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At least 235 records · Page 13

Evaluation of simulated soil carbon dynamics in Arctic-Boreal ecosystems

Given the magnitude of soil carbon stocks in northern ecosystems, and the vulnerability of these stocks to climate warming, land surface models must accurately represent soil carbon dynamics in these regions. We evaluate soil carbon stocks and turnover rates, and the relationship between soil carbon loss with soil temperature and moisture, from an ensemble of eleven global land surface models. We focus on the region of NASA's Arctic-Boreal vulnerability experiment (ABoVE) in North America to inform data collection and model development efforts. Models exhibit an order of magnitude difference in estimates of current total soil carbon stocks, generally under- or overestimating the size of current soil carbon stocks by greater than 50 PgC. We find that a model's soil carbon stock at steady-state in 1901 is the prime driver of its soil carbon stock a hundred years later—overwhelming the effect of environmental forcing factors like climate. The greatest divergence between modeled and observed soil carbon stocks is in regions dominated by peat and permafrost soils, suggesting that models are failing to capture the frozen soil carbon dynamics of permafrost regions. Using a set of functional benchmarks to test the simulated relationship of soil respiration to both soil temperature and moisture, we find that although models capture the observed shape of the soil moisture response of respiration, almost half of the models examined show temperature sensitivities, or Q10 values, that are half of observed. Significantly, models that perform better against observational constraints of respiration or carbon stock size do not necessarily perform well in terms of their functional response to key climatic factors like changing temperature. This suggests that models may be arriving at the right result, but for the wrong reason. The results of this work can help to bridge the gap between data and models by both pointing to the need to constrain initial carbon pool sizes, as well as highlighting the importance of incorporating functional benchmarks into ongoing, mechanistic modeling activities such as those included in ABoVE.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Improving operational anodising process performance using simulation approach

The use of aluminium is very widespread, especially in transportation, electrical and electronics, architectural, automotive and engineering applications sectors. Therefore, the anodizing process is an important process for aluminium in order to make the aluminium durable, attractive and weather resistant. This research is focused on the anodizing process operations in manufacturing and supplying of aluminium extrusion. The data required for the development of the model is collected from the observations and interviews conducted in the study. To study the current system, the processes involved in the anodizing process are modeled by using Arena 14.5 simulation software. Those processes consist of five main processes, namely the degreasing process, the etching process, the desmut process, the anodizing process, the sealing process and 16 other processes. The results obtained were analyzed to identify the problems or bottlenecks that occurred and to propose improvement methods that can be implemented on the original model. Based on the comparisons that have been done between the improvement methods, the productivity could be increased by reallocating the workers and reducing loading time.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Improved Supportability Analysis

The University of Dayton is pleased to submit this report to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Langley Research Center, which updates recently developed computer models and data bases used in determining operational capabilities and support requirements during the conceptual design of proposed space systems. This research has resulted in some revisions of the reliability and maintainability (R&M) model, the development of several electronic data bases which capture the original data used in the R&M model, the collection of more recent R&M aircraft data and the integration of new shuttle data into the electronic data base and the R&M model. Descriptions of the model updates and of the electronic data bases are the subject of this report. Other details concerning the R&M model and the O&S costing model may be found in previous reports accomplished under this grant (NASA Research Grant NAG- 1-1327) which are referenced in paragraph 1.3.

Ebeling, Charles E.↗

The Mathematics of Navigating the Solar System

In navigating spacecraft throughout the solar system, the space navigator relies on three academic disciplines - optimization, estimation, and control - that work on mathematical models of the real world. Thus, the navigator determines the flight path that will consume propellant and other resources in an efficient manner, determines where the craft is and predicts where it will go, and transfers it onto the optimal trajectory that meets operational and mission constraints. Mission requirements, for example, demand that observational measurements be made with sufficient precision that relativity must be modeled in collecting and fitting (the estimation process) the data, and propagating the trajectory. Thousands of parameters are now determined in near real-time to model the gravitational forces acting on a spacecraft in the vicinity of an irregularly shaped body. Completing these tasks requires mathematical models, analyses, and processing techniques. Newton, Gauss, Lambert, Legendre, and others are justly famous for their contributions to the mathematics of these tasks. More recently, graduate students participated in research to update the gravity model of the Saturnian system, including higher order gravity harmonics, tidal effects, and the influence of the rings. This investigation was conducted for the Cassini project to incorporate new trajectory modeling features in the navigation software. The resulting trajectory model will be used in navigating the 4-year tour of the Saturnian satellites. Also, undergraduate students are determining the ephemerides (locations versus time) of asteroids that will be used as reference objects in navigating the New Millennium's Deep Space 1 spacecraft autonomously.

Hintz, Gerald↗

Cooperative lane control application for fully connected and automated vehicles at multilane freeways

Advances in communications technology have made the development of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) applications that may potentially replace traditional, gantry operated lane control signals (LCSs) possible. Here, we develop the concept of a prototype CAV-enabled LCS application and provides a preliminary assessment of the potential improvement it offers over traditional LCS. Real-world data obtained from an LCS on I-66 in Northern Virginia was used to calibrate and validate a baseline simulation model. Further, the current lane control scenarios utilized in the Northern Virginia LCS were identified and relevant data resulting from implementation of those scenarios were collected to model the LCS in a simulation environment. The performance of real-world LCS was then compared to a prototype CAV-enabled LCS application developed in this research. The CAV-enabled LCS application consistently outperformed the traditional LCS with increased throughput and speeds. On average, an increase of 18.4%, 9.6% and 12.8% in throughput was observed for three selected scenarios under the best case of a 1 sec headway. Furthermore, the CAV-enabled LCS application was also found to reduce volatility, represented by variation in acceleration and deceleration regimes, by an average of 25.6% and 49.6%. The reduction in turbulence in the traffic stream may indicate potential improved safety with the CAV system.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Model Development for Multi-Component Fuel Vaporization and Flash Boiling

The objectives of this project are to improve the multi-component fuel droplet and film vaporization models used in internal combustion engine simulation, and to develop a comprehensive model to predict the characteristics of multi-component flash boiling spray. This work explores two approaches to fuel composition treatment for modeling multi-component fuel vaporization: one based on discretization and surrogates, and the other based on continuous thermodynamic distribution of fuel properties. The experimental data collected for model validation are done under three fuel form factors: droplet, spray, and thin film. The study on sprays also include experimentation under non-flash and flash boiling conditions, a phenomenon that enhances fuel vaporization. The main goals of this work are: Design and develop a multi-component fuel droplet and wall film vaporization model using both discrete and continuous thermodynamics methods. Design and develop an analytical model for multi-component flash boiling. Integrate the multi-component droplet and film model into multi-dimensional engine calculations to predict the fuel vaporization process under engine operation condition. Conduct multi-component droplet and fuel film vaporization experiments in a non-combusting chamber to verify the proposed vaporization models. Characterize flash boiling phenomena of multi-component fuel sprays by optical and laser diagnostic techniques. This report will detail the experimental setup and the numerical basis for developing a model to achieve the main goals listed above. Key features of observed multi-component fuel vaporization will be summarized at the end of each experimental sections, and corresponding model performance evaluation will be presented at the end of each model development section.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Mass storage system reference model, Version 4

The high-level abstractions that underlie modern storage systems are identified. The information to generate the model was collected from major practitioners who have built and operated large storage facilities, and represents a distillation of the wisdom they have acquired over the years. The model provides a common terminology and set of concepts to allow existing systems to be examined and new systems to be discussed and built. It is intended that the model and the interfaces identified from it will allow and encourage vendors to develop mutually-compatible storage components that can be combined to form integrated storage systems and services. The reference model presents an abstract view of the concepts and organization of storage systems. From this abstraction will come the identification of the interfaces and modules that will be used in IEEE storage system standards. The model is not yet suitable as a standard; it does not contain implementation decisions, such as how abstract objects should be broken up into software modules or how software modules should be mapped to hosts; it does not give policy specifications, such as when files should be migrated; does not describe how the abstract objects should be used or connected; and does not refer to specific hardware components. In particular, it does not fully specify the interfaces.

Coleman, Sam↗

Hitting the Thermal Target for Leptophilic Dark Matter at Future Lepton Colliders

We study future lepton collider prospects for testing predictive models of leptophilic dark matter (DM) candidates with a thermal origin. We calculate experimental milestones for testing the parameter space compatible with freeze-out and the associated collider signals at past, present, and future facilities. This analysis places new limits on such models by leveraging the utility of lepton colliders. At 𝑒+⁢𝑒− machines, we make projections using precision 𝑍 -pole observables from 𝑒+⁢𝑒−→ℓ+⁢ℓ−+𝐸 signatures at large electron-positron collider and future projections for future circular collider (ee) in these channels. Additionally, a muon collider could also probe new thermal relic parameter space in this scenario via 𝜇+⁢𝜇−→𝑋+𝐸 , where 𝑋 is any easily identifiable standard model object. Collectively, these processes can probe much of the parameter space for which DM direct annihilation to ℓ+⁢ℓ− yields the observed relic density in Higgs-like models with mass-proportional couplings to charged leptons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Modular biowaste monitoring system

The objective of the Modular Biowaste Monitoring System Program was to generate and evaluate hardware for supporting shuttle life science experimental and diagnostic programs. An initial conceptual design effort established requirements and defined an overall modular system for the collection, measurement, sampling and storage of urine and feces biowastes. This conceptual design effort was followed by the design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a flight prototype model urine collection, volume measurement and sampling capability. No operational or performance deficiencies were uncovered as a result of the performance evaluation tests.

Fogal, G. L.↗

Environmental sustainability comparison of a hypothetical pneumatic waste collection system and a door-to-door system

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We compare the environmental sustainability of two MSW collection systems. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We evaluate pneumatic and door-to-door collection systems. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The greenhouse gas emissions of pneumatic collection are around three times higher. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer System components are decisive but assumptions on electricity use are also important. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pneumatic collection could provide other benefits over door-to-door system. - Abstract: Waste collection is one of the life cycle phases that influence the environmental sustainability of waste management. Pneumatic waste collection systems represent a new way of arranging waste collection in densely populated urban areas. However, limited information is available on the environmental impacts of this system. In this study, we compare the environmental sustainability of conventional door-to-door waste collection with its hypothetical pneumatic alternative. Furthermore, we analyse whether the size of the hypothetical pneumatic system, or the number of waste fractions included, have an impact on the results. Environmental loads are calculated for a hypothetical pneumatic waste collection system modelled on an existing dense urban area in Helsinki, Finland, and the results are compared to those of the prevailing, container-based, door-to-door waste collection system. The evaluation method used is the life-cycle inventory (LCI). In this study, we report the atmospheric emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}. The results indicate that replacing the prevailing system with stationary pneumatic waste collection in an existing urban infrastructure would increase total air emissions. Locally, in the waste collection area, emissions would nonetheless diminish, as collection traffic decreases. While the electricity consumption of the hypothetical pneumatic system and the origin of electricity have a significant bearing on the results, emissions due to manufacturing the system's components prove decisive.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Observables for possible QGP signatures in central pp collisions

Proton–proton ( pp ) data show collective effects, such as long-range azimuthal correlations and strangeness enhancement, which are similar to phenomenology observed in heavy ion collisions. Using simulations with and without explicit existing models of collective effects, we explore new ways to probe pp collisions at high multiplicity, in order to suggest measurements that could help identify the similarities and differences between large- and small-scale collective effects. In particular, we focus on the properties of jets produced in ultra-central pp collisions in association with a Z boson. We consider observables such as jet energy loss and jet shapes, which could point to the possible existence of an underlying quark-gluon plasma, or other new dynamical effects related to the presence of large hadronic densities.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Polarimetric signatures of sea ice. 2: Experimental observations

Experimental observations of polarimetric signatures are presented for sea ice in the Beaufort Sea under cold winter conditions and interpreted with the composite model developed in Part 1. Polarimetric data were acquired in March 1988 with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory multifrequency airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) during the Beaufort Sea Flight Campaign. The experimental area was located near 75 N latitude and spanned 140 deg-145 deg W longitude. Selected sea ice scenes contain various ice types, including multiyear, thick first-year, and thin lead ice. Additionally, the C band SAR on the first European Remote Sensing Satellite provides supplementary backscattering data of winter Beaufort Sea ice for small incident angles (20 deg-26 deg) at vertical polarization. Sea ice characterization and environment data used in the model were collected at the Applied Physics Laboratory drifting ice station to the northeast of Prudhoe Bay; additional data from field and laboratory experiments are also utilized in this analysis. The model related sea ice polarimetric backscattering signatures to physical, structural, and electromagnetic properties of sea ice. Scattering mechanisms contributing to sea ice signatures are explained, and sensitivies of polarimetric signatures to sea ice characterization parameters are studied.

Nghiem, S. V.↗

EERC Final Topical Report – Findings on Subtask 3.2 – Produced Water Management Through Geologic Homogenization, Conditions, and Reuse

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) was awarded a contract by the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) Oil and Gas Research Program (NDIC No. G-051-101) to conduct a study on the recycling of water used in oil and gas operations, also known as produced water, from oil- and gas-producing regions of North Dakota as directed by Section 19 of North Dakota House Bill 1014. This final report provides a compilation of results of the study, which include regulatory, scientific, technological, and feasibility methods and considerations associated with North Dakota produced water management. The report provides a synopsis of this project’s previously submitted produced water assessment report entitled “Produced Water Management and Recycling Options in North Dakota” (Energy & Environmental Research Center, 2020), with updated values provided as appropriate. The report provides the results from the investigation of a novel produced water management strategy, referred to as geologic homogenization, conditioning, and reuse (GHCR), which aims to use a subsurface geologic formation as a natural medium for managing produced water recycling and reuse. Water management is a significant technical and economic challenge for sustainable oil and gas production, and water volumes are intrinsically linked to oil production volumes. North Dakota oil production rose to over 1.5 million barrels (MMbbl)/day in 2019, and despite a downturn in oil price in early 2020, North Dakota oil production has recovered to 1.1 MMbbl/day as of August 2021. Bakken petroleum system development between 2008 and 2020 has resulted in a nearly fourfold increase in produced water volumes to 642 MMbbl/yr in 2020 after peaking at 740 MMbbl/yr in 2019 and a fivefold increase in saltwater disposal (SWD) volumes to 565 MMbbl/yr in 2020 after a peak of 682 MMbbl/yr in 2019. Produced water and SWD volumes are forecasted to double by 2030. SWD is the primary method of produced water management used in North Dakota, with approximately 95% of the SWD volume occurring through subsurface injection into sandstones of the Dakota Group (Dakota). Localized pressurization of the Dakota resulting from SWD and projected increases in produced water volumes could impact the economics of North Dakota oil production. As a result, there is an emerging need to pursue alternative produced water management approaches, including recycling and reuse. While produced water recycling is not yet widespread, commercial operators are making strides in overcoming the technical challenges of using high salinity produced water in completion operations (Marathon Oil, 2020). As water management continues to be a key focal point in companies’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, focus on water management, including recycling, will likely continue to increase. Laboratory column testing, field sample collection, geologic modeling and numerical simulation, and techno-economic analysis all indicate that GHCR could feasibly be implemented as a potential water management option. Laboratory column testing and field sample collection indicate that the Inyan Kara sandstone and native formation fluid are capable of homogenizing with the Bakken produced water to a point where the fluid composition appears to stabilize. Extracting that stabilized fluid could be considered homogeneous and capable of providing individual batches of hydraulic fracturing fluid. Numerical simulation results indicate that extraction of fluids from the Inyan Kara in a GHCR implementation scenario is capable of reducing formation pressure, which would help ease localized pressurization of the Inyan Kara and extend the available capacity for nearby existing SWD wells. Economic analysis indicates that there are scenarios where GHCR implementation can be a competitive or even lower-cost option than a conventional water management approach. Site-specific conditions will dictate the economic potential of GHCR, but potentially attractive sites for GHCR implementation will be those that are located above a pressurized zone of the Inyan Kara, need six or more Bakken infill wells, and face high costs for conventional SWD and/or freshwater. Based on the regulatory review, drilling into the Inyan Kara for SWD and to harness as a source water for industrial use have precedent in North Dakota, and a workable regulatory solution for GHCR seems likely. However, restrictions in the state regarding surface storage and transport of produced fluids may limit some activities, which will affect how GHCR could ultimately be implemented. In summary, this study reveals pursuing GHCR can be a viable approach to water management in North Dakota. The GHCR concept addresses some of the challenges that hinder the more traditional approaches to recycling in the industry. Furthermore, an assessment of the current landscape of water management within the state reveals the ongoing trend of increasing volumes of produced water and SWD. Projections reveal that the volumes of produced water that need to be managed are expected to double over the next decade (Energy & Environmental Research Center, 2020). With the continued development of the Bakken and continuing driving factors related to ESG initiatives, implementing a practice such as GHCR is a feasible approach to adding recycling of produced water to industry within the state. This subtask was cofunded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FE0024233. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission Oil and Gas Research Program. References Energy & Environmental Research Center, 2020, Produced water management and recycling options in North Dakota: Final Report for North Dakota Legislative Management Energy Development and Transmission Committee and North Dakota Industrial Commission. Marathon Oil, 2020, Sustainability report: https://cdn.sanity.io/files/ghcnw9z2/website/ 91744eb6ef8fbe59505a911c6b8d2e8dd9a537fa.pdf?dl (accessed November 2021).

02 PETROLEUM↗

Evolution of a Geological Model for Co-Producing Electricity at the Blackburn Oil Field, Nevada: Preprint

Oil fields characterized by significant proportions of hot water in the reservoir offer a unique opportunity for geothermal energy co-production and utilization. Development of an accurate geological model is essential in understanding the subsurface. However, this is a challenge at the preliminary stages of resource assessment when data on the subsurface parameters and subterranean fault network is scarce. Our focus in this paper is to explore a methodology for developing an accurate conceptual geological model of the complexly faulted reservoir at the Blackburn Field, Nevada, to create a numerical simulation that will eventually be used to assess the potential of co-producing electricity. There are four steps to the evolution of this model: (1) collection of public data and research on the geological setting of the system; (2) digitization of seismic time-interpretation and cross-sections to create the most representative model of the subsurface; and (3) creation of a natural-state numerical model to simulate the thermal gradient through the subsurface. Utilizing publicly available data of the geological system and Leapfrog conceptual modeling software, we refined a preliminary model to be more representative of the subsurface geology of an active geothermal exploration stage project. The conceptual geological model developed has been imported into VOLSUNG reservoir modeling software to create a natural-state model, further characterizing the Blackburn Field reservoir's thermal gradient. In the future, new seismic data will be utilized to further evolve the conceptual geological model for numerical simulations.

Basin and Range province↗

Discrete-object modeling of remotely sensed scenes

Remotely sensed scenes can be modeled as collections of discrete, three-dimensional objects that cast shadows on a background. Approaching scenes from this perspective has led to two related lines of research. First is the geometric/optical modeling of a forest canopy, in which conifers are modeled as cones whose size and spacing vary according to functions established by field measurements. This canopy model is 'L-resolution' in nature - the objects are smaller than the resolution cells of the image and cannot be resolved individually. Second is scene modeling in which image variance is taken as a function of the relationship between the size, shape and spacing of objects and the resolution cell size of the digital image derived from the scene. This modeling is 'H-resolution' in nature - the objects in the scene are assumed to be larger than the resolution cells of the image, and thus can be individually distinguished. Both approaches illustrate the utility of the discrete-object scene model in extracting information from remotely sensed scenes.

Strahler, A. H.↗

Evaluation of convection‐permitting model simulations of cloud populations associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation using data collected during the AMIE/DYNAMO field campaign

Abstract Regional convection‐permitting model simulations of cloud populations observed during the 2011 Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Madden‐Julian Oscillation Investigation Experiment/Dynamics of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation Experiment (AMIE/DYNAMO) field campaign are evaluated against ground‐based radar and ship‐based observations. Sensitivity of model simulated reflectivity, surface rain rate, and cold pool statistics to variations of raindrop breakup/self‐collection parameters in four state‐of‐the‐art two‐moment bulk microphysics schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is examined. The model simulations generally overestimate reflectivity from large and deep convective cells, and underestimate stratiform rain and the frequency of cold pools. In the sensitivity experiments, introduction of more aggressive raindrop breakup or decreasing the self‐collection efficiency increases the cold pool occurrence frequency in all of the simulations, and slightly reduces the reflectivity and precipitation statistics bias in some schemes but has little effect on the overall mean surface precipitation. Both the radar observations and model simulations of cloud populations show an approximate power law relationship between convective echo‐top height and equivalent convective cell radius.

Hagos, Samson↗

SBbadger: biochemical reaction networks with definable degree distributions

Abstract Motivation An essential step in developing computational tools for the inference, optimization and simulation of biochemical reaction networks is gauging tool performance against earlier efforts using an appropriate set of benchmarks. General strategies for the assembly of benchmark models include collection from the literature, creation via subnetwork extraction and de novo generation. However, with respect to biochemical reaction networks, these approaches and their associated tools are either poorly suited to generate models that reflect the wide range of properties found in natural biochemical networks or to do so in numbers that enable rigorous statistical analysis. Results In this work, we present SBbadger, a python-based software tool for the generation of synthetic biochemical reaction or metabolic networks with user-defined degree distributions, multiple available kinetic formalisms and a host of other definable properties. SBbadger thus enables the creation of benchmark model sets that reflect properties of biological systems and generate the kinetics and model structures typically targeted by computational analysis and inference software. Here, we detail the computational and algorithmic workflow of SBbadger, demonstrate its performance under various settings, provide sample outputs and compare it to currently available biochemical reaction network generation software. Availability and implementation SBbadger is implemented in Python and is freely available at https://github.com/sys-bio/SBbadger and via PyPI at https://pypi.org/project/SBbadger/. Documentation can be found at https://SBbadger.readthedocs.io. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Modeling the influence of string collective phenomena on the long range rapidity correlations between the transverse momentum and the multiplicities

The long-range rapidity correlations between the multiplicities (n-n) and the transverse momentum and the multiplicity (pT-n) of charge particles are analyzed in the framework of the simple string inspired model with two types of sources. The sources of the first type correspond to the initial strings formed in a hadronic collision. The sources of the second type imitate the appearance of the emitters of a new kind resulting from interaction (fusion) of the initial strings. The model enabled to describe effectively the influence of the string fusion effects on the strength both the n-n and the pT-n correlations. It was found that in the region, where the process of string fusion comes into play, the calculation results predict the non-monotonic behaviour of the n-n and pT-n correlation coefficients with the growth of the mean number of initial strings, i.e. with the increase of the collision centrality. It was shown also that the increase of the event-by-event fluctuation in the number of primary strings leads to the change of the pT-n correlation sign from negative to positive. One can try to search these signatures of string collective phenomena in interactions of various nuclei at different energies varying the class of collision centrality and its width.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗