Sample records for accurate density measurements

  1. Apparatus for accurate density measurements of fluids based on a magnetic suspension balance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Maoqiong; Li, Huiya; Guo, Hao; Dong, Xueqiang; Wu, J. F.

    2012-06-01

    A new apparatus for accurate pressure, density and temperature (p, ρ, T) measurements over wide ranges of (p, ρ, T) (90 K to 290 K; 0 MPa to 3 MPa; 0 kg/m3 to 2000 kg/m3) is described. This apparatus is based on a magnetic suspension balance which applies the Archimedes' buoyancy principle. In order to verify the new apparatus, comprehensive (p, ρ, T) measurements on pure nitrogen were carried out. The maximum relative standard uncertainty is 0.09% in density. The maximum standard uncertainty in temperature is 5 mK, and that in pressure is 250 Pa for 1.5 MPa and 390 Pa for 3MPa full scale range respectively. The experimental data were compared with selected literature data and good agreements were found.

  2. Accurate Measurement of Bone Density with QCT

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cleek, Tammy M.; Beaupre, Gary S.; Matsubara, Miki; Whalen, Robert T.; Dalton, Bonnie P. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of bone density measurement with a new OCT technology. A phantom was fabricated using two materials, a water-equivalent compound and hydroxyapatite (HA), combined in precise proportions (QRM GrnbH, Germany). The phantom was designed to have the approximate physical size and range in bone density as a human calcaneus, with regions of 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/cc HA. The phantom was scanned at 80, 120 and 140 KVp with a GE CT/i HiSpeed Advantage scanner. A ring of highly attenuating material (polyvinyl chloride or teflon) was slipped over the phantom to alter the image by introducing non-axi-symmetric beam hardening. Images were corrected with a new OCT technology using an estimate of the effective X-ray beam spectrum to eliminate beam hardening artifacts. The algorithm computes the volume fraction of HA and water-equivalent matrix in each voxel. We found excellent agreement between expected and computed HA volume fractions. Results were insensitive to beam hardening ring material, HA concentration, and scan voltage settings. Data from all 3 voltages with a best fit linear regression are displays.

  3. Accurate Construction of Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) Images for Quantitative Measurements

    PubMed Central

    Coltharp, Carla; Kessler, Rene P.; Xiao, Jie

    2012-01-01

    Localization-based superresolution microscopy techniques such as Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) and Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) have allowed investigations of cellular structures with unprecedented optical resolutions. One major obstacle to interpreting superresolution images, however, is the overcounting of molecule numbers caused by fluorophore photoblinking. Using both experimental and simulated images, we determined the effects of photoblinking on the accurate reconstruction of superresolution images and on quantitative measurements of structural dimension and molecule density made from those images. We found that structural dimension and relative density measurements can be made reliably from images that contain photoblinking-related overcounting, but accurate absolute density measurements, and consequently faithful representations of molecule counts and positions in cellular structures, require the application of a clustering algorithm to group localizations that originate from the same molecule. We analyzed how applying a simple algorithm with different clustering thresholds (tThresh and dThresh) affects the accuracy of reconstructed images, and developed an easy method to select optimal thresholds. We also identified an empirical criterion to evaluate whether an imaging condition is appropriate for accurate superresolution image reconstruction with the clustering algorithm. Both the threshold selection method and imaging condition criterion are easy to implement within existing PALM clustering algorithms and experimental conditions. The main advantage of our method is that it generates a superresolution image and molecule position list that faithfully represents molecule counts and positions within a cellular structure, rather than only summarizing structural properties into ensemble parameters. This feature makes it particularly useful for cellular structures of heterogeneous densities and irregular geometries, and

  4. Accurate Measurements of the Local Deuterium Abundance from HST Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Linsky, Jeffrey L.

    1996-01-01

    An accurate measurement of the primordial value of D/H would provide a critical test of nucleosynthesis models for the early universe and the baryon density. I briefly summarize the ongoing HST observations of the interstellar H and D Lyman-alpha absorption for lines of sight to nearby stars and comment on recent reports of extragalactic D/H measurements.

  5. An affordable and accurate conductivity probe for density measurements in stratified flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carminati, Marco; Luzzatto-Fegiz, Paolo

    2015-11-01

    In stratified flow experiments, conductivity (combined with temperature) is often used to measure density. The probes typically used can provide very fine spatial scales, but can be fragile, expensive to replace, and sensitive to environmental noise. A complementary instrument, comprising a low-cost conductivity probe, would prove valuable in a wide range of applications where resolving extremely small spatial scales is not needed. We propose using micro-USB cables as the actual conductivity sensors. By removing the metallic shield from a micro-B connector, 5 gold-plated microelectrodes are exposed and available for 4-wire measurements. These have a cell constant ~550m-1, an intrinsic thermal noise of at most 30pA/Hz1/2, as well as sub-millisecond time response, making them highly suitable for many stratified flow measurements. In addition, we present the design of a custom electronic board (Arduino-based and Matlab-controlled) for simultaneous acquisition from 4 sensors, with resolution (in conductivity, and resulting density) exceeding the performance of typical existing probes. We illustrate the use of our conductivity-measuring system through stratified flow experiments, and describe plans to release simple instructions to construct our complete system for around 200.

  6. Accurate fluid force measurement based on control surface integration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lentink, David

    2018-01-01

    Nonintrusive 3D fluid force measurements are still challenging to conduct accurately for freely moving animals, vehicles, and deforming objects. Two techniques, 3D particle image velocimetry (PIV) and a new technique, the aerodynamic force platform (AFP), address this. Both rely on the control volume integral for momentum; whereas PIV requires numerical integration of flow fields, the AFP performs the integration mechanically based on rigid walls that form the control surface. The accuracy of both PIV and AFP measurements based on the control surface integration is thought to hinge on determining the unsteady body force associated with the acceleration of the volume of displaced fluid. Here, I introduce a set of non-dimensional error ratios to show which fluid and body parameters make the error negligible. The unsteady body force is insignificant in all conditions where the average density of the body is much greater than the density of the fluid, e.g., in gas. Whenever a strongly deforming body experiences significant buoyancy and acceleration, the error is significant. Remarkably, this error can be entirely corrected for with an exact factor provided that the body has a sufficiently homogenous density or acceleration distribution, which is common in liquids. The correction factor for omitting the unsteady body force, {{{ {ρ f}} {1 - {ρ f} ( {{ρ b}+{ρ f}} )}.{( {{{{ρ }}b}+{ρ f}} )}}} , depends only on the fluid, {ρ f}, and body, {{ρ }}b, density. Whereas these straightforward solutions work even at the liquid-gas interface in a significant number of cases, they do not work for generalized bodies undergoing buoyancy in combination with appreciable body density inhomogeneity, volume change (PIV), or volume rate-of-change (PIV and AFP). In these less common cases, the 3D body shape needs to be measured and resolved in time and space to estimate the unsteady body force. The analysis shows that accounting for the unsteady body force is straightforward to non

  7. Comparative study of methods to measure the density of Cementious powders

    PubMed Central

    Helsel, Michelle A.; Bentz, Dale

    2016-01-01

    The accurate measurement of the density of hydraulic cement has an essential role in the determination of concrete mixture proportions. As more supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), such as fly ash, and slag, or cement replacements materials such as limestone and calcium carbonate are used in blended cements, knowledge of the density of each powder or of the blended cement would allow a more accurate calculation of the proportions of a concrete mixture by volume instead of by mass. The current ASTM standard for measuring cement density is the “Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cements” (ASTM C188-14), which utilizes a liquid displacement method to measure the volume of the cement. This paper will examine advantageous modifications of the current ASTM test, by alcohol substitutions for kerosene. In addition, a gas (helium) pycnometry method is evaluated as a possible alternative to the current standard. The described techniques will be compared to determine the most precise and reproducible method for measuring the density of hydraulic cements and other powders. PMID:27099404

  8. Comparative study of methods to measure the density of Cementious powders.

    PubMed

    Helsel, Michelle A; Ferraris, Chiara F; Bentz, Dale

    2016-11-01

    The accurate measurement of the density of hydraulic cement has an essential role in the determination of concrete mixture proportions. As more supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), such as fly ash, and slag, or cement replacements materials such as limestone and calcium carbonate are used in blended cements, knowledge of the density of each powder or of the blended cement would allow a more accurate calculation of the proportions of a concrete mixture by volume instead of by mass. The current ASTM standard for measuring cement density is the "Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cements" (ASTM C188-14), which utilizes a liquid displacement method to measure the volume of the cement. This paper will examine advantageous modifications of the current ASTM test, by alcohol substitutions for kerosene. In addition, a gas (helium) pycnometry method is evaluated as a possible alternative to the current standard. The described techniques will be compared to determine the most precise and reproducible method for measuring the density of hydraulic cements and other powders.

  9. Measurement of electron density using reactance cutoff probe

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    You, K. H.; Seo, B. H.; Kim, J. H.

    2016-05-15

    This paper proposes a new measurement method of electron density using the reactance spectrum of the plasma in the cutoff probe system instead of the transmission spectrum. The highly accurate reactance spectrum of the plasma-cutoff probe system, as expected from previous circuit simulations [Kim et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 131502 (2011)], was measured using the full two-port error correction and automatic port extension methods of the network analyzer. The electron density can be obtained from the analysis of the measured reactance spectrum, based on circuit modeling. According to the circuit simulation results, the reactance cutoff probe can measure themore » electron density more precisely than the previous cutoff probe at low densities or at higher pressure. The obtained results for the electron density are presented and discussed for a wide range of experimental conditions, and this method is compared with previous methods (a cutoff probe using the transmission spectrum and a single Langmuir probe).« less

  10. Accurate van der Waals coefficients from density functional theory

    PubMed Central

    Tao, Jianmin; Perdew, John P.; Ruzsinszky, Adrienn

    2012-01-01

    The van der Waals interaction is a weak, long-range correlation, arising from quantum electronic charge fluctuations. This interaction affects many properties of materials. A simple and yet accurate estimate of this effect will facilitate computer simulation of complex molecular materials and drug design. Here we develop a fast approach for accurate evaluation of dynamic multipole polarizabilities and van der Waals (vdW) coefficients of all orders from the electron density and static multipole polarizabilities of each atom or other spherical object, without empirical fitting. Our dynamic polarizabilities (dipole, quadrupole, octupole, etc.) are exact in the zero- and high-frequency limits, and exact at all frequencies for a metallic sphere of uniform density. Our theory predicts dynamic multipole polarizabilities in excellent agreement with more expensive many-body methods, and yields therefrom vdW coefficients C6, C8, C10 for atom pairs with a mean absolute relative error of only 3%. PMID:22205765

  11. A method to measure the density of seawater accurately to the level of 10-6

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, Hannes; Wolf, Henning; Hassel, Egon

    2016-04-01

    A substitution method to measure seawater density relative to pure water density using vibrating tube densimeters was realized and validated. Standard uncertainties of 1 g m-3 at atmospheric pressure, 10 g m-3 up to 10 MPa, and 20 g m-3 to 65 MPa in the temperature range of 5 °C to 35 °C and for salt contents up to 35 g kg-1 were achieved. The realization was validated by comparison measurements with a hydrostatic weighing apparatus for atmospheric pressure. For high pressures, literature values of seawater compressibility were compared with substitution measurements of the realized apparatus.

  12. Accurate Semilocal Density Functional for Condensed-Matter Physics and Quantum Chemistry.

    PubMed

    Tao, Jianmin; Mo, Yuxiang

    2016-08-12

    Most density functionals have been developed by imposing the known exact constraints on the exchange-correlation energy, or by a fit to a set of properties of selected systems, or by both. However, accurate modeling of the conventional exchange hole presents a great challenge, due to the delocalization of the hole. Making use of the property that the hole can be made localized under a general coordinate transformation, here we derive an exchange hole from the density matrix expansion, while the correlation part is obtained by imposing the low-density limit constraint. From the hole, a semilocal exchange-correlation functional is calculated. Our comprehensive test shows that this functional can achieve remarkable accuracy for diverse properties of molecules, solids, and solid surfaces, substantially improving upon the nonempirical functionals proposed in recent years. Accurate semilocal functionals based on their associated holes are physically appealing and practically useful for developing nonlocal functionals.

  13. WSN-Based Space Charge Density Measurement System

    PubMed Central

    Deng, Dawei; Yuan, Haiwen; Lv, Jianxun; Ju, Yong

    2017-01-01

    It is generally acknowledged that high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line endures the drawback of large area, because of which the utilization of cable for space charge density monitoring system is of inconvenience. Compared with the traditional communication network, wireless sensor network (WSN) shows advantages in small volume, high flexibility and strong self-organization, thereby presenting great potential in solving the problem. Additionally, WSN is more suitable for the construction of distributed space charge density monitoring system as it has longer distance and higher mobility. A distributed wireless system is designed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density under HVDC transmission lines, which has been widely applied in both Chinese state grid HVDC test base and power transmission projects. Experimental results of the measuring system demonstrated its adaptability in the complex electromagnetic environment under the transmission lines and the ability in realizing accurate, flexible, and stable demands for the measurement of space charge density. PMID:28052105

  14. WSN-Based Space Charge Density Measurement System.

    PubMed

    Deng, Dawei; Yuan, Haiwen; Lv, Jianxun; Ju, Yong

    2017-01-01

    It is generally acknowledged that high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line endures the drawback of large area, because of which the utilization of cable for space charge density monitoring system is of inconvenience. Compared with the traditional communication network, wireless sensor network (WSN) shows advantages in small volume, high flexibility and strong self-organization, thereby presenting great potential in solving the problem. Additionally, WSN is more suitable for the construction of distributed space charge density monitoring system as it has longer distance and higher mobility. A distributed wireless system is designed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density under HVDC transmission lines, which has been widely applied in both Chinese state grid HVDC test base and power transmission projects. Experimental results of the measuring system demonstrated its adaptability in the complex electromagnetic environment under the transmission lines and the ability in realizing accurate, flexible, and stable demands for the measurement of space charge density.

  15. Using Data Pooling to Measure the Density of Sodas: An Introductory Discovery Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrick, Richard S.; Nestor, Lisa P.; Benedetto, David A.

    1999-10-01

    We have developed an experiment in which students measure the density of Coke and Diet Coke. In the first part of the experiment they make measurements using a buret, pipet, and graduated cylinder. The density data are pooled and plotted for each type of glassware. Students discover that Coke and Diet Coke have different densities. Discussion of the data also shows students the relative advantages and disadvantages of each type of apparatus and introduces them to the concept of error analysis. In the second half of the experiment each student uses a buret to accurately measure an assigned volume of either Coke or Diet Coke. Volumes in the range of 2 to 30 mL are assigned. These data are pooled. The slope of the mass-vs-volume plot provides an accurate measurement of the density and also shows that density is an intensive property. The difference in densities is due to the large amount of sugar in Coke compared to the relatively small amount of artificial sweetener in Diet Coke. Information read from soda cans is used to estimate the accuracy of these measurements. This experiment is used as the first experiment for college science students.

  16. Toward accurate and precise estimates of lion density.

    PubMed

    Elliot, Nicholas B; Gopalaswamy, Arjun M

    2017-08-01

    Reliable estimates of animal density are fundamental to understanding ecological processes and population dynamics. Furthermore, their accuracy is vital to conservation because wildlife authorities rely on estimates to make decisions. However, it is notoriously difficult to accurately estimate density for wide-ranging carnivores that occur at low densities. In recent years, significant progress has been made in density estimation of Asian carnivores, but the methods have not been widely adapted to African carnivores, such as lions (Panthera leo). Although abundance indices for lions may produce poor inferences, they continue to be used to estimate density and inform management and policy. We used sighting data from a 3-month survey and adapted a Bayesian spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) model to estimate spatial lion density in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounding conservancies in Kenya. Our unstructured spatial capture-recapture sampling design incorporated search effort to explicitly estimate detection probability and density on a fine spatial scale, making our approach robust in the context of varying detection probabilities. Overall posterior mean lion density was estimated to be 17.08 (posterior SD 1.310) lions >1 year old/100 km 2 , and the sex ratio was estimated at 2.2 females to 1 male. Our modeling framework and narrow posterior SD demonstrate that SECR methods can produce statistically rigorous and precise estimates of population parameters, and we argue that they should be favored over less reliable abundance indices. Furthermore, our approach is flexible enough to incorporate different data types, which enables robust population estimates over relatively short survey periods in a variety of systems. Trend analyses are essential to guide conservation decisions but are frequently based on surveys of differing reliability. We therefore call for a unified framework to assess lion numbers in key populations to improve management and

  17. Acoustic levitation methods for density measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Trinh, E. H.; Hsu, C. J.

    1986-01-01

    The capability of ultrasonic levitators operating in air to perform density measurements has been demonstrated. The remote determination of the density of ordinary liquids as well as low density solid metals can be carried out using levitated samples with size on the order of a few millimeters and at a frequency of 20 kHz. Two basic methods may be used. The first one is derived from a previously known technique developed for acoustic levitation in liquid media, and is based on the static equilibrium position of levitated samples in the earth's gravitational field. The second approach relies on the dynamic interaction between a levitated sample and the acoustic field. The first technique appears more accurate (1 percent uncertainty), but the latter method is directly applicable to a near gravity-free environment such as that found in space.

  18. 38 CFR 4.46 - Accurate measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings The Musculoskeletal System § 4.46 Accurate measurement. Accurate... indispensable in examinations conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Muscle atrophy must also be...

  19. 38 CFR 4.46 - Accurate measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings The Musculoskeletal System § 4.46 Accurate measurement. Accurate... indispensable in examinations conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Muscle atrophy must also be...

  20. 38 CFR 4.46 - Accurate measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings The Musculoskeletal System § 4.46 Accurate measurement. Accurate... indispensable in examinations conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Muscle atrophy must also be...

  1. 38 CFR 4.46 - Accurate measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings The Musculoskeletal System § 4.46 Accurate measurement. Accurate... indispensable in examinations conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Muscle atrophy must also be...

  2. 38 CFR 4.46 - Accurate measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings The Musculoskeletal System § 4.46 Accurate measurement. Accurate... indispensable in examinations conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Muscle atrophy must also be...

  3. Hounsfield unit density accurately predicts ESWL success.

    PubMed

    Magnuson, William J; Tomera, Kevin M; Lance, Raymond S

    2005-01-01

    Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a commonly used non-invasive treatment for urolithiasis. Helical CT scans provide much better and detailed imaging of the patient with urolithiasis including the ability to measure density of urinary stones. In this study we tested the hypothesis that density of urinary calculi as measured by CT can predict successful ESWL treatment. 198 patients were treated at Alaska Urological Associates with ESWL between January 2002 and April 2004. Of these 101 met study inclusion with accessible CT scans and stones ranging from 5-15 mm. Follow-up imaging demonstrated stone freedom in 74.2%. The overall mean Houndsfield density value for stone-free compared to residual stone groups were significantly different ( 93.61 vs 122.80 p < 0.0001). We determined by receiver operator curve (ROC) that HDV of 93 or less carries a 90% or better chance of stone freedom following ESWL for upper tract calculi between 5-15mm.

  4. Fast and accurate Voronoi density gridding from Lagrangian hydrodynamics data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petkova, Maya A.; Laibe, Guillaume; Bonnell, Ian A.

    2018-01-01

    Voronoi grids have been successfully used to represent density structures of gas in astronomical hydrodynamics simulations. While some codes are explicitly built around using a Voronoi grid, others, such as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), use particle-based representations and can benefit from constructing a Voronoi grid for post-processing their output. So far, calculating the density of each Voronoi cell from SPH data has been done numerically, which is both slow and potentially inaccurate. This paper proposes an alternative analytic method, which is fast and accurate. We derive an expression for the integral of a cubic spline kernel over the volume of a Voronoi cell and link it to the density of the cell. Mass conservation is ensured rigorously by the procedure. The method can be applied more broadly to integrate a spherically symmetric polynomial function over the volume of a random polyhedron.

  5. Accurate bulk density determination of irregularly shaped translucent and opaque aerogels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petkov, M. P.; Jones, S. M.

    2016-05-01

    We present a volumetric method for accurate determination of bulk density of aerogels, calculated from extrapolated weight of the dry pure solid and volume estimates based on the Archimedes' principle of volume displacement, using packed 100 μm-sized monodispersed glass spheres as a "quasi-fluid" media. Hard particle packing theory is invoked to demonstrate the reproducibility of the apparent density of the quasi-fluid. Accuracy rivaling that of the refractive index method is demonstrated for both translucent and opaque aerogels with different absorptive properties, as well as for aerogels with regular and irregular shapes.

  6. Measuring the Densities of Aqueous Glasses at Cryogenic Temperatures.

    PubMed

    Shen, Chen; Julius, Ethan F; Tyree, Timothy J; Dan, Ritwik; Moreau, David W; Thorne, Robert

    2017-06-28

    We demonstrate a method for determining the vitreous phase cryogenic temperature densities of aqueous mixtures, and other samples that require rapid cooling, to prepare the desired cryogenic temperature phase. Microliter to picoliter size drops are cooled by projection into a liquid nitrogen-argon (N2-Ar) mixture. The cryogenic temperature phase of the drop is evaluated using a visual assay that correlates with X-ray diffraction measurements. The density of the liquid N2-Ar mixture is adjusted by adding N2 or Ar until the drop becomes neutrally buoyant. The density of this mixture and thus of the drop is determined using a test mass and Archimedes principle. With appropriate care in drop preparation, management of gas above the liquid cryogen mixture to minimize icing, and regular mixing of the cryogenic mixture to prevent density stratification and phase separation, densities accurate to <0.5% of drops as small as 50 pL can readily be determined. Measurements on aqueous cryoprotectant mixtures provide insight into cryoprotectant action, and provide quantitative data to facilitate thermal contraction matching in biological cryopreservation.

  7. Seeking: Accurate Measurement Techniques for Deep-Bone Density and Structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sibonga, Jean

    2009-01-01

    We are seeking a clinically-useful technology with enough sensitivity to assess the microstructure of "spongy" bone that is found in the marrow cavities of whole bones. However, this technology must be for skeletal sites surrounded by layers of soft tissues, such as the spine and the hip. Soft tissue interferes with conventional imaging and using a more accessible area -- for example, the wrist or the ankle of limbs-- as a proxy for the less accessible skeletal regions, will not be accurate. A non-radioactive technology is strongly preferred.

  8. Accurate heterogeneous dose calculation for lung cancer patients without high‐resolution CT densities

    PubMed Central

    Li, Jonathan G.; Liu, Chihray; Olivier, Kenneth R.; Dempsey, James F.

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the relative accuracy of megavoltage photon‐beam dose calculations employing either five bulk densities or independent voxel densities determined by calibration of the CT Houndsfield number. Full‐resolution CT and bulk density treatment plans were generated for 70 lung or esophageal cancer tumors (66 cases) using a commercial treatment planning system with an adaptive convolution dose calculation algorithm (Pinnacle3, Philips Medicals Systems). Bulk densities were applied to segmented regions. Individual and population average densities were compared to the full‐resolution plan for each case. Monitor units were kept constant and no normalizations were employed. Dose volume histograms (DVH) and dose difference distributions were examined for all cases. The average densities of the segmented air, lung, fat, soft tissue, and bone for the entire set were found to be 0.14, 0.26, 0.89, 1.02, and 1.12 g/cm3, respectively. In all cases, the normal tissue DVH agreed to better than 2% in dose. In 62 of 70 DVHs of the planning target volume (PTV), agreement to better than 3% in dose was observed. Six cases demonstrated emphysema, one with bullous formations and one with a hiatus hernia having a large volume of gas. These required the additional assignment of density to the emphysemic lung and inflammatory changes to the lung, the regions of collapsed lung, the bullous formations, and the hernia gas. Bulk tissue density dose calculation provides an accurate method of heterogeneous dose calculation. However, patients with advanced emphysema may require high‐resolution CT studies for accurate treatment planning. PACS number: 87.53.Tf

  9. Accurate mass replacement method for the sediment concentration measurement with a constant volume container

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ban, Yunyun; Chen, Tianqin; Yan, Jun; Lei, Tingwu

    2017-04-01

    The measurement of sediment concentration in water is of great importance in soil erosion research and soil and water loss monitoring systems. The traditional weighing method has long been the foundation of all the other measuring methods and instrument calibration. The development of a new method to replace the traditional oven-drying method is of interest in research and practice for the quick and efficient measurement of sediment concentration, especially field measurements. A new method is advanced in this study for accurately measuring the sediment concentration based on the accurate measurement of the mass of the sediment-water mixture in the confined constant volume container (CVC). A sediment-laden water sample is put into the CVC to determine its mass before the CVC is filled with water and weighed again for the total mass of the water and sediments in the container. The known volume of the CVC, the mass of sediment-laden water, and sediment particle density are used to calculate the mass of water, which is replaced by sediments, therefore sediment concentration of the sample is calculated. The influence of water temperature was corrected by measuring water density to determine the temperature of water before measurements were conducted. The CVC was used to eliminate the surface tension effect so as to obtain the accurate volume of water and sediment mixture. Experimental results showed that the method was capable of measuring the sediment concentration from 0.5 up to 1200 kg m-3. A good liner relationship existed between the designed and measured sediment concentrations with all the coefficients of determination greater than 0.999 and the averaged relative error less than 0.2%. All of these seem to indicate that the new method is capable of measuring a full range of sediment concentration above 0.5 kg m-3 to replace the traditional oven-drying method as a standard method for evaluating and calibrating other methods.

  10. Measuring the Density of a Sugar Solution: A General Chemistry Experiment Using a Student-Prepared Unknown

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Karen I.

    2008-01-01

    The experiment developed in this article addresses the concept of equipment calibration for reducing systematic error. It also suggests simple student-prepared sucrose solutions for which accurate densities are known, but not readily available to students. Densities are measured with simple glassware that has been calibrated using the density of…

  11. k-Space Image Correlation Spectroscopy: A Method for Accurate Transport Measurements Independent of Fluorophore Photophysics

    PubMed Central

    Kolin, David L.; Ronis, David; Wiseman, Paul W.

    2006-01-01

    We present the theory and application of reciprocal space image correlation spectroscopy (kICS). This technique measures the number density, diffusion coefficient, and velocity of fluorescently labeled macromolecules in a cell membrane imaged on a confocal, two-photon, or total internal reflection fluorescence microscope. In contrast to r-space correlation techniques, we show kICS can recover accurate dynamics even in the presence of complex fluorophore photobleaching and/or “blinking”. Furthermore, these quantities can be calculated without nonlinear curve fitting, or any knowledge of the beam radius of the exciting laser. The number densities calculated by kICS are less sensitive to spatial inhomogeneity of the fluorophore distribution than densities measured using image correlation spectroscopy. We use simulations as a proof-of-principle to show that number densities and transport coefficients can be extracted using this technique. We present calibration measurements with fluorescent microspheres imaged on a confocal microscope, which recover Stokes-Einstein diffusion coefficients, and flow velocities that agree with single particle tracking measurements. We also show the application of kICS to measurements of the transport dynamics of α5-integrin/enhanced green fluorescent protein constructs in a transfected CHO cell imaged on a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope using charge-coupled device area detection. PMID:16861272

  12. Densities of dextrose-free intrathecal local anesthetics, opioids, and combinations measured at 37 degrees C.

    PubMed

    Richardson, M G; Wissler, R N

    1997-01-01

    Dextrose-free anesthetic medications are commonly used to provide subarachnoid anesthesia and analgesia. Hypobaricity has been proposed as a mechanism to explain postural effects on the extent of sensory block produced by these drugs. Densities of dextrose-free solutions of local anesthetics and opioids, and commonly used anesthetic/opioid mixtures were determined at 37.00 degrees C for comparison with the density of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Measurements accurate to 0.00001 g/mL were performed using a mechanical oscillation resonance frequency density meter. All undiluted solutions tested are hypobaric relative to human lumbar CSF with the exception of lidocaine 1.5% and 2.0% with epinephrine 1:200,000. All mixtures of local anesthetics and opioids tested are hypobaric. We observed good agreement between measured densities and calculated weighted average densities of anesthetic mixtures. While the influence of baricity on the clinical effects of dextrose-free intrathecal anesthetics remains controversial, attempts to attribute postural effects to the baricity of these drugs requires establishment of accurate density values. These density data may facilitate elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the behavior of dextrose-free intrathecal anesthetics.

  13. The hairpin resonator: A plasma density measuring technique revisited

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piejak, R. B.; Godyak, V. A.; Garner, R.; Alexandrovich, B. M.; Sternberg, N.

    2004-04-01

    A microwave resonator probe is a resonant structure from which the relative permittivity of the surrounding medium can be determined. Two types of microwave resonator probes (referred to here as hairpin probes) have been designed and built to determine the electron density in a low-pressure gas discharge. One type, a transmission probe, is a functional equivalent of the original microwave resonator probe introduced by R. L. Stenzel [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 47, 603 (1976)], modified to increase coupling to the hairpin structure and to minimize plasma perturbation. The second type, a reflection probe, differs from the transmission probe in that it requires only one coaxial feeder cable. A sheath correction, based on the fluid equations for collisionless ions in a cylindrical electron-free sheath, is presented here to account for the sheath that naturally forms about the hairpin structure immersed in plasma. The sheath correction extends the range of electron density that can be accurately measured with a particular wire separation of the hairpin structure. Experimental measurements using the hairpin probe appear to be highly reproducible. Comparisons with Langmuir probes show that the Langmuir probe determines an electron density that is 20-30% lower than the hairpin. Further comparisons, with both an interferometer and a Langmuir probe, show hairpin measurements to be in good agreement with the interferometer while Langmuir probe measurements again result in a lower electron density.

  14. Highly accurate surface maps from profilometer measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Medicus, Kate M.; Nelson, Jessica D.; Mandina, Mike P.

    2013-04-01

    Many aspheres and free-form optical surfaces are measured using a single line trace profilometer which is limiting because accurate 3D corrections are not possible with the single trace. We show a method to produce an accurate fully 2.5D surface height map when measuring a surface with a profilometer using only 6 traces and without expensive hardware. The 6 traces are taken at varying angular positions of the lens, rotating the part between each trace. The output height map contains low form error only, the first 36 Zernikes. The accuracy of the height map is ±10% of the actual Zernike values and within ±3% of the actual peak to valley number. The calculated Zernike values are affected by errors in the angular positioning, by the centering of the lens, and to a small effect, choices made in the processing algorithm. We have found that the angular positioning of the part should be better than 1?, which is achievable with typical hardware. The centering of the lens is essential to achieving accurate measurements. The part must be centered to within 0.5% of the diameter to achieve accurate results. This value is achievable with care, with an indicator, but the part must be edged to a clean diameter.

  15. WIND measurements of proton and alpha particle flow and number density

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steinberg, J. T.; Lazarus, A. J.; Ogilvie, J. T.; Lepping, R.; Byrnes, J.; Chornay, D.; Keller, J.; Torbert, R. B.; Bodet, D.; Needell, G. J.

    1995-01-01

    We propose to review measurements of the solar wind proton and alpha particle flow velocities and densities made since launch with the WIND SWE instrument. The SWE Faraday cup ion sensors are designed to be able to determine accurately flow vector directions, and thus can be used to detect proton-alpha particle differential flow. Instances of differential flow, and the solar wind features with which they are associated will be discussed. Additionally, the variability of the percentage of alpha particles as a fraction of the total solar wind ion density will be presented.

  16. High data density temperature measurement for quasi steady-state flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mercer, Carolyn R.; Rashidnia, Nasser; Creath, Katherine

    1995-01-01

    A new optical instrument, the liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI), is used to measure the temperature distribution across a heated chamber filled with silicone oil. Data taken using the LCPDI are compared to equivalent measurements made with a traversing thermocouple and the two data sets show excellent agreement This instrument maintains the compact, robust design of Linnik's point diffraction interferometer and adds to it phase stepping capability for quantitative interferogram analysis. The result is a compact, simple to align, environmentally insensitive interferometer capable of accurately measuring optical wavefronts with very high data density and with automated data reduction.

  17. High Data Density Temperature Measurement for Quasi Steady-State Flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mercer, C. R.; Rashidnia, N.; Creath, K.

    1996-01-01

    A new optical instrument, the liquid crystal point diffraction interferometer (LCPDI), is used to measure the temperature distribution across a heated chamber filled with silicone oil. Data taken using the LCPDI are compared to equivalent measurements made with a traversing thermo-couple and the two data sets show excellent agreement. This instrument maintains the compact, robust design of Linniks point diffraction interferometer and adds to it phase stepping capability for quantitative interferogram analysis. The result is a compact, simple to align, environmentally insensitive interferometer capable of accurately measuring optical wave-fronts with very high data density and with automated data reduction.

  18. Comparison of Satellite based Ion Density Measurements with Digisonde electron density measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, G.; Balthazor, R. L.; Reinisch, B. W.; McHarg, M.; Maldonado, C.

    2017-12-01

    The integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer (IMESA) flying on the STPSat-3 satellite has collected more than 3 years of ion density data. This instrument is the first in a constellation of up to 6 instruments. We plan on integrating the data from all IMESAs into an approiate ionospheric model. OUr first step is to validate the IMESA data and calibrate the instrument. In this presentation we discuss our process for preparing IMESA data and comparing it to ground based measurements. Lastly, we present a number of comparisons between IMESA ion density measurements and digisonde electron density measurements.

  19. Satellite accelerometer measurements of neutral density and winds during geomagnetic storms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marcos, F. A.; Forbes, J. M.

    1986-01-01

    A new thermospheric wind measurement technique is reported which is based on a Satellite Electrostatic Triaxial Accelerometer (SETA) system capable of accurately measuring accelerations in the satellite's in-track, cross-track and radial directions. Data obtained during two time periods are presented. The first data set describes cross-track winds measured between 170 and 210 km during a 5-day period (25 to 29 March 1979) of mostly high geomagnetic activity. In the second data set, cross-track winds and neutral densities from SETA and exospheric temperatures from the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar are examined during an isolated magnetic substorm occurring on 21 March 1979. A polar thermospheric wind circulation consisting of a two cell horizontal convection pattern is reflected in both sets of cross-track acceleration measurements. The density response is highly asymmetric with respect to its day/night behavior. Latitude structures of the density response at successive times following the substorm peak suggest the equatorward propagation of a disturbance with a phase speed between 300 and 600 m/s. A deep depression in the density at high latitudes (less than 70 deg) is evident in conjunction with this phenomenon. The more efficient propagation of the disturbance to lower latitudes during the night is probably due to the midnight surge effect.

  20. Accurately measuring volcanic plume velocity with multiple UV spectrometers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Williams-Jones, Glyn; Horton, Keith A.; Elias, Tamar; Garbeil, Harold; Mouginis-Mark, Peter J; Sutton, A. Jeff; Harris, Andrew J. L.

    2006-01-01

    A fundamental problem with all ground-based remotely sensed measurements of volcanic gas flux is the difficulty in accurately measuring the velocity of the gas plume. Since a representative wind speed and direction are used as proxies for the actual plume velocity, there can be considerable uncertainty in reported gas flux values. Here we present a method that uses at least two time-synchronized simultaneously recording UV spectrometers (FLYSPECs) placed a known distance apart. By analyzing the time varying structure of SO2 concentration signals at each instrument, the plume velocity can accurately be determined. Experiments were conducted on Kīlauea (USA) and Masaya (Nicaragua) volcanoes in March and August 2003 at plume velocities between 1 and 10 m s−1. Concurrent ground-based anemometer measurements differed from FLYSPEC-measured plume speeds by up to 320%. This multi-spectrometer method allows for the accurate remote measurement of plume velocity and can therefore greatly improve the precision of volcanic or industrial gas flux measurements.

  1. A facile electrode preparation method for accurate electrochemical measurements of double-side-coated electrode from commercial Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Ge; Wang, Qiyu; Wang, Shuo; Ling, Shigang; Zheng, Jieyun; Yu, Xiqian; Li, Hong

    2018-04-01

    The post mortem electrochemical analysis, including charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, are critical steps for revealing the failure mechanisms of commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These post measurements usually require the reassembling of coin-cell with electrode which is often double-side-coated in commercial LIBs. It is difficult to use such double-side-coated electrode to perform accurate electrochemical measurements because the back side of the electrode is coated with active materials, rather than single-side-coated electrode that is often used in coin-cell measurements. In this study, we report a facile tape-covering sample preparation method, which can effectively suppress the influence of back side of the double-side-coated electrodes on capacity and EIS measurements in coin-cells. By tape-covering the unwanted side, the areal capacity of the desired investigated side of the electrode has been accurately measured with an experimental error of about 0.5% at various current densities, and accurate EIS measurements and analysis have been conducted as well.

  2. Screened exchange hybrid density functional for accurate and efficient structures and interaction energies.

    PubMed

    Brandenburg, Jan Gerit; Caldeweyher, Eike; Grimme, Stefan

    2016-06-21

    We extend the recently introduced PBEh-3c global hybrid density functional [S. Grimme et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2015, 143, 054107] by a screened Fock exchange variant based on the Henderson-Janesko-Scuseria exchange hole model. While the excellent performance of the global hybrid is maintained for small covalently bound molecules, its performance for computed condensed phase mass densities is further improved. Most importantly, a speed up of 30 to 50% can be achieved and especially for small orbital energy gap cases, the method is numerically much more robust. The latter point is important for many applications, e.g., for metal-organic frameworks, organic semiconductors, or protein structures. This enables an accurate density functional based electronic structure calculation of a full DNA helix structure on a single core desktop computer which is presented as an example in addition to comprehensive benchmark results.

  3. Differential interferometry for measurement of density fluctuations and fluctuation-induced transport (invited)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, L.; Ding, W. X.; Brower, D. L.

    2010-10-15

    Differential interferometry employs two parallel laser beams with a small spatial offset (less than beam width) and frequency difference (1-2 MHz) using common optics and a single mixer for a heterodyne detection. The differential approach allows measurement of the electron density gradient, its fluctuations, as well as the equilibrium density distribution. This novel interferometry technique is immune to fringe skip errors and is particularly useful in harsh plasma environments. Accurate calibration of the beam spatial offset, accomplished by use of a rotating dielectric wedge, is required to enable broad application of this approach. Differential interferometry has been successfully used onmore » the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch plasma to directly measure fluctuation-induced transport along with equilibrium density profile evolution during pellet injection. In addition, by combining differential and conventional interferometry, both linear and nonlinear terms of the electron density fluctuation energy equation can be determined, thereby allowing quantitative investigation of the origin of the density fluctuations. The concept, calibration, and application of differential interferometry are presented.« less

  4. Molecular acidity: An accurate description with information-theoretic approach in density functional reactivity theory.

    PubMed

    Cao, Xiaofang; Rong, Chunying; Zhong, Aiguo; Lu, Tian; Liu, Shubin

    2018-01-15

    Molecular acidity is one of the important physiochemical properties of a molecular system, yet its accurate calculation and prediction are still an unresolved problem in the literature. In this work, we propose to make use of the quantities from the information-theoretic (IT) approach in density functional reactivity theory and provide an accurate description of molecular acidity from a completely new perspective. To illustrate our point, five different categories of acidic series, singly and doubly substituted benzoic acids, singly substituted benzenesulfinic acids, benzeneseleninic acids, phenols, and alkyl carboxylic acids, have been thoroughly examined. We show that using IT quantities such as Shannon entropy, Fisher information, Ghosh-Berkowitz-Parr entropy, information gain, Onicescu information energy, and relative Rényi entropy, one is able to simultaneously predict experimental pKa values of these different categories of compounds. Because of the universality of the quantities employed in this work, which are all density dependent, our approach should be general and be applicable to other systems as well. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Measurement of instantaneous rotational speed using double-sine-varying-density fringe pattern

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Jianfeng; Zhong, Shuncong; Zhang, Qiukun; Peng, Zhike

    2018-03-01

    Fast and accurate rotational speed measurement is required both for condition monitoring and faults diagnose of rotating machineries. A vision- and fringe pattern-based rotational speed measurement system was proposed to measure the instantaneous rotational speed (IRS) with high accuracy and reliability. A special double-sine-varying-density fringe pattern (DSVD-FP) was designed and pasted around the shaft surface completely and worked as primary angular sensor. The rotational angle could be correctly obtained from the left and right fringe period densities (FPDs) of the DSVD-FP image sequence recorded by a high-speed camera. The instantaneous angular speed (IAS) between two adjacent frames could be calculated from the real-time rotational angle curves, thus, the IRS also could be obtained accurately and efficiently. Both the measurement principle and system design of the novel method have been presented. The influence factors on the sensing characteristics and measurement accuracy of the novel system, including the spectral centrobaric correction method (SCCM) on the FPD calculation, the noise sources introduce by the image sensor, the exposure time and the vibration of the shaft, were investigated through simulations and experiments. The sampling rate of the high speed camera could be up to 5000 Hz, thus, the measurement becomes very fast and the change in rotational speed was sensed within 0.2 ms. The experimental results for different IRS measurements and characterization of the response property of a servo motor demonstrated the high accuracy and fast measurement of the proposed technique, making it attractive for condition monitoring and faults diagnosis of rotating machineries.

  6. Accurate mass measurement: terminology and treatment of data.

    PubMed

    Brenton, A Gareth; Godfrey, A Ruth

    2010-11-01

    High-resolution mass spectrometry has become ever more accessible with improvements in instrumentation, such as modern FT-ICR and Orbitrap mass spectrometers. This has resulted in an increase in the number of articles submitted for publication quoting accurate mass data. There is a plethora of terms related to accurate mass analysis that are in current usage, many employed incorrectly or inconsistently. This article is based on a set of notes prepared by the authors for research students and staff in our laboratories as a guide to the correct terminology and basic statistical procedures to apply in relation to mass measurement, particularly for accurate mass measurement. It elaborates on the editorial by Gross in 1994 regarding the use of accurate masses for structure confirmation. We have presented and defined the main terms in use with reference to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommendations for nomenclature and symbolism for mass spectrometry. The correct use of statistics and treatment of data is illustrated as a guide to new and existing mass spectrometry users with a series of examples as well as statistical methods to compare different experimental methods and datasets. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Electron density measurements in STPX plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, Jerry; Williams, R.; Titus, J. B.; Mezonlin, E. D.; Akpovo, C.; Thomas, E.

    2017-10-01

    Diagnostics have been installed to measure the electron density of Spheromak Turbulent Physics Experiment (STPX) plasmas at Florida A. & M. University. An insertable probe, provided by Auburn University, consisting of a combination of a triple-tipped Langmuir probe and a radial array consisting of three ion saturation current / floating potential rings has been installed to measure instantaneous plasma density, temperature and plasma potential. As the ramp-up of the experimental program commences, initial electron density measurements from the triple-probe show that the electron density is on the order of 1019 particles/m3. For a passive measurement, a CO2 interferometer system has been designed and installed for measuring line-averaged densities and to corroborate the Langmuir measurements. We describe the design, calibration, and performance of these diagnostic systems on large volume STPX plasmas.

  8. The X3LYP extended density functional for accurate descriptions of nonbond interactions, spin states, and thermochemical properties

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Xin; Goddard, William A.

    2004-01-01

    We derive the form for an exact exchange energy density for a density decaying with Gaussian-like behavior at long range. Based on this, we develop the X3LYP (extended hybrid functional combined with Lee–Yang–Parr correlation functional) extended functional for density functional theory to significantly improve the accuracy for hydrogen-bonded and van der Waals complexes while also improving the accuracy in heats of formation, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and total atomic energies [over the most popular and accurate method, B3LYP (Becke three-parameter hybrid functional combined with Lee–Yang–Parr correlation functional)]. X3LYP also leads to a good description of dipole moments, polarizabilities, and accurate excitation energies from s to d orbitals for transition metal atoms and ions. We suggest that X3LYP will be useful for predicting ligand binding in proteins and DNA. PMID:14981235

  9. Improving accuracy of cell and chromophore concentration measurements using optical density

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background UV–vis spectrophotometric optical density (OD) is the most commonly-used technique for estimating chromophore formation and cell concentration in liquid culture. OD wavelength is often chosen with little thought given to its effect on the quality of the measurement. Analysis of the contributions of absorption and scattering to the measured optical density provides a basis for understanding variability among spectrophotometers and enables a quantitative evaluation of the applicability of the Beer-Lambert law. This provides a rational approach for improving the accuracy of OD measurements used as a proxy for direct dry weight (DW), cell count, and pigment levels. Results For pigmented organisms, the choice of OD wavelength presents a tradeoff between the robustness and the sensitivity of the measurement. The OD at a robust wavelength is primarily the result of light scattering and does not vary with culture conditions; whereas, the OD at a sensitive wavelength is additionally dependent on light absorption by the organism’s pigments. Suitably robust and sensitive wavelengths are identified for a wide range of organisms by comparing their spectra to the true absorption spectra of dyes. The relative scattering contribution can be reduced either by measurement at higher OD, or by the addition of bovine serum albumin. Reduction of scattering or correlation with off-peak light attenuation provides for more accurate assessment of chromophore levels within cells. Conversion factors between DW, OD, and colony-forming unit density are tabulated for 17 diverse organisms to illustrate the scope of variability of these correlations. Finally, an inexpensive short pathlength LED-based flow cell is demonstrated for the online monitoring of growth in a bioreactor at culture concentrations greater than 5 grams dry weight per liter which would otherwise require off-line dilutions to obtain non-saturated OD measurements. Conclusions OD is most accurate as a time

  10. Accurately measuring the height of (real) forest trees

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg

    2014-01-01

    Quick and accurate tree height measurement has always been a goal of foresters. The techniques and technology to measure height were developed long ago—even the earliest textbooks on mensuration showcased hypsometers (e.g., Schlich 1895, Mlodziansky 1898, Schenck 1905, Graves 1906), and approaches to refine these sometimes remarkable tools appeared in the first issues...

  11. Development and Application of a Wireless Sensor for Space Charge Density Measurement in an Ultra-High-Voltage, Direct-Current Environment.

    PubMed

    Xin, Encheng; Ju, Yong; Yuan, Haiwen

    2016-10-20

    A space charge density wireless measurement system based on the idea of distributed measurement is proposed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density in an ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) environment. The proposed system architecture is composed of a number of wireless nodes connected with space charge density sensors and a base station. The space charge density sensor based on atmospheric ion counter method is elaborated and developed, and the ARM microprocessor and Zigbee radio frequency module are applied. The wireless network communication quality and the relationship between energy consumption and transmission distance in the complicated electromagnetic environment is tested. Based on the experimental results, the proposed measurement system demonstrates that it can adapt to the complex electromagnetic environment under the UHVDC transmission lines and can accurately measure the space charge density.

  12. Implementing an Inexpensive and Accurate Introductory Gas Density Activity with High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cunningham, W. Patrick; Joseph, Christopher; Morey, Samantha; Santos Romo, Ana; Shope, Cullen; Strang, Jonathan; Yang, Kevin

    2015-01-01

    A simplified activity examined gas density while employing cost-efficient syringes in place of traditional glass bulbs. The exercise measured the density of methane, with very good accuracy and precision, in both first-year high school and AP chemistry settings. The participating students were tasked with finding the density of a gas. The…

  13. Number-Density Measurements of CO2 in Real Time with an Optical Frequency Comb for High Accuracy and Precision

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scholten, Sarah K.; Perrella, Christopher; Anstie, James D.; White, Richard T.; Al-Ashwal, Waddah; Hébert, Nicolas Bourbeau; Genest, Jérôme; Luiten, Andre N.

    2018-05-01

    Real-time and accurate measurements of gas properties are highly desirable for numerous real-world applications. Here, we use an optical-frequency comb to demonstrate absolute number-density and temperature measurements of a sample gas with state-of-the-art precision and accuracy. The technique is demonstrated by measuring the number density of 12C16O2 with an accuracy of better than 1% and a precision of 0.04% in a measurement and analysis cycle of less than 1 s. This technique is transferable to numerous molecular species, thus offering an avenue for near-universal gas concentration measurements.

  14. Accurate reconstruction of the jV-characteristic of organic solar cells from measurements of the external quantum efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, Toni; Körner, Christian; Vandewal, Koen; Leo, Karl

    2018-04-01

    In two terminal tandem solar cells, the current density - voltage (jV) characteristic of the individual subcells is typically not directly measurable, but often required for a rigorous device characterization. In this work, we reconstruct the jV-characteristic of organic solar cells from measurements of the external quantum efficiency under applied bias voltages and illumination. We show that it is necessary to perform a bias irradiance variation at each voltage and subsequently conduct a mathematical correction of the differential to the absolute external quantum efficiency to obtain an accurate jV-characteristic. Furthermore, we show that measuring the external quantum efficiency as a function of voltage for a single bias irradiance of 0.36 AM1.5g equivalent sun provides a good approximation of the photocurrent density over voltage curve. The method is tested on a selection of efficient, common single-junctions. The obtained conclusions can easily be transferred to multi-junction devices with serially connected subcells.

  15. Characterization of Thin Film Materials using SCAN meta-GGA, an Accurate Nonempirical Density Functional

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Buda, I. G.; Lane, C.; Barbiellini, B.

    We discuss self-consistently obtained ground-state electronic properties of monolayers of graphene and a number of ’beyond graphene’ compounds, including films of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), using the recently proposed strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) to the density functional theory. The SCAN meta-GGA results are compared with those based on the local density approximation (LDA) as well as the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). As expected, the GGA yields expanded lattices and softened bonds in relation to the LDA, but the SCAN meta-GGA systematically improves the agreement with experiment. Our study suggests the efficacy of the SCAN functionalmore » for accurate modeling of electronic structures of layered materials in high-throughput calculations more generally.« less

  16. Characterization of Thin Film Materials using SCAN meta-GGA, an Accurate Nonempirical Density Functional

    DOE PAGES

    Buda, I. G.; Lane, C.; Barbiellini, B.; ...

    2017-03-23

    We discuss self-consistently obtained ground-state electronic properties of monolayers of graphene and a number of ’beyond graphene’ compounds, including films of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), using the recently proposed strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) to the density functional theory. The SCAN meta-GGA results are compared with those based on the local density approximation (LDA) as well as the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). As expected, the GGA yields expanded lattices and softened bonds in relation to the LDA, but the SCAN meta-GGA systematically improves the agreement with experiment. Our study suggests the efficacy of the SCAN functionalmore » for accurate modeling of electronic structures of layered materials in high-throughput calculations more generally.« less

  17. Monitoring circuit accurately measures movement of solenoid valve

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gillett, J. D.

    1966-01-01

    Solenoid operated valve in a control system powered by direct current issued to accurately measure the valve travel. This system is currently in operation with a 28-vdc power system used for control of fluids in liquid rocket motor test facilities.

  18. A study of density measurements in hypersonic helium tunnels using an electron beam fluorescence technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Honaker, W. C.; Hunter, W. W., Jr.; Woods, W. C.

    1979-01-01

    A series of experiments have been conducted at Langley Research Center to determine the feasibility of using electron-beam fluorescence to measure the free-stream static density of gaseous helium flow over a wide range of conditions. These experiments were conducted in the Langley hypersonic helium tunnel facility and its 3-inch prototype. Measurements were made for a range of stagnation pressures and temperatures and produced free-stream number densities of 1.53 x 10 to the 23rd to 1.25 x 10 to the 24th molecules/cu m and static temperatures from 2 K to 80 K. The results showed the collision quenching cross section to be 4.4 x 10 to the -15th sq cm at 1 K and to have a weak temperature dependence of T to the 1/6. With knowledge of these two values, the free-stream number density can be measured quite accurately.

  19. 46 CFR 164.009-17 - Density measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Density measurement. 164.009-17 Section 164.009-17...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL MATERIALS Noncombustible Materials for Merchant Vessels § 164.009-17 Density measurement. (a) The measurements described in this section are made to determine the density of a sample. (b...

  20. Development and Application of a Wireless Sensor for Space Charge Density Measurement in an Ultra-High-Voltage, Direct-Current Environment

    PubMed Central

    Xin, Encheng; Ju, Yong; Yuan, Haiwen

    2016-01-01

    A space charge density wireless measurement system based on the idea of distributed measurement is proposed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density in an ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) environment. The proposed system architecture is composed of a number of wireless nodes connected with space charge density sensors and a base station. The space charge density sensor based on atmospheric ion counter method is elaborated and developed, and the ARM microprocessor and Zigbee radio frequency module are applied. The wireless network communication quality and the relationship between energy consumption and transmission distance in the complicated electromagnetic environment is tested. Based on the experimental results, the proposed measurement system demonstrates that it can adapt to the complex electromagnetic environment under the UHVDC transmission lines and can accurately measure the space charge density. PMID:27775627

  1. Electron density and gas density measurements in a millimeter-wave discharge

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schaub, S. C., E-mail: sschaub@mit.edu; Hummelt, J. S.; Guss, W. C.

    2016-08-15

    Electron density and neutral gas density have been measured in a non-equilibrium air breakdown plasma using optical emission spectroscopy and two-dimensional laser interferometry, respectively. A plasma was created with a focused high frequency microwave beam in air. Experiments were run with 110 GHz and 124.5 GHz microwaves at powers up to 1.2 MW. Microwave pulses were 3 μs long at 110 GHz and 2.2 μs long at 124.5 GHz. Electron density was measured over a pressure range of 25 to 700 Torr as the input microwave power was varied. Electron density was found to be close to the critical density, where the collisional plasma frequency is equal tomore » the microwave frequency, over the pressure range studied and to vary weakly with input power. Neutral gas density was measured over a pressure range from 150 to 750 Torr at power levels high above the threshold for initiating breakdown. The two-dimensional structure of the neutral gas density was resolved. Intense, localized heating was found to occur hundreds of nanoseconds after visible plasma formed. This heating led to neutral gas density reductions of greater than 80% where peak plasma densities occurred. Spatial structure and temporal dynamics of gas heating at atmospheric pressure were found to agree well with published numerical simulations.« less

  2. X-ray Thomson scattering measurements of temperature and density from multi-shocked CH capsules

    DOE PAGES

    Fletcher, L. B.; Glenzer, S. H.; Kritcher, A.; ...

    2013-05-24

    Proof-of-principle measurements of the electron densities, temperatures, and ionization states of spherically compressed multi-shocked CH (polystyrene) capsules have been achieved using spectrally resolved x-ray Thomson scattering. A total energy of 13.5 kJ incident on target is used to compress a 70 μm thick CH shell above solid-mass density using three coalescing shocks. Separately, a laser-produced zinc He-α x-ray source at 9 keV delayed 200 ps-800 ps after maximum compression is used to probe the plasma in the non-collective scattering regime. The data show that x-ray Thomson scattering enables a complete description of the time-dependent hydrodynamic evolution of shock-compressed CH capsules,more » with a maximum measured density of ρ > 6 g cm –3. Additionally, the results demonstrate that accurate measurements of x-ray scattering from bound-free transitions in the CH plasma demonstrate strong evidence that continuum lowering is the primary ionization mechanism of carbon L-shell electrons.« less

  3. Measurement of hard tissue density based on image density of intraoral radiograph

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katsumata, Akitoshi; Fukui, Tatsumasa; Shimoda, Shinji; Kobayashi, Kaoru; Hayashi, Tatsuro

    2018-02-01

    We developed a DentalSCOPE computer program to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) of the alveolar bone. Mineral density measurement of alveolar bone may be useful to predict possible patients who will occur medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Because these osteoporosis medicines affect the mineral density of alveolar bone significantly. The BMD of alveolar bone was compared between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and the DentalSCOPE program. A high correlation coefficient was revealed between the DentalSCOPE measurement and the DEXA measurement.

  4. BOOK REVIEW: Practical Density Measurement and Hydrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, S. V.

    2003-01-01

    Density determinations are very important not only for science and production but also in everyday life, since very often a product is sold by mass but the content of the package is measured by volume (or vice versa) so that the density is needed to convert the values. In production processes the density serves as a measure of mixing ratios and other properties. In science, the determination of Avogadro's constant using silicon single crystals and the potential replacement of the kilogram prototype boost density determination to an extremely low relative uncertainty of 10-7 or less. The book by S V Gupta explains in detail the foundations of any density measurement, namely the volume determination of solid artefacts in terms of the SI base unit of length and the density of water and mercury. Both the history and the actual state of science are reported. For practical density measurements, these chapters contain very useful formulae and tables. Water is treated in detail since it is most widely used as a standard not only for density determination but also to gravimetrically calibrate the capacity of volumetric glassware. Two thirds of the book are devoted to the practical density measurement of solids and liquids, mainly using classical instruments like pycnometers and hydrometers. Methods using free flotation of samples in a liquid without suspension are especially useful for small samples. Also, density determinations of powders and granular or porous samples are explained. Unfortunately, modern density meters of the oscillation type are dealt with in only a few pages. The book is clearly written and easy to understand. It contains a lot of evaluations of formulae that for practical measurements are represented in detailed tables. Methods and measurement procedures are described in detail, including also the calculation of uncertainty. Listings of the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are very helpful. S V Gupta has written a book that will be

  5. SPHYNX: an accurate density-based SPH method for astrophysical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cabezón, R. M.; García-Senz, D.; Figueira, J.

    2017-10-01

    Aims: Hydrodynamical instabilities and shocks are ubiquitous in astrophysical scenarios. Therefore, an accurate numerical simulation of these phenomena is mandatory to correctly model and understand many astrophysical events, such as supernovas, stellar collisions, or planetary formation. In this work, we attempt to address many of the problems that a commonly used technique, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), has when dealing with subsonic hydrodynamical instabilities or shocks. To that aim we built a new SPH code named SPHYNX, that includes many of the recent advances in the SPH technique and some other new ones, which we present here. Methods: SPHYNX is of Newtonian type and grounded in the Euler-Lagrange formulation of the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics technique. Its distinctive features are: the use of an integral approach to estimating the gradients; the use of a flexible family of interpolators called sinc kernels, which suppress pairing instability; and the incorporation of a new type of volume element which provides a better partition of the unity. Unlike other modern formulations, which consider volume elements linked to pressure, our volume element choice relies on density. SPHYNX is, therefore, a density-based SPH code. Results: A novel computational hydrodynamic code oriented to Astrophysical applications is described, discussed, and validated in the following pages. The ensuing code conserves mass, linear and angular momentum, energy, entropy, and preserves kernel normalization even in strong shocks. In our proposal, the estimation of gradients is enhanced using an integral approach. Additionally, we introduce a new family of volume elements which reduce the so-called tensile instability. Both features help to suppress the damp which often prevents the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities in regular SPH codes. Conclusions: On the whole, SPHYNX has passed the verification tests described below. For identical particle setting and initial

  6. Apparatus for accurately measuring high temperatures

    DOEpatents

    Smith, D.D.

    The present invention is a thermometer used for measuring furnace temperatures in the range of about 1800/sup 0/ to 2700/sup 0/C. The thermometer comprises a broadband multicolor thermal radiation sensor positioned to be in optical alignment with the end of a blackbody sight tube extending into the furnace. A valve-shutter arrangement is positioned between the radiation sensor and the sight tube and a chamber for containing a charge of high pressure gas is positioned between the valve-shutter arrangement and the radiation sensor. A momentary opening of the valve shutter arrangement allows a pulse of the high gas to purge the sight tube of air-borne thermal radiation contaminants which permits the radiation sensor to accurately measure the thermal radiation emanating from the end of the sight tube.

  7. Apparatus for accurately measuring high temperatures

    DOEpatents

    Smith, Douglas D.

    1985-01-01

    The present invention is a thermometer used for measuring furnace temperaes in the range of about 1800.degree. to 2700.degree. C. The thermometer comprises a broadband multicolor thermal radiation sensor positioned to be in optical alignment with the end of a blackbody sight tube extending into the furnace. A valve-shutter arrangement is positioned between the radiation sensor and the sight tube and a chamber for containing a charge of high pressure gas is positioned between the valve-shutter arrangement and the radiation sensor. A momentary opening of the valve shutter arrangement allows a pulse of the high gas to purge the sight tube of air-borne thermal radiation contaminants which permits the radiation sensor to accurately measure the thermal radiation emanating from the end of the sight tube.

  8. Measuring liquid density using Archimedes' principle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hughes, Stephen W.

    2006-09-01

    A simple technique is described for measuring absolute and relative liquid density based on Archimedes' principle. The technique involves placing a container of the liquid under test on an electronic balance and suspending a probe (e.g. a glass marble) attached to a length of line beneath the surface of the liquid. If the volume of the probe is known, the density of liquid is given by the difference between the balance reading before and after immersion of the probe divided by the volume of the probe. A test showed that the density of water at room temperature could be measured to an accuracy and precision of 0.01 ± 0.1%. The probe technique was also used to measure the relative density of milk, Coca-Cola, fruit juice, olive oil and vinegar.

  9. A Method to Improve Electron Density Measurement of Cone-Beam CT Using Dual Energy Technique

    PubMed Central

    Men, Kuo; Dai, Jian-Rong; Li, Ming-Hui; Chen, Xin-Yuan; Zhang, Ke; Tian, Yuan; Huang, Peng; Xu, Ying-Jie

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. To develop a dual energy imaging method to improve the accuracy of electron density measurement with a cone-beam CT (CBCT) device. Materials and Methods. The imaging system is the XVI CBCT system on Elekta Synergy linac. Projection data were acquired with the high and low energy X-ray, respectively, to set up a basis material decomposition model. Virtual phantom simulation and phantoms experiments were carried out for quantitative evaluation of the method. Phantoms were also scanned twice with the high and low energy X-ray, respectively. The data were decomposed into projections of the two basis material coefficients according to the model set up earlier. The two sets of decomposed projections were used to reconstruct CBCT images of the basis material coefficients. Then, the images of electron densities were calculated with these CBCT images. Results. The difference between the calculated and theoretical values was within 2% and the correlation coefficient of them was about 1.0. The dual energy imaging method obtained more accurate electron density values and reduced the beam hardening artifacts obviously. Conclusion. A novel dual energy CBCT imaging method to calculate the electron densities was developed. It can acquire more accurate values and provide a platform potentially for dose calculation. PMID:26346510

  10. Sap flow measurements combining sap-flux density radial profiles with punctual sap-flux density measurements in oak trees (Quercus ilex and Quercus pyrenaica) - water-use implications in a water-limited savanna-

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reyes, J. Leonardo; Lubczynski1, Maciek W.

    2010-05-01

    Sap flow measurement is a key aspect for understanding how plants use water and their impacts on the ecosystems. A variety of sensors have been developed to measure sap flow, each one with its unique characteristics. When the aim of a research is to have accurate tree water use calculations, with high temporal and spatial resolution (i.e. scaled), a sensor with high accuracy, high measurement efficiency, low signal-to-noise ratio and low price is ideal, but such has not been developed yet. Granier's thermal dissipation probes (TDP) have been widely used in many studies and various environmental conditions because of its simplicity, reliability, efficiency and low cost. However, it has two major flaws when is used in semi-arid environments and broad-stem tree species: it is often affected by high natural thermal gradients (NTG), which distorts the measurements, and it cannot measure the radial variability of sap-flux density in trees with sapwood thicker than two centimeters. The new, multi point heat field deformation sensor (HFD) is theoretically not affected by NTG, and it can measure the radial variability of the sap flow at different depths. However, its high cost is a serious limitation when simultaneous measurements are required in several trees (e.g. catchment-scale studies). The underlying challenge is to develop a monitoring schema in which HFD and TDP are combined to satisfy the needs of measurement efficiency and accuracy in water accounting. To assess the level of agreement between TDP and HFD methods in quantifying sap flow rates and temporal patterns on Quercus ilex (Q.i ) and Quercus pyrenaica trees (Q.p.), three measurement schemas: standard TDP, TDP-NTG-corrected and HFD were compared in dry season at the semi-arid Sardon area, near Salamanca in Spain in the period from June to September 2009. To correct TDP measurements with regard to radial sap flow variability, a radial sap flux density correction factor was applied and tested by adjusting TDP

  11. Pressure measurements in a low-density nozzle plume for code verification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Penko, Paul F.; Boyd, Iain D.; Meissner, Dana L.; Dewitt, Kenneth J.

    1991-01-01

    Measurements of Pitot pressure were made in the exit plane and plume of a low-density, nitrogen nozzle flow. Two numerical computer codes were used to analyze the flow, including one based on continuum theory using the explicit MacCormack method, and the other on kinetic theory using the method of direct-simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC). The continuum analysis was carried to the nozzle exit plane and the results were compared to the measurements. The DSMC analysis was extended into the plume of the nozzle flow and the results were compared with measurements at the exit plane and axial stations 12, 24 and 36 mm into the near-field plume. Two experimental apparatus were used that differed in design and gave slightly different profiles of pressure measurements. The DSMC method compared well with the measurements from each apparatus at all axial stations and provided a more accurate prediction of the flow than the continuum method, verifying the validity of DSMC for such calculations.

  12. Optimization of magnetic flux density measurement using multiple RF receiver coils and multi-echo in MREIT.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Woo Chul; Chauhan, Munish; Sajib, Saurav Z K; Kim, Hyung Joong; Serša, Igor; Kwon, Oh In; Woo, Eung Je

    2014-09-07

    Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography (MREIT) is an MRI method that enables mapping of internal conductivity and/or current density via measurements of magnetic flux density signals. The MREIT measures only the z-component of the induced magnetic flux density B = (Bx, By, Bz) by external current injection. The measured noise of Bz complicates recovery of magnetic flux density maps, resulting in lower quality conductivity and current-density maps. We present a new method for more accurate measurement of the spatial gradient of the magnetic flux density gradient (∇ Bz). The method relies on the use of multiple radio-frequency receiver coils and an interleaved multi-echo pulse sequence that acquires multiple sampling points within each repetition time. The noise level of the measured magnetic flux density Bz depends on the decay rate of the signal magnitude, the injection current duration, and the coil sensitivity map. The proposed method uses three key steps. The first step is to determine a representative magnetic flux density gradient from multiple receiver coils by using a weighted combination and by denoising the measured noisy data. The second step is to optimize the magnetic flux density gradient by using multi-echo magnetic flux densities at each pixel in order to reduce the noise level of ∇ Bz and the third step is to remove a random noise component from the recovered ∇ Bz by solving an elliptic partial differential equation in a region of interest. Numerical simulation experiments using a cylindrical phantom model with included regions of low MRI signal to noise ('defects') verified the proposed method. Experimental results using a real phantom experiment, that included three different kinds of anomalies, demonstrated that the proposed method reduced the noise level of the measured magnetic flux density. The quality of the recovered conductivity maps using denoised ∇ Bz data showed that the proposed method reduced the conductivity

  13. From The Cover: The X3LYP extended density functional for accurate descriptions of nonbond interactions, spin states, and thermochemical properties.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Goddard, William A

    2004-03-02

    We derive the form for an exact exchange energy density for a density decaying with Gaussian-like behavior at long range. Based on this, we develop the X3LYP (extended hybrid functional combined with Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional) extended functional for density functional theory to significantly improve the accuracy for hydrogen-bonded and van der Waals complexes while also improving the accuracy in heats of formation, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and total atomic energies [over the most popular and accurate method, B3LYP (Becke three-parameter hybrid functional combined with Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional)]. X3LYP also leads to a good description of dipole moments, polarizabilities, and accurate excitation energies from s to d orbitals for transition metal atoms and ions. We suggest that X3LYP will be useful for predicting ligand binding in proteins and DNA.

  14. From The Cover: The X3LYP extended density functional for accurate descriptions of nonbond interactions, spin states, and thermochemical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Xin; Goddard, William A., III

    2004-03-01

    We derive the form for an exact exchange energy density for a density decaying with Gaussian-like behavior at long range. Based on this, we develop the X3LYP (extended hybrid functional combined with Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional) extended functional for density functional theory to significantly improve the accuracy for hydrogen-bonded and van der Waals complexes while also improving the accuracy in heats of formation, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and total atomic energies [over the most popular and accurate method, B3LYP (Becke three-parameter hybrid functional combined with Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional)]. X3LYP also leads to a good description of dipole moments, polarizabilities, and accurate excitation energies from s to d orbitals for transition metal atoms and ions. We suggest that X3LYP will be useful for predicting ligand binding in proteins and DNA.

  15. Cosmic voids detection without density measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elyiv, Andrii; Marulli, Federico; Pollina, Giorgia; Baldi, Marco; Branchini, Enzo; Cimatti, Andrea; Moscardini, Lauro

    2015-03-01

    Cosmic voids are effective cosmological probes to discriminate among competing world models. Their identification is generally based on density or geometry criteria that, because of their very nature, are prone to shot noise. We propose two void finders that are based on dynamical criterion to select voids in Lagrangian coordinates and minimize the impact of sparse sampling. The first approach exploits the Zel'dovich approximation to trace back in time the orbits of galaxies located in voids and their surroundings; the second uses the observed galaxy-galaxy correlation function to relax the objects' spatial distribution to homogeneity and isotropy. In both cases voids are defined as regions of the negative velocity divergence, which can be regarded as sinks of the back-in-time streamlines of the mass tracers. To assess the performance of our methods we used a dark matter halo mock catalogue CODECS, and compared the results with those obtained with the ZOBOV void finder. We find that the void divergence profiles are less scattered than the density ones and, therefore, their stacking constitutes a more accurate cosmological probe. The significance of the divergence signal in the central part of voids obtained from both our finders is 60 per cent higher than for overdensity profiles in the ZOBOV case. The ellipticity of the stacked void measured in the divergence field is closer to unity, as expected, than what is found when using halo positions. Therefore, our void finders are complementary to the existing methods, which should contribute to improve the accuracy of void-based cosmological tests.

  16. A novel ultrasonic method for measuring breast density and breast cancer risk

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glide-Hurst, Carri K.; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter J.

    2008-03-01

    Women with high mammographic breast density are at 4- to 6-fold increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to women with fatty breasts. However, current breast density estimations rely on mammography, which cannot provide accurate volumetric breast representation. Therefore, we explored two techniques of breast density evaluation via ultrasound tomography. A sample of 93 patients was imaged with our clinical prototype; each dataset contained 45-75 tomograms ranging from near the chest wall through the nipple. Whole breast acoustic velocity was determined by creating image stacks and evaluating the sound speed frequency distribution. Ultrasound percent density (USPD) was determined by segmenting high sound speed areas from each tomogram using k-means clustering, integrating over the entire breast, and dividing by total breast area. Both techniques were independently evaluated using two mammographic density measures: (1) qualitative, determined by a radiologist's visual assessment using BI-RADS Categories, and (2) quantitative, via semi-automatic segmentation to calculate mammographic percent density (MPD) for craniocaudal and medio-lateral oblique mammograms. ~140 m/s difference in acoustic velocity was observed between fatty and dense BI-RADS Categories. Increased sound speed was found with increased BI-RADS Category and quantitative MPD. Furthermore, strong positive associations between USPD, BI-RADS Category, and calculated MPD were observed. These results confirm that utilizing sound speed, both for whole-breast evaluation and segmenting locally, can be implemented to evaluate breast density.

  17. High Precision 2-D Grating Groove Density Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ningxiao; McEntaffer, Randall; Tedesco, Ross

    2017-08-01

    Our research group at Penn State University is working on producing X-ray reflection gratings with high spectral resolving power and high diffraction efficiency. To estimate our fabrication accuracy, we apply a precise 2-D grating groove density measurement to plot groove density distributions of gratings on 6-inch wafers. In addition to plotting a fixed groove density distribution, this method is also sensitive to measuring the variation of the groove density simultaneously. This system can reach a measuring accuracy (ΔN/N) of 10-3. Here we present this groove density measurement and some applications.

  18. Breast density and parenchymal texture measures as potential risk factors for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keller, Brad M.; Chen, Jinbo; Conant, Emily F.; Kontos, Despina

    2014-03-01

    Accurate assessment of a woman's risk to develop specific subtypes of breast cancer is critical for appropriate utilization of chemopreventative measures, such as with tamoxifen in preventing estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. In this context, we investigate quantitative measures of breast density and parenchymal texture, measures of glandular tissue content and tissue structure, as risk factors for estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. Mediolateral oblique (MLO) view digital mammograms of the contralateral breast from 106 women with unilateral invasive breast cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Breast density and parenchymal texture were analyzed via fully-automated software. Logistic regression with feature selection and was performed to predict ER+ versus ER- cancer status. A combined model considering all imaging measures extracted was compared to baseline models consisting of density-alone and texture-alone features. Area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Delong's test were used to compare the models' discriminatory capacity for receptor status. The density-alone model had a discriminatory capacity of 0.62 AUC (p=0.05). The texture-alone model had a higher discriminatory capacity of 0.70 AUC (p=0.001), which was not significantly different compared to the density-alone model (p=0.37). In contrast the combined density-texture logistic regression model had a discriminatory capacity of 0.82 AUC (p<0.001), which was statistically significantly higher than both the density-alone (p<0.001) and texture-alone regression models (p=0.04). The combination of breast density and texture measures may have the potential to identify women specifically at risk for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer and could be useful in triaging women into appropriate risk-reduction strategies.

  19. Reineke’s stand density index: a quantitative and non-unitless measure of stand density

    Treesearch

    Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

    2013-01-01

    When used as a measure of relative density, Reineke’s stand density index (SDI) can be made unitless by relating the current SDI to a standard density but when used as a quantitative measure of stand density SDI is not unitless. Reineke’s SDI relates the current stand density to an equivalent number of trees per unit area in a stand with a quadratic mean diameter (Dq)...

  20. Progress Toward Accurate Measurements of Power Consumptions of DBD Plasma Actuators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ashpis, David E.; Laun, Matthew C.; Griebeler, Elmer L.

    2012-01-01

    The accurate measurement of power consumption by Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators is a challenge due to the characteristics of the actuator current signal. Micro-discharges generate high-amplitude, high-frequency current spike transients superimposed on a low-amplitude, low-frequency current. We have used a high-speed digital oscilloscope to measure the actuator power consumption using the Shunt Resistor method and the Monitor Capacitor method. The measurements were performed simultaneously and compared to each other in a time-accurate manner. It was found that low signal-to-noise ratios of the oscilloscopes used, in combination with the high dynamic range of the current spikes, make the Shunt Resistor method inaccurate. An innovative, nonlinear signal compression circuit was applied to the actuator current signal and yielded excellent agreement between the two methods. The paper describes the issues and challenges associated with performing accurate power measurements. It provides insights into the two methods including new insight into the Lissajous curve of the Monitor Capacitor method. Extension to a broad range of parameters and further development of the compression hardware will be performed in future work.

  1. Measurement of Two-Plasmon-Decay Dependence on Plasma Density Scale Length

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haberberger, D.

    2013-10-01

    An accurate understanding of the plasma scale-length (Lq) conditions near quarter-critical density is important in quantifying the hot electrons generated by the two-plasmon-decay (TPD) instability in long-scale-length plasmas. A novel target platform was developed to vary the density scale length and an innovative diagnostic was implemented to measure the density profiles above 1021 cm-3 where TPD is expected to have the largest growth. A series of experiments was performed using the four UV (351-nm) beams on OMEGA EP that varied the Lq by changing the radius of curvature of the target while maintaining a constant Iq/Tq. The fraction of laser energy converted to hot electrons (fhot) was observed to increase rapidly from 0.005% to 1% by increasing the plasma scale length from 130 μm to 300 μm, corresponding to target diameters of 0.4 mm to 8 mm. A new diagnostic was developed based on refractometry using angular spectral filters to overcome the large phase accumulation in standard interferometric techniques. The angular filter refractometer measures the refraction angles of a 10-ps, 263-nm probe laser after propagating through the plasma. An angular spectral filter is used in the Fourier plane of the probe beam, where the refractive angles of the rays are mapped to space. The edges of the filter are present in the image plane and represent contours of constant refraction angle. These contours are used to infer the phase of the probe beam, which are used to calculate the plasma density profile. In long-scale-length plasmas, the diagnostic currently measures plasma densities from ~1019 cm-3 to ~2 × 1021 cm-3. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0001944. In collaboration with D. H. Edgell, S. X. Hu, S. Ivancic, R. Boni, C. Dorrer, and D. H. Froula (Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester).

  2. Accurate first-principles structures and energies of diversely bonded systems from an efficient density functional

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sun, Jianwei; Remsing, Richard C.; Zhang, Yubo

    2016-06-13

    One atom or molecule binds to another through various types of bond, the strengths of which range from several meV to several eV. Although some computational methods can provide accurate descriptions of all bond types, those methods are not efficient enough for many studies (for example, large systems, ab initio molecular dynamics and high-throughput searches for functional materials). Here, we show that the recently developed non-empirical strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) within the density functional theory framework predicts accurate geometries and energies of diversely bonded molecules and materials (including covalent, metallic, ionic, hydrogen and vanmore » der Waals bonds). This represents a significant improvement at comparable efficiency over its predecessors, the GGAs that currently dominate materials computation. Often, SCAN matches or improves on the accuracy of a computationally expensive hybrid functional, at almost-GGA cost. SCAN is therefore expected to have a broad impact on chemistry and materials science.« less

  3. Accurate first-principles structures and energies of diversely bonded systems from an efficient density functional.

    PubMed

    Sun, Jianwei; Remsing, Richard C; Zhang, Yubo; Sun, Zhaoru; Ruzsinszky, Adrienn; Peng, Haowei; Yang, Zenghui; Paul, Arpita; Waghmare, Umesh; Wu, Xifan; Klein, Michael L; Perdew, John P

    2016-09-01

    One atom or molecule binds to another through various types of bond, the strengths of which range from several meV to several eV. Although some computational methods can provide accurate descriptions of all bond types, those methods are not efficient enough for many studies (for example, large systems, ab initio molecular dynamics and high-throughput searches for functional materials). Here, we show that the recently developed non-empirical strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) within the density functional theory framework predicts accurate geometries and energies of diversely bonded molecules and materials (including covalent, metallic, ionic, hydrogen and van der Waals bonds). This represents a significant improvement at comparable efficiency over its predecessors, the GGAs that currently dominate materials computation. Often, SCAN matches or improves on the accuracy of a computationally expensive hybrid functional, at almost-GGA cost. SCAN is therefore expected to have a broad impact on chemistry and materials science.

  4. High density lipoproteins: Measurement techniques and potential biomarkers of cardiovascular risk

    PubMed Central

    Hafiane, Anouar; Genest, Jacques

    2015-01-01

    Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) comprises a heterogeneous family of lipoprotein species, differing in surface charge, size and lipid and protein compositions. While HDL cholesterol (C) mass is a strong, graded and coherent biomarker of cardiovascular risk, genetic and clinical trial data suggest that the simple measurement of HDL-C may not be causal in preventing atherosclerosis nor reflect HDL functionality. Indeed, the measurement of HDL-C may be a biomarker of cardiovascular health. To assess the issue of HDL function as a potential therapeutic target, robust and simple analytical methods are required. The complex pleiotropic effects of HDL make the development of a single measurement challenging. Development of laboratory assays that accurately HDL function must be developed validated and brought to high-throughput for clinical purposes. This review discusses the limitations of current laboratory technologies for methods that separate and quantify HDL and potential application to predict CVD, with an emphasis on emergent approaches as potential biomarkers in clinical practice. PMID:26674734

  5. Mammographic Density Estimation with Automated Volumetric Breast Density Measurement

    PubMed Central

    Ko, Su Yeon; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Min Jung

    2014-01-01

    Objective To compare automated volumetric breast density measurement (VBDM) with radiologists' evaluations based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), and to identify the factors associated with technical failure of VBDM. Materials and Methods In this study, 1129 women aged 19-82 years who underwent mammography from December 2011 to January 2012 were included. Breast density evaluations by radiologists based on BI-RADS and by VBDM (Volpara Version 1.5.1) were compared. The agreement in interpreting breast density between radiologists and VBDM was determined based on four density grades (D1, D2, D3, and D4) and a binary classification of fatty (D1-2) vs. dense (D3-4) breast using kappa statistics. The association between technical failure of VBDM and patient age, total breast volume, fibroglandular tissue volume, history of partial mastectomy, the frequency of mass > 3 cm, and breast density was analyzed. Results The agreement between breast density evaluations by radiologists and VBDM was fair (k value = 0.26) when the four density grades (D1/D2/D3/D4) were used and moderate (k value = 0.47) for the binary classification (D1-2/D3-4). Twenty-seven women (2.4%) showed failure of VBDM. Small total breast volume, history of partial mastectomy, and high breast density were significantly associated with technical failure of VBDM (p = 0.001 to 0.015). Conclusion There is fair or moderate agreement in breast density evaluation between radiologists and VBDM. Technical failure of VBDM may be related to small total breast volume, a history of partial mastectomy, and high breast density. PMID:24843235

  6. Mammographic density estimation with automated volumetric breast density measurement.

    PubMed

    Ko, Su Yeon; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Min Jung; Moon, Hee Jung

    2014-01-01

    To compare automated volumetric breast density measurement (VBDM) with radiologists' evaluations based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), and to identify the factors associated with technical failure of VBDM. In this study, 1129 women aged 19-82 years who underwent mammography from December 2011 to January 2012 were included. Breast density evaluations by radiologists based on BI-RADS and by VBDM (Volpara Version 1.5.1) were compared. The agreement in interpreting breast density between radiologists and VBDM was determined based on four density grades (D1, D2, D3, and D4) and a binary classification of fatty (D1-2) vs. dense (D3-4) breast using kappa statistics. The association between technical failure of VBDM and patient age, total breast volume, fibroglandular tissue volume, history of partial mastectomy, the frequency of mass > 3 cm, and breast density was analyzed. The agreement between breast density evaluations by radiologists and VBDM was fair (k value = 0.26) when the four density grades (D1/D2/D3/D4) were used and moderate (k value = 0.47) for the binary classification (D1-2/D3-4). Twenty-seven women (2.4%) showed failure of VBDM. Small total breast volume, history of partial mastectomy, and high breast density were significantly associated with technical failure of VBDM (p = 0.001 to 0.015). There is fair or moderate agreement in breast density evaluation between radiologists and VBDM. Technical failure of VBDM may be related to small total breast volume, a history of partial mastectomy, and high breast density.

  7. MASS MEASUREMENTS BY AN ACCURATE AND SENSITIVE SELECTED ION RECORDING TECHNIQUE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Trace-level components of mixtures were successfully identified or confirmed by mass spectrometric accurate mass measurements, made at high resolution with selected ion recording, using GC and LC sample introduction. Measurements were made at 20 000 or 10 000 resolution, respecti...

  8. ACCURATE: Greenhouse Gas Profiles Retrieval from Combined IR-Laser and Microwave Occultation Measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Proschek, Veronika; Kirchengast, Gottfried; Schweitzer, Susanne; Fritzer, Johannes

    2010-05-01

    The new climate satellite concept ACCURATE (Atmospheric Climate and Chemistry in the UTLS Region And climate Trends Explorer) enables simultaneous measurement of profiles of greenhouse gases, isotopes, wind and thermodynamic variables from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. The measurement principle applied is a combination of the novel LEO-LEO infrared laser occultation (LIO) technique and the already better studied LEO-LEO microwave occultation (LMO) technique. Resulting occultation events are evenly distributed around the world, have high vertical resolution and accuracy and are stable over long time periods. The LIO uses near-monochromatic signals in the short-wave infrared range (~2-2.5 μm for ACCURATE). These signals are absorbed by various trace species in the Earth's atmosphere. Profiles of the concentration of the absorbing species can be derived from signal transmission measurements. Accurately known temperature, pressure and humidity profiles derived from simultaneously measured LMO signals are essential pre-information for the retrieval of the trace species profiles. These LMO signals lie in the microwave band region from 17-23 GHz and, optionally, 178-195 GHz. The current ACCURATE mission design is arranged for the measurement of six greenhouse gases (GHG) (H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, O3, CO) and four isotopes (13CO2, C18OO, HDO, H218O), with focus on the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere region (UTLS, 5-35 km). Wind speed in line-of-sight can be derived from a line-symmetric transmission difference which is caused by wind-induced Doppler shift. By-products are information on cloud layering, aerosol extinction, and scintillation strength. We introduce the methodology to retrieve GHG profiles from quasi-realistic forward-simulated intensities of LIO signals and thermodynamic profiles retrieved in a preceding step from LMO signals. Key of the retrieval methodology is the differencing of two LIO transmission signals, one being GHG sensitive on a target

  9. Speckle measurements of density and temperature profiles in a model gas circuit breaker

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stoller, P. C.; Panousis, E.; Carstensen, J.; Doiron, C. B.; Färber, R.

    2015-01-01

    Speckle imaging was used to measure the density and temperature distribution in the arc zone of a model high voltage circuit breaker during the high current phase and under conditions simulating those present during current-zero crossings (current-zero-like arc); the arc was stabilized by a transonic, axial flow of synthetic air. A single probe beam was used; thus, accurate reconstruction was only possible for axially symmetric gas flows and arc channels. The displacement of speckles with respect to a reference image was converted to a line-of-sight integrated deflection angle, which was in turn converted into an axially symmetric refractive index distribution using a multistep process that made use of the inverse Radon transform. The Gladstone-Dale relation, which gives the index of refraction as a function of density, was extended to high temperatures by taking into account dissociation and ionization processes. The temperature and density were determined uniquely by assuming that the pressure distribution in the case of cold gas flow (in the absence of an arc) is not modified significantly by the arc. The electric conductivity distribution was calculated from the temperature profile and compared to measurements of the arc voltage and to previous results published in the literature for similar experimental conditions.

  10. Reliable and accurate extraction of Hamaker constants from surface force measurements.

    PubMed

    Miklavcic, S J

    2018-08-15

    A simple and accurate closed-form expression for the Hamaker constant that best represents experimental surface force data is presented. Numerical comparisons are made with the current standard least squares approach, which falsely assumes error-free separation measurements, and a nonlinear version assuming independent measurements of force and separation are subject to error. The comparisons demonstrate that not only is the proposed formula easily implemented it is also considerably more accurate. This option is appropriate for any value of Hamaker constant, high or low, and certainly for any interacting system exhibiting an inverse square distance dependent van der Waals force. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A Simple and Accurate Method for Measuring Enzyme Activity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yip, Din-Yan

    1997-01-01

    Presents methods commonly used for investigating enzyme activity using catalase and presents a new method for measuring catalase activity that is more reliable and accurate. Provides results that are readily reproduced and quantified. Can also be used for investigations of enzyme properties such as the effects of temperature, pH, inhibitors,…

  12. Microwave Interferometric Density Measurements of a Pulsed Helicon Source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scime, Ethan; Scime, Earl; Thompson, Derek

    2017-10-01

    The intense rf environment of a helicon plasma source is problematic for electrostatic probe measurements of plasma density, particularly at low neutral pressures. Here we present measurements of the line-integrated plasma density in a helicon plasma source using a multi-frequency (20-40 GHz) microwave interferometer. The design of the diagnostic and the data acquisition system are presented, as well as a comparison to density profiles obtained with a moveable electrostatic probe. A parametric fit to the probe profile measurements is used to determine the peak density from the microwave density measurements. This work supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant No. PHY-1360278.

  13. Non-invasive fluid density and viscosity measurement

    DOEpatents

    Sinha, Dipen N [Los Alamos, NM

    2012-05-01

    The noninvasively measurement of the density and viscosity of static or flowing fluids in a section of pipe such that the pipe performs as the sensing apparatus, is described. Measurement of a suitable structural vibration resonance frequency of the pipe and the width of this resonance permits the density and viscosity to be determined, respectively. The viscosity may also be measured by monitoring the decay in time of a vibration resonance in the pipe.

  14. Communication: a density functional with accurate fractional-charge and fractional-spin behaviour for s-electrons.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Erin R; Contreras-García, Julia

    2011-08-28

    We develop a new density-functional approach combining physical insight from chemical structure with treatment of multi-reference character by real-space modeling of the exchange-correlation hole. We are able to recover, for the first time, correct fractional-charge and fractional-spin behaviour for atoms of groups 1 and 2. Based on Becke's non-dynamical correlation functional [A. D. Becke, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 2972 (2003)] and explicitly accounting for core-valence separation and pairing effects, this method is able to accurately describe dissociation and strong correlation in s-shell many-electron systems. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

  15. Device accurately measures and records low gas-flow rates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Branum, L. W.

    1966-01-01

    Free-floating piston in a vertical column accurately measures and records low gas-flow rates. The system may be calibrated, using an adjustable flow-rate gas supply, a low pressure gage, and a sequence recorder. From the calibration rates, a nomograph may be made for easy reduction. Temperature correction may be added for further accuracy.

  16. Toward more accurate loss tangent measurements in reentrant cavities

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moyer, R. D.

    1980-05-01

    Karpova has described an absolute method for measurement of dielectric properties of a solid in a coaxial reentrant cavity. His cavity resonance equation yields very accurate results for dielectric constants. However, he presented only approximate expressions for the loss tangent. This report presents more exact expressions for that quantity and summarizes some experimental results.

  17. Tunable rotating-mode density measurement using magnetic levitation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Qiu-Hua; Zhang, Wen-Ming; Zou, Hong-Xiang; Liu, Feng-Rui; Li, Wen-Bo; Peng, Zhi-Ke; Meng, Guang

    2018-04-01

    In this letter, a density measurement method by magnetic levitation using the rotation mechanism is presented. By rotating the entire magnetic levitation device that consists of four identical magnets, the horizontal centrifugal force and gravity can be balanced by the magnetic forces in the x-direction and the z-direction, respectively. The controllable magnified centripetal acceleration is investigated as a means to improve the measurement sensitivity without destabilization. Theoretical and experimental results show that the density measurement method can be flexible in characterizing small differences in density by tuning the eccentric distance or rotating speed. The rotating-mode density measurement method using magnetic levitation has prospects of providing an operationally simple way in separations and quality control of objects with arbitrary shapes in materials science and industrial fields.

  18. Measurements of uranium mass confined in high density plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stoeffler, R. C.

    1976-01-01

    An X-ray absorption method for measuring the amount of uranium confined in high density, rf-heated uranium plasmas is described. A comparison of measured absorption of 8 keV X-rays with absorption calculated using Beer Law indicated that the method could be used to measure uranium densities from 3 times 10 to the 16th power atoms/cu cm to 5 times 10 to the 18th power atoms/cu cm. Tests were conducted to measure the density of uranium in an rf-heated argon plasma with UF6 infection and with the power to maintain the discharge supplied by a 1.2 MW rf induction heater facility. The uranium density was measured as the flow rate through the test chamber was varied. A maximum uranium density of 3.85 times 10 to the 17th power atoms/cu cm was measured.

  19. Smart-Phone Based Magnetic Levitation for Measuring Densities

    PubMed Central

    Knowlton, Stephanie; Yu, Chu Hsiang; Jain, Nupur

    2015-01-01

    Magnetic levitation, which uses a magnetic field to suspend objects in a fluid, is a powerful and versatile technology. We develop a compact magnetic levitation platform compatible with a smart-phone to separate micro-objects and estimate the density of the sample based on its levitation height. A 3D printed attachment is mechanically installed over the existing camera unit of a smart-phone. Micro-objects, which may be either spherical or irregular in shape, are suspended in a paramagnetic medium and loaded in a microcapillary tube which is then inserted between two permanent magnets. The micro-objects are levitated and confined in the microcapillary at an equilibrium height dependent on their volumetric mass densities (causing a buoyancy force toward the edge of the microcapillary) and magnetic susceptibilities (causing a magnetic force toward the center of the microcapillary) relative to the suspending medium. The smart-phone camera captures magnified images of the levitating micro-objects through an additional lens positioned between the sample and the camera lens cover. A custom-developed Android application then analyzes these images to determine the levitation height and estimate the density. Using this platform, we were able to separate microspheres with varying densities and calibrate their levitation heights to known densities to develop a technique for precise and accurate density estimation. We have also characterized the magnetic field, the optical imaging capabilities, and the thermal state over time of this platform. PMID:26308615

  20. Smart-Phone Based Magnetic Levitation for Measuring Densities.

    PubMed

    Knowlton, Stephanie; Yu, Chu Hsiang; Jain, Nupur; Ghiran, Ionita Calin; Tasoglu, Savas

    2015-01-01

    Magnetic levitation, which uses a magnetic field to suspend objects in a fluid, is a powerful and versatile technology. We develop a compact magnetic levitation platform compatible with a smart-phone to separate micro-objects and estimate the density of the sample based on its levitation height. A 3D printed attachment is mechanically installed over the existing camera unit of a smart-phone. Micro-objects, which may be either spherical or irregular in shape, are suspended in a paramagnetic medium and loaded in a microcapillary tube which is then inserted between two permanent magnets. The micro-objects are levitated and confined in the microcapillary at an equilibrium height dependent on their volumetric mass densities (causing a buoyancy force toward the edge of the microcapillary) and magnetic susceptibilities (causing a magnetic force toward the center of the microcapillary) relative to the suspending medium. The smart-phone camera captures magnified images of the levitating micro-objects through an additional lens positioned between the sample and the camera lens cover. A custom-developed Android application then analyzes these images to determine the levitation height and estimate the density. Using this platform, we were able to separate microspheres with varying densities and calibrate their levitation heights to known densities to develop a technique for precise and accurate density estimation. We have also characterized the magnetic field, the optical imaging capabilities, and the thermal state over time of this platform.

  1. Fast and Accurate Exhaled Breath Ammonia Measurement

    PubMed Central

    Solga, Steven F.; Mudalel, Matthew L.; Spacek, Lisa A.; Risby, Terence H.

    2014-01-01

    This exhaled breath ammonia method uses a fast and highly sensitive spectroscopic method known as quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) that uses a quantum cascade based laser. The monitor is coupled to a sampler that measures mouth pressure and carbon dioxide. The system is temperature controlled and specifically designed to address the reactivity of this compound. The sampler provides immediate feedback to the subject and the technician on the quality of the breath effort. Together with the quick response time of the monitor, this system is capable of accurately measuring exhaled breath ammonia representative of deep lung systemic levels. Because the system is easy to use and produces real time results, it has enabled experiments to identify factors that influence measurements. For example, mouth rinse and oral pH reproducibly and significantly affect results and therefore must be controlled. Temperature and mode of breathing are other examples. As our understanding of these factors evolves, error is reduced, and clinical studies become more meaningful. This system is very reliable and individual measurements are inexpensive. The sampler is relatively inexpensive and quite portable, but the monitor is neither. This limits options for some clinical studies and provides rational for future innovations. PMID:24962141

  2. Procedure for Uranium-Molybdenum Density Measurements and Porosity Determination

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Prabhakaran, Ramprashad; Devaraj, Arun; Joshi, Vineet V.

    2016-08-13

    The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines for preparing uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) specimens, performing density measurements, and computing sample porosity. Typical specimens (solids) will be sheared to small rectangular foils, disks, or pieces of metal. A mass balance, solid density determination kit, and a liquid of known density will be used to determine the density of U-Mo specimens using the Archimedes principle. A standard test weight of known density would be used to verify proper operation of the system. By measuring the density of a U-Mo sample, it is possible to determine its porosity.

  3. Standardizing CT lung density measure across scanner manufacturers.

    PubMed

    Chen-Mayer, Huaiyu Heather; Fuld, Matthew K; Hoppel, Bernice; Judy, Philip F; Sieren, Jered P; Guo, Junfeng; Lynch, David A; Possolo, Antonio; Fain, Sean B

    2017-03-01

    Computed Tomography (CT) imaging of the lung, reported in Hounsfield Units (HU), can be parameterized as a quantitative image biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of lung density changes due to emphysema, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CT lung density metrics are global measurements based on lung CT number histograms, and are typically a quantity specifying either the percentage of voxels with CT numbers below a threshold, or a single CT number below which a fixed relative lung volume, nth percentile, falls. To reduce variability in the density metrics specified by CT attenuation, the Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance (QIBA) Lung Density Committee has organized efforts to conduct phantom studies in a variety of scanner models to establish a baseline for assessing the variations in patient studies that can be attributed to scanner calibration and measurement uncertainty. Data were obtained from a phantom study on CT scanners from four manufacturers with several protocols at various tube potential voltage (kVp) and exposure settings. Free from biological variation, these phantom studies provide an assessment of the accuracy and precision of the density metrics across platforms solely due to machine calibration and uncertainty of the reference materials. The phantom used in this study has three foam density references in the lung density region, which, after calibration against a suite of Standard Reference Materials (SRM) foams with certified physical density, establishes a HU-electron density relationship for each machine-protocol. We devised a 5-step calibration procedure combined with a simplified physical model that enabled the standardization of the CT numbers reported across a total of 22 scanner-protocol settings to a single energy (chosen at 80 keV). A standard deviation was calculated for overall CT numbers for each density, as well as by scanner and other variables, as a measure of the variability, before and after the

  4. Paramagnetic ionic liquids for measurements of density using magnetic levitation.

    PubMed

    Bwambok, David K; Thuo, Martin M; Atkinson, Manza B J; Mirica, Katherine A; Shapiro, Nathan D; Whitesides, George M

    2013-09-03

    Paramagnetic ionic liquids (PILs) provide new capabilities to measurements of density using magnetic levitation (MagLev). In a typical measurement, a diamagnetic object of unknown density is placed in a container containing a PIL. The container is placed between two magnets (typically NdFeB, oriented with like poles facing). The density of the diamagnetic object can be determined by measuring its position in the magnetic field along the vertical axis (levitation height, h), either as an absolute value or relative to internal standards of known density. For density measurements by MagLev, PILs have three advantages over solutions of paramagnetic salts in aqueous or organic solutions: (i) negligible vapor pressures; (ii) low melting points; (iii) high thermal stabilities. In addition, the densities, magnetic susceptibilities, glass transition temperatures, thermal decomposition temperatures, viscosities, and hydrophobicities of PILs can be tuned over broad ranges by choosing the cation-anion pair. The low melting points and high thermal stabilities of PILs provide large liquidus windows for density measurements. This paper demonstrates applications and advantages of PILs in density-based analyses using MagLev.

  5. Highly accurate articulated coordinate measuring machine

    DOEpatents

    Bieg, Lothar F.; Jokiel, Jr., Bernhard; Ensz, Mark T.; Watson, Robert D.

    2003-12-30

    Disclosed is a highly accurate articulated coordinate measuring machine, comprising a revolute joint, comprising a circular encoder wheel, having an axis of rotation; a plurality of marks disposed around at least a portion of the circumference of the encoder wheel; bearing means for supporting the encoder wheel, while permitting free rotation of the encoder wheel about the wheel's axis of rotation; and a sensor, rigidly attached to the bearing means, for detecting the motion of at least some of the marks as the encoder wheel rotates; a probe arm, having a proximal end rigidly attached to the encoder wheel, and having a distal end with a probe tip attached thereto; and coordinate processing means, operatively connected to the sensor, for converting the output of the sensor into a set of cylindrical coordinates representing the position of the probe tip relative to a reference cylindrical coordinate system.

  6. Method for measuring the density of lightweight materials

    DOEpatents

    Snow, Samuel G.; Giacomelli, Edward J.

    1980-01-01

    This invention relates to a nondestructive method for measuring the density of articles composed of elements having a low atomic number such as plastic and carbon composites. The measurement is accomplished by striking the article with a collimated beam of X radiation, simultaneously monitoring the radiation scattered and the radiation transmitted by the article, then relating the ratio of the radiation scattered to the radiation transmitted with the density of the article. The above method is insensitive to all variables except density.

  7. Talbot-Lau x-ray deflectometry phase-retrieval methods for electron density diagnostics in high-energy density experiments.

    PubMed

    Valdivia, Maria Pia; Stutman, Dan; Stoeckl, Christian; Mileham, Chad; Begishev, Ildar A; Bromage, Jake; Regan, Sean P

    2018-01-10

    Talbot-Lau x-ray interferometry uses incoherent x-ray sources to measure refraction index changes in matter. These measurements can provide accurate electron density mapping through phase retrieval. An adaptation of the interferometer has been developed in order to meet the specific requirements of high-energy density experiments. This adaptation is known as a moiré deflectometer, which allows for single-shot capabilities in the form of interferometric fringe patterns. The moiré x-ray deflectometry technique requires a set of object and reference images in order to provide electron density maps, which can be costly in the high-energy density environment. In particular, synthetic reference phase images obtained ex situ through a phase-scan procedure, can provide a feasible solution. To test this procedure, an object phase map was retrieved from a single-shot moiré image obtained from a plasma-produced x-ray source. A reference phase map was then obtained from phase-stepping measurements using a continuous x-ray tube source in a small laboratory setting. The two phase maps were used to retrieve an electron density map. A comparison of the moiré and phase-stepping phase-retrieval methods was performed to evaluate single-exposure plasma electron density mapping for high-energy density and other transient plasma experiments. It was found that a combination of phase-retrieval methods can deliver accurate refraction angle mapping. Once x-ray backlighter quality is optimized, the ex situ method is expected to deliver electron density mapping with improved resolution. The steps necessary for improved diagnostic performance are discussed.

  8. Measurements of neutral helium density in helicon plasmas.

    PubMed

    Houshmandyar, Saeid; Sears, Stephanie H; Thakur, Saikat Chakraborty; Carr, Jerry; Galante, Matthew E; Scime, Earl E

    2010-10-01

    Laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) is used to measure the density of helium atoms in a helicon plasma source. For a pump wavelength of 587.725 nm (vacuum) and laser injection along the magnetic field, the LIF signal exhibits a signal decrease at the Doppler shifted central wavelength. The drop in signal results from the finite optical depth of the plasma and the magnitude of the decrease is proportional to the density of excited state neutral atoms. Using Langmuir probe measurements of plasma density and electron temperature and a collisional-radiative model, the absolute ground state neutral density is calculated from the optical depth measurements. Optimal plasma performance, i.e., the largest neutral depletion on the axis of the system, is observed for antenna frequencies of 13.0 and 13.5 MHz and magnetic field strengths of 550-600 G.

  9. Evaluation of Density Corrections to Methane Fluxes Measured by Open-Path Eddy Covariance over Contrasting Landscapes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chamberlain, Samuel D.; Verfaillie, Joseph; Eichelmann, Elke; Hemes, Kyle S.; Baldocchi, Dennis D.

    2017-11-01

    Corrections accounting for air density fluctuations due to heat and water vapour fluxes must be applied to the measurement of eddy-covariance fluxes when using open-path sensors. Experimental tests and ecosystem observations have demonstrated the important role density corrections play in accurately quantifying carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, but less attention has been paid to evaluating these corrections for methane (CH4) fluxes. We measured CH4 fluxes with open-path sensors over a suite of sites with contrasting CH4 emissions and energy partitioning, including a pavement airfield, two negligible-flux ecosystems (drained alfalfa and pasture), and two high-flux ecosystems (flooded wetland and rice). We found that density corrections successfully re-zeroed fluxes in negligible-flux sites; however, slight overcorrection was observed above pavement. The primary impact of density corrections varied over negligible- and high-flux ecosystems. For negligible-flux sites, corrections led to greater than 100% adjustment in daily budgets, while these adjustments were only 3-10% in high-flux ecosystems. The primary impact to high-flux ecosystems was a change in flux diel patterns, which may affect the evaluation of relationships between biophysical drivers and fluxes if correction bias exists. Additionally, accounting for density effects to high-frequency CH4 fluctuations led to large differences in observed CH4 flux cospectra above negligible-flux sites, demonstrating that similar adjustments should be made before interpreting CH4 cospectra for comparable ecosystems. These results give us confidence in CH4 fluxes measured by open-path sensors, and demonstrate that density corrections play an important role in adjusting flux budgets and diel patterns across a range of ecosystems.

  10. High-Sensitivity Measurement of Density by Magnetic Levitation.

    PubMed

    Nemiroski, Alex; Kumar, A A; Soh, Siowling; Harburg, Daniel V; Yu, Hai-Dong; Whitesides, George M

    2016-03-01

    This paper presents methods that use Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) to measure very small differences in density of solid diamagnetic objects suspended in a paramagnetic medium. Previous work in this field has shown that, while it is a convenient method, standard MagLev (i.e., where the direction of magnetization and gravitational force are parallel) cannot resolve differences in density <10(-4) g/cm(3) for macroscopic objects (>mm) because (i) objects close in density prevent each other from reaching an equilibrium height due to hard contact and excluded volume, and (ii) using weaker magnets or reducing the magnetic susceptibility of the medium destabilizes the magnetic trap. The present work investigates the use of weak magnetic gradients parallel to the faces of the magnets as a means of increasing the sensitivity of MagLev without destabilization. Configuring the MagLev device in a rotated state (i.e., where the direction of magnetization and gravitational force are perpendicular) relative to the standard configuration enables simple measurements along the axes with the highest sensitivity to changes in density. Manipulating the distance of separation between the magnets or the lengths of the magnets (along the axis of measurement) enables the sensitivity to be tuned. These modifications enable an improvement in the resolution up to 100-fold over the standard configuration, and measurements with resolution down to 10(-6) g/cm(3). Three examples of characterizing the small differences in density among samples of materials having ostensibly indistinguishable densities-Nylon spheres, PMMA spheres, and drug spheres-demonstrate the applicability of rotated Maglev to measuring the density of small (0.1-1 mm) objects with high sensitivity. This capability will be useful in materials science, separations, and quality control of manufactured objects.

  11. Measurements of continuum lowering in solid-density plasmas created from elements and compounds

    DOE PAGES

    Ciricosta, O.; Vinko, S. M.; Barbrel, B.; ...

    2016-05-23

    The effect of a dense plasma environment on the energy levels of an embedded ion is usually described in terms of the lowering of its continuum level. For strongly coupled plasmas, the phenomenon is intimately related to the equation of state; hence, an accurate treatment is crucial for most astrophysical and inertial-fusion applications, where the case of plasma mixtures is of particular interest. In this study, we present an experiment showing that the standard density-dependent analytical models are inadequate to describe solid-density plasmas at the temperatures studied, where the reduction of the binding energies for a given species is unaffectedmore » by the different plasma environment (ion density) in either the element or compounds of that species, and can be accurately estimated by calculations only involving the energy levels of an isolated neutral atom. Lastly, the results have implications for the standard approaches to the equation of state calculations.« less

  12. Trunk density profile estimates from dual X-ray absorptiometry.

    PubMed

    Wicke, Jason; Dumas, Geneviève A; Costigan, Patrick A

    2008-01-01

    Accurate body segment parameters are necessary to estimate joint loads when using biomechanical models. Geometric methods can provide individualized data for these models but the accuracy of the geometric methods depends on accurate segment density estimates. The trunk, which is important in many biomechanical models, has the largest variability in density along its length. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a new method for modeling trunk density profiles based on dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and (2) develop a trunk density function for college-aged females and males that can be used in geometric methods. To this end, the density profiles of 25 females and 24 males were determined by combining the measurements from a photogrammetric method and DXA readings. A discrete Fourier transformation was then used to develop the density functions for each sex. The individual density and average density profiles compare well with the literature. There were distinct differences between the profiles of two of participants (one female and one male), and the average for their sex. It is believed that the variations in these two participants' density profiles were a result of the amount and distribution of fat they possessed. Further studies are needed to support this possibility. The new density functions eliminate the uniform density assumption associated with some geometric models thus providing more accurate trunk segment parameter estimates. In turn, more accurate moments and forces can be estimated for the kinetic analyses of certain human movements.

  13. TRACTOGRAPHY DENSITY AND NETWORK MEASURES IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

    PubMed

    Prasad, Gautam; Nir, Talia M; Toga, Arthur W; Thompson, Paul M

    2013-04-01

    Brain connectivity declines in Alzheimer's disease (AD), both functionally and structurally. Connectivity maps and networks derived from diffusion-based tractography offer new ways to track disease progression and to understand how AD affects the brain. Here we set out to identify (1) which fiber network measures show greatest differences between AD patients and controls, and (2) how these effects depend on the density of fibers extracted by the tractography algorithm. We computed brain networks from diffusion-weighted images (DWI) of the brain, in 110 subjects (28 normal elderly, 56 with early and 11 with late mild cognitive impairment, and 15 with AD). We derived connectivity matrices and network topology measures, for each subject, from whole-brain tractography and cortical parcellations. We used an ODF lookup table to speed up fiber extraction, and to exploit the full information in the orientation distribution function (ODF). This made it feasible to compute high density connectivity maps. We used accelerated tractography to compute a large number of fibers to understand what effect fiber density has on network measures and in distinguishing different disease groups in our data. We focused on global efficiency, transitivity, path length, mean degree, density, modularity, small world, and assortativity measures computed from weighted and binary undirected connectivity matrices. Of all these measures, the mean nodal degree best distinguished diagnostic groups. High-density fiber matrices were most helpful for picking up the more subtle clinical differences, e.g. between mild cognitively impaired (MCI) and normals, or for distinguishing subtypes of MCI (early versus late). Care is needed in clinical analyses of brain connectivity, as the density of extracted fibers may affect how well a network measure can pick up differences between patients and controls.

  14. Automated Percentage of Breast Density Measurements for Full-field Digital Mammography Applications.

    PubMed

    Fowler, Erin E E; Vachon, Celine M; Scott, Christopher G; Sellers, Thomas A; Heine, John J

    2014-08-01

    Increased mammographic breast density is a significant risk factor for breast cancer. A reproducible, accurate, and automated breast density measurement is required for full-field digital mammography (FFDM) to support clinical applications. We evaluated a novel automated percentage of breast density measure (PDa) and made comparisons with the standard operator-assisted measure (PD) using FFDM data. We used a nested breast cancer case-control study matched on age, year of mammogram and diagnosis with images acquired from a specific direct x-ray conversion FFDM technology. PDa was applied to the raw and clinical display (or processed) representation images. We evaluated the transformation (pixel mapping) of the raw image, giving a third representation (raw-transformed), to improve the PDa performance using differential evolution optimization. We applied PD to the raw and clinical display images as a standard for measurement comparison. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odd ratios (ORs) for breast cancer with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all measurements; analyses were adjusted for body mass index. PDa operates by evaluating signal-dependent noise (SDN), captured as local signal variation. Therefore, we characterized the SDN relationship to understand the PDa performance as a function of data representation and investigated a variation analysis of the transformation. The associations of the quartiles of operator-assisted PD with breast cancer were similar for the raw (OR: 1.00 [ref.]; 1.59 [95% CI, 0.93-2.70]; 1.70 [95% CI, 0.95-3.04]; 2.04 [95% CI, 1.13-3.67]) and clinical display (OR: 1.00 [ref.]; 1.31 [95% CI, 0.79-2.18]; 1.14 [95% CI, 0.65-1.98]; 1.95 [95% CI, 1.09-3.47]) images. PDa could not be assessed on the raw images without preprocessing. However, PDa had similar associations with breast cancer when assessed on 1) raw-transformed (OR: 1.00 [ref.]; 1.27 [95% CI, 0.74-2.19]; 1.86 [95% CI, 1.05-3.28]; 3.00 [95% CI, 1.67-5.38]) and 2

  15. Accurate phase measurements for thick spherical objects using optical quadrature microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Warger, William C., II; DiMarzio, Charles A.

    2009-02-01

    In vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures have resulted in the birth of over three million babies since 1978. Yet the live birth rate in the United States was only 34% in 2005, with 32% of the successful pregnancies resulting in multiple births. These multiple pregnancies were directly attributed to the transfer of multiple embryos to increase the probability that a single, healthy embryo was included. Current viability markers used for IVF, such as the cell number, symmetry, size, and fragmentation, are analyzed qualitatively with differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. However, this method is not ideal for quantitative measures beyond the 8-cell stage of development because the cells overlap and obstruct the view within and below the cluster of cells. We have developed the phase-subtraction cell-counting method that uses the combination of DIC and optical quadrature microscopy (OQM) to count the number of cells accurately in live mouse embryos beyond the 8-cell stage. We have also created a preliminary analysis to measure the cell symmetry, size, and fragmentation quantitatively by analyzing the relative dry mass from the OQM image in conjunction with the phase-subtraction count. In this paper, we will discuss the characterization of OQM with respect to measuring the phase accurately for spherical samples that are much larger than the depth of field. Once fully characterized and verified with human embryos, this methodology could provide the means for a more accurate method to score embryo viability.

  16. Measurement of shot noise in magnetic tunnel junction and its utilization for accurate system calibration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamaru, S.; Kubota, H.; Yakushiji, K.; Fukushima, A.; Yuasa, S.

    2017-11-01

    This work presents a technique to calibrate the spin torque oscillator (STO) measurement system by utilizing the whiteness of shot noise. The raw shot noise spectrum in a magnetic tunnel junction based STO in the microwave frequency range is obtained by first subtracting the baseline noise, and then excluding the field dependent mag-noise components reflecting the thermally excited spin wave resonances. As the shot noise is guaranteed to be completely white, the total gain of the signal path should be proportional to the shot noise spectrum obtained by the above procedure, which allows for an accurate gain calibration of the system and a quantitative determination of each noise power. The power spectral density of the shot noise as a function of bias voltage obtained by this technique was compared with a theoretical calculation, which showed excellent agreement when the Fano factor was assumed to be 0.99.

  17. FOREWORD: Special issue on density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujii, Kenichi

    2004-04-01

    This special issue on density was undertaken to provide readers with an overview of the present state of the density standards for solids, liquids and gases, as well as the technologies developed for measuring density. This issue also includes topics on the refractive index of gases and on techniques used for calibrating hydrometers so that almost all areas concerned with density standards are covered in four review articles and seven original articles, most of which describe current research being conducted at national metrology institutes (NMIs). A review article was invited from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum to highlight research on the magnetic suspension densimeters. In metrology, the determinations of the volume of a weight and the density of air are of primary importance in establishing a mass standard because the effect of the buoyancy force of air acting on the weight must be known accurately to determine the mass of the weight. A density standard has therefore been developed at many NMIs with a close relation to the mass standard. Hydrostatic weighing is widely used to measure the volume of a solid. The most conventional hydrostatic weighing method uses water as a primary density standard for measuring the volume of a solid. A brief history of the determination of the density of water is therefore given in a review article, as well as a recommended value for the density of water with a specified isotopic abundance. The most modern technique for hydrostatic weighing uses a solid density standard instead of water. For this purpose, optical interferometers for measuring the diameters of silicon spheres have been developed to convert the length standard into the volume standard with a small uncertainty. A review article is therefore dedicated to describing the state-of-the-art optical interferometers developed for silicon spheres. Relative combined standard uncertainties of several parts in 108 have been achieved today for measuring the volume and density of

  18. Negative vacuum energy densities and the causal diamond measure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Salem, Michael P.

    2009-07-15

    Arguably a major success of the landscape picture is the prediction of a small, nonzero vacuum energy density. The details of this prediction depend in part on how the diverging spacetime volume of the multiverse is regulated, a question that remains unresolved. One proposal, the causal diamond measure, has demonstrated many phenomenological successes, including predicting a distribution of positive vacuum energy densities in good agreement with observation. In the string landscape, however, the vacuum energy density is expected to take positive and negative values. We find the causal diamond measure gives a poor fit to observation in such a landscapemore » - in particular, 99.6% of observers in galaxies seemingly just like ours measure a vacuum energy density smaller than we do, most of them measuring it to be negative.« less

  19. Calibration Techniques for Accurate Measurements by Underwater Camera Systems

    PubMed Central

    Shortis, Mark

    2015-01-01

    Calibration of a camera system is essential to ensure that image measurements result in accurate estimates of locations and dimensions within the object space. In the underwater environment, the calibration must implicitly or explicitly model and compensate for the refractive effects of waterproof housings and the water medium. This paper reviews the different approaches to the calibration of underwater camera systems in theoretical and practical terms. The accuracy, reliability, validation and stability of underwater camera system calibration are also discussed. Samples of results from published reports are provided to demonstrate the range of possible accuracies for the measurements produced by underwater camera systems. PMID:26690172

  20. Pelvic orientation for total hip arthroplasty in lateral decubitus: can it be accurately measured?

    PubMed

    Sykes, Alice M; Hill, Janet C; Orr, John F; Gill, Harinderjit S; Salazar, Jose J; Humphreys, Lee D; Beverland, David E

    2016-05-16

    During total hip arthroplasty (THA), accurately predicting acetabular cup orientation remains a key challenge, in great part because of uncertainty about pelvic orientation. This pilot study aimed to develop and validate a technique to measure pelvic orientation; establish its accuracy in the location of anatomical landmarks and subsequently; investigate if limb movement during a simulated surgical procedure alters pelvic orientation. The developed technique measured 3-D orientation of an isolated Sawbone pelvis, it was then implemented to measure pelvic orientation in lateral decubitus with post-THA patients (n = 20) using a motion capture system. Orientation of the isolated Sawbone pelvis was accurately measured, demonstrated by high correlations with angular data from a coordinate measurement machine; R-squared values close to 1 for all pelvic axes. When applied to volunteer subjects, largest movements occurred about the longitudinal pelvic axis; internal and external pelvic rotation. Rotations about the anteroposterior axis, which directly affect inclination angles, showed >75% of participants had movement within ±5° of neutral, 0°. The technique accurately measured orientation of the isolated bony pelvis. This was not the case in a simulated theatre environment. Soft tissue landmarks were difficult to palpate repeatedly. These findings have direct clinical relevance, landmark registration in lateral decubitus is a potential source of error, contributing here to large ranges in measured movement. Surgeons must be aware that present techniques using bony landmarks to reference pelvic orientation for cup implantation, both computer-based and mechanical, may not be sufficiently accurate.

  1. Wireless sensor node for surface seawater density measurements.

    PubMed

    Baronti, Federico; Fantechi, Gabriele; Roncella, Roberto; Saletti, Roberto

    2012-01-01

    An electronic meter to measure surface seawater density is presented. It is based on the measurement of the difference in displacements of a surface level probe and a weighted float, which according to Archimedes' law depends on the density of the water. The displacements are simultaneously measured using a high-accuracy magnetostrictive sensor, to which a custom electronic board provides a wireless connection and power supply so that it can become part of a wireless sensor network. The electronics are designed so that different kinds of wireless networks can be used, by simply changing the wireless module and the relevant firmware of the microcontroller. Lastly, laboratory and at-sea tests are presented and discussed in order to highlight the functionality and the performance of a prototype of the wireless density meter node in a Bluetooth radio network. The experimental results show a good agreement of the values of the calculated density compared to reference hydrometer readings.

  2. Wireless Sensor Node for Surface Seawater Density Measurements

    PubMed Central

    Baronti, Federico; Fantechi, Gabriele; Roncella, Roberto; Saletti, Roberto

    2012-01-01

    An electronic meter to measure surface seawater density is presented. It is based on the measurement of the difference in displacements of a surface level probe and a weighted float, which according to Archimedes’ law depends on the density of the water. The displacements are simultaneously measured using a high-accuracy magnetostrictive sensor, to which a custom electronic board provides a wireless connection and power supply so that it can become part of a wireless sensor network. The electronics are designed so that different kinds of wireless networks can be used, by simply changing the wireless module and the relevant firmware of the microcontroller. Lastly, laboratory and at-sea tests are presented and discussed in order to highlight the functionality and the performance of a prototype of the wireless density meter node in a Bluetooth radio network. The experimental results show a good agreement of the values of the calculated density compared to reference hydrometer readings. PMID:22736986

  3. Accurate FRET Measurements within Single Diffusing Biomolecules Using Alternating-Laser Excitation

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Nam Ki; Kapanidis, Achillefs N.; Wang, You; Michalet, Xavier; Mukhopadhyay, Jayanta; Ebright, Richard H.; Weiss, Shimon

    2005-01-01

    Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a donor (D) and an acceptor (A) at the single-molecule level currently provides qualitative information about distance, and quantitative information about kinetics of distance changes. Here, we used the sorting ability of confocal microscopy equipped with alternating-laser excitation (ALEX) to measure accurate FRET efficiencies and distances from single molecules, using corrections that account for cross-talk terms that contaminate the FRET-induced signal, and for differences in the detection efficiency and quantum yield of the probes. ALEX yields accurate FRET independent of instrumental factors, such as excitation intensity or detector alignment. Using DNA fragments, we showed that ALEX-based distances agree well with predictions from a cylindrical model of DNA; ALEX-based distances fit better to theory than distances obtained at the ensemble level. Distance measurements within transcription complexes agreed well with ensemble-FRET measurements, and with structural models based on ensemble-FRET and x-ray crystallography. ALEX can benefit structural analysis of biomolecules, especially when such molecules are inaccessible to conventional structural methods due to heterogeneity or transient nature. PMID:15653725

  4. Application of the weighted-density approximation to the accurate description of electron-positron correlation effects in materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Callewaert, Vincent; Saniz, Rolando; Barbiellini, Bernardo; Bansil, Arun; Partoens, Bart

    2017-08-01

    We discuss positron-annihilation lifetimes for a set of illustrative bulk materials within the framework of the weighted-density approximation (WDA). The WDA can correctly describe electron-positron correlations in strongly inhomogeneous systems, such as surfaces, where the applicability of (semi-)local approximations is limited. We analyze the WDA in detail and show that the electrons which cannot screen external charges efficiently, such as the core electrons, cannot be treated accurately via the pair correlation of the homogeneous electron gas. We discuss how this problem can be addressed by reducing the screening in the homogeneous electron gas by adding terms depending on the gradient of the electron density. Further improvements are obtained when core electrons are treated within the LDA and the valence electron using the WDA. Finally, we discuss a semiempirical WDA-based approach in which a sum rule is imposed to reproduce the experimental lifetimes.

  5. A spectroscopic transfer standard for accurate atmospheric CO measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nwaboh, Javis A.; Li, Gang; Serdyukov, Anton; Werhahn, Olav; Ebert, Volker

    2016-04-01

    Atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) is a precursor of essential climate variables and has an indirect effect for enhancing global warming. Accurate and reliable measurements of atmospheric CO concentration are becoming indispensable. WMO-GAW reports states a compatibility goal of ±2 ppb for atmospheric CO concentration measurements. Therefore, the EMRP-HIGHGAS (European metrology research program - high-impact greenhouse gases) project aims at developing spectroscopic transfer standards for CO concentration measurements to meet this goal. A spectroscopic transfer standard would provide results that are directly traceable to the SI, can be very useful for calibration of devices operating in the field, and could complement classical gas standards in the field where calibration gas mixtures in bottles often are not accurate, available or stable enough [1][2]. Here, we present our new direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (dTDLAS) sensor capable of performing absolute ("calibration free") CO concentration measurements, and being operated as a spectroscopic transfer standard. To achieve the compatibility goal stated by WMO for CO concentration measurements and ensure the traceability of the final concentration results, traceable spectral line data especially line intensities with appropriate uncertainties are needed. Therefore, we utilize our new high-resolution Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy CO line data for the 2-0 band, with significantly reduced uncertainties, for the dTDLAS data evaluation. Further, we demonstrate the capability of our sensor for atmospheric CO measurements, discuss uncertainty calculation following the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM) principles and show that CO concentrations derived using the sensor, based on the TILSAM (traceable infrared laser spectroscopic amount fraction measurement) method, are in excellent agreement with gravimetric values. Acknowledgement Parts of this work have been

  6. GDPC: Gravitation-based Density Peaks Clustering algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Jianhua; Hao, Dehao; Chen, Yujun; Parmar, Milan; Li, Keqin

    2018-07-01

    The Density Peaks Clustering algorithm, which we refer to as DPC, is a novel and efficient density-based clustering approach, and it is published in Science in 2014. The DPC has advantages of discovering clusters with varying sizes and varying densities, but has some limitations of detecting the number of clusters and identifying anomalies. We develop an enhanced algorithm with an alternative decision graph based on gravitation theory and nearby distance to identify centroids and anomalies accurately. We apply our method to some UCI and synthetic data sets. We report comparative clustering performances using F-Measure and 2-dimensional vision. We also compare our method to other clustering algorithms, such as K-Means, Affinity Propagation (AP) and DPC. We present F-Measure scores and clustering accuracies of our GDPC algorithm compared to K-Means, AP and DPC on different data sets. We show that the GDPC has the superior performance in its capability of: (1) detecting the number of clusters obviously; (2) aggregating clusters with varying sizes, varying densities efficiently; (3) identifying anomalies accurately.

  7. Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

    PubMed Central

    Molloi, Sabee; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun; Feig, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decomposition was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer. PMID:25086548

  8. Postmortem validation of breast density using dual-energy mammography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Molloi, Sabee, E-mail: symolloi@uci.edu; Ducote, Justin L.; Ding, Huanjun

    2014-08-15

    Purpose: Mammographic density has been shown to be an indicator of breast cancer risk and also reduces the sensitivity of screening mammography. Currently, there is no accepted standard for measuring breast density. Dual energy mammography has been proposed as a technique for accurate measurement of breast density. The purpose of this study is to validate its accuracy in postmortem breasts and compare it with other existing techniques. Methods: Forty postmortem breasts were imaged using a dual energy mammography system. Glandular and adipose equivalent phantoms of uniform thickness were used to calibrate a dual energy basis decomposition algorithm. Dual energy decompositionmore » was applied after scatter correction to calculate breast density. Breast density was also estimated using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding and a fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Chemical analysis was used as the reference standard to assess the accuracy of different techniques to measure breast composition. Results: Breast density measurements using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean algorithm, and dual energy were in good agreement with the measured fibroglandular volume fraction using chemical analysis. The standard error estimates using radiologist reader assessment, standard histogram thresholding, fuzzy C-mean, and dual energy were 9.9%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that dual energy mammography can be used to accurately measure breast density. The variability in breast density estimation using dual energy mammography was lower than reader assessment rankings, standard histogram thresholding, and fuzzy C-mean algorithm. Improved quantification of breast density is expected to further enhance its utility as a risk factor for breast cancer.« less

  9. Multiple Point Dynamic Gas Density Measurements Using Molecular Rayleigh Scattering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seasholtz, Richard; Panda, Jayanta

    1999-01-01

    A nonintrusive technique for measuring dynamic gas density properties is described. Molecular Rayleigh scattering is used to measure the time-history of gas density simultaneously at eight spatial locations at a 50 kHz sampling rate. The data are analyzed using the Welch method of modified periodograms to reduce measurement uncertainty. Cross-correlations, power spectral density functions, cross-spectral density functions, and coherence functions may be obtained from the data. The technique is demonstrated using low speed co-flowing jets with a heated inner jet.

  10. Two color interferometric electron density measurement in an axially blown arc

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stoller, Patrick; Carstensen, Jan; Galletti, Bernardo; Doiron, Charles; Sokolov, Alexey; Salzmann, René; Simon, Sandor; Jabs, Philipp

    2016-09-01

    High voltage circuit breakers protect the power grid by interrupting the current in case of a short circuit. To do so an arc is ignited between two contacts as they separate; transonic gas flow is used to cool and ultimately extinguish the arc at a current-zero crossing of the alternating current. A detailed understanding of the arc interruption process is needed to improve circuit breaker design. The conductivity of the partially ionized gas remaining after the current-zero crossing, a key parameter in determining whether the arc will be interrupted or not, is a function of the electron density. The electron density, in turn, is a function of the detailed dynamics of the arc cooling process, which does not necessarily occur under local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions. In this work, we measure the spatially resolved line-integrated index of refraction in a near-current-zero arc stabilized in an axial flow of synthetic air with two nanosecond pulsed lasers at wavelengths of 532 nm and 671 nm. Generating a stable, cylindrically symmetric arc enables us to determine the three-dimensional index of refraction distribution using Abel inversion. Due to the wavelength dependence of the component of the index of refraction related to the free electrons, the information at two different wavelengths can be used to determine the electron density. This information allows us to determine how important it is to take into account non-equilibrium effects for accurate modeling of the physics of decaying arcs.

  11. Capacitive density measurement for supercritical hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Funke, Th; Haberstroh, Ch; Szoucsek, K.; Schott, S.; Kunze, K.

    2017-12-01

    A new approach for automotive hydrogen storage systems is the so-called cryo-compressed hydrogen storage (CcH2). It has a potential for increased energy densities and thus bigger hydrogen amounts onboard, which is the main attractiveness for car manufacturers such as BMW. This system has further advantages in terms of safety, refueling and cooling potential. The current filling level measurement by means of pressure and temperature measurement and subsequent density calculation faces challenges especially in terms of precision. A promising alternative is the capacitive gauge. This measuring principle can determine the filling level of the CcH2 tank with significantly smaller tolerances. The measuring principle is based on different dielectric constants of gaseous and liquid hydrogen. These differences are successfully leveraged in liquid hydrogen storage systems (LH2). The present theoretical analysis shows that the dielectric values of CcH2 in the relevant operating range are comparable to LH2, thus achieving similarly good accuracy. The present work discusses embodiments and implementations for such a sensor in the CcH2 tank.

  12. Device and method for accurately measuring concentrations of airborne transuranic isotopes

    DOEpatents

    McIsaac, Charles V.; Killian, E. Wayne; Grafwallner, Ervin G.; Kynaston, Ronnie L.; Johnson, Larry O.; Randolph, Peter D.

    1996-01-01

    An alpha continuous air monitor (CAM) with two silicon alpha detectors and three sample collection filters is described. This alpha CAM design provides continuous sampling and also measures the cumulative transuranic (TRU), i.e., plutonium and americium, activity on the filter, and thus provides a more accurate measurement of airborne TRU concentrations than can be accomplished using a single fixed sample collection filter and a single silicon alpha detector.

  13. Device and method for accurately measuring concentrations of airborne transuranic isotopes

    DOEpatents

    McIsaac, C.V.; Killian, E.W.; Grafwallner, E.G.; Kynaston, R.L.; Johnson, L.O.; Randolph, P.D.

    1996-09-03

    An alpha continuous air monitor (CAM) with two silicon alpha detectors and three sample collection filters is described. This alpha CAM design provides continuous sampling and also measures the cumulative transuranic (TRU), i.e., plutonium and americium, activity on the filter, and thus provides a more accurate measurement of airborne TRU concentrations than can be accomplished using a single fixed sample collection filter and a single silicon alpha detector. 7 figs.

  14. The density-salinity relation of standard seawater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, Hannes; Seitz, Steffen; Hassel, Egon; Wolf, Henning

    2018-01-01

    The determination of salinity by means of electrical conductivity relies on stable salt proportions in the North Atlantic Ocean, because standard seawater, which is required for salinometer calibration, is produced from water of the North Atlantic. To verify the long-term stability of the standard seawater composition, it was proposed to perform measurements of the standard seawater density. Since the density is sensitive to all salt components, a density measurement can detect any change in the composition. A conversion of the density values to salinity can be performed by means of a density-salinity relation. To use such a relation with a target uncertainty in salinity comparable to that in salinity obtained from conductivity measurements, a density measurement with an uncertainty of 2 g m-3 is mandatory. We present a new density-salinity relation based on such accurate density measurements. The substitution measurement method used is described and density corrections for uniform isotopic and chemical compositions are reported. The comparison of densities calculated using the new relation with those calculated using the present reference equations of state TEOS-10 suggests that the density accuracy of TEOS-10 (as well as that of EOS-80) has been overestimated, as the accuracy of some of its underlying density measurements had been overestimated. The new density-salinity relation may be used to verify the stable composition of standard seawater by means of routine density measurements.

  15. Paper area density measurement from forward transmitted scattered light

    DOEpatents

    Koo, Jackson C.

    2001-01-01

    A method whereby the average paper fiber area density (weight per unit area) can be directly calculated from the intensity of transmitted, scattered light at two different wavelengths, one being a non-absorpted wavelength. Also, the method makes it possible to derive the water percentage per fiber area density from a two-wavelength measurement. In the optical measuring technique optical transmitted intensity, for example, at 2.1 microns cellulose absorption line is measured and compared with another scattered, optical transmitted intensity reference in the nearby spectrum region, such as 1.68 microns, where there is no absorption. From the ratio of these two intensities, one can calculate the scattering absorption coefficient at 2.1 microns. This absorption coefficient at this wavelength is, then, experimentally correlated to the paper fiber area density. The water percentage per fiber area density can be derived from this two-wavelength measurement approach.

  16. Wood density-moisture profiles in old-growth Douglas-fir and western hemlock.

    Treesearch

    W.Y. Pong; Dale R. Waddell; Lambert Michael B.

    1986-01-01

    Accurate estimation of the weight of each load of logs is necessary for safe and efficient aerial logging operations. The prediction of green density (lb/ft3) as a function of height is a critical element in the accurate estimation of tree bole and log weights. Two sampling methods, disk and increment core (Bergstrom xylodensimeter), were used to measure the density-...

  17. Density Measurement for MORB Melts by X-ray Absorption Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamaki, T.; Urakawa, S.; Suzuki, A.; Ohtani, E.; Katayama, Y.

    2006-12-01

    Density of silicate melts at high pressure is one of the most important properties to understand magma migration in the planetary interior and the differentiation of the terrestrial planets. The density measurements of silicate melts have been carried out by several methods (shock compression experiments and sink-float method in static experiments, etc.). However, since these methods have difficulties in acquisition of data at a desired pressure and temperature, the density of the silicate melt have been measured under only a few conditions. Recently a new density measurement was developed by the X-ray absorption method. Advantage of this method is to measure density of liquids at a desired pressure and temperature. In the present study we measured the density of MORB melt by X-ray absorption method. Experiments were carried out at the BL22XU beamline at SPring-8. A DIA-type cubic anvil apparatus was used for generation of high pressure and temperature. We used tungsten carbide anvils with the top anvil sizes of 6 mm and 4 mm. The energy of monochromateized X-ray beam was 23 keV. The intensities of incident and transmitted X-ray were measured by ion chambers. The density of the melt was calculated on the basis of Beer-Lambert law. The starting material was a glass with the MORB composition. Experiments were made from 1 atm to 5 GPa, from 300 to 2000 K. We compared the density of MORB melt with the compression curve of the melt in previous works. The density measured by this study is lower than that expected from the compression curve determined at higher pressures by the sink-float method. Structural change of the MORB melt with increasing pressure might be attributed to this discrepancy.

  18. Density Measurement for MORB Melts by X-ray Absorption Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamaki, T.; Urakawa, S.; Ohtani, E.; Suzuki, A.; Katayama, Y.

    2005-12-01

    Density of silicate melts at high pressure is one of the most important properties to understand magma migration in the planetary interior and the differentiation of the terrestrial planets. The density measurements of silicate melts have been carried out by several methods (shock compression experiments and sink-float method in static experiments, etc.). However, since these methods have difficulties in acquisition of data at a desired pressure and temperature, the density of the silicate melt have been measured under only a few conditions. Recently a new density measurement was developed by the X-ray absorption method. Advantage of this method is to measure density of liquids at a desired pressure and temperature. In the present study we measured the density of MORB melt by X-ray absorption method. Experiments were carried out at the BL22XU beamline at SPring-8. A DIA-type cubic anvil apparatus was used for generation of high pressure and temperature. We used tungsten carbide anvils with the edge-length of 6 mm. The energy of monochromateized X-ray beam was 23 keV. The intensities of incident and transmitted X-ray were measured by ion chambers. The density of the melt was calculated on the basis of Beer-Lambert law. The starting material was a glass with the MORB composition. Experiments were made from 1 atm to 4 GPa, from 300 to 2200 K. We compared the density of MORB melt with the compression curve of the melt in previous works. The density measured by this study is lower than that expected from the compression curve determined at higher pressures by the sink-float method. Structural change of the MORB melt with increasing pressure might be attributed to this discrepancy.

  19. Direct Measurement of the Density Matrix of a Quantum System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thekkadath, G. S.; Giner, L.; Chalich, Y.; Horton, M. J.; Banker, J.; Lundeen, J. S.

    2016-09-01

    One drawback of conventional quantum state tomography is that it does not readily provide access to single density matrix elements since it requires a global reconstruction. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a scheme that can be used to directly measure individual density matrix elements of general quantum states. The scheme relies on measuring a sequence of three observables, each complementary to the last. The first two measurements are made weak to minimize the disturbance they cause to the state, while the final measurement is strong. We perform this joint measurement on polarized photons in pure and mixed states to directly measure their density matrix. The weak measurements are achieved using two walk-off crystals, each inducing a polarization-dependent spatial shift that couples the spatial and polarization degrees of freedom of the photons. This direct measurement method provides an operational meaning to the density matrix and promises to be especially useful for large dimensional states.

  20. Direct Measurement of the Density Matrix of a Quantum System.

    PubMed

    Thekkadath, G S; Giner, L; Chalich, Y; Horton, M J; Banker, J; Lundeen, J S

    2016-09-16

    One drawback of conventional quantum state tomography is that it does not readily provide access to single density matrix elements since it requires a global reconstruction. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a scheme that can be used to directly measure individual density matrix elements of general quantum states. The scheme relies on measuring a sequence of three observables, each complementary to the last. The first two measurements are made weak to minimize the disturbance they cause to the state, while the final measurement is strong. We perform this joint measurement on polarized photons in pure and mixed states to directly measure their density matrix. The weak measurements are achieved using two walk-off crystals, each inducing a polarization-dependent spatial shift that couples the spatial and polarization degrees of freedom of the photons. This direct measurement method provides an operational meaning to the density matrix and promises to be especially useful for large dimensional states.

  1. Serengeti real estate: density vs. fitness-based indicators of lion habitat quality.

    PubMed

    Mosser, Anna; Fryxell, John M; Eberly, Lynn; Packer, Craig

    2009-10-01

    Habitat quality is typically inferred by assuming a direct relationship between consumer density and resource abundance, although it has been suggested that consumer fitness may be a more accurate measure of habitat quality. We examined density vs. fitness-based measures of habitat quality for lions in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. A 40-year average of female reproductive success (yearling cubs per female) was best explained by proximity to river confluences, whereas patterns of productivity (yearling cubs per km(2)) and adult female density (individuals per km(2)) were associated with more general measures of habitat quality and areas of shelter in poor habitat. This suggests that density may not accurately distinguish between high-quality 'source' areas and low-quality sites that merely provide refuges for effectively non-reproductive individuals. Our results indicate that density may be a misleading indicator of real estate value, particularly for populations that do not conform to an ideal free distribution.

  2. A comprehensive tool for measuring mammographic density changes over time.

    PubMed

    Eriksson, Mikael; Li, Jingmei; Leifland, Karin; Czene, Kamila; Hall, Per

    2018-06-01

    Mammographic density is a marker of breast cancer risk and diagnostics accuracy. Density change over time is a strong proxy for response to endocrine treatment and potentially a stronger predictor of breast cancer incidence. We developed STRATUS to analyse digital and analogue images and enable automated measurements of density changes over time. Raw and processed images from the same mammogram were randomly sampled from 41,353 healthy women. Measurements from raw images (using FDA approved software iCAD) were used as templates for STRATUS to measure density on processed images through machine learning. A similar two-step design was used to train density measures in analogue images. Relative risks of breast cancer were estimated in three unique datasets. An alignment protocol was developed using images from 11,409 women to reduce non-biological variability in density change. The protocol was evaluated in 55,073 women having two regular mammography screens. Differences and variances in densities were compared before and after image alignment. The average relative risk of breast cancer in the three datasets was 1.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-1.8] per standard deviation of percent mammographic density. The discrimination was AUC 0.62 (CI 0.60-0.64). The type of image did not significantly influence the risk associations. Alignment decreased the non-biological variability in density change and re-estimated the yearly overall percent density decrease from 1.5 to 0.9%, p < 0.001. The quality of STRATUS density measures was not influenced by mammogram type. The alignment protocol reduced the non-biological variability between images over time. STRATUS has the potential to become a useful tool for epidemiological studies and clinical follow-up.

  3. Development of a new densimeter for the combined investigation of dew-point densities and sorption phenomena of fluid mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moritz, Katharina; Kleinrahm, Reiner; McLinden, Mark O.; Richter, Markus

    2017-12-01

    For the determination of dew-point densities and pressures of fluid mixtures, a new densimeter has been developed. The new apparatus is based on the well-established two-sinker density measurement principle with the additional capability of quantifying sorption effects. In the vicinity of the dew line, such effects cause a change in composition of the gas mixture under study, which can significantly distort accurate density measurements. The new experimental technique enables the accurate measurement of dew-point densities and pressures and the quantification of sorption effects at the same time.

  4. Wavefront-sensor-based electron density measurements for laser-plasma accelerators.

    PubMed

    Plateau, G R; Matlis, N H; Geddes, C G R; Gonsalves, A J; Shiraishi, S; Lin, C; van Mourik, R A; Leemans, W P

    2010-03-01

    Characterization of the electron density in laser produced plasmas is presented using direct wavefront analysis of a probe laser beam. The performance of a laser-driven plasma-wakefield accelerator depends on the plasma wavelength and hence on the electron density. Density measurements using a conventional folded-wave interferometer and using a commercial wavefront sensor are compared for different regimes of the laser-plasma accelerator. It is shown that direct wavefront measurements agree with interferometric measurements and, because of the robustness of the compact commercial device, offer greater phase sensitivity and straightforward analysis, improving shot-to-shot plasma density diagnostics.

  5. Wavefront-sensor-based electron density measurements for laser-plasma accelerators

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plateau, Guillaume; Matlis, Nicholas; Geddes, Cameron

    2010-02-20

    Characterization of the electron density in laser produced plasmas is presented using direct wavefront analysis of a probe laser beam. The performance of a laser-driven plasma-wakefield accelerator depends on the plasma wavelength, hence on the electron density. Density measurements using a conventional folded-wave interferometer and using a commercial wavefront sensor are compared for different regimes of the laser-plasma accelerator. It is shown that direct wavefront measurements agree with interferometric measurements and, because of the robustness of the compact commercial device, have greater phase sensitivity, straightforward analysis, improving shot-to-shot plasma-density diagnostics.

  6. Precision Electron Density Measurements in the SSX MHD Wind Tunnel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suen-Lewis, Emma M.; Barbano, Luke J.; Shrock, Jaron E.; Kaur, Manjit; Schaffner, David A.; Brown, Michael R.

    2017-10-01

    We characterize fluctuations of the line averaged electron density of Taylor states produced by the magnetized coaxial plasma gun of the SSX device using a 632.8 nm HeNe laser interferometer. The analysis method uses the electron density dependence of the refractive index of the plasma to determine the electron density of the Taylor states. Typical magnetic field and density values in the SSX device approach about B ≅ 0.3 T and n = 0 . 4 ×1016 cm-3 . Analysis is improved from previous density measurement methods by developing a post-processing method to remove relative phase error between interferometer outputs and to account for approximately linear phase drift due to low-frequency mechanical vibrations of the interferometer. Precision density measurements coupled with local measurements of the magnetic field will allow us to characterize the wave composition of SSX plasma via density vs. magnetic field correlation analysis, and compare the wave composition of SSX plasma with that of the solar wind. Preliminary results indicate that density and magnetic field appear negatively correlated. Work supported by DOE ARPA-E ALPHA program.

  7. The X3LYP extended density functional accurately describes H-bonding but fails completely for stacking.

    PubMed

    Cerný, Jirí; Hobza, Pavel

    2005-04-21

    The performance of the recently introduced X3LYP density functional which was claimed to significantly improve the accuracy for H-bonded and van der Waals complexes was tested for extended H-bonded and stacked complexes (nucleic acid base pairs and amino acid pairs). In the case of planar H-bonded complexes (guanine...cytosine, adenine...thymine) the DFT results nicely agree with accurate correlated ab initio results. For the stacked pairs (uracil dimer, cytosine dimer, adenine...thymine and guanine...cytosine) the DFT fails completely and it was even not able to localize any minimum at the stacked subspace of the potential energy surface. The geometry optimization of all these stacked clusters leads systematically to the planar H-bonded pairs. The amino acid pairs were investigated in the crystal geometry. DFT again strongly underestimates the accurate correlated ab initio stabilization energies and usually it was not able to describe the stabilization of a pair. The X3LYP functional thus behaves similarly to other current functionals. Stacking of nucleic acid bases as well as interaction of amino acids was described satisfactorily by using the tight-binding DFT method, which explicitly covers the London dispersion energy.

  8. Nearest Neighbor Classification Using a Density Sensitive Distance Measurement

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    both the proposed density sensitive distance measurement and Euclidean distance are compared on the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset and...proposed density sensitive distance measurement and Euclidean distance are compared on the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset and the MNIST...35 1. The Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WDBC) Dataset..........35 2. The

  9. Radiometer for accurate (+ or - 1%) measurement of solar irradiance equal to 10,000 solar constants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kendall, J. M., Sr.

    1981-01-01

    The 10,000 solar constant radiometer was developed for the accurate (+ or - 1%) measurement of the irradiance produced in the image formed by a parabolic reflector or by a multiple mirror solar installation. This radiometer is water cooled, weighs about 1 kg, and is 5 cm (2 in.) in diameter by 10 cm (4 in.) long. A sting is provided for mounting the radiometer in the solar installation capable of measuring irradiances as high as 20,000 solar constants, the instrument is self calibrating. Its accuracy depends on the accurate determination of the cavity aperture, and absorptivity of the cavity, and accurate electrical measurements. The spectral response is flat over the entire spectrum from far UV to far IR. The radiometer responds to a measurement within 99.7% of the final value within 8 s. During a measurement of the 10,000 solar constant irradiance, the temperature rise of the water is about 20 C. The radiometer has perfect cosine response up to 60 deg off the radiometer axis.

  10. Direct Measurements of Pore Fluid Density by Vibrating Tube Densimetry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gruszkiewicz, Miroslaw S.; Rother, Gernot; Wesolowski, David J.

    2012-02-27

    The densities of pore-confined fluids were measured for the first time by means of a vibrating tube method. Isotherms of total adsorption capacity were measured directly making the method complementary to the conventional gravimetric or volumetric/piezometric adsorption techniques, which yield the excess adsorption (the Gibbsian surface excess). A custom-made high-pressure, high-temperature vibrating tube densimeter (VTD) was used to measure the densities of subcritical and supercritical propane (between 35 °C and 97 °C) and supercritical carbon dioxide (between 32 C and 50°C) saturating hydrophobic silica aerogel (0.2 g/cm 3, 90% porosity) synthesized inside Hastelloy U-tubes. Additionally, excess adsorption isotherms for supercriticalmore » CO 2 and the same porous solid were measured gravimetrically using a precise magnetically-coupled microbalance. Pore fluid densities and total adsorption isotherms increased monotonically with increasing density of the bulk fluid, in contrast to excess adsorption isotherms, which reached a maximum at a subcritical density of the bulk fluid, and then decreased towards zero or negative values at supercritical densities. Compression of the confined fluid significantly beyond the density of the bulk liquid at the same temperature was observed at subcritical temperatures. The features of the isotherms of confined fluid density are interpreted to elucidate the observed behavior of excess adsorption. The maxima of excess adsorption were found to occur below the critical density of the bulk fluid at the conditions corresponding to the beginning of the plateau of total adsorption, marking the end of the transition of pore fluid to a denser, liquid-like pore phase. The results for propane and carbon dioxide showed similarity in the sense of the principle of corresponding states. No measurable effect of pore confinement on the liquid-vapor critical point was found. Quantitative agreement was obtained between excess adsorption

  11. Multiple-frequency continuous wave ultrasonic system for accurate distance measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, C. F.; Young, M. S.; Li, Y. C.

    1999-02-01

    A highly accurate multiple-frequency continuous wave ultrasonic range-measuring system for use in air is described. The proposed system uses a method heretofore applied to radio frequency distance measurement but not to air-based ultrasonic systems. The method presented here is based upon the comparative phase shifts generated by three continuous ultrasonic waves of different but closely spaced frequencies. In the test embodiment to confirm concept feasibility, two low cost 40 kHz ultrasonic transducers are set face to face and used to transmit and receive ultrasound. Individual frequencies are transmitted serially, each generating its own phase shift. For any given frequency, the transmitter/receiver distance modulates the phase shift between the transmitted and received signals. Comparison of the phase shifts allows a highly accurate evaluation of target distance. A single-chip microcomputer-based multiple-frequency continuous wave generator and phase detector was designed to record and compute the phase shift information and the resulting distance, which is then sent to either a LCD or a PC. The PC is necessary only for calibration of the system, which can be run independently after calibration. Experiments were conducted to test the performance of the whole system. Experimentally, ranging accuracy was found to be within ±0.05 mm, with a range of over 1.5 m. The main advantages of this ultrasonic range measurement system are high resolution, low cost, narrow bandwidth requirements, and ease of implementation.

  12. Is self-reported height or arm span a more accurate alternative measure of height?

    PubMed

    Brown, Jean K; Feng, Jui-Ying; Knapp, Thomas R

    2002-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported height or arm span is the more accurate alternative measure of height. A sample of 409 people between the ages of 19 and 67 (M = 35.0) participated in this anthropometric study. Height, self-reported height, and arm span were measured by 82 nursing research students. Mean differences from criterion measures were 0.17 cm for the measuring rules, 0.47 cm for arm span, and 0.85 cm and 0.87 cm for heights. Test-retest reliability was r = .997 for both height and arm span. The relationships of height to self-reported height and arm span were r = .97 and .90, respectively. Mean absolute differences were 1.80 cm and 4.29 cm, respectively. These findings support the practice of using self-reported height as an alternative measure of measured height in clinical settings, but arm span is an accurate alternative when neither measured height nor self-reported height is obtainable.

  13. Accurate and reproducible measurements of RhoA activation in small samples of primary cells.

    PubMed

    Nini, Lylia; Dagnino, Lina

    2010-03-01

    Rho GTPase activation is essential in a wide variety of cellular processes. Measurement of Rho GTPase activation is difficult with limited material, such as tissues or primary cells that exhibit stringent culture requirements for growth and survival. We defined parameters to accurately and reproducibly measure RhoA activation (i.e., RhoA-GTP) in cultured primary keratinocytes in response to serum and growth factor stimulation using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based G-LISA assays. We also established conditions that minimize RhoA-GTP in unstimulated cells without affecting viability, allowing accurate measurements of RhoA activation on stimulation or induction of exogenous GTPase expression. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Investigation of the external flow analysis for density measurements at high altitude

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bienkowski, G. K.

    1984-01-01

    The results of analysis performed on the external flow around the shuttle orbiter nose regions at the Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS) inlet orifice are presented. The purpose of the analysis is to quantitatively characterize the flow conditions to facilitate SUMS flight data reduction and subsequent determination of orbiter aerodynamic force coefficients in the hypersonic rarefied flow regime. Experimental determination of aerodynamic force coefficients requires accurate simultaneous measurement of forces (or acceleration) and dynamic pressure along with independent knowledge of density and velocity. The SUMS provides independent measurement of dynamic pressure; however, it does so indirectly and requires knowledge of the relationship between measured orifice conditions and the dynamic pressure which can only be determined on the basis of molecule or theory for a winged configuration. Monte Carlo direct simulation computer codes were developed for both the flow field solution at the orifice and for the internal orifice flow. These codes were used to study issues associated with geometric modeling of the orbiter nose geometry and the modeling of intermolecular collisions including rotational energy exchange and a preliminary analysis of vibrational excitation and dissociation effects. Data obtained from preliminary simulation runs are presented.

  15. Dynamic Harris current sheet thickness from Cluster current density and plasma measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, S. M.; Kivelson, M. G.; Khurana, K. K.; McPherron, R. L.; Weygand, J. M.; Balogh, A.; Reme, H.; Kistler, L. M.

    2005-01-01

    We use the first accurate measurements of current densities in the plasma sheet to calculate the half-thickness and position of the current sheet as a function of time. Our technique assumes a Harris current sheet model, which is parameterized by lobe magnetic field B(o), current sheet half-thickness h, and current sheet position z(sub o). Cluster measurements of magnetic field, current density, and plasma pressure are used to infer the three parameters as a function of time. We find that most long timescale (6-12 hours) current sheet crossings observed by Cluster cannot be described by a static Harris current sheet with a single set of parameters B(sub o), h, and z(sub o). Noting the presence of high-frequency fluctuations that appear to be superimposed on lower frequency variations, we average over running 6-min intervals and use the smoothed data to infer the parameters h(t) and z(sub o)(t), constrained by the pressure balance lobe magnetic field B(sub o)(t). Whereas this approach has been used in previous studies, the spatial gnuhen& now provided by the Cluster magnetometers were unavailable or not well constrained in earlier studies. We place the calculated hdf&cknessa in a magnetospheric context by examining the change in thickness with substorm phase for three case study events and 21 events in a superposed epoch analysis. We find that the inferred half-thickness in many cases reflects the nominal changes experienced by the plasma sheet during substorms (i.e., thinning during growth phase, thickening following substorm onset). We conclude with an analysis of the relative contribution of (Delta)B(sub z)/(Delta)X to the cross-tail current density during substorms. We find that (Delta)B(sub z)/(Delta)X can contribute a significant portion of the cross-tail c m n t around substorm onset.

  16. Heterochromatic Flicker Photometry for Objective Lens Density Quantification.

    PubMed

    Najjar, Raymond P; Teikari, Petteri; Cornut, Pierre-Loïc; Knoblauch, Kenneth; Cooper, Howard M; Gronfier, Claude

    2016-03-01

    Although several methods have been proposed to evaluate lens transmittance, to date there is no consensual in vivo approach in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to compare ocular lens density and transmittance measurements obtained by an improved psychophysical scotopic heterochromatic flicker photometry (sHFP) technique to the results obtained by three other measures: a psychophysical threshold technique, a Scheimpflug imaging technique, and a clinical assessment using a validated subjective scale. Forty-three subjects (18 young, 9 middle aged, and 16 older) were included in the study. Individual lens densities were measured and transmittance curves were derived from sHFP indexes. Ocular lens densities were compared across methods by using linear regression analysis. The four approaches showed a quadratic increase in lens opacification with age. The sHFP technique revealed that transmittance decreased with age over the entire visual spectrum. This decrease was particularly pronounced between young and older participants in the short (53.03% decrease in the 400-500 nm range) wavelength regions of the light spectrum. Lens density derived from sHFP highly correlated with the values obtained with the other approaches. Compared to other objective measures, sHFP also showed the lowest variability and the best fit with a quadratic trend (r2 = 0.71) of lens density increase as a function of age. The sHFP technique offers a practical, reliable, and accurate method to measure lens density in vivo and predict lens transmittance over the visible spectrum. An accurate quantification of lens transmittance should be obtained in clinical practice, but also in research in visual and nonvisual photoreception.

  17. Rocket measurements of electron density irregularities during MAC/SINE

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ulwick, J. C.

    1989-01-01

    Four Super Arcas rockets were launched at the Andoya Rocket Range, Norway, as part of the MAC/SINE campaign to measure electron density irregularities with high spatial resolution in the cold summer polar mesosphere. They were launched as part of two salvos: the turbulent/gravity wave salvo (3 rockets) and the EISCAT/SOUSY radar salvo (one rocket). In both salvos meteorological rockets, measuring temperature and winds, were also launched and the SOUSY radar, located near the launch site, measured mesospheric turbulence. Electron density irregularities and strong gradients were measured by the rocket probes in the region of most intense backscatter observed by the radar. The electron density profiles (8 to 4 on ascent and 4 on descent) show very different characteristics in the peak scattering region and show marked spatial and temporal variability. These data are intercompared and discussed.

  18. High-Throughput Density Measurement Using Magnetic Levitation.

    PubMed

    Ge, Shencheng; Wang, Yunzhe; Deshler, Nicolas J; Preston, Daniel J; Whitesides, George M

    2018-06-20

    This work describes the development of an integrated analytical system that enables high-throughput density measurements of diamagnetic particles (including cells) using magnetic levitation (MagLev), 96-well plates, and a flatbed scanner. MagLev is a simple and useful technique with which to carry out density-based analysis and separation of a broad range of diamagnetic materials with different physical forms (e.g., liquids, solids, gels, pastes, gums, etc.); one major limitation, however, is the capacity to perform high-throughput density measurements. This work addresses this limitation by (i) re-engineering the shape of the magnetic fields so that the MagLev system is compatible with 96-well plates, and (ii) integrating a flatbed scanner (and simple optical components) to carry out imaging of the samples that levitate in the system. The resulting system is compatible with both biological samples (human erythrocytes) and nonbiological samples (simple liquids and solids, such as 3-chlorotoluene, cholesterol crystals, glass beads, copper powder, and polymer beads). The high-throughput capacity of this integrated MagLev system will enable new applications in chemistry (e.g., analysis and separation of materials) and biochemistry (e.g., cellular responses under environmental stresses) in a simple and label-free format on the basis of a universal property of all matter, i.e., density.

  19. A torque-measuring micromotor provides operator independent measurements marking four different density areas in maxillae.

    PubMed

    Di Stefano, Danilo Alessio; Arosio, Paolo; Piattelli, Adriano; Perrotti, Vittoria; Iezzi, Giovanna

    2015-02-01

    Bone density at implant placement site is a key factor to obtain the primary stability of the fixture, which, in turn, is a prognostic factor for osseointegration and long-term success of an implant supported rehabilitation. Recently, an implant motor with a bone density measurement probe has been introduced. The aim of the present study was to test the objectiveness of the bone densities registered by the implant motor regardless of the operator performing them. A total of 3704 bone density measurements, performed by means of the implant motor, were registered by 39 operators at different implant sites during routine activity. Bone density measurements were grouped according to their distribution across the jaws. Specifically, four different areas were distinguished: a pre-antral (between teeth from first right maxillary premolar to first left maxillary premolar) and a sub-antral (more distally) zone in the maxilla, and an interforaminal (between and including teeth from first left mandibular premolar to first right mandibular premolar) and a retroforaminal (more distally) zone in the lower one. A statistical comparison was performed to check the inter-operators variability of the collected data. The device produced consistent and operator-independent bone density values at each tooth position, showing a reliable bone-density measurement. The implant motor demonstrated to be a helpful tool to properly plan implant placement and loading irrespective of the operator using it.

  20. Measuring track densities in lunar grains by image analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blanford, George E.

    1993-01-01

    We have developed techniques to use digitized scanning electron micrographs and computer image analysis programs to measure track densities in lunar soil grains. Tracks were formed by highly ionizing solar energetic particles and cosmic rays during near surface exposure on the Moon. The track densities are related to the exposure conditions (depth and time). Distributions of the number of grains as a function of their track densities can reveal the modality of soil maturation. We used a sample that had already been etched in 6 N NaOH at 118 C for 15 h to reveal tracks. We determined that back-scattered electron images taken at 50 percent contrast and approximately 49.8 percent brightness produced suitable high contrast images for analysis. We ascertained gray-scale thresholds of interest: 0-230 for tracks, 231 for masked regions, and 232-255 for background. We found no need to set an upper size limit for distinguishing tracks. We did use lower limits to exclude noise: 16 pixels at 15000x, 4 pixels at 10000x, 2 pixels at 6800x, and 0 pixels at 4600x. We used computer counting and measurement of area to obtain track densities. We found an excellent correlation with manual measurements for track densities below 1x10(exp 8) sq cm. For track densities between 1x10(exp 8) sq cm to 1x10(exp 9) sq cm, we found that a regression formula using the percentage area covered by tracks gave good agreement with manual measurements. Finally we used these new techniques to obtain a track density distribution that gave more detail and was more rapidly obtained than using manual techniques 15 years ago.

  1. A straightforward method for measuring the range of apparent density of microplastics.

    PubMed

    Li, Lingyun; Li, Mengmeng; Deng, Hua; Cai, Li; Cai, Huiwen; Yan, Beizhan; Hu, Jun; Shi, Huahong

    2018-10-15

    Density of microplastics has been regarded as the primary property that affect the distribution and bioavailability of microplastics in the water column. For measuring the density of microplastis, we developed a simple and rapid method based on density gradient solutions. In this study, we tested four solvents to make the density gradient solutions, i.e., ethanol (0.8 g/cm 3 ), ultrapure water (1.0 g/cm 3 ), saturated NaI (1.8 g/cm 3 ) and ZnCl 2 (1.8 g/cm 3 ). Density of microplastics was measured via observing the float or sink status in the density gradient solutions. We found that density gradient solutions made from ZnCl 2 had a larger uncertainty in measuring density than that from NaI, most likely due to a higher surface tension of ZnCl 2 solution. Solutions made from ethanol, ultrapure water, and NaI showed consistent density results with listed densities of commercial products, indicating that these density gradient solutions were suitable for measuring microplastics with a density range of 0.8-1.8 g/cm 3 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. The role of adequate reference materials in density measurements in hemodialysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Furtado, A.; Moutinho, J.; Moura, S.; Oliveira, F.; Filipe, E.

    2015-02-01

    In hemodialysis, oscillation-type density meters are used to measure the density of the acid component of the dialysate solutions used in the treatment of kidney patients. An incorrect density determination of this solution used in hemodialysis treatments can cause several and adverse events to patients. Therefore, despite the Fresenius Medical Care (FME) tight control of the density meters calibration results, this study shows the benefits of mimic the matrix usually measured to produce suitable reference materials for the density meter calibrations.

  3. A sparse matrix-vector multiplication based algorithm for accurate density matrix computations on systems of millions of atoms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghale, Purnima; Johnson, Harley T.

    2018-06-01

    We present an efficient sparse matrix-vector (SpMV) based method to compute the density matrix P from a given Hamiltonian in electronic structure computations. Our method is a hybrid approach based on Chebyshev-Jackson approximation theory and matrix purification methods like the second order spectral projection purification (SP2). Recent methods to compute the density matrix scale as O(N) in the number of floating point operations but are accompanied by large memory and communication overhead, and they are based on iterative use of the sparse matrix-matrix multiplication kernel (SpGEMM), which is known to be computationally irregular. In addition to irregularity in the sparse Hamiltonian H, the nonzero structure of intermediate estimates of P depends on products of H and evolves over the course of computation. On the other hand, an expansion of the density matrix P in terms of Chebyshev polynomials is straightforward and SpMV based; however, the resulting density matrix may not satisfy the required constraints exactly. In this paper, we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the Chebyshev-Jackson polynomials and the second order spectral projection purification (SP2) method, and propose to combine them so that the accurate density matrix can be computed using the SpMV computational kernel only, and without having to store the density matrix P. Our method accomplishes these objectives by using the Chebyshev polynomial estimate as the initial guess for SP2, which is followed by using sparse matrix-vector multiplications (SpMVs) to replicate the behavior of the SP2 algorithm for purification. We demonstrate the method on a tight-binding model system of an oxide material containing more than 3 million atoms. In addition, we also present the predicted behavior of our method when applied to near-metallic Hamiltonians with a wide energy spectrum.

  4. Accurate calculation and modeling of the adiabatic connection in density functional theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teale, A. M.; Coriani, S.; Helgaker, T.

    2010-04-01

    AC. When parametrized in terms of the same input data, the AC-CI model offers improved performance over the corresponding AC-D model, which is shown to be the lowest-order contribution to the AC-CI model. The utility of the accurately calculated AC curves for the analysis of standard density functionals is demonstrated for the BLYP exchange-correlation functional and the interaction-strength-interpolation (ISI) model AC integrand. From the results of this analysis, we investigate the performance of our proposed two-parameter AC-D and AC-CI models when a simple density functional for the AC at infinite interaction strength is employed in place of information at the fully interacting point. The resulting two-parameter correlation functionals offer a qualitatively correct behavior of the AC integrand with much improved accuracy over previous attempts. The AC integrands in the present work are recommended as a basis for further work, generating functionals that avoid spurious error cancellations between exchange and correlation energies and give good accuracy for the range of densities and types of correlation contained in the systems studied here.

  5. Calculation of new snow densities from sub-daily automated snow measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Helfricht, Kay; Hartl, Lea; Koch, Roland; Marty, Christoph; Lehning, Michael; Olefs, Marc

    2017-04-01

    In mountain regions there is an increasing demand for high-quality analysis, nowcasting and short-range forecasts of the spatial distribution of snowfall. Operational services, such as for avalanche warning, road maintenance and hydrology, as well as hydropower companies and ski resorts need reliable information on the depth of new snow (HN) and the corresponding water equivalent (HNW). However, the ratio of HNW to HN can vary from 1:3 to 1:30 because of the high variability of new snow density with respect to meteorological conditions. In the past, attempts were made to calculate new snow densities from meteorological parameters mainly using daily values of temperature and wind. Further complex statistical relationships have been used to calculate new snow densities on hourly to sub-hourly time intervals to drive multi-layer snow cover models. However, only a few long-term in-situ measurements of new snow density exist for sub-daily time intervals. Settling processes within the new snow due to loading and metamorphism need to be considered when computing new snow density. As the effect of these processes is more pronounced for long time intervals, a high temporal resolution of measurements is desirable. Within the pluSnow project data of several automatic weather stations with simultaneous measurements of precipitation (pluviometers), snow water equivalent (SWE) using snow pillows and snow depth (HS) measurements using ultrasonic rangers were analysed. New snow densities were calculated for a set of data filtered on the basis of meteorological thresholds. The calculated new snow densities were compared to results from existing new snow density parameterizations. To account for effects of settling of the snow cover, a case study based on a multi-year data set using the snow cover model SNOWPACK at Weissfluhjoch was performed. Measured median values of hourly new snow densities at the different stations range from 54 to 83 kgm-3. This is considerably lower than a 1

  6. Real-time electron density measurements from Cotton-Mouton effect in JET machine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brombin, M.; Electrical Engineering Department, Padova University, via Gradenigo 6-A, 35131 Padova; Boboc, A.

    Real-time density profile measurements are essential for advanced fusion tokamak operation and interferometry is a proven method for this task. Nevertheless, as a consequence of edge localized modes, pellet injections, fast density increases, or disruptions, the interferometer is subject to fringe jumps, which produce loss of the signal preventing reliable use of the measured density in a real-time feedback controller. An alternative method to measure the density is polarimetry based on the Cotton-Mouton effect, which is proportional to the line-integrated electron density. A new analysis approach has been implemented and tested to verify the reliability of the Cotton-Mouton measurements formore » a wide range of plasma parameters and to compare the density evaluated from polarimetry with that from interferometry. The density measurements based on polarimetry are going to be integrated in the real-time control system of JET since the difference with the interferometry is within one fringe for more than 90% of the cases.« less

  7. Uncertainty for Part Density Determination: An Update

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Valdez, Mario Orlando

    2016-12-14

    Accurate and precise density measurements by hydrostatic weighing requires the use of an analytical balance, configured with a suspension system, to both measure the weight of a part in water and in air. Additionally, the densities of these liquid media (water and air) must be precisely known for the part density determination. To validate the accuracy and precision of these measurements, uncertainty statements are required. The work in this report is a revision of an original report written more than a decade ago, specifically applying principles and guidelines suggested by the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM)more » for determining the part density uncertainty through sensitivity analysis. In this work, updated derivations are provided; an original example is revised with the updated derivations and appendix, provided solely to uncertainty evaluations using Monte Carlo techniques, specifically using the NIST Uncertainty Machine, as a viable alternative method.« less

  8. Racial Differences in Quantitative Measures of Area and Volumetric Breast Density

    PubMed Central

    McCarthy, Anne Marie; Keller, Brad M.; Pantalone, Lauren M.; Hsieh, Meng-Kang; Synnestvedt, Marie; Conant, Emily F.; Armstrong, Katrina; Kontos, Despina

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: Increased breast density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer and also decreases the sensitivity of mammographic screening. The purpose of our study was to compare breast density for black and white women using quantitative measures. Methods: Breast density was assessed among 5282 black and 4216 white women screened using digital mammography. Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density was obtained from radiologists’ reports. Quantitative measures for dense area, area percent density (PD), dense volume, and volume percent density were estimated using validated, automated software. Breast density was categorized as dense or nondense based on BI-RADS categories or based on values above and below the median for quantitative measures. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of having dense breasts by race, adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), age at menarche, menopause status, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, parity and age at first birth, and current hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: There was a statistically significant interaction of race and BMI on breast density. After accounting for age, BMI, and breast cancer risk factors, black women had statistically significantly greater odds of high breast density across all quantitative measures (eg, PD nonobese odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02 to 1.37, P = .03, PD obese OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.53, P = .02). There was no statistically significant difference in BI-RADS density by race. Conclusions: After accounting for age, BMI, and other risk factors, black women had higher breast density than white women across all quantitative measures previously associated with breast cancer risk. These results may have implications for risk assessment and screening. PMID:27130893

  9. Variational calculation of second-order reduced density matrices by strong N-representability conditions and an accurate semidefinite programming solver.

    PubMed

    Nakata, Maho; Braams, Bastiaan J; Fujisawa, Katsuki; Fukuda, Mituhiro; Percus, Jerome K; Yamashita, Makoto; Zhao, Zhengji

    2008-04-28

    The reduced density matrix (RDM) method, which is a variational calculation based on the second-order reduced density matrix, is applied to the ground state energies and the dipole moments for 57 different states of atoms, molecules, and to the ground state energies and the elements of 2-RDM for the Hubbard model. We explore the well-known N-representability conditions (P, Q, and G) together with the more recent and much stronger T1 and T2(') conditions. T2(') condition was recently rederived and it implies T2 condition. Using these N-representability conditions, we can usually calculate correlation energies in percentage ranging from 100% to 101%, whose accuracy is similar to CCSD(T) and even better for high spin states or anion systems where CCSD(T) fails. Highly accurate calculations are carried out by handling equality constraints and/or developing multiple precision arithmetic in the semidefinite programming (SDP) solver. Results show that handling equality constraints correctly improves the accuracy from 0.1 to 0.6 mhartree. Additionally, improvements by replacing T2 condition with T2(') condition are typically of 0.1-0.5 mhartree. The newly developed multiple precision arithmetic version of SDP solver calculates extraordinary accurate energies for the one dimensional Hubbard model and Be atom. It gives at least 16 significant digits for energies, where double precision calculations gives only two to eight digits. It also provides physically meaningful results for the Hubbard model in the high correlation limit.

  10. Comparison of breast density measurements made using ultrasound tomography and mammography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sak, Mark; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter; Bey-Knight, Lisa; Krycia, Mark; Sherman, Mark E.; Boyd, Norman; Gierach, Gretchen L.

    2015-03-01

    Women with elevated mammographic percent density, defined as the ratio of fibroglandular tissue area to total breast area on a mammogram are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is an imaging modality that can create tomographic sound speed images of a patient's breast, which can then be used to measure breast density. These sound speed images are useful because physical tissue density is directly proportional to sound speed. The work presented here updates previous results that compared mammographic breast density measurements with UST breast density measurements within an ongoing study. The current analysis has been expanded to include 158 women with negative digital mammographic screens who then underwent a breast UST scan. Breast density was measured for both imaging modalities and preliminary analysis demonstrated strong and positive correlations (Spearman correlation coefficient rs = 0.703). Additional mammographic and UST related imaging characteristics were also analyzed and used to compare the behavior of both imaging modalities. Results suggest that UST can be used among women with negative mammographic screens as a quantitative marker of breast density that may avert shortcomings of mammography.

  11. Trapezium Bone Density-A Comparison of Measurements by DXA and CT.

    PubMed

    Breddam Mosegaard, Sebastian; Breddam Mosegaard, Kamille; Bouteldja, Nadia; Bæk Hansen, Torben; Stilling, Maiken

    2018-01-18

    Bone density may influence the primary fixation of cementless implants, and poor bone density may increase the risk of implant failure. Before deciding on using total joint replacement as treatment in osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint, it is valuable to determine the trapezium bone density. The aim of this study was to: (1) determine the correlation between measurements of bone mineral density of the trapezium obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans by a circumference method and a new inner-ellipse method; and (2) to compare those to measurements of bone density obtained by computerized tomography (CT)-scans in Hounsfield units (HU). We included 71 hands from 59 patients with a mean age of 59 years (43-77). All patients had Eaton-Glickel stage II-IV trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint osteoarthritis, were under evaluation for trapeziometacarpal total joint replacement, and underwent DXA and CT wrist scans. There was an excellent correlation (r = 0.94) between DXA bone mineral density measures using the circumference and the inner-ellipse method. There was a moderate correlation between bone density measures obtained by DXA- and CT-scans with (r = 0.49) for the circumference method, and (r = 0.55) for the inner-ellipse method. DXA may be used in pre-operative evaluation of the trapezium bone quality, and the simpler DXA inner-ellipse measurement method can replace the DXA circumference method in estimation of bone density of the trapezium.

  12. Individual differences in transcranial electrical stimulation current density

    PubMed Central

    Russell, Michael J; Goodman, Theodore; Pierson, Ronald; Shepherd, Shane; Wang, Qiang; Groshong, Bennett; Wiley, David F

    2013-01-01

    Transcranial electrical stimulation (TCES) is effective in treating many conditions, but it has not been possible to accurately forecast current density within the complex anatomy of a given subject's head. We sought to predict and verify TCES current densities and determine the variability of these current distributions in patient-specific models based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Two experiments were performed. The first experiment estimated conductivity from MRIs and compared the current density results against actual measurements from the scalp surface of 3 subjects. In the second experiment, virtual electrodes were placed on the scalps of 18 subjects to model simulated current densities with 2 mA of virtually applied stimulation. This procedure was repeated for 4 electrode locations. Current densities were then calculated for 75 brain regions. Comparison of modeled and measured external current in experiment 1 yielded a correlation of r = .93. In experiment 2, modeled individual differences were greatest near the electrodes (ten-fold differences were common), but simulated current was found in all regions of the brain. Sites that were distant from the electrodes (e.g. hypothalamus) typically showed two-fold individual differences. MRI-based modeling can effectively predict current densities in individual brains. Significant variation occurs between subjects with the same applied electrode configuration. Individualized MRI-based modeling should be considered in place of the 10-20 system when accurate TCES is needed. PMID:24285948

  13. Accurate Nanoscale Crystallography in Real-Space Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Dycus, J Houston; Harris, Joshua S; Sang, Xiahan; Fancher, Chris M; Findlay, Scott D; Oni, Adedapo A; Chan, Tsung-Ta E; Koch, Carl C; Jones, Jacob L; Allen, Leslie J; Irving, Douglas L; LeBeau, James M

    2015-08-01

    Here, we report reproducible and accurate measurement of crystallographic parameters using scanning transmission electron microscopy. This is made possible by removing drift and residual scan distortion. We demonstrate real-space lattice parameter measurements with <0.1% error for complex-layered chalcogenides Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, and a Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 nanostructured alloy. Pairing the technique with atomic resolution spectroscopy, we connect local structure with chemistry and bonding. Combining these results with density functional theory, we show that the incorporation of Se into Bi2Te3 causes charge redistribution that anomalously increases the van der Waals gap between building blocks of the layered structure. The results show that atomic resolution imaging with electrons can accurately and robustly quantify crystallography at the nanoscale.

  14. Density measurement in air with saturable absorbing seed gas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baganoff, D.

    1982-01-01

    Approaches which have the potential to make density measurements in a compressible flow, where one or more laser beams are used as probes, were investigated. Saturation in sulfur hexafluoride iodine and a crossed beam technique where one beam acts as a saturating beam and the other is at low intensity and acts as a probe beam are considered. It is shown that a balance between an increase in fluorescence intensity with increasing pressure from line broadening and the normal decrease in intensity with increasing pressure from quenching can be used to develop a linear relation between fluorescence intensity and number density and lead to a new density measurement scheme. The method is used to obtain a density image of the cross section of an iodine seeded underexpanded supersonic jet of nitrogen, by illuminating the cross section by a sheet of laser light.

  15. Opportune Landing Site CBR and Low-Density Laboratory Database

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-05-01

    Program Opportune Landing Site CBR and Low- Density Laboratory Database Larry S. Danyluk, Sally A. Shoop, Rosa T. Affleck, and Wendy L. Wieder...Opportune Landing Site Program ERDC/CRREL TR-08-9 May 2008 Opportune Landing Site CBR and Low- Density Laboratory Database Larry S. Danyluk, Sally A...reproduce in-situ density , moisture, and CBR values and therefore do not accurately repre- sent the complete range of these values measured in the field

  16. Analyzing forensic evidence based on density with magnetic levitation.

    PubMed

    Lockett, Matthew R; Mirica, Katherine A; Mace, Charles R; Blackledge, Robert D; Whitesides, George M

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a method for determining the density of contact trace objects with magnetic levitation (MagLev). MagLev measurements accurately determine the density (± 0.0002 g/cm(3) ) of a diamagnetic object and are compatible with objects that are nonuniform in shape and size. The MagLev device (composed of two permanent magnets with like poles facing) and the method described provide a means of accurately determining the density of trace objects. This method is inexpensive, rapid, and verifiable and provides numerical values--independent of the specific apparatus or analyst--that correspond to the absolute density of the sample that may be entered into a searchable database. We discuss the feasibility of MagLev as a possible means of characterizing forensic-related evidence and demonstrate the ability of MagLev to (i) determine the density of samples of glitter and gunpowder, (ii) separate glitter particles of different densities, and (iii) determine the density of a glitter sample that was removed from a complex sample matrix. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  17. Potential errors in optical density measurements due to scanning side in EBT and EBT2 Gafchromic film dosimetry.

    PubMed

    Desroches, Joannie; Bouchard, Hugo; Lacroix, Frédéric

    2010-04-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the effect on the measured optical density of scanning on either side of a Gafchromic EBT and EBT2 film using an Epson (Epson Canada Ltd., Toronto, Ontario) 10000XL flat bed scanner. Calibration curves were constructed using EBT2 film scanned in landscape orientation in both reflection and transmission mode on an Epson 10000XL scanner. Calibration curves were also constructed using EBT film. Potential errors due to an optical density difference from scanning the film on either side ("face up" or "face down") were simulated. Scanning the film face up or face down on the scanner bed while keeping the film angular orientation constant affects the measured optical density when scanning in reflection mode. In contrast, no statistically significant effect was seen when scanning in transmission mode. This effect can significantly affect relative and absolute dose measurements. As an application example, the authors demonstrate potential errors of 17.8% by inverting the film scanning side on the gamma index for 3%-3 mm criteria on a head and neck intensity modulated radiotherapy plan, and errors in absolute dose measurements ranging from 10% to 35% between 2 and 5 Gy. Process consistency is the key to obtaining accurate and precise results in Gafchromic film dosimetry. When scanning in reflection mode, care must be taken to place the film consistently on the same side on the scanner bed.

  18. Accurate potential drop sheet resistance measurements of laser-doped areas in semiconductors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heinrich, Martin, E-mail: mh.seris@gmail.com; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456; Kluska, Sven

    2014-10-07

    It is investigated how potential drop sheet resistance measurements of areas formed by laser-assisted doping in crystalline Si wafers are affected by typically occurring experimental factors like sample size, inhomogeneities, surface roughness, or coatings. Measurements are obtained with a collinear four point probe setup and a modified transfer length measurement setup to measure sheet resistances of laser-doped lines. Inhomogeneities in doping depth are observed from scanning electron microscope images and electron beam induced current measurements. It is observed that influences from sample size, inhomogeneities, surface roughness, and coatings can be neglected if certain preconditions are met. Guidelines are given onmore » how to obtain accurate potential drop sheet resistance measurements on laser-doped regions.« less

  19. Current Density Measurements of an Annular-Geometry Ion Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shastry, Rohit; Patterson, Michael J.; Herman, Daniel A.; Foster, John E.

    2012-01-01

    The concept of the annular-geometry ion engine, or AGI-Engine, has been shown to have many potential benefits when scaling electric propulsion technologies to higher power. However, the necessary asymmetric location of the discharge cathode away from thruster centerline could potentially lead to non-uniformities in the discharge not present in conventional geometry ion thrusters. In an effort to characterize the degree of this potential nonuniformity, a number of current density measurements were taken on a breadboard AGI-Engine. Fourteen button probes were used to measure the ion current density of the discharge along a perforated electrode that replaced the ion optics during conditions of simulated beam extraction. Three Faraday probes spaced apart in the vertical direction were also used in a separate test to interrogate the plume of the AGI-Engine during true beam extraction. It was determined that both the discharge and the plume of the AGI-Engine are highly uniform, with variations under most conditions limited to 10% of the average current density in the discharge and 5% of the average current density in the plume. Beam flatness parameter measured 30 mm from the ion optics ranged from 0.85 0.95, and overall uniformity was shown to generally increase with increasing discharge and beam currents. These measurements indicate that the plasma is highly uniform despite the asymmetric location of the discharge cathode.

  20. Current Density Measurements of an Annular-Geometry Ion Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shastry, Rohit; Patterson, Michael J.; Herman, Daniel A.; Foster, John E.

    2012-01-01

    The concept of the annular-geometry ion engine, or AGI-Engine, has been shown to have many potential benefits when scaling electric propulsion technologies to higher power. However, the necessary asymmetric location of the discharge cathode away from thruster centerline could potentially lead to non-uniformities in the discharge not present in conventional geometry ion thrusters. In an effort to characterize the degree of this potential non-uniformity, a number of current density measurements were taken on a breadboard AGI-Engine. Fourteen button probes were used to measure the ion current density of the discharge along a perforated electrode that replaced the ion optics during conditions of simulated beam extraction. Three Faraday probes spaced apart in the vertical direction were also used in a separate test to interrogate the plume of the AGI-Engine during true beam extraction. It was determined that both the discharge and the plume of the AGI-Engine are highly uniform, with variations under most conditions limited to +/-10% of the average current density in the discharge and +/-5% of the average current density in the plume. Beam flatness parameter measured 30 mm from the ion optics ranged from 0.85 - 0.95, and overall uniformity was shown to generally increase with increasing discharge and beam currents. These measurements indicate that the plasma is highly uniform despite the asymmetric location of the discharge cathode.

  1. Measuring atmospheric density using GPS-LEO tracking data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuang, D.; Desai, S.; Sibthorpe, A.; Pi, X.

    2014-01-01

    We present a method to estimate the total neutral atmospheric density from precise orbit determination of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. We derive the total atmospheric density by determining the drag force acting on the LEOs through centimeter-level reduced-dynamic precise orbit determination (POD) using onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking data. The precision of the estimated drag accelerations is assessed using various metrics, including differences between estimated along-track accelerations from consecutive 30-h POD solutions which overlap by 6 h, comparison of the resulting accelerations with accelerometer measurements, and comparison against an existing atmospheric density model, DTM-2000. We apply the method to GPS tracking data from CHAMP, GRACE, SAC-C, Jason-2, TerraSAR-X and COSMIC satellites, spanning 12 years (2001-2012) and covering orbital heights from 400 km to 1300 km. Errors in the estimates, including those introduced by deficiencies in other modeled forces (such as solar radiation pressure and Earth radiation pressure), are evaluated and the signal and noise levels for each satellite are analyzed. The estimated density data from CHAMP, GRACE, SAC-C and TerraSAR-X are identified as having high signal and low noise levels. These data all have high correlations with anominal atmospheric density model and show common features in relative residuals with respect to the nominal model in related parameter space. On the contrary, the estimated density data from COSMIC and Jason-2 show errors larger than the actual signal at corresponding altitudes thus having little practical value for this study. The results demonstrate that this method is applicable to data from a variety of missions and can provide useful total neutral density measurements for atmospheric study up to altitude as high as 715 km, with precision and resolution between those derived from traditional special orbital perturbation analysis and those obtained from onboard

  2. New bioreactor for in situ simultaneous measurement of bioluminescence and cell density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Picart, Pascal; Bendriaa, Loubna; Daniel, Philippe; Horry, Habib; Durand, Marie-José; Jouvanneau, Laurent; Thouand, Gérald

    2004-03-01

    This article presents a new device devoted to the simultaneous measurement of bioluminescence and optical density of a bioluminescent bacterial culture. It features an optoelectronic bioreactor with a fully autoclavable module, in which the bioluminescent bacteria are cultivated, a modulated laser diode dedicated to optical density measurement, and a detection head for the acquisition of both bioluminescence and optical density signals. Light is detected through a bifurcated fiber bundle. This setup allows the simultaneous estimation of the bioluminescence and the cell density of the culture medium without any sampling. The bioluminescence is measured through a highly sensitive photomultiplier unit which has been photometrically calibrated to allow light flux measurements. This was achieved by considering the bioluminescence spectrum and the full optical transmission of the device. The instrument makes it possible to measure a very weak light flux of only a few pW. The optical density is determined through the laser diode and a photodiode using numerical synchronous detection which is based on the power spectrum density of the recorded signal. The detection was calibrated to measure optical density up to 2.5. The device was validated using the Vibrio fischeri bacterium which was cultivated under continuous culture conditions. A very good correlation between manual and automatic measurements processed with this instrument has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the optoelectronic bioreactor enables determination of the luminance of the bioluminescent bacteria which is estimated to be 6×10-5 W sr-1 m-2 for optical density=0.3. Experimental results are presented and discussed.

  3. 3-D density imaging with muon flux measurements from underground galleries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lesparre, N.; Cabrera, J.; Marteau, J.

    2017-03-01

    Atmospheric muon flux measurements provide information on subsurface density distribution. In this study, muon flux was measured underground, in the Tournemire experimental platform (France). The objective was to image the medium between the galleries and the surface and evaluate the feasibility to detect the presence of discontinuities, for example, produced by secondary subvertical faults or by karstic networks. Measurements were performed from three different sites with a partial overlap of muon trajectories, offering the possibility to seek density variations at different depths. The conversion of the measured muon flux to average density values showed global variations further analysed through a 3-D nonlinear inversion procedure. Main results are the presence of a very low density region at the level of the upper aquifer, compatible with the presence of a karstic network hosting local cavities, and the absence of secondary faults. We discuss the validity of the present results and propose different strategies to improve the accuracy of such measurements and analysis.

  4. LIFS atomic hydrogen density measurements at the URAGAN-3M facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Volkov, E.D.; Zhmurin, P.N.; Letuchii, A.N.

    1994-12-31

    Molecular and atomic hydrogen behavior within a plasma column of the URAGAN-3M facility was numerically simulated for a low density regime ({bar n}{sub e} {approx_equal} 2 x 10{sup 12} cm{sup {minus}3}). Local density of hydrogen atoms in the axial region was measured by Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy technique. A good agreement of the measurements and simulations was observed. In the regime under investigation the results of hydrogen density spectroscopic measurements were found to be greatly affected by dissociative population of hydrogen atom excited states. 2 refs., 3 figs.

  5. Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach

    PubMed Central

    Lau, Susie; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. Methods: 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara® (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Results: Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Conclusion: Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Advances in knowledge: Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be. PMID:27452264

  6. Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach.

    PubMed

    Lau, Susie; Ng, Kwan Hoong; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

    2016-10-01

    To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara(®) (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be.

  7. Optical Coherence Tomography Accurately Measures Corneal Power Change From Laser Refractive Surgery

    PubMed Central

    McNabb, Ryan P.; Farsiu, Sina; Stinnett, Sandra S.; Izatt, Joseph A.; Kuo, Anthony N.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To determine the ability of motion corrected optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure the corneal refractive power change due to laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Design Evaluation of a diagnostic test or technology in a cohort. Subjects 70 eyes from 37 subjects undergoing LASIK were measured preoperatively. 39 eyes from 22 subjects were measured postoperatively and completed the study. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing LASIK at the Duke Eye Center who consented to participate were imaged with Placido-ring topography, Scheimpflug photography and OCT on the day of their surgery. Patients were then reimaged with the same imaging systems at the post-operative month 3 visit. Change in pre- to post-operative corneal refractive power as measured by each of the imaging modalities was compared to the pre- to post-operative change in manifest refraction using t-test with generalized estimating equations. Main Outcome Measures Corneal refractive power change due to LASIK as measured by Placido-ring topography, Scheimpflug Photography, and OCT compared to the manifest refraction change vertexed to the corneal plane. The change in manifest refraction should correspond to the change in the corneal refractive power from LASIK and was considered the reference measurement. Results In 22 returning post-LASIK individuals (39 eyes), we found no significant difference between the clinically measured pre to post LASIK change in manifest refraction and both Scheimpflug photography (p = 0.714) and OCT (p = 0.216). In contrast, keratometry values from Placido-ring topography were found to be significantly different from the measured refractive change (p < 0.001). Additionally, of the three imaging modalities, OCT recorded the smallest mean absolute difference from the reference measurement with the least amount of variability. Conclusion Motion corrected OCT more accurately measures the change in corneal refractive power due to laser refractive surgery than

  8. Accurate Permittivity Measurements for Microwave Imaging via Ultra-Wideband Removal of Spurious Reflectors

    PubMed Central

    Pelletier, Mathew G.; Viera, Joseph A.; Wanjura, John; Holt, Greg

    2010-01-01

    The use of microwave imaging is becoming more prevalent for detection of interior hidden defects in manufactured and packaged materials. In applications for detection of hidden moisture, microwave tomography can be used to image the material and then perform an inverse calculation to derive an estimate of the variability of the hidden material, such internal moisture, thereby alerting personnel to damaging levels of the hidden moisture before material degradation occurs. One impediment to this type of imaging occurs with nearby objects create strong reflections that create destructive and constructive interference, at the receiver, as the material is conveyed past the imaging antenna array. In an effort to remove the influence of the reflectors, such as metal bale ties, research was conducted to develop an algorithm for removal of the influence of the local proximity reflectors from the microwave images. This research effort produced a technique, based upon the use of ultra-wideband signals, for the removal of spurious reflections created by local proximity reflectors. This improvement enables accurate microwave measurements of moisture in such products as cotton bales, as well as other physical properties such as density or material composition. The proposed algorithm was shown to reduce errors by a 4:1 ratio and is an enabling technology for imaging applications in the presence of metal bale ties. PMID:22163668

  9. Accurate permittivity measurements for microwave imaging via ultra-wideband removal of spurious reflectors.

    PubMed

    Pelletier, Mathew G; Viera, Joseph A; Wanjura, John; Holt, Greg

    2010-01-01

    The use of microwave imaging is becoming more prevalent for detection of interior hidden defects in manufactured and packaged materials. In applications for detection of hidden moisture, microwave tomography can be used to image the material and then perform an inverse calculation to derive an estimate of the variability of the hidden material, such internal moisture, thereby alerting personnel to damaging levels of the hidden moisture before material degradation occurs. One impediment to this type of imaging occurs with nearby objects create strong reflections that create destructive and constructive interference, at the receiver, as the material is conveyed past the imaging antenna array. In an effort to remove the influence of the reflectors, such as metal bale ties, research was conducted to develop an algorithm for removal of the influence of the local proximity reflectors from the microwave images. This research effort produced a technique, based upon the use of ultra-wideband signals, for the removal of spurious reflections created by local proximity reflectors. This improvement enables accurate microwave measurements of moisture in such products as cotton bales, as well as other physical properties such as density or material composition. The proposed algorithm was shown to reduce errors by a 4:1 ratio and is an enabling technology for imaging applications in the presence of metal bale ties.

  10. Importance of accurate measurements in nutrition research: dietary flavonoids as a case study

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Accurate measurements of the secondary metabolites in natural products and plant foods are critical to establishing diet/health relationships. There are as many as 50,000 secondary metabolites which may influence human health. Their structural and chemical diversity present a challenge to analytic...

  11. Mammographic density measured as changes in tissue structure caused by HRT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raundahl, Jakob; Loog, Marco; Nielsen, Mads

    2006-03-01

    Numerous studies have investigated the relation between mammographic density and breast cancer risk. These studies indicate that women with high breast density have a four to six fold risk increase. An investigation of whether or not this relation is causal is important for, e.g., hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has been shown to actually increase the density. No gold standard for automatic assessment of mammographic density exists. Manual methods such as Wolfe patterns and BI-RADS are helpful for communication of diagnostic sensitivity, but they are both time consuming and crude. They may be sufficient in certain cases and for single measurements, but for serial, temporal analysis it is necessary to be able to detect more subtle changes and, in addition, to be more reproducible. In this work an automated method for measuring the effect of HRT w.r.t. changes in biological density in the breast is presented. This measure is a novel measure, which provides structural information orthogonal to intensity-based methods. Hessian eigenvalues at different scales are used as features and a clustering of these is employed to divide a mammogram into four structurally different areas. Subsequently, based on the relative size of the areas, a density score is determined. In the experiments, two sets of mammograms of 50 patients from a double blind, placebo controlled HRT experiment were used. The change in density for the HRT group, measured with the new method, was significantly higher (p = 0.0002) than the change in the control group.

  12. Field test results--a new logging tool for formation density and lithology measurements

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Borai, A.M.; Muhsin, M.A.

    1983-03-01

    The formation porosity can be determined from borehole density measurements if the density of the rock is known. Generally, this is determined from the lithology. The Litho-Density Tool, LDT, provides an improved measurement of the formation density and a new measurement of lithology. Field tests of LDT proved that the tool could be run alone in a wide range of formations to provide porosity values comparable to those obtained by running a density log combined with a neutron log.

  13. A pilot study examining density of suppression measurement in strabismus.

    PubMed

    Piano, Marianne; Newsham, David

    2015-01-01

    Establish whether the Sbisa bar, Bagolini filter (BF) bar, and neutral density filter (NDF) bar, used to measure density of suppression, are equivalent and possess test-retest reliability. Determine whether density of suppression is altered when measurement equipment/testing conditions are changed. Our pilot study had 10 subjects aged ≥18 years with childhood-onset strabismus, no ocular pathologies, and no binocular vision when manifest. Density of suppression upon repeated testing, with clinic lights on/off, and using a full/reduced intensity light source, was investigated. Results were analysed for test-retest reliability, equivalence, and changes with alteration of testing conditions. Test-retest reliability issues were present for the BF bar (median 6 filter change from first to final test, p = 0.021) and NDF bar (median 5 filter change from first to final test, p = 0.002). Density of suppression was unaffected by environmental illumination or fixation light intensity variations. Density of suppression measurements were higher when measured with the NDF bar (e.g. NDF bar = 1.5, medium suppression, vs BF bar = 6.5, light suppression). Test-retest reliability issues may be present for the two filter bars currently still under manufacture. Changes in testing conditions do not significantly affect test results, provided the same filter bar is used consistently for testing. Further studies in children with strabismus having active amblyopia treatment would be of benefit. Despite extensive use of these tests in the UK, this is to our knowledge the first study evaluating filter bar equivalence/reliability.

  14. Interferometer density measurements of a high-velocity plasmoid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Case, A.; Messer, S.; Bomgardner, R.

    2010-05-15

    The plasmoid produced by a half-scale contoured gap coaxial plasma accelerator using ablative polyethylene capillary plasma injectors is measured using a quadrature heterodyne HeNe interferometer. The plasmoid is found to have a sharp rise in density at the leading edge, with a gradual falloff after the peak density. For this early test series, an average bulk density of 5x10{sup 14} cm{sup -3} is observed, with densities up to 8x10{sup 14} cm{sup -3} seen on some shots. Although plasmoid mass is only about 58 mug due to the low current and injected mass used in these tests, good shot-to-shot repeatability ismore » attained making analysis relatively straightforward, thus providing a solid foundation for interpreting future experimental results.« less

  15. Atmospheric densities derived from CHAMP/STAR accelerometer observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruinsma, S.; Tamagnan, D.; Biancale, R.

    2004-03-01

    The satellite CHAMP carries the accelerometer STAR in its payload and thanks to the GPS and SLR tracking systems accurate orbit positions can be computed. Total atmospheric density values can be retrieved from the STAR measurements, with an absolute uncertainty of 10-15%, under the condition that an accurate radiative force model, satellite macro-model, and STAR instrumental calibration parameters are applied, and that the upper-atmosphere winds are less than 150 m/ s. The STAR calibration parameters (i.e. a bias and a scale factor) of the tangential acceleration were accurately determined using an iterative method, which required the estimation of the gravity field coefficients in several iterations, the first result of which was the EIGEN-1S (Geophys. Res. Lett. 29 (14) (2002) 10.1029) gravity field solution. The procedure to derive atmospheric density values is as follows: (1) a reduced-dynamic CHAMP orbit is computed, the positions of which are used as pseudo-observations, for reference purposes; (2) a dynamic CHAMP orbit is fitted to the pseudo-observations using calibrated STAR measurements, which are saved in a data file containing all necessary information to derive density values; (3) the data file is used to compute density values at each orbit integration step, for which accurate terrestrial coordinates are available. This procedure was applied to 415 days of data over a total period of 21 months, yielding 1.2 million useful observations. The model predictions of DTM-2000 (EGS XXV General Assembly, Nice, France), DTM-94 (J. Geod. 72 (1998) 161) and MSIS-86 (J. Geophys. Res. 92 (1987) 4649) were evaluated by analysing the density ratios (i.e. "observed" to "computed" ratio) globally, and as functions of solar activity, geographical position and season. The global mean of the density ratios showed that the models underestimate density by 10-20%, with an rms of 16-20%. The binning as a function of local time revealed that the diurnal and semi

  16. Accurate mass measurement by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. II. Measurement of negative radical ions using porphyrin and fullerene standard reference materials.

    PubMed

    Shao, Zhecheng; Wyatt, Mark F; Stein, Bridget K; Brenton, A Gareth

    2010-10-30

    A method for the accurate mass measurement of negative radical ions by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) is described. This is an extension to our previously described method for the accurate mass measurement of positive radical ions (Griffiths NW, Wyatt MF, Kean SD, Graham AE, Stein BK, Brenton AG. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2010; 24: 1629). The porphyrin standard reference materials (SRMs) developed for positive mode measurements cannot be observed in negative ion mode, so fullerene and fluorinated porphyrin compounds were identified as effective SRMs. The method is of immediate practical use for the accurate mass measurement of functionalised fullerenes, for which negative ion MALDI-TOFMS is the principal mass spectrometry characterisation technique. This was demonstrated by the accurate mass measurement of six functionalised C(60) compounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Obtaining sub-daily new snow density from automated measurements in high mountain regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Helfricht, Kay; Hartl, Lea; Koch, Roland; Marty, Christoph; Olefs, Marc

    2018-05-01

    The density of new snow is operationally monitored by meteorological or hydrological services at daily time intervals, or occasionally measured in local field studies. However, meteorological conditions and thus settling of the freshly deposited snow rapidly alter the new snow density until measurement. Physically based snow models and nowcasting applications make use of hourly weather data to determine the water equivalent of the snowfall and snow depth. In previous studies, a number of empirical parameterizations were developed to approximate the new snow density by meteorological parameters. These parameterizations are largely based on new snow measurements derived from local in situ measurements. In this study a data set of automated snow measurements at four stations located in the European Alps is analysed for several winter seasons. Hourly new snow densities are calculated from the height of new snow and the water equivalent of snowfall. Considering the settling of the new snow and the old snowpack, the average hourly new snow density is 68 kg m-3, with a standard deviation of 9 kg m-3. Seven existing parameterizations for estimating new snow densities were tested against these data, and most calculations overestimate the hourly automated measurements. Two of the tested parameterizations were capable of simulating low new snow densities observed at sheltered inner-alpine stations. The observed variability in new snow density from the automated measurements could not be described with satisfactory statistical significance by any of the investigated parameterizations. Applying simple linear regressions between new snow density and wet bulb temperature based on the measurements' data resulted in significant relationships (r2 > 0.5 and p ≤ 0.05) for single periods at individual stations only. Higher new snow density was calculated for the highest elevated and most wind-exposed station location. Whereas snow measurements using ultrasonic devices and snow

  18. Radio Astronomers Set New Standard for Accurate Cosmic Distance Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-06-01

    A team of radio astronomers has used the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to make the most accurate measurement ever made of the distance to a faraway galaxy. Their direct measurement calls into question the precision of distance determinations made by other techniques, including those announced last week by a team using the Hubble Space Telescope. The radio astronomers measured a distance of 23.5 million light-years to a galaxy called NGC 4258 in Ursa Major. "Ours is a direct measurement, using geometry, and is independent of all other methods of determining cosmic distances," said Jim Herrnstein, of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Socorro, NM. The team says their measurement is accurate to within less than a million light-years, or four percent. The galaxy is also known as Messier 106 and is visible with amateur telescopes. Herrnstein, along with James Moran and Lincoln Greenhill of the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Phillip Diamond, of the Merlin radio telescope facility at Jodrell Bank and the University of Manchester in England; Makato Inoue and Naomasa Nakai of Japan's Nobeyama Radio Observatory; Mikato Miyoshi of Japan's National Astronomical Observatory; Christian Henkel of Germany's Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy; and Adam Riess of the University of California at Berkeley, announced their findings at the American Astronomical Society's meeting in Chicago. "This is an incredible achievement to measure the distance to another galaxy with this precision," said Miller Goss, NRAO's Director of VLA/VLBA Operations. "This is the first time such a great distance has been measured this accurately. It took painstaking work on the part of the observing team, and it took a radio telescope the size of the Earth -- the VLBA -- to make it possible," Goss said. "Astronomers have sought to determine the Hubble Constant, the rate of expansion of the universe, for decades. This will in turn lead to an

  19. Measurement of electron density and electron temperature of a cascaded arc plasma using laser Thomson scattering compared to an optical emission spectroscopic approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yong, WANG; Cong, LI; Jielin, SHI; Xingwei, WU; Hongbin, DING

    2017-11-01

    As advanced linear plasma sources, cascaded arc plasma devices have been used to generate steady plasma with high electron density, high particle flux and low electron temperature. To measure electron density and electron temperature of the plasma device accurately, a laser Thomson scattering (LTS) system, which is generally recognized as the most precise plasma diagnostic method, has been established in our lab in Dalian University of Technology. The electron density has been measured successfully in the region of 4.5 × 1019 m-3 to 7.1 × 1020 m-3 and electron temperature in the region of 0.18 eV to 0.58 eV. For comparison, an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) system was established as well. The results showed that the electron excitation temperature (configuration temperature) measured by OES is significantly higher than the electron temperature (kinetic electron temperature) measured by LTS by up to 40% in the given discharge conditions. The results indicate that the cascaded arc plasma is recombining plasma and it is not in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). This leads to significant error using OES when characterizing the electron temperature in a non-LTE plasma.

  20. New signal processing technique for density profile reconstruction using reflectometry.

    PubMed

    Clairet, F; Ricaud, B; Briolle, F; Heuraux, S; Bottereau, C

    2011-08-01

    Reflectometry profile measurement requires an accurate determination of the plasma reflected signal. Along with a good resolution and a high signal to noise ratio of the phase measurement, adequate data analysis is required. A new data processing based on time-frequency tomographic representation is used. It provides a clearer separation between multiple components and improves isolation of the relevant signals. In this paper, this data processing technique is applied to two sets of signals coming from two different reflectometer devices used on the Tore Supra tokamak. For the standard density profile reflectometry, it improves the initialization process and its reliability, providing a more accurate profile determination in the far scrape-off layer with density measurements as low as 10(16) m(-1). For a second reflectometer, which provides measurements in front of a lower hybrid launcher, this method improves the separation of the relevant plasma signal from multi-reflection processes due to the proximity of the plasma.

  1. Correlation of cervical endplate strength with CT measured subchondral bone density

    PubMed Central

    Ordway, Nathaniel R.; Lu, Yen-Mou; Zhang, Xingkai; Cheng, Chin-Chang; Fang, Huang

    2007-01-01

    Cervical interbody device subsidence can result in screw breakage, plate dislodgement, and/or kyphosis. Preoperative bone density measurement may be helpful in predicting the complications associated with anterior cervical surgery. This is especially important when a motion preserving device is implanted given the detrimental effect of subsidence on the postoperative segmental motion following disc replacement. To evaluate the structural properties of the cervical endplate and examine the correlation with CT measured trabecular bone density. Eight fresh human cadaver cervical spines (C2–T1) were CT scanned and the average trabecular bone densities of the vertebral bodies (C3–C7) were measured. Each endplate surface was biomechanically tested for regional yield load and stiffness using an indentation test method. Overall average density of the cervical vertebral body trabecular bone was 270 ± 74 mg/cm3. There was no significant difference between levels. The yield load and stiffness from the indentation test of the endplate averaged 139 ± 99 N and 156 ± 52 N/mm across all cervical levels, endplate surfaces, and regional locations. The posterior aspect of the endplate had significantly higher yield load and stiffness in comparison to the anterior aspect and the lateral aspect had significantly higher yield load in comparison to the midline aspect. There was a significant correlation between the average yield load and stiffness of the cervical endplate and the trabecular bone density on regression analysis. Although there are significant regional variations in the endplate structural properties, the average of the endplate yield loads and stiffnesses correlated with the trabecular bone density. Given the morbidity associated with subsidence of interbody devices, a reliable and predictive method of measuring endplate strength in the cervical spine is required. Bone density measures may be used preoperatively to assist in the prediction of the strength

  2. Imaging Breast Density: Established and Emerging Modalities1

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jeon-Hor; Gulsen, Gultekin; Su, Min-Ying

    2015-01-01

    Mammographic density has been proven as an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Women with dense breast tissue visible on a mammogram have a much higher cancer risk than women with little density. A great research effort has been devoted to incorporate breast density into risk prediction models to better estimate each individual’s cancer risk. In recent years, the passage of breast density notification legislation in many states in USA requires that every mammography report should provide information regarding the patient’s breast density. Accurate definition and measurement of breast density are thus important, which may allow all the potential clinical applications of breast density to be implemented. Because the two-dimensional mammography-based measurement is subject to tissue overlapping and thus not able to provide volumetric information, there is an urgent need to develop reliable quantitative measurements of breast density. Various new imaging technologies are being developed. Among these new modalities, volumetric mammographic density methods and three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging are the most well studied. Besides, emerging modalities, including different x-ray–based, optical imaging, and ultrasound-based methods, have also been investigated. All these modalities may either overcome some fundamental problems related to mammographic density or provide additional density and/or compositional information. The present review article aimed to summarize the current established and emerging imaging techniques for the measurement of breast density and the evidence of the clinical use of these density methods from the literature. PMID:26692524

  3. Lunar Surface Material - Spacecraft Measurements of Density and Strength

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaffe, L. D.

    1969-01-01

    The relation of the density of the lunar surface layer to depth is probably best determined from spacecraft measurements of the bearing capacity as a function of depth. A comparison of these values with laboratory measurements of the bearing capacity of low-cohesion particulate materials as a function of the percentage of solid indicates that the bulk density at the lunar surface is about 1.1 grams per cubic centimeter and that it increases nearly linearly to about 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter at a depth of 5 centimeters.

  4. Simultaneous measurements of density field and wavefront distortions in high speed flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, Jacob; Jenkins, Thomas; Trolinger, James; Hess, Cecil; Buckner, Benjamin

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents results from simultaneous measurements of fluid density and the resulting wavefront distortions in a sonic underexpanded jet. The density measurements were carried out using Rayleigh scattering, and the optical distortions were measured using a wavefront sensor based on phase shifting interferometry. The measurements represent a preliminary step toward relating wavefront distortions to a specific flow structure. The measured density field is used to compute the phase distortions using a wave propagation model based on a geometric-optics approximation, and the computed phase map shows moderate agreement with that obtained using the wavefront sensor.

  5. Accurate reconstruction of hyperspectral images from compressive sensing measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greer, John B.; Flake, J. C.

    2013-05-01

    The emerging field of Compressive Sensing (CS) provides a new way to capture data by shifting the heaviest burden of data collection from the sensor to the computer on the user-end. This new means of sensing requires fewer measurements for a given amount of information than traditional sensors. We investigate the efficacy of CS for capturing HyperSpectral Imagery (HSI) remotely. We also introduce a new family of algorithms for constructing HSI from CS measurements with Split Bregman Iteration [Goldstein and Osher,2009]. These algorithms combine spatial Total Variation (TV) with smoothing in the spectral dimension. We examine models for three different CS sensors: the Coded Aperture Snapshot Spectral Imager-Single Disperser (CASSI-SD) [Wagadarikar et al.,2008] and Dual Disperser (CASSI-DD) [Gehm et al.,2007] cameras, and a hypothetical random sensing model closer to CS theory, but not necessarily implementable with existing technology. We simulate the capture of remotely sensed images by applying the sensor forward models to well-known HSI scenes - an AVIRIS image of Cuprite, Nevada and the HYMAP Urban image. To measure accuracy of the CS models, we compare the scenes constructed with our new algorithm to the original AVIRIS and HYMAP cubes. The results demonstrate the possibility of accurately sensing HSI remotely with significantly fewer measurements than standard hyperspectral cameras.

  6. Density Measurement of Tridecane by using Hydrostatic Weighing System at Density Laboratory, NML-SIRIM

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nor, Mohd. Fazrul Hisyam Mohd.; Othman, Hafidzah; Abidin, Abd. Rashid Zainal

    2009-07-07

    This paper presents the density measurement of tridecane by using hydrostatic weighing system, which is currently practised in Density Laboratory of National Metrology Laboratory (NML), SIRIM Berhad. This system weighed the crystal sphere while the crystal sphere was immersed in the tridecane. The volume and mass in air of the crystal sphere were calibrated at KRISS, Korea. The uncertainties of volume and mass in air of the crystal sphere were 4 ppm and 0.3 ppm respectively.

  7. Toward Accurate Measurement of Participation: Rethinking the Conceptualization and Operationalization of Participatory Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daigneault, Pierre-Marc; Jacob, Steve

    2009-01-01

    While participatory evaluation (PE) constitutes an important trend in the field of evaluation, its ontology has not been systematically analyzed. As a result, the concept of PE is ambiguous and inadequately theorized. Furthermore, no existing instrument accurately measures stakeholder participation. First, this article attempts to overcome these…

  8. Current and Future Methods for Measuring Breast Density: A Brief Comparative Review

    PubMed Central

    Sak, Mark A.; Littrup, Peter J.; Duric, Neb; Mullooly, Maeve; Sherman, Mark E.; Gierach, Gretchen L.

    2017-01-01

    Breast density is one of the strongest predictors of breast cancer risk. Women with the densest breasts are 4 to 6 times more likely to develop cancer compared with those with the lowest densities. Breast density is generally assessed using mammographic imaging; however, this approach has limitations. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound tomography are some alternative imaging modalities that can aid mammography in patient screening and the measurement of breast density. As breast density becomes more commonly discussed, knowledge of the advantages and limitations of breast density as a marker of risk will become more critical. This review article discusses the relationship between breast density and breast cancer risk, lists the benefits and drawbacks of using multiple different imaging modalities to measure density and briefly discusses how breast density will be applied to aid in breast cancer prevention and treatment. PMID:28943893

  9. Optical pressure/density measuring means

    DOEpatents

    Veligdan, James T.

    1995-05-09

    An apparatus and method for rapidly and accurately determining the pressure of a fluid medium in either a static or dynamic state. The pressure is determined by making a measurement of the velocity of a light beam that is directed through the fluid medium along a pathway that enables an integrated pressure measurement to be made along the pathway, rather than making such a measurement only at a single point in the medium. A HeNe laser is configured to emit a beam of two frequencies separated by about 2 MHz. One of these beam frequencies is directed through the fluid medium and is reflected back through the medium to a non-linear diode detector. The other beam frequency is passed directly to a diode detector without traversing said medium. The diode detector is operated to determine the frequency shift or beat frequency between the two beam frequencies. Any variation in the frequency of said reflected beam that is caused by a change in its velocity as it is passed through the fluid medium causes a change in the beat frequency. This beat frequency change is then converted to an output signal value corresponding to the pressure of the medium. The measurement instrument apparatus is remotely positioned relative to the medium being measured, thus the apparatus is immune from electro-magnetic interference and can operate in conditions of high radiation, corrosion and extraordinarily high temperature.

  10. Optical pressure/density measuring means

    DOEpatents

    Veligdan, J.T.

    1995-05-09

    An apparatus and method are disclosed for rapidly and accurately determining the pressure of a fluid medium in either a static or dynamic state. The pressure is determined by making a measurement of the velocity of a light beam that is directed through the fluid medium along a pathway that enables an integrated pressure measurement to be made along the pathway, rather than making such a measurement only at a single point in the medium. A HeNe laser is configured to emit a beam of two frequencies separated by about 2 MHz. One of these beam frequencies is directed through the fluid medium and is reflected back through the medium to a non-linear diode detector. The other beam frequency is passed directly to a diode detector without traversing said medium. The diode detector is operated to determine the frequency shift or beat frequency between the two beam frequencies. Any variation in the frequency of said reflected beam that is caused by a change in its velocity as it is passed through the fluid medium causes a change in the beat frequency. This beat frequency change is then converted to an output signal value corresponding to the pressure of the medium. The measurement instrument apparatus is remotely positioned relative to the medium being measured, thus the apparatus is immune from electro-magnetic interference and can operate in conditions of high radiation, corrosion and extraordinarily high temperature. 4 figs.

  11. Meteoroid Bulk Density and Ceplecha Types

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blaauw, R. C.; Moser, D. E.; Moorhead, A. V.

    2017-01-01

    Determination of asteroid bulk density is an important aspect of NEO characterization, yet difficult to measure. As a fraction of meteoroids originate from asteroids (including some NEOs), a study of meteoroid bulk densities can potentially provide useful insights into the densities of NEOs and PHOs in lieu of mutual perturbations, satellite, or expensive spacecraft missions. NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office characterizes the meteoroid environment for the purpose of spacecraft risk and operations. To accurately determine the risk, a distribution of meteoroid bulk densities are needed. This is not trivial to determine. If the particle survives to the ground the bulk density can be directly measured, however only the most dense particles land on the Earth. The next best approach is to model the meteor's ablation, which is not straightforward. Clear deceleration is necessary to do this and there are discrepancies in results between models. One approach to a distribution of bulk density is to use a measured proxy for the densities, then calibrate the proxy with known densities from meteorite falls, ablation modelling, and other sources. An obvious proxy choice is the Ceplecha type, K(sub B), thought to indicate the strength of a meteoroid. KB is frequented cited as a good proxy for meteoroid densities, but we find it is poorly correlated with density. However, a distinct split by dynamical type was seen with Jovian Tisserand parameter, T(sub J), with meteoroids from Halley Type comets (T(sub J less than 2 ) exhibiting much lower densities than those originating from Jupiter and asteroids (T(sub J greater than 2).

  12. Comparison of Density Measurements on ACE and WIND

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fowler, G.; Russell, C. T.

    2001-12-01

    In studying the compression of the magnetosphere by the solar wind we have used data publically available on the CDA Web site and the ACE website. The solar wind velocities measured by these two spacecraft agree well but the densities do not. The density reported by WIND is on average only 75% of that reported by ACE. This ratio does not appear to be a constant, however. It seems to vary with the solar wind velocity.

  13. Accurate measurement of RF exposure from emerging wireless communication systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Letertre, Thierry; Monebhurrun, Vikass; Toffano, Zeno

    2013-04-01

    Isotropic broadband probes or spectrum analyzers (SAs) may be used for the measurement of rapidly varying electromagnetic fields generated by emerging wireless communication systems. In this paper this problematic is investigated by comparing the responses measured by two different isotropic broadband probes typically used to perform electric field (E-field) evaluations. The broadband probes are submitted to signals with variable duty cycles (DC) and crest factors (CF) either with or without Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation but with the same root-mean-square (RMS) power. The two probes do not provide accurate enough results for deterministic signals such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) or Long Term Evolution (LTE) as well as for non-deterministic signals such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi). The legacy measurement protocols should be adapted to cope for the emerging wireless communication technologies based on the OFDM modulation scheme. This is not easily achieved except when the statistics of the RF emission are well known. In this case the measurement errors are shown to be systematic and a correction factor or calibration can be applied to obtain a good approximation of the total RMS power.

  14. Influence of power density on the setting behaviour of light-cured glass-ionomer cements monitored by ultrasound measurements.

    PubMed

    Tonegawa, Motoka; Yasuda, Genta; Chikako, Takubo; Tamura, Yukie; Yoshida, Takeshi; Kurokawa, Hiroyasu; Miyazaki, Masashi

    2009-07-01

    To monitor the influence of the power density of the curing unit on the setting behaviour of light-cured glass-ionomer cements (LCGICs) using ultrasound measurements. The ultrasound equipment comprised a pulser-receiver, transducers and an oscilloscope. The LCGICs used were Fuji II LC, Fuji II LC EM and Fuji Filling LC. The cements were mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions and then inserted into a transparent mould. The specimens were placed on the sample stage and cured with power densities of 0 (no irradiation), 200 or 600 mW/cm(2). The transit time through the cement disk was divided by the specimen thickness and then the longitudinal ultrasound velocity (V) within the material was obtained. Analysis of variance and Tukey's Honestly Significantly Different test were used to compare the V values between the set cements. When the LCGICs were light-irradiated, each curve displayed an initial plateau at approximately 1500 m/s and then rapidly increased to a second plateau at approximately 2600 m/s. The rate of increase of V was retarded when the cements were light-irradiated with a power density of 200 mW/cm(2) than with a power density of 600 mW/cm(2). Although sonic echoes were detected from the beginning of the measurements, the rates of increase of the sonic velocity were relatively slow when the cement was not light-irradiated. The ultrasound device monitored the setting processes of LCGICs accurately based on the longitudinal V. The polymerization behaviour of LCGICs was shown to be affected by the power density of the curing unit.

  15. An accurate automated technique for quasi-optics measurement of the microwave diagnostics for fusion plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Jianqiang; Liu, Ahdi; Zhou, Chu; Zhang, Xiaohui; Wang, Mingyuan; Zhang, Jin; Feng, Xi; Li, Hong; Xie, Jinlin; Liu, Wandong; Yu, Changxuan

    2017-08-01

    A new integrated technique for fast and accurate measurement of the quasi-optics, especially for the microwave/millimeter wave diagnostic systems of fusion plasma, has been developed. Using the LabVIEW-based comprehensive scanning system, we can realize not only automatic but also fast and accurate measurement, which will help to eliminate the effects of temperature drift and standing wave/multi-reflection. With the Matlab-based asymmetric two-dimensional Gaussian fitting method, all the desired parameters of the microwave beam can be obtained. This technique can be used in the design and testing of microwave diagnostic systems such as reflectometers and the electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic systems of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak.

  16. Gas temperature and density measurements based on spectrally resolved Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seasholtz, Richard G.; Lock, James A.

    1992-01-01

    The use of molecular Rayleigh scattering for measurements of gas density and temperature is evaluated. The technique used is based on the measurement of the spectrum of the scattered light, where both temperature and density are determined from the spectral shape. Planar imaging of Rayleigh scattering from air using a laser light sheet is evaluated for ambient conditions. The Cramer-Rao lower bounds for the shot-noise limited density and temperature measurement uncertainties are calculated for an ideal optical spectrum analyzer and for a planar mirror Fabry-Perot interferometer used in a static, imaging mode. With this technique, a single image of the Rayleigh scattered light can be analyzed to obtain density (or pressure) and temperature. Experimental results are presented for planar measurements taken in a heated air stream.

  17. Accurate Measurements of the Dielectric Constant of Seawater at L Band

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lang, Roger; Zhou, Yiwen; Utku, Cuneyt; Le Vine, David

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes measurements of the dielectric constant of seawater at a frequency of 1.413 GHz, the center of the protected band (i.e., passive use only) used in the measurement of sea surface salinity from space. The objective of the measurements is to accurately determine the complex dielectric constant of seawater as a function of salinity and temperature. A resonant cylindrical microwave cavity in transmission mode has been employed to make the measurements. The measurements are made using standard seawater at salinities of 30, 33, 35, and 38 practical salinity units over a range of temperatures from 0 degree C to 35 degree C in 5 degree C intervals. Repeated measurements have been made at each temperature and salinity. Mean values and standard deviations are then computed. The total error budget indicates that the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant have a combined standard uncertainty of about 0.3 over the range of salinities and temperatures considered. The measurements are compared with the dielectric constants obtained from the model functions of Klein and Swift and those of Meissner and Wentz. The biggest differences occur at low and high temperatures.

  18. First ever in-situ density measurements in Venus' polar upper atmosphere by combined drag and torque measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Svedhem, Håkan; Mueller, Michael; Mueller-Wodarg, Ingo

    Information on the atmospheric density in the altitude range 150-200 km in the atmosphere of Venus is difficult to gather remotely. The Pioneer Venus Orbiter Neutral Mass Spectrometer measured gas densities in the equatorial upper atmosphere in-situ, but no such measurements have ever been made in the polar regions of Venus. The Venus Express spacecraft on its orbit approaches the planet in the northern polar region, but is not equipped with a mass spectrometer instrument for in-situ gas density measurements. By reducing the pericentre altitude the total mass density can however be measured in situ by monitoring the orbital decay caused by the drag on the spacecraft by the atmosphere via direct tracking of the Doppler signal on the telecommunication link. Such measurements have been performed with Venus Express several times during the last year as part of the Venus Express Atmospheric Drag Experiment (VExADE). The results indicate a large variability within only a few days and have led to questions if these variations are real or within the uncertainty of the measurements. A completely different and independent measurement is given by monitoring the torque asserted by the atmosphere on the spacecraft. This is done by monitoring the momentum accumulated in the reaction wheels during the pericentre pass and at the same time considering all other perturbing forces. This requires the spacecraft to fly in an asymmetric attitude with respect to the centre of gravity, centre of drag and the velocity vector. This technique has proven very sensitive, in particular if the asymmetry is large, and offers a further method of measuring atmospheric densities in-situ that previously had not been explored with the Venus Express spacecraft. Similar measurements have been done in the past by Magellan at Venus and by Cassini at Titan. First torque measurements carried out during last years' low pericentre passes have confirmed the density measurements by the VExADE drag measurements

  19. Ionospheric Electron Density Measurements Using COSMIC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dymond, K. F.; Budzien, S. A.; Bernhardt, P. A.; Rocken, C.; Syndergaard, S.

    2007-12-01

    At 0140 UTC on April 15, 2006, the joint Taiwan-U.S. COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate and Formosa Satellite mission #3; hereafter COSMIC) mission, a constellation of six micro-satellites, was launched into a 512-km orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Using on-board propulsion these satellites have been deployed to their final orbits at 800 km with 30 degrees of separation. This process has taken about 17 months following the launch. There are three instruments aboard each COSMIC satellite: the GPS Occultation Experiment (GOX), the Tri-Band Beacon (TBB), and the Tiny Ionospheric Photometer (TIP). These three instruments constitute a unique suite of instruments for studying the Earth's ionosphere. The GOX instrument operates by inferring the slant total electron content (the integral of the electron density along the line-of-sight) between the COSMIC satellites and the GPS satellites as a function of tangent height above the Earth's limb. These data can be inverted to produce electron density profiles in the E and F regions of the ionosphere. The TBB is a three frequency radio beacon that radiates coherently at 150, 400, and 1067 MHz. When the relative phases of the signals are measured between the COSMIC satellites and ground-based or space-based receivers, the total electron content along the line-of-sight can be determined. By making the measurements from a set of receivers, the two-dimensional distribution of electrons beneath the satellite can be determined using tomographic techniques. The TIP instrument measures the optical signature of the natural decay of the ionosphere produced via ecombination of the O+ ions and electrons. The TIP measurements can be used to characterize the morphology and dynamics of the global ionosphere. Additionally, the TIP measurements can be inverted in conjunction with the GPS occultation measurements, using tomographic techniques, to produce the two

  20. Accurate respiration measurement using DC-coupled continuous-wave radar sensor for motion-adaptive cancer radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Gu, Changzhan; Li, Ruijiang; Zhang, Hualiang; Fung, Albert Y C; Torres, Carlos; Jiang, Steve B; Li, Changzhi

    2012-11-01

    Accurate respiration measurement is crucial in motion-adaptive cancer radiotherapy. Conventional methods for respiration measurement are undesirable because they are either invasive to the patient or do not have sufficient accuracy. In addition, measurement of external respiration signal based on conventional approaches requires close patient contact to the physical device which often causes patient discomfort and undesirable motion during radiation dose delivery. In this paper, a dc-coupled continuous-wave radar sensor was presented to provide a noncontact and noninvasive approach for respiration measurement. The radar sensor was designed with dc-coupled adaptive tuning architectures that include RF coarse-tuning and baseband fine-tuning, which allows the radar sensor to precisely measure movement with stationary moment and always work with the maximum dynamic range. The accuracy of respiration measurement with the proposed radar sensor was experimentally evaluated using a physical phantom, human subject, and moving plate in a radiotherapy environment. It was shown that respiration measurement with radar sensor while the radiation beam is on is feasible and the measurement has a submillimeter accuracy when compared with a commercial respiration monitoring system which requires patient contact. The proposed radar sensor provides accurate, noninvasive, and noncontact respiration measurement and therefore has a great potential in motion-adaptive radiotherapy.

  1. Simulation, measurement, and emulation of photovoltaic modules using high frequency and high power density power electronic circuits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erkaya, Yunus

    The number of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is growing exponentially, and to improve the energy yield and the efficiency of PV systems, it is necessary to have correct methods for simulation, measurement, and emulation. PV systems can be simulated using PV models for different configurations and technologies of PV modules. Additionally, different environmental conditions of solar irradiance, temperature, and partial shading can be incorporated in the model to accurately simulate PV systems for any given condition. The electrical measurement of PV systems both prior to and after making electrical connections is important for attaining high efficiency and reliability. Measuring PV modules using a current-voltage (I-V) curve tracer allows the installer to know whether the PV modules are 100% operational. The installed modules can be properly matched to maximize performance. Once installed, the whole system needs to be characterized similarly to detect mismatches, partial shading, or installation damage before energizing the system. This will prevent any reliability issues from the onset and ensure the system efficiency will remain high. A capacitive load is implemented in making I-V curve measurements with the goal of minimizing the curve tracer volume and cost. Additionally, the increase of measurement resolution and accuracy is possible via the use of accurate voltage and current measurement methods and accurate PV models to translate the curves to standard testing conditions. A move from mechanical relays to solid-state MOSFETs improved system reliability while significantly reducing device volume and costs. Finally, emulating PV modules is necessary for testing electrical components of a PV system. PV emulation simplifies and standardizes the tests allowing for different irradiance, temperature and partial shading levels to be easily tested. Proper emulation of PV modules requires an accurate and mathematically simple PV model that incorporates all known

  2. Measured acoustic properties of variable and low density bulk absorbers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dahl, M. D.; Rice, E. J.

    1985-01-01

    Experimental data were taken to determine the acoustic absorbing properties of uniform low density and layered variable density samples using a bulk absober with a perforated plate facing to hold the material in place. In the layered variable density case, the bulk absorber was packed such that the lowest density layer began at the surface of the sample and progressed to higher density layers deeper inside. The samples were placed in a rectangular duct and measurements were taken using the two microphone method. The data were used to calculate specific acoustic impedances and normal incidence absorption coefficients. Results showed that for uniform density samples the absorption coefficient at low frequencies decreased with increasing density and resonances occurred in the absorption coefficient curve at lower densities. These results were confirmed by a model for uniform density bulk absorbers. Results from layered variable density samples showed that low frequency absorption was the highest when the lowest density possible was packed in the first layer near the exposed surface. The layers of increasing density within the sample had the effect of damping the resonances.

  3. Outcomes of bone density measurements in coeliac disease.

    PubMed

    Bolland, Mark J; Grey, Andrew; Rowbotham, David S

    2016-01-29

    Some guidelines recommend that patients with newly diagnosed coeliac disease undergo bone density scanning. We assessed the bone density results in a cohort of patients with coeliac disease. We searched bone density reports over two 5-year periods in all patients from Auckland District Health Board (2008-12) and in patients under 65 years from Counties Manukau District Health Board (2009-13) for the term 'coeliac.' Reports for 137 adults listed coeliac disease as an indication for bone densitometry. The average age was 47 years, body mass index (BMI) 25 kg/m(2), and 77% were female. The median time between coeliac disease diagnosis and bone densitometry was 261 days. The average bone density Z-score was slightly lower than expected (Z-score -0.3 to 0.4) at the lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck, but 88-93% of Z-scores at each site lay within the normal range. Low bone density was strongly related to BMI: the proportions with Z-score <-2 for BMI <20, 20-25, 25-30, and >30 kg/m(2) were 28%, 15%, 6% and 0% respectively. Average bone density was normal, suggesting that bone density measurement is not indicated routinely in coeliac disease, but could be considered on a case-by-case basis for individuals with strong risk factors for fracture.

  4. Accurate Measurement of the Optical Constants for Organic and Organophosphorous Liquid Layers and Drops

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Myers, Tanya L.; Tonkyn, Russell G.; Danby, Tyler O.

    We present accurate measurements for the determination of the optical constants for a series of organic liquids, including organophosphorous compounds. Bulk liquids are rarely encountered in the environment, but more commonly are present as droplets of liquids or thin layers on various substrates. Providing reference spectra to account for the plethora of morphological conditions that may be encountered under different scenarios is a challenge. An alternative approach is to provide the complex optical constants, n and k, which can be used to model the optical phenomena in media and at interfaces, minimizing the need for a vast number of laboratorymore » measurements. In this work, we present improved protocols for measuring the optical constants for a series of liquids that span the range from 7800 to 400 cm-1. The broad spectral range means that one needs to account for both the strong and weak spectral features that are encountered, all of which can be useful for detection, depending on the scenario. To span this dynamic range, both long and short cells are required for accurate measurements. The protocols are presented along with experimental and modeling results for thin layers of silicone oil on aluminum.« less

  5. Two-resonance probe for measuring electron density in low-pressure plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, D. W.; You, S. J.; Kim, S. J.; Kim, J. H.; Oh, W. Y.

    2017-04-01

    A technique for measuring double-checked electron density using two types of microwave resonance is presented. Simultaneous measurement of the resonances (plasma and quarter-wavelength resonator resonances), which were used for the cutoff probe (CP) and hairpin probe (HP), was achieved by the proposed microwave resonance probe. The developed two-resonance probe (TRP) consists of parallel separated coaxial cables exposing the radiation and detection tips. The structure resembles that of the CP, except the gapped coaxial cables operate not only as a microwave feeder for the CP but also as a U- shaped quarter-wavelength resonator for the HP. By virtue of this structure, the microwave resonances that have typically been used for measuring the electron density for the CP and HP were clearly identified on the microwave transmission spectrum of the TRP. The two types of resonances were measured experimentally under various power and pressure conditions for the plasma. A three-dimensional full-wave simulation model for the TRP is also presented and used to investigate and reproduce the resonances. The electron densities inferred from the resonances were compared and showed good agreement. Quantitative differences between the densities were attributed to the effects of the sheath width and spatial density gradient on the resonances. This accessible technique of using the TRP to obtain double-checked electron densities may be useful for comparative study and provides complementary uses for the CP and HP.

  6. Referenceless perceptual fog density prediction model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Lark Kwon; You, Jaehee; Bovik, Alan C.

    2014-02-01

    We propose a perceptual fog density prediction model based on natural scene statistics (NSS) and "fog aware" statistical features, which can predict the visibility in a foggy scene from a single image without reference to a corresponding fogless image, without side geographical camera information, without training on human-rated judgments, and without dependency on salient objects such as lane markings or traffic signs. The proposed fog density predictor only makes use of measurable deviations from statistical regularities observed in natural foggy and fog-free images. A fog aware collection of statistical features is derived from a corpus of foggy and fog-free images by using a space domain NSS model and observed characteristics of foggy images such as low contrast, faint color, and shifted intensity. The proposed model not only predicts perceptual fog density for the entire image but also provides a local fog density index for each patch. The predicted fog density of the model correlates well with the measured visibility in a foggy scene as measured by judgments taken in a human subjective study on a large foggy image database. As one application, the proposed model accurately evaluates the performance of defog algorithms designed to enhance the visibility of foggy images.

  7. AFM-porosimetry: density and pore volume measurements of particulate materials.

    PubMed

    Sörensen, Malin H; Valle-Delgado, Juan J; Corkery, Robert W; Rutland, Mark W; Alberius, Peter C

    2008-06-01

    We introduced the novel technique of AFM-porosimetry and applied it to measure the total pore volume of porous particles with a spherical geometry. The methodology is based on using an atomic force microscope as a balance to measure masses of individual particles. Several particles within the same batch were measured, and by plotting particle mass versus particle volume, the bulk density of the sample can be extracted from the slope of the linear fit. The pore volume is then calculated from the densities of the bulk and matrix materials, respectively. In contrast to nitrogen sorption and mercury porosimetry, this method is capable of measuring the total pore volume regardless of pore size distribution and pore connectivity. In this study, three porous samples were investigated by AFM-porosimetry: one ordered mesoporous sample and two disordered foam structures. All samples were based on a matrix of amorphous silica templated by a block copolymer, Pluronic F127, swollen to various degrees with poly(propylene glycol). In addition, the density of silica spheres without a template was measured by two independent techniques: AFM and the Archimedes principle.

  8. Frequency spectra from current vs. magnetic flux density measurements for mobile phones and other electrical appliances.

    PubMed

    Straume, Aksel; Johnsson, Anders; Oftedal, Gunnhild; Wilén, Jonna

    2007-10-01

    The frequency spectra of electromagnetic fields have to be determined to evaluate human exposure in accordance to ICNIRP guidelines. In the literature, comparisons with magnetic field guidelines have been performed by using the frequency distribution of the current drawn from the battery. In the present study we compared the frequency spectrum in the range 217 Hz to 2.4 kHz of the magnetic flux density measured near the surface of a mobile phone with the frequency spectrum of the supply current. By using the multiple frequency rule, recommended in the ICNIRP guidelines, we estimated the magnetic field exposure in the two cases. Similar measurements and estimations were done for an electric drill, a hair dryer, and a fluorescent desk lamp. All the devices have a basic frequency of 50 Hz, and the frequency spectra were evaluated up to 550 Hz. We also mapped the magnetic field in 3D around three mobile phones. The frequency distributions obtained from the two measurement methods are not equal. The frequency content of the current leads to an overestimation of the magnetic field exposure by a factor up to 2.2 for the mobile phone. For the drill, the hair dryer, and the fluorescent lamp, the supply current signal underestimated the exposure by a factor up to 2.3. In conclusion, an accurate exposure evaluation requires the magnetic flux density spectrum of the device to be measured directly. There was no indication that the devices studied would exceed the reference levels at the working distances normally used.

  9. The preliminary exploration of 64-slice volume computed tomography in the accurate measurement of pleural effusion.

    PubMed

    Guo, Zhi-Jun; Lin, Qiang; Liu, Hai-Tao; Lu, Jun-Ying; Zeng, Yan-Hong; Meng, Fan-Jie; Cao, Bin; Zi, Xue-Rong; Han, Shu-Ming; Zhang, Yu-Huan

    2013-09-01

    Using computed tomography (CT) to rapidly and accurately quantify pleural effusion volume benefits medical and scientific research. However, the precise volume of pleural effusions still involves many challenges and currently does not have a recognized accurate measuring. To explore the feasibility of using 64-slice CT volume-rendering technology to accurately measure pleural fluid volume and to then analyze the correlation between the volume of the free pleural effusion and the different diameters of the pleural effusion. The 64-slice CT volume-rendering technique was used to measure and analyze three parts. First, the fluid volume of a self-made thoracic model was measured and compared with the actual injected volume. Second, the pleural effusion volume was measured before and after pleural fluid drainage in 25 patients, and the volume reduction was compared with the actual volume of the liquid extract. Finally, the free pleural effusion volume was measured in 26 patients to analyze the correlation between it and the diameter of the effusion, which was then used to calculate the regression equation. After using the 64-slice CT volume-rendering technique to measure the fluid volume of the self-made thoracic model, the results were compared with the actual injection volume. No significant differences were found, P = 0.836. For the 25 patients with drained pleural effusions, the comparison of the reduction volume with the actual volume of the liquid extract revealed no significant differences, P = 0.989. The following linear regression equation was used to compare the pleural effusion volume (V) (measured by the CT volume-rendering technique) with the pleural effusion greatest depth (d): V = 158.16 × d - 116.01 (r = 0.91, P = 0.000). The following linear regression was used to compare the volume with the product of the pleural effusion diameters (l × h × d): V = 0.56 × (l × h × d) + 39.44 (r = 0.92, P = 0.000). The 64-slice CT volume-rendering technique can

  10. Measurements of Thermospheric O2 Density from GOLD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lumpe, J. D.; Correira, J.; Evans, J. S.; Eastes, R.; McClintock, B.; Beland, S.

    2016-12-01

    The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) instrument, scheduled for launch in 2017, will image the Earth's thermosphere and ionosphere in the far ultraviolet from geostationary orbit. GOLD will measure a number of critical geophysical parameters, including thermospheric temperature and composition, by continuously scanning the Earth's disk and limb 18 hours per day. GOLD will also routinely perform stellar occultation measurements using bright type O and B stars. These provide a direct measurement of the atmospheric slant path transmission profile in the O2 Schumann Runge continuum, which will be used to retrieve O2 density profiles between approximately 120 and 250 km altitude. In nominal operational mode GOLD will measure approximately 12 occultation events per day. These measurements will occur at latitudes ranging from 60S to 60N at two longitudes, corresponding to the east and west limbs as observed from GOLD's fixed orbit position. Depending on timing and availability each target star can be observed twice daily, in both rising and setting mode. Additionally, both daytime and nighttime occultations are possible, which allows for O2 retrievals over a wide range of local times. Results of detailed retrieval simulations show that the precision and accuracy of the retrieved O2 density will be 10-20% depending on star brightness. We present a summary of the expected spatial, temporal and local time sampling of the GOLD Level 2 O2 data products. This data set will shed light on the response of the O2 density profile to geomagnetic disturbances and solar UV variability, and help address the extent to which the O2 distribution is determined by simple diffusive equilibrium as opposed to chemistry, which can operate on much shorter timescales.

  11. Compton scattering measurements from dense plasmas

    DOE PAGES

    Glenzer, S. H.; Neumayer, P.; Doppner, T.; ...

    2008-06-12

    Here, Compton scattering techniques have been developed for accurate measurements of densities and temperatures in dense plasmas. One future challenge is the application of this technique to characterize compressed matter on the National Ignition Facility where hydrogen and beryllium will approach extremely dense states of matter of up to 1000 g/cc. In this regime, the density, compressibility, and capsule fuel adiabat may be directly measured from the Compton scattered spectrum of a high-energy x-ray line source. Specifically, the scattered spectra directly reflect the electron velocity distribution. In non-degenerate plasmas, the width provides an accurate measure of the electron temperatures, whilemore » in partially Fermi degenerate systems that occur in laser-compressed matter it provides the Fermi energy and hence the electron density. Both of these regimes have been accessed in experiments at the Omega laser by employing isochorically heated solid-density beryllium and moderately compressed beryllium foil targets. In the latter experiment, compressions by a factor of 3 at pressures of 40 Mbar have been measured in excellent agreement with radiation hydrodynamic modeling.« less

  12. Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic for Measurement of Temperature, Velocity, and Density Fluctuation Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mielke, Amy F.; Elam, Kristie A.; Sung, Chih-Jen; Panda, Jayanta

    2006-01-01

    A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique is developed to measure dynamic gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded turbulent flows at sampling rates up to 10 kHz. A high power CW laser beam is focused at a point in a heated air jet plume and Rayleigh scattered light is collected and spectrally resolved. The spectrum of the light, which contains information about the temperature, velocity, and density of the flow, is analyzed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The circular interference fringe pattern is divided into four concentric regions and sampled at 1 and 10 kHz using photon counting electronics. Monitoring the relative change in intensity within each region allows for measurement of gas temperature and velocity. Independently monitoring the total scattered light intensity provides a measure of gas density. Power spectral density calculations of temperature, velocity, and density fluctuations, as well as mean and fluctuating quantities are demonstrated for various radial locations in the jet flow at a fixed axial distance from the jet exit plane. Results are compared with constant current anemometry and pitot probe measurements at the same locations.

  13. Radiographic absorptiometry method in measurement of localized alveolar bone density changes.

    PubMed

    Kuhl, E D; Nummikoski, P V

    2000-03-01

    The objective of this study was to measure the accuracy and precision of a radiographic absorptiometry method by using an occlusal density reference wedge in quantification of localized alveolar bone density changes. Twenty-two volunteer subjects had baseline and follow-up radiographs taken of mandibular premolar-molar regions with an occlusal density reference wedge in both films and added bone chips in the baseline films. The absolute bone equivalent densities were calculated in the areas that contained bone chips from the baseline and follow-up radiographs. The differences in densities described the masses of the added bone chips that were then compared with the true masses by using regression analysis. The correlation between the estimated and true bone-chip masses ranged from R = 0.82 to 0.94, depending on the background bone density. There was an average 22% overestimation of the mass of the bone chips when they were in low-density background, and up to 69% overestimation when in high-density background. The precision error of the method, which was calculated from duplicate bone density measurements of non-changing areas in both films, was 4.5%. The accuracy of the intraoral radiographic absorptiometry method is low when used for absolute quantification of bone density. However, the precision of the method is good and the correlation is linear, indicating that the method can be used for serial assessment of bone density changes at individual sites.

  14. Validation of ISS Floating Potential Measurement Unit Electron Densities and Temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coffey, Victoria N.; Minow, Joseph I.; Parker, Linda N.; Bui, Them; Wright, Kenneth, Jr.; Koontz, Steven L.; Schneider, T.; Vaughn, J.; Craven, P.

    2007-01-01

    Validation of the Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) electron density and temperature measurements is an important step in the process of evaluating International Space Station spacecraft charging issues .including vehicle arcing and hazards to crew during extravehicular activities. The highest potentials observed on Space Station are due to the combined VxB effects on a large spacecraft and the collection of ionospheric electron and ion currents by the 160 V US solar array modules. Ionospheric electron environments are needed for input to the ISS spacecraft charging models used to predict the severity and frequency of occurrence of ISS charging hazards. Validation of these charging models requires comparing their predictions with measured FPMU values. Of course, the FPMU measurements themselves must also be validated independently for use in manned flight safety work. This presentation compares electron density and temperatures derived from the FPMU Langmuir probes and Plasma Impedance Probe against the independent density and temperature measurements from ultraviolet imagers, ground based incoherent scatter radar, and ionosonde sites.

  15. [Measurements of the flux densities of static magnetic fields generated by two types of dental magnetic attachments and their retentive forces].

    PubMed

    Xu, Chun; Chao, Yong-lie; Du, Li; Yang, Ling

    2004-05-01

    To measure and analyze the flux densities of static magnetic fields generated by two types of commonly used dental magnetic attachments and their retentive forces, and to provide guidance for the clinical application of magnetic attachments. A digital Gaussmeter was used to measure the flux densities of static magnetic fields generated by two types of magnetic attachments, under four circumstances: open-field circuit; closed-field circuit; keeper and magnet slid laterally for a certain distance; and existence of air gap between keeper and magnet. The retentive forces of the magnetic attachments in standard closed-field circuit, with the keeper and magnet sliding laterally for a certain distance or with a certain air gap between keeper and magnet were measured by a tensile testing machine. There were flux leakages under both the open-field circuit and closed-field circuit of the two types of magnetic attachments. The flux densities on the surfaces of MAGNEDISC 800 (MD800) and MAGFIT EX600W (EX600) magnetic attachments under open-field circuit were 275.0 mT and 147.0 mT respectively. The flux leakages under closed-field circuit were smaller than those under open-field circuit. The respective flux densities on the surfaces of MD800 and EX600 magnetic attachments decreased to 11.4 mT and 4.5 mT under closed-field circuit. The flux density around the magnetic attachment decreased as the distance from the surface of the attachment increased. When keeper and magnet slid laterally for a certain distance or when air gap existed between keeper and magnet, the flux leakage increased in comparison with that under closed-field circuit. Under the standard closed-field circuit, the two types of magnetic attachments achieved the largest retentive forces. The retentive forces of MD800 and EX600 magnetic attachments under the standard closed-field circuit were 6.20 N and 4.80 N respectively. The retentive forces decreased with the sliding distance or with the increase of air gap

  16. Rocket radio measurement of electron density in the nighttime ionosphere

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gilchrist, B. E.; Smith, L. G.

    1979-01-01

    One experimental technique based on the Faraday rotation effect of radio waves is presented for measuring electron density in the nighttime ionosphere at midlatitudes. High frequency linearly-polarized radio signals were transmitted to a linearly-polarized receiving system located in a spinning rocket moving through the ionosphere. Faraday rotation was observed in the reference plane of the rocket as a change in frequency of the detected receiver output. The frequency change was measured and the information was used to obtain electron density data. System performance was evaluated and some sources of error were identified. The data obtained was useful in calibrating a Langmuir probe experiment for electron density values of 100/cu cm and greater. Data from two rocket flights are presented to illustrate the experiment.

  17. Accurate acoustic power measurement for low-intensity focused ultrasound using focal axial vibration velocity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Chenyang; Guo, Gepu; Ma, Qingyu; Tu, Juan; Zhang, Dong; Hu, Jimin

    2017-07-01

    Low-intensity focused ultrasound is a form of therapy that can have reversible acoustothermal effects on biological tissue, depending on the exposure parameters. The acoustic power (AP) should be chosen with caution for the sake of safety. To recover the energy of counteracted radial vibrations at the focal point, an accurate AP measurement method using the focal axial vibration velocity (FAVV) is proposed in explicit formulae and is demonstrated experimentally using a laser vibrometer. The experimental APs for two transducers agree well with theoretical calculations and numerical simulations, showing that AP is proportional to the square of the FAVV, with a fixed power gain determined by the physical parameters of the transducers. The favorable results suggest that the FAVV can be used as a valuable parameter for non-contact AP measurement, providing a new strategy for accurate power control for low-intensity focused ultrasound in biomedical engineering.

  18. IN SITU MEASUREMENTS OF THE SIZE AND DENSITY OF TITAN AEROSOL ANALOGS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hoerst, S. M.; Tolbert, M. A, E-mail: sarah.horst@colorado.edu

    2013-06-10

    The organic haze produced from complex CH{sub 4}/N{sub 2} chemistry in the atmosphere of Titan plays an important role in processes that occur in the atmosphere and on its surface. The haze particles act as condensation nuclei and are therefore involved in Titan's methane hydrological cycle. They also may behave like sediment on Titan's surface and participate in both fluvial and aeolian processes. Models that seek to understand these processes require information about the physical properties of the particles including their size and density. Although measurements obtained by Cassini-Huygens have placed constraints on the size of the haze particles, theirmore » densities remain unknown. We have conducted a series of Titan atmosphere simulation experiments and measured the size, number density, and particle density of Titan aerosol analogs, or tholins, for CH{sub 4} concentrations from 0.01% to 10% using two different energy sources, spark discharge and UV. We find that the densities currently in use by many Titan models are higher than the measured densities of our tholins.« less

  19. Precise and accurate isotope ratio measurements by ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Becker, J S; Dietze, H J

    2000-09-01

    The precise and accurate determination of isotope ratios by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) is important for quite different application fields (e.g. for isotope ratio measurements of stable isotopes in nature, especially for the investigation of isotope variation in nature or age dating, for determining isotope ratios of radiogenic elements in the nuclear industry, quality assurance of fuel material, for reprocessing plants, nuclear material accounting and radioactive waste control, for tracer experiments using stable isotopes or long-lived radionuclides in biological or medical studies). Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), which used to be the dominant analytical technique for precise isotope ratio measurements, is being increasingly replaced for isotope ratio measurements by ICP-MS due to its excellent sensitivity, precision and good accuracy. Instrumental progress in ICP-MS was achieved by the introduction of the collision cell interface in order to dissociate many disturbing argon-based molecular ions, thermalize the ions and neutralize the disturbing argon ions of plasma gas (Ar+). The application of the collision cell in ICP-QMS results in a higher ion transmission, improved sensitivity and better precision of isotope ratio measurements compared to quadrupole ICP-MS without the collision cell [e.g., for 235U/238U approximately 1 (10 microg x L(-1) uranium) 0.07% relative standard deviation (RSD) vs. 0.2% RSD in short-term measurements (n = 5)]. A significant instrumental improvement for ICP-MS is the multicollector device (MC-ICP-MS) in order to obtain a better precision of isotope ratio measurements (with a precision of up to 0.002%, RSD). CE- and HPLC-ICP-MS are used for the separation of isobaric interferences of long-lived radionuclides and stable isotopes by determination of spallation nuclide abundances in an irradiated tantalum target.

  20. Partial-reflection studies of D-region winter variability. [electron density measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Denny, B. W.; Bowhill, S. A.

    1973-01-01

    D-region electron densities were measured from December, 1972, to July, 1973, at Urbana, Illinois (latitude 40.2N) using the partial-reflection technique. During the winter, electron densities at altitudes of 72, 76.5, and 81 km show cyclical changes with a period of about 5 days that are highly correlated between these altitudes, suggesting that the mechanism responsible for the winter anomaly in D-region ionization applies throughout this height region. From January 13 to February 3, a pronounced wave-like variation occurred in the partial-reflection measurements, apparently associated with a major stratospheric warming that developed in that period. During the same time period, a traveling periodic variation is observed in the 10-mb height; it is highly correlated with the partial-reflection measurements. Electron density enhancements occur approximately at the same time as increases in the 10-mb height. Comparison of AL and A3 absorption measurements with electron density measurements below 82 km indicates that the winter anomaly in D-region ionization is divided into two types. Type 1, above about 82 km, extends horizontally for about 200 km while type 2, below about 82 km, extends for a horizontal scale of at least 1000 km.

  1. Variability in sublingual microvessel density and flow measurements in healthy volunteers.

    PubMed

    Hubble, Sheena M A; Kyte, Hayley L; Gooding, Kim; Shore, Angela C

    2009-02-01

    As sublingual microvascular indices are increasingly heralded as new resuscitation end-points, better population data are required to power clinical studies. This paper describes improved methods to quantify sublingual microvessel flow and density in images obtained by sidestream dark field (SDF) technology in healthy volunteers, including vessels under 10 microm in diameter. Measurements of sublingual capillary density and flow were obtained by recording three 15-second images in 20 healthy volunteers over three days. Two independent observers quantified capillary density by using two methods: total vessel length (mm/mm2) and counting (number/mm). Both intraoral and temporal variabilities within subject and observer reproducibilities were determined by using coefficients of variability and reproducibility indices. For small (1-10 microm), medium (11-20 microm), and large (21-50 microm) diameter, mean vessel density with standard deviations (SDs) in volunteers was 21.3(+/- 4.9), 5.2 (+/- 1.2), and 2.7 (+/- 0.9) mm/mm2, respectively. Also, 94.0 +/- 1.4% of small vessels, 94.5 +/- 1.4% of medium vessels, and 94.5+/- 4.0% of large vessels had continuous perfusion. Within subjects, the means of all measurements over three days varied less than 13, 22, and 35% in small, medium, and large vessels, respectively. Interobserver reproducibility was good, especially for capillary (1-10 microm) density and flow measurements. Our methods of microvessel flow and density quantification have low observer variability and confirm the stability of microcirculatory measurements over time. These results facilitate the development of SDF-acquired sublingual microvascular indices as feasible microperfusion markers in shock resuscitation.

  2. Accurately predicting the structure, density, and hydrostatic compression of crystalline β-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane based on its wave-function-based potential

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, H.-J.; Huang, F.

    2011-09-01

    A wave-function-based intermolecular potential of the β phase 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX) molecule has been constructed from first principles using the Williams-Stone-Misquitta method and the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory. Using the potential and its derivatives, we have accurately predicted not only the structure and lattice energy of the crystalline β-HMX at 0 K, but also its densities at temperatures of 0-403 K within an accuracy of 1% of density. The calculated densities at pressures within 0-6 GPa excellently agree with the results from the experiments on hydrostatic compression.

  3. Breast density measurements using ultrasound tomography for patients undergoing tamoxifen treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sak, Mark; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter; Li, Cuiping; Bey-Knight, Lisa; Sherman, Mark; Boyd, Norman; Gierach, Gretchen

    2013-03-01

    Women with high breast density have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Women treated with the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer experience a 50% reduction in risk of contralateral breast cancer and overall reduction of similar magnitude has been identified among high-risk women receiving the drug for prevention. Tamoxifen has been shown to reduce mammographic density, and in the IBIS-1 chemoprevention trial, risk reduction and decline in density were significantly associated. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is an imaging modality that can create tomographic sound speed images of the breast. These sound speed images are useful because breast density is proportional to sound speed. The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between USTmeasured breast density and the use of tamoxifen. So far, preliminary results for a small number of patients have been observed and are promising. Correlations between the UST-measured density and mammographic density are strong and positive, while relationships between UST density with some patient specific risk factors behave as expected. Initial results of UST examinations of tamoxifen treated patients show that approximately 45% of the patients have a decrease in density in the contralateral breast after only several months of treatment. The true effect of tamoxifen on UST-measured density cannot yet be fully determined until more data are collected. However, these promising results suggest that UST can be used to reliably assess quantitative changes in breast density over short intervals and therefore suggest that UST may enable rapid assessment of density changes associated with therapeutic and preventative interventions.

  4. One vs. Two Breast Density Measures to Predict 5- and 10- Year Breast Cancer Risk

    PubMed Central

    Kerlikowske, Karla; Gard, Charlotte C.; Sprague, Brian L.; Tice, Jeffrey A.; Miglioretti, Diana L.

    2015-01-01

    Background One measure of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast density improves 5-year breast cancer risk prediction, but the value of sequential measures is unknown. We determined if two BI-RADS density measures improves the predictive accuracy of the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium 5-year risk model compared to one measure. Methods We included 722,654 women aged 35–74 years with two mammograms with BI-RADS density measures on average 1.8 years apart; 13,715 developed invasive breast cancer. We used Cox regression to estimate the relative hazards of breast cancer for age, race/ethnicity, family history of breast cancer, history of breast biopsy, and one or two density measures. We developed a risk prediction model by combining these estimates with 2000–2010 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results incidence and 2010 vital statistics for competing risk of death. Results The two-measure density model had marginally greater discriminatory accuracy than the one-measure model (AUC=0.640 vs. 0.635). Of 18.6% of women (134,404/722,654) who decreased density categories, 15.4% (20,741/134,404) of women whose density decreased from heterogeneously or extremely dense to a lower density category with one other risk factor had a clinically meaningful increase in 5-year risk from <1.67% with the one-density model to ≥1.67% with the two-density model. Conclusion The two-density model has similar overall discrimination to the one-density model for predicting 5-year breast cancer risk and improves risk classification for women with risk factors and a decrease in density. Impact A two-density model should be considered for women whose density decreases when calculating breast cancer risk. PMID:25824444

  5. One versus Two Breast Density Measures to Predict 5- and 10-Year Breast Cancer Risk.

    PubMed

    Kerlikowske, Karla; Gard, Charlotte C; Sprague, Brian L; Tice, Jeffrey A; Miglioretti, Diana L

    2015-06-01

    One measure of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast density improves 5-year breast cancer risk prediction, but the value of sequential measures is unknown. We determined whether two BI-RADS density measures improve the predictive accuracy of the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium 5-year risk model compared with one measure. We included 722,654 women of ages 35 to 74 years with two mammograms with BI-RADS density measures on average 1.8 years apart; 13,715 developed invasive breast cancer. We used Cox regression to estimate the relative hazards of breast cancer for age, race/ethnicity, family history of breast cancer, history of breast biopsy, and one or two density measures. We developed a risk prediction model by combining these estimates with 2000-2010 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results incidence and 2010 vital statistics for competing risk of death. The two-measure density model had marginally greater discriminatory accuracy than the one-measure model (AUC, 0.640 vs. 0.635). Of 18.6% of women (134,404 of 722,654) who decreased density categories, 15.4% (20,741 of 134,404) of women whose density decreased from heterogeneously or extremely dense to a lower density category with one other risk factor had a clinically meaningful increase in 5-year risk from <1.67% with the one-density model to ≥1.67% with the two-density model. The two-density model has similar overall discrimination to the one-density model for predicting 5-year breast cancer risk and improves risk classification for women with risk factors and a decrease in density. A two-density model should be considered for women whose density decreases when calculating breast cancer risk. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  6. Measuring the value of accurate link prediction for network seeding.

    PubMed

    Wei, Yijin; Spencer, Gwen

    2017-01-01

    The influence-maximization literature seeks small sets of individuals whose structural placement in the social network can drive large cascades of behavior. Optimization efforts to find the best seed set often assume perfect knowledge of the network topology. Unfortunately, social network links are rarely known in an exact way. When do seeding strategies based on less-than-accurate link prediction provide valuable insight? We introduce optimized-against-a-sample ([Formula: see text]) performance to measure the value of optimizing seeding based on a noisy observation of a network. Our computational study investigates [Formula: see text] under several threshold-spread models in synthetic and real-world networks. Our focus is on measuring the value of imprecise link information. The level of investment in link prediction that is strategic appears to depend closely on spread model: in some parameter ranges investments in improving link prediction can pay substantial premiums in cascade size. For other ranges, such investments would be wasted. Several trends were remarkably consistent across topologies.

  7. Measuring Air Density in the Introductory Lab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calza, G.; Gratton, L. M.; Lopez-Arias, T.; Oss, S.

    2010-01-01

    The measurement of the mass, or the density, of air can easily be done with very simple materials and offers many interesting phenomena for discussion--buoyancy and its effects being the most obvious but not the only one. Many interesting considerations can be done regarding the behavior of gases, the effect of the external conditions in the…

  8. Development of Filtered Rayleigh Scattering for Accurate Measurement of Gas Velocity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miles, Richard B.; Lempert, Walter R.

    1995-01-01

    The overall goals of this research were to develop new diagnostic tools capable of capturing unsteady and/or time-evolving, high-speed flow phenomena. The program centers around the development of Filtered Rayleigh Scattering (FRS) for velocity, temperature, and density measurement, and the construction of narrow linewidth laser sources which will be capable of producing an order MHz repetition rate 'burst' of high power pulses.

  9. Thermospheric density and satellite drag modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mehta, Piyush Mukesh

    The United States depends heavily on its space infrastructure for a vast number of commercial and military applications. Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Threat Assessment require maintaining accurate knowledge of the orbits of resident space objects (RSOs) and the associated uncertainties. Atmospheric drag is the largest source of uncertainty for low-perigee RSOs. The uncertainty stems from inaccurate modeling of neutral atmospheric mass density and inaccurate modeling of the interaction between the atmosphere and the RSO. In order to reduce the uncertainty in drag modeling, both atmospheric density and drag coefficient (CD) models need to be improved. Early atmospheric density models were developed from orbital drag data or observations of a few early compact satellites. To simplify calculations, densities derived from orbit data used a fixed CD value of 2.2 measured in a laboratory using clean surfaces. Measurements from pressure gauges obtained in the early 1990s have confirmed the adsorption of atomic oxygen on satellite surfaces. The varying levels of adsorbed oxygen along with the constantly changing atmospheric conditions cause large variations in CD with altitude and along the orbit of the satellite. Therefore, the use of a fixed CD in early development has resulted in large biases in atmospheric density models. A technique for generating corrections to empirical density models using precision orbit ephemerides (POE) as measurements in an optimal orbit determination process was recently developed. The process generates simultaneous corrections to the atmospheric density and ballistic coefficient (BC) by modeling the corrections as statistical exponentially decaying Gauss-Markov processes. The technique has been successfully implemented in generating density corrections using the CHAMP and GRACE satellites. This work examines the effectiveness, specifically the transfer of density models errors into BC estimates, of the technique using the CHAMP and

  10. Silicon surface barrier detectors used for liquid hydrogen density measurement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    James, D. T.; Milam, J. K.; Winslett, H. B.

    1968-01-01

    Multichannel system employing a radioisotope radiation source, strontium-90, radiation detector, and a silicon surface barrier detector, measures the local density of liquid hydrogen at various levels in a storage tank. The instrument contains electronic equipment for collecting the density information, and a data handling system for processing this information.

  11. Latest Developments on Obtaining Accurate Measurements with Pitot Tubes in ZPG Turbulent Boundary Layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagib, Hassan; Vinuesa, Ricardo

    2013-11-01

    Ability of available Pitot tube corrections to provide accurate mean velocity profiles in ZPG boundary layers is re-examined following the recent work by Bailey et al. Measurements by Bailey et al., carried out with probes of diameters ranging from 0.2 to 1.89 mm, together with new data taken with larger diameters up to 12.82 mm, show deviations with respect to available high-quality datasets and hot-wire measurements in the same Reynolds number range. These deviations are significant in the buffer region around y+ = 30 - 40 , and lead to disagreement in the von Kármán coefficient κ extracted from profiles. New forms for shear, near-wall and turbulence corrections are proposed, highlighting the importance of the latest one. Improved agreement in mean velocity profiles is obtained with new forms, where shear and near-wall corrections contribute with around 85%, and remaining 15% of the total correction comes from turbulence correction. Finally, available algorithms to correct wall position in profile measurements of wall-bounded flows are tested, using as benchmark the corrected Pitot measurements with artificially simulated probe shifts and blockage effects. We develop a new scheme, κB - Musker, which is able to accurately locate wall position.

  12. Handcrafted cuff manometers do not accurately measure endotracheal tube cuff pressure

    PubMed Central

    Annoni, Raquel; de Almeida, Antonio Evanir

    2015-01-01

    Objective To test the agreement between two handcrafted devices and a cuff-specific manometer. Methods The agreement between two handcrafted devices adapted to measure tracheal tube cuff pressure and a cuff-specific manometer was tested on 79 subjects. The cuff pressure was measured with a commercial manometer and with two handcrafted devices (HD) assembled with aneroid sphygmomanometers (HD1 and HD2). The data were compared using Wilcoxon and Spearman tests, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and limit-of-agreement analysis. Results Cuff pressures assessed with handcrafted devices were significantly different from commercial device measurements (pressures were higher when measured with HD1 and lower with HD2). The ICCs between the commercial device and HD1 and HD2 were excellent (ICC = 0.8 p < 0.001) and good (ICC = 0.66, p < 0.001), respectively. However, the Bland- Altman plots showed wide limits of agreement between HD1 and HD2 and the commercial device. Conclusion The handcrafted manometers do not provide accurate cuff pressure measurements when compared to a cuff-specific device and should not be used to replace the commercial cuff manometers in mechanically ventilated patients. PMID:26376160

  13. Molecular Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic for Dynamic Temperature, Velocity, and Density Measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mielke, Amy R.; Elam, Kristie A.; Sung, Chi-Jen

    2006-01-01

    A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique is developed to measure dynamic gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded turbulent flows at sampling rates up to 16 kHz. A high power CW laser beam is focused at a point in an air jet plume and Rayleigh scattered light is collected and spectrally resolved. The spectrum of the light, which contains information about the temperature and velocity of the flow, is analyzed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The circular interference fringe pattern is divided into four concentric regions and sampled at 1 and 16 kHz using photon counting electronics. Monitoring the relative change in intensity within each region allows for measurement of gas temperature and velocity. Independently monitoring the total scattered light intensity provides a measure of gas density. A low speed heated jet is used to validate the measurement of temperature fluctuations and an acoustically excited nozzle flow is studied to validate velocity fluctuation measurements. Power spectral density calculations of the property fluctuations, as well as mean and fluctuating quantities are presented. Temperature fluctuation results are compared with constant current anemometry measurements and velocity fluctuation results are compared with constant temperature anemometry measurements at the same locations.

  14. Accurate Critical Stress Intensity Factor Griffith Crack Theory Measurements by Numerical Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Petersen, Richard C.

    2014-01-01

    Critical stress intensity factor (KIc) has been an approximation for fracture toughness using only load-cell measurements. However, artificial man-made cracks several orders of magnitude longer and wider than natural flaws have required a correction factor term (Y) that can be up to about 3 times the recorded experimental value [1-3]. In fact, over 30 years ago a National Academy of Sciences advisory board stated that empirical KIc testing was of serious concern and further requested that an accurate bulk fracture toughness method be found [4]. Now that fracture toughness can be calculated accurately by numerical integration from the load/deflection curve as resilience, work of fracture (WOF) and strain energy release (SIc) [5, 6], KIc appears to be unnecessary. However, the large body of previous KIc experimental test results found in the literature offer the opportunity for continued meta analysis with other more practical and accurate fracture toughness results using energy methods and numerical integration. Therefore, KIc is derived from the classical Griffith Crack Theory [6] to include SIc as a more accurate term for strain energy release rate (𝒢Ic), along with crack surface energy (γ), crack length (a), modulus (E), applied stress (σ), Y, crack-tip plastic zone defect region (rp) and yield strength (σys) that can all be determined from load and deflection data. Polymer matrix discontinuous quartz fiber-reinforced composites to accentuate toughness differences were prepared for flexural mechanical testing comprising of 3 mm fibers at different volume percentages from 0-54.0 vol% and at 28.2 vol% with different fiber lengths from 0.0-6.0 mm. Results provided a new correction factor and regression analyses between several numerical integration fracture toughness test methods to support KIc results. Further, bulk KIc accurate experimental values are compared with empirical test results found in literature. Also, several fracture toughness mechanisms

  15. Air Density Measurements in a Mach 10 Wake Using Iodine Cordes Bands

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Balla, Robert J.; Everhart, Joel L.

    2012-01-01

    An exploratory study designed to examine the viability of making air density measurements in a Mach 10 flow using laser-induced fluorescence of the iodine Cordes bands is presented. Experiments are performed in the NASA Langley Research Center 31 in. Mach 10 air wind tunnel in the hypersonic near wake of a multipurpose crew vehicle model. To introduce iodine into the wake, a 0.5% iodine/nitrogen mixture is seeded using a pressure tap at the rear of the model. Air density was measured at 56 points along a 7 mm line and three stagnation pressures of 6.21, 8.62, and 10.0 MPa (900, 1250, and 1450 psi). Average results over time and space show rho(sub wake)/rho(sub freestream) of 0.145 plus or minus 0.010, independent of freestream air density. Average off-body results over time and space agree to better than 7.5% with computed densities from onbody pressure measurements. Densities measured during a single 60 s run at 10.0 MPa are time-dependent and steadily decrease by 15%. This decrease is attributed to model forebody heating by the flow.

  16. Precision measurements of linear scattering density using muon tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Åström, E.; Bonomi, G.; Calliari, I.; Calvini, P.; Checchia, P.; Donzella, A.; Faraci, E.; Forsberg, F.; Gonella, F.; Hu, X.; Klinger, J.; Sundqvist Ökvist, L.; Pagano, D.; Rigoni, A.; Ramous, E.; Urbani, M.; Vanini, S.; Zenoni, A.; Zumerle, G.

    2016-07-01

    We demonstrate that muon tomography can be used to precisely measure the properties of various materials. The materials which have been considered have been extracted from an experimental blast furnace, including carbon (coke) and iron oxides, for which measurements of the linear scattering density relative to the mass density have been performed with an absolute precision of 10%. We report the procedures that are used in order to obtain such precision, and a discussion is presented to address the expected performance of the technique when applied to heavier materials. The results we obtain do not depend on the specific type of material considered and therefore they can be extended to any application.

  17. Accurate density functional prediction of molecular electron affinity with the scaling corrected Kohn–Sham frontier orbital energies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, DaDi; Yang, Xiaolong; Zheng, Xiao; Yang, Weitao

    2018-04-01

    Electron affinity (EA) is the energy released when an additional electron is attached to an atom or a molecule. EA is a fundamental thermochemical property, and it is closely pertinent to other important properties such as electronegativity and hardness. However, accurate prediction of EA is difficult with density functional theory methods. The somewhat large error of the calculated EAs originates mainly from the intrinsic delocalisation error associated with the approximate exchange-correlation functional. In this work, we employ a previously developed non-empirical global scaling correction approach, which explicitly imposes the Perdew-Parr-Levy-Balduz condition to the approximate functional, and achieve a substantially improved accuracy for the calculated EAs. In our approach, the EA is given by the scaling corrected Kohn-Sham lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy of the neutral molecule, without the need to carry out the self-consistent-field calculation for the anion.

  18. 40 CFR 63.5395 - How do I measure the density of a finish?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true How do I measure the density of a... and Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.5395 How do I measure the density of a finish? (a) To determine the density of a finish, the reference method is EPA Method 24 of appendix A of 40 CFR part 60...

  19. 40 CFR 63.5395 - How do I measure the density of a finish?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How do I measure the density of a... and Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.5395 How do I measure the density of a finish? (a) To determine the density of a finish, the reference method is EPA Method 24 of appendix A of 40 CFR part 60...

  20. 40 CFR 63.5395 - How do I measure the density of a finish?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How do I measure the density of a... and Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.5395 How do I measure the density of a finish? (a) To determine the density of a finish, the reference method is EPA Method 24 of appendix A of 40 CFR part 60...

  1. Accurate Measurements of the Dielectric Constant of Seawater at L Band

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lang, Roger H.; Utku, Cuneyt; Tarkocin, Yalcin; LeVine, David M.

    2010-01-01

    This report describes measurements of the dielectric constant of seawater at a frequency of 1.413 GHz that is at the center of the L-Sand radiometric protected frequency spectrum. Aquarius will be sensing the sea surface salinity from space in this band. The objective of the project is to refine the model function for the dielectric constant as a function of salinity and temperature so that remote sensing measurements can be made with the accuracy needed to meet the measurement goals (0.2 psu) of the Aquarius mission. The measurements were made, using a microwave cavity operated in the transmission configuration. The cavity's temperature was accurately regulated to 0.02 C by immersing it in a temperature controlled bath of distilled water and ethanol glycol. Seawater had been purchased from Ocean Scientific International Limited (OS1L) at salinities of 30, 35 and 38 psu. Measurements of these seawater samples were then made over a range of temperatures, from l0 C to 35 C in 5 C intervals. Repeated measurements were made at each temperature and salinity, Mean values and standard deviations were then computed. Total error budgets indicated that the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant had a relative accuracy of about l%.

  2. Estimation of effective x-ray tissue attenuation differences for volumetric breast density measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Biao; Ruth, Chris; Jing, Zhenxue; Ren, Baorui; Smith, Andrew; Kshirsagar, Ashwini

    2014-03-01

    Breast density has been identified to be a risk factor of developing breast cancer and an indicator of lesion diagnostic obstruction due to masking effect. Volumetric density measurement evaluates fibro-glandular volume, breast volume, and breast volume density measures that have potential advantages over area density measurement in risk assessment. One class of volume density computing methods is based on the finding of the relative fibro-glandular tissue attenuation with regards to the reference fat tissue, and the estimation of the effective x-ray tissue attenuation differences between the fibro-glandular and fat tissue is key to volumetric breast density computing. We have modeled the effective attenuation difference as a function of actual x-ray skin entrance spectrum, breast thickness, fibro-glandular tissue thickness distribution, and detector efficiency. Compared to other approaches, our method has threefold advantages: (1) avoids the system calibration-based creation of effective attenuation differences which may introduce tedious calibrations for each imaging system and may not reflect the spectrum change and scatter induced overestimation or underestimation of breast density; (2) obtains the system specific separate and differential attenuation values of fibroglandular and fat for each mammographic image; and (3) further reduces the impact of breast thickness accuracy to volumetric breast density. A quantitative breast volume phantom with a set of equivalent fibro-glandular thicknesses has been used to evaluate the volume breast density measurement with the proposed method. The experimental results have shown that the method has significantly improved the accuracy of estimating breast density.

  3. Geometric optimisation of an accurate cosine correcting optic fibre coupler for solar spectral measurement.

    PubMed

    Cahuantzi, Roberto; Buckley, Alastair

    2017-09-01

    Making accurate and reliable measurements of solar irradiance is important for understanding performance in the photovoltaic energy sector. In this paper, we present design details and performance of a number of fibre optic couplers for use in irradiance measurement systems employing remote light sensors applicable for either spectrally resolved or broadband measurement. The angular and spectral characteristics of different coupler designs are characterised and compared with existing state-of-the-art commercial technology. The new coupler designs are fabricated from polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) rods and operate through forward scattering of incident sunlight on the front surfaces of the structure into an optic fibre located in a cavity to the rear of the structure. The PTFE couplers exhibit up to 4.8% variation in scattered transmission intensity between 425 nm and 700 nm and show minimal specular reflection, making the designs accurate and reliable over the visible region. Through careful geometric optimization near perfect cosine dependence on the angular response of the coupler can be achieved. The PTFE designs represent a significant improvement over the state of the art with less than 0.01% error compared with ideal cosine response for angles of incidence up to 50°.

  4. Accurate description of charge transport in organic field effect transistors using an experimentally extracted density of states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roelofs, W. S. C.; Mathijssen, S. G. J.; Janssen, R. A. J.; de Leeuw, D. M.; Kemerink, M.

    2012-02-01

    The width and shape of the density of states (DOS) are key parameters to describe the charge transport of organic semiconductors. Here we extract the DOS using scanning Kelvin probe microscopy on a self-assembled monolayer field effect transistor (SAMFET). The semiconductor is only a single monolayer which has allowed extraction of the DOS over a wide energy range, pushing the methodology to its fundamental limit. The measured DOS consists of an exponential distribution of deep states with additional localized states on top. The charge transport has been calculated in a generic variable range-hopping model that allows any DOS as input. We show that with the experimentally extracted DOS an excellent agreement between measured and calculated transfer curves is obtained. This shows that detailed knowledge of the density of states is a prerequisite to consistently describe the transfer characteristics of organic field effect transistors.

  5. Local and Total Density Measurements in Ice Shapes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vargas, Mario; Broughton, Howard; Sims, James J.; Bleeze, Brian; Gaines, Vatanna

    2005-01-01

    Preliminary measurements of local and total densities inside ice shapes were obtained from ice shapes grown in the NASA Glenn Research Tunnel for a range of glaze ice, rime ice, and mixed phase ice conditions on a NACA 0012 airfoil at 0 angle of attack. The ice shapes were removed from the airfoil and a slice of ice 3 mm thick was obtained using a microtome. The resulting samples were then x-rayed to obtain a micro-radiography, the film was digitized, and image processing techniques were used to extract the local and total density values.

  6. Sinking velocities of phytoplankton measured on a stable density gradient by laser scanning

    PubMed Central

    Walsby, Anthony E; Holland, Daryl P

    2005-01-01

    Two particular difficulties in measuring the sinking velocities of phytoplankton cells are preventing convection within the sedimenting medium and determining the changing depth of the cells. These problems are overcome by using a density-stabilized sedimentation column scanned by a laser. For freshwater species, a suspension of phytoplankton is layered over a vertical density gradient of Percoll solution; as the cells sink down the column their relative concentration is measured by the forward scattering of light from a laser beam that repeatedly scans up and down the column. The Percoll gradient stabilizes the column, preventing vertical mixing by convection, radiation or perturbation of density by the descending cells. Measurements were made on suspensions of 15 μm polystyrene microspheres with a density of 1050 kg m−3; the mean velocity was 6.28 μm s−1, within 1.5% of that calculated by the Stokes equation, 6.36 μm s−1. Measurements made on the filamentous cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens gave mean velocities within the theoretical range of values based on the range of size, shape, orientation and density of the particles in a modified Stokes equation. Measurements on marine phytoplankton may require density gradients prepared with other substances. PMID:16849271

  7. Electron density profile measurements at a self-focusing ion beam with high current density and low energy extracted through concave electrodes.

    PubMed

    Fujiwara, Y; Hirano, Y; Kiyama, S; Nakamiya, A; Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H

    2014-02-01

    The self-focusing phenomenon has been observed in a high current density and low energy ion beam. In order to study the mechanism of this phenomenon, a special designed double probe to measure the electron density and temperature is installed into the chamber where the high current density ion beam is injected. Electron density profile is successfully measured without the influence of the ion beam components. Estimated electron temperature and density are ∼0.9 eV and ∼8 × 10(8) cm(-3) at the center of ion beam cross section, respectively. It was found that a large amount of electrons are spontaneously accumulated in the ion beam line in the case of self-forcing state.

  8. DFT-based method for more accurate adsorption energies: An adaptive sum of energies from RPBE and vdW density functionals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hensley, Alyssa J. R.; Ghale, Kushal; Rieg, Carolin

    In recent years, the popularity of density functional theory with periodic boundary conditions (DFT) has surged for the design and optimization of functional materials. However, no single DFT exchange–correlation functional currently available gives accurate adsorption energies on transition metals both when bonding to the surface is dominated by strong covalent or ionic bonding and when it has strong contributions from van der Waals interactions (i.e., dispersion forces). Here we present a new, simple method for accurately predicting adsorption energies on transition-metal surfaces based on DFT calculations, using an adaptively weighted sum of energies from RPBE and optB86b-vdW (or optB88-vdW) densitymore » functionals. This method has been benchmarked against a set of 39 reliable experimental energies for adsorption reactions. Our results show that this method has a mean absolute error and root mean squared error relative to experiments of 13.4 and 19.3 kJ/mol, respectively, compared to 20.4 and 26.4 kJ/mol for the BEEF-vdW functional. For systems with large van der Waals contributions, this method decreases these errors to 11.6 and 17.5 kJ/mol. Furthermore, this method provides predictions of adsorption energies both for processes dominated by strong covalent or ionic bonding and for those dominated by dispersion forces that are more accurate than those of any current standard DFT functional alone.« less

  9. DFT-based method for more accurate adsorption energies: An adaptive sum of energies from RPBE and vdW density functionals

    DOE PAGES

    Hensley, Alyssa J. R.; Ghale, Kushal; Rieg, Carolin; ...

    2017-01-26

    In recent years, the popularity of density functional theory with periodic boundary conditions (DFT) has surged for the design and optimization of functional materials. However, no single DFT exchange–correlation functional currently available gives accurate adsorption energies on transition metals both when bonding to the surface is dominated by strong covalent or ionic bonding and when it has strong contributions from van der Waals interactions (i.e., dispersion forces). Here we present a new, simple method for accurately predicting adsorption energies on transition-metal surfaces based on DFT calculations, using an adaptively weighted sum of energies from RPBE and optB86b-vdW (or optB88-vdW) densitymore » functionals. This method has been benchmarked against a set of 39 reliable experimental energies for adsorption reactions. Our results show that this method has a mean absolute error and root mean squared error relative to experiments of 13.4 and 19.3 kJ/mol, respectively, compared to 20.4 and 26.4 kJ/mol for the BEEF-vdW functional. For systems with large van der Waals contributions, this method decreases these errors to 11.6 and 17.5 kJ/mol. Furthermore, this method provides predictions of adsorption energies both for processes dominated by strong covalent or ionic bonding and for those dominated by dispersion forces that are more accurate than those of any current standard DFT functional alone.« less

  10. Accurate genomic predictions for BCWD resistance in rainbow trout are achieved using low-density SNP panels: Evidence that long-range LD is a major contributing factor.

    PubMed

    Vallejo, Roger L; Silva, Rafael M O; Evenhuis, Jason P; Gao, Guangtu; Liu, Sixin; Parsons, James E; Martin, Kyle E; Wiens, Gregory D; Lourenco, Daniela A L; Leeds, Timothy D; Palti, Yniv

    2018-06-05

    Previously accurate genomic predictions for Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) resistance in rainbow trout were obtained using a medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Here, the impact of lower-density SNP panels on the accuracy of genomic predictions was investigated in a commercial rainbow trout breeding population. Using progeny performance data, the accuracy of genomic breeding values (GEBV) using 35K, 10K, 3K, 1K, 500, 300 and 200 SNP panels as well as a panel with 70 quantitative trait loci (QTL)-flanking SNP was compared. The GEBVs were estimated using the Bayesian method BayesB, single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) and weighted ssGBLUP (wssGBLUP). The accuracy of GEBVs remained high despite the sharp reductions in SNP density, and even with 500 SNP accuracy was higher than the pedigree-based prediction (0.50-0.56 versus 0.36). Furthermore, the prediction accuracy with the 70 QTL-flanking SNP (0.65-0.72) was similar to the panel with 35K SNP (0.65-0.71). Genomewide linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed strong LD (r 2  ≥ 0.25) spanning on average over 1 Mb across the rainbow trout genome. This long-range LD likely contributed to the accurate genomic predictions with the low-density SNP panels. Population structure analysis supported the hypothesis that long-range LD in this population may be caused by admixture. Results suggest that lower-cost, low-density SNP panels can be used for implementing genomic selection for BCWD resistance in rainbow trout breeding programs. © 2018 The Authors. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  11. 40 CFR 63.5395 - How do I measure the density of a finish?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true How do I measure the density of a... Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.5395 How do I measure the density of a finish? (a) To determine the density of a finish, the reference method is EPA Method 24 of appendix A of 40 CFR part 60. You may use...

  12. 40 CFR 63.5395 - How do I measure the density of a finish?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true How do I measure the density of a... Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.5395 How do I measure the density of a finish? (a) To determine the density of a finish, the reference method is EPA Method 24 of appendix A of 40 CFR part 60. You may use...

  13. Finding the most accurate method to measure head circumference for fetal weight estimation.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Ulrike; Temerinac, Dunja; Bildstein, Katharina; Tuschy, Benjamin; Mayer, Jade; Sütterlin, Marc; Siemer, Jörn; Kehl, Sven

    2014-07-01

    Accurate measurement of fetal head biometry is important for fetal weight estimation (FWE) and is therefore an important prognostic parameter for neonatal morbidity and mortality and a valuable tool for determining the further obstetric management. Measurement of the head circumference (HC) in particular is employed in many commonly used weight equations. The aim of the present study was to find the most accurate method to measure head circumference for fetal weight estimation. This prospective study included 481 term pregnancies. Inclusion criteria were a singleton pregnancy and ultrasound examination with complete fetal biometric parameters within 3 days of delivery, and an absence of structural or chromosomal malformations. Different methods were used for ultrasound measurement of the HC (ellipse-traced, ellipse-calculated, and circle-calculated). As a reference method, HC was also determined using a measuring tape immediately after birth. FWE was carried out with Hadlock formulas, including either HC or biparietal diameter (BPD), and differences were compared using percentage error (PE), absolute percentage error (APE), limits of agreement (LOA), and cumulative distribution. The ellipse-traced method showed the best results for FWE among all of the ultrasound methods assessed. It had the lowest median APE and the narrowest LOA. With regard to the cumulative distribution, it included the largest number of cases at a discrepancy level of ±10%. The accuracy of BPD was similar to that of the ellipse-traced method when it was used instead of HC for weight estimation. Differences between the three techniques for calculating HC were small but significant. For clinical use, the ellipse-traced method should be recommended. However, when BPD is used instead of HC for FWE, the accuracy is similar to that of the ellipse-traced method. The BPD might therefore be a good alternative to head measurements in estimating fetal weight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

  14. Highly accurate thickness measurement of multi-layered automotive paints using terahertz technology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Krimi, Soufiene; Beigang, René; Klier, Jens

    2016-07-11

    In this contribution, we present a highly accurate approach for thickness measurements of multi-layered automotive paints using terahertz time domain spectroscopy in reflection geometry. The proposed method combines the benefits of a model-based material parameters extraction method to calibrate the paint coatings, a generalized Rouard's method to simulate the terahertz radiation behavior within arbitrary thin films, and the robustness of a powerful evolutionary optimization algorithm to increase the sensitivity of the minimum thickness measurement limit. Within the framework of this work, a self-calibration model is introduced, which takes into consideration the real industrial challenges such as the effect of wet-on-wetmore » spray in the painting process.« less

  15. Density measurement in air with a saturable absorbing seed gas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baganoff, D.

    1981-01-01

    Resonantly enhanced scattering from the iodine molecule is studied experimentally for the purpose of developing a scheme for the measurement of density in a gas dynamic flow. A study of the spectrum of iodine, the collection of saturation data in iodine, and the development of a mathematical model for correlating saturation effects were pursued for a mixture of 0.3 torr iodine in nitrogen and for mixture pressures up to one atmosphere. For the desired pressure range, saturation effects in iodine were found to be too small to be useful in allowing density measurements to be made. The effects of quenching can be reduced by detuning the exciting laser wavelength from the absorption line center of the iodine line used (resonant Raman scattering). The signal was found to be nearly independent of pressure, for pressures up to one atmosphere, when the excitation beam was detuned 6 GHz from line center for an isolated line in iodine. The signal amplitude was found to be nearly equal to the amplitude for fluorescence at atmospheric pressure, which indicates a density measurement scheme is possible.

  16. Theoretical and Empirical Descriptions of Thermospheric Density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solomon, S. C.; Qian, L.

    2004-12-01

    The longest-term and most accurate overall description the density of the upper thermosphere is provided by analysis of change in the ephemeris of Earth-orbiting satellites. Empirical models of the thermosphere developed in part from these measurements can do a reasonable job of describing thermospheric properties on a climatological basis, but the promise of first-principles global general circulation models of the coupled thermosphere/ionosphere system is that a true high-resolution, predictive capability may ultimately be developed for thermospheric density. However, several issues are encountered when attempting to tune such models so that they accurately represent absolute densities as a function of altitude, and their changes on solar-rotational and solar-cycle time scales. Among these are the crucial ones of getting the heating rates (from both solar and auroral sources) right, getting the cooling rates right, and establishing the appropriate boundary conditions. However, there are several ancillary issues as well, such as the problem of registering a pressure-coordinate model onto an altitude scale, and dealing with possible departures from hydrostatic equilibrium in empirical models. Thus, tuning a theoretical model to match empirical climatology may be difficult, even in the absence of high temporal or spatial variation of the energy sources. We will discuss some of the challenges involved, and show comparisons of simulations using the NCAR Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) to empirical model estimates of neutral thermosphere density and temperature. We will also show some recent simulations using measured solar irradiance from the TIMED/SEE instrument as input to the TIE-GCM.

  17. Anchoring Atmospheric Density Models Using Observed Shuttle Plume Emissions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dimpfl, W. L.; Bernstien, L. S.

    2010-12-01

    Atmospheric number densities at a given low-earth orbit (LEO) altitude can vary by more than an order of magnitude, depending on such parameters as diurnal variations and solar activity. The MSIS atmospheric model, which includes these dependent variables as input, is reported as being accurate to ±15%. Improvement to such models requires accurate direct atmospheric measurement. Here, a means of anchoring atmospheric models is offered through measuring the size and shape of atomic line or molecular band radiance resulting from the atmospheric interaction from rocket engine plumes or gas releases in LEO. Many discrete line or band emissions, ranging from the infrared to the ultraviolet may be suitable. For this purpose we are focusing on NH(A→X), centered at 316 nm. This emission is seen in the plumes of the Shuttle Orbiter PRCS engines, is expected in the plume of any amine fueled engine, and can be observed from remote sensors in space or on the ground. The atmospheric interaction of gas releases or plumes from spacecraft in LEO are understood by comparison of observed radiance with that predicted by Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) models. The recent Extended Variable Hard Sphere (EVHS) improvements in treating hyperthermal collisions has produced exceptional agreement between measured and modeled steady-state Space Shuttle OMS and PRCS 190-250 nm Cameron band plume radiance from CO(a→X), which is understood to result from a combination of two- and three-step mechanisms. Radiance from NH(A→X) in far field plumes is understood to result from a simpler single-step process of the reaction of a minor plume species with atomic oxygen, making it more suitable for use in determining atmospheric density. It is recommended that direct retrofire burns of amine fueled engines be imaged in a narrow band from remote sensors to reveal atmospheric number density. In principal the simple measurement of the distance between the engine exit and the peak in the steady

  18. Non-nuclear methods for HMA density measurements : final report, June 2008.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-05-01

    Non-nuclear methods for the measurement of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) density offer the ability to take numerous density readings in a very short period of time, without the need for intensive licensing, training, and maintenance efforts common to nuclear...

  19. Does the prediction of breast cancer improve using a combination of mammographic density measures compared to individual measures alone?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong Sik Hee, Joseph Ryan; Harkness, Elaine F.; Gadde, Soujanya; Lim, Yit Y.; Maxwell, Anthony J.; Evans, D. Gareth; Howell, Anthony; Astley, Susan M.

    2017-03-01

    High mammographic density is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, however whether the association is stronger when there is agreement across measures is unclear. This study investigates whether a combination of density measures is a better predictor of breast cancer risk than individual methods alone. Women recruited to the Predicting Risk of Cancer At Screening (PROCAS) study and with mammographic density assessed using three different methods were included (n=33,304). Density was assessed visually using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and by two fully automated methods, Quantra and Volpara. Percentage breast density was divided into (high, medium and low) and combinations of measures were used to further categorise individuals (e.g. `all high'). A total of 667 breast cancers were identified and logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between breast density and breast cancer risk. In total, 44% of individuals were in the same tertile for all three measures, 8.6% were in non-adjacent (high and low) or mixed categories (high, medium and low). For individual methods the strongest association with breast cancer risk was for medium and high tertiles of VAS with odds ratios (OR) adjusted for age and BMI of 1.63 (95% CI 1.31-2.03) and 2.33 (1.87-2.90) respectively. For the combination of density methods the strongest association was for `all high' (OR 2.42, 1.77-3.31) followed by "two high" (OR 1.90, 1.35-3.31) and "two medium" (OR 1.88, 1.40-2.52). Combining density measures did not affect the magnitude of risk compared to using individual methods.

  20. Accurate macromolecular structures using minimal measurements from X-ray free-electron lasers

    PubMed Central

    Hattne, Johan; Echols, Nathaniel; Tran, Rosalie; Kern, Jan; Gildea, Richard J.; Brewster, Aaron S.; Alonso-Mori, Roberto; Glöckner, Carina; Hellmich, Julia; Laksmono, Hartawan; Sierra, Raymond G.; Lassalle-Kaiser, Benedikt; Lampe, Alyssa; Han, Guangye; Gul, Sheraz; DiFiore, Dörte; Milathianaki, Despina; Fry, Alan R.; Miahnahri, Alan; White, William E.; Schafer, Donald W.; Seibert, M. Marvin; Koglin, Jason E.; Sokaras, Dimosthenis; Weng, Tsu-Chien; Sellberg, Jonas; Latimer, Matthew J.; Glatzel, Pieter; Zwart, Petrus H.; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.; Bogan, Michael J.; Messerschmidt, Marc; Williams, Garth J.; Boutet, Sébastien; Messinger, Johannes; Zouni, Athina; Yano, Junko; Bergmann, Uwe; Yachandra, Vittal K.; Adams, Paul D.; Sauter, Nicholas K.

    2014-01-01

    X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) sources enable the use of crystallography to solve three-dimensional macromolecular structures under native conditions and free from radiation damage. Results to date, however, have been limited by the challenge of deriving accurate Bragg intensities from a heterogeneous population of microcrystals, while at the same time modeling the X-ray spectrum and detector geometry. Here we present a computational approach designed to extract statistically significant high-resolution signals from fewer diffraction measurements. PMID:24633409

  1. Invited article: Time accurate mass flow measurements of solid-fueled systems.

    PubMed

    Olliges, Jordan D; Lilly, Taylor C; Joslyn, Thomas B; Ketsdever, Andrew D

    2008-10-01

    A novel diagnostic method is described that utilizes a thrust stand mass balance (TSMB) to directly measure time-accurate mass flow from a solid-fuel thruster. The accuracy of the TSMB mass flow measurement technique was demonstrated in three ways including the use of an idealized numerical simulation, verifying a fluid mass calibration with high-speed digital photography, and by measuring mass loss in more than 30 hybrid rocket motor firings. Dynamic response of the mass balance was assessed through weight calibration and used to derive spring, damping, and mass moment of inertia coefficients for the TSMB. These dynamic coefficients were used to determine the mass flow rate and total mass loss within an acrylic and gaseous oxygen hybrid rocket motor firing. Intentional variations in the oxygen flow rate resulted in corresponding variations in the total propellant mass flow as expected. The TSMB was optimized to determine mass losses of up to 2.5 g and measured total mass loss to within 2.5% of that calculated by a NIST-calibrated digital scale. Using this method, a mass flow resolution of 0.0011 g/s or 2% of the average mass flow in this study has been achieved.

  2. Invited Article: Time accurate mass flow measurements of solid-fueled systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olliges, Jordan D.; Lilly, Taylor C.; Joslyn, Thomas B.; Ketsdever, Andrew D.

    2008-10-01

    A novel diagnostic method is described that utilizes a thrust stand mass balance (TSMB) to directly measure time-accurate mass flow from a solid-fuel thruster. The accuracy of the TSMB mass flow measurement technique was demonstrated in three ways including the use of an idealized numerical simulation, verifying a fluid mass calibration with high-speed digital photography, and by measuring mass loss in more than 30 hybrid rocket motor firings. Dynamic response of the mass balance was assessed through weight calibration and used to derive spring, damping, and mass moment of inertia coefficients for the TSMB. These dynamic coefficients were used to determine the mass flow rate and total mass loss within an acrylic and gaseous oxygen hybrid rocket motor firing. Intentional variations in the oxygen flow rate resulted in corresponding variations in the total propellant mass flow as expected. The TSMB was optimized to determine mass losses of up to 2.5 g and measured total mass loss to within 2.5% of that calculated by a NIST-calibrated digital scale. Using this method, a mass flow resolution of 0.0011 g/s or 2% of the average mass flow in this study has been achieved.

  3. Digital radiography density measurements in differentiation between periapical granulomas and radicular cysts.

    PubMed

    Rózyło-Kalinowska, Ingrid

    2007-05-01

    The distinction between radicular cysts and apical granulomas is a matter of considerable importance in making a treatment decision. Because there are no clearly defined radiographic criteria, the distinction is made on the grounds of size. However, it has been suggested that cysts can be distinguished from granulomas on the basis of their radiometric density. The results of previous studies have proved conflicting. To determine possibilities of application of digital radiography density measurements in differentiation of periapical granulomas and radicular cysts of inflammatory origin. The material consisted of 355 digital periapical radiograms obtained using Digora, RVG and Dixi 2 digital radiography systems in patients aged 20 to 84, divided into two groups: 259 granulomas and 102 radicular cysts. By means of Digora 2.0 software there were measured maximum and minimum densities along a line, then there was calculated the difference between maximum and minimum density. The largest dimensions of the lesions were measured - perpendicular and parallel to the root canal axis. It was proved that to some extent it was possible to differentiate cystic granulomas and radicular cysts on the basis of the difference between maximum and minimum density in linear measurement - when the difference exceeded 85.6 the lesion was a cyst and when it was below 45.9 a granuloma was diagnosed. Combination of two criteria - the calculated difference between densities and the largest dimension of a lesion, increased diagnostic possibilities of radiological differentiation of granulomas and radicular cysts.

  4. Spatial electron density and electric field strength measurements in microwave cavity experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Peters, M.; Rogers, J.; Whitehair, S.; Asmussen, J.; Kerber, R.

    1984-01-01

    Measurements of electron density and electric field strength have been made in an argon plasma contained in a resonant microwave cavity at 2.45 GHz. Spatial measurements of electron density, n sub e, are correlated with fluorescence observations of the discharge. Measurements of n sub e were made with Stark broadening and compared with n sub 3 calculated from measured plasma conductivity. Additional measurements of n sub 3 as a function of pressure and in mixtures of argon and oxygen are presented for pressures from 10 Torr to 1 atm. Measurements in flowing gases and in static systems are presented. In addition, limitations of these measurements are identified.

  5. Combining quantitative and qualitative breast density measures to assess breast cancer risk.

    PubMed

    Kerlikowske, Karla; Ma, Lin; Scott, Christopher G; Mahmoudzadeh, Amir P; Jensen, Matthew R; Sprague, Brian L; Henderson, Louise M; Pankratz, V Shane; Cummings, Steven R; Miglioretti, Diana L; Vachon, Celine M; Shepherd, John A

    2017-08-22

    Accurately identifying women with dense breasts (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System [BI-RADS] heterogeneously or extremely dense) who are at high breast cancer risk will facilitate discussions of supplemental imaging and primary prevention. We examined the independent contribution of dense breast volume and BI-RADS breast density to predict invasive breast cancer and whether dense breast volume combined with Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) risk model factors (age, race/ethnicity, family history of breast cancer, history of breast biopsy, and BI-RADS breast density) improves identifying women with dense breasts at high breast cancer risk. We conducted a case-control study of 1720 women with invasive cancer and 3686 control subjects. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs for the effect of BI-RADS breast density and Volpara™ automated dense breast volume on invasive cancer risk, adjusting for other BCSC risk model factors plus body mass index (BMI), and we compared C-statistics between models. We calculated BCSC 5-year breast cancer risk, incorporating the adjusted ORs associated with dense breast volume. Compared with women with BI-RADS scattered fibroglandular densities and second-quartile dense breast volume, women with BI-RADS extremely dense breasts and third- or fourth-quartile dense breast volume (75% of women with extremely dense breasts) had high breast cancer risk (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.84-4.47, and OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.87-3.52, respectively), whereas women with extremely dense breasts and first- or second-quartile dense breast volume were not at significantly increased breast cancer risk (OR 1.53, 95% CI 0.75-3.09, and OR 1.50, 95% CI 0.82-2.73, respectively). Adding continuous dense breast volume to a model with BCSC risk model factors and BMI increased discriminatory accuracy compared with a model with only BCSC risk model factors (C-statistic 0.639, 95% CI 0.623-0.654, vs. C-statistic 0.614, 95% CI 0.598-0.630, respectively; P < 0.001). Women

  6. Local density measurement of additive manufactured copper parts by instrumented indentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santo, Loredana; Quadrini, Fabrizio; Bellisario, Denise; Tedde, Giovanni Matteo; Zarcone, Mariano; Di Domenico, Gildo; D'Angelo, Pierpaolo; Corona, Diego

    2018-05-01

    Instrumented flat indentation has been used to evaluate local density of additive manufactured (AM) copper samples with different relative density. Indentations were made by using tungsten carbide (WC) flat pins with 1 mm diameter. Pure copper powders were used in a selective laser melting (SLM) machine to produce samples to test. By changing process parameters, samples density was changed from the relative density of 63% to 71%. Indentation tests were performed on the xy surface of the AM samples. In order to make a correlation between indentation test results and sample density, the indentation pressure at fixed displacement was selected. Results show that instrumented indentation is a valid technique to measure density distribution along the geometry of an SLM part. In fact, a linear trend between indentation pressure and sample density was found for the selected density range.

  7. A molecular Rayleigh scattering setup to measure density fluctuations in thermal boundary layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panda, J.

    2016-12-01

    A Rayleigh scattering-based density fluctuation measurement system was set up inside a low-speed wind tunnel of NASA Ames Research Center. The immediate goal was to study the thermal boundary layer on a heated flat plate. A large number of obstacles had to be overcome to set up the system, such as the removal of dust particles using air filters, the use of photoelectron counting electronics to measure low intensity light, an optical layout to minimize stray light contamination, the reduction in tunnel vibration, and an expanded calibration process to relate photoelectron arrival rate to air density close to the plate surface. To measure spectra of turbulent density fluctuations, a two-PMT cross-correlation system was used to minimize the shot noise floor. To validate the Rayleigh measurements, temperature fluctuations spectra were calculated from density spectra and then compared with temperature spectra measured with a cold-wire probe operated in constant current mode. The spectra from the downstream half of the plate were found to be in good agreement with cold-wire probe, whereas spectra from the leading edge differed. Various lessons learnt are discussed. It is believed that the present effort is the first measurement of density fluctuations spectra in a boundary layer flow.

  8. Background oriented schlieren in a density stratified fluid.

    PubMed

    Verso, Lilly; Liberzon, Alex

    2015-10-01

    Non-intrusive quantitative fluid density measurement methods are essential in the stratified flow experiments. Digital imaging leads to synthetic schlieren methods in which the variations of the index of refraction are reconstructed computationally. In this study, an extension to one of these methods, called background oriented schlieren, is proposed. The extension enables an accurate reconstruction of the density field in stratified liquid experiments. Typically, the experiments are performed by the light source, background pattern, and the camera positioned on the opposite sides of a transparent vessel. The multimedia imaging through air-glass-water-glass-air leads to an additional aberration that destroys the reconstruction. A two-step calibration and image remapping transform are the key components that correct the images through the stratified media and provide a non-intrusive full-field density measurements of transparent liquids.

  9. Calibrating ion density profile measurements in ion thruster beam plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zun; Tang, Haibin; Ren, Junxue; Zhang, Zhe; Wang, Joseph

    2016-11-01

    The ion thruster beam plasma is characterized by high directed ion velocity (104 m/s) and low plasma density (1015 m-3). Interpretation of measurements of such a plasma based on classical Langmuir probe theory can yield a large experimental error. This paper presents an indirect method to calibrate ion density determination in an ion thruster beam plasma using a Faraday probe, a retarding potential analyzer, and a Langmuir probe. This new method is applied to determine the plasma emitted from a 20-cm-diameter Kaufman ion thruster. The results show that the ion density calibrated by the new method can be as much as 40% less than that without any ion current density and ion velocity calibration.

  10. Accurate Ionization Energies for Mononuclear Copper Complexes Remain a Challenge for Density Functional Theory.

    PubMed

    Dereli, Büsra; Ortuño, Manuel A; Cramer, Christopher J

    2018-04-17

    Copper is ubiquitous and its one-electron redox chemistry is central to many catalytic processes. Modeling such chemistry requires electronic structure methods capable of the accurate prediction of ionization energies (IEs) for compounds including copper in different oxidation states and supported by various ligands. Herein, we estimate IEs for 12 mononuclear Cu species previously reported in the literature by using 21 modern density functionals and the DLPNO-CCSD(T) wave function theory model; we consider extrapolated values of the latter to provide reference values of acceptable accuracy. Our results reveal a considerable diversity in functional performance. Although there is nearly always at least one functional that performs well for any given species, there are none that do so for every member of the test set, and certain cases are particularly pathological. Over the entire test set, the SOGGA11-X functional performs best with a mean unsigned error (MUE) of 0.22 eV. PBE0, ωB97X-D, CAM-B3LYP, M11-L, B3LYP, and M11 exhibit MUEs ranging between 0.23 and 0.34 eV. When including relativistic effects with the zero-order regular approximation, ωB97X-D, CAM-B3LYP, and PBE0 are found to provide the best accuracy. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Relationship between breast sound speed and mammographic percent density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sak, Mark; Duric, Nebojsa; Boyd, Norman; Littrup, Peter; Myc, Lukasz; Faiz, Muhammad; Li, Cuiping; Bey-Knight, Lisa

    2011-03-01

    Despite some shortcomings, mammography is currently the standard of care for breast cancer screening and diagnosis. However, breast ultrasound tomography is a rapidly developing imaging modality that has the potential to overcome the drawbacks of mammography. It is known that women with high breast densities have a greater risk of developing breast cancer. Measuring breast density is accomplished through the use of mammographic percent density, defined as the ratio of fibroglandular to total breast area. Using an ultrasound tomography (UST) prototype, we created sound speed images of the patient's breast, motivated by the fact that sound speed in a tissue is proportional to the density of the tissue. The purpose of this work is to compare the acoustic performance of the UST system with the measurement of mammographic percent density. A cohort of 251 patients was studied using both imaging modalities and the results suggest that the volume averaged breast sound speed is significantly related to mammographic percent density. The Spearman correlation coefficient was found to be 0.73 for the 175 film mammograms and 0.69 for the 76 digital mammograms obtained. Since sound speed measurements do not require ionizing radiation or physical compression, they have the potential to form the basis of a safe, more accurate surrogate marker of breast density.

  12. Home Circadian Phase Assessments with Measures of Compliance Yield Accurate Dim Light Melatonin Onsets

    PubMed Central

    Burgess, Helen J.; Wyatt, James K.; Park, Margaret; Fogg, Louis F.

    2015-01-01

    Study Objectives: There is a need for the accurate assessment of circadian phase outside of the clinic/laboratory, particularly with the gold standard dim light melatonin onset (DLMO). We tested a novel kit designed to assist in saliva sampling at home for later determination of the DLMO. The home kit includes objective measures of compliance to the requirements for dim light and half-hourly saliva sampling. Design: Participants were randomized to one of two 10-day protocols. Each protocol consisted of two back-to-back home and laboratory phase assessments in counterbalanced order, separated by a 5-day break. Setting: Laboratory or participants' homes. Participants: Thirty-five healthy adults, age 21–62 y. Interventions: N/A. Measurements and Results: Most participants received at least one 30-sec epoch of light > 50 lux during the home phase assessments (average light intensity 4.5 lux), but on average for < 9 min of the required 8.5 h. Most participants collected every saliva sample within 5 min of the scheduled time. Ninety-two percent of home DLMOs were not affected by light > 50 lux or sampling errors. There was no significant difference between the home and laboratory DLMOs (P > 0.05); on average the home DLMOs occurred 9.6 min before the laboratory DLMOs. The home DLMOs were highly correlated with the laboratory DLMOs (r = 0.91, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Participants were reasonably compliant to the home phase assessment procedures. The good agreement between the home and laboratory dim light melatonin onsets (DLMOs) demonstrates that including objective measures of light exposure and sample timing during home saliva sampling can lead to accurate home DLMOs. Clinical Trial Registration: Circadian Phase Assessments at Home, http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01487252, NCT01487252. Citation: Burgess HJ, Wyatt JK, Park M, Fogg LF. Home circadian phase assessments with measures of compliance yield accurate dim light melatonin onsets. SLEEP 2015;38(6):889–897

  13. No galaxy left behind: accurate measurements with the faintest objects in the Dark Energy Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suchyta, E.; Huff, E. M.; Aleksić, J.; Melchior, P.; Jouvel, S.; MacCrann, N.; Ross, A. J.; Crocce, M.; Gaztanaga, E.; Honscheid, K.; Leistedt, B.; Peiris, H. V.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sheldon, E.; Abbott, T.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Banerji, M.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Burke, D. L.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Cunha, C. E.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Dietrich, J. P.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Estrada, J.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Lima, M.; Maia, M. A. G.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Neilsen, E.; Nichol, R. C.; Nord, B.; Ogando, R.; Percival, W. J.; Reil, K.; Roodman, A.; Sako, M.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thaler, J.; Thomas, D.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Wechsler, R. H.; Zhang, Y.; DES Collaboration

    2016-03-01

    Accurate statistical measurement with large imaging surveys has traditionally required throwing away a sizable fraction of the data. This is because most measurements have relied on selecting nearly complete samples, where variations in the composition of the galaxy population with seeing, depth, or other survey characteristics are small. We introduce a new measurement method that aims to minimize this wastage, allowing precision measurement for any class of detectable stars or galaxies. We have implemented our proposal in BALROG, software which embeds fake objects in real imaging to accurately characterize measurement biases. We demonstrate this technique with an angular clustering measurement using Dark Energy Survey (DES) data. We first show that recovery of our injected galaxies depends on a variety of survey characteristics in the same way as the real data. We then construct a flux-limited sample of the faintest galaxies in DES, chosen specifically for their sensitivity to depth and seeing variations. Using the synthetic galaxies as randoms in the Landy-Szalay estimator suppresses the effects of variable survey selection by at least two orders of magnitude. With this correction, our measured angular clustering is found to be in excellent agreement with that of a matched sample from much deeper, higher resolution space-based Cosmological Evolution Survey (COSMOS) imaging; over angular scales of 0.004° < θ < 0.2°, we find a best-fitting scaling amplitude between the DES and COSMOS measurements of 1.00 ± 0.09. We expect this methodology to be broadly useful for extending measurements' statistical reach in a variety of upcoming imaging surveys.

  14. Millimeter-wave reflectometry for electron density profile and fluctuation measurements on NSTX

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kubota, S.; Nguyen, X. V.; Peebles, W. A.

    2001-01-01

    A millimeter-wave reflectometry system for electron density profile and fluctuation measurements is being developed and installed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment. The initial frequency coverage will be in the bands 12--18, 20--32, and 33--50 GHz, provided by frequency-tunable solid-state sources. These frequencies correspond to O-mode cutoff densities ranging from 1.8x10{sup 12} to 3.1x10{sup 13}cm{sup -3}, which will span both the plasma core ({rho}=r/a<0.8) and edge ({rho}>0.8) regions. Operated as a broadband swept-frequency (frequency-modulated continuous-wave) reflectometer, the diagnostic is expected to provide routine (shot-to-shot) time- ({<=}50 {mu}s) and spatially resolved ({approx}1 cm) density profiles. The previous hardware can be easilymore » reconfigured as a fixed-frequency reflectometer for density fluctuation measurements. The combination of measurements would be valuable for studying phenomena such as possible L- to H-mode transitions and edge-localized modes.« less

  15. Evaluation of the ion-density measurements by the Indian satellite SROSS-C2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subrahmanyam, P.; Jain, A. R.; Maini, H. K.; Bahl, M.; Das, Rupesh M.; Garg, S. C.; Niranjan, K.

    2010-12-01

    The ion and electron F region plasma measurements made by the ion and electron Retarding Potential Analyzers (RPAs) onboard the Indian satellite SROSS-C2, have yielded excellent data set over the Indian region for more than half a solar cycle, after the SROSS-C2 launch in May 1994. The absolute ion density, ion temperature, and ion composition parameters are derived from these in situ measurements and used by many workers. In this paper the absolute values of ion density derived from the ion RPA measurements are compared and evaluated with the measurements made by ground-based ionosondes located in the Indian region and close to the SROSS-C2 orbital path. It is shown that a slight adjustment in efficiency factor of the ion RPA sensor brings the in situ measurements much closer to those obtained from the ground-based ionosonde measurements taking into account the model calculations. It may be mentioned that this is a correction to the ion density measurement by SROSS-C2 by a fixed proportion (14-11.4%). The effect of change in efficiency factor on the ion current, which is used to deduce the ion number density, is demonstrated and discussed.

  16. A microwave interferometer for small and tenuous plasma density measurements.

    PubMed

    Tudisco, O; Lucca Fabris, A; Falcetta, C; Accatino, L; De Angelis, R; Manente, M; Ferri, F; Florean, M; Neri, C; Mazzotta, C; Pavarin, D; Pollastrone, F; Rocchi, G; Selmo, A; Tasinato, L; Trezzolani, F; Tuccillo, A A

    2013-03-01

    The non-intrusive density measurement of the thin plasma produced by a mini-helicon space thruster (HPH.com project) is a challenge, due to the broad density range (between 10(16) m(-3) and 10(19) m(-3)) and the small size of the plasma source (2 cm of diameter). A microwave interferometer has been developed for this purpose. Due to the small size of plasma, the probing beam wavelength must be small (λ = 4 mm), thus a very high sensitivity interferometer is required in order to observe the lower density values. A low noise digital phase detector with a phase noise of 0.02° has been used, corresponding to a density of 0.5 × 10(16) m(-3).

  17. Time-dependent local density measurements in unsteady flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckenzie, R. L.; Monson, D. J.; Exberger, R. J.

    1979-01-01

    A laser-induced fluorescence technique for measuring the relative time-dependent density fluctuations in unsteady or turbulent flows is demonstrated. Using a 1.5-W continuous-wave Kr(+) laser, measurements have been obtained in 0.1-mm diameter by 1-mm-long sampling volumes in a Mach 3 flow of N2 seeded with biacetyl vapor. A signal amplitude resolution of 2% was achieved for a detection frequency bandwidth of 10 kHz. The measurement uncertainty was found to be dominated by noise behaving as photon statistical noise. The practical limits of signal-to-noise ratios have been characterized for a wide range of detection frequency bandwidths that encompasses those of interest in supersonic turbulence measurements.

  18. Measurement of the lunar neutron density profile. [Apollo 17 flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Woolum, D. S.; Burnett, D. S.; Furst, M.; Weiss, J. R.

    1974-01-01

    An in situ measurement of the lunar neutron density from 20 to 400 g/sq cm depth between the lunar surface was made by the Apollo 17 Lunar Neutron Probe Experiment using particle tracks produced by the B10(n, alpha)Li7 reaction. Both the absolute magnitude and depth profile of the neutron density are in good agreement with past theoretical calculations. The effect of cadmium absorption on the neutron density and in the relative Sm149 to Gd157 capture rates obtained experimentally implies that the true lunar Gd157 capture rate is about one half of that calculated theoretically.

  19. Comparison of measured and modelled negative hydrogen ion densities at the ECR-discharge HOMER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rauner, D.; Kurutz, U.; Fantz, U.

    2015-04-01

    As the negative hydrogen ion density nH- is a key parameter for the investigation of negative ion sources, its diagnostic quantification is essential in source development and operation as well as for fundamental research. By utilizing the photodetachment process of negative ions, generally two different diagnostic methods can be applied: via laser photodetachment, the density of negative ions is measured locally, but only relatively to the electron density. To obtain absolute densities, the electron density has to be measured additionally, which induces further uncertainties. Via cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), the absolute density of H- is measured directly, however LOS-averaged over the plasma length. At the ECR-discharge HOMER, where H- is produced in the plasma volume, laser photodetachment is applied as the standard method to measure nH-. The additional application of CRDS provides the possibility to directly obtain absolute values of nH-, thereby successfully bench-marking the laser photodetachment system as both diagnostics are in good agreement. In the investigated pressure range from 0.3 to 3 Pa, the measured negative hydrogen ion density shows a maximum at 1 to 1.5 Pa and an approximately linear response to increasing input microwave powers from 200 up to 500 W. Additionally, the volume production of negative ions is 0-dimensionally modelled by balancing H- production and destruction processes. The modelled densities are adapted to the absolute measurements of nH- via CRDS, allowing to identify collisions of H- with hydrogen atoms (associative and non-associative detachment) to be the dominant loss process of H- in the plasma volume at HOMER. Furthermore, the characteristic peak of nH- observed at 1 to 1.5 Pa is identified to be caused by a comparable behaviour of the electron density with varying pressure, as ne determines the volume production rate via dissociative electron attachment to vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules.

  20. Density Measurement System for Weights of 1 kg to 20 kg Using Hydrostatic Weighing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yong Jae; Lee, Woo Gab; Abdurahman, Mohammed; Kim, Kwang Pyo

    This paper presents a density measurement system to determine density of weights from 1 kg to 20 kg using hydrostatic weighing. The system works based on Archimedes principle. The density of reference liquid is determined using this setup while determining the density of the test weight. Density sphere is used as standard density ball to determine density of the reference liquid. A new immersion pan is designed for dual purpose to carry the density sphere and the cylindrical test weight for weighing in liquid. Main parts of the setup are an electronic balance, a thermostat controlled liquid bath, reference weights designed for bottom weighing, dual purpose immersion pans and stepping motors to load and unload in weighing process. The results of density measurement will be evaluated as uncertainties for weights of 1 kg to 20 kg.

  1. An improved thin film approximation to accurately determine the optical conductivity of graphene from infrared transmittance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Weber, J. W.; Bol, A. A.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de

    2014-07-07

    This work presents an improved thin film approximation to extract the optical conductivity from infrared transmittance in a simple yet accurate way. This approximation takes into account the incoherent reflections from the backside of the substrate. These reflections are shown to have a significant effect on the extracted optical conductivity and hence on derived parameters as carrier mobility and density. By excluding the backside reflections, the error for these parameters for typical chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene on a silicon substrate can be as high as 17% and 45% for the carrier mobility and density, respectively. For the mid- andmore » near-infrared, the approximation can be simplified such that the real part of the optical conductivity is extracted without the need for a parameterization of the optical conductivity. This direct extraction is shown for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) transmittance measurements of CVD graphene on silicon in the photon energy range of 370–7000 cm{sup −1}. From the real part of the optical conductivity, the carrier density, mobility, and number of graphene layers are determined but also residue, originating from the graphene transfer, is detected. FTIR transmittance analyzed with the improved thin film approximation is shown to be a non-invasive, easy, and accurate measurement and analysis method for assessing the quality of graphene and can be used for other 2-D materials.« less

  2. Measuring the Autocorrelation Function of Nanoscale Three-Dimensional Density Distribution in Individual Cells Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, and a New Deconvolution Algorithm.

    PubMed

    Li, Yue; Zhang, Di; Capoglu, Ilker; Hujsak, Karl A; Damania, Dhwanil; Cherkezyan, Lusik; Roth, Eric; Bleher, Reiner; Wu, Jinsong S; Subramanian, Hariharan; Dravid, Vinayak P; Backman, Vadim

    2017-06-01

    Essentially all biological processes are highly dependent on the nanoscale architecture of the cellular components where these processes take place. Statistical measures, such as the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the three-dimensional (3D) mass-density distribution, are widely used to characterize cellular nanostructure. However, conventional methods of reconstruction of the deterministic 3D mass-density distribution, from which these statistical measures can be calculated, have been inadequate for thick biological structures, such as whole cells, due to the conflict between the need for nanoscale resolution and its inverse relationship with thickness after conventional tomographic reconstruction. To tackle the problem, we have developed a robust method to calculate the ACF of the 3D mass-density distribution without tomography. Assuming the biological mass distribution is isotropic, our method allows for accurate statistical characterization of the 3D mass-density distribution by ACF with two data sets: a single projection image by scanning transmission electron microscopy and a thickness map by atomic force microscopy. Here we present validation of the ACF reconstruction algorithm, as well as its application to calculate the statistics of the 3D distribution of mass-density in a region containing the nucleus of an entire mammalian cell. This method may provide important insights into architectural changes that accompany cellular processes.

  3. Measuring the Autocorrelation Function of Nanoscale Three-Dimensional Density Distribution in Individual Cells Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, and a New Deconvolution Algorithm

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yue; Zhang, Di; Capoglu, Ilker; Hujsak, Karl A.; Damania, Dhwanil; Cherkezyan, Lusik; Roth, Eric; Bleher, Reiner; Wu, Jinsong S.; Subramanian, Hariharan; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Backman, Vadim

    2018-01-01

    Essentially all biological processes are highly dependent on the nanoscale architecture of the cellular components where these processes take place. Statistical measures, such as the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the three-dimensional (3D) mass–density distribution, are widely used to characterize cellular nanostructure. However, conventional methods of reconstruction of the deterministic 3D mass–density distribution, from which these statistical measures can be calculated, have been inadequate for thick biological structures, such as whole cells, due to the conflict between the need for nanoscale resolution and its inverse relationship with thickness after conventional tomographic reconstruction. To tackle the problem, we have developed a robust method to calculate the ACF of the 3D mass–density distribution without tomography. Assuming the biological mass distribution is isotropic, our method allows for accurate statistical characterization of the 3D mass–density distribution by ACF with two data sets: a single projection image by scanning transmission electron microscopy and a thickness map by atomic force microscopy. Here we present validation of the ACF reconstruction algorithm, as well as its application to calculate the statistics of the 3D distribution of mass–density in a region containing the nucleus of an entire mammalian cell. This method may provide important insights into architectural changes that accompany cellular processes. PMID:28416035

  4. Impact of Scanning Density on Measurements from Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

    PubMed Central

    Keane, Pearse A.; Ouyang, Yanling; Updike, Jared F.; Walsh, Alexander C.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose. To investigate the relationship between B-scan density and retinal thickness measurements obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) in eyes with retinal disease. Methods. Data were collected from 115 patients who underwent volume OCT imaging with Cirrus HD-OCT using the 512 × 128 horizontal raster protocol. Raw OCT data, including the location of the automated retinal boundaries, were exported from the Cirrus HD-OCT instrument and imported into the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) OCT viewing and grading software, termed “3D-OCTOR.” For each case, retinal thickness maps similar to those produced by Cirrus HD-OCT were generated using all 128 B-scans, as well as using less dense subsets of scans, ranging from every other scan to every 16th scan. Retinal thickness measurements derived using only a subset of scans were compared to measurements using all 128 B-scans, and differences for the foveal central subfield (FCS) and total macular volume were computed. Results. The mean error in FCS retinal thickness measurement increased as the density of B-scans decreased, but the error was small (<2 μm), except at the sparsest densities evaluated. The maximum error at a density of every fourth scan (32 scans spaced 188 μm apart) was <1%. Conclusions. B-scan density in volume SDOCT acquisitions can be reduced to 32 horizontal B-scans (spaced 188 μm apart) with minimal change in calculated retinal thickness measurements. This information may be of value in design of scanning protocols for SDOCT for use in future clinical trials. PMID:19797199

  5. Analysis of X-Ray Line Spectra from a Transient Plasma Under Solar Flare Conditions - Part Three - Diagnostics for Measuring Electron Temperature and Density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sylwester, J.; Mewe, R.; Schrijver, J.

    1980-06-01

    In this paper, the third in a series dealing with plasmas out of equilibrium we present quantitative methods of analysis of non-stationary flare plasma parameters. The method is designed to be used for the interpretation of the SMM XRP Bent Crystal Spectrometer spectra. Our analysis is based on measurements of 11 specific lines in the 1.77-3.3 Å range. Using the proposed method we are able to derive information about temperature, density, emission measure, and other related parameters of the flare plasma. It is shown that the measurements, to be made by XRP can give detailed information on these parameters and their time evolution. The method is then tested on some artificial flares, and proves to be useful and accurate.

  6. Foveal cone spacing and cone photopigment density difference: objective measurements in the same subjects.

    PubMed

    Marcos, S; Tornow, R P; Elsner, A E; Navarro, R

    1997-07-01

    Foveal cone spacing was measured in vivo using an objective technique: ocular speckle interferometry. Cone packing density was computed from cone spacing data. Foveal cone photopigment density difference was measured in the same subjects using retinal densitometry with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Both the cone packing density and cone photopigment density difference decreased sharply with increasing retinal eccentricity. From the comparison of both sets of measurements, the computed amounts of photopigment per cone increased slightly with increasing retinal eccentricity. Consistent with previous results, decreases in cone outer segment length are over-compensated by an increase in the outer segment area, at least in retinal eccentricities up to 1 deg.

  7. Accurate Measurements of Aircraft Engine Soot Emissions Using a CAPS PMssa Monitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Onasch, Timothy; Thompson, Kevin; Renbaum-Wolff, Lindsay; Smallwood, Greg; Make-Lye, Richard; Freedman, Andrew

    2016-04-01

    We present results of aircraft engine soot emissions measurements during the VARIAnT2 campaign using CAPS PMssa monitors. VARIAnT2, an aircraft engine non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) emissions field campaign, was focused on understanding the variability in nvPM mass measurements using different measurement techniques and accounting for possible nvPM sampling system losses. The CAPS PMssa monitor accurately measures both the optical extinction and scattering (and thus single scattering albedo and absorption) of an extracted sample using the same sample volume for both measurements with a time resolution of 1 second and sensitivity of better than 1 Mm-1. Absorption is obtained by subtracting the scattering signal from the total extinction. Given that the single scattering albedo of the particulates emitted from the aircraft engine measured at both 630 and 660 nm was on the order of 0.1, any inaccuracy in the scattering measurement has little impact on the accuracy of the ddetermined absorption coefficient. The absorption is converted into nvPM mass using a documented Mass Absorption Coefficient (MAC). Results of soot emission indices (mass soot emitted per mass of fuel consumed) for a turbojet engine as a function of engine power will be presented and compared to results obtained using an EC/OC monitor.

  8. UF6 Density and Mass Flow Measurements for Enrichment Plants using Acoustic Techniques

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Good, Morris S.; Smith, Leon E.; Warren, Glen A.

    A key enabling capability for enrichment plant safeguards being considered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is high-accuracy, noninvasive, unattended measurement of UF6 gas density and mass flow rate. Acoustic techniques are currently used to noninvasively monitor gas flow in industrial applications; however, the operating pressures at gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) are roughly two orders magnitude below the capabilities of commercial instrumentation. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is refining acoustic techniques for estimating density and mass flow rate of UF6 gas in scenarios typical of GCEPs, with the goal of achieving 1% measurement accuracy. Proof-of-concept laboratory measurements using amore » surrogate gas for UF6 have demonstrated signatures sensitive to gas density at low operating pressures such as 10–50 Torr, which were observed over the background acoustic interference. Current efforts involve developing a test bed for conducting acoustic measurements on flowing SF6 gas at representative flow rates and pressures to ascertain the viability of conducting gas flow measurements under these conditions. Density and flow measurements will be conducted to support the evaluation. If successful, the approach could enable an unattended, noninvasive approach to measure mass flow in unit header pipes of GCEPs.« less

  9. Accurate Determination of Coulombic Efficiency for Lithium Metal Anodes and Lithium Metal Batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Adams, Brian D.; Zheng, Jianming; Ren, Xiaodi

    Lithium (Li) metal is an ideal anode material for high energy density batteries. However, its low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and formation of dendrites during the plating and stripping processes has hindered its applications in rechargeable Li metal batteries. The accurate measurement of Li CE is a critical factor to predict the cycle life of Li metal batteries, but the measurement of Li CE is affected by various factors that often leads to conflicting values reported in the literature. Here, we investigate various factors that affect the measurement of Li CE and propose a more accurate method of determining Li CE.more » It was also found that the capacity used for cycling greatly affects the stabilization cycles and the average CE. A higher cycling capacity leads to a shorter number of stabilization cycles and higher average CE. With a proper high-concentration ether-based electrolyte, Li metal can be cycled with a high average CE of 99.5 % for over 100 cycles at a high capacity of 6 mAh cm-2 suitable for practical applications.« less

  10. Experimental Influences in the Accurate Measurement of Cartilage Thickness in MRI.

    PubMed

    Wang, Nian; Badar, Farid; Xia, Yang

    2018-01-01

    Objective To study the experimental influences to the measurement of cartilage thickness by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design The complete thicknesses of healthy and trypsin-degraded cartilage were measured at high-resolution MRI under different conditions, using two intensity-based imaging sequences (ultra-short echo [UTE] and multislice-multiecho [MSME]) and 3 quantitative relaxation imaging sequences (T 1 , T 2 , and T 1 ρ). Other variables included different orientations in the magnet, 2 soaking solutions (saline and phosphate buffered saline [PBS]), and external loading. Results With cartilage soaked in saline, UTE and T 1 methods yielded complete and consistent measurement of cartilage thickness, while the thickness measurement by T 2 , T 1 ρ, and MSME methods were orientation dependent. The effect of external loading on cartilage thickness is also sequence and orientation dependent. All variations in cartilage thickness in MRI could be eliminated with the use of a 100 mM PBS or imaged by UTE sequence. Conclusions The appearance of articular cartilage and the measurement accuracy of cartilage thickness in MRI can be influenced by a number of experimental factors in ex vivo MRI, from the use of various pulse sequences and soaking solutions to the health of the tissue. T 2 -based imaging sequence, both proton-intensity sequence and quantitative relaxation sequence, similarly produced the largest variations. With adequate resolution, the accurate measurement of whole cartilage tissue in clinical MRI could be utilized to detect differences between healthy and osteoarthritic cartilage after compression.

  11. No Galaxy Left Behind: Accurate Measurements with the Faintest Objects in the Dark Energy Survey

    DOE PAGES

    Suchyta, E.

    2016-01-27

    Accurate statistical measurement with large imaging surveys has traditionally required throwing away a sizable fraction of the data. This is because most measurements have have relied on selecting nearly complete samples, where variations in the composition of the galaxy population with seeing, depth, or other survey characteristics are small. We introduce a new measurement method that aims to minimize this wastage, allowing precision measurement for any class of stars or galaxies detectable in an imaging survey. We have implemented our proposal in Balrog, a software package which embeds fake objects in real imaging in order to accurately characterize measurement biases.more » We also demonstrate this technique with an angular clustering measurement using Dark Energy Survey (DES) data. We first show that recovery of our injected galaxies depends on a wide variety of survey characteristics in the same way as the real data. We then construct a flux-limited sample of the faintest galaxies in DES, chosen specifically for their sensitivity to depth and seeing variations. Using the synthetic galaxies as randoms in the standard LandySzalay correlation function estimator suppresses the effects of variable survey selection by at least two orders of magnitude. Now our measured angular clustering is found to be in excellent agreement with that of a matched sample drawn from much deeper, higherresolution space-based COSMOS imaging; over angular scales of 0.004° < θ < 0.2 ° , we find a best-fit scaling amplitude between the DES and COSMOS measurements of 1.00 ± 0.09. We expect this methodology to be broadly useful for extending the statistical reach of measurements in a wide variety of coming imaging surveys.« less

  12. An Accurate Method for Measuring Airplane-Borne Conformal Antenna's Radar Cross Section

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Shuxia; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Yafeng; Hu, Chufeng

    2016-09-01

    The airplane-borne conformal antenna attaches itself tightly with the airplane skin, so the conventional measurement method cannot determine the contribution of the airplane-borne conformal antenna to its radar cross section (RCS). This paper uses the 2D microwave imaging to isolate and extract the distribution of the reflectivity of the airplane-borne conformal antenna. It obtains the 2D spatial spectra of the conformal antenna through the wave spectral transform between the 2D spatial image and the 2D spatial spectrum. After the interpolation from the rectangular coordinate domain to the polar coordinate domain, the spectral domain data for the variation of the scatter of the conformal antenna with frequency and angle is obtained. The experimental results show that the measurement method proposed in this paper greatly enhances the airplane-borne conformal antenna's RCS measurement accuracy, essentially eliminates the influences caused by the airplane skin and more accurately reveals the airplane-borne conformal antenna's RCS scatter properties.

  13. Experimental density measurements of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate at elevated temperatures and pressures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bamgbade, Babatunde A; Wu, Yue; Baled, Hseen O

    2013-08-01

    Experimental high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) density data for bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are reported in this study. DEHP is a popular choice as a reference fluid for viscosity calibrations in the HTHP region. However, reliable HTHP density values are needed for accurate viscosity calculations for certain viscometers (e.g. rolling ball). HTHP densities are determined at T = (373, 424, 476, 492, and 524) K and P to 270 MPa using a variable-volume, high-pressure view cell. The experimental density data are satisfactorily correlated by the modified Tait equation with a mean absolute percent deviation (δ) of 0.15. The experimental data are modeled withmore » the Peng–Robinson (PREoS), volume-translated PREoS (VT-PREoS), and perturbed chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT EoS) models. The required parameters for the two PREoS and the PC-SAFT EoS models are determined using group contribution methods. The PC-SAFT EoS performs the best of the three models with a δ of 2.12. The PC-SAFT EoS is also fit to the experimental data to obtain a new set of pure component parameters that yield a δ of 0.20 for these HTHP conditions.« less

  14. Density Measurements in Air by Optically Exciting the Cordes Bands of I2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Balla, R. Jeffrey; Exton, Reginald J.

    2000-01-01

    We describe an optical method based on laser-induced fluorescence for obtaining instantaneous measurements of density along a line in low-density air seeded with I2. The Cordes bands of I2 (D(sup 1)sigma(sup +, sub u)) left arrow X(sup 1)sigma(sup +, sub g)) are excited with a tunable ArF excimer laser. air densities in the range (0.1-6.5) x 10(exp 17) cm(exp -3) are measured over 295-583 K using the density-dependent emission ratio of two emission bands of I2; the 340 nm bands and the diffuse-structured McLennan bands near 320 nm.

  15. Blast-wave density measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ritzel, D. V.

    Applications of a densitometer to obtain time-resolved data on the total density in blast-wave flows are described. A beta-source (promethium-147) is separated by a gap from a scintillator and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). Attenuation of the radiation beam by the passing blast wave is due to the total density in the gap volume during the wave passage. Signal conditioning and filtering methods permit the system to output linearized data. Results are provided from use of the system to monitor blast waves emitted by detonation of a 10.7 m diameter fiberglass sphere containing 609 tons of ammonium nitrate/fuel oil at a 50.6 m height. Blast wave density data are provided for peak overpressure levels of 245, 172 and 70 kPa and distances of 183, 201 and 314 m from ground zero. Data resolution was of high enough quality to encourage efforts to discriminate dust and gasdynamic phenomena within passing blast waves.

  16. Are external knee load and EMG measures accurate indicators of internal knee contact forces during gait?

    PubMed

    Meyer, Andrew J; D'Lima, Darryl D; Besier, Thor F; Lloyd, David G; Colwell, Clifford W; Fregly, Benjamin J

    2013-06-01

    Mechanical loading is believed to be a critical factor in the development and treatment of knee osteoarthritis. However, the contact forces to which the knee articular surfaces are subjected during daily activities cannot be measured clinically. Thus, the ability to predict internal knee contact forces accurately using external measures (i.e., external knee loads and muscle electromyographic [EMG] signals) would be clinically valuable. We quantified how well external knee load and EMG measures predict internal knee contact forces during gait. A single subject with a force-measuring tibial prosthesis and post-operative valgus alignment performed four gait patterns (normal, medial thrust, walking pole, and trunk sway) to induce a wide range of external and internal knee joint loads. Linear regression analyses were performed to assess how much of the variability in internal contact forces was accounted for by variability in the external measures. Though the different gait patterns successfully induced significant changes in the external and internal quantities, changes in external measures were generally weak indicators of changes in total, medial, and lateral contact force. Our results suggest that when total contact force may be changing, caution should be exercised when inferring changes in knee contact forces based on observed changes in external knee load and EMG measures. Advances in musculoskeletal modeling methods may be needed for accurate estimation of in vivo knee contact forces. Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  17. Measurement of relative density of tissue using wavelet analysis and neural nets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suyatinov, Sergey I.; Kolentev, Sergey V.; Buldakova, Tatyana I.

    2001-01-01

    Development of methods for indirect measurement of substance's consistence and characteristics is highly actual problem of medical diagnostics. Many diseases bring about changes of tissue density or appearances of alien bodies (e.g. stones in kidneys or gallbladders). Propose to use wavelet-analysis and neural nets for indirect measurement of relative density of tissue by images of internal organs. It shall allow to reveal a disease on early stage.

  18. A method of atmospheric density measurements during Shuttle entry using UV laser Rayleigh scattering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckenzie, Robert L.

    1987-01-01

    A detailed study is described of the performance capabilities and the hardware requirements for a method in which ambient density is measured along the Space Shuttle flight path using on-board optical instrumentation. The technique relies on Rayleigh scattering of light from a pulsed, ultraviolet, ArF excimer laser operating at a wavelength of 193 nm. The method is shown to be capable of providing direct measurements of ambient density with an uncertainty of less than 1 percent and with a spatial resolution of 1 km, over an altitude range from 50 to 90 km. In addition, extensions of this concept are discussed that allow measurements of the shock wave location and the density profile within the shock layer. Two approaches are identified that appear to be feasible, in which the same laser system is used for the extended measurements as that required for the ambient density measurements.

  19. Interactive Database of Pulsar Flux Density Measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koralewska, O.; Krzeszowski, K.; Kijak, J.; Lewandowski, W.

    2012-12-01

    The number of astronomical observations is steadily growing, giving rise to the need of cataloguing the obtained results. There are a lot of databases, created to store different types of data and serve a variety of purposes, e. g. databases providing basic data for astronomical objects (SIMBAD Astronomical Database), databases devoted to one type of astronomical object (ATNF Pulsar Database) or to a set of values of the specific parameter (Lorimer 1995 - database of flux density measurements for 280 pulsars on the frequencies up to 1606 MHz), etc. We found that creating an online database of pulsar flux measurements, provided with facilities for plotting diagrams and histograms, calculating mean values for a chosen set of data, filtering parameter values and adding new measurements by the registered users, could be useful in further studies on pulsar spectra.

  20. Thin layer asphaltic concrete density measuring using nuclear gages.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-03-01

    A Troxler 4640 thin layer nuclear gage was evaluated under field conditions to determine if it would provide improved accuracy of density measurements on asphalt overlays of 1-3/4 and 2 inches in thickness. Statistical analysis shows slightly improve...

  1. Double-cavity radiometer for high-flux density solar radiation measurements.

    PubMed

    Parretta, A; Antonini, A; Armani, M; Nenna, G; Flaminio, G; Pellegrino, M

    2007-04-20

    A radiometric method has been developed, suitable for both total power and flux density profile measurement of concentrated solar radiation. The high-flux density radiation is collected by a first optical cavity, integrated, and driven to a second optical cavity, where, attenuated, it is measured by a conventional radiometer operating under a stationary irradiation regime. The attenuation factor is regulated by properly selecting the aperture areas in the two cavities. The radiometer has been calibrated by a pulsed solar simulator at concentration levels of hundreds of suns. An optical model and a ray-tracing study have also been developed and validated, by which the potentialities of the radiometer have been largely explored.

  2. The prediction of cyclic proximal humerus fracture fixation failure by various bone density measures.

    PubMed

    Varga, Peter; Grünwald, Leonard; Windolf, Markus

    2018-02-22

    Fixation of osteoporotic proximal humerus fractures has remained challenging, but may be improved by careful pre-operative planning. The aim of this study was to investigate how well the failure of locking plate fixation of osteoporotic proximal humerus fractures can be predicted by bone density measures assessed with currently available clinical imaging (realistic case) and a higher resolution and quality modality (theoretical best-case). Various density measures were correlated to experimentally assessed number of cycles to construct failure of plated unstable low-density proximal humerus fractures (N = 18). The influence of density evaluation technique was investigated by comparing local (peri-implant) versus global evaluation regions; HR-pQCT-based versus clinical QCT-based image data; ipsilateral versus contralateral side; and bone mineral content (BMC) versus bone mineral density (BMD). All investigated density measures were significantly correlated with the experimental cycles to failure. The best performing clinically feasible parameter was the QCT-based BMC of the contralateral articular cap region, providing significantly better correlation (R 2  = 0.53) compared to a previously proposed clinical density measure (R 2  = 0.30). BMC had consistently, but not significantly stronger correlations with failure than BMD. The overall best results were obtained with the ipsilateral HR-pQCT-based local BMC (R 2  = 0.74) that may be used for implant optimization. Strong correlations were found between the corresponding density measures of the two CT image sources, as well as between the two sides. Future studies should investigate if BMC of the contralateral articular cap region could provide improved prediction of clinical fixation failure compared to previously proposed measures. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Accurate mass measurement by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. I. Measurement of positive radical ions using porphyrin standard reference materials.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Nia W; Wyatt, Mark F; Kean, Suzanna D; Graham, Andrew E; Stein, Bridget K; Brenton, A Gareth

    2010-06-15

    A method for the accurate mass measurement of positive radical ions by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) is described. Initial use of a conjugated oligomeric calibration material was rejected in favour of a series of meso-tetraalkyl/tetraalkylaryl-functionalised porphyrins, from which the two calibrants required for a particular accurate mass measurement were chosen. While all measurements of monoisotopic species were within +/-5 ppm, and the method was rigorously validated using chemometrics, mean values of five measurements were used for extra confidence in the generation of potential elemental formulae. Potential difficulties encountered when measuring compounds containing multi-isotopic elements are discussed, where the monoisotopic peak is no longer the lowest mass peak, and a simple mass-correction solution can be applied. The method requires no significant expertise to implement, but care and attention is required to obtain valid measurements. The method is operationally simple and will prove useful to the analytical chemistry community. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. The reliability of Raman micro-spectroscopy in measuring the density of CO2 mantle fluids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Remigi, S.; Frezzotti, M. L.; Ferrando, S.; Villa, I. M.; Maffeis, A.

    2017-12-01

    Recent evaluations of carbon fluxes into and out the Earth's interior recognize that a significant part of the total outgassing of deep Earth carbon occurs in tectonically active areas (Kelemen and Manning, 2015). Potential tracers of carbon fluxes at mantle depths include CO2 fluid inclusions in peridotites. Raman micro-spectroscopy allows calculating the density of CO2 fluids based on the distance of the CO2 Fermi doublet, Δ, in cm-1 (Rosso and Bodnar, 1995). The aim of this work is to check the reliability of Raman densimeter equations (cf. Lamadrid et al., 2016) for high-density CO2 fluids originating at mantle depths. Forty pure CO2 inclusions in peridotites (El Hierro, Canary Islands) of known density (microthermometry) have been analyzed by Raman micro-spectroscopy. In order to evaluate the influence of contaminants on the reliability of equations, 22 CO2-rich inclusions containing subordinate amounts of N2, CO, SO2 have also been studied. Raman spectrometer analytical conditions are: 532 nm laser, 80 mW emission power, T 18°C, 1800 and 600 grating, 1 accumulation x 80 sec. Daily calibration included diamond and atmosphere N2. Results suggest that the "Raman densimeter" represents an accurate method to calculate the density of CO2 mantle fluids. Equations, however, must be applied only to pure CO2 fluids, since contaminants, even in trace amounts (0.39 mol%), affect the Δ resulting in density overestimation. Present study further highlights how analytical conditions and data processing, such as spectral resolution (i.e., grating), calibration linearity, and statistical treatment of spectra, influence the accuracy and the precision of Δ measurements. As a consequence, specific analytical protocols for single Raman spectrometers should be set up in order to get reliable CO2 density data. Kelemen, Peter B., & Craig E. Manning. PNAS, 112.30 (2015): E3997-E4006.Lamadrid, H. M., Moore, L. R., Moncada, D., Rimstidt, J. D., Burruss, R. C., & Bodnar, R. J. Chem

  5. Accurate structure, thermodynamics and spectroscopy of medium-sized radicals by hybrid Coupled Cluster/Density Functional Theory approaches: the case of phenyl radical

    PubMed Central

    Barone, Vincenzo; Biczysko, Malgorzata; Bloino, Julien; Egidi, Franco; Puzzarini, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    The CCSD(T) model coupled with extrapolation to the complete basis-set limit and additive approaches represents the “golden standard” for the structural and spectroscopic characterization of building blocks of biomolecules and nanosystems. However, when open-shell systems are considered, additional problems related to both specific computational difficulties and the need of obtaining spin-dependent properties appear. In this contribution, we present a comprehensive study of the molecular structure and spectroscopic (IR, Raman, EPR) properties of the phenyl radical with the aim of validating an accurate computational protocol able to deal with conjugated open-shell species. We succeeded in obtaining reliable and accurate results, thus confirming and, partly, extending the available experimental data. The main issue to be pointed out is the need of going beyond the CCSD(T) level by including a full treatment of triple excitations in order to fulfil the accuracy requirements. On the other hand, the reliability of density functional theory in properly treating open-shell systems has been further confirmed. PMID:23802956

  6. System to measure accurate temperature dependence of electric conductivity down to 20 K in ultrahigh vacuum.

    PubMed

    Sakai, C; Takeda, S N; Daimon, H

    2013-07-01

    We have developed the new in situ electrical-conductivity measurement system which can be operated in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) with accurate temperature measurement down to 20 K. This system is mainly composed of a new sample-holder fixing mechanism, a new movable conductivity-measurement mechanism, a cryostat, and two receptors for sample- and four-probe holders. Sample-holder is pushed strongly against the receptor, which is connected to a cryostat, by using this new sample-holder fixing mechanism to obtain high thermal conductivity. Test pieces on the sample-holders have been cooled down to about 20 K using this fixing mechanism, although they were cooled down to only about 60 K without this mechanism. Four probes are able to be touched to a sample surface using this new movable conductivity-measurement mechanism for measuring electrical conductivity after making film on substrates or obtaining clean surfaces by cleavage, flashing, and so on. Accurate temperature measurement is possible since the sample can be transferred with a thermocouple and∕or diode being attached directly to the sample. A single crystal of Bi-based copper oxide high-Tc superconductor (HTSC) was cleaved in UHV to obtain clean surface, and its superconducting critical temperature has been successfully measured in situ. The importance of in situ measurement of resistance in UHV was demonstrated for this HTSC before and after cesium (Cs) adsorption on its surface. The Tc onset increase and the Tc offset decrease by Cs adsorption were observed.

  7. A practical strategy for the accurate measurement of residual dipolar couplings in strongly aligned small molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yizhou; Cohen, Ryan D.; Martin, Gary E.; Williamson, R. Thomas

    2018-06-01

    Accurate measurement of residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) requires an appropriate degree of alignment in order to optimize data quality. An overly weak alignment yields very small anisotropic data that are susceptible to measurement errors, whereas an overly strong alignment introduces extensive anisotropic effects that severely degrade spectral quality. The ideal alignment amplitude also depends on the specific pulse sequence used for the coupling measurement. In this work, we introduce a practical strategy for the accurate measurement of one-bond 13C-1H RDCs up to a range of ca. -300 to +300 Hz, corresponding to an alignment that is an order of magnitude stronger than typically employed for small molecule structural elucidation. This strong alignment was generated in the mesophase of the commercially available poly-γ-(benzyl-L-glutamate) polymer. The total coupling was measured by the simple and well-studied heteronuclear two-dimensional J-resolved experiment, which performs well in the presence of strong anisotropic effects. In order to unequivocally determine the sign of the total coupling and resolve ambiguities in assigning total couplings in the CH2 group, coupling measurements were conducted at an isotropic condition plus two anisotropic conditions of different alignment amplitudes. Most RDCs could be readily extracted from these measurements whereas more complicated spectral effects resulting from strong homonuclear coupling could be interpreted either theoretically or by simulation. Importantly, measurement of these very large RDCs actually offers significantly improved data quality and utility for the structure determination of small organic molecules.

  8. Comparison of bone density measurement techniques: DXA and Archimedes' principle.

    PubMed

    Keenan, M J; Hegsted, M; Jones, K L; Delany, J P; Kime, J C; Melancon, L E; Tulley, R T; Hong, K D

    1997-11-01

    The standard method for determination of density (g/cm3) of bones from small animals has been the application of Archimedes' principle. A recent development has been software for the determination of "density" (g/cm2) of small animal bones with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We compared Archimedes' principle and DXA (Hologic QDR-2000) in the measurement of the densities of whole and hollowed femurs of 5- to 6-month-old retired female breeder rats. In an attempt to ensure detectable treatment differences, rats were used from a low-vitamin D Holtzman and a supplemental-vitamin D Sprague-Dawley colony. Whole femur densities were higher for supplemental-vitamin D colony rats than for low vitamin D rats using both techniques (Archimedes' principle, p < 0.002; DXA, p < 0.005), and the densities from the two techniques were highly correlated (r = 0.82, p < 0.0001). Actual density values were higher for Archimedes' principle than for DXA. Other variables such as femur ash weight and calcium content were also highly correlated to densities with both techniques. Hollowed femur density values were higher than whole femur values with Archimedes' principle but lower with DXA. Colony effects for hollowed femur densities were diminished with Archimedes' principle (p < 0.03) and eliminated with DXA (p < 0.53). Investigation of whole bones is more biologically relevant, and both techniques were effective in detecting differences between whole femurs from low-vitamin D and supplemental-vitamin D colony rats.

  9. Ultrasonic density measurement cell design and simulation of non-ideal effects.

    PubMed

    Higuti, Ricardo Tokio; Buiochi, Flávio; Adamowski, Júlio Cezar; de Espinosa, Francisco Montero

    2006-07-01

    This paper presents a theoretical analysis of a density measurement cell using an unidimensional model composed by acoustic and electroacoustic transmission lines in order to simulate non-ideal effects. The model is implemented using matrix operations, and is used to design the cell considering its geometry, materials used in sensor assembly, range of liquid sample properties and signal analysis techniques. The sensor performance in non-ideal conditions is studied, considering the thicknesses of adhesive and metallization layers, and the effect of residue of liquid sample which can impregnate on the sample chamber surfaces. These layers are taken into account in the model, and their effects are compensated to reduce the error on density measurement. The results show the contribution of residue layer thickness to density error and its behavior when two signal analysis methods are used.

  10. Compensation method for obtaining accurate, sub-micrometer displacement measurements of immersed specimens using electronic speckle interferometry.

    PubMed

    Fazio, Massimo A; Bruno, Luigi; Reynaud, Juan F; Poggialini, Andrea; Downs, J Crawford

    2012-03-01

    We proposed and validated a compensation method that accounts for the optical distortion inherent in measuring displacements on specimens immersed in aqueous solution. A spherically-shaped rubber specimen was mounted and pressurized on a custom apparatus, with the resulting surface displacements recorded using electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). Point-to-point light direction computation is achieved by a ray-tracing strategy coupled with customized B-spline-based analytical representation of the specimen shape. The compensation method reduced the mean magnitude of the displacement error induced by the optical distortion from 35% to 3%, and ESPI displacement measurement repeatability showed a mean variance of 16 nm at the 95% confidence level for immersed specimens. The ESPI interferometer and numerical data analysis procedure presented herein provide reliable, accurate, and repeatable measurement of sub-micrometer deformations obtained from pressurization tests of spherically-shaped specimens immersed in aqueous salt solution. This method can be used to quantify small deformations in biological tissue samples under load, while maintaining the hydration necessary to ensure accurate material property assessment.

  11. Generalized weighted ratio method for accurate turbidity measurement over a wide range.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongbo; Yang, Ping; Song, Hong; Guo, Yilu; Zhan, Shuyue; Huang, Hui; Wang, Hangzhou; Tao, Bangyi; Mu, Quanquan; Xu, Jing; Li, Dejun; Chen, Ying

    2015-12-14

    Turbidity measurement is important for water quality assessment, food safety, medicine, ocean monitoring, etc. In this paper, a method that accurately estimates the turbidity over a wide range is proposed, where the turbidity of the sample is represented as a weighted ratio of the scattered light intensities at a series of angles. An improvement in the accuracy is achieved by expanding the structure of the ratio function, thus adding more flexibility to the turbidity-intensity fitting. Experiments have been carried out with an 850 nm laser and a power meter fixed on a turntable to measure the light intensity at different angles. The results show that the relative estimation error of the proposed method is 0.58% on average for a four-angle intensity combination for all test samples with a turbidity ranging from 160 NTU to 4000 NTU.

  12. Accurate measurement of junctional conductance between electrically coupled cells with dual whole-cell voltage-clamp under conditions of high series resistance.

    PubMed

    Hartveit, Espen; Veruki, Margaret Lin

    2010-03-15

    Accurate measurement of the junctional conductance (G(j)) between electrically coupled cells can provide important information about the functional properties of coupling. With the development of tight-seal, whole-cell recording, it became possible to use dual, single-electrode voltage-clamp recording from pairs of small cells to measure G(j). Experiments that require reduced perturbation of the intracellular environment can be performed with high-resistance pipettes or the perforated-patch technique, but an accompanying increase in series resistance (R(s)) compromises voltage-clamp control and reduces the accuracy of G(j) measurements. Here, we present a detailed analysis of methodologies available for accurate determination of steady-state G(j) and related parameters under conditions of high R(s), using continuous or discontinuous single-electrode voltage-clamp (CSEVC or DSEVC) amplifiers to quantify the parameters of different equivalent electrical circuit model cells. Both types of amplifiers can provide accurate measurements of G(j), with errors less than 5% for a wide range of R(s) and G(j) values. However, CSEVC amplifiers need to be combined with R(s)-compensation or mathematical correction for the effects of nonzero R(s) and finite membrane resistance (R(m)). R(s)-compensation is difficult for higher values of R(s) and leads to instability that can damage the recorded cells. Mathematical correction for R(s) and R(m) yields highly accurate results, but depends on accurate estimates of R(s) throughout an experiment. DSEVC amplifiers display very accurate measurements over a larger range of R(s) values than CSEVC amplifiers and have the advantage that knowledge of R(s) is unnecessary, suggesting that they are preferable for long-duration experiments and/or recordings with high R(s). Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Device for measuring the fluid density of a two-phase mixture

    DOEpatents

    Cole, Jack H.

    1980-01-01

    A device for measuring the fluid density of a two-phase mixture flowing through a tubular member. A rotor assembly is rotatively supported within the tubular member so that it can also move axially within the tubular member. The rotor assembly is balanced against a pair of springs which exert an axial force in the opposite direction upon the rotor assembly. As a two-phase mixture flows through the tubular member it contacts the rotor assembly causing it to rotate about its axis. The rotor assembly is forced against and partially compresses the springs. Means are provided to measure the rotational speed of the rotor assembly and the linear displacement of the rotor assembly. From these measurements the fluid density of the two-phase mixture is calculated.

  14. Free-stream temperature, density, and pressure measurements in an expansion tube flow

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Haggard, K. V.

    1973-01-01

    An experimental study was conducted to determine test-flow conditions in the Langley pilot model expansion tube. Measurements of temperature, density, wall pressure, pitot pressure, and shock and interface velocities were compared with theoretical calculations based on various models of the flow cycle. The vibrational temperature and integrated density of the molecular oxygen component of the flow were measured by use of vacuum ultraviolet absorption techniques. These measurements indicate both the presence and possible degree of nonequilibrium in the flow. Data are compared with several simplified models of the flow cycle, and data trends are discussed.

  15. Faraday-effect polarimeter-interferometer system for current density measurement on EAST

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, H. Q.; Jie, Y. X., E-mail: yx-jie@ipp.ac.cn; Zou, Z. Y.

    2014-11-15

    A multichannel far-infrared laser-based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system utilizing the three-wave technique is under development for current density and electron density profile measurements in the EAST tokamak. Novel molybdenum retro-reflectors are mounted in the inside wall for the double-pass optical arrangement. A Digital Phase Detector with 250 kHz bandwidth, which will provide real-time Faraday rotation angle and density phase shift output, have been developed for use on the POINT system. Initial calibration indicates the electron line-integrated density resolution is less than 5 × 10{sup 16} m{sup −2} (∼2°), and the Faraday rotation angle rms phase noise is <0.1°.

  16. Measurements of LGS, LGN, and LGT thermal coefficients of expansion and density.

    PubMed

    Malocha, Donald C; François-Saint-Cyr, Hugues; Richardson, Kathleen; Helmbold, Robert

    2002-03-01

    This paper will report on the measurements of the thermal coefficients of expansion and density of langasite (LGS), langanite (LGN), and langatate (LGT). The data were obtained by fabricating cubes with X, Y, and Z faces with nominal dimensions of 1 cm on a side for each material under test. The techniques used for measurement of density and thermal coefficients of expansion (TCE) of the materials are discussed. The data sets obtained and the extracted coefficients are presented.

  17. Electron densities in the ionosphere of Mars: A comparison of MARSIS and radio occultation measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogt, Marissa F.; Withers, Paul; Fallows, Kathryn; Flynn, Casey L.; Andrews, David J.; Duru, Firdevs; Morgan, David D.

    2016-10-01

    Radio occultation electron densities measurements from the Mariner 9 and Viking spacecraft, which orbited Mars in the 1970s, have recently become available in a digital format. These data are highly complementary to the radio occultation electron density profiles from Mars Global Surveyor, which were restricted in solar zenith angle and altitude. We have compiled data from the Mariner 9, Viking, and Mars Global Surveyor radio occultation experiments for comparison to electron density measurements made by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS), the topside radar sounder on Mars Express, and MARSIS-based empirical density models. We find that the electron densities measured by radio occultation are in generally good agreement with the MARSIS data and model, especially near the altitude of the peak electron density but that the MARSIS data and model display a larger plasma scale height than the radio occultation profiles at altitudes between the peak density and 200 km. Consequently, the MARSIS-measured and model electron densities are consistently larger than radio occultation densities at altitudes 200-300 km. Finally, we have analyzed transitions in the topside ionosphere, at the boundary between the photochemically controlled and transport-controlled regions, and identified the average transition altitude, or altitude at which a change in scale height occurs. The average transition altitude is 200 km in the Mariner 9 and Viking radio occultation profiles and in profiles of the median MARSIS radar sounding electron densities.

  18. Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic Used to Measure Velocity and Density Fluctuation Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seasholtz, Richard G.; Panda, Jayanta; Elam, Kristie A.

    2003-01-01

    A new, molecular Rayleigh-scattering-based flow diagnostic developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center has been used for the first time to measure the power spectrum of both gas density and radial velocity components in the plumes of high-speed jets. The objective of the work is to develop an unseeded, nonintrusive dynamic measurement technique for studying turbulent flows in NASA test facilities. This technique provides aerothermodynamic data not previously obtainable. It is particularly important for supersonic flows, where hot wire and pitot probes are difficult to use and disturb the flow under study. The effort is part of the nonintrusive instrumentation development program supporting propulsion research at the NASA Glenn Research Center. In particular, this work is measuring fluctuations in flow velocity, density, and temperature for jet noise studies. These data are valuable to researchers studying the correlation of flow fluctuations with far-field noise. One of the main objectives in jet noise research is to identify noise sources in the jet and to determine their contribution to noise generation. The technique is based on analyzing light scattered from molecules within the jet using a Fabry-Perot interferometer operating in a static imaging mode. The PC-based data acquisition system can simultaneously sample velocity and density data at rates to about 100 kHz and can handle up to 10 million data records. We used this system to interrogate three different jet nozzle designs in a Glenn free-jet facility. Each nozzle had a 25.4-mm exit diameter. One was convergent, used for subsonic flow measurements and to produce a screeching underexpanded jet with a fully expanded Mach number of 1.42. The other nozzles (Mach 1.4 and 1.8) were convergent-divergent types. The radial component of velocity and gas density were simultaneously measured in this work.

  19. Fast and accurate enzyme activity measurements using a chip-based microfluidic calorimeter.

    PubMed

    van Schie, Morten M C H; Ebrahimi, Kourosh Honarmand; Hagen, Wilfred R; Hagedoorn, Peter-Leon

    2018-03-01

    Recent developments in microfluidic and nanofluidic technologies have resulted in development of new chip-based microfluidic calorimeters with potential use in different fields. One application would be the accurate high-throughput measurement of enzyme activity. Calorimetry is a generic way to measure activity of enzymes, but unlike conventional calorimeters, chip-based calorimeters can be easily automated and implemented in high-throughput screening platforms. However, application of chip-based microfluidic calorimeters to measure enzyme activity has been limited due to problems associated with miniaturization such as incomplete mixing and a decrease in volumetric heat generated. To address these problems we introduced a calibration method and devised a convenient protocol for using a chip-based microfluidic calorimeter. Using the new calibration method, the progress curve of alkaline phosphatase, which has product inhibition for phosphate, measured by the calorimeter was the same as that recorded by UV-visible spectroscopy. Our results may enable use of current chip-based microfluidic calorimeters in a simple manner as a tool for high-throughput screening of enzyme activity with potential applications in drug discovery and enzyme engineering. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Ozone density measurements in the troposphere and stratosphere of Natal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kirchhoff, V. W. J. H.; Motta, A. G.

    1983-01-01

    Ozone densitities were measured in the troposphere and stratosphere of Natal using ECC sondes launches on balloons. The data analyzed so far show tropospheric densities and total ozone contents larger than expected.

  1. High speed digital holography for density and fluctuation measurements (invited).

    PubMed

    Thomas, C E; Baylor, L R; Combs, S K; Meitner, S J; Rasmussen, D A; Granstedt, E M; Majeski, R P; Kaita, R

    2010-10-01

    The state of the art in electro-optics has advanced to the point where digital holographic acquisition of wavefronts is now possible. Holographic wavefront acquisition provides the phase of the wavefront at every measurement point. This can be done with accuracy on the order of a thousandth of a wavelength, given that there is sufficient care in the design of the system. At wave frequencies which are much greater than the plasma frequency, the plasma index of refraction is linearly proportional to the electron density and wavelength, and the measurement of the phase of a wavefront passing through the plasma gives the chord-integrated density directly for all points measured on the wavefront. High-speed infrared cameras (up to ∼40,000 fps at ∼64×4 pixels) with resolutions up to 640×512 pixels suitable for use with a CO(2) laser are readily available, if expensive.

  2. Dynamic measurement of temperature, velocity, and density in hot jets using Rayleigh scattering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mielke, Amy F.; Elam, Kristie A.

    2009-10-01

    A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique is utilized to measure gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded gas flows at sampling rates up to 10 kHz, providing fluctuation information up to 5 kHz based on the Nyquist theorem. A high-power continuous-wave laser beam is focused at a point in an air flow field and Rayleigh scattered light is collected and fiber-optically transmitted to a Fabry-Perot interferometer for spectral analysis. Photomultiplier tubes operated in the photon counting mode allow high-frequency sampling of the total signal level and the circular interference pattern to provide dynamic density, temperature, and velocity measurements. Mean and root mean square velocity, temperature, and density, as well as power spectral density calculations, are presented for measurements in a hydrogen-combustor heated jet facility with a 50.8-mm diameter nozzle at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The Rayleigh measurements are compared with particle image velocimetry data and computational fluid dynamics predictions. This technique is aimed at aeronautics research related to identifying noise sources in free jets, as well as applications in supersonic and hypersonic flows where measurement of flow properties, including mass flux, is required in the presence of shocks and ionization occurrence.

  3. Evaluation of Quantra Hologic Volumetric Computerized Breast Density Software in Comparison With Manual Interpretation in a Diverse Population.

    PubMed

    Richard-Davis, Gloria; Whittemore, Brianna; Disher, Anthony; Rice, Valerie Montgomery; Lenin, Rathinasamy B; Dollins, Camille; Siegel, Eric R; Eswaran, Hari

    2018-01-01

    Increased mammographic breast density is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer development, regardless of age or ethnic background. The current gold standard for categorizing breast density consists of a radiologist estimation of percent density according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) criteria. This study compares paired qualitative interpretations of breast density on digital mammograms with quantitative measurement of density using Hologic's Food and Drug Administration-approved R2 Quantra volumetric breast density assessment tool. Our goal was to find the best cutoff value of Quantra-calculated breast density for stratifying patients accurately into high-risk and low-risk breast density categories. Screening digital mammograms from 385 subjects, aged 18 to 64 years, were evaluated. These mammograms were interpreted by a radiologist using the ACR's BI-RADS density method, and had quantitative density measured using the R2 Quantra breast density assessment tool. The appropriate cutoff for breast density-based risk stratification using Quantra software was calculated using manually determined BI-RADS scores as a gold standard, in which scores of D3/D4 denoted high-risk densities and D1/D2 denoted low-risk densities. The best cutoff value for risk stratification using Quantra-calculated breast density was found to be 14.0%, yielding a sensitivity of 65%, specificity of 77%, and positive and negative predictive values of 75% and 69%, respectively. Under bootstrap analysis, the best cutoff value had a mean ± SD of 13.70% ± 0.89%. Our study is the first to publish on a North American population that assesses the accuracy of the R2 Quantra system at breast density stratification. Quantitative breast density measures will improve accuracy and reliability of density determination, assisting future researchers to accurately calculate breast cancer risks associated with density increase.

  4. Method to make accurate concentration and isotopic measurements for small gas samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palmer, M. R.; Wahl, E.; Cunningham, K. L.

    2013-12-01

    Carbon isotopic ratio measurements of CO2 and CH4 provide valuable insight into carbon cycle processes. However, many of these studies, like soil gas, soil flux, and water head space experiments, provide very small gas sample volumes, too small for direct measurement by current constant-flow Cavity Ring-Down (CRDS) isotopic analyzers. Previously, we addressed this issue by developing a sample introduction module which enabled the isotopic ratio measurement of 40ml samples or smaller. However, the system, called the Small Sample Isotope Module (SSIM), does dilute the sample during the delivery with inert carrier gas which causes a ~5% reduction in concentration. The isotopic ratio measurements are not affected by this small dilution, but researchers are naturally interested accurate concentration measurements. We present the accuracy and precision of a new method of using this delivery module which we call 'double injection.' Two portions of the 40ml of the sample (20ml each) are introduced to the analyzer, the first injection of which flushes out the diluting gas and the second injection is measured. The accuracy of this new method is demonstrated by comparing the concentration and isotopic ratio measurements for a gas sampled directly and that same gas measured through the SSIM. The data show that the CO2 concentration measurements were the same within instrument precision. The isotopic ratio precision (1σ) of repeated measurements was 0.16 permil for CO2 and 1.15 permil for CH4 at ambient concentrations. This new method provides a significant enhancement in the information provided by small samples.

  5. Self-Interaction Chromatography of mAbs: Accurate Measurement of Dead Volumes.

    PubMed

    Hedberg, S H M; Heng, J Y Y; Williams, D R; Liddell, J M

    2015-12-01

    Measurement of the second virial coefficient B22 for proteins using self-interaction chromatography (SIC) is becoming an increasingly important technique for studying their solution behaviour. In common with all physicochemical chromatographic methods, measuring the dead volume of the SIC packed column is crucial for accurate retention data; this paper examines best practise for dead volume determination. SIC type experiments using catalase, BSA, lysozyme and a mAb as model systems are reported, as well as a number of dead column measurements. It was observed that lysozyme and mAb interacted specifically with Toyopearl AF-Formyl dead columns depending upon pH and [NaCl], invalidating their dead volume usage. Toyopearl AF-Amino packed dead columns showed no such problems and acted as suitable dead columns without any solution condition dependency. Dead volume determinations using dextran MW standards with protein immobilised SIC columns provided dead volume estimates close to those obtained using Toyopearl AF-Amino dead columns. It is concluded that specific interactions between proteins, including mAbs, and select SIC support phases can compromise the use of some standard approaches for estimating the dead volume of SIC columns. Two other methods were shown to provide good estimates for the dead volume.

  6. Laser ultrasonics for bulk-density distribution measurement on green ceramic tiles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Revel, G. M.; Cavuto, A.; Pandarese, G.

    2016-10-01

    In this paper a Laser Ultrasonics (LUT) system is developed and applied to measure bulk density distribution of green ceramic tiles, which are porous materials with low heat conductivity. Bulk density of green ceramic bodies is a fundamental parameter to be kept under control in the industrial production of ceramic tiles. The LUT system proposed is based on a Nd:YAG pulsed laser for excitation and an air-coupled electro-capacitive transducer for detection. The paper reports experimental apparent bulk-density measurements on white ceramic bodies after a calibration procedures. The performances observed are better than those previously achieved by authors using air-coupled ultrasonic probes for both emission and detection, allowing to reduce average uncertainty down to about ±6 kg/m3 (±0.3%), thanks to the increase in excitation efficiency and lateral resolution, while maintaining potential flexibility for on-line application. The laser ultrasonic procedure proposed is available for both on-line and off-line application. In this last case it is possible to obtain bulk density maps with high spatial resolution by a 2D scan without interrupting the production process.

  7. Accurate Measurement of Velocity and Acceleration of Seismic Vibrations near Nuclear Power Plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arif, Syed Javed; Imdadullah; Asghar, Mohammad Syed Jamil

    In spite of all prerequisite geological study based precautions, the sites of nuclear power plants are also susceptible to seismic vibrations and their consequent effects. The effect of the ongoing nuclear tragedy in Japan caused by an earthquake and its consequent tsunami on March 11, 2011 is currently beyond contemplations. It has led to a rethinking on nuclear power stations by various governments around the world. Therefore, the prediction of location and time of large earthquakes has regained a great importance. The earth crust is made up of several wide, thin and rigid plates like blocks which are in constant motion with respect to each other. A series of vibrations on the earth surface are produced by the generation of elastic seismic waves due to sudden rupture within the plates during the release of accumulated strain energy. The range of frequency of seismic vibrations is from 0 to 10 Hz. However, there appears a large variation in magnitude, velocity and acceleration of these vibrations. The response of existing or conventional methods of measurement of seismic vibrations is very slow, which is of the order of tens of seconds. A systematic and high resolution measurement of velocity and acceleration of these vibrations are useful to interpret the pattern of waves and their anomalies more accurately, which are useful for the prediction of an earthquake. In the proposed work, a fast rotating magnetic field (RMF) is used to measure the velocity and acceleration of seismic vibrations in the millisecond range. The broad spectrum of pulses within one second range, measured by proposed method, gives all possible values of instantaneous velocity and instantaneous acceleration of the seismic vibrations. The spectrum of pulses in millisecond range becomes available which is useful to measure the pattern of fore shocks to predict the time and location of large earthquakes more accurately. Moreover, instead of average, the peak values of these quantities are helpful

  8. Electron density measurement of non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma using dispersion interferometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoshimura, Shinji; Kasahara, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi

    2017-10-01

    Medical applications of non-equilibrium atmospheric plasmas have recently been attracting a great deal of attention, where many types of plasma sources have been developed to meet the purposes. For example, plasma-activated medium (PAM), which is now being studied for cancer treatment, has been produced by irradiating non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma with ultrahigh electron density to a culture medium. Meanwhile, in order to measure electron density in magnetic confinement plasmas, a CO2 laser dispersion interferometer has been developed and installed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science, Japan. The dispersion interferometer has advantages that the measurement is insensitive to mechanical vibrations and changes in neutral gas density. Taking advantage of these properties, we applied the dispersion interferometer to electron density diagnostics of atmospheric pressure plasmas produced by the NU-Global HUMAP-WSAP-50 device, which is used for producing PAM. This study was supported by the Grant of Joint Research by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS).

  9. Comparison of measured and modelled negative hydrogen ion densities at the ECR-discharge HOMER

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rauner, D.; Kurutz, U.; Fantz, U.

    2015-04-08

    As the negative hydrogen ion density n{sub H{sup −}} is a key parameter for the investigation of negative ion sources, its diagnostic quantification is essential in source development and operation as well as for fundamental research. By utilizing the photodetachment process of negative ions, generally two different diagnostic methods can be applied: via laser photodetachment, the density of negative ions is measured locally, but only relatively to the electron density. To obtain absolute densities, the electron density has to be measured additionally, which induces further uncertainties. Via cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), the absolute density of H{sup −} is measured directly,more » however LOS-averaged over the plasma length. At the ECR-discharge HOMER, where H{sup −} is produced in the plasma volume, laser photodetachment is applied as the standard method to measure n{sub H{sup −}}. The additional application of CRDS provides the possibility to directly obtain absolute values of n{sub H{sup −}}, thereby successfully bench-marking the laser photodetachment system as both diagnostics are in good agreement. In the investigated pressure range from 0.3 to 3 Pa, the measured negative hydrogen ion density shows a maximum at 1 to 1.5 Pa and an approximately linear response to increasing input microwave powers from 200 up to 500 W. Additionally, the volume production of negative ions is 0-dimensionally modelled by balancing H{sup −} production and destruction processes. The modelled densities are adapted to the absolute measurements of n{sub H{sup −}} via CRDS, allowing to identify collisions of H{sup −} with hydrogen atoms (associative and non-associative detachment) to be the dominant loss process of H{sup −} in the plasma volume at HOMER. Furthermore, the characteristic peak of n{sub H{sup −}} observed at 1 to 1.5 Pa is identified to be caused by a comparable behaviour of the electron density with varying pressure, as n{sub e

  10. Absolute Density Calibration Cell for Laser Induced Fluorescence Erosion Rate Measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Domonkos, Matthew T.; Stevens, Richard E.

    2001-01-01

    Flight qualification of ion thrusters typically requires testing on the order of 10,000 hours. Extensive knowledge of wear mechanisms and rates is necessary to establish design confidence prior to long duration tests. Consequently, real-time erosion rate measurements offer the potential both to reduce development costs and to enhance knowledge of the dependency of component wear on operating conditions. Several previous studies have used laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure real-time, in situ erosion rates of ion thruster accelerator grids. Those studies provided only relative measurements of the erosion rate. In the present investigation, a molybdenum tube was resistively heated such that the evaporation rate yielded densities within the tube on the order of those expected from accelerator grid erosion. This work examines the suitability of the density cell as an absolute calibration source for LIF measurements, and the intrinsic error was evaluated.

  11. Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory Is as Accurate as CASPT2 for Electronic Excitation.

    PubMed

    Hoyer, Chad E; Ghosh, Soumen; Truhlar, Donald G; Gagliardi, Laura

    2016-02-04

    A correct description of electronically excited states is critical to the interpretation of visible-ultraviolet spectra, photochemical reactions, and excited-state charge-transfer processes in chemical systems. We have recently proposed a theory called multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), which is based on a combination of multiconfiguration wave function theory and a new kind of density functional called an on-top density functional. Here, we show that MC-PDFT with a first-generation on-top density functional performs as well as CASPT2 for an organic chemistry database including valence, Rydberg, and charge-transfer excitations. The results are very encouraging for practical applications.

  12. Spectral density measurements of gyro noise

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Truncale, A.; Koenigsberg, W.; Harris, R.

    1972-01-01

    Power spectral density (PSD) was used to analyze the outputs of several gyros in the frequency range from 0.01 to 200 Hz. Data were accumulated on eight inertial quality instruments. The results are described in terms of input angle noise (arcsec 2/Hz) and are presented on log-log plots of PSD. These data show that the standard deviation of measurement noise was 0.01 arcsec or less for some gyros in the passband from 1 Hz down 10 0.01 Hz and probably down to 0.001 Hz for at least one gyro. For the passband between 1 and 100 Hz, uncertainties in the 0.01 and 0.05 arcsec region were observed.

  13. Solar wind electron densities from Viking dual-frequency radio measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Muhleman, D. O.; Anderson, J. D.

    1981-01-01

    Simultaneous phase coherent, two-frequency measurements of the time delay between the earth station and the Viking spacecraft have been analyzed in terms of the electron density profiles from 4 solar radii to 200 solar radii. The measurements were made during a period of solar activity minimum (1976-1977) and show a strong solar latitude effect. The data were analyzed with both a model independent, direct numerical inversion technique and with model fitting, yielding essentially the same results. It is shown that the solar wind density can be represented by two power laws near the solar equator proportional to r exp -2.7 and r exp -2.04. However, the more rapidly falling term quickly disappears at moderate latitudes (approximately 20 deg) leaving only the inverse-square behavior.

  14. A comparison of five methods of measuring mammographic density: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Astley, Susan M; Harkness, Elaine F; Sergeant, Jamie C; Warwick, Jane; Stavrinos, Paula; Warren, Ruth; Wilson, Mary; Beetles, Ursula; Gadde, Soujanya; Lim, Yit; Jain, Anil; Bundred, Sara; Barr, Nicola; Reece, Valerie; Brentnall, Adam R; Cuzick, Jack; Howell, Tony; Evans, D Gareth

    2018-02-05

    High mammographic density is associated with both risk of cancers being missed at mammography, and increased risk of developing breast cancer. Stratification of breast cancer prevention and screening requires mammographic density measures predictive of cancer. This study compares five mammographic density measures to determine the association with subsequent diagnosis of breast cancer and the presence of breast cancer at screening. Women participating in the "Predicting Risk Of Cancer At Screening" (PROCAS) study, a study of cancer risk, completed questionnaires to provide personal information to enable computation of the Tyrer-Cuzick risk score. Mammographic density was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS), thresholding (Cumulus) and fully-automated methods (Densitas, Quantra, Volpara) in contralateral breasts of 366 women with unilateral breast cancer (cases) detected at screening on entry to the study (Cumulus 311/366) and in 338 women with cancer detected subsequently. Three controls per case were matched using age, body mass index category, hormone replacement therapy use and menopausal status. Odds ratios (OR) between the highest and lowest quintile, based on the density distribution in controls, for each density measure were estimated by conditional logistic regression, adjusting for classic risk factors. The strongest predictor of screen-detected cancer at study entry was VAS, OR 4.37 (95% CI 2.72-7.03) in the highest vs lowest quintile of percent density after adjustment for classical risk factors. Volpara, Densitas and Cumulus gave ORs for the highest vs lowest quintile of 2.42 (95% CI 1.56-3.78), 2.17 (95% CI 1.41-3.33) and 2.12 (95% CI 1.30-3.45), respectively. Quantra was not significantly associated with breast cancer (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.67-1.54). Similar results were found for subsequent cancers, with ORs of 4.48 (95% CI 2.79-7.18), 2.87 (95% CI 1.77-4.64) and 2.34 (95% CI 1.50-3.68) in highest vs lowest quintiles of VAS, Volpara and Densitas

  15. A photogrammetric technique for generation of an accurate multispectral optical flow dataset

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kniaz, V. V.

    2017-06-01

    A presence of an accurate dataset is the key requirement for a successful development of an optical flow estimation algorithm. A large number of freely available optical flow datasets were developed in recent years and gave rise for many powerful algorithms. However most of the datasets include only images captured in the visible spectrum. This paper is focused on the creation of a multispectral optical flow dataset with an accurate ground truth. The generation of an accurate ground truth optical flow is a rather complex problem, as no device for error-free optical flow measurement was developed to date. Existing methods for ground truth optical flow estimation are based on hidden textures, 3D modelling or laser scanning. Such techniques are either work only with a synthetic optical flow or provide a sparse ground truth optical flow. In this paper a new photogrammetric method for generation of an accurate ground truth optical flow is proposed. The method combines the benefits of the accuracy and density of a synthetic optical flow datasets with the flexibility of laser scanning based techniques. A multispectral dataset including various image sequences was generated using the developed method. The dataset is freely available on the accompanying web site.

  16. Finding the Density of Objects without Measuring Mass and Volume

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mumba, Frackson; Tsige, Mesfin

    2007-01-01

    A simple method based on the moment of forces and Archimedes' principle is described for finding density without measuring the mass and volume of an object. The method involves balancing two unknown objects of masses M[subscript 1] and M[subscript 2] on each side of a pivot on a metre rule and measuring their corresponding moment arms. The object…

  17. Spatially resolved density and ionization measurements of shocked foams using x-ray fluorescence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MacDonald, M. J.; Keiter, P. A.; Montgomery, D. S.

    2016-09-28

    We present experiments at the Trident laser facility demonstrating the use of x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to simultaneously measure density, ionization state populations, and electron temperature in shocked foams. An imaging x-ray spectrometer obtained spatially resolved measurements of Ti K-α emission. Density profiles were measured from K-α intensity. Ti ionization state distributions and electron temperatures were inferred by fitting K-α spectra to spectra from CRETIN simulations. This work shows that XRF provides a powerful tool to complement other diagnostics to make equation of state measurements of shocked materials containing a suitable tracer element.

  18. Advances in Multicollector ICPMS for precise and accurate isotope ratio measurements of Uranium isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bouman, C.; Lloyd, N. S.; Schwieters, J.

    2011-12-01

    The accurate and precise determination of uranium isotopes is challenging, because of the large dynamic range posed by the U isotope abundances and the limited available sample material. Various mass spectrometric techniques are used for the measurement of U isotopes, where TIMS is the most accepted and accurate one. Multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) can offer higher productivity compared to TIMS, but is traditionally limited by low efficiency of sample utilisation. This contribution will discuss progress in MC-ICPMS for detecting 234U, 235U, 236U and 238U in various uranium reference materials from IRMM and NBL. The Thermo Scientific NEPTUNE Plus with Jet Interface offers a modified dry plasma ICP interface using a large interface pump combined with a special set of sample and skimmer cones giving ultimate sensitivity for all elements across the mass range. For uranium, an ion yield of > 3 % was reported previously [1]. The NEPTUNE Plus also offers Multi Ion Counting using discrete dynode electron multipliers as well as two high abundance-sensitivity filters to discriminate against peak tailing effects on 234U and 236U originating from the major uranium beams. These improvements in sensitivity and dynamic range allow accurate measurements of 234U, 235U and 236U abundances on very small samples and at low concentration. In our approach, minor U isotopes 234U and 236U were detected on ion counters with high abundance sensitivity filters, whereas 235U and 238U were detected on Faraday Cups using a high gain current amplifier (10e12 Ohm) for 235U. Precisions and accuracies for 234U and 236U were down to ~1%. For 235U, subpermil levels were reached.

  19. Direct measurement of density of states in pentacene thin film transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yogev, S.; Halpern, E.; Matsubara, R.; Nakamura, M.; Rosenwaks, Y.

    2011-10-01

    We report on direct high lateral resolution measurements of density of states in pentacene thin film transistors using Kelvin probe force microscopy. The measurements were conducted on passivated (hexamethyldisilazane) and unpassivated field effect transistors with 10- and 30-nm-thick pentacene polycrystalline layers. The analysis takes into account both the band bending in the organic film and the trapped charge at the SiO2-pentacene interface. We found that the density of states for the highest occupied molecular orbital band of pentacene film on the treated substrate is Gaussian with a width (variance) of σ=0.07±0.01eV and an exponential tail. The concentration of the density of states in the gap for pentacene on bare SiO2 substrate was larger by one order of magnitude, had a different energy distribution, and induced Fermi level pinning. The results are discussed in view of their effect on pentacene thin film transistors’ performance.

  20. Active learning for noisy oracle via density power divergence.

    PubMed

    Sogawa, Yasuhiro; Ueno, Tsuyoshi; Kawahara, Yoshinobu; Washio, Takashi

    2013-10-01

    The accuracy of active learning is critically influenced by the existence of noisy labels given by a noisy oracle. In this paper, we propose a novel pool-based active learning framework through robust measures based on density power divergence. By minimizing density power divergence, such as β-divergence and γ-divergence, one can estimate the model accurately even under the existence of noisy labels within data. Accordingly, we develop query selecting measures for pool-based active learning using these divergences. In addition, we propose an evaluation scheme for these measures based on asymptotic statistical analyses, which enables us to perform active learning by evaluating an estimation error directly. Experiments with benchmark datasets and real-world image datasets show that our active learning scheme performs better than several baseline methods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. One-point fitting of the flux density produced by a heliostat

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Collado, Francisco J.

    Accurate and simple models for the flux density reflected by an isolated heliostat should be one of the basic tools for the design and optimization of solar power tower systems. In this work, the ability and the accuracy of the Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR) and the DLR (HFCAL) flux density models to fit actual energetic spots are checked against heliostat energetic images measured at Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA). Both the fully analytic models are able to acceptably fit the spot with only one-point fitting, i.e., the measured maximum flux. As a practical validation of this one-point fitting, the interceptmore » percentage of the measured images, i.e., the percentage of the energetic spot sent by the heliostat that gets the receiver surface, is compared with the intercept calculated through the UNIZAR and HFCAL models. As main conclusions, the UNIZAR and the HFCAL models could be quite appropriate tools for the design and optimization, provided the energetic images from the heliostats to be used in the collector field were previously analyzed. Also note that the HFCAL model is much simpler and slightly more accurate than the UNIZAR model. (author)« less

  2. Accurate characterization and understanding of interface trap density trends between atomic layer deposited dielectrics and AlGaN/GaN with bonding constraint theory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ramanan, Narayanan; Lee, Bongmook; Misra, Veena, E-mail: vmisra@ncsu.edu

    2015-06-15

    Many dielectrics have been proposed for the gate stack or passivation of AlGaN/GaN based metal oxide semiconductor heterojunction field effect transistors, to reduce gate leakage and current collapse, both for power and RF applications. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is preferred for dielectric deposition as it provides uniform, conformal, and high quality films with precise monolayer control of film thickness. Identification of the optimum ALD dielectric for the gate stack or passivation requires a critical investigation of traps created at the dielectric/AlGaN interface. In this work, a pulsed-IV traps characterization method has been used for accurate characterization of interface traps withmore » a variety of ALD dielectrics. High-k dielectrics (HfO{sub 2}, HfAlO, and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) are found to host a high density of interface traps with AlGaN. In contrast, ALD SiO{sub 2} shows the lowest interface trap density (<2 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2}) after annealing above 600 °C in N{sub 2} for 60 s. The trend in observed trap densities is subsequently explained with bonding constraint theory, which predicts a high density of interface traps due to a higher coordination state and bond strain in high-k dielectrics.« less

  3. Design and Theoretical Analysis of a Resonant Sensor for Liquid Density Measurement

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Dezhi; Shi, Jiying; Fan, Shangchun

    2012-01-01

    In order to increase the accuracy of on-line liquid density measurements, a sensor equipped with a tuning fork as the resonant sensitive component is designed in this paper. It is a quasi-digital sensor with simple structure and high precision. The sensor is based on resonance theory and composed of a sensitive unit and a closed-loop control unit, where the sensitive unit consists of the actuator, the resonant tuning fork and the detector and the closed-loop control unit comprises precondition circuit, digital signal processing and control unit, analog-to-digital converter and digital-to-analog converter. An approximate parameters model of the tuning fork is established and the impact of liquid density, position of the tuning fork, temperature and structural parameters on the natural frequency of the tuning fork are also analyzed. On this basis, a tuning fork liquid density measurement sensor is developed. In addition, experimental testing on the sensor has been carried out on standard calibration facilities under constant 20 °C, and the sensor coefficients are calibrated. The experimental results show that the repeatability error is about 0.03% and the accuracy is about 0.4 kg/m3. The results also confirm that the method to increase the accuracy of liquid density measurement is feasible. PMID:22969378

  4. Design and theoretical analysis of a resonant sensor for liquid density measurement.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Dezhi; Shi, Jiying; Fan, Shangchun

    2012-01-01

    In order to increase the accuracy of on-line liquid density measurements, a sensor equipped with a tuning fork as the resonant sensitive component is designed in this paper. It is a quasi-digital sensor with simple structure and high precision. The sensor is based on resonance theory and composed of a sensitive unit and a closed-loop control unit, where the sensitive unit consists of the actuator, the resonant tuning fork and the detector and the closed-loop control unit comprises precondition circuit, digital signal processing and control unit, analog-to-digital converter and digital-to-analog converter. An approximate parameters model of the tuning fork is established and the impact of liquid density, position of the tuning fork, temperature and structural parameters on the natural frequency of the tuning fork are also analyzed. On this basis, a tuning fork liquid density measurement sensor is developed. In addition, experimental testing on the sensor has been carried out on standard calibration facilities under constant 20 °C, and the sensor coefficients are calibrated. The experimental results show that the repeatability error is about 0.03% and the accuracy is about 0.4 kg/m(3). The results also confirm that the method to increase the accuracy of liquid density measurement is feasible.

  5. Comparison of subjective and fully automated methods for measuring mammographic density.

    PubMed

    Moshina, Nataliia; Roman, Marta; Sebuødegård, Sofie; Waade, Gunvor G; Ursin, Giske; Hofvind, Solveig

    2018-02-01

    Background Breast radiologists of the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program subjectively classified mammographic density using a three-point scale between 1996 and 2012 and changed into the fourth edition of the BI-RADS classification since 2013. In 2015, an automated volumetric breast density assessment software was installed at two screening units. Purpose To compare volumetric breast density measurements from the automated method with two subjective methods: the three-point scale and the BI-RADS density classification. Material and Methods Information on subjective and automated density assessment was obtained from screening examinations of 3635 women recalled for further assessment due to positive screening mammography between 2007 and 2015. The score of the three-point scale (I = fatty; II = medium dense; III = dense) was available for 2310 women. The BI-RADS density score was provided for 1325 women. Mean volumetric breast density was estimated for each category of the subjective classifications. The automated software assigned volumetric breast density to four categories. The agreement between BI-RADS and volumetric breast density categories was assessed using weighted kappa (k w ). Results Mean volumetric breast density was 4.5%, 7.5%, and 13.4% for categories I, II, and III of the three-point scale, respectively, and 4.4%, 7.5%, 9.9%, and 13.9% for the BI-RADS density categories, respectively ( P for trend < 0.001 for both subjective classifications). The agreement between BI-RADS and volumetric breast density categories was k w  = 0.5 (95% CI = 0.47-0.53; P < 0.001). Conclusion Mean values of volumetric breast density increased with increasing density category of the subjective classifications. The agreement between BI-RADS and volumetric breast density categories was moderate.

  6. Two-Dimensional Electron Density Measurement of Positive Streamer Discharge in Atmospheric-Pressure Air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inada, Yuki; Ono, Ryo; Kumada, Akiko; Hidaka, Kunihiko; Maeyama, Mitsuaki

    2016-09-01

    The electron density of streamer discharges propagating in atmospheric-pressure air is crucially important for systematic understanding of the production mechanisms of reactive species utilized in wide ranging applications such as medical treatment, plasma-assisted ignition and combustion, ozone production and environmental pollutant processing. However, electron density measurement during the propagation of the atmospheric-pressure streamers is extremely difficult by using the conventional localized type measurement systems due to the streamer initiation jitters and the irreproducibility in the discharge paths. In order to overcome the difficulties, single-shot two-dimensional electron density measurement was conducted by using a Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensor. The Shack-Hartmann sensor with a temporal resolution of 2 ns was applied to pulsed positive streamer discharges generated in an air gap between pin-to-plate electrodes. The electron density a few ns after the streamer initiation was 7*1021m-3 and uniformly distributed along the streamer channel. The electron density and its distribution profile were compared with a previous study simulating similar streamers, demonstrating good agreement. This work was supported in part by JKA and its promotion funds from KEIRIN RACE. The authors like to thank Mr. Kazuaki Ogura and Mr. Kaiho Aono of The University of Tokyo for their support during this work.

  7. Measuring the shock impedance mismatch between high-density carbon and deuterium at the National Ignition Facility

    DOE PAGES

    Millot, M.; Celliers, P. M.; Sterne, P. A.; ...

    2018-04-18

    Fine-grained diamond, or high-density carbon (HDC), is being used as an ablator for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Accurate equation of state (EOS) knowledge over a wide range of phase space is critical in the design and analysis of integrated ICF experiments. Here in this paper, we report shock and release measurements of the shock impedance mismatch between HDC and liquid deuterium conducted during shock-timing experiments having a first shock in the ablator ranging between 8 and 14 Mbar. Using ultrafast Doppler imaging velocimetry to track the leading shock front, we characterize the shockmore » velocity discontinuity upon the arrival of the shock at the HDC/liquid deuterium interface. Comparing the experimental data with tabular EOS models used to simulate integrated ICF experiments indicates the need for an improved multiphase EOS model for HDC in order to achieve a significant increase in neutron yield in indirect-driven ICF implosions with HDC ablators.« less

  8. Measuring the shock impedance mismatch between high-density carbon and deuterium at the National Ignition Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Millot, M.; Celliers, P. M.; Sterne, P. A.; Benedict, L. X.; Correa, A. A.; Hamel, S.; Ali, S. J.; Baker, K. L.; Berzak Hopkins, L. F.; Biener, J.; Collins, G. W.; Coppari, F.; Divol, L.; Fernandez-Panella, A.; Fratanduono, D. E.; Haan, S. W.; Le Pape, S.; Meezan, N. B.; Moore, A. S.; Moody, J. D.; Ralph, J. E.; Ross, J. S.; Rygg, J. R.; Thomas, C.; Turnbull, D. P.; Wild, C.; Eggert, J. H.

    2018-04-01

    Fine-grained diamond, or high-density carbon (HDC), is being used as an ablator for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Accurate equation of state (EOS) knowledge over a wide range of phase space is critical in the design and analysis of integrated ICF experiments. Here, we report shock and release measurements of the shock impedance mismatch between HDC and liquid deuterium conducted during shock-timing experiments having a first shock in the ablator ranging between 8 and 14 Mbar. Using ultrafast Doppler imaging velocimetry to track the leading shock front, we characterize the shock velocity discontinuity upon the arrival of the shock at the HDC/liquid deuterium interface. Comparing the experimental data with tabular EOS models used to simulate integrated ICF experiments indicates the need for an improved multiphase EOS model for HDC in order to achieve a significant increase in neutron yield in indirect-driven ICF implosions with HDC ablators.

  9. Measuring the shock impedance mismatch between high-density carbon and deuterium at the National Ignition Facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Millot, M.; Celliers, P. M.; Sterne, P. A.

    Fine-grained diamond, or high-density carbon (HDC), is being used as an ablator for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Accurate equation of state (EOS) knowledge over a wide range of phase space is critical in the design and analysis of integrated ICF experiments. Here in this paper, we report shock and release measurements of the shock impedance mismatch between HDC and liquid deuterium conducted during shock-timing experiments having a first shock in the ablator ranging between 8 and 14 Mbar. Using ultrafast Doppler imaging velocimetry to track the leading shock front, we characterize the shockmore » velocity discontinuity upon the arrival of the shock at the HDC/liquid deuterium interface. Comparing the experimental data with tabular EOS models used to simulate integrated ICF experiments indicates the need for an improved multiphase EOS model for HDC in order to achieve a significant increase in neutron yield in indirect-driven ICF implosions with HDC ablators.« less

  10. UAV multirotor platform for accurate turbulence measurements in the atmosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carbajo Fuertes, Fernando; Wilhelm, Lionel; Sin, Kevin Edgar; Hofer, Matthias; Porté-Agel, Fernando

    2017-04-01

    One of the most challenging tasks in atmospheric field studies for wind energy is to obtain accurate turbulence measurements at any location inside the region of interest for a wind farm study. This volume would ideally include from several hundred meters to several kilometers around it and from ground height to the top of the boundary layer. An array of meteorological masts equipped with several sonic anemometers to cover all points of interest would be the best in terms of accuracy and data availability, but it is an obviously unfeasible solution. On the other hand, the evolution of wind LiDAR technology allows to measure at any point in space but unfortunately it involves two important limitations: the first one is the relatively low spatial and temporal resolution when compared to a sonic anemometer and the second one is the fact that the measurements are limited to the velocity component parallel to the laser beam (radial velocity). To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, a UAV multirotor platform has been developed. It is based on a state-of-the-art octocopter with enough payload to carry laboratory-grade instruments for the measurement of time-resolved atmospheric pressure, three-component velocity vector and temperature; and enough autonomy to fly from 10 to 20 minutes, which is a standard averaging time in most atmospheric measurement applications. The UAV uses a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a GPS and an algorithm has been developed and integrated for the correction of any orientation and movement. This UAV platform opens many possibilities for the study of features that have been almost exclusively studied until now in wind tunnel such as wind turbine blade tip vortex characteristics, near-wake to far-wake transition, momentum entrainment from the higher part of the boundary layer in wind farms, etc. The validation of this new measurement technique has been performed against sonic anemometry in terms of wind speed and temperature time series as well as

  11. In vivo measurement of the trabecular bone mineral density by coherent and Compton. gamma. -ray scattering

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karellas, A.

    1984-01-01

    A photon scattering method for measuring the mineral density of trabecular bone (BMD) is described. By computing the ratio of the coherent to Compton scattered photons, the BMD can be measured accurately and without any significant interference by the surrounding tissue. This study shows theoretically and experimentally that an increase in the scatter angle, when using 60 keV photons from Am-241, results in a stronger power dependence on Z. This implies that by increasing the scatter angle, smaller changes in BMD can be detected, thus improving the sensitivity of the measurement. The dependence of the sensitivity on the energy ofmore » the incident photons was also investigated. A collimated beam of photons from 1200 mCi of Am-241 (60 keV) was used and the scattered photons were detected at a scatter angle of 71/sup 0/. The system was calibrated by using a new standard which contains bone mineral mixed homogeneously with a marrow simulating substance. This method was applied for the measurement of the calcaneal BMD in 21 normal volunteers and seven paraplegic patients. The BMD values for the normal group ranged from 170-300 mg/cm/sup 3/. The BMD for the paraplegics with injuries older than one year ranged from 90-150 mg/cm/sup 3/. This measurement has potential application in the diagnosis of early osteopenia and in monitoring the effect of various treatment regimens.« less

  12. Signatures of the Primordial Universe from Its Emptiness: Measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from Minima of the Density Field.

    PubMed

    Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Liang, Yu; Zhao, Cheng; Tao, Charling; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Eisenstein, Daniel J; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Kneib, Jean-Paul; McBride, Cameron; Percival, Will J; Ross, Ashley J; Sánchez, Ariel G; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Vargas-Magana, Mariana; Zhao, Gong-Bo

    2016-04-29

    Sound waves from the primordial fluctuations of the Universe imprinted in the large-scale structure, called baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs), can be used as standard rulers to measure the scale of the Universe. These oscillations have already been detected in the distribution of galaxies. Here we propose to measure BAOs from the troughs (minima) of the density field. Based on two sets of accurate mock halo catalogues with and without BAOs in the seed initial conditions, we demonstrate that the BAO signal cannot be obtained from the clustering of classical disjoint voids, but it is clearly detected from overlapping voids. The latter represent an estimate of all troughs of the density field. We compute them from the empty circumsphere centers constrained by tetrahedra of galaxies using Delaunay triangulation. Our theoretical models based on an unprecedented large set of detailed simulated void catalogues are remarkably well confirmed by observational data. We use the largest recently publicly available sample of luminous red galaxies from SDSS-III BOSS DR11 to unveil for the first time a >3σ BAO detection from voids in observations. Since voids are nearly isotropically expanding regions, their centers represent the most quiet places in the Universe, keeping in mind the cosmos origin and providing a new promising window in the analysis of the cosmological large-scale structure from galaxy surveys.

  13. Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic for Measurement of Velocity and Density Fluctuation Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seasholtz, Richard G.; Panda, Jayanta; Elam, Kristie A.

    2002-01-01

    A new molecular Rayleigh scattering based flow diagnostic is used for the first time to measure the power spectrum of gas density and radial velocity component in the plumes of high speed jets. The technique is based on analyzing the Rayleigh scattered light with a Fabry-Perot interferometer used in the static, imaging mode. The PC based data acquisition system is capable of simultaneous sampling of velocity and density at rates to 100 kHz and data record lengths to 10 million. Velocity and density power spectra and velocity-density cross spectra are presented for a subsonic jet, an underexpanded screeching jet, and for Mach 1.4 and Mach 1.8 supersonic jets. Software and hardware interfaces were developed to allow computer control of all aspects of the experiment and data acquisition.

  14. The Relationship between Neurite Density Measured with Confocal Microscopy in a Cleared Mouse Brain and Metrics Obtained from Diffusion Tensor and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Irie, Ryusuke; Kamagata, Koji; Kerever, Aurelien; Ueda, Ryo; Yokosawa, Suguru; Otake, Yosuke; Ochi, Hisaaki; Yoshizawa, Hidekazu; Hayashi, Ayato; Tagawa, Kazuhiko; Okazawa, Hitoshi; Takahashi, Kohske; Sato, Kanako; Hori, Masaaki; Arikawa-Hirasawa, Eri; Aoki, Shigeki

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) enables sensitive measurement of tissue microstructure by quantifying the non-Gaussian diffusion of water. Although DKI is widely applied in many situations, histological correlation with DKI analysis is lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between DKI metrics and neurite density measured using confocal microscopy of a cleared mouse brain. Methods: One thy-1 yellow fluorescent protein 16 mouse was deeply anesthetized and perfusion fixation was performed. The brain was carefully dissected out and whole-brain MRI was performed using a 7T animal MRI system. DKI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were obtained. After the MRI scan, brain sections were prepared and then cleared using aminoalcohols (CUBIC). Confocal microscopy was performed using a two-photon confocal microscope with a laser. Forty-eight ROIs were set on the caudate putamen, seven ROIs on the anterior commissure, and seven ROIs on the ventral hippocampal commissure on the confocal microscopic image and a corresponding MR image. In each ROI, histological neurite density and the metrics of DKI and DTI were calculated. The correlations between diffusion metrics and neurite density were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. Results: Mean kurtosis (MK) (P = 5.2 × 10−9, r = 0.73) and radial kurtosis (P = 2.3 × 10−9, r = 0.74) strongly correlated with neurite density in the caudate putamen. The correlation between fractional anisotropy (FA) and neurite density was moderate (P = 0.0030, r = 0.42). In the anterior commissure and the ventral hippocampal commissure, neurite density and FA are very strongly correlated (P = 1.3 × 10−5, r = 0.90). MK in these areas were very high value and showed no significant correlation (P = 0.48). Conclusion: DKI accurately reflected neurite density in the area with crossing fibers, potentially allowing evaluation of complex microstructures. PMID:29213008

  15. The Relationship between Neurite Density Measured with Confocal Microscopy in a Cleared Mouse Brain and Metrics Obtained from Diffusion Tensor and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging.

    PubMed

    Irie, Ryusuke; Kamagata, Koji; Kerever, Aurelien; Ueda, Ryo; Yokosawa, Suguru; Otake, Yosuke; Ochi, Hisaaki; Yoshizawa, Hidekazu; Hayashi, Ayato; Tagawa, Kazuhiko; Okazawa, Hitoshi; Takahashi, Kohske; Sato, Kanako; Hori, Masaaki; Arikawa-Hirasawa, Eri; Aoki, Shigeki

    2018-04-10

    Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) enables sensitive measurement of tissue microstructure by quantifying the non-Gaussian diffusion of water. Although DKI is widely applied in many situations, histological correlation with DKI analysis is lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between DKI metrics and neurite density measured using confocal microscopy of a cleared mouse brain. One thy-1 yellow fluorescent protein 16 mouse was deeply anesthetized and perfusion fixation was performed. The brain was carefully dissected out and whole-brain MRI was performed using a 7T animal MRI system. DKI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were obtained. After the MRI scan, brain sections were prepared and then cleared using aminoalcohols (CUBIC). Confocal microscopy was performed using a two-photon confocal microscope with a laser. Forty-eight ROIs were set on the caudate putamen, seven ROIs on the anterior commissure, and seven ROIs on the ventral hippocampal commissure on the confocal microscopic image and a corresponding MR image. In each ROI, histological neurite density and the metrics of DKI and DTI were calculated. The correlations between diffusion metrics and neurite density were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. Mean kurtosis (MK) (P = 5.2 × 10 -9 , r = 0.73) and radial kurtosis (P = 2.3 × 10 -9 , r = 0.74) strongly correlated with neurite density in the caudate putamen. The correlation between fractional anisotropy (FA) and neurite density was moderate (P = 0.0030, r = 0.42). In the anterior commissure and the ventral hippocampal commissure, neurite density and FA are very strongly correlated (P = 1.3 × 10 -5 , r = 0.90). MK in these areas were very high value and showed no significant correlation (P = 0.48). DKI accurately reflected neurite density in the area with crossing fibers, potentially allowing evaluation of complex microstructures.

  16. Molecular Rayleigh Scattering Techniques Developed for Measuring Gas Flow Velocity, Density, Temperature, and Turbulence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mielke, Amy F.; Seasholtz, Richard G.; Elam, Kristie A.; Panda, Jayanta

    2005-01-01

    Nonintrusive optical point-wise measurement techniques utilizing the principles of molecular Rayleigh scattering have been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to obtain time-averaged information about gas velocity, density, temperature, and turbulence, or dynamic information about gas velocity and density in unseeded flows. These techniques enable measurements that are necessary for validating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aeroacoustic (CAA) codes. Dynamic measurements allow the calculation of power spectra for the various flow properties. This type of information is currently being used in jet noise studies, correlating sound pressure fluctuations with velocity and density fluctuations to determine noise sources in jets. These nonintrusive techniques are particularly useful in supersonic flows, where seeding the flow with particles is not an option, and where the environment is too harsh for hot-wire measurements.

  17. Volumetric versus area-based density assessment: comparisons using automated quantitative measurements from a large screening cohort

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gastounioti, Aimilia; Hsieh, Meng-Kang; Pantalone, Lauren; Conant, Emily F.; Kontos, Despina

    2018-03-01

    Mammographic density is an established risk factor for breast cancer. However, area-based density (ABD) measured in 2D mammograms consider the projection, rather than the actual volume of dense tissue which may be an important limitation. With the increasing utilization of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in screening, there's an opportunity to routinely estimate volumetric breast density (VBD). In this study, we investigate associations between DBT-VBD and ABD extracted from standard-dose mammography (DM) and synthetic 2D digital mammography (sDM) increasingly replacing DM. We retrospectively analyzed bilateral imaging data from a random sample of 1000 women, acquired over a transitional period at our institution when all women had DBT, sDM and DM acquired as part of their routine breast screening. For each exam, ABD was measured in DM and sDM images with the publicly available "LIBRA" software, while DBT-VBD was measured using a previously validated, fully-automated computer algorithm. Spearman correlation (r) was used to compare VBD to ABD measurements. For each density measure, we also estimated the within woman intraclass correlation (ICC) and finally, to compare to clinical assessments, we performed analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate the variation to the assigned clinical BI-RADS breast density category for each woman. DBT-VBD was moderately correlated to ABD from DM (r=0.70) and sDM (r=0.66). All density measures had strong bilateral symmetry (ICC = [0.85, 0.95]), but were significantly different across BI-RADS density categories (ANOVA, p<0.001). Our results contribute to further elaborating the clinical implications of breast density measures estimated with DBT which may better capture the volumetric amount of dense tissue within the breast than area-based measures and visual assessment.

  18. Density of transneptunian object 229762 2007 UK126

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grundy, Will

    2017-08-01

    Densities provide unique information about bulk composition and interior structure and are key to going beyond the skin-deep view offered by remote-sensing techniques based on photometry, spectroscopy, and polarimetry. They are known for a handful of the relict planetesimals that populate our Solar System's Kuiper belt, revealing intriguing differences between small and large bodies. More and better quality data are needed to address fundamental questions about how planetesimals form from nebular solids, and how distinct materials are distributed through the nebula. Masses from binary orbits are generally quite precise, but a problem afflicting many of the known densities is that they depend on size estimates from thermal emission observations, with large model-dependent uncertainties that dominate the error bars on density estimates. Stellar occultations can provide much more accurate sizes and thus densities, but they depend on fortuitous geometry and thus can only be done for a few particularly valuable binaries. We propose observations of a system where an accurate density can be determined: 229762 2007 UK126. An accurate size is already available from multiple stellar occultation chords. This proposal will determine the mass, and thus the density.

  19. Spatially resolved density and ionization measurements of shocked foams using x-ray fluorescence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MacDonald, M. J.; Keiter, P. A.; Montgomery, D. S.

    2016-09-22

    We present experiments at the Trident laser facility demonstrating the use of x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to simultaneously measure density, ionization state populations, and electron temperature in shocked foams. An imaging x-ray spectrometer was used to obtain spatially-resolved measurements of Ti K-more » $$\\alpha$$ emission. Density profiles were measured from K-$$\\alpha$$ intensity. Ti ionization state distributions and electron temperatures were inferred by fitting K-$$\\alpha$$ spectra to spectra from CRETIN simulations. This study shows that XRF provides a powerful tool to complement other diagnostics to make equation of state measurements of shocked materials containing a suitable tracer element.« less

  20. Rapid determination of cell mass and density using digitally controlled electric field in a microfluidic chip.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yuliang; Lai, Hok Sum Sam; Zhang, Guanglie; Lee, Gwo-Bin; Li, Wen Jung

    2014-11-21

    The density of a single cell is a fundamental property of cells. Cells in the same cycle phase have similar volume, but the differences in their mass and density could elucidate each cell's physiological state. Here we report a novel technique to rapidly measure the density and mass of a single cell using an optically induced electrokinetics (OEK) microfluidic platform. Presently, single cellular mass and density measurement devices require a complicated fabrication process and their output is not scalable, i.e., it is extremely difficult to measure the mass and density of a large quantity of cells rapidly. The technique reported here operates on a principle combining sedimentation theory, computer vision, and microparticle manipulation techniques in an OEK microfluidic platform. We will show in this paper that this technique enables the measurement of single-cell volume, density, and mass rapidly and accurately in a repeatable manner. The technique is also scalable - it allows simultaneous measurement of volume, density, and mass of multiple cells. Essentially, a simple time-controlled projected light pattern is used to illuminate the selected area on the OEK microfluidic chip that contains cells to lift the cells to a particular height above the chip's surface. Then, the cells are allowed to "free fall" to the chip's surface, with competing buoyancy, gravitational, and fluidic drag forces acting on the cells. By using a computer vision algorithm to accurately track the motion of the cells and then relate the cells' motion trajectory to sedimentation theory, the volume, mass, and density of each cell can be rapidly determined. A theoretical model of micro-sized spheres settling towards an infinite plane in a microfluidic environment is first derived and validated experimentally using standard micropolystyrene beads to demonstrate the viability and accuracy of this new technique. Next, we show that the yeast cell volume, mass, and density could be rapidly

  1. Accurate and facile determination of the index of refraction of organic thin films near the carbon 1s absorption edge.

    PubMed

    Yan, Hongping; Wang, Cheng; McCarn, Allison R; Ade, Harald

    2013-04-26

    A practical and accurate method to obtain the index of refraction, especially the decrement δ, across the carbon 1s absorption edge is demonstrated. The combination of absorption spectra scaled to the Henke atomic scattering factor database, the use of the doubly subtractive Kramers-Kronig relations, and high precision specular reflectivity measurements from thin films allow the notoriously difficult-to-measure δ to be determined with high accuracy. No independent knowledge of the film thickness or density is required. High confidence interpolation between relatively sparse measurements of δ across an absorption edge is achieved. Accurate optical constants determined by this method are expected to greatly improve the simulation and interpretation of resonant soft x-ray scattering and reflectivity data. The method is demonstrated using poly(methyl methacrylate) and should be extendable to all organic materials.

  2. Sound Source Identification Through Flow Density Measurement and Correlation With Far Field Noise

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Panda, J.; Seasholtz, R. G.

    2001-01-01

    Sound sources in the plumes of unheated round jets, in the Mach number range 0.6 to 1.8, were investigated experimentally using "casuality" approach, where air density fluctuations in the plumes were correlated with the far field noise. The air density was measured using a newly developed Molecular Rayleigh scattering based technique, which did not require any seeding. The reference at the end provides a detailed description of the measurement technique.

  3. Conceptual design of the tangentially viewing combined interferometer-polarimeter for ITER density measurements.

    PubMed

    Van Zeeland, M A; Boivin, R L; Brower, D L; Carlstrom, T N; Chavez, J A; Ding, W X; Feder, R; Johnson, D; Lin, L; O'Neill, R C; Watts, C

    2013-04-01

    One of the systems planned for the measurement of electron density in ITER is a multi-channel tangentially viewing combined interferometer-polarimeter (TIP). This work discusses the current status of the design, including a preliminary optical table layout, calibration options, error sources, and performance projections based on a CO2/CO laser system. In the current design, two-color interferometry is carried out at 10.59 μm and 5.42 μm and a separate polarimetry measurement of the plasma induced Faraday effect, utilizing the rotating wave technique, is made at 10.59 μm. The inclusion of polarimetry provides an independent measure of the electron density and can also be used to correct the conventional two-color interferometer for fringe skips at all densities, up to and beyond the Greenwald limit. The system features five chords with independent first mirrors to reduce risks associated with deposition, erosion, etc., and a common first wall hole to minimize penetration sizes. Simulations of performance for a projected ITER baseline discharge show the diagnostic will function as well as, or better than, comparable existing systems for feedback density control. Calculations also show that finite temperature effects will be significant in ITER even for moderate temperature plasmas and can lead to a significant underestimate of electron density. A secondary role TIP will fulfill is that of a density fluctuation diagnostic; using a toroidal Alfvén eigenmode as an example, simulations show TIP will be extremely robust in this capacity and potentially able to resolve coherent mode fluctuations with perturbed densities as low as δn∕n ≈ 10(-5).

  4. Root resistance to cavitation is accurately measured using a centrifuge technique.

    PubMed

    Pratt, R B; MacKinnon, E D; Venturas, M D; Crous, C J; Jacobsen, A L

    2015-02-01

    Plants transport water under negative pressure and this makes their xylem vulnerable to cavitation. Among plant organs, root xylem is often highly vulnerable to cavitation due to water stress. The use of centrifuge methods to study organs, such as roots, that have long vessels are hypothesized to produce erroneous estimates of cavitation resistance due to the presence of open vessels through measured samples. The assumption that roots have long vessels may be premature since data for root vessel length are sparse; moreover, recent studies have not supported the existence of a long-vessel artifact for stems when a standard centrifuge technique was used. We examined resistance to cavitation estimated using a standard centrifuge technique and compared these values with native embolism measurements for roots of seven woody species grown in a common garden. For one species we also measured vulnerability using single-vessel air injection. We found excellent agreement between root native embolism and the levels of embolism measured using a centrifuge technique, and with air-seeding estimates from single-vessel injection. Estimates of cavitation resistance measured from centrifuge curves were biologically meaningful and were correlated with field minimum water potentials, vessel diameter (VD), maximum xylem-specific conductivity (Ksmax) and vessel length. Roots did not have unusually long vessels compared with stems; moreover, root vessel length was not correlated to VD or to the vessel length of stems. These results suggest that root cavitation resistance can be accurately and efficiently measured using a standard centrifuge method and that roots are highly vulnerable to cavitation. The role of root cavitation resistance in determining drought tolerance of woody species deserves further study, particularly in the context of climate change. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. The recombination landscape around forensic STRs: Accurate measurement of genetic distances between syntenic STR pairs using HapMap high density SNP data.

    PubMed

    Phillips, C; Ballard, D; Gill, P; Court, D Syndercombe; Carracedo, A; Lareu, M V

    2012-05-01

    Family studies can be used to measure the genetic distance between same-chromosome (syntenic) STRs in order to detect physical linkage or linkage disequilibrium. However, family studies are expensive and time consuming, in many cases uninformative, and lack a reliable means to infer the phase of the diplotypes obtained. HapMap provides a more comprehensive and fine-scale estimation of recombination rates using high density multi-point SNP data (average inter-SNP distance: 900 nucleotides). Data at this fine scale detects sub-kilobase genetic distances across the whole recombining human genome. We have used the most recent HapMap SNP data release 22 to measure and compare genetic distances, and by inference fine-scale recombination rates, between 29 syntenic STR pairs identified from 39 validated STRs currently available for forensic use. The 39 STRs comprise 23 core loci: SE33, Penta D & E, 13 CODIS and 7 non-CODIS European Standard Set STRs, plus supplementary STRs in the recently released Promega CS-7™ and Qiagen Investigator HDplex™ kits. Also included were D9S1120, a marker we developed for forensic use unique to chromosome 9, and the novel D6S1043 component STR of SinoFiler™ (Applied Biosystems). The data collated provides reliable estimates of recombination rates between each STR pair, that can then be placed into haplotype frequency calculators for short pedigrees with multiple meiotic inputs and which just requires the addition of allele frequencies. This allows all current STR sets or their combinations to be used in supplemented paternity analyses without the need for further adjustment for physical linkage. The detailed analysis of recombination rates made for autosomal forensic STRs was extended to the more than 50 X chromosome STRs established or in development for complex kinship analyses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. An X-band waveguide measurement technique for the accurate characterization of materials with low dielectric loss permittivity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allen, Kenneth W., E-mail: kenneth.allen@gtri.gatech.edu; Scott, Mark M.; Reid, David R.

    In this work, we present a new X-band waveguide (WR90) measurement method that permits the broadband characterization of the complex permittivity for low dielectric loss tangent material specimens with improved accuracy. An electrically long polypropylene specimen that partially fills the cross-section is inserted into the waveguide and the transmitted scattering parameter (S{sub 21}) is measured. The extraction method relies on computational electromagnetic simulations, coupled with a genetic algorithm, to match the experimental S{sub 21} measurement. The sensitivity of the technique to sample length was explored by simulating specimen lengths from 2.54 to 15.24 cm, in 2.54 cm increments. Analysis ofmore » our simulated data predicts the technique will have the sensitivity to measure loss tangent values on the order of 10{sup −3} for materials such as polymers with relatively low real permittivity values. The ability to accurately characterize low-loss dielectric material specimens of polypropylene is demonstrated experimentally. The method was validated by excellent agreement with a free-space focused-beam system measurement of a polypropylene sheet. This technique provides the material measurement community with the ability to accurately extract material properties of low-loss material specimen over the entire X-band range. This technique could easily be extended to other frequency bands.« less

  7. Atmospheric density models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mueller, A. C.

    1977-01-01

    An atmospheric model developed by Jacchia, quite accurate but requiring a large amount of computer storage and execution time, was found to be ill-suited for the space shuttle onboard program. The development of a simple atmospheric density model to simulate the Jacchia model was studied. Required characteristics including variation with solar activity, diurnal variation, variation with geomagnetic activity, semiannual variation, and variation with height were met by the new atmospheric density model.

  8. Estimating tree bole and log weights from green densities measured with the Bergstrom Xylodensimeter.

    Treesearch

    Dale R. Waddell; Michael B. Lambert; W.Y. Pong

    1984-01-01

    The performance of the Bergstrom xylodensimeter, designed to measure the green density of wood, was investigated and compared with a technique that derived green densities from wood disk samples. In addition, log and bole weights of old-growth Douglas-fir and western hemlock were calculated by various formulas and compared with lifted weights measured with a load cell...

  9. Density-Decomposed Orbital-Free Density Functional Theory for Covalent Systems and Application to Li-Si alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Junchao; Carter, Emily

    2014-03-01

    We propose a density decomposition scheme using a Wang-Govind-Carter (WGC)-based kinetic energy density functional (KEDF) to accurately and efficiently simulate covalent systems within orbital-free (OF) density functional theory (DFT). By using a local, density-dependent scale function, the total density is decomposed into a localized density within covalent bond regions and a flattened delocalized density, with the former described by semilocal KEDFs and the latter treated by the WGC KEDF. The new model predicts reasonable equilibrium volumes, bulk moduli, and phase ordering energies for various semiconductors compared to Kohn-Sham (KS) DFT benchmarks. The surface energy of Si(100) also agrees well with KSDFT. We further apply the model to study mechanical properties of Li-Si alloys, which have been recently recognized as a promising candidate for next-generation anodes of Li-ion batteries with outstanding capacity. We study multiple crystalline Li-Si alloys. The WGCD KEDF predicts accurate cell lattice vectors, equilibrium volumes, elastic moduli, electron densities, alloy formation and Li adsorption energies. Because of its quasilinear scaling, coupled with the level of accuracy shown here, OFDFT appears quite promising for large-scale simulation of such materials phenomena. Office of Naval Research, National Science Foundation, Tigress High Performance Computing Center.

  10. Electron density measurements for plasma adaptive optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neiswander, Brian W.

    Over the past 40 years, there has been growing interest in both laser communications and directed energy weapons that operate from moving aircraft. As a laser beam propagates from an aircraft in flight, it passes through boundary layers, turbulence, and shear layers in the near-region of the aircraft. These fluid instabilities cause strong density gradients which adversely affect the transmission of laser energy to a target. Adaptive optics provides corrective measures for this problem but current technology cannot respond quickly enough to be useful for high speed flight conditions. This research investigated the use of plasma as a medium for adaptive optics for aero-optics applications. When a laser beam passes through plasma, its phase is shifted proportionally to the electron density and gas heating within the plasma. As a result, plasma can be utilized as a dynamically controllable optical medium. Experiments were carried out using a cylindrical dielectric barrier discharge plasma chamber which generated a sub-atmospheric pressure, low-temperature plasma. An electrostatic model of this design was developed and revealed an important design constraint relating to the geometry of the chamber. Optical diagnostic techniques were used to characterize the plasma discharge. Single-wavelength interferometric experiments were performed and demonstrated up to 1.5 microns of optical path difference (OPD) in a 633 nm laser beam. Dual-wavelength interferometry was used to obtain time-resolved profiles of the plasma electron density and gas heating inside the plasma chamber. Furthermore, a new multi-wavelength infrared diagnostic technique was developed and proof-of-concept simulations were conducted to demonstrate the system's capabilities.

  11. Precision flux density measurements of the giant planets at 8420 MHz

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Turegano, J. A.; Klein, M. J.

    1981-01-01

    Precision measurements of the 3.56 cm flux densities of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are reported. The results are compared with previously published measurements as a means of: (1) remotely sensing long-term changes in the microwave emission from the atmospheres of these planets; (2) measuring the effects of Saturn's rings on the disk temperature as observed from earth at different ring inclination angles.

  12. Precision flux density measurements of the giant planets at 8420 MHz

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Turegano, J. A.; Klein, M. J.

    1981-01-01

    Precision measurements of the 3.56 cm flux densities of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are reported. The results are compared with previously published measurements as a means of: remotely sensing long-term changes in the microwave emission from the atmospheres of these planets and measuring the effects of Saturn's rings on the disk temperature as observed from earth at different ring inclination angles.

  13. Advanced density profile reflectometry; the state-of-the-art and measurement prospects for ITER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doyle, E. J.

    2006-10-01

    Dramatic progress in millimeter-wave technology has allowed the realization of a key goal for ITER diagnostics, the routine measurement of the plasma density profile from millimeter-wave radar (reflectometry) measurements. In reflectometry, the measured round-trip group delay of a probe beam reflected from a plasma cutoff is used to infer the density distribution in the plasma. Reflectometer systems implemented by UCLA on a number of devices employ frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FM-CW), ultrawide-bandwidth, high-resolution radar systems. One such system on DIII-D has routinely demonstrated measurements of the density profile over a range of electron density of 0-6.4x10^19,m-3, with ˜25 μs time and ˜4 mm radial resolution, meeting key ITER requirements. This progress in performance was made possible by multiple advances in the areas of millimeter-wave technology, novel measurement techniques, and improved understanding, including: (i) fast sweep, solid-state, wide bandwidth sources and power amplifiers, (ii) dual polarization measurements to expand the density range, (iii) adaptive radar-based data analysis with parallel processing on a Unix cluster, (iv) high memory depth data acquisition, and (v) advances in full wave code modeling. The benefits of advanced system performance will be illustrated using measurements from a wide range of phenomena, including ELM and fast-ion driven mode dynamics, L-H transition studies and plasma-wall interaction. The measurement capabilities demonstrated by these systems provide a design basis for the development of the main ITER profile reflectometer system. This talk will explore the extent to which these reflectometer system designs, results and experience can be translated to ITER, and will identify what new studies and experimental tests are essential.

  14. A solution for measuring accurate reaction time to visual stimuli realized with a programmable microcontroller.

    PubMed

    Ohyanagi, Toshio; Sengoku, Yasuhito

    2010-02-01

    This article presents a new solution for measuring accurate reaction time (SMART) to visual stimuli. The SMART is a USB device realized with a Cypress Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC) mixed-signal array programmable microcontroller. A brief overview of the hardware and firmware of the PSoC is provided, together with the results of three experiments. In Experiment 1, we investigated the timing accuracy of the SMART in measuring reaction time (RT) under different conditions of operating systems (OSs; Windows XP or Vista) and monitor displays (a CRT or an LCD). The results indicated that the timing error in measuring RT by the SMART was less than 2 msec, on average, under all combinations of OS and display and that the SMART was tolerant to jitter and noise. In Experiment 2, we tested the SMART with 8 participants. The results indicated that there was no significant difference among RTs obtained with the SMART under the different conditions of OS and display. In Experiment 3, we used Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint to present visual stimuli on the display. We found no significant difference in RTs obtained using MS DirectX technology versus using the PowerPoint file with the SMART. We are certain that the SMART is a simple and practical solution for measuring RTs accurately. Although there are some restrictions in using the SMART with RT paradigms, the SMART is capable of providing both researchers and health professionals working in clinical settings with new ways of using RT paradigms in their work.

  15. First look at GOCE-derived thermosphere density and wind measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doornbos, E.; Bruinsma, S. L.; Koppenwallner, G.; Fritsche, B.; Visser, P. N.; van den IJssel, J.; Kern, M.

    2011-12-01

    Accelerometers carried by low-Earth orbiters such as GOCE have the ability to provide highly detailed data on thermospheric density and winds. Like its predecessor missions, CHAMP and GRACE, GOCE has not been specifically designed for studies of the thermosphere. Nevertheless, their application in this domain has resulted in density and wind data sets containing information at unprecedented levels of coverage and precision, resulting in many scientific papers. The orbit of GOCE is unique. It is nearly sun-synchronous, and due to its drag free control system, its altitude can be kept fixed for several years, at about 270 km. This leads to sampling characteristics that are ideal for studying the effect of variations in solar and magnetospheric energy input on the thermosphere density and wind. Besides the presentation of the first GOCE-derived density and wind measurements, this poster will describe the GOCE data processing approach, which differs from that of the earlier missions in the special consideration required for both the handling of the thruster accelerations and the aerodynamic modelling.

  16. Measurement of breast density with digital breast tomosynthesis—a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    McEntee, M F

    2014-01-01

    Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has gained acceptance as an adjunct to digital mammography in screening. Now that breast density reporting is mandated in several states in the USA, it is increasingly important that the methods of breast density measurement be robust, reliable and consistent. Breast density assessment with DBT needs some consideration since quantitative methods are modelled for two-dimensional (2D) mammography. A review of methods used for breast density assessment with DBT was performed. Existing evidence shows Cumulus has better reproducibility than that of the breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS®) but still suffers from subjective variability; MedDensity is limited by image noise, whilst Volpara and Quantra are robust and consistent. The reported BI-RADs inter-reader breast density agreement (k) ranged from 0.65 to 0.91, with inter-reader correlation (r) ranging from 0.70 to 0.93. The correlation (r) between BI-RADS and Cumulus ranged from 0.54–0.94, whilst that of BI-RADs and MedDensity ranged from 0.48–0.78. The reported agreement (k) between BI-RADs and Volpara is 0.953. Breast density correlation between DBT and 2D mammography ranged from 0.73 to 0.97, with agreement (k) ranging from 0.56 to 0.96. To avoid variability and provide more reliable breast density information for clinicians, automated volumetric methods are preferred. PMID:25146640

  17. Sensors for Metering Heat Flux Area Density and Metrological Equipment for the Heat Flux Density Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doronin, D. O.

    2018-04-01

    The demand in measuring and studies of heat conduction of various media is very urgent now. This article considers the problem of heat conduction monitoring and measurement in various media and materials in any industries and branches of science as well as metrological support of the heat flux measurement equipment. The main study objects are both the sensors manufactured and facilities onto which these sensors will be installed: different cladding structures of the buildings, awnings, rocket fairings, boiler units, internal combustion engines. The Company develops and manufactures different types of heat flux sensors: thermocouple, thin-film, heterogeneous gradient as well as metrological equipment for the gauging calibration of the heat flux density measurement. The calibration shall be performed using both referencing method in the unit and by fixed setting of the heat flux in the unit. To manufacture heterogeneous heat flux gradient sensors (HHFGS) the Company developed and designed a number of units: diffusion welding unit, HHFGS cutting unit. Rather good quality HHFGS prototypes were obtained. At this stage the factory tests on the equipment for the heat flux density measurement equipment are planned. A high-sensitivity heat flux sensor was produced, now it is tested at the Construction Physics Research Institute (Moscow). It became possible to create thin-film heat flux sensors with the sensitivity not worse than that of the sensors manufactured by Captec Company (France). The Company has sufficient premises to supply the market with a wide range of sensors, to master new sensor manufacture technologies which will enable their application range.

  18. Looking at Density From Different Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson-Chin, Linda

    2004-01-01

    All too often middle school students equate density with one object simply being "heavier" than another. Even if students are able to accurately calculate the density of an object, that doesn't necessarily mean that they fully understand the concept of density as the ratio of mass to volume. To help change this misconception and more fully…

  19. Simultaneous measurements of temperature and density in air flows using UV laser spectroscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fletcher, D. G.; Mckenzie, R. L.

    1991-01-01

    The simultaneous measurement of temperature and density using laser-induced fluorescence of oxygen in combination with Q-branch Raman scattering of nitrogen and oxygen is demonstrated in a low-speed air flow. The lowest density and temperature measured in the experiment correspond to the freestream values at Mach 5 in the Ames 3.5-Foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel for stagnation conditions of 100 atm and 1000 K. The experimental results demonstrate the viability of the optical technique for measurements that support the study of compressible turbulence and the validation of numerical codes in supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnel flows.

  20. Dynamic Measurement of Temperature, Velocity, and Density in Hot Jets Using Rayleigh Scattering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mielke, Amy F.; Elam, Kristie A.

    2008-01-01

    A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique was utilized to measure time-resolved gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded gas flows at sampling rates up to 10 kHz. A high power continuous-wave (cw) laser beam was focused at a point in an air flow field and Rayleigh scattered light was collected and fiber-optically transmitted to a Fabry-Perot interferometer for spectral analysis. Photomultipler tubes operated in the photon counting mode allowed high frequency sampling of the total signal level and the circular interference pattern to provide time-resolved density, temperature, and velocity measurements. Mean and rms velocity and temperature, as well as power spectral density calculations, are presented for measurements in a hydrogen-combustor heated jet facility with a 50.8-mm diameter nozzle at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The Rayleigh measurements are compared with particle image velocimetry data and CFD predictions. This technique is aimed at aeronautics research related to identifying noise sources in free jets, as well as applications in supersonic and hypersonic flows where measurement of flow properties, including mass flux, is required in the presence of shocks and ionization occurrence.

  1. Measurement of average density and relative volumes in a dispersed two-phase fluid

    DOEpatents

    Sreepada, Sastry R.; Rippel, Robert R.

    1992-01-01

    An apparatus and a method are disclosed for measuring the average density and relative volumes in an essentially transparent, dispersed two-phase fluid. A laser beam with a diameter no greater than 1% of the diameter of the bubbles, droplets, or particles of the dispersed phase is directed onto a diffraction grating. A single-order component of the diffracted beam is directed through the two-phase fluid and its refraction is measured. Preferably, the refracted beam exiting the fluid is incident upon a optical filter with linearly varing optical density and the intensity of the filtered beam is measured. The invention can be combined with other laser-based measurement systems, e.g., laser doppler anemometry.

  2. Neural network evaluation of reflectometry density profiles for control purposes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos, J.; Nunes, F.; Manso, M.; Nunes, I.

    1999-01-01

    Broadband reflectometry is a diagnostic that is able to measure the density profile with high spatial and temporal resolutions, therefore it can be used to improve the performance of advanced tokamak operation modes and to supplement or correct the magnetics for plasma position control. To perform these tasks real-time processing is needed. Here we present a method that uses a neural network to make a fast evaluation of radial positions for selected density layers. Typical ASDEX Upgrade density profiles were used to generate the simulated network training and test sets. It is shown that the method has the potential to meet the tight timing requirements of control applications with the required accuracy. The network is also able to provide an accurate estimation of the position of density layers below the first density layer which is probed by an O-mode reflectometer, provided that it is trained with a realistic density profile model.

  3. A method for the retrieval of atomic oxygen density and temperature profiles from ground-based measurements of the O(+)(2D-2P) 7320 A twilight airglow

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fennelly, J. A.; Torr, D. G.; Richards, P. G.; Torr, M. R.; Sharp, W. E.

    1991-01-01

    This paper describes a technique for extracting thermospheric profiles of the atomic-oxygen density and temperature, using ground-based measurements of the O(+)(2D-2P) doublet at 7320 and 7330 A in the twilight airglow. In this method, a local photochemical model is used to calculate the 7320-A intensity; the method also utilizes an iterative inversion procedure based on the Levenberg-Marquardt method described by Press et al. (1986). The results demonstrate that, if the measurements are only limited by errors due to Poisson noise, the altitude profiles of neutral temperature and atomic oxygen concentration can be determined accurately using currently available spectrometers.

  4. Dehydration of seabird prey during transport to the colony: Effects on wet weight energy densities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Montevecchi, W.A.; Piatt, John F.

    1987-01-01

    We present evidence to indicate that dehydration of prey transported by seabirds from capture sites at sea to chicks at colonies inflates estimates of wet weight energy densities. These findings and a comparison of wet and dry weight energy densities reported in the literature emphasize the importance of (i) accurate measurement of the fresh weight and water content of prey, (ii) use of dry weight energy densities in comparisons among species, seasons, and regions, and (iii) cautious interpretation and extrapolation of existing data sets.

  5. A measurement of perpendicular current density in an aurora

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bering, E. A.; Mozer, F. S.

    1975-01-01

    A Nike Tomahawk sounding rocket was launched into a 400-gamma auroral substorm from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden. The rocket instrumentation included a split Langmuir-probe plasma-velocity detector and a double-probe electric-field detector. Above 140-km altitude, the electric field deduced from the ion-flow velocity measurement and the electric field measured by the double probe agree to an accuracy within the uncertainties of the two measurements. The difference between the two measurements at altitudes below 140 km provides an in situ measurement of current density and conductivity. Alternatively, if values for the conductivity are assumed, the neutral-wind velocity can be deduced. The height-integrated current was 0.11 A/m flowing at an azimuth angle of 276 deg. The neutral winds were strong, exhibited substantial altitude variation in the east-west component, and were predominantly southward.

  6. Ocean Lidar Measurements of Beam Attenuation and a Roadmap to Accurate Phytoplankton Biomass Estimates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Yongxiang; Behrenfeld, Mike; Hostetler, Chris; Pelon, Jacques; Trepte, Charles; Hair, John; Slade, Wayne; Cetinic, Ivona; Vaughan, Mark; Lu, Xiaomei; Zhai, Pengwang; Weimer, Carl; Winker, David; Verhappen, Carolus C.; Butler, Carolyn; Liu, Zhaoyan; Hunt, Bill; Omar, Ali; Rodier, Sharon; Lifermann, Anne; Josset, Damien; Hou, Weilin; MacDonnell, David; Rhew, Ray

    2016-06-01

    Beam attenuation coefficient, c, provides an important optical index of plankton standing stocks, such as phytoplankton biomass and total particulate carbon concentration. Unfortunately, c has proven difficult to quantify through remote sensing. Here, we introduce an innovative approach for estimating c using lidar depolarization measurements and diffuse attenuation coefficients from ocean color products or lidar measurements of Brillouin scattering. The new approach is based on a theoretical formula established from Monte Carlo simulations that links the depolarization ratio of sea water to the ratio of diffuse attenuation Kd and beam attenuation C (i.e., a multiple scattering factor). On July 17, 2014, the CALIPSO satellite was tilted 30° off-nadir for one nighttime orbit in order to minimize ocean surface backscatter and demonstrate the lidar ocean subsurface measurement concept from space. Depolarization ratios of ocean subsurface backscatter are measured accurately. Beam attenuation coefficients computed from the depolarization ratio measurements compare well with empirical estimates from ocean color measurements. We further verify the beam attenuation coefficient retrievals using aircraft-based high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) data that are collocated with in-water optical measurements.

  7. Estimating carbon and nitrogen pools in a forest soil: Influence of soil bulk density methods and rock content

    Treesearch

    Martin F. Jurgensen; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Robert E. Brown; Joanne M. Tirocke; Chris A. Miller; James B. Pickens; Min Wang

    2017-01-01

    Soils with high rock content are common in many US forests, and contain large amounts of stored C. Accurate measurements of soil bulk density and rock content are critical for calculating and assessing changes in both C and nutrient pool size, but bulk density sampling methods have limitations and sources of variability. Therefore, we evaluated the use of small-...

  8. Measuring the Density of Different Materials by Using the Collimated Fast Neutron Beam

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sudac, D.; Nad, K.; Orlic, Z.

    It was demonstrated in the previous work that various threat materials could be detected inside the sea going cargo container by measuring the three variables, carbon and oxygen concentration and density of investigated material. Density was determined by measuring transmitted neutrons, which is not always practical in terms of setting up the instrument geometry. In order to enable more geometry flexibility, we have investigated the possibility of using the scattered neutrons in cargo material identification. For that purpose, the densities of different materials were measured depending on the position of neutron detectors and neutron generator with respect to the targetmore » position. One neutron detector was put above the target, one behind and one in front of the target, above the neutron generator. It was shown that all three positions of neutron detectors can be successfully used to measure the target density, but only if the detected neutrons are successfully discriminated from the gamma rays. Although the associated alpha particle technique/associate particle imaging (API) was used to discriminate the neutrons from the gamma rays, it is believed that the same results would be obtained by using the pulse shape discrimination method. In that way API technique can be avoided and the neutron generator which produces much higher beam intensity than 10{sup 8} n/s can be used. (authors)« less

  9. Measurement of Correlation Between Flow Density, Velocity, and Density*velocity(sup 2) with Far Field Noise in High Speed Jets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Panda, Jayanta; Seasholtz, Richard G.; Elam, Kristie A.

    2002-01-01

    To locate noise sources in high-speed jets, the sound pressure fluctuations p', measured at far field locations, were correlated with each of radial velocity v, density rho, and phov(exp 2) fluctuations measured from various points in jet plumes. The experiments follow the cause-and-effect method of sound source identification, where correlation is related to the first, and correlation to the second source terms of Lighthill's equation. Three fully expanded, unheated plumes of Mach number 0.95, 1.4 and 1.8 were studied for this purpose. The velocity and density fluctuations were measured simultaneously using a recently developed, non-intrusive, point measurement technique based on molecular Rayleigh scattering. It was observed that along the jet centerline the density fluctuation spectra S(sub rho) have different shapes than the radial velocity spectra S(sub v), while data obtained from the peripheral shear layer show similarity between the two spectra. Density fluctuations in the jet showed significantly higher correlation, than either rhov(sub 2) or v fluctuations. It is found that a single point correlation from the peak sound emitting region at the end of the potential core can account for nearly 10% of all noise at 30 to the jet axis. The correlation, representing the effectiveness of a longitudinal quadrupole in generating noise 90 to the jet axis, is found to be zero within experimental uncertainty. In contrast rhov(exp 2) fluctuations were better correlated with sound pressure fluctuation at the 30 location. The strongest source of sound is found to lie at the centerline and beyond the end of potential core.

  10. The Measurement of Magnetic Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berridge, H. J. J.

    1973-01-01

    Discusses five experimental methods used by senior high school students to provide an accurate calibration curve of magnet current against the magnetic flux density produced by an electromagnet. Compares the relative merits of the five methods, both as measurements and from an educational viewpoint. (JR)

  11. Big-bang nucleosynthesis and the baryon density of the universe.

    PubMed

    Copi, C J; Schramm, D N; Turner, M S

    1995-01-13

    For almost 30 years, the predictions of big-bang nucleosynthesis have been used to test the big-bang model to within a fraction of a second of the bang. The agreement between the predicted and observed abundances of deuterium, helium-3, helium-4, and lithium-7 confirms the standard cosmology model and allows accurate determination of the baryon density, between 1.7 x 10(-31) and 4.1 x 10(-31) grams per cubic centimeter (corresponding to about 1 to 15 percent of the critical density). This measurement of the density of ordinary matter is pivotal to the establishment of two dark-matter problems: (i) most of the baryons are dark, and (ii) if the total mass density is greater than about 15 percent of the critical density, as many determinations indicate, the bulk of the dark matter must be "non-baryonic," composed of elementary particles left from the earliest moments.

  12. Accuracy of lung nodule density on HRCT: analysis by PSF-based image simulation.

    PubMed

    Ohno, Ken; Ohkubo, Masaki; Marasinghe, Janaka C; Murao, Kohei; Matsumoto, Toru; Wada, Shinichi

    2012-11-08

    A computed tomography (CT) image simulation technique based on the point spread function (PSF) was applied to analyze the accuracy of CT-based clinical evaluations of lung nodule density. The PSF of the CT system was measured and used to perform the lung nodule image simulation. Then, the simulated image was resampled at intervals equal to the pixel size and the slice interval found in clinical high-resolution CT (HRCT) images. On those images, the nodule density was measured by placing a region of interest (ROI) commonly used for routine clinical practice, and comparing the measured value with the true value (a known density of object function used in the image simulation). It was quantitatively determined that the measured nodule density depended on the nodule diameter and the image reconstruction parameters (kernel and slice thickness). In addition, the measured density fluctuated, depending on the offset between the nodule center and the image voxel center. This fluctuation was reduced by decreasing the slice interval (i.e., with the use of overlapping reconstruction), leading to a stable density evaluation. Our proposed method of PSF-based image simulation accompanied with resampling enables a quantitative analysis of the accuracy of CT-based evaluations of lung nodule density. These results could potentially reveal clinical misreadings in diagnosis, and lead to more accurate and precise density evaluations. They would also be of value for determining the optimum scan and reconstruction parameters, such as image reconstruction kernels and slice thicknesses/intervals.

  13. Electron density measurement in gas discharge plasmas by optical and acoustic methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biagioni, A.; Anania, M. P.; Bellaveglia, M.; Chiadroni, E.; Cianchi, A.; Di Giovenale, D.; Di Pirro, G.; Ferrario, M.; Filippi, F.; Mostacci, A.; Pompili, R.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F.; Zigler, A.

    2016-08-01

    Plasma density represents a very important parameter for both laser wakefield and plasma wakefield acceleration, which use a gas-filled capillary plasma source. Several techniques can be used to measure the plasma density within a capillary discharge, which are mainly based on optical diagnostic methods, as for example the well-known spectroscopic method using the Stark broadening effect. In this work, we introduce a preliminary study on an alternative way to detect the plasma density, based on the shock waves produced by gas discharge in a capillary. Firstly, the measurements of the acoustic spectral content relative to the laser-induced plasmas by a solid target allowed us to understand the main properties of the acoustic waves produced during this kind of plasma generation; afterwards, we have extended such acoustic technique to the capillary plasma source in order to calibrate it by comparison with the stark broadening method.

  14. Reproducible automated breast density measure with no ionizing radiation using fat-water decomposition MRI.

    PubMed

    Ding, Jie; Stopeck, Alison T; Gao, Yi; Marron, Marilyn T; Wertheim, Betsy C; Altbach, Maria I; Galons, Jean-Philippe; Roe, Denise J; Wang, Fang; Maskarinec, Gertraud; Thomson, Cynthia A; Thompson, Patricia A; Huang, Chuan

    2018-04-06

    Increased breast density is a significant independent risk factor for breast cancer, and recent studies show that this risk is modifiable. Hence, breast density measures sensitive to small changes are desired. Utilizing fat-water decomposition MRI, we propose an automated, reproducible breast density measurement, which is nonionizing and directly comparable to mammographic density (MD). Retrospective study. The study included two sample sets of breast cancer patients enrolled in a clinical trial, for concordance analysis with MD (40 patients) and reproducibility analysis (10 patients). The majority of MRI scans (59 scans) were performed with a 1.5T GE Signa scanner using radial IDEAL-GRASE sequence, while the remaining (seven scans) were performed with a 3T Siemens Skyra using 3D Cartesian 6-echo GRE sequence with a similar fat-water separation technique. After automated breast segmentation, breast density was calculated using FraGW, a new measure developed to reliably reflect the amount of fibroglandular tissue and total water content in the entire breast. Based on its concordance with MD, FraGW was calibrated to MR-based breast density (MRD) to be comparable to MD. A previous breast density measurement, Fra80-the ratio of breast voxels with <80% fat fraction-was also calculated for comparison with FraGW. Pearson correlation was performed between MD (reference standard) and FraGW (and Fra80). Test-retest reproducibility of MRD was evaluated using the difference between test-retest measures (Δ 1-2 ) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Both FraGW and Fra80 were strongly correlated with MD (Pearson ρ: 0.96 vs. 0.90, both P < 0.0001). MRD converted from FraGW showed higher test-retest reproducibility (Δ 1-2 variation: 1.1% ± 1.2%; ICC: 0.99) compared to MD itself (literature intrareader ICC ≤0.96) and Fra80. The proposed MRD is directly comparable with MD and highly reproducible, which enables the early detection of small breast density changes

  15. EEG source localization: Sensor density and head surface coverage.

    PubMed

    Song, Jasmine; Davey, Colin; Poulsen, Catherine; Luu, Phan; Turovets, Sergei; Anderson, Erik; Li, Kai; Tucker, Don

    2015-12-30

    The accuracy of EEG source localization depends on a sufficient sampling of the surface potential field, an accurate conducting volume estimation (head model), and a suitable and well-understood inverse technique. The goal of the present study is to examine the effect of sampling density and coverage on the ability to accurately localize sources, using common linear inverse weight techniques, at different depths. Several inverse methods are examined, using the popular head conductivity. Simulation studies were employed to examine the effect of spatial sampling of the potential field at the head surface, in terms of sensor density and coverage of the inferior and superior head regions. In addition, the effects of sensor density and coverage are investigated in the source localization of epileptiform EEG. Greater sensor density improves source localization accuracy. Moreover, across all sampling density and inverse methods, adding samples on the inferior surface improves the accuracy of source estimates at all depths. More accurate source localization of EEG data can be achieved with high spatial sampling of the head surface electrodes. The most accurate source localization is obtained when the voltage surface is densely sampled over both the superior and inferior surfaces. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Electro-optic measurement of terahertz pulse energy distribution.

    PubMed

    Sun, J H; Gallacher, J G; Brussaard, G J H; Lemos, N; Issac, R; Huang, Z X; Dias, J M; Jaroszynski, D A

    2009-11-01

    An accurate and direct measurement of the energy distribution of a low repetition rate terahertz electromagnetic pulse is challenging because of the lack of sensitive detectors in this spectral range. In this paper, we show how the total energy and energy density distribution of a terahertz electromagnetic pulse can be determined by directly measuring the absolute electric field amplitude and beam energy density distribution using electro-optic detection. This method has potential use as a routine method of measuring the energy density of terahertz pulses that could be applied to evaluating future high power terahertz sources, terahertz imaging, and spatially and temporarily resolved pump-probe experiments.

  17. Density measurements in low pressure, weakly magnetized, RF plasmas: experimental verification of the sheath expansion effect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yunchao; Charles, Christine; Boswell, Roderick W.

    2017-07-01

    This experimental study shows the validity of Sheridan's method in determining plasma density in low pressure, weakly magnetized, RF plasmas using ion saturation current data measured by a planar Langmuir probe. The ion density derived from Sheridan's method which takes into account the sheath expansion around the negatively biased probe tip, presents a good consistency with the electron density measured by a cylindrical RF-compensated Langmuir probe using the Druyvesteyn theory. The ion density obtained from the simplified method which neglects the sheath expansion effect, overestimates the true density magnitude, e.g., by a factor of 3 to 12 for the present experiment.

  18. Serial Scanning and Registration of High Resolution Quantitative Computed Tomography Volume Scans for the Determination of Local Bone Density Changes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whalen, Robert T.; Napel, Sandy; Yan, Chye H.

    1996-01-01

    Progress in development of the methods required to study bone remodeling as a function of time is reported. The following topics are presented: 'A New Methodology for Registration Accuracy Evaluation', 'Registration of Serial Skeletal Images for Accurately Measuring Changes in Bone Density', and 'Precise and Accurate Gold Standard for Multimodality and Serial Registration Method Evaluations.'

  19. Quasi-linear regime of gravitational instability: Implication to density-velocity relation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shandarin, Sergei F.

    1993-01-01

    The well known linear relation between density and peculiar velocity distributions is a powerful tool for studying the large-scale structure in the Universe. Potentially it can test the gravitational instability theory and measure Omega. At present it is used in both ways: the velocity is reconstructed, provided the density is given, and vice versa. Reconstructing the density from the velocity field usually makes use of the Zel'dovich approximation. However, the standard linear approximation in Eulerian space is used when the velocity is reconstructed from the density distribution. I show that the linearized Zel'dovich approximation, in other words the linear approximation in the Lagrangian space, is more accurate for reconstructing velocity. In principle, a simple iteration technique can recover both the density and velocity distributions in Lagrangian space, but its practical application may need an additional study.

  20. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Chao; Tochitsky, Sergei Ya.; Fiuza, Frederico; Pigeon, Jeremy J.; Joshi, Chan

    2016-06-01

    We have used multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of C O2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulse train. A heuristic theory is presented that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. The measured values of vHB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.

  1. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gong, Chao; Tochitsky, Sergei Ya.; Fiuza, Frederico

    Here, we use multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of CO 2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulsemore » train. We present a heuristic theory that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. Furthermore, the measured values of v HB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.« less

  2. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring.

    PubMed

    Gong, Chao; Tochitsky, Sergei Ya; Fiuza, Frederico; Pigeon, Jeremy J; Joshi, Chan

    2016-06-01

    We have used multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, v_{HB}, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of CO_{2} laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the v_{HB} falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulse train. A heuristic theory is presented that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. The measured values of v_{HB}, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.

  3. Plasma dynamics near critical density inferred from direct measurements of laser hole boring

    DOE PAGES

    Gong, Chao; Tochitsky, Sergei Ya.; Fiuza, Frederico; ...

    2017-06-24

    Here, we use multiframe picosecond optical interferometry to make direct measurements of the hole boring velocity, vHB, of the density cavity pushed forward by a train of CO 2 laser pulses in a near critical density helium plasma. As the pulse train intensity rises, the increasing radiation pressure of each pulse pushes the density cavity forward and the plasma electrons are strongly heated. After the peak laser intensity, the plasma pressure exerted by the heated electrons strongly impedes the hole boring process and the vHB falls rapidly as the laser pulse intensity falls at the back of the laser pulsemore » train. We present a heuristic theory that allows the estimation of the plasma electron temperature from the measurements of the hole boring velocity. Furthermore, the measured values of v HB, and the estimated values of the heated electron temperature as a function of laser intensity are in reasonable agreement with those obtained from two-dimensional numerical simulations.« less

  4. Breast fat volume measurement using wide-bore 3 T MRI: comparison of traditional mammographic density evaluation with MRI density measurements using automatic segmentation.

    PubMed

    Petridou, E; Kibiro, M; Gladwell, C; Malcolm, P; Toms, A; Juette, A; Borga, M; Dahlqvist Leinhard, O; Romu, T; Kasmai, B; Denton, E

    2017-07-01

    To compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived breast density measurements using automatic segmentation algorithms with radiologist estimations using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (BI-RADS) density classification. Forty women undergoing mammography and dynamic breast MRI as part of their clinical management were recruited. Fat-water separated MRI images derived from a two-point Dixon technique, phase-sensitive reconstruction, and atlas-based segmentation were obtained before and after intravenous contrast medium administration. Breast density was assessed using software from Advanced MR Analytics (AMRA), Linköping, Sweden, with results compared to the widely used four-quartile quantitative BI-RADS scale. The proportion of glandular tissue in the breast on MRI was derived from the AMRA sequence. The mean unenhanced breast density was 0.31±0.22 (mean±SD; left) and 0.29±0.21 (right). Mean breast density on post-contrast images was 0.32±0.19 (left) and 0.32±0.2 (right). There was "almost perfect" correlation between pre- and post-contrast breast density quantification: Spearman's correlation rho=0.98 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.97-0.99; left) and rho=0.99 (95% CI: 0.98-0.99; right). The 95% limits of agreement were -0.11-0.08 (left) and -0.08-0.03 (right). Interobserver reliability for BI-RADS was "substantial": weighted Kappa k=0.8 (95% CI: 0.74-0.87). The Spearman correlation coefficient between BI-RADS and MRI breast density was rho=0.73 (95% CI: 0.60-0.82; left) and rho=0.75 (95% CI: 0.63-0.83; right) which was also "substantial". The AMRA sequence provides a fully automated, reproducible, objective assessment of fibroglandular breast tissue proportion that correlates well with mammographic assessment of breast density with the added advantage of avoidance of ionising radiation. Copyright © 2017 The Royal College of Radiologists. All rights reserved.

  5. Evaluation of Quantra Hologic Volumetric Computerized Breast Density Software in Comparison With Manual Interpretation in a Diverse Population

    PubMed Central

    Richard-Davis, Gloria; Whittemore, Brianna; Disher, Anthony; Rice, Valerie Montgomery; Lenin, Rathinasamy B; Dollins, Camille; Siegel, Eric R; Eswaran, Hari

    2018-01-01

    Objective: Increased mammographic breast density is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer development, regardless of age or ethnic background. The current gold standard for categorizing breast density consists of a radiologist estimation of percent density according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) criteria. This study compares paired qualitative interpretations of breast density on digital mammograms with quantitative measurement of density using Hologic’s Food and Drug Administration–approved R2 Quantra volumetric breast density assessment tool. Our goal was to find the best cutoff value of Quantra-calculated breast density for stratifying patients accurately into high-risk and low-risk breast density categories. Methods: Screening digital mammograms from 385 subjects, aged 18 to 64 years, were evaluated. These mammograms were interpreted by a radiologist using the ACR’s BI-RADS density method, and had quantitative density measured using the R2 Quantra breast density assessment tool. The appropriate cutoff for breast density–based risk stratification using Quantra software was calculated using manually determined BI-RADS scores as a gold standard, in which scores of D3/D4 denoted high-risk densities and D1/D2 denoted low-risk densities. Results: The best cutoff value for risk stratification using Quantra-calculated breast density was found to be 14.0%, yielding a sensitivity of 65%, specificity of 77%, and positive and negative predictive values of 75% and 69%, respectively. Under bootstrap analysis, the best cutoff value had a mean ± SD of 13.70% ± 0.89%. Conclusions: Our study is the first to publish on a North American population that assesses the accuracy of the R2 Quantra system at breast density stratification. Quantitative breast density measures will improve accuracy and reliability of density determination, assisting future researchers to accurately calculate

  6. Acoustic device and method for measuring gas densities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shakkottai, Parthasarathy (Inventor); Kwack, Eug Y. (Inventor); Back, Lloyd (Inventor)

    1992-01-01

    Density measurements can be made in a gas contained in a flow through enclosure by measuring the sound pressure level at a receiver or microphone located near a dipole sound source which is driven at constant velocity amplitude at low frequencies. Analytical results, which are provided in terms of geometrical parameters, wave numbers, and sound source type for systems of this invention, agree well with published data. The relatively simple designs feature a transmitter transducer at the closed end of a small tube and a receiver transducer on the circumference of the small tube located a small distance away from the transmitter. The transmitter should be a dipole operated at low frequency with the kL value preferable less that about 0.3.

  7. A hybrid solution using computational prediction and measured data to accurately determine process corrections with reduced overlay sampling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noyes, Ben F.; Mokaberi, Babak; Mandoy, Ram; Pate, Alex; Huijgen, Ralph; McBurney, Mike; Chen, Owen

    2017-03-01

    Reducing overlay error via an accurate APC feedback system is one of the main challenges in high volume production of the current and future nodes in the semiconductor industry. The overlay feedback system directly affects the number of dies meeting overlay specification and the number of layers requiring dedicated exposure tools through the fabrication flow. Increasing the former number and reducing the latter number is beneficial for the overall efficiency and yield of the fabrication process. An overlay feedback system requires accurate determination of the overlay error, or fingerprint, on exposed wafers in order to determine corrections to be automatically and dynamically applied to the exposure of future wafers. Since current and future nodes require correction per exposure (CPE), the resolution of the overlay fingerprint must be high enough to accommodate CPE in the overlay feedback system, or overlay control module (OCM). Determining a high resolution fingerprint from measured data requires extremely dense overlay sampling that takes a significant amount of measurement time. For static corrections this is acceptable, but in an automated dynamic correction system this method creates extreme bottlenecks for the throughput of said system as new lots have to wait until the previous lot is measured. One solution is using a less dense overlay sampling scheme and employing computationally up-sampled data to a dense fingerprint. That method uses a global fingerprint model over the entire wafer; measured localized overlay errors are therefore not always represented in its up-sampled output. This paper will discuss a hybrid system shown in Fig. 1 that combines a computationally up-sampled fingerprint with the measured data to more accurately capture the actual fingerprint, including local overlay errors. Such a hybrid system is shown to result in reduced modelled residuals while determining the fingerprint, and better on-product overlay performance.

  8. The extraction of accurate coordinates of images on photographic plates by means of a scanning type measuring machine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ross, B. E.

    1971-01-01

    The Moire method experimental stress analysis is similar to a problem encountered in astrometry. It is necessary to extract accurate coordinates from images on photographic plates. The solution to the mutual problem found applicable to the field of experimental stress analysis is presented to outline the measurement problem. A discussion of the photo-reading device developed to make the measurements follows.

  9. Assessing Pharmacy Students’ Ability to Accurately Measure Blood Pressure Using a Blood Pressure Simulator Arm

    PubMed Central

    Bryant, Ginelle A.; Haack, Sally L.; North, Andrew M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective. To compare student accuracy in measuring normal and high blood pressures using a simulator arm. Methods. In this prospective, single-blind, study involving third-year pharmacy students, simulator arms were programmed with prespecified normal and high blood pressures. Students measured preset normal and high diastolic and systolic blood pressure using a crossover design. Results. One hundred sixteen students completed both blood pressure measurements. There was a significant difference between the accuracy of high systolic blood pressure (HSBP) measurement and normal systolic blood pressure (NSBP) measurement (mean HSBP difference 8.4 ± 10.9 mmHg vs NSBP 3.6 ± 6.4 mmHg; p<0.001). However, there was no difference between the accuracy of high diastolic blood pressure (HDBP) measurement and normal diastolic blood pressure (NDBP) measurement (mean HDBP difference 6.8 ± 9.6 mmHg vs. mean NDBP difference 4.6 ± 4.5 mmHg; p=0.089). Conclusions. Pharmacy students may need additional instruction and experience with taking high blood pressure measurements to ensure they are able to accurately assess this important vital sign. PMID:23788809

  10. Assessing pharmacy students' ability to accurately measure blood pressure using a blood pressure simulator arm.

    PubMed

    Bottenberg, Michelle M; Bryant, Ginelle A; Haack, Sally L; North, Andrew M

    2013-06-12

    To compare student accuracy in measuring normal and high blood pressures using a simulator arm. In this prospective, single-blind, study involving third-year pharmacy students, simulator arms were programmed with prespecified normal and high blood pressures. Students measured preset normal and high diastolic and systolic blood pressure using a crossover design. One hundred sixteen students completed both blood pressure measurements. There was a significant difference between the accuracy of high systolic blood pressure (HSBP) measurement and normal systolic blood pressure (NSBP) measurement (mean HSBP difference 8.4 ± 10.9 mmHg vs NSBP 3.6 ± 6.4 mmHg; p<0.001). However, there was no difference between the accuracy of high diastolic blood pressure (HDBP) measurement and normal diastolic blood pressure (NDBP) measurement (mean HDBP difference 6.8 ± 9.6 mmHg vs. mean NDBP difference 4.6 ± 4.5 mmHg; p=0.089). Pharmacy students may need additional instruction and experience with taking high blood pressure measurements to ensure they are able to accurately assess this important vital sign.

  11. Two-photon LIF on the HIT-SI3 experiment: Absolute density and temperature measurements of deuterium neutrals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elliott, Drew; Sutherland, Derek; Siddiqui, Umair; Scime, Earl; Everson, Chris; Morgan, Kyle; Hossack, Aaron; Nelson, Brian; Jarboe, Tom

    2016-11-01

    Two-photon laser-induced fluorescence measurements were performed on the helicity injected torus (HIT-SI3) device to determine the density and temperature of the background neutral deuterium population. Measurements were taken in 2 ms long pulsed plasmas after the inductive helicity injectors were turned off. Attempts to measure neutrals during the main phase of the plasma were unsuccessful, likely due to the density of neutrals being below the detection threshold of the diagnostic. An unexpectedly low density of atomic deuterium was measured in the afterglow; roughly 100 times lower than the theoretical prediction of 1017 m-3. The neutral temperatures measured were on the order of 1 eV. Temporally and spatially resolved neutral density and temperature data are presented.

  12. Bone mineral density test

    MedlinePlus

    ... density test; Bone densitometry; DEXA scan; DXA; Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; p-DEXA; Osteoporosis - BMD ... most common and accurate way uses a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. DEXA uses low- ...

  13. Ant-inspired density estimation via random walks

    PubMed Central

    Musco, Cameron; Su, Hsin-Hao

    2017-01-01

    Many ant species use distributed population density estimation in applications ranging from quorum sensing, to task allocation, to appraisal of enemy colony strength. It has been shown that ants estimate local population density by tracking encounter rates: The higher the density, the more often the ants bump into each other. We study distributed density estimation from a theoretical perspective. We prove that a group of anonymous agents randomly walking on a grid are able to estimate their density within a small multiplicative error in few steps by measuring their rates of encounter with other agents. Despite dependencies inherent in the fact that nearby agents may collide repeatedly (and, worse, cannot recognize when this happens), our bound nearly matches what would be required to estimate density by independently sampling grid locations. From a biological perspective, our work helps shed light on how ants and other social insects can obtain relatively accurate density estimates via encounter rates. From a technical perspective, our analysis provides tools for understanding complex dependencies in the collision probabilities of multiple random walks. We bound the strength of these dependencies using local mixing properties of the underlying graph. Our results extend beyond the grid to more general graphs, and we discuss applications to size estimation for social networks, density estimation for robot swarms, and random walk-based sampling for sensor networks. PMID:28928146

  14. Ant-inspired density estimation via random walks.

    PubMed

    Musco, Cameron; Su, Hsin-Hao; Lynch, Nancy A

    2017-10-03

    Many ant species use distributed population density estimation in applications ranging from quorum sensing, to task allocation, to appraisal of enemy colony strength. It has been shown that ants estimate local population density by tracking encounter rates: The higher the density, the more often the ants bump into each other. We study distributed density estimation from a theoretical perspective. We prove that a group of anonymous agents randomly walking on a grid are able to estimate their density within a small multiplicative error in few steps by measuring their rates of encounter with other agents. Despite dependencies inherent in the fact that nearby agents may collide repeatedly (and, worse, cannot recognize when this happens), our bound nearly matches what would be required to estimate density by independently sampling grid locations. From a biological perspective, our work helps shed light on how ants and other social insects can obtain relatively accurate density estimates via encounter rates. From a technical perspective, our analysis provides tools for understanding complex dependencies in the collision probabilities of multiple random walks. We bound the strength of these dependencies using local mixing properties of the underlying graph. Our results extend beyond the grid to more general graphs, and we discuss applications to size estimation for social networks, density estimation for robot swarms, and random walk-based sampling for sensor networks.

  15. Simultaneous viscosity and density measurement of small volumes of liquids using a vibrating microcantilever† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6an02674e Click here for additional data file.

    PubMed Central

    Payam, A. F.; Trewby, W.

    2017-01-01

    Many industrial and technological applications require precise determination of the viscosity and density of liquids. Such measurements can be time consuming and often require sampling substantial amounts of the liquid. These problems can partly be overcome with the use of microcantilevers but most existing methods depend on the specific geometry and properties of the cantilever, which renders simple, accurate measurement difficult. Here we present a new approach able to simultaneously quantify both the density and the viscosity of microliters of liquids. The method, based solely on the measurement of two characteristic frequencies of an immersed microcantilever, is completely independent of the choice of a cantilever. We derive analytical expressions for the liquid's density and viscosity and validate our approach with several simple liquids and different cantilevers. Application of our model to non-Newtonian fluids shows that the calculated viscosities are remarkably robust when compared to measurements obtained from a standard rheometer. However, the results become increasingly dependent on the cantilever geometry as the frequency-dependent nature of the liquid's viscosity becomes more significant. PMID:28352874

  16. Micromechanical transient sensor for measuring viscosity and density of a fluid

    DOEpatents

    Thundat, Thomas G.; Oden, Patrick I.; Warmack, Robert J.; Finot, Eric Laurent

    2001-01-01

    A method and apparatus for measuring the viscosity and/or specific density of a fluid utilizes a microcantilever vibrated in the analyte fluid. The source of vibration is switched on and off and the transient behavior or decay in amplitude of the vibration is monitored. The method is particularly useful for the measurement of process conditions in remote locations in real time.

  17. Novel density functional methodology for the computation of accurate electronic and thermodynamic properties of molecular systems and improved long-range behavior

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kafafi, S.A.

    1998-12-10

    A novel general purpose density functional methodology for the computation of accurate electronic and thermodynamic properties of molecules and improved long-range behavior is reported. Assuming the separability of the exchange (E{sub x}) and correlation (E{sub c}) contributions to the total exchange-correlation energy functional (E{sub xc}), the E{sub x} term consists of a hybrid mixture of 37.5% Hartree-Fock exchange and the appropriate local spin density exchange using the adiabatic connection formula. He demonstrated that E{sub x} and its corresponding potential V{sub x} [=dE{sub x}/d{rho}(r)] have the proper asymptotic limits at r = 0 and r {r_arrow} {infinity}, E{sub c} consists ofmore » the Vosko, Wilk, and Nusair formula for the free-electron gas correlation energy and a generalized gradient approximation term with one adjustable parameter. V{sub c} [=dE{sub c}/d{rho}(r)] was shown to obey the r {r_arrow} {infinity} limit of the corresponding potential derived from exact atomic exchange-correlation computations; namely, V{sub c} is proportional to r{sup {minus}4}. Most importantly, he demonstrated that, at r values where dispersion forces are operating, V{sub c} is proportional to 1/r{sup n} (n = 4, 6, 8, {hor_ellipsis}). The reported method was denoted by K2-BVWN because it used two adjustable parameters in its formulation. The K2-BVWN scheme scales as N{sup 3}, where N is the number of basis functions, compared to {approximately}N{sup 7} for Gaussian-2 (G2) ab initio theory and related methods, {approximately}N{sup 5} for Barone`s mPW1,3PW, and {approximately}N{sup 4} for Becke`s three-parameter density functional approaches. The G2 data set complemented by the reported molecular systems investigated in this work was recommended as a critical test for evaluating novel ab initio and density functional methodologies. The K2-BVWN method has been implemented in the Gaussian series of programs.« less

  18. A new simple compact refractometer applied to measurements of air density fluctuations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, H.; Juncar, P.

    1999-07-01

    We describe a new simple, compact refractometer for air refractive index measurements. It consists of a double plane-plane Fabry Perot interferometer. Both interferometers consisting of Zerodur spacers of thickness of 1 and 100 mm are illuminated independently by the same single mode laser diode. The shorter cavity allows unambiguous identification of the transmission peak of the longer one to which the laser frequency is servo-locked. The refractive index of air is obtained via a heterodyne comparison with a second laser locked to a hyperfine component of the rubidium D2 line. We obtain a resolution of order 10-10 and accuracy of a few times 10-8. The metrological characteristics of the interferometer in vacuum are presented. Initial results for refractive index measurements agree with values calculated using the revised Edlen formulas. We also describe how this refractometer is used to measure variations of the density of air and their correlation with changes of refractive index of air. The density of air is used to make buoyancy corrections when comparing mass standards of different volume. Our preliminary results indicate that the values of air density determined by refractometry agree with those calculated using the Comité International des Poids et Mesures formula, which is based on measurements of temperature, pressure, moisture content, and CO2 concentration.

  19. Measurement of Average Aggregate Density by Sedimentation and Brownian Motion Analysis.

    PubMed

    Cavicchi, Richard E; King, Jason; Ripple, Dean C

    2018-05-01

    The spatially averaged density of protein aggregates is an important parameter that can be used to relate size distributions measured by orthogonal methods, to characterize protein particles, and perhaps to estimate the amount of protein in aggregate form in a sample. We obtained a series of images of protein aggregates exhibiting Brownian diffusion while settling under the influence of gravity in a sealed capillary. The aggregates were formed by stir-stressing a monoclonal antibody (NISTmAb). Image processing yielded particle tracks, which were then examined to determine settling velocity and hydrodynamic diameter down to 1 μm based on mean square displacement analysis. Measurements on polystyrene calibration microspheres ranging in size from 1 to 5 μm showed that the mean square displacement diameter had improved accuracy over the diameter derived from imaged particle area, suggesting a future method for correcting size distributions based on imaging. Stokes' law was used to estimate the density of each particle. It was found that the aggregates were highly porous with density decreasing from 1.080 to 1.028 g/cm 3 as the size increased from 1.37 to 4.9 μm. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Joint temporal density measurements for two-photon state characterization.

    PubMed

    Kuzucu, Onur; Wong, Franco N C; Kurimura, Sunao; Tovstonog, Sergey

    2008-10-10

    We demonstrate a technique for characterizing two-photon quantum states based on joint temporal correlation measurements using time-resolved single-photon detection by femtosecond up-conversion. We measure for the first time the joint temporal density of a two-photon entangled state, showing clearly the time anticorrelation of the coincident-frequency entangled photon pair generated by ultrafast spontaneous parametric down-conversion under extended phase-matching conditions. The new technique enables us to manipulate the frequency entanglement by varying the down-conversion pump bandwidth to produce a nearly unentangled two-photon state that is expected to yield a heralded single-photon state with a purity of 0.88. The time-domain correlation technique complements existing frequency-domain measurement methods for a more complete characterization of photonic entanglement.

  1. Technical Note: Cortical thickness and density estimation from clinical CT using a prior thickness-density relationship

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Humbert, Ludovic, E-mail: ludohumberto@gmail.com; Hazrati Marangalou, Javad; Rietbergen, Bert van

    Purpose: Cortical thickness and density are critical components in determining the strength of bony structures. Computed tomography (CT) is one possible modality for analyzing the cortex in 3D. In this paper, a model-based approach for measuring the cortical bone thickness and density from clinical CT images is proposed. Methods: Density variations across the cortex were modeled as a function of the cortical thickness and density, location of the cortex, density of surrounding tissues, and imaging blur. High resolution micro-CT data of cadaver proximal femurs were analyzed to determine a relationship between cortical thickness and density. This thickness-density relationship was usedmore » as prior information to be incorporated in the model to obtain accurate measurements of cortical thickness and density from clinical CT volumes. The method was validated using micro-CT scans of 23 cadaver proximal femurs. Simulated clinical CT images with different voxel sizes were generated from the micro-CT data. Cortical thickness and density were estimated from the simulated images using the proposed method and compared with measurements obtained using the micro-CT images to evaluate the effect of voxel size on the accuracy of the method. Then, 19 of the 23 specimens were imaged using a clinical CT scanner. Cortical thickness and density were estimated from the clinical CT images using the proposed method and compared with the micro-CT measurements. Finally, a case-control study including 20 patients with osteoporosis and 20 age-matched controls with normal bone density was performed to evaluate the proposed method in a clinical context. Results: Cortical thickness (density) estimation errors were 0.07 ± 0.19 mm (−18 ± 92 mg/cm{sup 3}) using the simulated clinical CT volumes with the smallest voxel size (0.33 × 0.33 × 0.5 mm{sup 3}), and 0.10 ± 0.24 mm (−10 ± 115 mg/cm{sup 3}) using the volumes with the largest voxel size (1.0 × 1.0 × 3.0 mm{sup 3}). A trend for

  2. Physical tests for patient selection for bone mineral density measurements in postmenopausal women.

    PubMed

    Kärkkäinen, Matti; Rikkonen, Toni; Kröger, Heikki; Sirola, Joonas; Tuppurainen, Marjo; Salovaara, Kari; Arokoski, Jari; Jurvelin, Jukka; Honkanen, Risto; Alhava, Esko

    2009-04-01

    There is a need for cost-effective clinical methods to select women for bone densitometry. The aim of the present study was to determine whether relatively simple and clinically applicable physical tests could be useful in prediction of bone density in postmenopausal women. A total of 606 women (age range 66-71 years) taking part in the population based OSTPRE Fracture Prevention Study were investigated. Spinal and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Physical tests included the standing-on-one-foot (SOOF), grip strength (GS), leg extension strength, ability to squat down, standing 10 s eyes closed, chair rising, regular walk for 10 m and tandem walk for 6 m. All linear regression models were adjusted for age, body mass index, years on hormone therapy, years since menopause, current smoking and use of oral glucocorticoids. The SOOF was associated with lumbar spine BMD (r2=0.16, p=0.004) and the femoral regions (r2 values from 0.17 to 0.23 and p-values all<0.001). The GS was associated with lumbar spine BMD (r2=0.16, p=0.011) and the femoral regions (r2 values from 0.16 to 0.21 and p-values from <0.001 to 0.004). The ability to squat down on the floor was associated with the femoral regions (r2 values from 0.15 to 0.21 and p-values from 0.028 to 0.040). In addition, functional capacity was decreased in women with femoral neck osteoporosis (WHO classification) compared to women with normal or osteopenic BMD: SOOF -39% (p=0.001), GS -18% (p<0.001), leg extension strength -19% (p=0.007) and ability to squat down on the floor -40% (p=0.004). For osteoporosis prediction (ROC analysis) a threshold of a 22 kg in GS would yield a true-positive rate (sensitivity) of about 58% and a true-negative rate (specificity) of 86% (AUC 0.76). We suggest that grip strength could be used in medical decision making to identify those women who would benefit from BMD measurements albeit alone it may not provide accurate enough tool for

  3. How accurate are lexile text measures?

    PubMed

    Stenner, A Jackson; Burdick, Hal; Sanford, Eleanor E; Burdick, Donald S

    2006-01-01

    The Lexile Framework for Reading models comprehension as the difference between a reader measure and a text measure. Uncertainty in comprehension rates results from unreliability in reader measures and inaccuracy in text readability measures. Whole-text processing eliminates sampling error in text measures. However, Lexile text measures are imperfect due to misspecification of the Lexile theory. The standard deviation component associated with theory misspecification is estimated at 64L for a standard-length passage (approximately 125 words). A consequence is that standard errors for longer texts (2,500 to 150,000 words) are measured on the Lexile scale with uncertainties in the single digits. Uncertainties in expected comprehension rates are largely due to imprecision in reader ability and not inaccuracies in text readabilities.

  4. A MEMS Resonant Sensor to Measure Fluid Density and Viscosity under Flexural and Torsional Vibrating Modes

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Libo; Hu, Yingjie; Wang, Tongdong; Ding, Jianjun; Liu, Xixiang; Zhao, Yulong; Jiang, Zhuangde

    2016-01-01

    Methods to calculate fluid density and viscosity using a micro-cantilever and based on the resonance principle were put forward. Their measuring mechanisms were analyzed and the theoretical equations to calculate the density and viscosity were deduced. The fluid-solid coupling simulations were completed for the micro-cantilevers with different shapes. The sensing chips with micro-cantilevers were designed based on the simulation results and fabricated using the micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Finally, the MEMS resonant sensor was packaged with the sensing chip to measure the densities and viscosities of eight different fluids under the flexural and torsional vibrating modes separately. The relative errors of the measured densities from 600 kg/m3 to 900 kg/m3 and viscosities from 200 μPa·s to 1000 μPa·s were calculated and analyzed with different microcantilevers under various vibrating modes. The experimental results showed that the effects of the shape and vibrating mode of micro-cantilever on the measurement accuracies of fluid density and viscosity were analyzed in detail. PMID:27275823

  5. A non-contact method based on multiple signal classification algorithm to reduce the measurement time for accurately heart rate detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bechet, P.; Mitran, R.; Munteanu, M.

    2013-08-01

    Non-contact methods for the assessment of vital signs are of great interest for specialists due to the benefits obtained in both medical and special applications, such as those for surveillance, monitoring, and search and rescue. This paper investigates the possibility of implementing a digital processing algorithm based on the MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) parametric spectral estimation in order to reduce the observation time needed to accurately measure the heart rate. It demonstrates that, by proper dimensioning the signal subspace, the MUSIC algorithm can be optimized in order to accurately assess the heart rate during an 8-28 s time interval. The validation of the processing algorithm performance was achieved by minimizing the mean error of the heart rate after performing simultaneous comparative measurements on several subjects. In order to calculate the error the reference value of heart rate was measured using a classic measurement system through direct contact.

  6. Measuring the binding stoichiometry of HIV-1 Gag to very-low-density oligonucleotide surfaces using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Stephen, Andrew G; Datta, Siddhartha A K; Worthy, Karen M; Bindu, Lakshman; Fivash, Matthew J; Turner, Kevin B; Fabris, Daniele; Rein, Alan; Fisher, Robert J

    2007-09-01

    The interaction of the HIV Gag polyprotein with nucleic acid is a critical step in the assembly of viral particles. The Gag polyprotein is composed of the matrix (MA), capsid (CA), and nucleocapsid (NC) domains. The NC domain is required for nucleic acid interactions, and the CA domain is required for Gag-Gag interactions. Previously, we have investigated the binding of the NC protein to d(TG)(n) oligonucleotides using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. We found a single NC protein is able to bind to more than one immobilized oligonucleotide, provided that the oligonucleotides are close enough together. As NC is believed to be the nucleic acid binding domain of Gag, we might expect Gag to show the same complex behavior. We wished to analyze the stoichiometry of Gag binding to oligonucleotides without this complication due to tertiary complex formation. We have therefore analyzed Gag binding to extremely low oligonucleotide density on SPR chips. Such low densities of oligonucleotides are difficult to accurately quantitate. We have determined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron (FTICR) mass spectrometry that four molecules of NC bind to d(TG)(10) (a 20-base oligonucleotide). We developed a method of calibrating low-density surfaces using NC calibration injections. Knowing the maximal response and the stoichiometry of binding, we can precisely determine the amount of oligonucleotide immobilized at these very-low-density surfaces (<1 Response Unit). Using this approach, we have measured the binding of Gag to d(TG)(10). Gag binds to a 20-mer with a stoichiometry of greater than 4. This suggests that once Gag is bound to the immobilized oligonucleotide, additional Gag molecules can bind to this complex.

  7. Achieving perceptually-accurate aural telepresence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henderson, Paul D.

    Immersive multimedia requires not only realistic visual imagery but also a perceptually-accurate aural experience. A sound field may be presented simultaneously to a listener via a loudspeaker rendering system using the direct sound from acoustic sources as well as a simulation or "auralization" of room acoustics. Beginning with classical Wave-Field Synthesis (WFS), improvements are made to correct for asymmetries in loudspeaker array geometry. Presented is a new Spatially-Equalized WFS (SE-WFS) technique to maintain the energy-time balance of a simulated room by equalizing the reproduced spectrum at the listener for a distribution of possible source angles. Each reproduced source or reflection is filtered according to its incidence angle to the listener. An SE-WFS loudspeaker array of arbitrary geometry reproduces the sound field of a room with correct spectral and temporal balance, compared with classically-processed WFS systems. Localization accuracy of human listeners in SE-WFS sound fields is quantified by psychoacoustical testing. At a loudspeaker spacing of 0.17 m (equivalent to an aliasing cutoff frequency of 1 kHz), SE-WFS exhibits a localization blur of 3 degrees, nearly equal to real point sources. Increasing the loudspeaker spacing to 0.68 m (for a cutoff frequency of 170 Hz) results in a blur of less than 5 degrees. In contrast, stereophonic reproduction is less accurate with a blur of 7 degrees. The ventriloquist effect is psychometrically investigated to determine the effect of an intentional directional incongruence between audio and video stimuli. Subjects were presented with prerecorded full-spectrum speech and motion video of a talker's head as well as broadband noise bursts with a static image. The video image was displaced from the audio stimulus in azimuth by varying amounts, and the perceived auditory location measured. A strong bias was detectable for small angular discrepancies between audio and video stimuli for separations of less than 8

  8. Modeling and measurement of hydrogen radical densities of in situ plasma-based Sn cleaning source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elg, Daniel T.; Panici, Gianluca A.; Peck, Jason A.; Srivastava, Shailendra N.; Ruzic, David N.

    2017-04-01

    Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography sources expel Sn debris. This debris deposits on the collector optic used to focus the EUV light, lowering its reflectivity and EUV throughput to the wafer. Consequently, the collector must be cleaned, causing source downtime. To solve this, a hydrogen plasma source was developed to clean the collector in situ by using the collector as an antenna to create a hydrogen plasma and create H radicals, which etch Sn as SnH4. This technique has been shown to remove Sn from a 300-mm-diameter stainless steel dummy collector. The H radical density is of key importance in Sn etching. The effects of power, pressure, and flow on radical density are explored. A catalytic probe has been used to measure radical density, and a zero-dimensional model is used to provide the fundamental science behind radical creation and predict radical densities. Model predictions and experimental measurements are in good agreement. The trends observed in radical density, contrasted with measured Sn removal rates, show that radical density is not the limiting factor in this etching system; other factors, such as SnH4 redeposition and energetic ion bombardment, must be more fully understood in order to predict removal rates.

  9. Accurate Emission Line Diagnostics at High Redshift

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, Tucker

    2017-08-01

    How do the physical conditions of high redshift galaxies differ from those seen locally? Spectroscopic surveys have invested hundreds of nights of 8- and 10-meter telescope time as well as hundreds of Hubble orbits to study evolution in the galaxy population at redshifts z 0.5-4 using rest-frame optical strong emission line diagnostics. These surveys reveal evolution in the gas excitation with redshift but the physical cause is not yet understood. Consequently there are large systematic errors in derived quantities such as metallicity.We have used direct measurements of gas density, temperature, and metallicity in a unique sample at z=0.8 to determine reliable diagnostics for high redshift galaxies. Our measurements suggest that offsets in emission line ratios at high redshift are primarily caused by high N/O abundance ratios. However, our ground-based data cannot rule out other interpretations. Spatially resolved Hubble grism spectra are needed to distinguish between the remaining plausible causes such as active nuclei, shocks, diffuse ionized gas emission, and HII regions with escaping ionizing flux. Identifying the physical origin of evolving excitation will allow us to build the necessary foundation for accurate measurements of metallicity and other properties of high redshift galaxies. Only then can we expoit the wealth of data from current surveys and near-future JWST spectroscopy to understand how galaxies evolve over time.

  10. Calibration and evaluation of a nuclear density and moisture measuring apparatus.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1963-11-01

    The research objectives of this project were to investigate a new : method of in-place determination of soils densities and moisture levels : employing a nuclear physics principle of the gamma radiation function as : the measurement technique, with s...

  11. Rayleigh Scattering Density Measurements, Cluster Theory, and Nucleation Calculations at Mach 10

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Balla, R. Jeffrey; Everhart, Joel L.

    2012-01-01

    In an exploratory investigation, quantitative unclustered laser Rayleigh scattering measurements of density were performed in the air in the NASA Langley Research Center's 31 in. Mach 10 wind tunnel. A review of 20 previous years of data in supersonic and Mach 6 hypersonic flows is presented where clustered signals typically overwhelmed molecular signals. A review of nucleation theory and accompanying nucleation calculations are also provided to interpret the current observed lack of clustering. Data were acquired at a fixed stagnation temperature near 990Kat five stagnation pressures spanning 2.41 to 10.0 MPa (350 to 1454 psi) using a pulsed argon fluoride excimer laser and double-intensified charge-coupled device camera. Data averaged over 371 images and 210 pixels along a 36.7mmline measured freestream densities that agree with computed isentropic-expansion densities to less than 2% and less than 6% at the highest and lowest densities, respectively. Cluster-free Mach 10 results are compared with previous clustered Mach 6 and condensation-free Mach 14 results. Evidence is presented indicating vibrationally excited oxygen and nitrogen molecules are absorbed as the clusters form, release their excess energy, and inhibit or possibly reverse the clustering process. Implications for delaying clustering and condensation onset in hypersonic and hypervelocity facilities are discussed.

  12. Investigation of Aerosol Surface Area Estimation from Number and Mass Concentration Measurements: Particle Density Effect.

    PubMed

    Ku, Bon Ki; Evans, Douglas E

    2012-04-01

    For nanoparticles with nonspherical morphologies, e.g., open agglomerates or fibrous particles, it is expected that the actual density of agglomerates may be significantly different from the bulk material density. It is further expected that using the material density may upset the relationship between surface area and mass when a method for estimating aerosol surface area from number and mass concentrations (referred to as "Maynard's estimation method") is used. Therefore, it is necessary to quantitatively investigate how much the Maynard's estimation method depends on particle morphology and density. In this study, aerosol surface area estimated from number and mass concentration measurements was evaluated and compared with values from two reference methods: a method proposed by Lall and Friedlander for agglomerates and a mobility based method for compact nonspherical particles using well-defined polydisperse aerosols with known particle densities. Polydisperse silver aerosol particles were generated by an aerosol generation facility. Generated aerosols had a range of morphologies, count median diameters (CMD) between 25 and 50 nm, and geometric standard deviations (GSD) between 1.5 and 1.8. The surface area estimates from number and mass concentration measurements correlated well with the two reference values when gravimetric mass was used. The aerosol surface area estimates from the Maynard's estimation method were comparable to the reference method for all particle morphologies within the surface area ratios of 3.31 and 0.19 for assumed GSDs 1.5 and 1.8, respectively, when the bulk material density of silver was used. The difference between the Maynard's estimation method and surface area measured by the reference method for fractal-like agglomerates decreased from 79% to 23% when the measured effective particle density was used, while the difference for nearly spherical particles decreased from 30% to 24%. The results indicate that the use of particle density

  13. Electron density measurements from the shot noise collected on the STEREO/WAVES antennas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zouganelis, Ioannis; Bale, Stuart; Bougeret, J.-L.; Maksimovic, Milan

    One of the most reliable techniques for in situ measuring the electron density and temperature in space plasmas is the quasi-thermal noise spectroscopy. When a passive electric antenna is immersed in a stable plasma, the thermal motion of the ambient particles produces electrostatic fluctuations, which can be adequately measured with a sensitive wave receiver connected to a wire dipole antenna. Unfortunately, on STEREO, the S/WAVES design does not let us use this high accuracy technique because the antennas have a large surface area and the resulting shot noise spectrum in the solar wind dominates the power at lower frequencies. We can use, instead, the electron shot noise to infer the plasma density. For this, we use well calibrated Wind particle data to deduce the base capacitance of the S/WAVES instrument in a special configuration when the STEREO-B spacecraft was just downstream of Wind. The electron plasma density deduced is then compared to the S/PLASTIC ion density and its accuracy is estimated of up to 10

  14. Measured density and calculated baricity of custom-compounded drugs for chronic intrathecal infusion.

    PubMed

    Hejtmanek, Michael R; Harvey, Tracy D; Bernards, Christopher M

    2011-01-01

    To minimize the frequency that intrathecal pumps require refilling, drugs are custom compounded at very high concentrations. Unfortunately, the baricity of these custom solutions is unknown, which is problematic, given baricity's importance in determining the spread of intrathecally administered drugs. Consequently, we measured the density and calculated the baricity of clinically relevant concentrations of multiple drugs used for intrathecal infusion. Morphine, clonidine, bupivacaine, and baclofen were weighed to within 0.0001 g and diluted in volumetric flasks to produce solutions of known concentrations (morphine 1, 10, 25, and 50 mg/mL; clonidine 0.05, 0.5, 1, and 3 mg/mL; bupivacaine 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/mL; baclofen 1, 1.5, 2, and 4 mg/mL). The densities of the solutions were measured at 37°C using the mechanical oscillation method. A "best-fit" curve was calculated for plots of concentration versus density for each drug. All prepared solutions of clonidine and baclofen were hypobaric. Higher concentrations of morphine and bupivacaine were hyperbaric, whereas lower concentrations were hypobaric. The relationship between concentration and density is linear for morphine (r > 0.99) and bupivacaine (r > 0.99) and logarithmic for baclofen (r = 0.96) and clonidine (r = 0.98). This is the first study to examine the relationship between concentration and density for custom drug concentrations commonly used in implanted intrathecal pumps. We calculated an equation that defines the relationship between concentration and density for each drug. Using these equations, clinicians can calculate the density of any solution made from the drugs studied here.

  15. In Situ Density Measurement of Basaltic Melts at High Pressure by X-ray Absorption Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ando, R.; Ohtani, E.; Suzuki, A.; Urakawa, S.; Katayama, Y.

    2004-12-01

    Density of silicate melt at high pressure is one of the most important properties to understand magma migration in the planetary interior. However, because of experimental difficulties, the density of magma at high pressure is poorly known. Katayama et al. (1996) recently developed a new in situ density measurement method for metallic melts, based on the density dependency of X-ray absorption in the sample. In this study, we tried to measure the density of basaltic melt by this absorption method. When X-ray is transmitted to the sample, the intensity of the transmitted X-ray beam (I) is expressed as follows; I=I0exp(-μ ρ t), where I0 is the intensity of incident X-ray beam, μ is the mass absorption coefficient, ρ is the density of the sample, and t is the thickness of the sample. If t and μ are known, we can determine the density of the sample by measuring I and I0. This is the principle of the absorption method for density measurement. In this study, in order to determine t, we used a single crystalline diamond cylinder as a sample capsule, diamond is less compressive and less deformable so that even at high pressure t (thickness of the sample at the point x) is expressed as follows; t = 2*(R02-x2)1/2, R0 is the inner radius of cylinder at the ambient condition, and x is distance from a center of the capsule. And diamond also shows less absorption so that this make it possible to measure the density of silicate melt with smaller absorption coefficient than metallic melts. In order to know the μ of the sample, we measured both densities (ρ ) and absorptions (I/I0) for some glasses and crystals with same composition of the sample at the ambient condition, and calculated as fallows; μ =ln(I/I0)/ρ . Experiments were made at the beamline (BL22XU) of SPring-8. For generation of high pressure and high temperature, we used DIA-type cubic anvil apparatus (SMAP180) there. We used tungsten carbide anvils with the edge-length of 6 mm. The energy of monochromatic X

  16. Density Measurement of Compact Toroid with Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laufman-Wollitzer, Lauren; Endrizzi, Doug; Brookhart, Matt; Flanagan, Ken; Forest, Cary

    2016-10-01

    Utilizing a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) built by Tri Alpha Energy, a dense compact toroid (CT) is created and injected at high speed into the Wisconsin Plasma Astrophysics Laboratory (WiPAL) vessel. A modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer from the Line-Tied Reconnection Experiment (LTRX) provides an absolute measurement of electron density. The interferometer is located such that the beam intersects the plasma across the diameter of the MCPG drift region before the CT enters the vessel. This placement ensures that the measurement is taken before the CT expand. Results presented will be used to further analyze characteristics of the CT. Funding provided by DoE, NSF, and WISE Summer Research.

  17. Simulating the effect of high column density absorbers on the one-dimensional Lyman α forest flux power spectrum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rogers, Keir K.; Bird, Simeon; Peiris, Hiranya V.; Pontzen, Andrew; Font-Ribera, Andreu; Leistedt, Boris

    2018-03-01

    We measure the effect of high column density absorbing systems of neutral hydrogen (H I) on the one-dimensional (1D) Lyman α forest flux power spectrum using cosmological hydrodynamical simulations from the Illustris project. High column density absorbers (which we define to be those with H I column densities N(H I) > 1.6 × 10^{17} atoms cm^{-2}) cause broadened absorption lines with characteristic damping wings. These damping wings bias the 1D Lyman α forest flux power spectrum by causing absorption in quasar spectra away from the location of the absorber itself. We investigate the effect of high column density absorbers on the Lyman α forest using hydrodynamical simulations for the first time. We provide templates as a function of column density and redshift, allowing the flexibility to accurately model residual contamination, i.e. if an analysis selectively clips out the largest damping wings. This flexibility will improve cosmological parameter estimation, for example, allowing more accurate measurement of the shape of the power spectrum, with implications for cosmological models containing massive neutrinos or a running of the spectral index. We provide fitting functions to reproduce these results so that they can be incorporated straightforwardly into a data analysis pipeline.

  18. Investigating uplift in the South-Western Barents Sea using sonic and density well log measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Y.; Ellis, M.

    2014-12-01

    Sediments in the Barents Sea have undergone large amounts of uplift due to Plio-Pleistoncene deglaciation as well as Palaeocene-Eocene Atlantic rifting. Uplift affects the reservoir quality, seal capacity and fluid migration. Therefore, it is important to gain reliable uplift estimates in order to evaluate the petroleum prospectivity properly. To this end, a number of quantification methods have been proposed, such as Apatite Fission Track Analysis (AFTA), and integration of seismic surveys with well log data. AFTA usually provides accurate uplift estimates, but the data is limited due to its high cost. While the seismic survey can provide good uplift estimate when well data is available for calibration, the uncertainty can be large in areas where there is little to no well data. We estimated South-Western Barents Sea uplift based on well data from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Primary assumptions include time-irreversible shale compaction trends and a universal normal compaction trend for a specified formation. Sonic and density logs from two Cenozoic shale formation intervals, Kolmule and Kolje, were used for the study. For each formation, we studied logs of all released wells, and established exponential normal compaction trends based on a single well. That well was then deemed the reference well, and relative uplift can be calculated at other well locations based on the offset from the normal compaction trend. We found that the amount of uplift increases along the SW to NE direction, with a maximum difference of 1,447 m from the Kolje FM estimate, and 699 m from the Kolmule FM estimate. The average standard deviation of the estimated uplift is 130 m for the Kolje FM, and 160 m for the Kolmule FM using the density log. While results from density logs and sonic logs have good agreement in general, the density log provides slightly better results in terms of higher consistency and lower standard deviation. Our results agree with published papers

  19. Electrochemical thermodynamic measurement system

    DOEpatents

    Reynier, Yvan [Meylan, FR; Yazami, Rachid [Los Angeles, CA; Fultz, Brent T [Pasadena, CA

    2009-09-29

    The present invention provides systems and methods for accurately characterizing thermodynamic and materials properties of electrodes and electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. Systems and methods of the present invention are configured for simultaneously collecting a suite of measurements characterizing a plurality of interconnected electrochemical and thermodynamic parameters relating to the electrode reaction state of advancement, voltage and temperature. Enhanced sensitivity provided by the present methods and systems combined with measurement conditions that reflect thermodynamically stabilized electrode conditions allow very accurate measurement of thermodynamic parameters, including state functions such as the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of electrode/electrochemical cell reactions, that enable prediction of important performance attributes of electrode materials and electrochemical systems, such as the energy, power density, current rate and the cycle life of an electrochemical cell.

  20. Multiple neutral density measurements in the lower thermosphere with cold-cathode ionization gauges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehmacher, G. A.; Gaulden, T. M.; Larsen, M. F.; Craven, J. D.

    2013-01-01

    Cold-cathode ionization gauges were used for rocket-borne measurements of total neutral density and temperature in the aurorally forced lower thermosphere between 90 and 200 km. A commercial gauge was adapted as a low-cost instrument with a spherical antechamber for measurements in molecular flow conditions. Three roll-stabilized payloads on different trajectories each carried two instruments for measurements near the ram flow direction along the respective upleg and downleg segments of a flight path, and six density profiles were obtained within a period of 22 min covering spatial separations up to 200 km. The density profiles were integrated below 125 km to yield temperatures. The mean temperature structure was similar for all six profiles with two mesopause minima near 110 and 101 km, however, for the downleg profiles, the upper minimum was warmer and the lower minimum was colder by 20-30 K indicating significant variability over horizontal scales of 100-200 km. The upper temperature minimum coincided with maximum horizontal winds speeds, exceeding 170 m/s.

  1. Photoelectrochemical etching measurement of defect density in GaN grown by nanoheteroepitaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferdous, M. S.; Sun, X. Y.; Wang, X.; Fairchild, M. N.; Hersee, S. D.

    2006-05-01

    The density of dislocations in n-type GaN was measured by photoelectrochemical etching. A 10× reduction in dislocation density was observed compared to planar GaN grown at the same time. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy studies indicate that defect reduction is due to the mutual cancellation of dislocations with equal and opposite Burger's vectors. The nanoheteroepitaxy sample exhibited significantly higher photoluminescence intensity and higher electron mobility than the planar reference sample.

  2. Measuring the Density of Liquid Targets in the SeaQuest Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xi, Zhaojia; SeaQuest/E906 Collaboration

    2015-10-01

    The SeaQuest (E906) experiment, using the 120 GeV proton beam from the Main Injector at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab (FNAL), is studying the quark and antiquark structure of the nucleon using the Drell-Yan process. Based on the cross section ratios, σ (p + d) / σ (p + p) , SeaQuest will extract the Bjorken-x dependnce of the d / u ratio. The measurement will cover the large region (x > 0 . 25) with improved accuracy compared to the previous E866/Nusea experiment. Liquid D2 (LD2) and Liquid H2 (LH2) are the targets used in the SeaQuest experiment. The densities of LD2 and LH2 targets are two important quantities for the determination of the d / u ratio. We measure the pressure and temperature inside the flasks, from which the densities are calculated. The method, measurements and results of this study will be presented. This work is supported by U.S. DOE MENP Grant DE-FG02-03ER41243.

  3. Quantitative electron density characterization of soft tissue substitute plastic materials using grating-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sarapata, A.; Chabior, M.; Zanette, I.

    2014-10-15

    Many scientific research areas rely on accurate electron density characterization of various materials. For instance in X-ray optics and radiation therapy, there is a need for a fast and reliable technique to quantitatively characterize samples for electron density. We present how a precise measurement of electron density can be performed using an X-ray phase-contrast grating interferometer in a radiographic mode of a homogenous sample in a controlled geometry. A batch of various plastic materials was characterized quantitatively and compared with calculated results. We found that the measured electron densities closely match theoretical values. The technique yields comparable results between amore » monochromatic and a polychromatic X-ray source. Measured electron densities can be further used to design dedicated X-ray phase contrast phantoms and the additional information on small angle scattering should be taken into account in order to exclude unsuitable materials.« less

  4. Estimation of electrical conductivity distribution within the human head from magnetic flux density measurement.

    PubMed

    Gao, Nuo; Zhu, S A; He, Bin

    2005-06-07

    We have developed a new algorithm for magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT), which uses only one component of the magnetic flux density to reconstruct the electrical conductivity distribution within the body. The radial basis function (RBF) network and simplex method are used in the present approach to estimate the conductivity distribution by minimizing the errors between the 'measured' and model-predicted magnetic flux densities. Computer simulations were conducted in a realistic-geometry head model to test the feasibility of the proposed approach. Single-variable and three-variable simulations were performed to estimate the brain-skull conductivity ratio and the conductivity values of the brain, skull and scalp layers. When SNR = 15 for magnetic flux density measurements with the target skull-to-brain conductivity ratio being 1/15, the relative error (RE) between the target and estimated conductivity was 0.0737 +/- 0.0746 in the single-variable simulations. In the three-variable simulations, the RE was 0.1676 +/- 0.0317. Effects of electrode position uncertainty were also assessed by computer simulations. The present promising results suggest the feasibility of estimating important conductivity values within the head from noninvasive magnetic flux density measurements.

  5. Does peripheral quantitative computed tomography ignore tissue density of cancellous bone?

    PubMed

    Banse, X; Devogelaer, J P

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this work was to determine the capacity of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to accurately measure the true physical properties of vertebral cancellous bone samples and to predict their stiffness. pQCT bone mineral density (BMD) was first measured in ideal conditions. Ten cubic specimens of vertebral cancellous bone (10 x 10 x 10 mm) were washed with a water jet, defatted, and scanned in saline after elimination of air bubbles; thirteen slices were obtained. Seventy-one unprepared cylindrical samples were scanned in more realistic conditions, which allow further biomechanical testing. After extraction from the vertebral body, the samples were pushed into a plastic tube (no effort was made to remove the marrow or air bubbles), and only four slices were obtained to reduce the duration of scan. For the 81 samples, the true bone volume fraction (BV/TV, %), true apparent density (rho(app), g/cm(3)), and tissue density (rho(tiss), g/cm(3)) (an indicator of the degree of mineralization of the matrix) were then measured using Archimedes principle. rho(app) was closely correlated to BV/TV (r(2) = 0.97). rho(tiss) (1.58 +/- 0.08 g/cm(2)) was almost constant but had some influence on rho(app) (r(2) = 0.03, p < 0.001). The pQCT BMD predicted accurately rho(app) (r(2) = 0.96) and BV/TV (r(2) = 0.93) for the cylinders. For the cubes, in ideal conditions, the same correlations were even better (r(2) > 0.99, both). Analysis of covariance indicated no difference (p > 0.05) in the regressions due to preparation of the samples. The stiffness was better predicted by the true rho(app) (r(2) = 0.87) than by BV/TV (r(2) = 0.83), indicating that stiffness was influenced by small differences in the tissue density. Consequently, the correlation between pQCT BMD and stiffness was excellent (r(2) = 0.84). The fact that pQCT did not ignore this tissue density information compensated for the inaccuracies linked to realistic scanning conditions of the cylinder.

  6. Microwave/Sonic Apparatus Measures Flow and Density in Pipe

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arndt, G. D.; Ngo, Phong; Carl, J. R.; Byerly, Kent A.

    2004-01-01

    An apparatus for measuring the rate of flow and the mass density of a liquid or slurry includes a special section of pipe instrumented with microwave and sonic sensors, and a computer that processes digitized readings taken by the sensors. The apparatus was conceived specifically for monitoring a flow of oil-well-drilling mud, but the basic principles of its design and operation are also applicable to monitoring flows of other liquids and slurries.

  7. Easy Leaf Area: Automated digital image analysis for rapid and accurate measurement of leaf area.

    PubMed

    Easlon, Hsien Ming; Bloom, Arnold J

    2014-07-01

    Measurement of leaf areas from digital photographs has traditionally required significant user input unless backgrounds are carefully masked. Easy Leaf Area was developed to batch process hundreds of Arabidopsis rosette images in minutes, removing background artifacts and saving results to a spreadsheet-ready CSV file. • Easy Leaf Area uses the color ratios of each pixel to distinguish leaves and calibration areas from their background and compares leaf pixel counts to a red calibration area to eliminate the need for camera distance calculations or manual ruler scale measurement that other software methods typically require. Leaf areas estimated by this software from images taken with a camera phone were more accurate than ImageJ estimates from flatbed scanner images. • Easy Leaf Area provides an easy-to-use method for rapid measurement of leaf area and nondestructive estimation of canopy area from digital images.

  8. Accurate temperature measurement by temperature field analysis in diamond anvil cell for thermal transport study of matter under high pressures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yue, Donghui; Ji, Tingting; Qin, Tianru; Wang, Jia; Liu, Cailong; Jiao, Hui; Zhao, Lin; Han, Yonghao; Gao, Chunxiao

    2018-02-01

    The study on the thermal transport properties of matter under high pressure is important but is hard to fulfill in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) because the accurate measurement of the temperature gradient within the sample of DAC is very difficult. In most cases, the sample temperature can be read accurately from the thermocouples that are directly attached to the lateral edges of diamond anvils because both the sample and diamond anvils can be uniformly heated up to a given temperature. But for the thermal transport property studies in DAC, an artificial temperature distribution along the compression axis is a prerequisite. Obviously, the temperature of the top or bottom surface of the sample cannot be substituted by that of diamond anvils although diamond anvils can be considered as a good medium for heat conduction. With temperature field simulation by finite element analysis, it is found that big measurement errors can occur and are fatal to the correct analysis of thermal transport properties of materials. Thus, a method of combining both the four-thermocouple configuration and temperature field analysis is presented for the accurate temperature distribution measurement in DAC, which is based on the single-function relationship between temperature distribution and sample thermal conductivity.

  9. Density measurements as a condition monitoring approach for following the aging of nuclear power plant cable materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gillen, K. T.; Celina, M.; Clough, R. L.

    1999-10-01

    Monitoring changes in material density has been suggested as a potentially useful condition monitoring (CM) method for following the aging of cable jacket and insulation materials in nuclear power plants. In this study, we compare density measurements and ultimate tensile elongation results versus aging time for most of the important generic types of commercial nuclear power plant cable materials. Aging conditions, which include thermal-only, as well as combined radiation plus thermal, were chosen such that potentially anomalous effects caused by diffusion-limited oxidation (DLO) are unimportant. The results show that easily measurable density increases occur in most important cable materials. For some materials and environments, the density change occurs at a fairly constant rate throughout the mechanical property lifetime. For cases involving so-called induction-time behavior, density increases are slow to moderate until after the induction time, at which point they begin to increase dramatically. In other instances, density increases rapidly at first, then slows down. The results offer strong evidence that density measurements, which reflect property changes under both radiation and thermal conditions, could represent a very useful CM approach.

  10. Accurate Monte Carlo simulations on FCC and HCP Lennard-Jones solids at very low temperatures and high reduced densities up to 1.30

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adidharma, Hertanto; Tan, Sugata P.

    2016-07-01

    Canonical Monte Carlo simulations on face-centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal closed packed (HCP) Lennard-Jones (LJ) solids are conducted at very low temperatures (0.10 ≤ T∗ ≤ 1.20) and high densities (0.96 ≤ ρ∗ ≤ 1.30). A simple and robust method is introduced to determine whether or not the cutoff distance used in the simulation is large enough to provide accurate thermodynamic properties, which enables us to distinguish the properties of FCC from that of HCP LJ solids with confidence, despite their close similarities. Free-energy expressions derived from the simulation results are also proposed, not only to describe the properties of those individual structures but also the FCC-liquid, FCC-vapor, and FCC-HCP solid phase equilibria.

  11. Effects of density gradients and fluctuations at the plasma edge on ECEI measurements at ASDEX Upgrade

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vanovac, B.; Wolfrum, E.; Denk, S. S.; Mink, F.; Laggner, F. M.; Birkenmeier, G.; Willensdorfer, M.; Viezzer, E.; Hoelzl, M.; Freethy, S. J.; Dunne, M. G.; Lessig, A.; Luhmann, N. C., Jr.; the ASDEX Upgrade Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

    2018-04-01

    Electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) provides measurements of electron temperature (T e ) and its fluctuations (δT e ). However, when measuring at the plasma edge, in the steep gradient region, radiation transport effects must be taken into account. It is shown that due to these effects, the scrape-off layer region is not accessible to the ECEI measurements in steady state conditions and that the signal is dominated by the shine-through emission. Transient effects, such as filaments, can change the radiation transport locally, but cannot be distinguished from the shine-through. Local density measurements are essential for the correct interpretation of the electron cyclotron emission, since the density fluctuations influence the temperature measurements at the plasma edge. As an example, a low frequency 8 kHz mode, which causes 10%-15% fluctuations in the signal level of the ECEI, is analysed. The same mode has been measured with the lithium beam emission spectroscopy density diagnostic, and is very well correlated in time with high frequency magnetic fluctuations. With radiation transport modelling of the electron cyclotron radiation in the ECEI geometry, it is shown that the density contributes significantly to the radiation temperature (T rad) and the experimental observations have shown the amplitude modulation in both density and temperature measurements. The poloidal velocity of the low frequency mode measured by the ECEI is 3 km s-1. The calculated velocity of the high frequency mode measured with the magnetic pick-up coils is about 25 km s-1. Velocities are compared with the E × B background flow velocity and possible explanations for the origin of the low frequency mode are discussed.

  12. Macular pigment and lens optical density measurements-evaluating a flicker machine with novel features

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukherjee, Anirbaan

    Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness amongst the elderly. Macular pigment (MP) in the retina has been established to protect individuals against AMD. Improving levels of MP by diet or supplements is the constant quest of clinical practitioners and researchers, thus necessitating development of instruments capable of repeatable and reliable MP measurement. Cataract, a consequence of the rising opacity levels of the lens with age is one of the other major causes of blindness in the world. Mapcatsf, a LED-based microprocessor-controlled heterochromatic flicker photometer (HFP) using photopic vision is capable of measuring the levels of MP and the opacity of the lens in terms of optical density. Test-retest measurements conducted on 83 subjects were analyzed for repeatability in macular pigment optical density (MPOD) measurements. Reliability of the lens optical density (LOD) measurements were tested and compared with those obtained at absolute scotopic thresholds for 25 individuals. A supplement study with 32 individuals both in the young (50) age groups for 6 months further established Mapcatsf's capacity to monitor changing levels of MP in individuals. As an overall outcome, high levels of repeatability and reliability were obtained in MPOD and LOD measurements establishing Mapcatsf as an instrument for use in clinical settings in the future.

  13. Constraining variable density of ice shelves using wide-angle radar measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drews, Reinhard; Brown, Joel; Matsuoka, Kenichi; Witrant, Emmanuel; Philippe, Morgane; Hubbard, Bryn; Pattyn, Frank

    2016-04-01

    The thickness of ice shelves, a basic parameter for mass balance estimates, is typically inferred using hydrostatic equilibrium, for which knowledge of the depth-averaged density is essential. The densification from snow to ice depends on a number of local factors (e.g., temperature and surface mass balance) causing spatial and temporal variations in density-depth profiles. However, direct measurements of firn density are sparse, requiring substantial logistical effort. Here, we infer density from radio-wave propagation speed using ground-based wide-angle radar data sets (10 MHz) collected at five sites on Roi Baudouin Ice Shelf (RBIS), Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. We reconstruct depth to internal reflectors, local ice thickness, and firn-air content using a novel algorithm that includes traveltime inversion and ray tracing with a prescribed shape of the depth-density relationship. For the particular case of an ice-shelf channel, where ice thickness and surface slope change substantially over a few kilometers, the radar data suggest that firn inside the channel is about 5 % denser than outside the channel. Although this density difference is at the detection limit of the radar, it is consistent with a similar density anomaly reconstructed from optical televiewing, which reveals that the firn inside the channel is 4.7 % denser than that outside the channel. Hydrostatic ice thickness calculations used for determining basal melt rates should account for the denser firn in ice-shelf channels. The radar method presented here is robust and can easily be adapted to different radar frequencies and data-acquisition geometries.

  14. A Novel Multimode Waveguide Coupler for Accurate Power Measurement of Traveling Wave Tube Harmonic Frequencies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wintucky, Edwin G.; Simons, Rainee N.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the design, fabrication and test results for a novel waveguide multimode directional coupler (MDC). The coupler fabricated from two dissimilar waveguides is capable of isolating the power at the second harmonic frequency from the fundamental power at the output port of a traveling-wave tube (TWT). In addition to accurate power measurements at harmonic frequencies, a potential application of the MDC is in the design of a beacon source for atmospheric propagation studies at millimeter-wave frequencies.

  15. High-resolution gamma ray attenuation density measurements on mining exploration drill cores, including cut cores

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ross, P.-S.; Bourke, A.

    2017-01-01

    Physical property measurements are increasingly important in mining exploration. For density determinations on rocks, one method applicable on exploration drill cores relies on gamma ray attenuation. This non-destructive method is ideal because each measurement takes only 10 s, making it suitable for high-resolution logging. However calibration has been problematic. In this paper we present new empirical, site-specific correction equations for whole NQ and BQ cores. The corrections force back the gamma densities to the "true" values established by the immersion method. For the NQ core caliber, the density range extends to high values (massive pyrite, 5 g/cm3) and the correction is thought to be very robust. We also present additional empirical correction factors for cut cores which take into account the missing material. These "cut core correction factors", which are not site-specific, were established by making gamma density measurements on truncated aluminum cylinders of various residual thicknesses. Finally we show two examples of application for the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Canada. The gamma ray attenuation measurement system is part of a multi-sensor core logger which also determines magnetic susceptibility, geochemistry and mineralogy on rock cores, and performs line-scan imaging.

  16. Local Electron Density Measurements from Sounding Experiments by RPI on IMAGE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Proddaturi, R.; Sonwalkar, V. S.; Li, J.; Venkatasubramanian, A.; Carpenter, D.; Benson, R.; Reinisch, B.

    2004-12-01

    RPI sounding experiments lead to a variety of echoes, propagating in various plasma wave modes, and local resonances. Characteristic frequencies of these echoes and resonances can be used to determine the local plasma frequency and thus the local electron density. In this work we have estimated plasma frequency by two methods: (1) using upper hybrid frequency measured from the diffuse Z mode echo upper cutoff and gyro-frequency measured from a gap in the diffuse Z mode echo or from resonances at the multiples of gyrofrequency, (2) upper hybrid frequency from the diffuse Z mode and the free space cutoff frequency fR=0 from the R-X mode echo. Broadband diffuse Z-mode echoes occur 90% of the time at high latitudes (λ m>45oS) near perigee in the southern hemisphere, where fpe << fce. In the middle and low latitudes (λ m<45oS), where fpe >> fce, Z-mode echoes are narrowband and are often accompanied by Qn and Dn resonances. The free space R-X mode echoes are commonly observed at both high and low latitudes. Multiples of gyrofrequency are typically observed at mid- to low-latitude in both the northern and southern hemisphere and at high latitude in the northern hemisphere. RPI plasmagrams were analyzed for three orbits (apogee to apogee) in the year 2002. These three orbits were selected because suitable sounding programs, those that can cover Z mode bandwidth over a wide range of latitude, were used, and also because a large number of diffuse Z mode echoes were actually observed. Electron densities as low as 10 el/cc and as high as 9000 el/cc were measured. The transmission frequencies place a limitation on the upper and lower limits of measurable fpe. The measured fpe values showed good agreement with measurements made from the thermal noise but showed large deviations when compared with model fpe values. For a particular orbit on August 26, 2002, Ne measured was as low as ˜20 el/cc at higher altitudes outside the plasmasphere (λ m > 60oN, altitude >7000 km, MLT=1

  17. Factors influencing intracranial vessel densities on unenhanced computed tomography: differences between hemispheres.

    PubMed

    Grams, Astrid E; Rehwald, Rafael; Schmittnägel, Charlotte; Schmidt, Thorsten; Tanislav, Christian; Berghoff, Martin; Krombach, Gabriele A; Moritz, Regina; Obert, Martin; Gizewski, Elke R; Glodny, Bernhard

    The aim was to identify the factors influencing intracranial vessel density (VD). The Hounsfield units of the dense vessel and the contralateral side were measured in 34 patients with arterial clots, 20 with venous clots, and 196 without clots and correlated with skull thickness, density and dimensions, gender, age, red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HT), creatinine, and sodium. Positive correlations were found between VD and HT, RBC, HB, creatinine, and occipital bone density. Density differences between the right and left intracranial vessels were more accurate (sensitivity/specificity/accuracy=0.91/0.93/0.93 and 0.75/0.87/0.85, respectively) for detecting clots than VD alone. HT, RBC, and HB are the main factors that correlate with VD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. A technique for fast and accurate measurement of hand volumes using Archimedes' principle.

    PubMed

    Hughes, S; Lau, J

    2008-03-01

    A new technique for measuring hand volumes using Archimedes principle is described. The technique involves the immersion of a hand in a water container placed on an electronic balance. The volume is given by the change in weight divided by the density of water. This technique was compared with the more conventional technique of immersing an object in a container with an overflow spout and collecting and weighing the volume of overflow water. The hand volume of two subjects was measured. Hand volumes were 494 +/- 6 ml and 312 +/- 7 ml for the immersion method and 476 +/- 14 ml and 302 +/- 8 ml for the overflow method for the two subjects respectively. Using plastic test objects, the mean difference between the actual and measured volume was -0.3% and 2.0% for the immersion and overflow techniques respectively. This study shows that hand volumes can be obtained more quickly than the overflow method. The technique could find an application in clinics where frequent hand volumes are required.

  19. LIF Density Measurement Calibration Using a Reference Cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Domonkos, Matthew T.; Williams, George J., Jr.; Lyons, Valerie J. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Flight qualification of ion thrusters typically requires testing on the order of 10,000 hours. Extensive knowledge of wear mechanisms and rates is necessary to establish design confidence prior to long duration tests. Consequently, real-time erosion rate measurements offer the potential both to reduce development costs and to enhance knowledge of the dependency of component wear on operating conditions. Several previous studies have used laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure real-time, in situ erosion rates of ion thruster accelerator grids. Those studies provided only relative measurements of the erosion rate. In the present investigation, a molybdenum tube was resistively heated such that the evaporation rate yielded densities within the tube on the order of those expected from accelerator grid erosion. A pulsed UV laser was used to pump the ground state molybdenum at 345.64nm, and the non-resonant fluorescence at 550-nm was collected using a bandpass filter and a photomultiplier tube or intensified CCD array. The sensitivity of the fluorescence was evaluated to determine the limitations of the calibration technique. The suitability of the diagnostic calibration technique was assessed for application to ion engine erosion rate measurements.

  20. Basic physics and doubts about relationship between mammographically determined tissue density and breast cancer risk.

    PubMed

    Kopans, Daniel B

    2008-02-01

    Numerous studies have suggested a link between breast tissue patterns, as defined with mammography, and risk for breast cancer. There may be a relationship, but the author believes all of these studies have methodological flaws. It is impossible, with the parameters used in these studies, to accurately measure the percentage of tissues by volume when two-dimensional x-ray mammographic images are used. Without exposure values, half-value layer information, and knowledge of the compressed thickness of the breast, an accurate volume of tissue cannot be calculated. The great variability in positioning the breast for a mammogram is also an uncontrollable factor in measuring tissue density. Computerized segmentation algorithms can accurately assess the percentage of the x-ray image that is "dense," but this does not accurately measure the true volume of tissue. Since the percentage of dense tissue is ultimately measured in relation to the complete volume of the breast, defining the true boundaries of the breast is also a problem. Studies that purport to show small percentage differences between groups are likely inaccurate. Future investigations need to use three-dimensional information. (c) RSNA, 2008.

  1. Exploring charge density analysis in crystals at high pressure: data collection, data analysis and advanced modelling.

    PubMed

    Casati, Nicola; Genoni, Alessandro; Meyer, Benjamin; Krawczuk, Anna; Macchi, Piero

    2017-08-01

    The possibility to determine electron-density distribution in crystals has been an enormous breakthrough, stimulated by a favourable combination of equipment for X-ray and neutron diffraction at low temperature, by the development of simplified, though accurate, electron-density models refined from the experimental data and by the progress in charge density analysis often in combination with theoretical work. Many years after the first successful charge density determination and analysis, scientists face new challenges, for example: (i) determination of the finer details of the electron-density distribution in the atomic cores, (ii) simultaneous refinement of electron charge and spin density or (iii) measuring crystals under perturbation. In this context, the possibility of obtaining experimental charge density at high pressure has recently been demonstrated [Casati et al. (2016). Nat. Commun. 7, 10901]. This paper reports on the necessities and pitfalls of this new challenge, focusing on the species syn-1,6:8,13-biscarbonyl[14]annulene. The experimental requirements, the expected data quality and data corrections are discussed in detail, including warnings about possible shortcomings. At the same time, new modelling techniques are proposed, which could enable specific information to be extracted, from the limited and less accurate observations, like the degree of localization of double bonds, which is fundamental to the scientific case under examination.

  2. Development of a New Fundamental Measuring Technique for the Accurate Measurement of Gas Flowrates by Means of Laser Doppler Anemometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dopheide, D.; Taux, G.; Krey, E.-A.

    1990-01-01

    In the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), a research test facility for the accurate measurement of gas (volume and mass) flowrates has been set up in the last few years on the basis of a laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) with a view to directly measuring gas flowrates with a relative uncertainty of only 0,1%. To achieve this, it was necessary to develop laser Doppler anemometry into a precision measuring technique and to carry out detailed investigations on stationary low-turbulence nozzle flow. The process-computer controlled test facility covers the flowrate range from 100 to 4000 m3/h (~0,03 - 1,0 m3/s), any flowrate being measured directly, immediately and without staggered arrangement of several flow meters. After the development was completed, several turbine-type gas meters were calibrated and international comparisons carried out. The article surveys the most significant aspects of the work and provides an outlook on future developments with regard to the miniaturization of optical flow and flowrate sensors for industrial applications.

  3. History and progress on accurate measurements of the Planck constant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steiner, Richard

    2013-01-01

    The measurement of the Planck constant, h, is entering a new phase. The CODATA 2010 recommended value is 6.626 069 57 × 10-34 J s, but it has been a long road, and the trip is not over yet. Since its discovery as a fundamental physical constant to explain various effects in quantum theory, h has become especially important in defining standards for electrical measurements and soon, for mass determination. Measuring h in the International System of Units (SI) started as experimental attempts merely to prove its existence. Many decades passed while newer experiments measured physical effects that were the influence of h combined with other physical constants: elementary charge, e, and the Avogadro constant, NA. As experimental techniques improved, the precision of the value of h expanded. When the Josephson and quantum Hall theories led to new electronic devices, and a hundred year old experiment, the absolute ampere, was altered into a watt balance, h not only became vital in definitions for the volt and ohm units, but suddenly it could be measured directly and even more accurately. Finally, as measurement uncertainties now approach a few parts in 108 from the watt balance experiments and Avogadro determinations, its importance has been linked to a proposed redefinition of a kilogram unit of mass. The path to higher accuracy in measuring the value of h was not always an example of continuous progress. Since new measurements periodically led to changes in its accepted value and the corresponding SI units, it is helpful to see why there were bumps in the road and where the different branch lines of research joined in the effort. Recalling the bumps along this road will hopefully avoid their repetition in the upcoming SI redefinition debates. This paper begins with a brief history of the methods to measure a combination of fundamental constants, thus indirectly obtaining the Planck constant. The historical path is followed in the section describing how the improved

  4. Methodology for extraction of space charge density profiles at nanoscale from Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements.

    PubMed

    Villeneuve-Faure, C; Boudou, L; Makasheva, K; Teyssedre, G

    2017-12-15

    To understand the physical phenomena occurring at metal/dielectric interfaces, determination of the charge density profile at nanoscale is crucial. To deal with this issue, charges were injected applying a DC voltage on lateral Al-electrodes embedded in a SiN x thin dielectric layer. The surface potential induced by the injected charges was probed by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). It was found that the KPFM frequency mode is a better adapted method to probe accurately the charge profile. To extract the charge density profile from the surface potential two numerical approaches based on the solution to Poisson's equation for electrostatics were investigated: the second derivative model method, already reported in the literature, and a new 2D method based on the finite element method (FEM). Results highlight that the FEM is more robust to noise or artifacts in the case of a non-flat initial surface potential. Moreover, according to theoretical study the FEM appears to be a good candidate for determining charge density in dielectric films with thicknesses in the range from 10 nm to 10 μm. By applying this method, the charge density profile was determined at nanoscale, highlighting that the charge cloud remains close to the interface.

  5. Methodology for extraction of space charge density profiles at nanoscale from Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villeneuve-Faure, C.; Boudou, L.; Makasheva, K.; Teyssedre, G.

    2017-12-01

    To understand the physical phenomena occurring at metal/dielectric interfaces, determination of the charge density profile at nanoscale is crucial. To deal with this issue, charges were injected applying a DC voltage on lateral Al-electrodes embedded in a SiN x thin dielectric layer. The surface potential induced by the injected charges was probed by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). It was found that the KPFM frequency mode is a better adapted method to probe accurately the charge profile. To extract the charge density profile from the surface potential two numerical approaches based on the solution to Poisson’s equation for electrostatics were investigated: the second derivative model method, already reported in the literature, and a new 2D method based on the finite element method (FEM). Results highlight that the FEM is more robust to noise or artifacts in the case of a non-flat initial surface potential. Moreover, according to theoretical study the FEM appears to be a good candidate for determining charge density in dielectric films with thicknesses in the range from 10 nm to 10 μm. By applying this method, the charge density profile was determined at nanoscale, highlighting that the charge cloud remains close to the interface.

  6. Shuttle high resolution accelerometer package experiment results - Atmospheric density measurements between 60-160 km

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blanchard, R. C.; Hinson, E. W.; Nicholson, J. Y.

    1988-01-01

    Indirect or inferred values of atmospheric density encountered by the Shuttle Orbiter during reentry have been calculated from acceleration measurements made by the High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP) and the Orbiter Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) liner accelerometers. The atmospheric density data developed from this study represent a significant gain with respect to the body of data collected to date by various techniques in the altitude range of 60 to 160 km. The data are unique in that they cover a very wide horizontal range during each flight and provide insight into the actual density variations encountered along the reentry flight path. The data, which were collected over about 3 years, are also characterized by variations in solar activity, geomagnetic index, and local solar time. Comparison of the flight-derived densities with various atmospheric models have been made, and analyses have attempted to characterize the data and to show correlation with selected physical variables.

  7. Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide in humid air using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, H.; Karion, A.; Rella, C. W.; Winderlich, J.; Gerbig, C.; Filges, A.; Newberger, T.; Sweeney, C.; Tans, P. P.

    2012-09-01

    Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) in humid air have been made using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. The measurements of CO mole fractions are determined from the strength of its spectral absorption in the near infrared region (∼1.57 μm) after removing interferences from adjacent carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O) absorption lines. Water correction functions that account for the dilution and pressure-broadening effects as well as absorption line interferences from adjacent CO2 and H2O lines have been derived for CO2 mole fractions between 360-390 ppm. The line interference corrections are independent of CO mole fractions. The dependence of the line interference correction on CO2 abundance is estimated to be approximately -0.3 ppb/100 ppm CO2 for dry mole fractions of CO. Comparisons of water correction functions from different analyzers of the same type show significant differences, making it necessary to perform instrument-specific water tests for each individual analyzer. The CRDS analyzer was flown on an aircraft in Alaska from April to November in 2011, and the accuracy of the CO measurements by the CRDS analyzer has been validated against discrete NOAA/ESRL flask sample measurements made on board the same aircraft, with a mean difference between integrated in situ and flask measurements of -0.6 ppb and a standard deviation of 2.8 ppb. Preliminary testing of CRDS instrumentation that employs new spectroscopic analysis (available since the beginning of 2012) indicates a smaller water vapor dependence than the models discussed here, but more work is necessary to fully validate the performance. The CRDS technique provides an accurate and low-maintenance method of monitoring the atmospheric dry mole fractions of CO in humid air streams.

  8. Importance of the Kinetic Energy Density for Band Gap Calculations in Solids with Density Functional Theory.

    PubMed

    Tran, Fabien; Blaha, Peter

    2017-05-04

    Recently, exchange-correlation potentials in density functional theory were developed with the goal of providing improved band gaps in solids. Among them, the semilocal potentials are particularly interesting for large systems since they lead to calculations that are much faster than with hybrid functionals or methods like GW. We present an exhaustive comparison of semilocal exchange-correlation potentials for band gap calculations on a large test set of solids, and particular attention is paid to the potential HLE16 proposed by Verma and Truhlar. It is shown that the most accurate potential is the modified Becke-Johnson potential, which, most noticeably, is much more accurate than all other semilocal potentials for strongly correlated systems. This can be attributed to its additional dependence on the kinetic energy density. It is also shown that the modified Becke-Johnson potential is at least as accurate as the hybrid functionals and more reliable for solids with large band gaps.

  9. Investigation of mid-latitude electron density enhancement using total electron content measurements and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC electron density profiles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rajesh, P. K.; Nanan, Balan; Liu, Jann-Yenq; Lin, Charles C. H.; Chang, S. Y.; Chen, Chia-Hung

    This study investigates the mid-latitude electron density enhancement (MEDE) using global ionospheric map (GIM) total electron content (TEC) measurements and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) electron density profiles. Diurnal, seasonal, latitudinal, and solar activity variations in the occurrence and strength of MEDE are examined using global GIM TEC data in the years 2002 and 2009. The results show that MEDE occurrence is pronounced during 2200-0400 LT, the feature also appears during day. The strength of MEDE maximizes around 0400 LT, and is very weak during daytime. The occurrence and strength show significant longitude dependence, and vary with season and solar activity. Concurrent F3/C electron density profiles also reveal enhancement of the peak electron density and total electron content. Further studies are carried out by examining the role of neutral wind in re-organizing the plasma using SAMI2 and HWM93 models. The results indicate that meridional neutral wind could cause the plasma to converge over mid-latitudes, and thus support in maintaining the enhancement.

  10. Accurate and automatic extrinsic calibration method for blade measurement system integrated by different optical sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Wantao; Li, Zhongwei; Zhong, Kai; Shi, Yusheng; Zhao, Can; Cheng, Xu

    2014-11-01

    Fast and precise 3D inspection system is in great demand in modern manufacturing processes. At present, the available sensors have their own pros and cons, and hardly exist an omnipotent sensor to handle the complex inspection task in an accurate and effective way. The prevailing solution is integrating multiple sensors and taking advantages of their strengths. For obtaining a holistic 3D profile, the data from different sensors should be registrated into a coherent coordinate system. However, some complex shape objects own thin wall feather such as blades, the ICP registration method would become unstable. Therefore, it is very important to calibrate the extrinsic parameters of each sensor in the integrated measurement system. This paper proposed an accurate and automatic extrinsic parameter calibration method for blade measurement system integrated by different optical sensors. In this system, fringe projection sensor (FPS) and conoscopic holography sensor (CHS) is integrated into a multi-axis motion platform, and the sensors can be optimally move to any desired position at the object's surface. In order to simple the calibration process, a special calibration artifact is designed according to the characteristics of the two sensors. An automatic registration procedure based on correlation and segmentation is used to realize the artifact datasets obtaining by FPS and CHS rough alignment without any manual operation and data pro-processing, and then the Generalized Gauss-Markoff model is used to estimate the optimization transformation parameters. The experiments show the measurement result of a blade, where several sampled patches are merged into one point cloud, and it verifies the performance of the proposed method.

  11. Assessment of Different Sampling Methods for Measuring and Representing Macular Cone Density Using Flood-Illuminated Adaptive Optics.

    PubMed

    Feng, Shu; Gale, Michael J; Fay, Jonathan D; Faridi, Ambar; Titus, Hope E; Garg, Anupam K; Michaels, Keith V; Erker, Laura R; Peters, Dawn; Smith, Travis B; Pennesi, Mark E

    2015-09-01

    To describe a standardized flood-illuminated adaptive optics (AO) imaging protocol suitable for the clinical setting and to assess sampling methods for measuring cone density. Cone density was calculated following three measurement protocols: 50 × 50-μm sampling window values every 0.5° along the horizontal and vertical meridians (fixed-interval method), the mean density of expanding 0.5°-wide arcuate areas in the nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior quadrants (arcuate mean method), and the peak cone density of a 50 × 50-μm sampling window within expanding arcuate areas near the meridian (peak density method). Repeated imaging was performed in nine subjects to determine intersession repeatability of cone density. Cone density montages could be created for 67 of the 74 subjects. Image quality was determined to be adequate for automated cone counting for 35 (52%) of the 67 subjects. We found that cone density varied with different sampling methods and regions tested. In the nasal and temporal quadrants, peak density most closely resembled histological data, whereas the arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods tended to underestimate the density compared with histological data. However, in the inferior and superior quadrants, arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods most closely matched histological data, whereas the peak density method overestimated cone density compared with histological data. Intersession repeatability testing showed that repeatability was greatest when sampling by arcuate mean and lowest when sampling by fixed interval. We show that different methods of sampling can significantly affect cone density measurements. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting cone density results, even in a normal population.

  12. Assessment of Different Sampling Methods for Measuring and Representing Macular Cone Density Using Flood-Illuminated Adaptive Optics

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Shu; Gale, Michael J.; Fay, Jonathan D.; Faridi, Ambar; Titus, Hope E.; Garg, Anupam K.; Michaels, Keith V.; Erker, Laura R.; Peters, Dawn; Smith, Travis B.; Pennesi, Mark E.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To describe a standardized flood-illuminated adaptive optics (AO) imaging protocol suitable for the clinical setting and to assess sampling methods for measuring cone density. Methods Cone density was calculated following three measurement protocols: 50 × 50-μm sampling window values every 0.5° along the horizontal and vertical meridians (fixed-interval method), the mean density of expanding 0.5°-wide arcuate areas in the nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior quadrants (arcuate mean method), and the peak cone density of a 50 × 50-μm sampling window within expanding arcuate areas near the meridian (peak density method). Repeated imaging was performed in nine subjects to determine intersession repeatability of cone density. Results Cone density montages could be created for 67 of the 74 subjects. Image quality was determined to be adequate for automated cone counting for 35 (52%) of the 67 subjects. We found that cone density varied with different sampling methods and regions tested. In the nasal and temporal quadrants, peak density most closely resembled histological data, whereas the arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods tended to underestimate the density compared with histological data. However, in the inferior and superior quadrants, arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods most closely matched histological data, whereas the peak density method overestimated cone density compared with histological data. Intersession repeatability testing showed that repeatability was greatest when sampling by arcuate mean and lowest when sampling by fixed interval. Conclusions We show that different methods of sampling can significantly affect cone density measurements. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting cone density results, even in a normal population. PMID:26325414

  13. Quantitative measurements of localized density variations in cylindrical tablets using X-ray microtomography.

    PubMed

    Busignies, Virginie; Leclerc, Bernard; Porion, Patrice; Evesque, Pierre; Couarraze, Guy; Tchoreloff, Pierre

    2006-08-01

    Direct compaction is a complex process that results in a density distribution inside the tablets which is often heterogeneous. Therefore, the density variations may affect the compact properties. A quantitative analysis of this phenomenon is still lacking. Recently, X-ray microtomography has been successfully used in pharmaceutical development to study qualitatively the impact of tablet shape and break-line in the density of pharmaceutical tablets. In this study, we evaluate the density profile in microcrystalline cellulose (Vivapur 12) compacts obtained at different mean porosity (ranging from 7.7% to 33.5%) using X-ray tomography technique. First, the validity of the Beer-Lambert law is studied. Then, density calibration is performed and density maps of cylindrical tablets are obtained and visualized using a process with colour-scale calibration plot which is explained. As expected, important heterogeneity in density is observed and quantified. The higher densities in peripheral region were particularly investigated and appraised in regard to the lower densities observed in the middle of the tablet. The results also underlined that in the case of pharmaceutical tablets, it is important to differentiate the mechanical properties representative of the total volume tablet and the mechanical properties that only characterize the tablet surface like the Brinell hardness measurements.

  14. Accurate van der Waals force field for gas adsorption in porous materials.

    PubMed

    Sun, Lei; Yang, Li; Zhang, Ya-Dong; Shi, Qi; Lu, Rui-Feng; Deng, Wei-Qiao

    2017-09-05

    An accurate van der Waals force field (VDW FF) was derived from highly precise quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. Small molecular clusters were used to explore van der Waals interactions between gas molecules and porous materials. The parameters of the accurate van der Waals force field were determined by QM calculations. To validate the force field, the prediction results from the VDW FF were compared with standard FFs, such as UFF, Dreiding, Pcff, and Compass. The results from the VDW FF were in excellent agreement with the experimental measurements. This force field can be applied to the prediction of the gas density (H 2 , CO 2 , C 2 H 4 , CH 4 , N 2 , O 2 ) and adsorption performance inside porous materials, such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs), zeolites and metal organic frameworks (MOFs), consisting of H, B, N, C, O, S, Si, Al, Zn, Mg, Ni, and Co. This work provides a solid basis for studying gas adsorption in porous materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Investigation of Aerosol Surface Area Estimation from Number and Mass Concentration Measurements: Particle Density Effect

    PubMed Central

    Ku, Bon Ki; Evans, Douglas E.

    2015-01-01

    For nanoparticles with nonspherical morphologies, e.g., open agglomerates or fibrous particles, it is expected that the actual density of agglomerates may be significantly different from the bulk material density. It is further expected that using the material density may upset the relationship between surface area and mass when a method for estimating aerosol surface area from number and mass concentrations (referred to as “Maynard’s estimation method”) is used. Therefore, it is necessary to quantitatively investigate how much the Maynard’s estimation method depends on particle morphology and density. In this study, aerosol surface area estimated from number and mass concentration measurements was evaluated and compared with values from two reference methods: a method proposed by Lall and Friedlander for agglomerates and a mobility based method for compact nonspherical particles using well-defined polydisperse aerosols with known particle densities. Polydisperse silver aerosol particles were generated by an aerosol generation facility. Generated aerosols had a range of morphologies, count median diameters (CMD) between 25 and 50 nm, and geometric standard deviations (GSD) between 1.5 and 1.8. The surface area estimates from number and mass concentration measurements correlated well with the two reference values when gravimetric mass was used. The aerosol surface area estimates from the Maynard’s estimation method were comparable to the reference method for all particle morphologies within the surface area ratios of 3.31 and 0.19 for assumed GSDs 1.5 and 1.8, respectively, when the bulk material density of silver was used. The difference between the Maynard’s estimation method and surface area measured by the reference method for fractal-like agglomerates decreased from 79% to 23% when the measured effective particle density was used, while the difference for nearly spherical particles decreased from 30% to 24%. The results indicate that the use of

  16. Temperature and number density measurements using Raman scattering in turbulent-supersonic-combusting flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeyashekar, Nigil Satish

    Scramjet engines propelled at hypersonic velocities have the potential to replace existing rocket launchers. Commercializing the vehicle is an arduous task, owing to issues relating to low combustion efficiency. The performance, thrust, and speed of the engine can be improved by optimizing: turbulence-chemistry interaction to provide mixing conditions favorable for the chemistry, pressure buildup, and re-circulation of hydrogen throughout the engine. The performance of the engine can be measured, flow and chemical dynamics can be evaluated when all three variables in the transport equations are known. The variables are instantaneous flow velocity, static temperature (refers to the macroscopic temperature and not the molecular species temperature), and total number density at a point in the flow. The motive is to build a non-intrusive tool to measure thermodynamic quantities (static temperature and total number density). This can be integrated with a velocity measurement tool, in the future, to obtain all three variables simultaneously and instantaneously. The dissertation describes in detail the motivation for the proposed work, with introduction to the formalism involved, with a concise literature review, followed by mathematical perspective to obtain the working equations for temperature and number density. The design of the adiabatic burner and the experimental setup used for calibration is discussed with the uncertainty involved in measurements. The measurements are made for a certain set of flow conditions in the laminar burner by Raman scattering and is validated by comparing it to the theoretical/adiabatic flame temperature and mole fraction plots, in lean and rich regime. This technique is applied to turbulent, supersonic, hydrogen-air flame of an afterburning rocket nozzle. The statistics of temperature and total number density versus the corresponding values at adiabatic conditions gives the departure from thermal and chemical equilibrium. The extent of

  17. Atmospheric turbulence profiling with unknown power spectral density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Helin, Tapio; Kindermann, Stefan; Lehtonen, Jonatan; Ramlau, Ronny

    2018-04-01

    Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology in modern ground-based optical telescopes to compensate for the wavefront distortions caused by atmospheric turbulence. One method that allows to retrieve information about the atmosphere from telescope data is so-called SLODAR, where the atmospheric turbulence profile is estimated based on correlation data of Shack-Hartmann wavefront measurements. This approach relies on a layered Kolmogorov turbulence model. In this article, we propose a novel extension of the SLODAR concept by including a general non-Kolmogorov turbulence layer close to the ground with an unknown power spectral density. We prove that the joint estimation problem of the turbulence profile above ground simultaneously with the unknown power spectral density at the ground is ill-posed and propose three numerical reconstruction methods. We demonstrate by numerical simulations that our methods lead to substantial improvements in the turbulence profile reconstruction compared to the standard SLODAR-type approach. Also, our methods can accurately locate local perturbations in non-Kolmogorov power spectral densities.

  18. Measurement of temperature and density fluctuations in turbulence using an ultraviolet laser

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Massey, G. A.

    1984-01-01

    Noninvasive measurement of density and temperature fluctuations in turbulent air flow was examined. The approach used fluorescence of oxygen molecules which are selectively excited by a tunable vacuum ultraviolet laser beam. The strength of the fluorescence signal and its dependence on laser wavelength vary with the density and temperature of the air in the laser beam. Because fluorescence can be detected at 90 degrees from the beam propagation direction, spatial resolution in three dimensions, rather than path-integrated measurements can be achieved. With spatial resolutions of the order of a millimeter and at supersonic air velocities it is necessary to perform each measurement in a time of the order of a microsecond; this is possible by by using laser pulses of ten nanosecond duration. In this method atmospheric O2 is excited by the emission of a tunable ArF excimer laser, and the fluorescence, which spans the 210 to 420 range, is detected by an ultraviolet phototube.

  19. Single-particle energies and density of states in density functional theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Aggelen, H.; Chan, G. K.-L.

    2015-07-01

    Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) is commonly used as the foundation to obtain neutral excited states and transition weights in DFT, but does not allow direct access to density of states and single-particle energies, i.e. ionisation energies and electron affinities. Here we show that by extending TD-DFT to a superfluid formulation, which involves operators that break particle-number symmetry, we can obtain the density of states and single-particle energies from the poles of an appropriate superfluid response function. The standard Kohn- Sham eigenvalues emerge as the adiabatic limit of the superfluid response under the assumption that the exchange- correlation functional has no dependence on the superfluid density. The Kohn- Sham eigenvalues can thus be interpreted as approximations to the ionisation energies and electron affinities. Beyond this approximation, the formalism provides an incentive for creating a new class of density functionals specifically targeted at accurate single-particle eigenvalues and bandgaps.

  20. Measurement of electron density transients in pulsed RF discharges using a frequency boxcar hairpin probe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peterson, David; Coumou, David; Shannon, Steven

    2015-11-01

    Time resolved electron density measurements in pulsed RF discharges are shown using a hairpin resonance probe using low cost electronics, on par with normal Langmuir probe boxcar mode operation. Time resolution of 10 microseconds has been demonstrated. A signal generator produces the applied microwave frequency; the reflected waveform is passed through a directional coupler and filtered to remove the RF component. The signal is heterodyned with a frequency mixer and rectified to produce a DC signal read by an oscilloscope. At certain points during the pulse, the plasma density is such that the applied frequency is the same as the resonance frequency of the probe/plasma system, creating reflected signal dips. The applied microwave frequency is shifted in small increments in a frequency boxcar routine to determine the density as a function of time. A dc sheath correction is applied for the grounded probe, producing low cost, high fidelity, and highly reproducible electron density measurements. The measurements are made in both inductively and capacitively coupled systems, the latter driven by multiple frequencies where a subset of these frequencies are pulsed. Measurements are compared to previous published results, time resolved OES, and in-line measurement of plasma impedance. This work is supported by the NSF DOE partnership on plasma science, the NSF GOALI program, and MKS Instruments.