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At least 595 records · Page 33

Electron correlation and relativistic effects in the excited states of radium monofluoride

Highly accurate and precise electronic structure calculations of heavy radioactive atoms and their molecules are important for several research areas, including chemical, nuclear, and particle physics. Ab initio quantum chemistry can elucidate structural details in these systems that emerge from the interplay of relativistic and electron correlation effects, but the large number of electrons complicates the calculations, and the scarcity of experiments prevents insightful theory-experiment comparisons. Here we report the spectroscopy of the 14 lowest excited electronic states in the radioactive molecule radium monofluoride (RaF), which is proposed as a sensitive probe for searches of new physics. The observed excitation energies are compared with state-of-the-art relativistic Fock-space coupled cluster calculations, which achieve an agreement of ≥99.64% (within ~12 meV) with experiment for all states. Guided by theory, a firm assignment of the angular momentum and term symbol is made for 10 states and a tentative assignment for 4 states. The role of high-order electron correlation and quantum electrodynamics effects in the excitation energies is studied and found to be important for all states.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Global metagenomics reveals plastid diversity and unexplored algal lineages

Photosynthetic organelles in eukaryotes originated through primary endosymbiosis with a cyanobacterium, an event that profoundly shaped the evolutionary landscape of the eukaryotic tree of life. Primary plastids in Archaeplastida, especially in cultivable plants and algae, contribute most to known plastid diversity. Secondary and higher-order endosymbiosis, involving eukaryotic hosts and algal endosymbionts, further spread photosynthesis among protists within the CASH lineages (Cryptophyta, Alveolata, Stramenopila, and Haptophyta). Despite various hypotheses explaining secondary plastid evolution and distribution, empirical support remains limited. Here, we employ cultivation-independent global metagenomics to expand plastid diversity and investigate plastid origins. We capture 1,027 plastid sequences, including 300 novel sequences belonging to previously unsequenced plastids and representing yet-to-be described microeukaryotes. This includes a new lineage that offers insights into plastid evolution in haptophytes and cryptophytes. Our results confirm that Archaeplastida plastids originate from an early branching cyanobacterial lineage closely related to Gloeomargaritales and identify the closest extant relative of Paulinella plastids. Additionally, our findings suggest two independent origins of secondary red-algal plastids, contributing to plastid diversity in CASH lineages and challenging the prevailing model of single secondary plastid origin. Our study highlights the importance of metagenomic data in uncovering biological diversity and advancing understanding of plastid relationships across photosynthetic eukaryotes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Learning earthquake ground motions via conditional generative modeling

Predicting high-fidelity ground motions for future earthquakes is crucial for seismic hazard assessment and infrastructure resilience. Conventional empirical simulations suffer from sparse sensor distribution and geographically localized earthquake locations, while physics-based methods are computationally intensive and require accurate representations of Earth structures and earthquake sources. We propose an artificial intelligence (AI) spectrogram generator, Conditional Generative Modeling for Ground Motion (CGM-GM). CGM-GM leverages earthquake magnitudes and geographic coordinates of earthquakes and sensors as inputs, when postprocessed with phase information, capturing spatially continuous Fourier amplitude spectra (FAS) as well as properties such as P and S arrivals, and waveform durations, without explicit physics constraints. This is achieved through a probabilistic autoencoder that extracts latent distributions in the time-frequency domain and variational sequential models for prior and posterior distributions. We evaluate the performance of CGM-GM using small-magnitude earthquake records from the San Francisco Bay Area, a region with high seismic risks. Here, we report that CGM-GM demonstrates potential for complementing physics-based simulations and non-ergodic empirical ground motion models, as well as shows promise in seismology and beyond.

geophysics↗

Hints of primordial magnetic fields at recombination and implications for the Hubble tension

Primordial Magnetic Fields (PMFs), long studied as relics of the early Universe, accelerate recombination and have been proposed as a way to relieve the Hubble tension. However, previous studies relied on simplified toy models. Here, in this study, we use recent evaluations of recombination with PMFs, incorporating full magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations and detailed Lyman-alpha radiative transfer, to test PMF-enhanced recombination (bΛCDM) against observational data from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), and Type Ia supernovae (SN). Focusing on non-helical PMFs with a Batchelor spectrum, we find a preference for presentday total field strengths of approximately 5-10 pico-Gauss. Depending on the dataset combination, this preference ranges from mild (∼ 1.8σ with Planck + DESI) to moderate (∼ 3σ with Planck + DESI + SH0ES-calibrated SN) significance. The bΛCDM has Planck + DESI χ 2 values equal to or better than ΛCDM while predicting a higher Hubble constant. Future high-resolution CMB temperature and polarization measurements will be crucial for confirming or further constraining PMFs at recombination. Field strengths of 5-10 pico-Gauss align closely with those required for cluster magnetic fields to originate entirely from primordial sources, without the need for additional dynamo amplification.

Jedamzik, Karsten [Centre National de la Recherche↗

Emergent constraints on future methane emissions from global wetlands

Future methane (CH 4 ) emissions from natural wetlands are predicted to increase due to global warming, leading to positive feedback on climate change. However, the magnitude of this increase remains highly uncertain. Here we present novel ensemble simulations of seven state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere models to estimate wetland CH 4 emissions (eCH 4 ) during the twenty-first century. Our estimates suggest that for every 1 °C increase in global land surface temperature, there is a 24 ± 10 Tg CH 4 yr −1 increase in eCH 4 . We also identify an emergent relationship between contemporary temperature dependence and projected eCH 4 . When constrained by 163 site-year eddy-covariance measurements of eCH 4 , we show that wetland emissions can increase by 50–60% by the 2090s relative to the 2010s under a high-warming scenario. The projected decadal increase in eCH 4 from the 2010–2019 baseline to the 2030s would very likely (90% probability) offset an amount equivalent in scale to 8–10% of anthropogenic eCH 4 at the 2020 level, comparable to the reductions committed under the Global Methane Pledge. However, the constraint is dominated by mid- and high-latitude observations, with limited tropical coverage, and uncertainties in projected wetland inundation contribute substantially to uncertainty in eCH 4 . Our findings reduce the uncertainty in projected wetland methane–climate feedback and highlight its potential impacts on methane mitigation efforts to slow global warming.

Zhang, Zhen [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Be↗

Direct identification of Ac and No molecules with an atom-at-a-time technique

The periodic table provides an intuitive framework for understanding chemical properties. However, its traditional patterns may break down for the heaviest elements occupying the bottom of the chart. Here, the large nuclei of actinides (Z > 88) and superheavy elements (Z ≥ 104) give rise to relativistic effects that are expected to substantially alter their chemical behaviours, potentially indicating that we have reached the end of a predictive periodic table. Relativistic effects have already been cited for the unusual chemistry of the actinides compared with those of their lanthanide counterparts. Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand the full impact of relativistic effects, as research on the later actinides and superheavy elements is scarce. Beyond fermium (Z = 100), elements need to be produced and studied one atom at a time, using accelerated ion beams and state-of-the-art experimental approaches. So far, no experiments have been capable of directly identifying produced molecular species. Here ions of actinium (Ac, Z = 89) and nobelium (No, Z = 102) were synthesized through nuclear reactions at the 88-Inch Cyclotron facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and then exposed to trace amounts of H 2 O and N 2 . The produced molecular species were directly identified by measuring their mass-to-charge ratios using FIONA (For the Identification Of Nuclide A). These results mark the first, to our knowledge, direct identification of heavy-element molecular species using an atom-at-a-time technique and highlight the importance of such identifications in future superheavy-element chemistry experiments to deepen understanding of their chemical properties.

Pore, Jennifer L. [Lawrence Berkeley National Labo↗

Magnetic character of the low-energy enhancement in 70 Zn

The transition of an atomic nucleus from an excited state to a state of lower energy is typically accompanied by the emission of photons. The likelihood of photon emission is a function of the photon energy and of properties of the initial and final nuclear states and is known as the photon (or γ-ray) strength function (γSF). Of the features present in the γSF, an enhancement in the low-energy region has been observed in some nuclei, but the electromagnetic nature of this enhancement remains an open question. This low-energy enhancement in the γSF significantly impacts our understanding of how elements are created in stars and the structure of the nucleus. Here we present the results from an experiment on the γSF of 70 Zn that show that the enhancement in the γSF of this nucleus is of magnetic nature. This observation helps address a long-open question about γSFs in atomic nuclei and directly impacts our predictive capabilities in nuclear science.

Physics - Nuclear physics and radiation physics↗

Airborne imaging spectroscopy surveys of Arctic and boreal Alaska and northwestern Canada 2017–2023

Since 2015, NASA’s Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) has investigated how climate change impacts the vulnerability and/or resilience of the permafrost-affected ecosystems of Alaska and northwestern Canada. ABoVE conducted extensive surveys with the Next Generation Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG) during 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 and with AVIRIS-3 in 2023 to characterize tundra, taiga, peatlands, and wetlands in unprecedented detail. The ABoVE AVIRIS dataset comprises ~1700 individual flight lines covering ~120,000 km 2 with nominal 5 m × 5 m spatial resolution. Data include individual transects to capture important gradients like the tundra-taiga ecotone and maps of up to 10,000 km 2 for key study areas like the Mackenzie Delta. The ABoVE AVIRIS surveys enable diverse ecosystem science, provide crucial benchmark data for validating retrievals from the PACE, PRISMA, and EnMAP satellite sensors and help prepare for the SBG and CHIME missions. This paper guides interested researchers to fully explore the ABoVE AVIRIS spectral imagery and complements our guide to the ABoVE airborne synthetic aperture radar surveys.

Miller, Charles E. [California Institute of Techno↗

Molecular diversity of dissolved organic matter reflects macroecological patterns in river networks

Deciphering dissolved organic matter (DOM) molecular complexity is crucial for understanding ecosystem function. Using the continental-scale Worldwide Hydrobiogeochemistry Observation Network for Dynamic Rivers Systems (WHONDRS) Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) dataset, we reveal fundamental scaling patterns of DOM chemodiversity with watershed characteristics. Analysis of 54 river sites shows local and regional watershed features significantly influence DOM chemodiversity (2500–8718 unique formulae), exhibiting consistent scaling patterns across compound classes and a novel latitudinal gradient (decreasing diversity with increasing latitude). Scaling relationships for DOM composition vary by compound class. Crucially, the scaling parameters (B, baseline chemodiversity; Z, sensitivity) are linearly interrelated. This B–Z relationship is most robust for potentially bio-labile carbohydrates (coefficient of determination R 2 ≈ 0.85), diminishing for recalcitrant, plant-derived molecules (such as lignin), and indicates (potential) biolability-dependent coupling between baseline diversity and environmental responsiveness. These quantitative scaling relationships, with scaling exponents ranging from − 2.1 to 2.2 across compound classes, enable prediction of DOM composition across watersheds, offering a framework to understand ecosystem responses to environmental change. This research bridges biogeochemistry and ecology, providing tools to anticipate molecular transformations across scales.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Emergence of low-energy spin waves in superconducting electron-doped cuprates

In order to fully utilize the technological potential of unconventional superconductors, an enhanced understanding of the superconducting mechanism is necessary. In the best performing superconductors, the cuprates, superconductivity is intimately linked with magnetism, although the details of this coupling remain elusive. Here, we address this gap by studying the electron-doped cuprate Nd 1.85 Ce 0.15 CuO 4−δ that has an antiferromagnetic ground state when synthesized and only becomes superconducting after a reductive annealing process. Using neutron spectroscopy, we show that the as-grown crystal exhibits a large spin pseudogap in the magnetic fluctuation spectrum. Annealing removes defects introduced by the commonly employed synthesis method and significantly reduces the spin pseudogap. While the spin pseudogap in the annealed sample likely arises from superconductivity, in the as-grown sample it results from the absence of long-wavelength spin waves. These results reveal a direct connection between defects, magnetism, and superconductivity, offering new insight into the mechanisms underlying high-temperature superconductivity and guiding the design of improved superconducting materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Arctic sea-ice loss drives a strong regional atmospheric response over the North Pacific and North Atlantic on decadal scales

Previous studies have suggested that Arctic sea-ice loss can have a profound influence on atmospheric circulation far away from the Arctic. However, there is little scientific consensus on the features of these remote responses, with the opposite impacts reported. Here we present a multi-model analysis of the decadal climate response to Arctic sea-ice loss using state-of-the-art energy conserving methodologies to isolate the impacts of sea-ice decline. We observe weakening of the Aleutian Low and development of a geopotential ridge in the North Pacific, associated with drier winter conditions over the southwest United States. Over the Atlantic, a negative NAO-like response drives wetter winter conditions across the western Mediterranean. These decadal-scale impacts substantially differ from reported centennial-scale responses to Arctic sea-ice loss simulated using non-energy conserving methodologies. Factors such as the timescale of the response and methodologies used to isolate the impacts of disappearing sea-ice cover should be carefully considered when consolidating scientific understanding on the future impacts of changing Arctic.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Effects of chemical composition and physicochemical properties of poplar biomass on the performance of 3D printed poplar-reinforced PLA materials

Lignocellulosic biomass has been well-acknowledged as a filler for making 3D printed composites. The technical performances of composites were influenced by the characteristics of the components. The correlations between poplar biomass properties and the mechanical and thermal performances of the 3D printed poplar-plastic composites were investigated. The characteristics of poplar were modified by different pretreatment methods, including using hot water, dilute acid, and organic solvent (organosolv), and each treated poplar biomass was applied as a filler in a polylactic acid (PLA) polymer matrix to produce eco-friendly materials. These solvent pretreatments increased the hydrophobicity and surface area of poplar. Organosolv treated poplar showed the highest cellulose content and significantly increased Young's modulus of its biocomposites. Principal component analysis revealed that the specific surface area and water contact angle of biomass contributed to the thermal stability of biocomposites. Additionally, the degree of polymerization of cellulose and xylan content within the biomass correlated with the biocomposites' break stress. Notably, the crystallinity of biocomposites impacted the modulus of these materials. The reported relationships between biomass characteristics and 3D printed composite behaviors provide guidance for optimizing biomass processing in biocomposite applications.

Ji, Anqi [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Syracuse↗

GA-NIFS and EIGER: A merging quasar host at z = 7 with an overmassive black hole

The James Webb Space Telescope is revolutionising our ability to understand the host galaxies and local environments of high-z quasars. Here we obtain a comprehensive understanding of the host galaxy of the z = 7.08 quasar J1120+0641 by combining NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy with NIRCam photometry of the host continuum emission. Our emission-line maps reveal that this quasar host is undergoing a merger with a bright companion galaxy. The quasar host and the companion have similar dynamical masses of ∼10 10 M ⊙ , suggesting that this is a major galaxy interaction. Through detailed quasar subtraction and SED fitting using the NIRCam data, we obtained an estimate of the host stellar mass of M ∗ = (3.0 −1.4 +2.5 ) × 10 9 M ⊙ , with M ∗ = (2.7 −0.5 +0.5 ) × 10 9 M ⊙ for the companion galaxy. Using the Hβ Balmer line, we estimated a virial black hole mass of M BH = (1.9 −1.1 +2.9 ) × 109 M ⊙ . Thus, J1120+0641 has an extreme black hole–stellar mass ratio of M BH /M ∗ = 0.63 −0.31 +0.54 , which is ∼3 dex larger than expected by the local scaling relations between black hole and stellar mass. J1120+0641 is powered by an overmassive black hole with the highest reported black hole–stellar mass ratio in a quasar host that is currently undergoing a major merger. These new insights highlight the power of JWST for measuring and understanding these extreme first quasars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

JWST’s PEARLS: A z ≃ 6 quasar in a train-wreck galaxy merger system

We present JWST NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy observations of the z = 5.89 quasar NDWFS J1425+3254 from 0.6–5.3 μm, covering the rest-frame ultraviolet and optical at a spectral resolution of R ∼ 100. The quasar has a black hole mass of M BH = (1.4 +3.1 −1.0 ) × 10 9 M ⊙ and an Eddington ratio of L Bol /L Edd = 0.3 +0.6 −0.2 , as implied from the broad Balmer Hα and Hβ lines. The quasar host has significant ongoing obscured star formation, as well as a quasar-driven outflow with velocity 6050 +460 −630 km s −1 and ionised outflow rate of 1650 +130 −1230 M ⊙ yr −1 . This is possibly one of the most extreme outflows in the early Universe. The data also reveal that two companion galaxies are merging with the quasar host. The north-eastern companion galaxy is relatively old and very massive, with a luminosity-weighted stellar age of 65 +9 −4 Myr, stellar mass of (3.6 +0.6 −0.3 #x00D7; 10 11 M ⊙ , and star-formation rate (SFR) of ∼15–30 M ⊙ yr −1 . A bridge of gas connects this companion galaxy and the host, confirming their ongoing interaction. A second merger is occurring between the quasar host and a much younger companion galaxy to the south, with a stellar age of 6.7 ± 1.8 Myr, stellar mass of (1.9 ± 0.4)×10 10 M ⊙ , and SFR of ∼40–65 M ⊙ yr −1 . There is also another galaxy in the field, likely in the foreground at z = 1.135, which could be gravitationally lensing the quasar with a magnification of 1 < μ < 2 and, thus, < 0.75 mag. Overall, the system is a ‘train-wreck’ merger of three galaxies, with star formation and extreme quasar activity that were likely triggered by these ongoing interactions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The stellar origins of 96 Zr excesses in presolar graphites from the Murchison meteorite

Context. Zirconium-96 is a stable isotope that can be synthesized under different neutron-rich nucleosynthetic conditions. Astrophysical models predict its production to occur in various stellar environments: from low-to-intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to massive stars and core-collapse supernovae. Aims. Detections of 96Zr excesses, in combination with other isotopic measurements from presolar grains can provide unique constraints on its stellar origin. Presolar grains are microscopic particles found in primitive Solar System materials, which formed in stellar winds and supernova ejecta. The isotopic composition of each grain can provide us a snapshot of the nucleosynthetic processes that took place during the parent star’s lifetime. Methods. In this study, we measured the stable isotopes of C, N, O, Mo, Zr, and Ru in high-density presolar graphite grains from the Murchison meteorite and found four grains that contain positive isotopic anomalies in 96 Zr carried by their internal subgrains. We analyzed multi-element isotopic datasets from each grain to explore the source of the observed 96 Zr excesses. Results. Comparisons with stellar models indicate that two grains likely condensed in an intermediate-mass AGB star with initial metallicity of Z ≤ 0.014. Their 96 Zr/ 94 Zr ratios also match those predicted for born-again AGB stars undergoing a very late thermal pulse and rapidly accreting white dwarfs. After comparing the relative populations of the aforementioned dust-producing stars, we propose rapidly accreting white dwarfs as a new, and more likely, stellar source for one of the presolar grains. The remaining two grains could have originated in the supernova ejecta of massive stars, due to correlated excesses in the p-nuclides, 92, 94 Mo. Thus, grains with 96 Zr anomalies can have a variety of stellar origins, in agreement with theoretical studies. Conclusions. Our study highlights the importance of multi-element analysis in constraining the types of stars where presolar grains have condensed. These data will help improve our understanding of various nucleosynthesis processes in different stellar phases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Density drop at the divertor target in the prototype material plasma exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX)

The steady-state linear device “Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment” (MPEX) is currently under construction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with the goal of enabling Plasma-Material Interaction studies at future fusion reactor relevant plasma conditions. In this work, a newly in-house developed hybrid Particle-In-Cell code-PICOS++ is applied to understand the experimental results obtained from the prototype of MPEX referred to as the “Proto-MPEX” during its helicon-only and helicon with ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) experiments. This study explains the physics of the experimentally observed plasma density-drop at the divertor target in Proto-MPEX device during ICRH. In contrast to previous work on ICRH in MPEX, this study demonstrates that the mirror force plays a central role in the Proto-MPEX plasma transport during ICRH, which has new features not previously explored. Force balance analyses reveal that the temperature anisotropy produced by ICRH leads to a significant increase in the mirror force downstream of the resonance where the magnetic field is diverging. This force accelerates ions toward the target and leads to a drop in plasma density to ensure conservation of particle flux. Simulations with ICRH where the magnetic field divergence downstream of the resonance has been removed, do not produce plasma acceleration nor density drop at the target despite efficient ion heating at the resonance. Moreover, simulation results demonstrate that for a given ICRH power, lowering the source rate produces ions with increased perpendicular energy which interact with the mirror force to produce higher plasma acceleration which increases the strength of the density-drop at the target. The strength of the density drop appears to reach an asymptotic limit at a certain threshold ICRH power. Simulations show that this threshold power increases with increasing particle source rate.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Detecting the full photoemission cone from laser-based ARPES experiments by leveraging deflector technology

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) provides a direct access to the electronic band structure of solid and molecular systems. The momentum range accessible by this technique depends directly on the photon energy used, and low-photon-energy sources are insufficient to photoemit electrons over the full Brillouin zone of most quantum materials. In addition, while electrons are emitted over a 2π solid angle, conventional hemispherical analyzers only collect a small subset of those electrons. A previous work [Gauthier et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 92, 123907 (2021)] demonstrated that electrons emitted over a larger field-of-view can be acquired in one fixed configuration by accelerating them toward the analyzer with a bias voltage. Here, in this study, we extend this work by leveraging the deflector technology of novel ARPES hemispherical analyzers. We demonstrate the ability to detect all 2π photoemitted electrons in a fixed configuration for various materials, such as gold, cuprates, and transition-metal dichalcogenides. This approach is especially advantageous for time-resolved ARPES, as electron dynamics over a large momentum range can be accessed with identical measurement conditions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Overestimated natural biological nitrogen fixation translates to an exaggerated CO 2 fertilization effect in Earth system models

CO 2 fertilization of the terrestrial biosphere is limited by nitrogen. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the dominant natural nitrogen source to the terrestrial biosphere and can alleviate nitrogen limitation but is poorly constrained in Earth system models (ESMs). Here, in this study, we compare terrestrial BNF from an ensemble of ESMs of the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project to a new global synthesis of observations across natural and agricultural biomes. We find that compared to observations, ESMs underestimate agricultural BNF but overestimate natural BNF in the present day by over 50%. Natural BNF is overestimated in the most productive ecosystems that contribute most to the terrestrial carbon sink (forests and grasslands). ESMs with different BNF representations yield a range of BNF responses to CO 2 enrichment. Some ESMs with phenomenological representations of BNF predict a natural BNF increase in response to a doubling of CO 2 that aligns with a meta-analysis of CO 2 enrichment experiments (31% increase) but fail to account for the substantial carbon cost of BNF. In contrast, ESMs with mechanistic representations of BNF account for its carbon cost as well as its regulation by nitrogen limitation but overestimate the BNF response to a doubling of CO 2 (135% increase). Overall, all current BNF representations in ESMs fall short of fully capturing its response to rising atmospheric CO 2 . Finally, we find a positive correlation between modeled present-day natural BNF and the CO 2 fertilization effect across ESMs, suggesting that overestimated natural BNF translates to an exaggerated CO 2 fertilization effect of approximately 11% in ESMs.

Biological nitrogen fixation↗