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Categories: Energy: Nuclear, Geoscience: Landslides
Published Particles pick pair partners differently in small nuclei
(via sciencedaily.com) The protons and neutrons that build the nucleus of the atom frequently pair up. Now, a new high-precision experiment has found that these particles may pick different partners depending on how packed the nucleus is. The data also reveal new details about short-distance interactions between protons and neutrons in nuclei and may impact results from experiments seeking to tease out further details of nuclear structure.
Published Elemental research: Scientists apply boron to tungsten components in fusion facilities
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists at have conducted research showing that a powder dropper can successfully drop boron powder into high-temperature plasma within tokamaks that have parts made of a heat-resistant material known as tungsten.
Published Ancient landslide destroyed area size of Cincinnati
(via sciencedaily.com) University of Cincinnati geologists reconstructed a massive landslide in Nevada that wiped out an area the size of a small city more than 5 million years ago. Researchers pieced together details of the Blue Diamond landslide, a natural disaster that sent rocks and boulders tumbling more than 6 miles across what is now a desert outside Las Vegas. The landslide in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area had such mass and force that it propelled fragmented rock 2 miles uphill, cresting the enormous Blue Diamond Hill, and flattened an area larger than downtown Cincinnati. Rubble from the landslide stretches over an area of more than 7 square miles.
Published The electron slow motion: Ion physics on the femtosecond scale
(via sciencedaily.com) How do different materials react to the impact of ions? This is a question that plays an important role in many areas of research -- for example in nuclear fusion research, when the walls of the fusion reactor are bombarded by high-energy ions. However, it is difficult to understand the temporal sequence of such processes. A research group has now succeeded in analyzing on a time scale of one femtosecond what happens to the individual particles involved when an ion penetrates materials such as graphene or molybdenum disulphide.
Published 2D array of electron and nuclear spin qubits opens new frontier in quantum science
(via sciencedaily.com) By using photons and electron spin qubits to control nuclear spins in a two-dimensional material, researchers have opened a new frontier in quantum science and technology, enabling applications like atomic-scale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and to read and write quantum information with nuclear spins in 2D materials.
Published Upgrade for magnetic resonance methods with a 1,000-fold amplifier
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers determine the structure and dynamics of proteins using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy. Until now, however, much higher concentrations were necessary for in-vitro measurements of the biomolecules in solution than found in our body's cells. An NMR method enhanced by a very powerful amplifier, in combination with molecular dynamics simulation, now enables their detection and accurate characterization at physiological concentrations.
Published A better way to quantify radiation damage in materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers find much of the damage inside nuclear reactors is so small that it has eluded previous tests. Their new tool provides a way to directly measure this damage, potentially opening a path for the safe operation of nuclear power plants far beyond their present licensed lifetimes.
Published Suspended sediment reduced by rapid revegetation after Fukushima decontamination
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found that soil decontamination efforts following the Fukushima nuclear accident resulted in constant, high levels of suspended river sediment downstream, but a rapid decrease in the amount of particulate radiocesium. Additionally, the rapid recovery of vegetation reduced the duration of unsustainable sediment effects. Future remediation projects should assess the natural restoration ability of local landscapes, and include appropriate revegetation measures to reduce the effects on downstream environments.
Published We need to change how we think about soil
(via sciencedaily.com) With record temperatures this summer along with dry conditions, ongoing concerns about food security, wildlife habitats and biodiversity, having a healthy soil system is more vital and challenging than ever before. But what does the term 'soil health' mean and how should we measure it? New research says that how we think about, measure and study soil must be changed to give a better understanding of how to manage this resource effectively, with academics proposing an entirely new approach for assessing soil health.
Published Listening to the people results in a more sustainable future energy system
(via sciencedaily.com) By taking into account the demographics and preferences of US racial groups, clarified through a nationally representative survey of 3,000 US residents, researchers have created a 'desirable' electricity generation mix for 2050 that includes 50% more energy from renewables than current projections. Combining such bottom-up input with top-down energy system goals set by policymakers could help meet both the needs and preferences of the population along with emission and climate goals.
Published How charred detritus dispersed from Goleta Beach in wake of 2018 Montecito, California, debris flow
(via sciencedaily.com) The catastrophic debris flow that affected Montecito, Calif., in early January, 2018 was the result of a rare confluence of severe events. The Thomas Fire had been raging for weeks in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and an unusually strong winter storm dumped half an inch of rain in five minutes on the newly-charred hills above the suburban enclave. With the tough vegetation that holds the hillsides in place burned off by the fire, tons of water, silt, burnt plant matter and rocks roared down the slopes and engulfed the community below, causing massive damage and the death of 23 residents.
Published New model developed to predict landslides along wildfire burn scars
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have augmented a physics-based numerical model to investigate and predict areas susceptible to debris flows. This augmented model eventually could be used in an early warning system for people living in high-risk areas, enabling them to evacuate before it's too late. Information from model simulations also could be used to design new infrastructure -- such as diversion bars that deflect fast-moving water away from homes and roads -- for high hazard zones.
Published Smaller, stronger magnets could improve devices that harness the fusion power of the sun and stars
(via sciencedaily.com) PPPL researchers have found a way to build powerful magnets smaller than before, aiding the design and construction of machines that could help the world harness the power of the sun to create electricity without producing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Published Chemists unlock secrets of molten salts
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have come up with a novel way to study the thermodynamic properties of molten salts, which are used in many nuclear and solar energy applications.
Published Go with the flow: New findings about moving electricity could improve fusion devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found that updating a mathematical model to include a physical property known as resistivity could lead to the improved design of doughnut-shaped fusion facilities known as tokamaks.
Published Scientists propose solution to a long-puzzling fusion problem
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers demonstrate explanation of paradox that could apply to all spherical tokamaks, cost-effective candidates to model a fusion pilot plant.
Published X-rays help researchers piece together treasured cellular gateway
(via sciencedaily.com) After almost two decades of synchrotron experiments, scientists have captured a clear picture of a cell's nuclear pores, which are the doors and windows through which critical material in your body flows in and out of the cell's nucleus. These findings could lead to new treatments of certain cancers, autoimmune diseases and heart conditions.
Published Laser creates a miniature magnetosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) A research team realized magnetic reconnection driven by electron dynamics in laser-produced plasmas and measured the pure electron outflows. Their findings will be applied not only to space and astrophysical plasmas, but also to magnetic propulsion and fusion plasmas.
Published Mangrove and reef restoration yield positive returns on investment for flood protection, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Restoration of mangroves and coral reefs can be a cost-effective solution for coastal flood reduction in more than 20 countries across the Caribbean. Researchers used methods from the risk and insurance industry to provide rigorous valuations of these natural defenses and show that they can deliver a positive return on investment, with the benefits from reduced flood damage exceeding the costs of restoration. The results point toward new opportunities to support restoration efforts with funds from sources that support hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and disaster recovery, including FEMA.
Published Study explores uncertainties in flood risk estimates
(via sciencedaily.com) Flood frequency analysis is a technique used to estimate flood risk, providing statistics such as the '100-year flood' or '500-year flood' that are critical to infrastructure design, dam safety analysis, and flood mapping in flood-prone areas. But the method used to calculate these flood frequencies is due for an update, according to a new study.