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Materials Data on Ho(PO)2 by Materials Project

Ho(PO)2 crystallizes in the tetragonal I4_1/amd space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of eight Ho(PO)2 clusters. Ho3+ is bonded in a linear geometry to two equivalent O2- atoms. Both Ho–O bond lengths are 2.20 Å. P+0.50+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O2- atom. The P–O bond length is 1.58 Å. O2- is bonded in a water-like geometry to one Ho3+ and one P+0.50+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Characterization of Errors in Satellite-Based HCHO/NO 2 Tropospheric Column Ratios With Respect to Chemistry, Column-to-PBL Translation, Spatial Representation, and Retrieval Uncertainties

The availability of formaldehyde (HCHO) (a proxy for volatile organic compound reactivity) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) (a proxy for nitrogen oxides) tropospheric columns from ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) satellites has motivated many to use their ratios to gain some insights into the near-surface ozone sensitivity. Strong emphasis has been placed on the challenges that come with transforming what is being observed in the tropospheric column to what is actually in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and near the surface; however, little attention has been paid to other sources of error such as chemistry, spatial representation, and retrieval uncertainties. Here we leverage a wide spectrum of tools and data to quantify those errors carefully. Concerning the chemistry error, a well-characterized box model constrained by more than 500 h of aircraft data from NASA's air quality campaigns is used to simulate the ratio of the chemical loss of HO 2 + RO 2 (LRO x ) to the chemical loss of NO x (LNO x ). Subsequently, we challenge the predictive power of HCHO/NO 2 ratios (FNRs), which are commonly applied in current research, in detecting the underlying ozone regimes by comparing them to LRO x /LNO x . FNRs show a strongly linear (R 2 =0.94) relationship with LRO x /LNO x , but only on the logarithmic scale. Following the baseline (i.e., ln(LRO x /LNO x ) = −1.0 ± 0.2) with the model and mechanism (CB06, r2) used for segregating NO x -sensitive from VOC-sensitive regimes, we observe a broad range of FNR thresholds ranging from 1 to 4. The transitioning ratios strictly follow a Gaussian distribution with a mean and standard deviation of 1.8 and 0.4, respectively. This implies that the FNR has an inherent 20 % standard error (1σ) resulting from not accurately describing the RO x –HO x cycle. We calculate high ozone production rates (PO 3 ) dominated by large HCHO × NO 2 concentration levels, a new proxy for the abundance of ozone precursors. The relationship between PO 3 and HCHO × NO 2 becomes more pronounced when moving towards NO x -sensitive regions due to nonlinear chemistry; our results indicate that there is fruitful information in the HCHO × NO 2 metric that has not been utilized in ozone studies. The vast amount of vertical information on HCHO and NO 2 concentrations from the air quality campaigns enables us to parameterize the vertical shapes of FNRs using a second-order rational function permitting an analytical solution for an altitude adjustment factor to partition the tropospheric columns into the PBL region. We propose a mathematical solution to the spatial representation error based on modeling isotropic semivariograms. Based on summertime-averaged data, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) loses 12 % of its spatial information at its native resolution with respect to a high-resolution sensor like the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) (> 5.5 × 3.5 km 2 ). A pixel with a grid size of 216 km 2 fails at capturing ∼ 65 % of the spatial information in FNRs at a 50 km length scale comparable to the size of a large urban center (e.g., Los Angeles). We ultimately leverage a large suite of in situ and ground-based remote sensing measurements to draw the error distributions of daily TROPOMI and OMI tropospheric NO 2 and HCHO columns. At a 68 % confidence interval (1σ), errors pertaining to daily TROPOMI observations, either HCHO or tropospheric NO 2 columns, should be above 1.2–1.5 × 10 16 molec. cm −2 to attain a 20 %–30 % standard error in the ratio. This level of error is almost non-achievable with the OMI given its large error in HCHO. The satellite column retrieval error is the largest contributor to the total error (40 %–90 %) in the FNRs. Due to a stronger signal in cities, the total relative error (< 50 %) tends to be mild, whereas areas with low vegetation and anthropogenic sources (e.g., the Rocky Mountains) are markedly uncertain (> 100 %). Our study suggests that continuing development in the retrieval algorithm and sensor design and calibration is essential to be able to advance the application of FNRs beyond a qualitative metric.

Amir H. Souri↗

Discrete theta angles, symmetries and anomalies

Gauge theories in various dimensions often admit discrete theta angles, that arise from gauging a global symmetry with an additional symmetry protected topological (SPT) phase. We discuss how the global symmetry and ’t Hooft anomaly depends on the discrete theta angles by coupling the gauge theory to a topological quantum field theory (TQFT). We observe that gauging an Abelian subgroup symmetry, that participates in symmetry extension, with an additional SPT phase leads to a new theory with an emergent Abelian symmetry that also participates in a symmetry extension. The symmetry extension of the gauge theory is controlled by the discrete theta angle which comes from the SPT phase. We find that discrete theta angles can lead to two-group symmetry in 4d 4 d QCD with SU(N),SU(N)/\mathbb{Z}_k S U ( N ) , S U ( N ) / ℤ k or SO(N) S O ( N ) gauge groups as well as various 3d 3 d and 2d 2 d gauge theories.

Hsin, Po-Shen↗

Influence of Surface and Structural Variations in Donor–Acceptor–Donor Sensitizers on Photoelectrocatalytic Water Splitting

Conjugated organic chromophores composed of linked donor (D) and acceptor (A) moieties have attracted considerable attention for photoelectrochemical applications. In this work, we compare the optoelectronic properties and photoelectrochemical performance of two D–A–D structural isomers with thiophene-X-carboxylic acid (X denotes 3 and 2 positions) derivatives and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole as the D and A moieties, respectively. 5,5′-(Benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl)bis(thiophene-3-carboxylic acid), BTD1, and 5,5′-(benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl)bis(thiophene-2-carboxylic acid), BTD2, were employed in the study to understand how structural isomers affect surface attachments within chromophore–catalyst assemblies and their influence on charge-transfer dynamics. Crystal structures revealed that varying the position of the −COOH anchoring group causes the molecules to either contort out of a plane (BTD1) or adopt a near-perfect planar conformation (BTD2). BTD1 and BTD2 were co-loaded with either a water oxidation catalyst, [Ru(2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine)-(4,4′-((HO) 2 OPCH 2 )2-2,2′-bipyridine)(OH 2 )] 2 , RuCt 2+ , or proton reduction catalyst [Ni(P 2 Ph N 2 C 6 H 4 CH 2 PO 3 H 2 ) 2 ] 2+ , NiCt 2+ , on oxide electrodes to facilitate photodriven water splitting reactions. Emission quenching measurements indicate that both BTD1 and BTD2 inject electrons into n-type SnO 2 |TiO 2 electrodes and holes into p-type NiO semiconductors from their respective excited states at high efficiencies >60%. Photocurrent densities of chromophore–catalyst assemblies obtained using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) show that BTD2-sensitized photoanodes generate significantly more photocurrent than BTD1-sensitized electrodes; however, both exhibit similar performances at the photocathode. Photoelectrocatyltic measurements demonstrate that both BTD1 and BTD2 performed similarly, generating Faradaic efficiencies of 39 and 38% at the anode or 61 and 79% at the cathode. Transient absorption measurements suggest that the differences between the LSV and photoelectrocatalytic measurements result from the differences in quantum yields of the photogenerated redox equivalents, which is also a reflection of the varying metal oxide surface conformation. Our findings suggest that BTD2 should be investigated further in photocathodic studies since it has the structural advantage of being incorporated into diverse types of chromophore–catalyst assemblies.

Chromophores↗

Structure of 3'-PO 4 /5'-OH RNA ligase RtcB in complex with a 5'-OH oligonucleotide

RtcB enzymes comprise a widely distributed family of manganese- and GTP-dependent RNA repair enzymes that join 2',3'-cyclic phosphate ends to 5'-OH ends via RtcB-(histidinyl-N)–GMP, RNA 3'-phosphate, and RNA 3 'pp 5 'G intermediates. RtcB can ligate either 5'-OH RNA or 5'-OH DNA strands in vitro. The nucleic acid contacts of RtcB are uncharted. In this work, we report a 2.7 Å crystal structure of Pyrococcus horikoshii RtcB in complex with a 6-mer 5'-OH DNA oligonucleotide HO A 1 pT 2 pG 3 pT 4 pC 5 pC 6 , which reveals enzymic contacts of Asn202 to the terminal 5'-OH nucleophile; Arg238 to the A1pT2 and T2pG3 phosphates; Arg190 and Gln194 to the T 2 pG 3 phosphate; and an Arg190 π-cation interaction with the G 3 nucleobase. The structural insights affirm functional studies of E. coli RtcB that implicated the conserved counterpart of Arg238 in engagement of the 5'-OH strand for ligation. The essential active site Cys98 that coordinates two manganese ions is oxidized to cysteine sulfonic acid in our structure, raising the prospect that RtcB activity might be sensitive to modulation during oxidative stress.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

How Population III Supernovae Determined the Properties of the First Galaxies

Abstract Massive Population III stars can die as energetic supernovae that enrich the early Universe with metals and determine the properties of the first galaxies. With masses of about 10 9 M ⊙ atz≳ 10, these galaxies are believed to be the ancestors of the Milky Way. This paper investigates the impact of Population III supernova remnants (SNRs) from both Salpeter-like and top-heavy initial mass functions (IMFs) on the formation of first galaxies with high-resolution radiation-hydrodynamical simulations with theENZOcode. Our findings indicate that SNRs from a top-heavy Population III IMF produce more metals, leading to more efficient gas cooling and earlier Population II star formation in the first galaxies. From a few hundred to a few thousand Population II stars can form in the central regions of these galaxies. These stars have metallicities of 10 −3 –10 −2 ,Z ⊙ , greater than those of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars. Their mass function follows a power-law distribution with dN ( M * ) / dM * ∝ M * α , whereM * is stellar mass, andα= 2.66–5.83 and is steeper for a top-heavy IMF. We thus find that EMP stars were not typical of most primitive galaxies.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Thermal Stability and Decomposition Products of P-Doped Ferrihydrite

This work aimed to determine the effect of various amounts of P admixtures in synthetic ferrihydrite on its thermal stability, transformation processes, and the properties of the products, at a broad range of temperatures up to 1000 °C. A detailed study was conducted using a series of synthetic ferrihydrites Fe 5 HO 8 ·4H 2 O doped with phosphates at P/Fe molar ratios of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0. Ferrihydrite was synthesized by a reaction of Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 with 1 M KOH at room temperature in the presence of K 2 HPO 4 at pH 8.2. The products of the synthesis and the products of heating were characterized at various stages of transformation by using differential thermal analysis accompanied with X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Coprecipitation of P with ferrihydrite results in the formation of P-doped 2-line ferrihydrite. A high P content reduces crystallinity. Phosphate significantly inhibits the thermal transformation processes. The temperature of thermal transformation increases from below 550 to 710–750 °C. Formation of intermediate maghemite and Fe-phosphates, is observed. The product of heating up to 1000 °C contains hematite associated with rodolicoite FePO 4 and grattarolaite Fe 3 PO 7 . Higher P content greatly increases the thermal stability and transformation temperature of rodolicoite as well.

thermal transformations↗

Deep Learning Provides Substantial Improvements to County‐Level Fire Weather Forecasting Over the Western United States

Abstract The recent wildfires in the western United States during 2018 and 2020 caused record‐breaking fire damage and casualties. Despite remarkable advances in fire modeling and weather forecasting, it remains challenging to anticipate catastrophic wildfire events and associated damage. One key missing component is a fire weather prediction system with sufficiently long lead time capable of providing useful regional details. Here, we develop a hybrid prediction model of wildfire danger called CFS with super resolution (CFS‐SR) as a proof of concept to fill that void. The CFS‐SR model is constructed by integrating the Climate Forecast System version 2 with a deep learning (DL) technique from Single Image Super Resolution, a method widely used in enhancing image resolution. We show that for the 2018–2019 fire season, the CFS‐SR model significantly improves accuracy in forecasting fire weather at lead times of up to 7 days with an enhanced spatial resolution up to 4 km. This level of high resolution provides county‐level fire weather forecast, making it more practical for allocating resources to mitigate wildfire danger. Our study demonstrates that a proper combination of ensemble climate predictions with DL techniques can boost predictability at finer spatial scales, increasing the utility of fire weather forecasts for practical applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The Fast, Luminous Ultraviolet Transient AT2018cow: Extreme Supernova, or Disruption of a Star by an Intermediate-Mass Black Hole?

Wide-field optical surveys have begun to uncover large samples of fast (trise <~ 5 d), luminous (Mpeak < −18), blue transients. While commonly attributed to the breakout of a supernova shock into a dense wind, the great distances to the transients of this class found so far have hampered detailed investigation of their properties. We present photometry and spectroscopy from a comprehensive worldwide campaign to observe AT 2018cow (ATLAS 18qqn), the first fast-luminous optical transient to be found in real time at low redshift. Our first spectra (<2 days after discovery) are entirely featureless. A very broad absorption feature suggestive of near relativistic velocities develops between 3 and 8 days, then disappears. Broad emission features of H and He develop after >10 days. The spectrum remains extremely hot throughout its evolution, and the photospheric radius contracts with time (receding below R < 1014 cm after 1 month). This behaviour does not match that of any known supernova, although a relativistic jet within a fallback supernova could explain some of the observed features. Alternatively, the transient could originate from the disruption of a star by an intermediate-mass black hole, although this would require long-lasting emission of highly super-Eddington thermal radiation. In either case, AT 2018cow suggests that the population of fast luminous transients represents a new class of astrophysical event. Intensive follow-up of this event in its late phases, and of any future events found at comparable distance, will be essential to better constrain their origins.

Black-hole↗