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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Influence of background sources and topographic resolution in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model on xenon plume characteristics at monitoring stations

For many atmospheric monitoring applications, networks of measurement sites—such as the radionuclide stations of the International Monitoring System—can be sparse. With measurement locations potentially hundreds to thousands of kilometers from a release it is important to quantify the effects of physical processes on transport and dispersion of plumes between source and measurement locations. This study addresses the effects of background sources and topography resolution near the release location of radionuclides. We use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with inline chemistry to investigate (1) how an additional, time-varying source of 133 Xe, such as an operational medical isotope production facility, contributes to activity concentration measurements at monitoring sites, and (2) how complex topography influences on atmospheric conditions near emission sources impact plume concentrations at varying distances from the source. Two 133 Xe emission sources, including (1) a high flux rate of short duration representing an explosive event, and (2) a variable and continuous background source, are simulated. The continuous background source contributes significantly to total 133 Xe concentrations at several monitoring stations. Further, a WRF simulation at 9 km horizontal resolution is compared with a nested grid simulation, where the innermost domain has a resolution of 1 km. Increased topographic resolution leads to an improved representation of plume responses to local winds, with topographic influences greatest at locations closest to the sources. Differences between the two domain resolutions decrease at greater distances from the sources, as plumes have time to spread and mix and are influenced by synoptic scale circulation patterns that are represented similarly in both simulations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Topographical Controls on Hillslope-Scale Hydrology Drive Shrub Distributions on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Observations indicate shrubs are expanding across the Arctic tundra, mainly on hillslopes and primarily in response to climate warming. However, the impact topography exerts on hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and plant growth can make untangling the mechanisms behind shrub expansion difficult. We examined the role topography plays in determining shrub expansion by applying a coupled transect version of a mechanistic ecosystem model (ecosys) in a tundra hillslope site in the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Modeled biomass of the dominant plant functional types agreed well with field measurements (R 2 = 0.89) and accurately represented shrub expansion over the past 30 years inferred from satellite observations. In the well-drained crest position, canopy water potential and plant nitrogen (N) uptake was modeled to be low from plant and microbial water stress. Intermediate soil water content in the mid-slope position enhanced mineralization and plant N uptake, increasing shrub biomass. The deciduous shrub growth in the mid-slope position was further enhanced by symbiotic N 2 fixation primed by increased root carbon allocation. The gentle slope in the poorly drained lower-slope position resulted in saturated soil conditions that reduced soil O 2 concentrations, leading to lower root O 2 uptake and lower nutrient uptake and plant biomass. Additionally, a simulation that removed topographical interconnectivity between grid cells resulted in (1) a 28% underestimate of mean shrub biomass and (2) over or underestimated shrub productivity at the various hillslope positions. Our results indicate that land models need to account for hillslope-scale coupled surface and subsurface hydrology to accurately predict current plant distributions and future trajectories in Arctic ecosystems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Data used in “Enguehard et al. 2022, Machine-Learning Functional Zonation Approach for Characterizing Terrestrial–Aquatic Interfaces: Application to Lake Erie”

The package contains the data layers used in “Enguehard et al. 2022, Machine-Learning Functional Zonation Approach for Characterizing Terrestrial–Aquatic Interfaces: Application to Lake Erie”. Spatial data layers include: topography, wetland vegetation cover, time series of Landsat’s enhanced vegetation index (EVI) between 1990 and 2020. The study aims to characterize coastal wetlands with particular focus on the co-variability between plant dynamics, topography, soil, and other environmental factors. We proposed a functional zonation approach based on machine learning clustering to identify the spatial regions, i.e., zones that capture these co-varied properties. This approach was applied to publicly available datasets along Lake Erie, in the Great Lakes Region

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2010

Lunar Topographic Mapping Using a New High Resolution Mode for the GSSR Radar

Mapping the Moon's topography using Earth based radar interferometric measurements by the Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR) has been done several times since the mid 1990s. In 2008 we reported at this conference the generation of lunar topographic maps having approximately 4 m height accuracy at a horizontal posting of 40 m. Since then GSSR radar has been improved to allow 40 MHz bandwidth imaging and consequently obtained images and interferograms with a resolution of about 4 m in range by 5 m in azimuth. The long synthetic aperture times of approximately 90 minutes in duration necessitated a migration from range/Doppler image formation techniques to spotlight mode processing and autofocusing methods. The improved resolution imagery should permit the generation of topographic maps with a factor of two better spatial resolution with about same height accuracy. Coupled the with the recent availability of new lidar topography maps of the lunar surface made by orbiting satellites of Japan and the United States the geodetic control of the radar generated maps products can be improved dramatically. This paper will discuss the hardware and software improvements made to the GSSR and present some of the new high resolution products.

interferometry↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) Phase 2: Scientific Objectives and Experimental Design

The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) is a co-ordinated international climate modelling initiative to study and understand climate and environments of the Late Pliocene, as well as their potential relevance in the context of future climate change. PlioMIP examines the consistency of model predictions in simulating Pliocene climate and their ability to reproduce climate signals preserved by geological climate archives. Here we provide a description of the aim and objectives of the next phase of the model intercomparison project (PlioMIP Phase 2), and we present the experimental design and boundary conditions that will be utilized for climate model experiments in Phase 2. Following on from PlioMIP Phase 1, Phase 2 will continue to be a mechanism for sampling structural uncertainty within climate models. However, Phase 1 demonstrated the requirement to better understand boundary condition uncertainties as well as uncertainty in the methodologies used for data-model comparison. Therefore, our strategy for Phase 2 is to utilize state-of-the-art boundary conditions that have emerged over the last 5 years. These include a new palaeogeographic reconstruction, detailing ocean bathymetry and land-ice surface topography. The ice surface topography is built upon the lessons learned from offline ice sheet modelling studies. Land surface cover has been enhanced by recent additions of Pliocene soils and lakes. Atmospheric reconstructions of palaeo-CO2 are emerging on orbital timescales, and these are also incorporated into PlioMIP Phase 2. New records of surface and sea surface temperature change are being produced that will be more temporally consistent with the boundary conditions and forcings used within models. Finally we have designed a suite of prioritized experiments that tackle issues surrounding the basic understanding of the Pliocene and its relevance in the context of future climate change in a discrete way.

climate models↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evaluation of Techniques for Vegetation Removal from UAV-Based Photogrammetric DSM near WIPP Land Withdrawal Act Boundary, NM

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is located within New Mexico's karst landscape and is the United States' only deep geologic radioactive waste repository which isolates transuranic waste from defense activities underground in a bedded salt formation. Characteristic karst topography in this region is made up of material (such as limestone) that can be dissolved by water over a long period of time, and includes features such as springs, surface streams, sinking streams, caves, and sinkholes. Karst features can potentially impact the integrity of the waste repository in the future and compromise WIPP's performance, particularly when coupled with incompatible land-use activities within the Land Withdrawal Act (LWA) boundary as well as increased water withdrawals outside the LWA. In order to better capture the ground surface topography to support hydrology modeling efforts, the U.S. DOE has enlisted FIU to develop a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). In a previous field study, a high-resolution digital surface model (DSM) of an adjacent representative site, Basin 6, was developed by photogrammetry using aerial images captured with unmanned aerial vehicles. The DSM generated was based on point clouds representing the entire landscapes, including points of terrain, vegetation and infrastructure. These above-ground features need to be removed to create a DSM/DEM with good representation of the bare ground. In recent years, many techniques including both pre- and post-processing of DSMs, were developed for vegetation removal with varied success. This research focuses on applying and comparing various vegetation removal methods using point clouds generated of the Basin 6 pilot study area. The 3D RGB-based point cloud classification using Python scripts was a modification of the procedure by Themistocleous (2019). The method using Liblas classifies the point cloud three-dimensionally, whereas the method by Themistocleous (2019) is two-dimensional. The preliminary result of the method using Liblas, however, still had a large amount of vegetation remaining compared to the Pix4D Machine Learning method. The vegetation layer remains highly visible in the DEMs processed using the vegetation indices as opposed to the Pix4D Machine Learning method, which produces a DEM where mostly bare ground is seen. Further modifications to the input parameters are required to improve the vegetation vs. bare ground classification using this approach. The next step will be to improve the method using Liblas and to also test other vegetation removal methods found in the literature review to compare them against the two described here.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dynamic Motions of Topological Defects in Nematic Liquid Crystals under Spatial Confinement

Abstract Topological defects (TDs) have become a sensational topic due to their significant influence on the unusual optical and physiochemical characteristics of the material. To facilitate their application across a wide range of disciplines it is desirable to analyze and gain fundamental understanding of TDs in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems. Liquid crystals (LCs) are considered an ideal system for study given the direct visualization of TDs and a straightforward analyzation process. In addition to the equilibrium morphology of LC TDs, it is also of great interest to track and control the formation and annihilation of defects during thermodynamic processes. However, controlling the dynamic behavior of formed defects remains a challenge. Here, nematic LCs confined in a cell exhibiting surfaces with periodic anchoring conditions containing surface topography are relied on. The effects of patterned surface characteristics such as width, periodicity, and degree of curvature on defects dynamic motion, stabilization, and annihilation are explored. The computational experiments recapitulate the TDs transition path and provide free energy‐based predictions of critical distances for defect annihilation. Taken together, this simple approach offers a promising opportunity to control the dynamics of TDs in LCs through chemical patterned surfaces with topography.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multilayered microstructures with shape memory effects for vertical deployment

This paper presents a fabrication and characterization of multilayered microstructures with shape memory effects enabling large vertical deployment under electro-thermal actuation. Our previous research demonstrated vertical deployment of such microstructures by the effect of thermal mismatch. Development of equiatomic NiTi layers in the multilayered microstructure is investigated further for shape memory effects. Multilayered microstructures are built by sputtered NiTi layers and a lift-off process. Negative photoresist ma-N1420 enables clean lift-off of 500 nm thick NiTi layers by forming a significant undercut profile after development. The parametric study on co-sputter powers for Ti and Ni 50 Ti 50 targets suggests that 100 W RF on Ti target and 200 W DC on Ni 50 Ti 50 target can deposit Ni 49.62 Ti 50.38 layers. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to study the crystal structures and surface topography of NiTi layers. XRD results of post-annealed Ni 49.62 Ti 50.38 layers show coexistence of austenite and martensitic phases at room temperature, suggesting that the transformation temperature of such NiTi layers should be approximate 20 °C. The surface topography of Ni 49.62 Ti 50.38 layers reveals substantial increase of surface roughness at ambient conditions after the annealing. Experimental verification of the multilayered microstructure for vertical deployment was carried out by Signatone Probe Station and Dual Scanning Electron Microscope/Focused Ion Beam (SEM/FIB) system. Finally, a vertical deployment of the two-dimensional (2D) multilayered microstructures for three-dimensional (3D) can be detected by applying a constant voltage of 0.04 V, and the expected 3D deployment displacement is enlarged from 2 μm to 10 μm by introducing the shape memory effect.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Depth and microtopography influence microbial biogeochemical processes in a forested peatland

Background and aims: Peat-accumulating wetlands have undulating surfaces of raised areas (hummocks) and depressions (hollows). Hummock-hollow microtopography in relation to the water table influences the distribution of plant species, root density, and microbial community composition, which could in turn alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within peatlands. We used paired hummock and hollow cores from a boreal, forested peatland to assess how microtopography influences peatland microbial function and, in turn, ecosystem C and N cycling. Methods: The peat was analyzed for microbial biomass and potential enzyme activity in 10 cm depth increments relative to the water table, resulting in two increments for hollows and three for hummocks, which has a raised increment above the water table. Results: Across hummocks and hollows, microbial C and N and fungal biomass generally decreased with depth from the peat surface. In contrast, potential enzyme activity often increased with depth, but this varied within enzyme functional groups according to topography, depth, or both. The potential enzyme activity of C-N degrading peptidases, for example, differed across the five topography × depth increments with the lowest rate in the aerated hummocks. Hummocks compose approximately 66% of the land area at our study site and would therefore underestimate C turnover by an average of 25% if solely used to extrapolate patterns across a forested bog. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results suggest that asynchrony in C and N cycling across the undulating surface of forested peatlands impacts our ability to accurately predict biogeochemical cycling across this important ecosystem.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mixed Tin-Titanium Oxides by Atomic Layer Deposition on Planar Substrates: Physical and Electronic Structure

Ternary atomic layer deposition of Sn-doped TiO x (Sn:TiO x ) and Ti-doped SnO x (Ti:SnO x ) was performed using tetrakisdimethylamidotitanium (IV) and tin(IV) with water at 150 °C on (1 0 0) Si and quartz substrates. The physical structure of the films was investigated using scanning electron, atomic force, and Kelvin probe force microscopies as well as spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. All as-deposited films are amorphous and possessed flat and conformal topographies with low surface roughness (<1 nm). Annealed Sn:TiO x and Ti:SnO x crystallize into the tetragonal anatase TiO 2 and cassiterite SnO 2 structures, respectively, without large variations to the film topography. The chemical composition of the as-deposited and annealed films was investigated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. While dopants are homogenously mixed, the ternary ALD to form Sn:TiO x and Ti:SnO x surprisingly does not follow the rule of mixtures, despite similarities in both the growth rates of binary SnO x and TiO x and the precursors used. This finding is also supported by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Here, we postulate the deviation from the rule of mixtures is due to non-ideal surface chemistry of the binary ALD of SnO x . The optical bandgap of all films was quantified by the Tauc analysis and the valence band position was investigated by valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Intra-bandgap states above the valence band maximum were observed for as-deposited Ti:SnO x and Sn:TiO x and ascribed to 5 s states from Sn 2+ ions. The presence of these intra-bandgap states induces enhanced visible absorption and bathochromic shifts to the apparent bandgap for all as-deposited films. Annealing the films removes the intra-bandgap states and increases the optical bandgap. Simplified band diagrams created using the data available demonstrated that the conduction and valence band positions did not vary between the positions of pure TiO 2 or SnO 2 with monotonic increases to the dopant incorporation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of convection heat transfer on multiscale rough superhydrophobic and liquid infused surfaces

Multiscale rough superhydrophobic or slippery liquid infused porous surfaces have gained much interest in recent years for their improved transport phenomena properties. While there have been several studies on drag reduction and condensation on non-wetting surfaces, convection heat transfer that is important in many thermal and thermochemical applications has not been addressed systematically. Here, this article utilizes a fractal description of rough surface topographies to develop analytical models for the Nusselt number and the thermal hydraulic factor for fluid flow and heat transfer inside a cylinder with non-wetting surfaces. For air-infused superhydrophobic surfaces, the model considers the dynamic stability of the air/fluid interface in the asperities. Using the analytical formulations and the stability criteria, systematic studies are presented on the effects of the fractal surface parameters, cylinder radius and Reynolds number on the convective heat transfer characteristics, from which surface texture design maps are developed for maximizing the convection heat transfer. It is shown that multiscale non-wetting surfaces are most effective in the range of lower Reynolds number and small cylinder radius for achieving the best convective heat transfer and thermal hydraulic performance. Applying the models to actual non-wetting surface topographies fabricated using electrodeposition and chemical etching, it is shown that contrary to prevailing notion, superhydrophobicity, characterized by the highest contact angles, does not always lead to the maximum convective heat transfer performance, and that under certain fluid flow conditions, hydrophobic surfaces may offer a greater thermal performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Climatic controls on erosional efficiency vary with lithology across the Himalaya

Although climate can strongly influence erosional efficiency (i.e., erosion rate for a given topography), demonstrating its impact in tectonically active areas has been challenging due to other confounding controlling factors, such as lithology. Here, we show that 10 Be-derived erosion rates and efficiencies in the Himalayan orogen exhibit distinct relationships with climatic factors depending on lithology. We compile 173 10 Be-derived, basin-averaged erosion rates across the orogen, including 12 newly measured rates from the Dibang and Lohit valleys in the easternmost Himalaya, regions characterized by high precipitation magnitudes and variability. We group basins based on lithologies separated by orogen-scale thrust faults and quantify erosional efficiency coefficients based on the relationships between erosion rates and topographic metrics. Our results show that erosion rates and erosional efficiency from sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks along the Himalayan range front display a positive, nonlinear correlation with climatic factors, such as the number of extreme rainfall events and mean annual precipitation rates. In contrast, erosion rates from crystalline lithologies in the hanging wall of the Main Central thrust show a strong correlation with fluvial topography, whereas erosional efficiency shows no statistically significant correlation with climatic factors. Rapid erosion rates and high erosional efficiencies in the eastern Himalayan range front are likely driven by extreme precipitation on tectonically active, steep slopes composed of mechanically weak metasedimentary rocks. Our findings highlight the importance of the interplay between controlling factors, which include tectonics, lithology, and climate, that drive surface erosion and influence the topographic evolution of orogenic systems.

Channel steepness↗
DOE OSTI2024

An experimental investigation on the CO 2 storage capacity of the composite confining system

Assuring secure containment of stored CO 2 is of paramount importance—for climate change mitigation, for permitting, and for reassuring the public. Regional seals, such as those sealing petroleum accumulations, have proven to be effective for securing CO 2 . However, the goal of permanent sequestration can also be satisfied with “composite confining systems” consisting of multiple, possibly discontinuous flow barriers that, in aggregate, create a system with very high permeability anisotropy and effectively retard the vertical migration of CO 2 . This study focuses on investigating the barrier characteristics necessary for effective containment of CO 2 , using both physical flow experiments and modified invasion percolation simulations. The simulations are calibrated to the physical experiments and are used to further extend the analysis. Results show that for a composite confining system, a) even barriers with low capillary entry pressure contrast to the underlying flow unit can divert rising CO 2 ; b) curved or anticlinal barrier topography can enhance CO 2 trapping; c) fining-upward gradations make little difference to barrier effectiveness or CO 2 retention; d) longer barriers retain more CO 2 regardless of barrier topography. Finally, field-scale simulations have demonstrated the importance of barrier length for increasing CO 2 storage capacity. Furthermore, the results presented can be used to inform the development of new screening criteria for characterization and effectiveness of composite confining systems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

X-ray topographic study of Bridgman-grown CdZnTeSe

We have characterized the structural quality of Cd 0.9 Zn 0.1 Te 0.93 Se 0.07 ingot grown by the vertical Bridgman growth technique. The structural quality of Cd 0.9 Zn 0.1 Te 0.93 Se 0.07 ingot along the length was investigated via X-ray topography in the reflection mode using a white beam synchrotron radiation source. The X-ray topography data revealed the presence of very few sub grain boundaries and no sub-grain boundary network for the CdZnTeSe samples used in this study.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Correlation approach for quality assurance of additive manufactured parts based on optical metrology

Surface topography and surface finish are two significant factors for evaluating the quality of products in additive manufacturing (AM). AM parts are fabricated layer by layer, which is quite different from traditional formative or subtractive methods. Despite rapid progress in additive manufacturing and associated optical metrology for quality control and in-situ monitoring, limited research has been conducted to investigate the reliability of 3D surface measurement data. The surface topologies scanned by multiple optical systems demonstrated significant differences due to varying sampling mechanisms, resolutions, system noises, etc. The 3D datasets should be trustworthy in order to extract parameters for quality assurance or feedback control from 3D surface measurements. In this paper, we set up new standards to evaluate the reliability of 3D surface measurement data and analyze the variation in the topographical profile. In this study, two non-contact optical methods based on Focus Variation Microscopy (FVM) and Structured Light System (SLS) were adopted to measure the surface topography of the target components. The two optical metrology systems generated two entirely different point cloud datasets. Statistical methods were applied to test the difference between the data obtained from the two systems. By using a data analytics approach for comparison, it was found that the surface roughness estimated from the point cloud data sets of FVM and SLS has no significant difference, though the point cloud data sets were completely different. This paper provides standard validation approach to evaluate the plausibility of metrology data from in-situ real-time surface analysis for process planning of AM.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observation of skyrmion bubbles in multilayer [Pt/Co/Cu] n using spin-polarized STM

Magnetic multilayers are a promising platform for storage and logic devices based on skyrmion spin textures, due to the large materials phase space for tuning properties. Epitaxial superlattice structures of [Pt/Co/Cu]n thin films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy at room temperature. Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) of these samples was used to probe the connection between surface structure and skyrmion morphology with nanoscale spatial resolution. Irregular-shaped skyrmion bubbles were observed, with effective diameters from 20 to 200 nm that are much larger than the nanoscale grain structure of the surface topography. Nucleation, annihilation, and motion of skyrmion bubbles could be driven using the stray field of the ferromagnetic tip in repeated imaging, and spin-polarized current/voltage pulses. Furthermore, our detailed comparison of STM topography and differential conductance images shows that there are no surface defects or inhomogeneities at length scales that could account for the range in skyrmion bubble size or shape observed in the measurements.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Topographic and nanomechanical mapping of plutonium surfaces

Atomic force microscopy of gallium-stabilized δ-phase plutonium coupons has been used to map their topography and qualitative mechanical character, including Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov modulus, adhesion, deformation, and dissipation. Initial topographical results demonstrate that the plutonium surface is considerably rough and heterogeneous. Qualitative nanomechanical mapping revealed distinct striation patterns that are not observed in the topography images. Further investigation of the striations in the nanomechanical modes of imaging suggest that they are not measurement artifacts, or plutonium specific features. Similar investigations of stainless steel surfaces established a strong correlation between the mechanical working of the surface (i.e. cutting and grinding) and the appearance of the striations. Reimaging of the plutonium surface after moderate oxidation occurring within an inert Ar atmosphere (~1 ppm O 2 ) over the course of 13 months revealed a diminished striation pattern. It is suggested that surface stress/strain induced by the mechanical working of the metal surfaces results in the patterns of variable modulus, adhesion, deformation, and dissipation, and that these patterns are affected by the chemical changes and aging of the plutonium surface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Trace explosive residue detection of HMX and RDX in post-detonation dust from an open-air environment

Explosives are often used in industry, geology, mining, and other applications, but it is not always clear what remains after a detonation or the fate and transport of any residual material. The goal of this study was to determine to what extent intact molecules of high explosive (HE) compounds are detectable and quantifiable from post-detonation dust and particulates in a field experiment with varied topography. We focused on HMX (1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane), which is less studied in field detonation literature, as the primary explosive material and RDX (1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine) as the secondary material. The experiment was conducted at Site 300, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Experimental Test Site, in California, USA. Two 20.4 kg and one 40.8 kg above ground explosions (primarily comprised of LX-14, an HMX-based polymer-bonded high explosive) were detonated on an open-air firing area on separate days. The complex terrain of the firing area (e.g., buildings, berm, low-height obstacles) was advantageous to study HE deposition in relation to plume dynamics. Three types of samples were collected up to 100 m away from each shot: surface swipes of aluminum plates, surface swipes of fixed objects, and filters from air samples. We used atmospheric flow tube-mass spectrometry (AFT-MS) to quantify picogram levels of molecular residue of HE material in the post-detonation dust. An aliquot of sample extract in methanol (e.g., 1 µL of 0.5 mL) was placed onto a resistive material and then thermally desorbed into the AFT-MS. We successfully detected and quantified both HMX and RDX in many of the samples. Based on mass (pg) detected and solution dilution, we back-calculated the mass collected on the swipe or filter (ng per sample). The aerial distribution of molecular residue was consistent with the path of the plume, which was strongly determined by wind speed and direction at the time of each shot. The quantity of material detected appeared to correlate more with distance from the shot and the wind conditions than with shot size. This study demonstrates that the picogram detection levels of AFT-MS are well-suited for quantification of analytes (e.g., HMX and RDX) in environmental samples.

atmospheric flow tube-mass spectrometry (AFT-MS), ↗