heating study

High-power electronics, such as GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), are expected to perform reliably in high-temperature conditions. This study aims to gain an understanding of the microscopic origin of both material and device vulnerabilities to high temperatures by real-time monitoring of the onset of structural degradation under varying temperature conditions. This is achieved by operating GaN HEMT devices in situ inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Electron-transparent specimens are prepared from a bulk device and heated up to 800 °C. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM), scanning TEM (STEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and geometric phase analysis (GPA) are performed to evaluate crystal quality, material diffusion, and strain propagation in the sample before and after heating. Gate contact area reduction is visible from 470 °C accompanied by Ni/Au intermixing near the gate/AlGaN interface. Elevated temperatures induce significant out-of-plane lattice expansion at the SiNx/GaN/AlGaN interface, as revealed by geometry-phase GPA strain maps, while in-plane strains remain relatively consistent. Exposure to temperatures exceeding 500 °C leads to almost two orders of magnitude increase in leakage current in bulk devices in this study, which complements the results from our TEM experiment. The findings of this study offer real-time visual insights into identifying the initial location of degradation and highlight the impact of temperature on the bulk device’s structure, electrical properties, and material degradation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Monte Carlo simulation of the dose response of a novel 2D silicon diode array for use in hybrid MRI–LINAC systems

Purpose: MRI-guided radiation therapy systems (MRIgRT) are being developed to improve online imaging during treatment delivery. At present, the operation of single point dosimeters and an ionization chamber array have been characterized in such systems. This work investigates a novel 2D diode array, named “magic plate,” for both single point calibration and 2D positional performance, the latter being a key element of modern radiotherapy techniques that will be delivered by these systems. Methods: GEANT4 Monte Carlo methods have been employed to study the dose response of a silicon diode array to 6 MV photon beams, in the presence of in-line and perpendicularly aligned uniform magnetic fields. The array consists of 121 silicon diodes (dimensions 1.5 × 1.5 × 0.38 mm{sup 3}) embedded in kapton substrate with 1 cm pitch, spanning a 10 × 10 cm{sup 2} area in total. A geometrically identical, water equivalent volume was simulated concurrently for comparison. The dose response of the silicon diode array was assessed for various photon beam field shapes and sizes, including an IMRT field, at 1 T. The dose response was further investigated at larger magnetic field strengths (1.5 and 3 T) for a 4 × 4 cm{sup 2} photon field size. Results: The magic plate diode array shows excellent correspondence (< ± 1%) to water dose in the in-line orientation, for all beam arrangements and magnetic field strengths investigated. The perpendicular orientation, however, exhibits a dose shift with respect to water at the high-dose-gradient beam edge of jaw-defined fields [maximum (4.3 ± 0.8)% over-response, maximum (1.8 ± 0.8)% under-response on opposing side for 1 T, uncertainty 1σ]. The trend is not evident in areas with in-field dose gradients typical of IMRT dose maps. Conclusions: A novel 121 pixel silicon diode array detector has been characterized by Monte Carlo simulation for its performance inside magnetic fields representative of current prototype and proposed MRI–linear accelerator systems. In the in-line orientation, the silicon dose is directly proportional to the water dose. In the perpendicular orientation, there is a shift in dose response relative to water in the highest dose gradient regions, at the edge of jaw-defined and single-segment MLC fields. The trend was not observed in-field for an IMRT beam. The array is expected to be a valuable tool in MRIgRT dosimetry.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Discovery of segmented Fermi surface induced by Cooper pair momentum

Imaging a peculiar Fermi surface Running a current through a superconductor can cause the superconducting gap to close on a section of the Fermi surface. However, observing this segmented Fermi surface directly is tricky. To do so, Zhu et al . worked with a thin film of the topological insulator bismuth telluride placed on top of superconducting niobium diselenide. A small applied magnetic field caused a screening current, which in turn led to a segmented Fermi surface in the topological insulator layer. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, the researchers were able to map out this Fermi surface. —JS

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Radiological Operations Support Specialist (ROSS) Pilot Course Summary and Recommendations

In support of the Department of Homeland Security / Science and Technology Directorate’s (DHS/S&T) creation of a new position called the Radiological Operations Support Specialist (ROSS), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Sub-task 1.1 and 1.2 has assisted in the development of the ROSS skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs); identified potentially relevant training; cross-mapped the training to the SKAs; and identified gaps in the training related to the SKAs, as well as their respective level of training knowledge - current versus desired. In the follow on task, Sub-task 1.3, a 5 day ROSS Pilot Training course was developed to fill the priority gaps identified in Sub-Task 1.2. Additionally, in Sub-Task 1.5, LLNL has performed a gap analysis of electronic tools, handbooks, and job-aides currently available to the ROSS and developed recommendations for additional and next generation tools to ensure the operational effectiveness of the ROSS position. This document summarizes the feedback received from the instructors and pilot course observers on what worked in the course and what could be improved as well as an assessment of the Pre- and Post-Test administered to the students.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗