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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

NanoSIP: Developing Community Imaging for Phylogenetic and Functional Characterization Using Cyanobacterial Mats

This project was to develop and optimize the following technologies: stable isotope probing + NanoSIMS analysis (nanoSIP), FISH, functional gene analysis, H2 production measurements, culturing, and metatranscriptomics for specific use in microbial mat systems. The larger goal was to further develop these methodologies in a way that facilitates their linkage, high fidelity 3-D correlation to location specific environmental change integrating geochemical characterization, such that ability to see and characterize microbial community responses to normal daily fluctuations and further ecological manipulations, in different locations of the mat communities is optimized.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effective Stakeholder Communications in a Changing Budgetary Environment - 15541

Effective communications allow stakeholders to maintain trust and avoid misunderstandings by building relationships that foster better teamwork, more informed decision making, and faster problem-solving. This presentation and accompanying paper will feature a case study on the Liquid Waste program of Savannah River Remediation LLC (SRR) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina exemplifying its effective communication strategies with stakeholders and its partnership approaches to deliver consistent, constructive, and concise communications with stakeholders. Furthermore, this presentation proposes for consideration new models for communication with stakeholders regarding funding across DOE waste cleanup sites. This presentation also proposes a model for consideration instituting a competitive set-aside incentive program for DOE contractors to foster further efficiency, innovation, and measurable progress. The set-aside pool of funding would reward DOE site's on tangible measurable benefits such as progress in meeting milestones, furthering specific environmental risk reducing life-cycle costs. Reduced budgetary funding can lead to much consternation for stakeholders, potentially causing a breakdown of years of hard-earned trust and jeopardizing future cleanup efforts. Therefore, organizations should pro-actively work together to develop a strategy to communicate effectively with stakeholders in order to assuage stakeholder concerns, mitigate risks, and continue to carry out its mission. In the face of funding reductions, effective communication can help promote better understanding by providing more information to help stakeholders understand DOE's funding allocation for each site. Furthermore, providing a set-aside competitive program could further incentivize innovation and reward progress. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effect of moisture content and distribution on radiation transport in concrete - 14426

Criticality Emergency Planning (CEP) requires a detailed knowledge of the Facility design and construction in order to undertake radiation transport studies in support of criticality consequence calculations. Such calculations are used at AWE to determine mitigated doses, CEP exclusion zones and in support of Criticality Warning Systems (CWS) detector head placement studies. At AWE, such calculations have traditionally been performed by assuming that structural concrete has a fixed and evenly distributed moisture profile. In order to validate this assumption, work has been undertaken using the finite element analysis tool Femmasse to simulate moisture movement within the concrete and calculate moisture distributions in a 65 cm thick concrete wall as a function of aging and specific environmental conditions. This work identified that considerable variation in the moisture profile may arise, with an equilibrium condition being reached after circa 20 years, where the overall moisture content is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, the calculations identified that the overall moisture content used in extant CEP assessments was considerably lower than that estimated in this work. In order to determine the effect of the moisture distribution profiles, the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP5 was used to study the transmission of radiation through aged concrete and thus assess its performance as a radiation shield in the event of a criticality. Various moisture distributions were assessed based on the findings of the Femmasse calculations and were compared with that assessed using traditional assumptions. Results were obtained for neutron and photon doses. The paper provides an overview of the findings and makes recommendations on the suitability of using evenly distributed moisture profiles in concrete in support of mitigated doses, CEP and CWS detector head placement studies. (authors)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Method for detecting and distinguishing between specific types of environmental radiation using a high pressure ionization chamber with pulse-mode readout

An environmental radiation detector for detecting and distinguishing between all types of environmental radiation, including photons, charged particles, and neutrons. A large volume high pressure ionization chamber (HPIC) includes BF.sub.3 gas at a specific concentration to render the radiation detector sensitive to the reactions of neutron capture in Boron-10 isotope. A pulse-mode readout is connected to the ionization chamber capable of measuring both the height and the width of the pulse. The heavy charged products of the neutron capture reaction deposit significant characteristic energy of the reaction in the immediate vicinity of the reaction in the gas, producing a signal with a pulse height proportional to the reaction energy, and a narrow pulse width corresponding to the essentially pointlike energy deposition in the gas. Readout of the pulse height and the pulse width parameters of the signals enables distinguishing between the different types of environmental radiation, such as gamma (x-rays), cosmic muons, and neutrons.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

U.S. DOE's environmental management site-specific advisory board: 20 years of effective community involvement - 15377

This paper provides an overview of the U.S. DOE's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board from its roots in the early 1990's at the Keystone Center to its current activities. The Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board has a unique mandate to provide input regarding the cleanup of nuclear legacy sites in the United States. Chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board comprises eight local boards. The Office of Environmental Management has made public participation a fundamental component of its cleanup mission and has found that the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board has contributed greatly to bringing community input regarding values and priorities to the cleanup decision-making processes. Public participation that involves ongoing community engagement has inherent challenges; the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board operates with additional challenges that reflect the political and technical nature of U.S. DOE's work. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

U.S. DOE's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board: Public Engagement in Cleanup - 18709

This paper provides an overview of the U.S. DOE's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) from its roots in the early 1990's at the Keystone Center to its current activities. The EM SSAB has a unique mandate to provide input regarding the cleanup of nuclear legacy sites in the United States. Chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the EM SSAB comprises eight local boards. The Office of Environmental Management (EM) has made public participation a fundamental component of its cleanup mission and has found that the EM SSAB has contributed greatly to bringing community input regarding values and priorities to the cleanup decision-making processes. Public participation that involves ongoing community engagement has inherent challenges; the EM SSAB operates with additional challenges that reflect the political and technical nature of U.S. DOE's work. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

DOE's Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board: The Roles, Work, and Assessment of the Constituent Local Boards - 13587

The charter for the Department of Energy's Environmental Management (EM) Site-Specific Advisory Board (SSAB) was approved under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) in 1994. With a unique mandate to provide public input on issues associated with the cleanup of nuclear legacy sites in the U.S., the EM SSAB comprises eight local boards, which are based at major EM sites. While each board is unique to the community in which it is located and reflects the diversity of the local population, the boards are governed by FACA, related regulations, and DOE policies that are intended to standardize agency advisory board operations. The EM SSAB local boards are made up of a diverse group of citizens who want to understand the mission and goals of the EM program and to help EM achieve those goals for the benefit of their communities. Some are quite passionate about their mission; others need to be coaxed into active participation. Maintaining productive relationships and a supportive environment for effective board operations is the challenge of board management for DOE EM and the board members themselves. DOE draws on research findings and best practices literature from academics and practitioners in the field of public involvement in its board management practices. The EM SSAB is also evaluated annually under the law to ensure that the investment of taxpayer dollars in the board is warranted in light of the contributions of the board. Further evaluation takes place at the agency and site levels in order to identify what aspects of board functioning the agency and board members find important to its success and to address areas where improvement is needed. Board contributions, compliance factors, and measurable outcomes related to board products and process areas are key to agency commitment to ongoing support of the boards and to participant satisfaction and thus continued member involvement. In addition to evaluation of these factors in improving board effectiveness, the agency draws on the experience of members to create best practices for the EM SSAB, as a unique form of public involvement. Four areas that have been identified by local board Chairpersons as important to their local board operations are - Enhancing communication between technical and non-technical board members; - Building on common ground toward recommendations; - Public involvement in EM SSAB local board activities; - The EM SSAB annual work plan process. The first three areas are addressed below by current or former chairpersons of the EM SSAB: Ralph Phelps, former Chairperson of the Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board; Susan Leckband, former Chairperson and current Vice Chairperson of the Hanford Advisory Board; and Val Francis, Vice Chairperson of the Portsmouth (PORTS) SSAB. In addition, Eric Roberts, facilitator of the PORTS SSAB, has contributed to the section on public involvement. In a separate paper for this session, Ralph Young, Chairperson of the Paducah Citizens' Advisory Board addresses the EM SSAB annual work plan process. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1977

Analysis of shock pulses for environmental tests

Specifications for shock testing of components that will be used on the Space Shuttle vehicles require very high acceleration levels. A special shock machine was built for testing of rocket components to determine if they can meet the specified accelerations. Calibrations of transducers and methods to monitor the shock tests raised several signature-analysis questions. In this report, calibration capabilities of shock accelerometers are found to be limited to 10,000g. Equivalency of the mechanical shock test and the rocket pyrotechnic shock are examined, and two simple relationships for equivalency are proposed. Five different pulse signature-analysis techniques are tested on analytical and experimental pulse data and recommendations are made for the signature technique which most clearly identifies the magnitude of the impulse applied to the test specimen.

Houghton, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Qualification plan for the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment (S-169), revision A

The qualification methods used to verify that the UVS hardware meets the technical requirements of the contract are defined. Included in this plan are test location, the qualification UVS to be tested, test objectives, and all tests required to verify that the UVS meets all performance and environmental requirements of the CEI specification. Additionally, environmental test conditions, testing time or cycles, allowable maintenance, logging requirements, manner of analysis, and utilization of test results, disposition of test specimens, failure criteria, retest requirements, facilities and support requirements, and the time phasing of the tests are presented.

Eckard, L. D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The effect of environmental initiatives on NASA specifications and standards activities

The NASA Operational Environment Team (NOET) has conducted a survey of NASA centers specifications and standards that require the use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS's) (Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Halons, and chlorinated solvents). The results of this survey are presented here, along with a pathfinder approach utilized at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to eliminate the use of ODS's in targeted specifications and standards. Presented here are the lessons learned from a pathfinder effort to replace CFC-113 in a significant MSFC specification for cleaning and cleanliness verification methods for oxygen, fuel and pneumatic service, including Shuttle propulsion elements.

Griffin, Dennis↗
DOE OSTI2017

Interleukin-24 as a target cytokine of environmental aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist exposure in the lung

Exposure to environmental aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists, such as halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), has great impacts on the development of various lung diseases. As emerging molecular targets for AhR agonists, cytokines may contribute to the inflammatory or immunotoxic effects of environmental AhR agonists. However, general cytokine expression may not specifically indicate environmental AhR agonist exposure. By comparing cytokine and chemokine expression profiles in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line CL5 treated with AhR agonists and the non-AhR agonist polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 39, we identified a target cytokine of environmental AhR agonist exposure of in the lungs. Thirteen cytokine and chemokine genes were altered in the AhR agonists-treated cells, but none were altered in the PCB39-treated cells. Interleukin (IL)-24 was the most highly induced gene among AhR-modulated cytokines. Cotreatment with AhR antagonist completely prevented IL-24 induction by AhR agonists in the CL5 cells. Knockdown AhR expression with short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) significantly reduced benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced IL-24 mRNA levels. We further confirmed that gene transcription, but not mRNA stability, was involved in IL-24 upregulation by BaP. Particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air contains some PAHs and is reported to activate AhR. Oropharyngeal aspiration of PM significantly increased IL-24 levels in lung epithelia and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of mice 4 weeks after treatment. Thus, our data suggests that IL-24 is a pulmonary exposure target cytokine of environmental AhR agonists. - Graphical abstract: (A) Cytokine and chemokine gene expressions were examined in CL5 cells treated with AhR and non-AhR agonists. Thirteen cytokines and chemokines genes were altered in the AhR agonist-treated cells, but not in the non-AhR agonist-treated cells. IL-24 was the most highly induced gene among the AhR-modulated cytokines. (B) Both AhR agonists and PM{sub 2.5} induced IL-24 production in the CL5 cells and macrophages. Cotreatment with an AhR antagonist (DMF) or transfections with shRNA for AhR abolished IL-24 induction by BaP in CL5 cells. Intratracheal instillation of PM activated AhR-mediated inflammatory responses and IL-24 expression in mouse lungs. Thus, our data suggests that IL-24 is a pulmonary exposure target cytokine of environmental AhR agonist. - Highlights: • IL-24 is identified as a target cytokine of environmental AhR agonist exposure. • AhR agonists increased IL-24 expression in an AhR-dependent manner in lung cells. • Ambient particulate matter induces IL-24 secretion in BALF in mice. • IL-24 can be used to evaluate environmental lung diseases.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

The EM SSAB Annual Work Plan Process: Focusing Board Efforts and Resources - 13667

One of the most daunting tasks for any new member of a local board of the Environmental Management Site Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB) is to try to understand the scope of the clean-up activities going on at the site. In most cases, there are at least two or three major cleanup activities in progress as well as monitoring of past projects. When planning for future projects is added to the mix, the list of projects can be long. With the clean-up activities involving all major environmental media - air, water, soils, and groundwater, new EM SSAB members can find themselves totally overwhelmed and ineffective. Helping new members get over this initial hurdle is a major objective of EM and all local boards of the EM SSAB. Even as members start to understand the size and scope of the projects at a site, they can still be frustrated at the length of time it takes to see results and get projects completed. Many project and clean-up timelines for most of the sites go beyond 10 years, so it's not unusual for an EM SSAB member to see the completion of only 1 or 2 projects over the course of their 6-year term on the board. This paper explores the annual work planning process of the EM SSAB local boards, one tool that can be used to educate EM SSAB members into seeing the broader picture for the site. EM SSAB local work plans divide the site into projects focused on a specific environmental issue or media such as groundwater and/or waste disposal options. Projects are further broken down into smaller segments by highlighting major milestones. Using these metrics, local boards of the EM SSAB can start to quantify the effectiveness of the project in achieving the ultimate goal of site clean-up. These metrics can also trigger board advice and recommendations for EM. At the beginning of each fiscal year, the EM SSAB work plan provides a road map with quantifiable checkpoints for activities throughout the year. When the work plans are integrated with site-specific, enforceable regulatory milestones, they can provide a comprehensive work plan for not only the board, but also regulators, site contractors, and DOE. Because the work plans are reviewed and approved by DOE, they carry some weight in holding local boards of the EM SSAB accountable. This structure provides the basis for local boards to achieve their primary function, to provide DOE with information, advice, and recommendations concerning issues affecting the EM program at the site. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1976

Geomagnetic field mapping from a satellite: Spatial power spectra of the geomagnetic field at various satellite altitudes relative to natural noise sources and instrument noise

The spectra for the field are presented together with power spectra of the natural magnetospheric and ionosheric noise and a power spectrum of instrumental noise for a typical fluxgate magnetometer. The source of these data is described. The implications of these data relative to desirable instrument frequency resonse, stability and resolution specification as well as the implications relative to desirable spacecraft position and orientation accuracy specifications and desirable environmental (temperature, magnetic noise) specifications are discussed. Implications of these power spectra relative to choice of a suitable magnetometer and relative to desirable methods of data processing are considered. Finally, implications for desirable orbit and mission duration are discussed.

Mcleod, M. G.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Analytics for Investigation of Disease Outbreaks (AIDO)

Objective: Analytics for the Investigation of Disease Outbreaks (AIDO) is a web-based tool designed to enhance a user’s understanding of unfolding infectious disease events. A representative library of over 650 outbreaks across a wide selection of diseases allows similar outbreaks to be matched to the conditions entered by the user. These historic outbreaks contain detailed information on how the disease progressed as well as what measures were implemented to control its spread, allowing for a better understanding within the context of other outbreaks.Introduction: Situational awareness, or the understanding of elemental components of an event with respect to both time and space, is critical for public health decision-makers during an infectious disease outbreak. AIDO is a web-based tool designed to contextualize incoming infectious disease information during an unfolding event for decision-making purposes.Methods: Public health analysts of the Biology Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory curated a diverse library of historic disease outbreaks from publicly available official reports and peer reviewed literature to serve as a representation of the range of potential outbreak scenarios for a given disease. Available outbreak metadata are used to identify properties that relate to the magnitude and/or duration of the outbreak. Properties vary by disease, as they are related to disease-specific characteristics like transmission, disease manifestation, risk factors related to disease severity, and environmental factors specific to the given location. These properties are then incorporated into a similarity algorithm (s in Figure 1) to identify outbreaks that are similar to user inputs.Results: AIDO currently includes libraries for 39 diseases that are diverse across pathogen type (viral, bacterial and parasitic) as well as transmission type (vectorborne (e.g., Dengue, Malaria), foodborne (e.g., Salmonella, Campylobacteriosis), waterborne (e.g., Cholera), and person-to-person transmitted (e.g., Measles)). In addition to providing a similarity score to the user’s outbreak, we provide aggregated comparisons to multiple historical outbreaks, descriptive statistics to show the distribution of property values for each disease, and extensive contextual information about each outbreak.Conclusions: The analytics provided by AIDO allow users to interact with a unique data set of historic outbreaks and the associated metadata to contextualize incoming information and generate hypotheses about appropriate decisions. The tool is continually updated with new functionalities and additional data.

Daughton, Ashlynn↗
DOE OSTI2015

Indoor Environmental Exposures and Exacerbation of Asthma: An Update to the 2000 Review by the Institute of Medicine

Background: Previous research has found relationships between specific indoor environmental exposures and exacerbation of asthma. Objectives: In this review we provide an updated summary of knowledge from the scientific literature on indoor exposures and exacerbation of asthma. Methods: Peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2013 on indoor exposures and exacerbation of asthma were identified through PubMed, from reference lists, and from authors’ files. Articles that focused on modifiable indoor exposures in relation to frequency or severity of exacerbation of asthma were selected for review. Research findings were reviewed and summarized with consideration of the strength of the evidence. Results: Sixty-nine eligible articles were included. Major changed conclusions include a causal relationship with exacerbation for indoor dampness or dampness-related agents (in children); associations with exacerbation for dampness or dampness-related agents (in adults), endotoxin, and environmental tobacco smoke (in preschool children); and limited or suggestive evidence for association with exacerbation for indoor culturable Penicillium or total fungi, nitrogen dioxide, rodents (nonoccupational), feather/down pillows (protective relative to synthetic bedding), and (regardless of specific sensitization) dust mite, cockroach, dog, and dampness-related agents. Discussion: This review, incorporating evidence reported since 2000, increases the strength of evidence linking many indoor factors to the exacerbation of asthma. Conclusions should be considered provisional until all available evidence is examined more thoroughly. Conclusion: Multiple indoor exposures, especially dampness-related agents, merit increased attention to prevent exacerbation of asthma, possibly even in nonsensitized individuals. Additional research to establish causality and evaluate interventions is needed for these and other indoor exposures.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1978

Potential for cogeneration of heat and electricity in California industry, phase 1

Information collected during an industrial survey of 12 selected plants was organized into four categories: technical, economic, environmental, and institutional. The technical aspects of industrial cogeneration are examined on a site-specific basis. The site-specific economics, environmental constraints, and institutional barriers that impact industrial cogeneration will be further investigated.

Davis, H. S.↗