High Performance Computing User Group Meeting - June 11, 2025
INL HPC team provided updates related to the INL HPC program and HPC systems for HPC User Group Quarterly Review - June 11, 2025
99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
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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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High Performance Computing User Group Meeting - September 10, 2025
INL HPC team provided updates related to the INL HPC program and HPC systems for HPC User Group Quarterly Review - September 10, 2025
99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
Exploring Nonmotorized Travel in New York State Using 2017 National Household Travel Survey Data
This report presents systematic analysis of nonmotorized travel behavior within New York State (NYS) utilizing 2017 National Household Travel Survey data. As walking and biking assume increasingly prominent roles in advancing active transportation objectives, accessible mobility, and sustainable transportation systems, comprehensive understanding of these modal patterns becomes essential for evidence-based policy development and strategic planning initiatives. Recognizing the substantial geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic heterogeneity characterizing NYS—spanning from the concentrated urban fabric of New York City (NYC) to dispersed suburban and rural contexts—this analysis employs the structured "4Ws" analytical framework to examine participant demographics, spatial and temporal distributions, and motivational factors underlying active transportation choices relative to motorized alternatives. This methodological approach captures modal behavior patterns, user characteristics, trip purposes, and temporal variations across the state's diverse contexts. Additionally, the research examines behavioral differences among distinct user classifications, including walk-only and bike-only travelers, while conducting comparative analysis of nonmotorized travel patterns between ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and non-ALICE household categories.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA UAS Traffic Management National Campaign Operations across Six UAS Test Sites
NASA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management research aims to develop policies, procedures, requirements, and other artifacts to inform the implementation of a future system that enables small drones to access the low altitude airspace. In this endeavor, NASA conducted a geographically diverse flight test in conjunction with the FAA's six unmanned aircraft systems Test Sites. A control center at NASA Ames Research Center autonomously managed the airspace for all participants in eight states as they flew operations (both real and simulated). The system allowed for common situational awareness across all stakeholders, kept traffic procedurally separated, offered messages to inform the participants of activity relevant to their operations. Over the 3- hour test, 102 flight operations connected to the central research platform with 17 different vehicle types and 8 distinct software client implementations while seamlessly interacting with simulated traffic.
UTM↗
Energy system analysis of cutting off Russian gas supply to the European Union
The reduction of European Union's pipeline gas imports from Russia as a consequence of the Russian war against Ukraine has had severe economy-wide implications for the EU. Using a multisector integrated assessment model (GCAM), we find that a potential complete cut-off of Russian pipeline gas exports to the EU unevenly impacts the energy mix, prices, and trade flows of different subregions within the EU, depending on their access to alternative gas pipelines and LNG infrastructure. Moreover, there are also large changes in the volume and geographical distribution of global gas infrastructure capacity additions and stranded assets. Our results show that by significantly reducing demand for natural gas, the EU Fit-for-55 policy framework already improves resilience against a complete and persistent cut-off of Russian pipeline gas. However, further improvements in energy efficiency and renewable targets could further soften impacts, while bringing climate objectives closer in sight.
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
A consumer-centric approach to quantify efficiency of receiving goods purchased via online
Virtual participation in shopping activities has increased exponentially in the past four years compared to the last couple of decades. E-tailing or online shopping offers the convenience of goods reaching a consumer instead of a consumer traveling to a store, but it has downsides like geographical service variability and negative social externalities such as increased energy consumption and emissions. This study proposes a novel approach to quantify e-tailing efficiency from the consumers’ viewpoint. The methodology is innovative in its integration of accessibility theory with energy and cost impedance factors and consideration of delivering and picking up goods purchased via online. The methodology is implemented for the San Francisco Bay Area and is subject to scenarios that see enhancements to various facets of online shopping delivery. Results demonstrate that increasing the frequency of e-commerce deliveries helps improve e-tailing efficiency in rural locations, while improvements in energy and cost aspects of delivery modes are seen to improve e-tailing efficiencies in the central parts of the region. The approach proposed can provide valuable insights on where people have limited benefits from online shopping and how emerging delivery mechanisms can change the quality of the e-commerce experience within a city. This research offers a replicable framework for assessing e-commerce systems in diverse geographic contexts, contributing to the development of equitable and environmentally sustainable urban freight systems.
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
Techno-economic analysis of synthetic fuel production from existing nuclear power plants across the United States
Abstract Low carbon synfuel can reduce dependence on fossil fuels like diesel and jet fuel, and, with large-scale cost-effective production, contribute to global transportation sector decarbonization, Simultaneously, nuclear power plants are struggling economically due to falling wholesale electricity prices. Converting existing nuclear plants for synfuel production could preserve these low-carbon assets and enable large-scale synfuel production, yet no comprehensive technoeconomic analysis exists. This study evaluates the potential of integrating synthetic fuel production with five US nuclear plants, considering electricity and fuel markets and carbon dioxide source access. Such integration could enhance nuclear plant profitability by up to $792 million and offer a 10% return on investment over 20 years. The hydrogen production tax credit from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act is crucial, comprising 75% of revenues on average. Carbon feedstock transportation has the highest cost at 35%, followed closely by synfuel production capital costs. Incentive policies are thus key for the decarbonization of the transportation sector and the economic importance of the geographic location of Integrated Energy Systems.
Garrouste, Marisol (ORCID:0000000168388644)↗
Addendum to the Proceedings of the Third International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1993)
Satellite-based mobile communications systems provide voice and data communications to users over a vast geographic area. The users may communicate via mobile or hand-held terminals, which may also provide access to terrestrial cellular communications services. This Third IMSC focuses on the increasing worldwide commercial activities in Mobile Satellite Services, along with technical advances in the field. Because of the large service areas provided by such systems, it is important to consider political and regulatory issues in addition to technical and user requirements issues. The official Proceedings presented in 11 sessions include: direct broadcast of audio programming from satellites; spacecraft technology; regulatory and policy considerations; hybrid networks for personal and mobile applications; advanced system concepts and analysis; propagation; and mobile terminal technology; and mobile antenna technology.
Kwan, Robert↗
Proceedings of the Third International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1993)
Satellite-based mobile communications systems provide voice and data communications to users over a vast geographic area. The users may communicate via mobile or hand-held terminals, which may also provide access to terrestrial cellular communications services. While the first and second International Mobile Satellite Conferences (IMSC) mostly concentrated on technical advances, this Third IMSC also focuses on the increasing worldwide commercial activities in Mobile Satellite Services. Because of the large service areas provided by such systems, it is important to consider political and regulatory issues in addition to technical and user requirements issues. Topics covered include: the direct broadcast of audio programming from satellites; spacecraft technology; regulatory and policy considerations; advanced system concepts and analysis; propagation; and user requirements and applications.
Kwan, Robert↗
Public Health Applications of Remotely-sensed Environmental Datasets for the Conterminous United States
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is collaborating with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Public Health Informatics to address issues of environmental health and enhance public health decision-making using NASA remotely-sensed data and products. The objectives of this study are to develop high-quality spatial data sets of environmental variables, link these with public health data from a national cohort study, and deliver the linked data sets and associated analyses to local, state and federal end-user groups. Three daily environmental data sets were developed for the conterminous U.S. on different spatial resolutions for the period 2003-2008: (1) spatial surfaces of estimated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures on a 10-km grid using the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground observations and NASA's MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data; (2) a 1-km grid of Land Surface Temperature (LST) using MODIS data; and (3) a 12-km grid of daily Incoming Solar Radiation (Insolation) and heat-related products using the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) forcing data. These environmental data sets were linked with public health data from the UAB REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) national cohort study to determine whether exposures to these environmental risk factors are related to cognitive decline, stroke and other health outcomes. These environmental datasets and the results of the public health linkage analyses will be disseminated to end-users for decision-making through the CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) system and through peer-reviewed publications respectively. The linkage of these data with the CDC WONDER system substantially expands public access to NASA data, making their use by a wide range of decision makers feasible. By successful completion of this research, decision-making activities, including policy-making and clinical decision-making, can be positively affected through utilization of the data products and analyses provided on the CDC WONDER system.
Al-Hamdan, Mohammad↗
Advancing Small Business Solar Equity: Final Technical Insights Report
The Advancing Small Business Solar Equity: Final Technical Insights Report represents the culmination of two years of work in participation with Round 3 of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN). SEIN Round 3, titled "Equitable Solar in Underserved Communities," supported eight underserved communities across the United States in "exploring new approaches to the equitable adoption of solar energy in residential and commercial-scale settings" and in "confronting the solar barriers they face and unlocking the solar benefits most relevant to their own contexts" (National Renewable Energy Laboratory 2023). This project was one of four selected to support solar access for commercial entities in underserved communities. The research conducted for this report was done within the Minnesota Twin Cities geographic context, but certain findings and the proposed Solar Hub Network model may be found applicable nationally. Community-based organizations that serve small businesses, chambers of commerce, community development finance institutions and other community lenders, municipal governments, solar incentive providers, solar industry professionals, and others may find elements of this report useful.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Pilot Program for the Development of Classification and Accuracy Assessment Methods and Improved Accessibility for Landsat and Related GIS Data and Technology Transfer of These Methods to State and Local Governments
This project has a single, comprehensive objective that is manifested in many tangible products and impacts throughout the state and the mid-south region. The primary objective or mission of this project is to expose the broadest possible cross-section of public sector decision makers responsible for developing and maintaining policy at the state, local and national levels, private sector professionals and students to the power, flexibility and utility of sensor based imagery and the mapping and interpretive products that are derived from these digital geodata. In accomplishing this mission this project has worked to provide hands-on exposure and training to primary and secondary teachers; developed and distributed instructional materials to students across the state; created an on-line archive of satellite images and related geographic data; implemented a service that enables users throughout the region and around the world to develop customized mapping products suitable for visualization and/or decision support from the comfort of their classroom or office via an internet connection to our facility; extended the use of sensor based imagery in natural resource management and commercial applications through a range of pilot research initiatives, demonstrations, presentations and professional papers.
Limp, W. Fredrick↗
Linking NASA Environmental Data with a National Public Health Cohort Study and a CDC On-Line System to Enhance Public Health Decision Making
The overall goal of this study is to address issues of environmental health and enhance public health decision making by utilizing NASA remotely-sensed data and products. This study is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Universities Space Research Association (USRA), the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Public Health Informatics. The objectives of this study are to develop high-quality spatial data sets of environmental variables, link these with public health data from a national cohort study, and deliver the linked data sets and associated analyses to local, state and federal end-user groups. Three daily environmental data sets were developed for the conterminous U.S. on different spatial resolutions for the period 2003-2008: (1) spatial surfaces of estimated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures on a 10-km grid utilizing the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground observations and NASA s MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data; (2) a 1-km grid of Land Surface Temperature (LST) using MODIS data; and (3) a 12-km grid of daily Solar Insolation (SI) and maximum and minimum air temperature using the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) forcing data. These environmental datasets were linked with public health data from the UAB REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) national cohort study to determine whether exposures to these environmental risk factors are related to cognitive decline and other health outcomes. These environmental national datasets will also be made available to public health professionals, researchers and the general public via the CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) system, where they can be aggregated to the county, state or regional level as per users need and downloaded in tabular, graphical, and map formats. The linkage of these data provides a useful addition to CDC WONDER, allowing public health researchers and policy makers to better include environmental exposure data in the context of other health data available in this online system. It also substantially expands public access to NASA data, making their use by a wide range of decision makers feasible.
Al-Hamdan, Mohammad↗
Using NASA Remotely Sensed Data to Help Characterize Environmental Risk Factors for National Public Health Applications
The overall goal of this study is to address issues of environmental health and enhance public health decision making by using NASA remotely sensed data and products. This study is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Universities Space Research Association (USRA), the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services. The objectives of this study are to develop high-quality spatial data sets of environmental variables, link these with public health data from a national cohort study, and deliver the environmental data sets and associated public health analyses to local, state and federal end ]user groups. Three daily environmental data sets were developed for the conterminous U.S. on different spatial resolutions for the period 2003-2008: (1) spatial surfaces of estimated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on a 10-km grid using US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground observations and NASA's MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data; (2) a 1-km grid of MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST); and (3) a 12-km grid of daily incoming solar radiation and maximum and minimum air temperature using the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) data. These environmental datasets were linked with public health data from the UAB REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) national cohort study to determine whether exposures to these environmental risk factors are related to cognitive decline, stroke and other health outcomes. These environmental national datasets will also be made available to public health professionals, researchers and the general public via the CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) system, where they can be aggregated to the county-level, state-level, or regional-level as per users f need and downloaded in tabular, graphical, and map formats. This provides a significant addition to the CDC WONDER online system, allowing public health researchers and policy makers to better include environmental exposure data in the context of other health data available in CDC WONDER. It also substantially expands public access to NASA data, making their use by a wide range of decisionmakers feasible.
Al-Hamdan, Mohammad↗
Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA)
In the early days of spaceflight, space life sciences data were been collected and stored in numerous databases, formats, media-types and geographical locations. While serving the needs of individual research teams, these data were largely unknown/unavailable to the scientific community at large. As a result, the Space Act of 1958 and the Science Data Management Policy mandated that research data collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration be made available to the science community at large. The Biomedical Informatics and Health Care Systems Branch of the Space Life Sciences Directorate at JSC and the Data Archive Project at ARC, with funding from the Human Research Program through the Exploration Medical Capability Element, are fulfilling these requirements through the systematic population of the Life Sciences Data Archive. This program constitutes a formal system for the acquisition, archival and distribution of data for Life Sciences-sponsored experiments and investigations. The general goal of the archive is to acquire, preserve, and distribute these data using a variety of media which are accessible and responsive to inquiries from the science communities.
Fitts, M.↗
Spatial inequities in access to medications for treatment of opioid use disorder highlight scarcity of methadone providers under counterfactual scenarios
Access to treatment and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is essential in reducing opioid use and associated behavioral risks, such as syringe sharing among persons who inject drugs (PWID). Syringe sharing among PWID carries high risk of transmission of serious infections such as hepatitis C and HIV. MOUD resources, such as methadone provider clinics, however, are often unavailable to PWID due to barriers like long travel distance to the nearest methadone provider and the required frequency of clinic visits. The goal of this study is to examine the uncertainty in the effects of travel distance in initiating and continuing methadone treatment and how these interact with different spatial distributions of methadone providers to impact co-injection (syringe sharing) risks. A baseline scenario of spatial access was established using the existing locations of methadone providers in a geographical area of metropolitan Chicago, Illinois, USA. Next, different counterfactual scenarios redistributed the locations of methadone providers in this geographic area according to the densities of both the general adult population and according to the PWID population per zip code. We define different reasonable methadone access assumptions as the combinations of short, medium, and long travel distance preferences combined with three urban/suburban travel distance preference. Our modeling results show that when there is a low travel distance preference for accessing methadone providers, distributing providers near areas that have the greatest need (defined by density of PWID) is best at reducing syringe sharing behaviors. However, this strategy also decreases access across suburban locales, posing even greater difficulty in regions with fewer transit options and providers. As such, without an adequate number of providers to give equitable coverage across the region, spatial distribution cannot be optimized to provide equitable access to all PWID. Our study has important implications for increasing interest in methadone as a resurgent treatment for MOUD in the United States and for guiding policy toward improving access to MOUD among PWID.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
Explaining Health Risk Behaviors in the U.S. with Social Deprivation at Local and Regional Levels
Health risk behaviors are precursors to many chronic health outcomes, and hence, they pose a challenge to public health. Social deprivation undoubtedly creates circumstances that limit access to healthy habits. Moreover, broad regional effects (weather patterns, political ideology, social norms), and local characteristics (cultural notions and barriers, urban places) also influence lifestyle choices and must be accounted for to truly understand the impact of social deprivation on risky behaviors. This research fills the knowledge gap in epidemiological modeling of health risk behaviors by leveraging machine learning to find associations between social deprivation and health risk behaviors, when adjusted by regional and local effects. Four health risk behaviors, namely, binge drinking, smoking, lack of sleep, and lack of physical activity from the CDC PLACES project are considered in a single framework to understand and compare the interplay between local/regional characteristics and seven measures of social deprivation. Our results indicate that local and/or regional factors rise to the top for three out of four risk behaviors (binge drinking, smoking and lack of sleep) out-competing social deprivation measures. Un-entangling the geographical effects reveals that poverty, educational attainment and non-employment are the three deprivation measures most significantly associated with all four health risk factors. The research thus indicates that public health policies to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors must seek to remedy social deprivation, but using socially and culturally sensitive interventions.
Gokhale, Swapna↗
NASA WorldWind: Open Source Visualization Technology for Earth Observation
NASA WorldWind: Open Source Visualization Technology for Earth Observation WorldWind, open source virtual globe technology for Java, iOS, Android and Web, is provided by NASA and is architected as API-centric modular componentry. This enable it to be continually optimized and feature-enriched in ways that allow applications based on this SDK (Software Development Kit) to benefit Earth Observation, especially Open Science, with minimal or no adjustment for the decade ahead. The next-generation National Airspace System (NAS) aviation management system for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, uses WorldWind, as do applications currently being developed by the European Space Agency, along with several other US and European government agencies and industry partners. This presentation will demonstrate several NASA open source use cases for WorldWind technology that include advances being made to optimize access to NetCDF and HDF data via WebWorldWind.NASA WorldWind: Multidimensional Geospatial Web Platform The ability to see spatial data in its native context is essential for that data to be appreciated whether by the scientific community, policy and decision-makers or the general public. Recently, the accessibility of spatial data has dramatically improved. Without the need to install an application, spatial data can now be experienced via any web browser, mobile devices included. For developers, by simply updating the app on your server, the latest version of your application is now immediately available to your entire usercommunity. Unlike other virtual globes such as Google Earth, NASA World Wind offers something very special, full control to customize the interface with any features or functionalities you might need. You decide how the data is accessed and experienced. This allows you to provide maximum value of the information to your user community. The web version of NASA WorldWind (WebWorldWind) has made it possible for a whole new suite of applications for managing and sharing spatial data. Apps built with this web version are ideal for immediate social media type activity and also facilitate delivery of sophisticated data exchange scenarios such as weather and climate research, disaster response, personal navigation, and industrial-strength tracking for transportation, supply chain, aviation and satellites. WebWorldWind is an application component, not an app in itself. It is written in JavaScript and provides the real world geographic context for spatial data and information visualization, using a rich set of shapes and graphic primitives. WebWorldWind also provides platform independence, while accommodating any number of data types. Web WorldWind runs on any platform via a browser, i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Features include, 3D virtual globe, 2D map with multiple projection choices (Mercator, Polar, UPS, Equirectangular), imagery and elevation import, extensible, data retrieval (via REST, WMS, WCS, WFS, Bing, User-Defined), decluttering, measurement, accurate line-ofsight, subsurface visualization, and more.
Open Source Mapping↗