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At least 1,585 records · Page 88

Basin and Crater Ejecta Contributions to the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) Regolith; Positive Implications for Robotic Surface Samples

The ability of impacts of all sizes to laterally transport ejected material across the lunar surface is well-documented both in lunar samples [1-4] and in remote sensing data [5-7]. The need to quantify the amount of lateral transport has lead to several models to estimate the scale of this effect. Such models have been used to assess the origin of components at the Apollo sites [8-10] or to predict what might be sampled by robotic landers [11-13]. Here we continue to examine the regolith inside the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) and specifically assess the contribution to the SPA regolith by smaller craters within the basin. Specifically we asses the effects of four larger craters within SPA, Bose, Bhabha, Stoney, and Bellinsgauzen all located within the mafic enhancement in the center of SPA (Figure 1). The region around these craters is of interest as it is a possible landing and sample return site for the proposed Moon-Rise mission [14-17]. Additionally, understanding the provenance of components in the SPA regolith is important for interpreting remotely sensed data of the basin interior [18-20].

Petro, Noah E.↗

Double Bright Band Observations with High-Resolution Vertically Pointing Radar, Lidar, and Profiles

On 11 May 2010, an elevated temperature inversion associated with an approaching warm front produced two melting layers simultaneously, which resulted in two distinct bright bands as viewed from the ER-2 Doppler radar system, a vertically pointing, coherent X band radar located in Greenbelt, MD. Due to the high temporal resolution of this radar system, an increase in altitude of the melting layer of approximately 1.2 km in the time span of 4 min was captured. The double bright band feature remained evident for approximately 17 min, until the lower atmosphere warmed enough to dissipate the lower melting layer. This case shows the relatively rapid evolution of freezing levels in response to an advancing warm front over a 2 h time period and the descent of an elevated warm air mass with time. Although observations of double bright bands are somewhat rare, the ability to identify this phenomenon is important for rainfall estimation from spaceborne sensors because algorithms employing the restriction of a radar bright band to a constant height, especially when sampling across frontal systems, will limit the ability to accurately estimate rainfall.

ER-2 Doppler radar↗

Grain Shape Characterization as an Enabling Capability for Lunar Surface Technologies

Lunar regolith has unique physical and geotechnical properties compared with familiar granular materials on Earth, and most lunar simulants as well. Specifically, the cohesion, angle of repose, and compressibility are much higher, and flowability is much lower for lunar regolith than otherwise similar terrestrial-derived materials[1,2]. There is confusion in the literature about the relative importance of vacuum, gravity, and inherent grain characteristics in driving these differences. Here we emphasize the importance of characterizing grain types and shapes for designing and test-ing lunar surface technologies, including for rover mobility, material handling, soil sampling, and heat transfer analyses. We demonstrate laboratory capabilities and preliminary studies, and outline further work to better characterize and simulate lunar grains to reduce risks for surface activities

K. M. Cannon↗

Elevated Hot Gas and High-mass X-Ray Binary Emission in Low-metallicity Galaxies: Implications for Nebular Ionization and Intergalactic Medium Heating in the Early Universe

High-energy emission associated with star formation has been proposed as a significant source of interstellar medium (ISM) ionization in low-metallicity starbursts and an important contributor to the heating of the intergalactic medium (IGM) in the high-redshift (z ≳ 8) universe. Using Chandra observations of a sample of 30 galaxies at D ≈ 200–450 Mpc that have high specific star formation rates of 3–9 Gyr^(−1) and metallicities near Z ≈ 0.3Z_⊙, we provide new measurements of the average 0.5–8 keV spectral shape and normalization per unit star formation rate (SFR). We model the sample-combined X-ray spectrum as a combination of hot gas and high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) populations and constrain their relative contributions. We derive scaling relations of log L^(HMXB)_(0.5-8keV) / SFR = 40.19 ± 0.06 and log L^(gas)_(0.5-2keV) / SFR = 39.58 ^(+0.17)_(-0.28), significantly elevated compared to local relations. The HMXB scaling is also somewhat higher than L^(HMXB)_(0.5-8keV) -SFR-Z relations presented in the literature, potentially due to our galaxies having relatively low HMXB obscuration and young and X-ray luminous stellar populations. The elevation of the hot gas scaling relation is at the level expected for diminished attenuation due to a reduction of metals; however, we cannot conclude that an L^(gas)_(0.5-2keV) -SFR-Z relation is driven solely by changes in ISM metal content. Finally, we present SFR-scaled spectral models (both emergent and intrinsic) that span the X-ray-to-IR band, providing new benchmarks for studies of the impact of ISM ionization and IGM heating in the early universe.

high-mass x-ray binary stars↗

Thermodynamic Measurements Using the Knudsen Cell Technique

The Knudsen cell technique has been used for over a century and is a valuable tool for measurement of vapor pressures and thermodynamic properties. It is based on a small enclosure (~1 cm long x 1 cm diameter) in which a condensed phase/vapor equilibria can be established. A small (<1 mm) orifice on the cell allows sampling of the vapor via a variety of techniques including weight loss, torsion effusion, target collection, and mass spectrometry. Many excellent measurements based on these methods have been reported. However in order to obtain reliable measurements, a variety of factors must be considered. They include proper cell material selection, accurate and uniform temperature control and measurement, and proper sampling of the vapor. Each of these factors are discussed in detail in this chapter. Typically these studies are conducted at high temperatures and it is a challenge to select an inert container material. Recommended materials are discussed and in some cases the container may be used as part of the system under study. Temperature control and measurement is perhaps the most important issue. In most systems, the furnace must be compact yet there can be no temperature gradient in the cell. Temperatures are measured with either a thermocouple or pyrometer and the relative advantages of each are discussed. Sampling method considerations depend on the particular technique. It is essential that all of the vapor or a representative portion of the vapor be sampled. The distribution of the effusate from a Knudsen cell is discussed and sampling positions discussed. Mass spectrometry is often used to study the effusing vapor and the relations between ion current and vapor pressure are discussed.

mass spectrometry↗

Quantification of hydraulic trait control on plant hydrodynamics and risk of hydraulic failure within a demographic structured vegetation model in a tropical forest (FATES–HYDRO V1.0)

Abstract. Vegetation plays a key role in the global carbon cycle and thus is an important component within Earth system models (ESMs) that project future climate. Many ESMs are adopting methods to resolve plant size and ecosystem disturbance history, using vegetation demographic models. These models make it feasible to conduct more realistic simulation of processes that control vegetation dynamics. Meanwhile, increasing understanding of the processes governing plant water use, and ecosystem responses to drought in particular, has led to the adoption of dynamic plant water transport (i.e., hydrodynamic) schemes within ESMs. However, the extent to which variations in plant hydraulic traits affect both plant water stress and the risk of mortality in trait-diverse tropical forests is understudied. In this study, we report on a sensitivity analysis of an existing hydrodynamic scheme (HYDRO) model that is updated and incorporated into the Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (FATES) (FATES–HYDRO V1.0). The size- and canopy-structured representation within FATES is able to simulate how plant size and hydraulic traits affect vegetation dynamics and carbon–water fluxes. To better understand this new model system, and its functionality in tropical forest systems in particular, we conducted a global parameter sensitivity analysis at Barro Colorado Island, Panama. We assembled 942 observations of plant hydraulic traits on 306 tropical plant species for stomata, leaves, stems, and roots and determined the best-fit statistical distribution for each trait, which was used in model parameter sampling to assess the parametric sensitivity. We showed that, for simulated leaf water potential and loss of hydraulic conductivity across different plant organs, the four most important traits were associated with xylem conduit taper (buffers increasing hydraulic resistance with tree height), stomatal sensitivity to leaf water potential, maximum stem hydraulic conductivity, and the partitioning of total hydraulic resistance above vs. belowground. Our analysis of individual ensemble members revealed that trees at a high risk of hydraulic failure and potential tree mortality generally have a lower conduit taper, lower maximum xylem conductivity, lower stomatal sensitivity to leaf water potential, and lower resistance to xylem embolism for stem and transporting roots. We expect that our results will provide guidance on future modeling studies using plant hydrodynamic models to predict the forest responses to droughts and future field campaigns that aim to better parameterize plant hydrodynamic models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Measurement of High-temperature Thermophysical Properties of Bulk and Coatings Using Modulated Photothermal Radiometry

This paper presents the development of instrumentation for the measurement of high-temperature thermal conductivity of bulk and coatings using a modulated photothermal radiometry (MPR) method, where a sample is heated by an intensity-modulated laser to probe into different layers of the sample. While MPR has been previously established, most of the previous studies only focus on the measurement at room temperature. The MPR has not been well studied for measurements of bulk and coating materials at high temperatures, which are increasingly important for a multitude of applications, such as materials used in the concentrating solar power (CSP) plants and the nuclear reactors. MPR is a non-contact technique that utilizes the intrinsic thermal emission from the specimens for thermometry, which is favorable for measurements at high temperatures in harsh environment. The authors designed and utilized a sample holder suitable for high temperature measurement up to 973 K with good temperature uniformity within the sample. The high-temperature MPR setup was validated by measuring bulk materials with known thermal conductivity. The setup and technique were then extended to the measurement of black solar-absorbing coatings of 10 to 50 μm thick on various substrates by modulating the frequency of the laser heating beam and the thermal penetration depth. Here, the studies showed that thermal conductivities of typical solar-absorbing coatings are 0.4 ~ 0.8 W m -1 K -1 , indicating a possibly large temperature drop within the coating under high solar irradiation flux, such as over 1000-sun for central solar towers in CSP plants.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Maternal provisioning gives young-of-the-year Hammerheads a head start in early life

For species that do not provide parental care after birth, excess maternal provisioning during development, beyond what is required for embryogenesis, provides offspring with resources to increase their chances of survival. Maternally derived resources are expected to be important for buffering offspring against limited food resources at birth or time needed to learn how to properly feed. Young-of-the-year (YOY) cryptic Scalloped Hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini) and Carolina Hammerheads (Sphyrna gilberti) were sampled from nurseries along the US Atlantic Coast and compared for a number of biological condition metrics across three developmental stages. Large declines in liver lipid content and hepatosomatic indices were found in neonatal sharks, using umbilical scar healing as a proxy for time since birth. Feeding commenced quickly as 96% of sharks had prey remnants in their stomachs. The combination of rapid exhaustion of maternally provided resources and high occurrence of stomachs with prey contents indicate that nursery quality, with respect to prey availability, may be important for YOY hammerhead survivorship. While externally the two species are morphologically similar, longer length-at-birth in S. lewini and higher hepatic condition in neonatal S. gilberti suggest that aspects of reproductive biology, including physiology, may differ between species. While more information is needed to distinguish life history differences between these two species, data collected from YOY may serve as a useful proxy to inform management when adult samples of cryptic species are difficult to collect.

none↗

NSUF Report EBSD analyses on metallic fuel samples: Tips and improvements in sample preparation

EBSD (Electron Backscatter Diffraction) is an analytic technique used to evaluate the microstructure of a specimen. It can be used to evaluate interesting crystallographic data ranging from grains size to grain orientation, from grain boundaries to stresses. Moreover, in the field of nuclear materials EBSD can aid in estimating properties important for reactor performance, such as dislocation and residual strain [1]. EBSD patterns are generated by focusing a stationary electron gun on the specimen and detecting the backscatter electrons that satisfy Bragg conditions, and thus are diffracted by the crystal planes forming the so called Kikuchi bands. These bands correspond to each of the lattice diffracting crystal planes and are detected on a phosphor screen via a low-light CCD camera [2]. The patterns are generated within a small interaction volume located at a depth of less than 50-100 nm. Because of this, the data quality is extremely sensitive to the integrity of the crystallographic lattice order at the surface of the sample and thus to sample preparation and to oxidation [3]. While conventional sample preparation methods are widely used in materials science, they often do not lead to quality electron backscatter patterns needed for the characterization of nuclear materials [4]. This has been related by many authors to the challenges associated with handling radiological specimens, their rapid oxidation, and artifacts in such samples (e.g. high number of defects, precipitates and/or porosities) [4-8]. EBSD, however, can be an invaluable technique to evaluate microstructural evolution during fabrication and after irradiation at the required mesoscale for model and simulation. It also provides important information on grain structure necessary to understand irradiation effect, such as grain subdivision. Thus, it is of paramount importance to further the application of this technique to nuclear materials and especially irradiated fuels.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Description and calibration of the Langley Hypersonic CF4 tunnel: A facility for simulating low gamma flow as occurs for a real gas

The Langley Hypersonic CF4 Tunnel is a Mach 6 facility which simulates an important aspect of dissociative real-gas phenomena associated with the reentry of blunt vehicles, i.e., the decrease in the ratio of specific heats (gamma) that occurs within the shock layer of the vehicle. A general description of this facility is presented along with a discussion of the basic components, instrumentation, and operating procedure. Pitot-pressure surveys were made at the nozzle exit and downstream of the exit for reservoir temperatures from 1020 to 1495 R and reservoir pressures from 1000 to 2550 psia. A uniform test core having a diameter of circa 11 in. (0.55 times the nozzle-exit diameter) exists at the maximum value of reservoir pressure and temperature. The corresponding free-stream Mach number is 5.9, the unit Reynolds number is 4 x 10 to the 5th power per foot, the ratio of specific heats immediately behind a normal shock is 1.10, and the normal-shock density ratio is 12.6. When the facility is operated at reservoir temperatures below 1440 R, irregularities occur in the pitot-pressure profile within a small region about the nozzle centerline. These variations in pitot pressure indicate the existence of flow distrubances originating in the upstream region of the nozzle. This necessitates testing models off centerline in the uniform flow between the centerline region and either the nozzle boundary layer or the lip shock originating at the nozzle exit. Samples of data obtained in this facility with various models are presented to illustrate the effect of gamma on flow conditions about the model and the importance of knowing the magnitude of this effect.

Midden, Raymond E.↗

Identifying native point defect configurations in α-alumina

Intimately intertwined atomic and electronic structures of point defects govern diffusion-limited corrosion and underpin the operation of optoelectronic devices. For some materials, complex energy landscapes containing metastable defect configurations challenge first-principles modeling efforts. Here, we thoroughly reevaluate native point defect geometries for the illustrative case of α-Al 2 O 3 by comparing three methods for sampling candidate geometries in density functional theory calculations: displacing atoms near a naively placed defect, initializing interstitials at high-symmetry points of a Voronoi decomposition, and Bayesian optimization. We find symmetry-breaking distortions for oxygen vacancies in some charge states, and we identify several distinct oxygen split-interstitial geometries that help explain literature discrepancies involving this defect. We also report a surprising and, to our knowledge, previously unknown trigonal geometry favored by aluminum interstitials in some charge states. Importantly, these new configurations may have transformative impacts on our understanding of defect migration pathways in aluminum-oxide scales protecting metal alloys from corrosion. Overall, the Voronoi scheme appears most effective for sampling candidate interstitial sites because it always succeeded in finding the lowest-energy geometry identified in this study, although no approach found every metastable configuration. Finally, we show that the position of defect levels within the band gap can depend strongly on the defect geometry, underscoring the need to conduct careful searches for ground-state geometries in defect calculations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Machine Learning Augmented Predictive and Generative Model for Rupture Life in Ferritic and Austenitic Steels

The Larson-Miller parameter (LMP) offers an efficient and fast scheme to estimate the creep rupture life of alloy materials for high temperature applications. However, owing to poor generalizability and dependence on the constant C, which is typically not known a-priori, estimations using the Larson-Miller parameter often result in suboptimal performance for a wide range of materials. At best it is useful in comparing alloys of similar composition. In this work, three machine learning (ML) schemes were developed for rupture life prediction for 9-12% Cr ferritic-martensitic steels and austenitic stainless steels, i.e., a hierarchical model to parameterize LMP using the LMP constant C to compute rupture life, a hierarchical model to parameterize both C and LMP to compute rupture life, and a direct prediction of rupture life. Specifically, we show that the third scheme, using a gradient boosting algorithm, can be used to train ML models for very accurate prediction of rupture life in a variety of alloys (Pear-son Correlation Coefficient > 0.9 for 9-12% Cr and > 0.8 for austenitic stainless steels). In addition, the Shapley value was used to quantify feature importance, making the model interpretable by identifying the effect of various features on the model performance. Furthermore, a variational autoencoder-based generative model was built by conditioning on the experimental dataset to sample hypothetical synthetic candidate alloys from the learnt joint distribution not existing in both 9-12 % Cr ferritic-martensitic steel and austenitic stainless steel datasets. Finally, based on the predictive and generative model, a reinforcement learning strategy has been proposed to guide experimentalists into designing better heat resistant alloys.

Mamun, Md Osman G.↗

Planetary protection, legal ambiguity and the decision making process for Mars sample return

As scientists and mission planners develop planetary protection requirements for future Mars sample return missions, they must recognize the socio-political context in which decisions about the mission will be made and pay careful attention to public concerns about potential back contamination of Earth. To the extent that planetary protection questions are unresolved or unaddressed at the time of an actual mission, they offer convenient footholds for public challenges in both legal and decision making realms, over which NASA will have little direct control. In this paper, two particular non-scientific areas of special concern are discussed in detail: 1) legal issues and 2) the decision making process. Understanding these areas is critical for addressing legitimate public concerns as well as for fulfilling procedural requirements regardless whether sample return evokes public controversy. Legal issues with the potential to complicate future missions include: procedural review under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); uncertainty about institutional control and authority; conflicting regulations and overlapping jurisdictions; questions about international treaty obligations and large scale impacts; uncertanities about the nature of the organism; and constitutional and regulatory concerns about quarantine, public health and safety. In light of these important legal issues, it is critical that NASA consider the role and timing of public involvement in the decision making process as a way of anticipating problem areas and preparing for legitimate public questions and challenges to sample return missions.

NASA Discipline Number 59-10↗

Lunar Meteorites: A Global Geochemical Dataset

To date, the world's meteorite collections contain over 260 lunar meteorite stones representing at least 120 different lunar meteorites. Additionally, there are 20-30 as yet unnamed stones currently in the process of being classified. Collectively these lunar meteorites likely represent 40-50 distinct sampling locations from random locations on the Moon. Although the exact provenance of each individual lunar meteorite is unknown, collectively the lunar meteorites represent the best global average of the lunar crust. The Apollo sites are all within or near the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), thus lithologies from the PKT are overrepresented in the Apollo sample suite. Nearly all of the lithologies present in the Apollo sample suite are found within the lunar meteorites (high-Ti basalts are a notable exception), and the lunar meteorites contain several lithologies not present in the Apollo sample suite (e.g., magnesian anorthosite). This chapter will not be a sample-by-sample summary of each individual lunar meteorite. Rather, the chapter will summarize the different types of lunar meteorites and their relative abundances, comparing and contrasting the lunar meteorite sample suite with the Apollo sample suite. This chapter will act as one of the introductory chapters to the volume, introducing lunar samples in general and setting the stage for more detailed discussions in later more specialized chapters. The chapter will begin with a description of how lunar meteorites are ejected from the Moon, how deep samples are being excavated from, what the likely pairing relationships are among the lunar meteorite samples, and how the lunar meteorites can help to constrain the impactor flux in the inner solar system. There will be a discussion of the biases inherent to the lunar meteorite sample suite in terms of underrepresented lithologies or regions of the Moon, and an examination of the contamination and limitations of lunar meteorites due to terrestrial weathering. The bulk of the chapter will use examples from the lunar meteorite suite to examine important recent advances in lunar science, including (but not limited to the following: (1) Understanding the global compositional diversity of the lunar surface; (2) Understanding the formation of the ancient lunar primary crust; (3) Understanding the diversity and timing of mantle melting, and secondary crust formation; (4) Comparing KREEPy lunar meteorites to KREEPy Apollo samples as evidence of variability within the PKT; and (5) A better understanding of the South Pole Aitken Basin through lunar meteorites whose provenance are within that Terrane.

Zeigler, R. A.↗

Precision γ-ray branching ratio measurements for long-lived fission products of importance to nuclear-security applications (TAMU Annual Report 2020)

Continuing with our effort of precisely measuring the branching ratios for long-lived fission products we have collected and measured two radiopure ¹⁵⁶Eu samples. The samples were collected on thin (40 μg/cm²) carbon-foil backings using a low-energy mass-separated beam of A = 156 fission products from CARIBU at Argonne National Laboratory. During collection, a HPGe detector was used to continuously monitor the implantation rate by detecting the characteristic γ rays emitted following the β decay of the shorter-lived fission products. The first sample had measured activity of 375 Bq while the second one had an activity of 700 Bq. The implanted samples were then shipped to Texas A&M University for measurement of the subsequent decay.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Magnetic effects of shock and their implications for magnetism of lunar samples

The principal problem in lunar magnetism is to account for the surprisingly large magnitude of the remanent magnetism of lunar surface material. Experiments conducted in this connection have shown that shock is an important mechanism of both magnetization and demagnetization. A description is presented of new experimental results in the low-shock range. An attempt is made to assess the effect of shock upon estimates of the ancient lunar field intensity. The results are used as a basis for a reconsideration of the present lunar field models in the light of intensity estimates and other new results. It is found that the central questions in lunar magnetism have not yet been answered to everyone's satisfaction.

Cisowski, S. M.↗

Generation of complete source samples from the Slew Survey

The Einstein Slew Survey consists of 819 bright X-ray sources, of which 636 (or 78 percent) are identified with counterparts in standard catalogs. We argue for the importance of bright X-ray surveys, and compare the slew results to the ROSAT all-sky survey. Also, we discuss statistical techniques for minimizing confusion in arcminute error circles in digitized data. We describe the 238 Slew Survey AGN, clusters, and BL Lac objects identified to date and their implications for logN-logS and source evolution studies. Also given is a catalog of 1075 sources detected in the Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) Slew Survey of the X-ray sky. Five hundred fifty-four of these sources were not previously known as X-ray sources.

Schachter, Jonathan↗

Assessing the suitability of sites near Pine Island Glacier for subglacial bedrock drilling aimed at detecting Holocene retreat–readvance

Abstract. Unambiguous identification of past episodes of ice sheet thinning below the modern surface and grounding line retreat inboard of present requires recovery and exposure dating of subglacial bedrock. Such efforts are needed to understand the significance and potential future reversibility of ongoing and projected change in Antarctica. Here we evaluate the suitability for subglacial bedrock drilling of sites in the Hudson Mountains, which are located in the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica. We use an ice sheet model and field data – geological observations, glaciological observations and bedrock samples from nunataks, and ground-penetrating radar from subglacial ridges – to rate each site against four key criteria: (i) presence of ridges extending below the ice sheet, (ii) likelihood of increased exposure of those ridges if the grounding line was inboard of present, (iii) suitability of bedrock for drilling and geochemical analysis, and (iv) accessibility for aircraft and drilling operations. Our results demonstrate that although no site in the Hudson Mountains is perfect for this study when assessed against all criteria, the accessibility, N–S orientation and basaltic bedrock lithology of Winkie Nunatak's southernmost ridge (74.86° S, 99.77° W) make it a feasible site both for drilling and subsequent cosmogenic nuclide analysis. Furthermore, the ridge is strewn with glacial erratics at all elevations, providing valuable constraints on its early Holocene deglacial history. Based on our experiences during this study, we conclude with a series of recommendations for assessing site suitability for future bedrock drilling campaigns. We emphasise the importance of consulting a range of expertise prior to drilling and ensuring that sufficient field reconnaissance is undertaken (including obtaining detailed grids of radar survey data and bedrock samples).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗