System and Method for High Precision Isotope Ratio Destructive Analysis
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing an unattended safeguards instrument concept, combining continuous aerosol particulate collection with uranium isotope assay, to provide timely analysis of enrichment levels within low enriched uranium (LEU) facilities. This approach is based on laser vaporization of aerosol particulate samples, followed by wavelength tuned laser diode spectroscopy, to characterize the uranium isotopic ratio by subtle differences in atomic absorption wavelengths. Environmental sampling media from an integrated aerosol collector is automatically introduced into a small, reduced pressure chamber, where a focused pulsed laser vaporizes a 10 to 20-µm sample diameter. The ejected plasma forms a plume of atomic vapor. Tunable diode lasers are directed through the plume and each isotope is detected by monitoring absorbance signals on a shot-to-shot basis. The media is translated by a micron resolution scanning system to fully characterize the sample surface. Single-shot detection sensitivity approaching the femtogram range and relative isotope ratio uncertainty better than 10% has been demonstrated with surrogate materials. In this paper we present measurement results on samples containing background materials (e.g., dust, minerals, soils) laced with micron-sized target particles having isotopic ratios ranging from 1 to 50%.
Methods for Attaching Transmitters to Animals
Injectable transmitters are provided that can include a body with the body housing a power source and an oscillator, the injectable transmitter also including an antenna extending from the body, the body and antenna being of sufficient size to be injected through a 9 gauge needle. Radio frequency transmitters are provided that can include a body extending from a nose to a tail with the body housing a power source and RF signal generator components. The power source of the transmitter can define at least a portion of the nose of the body. The transmitters can have an antenna extending from the tail. Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.
Signal Transmitter and Methods for Transmitting Signals from Animals
Injectable transmitters are provided that can include a body with the body housing a power source and an oscillator, the injectable transmitter also including an antenna extending from the body, the body and antenna being of sufficient size to be injected through a 9 gauge needle. Radio frequency transmitters are provided that can include a body extending from a nose to a tail with the body housing a power source and RF signal generator components. The power source of the transmitter can define at least a portion of the nose of the body. The transmitters can have an antenna extending from the tail. Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.
Methods for Attaching Transmitters to Animals
Injectable transmitters are provided that can include a body with the body housing a power source and an oscillator, the injectable transmitter also including an antenna extending from the body, the body and antenna being of sufficient size to be injected through a 9 gauge needle. Radio frequency transmitters are provided that can include a body extending from a nose to a tail with the body housing a power source and RF signal generator components. The power source of the transmitter can define at least a portion of the nose of the body. The transmitters can have an antenna extending from the tail. Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.
A Decade of GoAmazon
PNNL researchers have used field campaign data to better understand clouds, aerosols, and the interactions between humans and the atmosphere.
Atmospheric Measurements Laboratory
The Atmospheric Measurements Laboratory at PNNL is one of the nation's leading research facilities for understanding aerosols, clouds, and their interactions.
Scientists Take to the Skies over Azores to Gather Cloud Data
Clouds in the eastern North Atlantic region will come under scrutiny from a bevy of airplane-based instruments this summer as scientists analyze the physical and chemical properties of clouds and aerosols.
E3SMv0-HiLAT
The software, titled E3SMv0-HiLAT, is a novel, modified version of the Community Earth System Model version 1 (Hurrell et al., 2013, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12), intended for study of high-latitude processes. E3SMv0-HiLAT incorporates changes and new features in the atmospheric model; these changes affect aerosol transport to high northern latitudes and reduce shortwave cloud bias over the Southern Ocean. Additionally, new features are introduced to the ocean biogeochemistry to improve representation of high-latitude phytoplankton groups, and two-way coupling is implemented between the biogeochemistry in the sea ice and ocean models. The modifications also include a dynamic coupling of the ocean flux of aerosol precursors into the atmosphere model, which enables these marine emissions of aerosol precursor emissions to respond to changes in sea ice extent, ocean stratification and associated nutrient availability, and atmospheric state.
Community Emissions Data System (CEDS)
The community emissions data system is a software system developed for research use, using the R open source programing language that produces consistent estimates of global air emission species over the industrial era (1750- latest full year) by country, sector, and fuel. The system focuses on aerosol and aerosol precursor emissions, e.g. emissions that impact atmospheric chemistry and aerosol loadings. Emissions are also mapped to spatial grids, produced in netCDF format, for use by Earth system and other atmospheric models. Data inputs to this system include emission inventories and driver data, such as energy consumption and population estimates, and default emission factors, which are used together to produce consistent estimates of emissions over time. The data system is unique in its blending of emission data from multiple sources together with driver data, to consistently estimate emission trends over time in an open source framework. This software was planned, from original conception and in the project proposal and FWP, to be released as open-source software.
CARBON DIOXIDE ENHANCED HYDROTHERMAL LIQUEFACTION (iEdison No. 0685901-22-0241)
The invention is injecting carbon dioxide into hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) in order to increase biocrude product yield and/or decrease byproduct yield. 1) Injection of carbon dioxide into a hydrothermal liquefaction process including, but not limited to In the feeding section And/or the preheating section And/or the reactor section And/or the product handling and collection section 2) The carbon dioxide is optionally obtained from the waste product gas from an HTL process This invention improves product yield, reduces byproduct yield, and may enhance operation of HTL when carbon dioxide is injected into one or more unit operations into an HTL process. As a source of CO2 is available from the HTL process byproduct gas, it can be easily collected, recompressed, and injected into the HTL system at various locations. As the CO2 is captured from the HTL process, this also enables simple recovery/recycle of the injected carbon dioxide as a normal function of HTL. This recovery may also be used to capture carbon dioxide in order to reduce atmospheric emission.