Dry Ice Research Articles

Machine learning prediction of gestational age from metabolic screening markers resistant to ambient temperature transportation: Facilitating use of this technology in low resource settings of South Asia and East Africa.

BackgroundKnowledge of gestational age is critical for guiding preterm neonatal care. In the last decade, metabolic gestational dating approaches emerged in response to a global health need; because in most of the developing world, accurate antenatal gestational age estimates are not feasible. These methods initially developed in North America have now been externally validated in two studies in developing countries, however, require shipment of samples at sub-zero temperature.MethodsA subset of 330 pairs of heel prick dried blood spot samples were shipped on dry ice and in ambient temperature from field sites in Tanzania, Bangladesh and Pakistan to laboratory in Iowa (USA). We evaluated impact on recovery of analytes of shipment temperature, developed and evaluated models for predicting gestational age using a limited set of metabolic screening analytes after excluding 17 analytes that were impacted by shipment conditions of a total of 44 analytes.ResultsWith the machine learning model using all the analytes, samples shipped in dry ice yielded a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.19 weeks compared to 1.58 weeks for samples shipped in ambient temperature. Out of the 44 screening analytes, recovery of 17 analytes was significantly different between the two shipment methods and these were excluded from further machine learning model development. The final model, restricted to stable analytes provided a RMSE of 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-1.37) weeks for samples shipped on dry ice and RMSE of 1.28 (95% CI = 1.15-1.39) for samples shipped at ambient temperature. Analysis for discriminating preterm births (gestational age <37 weeks), yielded an area under curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% CI = 0.71-0.81) for samples shipped on dry ice and AUC of 0.73 (95% CI = 0.67-0.78) for samples shipped in ambient temperature.ConclusionsIn this study, we demonstrate that machine learning algorithms developed using a sub-set of newborn screening analytes which are not sensitive to shipment at ambient temperature, can accurately provide estimates of gestational age comparable to those from published regression models from North America using all analytes. If validated in larger samples especially with more newborns <34 weeks, this technology could substantially facilitate implementation in LMICs.

EHypertension: A prospective longitudinal multi‐omics essential hypertension cohort

eHypertension: A prospective longitudinal multi‐omics essential hypertension cohort

Life cycle cost analysis of CO2 compression processes coupled with a cryogenic distillation unit for purifying high-CO2 natural gas

Novel compression processes coupled with a cryogenic distillation unit are designed in this study to purify high-CO2 natural gas or biogas before injection into the reservoir. Four different designs are evaluated to achieve the required injection pressure and minimize both the capital and operation costs. Depending on the pressure–temperature pathway for the compression of the top and bottom products of the distillation unit, the energy and equipment costs are quantified using process simulation models and economic analysis tools, which are integrated with the flow simulation model to determine the required injection pressure. This holistic approach of integrating the compression process and injection pipeline is efficient for optimizing the process design and operation variables. The results suggest that liquefying the top product followed by mixing with the bottom product is the most cost-effective method, as it eliminates costly compressors and simplifies the process configuration. In addition to the life cycle cost analysis of the process, the sudden release of CO2 from the vessel is also studied experimentally. The results show that releasing gaseous CO2 through the valve induces the formation of solid CO2 inside the vessel before complete removal of CO2 from the vessel, thus requiring a controlled release strategy to avoid solid CO2 formation inside the vessel and through the valve.

Impact and Challenges of Reducing Petroleum Consumption for Decarbonization

This study aimed to identify the impact of achieving the 1.5 °C target on the petroleum supply chain in Japan, and discuss the feasibility and challenges of decarbonization. First, a national material flow was established for the petroleum supply chain in Japan, including processes for crude petroleum refining, petroleum product manufacturing, plastic resin and product manufacturing, and by-product manufacturing. In particular, by-product manufacturing processes, such as hydrogen, gaseous carbon dioxide, and sulfur, were selected because they are utilized in other industries. Next, the outlook for the production of plastic resin, hydrogen, dry ice produced from carbon dioxide gas, and sulfur until 2050 was estimated for reducing petroleum consumption required to achieve the 1.5 °C target. As a result, national petroleum treatment is expected to reduce from 177,048.00 thousand kl in 2019 to 126,643.00 thousand kl in 2030 if the reduction in petroleum consumption is established. Along with this decrease, plastic resin production is expected to decrease from 10,500.00 thousand ton in 2019 to 7511.00 thousand ton by 2030. Conversely, the plastic market is expected to grow steadily, and the estimated plastic resin production in 2030 is expected to be 20,079.00 thousand ton. This result indicates that there is a large output gap between plastic supply and demand. To mitigate this gap, strongly promoting the recycling of waste plastics and making the price competitiveness of biomass plastics equal to that of petroleum-derived plastics are necessary.

Spontaneously expanding and shrinking soap bubbles

An ordinary soap bubble immersed in a pure carbon-dioxide atmosphere, created e.g. by sublimating chunks of dry ice (solid CO2), will expand within a few minutes to a volume exceeding the original one with a factor of almost ten. Considering that the bubble simultaneously experiences a cooling of C one would perhaps expect a tiny shrinkage instead. The physics behind the phenomenon, i.e. diffusion of highly soluble CO2 through the soap film caused by the difference in the partial pressure of CO2 between the interior and the exterior of the bubble, combined with the expansion of the active area of the bubble, is discussed. Actual data obtained from a video of an expanding bubble is combined with the simulation of the process, resulting in a fairly good agreement. The reverse experiment of a bubble filled with CO2 under ambient conditions leads to a fast shrinkage of the bubble. Finally, a bubble filled with helium placed in a CO2 atmosphere expands initially, reaches a maximum volume and then begins to shrink. Also this case was modeled semi-empirically. The experiments presented are suitable for upper-secondary-school pupils. Understanding the theoretical description requires first year university studies of physics or chemistry.

Rapid Self-Decomposition of g-C3N4 During Gas–Solid Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction and Its Effects on Performance Assessment

Rapid Self-Decomposition of g-C₃N₄ During Gas–Solid Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction and Its Effects on Performance Assessment

Carbon Dioxide Ice Glaciers at the South Pole of Mars

AbstractMassive, kilometer thick deposits of carbon dioxide (CO2) ice have been detected at the south polar cap of Mars by radar investigations. These deposits are divided into several units that are separated by thin water ice bounding layers. Recent studies investigated the accumulation history of CO2 ice and found that the deposits most likely formed during several episodes in the past, when Martian obliquity was much lower than now. Those studies, while able to predict total volumes of CO2 ice consistent with those observed, did not attempt to explain the anomalous three‐dimensional distribution (thickness or extent) of CO2 ice or the ice's offset from the topographic high of the polar cap. In this paper we use a combination of feature analysis and numerical modeling to demonstrate that the CO2 deposits flow as glaciers and that glacial flow distributes the ice into its current position. Further, this distribution allows the ice to survive during high obliquity excursions.

Research progress of biogas decarbonization

Taking biogas decarbonization process as the theme, this paper introduces several kinds of process methods for producing dry ice by separating carbon dioxide based on biogas, relevant research results at home and abroad, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various process methods. Finally, the relevant application cases and the new direction of future development are introduced. This paper introduces the biogas decarbonization process and related equipment, which provides theoretical support for future research.

System integration for combined heat and power (CHP) plants with post-combustion CO2 capture

Based on a typical 1000 MWe coal-fired power plant with ultra-supercritical parameters, this study proposes a new integration scheme for the combined heat and power (CHP) plant with post-combustion CO2 capture. By introducing a back-pressure heat supply (BPHS) turbine and a back-pressure CO2 capture (BPCC) turbine, the superheated degree of the extraction steam is effectively retrieved for parameter matching of CO2 capture and heat supply. With 90% CO2 capture efficiency and 785.06 MWth heat supply, the total efficiency penalty for the CHP plants with solid amine-based CO2 capture reaches 19.32%. To optimize the proposed integration scheme, over 90% of the waste heat in the CO2 capture is recovered by applying the absorption heat exchanger (AHE) to increase the heating capacity of the integrated system. Energy analysis results show that the heating capacity of the integrated system is increased by 64.18%. Exergy analysis results reveal that the exergy destruction of the CO2 capture process and the heat exchange between the primary and secondary heating networks is reduced by 40.27 MWex and 10.33 MWex. Economic analysis results show that the cost of electricity (COE) and the cost of CO2 avoided (COA) are reduced by 2.59 $/MWh and 4.19 $/t CO2.

Generating large-scale sea ice motion from Sentinel-1 and the RADARSAT Constellation Mission using the Environment and Climate Change Canada automated sea ice tracking system

Abstract. As Arctic sea ice extent continues to decline, remote sensing observations are becoming even more vital for the monitoring and understanding of sea ice. Recently, the sea ice community has entered a new era of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites operating at C-band with the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014 and Sentinel-1B (S1) in 2016 and the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) in 2019. These missions represent five spaceborne SAR sensors that together routinely cover the pan-Arctic sea ice domain. Here, we describe, apply, and validate the Environment and Climate Change Canada automated sea ice tracking system (ECCC-ASITS) that routinely generates large-scale sea ice motion (SIM) over the pan-Arctic domain using SAR images from S1 and RCM. We applied the ECCC-ASITS to the incoming image streams of S1 and RCM from March 2020 to October 2021 using a total of 135 471 SAR images and generated new SIM datasets (7 d 25 km and 3 d 6.25 km) by combining the image stream outputs of S1 and RCM (S1 + RCM). Results indicate that S1 + RCM SIM provides more coverage in the Hudson Bay, Davis Strait, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, and directly over the North Pole compared to SIM from S1 alone. Based on the resolvable S1 + RCM SIM grid cells, the 7 d 25 km spatiotemporal scale is able to provide the most complete picture of SIM across the pan-Arctic from SAR imagery alone, but considerable spatiotemporal coverage is also available from 3 d 6.25 SIM products. S1 + RCM SIM is resolved within the narrow channels and inlets of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, filling a major gap from coarser-resolution sensors. Validating the ECCC-ASITS using S1 and RCM imagery against buoys indicates a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 2.78 km for dry ice conditions and 3.43 km for melt season conditions. Higher speeds are more apparent with S1 + RCM SIM as comparison with the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) SIM product and the Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF) SIM product indicated an RMSE of u=4.6 km d−1 and v=4.7 km d−1 for the NSIDC and u=3.9 km d−1 and v=3.9 km d−1 for OSI SAF. Overall, our results demonstrate the robustness of the ECCC-ASITS for routinely generating large-scale SIM entirely from SAR imagery across the pan-Arctic domain.

Freezing Protocol Optimization for Iberian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) Epididymal Sperm under Field Conditions.

Simple SummaryThe germplasm banks of wild species, such as Iberian red deer, are not widespread, mainly due to the difficulties of collecting and cryopreserving reproductive cells. Optimal freezing protocols under field conditions could be a breakthrough for these species. In this study, epididymal sperm was evaluated using two methods of sperm storage during refrigeration (tube and straw); four equilibration periods (0, 30, 60, and 120 min); and four methods of freezing (cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank (control) or box, freezing in dry ice, or freezing over a metallic plate). The results showed that samples stored in straws during refrigeration produced less apoptotic spermatozoa and more viable spermatozoa withactive mitochondria. A long equilibration period (120 min) yielded a higher percentage of acrosomal integrity. Moreover, there was no difference in sperm quality between freezing in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or box. However, a worse quality was obtained when the samples were cryopreserved in dry ice or over a metallic plate compared to the control. Creating germplasm banks of wild species, such as the Iberian red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) can be challenging. One of the main difficulties is the obtention and cryopreservation of good-quality reproductive cells when the spermatozoa are obtained from epididymides after death. To avoid a loss of seminal quality during transport, developing alternative methods for cooling and freezing sperm samples under field conditions is necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different durations of equilibrium and different techniques of cooling and freezing on Iberian red deer epididymal sperm quality after thawing to optimize the processing conditions in this species. Three experiments were carried out: (I) evaluation of refrigeration in straws or tubes of 15 mL; (II) study of equilibration period (0, 30, 60, or 120 min); and (III) comparison of four freezing techniques (liquid nitrogen vapor in a tank (C), liquid nitrogen vapor in a polystyrene box (B), dry ice (DY), and placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen (MP)). For all experiments, sperm motility and kinematic parameters, acrosomal integrity, sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA integrity were evaluated after thawing. All statistical analyses were performed by GLM-ANOVA analysis. Samples refrigerated in straws showed higher values (p ≤ 0.05) for mitochondrial activity and lower values (p ≤ 0.05) for apoptotic cells. Moreover, the acrosome integrity showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between 0 and 120 min, but not between 30 and 60 min, of equilibration. Finally, no significant differences were found between freezing in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or in a box, although there was a low quality after thawing when the samples were cryopreserved in dry ice or by placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen. In conclusion, under field conditions, it would be possible to refrigerate the sperm samples by storing them in straws with a 120 min equilibration period and freezing them in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or box.

Turbostratic Carbon/Graphene Prepared via the Dry Ice in Flames Method and Its Purification Using Different Routes: A Comparative Study.

Although the dry ice method used to synthesize turbostratic carbon/graphene is little known and used, it has significant advantages over others, such as the following: it is low cost, simple, and a large quantity of material can be obtained using some inorganic and highly available acids (which can be reused). Despite the above advantages, the main reason for its incipient development is the resulting presence of magnesium oxide in the final product. In the present work, three different treatments were tested to remove this remnant using some acid chemical leaching processes, including hydrochloric acid, aqua regia, and piranha solution. Based on the experimental evidence, it was determined that using aqua regia and combining the leaching process with mechanical milling was the most efficient way of removing such a remnant, the residue being only 0.9 wt.%. This value is low compared to that obtained with the other acid leaching solutions and purification processes (2.8–29.6 wt.%). A mandatory high-energy mechanical milling stage was necessary during this treatment to expose and dissolve the highly insoluble oxide without secondary chemical reactions on the turbostratic carbon. High-energy mechanical milling is an effective route to exfoliate graphite, which allows the magnesium oxide to be more susceptible to acid treatment. A yield of turbostratic carbon/graphene of 1 wt.% was obtained from the metallic Mg. The obtained surface area was 504.8 m2g−1; this high value resulting from the intense exfoliation can potentiate the use of this material for a wide variety of applications.

FIELD EVALUATION OF AUTOCIDAL GRAVID OVITRAPS AND IN2CARE TRAPS AGAINST AEDES MOSQUITOES IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA

Mosquito control programs are utilizing cost-effective long-term autocidal traps targeting the gravid population of container-inhabiting and other mosquito species, with the aim of reducing vector populations and disease transmission risk. In this field study we directly compared the efficacy of the Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO) and In2Care mosquito traps in St. Augustine, Florida. Total numbers of eggs (Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus) and adult mosquitoes were calculated at different weeks of trap deployment, pre-treatment (wk1-2), during-treatment (wk3-6), and post-treatment (wk7-8). There was a 72% reduction in both Aedes eggs in the two sites tested post-trap deployment, compared to pre-trap deployment. The mean numbers of eggs collected in the post-treatment, compared to pre-treatment showed that the In2Care traps had a higher reduction of mosquito oviposition (80%) than the AGO traps (23%). A total of 19 mosquito species included non container-inhabiting mosquitoes, Aedes taeniorhynchus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Cx. nigripalpus, were collected by BG traps baited with BG lure and dry ice from the test sites. The species abundance varied between the two sites and collection weeks. The container-inhabiting mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were the major species. There was a significantly higher reduction in mosquito Aedes aegypti populations in the AGO (mean ± SE) (1.3 ± 1.7) and In2Care (4.9 ± 4.6) sites (X2= 20.13, P &lt; 0.0001) post trap deployment, compared to pre-trap deployment. By week 8, the recovery rate of mosquito populations was highest in the In2Care trap site, followed by the AGO site. This result suggests that AGO traps were more effective than In2Care traps in reducing Ae. aegypti mosquito populations. For Ae. albopictus, the In2Care site had 100% reduction, and this was higher than the AGO site.

756 Self-Inflicted Frostbite with Dry Ice: A Case Report

IntroductionFrostbite (FB) is a severe form of cold injury that may result in significant morbidity. Freezing causes formation of ice crystals and protein denaturation leading to cellular damage and tissue necrosis. Although commonly affecting populations who live and work or become stranded in cold environments, the true prevalence is unknown due to lack of standardized reporting. Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide commonly found in the food industry, that can reach temperatures as cold as -110 degrees Fahrenheit and can be purchased at local department stores. Exposure to dry ice is an unusual cause of FB injury that could occur anywhere, especially in warmer climates. Healthcare professionals practicing in warmer climates may be unprepared to assess and treat patients with such injuries.MethodsWe describe a case of self-inflicted FB injury to the bilateral lower extremities (BLE) following intentional submersion in dry ice who presented to a Southern U.S. Burn Unit.ResultsA 20-year-old man with self-diagnosed Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) sustained a 12% TBSA FB injury to his BLE following intentional submersion in dry ice for an estimated 4 hours (Figure 1). He presented to the Burn Center from an outside facility approximately 12 hours post injury with initial rewarming having already occurred. He immediately underwent catheter directed intra-arterial thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) for leg length preservation. TPA infusion was initiated at 16 hours post-injury for a total infusion time of 24 hours. Wound care consisted of gentle twice daily cleansing with silver sulfadiazine and mafenide acetate creams. The patient ultimately required bilateral below the knee amputations which successfully healed with minimal autografting to the distal limbs. He was formally diagnosed with schizophrenia by our behavioral health team and initiated on risperidone. He underwent aggressive physical therapy and was discharged home with his parents after 21 days. He underwent weekly mental health follow up appointments and has been seen regularly in our burn and rehabilitation clinic.ConclusionsThis unusual case is one of few to describe Grade 4 FB after exposure to dry ice and highlights that severe FB may occur in any climate and can cause severe morbidity. Severe cold injury management is important for burn care professionals to maximize tissue and limb preservation.

First-Principle Studies of the Structural, Electronic, Mechanical, and Vibrational Properties of Double Carbonates with a Dolomite Structure

Density functional theory with a PBE gradient functional and a dispersion correction D3(BJ) in the basis of localized orbitals of the CRYSTAL17 package are used to calculate crystal structure parameters, electronic and vibrational spectra, elastic constants of rhombohedral double carbonates М1М2 (СО3)2 (М1, М2: Mg, Ca, Mn, Cd, Zn) with a dolomite-type structure. The paper demonstrates the possibility for establishing the linear dependences for lattice constants, interatomic distances, elastic constants and polycrystalline moduli, wave numbers of individual vibrational modes on the radii of cations. The same possibility is shown for the dependences of the parameters of chemical bonds and formation energies on their electronegativities. The lattice parameters increase along with the average cation radius, but the elastic constants and moduli demonstrate their decrease. The highest compressibility of carbonates is predicted in the direction of the c axis, which is consistent with the nature of the chemical bond, where stronger carbon — oxygen bonds are present in the ab plane, and weaker metal — oxygen bonds are in the direction of the c axis. The formation energy of binary carbonates CaMg(CO3)2 produced from solid oxides and gaseous CO2 is equal to -2.82 eV. It is equal to -2.71 eV for CaCd(CO3)2, and -0.054 eV, 0.023 eV for simple carbonates, respectively. The resulting formulas can be used to assess and predict the physical properties of solid solutions of carbonates of variable composition.

A simple preparation protocol for shipping and storage of tissue sections for laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry imaging.

A rapid and cost-efficient tissue preparation protocol for laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry imaging (LA–ICP–MSI) has been developed within this study as an alternative to the current gold standard using fresh-frozen samples or other preparation techniques such as formalin fixation (FFix) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedding (FFPE). Samples were vacuum dried at room temperature (RT) and stored in sealed vacuum containers for storage and shipping between collaborating parties. We compared our new protocol to established methods using prostate tissue sections investigating typical endogenous elements such as zinc, iron, and phosphorous with LA–ICP–MSI. The new protocol yielded comparable imaging results as fresh-frozen sections. FFPE sections were also tested due to the wide use and availability of FFPE tissue. However, the FFPE protocol and the FFix alone led to massive washout of the target elements on the sections tested in this work. Therefore, our new protocol presents an easy and rapid alternative for tissue preservation with comparable results to fresh-frozen sections for LA–ICP–MSI. It overcomes washout risks of commonly used tissue fixation techniques and does not require expensive and potentially unstable and time-critical shipping of frozen material on dry ice. Additionally, this protocol is likely applicable for several bioimaging approaches, as the dry condition may act comparable to other dehydrating fixatives, such as acetone or methanol, preventing degradation while avoiding washout effects.

Snap-freezing in the Field: Effect of Sample Holding Time on Performance of Bactericidal Assays.

Comparative analyses in biology rely on the quality of available data. Methodological differences among studies may introduce variation in results that obscure patterns. In the field of eco-immunology, functional immune assays such as antimicrobial capacity assays are widely used for among-species applications. Sample storage time and animal handling time can influence assay results in some species, but how sample holding time prior to freezing influences assay results is unknown. Sample holding time can vary widely in field studies on wild animals, prompting the need to understand the implications of such variation on assay results. We investigated the hypothesis that sample holding time prior to freezing influences assay results in six species (Leiocephalus carinatus, Iguana iguana, Loxodonta africana, Ceratotherium simum, Columba livia, and Buteo swainsoni) by comparing antibacterial capacity of serum with varying processing times prior to snap-freezing. Blood was collected once from each individual and aliquots were placed on ice and assigned different holding times (0, 30, 60, 180, and 240 min), after which each sample was centrifuged, then serum was separated and snap-frozen on dry ice and stored at -80ºC for 60 days prior to assaying. For each aliquot, we conducted antibacterial capacity assays with serial dilutions of serum inoculated with E. coli and extracted the dilution at 50% antibacterial capacity for analysis. We found a decrease in antibacterial capacity with increased holding time in one of the six species tested (B. swainsoni), driven in part by complete loss of antibacterial capacity in some individuals at the 240-min time point. While the majority of species' antibacterial capacity were not affected, our results demonstrate the need to conduct pilot assays spanning the anticipated variation in sample holding times to develop appropriate field protocols.

Freeze-drying can replace cold-chains for transport and storage of fecal microbiome samples.

BackgroundThe transport and storage of samples in temperatures of minus 80 °C is commonly considered as the gold standard for microbiome studies. However, studies conducting sample collection at remote sites without a reliable cold-chain would benefit from a sample preservation method that allows transport and storage at ambient temperature.MethodsIn this study we compare alpha diversity and 16S microbiome composition of 20 fecal sample replicates from Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) preserved in a minus 80 °C freezer and transported on dry ice to freeze-dried samples that were stored and transported in ambient temperature until DNA extraction.ResultsWe found strong correlations between relative abundances of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) between preservation treatments of the sample, no differences in alpha diversity measures between the two preservation treatments and minor effects of the preservation treatment on beta diversity measures. Our results show that freeze-drying samples can be a useful method for cost-effective transportation and storage of microbiome samples that yields quantitatively almost indistinguishable results in 16S microbiome analyses as those stored in minus 80 °C.

Geothermal resources for sustainable development: A case study

Turkey's primary energy source is fossil fuels, with a contribution of 55%. According to the International Energy Agency forecast, fossil fuels will continue to be the primary energy source for the next decade. The current CO2 emissions from fossil fuel-based energy are 400 Mt. If the present energy usage trend continues, then the emissions will cross 500 Mt by 2030. However, Turkey has large scope to mitigate climate-related issues and follow sustainable development agenda by increasing the share of geothermal energy as a primary energy source mix. The country established a strong geothermal energy program in 1984 by installing a 17 MWe geothermal power plant in Kızıldere and made tremendous progress in this field. Currently, the power generation has crossed 1665 MWe. Turkey has drawn a new road map to enhance its primary energy source mix by developing its radiogenic granites (Enhanced Geothermal Systems) for power generation and carbon dioxide capture programs. This is an emerging technology that is being recommended for Turkey. Currently, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom are surging ahead in implementing Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), and France has established a pilot power plant using EGS and generating 10 MWe. The United Kingdom will be starting its 3 MWe power plant. The hydrothermal source, in combination with Enhanced Geothermal Systems, can contain the annual CO2 emissions to 500 Mt and reduce the per-capita CO2 emissions to 4.5 tons annually. One of the greatest contributions to climate mitigation and sustainable development made by the geothermal industry is the sequestration of CO2 from the Kızıldere geothermal power plant for the manufacturıng of dry ice and use CO2 from the Tuzla geothermal power plant for minimizing scaling. This dry ice technology can be extended to the cement industry to capture 18 billion CO2 being emitted annually from clinker manufacturıng units. The dry ice will be useful in combating forest fires that are common in Turkey. The article discusses the new technological developments that Turkey is adopting to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainable development goals.

Infrared free-electron laser irradiation of carbon dioxide ice

Interstellar ice grains are believed to play a key role in the formation of many of the simple and complex organic species detected in space. However, many fundamental questions on the physicochemical processes linked to the formation and survival of species in ice grains remain unanswered. Field work at large-scale facilities such as free-electron lasers (FELs) can aid the investigation of the composition and morphology of ice grains by providing novel tools to the laboratory astrophysics community. We combined the high tunability, wide infrared spectral range and intensity of the FEL beam line FELIX-2 at the HFML-FELIX Laboratory in The Netherlands with the characteristics of the ultrahigh vacuum LISA end station to perform wavelength-dependent mid-IR irradiation experiments of space-relevant pure carbon dioxide (CO2) ice at 20 K. We used the intense monochromatic radiation of FELIX to inject vibrational energy at selected frequencies into the CO2 ice to study ice restructuring effects in situ by Fourier Transform Reflection–Absorption Infrared (FT-RAIR) spectroscopy. This work improves our understanding of how vibrational energy introduced by external triggers such as photons, electrons, cosmic rays, and thermal heating coming from a nascent protostar or field stars is dissipated in an interstellar icy dust grain in space. Moreover, it adds to the current literature debate concerning the amorphous and polycrystalline structure of CO2 ice observed upon deposition at low temperatures, showing that, under our experimental conditions, CO2 ice presents amorphous characteristics when deposited at 20 K and is unambiguously crystalline if deposited at 75 K.