Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “loss reduction”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Manganese concentration influences nitrogen cycling in agricultural soil

Manganese (Mn) can modulate nitrogen (N) transformations in soil, yet its role in agroecosystems remains understudied. We conducted a 51-day microcosm incubation with agricultural soils differing in long-term N history (N 0 , no added N; N 1 , added 225 kg N ha −1 for a duration of 27 years) and amended with soluble Mn at 0 (M 0 ), 50 (M 1 ), or 250 (M 2 ) mg kg −1 and Glyceria striata (Lam.) residue. In N 1 soils, Mn additions (both M 1 and M 2 ) lowered total mineral N by 25 % relative to N 1 M 0 at day 51 and reduced 51-day cumulative N₂O by 32 % (N 1 M 1 ) and 42 % (N 1 M 2 ) vs. N 1 M 0 , whereas effects in N 0 were negligible. Mn also depressed ammonia-oxidizing bacterial amoA gene transcripts at day 15 in N 1 M 2 vs. N 1 M 0 (2.5 fold change). This reduction was likely due to increased N loss via complete denitrification to N₂ through microbial pathways such as nitrate/nitrite-dependent manganese oxidation (NDMO), where bacteria directly used the added Mn 2+ to reduce nitrate (NO 3 − ) and nitrite (NO 2 − ) to N 2 or as Mn dependent-ammonia oxidation (Mnammox) where bacteria oxidized ammonium (NH 4 + ) to N 2 , using Mn oxides as electron acceptors that formed from the oxidation of the added Mn. Other contributing mechanisms may include Mn-induced N immobilization, toxicity, and changes in the microbial community. These mechanistic results indicate that background Mn availability and redox dynamics can shape nitrification–denitrification pathways under N-rich conditions. In conclusion, we highlight how native Mn pools and redox state may help explain observed variability in N losses and greenhouse gas production across agricultural soils.

Decomposition↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of temperature curing on properties and hydration of wollastonite blended magnesium potassium phosphate cements

K-struvite, the main hydrate of magnesium potassium phosphate (MKP) cements, dehydrates at ~50 °C, thus elevated temperatures at service conditions could affect cement properties and durability. In this study, properties and hydration of MKP cement without and with wollastonite were investigated at 20 and 50 °C. In hydrated pure MKP cement K-struvite decomposes progressively over time to MgKPO{sub 4}·H{sub 2}O at 50 °C, which leads to a strong reduction of solid volume and severe strength loss. The presence of wollastonite significantly slows down the decomposition rate of K-struvite, which is still observed after 393 days at 50 °C. K-struvite together with amorphous hydroxyapatite, M-(C)-S-H and CaK{sub 3}H(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} from the wollastonite reaction result in a cement with good short and long-term strength at both 20 and 50 °C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Loss of biological control of enamel mineralization in amelogenin-phosphorylation-deficient mice

Amelogenin, the most abundant enamel matrix protein, plays several critical roles in enamel formation. Importantly, we previously found that the singular phosphorylation site at Ser16 in amelogenin plays an essential role in amelogenesis. Studies of genetically knock-in (KI) modified mice in which Ser16 in amelogenin is substituted with Ala that prevents amelogenin phosphorylation, and in vitro mineralization experiments, have shown that phosphorylated amelogenin transiently stabilizes amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), the initial mineral phase in forming enamel. Furthermore, KI mice exhibit dramatic differences in the enamel structure compared with wild type (WT) mice, including thinner enamel lacking enamel rods and ectopic surface calcifications. Here, we now demonstrate that amelogenin phosphorylation also affects the organization and composition of mature enamel mineral. In this work, we compared WT, KI, and heterozygous (HET) enamel and found that in the WT elongated crystals are co-oriented within each rod, however, their c-axes are not aligned with the rods' axes. In contrast, in rod-less KI enamel, crystalline c-axes are less co-oriented, with misorientation progressively increasing toward the enamel surface, which contains spherulites, with a morphology consistent with abiotic formation. Furthermore, we found significant differences in enamel hardness and carbonate content between the genotypes. ACP was also observed in the interrod of WT and HET enamel, and throughout aprismatic KI enamel. In conclusion, amelogenin phosphorylation plays crucial roles in controlling structural, crystallographic, mechanical, and compositional characteristics of dental enamel. Thus, loss of amelogenin phosphorylation leads to a reduction in the biological control over the enamel mineralization process.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

DYRK1A is required for maintenance of cancer stemness, contributing to tumorigenic potential in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Highlights: • DYRK1A is essential to maintain cancer stemness in OSCC. • DYRK1A regulates cancer stemness via FGF2 expression. • Levels of DYRK1A and FGF2 expression are positively correlated in OSCC cells. • DYRK1A-FGF2 is a novel molecular axis regulating cancer stemness in OSCC. DYRK1A, one of the dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinases (DYRKs), plays an important role in various biological processes by regulating downstream targets via kinase-dependent and independent mechanisms. Here, we report a novel role of DYRK1A in maintaining tumor growth and stemness of oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Deletion of DYRK1A from OSCC cells abrogated their in vivo tumorigenicity and self-renewal capacity, the key features of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs; also referred to as tumor-initiating cells). The DYRK1A deletion also induced the suppression of CSC populations and properties, such as migration ability and chemoresistance. Conversely, ectopic expression of DYRK1A in OSCC cells augmented their CSC phenotype. Among five DYRK members (DYRK1A, 1B, 2, 3, and 4), DYRK1A is the most dominantly expressed kinase, and its expression is upregulated in OSCC compared to normal oral epithelial cells. More importantly, DYRK1A was highly enriched in various CSC-enriched OSCC populations compared to their corresponding non-CSC populations, indicating its pivotal role in cancer progression and stemness. Further, our study revealed that fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is a key regulator in the DYRK1A-mediated CSC regulation. Functional studies demonstrated that the loss of DYRK1A inhibits CSC phenotype via reduction of FGF2. Overexpression of DYRK1A promotes CSC phenotype via upregulation of FGF2. Our study delineates a novel mechanism of cancer stemness regulation by DYRK1A-FGF2 axis in OSCC. Thus, inhibition of DYRK1A would lead to a potential novel therapeutic option for targeting CSCs in OSCC.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Formation of Inorganic Sulfate and Volatile Nonsulfated Products from Heterogeneous Hydroxyl Radical Oxidation of 2-Methyltetrol Sulfate Aerosols: Mechanisms and Atmospheric Implications

Chemical transformation of 2-methyltetrol sulfates (2-MTS), key isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA) constituents, through heterogeneous hydroxyl radical ( • OH) oxidation can result in the formation of previously unidentified atmospheric organosulfates (OSs). However, detected OSs cannot fully account for the sulfur content released from reacted 2-MTS, indicating the existence of sulfur in forms other than OSs, such as inorganic sulfates. This work investigated the formation of inorganic sulfates through heterogeneous • OH oxidation of 2-MTS aerosols. Remarkably, high yields of inorganic sulfates, defined as the moles of inorganic sulfates produced per mole of reacted 2-MTS, were observed in the range from 0.48 ± 0.07 to 0.68 ± 0.07. These could be explained by the production of sulfate (SO 4 •- ) and sulfite (SO 3 •- ) radicals through the cleavage of C-O(S) and (C)O-S bonds, followed by aerosol-phase reactions. Additionally, non-sulfated products resulting from bond cleavage were likely volatile and evaporated into gas phase, as evidenced by observed aerosol mass loss (up to 25%) and concurrent size reduction upon oxidation. This investigation highlights the significant transformation of sulfur from its organic to inorganic forms during the heterogeneous oxidation of 2-MTS aerosols, potentially influencing the physicochemical properties and environmental impacts of isoprene-derived SOA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

High‐Latitude Stratospheric Aerosol Injection to Preserve the Arctic

Abstract Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) has been shown in climate models to reduce some impacts of global warming in the Arctic, including the loss of sea ice, permafrost thaw, and reduction of Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) mass; SAI at high latitudes could preferentially target these impacts. In this study, we use the Community Earth System Model to simulate two Arctic‐focused SAI strategies, which inject at 60°N latitude each spring with injection rates adjusted to either maintain September Arctic sea ice at 2030 levels (“Arctic Low”) or restore it to 2010 levels (“Arctic High”). Both simulations maintain or restore September sea ice to within 10% of their respective targets, reduce permafrost thaw, and increase GrIS surface mass balance by reducing runoff. Arctic High reduces these impacts more effectively than a globally focused SAI strategy that injects similar quantities of SO 2 at lower latitudes. However, Arctic‐focused SAI is not merely a “reset button” for the Arctic climate, but brings about a novel climate state, including changes to the seasonal cycles of Northern Hemisphere temperature and sea ice and less high‐latitude carbon uptake relative to SSP2‐4.5. Additionally, while Arctic‐focused SAI produces the most cooling near the pole, its effects are not confined to the Arctic, including detectable cooling throughout most of the northern hemisphere for both simulations, increased mid‐latitude sulfur deposition, and a southward shift of the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. For these reasons, it would be incorrect to consider Arctic‐focused SAI as “local” geoengineering, even when compared to a globally focused strategy.

Lee, Walker Raymond↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effect of grain dissolution on sloping ground

The static and dynamic stability of natural or constructed slopes can be affected by dissolution or dissolution-like phenomena. Their underlying mechanisms, however, remain unclear. New experimental results and discrete element simulations provide particle-level and macroscale information on the consequences of mineral dissolution on slope behavior. At the microscale, load-carrying grain arches develop around dissolving particles, the porosity increases, and contact force chains evolve to form a honeycomb topology. At the macroscale, while vertical settlements are the prevailing deformation pattern, lateral granular movements that create mass wasting are prominent in sloping ground, even under the quasi-static granular loss. Horizontal grain displacement is maximum at the surface and decreases linearly with the distance from the slope surface to become zero at the bottom boundaries, much like vertical granular displacement along the depth. Sediments with smaller friction angles and steeper slopes experience greater displacement, both vertically and horizontally. Slopes become flatter after dissolution, with the reduction in slope angle directly related to the loss in ground elevation, ΔH/H o . Yet, because of the porous fabric that results from dissolution, vertical shortening is less than the upper bound, estimated from the loss in the solid mass fraction, ΔH/H o ≈SF. Under water-saturated conditions, the post-dissolution fabric may lead to sudden undrained shear and slope slide.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hydrolytic Aging in Rubber-Like Materials: A Micro-Mechanical Approach to Modeling

Abstract The effect of hydrolytic aging on mechanical responses of Rubber likes materials, in particular, Mullins effect and the permanent set has been modeled. Hydrolytic aging is considered as the result of the competition between two phenomena (1) chain scission and (2) cross-link scission/reformation. Both phenomena were modeled and thus, the strain energy of the polymer matrix is written with respect to three independent mechanisms; i) the shrinking original matrix which has not been attacked by water, ii) conversion of the first network to a new network due to the reduction of the crosslinks, and iii) energy loss from network degradation due to water attacks to ester groups. The model is validated with respect to a set of experimental data. Besides accuracy, the simplicity and few numbers of fitting parameters make the model a good choice for further implementations.

Bahrololoumi, Amir↗
DOE OSTI2024

Online MCMC Thinning with Kernelized Stein Discrepancy

A fundamental challenge in Bayesian inference is efficient representation of a target distribution. Many nonparametric approaches do so by sampling a large number of points using variants of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). Here, we propose an MCMC variant that retains only those posterior samples which exceed a kernelized Stein discrepancy (KSD) threshold, which we call KSD thinning. We establish the convergence and complexity trade-offs for several settings of KSD thinning as a function of the KSD threshold parameter, sample size, and other problem parameters. We provide experimental comparisons against other online nonparametric Bayesian methods that generate low-complexity posterior representations. We observe superior consistency/complexity trade-offs across a range of settings including MCMC sampling on two Bayesian inference problems from the biological sciences, and 10 × inference speedup and storage reduction for Bayesian neural networks with no loss of accuracy and no increase in training time. Our code is available at https://github.com/colehawkins/KSD-Thinning.

Bayesian inference↗
DOE OSTI2021

An overview of wind-energy-production prediction bias, losses, and uncertainties

Abstract. The financing of a wind farm directly relates to the preconstruction energy yield assessments which estimate the annual energy production for the farm. The accuracy and the precision of the preconstruction energy estimates can dictate the profitability of the wind project. Historically, the wind industry tended to overpredict the annual energy production of wind farms. Experts have been dedicated to eliminating such prediction errors in the past decade, and recently the reported average energy prediction bias is declining. Herein, we present a literature review of the energy yield assessment errors across the global wind energy industry. We identify a long-term trend of reduction in the overprediction bias, whereas the uncertainty associated with the prediction error is prominent. We also summarize the recent advancements of the wind resource assessment process that justify the bias reduction, including improvements in modeling and measurement techniques. Additionally, because the energy losses and uncertainties substantially influence the prediction error, we document and examine the estimated and observed loss and uncertainty values from the literature, according to the proposed framework in the International Electrotechnical Commission 61400-15 wind resource assessment standard. From our findings, we highlight opportunities for the industry to move forward, such as the validation and reduction of prediction uncertainty and the prevention of energy losses caused by wake effect and environmental events. Overall, this study provides a summary of how the wind energy industry has been quantifying and reducing prediction errors, energy losses, and production uncertainties. Finally, for this work to be as reproducible as possible, we include all of the data used in the analysis in appendices to the article.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Parameter Selection for Distributed Optimal Power Flow

With the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources, distributed optimization algorithms have attracted significant attention for power systems applications due to their potential for superior scalability, privacy, and robustness to a single point-of-failure. The Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) is a popular distributed optimization algorithm; however, its convergence performance is highly dependent on the selection of penalty parameters, which are usually chosen heuristically. In this work, we use reinforcement learning (RL) to develop an adaptive penalty parameter selection policy for alternating current optimal power flow (ACOPF) problem solved via ADMM with the goal of minimizing the number of iterations until convergence. We train our RL policy using deep Q-learning and show that this policy can result in significantly accelerated convergence (up to a 59% reduction in the number of iterations compared to existing, curvatureinformed penalty parameter selection methods). Furthermore, we show that our RL policy demonstrates promise for generalizability, performing well under unseen loading schemes as well as under unseen losses of lines and generators (up to a 50% reduction in iterations). This work thus provides a proof-of-concept for using RL for parameter selection in ADMM for power systems applications.

alternating current optimal power flow↗
DOE OSTI2020

Repeated horizontal gene transfer of GAL actose metabolism genes violates Dollo’s law of irreversible loss

Dollo’s law posits that evolutionary losses are irreversible, thereby narrowing the potential paths of evolutionary change. While phenotypic reversals to ancestral states have been observed, little is known about their underlying genetic causes. The genomes of budding yeasts have been shaped by extensive reductive evolution, such as reduced genome sizes and the losses of metabolic capabilities. However, the extent and mechanisms of trait reacquisition after gene loss in yeasts have not been thoroughly studied. Here, through phylogenomic analyses, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the yeast galactose utilization pathway and observed widespread and repeated losses of the ability to utilize galactose, which occurred concurrently with the losses of GALactose (GAL) utilization genes. Unexpectedly, we detected multiple galactose-utilizing lineages that were deeply embedded within clades that underwent ancient losses of galactose utilization. We show that at least two, and possibly three, lineages reacquired the GAL pathway via yeast-to-yeast horizontal gene transfer. Our results show how trait reacquisition can occur tens of millions of years after an initial loss via horizontal gene transfer from distant relatives. Furthermore, these findings demonstrate that the losses of complex traits and even whole pathways are not always evolutionary dead-ends, highlighting how reversals to ancestral states can occur.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Impact of illumination and encapsulant resistivity on polarization-type potential-induced degradation on n-PERT cells

Power loss caused by polarization-type potential-induced degradation (PID-p) in a variety of high-performance photovoltaic cell types has been observed to be recoverable via subsequent illumination and in some cases preventable via simultaneous illumination. In this report, we describe the results of a study in which the front faces of n-PERT cells encapsulated in polymers with a broad range of electrical resistivity were exposed to varying and controlled irradiance during PID testing. For a low resistivity ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer encapsulant, no reduction in the rate or extent of power loss was observed for irradiance as high as 1,000 W/m 2 , whereas for high and intermediate resistivity polyolefin encapsulants, 100 and 300 W/m 2 , respectively, prevented power loss. We introduce a simple model based on charge accumulation that facilitates interpretation of these results whereby degradation via charge accumulation under voltage stress and recovery due to light exposure are opposing and interdependent phenomena that describe the susceptibility of a module to power loss.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optimal Litz Wire Design for High-Power Wireless Charging System

In this study, an optimized Litz wire and polyphase coil winding design is proposed for high-power wireless charging systems operating at 85 kHz frequency. Litz wire in a wireless charging system contributes to more than half of the losses of the system, making it a critical design component. Here, the Litz wire is optimized through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) considering electrical and mechanical design aspects and the design was validated through experimental tests on different Litz wires with various strand-diameters, twisting ratio, and number of strands. The proposed optimal Litz wire maximizes the system efficiency considering the tradeoff between coil resistance and mutual inductance. The optimal Litz wire shows that Litz wire constructed with the 63µm strands significantly outperform the traditionally used Litz wire with 100µm strand diameter. Additionally, the coil with optimal Litz wire design shows 60% reduction in the copper volume for the same loss, and at the same time increase the coil-to-coil efficiency by more than 2% by increasing the mutual inductance and reducing coil current. The optimized Litz wire was implemented in a 22-kW wireless charging system achieving 94.7% efficiency.

Aydin, Emrullah [ORNL]↗
DOE OSTI2020

Interplay of changing irrigation technologies and water reuse: example from the upper Snake River basin, Idaho, USA

Abstract. Careful allotment of water resources for irrigation is critical for ensuring the resiliency of agriculture in semiarid regions, and modernizing irrigation technology to minimize inefficient water losses is an important tool for farmers and agricultural economies. While modernizing irrigation technology can achieve reductions in the nonbeneficial use of water, such as bare soil evaporation and nonconsumptive losses, water returned to the landscape is also reduced, often eliminating flow paths that other users rely on. In basins using a combination of surface and groundwater, replenishing aquifer storage by the managed aquifer recharge (MAR) of seasonally available water can mitigate the aquifer drawdown that results from reduced recharge when irrigation efficiency is improved. We examine the effects of MAR on the system-scale efficiency of modernizing irrigation technology and the resulting changes in the reuse of nonconsumptive losses, using a macroscale hydrologic model applied to the semiarid upper Snake River basin (USRB) of western Wyoming and southern Idaho, USA. Irrigation technologies were represented explicitly in the model, and available data informed baseline parameterizations of the irrigation technology. A suite of parameterizations were simulated that updated the existing technologies to be more efficient, both with and without sufficient MAR to cause a stabilization of the aquifer at the present-day head. As expected, simulated changes in irrigation technology resulted in greater downstream export of pristine water and a higher rate of aquifer drawdown when MAR was not simulated. Under current water use and cropping patterns, we were not able to simulate aquifer stabilization and maintain discharge downstream at any level of irrigation efficiency. We found support for the hypothesis that, as efficiency improves, less MAR is required to maintain a stable aquifer than when return flows are reduced due to increased efficiency. To evaluate the hypothesis, we defined the management benefit as a metric that compared the difference between the change in irrigation's net recharge and the change in MAR required as irrigation technology became more efficient. The metric generally indicated that less MAR was needed than net recharge was lost, but only for the most efficient case did the management benefit exceed the MAR needed at the baseline to stabilize the aquifer. Increasing efficiency of irrigation technology reduced the reuse of the gross irrigation derived from prior nonconsumptive losses, but simulating MAR increased reuse for a given parameterization, leading to higher effective irrigation efficiency. We find that local groundwater storage that users depend on is generally more sensitive to management decisions than downstream flows, and the drawdown of the aquifer without MAR always exceeded any decrease in discharge induced by MAR. Improving resource sufficiency in semiarid systems like the USRB will require an array of solutions that will need to balance benefits to local and downstream users.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reducing uncertainty of polar to midlatitude linkages using DOE’s E3SM in a coordinated model-experiment setting

This project brought DOE’s climate modeling effort with the Energy Exascale Earth System Model into the Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project (PAMIP), which is part of the sixth and latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, CMIP6. PAMIP examines the causes and consequences of polar amplification, when external forcing results in a larger temperature increase in high latitudes than the global average, in a coordinated set of model experiments with a common modeling protocol. Our teams from UC Irvine and the University of Toronto have designed, carried out, analyzed, and disseminated PAMIP output from the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and the Community Earth System Model (CESM). PAMIP’s ongoing stream of significant new results have advanced progress in the community’s understanding and led to new outstanding research questions that have motivated further work. PAMIP has led to improved consensus on the atmospheric response to sea ice loss. The important finding is that for a similar sea ice anomaly forcing, the simulated atmospheric response in the troposphere is remarkably consistent among the 16 models’ runs analyzed. The zonal-mean tropospheric response consists of a very robust equatorward shift of the westerly flow in mid-latitudes. However, while the multi-model mean response is robust, it has a weak amplitude relative to internal variability. We identified a weakness in the models (including E3SM) in terms of their response to sea-ice forcing that is related to eddy forcing (or nonlinear dynamical effects) at mid- to high latitudes. In fact, E3SM is an outlier in terms of the models participating, and in that sense, it turned out to be a vital participant model. We found that reductions in energy transport due sea-ice loss and involving dry air only are compensated by increases in moist energy transport from warmer sea surface temperature in midlatitudes. This leads to a large spread in energy transport into the Arctic and is a potential source of spread in Arctic amplification. We identified an important role that climate modes, including tropical modes of variability (El Nino and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO); the Quasi-biennial Oscillation (QBO)) play in the response to sea-ice anomalies, including in ocean coupled experiments. Similarly, we identified and quantified the contribution of sea-ice thickness to the atmospheric response compared to the response to sea-ice extent only. We found that it is important to run large ensembles and even with an ensemble size of 100 simulations the response is largely influenced by internal variability. We demonstrated convincingly that Ural blocking, not sea-ice loss, provides the weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex in fall/early winter and a negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation that can last for up to two months. However, sea-ice anomalies can influence the background flow so that the response to Ural blocking is more persistent under low sea-ice conditions in the Barents/Kara Sea than high sea ice Atmospheric model hierarchies that progressively add individual processes have a long history in providing dynamical insight for modeling the atmosphere. Similarly, coupled model hierarchies that progressively add individual ocean processes can provide insights into the workings of the coupled climate system, however such hierarchies have not been available except for a non-dynamical slab ocean model. Because of the missing processes, surface flux corrections must be added to produce a target climate. In this project, we managed to overcome this problem and develop a globally coupled ocean model hierarchy in CESM that can turn on and off the processes of mixed-layer entrainment and Ekman flow. We used the hierarchy to study the impact of Arctic sea-ice loss on the climate system. We find that the effect of mixed-layer entrainment on ocean heat uptake influences the atmospheric circulation by shifting the latitudinal positions of the mid-latitude westerly jet and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). In quadrupled CO 2 experiments, we studied how air-sea coupling affects the response of tropical rainfall under global warming. In order to identify the importance of individual ocean processes, we used the hierarchy of ocean models to separate the effects of seasonal mixed-layer entrainment, wind-driven Ekman flows, and frictional flows. We showed that including Ekman and frictional flows allows our simulation to produce the Pacific Ocean's enhanced equatorial warming pattern and equatorward ITCZ contraction noted in previous climate simulations. We also showed that the frictional flow, which has yet to receive much attention, is as important as the Ekman flow in generating equatorial heat convergence.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Plasma self-driven current in tokamaks with magnetic islands

Magnetic island perturbations may cause a reduction in plasma self-driven current that is needed for tokamak operation. A novel effect on tokamak self-driven current revealed by global gyrokinetic simulations is due to magnetic-island-induced 3D electric potential structures, which have the same dominant mode numbers as that of the magnetic island, whereas centered at both the inner and outer edge of the island. The non-resonant potential islands are shown to drive a current through an efficient nonlinear parallel acceleration of electrons. In large aspect ratio (large-A) tokamak devices, this new effect can result in a significant global reduction of the electron bootstrap current when the island size is sufficiently large, in addition to the local current loss across the island region due to the pressure profile flattening. It is shown that there exists a critical magnetic island width for large-A tokamaks beyond which the electron bootstrap current loss is global and increases rapidly with the island size. As such, this process may introduce a size limit for tolerable magnetic islands in large-A tokamak devices in the context of steady state operation. On the other hand, the current loss caused by magnetic islands in low-A tokamaks such as spherical tokamak (ST) NSTX/U is minor. The reduction of the axisymmetric current by magnetic islands scales with the square of island width. However, the loss of the current is mainly local to the island region, and the pace of current loss as the island size increases is substantially slower compared to large-A tokamaks. In particular, the bootstrap current reduction in STs is even smaller in the reactor-relevant high-β p regime where neoclassical tearing modes are more likely to develop.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗