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At least 1,621 records · Page 90

Final Technical Report for U.S.-Japan Hadronic Physics Exchange Program for Studies of Hadron Structure and QCD

Nuclear physics explores the fundamental properties of matter -- how protons and neutrons emerge as quantum systems of elementary particles, how they form the atomic nuclei, and how they give rise to the wide variety of phenomena and applications at biological, technical, and astronomical scales. It is a global scientific effort centered around large-scale experimental user facilities (particle accelerators and detectors), advanced theoretical methods and concepts, and computational techniques and resources. Exchange of knowledge and ideas, scientific collaboration, and workforce development on a global scale are essential for the future of the field. The nuclear physics program envisaged in the 2023 DOE/NSF NSAC Long-Range Plan and pursued at the U.S. National Labs has strong synergies with programs at other facilities worldwide and will realize significant benefits from international collaboration. Nuclear physics is also recognized for promoting international cooperation in the broadest sense through joint construction and operation of experimental equipment, personal contacts between scientists, and education and training. The U.S.-Japan Hadronic Physics Exchange Program (USJPHE) supported collaborative scientific research in hadronic physics and quantum chromodynamics. USJHPE focused on subject areas related to the programs at current and future experimental facilities in the U.S.\ and Japan and supported both experimental and theoretical studies. USJHPE particularly aimed to realize synergies between the hadronic physics programs at Jefferson Lab 12 GeV and J-PARC resulting from the complementarity of electromagnetic and hadronic probes in the multi-GeV energy range. Subject areas of common interest included the quark-gluon structure of hadrons and nuclei, meson and baryon spectroscopy, strangeness and hypernuclear physics, and other related topics. USJHPE also supported research in hadronic physics and nuclear-physics-enabled tests of fundamental symmetries related to the programs at Brookhaven National Lab, Fermilab, KEK, Spring-8, and university-based facilities in the U.S. and Japan. USJHPE especially promoted collaboration between the U.S. and Japanese nuclear physics communities in developing the physics program and instrumentation for the future Electron-Ion Collider. USJHPE was intended to provide travel grants to U.S.-based scientists (primary institutional affiliation with a U.S.\ university, national laboratory, or other research center) to visit Japanese institutions and conduct collaborative research there. The program supported senior researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and students. Continuing the setup of the preceding grant period, J-PARC served as the Japanese “hub” for U.S. physicists for short- and long-term visits, and JLab served as the corresponding U.S. “hub”. The program was officially managed through the U. of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. Support for Japanese physicists visiting the U.S. was provided through funds from Japanese funding agencies. The USJHPE program promoted the scientific exchange and the collaborative spirit in hadronic physics between the two countries.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Expandable Log Analyzing Framework

Prior to my internship, I was informed that a previous intern had built a tool to analyse MongoDB logs and look for invalid access attempts, which served as a great reference point for my project. I was initially tasked with expanding on her prototype and filling in the gaps such as integrating it with the main monitoring tool the lab uses. Eventually, the scope grew, expanding to support other databases and a growing collection of tools. I organized the framework around an observer pattern, meaning one point in the program sending updates to the rest of the framework. Every time a log was read and parsed, it was sent to be processed by the tools, using the type of event as a means to determine which tools should get a chance to act on the log. This decouples the tools from the log reader, making future updates and additions much easier. The framework processes MongoDB logs at ~135,000 entries per second and PostgreSQL logs at ~170,500 entries per second, accurately detecting anomalies such as slow queries and connections from unknown addresses. This framework serves to fill gaps in database monitoring tools currently implemented at the lab, such as tracking failed authentication for PostgreSQL and MongoDB which had very minimal or none before this framework. National labs such as Fermilab hold sensitive data and valuable computing resources, making them attractive targets. Monitoring intrusion attempts on databases is made much easier by this comprehensive monitoring suite.

Clark, Dylan [Unlisted, IL]↗

Expandable Log Analyzing Framework

Prior to my internship, I was informed that a previous intern had built a tool to analyse MongoDB logs and look for invalid access attempts, which served as a great reference point for my project. I was initially tasked with expanding on her prototype and filling in the gaps such as integrating it with the main monitoring tool the lab uses. Eventually, the scope grew, expanding to support other databases and a growing collection of tools. I organized the framework around an observer pattern, meaning one point in the program sending updates to the rest of the framework. Every time a log was read and parsed, it was sent to be processed by the tools, using the type of event as a means to determine which tools should get a chance to act on the log. This decouples the tools from the log reader, making future updates and additions much easier. The framework processes MongoDB logs at ~135,000 entries per second and PostgreSQL logs at ~170,500 entries per second, accurately detecting anomalies such as slow queries and connections from unknown addresses. This framework serves to fill gaps in database monitoring tools currently implemented at the lab, such as tracking failed authentication for PostgreSQL and MongoDB which had very minimal or none before this framework. National labs such as Fermilab hold sensitive data and valuable computing resources, making them attractive targets. Monitoring intrusion attempts on databases is made much easier by this comprehensive monitoring suite.

Clark, Dylan [Unlisted, IL]↗

Best Practices in PEC Water Splitting: How to Reliably Measure Solar-to-Hydrogen Efficiency of Photoelectrodes

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, which utilizes sunlight and water to produce hydrogen fuel, is potentially one of the most sustainable routes to clean energy. One challenge to success is that, to date, similar materials and devices measured in different labs or by different operators lead to quantitatively different results, due to the lack of accepted standard operating procedures and established protocols for PEC efficiency testing. With the aim of disseminating good practices within the PEC community, we provide a vetted protocol that describes how to prepare integrated components and accurately measure their solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency (η STH ). This protocol provides details on electrode fabrication, η STH test device assembly, light source calibration, hydrogen evolution measurement, and initial material qualification by photocurrent measurements under monochromatic and broadband illumination. Common pitfalls in translating experimental results from any lab to an accurate STH efficiency under an AM1.5G reference spectrum are discussed. A III–V tandem photocathode is used to exemplify the process, though with small modifications, the protocol can be applied to photoanodes as well. Dissemination of PEC best practices will help those approaching the field and provide guidance for comparing the results obtained at different lab sites by different groups.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Characterization and effects of impurities on carbonate quantification in heterogenous matrices

Mineral carbonation simulates a natural weathering phenomena by breaking down silicates and oxides to form Ca & Mg carbonates. Various mineralization methods have been demonstrated as a potential technique to improve the quality of slags and tailings through neutralization and stabilization of problematic species to yield a product better suited for use in concrete. This study aims to characterize, quantify and analyze carbonates in various carbonated products such as mineralized CaCO 3 , CO 2 mineralized Steel Slags and Mine Tailings. More than 10 samples were analyzed for carbonate measurement and verification from industrial and academic partners that pioneer commercial CO 2 mineralization technologies. The samples were characterized primarily by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analyses (TGA), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to gain insights into CaCO 3 content. A baseline characterization of lab-grade CaCO 3 and MgCO 3 also revealed important considerations for CaCO 3 measurement using TGA alone. The experiments using synthetic lab-grade samples also revealed that the presence of MgCO 3 /MgO can accelerate the decomposition of CaCO 3 and thus can affect measurement parameters. Lab-grade CaCO 3 samples dosed into steel slag and mine tailing also showed significant deviation in their decomposition behavior. These insights are used to inform the development of a standardized protocol for the measurement and verification of carbonate-bearing products.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Biocontainment of Genetically Engineered Algae

Algae (including eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria) have been genetically engineered to convert light and carbon dioxide to many industrially and commercially relevant chemicals including biofuels, materials, and nutritional products. At industrial scale, genetically engineered algae may be cultivated outdoors in open ponds or in closed photobioreactors. In either case, industry would need to address a potential risk of the release of the engineered algae into the natural environment, resulting in potential negative impacts to the environment. Genetic biocontainment strategies are therefore under development to reduce the probability that these engineered bacteria can survive outside of the laboratory or industrial setting. These include active strategies that aim to kill the escaped cells by expression of toxic proteins, and passive strategies that use knockouts of native genes to reduce fitness outside of the controlled environment of labs and industrial cultivation systems. Several biocontainment strategies have demonstrated escape frequencies below detection limits. However, they have typically done so in carefully controlled experiments which may fail to capture mechanisms of escape that may arise in the more complex natural environment. The selection of biocontainment strategies that can effectively kill cells outside the lab, while maintaining maximum productivity inside the lab and without the need for relatively expensive chemicals will benefit from further attention.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Characterization of Lactobacilli Phage Endolysins and Their Functional Domains–Potential Live Biotherapeutic Testing Reagents

Phage endolysin-specific binding characteristics and killing activity support their potential use in biotechnological applications, including potency and purity testing of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs). LBPs contain live organisms, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and are intended for use as drugs. Our approach uses the endolysin cell wall binding domains (CBD) for LBP potency assays and the endolysin killing activity for purity assays. CBDs of the following five lactobacilli phage lysins were characterized: CL1, Jlb1, Lj965, LL-H, and ΦJB. They exhibited different bindings to 27 LAB strains and were found to bind peptidoglycan or surface polymers. Flow cytometry based on CBD binding was used to enumerate viable counts of two strains in the mixture. CL1-lys, jlb1-lys, and ΦJB-lys and their enzymatic domains (EADs) exhibited cell wall digestive activity and lytic activity against LAB. Jlb1-EAD and ΦJB-EAD were more sensitive than their respective hololysins to buffer pH and NaCl changes. The ΦJB-EAD exhibited stronger lytic activity than ΦJB-lys, possibly due to ΦJB-CBD-mediated sequestration of ΦJB-lys by cell debris. CBD multiplex assays indicate that these proteins may be useful LBP potency reagents, and the lytic activity suggests that CL1-lys, jlb1-lys, and ΦJB-lys and their EADs are good candidates for LBP purity reagent development.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Coupling field and laboratory measurements to estimate the emission factors of identified and unidentified trace gases for prescribed fires

Vegetative fuels commonly consumed in prescribed fires were collected from five locations in the southeastern and southwestern U.S. and burned in a series of 77 fires at the U.S. Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. The particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions were measured by gravimetric filter sampling with subsequent analysis for elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and 38 elements. The trace gas emissions were measured with a large suite of state-of-the-art instrumentation including an open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP FTIR) spectrometer, proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), proton-transfer ion-trap mass spectrometry (PIT-MS), negative-ion proton-transfer chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (NI-PT-CIMS), and gas chromatography with MS detection (GC-MS). 204 trace gas species (mostly non-methane organic compounds (NMOC)) were identified and quantified with the above instruments. An additional 152 significant peaks in the unit mass resolution mass spectra were quantified, but either could not be identified or most of the signal at that molecular mass was unaccounted for by identifiable species. As phase II of this study, we conducted airborne and ground-based sampling of the emissions from real prescribed fires mostly in the same land management units where the fuels for the lab fires were collected. A broad variety, but smaller number of species (21 trace gas species and PM2.5) was measured on 14 fires in chaparral and oak savanna in the southwestern US, as well as pine forest understory in the southeastern US and Sierra Nevada mountains of California. These extensive field measurements of emission factors (EF) for temperate biomass burning are useful both for modeling and to examine the representativeness of our lab fire EF. The lab/field EF ratio for the pine understory fuels was not statistically different from one, on average. However, our lab EF for “smoldering compounds” emitted by burning the semi-arid SW fuels should likely be increased by about a factor of 2.7 to better represent field fires. Based on the lab/field comparison, we present a table with emission factors for 365 pyrogenic species (including unidentified species) for 4 broad fuel types: pine understory, semi-arid shrublands, evergreen canopy, and duff. To our knowledge this is the most complete measurement of biomass burning emissions to date and it should enable improved representation of smoke in atmospheric models. The results provide important insights into the nature of smoke. For example, ~35% (range from 16-71%) of the mass of gas-phase NMOC species was attributed to the species that we could not identify. These unidentified species are likely not represented in most models, but some provision should be made for the fact that they will react in the atmosphere. In addition, the total mass of gas-phase NMOC divided by the mass of co-emitted PM2.5 averaged ~2.6 for the main fire types with a range from ~1.8-8.8. About 36-63% of the NMOC were likely semivolatile or of intermediate volatility. Thus, the gas-phase NMOC represent a large reservoir of potential precursors for secondary formation of organic aerosol. For the one fire in organic soil (Alaskan duff) about 28% of the emitted carbon was present as gas-phase NMOC in contrast to the other fuels for which NMOC accounted for only ~1-3% of emitted carbon. 71% of the mass of NMOC emitted by the smoldering duff was un-identified. The duff results highlight the need to learn more about the emissions from smoldering organic soils. The NMOC/“NOx-as-NO” ratio was consistently about ten for the main fire types when accounting for all NMOC, indicating strongly NOx-limited O3 production conditions. Finally, the fuel consumption per unit area was measured on 6 of the 14 prescribed fires and averaged 7.08 ± 2.09 (1) Mg ha-1.

Yokelson, R. J.↗

FRET-based dynamic structural biology: Challenges, perspectives and an appeal for open-science practices

Single-molecule FRET (smFRET) has become a mainstream technique for studying biomolecular structural dynamics. The rapid and wide adoption of smFRET experiments by an ever-increasing number of groups has generated significant progress in sample preparation, measurement procedures, data analysis, algorithms and documentation. Several labs that employ smFRET approaches have joined forces to inform the smFRET community about streamlining how to perform experiments and analyze results for obtaining quantitative information on biomolecular structure and dynamics. The recent efforts include blind tests to assess the accuracy and the precision of smFRET experiments among different labs using various procedures. These multi-lab studies have led to the development of smFRET procedures and documentation, which are important when submitting entries into the archiving system for integrative structure models, PDB-Dev. This position paper describes the current ‘state of the art’ from different perspectives, points to unresolved methodological issues for quantitative structural studies, provides a set of ‘soft recommendations’ about which an emerging consensus exists, and lists openly available resources for newcomers and seasoned practitioners. To make further progress, we strongly encourage ‘open science’ practices.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Data Warehouse on the Web for Accelerator Fabrication And Maintenance

A data warehouse grew out of the needs for a view of accelerator information from a lab-wide or project-wide standpoint (often needing off-site data access for the multi-lab PEP-II collaborators). A World Wide Web interface is used to link legacy database systems of the various labs and departments related to the PEP-II Accelerator. In this paper, we describe how links are made via the 'Formal Device Name' field(s) in the disparate databases. We also describe the functionality of a data warehouse in an accelerator environment. One can pick devices from the PEP-II Component List and find the actual components filling the functional slots, any calibration measurements, fabrication history, associated cables and modules, and operational maintenance records for the components. Information on inventory, drawings, publications, and purchasing history are also part of the PEP-II Database. A strategy of relying on a small team, and of linking existing databases rather than rebuilding systems is outlined.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

What's Right with Kansas? (LBNL Science at the Theater)

On Monday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in Berkeley's Repertory Theater, the Lab presented "What's Right with Kansas," an evening of conversation with the Kansas-based Climate and Energy Project's founder and board chair, Nancy Jackson, and Berkeley Lab scientist Merrian Fuller, an electricity-market, policy and consumer behavior expert. Berkeley Lab will also debut its video "Common Ground," which showcases how CEP has become a Kansas mainstay and an inspiration to environmental organizations across the country. In a state rife with climate-change skepticism, CEP has changed behavior, and some minds, by employing rural values of thrift, independence, conservation, and friendly competition to promote energy efficiency.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Seeing the Light (LBNL Science at the Theater)

Berkeley Lab's Science at the Theater event "Seeing the Light" took place on Sept 12, 2011, at Berkeley Repertory's Roda Theatre. Learn how the Advanced Light Source is improving medicine, paving the way for clean energy, changing the future of computers, and much more. Featured speakers are Berkeley Lab's Roger Falcone, Rachel Segalman, Andrew Westphal, and Stanford University's Axel Brunger. Rachel Segalman: The future of clean energy technology relies on a better understanding of materials at the nanoscale. Berkeley Lab's Rachel Segalman uses the ALS to conduct this research, which could lead to improved photovoltaics and fuel cells. Axel Brunger: Improved treatment for human diseases hinges on understanding molecular-scale processes. Stanford University's Axel Brunger will discuss a new melanoma drug that was developed by a local company, Plexxikon, using the ALS for X-ray data collection. Andrew Westphal: What's comet dust made of? Andrew Westphal of UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory uses the ALS to study comet dust and interplanetary space dust collected by a NASA spacecraft. Moderated by Roger Falcone, Division Director of the Advanced Light Source

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Compare Energy Use in Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pumps Field Demonstration and Computer Model

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pumps are often regarded as energy efficient air-conditioning systems which offer electricity savings as well as reduction in peak electric demand while providing improved individual zone setpoint control. One of the key advantages of VRF systems is minimal duct losses which provide significant reduction in energy use and duct space. However, there is limited data available to show their actual performance in the field. Since VRF systems are increasingly gaining market share in the US, it is highly desirable to have more actual field performance data of these systems. An effort was made in this direction to monitor VRF system performance over an extended period of time in a US national lab test facility. Due to increasing demand by the energy modeling community, an empirical model to simulate VRF systems was implemented in the building simulation program EnergyPlus. This paper presents the comparison of energy consumption as measured in the national lab and as predicted by the program. For increased accuracy in the comparison, a customized weather file was created by using measured outdoor temperature and relative humidity at the test facility. Other inputs to the model included building construction, VRF system model based on lab measured performance, occupancy of the building, lighting/plug loads, and thermostat set-points etc. Infiltration model inputs were adjusted in the beginning to tune the computer model and then subsequent field measurements were compared to the simulation results. Differences between the computer model results and actual field measurements are discussed. The computer generated VRF performance closely resembled the field measurements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Mendelevium: The Way It Was

A reel of black & white film shot nearly 60 years ago has surfaced at Berkeley Lab, depicting the discovery of Mendelevium - or Element 101 - as reenacted by some of the legendary scientists who did the actual work at that time. Since the 1940s, Berkeley Lab scientists were locked in a race to synthesize new elements, and more often than not, they came out winners. Sixteen elements, most of them in the actinide series at the bottom of the periodic table, were discovered and synthesized by its researchers. Retired Berkeley Lab physicist Claude Lyneis found the reel in a box of dusty and deteriorating films slated for disposal. Using digital editing skills he acquired to make videos of his son's lacrosse team, Lyneis has produced and narrated an excerpt of this nearly-lost footage. It is an entertaining and informative look at the pioneering physics performed at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's hillside campus.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Status of LCLS - II QA Systems Collaboration for Cyromodule Construction at TJNAF and FNAL

At the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), we are supporting the LCLS-II Project at SLAC. The plan is to build thirty-five 1.3 GHz continuous wave cryomodules, production to be split between JLab and FNAL (Fermilab). This has required a close collaboration between the partner labs, including enhancing our existing quality systems to include this collaboration. This overview describes the current status of the Quality System development as of August 2015, when the partner labs start the assembly of the prototype cryomodules.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Transport of LCLS-II 1.3 Ghz cryomodule to SLAC

In a partnership with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) and Jefferson Lab, Fermilab will assemble and test 17 of the 35 total 1.3 GHz cryomodules for the Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II) Project. These include a prototype built and delivered by each Lab. Another two 3.9 GHz cryomodules will be built, tested and transported by Fermilab to SLAC. Each assembly will be transported over-the-road from Fermilab or Jefferson Lab using specific routes to SLAC. The transport system consists of a base frame, isolation fixture and upper protective truss. The strongback cryomodule lifting fixture is described along with other supporting equipment used for both over-the-road transport and local (on-site) transport at Fermilab. Initially, analysis of fragile components and stability studies will be performed in order to assess the risk associated with over-the-road transport of a fully assembled cryomodule.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

SF Cleantech Pitchfest: Nano Sponges for Carbon Capture

Berkeley Lab materials scientist, Jeff Urban presents his research on using metal-organic frameworks to capture carbon at Berkeley Lab's Cleantech Pitchfest on June 1, 2016. Removing excess carbon from an overheating atmosphere is an urgent and complicated problem. The answer, according to Berkeley Lab’s Jeff Urban, could lie at the nanoscale, where specially designed cage-like structures called metal organic frameworks, or MOFs, can trap large amounts of carbon in microscopically tiny structures. A Harvard PhD with expertise in thermoelectrics, gas separation and hydrogen storage, Urban directs teams at the Molecular Foundry’s Inorganic Materials Facility.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Innovative Commercialization Efforts Underway at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

New clean energy and energy efficiency technology solutions hold the promise of significant reductions in energy consumption. However, proven barriers for these technologies, including the technological and commercialization valleys of death, result in promising technologies falling to the wayside. To address these gaps, NREL's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center designs and manages advanced programs aimed at supporting the development and commercialization of early stage clean energy technologies with the goal of accelerating new technologies to market. These include: Innovation Incubator (IN2) in partnership with Wells Fargo: this technology incubator supports energy efficiency building-related startups to overcome market gaps by providing access to technical support at NREL; Small Business Voucher Pilot: this program offers paid vouchers for applicants to access a unique skill, capability, or facility at any of the 17 DOE National Laboratories to bring next-generation clean energy technologies to market; Energy Innovation Portal: NREL designed and developed the Energy Innovation Portal, providing access to EERE focused intellectual property available for licensing from all of the DOE National Laboratories; Lab-Corps: Lab-Corps aims to better train and empower national lab researchers to understand market drivers and successfully transition their discoveries into high-impact, real world technologies in the private sector; Incubatenergy Network: the Network provides nationwide coordination of clean energy business incubators, share best practices, support clean energy entrepreneurs, and help facilitate a smoother transition to a more sustainable clean energy economy; Industry Growth Forum: the Forum is the perfect venue for clean energy innovators to maximize their exposure to receptive capital and strategic partners. Since 2003, presenting companies have collectively raised more than $5 billion in growth financing.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗