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Estimating the Likelihood of Bat Barotrauma using Computational Simulations and Analytical Calculations
Barotrauma from rapid pressure fluctuations can rupture internal structures in the body, causing internal bleeding and, potentially, death. Several recent studies provide evidence that suggests barotrauma may be a significant cause of wind-turbine-related bat deaths. To date, no studies have systematically characterized the pressure fields that are generated by operating utility-scale wind turbines and compared these conditions to those that could potentially be harmful to bats. In this work, we use computational fluid dynamics simulations and analytical calculations to estimate the pressure fields over the blades and in the blade tip vortices for this purpose. Our results show that while there is a very small region where the pressure over the suction surface of the blade could cause barotrauma, the region is so close to the blade surface that a bat would almost certainly have to collide with the blade to be exposed to the harmful pressure, and thus barotrauma appears unlikely.
Polarimetry-Enhanced Imaging towards Autonomous Solar Field and Receiver Inspections
During the typical operation of a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant, a large portion of the energy (~45%) can be lost due to various imperfect conditions, such as blocking, shading, mirror soiling, tracking and canting errors, etc. It is necessary to develop efficient and effective field inspection technology to optically survey and characterize a CSP field, which can be used as an input for autonomous control, maintenance scheduling and spot repair whenever necessary to maximize the overall efficiency of the plant. In this project, We aim to apply polarimetric imaging for CSP collector and receiver inspection and develop polarimetric drone cameras (via integrating polarimetric imagers onto drones) for autonomous field inspection in CSP plants.
Cold energy
Deviations in Q for resonant superconducting radio frequency niobium accelerator cavities are generally correlated with resistivity loss mechanisms. Field dependent Qs are not well modeled by these classical loss mechanisms, but rather can represent a form of precision cavity surface thermometry. When the field dependent Q variation shows improvement with increasing B field level the classical treatment of this problem is inadequate. To justify this behavior hydrogen as a ubiquitous impurity in niobium, which creates measurable property changes, even at very low concentrations is typically considered the cause of such anomalous behavior. This maybe the case in some instances, but more importantly any system operating with a highly coherent field with a significant time dependent magnetic component at near 2° K will have the ability to organize the remaining free spins within the London penetration depth to form a coupled energy reservoir in the form of low mass spin waves. The niobium resonant cavities are composed of a single isotope with a large nuclear spin. When the other loss mechanisms are stripped away this may be the gain medium activated by the low level residual magnetic fields. It was found that one resonant cavity heat treatment produced optimum surface properties and then functioned as a MASER extracting energy from the 2° K thermal bath while cooling the cavity walls. The cavity operating in this mode is a simulator of what can take place in the wider but not colder universe using the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as a thermal source. The low mass, long lifetimes, and the scale of the magnetic spin waves on the weakly magnetized interstellar medium allows energy to be stored that is many orders of magnitude colder than the cosmic microwave background. A linear accelerator cavity becomes a tool to explore the properties of the long wave length magnetic spin waves that populate this cold low energy regime.
Active Magnetic Regenerative Liquefier
This final report for the DOE Project entitled Active Magnetic Regenerative Liquefier (AMRL) funded under Grant DE-FG36-08GO18064 to Heracles Energy Corporation d.b.a. Prometheus Energy (Heracles/Prometheus) describes an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator (AMRR) prototype designed and built during the period from July 2008 through May 2011. The primary goal of this project was to make significant technical advances toward highly efficient liquefaction of hydrogen. Conventional hydrogen liquefiers at any scale have a maximum FOM of ~0.35 due primarily to the intrinsic difficulty of rapid, efficient compression of either hydrogen or helium working gases. Numerical simulation modeling of high performance AMRL designs indicates certain designs have promise to increase thermodynamic efficiency from a FOM of ~0.35 toward ~0.5 to ~0.6. The technical approach was the use of solid magnetic working refrigerants cycled in and out of high magnetic fields to build an efficient active regenerative magnetic refrigeration module providing cooling power for AMRL. A single-stage reciprocating AMRR with a design temperature span from ~290 K to ~120 K was built and tested with dual magnetic regenerators moving in and out of the conductively-cooled superconducting magnet subsystem. The heat transfer fluid (helium) was coupled to the process stream (refrigeration/liquefaction load) via high performance heat exchangers. In order to maximize AMRR efficiency a helium bypass loop with adjustable flow was incorporated in the design because the thermal mass of magnetic refrigerants is higher in low magnetic field than in high magnetic field. Heracles/Prometheus designed experiments to measure AMRR performance under a variety of different operational parameters such as cycle frequency, magnetic field strength, heat transfer fluid flow rate, amount of bypass flow of the heat transfer fluid while measuring work input, temperature span, cooling capability as a function of cold temperature as a function of the amount of bypass flow of the heat transfer fluid. The operational AMRR prototype can be used to answer key questions such as the best recipe for multiple layers of different magnetic refrigerants in one or more integrated regenerators with varying amounts of bypass flow of the heat transfer fluid. Layered regenerators are necessary to span the AMRR range from 290 K to 120K. Our AMRR performance simulation model predicts that ~10-15 % of bypass flow should significantly improve the thermodynamic performance. Initial results obtained with regenerators made of gadolinium spheres were very encouraging; a temperature span of ~ 50 K (between 295K and 245 K) across both regenerators was achieved with zero bypass flow of the heat transfer fluid and with the magnetic field strength of ~4 T.
Aquifer Hydraulic Testing and Characterization Plan for the Ringold Formation Unit A in the Hanford 200-ZP-1 Groundwater Operable Unit and Vicinity
This document presents a plan for testing and characterizing the hydraulic properties of the Ringold Formation, member of Wooded Island – unit A (Rwia) in the 200-ZP groundwater operable unit. The testing approach includes multiple field methods and associated analyses designed to investigate and understand aquifer hydraulic properties over a range of scales. Testing was designed to achieve specific testing objectives identified previously in the 200 ZP-1 Groundwater Operable Unit Ringold Formation Unit A Characterization Sampling and Analysis Plan (Ringold A SAP). The test plan provides necessary technical and operational detail for writing subsequent field test instruction documents specific to each testing location. Hydraulic characterization activities will proceed in a phased manner focusing on areas identified to have knowledge gaps and also critical for remedy modifications and/or selection. These activities are designed to minimize impact to pump-and-treat (P&T) operations and to use existing P&T injection and extraction wells as stress wells, and include use of the new Rwia monitoring wells installed for Ringold A SAP activities. ZP-1 hydraulic testing will include slug testing in new Rwia wells, shutdown-recovery tests in multiple Rwia and composite Ringold Formation member of Wooded Island – unit E (Rwie)-Rwia aquifer test locations, installation of new Automated Water Level Network stations in Rwia monitoring wells, characterization of P&T and barometric responses, identifying the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity in the Rwia and Rwie units using electromagnetic borehole flowmeter tests, and single-well tracer testing in select Rwia monitoring wells. Slug testing to be conducted during drilling is described under the Ringold A SAP. The remaining testing activities are to be conducted after well drilling and completion and are described in this test plan.
NLO QCD effective field theory analysis of W + W - production at the LHC including fermionic operators
In this paper, we study the impact of anomalous gauge boson and fermion couplings on the production of W + W - pairs at the LHC. Helicity amplitudes are presented separately to demonstrate the sources of new physics contributions and the impact of QCD and electroweak corrections. The QCD corrections have important effects on the fits to anomalous couplings, in particular when one W boson is longitudinally polarized and the other is transversely polarized. In effective field theory language, we demonstrate that the dimension-6 approximation to constraining new physics effects in W + W - pair production fails at p T ~ 500 - 1000 GeV.
A novel nonperturbative renormalization scheme for local operators
The gradient flow exponentially suppresses ultraviolet field fluctuations and removes ultraviolet divergences (up to a multiplicative fermionic wavefunction renormalization). It can be used to describe real-space Wilsonian renormalization group transformations and determine the corresponding beta function. We propose a new nonperturbative renormalization scheme for local composite fermionic operators that uses the gradient flow and is amenable to lattice QCD calculations. We present preliminary nonperturbative results for the running of quark bilinear operators in this scheme and outline the calculation of perturbative matching to the MS-bar scheme.
Encoders for block-circulant LDPC codes
In this paper, we present two encoding methods for block-circulant LDPC codes. The first is an iterative encoding method based on the erasure decoding algorithm, and the computations required are well organized due to the block-circulant structure of the parity check matrix. The second method uses block-circulant generator matrices, and the encoders are very similar to those for recursive convolutional codes. Some encoders of the second type have been implemented in a small Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and operate at 100 Msymbols/second.
Prototype of NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement Mission Ground Validation System
NASA is developing a Ground Validation System (GVS) as one of its contributions to the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM). The GPM GVS provides an independent means for evaluation, diagnosis, and ultimately improvement of GPM spaceborne measurements and precipitation products. NASA's GPM GVS consists of three elements: field campaigns/physical validation, direct network validation, and modeling and simulation. The GVS prototype of direct network validation compares Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite-borne radar data to similar measurements from the U.S. national network of operational weather radars. A prototype field campaign has also been conducted; modeling and simulation prototypes are under consideration.
Comparison of Focused and Near-Field Imaging of Spray on Foam Insulation (SOFI) at Millimeter Wave Frequencies
Millimeter wave imaging techniques can provide high spatial-resolution images of various composites. Lens antennas may be incorporated into the imaging system to provide a small incident beam footprint. Another approach may involve the use of horn antennas, which if operating in their near-fields, images with reasonably high spatial-resolutions may also be obtained. This paper gives a comparison between such near-field and focused far-field imaging of the Space Shuttle Spray on Foam Insulation (SOFI) used in its external fuel tank at millimeter wave frequencies. Small horn antennas and lens antennas with relatively long depth of focus were used in this investigation.
Field-assisted suppression of coke in the methane steam reforming reaction
Electric fields were applied to an unsupported nickel catalyst during methane steam reforming with a low steam-to-methane ratio of 2:1. As expected, catalysts operated in standard mode (without an applied field) experienced high levels of coking. Coke formation was almost completely suppressed by the application of a positive electric field. This is explained using density functional theory computations which indicate that positive electric fields (1) increase the affinity for water adsorption on the surface, thereby increasing the amount of oxygen available to remove carbon, (2) stabilize individual carbon fragments, thus reducing their tendency to polymerize, and (3) increase the oxygen storage capabilities of the catalyst by inducing sub-surface oxygen formation and bulk oxidation.
MEAD In-situ Sampling and Testing at Haughton Crater
The Mars Exploration through Analog-site Drilling (MEAD) project is designed to demonstrate the feasibility and scientific value of robotic drilling missions to Mars in the search for evidence of past or extant life. MEAD conducts high-fidelity field simulations integrating drilling, autonomous operations, and in-situ life-detection and mineralogical instruments. The project tests the Signs of Life Detector (SOLID), proposed for the 2019 Discovery Mars Icebreaker mission, and ARIA (Astronaut Raman Instrument for ISRU and Astrobiology), which provides mineral identification and detects trace organics and volatiles, including indicators of organic thermal maturity. Because current and planned Mars drilling missions operate largely “blind,” MEAD also evaluates the use of drill-induced vibrations recorded by deployed geophones to enable local subsurface mapping for improved targeting of drilling and sampling. In August 2025, MEAD completed its first-year field deployment to Haughton Crater in the Canadian High Arctic, an established Mars impact-crater terrestrial analog site, bringing a Honeybee Robotics TRIDENT drill with applied automation, alongside ARIA, SOLID, and FleetSpace geophones.
Anomalies in string-inspired nonlocal extensions of QED
We investigate anomalies in the class of nonlocal field theories that have been proposed as an ultraviolet completion of four-dimensional quantum field theory with generalizing the kinetic energy operators to an infinite series of higher derivatives inspired by the string field theory and ghost-free nonlocal approaches to quantum gravity. We explicitly calculate the vector and chiral anomalies in a string-inspired nonlocal extension of QED. We show that the vector anomaly vanishes as required by gauge invariance and the Ward identity. On the other hand, although the chiral anomaly vanishes to the leading order with massless fermions, it nonetheless does not vanish with the massive fermions and we calculate it to the leading order in the scale of nonlocality. We also calculate the nonlocal vector and axial currents explicitly and present an illustrative example by applying our results to the decay of π 0 → γ γ . Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Cloud Droplet Measurement System for the ARM Tethered Balloon System (TBS) Field Campaign Report
The Mesa Photonics' cloud droplet measurement system (CDMS) performs in situ measurement of droplet size distribution and droplet number density in clouds. These characteristics are important cloud microphysical properties that are critical input parameters for atmospheric models and are also useful for proper calibration and validation of performance of other atmospheric measurement instrumentation. This small campaign was the first project (out of two) that involved integration of the CDMS into the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s tethered balloon system (TBS) and its initial testing at the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory. The follow-up campaign (AFC07016) involved testing of the CDMS under relevant conditions at the third ARM Mobile Facility (AMF3) at Oliktok Point, Alaska and making in situ measurements in clouds. The goal of this small field campaign was to deploy the CDMS on the ARM TBS, demonstrate its integrity and compatibility with the TBS, and test the wireless telecommunication system in preparation for subsequent in-cloud measurements at ARM’s North Slope of Alaska (NSA) observatory at Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow). The specific technical objectives included: (1) Integration of the Mesa Photonics' CDMS into the ARM TBS, (2) testing of the wireless telecommunication system of the CDMS, (3) evaluating the data acquisition software and image processing algorithms especially under high-background-illumination conditions, and (4) testing the ruggedness of the instrument's optical alignment and other performance characteristics. All objectives have been successfully met. The mounting hardware was designed and built mostly at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), which allowed reliable mounting of the CDMS on the TBS and co-locating the CDMS with other instruments. The field tests were performed by the principal investigator (PI) in collaboration with the TBS operational crew led by D. Dexheimer. The field testing demonstrated good compatibility of the CDMS with the TBS. During the TBS flights, the crew did not experience any operational issues with the CDMS. The instrument demonstrated reliable operational characteristics, including sufficient battery life and good thermal management. The wireless telecommunication system has been successfully tested at TBS flight altitudes of up to 1000 m. During all flights, the CDMS raw data were wirelessly transmitted to the ground station and processed in real time. The ruggedness of the instrument's optical alignment was evaluated by performing calibration of the CDMS (using Mesa Photonics' fixed-size monodisperse droplet generator) before and after the campaign. The calibration was stable within the instrument's measurement precision. In summary, the campaign demonstrated good compatibility of the Mesa Photonics' CDMS with the ARM TBS. The flight tests confirmed the mechanical integrity of the CDMS and stability of its optical layout, as well as reliability of the wireless telecommunication system. Successful completion of this campaign provided a solid basis for the next campaign (AFC07016, November 2020), that involved testing of the CDMS during in-cloud TBS flights at AMF3 at Oliktok Point.
Panel Session 14: US DOE WIPP - Future Plans for the Utilization of a National Asset
This panel focused on the next phase of restoring the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP: located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA) to full disposal operations. The US DOE Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) is funded for two Capital Asset Projects that will facilitate the restoration of WIPP to full capability and allow for future repository space planning. The panel will include updates on the capital projects, infrastructure improvements to extend WIPP's operational life, regulatory actions in support of capital projects, and improvements in new processes to implement WAC and DSA enhancements. This panel is filled by CBFO and WIPP contractor leaders to provide the big picture leading to WIPP's future. Presentations proposed include: 1 - 2018 WIPP Year in Review (Bruce Covert, Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (USA)); 2 - TRU Waste Shipments and WIPP Operations (Mark Pearcy, Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (USA)); 3 - Projects and Activities at WIPP (Ronald Gill, US DOE (USA)); 4 - The Future of WIPP (J.R. Stroble, US DOE (USA), Todd Shrader, US DOE (USA))
Implementation of a DOD ELAP Conforming Quality System at a FUSRAP Site Field Temporary Radiological Screening Laboratory - 13500
A case study is presented on specific program elements that supported the transition of a temporary field radiological screening lab to an accredited operation capable of meeting client quality objectives for definitive results data. The temporary field lab is located at the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program Linde Site in Tonawanda, NY. The site is undergoing remediation under the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District, with Cabrera Services Inc. as the remediation contractor and operator of the on-site lab. Analysis methods employed in the on-site lab include gross counting of alpha and beta particle activity on swipes and air filters and gamma spectroscopy of soils and other solid samples. A discussion of key program elements and lessons learned may help other organizations considering pursuit of accreditation for on-site screening laboratories. (authors)