Preferred Direction Research Articles

Analytical prediction of specific spatiotemporal patterns in nonlinear oscillator networks with distance-dependent time delays

We introduce an analytical approach that allows predictions and mechanistic insights into the dynamics of nonlinear oscillator networks with heterogeneous time delays. We demonstrate that time delays shape the spectrum of a matrix associated with the system, leading to the emergence of waves with a preferred direction. We then create analytical predictions for the specific spatiotemporal patterns observed in individual simulations of time-delayed Kuramoto networks. This approach generalizes to systems with heterogeneous time delays at finite scales, which permits the study of spatiotemporal dynamics in a broad range of applications.

Direct ink writing of textured piezoelectric ceramics

Textured ceramics are often formed via tape casting in order to align platelet particles in the preferred direction, allowing the ceramic to have properties approaching those of single crystals without the complexities of growing such a crystal. However, tape casting produces significant waste material, as flat plates are machined to produce the desired geometries, e.g., rings. Additive manufacturing reduces these issues by allowing the complex geometries to be formed in the green state, thus reducing waste and improving design freedom. This presentation will discuss progress to-date on direct ink writing (DIW) of textured PMN-PZT. The focus will be on the methodology used to develop a suitable paste for printing. Development of a stable, shear thinning paste with a quick recovery time is critical. Zeta potential and rheological data were collected as a function of pH and other relevant slurry parameters such as percent solids loading and binder content. Sintered filaments and bulk parts were characterized to evaluate the efficacy of template alignment in the process as a function of slurry rheology, nozzle geometry, and print parameters.

Simultaneous acquisition of vibration and diffusion by multifrequency diffusion tensor imaging-magnetic resonance elastography (mDTI-MRE)

Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) are MRI techniques that provide complementary diagnostic information and utilize motion-sensitive magnetic field gradients. In MRE, tissue vibrations are encoded into the MRI signal phase, while in DTI the diffusive motion of water molecules is assessed by means of the MRI signal magnitude. Careful consideration of the motion-encoding gradient timing conditions and the mechanical frequencies allows the simultaneous acquisition of vibration and diffusion data without observable mutual interferences. We propose a multifrequency Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Magnetic Resonance Elastography (mDTI-MRE) protocol that measures the diffusive behavior along 24 directions and the full 3D displacement field at two mechanical frequencies. Using this method, mDTI-MRE provides information about the mechanical wave field and about a preferred direction, which may facilitate the accurate mechanical characterization of anisotropic biological tissues, such as brain white matter and skeletal muscle.

Cable-Aided Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (CRIS): New Paradigm for Wireless Communication Networks

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have been introduced to improve the coverage of wireless systems and make the communication environment controllable. The functionality of RIS is based on signal manipulation, in particular reflection, which can be used to steer the electromagnetic waves in the preferred directions. Accordingly, the spatial diversity and signal quality can be enhanced via nearly passive beamforming. Nevertheless, wireless propagation of the signals from the transmitter to the RIS and then to the receiver can still experience a substantial path loss and delay. In this work, we introduce a novel concept of cable-aided distributed RIS (CRIS), which seamlessly connects two distant locations and thus enables superior signal propagation conditions compared to state-of-art technologies. In combination with the techniques known in the context of RIS, such as beamforming, spatial diversity enhancement, etc., this technology can provide unprecedented improvements for the coverage and energy efficiency of future wireless networks. Furthermore, the communication environment is expected to become not just controllable, but partially transparent. The obtained numerical results indicate that CRIS outperforms both the traditional RISs and the recently proposed STAR-RISs with simultaneous transmission and reflection capabilities, while the operation requirements and complexity for CRIS are much lower compared to the latter.

Neuronal representation of bimanual arm motor imagery in the motor cortex of a tetraplegia human, a pilot study.

How the human brain coordinates bimanual movements is not well-established. Here, we recorded neural signals from a paralyzed individual's left motor cortex during both unimanual and bimanual motor imagery tasks and quantified the representational interaction between arms by analyzing the tuning parameters of each neuron. We found a similar proportion of neurons preferring each arm during unimanual movements, however, when switching to bimanual movements, the proportion of contralateral preference increased to 71.8%, indicating contralateral lateralization. We also observed a decorrelation process for each arm's representation across the unimanual and bimanual tasks. We further confined that these changes in bilateral relationships are mainly caused by the alteration of tuning parameters, such as the increased bilateral preferred direction (PD) shifts and the significant suppression in bilateral modulation depths (MDs), especially the ipsilateral side. These results contribute to the knowledge of bimanual coordination and thus the design of cutting-edge bimanual brain-computer interfaces.

Hand preference and the corpus callosum: Is there really no association?

Originating from a series of morphometric studies conducted in the 1980s, it appears a widely held belief in cognitive neuroscience that the corpus callosum is larger in left or mixed handers than in right handers (RH). However, a recent meta-analysis challenges this belief by not finding significant differences in corpus callosum size between handedness groups. Yet, relying on the available published data, the meta-analysis was not able to account for a series of factors potential influencing its outcome, such as confounding effects of brain size differences and a restricted spatial resolution of previous callosal segmentation strategies. To address these remaining questions, we here analysed N = 1057 participants' midsagittal corpus callosum of from the Human Connectome Project (HCP 1200 Young Adults) to compare handedness groups based on consistency (e.g., consistent RH vs. mixed handers, MH) and direction of hand preference (e.g., dominant RH vs. dominant left handers). A possible relevance of brain-size differences was addressed by analysing callosal variability by both using forebrain volume (FBV) as covariate and utilising relative area (callosal area/thickness divided by FBV) as a dependent variable. Callosal thickness was analysed at 100 measuring points along the structure to achieve high spatial resolution to detect subregional effects. However, neither of the conducted analyses was able to find significant handedness-related differences in the corpus callosum and the respective effect-sizes estimates were small. For example, comparing MH and consistent RH, the effect sizes for difference in callosal area were below a Cohen's d = 0.1 (irrespective of how FBV was included), and narrow confidence intervals allowed to exclude effects above |d| = 0.2. Analysing thickness, effect sizes were below d = 0.2 with confidence intervals not extending above |d| = 0.3. In this, the possible range of population effect sizes of hand preference on callosal morphology appears well below the effects commonly reported for factors like age, sex, or brain size. Effects on cognition or behaviour accordingly can be considered small, questioning the common practise to attribute performance differences between handedness groups to differences in callosal architecture.

Renormalization of supersymmetric Lifshitz sigma models

We study the renormalization of an mathcal{N} = 1 supersymmetric Lifshitz sigma model in three dimensions. The sigma model exhibits worldvolume anisotropy in space and time around the high-energy z = 2 Lifshitz point, such that the worldvolume is endowed with a foliation structure along a preferred time direction. In curved backgrounds, the target-space geometry is equipped with two distinct metrics, and the interacting sigma model is power-counting renormalizable. At low energies, the theory naturally flows toward the relativistic sigma model where Lorentz symmetry emerges. In the superspace formalism, we develop a heat kernel method that is covariantized with respect to the bimetric target-space geometry, using which we evaluate the one-loop beta-functions of the Lifshitz sigma model. This study forms an essential step toward a thorough understanding of the quantum critical supermembrane as a candidate high-energy completion of the relativistic supermembrane.

Comment on "Spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with spin orientation independent from electron incidence angle" [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 93, 093904 (2022)

The paper under discussion promises a spin- and angle-resolved inverse-photoemission (IPE) setup, where the spin-polarization direction of the electron beam used for excitation "can be tuned to any preferred direction" while "preserving the parallel beam condition." We support the idea to improve IPE setups by introducing a three-dimensional spin-polarization rotator, but we put the presented results to the test by comparing them with the literature results obtained by existing setups. Based on this comparison, we conclude that the presented proof-of-principle experiments miss the target in several aspects. Most importantly, the key experiment of tuning the spin-polarization direction under otherwise allegedly identical experimental conditions causes changes in the IPE spectra that are in conflict with existing experimental results and basic quantum-mechanical considerations. We propose experimental test measurements to identify and overcome the shortcomings.

Investigating the effects of various input beam profiles on the propagations of light in two-dimensional interfaced binary

In this work, we numerically study how various input beam profiles influence the linear and nonlinear light propagation at the interface of two-dimensional (2D) binary waveguide arrays. It is revealed that, due to the presence of the central homogeneous interfaced waveguides, light beams are effectively steered into the preferred direction. Interestingly, the formation of discretely localized states in nonlinear modes can be intentionally utilized to optimize the stability and intensity of the signals at the central interfaced channels. This study thus opens alternative possibilities to achieve reliable distant beam propagation through discrete optical systems.

Direct Observation of Competing Prion Protein Fibril Populations with Distinct Structures and Kinetics.

In prion diseases, fibrillar assemblies of misfolded prion protein (PrP) self-propagate by incorporating PrP monomers. These assemblies can evolve to adapt to changing environments and hosts, but the mechanism of prion evolution is poorly understood. We show that PrP fibrils exist as a population of competing conformers, which are selectively amplified under different conditions and can "mutate" during elongation. Prion replication therefore possesses the steps necessary for molecular evolution analogous to the quasispecies concept of genetic organisms. We monitored structure and growth of single PrP fibrils by total internal reflection and transient amyloid binding super-resolution microscopy and detected at least two main fibril populations, which emerged from seemingly homogeneous PrP seeds. All PrP fibrils elongated in a preferred direction by an intermittent "stop-and-go" mechanism, but each population possessed distinct elongation mechanisms that incorporated either unfolded or partially folded monomers. Elongation of RML and ME7 prion rods likewise exhibited distinct kinetic features. The discovery of polymorphic fibril populations growing in competition, which were previously hidden in ensemble measurements, suggests that prions and other amyloid replicating by prion-like mechanisms may represent quasispecies of structural isomorphs that can evolve to adapt to new hosts and conceivably could evade therapeutic intervention.

New evidence for coiling direction of benthic foraminifera as a temperature proxy

Foraminifera are sensitive to climate change and their species composition, shell chemical element composition and morphological characteristics are useful paleoenvironmental proxies. Coiling direction is a distinctive and easily identifiable morphological feature in trochospiral foraminifera and has been used for paleoceanographic reconstruction. Here, we conducted a field survey in a low intertidal zone in Yellow Sea for 13 months and performed a culture experiment under three temperatures and four salinities for the benthic foraminifera to seek the relationship between coiling direction and environmental factors. Our results showed that the dominant benthic foraminifera Ammonia aomoriensis (Asano, 1951) preferred sinistral direction under high temperature and had no preference with salinity. Statistical analysis showed that the ratio of sinistral/dextral in A. aomoriensis was significantly positively correlated with temperature (r = 0.5017, p = 0.0011 for field survey and r = 0.5117, p = 0.0014 for culture experiment), but had no evident relationship with salinity (p > 0.05). The ratio of sinistral/dextral was significantly negatively related with the abundance of A. aomoriensis (p < 0.05) and the ratio of sinistral/dextral was significantly positively related with the size (p < 0.05). This was the first study on the coiling direction of benthic foraminifera combining the field survey and culture experiment. Our findings suggested that the ratio of sinistral/dextral in A. aomoriensis could be used to indicate the change of temperature. This study offered new evidence for the reliability of the coiling direction as a temperature proxy and made us rethink the significance of the morphological change in biological adaptation and evolution.

Toward a Physiologically Relevant 3D Helicoidal-Oriented Cardiac Model: Simultaneous Application of Mechanical Stimulation and Surface Topography

Myocardium consists of cardiac cells that interact with their environment through physical, biochemical, and electrical stimulations. The physiology, function, and metabolism of cardiac tissue are affected by this dynamic structure. Within the myocardium, cardiomyocytes' orientations are parallel, creating a dominant orientation. Additionally, local alignments of fibers, along with a helical organization, become evident at the macroscopic level. For the successful development of a reliable in vitro cardiac model, evaluation of cardiac cells' behavior in a dynamic microenvironment, as well as their spatial architecture, is mandatory. In this study, we hypothesize that complex interactions between long-term contraction boundary conditions and cyclic mechanical stimulation may provide a physiological mechanism to generate off-axis alignments in the preferred mechanical stretch direction. This off-axis alignment can be engineered in vitro and, most importantly, mirrors the helical arrangements observed in vivo. For this purpose, uniaxial mechanical stretching of dECM-fibrin hydrogels was performed on pre-aligned 3D cultures of cardiac cells. In view of the potential development of helical structures similar to those in native hearts, the possibility of generating oblique alignments ranging between 0° and 90° was explored. Indeed, our investigations of cell alignment in 3D, employing both mechanical stimulation and groove constraint, provide a reliable mechanism for the generation of helicoidal structures in the myocardium. By combining cyclic stretch and geometric alignment in grooves, an intermediate angle toward favored direction can be achieved experimentally: while cyclic stretch produces a perpendicular orientation, geometric alignment is associated with a parallel one. In our 2D and 3D culture conditions, nonlinear cellular addition of the strains and strain avoidance concept reliably predicted the preferred cellular alignment. The 3D dECM-fibrin model system in this study shows that cyclical stretching supports cell survival and development. Using mechanical stimulation of pre-aligned heart cells, maturation markers are augmented in neonatal cardiomyocytes, while the beating culture period is prolonged, indicating an improved model function. We propose a simplified theoretical model based on numerical simulation and nonlinear strain avoidance by cells to explain oblique alignment angles. Thus, this work lays a possible rational basis for understanding and engineering oblique cellular alignments, such as the helicoidal layout of the heart, using approaches that simultaneously enhance maturation and function.

Multiple preferred escape trajectories are explained by a geometric model incorporating prey's turn and predator attack endpoint.

The escape trajectory (ET) of prey - measured as the angle relative to the predator's approach path - plays a major role in avoiding predation. Previous geometric models predict a single ET; however, many species show highly variable ETs with multiple preferred directions. Although such a high ET variability may confer unpredictability to avoid predation, the reasons why animals prefer specific multiple ETs remain unclear. Here, we constructed a novel geometric model that incorporates the time required for prey to turn and the predator's position at the end of its attack. The optimal ET was determined by maximizing the time difference of arrival at the edge of the safety zone between the prey and predator. By fitting the model to the experimental data of fish Pagrus major, we show that the model can clearly explain the observed multiple preferred ETs. By changing the parameters of the same model within a realistic range, we were able to produce various patterns of ETs empirically observed in other species (e.g., insects and frogs): a single preferred ET and multiple preferred ETs at small (20-50°) and large (150-180°) angles from the predator. Our results open new avenues of investigation for understanding how animals choose their ETs from behavioral and neurosensory perspectives.

Investigation of microstructural and corrosion behavior of 316LSi structure developed by wire arc additive manufacturing

SS316LSi austenitic stainless steel thin wall was deposited using wire arc additive manufacturing technology, which is known for its high deposition rate and effective material utilization. The optical micrograph revealed the formation of vermicular δ-ferrite, dispersed in the austenite matrix in the deposited wall. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of γ-austenite, δ-ferrite, and chromium carbide (Cr23C6) phases. The SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy study exhibited the formation of intergranular precipitates. In the magnetic study, ferrite number was found from 3 to 7 in a different portion of the wall which revealed the formation of the ferromagnetic δ-ferrite phase. The Cr and Ni equivalent ratio, 1.66, ferrite number, and presence of vermicular δ-ferrite in the microstructure showed that ferrite austenite can be the mode of solidification in the alloy. The preferred grain growth direction was determined by electron backscattered diffraction analysis to be < 001 > orientation along the build-up direction. In the potentiodynamic polarization and double loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation study, the corrosion rate and intergranular corrosion were correlated to the amount of δ-ferrite and Cr23C6 respectively. The degree of sensitization confirmed that the amount of Cr23C6 formed is least in the lowermost and highest in the central portion of the deposited wall.

Molecular dynamics exploration of ion association mechanism of apatite controlled by a nanogrooved hydroxyapatite surface

Surface topography modification is a promising tissue engineering technology that provides an adjustable geometric microenvironment for the implant-tissue interface. Nanogrooves can affect the amount and arrangement of apatite deposition, which plays a crucial role in the formation of bionic bone tissue in the preferred direction. The effects of grooved topography on the ion association must be understood for designing and optimizing bone implant materials. We performed molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations to explore the effect of grooves with different slope angles on the ion association of Ca2+ and PO43- ions. The ion deposition degree could be controlled by regulating the slope angle of the nanogrooves. The groove model with a 60° slope angle has the greatest biological activity for ion deposition. Ions were selectively adsorbed at the sharp corners of the groove. This phenomenon was attributed to relative differences in binding thermostability in different regions of the groove, which could partially explain why a grooved topography can improve the production of a well-organized apatite structure. Our results provide a molecular mechanism to understand the effects of the grooved topography on the ion association, which can aid in optimizing the biological activity of materials through topography-modified tissue engineering technology.

Temporal Irreversibility of Large-Scale Brain Dynamics in Alzheimer's Disease.

Healthy brain dynamics can be understood as the emergence of a complex system far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Brain dynamics are temporally irreversible and thus establish a preferred direction in time (i.e., arrow of time). However, little is known about how the time-reversal symmetry of spontaneous brain activity is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that the level of irreversibility would be compromised in AD, signaling a fundamental shift in the collective properties of brain activity toward equilibrium dynamics. We investigated the irreversibility from resting-state fMRI and EEG data in male and female human patients with AD and elderly healthy control subjects (HCs). We quantified the level of irreversibility and, thus, proximity to nonequilibrium dynamics by comparing forward and backward time series through time-shifted correlations. AD was associated with a breakdown of temporal irreversibility at the global, local, and network levels, and at multiple oscillatory frequency bands. At the local level, temporoparietal and frontal regions were affected by AD. The limbic, frontoparietal, default mode, and salience networks were the most compromised at the network level. The temporal reversibility was associated with cognitive decline in AD and gray matter volume in HCs. The irreversibility of brain dynamics provided higher accuracy and more distinctive information than classical neurocognitive measures when differentiating AD from control subjects. Findings were validated using an out-of-sample cohort. Present results offer new evidence regarding pathophysiological links between the entropy generation rate of brain dynamics and the clinical presentation of AD, opening new avenues for dementia characterization at different levels.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By assessing the irreversibility of large-scale dynamics across multiple brain signals, we provide a precise signature capable of distinguishing Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the global, local, and network levels and different oscillatory regimes. Irreversibility of limbic, frontoparietal, default-mode, and salience networks was the most compromised by AD compared with more sensory-motor networks. Moreover, the time-irreversibility properties associated with cognitive decline and atrophy outperformed and complemented classical neurocognitive markers of AD in predictive classification performance. Findings were generalized and replicated with an out-of-sample validation procedure. We provide novel multilevel evidence of reduced irreversibility in AD brain dynamics that has the potential to open new avenues for understating neurodegeneration in terms of the temporal asymmetry of brain dynamics.

Synergistic nanomagnetic forces and aripiprazole potentiate guided neurite outgrowth.

Neuronal circuits rely on particular, consistent connections, called synapses, to communicate effectively. Lack of synapses, which can result from a lack of neurite branching, and misoriented axons can lead to neuronal miscommunication, resulting in mental disorders such as schizophrenia. In previous studies, numerous methods have been identified to initiate greater neurite branching, including antipsychotic drugs such as aripiprazole and olanzapine. However, antipsychotics alone have not been shown to orient neurites. Previously, other researchers and we have demonstrated that applying nanomagnetic forces (NMF) can orient neurite outgrowth in the direction of the magnetic ascent. In this study, we examined the separate and combined effects of antipsychotic drugs and NMF on neurite growth patterns of PC12 cells. PC12s were seeded on coated Petri dishes and allowed to reach ∼10% confluence. Then we incubated 10 µg/ml starch-NH2 magnetic nanoparticles (d:iron oxide = 100 nm) for 24 h. Culture media containing 1 µM aripiprazole and 20 ng/ml NGF was added every other day. Cells were placed in one of three external magnetic fields and incubated for seven days, imaged (Leica DMi8 brightfield) at days 0, 3, 5, and 7. Extracted neurite traces had preferred neurite growth directions in each magnetic field of [1: 300°, 345°], [2: 90°, 120°], and [3: 345°, 360°], respectively. In contrast, no field conditions showed a uniform distribution of neurites across all angles [0° - 360°]. Additionally, neurites growing within the magnetic fields grew 17%, 16%, and 17% longer than neurites in the control group. These findings indicate that NMFs, in synergy with antipsychotic drugs, may help orient and guide neurites for targeted cell therapeutics and tissue engineering.

Microstructure and electrical characterizations of CuO/Fe2O3 ceramics sintered by CO2 laser beams

Layers of CuO/Fe2O3 mixture powders in a Cu/Fe molar ratio of 1:1 irradiated by continuous-wave CO2 laser beams in air transformed into face-centered-cubic Cu0.67Fe2.33O4 or CuFe5O8. The uneven or wavy surface with precursor residues after laser sintering was attributed to the intrinsic Gaussian beam profile and the temperature-induced tension gradient in the melt pool. The center valleys of the laser tracks exhibited larger faceted particles and more circular voids than those in the edge peaks. The nonstoichiometric phase transformation to Cu0.67Fe2.33O4 or CuFe5O8 grains and the formation of Cu2O along the grain boundaries can be seen in the X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopic images. Microstructure characterizations via selected area electron diffraction revealed a preferred growth direction of <111> and coherent interfaces between the CO2 laser sintered Cu0.67Fe2.33O4 or CuFe5O8 grains and precipitated Cu2O due to a small lattice mismatch. The electrical voltage sweep measurements showed the resistivity in the range of 1.5 × 10−5–1.5 × 10−4 Ω ∙ m in the center valleys, indicating their potential applications on sensors, thermistor, and thermoelectric materials.

Carrier-Envelope Phase Controlling of Ion Momentum Distributions in Strong Field Double Ionization of Methyl Iodide

In strong field ionization of methyl iodide initiated by elliptically polarized few-cycle pulses, a significant correlation was observed between the carrier-envelope phases (CEPs) of the laser and the preferred ejection direction of methyl cation arising from dissociative double ionization. This was attributed to the carrier-envelope phase dependent double ionization yields of methyl iodide. This observation provides a new way for monitoring the absolute CEPs of few-cycle pulses by observing the ion momentum distributions.

Hydrothermal Reservoir and Electrical Anisotropy Investigated by Magnetotelluric Data, Case Study of Asal Rift, Republic of Djibouti

At the center of the Republic of Djibouti, an eroded rift called Asal is located where tectonic and magmatic activities can be observed at the surface. Multiple studies were carried out with different exploration methods, such as structural, geophysical and hydrogeological, to understand rifting processes and characterize the subsurface of this rift. Among these subsurface exploration methods, the deep geoelectrical structures need to be better defined with the magnetotelluric (MT) method to better delineate the deep resistivity structures. With the objective of improving our understanding of the deep rift structure, magnetotelluric (MT) data acquired in the Asal rift were analyzed and inverted to build a 2D electrical conductivity model of the hydrothermal system. To achieve this, a dimensionality analysis of the MT data along a 2D profile perpendicular to the rift axis was carried out. Results of this analysis justify the approximation of 2D conductivity structure. Then, 2D inversion models were achieved to build models of the conductive structures. Dimensionality analysis results revealed the existence of electrical anisotropy. Consistent correlation between geoelectric strike and electrical anisotropy direction was suggested. Electrical anisotropy direction determined from the ellipticity of the phase tensor for the short periods was interpreted as the consequence of tectonic activity and horizontal deformation of the rift. Moreover, electrical anisotropy direction for the long periods was assumed to be related to the effects of combined magmatic-tectonic activities with predominant magma/dyke intrusion, which implies the vertical deformation and the subsidence of the rift and may imply the alignment of Olivine. Moreover, the variation and rotation of paleo and recent stress fields direction of plate motion in Asal rift located at the junction of three diverging plates—Arabia, Nubia and Somalia—over geological time can generate both magmatic and tectonic activities which in turn can induce a preferred direction of electrical anisotropy which is the direction of the highest conductivity. While the north-south electrical anisotropy direction is parallel to the direction of Red Sea Rift propagation, the north-east electrical anisotropy direction is aligned with the extension direction between Arabia and Somalia plates. Results of the 2D inversion models presented for the Asal rift allowed to identify two superimposed conductive units close to the surface and are interpreted as a shallow aquifer and a wide potential hydrothermal system. These conductive mediums are overlying a relatively resistive medium. The latter is associated with a magmatic system likely containing hot and/or partly molten rocks. The 2D conductivity model developed in this study could be considered as conceptual model of Asal rift prior to modeling multiphase fluid flow and heat transfer and/or could be used to identify the hydrothermal system for future drilling target depth of geothermal exploration.