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At least 613 records · Page 34

Ultrasonic Measurements of Temperature Profile and Heat Fluxes in Coal-Fired Power Plants (Final Report)

Many industrial processes are inaccessible or inhospitable to characterization by traditional temperature measurement methods, such as thermocouples, especially over prolonged exposure to harsh environments. Ultrasound is an established characterization technology with diverse applications ranging from medical imaging to therapies to flaw detection to nondestructive evaluation. Ultrasound may characterize solid materials and components noninvasively as a nondestructive evaluation modality and obtain internal measurements of material properties. For example, the speed of ultrasound propagation changes with Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio, which can be found from its measurements. Traditional ultrasonic characterization assumes all material properties remain constant with the position. When this assumption holds, a property of interest may be measured by relating it to the speed of ultrasound propagation (or a speed of sound, SOS) and measuring the SOS by timing the ultrasound propagation through a known distance. However, when a property of interest is spatially distributed, the propagation time depends on the SOS changing with the position along the ultrasound propagation path. The multiple temperature distributions may lead to an identical time of flight (TOF). Temperature is one property that impacts the speed of ultrasound and often cannot be assumed to remain constant with the position. Previously, in the context of temperature, we addressed the challenge of ultrasonic characterization of spatially distributed properties by developing a method for measuring segmental temperature distributions (MSTD). This method divides the ultrasonic propagation into segments bound by echogenic features. These features provide ultrasonic interfaces where some energy is reflected toward the receiving transducer, and the rest continues through the medium. The time-of-flight between the echoes reflected from echogenic features characterizes the spatial distribution in the properties of interest in the corresponding segment of the ultrasonic propagation path. This project demonstrated the application of the MSTD method in industrial conditions of the coal-fired power plant. We implemented the MSTD using metals and alloys waveguides, which may be the existing structure for which the temperature distribution is characterized or purposefully designed waveguides added to the structure by welding or other means specifically to quantify thermal properties using the MSTD method. Previous iterations of the MSTD method used ceramic and cementitious waveguides, which significantly attenuate ultrasound. On the other hand, low attenuation in metallic waveguides creates interactions between echogenic features which compilates the signal analysis in the segmental TOF measurements. We have established the WG design principles that minimize the interferences between trailing and primary echoes and, in some cases, eliminate them. The waveguides in which echoes do not interfere improve the timing accuracy and the robustness of ultrasonic measurements of the spatial distributions in material properties. Our emphasis remained on the estimation of the temperature distributions. We have developed general recommendations for designing ultrasonically segmented waveguides with the reduced influence of trailing echoes. Two of our waveguide designs were tested in the industry. The first waveguide was designed for insertion into a combustion zone of the utility-scale coal-fired power plant boiler. The second design allows the characterization of temperature distribution in the direction normal to the boiler’s water wall, a large heat exchanger converting the chemical energy released during combustion to the steam driving the electrical power generation turbines. These waveguides were designed to operate within a restrictive space of thermally insulated water wall and incorporate densely located echogenic features while combatting the influence of trailing echoes. The project has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using the developed method for accurate, continuous, and robust temperature measurements in extreme environments of power generation and other industrial processes. It, therefore, has achieved its overarching goal of advancing the technology readiness level of the novel Ultrasound Measurements of Segmental Temperature Distribution (US-MSTD) method for real-time measurements of the temperature distribution and heat fluxes closer to commercial availability, developing a prototype multipoint measurement system, and validating its performance on coal-fired utility boilers. The success of this project was achieved in collaboration with the power generator, Rocky Mountain Power, and set the stage for the transfer of this technology from the laboratory to the industry.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Insight into SEI Growth in Li-Ion Batteries using Molecular Dynamics and Accelerated Chemical Reactions

The performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) using organic electrolytes strongly depends on the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film. Elucidating the dynamic evolution and spatial composition of the SEI can be very useful to study the stability of SEI components and help optimize the formation cycles of LIB. We propose a classical molecular dynamics simulation protocol for predicting the first stages of SEI formation using a reaction method involving the decomposition of EC and LiPF 6 molecules in the electrolyte. We accelerate the formation of SEI components near the anode surface by increasing the probability of reactions, implemented through a geometry matching scheme, followed by a force-field reconfiguration. We observe the formation of gases (C 2 H 4 ), inorganic (Li 2 CO 3 and LiF) and organic (LEDC) components. Finally, this protocol shows promise to be able to evaluate the effects of varying electrolyte compositions and additives on SEI layer structure and composition.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

The Mass-loss History of the Red Hypergiant VY CMa

Imaging and spectroscopy of the knots, clumps, and extended arcs in the complex ejecta of VY CMa confirm a record of high mass-loss events over the past few hundred years. Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph spectroscopy of numerous small knots close to the star allow us to measure their radial velocities from the strong K i emission and determine their separate motions, spatial orientations, and time since ejecta. Their ages concentrate around 70, 120, 200, and 250 yr ago. A K i emission knot only 50 mas from the star ejected as recently as 1985–1995 may coincide with an H{sub 2}O maser. Comparison with VY CMa’s historic light curve from 1800 to the present shows several knots with ejection times that correspond with extended periods of variability and deep minima. The similarity of this correspondence in VY CMa with the remarkable recent dimming of Betelgeuse and an outflow of gas is apparent. The evidence for similar outflows from the surface of a more typical red supergiant suggests that discrete ejections are more common and surface or convective activity is a major source of mass loss for red supergiants.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Time-domain theory of transient heat conduction in the local limit

Ultrafast and nanoscale heat conduction demands a unified theoretical framework that rigorously bridges macroscopic transport equations with microscopic material properties derived from statistical physics. Existing empirical generalizations of Fourier's law often lack a solid microscopic foundation, failing to connect observed non-Fourier behavior with underlying atomic-scale mechanisms. In this work, we present a time-domain theory of transient heat conduction rooted in Zwanzig's statistical theory of irreversible processes. Central to this framework is the time-domain transport function $\overleftrightarrow{𝑍}$⁡(𝑡) defined through equilibrium time-correlation functions of heat fluxes. This function generalizes the conventional concept of steady-state thermal conductivity, governing the transition of conduction dynamics from onset second sound type wave propagation at finite speeds to diffusion-dominated behavior across broad temporal and spatial scales. Unlike phonon hydrodynamic models that rely on mesoscopic constructs such as phonon drift velocity, our approach provides a quantitative and microscopic description of intrinsic memory effects in transient heat fluxes and applies universally to bulk materials at any temperature or length scale. By integrating atomistic-scale first-principles calculations with continuum-level macroscopic equations, this framework offers a robust foundation for numerical simulations of transient temperature fields. Furthermore, it facilitates the interpretation and design of transient thermal grating experiments using nanometer-scale heat sources and ultrafast laser systems in the extreme ultraviolet and x-ray wavelength ranges, advancing our understanding of heat dissipation dynamics.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Understanding Interfacial Electrochemical Reactions through in situ ec-STEM and IL-Cryo-STEM

A major criterion in the design of next generation materials for electrical energy storage applications is a comprehensive understanding of interfacial electrochemical reactions as well as correlating the structure and chemistry across site-specific electrode/electrolyte interfaces with electron, charge, and mass transport processes as they govern performance characteristics. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) based techniques have emerged as an indispensable materials characterization tool that provides high spatial resolution imaging and chemical analysis and has been effectively utilized to obtain an atomic to nanoscale view of the interfacial structure before and after electrochemical cycling. More recently, there have been several advances that now allows us to obtain more detailed mechanistic insight into evolving reactions through in situ ec-STEM and electrical biasing platforms such as in the understanding of the mechanisms of solid electrolyte interphase formation, lithium dendrite nucleation and growth mechanisms and ionic transport mechanisms within intercalation, conversion, and alloying electrode materials. Several major advantages of the in situ ec-STEM approach is the quantitative electrochemical measurement of charge passed during cycling with simultaneous analysis of the electrochemical processes with STEM imaging and diffraction. Here, while spectroscopic analysis of the electrochemical reactions products has been performed, there is the issue of beam sensitivity and therefore, Cryo-STEM imaging combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques have been employed to analyze the chemistry of the SEI and Li dendrites. In this talk, we discuss the potential for combining identical location (IL) STEM techniques with Cryo-EM. The advantage of using this approach is that the sample is placed on a conventional TEM grid and the exact same location of the specimen can be analyzed before and after quantitative electrochemical measurements. Moreover, since the sample is on the TEM grid, the grid itself can be prepared for further Cryo-TEM experiments by plunge freezing in liquid nitrogen then transferred to the Cryo-TEM under liquid nitrogen. Results obtain from these experiments can be used to enhance our scientific understanding of interfacial chemistry at electrode/electrolyte interfaces and may be useful in the design of new materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Influence of pilot-fuel mixing on the spatio-temporal progression of two-stage autoignition of diesel-sprays in low-reactivity ambient fuel-air mixture

The spatial and temporal locations of autoignition for direct-injection compression-ignition engines depend on fuel chemistry, temperature, pressure, and mixing trajectories in the fuel jets. Dual-fuel systems can provide insight into both fuel-chemistry and physical effects by varying fuel reactivities and engine operating conditions. In this context, the spatial and temporal progression of two-stage autoignition of a diesel-fuel surrogate, n-heptane, in a lean-premixed charge of synthetic natural-gas (NG) and air is imaged in an optically accessible heavy-duty diesel engine. The lean-premixed charge of NG is prepared by fumigation upstream of the engine intake manifold. Optical diagnostics include high-speed (15kfps) cool-flame chemiluminescence-imaging as an indicator of low-temperature heat-release (LTHR) and OH* chemiluminescence-imaging as an indicator high-temperature heat-release (HTHR). NG prolongs the ignition delay of the pilot fuel and increases the combustion duration. Zero-dimensional chemical-kinetics simulations provide further understanding by replicating a Lagrangian perspective for mixtures evolving along streamlines originating either at the fuel nozzle or in the ambient gas, for which the pilot-fuel concentration is either decreasing or increasing, respectively. The zero-dimensional simulations predict that LTHR initiates most likely on the air streamlines before transitioning to HTHR, either on fuel-streamlines or on air-streamlines in regions of near-constant φ. Due to the relatively short pilot-fuel injection-durations, the transient increase in entrainment near the end of injection (entrainment wave) is important for quickly creating auto-ignitable mixtures. To achieve desired combustion characteristics, e.g., multiple ignition-kernels and favorable combustion phasing and location (e.g., for reducing wall heat-transfer or optimizing charge stratification), adjusting injection parameters could tailor mixing trajectories to offset changes in fuel ignition chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A quadratic programming flux correction method for high-order DG discretizations of S transport

In this work, we present a new flux-fixup approach for arbitrarily high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretizations of the S N transport equation, and we demonstrate the compatibility of this approach with the Variable Eddington Factor (VEF) method. The new fixup approach is sweep-compatible: during a transport sweep (block Gauss-Seidel iteration in which the scattering source is lagged), a local quadratic programming (QP) problem is solved in each spatial element to ensure that the solution satisfies certain physical constraints, including local particle balance. In this paper, we describe two choices of physical constraints, resulting in two variants of the method: QP Zero (QPZ) and QP Maximum Principle (QPMP). In QPZ, the finite element coefficients of the solution are constrained to be nonnegative. In QPMP, they are constrained to adhere to an approximate discrete maximum principle. There are two primary takeaways in this paper. First, when the positive Bernstein basis is used for DG discretization, the QPMP method eliminates negativities, preserves high-order accuracy for smooth problems, and significantly dampens unphysical oscillations in the solution. The latter feature – the dampening of unphysical oscillations – is an improvement upon standard, simpler fixup approaches such as the approach described in (denoted as the “zero and rescale” (ZR) method in this paper). This improvement comes at a moderate computational cost, but it is not prohibitive. Our results show that, even in an unrealistic worst-case scenario where 83% of the spatial elements require a fixup, the computational cost of performing a transport sweep with fixup is only ~31% greater than performing one without fixup. The second takeaway is that the VEF method can be used to accelerate the convergence of transport sweeps even when a fixup is applied. When optically thick regions are present, transport sweeps converge slowly, regardless of whether a fixup is applied, and acceleration is needed. However, attempting to apply standard diffusion synthetic acceleration (DSA) to fixed-up transport sweeps results in divergence for optically thick problems. Our results show that the same is not true for VEF. When VEF is combined with fixed-up transport sweeps, the result is a scheme that produces a nonnegative solution, converges independently of the mean free path, and, in the case of the QPMP fixup, adheres to an approximate discrete maximum principle.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

The Distribution and Evolution of Quasar Proximity Zone Sizes

In this paper, we study the sizes of quasar proximity zones with synthetic quasar absorption spectra obtained by postprocessing a Cosmic Reionization On Computers (CROC) simulation. CROC simulations have both relatively large box sizes and high spatial resolution, allowing us to resolve Lyman limit systems (LLSs), which are crucial for modeling the quasar absorption spectra. We find that before reionization, most quasar proximity zone sizes grow steadily for ~10 Myr, while after reionization, they grow rapidly but only for ~0.1 Myr. We also find a slow growth of R obs with decreasing turn-on redshift. In addition, we find that ~1%–2% of old quasars (30 Myr old) display extremely small proximity zone sizes (<1 proper Mpc), the vast majority of which are due to the occurrence of a damped Lyα absorber (DLA) or an LLS along the line of sight. These DLAs and LLSs are contaminated with metal, which offers a way to distinguish them from the normal proximity zones of young quasars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Elucidating the geometric and electronic structure of a fully sulfided analog of an Anderson polyoxomolybdate cluster

The catalytic activity of transition metal sulfide (TMS) clusters in small molecule activation, redox transformations, and charge transfer has inspired the design of novel TMS-based materials for energy-related catalysis and chemical applications. Polyoxometalates (POMs), known for their structural diversity, can in principle be transformed into TMS clusters; however, fully sulfided analogs are rarely isolated, likely due to the strong tendency of uncapped TMS clusters to agglomerate. Here, we report the geometric and electronic structure of a capping ligand-free fully sulfided analog of heptamolybdate Anderson POM [Mo VI 7 O 24 ] 6− , synthesized through the sulfidation of a nanoconfined POM secured within a porous Zr-metal organic framework (NU-1000). A combined computational and experimental analysis indicates that the sulfided counterpart of the Anderson POM is geometrically and electronically more sophisticated than the parent POM. Comparison of experimental pair distribution function (PDF) data with computational simulations confirms that, unlike the oxygen-only [Mo VI 7 O 24 ] 6− cluster, the [Mo IV 7 (μ 3 -S) 6 (μ 2 -SH) 6 (S 2 ) 6 ] 2− polythiometalate (PTM) exhibits diverse sulfur anions (S 2− , HS − , S 2 2− ). DFT calculations indicate that H 2 S acts as a reducing agent, and together with terminal disulfide (S 2 2− ) ligands in the PTM structure, facilitates the complete reduction of all seven Mo VI centers in the parent POM to Mo IV . These findings are supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which confirms exclusive Mo IV , and elemental analysis, which shows quantitative sulfur incorporation. Difference envelope density (DED) mapping further reveals that the PTM clusters are spatially confined within the MOF pores, preventing agglomeration and preserving molecular integrity.

Rabbani, S. M. Gulam [The Ohio State University, C↗

Experimental study on the startup of the annular wick type heat pipe using fiber optical temperature measurement technique

This study used optical fiber-distributed temperature sensors to measure the internal and external temperature distributions of a water-cooled heat pipe. The sensor technology used in this study is fiber optical distributed temperature sensing, a distributed sensing technique based on the naturally occurring Rayleigh backscatter in optical fibers. This measurement technique provides maximum spatial resolution for static and semi-static applications. Using this sensor, the temperature distribution of the heat pipe's internal, external, vapor core, and the wick was measured with a spatial resolution of 0.65 mm, a sampling frequency of 40 Hz, and a temperature resolution of 0.1 °C. Through the measured temperature distribution database, the starting phenomenon, the effective length trend, and the limitation onset were observed. From the results, it is found that a high-temperature peak appears at the evaporator if a high initial power (75 W) is imposed on the heat pipe, even after the heat pipe approaches the normal operating status. The peak is not observed in a slower startup (30 W initial power then slowly increased to 75 W). It is also found that the temperature distributions and effective condenser length of the heat pipe highly depend on the cooling conditions. There are variations in the temperature according to the radial direction of the horizontal heat pipe due to gravity. In conclusion, lead and lag of the temperature evolution were observed at the onset of the operating limitations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A general mechanistic framework for cross-scale understanding of hot spots and hot moments in carbon and water fluxes

Semi-arid ecosystems, like those in the American Southwest, exert a massive impact on the interannual variability of carbon and water cycling. Unfortunately, these carbon and water fluxes are notoriously difficult to predict due to their high spatial and temporal variability, which is poorly captured by the current generation of vegetation models. Indeed, this region is exemplified by the ‘hot spots and hot moments’ concept, which states that small areas in space (‘hot spots’) and transient moments in time (‘hot moments’) exert an outsized influence on biogeochemical cycling. However, the factors that regulate these pulses in biogeochemical activity are unknown, as is their variability across space and time. These uncertainties severely limit efforts to better represent hot spots and hot moments in models. Here, we seek to develop a generalized method for detecting and quantifying the importance of hot spots and hot moments from individual plant to regional scales. Underpinning this method is our recently developed statistical approach for identifying hot spots and hot moments. By applying this method to semi-continuous measurements of plant water status, a depth profile of soil water potential, and ecosystem fluxes via eddy covariance, we will track the fate of water through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and identify the mechanistic drivers of these transient pulses in biogeochemical activity. Then, we will expand this approach across a broad network of Ameriflux towers, and apply a machine learning approach that will allow us to upscale measurements of hot spots and hot moments across the American Southwest and quantify their impact on carbon and water cycles. These products will allow us to identify hot spots and hot moments across spatio-temporal scales and will serve as crucial data sources for validating a new generation of models that can better capture highly dynamic carbon and water fluxes. The proposed method will be easily transferable across biomes and will serve as a framework for future research on hot spots and hot moments across the plant ecophysiology, biometeorology, and vegetation modeling communities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Verification of diesel spray ignition phenomenon in dual-fuel diesel-piloted premixed natural gas engine

Dual-fuel (DF) engines, in which premixed natural gas and air in an open-type combustion chamber is ignited by diesel-fuel pilot sprays, have been more popular for marine use than pre-chamber spark ignition (PCSI) engines because of their superior durability. However, control of ignition and combustion in DF engines is more difficult than in PCSI engines. In this context, here we focus on the ignition stability of n-heptane pilot-fuel jets injected into a compressed premixed charge of natural gas and air at low-load conditions. To aid understanding of the experimental data, chemical-kinetics simulations were carried out in a simplified engine-environment that provided insight into the chemical effects of methane (CH4) on pilot-fuel ignition. The simulations reveal that CH4 has an effect on both stages of n-heptane autoignition: the small, first-stage, cool-flame-type, low-temperature ignition (LTI) and the larger, second-stage, high-temperature ignition (HTI). As the ratio of pilot-fuel to CH4 entrained into the spray decreases, the initial oxidization of CH4 consumes the OH radicals produced by pilot-fuel decomposition during LTI, thereby inhibiting its progression to HTI. Using imaging diagnostics, the spatial and temporal progression of LTI and HTI in DF combustion are measured in a heavy-duty optical engine, and the imaging data are analyzed to understand the cause of severe fluctuations in ignition timing and combustion completeness at low-load conditions. Images of cool-flame and hydroxyl radical (OH*) chemiluminescence serve as indicators of LTI and HTI, respectively. The cycle-to-cycle and spatial variation in ignition extracted from the imaging data are used as key metrics of comparison. The imaging data indicate that the local concentration of the pilot-fuel and the richness of the surrounding natural-gas air mixture are important for LTI and HTI, but in different ways. In particular, higher injection pressures and shorter injection durations increase the mixing rate, leading to lower concentrations of pilot-fuel more quickly, which can inhibit HTI even as LTI remains relatively robust. Decreasing the injection pressure from 80 MPa to 40 MPa and increasing the injection duration from 500 µs to 760 µs maintained constant pilot-fuel mass, while promoting robust transition from LTI to HTI by effectively slowing the mixing rate. This allows enough residence time for the OH radicals, produced by the two-stage ignition chemistry of the pilot-fuel, to accelerate the transition from LTI to HTI before being consumed by CH4 oxidation. Thus from a practical perspective, for a premixed natural gas fuel–air equivalence-ratio, it is possible to improve the “stability” of the combustion process by solely manipulating the pilot-fuel injection parameters while maintaining constant mass of injected pilot-fuel. This allows for tailoring mixing trajectories to offset changes in fuel ignition chemistry, so as to promote a robust transition from LTI to HTI by changing the balance between the local concentration of the pilot-fuel and richness of the premixed natural gas and air. This could prove to be a valuable tool for combustion design to improve fuel efficiency or reduce noise or perhaps even reduce heat-transfer losses by locating early combustion away from in-cylinder walls.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Sound propagation in realistic interactive 3D scenes with parameterized sources using deep neural operators

We address the challenge of acoustic simulations in three-dimensional (3D) virtual rooms with parametric source positions, which have applications in virtual/augmented reality, game audio, and spatial computing. The wave equation can fully describe wave phenomena such as diffraction and interference. However, conventional numerical discretization methods are computationally expensive when simulating hundreds of source and receiver positions, making simulations with parametric source positions impractical. To overcome this limitation, we propose using deep operator networks to approximate linear wave-equation operators. This enables the rapid prediction of sound propagation in realistic 3D acoustic scenes with parametric source positions, achieving millisecond-scale computations. By learning a compact surrogate model, we avoid the offline calculation and storage of impulse responses for all relevant source/listener pairs. Our experiments, including various complex scene geometries, show good agreement with reference solutions, with root mean squared errors ranging from 0.02 to 0.10 Pa. Notably, our method signifies a paradigm shift as—to our knowledge—no prior machine learning approach has achieved precise predictions of complete wave fields within realistic domains.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of Insulator-Metal Transitions: Exploring Low-Energy Dynamics in Strongly Correlated Systems. Final Report

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have attracted much attention in recent years. The strong coupling between charge, spin, and orbital degrees of freedom creates novel functional properties. The research at the interplay between ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity and conductivity provides a promising way to the development of future spintronic devices. The interface characterization of multifunctional oxide heterostructures is crucial to understand deeply the magnetic response, spin injection and spin transport. In year one, we characterized optically the magnetic property with the method of magnetization-induced second-harmonic generation (MSHG), which is a sensitive technique to selectively probe the interface where the spatial inversion symmetry is broken. The interface of n-type BaTiO 3 (BTO)/La 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 (LSMO) forms a Schottky barrier and displays a good diode effect. By applying an external electric field across the sample, we observe the magnetoelectric (ME) coupling effect to modulate the interface magnetization. The voltage dependent magnetic contrast sharply vanishes at positive voltage (applied to LSMO contact) and reveals a ferromagnetic (FM)-to- antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition occurring at the interface, while the magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) indicates that the bulk property is not affected. The strain mediated mechanism and ferroelectric (FE) polarization induced charge medicated mechanism are both discussed, but they do not play an important role in the observed magnetization transition. A new mechanism is proposed - the injected minority spins through strong Hund's interaction with the local magnetic moments at positive voltage weaken the double-exchange interaction of nearby Mn e g electrons, thereby reducing the ferromagnetic (FM) ordering. The dominant superexchange interaction of localized t 2g electrons finally leads to the AFM configuration. By reducing the electron carrier concentration of BTO, a positive voltage shift of the transition is observed. The oxygen richer sample with lower carrier concentration requires a higher voltage to increase the hole doping level of LSMO to induce the interfacial AFM phase. By inserting a thin (1nm) La 0.5 Ca 0.5 MnO 3 layer between BTO and LSMO, the interface magnetic response from LSMO is enhanced. In year two, a non-multiferroic heterostructure SrTiO 3 (STO)/ La 0.5 Ca 0.5 MnO 3 (LCMO)/La 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 (LSMO) was studied. In this system, the interface FM-AFM transition is observed at negative voltage. The STO layer may act as a hole-donating layer, which induces the hole transfer to LSMO making it overdoped, while the LCMO interlayer at the 0.5 hole doping level displays complicated CE type AFM phase. Thus the AFM phase is dominant at the interface and electron accumulation is required to induce the FM phase by applying a negative voltage. For oxygen rich sample, the magnetic MSHG loop reappears at high positive voltage (around +2.5 V). At high doping level (x > 0.5), LSMO exhibits A-type AFM order, consisting of AFM superexchange coupling between adjacent layers and intralayer FM double-exchange coupling. The less tensile strain of STO and LSMO due to a smaller lattice mismatch as compared to BTO would result in a weaker interlayer coupling . Thus, interfacial A-type AFM order can occur in STO/LCMO/LSMO heterostructure at high hole doping concentration. The study of ME coupling of multifunctional oxide heterostructures is definitely important to the development and performance of future spintronic devices. The results presented here regarding the interfacial magnetic transition controlled by an external electric field offer some new perspective to study the spin transport of magnetic tunnel junctions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Data and scripts associated with “Riverine dissolved organic matter transformations increase with watershed area, water residence time, and Damköhler numbers in nested watersheds” (v2)

This data package is associated with the publication “Riverine dissolved organic matter transformations increase with watershed area, water residence time, and Damköhler numbers in nested watersheds” submitted to Biogeochemistry by Ryan et al., 2024 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-024-01169-5). This study aims to investigate fundamental and transferable drivers of dissolved organic matter (DOM) diversity across five nested watersheds within the contiguous United States. DOM diversity was explored using ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The samples and the unprocessed FTICR-MS data used in this study are publicly available on the Environmental System Science Data Infrastructure for a Virtual Ecosystem (ESS-DIVE) data repository (see DOIs below). The data for the Willamette, Gunnison, Connecticut, and Deschutes basins were collected as part of a collaboration between the Watershed Rules of Life (WROL) project and Worldwide Hydrobiogeochemistry Observation Network for Dynamic River Systems (WHONDRS). The data for the Yakima River basin (YRB) was collected by the PNNL River Corridor SFA. The raw, unprocessed FTICR-MS data with additional (meta)data can be found at doi:10.15485/1895159 for WROL samples and doi:10.15485/1898912 for YRB samples. This data package contains the processed data used in the associated manuscript. This package also contains ancillary geospatial, hydrological, and geochemical information that supports the interpretation of the FTICR-MS data within Ryan et al., 2024. This data package is associated with the GitHub repository found at https://github.com/WHONDRS-Hub/rcsfa-RC4-WROL-YRB_DOM_Diversity. This data package was originally published August 2024. It was updated January 2025 (modified files). See the change history in the readme more details. At the directory level, the data package is comprised of three folders: (1) data, (2) output, and (3) src; and five additional files including the data dictionary (file ending in "_dd.csv”) and file-level metadata (file ending in “_flmd.csv”). The “src” folder contains the scripts used to process the FTICR data, conduct the analyses, and produce the manuscript figures. The inputs for these scripts are in the “data” folder and the returned outputs in the “output” folder. Inputs include temporal and spatial metadata associated with the sampling efforts, processed FTICR data, and total and normalized putative biochemical transformations per sample. Outputs include cleaned and combined data presented as tables, descriptive statistics, and plots. The file-level metadata file lists all files contained in this data package and descriptions for each. The data dictionary describes the units and definitions for each tabular data column or row header.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Spatially and temporally resolved plasma parameter estimations of laser heated MagLIF relevant gas pipes at NIF

The ability to control laser pre-heat is an integral part of the inertial confinement fusion concept known as Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion. This process is studied at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) where 4 of the 192 laser beams are propagated through a 1-cm long gas cell where they deposit >20 kJ of energy into the gaseous fuel via inverse bremsstrahlung absorption. This process ionizes the gas, producing a plasma that follows behind the laser front and expands over the radius of the cell. Emission from this plasma, as viewed by a gated x-ray detector, can be used to build spatially and temporally resolved estimations of the pre-heat plasma's density and temperature profiles. This can then be used to estimate the plasma pressure, internal energy, and radiation losses. Estimations show the evolution of the plasma in magnetized and unmagnetized gas cells filled with ambient temperature neopentane (C5H12) +1% Ar, as well as unmagnetized cryogenically cooled (32 K) deuterium +1% Ne filled targets. This analysis shows the effects of initial gas-fill density, composition, and axial magnetization on the time-dependent plasma parameters. Previously, these parameters at the NIF had not been experimentally characterized, and these estimations provided a potential new means of testing radiation magneto-hydrodynamic predictive capability models. Results in unmagnetized targets have strong agreement with simulations. However, in targets with a 19 T applied axial magnetic field, this method yields electron temperatures up to 100% hotter than those predicted by HYDRA codes.

Bremsstrahlung↗

A First Principles Approach to Spectral Phonon Transport in Heterostructures

Understanding thermal transport across interfaces which give rise to a thermal resistance (also known as Kapitza resistance) is a critical issue affecting the development of nanotechnologies. Much modern and emergent nanotechnology consist of adjacent materials, and phonon mediated heat transfer governs thermal behavior across internal interfaces in these devices. The physics of thermal transport in solids are governed both by phenomena occurring at the atomic scale and interactions with the material's microstructure. The forecasting of fundamental quantities such as temperature, heat flux and thermal conductivity typically employs the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equation to predict the macroscopic behavior of materials in terms of the microscopic dynamics of its heat carriers. Kapitza resistance was first discovered in liquid helium experiments and has led to a fundamental research thrust in micro and nano-scale heat transport, the behavior of thermal carriers across internal interfaces. Thermal interfacial resistance (TIR) is a widely studied phenomenon, first engaged by Swartz and Pohl through their development of the acoustic and diffuse mismatch methods, then continued through myriad efforts with varying methods and approaches in an attempt to resolve carrier behavior at thermal interfaces. Many of the fundamental approaches to TIR have been at the nanoscale, and research is conducted with molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The limitations of these methods is system size; atomistic methods tend to be limited to system sizes of 100,000 atoms or less. Larger length-scale methods have also been pursued, based on the principles of acoustic or diffuse mismatch, but not all include simulation of TIR using a full phonon band spectrum, or temperature dependent methods. Our approach to enabling phonon transport in layered materials draws upon our previous work of demonstrating spectrally coupled phonon transport in homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. We use a semi-analytical approach in which the Bose-Einstein (B-E) statistics set the strength of the phonon radiance in a frequency group, but the B-E statistics are informed with information from the transport system. The B-E statistics in a single frequency group feels the influence of all the groups through the spatial temperature. We also include a new field term which is an indicator of the amount of non-equilibrium behavior of the phonon spectrum---this is added to the phonon source term in all groups to ensure closure and conservation of energy, as the phonon groups in the transport system and the analytical systems are coupled. This work builds upon our previous approach by adding a phonon coupling term at an internal interface, using the principles of the DMM through transmission and reflection coefficients. In this work, the coefficients are determined through computing a common temperature at the interface, influenced by the phonon band structure of both materials, in effect, providing mixing between the two material systems and using the common temperature to set the strength of the phonon radiance at the boundaries on either side of the interface. Our approach uses material properties computed along various crystallographic orientations, and while some isotropy is built into the interface condition, the material properties weight the phonon distributions in the proper crystalline direction. Greater resolution of phonon behavior in proximity to an interface, and more accurate predictions of TIR are obtained. While it is true the assumption of diffuse mismatch can yield inconsistent results compared to experiment especially at low temperatures, this work focuses on room temperature and beyond effects, for future applications in nuclear fuel, or thermoelectric devices; a modified mismatch approach may be feasible if applied properly. Additionally, our methods focus on bridging mesoscale to engineering scale

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Theory and Simulation of Ultrafast Multidimensional Nonlinear X-ray Spectroscopy of Molecules (Final Report)

Emerging X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) beam sources offer new types of probes of matter with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. These experimental advances must be met by robust theoretical and computational tools that provide predictive modeling capacity of the underlining electronic and structural dynamics. The latter will be essential for the design of sophisticated multi-pulse experiments and for their interpretation. The proposed research effort will focus on developing cutting- edge simulation tools for nonlinear multidimensional X-ray/optical spectroscopies and aims to address key questions in Priority Research Opportunities 1 (Probing and controlling electron motion within a molecule) and 3 (Capturing rare events and intermediate states in the transformation of matter) as mentioned in the BES Roundtable Report “Opportunities for Basic Research at the Frontiers of XFEL Ultrafast Science”. XFEL multidimensional nonlinear techniques, which combine sequences of X-ray and possibly optical pulses, provide a unique experimental toolbox for probing the dynamics of core and valence electronic excitations, as well as material structure. Predictive modeling of these dynamical processes requires the combination of analytical theory for nonlinear interactions of light and matter, robust quantum-chemical methodologies for the accurate description of electronic structure of various materials, and multiscale ab initio electron and nuclear dynamics techniques operating beyond Born-Oppenheimer approximation. These challenges will be addressed with three research thrusts (i) Develop and implement theoretical apparatus for modeling a broad range of multidimensional spectroscopic techniques enabled by present and upcoming XFEL facilities. This thrust also includes the incorporation of a computational module in the DOE supported open-source NWChem computational chemistry package as well as the development of other open-source codes ready for dissemination across a broad user base; (ii) Propose and design new multi-pulse experiments that make use of the capabilities of the incoming LCLS-II facility; (iii) Perform selected applications to specific molecular systems that can be carried out at LCLS-II and demonstrate how these X-ray sources may be used to study nonadiabatic dynamics through conical interactions, electronic correlations in multi-core excitons, and charge transfer/energy transfer processes. The proposed research will be carried out by a multi-disciplinary four-institution research team which combines academia and national laboratories and spans the broad and necessary expertise in theoretical spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, quantum chemistry, molecular non-adiabatic dynamics and code development. The work will be performed in a highly interactive team environment with junior researchers shared between institutions thus cementing cross- disciplinary interactions. The developed simulation tools will be immediately deployed for XFEL facility users, both experimentalists and theorists, via freely distributed codes and databases. Altogether, this project will facilitate establishing XFEL-based multidimensional spectroscopies as a novel diagnostic tool for monitoring electronic and structural dynamics in molecular materials.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗