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11 March 2024

Unmanned Aerial Systems Propel Atmospheric Science Forward

High in the sky over the Alaskan tundra, a small aircraft ran the same pattern over and over again. It swooped through clouds and flew down close to the ground. But there were no people experiencing the flight from inside the plane – it was an unmanned aerial system (UAS). UASs are aircraft that people can operate remotely from the ground. Building on years of testing, researchers working with the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility are now gaining access to these helpful tools.

Learn more about how our use of UASs has evolved over time and is helping atmospheric science reach new heights.

NEWS CENTER

The Office of Science posted 62 science headlines and university and stakeholder news pieces between 2/27/24 and 3/11/24.

Freeze-frame: Scientists have developed a way to watch an electron moving while stopping the motion of the much larger atom it orbits in liquid water. The method will provide new insights into the electronic structure of molecules in the liquid phase. In particular, it will help scientists better understand the effects of radiation exposure. The research is supported by the Interfacial Dynamics in Radioactive Environments and Materials Energy Frontier Research Center. It includes scientists from DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and international and university partners.

Heavy fermions: Heavy fermion compounds are a class of materials with electrons that are up to 1,000 times heavier than usual. Scientists think that the electrons’ interactions may play important roles in a number of quantum phenomena, including superconductivity. Researchers at Columbia University have successfully created the first 2D heavy fermion material. Because it is thinner than previous versions, it is easier to manipulate and combine with other materials. The team used the National Synchrotron Light Source II and Spallation Neutron Source, both DOE Office of Science user facilities.

Unconventional superconductors: A team of scientists from DOE’s Ames National Laboratory and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has provided new insights into infinite-layer nickelates. This material is a recently discovered class of unconventional superconductors, which work at higher temperatures than conventional ones. The results will help scientists understand how these superconductors work and how they differ from other superconductors.

Snowpack: A new Dartmouth University study provides evidence that seasonal snowpacks in most of the Northern Hemisphere have shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to climate change. The sharpest reductions were in the Southwestern and Northeastern United States, as well as in Central and Eastern Europe. These losses ranged from 10 to 20 percent per decade. These changes will worsen a water crisis for hundreds of millions of people that depend on snowpack for water.

Methane: Methane is about 30 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Wetlands are Earth’s largest natural source of it. A research team from DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that methane emissions have increased about 9 percent since 2002 across the wetlands in the Boreal-Arctic region. As climate change worsens, it is likely methane emissions in this area will continue to rise.

Catalytic reactions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed a simple technique that could boost the efficiency of some key reactions in chemical processing by up to a factor of 100,000. These reactions are essential to many industrial chemical processes, including pharmaceuticals manufacturing. In addition, the technique only uses a small amount of energy.

SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

The Office of Science posted five new highlights between 2/27/24 and 3/11/24.

Fractures: Water and other fluids move through fractures in rocks below the Earth’s surface. As fluids move through the fractures, they react with minerals in the rocks. Because these processes occur slower in nature than in the lab, it’s hard for scientists to fully predict these chemical reactions. Researchers at DOE’s Los Alamos National Laboratory ran simulations of how minerals dissolve in these networks of fractures. Better understanding how rocks will react in a variety of situations can inform geothermal energy production, carbon dioxide storage, and other applications.  

IN THE NEWS

Popular Mechanics: Scientists smashed atom into atom and unleashed a magnetic monster

Researchers used the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a DOE Office of Science user facility, to create and record a very strong magnetic field resulting from off-center heavy nuclei collisions.

Business Insider: Scientists are building tunnels under South Dakota for a $3 billion experiment that could solve some of the universe's grandest mysteries

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) led by DOE’s Fermilab will study how neutrinos change in more detail than any previous project.

ABC7: Aurora at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont on track to be world's fastest supercomputer

The new exascale supercomputer at DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory will enable major advancements in scientific research.

BASIC TO BREAKTHROUGH

Leveraging Supercomputers to Investigate Earthquake Hazards

Severe earthquakes don’t happen very often in highly populated areas, but when they do, they can be devastating. DOE’s supercomputing resources are helping earthquake researchers better understand these events.

Scientists at the Statewide California Earthquake Center ran a new version of a computer model on the Summit supercomputer at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility. The CyberShake Study 22.12 uses better simulations of the Earth’s structure and new computational methods to create more accurate representations of how the ground moves during earthquakes in California. Being able to better predict how long and severely the ground moves can help scientists improve their estimates of risks. In fact, policymakers (including the U.S. Geological Survey) have used past versions of the model to inform earthquake hazard prevention programs and new building codes.  

END NOTES

Developing Both Future Quantum Technology and Future Quantum Scientists

Quantum technology may be The Next Big Thing. But to move forward, it requires advances in both science and the people to carry out that research. Chloe Washabaugh is devoted to developing both. She’s a University of Chicago student pursuing a Ph.D. in quantum engineering. She’s also a collaborator with Q-NEXT, a DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory. In her research, Washabaugh works on building qubits that can carry quantum information. They serve as the heart of quantum computers. She focuses on qubits made out of custom molecules, which can be more flexible than other options. In addition to her research, Washabaugh conducts outreach to decision-makers and non-scientists to help them better understand the importance of quantum science.

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No. 114: 11 March 2024