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DOE OSTI2021

Genetic background influences the effect of thirdhand smoke exposure on anxiety and memory in Collaborative Cross mice

Growing evidence indicates that thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure induces many adverse health effects. However, it is unclear how THS exposure affects behavior and how host genetic background modulates phenotypic changes. Here we used the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population-based model to assess behavioral alterations immediately after THS exposure from 4 to 9 weeks of age. We first measured anxiety-like behavior in six strains using light/dark box combined with a custom multivariate mouse tracking system. We developed an anxiety risk scoring system based on anxiety-related traits and then evaluated the THS impact on them. THS exposure significantly decreased anxiety risk in CC019 ( P = 0.002) and CC051 ( P = 0.009), but increased anxiety risk in CC036 ( P < 0.001), while the other three strains did not show significant changes in anxiety-related traits. Such differences were driven by female mice for the six measures of anxiety-like behavior. Memory potential was measured in the same cohort of mice using the passive avoidance assay. Both THS-exposed male and female CC019 mice displayed significant memory loss compared to controls while no significant changes were found in the other five strains. This study provides strong evidence that THS exposure leads to strain-dependent changes in anxiety-like behavior and memory, suggesting that host genetic variations play a critical role in individual susceptibility to THS-induced effects.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Building a Computational and Experimental Rapid Response Pipeline to Counter the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak and Emerging Biothreats

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the promise of monoclonal antibody-based prophylactic and therapeutic drugs, especially where protective candidates can be rapidly identified or developed for emerging biothreats and escape variants. Current cutting-edge technologies for this purpose still rely on pathogen-exposed convalescent volunteers and a large screening effort to find a proverbial needle in a haystack. Computational design of protective antibodies based on pre-existing templates skips those requirements and allows for greater control over the breadth and target epitope, while also co-optimizing for potency and developability or other biophysical characteristics. We approached this problem by building and expanding an in vitro experimental rapid antibody production and characterization pipeline to support development of an autonomous, closed loop, active learning software system based on structural simulation and ground truth experimental data to design and evaluate antibody antigen interactions. Starting from early in the pandemic, we targeted SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, by re-purposing neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-1 that had been identified in the wake of that outbreak in the early 2000’s. We successfully re-targeted three different anti-SARS-CoV-1 antibodies to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, where the antibodies were generated externally and tested through conventional binding and neutralization assays internally or with collaborators. As antibodies were identified from the blood of humans infected with SARS-CoV-2, we shifted to collaborate with academic partners to develop improved versions of their human-derived antibodies. This work reached its most important stage in rapid response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of concern (VOC) in late 2021. In a matter of weeks, enabled by on demand innovation to our screening pipeline, we computationally designed and experimentally characterized derivative antibodies of COV2-2130, one of two antibodies from Vanderbilt that form the basis of the AstraZeneca Evusheld prophylactic drug product. This drug product suffers a serious loss of efficacy against Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1, the first Omicron strains. Due to tight integration of computational design and experimental evaluation, we were able to identify a pair of designs with potent neutralization of the main targets Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1; but also the earlier Delta variant, and subsequent Omicron strains including BA.2, BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.75, demonstrating that our multi-target design process can, by its nature, produce robust antibody designs that strictly improve over the parental antibody. These results, recognized by a 2022 Director’s Science and Technology award, have enabled the follow-on GUIDE program, to commence in FY23. While earlier design campaigns were substantially outsourced, we have engineered better and faster processes internally to better compliment, calibrate, and speed computational designs. As part of the follow-on GUIDE program, we will stand up a rapid and high-throughput antibody production and characterization facility staffed with the expertise and capabilities to foster our current collaboration across PLS and ENG as well as other partnerships toward computational design of biologics.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2016

Virtual Microscope Views of the Apollo 11 and 12 Lunar Samples

The Apollo virtual microscope is a means of viewing, over the Internet, polished thin sections of every rock in the Apollo lunar sample collections via software, duplicating many of the functions of a petrological microscope, is described. Images from the Apollo 11 and 12 missions may be viewed at: www.virtualmicroscope.org/content/apollo. Introduction: During the six NASA missions to the Moon from 1969-72 a total of 382 kilograms of rocks and soils, often referred to as "the legacy of Apollo", were collected and returned to Earth. A unique collection of polished thin sections (PTSs) was made from over 400 rocks by the Lunar Sample Curatorial Facility at the Johnson Spacecraft Center (JSC), Houston. These materials have been available for loan to approved PIs but of course they can't be simultaneously investigated by several researchers unless they are co-located or the sample is passed back and forward between them by mail/hand carrying which is inefficient and very risky for irreplaceable material. When The Open University (OU), the world's largest Distance Learning Higher Education Establishment found itself facing a comparable problem (how to supply thousands of undergraduate students with an interactive petrological microscope and a personal set of thin sections), it decided to develop a software tool called the Virtual Microscope (VM). As a result it is now able to make the unique and precious collection of Apollo specimens universally available as a resource for concurrent study by anybody in the world's Earth and Planetary Sciences community. Herein, we describe the first steps of a collaborative project between OU and the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Curatorial Facility to record a PTS for every lunar rock, beginning with those collected by the Apollo 11 and 12 missions. Method: Production of a virtual microscope dedicated to a particular theme divides into four main parts - photography, image processing, building and assembly of virtual microscope components, and publication on a website. Two large research quality microscopes are used to collect all the images required for a virtual microscope. The first is part of an integrated package that utilizes Leica PowerMosaic software and a motorised XYZ stage to generate large area mosaics. It includes a fast acquisition camera and depending on the PTS size normally is used to produce seamless mosaic images consisting of 100-500 individual photographs. If the sample is suitable, three mosaics of each sample are recorded - plane polarised light, between crossed polars and reflected light. In order for the VM to be a true petrological microscope it is necessary to recreate the features of a rotating stage and perform observations using filters to produce polarised light. Thus the petrological VM includes the capability of seeing changes in optical properties (pleochroism and birefringence) during rotation allowing mineral identification. The second microscope in the system provides the functions of the rotating stage. To this microscope we have added a robotically controlled motor to acquire seventy-two images (5 degree intervals) in plane polarised light and between crossed polars. To process the images acquired from the two microscopes involves a combination of proprietary software (Photoshop) and our own in-house code. The final stage involves assembling all the components in an HTML5 environment. Pathfinder investigations: We have undertaken a number of pilot studies to demonstrate the efficacy of the petrological microscope with lunar samples. The first was to make available on-line images collected from the Educational Package of Apollo samples provided by NASA to the UK STFC (Science and Technical Facilities Council) for loan as educational material e.g. for schools. The real PTSs of the samples are now no longer sent out to schools removing the risks associated with transport, accidental breakage and eliminating the possibility of loss. The availability of lunar sample VM-related material was further extended to include twenty-eight specimens from all of the Apollo missions. Some of these samples were made more generally available through an ibook entitled "Moon Rocks: an introduction to the Geology of the Moon," free from the Apple Bookstore. Research possibilities: Although the Virtual Microscope was originally conceived as a teaching aid and was later recognised as a means of public outreach and engagement, we now realize that it also has enormous potential as a high level research tool. Following discussions with the JSC Curators we have received Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials (CAPTEM) permission to embark on a programme of digitizing the entire lunar sample PTS collection for all three of the above purposes. By the time of the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) we will have completed 81 rocks collected during the Apollo 11 and 12 missions and the data, with cross-links to the Lunar Sample Compendium will go live on the Web at the 47th LPSC. The VM images of the Apollo 11 (41 VM images) and 12 (40 VM images) missions can be viewed at: http:/www.virtualmicroscope.org/content/apollo. The lunar sample VM will enable large numbers of skilled/unskilled microscopists (professional and amateur researchers, educators and students, enthusiasts and the simply curious non-scientists) to share the information from a single sample. It will mean that all the PTSs already cut, even historical ones, could be available for new joint investigations or private study. The scientific return from the collection will increase exponentially as a result of further debate and discussion. Simultaneously the VM will remove the need for making unnecessary multiple samplings, avoid consignment of delicate/breakable specimens (all of which are priceless) to insecure mail/courier services and reduce direct labour and indirect costs, travel budgets and unproductive travelling time necessary for co-location of collaborating researchers. For the future we have already recognized further potential for virtual technology. There is nothing that a petrologist likes more than to see the original rock as a hand specimen. It is entirely possible to recreate virtual hand specimens with 3-D hard and software, already developed for viewing fossils, located within the Curatorial Facility, http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/lsc/index.cfm.

Gibson, E. K.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Collaborative Research: Unravelling the Physics Associated with the Production of Extremely Dense Plasma States of Microscale (Final Report) Nanosecond-pulsed Discharges

The aim of this project is to study and establish the physical mechanisms that contribute to the formation of anomalously dense plasmas in high-pressure nanosecond-pulsed discharges. These discharges have a broad range of applications such as plasma-assisted combustion, plasma flow actuators, biomedical sterilization and exotic materials synthesis. The structure and formation of these discharges, producing high plasma densities of ~10 14 -10 15 cm -3 , are well-studied and understood. Fast-pulsed microscale high-pressure discharges can be driven to even higher densities of > 10 19 cm -3 , approaching warm dense matter conditions. The mechanisms that generate these plasmas have not been understood. Analysis of the warm dense matter state under laboratory conditions is an expensive and non-trivial endeavor. For instance, dense plasmas can be generated by electrical explosions of metal foils and wires. Plasmas generated after the explosion have a short lifetime and often present difficult conditions for diagnostics. Generation of dense plasmas was also achieved during high-voltage nanosecond pulsed discharges when the so-called explosive electron emission is obtained. Unfortunately, this process is very difficult to control for the studies of warm dense matter. In our recent study, we have shown that additional heating of plasma by lasers can further increase the density of plasma and even lead to the fully ionized state. This method, potentially, allows better control of the plasma parameters. In this work, we studied a second stage laser-heated micro-discharge using a self-consistent one-dimensional particle-in-cell Monte Carlo-collision (1D PIC-MCC) model coupled with Maxwell’s equations. We predicted the generation of a fully ionized plasma on the picosecond time scale. However, this model considered the plasma as an ideal gas despite the high pressure and the nearly fully ionized state. The ideal plasma model assumes that the dilute gas approximation is valid, where the inter-particle interactions are negligible. For charged particles this assumption holds as long as the shielded Coulomb potential assumption is valid. For very high plasma densities, this concept breaks down since the Debye sphere surrounding each charged particle no longer contains enough electrons to statistically provide the shielding of the single particle Coulomb interaction potential. At such densities, the plasma can no longer be described as ideal and non-ideal coupling effects need to be considered. In this report, we elucidate our recent work of developing a PIC-MCC model with improvements for non-ideal plasma conditions due to Coulomb coupling at high densities. In particular, we study the interaction of green light radiation and a dense microplasma, and explore the non-ideal plasma effects in this interaction. In this computational model, we implement the two most important non-ideal effects: ionization potential depression (IPD) and enhanced collision cross sections. Our primary goal is to study the physics associated with electromagnetic (EM) wave heating, also called the second-stage wave-heating, and establish the role of plasma non-ideality in this phenomenon. Our secondary goal is to improve the chemistry mechanism of the 1D PIC-MCC model by including a more detailed excited species collision treatment. At high pressures, stepwise ionization from excited species might play an important role in the ionization process. Previously, this ionization mechanism was neglected due to the excitation collision cross section of xenon being smaller than that of ionization. However, a preliminary study showed that the excited species density in the initial microplasma was an order of magnitude higher than the electron density. Therefore, my aim is to determine the significance of this additional ionization pathway to the plasma generation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Jiangsu Nanjing – Lawrence Berkeley Life Sciences Center for Translational Medicine (CRADA AWD00000392)

Project 1: Our previous work demonstrated that the CES biomarker can be an approximate measure for the levels of chromosomal instability (CIN) in cancer, and that the CES (for Centromere and kinetochore gene Expression Score) biomarker effectively predicts which cancer patients benefit from adjuvant chemotherapies in lung and other cancer types. Such a utility can potentially reduce overtreatment that is common in lung cancer treatment. We determined performance of the multiplex Quantigene RNA assay platform for measuring mRNA levels of CES genes using clinical tumor samples. These experiments determined sensitivity, specificity and detection limit of 12 CES genes and 5 control genes using clinical tumor samples with paired normal tissue samples. We determined how sample concentration and storage conditions affect measurement sensitivity and specificity, and whether sample storage over time affects result reproducibility. Importantly, we confirmed that early stage lung cancer CES values are significantly higher than those of paired normal tissues in all cases. This result greatly extended our bioinformatic data mining by confirming that we can measure CES values directly from patient tumor tissue, and that tumors have higher CES values than normal tissues. Unfortunately, our CRADA partner in China did not finish measuring CES expression levels for a larger group of ~100 tumor samples, due to the long period time required for human subject review in China. This delay prevented us from generating enough additional data to generate a significant statistical model. We finished analyzing all the data acquired during the CRADA, and are trying to work collaboratively with the Shanghai University Lung Cancer Hospital to complete the analysis of more tumor samples. Although no publications have resulted from this research, the findings are crucial for ongoing efforts to obtain funding to develop the technology to address problems in deciding on appropriate treatment regimens for individual patients, in clinical settings. Project 2: The overarching milestones of CRADA Project 2 were to investigate the role of FAM83 family members in cancer progression. Two publications resulted from this work which are highlighted below. The first major goal of the CRADA was to broadly assess the role of FAM83 family oncogenes in human cancer using a multi-omic bioinformatic approach (Snijders et al 2017 Mol. Oncol 11). The second major goal was to specifically assess the role of FAM83D in a cancer progression and metastasis (Yin et al 2019 Cell Oncol; in revision). Role of FAM83 family oncogenes in human cancers Recent studies from our laboratory as well as other groups have demonstrated that FAM83 family members have oncogenic properties and have significantly elevated expression levels in multiple human tumor types, including breast cancers (BC). We performed an integrative multi-omics bio-informatic analysis of the role of FAM83 family oncogenes in human cancers. Our findings were published in the journal Molecular Oncology (Snijders et al; Mol Oncol. 2017 Feb;11(2):167-179). Highlights from this manuscript are: • Transcriptional levels of FAM83 family members are frequently and dramatically elevated across tumor types in human • DNA copy number increase appears to be a potential mechanism for increased expression of FAM83 genes • FAM83 family gene signature is associated with poor survival across human tumor types • FAM83 gene alterations are significantly correlated with TP53, PIK3CA and Ecadherin mutations. In conclusion, this analysis of FAM83 family members opened up a new horizon for further understanding the significance of FAM83 genes in cancer and clinical applications in diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Role of FAM83D in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis and its impact on chemotherapy. Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80~85% of all diagnosed lung cancer cases, one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. FAM83D has been proposed as an oncoprotein in several types of human cancer, yet its role and molecular mechanism in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis and its impact on chemotherapy are poorly understood. We evaluated the expression of FAM83D in NSCLC cells and cancerous tissues and its prognostic significance, then investigated the effect of FAM83D on tumorigenic phenotypes such as cell proliferation, EMT and invasive capability, and finally assessed impact of FAM83D on NSCLC chemo-drug resistance. The results of this study are currently in revision at the journal Cellular Oncology. Highlights from this manuscript are: • FAM83D expression is elevated in NSCLC cells and tissues and associated with poor prognosis • FAM83D promotes NSCLC cell proliferation • FAM83D induces EMT in NSCLC cells • FAM83D promotes NSCLC cell migration and invasion • FAM83D promotes EMT and invasive capability of NSCLC cells by regulating AKT/mTOR pathway • FAM83D silencing increases cisplatin sensitivity of NSCLC cells In summary, this second study demonstrated for the first time that FAM83D promoted EMT and metastasis of NSCLC cells through AKT/mTOR signal pathway as well as increased the sensitivity of NSCLC to cisplatin. This study may provide potential targets for advanced NSCLC treatment and personalized therapy.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2000

Demonstration of a Large-Scale Tank Assembly via Circumferential Friction Stir Welds

A collaborative effort between NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center and the Michoud Unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company was undertaken to demonstrate assembly of a large-scale aluminum tank using circumferential friction stir welds. The hardware used to complete this demonstration was fabricated as a study of near-net- shape technologies. The tooling used to complete this demonstration was originally designed for assembly of a tank using fusion weld processes. This presentation describes the modifications and additions that were made to the existing fusion welding tools required to accommodate circumferential friction stir welding, as well as the process used to assemble the tank. The tooling modifications include design, fabrication and installation of several components. The most significant components include a friction stir weld unit with adjustable pin length capabilities, a continuous internal anvil for 'open' circumferential welds, a continuous closeout anvil, clamping systems, an external reaction system and the control system required to conduct the friction stir welds and integrate the operation of the tool. The demonstration was intended as a development task. The experience gained during each circumferential weld was applied to improve subsequent welds. Both constant and tapered thickness 14-foot diameter circumferential welds were successfully demonstrated.

Jones, Clyde S.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Risk Management

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) project is an international collaboration to build and fly a polarization sensitive X-ray observatory. The IXPE Observatory consists of the spacecraft and payload. The payload is composed of three X-ray telescopes, each consisting of a mirror module optical assembly and a polarization-sensitive X-ray detector assembly; a deployable boom maintains the focal length between the optical assemblies and the detectors. The goal of the IXPE Mission is to provide new information about the origins of cosmic X-rays and their interactions with matter and gravity as they travel through space. IXPE will do this by exploiting its unique capability to measure the polarization of X-rays emitted by cosmic sources. The collaboration for IXPE involves national and international partners during design, fabrication, assembly, integration, test, and operations. The full collaboration includes NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Ball Aerospace, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Italian Institute of Astrophysics and Space Planetology (IAPS)/Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), the University of Colorado (CU) Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), Stanford University, McGill University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The goal of this paper is to discuss risk management as it applies to the IXPE project. The full IXPE Team participates in risk management providing both unique challenges and advantages for project risk management. Risk management is being employed in all phases of the IXPE Project, but is particularly important during planning and initial execution-the current phase of the IXPE Project. The discussion will address IXPE risk strategies and responsibilities, along with the IXPE management process which includes risk identification, risk assessment, risk response, and risk monitoring, control, and reporting.

IXPE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Methodology Development for Cybersecurity Robustness and Vulnerability Assessment of University Research Reactors

In 2012, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) formed a working group in collaboration with the Test, Research and Training Reactors (TRTR) group to review cyber security programs at US nuclear nonpower reactor (NPR) facilities. Following their review of cyber security at four different university NPR (i.e. university research reactor (URR)) facilities, the NRC staff made recommendations for improvements at URR including 1) augmenting the URR licensees’ understanding of the protective features provided with their physical security systems, 2) educating URR facility staff on cyber security issues, and 3) developing guidance to help the URR facilities maintain adequate cyber security going forward. This three-year project to develop and implement a cyber-security risk assessment methodology and defense-in-depth mitigation strategy for application at URR facilities provides solutions effectively addressing each of the recommendations given in the NRC review referenced above. In support of this project, cyber security documentation and guidance from the NRC, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), were reviewed. Most of this documentation did not take the unique resources, configuration, and infrastructure associated with URR facilities into account. The NRC-TRTR effective practices document provides useful guidance for implementing cyber security protections at URR, but lacks a structured framework for systematically auditing facility digital control assets (DCA) and evaluating associated cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and risk. The outcomes from this project, therefore, seek to build on the general resources above by providing a straightforward DCA auditing and risk assessment methodology, as well as mitigation strategies, that may be implemented to address the risk of cyber-attack at URR facilities.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview and Introduction of the Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXploration (ROAMX) Project

Research in pursuit of rotorcraft flight on Mars has been ongoing since the late 1990s at NASA Ames Research Center. Since then, many other organizations have also begun researching rotary-wing flight on Mars. In 2014, the project that led to the first helicopter to fly on Mars began at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ingenuity was developed as a joint effort between JPL, NASA Ames, NASA Langley, and AeroVironment. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made history in April 2021 as the first vehicle demonstrating controlled, powered flight on another planet and, in doing so, it has opened a new era of planetary aviation. Future, more capable Mars rotorcraft will be able to fly even further and carry significant science payload. At NASA Ames, through NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate funding, the research necessary to help develop the next generation of Mars rotorcraft has begun with the Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXploration (ROAMX) project. The ROAMX project involves computationally and experimentally investigating aerodynamically efficient, compressible, low-Reynolds number airfoils for rotor blades and, further, new high-performance rotor designs. ROAMX is also developing and validating a rotor design methodology to optimize blades given specific mission requirements. The primary experimental effort of the ROAMX project is focused on rotor hover performance, but subsequent airfoil and rotor design advances are anticipated to carry over into improvements in forward flight efficiency. ROAMX is a collaboration between NASA Ames, JPL, the University of Maryland, AeroVironment, and Tohoku University.

Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXp↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Results Cycling GEOS-JEDI with GSI-based Background Errors

The first phase of transitioning the NASA GMAO GEOS atmospheric data assimilation capabilities to JEDI involves the replacement of the Grid-point Statistical Interpolation (GSI) with a corresponding JEDI analysis. This includes taking JEDI's Unified Observation Operator (UFO), its underlying dependencies, and the JEDI solver that enables a hybrid 4DEnVar strategy similar to what is used in the current GEOS-GSI system. Variational analysis involves at least two main components associated with the observation and background cost function terms. The first is directly related to the UFO, which is being carefully validated in a joint collaboration between GMAO and NCEP to demonstrate consistency with corresponding observations usage in GSI. The second component is the background term, which in a hybrid system involves the ability to set up both a climatologically-based term and an ensemble-based term. JEDI provides the means to implement both terms through its BUMP component. Use of BUMP would require a complete re-tune of both climatological and ensemble, which is a non-trivial exercise we would prefer to avoid. As an alternative, the work here studies the results of interfacing the GSI-background error capability (GSIBEC) into JEDI through SABER. With this, the exact same background error covariance formulation used in GSI can be employed in JEDI without need for re-tuning. This brief summary covers the work done to interface GSIBEC into JEDI and shows preliminary results where the background error covariances of the control (GEOS-GSI) and experiment (GEOS-JEDI) are identical in corresponding cycling experiments. The cycling exercise is obviously preliminary and so much can be expected from GEOS-JEDI when compared to GEOS-GSI. There is still a number of features that need closer attention and although in some cases in principle ready to cycle have been intentionally either turned off or not fully exercised (e.g., VarBC is applied but not cycled). Other features are still pending implementation, one such example is the implementation of the Tangent Linear Normal Mode Constraint. Still, results are quite encouraging as hopefully the discussion here illustrates.

Ricardo Todling↗
NASA NTRS2010

Active Dust Control and Mitigation Technology for Lunar and Martian Exploration

Mars is covered with a layer of dust that has been homogenized by global dust storms. Dust, levitated by these storms as well as by the frequent dust devils, is the dominant weather phenomenon on Mars. NASA's Mars exploration rovers have shown that atmospheric dust falling on solar panels can decrease their efficiency to the point of rendering the rover unusable. Dust covering the surface of the moon is expected to be electrostatically charged due to the solar wind, cosmic rays, and the solar radiation itself through the photoelectric effect. Electrostatically charged dust has a large tendency to adhere to surfaces. The Apollo missions to the moon showed that lunar dust adhesion can hinder manned and unmanned exploration activities. In this paper, we report on our efforts to develop and electrodynamic dust shield to prevent the accumulation of dust on surfaces and to remove dust already adhering to those surfaces. The technology uses electrostatic and dielectrophoretic forces to carry dust particles off surfaces and to generate an electrodynamic shield that prevents further accumulation of dust. The concept of the electrodynamic dust shield was introduced by NASA in the late 1960s and later reduced to practice during the 1970s for terrestrial applications. In 2003, our laboratory, in collaboration with several universities, applied this technology to space applications, specifically to remove dust from solar panels on Mars. We show how, with an appropriate design, we can prevent the electrostatic breakdown at the low Martian atmospheric pressures. We are also able to show that uncharged dust can be lifted and removed from surfaces under simulated Martian environmental conditions. We have also been able to develop a version of the electrodynamic dust shield working under hard vacuum conditions that simulate the lunar environment. We have implemented the electrodynamic dust shield on solar arrays, optical systems, spectrometers, viewports, thermal radiators, batteries, and power systems, as well as on fabrics for spacesuits. We present data on the design and optimization of the electrodynamic dust shields and provide data on the performance of the different implementations of the technology for lunar and Martian exploration activities.

Calle, C. I.↗
DOE OSTI2026

WM26 Paper Multi-Robot Collaboration for Hazardous Environments

Hazardous nuclear and industrial facilities are rarely designed for robots. Work in these domains demand precise manipulation and robust mobility in cluttered, constrained spaces where off-the-shelf platforms struggle and “one-size-fits-all” machines become costly and complex. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is developing an autonomous, multi-robot inspection system that coordinates task-specific platforms rather than relying on a single omni-tool robot. An electric truck serves as a power and compute hub for a custom manipulator co-developed with Florida International University (FIU), a commercial mini crawler, a pan–tilt–zoom camera, and a Nexxis Argus LiDAR mapping system. Working in concert, these robots generate spatial, radiation, and temperature maps of the pit environments at the Hanford Waste Tank Farms. These systems will capture visual records and environmental telemetry to allow for analysis post inspection. The system architecture uses Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) for publish/subscribe integration, NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Unity for simulation and visualization, and algorithms such as NVBlox to fuse data into unified 3D overlays. This robot-agnostic approach reduces operator burden by enabling autonomy across heterogeneous platforms and lets each robot be used where it is strongest. Having autonomous functions means operators don’t have to fully control multiple different components. The ease of use could allow for more widespread adoption of advanced robotics at waste management sites that see continued use. By coordinating simpler, purpose-built mechanisms, the approach lowers design and manufacturing complexity, reduces capital risk in contaminated settings, and improves controllability for complex inspection and manipulation tasks. We present the architecture, early results, and lessons learned from building and deploying this coordinated multi-robot system, with the goal of accelerating safe, cost-effective adoption of advanced robotics at waste-management sites.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

10 MWE CDCL Large Pilot Plant – pre-FEED Study

Coal Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL) is an advanced oxy-combustion technology that has the potential to substantially reduce the energy penalty and the cost of electricity (COE) for coal-fired power generation with CO₂ capture. The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) and The Ohio State University (OSU) have been collaborating on the development of an iron oxide oxygen-carrier based chemical looping technology for clean power generation with inherent carbon capture. In this process, coal is dried and pulverized prior to being transported into a moving-bed reducer. In the reducer, coal reacts with the oxygen-carrier particles, forming combustion byproducts, predominantly CO₂ and H₂O, while reducing the iron oxide oxidation state from Fe₂O₃ to a mixture of FeO and Fe. The reduced state particles are then transported to a combustor reactor and re-oxidized with air. Following the oxidation, the oxygen-carrier particles are regenerated, and a large amount of heat is released for steam production. The produced steam is sent to a turbine for electricity generation. Meanwhile, the CO₂–rich stream leaving the reducer is cooled, cleaned, and compressed for subsequent pipeline transportation and sequestration. By combining air separation and fuel conversion into a single system, the CDCL technology enables the intensification of oxy-combustion processes by eliminating the energy and cost intensive cryogenic air separation unit and thereby results in higher overall plant efficiencies and lower COE’s. The use of a moving-bed reducer results in high conversions of volatile hydrocarbons and high CO₂ purity, which reduces the cost of downstream CO₂ purification for sequestration or utilization. The Babcock & Wilcox Company in collaboration with The Ohio State University, Johnson & Matthey, The Electric Power Research Institute, and Dover Light & Power completed a Preliminary Front-End Engineering and Design (Pre-FEED) study of a 10 MWe coal-direct chemical looping (CDCL) pilot plant. The planned system is a modular 10 MWe CDCL large pilot facility consisting in 4 modules of 2.5 MWe each, working in parallel and to be hosted within the current structure at the City of Dover’s Municipal Power Plant. The CDCL system can achieve auto-thermal operation and includes a sub-critical steam cycle for power generation. The pilot system was designed to demonstrate full commercial operation at a reduced scale. The coal distribution per plan area is a representative slice of larger commercial arrangements. The system includes a CO₂ recycle system, but it does not include a compression system. The large pilot includes all the environmental control equipment and oxygen carrier and ash handling systems. As part of the project, the Team performed laboratory testing and carried out multiple pilot test campaigns to obtain design and performance information at the 250 kWth CDCL pilot facility at the Babcock & Wilcox Company’s Research Center. The Team demonstrated sustained operations at designed coal inputs, high coal conversion, high CO₂ purity, heat generation on the combustor, low carbon carryover between reactors and low particle attrition. Emissions generated in the reducer reactor were identified as SO₂ and NO x . The commercial manufacturing cost of oxygen carrier particle was evaluated by JM. A particle manufacturing report was generated and submitted to the DOE. Based on the results from the pilot tests and the pre-FEED design efforts, a techno-economic analysis was performed. The study shows that the CDCL process is a promising carbon-friendly technology capable of producing electricity with high efficiency. The estimated COE of the supercritical CDCL plant is $83.3 / MWh, which meets DOE’s target of less than 30% increase in COE when compared to a supercritical PC plant without CO₂ capture. This is the lowest among the existing carbon capture technologies (post-combustion and oxy-combustion) for fossil fuel power plant. CDCL is evaluated to be the most promising technology for carbon capture from the economic aspect.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2017

Enhanced Grid Operation and Optimized PV Penetration Utilizing Highly Distributed Sensor Data

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Enphase Energy, Inc. (Enphase) collaborated to address challenges related to the integration of Renewable Energy Systems. The goal of this research was to develop methods to cost-effectively achieve very high PV penetration scenarios (well beyond 100% of peak load at the feeder level) by leveraging distributed inverters to increase operator visibility and provide local voltage support This project focused on the integration of high penetration PV systems and other distributed resources such as energy storage, to determine how these technologies interoperate with each other and with utility distribution operations and management systems. To address the lack of coverage of feeder monitoring and communications infrastructure, SNL and Enphase leveraged highly distributed micro inverters that were installed in very large numbers in CA and Hawaii, and that have the ability to measure currant and voltage and communicate via a highly distributed network. The data was used to verify and enhance distribution system models and to optimize the control settings of distributed resources. SNL and Enphase demonstrated the effectiveness of these techniques by analyzing high PV penetration scenarios on distribution systems in California.

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DOE OSTI2021

Collaboration to Enable Higher Penetrations of Solar Power Generation Using the Natural Gas Pipeline System for Energy Storage (CRADA CRD-14-00567)

This unique project explored one possible solution for photovoltaic (PV) generation to become a reliable and dispatchable energy resource similar to conventional baseload fossil fuel electricity generation. Solar power generation is a renewable resource that varies naturally from day-to-day as well as seasonally. To use solar power as a baseload generation asset requires a flexible storage system that can recover power on both a daily and seasonal basis. Converting solar power to natural gas (i.e., first to hydrogen and then to methane) and having access to utility-scale storage in the natural gas network has the potential to make solar power generation a baseload asset. This will: 1) Increase the net energy yield from solar resources by increasing the effective capacity factor and maximize the energy produced during the assets’ lifetimes. 2) Improve the economics of energy storage for solar project developers, thereby accelerating the deployment of new solar generation. 3) Reduce the impact of increasing solar penetration on congestion of the electrical transmission system by shifting power delivery in time using the gas pipeline network for long-duration storage. 4) Reduce the impact of increasing solar generation on electrical distribution system control. 5) Offer alternative revenue sources for solar power generation beyond electricity including: hydrogen (H 2 ) production for stationary fuel cells and fuel cell electric vehicles, conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to methane (CH 4 ) as a direct drop-in replacement for fossil natural gas use, and transmission as high volumetrically-dense CH 4 for use in transportation, heating, power generation, chemical production or conversion back to H2 at the point of use. Additional work was added to this CRADA in modification 4 having a primary objective to characterize the performance of the electrolyzer, Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) bioreactor and balance of plant to demonstrate production of renewable natural gas (RNG) from renewable H 2 and CO 2 using single-cell, self-replicating organisms. The additional scope of work allowed researchers to ramp up gas flowrates and pressure of the system over the designed range to grow the cells and begin to show the load-following capabilities of this anaerobic gas fermentation process. These activities enabled the research team to predict system performance at much greater scales; namely 10’s of mega-watts (MWs) of electrolyzer nameplate capacity.

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DOE OSTI2022

Design, Deployment, and Characterization of the World’s First Flexible Large Power Transformer

GE Research and its partner Prolec GE have designed, built and deployed in the field the world’s first flexible power transformer. The flexible power transformer is a transmission class 3-phase autotransformer configurable in impedance and in voltage which allows it to serve as a universal spare for multiple units in a given fleet. However, the key innovation in this new concept is the online adjustable leakage impedance which allows the transformer to change its impedance without interrupting the transmission line operation. The flexible power transformer can be designed with up to three low voltage transmission class ratings and up to 12 impedance values changeable both online and offline. This report provides an overview of the design, manufacturing, testing, and commissioning of the 165kV, 60MVA prototype built including the results of the field performance validation tests. The prototype was specified in collaboration with Cooperative Energy, the utility host. It was designed and tested in the factory according to IEEE standard C57.12.00 and followed all protocols for transportation, installation, and commissioning of a power transformer. In addition to the prototype, a flexible protection system capable of automatically adjusting its settings upon the transformer impedance was also developed and deployed in the for testing and validation. On September 3, 2021 the prototype was energized in Cooperative Energy’s substation in Columbia, Mississippi to become the world’s first flexible power transformer in operation. Its performances and impact on the grid operation were demonstrated through different field tests. Results obtained confirm that the impedance of the flexible transformer can be varied under load through its full range, from 4.3% to 9.3%, without adverse impacts on the line operation, the protection system, the transformer stability and health condition. Results also proved that the flexible transformer is very effective in controlling power transfer through the line or load sharing between units operating in parallel. Indeed, it was proven that higher impedances decrease the thruput power of the transformer while lower impedances increase it. Up to 26MW was controllable on a line loading of 45MVA. It was also possible to demonstrate that the variation of the transformer impedance has no effect on the circulating current between units in parallel, except a minor transient during the impedance change. It was also proven that the flexible protection relay can update its protection settings automatically when the impedance change was detected. The prototype has operated continuously for more than 12 months now with a peak load exceeding 50MVA corresponding to >80% of its ONAN power rating. No alarm, trip or sign of failure has been reported by the utility. In addition to the development and deployment of the flexible transformer prototype, investigations were carried out on new nanodielectric fluids to replace the mineral oil used in power transformers with the goal of reducing their footprint and weight. The key parameters that were targeted for improvement included the breakdown voltage to reduce clearances between windings and tank hence the footprint; viscosity and thermal conductivity to increase the cooling efficiency and therefore to reduce the winding material. Several nanodielectric mixtures with mineral oil including with alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2) and Borum Nitrate (BN) with different surfactants have been analyzed and tested. Unfortunately, despite encouraging results no nanofluid candidate has been found viable to replace mineral oil. With the formulations tested, breakdown voltages are generally similar to mineral oil at lower particle contents and worse at higher particle contents. Viscosity appreciably increased at particles concertation over 2 wt% and thermal conductivity increased slightly at 5wt% and appears to be 10-15% higher at 10 wt% particle content. It is recommended to continue investigations to find solutions that can help increase the power density of future flexible power transformers. Flexible power transformers can significantly help the future power grid by providing more flexibility and resiliency. Indeed, by providing voltage and impedance flexibility, flexible power transformers reduce the need for multiple spares, hence inventory costs for utilities. With their online controllable impedance, they can provide support to the grid and help manage short-circuit currents, power flow, line congestion, and grid stability which will become more important with higher penetrations of intermittent renewable resources. During the field validation tests, it was demonstrated that up to 26MW was controllable on a line loading of 45MVA when the transformer impedance was varied from its minimum to its maximum range. Also, with the impedance range, the short-circuit currents could be reduced by up to 38% at the load side of the transformer. With its controllable impedance, flexible transformers can be used in future strategies of grid resilience to help better prepare the grid to face forecasted severe events including storms, heat waves and contingencies. The flexible power transformers can also find role in other applications including high voltage transmission cables such as offshore wind farms where solutions for energizing the cables and managing the reactive power are of critical importance. The designed flexible power transformer is now fully validated and ready for commercialization. Further analysis on the benefits of flexible power transformers for grid stability and short-circuit management including current limiting capability, reclosure and line restoration, control of inrush current, sizing of flexible AC components (FACTS) would help its rapid adoption by the industry.

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DOE OSTI2018

Unique Facilities, Innovative Treatment Processes, and a Talented Workforce Allow Fluor Idaho to Successfully Disposition Transuranic Waste - 18388

Fluor Idaho is utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, treatment technologies, and employee expertise at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho Site to treat contact-handled transuranic (CH-TRU) waste, as well as extremely challenging remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) waste forms, to prepare the material for shipment and permanent disposal at the Department's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Nowhere else in the DOE Complex - perhaps the world - will one find the compilation of tools and an experienced workforce with an unparalleled history of safely retrieving, characterizing, treating, repackaging, certifying, and shipping TRU waste. Since 2003, the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) has used both conventional and unique retrieval concepts, high-tech characterization equipment - including real-time radiography and radioassay - robotics, and automated treatment processes to retrieve and treat 65,000 cubic meters of above-ground CH-TRU waste. Additionally, engineered controls and specialized personal protective equipment have allowed employees to make thousands of entries into high-radiation areas without a skin or clothing contamination incident - evidence of the employees' commitment to safety. AMWTP has encountered and found solutions for many challenging waste forms, including polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated wastes, TRU waste containers with up to 1,000 fissile gram equivalent plutonium-239, oversized TRU boxes, and partially absorbed organic sludge waste. By utilizing additional facilities and equipment at the Accelerated Retrieval Project V and VII, Fluor Idaho has developed new processing lines and capabilities to ensure worker safety and milestone completion. These two soft-sided buildings, located at a facility adjacent to AMWTP, were originally constructed to exhume Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) TRU wastes from a section of a 97-acre landfill. After a total of 1,150 cubic meters of targeted waste were removed, personnel, working in collaboration with state regulators, successfully implemented a unique regulatory strategy that allowed these CERCLA facilities to be modified and permitted to treat Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) wastes from the AMWTP - a savings of tens of millions of dollars over the cost of constructing new buildings. Adding to the AMWTP's technological uniqueness is its ability to treat wastes from other facilities in the DOE Complex. Two prior decision documents and an agreement with the state of Idaho have allowed AMWTP to treat wastes from 15 other DOE sites. It is the only project in the complex to have done so. At another project located next to AMWTP, targeted waste exhumation within the Subsurface Disposal Area is approximately two years ahead of schedule. Crews have removed more than 8,600 cubic meters of CH-TRU and hazardous wastes from eight exhumation areas that equal a combined footprint of 4.75 acres. Less than one acre remains to be exhumed to satisfy the 2008 Record of Decision waste exhumation end state between the DOE, Environmental Protection Agency, and state of Idaho. Construction of the final building where targeted waste exhumation will continue was completed during the summer of 2017. Exhumation will be completed within the next few years. Following exhumation completion, an evapotranspiration barrier (or cap) will be constructed over the entire landfill. Fluor Idaho continues to make progress on a more challenging project involving an inventory of RH-TRU waste that also contains the reactive metal sodium. Crews are utilizing hot cells, once used for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and high-level waste treatment at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, to render this challenging waste form safe for disposal in a national geologic waste repository. The treatment methods being employed on this RH-TRU waste are unique in the DOE Complex. Minute concentrations of water are sprayed onto the sodium-contaminated material in a process called 'spritzing' to chemically change the sodium from a reactive metal to a non-reactive salt. In other cases, sodium-contaminated waste is dipped in water to initiate a reaction in a process called 'immersion.' Lastly, for more challenging waste shapes that could not be successfully treated with the two prior methods, crews lower the sodium-contaminated RH-TRU waste into a one-of-a-kind distillation unit that uses high temperature and vacuum to volatilize the sodium and recapture it in a condenser unit for disposal. The RH-TRU waste treated with this technology is then safe for permanent disposal. Fluor Idaho is proud to operate DOE's CH- and RH-TRU waste treatment facilities, as well as use innovative processes and its talented workforce to complete this important work-scope. Such capabilities allow the contractor to meet the commitments made by the DOE to the state of Idaho. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2018

3-D Gamma-ray Mapping from Unmanned Aerial Systems for Nuclear Decommissioning - 18439

Advanced gamma-ray detection technologies integrated with sophisticated robotic platforms will enable safer and more cost and time-efficient capabilities in support of nuclear decommissioning, waste management, and environmental remediation activities within the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) complex and in the global nuclear power industry. In the Applied Nuclear Physics program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, we have developed the Nuclear Scene Data Fusion (SDF) capability to map gamma-ray emitting sources in large-scale, 3-D environments in real-time. This powerful capability has been successfully deployed in real-world environments, from a test-bed in Berkeley, CA to the exclusion zone in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan to support environmental remediation and contamination mapping efforts within evacuated communities, and is also currently being further developed in support of decommissioning efforts at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in collaboration with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). In this work, we will provide an overview of SDF adapted for gamma-ray mapping onboard an UAS, as well as results from measurements demonstrating point and distributed source mapping. (authors)

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