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At least 1,783 records · Page 99

WHONDRS Surface Water and Sediment Non-Purgeable Organic Carbon and FTICR-MS across Glacial Features in Svalbard 2021 (v3)

This dataset supports a broader study examining land-atmosphere gas exchange associated with permafrost and glaciers in Svalbard. The dataset provides geochemistry and organic matter characterization data generated from surface water and sediment. Samples were collected from 8 spatially diverse sites across central Svalbard and also from a more comprehensive temporal and spatial study within one glacial catchment area throughout one summer melt season. Related data were collected and will be published separately in collaboration with Yde and Kleber.This data package was originally published in September 2022. It was updated in March 2023 (v2; new and modified files), and July 2025 (v3; modified files). See the change history section in the readme for details.For details on how to navigate data packages generated by this project, see https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/PNNLRiverCorridorSFA/About. This dataset is comprised of one main data folder containing (1) file-level metadata; (2) data dictionary; (3) field metadata; (4) dissolved organic carbon (DOC; measure as non-purgeable organic carbon; NPOC); (5) surface water sampling protocol; (6) sediment extraction protocol; (7) readme; (8) methods codes; (9) international generic sample number (IGSN) mapping file; and (10) folder of high resolution characterization of organic matter via 7 and 12 Tesla (7T and 12T) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) generated through the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL; https://www.pnnl.gov/environmental-molecular-sciences-laboratory). The FTICR folder contains two subfolders containing the 7T and 12T .xml data files and another subfolder containing instructions for using Formularity (https://omics.pnl.gov/software/formularity) and an R script to process the data based on the user's specific needs. All files are .csv, .pdf, .R, .ref, or .xml.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Machine-learning predictions of the shale wells’ performance

The ultra-low permeability nature of shale reservoirs leads to an extended linear flow and necessitates horizontal wells with multi-stage engineered fractures to efficiently extract hydrocarbons resources. These artificially-generated and naturally-occurring fractures form complex networks that create complex flow regimes which control oil production. These fractures are neither identical nor equally-spaced, which leads to a production profile with a masked onset of the boundary-dominated flow. The combination of the extended linear flow with the indeterminate onset of the boundary-dominated flow challenges the current deterministic analytic approaches to forecast the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR). In this work, we propose a novel machine-learning approach which overcomes these challenges and provides reliable EUR estimates based on field-wide analyses. We implement a novel unsupervised machine learning (ML) methodology, which allows for automatic identification of the optimal number of features (signals) present in the data based on non-negative matrix/tensor factorization coupled with k-means clustering incorporating regularization and physics constraints. In the presented analyses, the input data to the ML algorithm is the available (public) production history from the field collected at existing unconventional reservoirs. We validate our approach through hindcasting of the production data, where we achieved an excellent agreement. In addition, our approach is able to identify the poorly-performing wells, which could benefit from early refracing. Our approach provides fast and accurate estimations of the well performance without presumptions about the state of the well or the flow regime.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

The Lyα reference sample. I. Survey outline and first results for Markarian 259

The Lyα Reference Sample (LARS) is a substantial program with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) that provides a sample of local universe laboratory galaxies in which to study the detailed astrophysics of the visibility and strength of the Lyαline of neutral hydrogen. Lyα is the dominant spectral line in use for characterizing high-redshift (z) galaxies. This paper presents an overview of the survey, its selection function, and HST imaging observations. The sample was selected from the combined GALEX+Sloan Digital Sky Survey catalog at z = 0.028-0.19, in order to allow Lyα to be captured with combinations of long-pass filters in the Solar Blind Channel (SBC) of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) onboard HST. In addition, LARS utilizes Hα and Hβ narrowband and u, b, i broadband imaging with ACS and the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). In order to study galaxies in which large numbers of Lyα photons are produced (whether or not they escape), we demanded an Hα equivalent width W(Hα) ≥100 Å. The final sample of 14 galaxies covers far-UV (FUV, λ ∼ 1500 Å) luminosities that overlap with those of high-z Lyα emitters (LAEs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs), making LARS a valid comparison sample. We present the reduction steps used to obtain the Lyα images, including our LARS eXtraction software (LaXs), which utilizes pixel-by-pixel spectral synthesis fitting of the energy distribution to determine and subtract the continuum at Lyα. We demonstrate that the use of SBC long-pass-filter combinations increase the signal-to-noise ratio by an order of magnitude compared to the nominal Lyα filter available in SBC. To exemplify the science potential of LARS, we also present some first results for a single galaxy, Mrk 259 (LARS #1). This irregular galaxy shows bright and extended (indicative of resonance scattering) but strongly asymmetric Lyα emission. Spectroscopy from the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on board HST centered on the brightest UV knot shows a moderate outflow in the neutral interstellar medium (probed by low ionization stage absorption features) and Lyα emission with an asymmetric profile. Radiative transfer modeling is able to reproduce the essential features of the Lyα line profile and confirms the presence of an outflow. From the integrated photometry we measure an Lyα luminosity of L {sub Lyα}=1.3 × 10{sup 42} erg s{sup –1} an equivalent width W(Lyα) = 45 Å and an FUV absolute magnitude M {sub FUV} = –19.2 (AB). Mrk 259 would hence be detectable in high-z Lyα and LBG surveys. The total Lyα escape fraction is 12%. This number is higher than the low-z average, but similar to that at z > 4, demonstrating that LARS provides a valid comparison sample for high-z galaxy studies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

ARES. V. No Evidence For Molecular Absorption in the HST WFC3 Spectrum of GJ 1132 b

We present a study on the spatially scanned spectroscopic observations of the transit of GJ 1132 b, a warm (∼500 K) super-Earth (1.13 R {sub ⊕}) that was obtained with the G141 grism (1.125–1.650 μm) of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We used the publicly available Iraclis pipeline to extract the planetary transmission spectra from the five visits and produced a precise transmission spectrum. We analyzed the spectrum using the TauREx3 atmospheric retrieval code, with which we show that the measurements do not contain molecular signatures in the investigated wavelength range and are best fit with a flat-line model. Our results suggest that the planet does not have a clear primordial, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. Instead, GJ 1132 b could have a cloudy hydrogen-dominated atmosphere, have a very enriched secondary atmosphere, be airless, or have a tenuous atmosphere that has not been detected. Due to the narrow wavelength coverage of WFC3, these scenarios cannot be distinguished yet, but the James Webb Space Telescope may be capable of detecting atmospheric features, although several observations may be required to provide useful constraints.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Active learning of a crystal plasticity flow rule from discrete dislocation dynamics simulations

Continuum-scale material deformation models, such as crystal plasticity (CP), can significantly enhance their predictive accuracy by incorporating input from lower-scale (i.e. mesoscale) models. The procedure to generate and extract the relevant information is however typically complex and ad hoc, involving decision and intervention by domain experts, leading to long development times. In this study, we develop a principled approach for calibration of continuum-scale models using lower scale information by representing a CP flow rule as a Gaussian process model. This representation allows for efficient parameter space exploration, guided by the uncertainty embedded in the model through a process known as Bayesian optimization (BO). We demonstrate a semi-autonomous BO loop which instantiates discrete dislocation dynamics simulations whose initial conditions are automatically chosen to optimize the uncertainty of a model CP flow rule. Our self-guided computational pipeline efficiently generated a dataset and corresponding model whose error, uncertainty, and physical feature sensitivities were validated with comparison to an independent dataset four times larger, demonstrating a valuable and efficient active learning implementation readily transferable to similar material systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Anisotropic Elastic-Waveform Modeling for Fracture Characterization in EGS Reservoirs

Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) contain newly created fractures in addition to possible existing fractures. Accurate characterization and monitoring of EGS reservoirs are crucial for optimal placement of new wells and effective extraction of geothermal heat. The fractured reservoirs behave as anisotropic media where seismic waves propagate with different velocities along different directions. In addition, the anisotropic properties of fluid-filled fracture zones could be different from those of dry fracture zones. We develop an optimized rotated staggered-grid elastic-wave finite-difference method for simulating seismic-wave propagation in heterogeneous, anisotropic media. Our new method uses a few extra grid points and optimized finite-difference coefficients based on the space-time dispersion relation, and reduce numerical dispersion of the conventional rotated staggered-grid finite-difference scheme. We validate our new method using synthetic vertical-seismic-profiling (VSP) data for an anisotropic geophysical model built with geologic features found at the Raft River EGS reservoir. This improved and optimized rotated staggered-grid finite-difference method provides an essential tool for analyzing VSP data, reverse-time migration, and elastic-waveform inversion in anisotropic, fractured reservoirs.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Exciton Delocalization in Indolenine Squaraine Aggregates Templated by DNA Holliday Junction Scaffolds

Exciton delocalization plays a prominent role in the photophysics of molecular aggregates, ultimately governing their particular function or application. DNA is a compelling scaffold in which to template molecular aggregates and promote exciton delocalization. As individual dye molecules are the basis of exciton delocalization in molecular aggregates, their judicious selection is important. Motivated by their excellent photostability and spectral properties, here we examine the ability of squaraine dyes to undergo exciton delocalization when aggregated via a DNA Holliday junction (HJ) template. A commercially available indolenine squaraine dye was chosen for the study given its strong structural resemblance to Cy5, a commercially available cyanine dye previously shown to undergo exciton delocalization in DNA HJs. Three types of DNA-dye aggregate configurations—transverse dimer, adjacent dimer, and tetramer—were investigated. Signatures of exciton delocalization were observed in all squaraine-DNA aggregates. Specifically, strong blue shift and Davydov splitting were observed in steady-state absorption spectroscopy and exciton-induced features were evident in circular dichroism spectroscopy. Strongly suppressed fluorescence emission provided additional, indirect evidence for exciton delocalization in the DNA-templated squaraine dye aggregates. To quantitatively evaluate and directly compare the excitonic Coulombic coupling responsible for exciton delocalization, the strength of excitonic hopping interactions between the dyes were obtained by simultaneous fitting the experimental steady-state absorption and CD spectra via a Holstein-like Hamiltonian in which, following the theoretical approach of Kühn, Renger, and May, the dominant vibrational mode is explicitly considered. The excitonic hopping strength within indolenine squaraines was found to be comparable to that of the analogous Cy5 DNA-templated aggregate. The squaraine aggregates adopted primarily an H-type (dyes oriented parallel to each other) spatial arrangement. Extracted geometric details of dye mutual orientation in the aggregates enabled close comparison of aggregate configurations and the elucidation of the influence of dye angular relationship on excitonic hopping interactions in squaraine aggregates. Furthermore, these results encourage the application of squaraine-based aggregates in next generation systems driven by molecular excitons.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quantitative Analysis of Micro-structural Changes in a Bituminous Coal After Exposure to Supercritical CO{sub 2} and Water

High-volatile bituminous coal samples were reacted in deionized water with supercritical CO{sub 2} (ScCO{sub 2}–water) under simulated in situ pressure and temperature conditions (8 MPa and 40 °C) in unconfined stress state for 14 days, in order to characterize potential CO{sub 2}–water–coal reactions. Micro-structural changes were identified pre- and post-experiment using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis for powdered coal (mineralogical changes), optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for polished thin sections (surface feature changes) and micro-CT scanning for a small core (porosity and permeability changes). XRD analysis revealed that carbonic acid leaches out mineral matters in coal, including carbonates (calcite) and silicate minerals (albite, illite and kaolinite). Optical microscopy, SEM and CT images confirmed that the interaction of coal with ScCO{sub 2}–water causes an abundance of micro-cracks to open or propagate in unconfined coal samples. Most micro-cracks preferably propagated along maceral–mineral and maceral–maceral interfaces, which demonstrates that the micro-cracking was caused by differential swelling of different coal lithotypes. Wormhole formation was observed in coal caused by mineral dissolution and hydrocarbon mobilization, which significantly increases coal porosity compared with swelling-induced cracking. 3-D pore network models extracted from CT images show that ScCO{sub 2}–water treatment enlarges the pore and throat size, increases the numbers of pores and throats and improves pore network connectivity. Overall, CO{sub 2}–water–coal interactions under unconfined conditions enhance coal porosity, connectivity and permeability, which can be attributed to the combined effect of micro-cracking, mineral dissolution and hydrocarbon mobilization.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Investigation of acoustic waves under subsurface conditions to improve the predictions of rock mechanical properties and natural fracture characteristics

Mechanical properties and natural fracture characteristics are critical to investigate for subsurface engineering applications, including carbon storage, well drilling, and stimulation, as they govern rock stability, fluid flow, and mechanical behavior under stress. This dissertation integrates experimental and machine learning approaches to enhance the prediction and understanding of these properties by analyzing acoustic wave behavior under varied subsurface conditions. First, the influence of temperature, pore pressure, and supercritical CO2 (scCO2) saturation on poroelastic properties is examined using Gray Berea sandstone samples. The results show that temperature and pore pressure significantly affect the bulk modulus and Biot’s coefficient, while scCO2 saturation impacts rock compressibility, informing strategies for effective geological carbon storage. The study extends this understanding by experimentally evaluating the impact of reservoir depletion on the dynamic mechanical properties of the emerging Caney shale in South Oklahoma with the employment of unsupervised machine learning to predict static mechanical properties across the Caney shale. Integrating petrophysical data and chemostratigraphy, the workflow—featuring K-means clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and inverse distance weighting (IDW)—improves stratigraphic characterization and the estimation of static-to-dynamic modulus ratios, which is vital for optimizing drilling and stimulation strategies. Finally, the work explores how natural fracture characteristics in shale influence acoustic waveforms and shear wave splitting (SWS) analysis. Experimental data on fractured samples under different stress and temperature conditions, combined with machine learning models such as K-nearest neighbors (KNN) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), reveal key fracture properties impacting SWS and wave propagation. Together, these studies provide a comprehensive framework for linking acoustic wave behavior with rock properties, advancing the methods for monitoring and predicting geomechanical changes. The insights offered valuable implications for safer, more efficient CO2 injection, hydrocarbon extraction, and subsurface management.

Elkholy, Sherif↗

THE FORMATION OF IRIS DIAGNOSTICS. VIII. IRIS OBSERVATIONS IN THE C ii 133.5 nm MULTIPLET

The C ii 133.5 nm multiplet has been observed by NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in unprecedented spatial resolution. The aims of this work are to characterize these new observations of the C ii lines, place them in context with previous work, and to identify any additional value the C ii lines bring when compared with other spectral lines. We make use of wide, long exposure IRIS rasters covering the quiet Sun and an active region. Line properties such as velocity shift and width are extracted from individual spectra and analyzed. The lines have a variety of shapes (mostly single-peak or double-peak), are strongest in active regions and weaker in the quiet Sun. The ratio between the 133.4 and 133.5 nm components is always less than 1.8, indicating that their radiation is optically thick in all locations. Maps of the C ii line widths are a powerful new diagnostic of chromospheric structures, and their line shifts are a robust velocity diagnostic. Compared with earlier quiet Sun observations, we find similar absolute intensities and mean line widths, but smaller redshifts; this difference can perhaps be attributed to differences in spectral resolution and spatial coverage. The C ii intensity maps are somewhat similar to those of transition region lines, but also share some features with chromospheric maps such as those from the Mg ii k line, indicating that they are formed between the upper chromosphere and transition region. C ii intensity, width, and velocity maps can therefore be used to gather additional information about the upper chromosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Production of pions, kaons, (anti-)protons and ϕ mesons in Xe–Xe collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.44 TeV

The first measurement of the production of pions, kaons, (anti-)protons and ϕ mesons at midrapidity in Xe–Xe collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.44 TeV is presented. Transverse momentum (p T ) spectra and p T -integrated yields are extracted in several centrality intervals bridging from p–Pb to mid-central Pb–Pb collisions in terms of final-state multiplicity. The study of Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb collisions allows systems at similar charged-particle multiplicities but with different initial geometrical eccentricities to be investigated. A detailed comparison of the spectral shapes in the two systems reveals an opposite behaviour for radial and elliptic flow. In particular, this study shows that the radial flow does not depend on the colliding system when compared at similar charged-particle multiplicity. In terms of hadron chemistry, the previously observed smooth evolution of particle ratios with multiplicity from small to large collision systems is also found to hold in Xe–Xe. In addition, our results confirm that two remarkable features of particle production at LHC energies are also valid in the collision of medium-sized nuclei: the lower proton-to-pion ratio with respect to the thermal model expectations and the increase of the ϕ-to-pion ratio with increasing final-state multiplicity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Impact of post-irradiation annealing on mechanical performance of irradiated 718 alloy

Here, the effect of post-irradiation annealing on solution-annealed 718 alloy was investigated using advanced mechanical testing, fractography, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Specimens were extracted from a proton beam window operated at the Spallation Neutron Source, irradiated with 940 MeV protons to a maximum dose of approximately 9.7 displacements per atom (dpa) at a calculated temperature not exceeding 110 °C while in service. Helium and hydrogen concentrations reached about 1700 and 6900 atomic parts per million (appm), respectively. Despite irradiation and high tensile strength (yield stress over 1 GPa), the material exhibited significant ductility. Annealing at 500 °C, 700 °C, and 900 °C for 30 min resulted in an appreciable decrease in yield strength and an increase in ductility for annealing treatments at 500 °C and 900 °C relative to the strength and ductility of the as-irradiated material. The presence of helium and hydrogen led to cavity formation and cleavage-like brittle features on fractured surfaces; however, high-magnification imaging revealed the presence of small-scale ductile dimples, indicating that the fracture mechanism remained mixed. The annealed specimens retained total elongation levels of 14–33 %, and there was no sudden drop in ductility after heat treatments. The ductility level in the irradiated and annealed material is notable despite the presence of helium and hydrogen.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Synthesis and characterization of the rare-earth chloride complexes with N,N,N',N' -tetramethylmalonamide

Exploration of the solid-state chemistry of the f-elements and their coordination chemistry can assist in understanding the speciation of these elements in solution, which, in turn, can aid in the interpretation of their chemical behavior in complex liquid-liquid separations. Within these separation processes, malonamides are common organic extractants that are used for complexing both lanthanides and actinides, thus it is relevant to understand the malonamide ligand complexation under various conditions. In this work, we investigate solid-state complexes of the rare-earth chlorides with N,N,N',N' -tetramethylmalonamide (TMMA) across the entire lanthanide series. Here, we isolated two structural families of compounds Ln(TMMA) 2 Cl 3 Ln = La–Dy and [Ln(TMMA) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ]Cl 3 • x H 2 O x = 0,4 Ln = Ho–Lu, showing differences in chloride coordination from the inner-sphere complex for early lanthanides to outer-sphere for the late lanthanides. Both structural series were additionally analyzed by both IR and Raman spectroscopy confirming similarities in malonamide ligand coordination modes, while showing differences in vibrational features associated with chloride and aqua ligand coordination.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The CXSFIT spectral fitting code: Past, present and future

Magnetically confined plasma experiments generate a wealth of spectroscopic data. The first step toward extracting physical parameters is to fit a spectral model to the often complex spectra. The CXSFIT (Charge eXchange Spectroscopy FITting) spectral fitting code was originally developed for fitting charge exchange spectra on JET from the late 1980s onward and has been further developed over decades to keep up with the needs of the users. The primary use is to efficiently fit a large number of spectra with many constrained Gaussian spectral lines of which the physical parameters can be coupled in a user-friendly manner. More recent additions to the code include time-dependent couplings between parameters, flexible background subtraction, and a non-linear coupling scheme between fit parameters. The latter was a pre-requisite for implementing Zeeman and motional Stark effect multiplets in the library of spectral features. The ability to save and replay “fit recipes,” even when multiple iterations are required, has ensured the traceability of the results and is one of the keys to the longevity and success of the code. The code is also in use on other tokamaks (AUG, ST-40) and to fit data from other spectroscopic diagnostics on JET. In this paper, we document the current capabilities and philosophy behind the structure of the code, including some of the algorithms used to calculate spectral features numerically efficiently. We also provide an outline of how CXSFIT could be transferred into a framework that would be able to meet the spectral fitting requirements of future devices, such as ITER.

Delabie, Ephrem G.↗

The Double Chooz antineutrino detectors

This article describes the setup and performance of the near and far detectors in the Double Chooz experiment. The electron antineutrinos of the Chooz nuclear power plant were measured in two identically designed detectors with different average baselines of about 400 m and 1050 m from the two reactor cores. Over many years of data taking the neutrino signals were extracted from interactions in the detectors with the goal of measuring a fundamental parameter in the context of neutrino oscillation, the mixing angle $\theta _{13}$. The central part of the Double Chooz detectors was a main detector comprising four cylindrical volumes filled with organic liquids. From the inside towards the outside there were volumes containing gadolinium-loaded scintillator, gadolinium-free scintillator, a buffer oil and, optically separated, another liquid scintillator acting as veto system. Above this main detector an additional outer veto system using plastic scintillator strips was installed. The technologies developed in Double Chooz were inspiration for several other antineutrino detectors in the field. The detector design allowed implementation of efficient background rejection techniques including use of pulse shape information provided by the data acquisition system. The Double Chooz detectors featured remarkable stability, in particular for the detected photons, as well as high radiopurity of the detector components.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Extracting dark-matter velocities from halo masses: A reconstruction conjecture

Increasing attention has recently focused on nontraditional dark-matter production mechanisms which result in primordial dark-matter velocity distributions with highly nonthermal shapes. Here, in this paper, we undertake an assessment of how the detailed shape of a general dark-matter velocity distribution impacts structure formation in the nonlinear regime. In particular, we investigate the impact on the halo-mass and subhalo-mass functions, as well as on astrophysical observables such as satellite and cluster-number counts. We find that many of the standard expectations no longer hold in situations in which this velocity distribution takes a highly nontrivial, even multimodal shape. For example, we find that the nominal free-streaming scale alone becomes insufficient to characterize the effect of free-streaming on structure formation. In addition, we propose a simple one-line conjecture which can be used to “reconstruct” the primordial dark-matter velocity distribution directly from the shape of the halo-mass function. Although our conjecture is completely heuristic, we show that it successfully reproduces the salient features of the underlying dark-matter velocity distribution even for nontrivial distributions which are highly nonthermal and/or multimodal, such as might occur for nonminimal dark sectors. Moreover, since our approach relies only on the halo-mass function, our conjecture provides a method of probing dark-matter properties even for scenarios in which the dark and visible sectors interact only gravitationally.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗