Latest news with #UniversityOfColoradoBoulder
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
US supercomputer simulates 1 quintillion calculations to design better airplanes
U.S. Department of Energy's(DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is helping researchers explore novel ways to design aeroplanes using its Aurora supercomputer. Known as one of the world's first exascale supercomputers, Aurora can perform over a quintillion calculations per second. A team from the University of Colorado Boulder uses Aurora's exascale supercomputing capabilities with machine learning techniques to dissect the airflow around commercial aircraft. Through this activity, they aim to provide insights to inform the design of next-generation airplanes. 'With Aurora, we're able to run simulations that are larger than ever before and on more complex flows," said Kenneth Jansen, professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado. "These simulations help improve the predictive models that are applied to even more complex cases, such as capturing the flow physics around a full vertical tail and rudder assembly of an aircraft at full flight scale,' he continued. Reason to study the airflow Airplanes often have vertical tails larger than needed for most flights, to tackle worst-case scenarios like taking off in a crosswind with only one engine running. The team of researchers thought that if they could study the physics of the flow better, they could design a smaller tail that is still effective in such scenarios. They are using a tool called HONEE to run detailed airflow simulations. The tool helps model the complex, chaotic behaviour of turbulent air. These high-quality simulations are then used to train AI models called subgrid stress (SGS) models. SGS models are important because they help predict the effects of tiny turbulent air movements that aren't directly visible in lower-resolution simulations, but are crucial for accurate airflow predictions. All about turbulence Traditional turbulence is dependent on two things: extensive stored datasets and slow offline analysis. The team's new method uses machine learning simultaneously with simulation to save time and bypass the need to store massive chunks of data. 'Online machine learning refers to carrying out simulations that produce training data at the same time that the actual training task is carried out,' Rowe said. 'We're ensuring we can examine the simulation fields in real time and extract dynamics as the simulation progresses,' Kenneth Jansen explained. 'On the machine learning side, we're using those same analytics to understand how they impact turbulence models. Machine learning allows us to uncover modelling behaviors that complement and extend our current understanding," he continued. Using this method, the team has built predictive models that can detect the behavior of turbulent air. This approach allows scientists to test new ideas for real-time flow control and evaluate how smaller tail designs can fare in extreme conditions. The tool stack The team uses Aurora's exascale power and advanced tools like HONEE for fluid simulations, SmartSim for real-time data streaming and in-node training, and PETSc for scalable numerical calculations. This integrated approach enables faster, more efficient aircraft design by combining simulation and machine learning without costly physical testing. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This airborne toxin was discovered in the US for the first time
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. A new study from researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder included a shocking revelation. According to this new paper, published in ACS Environmental Au, researchers detected an unexpected airborne toxin in US air for the first time. The toxins in question are known as Medium Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs). These toxins are considered toxic organic pollutants, and this is the first time they've been discovered in the air in the Western Hemisphere. The reason these toxins are considered organic is because they tend to be found around wastewater. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 As a result, these airborne toxins can end up being released when wastewater is removed from liquid in a treatment plant. It can also end up in biosolid fertilizer, which is likely the reason that the researchers detected it, as they were set up near fields that utilize the fertilizer to help grow its crops. The researchers say they can't guarantee that is where the toxins came from. However, they believe that it is a reasonable explanation for why the MCCPs are ending up in the air. Because as the 'sewage sludges,' which is how the researchers referred to the biosolid fertilizers, are spread across the fields, the toxins could very easily be released into the air. The smaller cousins of these airborne toxins, known as Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs), are currently policed by the Stockholm Convention, and the EPA in the United States since 2009, though it's unclear how much longer the EPA will continue to police these types of toxins following massive changes under the Trump administration. The toxins are known to travel long distances and remain in the atmosphere for long periods of time, making them harmful to human health. The researchers believe that by regulating the SCCPs, though, we may have inadvertently increased the amount of MCCPs in the environment. It is currently just a hypothesis, but the researchers note that regulating one thing often ends up with another product filling that space, as the item is still needed in products where it was useful. The researchers detailed their findings in the new study, highlighting that they measured the air near the fields 24 hours a day for one month. They found that there were new patterns that looked different from the standard chemical compounds found in the fertilizer. With some additional research, they discovered they were airborne toxins known as chlorinated paraffins. MCCPs are similar in makeup to PFAS, which are often known as 'forever chemicals' because of how long they take to break down. Now that researchers have measured MCCPs in the wild, it's time to dig deeper and see just how widespread the toxins have spread, and whether or not the concentration within the air changes each season. The researchers say that despite identifying them and knowing they exist, we still don't know much about what MCCPs do when in the atmosphere, or even how they might affect human health long-term. More research will be needed to figure out just how dangerous these airborne toxins are. More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
