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At least 523 records · Page 29

Determining the impacts of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on cerebral oxygenation using a one-dimensional blood flow simulator

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a mechanical system that provides rapid and short-term support for patients with cardiac failure. In many patients, pulmonary function is also impaired, resulting in poorly-oxygenated cardiac outflow competing against well-oxygenated VA-ECMO outflow, a condition known as North-South syndrome. North-South syndrome is a primary concern because of its potential to cause cerebral hypoxia, which has a critical influence on neurological complications often seen in this patient population. In order to reduce ischemic neurological complications, it is important to understand how clinical decisions regarding VA-ECMO parameters influence blood oxygenation. In our work, we studied the impacts of flow rate and cannulation site on oxygenation using a one-dimensional (1D) model to simulate blood flow. Our model was initially tested by comparing blood flow results to those observed from experimental work in VA-ECMO patients. The 1D model was combined with a two-phase flow model to simulate oxygenation. Additionally, the influence of various other clinician-tunable parameters on oxygenation in the common carotid arteries (CCAs) were tested, including, blood viscosity, cannula position within the insertion artery, heart rate, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR), as well as geometrical changes such as arterial radius and length. Our results indicated that blood oxygenation to the brain strongly depended on the cannula insertion site and the VA-ECMO flow rate with a weaker but potentially significant dependence on arterial radius. During femoral cannulation, VA-ECMO flow rates greater than ~4.9 L/min were needed to perfuse the CCAs. However, axillary and central cannulation began to perfuse the CCAs at significantly lower flow (~1 L/min). These results may help explain the incidence of cerebral hypoxia in this patient population and the common need to change cannulation strategies during treatment to address this clinical problem. While this work describes patient-averaged results, determining these relationships between VA-ECMO parameters and cerebral hypoxia is an important step towards future work to develop patient-specific models that clinicians can use to improve outcomes.

1D blood flow↗

Lower limits for non-radiative recombination loss in organic donor/acceptor complexes

Understanding the factors controlling radiative and non-radiative transition rates for charge transfer states in organic systems is important for applications ranging from organic photovoltaics (OPV) to lasers and LEDs. Here we explore the role of charge-transfer (CT) energetics, lifetimes, and photovoltaic properties in the limit of very slow non-radiative rates by using a model donor/acceptor system with photoluminescence dominated by thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). This blend exhibits an extremely high photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQY = ~22%) and comparatively long PL lifetime, while simultaneously yielding appreciable amounts of free charge generation (photocurrent external quantum efficiency EQE of 24%). In solar cells, this blend exhibits non-radiative voltage losses of only ~0.1 V, among the lowest reported for an organic system. Notably, we find that the non-radiative decay rate, k nr , is on the order of 10 5 s -1 , approximately 4–5 orders of magnitude slower than typical OPV blends, thereby confirming that high radiative efficiency and low non-radiative voltage losses are achievable by reducing k nr . Furthermore, despite the high radiative efficiency and already comparatively slow k nr , we find that k nr is nevertheless much faster than predicted by Marcus–Levich–Jortner two-state theory and we conclude that CT-local exciton (LE) hybridization is present. Our findings highlight that it is crucial to evaluate how radiative and non-radiative rates of the LE states individually influence the PLQY of charge-transfer states, rather than solely focusing on the PLQY of the LE. This conclusion will guide material selection in achieving low non-radiative voltage loss in organic solar cells and high luminescence efficiency in organic LEDs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Morphology and chemical behavior of model CsO x /Cu 2 O/Cu(111) nanocatalysts for methanol synthesis: Reaction with CO 2 and H 2

Cs is a promoter of Cu-based catalysts for the synthesis of alcohols from CO 2 hydrogenation. Scanning tunneling microscopy and ambient-pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the morphology and chemical properties of surfaces generated by the deposition of cesium on Cu 2 O/Cu(111) and Cu(111) substrates. CsO x nanostructures were formed after Cs metal was deposited on Cu 2 O/Cu(111) at 300 K. The formed CsO x protrude over the surface of copper oxide by 2–4 Å, with the dimension at the base of the nanostructures being in the range of 1–3 nm. Heating to elevated temperature induced significant changes in the size and dispersion of the CsO x nanostructures, and there was a clear reconstruction of the copper oxide substrate, which then exhibited long range order with a hexagonally packed structure. The as-deposited and annealed surfaces of CsO x /Cu 2 O/Cu(111) were more reactive toward CO 2 than plain Cu 2 O/Cu(111) or clean Cu(111). Yet, none of them were stable in the presence of H 2 , which fully reduced the copper oxide at 400–450 K. In CsO x /Cu(111), the CsO x nanoclusters were dispersed all over the metallic copper in no particular order. The CsO x species had an average width of 2 nm and ~1 Å height. The CsO x /Cu(111) systems exhibited the highest activity for the binding and dissociation of CO 2 , indicating that the CsO x -copper interface plays a key role in alcohol synthesis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A generalized wind turbine cross section as a reduced-order model to gain insights in blade aeroelastic challenges

In this work, we present an approach to study the aeroelastic stability of a wind turbine by focusing on the dynamics of a blade cross section. We present a methodology to obtain a reduced-order model of the blade dynamics in the form of generalized cross-sectional quantities that approximates the aerodynamic and structural properties of the full blade. The motivation for the work is to gain a physical understanding of the influence of aerodynamic models such as dynamic wake and dynamic stall on the frequency and damping of the structure using a reduced-order model with low computational cost. The model may be coupled to two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics softwares or engineering unsteady airfoil aerodynamics models accounting for dynamic wake and dynamic stall. In the latter case, we can obtain monolithic state-space forms of the aeroelastic system of equations, which simplifies the determination of the modal parameters and therefore the study of stability. The work investigates wind turbines in operation or at standstill, where vortex-induced vibrations and stall-induced vibrations, respectively, might be an issue. The implementation is made available as part of the open-source Python package WELIB and as part of the open-source unsteady aerodynamic driver of OpenFAST.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

5G Enabled Energy Innovation: Advanced Wireless Networks for Science (Workshop Report)

Rapidly expanding, new telecommunications infrastructure based on 5G technologies will disrupt and transform how we design, build, operate, and optimize scientific infrastructure and the experiments and services enabled by that infrastructure, from continental-scale sensor networks to centralized scientific user facilities, from intelligent Internet of Things devices to supercomputers. Concurrently, 5G will introduce, or exacerbate, challenges related to protecting infrastructure and associated scientific data as well as to fully leveraging opportunities related to expanded infrastructure scale and complexity. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science operates scientific infrastructure, supporting some of the nation’s most advanced intellectual discoveries, spanning the country and including 30 world-class user facilities from supercomputers to accelerators. Along with field experiments and remote observatories, every aspect of DOE’s scientific enterprise will be affected by 5G, which amounts to a complete renovation of the underpinnings of the nation’s information infrastructure. In this report we explore the scientific opportunities and new research challenges associated with 5G, ranging from scalability to heterogeneity to cybersecurity. The rapid commercial deployment of 5G opens the opportunity to rethink and reinvent DOE’s scientific infrastructure and experimentation, from intelligent sensor networks at unprecedented scales to a digital continuum of cyberinfrastructure spanning low-power sensors, high-performance computing embedded within and at the edge of the network, and DOE’s large-scale user instrument and computing facilities. New programming paradigms, workflow and data frameworks, and AI-based system design, operation, and autonomous adaptation and optimization will be necessary in order to exploit these new opportunities. Field deployments and centralized scientific instruments can also be revolutionized, moving (without traditional performance penalties) from wired to wireless connectivity for data and control systems, improving flexibility, and opening new sensing modalities, including the use of the 5G electromagnetic spectrum itself as an environmental probe. For DOE science, in contrast to commercial 5G applications and settings, devices will be deployed in extreme environments such as cryogenically cooled instrument control systems and in remote settings with harsh conditions, requiring the design of new materials for RF communication and edge processing to operate in these regimes. Concurrently, 5G infrastructure comprises both hardware and sophisticated software systems - currently closed and proprietary. The cybersecurity challenges to 5G-empowered reinvention mirror the complexity and variety of new 5G features, from virtualization to private network slices to ubiquitous access. Research is also needed in order to accelerate the development of secure and open 5G software infrastructure, reducing reliance on hardware and software produced outside the United States and providing the transparency and rigorous evaluation and testing afforded through open software. Twelve broad research thrusts are laid out in four chapters, with a companion fifth chapter (and three additional research thrusts) underscoring the needs and opportunities for an aggressive testbed program co-designed by networking experts and scientists involved in the 15 research thrusts. The urgency of undertaking this research is fueled by a global, accelerating deployment of new telecommunications infrastructure that is designed for entertainment and commercial applications - barely scratching the surface of what 5G can do to extend U.S. leadership in scientific discovery.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A combined biological and chemical flue gas utilization system towards carbon dioxide capture from coal-fired power plants (Final Report)

Photosynthetic algal cultivation has been intensively studied for CO 2 capture and utilization for several decades. The footprint for using algae to capture CO 2 emitted from carbon-intensive industrial processes (power plants, cement plants, and fermentation processes) is extremely large, which creates serious technical and economic hurdles that must be cleared if algal technologies are to be commercially implemented. Fortunately, algal biomass is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, providing a good chemical source for organic absorbents and other value-added chemical feedstocks. In particular, amino acids from algal protein can be used to generate amino acid salt solutions that have been proven to be effective for capturing CO 2 . In order to take advantage of both algal cultivation and biomass utilization, the goal of the proposed project is to develop a combined biological and chemical system for coal-fired power plants for sequestering CO 2 in biological absorbents and generating value-added products. This approach significantly reduces the land and energy footprint of CO 2 capture, and minimizes capital and operational expenses. Three specific objectives are targeted: 1) optimizing the growth of the selected algal strain to maximize biomass accumulation from the coal-fired flue gas; 2) developing a cascade biomass utilization to produce amino acid absorbents, polyurethanes, biodiesel, and methane; and 3) conducting techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of the proposed process. Three key technical outcomes were achieved: (1) With the selected robust algal strain and unique photobioreactor design, long-term culture stability can be extended, and algal biomass productivity reached 0.5 g dry biomass/L/day year-round at a biomass concentration of 1.2 g/L in the pilot photobioreactor; (2) The biomass utilization process led to complete utilization of the algal biomass to produce amino acid salt absorbent, polyurethanes, and methane; and (3) The combined biological and chemical flue gas utilization process concluded a technically and economically feasible commercial-scale system that completely captures CO 2 in coal-fired flue gas with greatly reduced energy consumption.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Impact of the optical parametric amplification phase on laser pulse compression

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) is an effective way to generate ultrashort pulses that has been used extensively for a variety of applications requiring high peak intensities. Precise control and measurement of a system’s spectral and spatial phases are required for Fourier transform–limited pulse compression and diffraction-limited focusing. Phase accumulated during optical parametric amplification (OPA) can degrade the compressibility and focusability of the pulse, reducing peak intensity. We used analytic and numerical analysis of OPA to study the influence of crystal parameters, wavefront of the pump and signal, and their relative optical alignment on the accumulated phase. Here, we show that the accumulated signal phase is largely independent of amplifier saturation and, with significant local wavefront gradients in the signal or pump beam, the quality of the compressed pulses can be degraded. We use first-order expressions for the pump- and signal-angle sensitivity to evaluate an OPCPA system consisting of a highly deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) amplifier designed to support bandwidth for 15 fs pulses centered at 920 nm.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

A REDUCED ORDER MODELING APPROACH TO PROBABILISTIC CREEP-DAMAGE PREDICTIONS IN FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

This paper introduces a computationally efficient Reduced Order Modeling (ROM) approach for the probabilistic prediction of creep-damage failure. Component-level probabilistic simulations are needed to assess the reliability and safety of high-temperature components. Full-scale probabilistic creep-damage modeling in finite element (FE) approach is computationally expensive requiring many hundreds of simulations to replicate the uncertainty of component failure. To that end, ROM is proposed to minimize the elevated computational cost while controlling the loss of accuracy. It is proposed that full-scale probabilistic simulations can be completed in 1D at a reduced cost, the extremum conditions extracted, and those conditions applied for lower-cost 2D/3D probabilistic simulations of components that capture the mean and uncertainty of failure. The probabilistic Sine-hyperbolic (Sinh) model is selected which in previous work was calibrated to alloy 304 stainless steel. The Sinh model includes probability density functions (pdfs) for test condition (stress and temperature), initial damage (i.e. microstructure), and material properties uncertainty. The Sinh model is programmed into ANSYS finite element software using the USERCREEP.F material subroutine. First, the Sinh model and FE code are subject to verification and validation to ensure the accuracy of the simulations. Numerous Monte Carlo simulations are executed in a 1D model to generate probabilistic creep deformation, damage, and rupture data. This data is analyzed and the probabilistic parameters corresponding to extreme creep response are extracted. The ROM concept is applied where only the extreme conditions are applied in the 2D probabilistic prediction of a component. The probabilistic predictions between the 1D and 2D geometry is compared to assess ROM for creep. The accuracy of the probabilistic prediction employing the ROM approach will potentially reduce the time and cost of simulating complex engineering systems. Future studies will introduce multi-stage Sinh, stochasticity, and spatial uncertainty for improved prediction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Parametric Modeling and Economic Analysis of a 2MW th 3-Stream sCO 2 Heat Exchanger

Here, this paper presents the design and cost optimization of a novel 2MW th 3-stream sCO2 plate-fin heat exchanger. This heat exchanger design is unique in that it uses reduced metal oxide particle-to-sCO2 heat exchanger for cost-effective energy storage applications. The design uses low velocity, laminar air as the re-oxidizing reactant to transfer the heat of the re-oxidizing reaction to a sCO2 power loop. The design of the heat exchanger is based on a 2-D, 3-fluid plate/fin heat transfer model. The model parameterizes the size, shape, and number of passages of the heat exchanger to calculate the temperature profile, pressure drop, and fluid velocities of all three fluids. Global heat exchanger parameters such as the effectiveness and total heat transferred to the sCO2 are then calculated for overall performance. Due to the value and increased use of sCO2 heat exchangers in power cycles, a cost model of the system based on the unique high temperature/high pressure operating conditions was created using quotes from reference projects and market analysis. These quoted air-to-sCO2 heat exchangers are then processed using multiple weighting factors pertinent to heat exchanger design, including heat exchanger type, maximum temperature, differential pressures, fluids, duty, and more. These factors are then used in an exponential function in order to generate a parameterized cost curve. The design and cost of the heat exchanger are then optimized using the SMPSO genetic algorithm in Python. The optimization objectives for the system are to maximize the overall system effectiveness, including an air recuperator for preheating, and to minimize unit costs. Additional constraints are added to the system for the sCO2 and air pressure drops, air velocity to reduce particle entrainment, and the length and volume of the heat exchanger.

Cost Model↗

Forward variable selection enables fast and accurate dynamic system identification with Karhunen-Loève decomposed Gaussian processes

A promising approach for scalable Gaussian processes (GPs) is the Karhunen-Loève (KL) decomposition, in which the GP kernel is represented by a set of basis functions which are the eigenfunctions of the kernel operator. Such decomposed kernels have the potential to be very fast, and do not depend on the selection of a reduced set of inducing points. However KL decompositions lead to high dimensionality, and variable selection thus becomes paramount. This paper reports a new method of forward variable selection, enabled by the ordered nature of the basis functions in the KL expansion of the Bayesian Smoothing Spline ANOVA kernel (BSS-ANOVA), coupled with fast Gibbs sampling in a fully Bayesian approach. It quickly and effectively limits the number of terms, yielding a method with competitive accuracies, training and inference times for tabular datasets of low feature set dimensionality. Theoretical computational complexities are O ( N P 2 ) in training and O ( P ) per point in inference, where N is the number of instances and P the number of expansion terms. The inference speed and accuracy makes the method especially useful for dynamic systems identification, by modeling the dynamics in the tangent space as a static problem, then integrating the learned dynamics using a high-order scheme. The methods are demonstrated on two dynamic datasets: a ‘Susceptible, Infected, Recovered’ (SIR) toy problem, along with the experimental ‘Cascaded Tanks’ benchmark dataset. Comparisons on the static prediction of time derivatives are made with a random forest (RF), a residual neural network (ResNet), and the Orthogonal Additive Kernel (OAK) inducing points scalable GP, while for the timeseries prediction comparisons are made with LSTM and GRU recurrent neural networks (RNNs) along with the SINDy package.

Hayes, Kyle↗

Harnessing Virtual Power Plants Reliably: Enabling tools for increased observability, controllability, operation, and aggregation of distributed energy resources

Harnessing virtual power plants enhances the integration of distributed energy resources into utility grids for a sustainable energy future. Virtual power plants (VPPs) aggregate DERs to enhance resource adequacy and reduce emissions. U.S. utilities are exploring various technologies to manage DERs effectively. FERC Order 2222 allows DERs to participate in both wholesale and retail markets. Enhancing observability and controllability of behind-the-meter (BTM) DERs is essential for reliable grid operations. A hierarchical control architecture can improve coordination among residential energy resources. Field tests showed nearly 20% energy savings and 30% peak power reduction during grid events. Effective management of DERs requires enhanced situational awareness to prevent grid congestion. Integrating DER management systems (DERMS) with existing planning tools can improve operational security. Near-real-time grid models can validate optimal resource set points against resource uncertainty. Traditional uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) can be upgraded to support grid services and become part of VPPs. Upgrading UPS systems can reduce costs by 75% and unlock significant battery capacity. New battery management systems and grid-aware controllers are essential for optimizing UPS performance. Continued research and development are necessary to address challenges in integrating DERs into utility grids. Encouraging customer participation in pilot programs is vital for the evolution of VPPs. Here, the shift towards price-responsive DERs and VPPs is expected to enhance energy distribution efficiency.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Compressed basis GMRES on high-performance graphics processing units

Krylov methods provide a fast and highly parallel numerical tool for the iterative solution of many large-scale sparse linear systems. To a large extent, the performance of practical realizations of these methods is constrained by the communication bandwidth in current computer architectures, motivating the investigation of sophisticated techniques to avoid, reduce, and/or hide the message-passing costs (in distributed platforms) and the memory accesses (in all architectures). This article leverages Ginkgo’s memory accessor in order to integrate a communication-reduction strategy into the (Krylov) GMRES solver that decouples the storage format (i.e., the data representation in memory) of the orthogonal basis from the arithmetic precision that is employed during the operations with that basis. Given that the execution time of the GMRES solver is largely determined by the memory accesses, the cost of the datatype transforms can be mostly hidden, resulting in the acceleration of the iterative step via a decrease in the volume of bits being retrieved from memory. Together with the special properties of the orthonormal basis (whose elements are all bounded by 1), this paves the road toward the aggressive customization of the storage format, which includes some floating-point as well as fixed-point formats with mild impact on the convergence of the iterative process. We develop a high-performance implementation of the “compressed basis GMRES” solver in the Ginkgo sparse linear algebra library using a large set of test problems from the SuiteSparse Matrix Collection. We demonstrate robustness and performance advantages on a modern NVIDIA V100 graphics processing unit (GPU) of up to 50% over the standard GMRES solver that stores all data in IEEE double-precision.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Extraordinary frequency stabilization by resonant nonlinear mode coupling

Here, we show that a self-sustained oscillator with a frequency-selective element operating with two nonlinearly coupled modes can achieve a level of frequency stability well beyond that available using single-mode operation. The system of interest consists of a self-sustained oscillator based on a nonlinear primary mode that is coupled via an internal resonance to a passive secondary mode. Analysis of a generic model for this resonance with both additive and multiplicative noises reveals that the stability improvements accrue from two sources: (i) nonlinear frequency veering in the primary mode, a classical analogue to quantum-level repulsion, that eliminates amplitude-to-frequency noise conversion; and (ii) phase cleaning of the oscillator through an intrinsic phase constraint arising from synchronization of the modes. This latter effect can significantly reduce the effects of intrinsic frequency fluctuations of the primary mode, which are not accessible by any known strategy using single-mode operation. The theoretical predictions are supported by experimental measurements of a microelectromechanical systems-based oscillator that demonstrate a reduction in oscillator line width of several orders of magnitude. This approach offers a means of optimizing frequency stability in self-sustained oscillators, which has direct implications for applications in timekeeping and sensing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Capturing the full benefits of bifacial modules to approach an LCOE of 3c/kWh through a regional optimization of the electrical architecture (Final Technical Report)

This is the final technical report for the Cypress Creek Renewables project focused on bifacial plant performance. The project consisted of building a heavily instrumented Bifacial test sites with several cell technologies; instrumenting >1 MW scale commercial sites with both monofacial and bifacial arrays in order to understand real-world differences; and to engage with the performance modeling and financial stakeholder community to improve accuracy and increase investor confidence. The data from the test and commercial sites has been used to validate and improve the accuracy of both physics-based and reduced order modeling software. The heavily instrumented nature has been used to understand how light contributions from the sky and reflected from the ground impact different portions of the module and array while the data from the commercial sites has directly impacted how independent engineers model production from bifacial systems. The latter point has led to an increase in over 2% compared to earlier predictions. Even this modest increase has had significant downward pressure on project LCOE. As the data and results are both public, this refined modeling and empirical evidence for a higher bifacial gain than modeled, the benefits to the broader US solar community are assured.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Heat Transfer, Refrigeration and Heat Pumps

The Special Issue entitled “Heat Transfer, Refrigeration and heat Pumps” accepted papers covering a wide range of topics related to heat pumps, thermal energy storage, and low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternative refrigerants. Heat pumps play a vital role in providing space conditioning and water heating while utilizing the energy of the environment. Since heat pumps use renewable thermal energy from the environs to provide the desired utility, they contribute to the portfolio of technologies that mitigate carbon footprint. The heat pump may be considered a truly renewable technology if the electricity it uses comes entirely from a renewable source. More accurately, a heat pump is a “low carbon technology”. These perspectives make heat pumps an indispensable option for the future in order to reduce the nocuous human impact on the environment. More efficient heat pumping technologies are being developed for the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy. Another R&D thrust is heat pumps for cold climates. Hardware components, use of low-GWP refrigerants, and identification of systemic inefficiencies are active research areas. This article is a synopsis of the papers submitted to the Special Issue.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Offline Maximizing Minimally Invasive Proper Orthogonal Decomposition for Reduced-Order Modeling of S n Radiation Transport

Deterministic solutions to the Sn radiation transport equation can be computationally expensive to calculate. Reduced-order modeling enables efficient approximation of the full-order model (FOM) solution. We propose a novel method for constructing reduced-order models (ROMs) of the S n radiation transport equation, offline maximizing minimally invasive (OMMI) proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). POD uses the method of snapshots to create a reduced-order basis for constructing an ROM. Minimally invasive POD leverages the sweep infrastructure existing in deterministic transport codes to create a POD-based ROM, even when infeasible by traditional methods. Offline maximizing minimally invasive proper orthogonal decomposition (OMMI-POD) extends minimally invasive POD by performing sweeps offline, therefore maximizing the potential speedup. OMMI-POD does so by creating a library of reduced systems from a training set. This library of reduced systems is then interpolated to provide a rapid approximate solution of the S n radiation transport equation. The model is evaluated on a set of test problems, achieving a low error with a 466 times speedup over the FOM. Also presented is a study of the effect of sampling method on the performance of OMMI-POD, specifically comparing naive uniform sampling to the more accurate and computationally expensive greedy sampling.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Rapid Analyses of Sparse Seismoacoustic Data Reveals the Timing and Size of the Accurate Energetic Systems Explosion

On 10 October 2025 an explosion occurred at a facility operated by Accurate Energetic Systems in Humphreys County, Tennessee. The incident resulted in 16 fatalities and created a debris field over several square kilometers. To address remaining questions about explosion timing and size, we collected about 20 seismic and 19 acoustic records of the blast from sensors up to hundreds of kilometers away. We then deployed 10 distinct physics-based, reduced order models (ROMs) that used validated geological structure and atmospheric conditions from the time of the event, along with observations of body- and surface-wave energy, as well as acoustic overpressure and phase duration. Each ROM predicted either timing, yield estimates, or both. We binned these estimates and their uncertainties according to each ROMs’ assumptions about confinement (aboveground, buried fully coupled, and buried partially coupled) and combined these estimates with other forensic data to conclude that the event occurred as a single, aboveground explosion on 10 December 2025 12:47:50.8 ±0.1 s with a yield equivalent to 11.8 [2.3,16.5] tons of Trinitrotoluene. Our estimates align with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inventory reports of 11–13 tons. This multimethod approach demonstrates the use of remotely observed geophysical data to rapidly aid conventional forensic investigations of accidental explosions.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

BUQEYE guide to projection-based emulators in nuclear physics

The BUQEYE collaboration (Bayesian Uncertainty Quantification: Errors in Your effective field theory) presents a pedagogical introduction to projection-based, reduced-order emulators for applications in low-energy nuclear physics. The term emulator refers here to a fast surrogate model capable of reliably approximating high-fidelity models. As the general tools employed by these emulators are not yet well-known in the nuclear physics community, we discuss variational and Galerkin projection methods, emphasize the benefits of offline-online decompositions, and explore how these concepts lead to emulators for bound and scattering systems that enable fast and accurate calculations using many different model parameter sets. We also point to future extensions and applications of these emulators for nuclear physics, guided by the mature field of model (order) reduction. All examples discussed here and more are available as interactive, open-source Python code so that practitioners can readily adapt projection-based emulators for their own work.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗