The findings are important because a data center can consume up to 50 times more energy per square foot of floor space than a typical office building, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

A data center houses an organization’s information technology operations and equipment; it stores, processes and disseminates data and applications. Data centers account for roughly 2% of all electricity use in the United States, the DOE says.

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, the number of data centers has risen rapidly as data demand has soared. In the United States, home to many firms that produce and consume vast amounts of data including Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and Google, there are more than 2,600 data centers.

The advance by John Conley of the OSU College of Engineering, former Oregon State colleague Alan Wang, now of Baylor, and OSU graduate students Wei-Che Hsu, Ben Kupp and Nabila Nujhat involves a new, ultra-energy-efficient method to compensate for temperature variations that degrade photonic chips. Such chips “will form the high-speed communication backbone of future data centers and supercomputers,” Conley said.

The circuitry in photonic chips uses photons — particles of light — rather than the electrons that course through conventional computer chips. Moving at the speed of light, photons enable the extremely rapid, energy-efficient transmission of data.

The issue with photonic chips is that up until now, significant energy has been required to keep their temperature stable and performance high. The team led by Wang, however, has shown that it’s possible to reduce the energy needed for temperature control by a factor of more than 1 million.

“Alan is an expert in photonic materials and devices and my area of expertise is atomic layer deposition and electronic devices,” Conley said. “We were able to make working prototypes that show temperature can be controlled via gate voltage, which means using virtually no electric current.”

Presently, Wang said, the photonics industry exclusively relies on components known as “thermal heaters” to fine tune the working wavelengths of high-speed, electro-optic devices and optimize their performance. These thermal heaters consume several milliwatts of electricity per device.

“That might not sound like much considering that a typical LED lightbulb uses 6 to 10 watts,” Wang said. “However, multiply those several milliwatts by millions of devices and they add up quickly, so that approach faces challenges as systems scale up and become bigger and more powerful.”

“Our method is much more acceptable for the planet,” Conley added. “It will one day allow data centers to keep getting faster and more powerful while using less energy so that we can access ever more powerful applications driven by machine learning, such as ChatGPT, without feeling guilty.”

These observations were made directly beneath typhoon No. 11, called “Hinnamnor”/”Henry,” in the summer of 2022. NTT and OIST plan to continue joint research contributing to observation methods that improve the accuracy of typhoon predictions, and to explain the mechanisms of interaction between the atmosphere and ocean using observation data from directly beneath typhoons.

Background

Typhoons, which can have major impacts on society and the environment, have recently been intensifying in strength and causing more damage due to global warming and other climate change effects. To prepare effectively for a typhoon, it is important to have an accurate understanding, as early as possible, of how the storm conditions will be upon landfall. However, there is currently no way to accurately know the state and intensity of a typhoon while it is still over the ocean from available satellite images and other observations. As such, typhoon information in weather reports is estimated based on analysis of weather satellite images with limited accuracy.

In an effort to improve the accuracy of forecasts, a national research project used aircraft to make direct observations in 2017. This project demonstrated that observation data from aircraft can contribute to increasing the accuracy of typhoon forecasts. In 2013, OIST made marine and atmospheric observations directly under a very strong Category 4 typhoon (Typhoon No. 24, “Danas”) using a Wave Glider (model SV2) from Liquid Robotics Inc., an autonomous, unmanned surface vehicle which they nicknamed “OISTER.” This research demonstrated the need-to-know conditions accurately at the ocean’s surface, directly below the typhoon. However, it has not been possible to make such observations accurately with stronger typhoons, because conditions become too severe.

With a warming climate creating conditions conducive to intensification, research on typhoons has become increasingly important, as signified by the establishment of Japan’s only research facility dedicated to the study of typhoons in 2021.

In 2021, NTT and OIST began joint research to implement the observation of factors necessary to predict typhoons, even in the harsh environment of a strong typhoon. In 2022, NTT purchased a new Wave Glider (model SV3) which was called “Seiuchi-san” and began typhoon observations using both Wave Glider devices .

Key results

• Successful observation of various factors important in predicting typhoon intensity.
• Sudden drop in air pressure near the center of the typhoon (violent wind region).
• Drop in seawater temperature in two areas (violent and strong wind regions) due to churning by the typhoon. Sudden increase in significant wave height near the center of the typhoon (in the violent wind region).

These are described in more detail in the next section.

Demonstration overview

Typhoon Hinnamnor began on August 28, 2022, near the island of Minamitorishima, with air pressure dropping to 920 hPa as it moved westward and became a violent, Category 5 typhoon. After checking the predicted path of the typhoon, the two Wave Gliders were put into operation.

Seiuchi-san operated in the violent wind region, not less than 11 km from the typhoon center (with average wind speeds of 25 m/s or more), and OISTER operated in the strong wind region approximately 100 km from the center (with average wind speeds of 15 m/s or more). Both vehicles took atmospheric and ocean measurements simultaneously.

Air pressure is directly related to intensity of a typhoon, and Seiuchi-san was able to capture sudden, rapid changes in air pressure in the violent wind region of the typhoon. It was able to confirm the lowest pressure value at its closest approach to the typhoon, at approximately 20:00 on August 31. In contrast, OISTER made observations in the strong wind region, and was not able to recognize such drops.

These experiments were also able to measure changes in the temperature of sea water, which is important in estimating the intensity of a typhoon. Changes in water temperature affect the supply of energy to the typhoon and correlate with the strength of the typhoon, so it is another essential element in predicting intensity precisely. With Seiuchi-san near the center of the typhoon, the scientists were able to detect that the drop in sea-water temperature (approx. 2°C) occurred more suddenly.

Seiuchi-san also measured a maximum wave height of approximately 9 m. Since waves are caused by wind, knowing the wave height makes it possible to estimate wind strength. As such, it is useful to obtain wave height data from directly below a typhoon, but these data have been difficult to obtain from satellite observations.

The data also showed changes in the speed of ocean currents as the typhoon passed. The researchers also measured ecosystem factors, including salt concentrations related to nutritive salts, and amounts of chlorophyll a, which is useful for analyzing phytoplankton. The team plan to perform more detailed analysis on the effects of typhoons in the future.

These results were published in the May 22, 2023 issue of Scientific Online Letters on the Atmosphere (SOLA), by the Meteorological Society of Japan, which has been leading meteorological research since it was established in 1882.

[Title] Simultaneous Observations of Atmosphere and Ocean Directly under Typhoons Using Autonomous Surface Vehicles

The experiments also collected data on the behavior of the Wave Gliders themselves, in addition to atmospheric and ocean data, including orientation and movement. The scientists will analyze this behavior data and use it to improve observation equipment so that they can continue to make stable observations in the future. They also plan to continue accumulating and verifying observation data, and to develop explanations for the mechanisms of interaction between the atmosphere and the oceans.

Future prospects

The research team aim to improve the accuracy of typhoon predictions by establishing methods for making typhoon observations, and to improve typhoon prediction models by explaining the mechanisms at work within typhoons. This will enable scientists to more accurately analyze and predict the conditions of typhoons before they reach land.

In the future, the researchers also plan to collaborate with various industries and facilities to optimize methods for real-time typhoon observation, and to apply them in Earth Information Analysis Infrastructure Technology using the Space integrated computing network. They will also contribute to realizing a resilient society that can co-exist with typhoons, by adapting proactively to the environment based on highly accurate typhoon prediction.

By using observation data to understand the effects of global warming on typhoons, and conversely, the effects of typhoons on the global environment, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the global environment, and be better able to promote changes in our society’ behavior to preserve and regenerate the Earth.

The technique, developed by scientists at the University of Sydney, could be a game-changer in the management of crop loss to mice plague. In 2021, NSW Farmers said the mice plague at the time could cause $1 billion of damage to Australian crops.

The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is led by PhD student Finn Parker, with co-authors Professor Peter Banks, Dr Catherine Price and Jenna Bytheway, from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

The team estimates that mice successfully steal 63 percent fewer wheat seeds, compared to untreated controls, if a wheat crop is sprayed with diluted wheat germ oil during and after sowing.

The researchers found that if the wheat plot was also sprayed with the same solution before planting, then seed loss reduced by an even better 74 percent. This, they say, is because the mice had learned to ignore unrewarding wheat odour by the time the crop is planted.

“We found we could reduce mice damage even during plague conditions simply by making it hard for mice to find their food, by camouflaging the seed odour. Because they’re hungry, they can’t spend all their time searching for food that’s hard to find,” Professor Banks said.

“When the smell of the seed is everywhere, they’ll just go and look for something else instead of being encouraged to dig. That’s because mice are precise foragers that can smell seeds in the ground and dig exactly where a seed is, but they can’t do that in this situation because everything smells like the seeds.

“This misinformation tactic could work well in other crop systems, indeed any animal that finds food by smell is potentially vulnerable to us manipulating that smell and undermining their ability to search.”

Mr Parker said the camouflage treatment could be an effective solution for wheat growers, given wheat’s brief vulnerability.

“The camouflage appeared to last until after the seeds germinated, which is the period of vulnerability when wheat needs to be protected,” he said.

“Most mouse damage occurs from when seeds are sown up to germination, just under two weeks later.

“Mice can’t evolve resistance to the method either because it uses the same odour that mice rely on to find wheat seeds.”

The research was conducted in May 2021 on a farm 10 kilometres north-west of Pleasant Hills, New South Wales, where five treatments were tested across 60 plots.

Two of the treatments involved the wheat germ oil solution. The other three treatments were controls, with plots covered in canola oil, trampled or left untreated. All control treatments performed similarly, receiving significantly more damage than treated plots.

Wheat germ oil is a relatively inexpensive by-product of the milling process. The authors said their solution, which contains only wheat germ oil diluted in water, offers a sustainable, non-lethal alternative to pesticides and baits.

“If people want to control mice but can’t get numbers down low enough, our technique can be a potent alternative to pesticides or add value to existing methods,” Dr Price said.

The research could aid wheat farmers at a crucial time. Mouse numbers are on the rise, and wheat is sowed in mid-autumn.

Next, the researchers plan to discover how diluted the concentration can be while effectively repelling mice, and how often the solution must be sprayed on a crop to remain effective.

The Department of Agriculture expects the value of Australian wheat to reach a record high of $15 billion this financial year.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have launched the Bio-SPHERE project in a unique research facility located 1.1 km below the surface, in one of the deepest mine sites in the UK. The project investigates how scientific and medical operations would take place in the challenging environments of the Moon and Mars.

It is the first of a series of new laboratory facilities planned to study how humans might work — and stay healthy — during long space missions, a key requirement for ensuring mission continuity on other planets.

The team is working in partnership with the Boulby Underground Laboratory, a 4,000m³ deep underground facility focused on particle physics, Earth sciences and astrobiology research, run by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (part of UK Research and Innovation) with the support of the Boulby Mine operators, ICL-UK.

The Bio-SPHERE project is based in a 3,000m³ tunnel network adjacent to the Boulby Laboratory, which go through 250-million-year-old rock salt deposits, consisting of Permian evaporite layers left over from the Zechstein Sea. This geological environment, together with the deep subsurface location, have enabled researchers to recreate the operational conditions humans would experience working in similar caverns on the Moon and Mars. This includes remoteness, limited access to new materials and challenges in moving heavy equipment around.

At the same time, thanks to the ultra-low radiation environment provided by that depth, the location will enable scientists to investigate how effective underground habitats might be in protecting space crews from deep-space radiation, which is a significant risk in space exploration, as well as other hazards, such as falling debris from meteorites, which risks damaging the life-support infrastructure.

The first facility to be opened as part of Bio-SPHERE (Biomedical Sub-surface Pod for Habitability and Extreme-environments Research in Expeditions), is based in a 3-metre-wide simulation module and is designed specifically to test biomedical procedures needed to prepare materials for treating tissue damage. These include complex fluids, polymers and hydrogels for regenerative medicine that could be used, for example, in wound dressings, or fillers for damage mitigation.

A paper describing the concept and design of such a habitat was recently published in Nature (NPJ) Microgravity.

Bio-SPHERE, which includes a range of capabilities for sterile work and material processing, combines these simulation facilities and useful geological environment with access to the adjacent physics and chemistry laboratory facilities.

This environment provides the opportunity to simulate various mission scenarios and to conduct cutting edge, interdisciplinary science, ranging from the effects of extreme environments on biological and physicochemical parameters and on medical infrastructure, all the way to investigating how available ‘in-situ’ resources such as ambient pressure, temperature and geology can be used for habitat construction.

Lead researcher Dr Alexandra Iordachescu, in the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering, said: “We are excited to be partnering with the fantastic science team at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. This new capability will help to gather information that can advise on the life support systems, devices and biomaterials which could be used in medical emergencies and tissue repair following damage in deep-space missions.

“These types of metrics can guide system design and help to assess the scientific needs and acceptable timeframes in bioengineering operations under the constraints of isolated environments, such as space habitats. The data is likely to bring numerous benefits for Earth-based applications as well, such as delivering biomedical interventions in remote areas or in hazardous environments and more generally, understanding biomedical workflows in these non-ideal environments.”

Professor Sean Paling, Director and Senior Scientist at the Boulby Underground laboratory said: “We are very pleased to be working with Dr Iordachescu and the team from the University of Birmingham on this exciting work. The challenges ahead for humankind in exploring habitats beyond Earth are clearly many and significant. The Bio-SPHERE project promises to help answer some key logistical questions in establishing sustainable living conditions in remote, subterranean environments and in doing so will significantly contribute to the essential preparations for our collective long, difficult and exciting journey ahead. It is also a great example of the diverse range of science studies that can be carried out in a deep underground science facility, and we are very happy to be hosting it.”

Tracing VOCs is important for public safety and all “smell” related issues. To this end, in Applied Physics Reviews, from AIP Publishing, Liu et al. introduced a fluid mechanics-based chamber design for an electronic nose (e-nose) that consistently detects VOCs at low concentrations. The strategy, which includes using a shuntlike device to control the behavior of fluid flow, is a step forward in e-nose technology development.

Methods for detecting VOCs face many challenges in terms of selectivity, sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability. E-noses, inspired by the olfactory system, can overcome some of these barriers by combining arrays of chemical sensors with pattern recognition techniques to recognize odors.

However, many e-noses generate different signals toward VOCs of the same concentration when the sensor is located in different parts of the “nose” chamber.

“To counteract this problem, the fluidic behavior of the gas flow needs to be well controlled,” said author Weiwei Wu. “This ensures a uniform fluidic field and concentration of VOCs in the chamber and avoids generating any fake sensing characteristics.”

The starting e-nose design featured a vertical chamber that looks much like a showerhead. This promotes vertical flow as gas spreads through holes at the bottom of the device and around to evenly distributed sensors.

Using fluid mechanics simulations, the team optimized the volume, symmetry, hole location, and sensor location of their e-nose chamber. They added a shuntlike device to promote fluid flow and shorten response time.

Based on their simulation results, the researchers fabricated a Teflon chamber and measured the sensing performance of their e-nose. They compared two chambers, one with the shunt and one without. The chamber with the shunt device consistently performed around 1.3 times better at sensing an example VOC.

In the future, the authors plan to focus on minimizing the chamber and improving the structure further to decrease response and recovery time.

“E-nose research is a highly interdisciplinary field,” said Wu. “Chemists, physicists, biologists, electronics engineers, and data scientists need to work together to solve issues including effective sensing that considers the fundamental mechanisms of absorption/desorption, algorithms that achieve precise recognition of VOCs more quickly and with lower energy consumption, and how new technologies, such as memristors, should be involved.”