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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Salinization and sedimentation drive contrasting assembly mechanisms of planktonic and sediment‐bound bacterial communities in agricultural streams

Abstract Agriculture is the most dominant land use globally and is projected to increase in the future to support a growing human population but also threatens ecosystem structure and services. Bacteria mediate numerous biogeochemical pathways within ecosystems. Therefore, identifying linkages between stressors associated with agricultural land use and responses of bacterial diversity is an important step in understanding and improving resource management. Here, we use the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) ecoregion, a highly modified agroecosystem, as a case study to better understand agriculturally associated drivers of stream bacterial diversity and assembly mechanisms. In the MAP, we found that planktonic bacterial communities were strongly influenced by salinity. Tolerant taxa increased with increasing ion concentrations, likely driving homogenous selection which accounted for ~90% of assembly processes. Sediment bacterial phylogenetic diversity increased with increasing agricultural land use and was influenced by sediment particle size, with assembly mechanisms shifting from homogenous to variable selection as differences in median particle size increased. Within individual streams, sediment heterogeneity was correlated with bacterial diversity and a subsidy‐stress relationship along the particle size gradient was observed. Planktonic and sediment communities within the same stream also diverged as sediment particle size decreased. Nutrients including carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which tend to be elevated in agroecosystems, were also associated with detectable shifts in bacterial community structure. Collectively, our results establish that two understudied variables, salinity and sediment texture, are the primary drivers of bacterial diversity within the studied agroecosystem, whereas nutrients are secondary drivers. Although numerous macrobiological communities respond negatively, we observed increasing bacterial diversity in response to agricultural stressors including salinization and sedimentation. Elevated taxonomic and phylogenetic bacterial diversity likely increases the probability of detecting community responses to stressors. Thus, bacteria community responses may be more reliable for establishing water quality goals within highly modified agroecosystems that have experienced shifting baselines.

DeVilbiss, Stephen E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Contrasting anther glucose–6–phosphate dehydrogenase activities between two bean varieties suggest an important role in reproductive heat tolerance

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, and rising global temperatures threaten bean production. Plants at the reproductive stage are especially susceptible to heat stress due to damage to male (anthers) and female (ovary) reproductive tissues, with anthers being more sensitive to heat. Heat damage promotes early tapetal cell degradation, and in beans this was shown to cause male infertility. In this study, we focus on understanding how changes in leaf carbon export in response to elevated temperature stress contribute to heat-induced infertility. We hypothesize that anther glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity plays an important role at elevated temperature and promotes thermotolerance. To test this hypothesis, we compared heat-tolerant and susceptible common bean genotypes using a combination of phenotypic, biochemical, and physiological approaches. Our results identified changes in leaf sucrose export, anther sugar accumulation and G6PDH activity and anther H 2 O 2 levels and antioxidant-related enzymes between genotypes at elevated temperature. Further, anther respiration rate was found to be lower at high temperature in both bean varieties. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that enhanced male reproductive heat tolerance involves changes in the anther oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, which supplies reductants to critical H 2 O 2 scavenging enzymes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Genome-scale phylogeny and contrasting modes of genome evolution in the fungal phylum Ascomycota

Ascomycota, the largest and most well-studied phylum of fungi, contains three subphyla: Saccharomycotina (budding yeasts), Pezizomycotina (filamentous fungi), and Taphrinomycotina (fission yeasts). Despite its importance, we lack a comprehensive genome-scale phylogeny or understanding of the similarities and differences in the mode of genome evolution within this phylum. By examining 1107 genomes from Saccharomycotina (332), Pezizomycotina (761), and Taphrinomycotina (14) species, we inferred a robust genome-wide phylogeny that resolves several contentious relationships and estimated that the Ascomycota last common ancestor likely originated in the Ediacaran period. Comparisons of genomic properties revealed that Saccharomycotina and Pezizomycotina differ greatly in their genome properties and enabled inference of the direction of evolutionary change. The Saccharomycotina typically have smaller genomes, lower guanine-cytosine contents, lower numbers of genes, and higher rates of molecular sequence evolution compared with Pezizomycotina. These results provide a robust evolutionary framework for understanding the diversity and ecological lifestyles of the largest fungal phylum.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Parallel Embeddings: a Visualization Technique for Contrasting Learned Representations

We introduce ``Parallel Embeddings'', a new technique that generalizes the classical Parallel Coordinates visualization technique from a sequence of features within a single matrix to a sequence of multiple feature matrices. This is accomplished by separately embedding each matrix in the sequence into a 2-D frame, juxtaposing these 2-D representations, then connecting points between frames. We outline how this visualization can be used for several ``model comparison'' tasks in machine learning. We compare user performance with Parallel Embeddings to a baseline using the TensorFlow Embedding Projector for estimating model accuracy and understanding conceptual model differences. We found that users were more accurate with Parallel Embeddings for model comparison and that users learned how to use Parallel Embeddings more quickly than TensorFlow Embedding Projector. Furthermore, users' analytical process using Embedding Projector was positively affected by using Parallel Embeddings beforehand.

Model comparison, machine learing, machine learnin↗
DOE OSTI2025

Contrasting Trends in Colorado Fire Weather Index from Reanalysis and Observations

Recent wildfires in Colorado raise the question of whether rising global temperatures have increased fire weather occurrences in Colorado. The U.S. National Weather Service defines fire weather as when “forecast weather conditions will result in a significant threat for the ignition and/or spread of wildfires.” We use two datasets to address the question: “How has the occurrence of fire weather changed in Colorado?” Using 22 years of observed weather conditions from a meteorological tower at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and 67 years of ERA5 reanalysis data, we assess changing trends in Colorado fire weather as defined by hot, dry, and windy conditions. Additionally, we explore if the difference in recorded wind speeds between observational data and reanalysis data can be explained by differences in spatial and temporal resolution and what are the implications in the context of quantifying fire weather occurrences. The observational data are limited in temporal extent and spatial representativeness, but they capture exact real-world conditions at a location in complex terrain. The reanalysis data are available for an extended period of time and for the entire state, but the data are of relatively coarse spatial and temporal resolution and may fail to capture extremes. To quantify fire risk, we calculate the hot–dry–windy index (HDWI), which relies on wind speed and vapor pressure deficit. No statistically significant trend in the HDWI appears in the observational dataset. However, according to the reanalysis data, strong increasing trends in HDWI values emerge across all of Colorado. This apparent conflict between observational and reanalysis data suggests that reanalysis data may not be representative. Further, more long-term observational datasets are required to assess fire risk.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effects from Time Dependence of Ice Nucleus Activity for Contrasting Cloud Types

Abstract The role of time-dependent freezing of ice nucleating particles (INPs) is evaluated with the “Aerosol–Cloud” (AC) model in 1) deep convection observed over Oklahoma during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Cloud Experiment (MC3E), 2) orographic clouds observed over North California during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (ACAPEX), and 3) supercooled, stratiform clouds over the United Kingdom, observed during the Aerosol Properties, Processes And Influences on the Earth’s climate (APPRAISE) campaign. AC uses the dynamical core of the WRF Model and has hybrid bin–bulk microphysics and a 3D mesoscale domain. AC is validated against coincident aircraft, ground-based, and satellite observations for all three cases. Filtered concentrations of ice (>0.1–0.2 mm) agree with those observed at all sampled levels. AC predicts the INP activity of various types of aerosol particles with an empirical parameterization (EP), which follows a singular approach (no time dependence). Here, the EP is modified to represent time-dependent INP activity by a purely empirical approach, using our published laboratory observations of time-dependent INP activity. In all simulated clouds, the inclusion of time dependence increases the predicted INP activity of mineral dust particles by 0.5–1 order of magnitude. However, there is little impact on the cloud glaciation because the total ice is mostly (80%–90%) from secondary ice production (SIP) at levels warmer than about −36°C. The Hallett–Mossop process and fragmentation in ice–ice collisions together initiate about 70% of the total ice, whereas fragmentation during both raindrop freezing and sublimation contributes <10%. Overall, total ice concentrations and SIP are unaffected by time-dependent INP activity. In the simulated APPRAISE case, the main causes of persistence of long-lived clouds and precipitation are predicted to be SIP in weak embedded convection and reactivation following recirculation of dust particles in supercooled layer cloud.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Preoperative Radiomic Approach to Evaluate Tumor-Infiltrating CD8{sup +} T Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Using Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography

Background: To help identify potential hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) candidates for immunotherapies, we aimed to develop and validate a radiomics-based biomarker (Rad score) to predict the infiltration of tumor-infiltrating CD8{sup +} T cells in HCC patients, and to evaluate the correlation of Rad score with tumor immune characteristics. Methods: Overall, 142 HCC patients (n = 100 and n = 42 in the training and validation sets, respectively) were subjected to radiomic feature extraction. Imaging features and immunochemistry data of patients in the training set were subjected to elastic-net regularized regression analysis to predict the level of CD8{sup +} T cell infiltration. Results: A Rad score for CD8{sup +} T-cell infiltration, which contained seven variables, was developed and was validated in the validation set (area under the curve [AUC]: training set 0.751, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.656–0.846; validation set 0.705, 95% CI 0.547–0.863). The decision curve indicated the clinical usefulness of the Rad score. A higher Rad score correlated with superior overall and disease-free survival outcomes (p = 0.012 and 0.0088, respectively). Using the pathological slides, we found that the Rad score positively correlated with the percentage of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs; Spearman rho = 0.51, p < 0.0001). Moreover, the Rad score could also discriminate inflamed tumors from immune-desert and immune-excluded tumors (Kruskal–Wallis, p < 0.0001), and higher Rad scores could be found in patients with positive programmed cell death ligand 1 expression in tumor/immune cells, as well as those with positive programmed cell death protein 1 expression. Conclusion: The newly developed Rad score was a powerful predictor of CD8{sup +} T-cell infiltration, which could be useful in identifying potential HCC patients who can benefit from immunotherapies when validated in large-scale prospective cohorts.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Referenceless, grating-based, single shot X-ray phase contrast imaging with optimized laser-driven K-α sources

With its ability to efficiently probe low-Z materials, X-ray phase imaging methods have recently raised high interest in multiple fields from biology and medical applications to high energy density (HED) physics. Initially developed with synchrotron light and X-ray tubes, we present a novel grating based Talbot X-ray deflectometer (TXD) diagnostic that was coupled with laser-generated K-α X-ray sources. The multi-terawatt laser (I > 1 × 10 14 W cm -2 ) was used as a testbed for diagnostic development. It was found that X-ray source chromaticity plays an important role in TXD. Indeed, the broadband spectrum of laser-generated X-ray sources may strongly impact image quality and thus diagnostic performance. We qualified X-ray emission from different laser-produced sources and determined laser, target, and deflectometer parameters that optimize TXD performance. We present the first results of referenceless grating-based X-ray imaging at high-power laser facilities and discuss the implications of this new development in HED research.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Degradation of temporal contrast from post-pedestal interference with a chirped pulse in an optical parametric amplifier

Pre-pedestal generation is observed in a 0.35-PW laser front end coming from a post-pedestal via instantaneous gain and pump depletion in an optical parametric amplifier during chirped-pulse amplification. Generalized simulations show how this effect arises from gain nonlinearity and applies to all optical parametric chirped-pulse–amplification systems with a post-pedestal. An experiment minimizing the effect of B -integral is used to isolate and study the newly observed conversion of a continuous post-pedestal into a continuous pre-pedestal. Matching numerical simulations confirm experimental results and additionally reveal how third-order dispersion largely controls the slope of the generated pre-pedestal.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Direct detection system for full-field nanoscale X-ray diffraction-contrast imaging

Recent developments in X-ray science provide methods to probe deeply embedded mesoscale grain structures and spatially resolve them using dark field X-ray microscopy (DFXM). Extending this technique to investigate weak diffraction signals such as magnetic systems, quantum materials and thin films prove challenging due to available detection methods and incident X-ray flux at the sample. We present a direct detection method developed in conjunction with KAImaging which focuses on DFXM studies in the hard X-ray range of 10s of keV and above capable of approaching nanoscale resolution. Additionally, we compare this direct detection scheme with routinely used scintillator-based optical detection and achieve an order of magnitude improvement in exposure times allowing for imaging of weakly diffracting ordered systems.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Real-Time Monitoring of Fracture Dynamics with a Contrast Agent-Assisted Electromagnetic Method

In collaboration with the Advanced Energy Consortium, our team has previously demonstrated that the placement of electrically active proppants (EAPs) in a hydraulic fracture surveyed by electromagnetic (EM) methods can enhance the imaging of the stimulated reservoir volumes during hydraulic fracturing. That work culminated in constructing a well-characterized EAP-filled fracture anomaly at the Devine field pilot site (DFPS). In subsequent laboratory studies, we observed that the electrical conductivity of our EAP correlates with changes in pressure, salinity, and flow. Thus, we postulated that the EAP could be used as an in-situ sensor for the remote monitoring of these changes in previously EAP-filled fractures. This paper presents our latest field data from the DFPS to demonstrate such correlations at an intermediate pilot scale. We conducted surface-based EM surveys during freshwater (200 ppm) and saltwater (2,500 ppm) slug injections while running surfaced-based EM surveys. Simultaneously, we measured the following: 1) bottomhole pressure and salinity in five monitoring wells; 2) injection rate using high-precision data loggers; 3) distributed acoustic sensors in four monitoring wells; and 4) tiltmeter data on the survey area. We demonstrated that injections into an EAP-filled fracture could be successfully coupled with real-time electric field measurements on the surface, leading to remote monitoring of dynamic changes within the EAP-filled fracture. Furthermore, by comparing the electrical field traces with the bottomhole pressure, flow rate, and salinity, we concluded that the observed electric field in our study is influenced by fracture dilation and flow rate. Salinity effect was observed when saltwater was injected. EM simulations solely based on assumptions of fracture conductivity changes during injection did not reproduce all of the measured electric field magnitudes. Preliminary estimates showed that including streaming potential in our geophysical model may be needed to reduce the simulation mismatch. The methods developed and demonstrated during this study will lead to a better understanding of the extent of fracture networks, formation stress states, fluid leakoff and invasion, characterizations of engineered fracture systems, and other applications where monitoring subsurface flow tracking is deemed important.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of Modeled to Measured Spectra using MCNP and GADRAS to Benchmark and Contrast Modeling Limitations

The desire to improve nuclear material detection through portal monitors and other low resolution detectors has led to interest in benchmarking the performance of radiation transport codes. These codes can be used to generate a variety and quantity of spectra that may be cost prohibitive to measure directly. Particular characteristics of typical detection scenarios were isolated to compare the performance of radiation transport codes to laboratory experiments. These benchmark experiments were performed to validate simulations in a number of key areas. These experiments included high areal density configurations in both one- and three-dimensional configurations. In addition, off-angle measurements were conducted to investigate the impact of detector response assumptions on complex geometries, for example where an unknown source is not physically collocated with an apparent hot spot. Furthermore, by examining both simple shielding and backscatter configurations, isolation of the scatter emanating from the object and environmental background scatter contributions to the spectra could be elucidated. A series of experiments were performed in which the order of shielding layers and the thickness were evaluated to examine the ability of the simulations to address these variables. Experiments with increasing thickness of polyethylene around a neutron source also allows for examinations of the ability of the transport simulations to properly model n,γ reactions. Finally, depleted uranium (DU) measurements have more complicated spectra than the cobalt-60 and consequently allow for investigations into the ability of transport simulations to model self-shielding. In each case, the results of the experiments were compared to MCNP simulations to judge the performance of the code, as was done previously with GADRAS 18.7.9 simulations [7]. All of the benchmark measurements were taken with a liquid nitrogen cooled 140% high purity germanium (HPGe) detector with a bismuth collimator that had the front tin filter removed. The measurement location and detector configuration were subsequently used for all experimental configurations. The remainder of this report details the experimental measurements, Section 2 and the MCNP model, Section 3. Comparisons between the experimental results and MCNP-generated spectra are performed, Section 4. Section 5 compares the results obtained with MCNP with the previously reported results obtained with GADRAS [2]. Finally, Section 6 presents the conclusions.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗