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At least 739 records · Page 41

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NASA NTRS2011

Local Estimators for Spacecraft Formation Flying

A formation estimation architecture for formation flying builds upon the local information exchange among multiple local estimators. Spacecraft formation flying involves the coordination of states among multiple spacecraft through relative sensing, inter-spacecraft communication, and control. Most existing formation flying estimation algorithms can only be supported via highly centralized, all-to-all, static relative sensing. New algorithms are needed that are scalable, modular, and robust to variations in the topology and link characteristics of the formation exchange network. These distributed algorithms should rely on a local information-exchange network, relaxing the assumptions on existing algorithms. In this research, it was shown that only local observability is required to design a formation estimator and control law. The approach relies on breaking up the overall information-exchange network into sequence of local subnetworks, and invoking an agreement-type filter to reach consensus among local estimators within each local network. State estimates were obtained by a set of local measurements that were passed through a set of communicating Kalman filters to reach an overall state estimation for the formation. An optimization approach was also presented by means of which diffused estimates over the network can be incorporated in the local estimates obtained by each estimator via local measurements. This approach compares favorably with that obtained by a centralized Kalman filter, which requires complete knowledge of the raw measurement available to each estimator.

Fathpour, Nanaz↗

NASA NTRS2012

Inviscid Analysis of Extended Formation Flight

Flying airplanes in extended formations, with separation distances of tens of wingspans, significantly improves safety while maintaining most of the fuel savings achieved in close formations. The present study investigates the impact of roll trim and compressibility at fixed lift coefficient on the benefits of extended formation flight. An Euler solver with adjoint-based mesh refinement combined with a wake propagation model is used to analyze a two-body echelon formation at a separation distance of 30 spans. Two geometries are examined: a simple wing and a wing-body geometry. Energy savings, quantified by both formation drag fraction and span efficiency factor, are investigated at subsonic and transonic speeds for a matrix of vortex locations. The results show that at fixed lift and trimmed for roll, the optimal location of vortex impingement is about 10% inboard of the trailing airplane s wing-tip. Interestingly, early results show the variation in drag fraction reduction is small in the neighborhood of the optimal position. Over 90% of energy benefits can be obtained with a 5% variation in transverse and 10% variation in crossflow directions. Early results suggest control surface deflections required to achieve trim reduce the benefits of formation flight by 3-5% at subsonic speeds. The final paper will include transonic effects and trim on extended formation flight drag benefits.

Kless, James↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Formation of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides from Fe(II) sulfides: Implications for akaganeite detection on Mars

Akaganeite (β-FeO(OH,Cl)) is a Fe(III) (hydr)oxide with a tunnel structure typically occupied by chloride. This mineral was first proposed to be present in Meridiani Planum and Gusev crater on Mars and akaganeite was subsequently detected by X-ray diffraction in Yellowknife Bay and Vera Rubin Ridge locations in Gale crater. Akaganeite in Gale crater has been proposed to form from Fe(II) sulfides but formation conditions remain unconstrained. We investigated akageneite formation by oxidative alteration of natural Fe(II) sulfide pyrrhotite exposed to HCl and oxidation-hydrolysis of Fe(II) HCl-leached from pyrrhotite at initial pH0 1.5, 2, 3, and 4. X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer analyses revealed formation of poorly-crystallized akageneite in oxidative alteration experiments. Air-exposure of the HCl-reacted dry pyrrhotite led to an increase in akageneite formation and precipitation of Fe(II) hydrated sulfates, goethite, and hydronium jarosite. Iron(II) oxidation-hydrolysis was sensitive to Si dissolved from phyllosilicates in one pyrrhotite sample. Akaganeite and goethite formed at pH0 1.5 and 2 with akageneite more abundant at dissolved Si/Fe ratio of 0.08 and goethite more abundant at Si/Fe of 0.01. Akaganeite formed together with hematite, ferrihydrite, and goethite at pH0 3, and formation was suppressed at pH0 4. Well-crystallized akageneite precipitated at pH0 1.5 while akaganeite of poorer crystallinity formed at pH0 2 and 3. Akageneite in Gale crater could form from sulfides by both mechanisms: oxidative alteration of sulfide minerals and oxidation-hydrolysis of leached Fe(II). The processes likely occurred during late diagenetic events triggered by interactions of acidic Cl-bearing groundwater with Fe(II) sulfides. Akaganeite in Yellowknife Bay, Gale crater could have formed by Fe(II) oxidation-hydrolysis either as a sole Fe(III) (hydr)oxide at pH<2 or along with ferrihydrite and hematite at 2<pH<4 in Si-enriched conditions. Akaganeite formation at Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale crater could have occurred through oxidative alteration of sulfides in Cl-bearing pH 1.2-1.5 solutions. The presence of well-crystalline akageneite in Vera Rubin Ridge indicates that Fe(II) oxidation-hydrolysis contributed to akageneite formation.

Mars gale crater akaganeite↗

DOE OSTI2014

Varying properties of in situ heat treatment of a tar sands formation based on assessed viscosities

A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat is allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation. A viscosity of one or more zones of the hydrocarbon layer is assessed. The heating rates in the zones are varied based on the assessed viscosities. The heating rate in a first zone of the formation is greater than the heating rate in a second zone of the formation if the viscosity in the first zone is greater than the viscosity in the second zone. Fluids are produced from the formation through the production wells.

Karanikas, John Michael↗

DOE OSTI2014

Varying properties of in situ heat treatment of a tar sands formation based on assessed viscosities

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

BETO 2021 Peer Review - Enhancing Acetogen Formate Utilization to Value-Added Products 2.3.2.112

Electricity from a diversity of sources is increasingly utilized due to its low cost. However, since much of this energy is intermittently generated, there is a mismatch between energy demand and supply. Cheap intermittent energy offers opportunities to utilize this energy and generate value-added chemicals. Low-cost electricity can be used to chemically reduce CO2 to formate and methanol, which then can be upgraded to useful chemicals. To utilize formate for production of valuable chemicals, we decided to focus on Clostridium ljungdahlii as our host organism due to several advantages: it can already utilize formate under some conditions, it has the most developed genetic system for acetogens, and is a model organism for the Wood-Ljungdahl Pathway, the most efficient anaerobic carbon fixation pathway. Formate is a feedstock for a variety of bacteria and has several advantages to gaseous electrochemical products, including ease of storage and miscibility in liquid. Acetogens naturally take C1 compounds and convert them to higher chain products through acetyl-CoA, which is a precursor to many valuable products including carboxylic acids and alcohols. For this project, as a proof of concept, we are focusing on converting formate to butanol. This task primarily relies on two parts: improving formate utilization and installing a butanol pathway. First, we characterized the conditions of native formate utilization in C. ljungdahlii. We also have begun working on genetic tools to delete and express genes.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2015

Magnetic fields and galactic star formation rates

The regulation of galactic-scale star formation rates (SFRs) is a basic problem for theories of galaxy formation and evolution: which processes are responsible for making observed star formation rates so inefficient compared to maximal rates of gas content divided by dynamical timescale? Here we study the effect of magnetic fields of different strengths on the evolution of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) within a kiloparsec patch of a disk galaxy and resolving scales down to ≃0.5 pc. Including an empirically motivated prescription for star formation from dense gas (n{sub H}>10{sup 5} cm{sup −3}) at an efficiency of 2% per local free-fall time, we derive the amount of suppression of star formation by magnetic fields compared to the nonmagnetized case. We find GMC fragmentation, dense clump formation, and SFR can be significantly affected by the inclusion of magnetic fields, especially in our strongest investigated B-field case of 80 μG. However, our chosen kiloparsec-scale region, extracted from a global galaxy simulation, happens to contain a starbursting cloud complex that is only modestly affected by these magnetic fields and likely requires internal star formation feedback to regulate its SFR.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Evaluation of formation water chemistry and scale prediction: Bakken Shale

Determination of in situ formation water chemistry is an essential component of reservoir management. This study details the use of thermodynamic computer models to calculate reservoir pH and restore produced water analyses for prediction of scale formation. Bakken produced water samples were restored to formation conditions and calculations of scale formation performed. In situ pH is controlled by feldspar-clay equilibria. Calcite scale is readily formed due to changes in pH during pressure drop from in situ to surface conditions. The formation of anhydrite and halite scale, which has been observed, was predicted only for the most saline samples. Finally, in addition, the formation of anhydrite and/or halite may be related to the localized conditions of increased salinity as water is partitioned into the gas phase during production.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2021

Observing correlations between dark matter accretion and galaxy growth: II. testing the impact of galaxy mass, star formation indicator, and neighbour colours

A crucial question in galaxy formation is what role new accretion has in star formation. Theoretical models have predicted a wide range of correlation strengths between halo accretion and galaxy star formation. Previously, we presented a technique to observationally constrain this correlation strength for isolated Milky Way mass galaxies at z ~ 0.12, based on the correlation between halo accretion and the density profile of neighbouring galaxies. By applying this technique to both observational data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and simulation data from the UNIVERSEMACHINE , where we can test different correlation strengths, we ruled out positive correlations between dark matter accretion and recent star formation activity. In this work, we expand our analysis by (1) applying our technique separately to red and blue neighbouring galaxies, which trace different infall populations, (2) correlating dark matter accretion rates with D n 4000 measurements as a longer-term quiescence indicator than instantaneous star-formation rates, and (3) analysing higher-mass isolated central galaxies with 10 11.0 < M * /M ⊙ < 10 11.5 out to z ~ 0.18. Finally, in all cases, our results are consistent with non-positive correlation strengths with ≳ 85 percent confidence, which is most consistent with models where processes such as gas recycling dominate star formation in massive z = 0 galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Unified Nanotechnology Format: One Way to Store Them All

The domains of DNA and RNA nanotechnology are steadily gaining in popularity while proving their value with various successful results, including biosensing robots and drug delivery cages. Nowadays, the nanotechnology design pipeline usually relies on computer-based design (CAD) approaches to design and simulate the desired structure before the wet lab assembly. To aid with these tasks, various software tools exist and are often used in conjunction. However, their interoperability is hindered by a lack of a common file format that is fully descriptive of the many design paradigms. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a Unified Nanotechnology Format (UNF) designed specifically for the biomimetic nanotechnology field. UNF allows storage of both design and simulation data in a single file, including free-form and lattice-based DNA structures. By defining a logical and versatile format, we hope it will become a widely accepted and used file format for the nucleic acid nanotechnology community, facilitating the future work of researchers and software developers. Together with the format description and publicly available documentation, we provide a set of converters from existing file formats to simplify the transition. Finally, we present several use cases visualizing example structures stored in UNF, showcasing the various types of data UNF can handle.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Two Artificial Leaf Architectures for Solar Formate Production From CO 2 and H 2 O

Sunlight-powered artificial leaves for the production of formate from CO 2 are an attractive route to solar fuels, yet existing solar formate devices remain low in performance, and their architecture and material choices are underexplored. Herein, we report the fabrication of two distinct fully integrated, self-standing solar formate device architectures and elucidate the underlying design principles and material selection strategies. The first architecture integrates a Si photocathode with a BiVO 4 photoanode and utilizes a highly active Pd catalyst for CO 2 reduction. It represents the first artificial leaf device comprising two photoelectrodes (excluding photovoltaic [PV]-biased electrodes) for effective formate production under single-beam illumination. The second architecture employs a dark cathode and a dark anode driven by a 4-junction perovskite solar cell and uses a highly stable Bi catalyst for CO 2 reduction. This device delivers a record-high formate production rate of 174 µmol h −1 with a remarkable solar-to-formate energy efficiency of 2% among all artificial leaf devices reported to date. Finally, these results demonstrate the feasibility and outline the design principles of both PV-free and PV-assisted device architectures in solar fuel production.

electrocatalysis↗

DOE OSTI2018

Iron isotope fractionation during pyrite formation in a sulfidic Precambrian ocean analogue

We present that the chemical response of the Precambrian oceans to rising atmospheric O 2 levels remains controversial. The iron isotope signature of sedimentary pyrite is widely used to trace the microbial and redox states of the ocean, yet the iron isotope fractionation accompanying pyrite formation in nature is difficult to constrain due to the complexity of the pyrite formation process, difficulties in translating the iron isotope systematics of experimental studies to natural settings, and insufficient iron isotope datasets for natural euxinic (i.e. anoxic and sulfidic) marine basins where pyrite formation occurs. Herein we demonstrate, that a large, permil-level shift in the isotope composition of dissolved iron occurs in the Black Sea euxinic water column during syngenetic pyrite formation. Specifically, iron removal to syngenetic pyrite gives rise to an iron isotope fractionation factor between Fe(II) and FeS 2 of 2.75 permil (‰), the largest yet reported for reactions under natural conditions that do not involve iron redox chemistry. These iron isotope systematics offer the potential to generate permil-level shifts in the sedimentary pyrite iron isotope record due to partial drawdown of the oceanic iron inventory. The implication is that the iron stable isotope signatures of sedimentary pyrites may record fundamental regime shifts between pyrite formation under sulfur-limited conditions and pyrite formation under iron-limited conditions. To this end, the iron isotope signatures of sedimentary pyrite may best represent the extent of euxinia in the past global ocean, rather than its oxygenation state. On this basis, the reinterpreted sedimentary pyrite Fe isotope record suggests a fundamental shift towards more sulfidic oceanic conditions coincident with the ‘Great Oxidation Event’ around 2.3 billion years ago. Importantly, this does not require the chemical state of the ocean to shift from mainly de-oxygenated to predominantly oxygenated in parallel with the permanent rise in atmospheric oxygen, contrary to other interpretations based on iron isotope systematics.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Skin factor and potential formation damage from chemical and mechanical processes in a naturally fractured carbonate aquifer with implications to CO 2 sequestration

Here, in this study, we investigate formation damage due to acidization and water injection tests into the naturally fractured carbonate Middle Duperow Formation at Kevin Dome, Montana, potentially diminishing the chance of a future successful Geological Carbon Sequestration (GCS) project. Multiple well-test analytical models, correlated with core description and lithology data, are used to determine flow behavior and communication between the water injection interval and surrounding formations. An improved three-dimensional (3D) geologic model with dual-continuum matrix and fracture properties is constructed based on most recent seismic, core, and water sample measurements. Brine injection is simulated to verify the interpretation from the analytical models, followed by CO 2 injection simulation. Geochemical calculations are performed to understand the in-situ processes that led to formation damage. Our findings suggest: (1) there are two possible scenarios that could lead to a positive total effective skin factor and permeability decline: partial penetration and formation damage; (2) analytical models indicate a positive total skin factor, contradicting results of a previous study suggesting that the well was mildly stimulated; (3) numerical simulation supports the formation damage hypothesis by matching the pressure buildup observed during the latter two brine injection tests; (4) several mechanical and chemical processes may have occurred during injection to clog the matrix/fracture system: anhydrite fines migration and/or calcite precipitation. We then make preventative suggestions for future GCS projects into carbonate reservoirs and remediation recommendations for GCS operation at the Kevin Dome.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Systematic feature design for cycle life prediction of lithium-ion batteries during formation

Optimization of the formation step in lithium-ion battery manufacturing is challenging due to limited physical understanding of solid-electrolyte interphase formation and the long testing time (∼100 days) for cells to reach the end of life. We propose a systematic feature-design framework that requires minimal domain knowledge for accurate cycle life prediction during formation. By only using two simple Q (V) features designed from our framework, extracted from formation data without any additional diagnostic cycles, we achieved an average of 9.87% error for cycle life prediction. Here, the physics-based investigation guided by the two designed features shows that the voltage ranges identified by our framework capture the effects of formation temperature and microscopic-particle resistance heterogeneity. By designing highly predictive, robust, and interpretable features, our approach can accelerate industrial battery formation research, leveraging the interplay between data-driven feature design and mechanistic understanding.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Dynamic in-situ imaging of methane hydrate formation and self-preservation in porous media

Here we present the results of dynamic in-situ 3D X-ray imaging of methane hydrates microstructure during methane hydrate formation and dissociation in sand samples. Short scanning times and high resolution provided by synchrotron X-rays allowed for better understanding of water movement and different types of gas-hydrate formation. Complementing previous observations, we conclude that the process of gas-hydrate formation is accompanied by the water movements caused by cryogenic water suction that happens in sequences of short fast movements with longer equilibrium states in between (when the water is immobile). Based on the 3D microstructure we identified two distinct types of gas-hydrate formation: (i) into the gas pockets and (ii) inside water volumes. For both mechanisms we do not see problems in gas or water supply to support the gas-hydrate formation. The rate of dissociation in the self-preservation mode (pressure drop at negative temperatures) appears to be different for these two types of gas hydrates. This means that the history of the gas-hydrate formation may influence its behaviour at the dissociation stage (e.g. gas-hydrate production).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Process-Specific Effects of Sulfate on CaCO 3 Formation in Environmentally Relevant Systems

Additives, such as ions, small molecules, and macromolecules, have been found to regulate the formation of CaCO 3 and control its morphologies and properties. However, a single additive usually affects dominantly one process in CaCO 3 's formation and is seldom found to significantly affect multiple CaCO 3 formation processes. In this work, we used in situ grazing incidence X-ray techniques to observe the heterogeneous formation of CaCO 3 and found that a series of formation processes (i.e., nucleation, growth, and Ostwald ripening) were modulated by sulfate. In the nucleation process, increased interfacial free energy and bulk free energy cooperatively increased the nucleation barrier and decreased nucleation rates. In the growth process, sulfate reduced the electrostatic repulsion between CaCO 3 precursors and nuclei, promoting CaCO 3 growth. This influence on the growth counteracted the inhibition effect in the nucleation process, causing a nearly 100% increase in the volume of heterogeneously formed CaCO 3 . Meanwhile, adsorbed sulfate on CaCO 3 nuclei may poison the surface of smaller CaCO 3 nuclei, inhibiting Ostwald ripening. These revealed sulfate's active roles in controlling CaCO 3 formation advance our understanding of sulfate-incorporated biomineralization and scaling phenomena in natural and engineered aquatic environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Copper-Doped Tin Oxides Supported on Mesoporous Carbon Xerogel for Boosting the Electrochemical Reduction of CO 2 to Formate in Bicarbonate Solution Coupled with CO 2

The electrochemical reduction of CO 2 into valuable products at mild reaction conditions and using cheap renewable electrical energy are goals to sustain a low-carbon economy. Among the various CO 2 reduction reaction products, formic acid (FA) has received significant attention because of its low Gibbs free energy input requirement and the simple reduction reaction involving the transfer of 2 electrons and 2 protons. In this work, a copper-doped tin oxide catalyst supported on a mesoporous carbon xerogel was shown to enhance the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to formate in a bicarbonate solution coupled with CO 2 . We observed that the synergistic SnCu oxides enhance the selectivity toward formate from 58.6% for Sn oxide and 28.7% for Cu oxide to over 71.2% for the SnCu oxides. The observed rate of formate production with SnCu oxide was 2.8 times higher compared to the rate of Cu oxide and about 1.5 times higher than with the Sn oxide catalyst. Our results reveal that selectivity for formate comes partly from the electrolysis of the bicarbonate solution and partly from continuous CO 2 gas purged into the solution. The contribution from the electrolysis of bicarbonate solution ranges from 15% to 40% when the concentration of bicarbonate solution ranges from 100 mM to 1 M. Chronoamperometric measurements for stability revealed that Cu oxide and Sn oxide showed stable current density for less than 30 h while under the same conditions, the stable current density was observed for more than 50 h with SnCu oxide catalyst. Additionally, the selectivity toward formate increased by 6% when the reactor pressure was increased from near ambient pressure to 4 psig. Our lab-scale electrochemical cell with SnCu oxide supported on the mesoporous carbon xerogel enhances the CO 2 solubility, minimizes the precipitation of salts that can degrade the catalytic performance, and suppresses the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction, demonstrating the feasibility of using our catalyst and system for the electrochemical conversion of CO 2 into formate with high selectivity, productivity, and stability. Furthermore, this could have significant implications for the mitigation of CO 2 emissions and the development of a sustainable chemical industry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Regime-Dependence of Nocturnal Nitrate Formation via N 2 O 5 Hydrolysis and Its Implication for Mitigating Nitrate Pollution

The heterogeneous hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide (N 2 O 5 ) is an important pathway in nitrate formation; however, its formation rate and relative contribution to total particulate nitrate (pNO 3 - ) are highly variable. Here we report that nocturnal pNO 3 - formation via N 2 O 5 hydrolysis is dependent on the regime defined by the ratio of NO 2 to O 3 . Nocturnal pNO 3 - formation via N 2 O 5 hydrolysis is suppressed in an O 3 -limited regime but enhanced in a NO 2 -limited regime. The results have crucial implications for effective control of nitrate pollution in the future. An exclusive decrease in NO 2 will decrease nocturnal pNO 3 - formation in a NO 2 -limited regime but may be less effective or even increase nocturnal pNO 3 - formation in an O 3 -limited regime.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗