Automating Software Productivity Planning: Lightweight Tools for Upgrading Team Practices.
Abstract not provided.
Raybourn, Elaine M.↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “software tool”
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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Advancing Elemental and Isotopic Analysis of Uranium Mineral Inclusions: Rapid Screening via Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and High-Resolution Laser Ablation-ICP-MS Mapping
The work presented herein employs two laser-based analytical techniques (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)) to spatially determine the elemental and isotopic composition of uranium bearing minerals. Uniquely, this work leverages the high-speed applicability of LIBS to “screen” the sample(s) for their elemental constituents. After determining the location of the uranium inclusions (via LIBS), high-resolution LA-ICP-MS was employed to further characterize the inclusions. The high-resolution (sub-µm) capabilities of LA-ICP-MS were able to extract important information from the uranium minerals including discerning its chemical form (e.g., finchite from carnotite, Sr- and K-bearing uranyl vanadates, respectively) as well as their 235 U/ 238 U isotopic composition. This approach, LIBS followed by LA-ICP-MS, significantly reduces the analysis time (~95 %) in comparison to employing a LA-ICP-MS only approach. Furthermore, this work presented a novel approach to analyzing inclusions via a particle/inclusion analysis tool which is commercially available within the iolite 4 software. This tool allowed for a more accurate characterization of the isotopic distribution of the inclusions, as well as allowing for rapid sizing of the inclusions. Finally, this analytical approach could readily be applied to other sample types in which the target species (e.g., µm-sized inclusions) are embedded in complex matrices (e.g., cm-sized samples).
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Development and Implementation of a New AI-Based Tool to Support Fast Reactor Software Model Generation and Validation
This report summarizes FY26 work to develop Maggie, an artificial intelligence-based assistant designed to support software model generation and validation activities for fast reactor analysis codes. The project established a modular, code-agnostic software architecture that separates reusable agent capabilities from code-specific knowledge and tools, with initial implementation focused on the FRP-supported fast reactor safety analysis code SAS4A/SASSYS1 (SAS). A curated SAS-specific knowledge base was assembled from the code manual, training materials, historical analysis reports, and representative input files, and was integrated through retrieval-augmented generation to ground Maggie’s responses in authoritative sources. Maggie was deployed on the internal Argonne network, where it demonstrated practical user-facing capability as a chatbot for answering natural language questions about SAS and retrieving relevant technical information. Demonstration cases also showed that Maggie can generate useful snippets of SAS input for selected modeling tasks, while highlighting current limitations in reliability and consistency for more complex input generation tasks. Overall, the FY26 effort established the technical foundation for an AI-assisted capability intended to improve the efficiency, consistency, and accessibility of fast reactor software model development at Argonne and, with further improvements, to support eventual use by the broader fast reactor community, including industry users of FRP-supported analysis tools.
Thomas, Rachel [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL),↗
ISOCS-based Extended In Situ Gamma Spectrometry Services Tool SuperISOCS for Waste Measurements - 20275
Canberra's In Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) is an established tool used for gamma spectrometry. It allows physical representation of complex geometries and mathematical calculation of the calibration function while avoiding the need for radioisotope standards. ISOCS provides a large range of templates to generate the geometry for most nuclear waste components in nuclear facilities. Nonetheless, there are some complex geometries where the accuracy attainable is limited by the conventional ISOCS templates. An ISOCS-based extended in-situ Gamma Spectrometry service tool has been developed, based on the so-called SuperISOCS (SISOCS) software. This tool was developed to generate the most complex geometries. The principle of geometry construction is based on the composition of 8 different primitive geometries. The primitive object is able to be cut and to change a part of an object. An object is able to overlap to another one to form a more complex object. These functions refine the modelled geometry compared to the real objects and decrease the measurement systematic error because they allow the mathematical model to represent the real-life geometry more faithfully through reducing the approximations and simplifications that need to be made The algorithm of SISOCS is the same as that of standard ISOCS. A set of calculations was done in comparison with MCNP efficiency calculation and SISOCS results. 80 different models were compared between SISOCS and MCNP, with added 30 cases compared between ISOCS and SISOCS. The average differences were less than 2%, for all energy's efficiency calculations. In this paper we illustrate the benefits that this new tool can provide, in terms of improved accuracy for complex realistic geometries, through simulation of some example scenarios. Furthermore, we demonstrate, through SISOCS modelling of the real object data test, the comparison between SISOCS to ISOCS calculations for the same geometry. This paper describes the added functions that are easily employed using SISOCS. Our results show the potential application and benefit of this technique for real waste assay projects and the way to integrate the tool into the waste assay systems. (authors)
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
Cyote Research Tool Library
The software is a library of individual proof-of-concept tools to be further developed in research efforts with partner utilities to detect indicators of Cyber Attacks within the Operational Technology Environments.
Wellman, LawrenceR.↗
A Rapid Decision Support Tool for Estimating Impacts of a Vadose Zone Volatile Organic Compound Source on Groundwater and Soil Gas
Diminishing rates of subsurface volatile contaminant removal by soil vapor extraction (SVE) oftentimes warrants an in‐depth performance assessment to guide remedy decision‐making processes. Such a performance assessment must include quantitative approaches to better understand the impact of remaining vadose zone contamination on soil gas and groundwater concentrations. The spreadsheet‐based Soil Vapor Extraction Endstate Tool (SVEET) software functionality has recently been expanded to facilitate quantitative performance assessments. The updated version, referred to as SVEET2, includes expansion of the input parameter ranges for describing a site (site geometry, source characteristics, etc.), an expanded list of contaminants, and incorporation of elements of the Vapor Intrusion Estimation Tool for Unsaturated‐zone Sources software to provide soil gas concentration estimates for use in vapor intrusion evaluation. As part of the update, SVEET2 was used to estimate the impact of a tetrachloroethene (PCE) vadose zone source on groundwater concentrations, comparing SVEET2 results to field‐observed values at an undisclosed site where SVE was recently terminated. PCE concentrations from three separate monitoring wells were estimated by SVEET2 to be within the range of 6.0–6.7 μg/L, as compared to actual field concentrations that ranged from 3 to 11 μg/L PCE. These data demonstrate that SVEET2 can rapidly provide representative quantitative estimates of impacts from a vadose zone contaminant source at field sites. Finally, in the context of the SVE performance assessment, such quantitative estimates provide a basis to support remedial and/or regulatory decisions regarding the continued need for vadose zone volatile organic compound remediation or technical justification for SVE termination, which can significantly reduce the cost to complete for a site.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Invited: Software defined accelerators from learning tools environment
Next generation systems, such as edge devices, will need to provide efficient processing of machine learning (ML) algorithms along several metrics, including energy, performance, area, and latency. However, the quickly evolving field of ML makes it extremely difficult to generate accelerators able to support a wide variety of algorithms. At the same time, designing accelerators in hardware description languages (HDLs) by hand is hard and time consuming, and does not allow quick exploration of the design space. In this paper we present the Software Defined Accelerators From Learning Tools Environment (SODALITE), an automated open source high-level ML framework-to-verilog compiler targeting ML Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) chiplets. The SODALITE approach will implement optimal designs by seamlessly combining custom components generated through high-level synthesis (HLS) with templated and fully tunable Intellectural Properties (IPs) and macros, integrated in an extendable resource library. Through a closed loop design space exploration engine, developers will be able to quickly explore their hardware designs along different dimensions.
High-Level Synthesis, Accelerators, Hardware-Softw↗
A Survey of Open-Source Tools for Transmission and Distribution Systems Research
This work presents a review of open-source electric power transmission and distribution systems analysis tools suitable for use by industry professionals and academic researchers. Due to the high complexity of the electric grid, there exist numerous tools and extensive research pertaining to nearly every aspect of the design, operation, and control of transmission and distribution networks. In addition to the commercial tools, a wide range of free, open-source tools, models, and data usable by the scientific community for related research have been developed by different organizations, including both international and US universities and national laboratories. However, due to the absence of a catalog of available tools, models and data, researchers often lack a knowledge of existing capabilities and may develop duplicative software and tools. Increasing awareness of these available resources seeks to accelerate their broader use, leading to more efficient and standardized grid analysis. This review paper (which is part of a larger survey effort that studied over 400 tools in the transmission, distribution, buildings, and electric vehicles space) outlines selected open-source resources that have been developed in power transmission and distribution systems research. It is anticipated that this work can serve as a guide for industry and academic researchers alike, ensuring that research efforts are well-channeled.
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
In-Water Data Acquisition Tool Supports Four Marine Energy Projects
The NREL-developed Modular Ocean Data Acquisition (MODAQ) system is built from open-source hardware and software. The tool can both collect and store data and even share curated information through the cloud. Marine energy developers can work with NREL's engineers to design their own customized MODAQ and capture high-quality field data to help monitor and improve their technology designs. For example, users could assess how much power their device produces at sea, analyze the durability of a specific device component, or even control their device from a desk halfway around the world.
data acquisition↗
NEML2 - THE NEW ENGINEERING MATERIAL MODEL LIBRARY, VERSION 2
SF-22-157 NEML2 is an extension of an earlier open source code developed at ANL (SF-xxxx) called NEML. These libraries provide tools for constructing and using models of engineering materials, with a focus on high temperature materials for nuclear reactor applications. The software include tools for setting up material models, calibrating models, storing models for later use in other simulations, and running simple "material point" simulations of the material behavior. The main difference between NEML and NEML2 is the new software has been complete restructured to run on GPUs and other accelerators in order to improve the performance of methods used to train constitutive models against data and to improve the performance of the final models in production environments, like finite element software. While over time we expect NEML2 to become more-or-less feature complete with NEML we are filing a new software disclosure because (1) the library has been complete restructured and (2) we want to host NEML2 in a separate repository.
MESSNER, MARK↗
AI ATAC 1: An Evaluation of Prominent Commercial Malware Detectors
This work presents an evaluation of six prominent commercial endpoint malware detectors, a network malware detector, and a file-conviction algorithm from a cyber technology vendor. The evaluation was administered as the first of the Artificial I ntelligence Applications t o Autonomous Cybersecurity (AI ATAC) prize challenges, funded by / completed in service of the US Navy. The experiment employed 100K files (50/50% benign/malicious) with a stratified distribution of file types, including ~1K zero-day program executables (increasing experiment size two orders of magnitude over previous work). We present an evaluation process of delivering a file to a fresh virtual machine donning the detection technology, waiting 90s to allow static detection, then executing the file and waiting another period for dynamic detection; this allows greater fidelity in the observational data than previous experiments, in particular, resource and time-to-detection statistics. To execute all 800K trials (100K files × 8 tools), a software framework is designed to choreograph the experiment into an automated, time-synced, and reproducible workflow with substantial parallelization. Software with base classes for this framework are provided. A cost-benefit model was configured to integrate the tools’ detection statistics into a comparable quantity by simulating costs of use. This provides a ranking methodology for cyber competitions and a lens for reasoning about the varied statistical results. The results provide insights on state of commercial malware detection.
Bridges, Robert↗
CheKiPEUQ
Parameter estimation for complex physical problems often suffers from finding 'solutions' that are not physically realistic. The CheKiPEUQ software provides tools for finding physically realistic parameter estimates.and CheKiPEUQ provide tools for making graphs of the parameter positions within parameter space as well as plots of the final simulation results. The primary purpose of the CheKiPEUQ software is to enable more physically realistic parameter estimation from comparing simulations to experiments. Specifically, when prior knowledge is available about the region of parameter space which is physically realistic and when the level of uncertainty from experiment can be estimated. The software is intentionally general and can be used for almost any type of simulation. The software is made in a user friendly manner so that users can simply enter the required data and then run the program, following guidelines provided by the authors along with some trial and error. Examples are provided. Users do not need to understand the methodology that will be namedi in the following sentences. While CheKiPEUQ can be used for conventional parameter estimation and other uses, the primary uses for CheKiPEUQ are: 1) Bayesian Parameter Estimation, 2) Bayesian Model Discrimination, 3) Bayesian Design of Experiments. For more information see the project website, documentation, examples, and related publications.
Savara, Aditya [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oa↗
PS3: The Pheno-Synthesis software suite for integration and analysis of multi-scale, multi-platform phenological data
Phenology is the study of recurring plant and animal life-cycle stages which can be observed across spatial and temporal scales that span orders of magnitude (e.g., organisms to landscapes). The variety of scales at which phenological processes operate is reflected in the range of methods for collecting phenologically relevant data, and the programs focused on these collections. Consideration of the scale at which phenological observations are made, and the platform used for observation, is critical for the interpretation of phenological data and the application of these data to both research questions and land management objectives. However, there is currently little capacity to facilitate access, integration and analysis of cross-scale, multi-platform phenological data. This paper reports on a new suite of software and analysis tools – the “Pheno-Synthesis Software Suite,” or PS3 – to facilitate integration and analysis of phenological and ancillary data, enabling investigation and interpretation of phenological processes at scales ranging from organisms to landscapes and from days to decades. We use PS3 to investigate phenological processes in a semi-aride, mixed shrub-grass ecosystem, and find that the apparent importance of seasonal precipitation to vegetation activity (i.e., “greenness”) is affected by the scale and platform of observation. We end by describing potential applications of PS3 to phenological modeling and forecasting, understanding patterns and drivers of phenological activity in real-world ecosystems, and supporting agricultural and natural resource management and decision-making.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
EDX ClaiMM
EDX ClaiMM is a centralized data & analytical platform designed to revolutionize U.S. critical minerals and materials (CMM) activities. By providing a robust digital infrastructure, ClaiMM will accelerate the combination, leveraging, and rapid utilization of vital data, advanced tools, and cutting-edge research advancements in CMM. This adaptive digital research hub connects the CMM community to essential knowledge products and offers access to interoperable datasets, databases, models, software, and tools from the National Energy Technology’s (NETL’s) Energy Data eXchange (EDX) and other authoritative sources, serving both public and private sectors. EDX ClaiMM delivers AI-informed solutions to address fundamental knowledge gaps and fosters the innovation of new techniques for enhanced characterization and recovery of CMMs within the U.S. By leveraging cloud-hosted, scalable digital infrastructure, ClaiMM meets public–private applied energy needs. It equips the CMM community with priority digital resources that harness on-site and cloud compute capabilities, enabling big data storage, advanced processing, analytics, and visualization.
Critical Materials; Critical Minerals; Rare Earth ↗
PIPES (Pipeline for Integrated Projects in Energy Systems) [SWR-24-89]
The Pipeline for Integrated Projects in Energy Systems (PIPES) is a comprehensive project, data, and workflow management tool designed for integrated modeling teams. PIPES facilitates the management of data requirements, tasks, and progress tracking, serving as a higher-level integration layer that works across various data and modeling software. This tool integrates models, data, and tools to perform large-scale, integrated analysis work at scale. PIPES is designed to streamline integrated modeling projects, enhance collaboration, and ensure the quality and efficiency of data management and workflow processes. https://github.com/nrel-pipes/pipes-api https://github.com/nrel-pipes/pipes-web https://github.com/nrel-pipes/nrel-pipes
Gu, Jianli↗
Pipeline for Integrated Projects in Energy Systems (PIPES): A Tool for Integrated System Planning [Slides]
The Pipeline for Integrated Projects in Energy Systems (PIPES) is a comprehensive project, data, and workflow management tool designed for integrated modeling teams. PIPES facilitates the management of data requirements, tasks, and progress tracking, serving as a higher-level integration layer that works across various data and modeling software. This tool integrates models, data, and tools to perform large-scale, integrated analysis work at scale. PIPES is designed to streamline integrated modeling projects, enhance collaboration, and ensure the quality and efficiency of data management and workflow processes. This presentation introduces PIPES a multi-model tool for integrated system planning; it describes the underlying architecture, deep dives into common user workflows, and outlines the upcoming development roadmap beyond its current alpha state.
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
Advanced Transmission Technologies – GETs and HPCs Session 2: Advanced Power Flow Control and Transmission Topology Optimization
The INL TADA GETs Cohort Session 2, held on November 7, 2025, conducted in collaboration with ScottMadden, focused on two core Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs): Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC) and Transmission Topology Optimization (TTO). These technologies are pivotal in enhancing grid flexibility, reliability, and cybersecurity resilience. APFC, particularly through modular FACTS devices like Modular Static Synchronous Series Compensators (M-SSSCs), enables dynamic voltage injection to reroute power flows. The session highlighted the deployment benefits of APFC, such as rapid installation, minimal civil works, and re-deployability. Regulatory drivers like FERC Order 2023 mandate the inclusion of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) in interconnection studies. Case studies from Central Hudson, CAISO, and National Grid (UK) demonstrated APFC’s effectiveness in congestion relief and cost savings. The session also addressed cybersecurity concerns, including firmware vulnerabilities, SCADA integration risks, and supply chain dependencies. Participants engaged in interactive exercises to rank cybersecurity and supply chain risks, emphasizing the need for robust digital assurance strategies. TTO involves software-based reconfiguration of transmission networks to optimize power flow without new infrastructure. The session showcased its operational value, with examples from SPP, PJM, and MISO showing significant congestion cost reductions. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities were discussed, particularly in API security and software supply chains, referencing incidents like SolarWinds and attacks on Danish utilities. Digital assurance exercises explored worst-case scenarios, attack paths, and mitigation responsibilities between vendors and utilities. Reliability challenges such as algorithm stability, vendor dependency, and operator trust were also examined. Cross-cutting themes emphasized the importance of digital assurance tools, including Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) and hardware-in-loop testing. Human performance, training, and operational confidence were identified as critical enablers of technology adoption. The session concluded with a preview of Session 3, which will focus on High Performance Conductors (HPCs) and risk-based cybersecurity tools. Session 2 of 3.
24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
URC Assessment Method
This tool evaluates the potential occurrence of URC resources using a series of validated heuristics as outlined in "Creason, C.G., Justman, D., Rose, K. et al. A Geo-Data Science Method for Assessing Unconventional Rare-Earth Element Resources in Sedimentary Systems. Nat Resour Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-023-10163-x"
Critical Minerals↗