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At least 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Divergent selection and climate adaptation fuel genomic differentiation between sister species of Sphagnum (peat moss)

Abstract Background and Aims New plant species can evolve through the reinforcement of reproductive isolation via local adaptation along habitat gradients. Peat mosses (Sphagnaceae) are an emerging model system for the study of evolutionary genomics and have well-documented niche differentiation among species. Recent molecular studies have demonstrated that the globally distributed species Sphagnum magellanicum is a complex of morphologically cryptic lineages that are phylogenetically and ecologically distinct. Here, we describe the architecture of genomic differentiation between two sister species in this complex known from eastern North America: the northern S. diabolicum and the largely southern S. magniae. Methods We sampled plant populations from across a latitudinal gradient in eastern North America and performed whole genome and restriction-site associated DNA sequencing. These sequencing data were then analyzed computationally. Key Results Using sliding-window population genetic analyses we find that differentiation is concentrated within ‘islands’ of the genome spanning up to 400 kb that are characterized by elevated genetic divergence, suppressed recombination, reduced nucleotide diversity and increased rates of non-synonymous substitution. Sequence variants that are significantly associated with genetic structure and bioclimatic variables occur within genes that have functional enrichment for biological processes including abiotic stress response, photoperiodism and hormone-mediated signalling. Demographic modelling demonstrates that these two species diverged no more than 225 000 generations ago with secondary contact occurring where their ranges overlap. Conclusions We suggest that this heterogeneity of genomic differentiation is a result of linked selection and reflects the role of local adaptation to contrasting climatic zones in driving speciation. This research provides insight into the process of speciation in a group of ecologically important plants and strengthens our predictive understanding of how plant populations will respond as Earth’s climate rapidly changes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Detoured flight direction responses along the southwest coast of Lake Erie by night-migrating birds

Abstract Migratory birds encounter the Great Lakes while moving through eastern North America toward breeding grounds to the North, which offers a good opportunity to study variation in migratory behavior as birds face a potentially influencing topographical feature. Using passive infrared technology, we documented the direction of relatively low-flying, nocturnal, mostly passerine migration in spring along the southern coast of Lake Erie’s western basin. We examined the extent to which spring migrants flew across Lake Erie as a continuation of the inland, northeasterly broad front migratory direction, as determined by weather radar and infrared observations, or displayed a tendency to deviate to more closely follow the direction of the coastline. We found that an estimated 62% of all low-flying migrants deviated their flight directions toward the coast of Lake Erie at 2 coastal sites, Cedar Point and Ottawa, which were characterized by northwest–southeast oriented coastlines. Migrants at a third coastal location, Maumee Bay, which has a more east–west oriented coastline, did not display similarly deviated flight directions. We found that even when winds were energetically favorable for a lake crossing, many migrants still routinely displayed deviated flight directions that approached paralleling the coastline. Further, the mean flight direction at one site, Ottawa, shifted more in the direction of the coastline as the night progressed, suggesting that time of night could influence the shift to a more coastal flight direction. The data indicate that the western basin of Lake Erie acts as a salient topographical feature influencing the flight directions of nocturnal migrants. The data further suggest that birds are making active decisions while in flight, based on current environmental and physiological conditions, about whether to continue to cross Lake Erie or take a coastal detour.

Zoology↗
DOE OSTI2018

A generative graph model for electrical infrastructure networks

We propose a generative graph model for electrical infrastructure networks that accounts for heterogeneity in both node and edge type. To inform the design of this model, we analyze the properties of power grid graphs derived from the U.S. Eastern Interconnection, Texas Interconnection, and Poland transmission system power grids. Across these datasets, we find subgraphs induced by nodes of the same voltage level exhibit shared structural properties atypical to small-world networks, including low local clustering, large diameter and large average distance. On the other hand, we find subgraphs induced by transformer edges linking nodes of different voltage types contain a more limited structure, consisting mainly of small, disjoint star graphs. The goal of our proposed model is to match both these inter and intra-network properties by proceeding in two phases: we first generate subgraphs for each voltage level and then generate transformer edges that connect these subgraphs. The first phase of the model adapts the Chung-Lu random graph model, taking desired vertex degrees and desired diameter as inputs, while the second phase of the model is based on a simpler random star graph generation process. We test the performance of our model by comparing its output across many runs to the aforementioned real data. In nearly all categories tested, we find our model is more accurate in reproducing the unusual mixture of properties apparent in the data than the Chung-Lu model. We also include graph visualization comparisons, as well as a brief analysis of edge-deletion resiliency. Ultimately, our model may be used to generate synthetic graph data, test hypotheses and algorithms at different scales, and serve as a baseline model on top of which further electrical network properties, device models, and interdependencies to other networks, may be appended.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

A new pinnotherid crab of the genus Pinnixulala Palacios Theil, Cuesta & Felder, 2016 from uncertain infaunal hosts in the northern Gulf of Mexico, with a rediagnosis and updated synonymy for the polychaete symbiont Pinnixulala retinens (Rathbun, 1918) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae)

Abstract A new infaunal pinnotherid crab, Pinnixulala heardin. sp., is described from muddy substrates of the middle to inner continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Molecular genetic analysis supports its separation from P. retinens (Rathbun, 1918), the only other western Atlantic member of the genus and a species most commonly found living as a symbiont of large polychaete worms. Both western Atlantic species are clearly separated from several described and undescribed populations of congeners occurring along shorelines of the eastern Pacific. We herein include a rediagnosis of P. retinens to facilitate morphological comparisons with P. heardin. sp. Unlike P. retinens, which is more common in shallow inshore waters and reaches larger sizes, the new species lacks development of a strong distally directed spine on the fourth pereopod ischium and has chelae that are at least as heavily developed as the second and third pereopods. In addition, the mature male first gonopods in P. heardin. sp. are tapered over their terminal one-third and directed distally, rather than being curved in their terminal one-third with the tips directed mesially, as they are in P. retinens. The new species is invariably collected from samples including infaunal worms and other invertebrates, but the specific hosts remain to be determined

Marine & Freshwater Biology↗
DOE OSTI2019

Genome-Wide Characterization of Arabian Peninsula Populations: Shedding Light on the History of a Fundamental Bridge between Continents

Abstract The Arabian Peninsula (AP) was an important crossroad between Africa, Asia, and Europe, being the cradle of the structure defining these main human population groups, and a continuing path for their admixture. The screening of 741,000 variants in 420 Arabians and 80 Iranians allowed us to quantify the dominant sub-Saharan African admixture in the west of the peninsula, whereas South Asian and Levantine/European influence was stronger in the east, leading to a rift between western and eastern sides of the Peninsula. Dating of the admixture events indicated that Indian Ocean slave trade and Islamization periods were important moments in the genetic makeup of the region. The western–eastern axis was also observable in terms of positive selection of diversity conferring lactose tolerance, with the West AP developing local adaptation and the East AP acquiring the derived allele selected in European populations and existing in South Asia. African selected malaria resistance through the DARC gene was enriched in all Arabian genomes, especially in the western part. Clear European influences associated with skin and eye color were equally frequent across the Peninsula.

Fernandes, Veronica↗
DOE OSTI2025

Legacy Effects of Cropping System and Precipitation Influence the Core Camelina sativa Microbiome

Camelina ( Camelina sativa L.) is a potential biofuel crop and beneficial rotation crop in dryland cropping systems. Little is known about camelina microbiota or the legacy effect of soil origin/cropping system zones on camelina-associated microbiome assembly. To explore camelina-microbe associations, we grew camelina in the greenhouse using soil transplanted from 33 locations in the dryland wheat production area of eastern Washington. Bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities from bulk soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere were characterized with 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing and were analyzed alongside site-specific climatic and edaphic data. We found that soil from the highest precipitation zone had higher alpha diversity than soil from the driest zone, but this effect was not seen in the greenhouse rhizosphere or endosphere. Plant compartment, cropping system zone, and soil origin all significantly influenced microbial composition, with soil pH and organic matter, as well as precipitation at origin, as major predictors. Analysis of abundance–occupancy distributions showed that the Actinobacteriota Aeromicrobium and Marmoricola and the fungus Pseudogymnoascus in the rhizosphere were plant-selected, while the endosphere was characterized by a number of Actinobacteriota, Rhizobium, and Clostridium. Sphingomonas amplicon sequence variants were also consistently enriched in the rhizosphere, suggesting that they are present in soils collected throughout eastern Washington and may represent good candidate biostimulants. Several lignin decomposing fungi had site-specific rhizospheric distributions, suggesting that they may be dispersal-limited or result from the legacy effect of long-term wheat cropping. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of microbiome assembly in and on camelina roots while also highlighting the potential impact of cropping history on soil- and plant-associated microbiomes. [Formula: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 “No Rights Reserved” license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2025.

Barnes, Elle M↗
DOE OSTI2024

Inertia Estimation and Trend Analysis of the United States Power Grid Interconnections

The transition from conventional to modern power systems is causing an increase in integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs). This generally leads to a decrease in total system inertia, which in-turn increases the system’s rate-of-change-of-frequency (RoCoF) during disturbances. This poses a threat to the frequency stability of the system and may falsely trigger protective devices. To monitor system status and plan for integrating renewable energy sources like photovoltaic, wind, and energy storage systems, a realistic study of inertia estimation and analysis in the United States (US) over the past decade is needed. This paper uses field-measured phasor measurement unit (PMU) data collected throughout the US from 2013 to 2023 via the Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET/GridEye) operated by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The collected PMU frequency data is utilized to estimate the system inertia of the three US interconnections: Eastern, Western, and Texas. Various RoCoF time windows are investigated for estimating the inertia of each interconnection by maximizing the correlation coefficient between the measured RoCoF and power mismatch. The resulting inertia trends over the past decade show approximately a 6% decline in inertia in the Eastern interconnection, a 15% decline in inertia in the Western interconnection, and a 16% increase in inertia in Texas. Key insights into how inertia is changing amidst the complex energy landscape are extracted using the fuel mix trend data. This provides valuable information for future energy strategies and planning.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Towards Efficient Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow Analysis on Graphical Processing Units

We present a solution of sparse ACOPF analysis on GPU. In particular, we discuss the performance bottlenecks and detail our efforts to accelerate the linear solver, a core component of ACOPF that dominates the computational time. ACOPF solutions of two large-scale systems, synthetic Northeast (25,000 buses) and Eastern (70,000 buses) \cite{birchfield2017tamu-cases} on GPU show promising speed-up compared to CPU based solution using a state-of-the-art solver. To our knowledge, this is the first result demonstrating acceleration of sparse ACOPF on GPUs.

Power grid analysis, GPU↗
DOE OSTI2011

Operating Reserve Implication of Alternative Implementations of an Energy Imbalance Service on Wind Integration in the Western Interconnection: Preprint

During the past few years, there has been significant interest in alternative ways to manage power systems over a larger effective electrical footprint. Large regional transmission organizations in the Eastern Interconnection have effectively consolidated balancing areas, achieving significant economies of scale that result in a reduction in required reserves. Conversely, in the WesternInterconnection there are many balancing areas, which will result in challenges if there is significant wind and solar energy development in the region. A recent proposal to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council suggests a regional energy imbalance service (EIS). To evaluate this EIS, a number of analyses are in process or are planned. This paper describes one part of an analysis of theEIS's implication on operating reserves under several alternative scenarios of the market footprint and participation. We improve on the operating reserves method utilized in the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study and apply this modified approach to data from the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Hydrological niche segregation defines forest structure and drought tolerance strategies in a seasonal Amazon forest

The relationship between rooting depth and above-ground hydraulic traits can potentially define drought resistance strategies that are important in determining species distribution and coexistence in seasonal tropical forests, and understanding this is important for predicting the effects of future climate change in these ecosystems. We assessed the rooting depth of 12 dominant tree species (representing c. 42% of the forest basal area) in a seasonal Amazon forest using the stable isotope ratios (δ 18 O and δ 2 H) of water collected from tree xylem and soils from a range of depths. We took advantage of a major ENSO-related drought in 2015/2016 that caused substantial evaporative isotope enrichment in the soil and revealed water use strategies of each species under extreme conditions. We measured the minimum dry season leaf water potential both in a normal year (2014; Ψ non-ENSO ) and in an extreme drought year (2015; Ψ ENSO ). Furthermore, we measured xylem hydraulic traits that indicate water potential thresholds trees tolerate without risking hydraulic failure (P 50 and P 88 ). We demonstrate that coexisting trees are largely segregated along a single hydrological niche axis defined by root depth differences, access to light and tolerance of low water potential. These differences in rooting depth were strongly related to tree size; diameter at breast height (DBH) explained 72% of the variation in the δ 18 Oxylem. Additionally, δ 18 O xylem explained 49% of the variation in P50 and 70% of P88, with shallow-rooted species more tolerant of low water potentials, while δ 18 O of xylem water explained 47% and 77% of the variation of minimum Ψ non-ENSO and Ψ ENSO . We propose a new formulation to estimate an effective functional rooting depth, i.e. the likely soil depth from which roots can sustain water uptake for physiological functions, using DBH as predictor of root depth at this site. Based on these estimates, we conclude that rooting depth varies systematically across the most abundant families, genera and species at the Tapajós forest, and that understorey species in particular are limited to shallow rooting depths. Our results support the theory of hydrological niche segregation and its underlying trade-off related to drought resistance, which also affect the dominance structure of trees in this seasonal eastern Amazon forest. Synthesis. Our results support the theory of hydrological niche segregation and demonstrate its underlying trade-off related to drought resistance (access to deep water vs. tolerance of very low water potentials). We found that the single hydrological axis defining water use traits was strongly related to tree size, and infer that periodic extreme droughts influence community composition and the dominance structure of trees in this seasonal eastern Amazon forest.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Residence time determines invasiveness and performance of garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ) in North America

Abstract While biological invasions have the potential for large negative impacts on local communities and ecological interactions, increasing evidence suggests that species once considered major problems can decline over time. Declines often appear driven by natural enemies, diseases or evolutionary adaptations that selectively reduce populations of naturalised species and their impacts. Using permanent long‐term monitoring locations, we document declines of Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) in eastern North America with distinct local and regional dynamics as a function of patch residence time. Projected site‐specific population growth rates initially indicated expanding populations, but projected population growth rates significantly decreased over time and at the majority of sites fell below 1, indicating declining populations. Negative soil feedback provides a potential mechanism for the reported disappearance of ecological dominance of A. petiolata in eastern North America.

Blossey, Bernd↗
DOE OSTI2015

Change in terrestrial ecosystem water‐use efficiency over the last three decades

Abstract Defined as the ratio between gross primary productivity ( GPP ) and evapotranspiration ( ET ), ecosystem‐scale water‐use efficiency ( EWUE ) is an indicator of the adjustment of vegetation photosynthesis to water loss. The processes controlling EWUE are complex and reflect both a slow evolution of plants and plant communities as well as fast adjustments of ecosystem functioning to changes of limiting resources. In this study, we investigated EWUE trends from 1982 to 2008 using data‐driven models derived from satellite observations and process‐oriented carbon cycle models. Our findings suggest positive EWUE trends of 0.0056, 0.0007 and 0.0001 g C m −2 mm −1 yr −1 under the single effect of rising CO 2 (‘ CO 2 ’), climate change (‘ CLIM ’) and nitrogen deposition (‘ NDEP ’), respectively. Global patterns of EWUE trends under different scenarios suggest that (i) EWUE ‐ CO 2 shows global increases, (ii) EWUE ‐ CLIM increases in mainly high latitudes and decreases at middle and low latitudes, (iii) EWUE ‐ NDEP displays slight increasing trends except in west Siberia, eastern Europe, parts of North America and central Amazonia. The data‐driven MTE model, however, shows a slight decline of EWUE during the same period (−0.0005 g C m −2 mm −1 yr −1 ), which differs from process‐model (0.0064 g C m −2 mm −1 yr −1 ) simulations with all drivers taken into account. We attribute this discrepancy to the fact that the nonmodeled physiological effects of elevated CO 2 reducing stomatal conductance and transpiration ( TR ) in the MTE model. Partial correlation analysis between EWUE and climate drivers shows similar responses to climatic variables with the data‐driven model and the process‐oriented models across different ecosystems. Change in water‐use efficiency defined from transpiration‐based WUE t ( GPP / TR ) and inherent water‐use efficiency ( IWUE t , GPP × VPD / TR ) in response to rising CO 2 , climate change, and nitrogen deposition are also discussed. Our analyses will facilitate mechanistic understanding of the carbon–water interactions over terrestrial ecosystems under global change.

Huang, Mengtian↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mycorrhizal associations of temperate forest seedlings mediate rhizodeposition, but not soil carbon storage, under elevated nitrogen availability

Abstract Tree‐mycorrhizal associations are associated with patterns in nitrogen (N) availability and soil organic matter storage; however, we still lack a mechanistic understanding of what tree and fungal traits drive these patterns and how they will respond to global changes in soil N availability. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated how arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)‐ and ectomycorrhizal (EcM)‐associated seedlings alter rhizodeposition in response to increased seedling inorganic N acquisition. We grew four species each of EcM and AM seedlings from forests of the eastern United States in a continuously 13 C‐labeled atmosphere within an environmentally controlled chamber and subjected to three levels of 15 N‐labeled fertilizer. We traced seedling 15 N uptake from, and 13 C‐labeled inputs (net rhizodeposition) into, root‐excluded or ‐included soil over a 5‐month growing season. N uptake by seedlings was positively related to rhizodeposition for EcM‐ but not AM‐associated seedlings in root‐included soils. Despite this contrast in rhizodeposition, there was no difference in soil C storage between mycorrhizal types over the course of the experiment. Instead root‐inclusive soils lost C, while root‐exclusive soils gained C. Our findings suggest that mycorrhizal associations mediate tree belowground C investment in response to inorganic N availability, but these differences do not affect C storage. Continued soil warming and N deposition under global change will increase soil inorganic N availability and our seedling results indicate this could lead to greater belowground C investment by EcM‐associated trees. This potential for less efficient N uptake by EcM‐trees could contribute to AM‐tree success and a shift toward more AM‐dominated temperate forests.

Fitch, Amelia A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Growth–Mortality Coordination Differs Among Xerophytic Versus Mesophytic Tree Species During Severe Drought

ABSTRACT Forest composition is changing, yet the consequences for terrestrial carbon cycling are unclear. In the eastern United States, water‐demanding “mesophytic” tree species are replacing “xerophytic” oaks (Quercusspp.) and hickories (Caryaspp.), raising concerns that forest productivity will become increasingly sensitive to more frequent and severe drought conditions predicted for the region. However, we have a limited understanding of the extent to which the mortality risk of xerophytes versus mesophytes is coordinated with their growth sensitivity during drought. Here, we evaluated growth and mortality dynamics for 20 abundant eastern United States tree species following a severe drought in the summer of 2012. We synthesized data from ~4500 forest inventory plots and used an approach that quantified relative drought responses between co‐located trees to minimize impacts from environmental heterogeneity. We found that mesophytes were just as likely to perish as co‐occurring xerophytes but were more sensitive to drought in terms of diminished growth. These findings suggest that xerophytic decline is likely to lead to reduced carbon uptake during drought and that management efforts to conserve oak‐hickory stands will be decisive to sustain the carbon mitigation potential of these forests. However, we also found that growth‐mortality relationships differed between functional groups. Among xerophytes, growth and survival during drought were decoupled. Among mesophytes, there was a high degree of coordination, where species that experienced greater mortality also experienced greater growth reductions. Therefore, mesophytes with high growth sensitivity to water deficits are likely to be the most vulnerable to drought‐driven die‐off events moving forward.

Biodiversity & Conservation↗
DOE OSTI2022

Towards mapping biodiversity from above: Can fusing lidar and hyperspectral remote sensing predict taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic tree diversity in temperate forests?

Abstract Aim Rapid global change is impacting the diversity of tree species and essential ecosystem functions and services of forests. It is therefore critical to understand and predict how the diversity of tree species is spatially distributed within and among forest biomes. Satellite remote sensing platforms have been used for decades to map forest structure and function but are limited in their capacity to monitor change by their relatively coarse spatial resolution and the complexity of scales at which different dimensions of biodiversity are observed in the field. Recently, airborne remote sensing platforms making use of passive high spectral resolution (i.e., hyperspectral) and active lidar data have been operationalized, providing an opportunity to disentangle how biodiversity patterns vary across space and time from field observations to larger scales. Most studies to date have focused on single sites and/or one sensor type; here we ask how multiple sensor types from the National Ecological Observatory Network’s Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP) perform across multiple sites in a single biome at the NEON field plot scale (i.e., 40 m × 40 m). Location Eastern USA. Time period 2017–2018. Taxa studied Trees. Methods With a fusion of hyperspectral and lidar data from the NEON AOP, we assess the ability of high resolution remotely sensed metrics to measure biodiversity variation across eastern US temperate forests. We examine how taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic measures of alpha diversity vary spatially and assess to what degree remotely sensed metrics correlate with in situ biodiversity metrics. Results Models using estimates of forest function, canopy structure, and topographic diversity performed better than models containing each category alone. Our results show that canopy structural diversity, and not just spectral reflectance, is critical to predicting biodiversity. Main conclusions We found that an approach that jointly leverages spectral properties related to leaf and canopy functional traits and forest health, lidar derived estimates of forest structure, fine‐resolution topographic diversity, and careful consideration of biogeographical differences within and among biomes is needed to accurately map biodiversity variation from above.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Convergence in drought stress, but a divergence of climatic drivers across a latitudinal gradient in a temperate broadleaf forest

Abstract Aim Information about climate stressors on tree growth is needed in order to assess the impacts of global change on forest ecosystems. Broad‐scale patterns of climatic limitations on tree growth remain poorly described across eastern North American deciduous forests. We examined the response of broadleaf tree species to climate in relation to their taxonomy, functional traits and geographical location. Location Eastern North America (32–45° N; 70–88° W). Methods We used a network of 86 tree‐ring width chronologies from eight species that cover a wide range of ecological and climatic conditions. Species were analysed individually or combined according to taxa and wood anatomical functional traits. We identified climate stressors through correlations between growth and climate (from 1916 to 1996). We also explored patterns in the climate responses of these species with two clustering techniques. Results We found strong correlations between water availability and growth for all species. With few exceptions, this drought stress was independent of taxonomy or wood anatomical functional group. Depending on latitude, however, different climatic drivers governed this common drought response. In the cool, northern part of our network, forest growth was most strongly limited by precipitation variability, whereas maximum temperature was a stronger limiting factor than precipitation in the wetter and warmer southern parts. Main conclusions Our study highlights the sensitivity of broadleaf temperate forests to drought stress at annual to decadal scales, with few species‐specific differences. The roles of temperature and precipitation on drought‐sensitivity differ at opposing ends of our subcontinental‐scale network. The impact of future environmental changes on these forests will ultimately depend on the balance between temperature and precipitation changes across this latitudinal gradient.

Martin‐Benito, Dario↗
DOE OSTI2014

Physical Constraints on Geologic CO2 Sequestration in Low-Volume Basalt Formations

Deep basalt formations within large igneous provinces have been proposed as target reservoirs for carbon capture and sequestration on the basis of favorable CO2-water-rock reaction kinetics that suggest carbonate mineralization rates on the order of 102–103 d. Although these results are encouraging, there exists much uncertainty surrounding the influence of fracture-controlled reservoir heterogeneity on commercial-scale CO2 injections in basalt formations. This work investigates the physical response of a low-volume basalt reservoir to commercial-scale CO2 injections using a Monte Carlo numerical modeling experiment such that model variability is solely a function of spatially distributed reservoir heterogeneity. Fifty equally probable reservoirs are simulated using properties inferred from the deep eastern Snake River Plain aquifer in southeast Idaho, and CO2 injections are modeled within each reservoir for 20 yr at a constant mass rate of 21.6 kg s–1. Results from this work suggest that (1) formation injectivity is generally favorable, although injection pressures in excess of the fracture gradient were observed in 4% of the simulations; (2) for an extensional stress regime (as exists within the eastern Snake River Plain), shear failure is theoretically possible for optimally oriented fractures if Sh is less than or equal to 0.70SV; and (3) low-volume basalt reservoirs exhibit sufficient CO2 confinement potential over a 20 yr injection program to accommodate mineral trapping rates suggested in the literature.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP 2): General Overview

In 2015 the U.S. Department of Energy initiated a four-year study, the second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP 2), to improve the representation of boundary-layer physics and related processes in mesoscale models for better wind and wind power forecasts. This goal challenges numerical weather prediction models in complex terrain due to inherent assumptions underlying their boundary-layer parameterizations. The WFIP 2 effort involved the wind industry, universities, NOAA, and DOE's national laboratories in an integrated observational and modeling study. Observations spanned 18-months to assure a full annual cycle of continuously recorded observations from remote-sensing and in situ measurement systems. The study area comprised the Columbia Basin of eastern Washington and Oregon, containing more than 4 GW of installed wind capacity; nests of observational systems captured important atmospheric scales from mesoscale to NWP sub-grid scale. Model improvements targeted NOAA's High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model to facilitate transfer of improvements to NWS operational forecast models. This paper describes the general WFIP 2 scope and objectives, the particular scientific challenges of improving wind forecasts in complex terrain, early successes of the project, and an integrated approach to archiving observations and model output. It provides an introduction for a set of more detailed BAMS papers addressing WFIP 2 observational science, modeling challenges and solutions, practical transfer of boundary layer advances to industry use, and advances in coupling improved mesoscale models to microscale models that can represent interactions between wind plants and the atmosphere.

WFIP2, boundary layer, complex terrain, forecastin↗