A schematic shows a perovskite solar cell being irradiated with a damaging (red) and a healing (green) proton beam. Ahmad Kirmani using Blender
The space environment is harsh and full of extreme radiation. Scientists designing spacecraft and satellites need materials that can withstand these conditions.
Metal-halide perovskites are a class of materials discovered in 1839 that are found abundantly in Earth’s crust. They absorb sunlight and efficiently convert it into electricity, making them a potentially good fit for space-based solar panels that can power satellites or future space habitats.
Researchers make perovskites in the form of inks, then coat the inks onto glass plates or plastic, creating thin, filmlike devices that are lightweight and flexible.
Surprisingly, these thin-film solar cells perform as well as conventional silicon solar cells in laboratory demonstrations, even though they are almost 100 times thinner than traditional solar cells.
But these films can degrade if they’re exposed to moisture or oxygen. Researchers and industry are currently working on addressing these stability concerns for terrestrial deployment.
Cosmic rays move through space, and too much exposure can damage satellites and spacecraft.
To test how they might hold up in space, my team developed a radiation experiment. We exposed perovskite solar cells to protons at both low and high energies and found a unique, new property.
The high-energy protons healed the damage caused by the low-energy protons, allowing the device to recover and continue doing its job. The conventional semiconductors used for space electronics do not show this healing.
My team was surprised by this finding. How can a material that degrades when exposed to oxygen and moisture not only resist the harsh radiation of space but also self-heal in an environment that destroys conventional silicon semiconductors?
Materials that can tolerate extreme radiation and self-heal would change the game.
Researchers estimate that deploying just a few pounds of perovskite materials into space could generate up to 10,000,000 watts of power. It currently costs about US$4,000 per kilogram ($1,818 per pound) to launch materials into space, so efficient materials are important.
What still isn’t known
Our findings shed light on a remarkable aspect of perovskites – their tolerance to damage and defects. Perovskite crystals are a type of soft material, which means that their atoms can move into different states that scientists call vibrational modes.
Atoms in perovskites are normally arranged in a lattice formation. But radiation can knock the atoms out of position, damaging the material. The vibrations might help reposition the atoms back into place, but we’re still not sure exactly how this process works.
What’s next?
Our findings suggest that soft materials might be uniquely helpful in extreme environments, including space.
But radiation isn’t the only stress that materials have to weather in space. Scientists don’t yet know how perovskites will fare when exposed to vacuum conditions and extreme temperature variations, along with radiation, all at once. Temperature could play a role in the healing behavior my team saw, but we’ll need to conduct more research to determine how.
These results tell us that soft materials could help scientists develop technology that works well in extreme environments. Future research could dive deeper into how the vibrations in these materials relate to any self-healing properties.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Officials across Lake County and the rest of the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief after the California Supreme Court handed down a decision stopping a ballot initiative aimed at attacking how governments fund services before it can reach the November ballot.
The justices reached a unanimous decision on Thursday morning in the case State of California v. Weber that the “Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act” initiative cannot be included on the November 2024 ballot.
Called by opponents the “Taxpayer Deception Act,” the initiative would have required any changes in state law resulting in tax increases to be passed by a two-thirds majority vote of the state Legislature before being submitted to the electorate for a majority vote.
Additionally, each act resulting in increased taxation would have to have a specific time duration and an estimate of the annual amount expected to be derived from the tax, and a specific and legally binding and enforceable limitation on how the revenue from the tax can be spent.
Opponents also attacked the measure for being “an illegal revision to the constitution funded by a handful of wealthy real-estate developers and landlords desperate to avoid paying their fair share,” said Jonathan Underland, spokesperson for the NO on the Taxpayer Deception Act campaign.
It was on that question of constitutional revision that the justices focused their consideration of the proposed ballot initiative, which shared the same name as a similar attempt that fell short of qualifying for the 2022 November ballot.
“The only question before us is whether the measure may be validly enacted by initiative,” said Associate Justice Goodwin H. Liu, who wrote the decision.
“After considering the pleadings and briefs filed by the parties and amici curiae as well as the parties’ oral arguments, we conclude that Petitioners have clearly established that the challenged measure would revise the Constitution without complying with the appropriate procedure. The changes proposed by the TPA [Taxpayer Protection Act] are within the electorate’s prerogative to enact, but because those changes would substantially alter our basic plan of government, the proposal cannot be enacted by initiative. It is instead governed by the procedures for revising our Constitution,” Liu wrote.
As a result, the court issued a peremptory writ of mandate directing Secretary of State Shirley Weber “to refrain from taking any steps to place the TPA on the November 5, 2024 election ballot or to include the measure in the voter information guide.”
Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast), whose district includes Lake County, lauded the decision.
“Today’s unanimous Supreme Court decision protects Californians and our ability to provide law enforcement, fire protection, and vital services that communities rely upon,” McGuire said Thursday. “This Court worked long and hard on this decision, which clearly stated that the initiative process can’t be weaponized to undermine the basic functions of government prescribed by our constitution.”
The cities of Clearlake and Lakeport have been watching the matter closely.
On Tuesday, Lakeport City Attorney David Ruderman told the Lakeport City Council that he was expecting the decision this week.
The news about the decision was “an enormous relief,” said Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora.
“We always seem to be fighting for local control and this was no different,” Flora said. “In our view this was large corporations’ attempt to shift their costs of doing business to local taxpayers. The vague language of the initiative would have likely resulted in lots of litigation over attempts to adjust fees. Further, extraordinary efforts would be required to raise fees even a small amount and would have likely rendered many adjustments impossible. The end result would have been the need to simply reduce the services we can provide. We wish the Governor and Legislature would use the same effort to protect local control on a variety of other issues.”
Lakeport City Manager Kevin Ingram agreed with Flora.
“The initiative was an affront to good governance practices, as it allowed large corporations to avoid paying their fair share of infrastructure and other service-related costs associated with their projects,” Ingram said. “Additionally, the initiative was so vague and poorly written that it would likely have had the unintended consequence of making it even more difficult for developers to complete projects in California. It targeted many of the tools developers commonly use to fund their projects.”
Putting the blame on government, bureaucrats
In the initiative’s findings, it blames California’s challenges — including poverty and homelessness — on its cost of living. “State and local governments’ appetite for new revenue adds to the rapidly rising costs of living that Californians face for housing, childcare, gasoline, food, energy, healthcare, and education.”
Proponents also faulted “unelected bureaucrats” who, “empowered by politicians and the courts, have nearly unchecked ability to raise additional costs on consumers by imposing so-called ‘fees’ and other costs without a vote of a single elected body.”
The Supreme Court was careful to stress that it was focused on the question of following the law for changing the state constitution, and that its members were not weighing the initiative’s social and economic wisdom or its general propriety.
“We typically review constitutional challenges to an initiative after an election in order to avoid disrupting the electoral process and the exercise of the franchise,” the decision explained.
However, the justices noted that preelection review is proper for challenges that address the electorate’s power to adopt the proposal in the first place.
Referencing another case challenged on the basis of constitutional revision rather than an amendment, the decision explained that the justices find preelection review to be appropriate because in circumstance where waiting after the election would defeat “the constitutionally contemplated procedure” and “contribute to an increasing cynicism on the part of the electorate with respect to the efficacy of the initiative process.”
The decision added that invalid ballot measures steal time, money and attention from valid ballot propositions, and will add to confusion, and denigrate the initiative process.
“No amount of funding from wealthy corporations will change the fact that the California Supreme Court decided the Taxpayer Deception Act is unconstitutional. It’s great news for cities and their residents that this dangerous initiative will not move forward this year, and local officials can now keep their focus on delivering vital local services,” said League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman.
Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties, said the measure, which was retroactive, would have crippled essential government functions by cutting off funding for the essential services provided by our counties, from public health and safety to emergency response and environmental protection.
“Moreover, the needs of our 58 counties are unique and CSAC strongly believes that local voters and elected leaders must have the right to self-govern by passing measures that meet the needs of their local communities on how their tax dollars should be spent,” Knaus said.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to take this dangerous initiative off the ballot avoids a host of catastrophic impacts, protecting billions of dollars for schools, access to reproductive healthcare, gun safety laws that keep students safe in classrooms, and paid family leave,” Underland added.
Expecting the same proposal in a new form
The proposed ballot initiative is the latest in a series of attempts to hamstring governments from being able to pursue fees and taxes for services provided to taxpayers.
While these efforts have been framed in the guise of protecting taxpayers, government officials from across the spectrum have said they will have the reverse effect, and they have raised the alarm about how they would impact the ability to provide the services community members expect.
In May of 2022, voter Initiative No. 21-0042A1 — also named the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act and also sponsored by the California Business Roundtable — failed to get the signatures needed to qualify for that year’s November election.
In February of 2022, the Clearlake and Lakeport city councils had voted to oppose that initiative at the request of the League of California cities.
Like its latest iteration, opponents said the effort was backed by wealthy corporations.
Ruderman had presciently warned in 2022 that there were indications that the measure would be brought back this year, as it was.
Both Flora and Ingram warn that the issue is far from over.
Flora told the Clearlake City Council on Thursday evening about the Supreme Court’s decision. “I feel like that was a good win for this year,” but he cautioned that it hasn’t been the only effort of its kind.
He told Lake County News, “I have no doubt the California Business Roundtable, the consortium of large businesses behind the measure, will try to bring this back in a different form, so we must keep an eye out, but it is a fortunate outcome for now.”
Ingram agreed. “Unfortunately, as Alan mentioned, it is likely that this initiative will resurface in a different form in the not-too-distant future.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — One person died and two others were injured in a solo vehicle wreck near Middletown Thursday evening.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred just before 4:30 p.m. on Highway 29 north of Western Mine Road.
Minutes later, CHP officers were dispatched to the wreck, the report said.
A preliminary investigation indicated the unidentified adult male driver was driving a 2003 Toyota Camry northbound on Highway 29 at a high rate-of-speed.
For reasons pending further investigation, the driver lost control of the Toyota and it struck a tree east of the roadway, the CHP said. Radio traffic indicated that the vehicle sustained major damage.
As a result of the crash, the CHP said the driver and one of two male adult passengers sustained major injuries. They were transported by helicopter to a hospital in Santa Rosa.
The second passenger — whose identification is pending next-of-kin notification — sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by Cal Fire, the CHP said.
All occupants were wearing their safety belts. The CHP said alcohol use is suspected to be a factor in the crash.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Five Star Towing also responded to the scene and assisted CHP.
Highway 29 at the crash scene was reduced to one-way traffic control during the course of the on-scene investigation, the CHP said.
The wreck is being investigated by CHP Officer A. Sanchez.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters on Thursday gained more ground on major wildland fire incidents in Lake’s neighboring counties and fully contained a smaller incident in Lake County.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Scotts fire broke out in Scotts Valley, as Lake County News has reported.
Cal Fire said it was fully contained on Thursday at 50 acres.
The largest fire in the region, the Sites near Stonyford in Colusa County, grew to 19,195 acres on Thursday — an increase of only 71 acres after having jumped in size every day since it began on Monday afternoon.
Containment on the fire doubled to 20% on Thursday, while 326 structures remain threatened.
Fire crews are continuing to reinforce control lines around the massive fire, which Cal Fire said is burning primarily in oak woodland. High temperatures and low humidity remain a concern in bringing it to full containment.
At the same time, evacuation orders and warnings remain in place, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said 1,899 personnel are assigned. Other resources include 122 engines, 20 water tenders, 18 helicopters, 20 dozers and 58 hand crews.
In Sonoma County, the Point fire was held at 1,207 acres while containment rose to 75% on Thursday.
That incident has injured one firefighter, destroyed three structured and damaged two others, Cal Fire said.
Resources including 558 personnel, 50 engines, nine water tenders, eight dozers and 24 hand crews continue to work on the Point fire, burning near Geyserville since Sunday.
Cal Fire said crews are continuing to mop up and secure lines around the fire, and to make fire suppression repairs.
In addition, all evacuations have been lifted, Cal Fire said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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