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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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DOE OSTI2025

Fiber-Optic Sensing for Earthquake Hazards Research, Monitoring, and Early Warning

The use of fiber‐optic sensing systems in seismology has exploded in the past decade. Despite an ever‐growing library of ground‐breaking studies, questions remain about the potential of fiber‐optic sensing technologies as tools for advancing if not revolutionizing earthquake‐hazards‐related research, monitoring, and early warning systems. A working group convened to explore these topics; we comprehensively examined the application of fiber optics in various aspects of earthquake hazards, encompassing earthquake source processes, crustal imaging, data archiving, and technological challenges. There is great potential for fiber‐optic systems to advance earthquake monitoring and understanding, but to fully unlock their capabilities requires continued progress in key areas of research and development, including instrument testing and validation, increased dynamic range for applications focused on larger earthquakes, and continued improvement in subsurface and source imaging methods. A key current stumbling block results from the lack of clear data archiving requirements, and we propose an initial strategy that balances data volume requirements with preserving key data for a broad range of future studies. In addition, we demonstrate the potential for fiber‐optic sensing to impact monitoring efforts by documenting the data completeness in a number of long‐term experiments. Finally, we outline the features of a instrument testing facility that would enable progress toward reliable and standardized distributed acoustic sensing data. Overcoming these current obstacles would facilitate progress in fiber‐optic sensing and unlock its potential application to a broad range of earthquake hazard problems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaluation of In-Situ AM Process Monitoring Techniques and Potential for Detecting Process Anomalies and Undesirable Microstructures

The US Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program is pursuing rapid qualification of new materials for fabrication of nuclear relevant components using advanced manufacturing techniques. Particular interest is placed on code-qualifying stainless steel (SS) 316H processed by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing. A paradigm that incorporates data from in-situ sensing during the printing, ex-situ characterization, and advanced artificial intelligence–based models was established under the Transformation Challenge Reactor (TCR) program to develop a pedigree for each fabricated component that could be tracked from the feedstock to the component’s release for application. Under the TCR program, the Peregrine software was developed as a tool for incorporating the vast amounts of in-situ and ex-situ characterization data collected; all data stored on a rapidly growing digital platform. The digital platform allows for users to link site-specific process anomalies to the macro- and microstructure. The platform will eventually be able to predict component performance, which will be crucial to qualifying materials and components in risk-averse industries such as those supporting and building nuclear reactors. Current in-situ process monitoring techniques that are already integrated with software like Peregrine are advantageous for identifying process anomalies including powder spatter, component edge swelling, recoating-build interactions, and so on. However, additional data are required to fully predict the resulting microstructures needed for identifying relationships to component performance. The rapid cooling rates observed in LPBF are some of the highest of any bulk manufacturing process, resulting in heterogenous microstructures and typically causing anisotropy in mechanical properties. Moreover, evolved residual thermal stresses are high, which can cause severe defects such as delamination or cracking. Therefore, other in-situ monitoring methods are warranted for exploration to measure and map the thermal history, and potentially the stress state, of each build. This report summarizes different in-situ monitoring strategies proposed for LPBF with a focus on the more developed sensor systems. Novel capabilities for measuring melt pool temperatures are also addressed to better inform modeling efforts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Operational and Performance Monitoring of East Tennessee Technology Park Ponds - 2024 Results

Performance and operational monitoring are regulatory requirements associated with a non–time-critical removal action for three surface water bodies at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Figure 1): the K-1007-P1 Pond, the K-901-A Pond, and the K-720 Slough. This progress report summarizes the monitoring activities and results from FY 2024. The goal of ecological enhancement of the K-1007-P1 and K-901-A Ponds is to reduce risk from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in fish to humans and wildlife. Lowering PCB concentrations in the water column and in the food that fish eat is expected to decrease PCB bioaccumulation in fish. Performance monitoring of the K-1007-P1 Pond focuses on annual PCB trends in water, clams, and fish. PCBs in fish also are sampled annually at the K-720 Slough.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

East Tennessee Technology Park Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program - 2024 Fiscal Year Report

In FY 2024, the East Tennessee Technology Park’s (ETTP’s) Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) consisted of two tasks that reflect different but complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of ETTP effluents on the ecological integrity of waters near ETTP. These tasks included (1) fish and clam bioaccumulation monitoring and (2) fish and benthic macroinvertebrate species richness and density monitoring. The sampling and analysis requirements for the ETTP BMAP in FY 2024 are outlined in the sampling and analysis plan (UCOR 2023).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Determining Unabated Airborne Radionuclide Emissions Monitoring Requirements Using Inventory-Based Methods

Compliance with the airborne radionuclide emission monitoring requirements in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP; Title 40 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 61, Subpart H) and State requirements in Washington Administrative Code 246–247: Radiation Protection – Air Emissions and 173-480: Ambient Air Quality Standards and Emission Limits for Radionuclides were evaluated for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) operations. Additional guidance may be found in the U.S. Department of Energy Handbook, Environmental Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance. To meet regulatory requirements, reviews of planned or proposed projects and activities provide the basis for implementing necessary monitoring adjustments or for implementing changes to projects and activities in a timely manner. Potential unabated off-site doses were evaluated for emission locations managed by PNNL and licensed to the Department of Energy. These locations were at facilities in Richland, Washington (i.e., the Hanford Site and PNNL–Richland campus) and in Sequim, Washington, (PNNL–Sequim campus). This report describes the inventory-based methods and provides the results for the NESHAP assessment performed in January 2024 for calendar year ending 2023.

40 CFR 61 Subpart H↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development of an L-Edge X-ray Absorbance Spectrometer for Monitoring Dissolver Solutions in H-Canyon

Savannah River National Laboratory has developed a monitor to measure plutonium and uranium concentrations in solutions of dissolved nuclear fuel. The monitor will be installed in the sample aisle location for the 6.3D Dissolver in the Savannah River Site’s H-Canyon and used in support of the electrolytic dissolution such as Fast Critical Assembly fuel. The monitor is based on the atomic absorbance of x-rays. Elements are differentiated by the appearance of absorbance features at specific energies of the x-ray spectrum that correspond to L-edge transitions of inner core electrons. Hence, the technique is called L-Edge X-Ray Absorbance Spectroscopy (L-XRAS). The technique is suitable for nuclear fuel processing due to its relative insensitivity to other components of the dissolver solution, such as nitric acid, transition metals (Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn) such as those from stainless steel, particulates, and catalysts and additives. The instrumentation consists of a commercially available x-ray source and detector, a sample cell designed to interface with the airlift sampler associated with H-Canyon Tank 6.3D, and a stainless steel enclosure. SRNL wrote instrument control software and developed chemometric models to interpret x-ray intensity spectra and estimate analyte concentrations and uncertainties in real time.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fe-Coated Optical Fiber for Distributed Corrosion Monitoring in Soil and Aqueous Environment

Natural gas pipeline corrosion represents a substantial cost and safety concern during normal operations. The effective and real-time monitoring of corrosion is important to detect and mitigate pipeline risks before corrosion-related catastrophic events happen. Here, we describe the use of iron (Fe) coated optical fiber sensors (OFS) for distributed corrosion monitoring where Fe acts as a corrosion proxy. By using an optical backscattering reflectometer (OBR), corrosion was monitored based on the increase in the backscattered intensity amplitude of the light being passed as Fe underwent corrosion. The Fe-coated OFSs were prepared with a film thickness between 25–225 nanometers (nm) by an electroless plating approach and corroded by a carbon dioxide (CO2)-saturated acidic electrolyte. The corrosion rate (CR) was approximately 2.5 millimeters (mm)/year for Fe with a film thickness of 30 nm and increased with film thickness. Backscattering-based CRs were supported by visible light transmission measurements, which have been previously demonstrated. Additionally, a correlation between the intermittent transmission and residual Fe film thickness during the corrosion of Fe was established. The corrosion sensor was also tested in soil at > 1 foot depth. Fe-coated OFS was loaded into a Draka cable, which provides mechanical support during fiber deployment and installation into either acidified soil, top-soil, or sandy soil (50/50).

corrosion↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fe-Coated Optical Fiber for Distributed Corrosion Monitoring in Soil and Aqueous Environments

Natural gas pipeline corrosion represents a substantial cost and safety concern during normal operations. The effective and real-time monitoring of corrosion is important to detect and mitigate pipeline risks before corrosion-related catastrophic events happen. Here, we describe the use of iron (Fe) coated optical fiber sensors (OFS) for distributed corrosion monitoring where Fe acts as a corrosion proxy. By using an optical backscattering reflectometer (OBR), corrosion was monitored based on the increase in the backscattered intensity amplitude of the light being passed as Fe underwent corrosion. The Fe-coated OFSs were prepared with a film thickness between 25–225 nanometers (nm) by an electroless plating approach and corroded by a carbon dioxide (CO2)-saturated acidic electrolyte. The corrosion rate (CR) was approximately 2.5 millimeters (mm)/year for Fe with a film thickness of 30 nm and increased with film thickness. Backscattering-based CRs were supported by visible light transmission measurements, which have been previously demonstrated. Additionally, a correlation between the intermittent transmission and residual Fe film thickness during the corrosion of Fe was established. The corrosion was measurable out to > 100 meters (m), which is a significant improvement over our previous work, which showed corrosion sensing at < 10 m. The corrosion sensor was also tested in soil at > 1 foot depth.

corrosion↗
DOE OSTI2025

Assessment of North Slope of Alaska (NSA) Snow Monitoring Arrays

Arrays of instruments for monitoring winter precipitation (snowfall) and snow cover on the ground installed in 2017 at the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s North Slope of Alaska (NSA) C1 and at Oliktok Point sites became operational in 2018. In 2022, the instruments from Oliktok Point were moved to NSA E12, about 5.4 km south of NSA C1, where two arrays now operate. The instrument arrays monitor wind speed and direction, snow depth at multiple locations, the horizontal flux of blowing snow, and the number and fall speed of hydrometeors. The arrays are monitored using digital cameras. Collectively, the instruments produce a wealth of data on falling and accumulated snow, but, as with any instrument array, some data are more reliable and accurate than others. In this document, we present our findings on the efficacy, accuracy, and reliability of each type of instrument. Overall, a key finding is that no single instrument provides sufficient information to determine the source of falling snow particles nor the cause of changes in snow depth. However, if used in concert, the instruments produce a reliable understanding of the processes affecting the snow cover depth distribution and the true winter precipitation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Prototype Hanford Barrier Performance Monitoring Report: Fiscal Year 2024

This report provides an annual update on performance monitoring of the Prototype Hanford Barrier (PHB) at the Hanford Site. The PHB is part of a long-term study that serves as the scientific basis for many of the evapotranspiration-capillary barrier designs currently used globally and for future engineered barrier designs planned for remedial actions over waste and demolition sites at the Hanford Site. The PHB allows us to identify potential future issues and develop better monitoring techniques before these engineered barriers are constructed. Surface barriers like the PHB are essential for preventing water infiltration and curbing the spread of contaminants to groundwater. Effective monitoring of soil moisture levels above and below these barriers is crucial given that performance metrics could span up to 1,000 years. From July 2023 to June 2024, the water flux (as measured by tipping buckets) through the 2-m-thick silt loam layer of the PHB – a fine silty material that stores water under high capillary tension – remained well below the 0.5-mm-per-year performance threshold, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing water penetration. In 2024, degraded tipping bucket gauges were replaced to ensure the accuracy of future data. Additionally, neutron probes revealed that the wetting front from the rainy season only penetrated to a maximum depth of 1.2 m into the silt loam. This further demonstrated the barrier's efficiency, as the wetting front did not fully penetrate the 2-m-thick capillary barrier. The western gravel slope of the PHB, composed of Hanford Site pit gravel of varying sizes, demonstrated low flux rates. In contrast, the eastern riprap slope exhibited higher flux rates. Zhang (2017) found that the riprap side slope of the PHB had the highest drainage rates in January and the lowest in late summer or early fall, indicating significant summer evaporation. Drainage rates increased significantly under enhanced precipitation conditions, far exceeding the design criterion, which could lead to water infiltration into the waste zone. The study introduced the “edge effect,” where elevated drainage rates from the riprap may migrate laterally beneath the barrier, compromising its ability to isolate waste, and recommended expanding the barrier and conducting further research to mitigate this issue. This report provides a review on surface barrier edge effects and their potential impact to subsurface contaminant migration.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Data-Driven Method for Groundwater-Level Mapping and Monitoring-Well Network Optimization at Hanford

This report summarizes the initial results and outcomes of a physics-informed, data-driven groundwater level (GWL) mapping capability for the Hanford Site. GWL mapping at Hanford is typically conducted annually and requires a significant amount of computational and expert resources, and it does not allow assessment of the informational value of specific monitoring wells. The proposed method produces spatially and temporally resolved fields consistent with sparse, irregularly sampled, and nonuniformly distributed well measurements. Implemented successfully, this capability will allow rapid mapping of groundwater levels and provide an opportunity to optimize monitoring activities (both location and sampling frequency) based on data information value evaluation. The approach integrates a diffusion-based generative model – trained on MODFLOW simulation data from the Plateau-to-River (P2R) model – with score-based data assimilation (SDA), allowing observation-conditioned mapping without retraining for each monitoring-network layout.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Burnup Monitoring for Pebble Bed Reactor Systems

A pebble burnup monitoring system is a required component for domestic reactor safety and safeguards applications associated with pebble bed reactors (PBRs). One of the main requirements of a PBR burnup monitoring system is that it needs to be capable of rapid measurements to assess the burnup of each individual pebble to determine whether to recirculate it in the reactor or discard it as spent fuel. This report considers three different approaches for a burnup monitoring system for pebbles discharged from the reactor core in a pebble bed modular reactor-400: • passive gamma spectrometry measurement, • passive neutron coincidence measurement, and • active neutron counter based on the differential die-away technique. Conceptual designs have been created for each of these detectors, and preliminary analysis has been performed using Monte Carlo N-Particle and Oak Ridge Isotope Generation code simulations. The advantages and practical limitations (e.g., high radiation background) of each system were identified. Simulations suggest that each of the three measurement techniques can be successfully employed to distinguish between pebbles based on their number of passes through the core and to quantify the burnup of pebbles.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

East Tennessee Technology Park Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program—2025 Fiscal Year Report

In FY 2025, the East Tennessee Technology Park’s (ETTP’s) Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) consisted of two tasks that reflect different but complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of ETTP effluents on the ecological integrity of waters near ETTP. These tasks included (1) fish and clam bioaccumulation monitoring and (2) fish and benthic macroinvertebrate species richness and density monitoring. The sampling and analysis requirements for the ETTP BMAP in FY 2025 are outlined in the sampling and analysis plan (UCOR 2024). Major sampling sites for the BMAP are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Demonstrating Advanced Sensors for In-Situ Monitoring Towards Qualification of Nuclear Relevant Components

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program is pursuing qualification of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) components for nuclear applications. A major focus of this effort is the use of in situ process monitoring and machine learning–based tools to establish real-time quality assurance. The primary objective of this report is to identify and evaluate the most relevant in situ sensor systems for LPBF, and to document the deployment of these systems across platforms critical to the AMMT program. This work demonstrates how in situ monitoring can detect process anomalies, track geometry-dependent flaws, and identify limiting combinations of processing parameters—particularly those related to energy density and complex geometries (e.g., overhanging structures). To support this goal, a diverse suite of sensor modalities was evaluated across LPBF platforms, including visible and near-infrared (NIR) imaging, fringe projection profilometry, long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) thermography, and high-speed photodiode/pyrometry systems. These sensor streams were integrated with Peregrine, a machine-agnostic software platform that, among other capabilities, can generate real-time process anomaly classification. This report documents sensor deployments on multiple AMMT flagship platforms, including the Concept Laser M2 and Renishaw AM400/AM250 systems. Calibration builds with complex, flaw-prone geometries such as unsupported overhangs, stepped features, and thin walls, were used to evaluate how well Peregrine and its associated sensors could detect process anomalies and other instabilities under varied energy densities. It will be shown how Peregrine reliably identifies common process anomalies such as recoater streaking, superelevation, etc., and can be used in post-build analysis for anomaly spatial distributions throughout the build height to better understand the impact of geometry and processing parameter choice on the build. This work demonstrates measurable progress toward the vision that components can be born-qualified by establishing a real-time monitoring framework, identifying limiting process conditions, and laying the foundation for sensor fusion–enabled prediction pipelines that are scalable across platforms and applicable to nuclear-relevant components.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Pre-Commissioning of the Wide-Dynamic Range Halo Monitor to be Installed in the FERMILAB MI-8 Line

The beam halo can contribute to beam losses in accelerators and is very difficult to measure. With an increase in beam intensity following the PIP-II upgrade at Fermilab, the beam losses are expected to be higher with some coming from the beam halo. Therefore, it is important to measure the sources of beam halo to minimize the beam losses. A modified Halo Monitor developed by J-PARC will be installed in Fermilab MI-8 transfer line to measure the beam halo. In this paper, an update on the beam profile monitor fabrication is covered. The updates include the location selection for the Halo Monitor in the MI-8 transfer line, shielding options for instrumentation, and the next steps in commissioning.

Babacan, B. [IIT, Chicago; Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enhanced Design of Radiation Tolerant High-Temperature Structural Health Monitoring Sensors

Acoustic emission sensors are vital in the nuclear industry for real-time structural health monitoring and early detection of material degradation. By capturing high-frequency stress waves emitted from defects like cracks, corrosion, or fatigue, acoustic emission sensors enable non-invasive monitoring of critical components such as reactor vessels, piping, and containment structures. This technology supports predictive maintenance, enhances safety, and ensures regulatory compliance by providing early warnings of potential failures. It is also instrumental in research, particularly in material testing reactors, where it is used to monitor the behavior of fuels and materials under irradiation, by allowing the detection of cracking or other acoustic signals in real time. This enables the evaluation of performance and accident behavior of advanced fuel concepts.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Tests of LBNF Beam Monitor Prototypes for the DUNE Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a long-baseline on-axis neutrino oscillation experiment that will use a beam from the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) to constrain the mixing angle $$\theta_{23}$, the neutrino mass hierarchy, and the CP violating phase $\delta_{CP}$. To ensure the beam remains on-axis, the LBNF beamline will employ two ionization chamber systems: the Hadron Alignment Detection System (HADeS) for primary beam alignment and the Muon Monitoring System (MuMS) for continuous beam monitoring and neutrino flux estimation. We have constructed prototypes for these systems at the University of Texas at Austin based on a design currently used in the NuMI hadron monitor. These prototypes were tested with a radioactive source and in beam tests at Fermilab's Irradiation Test Area. We present the results of these studies and discuss ongoing efforts to optimize the HADeS and MuMS designs.

Murthy, Chinmay↗
DOE OSTI2026

FY 2026 Midyear Report: Seismic Monitoring of Underground Vibration Sources Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Seismometers

Safeguards-relevant temporal changes in underground facilities can be observed using geophysical monitoring techniques. Seismic waves, in particular, provide valuable insights into subsurface activities and can serve as an important tool for detecting anomalous events that may indicate containment breaches at geological repositories. This midyear report summarizes ongoing efforts to automatically and rapidly detect and locate anomalous vibration signals that could be indicative of potential containment breaches. Previous work during FY25 focused on compiling continuous seismic datasets from two underground sites and developing a database of continuous waveforms and ground-truth event data derived from multiple sensing modalities. Building on this foundation, we are adapting anomaly detection and geolocation algorithms to explore methods for monitoring underground activities using two relatively low-maintenance sensing technologies: a dense surface geophone array deployed at the Pleasant Gap mine in Pennsylvania, and a three-dimensional fiber-optic cable array for distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) installed in the subsurface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. This report summarizes work conducted during the first two quarters of FY26, during which we refined a dynamic power spectral density (PSD)-based detector, applied it independently to each geophone station, and then combined the per‑station detections with density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) to cluster events and produce spatial maps over a nine‑day interval. In addition, we outline plans for a field trial at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico to compare traditional seismic monitoring approaches with DAS techniques and to evaluate the benefits of combined data analysis. Activities during the past two quarters have included the preparation and submission of a Field Test Plan to WIPP for approval, as well as submission to headquarters for review and feedback.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗