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At least 163 records · Page 9

A new crab of the genus Nanoplax from the Gulf of Mexico, and assignment of Micropanope pusilla to a new genus (Crustacea, Brachyura, Pseudorhombilidae)

Nanoplax thomai n. sp. is described from the Gulf of Mexico, representing the second species of the genus. The description is based upon a number of specimens previously misidentified as Micropanope truncatifrons Rathbun, 1898, including one so represented in recent molecular phylogenetic analyses. As restricted, Micropanope truncatifrons remains known with certainty from only the limited type series, which does not include a mature male, and sequence quality tissues are not available for molecular phylogenetic analyses. Its generic placement remains questionable following morphological study of its type materials and comparisons to specimens representing other present and former members of Micropanope Stimpson, 1871. Those comparisons underscore that morphological and molecular distinctions warrant assignment of Micropanope pusilla A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 to a new genus, herein designated as Pseudopanopeus n. gen.

Zoology↗

Gas hydrate quantification in Walker Ridge block 313, Gulf of Mexico, from full-waveform inversion of ocean-bottom seismic data

The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Joint Industry Project Leg 2 logging-while-drilling data in Walker Ridge lease block 313 (WR313) in the GOM detected gas hydrate in coarse- and fine-grained sediments at sites WR313-G and WR313-H. The coarse-grained units are thin ([Formula: see text]) and highly saturated, whereas the fine-grained unit is thick (approximately 200 m) with low saturation and fracture-filling gas hydrate. Unlike its coarse-grained counterpart, the seismic character of the fine-grained unit does not clearly indicate the presence of gas hydrate, which would likely have remained undiscovered in the absence of drilling. In this paper, through frequency-domain acoustic full-waveform inversion (FWI) of ocean-bottom seismometer data along a 2D multichannel seismic transect near sites WR313-G and WR313-H, we detect and quantify gas hydrate in the fine-grained unit. Key results are as follows: First, the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, which is not obvious in the reflection profile, can be discerned in the FWI results. Second, the gas hydrate in the fine-grained unit is mainly confined to the area between two sets of opposite-dipping normal faults implying that the fault architecture may be partially responsible for this gas hydrate accumulation and distribution.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Quantification of early nonpharmaceutical interventions aimed at slowing transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in the Navajo Nation and surrounding states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah)

During an early period of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Navajo Nation, much like New York City, experienced a relatively high rate of disease transmission. Yet, between January and October 2020, it experienced only a single period of growth in new COVID-19 cases, which ended when cases peaked in May 2020. The daily number of new cases slowly decayed in the summer of 2020 until late September 2020. In contrast, the surrounding states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah all experienced at least two periods of growth in the same time frame, with second surges beginning in late May to early June. Here, we investigated these differences in disease transmission dynamics with the objective of quantifying the contributions of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) (e.g., behaviors that limit disease transmission). We considered a compartmental model accounting for distinct periods of NPIs to analyze the epidemic in each of the five regions. We used Bayesian inference to estimate region-specific model parameters from regional surveillance data (daily reports of new COVID-19 cases) and to quantify uncertainty in parameter estimates and model predictions. Our results suggest that NPIs in the Navajo Nation were sustained over the period of interest, whereas in the surrounding states, NPIs were relaxed, which allowed for subsequent surges in cases. Our region-specific model parameterizations allow us to quantify the impacts of NPIs on disease incidence in the regions of interest.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

2013 New Mexico Mid-Region Travel Survey

The 2013 New Mexico Mid-Region Travel Survey assessed travel behavior patterns to update a travel demand model for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area, which consists of Bernalillo County, Valencia County, and southern Sandoval County. It includes the cities of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, and Belen as well as some tribal lands. The Mid-Region Council of Governments contracted with Westat to conduct the survey, which included the collection of socio-demographic data and a one-day (24-hour) period of household travel behavior collected during weekdays (Monday through Friday). The survey also included a random selection of a 20% subsample of households (1,023 participants) to take part in a wearable global positioning system, technology-based component of the study, which was used to assess the level of trip under-reporting from the self-reported component of the survey.

1Hz data↗

iButton snow-ground interface temperature measurements in Los Alamos, New Mexico from 2023-2024

Snow/ground interface temperature measurements were collected at two sites in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Data were collected from November 29, 2023 to April 8, 2024 using iButton Link DS1921G-F5# Thermochron miniature temperature sensors (https://www.ibuttonlink.com/products/ds1921g). These sensors are a cost-efficient way to collect snowpack temperatures at a higher spatial resolution than what is normally achieved. iButton data were collected every 3 hours from a total of 19 iButtons. iButtons were placed in pairs, with one iButton placed at the ground surface and another buried 1 - 5 cm below the ground surface. One buried iButton did not successfully collect data, and therefore was excluded from this dataset. Data were collected throughout the snow cover season so that snowpack characteristics could be derived using the temperature data. Specifically, this dataset was used as a validation source for a novel machine learning approach to estimating snow depth (see related publication). Sensors were placed in areas with bare ground or minimal grass coverage, located away from any large vegetation. At Site A (TA51), manual snow depths were collected as validation data. These measurements were taken next to iButtons periodically throughout the winter, and notes on other precipitation types were also recorded. At Site B (TA6 Meteorological Station), a nearby sensor collected snow depths throughout the winter. This dataset contains one *.csv file of snow/ground interface temperatures at two sites, one *.csv file of manually collected snow depths, and one *.kml file of sensor locations. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic) was a 15-year research effort (2012-2027) to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy’s Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Machine learning snow depth predictions at sites in Alaska, Norway, Siberia, Colorado and New Mexico

Temporally continuous snow depth estimates are vital for understanding changing snow patterns in the Arctic and impacts on permafrost. We trained random forest machine learning models to predict snow depth from temperature data recorded at or just below the ground surface. Training data was collected at the Teller 27 Watershed and Kougarok 64 Hillslope during the 2021 - 2022 water year on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska using distributed temperature profiling (DTP) systems. We then applied this model to other sites where ground surface or shallow soil temperature data was available for at least one water year (see Related Datasets). Many of these temperature measurements were collocated with snow depth observations. Ground surface temperature (i.e. snow-ground interface temperature) is easy to measure using small, cheap and easy-to-deploy temperature sensors such as iButtons and TinyTags, and such measurements have previously been used to calculate a variety of snow metrics (e.g. snow onset date). However, this is the first study to estimate snow depth directly from ground surface temperature data. The present dataset contains one *.csv file which includes machine learning snow depth predictions at sites in Alaska, Norway, Siberia, Colorado, and New Mexico and one *.kml file including the locations of sites with snow depth predictions. No training data predictions are included in the *.csv file. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy’s Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Offshore Gulf of Mexico Data Collection

Spatial data acquired from credible sources and created using analytical methods for the Gulf of Mexico. This collection contains information on public and industrial infrastructure, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. Much of these data were originally collected to measure the potential impacts of oil spills and the collection has continued to build into a robust and wide-ranging spatial database available on EDX Spatial.

data collection↗

Historic Submarine Landslides in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

This dataset provides a set of polygons representing the zone of depletion for historic submarine landslides (also referred to as mass transport deposits) within four regions of the US Exclusive Economic Zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Landslides were digitized by geologists and spatial scientists at the National Energy Technology Laboratory by visually interpreting landslide boundaries from a seismic-derived, high resolution bathymetric hillshade provided by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM, 2017). A portion of the landslide features are derived from other spatial sources including the Seismic Water Anomalies dataset by BOEM (2016) as well as from McAdoo et al., 2000 and Twichell et al, 2005. The scale that landslides depletion areas can be interpreted at is limited by the spatial resolution of the gridded bathymetry, which is 12.192 meters (BOEM, 2017). For each landslide feature in the dataset, geometry metrics were calculated including geodesic area (km2) and geodesic perimeter (km) using the North America Albers Equal Area Conic projected coordinate system. The same geometry metrics were calculated for the four inventory regions.

DOE↗

New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program: Management Sciences Inc. (Final Report)

Sandia National Laboratories will, as time and budget allow, perform the following tasks as part of a New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program project for Management Sciences, Inc. (MSI): 1. Set up a thermal radar in Sandia's Technical Area (TA) III test bed. 2. Collect alarm data from the thermal radar and a radio frequency (RF) radar during simulated intrusion tests to estimate detection performance, based on the Department of Energy (DOE) threat definition. 3. Collect nuisance alarm data caused by weather and non-intruder-related stimuli, to estimate nuisance alarm rate performance. 4. Provide data to the requester, allowing them to process the data. 5. Provide the requester, as a stretch goal, with live radar and thermal radar sensor feeds, allowing real-time processing of the RF radar and the thermal radar. A key technical issue that will influence the success of this activity is the range accuracy of the thermal radar. If issues are encountered, Sandia will work with the requester to correct the range issues.

42 ENGINEERING↗

New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program Pairs Inventors with National Labs

NMSBA provides New Mexico small businesses facing technical challenges access to the unique expertise and capabilities of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories. At no cost to the business, small businesses can seek assistance from lab scientists and engineers to solve challenges and overcome barriers to company success.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Management of New Mexico Special Waste

New Mexico “Special Waste” (NMSW) is a non-hazardous solid waste that has unique handling, transportation, and/or disposal requirements to assure protection of the environment and the public health, welfare, and safety.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

2020 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico

Sandia National Laboratories, hereinafter referred to as Sandia, is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. This Annual Site Environmental Report was prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting , and is approved for public release. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its management and operating contractor for Sandia are committed to safeguarding the environment, continually assessing sustainability practices, and ensuring the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data presented here. This report summarizes the environmental protection, restoration, and monitoring programs in place for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM), during calendar year 2020.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Produced Water-Economic, Socio, Environmental Simulation Model (PW-ESEim) Model: Proof-of-Concept for Southeastern New Mexico

A proof-of-concept tool, the Produced Water-Economic, Socio, Environmental Simulation model (PW-ESESim), was developed to support ease of analysis. The tool was designed to facilitate head-to-head comparison of alternative produced water source, treatment, and reuse water management strategies. A graphical user interface (GUI) guides the user through the selection and design of alternative produced water treatment and reuse strategies and the associated health and safety risk and economic benefits. At the highest conceptual level, alternative water strategies include the selection of a source water (locally or regionally available produced water), treatment strategy (pre-treatment, physical, chemical, biological, desalination, and post-treatment processes) and product water purpose (e.g., irrigation, industrial processing, environmental). After selection of these details, the PW-ESESim output a number of key economic, societal, environmental, public/ecological health and safety metrics to support user decision-making; specific examples include, cost of treatment, improvements in freshwater availability, human and ecologic health impacts and growth in local jobs and the economy. Through the simulation of different produced water treatment and management strategies, tradeoffs are identified and used to inform fit-for-purpose produced water treatment and reuse management decisions. While the tool was initially designed using Southeastern New Mexico (Permian Basin) as a case study, the general design of the PW-ESESim model can be extended to support other oil and gas regions of the U.S.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An Analysis of PNM's Renewable Reserve Requirements to Meet New Mexico's Decarbonization Goals

Over the next three years, the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) plans to increase utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity from today’s roughly 330MW to about 1600MW. This massive increase in variable generation—from about 15% to 75% of peak load—will require changes in how PNM operates their system. We characterize the 5 and 30-minute solar and wind forecast errors that the system is likely to experience in order to determine the level of reserves needed to counteract such events. Our focus in this study is on negative forecast error (in other words, shortfalls relative to forecast) – whereas excess variable generation can be curtailed if needed, a shortfall must be compensated for to avoid loss of load. Calculating forecast error requires the use of the same forecasting methods that PNM uses or a reasonable approximation thereof. For wind, we use a persistence forecast on actual 5-minute 2019 wind output data (scaled up to reflect the amount of wind capacity planned for 2025). For solar, we use a formula incorporating the clear sky index (CSI) for the forecast. As the solar on the grid now is a small fraction of what is planned for 2025, we generated 5-minute solar data using 2019 weather inputs. We find that to handle 99.9% of the 5-minute negative forecast errors, a maximum of 275MW of variable generation reserve during daylight hours, and a maximum of 75MW during non-daylight hours, should be sufficient. Note that this variable generation reserve is an additional reserve category that specifies reserves over and above what are currently carried for contingency reserve. This would require a significant increase in reserve relative to what PNM currently carries or can call upon from other utilities per reserve sharing agreements. This variable generation reserve specification may overestimate the actual level needed to deal with PNM’s planned variable generation in 2025. The forecasting methodologies used in this study likely underperform PNM’s forecasting – and better forecasting allows for less reserve. To obtain more precise estimates, it is necessary to consider load and use the same forecasting inputs and methods used by PNM.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗