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DOE OSTI2026

Unraveling the Dynamics of Nucleosome Arrays

The organization of genomic DNA into chromatin is a fundamental determinant of genome stability, regulation, and cellular function. Nucleosomes, the basic repeating units of chromatin, assemble into higher-order structures whose organization and heterogeneity remain difficult to characterize using conventional ensemble-averaged techniques. A key need in the field is the development of experimental approaches capable of directly visualizing nucleosome assemblies and their structural variability at the single-molecule level. This LDRD Lab-Wide project focused on establishing and evaluating atomic force microscopy (AFM)–based approaches for the characterization of nucleosome assemblies. The work emphasized experimental workflows for preparing, imaging, and assessing multi-nucleosome systems, rather than isolated single nucleosomes. Through method development and exploratory measurements, the project demonstrated the feasibility of applying scanning probe microscopy to investigate chromatin-relevant assemblies and provided preliminary insight into the strengths and limitations of this approach for future quantitative studies. Results and lessons learned from this effort were disseminated to the broader scientific community through multiple national conference presentations, helping to position LLNL for continued work in chromatin and genome organization research.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Three-pole wigglers at NSLS-II

The National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) is a third-generation medium-energy storage ring with 3 GeV and sub-nm-rad horizontal emittance, equipped with a top-off capability of 500 mA. It is designed to deliver an extremely intense photon beam across a wide spectral range, from the far-infrared to the very hard X-ray region. This outstanding performance is achieved through a combination of bending magnets (BM), three-pole wigglers (3 PW), and advanced insertion device (ID) sources. Six three-pole wigglers have been constructed at the NSLS-II IDs Lab. These devices are used to produce broadband radiation with lower angular power density and to monitor the electron beam emittance and energy spread. Here, this paper describes the R&D activities focused on developing the required magnetic and mechanical designs, along with magnetic field optimization and the final magnetic measurement results. It also covers the spectral brightness, flux, power density, spatial and angular output properties of the 3 PWs, including their commissioning results and their effects on the performance of the NSLS-II storage ring.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Performance of a coarsely pixelated LAPPD photosensor for the SoLID gas Cherenkov detectors

The SoLID spectrometer's gas Cherenkov counters require photosensors that operate in a high luminosity and high background environment. The reference design features arrays of 9 or 16 tiled multi-anode photomultipliers (MaPMTs), distributed across 32 sectors, to serve the light-gas and heavy-gas Cherenkov counters, respectively. To assess the viability of a pixelated INCOM Large Area Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD TM ) as an alternative photosensor to replace MaPMT arrays in either detector, we evaluated its performance under realistic SoLID running conditions in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The results of this test confirmed that the coarse-pixelated (2.5 × 2.5 cm 2 pixel size) LAPPD is capable of handling the total projected signal and background rates of the three pillar SoLID experiments. The tested photosensor detected Cherenkov signals with the capability of separating single-electron events from pair production events while rejecting background. Although the design was not aimed at ring-imaging Cherenkov detectors, Cherenkov disk images were captured in two different gas radiators. Through a direct comparison with a GEANT4 simulation, we confirmed the experimental performance of the LAPPD.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2014

WE-G-BRE-01: A High Power Nanotube X-Ray Microbeam Irradiator for Preclinical Brain Tumor Treatment

Purpose: Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a new type of cancer treatment undergoing studies at various synchrotron facilities. The principle of MRT is using arrays of microscopically small, low-energy X-radiation for the treatment of various radio-resistant, deep-seated tumors. Our motivation is to develop a compact and inexpensive image guided MRT irradiator to use in the research lab setting. After a successful initial demonstration, here we report a second generation carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode based MRT tube, capable of producing multiple microbeam lines with an anticipated dose rate of 11 Gy/min per line. Methods: The system uses multiple line CNT source arrays to generate multiple focal lines on the anode. The increase in dose-rate, compared to our first generation system, is achieved by increasing the operating voltage from 160 kVp to 225kVp, adding multiple simultaneous focal lines on the anode, and a more efficient cooling mechanism using a 6kW oil-cooled anode. Results: This work will present the design and development process, challenges and solutions to meeting operating specifications, and the final design of the tube and collimator, along with optimization and stabilization of its use. A detailed characterization of its capabilities will be included with a comprehensive measurement of its X-ray focal line dimensions, an evaluation of its collimator alignment and microbeam dimensions, and phantom-based quantification of its dosimetric output. Conclusion: The development of a second generation, compact, multiple line MRT device using carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode based X-ray technology and a novel oil cooled anode design is presented here. With this new source, we are capable of delivering a total microbeam radiation dose comparable to the low end of the synchrotron based MRT systems for small animal brain tumor models.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Sensor Selection for MIMO Vibration [Slides]

Objectives: Introduce a sensor selection approach to assist test engineers with MIMO test design. Demonstrate the capability of the approach. Approach: Define a desired response from a field model. Supply the sensor selection technique to two lab models, with different boundary conditions than the “field” model. Compare the laboratory response to the field response using sensors selected from the approach.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2026

SoLID Program at JLab

An overview of the Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID) and its scientific program will be given in this talk. SoLID is a spectrometer/detector system proposed to exploit the full potential of the Jefferson Lab (JLab) 12 GeV energy upgrade. SoLID will push the limit of luminosity frontier in hadronic physics with its unique capability to handle very high rates with large acceptance under high luminosity (1037-39/cm2/s). A rich and vibrant scientific program has been developed for SoLID, including but not limited to the precision study of the 3d nucleon structure in both momentum space using Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS) and coordinate space using Deep Virtual Exclusive Reactions (DVER), probing physics beyond the Standard Model with Parity Violating Deep Inelastic Scattering (PVDIS), and investigating the gluonic field contribution to the proton structure and proton mass via J/¿ threshold production. The SoLID collaboration has developed a robust, low risk and flexible conceptual design, with a base line design capable of accomplishing its scientific goals and flexibility to adopt the cutting-edge technology. Detector subsystems have been tested with prototypes in realistic high luminosity conditions and are demonstrated to function well under extremely challenging environment to satisfy the requirements of planned experiments.

Chen, Jian-Ping [Thomas Jefferson National Acceler↗

DOE OSTI2026

RDPP: Accelerating Diversity in DOE Climate Science and Resilience Research (Final Report)

The scope of the project was set out to accelerate the inclusion of diversity into the Department of Energy (DOE) Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD) relevant climate science and resilience research to inclusively advance solutions. The Project Objectives were to usher in equitable use-inspired climate-related research with underrepresented Minorities of which this project helped fund 7 HU graduate students work with the DOE (three of which will graduate in Spring 2025). The two key aims underpinning that core goal were AIM1: developing partnerships (18 organized engaged, see partners list) and AIM2: Developing capabilities (3 visits to DOE facilities, 5 DOE partners visits to HU, increased visiting faculty participation in BNL-DOE lab, secured 5 grants together totaling 1.2 million in funds for HU). The project objectives were highly successful as they were designed to ambitiously pull together DOE lab researchers with the long-standing and successful transdisciplinary climate science research programs of the PI and local DC groups. The major outcomes of this RDPP program will be in the new fundamentally inclusive partnerships with DOE and HU tasked to understand the urban-rural impacts due to climate change in the US, Eastern South Atlantic (ESA) Region, related to energy issues driven by heat stress and the water cycle. Overall, this project contributes to the DOE and science community vision for catalyze connections for project-ready underrepresented minorities (URMs) at a prominent HBCU to DOE projects supported by the Biological and Environmental research (BER) Program; particularly, the Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2015

SoLID-SIDIS: Future Measurements of Transversity, TMDs and more

Over the past few decades, investigations of the nucleon structure mainly focused on the one-dimensional study of parton distributions and structure functions. New theoretical developments, including both transverse momentum distributions (TMDs) and generalized parton distributions (GPDs), provide a new way to understand the 3-dimensional structure of the nucleon. TMDs give access to the nucleon tomography in the momentum space, and also provide an opportunity to evaluate the contribution of quarks’ and gluons’ orbital angular momenta to the nucleon spin. The experimental study of TMDs requires a device with high luminosity, large kinematic coverage and great detection resolutions. With the Jefferson Lab (JLab) 12 GeV electron beam, we have proposed a Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID) in Hall A which is capable of performing such measurements. Several newly approved experiments will perform measurements of both the single and double spin asymmetries via semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) from polarized 3 He ("neutron") and proton targets. The new data will provide important information to extract TMDs with unprecedented precision. Besides, we are also able to use SoLID to explore many more important physics topics. Several experiments for the measurements of PVDIS and J=y production have been approved, and new proposals are under development. For example, with the similar SIDIS configuration, we are actively developing new measurements to study GPDs via deep virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) with polarized targets, doubly-DVCS, deep virtual meson production, time-like Compton scattering, and so on. Our collaboration has submitted the pre-conceptual design report to JLab and successfully passed the Director’s Review in early 2015. Our collaborators are focusing on optimizing the detector system, finalizing the detector designs and proceeding on the detector R&D. We are looking forward to having the DOE Science Review in the near future.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Maintaining the Stockpile

One of NNSA’s core missions is to ensure the United States maintains a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile through the application of unparalleled science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing. NNSA extends the service life of weapons that have reached the end of their original design life through Life Extension Programs (LEPs). Other modernization efforts include Alterations (ALTs), which do not change the weapon’s operational capabilities, and Modifications, which do change the weapon’s operational capabilities. NNSA also conducts surveillance and assessment to ensure that weapons currently in the stockpile remain safe, secure, and effective. Labs, plants, and sites across the Nuclear Security Enterprise work together on this enduring national security mission.

Source record↗

DOE OSTI2021

Understanding TRISO Coated Particle Neutron Irradiation Behavior:Evolution of Advanced Micro Analysis and Electron Microscopy Approaches

Objectives and motivation• Provide data for fuel qualification in support of reactor licensing• Establish a domestic commercial TRISO fuel fabrication capability Approach • Focus is on developing and testing UCO TRISO fuel –Develop fuel fabrication and QC measurement methods, first at lab scale and then at industrial scale –Perform irradiation testingover a range of conditions (burnup, temperature, fast neutron fluence) –Perform post-irradiation examination and safety testingto demonstrate and understand performance during irradiation and during accident conditions –Develop fuel performance modelsto better predict fuel behavior –Perform fission product transport experiments to improve understanding and refine models of fission product transport

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

The Influence of Processing Parameters on the Transition Zone for Blended Material 3D Printing

The use of Multiple Materials (MM) in Additive Manufacturing (AM) is increasingly important for expanding the range of applications in the manufacturing industry, particularly for large-format processes. Typically, polymer-based AM incorporates MM transitions through discrete interfaces between layers. This arrangement significantly increases the occurrence of layer delamination failures due to decreased bonding between dissimilar polymers. Elimination of discrete material interfaces by continuously transitioning from Material A to B provides a possible solution. Such continuous gradients could be used to create functionally graded structures that take full advantage of AM’s capability to deliberately impart site-specific properties. Cincinnati’s Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) system at Oak Ridge National Lab has been equipped with a dual-hopper system that enables in-situ material switching specifically intended for functionally graded and MM printing. The resulting material transition exhibits varied behavior based on printing conditions, which can have an impact on part design and resulting mechanical properties. In this work, the transition zone is characterized as a function of the printing screw speed (related to volumetric flow) and the screw geometry.

Brackett, James↗

DOE OSTI2023

NETL Direct Air Capture Center

In 2022 Congress authorized the $25M National Energy Technology Laboratory Direct Air Capture Center. The facility will be specifically targeted at accelerating the commercialization of technologies beyond the conceptual stage which have not yet reached full pilot-scale (TRL 3 to 6). The ability to operate over a wide range of conditions will help the developers to understand how their technologies respond in different climates, from summer to winter and arid to tropical. NETL recognizes that DAC technology is still early in its evolution, and a wide variety of highly varied technologies are being explored. The Center will be designed with substantial flexibility to accommodate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Testing systems at three scales will be included: lab-scale systems designed to examine the long-term stability of DAC materials, bench-scale module testing systems capable of probing flow dynamics, and small pilot-scale skid rooms able to test prototype DAC units under a wide variety of climate conditions. The NETL DAC Center will feature dedicated engineering, technician, scientific and logistical support for experimental system design, installation, operation of experiments, and interpretation of results for projects including but not limited to kinetics of absorption/desorption, thermal duty, and post-mortem elemental characterization to understand degradation. The NETL DAC Center projects will also have access to dedicated process modeling and analysis to evaluate the technoeconomic aspects of new technologies. NETL’s Systems Engineering and Analysis (SEA) team, the Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI), and the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) are all potential collaborators with NETL’s testing partners from industry, academia, and other research institutions. NETL also has world class capabilities in device scale modeling (i.e., MFIX) that will be available to help design more efficient contactors and optimize unique internal configurations that can be realized by advanced manufacturing. The talk will cover the design and capabilities of the center, the planned availability, and feedback will be solicited from the audience on DAC testing needs.

Luebke, David↗

DOE OSTI2023

Accelerating commercialization of direct air capture technology

Luebke, David↗

DOE OSTI2016

Progress Updates for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project - 16281

The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Project is vital to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) mission to clean up radioactive waste at the Hanford Site, located in southeastern Washington State. The overall WTP Project objective is to design, build, and commission the facilities and systems that will treat and immobilize approximately 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in Hanford's 177 underground storage tanks. The combination of technologies in the WTP makes it a first-of-a-kind facility at a scale larger than ever built for radioactive waste processing. The WTP includes several facilities that will contribute to waste processing: (1) the Pretreatment (PT) Facility, which is designed to receive waste retrieved from the Hanford tank farms and separate it into low-activity and high-level waste streams; (2) the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility, which will vitrify the low-activity waste stream; (3) the High-Level Waste (HLW) Facility, which will vitrify the high-level waste stream; (4) the Analytical Laboratory (Lab), which will support both vitrification facilities' operations; and (5) the Balance of Facilities (BOF), which will provide industrial support capabilities and infrastructure, like electricity and steam, needed for WTP operations. In 2012, DOE suspended production work on the WTP's Pretreatment (PT) Facility and to a lesser degree the High-Level Waste (HLW) Facility because of unresolved technical issues associated with those facilities. DOE has established an approach that would facilitate immobilization of tank waste to begin as early as practicable without waiting for completion of work to resolve the technical issues associated with the PT and HLW Facilities. This approach enables LAW treatment to begin before the PT and HLW facilities are completed by transferring low activity waste directly from the Hanford tank farms to the LAW Facility - referred to as Direct Feed LAW (DFLAW). ORP has placed the highest priority on completing the Low Activity Waste Facility, Balance of Facilities, and Analytical Laboratory (collectively known as LBL) in support of the planned phased start to the Hanford Tank waste treatment mission. DOE has requested, and the WTP contractor has delivered contract modifications proposals for: (1) design of a permanent capability to accommodate DFLAW in WTP; (2) procurement and construction of modifications to enable DFLAW operations in WTP, and (3) completion of LBL work scope in the current contract through hot commissioning in a manner to accommodate a phased start toward completing the WTP mission. DOE is reviewing and approving contract modifications in a sequence and schedule that allows for an orderly completion of the LBL Facilities and to begin treating low-activity tank waste as soon as practicable. In August 2014, ORP authorized the WTP contractor to resume all engineering work necessary to finalize the design of the HLW Facility. Authorization for HLW equipment procurements and construction is forthcoming, based on conditions that must be satisfied for a full release of these activities, including completion of an update to the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis. DOE has also established a comprehensive plan for resuming production activities for the PT Facility that is similar to the process established and implemented for the HLW Facility. Resolution of the technical issues and establishment of a revised safety basis are key prerequisites to resuming engineering, procurements, and construction. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Hands-On, Heads-Up: Blending Cyber T&E with Data Science-Driven Training in Jupyter Notebooks

In an era of increasingly sophisticated threats to critical infrastructure, cybersecurity professionals must be more than just aware; they must be immersed, agile, and equipped to operate in environments where failure is not an option. Nowhere is this truer than in the nuclear sector, where cyber-physical systems, regulatory scrutiny, and insider threat potential demand a new generation of hands-on, technically fluent defenders. This paper presents a unified training approach that integrates Cybersecurity Test and Evaluation (T&E) with data science techniques using Jupyter Notebooks as the interactive lab environment. The program centers on a modular, scenario-driven curriculum designed to build not just knowledge but practical capability in the assessment and defense of radiation detection systems, firmware interfaces, and operational security postures.

98 - NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL↗

DOE OSTI2025

Casing Annulus Monitoring of CO 2 Injection Using Wireless Autonomous Distributed Sensor Networks

Effective and secure carbon subsurface storage, involving the deep underground injection of CO 2 into geological formations where it is permanently trapped, is paramount to mitigating CO 2 emissions (Figure I). Ensuring the integrity of these storage sites and detecting potential leakage through the casing annulus necessitates robust monitoring. This work provides the first integrated demonstration of a wireless casing-annulus monitoring architecture that can operate in highly attenuating cement-brine environments relevant to CO 2 storage. This project focused on developing and validating a novel sensor system for integration with autonomous monitoring near the cement reservoir interface. The goal was a fully integrated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4/5 field validation of a distributed wireless intelligent sensor system providing real-time, direct subsurface formation measurements to enhance fluid movement monitoring in the cemented casing annulus. Achieving this objective required the development and integration of 1) wireless autonomous microsensor technology by California Institute of Technology (Caltech); 2) sensor packaging and emplacement technology by Research Triangle Institute (RTI); and 3) smart well completions using wireless active casing collars and NOV pipe by the Sandia National Lab (SNL). The collaboration with the Caltech team in this project aimed to develop millimeter-scale radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors capable of detecting CO 2 , pH, and/or methane levels. These sensors are engineered to be impervious to fluids, allowing them to be mixed with cement and installed within the casing annulus. They operate using RFID protocols at frequencies of 902–928 MHz for both power and communication. A Sandia National Laboratories’ team engaged their expertise in the development of a Smart Collar system designed for the wireless data collection from these RFID sensors embedded in the cement annulus and transmission of this information to the ground surface via IntelliPipe/IntelliServ NOV drill pipe. This is accomplished through inductive coupling at the collar, which facilitates data transfer through each segment of the pipe. Because the system cannot transmit a direct current signal to power the Smart Collar, both power and communication were implemented using alternating current and electromagnetic signals at varying frequencies. Furthermore, the developed microsensor technology had to be demonstrated and validated in comparison with reference transducer measurements in a field test site at The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin). Although the full sensor suite did not reach field-deployment readiness, the system-level integration achieved in this project establishes a validated pathway for future incorporation of advanced microsensors.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2019

A New Light for Berkeley Lab—the Advanced Light Source Upgrade

The Advanced Light Source Upgrade Project (ALS-U) will leverage multibend achromat technology to endow the ALS with revolutionary soft X-ray capabilities, and has recently received formal approval to proceed to the preliminary design phase. Soft X-rays are a critical diagnostic tool for enabling the understanding and control of heterogeneous, hierarchical functional materials and chemical synthesis platforms since they can reveal chemical, electronic, and magnetic properties with very high sensitivity. Although the ALS has a strong track record in soft X-ray science over the last 25 years, it, like most other existing storage-ring-based X-ray light sources, lacks the simultaneous combination of nanometer spatial resolution, diverse spectroscopic contrast, and broad temporal sensitivity required to image the location of molecules, ions, and electrons, and to measure how their components migrate and interact to support efficient function. The high coherent flux of the upgraded ALS willenable a suite of tools that encompass 3D nanoscale imaging with high spectral sensitivity over broad space and time scales, dramatically amplifying the already high impact of ALS soft X-ray spectroscopies. Relative to many other synchrotron light source upgrade projects or new facilities being built today, the upgraded ALS will operate at a low electron-beam energy of 2 GeV and a high current of 500 mA, and is optimized for soft X-rays. Its soft X-ray coherent flux will be orders of magnitude higher than that of the existing ALS and beyond the coherent flux of any storage-ring-based light source operating, under construction, or currently planned. In total, the upgraded facility will provide an unprecedented combination of high stability, quasi-continuous radiation, and the highest possible coherent soft X-ray flux.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2020

Design of the Multi-Ion Injector Linac for the JLAB EIC (JLEIC)

An Electron Ion Collider (EIC) is the highest priority for future U.S. accelerator-based nuclear physics facility following the completion of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Two laboratories are competing to host the future EIC: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL) and Jefferson Lab. (JLab). The baseline design of JLab's Electron Ion Collider (JLEIC) ion complex comprises a pulsed superconducting (SC) linac injector capable of accelerating all ions from protons to lead, where proton and light ion beams can be polarized. After reviewing the design requirements for the injector linac, important design choices such as the room-temperature (RT) section design, the transition energy between the RT and SC sections and the stripping energy for heavy ions will be discussed. The design of the different linac sections will be presented as well as the results of end-to-end beam dynamics simulations for polarized deuterons and unpolarized lead ions.

Mustapha, B.↗