Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Repeat”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 685 records · Page 38

Series of semi-Markov processes to model infrastructure resilience under multihazards

Civil infrastructure systems are subjected to multiple hazards, including natural and anthropogenic, that disrupt their function or the level of service offered. Estimating the function recovery of these systems (or how soon normalcy of operations will be restored) when subjected to repeated hazard events by considering the inter-event dependencies is an important problem in multihazard infrastructure resilience. However, this problem has been less addressed in the field. This paper proposes a series of semi-Markov processes model to capture the inter-event dependencies in infrastructure recovery when subjected to successive hazard events. Recovery after each new hazard event is represented by a unique semi-Markov process that models the reduced recovery rates and the increased recovery times caused by the system’s incomplete recovery from the preceding event. Two novel formulations of the inter-event dependency modeling, namely Maximal Effects Dependency (considers the worst impact of two successive hazard events) and Cumulative Effects Dependency (considers the aggregated impacts of two successive hazard events), are proposed and discussed. The model is demonstrated by considering the following applications: Three-state system subjected to deterministic and random occurrences of identical hazard events; and Multihazard resilience of a building in Charleston, SC, considering earthquake and hurricane hazards. Results indicate that considering inter-event dependencies in recovery modeling can lead to lesser-predicted resilience, thereby affecting resilience-based decision-making.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Mapping foliar photosynthetic capacity in sub-tropical and tropical forests with UAS-based imaging spectroscopy: Scaling from leaf to canopy

Accurate understanding of the variability in foliar physiological traits across landscapes is critical to improve parameterization and evaluation of terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs) that seek to represent the response of terrestrial ecosystems to a changing climate. Numerous studies suggest imaging spectroscopy can characterize foliar biochemical and morphological traits at the canopy scale, but there is only limited evidence for retrieving canopy photosynthetic capacity (e.g., maximum carboxylation rate, V c,max and maximum electron transport rate, J max ). Moreover, the effect of canopy structure within forest communities on scaling up spectra-trait relationships from leaf to canopy level is not well known. To advance the spectra-trait approach and enable the estimation of key traits using remote sensing, we collected imaging spectroscopy data from an Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS) platform over two forest sites in China (a subtropical forest in Mt. Dinghu and a tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna). At these sites, we also collected ground measurements of leaf spectra and traits, including biochemical (leaf nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll, and water content), morphological (leaf mass per area, LMA) and physiological (V c,max25 and J max25 ) traits (n=135 tree-crowns from 42 species across two sites). Using a partial least-squares regression (PLSR) approach, we built and tested spectra-trait models with repeated cross-validation. The spectral models developed with leaf spectra were directly transferred to canopy spectra to evaluate the effect of canopy structure. Here we further applied canopy spectral models to map these traits at individual tree-crown scale. The results demonstrate that (1) UAS-based canopy spectra can be used to estimate V c,max (R 2 =0.55, nRMSE=11.79%), Jmax (R 2 =0.54, nRMSE=12.34%), and five additional foliar traits (R 2 =0.38-0.60, nRMSE=10.11-13.56%) at the tree-crown scale with demonstrated generalizability across two sites; (2) canopy structure strongly affects the spectratrait relationships from leaf to canopy level, but the effects vary considerably across foliar traits and cannot be well captured by the 4SAIL canopy radiative transfer model. UAS-based imaging spectroscopy maps large variability in all foliar traits (including physiological traits) with spatially explicit information, reproducing the field-observed inter- and intra-specific variations. These results demonstrate the capability of using UAS-based imaging spectroscopy for characterizing the variability of foliar physiological traits at individual tree-crown scale over forest landscapes and highlight the similar generalizability but different biophysical mechanisms underlying spectra-trait relationships at leaf and canopy levels.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Analysis of liquid petroleum using a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument

Here, a prototype analyzer for the direct LIBS analysis of nebulized liquid samples was developed and tested, particularly for the analysis of petroleum, organic solvents and aqueous solutions. The LIBS analyzer requires about 750 µl of liquid sample, 1 liter of N 2 gas, and 10 s of the analysis time to record 100 spectra. The limits of detection in oil and solvent are as low as 0.01–0.04 ppm for Li, Mg, and Cu. They increase for the difficult elements, such as Pb and Hg (7-10 ppm), Cl (250 ppm), and S (~0.7%). The relative standard deviation of measuring 100 ppm vanadium in oil and solvent was 1.5%. The LIBS detection limits and repeatability are better than required by the standard method ASTM D5185 for the analysis of lubricating oils in ICP-OES. Several petroleum samples were analyzed by LIBS and the quantitative results for V, Ni, and Fe compared to the ICP-OES data. Light crude oils can be nebulized and analyzed directly. Medium crude oils require minimal dilution at least 1:1, otherwise errors of determination become large. Presumably, utilization of the internal standard and chemometrics can be useful to correct for the matrix effects. In addition to the trace element analysis, the LIBS prototype demonstrated ability to measure the hydrogen-to-carbon ratio in organic liquid samples. Several unidentified features were observed in the carbon spectrum. Their possible origin is discussed.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Measurement of neutral gadolinium oscillator strengths using dual-comb absorption spectroscopy in laser-produced plasmas

The oscillator strengths of 43 transitions of neutral gadolinium from 530 to 535 nm were determined based on high-resolution absorption spectra measured by probing a laser-produced plasma (LPP) using time-resolved dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS). Absorption spectra were measured at various time delays, ranging from 33 to 252 µs after the onset of the plasma formation, over which the temperature and number density varied as the ablation plume evolved. A Boltzmann analysis was used to determine the excitation temperature and column density of Gd in the ablation plume, based on measured absorption from 20 Gd I spectral lines with known oscillator strengths. Oscillator strengths were then determined for additional dipole-allowed Gd I transitions identified in the absorption spectra, 19 of which were previously unreported. Oscillator strengths of all measured transitions were compared with literature values when available and show good agreement in most cases. Time-resolved measurement of atomic absorption in the cooling plasma provides access to a range of excitation temperatures and optical densities for the atoms in the ablation plume, allowing repeated measurements under different conditions, thereby improving confidence in the results. The high spectral bandwidth and resolution capabilities of DCS make it well-suited to measuring the dense optical spectrum of Gd, and the technique is applicable to other elements, especially lanthanides and actinides.

(280.4788) Optical Sensing, (280.5395) Plasma Diag↗

Optical spectroscopy and modeling of uranium gas-phase oxidation: Progress and perspectives

We report that studies related to U gas-phase oxidation through plasma- and thermo-chemistry are important for many fields, including environmental monitoring, forensic analysis, debris analysis in a weapon detonation event, and nucleation physics. Recently, significant efforts have been made to understand the chemical pathways involved in the progression from U atoms to diatoms (UO) and polyatomic molecules (UxOy), employing optical spectroscopy tools and computational modeling. In many studies, laser ablation of U or a U-containing flow reactor are used as a highly resource-efficient, repeatable, tunable, and lab-scale testbed for studying gas-phase oxidation in U plasmas. The spectroscopic analysis of high-temperature gas-phase oxidation of U is challenging due to the congested U spectra, resolution limitations of instrumentation, and the numerous chemical reaction pathways possible. This article focuses on the current understanding and challenges related to studying U plasma chemistry, specifically U gas-phase oxidation and molecular formation, via optical spectroscopy of plasmas and associated computational and spectral modeling. The physical and chemical processes involved in the evolution from U atoms to U oxide molecules to nanoparticles and agglomerates (i.e., debris) are discussed in the context of optical spectroscopic studies. The article concludes by highlighting opportunities for future research efforts based on existing knowledge published in the literature.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Novel nucleocytoplasmic protein O -fucosylation by SPINDLY regulates diverse developmental processes in plants

Here, in metazoans, protein O-fucosylation of Ser/Thr residues was only found in secreted or cell surface proteins, and this post-translational modification is catalyzed by ER-localized protein O-fucosyltransferases (POFUTs) in the GT65 family. Recently, a novel nucleocytoplasmic POFUT, SPINDLY (SPY), was identified in the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana to modify nuclear transcription regulators DELLAs, revealing a new regulatory mechanism for gene expression. The paralog of AtSPY, SECRET AGENT (SEC), is an O-link-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) transferase (OGT), which O-GlcNAcylates Ser/Thr residues of target proteins. Both AtSPY and AtSEC are tetratricopeptide repeat-domain-containing glycosyltransferases in the GT41 family. The discovery that AtSPY is a POFUT clarified decades of miss-classification of AtSPY as an OGT. SPY and SEC play pleiotropic roles in plant development, and the interactions between SPY and SEC are complex. SPY-like genes are conserved in diverse organisms, except in fungi and metazoans, suggesting that O-fucosylation is a common mechanism in modulating intracellular protein functions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Comparative life cycle assessment of remote potable water supply for the Department of Defense

The Department of Defense (DOD) and other agencies, including relief organizations, require potable water for remote missions around the globe. As part of recent initiative by the U.S. Federal government through Executive Order 14057, the DOD has been instructed to investigate the sustainability of operations and practices within the context of climate change. One such practice that needs to be addressed is the procurement of potable water, an essential requirement of any remote mission or location. Currently, there are three primary means of procuring potable water at remote locations: bottled water, on-site purification, or tie-in to existing, local infrastructure. The first two operations are often considered the most secure options, but have sustainability concerns. The purpose of this study is to compare the environmental impacts of bottled water procurement versus on-site treatment via a mobile Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), which uses multiple levels of filtration to make potable water from a local source. A cradle-to-gate assessment was developed for both systems to compare different options for potable water supply. An in person inventory was paired with data taken from the Ecoinvent 3.8 database to directly compare the two systems. The two systems are compared on a 5-year timeline to analyze the environmental impact of repeated bottled water transport versus diesel generator-fueled on-site treatment. Across all impact categories, the results indicate that high energy costs of the reverse osmosis process have significantly less impact on the environment than the repetitive transport and procurement of bottled water. The results of the study have important implications for advancing sustainable operations for remote communities or temporary settlements.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

From pixels to patterns: Coupling Optical Coherence Tomography and machine learning for monitoring coastal wetland root systems

Coastal wetlands are crucial in shoreline stabilization, carbon sequestration, and storm protection. Yet, due to limitations in traditional destructive sampling techniques, the belowground biomass (live root mass) and necromass (dead and decaying roots) remain difficult to assess in coastal wetlands, limiting our understanding on coastal resilience, nutrient cycling, and soil structure. This study employs Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) as a high-resolution imaging technique to analyze root biomass and necromass in the Terrebonne Basin, Louisiana. A Random Forest (RF) model was developed to classify root health states based on OCT-derived features, achieving an accuracy of 70% in distinguishing live from dead root segments. The results demonstrate that OCT, combined with ML, offers a promising novel approach to root analysis, providing fine-scale insights into root morphology and decay patterns that are not easily captured by conventional methods. This research lays the foundation for future integration of OCT with complementary imaging modalities such as X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) and advanced ML algorithms to enhance classification accuracy and scalability. Future work aims to expand the dataset diversity across different wetland types and apply the methodology for large-scale, repeatable assessments of root biomass turnover and accumulation, with important implications for wetland monitoring, conservation, and restoration under changing environmental conditions.

AI/ML↗

High-coercivity ThMn 12 -type monocrystalline Sm–Zr–Fe–Co–Ti particles by high-temperature reduction diffusion

The ThMn 12 -type (Sm,Zr)1(Fe,Co,Ti) 12 compounds have the potential of powerful permanent magnets. Magnetically hard and anisotropic powders of such compound have been prepared by subjecting elemental oxides and Co mixed with Ca and CaO dispersant to a succession of high-energy ball-milling, reduction diffusion at 990–1220 °C and repeated washing. The size of the resulting ThMn 12 -type crystallites, their coercivity and fraction of monocrystalline particles were all found to increase with the reduction-diffusion temperature. Particles synthesized at 1220 °C were highly monocrystalline with a mean size of 0.54 μm and, after a magnetic-field alignment, exhibited a coercivity of 1.26 T and a full-density-projected maximum energy product of at least 209 kJ/m 3 (26.3 MGOe). Here, the strong positive effect of the reduction-diffusion temperature on the coercivity has been attributed to separation of the crystallites and to decrease in the incidence of structural defects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of helium cavity size and morphology on the strength of pure titanium

In this study, high-purity α-titanium was implanted with helium to observe cavity morphology – size, number density, and form (i.e., bubbles vs. voids) – effects on materials strength. Increasing implantation temperatures lead to an Arrhenius-type (i.e., exponential) increase in cavity size, a transition from spherical bubbles to faceted voids, and a marked increase in strength (~20–50%). Implanted samples deformed uniformly in contrast to nano-compression of unimplanted or alloyed titanium, but pillars with the largest faceted voids developed a type of bulging localized deformation. Affected voids were repeatedly sheared, becoming rough and shrunken. Dislocation-cavity interactions and the role of helium content within cavities are considered.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Laser Doppler vibrometry for piezoelectric coefficient ($d_{33}$) measurements in irradiated aluminum nitride

Sensors used for experiments in advanced reactors must survive in harsh environments. Few material systems can be used to construct sensors viable for extreme conditions. Aluminum nitride (AlN) is one such material because it has high thermal stability and radiation resistance and sustains good piezoelectric and dielectric properties at high temperatures. In this work, the piezoelectric coefficient $d_{33}$ of the AlN single-crystal with thermal and irradiation damage was investigated using an indirect method with a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Surface electrodes were deposited on the AlN samples, and the vibration response of the samples to an applied voltage was monitored using the LDV as a function of the excitation frequency. The $d_{33}$ estimation was based on the excitation voltage and the thickness-mode displacement extracted from the LDV measurements. Further, six AlN substrates were irradiated with 8 MeV Al 2+ at three fluences (10 15 , 10 16 , and 10 17 ions/cm 2 ) and two temperatures (300 °C and 500 °C). The $d_{33}$ for the six irradiated samples and one pristine sample were measured, and the measurement uncertainty was estimated based on five repeated tests. All samples were also measured by a commercial piezometer for comparison. The experimental results demonstrate that the piezoelectric coefficients obtained by LDV were about 0.8–1.16 pm/V lower than those obtained by the piezometer. With the compensation of the clamping effect, the corrected LDV values are similar to the piezometer results. Both show similar trends in all samples, which validates the feasibility of the proposed method for $d_{33}$ measurement. Based on the LDV results, the irradiated samples show a 12%–22% decrease in $d_{33}$ compared with the pristine samples. The samples irradiated under the same fluence at a higher temperature (500 °C) demonstrated a lower $d_{33}$ than those at 300 °C. The effect of the retro-reflective tape, sample temperature, and sample size on the $d_{33}$ measurement were also studied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Active populations and growth of soil microorganisms are framed by mean annual precipitation in three California annual grasslands

Climate influences soil microbial composition and function, but the relative importance of a site's historic climate versus its more immediate environmental conditions is unclear. Using quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP), we characterized actively growing soil microbial communities and soil properties in three California annual grasslands that span a rainfall gradient and have developed on similar parent material. The soils were assayed in the wet winter season, when environmental conditions are most similar across sites. Since growing populations might be expected to be most responsive to contemporary environmental conditions, we hypothesized that the structure of growing microbial communities would be more similar across the gradient than that of total communities (i.e., including non-growing populations). In addition, we hypothesized that population growth rates would be slowest in the driest site, reflecting a legacy effect of low soil moisture on microbial growth. Soils along the rainfall gradient differed in pH, texture, and cation exchange capacity, but not in total C, C:N or dominant minerals. The radiocarbon (14C) age of soil C (reflecting turnover time) increased with mean annual precipitation but soil respiration was uniformly modern, reflecting microbial reliance on recent C inputs across the sites. The structure of both total and growing microbial communities differed across sites. Across major microbial phyla, including the Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes and Proteobacteria, bacterial growth rates were consistently lower in the site with the lowest mean annual precipitation. Taxa that were growing at the dry site alone grew more slowly than taxa that grew at multiple sites. These results reflect the influence of climate history and point to the role of environmental filtering at the driest site in shaping its slower growing microbial community, possibly reflecting adaptation to repeated exposure to water stress. Lastly, across taxa, the growth rate of a taxon at one site was correlated with its growth rate in the other sites. Furthermore, this growth rate coherence is likely a consequence of genetically determined physiological traits and is consistent with the idea that evolutionary history constrains growth rate.

Environmental filtering↗

Optical properties enhancement of thermal energy media for consistently high solar absorptivity

This study aimed to evaluate the optical properties of particles intended for use as thermal energy absorbers in generation 3 concentrated solar power systems. Their characterization involved UV–Vis NIR measurements with an integrating sphere for solar absorptivity, while a reflectometer was employed to measure thermal emittance. By combining absorptivity and emittance data, the solar absorption efficiency was calculated. Laser flash analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis were utilized to determine thermal conductivity and specific heat. The solar absorptivity of the particles was initially measured at 0.90. After exposure to air at 1000 °C, it decreased to 0.73. However, following a reduction process, the particle recovered absorptivity of 0.90. The thermal aging and recovery were repeated multiple times, consistently achieving an absorptivity of 0.90. The thermal conductivity of the particles ranged from 0.50 to 0.88 W/(m-K). Solar absorptivity was found to be influenced by the types of iron oxide present in the particles. Particles with a predominance of hematite exhibited decreased solar absorptivity, while those containing magnetite, wüstite, and iron showed increased absorptivity. The estimated cost of the developed particles was more than ten times lower than that of current products. Given that component costs significantly impact the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), this price reduction corresponded to an 8 % decrease in LCOE compared to other products. The low-cost thermal energy media show great promise for contributing to a reduced LCOE in the third generation of concentrating solar power systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Unique interface and dynamics of the complex of HSP90 with a specialized cochaperone AIPL1

Photoreceptor phosphodiesterase PDE6 is central for visual signal transduction. Maturation of PDE6 depends on a specialized chaperone complex of HSP90 with aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein-like 1 (AIPL1). Disruption of PDE6 maturation underlies a severe form of retina degeneration. Here, we report a 3.9 Å cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the complex of HSP90 with AIPL1. This structure reveals a unique interaction of the FK506-binding protein (FKBP)-like domain of AIPL1 with HSP90 at its dimer interface. Unusually, the N terminus AIPL1 inserts into the HSP90 lumen in a manner that was observed previously for HSP90 clients. Deletion of the 7 N-terminal residues of AIPL1 decreased its ability to cochaperone PDE6. Multi-body refinement of the cryo-EM data indicated large swing-like movements of AIPL1-FKBP. Modeling the complex of HSP90 with AIPL1 using crosslinking constraints indicated proximity of the mobile tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain with the C-terminal domain of HSP90. Our study establishes a framework for future structural studies of PDE6 maturation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Green solvent-processable poly(3-hexylthiophene) derivative maintains high hole mobility in diodes

The development of environmentally sustainable fabrication methods for organic solar cells (OSCs) is critical to enable their large-scale adoption. Conventional solution-processed OSCs often rely on halogenated, toxic solvents that pose health and environmental risks, limiting their scalability. This is because π-conjugated polymers tend to have a low solubility in non-halogenated solvents. A common strategy to enhance solubility in alternative solvents is through the incorporation of polar solubilizing groups, often on every repeat unit of at least one monomer. However, too many polar side chains tend to disrupt favorable morphology and decrease charge transport properties. In this study, we demonstrate that a minimal degree of side chain functionalization can improve green solvent processability while preserving electrical performance. We tested this hypothesis using our previously reported random copolymer derivative of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) where ∼10 mol% of the side chains are 6-pentanoatehexyl side chains. We find that this low-level functionalization significantly broadens the solvents that can be used to process P3HT to less toxic solvents such as o-xylene and anisole. Furthermore, the copolymer processed from greener solvents showed high hole mobilities (∼10⁻ 3 cm 2 /Vs by the Space-Charge Limiting Current method in diodes), comparable to P3HT films cast from toxic chloroform. These findings suggest that minimal side-chain modification is a viable strategy for expanding green solvent compatibility while preserving electrical performance, paving the way toward more sustainable organic semiconductor designs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development and validation of the cavitation-induced erosion risk assessment tool

This work presents the development of a cavitation-induced erosion risk assessment (CIERA) tool that links multiphase flow simulation predictions with the progress towards material erosion. To develop a robust erosion modeling tool, the cavitation and erosion predictions for pressurized diesel fuel flow within a channel geometry were validated over a range of Reynolds and cavitation number conditions in two different aluminum channel geometries, one featuring a rounded inlet corner and the other with a sharp inlet corner. The multiphase flow development within the channel was modeled using a compressible mixture model, where phase change was represented with the homogeneous relaxation model and the turbulent flow evolution was modeled using a dynamic structure approach for Large Eddy Simulations. To improve representation of the incubation period before material rupture over existing approaches, a physics-based metric was derived based on the cumulative energy absorbed by the solid material from repeated hydrodynamic impacts. When the average peak pressure was related to the incubation period, the incubation period and its sensitivity to changes in flow conditions were found to be overpredicted. In contrast, predictions from CIERA provided a more accurate means to qualitatively and quantitatively predict the influence of flow conditions on the incubation period before material erosion. When the predicted stored energy was related to the solid material properties to estimate the incubation period, multiphase flow simulations demonstrated accurate representation of the sensitivity of erosion severity to changes in flow conditions. The use of CIERA led to quantitative agreement of the predicted incubation period within 5% of the experimentally measured incubation period.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Developing a small participant framework: An investigation of mode choice influential factors

An in-depth comprehension of the changing impact of mode choice influencing factors is essential in planning for behavior-adaptive mode shift policies. This study developed a framework to investigate a method of evaluation of the changes in mode choice using a small participation pool. A field application in Pima County, Arizona was developed to test the developed framework to evaluate the impact of a real transit experience. Twenty-two participants were recruited and repeated measurements were taken before and after their transit trip. The results revealed that people are less susceptible to their mental biases after a transit trip and consider more objective elements such as walking time. The developed framework resulted in successful evaluation methods that are reproducible for other application study designs. Thus, the results further present that low participant recruitment in application-based field studies can be accomplished using this developed methodology, for other regions and studies.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Three dimensional cluster analysis for atom probe tomography using Ripley’s K-function and machine learning

The size and structure of spatial molecular and atomic clustering can significantly impact material properties and is therefore important to accurately quantify. Ripley’s K-function (K(r)), a measure of spatial correlation, can be used to perform such quantification when the material system of interest can be represented as a marked point pattern. This work demonstrates how machine learning models based on K (r)-derived metrics can accurately estimate cluster size and intra-cluster density in simulated three dimensional (3D) point patterns containing spherical clusters of varying size; over 90% of model estimates for cluster size and intra-cluster density fall within 11% and 18% error of the true values, respectively. These K (r)-based size and density estimates are then applied to an experimental APT reconstruction to characterize MgZn clusters in a 7000 series aluminum alloy. Here we find that the estimates are more accurate, consistent, and robust to user interaction than estimates from the popular maximum separation algorithm. Using K (r) and machine learning to measure clustering is an accurate and repeatable way to quantify this important material attribute.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗