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At least 343 records · Page 19

Global patterns of forest autotrophic carbon fluxes

Carbon (C) fixation, allocation, and metabolism by trees set the basis for energy and material flows in forest ecosystems and define their interactions with Earth’s changing climate. However, we lack a cohesive synthesis on how forest carbon fluxes vary globally with respect to climate and one another. Here, we draw upon 1,319 records from the Global Forest Carbon Database (ForC), representing all major forest types and the nine most significant autotrophic carbon fluxes, to comprehensively explore how C cycling in mature, undisturbed forests varies with latitude and climate on a global scale. We show that, across all flux variables analyzed, C cycling decreases continuously with absolute latitude – a finding that confirms multiple previous studies but contradicts the idea that net primary productivity of temperate forests rivals that of tropical forests. C flux variables generally displayed similar trends across latitude and multiple climate variables, with no differences in allocation detected at this global scale. Temperature variables in general, and mean annual temperature and temperature seasonality in particular, were the best univariate predictors of C flux, explaining 19 - 71% of variation in the C fluxes analyzed. The effects of temperature were modified by moisture availability, with C flux reduced under hot and dry conditions and sometimes under very high precipitation. C fluxes increased with growing season length, but this was never the best univariate predictor. Within the growing season, the influence of climate on C cycling was small but significant for a number of flux variables. These findings clarify how forest C flux varies with latitude and climate on a global scale. In a period of accelerating climatic change, this improved understanding of the fundamental climatic controls on forest C cycling sets a foundation for understanding patterns of change.

Banbury Morgan, Rebecca↗

Compositional control of radionuclide retention in hollandite-based ceramic waste forms for Cs-immobilization

Hollandite materials, as a class of crystalline nuclear waste forms, are promising candidates for the immobilization of radioactive elements, such as Cs, Ba, as well as a variety of lanthanide and transition-metal fission products. In this study, three Ga-doped titanate hollandite-type phases, Ba 1.33 Ga 2.67 Ti 5.33 O 16 , Ba 0.667 Cs 0.667 Ga 2 Ti 6 O 16 , and Cs 1.33 Ga 1.33 Ti 6.67 O 16 , were synthesized using a solid-state reaction route. All synthesized phases adopted a single phase tetragonal structure, as determined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and elemental analysis confirmed the measured stoichiometries were close to targeted compositions. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) was used to determine the local structural features for the framework of octahedrally coordinated cations. EXAFS data indicated that Cs 1.33 Ga 1.33 Ti 6.67 O 16 possessed the most disordered local structure centered around the Ga dopant. The enthalpies of formation of all three hollandite phases measured using high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry were found to be negative, indicating enthalpies of formation of these hollandites from oxides are thermodynamically stable with respect to their constituent oxides. Furthermore, the formation enthalpies were more negative and hence more favorable with increased Cs content. Finally, aqueous leaching tests revealed that high Cs content hollandite phases exhibited greater Cs retention as compared to low Cs content hollandite. While preliminary in nature, this work draws attention to the links between the capacity for radionuclide retention, atomistic level structural features and bulk thermodynamic properties of materials.

nuclear (including radiation effects), materials a↗

Characterization of Wrapped Coil Tank Water Heater during Charging/Discharging

Heat pump water heaters (HPWH) are an energy efficient method for water heating compared to conventional electric water heaters. A wrapped coil around the water tank is often used as the condenser for the heat pump for such applications. Thermal stratification, caused by varying heat transfer rate from the condenser to the water depending on the phase of the refrigerant and the wrap configuration, is often observed inside the tank, especially for HPWHs using CO2 as the refrigerant. The current study investigates the impact of the charging/discharging process on thermal stratification. A series of simulations were conducted based on the draw patterns recommended by the DOE method of test for rating water heater performance. We also analyzed the water circulation patterns during charging/discharging process. The thermal stratification was adversely affected because of the circulation even when the Heat Pump (HP) was operational. It was observed that a relatively higher charge/discharge flow rate disrupts the thermal stratification quickly and thus lowers the supply water temperature. Furthermore, the duration of charging/discharging also plays an important role. It was noticed that the back flow has insignificant effect on the supply water temperature if charging/discharging time is relatively small. However, the effect was obvious for larger water draw flow rates that last for longer time.

Elatar, Ahmed↗

SU-E-T-594: Preliminary Active Scanning Results of KHIMA

Purpose: To verify the design criteria on heavy ion beam irradiation, developing a proto type active scanning system was purposed. The active scanning system consists of scanning magnet, power supplies, beam monitors, energy modulation system, and irradiation control system. Methods: Each components of the active scanning system was designed for carbon beam first. For the fast ramping a laminated yoke was purposed. To measure incoming dose and profile, a plate and strip type of ion chambers were designed. Also, ridge filter and range shifter was manufactured. And, the scanning system was modified to adopt 45 MeV of proton beam because of the absence of carbon ion beam in Korea. The system was installed in a beam line at MC-50, KIRAMS. Also, the irradiation control system and planning software was provided. Results: The scanning experiment was performed by drawing KHIMA logo on GaF film. The logo was scanned by 237 scanning points through time normalized intensity modulation. Also, a grid points scanning was performed to measure the scanning resolution and intensity resolution. Conclusion: A prototype active scanning system was successfully designed and manufactured. Also, an initial experiment to print out a drawing on GaF film through the scanning system was completed. More experiments would be required to specify the system performance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Functional Traits Resolve Mechanisms Governing the Assembly and Distribution of Nitrogen-Cycling Microbial Communities in the Global Ocean

Microorganisms drive much of the marine nitrogen (N) cycle, which jointly controls the primary production in the global ocean. However, our understanding of the microbial communities driving the global ocean N cycle remains fragmented. Focusing on “who is doing what, where, and how?”, this study draws a clear picture describing the global biogeography of marine N-cycling microbial communities by utilizing the Tara Oceans shotgun metagenomes. The marine N-cycling communities are highly variable taxonomically but relatively even at the functional trait level, showing clear functional redundancy properties. The functional traits and taxonomic groups are shaped by the same set of geo-environmental factors, among which, depth is the major factor impacting marine N-cycling communities, differentiating mesopelagic from epipelagic communities. Latitudinal diversity gradients and distance-decay relationships are observed for taxonomic groups, but rarely or weakly for functional traits. The composition of functional traits is strongly deterministic as revealed by null model analysis, while a higher degree of stochasticity is observed for taxonomic composition. Integrating multiple lines of evidence, in addition to drawing a biogeographic picture of marine N-cycling communities, this study also demonstrated an essential microbial ecological theory—determinism governs the assembly of microbial communities performing essential biogeochemical processes; the environment selects functional traits rather than taxonomic groups; functional redundancy underlies stochastic taxonomic community assembly.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Audience Based View of Publication Impact

With increasing pressure to demonstrate a return on investment, scienti c user facilities and government funded research projects must strive to demonstrate positive impact of their research on oth- ers. Historically, citation counts and journal impact factor have been widely used as a single quantitative measure of impact. However, with the expansion of various modes of communication, citation counts no longer hold as much merit as a single measure of impact. This work seeks to expand on citation counts by considering the audience to which a publication draws attention. Based on commu- nication mode, there are various audiences that may be "impacted" but those audiences are not fully captured by citation count. Conse- quently, we propose that impact measures for publications should be oriented around the audience with quanti able measures based on the various communication modes.

Patton, Robert↗

Understanding the Computing and Analysis Needs for Resiliency of Power Systems from Severe Weather Impacts

As the frequency and intensity of severe weather has increased, its effect on the electric grid has manifested in the form of significantly more and larger outages in the United States. This has become especially true for regions that were previously isolated from weather extremes. In this paper, we analyze the weather impacts on the electric power grid across a variety of weather conditions, draw correlations, and provide practical insights into the operational state of these systems. High resolution computational modeling of specific meteorological variables, computational approaches to solving power system models under these conditions, and the types of resiliency needs are highlighted as goal-oriented computing approaches are being built to address grid resiliency needs. An example analysis correlating outages to 1km day-ahead weather from two historical winter storms, calculated on a large cluster using a combination of interpolated and extrapolated inputs from multiple instrumented sites to workflows that produce primary meteorological outputs, is shown as initial proof of concept.

analysis↗

Cookie-Jar: An Adaptive Re-configurable Framework for Wireless Network Infrastructures

5G advancements like Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) bring high capacity and low latency, but also intensify interference challenges. Static and dynamic coordination techniques address this, often at the cost of increased power draw. We introduce Cookie-Jar (CJ), an interference coordination (IC) framework using reinforcement learning for multi-goal optimization. By dynamically adjusting network, power, and topology parameters based on real-time conditions, CJ improves Signal to Noise and Interference Ratio (SINR) while minimizing power consumption. Simulated 5G experiments showcase CJ's potential, achieving a 15% SINR improvement with near-identical power draw compared to existing methods.

Network↗

Predictive Control of Residential Gas Storage Water Heaters [SWR-13-36]

Predictive Control of Residential Gas Storage Water Heaters provides an energy-efficient control method for residential gas storage water heaters. Predictive Control of Residential Gas Storage Water Heaters discovers users' hot water consumption patterns from historical data and automatically modulates the thermostat setpoints to conserve energy while maintaining thermal comfort. The starting time of hot water draw events is recorded and used for clustering analysis. Time intervals are generated from the clusters in which hot water draw events are more likely to occur. The setpoint is set at normal level to maintain thermal comfort, and decreased to a lower level outside these time intervals to reduce tank loss and thereby improving energy efficiency of the water heater.

Christensen, Dane↗

Simulation as a sustainable trading zone: Aiming at intergenerational justice

The paper, drawing on the example of simulation codes used in nuclear physics and high-energy physics, seeks to call attention to the ethical implications of discontinuing support for simulation codes and the loss of knowledge embodied in them. Predicated on the concept of trading zones and actor network models, the paper addresses the problem of extinction of simulation codes and attempts to understand their evolution and development within those frameworks. We show that simulation codes of closed type develop to the level of creoles, becoming local languages and standards of scientific centers and disappearing as their few main developers leave, whereas codes of open types become universal languages, imposing problemsolving patterns on the entire community and crowding out other codes. The paper suggests that because of simulations’ reliance on tacit knowledge, practices entrenched in codes cannot be exhaustively explicated or transmitted through writing alone; on the contrary, the life cycle of a simulation code is determined by the life cycle of its trading zone. We examine the extent to which both of these phenomena pose a risk to the preservation of knowledge. Bearing upon intergenerational ethics, we draw analogies between the pure intergenerational problem (PIP) and the problem of preserving the knowledge implemented in simulation codes and transmitting it to future generations. We argue that for the complete transfer of knowledge, it is necessary to develop and maintain inhabitability and sustainability of simulation trading zones in a controllable way, at least until the demand for these codes is warranted to cease in the future.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Microsimulation model calibration using incremental mixture approximate Bayesian computation

Microsimulation models (MSMs) are used to inform policy by predicting population-level outcomes under different scenarios. MSMs simulate individual-level event histories that mark the disease process (such as the development of cancer) and the effect of policy actions (such as screening) on these events. MSMs often have many unknown parameters; calibration is the process of searching the parameter space to select parameters that result in accurate MSM prediction of a wide range of targets. We develop Incremental Mixture Approximate Bayesian Computation (IMABC) for MSM calibration which results in a simulated sample from the posterior distribution of model parameters given calibration targets. IMABC begins with a rejection-based ABC step, drawing a sample of points from the prior distribution of model parameters and accepting points that result in simulated targets that are near observed targets. Next, the sample is iteratively updated by drawing additional points from a mixture of multivariate normal distributions and accepting points that result in accurate predictions. Posterior estimates are obtained by weighting the final set of accepted points to account for the adaptive sampling scheme. We demonstrate IMABC by calibrating CRC-SPIN 2.0, an updated version of a MSM for colorectal cancer (CRC) that has been used to inform national CRC screening guidelines.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Advancing representations of equity and justice in climate mitigation futures

THIS PAPER WAS PRIMARILY COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE AUTHOR JOINING PNNL AND NO DOE FUNDING WAS USED FOR THIS PAPER. In this work, we review how equity and justice issues in global climate mitigation scenarios are addressed within Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and propose a new research agenda to strengthen their integration in model development and application. We begin by examining prominent concerns at the science-policy interface. We introduce a typology of equity and justice limitations in climate mitigation scenarios, distinguishing among structural, methodological, and epistemological biases that shape what integrated assessment models can reveal at policy-relevant scales. Reflecting on these concerns, we propose a research agenda that describes new avenues of work and draws together distinct emerging initiatives. This agenda is based on the feasibility and depth of required interventions, from incremental improvements to structural reforms and alternative participatory approaches. Drawing on reflexive insights from integrated assessment practitioners, it addresses the operational challenges of translating justice concepts into metrics, including risks of reductionism, tokenism, and narrow definitions. Underlying this research agenda is a recognition that modeling communities must engage more critically with implicit assumptions in model design and use that have equity and justice implications. Achieving equitable climate futures will require transformative actions that integrate diverse justice concerns, advance sustainable development goals, and confront systemic inequities across both human and ecological dimensions. Although models will never capture all these aspects, they can be significantly enhanced to support more informed discussion and practical application. Our contribution proposes a way forward to achieving this goal.

Pachauri, Shonali↗

Metals in Past Societies: A Global Perspective on Indigenous African Metallurgy Shadreck Chirikure

This slim book (166 pages) shines a spotlight on pre-industrial African metallurgy, its global connections, and anthropological implications. It integrates seemingly disparate disciplines, such as history, geology, ethnography, archeology, and metallurgy, to illustrate the diversity and innovation in metallurgy across Africa and the role of metals in the rise of socio-economic inequalities and political power. The book has 7 chapters and the focus on metals as enablers of human needs and wants is evident in each chapter. The first chapter presents the context of the work and data sources. The second chapter focuses on the origin and development of mining and metallurgy in pre-industrial Africa. Chapter 3 is dedicated to the interaction of nature and culture in the process of mining. Chapter 4 deals with the transformation of the ore into metal by smelting and the sociocultural aspects of this process. Chapter 5 explores the social and cultural roles acquired by metals as a result of fabrication into objects. Chapter 6 examines the social role of metals, trade in metals, cultural contact, proto-globalization, and technology transfer. Finally, Chapter 7 draws lessons for global anthropology from the African experience. The sources of information are adequately cited and the long list of references at the end of each chapter will be a boon to researchers in this field. The author highlights the cultural aspects and social context of the adoption of metallurgy in Africa while drawing parallels between practices in pre-industrial Africa and those in other parts of the world. The book is peppered with delightful vignettes that offer insights into the process of transforming nature into culturally significant objects. For instance, African miners, like their counterparts in Nepal and Latin America, called upon deities, spirits and ancestors to mediate between nature and humans. Women had distinct roles in this process, but there were variations in these roles and in the caste status of metal workers across Africa. Taboos, rituals and magic were very much a part of the development of metallurgical technology. The smelting of metal was considered analogous to conception, gestation, and child birth. Power, fertility and metallurgy were intertwined as shown by the decoration of furnaces with female anatomical features. The book concludes with a warning against broad generalizations and stereotypes about African practices. This volume is well written and illustrated with photos, micrographs, colorful maps and illustrations that make it eminently readable.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Shape Evolution of C75 Large-Grain Niobium Half-Cells During Cavity Fabrication

The largely anisotropic deformation of large-grain Nb discs during deep drawing into half-cells poses a challenge for achieving a desired shape accuracy. Two 5-cell cavities for the C75 CEBAF cryomodule rework program have been fabricated at Jefferson Lab from large-grain Nb discs directly sliced from an ingot. The shape of the inner surface of eight half-cells has been inspected using a FARO Edge laser scanner during the fabrication process and compared to the reference shape. On average, approximately 63% of the half-cell inner surface was found to be within 0.1 mm of the reference shape and ~90% to be within 0.2 mm, after the final equator machining. Several 5-cell C75 cavities have also been fabricated at Research Instruments, Germany, and measurements of the shape accuracy using a Zeiss 3D coordinate measuring machine gave similar results. One half-cell was measured both at Research Instruments and Jefferson Lab for comparison.

Ciovati, G.↗

Biomass Gasification Technology Assessment: Consolidated Report

Harris Group Inc. (HGI) was commissioned by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to assess gasification and tar reforming technologies. Specifically, the assessments focused on gasification and tar reforming technologies that are capable of producing a syngas suitable for further treatment and conversion to liquid fuels. HGI gathered sufficient information to analyze three gasification and tar reforming systems. This report summarizes the equipment, general arrangement of the equipment, operating characteristics, and operating severity for each technology. The order of magnitude capital cost estimates are supported by a basis-of-estimate write-up, which is also included in this report. The report also includes Microsoft Excel workbook models, which can be used to design and price the systems. The models can be used to analyze various operating capacities and pressures. Each model produces a material balance, equipment list, capital cost estimate, equipment drawings and preliminary general arrangement drawings. Example outputs of each model are included in the Appendices.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Engineered Osmosis for Energy Efficient Separations: Optimizing Waste Heat Utilization

The purpose of this study is to design (i) a stripper system where heat is used to strip ammonia (NH 3 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from a diluted draw solution; and (ii) a condensation or absorption system where the stripped NH 3 and CO 2 are captured in condensed water to form a re-concentrated draw solution. This study supports the Industrial Technologies Program of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and their Industrial Energy Efficiency Grand Challenge award solicitation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Disposal Systems Evaluation Framework DSEF User Manual (V.3.0)

The Disposal Systems Evaluation Framework (DSEF) has been developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to formalize and facilitate the development and documentation of repository conceptual design options for a range of waste forms, geologic environments, repository design concepts, and repository operating modes. DSEF is one component of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) family of work packages at several national laboratories led by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), in support of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, specifically of the Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign within the Office of Used Nuclear Fuel Disposition Research and Development (NE-53). DSEF is a knowledge management system that allows the user to intelligently access and draw data from a case library of hundreds of completed thermal analyses (currently 721 cases in the library), and draw input from databases of material properties and repository development cost data (currently the data in these databases are drawn from more than 100 references). The core functionality of DSEF is provided by a Microsoft Office Excel 2010 workbook with macros and form controls that create a structured environment and walk the user through the steps of creating the input data required to perform disposal system evaluations internally and by interfacing with external programs. The user can choose to work with built-in data from the case library of previous analysis cases, from the material property databases, or can define their own input descriptions and data. DSEF uses the Excel worksheet protection (implemented on a sheet by sheet basis) to prevent inadvertent over-writing of formulas with data. When worksheet protection is enabled, the user can see all underlying formulas, and enter data in unprotected cells (the unprotected cells generally correspond to the yellow highlighted cells). Worksheet protection also prevents restructuring the files (adding or deleting rows or columns) and changing the formatting, as well as preventing access to the Visual Basic Editor to prevent modification of the macros. If the user needs to modify the worksheet structure, formulas, or macros, they can contact LLNL to get the password to unprotect the worksheets. However, care should be taken in making any modifications, since the macros and formulas are dependent in some cases on the current structure, range names, and macro subroutines DSEF is set up to retrieve the results of external thermal analysis program runs, summarize them graphically, and provide a template for adding the new results to the Case Library. The Case Library worksheet in DSEF is set up to create a Case Library data record for each new analysis case, at the top of the list of prior cases. Therefore, a separate DSEF file (with unique name) should be saved for each run that is to be archived. Users should submit a copy of their DSEF files to LLNL so that their results can be added to the overall Case Library and made available to other laboratories and stakeholders. LLNL will maintain the DSEF Case Library and make the most current files available on the SNL SharePoint site. The Revision History sheet documents the file evolution. One of the key objectives of DSEF is to allow the user to compare the results of thermal analyses to the thermal constraints of the design components. These comparisons can then be used to consider design, layout, and operating mode modifications to find combinations that can meet the thermal constraints for a given combination of waste form, geologic medium, surface storage time, and system concept of operation.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Hydronic Heating Coil Versus Propane Furnace, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware (Fact Sheet)

Insight Homes constructed two houses in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with identical floor plans and thermal envelopes but different heating and domestic hot water (DHW) systems. Each house is 1,715-ft 2 with a single story, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and ductwork located in conditioned crawlspaces. The standard house, which the builder offers as its standard production house, uses an air source heat pump (ASHP) with supplemental propane furnace heating. The Building America test house uses the same ASHP unit with supplemental heat provided by the DHW heater (a combined DHW and hydronic heating system, where the hydronic heating element is in the air handler). Both houses were occupied during the test period. Results indicate that efficiency of the two heating systems was not significantly different. Three issues dominate these results; lower system design performance resulting from the indoor refrigerant coil selected for the standard house, an incorrectly functioning defrost cycle in the standard house, and the low resolution of the natural gas monitoring equipment. The thermal comfort of both houses fell outside the ASHRAE Standard 55 heating range but was within the ACCA room-to-room temperature range when compared to the thermostat temperature. The monitored DHW draw schedules were input into EnergyPlus to evaluate the efficiency of the tankless hot water heater model using the two monitored profiles and the Building America House Simulation Protocols. The results indicate that the simulation is not significantly impacted by the draw profiles.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗