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At least 865 records · Page 48

Filtration testing for enhanced performance of Radionuclide Monitoring Stations for Nuclear Treaty Verification

A study of aerosol filtration was conducted to improve U.S. Radionuclide Monitoring Station (RMS) performance for Nuclear Treaty Verification. The primary objectives of this study were to improve system operability and maintainability, reduce power consumption and operational cost, and reduce baseline radionuclide sensitivity. To meet these goals, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) studied the performance of alternate filter materials and aerosol collection technologies that could be engineered into U.S. Radionuclide Monitoring Stations. Laboratory-scale filtration experiments were conducted with Filter Material 1, FM1 (current filter), Filter Material 2, FM2, and Filter Material 3, FM3. All three materials employ electrostatically charged filter fibers to enhance nanoparticle collection. FM2 and FM3 both had higher air permeability with respect to FM1 which is advantageous for high volume collection and power savings. Particle pre-charging, a well-established industrial technique used in electrostatic precipitators, was tested to see if electrostatically charging particles prior to filtration could enhance filter performance. We found that particle-pre-charging did enhance aerosol collection efficiencies for materials which would not have otherwise satisfied RMS performance requirements. Laboratory-scale testing indicated it may be possible to reduce the baseline radionuclide sensitivity to approximately 60% of its current value by increasing the volume of air sampled in 24 hours to 2.5 times the current air volume. Improvements to geolocation may also be possible with shorter air samples (e.g., 12 hours). A new methodology was developed at SNL to assess filter performance using established RMS certification procedures. We coined these tests “mid-scale” since they bridged the gap between laboratory-scale and full-scale RMS testing. Four filter specimens were drawn from the exact same atmospheric aerosol. Gamma spectroscopy was used to assess radiological backgrounds due to radon progeny and other naturally occurring radionuclides. Direct comparisons between the four filters allowed SNL to quantify the relative change in baseline sensitivity by altering air flow rate, filter material, and particle-pre charging. Mid-scale results agreed with laboratory-scale results: alterations to RMS configuration (filter, flow, and particle charge) may result in baseline sensitivities approximately 55-60% of their current values. Finally, an assessment of scalability was performed to determine if technical approaches used in laboratory-scale and mid-scale testing could be engineered into full-scale Radionuclide Monitoring Stations. Results suggested that particle-pre-charging is a viable technical approach if reductions in baseline sensitivity or power consumption are desired.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

GMS Station SOH Monitoring Users Guide (V.1.2)

The Geophysical Monitoring System (GMS) State-of-Health User Interface (SOH UI) is a web-based application that allows a user to view and acknowledge the SOH status of stations in the GMS system. The SOH UI will primarily be used by the System Controller, who monitors and controls the system and external data connections. The System Controller uses the station SOH UIs to monitor, detect, and troubleshoot problems with station data availability and quality.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Cybersecurity for Grid Connected eXtreme Fast Charging (XFC) Station (CyberX) (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

This report summarizes the activities conducted under the DOE VTO funded project DE- EE0008451, where ABB Inc. (ABB), in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), APS Global (APS), and XOS Trucks (XOS) pursued the development of a cyber-resilient extreme fast charging (XFC) management system. This project entitled Cybersecurity for Grid Connected eXtreme Fast Charging (XFC) Station (CyberX) focuses on a resilient architecture for smart charging EV Supply Equipment (EVSE) device control and Coordinated Anomaly Detection System (CADS) features that can be added at the charging site depot level to increase cybersecurity. The project was split into two budget periods focused first on developing the threat model and resilient control concepts and second on testing, improving, and validating those developed resilient control algorithms and features with a focus on key vulnerabilities identified during the threat assessment portion of the project. During the first budget period of the CyberX project, the ABB led team focused on activities to identify, model, and quantitatively prioritize high-impact attack scenarios with potential cyber-physical effects while also modeling and developing concepts for a resilient control system that could securely address integration of DERs and other resources with EV charging. Development of the security focused XFC management system (XMS) was accomplished first by offline simulation using a developed XFC station or depot with 480V input level and simulating measurement inputs to monitoring and control systems in concept development. A representative distribution grid model was developed supporting an EV charging site model with BESS and 6 general EV charging models. These EV charging models allowed multiple configurations of charging level, multiple connected protection and measurement devices, and simulation function to show general compromise of EV, BESS, and protection features based on parallel threat analysis. During the second budget period, the EV site and supporting systems model was developed in more detail and converted from offline model to real-time to real-time with EV charging hardware in the loop (HIL). The resilient control architecture developed as concept in the first part of the project was further tested and validated for integration of local energy resources and XFC charging station site equipment while maintaining cybersecure operating principles. The proposed resilient architecture for smart charging and cybersecurity features consists of two main concepts developed and tested within the project. The first concept is an XFC management system (XMS) consisting of a hardware gateway, software platform, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) or Distribution Management System integration components. The second concept is a Coordinated Anomaly Detection System (CADS) which forms a primarily software-related subsystem of the total CyberX solution focused on monitoring system measurements, estimation of measurement states, and predicting current at the utility point of interaction based on machine learning for anomaly detection.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

NIF-TAS Miniature Calibration Station

“On Aug. 8, 2021, an experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) National Ignition Facility (NIF) made a significant step toward ignition, achieving a yield of more than 1.3 megajoules (MJ). This advancement puts researchers at the threshold of fusion ignition, an important goal of the NIF, and opens access to a new experimental regime.” NIF experiments are conducted by symmetrically focusing 192 laser beams from NIF (three football fields in length) into the Target Chamber (10-meter diameter sphere) onto a target 2mm in size. The reaction produces a hot spot the diameter of a human hair, generating more than 10 quadrillion watts of fusion power for 100 trillionths of a second. These high pressures and temperatures created by the NIF have only been seen on the surface of the sun. To achieve fusion ignition, the target must be compressed to high pressures and temperatures, which requires symmetric compression. This symmetry requires precise alignment of the laser beams to the target. To achieve this precise symmetry a Target Alignment System (TAS) was developed to aid in aligning the beams to the target. The accomplishment on Aug 8 th could not have been accomplished without the TAS. TAS has proven to be a critical contributor to the success of NIF experiments. Each TAS is composed of several Charge Couple Device (CCD) sensors and various support electronics. Unfortunately, these CCDs are no longer available in industry as they have become outdated and obsolete. There is a limited amount of spare CCDs in the facility. As the NIF continues to increase its energy output of its fusion ignition shot experiments (heigh yield shots), more neutrons are being emitted from the Target Chamber. These neutrons are very damaging to the TAS electronics and its sensors, thus degrading and reducing its life expectancy dramatically. The increase of neutrons exceeds the damage threshold of the CCDs. This would increase the demand for more frequent TAS refurbishments and calibrations. The increase in resources to perform these refurbishments and calibrations would not be sustainable. In efforts to prolong the life of each TAS system it was determined that the TAS should be removed for every High Yield Shot and then reinstalled. The high precision fully calibrated TAS can easily be knocked out of alignment during these installs and reinstall exchanges and being transported in and out of the NIF. The Miniature Calibration Station System was developed to verify that the critical calibration parameters have been preserved during every TAS exchange. The Miniature Calibration Station System (Mini-Cal) would need to be a scaled down (in size and scope), portable version of the offline TAS calibration station to verify the critical TAS parameters are still within tolerances.

42 ENGINEERING↗

The Strange Case of Ground-Coupled Airwaves on Seismoacoustic Stations at Local to Near-Regional Scales

Here we investigate the application of ground-coupled airwaves observed by seismoacoustic stations at local to near-regional scales to detect signals of interest and determine back-azimuth information. Ground-coupled airwaves are created from incident pressure waves traveling through the atmosphere that couple to the earth and transmit as a seismic wave with retrograde elliptical motion. Previous studies at sub-local scales (<10 km from a source of interest) found the back-azimuth to the source could be accurately determined from seismoacoustic signals recorded by acoustic and 3-component seismic sensors spatially separated on the order of 10 to 150 m. The potential back-azimuth directions are estimated from the coherent signals between the acoustic and vertical seismic data, via a propagation-induced phase shift of the seismoacoustic signal. A unique solution is then informed by the particle motion of the 3-component seismic station, which was previously found to be less accurate than the seismoacoustic-sensor method. We investigate the applicability of this technique to greater source-receiver distances, from 50-100 km and up to 400 km, which contains pressure waves with tropospheric and stratospheric ray paths, respectively. Specifically, we analyze seismoacoustic sources with ground truth from rocket motor fuel elimination events at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) as well as a 2020 rocket launch in Southern California. From these sources we observe evidence that while coherent signals can be seen from both sources on multiple seismoacoustic station pairs, the determined ground-coupled airwave back-azimuths are more complicated than results at more local scales. Our findings suggest more complex factors including incidence angle, coupling location, subsurface material, and atmospheric propagation effects need to be fully investigated before the ground-coupled airwave back-azimuth determination method can be applied or assessed at these further distances.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

CERBERUS: A Multi-Purpose Spectrometer and Alignment Station at SNS

In order to maximally utilize the existing beam ports at the Spallation Neutron Source, development and installation of a new neutron instrument is proposed at beam port 16a within building 8700 at Oakridge National Laboratory. Said instrument will provide nominally equal neutron beam access for three main science purposes; (1) as an alignment station for proposed single-crystal spectrometer samples to be run across the facility, (2) as a Near-Infrared (>100meV) filter analyzer spectrometer, nearly identical to that which was previously housed at the Lujan Center in Los Alamos, and (3) as a high-throughput nuclear cross-section measurement station. These three experimental applications would require no substantial technical developments, are complimentary in their technical requirements, and provide a worth-while capability that is infinitely beyond the current use of the 16a beam port at the First Target Station within the SNS complex. All three methods would enhance the facility’s science contributions, while accommodating two niche experiment methods that may not be strong enough to stand on their own.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Low-Flow Marine Hydrokinetic Turbine for Small Autonomous Unmanned Mobile Recharge Stations

A prototype low-flow marine current turbine for deployment from a small unmanned mobile floating platform has been developed for autonomously seeking and harnessing tidal/coastal currents. The support platform is an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), in the form of a catamaran with two electric outboard motors and with capabilities for autonomous navigation. The USV utilized is a WAM-V 16 vehicle that has been developed separately with support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) [1]. The marine current turbine is based on a freestream waterwheel (FSWW), also known as an undershot waterwheel (FSWW), mounted on the stern of the USV. The concept of operation involves the USV autonomously navigating to a designated marine current resource. Upon arrival, the USV anchors itself, aligns with the current, and deploys the FSWW turbine using a custom cable-lift mechanism. The turbine harnesses the local current, and an onboard power-take-off (PTO) device converts the mechanical energy into electricity, which is stored in an onboard battery bank. When energy harvesting is completed, the turbine and the anchor are retrieved and the USV navigates to a selected location. These unmanned at-sea platforms can provide power to other unmanned maritime systems. Specifically, in this project, the power generated onboard can be used to charge aerial drones via a custom flight deck that has been developed for the USV. The recharging capabilities offered by a fleet of such strategically placed recharging stations can significantly benefit aerial drones operating in the maritime domain by eliminating the need to travel back and forth to land or ship based charging stations. The project has resulted in the development of subcomponents, including the FSWW turbine, a novel PTO, an automated anchoring system for the USV, an automated turbine deployment system, and a flight deck with capabilities onboard the USV for landing, direct-contact charging and takeoff of aerial drones. The design and development of these subsystems have culminated in the overall prototype marine hydrokinetic platform (MHK Platform, Fig. 1). Comprehensive lab and field testing have been conducted to validate the functionality and performance of the platform and its components. The project demonstrates the potential for autonomous, unmanned systems to harness renewable energy from marine currents, and provide sustainable power solutions for maritime applications such as coastal surveillance and environmental monitoring; shoreline mapping; search and rescue; oceanographic research; inspection and maintenance of offshore energy installations like wind turbines and oil rigs; oil spill response; maritime disaster response; and aerial surveys, as well as facilitation of data transfer drones and shore stations.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Radio Frequency Spectrum Audit to Inventory Private Cellular Base Station Infrastructure

The ever-changing cellular communication landscape makes it difficult to identify, map, and localize cellular base stations. Localizing cellular base stations provides various advantages, including information security, cybersecurity, spectrum management, and interference detection. For example, the MITRE ATT&CK® (Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge architecture) [1] and Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification [2] emphasize the importance of being able to minimize the cyber security threat presented by unregulated private cellular base stations (PCBS). The majority of published research looks at the malicious use of PCBSs and focuses on using data retrieved from user equipment (UE), data obtained from an application on the UE, or data shared between the UE and a mobile network to locate it. This innovative strategy, however, focuses on the passively discovered uniqueness of radio frequency (RF) transmissions from commercial cellular infrastructure received in a designated monitoring position (DMP).

42 ENGINEERING↗

A Moderator Test Station at ORNL

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) hosts two world-leading slow neutron sources, the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), and is currently developing the technical design for a Second Target Station (STS) for the SNS. Upon completion of the STS project, ORNL will be uniquely positioned to optimize each of its three neutron sources, the SNS First Target Station (FTS), the STS, and HFIR, in a complementary way. Among the essential aspects of a reimagined FTS and the current STS concept are high-brightness parahydrogen moderators—moderators which are optimized for high per-unit-area neutron brightness rather than integrated-across-large-area neutron intensity. The high-brightness moderators proposed for the STS will significantly outperform the coupled moderators currently on the FTS for appropriately optimized neutron beamlines, provided the moderating hydrogen is converted to near-equilibrium levels of parahydrogen (approximately 99.8% at 20 K). The original FTS moderators, by contrast, were conservatively designed to be relatively insensitive to the exact ortho:para ratio, with a consequent loss in performance. As a result, a redesign of the FTS moderators assuming fully converted parahydrogen could result in significant performance improvements on the FTS coupled moderators, and more consistent performance over time for all hydrogen moderators. This “parahydrogen problem” is a long-standing challenge for the effective implementation of hydrogen cold moderators at high-power neutron sources. In addition, the development of new moderator concepts, whether based on previously unused materials, structured heterogeneous arrays, or even simply on changes in overall shape and size is significantly restricted at a large-scale production facility intended to use the neutron beams so produced. Accordingly, moderators for production neutron sources are often designed in a very conservative, low-risk fashion, even though this compromises the absolute neutronic performance. Advanced moderator concepts worthy of study include features that could not be tested without redesigning and redeploying the entire existing reflector, shielding, and neutron beamline installation, making such development efforts far more expensive than building a stand-alone test facility. We propose a Moderator Test Station (MTS) at the SNS with which we will verify such performance gains and test new moderator concepts. These concepts include both high-brightness and large-volume parahydrogen moderators, as well as moderators with tailored ortho:para hydrogen levels, heterogeneous moderator concepts such as the convoluted moderator or pelletized moderators, and moderators made of materials like ammonia, ethane, and oxygen clathrates, which have not been widely tested let alone deployed at neutron source facilities.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Component pose reconstruction using a single robotic total station for panelized building envelopes

The construction industry can benefit greatly from increased automation in construction processes in terms of precision, time, and labor costs. This is especially true for prefabricated construction for either new buildings or envelope retrofits. Here, prefabricated components are manufactured offsite according to design specifications and installed onsite. Accurate information on the component’s position and orientation (pose) is needed to achieve this. A tool named “Real-Time Evaluator” (RTE), designed to autonomously track prefabricated components as they are being installed and provide real-time installation instructions, is currently under development using a single robotic total station. This is challenging since at least three points are needed to determine the pose of an object in space. To achieve this goal with a single robotic total station, two key algorithms were developed: the “resection” algorithm aligns the digital twin with the physical twin regardless of the location of the total station, and the “transformation” algorithm gives instructions of translations and rotations to installers to achieve the desired installation pose. The algorithms were evaluated experimentally on a lab-scale demonstration. Results show that the resection algorithm achieved an average error of < 3.1 mm, while the transformation algorithm predicted the rotation angle along a single axis with an error of < 0.5◦.

Tang, Mengjia↗

Automated tape-target centering based on template matching for construction measurement tasks using robotic total station

Robotic total stations have transformed surveying and construction mapping through precise, efficient, and automated measurements. These instruments integrate a theodolite, which measures horizontal and vertical angles, with an electronic distance measurement (EDM) unit to determine distances, allowing accurate 3D measurement of observable points. Traditionally, users manually aimed the total station at a target. Recent advancements in robotic motor control and integration of cameras now enable automatic rotation and aiming, typically requiring only a single operator to position the target. Automated aiming is commonly performed using retroreflector prisms, which reflect light back to the source with minimal scattering, enabling high-precision measurements over long distances. However, retroreflectors, especially those designed for 360 degree, can be expensive and impractical for certain applications. This paper presents an algorithm for automating the center detection of low-cost disposable tape targets using the total station's onboard camera and a template matching algorithm. The algorithm identifies the target's center pixel in the image, and the instrument is commanded to aim at that location. We evaluated the performance of this template-matching-based centering method under various distances, angles, lighting conditions, and field environments, comparing its results to both manual aiming and conventional automated aiming of tape targets. Manual aiming was used as the baseline operational reference in the absence of an independent ground-truth measurement. The proposed approach achieves target centering results comparable to the manual baseline. This method provides a cost-effective alternative for high-precision applications where retroreflector targets are constrained by budget or logistics.

Harrington, Joshua [ORNL]↗

An in situ measurement of the radio-frequency attenuation in ice at Summit Station, Greenland

We report an in situ measurement of the electric field attenuation length Lα at radio frequencies for the bulk ice at Summit Station, Greenland, made by broadcasting radio-frequency signals vertically through the ice and measuring the relative power in the return ground bounce signal. We find the depth-averaged field attenuation length to be < L α > = 947$^{+92}_{–85}$ m at 75 MHz. Here, while this measurement has clear radioglaciological applications, the radio clarity of the ice also has implications for the detection of ultra-high energy (UHE) astrophysical particles via their radio emission in dielectric media such as ice. Assuming a reliable extrapolation to higher frequencies, the measured attenuation length at Summit Station is comparable to previously measured radio-frequency attenuation lengths at candidate particle detector sites around the world, and strengthens the case for Summit Station as a promising northern site for UHE neutrino detection.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Neutronics analyses for the conceptual design of the SNS Second Target Station

The Spallation Neutron Source, in operation at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory since 2006, was designed to allow the addition of a second target station and an upgrade of the accelerator proton power. Both upgrades are now underway. Here we describe the evolution of the design of the target of the second target station with the emphasis on the effects of the proton beam footprint on the energy deposition in the target, stresses induced by the pulsed operation, and the importance of the residual heat. The moderator configurations and their optimization are discussed. With the utilization of pure parahydrogen moderators, small neutron beam cross-sections, and the specific optimization, neutron beams of the second target station will achieve exceptionally high peak brightness and time-averaged brightness.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Design and Indoor Validation of 'DUSST': A Novel Low-Maintenance Soiling Station

Soiling can cause significant losses to photovoltaic systems, and therefore it has to be carefully monitored. Currently, the most common soiling monitoring technologies are soiling stations that use the electrical outputs of a regularly cleaned PV device and of a naturally soiled PV device to quantify soiling. A new class of low-maintenance soiling stations has now been launched in the market to lower the cost and increase the reliability of soiling monitoring. In this work, the design, and the indoor validation of 'DUSST' (Detector Unit for Soiling Spectral Transmittance), a new low-maintenance soiling station, are presented. DUSST projects a collimated monochromatic light through a glass surface and on to a light detector to measure the intensity of the transmitted light. As the glass surface naturally soils, the losses are quantified by comparing this soiled reading with a calibrated reading in the baseline clean condition.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

More science with less: evaluation of a 3D-printed weather station

Abstract. A weather station built using 3D-printed parts and low-cost sensors, based on plans and guidance provided by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research 3D-Printed Automatic Weather Station Initiative, was deployed alongside an Oklahoma Mesonet station to compare its performance against standard commercial sensors and determine the longevity and durability of the system. Temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, and precipitation measurements were collected over an 8-month field deployment in Norman, Oklahoma. Measurements were comparable to the commercial sensors except for wind direction, which proved to be problematic. Longevity and durability of the system varied, as some sensors and 3D-printed components failed during the deployment. Overall, results show that these low-cost sensors are comparable to the more expensive commercial counterparts and could serve as viable alternatives for researchers and educators with limited resources for short-term deployments. Long-term deployments are feasible with proper maintenance and regular replacement of sensors and 3D-printed components.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Hourly natural gas usage surrounding NIST NEB and NWB GHG monitoring stations in 2023

This dataset includes hourly natural gas usage surrounding two National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring stations, Northwest Baltimore (NWB; 39.3445°N, 76.6851°W) and Northeast Baltimore (NEB; 39.3154°N, 76.5830°W), for the year 2023 in units of therms. The gas usage was provided by the local gas distribution company and includes hourly data averaged across groups of 15 or more addresses to maintain anonymity. The hourly data was averaged spatially within a radius of 1 km from each monitoring station, including all groups containing data from any address within 1km of the monitoring station. This dataset only includes gas usage from service points equipped with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Between the two monitoring sites, this dataset includes usage from a total of 3649 service points, which we estimate is at least 44% of the service points in the domain.

Kenion, Helen C. R. [School of Environment and Sus↗

Retrospective on decadal progress of the NOAA/NPS ocean noise reference station network

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), established the Ocean Noise Reference Station Network (NRS) in 2014 as a foundational component of NOAA’s Ocean Noise Strategy. This long-term effort aims to characterize baseline ocean ambient sound conditions across diverse marine environments and to inform management of noise impacts on protected species and habitats within U.S. waters. The NRS is now composed of 13 autonomous passive acoustic monitoring stations strategically positioned across the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), extending from Arctic regions to tropical waters in depths ranging from 33 to 4,790 m. These locations include several National Marine Sanctuaries and National Parks, such as the recently designated Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of California. Each station is equipped to continuously sample low-frequency underwater sound at five kHz, enabling the detection of anthropogenic, geophysical, and biological acoustic signals. To date the network has sampled over 72 years of calibrated acoustic data. The spatial breadth and consistent methodology of the NRS allow for comparative acoustic assessments across diverse marine ecosystems. In addition to applied research functions, the NRS has served as a platform for education and training, offering opportunities for students to develop skills for marine science and data analysis. Looking forward, the NRS project team is focused on network expansion, improved data delivery, and broader integration with collaborative scientific initiatives. NRS recordings are being archived in partnership with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information to enhance accessibility and long-term utility. Efforts are underway to develop standardized metadata and summary products to accompany raw audio files, making the data more usable for a wide range of stakeholders in the ocean science community. The NRS is evolving into a fully integrated national framework for ocean sound monitoring that supports scientific inquiry, management decision-making, national security interests, and public engagement with ocean acoustic environments.

Long-term monitoring↗

Earth orbital space station systems.

Manned earth orbital space station systems, noting ground fitted S-4B station for transitional and intermediate stations and space missions

Cogdill, T. J.↗