EUCOM’s POL Capability & Capacity Gaps – Single Fuel Concept Follow On

NPS NRP Project PosterThis research effort will analyze fuel supply and distribution capabilities during Phase II operations in the European theater when operating under the single fuels concept. This effort will build on two prior works by the research team: the first study focused on the logistics benefit provided by the single fuel concept in the Pacific (UNCLAS); the second study explored the current logistics capability and capacity gaps surrounding POL distribution in the EUCOM theater (SECRET/NOFORN). The proposed study will explore how switching to a single fuel operational concept will impact those gaps and will address what policy could be changed and/or assets procured to lessen those capability gaps.N4 - Fleet Readiness & LogisticsThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

EUCOM’s POL Capability & Capacity Gaps – Single Fuel Concept Follow On

NPS NRP Executive SummaryThis research effort will analyze fuel supply and distribution capabilities during Phase II operations in the European theater when operating under the single fuels concept. This effort will build on two prior works by the research team: the first study focused on the logistics benefit provided by the single fuel concept in the Pacific (UNCLAS); the second study explored the current logistics capability and capacity gaps surrounding POL distribution in the EUCOM theater (SECRET/NOFORN). The proposed study will explore how switching to a single fuel operational concept will impact those gaps and will address what policy could be changed and/or assets procured to lessen those capability gaps.N4 - Fleet Readiness & LogisticsThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Interdisciplinary Study of Combating Hybrid Threats

NPS NRP Project PosterOur nation and allies are coming under increased attack by states and non-state actors who seek to exploit our vulnerabilities through employ non-attributable actions below the threshold of war in order to weaken our competitive advantage across all domains, steal intellectual property, or undermine the cohesiveness of our alliances. These hybrid threats can be in the form of hacking networks, cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, electoral interference, etc. These unconventional actions cannot be responsibly answered with conventional military forces and thus require a new set of response options. This research seeks to answer three broad questions on hybrid threats: what are the current hybrid threat challenges, how should we respond, and what do we need in order to execute such a response? The answers to these questions will achieve the main objectives of this research. First, arrive at a common understanding on the concept of hybrid threats. Second, develop an analytical framework to support designing actions to address and combat hybrid threats. Lastly, identify key issues and capability gaps for further research. The research methodology will begin with understanding the current depth of knowledge on hybrid threats, then developing case states to expand this knowledge, and lastly developing an analytical framework to combat hybrid threats. The analytical framework will help assess the actor, domain(s), methods, and desired intentions and objectives.N7 - Warfighting DevelopmentThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Interdisciplinary Study of Combating Hybrid Threats

NPS NRP Executive SummaryOur nation and allies are coming under increased attack by states and non-state actors who seek to exploit our vulnerabilities through employ non-attributable actions below the threshold of war in order to weaken our competitive advantage across all domains, steal intellectual property, or undermine the cohesiveness of our alliances. These hybrid threats can be in the form of hacking networks, cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, electoral interference, etc. These unconventional actions cannot be responsibly answered with conventional military forces and thus require a new set of response options. This research seeks to answer three broad questions on hybrid threats: what are the current hybrid threat challenges, how should we respond, and what do we need in order to execute such a response? The answers to these questions will achieve the main objectives of this research. First, arrive at a common understanding on the concept of hybrid threats. Second, develop an analytical framework to support designing actions to address and combat hybrid threats. Lastly, identify key issues and capability gaps for further research. The research methodology will begin with understanding the current depth of knowledge on hybrid threats, then developing case states to expand this knowledge, and lastly developing an analytical framework to combat hybrid threats. The analytical framework will help assess the actor, domain(s), methods, and desired intentions and objectives.N7 - Warfighting DevelopmentThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Sustainable Energy at Coastal Facilities

NPS NRP Project PosterThis research effort examined the paths to further adoption of sustainable energy at coastal facilities. It examined current technical, financial, legal, and policy challenges that have hindered past efforts to incorporate more renewable energy and that are priorities to be considered for future renewable energy projects. The research team gathered data and information through an examination of literature and interviews with subject matter experts familiar with coastal facilities and with experts in the renewable energy sector. The team conducted two case studies of US Coast Guard Station Monterey (CA) and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (TX) to provide additional context for the adoption of sustainable renewable energy at coastal facilities. Additionally, research was conducted on mechanisms for microgrid financing to demonstrate how a facility may finance microgrid installation and further adoption of renewable energy and microgrids. Researchers found that there are some common core challenges for installing and using microgrids. These challenges include zoning issues, environmental considerations, infrastructure barriers, financing issues, conflicting safety standards, technical obstacles, and administrative hurdles. Researchers found that some challenges can be lessened, avoided, or accounted for with advance preparation and awareness ahead of time. Further analysis of region-specific challenges would provide more context for consideration of sustainable energy and implementation of microgrids. Further study is also required to understand the details of an appropriate financial acquisition agreement with a quantification of the benefits and costs of microgrids over time. Finally, the processes for contracting out microgrid design and construction and identifying suitable contractors is recommended.NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare CenterN4 - Fleet Readiness & LogisticsThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Sustainable Energy at Coastal Facilities

NPS NRP Executive SummaryThis research effort examined the paths to further adoption of sustainable energy at coastal facilities. It examined current technical, financial, legal, and policy challenges that have hindered past efforts to incorporate more renewable energy and that are priorities to be considered for future renewable energy projects. The research team gathered data and information through an examination of literature and interviews with subject matter experts familiar with coastal facilities and with experts in the renewable energy sector. The team conducted two case studies of US Coast Guard Station Monterey (CA) and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (TX) to provide additional context for the adoption of sustainable renewable energy at coastal facilities. Additionally, research was conducted on mechanisms for microgrid financing to demonstrate how a facility may finance microgrid installation and further adoption of renewable energy and microgrids. Researchers found that there are some common core challenges for installing and using microgrids. These challenges include zoning issues, environmental considerations, infrastructure barriers, financing issues, conflicting safety standards, technical obstacles, and administrative hurdles. Researchers found that some challenges can be lessened, avoided, or accounted for with advance preparation and awareness ahead of time. Further analysis of region-specific challenges would provide more context for consideration of sustainable energy and implementation of microgrids. Further study is also required to understand the details of an appropriate financial acquisition agreement with a quantification of the benefits and costs of microgrids over time. Finally, the processes for contracting out microgrid design and construction and identifying suitable contractors is recommended.NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare CenterN4 - Fleet Readiness & LogisticsThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Sustainable Energy at Coastal Facilities

NPS NRP Technical ReportThis research effort examined the paths to further adoption of sustainable energy at coastal facilities. It examined current technical, financial, legal, and policy challenges that have hindered past efforts to incorporate more renewable energy and that are priorities to be considered for future renewable energy projects. The research team gathered data and information through an examination of literature and interviews with subject matter experts familiar with coastal facilities and with experts in the renewable energy sector. The team conducted two case studies of US Coast Guard Station Monterey (CA) and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (TX) to provide additional context for the adoption of sustainable renewable energy at coastal facilities. Additionally, research was conducted on mechanisms for microgrid financing to demonstrate how a facility may finance microgrid installation and further adoption of renewable energy and microgrids. Researchers found that there are some common core challenges for installing and using microgrids. These challenges include zoning issues, environmental considerations, infrastructure barriers, financing issues, conflicting safety standards, technical obstacles, and administrative hurdles. Researchers found that some challenges can be lessened, avoided, or accounted for with advance preparation and awareness ahead of time. Further analysis of region-specific challenges would provide more context for consideration of sustainable energy and implementation of microgrids. Further study is also required to understand the details of an appropriate financial acquisition agreement with a quantification of the benefits and costs of microgrids over time. Finally, the processes for contracting out microgrid design and construction and identifying suitable contractors is recommended.NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare CenterN4 - Fleet Readiness & LogisticsThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation: High-resolution laser ranging of the Earth’s forests and topography

Obtaining accurate and widespread measurements of the vertical structure of the Earths forests has been a longsought goal for the ecological community. Such observations are critical for accurately assessing the existing biomass of forests, and how changes in this biomass caused by human activities or variations in climate may impact atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Additionally, the three-dimensional structure of forests is a key component of habitat quality and biodiversity at local to regional scales. The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) was launched to the International Space Station in late 2018 to provide high-quality measurements of forest vertical structure in temperate and tropical forests between 51.6 N & S latitude. The GEDI instrument is a geodetic-class laser altimeter/waveform lidar comprised of 3 lasers that produce 8 transects of structural information. Over its two-year nominal lifetime GEDI is anticipated to provide over 10 billion waveforms at a footprint resolution of 25 m. These data will be used to derive a variety of footprint and gridded products, including canopy height, canopy foliar profiles, Leaf Area Index (LAI), sub-canopy topography and biomass. Additionally, data from GEDI are used to demonstrate the efficacy of its measurements for prognostic ecosystem modeling, habit and biodiversity studies, and for fusion using radar and other remote sensing instruments. GEDI science and technology are unique: no other space-based mission has been created that is specifically optimized for retrieving vegetation vertical structure. As such, GEDI promises to advance our understanding of the importance of canopy vertical variations within an ecological paradigm based on structure, composition and function

GEDI launches a new era of biomass inference from space

Accurate estimation of aboveground forest biomass stocks is required to assess the impacts of land use changes such as deforestation and subsequent regrowth on concentrations of atmospheric CO2. The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) is a lidar mission launched by NASA to the International Space Station in 2018. GEDI was specifically designed to retrieve vegetation structure within a novel, theoretical sampling design that explicitly quantifies biomass and its uncertainty across a variety of spatial scales. In this paper we provide the estimates of pan-tropical and temperate biomass derived from two years of GEDI observations. We present estimates of mean biomass densities at 1 km resolution, as well as estimates aggregated to the national level for every country GEDI observes, and at the sub-national level for the United States. For all estimates we provide the standard error of the mean biomass. These data serve as a baseline for current biomass stocks and their future changes, and the mission's integrated use of formal statistical inference points the way towards the possibility of a new generation of powerful monitoring tools from space