I report the progress to date of my work on scaling the CPAPR algorithm and necessary supporting code to enable processing large (gigabyte to 100 gigabyte) data sets and benchmarking the same. Where possible, I also report background information possibly of relevance in future modifications of the code. The results include: minor repairs and additions to the TTB library for portability, algorithmic improvements relevant to both serial and multithreaded implementations, algorithmic improvements taking advantage of multithreading hardware, support library additions (binary IO routines) needed for efficiently and reproducibly benchmarking the algorithms. For this optimization work, no large scale data sets are available. Therefore, scalability of data synthesis algorithms is addressed as well.

This study examined the quality of E85 fuel around the country in each of the three volatility classes identified in ASTM D5798-10. Samples were collected from pumps in 21 states between July 2010 and May 2011, with almost 40 samples collected in each class. Parameters tested to assess fuel quality were volatility, ethanol content, water content, acidity, pHe, inorganic chloride and sulfate, and total sulfate. Class 1 samples more often met the volatility specification than samples from other classes, with 67% of the samples collected in this study meeting the specification. Samples in Classes 2 and 3 met the applicable volatility specifications on 43% and 30% of the time, respectively. Compliance with the ethanol specification was almost 90% in all three volatility classes, a significant improvement over previous surveys. Several samples that would have been off-specification for ethanol content under previous versions of the specification now met the specification with the reduction in ethanol content for all classes. A few samples were off-specification for pHe, acidity, water, and inorganic chloride. Few samples were off-specification for more than one property, and samples that were off-specification in one volatility class were not necessarily off-specification in the other two classes.

NREL sampled and tested the quality of U.S. B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) in 2008; 32 samples from retail locations and fleets were tested against a proposed ASTM D7467 B6-B20 specification, now in effect.

This is a document required by Basic Energy Sciences as part of a mid-term review, in the third year of the five-year award period and is intended to provide a critical assessment of the Center for Materials Science of Nuclear Fuels (strategic vision, scientific plans and progress, and technical accomplishments).

A major goal in Nuclear Physics is the derivation of the Nucleon-Nucleon (NN) interaction from Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). In QCD the fundamental degrees of freedom are colored quarks and gluons which are confined to form colorless strongly interacting hadrons. Because of this the resulting nuclear forces at sufficiently large distances correspond to spin-flavor excitations, very much like the dipole excitations generating the van der Waals (vdW) forces acting between atoms. We study the Nucleon-Nucleon interaction in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation at second order in perturbation theory including the Delta resonance as an intermediate state. The potential resembles strongly chiral potentials computed either via soliton models or chiral perturbation theory and has a van der Waals like singularity at short distances which is handled by means of renormalization techniques. Results for the deuteron are discussed.

A crab cavity is required in the CLIC to allow effective head-on collision of bunches at the IP. A high operating frequency is preferred as the deflection voltage required for a given rotation angle and the RF phase tolerance for a crab cavity are inversely proportional to the operating frequency. The short bunch spacing of the CLIC scheme and the high sensitivity of the crab cavity to dipole kicks demand very high damping of the inter-bunch wakes, the major contributor to the luminosity loss of colliding bunches. This paper investigates the nature of the wakefields in the CLIC crab cavity and the possibility of using various damping schemes to suppress them effectively.

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This report talks about Averages of B-Hadron, C-Hadron, and Tau-Lepton Properties as of Early 2012

This report documents the objectives, technical approach, and progress made through FY 2012 on a project initiated in FY 2006 to help address uncertainties related to the rates of hydrolysis in groundwater for carbon tetrachloride (CT) and chloroform (CF). The project also sought to explore the possible effects of contact with minerals and sediment (i.e., heterogeneous hydrolysis) on these rates. We conducted 114 hydrolysis rate experiments in sealed vessels across a temperature range of 20-93 °C for periods as long as 6 years, and used the Arrhenius equation to estimate activation energies and calculate half-lives for typical Hanford groundwater conditions (temperature of 16 °C and pH of 7.75). We calculated a half-life of 630 years for hydrolysis for CT under these conditions and found that CT hydrolysis was unaffected by contact with sterilized, oxidized minerals or Hanford sediment within the sensitivity of our experiments. In contrast to CT, hydrolysis of CF was generally slower and very sensitive to pH due to the presence of both neutral and base-catalyzed hydrolysis pathways. We calculated a half-life of 3400 years for hydrolysis of CF in homogeneous solution at 16 °C and pH 7.75. Experiments in suspensions of Hanford sediment or smectite, the dominant …

This report documents the progress made through FY 2010 on a project initiated in FY 2006 to help address uncertainties related to the rates of hydrolysis in groundwater at the Hanford Site for carbon tetrachloride (CT) and chloroform (CF). The study also explores the possible effects of contact with minerals and sediment (i.e., heterogeneous hydrolysis) on these rates. The research was initiated to decrease the uncertainties in abiotic degradation rates of CT and chloroform CF associated with temperature and possible heterogeneous effects. After 2 years of data collection, the first evidence for heterogeneous effects was identified for hydrolysis of CT, and preliminary evidence for the effects of different mineral types on CF hydrolysis rates also was reported. The CT data showed no difference among mineral types, whereas significant differences were seen in the CF results, perhaps due to the fact that CF hydrolyzes by both neutral and base-catalyzed mechanisms whereas CT follows only the neutral hydrolysis path. In this report, we review the project objectives, organization, and technical approaches taken, update the status and results of the hydrolysis-rate experiments after 4 years of experimentation (i.e., through FY 2010), and provide a brief discussion of how these results add to scientific …

Cathodic vacuum arc plasmas are known to contain multiply charged ions. 20 years after “Pressure Ionization: its role in metal vapour vacuum arc plasmas and ion sources” appeared in vol. 1 of Plasma Sources Science and Technology, it is a great opportunity to re-visit the issue of pressure ionization, a non-ideal plasma effect, and put it in perspective to the many other factors that influence observable charge state distributions, such as the role of the cathode material, the path in the density-temperature phase diagram, the “noise” in vacuum arc plasma as described by a fractal model approach, the effects of external magnetic fields and charge exchange collisions with neutrals. A much more complex image of the vacuum arc plasma emerges putting decades of experimentation and modeling in perspective.

Elucidating the nature of neutrino oscillation continues to be a goal in the vanguard of the efforts of physics experiment. As neutrino oscillation searches seek an increasingly elusive signal, a thorough understanding of the possible backgrounds becomes ever more important. Measurements of neutrino-nucleus interaction cross sections are key to this understanding. Searches for {nu}{sub {mu}} {yields} {nu}{sub e} oscillation - a channel that may yield insight into the vanishingly small mixing parameter {theta}{sub 13}, CP violation, and the neutrino mass hierarchy - are particularly susceptible to contamination from neutral current single {pi}{sup 0} (NC 1{pi}{sup 0}) production. Unfortunately, the available data concerning NC 1{pi}{sup 0} production are limited in scope and statistics. Without satisfactory constraints, theoretical models of NC 1{pi}{sup 0} production yield substantially differing predictions in the critical E{sub {nu}} {approx} 1 GeV regime. Additional investigation of this interaction can ameliorate the current deficiencies. The Mini Booster Neutrino Experiment (MiniBooNE) is a short-baseline neutrino oscillation search operating at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). While the oscillation search is the principal charge of the MiniBooNE collaboration, the extensive data ({approx} 10{sup 6} neutrino events) offer a rich resource with which to conduct neutrino cross section measurements. This work concerns …

This presentation was given December 14, 2010, as part of DOE's Webinar series. The presentation discusses geothermal heat pump retrofits, technology options, and an overview of geothermal energy and geothermal heat pumps.

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In this project, a predictive multiscale framework will be developed to simulate the strong coupling between solid deformations and fluid diffusion in porous rocks. We intend to improve macroscale modeling by incorporating fundamental physical modeling at the microscale in a computationally efficient way. This is an essential step toward further developments in multiphysics modeling, linking hydraulic, thermal, chemical, and geomechanical processes. This research will focus on areas where severe deformations are observed, such as deformation bands, where classical phenomenology breaks down. Multiscale geometric complexities and key geomechanical and hydraulic attributes of deformation bands (e.g., grain sliding and crushing, and pore collapse, causing interstitial fluid expulsion under saturated conditions), can significantly affect the constitutive response of the skeleton and the intrinsic permeability. Discrete mechanics (DEM) and the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) will be used to probe the microstructure---under the current state---to extract the evolution of macroscopic constitutive parameters and the permeability tensor. These evolving macroscopic constitutive parameters are then directly used in continuum scale predictions using the finite element method (FEM) accounting for the coupled solid deformation and fluid diffusion. A particularly valuable aspect of this research is the thorough quantitative verification and validation program at different scales. The multiscale homogenization …

Integration of bioinformatics and experimental techniques was applied to mapping and characterization of the key components (pathways, enzymes, transporters, regulators) of the core metabolic machinery in Shewanella oneidensis and related species with main focus was on metabolic and regulatory pathways involved in utilization of various carbon and energy sources. Among the main accomplishments reflected in ten joint publications with other participants of Shewanella Federation are: (i) A systems-level reconstruction of carbohydrate utilization pathways in the genus of Shewanella (19 species). This analysis yielded reconstruction of 18 sugar utilization pathways including 10 novel pathway variants and prediction of > 60 novel protein families of enzymes, transporters and regulators involved in these pathways. Selected functional predictions were verified by focused biochemical and genetic experiments. Observed growth phenotypes were consistent with bioinformatic predictions providing strong validation of the technology and (ii) Global genomic reconstruction of transcriptional regulons in 16 Shewanella genomes. The inferred regulatory network includes 82 transcription factors, 8 riboswitches and 6 translational attenuators. Of those, 45 regulons were inferred directly from the genome context analysis, whereas others were propagated from previously characterized regulons in other species. Selected regulatory predictions were experimentally tested. Integration of this analysis with microarray data revealed overall …

We have searched for 14.4 keV solar axions or more general axion-like particles (ALPs), that may be emitted in the M1 nuclear transition of 57Fe, by using the axion-to-photon conversion in the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) with evacuated magnet bores (Phase I). From the absence of excess of the monoenergetic X-rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun, we set model-independent constraints on the coupling constants of pseudoscalar particles that couple to two photons and to a nucleon g{sub ay}|-1.19g{sub aN}{sup 0}+g{sub aN}{sup 3}| < 1.36 x 10{sup -16} GeV{sup -1} for ma < 0.03 eV at the 95% confidence level.

Alstom’s Limestone Chemical Looping (LCL™) process has the potential to capture CO{sub 2} from new and existing coal-fired power plants while maintaining high plant power generation efficiency. This new power plant concept is based on a hybrid combustion- gasification process utilizing high temperature chemical and thermal looping technology. This process could also be potentially configured as a hybrid combustion-gasification process producing a syngas or hydrogen for various applications while also producing a separate stream of CO{sub 2} for use or sequestration. The targets set for this technology is to capture over 90% of the total carbon in the coal at cost of electricity which is less than 20% greater than Conventional PC or CFB units. Previous work with bench scale test and a 65 kWt Process Development Unit Development (PDU) has validated the chemistry required for the chemical looping process and provided for the investigation of the solids transport mechanisms and design requirements. The objective of this project is to continue development of the combustion option of chemical looping (LCL-C™) by designing, building and testing a 3 MWt prototype facility. The prototype includes all of the equipment that is required to operate the chemical looping plant in a fully integrated …

This summary report examines an in-vessel optical access concept intended to support standoff optical instrumentation, control and human-machine interface (ICHMI) systems for future advanced small modular reactor (AdvSMR) applications. Optical-based measurement and sensing systems for AdvSMR applications have several key benefits over traditional instrumentation and control systems used to monitor reactor process parameters, such as temperature, flow rate, pressure, and coolant chemistry (Anheier et al. 2013). Direct and continuous visualization of the in-vessel components can be maintained using external cameras. Many optical sensing techniques can be performed remotely using open optical beam path configurations. Not only are in-vessel cables eliminated by these configurations, but also sensitive optical monitoring components (e.g., electronics, lasers, detectors, and cameras) can be placed outside the reactor vessel in the instrument vault, containment building, or other locations where temperatures and radiation levels are much lower. However, the extreme AdvSMR environment present challenges for optical access designs and optical materials. Optical access is not provided in any commercial nuclear power plant or featured in any reactor design, although successful implementation of optical access has been demonstrated in test reactors (Arkani and Gharib 2009). This report outlines the key engineering considerations for an AdvSMR optical access concept. Strict …

For the 12 GeV upgrade, the CLAS12 experiment has designed a Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) using single sided microstrip sensors fabricated by Hamamatsu. The sensors have graded angle design to minimize dead areas and a readout pitch of 156{micro}m, with intermediate strip. Double sided SVT module hosts three daisy-chained sensors on each side with a full strip length of 33 cm. There are 512 channels per module read out by four Fermilab Silicon Strip Readout (FSSR2) chips featuring data driven architecture, mounted on a rigid-flex hybrid. Modules are assembled on the barrel using unique cantilevered geometry to minimize the amount of material in the tracking volume. Design and performance of the SVT modules are presented, focusing on results of electrical measurements.

The CHARM 2010 meeting had over 30 presentations of experimental results, plus additional future facilities talks just before this summary talk. Since there is not enough time to even summarize all that has been shown from experiments and to recognize all the memorable plots and results - tempting as it is to reproduce the many clean signals and data vs theory figures, the quantum correlations plots, and the D-mixing plots before and after the latest CLEO-c data is added. So, this review will give only my personal observations, exposing my prejudices and my areas of ignorance, no doubt. This overview will be at a fairly high level of abstraction - no re-showing individual plots or results. I ask the forgiveness of those who will have been slighted in this way - meaning all the presents.

This report describes the operational testing of a new magnetic sector mass spectrometer that utilizes seven full-sized discrete dynode electron multipliers operating simultaneously. The instrument includes a newly developed ion dispersion lens that enables the mass dispersed individual isotope beams to be separated sufficiently to allow a full-sized discrete dynode pulse counting multiplier to be used to measure each isotope beam. The performance of the instrument was measured using SRM 996 (244Pu spike) at loadings of 2.4 and 12 fg on resin beads and with SRM 4350B Columbia River Sediment samples. The measured limit of detection (3s) for 240Pu was 3.4 attograms for SRM 996. The limit of quantitation (LOQ), defined as 10 s, was 11.2 attograms. The measured concentration of 239Pu in the CRS standard was 152 ± 6 fg/g.

We produced a two-dimensional geological time- and basin-scale model of the sedimentary margin in passive and active settings, for the simulation of the deep sedimentary methane cycle including hydrate formation. Simulation of geochemical data required development of parameterizations for bubble transport in the sediment column, and for the impact of the heterogeneity in the sediment pore fluid flow field, which represent new directions in modeling methane hydrates. The model is somewhat less sensitive to changes in ocean temperature than our previous 1-D model, due to the different methane transport mechanisms in the two codes (pore fluid flow vs. bubble migration). The model is very sensitive to reasonable changes in organic carbon deposition through geologic time, and to details of how the bubbles migrate, in particular how efficiently they are trapped as they rise through undersaturated or oxidizing chemical conditions and the hydrate stability zone. The active margin configuration reproduces the elevated hydrate saturations observed in accretionary wedges such as the Cascadia Margin, but predicts a decrease in the methane inventory per meter of coastline relative to a comparable passive margin case, and a decrease in the hydrate inventory with an increase in the plate subduction rate.

The interactions and feedbacks among plants, animals, microbes, humans, and the environment ultimately form the world in which we live. This world is now facing challenges from a growing and increasingly affluent human population whose numbers and lifestyles are driving ever greater energy demand and impacting climate. These and other contributing factors will make energy and climate sustainability extremely difficult to achieve over the 20-year time horizon that is the focus of this report. Despite these severe challenges, there is optimism that deeper understanding of our environment will enable us to mitigate detrimental effects, while also harnessing biological and climate systems to ensure a sustainable energy future. This effort is advanced by scientific inquiries in the fields of atmospheric chemistry and physics, biology, ecology, and subsurface science - all made possible by computing. The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) within the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science has a long history of bringing together researchers from different disciplines to address critical national needs in determining the biological and environmental impacts of energy production and use, characterizing the interplay of climate and energy, and collaborating with other agencies and DOE programs to improve the world's most powerful climate …