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DOE OSTI2026

Fast Muon Capture Monitoring in Mu2e with the CAPHRI Detector

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will search for the charged lepton flavor violating (CLFV) process of a neutrinoless muon-to-electron conversion in the field of an aluminum nucleus. Reaching the experiment’s target sensitivity requires precise normalization of the physics signal through accurate monitoring of the muon capture rate on the stopping target. For this purpose, the Calorimeter Precise High-Resolution Intensity detector (CAPHRI) has been developed. The detector is composed of four LYSO crystals installed in the upstream disk of the Mu2e calorimeter and read out with the standard calorimeter readout. CAPHRI measures the muon capture rate by detecting the characteristic 1.8~MeV gamma emission line of the $^{27}Al(\mu^−, \nu n \gamma) ^{26}Mg$ nuclear reaction. The fast, precise response enables injection-by-injection monitoring of proton beam intensity fluctuations. We report on the commissioning and performance characterization of CAPHRI. The response of each channel is calibrated at two SiPM overvoltages using both the intrinsic self-emission of the LYSO crystals and cosmic ray signals. In parallel, Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate the detector acceptance and the expected signal-to-background ratio under realistic running conditions. Preliminary results show a crystal light yield consistent with expectations and a channel inter-calibration at the 2--4% level. Simulation studies indicate that the detector acceptance and background rejection satisfy the requirements for physics operations, with about 1000 detected events per beam injection at a beam power of 1.5~kW. These results demonstrate that CAPHRI is an effective tool for beam monitoring and signal normalization in Mu2e.

Ciccarella, V. [Frascati; U. Rome La Sapienza (mai↗

DOE OSTI2026

Calorimeter calibration and performance for the Mu2e experiment

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will search for the charged lepton flavour-violating conversion of a muon into an electron, aiming to reach a sensitivity of $R_{\mu e} \sim 10^{-17}$, an improvement of four orders of magnitude over previous limits. To reach this goal, Mu2e will use an intense pulsed muon beam and a detector system composed of a high-precision straw tube tracker and a pure CsI crystal calorimeter. The calorimeter plays a crucial role in the experiment, as it provides particle identification capabilities that are necessary for background suppression. To perform its tasks, the detector must achieve an energy resolution better than 10% and a timing resolution below 500 ps for 100 MeV electrons. Cosmic-ray data and laser pulses are used to equalize the response of each channel, to calibrate the energy scale and to monitor the system's stability over time. This poster reports on the calibration and analysis techniques developed to ensure that the calorimeter requirements for precise energy and time measurements are met. Results for the calorimeter performance obtained during the commissioning phase will be discussed, and an overview of the current status in the Mu2e experimental hall will be presented.

Salamino, Sabrina [Frascati]↗

DOE OSTI2026

Experimental Report: Multi-Instrument Comparison of AAF Size Distribution Instruments

Aerosols are particles suspended in the atmosphere, ranging in size from nanometers to micrometers. Their size distribution affects key atmospheric processes, including nucleation, coagulation, scavenging, activation, and radiative properties (Seinfeld and Pandis 2016). Aerosol size distribution is a critical parameter in atmospheric science, influencing processes such as cloud formation and radiative forcing. Accurate representation of aerosol size distributions is essential for understanding their impact on climate, air quality, and human health. However, aerosol size and composition vary significantly across time and space due to meteorological conditions and natural or anthropogenic sources. (Wu and Boor 2021). Various instruments are used to measure aerosol size distributions, each with distinct principles, advantages, and limitations. This report begins with an in-depth overview of aerosol size-distribution comparison studies, focusing on the passive cavity aerosol spectrometer probe (PCASP), portable optical particle spectrometer (POPS), ultra-high-sensitivity aerosol spectrometer (UHSAS), aerodynamic particle sizer (APS), and scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). All of these instruments are used by the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Facility (AAF), which commissioned this comparison and report. The report evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of these instruments, highlights their applications, and discusses efforts to merge data from multiple instruments for comprehensive analysis.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

A Cryogenic Muon Tagging System Integrated with a Superconducting Qubit Device for Radiation-Induced Error Mitigation

Superconducting qubits are highly sensitive to ionizing radiation, which can induce correlated errors and limit scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing. In particular, cosmic-ray muons can deposit energy in the substrate, generating phonon bursts that break Cooper pairs and produce quasiparticles, leading to correlated decoherence events across multiple qubits. We present the development of a cryogenic muon tagging system based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) and its integration with superconducting quantum hardware. Originally developed within the ACE-SuperQ project and validated as a standalone detector, the system demonstrated a muon tagging efficiency of approximately 90% and excellent agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. Building on this validation, the tagging system has been integrated with a multi-qubit superconducting chip operated in a dilution refrigerator. The detector configuration consists of a multi-layer KID stack arranged above and below the quantum device, enabling time-coincident identification of muon-induced events within the same cryogenic environment. The integrated setup has been successfully commissioned, enabling simultaneous operation of the qubit chip and the muon tagging system. A first measurement campaign has been carried out, and preliminary data show time-correlated events between the muon tagging detectors and the qubit readout. A quantitative analysis of radiation-induced effects on qubit performance is currently ongoing. This work represents a step toward the implementation of event-level radiation tagging as a tool for characterizing and potentially mitigating correlated errors in superconducting quantum processors, while establishing a modular platform for future studies at the interface between particle physics and quantum information science.

Roy, Tanay [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000019442862X)↗

DOE OSTI2026

Examples of State and Utility Actions on Proactive Planning and Investments

As states across the U.S. confront rising electricity demand, clean energy deployment, grid modernization imperatives, and the integration of large new loads, some regulators and utilities are shifting away from reactive, “just-in-time” investment approaches toward more proactive planning and investment frameworks. This report compiles examples of jurisdictional and utility actions that reshape planning processes, cost recovery mechanisms, and performance oversight to anticipate—rather than simply respond to—future grid needs. Several themes emerge from state actions examined in this report. First, legislatures and commissions are increasingly directing utilities to proactively upgrade their distribution and transmission systems, reflecting a shift toward a forward-looking system that aligns planning with state policy goals. Second, states are establishing long-term, iterative planning frameworks that often feature multi-year horizons, biannual or annual compliance reporting, structured opportunities for stakeholder engagement, and emphasis on collaboration among utilities, regulators, and stakeholders. Third, states are actively investigating innovative cost recovery mechanisms designed to support accelerated electrification and grid modernization, while balancing consumer advocates’ concerns regarding the ratepayer financial risks of premature investments. Fourth, performance metrics and reporting requirements are being developed to ensure transparency and accountability for proactive investments. Fifth, methodological improvements in planning—such as aligning load forecasting assumptions, incorporating sensitivities, and considering load management potential across building, vehicles, storage, and demand response—are recurring areas of stakeholder focus across jurisdictions. Overall, these developments signify a growing recognition among state regulators, utilities, and stakeholders that proactive planning—supported by clear definitions, consistent and transparent methodologies, robust performance metrics, and innovative cost recovery mechanisms—is a tool that can be used to address the scale and urgency of contemporary grid needs.

electricity market↗

DOE OSTI2026

Green Era Anaerobic Digester

Green Era Educational NFP constructed and commissioned the Green Era Renewable Energy & Urban Farming Campus in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. The project transformed a long-vacant brownfield site into a commercial-scale anaerobic digestion facility that converts food waste into renewable natural gas and nutrient-rich material for agricultural use. The facility can process up to 80,000 wet tons of food waste annually and supports approximately 15 permanent jobs while advancing food waste diversion, renewable energy production, nutrient recovery and community revitalization.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Machine Learning for Slow Extraction Uniformity at the Fermilab Delivery Ring

This poster presents preliminary investigations into beam spill quality at the Fermilab Delivery Ring using real commissioning data to better understand extraction uniformity for the Mu2e experiment. Analysis explores spill intensity structure, spill-to-spill variation, and system response to injected impulses across multiple run conditions. These findings aim to contribute to ongoing efforts toward surrogate model development for real-time spill regulation.

Prescott, Matthew J. [Purdue U., West Lafayette]↗

DOE OSTI2025

Challenge of Fielding Experiments at the Annular Core Research Reactor

Conference is the annual Test, Research &Training Reactors (TRTR) meeting. Typically attended by dozens of research reactor operators, educators, trainers, maintenance & service contractors Also, members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) attend. Presentation highlights ACRRs capability and the process used to submit and approve experimental activities. This presentation is adapted from my previous presentation to the Material Test and Research conference, SAND2025-1775526.

Martin, Lonnie E. [Sandia National Laboratories (S↗

DOE OSTI1996

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 37, No. 1, January-March 1996]

Nuclear Safety is a journal that covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, and nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 1 A Decision Support System for Maintenance Management of a Boiling-Water Reactor Power Plant, J. H. Shen, A. Ray, and S. Levine; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 12 On Prediction of the Ignition Potential of Uranium Metal and Hydride, M. Epstein, W. Luangdilok, M. G. Plys, and H. K. Fauske; 26 An Overview of the Primary Parameters and Methods for Determining Condensation Heat Transfer to Containment Structures, J. Green and K. Almenas; DESIGN FEATURES: 49 Modem Tornado Design of Nuclear and Other Potentially Hazardous Facilities, J. D. Stevenson and Y. Zaho; U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INFORMATION AND ANALYSES: 73 1994 Accident Sequence Precursor Program Results, R. J. Belles, J. W. Cletcher, D. A. Coplnger, B. W. Dolan, J. W. Minarick, and P. D. O'Reilly; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 93 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AlChE) Spring 1997 National Meeting; 94 European Safety and Reliability Association International Conference on Safety and Reliability ESREL ’97; 95 Criticality Safety Challenges in the Next Decade; 96 21st International Symposium on the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management; 84 The Authors; 88 Letter to the Editor; 90 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 36.

05 NUCLEAR FUELS↗

DOE OSTI1996

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 37, No. 3, July-September 1996]

Nuclear Safety is a journal that covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, and nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS 181 Attitudes and Practices Regarding Disposal of Liquid Nuclear Waste at Clinton Laboratories in the Very Early Years: A Historical Analysis, S. H. Stow; 202 Off-Site Nuclear Emergency Management in Germany Under the Auspices of the Federal Structure, A. Bayer, S. Bittner, and H. Korn; DESIGN FEATURES: 211 Twenty-Fourth DOE/NRC Nuclear Air-Cleaning and Treatment Conference, R. R. Bellamy, J. J. Hayes, R. D. Porco, and M. W. First; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 222 Explosion in the Tomsk-7 Reprocessing Plant on April 6, 1993, M. L. Hyder, W. G. Lussie, and F. E. Witmer; 234 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INFORMATION AND ANALYSES: 237 Assessment of Spent Fuel Cooling, J. G. Ibarra, W. R. Jones, G. F. Lanik, H. L. Ornstein, and S. V. Pullani; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 256 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 260 Proposed Rule Changes as of June 30, 1996; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 210 Tennessee Industries Week; 221 21st International Symposium on The Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management; 259 IAEA Programme of Scientific Meetings for 1997; 270 PSAM 4 (International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management); 265 The Authors; 268 Errata.

05 NUCLEAR FUELS↗

DOE OSTI1992

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 33, No. 4, October-December 1992]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 499 Technical Note: Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Examination Question Bank System, C. L Jensen and N. L. Skinner; 506 Report on the Specialists’ Meeting on Passive and Active Safety Features of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactors Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency at Oarai Engineering Centre of Power Reactor and Nuclear Development Corporation, Japan, November 5-7,1991, S. R. Paranjpe; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 514 A Review of Hydrogen Production During Melt/Water Interaction in LWRs, D. F. Fletcher, B. D. Turland, and S. P. A. Lawrence; 535 A Review of the U 3 0 8 -Al Reaction as a Potential Heat Source in Research and Test Reactor Accidents, J. L. Snelgrove; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 543 Multilevel Interfaces for Power Plant Control Rooms II: A Preliminary Design Space, K. J. Vicente; DESIGN FEATURES: 549 Twenty-Second DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning and Treatment Conference, R. R. Bellamy, D. W. Moeller, and M. W. First; 562 Book Review: Safety Assessment of Unit 5 (WWER-440/W-213) of the Greifswald Nuclear Power Station, M. H. Fontana; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 576 Activities Related to Waste and Spent Fuel Management, M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 586 Analysis of Corrective Actions Applied to Nuclear Power Plant Operations, A. E. Cross; 593 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; 596 Operating U.S. Power Reactors, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 609 Non-Commercial Power Operating Experience; 614 World Nuclear Performance, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 623 General Administrative Activities, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 635 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 639 Proposed Rule Changes as of June 30, 1992; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 513 Fourth International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Waste Management RECOD '94; 585 International Topical Meeting on Advanced Reactors Safety; 622 International Workshop on Implementation of ALARA at Nuclear Power Plants; 648 Short Course on Nuclear Criticality Safety; 648 8th Topical Meeting on Problems in Reactor Physics MEPhi-VOLGA-93; 643 The Authors; 646 Reviewers of Nuclear Safety, Vol. 33

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Cost of Mitigating the Environmental Impacts of Hydropower Projects

The "Cost of Mitigating the Environmental Impacts of Hydropower Projects Database" compiles data on environmental impacts mitigation costs for 182 hydropower projects based on documents obtained from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Cost of Fish Exclusion Technologies for Hydropower

This dataset compiles data on the costs of environmental mitigations related to fish exclusion for 35 hydropower projects based on documents obtained from the U.S Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Data for all measures and their associated project-specific information, including installed and hydraulic capacities, were manually extracted from environmental impact statements and/or environmental assessment (EIS/EA) documents. All data were consolidated in a comma-separated (.csv) file, referred to as the Cost of Fish Exclusion Technologies for Hydropower Database.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

U.S. Hydropower Relicensing and License Surrender Data and Metadata, 2026

The U.S. Hydropower Relicensing and License Surrender Database (2026) provides a comprehensive, nationwide snapshot (as of December 31, 2025) of hydropower projects across the United States that are undergoing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing or license surrender processes. Compiled by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the dataset includes detailed project-level attributes such as geographic location, ownership type, waterway, project type (hydropower or pumped storage), regulatory milestones (e.g., Notice of Intent, application dates, FERC issuance dates), licensing process type (ILP, TLP, ALP), operational characteristics, capacity changes, settlement agreements, construction or turbine‑generator investments, and project status categories spanning relicensing, surrenders, exemptions, and terminations. Together, the relicensing and surrender records offer a detailed view of regulatory trends, infrastructure transitions, dam removals, and economic drivers influencing the evolution of the U.S. hydropower fleet.

Johnson, Megan [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000290141741)↗

DOE OSTI2025

US Hydropower & Environmental Mitigations: A 1998-2023 inventory of mitigation measures inside licensing documents

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license documents mandate environmental mitigation requirements to reduce potential environmental damage caused by non-federal hydropower facilities. This StoryMap showcases a dataset that leveraged Natural Language Processing (NLP) to inventory environmental mitigations from 465 FERC licenses that were issued from 1998-2023 (Ruggles et al, 2025). Users can explore trends in mitigation requirements over time and space with interactive maps and are presented with a demonstration use case.

Ruggles, Thomas A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Environmental Flow Requirements from FERC Licenses Across the US

Environmental flow requirements included in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hydropower licenses are important for balancing natural properties and benefits of river ecosystems (e.g., healthy species, recreation, water supply, flood control) supporting hydropower production. In some cases, environmental flow requirements may limit operational flexibility given current operational schemes and make a hydropower plant less able to provide power to the electric grid on demand. Hydropower plants may gain some flexibility as hydropower scheduling time periods are made to be more responsive to the short-term needs of an energy grid increasingly reliant on intermittent renewables. However, many flow requirements focus on the daily, monthly, or seasonal flow fluctuations which matches the time scale of most paradigms linking flow alterations to the health of river ecosystems. This dataset seeks to provide a greater understanding of how flexibility in environmental requirements can be leveraged to create positive outcomes for both the power system and the environment. It contains information on environmental flow requirements from the Protection, Mitigation, and Enhancement section of 50 randomly selected FERC licenses: 25 issued from 1998-2013 that were also included in the ORNL Mitigation Database (Schramm et al. 2015) and 25 issued from 2014-present. The information on environmental flow requirements was extracted from the PM&E section of 50 randomly selected FERC licenses: 25 issued from 1998-2013 that were also included in the ORNL Mitigation Database (Schramm et al. 2015) and 25 issued from 2014-present. The flow requirements were then categorized into flow augmentation categories based on whether the license stated a specific water management purpose for the given requirement called augmentation categories (i.e., fisheries or habitat, recreation or boating, industry, and general or unspecified; Table B). Requirements were also grouped into flow type categories (e.g., minimum flow rate, maximum flow rate, ramping rate). Additional information related to flow requirements such as the augmentation time-period and whether the flow rate was continuous (i.e., condition must be present at all-times) or instantaneous (i.e., condition present at a point in time) was also extracted from the licenses. Some licenses had specific flow requirements based on whether the project was in a wet, dry, or normal water year. If that information was presented in the license, it was also included in the data set. The location within the project was noted, hereafter, zone, in the dataset for flow requirements relating to specific areas of hydropower projects (Dam, Powerhouse, Bypass Reach). Maximum discharge capacities of hydropower facilities were also extracted from both the Existing Hydropower Assets (EHA) data set and the National Inventory of Dams (NID) databases. Each facility was coded with project identification codes from the EHA dataset to facilitate cross-referencing between datasets.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1

The ORNL FERC Form 1 Hydropower Cost Database Extract is a cleaned and compiled version of the hydropower component of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Electric Utility Annual Report, also known as Form-1. The database includes conventional and pumped storage hydropower plants owned by non-federal major utilities that submitted the Form 1 data from 1994-2020, representing about 22% of existing conventional hydropower capacity and 61% of pumped storage capacity. The database includes the escalation factors and describes the methods used to scale costs to a common data year, as well as tables of identifiers necessary to link the hydropower plants to two other relevant databases, the National Inventory of Dams and the ORNL Existing Hydropower Assets database. This database provides historical capital and operating costs for three schedules/classes defined in Form 1: Large Hydro, Pumped Storage Hydro, and Small Hydro. The Large Hydro and Pumped Storage Hydro data include cost items, such as land, structures, facilities, etc.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Exotic and Conventional Quarkonium Physics Prospects at Belle II

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB energy-asymmetric $e^+ e^-$ collider is a substantial upgrade of the B factory facility at KEK in Tsukuba, Japan. It aims to record a factor of 50 times more data than its predecessor. The experiment completed a commissioning run in 2018, and began full operation in early 2019. Belle II is uniquely capable of studying the so-called "XYZ" particles: heavy exotic hadrons consisting of more than three quarks. First discovered by Belle, these now number in the dozens, and represent the emergence of a new category within quantum chromodynamics. This talk will present the prospects of Belle II to explore both exotic and conventional quarkonium physics.

Fulsom, Bryan G.↗