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Evaluation of Droplet Splashing Algorithm in LEWICE 3.0

The Icing Branch at NASA Glenn Research has developed a computer program to simulate ice formation on the leading edge of an aircraft wing during flight through cold, moist air. As part of the branch's current research, members have developed software known as LEWICE. This program is capable of predicting the formation of ice under designated weather conditions. The success of LEWICE is an asset to airplane manufacturers, ice protection system manufacturers, and the airline industry. Simulations of ice formation conducted in the tunnel and in flight is costly and time consuming. However, the danger of in-flight icing continues to be a concern for both commercial and military pilots. The LEWICE software is a step towards inexpensive and time efficient prediction of ice collection. In the most recent version of the program, LEWICE contains an algorithm for droplet splashing. Droplet splashing is a natural occurrence that causes accumulation of ice on aircraft surfaces. At impingement water droplets lose a portion of their mass to splashing. With part of each droplet joining the airflow and failing to freeze, early versions of LEWICE without the splashing algorithm over-predicted the collection of ice on the leading edge. The objective of my project was to determine whether the revised version of LEWICE accurately reflected the ice collection data obtained from the Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). The experimental data from the IRT was collected by Mark Potapczuk in January, March and July of 2001 and April and December of 2002. Experimental data points were the result of ice tracings conducted shortly after testing in the tunnel. Run sheets, which included a record of velocity, temperature, liquid water content and droplet diameter, served as the input of the LEWICE computer program. Parameters identical to the tunnel conditions were used to run LEWICE 2.0 and LEWICE 3.0. The results from IRT and versions of LEWICE were compared graphically. After entering the raw experimental data and computer output into a spread sheet, I mapped each ice formation onto a clean airfoil. The LEWICE output provided the data points to graphically depict ice formations developed by the program. weather conditions of runs conducted in January 2001, it was evident that the splashing algorithm of LEWICE 3.0 predicts ice formations more accurately than LEWICE 2.0. Especially at conditions with droplet size between 80 and 160 microns, the splashing algorithm of the new LEWICE version compensated for the loss of droplet mass as a result of splashing. In contrast, LEWICE 2.0 consistently over-predicted the mass of the ice in conditions with droplet size exceeding 80 microns. This evidence confirms that changes made to algorithms of LEWICE 3.0 have increased the accuracy of predicting ice collection.

Homenko, Hilary N.↗

Operations, maintenance, and cost considerations for PV+Storage in the United States

Battery storage systems are increasingly being installed at photovoltaic (PV) sites to address supply-demand balancing needs. Although there is some understanding of costs associated with PV operations and maintenance (O&M), costs associated with emerging technologies such as PV plus storage lack details about the specific systems and/or activities that contribute to the cost values. This study aims to address this gap by exploring the specific factors and drivers contributing to utility-scale PV plus storage systems (UPVS) O&M activities costs, including how technology selection, data collection, and related and ongoing challenges. Specifically, we used semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to collect information and insights from utility-scale owners and operators. Data was collected from 14 semi-structured interviews and questionnaires representing 51.1 MW with 64.1 MWh of installed battery storage capacity within the United States (U.S.). Differences in degradation rate, expected life cycle, and capital costs are observed across different storage technologies. Most O&M activities at UPVS related to correcting under-performance. Fires and venting issues are leading safety concerns, and owner operators have installed additional systems to mitigate these issues. There are ongoing O&M challenges due the lack of storage-specific performance metrics as well as poor vendor reliability and parts availability. Insights from this work will improve our understanding of O&M consideration at PV plus storage sites.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

National Survey Results: Retention of Women in Collegiate Aviation

Since the numbers of women pursuing technical careers in aviation continues to remain very low, a study on retention of women was undertaken by a team of university faculty from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Arizona State University, and Kent State University. The study was initiated to discover the factors that influence women once they have already selected an aviation career and to ascertain what could be done to support those women who have demonstrated a serious interest in an aviation career by enrolling in a collegiate aviation program. This paper reports preliminary results of data collected in the first and second years of the study. The data was collected from surveys of 390 college students (195 women and 195 men) majoring in aviation programs in nine colleges and universities, representing widely varied geographic areas and including both two- and four-year institutions. Results revealed significant areas of concern among women in pilot training. When queried about these concerns, differences were evident in the responses of the male and female groups. These differences were expected. However, a surprising finding was that women in early stages of pilot training responded differently from women in more experienced stages, These response differences did not occur among the men surveyed. The results, therefore, suggest that women in experienced stages of training may have gone through an adaptation process and reflect more male-like attitudes about a number of objects, including social issues, confidence, family, and career.

Turney, Mary Ann↗

A unified approach for composite cost reporting and prediction in the ACT program

The Structures Technology Program Office (STPO) at NASA Langley Research Center has held two workshops with representatives from the commercial airframe companies to establish a plan for development of a standard cost reporting format and a cost prediction tool for conceptual and preliminary designers. This paper reviews the findings of the workshop representatives with a plan for implementation of their recommendations. The recommendations of the cost tracking and reporting committee will be implemented by reinstituting the collection of composite part fabrication data in a format similar to the DoD/NASA Structural Composites Fabrication Guide. The process of data collection will be automated by taking advantage of current technology with user friendly computer interfaces and electronic data transmission. Development of a conceptual and preliminary designers' cost prediction model will be initiated. The model will provide a technically sound method for evaluating the relative cost of different composite structural designs, fabrication processes, and assembly methods that can be compared to equivalent metallic parts or assemblies. The feasibility of developing cost prediction software in a modular form for interfacing with state of the art preliminary design tools and computer aided design (CAD) programs is assessed.

Freeman, W. Tom↗

Assessment of Baseline Monitoring Data for the Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility at Idaho National Laboratory

The purpose of this document is to summarize environmental monitoring data collected at the Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste (RHLLW) Disposal Facility during the first four years of facility operations (FY 2019 through FY 2022). This summary provides a “baseline” condition for the facility, which can be used to distinguish contaminant releases from the RHLLW Disposal Facility from pre existing contamination as well as potential future releases from other sources (i.e., upgradient aquifer sources), as specified in the facility monitoring plan. Sufficient data has been collected over the first four years of operation of the RHLLW Disposal Facility to establish baseline conditions for future compliance monitoring of aquifer wells and performance monitoring of vadose zone lysimeters. Except for seven elevated tritium measurements from lysimeter HFEF-South believed to have been impacted by waste disposals, all data was deemed appropriate for establishing baseline concentrations. Monitoring of the aquifer detected indicator analytes gross alpha and gross beta and target analytes tritium and C-14. There were a few C-14 detections prior to an increase in the required detection level (RDL) after the first round of sampling. I-129 and Tc-99 were not detected above RDLs in aquifer samples. Lysimeter samples detected indicator analytes gross alpha and gross beta and target analyte tritium. Target analytes C-14, I-129, and Tc-99 were not detected above RDLs in lysimeter samples. Except for tritium, baseline concentrations of indicator and target analytes measured during the first four years of RHLLW facility operations are expected to represent conditions through the expected 20 year operating period of the facility. Elevated tritium in the aquifer, a result of past discharges of tritium at upgradient facilities, showed a decline over the first four years of operations, and levels are expected to continue to decline with time as a result of dilution and decay. Current tritium levels in lysimeter samples may be elevated due to tritium in the water applied during construction and infiltration testing of the facility. As a result, tritium concentrations in lysimeters may decline with time as a result of dilution and decay. Statistical measures (i.e., mean, standard deviation, and 99% upper confidence level [UCL]) were calculated for all detected analytes using the four years of concentration data. These measures will be used to evaluate future monitoring results and to demonstrate the facility is performing, or not performing, as established in the facility performance assessment (PA). Future monitoring results will also be combined with the baseline data in this report to further establish temporal trends and natural variability in the measurements. Based on the data collected during the baseline period, it is recommended the gross alpha action level for performance monitoring increase from 10 to 20 pCi/L due to several baseline measurements exceeding the preliminary action level of 10. An action level of 20 pCi/L is slightly greater than the 99% UCL, is protective of the aquifer, and would reduce unnecessary sampling. It is also recommended that tritium be added to the lysimeter analyte list for post-baseline period monitoring. Tritium, while not a dose concern, is a good tracer that can provide valuable information on water flow in and around the RHLLW Disposal Facility. Recommendations for a tritium action level are provided if considered necessary.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Analysis of ocean color scanner data from the Superflux III Experiment

The scanner collected data on October 15, 20, and 22, 1980. Single-channel gray-scale data products generated 5 minutes after the scanner were collected and showed details of the Chesapeake plume structure, suggesting that this quick-look capability could have potential use for experiments in real time. The Chesapeake Bay plume extended offshore about 5 nautical miles on October 15, and 7 nautical miles on October 20. Using the October 15 1980, data, a correlation coefficient of r = 0.889 was obtained between chlorophyll 'A' and the ratio of band 7 (664-684 nanometers) to band 9 (746-766 nanometers). This ratio was then used to calculate the average surface chlorophyll 'A' concentration of the water flowing out of the Chesapeak Bay. A ratio from the Ocean Color Scanner bands was created to simulate the ratio that the Multichannel Ocean Color Sensor uses to calculate chlorophyll A concentrations. Using the October 15, 1980, data set, this ratio has a correlation coefficient of r = -0.739 with the log of the chlorophyll 'A' and the ratio of band 2 minus band 4 to band 2 plus band 4 of the Ocean Color Scanner. No correlation is found between the Ocean Color Scanner data and total suspended solid measurements made on October 15, 1980.

Ohlhorst, C. W.↗

The International Space Station: A Unique Platform for Remote Sensing of Natural Disasters

Assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) was completed in 2012, and the station is now fully operational as a platform for remote sensing instruments tasked with collecting scientific data about the Earth system. Remote sensing systems are mounted inside the ISS, primarily in the U.S. Destiny Module's Window Observational Research Facility (WORF), or are located on the outside of the ISS on any of several attachment points. While NASA and other space agencies have had remote sensing systems orbiting Earth and collecting publicly available data since the early 1970s, these sensors are carried onboard free-flying, unmanned satellites. These satellites are traditionally placed into Sun-synchronous polar orbits that allow imaging of the entire surface of the Earth to be repeated with approximately the same Sun illumination (typically local solar noon) over specific areas, with set revisit times that allow uniform data to be taken over long time periods and enable straightforward analysis of change over time. In contrast, the ISS has an inclined, Sun-asynchronous orbit (the solar illumination for data collections over any location changes as the orbit precesses) that carries it over locations on the Earth between approximately 52degnorth and 52deg south latitudes (figure 1). The ISS is also unique among NASA orbital platforms in that it has a human crew. The presence of a crew provides options not available to robotic sensors and platforms, such as the ability to collect unscheduled data of an unfolding event using handheld digital cameras as part of the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) facility and on-the-fly assessment of environmental conditions, such as cloud cover, to determine whether conditions are favorable for data collection. The crew can also swap out internal sensor systems installed in the WORF as needed. The ISS orbit covers more than 90 percent of the inhabited surface of the Earth, allowing the ISS to pass over the same ground locations at different times of the day and night. This is important for two reasons: 1) certain surface processes (i.e., development of coastal fog banks) occur at times other than local solar noon, making it difficult to collect relevant data from traditional satellite platforms, and 2) it provides opportunities for the ISS to collect data for short-duration events, such as natural disasters, that polar-orbiting satellites may miss due to their orbital dynamics - in essence, the ISS can be "in the right place at the right time" to collect data. An immediate application of ISS remote sensing data collection is that the data can be used to provide information for humanitarian aid after a natural disaster. This activity contributes directly to the station's Benefits to Humanity mission. The International Charter, Space and Major Disasters (also known as the International Disaster Charter, or IDC) is an agreement between agencies of several countries to provide - on a best-effort basis - remotely sensed data related to natural disasters to requesting countries in support of disaster response. In the United States, the lead agency for interaction with the IDC is the United States Geological Survey (USGS); when an IDC request, or activation, is received, the USGS notifies the science teams for NASA instruments with targeting information for data collection. In the case of the ISS, Earth scientists in the JSC ARES Directorate, in association with the ISS Program Science Office, coordinate targeting and data collection with the USGS. If data is collected, it is passed back to the USGS for posting on its Hazards Data Distribution System and made available for download. The ISS was added to the USGS's list of NASA remote sensing assets that could respond to IDC activations in May 2012. Initially, the NASA ISS sensor systems available to respond to IDC activations included the ISS Agricultural Camera (ISSAC), an internal multispectral visible-near infrared wavelength system mounted in the WORF; CEO, a project that collects imagery through the ISS windows using off-the-shelf handheld digital visible-wavelength cameras; and the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Oceans (HICO), a visible to near-infrared system mounted externally on the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility. Since May 2012, there have been 37 IDC activations; ISS sensor systems have collected data for 10 of these events.

Stefanov, William L.↗

SELKIE Spectral Extraction Results

This document describes results from the WAMOR Chesapeake Bay collection in October 2024, a data collection from the Arkeus HSOR hyperspectral sensor. The calibration array was staged at USCG Station Little Creek, Virginia. With the provided HSOR imagery and data, our analysis does not show a capability to effectively detect materials of interest from non-materials of interest as well as differentiate materials of interest from each other, the materials of interest being polypropylene, polyester, and cotton. The fundamental reasons are (1) the spectral bands of HSOR do not reside in specific wavelength locations to allow for material identification and (2) the provided imagery appears to not have consistent band-to-band relationships indicative of a lack of calibration (gain/offsets) or some other calibration issues. With regard to analyzing a subset of the delivered HSOR, HSOR can make general statements about materials not being water and have the capability to make color assessments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Integrating Oil Debris and Vibration Measurements for Intelligent Machine Health Monitoring

A diagnostic tool for detecting damage to gears was developed. Two different measurement technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting surface fatigue pitting damage on gears. This integrated system showed improved detection and decision-making capabilities as compared to using individual measurement technologies. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting vibration and oil debris data from fatigue tests performed in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Rig. An oil debris sensor and the two vibration algorithms were adapted as the diagnostic tools. An inductance type oil debris sensor was selected for the oil analysis measurement technology. Gear damage data for this type of sensor was limited to data collected in the NASA Glenn test rigs. For this reason, this analysis included development of a parameter for detecting gear pitting damage using this type of sensor. The vibration data was used to calculate two previously available gear vibration diagnostic algorithms. The two vibration algorithms were selected based on their maturity and published success in detecting damage to gears. Oil debris and vibration features were then developed using fuzzy logic analysis techniques, then input into a multi sensor data fusion process. Results show combining the vibration and oil debris measurement technologies improves the detection of pitting damage on spur gears. As a result of this research, this new diagnostic tool has significantly improved detection of gear damage in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Rigs. This research also resulted in several other findings that will improve the development of future health monitoring systems. Oil debris analysis was found to be more reliable than vibration analysis for detecting pitting fatigue failure of gears and is capable of indicating damage progression. Also, some vibration algorithms are as sensitive to operational effects as they are to damage. Another finding was that clear threshold limits must be established for diagnostic tools. Based on additional experimental data obtained from the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Rig, the methodology developed in this study can be successfully implemented on other geared systems.

Dempsey, Paula J.↗

Survey of 0.1- to 16-keV/e plasma sheet ion composition

An analysis is performed of all plasma sheet data collected in 1978-79 in order to discern statistical trends in the data. Attention is focused on the bulk parameters of 0.1-16 keV/e plasma sheet ions detected by the Plasma Composition Experiment on the ISEE 1 satellite. The data were collected at 10-23 earth radii, and are averaged for various levels of activity in the AE index. Solar H(+) and He(2+) ions dominate during quiet periods and possess energies similar to those of the solar wind when the quiet period lasts several hours. Increasing AE index values eventually lead to a replacement of the solar ions with terrestrial ions, particularly O(+), which can have an average energy density of 3-4 keV/e at every activity level. The solar ions, however, increase in energy as their density decreases. The O(+) density is highest near the local midnight and becomes the most numerous during highly disturbed conditions. Finally, the O(+) density was observed to increase by a factor of three over the monitoring period, possibly due to enhanced solar EUV radiation.

Lennartsson, W.↗

Proteomic Assessment of Fluid Shifts and Association with Visual Impairment and Intracranial Pressure in Twin Astronauts

BACKGROUND: Astronauts participating in long duration space missions are at an increased risk of physiological disruptions. The development of visual impairment and intracranial pressure (VIIP) syndrome is one of the leading health concerns for crew members on long-duration space missions; microgravity-induced fluid shifts and chronic elevated cabin CO2 may be contributing factors. By studying physiological and molecular changes in one identical twin during his 1-year ISS mission and his ground-based co-twin, this work extends a current NASA-funded investigation to assess space flight induced "Fluid Shifts" in association with the development of VIIP. This twin study uniquely integrates physiological and -omic signatures to further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying space flight-induced VIIP. We are: (i) conducting longitudinal proteomic assessments of plasma to identify fluid regulation-related molecular pathways altered by long-term space flight; and (ii) integrating physiological and proteomic data with genomic data to understand the genomic mechanism by which these proteomic signatures are regulated. PURPOSE: We are exploring proteomic signatures and genomic mechanisms underlying space flight-induced VIIP symptoms with the future goal of developing early biomarkers to detect and monitor the progression of VIIP. This study is first to employ a male monozygous twin pair to systematically determine the impact of fluid distribution in microgravity, integrating a comprehensive set of structural and functional measures with proteomic, metabolomic and genomic data. This project has a broader impact on Earth-based clinical areas, such as traumatic brain injury-induced elevations of intracranial pressure, hydrocephalus, and glaucoma. HYPOTHESIS: We predict that the space-flown twin will experience a space flight-induced alteration in proteins and peptides related to fluid balance, fluid control and brain injury as compared to his pre-flight protein/peptide signatures. Conversely, the trajectory of these protein signatures will remain relatively constant in his ground based co-twin. METHODS: We are using proteomic and standard immunoelectrophoresis techniques to delineate the change in protein signatures throughout the course of a long duration space flight in relation to the development of VIIP. We are also applying a novel cell-based metaboloic organ system assay ("Organs on a Plate") to address how these circulating biomarkers affect physiological processes at the cellular and organ level which could result in VIIP symptoms. These molecular data will be correlated with physiological measures (eg. extra and intracellular fluid volume, vascular filling/flow patterns, MRI, and Optic Coherence Tomography. DISCUSSION: Pre- and in-flight data collection is in progress for the space-flown twin, and similar data have been obtained from the ground-based twin. Biosamples will be batch processed when received from ISS after the conclusion of the 1-year mission. Omic and Physiological measures from the twin astronauts will be compared to similar data being collected on twin subjects who participated in simulated microgravity study. bed rest study.

Rana, Brinda K.↗

Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration: Phase III (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) is one of 7 regional partnerships formed in 2003 under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSPs) initiative. The overall purpose of the initiative was to help determine and implement the technology, infrastructure, and regulations most appropriate to promote carbon storage in different regions of the country. Covering Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and parts of Texas, Wyoming, and Kansas, the SWP evaluated regional carbon storage and utilization potential and focused on technologies and sites that could complement the region’s strong position in energy production. The project progressed through three phases: • Phase I (2003–2005): Characterized regional geologic formations and CO 2 sources, assessed sequestration potential, and identified pilot test sites. • Phase II (2005–2013): Conducted small-scale field tests to validate sequestration methods, including geologic and terrestrial projects. • Phase III (2008–2022): Demonstrated large-scale CO 2 injection at a commercial oil field to test monitoring, verification, and long-term storage strategies. This report covers Phase III. The final project site, the Farnsworth Unit (FWU) in Texas, provided real-world testing of reservoir characterization, monitoring, and risk evaluation tools and processes that could be used in any commercial scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) project. Extensive data collection and analysis helped refine best practices for reservoir characterization, injection monitoring, and storage verification. The SWP contributed to national databases, DOE best practice manuals, and regional geological assessments to support future sequestration efforts. Key lessons learned include the importance of robust data management, strategic site selection, regulatory navigation, and effective industry collaboration. The project’s findings will inform ongoing and future carbon storage initiatives. Task 1 (Regional Characterization) • The SWP continued to participate in national outreach efforts and NATCARB. • The SWP evaluated multiple potential sites before selecting the FWU as the primary field test location. Task 2 (Public Outreach and Education) • The SWP contributed to national databases, DOE best practice manuals, and regional geological assessments to support future sequestration efforts. Task 3 (Permitting and Regulatory Compliance) • The SWP ensured compliance with federal and state regulations, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. • The SWP obtained all necessary permits for drilling, injection, and monitoring activities. Task 4 (Site Characterization and Planning) • The SWP developed work plans for four key activities: characterization, simulation, monitoring and verification, and risk evaluation. • The SWP collected and synthesized legacy data from multiple sources to build initial static geological models and dynamic reservoir models demonstrating project feasibility. • The SWP conducted an initial risk evaluation and developed mitigation plans. Task 5 (Field Operations and Data Collection) • The SWP drilled, logged, and cored three characterization wells to gather critical subsurface data. • The SWP conducted multiple geophysical surveys, including 3D seismic, crosswell seismic, and vertical seismic profiling, to improve reservoir characterization. Task 6 (Monitoring and Verification) • The SWP performed extensive geological characterization using data from characterization wells and seismic surveys. • The SWP established a surface monitoring network to track CO 2 flux in soil gas, groundwater chemistry, and near-surface atmospheric CO 2 levels. • The SWP built and refined reservoir models to study the effects of relative permeability on simulation behavior and improve calibration with experimental data. Task 7 (Risk Assessment and Model Refinement) • The SWP conducted multiple studies to evaluate reservoir integrity, predict CO 2 plume behavior and improve predictive modeling capabilities. • The SWP refined geological models and used them to enhance the accuracy of simulation models. • The SWP continued quantitative risk assessment of top-ranked risks and strengthened the link between qualitative and quantitative risk methodologies.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Subtask 1.5 – CO2 Injection Monitoring with an Optimized Scalable, Automated, Semipermanent Seismic Array

The scalable, automated, semipermanent seismic array (SASSA) method is a flexible and relatively cost-effective surface geophysical method for regular time-lapse monitoring of the movement of injected carbon dioxide (CO2) in a reservoir for CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or geologic CO2 storage operations. It has the advantages of a low-environmental-footprint while monitoring regions of a reservoir from the surface without the need for a regular grid distribution of receivers. Automated data collection is possible. As only time-lapse amplitude changes at the reservoir level due to CO2 movement within the reservoir are monitored, the turnaround time to deliver results from the SASSA method can be short, without the need for long, time-consuming data-processing workflows. As data is collected and processed, incremental information can be provided to the field operator. The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) conducted a SASSA field test from September 2018 to November 2020 in a portion of the Bell Creek Field in Montana, which implemented new CO2 EOR field activities during the study period. Lessons learned from a proof-of-concept study were incorporated to improve the data quality of the SASSA method and demonstrate the viability of the technology. The EERC implemented several enhancements to improve data quality, including 1) an iterative survey design, which allowed placing the receivers in strategic locations where the movement of the CO2 in the reservoir could be tracked with minimum interference by the cultural noise in the study area; 2) the use of powerful seismic sources in the form of surface orbital vibrators, and 3) data acquisition during optimal periods. History-matched reservoir simulation was performed to predict gas saturation and pressure response induced by CO2 injection in the study area. The results were compared with the SASSA-measured responses to CO2 injection as a partial validation technique. A match between the two methods was observed for most of the SASSA points predicted to have intersected a CO2 saturation change. The validated results provide confidence that the SASSA method can be used independently as a CO2 saturation monitoring technique. As data are collected and processed, incremental information can be provided to the field operator. The critical components of the SASSA workflow for a successful application of the method are the following: Iterative survey design with information about CO2 injection activities from the oilfield operator. A detailed CO2 injection plan is the key driver to select the strategic monitoring location of the SASSA sensors. After this information is incorporated in the initial distribution of sources and receivers in the study area, high-resolution satellite images are used to identify ground locations not affected by cultural noise sources, such as power lines, pipelines/flow lines, or roadways. In the next iteration of the survey design, a scouting trip to the study area is needed to understand more details of the noise sources identified in the previous step and the intensity of the field activities that can also generate noise during the monitoring. Integrating the information from the scouting trip into the survey design to select the optimum source and receiver locations is the final step. Noise attenuation. The variety of noise types during seismic monitoring of an oil field is enormous. Tailored noise characterization and processing at a node-by-node level can enhance the performance and sensitivity of the SASSA technique. Future advancements that could improve the efficiency and application of the SASSA technology include: Gaining a better understanding of the noise field produced by the seismic source to aid the choice of receiver location. Surface noise from the source can overwhelm the small signal changes due to CO2 that the SASSA method measures. Improved data-processing workflow to automatically analyze and adapt to dynamic noise conditions associated with industrial settings. This subtask was funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE- FE0024233.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Calibrated Noise Measurements with Induced Receiver Gain Fluctuations

The lack of well-developed techniques for modeling changing statistical moments in our observations has stymied the application of stochastic process theory in science and engineering. These limitations were encountered when modeling the performance of radiometer calibration architectures and algorithms in the presence of non stationary receiver fluctuations. Analyses of measured signals have traditionally been limited to a single measurement series. Whereas in a radiometer that samples a set of noise references, the data collection can be treated as an ensemble set of measurements of the receiver state. Noise Assisted Data Analysis is a growing field of study with significant potential for aiding the understanding and modeling of non stationary processes. Typically, NADA entails adding noise to a signal to produce an ensemble set on which statistical analysis is performed. Alternatively as in radiometric measurements, mixing a signal with calibrated noise provides, through the calibration process, the means to detect deviations from the stationary assumption and thereby a measurement tool to characterize the signal's non stationary properties. Data sets comprised of calibrated noise measurements have been limited to those collected with naturally occurring fluctuations in the radiometer receiver. To examine the application of NADA using calibrated noise, a Receiver Gain Modulation Circuit (RGMC) was designed and built to modulate the gain of a radiometer receiver using an external signal. In 2010, an RGMC was installed and operated at the National Institute of Standards and Techniques (NIST) using their Noise Figure Radiometer (NFRad) and national standard noise references. The data collected is the first known set of calibrated noise measurements from a receiver with an externally modulated gain. As an initial step, sinusoidal and step-function signals were used to modulate the receiver gain, to evaluate the circuit characteristics and to study the performance of a variety of calibration algorithms. The receiver noise temperature and time-bandwidth product of the NFRad are calculated from the data. Statistical analysis using temporal-dependent calibration algorithms reveals that the natural occurring fluctuations in the receiver are stationary over long intervals (100s of seconds); however the receiver exhibits local non stationarity over the interval over which one set of reference measurements are collected. A variety of calibration algorithms have been applied to the data to assess algorithms' performance with the gain fluctuation signals. This presentation will describe the RGMC, experiment design and a comparative analysis of calibration algorithms.

Racette, Paul↗

GNSS-based Vegetation Optical Depth, Tree Sway, and Evapotranspiration data from the Niwot Ridge Subalpine Forest (US-NR1) AmeriFlux site

This data package contains data and information about Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based Vegetation Optical Depth (VOD), tree sway motion, and eddy-covariance evapotranspiration (ET) data collected at the Niwot Ridge Subalpine Forest AmeriFlux site (US-NR1). The raw GNSS data were collected between May 2022 and August 2023. Other processed datasets such as tree sway motion and ET data are also included. The goal was to study the water content within a subalpine forest and, more specifically, examine the canopy evaporation process. This data archive includes all data that were used within the following Biogeosciences discussion paper that further summarizes the research objectives and conclusions:Burns, S.P., V. Humphrey, E.D. Gutmann, M.S. Raleigh, D.R. Bowling, and P.D. Blanken, 2025: Using GNSS-based vegetation optical depth, tree sway motion, and eddy-covariance to examine evaporation of canopy-intercepted rainfall in a subalpine forest. EGUsphere [preprint],https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1755This data archive also supplements the 30-min Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) AmeriFlux dataset for US-NR1 (i.e., https://doi.org/10.17190/AMF/1246088) and updates what was in the 2020 ESS-DIVE US-NR1 archive (https://doi.org/10.15485/1671825) to include data from the years 2020-2025. More specifically, the following updates are provided: (i) five-minute statistics (means, variances, covariances) of all data measured by the US-NR1 data system between Sep 2020 and Jun 2025 in netCDF format, (ii) the electronic logbook of US-NR1 site visits, (iii) a web calendar (in HTML format) documenting activity at the site (a replica of https://urquell.colorado.edu/calendar/), (iv) photos taken at the site between years 2020 and present day (Aug 2025), and (v) several auxiliary datasets, primary related to trees near the site, soil properties, soil moisture and soil temperature, and subcanopy radiation data. The data package is setup so that the web calendar, photos, and electronic logbook can be easily accessed on a local computer using a web browser. The provided data files are in either BINEX or SBF format (for the raw GNSS data), netCDF, CSV, ASCII, or MATLAB format. To obtain a better understanding about the archive, please start by reading the following PDF which is included within the data archive:README_ESS_DIVE_USNR1_2025_readme_first.pdf.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Balancing Science Objectives and Operational Constraints: A Mission Planner's Challenge

The Air Force minute sensor technology integration (MSTI-3) satellite's primary mission is to characterize Earth's atmospheric background clutter. MSTI-3 will use three cameras for data collection, a mid-wave infrared imager, a short wave infrared imager, and a visible imaging spectrometer. Mission science objectives call for the collection of over 2 million images within the one year mission life. In addition, operational constraints limit camera usage to four operations of twenty minutes per day, with no more than 10,000 data and calibrating images collected per day. To balance the operational constraints and science objectives, the mission planning team has designed a planning process to e event schedules and sensor operation timelines. Each set of constraints, including spacecraft performance capabilities, the camera filters, the geographical regions, and the spacecraft-Sun-Earth geometries of interest, and remote tracking station deconflictions has been accounted for in this methodology. To aid in this process, the mission planning team is building a series of tools from commercial off-the-shelf software. These include the mission manifest which builds a daily schedule of events, and the MSTI Scene Simulator which helps build geometrically correct scans. These tools provide an efficient, responsive, and highly flexible architecture that maximizes data collection while minimizing mission planning time.

Weldy, Michelle↗

CHESS 2025: Waveform LiDAR data from NEON AOP surveys

This dataset provides Level 1 (L1) full-waveform light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data collected for the 2025 Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS). These data were acquired to enable characterization of vegetation structure and other three-dimensional features of the land surface, and to evaluate structural changes that may have occurred between a prior LiDAR acquisition in 2018 and the 2025 overflight. Waveform LiDAR data can provide more detailed information about objects on the ground than discrete point clouds typically do, and they are often used for granular target segmentation and characterization of subcanopy vegetation. The data were acquired over three study domains in the Upper Gunnison river basin: the upper East River watershed (CRBU); Almont Triangle and Taylor Canyon (ALMO); and Upper Taylor River watershed (UPTA) between 2025-06-13 and 2025-07-15. LiDAR data were acquired using the Optech Galaxy Prime Airborne LiDAR Terrain Mapper onboard the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) Airborne Observation Platform (AOP). These are the primary waveform LiDAR data delivered by NEON and are provided per flightline in compressed Pulsewaves format, an open-source binary file standard. A Pulsewaves object comprises a two files: a pulse (.pls) file, which stores the geographic origin, outgoing vector, and metadata for every laser pulse emitted by the scanner, and a wave file (.wvs), which stores the sequential amplitude samples of the outgoing pulse and the returning signals. The files are published here in their compressed forms (.plz, .wvz). All waveform data were processed following the theoretical workflow described in the NEON L0-to-L1 Waveform LiDAR Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (Krause and Goulden 2022a); however, the Pulsewaves output format differs from a legacy format described in that document. Waveform amplitude samples are recorded at 1 nanosecond intervals. All coordinates are provided in meters. Horizontal coordinates are referenced in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone 13N and the World Geodetic System (WGS) 1984 ensemble datum. Elevations are referenced to Geoid12A. Waveform data for the UPTA survey area were collected without incident and the published records are complete. However, both the ALMO and CRBU collections experienced issues that resulted in incomplete data for those areas. On collection day 2018-06-16 a hardware failure caused the waveform digitizer to lose data from the eastern edge of the ALMO site (Figure 22). The waveform data for flightlines 2–20 could not be extracted from the digitizer, and the data proved unrecoverable. As a result, a portion of the site does not have coverage with waveform data. Although no hardware failure was observed during collection over the CRBU area, final waveform files generated by vendor software contained only ~25% of the expected number of return pulses. After discovery, NEON initiated troubleshooting with the vendor. The root cause of the data ablation had not been identified at the time of publication. Additional data will be published in an update to this package if further recovery proves successful. CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgement: Field and remote-sensing data acquisition was performed under a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC24K1005). This work was also supported by the Watershed Function Science Focus Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗

Automated Vehicle Feasibility Study

This study collected automated vehicle (AV) performance data on public roadways in Athens, Ohio. The route for the study contained a combination of roads with different functional classifications, conditions, annual average daily traffic, and ownership responsibilities for maintenance and repair. Preparation for the public road deployment was done in a controlled environment at Transportation Research Center’s SMARTCenter, a dedicated AV test facility in East Liberty, Ohio. Researchers analyzed data and extracted insights relevant for both AV developers and infrastructure owners and operators. The study found that rural environments offer a unique set of roadway features such as hills and curves, which can challenge the driving behavior of an AV. Rural regions can also contain a large number of low-traffic gravel roads that lack pavement markings, which appear to be a crucial infrastructure element for operation of current generation AVs. Similarly, the presence of well-maintained lane lines along curves can influence the AV’s roadway departure tendencies. The study found that curvature-related behavior of an AV is also influenced by driving speed on the roadway segment. Such findings were consistent regardless of the time of day along the route or season of data collection. However, commentary about AV performance in active adverse weather cannot be made, as this is still an area of active research.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗