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

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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Precision measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry for dijet production at intermediate pseudorapidity in polarized 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV

The STAR Collaboration reports precise measurements of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, 𝐴 𝐿⁢𝐿 , for dijet production with at least one jet at intermediate pseudorapidity 0.8 < 𝜂 jet < 1.8 in polarized proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. This study explores partons scattered with a longitudinal momentum fraction (𝑥) from 0.01 to 0.5, which are predominantly characterized by interactions between high-𝑥 valence quarks and low-𝑥 gluons. The results are in good agreement with previous measurements at 200 GeV with improved precision and are found to be consistent with the predictions of global analyses that find the gluon polarization to be positive. In contrast, the negative gluon polarization solution from the JAM Collaboration is found to be strongly disfavored.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lockdown impacts on residential electricity demand in India: A data-driven and non-intrusive load monitoring study using Gaussian mixture models

This study evaluates the effect of complete nationwide lockdown in 2020 on residential electricity demand across 13 Indian cities and the role of digitalisation using a public smart meter dataset. We undertake a data-driven approach to explore the energy impacts of work-from-home norms across five dwelling typologies. Our methodology includes climate correction, dimensionality reduction and machine learning-based clustering using Gaussian Mixture Models of daily load curves. Results show that during the lockdown, maximum daily peak demand increased by 150-200% as compared to 2018 and 2019 levels for one room-units (RM1), one bedroom-units (BR1) and two bedroom-units (BR2) which are typical for low- and middle-income families. While the upper-middle- and higher-income dwelling units (i.e., three (3BR) and more-than-three bedroom-units (M3BR)) saw night-time demand rise by almost 44% in 2020, as compared to 2018 and 2019 levels. Our results also showed that new peak demand emerged for the lockdown period for RM1, BR1 and BR2 dwelling typologies. We found that the lack of supporting socioeconomic and climatic data can restrict a comprehensive analysis of demand shocks using similar public datasets, which informed policy implications for India's digitalisation. We further emphasised improving the data quality and reliability for effective data-centric policymaking.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dynamics of hot QCD matter 2024 — Bulk properties

The second Hot QCD Matter 2024 conference at IIT Mandi focused on various ongoing topics in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, encompassing theoretical and experimental perspectives. This proceedings volume includes 19 contributions that collectively explore diverse aspects of the bulk properties of hot QCD matter. The topics encompass the dynamics of electromagnetic fields, transport properties, hadronic matter, spin hydrodynamics, and the role of conserved charges in high-energy environments. These studies significantly enhance our understanding of the complex dynamics of hot QCD matter, the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) formed in high-energy nuclear collisions. Advances in theoretical frameworks, including hydrodynamics, spin dynamics and fluctuation studies, aim to improve theoretical calculations and refine our knowledge of the thermodynamic properties of strongly interacting matter. Experimental efforts, such as those conducted by the ALICE and STAR collaborations, play a vital role in validating these theoretical predictions and deepening our insight into the QCD phase diagram, collectivity in small systems, and the early-stage behavior of strongly interacting matter. In conclusion, combining theoretical models with experimental observations offers a comprehensive understanding of the extreme conditions encountered in relativistic heavy-ion and proton-proton collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dynamic modelling and control strategy of a temperature-driven metal hydride cooling system for buildings

A temperature-driven coupled metal hydride (MH) based thermal energy storage (TES) system can allow to shave and shift the peak energy demand in buildings. The high energy density and long-term (seasonal) energy storage capability are its major advantages over other energy storage methods. The dynamic nature of the MH operation, however, requires controlled hydrogen transfer between the coupled MHs at a rate needed to meet the building's transient load. While temperature-driven MH systems are studied in the literature, their application in buildings and control are scarcely reported. Here, this paper presents a control-based dynamic modeling of the temperature-driven coupled MH-TES system for building cooling applications. The dynamic model is developed in MATLAB(R) Simulink environment, considering the thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of the MH systems. Based on a preliminary analysis of a property database of over 337 hydrides, we select around 1600 MH pairs suitable for building cooling applications. Each of these MH pairs is studied for their performance using the dynamic model, and among all, Zr 0.76 Ti 0.24 Ni 1.16 Mn 0.63 V 0.14 Fe 0.18 -Ti 0.85 Zr 0.15 Cr 1.2 Mn 0.8 MH pair showed fast dynamics along with high coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.71. A parametric investigation is performed on this MH pair to understand the effect of operating temperatures. Finally, three proportional-integral (PI) feedback controllers are investigated to regulate the temperature, pressure and mass exchange between the coupled MH pairs. The developed PI controller is sufficiently capable of rejecting the signal noise from the hydrogen flow and internal heat exchange processes with root mean square error of 5.78 W between reference and actual cooling load.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quasi-Two-Day and Diurnal Cloud Variation Timescales over Convectively Active Regions

Climatological features of the cloud variability on quasi-two-day (Q2D) and diurnal cycle (DC) timescales are investigated by utilizing the high-resolution satellite infrared brightness temperature (IRBT) observations from January 1998 to December 2019. A distinct land-sea contrast between the distributions of Q2D and DC signals is evident. Diurnally driven cloud activity mainly occurs over land and mountainous regions, and the Q2D timescale is more prominent over tropical ocean basins and land where organized convection is usually observed, e.g., Congo and Amazon Rainforests, the U.S. and subtropical South America during warm seasons. The long-term relationship between the Q2D variability and sea surface temperature (SST) shows that the clouds are more active on Q2D timescales over higher SST environments. The Q2D variability correlates well with both the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) from 1998 to 2019. The cloud variability associated with a range of convective available potential energy (CAPE) values is analyzed. The result over land shows that increased Q2D cloud variability emerges with higher CAPE, suggesting the coincidence of Q2D and organized convection, particularly given that this effect is strongest over regions with frequent mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) around the world. The cloud variability and the Q2D timescale analyses provide an alternative perspective to understand the global features of mesoscale convective systems. Overall, this study objectively examines the global variability of convective timescales related to the diurnal cycle and longer-lived convective systems to provide a greater understanding of how the global convection population varies in space and time.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Twists and turns: stacking and structure-dependent optical response in MoS 2 nanoscrolls

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanoscrolls (NSs), specifically MoS 2 NSs, present unique structural and optical properties, exhibiting prominent photoluminescence (PL) signals despite their multilayer nature. Here, this study investigates the structural and spectroscopic characteristics of MoS 2 NSs, correlating them to show the effects of reduced interlayer interactions on excitons of MoS 2 NSs. The reduction in interlayer interaction arises from two main factors: (1) symmetry-broken mixed stacking due to misalignment between layers and (2) a highly inhomogeneous strain profile generated by the Archimedean spiral geometry with positive eccentricity. Transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and second harmonic generation measurements confirm these findings. Low-temperature PL spectroscopy explores the impact of reduced interlayer interactions on exciton properties such as exciton–phonon coupling and oscillator strength. This study provides crucial insights into the structure, stacking and unique optical properties of TMD NSs, advancing the understanding of interlayer interactions and their impacts in complex quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dynamics of inverse metal oxides on metal catalysts using spectro-kinetics: reversible Brønsted acid site formation and irreversible reduction

Brønsted acid sites (BASs) in inverse catalysts are vital for the selective hydrogenolysis of polyols, specifically cleaving secondary C–O bonds. These BASs form dynamically in situ in an H 2 environment. While H 2 enables rapid BAS generation on short timescales, it reduces the catalyst at prolonged exposures. The active center for BAS generation, the kinetics of BAS formation, its reverse decomposition, and the irreversible oxide reduction have lacked direct experimental evidence. Here, aided by advanced spectro-kinetic studies, we identify trimeric W 3 O x sites on Pt as the active centers for BAS generation, whereas isolated WO x species on SiO 2 act merely as spectator species, demonstrated using an inverse WO x /Pt catalyst as a representative system. A detailed kinetic profile capturing the dynamics of W 3 O x sites on Pt is also established. The rate constant for BAS formation is two orders of magnitude higher than for its decomposition, which is one order of magnitude faster than the irreversible site reduction. Co-fed H 2 O suppresses the site reduction by ∼50%. Furthermore, the H 2 partial pressure plays an important role. While lower gas-phase H 2 partial pressure does not influence the reversible BAS formation, it can significantly (∼3×) suppress catalyst reduction. Finally, these findings offer critical insights into optimizing reaction conditions through periodic H 2 pulsing, enhancing catalyst stability and performance in hydrogenolysis reactions.

Sourav, Sagar [Indian Inst. of Technology (IIT), M↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dry and warm conditions in Australia exacerbated by aerosol reduction in China

A substantial decline in anthropogenic aerosols in China has been observed since the initiation of clean air actions in 2013. This study reveals a linkage between aerosol reductions in China and drier and warmer conditions in Australia. Aerosol decline in China trigger alterations in temperature and pressure gradients between the two hemispheres, leading to intensified outflow from Asia towards the South Indian Ocean, strengthening the Southern Indian Subtropical High and its related Southern Trade Winds. Consequently, this atmospheric pattern results in a moisture divergence over Australia. The reduction in surface moisture further results in more surface energy being converted into sensible heat instead of evaporating as latent heat, warming the near-surface air. The intensified dry and warm climate conditions further cause the increase in wildfire risks during fire seasons in Australia. Our study illuminates the potential impact of distant aerosols on precipitation and temperature variations in Australia, offering valuable insights for drought and wildfire risk mitigation in Australia.

aerosol-cloud interaction↗
DOE OSTI2020

National-Tribal Critical Infrastructure Protection: Collaboration for Extraordinary National Security Benefit

This paper examines national and tribal collaborative opportunities to get ahead of the critical infrastructure insecurity problem. Recommendations are viewed through the lens of the Sandia Labs Tribal Cyber-Energy initiative and national security projects. Recommendations include 1) Collaboratively address national priority and shared challenges to gain faster and better solutions to national priority problems on a smaller yet comprehensive American Indian and Alaskan Native sovereign single-point of authority scale 2) Utilize newer standards-based technologies to provide scalable, capable, and manageable solutions for greatly expanded and connected national critical infrastructures 3) Employ Cyber-Physical-Resilient design preliminary analysis to define concept- to-disposition design requirements for preemptive critical infrastructure risk mitigation and baked-in security; 4) Develop data-centric protection to provide increased information asset protection as data shifts from data-owner operated on-premises infrastructure to virtual service provider data-steward owned and operated off-premises infrastructure; and 5) Balance shared solutions with the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity and Risk Management frameworks, and the System Security Engineering Guidelines. As yet unallocated federal funding would support research, development, the timely application of National-Tribal critical infrastructure protection, and critical infrastructure Cyber disruption response and recovery with extraordinary mutual benefits for the foreseeable future. The Critical Infrastructure Insecurity Problem: Rapid modernization and expansive connectivity are due to advances in Information and Communications Technologies that have sweeping cyber impact across all critical infrastructure sectors. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Industrial Control Systems are particularly impacted as systems long separated from the Internet are now being connected and computerized. Virtualization and mobility create a Data Everywhere-User Anywhere paradigm that has evaporated the enterprise network perimeter. There are multi-front technological challenges at play, where long depended on technologies simply don't scale to current needs resulting in a digital dichotomy of competing old and new standards. New standards-based technologies scale but are not as well-known or as widely deployed, which leaves decision makers, stakeholders, and the workforce in a quandary, caught mid-stream between the technological past and the virtual future. Rapid and expansive cyber threat accompanies disruptive change in connectivity and computational dependencies. A lack of action will exacerbate the problem if new technologies roll out without baked-in security design. The Risk: If National-Tribal CIP collaboration to design in security is not done, then an ongoing state of insufficient bolt-on security and elevated threat exposure will remain for years to come.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Surface Energy Modulated Self‐Assembly of Percolative Gallium Nanodroplet Films for Stretchable Electronics

Advancements in soft robotics and wearable technologies have led to an increased need for flexible and stretchable electronic systems. Liquid metals like Gallium (Ga) and its alloys offer high potential in the field of stretchable electronics and photonics due to their inherent high conductivity and malleability. However, their high surface tension and native oxide formation hinder uniform wetting and continuous film formation to get conducting films. Here, we report a fabrication strategy to realize electrically conductive Ga thin films with effective thicknesses around 100 nm on polymeric and elastomeric substrates. By enhancing the surface energy of the elastomer, we create uniform Ga nanodroplets capable of sustaining stretchability up to 200% strain. Our devices exhibit electronic conduction primarily through tunneling and display strain tunable piezoresistive characteristics, which are explained using Kirchhoff's resistive network and Simmon's analytical tunneling current model. To showcase the device's capability in fields of stretchable electronics, we demonstrate several functional prototypes, including flexible devices integrated with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), curvature and pressure sensors, and soft robotic grippers capable of sensing object curvature. The demonstrated devices highlight the potential of this approach for scalable integration of stretchable electronics in soft robotic and wearable platforms.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measurement of In-Medium Jet Modification Using Direct Photon + Jet and 𝜋 0 + Jet Correlations in 𝑝 + 𝑝 and Central Au + Au Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV

The STAR Collaboration presents measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from energetic direct-photon (𝛾 dir ) and neutral-pion (𝜋 0 ) triggers in 𝑝 + 𝑝 and central Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ =2 00 GeV over a broad kinematic range, for jet resolution parameters 𝑅 = 0.2 and 0.5. Medium-induced jet yield suppression is observed to be larger for 𝑅 = 0.2 than for 0.5, reflecting the angular range of jet energy redistribution due to quenching. The predictions of model calculations incorporating jet quenching are not fully consistent with the observations. Furthermore, these results provide new insight into the physical origins of jet quenching.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

WHONDRS River Corridor Sediment and Water Geochemistry and In Situ Sensor Data from Machine-Learning-Informed Sites across the Contiguous United States (v6)

This dataset supports a broader study examining hyporheic zone respiration rates to improve predictive models at a contiguous United States (CONUS) scale. The CONUS-Scale Model-Sample Study (CM) was designed following ICON (integrated, coordinated, open, and networked) principles to facilitate a model-experiment (ModEx) iteration approach, leveraging crowdsourced sampling across the CONUS. New machine learning models were created every month to guide sampling locations. Data from the resulting samples were used to test and rebuild the machine learning models for the next round of sampling guidance. Sampling began in April 2022 and ended in October 2023. In addition to the widely distributed CONUS sites, a more spatially focused sampling occurred in the Yakima River Basin, WA in summer 2022. Data from this more spatially intensive sampling occurred under the label “Second Spatial Study (SSS)” and were also included in the machine learning models. Other data types collected from SSS that were not part of CM were published in a separate data package (https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/view/doi:10.15485/1969566). This data package was originally published in February 2023. It was updated in June 2023 (v2; new and modified files); December 2023 (v3; new and modified files); June 2024 (v4; new and modified files); April 2024 (v5; new and modified files); and September 2025 (v6; modified files). See the change history section in the readme for more details. For details on how to navigate data packages generated by this project, see https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/PNNLRiverCorridorSFA/About. This dataset is comprised of two folders of field photos and videos, one folder of raw Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) data and one main data folder containing (1) file-level metadata; (2) data dictionary; (3) field metadata; (4) readme; (5) international generic sample number (IGSN) mapping file; (6) field protocols; (7) a subfolder with sample data; and (8) a subfolder with sensor data. The sample data subfolder contains (1) surface water and sediment dissolved organic carbon (DOC, measured as non-purgeable organic carbon, NPOC) data and averages; (2) surface water and sediment total nitrogen data and averages; (3) surface water major cations and anions and averages; (4) sediment grain size data; (5) sediment iron (II) data and averages; (6) wet sediment mass, dry sediment mass, water mass, and wet sediment volume in incubation and sediment ICR vials; (7) sediment incubation respiration rate data and averages; (8) normalized respiration rate data and averages; (9) methods codes; (10) sediment specific surface area; (11) sediment percent carbon and nitrogen; (12) sediment gravimetric moisture and averages; (15) sediment X-ray diffraction (XRD) data; (16) sediment adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and averages; (17) a subfolder with sediment incubation respiration data, scripts, and plots; (18) surface water and sediment FTICR methods; and (19) a subfolder of 9.4 Tesla (9.4T) FTICR-MS data. This folder contains five subfolders, one containing the sediment .xml data files, one containing the water .xml files, one containing the sediment CoreMS output files, one containing the water CoreMS output files, and the other containing instructions and scripts for processing the files in CoreMS (https://github.com/EMSL-Computing/CoreMS).The sensor data subfolder contains (1) a subfolder with miniDOT dissolved oxygen and temperature data and plots; (2) miniDOT dissolved oxygen and temperature summary data; and (3) miniDOT installation methods. All files are .csv, .pdf, .R, .xml, .d, .html, .Rmd, .py, .cal, .json, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .mov, or .mp4. CORRECTION: Carbon and nitrogen content are reported as percentages. The current column headers "01395_C_percent_per_mg" and "01397_N_percent_per_mg" are incorrect. These should read "01395_C_percent" and "01397_N_percent" and will be corrected in the next version of this data package. We thank the United States Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Cowiche Canyon Conservatory, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Scientific Research Permit #210901), and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation for access to field locations where the samples labeled “SSS” were collected. We also thank the Yakama Nation Tribal Council and Yakama Nation Fisheries for working with us to facilitate sample collection and optimization of data usage according to their values and worldview. WHONDRS consortium members were asked to provide any acknowledgments for the collection of samples labeled “CM” and the following is a list of acknowledgments that were submitted with their corresponding Site IDs: (MART) Research activities were conducted in part on the Wind River Experimental Forest within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (MP- 100379) Philadelphia is part of Lenapehoking, the ancestral homelands of the Lenape peoples; (MP-102398) Land surveyed is the ancestral homelands of the Nookhose'iinenno (Arapaho), Tsis tsis'tas (Cheyenne), and Nuuchu (Ute); (MP-100749 and MP- 100747) Georgia Coastal Ecosystem LTER, OCE-1832178; (SP-70 and SP-72) Eastern Shoshone, Shoshone-Bannock; (MP- 102944) Funded by Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. On the traditional lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rhonde, and the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribe; (MP- 100607) Holiday Creek is located on the traditional territory of the Monacan Indian Nation; (SP-45) Lafayette Blue Springs State Park; (MP-102420) NSF DEB-2016749; (MP-100019) New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station; (SP-35) Rayonier (land owner; https://www.rayonier.com/); (MP- 101276) US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research, Subsurface Biogeochemical Research, Watershed Dynamics and Evolution SFA at ORNL; (MP- 103224) Watershed Dynamics and Evolution SFA at ORNL; (MP- 101584) Traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda) and Anishinaabe Peoples.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Machine learning model inputs, outputs, and scripts associated with “Artificial intelligence-guided iterations between observations and modeling significantly improve environmental predictions”

NOTE: The manuscript associated with this data package is currently in review. The data may be revised based on reviewer feedback. Upon manuscript acceptance, this data package will be updated with the final dataset and additional metadata. This data package is associated with the manuscript “Artificial intelligence-guided iterations between observations and modeling significantly improve environmental predictions” (Malhotra et al., in prep). This effort was designed following ICON (integrated, coordinated, open, and networked) principles to facilitate a model-experiment (ModEx) iteration approach, leveraging crowdsourced sampling across the contiguous United States (CONUS). New machine learning models were created every month to guide sampling locations. Data from the resulting samples were used to test and rebuild the machine learning models for the next round of sampling guidance. Associated sediment and water geochemistry and in situ sensor data can be found at https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/1923689, https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/1729719, and https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/1603775. This data package is associated with two GitHub repositories found at https://github.com/parallelworks/dynamic-learning-rivers and https://github.com/WHONDRS-Hub/ICON-ModEx_Open_Manuscript. In addition to this readme, this data package also includes two file-level metadata (FLMD) files that describes each file and two data dictionaries (DD) that describe all column/row headers and variable definitions. This data package consists of two main folders (1) dynamic-learning-rivers and (2) ICON-ModEx_Open_Manuscript which contain snapshots of the associated GitHub repositories. The input data, output data, and machine learning models used to guide sampling locations are within dynamic-learning-rivers. The folder is organized into five top-level directories: (1) “input_data” holds the training data for the ML models; (2) “ml_models” holds machine learning (ML) models trained on the data in “input_data”; (3) “examples” contains files for direct experimentation with the machine learning model, including scripts for setting up “hindcast” run; (4) “scripts” contains data preprocessing and postprocessing scripts and intermediate results specific to this data set that bookend the ML workflow; and (5) “output_data” holds the overall results of the ML model on that branch. Each trained ML model resides on its own branch in the repository; this means that inputs and outputs can be different branch-to-branch. There is also one hidden directory “.github/workflows”. This hidden directory contains information for how to run the ML workflow as an end-to-end automated GitHub Action but it is not needed for reusing the ML models archived here. Please see the top-level README.md in the GitHub repository for more details on the automation. The scripts and data used to create figures in the manuscript are within ICON-ModEx_Open_Manuscript. The folder is organized into four folders which contain the scripts, data, and pdf for each figure. Within the “fig-model-score-evolution” folder, there is a folder called “intermediate_branch_data” which contains some intermediate files pulled from dynamic-learning-rivers and reorganized to easily integrate into the workflows. NOTE: THIS FOLDER INCLUDES THE FILES AT THE POINT OF PAPER SUBMISSION. IT WILL BE UPDATED ONCE THE PAPER IS ACCEPTED WITH ANY REVISIONS AND WILL INCLUDE A DD/FLMD AT THAT POINT. We thank the United States Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Cowiche Canyon Conservatory, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Scientific Research Permit #210901), and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation for access to field locations where the samples labeled “SSS” were collected. We also thank the Yakama Nation Tribal Council and Yakama Nation Fisheries for working with us to facilitate sample collection and optimization of data usage according to their values and worldview. WHONDRS consortium members were asked to provide any acknowledgments for the collection of samples labeled “CM” and the following is a list of acknowledgments that were submitted with their corresponding Site IDs: (MART) Research activities were conducted in part on the Wind River Experimental Forest within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest; (MP- 100379) Philadelphia is part of Lenapehoking, the ancestral homelands of the Lenape peoples; (MP-102398) Land surveyed is the ancestral homelands of the Nookhose'iinenno (Arapaho), Tsis tsis'tas (Cheyenne), and Nuuchu (Ute); (MP-100749 and MP- 100747) Georgia Coastal Ecosystem LTER, OCE-1832178; (SP-70 and SP-72) Eastern Shoshone, Shoshone-Bannock; (MP- 102944) Funded by Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. On the traditional lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rhonde, and the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribe; (MP- 100607) Holiday Creek is located on the traditional territory of the Monacan Indian Nation; (SP-45) Lafayette Blue Springs State Park; (MP-102420) NSF DEB-2016749; (MP-100019) New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station; (SP-35) Rayonier (land owner; https://www.rayonier.com/); (MP- 101276) US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research, Subsurface Biogeochemical Research, Watershed Dynamics and Evolution SFA at ORNL; (MP- 103224) Watershed Dynamics and Evolution SFA at ORNL; (MP- 101584) Traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda) and Anishinaabe Peoples.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Neutrino Theory in the Precision Era

This document summarises discussions on future directions in theoretical neutrino physics, which are the outcome of a neutrino theory workshop held at CERN in February 2025. The starting point is the realisation that neutrino physics offers unique opportunities to address some of the most fundamental questions in physics. This motivates a vigorous experimental programme which the theory community fully supports. \textbf{A strong effort in theoretical neutrino physics is paramount to optimally take advantage of upcoming neutrino experiments and to explore the synergies with other areas of particle, astroparticle, and nuclear physics, as well as cosmology.} Progress on the theory side has the potential to significantly boost the physics reach of experiments, as well as go well beyond their original scope. Strong collaboration between theory and experiment is essential in the precision era. To foster such collaboration, \textbf{we propose to establish a CERN Neutrino Physics Centre.} Taking inspiration from the highly successful LHC Physics Center at Fermilab, the CERN Neutrino Physics Centre would be the European hub of the neutrino community, covering experimental and theoretical activities.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Generalized Wigner theorem for noninvertible symmetries

In this article, we establish the conditions under which a conservation law associated with a non-invertible operator may be realized as a symmetry in quantum physics. As established by Wigner, all quantum symmetries must be represented by either unitary or antiunitary transformations. Relinquishing an implicit assumption of invertibility, we demonstrate that the fundamental invariance of quantum transition probabilities under the application of symmetries mandates that all non-invertible symmetries may only correspond to projective unitary or antiunitary transformations, i.e., partial isometries. This extends the notion of physical states beyond conventional rays in Hilbert space to equivalence classes in an extended, gauged Hilbert space, thereby broadening the traditional understanding of symmetry transformations in quantum theory. Our generalized theorem applies irrespective of the origin of the (non)invertible symmetry, holds in arbitrary spatial dimensions, and is independent of the Hamiltonian or action. We explore its physical consequences and, using simple model systems, illustrate how the distinction between invertible and non-invertible symmetries can sometimes be tied to the choice of boundary conditions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Component Identification of Solid Biomass Fuels Using Reflected Light Microscopy: Interlaboratory Study 2

As nations transition toward sustainable energy systems, biomass has become a vital component of global energy portfolios. Derived from organic materials such as wood, agricultural residues, forestry byproducts, and organic waste, biomass is a renewable energy source with significant environmental and economic benefits. Responsible biomass energy production can improve waste management, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and mitigate environmental pollution. However, as the diversity of biomass-derived fuels increases, robust quality assessment methods are essential to ensure their efficiency, safety, and minimal environmental impact. Reflected light microscopy (RLM) is one such technique with the potential to complement conventional physico-chemical analyses by enabling a rapid identification of material constituents and impurities. To refine this methodology and evaluate the reproducibility of solid biomass component identification using RLM, an interlaboratory study (ILS) was conducted. The study involved the recognition of 58 components across 45 photomicrographs, with the participation of 65 scientists and students from 25 countries. The participants faced high difficulty identifying some of the marked components, and as a result, the percentage of correct answers ranged from 19.0 % to 98.3 %, with an average correct identification rate of 62.7 %. The most challenging aspects of the identification process included distinguishing between woody and non-woody (agro) biomass, accurately identifying petroleum-derived materials, and differentiating agro biomass from inorganic matter. The results suggest that while RLM is an important tool for characterizing solid biomass, further development of methodology guidelines and training are necessary to enhance its effectiveness. Future research should prioritize preparing detailed, image-rich, microscopic morphological descriptions of biomass fuel components, which could improve the accuracy and reliability of using RLM in biomass fuel characterization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy efficiency in industrial drying: A hybrid ultrasonic system with a novel dynamic optimization framework

Drying processes are among the most energy-consuming operations in industrial and manufacturing settings, demanding strategic selection, design, and control for enhanced efficiency. Advancing drying technologies is critical for improving sustainability, lowering energy use, reducing carbon emissions, and minimizing waste. This study explores two innovative strategies aimed at transforming drying processes into sustainable, low-carbon systems by reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and maintaining a strong emphasis on preserving product quality. The first strategy showcases a sub-pilot scale hybrid ultrasonic-convective dryer for agrifood products. This technology, powered by electricity (process electrification), integrates non-thermal ultrasonic dehydration with convective heating and is presented as a sustainable and energy-efficient solution that enhances eco-friendly practices. The second strategy involves introducing and implementing a novel, multiobjective, mixed integer dynamic optimization technique to determine the optimal time-dependent process parameter values for the drying operation. This optimization technique yields operating conditions that are piecewise constant in time aiming to maximize the energy efficiency of the hybrid ultrasonic-convective dryer while ensuring strict adherence to product quality constraints. By adopting the hybrid ultrasonic-convective dryer, a notable 35% improvement in energy efficiency was achieved compared to conventional hot-air drying systems for drying apple slices. The proposed optimization framework further enhanced energy efficiency by nearly 14% over the most efficient process on the identical testbed, under static operating conditions. The reported enhancements have been experimentally validated. Regarding drying time (thereby improving production yield), the developed hybrid ultrasonic-convective dryer demonstrates as much as a 41% reduction in total processing time, which is further optimized by an additional 10% using our proposed optimization framework. The research outcomes have profound implications for the design and operation of drying systems, encompassing crucial aspects such as process electrification, cost-effectiveness, energy savings, time efficiency, product yield, product quality, and process automation.

Dynamic optimization↗