News

Methane,

methane

A hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas. Methane is also a greenhouse gas (GHG), so its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth’s temperature and climate system

Source: EPA Source

a potent greenhouse gas, is naturally produced in many crucial industries such as agriculture and wastewater treatment. What if we could grab that gas before it goes into the atmosphere, and make something useful out of it? Mango Materials, a California-based biomanufacturing company, has invented a way to do just that.

Aerosol

aerosols

Small particles or droplets, such as wildfire smoke, volcanic gases, or salty sea spray, that float in the air. They are emitted by both natural events and human activities.

Source: NASA Global Climate Change Source

particles have a large impact on climate, but they are difficult to represent in climate models. Particles are tremendously diverse, and their properties change as they move through the atmosphere. However, these particle-level details must be simplified in climate models, and errors from these simplifications are not well understood.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Spring 2025 term of 2 programs offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science: the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. The application deadline for the two programs is 5:00 p.m. (ET) on October 2, 2024.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued the topics for the fiscal year 2025 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Please register for one or all of the Department of Energy FY 2025 Phase I Release 1 SBIR/STTR Topics webinars and hear directly from the DOE Topic Managers as they briefly provide insight into their respective topics.

Ice nucleating particles

ice nucleating particles

Tiny specks of material suspended in the air that act as starting points for the formation of ice crystals in clouds.

Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Source

(INPs) are a rare subset of particles that can have an outsized impact on weather and clouds by initiating the process of ice formation in clouds. Cloud ice plays an important role in the formation of precipitation as well as in changing the amount of sunlight clouds reflect to space and the amount of heat trapped by clouds.

Clouds affect the Earth’s weather and climate by influencing light, heat, and moisture in the atmosphere. They come in many varieties with unique impacts on the atmosphere. Researchers strive to understand these nuances to accurately model weather and climate. Artificial intelligence

artificial intelligence

A machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.

Source: U.S. Department of State Source

(AI) can help study clouds by analyzing satellite images.

A recent study suggests a higher global mean precipitation increase and narrows the uncertainty range. Global precipitation is expected to increase with climate change,

climate change

A change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.

Source: NASA Climate Kids Source

but accurately predicting these changes is challenging for current models. To better assess future conditions, two key factors must themselves be more accurate

Wildfires can influence both terrestrial

terrestrial

The geographical and biological features that are associated with the Earth's solid, rocky surface, residing on or resembling the land or terrain found on our planet.

Source: NASA Source

and aquatic biogeochemical cycling through the alteration of organic matter during burning. This research compares different burning methods to simulate wildfire to examine alterations to the chemical composition of plants through the production of chars.

Turbulence, temperature changes, water vapor, carbon dioxide,

carbon dioxide (CO2)

An important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions.

Source: NASA Source

ozone, methane, and other gases absorb, reflect, and scatter sunlight as it passes through the atmosphere, bounces off the Earth’s surface, and is collected by a sensor on a remote sensing

remote sensing

The process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation at a distance (typically from satellite or aircraft).

Source: USGS Source

satellite. As a result, the spectral data received at the sensor is distorted.

Using electricity generated by offshore wind turbines as one pathway to split water to produce clean hydrogen may make economic sense, particularly along the U.S. Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, according to researchers at the National Renewable Energy

renewable energy

Renewable energy comes from unlimited, naturally replenished resources, such as the sun, tides, and wind. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation.

Source: U.S Department of Energy Source

Laboratory (NREL).

During a recent U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) workshop held virtually from March 18 to 20, 2024, experts discussed the feasibility and scientific priorities of observing marine aerosols and clouds from commercial ships. An ensuing workshop report was published in June.

Los Alamos National Laboratory recently funded a series of scoping studies to explore the possibility of leveraging local facilities, infrastructure and resources to test clean-energy technologies. The team leading this effort is looking for feedback from the community and wants to hear from: Tribal and community representatives, investors, developers, policymakers, utilities and facilities.