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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Stochastic Parameterization for Light Absorption by Internally Mixed BC/dust in Snow Grains for Application to Climate Models

A stochastic approach to model the positions of BC/dust internally mixed with two snow-grain types has been developed, including hexagonal plate/column (convex) and Koch snowflake (concave). Subsequently, light absorption and scattering analysis can be followed by means of an improved geometric-optics approach coupled with Monte Carlo photon tracing to determine their single-scattering properties. For a given shape (plate, Koch snowflake, spheroid, or sphere), internal mixing absorbs more light than external mixing. The snow-grain shape effect on absorption is relatively small, but its effect on the asymmetry factor is substantial. Due to a greater probability of intercepting photons, multiple inclusions of BC/dust exhibit a larger absorption than an equal-volume single inclusion. The spectral absorption (0.2 – 5 um) for snow grains internally mixed with BC/dust is confined to wavelengths shorter than about 1.4 um, beyond which ice absorption predominates. Based on the single-scattering properties determined from stochastic and light absorption parameterizations and using the adding/doubling method for spectral radiative transfer, we find that internal mixing reduces snow albedo more than external mixing and that the snow-grain shape plays a critical role in snow albedo calculations through the asymmetry factor. Also, snow albedo reduces more in the case of multiple inclusion of BC/dust compared to that of an equal-volume single sphere. For application to land/snow models, we propose a two-layer spectral snow parameterization containing contaminated fresh snow on top of old snow for investigating and understanding the climatic impact of multiple BC/dust internal mixing associated with snow grain metamorphism, particularly over mountains/snow topography.

climate models↗
DOE OSTI2016

Is there a geomorphic expression of interbasin groundwater flow in watersheds? Interactions between interbasin groundwater flow, springs, streams, and geomorphology.

Interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) can play a significant role in the generation and geochemical evolution of streamflow. However, it is exceedingly difficult to identify IGF, and to determine the location and quantity of water that is exchanged between watersheds. How does IGF affect landscape/watershed geomorphic evolution? Can geomorphic metrics be used to identify the presence of IGF? We examine these questions in two adjacent sedimentary watersheds in northern New Mexico using a combination of geomorphic/landscape metrics, springflow residence times, and spatial geochemical patterns. IGF is expressed geomorphically in the landscape placement of springs, and flow direction and shape of stream channels. Springs emerge preferentially on one side of stream valleys where landscape incision has intercepted IGF flowpaths. Stream channels grow toward the IGF source and show little bifurcation. In addition, radiocarbon residence times of springs decrease and the geochemical composition of springs changes as the connection to IGF is lost.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

A study of cloud microphysics and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau by radar observations and cloud-resolving model simulations

Cloud microphysical properties and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are unique because of the high terrains, clean atmosphere, and sufficient water vapor. With dual-polarization precipitation radar and cloud radar measurements during the Third Tibetan Plateau Atmospheric Scientific Experiment (TIPEX-III), the simulated microphysics and precipitation by the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) with the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) microphysics and other microphysical schemes are investigated through a typical plateau rainfall event on 22 July 2014. Results show that the WRF-CAMS simulation reasonably reproduces the spatial distribution of 24-h accumulated precipitation, but has limitations in simulating time evolution of precipitation rates. Here, the model-calculated polarimetric radar variables have biases as well, suggesting bias in modeled hydrometeor types. The raindrop sizes in convective region are larger than those in stratiform region indicated by the small intercept of raindrop size distribution in the former. The sensitivity experiments show that precipitation processes are sensitive to the changes of warm rain processes in condensation and nucleated droplet size (but less sensitive to evaporation process). Increasing droplet condensation produces the best area-averaged rain rate during weak convection period compared with the observation, suggesting a considerable bias in thermodynamics in the baseline simulation. Increasing the initial cloud droplet size causes the rain rate reduced by half, an opposite effect to that of increasing droplet condensation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Insights into riming and aggregation processes as revealed by aircraft, radar, and disdrometer observations for a 27 April 2011 widespread precipitation event: Insights into Riming and Aggregation

Our study presents aircraft spiral ascent and descent observations intercepting a transition to riming processes during widespread stratiform precipitation. The sequence is documented using collocated scanning and profiling radar, including longer-wavelength dual polarization measurements and shorter-wavelength Doppler spectra. Riming regions are supported using aircraft measurements recording elevated liquid water concentrations, spherical particle shapes, and saturation with respect to water. Profiling cloud radar observations indicate riming regions during the event as having increasing particle fall speeds, rapid time-height changes, and bimodalities in Doppler spectra. These particular riming signatures are coupled to scanning dual polarization radar observations of higher differential reflectivity (ZDR) aloft. Moreover, reduced melting layer enhancements and delayed radar bright-band signatures in the column are also observed during riming periods, most notably with the profiling radar observations. The bimodal cloud radar Doppler spectra captured near riming zones indicate two time-height spectral ice peaks, one rimed particle peak, and one peak associated with pristine ice needle generation and/or growth between -4°C and -7°C also sampled by aircraft probes. We observe this pristine needle population near the rimed particle region which gives a partial explanation for the enhanced ZDR. The riming signatures aloft and radar measurements within the melting level are weakly lag correlated (r~0.6) with smaller median drop sizes at the surface, as compared with later times when aggregation of larger particle sizes was believed dominant.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Interactions among hydraulic conductivity distributions, subsurface topography, and transport thresholds revealed by a multitracer hillslope irrigation experiment

Interactions among hydraulic conductivity distributions, subsurface topography, and lateral flow are poorly understood. We applied 407 mm of water and a suite of tracers over 51 h to a 12 by 16.5 m forested hillslope segment to determine interflow thresholds, preferential pathway pore velocities, large-scale conductivities, the time series of event water fractions, and the fate of dissolved nutrients. The 12% hillslope featured loamy sand A and E horizons overlying a sandy clay loam Bt at 1.25 m average depth. Interflow measured from two drains within an interception trench commenced after 131 and 208 mm of irrigation. Cumulative interflow equaled 49% of applied water. Conservative tracer differences between the collection drains indicated differences in flow paths and storages within the plot. Event water fractions rose steadily throughout irrigation, peaking at 50% sixteen h after irrigation ceased. Data implied that tightly held water exchanged with event water throughout the experiment and a substantial portion of preevent water was released from the argillic layer. Surface-applied dye tracers bypassed the matrix, with peak concentrations measured shortly after flow commencement, indicating preferential network conductivities of 864–2240 mm/h, yet no macropore flow was observed. Near steady-state flow conditions indicated average conductivities of 460 mm/h and 2.5 mm/h for topsoils and the Bt horizon, respectively. Low ammonium and phosphorus concentrations in the interflow suggested rapid uptake or sorption, while higher nitrate concentrations suggested more conservative transport. Lastly, these results reveal how hydraulic conductivity variation and subsurface topographic complexity explain otherwise paradoxical solute and flow behaviors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Investigation of liquid cloud microphysical properties of deep convective systems: 1. Parameterization raindrop size distribution and its application for stratiform rain estimation

Abstract To investigate liquid‐phase ( T > 3°C) cloud and precipitation microphysical properties within Deep Convective Systems (DCSs), eight DCS cases sampled by the University of North Dakota Citation II research aircraft during Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment were selected. A full spectrum of raindrop size distribution (DSD) was constructed from 120 µm to 4000 µm through a combination of two‐dimensional cloud probe (120 to 900 µm) and High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer (900 to 4000 µm) data sets. A total of 1126 five second DSDs have been used to fit to Gamma and Exponential functions within the stratiform rain (SR) regions of DCSs. The Gamma shape μ Γ and slope λ Γ parameters are then compared with those derived from surface disdrometer measurements. The similar μ Γ ‐ λ Γ relationships but different μ Γ and λ Γ value ranges from two independent platforms at different elevations may represent the real nature of DSD shape information in clouds and at the surface. To apply the exponentially fitted DSD parameters to precipitation estimation using Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) radar reflectivity factor Z e , the terms N 0 E and λ E have been parameterized as a function of Z e using an empirical N 0 E ‐ λ E relationship. The averaged SR rain rate retrieved from this study is almost identical to the surface measurements, while the NEXRAD Q2 precipitation is twice as large. The comparisons indicate that the new DSD parameterization scheme is robust, while the Q2 SR precipitation estimation based on Marshall‐Palmer Z‐R relationship, where a constant DSD intercept parameter ( N 0 E ) was assumed, needs to be improved for heavy precipitation cases.

Wang, Jingyu↗
DOE OSTI2017

Partitioning evapotranspiration using long‐term carbon dioxide and water vapor fluxes

Abstract The separate components of evapotranspiration (ET) elucidate the pathways and time scales over which water is returned to the atmosphere, but ecosystem‐scale measurements of transpiration ( T ) and evaporation ( E ) remain elusive. We propose a novel determination of E and T using multiyear eddy covariance estimates of ET and gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP). The method is applicable at water‐limited sites over time periods during which a linear regression between GEP (abscissa) and ET (ordinate) yields a positive ET axis intercept, an estimate of E . At four summer‐rainfall semiarid sites, T /ET increases to a peak coincident with maximum GEP and remains elevated as the growing season progresses, consistent with previous, direct measurements. The seasonal course of T /ET is related to increasing leaf area index and declining frequency of rainy days—an index of the wet surface conditions that promote E —suggesting both surface and climatic controls on ET partitioning.

Scott, Russell L.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Analysis of albedo versus cloud fraction relationships in liquid water clouds using heuristic models and large eddy simulation: ALBEDO VERSUS CLOUD FRACTION RELATIONSHIPS

The relationship between the albedo of a cloudy scene $A$ and cloud fraction f c is studied with the aid of heuristic models of stratocumulus and cumulus clouds. Existing work has shown that scene albedo increases monotonically with increasing cloud fraction but that the relationship varies from linear to superlinear. The reasons for these differences in functional dependence are traced to the relationship between cloud deepening and cloud widening. When clouds deepen with no significant increase in f c (e.g., in solid stratocumulus), the relationship between$A$ and f c is linear.When clouds widen as they deepen, as in cumulus cloud fields, the relationship is superlinear. A simple heuristic model of a cumulus cloud field with a power law size distribution shows that the superlinear $A$-f c behavior is traced out either through random variation in cloud size distribution parameters or as the cloud field oscillates between a relative abundance of small clouds (steep slopes on a log-log plot) and a relative abundance of large clouds (flat slopes). Oscillations of this kind manifest in large eddy simulation of trade wind cumulus where the slope and intercept of the power law fit to the cloud size distribution are highly correlated. Further analysis of the large eddy model-generated cloud fields suggests that cumulus clouds grow larger and deeper as their underlying plumes aggregate; this is followed by breakup of large plumes and a tendency to smaller clouds. The cloud and thermal size distributions oscillate back and forth approximately in unison.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Composite Lithium Metal Structure to Mitigate Pulverization and Enable Long‐Life Batteries

In lithium metal batteries, non‐uniform stripping of lithium results in pit formation, which promotes subsequent non‐uniform, dendritic deposition. This viscous cycle leads to pulverization of lithium which promotes cell shorting or capacity degradation, symptoms further exaggerated by high electrode areal loading and lean electrolytes. Here, to address this challenge, a composite lithium metal anode is engineered that contains uniformly distributed, nanometer‐sized carbon particles. This composite lithium is shown to strip more uniformly since the growth of non‐uniform pits is intercepted by the carbon particles. This mechanism is corroborated by a continuum electrochemical model. Subsequent lithium deposition on carbon particles is also found to be more uniform than on the surface with irregular pits. Notably, the pulverization rate of composite lithium is 26 times slower than that of commercial lithium. Moreover, in a Li‐S battery with sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathode, the use of the composite anode extends the cycle life by three times when the areal capacity is 8 mAh cm −2 . The approach of using an engineered lithium composite structure to address challenges during both stripping and plating can inform future designs of lithium metal anodes for high areal capacity operations.

high areal capacity↗
DOE OSTI2024

NuQKD: A Modular Quantum Key Distribution Simulation Framework for Engineering Applications

Abstract An experimental Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) implementation requires advanced costly hardware, unavailable in most research environments, making protocol testing and performance evaluation complicated. This has been a major motivation for the development of QKD simulation frameworks, to allow researchers to obtain insight before proceeding into practical implementations. Several simulators have been introduced over the recent years. However, only four are publicly available, only one of which models equipment imperfections. Currently, no open‐source simulator includes all following capabilities: channel attenuation modelling, equipment imperfections and effects on key rates, estimation of elapsed time during classical and quantum‐ channel processes, use of truly random binary sequences for qubits and measurement bases, shared ‐bit fraction customization. In this paper, we present NuQKD, an open‐ source modular, intuitive simulator, featuring all the above capabilities. NuQKD establishes communication between two computer terminals, accepts custom user inputs (iterations, raw key size, attacker interception rate etc.) and evaluates the sifted key, Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER), elapsed communication time, and more. NuQKD capabilities include optical fiber and free ‐space simulation, modeling of equipment/channel imperfections, bitstrings from True Random Number Generators, decoy‐state protocol support, and automated evaluation of performance metrics. We expect NuQKD to enable convenient and accurate representation of actual experimental conditions.

Gkouliaras, Konstantinos↗
DOE OSTI2021

Environmental and cost benefits of multi‐purpose buffers in an agricultural watershed for biomass production

Abstract The cost‐benefit of riparian buffers to landowners has not been fully understood despite its ecosystem benefits. This study investigates the environmental and economic value of multi‐purpose buffers for biomass production under alternative land‐management scenarios at the watershed scale. The work incorporates the Soil and Water Assessment Tool with a field‐scale tool, the Agriculture Conservation Practice Framework, and cost‐benefit analysis. Our work took place in the agriculturally dominant Raccoon River watershed (RRW) in Iowa. The cost analysis includes implementing and harvesting the switchgrass buffers, the value of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, and the forgone income of cropland to determine the net return under 12 alternative feedstock scenarios. We estimated that 14 603 Mg of nitrogen and 2563 Mg of phosphorus runoffs can be intercepted by riparian buffers in the RRW, representing a nutrient loss reduction of 11% of nitrogen and 26% of phosphorus. These nutrients are valued at $1.31 million (M) for phosphorus and $1.24 M for nitrogen as fertilizers. The trapped nutrients account for 12% of the riparian buffers’ total cost. We found that net economic returns increase with biomass market price, increase with maintenance fertilizer application, and decrease with the cropland areas that are converted to buffers. Under current land management, a biomass market price at $60 per dry ton of biomass would be economically viable at the sub‐basin level when maintenance fertilizers are applied. At $80 per dry ton, all 108 sub‐basins in the RRW would be profitable up to $517 a year. The results highlight the trade‐offs between water quality and profitability. Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is inthe public domain in the USA. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comparative clumped isotope temperature relationships in freshwater carbonates

Lacustrine, riverine and spring carbonates represent archives of terrestrial climates and their geochemistry has been used to study palaeoenvironments. Clumped isotope thermometry is an emerging tool that has been applied to freshwater carbonates. Limited work has been done to evaluate comparative relationships between clumped isotopes and temperature in different types of modern freshwater carbonates. This study assembles an extensive calibration data set with 135 samples of modern freshwater carbonates from 96 sites and constrains the relationship between independent observations of water temperature and the clumped isotopic composition of carbonates (denoted by Δ 47 ), including new measurements, and recalculates published data in accordance with current community-defined standard values. For temperature reconstruction, the study reports a composite freshwater calibration and material-specific calibrations for biogenic carbonates (freshwater gastropods and bivalves), fine-grained carbonate (e.g. micrites), biologically mediated carbonates (microbialites and tufas) and travertines. Material-specific calibration trends show a convergence of slopes that are in agreement with recently published syntheses, but statistically significant differences in intercepts occur between some materials (e.g. some biogenics, fine-grained carbonates). These differences may arise due to unresolved seasonal biases, kinetic isotope effects and/or varying degrees of biological influence. The impact of different calibrations is shown through application to new data for glacial and deglacial age travertines from Austria and published data sets. While material-specific calibrations may yield more accurate results for biogenic and fine-grained carbonate samples, the use of material-specific and the composite freshwater calibrations generally produces values within 1.0–1.5°C of each other, and typically fall within calibration uncertainty given limitations of precision.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cross‐Cultural Validation of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 ( BEDS ‐7) Across 42 Countries

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Binge Eating Disorder Screener‐7 (BEDS‐7) across 42 countries and 26 languages, assessing its reliability and validity as a screening tool for binge‐eating disorder (BED) in diverse cultural contexts. Specifically, it sought to enhance early recognition of BED symptoms in primary care settings globally, contributing to a standardized framework for assessing BED. Method The International Sex Survey, a cross‐sectional online study, was conducted in 42 countries and 26 languages. A diverse community sample of 82,243 participants, aged 18 years or older, completed the BEDS‐7 and measures of sexuality, mental health, substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analyses and tests of measurement invariance were employed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations. Results The BEDS‐7 demonstrated scalar factorial invariance across languages and countries, indicating consistent factor loadings and item intercepts. In contrast, the screener showed residual invariance across gender and sexual orientation groups, supporting its robustness across these demographics. Kruskal–Wallis tests revealed significant differences in BED symptoms across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations, with the highest BED scores observed among queer, pansexual, and gender‐diverse individuals. The BEDS‐7 also demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.80) and moderate criterion validity. Discussion The findings provide further evidence of the reliability and validity of the BEDS‐7 as a potential screening tool for identifying probable cases of BED globally, facilitating early intervention in primary care settings.

Gewirtz‐Meydan, Ateret [School of Social Work, Fac↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ecohydrological drivers of Neotropical vegetation in montane ecosystems

Montane ecosystems are known for their high numbers of endemic species, unique climate conditions, and wide variety of ecosystem services such as water supply and carbon storage. Although many ecohydrological and climatic studies of montane environments have been carried out in temperate and boreal regions, few have been done in Neotropical regions. Hence, the objective of this review is to synthesize the existing literature on the main factors (biotic and abiotic) that influence vegetation distribution, functional traits, and ecohydrological processes and feedbacks in tropical montane ecosystems and to identify key knowledge gaps. Most of the literature used includes work conducted in Neotropical montane rainforests, cloud forests, and grass/scrublands (e.g., páramos, punas, and campos de altitude/rupestres). Fog is a major climatic attribute in tropical montane habitats. We found that fog regimes (frequency and intensity of fog events) influence both water inputs (i.e., canopy interception and foliar water uptake) and outputs (evapotranspiration) and represent an important driver of local species composition, dominance of plant functional types, and ecological functioning. The stability and conservation of tropical montane ecosystems depends on such ecohydrological fluxes, which are sensitive to increases in air temperature and changing precipitation and fog regimes. Furthermore, to better inform effective conservation and restoration strategies, more work is needed to elucidate how key ecohydrological processes are affected by land use conversion to agriculture and pasture lands, as human activities influence the water budgets in Neotropical montane watersheds not only at regional-scales but also globally.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Three-dimensional phenotyping of peach tree-crown architecture utilizing terrestrial laser scanning

Tree training systems for temperate fruit have been developed throughout history by pomologists to improve light interception, fruit yield, and fruit quality. These training systems direct crown and branch growth to specific configurations. Quantifying crown architecture could aid the selection of trees that require less pruning or that naturally excel in specific growing/training system conditions. Regarding peaches [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], access tools such as branching indices have been developed to characterize tree-crown architecture. However, the required branching data (BD) to develop these indices are difficult to collect. Traditionally, BD have been collected manually, but this process is tedious, time-consuming, and prone to human error. These barriers can be circumnavigated by utilizing terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to obtain a digital twin of the real tree. TLS generates three-dimensional (3D) point clouds of the tree crown, wherein every point contains 3D coordinates (x, y, z). To facilitate the use of these tools for peach, we selected 16 young peach trees scanned in 2021 and 2022. These 16 trees were then modeled and quantified using the open-source software TreeQSM. As a result, “in silico” branching and biometric data for the young peach trees were calculated to demonstrate the capabilities of TLS phenotyping of peach tree-crown architecture. The comparison and analysis of field measurements (in situ) and in silico BD, biometric data, and quantitative structural model branch uncertainty data were utilized to determine the reconstructive model’s reliability as a source substitute for field measurements. Mean average deviation when comparing young tree (YT) height was approx. 5.93%, with crown volume was approx. 13.26% across both 2021 and 2022. All point clouds of the YTs in 2022 showed residuals lower than 12 mm to cylinders fitted to all branches, and mean surface coverage greater than 40% for both the trunk and primary branching orders.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Ultra-High Fidelity Laser-Induced Air Shock from Energetic Materials

Recent interest in the implementation of the Laser-induced Air Shock from Energetic Materials (LASEM) technique prompted an investigation using ultra-high-speed imaging diagnostics to provide early-time (sub-μs) shock-wave-radius-versus-time data necessary to accurately determine the characteristic laser-induced-shock velocity (y-intercept) for high explosives (HE) of interest. Ultra-high-speed focused-shadowgraphy images were collected from nanosecond-pulsed laser-ablated samples of HE similar to those in the published literature. Shadowgraphy images were collected using interframe times ranging from 50–750 ns, with exposure times of 5 ns. Acquired shock-wave-radius-versus-time data permitted a high-fidelity assessment of the shock wave velocity produced at the characteristic radius of the generated laser-plasma pulse. The resulting data from eight different HE indicated that early-time energy contributions and the resulting laser-induced shock velocity profiles produced from ablation of the HE material were indistinguishable amongst the explosives tested for the majority of the time domain characterized (0–12 μs).

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2019

Analytical effects on clumped isotope thermometry: Comparison of a common sample set analyzed using multiple instruments, types of standards, and standardization windows

Carbonate clumped isotope geothermometry is being increasingly used in multiple disciplines in the geosciences. However, potential interlaboratory issues are arising from different standardization procedures that may contribute to the multiple Δ 47 -temperature calibrations reported in the literature. We investigate this issue by comparing a common temperature calibration sample set across three different mass spectrometers, using multiple standardization methods. The same temperature calibration sample set was analyzed on three different mass spectrometers. Several standardization methods were utilized, including the use of carbonate versus gas standards, and different types of background correction were applied to the raw data. All standardization types applied resulted in statistically indistinguishable Δ 47 -temperature slopes, with the exception of standardization calculations that did not correct for background effects. Some instruments and standardizations showed different intercepts relative to each other. The use of carbonate standards improved comparability between different instruments relative to gas standards. Our results show that background effects are the largest factor potentially affecting Δ 47 results, and there may be an improvement in interlaboratory precision using carbonate standards. Critically, all techniques used for standardizing Δ 47 results converge on a common slope as long as background effects are properly corrected. The use of carbonate standards is recommended as a component of standardization procedures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sustainable Supply Chains by Integrating Life Cycle Modeling and Techno-Ecological Synergy with Application to Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a challenge in water bodies across the planet and are often caused by fertilizer runoff from intensively farmed lands. This chapter describes a framework by which producers of biomass-based products could manage their supply chain to encourage mitigation of HABs and their life cycle environmental impacts, while also considering economic implications. The emphasis is on corn-based products such as ethanol in the region around Lake Erie in Northwest Ohio. It shows how wetland ecosystems could be designed synergistically with farming practices, transportation of the corn, and conversion and use of ethanol. The resulting techno-ecologically synergistic supply chains can be environmentally and economically superior to conventional techno-centric supply chains. The resulting designs can help ethanol manufacturers choose between farms, encourage farmers to adopt wetland ecosystems for intercepting and mitigating nutrient runoff, and determine the location of biorefineries for optimizing environmental and economic objectives.

air quality regulation↗