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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 1,063 records · Page 59
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Hierarchical effects facilitate spreading processes on synthetic and empirical multilayer networks

In this paper we consider the effects of corporate hierarchies on innovation spread across multilayer networks, modeled by an elaborated SIR framework. We show that the addition of management layers can significantly improve spreading processes on both random geometric graphs and empirical corporate networks. Additionally, we show that utilizing a more centralized working relationship network rather than a strict administrative network further increases overall innovation reach. In fact, this more centralized structure in conjunction with management layers is essential to both reaching a plurality of nodes and creating a stable adopted community in the long time horizon. Further, we show that the selection of seed nodes affects the final stability of the adopted community, and while the most influential nodes often produce the highest peak adoption, this is not always the case. In some circumstances, seeding nodes near but not in the highest positions in the graph produces larger peak adoption and more stable long-time adoption.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Data from: "Warming and the dependence of limber pine (Pinus flexilis) establishment on summer soil moisture within and above its current elevation range"

This data package contains data that were used for analysis in “Warming and the dependence of limber pine (Pinus flexilis) establishment on summer soil moisture within and above its current elevation range”, by Moyes et al. 2013. All data collection and field research were completed on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, USA.This data package contains nine comma-separated-values (.csv) files, one text (.txt) file, and two zipped seedling folders that were used for leaf area analysis. One zipped folder contains 468 .jpg photographs of seedlings, and the second contains 468 corresponding Image J-processed .jpg images that include silhouette leaf area values. .csv and .txt files can be opened using any compatible simple text-editor software such as TextEdit (Mac) and Notepad (Windows); .csv’s can also be opened using R and Microsoft Excel. Image files can be opened using Preview (Mac) and Photos (Windows). In addition, there are a total of 31 Microsoft Excel files: three .xlsx files, and 28 raw Li-Cor output .xls files. This data user’s guide is available in .pdf format, and can be opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader, or any other compatible file viewing software. Geospatial data showing field site locations are also included in the archive for use and reference. There are two geospatial formats in this archive: ESRI shapefiles (.shp) and keyhole markup-language (.kml) files. Both file types contain bounding box information, with the former being polygons, and the latter containing corner coordinates for each site. ESRI shapefiles can be opened using any geospatial software compatible with the file type (such as ESRI’s ArcGIS suite and QGIS), and .kml files are compatible with Google Earth and Google Maps.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Continued changes in climate are projected to alter the geographic distributions of plant species, in part by affecting where individuals can establish from seed. We tested the hypothesis that warming promotes uphill redistribution of subalpine tree populations by reducing cold limitation at high elevation and enhancing drought stress at low elevation. We seeded limber pine (Pinus flexilis) into plots with combinations of infrared heating and water addition treatments, at sites positioned in lower subalpine forest, the treeline ecotone, and alpine tundra. In 2010, first-year seedlings were assessed for physiological performance and survival over the snow-free growing season. Seedlings emerged in midsummer, about 5–8 weeks after snowmelt. Low temperature was not observed to limit seedling photosynthesis or respiration between emergence and October, and thus experimental warming did not appear to reduce cold limitation at high elevation. Instead, gas exchange and water potential from all sites indicated a prevailing effect of summer moisture stress on photosynthesis and carbon balance. Infrared heaters raised soil growing degree days (base 5 °C, p < 0.001) and August–September mean soil temperature (p < 0.001). Despite marked differences in vegetation cover and meteorological conditions across sites, volumetric soil moisture content (θ) at 5–10 cm below 0.16 and 0.08 m^3 m^(−3) consistently corresponded with moderate and severe indications of drought stress in midday stem water potential, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and respiration. Seedling survival was greater in watered plots than in heated plots (p = 0.01), and negatively related to soil growing degree days and duration of exposure to θ < 0.08 m^3 m^(−3) in a stepwise linear regression model (p < 0.0001). We concluded that seasonal moisture stress and high soil surface temperature imposed a strong limitation to limber pine seedling establishment across a broad elevation gradient, including at treeline, and that these limitations are likely to be enhanced by further climate warming.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Maintenance log:Amended file name error in Data User's Guide May 19 2022

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Soil Characterizations of Five Urban Sites in Knoxville, Tennessee. 2024-2025

This dataset includes soil characterizations from five urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA: Cumberland Estates Park (CEP), Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEED), West View Park (WVP), Victor Ashe Park (VAP), and West Hills Park (WHP). The dataset consists of seven CSV files reporting the data from the measurements of gravimetric moisture content, pH, total carbon and nitrogen, soil texture, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen derived from these soil cores. During five separate sampling events conducted in 2024 and 2025, five soil cores were collected at each site within 3 meters of the remote soil monitoring equipment. In 2025, an additional three soil cores were collected adjacent to the monitoring equipment at each site to assess soil bulk density. This dataset is part of a larger study investigating the effects of soil moisture and plant evapotranspiration on ambient temperature and relative humidity across multiple urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Mayes, Melanie A [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000163689210)↗
DOE OSTI2023

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F CA-SF2 Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, forest burned in 1989

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-SF2 Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, forest burned in 1989. This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-SF2 Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, forest burned in 1989 produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - Amiro_et_al_2006, AFM/136:...The 1989 burn site (F89) was northeast of Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, with the humancaused fire covering 13,500 ha. Parts of the area had been logged prior to the fire, and slash residues would have been burned in some locations. Parts of the area were aerially seeded with jack pine seeds in the winter of 1990. The present tree canopy was composed of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.), jack pine, trembling aspen, and birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) and prior to the fire, the stand consisted of these same species aswell asblack spruce.Deadsnags of black spruce and jack pinewere still standing, althoughmost had fallen over and formed a leaningmix of dry, dead tree boles. The understory vegetation consisted mostly of black spruce saplings, saplings of the tree overstory species, bearberry, blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.), raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), rose (Rosa acicularis Lindl.), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis L.), and reed grass (Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Nutt.).

Amiro, Brian↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulations of field emitters and multipacting in PIP-II Single Spoke Resonator Type-2

It has been found in benchmark tests that some Single Spoke Resonator Type-2 (SSR2) cavities have early field emission onset as well as strong multipacting barriers. A longstanding hypothesis is that field-emitted electrons in the high electric field accelerating gap can migrate and ignite multipacting bands in the low electric field regions of the cavity periphery. In this study, we use simulation techniques to examine multipacting behavior in SSR2 cavities from electrons seeded in common field emitter locations. Additionally, we investigated seed locations for areas in SSR2 cavities which may have poor coverage during high pressure water rinsing and compared the multipacting behavior.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simulations of Laser Experiments to Study the Origin of Cosmic Magnetic Fields

Magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the universe; however, their origin is not fully understood. Cosmologists and astrophysicists have proposed a variety of ways in which small seed magnetic fields could be created. It is widely thought that the much larger values of the cosmic magnetic fields that we observe are a result of the amplification of these seed fields by the nonlinear turbulent dynamo mechanism. Such a mechanism had not yet been demonstrated in a controlled laboratory environment. We conceived experiments designed to demonstrate and study the nonlinear turbulent dynamo mechanism in the laboratory. These experiments characterize the distribution of turbulent energy among the velocity, magnetic field, and density fluctuations, providing a comprehensive picture of the energy cascade in a magnetized, turbulent plasma. The experiments build on the pathfinder experiments we have conducted on the Vulcan laser at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory in the UK and the OMEGA laser at Laboratory for Laser Energetics at Rochester. They utilize the high-intensity lasers at the Omega Laser Facility, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at LLNL and the Laser Megajoule (LMJ) Facility in France – the largest laser facilities in the world. The goal of this project was to design and model the highly demanding experiments through simulation campaigns using FLASH, a highly capable radiation-MHD code we have developed, and large-scale 3D simulations on the Mira supercomputer at ANL. The simulations were vital to ensuring the experiments achieve the strong turbulence and large magnetic Reynolds numbers required for the nonlinear turbulent dynamo mechanism to operate. The simulations were also critical to determining when to fire the diagnostics, since the experiments last tens of nanoseconds but the signals of the strongly amplified magnetic fields last only a few nanoseconds. Finally, high-fidelity, validated FLASH simulations were crucial to interpreting the results of the experiments. By combining theory, experiments, and simulations, we were able to succeed in demonstrating and characterizing the nonlinear turbulent dynamo mechanism. The effort leveraged (1) the emergence of the Flash Center for Computational Science as a leader in numerical modeling of academic High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) experiments; (2) the FLASH code, which has been developed by the Flash Center and is a leadership-class, multi- physics, publicly available community code that has been applied successfully in many laser-driven experiments; (3) the expertise acquired through pathfinder experiments we performed on the Vulcan laser at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory in the UK and on the Omega laser facility; (4) the experience we have gained in designing and interpreting these experiments using validated simulations done with FLASH; and (5) the close collaborations we have established with outstanding experimental groups in the US and abroad. The broader impacts of the project are two-fold: (1) the work furthered the transformation of the academic community’s ability to design and analyze HEDP experiments at large laser facilities that is happening through the availability of FLASH and its widespread adoption by the academic community – a community that previously had had limited access to open and validated hydro/MHD simulation tools for HEDP experiments; and (2) the work trained young scientists to design and interpret HEDP experiments using validated simulations – a critical national need.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Side Channel Considerations for SHA-512

We consider a theoretical side-channel attack on SHA-512; the attack should easily generalize to other algorithms in the SHA-2 family. Rather than looking at a side-channel attack on an HMAC, which has been done in various papers, we assume that the targeted device is applying the hash function as a pseudo-random function (prf) in order to generate a secret key from a secret seed, as recommended by NIST. The analyst uses side-channel information to try to recover the secret seed. We use entropy/information theory to show how one might judge whether or not a side-channel attack might be possible and/or feasible, and we show how the design of the implementation can affect the feasibility of an attack.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pulse Detonation Engine for Advanced Oxy-Combustion of Coal-Based Fuel for Direct Power Extraction Applications

Pressure gain combustion and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) systems have the potential to provide a step increase in the efficiency of combined-cycle power plants. Specific advantages include a net pressure increase to the system instead of a pressure drop, the high temperature of the detonation waves can increase the efficiency of power extraction compared to other processes, significant thermal energy can be released in a compact region, and the high velocities of the flow increase extraction of electrical power. In summary, a pressure gain combustor coupled with a MHD has the potential to be transformative. Despite the potential advantages, relatively little research has been conducted considering coupled pressure gain combustion systems with MHD systems. With this background and motivation, the overall goal of this effort was to advance the knowledge, technology, and computational tools associated with coupled detonation and MHD systems. A joint experimental and computational approach was used while seeking to accomplish the goals of this work. Specifically, two pulse detonation engines were developed and used for the experiments to produce detonations. Detonation speeds were measured for a variety of flow and fuel conditions (e.g., methane, propane, with coal particles). Preliminary electrical conductivity measurements were collected. An extensive amount of research was performed to identify sensitivities of detonation behaviors to the presence of combustion products. Computationally, a twofold approach was used in this work. First, a solver was developed for solving the governing equations for a reactive flow with coupled detonation and ionization chemistry. The solver was applied to study the impacts of seed material ionization on detonation. Second, a conservation element-solution element (CE-SE) based numerical solver for detonation studies with a reduced reaction mechanism for oxy-methane combustion was developed and verified on standard test cases. Key findings and contributions from this work are as follows. A system was developed for injecting powderized coal, or other seeding material, into a pulse-detonation system. The influence of a combustion product (i.e., CO 2 ) on detonation behavior was identified. Knowledge gained from this work is applicable to devices such as rotating detonation engines, where combustion products mix with fresh reactants. A system for measuring the electrical conductivity of the exhaust from a pulse-detonation engine was developed. The open-source solver, Clawpack, was extended to solve the reactive Euler equations for simulating detonations. A coupled combustion and ionization chemistry was developed in a single chemical kinetic model for methane oxidation. This model can be used to solve coupled MHD and detonation simulations. It was found that parasitic interactions from ionization chemistry with the magnetic field can reduce the detonation velocity by up to 8%, with a potential impact on power extraction of 15%. It is recommended that interactions between the detonation front and MHD field be considered. Higher gas temperatures and velocities were achieved owing to oxy-fuel detonations. Use of radical dissociation reactions in the reduced reaction mechanism, was found to be critical in predicting detonation temperature and velocity accurately.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spins and Heat in Nanoscale Electronic Systems (SHINES) (Final Report)

This project covers the funding period of 08/01/2014-07/31/2020. The project received a no-cost extension for 6 months which ended on 01/31/2021. The overall project is divided into two periods: full funding of $\$3$ million/year with the total of $\$12$ million for the first four years (08/01/2014-07/1/2018); and $\$1.9$ million for the two-year extension (08/01/2018-07/31/2020). During the first four-year period, SHINES supported 14 PIs plus two UCR seed PIs (internally funded). During the 2-year extension, only 7 PIs were involved, and 8 UCR seed PIs were supported using UCR internal funds.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Light Relics of the Early Universe (Final Technical Report)

The research supported by this award invested two types of signals left over of the early universe that might be observed in maps of the universe: (i) particles produced (thermal relics) during the hot big bang and (ii) signals left in the seeds of structure left from from an inflationary epoch prior to the hot big bang (inflationary relics). The research into thermal relics exposed new signatures of the cosmic neutrino background in the distribution of galaxies, culminating in the first measurement of the neutrino induced phase shift of the baryon acoustic oscillations. Subsequent research explored implications of constraints on hot light particles from the cosmic microwave background and the large scale structure for the physics of dark matter. Green and collaborations also investigated cosmological signatures from the inflationary epoch, including the best constraint to date on oscillatory features in seeds of structure and the first viable proposal to test the quantum origin of structure in the universe.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Numerical Investigation of Enhanced Dehumidification Processes By Using Dielectrophoresis Principles in Moist Airflows

Dispersed particle-laden flows are encountered in many building and industrial applications, such as flow in a fluidized bed, hydrocarbon transportation in pipelines, and the fouling of air-cooled heat exchangers (Kuruneru et al., 2016; Ray et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2019). Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models have been developed in recent years to depict particle-fluid and particle-particle interactions in laminar or turbulent flows with increasing accuracy and stability. One particular particle-laden system of interest for moisture control is electrically-enhanced condensation in air and water droplet flows. Electrically-enhanced condensation consists of the use of highly charged water droplets injected in the moist air. The droplets become electric seeds that attract polar water vapor molecules to their surfaces and promote condensation. The nucleation and growth of the charged droplets deplete the vapor phase near a droplet, which is compensated for by the dielectrophoresis flow and diffusion. Dielectrophoresis flow involves surrounding vapor at a distance of about 10 to 100 nm for droplets charged by an electrospray compared to ~2 nm for a single electron charge in a droplet. As the vapor molecules collapse on the surface of the droplets, their initial electrical charge decreases with time due to the neutralization of the ions. While the physics of this phenomena is well known, engineering models for predicting the condensation rates are not available. This work computationally investigates dehumidification of moist airflow in a converging rectangular duct. The objective is to develop an engineering model that predicts water vapor condensation by employing dielectrophoresis principles. We construct a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the duct with electrically-enhanced condensation. The model is implemented in the open-source software OpenFOAM. We utilize the Multi-Phase Particle-In-Cell (MP-PIC) method coupled with a Population Balance Equation (PBE) approach to simulate the particle-laden system. This methodology is an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach used to simulate the droplets' behavior in the humid air. The MP-PIC approach (Andrews and O'Rourke, 1996) mitigates the computational cost by parceling several fundamental particles with similar properties (such as types, sizes, and temperature) into one computational particle. Thus, the billions of particles can be substituted by millions of computational particles without significant loss of information. The PBE was considered with the Lagrangian frame to combine the particle distribution function used in MP-PIC (Kim et al., 2020). This approach preserves mass and energy conservation between the phases in the Eulerian and Lagrangian structures. The PBE in this procedure was directly linked to the discrete parcels, making the simulation of the particle distribution computationally efficient and robust. The MP-PIC-PBE approach used in the present work was applied to the dehumidification of air. Water droplets were injected in the air stream and forced to grow according to experimentally derived correlation. The experiments were conducted on a converging duct with the same geometry and boundary conditions used to build the CFD model. This approach enabled us to approximate the effect of dielectrophoresis phenomena on the droplet and air interface. This presentation will discuss the details of the new CFD model built for the duct, the implementation of the model in OpenFOAM CFD programming language, and the experimental validation of the newly developed model. The results revealed a moderate yet measurable increase in droplet diameter due to water vapor condensation at the vapor-liquid interface of the electrically charged droplets' surface. The seed water droplet particles grew in size by capturing the water vapor in the surrounding air. The OpenFOAM model predicted reductions of humidity in the air from 5 to 10 percent.

Yel Mahi, Maliha↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of Quantum Computing Interconnect Based on Aerosol Jet Printing and Electrochemical Deposition of Rhenium

The electrodeposition of rhenium on to a metal seed layer on flexible substrates is presented as a means to creating superconducting flexible cable connectors in an enabling plug-and-play approach for quantum computing. Cryogenic quantum electronics are currently connected using masses of stainless-steel coaxial cables that are bulky, rigid - both in form and design - and lead to significant joule heating, thermal noise, and cross talk. Here, we present an unprecedented approach to integrate an aerosol jet printed (AJP) metal seed layer with rhenium electrodeposition on a flexible substrate in the advancement of superconducting interconnect technologies. Silver and gold were printed using the ‘Nanojet’ aerosol jet printer on Kapton films. Adhesion of gold was found to be far superior to that of silver and adhesion on roughened Kapton surpassed that of its smooth counterpart. Electrodeposition of rhenium was successful on both silver and gold and an amorphous Re film was confirmed by XRD. Results for both materials are presented however due to the poor adhesion of silver to Kapton it was ruled out as a viable candidate. Composite materials were characterized by profilometry, EDS, XRD and FIBSEM. Electrical measurements of the composite at ambient temperature showed a critical temperature (T c ), where the resistance drops to 0, of 5.8 K, well above 4.2 K, the temperature of liquid helium. Stress-strain tests of the Ag-Re and Au-Re composites on roughened and smooth Kapton were completed. Cyclic flexure testing (200 cycles) to 1.25% strain showed smooth Kapton samples reach a stress of ~16 MPa, while Kapton roughened with sandpaper, reaches ~20MPa of stress for the same 1.25% strain.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Full 3D Kinetic Modeling and Quantification of Positive Streamer Evolution in an Azimuthally Swept Pin-to-Plane Wedge Geometry

Cathode-directed streamer evolution in near atmospheric air is modeled in 3D pin-to-plane geometries using a 3D kinetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code that simulates particle-particle collisions via the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. Due to the computational challenges associated with a complete 360° volumetric domain, a practical alternative was achieved using a wedge domain and a range of azimuthal angles was explored (5°, 15°, 30°, and 45°) to study possible effects on the streamer growth and propagation due to the finite wedge angle. A DC voltage of 6 kV is administered to a hemispherical anode of radius 100 μm, with a planar cathode held at ground potential, generating an over-volted state with an electric field of 4 MV/m across a 1500 μm gap. The domain is seeded with an initial ion and electron density of 10 18 m -3 at 1 eV temperature confined to a spherical region of radius 100 μm centered at the tip of the anode. The air chemistry model [1] includes standard Townsend breakdown mechanisms (electron-neutral elastic, excitation, ionization, attachment, and detachment collision chemistry and secondary electron emission) as well as streamer mechanisms (photoionization and ion-neutral collisions) via tracking excited state neutrals which can then either quench via collisions or spontaneously emit a photon based on specific Einstein-A coefficients [2, 3]. In this work, positive streamer dynamics are formally quantified for each wedge angle in terms of electron velocity and density as temporal functions of coordinates r, Φ, and z. Applying a random plasma seed for each simulation, particles of interest are tracked with near femtosecond temporal resolution out to 1.4 ns and spatially binned. This process is repeated six times and results are averaged. Prior 2D studies have shown that the reduced electric field, E/n, can significantly impact streamer evolution [4]. We extend the analysis to 3D wedge geometries, to limit computational costs, and examine the wedge angle’s effect on streamer branching, propagation, and velocity. Results indicate that the smallest wedge angle that produced an acceptably converged solution is 30°. The potential effects that a mesh, when under-resolved with respect to the Debye length, can impart on streamer dynamics and numerical heating were not investigated, and we explicitly state here that the smallest cell size was approximately 10 times the minimum λ D in the streamer channel at late times. This constraint on cell size was the result of computational limitations on total mesh count.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Plant-Based Ingredients from the Ocean (CRADA Final Report)

During the LEEP fellowship, our research was focused on optimizing methods to extract protein from red seaweeds to create a protein concentrate that can be used as an ingredient in delicious foods with an emphasis on creating plant-based meat products. We came into the fellowship with a preliminary method for extracting protein from red seaweeds. Over the course of the fellowship, we optimized the bench process, scaled the bench process to pilot scale equipment, and characterized our protein concentrate. The fellowship helped to advance our business in several ways. First, it provided a stipend, additional funding, and lab space to work. This financial aspect provided us with the ability to focus on time to refine our business and technology plan. In its absence, we likely would have pitched for pre-seed money at too early of a stage, before we had mapped out a successful plan. The fellowship helped us to craft and refine our message and our overall company direction. This in turn, helped us to find the right investors that matched our goals, which helped us to close our seed round and move forward. Lastly, the fellowship gave us access to an amazing network, allowing us to learn from the successes and challenges of a variety of startups at various stages of growth.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

3P Program: Phenotyping X Prediction = Productivity (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The goal of the 3P Program was to establish integrated, real-time phenotyping and to analyze above- and below-ground plant architecture and total carbon partitioning and allocation to predict heterosis and develop superior crop hybrids by fully leveraging the Sorghum gene pool. There were two overarching themes: 1) the development of a new crop improvement approach utilizing advances in high-throughput phenotyping (HTP), computing, and genomics for public dissemination and 2) leveraging this platform for sorghum crop improvement and commercialization. The Clemson team worked on creating genomic resources and using both statistical learning and high-throughput phenotyping in genomics-assisted breeding. Research was broadly interested in the genetics of carbon partitioning, with the aim of improving crop performance and achieving sustainability. The technology and resources created can be readily found in the public domain and serve to advance scientific understanding of crop genomics and breeding. Genomic prediction was able to identify top crosses to be made, and a hybrid prediction pipeline is in place to drive year-over-year genetic gain. Roots have long been ignored by plant breeders and agronomists, not because they are unimportant but because they are hard to measure. This is an untapped white space of potential insight and innovation. To address this, Hi Fidelity Genetics developed the RootTracker to measure roots in the field on a continuous basis. A database system called RootTracker Tracker was developed to handle data coming from the RootTrackers. In using this device, valuable data was observed for plant breeding, hydrochemical development, and other agricultural biology applications. Carnegie Mellon’s goal was developing new techniques to generate high-resolution 3D models of plants from data collected in the field. The idea was that more useful and more informative phenotypes could be extracted by resolving small features, such as seeds and flowers, and that by modeling in 3D, the spatial structure of plants could be examined. To achieve this, multiple images collected by a new small format structured light stereo imager were fused together. A sorghum panicle modeling pipeline was developed to allow the collection and processing of data. Carolina Seed Systems is an agricultural technology company focused on decarbonizing the agricultural system. Their technology pipeline serves to drive fundamental progress towards creation and distribution of carbon negative crops. The genomic and the engineering technology developed through the 3P Program was leveraged to deliver both value and sustainability from the grower to the consumer. Promising sorghum hybrids were scaled up and commercialized. The overall goal of our research was to integrate, create, and deploy genetic and engineering concepts and technologies to enhance crop productivity in a sustainable fashion. The combination of public and private partners allowed the basic research and hypothesis testing to be quickly accelerated for commercial application by the companies yet maintained that the core framework and academic insights remain in the public domain for continued market disruption, competition, and innovation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mapping Dark Matter on Small Scales with the Cosmic Microwave Background (Final Report)

Sehgal was funded by DOE Grant DE-SC0020441 over the period from 11/1/2019 - 04/30/2024 (no remaining funds are anticipated). Most recently, Sehgal and her group completed a publication forecasting cosmological parameter constraints for a CMB-HD survey, in addition to SO and CMB-S4 (1). One focus of this work was determining the improvement in parameter constraints when removing the gravitational lensing effect from the primordial CMB (a process called delensing). This work also explored the bias to parameters from neglecting baryonic effects, and ways to mitigate that. In addition, this work highlighted that a CMB-HD N eff measurement could tightly constrain the QCD axion in a modelindependent way (see left panel of Figure 1). Sehgal also developed a novel way to probe inflation via CMB experiments by measuring inflationary magnetic fields (IMFs) (2). IMFs are thought to seed the large magnetic fields we observe in galaxies today, and can be measured by looking for anisotropic rotation of the CMB polarization vectors across the sky (an effect called cosmic birefringence). The cosmic birefringence from IMFs has a unique frequency dependence, allowing it to be separated from other sources of cosmic birefringence. In (2), Sehgal and her postdoc also presented a novel way to remove foreground contamination from Galactic magnetic fields using measurements of the polarization of nearby radio sources. The removal of this Galactic contamination is necessary when measuring IMFs at the level of 0.1 nG; IMFs with a strength of at least 0.1 nG are needed to seed the magnetic fields in galaxies we observe today. Since only inflation can generate such a strong magnetic field, measuring such a signal would be a “smoking gun” signature that inflation occurred. Sehgal showed in (2) that CMB-HD could detect such IMFs with at least 3σ significance (see right panel of Figure 1).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Testing of Participant's Power Electronics Component for Circuit Performance and Efficiency (CRADA Final Report)

The "Solar SEED Smart Controller is a charge control device to condition solar power to load voltage with or without Battery (also called a "DC Power Platform") invented by David Gibbs and T4D Labs Inc. T4D Inc. and the SEED Smart Controller invention were selected for American Made Challenges Solar Prize, which includes voucher for NREL to provide technical assistance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Gene Fitness Atlas: A Roadmap for Predicting Evolution

We developed a novel, high-throughput microfluidic device design containing “interaction zones” where progeny cell lines compete against each other allowing for accurate analysis of bacterial cell fitness. The goal of the project was to use the device for two applications: 1) gene knockout screening and 2) antibiotic resistance screening. The microfluidic platform was fabricated using photolithography and soft lithography in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). E.coli Keio mutants and fluorescent wildtype parent were chosen for the study. Cells were grown overnight and their loading into the devices and seeding in mother machines was optimized. For mutant screening, the least fit mutant and wildtype parent were cultured individually and then added to the microfluidic device. The mother machines which were seeded with mutant and wildtype were imaged through time lapse microscopy and the growth of cells was observed. For antibiotic screening, wildtype E.coli cells which were grown overnight were added to the device and washed with media containing the antibiotic ampicillin. The growth pattern in presence and absence of ampicillin was observed through time lapse microscopy. It was observed that over a period of four hours, both the mutant and the wildtype divided in the mother machine and pushed daughter cells out into the interaction zone. In case of the antibiotic screening experiment, the fluorescent wildtype divided both in the absence and presence of sublethal concentration of ampicillin. This study is a proof of concept demonstration of high- throughput single cell analysis of cells using a novel microfluidics device.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗