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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

Trajectories for Flyby Sample Return at Saturn's Moons

Ballistic trajectories are computed which would enable a sample return mission to Titan or Enceladus without capturing, descending, or landing. The low-cost mission concept utilizes a free return trajectory that also involves a close flyby of the moon. This work extends the concept, and related trajectory analysis methodology, previously applied to a Europa mission. Specifically, a broad search algorithm is employed to systematically locate potentially feasible itineraries over an entire Saturn period. High-quality approximate solutions are then optimized to be continuous using high-fidelity dynamics. Techniques and software from the Europa analysis, were readily adapted and able to find numerous mission enabling trajectories. A direct mission to Titan is possible with flight time under 16 years and Earth-relative speeds below 11.0 km/sec. The VEEGA option is shown to substantially reduce launch C3, but flight times exceed 21 years. Unfortunately, an Enceladus mission requires a flight time of 25 years or more, and incurs fairly high relative speeds. Nevertheless, an optimized reference mission is computed.

Jones, Drew Ryan↗

A Laser Heterodyne Radiometer for Sampling Plumes of Icy Moons

We propose to develop an instrument capable of passively sampling plumes in icy moon environments for the components needed for life and habitability. The compact, low-mass and power, orbital instrument would be an occultation-viewing laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) that collects sunlight passing through the plumes of icy moons to measure abundancies of key trace gases such as water vapor, methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, and their isotopes. Laser heterodyne radiometers are based on radio receiver technology and have been applied to measurements of trace gases in Earth and planetary atmospheres since the 1960s. Our team has recently adapted this technology into a 4U (20cm x 20cm x 10cm) CubeSat instrument to measure carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere (launching on Virgin Orbit in 2019) and have the experience to develop this into a compact science payload to monitor gases emerging from icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter.

laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR)↗

Machine-Learning-Based Adaptive Thinning of CrIS Radiances to Improve Global Tropical Cyclone Analysis and Forecasts

This work is focused on optimizing the assimilation of hyperspectral infrared (IR) radiances from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) with the goal of improving the representation of tropical cyclones (TCs) in global analyses and forecasts. Current operational assimilation systems rely on subsampling IR radiances on a regular thinning grid. A new and improved adaptive methodology based on machine learning (ML) recognizes TCs from geostationary satellite imagery and is implemented in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model and data assimilation framework. The ML methodology is extensively trained on existing TC data sets and creates for each TC a dynamic mask, based on the evolving shape and life cycle of that specific event. Once a TC mask is created, a switch is then activated in the data assimilation system to alter the thinning, ingesting more CrIS radiances within the moving mask, thus increasing the TC sampling. After the TC dissipates, the assimilation of CrIS radiances reverts to normal data density. Results of TC segmentation provided by a state-of-the-art generative machine learning model known as the Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Model (DDPM) are compared to the previously used U-Net model. The new approach surpasses the performance of the previously developed one. The methodology is applied to both clear-sky and cloud-cleared radiances. Benefits from the latter methodology, particularly in improving the structure of TCs and the intensity forecasts, are presented.

Oreste Reale↗

Sources of Technical Variability in Quantitative LC-MS Proteomics: Human Brain Tissue Sample Analysis.

To design a robust quantitative proteomics study, an understanding of both the inherent heterogeneity of the biological samples being studied as well as the technical variability of the proteomics methods and platform is needed. Additionally, accurately identifying the technical steps associated with the largest variability would provide valuable information for the improvement and design of future processing pipelines. We present an experimental strategy that allows for a detailed examination of the variability of the quantitative LC-MS proteomics measurements. By replicating analyses at different stages of processing, various technical components can be estimated and their individual contribution to technical variability can be dissected. This design can be easily adapted to other quantitative proteomics pipelines. Herein, we applied this methodology to our label-free workflow for the processing of human brain tissue. For this application, the pipeline was divided into four critical components: Tissue dissection and homogenization (extraction), protein denaturation followed by trypsin digestion and SPE clean-up (digestion), short-term run-to-run instrumental response fluctuation (instrumental variance), and long-term drift of the quantitative response of the LC-MS/MS platform over the 2 week period of continuous analysis (instrumental stability). From this analysis, we found the following contributions to variability: extraction (72%) >> instrumental variance (16%) > instrumental stability (8.4%) > digestion (3.1%). Furthermore, the stability of the platform and its’ suitability for discovery proteomics studies is demonstrated.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

BEYONDPLANCK III. Commander3

We describe the computational infrastructure for end-to-end Bayesian cosmic microwave background (CMB) analysis implemented by the BeyondPlanck Collaboration. The code is called Commander3. It provides a statistically consistent framework for global analysis of CMB and microwave observations and may be useful for a wide range of legacy, current, and future experiments. The paper has three main goals. Firstly, we provide a high-level overview of the existing code base, aiming to guide readers who wish to extend and adapt the code according to their own needs or re-implement it from scratch in a different programming language. Secondly, we discuss some critical computational challenges that arise within any global CMB analysis framework, for instance in-memory compression of time-ordered data, fast Fourier transform optimization, and parallelization and load-balancing. Thirdly, we quantify the CPU and RAM requirements for the current BEYONDPLANCK analysis, finding that a total of 1.5 TB of RAM is required for efficient analysis and that the total cost of a full Gibbs sample for LFI is 170 CPU-hrs, including both low-level processing and high-level component separation, which is well within the capabilities of current low-cost computing facilities. The existing code base is made publicly available under a GNU General Public Library (GPL) license.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Three-dimensional nanostructure determination from a large diffraction data set recorded using scanning electron nanodiffraction

A diffraction-based technique is developed for the determination of three-dimensional nanostructures. The technique employs high-resolution and low-dose scanning electron nanodiffraction (SEND) to acquire three-dimensional diffraction patterns, with the help of a special sample holder for large-angle rotation. Grains are identified in three-dimensional space based on crystal orientation and on reconstructed dark-field images from the recorded diffraction patterns. Application to a nanocrystalline TiN thin film shows that the three-dimensional morphology of columnar TiN grains of tens of nanometres in diameter can be reconstructed using an algebraic iterative algorithm under specified prior conditions, together with their crystallographic orientations. The principles can be extended to multiphase nanocrystalline materials as well. Thus, the tomographic SEND technique provides an effective and adaptive way of determining three-dimensional nanostructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High intraspecific genome diversity in the model arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiont Rhizophagus irregularis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known to improve plant fitness through the establishment of mycorrhizal symbioses. Genetic and phenotypic variations among closely related AMF isolates can significantly affect plant growth, but the genomic changes underlying this variability are unclear. To address this issue, we improved the genome assembly and gene annotation of the model strain Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198, and compared its gene content with five isolates of R. irregularis sampled in the same field. All isolates harbor striking genome variations, with large numbers of isolate-specific genes, gene family expansions, and evidence of interisolate genetic exchange. The observed variability affects all gene ontology terms and PFAM protein domains, as well as putative mycorrhiza-induced small secreted effector-like proteins and other symbiosis differentially expressed genes. High variability is also found in active transposable elements. Overall, these findings indicate a substantial divergence in the functioning capacity of isolates harvested from the same field, and thus their genetic potential for adaptation to biotic and abiotic changes. Our data also provide a first glimpse into the genome diversity that resides within natural populations of these symbionts, and open avenues for future analyses of plant–AMF interactions that link AMF genome variation with plant phenotype and fitness.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Proteomic analysis of four Clostridium botulinum strains identifies proteins that link biological responses to proteomic signatures

Microorganisms alter gene and protein expression in response to environmental conditions to adapt and survive. Whereas the genetic composition of a microbe represents an organism’s biological potential, the proteins expressed provide a functional readout of the organism’s response to the environment. Understanding protein expression patterns in response to specific environmental conditions furthers fundamental knowledge about a microbe, which can be especially useful for understudied organisms such as Clostridium botulinum examined herein. In addition, protein expression patterns that reproducibly occur in certain growth conditions hold potential in fields such as microbial forensics, in which determination of conditions in which an unknown possible biothreat sample had been grown may be important. To investigate the identity and reproducibility of protein profile patterns for varied strains, we defined the proteomic profiles of four Group I strains of Clostridium botulinum, a Category A biothreat agent and the organism responsible for the production of the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), in two different culture media grown for five days. The four C. botulinum strains produced one of three neurotoxins (BoNT/A, /B, or /F), and their protein profiles were compared to that of a fifth non-toxigenic strain of C. sporogenes. These strains each had DNA sequences available to assist in accurate protein identification. Differing culture growth phase, bacterial strain, and growth medium resulted in reproducible protein profiles, which were used to calculate relative protein abundance ratios as an internally normalized metric of microbial growth in varying conditions. The resulting protein profiles provide functional information about how four Group I C. botulinum strains and a C. sporogenes strain respond to the culture environment during growth and explores the feasibility of using these proteins to characterize unknown samples.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Computationally efficient models for aqueous organic redox flow batteries

The rising usage of intermittent energy has garnered the need for large scale energy storage systems. Redox flow batteries (RFB) based energy storage system shows promising potential. Numerical simulations and machine learning approaches have been widely used to study RFB performance. The development of autonomous material discovery framework and digital twin of energy storage system usually needs to query cell performance through fast response models. In this study, two computationally efficient models are introduced: a physics-based analytical flow battery model (EZBattery), and a machine learning operator model (Deep Operator Network, denoted by DeepONet). Both models can provide cell performance near instantly, and prediction accuracy was systematically examined on an application of evaluating the performances of a 780 cm 2 aqueous organic redox flow battery (AORFB), using potential anolyte candidates in dihydroxyphenazine (DHP)-based family of organic materials. A validated computationally expansive 3-dimensional multi-physics finite element model by COMSOL was used as the ground truth and provided the training data set for the DeepONet. 1280 samples were generated with 10 properties to mimic the different possible anolyte candidates, and the cell performances were evaluated under 10 different combined operating conditions. The accuracy comparisons for the two computationally efficient models show that both models can provide comparable accuracy in predicting cell charging/discharging voltage curves. DeepONet can provide slightly higher overall accuracy than EZBattery with faster calculation speed, but highly relies on the training dataset. EZBattery does not need a training dataset and can provide interpretable physics-based explanations of the results, while being more flexible to adjust to adapt any different cell designs, flow battery architectures, and electrolyte materials.

Analytical model↗

The Invasive Species Forecasting System

The Invasive Species Forecasting System (ISFS) provides computational support for the generic work processes found in many regional-scale ecosystem modeling applications. Decision support tools built using ISFS allow a user to load point occurrence field sample data for a plant species of interest and quickly generate habitat suitability maps for geographic regions of management concern, such as a national park, monument, forest, or refuge. This type of decision product helps resource managers plan invasive species protection, monitoring, and control strategies for the lands they manage. Until now, scientists and resource managers have lacked the data-assembly and computing capabilities to produce these maps quickly and cost efficiently. ISFS focuses on regional-scale habitat suitability modeling for invasive terrestrial plants. ISFS s component architecture emphasizes simplicity and adaptability. Its core services can be easily adapted to produce model-based decision support tools tailored to particular parks, monuments, forests, refuges, and related management units. ISFS can be used to build standalone run-time tools that require no connection to the Internet, as well as fully Internet-based decision support applications. ISFS provides the core data structures, operating system interfaces, network interfaces, and inter-component constraints comprising the canonical workflow for habitat suitability modeling. The predictors, analysis methods, and geographic extents involved in any particular model run are elements of the user space and arbitrarily configurable by the user. ISFS provides small, lightweight, readily hardened core components of general utility. These components can be adapted to unanticipated uses, are tailorable, and require at most a loosely coupled, nonproprietary connection to the Web. Users can invoke capabilities from a command line; programmers can integrate ISFS's core components into more complex systems and services. Taken together, these features enable a degree of decentralization and distributed ownership that have helped other types of scientific information services succeed in recent years.

Schnase, John↗

A Generalized Guidance Approach to In-Space Solid-Propellant Vehicle Maneuvers

Exploration-class vehicles that require fully autonomous ascent and descent must employ robust, explicit path-adaptive guidance algorithms that can operate in a wide range of physical environments. Vehicle designs that employ solid-propellant rocket motors (SRMs) for maneuvers are attractive from a systems engineering perspective because of their simplicity and reliability, but may cause complications for both mission designers and GNC engineers when dealing with total impulse uncertainty, as well as proper energy management of a motor with an uncontrolled cutoff time. This paper presents a simplified guidance algorithm, named Simple Cross-Product Steering (SxS), that was derived during early studies of NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission’s Mars Ascent Vehicle. The algorithm takes roots in a flight-proven guidance algorithm commonly referred to as Cross-Product Steering. SxS has been shown to provide sufficient guidance accuracy for in-space SRM burns in a simulated Martian environment, and preliminary studies have been conducted to test the algorithm in a solid-propellant lunar braking scenario. A method for predicting proper motor ignition time during execution of the Cross-Product Steering algorithm is the primary contribution of this paper. Mechanization notes are also provided that were realized in early phases of MAV. Results are shown for an example ascent vehicle in a simulated Mars environment.

GNC↗

A Generalized Guidance Approach to In-Space Solid-Propellant Vehicle Maneuvers

Exploration-class vehicles that require fully autonomous ascent and descent must employ robust, explicit path-adaptive guidance algorithms that can operate in a wide range of physical environments. Vehicle designs that employ solid-propellant rocket motors (SRMs) for maneuvers are attractive from a system engineering perspective because of their simplicity and reliability but may cause complications for both mission designers and GNC engineers when dealing with total impulse uncertainty, as well as proper energy management of a motor with an uncontrolled cutoff time. This paper presents a simplified guidance algorithm, named Simple Cross-Product Steering (SxS), that was derived during early studies of NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission’s Mars Ascent Vehicle. The algorithm takes roots in a flight-proven guidance algorithm commonly referred to as Cross-Product Steering. This algorithm has been shown to provide sufficient guidance accuracy for in-space SRM burns in a simulated Martian environment, and preliminary studies have been conducted to test the algorithm in a solid-propellant lunar braking scenario. A method for predicting proper motor ignition time during execution of the Cross-Product Steering algorithm is the primary contribution of this paper. Mechanization notes are also provided that were realized in early phases of MAV. Results are shown for an example ascent vehicle a simulated Mars environment.

Jason M Everett↗

Phase noise limited frequency shift impulsive Raman spectroscopy

We introduce a method to enable optical amplification of a coherent Raman spectroscopy signal, which we call radio frequency (RF) Doppler Raman spectroscopy. In this article, we consider the perturbation of a probe pulse in a sample due to an excited Raman vibrational coherence as a generalized Doppler shift, which connects a time-varying optical path length (the product of the propagation length and refractive index, OPL = n ℓ) with an optical frequency shift. Amplification of a Raman signal outside of the focused interaction is enabled by converting the Doppler frequency shift experienced by a laser probe pulse into a periodic timing jitter. This transit time perturbation is detected through the phase of a RF electronic signal measured at a harmonic of the probe pulse train with a method adapted from precision metrology techniques used to measure laser pulse train timing jitter. Measurement of a timing jitter allows access to much lower noise floors than other coherent Raman techniques, and by exploiting the new capability to scale the signal of a coherent Raman spectroscopic signal, this method opens the potential to detect very weak Raman signals that are currently not observable due to limits of illumination intensity imposed by laser damage to the specimen and noise.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Sci—Thur AM: YIS - 03: irtGPUMCD: a new GPU-calculated dosimetry code for {sup 177}Lu-octreotate radionuclide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors

In peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), huge inter-patient variability in absorbed radiation doses per administered activity mandates the utilization of individualized dosimetry to evaluate therapeutic efficacy and toxicity. We created a reliable GPU-calculated dosimetry code (irtGPUMCD) and assessed {sup 177}Lu-octreotate renal dosimetry in eight patients (4 cycles of approximately 7.4 GBq). irtGPUMCD was derived from a brachytherapy dosimetry code (bGPUMCD), which was adapted to {sup 177}Lu PRRT dosimetry. Serial quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images were obtained from three SPECT/CT acquisitions performed at 4, 24 and 72 hours after {sup 177}Lu-octreotate administration, and registered with non-rigid deformation of CT volumes, to obtain {sup 177}Lu-octreotate 4D quantitative biodistribution. Local energy deposition from the β disintegrations was assumed. Using Monte Carlo gamma photon transportation, irtGPUMCD computed dose rate at each time point. Average kidney absorbed dose was obtained from 1-cm{sup 3} VOI dose rate samples on each cortex, subjected to a biexponential curve fit. Integration of the latter time-dose rate curve yielded the renal absorbed dose. The mean renal dose per administered activity was 0.48 ± 0.13 Gy/GBq (range: 0.30–0.71 Gy/GBq). Comparison to another PRRT dosimetry code (VRAK: Voxelized Registration and Kinetics) showed fair accordance with irtGPUMCD (11.4 ± 6.8 %, range: 3.3–26.2%). These results suggest the possibility to use the irtGPUMCD code in order to personalize administered activity in PRRT. This could allow improving clinical outcomes by maximizing per-cycle tumor doses, without exceeding the tolerable renal dose.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Bacterial Biogeography across the Amazon River-Ocean Continuum

Spatial and temporal patterns in microbial biodiversity across the Amazon river-ocean continuum were investigated along ~675 km of the lower Amazon River mainstem, in the Tapajos River tributary, and in the plume and coastal ocean during low and high river discharge using amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in whole water and size-fractionated samples (0.2-2.0 μm and >2.0 μm). River communities varied among tributaries, but mainstem communities were spatially homogeneous and tracked seasonal changes in river discharge and co-varying factors. Co-occurrence network analysis identified strongly interconnected river assemblages during high (May) and low (December) discharge periods, and weakly interconnected transitional assemblages in September, suggesting that this system supports two seasonal microbial communities linked to river discharge. In contrast, plume communities showed little seasonal differences and instead varied spatially tracking salinity. However, salinity explained only a small fraction of community variability, and plume communities in blooms of diatom-diazotroph assemblages were strikingly different than those in other high salinity plume samples. This suggests that while salinity physically structures plumes through buoyancy and mixing, the composition of plume-specific communities is controlled by other factors including nutrients, phytoplankton community composition, and dissolved organic matter chemistry. Co-occurrence networks identified interconnected assemblages associated with the highly productive low salinity nearshore region, diatom-diazotroph blooms, and the plume edge region, and weakly interconnected assemblages in high salinity regions. This suggests that the plume supports a transitional community influenced by immigration of ocean bacteria from the plume edge, and by species sorting as these communities adapt to local environmental conditions. Few studies have explored patterns of microbial diversity in tropical rivers and coastal oceans. Comparison of Amazon continuum microbial communities to those from temperate and arctic systems suggest that river discharge and salinity are master variables structuring a range of environmental conditions that control bacterial communities across the river-ocean continuum.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Transfer-AE: A novel autoencoder-based impact detection model for structural digital twin

Accurately detecting the location and intensity of impacts is crucial for ensuring structural safety. Currently, AI-based structural impact detection methods are widely used for their excellent detection accuracy. However, their generalization capability is limited by the scenarios present in the training data. Many complex and dangerous impact scenarios are difficult to conduct real-world experiments on to collect sufficient samples. To capture all impact scenarios and fully leverage the advantages of AI-based detection technologies, advanced methods involve combining real-world structural monitoring data with corresponding numerical models to construct digital twins. These methods continuously refine the created numerical models with limited real-world data and provide diverse impact scenarios through numerical model simulations. However, there are inevitable differences between digital models and physical models that are challenging to correct through mechanical means. This discrepancy in data distribution between the two models significantly hinders the application of digital twin technology in impact/event identification tasks. To address this challenge, this study proposes a novel model based on autoencoders, named Transfer-AE. Transfer-AE encodes the common features of digital twins in the latent space to bridge the uncertainty gap at a macro scale between numerical models and physical models and synchronously fits the magnitude and location of the impact load in the decoder. This enables consistent detection results for the same impact event, whether the sample comes from the numerical model or the physical model. Transfer-AE includes two operating modes: Mode 1 has a fixed computational complexity with stable inference speed, but the training cost and difficulty increase with data distribution. Mode 2's computational complexity increases with data distribution, but it has a fixed training cost and speed. In both cases involving the geodesic dome structure simulating a deep space habitat and the IASC-ASCE benchmark structure, Transfer-AE demonstrated the best performance in impact localization and quantification tasks compared to mainstream domain-adaptive transfer models.

Chengjia Han↗

A new cw-NMR Q-meter for dynamically polarized targets for particle physics

Polarized solid targets produced via Dynamic Nuclear Polarization rely on Continuous-Wave Nuclear Magnetism Resonance measurements to accurately determine the degree of polarization of bulk samples polarized to nearly 100%. Since the late 1970's phase sensitive detection methods have been utilized to observe the magnetization of a sample as a small change in inductance under RF excitation near the Larmor frequency of the nuclear species of interest, using a device known as a Q-meter. Liverpool Q-meters, produced in the UK in the 80's and 90's, have been the workhorse devices for these targets for decades, however their age and scarcity has meant new systems are needed. In conclusion, we describe a Q-meter system designed and built at Jefferson Lab in the Liverpool style to have comparable electronic performance with several improvements to update and adapt the devices for modern use.

Dynamic nuclear polarization↗

Probing subwavelength in-plane anisotropy with antenna-assisted infrared nano-spectroscopy

Infrared nano-spectroscopy based on scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) is commonly employed to probe the vibrational fingerprints of materials at the nanometer length scale. However, due to the elongated and axisymmetric tip shank, s-SNOM is less sensitive to the in-plane sample anisotropy in general. In this article, we report an easy-to-implement method to probe the in-plane dielectric responses of materials with the assistance of a metallic disk micro-antenna. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we investigate here the in-plane phonon responses of two prototypical samples, i.e. in (100) sapphire and x-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ). In particular, the sapphire in-plane vibrations between 350 cm–1 to 800 cm–1 that correspond to LO phonon modes along the crystal b- and c-axis are determined with a spatial resolution of < λ/10, without needing any fitting parameters. In LiNbO 3 , we identify the in-plane orientation of its optical axis via the phonon modes, demonstrating that our method can be applied without prior knowledge of the crystal orientation. Furthermore, our method can be elegantly adapted to retrieve the in-plane anisotropic response of a broad range of materials, i.e. subwavelength microcrystals, van-der-Waals materials, or topological insulators.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗