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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Shocks in the stacked Sunyaev-Zel’dovich profiles of clusters II: Measurements from SPT-SZ + Planck Compton- y map

ABSTRACT We search for the signature of cosmological shocks in stacked gas pressure profiles of galaxy clusters using data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Specifically, we stack the latest Compton-y maps from the 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ survey on the locations of clusters identified in that same data set. The sample contains 516 clusters with mean mass $\langle M_{\rm 200m}\rangle = 10^{14.9} \, {\rm M}_\odot$ and redshift 〈z〉 = 0.55. We analyse in parallel a set of zoom-in hydrodynamical simulations from the three hundred project. The SPT-SZ data show two features: (i) a pressure deficit at R/R200m = 1.08 ± 0.09, measured at 3.1σ significance and not observed in the simulations, and; (ii) a sharp decrease in pressure at R/R200m = 4.58 ± 1.24 at 2.0σ significance. The pressure deficit is qualitatively consistent with a shock-induced thermal non-equilibrium between electrons and ions, and the second feature is consistent with accretion shocks seen in previous studies. We split the cluster sample by redshift and mass, and find both features exist in all cases. There are also no significant differences in features along and across the cluster major axis, whose orientation roughly points towards filamentary structure. As a consistency test, we also analyse clusters from the Planck and Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarimeter surveys and find quantitatively similar features in the pressure profiles. Finally, we compare the accretion shock radius ($R_{\rm sh,\, acc}$) with existing measurements of the splashback radius (Rsp) for SPT-SZ and constrain the lower limit of the ratio, $R_{\rm sh,\, acc}/R_{\rm sp}\gt 2.16 \pm 0.59$.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spectroscopic search for optical emission lines from dark matter decay

We search for narrow-line optical emission from dark matter decay by stacking dark-sky spectra from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at the redshift of nearby galaxies from DESI’s Bright Galaxy and Luminous Red Galaxy samples. Our search uses regions separated by 5 to 20 arcsec from the centers of the galaxies, corresponding to an impact parameter of approximately 50 kpc. No unidentified spectral line shows up in the search, and we place a line flux limit of 10 −19 ergs/s/cm 2 /arcsec 2 on emissions in the wavelength range of 2000–9000⁢ Å. This places the tightest constraints yet on the two-photon decay of dark matter in the mass range of 5 to 12 eV, with a particle lifetime exceeding 3 × 10 25 s. Furthermore, this detection limit also implies that the line surface brightness contributed from all dark matter along the line of sight is at least 2 orders of magnitude lower than the measured extragalactic background light (EBL), ruling out the possibility that narrow optical-line emission from dark matter decay is a major source of the EBL.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Deformation Behavior and TExture Evolution of Steel Alloys under Axial-Torsional Loading

Using hollow cylinder samples with suitable geometry obtained from round bar stock, the deformation behavior of bcc Fe based 12L14 steel alloy is evaluated under multi-axial conditions. A stacked strain gage rosette and extensometer mounted on the cylindrical surface at the mid height of the specimen provided strain tensor as a function of applied stress for pure tensile and torsion tests prior to yielding. This study examines elastic and yield behavior and effects of these with respect to texture evolution. Hollow cylinder specimen geometry (tubes) with small wall thickness and relatively (to its thickness) large inner diameter is used. The variation of observed yield surface in deviatoric plane and the effect on mode of deformation (tension versus torsion versus its combination) on stress-strain behavior is discussed. Bulk texture was studied using neutron time-of-flight diffractometer at High-Pressure-Preferred Orientation (HIPPO) - Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) instrument and the evolution of texture and related anisotropy for pure tension versus torsion are also included.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Anisotropic Circular Dichroism Signatures of Oriented Thylakoid Membranes and Lamellar Aggregates of LHCII

In photosynthesis research, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is an indispensable tool to probe molecular architecture at virtually all levels of structural complexity. At the molecular level, the chirality of the molecule results in intrinsic CD; pigment-pigment interactions in protein complexes and small aggregates can give rise to excitonic CD bands, while 'psi-type' CD signals originate from large, densely packed chiral aggregates. It has been well established that anisotropic CD (ACD), measured on samples with defined non-random orientation relative to the propagation of the measuring beam, carries specific information on the architecture of molecules or molecular macroassemblies. However, ACD is usually combined with linear dichroism and can be distorted by instrumental imperfections, which given the strong anisotropic nature of photosynthetic membranes and complexes, might be the reason why ACD is rarely studied in photosynthesis research. In this study, we present ACD spectra, corrected for linear dichroism, of isolated intact thylakoid membranes of granal chloroplasts, washed unstacked thylakoid membranes, photosystem II (PSII) membranes (BBY particles), grana patches, and tightly stacked lamellar macroaggregates of the main light-harvesting complex of PSII (LHCII). We show that the ACD spectra of face- and edge-aligned stacked thylakoid membranes and LHCII lamellae exhibit profound differences in their psi-type CD bands. Marked differences are also seen in the excitonic CD of BBY and washed thylakoid membranes. Magnetic CD (MCD) spectra on random and aligned samples, and the largely invariable nature of the MCD spectra, despite dramatic variations in the measured isotropic and anisotropic CD, testify that ACD can be measured without substantial distortions and thus employed to extract detailed information on the (supra)molecular organization of photosynthetic complexes. An example is provided showing the ability of CD data to indicate such an organization, leading to the discovery of a novel crystalline structure in macroaggregates of LHCII.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2011

Anisotropic Circular Dichroism Signatures of Oriented Thylakoid Membranes and Lamellar Aggregates of LHCII

In photosynthesis research, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is an indispensable tool to probe molecular architecture at virtually all levels of structural complexity. At the molecular level, the chirality of the molecule results in intrinsic CD; pigment-pigment interactions in protein complexes and small aggregates can give rise to excitonic CD bands, while 'psi-type' CD signals originate from large, densely packed chiral aggregates. It has been well established that anisotropic CD (ACD), measured on samples with defined non-random orientation relative to the propagation of the measuring beam, carries specific information on the architecture of molecules or molecular macroassemblies. However, ACD is usually combined with linear dichroism and can be distorted by instrumental imperfections, which given the strong anisotropic nature of photosynthetic membranes and complexes, might be the reason why ACD is rarely studied in photosynthesis research. In this study, we present ACD spectra, corrected for linear dichroism, of isolated intact thylakoid membranes of granal chloroplasts, washed unstacked thylakoid membranes, photosystem II (PSII) membranes (BBY particles), grana patches, and tightly stacked lamellar macroaggregates of the main light-harvesting complex of PSII (LHCII). We show that the ACD spectra of face- and edge-aligned stacked thylakoid membranes and LHCII lamellae exhibit profound differences in their psi-type CD bands. Marked differences are also seen in the excitonic CD of BBY and washed thylakoid membranes. Magnetic CD (MCD) spectra on random and aligned samples, and the largely invariable nature of the MCD spectra, despite dramatic variations in the measured isotropic and anisotropic CD, testify that ACD can be measured without substantial distortions and thus employed to extract detailed information on the (supra)molecular organization of photosynthetic complexes. An example is provided showing the ability of CD data to indicate such an organization, leading to the discovery of a novel crystalline structure in macroaggregates of LHCII.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Layer size polydispersity in hydrated montmorillonite creates multiscale porosity networks

The aluminosilicate layers of the swelling clay mineral montmorillonite, and the saturated pores they delineate, control the mechanical properties and the transport of solutes in many natural and engineered environments. However, the structural basis of montmorillonite porosity remains poorly characterized due to the difficulty in visualizing hydrated samples in their native state. Here in this paper, we used cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and cryo electron tomography (cryo-ET) to show that stacking defects within minimally altered, fully hydrated montmorillonite particles define multiscale porosity networks. Variations in layer lateral dimensions over tens to thousands of nanometers cause a range of topological and dynamic defects that generate pervasive curvature and introduce previously uncharacterized solute transport pathways. Observations of long-range rotational order between neighboring layers indicate that the layer-layer interactions that govern clay swelling involve three dimensional orienting forces that operate across nanoscale pores. These direct observations of the hierarchical structure of hydrated montmorillonite pore networks with nanoscale resolution reveal potentially general aspects of colloidal interactions in fluid-saturated clay minerals.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy studies on layered Li{sub 2−δ}(Mn{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}){sub 1+δ}O{sub 3}

The structure of Li{sub 2}MnO{sub 3}–LiCoO{sub 2} solid solutions or Li{sub 2−δ}(Mn{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}){sub 1+δ}O{sub 3} (LMCO) which are promising lithium-battery cathodes was studied by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that Li{sub 1.6}Mn{sub 0.2}Co{sub 1.2}O{sub 3} and Li{sub 1.7}Mn{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.9}O{sub 3} take a rhombohedral (R3-bar m space group) structure, whereas Li{sub 1.85}Mn{sub 0.7}Co{sub 0.45}O{sub 3} and Li{sub 1.95}Mn{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.15}O{sub 3} take a monoclinic (C2/m) superstructure. HREM studies on those samples reveal that all of the observed crystallites in sample Li{sub 1.95}Mn{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.15}O{sub 3} contain sharp stripe structures due to the planar defects along the c{sub h}-axis (stacking direction of the hexagonal close-packed planes) of parent rhombohedral R3-bar m cell. Such stripe structures become faint with increasing x, Co content. The origin of the planar defects is mainly attributed not to the different structures but to the different local orientations of the monoclinic LMCO. Local disordering of Li and (Mn,Co) in (Li,Mn,Co) planes is developed with increasing x and the structures are transformed from C2/m to R3-bar m. The alternative (Li,Mn,Co)-plane stacking structure, trigonal P3{sub 1}12 LMCO, was occasionally observed. However, only P3{sub 1}12 LMCO platelets with a thickness of a single unit cell were detected. - Graphical abstract: An HREM image for Li{sub 1.95}(Mn{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.15})O{sub 3} and schematic drawings of C2/m and P3{sub 1}12 Li{sub 2}MnO{sub 3} projected along the various zone axes. Each projected unit cell is indicated by rectangles and parallelograms . - Highlights: • Li{sub 2−δ}(Mn{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}){sub 1+δ}O{sub 3} was studied by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). • HREM studies revealed a large amount of planar defects in C2/m Li{sub 1.95}Mn{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.15}O{sub 3}. • The origin of the defects is the different local orientations of the C2/m platelets. • P3{sub 1}12 platelets with only single unit cell sequence were detected.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

UPPER LIMITS FROM FIVE YEARS OF BLAZAR OBSERVATIONS WITH THE VERITAS CHERENKOV TELESCOPES

Between the beginning of its full-scale scientific operations in 2007 and 2012, the VERITAS Cherenkov telescope array observed more than 130 blazars; of these, 26 were detected as very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ -ray sources. In this work, we present the analysis results of a sample of 114 undetected objects. The observations constitute a total live-time of ∼570 hr. The sample includes several unidentified Fermi -Large Area Telescope (LAT) sources (located at high Galactic latitude) as well as all the sources from the second Fermi -LAT catalog that are contained within the field of view of the VERITAS observations. We have also performed optical spectroscopy measurements in order to estimate the redshift of some of these blazars that do not have spectroscopic distance estimates. We present new optical spectra from the Kast instrument on the Shane telescope at the Lick observatory for 18 blazars included in this work, which allowed for the successful measurement or constraint on the redshift of four of them. For each of the blazars included in our sample, we provide the flux upper limit in the VERITAS energy band. We also study the properties of the significance distributions and we present the result of a stacked analysis of the data set, which shows a 4 σ excess.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Machine learning-assisted upscaling analysis of reservoir rock core properties based on micro-computed tomography imagery

Optimum solutions for geologic modeling and reservoir simulation in industries such as oil and gas recovery and carbon capture and storage require accurate characterization of reservoir properties, which are often heterogeneous. In this study, high-quality micro-computed tomography (CT) images (1.475-μm/pixel resolution) of a sandstone core acquired from the Bell Creek oil field, USA, were used to provide nondestructive analysis of pore- and core-scale heterogeneity across measurement scales of 94–566 μm. In addition to characterizing the as-received sample, the core sample was flooded with brine to evaluate the capacity of the core sample to receive injected fluids. The micro-CT images were systematically segmented into pore spaces and grains via machine learning (ML) steps including image preprocessing, label creation using a traditional ML method based on limited manual image annotation, and finally U-Net segmentation. The segmented image stacks were reconstructed into digital cubes of various scales of voxel lengths. The 3D porosity values were calculated for all the digital cubes, and the fractal dimensions of the cubes were estimated using a box-counting method. The results showed that smaller cubes had greater heterogeneity and that the porosity values could be accurately estimated by fractal dimension and voxel lengths using ML models. For the core sample with brine flooding, the ratio of pores filled by brine to the total pore space was related to the porosity and could also be accurately estimated by porosity, fractal dimension, and voxel lengths using ML models. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that the concept of fractal dimension can be a useful vector to perform upscaling analysis of sandstone rock heterogeneity from the pore to core scale and that fractal dimensions can be used to estimate porosity values and pore space-filling capacity across those scales.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

3rd harmonic magnetometry assessment of NbTiN-based SIS structures

In the quest for alternative superconducting materials to bring accelerator cavity performance beyond the bulk niobium (Nb) intrinsic limits, a promising concept proposes that superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) thin film structures can delay magnetic flux penetration in accelerator cavities to higher fields [1]. NbTiN is a candidate superconductor for such structures. We have demonstrated high quality NbTiN and AlN deposited by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS), both for individual layers and multilayers. Interface quality has been assessed for bi-layer stacks with various NbTiN and AlN thicknesses from 500 and 30 nm down to 3 and 1 nm. These SIS structures show continued sharp interfaces. The Hfp enhancement of the films was examined with 3rd harmonic magnetometry. The system was designed and built in an ongoing collaboration with CEA Saclay. It can measure 1? to 2? samples on a temperature controlled stage. This contribution presents the assessment of the first penetration field enhancement with 3rd harmonic magnetometry for standalone films and multilayer nanostructures.

Valente, Anne-Marie↗
DOE OSTI2023

Improving the accuracy of freight mode choice models: A case study using the 2017 CFS PUF data set and ensemble learning techniques

Here, the US Census Bureau has collected two rounds of experimental data from the Commodity Flow Survey, providing shipment-level characteristics of nationwide commodity movements, published in 2012 (i.e., Public Use Microdata) and in 2017 (i.e., Public Use File). With this information, data-driven methods have become increasingly valuable for understanding detailed patterns in freight logistics. In this study, we used the 2017 Commodity Flow Survey Public Use File data set to explore building a high-performance freight mode choice model, considering three main improvements: (1) constructing local models for each separate commodity/industry category; (2) extracting useful geographical features, particularly the derived distance of each freight mode between origin/destination zones; and (3) applying additional ensemble learning methods such as stacking or voting to combine results from local and unified models for improved performance. The proposed method achieved over 92% accuracy without incorporating external information, an over 19% increase compared to directly fitting Random Forests models over 10,000 samples. Furthermore, SHAP (Shapely Additive Explanations) values were computed to explain the outputs and major patterns obtained from the proposed model. The model framework could enhance the performance and interpretability of existing freight mode choice models.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE X-RAY STAR FORMATION STORY AS TOLD BY LYMAN BREAK GALAXIES IN THE 4 Ms CDF-S

We present results from deep X-ray stacking of >4000 high-redshift galaxies from z Almost-Equal-To 1 to 8 using the 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field-South data, the deepest X-ray survey of the extragalactic sky to date. The galaxy samples were selected using the Lyman break technique based primarily on recent Hubble Space Telescope ACS and WFC3 observations. Based on such high specific star formation rates (sSFRs): log SFR/M {sub *} > -8.7, we expect that the observed properties of these Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) are dominated by young stellar populations. The X-ray emission in LBGs, eliminating individually detected X-ray sources (potential active galactic nucleus), is expected to be powered by X-ray binaries and hot gas. We find, for the first time, evidence of evolution in the X-ray/SFR relation. Based on X-ray stacking analyses for z < 4 LBGs (covering {approx}90% of the universe's history), we find that the 2-10 keV X-ray luminosity evolves weakly with redshift (z) and SFR as log L {sub X} = 0.93log (1 + z) + 0.65log SFR + 39.80. By comparing our observations with sophisticated X-ray binary population synthesis models, we interpret that the redshift evolution of L {sub X}/SFR is driven by metallicity evolution in high mass X-ray binaries, likely the dominant population in these high sSFR galaxies. We also compare these models with our observations of X-ray luminosity density (total 2-10 keV luminosity per Mpc{sup 3}) and find excellent agreement. While there are no significant stacked detections at z {approx}> 5, we use our upper limits from 5 {approx}< z {approx}< 8 LBGs to constrain the supermassive black hole accretion history of the universe around the epoch of reionization.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

The mass profiles of dwarf galaxies from Dark Energy Survey lensing

We present a novel approach to extracting dwarf galaxies from photometric data to measure their average halo mass profile with weak lensing. We characterize their stellar mass and redshift distributions with a spectroscopic calibration sample. By combining the ${\sim} 5000\,\mathrm{deg}^2$ multiband photometry from the Dark Energy Survey and redshifts from the Satellites Around Galactic Analogs Survey with an unsupervised machine learning method, we select a low-mass galaxy sample spanning redshifts $z\lt 0.3$ and divide it into three mass bins. From low to high median mass, the bins contain [146 420, 330 146, 275 028] galaxies and have median stellar masses of $\log _{10}(M_*/\text{M}_\odot)=\left[8.52\substack{+0.57 -0.76},\, 9.02\substack{+0.50 -0.64},\, 9.49\substack{+0.50 -0.58}\right]$ . We measure the stacked excess surface mass density profiles, $\Delta \Sigma (R)$, of these galaxies using galaxy–galaxy lensing with a signal-to-noise ratio of [14, 23, 28]. Through a simulation-based forward-modelling approach, we fit the measurements to constrain the stellar-to-halo mass relation and find the median halo mass of these samples to be $\log _{10}(M_{\rm halo}/\text{M}_\odot)$ = [$10.67\substack{+0.2 -0.4}$, $11.01\substack{+0.14 -0.27}$, $11.40\substack{+0.08 -0.15}$]. The cold dark matter profiles are consistent with NFW (Navarro, Frenk, and White) profiles over scales ${\lesssim} 0.15 \, {h}^{-1}$ Mpc. We find that ${\sim} 20$ per cent of the dwarf galaxy sample are satellites. This is the first measurement of the halo profiles and masses of such a comprehensive, low-mass galaxy sample. The techniques presented here pave the way for extracting and analysing even lower mass dwarf galaxies and for more finely splitting galaxies by their properties with future photometric and spectroscopic survey data.

dark matter↗
DOE OSTI2014

CANDIDATE CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES AT z > 1.3 IDENTIFIED IN THE SPITZER SOUTH POLE TELESCOPE DEEP FIELD SURVEY

We present 279 galaxy cluster candidates at z > 1.3 selected from the 94 deg{sup 2} Spitzer South Pole Telescope Deep Field (SSDF) survey. We use a simple algorithm to select candidate high-redshift clusters of galaxies based on Spitzer/IRAC mid-infrared data combined with shallow all-sky optical data. We identify distant cluster candidates adopting an overdensity threshold that results in a high purity (80%) cluster sample based on tests in the Spitzer Deep, Wide-Field Survey of the Boötes field. Our simple algorithm detects all three 1.4 < z ≤ 1.75 X-ray detected clusters in the Boötes field. The uniqueness of the SSDF survey resides not just in its area, one of the largest contiguous extragalactic fields observed with Spitzer, but also in its deep, multi-wavelength coverage by the South Pole Telescope (SPT), Herschel/SPIRE, and XMM-Newton. This rich data set will allow direct or stacked measurements of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect decrements or X-ray masses for many of the SSDF clusters presented here, and enable a systematic study of the most distant clusters on an unprecedented scale. We measure the angular correlation function of our sample and find that these candidates show strong clustering. Employing the COSMOS/UltraVista photometric catalog in order to infer the redshift distribution of our cluster selection, we find that these clusters have a comoving number density n{sub c}=(0.7{sub −0.6}{sup +6.3})×10{sup −7} h{sup 3} Mpc{sup −3} and a spatial clustering correlation scale length r {sub 0} = (32 ± 7) h {sup –1} Mpc. Assuming our sample is comprised of dark matter halos above a characteristic minimum mass, M {sub min}, we derive that at z = 1.5 these clusters reside in halos larger than M{sub min}=1.5{sub −0.7}{sup +0.9}×10{sup 14} h{sup −1} M{sub ⊙}. We find that the mean mass of our cluster sample is equal to M{sub mean}=1.9{sub −0.8}{sup +1.0}×10{sup 14} h{sup −1} M{sub ⊙}; thus, our sample contains the progenitors of present-day massive galaxy clusters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The properties of Lyα nebulae: gas kinematics from nonresonant lines

With the Very Large Telescope/X-shooter, we obtain optical and near-infrared spectra of six Lyα blobs at z ∼ 2.3. For a total sample of eight Lyα blobs (including two that we have previously studied), the majority (6/8) have broadened Lyα profiles with shapes ranging from a single peak to symmetric or asymmetric double-peaked. The remaining two systems, in which the Lyα profile is not significantly broader than the [O III] or Hα emission lines, have the most spatially compact Lyα emission, the smallest offset between the Lyα and the [O III] or Hα line velocities, and the only detected C IV and He II lines in the sample, implying that a hard ionizing source, possibly an active galactic nucleus (AGN), is responsible for their lower optical depth. Using three measures—the velocity offset between the Lyα line and the nonresonant [O III] or Hα line (Δv {sub Lyα}), the offset of stacked interstellar metal absorption lines, and a new indicator, the spectrally resolved [O III] line profile—we study the kinematics of gas along the line of sight to galaxies within each blob center. These three indicators generally agree in velocity and direction and are consistent with a simple picture in which the gas is stationary or slowly outflowing at a few hundred km s{sup –1} from the embedded galaxies. The absence of stronger outflows is not a projection effect: the covering fraction for our sample is limited to <1/8 (13%). The outflow velocities exclude models in which star formation or AGNs produce 'super-' or 'hyper' winds of up to ∼1000 km s{sup –1}. The Δv {sub Lyα} offsets here are smaller than typical of Lyman break galaxies but similar to those of compact Lyα emitters (LAEs). The latter suggests a connection between blob galaxies and LAEs and that outflow speed cannot be a dominant factor in driving extended Lyα emission. For one Lyα blob (CDFS-LAB14), whose Lyα profile and metal absorption line offsets suggest no significant bulk motion, we use a simple radiative transfer model to make the first column density measurement of gas in an embedded galaxy, finding it consistent with a damped Lyα absorption system. Overall, the absence of clear inflow signatures suggests that the channeling of gravitational cooling radiation into Lyα is not significant over the radii probed here. However, one peculiar system (CDFS-LAB10) has a blueshifted Lyα component that is not obviously associated with any galaxy, suggesting either displaced gas arising from tidal interactions among blob galaxies or gas flowing into the blob center. The former is expected in these overdense regions where Hubble Space Telescope images resolve many galaxies. The latter might signify the predicted but elusive cold gas accretion along filaments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

AMICE2 measurements of lab-generated and ambient aerosols at BNL from 2025-07-21 to 2025-08-22

From July 21 through August 22, 2025 the Absorption Measurement Inter-Comparison Experiment phase 2 (AMICE2) was conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The experiment included concurrent operation of several filter-based instruments and in situ instruments sampling from a common sample line. The common sample line provided all instruments with either lab-generated aerosols composed of external mixtures of nigrosin, cabojet, and ammonium sulfate, or with ambient aerosol drawn through an external stack. This data set contains measurements from the CAPS PMssa instrument taken as a reference instrument at 532 nm and against which the effectiveness of the filter corrections may be assessed. It also contains attenuation coefficients from all filter-based instruments and filter transmittances in order to permit correction for filter loading, and the SSA and COA to permit corrections for aerosol darkness. Finally, two sets of multiplicative corrections are provided for the AE-33, TAP, and MA-350 instruments: the first one, Corr1, corrects for filter amplification factor and loading, the second one, Corr2, corrects for the aerosol darkness in terms of the natural log of COA.

Aerosol Extinction↗
DOE OSTI2014

Subtask 4.27 - Evaluation of the Multielement Sorbent Trap (MEST) Method at an Illinois Coal-Fired Plant

Owners of fossil fuel-fired power plants face the challenge of measuring stack emissions of trace metals and acid gases at much lower levels than in the past as a result of increasingly stringent regulations. In the United States, the current reference methods for trace metals and halogens are wet-chemistry methods, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Methods 29 and 26 or 26A, respectively. As a possible alternative to the EPA methods, the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has developed a novel multielement sorbent trap (MEST) method to be used to sample for trace elements and/or halogens. Sorbent traps offer a potentially advantageous alternative to the existing sampling methods, as they are simpler to use and do not require expensive, breakable glassware or handling and shipping of hazardous reagents. Field tests comparing two sorbent trap applications (MEST-H for hydrochloric acid and MEST-M for trace metals) with the reference methods were conducted at two power plant units fueled by Illinois Basin bituminous coal. For hydrochloric acid, MEST measured concentrations comparable to EPA Method 26A at two power plant units, one with and one without a wet flue gas desulfurization scrubber. MEST-H provided lower detection limits for hydrochloric acid than the reference method. Results from a dry stack unit had better comparability between methods than results from a wet stack unit. This result was attributed to the very low emissions in the latter unit, as well as the difficulty of sampling in a saturated flue gas. Based on these results, the MEST-H sorbent traps appear to be a good candidate to serve as an alternative to Method 26A (or 26). For metals, the MEST trap gave lower detection limits compared to EPA Method 29 and produced comparable data for antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cobalt, manganese, selenium, and mercury for most test runs. However, the sorbent material produced elevated blanks for cadmium, nickel, lead, and chromium at levels that would interfere with accurate measurement at U.S. hazardous air pollutant emission limits for existing coal-fired power plant units. Longer sampling times employed during this test program did appear to improve comparative results for these metals. Although the sorbent contribution to the sample was reduced through improved trap design, additional research is still needed to explore lower-background materials before the MEST-M application can be considered as a potential alternative method for all of the trace metals. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the Electric Power Research Institute, the Illinois Clean Coal Institute, Southern Illinois Power Company, and the Center for Air Toxic Metals Affiliates Program.

Pavlish, John↗