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At least 865 records · Page 48
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Scattering of radio frequency waves by randomly modulated density interfaces in the edge of fusion plasmas

In the scrape-off layer and the edge region of a tokamak, the plasma is strongly turbulent and scatters the radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves that propagate through this region. It is important to know, whether used for diagnostics or for heating and current drive, the spectral properties of these scattered RF waves. The spectral changes influences the interpretation of the diagnostic-data obtained and the current and heating profiles. A full-wave, 3D electromagnetic code ScaRF (see Papadopoulos et al. 2019) has been developed for studying the RF wave propagation through turbulent plasma. ScaRF is a finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method for solving Maxwell's equations. The magnetized plasma is defined through the cold plasma, anisotropic permittivity tensor. As a result, ScaRF can be used to study the scattering of any cold plasma RF wave. It can be for the study of scattering of electron cyclotron waves in ITER-type and medium-sized tokamaks such as TCV, ASDEX-U, DIII-D. For the case of medium-sized tokamaks, there's experimental evidence that drift waves and rippling modes are present in the edge region (see Ritz et al. 1984). Hence, we study the scattering of RF waves by periodic density interfaces (plasma gratings) in the form of a superposition of spatial modes with varying periodicity and random amplitudes (see Papadopoulos et al. 2019). The power reflection coefficient (a random variable) is calculated for different realizations of the density interface. In this work, the uncertainty of the power reflection coefficient is rigorously quantified by use of the Polynomial Chaos Expansion (see Xiu & Karniadakis 2002) method in conjunction with the Smolyak sparse grid integration (see Papadopoulos et al. 2018) (PCE-SG). The PCE-SG method is proven accurate and much more efficient (roughly 2-orders of magnitude shorter execution time) compared to alternative methods such as the Monte Carlo (MC) approach.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Edge ICRF simulations in 3D geometry: From MHD equilibrium to coupling determination

We present in this work a consistent numerical scheme that allows the computation of 3D magnetic fields a nd 3D density profiles and their usage in ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) coupling simulations. We first utilize the PARVMEC code to compute the 3D free-boundary plasma equilibrium in the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) approximation. Since the PARVMEC solution is only defined within the last closed flux surface (LCFS), the magnetic field domain is extended to the scrape-off layer (SOL) via the BMW code, which computes a divergence-free magnetic field solution arising from the external conductors’ vacuum field a nd t he PARVMEC flux surface currents. This magnetic reconstruction is then used in the EMC3-EIRENE transport code in order to compute 3D density profiles. In the last step, the RAPLICASOL code is utilized to compute the ICRF antenna S-matrices resulting from the 3D density profiles. We exemplify this scheme for the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. A new implementation of a curved model for the ASDEX Upgrade ICRF 2-strap antenna in RAPLICASOL allows simulations in realistic geometry, without any coordinate transformations.

Lopez, Graham↗
DOE OSTI2022

PIONEER: Studies of Rare Pion Decays

A next-generation rare pion decay experiment, PIONEER, is strongly motivated by several inconsistencies between Standard Model (SM) predictions and data pointing towards the potential violation of lepton flavor universality. It will probe non-SM explanations of these anomalies through sensitivity to quantum effects of new particles even if their masses are at very high scales. Measurement of the charged-pion branching ratio to electrons vs. muons $R_{e/\mu}$ is extremely sensitive to new physics effects. At present, the SM prediction for $R_{e/\mu}$ is known to 1 part in $10^4$, which is 15 times more precise than the current experimental result. An experiment reaching the theoretical accuracy will test lepton flavor universality at an unprecedented level, probing mass scales up to the PeV range. Measurement of pion beta decay, $\pi^+\to \pi^0 e^+ \nu (\gamma)$, with 3 to 10-fold improvement in sensitivity, will determine $V_{ud}$ in a theoretically pristine manner and test CKM unitarity, which is very important in light of the recently emerged tensions. In addition, various exotic rare decays involving sterile neutrinos and axions will be searched for with unprecedented sensitivity. The experiment design benefits from experience with the recent PIENU and PEN experiments at TRIUMF and the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI). Excellent energy and time resolutions, greatly increased calorimeter depth, high-speed detector and electronics response, large solid angle coverage, and complete event reconstruction are all critical aspects of the approach. The PIONEER experiment design includes a 3$\pi$ sr 25 radiation length calorimeter, a segmented low gain avalanche detector stopping target, a positron tracker, and other detectors. Using intense pion beams, and state-of-the-art instrumentation and computational resources, the experiments can be performed at the PSI ring cyclotron.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

System and process for purification of astatine-211 from target materials

A new column-based purification system and approach are described for rapid separation and purification of the alpha-emitting therapeutic radioisotope 211At from dissolved cyclotron targets that provide highly reproducible product results with excellent 211At species distributions and high antibody labeling yields compared with prior art manual extraction results of the prior art that can be expected to enable enhanced production of purified 211At isotope products suitable for therapeutic medical applications such as treatment of cancer in human patients.

O'Hara, Matthew J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Determining the Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Structural Integrity of Additively Manufactured Heat Exchangers for Very Small Modular Reactor Applications, DOE Final Report (Project # 19-16980)

Auburn University (AU) teamed with the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) and Kansas State University (KSU) to determine how to best use laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) methods for generating radiation resistant nickel-based superalloys, Inconel alloy 625 and 718, for special purpose reactor (SPR) or very small modular reactor (vSMR) heat-exchangers (HeXs). Compact, conformal, and durable HeXs that are tolerant of extreme environments are needed for supporting the technical maturity of next-generation, portable compact reactors. AM is an enabler for realizing this new wave of HeXs – providing a means to make customizable hot and cold stream architectures with novel flow path geometries (e.g., tortuous channels with non-uniform, asymmetric cross-sections) and reduced layer-to-layer contact resistance (i.e., no separate bonding procedure required). AM further enables a more time/cost efficient means for fabricating SPRs by reducing the number of suppliers required for HeX assembly and allowing for on-site HeX fabrication. The project aim has been to better understand how neutron irradiation affects the microstructure and properties of additively manufactured nickel-based superalloys, to accelerate their safe, reliable use in the modular reactor industry. The major objective was to qualify/quantify the microstructure and microhardness of nickel-based superalloys (including Inconel 718 and 625) additively manufactured via the L-PBF process in the neutron-dosed (irradiated) and non-irradiated states over a course of 3 years. Effects of build orientation during L-PBF and post-AM heat treatments on neutron resistance, microstructure and mechanical properties were also investigated. Neutron damage mechanisms via hardening were characterized. This project combined subject-matter experts in AM, mechanical/microstructure metallic part characterization, and neutron irradiation, as well as unique assets and capabilities at AU and MURR at MU, to ensure project results translated to effectively addressing known gaps in nuclear science and engineering. Parts were fabricated using L-PBF systems readily available at AU. Specimens were then irradiated using MURR facilities; a manipulator equipped hot cell was also used to measure material hardness after dosing. MURR, a 10 MW, light-water nuclear reactor, is the largest, highest powered, highest-flux university owned research reactor in the U.S. The major findings in this project provide evidence that AM can serve as an alternative way to build structural components for future advanced small modular reactors using advanced materials like Inconel 625 (IN625) or Inconel 718 (IN718). After full spectrum neutron irradiation, vertically as-built AM IN625 samples were observed to display better resistance towards radiation-induced-hardening defects relative to traditionally machined metals. A Vickers microhardness tester, using settings of 1 kgf and dwell time of 15 seconds per indentation, was used to measure hardness in this study. The as-built, vertically printed samples experienced 1.2% of radiation hardening vs. 5.25% radiation hardening observed in wrought IN625. Another set of IN625 and IN718 samples were exposed to fast neutron irradiation. It was observed that IN718 showed more resistance towards radiation hardening compared to IN625 samples indicating IN718 had a better performance. Results showed that the IN718 samples experienced less change (-2.5 to 3.24 %) in microhardness. On the other hand, IN625 samples underwent more (0.9 to 7.21%) change in microhardness after fast neutron irradiation. AM IN625 samples were irradiated using an ion (proton) beam in cyclotron. The mechanical properties of AM samples post irradiation were compared with wrought samples. The irradiated region on the samples were tested using nano-hardness indention. It was observed that the beam current and time used in this study generated an annealing effect and thus reduced the hardness of the samples. The sum of the project results provide precious insight into how one may minimize radiation hardening in AM materials while maintaining material property constraints. Results should assist engineers in selecting an appropriate heat treatment for AM nickel-based superalloys for increased radiation resistance. Results should increase confidence levels for adopting AM for building nuclear reactor components which perform the same or better than conventionally manufactured components. Fast neutron irradiation testing provided an accelerated means of obtaining radiation effects without making materials radioactive and difficult to handle.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

System and process for purification of Astatine-211 from target materials

A new column-based purification system and approach are described for rapid separation and purification of the alpha-emitting therapeutic radioisotope 211 At from dissolved cyclotron targets that provide highly reproducible product results with excellent 211 At species distributions and high antibody labeling yields compared with prior art manual extraction results of the prior art that can be expected to enable enhanced production of purified 211 At isotope products suitable for therapeutic medical applications such as treatment of cancer in human patients.

O'Hara, Matthew J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

ICRH operations and experiments during the JET-ILW tritium and DTE2 campaigns

2021 has culminated with the completion of the JET-ILW DTE2 experimental campaign. This contribution summarizes Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) operations from system and physics point of view. Improvements to the (ICRH) system, to operation procedures and to real time RF power control were implemented to address specific constraints from tritium and deuterium-tritium operations and increase the system reliability and power availability during D-T pulses. ICRH was operated without the ITER-Like Antenna (ILA) because water leaked from an in-vessel capacitor into the vessel on day-2 of the D-T campaign. Three weeks were required to identify and isolate the leak and resume plasma operations. Dedicated RF-Plasma Wall Interaction (PWI) experiments were conducted; tritium plasmas exhibit a higher level of Be sputtering on the outer wall and impurity content when compared to deuterium or hydrogen plasmas. The JET-DTE2 campaigns provided the opportunity to characterize ICRH schemes foreseen for the ITER operation, in the ITER like wall environment in ELMy H-mode scenarios aiming at maximizing fusion performance. The second harmonic tritium resonance heating and to a lesser extent minority 3He heating (ITER D-T ICRH reference schemes) lead to improved ion temperature and fusion performance when compared to hydrogen minority ICRH. However, these discharges suffered from a lack of stationarity and gradual impurity accumulation potentially because of a deficit of ICRH power when using JET antennas at lower frequencies. Fundamental deuterium ICRH was used in tritium-rich plasmas and with deuterium Neutral Beam Heating; this ICRH scheme proved to be very efficient boosting ion temperature and fusion performance in these plasmas.

Klepper, C. Christopher↗
DOE OSTI2024

Improving Qubit Coherence Time Through Detailed Materials Analysis

This study investigates the defects, imperfections, and variations in Nb thin films deposited on sapphire substrates. Two samples, W114 and W118, were fabricated using DC Magnetron Sputtering and Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR), respectively. Each sample was analyzed at five distinct spots to compare elemental homogeneity and variations in oxide layers. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine surface morphology, while Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) provided elemental and chemical state analyses. SEM revealed distinct structures in W114 and a uniform surface in W118. EDS showed higher aluminum signals in W118, indicating a thinner film in comparison to W114. XPS detected a higher Nb₂O₅ signal in W118, in comparison to W114, which can be attributed to the presence of a thicker Nb₂O₅ layer in W118. These findings highlight the critical role of precise material characterization in advancing quantum computing technologies.

Rosado Bonilla, Cristy M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

ICRF wave propagation and absorption modelling via machine learning

A surrogate model of the wave absorption in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies is presented. The model is trained to capture the physics of 1D electron and ion power absorption profiles for both the high harmonic fast wave scheme in NSTX, and the minority heating scheme in WEST. The surrogate models, based on both the random forest regressor and the multilayer perceptron algorithms, reduce inference time of 1D power absorption profiles from 1-5 minutes required by TORIC to ∼50 µs with high accuracy (i.e. R2 = 0.71−0.96).

Sánchez-Villar↗
DOE OSTI2023

Overview of H- radio frequency ion sources for particle accelerators

Particle accelerators are among the most important scientific tools of the modern era. Large accelerator complexes have supported scientific user facilities which have had an enormous societal impact spanning many decades and enabling the work of thousands of scientific users worldwide contributing to many Nobel prizes in physics, biology and chemistry [1]. Many of the large hadron facilities employ accelerator complexes which include cyclotrons, synchrotrons, storage rings, linear or tandem accelerators and deliver ion beams of very high-intensity and/or very high-energy to their user facilities. These accelerator complexes require the injection of high-intensity beams of ions which are produced within an ion source and formed within a plasma or by bombardment of a surface [2]. Increasingly, RF systems are being utilized, to generate these ion-rich plasmas due to their high reliability and minimal use of consumable components. This report will first discuss the basic mechanisms of ion formation and plasma generation as well as some specifics of RF/microwave generators, matching circuits and plasma coupling structures typically employed. A detailed discussion will then be given of the RF-driven negative ion source systems employed by US Spallation Neutron Source as well as those used in similar facilities located around the globe. REFERENCES [1]Vladimir Shiltsev, “Particle beams behind physics discoveries”, Physics Today 73, Issue 4, 32 (2020) [2]Robert Welton et al, “Negative hydrogen ion sources for particle accelerators: Sustainability issues and recent improvements in long-term operations”, Journal of Physics Conf Series, 2244 012045

Welton, Robert F.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of the muon anomalous precession frequency in runs 4, 5, and 6 of the muon ${g}-2$ Experiment at Fermilab

The Fermilab E989 Muon $g-2$ experiment measures the muon's anomalous magnetic moment to a precision of 127 parts per billion, as reported in June 2025. The value is proportional to the difference between the muon's cyclotron frequency and the spin precession frequency in the presence of a uniform magnetic field, for muons contained within the $g-2$ storage ring. Spin precession frequency is extracted from the time distribution of the muon's decay positrons recorded by 24 electromagnetic calorimeters positioned around the inner circumference of the storage ring. The anomalous precession frequency is one of the primary experimental inputs necessary to estimate the anomalous magnetic moment, the other being the measurement of the magnetic field. This dissertation details the anomalous precession frequency extraction, including reconstruction, time-distribution fitting, and treatment of systematic uncertainties for the final three data-collection runs: Run-4, Run-5, and Run-6. This data represents a fourfold increase in statistics over the previous analysis release, halving the statistical uncertainty. The residual slow term from previous analyses is now well understood and documented in a systematic treatment. As of the writing of this dissertation, the theoretical prediction for the SM estimate of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment is under debate, with two competing prediction methods, so a definitive comparison with theory is not available. The results submitted for experimental release use the kernel-ratio asymmetry method, contributing 115 parts per billion to the statistical uncertainty and 34 parts per billion to the systematic uncertainty. When combined with the previous analyses in earlier data runs, this thereby improves the measurement beyond the experimental goal and sets the world's most precise measurement of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment.

Israel, Scott Nathan [Boston U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of the muon anomalous precession frequency in runs 4, 5, and 6 of the muon ${g}-2$ Experiment at Fermilab

The Fermilab E989 Muon $g-2$ experiment measures the muon's anomalous magnetic moment to a precision of 127 parts per billion, as reported in June 2025. The value is proportional to the difference between the muon's cyclotron frequency and the spin precession frequency in the presence of a uniform magnetic field, for muons contained within the $g-2$ storage ring. Spin precession frequency is extracted from the time distribution of the muon's decay positrons recorded by 24 electromagnetic calorimeters positioned around the inner circumference of the storage ring. The anomalous precession frequency is one of the primary experimental inputs necessary to estimate the anomalous magnetic moment, the other being the measurement of the magnetic field. This dissertation details the anomalous precession frequency extraction, including reconstruction, time-distribution fitting, and treatment of systematic uncertainties for the final three data-collection runs: Run-4, Run-5, and Run-6. This data represents a fourfold increase in statistics over the previous analysis release, halving the statistical uncertainty. The residual slow term from previous analyses is now well understood and documented in a systematic treatment. As of the writing of this dissertation, the theoretical prediction for the SM estimate of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment is under debate, with two competing prediction methods, so a definitive comparison with theory is not available. The results submitted for experimental release use the kernel-ratio asymmetry method, contributing 115 parts per billion to the statistical uncertainty and 34 parts per billion to the systematic uncertainty. When combined with the previous analyses in earlier data runs, this thereby improves the measurement beyond the experimental goal and sets the world's most precise measurement of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment.

Israel, Scott Nathan [Boston U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

2025 ASMS Investigation of the Collision-Induced Dissociation Mechanism of Protonated TODGA with IRIS

Title (20 words): Investigation of the Collision-Induced Dissociation Mechanism of Protonated TODGA with IRIS Introduction (120 words): One of the challenges facing wide-spread adoption of nuclear power is the development of efficient separation processes for used nuclear fuel. The molecules in separation processes are subjected to an extreme environment due to the high radiation fields from the used fuel and highly acidic media used for fuel dissolution, which results in significant molecular degradation, leading to reduced process efficiency. These degradation products must be identified and studied so mitigation strategies can be developed to maintain process efficiency. However, complex systems can have many degradation products, complicating identification. Untargeted analysis tools could be used to understand radiation chemistry in complex systems. However, this would necessitate improved understanding of the gas-phase fragmentation mechanisms of fuel cycle molecules like tetraoctyldiglycolamide (TODGA). Methods (120 words): The gas-phase fragmentation of protonated TODGA was investigated using collision-induced dissociation (CID), resonance ejection, and infrared ion spectroscopy (IRIS). CID and resonance ejection experiments were conducted using a Bruker Daltonics (Bremen, Gemany) SolariX XR fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. IRIS spectra of protonated TODGA and its two CID fragmentation products were measured using a modified Bruker amaZon Speed ETD 3D quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer coupled to the Free Electron Lasers for Infrared eXperiments (FELIX) free electron laser. Measured spectra were compared with density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the Gaussian 16, Revision C.02 software package with the ?B97X-D functional and def2-TZVPP basis sets. Candidate structures were generated using the CREST 3.0 conformational sampling software tool. Preliminary Data (300 words): Collision-induced dissociation of protonated TODGA ([C36H73N2O3]+, m/z=581.562) results two fragment ions, one at m/z=340.285 assigned as [C20H38NO3]+ and the other at m/z=312.290, assigned as [C19H38NO2]+. Based on the assigned formula and the structure of protonated TODGA, the fragment at m/z=340.285 is likely formed from elimination of neutral dioctylamine. Comparison of the IRIS spectrum of m/z=340.285 with DFT predictions suggests it contains a ring structure, and is assigned as N-octyl-N-(6-oxo-1,4-dioxan-2-ylidene)octan-1-aminium. Based on this structure and the structure of protonated TODGA, we hypothesize this fragment formed from elimination of neutral dioctylamine followed by a ring closure mechanism. Comparison of the IRIS spectrum of the fragment at m/z=312.290 with DFT predictions also indicated the presence of a ring structure, assigned as N-(1,3-dioxolan-4-ylidene)-N-octyloctan-1-aminium. This product could be formed from elimination of carbon monoxide from the ring of m/z=340.285 as a sequential fragmentation or formed directly from protonated TODGA via elimination of neutral N,N-dioctylformamide followed by a ring closure. Resonance ejection experiments where m/z=340 was continuously ejected from the IRC cell showed no decrease in intensity of m/z=312.290 across several collision energies, suggesting that the later, direct formation mechanism, dominates. The location of the ionizing proton in protonated TODGA is important for modeling the fragmentation mechanisms. DFT calculations suggested that the position of bands involving the coupled vibrations of the amide C—N and C=O bonds in TODGA are the most sensitive to proton location. Evaluation of the IRIS spectrum of protonated TODGA suggests that the ionizing proton is located between the two amid oxygens. This protonation location was calculated to lie approximately 30 kJ/mol lower in energy than the next lowest energy location, with the proton located solely on one of the amide oxygens. Novel aspect (20 words): Infrared ion spectroscopy combined with resonance ejection experiments and density functional theory to probe the collision-induced dissociation mechanism of tetraoctyldiglycolamide.

37 - INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL C↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of the muon anomalous precession frequency in Runs 4, 5, and 6 of the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab

The Fermilab E989 Muon g − 2 experiment measures the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment to a precision of 127 parts per billion, as reported in June 2025. The value is proportional to the difference between the muon’s cyclotron frequency and the spin precession frequency in the presence of a uniform magnetic field, for muons contained within the g − 2 storage ring. Spin precession frequency is extracted from the time distribution of the muon’s decay positrons recorded by 24 electromagnetic calorimeters positioned around the inner circumference of the storage ring. The anomalous precession frequency is one of the primary experimental inputs necessary to estimate the anomalous magnetic moment, the other being the measurement of the magnetic field. This dissertation details the anomalous precession frequency extraction, including reconstruction, time-distribution fitting, and treatment of systematic uncertainties for the final three data-collection runs: Run-4, Run-5, and Run-6. This data represents a fourfold increase in statistics over the previous analysis release, halving the statistical uncertainty. The residual slow term from previous analyses is now well understood and documented in a systematic treatment. As of the writing of this dissertation, the theoretical prediction for the SM estimate of the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment is under debate, with two competing prediction methods, so a definitive comparison with theory is not available. The results submitted for experimental release use the kernel-ratio asymmetry method, contributing 115 parts per billion to the statistical uncertainty and 34 parts per billion to the systematic uncertainty. When combined with the previous analyses in earlier data runs, this thereby improves the measurement beyond the experimental goal and sets the world’s most precise measurement of the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment.

Israel, Scott Nathan [Boston U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Constraining primordial non-Gaussianity from DESI DR1 quasars and Planck PR4 CMB lensing

We present the first measurement of local-type primordial non-Gaussianity from the cross-correlation between 1.2 million spectroscopically confirmed quasars from the first data release (DR1) of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and the Planck PR4 CMB lensing reconstructions. The analysis is performed in three tomographic redshift bins covering 0.8 < z < 3.5, covering a sky fraction of ∼20%. We adopt a catalog-based pseudo-C ℓ estimator and apply linear imaging weights validated on noiseless mocks. Compared to previous analyses using photometric quasar samples, our results benefit from the high purity of the DESI spectroscopic sample, the reduced noise of PR4 lensing, and the absence of excess large-scale power in the spectroscopic quasar auto-correlation. Fitting simultaneously for the non-Gaussianity parameter f NL and the linear bias amplitude in each redshift bin, we obtain f NL = 2 +28 -34 for a response parameter p = 1.6, and f NL = 6 +20 -24 for p = 1.0. These results improve the constraints on f NL by ∼35% compared to the previous analysis based on the Legacy Imaging Survey DR9. Additionally, we derive an optimal weighting scheme to maximize the constraining power. In this case, and assuming p = 1.6, we obtain f NL = 19 +25 -31 . Our results demonstrate the statistical power of DESI quasars for probing inflationary physics, and highlight the promise of future DESI data releases.

cosmological parameters from CMBR↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structure of active methyl-CoM reductase, Earth’s main methane producer

Summary Our work reveals the structure of the active state of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase (MCR), the key and rate-limiting enzyme in biological methane formation. We find large differences between the active Ni(I) and inactive Ni(II) proteins and provide insight into how nature makes and breaks the C-H bond of methane. The Ni(II)-F430 center in inactive MCR contains four planar nitrogen ligands, a lower axial glutamine oxo, and an upper axial thiolate. The Ni(I)-enzyme replaces the axial ligands with a single water. The one-electron redox change results in movement of the Ni ion and upward swing of the β-lactam ring in the tetrapyrrole coupled to a domino-like protein quake through second sphere residues, inter-subunit interactions, a substrate tunnel, affecting even the dimensions of the unit cell. These structural changes lead Ni(I)-MCR to release a charge clamp that, in the Ni(II) state, locks down substrate Coenzyme B. Determining the Ni(I)-MCR structure required development of rigorous anaerobic crystallographic techniques. Validation of the MCR redox state was accomplished by in-line and parallel spectroscopic and unit cell analyses. This structure has large implications for developing technologies to limit methane emissions and efficiently produce biofuels. Methodology described here will enhance structural biology for other oxygen-sensitive enzymes.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cosmological constraints from a joint DESI DR1 Full-Shape and DR2 BAO

We present a cosmological analysis combining full-shape (FS) clustering measurements from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) DR1 with baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements from DESI DR2. To achieve a robust combination that accounts for the correlation between the two data releases, we employ the ShapeFit compression method and estimate the joint covariance using EZmocks. This compressed approach inherently mitigates the prior volume effects that have previously dominated Bayesian constraints from DESI data with minimal external priors. Consequently, we obtain — for the first time within a Bayesian framework — reliable DESI-only constraints on extensions to ΛCDM using only a Big Bang Nucleosynthesis prior on the baryon density and a wide prior on the spectral index. In flat ΛCDM, we find Ω m = 0.3035 ± 0.0085, h = 0.6876 ± 0.0059, and σ 8 = 0.822 ± 0.034. For the w 0 w a CDM dynamical dark energy model, we measure w 0 = -0.49 ± 0.25 and w a = -1.52 ± 0.77, improving constraints by ∼ 30% relative to the analogous DR1 measurement and reducing the discrepancy with ΛCDM to 1.4σ when compared to BAO only analyses. We also report competitive limits on the sum of neutrino masses and spatial curvature. This work demonstrates that the ShapeFit compression provides a prior-robust and computationally efficient pathway to constrain beyond-ΛCDM physics with large-scale structure.

baryon acoustic oscillations↗
DOE OSTI2025

DESI peculiar velocity survey – Fundamental Plane

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) peculiar velocity survey aims to measure the peculiar velocities of early- and late-type galaxies within the DESI footprint using both the Fundamental Plane and optical Tully–Fisher relations. Direct measurements of peculiar velocities can significantly improve constraints on the growth rate of structure, reducing uncertainty by a factor of approximately 2.5 at redshift 0.1 compared to the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey’s redshift space distortion measurements alone. We assess the quality of stellar velocity dispersion measurements from DESI spectroscopic data. These measurements, along with photometric data from the Legacy Survey, establish the Fundamental Plane relation and determine distances and peculiar velocities of early-type galaxies. During survey validation, we obtain spectra for 6698 unique early-type galaxies, up to a photometric redshift of 0.15. 64 per cent of observed galaxies (4267) have relative velocity dispersion errors below 10 per cent. This percentage increases to 75 per cent if we restrict our sample to galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts below 0.1. We use the measured central velocity dispersion, along with photometry from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, to fit the Fundamental Plane parameters using a 3D Gaussian maximum likelihood algorithm that accounts for measurement uncertainties and selection cuts. In addition, we conduct zero-point calibration using the absolute distance measurements to the Coma cluster, leading to a value of the Hubble constant, H 0 = 76.05 ± 0.35 (statistical) ±0.49 (systematic Fundamental Plane) ±4.86 (statistical due to calibration) km s –1 Mpc –1 ⁠. This H 0 value is within 2σ of Planck cosmic microwave background results and within 1σ of other low-redshift distance indicator-based measurements.

cosmological parameters↗